Don't Run Alone! 10/7/17

07 October 2017 - Don’t Run Alone – Manna by Dorothy Callies

The devotion has truly blessed me tremendously and I thought it was great to share this with you, encouraging you not to “run alone.” It is a great encouragement to have friends to help us through our difficult time. I really praise God for such a wonderful wisdom He provided for all of us. Truly, “Since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses . . . let us run with patience the race that is set before us” (Hebrews 12:1).

            From The Daily Bread devotion written by Amy Peterson. “My husband Jack was on mile 25 out of 26 when his strength failed him.

            This was his first marathon, and he was running alone.  After stopping for a drink of water at an aid station, he felt exhausted and sat down on the grass beside the course.  Minutes passed, and he couldn’t get up.  He had resigned himself to quitting the race when two middle-aged school-teachers from Kentucky came by.

            Although they were strangers, they noticed Jack and asked if he wanted to run with them.  Suddenly, he found his strength restored.  Jack stood and accompanied by the two women he finished the race.

            Those women who encouraged Jack remind me of Aaron and Hur, two friends who helped Moses, the leader of the Israelites, at a key point (EX. 17:8-13).  The Israelites were under attack.  In battle, they were winning only as long as Moses held his staff up (V.11).  So when Moses’ strength began to fail, Aaron and Hur stood on either side of him, holding up his arms for him until sunset (V.12).

            Following God is not a solo endeavor.  He did not create us to run the race of life alone.  Companions can help us persevere (keep on going) through difficulty as we do what God has called us to do.”      

            God, thank You for relationships that encourage me to continue following You.  Help me to be a source of strength for others, as well. [End of Amy Peterson’s devotion].

Dorothy: This devotion impressed me because it made me realized how important it was to keep the contact with you through the Manna and you kept contact with me from time to time personally. It helps me understand why we “don’t run alone.”  And I often found my strength restored through your contact.  Just as Tony found strength restored through your prayer marathon when he saw your names on the list. Also the cards that you send, gift cards, and flower plant given by National Deaf Culture Fellowship. It's awesome and thank you!

The devotion is a great encouragement to me as a day to day basis of a simple help to other who just need a simple encouragement. I was praying for a song that would fit this devotion. Oh, ‘Reach out and touch the Lord’ just as I picture “Jack responded to the school-teachers” and he stood up to join them and to finish his one more mile to the goal of 26 miles marathon.  

Song: Reach Out and Touch the Lord

(Lyrics and music: Bill Harmon, Sing His Praise)

Reach out and touch the Lord as He walks by:

You’ll find He’s not too busy to hear your cry;

He’s passing by this moment, your needs He’ll supply,

Reach out and touch the Lord as He walks by.

Prayer: Lord, may our prayer reaches out to those who are weary, worn and sad from tragedy that was happening in USA and as well as other countries.  We pray that there are workers who will be able to reach those people and encourage them to look to You for a miracle. We pray that they will reach out to You and touch You to receive miracles from You.  We pray that You will give wisdom to workers how to help others. We thank You for hearing our prayers. We praise You for doing many wonderful work among them. You are glorified when people turned to You for help and wisdom. We pray that they will be saved through Your Son, Jesus Christ in Jesus’ name. Amen!

May the Lord truly bless you today!

Dorothy 

He is Jehovah! 10/3/17

03 October 2017 - He is Jehovah!  Manna by Dorothy Callies

Song: He Is Jehovah

1. He is Jehovah, God of creation,

He is Jehovah, Lord God Almighty,

The Balm of Gilead, the Rock of Ages,

He is Jehovah, the God that healeth thee.

Chorus:

Sing hallelujah, sing hallelujah,

Sing hallelujah, sing hallelujah!

He is Jehovah, Lord God Almighty,

He is Jehovah, the God that healeth thee.

2. He is the great “I AM,” the God of Abraham,

Jehovah Shalom, the God of Peace “I AM,”

The God of Israel, the everlasting One,

He is Jehovah, the God that healeth thee. (Chorus)

3. He’s your Provider, Jehovah Jireh,

God of Salvation, God of Messiah;

The Son he sent to you and testified of Him.

He is Jehovah, the God that healeth thee. (Chorus)

[Lyrics and music: Betty Jean Robinson, singing His Praise]

Somehow the song touched my heart and I researched the title, “Jehovah” and found two of them that impressed me very much.  Isaiah 12:2 “Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the Lord JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.”

I noticed the Isaiah chapter 12 has a short verses from 1-6. I read the commentary that explain the theme, “IN THAT DAY.” It is the prophecy about the future Messiah. God’s people will praise Him when the Messiah begins to reign the whole world. Even now we are encouraged to pray and expect in faith and hope, looking forward to His return on earth to reign in righteousness. When that day comes, we will sing the song of praise.

In Isaiah 26:4 “Trust in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord JEHOVAH is everlasting strength.” I noticed the verse 3 above verse 4: “Thou will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee because he trusteth in thee.” Isaiah 26:3 has always been my favorite verse, “You, God, will keep me in perfect peace when my mind is thinking of You because I trusted You completely.” I interpret this to myself.

Again, Isaiah chapter 26:1 quoted, “IN THAT DAY shall this song be sung in the land of Judah . . .” This chapter is about song of rejoicing in JEHOVAH in the land of Judah and their song concerns God’s triumphant of all evil and Christ’s establishment of His kingdom.

Dorothy: What this means to me? It was just a simple inspiration about the song. And the verses that comes with it, it has truly blessed me so much more. Yes, there are devotion books about the names of Jehovah, but the song was more blessed to me.

May the Lord bless you today!

Live to Praise Him 9/27/17

27 September 2017 - Live to Praise Him – Manna by Dorothy Callies

King Solomon wrote about “all is vanity” with man and their everyday routine. After his long research for man’s purpose of life, Solomon finally came to the conclusion: “Fear God, and keep His commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work unto judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil” (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14).

What brought this on? It was about the “everyday routine” that I was thinking about. I ask myself a question: What was the whole purpose of our everyday routine when Tony and I stayed home a lot. It took time for Tony to regain his strength with his body and to be able to strengthen his hip and his arm and shoulder.

While mediating, I came to remember King Solomon and his “futility.” I was curious as to why I thought of it so I did some research on the word, futility.  It came from futile and it means having no result; useless; concerned with not important things.  Futility means useless act. In another word, nothing gain from it. Also vain (vanity) means having no success such as “all is waste”.

God did not created us for “nothing.” King Solomon realized that from Ecclesiastes 12:1 and quoted, “Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth . . .” So it applied to me that I am to remember, my Creator . . . so I am singing to my Creator . . .  And it is worthy to worship Him, to sing unto Him and to remember our Creator who takes pleasures in us.  

So my daily duty is to show great respect to my Creator and to read His Word and keep His commandment that bring life to my whole being (spirit, soul, mind, heart and strength). Like David said, “While I live I will praise the Lord; I will sing praises to my God while I have my being” Psalm 146:2.

Song: Oh, How I Love Him!

Oh, how I love Him!

     How I adore Him!

My breath, my sunshine,

     My all in all:

The great Creator

     Became my Savior,

And all God’s fullness

     Dwelleth in Him.

(Inspiring Choruses)

May God bless you today!

Dorothy

Was It Worth It? 9/19

19 September 2017 - Was it worth it? – Manna by Dorothy Callies

            Good morning! It is 3 a.m. and it’s time for me to seek the Lord!  My thoughts were in the battles about taking care of Tony. While I was praying, I felt led to check out the December 2016 Manna.  After reading this Manna, God actually gave me His Word of comfort and yes, it is worth it.  I really miss my Manna and it is amazing how God has chosen the right Manna to encourage me at this time of the morning. Bless God! It was really an uplifting message for me. Thank You, Heavenly Father for being so kind!  

01 03 December 2016 – Hide Thou Me – Manna by Dorothy Callies

Colossians 3:17 NIV, “Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus.”

            I like the story about George MacDonald who wrote the poem called, The Hidden Life.” George as a young Scot (a person born or living in Scotland), was intellectually gifted and he had a very important position in the eyes of other people with a college career. It means that George could have an important permanent occupation or might have a job after he completed the academic studies. 

            When George heard that his aging father wasn’t able to handle the family farm himself, George return home to help him out. His friends lamented (expressed sorrow for) what they saw as a waste of George’s talents just by serving or helping his father. George wrote a poem called, “The Hidden Life.” He put together what was called, “ordinary deeds” and “simple forms of human helpfulness.” 

            Maybe you may have serve in some unnoticed place, doing everyday deeds and maybe you “feel like” it is a waste of time or even your friends might think that’s a waste. BUT take heed, God wastes nothing.

            Every act of love we provide for others, God takes notice of this.  It has eternal rewards. Every place, no matter how small, is very important to Him.  It can be a simple things of human helpfulness like: be there when they need you, listen to them, understanding others, loving them, and praying with them. It brings us closer to God.

            This reminds me of a song called, Hide Thou Me. I once sang this in sign language 44 years ago in the hearing church while a young man was singing with his beautiful voice. (I used to wear hearing aid.) There was a deep feeling that comes with a song.

Song: Hide Thou Me

Sometimes I feel discouraged,

     and think my life in vain,

I’m tempted then to murmur,

     and of my lot complain;

But when I think of Jesus,

     and all He’s done for me,

Then, I cry, O Rock of Ages,

     Hide Thou Me.

Chorus:

O Rock of Ages, Hide Thou me,

No other Refuge, have I but Thee,

When life’s dark vale I wander,

Far, far from Thee;

Then, I cry, O Rock of Ages, Hide Thou Me.

(Lyrics and music: L.R. Tolbert & Thoro Harris

                in Melodies of Praise)

May the Lord bless you!

Dorothy 

Crushing Events 9/6&12/17

06 & 12 September 2017 – Crushing Event Turned Out for Better – Manna by Dorothy

As for the news Tony is finally home as of September 11^th, 2017.  I was planning to send this Manna last Sept. 6^th, saying that Doctor was going to sign the discharged by Friday, Sept. 8^th and that Tony would be coming home on Sept. 11^th on Monday. 

But I thought I would hold this until today is Sept. 12^th, when I am finally at my laptop while Tony is resting in his power chair.  He is doing alright, but somehow he felt a little weak. He wasn’t eating good lately so now he’s home and I pray that eating right and routine exercise will finally build him up.  So I’m thankful for your prayer. 

This part of Manna was saved from Sept. 6^th. I was reading the story about Warren Buffet, the financial expert, one of the richest people in the world, was rejected by Harvard’s Business School at age 19. After he failed his admissions interview, he remembered a “feeling of dread,” because he was concern about his father’s reaction to his failure.  Looking back, Buffet says, “[Everything] in my life . . . that I thought was a ‘crushing event’ at the time has turned out for the better.”

I like to continue the devotion written by Jennifer Benson Schuldt, the Daily Bread. “Rejection, though undeniably painful, does not have to hold us back from accomplishing what God wants us to do. The citizens of Jesus’ hometown denied that He was the Messiah (John 1:11, “[Jesus] He came to His own [people], and His own [people] did not receive [accept] Him.”)

“Many of His followers rejected Him (John 6:66, From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.)  Just as Jesus’ rejection was part of God’s plan for His Son (Isaiah 53:3, He was hated and rejected by people . . . NCV), so was Jesus’ continued ministry.

“Enduring earthly rejection and knowing that the Father would turn away from Him at Calvary (Matt. 27:46), Jesus went on to cure the sick, cast out demons, and preach good news to the people. Before His crucifixion, Jesus said, “[Father], I have finished the work which You have given Me to do” (John 17:4).

“If rejection has become a hindrance to the work of God has given you to do, don’t give up.  Remember that Jesus understands, and those who come to Him will always be accept by Him (John 6:37).  [End of Jennifer’s writing on Daily Bread Devotion].

Dorothy: What impressed me was about this story of Warren and his crushing event. And that Jesus’ rejection was part of God’s plan for His Son.  I just felt like God was speaking to me about the “crushing event at the time has turned out for the better.” What Tony went through “crushing event since April 13^th, he fell and broke his hip, and that his surgery for hip replacement will become better for him.”

As for me, day by day, I see a miracle of improvement or Tony.  The word from the Lord means a lot to help Tony and me see that it was part of God’s plan and that we are to trust in Him in all we do.  We continue to believe in miracle day by day. [End] 

As of Sept. 12, 2017, I’m seeing on TV all the latest news about the Hurriance Irma has caused a lot of damaged in Florida.  I’m not sure how this subject of the “crushing events turned out for better” in this kind of situation.  I still need to believe that God is trying to reach people to turn to Him constantly and believing in miracles that is greatly needed right now. My heart goes to them and constantly praying that God will do wonders. “What is impossible for men, are possible for God,” Jesus quoted this. So I am holding on to this verse of Jesus’ words for me, Tony and for all of us.