The enemy of my enemy….

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It is past time we learned to work together.

Ken Knowlton's avatarartistdayapart

Sun Tzu is credited with the phrase, The enemy of my enemy is my friend, around the 6th century BC.  Within a few years, it made its way to what is now the Middle East and eventually to the Western world.  So, when Jesus talked about enemies and friends, people had a pre-conceived idea about how the two would typically interact.

             

But what He said was totally new to those He spoke to.   Jesus is quoted in both Matthew (22:39) and Mark (12:31) as saying, Love your neighbor as yourself.  And when Paul writes to the Romans (13:10), he emphasized that love does no harm to a neighbor.  And, who is our neighbor?  Luke quotes Jesus’s story of the Good Samaritan who, despite being despised by the Jewish people, saved and took care of one them at his own expense.  So those who we consider our enemies…

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Weekly Travel Theme: Outdoors

Posted on by under Photography

Ailsa has asked us to get into the great OUTDOORS with our photos this week and since, as she has noted today is “Take a Walk In the Park Day.” I thought I would show you some of my walks in the parks.

The Castle Park Taken from the top of Blarney Castle
The Castle Park Taken from the top of Blarney
The lawns and gardens of Muckross House Killarney
The Middle Lake, Killarney
Brenda walking in Keukenhof
Well I’m not walking but at least I am in a park!

See how others made it into the outdoors by going to

http://wheresmybackpack.com/2015/03/27/travel-theme-outdoors/

The Road To Powerful Prayer

Posted on by under Pastor Wrinkles

Our church is hosting Ron Auch this week author of several books dealing with The Christian’s Intimacy With God, including

Product Details     Product Details      Product Details  Product Details

Ron taught on the subject , The Road To Powerful Prayer.

Here are some quotes from the conference.

“If you wonder if you have faith for a thing you don’t. Those who have faith know it and walk in it.”

“Worship is the one thing we can do to bless the Lord.”

“The Lord of the work is always more important than the work of the Lord.”

“Revival needs intimacy. Intimacy creates revival. Revival brings new birth. We want the new birth without the intimacy.”

“You can have church growth without prayer but you can’t have spiritual awakening without prayer.”

“Sometimes we think if we don’t give God good instruction, He might mess up.”

“Part of Satan’s plan is to make us fight him and stop pursuing Jesus.”

It was a great conference and we have more teaching today and tonight.

Which quote resonates with you?

A Word A Week Photograph Challenge – Float

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The age is coming to an end. Are you ready?

debbestillandlisten's avatarDebBe Still and Listen

  A Word A Week-Float: 

here are my entries and this is where you can find other entries.

Changing of the Guard

By Deb Maciorowski ©

 Look, the seasons are coming to an end

It is time for, Changing of the Guard.

It is slow at first and before you know it

A harvest collage has taken place.

One by one, they begin the descent,

Gliding leisurely from side to side.

As if being cradled to sleep in My arms.

Some will be swept up in the ascension

To rest at My feet.

I ask you my little ones,

Will you tarry with Me a while?

And let your hearts be refreshed in Me

Until the next, Changing of the Guard.

Float the Boat 2014 fundraiser for Special Touch Northeast Region Get Away
Float the Boat 2014 fundraiser for Special Touch Northeast Region Get Away

Letting Go Letting Go

 

 

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Weekly Photo Challenge: Ephemeral

In response to The Daily Post’s weekly photo challenge: “Ephemeral.”

This week the Daily Post has asked us to bring light to the word EPHEMERAL  with our photos.

Here are my thoughts on the subject

“All people are like grass,

and all their glory is like the flowers of the field;

the grass withers and the flowers fall,

25but the word of the Lord endures forever.”

1 Peter 24-25

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The Lord is like a father to his children,

tender and compassionate to those who fear him.

14For he knows how weak we are;

he remembers we are only dust.

15Our days on earth are like grass;

like wildflowers, we bloom and die.

16The wind blows, and we are gone—

as though we had never been here.

17But the love of the Lord remains forever

with those who fear him. Psalm 103:13-17

This is what the smell of Sandalwood Incense looks like.
At sunrise everything is luminous but not clear. It is those we live with and love and should know who elude us. You can love completely without complete understanding. Norman Maclean

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The Jesus Code

In response to The Daily Post’s writing prompt: “I Walk the Line.”

The Daily Prompt today asks Have you got a code you live by? What are the principles or set of values you actively apply in your life?

I suppose it is trite to say but I try to live by the motto “WWJD” (What would Jesus do). I approach everyday with prayer directed to Jesus Christ and a renewed hope in His mercies which are new every morning.

Over time I have learned that trying to be like Jesus in my own strength is a fool’s errand. I can no more attain Christ-likeness by my own striving than a turnip can attain humanity by growing in the garden. Left to itself a turnip will always be a turnip and left to my own machinations I will always remain a sinner. But there is hope, for me at least. While  I am pretty sure nothing can make a turnip turn human there is something that can transform this sinner into a righteous man; That is the power of Christ.

2 Corinthians 3:16-18 says, “whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.”

The code is “What would Jesus do”. The ability to live by the code comes through my daily inviting Jesus into my life, by prayer, to do what He would!

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In Other Words: The Heart-Hole

Posted on by under The Stories

In Other Words

Well here we are for another week of “In Other Words” the flash fiction writing challenge where Patricia gives us a quote and we have to write a story on it. You can find other contributions to the challenge at

http://patriciasplace.me/2015/03/25/celebrate-the-journey/

This week’s quote is…

“Stop worrying about the potholes in the road
and celebrate the journey”
Barbara Hoffman

Ireland 517

I found him sitting in his living room with the curtains drawn. The floor was littered with empty bottles. He hadn’t changed his clothes in days.

“What are you doing to yourself son?” I held my hand to my nose trying to block out the stench of  stale sweat and booze which assailed my nostrils.

“She’s gone dad. She took the kids. What am I going to do?”

Tear stains streaked dirty lines down his cheeks etching age and weariness in every corner.

“You are going to open the curtains and start living.” I said sternly.

I threw back the thick velvet drapes she had chosen and thought to myself they would be the first things to go. The sunlight glinted off the photos of my grandchildren. He squinted in the brightness. I felt a lump of pity rise in my throat.

“Go shower.” I ordered.

Once I heard the water running I cleaned up the empties and tossed the wrappers of too many nights of take out into the trash.

My son had fallen down a  hole in his heart. It was deep but then I had climbed out of similar pits. We could do this together.

I went to the radio and turned up the music.