Just to encourage you that even with all the bad stuff that happens to us we still have to go on and take care of things we need to do.

One of the most important things you have to do is fill out tho answers to the questions on the forms.

Thanks;

Love – Dad

God Works Within Us
EPHESIANS 3:20-21 

Let these words slowly sink into your understanding: “able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think” (v. 20). What an amazing description of God’s ability to work within us.

Yet so often our focus is mainly on what we want Him to do around us: If He would change this situation or fix that problem, then my life would be better. But He invites us to think and ask bigger—He wants to change us!

The Holy Spirit has more than enough power to transform lives from the inside out, but working change within is usually a slow process. Spiritual fruit takes time to grow and mature. That’s why we need patience and faith to believe He is working even when we don’t see the results right away. God is never in a hurry and will never give up on us.

The Lord has a purpose for your life, and He is constantly working to achieve it. Although He has an individualized plan for each one of His children, He also has an overarching goal—to conform every believer to the image of His Son Jesus Christ. In order to accomplish this, He may have to bring us through some struggles and heartaches. It might make no sense to us, but God knows exactly what He’s doing.

What would you like to see the Lord do within you? As you read the Scriptures, look for qualities that God considers precious, and ask Him to work them out in your life. Then rely on His wonderful promise to do even more than you have asked or imagined

The Altar of Age   –   At evening time there shall be light.

Zechariah 14:7    ( kinda cool that this is from the book that I gave you guys  home work in 🙂

We often look forward with anxiety to the time of old age, forgetting that at evening time it shall be light. To many saints, old age is the choicest season in their lives. A warmer breeze fans the sailor’s face as he nears the shore of immortality; fewer waves ruffle his sea; quiet reigns, deep, still and solemn. From the altar of age the flashes of the fire of youth are gone, but the deepening flame of sincere feeling remains. The pilgrims have reached the promised land, the happy country, whose days are as the days of heaven upon earth. Angels visit it, celestial gales blow over it, flowers of paradise grow in it, and the air is filled with heavenly music. Some live here for years, and others arrive only a few hours before their departure, but it is an Eden on earth.

We may begin to long for the time when we can recline in its shady groves and be satisfied with hope until the time of fruition comes. The setting sun seems larger than when it is high in the sky, and a splendor of glory tinges all the clouds that surround its going down. Pain does not break the calm of the sweet twilight of age, for strength is made perfect in weakness and endures it all patiently. Ripe fruits of choice experience are gathered as the rare food of life’s evening, and the soul prepares itself for rest.

The Lord’s people will also enjoy light in the hour of death. Unbelief bemoans the evening shadows, the darkening night, the end of existence. But no, cries faith, the night is almost over and the true day is at hand. Light has come, the light of immortality, the light of the Father’s countenance. Gather your feet up in the bed; see the waiting throng of angels ready to bear you away. Farewell, loved one, you are gone. You wave your hand; now it is light! The pearly gates are open; the golden streets shine in the jasper light. We cover our eyes, but you behold the unseen; adieu, dear friend, you have light at evening time that we have not yet.

The family reading plan for October 4, 2011

1 Kings 7 | Ephesians 4

Angels – The Unseen Attendants

Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation?

Hebrews 1:14

Angels are the unseen attendants of the children of God; they carry us in their hands and keep us from calamity. Loyalty to their Lord leads them to take a deep interest in the children of His love; they rejoice over the return of the prodigal to his father’s house below, and they welcome the arrival of the believer to the King’s palace above.

In ancient times the children of God were able to actually see the angels. Today, although we do not see them, heaven is still open, and the angels of God ascend and descend upon the Son of man, so that they may visit the heirs of salvation. Seraphim still fly with live coals from the altar to touch the lips of men greatly loved.

If our eyes could be opened, we would see horses and chariots of fire surrounding the servants of the Lord; for we have come to an innumerable company of angels, who are all watchers and protectors of the King’s family. Spenser’s line is not poetic fiction, where he sings–

How oft do they with golden pinions cleave

The flitting skies, like flying pursuivant

Against foul fiends to aid us militant!

To what dignity are the chosen elevated when the brilliant courtiers of heaven become their willing servants! Into what communion are we raised since we have communion with spotless celestials! How well are we defended since all the twenty thousand chariots of God are armed for our deliverance!

To whom do we owe all this? The Lord Jesus Christ who must be forever dear to us, for through Him we are made to sit in heavenly places far above principalities and powers. It is He whose camp is around those that fear Him; He is the true Michael whose foot is upon the dragon. All hail, Jesus! Angel of Jehovah’s presence, to You this family offers its morning vows.

The family reading plan for October 3, 2011

1 Kings 6 | Ephesians 3

Answered Prayer
JOHN 16:23-24 

During the final days of His earthly ministry, Christ spoke to the disciples about the power of making requests in His name—and the guarantee that God will answer such prayers.

Yesterday we learned that in order to pray in Christ’s name, we must be rightly related to God through faith in Jesus. Because of the Son, we have access to the Father, the right to approach Him with confidence, and the authority to present our petitions to Him.

By using the words in Jesus’ name in prayer, we’re also making a commitment to seek God’s will. Christ withdrew from the crowds frequently so He could commune with and obey His Father (John 5:19). In a similar way, God has a plan for each of us, which He reveals through His Word; when we know what the Bible says, we can shape our prayers according to its truth. In addition, God has also given us the Holy Spirit to guide us into understanding of Scripture (John 16:13).

Finally, our petitions are to reflect our dependence on God. In our self-reliant culture, we tend not to talk to the Lord about things we have under control or think we can handle ourselves. But we are instructed to seek His guidance in all areas (Phil. 4:6) and acknowledge our need of Him.

Our petitions don’t have to be complicated, nor do our words need to be eloquent. What matters is that we have the right to pray in Jesus’ name and that what we ask is in accordance with His will. Then His power will be released, and we can be assured of answered prayer

Please work on answering the questions and keep it honest and open – keep it secret and to yourself. I will be the only you talk with about this, the more serious you take this the better it will be for you.

Work on the Homework reading for Zechariah and answer all the questions by Wednesday.

We will start having meetings on Thursday Night.

Praying in Jesus’ Name
JOHN 14:13-14 

Jesus taught the disciples to pray “in His name.” He assured them that when they did, God would do whatever they asked. This is a powerful promise with a specific requirement. So let’s look at what it means to pray in Jesus’ name.

First, it points out the necessity of a family relationship with God through Christ. Scripture teaches that all of us were once separated from God and under His wrath. But that changes when a person confesses his sinfulness, acknowledges need of a Savior, and believes that Jesus died in his place to pay the price for iniquity. Praying in Jesus’ name is possible for all who belong to God’s family.

Second, praying in this way acknowledges that access to God is possible through Christ alone (John 14:6). The Savior opened the way for us to approach God as Father and receive answers to our prayers. Only those whose sin debt has been paid by Jesus’ blood can come near to holy God.

Third, because of Jesus, we as believers have the authority to enter the heavenly throne room with our petitions. And we come, not as beggars, but as heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ (Rom. 8:17). Because of Jesus, we can pray with confidence that our requests will be heard and answered (Heb. 4:16).

The Savior pledged that praying in His name—that is, according to His will—would give Christians open access to the throne of grace and authority to present requests to the Father. How do you petition God—on the basis of your need, your own good works, or your relationship with Jesus

Choice Fruits    –    Choice fruits, new as well as old, which I have laid up for you, O my beloved.

Song of Songs 7:13

The spouse desires to give to Jesus all that she produces. Our heart has all kinds of “choice fruits, new as well as old,” and they are reserved for our Beloved. In this rich autumn season of fruitfulness, let us survey our supplies.

We have new fruits. We desire to feel new life, new joy, new gratitude; we wish to make new resolves and carry them out by new endeavors; our heart blossoms with new prayers, and our soul is committing herself to new efforts.

But we also have some old fruits. There is the choice fruit of our first love, and Jesus delights in it. There is our first faith-that simple faith by which, having nothing, we became possessors of everything. There is our joy when we first met the Lord: Let us revive it. We have our old memories of the promises. How faithful has God been! In sickness, how kindly He made our bed! In deep waters, how gently He picked us up! In the flaming furnace, how graciously He delivered us. Old fruits indeed! We have many of them, for His mercies have been more than the hairs of our head. Old sins we must regret, but then we have had repentances that He has given us, by which we have wept our way to the cross and learned the merit of His blood.

We have fruits, this morning, both new and old; but here is the point–they are all laid up for Jesus. Without question the best and most acceptable services are those in which Jesus is the solitary aim of the soul, and His glory is the focus of all our endeavors. Let our many fruits be laid up only for Him; let us display them when He is with us, and not use them to draw attention to ourselves. Jesus, we will turn the key in our garden door, and no one will enter to rob You of one good fruit from the soil that You have watered with Your grace. All that we are and have shall be Yours, Yours alone, O Jesus, our Beloved!

The family reading plan for October 1, 2011

1 Kings 3 | Ephesians 1