Daily Devotionals--NEW

[Pcola Girl]

This is our new Daily Devotional thread. Please come in and join us here.
You can post a daily devotional , a poem or story. Share with us your Christian life to if you want, your hopes and dreams to. Share with us anything that inspires you with your Christian faith.

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"Why God created the universe"?

I believe that God has given indication of his purpose in creating the universe in the Scriptures. Consider Revelation 4:11:

Revelation 4:11 (NASB) 11 "Worthy art Thou, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for Thou didst create all things, and because of Thy will they existed, and were created."All things came into being through the will of God. It was God's pleasure that the universe and everything in it be created. He therefore had a purpose in mind. Isaiah 45:18 tells us:

Isaiah 45:

18-(NASB) 18 For thus says the LORD, who created the heavens (He is the God who formed the earth and made it, He established it and did not create it a waste place, But formed it to be inhabited), "I am the LORD, and there is none else. God's purpose in creating the world was that it might be inhabited. It was therefore God's desires that the living creatures of the world would bring him pleasure. Psalm 147:10:

Psalm 147:10(NASB)

10- He does not delight in the strength of the horse; He does not take pleasure in the legs of a man.This verse tells us that God does not derive his pleasure from the strength of horses, or of men, but verse eleven of this same Psalm says:

Psalm 147:11(NASB)

11- The LORD favors those who fear Him, Those who wait for His lovingkindnessHere is the purpose of God's creation .....man. Obedient man. It was only man who was "created in the image of God" (Gen. 1:27). All other things were created for man's use and control. Psalm 8:6-8 tells us:

Psalm 8:6-8(NASB)

6- Thou dost make him to rule over the works of Thy hands; Thou hast put all things under his feet,

7- All sheep and oxen, And also the beasts of the field, 8 The birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea, Whatever passes through the paths of the seas. This helps us to see God's purpose. The entire universe was intended by God to be used by man. The Scriptures tell us that even Angels were created for man, Hebrews 1:14:

Heb. 1:14(NASB)

14- Are they not all ministering spirits, sent out to render service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation?

Isaiah 43:7(NASB)

7- Everyone who is called by My name, And whom I have created for My glory, Whom I have formed, even whom I have made." It is man's responsibility then to glorify God. That's what brings God pleasure. That's why he created us. That was his purpose in creation. But he did not make us without free-will. God does not force himself on man. Can you imagine anyone trying to force you to love them? We were therefore created with moral free-will. We can choose to love God, or we can choose to hate him. We can choose to obey, or disobey. Before the creation of the world, God knew that man would sin and bring physical death into the world, Rom. 5:12

Rom. 5:12(NASB)

12- Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned-- And so because he knew that man would sin, he provided a savior. God is not only creator, he is Redeemer. He allows man to sin, and provides an atonement for sin when man desires to repent. Joshua 7:19 says:

Joshua 7:19(NASB)

"Then Joshua said to Achan, "My son, I implore you, give glory to the LORD, the God of Israel, and give praise to Him; and tell me now what you have done. Do not hide it from me." Here Joshua is telling Achan, who had stolen from God, that he can give glory and praise to God by his repentance. We give glory and praise to God when we accept his atonement for sin in Jesus Christ. He himself has paid the price. Col. 1:19-22:

Colossians 1:19-22(NASB)

19- For it was the Father's good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him,

20- and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven.

21- And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds,

22- yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach-- This is what brings God pleasure. The opportunity to reconcile his creation to himself, through obedience to Him.

Romans 5:8-11(NASB) 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. 10 For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. 11 And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation. God demonstrates His own love . . . quite a thought. It tells us of his purpose. Remember Luke 15:7?

Luke 15:7(NASB) 7 "I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents, than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.God rejoices over our repentance, because ultimately, he wants us to be in his presence for all eternity.

Eph 2:4-7(NASB)

4 -But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,

5- even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),

6- and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places, in Christ Jesus,

7- in order that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

[Determinedtolose]

Okay here we go!
Think about the age of grace that we live in and how that applies us now. Also, what do you think the "Mystery" is that Paul talks about and why does he mention it several times in his epistles.
Do you see Paul as an important figure in today's dispensation?

Romans 6:14
For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.

Romans 11:6
And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work

Ephesians 2:8
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God

Ephesians 3:2
if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you,

Ephesians 3:8-10
8 To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, 9 and to make all see what is the fellowship[a] of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ;[b] 10 to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places,

[It'stime]

Thank you Mary for starting this....

Here's my memory verse for today,,,,1 thes. 5:16 Rejoice always;

[la.lady]

Oh goody, I am so glad that you started this. I will have to do some searching before I post. Dwell on what the Lord wants me to put here.

Thanks Mary... and I believe that we will learn a lot from this.

One thing that comes to mind is the 23rd Psalm... It is one of my most favorites for whatever we have to endure, God is with us...

[Star123]

Hi lovely Ladies,

Mary, thanks for starting this thread. I love sharing the word and it will be a blessing to all of us!!!

My favorite scripture reading is Psalm 121,

"I lift my eyes to the hills--where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth."verses, 1-2 NIV.

God Bless,

[la.lady]

Good Morning ladies... I have thinking what to post today and what comes to mind is I love it where it says in Proverbs that a Friend loves at all times., so this means to me that only a True Friend will love you no matter what, and if they don't show love then they are not your friends. What do you think about this girls? I would love to have a discussion on true Friendship.

[Pcola Girl]

http://

Hope all of you are having a Blessed day.
Isn't it wonderful that we can read our Bible and worship freely here in our country, to be able to go out and witness to others about Jesus and not be punished for it.
We should be proud as Americans to be able to do that without persecution, some countries do not have that priveledge as we do. Lets make sure we keep God ruler over our nation, for He was whom who we based our nations beginnings on.;
Lets all make sure we include our nation in your daily prayers.


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"The Bible, A Supernatural Book"
Author: God


A supernatural explanation comes from a supernatural BOOK. A supernatural BOOK is written by a supernatural Author. The BIBLE is this BOOK!!! Its Author is God. And in the English language, it is the King James Bible!

It is by the divine power of God through faith that we become the partakers of the divine nature. We became partakers the moment we receive Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. "But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the Sons of God, even to them that believe on his name" [John 1:12].

Faith is first, and it is by the grace of God that we get saved from the wrath of God, which is to come. "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God" [Ephesians 2:8].

This faith will be the type of faith where we put our whole trust in Jesus Christ, the Son of God. "In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise" [Ephesians 1:13].

At the moment we trusted Jesus Christ "through faith unto salvation" [1 Peter 1:5], God "sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts" [Galatians 4:6] to dwell and we "were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise." This is the new birth termed "born again" in John 3. There is more. This "divine power of God" has made us "to drink into one Spirit." It occurred the instant you got saved by the "so great salvation" of Hebrews 2:3. It is connected to the event that every believer experiences, that is, being "baptized into one body" [1 Corinthians 12:13]. This body is the "spiritual house" of 1 Peter 2:5.

All this happened through faith! Read, Hebrews chapter 11. "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." (Vs.1) "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." (Vs.6) But if you have trusted Jesus Christ through faith you must not stop here. You must grow in grace. "But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."

In order to grow, you must add to your faith. In 2 Peter 1:5-7, it is revealed by the Holy Spirit seven things "that pertain unto life and godliness" that every Christian is to add to their faith. We are first, to add virtue; second, to add knowledge; third, to add temperance; fourth, to add patience; fifth, to add godliness; sixth, to add brotherly kindness; and seventh, to add charity. Now is that not something? We are told by the apostle through the Spirit of God to add seven things to our faith.

Seven in the Bible is the number of completion. Heaven and earth was made in six days and God ceased from His work on the seventh day. There are seven days in a week. There are seven weeks before the Feast of Pentecost, and there are seven months before the Feast of Tabernacles and Day of Atonement. In the Book of Revelation, there are seven churches, seven bowls, seven vials, seven trumpets, seven candlesticks and seven spirits. God has divided time into seven dispensations in the Bible. Seven is the number of completion in the Bible. The seventh thing to be added to the Christian's faith is charity. "And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness." [Colossians 3:14].

[la.lady]

Mary, thanks so much for the Devotional today. Don't you just love God's perfect 7? I know that we are to strive for perfection, as Paul told us...Some believe that we can be perfect in this world, but, if that was true, then we wouldn't need God in the first place.

[Pcola Girl]

Patty I do love God so much and I wish I could get out and do more of spreading His word but my health prevents me from doing that so I use my computer to spread His word. And I love doing these daily devotional more than anything.

[la.lady]

Mary, you are doing a wonderful job, and I do think that maybe we can get God across to people this way. You never know who is lurking...

[la.lady]

Today's Scripture:

My son, forget not my law, but let thine heart keep my commandments: For length of days and long life and peace, shall they add to thee. Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them upon the table of thine heart: Proverbs 3:1-3.

You know, if we just keep all of God's Commandments, then we have a wonderful promise here. Let's work really hard to do this so that we can have a long life, full of grace and peace...God will lengthen our days. This is a promise to us. Just obey and Love the Lord with all our Hearts...

[godsbeloved79]

I Am A ' KEPT ' Woman .

You see, there were a few times when I thought I would lose my mind,
but GOD
KEPT
me sane!
(Isa. 26:3)

There were times when I thought I could go no longer, but the LORD
KEPT
me moving.
(Gen 28:15)

At times, I've wanted to lash out at those whom I felt had done me wrong, but the LORD
KEPT
my mouth shut.
(Psa. 13)

Sometimes, I think the money just isn't enough, but GOD has helped me to
KEEP
the lights on, the water on, the car paid, the house paid,
etc.
(Matt. 6:25-34)

When I thought I would fall, HE
KEPT
me up. When I thought I was weak,
HE KEPT me strong!
(I Pet. 5:7, Matt. 11:28-30)

I could go on and on and on, but I'm sure you hear me!

Praise the LORD I'm Blessed to be
KEPT!
Are you, or do you know a
KEPT
Woman?

If so pass it on to her to let her know she is KEPT!

[Pcola Girl]

Nice to see everyone doing so well.
What a beautiful day that our God has created for us to enjoy. The birds are singing and the flowers all in bloom and the fragance in the air is so sweet blowing in the breeze.
I just came in from outside and that was what I saw. all Gods beauty and creations. I love the outdoors so much, it has a way of perking you up.

I found this article and wanted to share it with you today. I was just discussing this same subject with someone not long ago on how do I know if the Bible is real, if God really wrote it and if all in it is true.
I think this article answers that question.

I know its Gods Word for us because I know the Lord as my saviour. I guess only someone who is saved would know it as truth from God.
I have found that it is hard to make someone understand the Bible and believe its true if they are not true believers in Christ.Their eyes and heart are just not opened to the truth yet.

Hope you enjoy todays study. God Bless.

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"Bible is the Inspired Word of God"

Biblical inspiration is defined as the work of the Holy Spirit by which, without setting aside their personalities and literary or human faculties, God so guided the authors of Scripture as to enable them to write exactly the words which convey His truth to men, and in doing so preserved their judgements from error in the original manuscripts. The Word of God as given to us in the Bible is a product of two free agents, human and divine. Through human authors, God manifested the errorless writings, which convey His messages.
A natural question is, why God chooses to have humans write the Bible; couldn't He write the Bible Himself much like what He did in inscribing the Ten Commandments on the tablets? Won't this be an easier way in preserving the accuracy of the Bible, instead of through the hands of men? Although God is sovereign and can do anything by Himself, He chooses to have humans interact in His plan. This is one of the biggest differences between Christianity and other religions; with God reaching down to man, instead of man reaching up to Him. We have seen many examples in the Bible, which God chooses to have human interaction. The creation of the Written Word (Bible), the Living Word (Jesus), and Promised Word (Salvation) all share this characteristic.

After discussing why God chooses to have human involvement in the writing of the Bible, lets look at how inspiration is done. First of all, we learn from
2 Timothy 3:16 that the entire Bible is inspired by God, not just partially. It is an important concept, for if we choose and pick some parts of the Bible as inspired and others are not, then the entire Bible soon falls apart. Who has the authority to decide the extent of inspiration, but God Himself. And God made it very clear that all Scripture, is inspired by Him. Therefore those who preach partial and degrees of inspiration are playing God. Since God is truth (John 3:33, Romans 3:4), whats breathed out by God, must also be true (John 17:17) The process of inspiration is described in 2 Peter 1:21, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. All Scripture was regarded by the Jews as prophecies, that it did not originate from man, but came from God. The Holy Spirit inspired the prophets or apostles to mouth the truths, which was then recorded and moved) by God to ensure that the messages were not diverted, misdirected or erred by the author.
The word moved in 2 Peter 1:21 is the same word used in Acts 27:15-17, meaning that the boat was 'moved' or 'borne' by the wind. While the crews (human authors) on the boat have full freedom of steering the boat, the motion of the boat is entirely borne by the wind (God) in a storm. The use of this word indicates that the Holy Spirit completely superintended the human author in the process of recording His words.
It is important to point out that inspiration was not a mechanical dictation of the Scripture to the authors. The authors are free to express their emotions and style in the writing. It is also important to mention that only the Autographs (the original written documents by the biblical authors) are inspired.

Look at what the Bible says about itself. Throughout the Old Testament it was mentioned repeated that the Scripture is the word of God (Jer 1:9, 31:2; 2 Sam 23:2; 1 Kings 20:13). God also instructed His spokesmen to write the message down (Ex 17:14; Jer 30:2).
Another strong proof for the inspiration of the Bible is the fulfillment of the prophecies, particularly those relating to Jesus (His birth- Isaiah 7:14, Micah 5:2; His crucifixion- Psalm 22:16-17, Isaiah 53:12; and His resurrection- Psalm 16:10, 22:22). Because of the fulfillment of these prophecies, Jesus proved that He is the Son of God, giving Him the infallible authority to claim the inspiration and inerrancy of the Bible.
Jesus taught that the entire Bible, both the Old Testament (Matt 21:13, 26:31, 5:18 and Luke 4:27) and the New Testaments (John 14:24, 16:12-13) is the infallible and inerrant word of God. Since the gospels give an accurate and reliable record of what He taught, it has been established that the entire Bible is really the errorless and authoritative word of God.
Not only can we believe everything in it, but it demands our obedience.

The apostles also attested the inspiration of the Scripture, in both the Old Testament (Rom 3:2) and the New Testament (2 Peter 3:15,16). Moreover, they proclaimed their own writings as Gods words (1 Cor. 14:37), and their messages as Gods words (Gal 1:12; 1 Thess. 2:13).

The entire Scripture is the inspired word of God because the Bible says so (2 Timothy 3:16).
However, most believers would rebuke that the authority of the Bible is what one tries to prove in the first place, so how can one use quotes from the Bible to sustain such a claim. In this case, the fulfillment of prophecies about Jesus, his birth, death and resurrection, proves the accuracy of the Bible and that Jesus is the Son of God, giving Him the authority to claim the inspiration and inerracy of the Bible (Matthew 21:13, Luke 4:27, John 14:24, 16:12,13).

Both Jesus and the apostles proclaimed that the Bible is the inspired word of God. It is important to keep in mind that the Scripture is of Divine origin, written through man.
Although the authors were free to use their own style and expression in the writing, God superintended so that the final product is inerrant.

The entire Scripture is inspired by God, not just partially or in degree. Although most of the Scripture were verbally conveyed to Gods people through the prophets and apostles, only the Autographs are inspired. And because the Bible is inspired, it alone has the final authority.

[la.lady]

Mary well said and I really enjoyed reading this. As Believers we know that the Bible is inspired of God. No question asked...

[Pcola Girl]

http://



Hope you all are enjoying the studies I have posted for you.
I just pick them at random and in no order, just what I feel that the Lord wants me to post that day.
I have posted this one before but on another site but I just felt that it needed to be here to so I am posting it again.

Any time there is anything in specific that you want included in this devotional let me know and I will look it up and get it here for you.
I want you all to post some Bible Studies and Devotionals to If you can sometimes. Also some inspirational poems and stories to,Tell us when you got save and how old you were, or something inspiring that has happened in your life etc. I will do the same.
May God Bless You all today.


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Finding Your Devine Purpose In Life

At one time or another you've probably asked yourself, "What is the purpose of my life? What is its meaning? Why am I here on Earth, and what am I supposed to be doing?" Chances are, you work hard, whether you take care of a household or have a job outside of the home. Your days are filled with seemingly endless chores and tasks like getting the oil changed in your car and going to the grocery store. Perhaps sometimes, when you get tired or stressed out, life can seem like just one long and meaningless "to do" list with a bland retirement and a gold-plated watch at the end of it.

You may have a sense that given the right circumstances, you could do much more than you are doing now. Perhaps you long to make a real difference in the world, to assign meaning to your life, and to listen to the yearnings of your very soul.

All of the great and wise people who ever made a difference on planet Earth heard their souls' yearnings and chose a purpose for their lives. People such as Gandhi, Mother Teresa, and Nelson Mandela seem to have been driven by a self-defined purpose that they chose for themselves. Now, we often think of such people with a sense of awe and respect as if they were somehow different from us -- better, smarter, more saintly, or more courageous. Sometimes they hardly seem human. But the truth is that the only real difference between you and those people is that they all seemed to have a clearly defined life purpose that they selected for themselves and then embraced with steadiest dedication and unshakeable determination.

You have that very same opportunity as well. Every single one of us has some special gift, some special interest, some special talent, some special way of impacting this world, so that it becomes a better place for everyone. You have the potential to live at the level of Gandhi or Mother Teresa. The question you must ask yourself is, "Am I willing to define, embrace, and hold fast to my divine purpose, prayerfully, persistently, and patiently?" If the answer is yes, then the impossible truly can become possible in your life.

Now, finding and following your divine purpose is different from setting your goals. A goal is a tangible desire with an end result, but your divine purpose is really a way of living. For example, a goal might be to learn to paint with watercolors, but your divine purpose might be to bring joy to peoples' lives through your art. Another goal might be to get a PhD, but the divine purpose would be to live in the world of the intellect, the world of ideas. Your goals have finite deadlines, but your divine purpose is something that you will be working with and growing with for the rest of your life.

Firat you need to look out upon the world (understanding that we all look out through our own consciousness to see different worlds) and notice all the things that need healing, or fixing, or transforming.

The task is that after looking carefully at the world, we must pick out one thing that we feel needs transforming, something that would be fun for us to get involved in repairing, shifting, restructuring, fixing, and perfecting. This is not about martyrdom or great personal sacrifice. It is about focus, joy, and a sense of purposeful possible achievement.

Next, we must take a bold step and make a 100 percent commitment to "fixing" the problem we have identified, followed by devoting our energies, time, talents, skills, and money to transforming that one piece of the earthly puzzle. Even as you're working toward solving the problem, keep in mind that what is really important is not whether the problem ever gets solved; it's that you are working toward the solution with dedication and persistence.

We are children of God. But children eventually grow up. And the evolving and advancing you will do when you begin to live according to your divine purpose is part of that growing up.

When you choose your divine purpose, you are framing your life with meaning. You are also taking an important step in your spiritual development: to demonstrate to yourself that you are a divine being and to prove to yourself that you have the power to affect change -- that you are bigger, stronger, more powerful, and more creative than you thought.

It was Emerson who said, "Oh Man! There is no planet, sun or star could hold you, if you but knew what you are." (Now, I know what he meant to say was, "Oh Woman! There is no planet . . .") There is nothing in the universe that could hold us, if only we knew our true power.

[Star123]

Hi Ladies,

Hope you all had a blessed day. God is good and He is always looking out for us, no matter what the day brings and only gives us what we can handle. We're not to be afraid because he watchs over us constantly, without fail. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. Never changing, always there guiding us and being attentive to our needs. Why you might ask, does God act this way towards us? The answer is simple, love. He loves us so much, that He's always there for us because He is our eternal Heavenly Father.

In Psalm 121, [this is one of my favorite passages of scripture], we are reminded of four things. First, of where our help comes from-- the Lord. Second, that He will not sleep but is always attentive and watching over us constantly. Third, He is our protector from the harm by day or night. Fourth, He watches over you and knows where you're coming and going from this moment and will continue to do so forever.


"I life up my eyes to the hills--where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip-- he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord watches over you-- the Lord is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all harm-- he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore."

Isn't it wonderful to know, that God is on our side and doesn't want anything to happen to his children. And He wants us to be with Him forever, when He comes to take us home to be with Him in glory. He even has mansions that are being prepared for us, so that we won't have to worry about being homeless. Because we will be home. Think about it. We don't have to worry about anything. All is taken care of. Praise Jesus!!!
God Bless,

[la.lady]

Mary and Tammy I love what you have brought to us and boy did it hit home...

I have asked many a time, what is my purpose in life? I felt at times that I wasn't doing my potential. Well this one lady, told me once, that I am to be Witness for God. To bring others to him, so they can reach their salvation... I know that I want to be the perfect Child, and have come to realize that I am not going to be perfect in this world, but to strive for perfection, as Paul told us too.

I love my life so much and I love being a Wife, Homemaker, Mother, Grandmother and most of God's Child. What more could I want in life on this Earth, My answer is, To Bring Others to Christ, so that Heaven will be full of people...

[la.lady]

You were made to live a purpose driven life! the five purposes of your life are:

1. Worship: You were planned for God's pleasure!
2. Fellowship: You were formed for a family.
3. Discipleship: You were created to become like Christ.
4. Ministry: You were shaped for serving God.
5. Evangelism: You were made for a mission!

Girls, I really think that this sums it up. I have Scriptures to go with this too, if you want me to post them.

[Pcola Girl]

Sorry I am late posting today but today was our daughters 30th. birthday and she and I went out shopping, I wanted to get her some things but I wanted her to pick them out. When they get that age you can do that.
We then went to lunch and I had a nice taco salad.
We went to Wal Mart afterwards to check out all their sales, and I got a shirt they had on sale, and my daughter found some shorts and tops whe wanted. Really great sale today.

I am still trying to find my devine purpose in my life to. I know I will never be anyone famous or anything like that, and I don't want to be anyway, But I do think God put me here to be a witness for Him, to tell others about Him and His love. I hope in my life time I have brought some lost soul to know Christ.
I think thats my purpose here to be a witness for Christ.

Hope you all have a great week end and If I don't see you then I will be back here on Monday ok. Saturday is my Hubby's and my day out, we get up early and usually go eat breakfast somewhere and then just go all day doing anything our heart desires. You can do that when you get our age. We sometimes don't get in before dark. I think tomorrow we are going to ride to this tiny town that is about a hour from us, They have some antique shops my hubby wants to check out. saturday is just our fun day together..

God Bless you all.
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"What are the Ten Commandments?"

What are the Ten Commandments? The Ten Commandments are ten primary laws God gave humans to follow and obey. Jesus referred to these Ten Commandments in Matthew 22:37-40. In response to a question asked by one of the Pharisees, "Jesus replied: ' Love the Lord your God with all of your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and the greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."

The Ten Commandments can be found in a couple different places in the Bible: Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5, of the Old Testament. We will be referencing the Ten Commandments found in Exodus 20.

The first - Exodus 20:3: "You shall have no other gods before me." In Exodus 20:2, God states who He is and why He would permit no other gods before Him. He is the creator of life, and He brought the Israelites (our ancestors from whence creation started) out of a land of slavery. God does the same today through His Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus offers us deliverance from slavery, or bondage, to self-indulgent, self-destructive behavior (sin). Those who freely choose Jesus find real life here and eternal life with Him.

The second - Exodus 20:4-6: "You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand {generations} of those who love me and keep my commandments." God, who is all wise and all knowing, realizes what happens to us when we worship anything other than our Creator. Because He wants the very best for us, and because He alone can handle being the object of worship, He adds this critical instruction.

The third -Exodus 20:7: "You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name." God tells us it is imperative to be truthful and honest at all times. Many biblical scholars point to the example of a witness in a court case. As God's witnesses, we are not to swear by God's name falsely or under any false pretenses. In Matthew 5:33-37, Jesus discusses oath taking. Our answer, He states, should always be either yes or no. We must strive to be known for our honesty, instead of the need to take an oath.

The fourth - Exodus 20:8-11: "Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy." On the seventh day of creation, God rested. Does God need to rest? Of course not! He did this as an example for us. In our contemporary, 24/7 society, we tend to think the Sabbath rest is optional. God does not! Jesus tells us in Mark 2:27 that: "The Sabbath is made for man, not man for the Sabbath." Which day of the week may not be important, but one of the seven needs to be devoted to godly rest.

The Fifth - Exodus 20:12: "Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you." Whether or not our parents have been respectful toward us, the Bible commands that we honor them. Note that this commandment comes with a reason why: honor your parents SO THAT you may live long in the land.

The sixth - Exodus 20:13: "You shall not murder." Intentionally taking someone's life is murder. In Matthew 5:21-22, Jesus tells us that anger and hurtful words are like murder. Romans 13 discusses Christian behavior regarding obedience to civil authority and patriotism. Scholars believe, and Old Testament sources support, that protecting one's country as in civil defense or during a time of war is not the same as murder.

The seventh - Exodus 20:14: "You shall not commit adultery." Adultery is engaging in a sexual relationship outside of one's marriage. Jesus takes this further when he tells us in Matthew 5:28 we commit adultery when we even look on another person with thoughts of desire.

The eighth - Exodus 20:15: "You shall not steal." Do not take anything that is not yours. In today's culture, one of the most prevalent forms of stealing involves copyrighted material. We may think it is OK to download music we don't pay for or gain access to software we did not purchase a license for. . .but the Bible says it is stealing.

The ninth - Exodus 20:16: "You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor." In court, false testimony is called perjury and is punishable by law. Our testimony, whether before a judge or in the courtroom of life, should be true and accurate -- free of false information.

The tenth - Exodus 20:17: "You shall not covet your neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor." God wants us to learn to be content with what we have and not to desire what our neighbor has. He knows where jealousy and envy lead; His desire is to spare us the consequences of coveting.
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"How do God's Ten Commandments apply today?"

Many people today feel that God's Ten Commandments are no longer valid because they do not apply to our current society. They look to the Ten Commandments as being outdated and full of inflammatory language which doesn't sit well with our politically-correct viewpoint. The Ten Commandments are also considered by many people to have been abolished by Jesus when He made a new covenant between God and man with His death and resurrection.

The problem in thinking that Jesus came to abolish the Ten Commandments is that Jesus never claimed to have abolished the Ten Commandments. Instead, in Matthew 5:17-18 Jesus says, "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished."

In this verse, Jesus gives a clear indication that the Ten Commandments are still to be followed and adhered to even in our generation and every generation to come until the day that Jesus returns. So what does all this mean to us and how do God's Ten Commandments apply today?

God's Ten Commandments are still valid because Jesus declared them to be. We are still called by God to honor the Ten Commandments and obey what they call us to do. Jesus also told us that obeying the Law or the Ten Commandments is not just a superficial act, but one that carries the essence of the law into our thoughts and hearts.

Jesus proclaimed that if we think something that is contrary to one of the Ten Commandments, we are to view it in the same light as if we had physically carried out the act. For instance, if we think to ourselves it is okay to slander or gossip about our neighbors, we are in essence breaking the ninth Commandment, "Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor." If we are married and one day we see a handsome man or a pretty woman walking down the street and we lust in our hearts for them, we are breaking the seventh of God's Ten Commandments, "Thou shalt not commit adultery."

As Christians, we should not think that since Paul tells us "we are set free from the law" the Ten Commandments no longer apply to us. Paul is telling us that because we are now in a relationship with Christ, we are forgiven of our indiscretions when it comes to following the Ten Commandments. We are still called throughout the New Testament to obey God's Ten Commandments.

The Ten Commandments also apply to non-believers because in the end, they will be judged by the essence of the law and the Ten Commandments. This means that if they are guilty of breaking even one of the Ten Commandments, be it a lack of respect or reverence for God or some indiscretion between non-believers, it will be as if they were guilty of breaking all the commandments.

God's Ten Commandments