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Inspirational Gems for Each Day --
VOLUME 10, Part 2.

            Written by Marilee Miller

Copyright (c) 1995 & 2009 by Marilee Miller.

PLEASE READ THIS!

Copies may be given privately to about six friends, providing that text is not changed, and
that this full notice accompanies each document or part thereof.
One GEM or parts of two, per Volume, allowed for a public review or article, under the fair use clause.
No other public circulation, no mass copying or commercial or for-profit use without consent
of the author -- e-mail to: kingfisher crossing at gmail com (close up the spaces, etc.).

See the complete archive of 365 thoughtful Christian devotionals -- Gems -- at:
www.wordforlife.com/kingfisher/gems-complete/gems-menu

Scripture texts are from the King James Version.

16. GOD CANNOT FAIL

God cannot fail.
(He doesn't know what that word means.)
He is never discouraged,
Nor does he ever feel defeated.
He is not frustrated,
And never worries or shows anxiety.
For he knows he cannot fail.
The word he has spoken,
              will come to pass.
His plans and purposes
        will come into being
In his own time -- and then,
                  he will not fail.
For he is, and has been, and will be,
Lord of all.

            "A bruised reed shall he not
       break, and the smoking flax shall
       he not quench: he shall bring forth
       judgment unto truth.
            "He shall not fail nor be dis-
       couraged, till he have set a
       judgment in the earth: and the
       isles shall wait for his law."
           (Isa.42:3-4)
(c) 1995 & 2009 by Marilee Miller

17. SHOW ME THE NEED

I happened upon my neighbor,
Who lives way down the street,
She is an older Christian soul,
And always smiles sweet;
But in our conversation,
She admitted a deep, deep need:
A hurt that's laid upon her heart,
And yet she smiles, indeed.

I guess that only shows
How anyone we greet
Has a load to bear
Which only God can meet.
So keep me, Lord, aware
Of people who have need;
Remind me of their hurts,
That I, your flock, may feed.

            "And he...[Elijah] cried unto
       the Lord, and said, O my God, I
       pray thee, let this child's soul
       come into him again.
            "And the Lord heard the voice
       of Elijah; and the soul of the
child came into him again, and he
       revived."   (I Kgs. 17:21b-22)
(c) 1995 & 2009 by Marilee Miller

18. GOD ISN'T FINISHED.

God isn't finished with you yet.
He has a use for you.
There's no end to what he CAN do.
The question is, WILL you?
Will you let him take you for his own?
God isn't finished with you yet.
He has a hope for you.
He has great plans to do.
He's called and called to you.
Will you let him make you, now, his own?

           "...I know that thou art a man of
God, and that the word of the Lord
in thy mouth is truth." (I Kgs. 17:24)
(c) 1995 & 2009 by Marilee Miller

19. UNDER CONSTRUCTION

     Our street underwent a reconstruction.
Workmen, and vehicles, came and went.
The residents didn't always understand
what was supposed to be going on, or
why certain steps had to be taken. We
only knew that various members of the
crew showed up, did their jobs, and went
away. During that period, some days we
could drive our cars on our street; at other
times, we had to wait and then dodge
paving equipment, or even park outside the
construction zone if we needed the use of
our cars that day. But we trusted that
there was a master-plan, and that the
workmen knew exactly what they're doing.
Until our street became smooth and "put
together" again, we just had to trust the
city's overall plan.

     We, as Christians, are under
construction. Events happen which don't
make much sense to us. Sometimes our
life-direction is bumpy, or takes a detour.
Or we fear we've been "parked outside"
of the way we thought we were to take.
However, let us trust in God's master-
plan. In time, we shall find that he has
made us smooth and whole and sound.

           "Except the Lord build the house,
they labour in vain that build it:
except the Lord keep the city, the
watchman waketh but in vain."
(Ps. 127:1)
(c) 1995 & 2009 by Marilee Miller

20. TRUST

     When the road crew laid a new con-
crete curb on our street, I was able to
see a "cooperative effort" which revealed
"trust". The cement mixer truck drove
slowly along the street, its chute down.
Behind it came a self-powered piece of
road machinery looking like a cross
between a tractor and a children's
playground with strange bars and odd
contraptions. A man walked along guiding
the cement chute into the conveyor belt of
the latter machine. His hand signals told
the driver of the cement truck what to do:
one signal for "drive ahead", another move-
ment of his hand for "stop". Under such
efficient partnership, the new curb spun
out endlessly. It didn't need old-fashioned
wooden forms, but came out of the
machine with its proper form. The drivers
of both rigs had to trust utterly to the
judgment and the directions of the
signaling man.

     God and I also also have a tandem
partnership. I trust him to give me the
right signals to keep my life going in the
direction he has called me to walk. And
that he will always be rolling right along
with me (and I with him), no matter what!

            "That the Lord thy God may shew
us the way wherein we may walk, and
the thing that we may do."   (Jer. 42:3)
(c) 1995 & 2009 by Marilee Miller

21. GOD'S TIME

God's time is different than man's time.
He may work in years and ages
              and histories,
Instead of in just days or hours.
But he never stops working in this world,
Or in our lives and "times".
He is the Living, true Fulfillment.
Without him there is nothing worthwhile.
But when we know holds us in his care,
Then we accept his pledge to
               "get us through."

            "And we know that the Son of
       God is come, and hath given us an
       understanding, that we may know
him that is true, and we are in him
       that is true, even in his Son Jesus
       Christ. This is the true God, and
       eternal life."   (I Jn. 5:20)
(c) 1995 & 2009 by Marilee Miller

22-23. GROWTH SPURT

     One day, seeking encouragement, but
hardly even able to hope that I would find
it (for I felt so gloomy and useless), I
turned to my Bible. It fell open to a
passage where there was already a
bookmark in place. The printed message
on the bookmark leaped out at me. It
said: "God is calling us to experience
another growth spurt in our walk with
him. He desires to prepare us for the
times of testing that are on the horizon --
testing that will greatly challenge our faith."

     The bookmark was actually a magazine
clipping. I don't remember where it came
from, or when I cut it out. But evidently
I "planted" it there some other day. (I
keep a small pile of such treasures on
hand just for bookmarks or quick
cheerer-uppers. The words on the
clipping turned my mind away from my
distress over my own inabilities to "do"
for the Lord's service, reminding me that
he will keep me "being" faithful to him.

     God has so many ways of sending his
love-mesages to me! He's still working in
me. He hasn't "let go". He cares. I
thought I'd failed my Lord miserably and
utterly, missing his way. Rather, he may
be orchestrating a growth spurt in my walk
with him. Always, he will prepare me for
what is to come. Oh, Lord Jesus, come!

            "That we henceforth be no more
       children tossed to and fro, and
       carried about with every wind of
       doctrine... But speaking the truth in
love, may grow up into him in all
things, which is the head, even
       Christ..."   (Eph. 4:14a, 15)
(c) 1995 & 2009 by Marilee Miller

24. THOUGHTS OF GOD

     I got out of my car and went for a
walk down by the river. I'd been feeling a
deep need to experience a fresh pulse of
God's glory. Well, I saw that in the clouds
and whole panorama glowing in breath-
taking beauty.

But then the clouds closed in.
Rain started to sprinkle. I hurried back to
my car. (A very good thing, as I hadn't
taken rain gear -- and just after I got my-
self shut in, the sky opened up and
poured!) It was a localized shower,
however. For I drove a couple of miles,
and the heavens showed a glorious sunny
stretch again.

Sunny sky
Brings hope again,
As shower reminds of God's "rains"
        of mercy and love.
I am blessed, even when
     I don't know "why",
By seeing fields alight
          with God's "again".
Grace coming down to me, from above.
Thank you Lord, for your good love!

            "I [the Lord] will accept you
       with your sweet savour, when I
       bring you out from the people, and
       gather you out of the countries
       wherein ye have been scattered;
       and I will be sanctified in
       you..."   (Ezek. 20:41)
(c) 1995 & 2009 by Marilee Miller

25. TEACH ME

Lord:
Teach me,
Preach me
Of your love;
Over-reach me
Lest fear leech me
Of that love.
Reach me,
Till I beach me,
Grounded in love;
Beseach me
Till you reach me
With fullest love.

            " ...For I have chosen thee, saith
the Lord of hosts." (Hag. 2:23c)
(c) 1995 & 2009 by Marilee Miller

26. GOD SINGING

"He [the Lord] will rest in his love,
he will joy over thee with singing..."
(Zeph. 3:17b)
Oh, mighty Lord,
You who come riding on the winds
And stilling the storms;
God Almighty Lord,
You who joy over your children,
And infuse their hearts;
Thank you, Lord, that you ARE!
And that I may hear you sing to me!

            "Now will I [the Lord] sing to
     my well beloved a song..." (Isa.5:1a)
(c) 1995 & 2009 by Marilee Miller

27. WHO IS GOD?

Who is God? How do I define him?
What can he mean to those
                 who don't know him?
I wish I had a clearcut answer
To tell them of his love, and show them
Who he is. But my lips seem mute.
God, you are there, and I wouldn't trade
You for any other friend that I know.
Lord, will you please reveal
                      yourself to all?
I send you forth to answer for yourself:
Tell the people who you really are.

            "Who shall not fear thee, O
Lord, and glorify thy name? for
       thou only art holy: for all nations
shall come and worship before
thee; for thy judgments are made
manifest." (Rev. 15:4)
(c) 1995 & 2009 by Marilee Miller

28. LIVING STONES

Blessed are the watercourses
              of pleasant stones,
where the Lord's waters of blessings
         tumble down
over cataracts, showing forth the power
                     of his might.
You who are the stones of
                    his watercourse,
living stones not hewn with hands,
but made by God -- rejoice
that his life washes over you
         with perfect refreshment.
The grasses nod by the cracks
              of the rocks,
and ducks come to clutch
                 on the outer banks;
little stones may fall and affect
      the watercourse,
but still the waters of freedom
   of the Lord
come gushing down, nourishing you with
                      delight.
Debris may clog the watercourse,
but the waters keep on washing,
            setting free;
mud may collect in pockets,
               but still the Lord
washes and lets the watercourse
           spring free;
erosion may change the shape of stones,
but there is beauty still,
                  and the scouring
is only the loving hand of
         God's purifying.
Rejoice, oh watercourse of the Lord,
living stones set in pattern clear!
No matter if gray and limited
         and roughened you feel:
the Lord's waters of blessing tumble down
to refresh, to keep you clean,
            sweet, whole.

            "Ye also, as lively stones, are built
up a spiritual house... acceptable to
God by Christ Jesus." (I Pet. 2:5)
(c) 1995 & 2009 by Marilee Miller

29. THE LORD AFFIRMS HIS PLAN

     I am here. I am your Lord. I have made
you a part of me, and I have made you a
whole person, in me. I have set your feet
on the right way. When struggles and
hardships befall you, the steady drum of
pain or the din of noise without and doubts
within, I, your Lord, do not become afraid
for your safety, nor dismayed at anything
you do. For I know what plan I have
for you. If you are willing to forget all
else, and follow me, I will keep you "on
track".

     For I, the Lord, made you my own. I
can't forget or lose my way. So don't
look back. But only let me be your guide
along the world's ugly way. And I will
lead you where you need to go today, and
someday, take you home to me to stay.

           "Art thou not from everlasting, O
Lord my God, mine Holy One... "
          (Hab. 1:12a)
(c) 1995 & 2009 by Marilee Miller

30. NO ACCIDENT

It is no accident that you are here,
Or that the world doesn't like or value
          you overmuch,
But that I, the Lord, am yet within you.
It is no accident that though you think
   your feet trace the mire, and pity
        drags you down,
I am within and have a deeper insight
        plan.
It is no accident that I am God and you
are frail and fragile and "too human."
I lift you up and guide your walk.
Some day you'll see the whole plan,
    and know you are no accident, because
I have a purpose for your life.

            "But there is a God in heaven
       that revealeth secrets, and maketh
       known...what shall be in the
       latter days..."   (Dan. 2:28a-b)
(c) 1995 & 2009 by Marilee Miller

31. from the Scriptures

     "And he [the Lord] led them forth by
the right way, that they might go to a
city of habitation.
     "Oh that men would praise the Lord
for his goodness, and for his wonderful
works to the children of men!
     "For he satisfieth the longing soul,
and filleth the hungry soul with goodness.
     "He brought them out of darkness and
the shadow of death, and brake their bands
[ie.chains] in sunder."    (Ps. 107:7-9, 14)
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