I pray that the God who gives hope will fill you with much joy and peace while you trust in him. Then your hope will overflow by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Romans 15.13
There are those who will tell you that all you have to do is believe in yourself and you can have it all. There are others who say you can move mountains if you are driven by a great purpose. Both are partially right. But a healthy sense of identity and a driving purpose are not enough in themselves. One thing more is needed. It is the in-dwelling Spirit of the living God.
Luis Palau tells about an Air Canada flight that ran into trouble one fateful Monday. Passengers were enjoying a movie on a Boeing 767 when the jumbo jet's massive engines abruptly stopped. Only those without earphones noticed at first. Then came a break in the movie. The pilot announced that Flight 143 would be making an emergency landing. Sixty-nine people were trapped in an agonizingly slow but inescapable descent to earth.
For several minutes, a desperate silence hung over the cabin. Then fear gave way to screams as the landing neared. All the latest technology couldn't keep the jumbo jet in the air another second.
What had happened was this. The electronic digital fuel gauge was out of order. The flight crew depended on figures given by the refueling crew before takeoff. But someone on the refueling crew confused pounds for kilograms. Thus, eight hundred miles short of its destination, the jet had run out of fuel. Fortunately, the captain and the co-captain were able to glide Flight 143 some one hundred miles to a former military air field. A dramatic crash landing heavily damaged the jumbo jet's landing gear, but, by the grace of God, no one on board was hurt.
An impressive craft--headed in the right direction--but running out of fuel. That's happening to a lot of people today. They have a high sense of self-esteem. They are motivated by a sense of purpose. But one day they wake up disillusioned and disheartened. The fuel has all been spent.
Where does the fuel we need for life come from? It comes from God's in-dwelling Spirit. This was the most important gift that the Father bestowed upon those first disciples of Jesus. And this is the most important gift He can bestow upon us. And He will give it to all who ask.
by R Newhouse
FRIENDS:
Father, Our hope is in you . You are our help, our shield to protect us. We rejoice in you because we trust your Holy name. Lord, show your love to us as we put our hope in you. Thank you for loving us. In Jesus' name, Amen.
DAILY BIBLE CHALLENGE ~ JUNE~
Luke Ephesians Psalms 1 Kings
10. 3:21:38; 5:1-21; 119:73-80; 15-16
11. 4:1-12; 5:22-33; 119:81-88; 17-18
10 Things To Be Thankful For
1. The pain you get in your side when can't quit laughing
2. The last day of school
3. Giving a laughing child a ride in a wheelbarrow
4. Putting on freshly pressed clothes
5. Eating lunch in a bathing suit
6. Laying on your back gazing at the stars
7. Summer
8. Dinner by candlelight
9. The feeling of a evening breeze wafting in the window
10. People working together in harmony
FOOD:
Who knew?
Just 10 prunes delivers 20 percent of your daily potassium and copper requirements, 14 percent of your iron requirements, and 10 percent of your manganese and zinc requirements. Prunes also provide a whopping
dose of the essential vitamins A, C, E, and B-complex, including folate.
If you don't like the taste of prunes, this will definitely make them edible.
DRUNKEN PRUNES
2 heaping teaspoons Darjeeling or other black tea leaves
2 cups boiling water
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 1/4 pounds pitted prunes, (dried plums)
1 cup Armagnac, or cognac (buy a few of those little airplane sized bottles or don't use at all)
1 vanilla bean, cut in half
Directions
1. Stir tea and water in a small bowl; let steep for 5 minutes. Strain into a medium saucepan; stir in brown sugar. Bring to a boil over high heat; boil until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Place prunes in a large bowl; stir in hot syrup. Set aside to cool to room temperature, about 1 hour.
2. Meanwhile, sterilize two 1-pint canning jars by steaming them upside down, their lids alongside, in a closed steamer for 10 minutes; or place in a large pot and cover by 1 inch of water and boil for 10 minutes.
3. Drain prunes, reserving liquid separately. Whisk Armagnac (or cognac) into the liquid. Pack each sterilized jar with half the prunes. Nestle half the vanilla bean in each jar. Pour 1/2 cup of the Armagnac mixture into each jar. Seal and turn upside down to blend ingredients. Set right side up and store in the refrigerator for 1 week to plump.
FUN:
