Daily Devotions and More for Sunday, July 12, 2020
MerkV814
Sunday, July 12, 2020
* Wherever there is a human being, there is an opportunity for kindness. -- Seneca
* I've missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed. -- Michael Jordan (1963-) American Basketball Star
* Treat people as if they were what they ought to be and you will help them become what they are capable of becoming. -- Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe
* The road to happiness lies in two simple principles: find what it is that interests you and that you can do well, and when you find it, put your whole soul into it -- every bit of energy and ambition and natural ability you have. -- John D. Rockefeller III
* Nature does not bestow virtue; to be good is an art. -- Seneca
* Pausing for rest and renewal once a week simply isn't enough. If we are going to live the abundant life Jesus promised, we need to carry the spirit of the Sabbath into every day. In other words, every day should have something of the Sabbath in it -- a time for rest, a time for relationships and a time for worship -- but this won't just happen. We will have to carve out a place for these things in our busy day. -- Richard Exley
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Jael as the Hand of God
Scripture Reading — Judges 4:11-24
When the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law... — Galatians 4:4
A tired and thirsty Sisera accepted Jael’s invitation to rest in her tent. He had no reason to fear. Jael, the wife of a trusted ally, soothed him: “Don’t be afraid.” Then, after doing as hospitality required, Jael tent-pegged Sisera as he lay sleeping. “On that day,” we read, “God subdued Jabin king of Canaan.”
How could someone who violates norms of hospitality be God’s instrument of salvation? Couldn’t God use better people or a more acceptable means to set things right? According to Scripture, there are no “better people.” “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Even God’s justice seems unwise in the eyes of the world, which considers the cross of Christ foolishness (1 Corinthians 1:23).
In the days of the judges, Jael tent-pegged Israel’s oppressor. But even though God used Jael as his hand of victory in this episode, Israel would still need other saviors. They needed rescue again and again.
Having heard the cries of his people in distress, “when the set time had fully come,” God sent a Savior who would be “pierced for our transgressions . . . [and] crushed for our iniquities” (Isaiah 53:5). Jesus Christ, the ultimate Savior, “bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors” (Isaiah 53:12).
Do you see God’s hand at work in this world? Has God opened your eyes to see the wisdom of his strange salvation?
Prayer: Lord, help me to see your hand in the strange way your Servant has saved your people from unrighteousness. Amen.
email: to...@thisistoday.net
TODAY is copyright © 2017, the BTGH
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Grateful for Stew
From
Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Magic of Moms
By Shawna
Troke-Leukert
It's bizarre that the produce manager is more important to my children's health than the pediatrician. -- Meryl Streep
When I was a young girl my mother made the same dish for supper five nights a week. She boiled potatoes, carrots, and occasionally, other vegetables, in a big, shiny pot on the kitchen stove. The vegetables were cooked fresh every day and small amounts of the roast beef that she cooked once a week were added to the bowls. She called it stew.
I would often hear the other children at school talk about the delicious meals they had for supper. Many of the children ate from fast food restaurants, which were expensive at the time. They got hamburgers, fries, and milkshakes. I wished we could eat like that once in a while, but my parents couldn't afford it. We only had take-out food once or twice a year — for special occasions. (Keep reading)
Reprinted by permission of Chicken Soup for the Soul Publishing, LLC. In order to protect the rights of the copyright holder, no portion of this publication may be reproduced without prior written consent. All rights reserved.
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Unseen Realities
Elisha prayed, “Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.” 2 Kings 6:17
Scripture Reading: 2 Kings 6:8–17
Stephen Cass, an editor at Discover magazine, was determined to investigate some of the invisible things that are part of his daily life. As he walked toward his office in New York City, he thought: “If I could see radio waves, the top of the Empire State Building [with its host of radio and TV antennas] would be lit like a kaleidoscopic flare, illuminating the entire city.” He realized he was surrounded by an invisible electromagnetic field of radio and TV signals, Wi-Fi, and more.
Elisha’s servant learned about another kind of unseen reality one morning—the invisible spiritual world. He awoke to find himself and his master surrounded by the armies of Aram. As far as his eyes could see, there were soldiers mounted on powerful warhorses (2 Kings 6:15)! The servant was afraid, but Elisha was confident because he saw the army of angels that surrounded them. He said: “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them” (v. 16). Then he asked the Lord to open his servant’s eyes so he too could see that the Lord had surrounded their enemy and He was in control (v. 17).
Do you feel overpowered and helpless? Remember that God is in control and fights for you. He “will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways” (Psalm 91:11).
By Poh Fang Chia
REFLECT & PRAY
Fear not for God is with us and for us.
How can you learn to trust God’s supernatural help? How would trusting Him more change the way you face difficulties?
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
In the Old Testament, Aram (2 Kings 6:8) was the territory that today is known as Syria. Its capital, Damascus, was one of the great cities of ancient times and continued to be prominent in the New Testament. It was the destination of Saul of Tarsus when on a mission to persecute believers in Jesus (Acts 9). -- Bill Crowder
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Today’s Video: 'Speak To Me' For All Seasons
“Feels like I'm drowning in all this noise
So much confusion that I can't avoid
I need to hear You, I need to hear Your voice
So disconnected, where is my joy?
So whether whispers in the calming of the wind
Or in the distant roar of thunder rolling in
Speak to me”
“Fear is an army that I can't outrun
All my defenses have come undone
Oh I need to feel You, I need to feel You close
Will Your love find me when I need it most?
Speak to me”
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Today’s Verse: Romans 8: 38-39 … 38-39 “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
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Proverb of the Day: Proverbs 23:24 ... 24 The father of a righteous child has great joy; a man who fathers a wise son rejoices in him
Our Daily Bread
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Wings over the Mountains of Life
A MountainWings Moment
When You Blame Others
Direct link: www.CoachB.tv/0578
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My five-year-old daughter, Kayse, grew more and more excited about her first day of kindergarten, and her three-year-old sister, Jayme, watched her with great fascination. On the Sunday before the first day of school, Kayse fell and skinned her knee.
Tears began to flow, and Jayme, seeing the blood on her big sister's knee, tried to comfort her by saying: "Don't worry, Kayse, if you die, you'll go to heaven."
But Kayse wailed even more. "I don't want to go to heaven," she said. "I want to go to kindergarten!"
Da Mouse Tracks
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Verse of the day
The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. -- Deuteronomy 31:8 (NIV)
Voice of the day
God's providence is always one step ahead of us. -- Pope Francis
Prayer of the day
God of Providence, lead us, lead us in your wisdom; Be our light and our vision, lead us together, lead us to freedom in your Spirit. -- Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods
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Richer and richer
The way to be rich is to realize how rich you are. The way to be rich is to express and to live the unique abundance that is yours.
It’s not what you get that makes you rich. It’s what you do with all you have.
The way to be truly rich is to make good, meaningful use of what you have. The way to be exceptionally rich is to be generous with all that you are.
The abundance of the universe is literally everywhere. What transforms that abundance into real richness is your choice to make purposeful, loving use of it.
Each day is overflowing with possibilities for new richness. See the best possibilities, act on them, and find true delight in making life richer and richer.
Make joyful use of each moment, and sincerely give the best of who you are. Live a life that is rich indeed.
Copyright Ralph S. Marston, Jr. Used by permission. From The Daily Motivator® at www.dailymotivator.com
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Troll on a Stick
By Delphia Barnett
Children are a wonderful thing. A blessing given to us by God himself. I remember a time when I was a child, I snuck a tootsie roll pop with me to bed and fell asleep with it in my mouth. I woke up in the middle of the night discovering to my horror that the sucker had attached itself to a large portion of my hair.
What seemed like hours standing in that bathroom holding back the tears as I yanked hairs out to remove this lollipop, I remember the relief of finally yanking that last bit of hair and discovering how much hair was on that sucker. It looked like a troll doll on a stick and I needed to hide it because I knew I would be in for the biggest spanking of my life if my parents ever found out. So in my little 4 year old mind, I placed it in the best hiding place ever. A place where no one will ever know! I buried it deep within the dirty clothes, in the laundry bin. And by golly! I never did hear about it again in my whole entire lifetime.
Of course, we all know it didn't magically disappear as my mind had thought it had done. I can just picture my mother laughing her little heart out, wondering if she should confront me or not as she held this hairy tootsie pop. Judging from the amount of hair I yanked from my head, she probably thought that was punishment enough and let it go at that.
Received from Laugh & Lift
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WITHIN A TIME
Sometimes heartbeats
might just cease
leaving moments
without peace.
Within a time
those beating frames
might just be
forgotten names.
Within a time
in history
things might seem
too bad to be,
but those segments
we recall
might just be
a bitter fall.
Every moment
we define,
might just be
within a time.
Things we’ve done
real sad to see
might be lessons
history.
(c)By Bill Pearce
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Dear Lord,
My Rock of Spiritual Refreshment, I'm thirsty.
I'm thirsty for Your Living Water of life, for Your anointing on my life and ministry.
Please increase my hunger for Your Word and for Your will.
Please keep my heart humble and strengthen my commitment to Your ways.
I need my heart's desire to be for You.
I want more of You, God.
Please forgive my frailties and strengthen my spirit.
Help me to feel Your presence and to experience Your power as never before.
Please shine through me to touch the lost and dying world around me, for their blessing and for Your glory.
Please shower me with Your blessings so that I may soak up those blessings, share them with others, and be a blessing to You.
In Jesus' name, I pray,
Amen.
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Continually Re-creating
Read: Luke 8:4-15
And some fell on the rock . . . (v. 6)
The garden where I worked had two sites. The first, cultivated for ten years, was well-tended and composted regularly, and the soil was fed with nutrient-rich cover crops. This care resulted in a rich, healthy soil that was just right for growing nutritious crops. The second plot was new to us—it had lain fallow for many years, and previous to that had been overworked.
The year we bought the new plot, I recognized firsthand the impact that good care of the soil can have. The soil in our new site was hard and clay-like, difficult to dig, and easily eroded. The crops we grew in it dried out more quickly, produced less, and looked more fragile than those we grew in our other garden.
In the parable of the sower, Jesus offers a picture of God (the gardener) sowing seeds. The different types of soil reflect the conditions of different people’s hearts as they hear and receive (or don’t receive) God’s Word.
Soil is not static. A section of soil that is currently rocky or poorly irrigated can, given time and care, become very healthy and grow seeds quite well. Good gardeners don’t give up but know what it takes to make unhealthy soil conducive for growing healthy plants. We can trust and celebrate that God, our gardener, will continue to amend the soil of our hearts.
As you pray, ask God to prepare the soil of your heart to receive his Word.
—Amy Curran; Words of Hope
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Here’s to Your Health
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Switch hitting for protein and power
By Michael Roizen, M.D. and Mehmet Oz, M.D.
Cleveland has two of the best switch hitters in baseball: Jose Ramirez and Francisco Lindor. Lindor smashed 33 home runs last year (22 as a lefty, 11 as a righty) and already has 14 this year -- 11 from the left side. Last year, Ramirez hit 39 home runs (33 home runs from the left and six from the right). This year, he's hitting 166 as a lefty and 278 as a righty, with two home runs for each side (it will get better!).
Turns out, it's equally powerful to switch up your proteins.
The first thing you do is bench processed and red meats! New research published in the BMJ found an increase of a half-serving a day of processed meat (bacon) upped the risk of death over the eight-year study 13%; red meat boosted it 9%.
Then, look at the protein package you're taking in. That means paying attention to the fats and fiber that the protein source delivers. You want poly- and monounsaturated fats (think salmon, skinless poultry, avocados, nuts) and soluble and insoluble fiber (100 whole grains, cruciferous veggies).
Improving your stats: Opt for plant-based proteins to fuel your muscles and lose weight! One daily serving of legumes (think chickpeas and lentils) does the trick. Those legumes plus nuts and soy can also lower your lousy LDL cholesterol. Replacing processed carbs with low-sat-fat proteins like legumes and salmon helps lower blood pressure. So switch between plant-based and healthy, lean animal proteins for major-league health!
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Mike Roizen, M.D. is Chief Wellness Officer and Chair of Wellness Institute at Cleveland Clinic and Mehmet Oz, M.D. is host of "The Dr. Oz Show," and. To live your healthiest, visit www.sharecare.com.
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Today’s Recipe …
Low Fat Tamale Pie
Ingredients:
2 tsp canola oil
1 medium onion
1 large green pepper
1 pound extra-lean ground beef
1 tbsp chili powder
1 16-ounce can corn
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1 4-ounce can jalapenos
1 4-ounce can sliced olives
.
1 1/2 cups cornmeal
1 tsp salt
1 quart fat-free milk
1/2 cup reduced fat shredded cheese
To Prepare:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Sauté onion, and pepper in a large skillet over medium heat,
crumble beef and cook until no
longer pink. Add chili powder, corn, tomatoes, jalapenos and olives. Simmer for
20 minutes. Transfer to an 11 by
7 baking dish.
Meanwhile, combine cornmeal, salt and milk in a 2 quart saucepan. Heat on medium and until
thickened, stirring almost
continuously. Spread cornmeal over top of meat and vegetables. Sprinkle with cheese.
Place in oven and bake for 20-25 minutes,
until top is golden.
Serves 8
Per Serving: Calories 369, Calories from Fat 75, Total Fat 8.3g (sat 2.9g),
Cholesterol 42mg, Sodium 664mg, Carbohydrate 49.5g, Fiber 6.8g, Protein 23.9g
By Fiona Haynes
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What’s on the Web?
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Mark Merrill Helping Families Love Well … 4 Essentials the Next Generation Craves from Parents
Have
you ever heard someone say “OK, boomer”? The phrase, popularized by millennials
and Generation Z, exploded across the internet last year after a boomer
criticized them in a video on social media. The phrase expresses the younger
generations’ disdain for the older generation’s attitude toward them. It’s
ignited generational conflict between older and younger adults, and both
sometimes feel dismissed and disrespected. But what do millennials need from
us?
I’m a boomer, and as my millennial children
enter parenthood, this generational conflict is causing my wife Susan and me to
reconsider what we’ve passed on to them. Culturally, the growing distance
between our generations is painful to watch. Instead of being indignant, we
should try to look past what they say to understand what they need. And I
believe this generation is craving some relevant, meaningful, life-giving
essentials that we are well-positioned to provide if we are willing. Here's how.
Word of the Day: confidence
[ kon-fi-duhns ]
Part of Speech: noun
Meaning: belief in oneself and one's powers or abilities; self-confidence; self-reliance; assurance.
Usage:
Why Girl Scouts chose confidence
In short, Girl Scouting builds girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place. Confidence is an important aspect to reach higher and go further!
Girl Scouts helps girls be their best, bravest, boldest selves each day. The benefits go beyond the badges and awards they earn as recognition of the new skills they learn. Whether she’s finishing a school project, making a new friend, hiking in the backcountry, or speaking up for what’s right—a Girl Scout faces the world with confidence and optimism.
How is confidence used?
Its message is that girls should have confidence, step up and become leaders by raising our hands. As with every patch in Girl Scouts, you have to earn this one. -- Alice Paul Tapper, "I'm 10. And I Want Girls to Raise Their Hands," New York Times, October 31, 2017
Her confidence was contagious. King was a role model in my life. ... Kathleen Kemper, "'Complete Awe': What It Was Like to Be On the Court at the Battle of the Sexes," Fortune, September 24, 2017
What is the origin of confidence?
Confidence can come from a variety of sources, such as overcoming an obstacle or mastering a new skill. But etymologically, confidence comes from Latin, specifically the noun confīdentia from the verb confīdere “to confide.” The Latin prefix con-, a variant of com-, usually means “with; together; in combination,” but here it is an intensive prefix meaning “completely”; the verb fīdere means “to trust.” The related Latin noun fidēs “trust” is the ultimate source of the English word faith. Confidence entered English in the 14th century.
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Video Of The Day: San Francisco in 1906
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COULD FITNESS TRACKERS DETECT COVID-19?
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By Patty Gibbons Saunier
Grammar Matters for Jul 08, 2020
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Words Sweet as Honey … Gentleness Goes a Long Way
It’s challenging to find the right response when someone else does something wrong. We can be too harsh and judgmental, or we can just let it slide. But Paul encourages us in Galatians to approach these matters with a gentleness that leads to repentance and a sweet restoration.
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Wait No MoreScott
Hoezee
Comedian Jon Stewart, original host of the Comedy Central program The Daily Show, may or may not have very many religious sensibilities. Stewart is capable of some amazing comedy in the skewering of the day’s news—one thinks of the delicious...
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Compiled by Marilyn L. Van Driesen
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