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Inspirational Gems for Each Day -- VOLUME 6.

           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.

1. GRACE

Grace equal to every need,
You promise, Lord, to give;
Without this "unmerited favor",
I know I could not live.

Grace equal to every need,
I rest within its power:
Oh come, dear Lord and share
Your grace in this hushed hour!

            "...According to the gift of the
grace of God given unto me by the
effectual working of his power."
   (Eph. 3:7b)
(c) 1995 & 2009 by Marilee Miller

2. WHERE?

Where is God when I hurt?
Does he care?
Yes, for he is a God
Who really cares!
Never too busy for my need;
Never busy or asleep;
His promises he keeps.

            "And Jesus, when he came out,
       saw much people, and was moved to
       compassion toward them, because
       they were as sheep not having a
       shepherd: and he began to teach
       them many things."   (Mark 6:34)
(c) 1995 & 2009 by Marilee Miller

3. HIS CALL

     "Behold, I send you forth as sheep
amidst the wolves: Be ye therefore wise
as serpents, and harmless as doves."
(Mt. 10:16)

     For I am the Lord: I have called you.
Lay aside your dead past. Lay aside those
things for which you count yourself a
sinner. "Forgetting all that is past, press
forward to the mark of the prize of the
high calling in Christ Jesus." (Phil. 3:14)
Don't let yourself be weighed down by
what the rest of the world says to do,
or by past regrets.

     Be open to the spirit of thec God of
peace. In the name of the Father, and the
Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen and amen
and amen. "World without end, Amen."

            "Now mine [the Lord's] eyes be
open, and mine ears attent unto the
prayer that is made in this place.
            "For now have I chosen and
       sanctified this house, that my name
       may be there forever: and mine eyes
       and mine heart shall be there
       perpetually."   (II Chron. 7:15-16)
(c) 1995 & 2009 by Marilee Miller

4. KNOWING GOD

Four ways to know God.

1. By reading and "taking to heart" his
Word, the Bible.
2. Through prayer.
3. Through worshipping him, in the seeing
of Nature, and all his creation.
4. Through service to God.

            "O worship the Lord in the
       beauty of holiness..." (Ps.96:9a)

5. WHY?

Lord, why are we so often afraid?
Aren't we told that we are to trust you?
Why can't we seem to do this?
Didn't you promise to
         "keep us from falling"?
Then why are we so timid, so insecure?

Lord, there is turmoil in the world.
Our hearts pick up on it.
We hear the news, hear of
           sad and bad happenings.
"Bad things happen to good people",
And we don't like this!
We don't like change.
Sometimes, the world we live in
           is a hard place.

Lord, thank you that you are with us,
Even when we are afraid.
You give us strength to go on.
You never leave us or forsake us.
Let us place our hands in yours --
For, Lord, YOU are not afraid!

            "Men's hearts failing them for
       fear, and for looking after those
       things which are coming on the
       earth...
            "And when these things begin
       to come to pass, then look up, and
       lift up your heads; for your
       redemption draweth nigh."
         (Luke 21:26a, 28)

6. PRAYER

Dear Lord,
     Please be with our friends today.
Guide them. Bless them. Succor and help
them. Come to their aid. Show your
abundant pardon and mercy. Let there be
light in their hearts and eyes, and praises
(not contrived, but put there by God) on
their lips. Give them the peace that passes
understanding and joy unspeakable.
Thank you. Amen.

            "Let us come before his presence
with thanksgiving, and make a joyful
noise unto him with psalms."   (Ps. 95:2)

7. from the Psalms.

     "Great is the Lord, and greatly to be
praised in the city of our God, in the
mountain of his holiness.
     "Beautiful for situation, the joy of
the whole earth, is mount Zion on the
sides of the north, the city of the great
King.
     "God is known...for a refuge...
     "We have thought of thy
lovingkindness, O God, in the midst of thy
temple.
     "According to thy name, O God, so is
thy praise unto the ends of the earth: thy
right hand is full of righteousness.
     "Let mount Zion rejoice...
     "For this God is our God for ever and
ever: he will be our guide even unto
death."   (Ps. 48:1-3, 9-11a, 14)

8. I ASKED

I asked for health
And I was given weakness;
I asked for more of God,
And I was given more awareness
Of my need for God.
I asked for help in time of need,
And I thought he'd left me:
But he was really there, indeed.
He cares so very much for me
That he hoes and cultivates his good seed.

            "And all nations shall call you
blessed: for ye shall be a delight-
some land, saith the Lord of
hosts."   (Mal. 3:12)
(c) 1995 & 2009 by Marilee Miller

9. HEAR

I'm going to take you
And break you
As bread for a hungry world.
And make you
My ambassador... of tidings.
Here are the people in need:
I, the Lord, have seen their greed;
I have heard their cry of need;
I have seen how they do bleed.

Do you hear them?

            " ...Thou shalt open thine hand
wide unto thy brother, to thy poor,
and to thy needy, in thy land."
   (Dt. 15:11b)
(c) 1995 & 2009 by Marilee Miller

10. PRAYER

     Lord, teach us your ways. Let us know
how to walk in your path. Remind us that
we must not trust our own wisdom -- but
allow your wisdom to work in our lives.

     Lord, there is a Scripture verse which
talks about the steps of your righteous
children (upright towards God) being
ordered by the Lord. May we trust that
Divine Guidance. Lord, help us to receive
the gift of a sense of godly dignity -- not
pride at our own efforts, but a high regard
for your acts and for your thoughts toward
us. Thank you. May we feel your peace.
Amen.

            "Labour not to be rich: cease from
thine own wisdom." (Prov. 23:4)
(c) 1995 & 2009 by Marilee Miller

11. FAITH

     Our faith is not based on "feelings."
Feelings change, depending on what life
hands us, or what mood we're in. But God
is still there for us, no matter what our
feelings tell us.

     We don't have to "feel" loved, or
loveable, but only to accept that he has
said that "nothing can separate us from
the love of God which is in Christ Jesus."
We don't have to "feel" wanted or needed,
but only to accept that he says we are
"gifts of God that he delights in." Let us
just accept his words as true. And accept
him as Lord of all, by a choice of our wills.
Faith is fact. Faith is an act. On His part.
And on ours.

            "...Christ Jesus our Lord: In
       whom we have boldness and access
       with confidence by the faith of
       him." (Eph. 3:11b-12)
(c) 1995 & 2009 by Marilee Miller

12. ABIDING

Abiding in him.
How may I abide,
     when life seems such a struggle?
My feelings change,
My mood goes up and down.
Sometimes I love him with all my heart,
And sometimes
      my heart rebels from pain or hurt.
Abiding: how is is possible?
The Scriptures say
        we are to abide with him.
But, "Lord, I would do so,
But I cannot. I do not know how."

Abiding in him.
Why, it's simple.
Once I've put my hand in His,
He abides in me always.
Then, if he doesn't leave me, am I not
Abiding still in him?
(Whether I feel his presence or love,
Whether I can keep my thoughts in order,
Whether my day is dull or bright?)
Abiding -- yes, he in me, and I in him,
So I go on, abiding, dwelling, trusting,
           resting, in him.

            "Abide in me, and I in you.
       As the branch cannot bear fruit of
       itself, except it abide in the
       vine; no more can ye, except ye
       abide in me."   (John 15:4)
(c) 1995 & 2009 by Marilee Miller

13. I AM HERE, LORD

     I am here, oh Lord. Pour out your
voice and your spirit on me: That I may
be whole. That I may take into my being
that which I need, from you. That I may
"do" and "be", for you, what you want me
to do and be. That I will not fret about
what I cannot accomplish. I am here. I
am here.

            "And it shall come to pass...
       that I will pour out my spirit
       upon all flesh..."   (Joel 2:28a)
(c) 1995 & 2009 by Marilee Miller

14. WHO I AM

Who I am in Christ:

"accepted in the beloved"   Eph. 1:6
"free from condemnation"   Rom. 8:1
"alive with Christ" Eph. 2:5
"called of God" II Tim. 1:9
"the salt of the earth" Matt. 5:13
"a fellow citizen with the saints and of
the household of God" Eph. 2:19
"more than a conqueror" Rom. 8:37

15. A CALL

I, the Lord, have placed
A call within you to come forth.
I breathe the breath of God on you
           to come forth,
Come forth, come forth.
The Holy One of Israel is watching over
             all you do,
Or say or think.
He is with you.
He is with you.

Think, think!
Will you answer my call?
Come forth, come forth to meet your God.

            "...And after that they shall come
forth, and serve me in this place."
   (Acts 7:7b)
(c) 1995 & 2009 by Marilee Miller
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