A CENTRAL VERSE IN OUR LIVES

Did you know that Psalm 118 is the middle of the entire Bible? Psalm 117, before Psalm 118, is the shortest chapter in the Bible. Psalm 119, after Psalm 118, is the longest chapter in the Bible. The Bible has 594 chapters before Psalm 118 and 594 chapters after Psalm 118. If you add up all the chapters except Psalm 118, you get a total of 1188 Chapters. Psalm 118 verse 8 is the middle verse of the entire Bible. Should the central verse then not have an important message? No matter how you look at it, this should be a central verse in our lives! "It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to rely on human beings." (Psalm 118:8)

-- Unknown


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THE BASEBALL PRAYER

Almighty Father, You who are called the "Mighty Umpire" in this game of life, we are not sure what uniforms we should wear. While we may be Angels in spirit, in reality we are Giants of pride, Dodgers of responsibility and Tigers in ambition. When it comes to faith, we find ourselves in the minor leagues. When it comes to good works, we strike out; when it comes to knowledge of Your Word, we are not sure of the ground rules.

Therefore, we are thankful for Your mercy when we find ourselves in foul territory; for Your forgiveness when we commit one error after another; for Your uplifting Spirit when we find ourselves in the pitfalls of a slump.

Dear God, may our game plan be Your will, and our response a sellout crowd with standing room only. And, when our number is retired here on earth, may we rejoice to hear You call out, "SAFE!" in His name who gives final victory to all who believe! Amen.

-- Unknown


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GOD’S LIFE-GIVING OFFER

“They were hungry and thirsty, and their lives ebbed away. Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and He delivered them from their distress. He led them by a straight way to a city where they could settle. Let them give thanks to the LORD for His unfailing love and His wonderful deeds for mankind, for He satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.”  (Psalm 107:5-9 NIV)

Lost, hungry, thirsty, and exhausted, these wanderers typify the Israelites in exile. But they also typify anyone who has not found the satisfaction that comes from knowing God. Anyone who recognizes his or her own lostness can receive the offer of Jesus to satisfy these needs. Jesus is the way (John 14:6), the bread from heaven (John 6:33,35), the living water (John 4:10-14), and the giver of rest (Matthew 11:28-30). Have you received His life-giving offer?

-- from “The Life Application Study Bible”

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GOD HEARS OUR PRAYERS

To affirm that God hears our prayers is to make a major claim about God and God's openness to us. God hears our prayers because He has affirmed His availability to us in Jesus Christ. Such a statement must be made softly and with an appreciation of its magnitude. God, in Jesus Christ, has made Himself available to us. We are able to hear God as the Holy Spirit opens our ears and makes us available to God.

-- Thomas A. Langford in “Christian Wholeness”

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A PASSIONATE FAITH

If our faith is something that really does not make a big difference, if it is actually not crucial that we or others believe, no wonder it seems boring to some of our young. Anything we don't care about can't be very interesting. The things we do care about, however, we inevitably talk about... If faith is real, it seeks expression. It will communicate and profess. It will have the energy of passion.

-- John F. Kavanaugh in “The Word Encountered”


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