A New Year With The Lord

A New Year With The Lord
A new year is about to unfold
With new opportunities to explore
Doors will open for new experiences
New adventures with the Lord

Remember not the former things
The things of this past year
The Lord will do new things in us
Much more than we are aware

For He will make a way for us
As we put our trust in Him
And He will guide our every step
By His presence we have within

What God has placed within our hearts
We find we’ll be able to do
If we look for the opportunities
We’ll see the door to go through

We mustn’t let anything hold us back
But rise up and take our place
And be all that God wants us to be
With a fresh touch of His grace


© By M.S.Lowndes

(Free to distrubute/use as long as unaltered and copyright left with poem)

Heaven's Gift

Rev. Terry preached a message last night about "The Gift of God". It was a wonderful message and at altar call I was covered in tears, which has been a while for me! As I looked up at the closing after praying, I saw many wet eyes and realized that others had also begun to think upon God's love and his gift of His Son to us! God did a lot for me in that service that words just can't express, but I found this poem this morning and it went right along with the message.

Heaven's Gift
by Sandra A. Popp

Heaven's gift has come to man.
Mortal fate rests
Within tiny hallowed hands.
Shepherds singing, a shining star,
Angels proclaiming,
Kings bearing gifts from afar.
A scene of serene glory,
The weight of a holy hush,
The meaning of heaven's story,
'Twas God's first CHRISTmas gift to us.

Who would recall the power of that day,
At the time when He was led away,
Bearing a crown, a robe, and fateful wounds?
Was He not the gift from heaven's womb?

Shall we turn from that holy day
And walk away unchanged?
Will we allow it to envelope our souls
Only to let it slowly slip away?

Through plastic, tinsel, parties and gifts,
Shopping, planning, and Christmas lights lit,
Can the simple gift be heard or seen,
Or does it quietly fade behind holiday sheen?

Let us not forget that He loves us so.
He loves us too much to let us go.
He sent a plan with His sacrifice
To forgive and cleanse and give us life.

Embrace the greatest gift of all;
Don't let your sense of the manger wane.
The gift of heaven is yours to receive.
It was the true reason He came.

Attitude of Gratitude

Pastor Davis preached a message last night on Thankfulness. He spoke on even thanking God when the doctor tells you something bad is wrong with you! You could have had it worse. He also spoke about an "Attitude of Gratitude". We should be thankful for ALL that God has done in our lives and for our spouses, children, parents and friends! Let us not be unthankful or take any of it for granted.

BE THANKFUL
Author Unknown

Be thankful that you don't already have everything you desire.
If you did, what would there be to look forward to?
Be thankful when you don't know something,
for it gives you the opportunity to learn.

Be thankful for the difficult times.
During those times you grow.
Be thankful for your limitations,
because they give you opportunities for improvement.
Be thankful for each new challenge,
because it will build your strength and character.

Be thankful for your mistakes.
They will teach you valuable lessons.
Be thankful when you're tired and weary,
because it means you've made a difference.

It's easy to be thankful for the good things.
A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who
are also thankful for the setbacks.
Gratitude can turn a negative into a positive.
Find a way to be thankful for your troubles,
and they can become your blessings.

God Has Enabled Us

(I wrote this in October 2006)

Many times in my Christian walk, God has let me know he wanted me to do something. Sometimes my response would be, "Oh I can not do that"......"I'm not capable to do something like that for you God." I soon learned that if God has called us to do something, that means he has enabled us to do it! Every time I stepped out on faith and trusted him, he has showed me YES I CAN!

Mark 10:27
".....with God all things are possible."

Phillipians 4:13
"I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. "

It is so easy to come up with a list of why we are not capable, educated enough, (you fill in the blank), to do a task that God has given us. You take into account Moses......he told God he could not do what God wanted him to because he wasn't a good speaker. But we see reading on his life that he was more than able to accomplish God's will in his life. God had enabled him, despite himself!

So the next time satan comes by and tells you, that you can't do what God has called you to do or that you are not capable of this or that........Tell him "YES I CAN!"

"A Diamond is only a chunk of coal ...That made something good under pressure!"

"Every flower that ever bloomed
Had to go through
A whole lot of dirt to get there!"

"A word of encouragment during a failure is worth more than an hour of praise after success."

Twas the Month Before CHRISTmas

‘Twas the month before Christmas when all through our land,
Not a Christian was praying nor taking a stand.

Why the PC Police had taken away,
The reason for Christmas - no one could say.

The children were told by their schools not to sing,
About Shepherds and Wise Men and Angels and things.
It might hurt people’s feelings, the teachers would say
December 25th is just a “Holiday “.

Yet the shoppers were ready with cash, checks and credit
Pushing folks down to the floor just to get it!
CDs from Madonna, an X BOX, an I-pod
Something was changing, something quite odd!

Retailers promoted Ramadan and Kwanza
In hopes to sell books by Franken & Fonda.
As Targets are hanging their trees upside down
At Lowe’s the word Christmas - was no where to be found.

At K-Mart and Staples and Penny’s and Sears
You won’t hear the word Christmas; it won’t touch your ears.
Inclusive, sensitive, Di-ver-is-ty
Are words that were used to intimidate me.

Now Daschle, Now Darden, Now Sharpton, Wolf Blitzen
On Boxer, on Rather, on Kerry, on Clinton !
At the top of the Senate, there arose such a clatter
To eliminate Jesus, in all public matter.

And we spoke not a word, as they took away our faith
Forbidden to speak of salvation and grace
The true Gift of Christmas was exchanged and discarded
The reason for the season, stopped before it started.

So as you celebrate “Winter Break” under your “DreamTree”
Sipping your Starbucks, listen to me.
Choose your words carefully, choose what you say
Shout MERRY CHRISTMAS, not Happy Holiday !

Author Unknown and I added my own links to some words! =0