Scripture:

"Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the
realities of heaven, where Christ sits at God's right hand in the place of honor and power.
Let heaven fill your thoughts.  Do not think only about things down here on earth.
For you died when Christ died, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God.  And
when Christ, who is your real life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in
all the glory." (Colossians 3:1)

Reflection: 

What a weird question to ask, "Does Heaven Fill Your Thoughts?"  I don't know
about you but I have a lot of thoughts during the day, some good and some not
so good.  It sometimes seems that it is true I only think of things here on earth.
And it is sad to say that a lot of my thoughts are surrounded by things that I
desire for my own pleasure and the evilness for the world.  I hate to watch tv
because of the news, then my thoughts are on the decadent way we treat each
other, on a senseless war, on crime, and all the inhumanity that is so prevalent
in our world. I also noticed, as I look back at my thoughts, a lot of which are
centered around me, of what I want and not what others need.  You know it is
so very true that when Christ died so did I, and I need to focus on who is my
real life.  My real life is Jesus Christ and one big part of heaven will be
serving my Lord and serving others.  And thats where my thoughts and actions
should be, WITH MY LORD.  You see when my thoughts are on the Lord and upon
heaven, then my actions become my service to the Lord and my helping of others.
Do me a favor will you and at the end of the day take a look at what your thoughts
were, and the next day start thinking about Jesus Christ and thoughts of heaven.
You will be surprised at how your life will change, and how you will find a new
compassion for others. Let's you and I share in all His glory!

Prayer:

Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace.
Where there is hatred . . . let me sow love
Where there is injury . . . pardon
Where there is doubt . . . faith
Where there is despair . . . hope
Where there is darkness . . . light
Where there is sadness . . . joy
O, Divine Master,
Grant that I may not so much seek
To be consoled . . . as to console
To be understood . . . as to understand,
To be loved . . . as to love
For it is in giving . . . that we receive,
It is in pardoning, that we are pardoned,
It is in dying . . . that we are born to eternal life.

Quote for the Day

Samantha Smith
Ambassador of Peace and Goodwill
(1972-1985)

"If we could be friends just by getting to know
each other better, then what are our two
countries really arguing about? Nothing could
 be more important than not having a war if war
 would kill everything."
 

Scripture:

"The good soil represents the hearts of those who truly accept
God's message and produce a huge harvest--thirty, sixty, or even
a hundred times as much as had been planted". (Matthew 13:23)

Reflection:

In the parable of the farmer sowing seeds, we see the farmer
planting seeds on several types of soil.   The last of the seeds
are sowed in good soil.  This soil represents the hearts of those who
truly accept God's message and produce a huge harvest. 
Well of course this all begs a question. Are you producing a huge
harvest?  I know I ask this question often.  I first have to ask what
constitutes a harvest?  a lot of money, power, control, station in life,
or maybe lots of material things.  If these things are a harvest then
I want out of the garden.  I think a harvest is, after I have accepted
God's message, I mean truly accepted His message, I produce a
result received from acceptance of His message.  In other words I
produce a harvest.  What I produce is exciting because I am excited
about God's message. This harvest is rich and full of joy, this harvest
is full of love and acceptance, this harvest is from God and it brings
true joy in my life.  The soil is good and I am good.  I have a
suggestion for you, plant your seed on good soil and you will
receive the richest of harvest, you will receive a joy in God's
message.

Prayer:

Thank you good that I am able to plant my seed on good soil.
Thank you for the Joy I receive from Your message. THANK YOU
GOD FOR BEING GOD!!!!!!!

Quote:

Lucretia Mott
Quaker, Pacifist Abolitionist, Feminist
(1793-1880)

"Let it be called the Great Spirit of the Indian, the Quaker
 ‘Inward Light' of George Fox, the ‘Blessed Mary,' Mother
of Jesus of the Catholics, or Brahman, the Hindu's God -
they will be one, and there will come to be such a faith a
and liberty as shall redeem the world."
 

Scripture:

"He was despised and rejected---a man of sorrows, acquainted
with bitterest grief.  We turned our backs on Him and looked
the other way when He went by.  He was despised, and we
did not care".  (Isaiah 53: 3)

Reflection:

You know its hard to believe when you look at this verse
and chapters 52 and 53 it would be fulfilled over a thousand
years later in Jesus Christ. This verse and several others in
Isaiah are the verses that Mel Gibson used as background
for his movie "The Passion".  I got to be honest with you
this verse haunts me.  It is personal and it hits close to
home for me.  I have often struggled with the fact that I
often turn my back on my Savior.  Whats interesting is He
never turns His back on me.  When I reflect at the end of the
day, I am often dismayed that I didn't even think about going
to Jesus when I really should have, I didn't even think of Him.
I ask myself, "How can I call myself a Christian, on top of that
a minister, and not think of Jesus Christ".  Thank God He
doesn't turn His back on me.  He is there for me, doing for me,
even at the times when I am not even thinking about Him.  And
you know something He is there for you, I promise that Jesus will
never turn His back on you.

Prayer:

I praise and honor you oh Lord.  Thank for being there for me
and forgive for not being there with you.  THANK YOU GOD
FOR BEING GOD!

Quote:

Abigail Kelley Foster
Pacifist Abolitionist
(1811-1877)

"Go where you are least wanted, for there you are most needed."

Scripture:

"A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for
adversity." (Proverbs 17:17)

Reflection:

Friendship is very important to me.  My life would
not be complete without my friends.  I have all kinds
of friends, I have friends who are Christians, An Atheist
who always states "I swear to God I'm an Atheist," a
close friend who is a Muslim. I have friends of all colors,
creeds, and nationalities.  I don't expect my friends to
love me, adore me, or even agree with me. I do expect
from myself and from them, one very important
characteristic, and thats loyalty.  My friends are all
deeply loyal and I am loyal to them.  So the question
remains to be asked, "What Kind of friend are you?"
Are you like the friends of Job: Eliphaz, Bildad, and
Zophar who were disloyal and even intensified Job's
pain.  Or are you like the friends of Daniel: Shadrach,
Meshach, Abed-Nego who were loyal to Daniel,
and stood with him. Remember very important thing,
you and I share one friend.  This friend was so loyal to
you and I, that He gave His life for us.  That friend
is Jesus Christ.

Prayer:

Quote for the Day

    
Mother Jones
Advocate for Social Justice,
Union Organizer
(1830-1930)

"I am in favor of the ballot, and in all my career I have never
advocated violence. I want to give the nation a more highly
developed citizenship."

Scripture: 
 
"Heaven and earth will pass away, but My  
words will not pass away." Mark 13:31 
 
Reflection: 
 
When is the last time you read the Bible.  
I'm not talking about just glancing through it 
but really sitting down and reading the Holy 
'Scriptures. Since its been a long time since 
God spoke directly to me, I have found the 
only way to receive God's words is to read 
the Bible. You see that is one of the great 
beauties of God manifesting Himself through 
His Son Jesus and appearing on earth.  
Through Jesus Christ we have received God's 
words. And boy has the Bible helped me in 
my life. Through the words of God (God 
breathed) I have really discovered how to live 
a happy and fulfilling life. There are two very 
unique qualities about God's word. First is  
that it's not like any book you have ever read. 
You can begin reading anywhere in the Bible, 
I don't care where, and you will begin to receive 
a real message concerning your life. This makes 
the Holy Scriptures truly unique. The Second 
quality is that these words, God's words, will 
last forever, and forever be relevant to us. 
All things will pass away but not God's word. 
What a comfort that is for us. Do me a favor 
will you, tonight sit down and really look at 
the Bible and I can promise you that you 
will receive the riches of life. If you have  
question you will surely get some answers. 
 
Prayer: 
 
Father God thank You for Your word. Thank 
you for giving to me Your words that have 
inspired my life. Thank you for caring  
enough to give me guidance through you 
words. THANK YOU GOD FOR BEING GOD! 

Scripture:

"Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make
you free," (John 8:32)

"Fear not them which kill the body, but are not
able to kill the soul:  but rather fear him which is
able to destroy both soul and body in hell." (Matthew 10: 28)

" Ye have been bought with a price: be not ye the servant of
men." (I Corinthians 7:23)

Reflections:

Lately I've been thinking a lot about loyalties in my life.  Who am
I loyal too, God or Man.  There is a difference you know.  In
my life I have had to make important decisions based on that
question, Who am I loyal too?  I think we all do.  I've learned to
to do all I can to be loyal to what I believe God's teachings, and
intentions are towards me and my faith.  Thats not always easy.
For example:  Sometimes in my life my government has demanded
loyalty to them, when it was directly contrary to God's teachings.
I believe "war" that is the wounding and killing of men, is
inconsistent with my Christian faith founded on peace and good
will towards men.   A Christian, according to Christ's teachings,
can only act peacably towards all men.  And no authority or
government can force me to act contrary to the teachings of God.
You see I'm one of those people who actually believe that the sins
of men can only be overcome by love. That evil can only be
exterminated by good.  That Jesus Christ has taught me to be
gentle, long suffering, and merciful.  That's right only the meek
shall inherit the earth, for those who take up the sword shall die
by the sword.  You see we have been bought with a price, that
price has been the sacrifice made by Jesus Christ on the cross.
Therefore I owe my service to Him and not to men.  
Noah, Moses, and the prophets taught that he who kills, maims, or
injures his neighbor does evil.  To resist such evil, and to prevent it,
the evil doer must be punished with death or maiming or physical
injury.  Wrong must be opposed by wrong, murder by murder, injury
by injury, evil by evil.   Jesus Christ rejects all this, "I say unto you
resist not evil."  In other words, do not oppose injury with injury,
but rather bear repeated injury from the evil doer.  Jesus Christ
said, " Ye have heard it said of old, an eye for an eye and a tooth
for a tooth, but I say unto you Resist not Evil.  But if one strikes
you on the right cheek, turn the other cheek, and if one will go to
the law with you and take your coat from you, give him your cloak
also."  It's not easy being Christian, sometimes that means being
completely contrary to the prevailing feeling.  Sometimes that just
means being different.  

Prayer:
Lord Keep Me Different!!!!!  Amen

Scripture:

Mat 6:14-15
(New International Version)
For if you forgive men when they sin against
you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
But if you do not forgive men their sins, your
Father will not forgive your sins.

(King James Version)
"For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your
heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if
ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither
will your Father forgive your trespasses."

Reflection:

Isn't it hard to forgive, I mean really forgive a person
who has wronged you so much that it is in your heart
and mind constantly. I have a person like that in my
life.  This person knowingly let me physically suffer
for many years without ever helping me.  This person
was not there for me as a matter of fact purposely stayed
away from me.  I literally hated this person for a long time.
I desperately needed this person and this person wasn't
there for me.  I used to say I can forgive but I can't forget.
That was a lie that I was saying to myself. Because I
really wasn't forgiving.  It was an excuse I used to make to
myself in order to feel like a Christian.  You see I new
Christ expected me to forgive, it was basic to my
Christian faith and I needed an excuse to continue to hate
and still feel like a Christian.  Well I can honestly say
that I have learned to forgive this person.  I really do.
How did I learn this valuable lesson?  I followed the
example of my Savior Jesus Christ, when in complete
pain on the executioner's cross states, "Father Forgive Them
For They Know Not What They Do."  If He can do it for
me, I can do it for Him and myself.  Boy do I feel a lot
better!  I now have this person back in my life, and this
person never asked for any forgiveness but I gave it anyway.
What joy there is in my life.  Amen, Amen.......

Prayer:

Thank you Lord for forgiving me of all my sins, thank you
for loving me so much that you forgive me each and every day
If you can forgive lord, I can forgive.  Thank you for your
love. THANK YOU GOD FOR BEING GOD!!!!!

Scripture:

"All these......obtained a good testimony through faith.
(Hebrews 11:39)

Reflection:

George Washington crossing the Delaware, Martin Luther King
and the Civil Rights Movement, Gandhi and Peace,
Louie Pasture and the fight against Polio, Anne Frank and her
diary.  These people will always be remembered in history, they
have left a legacy for all of us.  Long after their deaths, the record
of their lives of faith and obedience still inspire us today.  I have
to admit that few of us will be recorded in the history books. But
the fact remains that we will be remembered by our family and our
friends.  As Christians we are constantly being watched to see
how our response is to our Lord especially during times of pain
and suffering.  My question is, Are you living in faith and
obedience to Him?  What will be your legacy?

Prayer:

Quote for the Day

St. Catherine of Siena
Political and Religious Peacemaker
(1347-1380)

"In mercy you have seen fit today to show me, poor as I am, how
we can in no way pass judgment on other people's intentions.
Indeed, by sending people in an endless variety of paths, you give
an example for myself, and for this I thank you."
 

 Scripture: 

"They desired only that we should remember the poor."
(Galatians 2:10)

Reflections:

One of the most rewarding experiences of my ministry.
is working with the homeless.  Contrary to the image
displayed in the media, they are wonderful people.  I
believe it is true that many homeless people are
what is referred to as "Mental Institutions Castaways".
For this very reason, as Christians, they deserve from
us, caring, compassion, understanding and assistance.
It is true that we are to share the Gospel with the
spiritually needed in search of their heavenly home. 
But we also must never neglect or forget those who
are poor and homeless. Vernon Grounds once stated
"A heart for God will also be a heart for the homeless".

Prayer:  (St. Francis)

Quote for the Day

    
Dorothy Day
Founder of the Catholic Worker Movement
(1897-1980)

"Martyrdom is not gallantly standing before a firing squad.
Usually it is losing a job because of not taking a loyalty oath
or buying a war bond, or paying a tax. Martyrdom is small,
 hidden, misunderstood."