FReeper Canteen ~ Sunday Chapel ~ A HUMBLE SPIRIT ~ 31 January 2016

Serving The Best Troops and Veterans In The World !! | The Canteen Crew

[Kathy in Alaska]

 

 

 

 

A HUMBLE SPIRIT

It's always surprising to me when someone, in an honest and unguarded moment, confides that God could never use THEM. They may keep up appearances most of the time, but, down deep, they just don't feel worthy. Have you ever felt that way? If so, you're in luck; God places a high value on humility! In fact, your sincere recognition of your own need may just be the key that opens the door to a deeper, more genuine and rewarding spirituality. Isaiah wrote, "For thus says the High and Holy One Who inhabits eternity, whose name IS Holy: 'I dwell in the high and holy place, with him who has a humble and contrite spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the spirit of the contrite.'" (57:15) And Jesus added, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 5:3)

For a short history lesson to reinforce those references, consider the following words by another pilgrim who found a second chance:

"There are many reasons why God shouldn't have called you. But don't worry. You're in good company: Moses stuttered. David's armor didn't fit. John Mark was rejected by Paul. Timothy had ulcers. Hosea's wife was a prostitute. Amos' only training was in the school of fig-tree pruning. Jacob was a liar. David had an affair. Solomon was too rich. Abraham was too old. David was too young. Peter was afraid of death. Lazarus was dead. John was self-righteous. Naomi was a widow. Paul was a murderer. So was Moses. Jonah ran from God. Miriam was a gossip. Gideon and Thomas both doubted. Jeremiah was depressed and suicidal. Elijah was burned out. John the Baptist was a loudmouth. Martha was a worry-wart. Mary was lazy. Samson had long hair. Noah got drunk. "Did I mention that Moses had a short fuse? So did Peter, Paul -- well, lots of folks did. "But God doesn't require a job interview. He doesn't hire and fire like most bosses because He's more our Father than our Boss. He doesn't look at financial gain or loss. He's not prejudiced or partial, not judging, grudging, sassy, or brassy, not deaf to our cry, not blind to our need.

As much as we try, God's gifts are free. We could do wonderful things for wonderful people and still not be wonderful. Satan says, "You're not worthy." Jesus says, "So what? I AM." Satan looks back and sees our mistakes. God looks back and sees the cross. He doesn't calculate what you did in '78. It's not even on the record. Sure. There are lots of reasons why God shouldn't have called us. But if we are magically in love with Him, if we hunger for Him more than our next breath, He'll use us in spite of who we are, where we've been, or what we look like. I pray that, as believers, we will step out of our limitations into the unlimited nature of who God is. Then our passion for God and our passion to communicate Him will make short work of our limitations."

No matter where you are in your journey today, or how you may have failed in the past, God loves you... and sees what may yet be. May you find hope, grace, a renewed vision, and treasures that don't disappoint.

CAPT J. David Atwater, CHC, USN

 

[Kathy in Alaska]

He Who blessed our forefathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob - may He bless the fighters of the Israel Defense Force, who stand guard over our land and the cities of our G-d from the border of the Lebanon to the desert of Egypt, and from the Great Sea unto the approach of the Aravah, on the land, in the air, and on the sea.

May HASHEM cause the enemies who rise up against us to be struck down before them. May the Holy One, Blessed is He, preserve and rescue our fighting men from every trouble and distress and from every plague and illness, and may He send blessing and success in their every endeavor.

May He lead our enemies under their sway and may He grant them salvation and crown them with victory. And may there be fulfilled for them the verse: For it is Hashem, your G-d, Who goes with you to battle your enemies for you to save you.

G-d bless and keep your children safe, Alouette.

[radu]

Greetings to all at the Canteen!

To all our military men and women, past and present,

[Kathy in Alaska]

Oh no...now you have to find latex free gloves.

[left that other site]

Not for a while...I’m done painting! LOL!

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, Janey...((HUGS))...happy plane.

Shavua Tov and a Blessed Lord’s Day to you and yours.

You at home? A family adventure today?

[radu]

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, radu...and a Blessed Lord’s Day to you and yours.

Gotta head back to bed for a while. I’ll try to come back later.

Hope you are warm now.

[radu]

Glad you felt up to getting about a little but don’t push it. It sounds like you got clobbered pretty hard. :-(

Warm, we are but only for a few days. Back to winter late next week so we’re enjoying this while we can.

[The Mayor]

Freep mail me to be on or off the Daily Bread ping list

He Came for You

January 31, 2016

The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.

Luke 4:18

In his novels The Trial and The Castle, Franz Kafka (1883-1924) portrays life as a dehumanizing existence that turns people into a sea of empty faces without identity or worth. Kafka said, "The conveyer belt of life carries you on, no one knows where. One is more of an object, a thing, than a living creature."

Early in His ministry, Jesus went to a synagogue in Nazareth, stood up in front of the crowd, and read from Isaiah: "The Spirit of the Lord is on me because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor" (Luke 4:18-19).

The Lord's mercy extends to all people.

Then Christ sat down and declared, "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing" (v. 21). Centuries earlier, the prophet Isaiah had proclaimed these words (Isa. 61:1-2). Now Jesus announced that He was the fulfillment of that promise.

Notice who Jesus came to rescue--the poor, brokenhearted, captive, blind, and oppressed. He came for people dehumanized by sin and suffering, by brokenness and sorrow. He came for us!

For those who sin and those who suffer. For those who suffer because of sin. For those who sin to alleviate suffering. Lord, have mercy on us. Robert Gelinas, The Mercy Prayer

No matter how impersonal the world may seem, Jesus loves each of us as if we were His only child.

Insight:

Luke 4 provides a classic portrait of how a prophet is without honor in his own country (see Matt. 13:53-57; John 4:44). In the synagogue Jesus made His formal announcement of His role as the promised Messiah, quoting Isaiah's great messianic prophecy (Luke 4:16-21; Isa. 61:1-2). The people immediately responded with amazement and "spoke well of Him" (v. 22). But when Jesus responded by challenging the hardness of their hearts, they tried to kill Him (vv. 23-30). In the midst of His challenge to them Jesus pointed to the reality of being rejected by those of His own hometown (v. 24).

[SkyDancer]

Hai - visiting with family. We had a nice hike up into the mountains behind the house - lots of waterfalls, nice trail.

[mylife]

best wishes, get well soon

[mylife]

Thank you brother.
An excellent sermon

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening/morning, Luv, and a Blessed Lord’s Day to you and yours.

Thank you for the hymns.

MIL settled in now, and making new friends?

[Kathy in Alaska]

I think I’m headed for ok. Fever broke, coughing is less, and I can be up and concentrate for a little bit at a time. Hopefully I will finally get some sleep tonight. I think I’ve used 2 cans of Lysol Disinfectant following myself wherever I go, hoping my Mom doesn’t catch it.

We got warm again and the cul-de-sac is a shining sheet of ice. BUT the city came about 3am and spread gravel...a first since I’ve been here, but the only way to navigate the street.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good morning, Mayor, and thank you for today’s sustenance for body and soul.

A Blessed Lord’s Day to The Mayor family.

[Kathy in Alaska]

God Bless our military men and women who have given their all.

Thanks, unique.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Thanks, Military Families, for your service to our country.

John Conlee ~ They Also Serve

[Kathy in Alaska]

To our Military -

Thank you for protecting us. Sleep well and safe.
May you be protected. May your families' hearts be at ease.

Thank you to our Allies.

**********************************

To those of our Military and Allies who gave their all,
- May your souls rest in peace. May your families be comforted.
May your/our country always remember.

[Kathy in Alaska]

The Lord's Prayer

[radu]

WOOHOO! Glad it finally broke. That makes a huge difference in how one feels. Bummer you had to get so sick in the first place, though.
Great your mom hasn’t come down with it so far and with luck - and all that Lysol - she won’t.

I checked the AK cams earlier and thought the roads looked slick. Nice of them to spread some gravel so you can get in and out of there. It doesn’t seem like y’all are going to get much snow this winter, does it? Just ice.

We’re still in the mid-50s tonight but the wind takes the fun out of it. It’s a pretty brisk breeze. We’ll be comfy through Tues. but a front comes through that night that will knock the temps back down. Going to be watching to see how bad the storms will be that night. They predict rough ones.