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Inspirational Gems for Each Day --
VOLUME 4, 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

(Note: #16-20 are taken from a booklet previously edited by Marilee Miller)

Scripture texts are from the King James version.

16. PRAYER ABOUT TALENTS AND
RESPONSIBILITIES

Dear God, help us to use our talents with
love and understanding as we try to follow
your teachings, and as we work and play
with others. Help us to show your love to
others around us.

Forgive us when we fail to follow your
guidance. May we remember others in our
prayers each day.

We also need to remember especially those
who are ill and ailing, as well as those who
are heavy laden because of their problems.
Help us to administer to the little ones. All
your children are precious.

Let us all grow up following God's
guidance -- and dear God, thank you for
your grace. Amen.
                       -- by L. B.
(c) 1995 & 2009 by Marilee Miller

17. HOW TO PRAY FOR YOUR CHURCH

     FIRST, pray for persons who are
missing out on church activities and a
closer walk with Jesus, who you would like
to see find some satisfaction or deeper
meanings to life. SECOND, pray for those
in your church who are active, for they
need God's strength and refreshment in
order to keep going. THIRD, Pray for the
whole church in general. FOURTH, Pray for
your pastor and his family, that they might
grow through being lifted up. FIFTH, pray
for yourself, for your literal needs, and for
new growth and insights in your relationship
with God.
                         --by H. B.
(c) 1995 & 2009 by Marilee Miller

18. MORNING PRAYER

(We Rejoice)
Dear Lord,
     There is always so much to be
grateful for. And yet we become so
engrossed with trying to "do our thing"
that we get "tunnel vision." Help us,
dear Lord, to put our lives in your hands
each and every morning, knowing the
necessary work will get done, our problems
will get solved -- and

     Meanwhile, we can enjoy all those
little things that bring us your Joy. For
"this is the day which you have made: Let
us rejoice and be glad in it."
                             -- by A. D.

            "The earth is the Lord's, and
       the fulness thereof; the world and
       they that dwell therein." (Ps.24:1)
(c) 1995 & 2009 by Marilee Miller

19. PRAYER

(My Heavenly Father Answers)

My dear Heavenly Father,
     Thank you for the dawn.
          (You're very welcome --
and here's a splash of color
            to add to the sky.)
Thank you for a good night's rest.
          (You're very welcome --
          and here's a new trail to
   explore for your morning walk.)
Thank you for a hearty breakfast.
          (You're welcome -- and here's a
   wild strawberry for dessert.)
Thank you for listening to my longings,
   and for your presence in my day-plans.
       (You're welcome -- and I'll be
there when the night comes.)
                          -- by E. M.
(c) 1995 & 2009 by Marilee Miller

20. STRETCH FOR THE LORD

Scriptures:
     "But grow in grace, and in the
knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus
Christ. To him be glory both now and for
ever! Amen."    (II Pet. 3:18)

     "Is any among you afflicted? let him
pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms.
     "Is any sick among you? let him call
for the elders of the church, and let them
pray over him, anointing him with oil in
the name of the Lord: And the prayer of
faith shall fave the sick, and the Lord
shall raise him up; and if he have
committed sins, they shall be forgiven
him.
     "...The effectual, fervent prayer of
a righteous man availeth much."   (Jas.
5:13-15,16b)

     "Let us give our heartfelt thanks and
honor and praise to the God and Father of
our Lord Jesus Christ! Because of his
great mercy, he gave us an entirely new
life (we call it being "born again").
Because Christ rose from the dead for our
sakes, we are filled with unquenchable
living hope. And so we look forward to
gaining eternal, everlasting life and all
the other rich blessings God intends for
his people. What an incredible
inheritance is being kept for us, "safe"
in heaven where nothing can destroy it!"
    (I Pet. 1:3-4a MM paraphrase)

===
[Devotionals in Volume 4, Part 1, and in Part 2,
#16 - 20, are copied or adapted from the
published booklet "Wanting to Pray" (edited by'
Marilee Miller). Appropriate Scripture texts
have here been added by the editor.]
=

21. BUBBLES

     One day, when life seemed "too hard",
I went to the back yard and blew bubbles
(children's soap bubbles). It was about
5:00 pm, and the sun was westering, though
at this time of year, not fully setting.
But with the light low in the sky, the
colors on the bubbles were incredible. In
different positions, different colors:
pinks and apricots, blues and purples,
greens, silver and gold.

     A whimsical, mild breeze sent batches
of bubbles in first one direction, and
then another. I just let my eyes, and my
heart, and my hopes, follow the pathways
of the bubbles. Some batches of bubbles
settled to the ground and promptly broke.
Some wafted over the fence out of sight.
But some went high, above my roof and the
neihbor's roof, and just kept going till I
could see them no more.

     And I just worshipped the Lord and
sent him all my troubles, and, as the
bubbles went skyward, sent up all my
prayers for the whole world. Such a
cascade of beauty brought me pure pleasure
and helped remind me of his tender care
for all of us.

            "I would seek unto God, and unto
God would I commit my cause:
            "Which doeth great and
       unsearchable; marvelous things
       without number;
            "Who giveth rain upon the earth,
and sendeth waters upon the fields:
            "To set up on high those that
       be low; that those which mourn may
       be exalted to safety." (Job 5:8-11)
(c) 1995 & 2009 by Marilee Miller

22. CLEAR

I pray and beseech
That you will reach
For God who is Most Dear.
So will he teach,
And mend each breach,
And make your life-path clear.

            "[The Lord] Great in counsel,
       and mighty in work: for thine eyes
       are open upon all the ways of the
       sons of men: to every one according
       to his ways, and according to the
       fruit of his doings..." (Jer.32:19)
(c) 1995 & 2009 by Marilee Miller

23. MAY GOD

May God give you showers of his rain,
May he keep your faith alive;
May puddles of love splash you again,
May he teach your soul to thrive.

            "He shall come down like rain
       upon the mown grass: as showers
       that water the earth.
            "In his days shall the righteous
flourish: and abundance of peace
so long as the moon endureth."
(Ps. 72:6-7)
(c) 1995 & 2009 by Marilee Miller

24. (from the Psalms)

     "In thee, O Lord, do I put my trust:
let me never be put to confusion.
     "Deliver me in thy righteousness, and
cause me to escape: incline thine ear unto
me, and save me.
     "Be thou my strong habitation,
whereunto I may continually resort: for...
thou art my rock and my fortress.
     "For thou art my hope, O Lord God:
thou art my trust from my youth.
     "I am as a wonder unto many; but thou
art my strong refuge." (Ps. 71:1-3, 5, 7)

25. GOD WANTS

     God wants his children to know him
better. He wants us to take time for him.
He wants to open his hands to us, and let
us come to him. Are we ready to rejoice
that our names are written in the Lamb's
book of Life?

             " ...Rejoice, because your names
          are written in heaven." (Luke 10:20b)
(c) 1995 & 2009 by Marilee Miller

26. DRIED

     Old, dead cattail stalks, left over
from last year. Brittle, brown, ugly.
Standing in an almost dried up marsh. A
reminder of winter-barrenness. Useless-
ness, dried-outness. But showing, now,
amid the winter-stalks, gleam the pure,
new green stalks. Soon there will be new
growth. The old will wither and fall
away. The new will "take over" with its
signs of life.

     Are there old, dried up places inside
some of us? Places we judge to be useless
or ugly or not overflowing with life? Let
us see the lesson of the cattails -- which
are so absolutely convinced that spring
has arrived, that they cannot but grow and
grow! May we trust that our lives also
send up new, living shoots. One day, if
we allow the Master hand to touch us and
speak forth growth, we shall be
"perfected" according to God's perfect
plan.

            " ...Desire the sincere milk of
the word, that ye may grow thereby:
"If so be ye have tasted that the
Lord is gracious." (I Pet. 2:2-3)
(c) 1995 & 2009 by Marilee Miller

27. HE WILL

     Our happiness, our contentment,
doesn't depend on what others say about
us, or whether they "approve" of us. No
matter how people may treat us, if we come
to our God in sincerity and ask his help,
he is going to "treat us right". He will
bring us through trouble. He'll help us
to go on trusting him.

            "Now unto him that is able to
       keep you from falling, and to
       present you faultless before the
       presence of his glory with
       exceeding joy,
            "To the only wise God our
       Saviour, be glory and majesty,
       dominion and power, both now and
       ever. Amen." (Jude 1:24-25)
(c) 1995 & 2009 by Marilee Miller

28. THE ALLIUM PUFF

My Gran gave me a little bulb --
   A shriveled
Dried up thing;
It looked something like an onion set;
But she said
Wait 'til spring!

Well, that bulb
   Came up with tiny shoots
Then grew a long,
Long stalk
    And afterwards the blossom opened up;
       My friends all began to talk!

   For there was a sort of roundy bloom
      As big as a great beach ball;
   Its flowers grew in clusters and
     Sort of a lavendery purple. And all
       The tiny flowers ripened more
   Then became dried pods of airy fluff;
        And in September my Gran said:
"Well done! You've grown
                an allium puff."

     (An allium is a large, showy member
of the onion family. Its seed-head,
picked when fully ripened, then hung
upside down to dry, may be used to make
interesting winter boquets.)

     May God grow my life to be a surprise
-- the makings of interesting boquet to
show others of his care.

            "Consider the lilies how they
       toil not, they spin not: and yet I
       say unto you, that Solomon in all
       his glory was not arrayed like one
       of these.
            "If then God so clothe the
       grass, which is to day in the field,
and to morrow is cast into the oven;
how much more shall he clothe
you... "   (Luke 12:27-28)
(c) 1995 & 2009 by Marilee Miller

29. DAY OF THE LORD

     Are some of us are so busy that we
miss God? Let us set aside everything
that weighs us down. May we no longer
make excuses!

     God has a plan for this world. He
wants to do great and mighty things.
Perhaps he wants to use you, or bring
about a work through me. This is the day
of the Lord.

            " ...Take heed to yourselves,
       lest at any time... that day come
       upon you unawares." (Luke 21:34a,c)
(c) 1995 & 2009 by Marilee Miller

30. HOPE

     God is a God of hope. "Is anything
too difficult for me?" he says in his Holy
Bible. If it were not for hope, people
could not find the strength to keep going.
Thank God that there is always hope, in
him.

            "For to him that is joined to the
land of the living there is hope... "
(Eccl. 9:4a)

            "Blessed is the man that
       trusteth in the Lord, and whose
       hope the Lord is."   (Jer. 17:7)

            "But sanctify the Lord God in
       your hearts: and be ready always
       to give an answer to every man
       that asketh you a reason of the
        hope that is in you with meekness
        and fear..."   (I Pet. 1:15)
(c) 1995 & 2009 by Marilee Miller
=
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