Shipwreck From Within And More... :) Shangy! >Here are the details on our ShangyFunList: Group Web Site: https://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/ShangyFunList.html Group email address: bcrsystems@earthlink.net Shangrala Family Fun: https://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/ ================ *~* A REMINDER: PLEASE Send me sweet, interesting, funny, inspiring, family type forwards ANY TIME here... bcrsystems@earthlink.net I Need them, Love them, Use them, and Share them! THANK YOU!! AND For Facebook Users: Please Like Me here... http://tinyurl.com/cma6all AND Please Share This email with All Your Friends And Family! ^~^ May God SUPER BLESS You As You Do! THANK YOU! ================ __ __ ,-' `' \ _---``-- / _ _ ; __ `. / / `' \; /`----- ) / .-/ ,( ), \-. ; | \( \ / )/; | - _5 `7 -; / ( ___-' `-____ | ( ___`-_ \ ____| \ / `,/ \ _(\__ / \ \ ; \ .' /' `i. / | | \ _-'( _\__-/ `- | | ` ,` `_ | BP * Don't forget to follow us on social media for our latest updates and uproarious funny and inspiring pages! On Facebook: https://tinyurl.com/y8dcm8x7 On X (Twitter): http://tinyurl.com/n5uf3dxv ================ >-->2 HOT Off The 'Shangy' Press :) Our too hot to handle new page is from our friends LouiseAu and Geniann. This one shows us the remarkable ingenuity of men to get things done with as little effort as possible. Check out this humorous page here: .--. , , ) .-----._ ___ < /) | | ||==|| _(())\) | | /|==|| __ .-' (()/ '-. :_____:/ |"_|/) /| _/ () \ / .-------. __.' / | oo)__/ () \ | / '=======' () / | :~ \_ ) _/ _/ /__________________/ | | |- (--|(,/ | [___o___] | | / ) \ | / [___o___] / | | ( \ | / [___o___] / | | ( | / | / | / . | |/ __ |/ | | : | <`,,'>,--,--..-, snd | |__/_____\ | / ( ( ) ) \ oo=' oo=' '-'\ ) ) ) )\ (,_)_)(_,)_/ ||| ||| ~~ ~~ MacGyver - How To Do It 9! https://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/macgyver9.html --- ...Rip Roaring Funny! Thanks Ladies! Our next steaming hot new page is from our friends Linda and Richard. These will give you a good laugh for your day! Be sure to check this page out here: .-""-.. __ .--. .-.`( > ""- ,)_ ( ( `_( > ~<| 0)-')')---') -."_( > ~<`-" " " vV -._( > -._ < .___.Y' `._( > `._( (( . '-._( > '-._( \\__^_^,'; .-( > ~< .-.-.-./ '--._( > { v V Y .-< > \ "-< > \ (PS) Translation Bloopers 2! https://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/tbloopers2.html --- ...LOL! Hilarious! Thanks My Friends! =========================================================== >-->From Heartwarmers: When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on. - Franklin D. Roosevelt An interesting and informative story today from a first time writer about a topic not often understood. You'll get a real eye-opener today. Kathy, English may have been your worst subject, but we think you're an excellent writer who knows how to make a point! Congratulations! /())) //( oo (/|| _ \__ /||||/ '._-' / \ |\ / \ \ \_____ | \ \.___ /==, | ='.___/=. | ) '.______ | (______( | || snd |_|| _/ | |_\ '---'--' >TOO MANY CHILDREN? I am not a writer, and as a matter of fact, English was always my worst subject in school. But this is something near and dear to me, so please hear me out... I work for a very large company with many employees, most of whom I do not know. As I was walking in one morning shortly after Thanksgiving, I overheard two ladies talking about the needy family that had been "adopted" for Christmas by her husband's company. She was very upset over the family that had been selected as they had "too many children" and that they should not have had that many if they couldn't take care of them. My blood was boiling, but I bit my tongue. She continued that she and her husband decided not to give anything this year because why should they help a family that "just didn't know when to stop". The second lady agreed. I couldn't help myself. I turned around and, as calmly as I could, asked them what they really knew of this family. The lady who had been doing all the talking explained that there were seven kids, the oldest of which was only 10. The parents were only thirty and "obviously they started too young, instead of getting an education to provide for their family". She knew their first names, their ages, favorite colors, and items needed and wanted for Christmas. The list of wants/needs was pretty basic -- hats, mittens, coats, a doll for little Susie, a truck for Joe, etc., nothing extravagant at all. The "problem" was just that they had "too many children". At that point, I introduced myself, and explained I was also in my early thirties and had "too many children". I also had seven children, and my oldest was only 8. The women decided my situation was different since I was working and providing for my children and that they were not being "adopted by strangers for Christmas". I then told them that most of my kids also had their names on Christmas want lists and would very desperately love to be adopted for Christmas -- permanently adopted by a "real" family! You see, six of my seven children are FOSTER children. They stammered, they stuttered, they apologized, they had never thought of that. I gave them a few other possible cases as to how a family can end up with "too many children". It could be anything -- death of the parents, combined families, grandparents raising grandchildren, etc. After hearing this, the ladies said they wished they would have done something to contribute, but it was too late as the collection had been completed and already turned in. I knew they could see things differently now. I explained how I often got rude comments at the grocery store when I took my kids and used government vouchers (these are government subsidies for food for low income families, and are provided for kids in foster care). Cruel comments like, "you shouldn't have so many children if you can't afford to feed them". My oldest one asked me one day after hearing this, "Mom, can we afford all of this food?" She was truly bothered by these comments (we routinely spend $300 a week in groceries, after the vouchers). I don't explain it to strangers in the store as it would only hurt the kids more, as they have all learned to dislike that f-word (foster) as this makes them different, even a feeling of being unwanted or unloved. But many of our family and friends are teaching others not to be so quick to assume and judge. The ladies and I continued to talk for awhile and I showed them pictures of my seven kids. We talked about the number of children in foster care, orphanages, and waiting to be adopted in the United States. It's incredible that there are so many children in need. In some way, she was right -- the "problem" is that there are just "too many children" -- too many who need to be loved and cared for, and yes even adopted, not only for Christmas but for forever. The following morning, when I arrived at my desk, there sat two bags of Christmas gifts for "my" kids. It's amazing how much people really do care when they really know. -- Kathy Gerst ___________________________________________ Kathy says: Amazingly, we still have the same seven children that we had last year at Christmas, but now only three are in foster care, because we have adopted them. We are also planning to adopt the other three as soon as we can legally. I love reading Roger Kiser's stories, as these often help me see through the eyes of my children some of their feelings, fears, hopes, etc. I hope to get the word out to others before the Christmas adoptions are done -- how sometimes big families are not always what they seem. Please do not be so quick to criticize, the worst part of the rude comments is that these are often done in front of the children, and I know it causes them even more worry and stress. My husband, Ted and I live near Kansas City, Missouri, with our ever growing family, and 3 horses, 2 dogs, and a cat. --- .-. __/ ( , '-.____\ u=='/ \ /_/ \ .-'' | ( ____/_____ _>_/.-------- \/// // snd // ...Speaking of Foster Children “America’s foster youth are not defined by their circumstances — they are defined by their potential.” First Lady Melania Trump: "Fostering the Future initiatives empower our children by providing resources, educational support, and opportunities." Many children in the foster care community lack the support and stability to finish their education and gain meaningful employment. According to the National Foster Youth Institute, only 50 percent of foster children finish high school, and only three percent of former foster children obtain a college degree. Twenty percent of the children in foster care will become homeless after aging out of the system, and only half will have gainful employment by the age of 24. Executive Order · November 2025 Fostering the Future for American Children and Families Mrs. Trump successfully organized an Executive Order in November 2025 entitled, “Fostering the Future for American Children and Families.” Visit Here for more: https://www.melaniatrump.com/pages/fostering-the-future =========================================================== >-->From Daily Encounter: , , /////| ///// | ///// | |~~~| | | |===| |/| | B |/| | | I | | | | B | | | | L | / | E | / |===|/ jgs '---' >Shipwreck From Within 'Cling tightly to your faith in Christ, and always keep your conscience clear. For some people have deliberately violated their consciences, as a result, their faith has been shipwrecked.'1 Victor Hugo, who is famous for his novel the Hunchback of Notre Dame, also wrote a story called Ninety Three. It tells of a ship caught in a dangerous storm on the high seas. At the height of the storm, the frightened sailors heard a terrible crashing noise below the deck. They knew at once that this new noise came from a cannon, part of the cargo on the ship, that had broken loose. It was moving back and forth with the swaying of the ship, crashing into the side of the ship with terrible impact. Knowing that it could cause the ship to sink, two brave sailors volunteered to make the dangerous attempt to retie the loose cannon. They knew the danger of a shipwreck from the loose cannon was greater than the fury of the storm.2 Life can be like this. At times, it is not the external storms that cause us the most problems, but the storms that rage within us. Bitterness, jealousy, pride, greed, and other loose cannons like unresolved hurt, anger, a lack of forgiveness, guilt, amongst several other feelings and internal problems can cause much damage. If we do not confront and work to resolve these, they can cause a shipwreck within our relationships, our faith, or even our life. People with loose cannons in their lives can also cause damage within the churches or other organizations they are a part of. In order to reach the full potential God has for us and be a productive part of His Kingdom work, let us take care of the loose cannons we may have in our lives and be ready and willing to be used by God. Suggested prayer: Dear God, thank You for Your Word that continuously reminds me of how I should live. Please confront me with any issue in my life that needs to be resolved, so that I can avoid any shipwrecks within my faith, relationships, and life in general. I want to be free of any bondage and be used by you. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray, amen. 1. 1 Timothy 1:19 (NLT). 2. Brett Blair, Cited on www.eSermons.com The Encounter for today was written by: Crystal B. --- -.. // )) //\ . _.' '/ \\//~ \\ //\\ ' ' ...This reminds me of the Democrat Socialists They are our country's loose cannons today. Most of them running are rich well to do highly educated people who have become disillusioned with the American dream as they find they can not get well meaning jobs from the Woke college courses they took. They are bitter and unhappy. They are loose cannons that seek to literally 'shipwreck' our United States of America. They want us to go on the proven path of devastation and poverty supporting Communism that our brave veterans have fought against over and over since WWI. See this history account: https://www.britannica.com/money/War-Communism They want to abolish our free capitalism government and change it into one with total government control. Take away personal ownership of homes and business. Abolish free enterprise. Control every aspect of what we can do and what we have available to buy. Remove and control guns, open the border, abolish the police and jails. This is in effect would cause a 'cannon effect' for our great free United States of America. Which is what these USA haters want. They even get funding from our enemy China! __ sjw / \ .-. | | * _.-' \ \__/ \.-' \ / _/ | _ /" | /_\' \ \_/ """" We need to tie these loose cannons down by getting the word out so people understand that free isn't all that free from the government. They will not only tax the rich but will also heavily tax the working class to help fund their agenda for immigrants and so called 'free stuff'. Free government health care as shown by other countries is not free. They are taxed over 50% of what they earn just for limited and slow access. For example, Canadians often come to the US for far better and quicker health care. Socialism/Communism always ends horribly for the people. All become equally poor. They loose their modern conveniences such as Air Conditioning and their free choices of gas powered cars and machinery, what foods are available and where they can live. _______ / /_ / -/- / / / / / / /_______/ / jgs ((______| / `"""""""` The bible sums it up nicely: 2 Thessalonians 3:10 'For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.' It holds true. Those that do not work and are able bodied to be able to work, often wind up starving. Sooner or later the society as a whole suffers. The Left’s Long History of Admiring America’s Enemies Dictators Over Democracy: "The most fundamental fact about the ideas of the political left is that they do not work. Therefore, we should not be surprised to find the left concentrated in institutions where ideas do not have to work in order to survive." --Thomas Sowell Visit here for more: https://mrchrisarnell.com/p/the-lefts-long-history-of-admiring Make sure to get out and vote RED for the midterms! <:))))>< , , /////| ///// | ///// | |~~~| | | |===| |/| | B |/| | | I | | | | B | | | | L | / | E | / |===|/ jgs '---' >The Work of God Sing to him a new song, play skillfully, and shout for joy. For the word of the Lord is right and true, he is faithful in all he does. The Lord loves righteousness and justice, the earth is full of his unfailing love. By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth. He gathers the waters of the sea into jars, he puts the deep into storehouses. Let all the earth fear the Lord, let all the people of the world revere him. For he spoke, and it came to be, he commanded, and it stood firm. The Lord foils the plans of the nations, he thwarts the purposes of the peoples. But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations.1 The work of God is creative. He made heaven, earth, and all living creatures. He formed Adam and Eve in His image and knit us together in our mothers womb. His work is also powerful. Through His Son, He reconciled us to Himself and adopted us into His family. The work of God continues, and Christ is the one who holds all things together (Colossians 1:17). To recognize His work, we need to pray actively and persistently. Christ centered prayers focus our attention on the Lord. Then we can better identify His actions and see how we can join Him in His work. God wants our hearts and minds to yield to His will. An attitude of submission prepares us to listen and obey. Focusing on His Word will clear our minds and help us understand what He is doing. When we combine these disciplines with discernment and patience, we will have positioned ourselves to discover how God is working in our lives and in our world. God is still at work today. Ask Him to open your eyes to see how He is working around you. Suggested Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, You created heaven, earth, and everything I can see around me. Your work is powerful. Help me to surrender my mind and heart to Your will each day. Help me to have a submissive attitude before You so that I can hear and obey You. Use me to be part of your amazing work and plan. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray, Amen. 1. Psalm33:3-11 (NIV). The Encounter for today was written by: Rosina N. When copying or forwarding include the following: "Daily Encounter by Richard (Dick) Innes (c) 2016 ACTS International. =========================================================== >-->From Archives InspiredBuffalo: THE REWARD FOR FAITHFULNESS I thought you would enjoy the following list of \_/ --(_)-- . / \ /_\ |Q| .-----' '-----. __ /____[SCHOOL]___\ ())) | [] .-.-. [] | (((()) ..|____|_|_|____|..................................)(... ldb >"Rules and Regulations for Teachers in 1872": 1. Teachers each day will fill lamps, clean chimneys, and trim wicks. 2. Each teacher will bring a bucket of water and scuttle of coal for the day's sessions. 3. Make your pens carefully: you may whittle nibs to the individual taste of pupils. 4. Men teachers may take one evening each week for courting purposes, or two evenings a week if they go to church regularly. 5. After 10 hours in school, the teachers spend the remaining time reading the Bible or other good books. 6. Women teachers who marry or engage in unseemly conduct will be dismissed. 7. Each teacher should lay aside from each pay a goodly sum of his earnings for his benefit during his declining years so that he will not become a burden on society. 8. Any teacher who smokes, uses liquor in any form, frequents pool or public halls, or get shaved in a barber shop will give good reason to suspect his worth, intentions, integrity and honesty. 9. The teacher who performs his labors faithfully and without fault for five years will be given an increase of 25 cents per week in his pay, providing the Board of Education approves. I was intrigued by the wording of #9 above. It sounded somewhat familiar to me. Then it dawned on me that there is a similarity to what Jesus had to say to the seven churches of Asia Minor in Revelation 2 and 3. "Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life." (Rev.2:10b) "...[T]hey shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy. He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels." (Rev. 3:4-5) There are a couple of significant differences, though, between the promise given to teachers in 1872 and the promises given by Jesus. Jesus doesn't require that we live "without fault" (and oh, how I'm thankful for that!). The reward that Jesus promises is considerably better than 25 cents for every five years of service (and I'm thankful for that as well!). And it's not a matter of gaining the approval of a group of men. The only approval that matters is the smile we'll see on our Father's face. Father, thank you for the promises that you have given -- not just the promise of a crown or of white garments, but the promise of an opportunity to be in your presence, to be held in your arms. I don't live before you "without fault", so I thank you for your grace as I seek to live faithfully as your child. I commit all that I am and all that I have to be used in your service. In Jesus Christ's name, amen. Have a great day! Alan Smith Helen Street Church of Christ Fayetteville, North Carolina -<>- _______ / /_ / -/- / / / / / / /_______/ / jgs ((______| / `"""""""` >Worship: Offering Yourself to God (By Rick Warren) Offering yourself to God is what worship is all about. This act of personal surrender is called many things: consecration, making Jesus Lord, taking up your cross, dying to self, yielding to the Spirit. What matters is that you do it, not what you call it. God wants your life, all of it - 95 percent is not enough. Our total surrender to God is blocked by several things, including: * Our ignorance of God - not knowing what he's really like; * Our sinful nature - the desire to be God ourselves; and * Our misunderstanding of surrender and the trust that it requires. Can We Trust God? Trust is an essential ingredient to surrender. We won't surrender to God unless we trust him, but we can't trust him until we know him better. Fear keeps us from surrendering, but love casts out all fear. The more you realize how much God loves you, the easier surrender becomes. How do I know God loves me? He gives us many evidences: * God says he loves you (Psalm 145:9); * You're never out of his sight (Psalm 139:3); * He cares about every detail of your life (Matthew 10:30); * He gave you the capacity to enjoy all kinds of pleasure (1 Timothy 6:17b); * He has good plans for your life (Jeremiah 29:11); * He forgives you (Psalm 86:5); * He's patient with you (Psalm 145:8); * He sacrificed his only begotten Son for you (Romans 5:8). God loves you infinitely more than you can imagine. "Therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your spiritual worship" (Romans 12:1 HCSB). If you want to know how much you matter to God, look at Christ with his arms outstretched on the cross saying, "I love you this much! I'd rather die than live without you." God is not a cruel slave driver or a bully who uses brute force to coerce us into submission. He doesn't try to break our will, but woos us to himself, so that we might offer it freely to him. God is a lover and a liberator, and surrendering brings freedom, not bondage. When we completely surrender ourselves to God through Jesus Christ, we discover that he is not a tyrant but a savior; not a boss, but a Father; not a dictator, but a friend. -<>- |\', \. .' \\| \'. __| |~ \ : /\ \_. \ /\ : | \ \| \ \/ \ / / \/ \ \/\ '._.' / /\ \ '.___.' / /\ \ / / \ \ / / \ \ \/ \/ KARL MARX DEVOTED his entire life to writing about the demise of capitalism and the coming of communism... He, along with Friedrich Engels, wrote one of the most well -known political treatises in all of history, the Communist Manifesto. As evidence of his keen understanding of the great power of words, Marx is credited with saying: "Give me twenty-six lead soldiers and I will conquer the world!" Who are the twenty- six lead soldiers Marx referred to? They are the twenty six letters of the alphabet on a printing press. THOUGHTS: All words have power and meaning (Isa. 55:11). Jesus said we would be held accountable for even our idle words (Matt. 12:36-37), and Proverbs says that words have the power of life and death (18:21). So the question is not whether words have power. The question is, "What power am I releasing with my words?" If you have sent forth words that hurt, take them back with an apology and replace them with words that heal. The greatest untapped source of healing in life is "pleasant words." You may not consider yourself a physician, but you should-- as along as you are dispensing words of life. (David Jeremiah) KneEmail: "Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the bones" (Prov. 16:24). Bible reading for 01.16.09: Matthew 11; Genesis 39, 40 -Mike Benson, Editor --- -.. // )) //\ . _.' '/ \\//~ \\ //\\ ' ' ...Makes me think Are our freedoms being overtaken by lead soldiers today? How much do we listen to the lies of the Communists in the Democrat party? -<>- >Winners * Winners take chances like everyone else, they fear failing, but they refuse to let fear control them. * Winners don't give up. When life gets rough, they hang in until the going gets better. * Winners are flexible. They realize there is more than one way and are willing to try others. * Winners know they are not perfect. They respect their weaknesses while making the most of their strengths. * Winners fall but they don't stay down. They stubbornly refuse to let a fall keep them from climbing. * Winners don't blame fate for their failures, nor luck for their successes. * Winners accept responsibility for their lives. * Winners are positive thinkers who see good in all things. From the ordinary, they make the extraordinary. * Winners believe in the path they have chosen even when it is hard, even when others can't see where they are going. * Winners are patient. They know a goal is only worthy as the effort that is required to achieve it. * Winners are people that believe in themselves. They make this world a better place to be. * Winners have already won through accepting Jesus Christ as their Lord and savior for all eternity. --- _______ / /_ / -/- / / / / / / /_______/ / jgs ((______| / `"""""""` ...See this teaching: How To Avoid Being A Failure! https://tinyurl.com/bdz3wche -<>- >Links for Your Enjoyment :) Wiener War Dogs!- https://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/wienerwardogs.html Watermelon And Egg Art!- https://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/watermelon.html It's A Dog's World!- https://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/dogsworld.html Beautiful Paris!- https://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/beautifulparis.html Chapel With Bone Art!- https://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/chapel.html Chalk Art 3!- https://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/chalkart3.html Car Show 2!- https://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/carshow2.html Great Horned Owls!- https://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/owl.html Paris In 1940!- https://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/parisin1940.html Rescued Squirrel!- https://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/rsquirrel.html Signs For Woman!- https://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/wsigns.html Rainbow Eucalyptus Tree!- https://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/rainbowtree.html For Coffee Lovers!= https://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/coffee.html Dogs As Best Friends!- https://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/bestfriend.html Akiane Child Prodigy!- https://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/prodigy.html Creation VS Coincidence!- https://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/creationvscoincidence.html Lighthouses Of The World!- https://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/lighthouses.html World's Fastest Cars!- https://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/fastcars.html Spain's Wood Carving Festival!- https://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/woodfestival.html Silly Veggies!- https://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/veggies.html World's Tallest Wooden Building!- https://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/tallestbuilding.html Nostalgic Golden Memories!- https://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/goldenoldie.html Woman Cops Around The World!- https://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/womancops.html Colorful Birds 2!- https://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/birds2.html Romantic Castles!- https://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/castles.html Fairy Tale Homes!- https://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/fairytale.html Beautiful Flowers!- https://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/bflowers.html Festival Of Citrus!- https://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/orangefest.html Butchart Gardens!- https://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/bgardens.html Our Valuable Anchor!- https://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/BibleStudy/ouranchor.html SUMMER Index!- https://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/summerindex.html -<>- How to Become a Christian - How to Get Born Again / How to Get Saved / Romans 10:9 & 10 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMzblR8YDQ0 Bible https://quod.lib.umich.edu/k/kjv/ Bible Study Index http://www.absolutebiblestudy.com/Contents.htm The Way Bible Articles https://thewayinternational.com/english/ Spirit & Truth Index: https://stfi.org/ Bible Teaching Videos - John Schoenheit Spirit And Truth https://tinyurl.com/2gyn3f35 The Lion Weekly Digest is a newsletter delivering the week's top articles from The Lion straight to your inbox. Find all of the stories: https://readlion.com/ Latest From PragerU: https://www.prageru.com/ -<>- >In The Worldly News: US VA modernizing health records https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USVA/bulletins/426e049 President Donald J. Trump https://www.donaldjtrump.com/ TrumpRx doesn't sell medications. Instead, it connects patients directly with the best prices, increasing transparency and cutting out costly third-party markups. https://trumprx.gov/ White House Actions - 2026 https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/ Trump executive orders and actions, 2025-2026 https://tinyurl.com/musd7m3x DOGE Latest News https://doge.gov/ DOGE Latest Savings https://doge.gov/savings From The Daily Acorn: Positive News https://www.thedailyacorn.com/ Latest From Lifezette: https://www.lifezette.com/ Latest From Hannity: https://hannity.com/ Latest From American Action News: https://americanactionnews.com/ Latest From Reliable News: https://reliablenewsnow.com/ Latest From Newsmax: https://www.newsmax.com/ Latest From Expose: https://expose-news.com/ Latest From AFA: http://tinyurl.com/j7lakqw Latest From OperationRescue: http://www.operationrescue.org/ Latest Product Alert: http://www.emergencyemail.org/products/?fmt=text Latest Health Alert: http://www.emergencyemail.org/health/?fmt=text Click to Give Free https://greatergood.com/clicktogive/ggc/home ========================================================== >-->From God'sDailyWord: , , /////| ///// | ///// | |~~~| | | |===| |/| | B |/| | | I | | | | B | | | | L | / | E | / |===|/ jgs '---' >The Privileged Gift of Holiness (edited) When we are brought into a right relationship with God through the transforming power of the holy spirit, we begin a process of learning what it means to "put on the new self" (Ephesians 4:24a) and live a life of "true righteousness and holiness" (Ephesians 4:24b). But many still struggle with the idea of holiness. Some view holiness as an unnecessary set of rules and cling to "there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:1). Others simply don't give holy living any thought. They take Jesus to church on Sunday morning but then return Him to the shelf for the rest of their "normal" week. In either case, the point of true freedom and a loving relationship with the eternal God has been sadly missed. Romans 6:2-4 "We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life." Salvation involves death and new life! When we truly believe in Jesus, we become united with Him in His death; "our old self was crucified with Him" (Romans 6:6). But we also become united with Him in His life; "count yourself dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus" (Romans 6:11). A child of God is no longer controlled by the sinful nature; "But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life" (Romans 6:22). The result of being set free is eternal life but the benefit is holiness. How often do we recognize holiness as a benefit - a gift to all who believe? Holiness is a wonderful privilege (not a burden or obligation) and can only be accomplished by living a new life in Christ. When Jesus truly resides in our heart, His thoughts become our thoughts and His desires become our desires. Without Christ, a holy life is not even possible. When Jesus said "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full" (John 10:10), He was talking about the blessings in this present life which come through a life of commitment and trust. Following Jesus in all things is truly living life to the fullest! Jesus Christ is the son of the Creator Who gave His life so we can be restored. Let's walk with Him every moment of every day. Let's begin to truly live the new life in Christ and gratefully receive the privileged gift of holiness. Have a Christ Centered Day! Steve Troxel God's Daily Word Ministries **** Reading Plan **** Esther 1:1-3:15; 1 Corinthians 11:17-34; Psalm 35:17-28; Proverbs 21:19-20 --- _______ / /_ / -/- / / / / / / /_______/ / jgs ((______| / `"""""""` ...See this teaching Keys To Living Life Victoriously https://tinyurl.com/2eywpy2d <:))))>< , , /////| ///// | ///// | |~~~| | | |===| |/| | B |/| | | I | | | | B | | | | L | / | E | / |===|/ jgs '---' >Consume The Word Despite many calls and pleas from Jeremiah, the people of Israel failed to repent of their sin and turn toward God. After many years of rejection, God finally turned them over to their own evil desires; "Even if Moses and Samuel were to stand before Me, My heart would not go out to this people" (Jeremiah 15:1). Jeremiah was in an extremely lonely position. He had faithfully preached God's message to his fellow countrymen but received only rejection in return: "{I am} a man with whom the whole land strives and contends...everyone curses me" (Jeremiah 15:10). This rejection caused Jeremiah to also feel rejected by God, so he tried to remind God of his deep commitment and devotion. Jeremiah 15:15-16 "Do not take me away; think of how I suffer reproach for Your sake. When Your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart's delight, for I bear Your name, O Lord God Almighty." Jeremiah hungered for God's Word and often thought of his next "meal" with the Lord. Though he was frustrated with his ministry effort, Jeremiah loved God and desired to diligently serve Him. God saw the devotion in Jeremiah's heart and encouraged him to continue on the path of faithful service; "I will restore you that you may serve Me; if you utter worthy, not worthless, words, you will be My spokesman" (Jeremiah 15:19). What type of devotion and hunger does God see when He looks inside our heart? Several years ago, I had the opportunity to take an extended hiking trip with my son. We hiked 120 miles in ten days and ate mostly nuts, raisins, and peanut butter. As we hiked along the beautiful trails of Northern Maine - through woods, across streams, and over mountains - I spent many hours thinking of scripture verses. But I confess I also spent many hours thinking about pepperoni pizza with extra cheese. By the end of the trail, I had a DEEP hunger for pizza; a longing that made my mouth water; a hunger which had to be filled...immediately! We must approach God's Word with this same anticipation and hunger. We must recognize the world's diet as being filled with empty "snacks" which ruin our appetite for real Food! The Word of God is a nourishing and satisfying meal which deserves our full attention as well as our appreciation. We ought to sit down and eagerly clean our plates; we should not play with our food and nibble around the edges. We must also be careful not to over season with doctrinal spices which tend to overpower and mask the natural flavor. Many of us are spiritually starving and yet keep His life- giving Food sitting on the shelf! Let's pray for an increased hunger - a focused hunger which is satisfied only in our Heavenly Father. Let's commit to being a well-nourished Child of God and passionately consume The Word. Have a Christ Centered Day! Steve Troxel God's Daily Word Ministries **** Reading Plan **** ?Job 20:1-22:30; 2 Corinthians 1:1-11; Psalm 40:11-17; Proverbs 22:2-4 --- _______ / /_ / -/- / / / / / / /_______/ / jgs ((______| / `"""""""` ...See This Teaching: Man Shall Not Live By Bread Alone https://tinyurl.com/yf23xv8d ========================================================== >-->From CupO'Cheer: + (|) _____.___.|_|. | / \ |===| | / \ | o | |__/__v__\|, ,| | | | | | || || |/| . . . |','| ||| A A A | , | ||| M M M | | wtx --------------------- >WHEN THE CHURCH IS BIG ENOUGH (By Ken Pierpont) [Edited] In the first year of our marriage Lois and I served a little country church and lived across the road in a tidy cape cod parsonage. It was their tradition to have a revival service every year. After the meetings one night Lois and I took the evangelist and his wife to a restaurant for dinner. They were telling us about their children. One of their sons was a pastor. The evangelists wife said, "Our son has a nice church of about a hundred people with a new parsonage and a nice building and some well-to-do people. He has a comfortable salary. He really doesn't have to worry about the church growing." Lois and I stopped forks in mid-air waiting for the man and his wife to tell us it was a joke. They were serious. It's been almost thirty years later [and] I still haven't fully recovered from the shock of an evangelist and his wife telling me that it's not important for a church to try to reach unbelievers in its community. I wonder how you can consider yourself an evangelist and not care about lost people all around you. How can you call yourself a follower of Jesus and not care about people who are going to Hell? Jesus was moved with compassion for people. "But when [Jesus] saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, 'The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray t he Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.'" (Matthew 9:36-40) Believers with the heart of Jesus should carry a continual burden for those in their communities, families, and circles of friends who are without hope and without God in the world. We should always be plotting something creative to connect with them and connect them with God. The Spirit of God is at work in the lives of people and we should always be trying to find them and do our part to invite them to Christ. I read of a man who organized a kickball game in his neighbor- hood once a week just to connect with his neighbors so he could influence them for God. It worked. Dozens showed up week after week and he was eventually able to get all of them in range of a gospel presentation. What have you done lately? How did you come to know the Lord? Who was the first person in your family to come to Christ? Who told them? Do you have a burden for people who don't know the Lord or are you more concerned for your own comfort and convenience? [Ken Pierpont is the Director of the Riverfront Character Inn and International Conference Center in Flint, Michgian. Ken sends the Stonebridge Newsletter, a free weekly electronic newsletter, to almost 5,000 subscribers every Monday morning. You can visit his site at http://www.kenpierpont.com] -<>- ,ggg, gg ,ggg, d8P""8b ,d88b, d8""Y8b Y8b,__,,aadd88888bbaaa,888888,aaadd88888bbaa,,__,d8P "88888888888888888888I888888I88888888888888888888" /|\`""YY8888888PP""""`888888'""""YY8888888PP""'/|\ / | \ `WWWW' / | \ / | \ ,dMMb, / | \ / | \ I8888I / | \ / | \ `Y88P' / | \ / | \ `YP' / | \ / | \ 88 / | \ / | \ i88i / | \ / | \ 8888 / | \ "Y88888888888888888888888P" i8888i "Y88888888888888888888888P" `""Y888888888888888P""' ,888888, `""Y888888888888888P""' I888888I Y888888P `Y8888P' `WWWW' dMMb _,ad8888ba,_ __,,aaaadd888888888888888bbaaaa,,__ d8888888888888888888888888888888888888b Normand Veilleux >THROWING HIS WEIGHT AROUND By Rick Ezell (edited) "Glorify you Son" . . . "I have glorified You on earth" . . . "I have been glorified in them" (John 17:2, 4, 10 NIV). The basic meaning of the Hebrew word kabod translated glory is heavy in weight. The noun glory means the weighty importance and shining majesty which accompany God's presence. The verb glorified means to give weight to or to give honor to. "To give glory" is to praise, to recognize the importance of another. When we glorify someone we display their dignity, their worth, their importance, their fame. Jesus lived to glorify his Father. He lived that God would be famous, that people would recognize the importance of his Father. Did you notice in the definition of glory the word weight? We often say of some people who think they are important that they are throwing their weight around. If anyone could have thrown their weight around it would have been Jesus. But instead he sought to show the importance of God. He wanted people to understand and recognize the weighty importance of God in their lives. He lived his life so that God would be glorified (v. 4). Do we pray and live so that people see the importance, the weight, of God? The sole purpose of our lives is to live in such a way that God is made known, that people see his importance. We answer Jesus' prayer by extending the influence of God in the world. Jesus prays that he might receive glory (v. 5). Remember Jesus gave up his life as a royal son of God and became, in fact, a slave, and then died a horrible death on a cross (Phil. 2:6-8). Jesus laid aside his glory with the Father when he came to serve, to suffer, and willingly to die for mankind. Since his work on earth was finished, he asked that his glory be given to him again. The reason is that the Son might glorify the Father in heaven. Imagine as difficult as it is what Jesus did. If anyone could "bask in the glory" for what they had done it would be Jesus. But Jesus chooses not to bask in his glory but rather reflect that glory back to God. Do we live and pray so that so God can bask in glory? The chief end of many people, believers included, is to glorify themselves rather than God. Glorifying God is not their objective; their real goal is glorifying themselves. God is reduced to an errand boy. Jesus prays that we will receive glory (v. 22). Jesus is asking that the same glory that God gave him will be given to us his disciples. He is praying that we will have the same kind of weight, importance, fame. That's an amazing thought isn't it? We possess the glory of God within us. There is a weight, an importance, to our beings. Not because of what we are but because of whose we are. As believers in Christ we don't have to muster up our importance, we are important because we possess the divine nature of God himself (Romans 8:29, 2 Peter 1:4). His being resides in our being. Do we live and pray understanding that we possess the nature of God? The end result of our lives is to have the nature of God so inundate our being that people see Jesus in us. Then, and only then, do we become the answer to Jesus' prayer. Copyright 2010, Rick Ezell. Join us at Greer First this Sunday at 9:45 or 11:00 am --- _______ / /_ / -/- / / / / / / /_______/ / jgs ((______| / `"""""""` ...See this teaching Jesus Christ IS NOT God http://www.absolutebiblestudy.com/Advanced/Jesus_Christ_IS_NOT_God.htm -<>- _|_ | _|_ //_/\ __| ||____ ////////////\ /////////////\\ |^^^^^^^^^^||+| | # # # |||| .... ....". ||||||||||||||||| unknown >27 INDICATIONS THAT WE NEED REVIVAL -Author Unknown 1.. When we do not love Him as we once did. 2.. When earthly interests and occupations are more important to us than eternal ones. 3.. When we would rather watch TV and read secular books and magazines than read the Bible and pray. 4.. When we have little or no desire for prayer. 5.. When we would rather make money than give money. 6.. When our Christianity is joyless and passionless. 7.. When we know truth in our heads that we are not practicing in our lives. 8.. When we make little effort to witness to the lost. 9.. When we have time for sports, recreation, and entertainment, but not for Bible study and prayer. 10.. When we do not tremble at the Word of God. 11.. When we seldom think thoughts of eternity. 12.. When we are more concerned about our jobs and careers than about the Kingdom of Christ and the salvation of the lost. 13.. When Christian husbands and wives are not praying together. 14.. When our children are growing up to adopt worldly values, secular philosophies and ungodly lifestyles. 15.. When we watch things on TV and movies that we would not show in church. 16.. When our prayers lack fervency. 17.. When our hearts are cold and our eyes are dry. 18.. When our singing is half-hearted and our worship lifeless. 19.. When we aren't seeing regular evidence of the supernatural power of God. 20.. When we are bored with worship. 21.. When we are more concerned about what others think about us than what God thinks about us. 22.. When we are making little or no difference in the secular world around us. 23.. When we are unmoved by the thought of our neighbors, business associates and acquaintances going to hell. 24.. When we have ceased to weep and mourn and grieve over our sin. 25.. When we aren't exercising faith and believing God for the impossible. 26.. When the fire has gone out in our hearts, our marriages and our church. 27.. When we are blind to the extent of our need and don't think we need revival. as seen in Food For Thought -<>- _ _|_|_ ,|_| |_|_ || | | |_| || | | | | || | | | | _|| | | | | ||)\ ^ ^ ^ | || | | || | | || | | \\ | \\ / ejm )\ ( / \ \ / \ \ \ \ >GOD ANSWERS PRAYER - Author Unknown I know not by what methods rare, But this I know - God answers prayer, I know not when He sends the word That tells us fervent prayer is heard. I know it cometh -- soon or late: Therefore we need to pray and wait. I know not if the blessing sought Will come in just the way I thought. I leave my prayers with Him alone, Whose will is wiser than my own. Lord let me capture the pure spirit of a loving child when I speak Your name. Let me pray as a child prays, asking little for myself, much for other souls and for Your beautiful world. Protect me, sleeping and waking, from evil. Lead me by the hand to good works. Let me praise You in simple words and in glorious silence through all the days and the nights of my life. Amen. as seen in food For Thought -<>- ._,-,_. _ ________ _ ______ __ ||| ||| / \ |__ __| / \ | _ \ | | ||| ||| / . \ | | / . \ | |_) / | | ;|| ||: / /_\ \ | | / /_\ \ | ( | | ./ /| |\ \. / ___ \ | | / ___ \ | |\ \ | | |./ :_: \.| /__/ \__\ |__| /__/ \__\ |__| \__\ |__| >HILARIOUS BUT VERY TRUE. (an et-ahem) If you are 30, or older, you might think this is hilarious! When I was a kid, adults used to bore me to tears with their tedious diatribes about how hard things were. When they were growing up; what with walking twenty-five miles to school every morning.... Uphill... Barefoot... BOTH ways… yadda, yadda, yadda And I remember promising myself that when I grew up, there was no way in hell I was going to lay a bunch of crap like that on my kids about how hard I had it and how easy they've got it! But now that I'm over the ripe old age of thirty, I can't help but look around and notice the youth of today. You've got it so easy! I mean, compared to my childhood, you live in a damn Utopia! And I hate to say it, but you kids today, you don't know how good you've got it! I mean, when I was a kid we didn't have the Internet. If we wanted to know something, we had to go to the darn library and look it up ourselves, in the card catalog!! There was no email!! We had to actually write somebody a letter - with a pen! Then you had to walk all the way across the street and put it in the mailbox, and it would take like a week to get there! Stamps were 10 cents! Child Protective Services didn't care if our parents beat us. As a matter of fact, the parents of all my friends also had permission to kick our ass! Nowhere was safe! There were no MP3's or Napsters or iTunes! If you wanted to steal music, you had to hitchhike to the record store and shoplift it yourself! Or you had to wait around all day to tape it off the radio, and the DJ would usually talk over the beginning and @#*% it all up! There were no CD players! We had tape decks in our car. We'd play our favorite tape and "eject" it when finished, and then the tape would come undone rendering it useless. Cause, hey, that's how we rolled, Baby! Dig? We didn't have fancy crap like Call Waiting! If you were on the phone and somebody else called, they got a busy signal, that's it! There weren't any freakin' cell phones either. If you left the house, you just didn't make a damn call or receive one. You actually had to be out of touch with your "friends". Think of the horror... not being in touch with someone 24/7!!! And then there's TEXTING. Yeah, right. Please! You kids have no idea how annoying you are. And we didn't have fancy Caller ID either! When the phone rang, you had no idea who it was! It could be your school, your parents, your boss, your bookie, your drug dealer, the collection agent... you just didn't know!!! You had to pick it up and take your chances, mister! We didn't have any fancy PlayStation or Xbox video games with high-resolution 3-D graphics! We had the Atari 2600! With games like 'Space Invaders' and 'Asteroids'. Your screen guy was a little square! You actually had to use your imagination!!! And there were no multiple levels or screens, it was just one screen... Forever! And you could never win. The game just kept getting harder and harder and faster and faster until you died! Just like LIFE! You had to use a little book called a TV Guide to find out what was on! You were screwed when it came to channel surfing! You had to get off your ass and walk over to the TV to change the channel! NO REMOTES!!! Oh, no, what's the world coming to?!?! There was no Cartoon Network either! You could only get cartoons on Saturday Morning. Do you hear what I'm saying? We had to wait ALL WEEK for cartoons, you spoiled little rat-finks! And we didn't have microwaves. If we wanted to heat something up, we had to use the stove! Imagine that! And our parents told us to stay outside and play... all day long. Oh, no, no electronics to soothe and comfort. And if you came back inside... you were doing chores! And car seats - oh, please! Mom threw you in the back seat and you hung on. If you were lucky, you got the "safety arm" across the chest at the last moment if she had to stop suddenly, and if your head hit the dashboard, well that was your fault for calling "shot gun" in the first place! See! That's exactly what I'm talking about! You kids today have got it too easy. You're spoiled rotten! You guys wouldn't have lasted five minutes back in 1980 or any time before! Regards, The Over 30 Crowd (Send this to someone you'd like to make smile) as seen in Inspiration Plus To SUBSCRIBE: Send an e-mail with SUBSCRIBE CUP O'CHEER in the subject line to cheer316@sc.rr.com. ========================================================== >-->From LaughAndLift: "Jesus said, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man comes to the Father but by me.' On the surface, that seems the most intolerant of statements. Think of any man on the stage of human history claiming to be the supreme embodiment of all psychological, scientific, and religious truth! He was either an egomaniac, a liar, or He was what He claimed to be. By faith I accepted Him for what He claimed to be, the Son of the Living God. That simple decision changed my life - and I have seen it change the lives of countless others across the world." - Billy Graham __ /_/\/\ \_\ / /_/ \ \_\/\ \ \_\/ unknown Who Is Jesus Anyway? (Author Unknown) For hundreds of years people have been answering that question. Many think He is just a myth and that He never really walked on earth. Others say he was a good man, a great teacher, or a prophet. Some have called him a demon possessed man or something even worse. Napoleon Bonaparte said, "I know men and I tell you that Jesus Christ was no mere man. Between Him and every other person in the world there is no possible term of comparison. Alexander, Caesar, Charlemagne, and I have founded empires. But on what did we rest the creation of our genius? Upon force. Jesus Christ founded His empire on love; and at this very hour millions of men would die for Him." When H.G. Wells was asked what person had left the most permanent impression on history, he replied that judging a person's greatness by historical standards, "By this test Jesus stands first." Jesus Himself said, "I and the Father are one." Also, "If you have seen Me you have seen the Father." He said He was one with God, the Father. He also said, "I am the way the truth and the life, no man may come to the Father but by ME." He repeatedly forgave sins by the power God had given him to do. C.S. Lewis said, "I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him, 'I'm ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don't accept His claim to be God. (he never claimed to be God - Always saying The Father)' That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the kind of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic - on the level with the man who says he is a poached egg - or else He would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was and is the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse. You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and (Son of) God. But let us not come up with any patronizing nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that option open to us. He did not intend to." SUBSCRIBE INFO Want to receive a Christian inspirational item AND great clean humor in an email to you each day of the week? It's easy and FREE! Read all about Laugh & Lift at http://www.laughandlift.com --- _______ / /_ / -/- / / / / / / /_______/ / jgs ((______| / `"""""""` ...Jesus Christ He believed God and did no sin. As the bible says - he was the last Adam. The first Adam betrayed God and all mankind with sin. But our sweet Lord and Savior overcame and became our sacrificial lamb so that by his blood we might be redeemed from death and live an eternity with him and our beloved God and Father. 1 Corinthians 15:45-47 KJV "And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit (begotten son of God). Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual. The first man is of the earth, earthy; the second man is the Lord from heaven." See these teachings here: http://www.absolutebiblestudy.com/Promises/Promises.htm ALSO: Christ's Life https://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/jesuslife.html Who Is Jesus? https://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/jesus.html ========================================================== __ (`/\ `=\/\ __...--~~~~~-._ _.-~~~~~--...__ `=\/\ \ / \\ `=\/ V \\ //_\___--~~~~~~-._ | _.-~~~~~~--...__\\ // ) (..----~~~~._\ | /_.~~~~----.....__\\ ===( INK )==========\\|//==================== __ejm\___/________dwb`---`__________________________ >-->Never Found The Time... I knelt to pray, but not for long, I had too much to do, Must hurry off and get to work For bills would soon be due. And so I said a hurried prayer, Jumped up from off my knees. My Christian duty now was done, My soul could be at ease. All through the day I had no time To speak a word of cheer, No time to speak of Christ to friends They'd laugh at me, I feared. No time, no time, too much to do -- That was my constant cry; No time to give to those in need -- At last 'twas time to die. And when before the LORD I came, I stood with downcast eyes, Within His hands He held a Book. It was the "Book of Life. God looked into His Book and said, Your name I cannot find. I once was going to write it down, But never found the time. -Author Unknown --- ...Don't let this happen to you! Make sure your name is written in the 'Book Of Life': The Simplicity and Grace of THE NEW BIRTH [Romans 10: 9 and 10] https://tinyurl.com/3cp5jyh5 >Updated FUN STUFF URLS - Oh Yeah, Shangy! ---------------------------------------------------------------------- https://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/urls.html FUN URLS ---------------------------------------------------------------------- -->ShangyFunList AD RATES: $35 will get your ad message (of up to 40 words) out to all web site list readers. Email me to secure dates. Ad Request ---------------------------------------------------------------------- -->FULL LENGTH - FREE On line AUDIO Foundational Teaching Seminar NEW LIFE IN CHRIST! ---------------------------------------------------------------------- -->This is for all you who love food and DARE to make it at home Yep. You guessed it - Recipes. These are Tried and True, Yummy to the Tummy, good old fashioned home cooking recipes that are EASY to do Visit Shangy's Easy-Does-It Home Recipes: https://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/easy.html Home Recipes >Got A good Recipe? SHARE IT HERE: Share A Recipe **********************************************************************