My Inbox of Daily Inspirations: 01/07/08

Today's Verse : Joshua 1:8

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January 8, 2008

VERSE:
Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate
on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything
written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.
-- Joshua 1:8

http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=Joshua+1:8

THOUGHT:
We need to be reminded, just like Joshua and the Israelites,
that God gave us his Law to be a blessing to his people. The Law
was given to help Israel live the will of God in their daily lives.
If they would live God's way, he promised they would be blessed. In
addition, God is the Creator. He knows the best way for humans to
live in harmony with the principles of his universe. His Law was
not intended to hinder or interfere with the happiness and
experience of his people. Instead, it was to help them prosper and
find success in life. As Paul repeatedly reminds us in Galatians,
we are no longer under Law. But, as we live by the Spirit, the
character that is produced reflects the character of Jesus, the one
who fulfilled the Law and brings us the blessings God has intended
all along. Bottom line: Following God's will and living his
character is a blessing to us!

PRAYER:
Loving Father, thank you for speaking your will in human words
so I can better know how to live for you. I know obeying your will
blesses me and those around me. Empower me with your Spirit so that
your character and grace will be fully realized in my life and my
example. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

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THE PURPOSE-DRIVEN LIFE, by Rick Warren
Takes the message of The Purpose-Driven Church and shows us how to
apply it to our individual lives.
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Today's Verse is written by Phil Ware <phil@heartlight.org> and is
part of HEARTLIGHT Magazine, the leading Christian living e-zine
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Today's KJV Verse : Joshua 1:8

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January 8, 2008

VERSE:
This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou
shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to
do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt
make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
-- Joshua 1:8

http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=Joshua+1:8&translation=kjv

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THE PRACTICE OF THE PRESENCE OF GOD, by Brother Lawrence
This edition of this timeless devotional classic will help you
cultivate a continual awareness of God in the everyday.
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Daily Wisdom NIV : Ephesians 3:16-17

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I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you
with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that
Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.

Ephesians 3:16-17, New International Version
http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=Ephesians+3:16-17

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Daily Wisdom KJV : Ephesians 3:16-17

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That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory,
to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;
That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith...

Ephesians 3:16-17, King James Version
http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=Ephesians+3:16-17&translation=kjv

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Mustard Seed Thoughts: Doubt 1

Doubt 1

Part 1 of 5 By: Ron Edmondson

Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?" Matthew 14:31 NIV

Are you ever tempted to doubt?

I remember one time when I was asked to rappel off of a tall training wall as a part of a leadership class I was taking. I put on all the safety gear, went to the edge of the wall, and turned around. The next step was the scary part. After the actual jump, everything was okay. Well, maybe not "okay"; I still had to get down, but the initial fear was over. Now that I know that rappeling can be safely done, even by me, one would think I was ready to do it again. The fact of the matter is, however, that I would have to overcome that same fear all over again. Even though I knew rappeling was safe, I couldn't bring myself to do it again.

Life is that way sometimes, isn't it? We know who God is, that He can do what He says He can, and that He will. What is more difficult is seing that played out ever yday of our life....especially when the storms of life come our way. No matter how many times He delivers us, the next time the wind blows may cause us to doubt again.

Peter is a good example of this principle. Peter was the guy whose faith Jesus used as an example of the foundation for the church. Peter was the Rock who left his fishing business to follow Christ. Peter cut off the Roman soldier's ear when they tried to arrest Jesus. Peter was capable of great faith.

It certainly took faith to step out of that boat. Jesus called to him from the boat, and Peter volunteered to come to Jesus. Jesus didn't even ask him to. Think of the amazing faith it must have taken to make that first step onto the water. (Maybe you have seen someone walk on water, but I haven't.) But, when the wind picked up a bit, Peter was ready to doubt. He started to sink. He couldn't see Christ for the fear of this world.

Ever doubt? Is the ever a time when you just can't see wh at God is doing, because the circumstances of life are bigger than you can handle? Jesus would say to you (and me) what He said to Peter:

"You of little faith, why did you doubt?"

If you and I have our eyes on Jesus, we have nothing to fear! Have no doubt my brothers and sisters, God is in control!

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Quotemeal: "One does not discover new ..."

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One does not discover new lands without consenting to lose sight
of the shore.

-- Andre Gide

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LOOK GREAT, FEEL GREAT: 12 KEYS TO ENJOYING A HEALTHY LIFE NOW, by Joyce Meyer
Joyce guides us to a healthier way of living, reminding us that turning
every issue over to God gives us the strength to make lasting changes.
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Daily Heartlight -- January 7, 2008

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January 7, 2008

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=========================== TODAY'S ARTICLE ==========================

Even if It Means a Cross, by Phil Ware

Editor's Note: This is a reprint of a previous article.

And he said to all, "If any man would come after me, let him deny
himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever
would save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for my
sake, he will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains
the whole world and loses or forfeits himself? (Luke 9:23-25 RSV)

We'd like to have a "Tinkerbelle Jesus" -- a Jesus who can fix all our
problems in our personal lives, then when we die at a ripe old age in
our sleep, can sprinkle a little fairy dust on us so we can fly home to
God and receive our eternal reward.

Now we really don't like to admit this truth, of course, at least not
in those unvarnished and raw of terms. However, if we get really honest
with our expectations, that's what we really want. We don't want to
have to grow up and find a faith that sustains us through hard times
because we live in a broken world where sin mars and bad things happen
to perfectly good people. We love that Jesus is our Savior, Redeemer
and Friend -- and he is each of these and more! We just have a hard
time with that "Jesus is Lord" part where the Cross became his
destination and might possibly become our own!

We're not alone. Even Jesus' closest followers in the days of his
earthly ministry, wouldn't hear his message of the cross before it
happened. Even though Jesus warned them three times in clear language,
most didn't get it. Sure, some were fearful at what awaited in
Jerusalem that final trip. Some even realized that danger and death
might be lurking. Something tells us, however, that they really didn't
believe Jesus would let that happen.

As Jesus moved ever closer to entering the Holy City for that last
time, they jockeyed for position. Some wanted to be on his right hand
and left hand when he seized power. The crowds, who welcomed him with
palm branches and shouts of triumph, were expecting the Kingdom of God
to break forth at any moment. Jesus seemed to have even stoked the
fires of anticipation and conflict as he entered the Temple, ran out
the moneychangers, took on the religion scholars, and made his presence
boldly known.

None of Jesus' followers anticipated that the crowds' shouts of triumph
would turn into calls for his crucifixion by week's end. None expected
that one of Jesus' closest followers would betray or that his most
vocal follower would deny, with cursing, that he ever knew Jesus. None
expected the rest to run away and hide in the room where they had just
had the Last Supper with their Lord whom they believed to be the
Messiah of Israel.

So it is not surprising to me today when folks want to hear the voice
of the "Tinkerbelle Jesus" preachers who promise everything good and
nothing bad. It's a watered-down Christianity without the Cross, an
empty Easter without the Passion, and the promise of a Savior without
the need to follow the Lord.

The Cross calls us to the life of Jesus.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer's reminder of Jesus' words and Jesus' model
sacrifice seem as drowned out today as they were in his own day -- when
the Nazi boot descended upon Germany and many of the religious leaders
capitulated to Hitler's plans. Bonhoeffer said, "When Jesus calls a
man, he calls a man to come and die." Ouch! Not a popular message in
any era. Bonhoeffer's words were more than words: he proved he heard
that call of the Cross in many ways, including his own martyrdom at the
Nazi's hands.

The Cross, in Jesus day, was an awful torture stick used by the ancient
Romans to shame, wound, and kill through humiliation all in the name of
preventative justice. Jesus' Cross, the real and awful Cross -- not
some token piece of jewelry or good look symbol -- extends its shadow
over this week and our lives because of the coming Easter weekend. That
Cross reminds us that without dying with Jesus and sharing in his
Cross, there is no resurrection to Jesus' life.

So as we journey to the joy, the victory and the assurance of this
coming Sunday, let's not skip over the Cross which makes the
resurrection so powerful, startling, and life-changing. As Mel Gibson's
The Passion of the Christ so visually reminded us, there was an awful
price paid by God to redeem us and bring us to glorious hope. As Jesus'
words to his followers remind us, there is no shortcut for us around
the Cross and there is no room for Christians who refuse to grow up,
who want to cling to a Tinkerbelle Jesus instead of the Lamb who was
slain, who is also the Lion of the tribe of Judah.

More than anything, the Western church needs to remember that shadow of
the Cross calls us to the life of Jesus, the sacrifice of Jesus, and
the integrity to stand up for those everyone else ignores ... no matter
the cost to us personally. Only then will Resurrection Sunday dawn with
hope for changing the world by the power of God's grace and Jesus'
love.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Do you think most Western Christians really only want a "Tinkerbelle
Jesus" or is that too harsh an indictment?
Do you think we really "get" the meaning of the Cross?
Do you think we really only want the Savior side of Jesus and not the
Lord side of Jesus who calls us to follow him no matter the cost?

I'd love to hear your take on this on my blog:
http://blog.heartlight.org/phil/2008/01/a_cross.html

---------
(c) 2008 Phil Ware <phil@heartlight.org>. All rights reserved.

RELATED LINKS:
* This Time, Giving Up is Winning

http://www.heartlight.org/articles/200609/20060925_givingup.html
* My Salvation, Not His Own

http://www.heartlight.org/wjd/matthew/1217-wjd.html
* Who is Good?

http://www.heartlight.org/feature/sf_990106_whoisgood.html
* Southern Hills Church of Christ

http://www.southernhillschurch.org

This article can be found on the web at:
http://www.heartlight.org/articles/200801/20080107_cross.html

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SEE THE MORNING, by Chris Tomlin
Award-winning artist Tomlin offers a whole new set of soul-inspiring
easy-to-sing songs about God's faithfulness.
http://shopping.heartlight.org/cgi-shl/link?260

Find more great books, CDs and videos at the Heartlight store! With
each purchase you make, you're helping to support Heartlight's
ministry. Thanks SO MUCH for your help!

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Morning & Evening -- Philippians 1:21 and Song of Solomon 4:12

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Monday, January 7, 2008

MORNING:

"For me to live is Christ."
-- Philippians 1:21

The believer did not always live to Christ. He began to do so when God
the Holy Spirit convinced him of sin, and when by grace he was brought
to see the dying Saviour making a propitiation for his guilt. From the
moment of the new and celestial birth the man begins to live to Christ.
Jesus is to believers the one pearl of great price, for whom we are
willing to part with all that we have. He has so completely won our
love, that it beats alone for him; to his glory we would live, and in
defence of his gospel we would die; he is the pattern of our life, and
the model after which we would sculpture our character. Paul's words
mean more than most men think; they imply that the aim and end of his
life was Christ-nay, his life itself was Jesus. In the words of an
ancient saint, he did eat, and drink, and sleep eternal life. Jesus was
his very breath, the soul of his soul, the heart of his heart, the life
of his life. Can you say, as a professing Christian, that you live up
to this idea? Can you honestly say that for you to live is Christ? Your
business-are you doing it for Christ? Is it not done for self-
aggrandizement and for family advantage? Do you ask, "Is that a mean
reason?" For the Christian it is. He professes to live for Christ; how
can he live for another object without committing a spiritual adultery?
Many there are who carry out this principle in some measure; but who is
there that dare say that he hath lived wholly for Christ as the apostle
did? Yet, this alone is the true life of a Christian-its source, its
sustenance, its fashion, its end, all gathered up in one word-Christ
Jesus. Lord, accept me; I here present myself, praying to live only in
thee and to thee. Let me be as the bullock which stands between the
plough and the altar, to work or to be sacrificed; and let my motto be,
"Ready for either."

EVENING:

"My sister, my spouse."
-- Song of Solomon 4:12

Observe the sweet titles with which the heavenly Solomon with intense
affection addresses his bride the church. "My sister, one near to me by
ties of nature, partaker of the same sympathies. My spouse, nearest and
dearest, united to me by the tenderest bands of love; my sweet
companion, part of my own self. My sister, by my Incarnation, which
makes me bone of thy bone and flesh of thy flesh; my spouse, by
heavenly betrothal, in which I have espoused thee unto myself in
righteousness. My sister, whom I knew of old, and over whom I watched
from her earliest infancy; my spouse, taken from among the daughters,
embraced by arms of love, and affianced unto me for ever. See how true
it is that our royal Kinsman is not ashamed of us, for he dwells with
manifest delight upon this two-fold relationship. We have the word "my"
twice in our version; as if Christ dwelt with rapture on his possession
of his Church. "His delights were with the sons of men," because those
sons of men were his own chosen ones. He, the Shepherd, sought the
sheep, because they were his sheep; he has gone about "to seek and to
save that which was lost," because that which was lost was his long
before it was lost to itself or lost to him. The church is the
exclusive portion of her Lord; none else may claim a partnership, or
pretend to share her love. Jesus, thy church delights to have it so!
Let every believing soul drink solace out of these wells. Soul! Christ
is near to thee in ties of relationship; Christ is dear to thee in
bonds of marriage union, and thou art dear to him; behold he grasps
both of thy hands with both his own, saying, "My sister, my spouse."
Mark the two sacred holdfasts by which thy Lord gets such a double hold
of thee that he neither can nor will ever let thee go. Be not, O
beloved, slow to return the hallowed flame of his love.

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SEE THE MORNING, by Chris Tomlin
Award-winning artist Tomlin offers a whole new set of soul-inspiring
easy-to-sing songs about God's faithfulness.
http://shopping.heartlight.org/cgi-shl/link?260

Find more great books, CDs and videos at the Heartlight store! With
each purchase you make, you're helping to support Heartlight's
ministry. Thanks SO MUCH for your help!

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Morning & Evening is the classic devotional by 19th-century writer
and preacher Charles Spurgeon. It's part of HEARTLIGHT Magazine,
the leading Christian living e-zine on the Web. Visit HEARTLIGHT
on the web for even more devotionals, plus music, articles and more
for your Christian walk!

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Heartlight, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) religious non-profit organization.
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My Utmost For His Highest : "Intimate With Jesus"

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January 7, 2008

INTIMATE WITH JESUS

Have I been so long with you, and yet hast thou not
known Me?

John 14:9

http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=joh+14:9&sr=1

These words are not spoken as a rebuke, nor even with surprise; Jesus
is leading Philip on. The last One with whom we get intimate is
Jesus. Before Pentecost the disciples knew Jesus as the One Who gave
them power to conquer demons and to bring about a revival (see Luke
10:18-20). It was a wonderful intimacy, but there was a much closer
intimacy to come - "I have called you friends." Friendship is rare on
earth. It means identity in thought and heart and spirit. The whole
discipline of life is to enable us to enter into this closest
relationship with Jesus Christ. We receive His blessings and know His
word, but do we know Him?

Jesus said, "It is expedient for you that I go away" - in that
relationship, so that He might lead them on. It is a joy to Jesus
when a disciple takes time to step more intimately with Him. Fruit
bearing is always mentioned as the manifestation of an intimate union
with Jesus Christ (John 15:1-4).

When once we get intimate with Jesus we are never lonely, we never
need sympathy, we can pour out all the time without being pathetic.
The saint who is intimate with Jesus will never leave impressions of
himself, but only the impression that Jesus is having unhindered way,
because the last abyss of his nature has been satisfied by Jesus. The
only impression left by such a life is that of the strong calm sanity
that Our Lord gives to those who are intimate with Him.

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MY UTMOST FOR HIS HIGHEST - by Oswald Chambers /\/\
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Praying with Paul : "Men's Improper Conduct"

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MEN'S IMPROPER CONDUCT

Romans 1:26-31

http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=Romans+1:26-31

Dear Father, judge of all,

How awful is your judgment. When men do not acknowledge you as God
and do not live by your teachings, you give them up to base minds
and improper conduct. Then they become filled with all manner of
wickedness, evil, covetousness, malice. Full of envy, murder,
strife, deceit, and malignity, they gossip, slander, and hate you.
They are insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil,
disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless.

These are the themes of our television programs, of our books and
magazines today. And the authors of it are proud! They justify this
accursed stuff by calling it realistic!

In the name of Jesus and by his authority I pray that people
everywhere will acknowledge that truth and goodness come only from
you. Amen.

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CURE FOR THE COMMON LIFE: LIVING IN YOUR SWEET SPOT, by Max Lucado
In Cure for the Common Life, Max Lucado offers practical tools for
exploring and identifying your own uniqueness, putting your strengths
to work, and living in your "sweet spot" for the rest of your life.
http://shopping.heartlight.org/cgi-shl/link?256

Find more great books, CDs and videos at the Heartlight store! With
each purchase you make, you're helping to support Heartlight's
ministry. Thanks SO MUCH for your help!

PRAYING WITH PAUL from HEARTLIGHT /\/\
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HEARTLIGHT(R) Magazine would like to thank Eldon Degge and Meridian
Publishing for permission to make this devotional available via email.

Praying with Paul is also available in a very attractive paperback book
that may be ordered directly from the author, Eldon Degge, 828 Byrd
Drive, Abilene, TX 79601. Single copy price is $10. A better way to
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WJD! -- Baptized -- Mark 1:9

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\ / WHAT JESUS DID! --

http://www.heartlight.org/
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Monday, January 7, 2008

Baptized

At that time Jesus came from the town of Nazareth in Galilee
to the place where John was. John baptized Jesus in the
Jordan River.

-- Mark 1:9 (ERV)

KEY THOUGHT:
Jesus was a real person who came from a real place called Nazareth in
the province of Galilee. He was baptized in a real river, the Jordan.
In other words, Jesus story is more than story; it is history. Yet more
than history, it is God's saving history. A special part of that
history is Jesus' baptism. His baptism is important for a number of
reasons. It is a signal of the beginning of Jesus' ministry. It is an
opportunity for God to affirm his Son, as we will see in subsequent
verses. It is a way for Jesus to identify with people seeking to be
ready for the coming of the Messiah and the Kingdom of God. It is a way
for Jesus to fulfill righteousness. For us, however, there is another
great truth about Jesus' baptism: it is something we can join him in
doing if we truly turn our lives toward God as those who came to John
did. God's saving history demonstrated in Jesus can intersect our
lives. What a blessing of grace!

TODAY'S PRAYER:
Father in heaven, thank you for giving me the opportunity to share in
the life of Jesus. Help me know your will more fully as I study Jesus'
life in the Gospel of Mark. Thank you for letting my life intersect the
life of your Son through baptism. Dear Father, please conform me to the
character of your Son through the Holy Spirit. In Jesus' name I pray.
Amen.

>> NEW: Phil's What Jesus Did devotional is now
>> available as a book. Click below to order!

http://images.ultracart.com/aff/ACU9/1414/108/185/575/0/index.html

>> The WJD! web page has related scriptures and the
>> full text of today's key passage. Read it at:

http://www.heartlight.org/wjd/mark/0107-wjd.html

>> For further study of today's passage, use our
>> online Bible study site: SearchGodsWord.org!

http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=Mark+1:9&sr=1&t=erv

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VELVET ELVIS: REPAINTING THE CHRISTIAN FAITH, by Rob Bell
In this provocative, hopeful book, Bell asks what the church might look
like if today's believers fully embraced "the way" of love, peace,
sharing possessions, compassion, risk, forgiveness, and harmony.
http://shopping.heartlight.org/cgi-shl/link?254

Find more great books, CDs and videos at the Heartlight store! With
each purchase you make, you're helping to support Heartlight's
ministry. Thanks SO MUCH for your help!

WHAT JESUS DID! from HEARTLIGHT /\/\
===============================================================\ /===
http://www.heartlight.org/wjd

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our emails encouraging or inspiring, we pray you'll give a voluntary
donation to keep this ministry going. Donations are NOT required,
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What Jesus Did! is a 365-day devotional through the book of Luke.
It is written by Phil Ware <phil@heartlight.org> and is part of
HEARTLIGHT Magazine, the leading Christian living e-zine on the
Web. Visit HEARTLIGHT on the web for even more articles, plus
music, devotionals and more for your Christian walk!

http://www.heartlight.org

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Today's Verse : Joshua 1:8

Today's KJV Verse : Joshua 1:8

Daily Wisdom NIV : Ephesians 3:16-17

Daily Wisdom KJV : Ephesians 3:16-17

Mustard Seed Thoughts: Doubt 1

Quotemeal: "One does not discover new ..."

Daily Heartlight -- January 7, 2008

Morning & Evening -- Philippians 1:21 and Song of Solomon 4:12

My Utmost For His Highest : "Intimate With Jesus"

Praying with Paul : "Men's Improper Conduct"

WJD! -- Baptized -- Mark 1:9