Daily Devotions and More for Wednesday, November 25, 2020
Marilyn L. Van Driesen
Wednesday, November 25, 2020
* Let us then be up and doing, With a heart for any fate; Still achieving, still pursuing, Learn to labor and to wait. -- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882) American Poet
* Every heart that has beat strongly and cheerfully has left a hopeful impulse behind it in the world, and bettered the tradition of mankind. -- Robert Louis Stevenson
* The deepest principle of human nature is the craving to be appreciated. -- William James (1842-1910) American Philosopher and Psychologist
* There is a wonderful, mystical law of nature that the three things we crave most in life -- happiness, freedom, and peace of mind -- are always attained by giving them to someone else. -- General Peyton Conway March
* In wanting to give someone you love a gift, always remember that a smile, an encouraging word, a loving touch, and a hug are of more infinite value than anything man ever made. -- David Robinson
* It is right to be contented with what you have but never with what you are. — Unknown
Good Teacher, What Must I Do . . . ?
Scripture Reading — Luke 18:15-25
A certain ruler asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” — Luke 18:18
“A certain ruler”—probably from the synagogue or local government—approached Jesus, asking, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” He wanted the same assurance Jesus had just given for little children.
Jesus’ answer to this man was, in short, “Everything or nothing.” Either keep God’s law perfectly on your own, or accept that no matter how hard you try, you can never guarantee that you’ll inherit eternal life. No one can keep God’s law perfectly, of course. So we must receive his kingdom like little children, who simply trust their parents and caregivers to provide what’s good for them.
Jesus also saw that this man still lacked one thing. So he said, “Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” Faith in Jesus means following him in this life, giving our all to his kingdom. The man was saddened by Jesus’ response, and he went away (see Matthew 19:22; Mark 10:22). For him, Jesus’ advice to sell everything, give away the proceeds, and follow him was a deal-breaker.
Is there a deal-breaker for us? Is there anything we can’t bear to give up to follow Jesus? If we think we can gain the kingdom of God on our own terms, we are mistaken. But if we can accept that God has already graced us with eternal life, then we’re certain his gift is secure.
Prayer: Lord, help us to think wisely about eternal life. Reassure us that in you our inheritance is secure, and free us to follow you with all our heart. Thank you, Jesus, Amen.
Norman Brown
email: to...@thisistoday.net
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Swipe, Don't Tap
From
Chicken Soup for the Soul: My Crazy Family
By Bronwyn McIntyre
I realized something on the ride. I realized if I wait until I'm not scared to try new things, then I'll never get to try them at all. -- Marie Sexton
My phone buzzes. "I have something to tell you," she texts, "but it's a secret."
She knows I am powerless against clickbait. (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.
Greedy Grasping
Better one handful with tranquillity than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind. Ecclesiastes 4:6
Today's Scripture: Ecclesiastes 4:4–8
In the ancient fable The Boy and the Filberts (Nuts), a boy sticks his hand into a jar of nuts and grabs a great fistful. But his hand is so full that it gets stuck in the jar. Unwilling to lose even a little of his bounty, the boy begins to weep. Eventually, he’s counseled to let go of some of the nuts so the jar will let go of his hand. Greed can be a hard boss.
The wise teacher of Ecclesiastes illustrates this moral with a lesson on hands and what they say about us. He compared and contrasted the lazy with the greedy when he wrote: “Fools fold their hands and ruin themselves. Better one handful with tranquillity than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind” (4:5–6). While the lazy procrastinate until they’re ruined, those who pursue wealth come to realize their efforts are “meaningless—a miserable business!” (v. 8).
According to the teacher, the desired state is to relax from the toil of greedy grasping in order to find contentment in what truly belongs to us. For that which is ours will always remain. As Jesus said, “What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul” (Mark 8:36).
By Remi Oyedele
Reflect & Pray
What are you driven to pursue and grasp? How can you apply the wise words of Ecclesiastes in order to find tranquility?
God, thank You for Your provision and faithful presence in my life. Help me to live in a contented way, exhibiting true gratefulness to You.
Scripture Insight
The book of Ecclesiastes is properly placed amid the Wisdom books of the Old Testament (Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs). This obscure book highlights the concerns of mankind from the beginning, with questions about God, earthly living and eternity, joy and sorrow, good and evil, death and dying, wisdom and folly. Ecclesiastes is like a twelve-chapter journal where the author records his musings and perspective on how life works. The writer is a realist (he doesn’t ignore the many complexities of life) and uses phrases that represent the author’s varied frustrations. The word meaningless is repeated thirty-five times, and the phrase chasing after the wind occurs nine times. But the writer is also a theist—he believes in God. He urges his readers to acknowledge and reverence their Maker. Why? “God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil” (12:14).
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Christian Couple Caleb And Kelsey Sing 'Raise A Hallelujah/Hallelujah' Medley
“I raise a hallelujah, in the presence of my enemies
I raise a hallelujah, louder than the unbelief
I raise a hallelujah, my weapon is a melody
I raise a hallelujah, heaven comes to fight for me”
“I'm gonna sing, in the middle of the storm
Louder and louder, you're gonna hear my praises roar
Up from the ashes, hope will arise
Death is defeated, the King is alive!”
Raise your voices in praise for our Lord and Savior in Heaven above. What a blessing it is to sing out His beautiful Name!
Today’s Verse: Psalm 113:1-4 … Praise the LORD! Praise, O servants of the LORD, praise the name of the LORD! 2 Blessed be the name of the LORD from this time forth and forevermore! 3 From the rising of the sun to its setting, the name of the LORD is to be praised! 4 The LORD is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens!
Proverb of the Day: Proverbs 13:22 … 22 A good person leaves an inheritance for their children’s children, but a sinner’s wealth is stored up for the righteous
Wings over the Mountains of Life
A MountainWings Moment
There Is Such A Thing As Too Much Wealth
Direct link: www.CoachB.tv/0487
Responsibility
Some, given the scepter of responsibility, confuse it with the club of authority.
verse of the day
Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness will find life and honor. -- Proverbs 21:21
voice of the day
When given the choice between being right or being kind, choose kind. -- Dr. Wayne W. Dyer
prayer of the day
Kind and loving God, when we are most in need of your grace, please help others to show your love and kindness toward us. Help us also to remember that to whom much is given, much is expected. Help us to be instruments of healing and reconciliation in a world that needs it so desperately. Amen.
Let Go of Need
Don’t let what you need get in the way of enjoying and expanding upon all the goodness you have. Each need is a burden, and most of them can be let go.
Chasing what you think you need takes precious time and resources away from living the beauty that is already yours. Imagine being free to truly be you.
Yes, you have obligations to your health, your family, your community and your world, and fulfilling those obligations is an essential part of your life. Yet apart from those true obligations are many needs and attachments that only serve to hold you back.
It’s not the acquiring or possessing or experiencing that brings you down and holds you back. It’s the need to acquire, to possess, or to experience that becomes so burdensome to you.
Make the intentional choice to live your purpose instead of living with the constant need for this or that. It’s a change in perspective that can free you to experience life at higher and higher levels.
Let go of the need to do or to have, and simply enjoy the doing and the having. Go beyond your needs, and let life’s great abundance be your abundance too.
Copyright Ralph S. Marston, Jr. Used by permission. From The Daily Motivator® at www.dailymotivator.com
Ain't Home Yet!
Author Unknown
A missionary spent his
entire life in the mission fields of Africa telling the story of Jesus. During
those days, missionary support was meager at best and nonexistent at worse.
But, struggling the best he could he stayed on the field.
In the latter years of his
life, his wife died but he did not have the money to take her back to her home
for burial, so he was forced to bury her in a makeshift grave near his home.
Finally, with his health,
his money, and his family gone he scraped together enough for boat passage back
to NY. As the boat entered the harbor, suddenly it was surrounded by fire boats
spurting spray of water and tugs blowing horns.
As the boat docked, a band
began playing and a crowd of people began shouting and waving their arms as a
celebrity walked down the gang plank.
As he watched all this from
the railing, this elderly missionary, knowing he was coming home alone, began
feeling sorry for himself and began to pray something like this.
"Lord, I have given you
all I have. I gave you my life, my family, my health. Now, at the ending of my
life, why couldn't I be welcomed home with caring people who appreciate what my
life has meant for the glory of God?"
Then, almost as if it was an
audible voice, this elderly missionary felt God speaking to him saying,
"Son, you ain't Home yet!"
Received from Laugh & Lift.
Real Thanksgiving
Thank You, GOD for everything
I've experienced here on earth.
Thank You for protecting me
from the moment of my birth.
And Thank You for the beauty
around me everywhere,
The gentle rain and glistening dew,
the sunshine and the air.
The joyous gift of "feeling"
the soul's soft, whispering voice
That speaks to me from deep within
and makes my heart rejoice.
Oh, GOD, no words are great enough
to thank You for just living,
And that is why every day
is a day for real THANKSGIVING.
- Helen Steiner Rice
Dear God,
Thank you for your amazing power and work in our lives, thank you for your goodness and for your blessings over us.
Thank you that you are able to bring hope through even the toughest of times, strengthening us for your purposes.
Thank you for your great love and care.
Thank you for your mercy and grace.
Thank you that you are always with us and will never leave us.
Thank you for your incredible sacrifice so that we might have freedom and life.
Forgive us for when we don't thank you enough, for who you are, for all that you do, for all that you've given.
Help us to set our eyes and our hearts on you afresh.
Renew our spirits, fill us with your peace and joy.
We love you and we need you, this day and every day.
We give you praise and thanks, for You alone are worthy!
In Jesus' Name,
Amen.
The Power of Gratitude: 21 Verses of Thanks to God, written by Debbie McDaniel.
What about Fasting?
Read: Luke 5:33-39
“Can you make wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them?” (v. 34)
Jesus often used a traditional method of teaching, which was to answer a question with another question. The religious leaders asked why Jesus and his disciples didn’t fast. Surprisingly, he refers to a wedding, where feasting was to be expected, not the abstinence the rulers wanted to enforce.
Jesus certainly didn’t oppose fasting because he himself fasted for forty days in the desert. But he wanted people to be free from legalistic, outward displays of fasting that provided little spiritual benefit. Instead, as a bridegroom, he offered the rich abundance of his presence and love. He invited people to “taste and see that the LORD is good!” (Ps. 34:8).
Jesus’ question also prompts us to consider the purpose of fasting. Is it simply to give up something or to deny ourselves to make us look, act, or feel better? Or is there a deeper reason? In Isaiah 58, God also asked questions: “Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness . . . to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house?” (vv. 6-7). Fasting can take many forms based on a variety of motivations.
The author of Ecclesiastes said, “There will be a time for every activity, a time to judge every deed” (Eccl. 3:17 NIV). There are times for fasting as well as for feasting.
As you pray, ask for discernment regarding your own fasting.
—Denise Vredevoogd; Words of Hope
Here’s to Your Health
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The good, the bad and the ugly -- cholesterol, that is
By Michael Roizen, M.D. and Mehmet Oz, M.D.
The 1966 film "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly," starred Clint Eastwood, Lee Van Cleef and Eli Wallach as a trio of bounty hunters who are (in that order) caring, downright mean and highly suspicious.
Well, the same can be said for The Good cholesterol (HDL), The Bad cholesterol (LDL), and the newest character in the great blood lipid saga, The Ugly cholesterol. Turns out Ugly is neither HLD nor LDL, but a kind of remnant blood fat floating through your veins that's as important a player in your health as those better-known forms.
A recent study in the journal Atherosclerosis found that identifying your level of Ugly cholesterol and reducing it with medication and lifestyle changes can dramatically cut your risk of stroke and heart attack. It seems that even if you get your LDL levels down, if ol' Ugly remains high you're still at increased risk.
So how do you discover your Ugly level, and what's healthy? Well, Ugly cholesterol travels through your bloodstream inside the same lipid protein package as triglycerides. So if your triglycerides are below 150 Mg/dl (we prefer under 100), you're not too ugly! One theory says dividing your triglyceride number by five reveals your level of Ugly cholesterol. Research is ongoing, but that's our current understanding.
Fortunately, you can reduce triglycerides and Ugly cholesterol levels: Avoid refined carbs and added sugars. Limit alcohol intake. Eat omega-3 rich foods like salmon and sea trout. Ask your doctor about taking 900 mg a day of DHA omega-3 and lipid-lowering medications.
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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.
Today’s Recipe …
POT LUCK SPECIAL CORN
2 cans cream style corn
4 eggs, beaten
1 box Jiffy corn muffin mix
3/4 c. cooking oil
1 tsp. minced onion
2 tbsp. green pepper or pimento
1 c. grated cheese
Mix all ingredients together. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until firm. More flavorable if prepared ahead and let stand to ripen a few hours.
What’s on the Web?
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All-Pro Dad Play of the Day … Why Positive Thinking Is Important
Life is challenging. I wish I could tell
you that you'll always be on top of the mountain. The reality is that there are
days when nothing will go right, when not only will you not be on top, you may
not even be able to figure out which way is up, when positive thinking will
feel impossible. Do yourself a favor and don't make it any harder than it has
to be. In those moments, be careful how you speak to, think of, conduct, and
develop yourself.
Great American novelist Henry James said, "Be not afraid of life. Believe
that life is worth living, and your belief will help create the fact."
James could have been a football coach. The first thing you have to do when
you're trying to turn a football franchise around from a loser to a winner is
to create the belief that you can win. Most of the time, the talent is already
there, but there is no belief that it will happen. This is why positive thinking is so
important.
Huddle up with your kids and ask, “What did you do today that you wish you had done better?”
Word of the Day: verisimilitude
[ver-uh-si-mil-i-tood, -tyood]
Part of Speech: noun
Definition: the appearance or semblance of truth; likelihood; probability: The play lacked verisimilitude.
WHAT IS THE ORIGIN OF VERISIMILITUDE?
Verisimilitude, “the appearance or semblance of truth; probability,” comes via French similitude from Latin vērīsimilitūdō), an uncommon noun meaning “probability, plausibility,” literally “resemblance to the truth.” Similitūdō is a derivative of the adjective similis “like, resembling, similar,” which governs the genitive case. The female name Vera, which is also used as a common noun (vera) meaning “faith, good faith, trust.” The Latin and Slavic forms– “true, trustworthy.” In Germanic and in Old Norse, the goddess of faithful oaths. Verisimilitude entered English in the early 17th century.
HOW IS VERISIMILITUDE USED?
Every beast you see here, from elephant to elephant shrew, and every square inch of habitat, from desert sand to belching mud, is computer-created, and one can but marvel at the verisimilitude. -- ANTHONY LANE, "DOES 'THE LION KING' NEED C.G.I.?" THE NEW YORKER, JULY 19, 2019
According to O’Brien, artificial intelligence will soon push the verisimilitude of computer-generated fake images and videos beyond what even skilled human editors can produce. -- EMMA GREY ELLIS, "HOW TO SPOT PHONY IMAGES AND ONLINE PROPAGANDA," WIRED, JUNE 17, 2020
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4 Grammar Rules That You Don’t Need Anymore
3. Never begin a sentence with a conjunction.
“But since writing is communication, clarity can only be a virtue. And although there is no substitute for merit in writing, clarity comes closest to being one,” say William Strunk Jr. & E. B. White in The Elements of Style.
Beginning a sentence with a conjunction — such as "but" or "and" — has long been a grave grammatical sin. But beginning a sentence with a conjunction helps to keep thoughts separated and will save you from a confusing cacophony of commas, not to mention allow your reader to breathe between thoughts. Conjunctions, sometimes recognized using the mnemonic FANBOYS (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so), but more accurately by Merriam Webster’s mnemonic WWWFLASHYBONNBAN (whether, well, why, for, likewise, and, so, however, yet, but, or, nor, now, because, also, nevertheless), have been used to start sentences for over a millennium.
The Bible uses conjunction-led sentences with abandon:
In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light.
As further evidence, the AP Stylebook and the Chicago Manual of Style both permit the use of conjunctions to start sentences.
To be continued tomorrow.
English as a Second Language
Adjectives vs. Adverbs: What's the Difference?
Adjectives and adverbs are parts of speech that provide additional information about other words. Here's how to use them correctly.
What Can Gratitude Do For You Physically and Mentally?
Thanksgiving is a once a year reminder of the goodness of God. It is a time to pause and intentionally attend to the blessings we have in our lives. And during this challenging year, the expression of our thanks is especially important as it brings many benefits.
Are You Instilling Biblical or Worldly Self-Esteem into Your Kid's Hearts?
Brent Rinehart
There is a difference between self-esteem and self-worth. Self-esteem focuses only on us and our accomplishments. But if we instill self-worth into our kid's hearts, they will know their infinite value comes from God and God alone.
Today’s Video … Thy Will Be Done
What You Think You Want
Have you ever wished for something, only to find out it wasn’t what you wanted after all? The same can be said for pursuing our needs and wants instead of God’s plan for our life. While God would never force His ways on us, seeking His plan instead of our own can lead to beautiful discoveries.
The MountainWings Power Minute
60 Seconds of Living Power
Get Comfortable Praising God
http://www.powerminute.com/p/pm2020-07-05.mp3
Compiled by Marilyn L. Van Driesen
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