Karen's Korner

Today is Friday, May 17th, 2019; Karen's Korner #4035

Sometimes everything and everyone seems to be doing well. Sometimes not! Right now, we know of a number of people in our area dealing with health issues. Several are younger people and diagnoses seem to be devastating news.

When that happens, what do we do? A good alternative is to pray and believe. Believe that God will take care of them. Their families. And us.

In 1 Peter 5:7 (LAB) it says, "Let Him have all your worries and cares, for He is always thinking about you and watching everything that concerns you."

Bible commentary on that same verse: "Carrying your worries, stress, and daily struggles by yourself shows that you have not trusted God fully with your life. I takes humility, however, to recognize that God cares, to admit our need and to let others in His family help you. Sometimes we think that struggles caused by our foolishness are not God's concern. But when we turn to Him, asking for His help and forgiveness, He will bear the weight even of those struggles. Don't submit to circumstances, but to Him who controls circumstances."

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Today is Thursday, May 16th, 2019; Karen's Korner #4034

Today's email devotion from Max Lucado:

A Satisfied Thirst

"'This cup is the new covenant in my blood,' Jesus explained, holding up the wine. These words recorded in Luke 22:20 must have puzzled the disciples. For generations, the Jews had observed the Passover by sacrificing lambs. It was enough to fulfill the law. But it was not enough to take away sins. Only God could offer an eternal solution.

"Jesus said, 'If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink.' So the thirsty come. A ragged lot we are, bound together by broken dream and collapsed promises. We thirst for righteousness....a clean conscience, a fresh start, and a clean slate. We pray for a hand which will enter the dark cavern of our soul and do for us the one thing we can't do for ourselves----make us right again."

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Today is Wednesday, May 15th, 2019; Karen's Korner #4033

"Spending time alone with Me is essential for your well-being.

It is not a luxury or an option;

it is a necessity.

Therefore, do not feel guilty about taking time to be with Me.

Remember that Satan is the accuser of believers.

He delights in heaping guilty feelings upon you,

especially when you are enjoying My Presence.

When you feel Satan's arrows of accusation,

you are probably on the right track.

Use your shield of faith to protect yourself from him.

Talk with Me about what you are experiencing,

and ask Me to show you the way forward.

Resist the devil,

and he will flee from you.

Come near to Me,

and I will come near to you.

~ Taken from Revelation 12:10; Ephesians 6:16;James 4: 7- 8

Today's entry.

By Sarah Young "Jesus Calling: Enjoying Peace in His Presence"

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Today is Tuesday, May 14th, 2019; Karen's Korner #4032

Our church has started a series on the book of Acts. I don't know for how many weeks it will be our sermon topics but we were asked by our minister to read Acts. So I started!

The first few verses of chapter 3 tells about Peter and John heading for the Temple for a prayer meeting when a man crippled from birth started pleading with them for money.

"But Peter said, 'We don't have any money for you! But I'll give you something else! I command you in the name of Jesus Christ on Nazareth, WALK!" (verse 6)

The Bible Commentary on this verse says, "The lame beggar asked for money, but Peter gave him something much better----the use of his legs. We often ask God to solve a small problem, but He wants to give us a new life and help for ALL of our problems. When we ask God for help, He may say, 'I've got something even better for you.' Ask God for what you want, but don't be surprised when He gives you what your really need."

Today is Monday, May 13th, 2019; Karen's Korner #4031

Anne Graham Lotz mails out a quarterly newsletter titled "Giving You Jesus" as part of her AnGeL Ministries. A

recent one started with a letter to readers with these introductory questions? "Have you ever specifically prayed

for something, only to have the situation get worse?" She listed 'health to improve', 'a job to be more

productive', 'your child's well being".

"Things got worse for May and Martha," she penned. First, telling Jesus their brother Lazarus was sick,

following with 'please cone. Do something. Help him. Make our brother well." Then Lazarus died! Jesus said in

John 11:4, "This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God's glory so that God's Son may be glorified." And

the rest of the story: Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead!

Last August 17, Lotz was diagnosed with breast cancer. Again she wrote, "God seemed to promise from James

5:17, 'Pray for one another that you may be healed'. Rather than be healed before surgery, I went through

surgery. Rather than the cancer being contained, it was found in a lymph node. Rather than experiencing

minimum side-effects to chemotherapy, I experienced a severe side effect to my second treatment. Rather than

stay on schedule, my treatment was delayed for a week, and another chemotherapy infusion was added."

She went on to write, "So........when things get worse, how should you and I respond? With complaints? Self-pity? Fear? Or trust.......

.....that God has a greater purpose than our immediate comfort.

.....that getting what we want, when we want it, is not always for our good or His glory.

.....that our faith is of more value than our physical health.

.....that His strength will be sufficient for each moment of each day.

.....that His blessings will outweigh any trial."

She concluded: "In this New Year------when things get worse--let's choose to lay our expectations down and

trust in God alone. Period."

Today is Saturday, May 11th, 2019; Karen's Korner #4030

A Mother's Day Prayer which will be in tomorrow's bulletin at our church;

"Lord, we pray for all MOTHERS

Beautiful and wonderful they fill the earth

Gracious in Your call they carry life

In a bond of love they bring forth a child.

"We ask You to bless all MOTHERS today

May they feel the joys of motherhood everyday

In all their struggles giving us a livelihood

May Your LOVE and COMPASSION be with them for good.

"May every MOTHER feel today

The pride and beauty of a family they bear

Through all pain and sorrow Lord deliver them

In Your STRENGTH and GRACE may they always stay.

AMEN!"

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Today is Friday, May 10th, 2019; Karen's Korner #4029

Tuesday was this week's recycle day. I had more 'junk' than would fit into my yellow container. So I tied together one stack of periodicals and another of newspapers, to pile on top.

Maybe I had better put the magazines and newspapers in a garbage bag to protect them from the elements.

I tried putting the smaller stack of magazines on top. Too slippery. They kept wanting to slide off.

Then I tried putting the larger stack of papers on the top. Too much bigger than their smaller counterparts. They wanted to slide off.

Next plan? stack them side by side. And let the black bag cover both of them!

As I watched the process, I thought about people and how we treat them. Or how they treat us.

It works best if we are neither 'over them' in leadership. Nor have to 'put up' with someone who is 'bossing us around'.

Whether we are leaders or followers, it works best if we 'come along side' one another to accomplish a task.

The Bible says (I John 4:7 - "Dear friends, let us practice loving each other, for love comes from God and those who are loving and kind show that they are children of God, and that they are getting to know Him better."

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Today is Thursday, May 9th, 2019; Karen's Korner #4028

(Sorry for no Karen's Korner yesterday. Got a computer upgrade and it wasn't ready for use; I am still learning! Look for a Saturday 'korner' to get my 'five for the week'!)

Everything is Possible with God!

~ By Max Lucado

"A rich young ruler once asked Jesus, 'What must I do to get eternal life?' He thought he could find eternal life by his own strength. But Jesus said, 'What is impossible with men is possible with God' (Luke 18:27). It wasn't money that hindered the rich young man, it was self-sufficiency. You don't need a system, you need a Savior. You don't need a resume, you need a Redeemer. You cannot save yourself.

"It's not just the rich who have difficulty with this teaching. So do the educated, the strong, the good-looking, the popular, the religious. Those who desire God's presence don't brag, they beg. Admission of failure is not usually admission into joy. Complete confession is not commonly followed by total pardon. But then again, God has never been governed by what is common."

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Today is Tuesday, May 7th, 2019; Karen's Korner #4027

A couple of items taken from '101 Thoughts - Touched by An Angel", telling about His Everlasting Love:

"Faith doesn't get your around trouble,

it gets you through it."

"Wherever you go,

God is already there."

"You have the right to be

less than perfect."

"We mess up sometimes.

You haven't exactly thrown God

for a loop you know.

He can handle it."

"There's nothing to be afraid of.

On one side, there is life.

And on the other side...

there is life, too."

"God love you

and He knows who you are

no matter what your name is."

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Today is Monday, May 6th, 2019; Karen's Korner #4026

"I don't want your sacrifices----

I want your love;

I don't want your offerings----

I want you to know me."

~ Hosea 6:6 LAB

Bible Commentary: "Religious rituals can help people understand God and nourish their relationship with Him. That is why God instituted circumcision and the sacrificial system in the Old Testament and baptism and the Lord's Supper in the New. But a religious ritual is helpful only if it is carried out with an attitude of love and obedience to God. If one's heart if far from God, ritual becomes empty mockery. God didn't want the Israelites' rituals, he wanted their hearts. Why do we worship? What is the motive behind our 'offerings' and 'sacrifices'?"

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