The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.
(Isaiah 40:8 -- NIV)

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". . . if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land."   (2 Chronicles 7:14 -- NIV)

Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a day of remembrance for those who have died in service of the United States of America. 
Memorial Day was borne out of the Civil War and a desire to honor our dead.  It was officially proclaimed on 5 May 1868 by General John Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, in his General Order No. 11.  “The 30th of May, 1868, is designated for the purpose of strewing with flowers, or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion, and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village and hamlet churchyard in the land,” he proclaimed.  The date of Decoration Day, as he called it, was chosen because it wasn’t the anniversary of any particular battle.
(from usmemorialday.org)

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Jesus loves me! This I know,
For the Bible tells me so;
Little ones to Him belong;
They are weak, but He is strong.

• Refrain:
  Yes, Jesus loves me!
  Yes, Jesus loves me!
  Yes, Jesus loves me!
  The Bible tells me so.

(Anna B. Warner)

 

 

Happy Saturday
. . .

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The beginning of "fake news"?

Happy Friday . . .

After he had said this, he was taken to heaven. A cloud hid him so that they could no longer see him.
¹⁰ They were staring into the sky as he departed.  Suddenly, two men in white clothes stood near them. ¹¹ They asked, “Why are you men from Galilee standing here looking at the sky?  Jesus, who was taken from you to heaven, will come back in the same way that you saw him go to heaven.”
(Acts 1:9-11 -- GW)

Happy Ascension Day!

That is why we are not discouraged.  Though outwardly we are wearing out, inwardly we are renewed day by day.
(2 Corinthians 4:16 -- GW)

My body and mind may waste away, but God remains the foundation of my life and my inheritance forever.
(Psalm 73:26 -- GW)

1. There is a fountain filled with blood
Drawn from Immanuel's veins,
And sinners plunged beneath that flood
Lose all their guilty stains.

2. The dying thief rejoiced to see
That fountain in his day;
And there have I, as vile as he,
Washed all my sins away.

3. Dear dying Lamb, Thy precious blood
Shall never lose its power
Till all the ransomed Church of God
Be saved to sin no more.

4. E'er since by faith I saw the stream
Thy flowing wounds supply,
Redeeming love has been my theme
And shall be till I die.

5. When this poor lisping, stammering tongue
Lies silent in the grave,
Then in a nobler, sweeter song
I'll sing Thy power to save.

(William Cowper)

When Balaam got up in the morning, he saddled his donkey and left with the Moabite princes.
²² God became angry that he was going. So the Messenger of the Lord stood in the road to stop him. Balaam was riding on his donkey, accompanied by his two servants. ²³ When the donkey saw the Messenger of the Lord standing in the road with his sword drawn, the donkey turned off the road into a field. Balaam hit the donkey to get it back on the road.
²⁴ Where the road went through the vineyards, it was narrow, with stone walls on both sides. Now the Messenger of the Lord stood there. ²⁵ When the donkey saw the Messenger of the Lord, it moved over and pinned Balaam’s foot against the wall. So Balaam hit the donkey again.
²⁶ Then the Messenger of the Lord moved ahead and stood in a narrower place where there was no room to turn to the right or the left. ²⁷ When the donkey saw the Messenger of the Lord, it lay down under Balaam. Balaam became so angry he hit the donkey with his stick. ²⁸ Then the Lord made the donkey speak, and it asked Balaam, “What have I done to make you hit me three times?”
²⁹ Balaam answered, “You’ve made a fool of me! If I had a sword in my hand, I’d kill you right now.”
³⁰ The donkey said to Balaam, “I’m your own donkey. You’ve always ridden me. Have I ever done this to you before?”
“No,” he answered.
³¹ Then the Lord let Balaam see the Messenger of the Lord who was standing in the road with his sword drawn. So Balaam knelt, bowing with his face touching the ground.
³² The Messenger of the Lord asked him, “Why have you hit your donkey three times like this? I’ve come here to stop you because the trip you’re taking is evil.  ³³ The donkey saw me and turned away from me these three times. If it had not turned away from me, I would certainly have killed you by now but spared the donkey.”
³⁴ Balaam said to the Messenger of the Lord, “I’ve sinned. I didn’t know you were standing there in the road to stop me. If you still think this trip is evil, I’ll go back.”
³⁵ The Messenger of the Lord said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but say only what I tell you.” So Balaam went with Balak’s princes.

(Numbers 22:21-35 -- GW)

Certainly, “The earth is the Lord’s and everything it contains is his.”
(1 Corinthians 10:26 -- GW)

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When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”
³⁸ Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.  And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. ³⁹ The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”

(Acts 2:37-39 -- NIV)

I come to the garden alone,
While the dew is still on the roses,
And the voice I hear falling on my ear
The Son of God discloses.

And He walks with me, and He talks with me,
And He tells me I am His own;
And the joy we share as we tarry there,
None other has ever known.
(Charles A. Miles)
 

Video: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DAhsVqbV3pg

 

Photo: 

http://www.istockphoto.com/photo/dew-on-the-roses-gm685288380-125787307

 

 

His Son paid the price to free us, which means that our sins are forgiven.¹⁵ He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. ¹⁶ He created all things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible.  
Whether they are kings or lords, rulers or powers—everything has been created through him and for him.

(Colossians 1:14-16 -- GW)

1. My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus' blood and righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus' name.
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand.

2. When darkness veils His lovely face,
I rest on His unchanging grace;
In every high and stormy gale
My anchor holds within the veil.
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand.

3. His oath, His covenant, and blood
Support me in the whelming flood;
When every earthly prop gives way,
He then is all my Hope and Stay.
 On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand.

4. When He shall come with trumpet sound,
Oh, may I then in Him be found,
Clothed in His righteousness alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne!
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand.

(Edward Mote)

As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you.

(Isaiah 66:13a -- GW)

Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee;
Let the water and the blood,
From Thy riven side which flowed,
Be of sin the double cure,
Cleanse me from its guilt and power.

Not the labour of my hands
Can fulfill Thy law's demands;
Could my zeal no respite know,
Could my tears forever flow,
All for sin could not atone;
Thou must save, and Thou alone.

Nothing in my hand I bring,
Simply to Thy cross I cling;
Naked, come to Thee for dress;
Helpless, look to Thee for grace;
Foul, I to the fountain fly;
Wash me, Saviour, or I die!

While I draw this fleeting breath,
When mine eyes shall close in death,
When I soar to worlds unknown,
See Thee on Thy judgment throne,
Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee.

(Augustus Montague Toplady)

 

Happy
Mother's
Day . . .

Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour. 
(Exodus 20:16 -- KJV)

There are six things that the Lord hates, even seven that are disgusting to him:  ¹⁷ arrogant eyes, a lying tongue, hands that kill innocent people, ¹⁸ a mind devising wicked plans, feet that are quick to do wrong, ¹⁹ a dishonest witness spitting out lies, and a person who spreads conflict among relatives.
(Proverbs 6:16-19 -- GW)

³ But let righteous people rejoice.  
Let them celebrate in God’s presence.  
Let them overflow with joy.

(Psalm 68:3 -- GW)

Whoever is a believer in Christ is a new creation.  The old way of living has disappeared.  A new way of living has come into existence.
(2 Corinthians 5:17 -- GW) 

The husband is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of the church.  It is his body, and he is its Savior.
(Ephesians 5:23 -- GW)

I saw a new heaven and a new earth, because the first heaven and earth had disappeared, and the sea was gone. ² Then I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, dressed like a bride ready for her husband.
(Revelation 21:1-2 -- GW)

Even when you’re old, I’ll take care of you.
Even when your hair turns gray, I’ll support you.
I made you and will continue to care for you.
I’ll support you and save you.
(Isaiah 46:4 -- GW)

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Then Jesus went around to the villages and taught.
⁷ He called the twelve apostles, sent them out two by two, and gave them authority over evil spirits.
⁸ He instructed them to take nothing along on the trip except a walking stick.  They were not to take any food, a traveling bag, or money in their pockets. 
¹⁰ He told them, “Whenever you go into a home, stay there until you’re ready to leave that place. ¹¹ Wherever people don’t welcome you or listen to you, leave and shake the dust from your feet as a warning to them.”
¹² So the apostles went and told people that they should turn to God and change the way they think and act. ¹³ They also forced many demons out of people and poured oil on many who were sick to cure them.

(Mark 6:6-13 -- GW)

 

Then God said, “Let the water swarm with swimming creatures, and let birds fly through the sky over the earth.” ²¹ So God created the large sea creatures, every type of creature that swims around in the water and every type of flying bird.  God saw that they were good. ²² God blessed them and said, “Be fertile, increase in number, fill the sea, and let there be many birds on the earth.” ²³ There was evening, then morning—a fifth day.
(Genesis 1:20-23 -- GW)

Be near me, Lord Jesus
I ask Thee to stay
Close by me forever
And love me I pray
Bless all the dear children
In Thy tender care
And take us to Heaven
To live with Thee there
Take us to Heaven
To live with Thee there.

(author unknown)

He gave plenty to drink to those who were thirsty.  He filled those who were hungry with good food.

(Psalm 107:9 -- GW)

Did you know that identical twins have the same DNA, but different fingerprints?  And that, if you stretched the DNA in one cell all the way out, it would be about six feet long?  And that all the DNA in all your cells put together would be about as long as twice the diameter of the Solar System? 

 

Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!  God has given us a new birth because of his great mercy.  We have been born into a new life that has a confidence which is alive because Jesus Christ has come back to life.

(1 Peter 1:3 -- GW) 

In that day the wolf and the lamb will lie down together, and the leopard and goats will be at peace.  Calves and fat cattle will be safe among lions, and a little child shall lead them all.

(Isaiah 11:6 -- TLB)

A Canaanite woman from that territory came to him and began to shout, “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David!  My daughter is tormented by a demon.”
²³ But he did not answer her at all.  Then his disciples came to him and urged him, “Send her away.  She keeps shouting behind us.”
²⁴ Jesus responded, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the nation of Israel.”
²⁵ She came to him, bowed down, and said, “Lord, help me!”
²⁶ Jesus replied, “It’s not right to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.”
²⁷ She said, “You’re right, Lord.  But even the dogs eat scraps that fall from their masters’ tables.”
²⁸ Then Jesus answered her, “Woman, you have strong faith!  What you wanted will be done for you.”  At that moment her daughter was cured.
(Matthew 15:22-28 -- GW)

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