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When I am Weak
Psalm 62:7 GW My salvation and my glory depend on God. God is the rock
of my strength, my refuge.

Some days I don't feel strong. Some days I am tired, stiff or having a
mild reaction. Some days I need sleep, yet have "miles to go before I
sleep" as in things to do.

I am glad that the days when I am weak, He is still and always strong.
I know I can always lean on Him, drawing on His strength. ...And those
days--hoping for a very good nap!


--
CAROLYN R. SCHEIDIES
History, Mystery, Romance...and Hope!
I DEAL IN HOPE
http://IDealinHope.com
***
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Our Refuge
Psalm 61:2-4 Mkjv From the end of the earth I cry to You when my
heart is faint; Lead me to the Rock higher than I. For You have been
a shelter for me, a strong tower before the enemy. I will dwell in
Your tabernacle forever; I will trust in the hiding place of Your
wings. Selah.

Where do I go when I hurt and need to lick my wounds? Jesus.
Where do I go to hide away from overwhelming pressures of relationship
and situations? Jesus.

As I hide in petition and prayer, as I soak up His presence in His
Word, I find solace and peace. I gather strength to meet my world head
on once again, but not in my strength--in His.
He is my refuge and my strength.


--
CAROLYN R. SCHEIDIES
History, Mystery, Romance...and Hope!
I DEAL IN HOPE
http://IDealinHope.com
***
AUTHOR'S CHOICE REVIEWS
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BECAUSE I THINK, I BELIEVE

BECAUSE I THINK, I BELIEVE
A Personal Christian Manifesto
By Donald Wilson
ISBN 978-1-58982-754-7
American Book Publishing
Reviewer Keith Scheidies

As a college student in the 1970's, I read Paul Little's book KNOW WHY
YOU BELIEVE. The book made a strong case for how logical the Christian
faith was and how it should be accepted as the truth about the way the
world actually works. For me, the 2011 equivalent of KNOW WHY YOU
BELIEVE is Donald Wilson's BECAUSE I THINK, I BELIEVE: A Personal
Christian Manifesto.

Wilson starts with the question of absolute truth in Chapter One: What
Do We Really Know about Anything? And covers a wide range of issues
from the purpose of our existence and the existence of suffering to
the Christian view of tolerance and inclusiveness.

As I read this book, I kept thinking of who I wanted to pass it on to
because of all the excellent points the author makes on issues and
questions that have come up in my conversations with people over the
years.

Highly Recommended to anyone not afraid to examine the realities of life.

Faith element: high

Meeting Needs
Deuteronomy 14:29 GW Foreigners, orphans, and widows who live in your
cities may come to eat all they want. The Levites may also come
because they have no land of their own as you have. Then the LORD your
God will bless you in whatever work you do.

Earning, bringing in money. God isn't against business. But He does
make clear we are not to be greedy or withhold what we have when
others go without. Reaching out is what God is all about--meeting
needs, including feeding the hungry--without judgment--starting with
those closest to us. What do I do to reach out to those in need in my
family, among my friends, in my community?


--
CAROLYN R. SCHEIDIES
History, Mystery, Romance...and Hope!
I DEAL IN HOPE
http://IDealinHope.com
***
AUTHOR'S CHOICE REVIEWS
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Am I His "Forever Friend?"
Deuteronomy 13:4 GW Worship the LORD your God, fear him, obey his
commands, listen to what he says, serve him, and be loyal to him.

What does God ask of us?
1. Worship God--only God
2. Fear--regard Him with awe and reverence jokes, for exclamations or cursing>
3. Obey His commands/principles Bible, it means regular reading, meditating on, studying and
memorizing God's Word to know what His commands are. We can't obey
what we don't know.>
4. Listen. We need to communicate with God constantly, not just to
make demands, but also to wait, listen for His answer and clear
guidance.
5. Serve Him. Do I make God the center of my life, my thoughts and my
decisions or is my life all about me?
6. Loyalty. Do I turn away from God when I don't like His direction,
when I don't like the direction of my life or when tragedy invades my
life?

He is my forever friend. Am I His?

Psalm 59:17 GW O my strength, I will make music to praise you! God is
my stronghold, my merciful God!

--
CAROLYN R. SCHEIDIES
History, Mystery, Romance...and Hope!
I DEAL IN HOPE
http://IDealinHope.com
***
AUTHOR'S CHOICE REVIEWS
http://IDealinHope.com/bookreviews

Posted by Carolyn R Scheidies at 7:38 AM CST

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Ticket to Grace
Luke 7:48-50 GW Then Jesus said to her, "Your sins have been forgiven."
The other guests thought, "Who is this man who even forgives sins?"
Jesus said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you. Go in peace!"

Even today many fall into the trap of thinking they can somehow "earn"
their way into God's favor. Usual methods? Church attendance, church
rituals, good works.

But that has never been how Christianity works. It isn't about what we
can do, other than admit we are too messed up to save ourselves.
Christianity hinges on faith in God's grace, on His unmerited favor.
Unmerited. We don't deserve God's mercy or blessing and when we're
honest about who we are deep inside--we know that.

Jesus didn't die and rise for "good" people. He died for
sinners--those who recognize what Romans 3:23 says, "all have sinned."
Only as sinners
who admit our need and ask Christ to come in, will we find that golden
ticket--forgiveness and hope through His amazing grace.


--
CAROLYN R. SCHEIDIES
History, Mystery, Romance...and Hope!
I DEAL IN HOPE
http://IDealinHope.com
***
AUTHOR'S CHOICE REVIEWS
http://IDealinHope.com/bookreviews

Posted by Carolyn R Scheidies at 7:24 AM CST

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Keeping a List of Hurts
Luke 5:27-28,31,36 GW But I tell everyone who is listening: Love your
enemies. Be kind to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you.
Pray for those who insult you. ...
Do for other people everything you want them to do for you. ... Be
merciful as your Father is merciful.

God's principle is simple in concept but often extremely difficult in
execution. The concept is one even a child comprehends--treat others
the way you wish to be treated. The difficult part comes with the
realization this means not talking back, no snide remarks, no making a
list of wrongs done to you and no acting out in revenge. And, it means
assuming the best about others, until evidence proves otherwise, and
to practice, not victimization, but forgiveness.

Do I merely mouth this important principle or practice it?

V. 37 GW Stop judging, and you will never be judged. Stop condemning,
and you will never be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.


--
CAROLYN R. SCHEIDIES
History, Mystery, Romance...and Hope!
I DEAL IN HOPE
http://IDealinHope.com
***
AUTHOR'S CHOICE REVIEWS
http://IDealinHope.com/bookreviews

Keys
Deuteronomy 10:12-13 GW Israel, what does the LORD your God want you
to do? He wants you to fear him, follow all his directions, love him,
and worship him with all your heart and with all your soul.
The LORD wants you to obey his commands and laws that I'm giving
you today for your own good.

God wants a people committed to following Him? Why? Because He has a
big ego and likes control? Not at all. Verse 13 provides the
reason--for our good. God's laws, commands and principles were put
into place by a loving Creator who gave us the keys for successful
liives--for good lives. It is up to us to appropriate those keys to
His protection, provision and peace by simply following the rules God
set forth in His book for living--the Bible, rules that start by
serving Him.



--
CAROLYN R. SCHEIDIES
History, Mystery, Romance...and Hope!
I DEAL IN HOPE
http://IDealinHope.com
***
AUTHOR'S CHOICE REVIEWS
http://IDealinHope.com/bookreviews

All That
Deuteronomy 9:5 It's not because you've been living right or because
you're so honest that you're entering to take possession of their
land. It's because these people are so wicked that the LORD your God
is forcing them out of your way. It's also because the LORD wants to
confirm the promise he swore to your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and
Jacob.

When we come out on top, we like to think we're better, brighter, more
favored. But we need to keep in mind we are sinful people. Maybe we
win not because we're so good, but that God has things He wants each
of us to learn. Maybe there are times things happen because God uses
us as an instrument of consequences. It is something to keep in mind
when we start thinking we're "all that."


--
CAROLYN R. SCHEIDIES
History, Mystery, Romance...and Hope!
I DEAL IN HOPE
http://IDealinHope.com
***
AUTHOR'S CHOICE REVIEWS
http://IDealinHope.com/bookreviews

What they did
Luke 2:17-18, 20 GW When they saw the child, they repeated what they
had been told about him. Everyone who heard the shepherds' story was
amazed.
... As the shepherds returned to their flock, they glorified and
praised God for everything they had seen and heard. Everything
happened the way the angel had told them.

The Shepherd's LISTENED to God's message.
They FOLLOWED God's directions
They SHARED the good news.
And they GLORIFIED God.

This is the pattern we're also to follow if we claim Jesus name. When
was the last time I shared the joyful news that Jesus lives and offers
life and hope?


--
CAROLYN R. SCHEIDIES
History, Mystery, Romance...and Hope!
I DEAL IN HOPE
http://IDealinHope.com
***
AUTHOR'S CHOICE REVIEWS
http://IDealinHope.com/bookreviews

His Direction or Mine
Luke 1:36-38 GW "Elizabeth, your relative, is six months pregnant with
a son in her old age. People said she couldn't have a child. But
nothing is impossible for God."
Mary answered, "I am the Lord's servant. Let everything you've said
happen to me." Then the angel left her.

How often do we move ahead, doing things our way without giving even
lip service to God? We either don't belive God will or wants to help
us. We don't trust Him to intervene in our lives so we don't give Him
a chance to do so. We refuse ask for direction or wait for an answer.
When things go badly we say God doesn't care. But a message of this
passage we may miss is Mary's attitude.

God can and will do the impossible in our lives, our health and our
finances, but we also have to have one important ingredient---Mary's
submission to God's will, God's plan. Am I willing to ask for
guidance, seek His solutions, wait on Him and follow His--not
my--direction?


--
CAROLYN R. SCHEIDIES
History, Mystery, Romance...and Hope!
I DEAL IN HOPE
http://IDealinHope.com
***
AUTHOR'S CHOICE REVIEWS
http://IDealinHope.com/bookreviews

One God
Deuteronomy 6:3-5 GW Listen, Israel, and be careful to obey these
laws. Then things will go well for you and your population will
increase in a land flowing with milk and honey, as the LORD God of
your ancestors promised you.
Listen, Israel: The LORD is our God. The LORD is the only God.
Love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and
with all your strength.

If we want to know God's blessings on our land again, we have
principles to follow.

Worship only One God
Follow His commands
Honor Him in all we think, say and do.

One faith, one Lord. When we claim religions are little different from
a faith in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, we don't understand
that "religions" are about works. About being good enough to get
noticed. Christianity is about a loving God reaching down to pull us
up. Big difference. There is not a plurality of gods--only one and for
His blessing we need to worship Him and Him alone. Do I?

V. 24 GW The LORD our God commanded us to obey all these laws and to
fear him. These laws are for our own good as long as we live so that
he will preserve our lives. It's still true today.


--
CAROLYN R. SCHEIDIES
History, Mystery, Romance...and Hope!
I DEAL IN HOPE
http://IDealinHope.com
***
AUTHOR'S CHOICE REVIEWS
http://IDealinHope.com/bookreviews

Keeping God's Name Holy
Deuteronomy 5:11 GW Never use the name of the LORD your God
carelessly. The LORD will make sure that anyone who uses his name
carelessly will be punished.

Scripture is not ambiguous when it comes to using God's name
carelessly. God absolutely hates it when we use His irreverently. This
means if we use His name as profanity, as exclamation, whether in
spoken, written or texting language. Using OMG is not OK. Using forms
of Jesus like gee or jeez is not OK.

If we truly honor God, we will honor His name in all our forms of communication.


--
CAROLYN R. SCHEIDIES
History, Mystery, Romance...and Hope!
I DEAL IN HOPE
http://IDealinHope.com
***
AUTHOR'S CHOICE REVIEWS
http://IDealinHope.com/bookreviews

The Adventure of Obedience
Deuteronomy 4:1-2, GW Israel, listen to the laws and rules I am about
to teach you. Obey them so that you will live and be able to enter and
take possession of the land that the LORD God of your ancestors is
giving you.
Never add anything to what I command you, or take anything away
from it. Then you will be able to obey the commands of the LORD your
God that I give you.

God promises to provide if we trust and obey Him. Saying we believe in
God isn't enough, especially if our words and action give lie to our
claim.

God isn't fooled, not like many voters, fooled by God-sounding
rhetoric. He sees our hearts. We can't fool Him or rationalize our
actions or sin. If we wish to truly know God we must go after Him,
seek Him. If we want the blessings He's ready to give, we must trust
and follow Him and His principles. Only then will our lives be a
wondrous adventure worth living.

Deuteronomy 4:29, 40 GW But if you look for the LORD your God when you
are among those nations, you will find him whenever you search for him
with all your heart and with all your soul. ...Obey his laws and
commands which I'm giving you today. Then things will go well for you
and your descendants. You will live for a long time in the land. The
LORD your God is giving you the land for as long as you live.


--
CAROLYN R. SCHEIDIES
History, Mystery, Romance...and Hope!
I DEAL IN HOPE
http://IDealinHope.com
***
AUTHOR'S CHOICE REVIEWS
http://IDealinHope.com/bookreviews