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Archive for June, 2015

Possess Peace

Posted in peace, possessions on June 4, 2015| Leave a Comment »

“A man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” Luke 12:15

Unchecked materialism becomes your master, both when you make the purchase and when you must sweat to maintain it. That’s why I heartily encourage you to decide together to own less… and enjoy life more.

Just between us…

  • What do we have that we don’t need and could simply give or throw away?
  • What guidelines could we agree on to avoid the trap of materialism?
  • How can fewer possessions bring us closer to God?

Dear Lord, we are so easily driven by the desire to own more things. We want to live with less. Change us with Your truth about lasting value. We want to hold all our income and possessions in trust for You, the real owner. Amen.

Michael & Alison Smitherman

The Singing NetSurfers

It has been said that every possession we have imprisons us. And while none of us want to, or should live in a cardboard box, humans generally equate possessions with safety, happiness and security. Nothing could be further from the truth when it comes to true safety, happiness and security.

 

Our possessions may keep us out of the rain, separated from intruders and may provide us with some gratification. However, true happiness, eternal security and safety will come only from within, the result of spiritual possessions.

 

Those spiritual possessions are gifts from God. Such things as tolerance, patience, forbearance and charity . They do not arise from material goods, but from God’s grace given freely to those who will obey. They produce the faith, hope, love, joy and peace that will provide us with everything we truly need to possess.

 

Now, those are possessions worth valuing…and worshipping.

 

Possess peace,

 

Z gardener

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Hitting the Jackpot

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged on June 2, 2015| Leave a Comment »

 

“It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” Matthew 19:24

Do you ever dream of winning the lottery? It may interest you to know that about a third of all lottery winners go bankrupt within five years and that another quarter of these instant millionaires wind up selling their remaining payments at a discounted rate to pay off debts. People who are reckless with ordinary paychecks are just as reckless with bigger ones.

Rather than fantasize about hitting the jackpot, we should strive to be better stewards of what we have. Handle credit cards—if you must use them at all—with great care, and do everything you can to stay out of debt, one of the foremost marriage destroyers. Make purchases with cash when possible. Establish a family budget and stick to it.

Remember to give at least 10 percent of your earnings to the Lord—after all, everything is His, anyway.

Above all, make sure you spend less than you earn each month. It takes discipline, but this simple formula will go a long way toward establishing a worry‐free atmosphere in your home.

Heavenly Father, You bless us with so much. Even when money is tight, we know You care for us. But we often fail to be responsible and to honor You with how we manage money. Help us to know and live by Your wisdom. Amen.

Michael & Alison Smitherman

The Singing NetSurfers

It has been this gardener’s experience that one can not give away more than one will receive in return from the giving. As it is below, so above, and then it is multiplied beyond understanding in the spiritual world, of which our earthly existence is but a reflection.

Yes, we must be responsible with all our resources and share them with God and others. This mutual giving nurtures and sustains, not only physical life, but even more so, our spiritual lives.

So, let us be responsible stewards of all we have here below and above. And let us give and share our time, thoughts, labor and funds appropriately. Then, the universe and the one who created it will always nurture and sustain us and will return the giving by orders of magnitude; both here below and even more so above.

Give to live,

Z gardener

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HAVE NO FEAR

Posted in Uncategorized on June 1, 2015| Leave a Comment »

 

Proverbs 1:33 NLT       All who listen to me will live in peace and safety, unafraid of harm.

It’s not easy to have peace within your soul these days. Five minutes of watching CNN or reading the paper makes you feel anxious. If you’re not worrying about the environment and concerns about the welfare of the people all over the world, then you’re concerned about terrorists who have no regard for human life.

You may not have control over the forces of nature or over people who continually try to wrap you in a blanket of fear, but you do have control over how you think about those things. You can give your fears to God and pray for his protection. You can ask Him each day to keep you safe and help you maintain peace in your heart. You truly can have a sense of peace and well-being. It’s yours for the asking.

A Taste of Peace

It is so hard, Father, to understand all the things that go on in the world today. Please protect and those I love and keep us safe from harm. Amen.

Michael & Alison Smitherman

The Singing NetSurfers

Courage is not the lack of fear. Courage is the ability to keep going even when afraid. And sometimes, fear is a good thing when it protects us from harm. But, we do not have to be afraid. That does not mean there are no things to fear. It does mean that we can choose not to be afraid because God has our back and wants even bad things to work for our best good.

And in those times when we can’t overcome fear ourselves, we can turn to God and ask God to help us be unafraid through God’s grace and love. When I was a little boy and got scared at night, I would sing “Jesus Loves Me” until I fell asleep. It still works.

Jesus loves you, this I know. And that love is more powerful than any fear or anything feared. We are weak, but he is strong.

Fearlessly,

Z gardener

Author’s Note: After a month long hiatus and renewal, the Good Morning Gardener is back. Good to be gardening again.

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