LIFTING THOUGHTS—a living collection of Christian poetry, inspirational writings, verses, photos, even humor, gleaned from quiet times and experientially. Author resides in a small historic mountain town, Hill City, located in the central Black Hills of South Dakota, near Mount Rushmore. The photo was taken at Poet's Table, a serene place where many thoughts are lifted, a resting spot near Sylvan Lake in the granite beauty at the heart of the Black Hills National Forest. Welcome!
...whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. Mark 11:24 (NIV) - Rather than praying general, ambiguous or all-inclusive prayers, it has been advised (Streams In The Desert) to be specific, making bite-sized requests for what we really believe is in agreement with God's will. Confidence will build on the results, and we will find that we are taking to God our bigger needs with a greater degree of faith.
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Something for your aches and pains: If you take a daily, early, quiet soak in God's Word, you will rise out of the bubbles refreshed and "transformed by the renewing of your mind" (Romans 12:2). The influence of His gentle redeeming nature is strong enough to recreate you and powerful enough to thwart pressures—from inside and out—which daily threaten to warp or rewarp you in some way. Renewed strength comes from this quiet waiting upon the Lord, and confidence is energized by receiving His truth, that "greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world" (1 John 4:4c).
Oh, may all who come behind us...
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Our life on earth can be played out somewhat like a neighborly willing-servant game on fields of discovery, fertilized according to the Book in the loving manner of Jesus, in the practice of His faithfulness and the exercise of His wisdom in all things, small or big, harvesting a non-exhaustive supply of the replenishing fruits of His Spirit—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentlenessand self-control . . . always following Him leading to our ultimate, fulfilled and everlasting reward as God's children and worshippers in Heaven.
