Psalm 36:5-9

Your unfailing love, O Lord, is as vast as the heavens;

your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds.

6Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains,

your justice like the ocean depths.

You care for people and animals alike, O Lord.

7How precious is your unfailing love, O God!

All humanity finds shelter

in the shadow of your wings.

8You feed them from the abundance of your own house,

letting them drink from your rivers of delight.

9For you are the fountain of life,

the light by which we see.

Why does God allow us to spend so much of life in the heat of battle?  Because He never meant for us to sip His Spirit like a proper cup of tea.  He meant for us to hold our sweating hands over the fountain and lap up His life with unquenchable thirst.  -Beth Moore

public domain- Anne Ross Cousin 1824-1906

    It came as a shock to most people, when on September 19th, the Thai military staged a coup while the Prime Minister was out of the country. Not one shot was fired nor anyone killed in the process. The military has taken control of the news media, annulled the present constitution, and declared themselves in charge of the country under the King’s blessing.

    All of the armed forces were called in to active duty, and even the police forces are under the command of the military. There is no news of any rebellion arising at this time because the media is being controlled. Any political gatherings of more than five persons have been banned. 

    The reason for the coup is that the Prime Minister has been accused of corruption and his policies of government were said to have aggravated the situation in the South.  The violence caused by Muslim separatists had been increasing and just before the takeover, six bombs destroyed key areas of the large city of Hat Yai.

    Normally you would think a military takeover  would cause quite an uproar, but the country has remained amazingly quiet. Even the unrest in the south has diminished; perhaps because the commander-in- chief of the armed forces is a Muslim.  

    The military commander has promised within two weeks of the coup,  a new prime minister will be appointed and a civilian government will be in place.  They  will begin the process of rewriting the constitution and hope to have elections held in about a year.  Our hope is that there will be a less corrupt and more righteous government. 

    Please pray that God will use these events to benefit the kingdom of God.  We are believing that there will be a mighty harvest of souls because of these unique shakings in this land

Going out to eat to celebrate our 26th anniversary. 

Fears and guilt are a negative mindset.  Approach your situation with benefits and positives instead of what could happen.

Fear

Don't be afraid of people, relationships, caring, serving, being taken advantage of...

Love combats fear.  If we choose to serve, then we are not a victim.

Fear is tormenting and it grows.  He who fears is not made perfect in love.  We love Him because he first loved us. 

Guilt

Guilt is feeling bad no matter what I do.  I blame myself for negative situtations and conflicts. 

Jesus has forgiven me of all my sin. Past, present and future.

Discipline your mind. 

Control all loosely flowing thoughts and speculations that might distracts you from the gospel and hamper your obedience. 

An undisciplined mind leads to disobedience.

A gentle and quiet spirit is an inner attitude marked by the absence of anxiety, coupled with a trust in God as the blessed controller of all things.

Pride is revealed in the following ways:

1. When I am wanting recognition.

2.  When someone else receives recognition for what I did, I am upset or disquieted. 

3.  When I care more about what others think than what God thinks.

4.  When I start becoming self centered, worrying about appearances.

5.  When I brag about answered prayers.

6.  When I feel it was me who something special when others are blessed or touched by God because of my prayers or words. 

Let praise come from your mouth to bless God and lift Him up.  Don't let your own lips say how wonderful you are.  You don't have to prove anything.  Especailly not to those who love you. People love you because you are who you are to them.  You don't have to do anything move to make them think you are worthy.  They love you because of who they are.

Sucess is always a test.  It is easy to be humble in the broken times of life. 

Watch over your soul.  Take care of pride quickly by humbling yourself before God.

To believe in a heavenly reward requires faith.  Are we willing to leave all our stuff we love and follow Jesus?  Mark 10 The story of the rich young ruler.  He had obeyed the commandments but he lacked one thing- faith to follow Jesus.  He had many things he was holding on to.  He could not seem to let them go.  His heart was clinging to the things he could see, and that hindered him from finding the invisible kingddom he needed badly. 

Aaron made an idol for the people because they were insecure and were not sure that God would supply their needs.  Their hearts lacked faith and love for God.  EX. 32.  Interestingly this was right after God had given them the 10 commandments. 

God's ways are not ours

God wants us to sacrifice and give away.

God takes away so He can give us something better.

Job 1

God is asking us to get rid of the obstacles that hinder us from serving God. 

He has set eternity in our hearts.  our hearts long for the kingdom.  2 Cor 5 :15 

The first shall be last, the last first.

Life is not about accumulating here on earth.  someone who has a lot down here, may have a little up there. Someone who has little here, but is rich in faith, will have a lot up there.

Interestingly, the tabernacle of Moses in the wilderness did not have any chairs.  The work was never finished.  But after Jesus offered his once-and- for-all sacrifice, he sat down at the right hand of God.  This is a beautiful picture for us, signifying that his work is finished, he has completed all that is needed for us to obtain salvation.  His blood was the perfect and final sacrifice.

My brother in law, Bob Gladstone, recently preached a sermon on the eternal rewards we are sure to receive in heaven.  He said if someone promised you a million dollars to get up in front of the group and give a speech, no matter how shy you were, you would do it....for the reward.  I got to thinking, if we really really do believe that there are eternal rewards waiting for us in Heaven, then we will be living for the eternal instead of the temporary gain here on earth.