The Lord is Close 8/26-31/18

26-31 August 2018 - The Lord is Close (8/6-7/14) Manna by Dorothy & Tony

Psalm 145:18 KJV: “The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon Him, to all that call upon Him in truth.” NLT: “The Lord is close to all who call on Him, yes, to all who call on Him sincerely.”

Some researches I find it enriching and want to share them with you. Deuteronomy 4:7 KJV, “For what nation is there so great, who hath God so nigh (close) unto them, as the Lord our God is in all things that we call upon Him for?” We can call upon our lovely God at any time because He is so close to us. I love that thought! More to come!

Reading from Deut. 4:5-7 NLT – Moses urges Israel to obey when the Israel was about to enter the Promised Land. 5) “You must obey these laws and regulations when you arrive in the land you are about to enter and occupy. The Lord my God gave them to me and commanded me to pass them on to you. 6) If you obey them carefully, you will display your wisdom and intelligence to the surrounding nations. When they hear about these laws, they will exclaim, ‘What other nation is as wise and prudent as this!’ 7) For what great nation has a god as near to them as the Lord our God is near to us whenever we call on Him?”

What does this mean? Compare to other nations who worshiped their gods and those nations did not have the Lord God like the Israel had. Israel’s God was far better than their gods who were not close to them at all. Other nations that worshiped their gods were made of stones and woods. Some of their gods were stuck in one place.

God had chosen Israel, a nation to reveal Himself through them. Israel was a great nation because they had worshiped God, the Holy One of Israel.  David, the psalmist wrote that the Israel’s God were always close by whenever Israel call upon Him for help. 

Today like Israel, New Testament believers are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, and God’s possession—a people whom God wants to proclaim His excellences and Lordship. 1 Peter 2:9 “But you are a chosen people, royal priests, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession. You were chosen to tell about the wonderful acts of God, who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light (NCV).

KJV define a peculiar people who should show forth the praises of Him who has called us out of darkness into His marvelous light. Peculiar people are characteristic of only one kind of thing … Christ in our lives … So what other nations, the world needs is Jesus.

Song: What the World Needs is Jesus

What the world needs is Jesus,

      just a glimpse of Him;

What the world needs is Jesus,

     just a glimpse of Him;

He will bring joy and gladness,

     take away sin and sadness;

What the world needs is Jesus,

     just a glimpse of Him.

      (Inspiring Choruses)

May the Lord bless you! 

Dorothy 

Quiet Morning! 8/21-25/18

21-25 August - Quiet Morning! – Manna by Dorothy & Tony Callies

Manna from June 29, 2009 was really a blessing to me today!

Isaiah 30:15  ...In quietness and in confidence shall be your strength.

Tony:
Early in the morning things are quiet.
It is God's favorite time to listen to
His people's praise and worship. It will
make you feel good all day when you put
God first, in the quiet of the morning.
It also gives you strength when you have
confidence in Your Heavenly Father.

Song: In the Quiet of the Morning
In the quiet of the morning
   I will worship Your name
I will lift my voice with singing
   to praise you again.
For it filled my heart with gladness
   that remain through the day.
In the quiet of the morning,
   I will worship Your name.
[Forgot the name of song writer]

Dorothy: After reading this, it really lifted my soul to Abba, my heavenly Father. I was reading devotion on “Why Pray?”  The writer simply answered, “Because Jesus did.” Because Jesus Himself taught us to count on being close to our heavenly Father, Abba (Daddy).  The healing flows when we come close to Him.  I remember the song so well.

Teach me to pray, Lord, teach me to pray;

This is my heart-cry day unto day;

I long to know Thy will and Thy way;

Teach me to pray, Lord, teach me to pray. –Reitz

(From Daily Bread Devotion)

As for news, we are doing well! Let the Lord be praise for all He has done!

God bless you today!

Dorothy and Tony

Hear My Prayer 4 8/19-20/18

Prayer of the afflicted, when David, the Psalmist, is overwhelmed, and pour out his complaint before the Lord.

Psalm 102:1-2  “Hear my prayer , O LORD, and let my cry come unto Thee. V2. Hide not Thy face from me in the day when I am in trouble; incline thine ear unto me: in the day when I call answer me speedily.”  NCV: Lord, listen to my prayer: let my cry for help come to You. V2. Do not hide from me in my time of trouble.  Pay attention to me.  When I cry for help, answer me quickly.”

Psalm 143:1 “Hear my prayer, O LORD, give ear to my supplication (need), in Thy faithfulness answer me, and in Thy righteousness.”  NCV: Lord, hear my prayer; listen to my cry for mercy. Answer me because You are loyal and good.

Proverbs 15:29 NCV: The Lord does not listen to the wicked but He hears the prayers of those who do right.  KJV: The Lord is far from the wicked; but He hears the prayer of the righteous.

End of technology’s collection lists on “Hear my prayer.”

Hear My Prayer 3 8/16-18/18

Psalm 69:13 “But as for me, my prayer is unto Thee, O LORD, in an acceptable time: O GOD, in the multitude of Thy mercy hear me, in the truth of Thy salvation.”

NCV: “But I pray to you, LORD, for favor.  God, because of Your great love, answer me.  You are truly able to save.”

Psalm 84:8 “O LORD GOD of hosts, hear my prayer: give ear, O GOD of Jacob.”

NCV: “LORD GOD ALL-POWERFUL, hear my prayer; GOD of Jacob, listen to me.”

Hear My Prayer 2 8/11-15/18

Psalm 66:19-20 KJV "But verily GOD hath heard me, He hath attended to the voice of my prayer.  v.20 Blessed be GOD, which has not turned away my prayer, nor His mercy from me."
Psalm 66:19-20 NCV "But GOD has listened;  HE has heard my prayer.  v.20 Praise God, who did not ignore my prayer or hold back His love from me." 

Dorothy:  This is the most encouragement words I have ever read.  Just to know that His Word tells me that God has heard my prayer and I hold on to that strongly in Jesus' name. 

May the Lord bless you today!!!!!

 10 August 2018 - Have Courage and Be Kind – Manna by Dorothy

Today, I drove our car and parked at the Gold gym. Tony saw it and he didn’t want to go in.  I search my heart and I ask the Lord for wisdom, “help me to have courage and be kind.”  Holy Spirit gave me words to Tony, “This is therapy” and I point out to the gym.  Tony accepted it and he went in.   It was a miracle. 

Then I understood why the word “exercise” gave Tony the wrong idea of laboring hard.  That’s why he fought it.  God was showing me the problem with Tony’s way of thoughts. The word “therapy” is a gentle word which means the equipment will fit his needs, not a strenuous exercise as he thought. 

So thank you for your prayer.  I thought you should hear this because it was a miracle that he responded so well with me.

Hear My Prayer 8/6-10/18

06-10 August 2018 - Hear My Prayer – Manna by Dorothy & Tony Callies

Psalm 39:12 “Hear my prayer, O LORD, and give ear unto my cry; hold not Thy peace at my tears …” NCV: Lord, hear my prayer, and listen to my cry.  Do not ignore my tears …”

I have been writing one verse at a time  on “Hear my prayer” verse into a small journal. Putting them together, helped me to see that David, the Psalmist was free to express his feeling toward His God, Father whenever David was facing his situation. It is the first time that I have chosen sixteen on the list to write one verse each day.  Maybe I might put them in Deaf Prayer Partner Lifeline blog.

I also have been writing Psalm 119 into Journal #5, a few verses at a time each day to help with prayer time. Today from Prayer Calendar is Psalm 119:17-18.

NCV: Do good to me, your servant, so I can live, so I can obey your word. V.18 Open my eyes to see the miracles in your teachings.”

KJV: Deal bountifully with thy servant that I may live, and keep Thy word. V.18 Open Thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of Thy law (Word).

Dorothy: What this means to me? Praying and quoting the verse, “Open my eyes to see the miracles in Your teachings.” This is persistence prayer means to continue to pray and not to give up.  I guess I might give news to what lead to this kind of devotion.

The progress of Tony’s result from his therapist on August 8^th was that he improved, but Tony has remain the same in his walking slowly and cautiously. Therefore, the therapist strongly encourages Tony to go to Gold Gym for daily exercise which Tony has been avoided.  This time therapist encouraged me to ‘force’ him to go because if Tony doesn’t, therapist is afraid that Tony might end up to worse situation.  Going to Gold Gym is the only hope for Tony to improve.  

My prayer is that I need to find a way to motivate Tony to have a heart desire to exercise in the Gold Gym.  It’s free for us because its insurance covered.  Now you know why I’m writing “Hear my prayer” in my small personal journal was for Tony and me.  Also Psalm 119 helps me to stay and holding on to God’s Word by writing them down as if I’m writing His Word in my heart. 

Song: Lord, I Believe

Lord, I believe. Lord, I believe.

Savior, raise my faith in Thee

‘Till it can moved a mountain.

Lord, I believe. Lord, I believe.

All my doubt are buried in the fountain.

(Inspiring Choruses)

God bless you!

Dorothy 

http://deafprayerpartners.blogspot.com/ 

Just a Few? 8/1-5/18

01-05 August 2018 - Just a Few? – Manna by Dorothy and Tony Callies

2 Kings 4:3 NCV, “Then Elisha said, “Go and get empty jars from all your neighbors.  Don’t ask for just a few.”

Theme: A Widow Asks Elisha for Help.

Here’s a story about a widow who ask Elisha, the prophet for help. So what happen here, I would like to share something in my own words from 2 Kings 4:1-7.  The wife of a man was from the groups of prophets.  Her husband was dead.  Her creditors came to her because her husband had a debt that wasn’t paid for.  The creditor threatened her that if she doesn’t pay up, they would take her two boys and sell them for slavery and that would pay off her debts.

She came to Elisha for help since her deceased husband had once served Elisha. She explained that the creditors was going to takes her two boys for slavery.  Elisha asked her question, “What do you have in your house?”  The woman said, “I don’t have anything there except a pot of oil.”

In KJV, Elisha said, “Go borrow the vessels all over your neighbors, even empty vessels; find as many as you can. Just don’t borrow a few, but borrow many vessels as you can find.”  Today’s language, we called it JARS for vessels.

In NCV, Elisha said, “Go and get empty jars from all your neighbors.  Don’t ask for just a few. Then go into your house and shut the door behind you and your sons.  Pour oil into all the jars, and set the full ones aside.”  So she left Elisha and shut the door behind her and her sons.  As they brought the jars to her, she poured out the oil.  2Kings 4:3-5.

When the jars were all full, she said to her son, “Bring me another jar.”  But he said, “There are no more jars.”  Then the oil stopped flowing.  She went and told Elisha.  And the prophet said to her, “Go, sell the oil and pay what you owe.  You and your sons can live on what is left.”  2Kings 4:6-7.

Dorothy: What this story impressed me was the title, “Just don’t borrow a few.” It means “find as many jars as you can” and keep pouring oil into empty jars.  A widow’s pot of oil kept overflowing into another jar, another jar, and another jar until there’s no more jars to fill with oil.  So there were plenty of jars of oil to sell and be able to save her sons from slavery. God answered the widow’s prayer to save her sons.

This story reminds me how much God cares for those who are in need. This story inspired me, “Don’t limit God from being able to ‘overflow you’ with your needs, physically and financially.”  Empty jars or vessels represent us.  Ever felt empty inside? I do many times.  This is why I turned to God’s Word as an anointing oil to fill up inside my spiritual life. The more I read God’s Word and prayer, the more He filled up the oil of Holy Spirit inside of me.

Prayer: O Lord, teach me to remember that you, Father God are eager to pour out oil of blessings upon us when we ask You for help. Scripture tells me, don’t ask You for just a few. So I am asking You to pour out plentiful oil of blessings upon me, Tony, my friends and my families, spiritually, physically, and financially in Jesus’ name I pray. Amen! 

Because of this Manna, I appreciate the song and the words so much more.  In Riverside Calvary Church, in the hearing service on Sunday night with an interpreter. As a teenager, I remember how the song was sung when I was able to hear with the hearing aid with the song book to read and watch sign language in rhythm.

Song: Bring Your Vessels, Not a Few

Chorus:

He will fill your heart today to overflowing,

As the Lord commanded you,

“Bring your vessels, not a few.”

He will fill your heart today to overflowing

With the Holy Ghost and power. 

[Lelia Naylor Morris, Sing His Praise]

1. Are you looking for the fullness

            of the blessing of the Lord

            In your heart and life today?

   Claim the promise of your Father,

            come according to His Word,

            In the blessed old-time way. 

            (Next chorus)

2. Bring your empty vessels,

            clean thro’ Jesus’ precious blood,

             Come, ye needy, one and all;

    And in human consecration

            wait before the throne of God,

             Till the Holy Ghost shall fall.

            (Next chorus)

3. Like the cruse of oil unfailing

            is His grace forever more,

            And His love unchanging still;

   And according to His promise

            with the Holy Ghost and power,

            He will every vessel fill.

            (Next chorus)

May the Lord bless you!

Dorothy

PS. Really, this is tough for me to try to develop this Manna.  

It took me days, but His Word feeds my soul. It's worth it!