Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are. Author unknown
Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked.
Psalm 84:10 NIV
I would rather sleep on the doormat of my church than go back to the comfortable bed of my old life. My old life had some comforts to it, but they could all be found in the physical and material qualities of life. While everything looked nice as it was viewed in the dim soft light, my heart was cold and without light or warmth. My desires had reached a point where all I wanted was to take care of my own feelings and cravings. As a result of this darkness in my spiritual heart, I would sit alone many evenings with all the lights low and drink my booze and smoke my dope, and tell myself how comfortable I was. All the while the pain on the inside continued to grow with every drink. I knew all the time that there was a better way to live, but it was unfamiliar to me and I had some doubts as to whether I could live this way. It involved a whole different type of people, and a different way of looking at life. It seemed to me that it would be too hard to teach this old dog, new tricks. How could I change over thirty years of living one lifestyle, to a totally new way of thinking and living? God seemed to be a thousand miles from me, and I knew that my change needed to be spiritual in essence. So my dilemma was whether I was willing to travel the thousand miles. When I finally surrendered in the dim darkness of my life and took the first step, God drew near, and helped with the second step, the third step and on and on. Today we walk together daily through the Word and any path that life leads me upon. I dont have to sit in the darkness of my existence anymore, I enjoy being in the Light and in the fellowship of others who are in the light. Many I fellowship with have had similar experiences. I am not unique or different. I can truly say from my heart that Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere. God is doing for me what I could not do for myself ..JRE
Come near to God and He will come near to you. James 4:8
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POWER FOR LIFE
The Spirit of truth .dwells with you and will be in you. John 14:7
Walter Knight tells of the story about a little boy who had recently received Christ. Daddy, how can I believe in the Holy Spirit when I have never seen Him? Asked Jim.
Ill show you how, said his father, who was an electrician. The father took Jim to a power plant and showed him the generators. This is where the power comes from to heat our stove and to give us light. We cant see the power, but its in that machine and in the power lines, said the father.
Now, son, let me ask you a question: Do your believe in electricity? he asked. Yes, I believe in electricity, said Jim.
Of course, you do, said his father, but you dont believe it because you see it. You believe in it because you see what it can do. Likewise, you can believe in the Holy Spirit not because you see Him, but because you see what He does in peoples lives when they are surrendered to Christ and posses His power.
BILLY GRAHAM
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The Power that brought us to this program is till with us and will continue to guide us if we allow it. Narcotics Anonymous basic text page 26
Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked.
Psalm 84:10 NIV
I would rather sleep on the doormat of my church than go back to the comfortable bed of my old life. My old life had some comforts to it, but they could all be found in the physical and material qualities of life. While everything looked nice as it was viewed in the dim soft light, my heart was cold and without light or warmth. My desires had reached a point where all I wanted was to take care of my own feelings and cravings. As a result of this darkness in my spiritual heart, I would sit alone many evenings with all the lights low and drink my booze and smoke my dope, and tell myself how comfortable I was. All the while the pain on the inside continued to grow with every drink. I knew all the time that there was a better way to live, but it was unfamiliar to me and I had some doubts as to whether I could live this way. It involved a whole different type of people, and a different way of looking at life. It seemed to me that it would be too hard to teach this old dog, new tricks. How could I change over thirty years of living one lifestyle, to a totally new way of thinking and living? God seemed to be a thousand miles from me, and I knew that my change needed to be spiritual in essence. So my dilemma was whether I was willing to travel the thousand miles. When I finally surrendered in the dim darkness of my life and took the first step, God drew near, and helped with the second step, the third step and on and on. Today we walk together daily through the Word and any path that life leads me upon. I dont have to sit in the darkness of my existence anymore, I enjoy being in the Light and in the fellowship of others who are in the light. Many I fellowship with have had similar experiences. I am not unique or different. I can truly say from my heart that Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere. God is doing for me what I could not do for myself ..JRE
Come near to God and He will come near to you. James 4:8
********************
POWER FOR LIFE
The Spirit of truth .dwells with you and will be in you. John 14:7
Walter Knight tells of the story about a little boy who had recently received Christ. Daddy, how can I believe in the Holy Spirit when I have never seen Him? Asked Jim.
Ill show you how, said his father, who was an electrician. The father took Jim to a power plant and showed him the generators. This is where the power comes from to heat our stove and to give us light. We cant see the power, but its in that machine and in the power lines, said the father.
Now, son, let me ask you a question: Do your believe in electricity? he asked. Yes, I believe in electricity, said Jim.
Of course, you do, said his father, but you dont believe it because you see it. You believe in it because you see what it can do. Likewise, you can believe in the Holy Spirit not because you see Him, but because you see what He does in peoples lives when they are surrendered to Christ and posses His power.
BILLY GRAHAM
********************
The Power that brought us to this program is till with us and will continue to guide us if we allow it. Narcotics Anonymous basic text page 26
