Devotional With Dr. Edward Blackwelder

Liberty Chaplain Ministries

518 South Center Avenue

Piedmont, AL 36272

(A Multi-Level Christian Ministry of Bush Arbor Baptist Church)

&

Liberty Chaplain Ministries

%Bush Arbor Baptist Church

Post Office Box 39

3290 Blacks Bluff Road SW

Coosa, GA 30129

256-447-0040 Central Ministry Office (Piedmont)

706-766-3753 (Rome)

LibertyChaplain@aol.com (Main e-mail Address)

BushArborBaptist@aol.com (Church e-mail Address)

LCMPrayerRequest@aol.com (Prayer Request)

www.LibertyChaplainMinistries.org (Web-site)

~Today’s Devotional~

What Sunday is Good For

Entire books have been published in the last few years on the impact of stress, fatigue, and going without sleep on our society. Few if any books, articles, or reports have connected all of this with the loss of one day in seven as a day of rest.

But the fourth commandment is clear. Our bodies and souls are made to work six days and to rest on the seventh. We cannot persistently violate that law without breaking down at some point—either physically, emotionally, or in family relationships.

D.L. Moody said, “Saturday is my day of rest, because I generally preach on Sunday, and I look forward to it as a body does to a holiday.”

There are three purposes: To Rest, Reflect, and Rejoice.

It was Socrates who said that an unexamined life is not worth living. Sabbath rest in not merely a time for rest or recreation, it is modeled after the activity of God himself, who, having worked six days, took a Sabbath. He ceased from His labors, not to go off and play, but to examine what he had done. Looking over the previous six days, He declared, “It is good.”

Sabbath is designed to provide us an opportunity to pause and look at what we have done and to decide whether it was worth doing and, if so, whether it was done in ways that made Jesus say, “Well done thy good and faithful servant………”

As this week winds down I ask you to reflect upon one question. Is Jesus smiling upon your deeds for the past week? Think about it.

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~Thoughts and comments from Dr.Edward Blackwelder~

.

In a revealing quote from Robert Reich, former Clinton Labor Secretary who wrote an article in American Prospect magazine, he said clearly the cultural conflict the United States will face in the years ahead: “The great conflict of the 21st century will not be between the West and terrorism. Terrorism is a tactic, not a belief. The true battle will be between modern civilization and anti-modernists; between those who believe in the primacy of the individual and those who believe human beings owe their allegiance and identity to God, authority between those who gave priority to life in this world and those who believe that human life is mere preparation for an existence beyond life; between those who believe in science, reason and logic and those who believe that truth is revealed through Scripture and religious dogma. Terrorism will dispute and destroy lives, but terrorism itself is not the greatest danger we face.”

In a culture where the terms zealot and extremist are tossed about casually in reference to Christians, it is nice of Dr. Reich to say so clearly the views of many who stand on the other side of the cultural-religious divide. It is a bit disconcerting to learn, however, that some Americans view Christian believers as a greater danger than Osama bin Laden and his followers.

Be thankful, take time to thank God for what He has done for you and do not take anything for granted as nothing is certain on this earth other than eventually our time here will end.

God gives us so much, even in trials and tribulations, we must all endure. But He gave us the ultimate gift; his son Jesus Christ. Remember again, Jesus died on the cross so that we might be able to live eternity in a place call heaven. Plus, remember that this gift is absolutely free…it’s not cheap…but it’s free to you and me.

Don’t wish for more; be thankful for what you already have. Instead of always asking God for something, try just thanking him. Instead of decided what you are going to do and then asking God to make sure you get it, try asking that His Will be done. You may or may not get what you think you wanted but God always knows best and we should be thankful for any result that comes from prayer. I’ve tried it both ways and the latter sure works great for me.

~Liberty Legal News~

Shirley A. Blackwelder, A.S.,A.A.,CLA

Director

Paralegal Ministry

The U.S. State Department is promoting an anti-Israel propaganda campaign. The extent of the campaign and the misinformation raises serious concern.

The Consulate General of the United States released an “Emergency Message” stating that “Jerusalem is under a heightened Security Alert.” U.S. citizens in Jerusalem were told to “exercise extra vigilance and avoid large crowds during upcoming rallies and religious holidays, particularly in and around Jerusalem’s Old City.” The “warning” continued: “On Wednesday, August 24, 2011, there will be a rally held near the south east [sic] corner of the Old City.” The areas where the “Restoring Courage” event was being held “are off limits to official U.S. Government personnel from 4:00 p.m. until 10:00 p.m. on that day due to recent clashes in the area.”

The U.S. State Department’s ‘warning’ was false political propaganda designed to advance an anti-Israel agenda,” said Mat Staver, Founder of Liberty Counsel and Dean of Liberty University School of Law. “There had been no ‘clashes’ in the area prior to the ‘Restoring Courage’ event, and there were none during or after the event,” said Staver. “When U.S. citizens who attended Glenn Beck’s event learned of the State Department’s ‘warning,’ they were outraged because they knew it to be untrue,” Staver added. Staver also said, “At the event I spoke with Israelis who work in the highest level of government. If anyone would have had intelligence suggesting danger, these people would have, and yet they appeared at the event.”

The District of Columbia is far more dangerous than Jerusalem or the entire nation of Israel. As of August 26, there were 71 murders in the District, down from a high of 479 in 1991. In all of Israel last year there were 139 homicides, but in the District there were 132. Considering only Jerusalem, the number of homicides or violent crimes pales compared to the District.

The U.S. Consulate General for Jerusalem issued a press release promoting a folk rock concert, funded by U.S. tax dollars, to “promote dialogue and mutual understanding between Palestinians and Americans” held in Jerusalem and the “West Bank” only one month prior to this event.

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~Subscription Information~

This devotional-newsletter is never sent unsolicited. It was sent to you because you requested to receive it or that someone requested that you receive it from Liberty Chaplain Ministries, a multi-level professional Christian service ministry of Bush Arbor Baptist Church, Rome, Georgia.

We respect and value your time and privacy. If this devotional-newsletter no longer meets your needs, we will be happy to remove your address immediately. You may manage all of your messages from Liberty Chaplain Ministries by sending an e-mail to: LibertyChaplain@aol.com or by notifying us via USPS at: Liberty Chaplain Ministries, 518 South Center Avenue, Piedmont, AL 36272.

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~Prayer Requests~

If you have a particular prayer request you are encouraged to send Liberty Chaplain Ministries your request. Our Liberty Prayer Warriors, groups of dedicated Christians located in each state and throughout the world will receive your request and will begin an immediate prayer chain. E-mail you prayer requests to LCMPrayerRequests@aol.com.

Prayer Requests

Heath, Dorothy, Charlie, Karen (Arkansas)

Word family, Stephanie, Robert, Debbie, Bryant, Shelby, Steve, Jay, Shawn, Victor, Shannon, Heath, Diane, Chris, Gary, Scott, Shirley, Happy, Carolyn, Scott, Pearle, Ed, Sherri, Philip, Brent, Michelle, George, Ken, Vera, Charlie, Gail, Bill, Carol, Jeremy, Angela, Vicki, Janus, (Alabama)

Dinah, Susan, Ed, Homer, Darrell, Bonnie C., Kim, John, Sean, Amy, Dale, Ann, Annette, Russell, Dan, Margaret, J.B., Shirley, Betty, Larry, Bonnie T., Sheryl, Stanley, Robin, Jamie, Tom, Diane, Philip, Mike, Lynn, Mrs. Arnold, Julie, Wayne, Cara, Jim, Travis, Gayla (Georgia)

Darrell, Bonnie (Florida)

Patsy, Laurie, Paul, Anita, Sam, Joe, (Louisiana)

Skip, Laurie, Jeanie, Charles (Ohio)

Garry and family, Hope Aglow Ministries, Everett, Jerry, Jonathan, Annie, employees of Annie’s Restaurant (Virginia)

Harold (Mexico)

Jane and family (Michigan)

Hal (Mississippi)

Art, Department of Corrections friends, the many storm victims (Missouri)

Findlay family (Ireland)

Johnnie and JoAnna (England)

Cory, Jessie, Corbett (Philippines)

Bro. R. Tamilmani (India)

~Pastoral/Christian Counseling~

For those of you with a need or desire for Pastoral/Christian Counseling you may contact Liberty Chaplain Ministries by telephoning 256-447-0040, or by USPS or e-mail to: Liberty Chaplain@aol.com.

Individual and group sessions in Grief Counseling, Crisis Intervention Counseling, Family Counseling, Addiction Counseling, and Hospice Counseling are available. Dr. Blackwelder is a member of the American Association of Christian Counselors and International Federation of Christian Chaplains.

~Urgent Plea~

We need your help!

~Making a donation to Liberty Chaplain Ministries~

Bibles, CDs, DVDs, miniature cross lapel pins and related study materials are currently available at no cost. If you or someone you know needs a Bible, Liberty Chaplain Ministries will provide this Bible at no cost. Other spiritually related materials are offered at no cost as well.

Liberty Chaplain Ministries must purchase these materials…they are not given to us free. We, however, believe that God will provide and practice “stepping out of the boat if we are going to walk on water.” This is total faith. All purchases are made only after an exhaustive search for the lowest possible price and we purchase in bulk which provides an additional discount.

As long as I am Executive Director of LCM we will not be a “send us money” ministry. However, we realize that in order for LCM to remain effective we must raise operating funds to pay for these “no cost” materials.

If you feel that God is leading you to contribute to Liberty Chaplain Ministries we encourage you to do so but remind you that your contribution to our ministry must be in addition to your church tithe. You may mail your donations and contributions to:

Liberty Chaplain Ministries

%Bush Arbor Baptist Church

Post Office Box 39

3290 Blacks Bluff Road SW

Coosa, GA 30129

Or

Liberty Chaplain Ministries

518 South Center Avenue

Piedmont, AL 36272

(All donations are tax deductable)

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~For the Lord your God is he that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies.”

(Deuteronomy 20:4)

This site may contain copyrighted material, the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. LCM makes such material available in an effort to evangelize and spread God’s Word, etc. LCM believes this constitutes a “fair use” of any such copyrighted material as provided for in Section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material contained within this e-mail is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for spiritual, ministry and religious purposes. © 2011, Liberty Chaplain Ministries; portions with permission.

Devotional With Dr.Edward Blackwelder

Liberty Chaplain Ministries

518 South Center Avenue

Piedmont, AL 36272

(A Multi-Level Christian Ministry of Bush Arbor Baptist Church)

&

Liberty Chaplain Ministries

Bush Arbor Baptist Church

Post Office Box 39

3290 Blacks Bluff Road SW

Coosa, GA 30129

256-447-0040 Ministry Office (Piedmont)

706-766-3753 (Rome)

LibertyChaplain@aol.com (Main e-mail Address)

BushArborBaptist@aol.com (Church e-mail Address)

LCMPrayerRequest@aol.com (Prayer Request)

www.LibertyChaplainMinistries.org (Web-site)

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

~Today’s devotional~

Compassion

“If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion—how can God’s love be in that person?”

(1 John 3:17)

Have you ever really thought about what it means to have compassion? Compassion isn’t just a feeling. In the original Greek, there are several definitions: a feeling of distress through the ills of others, to suffer with one another, to have mercy and show kindness. Compassion is a verbe; God’s compassion in us causes action. It prompts us to show His mercy and kindness to the hurting and needy. The Scripture tells us, whatever we do ‘for the least’ of these, we’ve done it unto Him. In other words, if our hearts are hard and closed and we don’t help our brothers and sisters in need, then we are closing the door to God as well. But when we allow compassion to flow through us and we reach out to those who need us, we are actually reaching out to God Himself.

With this in mind, look for ways to show true compassion. God wants us to plant seeds of love and mercy into the hearts of others. Don’t allow the enemy to keep you so busy that you overlook the needs of those around you. Make a decision to be an expression of God’s love and goodness wherever you go.

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We can overcome the anxieties of life by learning to pray and live my faith.  When we know that God is in control, there is nothing to worry about!

Worry is the constant expression of doubt, the inability to trust God.  Its medical term is anxiety.  Every year Americans spends millions of dollars on tranquilizers and nerve medications in an attempt to conquer anxiety.  Christians become especially frustrated over worry because they know they are not supposed to worry.  So they worry about worrying!

The Bible clearly and simply teaches us not to worry about anything.  In Philipians 4:6 the apostle Paul said, Be careful for nothing. Instead, he urges his readers to pray about everything.  The implication is that those who worry have failed to pray.  In other words, the Bible teaches us to pray and not to worry.  But most us, including me, seem to be saying, “Why pray, when I can worry?”

Worry is anxiety over circumstances that are beyond our control.  It stems from a self-centered focus and causes indecisive thinking and erratic behavior.  Often vague and ill-defined, it can linger for months or even years.  Worry can be emotionally paralyzing, leaving us incapable of positive action.

Worry is a waste of time:  All the worry in the world will not change things.  It is an exercise in futility.  The worrier usually becomes totally exhausted by the process.  Even worse, constant worry can leave you incapable of making the kind of decisions necessary to correct your situation.

If you find yourself continually worrying, admit it to yourself.  You will never stop worrying until you do so.  Worriers are usually the last ones to admit they are worrying.

Worry keeps us from praying:  Worriers tend to become consumed with rehashing their troublesome thoughts.  The more time we spend at this, the less time we will spend in prayer.  In Philippians 4:6-7 the apostle Paul tells us that the antidote for worry is prayer.  He writes, But in everything be prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.  Then he goes on to promise, And the peace of God…shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Prayer focuses our attention non God and causes us to reflect on His power, love, and goodness.  It provokes us to trust Him and to live for Him.  Prayer convinces us that we have nothing to worry about, because we have talked to the sovereign God of the universe.  When we tell Him all our troubles, we really have nothing to worry about.

Worry is never a solution:  Worrying causes us to magnify our problems out of proportion and keeps us from finding real solutions.  Worry also prohibits growth, keeping us in a state of self-centered immaturity.  Remember, no one matures overnight.  Spiritual maturity is the result of a growing process.  Don’t be discouraged if you are not yet what you want to be.  In Christ, you are not yet what you want to be.  As your confidence in Him grows, you will find yourself trusting God more, and worrying less.

Living by faith is casting yourself on God completely and without reservation.  Faith takes your focus off yourself and places your total concentration on God.  It is the inner belief that God is real, that He is present, and that He cares.  Ultimately, it is the outward expression of your inner confidence in your personal relationship with God.

The Bible reminds us that without faith it is impossible to please Him (Hebrews 11:6).  Without faith you cannot know God, trust God, or have any confidence at all in the face of your needs and problems.  Faith is simply taking God at His Word.  It involves accepting His promises as valid invitations to trust Him to work in your life. 

Freedom from worry can be experienced only when we learn to live by faith.  Nothing bolsters our faith more than prayer.  Even when we bring our smallest request to God, we are exercising faith in Him.  He delights to hear us and to answer our prayers.  The greater our needs, the greater is His power to meet them.  If you really want to conquer worry, become power-conscious, not problem-conscious.

Go to work on your problems by faith.  Friend, I’m working on this constantly.  God never blesses laziness.  Most worriers choose to sit down, bite their fingernails, and waste time fretting, rather than to get up and go on with life.  No matter how many trials you may have or how difficult your lot in life may become, God will see you through it all.

He loves you as His only child because you are the joint heir of Jesus Christ.  You are a child of the King!  Why are you worrying?  Have you forgotten who you are?  What have you to fear?  NO one and nothing can ever harm you.  You are His child and you are under His care.  God does not guarantee you a life without problems, but His promises to be with you every step of the way.  You never need to worry.

I am a minister, I write this devotional every night, and, yes, I worry about things from time to time.  Why am I telling you not to worry when I worry myself?  To you I say, I totally believe that I am a better Christian today than I was yesterday and expect to be a stronger and better Christian tomorrow that I was today.  This is spiritual growth.

I can tell you that I don’t worry nearly as much as I once did, not by a long shot.  I can say that yesterday I didn’t worry about a single thing, not one.  I had a few things on my mind that needed attention and I didn’t know what I was going to do therefore my first instinct was to worry.  Then I thought about what I planned on for my next devotional, ”Overcoming Worry,” so, in the middle of downtown Piedmont I said to myself, “I’m just not going to worry about it…I’m going to let God take care of this for me today.  I did and He did!  It worked!

Several things have arisen over the past few days for me that, at one time, I would have worried myself about beyond belief.  I prayed from Rome, Georgia, all the way back home this past Sunday and by the time I arrive back in Piedmont a total sense of peace had overcome me.  It, for sure, wasn’t anything that I had done except submit myself to God, totally.

Old habits are difficult to break but I am working on mine and I encourage you to do the same.  Not because I suggested that you do so but because God tells you too.  How does the saying go?…..JUST DO IT!

My prayer today is that all of us pray, by faith, to God and then forget it.  Believe me, I’ve tried it Eddie’s way and I’ve tried it God’s way.  I’ll let you ponder over which worked best.

God bless each and every one of you!

Easter-What’s The Significance?

What’s the significance of Easter to the Christian?  For some people, Easter strictly belongs to the realm of the Easter bunny and a family get together.  For others,  Easter is primarily a time of celebrating Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection.  For many, Easter—like Christmas—is celebrated as a combination of the secular and the sacred.

Understanding Easter from a Christian perspective is vitally important.  The celebration of Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection from the dead is crucial for believers in Jesus Christ.  Without this doctrine, there is not Christianity and no Christian Easter.

Beyond doctrine is the knowledge of the  truth that Jesus died to pay the penalty of death that we deserve for our sin, was buried, and rose with a glorified body, gaining victory over death and the grave.  When we put our faith in Him by believing through faith alone in Christ alone, we have the promise of one day having a body like our Lord’s and reigning with Him in heaven.

Philippians 3:20-21 states, “But our citizenship is in heaven.  And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will like His glorious body.”

2 Timothy 2:11-12 says, “Here is a trustworthy saying: It we died with him, we will also live with him,; if we endure, we will also reign with him.”  This gives hope to the Christian at Easter time and throughout the year.

The History of Easter:  The first definite record of the celebration of Christian Easter is in connection with the visit of Polycarp (the bishop of Smyma) to Anicetus (the bishop of Rome) in 154 or 155 in order to come to an agreement about the time of the observance of Easter.  Polycarp represented the more ancient custom of observing Easter with a vigil, ending with the Lord’s Supper, through the night of the fourteenth of the month Nisan (month of the Jewish calendar), like the Jewish Passover, regardless of what day of the week this day might fall.

Anicetus represented the Roman custom that was also followed by some parts of the East to have the Easter feast always on Sunday.  They didn’t come to an agreement, but continued on each with their own practice.  After further disputes over dates within the Asia Minor church, the problem became so serious that meetings were held around 190 that decided in favor of having Easter celebrated on Sunday.  At a council in 314, the Roman date of Easter was approved.

In the third century in the Christian church, “the great event of the year was the Easter season.  The period immediately before was one of fasting in commemoration of Christ’s suffering.  Customs differed in various parts of the empire.  In Rome a forth hours’ fast and vigil was held in remembrance of Christ’s rest in the grave.  This was extended, by the time of the Council of Nicaea to a forth days’ Lent.  All fasting ended with the dawn of Easter morning, and the Pentecostal period of rejoicing then began.  In that time there was no fasting or kneeling in prayer in public worship.  Easter eve was the favorite season for baptism, that the newly initiate might participate in the Easter joy.  At the Council of Nicaea a uniform date for the observance of Easter was ordered.

Today, the Easter season is the reality of our Savior Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection which transcends failed hopes in things that come up hollow and empty.  Out of the pain, suffering, and shame Jesus experienced on our behalf, truth came.  Life everlasting came.  What a glorious hope you and I can share with all those who are looking expectantly for the Truth!

Tomorrow devotional will focus on the Resurrection, interrupting the “mourning” after, and how Christ continually turns our sorrow into job.

Shirley’s Section

NOTE:  This section, Shirley’s Section, is new but important in that my wife will have the opportunity to share her faith and ministry with you.  I encourage each of you to study this particular section as my wife shares with you.

My Jelly Bean Prayer

Red is for the blood He gave,

Green is for the grass He made,

Yellow is for the sun so bright,

Orange is for the edge of  night,

Blue is for the sins we made,

White is for the Grace He gave,

Purple is for His hour of sorrow,

Pink is for our new tomorrow,

A bag of jelly beans colorful and sweet,

Is a prayer, is a Promise, is a Special Treat.

                                                                                                                   Shirley Ann Livingston

                                                                                                                                 ~1976~

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Good Friday, as its name suggests, always falls on a Friday; it will be the Friday right before Easter Sunday.  This religious holiday marks the day of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.  Various religions celebrate this day in different ways.

The Roman Catholics celebrate Good Friday by fasting; in the eyes of the Roman Catholic Church, fasting is equivalent to consuming one meal per day and two small snacks.  This may be contrary to what most may think of as fasting; however this is the proper definition as per the Roman Catholic Church.  Most religions do not mandate that this holiday is one in which people should not work.  Therefore, in the United States and other countries, most people work as usual.  Some countries will hold readings and sing songs in honor of this day.  Some countries will mark Good Friday by having many people walk in a procession while holding statues of Jesus on the cross.

The Roman Catholic Church actually has a certain time of death for Jesus Christ; that being three PM in the afternoon; this is the exact time that the Bible is believed to have said Jesus died on the cross.  The Latin Rite version of Good Friday will have those involved in the holiday attending a church service from noon until three PM.  This three hour period of time is called the Three Hours of Agony.

In Poland, a replica of Jesus’ tomb is unveiled and many people will go to this to worship and pray long into the night.  It is Polish tradition to kiss the statue of Jesus to symbolize kissing the wounds that Jesus was said to endure.  According to the Bible, Jesus was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane which was near to the Temple Guards.  This happened with the aid of Judas.  Judas was questioned.  Jesus was then questioned and did not  answer to any of them.  Jesus is said to have finally replied, “You have said it, and in time you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Almighty, coming on the clouds of Heaven.”   It was after Jesus said these words that the high priest sentenced Jesus to death via crucifixion on the grounds of blasphemy.  The next day, the church assembly brought Jesus to the governor of Rome to face more charges such as opposing taxes to Caesar and trying to make himself a King.  Jesus was whipped for those alleged crimes and was going to be let free.  Many people wanted to have Jesus be killed on the cross.  It is said that Jesus was made to carry his own cross, for a long distance, to the site at which he was to be killed.  It is also documented in the Bible that for three hours, Jesus suffered unimaginable pain as he slowly died.  At the moment of his death, an earthquake occurred, tombs broke open and a temple exploded.  Jesus was stabbed with a sword to be sure that he was indeed dead.  His body was wrapped in linens and placed in a tomb.  The followers and believers of Jesus put a heavy and large rock in front of the tomb.  The day of Good Friday, today, is a day for all believers to think about the sacrifice that Jesus made; he did so to take away the sins of man, you and me, and to show all that he was indeed the Son of God.

My prayer today is that we understand the importance of this Easter season.  I encourage each of you to read the story of Christs’ death, burial, and resurrection.

Shirley’s Section

The Precious Man On The Cross

 The man they hung on the cross that day was born in a manger, His bed made of hay.  At age thirteen He began to preach.  Twelve men followed Him.  He taught them to teach.

He raised the dead, healed the lame.   He lived a life sinless and without any shame.  Caesar became jealous of the people He led and told Pilate, “I want this man dead.”

Pilate arrested Him and took Him away, Judas betrayed Him and Peter did deny, the crowd who once followed now cried “Crucify!”     He was beaten and spat upon on His way to die.

As He hung on the Cross that day, for the people He died to pray, “Father forgive them for they inow not what they do.  The crowd only laughed…they were so cruel.

With a crown of thorns placed on His head they pierced His side…water ran out with blood He shed.  With His last breath He looked up and said, “Father it’s finished,”

 then Our Savior was dead.

                                              Shirley A. Livingston

                                                       ~2010~

Life is never all joy and no sadness.  It is never success without failure or gain without pain.  Everyone who travels life’s road will face obstacles and pitfalls.  Dealing with conflicts is an inevitable and ongoing part of life.

When everything seems to go wrong, remember that God is still guiding you each step of the way.  He has the answers to life’s difficulties.  Those answers are found in the principles taught in the Word of God.  The message of the Bible is one of help for the hurting and hope for the hopeless.

The Christian life is joyous and blessed, but it is not a life totally free of problems and troubles.  The Bible reminds us that God does not necessarily keep us from troubles, but He comforts us in troubles (2 Corinthians 1:4).

Everyone has problems and conflicts.  The way we deal with them determines whether they become opportunities for growth or obstacles to progress.  Learning to handle life’s problems with the right heart attitude, and through the power of God’s love, brings honor to the Lord and releases His glory in our lives.

This week I will be discussing The Importance of Love, The Necessity of Forgiveness, The Essentials of Communication and The Value of Cooperation.

It is my prayer that this series of devotionals will be a blessing to you and that you will gain knowledge and better understanding of God Will in dealing with life’s failures and gains.

The first of this four part series, The Importance of Love, will begin tomorrow.

May God richly bless you is my prayer.

Shirley’s Section

Gods Amazing Grace

Why would anyone doubt God’s amazing grace

When you can see it all over the place?

The Sun is big and bright

The moon and stars in the sky at night,

A big blue sky full of puffy clouds so high

Thunder and lightning signals rain in the night,

Birds all colors, shape, and size fly all around

They sing to God so sweetly thanking for food they found,

Trees so beautiful as they change to fit the season

Did you know God made this for this reason?

Flowers are wonderful when they’re in full bloom,

God gave them to us to take away our gloom.

Puppies, kittens, animals of all kind

God made them all with a purpose in mind,

He made the grass so green and smell so sweet,

It was made for a soft carpet beneath our feet.

Every time I see a beautiful sunset

It reminds God sent His only Son

To pay for my sin debt,

Now if you ever doubt God’s Amazing Grace

Just take a look around, it’s all over the place!

Shirley A. Livingston

~2010~

We can overcome the anxieties of life by learning to pray and live my faith.  When we know that God is in control, there is nothing to worry about!

Worry is the constant expression of doubt, the inability to trust God.  Its medical term is anxiety.  Every year Americans spends millions of dollars on tranquilizers and nerve medications in an attempt to conquer anxiety.  Christians become especially frustrated over worry because they know they are not supposed to worry.  So they worry about worrying!

The Bible clearly and simply teaches us not to worry about anything.  In Philipians 4:6 the apostle Paul said, Be careful for nothing. Instead, he urges his readers to pray about everything.  The implication is that those who worry have failed to pray.  In other words, the Bible teaches us to pray and not to worry.  But most us, including me, seem to be saying, “Why pray, when I can worry?”

Worry is anxiety over circumstances that are beyond our control.  It stems from a self-centered focus and causes indecisive thinking and erratic behavior.  Often vague and ill-defined, it can linger for months or even years.  Worry can be emotionally paralyzing, leaving us incapable of positive action.

Worry is a waste of time:  All the worry in the world will not change things.  It is an exercise in futility.  The worrier usually becomes totally exhausted by the process.  Even worse, constant worry can leave you incapable of making the kind of decisions necessary to correct your situation.

If you find yourself continually worrying, admit it to yourself.  You will never stop worrying until you do so.  Worriers are usually the last ones to admit they are worrying.

Worry keeps us from praying:  Worriers tend to become consumed with rehashing their troublesome thoughts.  The more time we spend at this, the less time we will spend in prayer.  In Philippians 4:6-7 the apostle Paul tells us that the antidote for worry is prayer.  He writes, But in everything be prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.  Then he goes on to promise, And the peace of God…shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Prayer focuses our attention non God and causes us to reflect on His power, love, and goodness.  It provokes us to trust Him and to live for Him.  Prayer convinces us that we have nothing to worry about, because we have talked to the sovereign God of the universe.  When we tell Him all our troubles, we really have nothing to worry about.

Worry is never a solution:  Worrying causes us to magnify our problems out of proportion and keeps us from finding real solutions.  Worry also prohibits growth, keeping us in a state of self-centered immaturity.  Remember, no one matures overnight.  Spiritual maturity is the result of a growing process.  Don’t be discouraged if you are not yet what you want to be.  In Christ, you are not yet what you want to be.  As your confidence in Him grows, you will find yourself trusting God more, and worrying less.

Living by faith is casting yourself on God completely and without reservation.  Faith takes your focus off yourself and places your total concentration on God.  It is the inner belief that God is real, that He is present, and that He cares.  Ultimately, it is the outward expression of your inner confidence in your personal relationship with God.

The Bible reminds us that without faith it is impossible to please Him (Hebrews 11:6).  Without faith you cannot know God, trust God, or have any confidence at all in the face of your needs and problems.  Faith is simply taking God at His Word.  It involves accepting His promises as valid invitations to trust Him to work in your life. 

Freedom from worry can be experienced only when we learn to live by faith.  Nothing bolsters our faith more than prayer.  Even when we bring our smallest request to God, we are exercising faith in Him.  He delights to hear us and to answer our prayers.  The greater our needs, the greater is His power to meet them.  If you really want to conquer worry, become power-conscious, not problem-conscious.

Go to work on your problems by faith.  Friend, I’m working on this constantly.  God never blesses laziness.  Most worriers choose to sit down, bite their fingernails, and waste time fretting, rather than to get up and go on with life.  No matter how many trials you may have or how difficult your lot in life may become, God will see you through it all.

He loves you as His only child because you are the joint heir of Jesus Christ.  You are a child of the King!  Why are you worrying?  Have you forgotten who you are?  What have you to fear?  NO one and nothing can ever harm you.  You are His child and you are under His care.  God does not guarantee you a life without problems, but His promises to be with you every step of the way.  You never need to worry.

I am a minister, I write this devotional every night, and, yes, I worry about things from time to time.  Why am I telling you not to worry when I worry myself?  To you I say, I totally believe that I am a better Christian today than I was yesterday and expect to be a stronger and better Christian tomorrow that I was today.  This is spiritual growth.

I can tell you that I don’t worry nearly as much as I once did, not by a long shot.  I can say that yesterday I didn’t worry about a single thing, not one.  I had a few things on my mind that needed attention and I didn’t know what I was going to do therefore my first instinct was to worry.  Then I thought about what I planned on for my next devotional, worry, so, in the middle of downtown Piedmont I said to myself, “I’m just not going to worry about it…I’m going to let God take care of this for me today.  I did and He did!  It worked!

Several things have arisen over the past few days for me that, at one time, I would have worried myself about beyond belief.  I prayed from Rome, Georgia, all the way back home and by the time I arrive back in Piedmont a total sense of peace had overcome me.  It, for sure, wasn’t anything that I had done except submit myself to God, totally.

Old habits are difficult to break but I am working on mine and I encourage you to do the same.  Not because I suggested that you do so but because God tells you too.  How does the saying go?…..JUST DO IT!

My prayer today is that all of us pray, by faith, to God and then forget it.  Believe me, I’ve tried it Eddie’s way and I’ve tried it God’s way.  I’ll let you ponder over which worked best.

God bless each and every one of you!