Vows 2 and 3

FAITH:

2. NEVER OWN ANYTHING

I do not mean by this that you cannot have things. I mean that you ought to get delivered from the sense of possessing them. This sense of possessing is what hinders us. All babies are born with their fists clenched, and it seems to me it means, "This is mine!" One of the first things they say when they begin to speak, is "mine" in an angry voice. That sense of "This is mine" 'is a very injurious thing to the spirit. If you can get rid of it so that you have no feeling of possessing anything, there will come a great sense of freedom and liberty into your life.

Now don't think that you must sell all that you have and give it to charity. No. God will let you have your car and your business, your practice and your position, whatever it may be - provided you understand that it is not yours at all, but His, and all you are doing is just working for Him. You can be restful about it then, because we never need to worry about losing anything that belongs to someone else. If it is yours, you are always looking in your hand to see if it is still there. If it is God's, you no longer need to worry about it.

Let me point out some things you'll have to turn over to God. Property is one thing. Some of the dear Lord's children are being held back because there is a ball and chain on their legs. if it is a man, it's his big car and fine home. If it is a woman, it's her china and her Louis XIV furniture and all the rest. Take that vase for instance. There it stands. And if anybody knocked it off and broke it, the poor owner would probably lose five years from her life! it is always necessary to remember that we are only stewards of that which is usually called a possession.

3. NEVER DEFEND YOURSELF

We are all born with a desire to defend ourselves. And if you insist upon defending yourself, God will let you do it But if on turn the defense of yourself over to God, He will defend you. He told Moses in Exodus 23: "I will be an enemy unto thine enemies and an adversary to thine adversaries."

What do we defend? Well, we defend our talents; we defend our service; and particularly, we defend our reputation. Your reputation is what people think you are, and if a story gets out about you, the big temptation is to try to run it down.

Henry Suso was a great Christian of other days. Once he was seeking what some Christians have told me they are seeking to know God better. Let's put it like this: You are seeking to have a religious awakening within your spirit that will thrust you farther out into the deep things of God. Well, as Henry Suso was seeking God, people started telling evil stories about the man, and it grieved him so that he wept bitter tears and had great sorrow of heart.

Then one day he looked out the window and saw a dog playing on the lawn. The dog had a mat, and kept picking the mat up, tossing it over his shoulder, running and getting it, tossing it some more, picking it up and tossing it again. God said to Henry Suso, "That mat is your reputation, and I am letting the dogs of sin tear your reputation to shreds and toss it all over the lawn for your own good, but one of these days things will change."

And this did change. it was not very long before the people who were tearing his reputation were confounded, and Suso rose into a place that made him a power in his day and a great blessing still to those who sing his hymns and read his work.

FRIENDS:

Father, How holy and great is your promise. You've been so good to us, but somehow we find things to complain about even thought we've been given life eternal. Renew our vision; help us to see heaven. Help us to be busy about the things of the kingdom. In Jesus' name, Amen.

TEN THINGS TO BE THANKFUL FOR
1. Morning, after a bad night
2. Fresh, local corn
3. Know someone is faithful
4. Spring break
5. The smell of the earth
6. A smiling bride
7. Seeing someone you have missed
8. A good neighbor
9. Seeing with new eyes
10. A child who has learned a new skill

FOOD:

Homemade Baking Powder
Makes about 1/3 cup

Ingredients:
1/4 cup cream of tartar
2 Tbsp baking soda

Method:
Sift both ingredients together into a small bowl; repeat process 2 more times. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 weeks; resift mixture before using.

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Baking Powder

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp Cream Of Tartar Powder
1 Tbsp Baking Soda
1 Tbsp Cornstarch

Method:
Sift ingredients together and store in small container with tight-fitting lid.
One teaspoon of this equals 1 teaspoon of commercial baking powder.

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Large Batch Baking Powder

Ingredients:
1 lb Soda
1 1/2 lb Cream of tartar
1/4 lb Cornstarch

Method:
Mix all ingredients together. 1 tsp mix = 1 tsp Baking Powder

FUN:

Dear Lord,

So for today, God; I've done all right. I haven't gossiped,
haven't lost my temper, haven't been greedy, grumpy, nasty,
selfish, or even indulgent.

I'm very thankful for that - But in a very short time, God, I'm
going to get out of bed, and from that moment on I'm going to
need a lot of help!

Amen.