A New Friend I Met During My Recent Month in Panama…

I met Dr. Timothy Zellmer three weeks ago at the Boquete farmers market, that reminded me of the Mt Hope sale; though no livestock, only organic foods and crafts. I even met some Mennonites that come every week from Volcan, 90 minutes away toward Costa Rico. Tim was giving away free Kindle downloads of his new book, that I finally read during the Houston Cleveland leg Sat afternoon. What a treat!  

Tim, born in Minnesota as I, though 11 years later, grew up exposed to his grandpa’s Hereford bull breeding ranch in the Dakotas, immersed in the vibrant cowboy-Indian culture next to two Indian Reservations, the Lower Brule and Crow Creek, as I, within 30 minutes of the White earth Reservation. His father was a pastor in the MN, ND, and MT Lutheran Churches. My dad was in the lot and I sat with him during the ordeal, but mom’s prayers over-ruled and I escaped being a PK. And fortunately too, as I garnered more than enough of my own challenges/baggage!

Tim and a friend after high school in ’77 hiked the Appalachian Trail (AT) dreaming of someday having a Hostel on the AT. Back then on the trail, they called it the Miracle of the Day. Now it’s called the Trail Magic, where everyone sees you doing your hard thing, and they are so attracted to that. People join up when they see you are living your life aligned with a vision. (What does that remind us of?)  Writing is now his hard-thing now. Not mine, yet!

His path led him from working as a cowboy dentist on those two Indian reservations and many others to now living with the native Ngabe tribe in Panama. Having been in Boquete 15 years now, he has evolved into a flexible entrepreneur and a committed humanitarian. He was former president of the Rotary Club of Boquete, before entering the field of hospitality, building the Hotel Central Boquete, juggling roles from builder to barista, closely fulfilling his hostel dream spawned during his AT hike in ’77.

Below is Chapter 21 from his recent book, “The Best Place in the World to Retire? Boquete, Panama, titled Service, Volunteering, and Gratitude.

I really love you guys. I call you my superfans. I love the way you make me feel. I love to trade stories. You get me tell you of long-forgotten things I’ve learned, seen, or done. You’re the ones who make me dust off long-gone memories of places I’ve been. This story will guide you toward happiness in Boquete.

Once, when I was helping my mom run Meals on Wheels back in Ponca City OK, we delivered free meals to the homebound, both handicapped and elderly. My mom gave me a big black trash bag and food for an old lady.

I asked, “Mom, what’s this for?” She said, “This lady never throws anything away. We must steal back the old food and throw it out because she won’t do it! She eats like a bird. And I’ve noticed since we started delivering here that she keeps pecking at the old stuff, and I think it will kill her.”

My eyes bugged open, and I asked, “We’re stealing her old food?” She answered, “Yep, And I need you to help me do it. I’m going to distract her in her back room. Before then, I’ll stack up all the old stuff, so you grab it when she’s not looking!” I was worried.

She said, “Head straight to the car and don’t return. Hide it in the trunk where she can’t see it. She’ll have fit if she catches us, so we both have to be real careful about this, OK?” I nodded, shocked but in agreement, and we headed in.

Sure enough, her refrigerator was full of a library of crushed-down, half-food-filled clamshells from past deliveries. She whispered, “The other drivers don’t do this, but they should. I’m sure it’s because she has a hissy fit over it. She was a pack rat! My momma was right. She could die from this!

 Good grief! I could see from the stuff out of the ones on the bottom that she could be developing a deadly botulism strain. My mom beat on the door but then walked right in. It wasn’t even locked. The old lady came, and my mom hugged and kissed her. Mom asked her how she was doing and told her she loved her. She did it while diving into the refrigerator and pointing at the problem.

I thought, holy crap! She wasn’t kidding. In a high happy voice, she says to the lady, “Let’s move some stuff around and make room for the new, OK?” Then she proceeds to stack the old stuff on a stool she’s drugged out from the corner.Holy smokes, I thought! It was such a tall stack that it could not fit on the stool. She was stacking it on the floor, too.

Then my mom distracted her by pointing to pictures of the lady’s family and asking her about them, and they wandered into the back. I stood there dumbfounded, horrified. Behind her back, mama pointed at me, wiggled her finger, and suddenly turned around and gave me a look a cat burglar would provide his partner when they see the owners stirring in their bed at night. She whispered, “Now!” I whipped out the bag hidden in my pocket, filled it as quietly as possible, dashed for the door, and loaded it in the trunk. Then, I hid, waiting in the car.

About three minutes later, my mom came out of that house with an enormous, satisfied grin and a happy gait. She gets back in and drives us to the next customer. And you know what she says to me with a big dumb grin? She says, “Those who Help are Happy! If we can, we should. Not for them. We do it for us. Your dad and I get such joy from doing this. You can’t imagine.”

Boquete has a long list of volunteer opportunities. Volunteering is a good lifestyle choice here. It gets you out of the house, you will meet nice people, and you will serve the mission of your group you volunteer for. It’s good for your heart; you’ll feel great helping others.  

Ride The Joy Bus of Gratitude. People who lead lives of service tend to be the happiest people ever. So, I hope, that you found this book to be of good service on your life journey…

No comments, except I just thought you all could benefit from some “lighter” material.

This “Know Ye Not” Verse Has Always Been A “Resonating Foundational Head Truth” For Me, But Is It Really My “Paramount Practically Applied Heart Truth?”

Probably not as much as I’d like to think it is. Sorta like what I heard in the sermon this morning when I was reminded that God will not deal with me solely according to my professions of faith (head), but also, by His subsequent Spirit promptings kick-starting my life’s practices of faith (heart). That really makes sense to me, or am I missing or adding something? Please let me know! Here is the verse and even a few more that I treasure.

Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. I Cor. 3:16, 17

Understand this post was inspired by the August 16 MORNING dailylightdevotional.org

And furthermore, consider: Your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own. For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s. I Cor. 6:19, 20

And furthermore, consider: What agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. II Cor. 6:16

And furthermore, consider: Ye … are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; in whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto a holy temple in the Lord: in whom ye also are builded together for a habitation of God through the Spirit. Eph. 2:19-22

And in conclusion, consider: A good carpenter envisions, plans, and designs. Then he skillfully works, fashioning his creation. And Jesus isn’t just any carpenter – He’s a truth-filled, all-knowing, and all-powerful God. The New Earth will be His greatest creative project – handmade for us!

Ranking right up there for my simple mind with the Know Ye Not verse, is the passage from Galatians 6:7-10. 7.) “Do not be deceived: God can not be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. 8.) The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit will reap eternal life. 9.) Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

BOTTOM LINE:

10.) “Therefore, AS WE HAVE OPPORTUNITY, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.”

James 3:16 “For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace loving, submissive, considerate, full of mercy, and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.”

“To come to thee is to come home from exile … to come to the goal of my desires and the summit of my wishes.” Charles Spurgeon

OK Folks, Here’s Your Million Dollar Question For Today.(actually it’s worth is far beyond our puny dollars!) “DOES JESUS KNOW ME?

No, seriously now! Does Jesus KNOW Me? John 10:2 saysHe calls his own…by name…”

When I have sadly misunderstood Him?

(see John 20:11–18). It is possible for us to know all about doctrine and still not know Jesus. A person’s soul is in grave danger when the knowledge of doctrine surpasses Jesus, avoiding intimate touch with Him. Why was Mary weeping? Doctrine meant no more to her than the grass under her feet. In fact, any Pharisee could have made a fool of Mary doctrinally, but one thing they could never ridicule was the fact that Jesus had cast seven demons out of her (see Luke 8:2); yet His blessings were nothing to her in comparison with knowing Jesus Himself. “…she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus…. Jesus said to her, ‘Mary!’ ” ( John 20:14, 16). Once He called Mary by her name, she immediately knew that she had a personal history with the One who spoke. “She turned and said to Him, ‘Rabboni!’ ” (Master & Teacher) (John 20:16).

When I have stubbornly doubted?

(see John 20:24–29). Have I been doubting something about Jesus— maybe an experience to which others testify, but which I have not yet experienced? The other disciples said to Thomas, “We have seen the Lord” (John 20:25). But Thomas doubted, saying, “Unless I see…I will not believe” (John 20:25 ). Thomas needed the personal touch of Jesus. When His touches will come we never know, but when they do come they are indescribably precious. “Thomas…said to Him, ‘My Lord and my God!’ ” (John 20:28).

When I have selfishly denied Him?

(see John 21:15–17). Peter denied Jesus Christ with oaths and curses (see Matthew 26:69–75), and yet after His resurrection Jesus appeared to Peter alone. Jesus restored Peter in private, and then He restored him publicly before the others. And Peter said to Him, “Lord…You know that I love You” (John 21:17).

BOTTOM LINE:

Do I have a personal history with Jesus Christ? The one true sign of discipleship is intimate oneness with Him— a knowledge of Jesus and His Holy Spirit’s continual empowerment producing the internal joy that absolutely nothing can shake.

WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS

We are apt to think that everything that happens to us is to be turned into useful teaching; it is to be turned into something better than teaching, viz. into character. We shall find that the spheres God brings us into are not meant to teach us something but to make us something.
from The Love of God—The Ministry of the Unnoticed, 664 L

So, Christians Have A Gigantic Secret Termed Joy? Wow!  If True, Doesn’t Joy Seem Rather Scarce In Their Clustered Circles?

The Bible shows that joy is present in all of the major events o f the Christian life. There is joy in salvation, in baptism, when we read the Word of God, and in prayer. In fact, Christian joy is so unique that the Bible teaches us that it comes even at times of discouragement. And even when we are dying!

G. K. Chesterton has written that “joy is the gigantic secret of the Christian.” I believe he’s right. This kind of joy is not known anyplace else in the world except in the life of a person who knows Jesus Christ in a personal way.

Jesus said, “These things have I spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.” John 15:11 The center of joy for the Christian is Christ. The joy is Christ’s joy. It is simply the life of the Lord Jesus Christ being lived out in an individual. Christian joy is letting Christ live His life out through you so what He is, you become. There are indeed other kinds of joy found in other places around the world, but there is no place where you can find Christian joy except in Christ.

Christian joy isn’t always laughing, always having a good, hilarious time. Rather, Christian joy is the deep settled peace that comes to live within your heart when you know that the really important spiritual issues in your life have been dealt with, and that being in-synch, then enhances both the joy and the rightness in these yet lingering earthly relationships, designed to prepare us for our joyful heavenly rewards.

BOTTOM LINE:

Life is fragile and can be taken from us by merely missing a heart-beat, or a series of them, after which we’ll live, not merely reside, somewhere eternally, experiencing either eternal joy or, damnation.

But you’re right; judging by their faces, even their attitudes, perhaps even the “redeemed” are in the dark, and don’t yet know that their “Biggest Secret is Joy.” Ever think perhaps our most pressing mission field is within the walls of the institutional church….

Taken from and prompted by David Jeremiah’s Sanctuary: Finding Moments of Refuge in the Presence of God. Aug 14

Isn’t it fitting after yesterday’s comments on “Attitudes & Circumstances,” that we progress forward to not “Quenching the Spirit?”

Do not quench the Spirit. 1 Thessalonians 5:19

The voice of the Spirit of God is as gentle as a summer breeze— so gentle that unless you are living in complete fellowship and oneness with God, you will never hear it. The sense of warning and restraint that the Spirit gives comes to us in the most amazingly gentle ways. And if you are not sensitive enough to detect His voice, you will quench it, and your spiritual life will be impaired. This sense of restraint will always come as a “still small voice” (1 Kings 19:12), so faint that no one except a saint of God will notice it.

Beware if in sharing your personal testimony you continually have to look back, saying, “Once, a number of years ago, I was saved.” If you have put your “hand to the plow” and are walking in the light, there is no “looking back”— the past is instilled into the present wonder of fellowship and oneness with God (Luke 9:62 ; also see 1 John 1:6–7). If you get out of the light, you become a sentimental Christian, and live only on your memories, and your testimony will have a hard metallic ring to it. Beware of trying to cover up your present refusal to “walk in the light” by recalling your past experiences when you did “walk in the light” (1 John 1:7 ). When–ever the Spirit gives you that sense of restraint, call a halt and make things right, or else you will go on quenching and grieving Him without even knowing it.

BOTTOM LINE:

Suppose God brings you to a crisis and you almost endure it, but not completely. He will engineer the crisis again, but this time some of the intensity will be lost. You will have less discernment and more humiliation at having disobeyed. If you continue to grieve His Spirit, there will come a time when that crisis cannot be repeated, because you have totally quenched Him. But if you will go on through the crisis, your life will become a hymn of praise to God. Never become attached to anything that continues to hurt God. For you to be free of it, God must be allowed to hurt whatever it may be.

Utmost For His Highest Aug 13

Beware of bartering the Word of God for a more suitable conception of your own. From Oswald Chamber’s Disciples Indeed, 386 R

During the prior post, I stated the following from the urbandictionary.com definition of “wokey.”

“Relax if you’ve been offended by the definition. Tomorrow (sorry I got busy) I’ll print a recent newsletter from the other camp that may well be offended by the prior’s camp definition. And understand that will be the last I’ll allow any more political rhetoric. Period.” So, what follows is one of the best examples I’ve read from the other camp. This is very, very lengthy (1903 words), and deserving of your Utmost contemplation as you seek God’s heart for you in this, once again, “pivotal election.” It seems like I’ve been hearing that “pivotal word” ever since the 1960 election! Perhaps consider reading this document when you’re not at all pressed for time.

This is important stuff, especially in light of the above quote. I want to say after all this info on Allen Cohen, what hasn’t he done or been involved in? For me, that is the one underlying foundational question you and I must answer after we read and reflect on his life’s journey to date. What one piece is missing?

Alan Cohen, M.A., from his roots as an Orthodox Jew, he took a mind-expanding tour of the teachings of Jesus, Ram Dass, Zen, Jung, the Esalen Institute, (becoming the center of practices and beliefs that make up the New Age movement, from Eastern religions/philosophy, to alternative medicine and mind-body interventions, from transpersonal to Gestalt practice) Einstein, authoring 31 popular inspirational books, including the bestselling A Course in Miracles Made Easy, the award-winning A Deep Breath of Life, and the classic Are You as Happy as Your Dog? He’s a contributing writer for the New York Times #1 bestselling series Chicken Soup for the Soul, (just research the history of that business venture until its July 10 ’24 restructuring, after its April 23, 2024 announcing its $636.6 million loss in 2023) and his books have been translated into 32 foreign languages.

Alan’s work has been featured on CNN, Oprah.com, USA Today, The Washington Post, and Huffpost. He is included in the book, 101 Top Experts Who Make Our Live Better. He is a featured presenter in the award-winning documentary Finding Joe, celebrating the teaching of mythologist Joseph Campbell. Alan is the founder and director of the Foundation for Holistic Life Coaching.

Alan Phillip Cohen (born October 5, 1954) is an American businessman, best known for his ownership of the Florida Panthers hockey team and his founding of several generic pharmaceutical companies, most notably the Davie, Florida-based Andrx Corp. Cohen in 1984, founded the drug distribution firm Best Generics Inc. and sold it to Florida’s Ivax Corporation in 1988 for $10 million although he stayed on as President until 1990. In 1992, he founded Andrx Pharmaceuticals Inc., which he led as CEO to its inclusion in the Nasdaq100 in 1999. In 1996, the company went public at $12 and its stock eventually soared as high as $400 a share split adjusted. In October 2000, he left the company to purchase the Florida Panthers. In 2002, he created Abrika Pharmaceuticals Inc.[2] in Sunrise, Florida. Four years later, he sold it for $235 million to Actavis Group, an international generic drug company in Iceland. He was also the majority owner of the NHL’s Florida Panthers from 2001 to 2009.

Since 2003, he has been racing and breeding horses on his Arindel Farm in Ocala, Florida. One of his horses, Wait A While, competed in a Breeder’s Cup race at Churchill Downs in 2006. She went on to become United States Champion 3 year old filly in 2006.

Other books written by Alan P Cohen include:

A Course in Miracles Made Easy: Mastering the Journey from Fear to Love 2015 12 Editions

Why Your Life Sucks: And What You Can Do About It. 2002 14 Editions

A Deep Breath of Life: Daily Inspiration For Heart-Centered Living  1996 7 Editions

The Tao Made Easy: Timeless Wisdom To Navigate A Changing World  5 Editions

The Dragon Doesn’t Live Here Anymore: Living Fully, Loving Freely 1981 16 Editions.

Alan also writes a monthly newsletter titled “Easeletter” which I’ve included next verbatim for your greater understanding of who Alan P Cohen represents after his introduction from my Brave search engine you’ve been given above. The following document was featured in its May 2024 “Easeletter” edition titled:

Who Will Win the Election

It’s been a wild election year, and will likely continue to be so. Lots of people are fearful, distraught, and angry. The country appears to be divided into tribes, the rift between them growing deeper daily. Some marriages are tottering over political differences, and violence has broken out in certain sectors.

I would like to take a very different approach to predicting who will win. The real election is not between two people, but between two irreconcilable states of consciousness. We are each choosing between fear and love, doubt and trust, illusions and truth.  The ego tricks us into believing that our choices are material, while they are more fundamentally spiritual.

The idea that we elect leaders by casting votes in a booth is true only at the surface level our lives. We more accurately vote with our consciousness. The leaders who get into office reflect the predominant state of mind of the masses. The laws of metaphysics supersede the laws of the nation. In the past few decades, we have seen two elections in which the winner lost the popular vote, but won the electoral college vote. On a spiritual level, the leaders perfectly represent the consciousness of the nation. Thomas Jefferson rightly noted, “The government you elect is the government you deserve.”

If you are fearful, angry, or upset, you will elect a President who operates from fear, anger and upset. You can tinker with human-made laws, but you cannot override the rock-solid Law of Attraction. If you are connected to Spirit and recognize that God is running the universe, you will elect a President with integrity.  If enough people remain connected to Source energy, the balance will be tipped in favor of Source.

Every president is a mirror of the spiritual evolution or devolution of the nation. The election of Barack Obama as the first African-American president demonstrated that our nation emerged from a long, dark mentality of racism.  We evolved to that landmark moment, and we got the government we deserved by Right of Consciousness. Other presidents have represented more immature states of the country’s mind. When we elect a woman president in this election or any subsequent one, we will know that we are growing beyond sexism. You can always tell what you believe by what you are getting.

Your strongest vote to obtain leaders of good consciousness is to work on your own consciousness. Then you become a force for healing, and your vote goes far beyond that of one person. Mahatma Gandhi said, “The pure love of one person can offset the hatred of thousands.”  Margaret Mead echoed, “Never underestimate the power of a small group of committed people to change the world. In fact, it is the only thing that ever has.” If you are reading this, you are likely in that group that is a subset of the whole population, but whose influence extends far beyond that subset.

The only way to win the election is to achieve a state of mind that transcends the upset in which the masses are embroiled. George Bernard Shaw said, “Never wrestle with a pig. You both get dirty, and the pig likes it” The real pig is a swine state of mind. If you stoop to the state of mind that motivates people to elect bad candidates, you are contributing to elect that candidate. Pig-minded candidates are elected by pig-minded thoughts. Refuse to participate in those thoughts, and you are voting for a candidate with character.

Regardless of who gets into office, you and I must occupy the office of right thinking. Only those who think in alignment with Spirit change the world for the better. A Course in Miracles tells us, “Seek not to change the world, but choose instead to change your mind about the world.”

I would therefore like to suggest some lessons from the Course as affirmations to guide us through this election season:

I could see peace instead of this.

I am not a victim of the world I see.

I am affected only by my thoughts.

Heaven is the decision I must make.

I place the future in the hands of God.

Whenever you affirm a true idea, you are voting in ways far more powerful than the button you press on election day. Those who remain at peace will win the election, and those who get upset will lose. No matter who gets into office, you and I are each in charge of our experience. We need to pay more attention to our mindset than our TV set. Let us vote on a daily basis by remaining in the light no matter where others choose to go.

As stated above following this post’s Utmost introduction, Beware of bartering the Word of God for a more suitable conception of your own. From Disciples Indeed, 386 R.

You Ever Yet Stayed Awake All Night Knowing You’d Be Shot At Sunrise?

But how many of us have slept much too peacefully night after night, year after year, poised on the very brink of our entrance to eternity, lying to ourselves, about our identity in Christ: whether being the lost, the tares, or the redeemed, the justified!

Having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. Romans 5:9

The story is told of a man who had been condemned by a Spanish court to be shot. Because he was an American citizen and of English birth, the consuls of the United States and England decided to intervene. They declared that the Spanish authorities had no power to put him to death. Their protest went unheeded, and the Spaniards proceeded to prepare the firing squad.

As the time of the execution was scheduled to take place, the consuls boldly approached the accused man, already tied and blindfolded, and wrapped him in their flags – the Stars and Stripes and the Union Jack. Then they shouted, “Fire a shot if you dare! If you do so, you will bring the powers of our two great empires upon you.” There stood the prisoner, unharmed. One bullet could have ended his life, but protected by those flags and the governments they represented, he was invulnerable.

Bottom Line:

Similarly, though actually light years beyond our comprehension of His pardoning effect, the Lord Jesus takes the soul of the sinner who believes in Him and covers the guilty one with His blood. Thus, wrapped and sheltered by the Savior, he is safe.  Actually, we are safe!

Isn’t it reassuring to know that even during the uncertainties of our world today including its “wokey”…. (defined as “pejorative for a white liberal who uses social injustice as an opportunity to boost their own ego by making self-gratifying posts on social media. Their actions indirectly hinder justice and equality by creating a divisive atmosphere in which peaceful dialogue becomes impossible. They estimate their own intelligence to be much greater than it actually is, making them highly susceptible to the Dunning-Kruger effect. They impose their beliefs on others and attempt to sabotage the livelihood of anyone who doesn’t conform to their ideas that are based in pseudoscience… courtesy of urbandictionary.com. Relax if you’ve been offended by the definition. Tomorrow I’ll print a recent newsletter from the other camp that may well offend the other camp. And that will be last I’ll allow any more political rhetoric)

…. failing governments, that we have a verse such as Lamentations 3:22-23, “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”

In my opinion these are some of the most comforting and reassuring words you will find in the Bible. God’s love and mercy not only are never ending, but are being renewed every morning. Can you find greater hope than that? But how does this work and how are God’s mercies new every morning? When you grasp God’s character, then you will understand why this is even possible.

For Your Further Reflection:

The following 1368 spot on words were published by speaker, Bible teacher, and co-founder of the Bible Study Club, Clarence Haynes Jr., presently committed to helping 10,000 people learn to study the Bible. To learn more, visit clarencehaynes.com.

But What Does ‘His Mercies Are New Every Morning’ Mean?

First, consider, “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases.” To help understand this verse better, I want to define the word steadfast. According to Merriam-Webster, steadfast means firmly fixed in place, immovable, and not subject to change.

This gives you a picture of what God’s love is towards you. God’s love towards you is fixed, it is immovable, and it will not change. Not only will it not change, it is not subject to change, meaning it is not even open for conversation or debate. He will not reconsider his decision to love you. He loves you, that is final, and the case is closed on that.

His love towards you will not change. There has never been nor will there ever be any thought or temptation that will come into God’s mind to stop loving you. This verse is a reminder that his immovable love will never cease. As we look at the rest of this verse remember this first part, that God loves you, and watch how it ties together.

Next consider, “His mercies never come to an end”

Once you understand the first part of the verse, this statement makes perfect sense because God’s mercy is a byproduct of God’s love. Since his love will never end, neither will his mercy. The only reason this is possible is because he has an immovable love towards you that is not subject to change. To make this really stick I want you to consider this word in the Hebrew. The word for “to end” is Kala(h). Here is what this word means and how you can use it:Finish, complete, be concluded, be gone, wear out, fail, no longer be in an able or capable condition, grow weary, perish, or be in a state of ruin.” Think about it like this.

God’s mercy towards you

– Will never finish

– Will never be concluded

– Will never be gone

– Will never wear out

– Will never fail

– Will never lose it ability to function on your behalf

– Will never grow weary

– Will never perish

– Will never be in a state of ruin

Because God is eternal, so is his mercy that is born from his immovable love towards you, Next consider His mercies are new every morning.

If there is a question to be asked, it is how are God’s mercies new every morning? We already know his mercy flows out of his love. Since he has eternal love then his mercy will be as well because they are connected.The statement that God’s mercies are new every morning is really a reminder to us. God gives mercy for each day and it is refilled and refreshed each morning. This is not just a statement about availability, it is also about access. Regardless of how often you have to rely on God’s mercy, which is every day for me, you can always come back for more. This is not a license to tempt God, live in sin, and then call on his mercy. If that is your mindset, the promise of this verse does not apply to you. If your heart is set to follow God and walk in obedience to him, but you find yourself falling short, this verse is for you.

There is mercy every single day that is available and that you can access to help you and address your situation. Don’t worry – the mercy won’t run out because the reservoir is refreshed every morning.

Last, may we focus on “Great is your faithfulness.”

This last line ties the whole thought together. God’s immovable love flows into mercy that will never end, which you will always be able to access. The reason you can depend on it is because of God’s faithfulness. It doesn’t matter how much a person makes a promise if their word is not worth anything. The good news is that’s God’s word means everything to him. Psalm 138:2 tells us that God honors his word above his name. It is God’s faithfulness to his word that will cause him to remain steadfast to his promise.

So, What Is the Context of Lamentations 3 and ‘His Mercies Are New Every Morning’?

This book of Lamentations was written by Jeremiah. It is a book that laments over the fall of Jerusalem caused by the sinful condition of Judah. They were experiencing God’s judgment because of their refusal to turn from their sinful ways. Within this book, Jeremiah expresses his sorrow for the condition of his country, but also his hope for God’s mercy to be shown again. The book is a reminder of the heavy price to pay when someone refuses to give up their sinful lifestyle, but it gives hope for those who choose to. Here is how Chuck Swindoll worded his thoughts on Lamentations.

“The people of this once great city experienced the judgment of the holy God, and the results were devastating. But at the heart of this book, at the center of this lament over the effects of sin in the world, sit a few verses devoted to hope in the Lord (Lamentations 3:22–25). This statement of faith standing strong in the midst of the surrounding darkness shines as a beacon to all those suffering under the consequences of their own sin and disobedience.”

The true beauty of Lamentations is that even the hardest, most sinful person can still find hope in a God who is willing to pour out mercy on anyone who comes to him in repentance.

What Does ‘His Mercies Are New Every Morning’ Mean for Us?

How can we take the reality that God’s mercies are new every morning and apply them to our lives?

Repent Quickly – Because God is merciful, don’t use that as an excuse for sin. Instead let that be the reason you come and repent quickly. Don’t let God’s mercy be the reason you think you can sin and get away with it. Rather let God’s mercy be the reason you avoid sin, because you recognize the value of his mercy.

Renew Frequently – Because you have fresh mercy every morning you can renew your commitment to God every day. Regardless of the mistakes or bad decisions you may have made (by bad I am not just talking about sinful decisions but bad choices you wish you could take back) you can begin each day with a new slate. There is mercy to help you overcome the poor choices of yesterday.

Rejoice Continually – Because there is mercy every day, you can rejoice continually. You don’t have to live on eggshells wondering if God has changed his mind about you. No, you can live in the freedom knowing that you are loved and God has a reservoir of mercy for you that will be available every moment of your life. This is reason to rejoice.

Conclusion:

If there is one word I would use to conclude this wonderful truth of God’s mercies that are new every morning, the only word to use is “amen,” which simply means “so be it.” The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end. They are new every morning, great is your faithfulness. Amen, or so be it.

I’m Told Our Attitudes Are More Important Than Our Circumstances. Perhaps We Can’t Always Control Our Circumstances, But Aren’t Our Attitudes Our Own Prerogative?

“My mouth is full of praise and honor to YOU ALL day long.” Psalm 71:8

Last week I read about a man who trained himself, upon waking up each day, to exclaim, “This is the day that the Lord has made! I will rejoice and be glad in it.” Going to the breakfast table each day, he would say to his wife, ‘We’re going to have a great day today!”

Thus, he started each morning.

 Thus, you can too. Our attitudes are more important than our circumstances. We can’t always control our circumstances, but our attitudes are our own prerogative. Remember the discovery made by the Holocaust survivor Vicktor Frankl? His family perished, his possessions were confiscated, his clothing was torn away along with all the comforts of life, and he endured the horrors of a death camp. But he discovered the one thing that cannot be taken from us – our right to choose our attitudes in any given set of circumstances.

BOTTOM LINE:

How wonderful to choose praise! How much better to say, “My mouth will honor you all day long.” There’s not a moment during the day when we should allow anything to interrupt the electrical current of praise that lights up our lives and makes us high voltage people. A breakdown there should be as rare and noticeable as a blackout in a major city.

Blind and aged prolific songwriter, Fannie Crosby put it this way:

               O glorious song that all day long,

               With tuneful note is ringing,

               I’m saved by grace, amazing grace,

               And that is why I’m singing!.

Day 58  All to Jesus: A Year of Devotions  2008 Robert J Morgan

Seriously! His Eternal Scriptures Evaporate Our Present Pervading Darkness!

Courtesy of ourdailylightdevotional.org August 11 MORNING

Our Saviour Jesus Christ … hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. II Tim. 1:10

He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD shall wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it. Isa. 25:8

When this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. I Cor. 15:54-57

God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. II Tim. 1:7

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Psa. 23:4

EVENING

God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. I John 1:5

If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: but if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. I John 1:6, 7

Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. I Thess. 5:5

Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. Matt. 5:14, 16

Bottom Line:

When we no longer seek God for His blessings, we have time to seek God for Himself.  Oswald Chambers  The Moral Foundations of Life 728 L

According to the World’s Judgment, Look at God’s Incredible Waste of His Saints…

The Holy Suffering of the Saint By Oswald Chambers August 10

Let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good… —1 Peter 4:19

Choosing to suffer means that there must be something wrong with you, but choosing God’s will— even if it means you will suffer— is something very different. No normal, healthy saint ever chooses suffering; he simply chooses God’s will, just as Jesus did, whether it means suffering or not. And no saint should ever dare to interfere with the lesson of suffering being taught in another saint’s life.

The saint who satisfies the heart of Jesus will make other saints strong and mature for God. But the people used to strengthen us are never those who sympathize with us; in fact, we are hindered by those who give us their sympathy, because sympathy only serves to weaken us. No one better understands a saint than the saint who is as close and as intimate with Jesus as possible. If we accept the sympathy of another saint, our spontaneous feeling is, “God is dealing too harshly with me and making my life too difficult.” That is why Jesus said that self-pity was of the devil (see Matthew 16:21-23). We must be merciful to God’s reputation. It is easy for us to tarnish God’s character because He never argues back; He never tries to defend or vindicate Himself. Beware of thinking that Jesus needed sympathy during His life on earth. He refused the sympathy of people because in His great wisdom He knew that no one on earth understood His purpose (see Matthew 16:23). He accepted only the sympathy of His Father and the angels (see Luke 15:10).

BOTTOM LINE:

Look at God’s incredible waste of His saints, according to the world’s judgment. God seems to plant His saints in the most useless places. And then we say, “God intends for me to be here because I am so useful to Him.” Yet Jesus never measured His life by how or where He was of the greatest use. God places His saints where they will bring the most glory to Him, and we are totally incapable of judging where that may be.

Wisdom from Oswald
The great point of Abraham’s faith in God was that he was prepared to do anything for God.
Not Knowing Whither, 903 R

Many things in life are not left to our choosing, but friendships are!

A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. Proverbs 17:17

I believe God intends relationships and friendships to be the context in which he does some of His most important work in our lives. Life is difficult from any perspective, and everyone needs friends to help them through the difficult times.

Those who have close friends know they couldn’t live without them. Friends love you enough to confront you when you are wrong and to stand by you through thick and thin. These are friends who act toward you like a marriage partner is supposed to – for better or for worse. If you have a friend like that, you are rich. If you have more than one you are wealthy beyond measure. In today’s world, many people do not take the required time to cultivate relationships; and they are the poorer for it.

But the need for committed friends doesn’t mean we should rush out and try to accumulate them on a wholesale basis. Many things in life are not left to our choosing, but friendships are.

BOTTOM LINE:

The choice of friends is more than a right, however – it is a responsibility.

David Jeremiah Sanctuary: Finding Moments of Refuge in the Presence of God Aug 4 2002

For Your Further Reflection:

I’m compelled to share this reading simply for the reflective effect it has forced me to face in my own life. I am making new friends here each day. Today I met Cristel, while Loretta was exploring the adjacent grocery store, I treated myself to a walk-in pedicure, because assuredly I lack the necessary agility as my convoluted toes have been broken for sure once or twice too often, so I know that today’s $18.00 expense was a good investment for my increasingly challenging future mobility. Plus, I believe Dr. Suppan’s preventive measures are largely responsible for the fact I’ve not yet needed any knees or hips replaced. I had asked Cristel to just trim the gross nails but she did the whole nine yards in 35 minutes like I’ve never experienced prior for much less money than the 10 minute, if that even, nail clip in Orrville.

While we were sitting in that salon, Loretta and I both enjoyed watching the sincere and joyful chemistry in the interactions between the other staff and their clients. Neither of us could communicate well but I’m fast learning that even with my current language impediment, inviting eyes , a welcoming smile, and a verbal Bueno dias or hola, usually lights up its recipient. And that’s just for starters.

I typed the title and the bottom line on my phone’s To Do List, to continue my focus that choosing good friends is not a right, but my responsibility. Just how am I doing?