FROM DARKNESS INTO LIGHT !!!

The following was in today's

UPPER ROOM DEVOTIONAL!

Very Powerful!!

You might want to consider subscribing to their "free" daily email devotional!
I found it to be an awesome place and God really talks to me through the scripture!

http://www.upperroom.org/devotional/email/
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FROM DARKNESS INTO LIGHT
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1 John 1:5-7 (NRSV)This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light and in him there is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him while we are walking in darkness, we lie and do not do what is true;but if we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.
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The psalmist wrote, "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path."-
Psalm 119:105 (NIV)
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ONE night during a span of harsh winter weather with snow and strong winds, I had almost finished my nightly shower when the power went out. In total darkness, I felt my way through the process of drying off and finding clothes to put on. I was relieved to discover that my knowing the location of each item before hand enabled me to "see" and find what I needed - even in the dark. At times the lights go out in our daily walk through life, when darkness enshrouds our way and we lose direction. But knowing that our perfect Helper is near, we are able through faith and prayer to focus on God's holiness, to follow God's light, and to once again make our way toward God's will and purpose. Prayer: Our holy Father, thank you for your many blessings and watchful care over us. Help us in dark times to trust you to take the lead as we pray, "Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

"*THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: Even darkness is not dark to those who walk with God.--

Carl C. Whitfield (Kentucky, U.S.A.)

True Colors

Under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors.

James 1:3 The Message

What do you reflect?

As a face is reflected in water, so the heart reflects the person.
Proverbs 27:19 NLT

Today I have done a lot of thinking about my life and where I am? Is it where I want? Is it where God wants me? Am I living by "Worldly Love" or by "Agape Love" (God's Love). Great Sermon we had today on this subject!!

I have to say that for the past three years I have definitly grown in God's Love. I did not trust myself to truly have faith in completely turning my life over to Christ before Coming to Tampa Baptist Church! But through the teaching I have received in "Small Group Studies", "Sunday School" and especially, great Sermons I have learned that God is AWESOME! HE is my FATHER!! I CAN talk to him like I did with my earthly father, but more so. I can talk to him as my best friend! When I am obediant to him and I live by his word, my prayers to him are fulfilled! God is true to his Word!! There is no doubt in my mind that my Lord and Saviour is proud of me as his Child!

I believe that I am reflecting God's Love more today than I did three years ago! I believe that three years from now I will reflect that Love Even More!!! I still need to stay in his word (The Bible) and continue to talk with him daily. Our relationship is the most important thing in life! But what I pray for most is that it will REFLECT to others and that they will want to know God's Love as well!

The love for others, helping others in need is more important than "Loving" Worldly possessions. What would you choose first... to give a dollar to a homeless man at McDonalds for a cup of coffee...or your sunday paper?

So the question today is "What are you reflecting in your life? Worldly Love or Agape Love".

Lord, I know that I am far from perfect! I know that I have a lot of growing still yet to do!! I pray for your guidance, your strength and your courage to continue to seek you first in my life and make you my first priority! I pray that you will be able to show others your LOVE FOR THEM through ME!!!!!!!!!! What an Awesome priviledge you have given us as believers!!

In Christ Name!
Amen

When all else Fails!!!

All we simply need to do is turn to God!! Actually, thats usually why all else fails! Because we have not put him first in our lives!!

Remember that the temptations that come into your life are no different from what others experiance. And God is faithful. He will keep that temptation from becoming so strong that you can't stand up against it. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you will not give in to it.

1 Corinthians 10:13 NLT

Todays Thoughts

I pray that my computer will continue to work first of all! Secondly, I pray that I will be able to manage to scrape together the money to upgrade my computer! I apparently need to upgrade my memory! I think I have that personal problem as well!!

Its not as easy as dumping out old unneeded files from your hard drive and they are gone for ever! Some how, some way something happens to remind us that they ocurred and it really messes up our mind! Come to think about it I guess it is like a computer hard drive, for if you don't know how to really permanently delete a file, chances are there is a copy somewhere on that hard drive!

Today and the past few days I have been thinking about making amends with someone for something they have no clue what they did. Something very simple caused me a set back and its all because of what that one situation brought about from my memories. Ones that I thought I had dealt with and closed the book on. I want to appologize to this person and explain some things to them but they make it very difficult. Actually, I'm the one who has probably made it difficult, because of course I have to do it in my way! But there are reasons for that as well.

I have been stepping out of my comfort zone a lot lately and I owe that to God's Grace!

Sometimes though I don't know exactly what God is trying to tell me! A situation could go either way. It gets very confusing! I usually tend to let something go and I wonder what if? Then if I deal with something and it turns out one way, I wonder What if the other? Confused? Well, I guess you understand me!

I often wonder IF things in the past had only been different I wouldn't have all these problems today! But I know that God meant for me to use these things for the good of all in some way! I am just trying to find that way! I just wish it wasn't so confusing or so difficult trying to find it or knowing if its in front of me or not!