Angela

Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” 2 Corinthians 5:17

God's Love Story One day, I woke early in the morning to watch the sunrise. Ah, the beauty of God's creation is beyond description. As I watched, I praised God for His beautiful work. As I sat there, I felt the Lord's presence with me. He asked me, "Do you love me?" I answered, "Of course, God! You are my Lord and Saviour!" Then He asked, "If you were physically handicapped, would you still love me?" I was perplexed. I looked down upon my arms, legs and the rest of my body and wondered how many things I wouldn't be able to do -- the things that I took for granted? And I answered, "It would be tough Lord, but I would still love You." Then the Lord said, "If you were blind, would you still love my creation?" How could I love something without being able to see it? Then I thought of all the blind people in the world and how many of them still loved God and His creation. So I answered, "Its hard to think of it, but I would still love you." The Lord then asked me, "If you were deaf, would you still listen to my word?" How could I listen to anything being deaf? Then I understood. Listening to God's Word is not merely using our ears, but our hearts. I answered, "It would be tough, but I would still listen to Your word." The Lord then asked, "If you were mute, would you still praise My Name?" How could I praise without a voice? Then it occurred to me: God wants us to sing from our very heart and soul. It never matters what we sound like. And praising God is not always with a song, but when we are persecuted, we give God praise with our words of thanks. So I answered, "Though I could not physically sing, I would still praise Your Name." And the Lord asked, "Do you really love Me?" With courage and a strong conviction, I answered boldly, "Yes Lord! I love You because You are the one and true God!" I thought I had answered well, but God asked, "THEN WHY DO YOU SIN?" I answered, "Because I am only human. I am not perfect." "THEN WHY IN TIMES OF PEACE DO YOU STRAY THE FURTHEST? WHY ONLY IN TIMES OF TROUBLE DO YOU PRAY IN EARNEST?" { No answers -- only tears. } The Lord continued: "Why only sing at fellowships and retreats? Why seek Me only in times of worship? Why ask things so selfishly? Why ask things so unfaithfully?" The tears continued to roll down my cheeks. "Why are you ashamed of Me? Why are you not spreading the good news? Why in times of persecution, you cry to others when I offer My shoulder to cry on? Why make excuses when I give you opportunities to serve in My Name?" I tried to answer, but there was no answer to give. "You are blessed with life. I made you not to throw this gift away. I have blessed you with talents to serve Me, but you continue to turn away. I have revealed My Word to you, but you do not gain in knowledge. I have spoken to you but your ears were closed. I have shown My blessings to you, but your eyes were turned away. I have sent you servants, but you sat idly by as they were pushed away. I have heard your prayers and I have answered them all." DO YOU TRULY LOVE ME ?" I could not answer. How could I? I was embarrassed beyond belief. I had no excuse. What could I say to this? My heart had cried out and the tears had flowed, I said, Please forgive me Lord. I am unworthy to be Your child." The Lord answered, " That is My Grace, My child." I asked, " Then why do you continue to forgive me? Why do You love me so?" The Lord answered, "Because you are My creation. You are my child. I will never abandon you. When you cry, I will have compassion and cry with you. When you shout with joy, I will laugh with you. When you are down, I will encourage you. When you fall, I will raise you up. When you are tired, I will carry you. I will be with you till the end of days, and I will love you forever." Never had I cried so hard before. How could I have been so cold? How could I have hurt God as I had done? I asked God, "How much do You love me?" The Lord stretched out His arms, and I saw His nail-pierced hands. I bowed down at the feet of Christ, my Saviour. And for the first time, I truly prayed. Author Unknown.....

Judge not, lest you be judged! Charles Spurgeon , et al. Few verses are more misunderstood or misused than the words of Jesus in Matthew 7:1, "Judge not, lest you be judged!" In our day of moral relativism, blame-shifting, and self-justification, this verse is regularly pulled out of context to silence any voice that dares to call sin what it is. Yet such misuse turns the Lord's words on their head, distorting both His meaning and His purpose. First, what Jesus is NOT saying: He is not forbidding all forms of judgment. Scripture itself commands believers to discern between good and evil (Hebrews 5:14), to expose the fruitless deeds of darkness (Ephesians 5:11), and to confront a brother or sister who is in sin (Galatians 6:1). In fact, just a few verses later in Matthew 7, Jesus warns against giving what is sacred to dogs (verse 6), and identifying false prophets by their fruits (verses 15-20)--both of which require spiritual discernment and righteous judgment. Clearly then, Jesus is not promoting a blind tolerance of sin, or moral indifference. Nor is He forbidding the correction of others. His very command, "then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye"--implies that helping a brother overcome sin is a necessary and loving work. But it must be done with humility, self-awareness, and sincerity. What Jesus IS condemning, is self-righteous, hypocritical judgment--the kind that sees minor faults in others, while ignoring major ones in ourselves. He is exposing the pride that delights in criticizing others from a position of moral superiority, while remaining blind to our own sin. The image which Jesus paints is intentionally exaggerated in order to make His point: a man with a plank sticking out of his eye, trying to remove a speck of dust from someone else's eye. None are more unjust in their judgments of others, than those who have a high opinion of themselves. Until we have first humbled ourselves before God, repented of our own sin, and been cleansed by His grace--we are not fit to help others. We must first judge ourselves rightly--only then will we be able to see clearly and act compassionately. In the end, this passage is not a prohibition against loving confrontation. The real force of Jesus' words is this: Judge yourself first. Deal with your own sinful heart, before you presume to deal with another's. And when you do speak to others about their sin, let it be from a place of grace, truth, and godly love--never from hypocrisy. Judgment that aligns with God's Word, is exercised in humility and aims at restoration--is not only permitted--it is commanded. The problem is not judgment itself, but self-righteous, hypocritical, or unjust judgment. "Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted." Galatians 6:1

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I wish I had a porch view like this.

August is upon us, starting with an old harvest holiday, Lammas Day. Do you know whom August is named after, what August babies are called, and the holidays this month? Are you a fan of this harvest month, which brings the bounty of the season, or do you dislike the hottest month of the year? Read more. https://www.almanac.com/content/month-august-holidays-fun-facts

Things you would NOT put in the soup. Arsenic

Noodles

Octopus in the ocean

Habitable

Mizzou Tigers

Jokes writer for The Tonight Show.

Madonna

Moon moving through the sky