GPiper
October 20th 2003, 06:39 AM
"God," I prayed one day sometime ago, "you'll have to excuse me but I'm frustrated. Sometimes it seems as if things aren't the way they're suppose to be! So many of members of my family, friends, and acquaintances are floundering in deep water battered by the storms of life. There's Adam, there's Terry, there's Ashlee, there's Troy, there's Patty, there's Delores, there's Dorothy, there's Betty, there's Ivon, and the list goes on and on and on. My spirit cries out, 'How long, Oh Lord, must these good people flounder and experience storms created by the circumstances beyond their control? Prayerfully and Respectfully Amen!'"
"Gary," a still small voice answered back, "Do you love me?"
"Yes Lord I love you," I heard myself say.
"Gary," a still small voice called to me, "Do you love me?"
"Yes Lord you know I love you," I replied.
"Gary," a still small voice called to me, "Do you love me?"
"Yes Lord I love you, my actions do not always reflect my love but I love you," I answered feeling guilty.
"Gary if you love me hear these words, *Love is always patient and kind; love is never jealous; love is not boastful or conceited, it is never rude and never seeks its own advantage, it does not take offence or store up grievances. Love does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but finds its joy in the truth. It is always ready to make allowances, to trust, to hope and to endure whatever comes......... **Seek out Yahweh while he is still to be found, call to him while he is still near. Let the wicked abandon his way and the evil one his thoughts. Let him turn back to Yahweh who will take pity on him, to our God, for he is rich in forgiveness; for my thoughts are not your thoughts and your ways are not my ways, declares Yahweh. For the heavens are as high above earth as my ways are above your ways, my thoughts above your thoughts. For, as the rain and the snow come down from the sky and do not return before having watered the earth, fertilizing it and making it germinate to provide seed for the sower and food to eat, so it is with the word that goes from my mouth: it will not return to me unfulfilled or before having carried out my good pleasure and having achieved what it was sent to do. Endure, Pray, Believe, Trust, and Step out in Faith."
"It's hard Lord," I whispered."
"I know," the voice replied, "So was the Cross."
Gary
*1st Corinthians 13:4 -13:7 NJB **Isaiah 55:6 - 55:11 NJB
"Gary," a still small voice answered back, "Do you love me?"
"Yes Lord I love you," I heard myself say.
"Gary," a still small voice called to me, "Do you love me?"
"Yes Lord you know I love you," I replied.
"Gary," a still small voice called to me, "Do you love me?"
"Yes Lord I love you, my actions do not always reflect my love but I love you," I answered feeling guilty.
"Gary if you love me hear these words, *Love is always patient and kind; love is never jealous; love is not boastful or conceited, it is never rude and never seeks its own advantage, it does not take offence or store up grievances. Love does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but finds its joy in the truth. It is always ready to make allowances, to trust, to hope and to endure whatever comes......... **Seek out Yahweh while he is still to be found, call to him while he is still near. Let the wicked abandon his way and the evil one his thoughts. Let him turn back to Yahweh who will take pity on him, to our God, for he is rich in forgiveness; for my thoughts are not your thoughts and your ways are not my ways, declares Yahweh. For the heavens are as high above earth as my ways are above your ways, my thoughts above your thoughts. For, as the rain and the snow come down from the sky and do not return before having watered the earth, fertilizing it and making it germinate to provide seed for the sower and food to eat, so it is with the word that goes from my mouth: it will not return to me unfulfilled or before having carried out my good pleasure and having achieved what it was sent to do. Endure, Pray, Believe, Trust, and Step out in Faith."
"It's hard Lord," I whispered."
"I know," the voice replied, "So was the Cross."
Gary
*1st Corinthians 13:4 -13:7 NJB **Isaiah 55:6 - 55:11 NJB