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Inspirational Gems for Each Day --
VOLUME 6, 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. THE LORD UPHOLDS

The Lord upholds us with his hand --
And even when we cannot understand --
His care, his providence, and love
Are sent as gifts from him above;
He guides our steps and marks our way,
He hears his children when they pray;
Even in life's hardest hours,
He hears our prayers: and he empowers.
So let us trust his mercy-care:
His kindness shines out everywhere.

            "The Lord knoweth the days of
       the upright...
            "The steps of a righteous man
       are ordered by the Lord...
            "Though he fall, he shall not
       be utterly cast down: for the Lord
       upholdeth him with his hand."
         (Ps. 37:18a, 23a, 24)
(c) 1995 & 2009 by Marilee Miller

17. DELIVERER

They want a deliverer, oh God:
A Moses to be stirred to arise,
To lead the children
           to the Promised Land.
An Elijah to test the prophets of Baal
And find the Lord stronger,
           mightier than all.
They want a Paul to write of power
And a Peter to teach them
         to cast their nets in faith.
All the people of America --
The hurting ones, the angry ones,
The disrespectful ones,
The smug or comfortable ones,
The children and innocent ones:
To them, oh God, send
           your new day dawning,
A Day of Pentecost with fire bright,
Falling from heaven to deliver
              and set hearts aflame.
They want a deliverer, oh Lord.
Stretch forth your mighty arm,
And save and lead them
In Christ's Name.

            "And so all Israel shall be
       saved: as it is written, There
       shall come out of Sion the
       Deliverer, and shall turn away
       ungodliness from Jacob...
            "...As for the election, they
       are beloved for the fathers' sakes.
            "For the gifts and calling of
       God are without repentance."
         (Rom. 11:26, 28b-29)
(c) 1995 & 2009 by Marilee Miller

18. REASONS

     "For the joy of the Lord is your
strength."   (Neh. 8:10c)

There are so many reasons to take joy in
the Lord.
He says we are "gifts of God he delights in."
For each of us, he has a plan for life.
He is our reason to go on living.
He gives us hope as an anchor,
And undeserved privileges (grace) besides.
His kindness is beyond our ability to
describe.
What a mighty God is he!
How much he's given to enrich our lives.

            "Blessed be the God and Father
       of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath
       blessed us with all spiritual blessings
in heavenly places in Christ."
(Eph. 1:3)
(c) 1995 & 2009 by Marilee Miller

19. STRUGGLES

     Many people are going through a lot
of struggles these days. The following
Scriptures seem appropriate.

     "Blessed be God, even the Father of
our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of
mercies, and the God of comfort;
     "Who comforteth us in all our
tribulation, that we may be able to
comfort them which are in any trouble, by
the comfort wherewith we ourselves are
comforted of God.
     "For as the sufferings of Christ
abound in us, so our consolation also
aboundeth by Christ.
     "And whether we be afflicted, it is
for your consolation and salvation, which
is effectual in the enduring of the same
sufferings which we suffer: or whether we
be comforted, it is for your consolation
and salvation.
     "And our hope of you is stedfast,
knowing, that as ye are partakers of the
sufferings, so shall ye be also of the
consolation.
     "For we would not, brethren, have you
ignorant of our trouble... that which we
were pressed out of measure, above
strength, insomuch that we despaired even
of life:
     "But we had the sentence of death in
ourselves, that we should not trust in
ourselves, but in God which raised the
dead:
     "Who delivered us from so great a
death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust
that he will yet deliver us..."
      (II Cor. 1:3-10)

20. GOD'S ENCOURAGEMENT

     God is always present with us to
offer us encouragement. Sometimes we
can't feel that encouragement. But he is
still there. We can't comprehend his love
and mercy toward us. But he will keep on
reaching out to us.

            "In the day when I cried thou
       answeredst me, and strengthenedst
       me with strength in my soul.
            "Though the Lord be high, yet
       hath he respect unto the lowly...
            "The Lord will perfect that
       which concerneth me: thy mercy, O
       Lord, endureth for ever: forsake
       not the works of thine own hands.
         (Ps. 138:3, 6a, 8)
(c) 1995 & 2009 by Marilee Miller

21. LORD OF ALL

Jesus is Lord of all.
Lord over all my fears.
Bigger, mightier than my fears.
Not fearful for my future.
For he knows today, and the future --
      and he IS my today and my future.

Jesus is Lord of all.
Lord over all my sorrows.
Bigger, mightier than my sorrows.
Not sorrowful for my future.
For he knows today, and the future --
      and he IS my today and my future.

Jesus is Lord of all.
Lord over all my tensions, my hostility
and "unlove".
Bigger, mightier than any negative
emotion.
Not tense or unloving over my future.
For he knows today, and the future --
      and he IS my today and my future.

Jesus is Lord of all.
Lord over all my bright spots and
laughter.
Bigger, mightier than any positive traits.
Empowering, securing my future.
For he knows today, and the future --
      and he IS my today and my future.

            "He is Lord of all." (Acts 10:36b)
(c) 1995 & 2009 by Marilee Miller

22. HOW OFTEN?

     Lord, how often do we try to "fix"
something in another person, when what we
most need to do, is "just listen"? How
often do we see the accomplishments of
another, and feel hurt that we didn't get
the praise instead? Lord, how often do we
fail to count our blessings because we
focus on our lackings? How often do we
have our minds so firmly fixed on the
human viewpoint, we almost miss your way?

     Lord, how often do we "do the Lord's
work" for you, instead of seeking long, in
prayer, your will? Lord, how may we learn
to be more grateful to you? How may we
forgive, forget, and leave the rest to you?
Help us! Help us, we pray.

            "And it shall come to pass, that
whosoever shall call on the name of
the Lord shall be delivered: for in
mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall
be deliverance, as the Lord hath said,
and in the remnant whom the Lord
shall call." (Joel 2:32)
(c) 1995 & 2009 by Marilee Miller

23. HE IS ABLE

     The might of our God is incredible.
Into the midst of our pain or uncertainty
or not-knowing, he brings his wonderful
power and love. (Part of his gifts come
to us in response to our prayers. But we
receive the most "just because he is
faithful".) He sends forth his own Spirit.
He creates new things in us. He renews
our hopes, so we can go on living in a
world which too often seems broken down,
beat up, unable to function properly. When
God is at work in us, we need no other help!
He may choose to work in us through other
persons, or events. Or he may work in us
by his own might. But always, he is able!
He renews and strengthens us.

            "Thou sendest forth thy spirit,
[the creatures] are created: and
thou renewest the face of the
      earth."   (Ps. 104:30)
(c) 1995 & 2009 by Marilee Miller

24. BRANCH

     The gnarly branch, fallen from a
mighty evergreen during a yesteryear
storm, lay in the middle of an overgrown
path at the edge of the woods. Just an
old, dead, bare, weathered, multifingered
piece of scrub. However, the woman who
happened upon it, coveted that branch the
moment she saw it on the trail. For her
eyes went past the useless brokenness.
She perceived the beauty of God's
creation.

     She longed to lug home the branch.
She could transform the now-ugly thing
into something friendly and clever. But
no -- she could not store any materials
for even one more future project. The
rocks, and sticks, and doll parts, and
other things in which she'd seen beauty
and wonderfulness, still lay on shelves,
their glories still tucked away in her
mind, but not brought forth to fruition by
actual creative activity. Never time and
energy enough for ought but her artistic
dreams!

     Such a lovely little branch. Spray
it with paint, affix it to a base -- make
a little decorator's tree, the sort on
which one hangs Christmas ornaments or
colored Easter eggs, or pretty bows, or
other glittery glamor things. Or, scour
it and wax it, then mount it on a wall (if
wall space yet remained in this artistic
woman's abounding, teeming with handmades
home), arrange it with feathered birds and
nests -- such a branch could be a glory-
piece to show God's love, yes even on a
living room wall.

     But she just shook her head and
walked away. She stilled the aching
longing in her heart with a dreamer's
prayer. "Lord, if my heart cares so much
to fashion an old dead branch into a
beauty-piece -- then how much more you see
the beauty-lines in the broken pieces of
my meager-seeming life. You never say 'No
more room' for one more treasure for your
fingers to take, and remake. Because you
work for all eternity, there's no lack of
energy and time to make something
beautiful out of what seems so very weak
and small. So, Lord, please take my
humdrum days and wistful heart, and make
them beautiful to glorify the Father's
house. Amen."

            "Let not your heart be troubled:
ye believe in God, believe also in me.
            "In my Father's house are many
mansions: if it were not so, I would
have told you. I go to prepare a
place for you.
            "And if I go and prepare a place
for you, I will come again, and
receive you unto myself: that where
   I am, there ye may be also."
         (John 14:1-3)
(c) 1995 & 2009 by Marilee Miller

25. FAITH

     Such simple, childlike faith she had.
Mary. The mother of our Lord. An angel
intruded on her days and hours. Changed
all tradition, and the course of all her
days. Didn't ask her if he came at a
convenient season, or promise her a
comfortable idea! Just told her she would
bring forth the holy Messiah Lord.

     "How shall this be possible?" asked
Mary, her simplicity going to straight to
the point. The angel reminded her of the
Holy Spirit's work. Not a thing that Mary
could "will" to come forth, this little
holy child. But a miracle, a God-made
work.

     Mary believed that in God's time and
way, all things are possible.

            "...Behold the handmaid of the
       Lord; be it unto me according to
       thy word..."   (Luke 1:38b)
(c) 1995 & 2009 by Marilee Miller

26. HERE IS MY HEART

Here is my heart, Lord,
Take it and fill it with your goodness;
Here is my life, God,
Make it what you want me to "become."
Here is my hope, Lord,
I fix it solely on your mercifulness;
Here I am, oh Christ,
Take me -- and let "thy kingdom come."

           "Our Father, which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom
come. Thy will be done in earth, as
it is in heaven." (Matt. 6:9b-10)
(c) 1995 & 2009 by Marilee Miller

27. THERE IS A POWER WITHIN

     There is a power within us. God is
that power. He's a wonderful God and
Lord! If only we had some idea of how
wonderful is our Maker. We would nearly
"bust our buttons" with the pride of
belonging to him. For if we're willing to
come to him, he says that he has adopted
us. We're part of God's family. We
belong to the Lord. Let us praise the
mighty works of the Almighty, "whose
mercy is over all his works, and his will
is ever directed toward his children's
good."

            "For thine [the Lord's] is the
kingdom, and the power, and
       the glory, for ever. Amen."
           (Matt. 6:13b)
(c) 1995 & 2009 by Marilee Miller

28. BELONGING TO CHRIST
                   AND TO ONE ANOTHER

Are you discouraged,
despairing,
thinking the world uncaring?
You have a Lord who cares for you.
Are you disparaged,
failing,
deprived of security's hand-railing?
You still belong to Christ:
           he shares with you.

            "So we being many, are one
      body in Christ, and every one
      members one of another." (Rom. 12:5)

29. EASY TO FOLLOW?

     It's the easiest thing in the world
to accept Jesus Christ as Lord of all
life. One little turning to him. A few
earnestly spoken words. "Help me, Lord.
I can't carry this load, this life, by
myself. I need you to take care of me."
Then it's his turn to carry the burdens.
Ours the willingness to follow (to the
best of our often limited understanding).
His the responsibility to "keep us from
falling and present us faultless before
the presence of his glory with exceeding
joy."

     But continuing to follow Jesus Christ
is not all that easy. He asks a hard thing
from us. He doesn't just ask us to be
loyal to him when, or if, we feel like it.
We don't imitate Jesus' life one day, then
go our own way the next. It's not a
matter of just giving up a few bad habits
and running the rest of our lives as we
please.

     No, what the Lord asks is that we
make a committment to put him first in
every area of our lives. To ask
ourselves, when faced with temptations or
perplexities, "What would Christ have me
do?" "How do I show my respect for my
Lord?"

     Fortunately, it is not we ourselves who
manage to follow after him. We can't stay
loyal to him -- not in our own strength!
Again, his the work, ours the willingness.
"Lord, I cannot. But I know you can
keep me." And so he does. He slowly
remakes us, until at last we fit into his
very own special plan and design. It is
not who we are, but Who he is. And so,
when we let him work, he will carry our
loads for us. So then we may say the
words of Jesus: "My yoke is easy, and my
burden is light." (Matt. 11:30)

     Easy to follow Jesus? Yes. But also
at times, very hard -- this is a riddle of
sorts. We have to accept Christ, and our
walk with him, by faith, not by logic. We
don't always understand. But we choose to
trust our lives to him.

            "...Jesus answered and said...
       Are ye able to drink of the cup
       that I shall drink of...? They say
       unto him, We are able." (Mt.20:22)
(c) 1995 & 2009 by Marilee Miller

30. from the Scriptures.

     "Make a joyful noise unto the Lord,
all ye lands.
     "Serve the Lord with gladness: come
before his presence with singing.
     "Know ye that the Lord he is God: it
is he that hath made us, and not we
ourselves; we are his people, and the
sheep of his pasture.
     "Enter into his gates with thanks-
giving, and into his courts with praise:
be thankful unto him, and bless his name.
     "For the Lord is good; his mercy is
everlasting; and his truth endureth to all
generations."   (the 100th Psalm)
=

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