Come Into The Deep End... with ImHisServant (3)

Matthew 7:3-5, “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.” (NIV)

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Matthew was so so smart and clear to understand. God Bless You... Thanks So Much for posting this Cristianna...

SunMessenger said:

Matthew was so so smart and clear to understand. God Bless You... Thanks So Much for posting this Cristianna...

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I think that's why it's my favorite Book! And God Bless You SunMessenger!

Thanks all for coming here. Thanks for the encourgement you brought me. You are all so special and I can't wait to see you all in heaven, if I don't meet you here on earth. For you are all so precious, I don't want to see anyone left behind. I appreciate ever person here on CF, For we ALL Have gifts to share. God blesses us all with gifts, and he exspects us to share them. Or what good are the gifts, if you can't share them. The greatest gift ever was the Gift of Christ. Reach for Him, He is right here, with you wanting you, to know He will never forsake you. He Loves You. You were Choosen. Praise God.

I pray all this in the Precious Name Jesus Christ, My Lord and Saviour, I love you Dad, I love you Jesus, Your MY ALL IN ALL!!!
Amen!

Thank you Father for all that came here, Bless them Father, Teach us all your ways. I surrender myself to you Father, And ask Father to make me what you want me to be. Give me a strength, that Satan can't penatrate. Give me a heart to love unconditionally Lord, Let me know when I am making a mistake Father, I pray to keep my Feet Planted firm in you, and your WORD Father, I put on YOUR FULL BODY OF ARMOR Father, I stand in the Gap for those who don't know you Yet Father. I ask for your mercy Father. I will surrender my life to save theirs Father. Help me, To Help them Father. I believe in YOU Father God, Help Me To Shine your Light, Show your kindness even though there is darkness in this world. You are the Way The Truth, And the ONLY WAY TO Eternal Life!!! I thank you Father for hearing my Prayer, I pray this according to your will. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Your willing Servant,
Starr

Starr SDA Living Word said:

Thanks all for coming here. Thanks for the encourgement you brought me. You are all so special and I can't wait to see you all in heaven, if I don't meet you here on earth. For you are all so precious, I don't want to see anyone left behind. I appreciate ever person here on CF, For we ALL Have gifts to share. God blesses us all with gifts, and he exspects us to share them. Or what good are the gifts, if you can't share them. The greatest gift ever was the Gift of Christ. Reach for Him, He is right here, with you wanting you, to know He will never forsake you. He Loves You. You were Choosen. Praise God.

I pray all this in the Precious Name Jesus Christ, My Lord and Saviour, I love you Dad, I love you Jesus, Your MY ALL IN ALL!!!
Amen!

Thank you Father for all that came here, Bless them Father, Teach us all you ways. I surrender myself to you Father, And ask Father to make me what you want me to be. Give me a strength, that Satan can't penatrate. Give me a heart to love unconditionally Lord, Let me know when I am making a mistake Father, I pray to keep my Feet Planted firm in you, and your WORD Father, I put on YOUR FULL BODY OF ARMOR Father, I stand in the Gap for those who don't know you Yet Father. I ask for your mercy Father. I will surrender my life to save theirs Father. Help me, To Help them Father. I believe in YOU Father God, Help Me To Shine your Light, Show your kindness even though there is darkness in this world. You are the Way The Truth, And the ONLY WAY TO Eternal Life!!! I thank you Father for hearing my Prayer, I pray this according to your will. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Your willing Servant,
Starr

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Amen!

God bless you Starr - your name reflects how you shine for Him!

Thank you Starr for a beautiful and heartfelt prayer.

God Bless You!

cristianna said:

Thank you Starr for a beautiful and heartfelt prayer.

God Bless You!

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Thank you. To GOD BE the GLORY.

The Lord is my Shepherd: part 13



In ancient Israel shepherds used oil for three purposes: to repel insects, to prevent conflicts, and to heal wounds.
Bugs bug people, but they can kill sheep. Flies, mosquitoes, and gnats can turn the summer into a time of torture for the livestock. Consider nose flies for example. If they succeed in depositing their eggs into the soft membrane of the sheep's nose, the eggs become worm-like larvae, which drive the sheep insane. One shepherd explains: " For relief from this agonizing annoyance sheep will deliberately beat their heads against trees, rocks, posts, or brush. . . In extreme cases of intense infestation a sheep my even kill itself in a frenzied endeavor to gain respite from the aggravation."
When a swarm of nose flies appear, sheep panic. They run. They hide. They toss their heads up and down for hours. They forget to eat. They aren't able to sleep. Ewes stop milking, and lambs stop growing. The entire flock can be disrupted, even destroyed by the presence of a few flies.
For this reason, the shepherd anoints the sheep. He covers their heads with an oil-like repellent. The fragrance keeps the insects at bay and the flock at peace.
At peace, that is, until mating season. Most of the year, sheep are calm, passive animals. But during mating season, everything changes. The rams put the" ram " in rambunctious.They strut around the pasture and flex their necks, trying to win the attention of the new gal on the block. When a ram catches her eye, he tosses his head back and says, ' I want ewe, baby. ' About that time her boyfriend shows up and tells her to go someplace safe. " Ewe better move, sweetie. This could get ugly." The two rams lower their heads and POW! An old fashioned head butt breaks out.
To prevent injury, the shepherd anoints the rams. He smears a slippery, greasy substance over the nose and head. This lubricant causes them to glance off rather than crash into each other.
They still tend to get hurt, however. And these wounds are the third reason the shepherd anoints the sheep.
Most of the wounds the shepherd treats are simply the result of living in the pasture. Thorns prick or rocks cut or a sheep rubs its head too hard against a tree. Sheep get hurt. As a result, the shepherd regularly, often daily, inspect the sheep, searching for cuts and abrasions. He doesn't want the cuts to worsen. He doesn't want today's wounds to become tomorrow's infections.
Neither does God. Just like sheep, we have wounds, bur ours are wounds of the heart that come from disappointment after disappointment. If we're not careful ,these wounds lead to bitterness. And so just like sheep, we need to be treated. " He made us, and we belong to him, we are his people, the sheep he tends" (Psalm 100:3).
Sheep aren't the only ones who need preventive care, and sheep aren't the only ones who need a healing touch. We also get irritated with each other, butt heads, and then get wounded. Many of our disappointments in life begin as irritations. The large portion of our problems are not lion sized attacks, but rather the day to day swarm of frustration and mishaps and heartaches. You don't get invited to the dinner party. You don't make the team. You don't get the scholarship. Your boss doesn't notice your hard work. Your husband doesn't notice your new dress. Your neighbor doesn't notice the mess in his yard. You find yourself more irritable, more gloomy, more. . . well, more hurt.
Like the sheep, you don't sleep well, you don't eat well. You may even hit your head against a tree a few times.
Or you may hit your head against a person. it's amazing how hardheaded we can be with each other. Some of our deepest hurts come from butting heads with people.
Like the sheep, the rest of our wounds come just from living in the pasture. The pasture of the sheep, however, is much more appealing. The sheep have to face wounds from thorns and thistles. We have to face aging, loss, and illness. Some of us face betrayal and injustice. Live long enough in this world, and most of us will face deep deep hurt of some kind or another.
So we, like the sheep, get wounded. And we, like the sheep, have a Shepherd. Remember the words we read? " We belong to him; we are his people, the sheep he tends" (Psalm 100:3). He will do for you what the shepherd does for the sheep. he will tend to you.
If you will let him. How? How do you let him? The steps are so simple.
First, go to him. David would trust his wounds to no other person but God. He said, " You anoint my head with oil." Not, " your prophets," " your teachers," or "your counselors." Others may guide us to God. Others may help us understand God. But no one does the work of God, for only God can heal. God " heals the brokenhearted."(Psalm 147:3).
Have you taken your disappointments to God? You've shared them with your neighbor, your relatives, your friends. But have you taken them to God? James says, " Anyone who is having troubles should pray" (James 5:13).
Before you go anywhere else with your disappointments, go to God.
Maybe you don't want to trouble God with your hurts. After all, He's got famines and pestilence and wars, he won't care about my little struggles, you think. Why don't you let him decide that? He cared enough about a wedding to provide wine. He cared enough about Peter's tax payment to give him a coin. He cared enough about the woman at the well to give her answers. " He cares about you."(1 Peter 5:7).
Your first step is to go to the right person. Go to God. Your second step is to assume the right posture. Bow before God.
In order to be anointed, the sheep must stand still, lower their heads, and let the shepherd do his work. Peter urges us to " be humble under God's powerful hand so he will lift you up when the right time comes"(1 Peter 5:6).
When we come to God we make requests: we don't make demands. We come with high hopes and a humble heart. We state what we ant, but we pray for what is right. And if God gives us the prison of Rome instead of the mission of Spain, we accept it because we know, " God will always give what is right to his people who cry to him night and day, and he will not be slow to answer them" (Luke 18:7).
We go to him. We bow before him, and we trust in him.
The sheep doesn't understand why the oil repels the flies. The sheep doesn't understand how the oil heals the wounds. In fact, all the sheep knows is that something happens in the presence of the shepherd. And that's all we need to know as well. " Lord, I give myself to you; my God. I trust you"(Psalm 25:1-2).
Go.
Bow.
Trust.
Worth a try don't you think?

burn97 said:

The Lord is my Shepherd: part 13June 22, 2007

You Anoint My Head With Oil
'When we come to God. . . we come with high
hopes and a humble heart.'​

" Lord, I give myself to you; my God. I trust you"(Psalm 25:1-2).
Go.
Bow.
Trust.
Worth a try don't you think?

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What a wonderful topic!! This one really hits home today. It was almost as if you were reading my mind - or you were here with me - watching what I was doing today. About 10 minutes before I read this, I was thinking of a particular disapointment in my life. So I went to God with it - I knelt, I bowed my head, and I prayed. I prayed for this particular thing - and prayed that it was in God's will for me. How ironic that I came back to read your topic! It must surely be a sign from God that He heard my prayer... wow... I have seen many miracles from God, and many wonderful things He has done, but I am struck each time anyway, with how awesome He really is!

Great topic! This one is one of my favorites.

Somewhere on here (I think it was here) a member wrote some words that really stuck with me: Do you go to the throne, or the phone? And I thought to myself, you know I go to dh first, then God. Now normally one would think it's no big deal, but for our marriage it really can be. I still go to dh, but not always first anymore.

Excellent reminder!

This is so very simple, and so very wonderful.
So why do I so often spend ages trying to work it out for myself?

Father - please remind me to come to You straight away!
I know You always answer, always heal the wounds.
Remind me when I forget, Lord, please.
Amen

Psalm 104:33-34


I will sing to the LORD all my life;
I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.
May my meditation be pleasing to Him,
as I rejoice in the LORD.


God bless all and Happy Sabbath!

Good night, see you all tomorrow!

Good Morning !

Can I lick the Spoon?
By Wendy Pope


“So the last will be first, and the first will be last." Matthew 20:16 (NIV)


Devotion:
I find it easy to send clothes, money, food, and other necessities to those in need, but struggle with the serious sickness of a selfish spirit. The very idea of being last is not something I have wanted to embrace much less put to practice. After all don't I deserve some simple pleasures in life? I work hard at my job. I take good care of my family. They are always fed, and most the time the meal is fairly nutritious. Everyone sleeps in bed with sheets that are clean and wake up to clean clothes to wear each day. So why shouldn’t I have a few simple pleasures in life that I can call my own, like licking the chocolate syrup off the spoon. Let me explain.

With two children in the house I often have the opportunity to come last. A tradition in my life since I was young girl is making chocolate milk with Hershey'sÔ syrup. The highlight of the experience is licking the chocolate off the spoon when the milk is mixed. This is a pleasure that I had managed to keep to myself until about six months ago. My six-year-old observed me enjoying the delightfully sweet treat after mixing his milk one day. Since my secret pleasure has been revealed, I rarely get to enjoy the treat.

One particular day when I had been the hands and feet of Jesus to many people, served faithfully in every area of my responsibilities, I wanted a treat. No, I knew I deserved a treat! Then it happened—my son asked to lick the spoon. I wish I could say that with the love of Jesus, I handed him the spoon, but I stood there in a mental argument with the Lord reminding Him of all the great things I had done that day. In a silent pause, I was reminded that I was here to serve not to be served, so I handed the spoon to my son.

Laying down what you think you deserve is difficult. Putting others needs and wants in front of your own does not come naturally. It requires a minute-by-minute reliance on the Holy Spirit to enable you to live beyond yourself.

No matter what season of life you are currently in, someone will inevitably ask to lick the chocolate off your spoon, the very pleasure you believe you deserve. Let me encourage you to live beyond yourself in that moment and hand them the spoon. The blessing you give will come back to you ten-fold. Do you know how I can make that statement? I can because I have lived this truth. After I gave my son the spoon, I remembered that I could dip the spoon right in the can to get as much syrup as I wanted and I did.



Lord, I understand that by nature I have a selfish spirit. It is my desire to live outside of that nature and to live in Your nature, a nature of gentleness and kindness. Help me to do this today. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.


Reflection Points:
In your journal, draw a table with four columns. Head the first column with your name. Then write the names of those you have been selfish to within the last week. Title the second column: act of selfishness. Then write down the act of selfishness you showed to each person. Title column three: one act of kindness. Then write one act of kindness you can do for this person. Title the four column date. Record the date to show the act of kindness.

Do I enjoy giving?

Who am I most selfish toward and why?

Do I have any unforgiveness or bitterness in my heart that causes me to be more selfish to some individuals than others?

Wow, I love this! There are times I could see myself trying to justify my actions by saying "Well, I made it so I get to lick the spoon" or "Well, its my turn to lick the spoon". Bottom line is we should NEVER try to justify our selfish actions. What about sacrifices others make for us? I would be sad to know that they had to force themselves to do something kind for me. It's not always easy but I try to put things into prospective before I do something for others so that I will do it will a happy, servants heart.

I have a lot of catching up to do on this thread...but I'm glad to be back!!!

cristianna said:

Reflection Points:
Do I enjoy giving?

Who am I most selfish toward and why?

Do I have any unforgiveness or bitterness in my heart that causes me to be more selfish to some individuals than others?

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I do not consider myself to be greater than a less-than-average selfish person (if that makes sense to anyone). I am very giving; it’s truly a very distinct part of my character and make up. My husband can attest to this, and I’m quite sure it does more than annoy him at times.

Who am I most selfish to and why? Who else, but those the closet to me? First of all, God. Although I am quick to having a serving heart, praise and thank, I am just as quick to ask, ask, ask and ask.

Second in line would be my husband. I am a walking planner/organizer in which I have to remember 1,001 various dates, activities, needs, have to’s, etc.

And finally, in last place would be my children. Children are children—mothers and fathers know far in advance “thank you” will come far and few inbetween in certain areas. Truly, I’m positive many mothers can relate. Whether it’s from changing diapers to preparing meals when we’re feeling downright ill and sick to our stomach to getting up in the middle of the night for the nightmare when we’re feeling zombified—the list is endless.

Rarely does my selfish nature show up, but when it does rear it’s ugly head I can wallow in it and throw myself one superb pity party. And generally it’s the result of many things accumulating over time such as: no one saying thank you for doing everyone’s laundry (I’d embrace the day someone actually did mine), I am the one and only individual to grocery shop (only recently in at least 3-4 years has my husband been required to due to a medical problem of mine), I cannot recall a time anyone has ever lifted or filled a mop bucket in our home except for me, etc. And when I do get selfish generally I’ll lounge around all day and will have to be coerced into making breakfast, lunch, dinner, walking the dog, etc.

On a daily basis, it’s rare for me to be selfish. Everyone knows and refers to me as the one you can count on. It’s not uncommon for me to drop things in a moments notice because a neighbor needs this or that in five minutes or my children have made spur of the moment plans with a friend, etc.

I do not believe I reserve any unforgiveness or bitterness in my heart for any specific individuals which would enable me to show greater selfishness. At one time, prior to my walk and very early into my walk, I can say with intense certainty I did. But I am going to take some time to really evaluate that just to be certain.

powerofprayer said:

Wow, I love this! There are times I could see myself trying to justify my actions by saying "Well, I made it so I get to lick the spoon" or "Well, its my turn to lick the spoon". Bottom line is we should NEVER try to justify our selfish actions. What about sacrifices others make for us? I would be sad to know that they had to force themselves to do something kind for me. It's not always easy but I try to put things into prospective before I do something for others so that I will do it will a happy, servants heart.

I have a lot of catching up to do on this thread...but I'm glad to be back!!!

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YAY! I'm so thrilled to see you! How are you? How is everything???? DETAILS please!!!!

This message really hit home with me...I was always told I was selfish as a kid. And, now I pray those days are behind me. Though I do know I can and am sometimes..still thinking on myself. I pray the Lord can teach me to live "HIS way", amen! Love to all you lovely ladies, your sister, hannah