A Second Chance

Good Morning Everyone,

How many times in your life have you made mistakes?
Were some of them disasters that left you feeling defeated and
ashamed? The good thing about shame is that it means
we still allow our conscience to work, and that shame can turn
into something good, when we recognize our errors, face them,
correct them, and move on.

Many people are unable to forgive others, or themselves.
They seem to cling to grudges as if they were treasures.
These grudges tie us to whoever we are angry with, with
a spiritual umbilical cord that robs us of spiritual freedom.
God says if we cannot forgive others, he will not forgive us.
Then forgiveness must be absolutely vital to God.

If you had to sit down and make a list of a good reasons to keep
holding onto grudges, would anything on that list be worthy?
If you take time to read the list of why to hold onto grudges,
you will notice it is "all about me". You are focusing on yourself,
your hurts, your anger, your feelings. You have been unable
to rise above them and move on. It has kept you in a state of
spiritual staleness and personal unhappiness.

There comes a time when we all make a conscious decision
that we will let go of the hurts and pains of the past and just move on.
WE forgive people even if they don't ask, and we love them even
when they seem unlovable. Why? Because Christ in his great
mercy and grace, loves us even on our worst days. If he can
do that, how can we do less? If He truly dwells in us, how can we
allow anything to come between us, especially all the hurt
that builds up in our mind like piles of trash blocking our view
and our walk with Christ.

My friends, get on your knees today, ask Jesus to help you forgive
others, and to forgive yourself, and realize you get a new chance
at life, a clean slate, a new view. Free of bondage of unforgiveness.
Then go out and enjoy life, savoring the good and letting go of the bad.
This is absolutely possible, and it is all a personal mental and spiritual
choice. God bless you my friend. Break free, and live life to the fullest.

Love always
millie

Matthew 6:14-15
14For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
On forgetting the past;
Philippians 3:13-14
13Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
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A SECOND CHANCE

Georgia Tech played the University of California in the 1929 Rose Bowl. In the game a player recovered a fumble, but became confused and ran the wrong way.

A teammate tackled him just before he would have scored a touchdown against his own team. At halftime all of the players went into the dressing room and sat down, wondering what the coach would say. This young man sat by himself; put a towel over his head, and cried.

When the team was ready to go back onto the field for the second half, the coach stunned the team when he announced that the same players who had started the first half would start the second. All of the players left the dressing room except for this young man. He would not budge. The coach looked back as he called him again, and saw that his cheeks were wet with tears. The player said, "Coach, I can't do it. I've ruined you. I've
disgraced the University. I can't face that crowd in the stadium again."

Then the coach put his hand on the player's shoulder and said, "Get up and go back in. The game is only half over."

When I think of that story, deep inside I say, "What a coach!" When I read the story of Jonah [in the Bible], and the stories of thousands like him, I say, "To think that God would give me another chance!"

By Billy Graham

Our Sufficiency in All Things

copyright Millie Plastaras 9/24/2009


Dearest Friends,


No matter what you are facing today, or what your
problems are, you, like many others in this world
are not alone in this. Everyone we know has
problems and burdens. And sometimes they
seem overwhelming. Sometimes we get so involved
in our own thoughts and trials, we neglect to be there
for others, whom we could pray for and support through
the times. There has to be a time we look beyond ourselves
and leave things in our Father God's hands and trust, and
then go out and make a difference in this world.

It is a daily choice. And to me, when we let go,
and trust God and move on... it is personal freedom within.
What is sweeter than feeling free of burdens and cares?
Just savor life, and enjoy what you do have, and don't focus
on what is wrong or what you don't have.

When all hope seems lost, God holds out his hands
and says here is hope, I am with you always, even
unto the end of the world.

When we are at the end of our rope
God is waiting there, holding the other end of the rope.

When all seems lost,
God knows we are found, He has been watching us all along.

When all resources seem at an end,
God owns the cattle on a thousand hills, He will provide.

When trials and troubles come relentlessly
God's mercy abounds even more, just rest in Him.

Lessons learned in the time of crisis,the time of loss, the long hours of waiting
teach us to stretch, grow, rely on, cling to, and trust implicitly in God.

Not in men,
not in our power,
not in our strength.
But in God!

He gives power to the faint and weary,
and to him who has no might He increases strength --
causing it to multiply and making it abound.

But those who wait upon the Lord -- who expect,
look for, and hope in Him -- shall change and renew their
strength and power; they shall lift their wings
and mount up (close to God) as eagles (mount up to
the sun) they shall run and not be weary;
they shall walk and not faint or become weary.
Isaiah 40:29,31

God help me to remember today
to walk in your strength
not my own,
to trust in your power and abilities
to watch over me, solve my problems,
provide my needs. Help me to cling to,
rely on, trust in and find hope in you each day.
You are my source, and I praise you oh God
your mercies, grace and provision are new each day.

Amen.

All He is, is all you will Ever need.

love
millie

ps. Please read through to the end. I can guarantee you a
blessing if you read all of this devotion today. It will inspire and
uplift you.

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When God is Silent
Author: Unknown

"Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret -- it leads only to evil" Psalm 37:7-8, NIV.

John (not his real name) realized that his marriage wasn't all that it could be, but he and Mary were in counseling so John was confident that their marriage would survive and be stronger than ever.

Wrong. John was devastated when Mary informed him that she didn't love him and never would. Tragically time proved that she meant it.

John said that he always believed with faith in God, hope, persistence, qualified counseling help, and hard work pretty much any problem could be resolved.

Wrong again. Eventually John and Mary were divorced after which John experienced an intense "silence of God -- dark night of the soul."

So what do you do when you are committed to and trusting God and your world falls apart?

As John put it, "As hurt, baffled and confused as I was, I clung to my faith. I had nothing else to cling to. But today, several years later, I am a much different man. My shattered dreams and God's silence were God's wake-up call for me. I realized that I had many unresolved personal problems from my past that I needed to face and resolve. I also realized that the only person I could ever change was me. I'm still learning and growing but I am healthier today spiritually, emotionally and physically than I was when I was in my 30s.

Through my own personal journey I would agree with John. Who wants to change and grow when everything is going great? Certainly not me because change and growth are often very painful. Facing one's reality can also be a painful experience. But it's only as we face and accept our personal problems and character issues, that we can bring them to God and safe people for healing.

When God seems silent, if we stand still and listen with our heart, in time we will realize that God has been speaking the loudest to us. Strange? Yes, but true.

"Dear God, thank you for the times when I felt you were silent and deserted me, for I now realize that you allowed me to go through pain and disappointment to help me face my personal problems and grow. Thank you that you loved and accepted me as I was but loved me too much to leave me as I was. Gratefully in Jesus' name. Amen."


"I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears." -Psalm 34:4

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He Giveth More


He giveth more grace when the burdens grow greater,
He sendeth more strength when the labors increase,
To added affliction He addeth his mercy,
To multiplied trials, He multiplied peace.

When we have exhausted our store of endurance,
When our strength has failed ere the day is half done,
When we reach the end of our hoarded resources,
Our Father's full giving has only begun.

His love has no limit, His grace has no measure,
His power no boundary known unto men;
For out of His infinite riches in Jesus
He giveth and giveth and giveth again.

Copyright Annie Johnson Flint

Light For the Path

Good Morning Everyone,

Everyday there is a important commodity all of us need and
use readily. Light, we all need light. It is a medical fact
that those that do not get enough light often suffer
from more depression and a actual disorder because
of lack of sunlight. It is also known that those who do
not get enough sunlight are very low on Vitamin D,
which makes all parts of our body function better, and our
bodies work more efficiently just because we walk in light.

I am reminded that our soul needs light. We need light
for our way, to know what to do, where to go. We need
light shone upon our problems so we can sort through
them, figure them out and move on. Or just give them
to God until we are able to do something, or he works
it out for us in his timing. It is too hard to do it alone,
not knowing what is ahead or how to go through it.
Feeling alone and in the dark have to be two of
the worst feelings in the world.

Lack of light in your soul means one thing: darkness.
No one wants to abide in darkness if they love God.
We want his light shed upon our soul, all things
illuminated so there is nothing hidden, everything
surrendered, everything in the open, everything
lit by the light of his face shining on us, bringing
hope, fresh inspiration, mercy and strength for the day.

How many of you would want to be in total darkness
with no known end to it? Do you think our soul should be
darkened? It causes no end of grief in our lives
when we do not allow God to dwell in us in light and truth.
We go down paths we never would have otherwise,
and perhaps even get companions or mates that lead
us further into darkness.


Remember if you do not choose to open the door,
light will not come in. You have a choice.

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.
Psalm 119:105
A important concept, God's word sheds light on
our path and in our hearts, so we know
where to go, and who to be around, and what
path to take. It is a must!

Let us go a step further in this thought process:
And this is the condemnation that the light has
come into the world and men loved darkness rather
than light, because their deeds were evil.
For everyone practicing evil hates the light
and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should
be exposed. But he who does the TRUTH comes
to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen,
that they may have been done in God.
John 3:19-21

My friends, what this is saying is that even though
we think our deeds are hidden to God, and in some
perverse way we think we can hide things from him,
nothing is hidden to Him. What He wants from us
is surrender, submission. He wants all things
to be open before him.. and He wants to transform
us into a light for this world to see Jesus in us.

Life is short, this is our mission, to tell everyone we
meet the gospel, and to let his light shine through us,
so that they may see our good works and glorify our
Father who is in heaven.

Are you withholding something from God? Are you hiding
secret sins or secret habits? Do you remember when you
were a child and you hid things from your parents? For
a time you thought you were getting away with something
and then you begin to feel guilty, and perhaps even had to lie
to cover up what you were doing. Soon, it wasn't a good
feeling at all, and it was a even worse feeling when your
parents discovered what you had been doing.

My friends, we are all accountable to God. This life is
but a vapor, it passes so quickly. If someone had you
repeat the words "I Am Accountable to God" would
you think more about what that means? It is eternal
in it's scope. Far beyond anything else in this life.

My friends, today, if you are withholding from God,
and doing things you know you should not, or have
done them in the past. Take time to get on your knees
and repent of them to your Savior. Tell him each of
them, ask His forgiveness. He has promised if we
confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive them
and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)

Take time to pray and ask him to shed light in your heart
and in your life so you may please him in all you say and do.
This prepares you not only for this life, but for the next one
my friends. Nothing is more vital to your spiritual life.

Only one life, will soon be past,
Only what is done for Christ will last.

For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord,
walk as children of light! For the fruit of the spirit is
in all goodness, righteousness, and truth. Finding out
what is acceptable to the Lord. And have NO
fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but
rather expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of those
things which are done by them in secret. But ALL
things that are exposed are made manifest by the light,
for whatever makes manifest is light.
Therefore He says: Awake you who sleep.
Arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light.
Ephesians 5:8:14

God will bring you from darkness into light.
He will bring you from spiritual death to spiritual life,
And He will sustain you, He will guide you, and strengthen
you and never leave you alone, you will never face things
alone. Just surrender to him, repent, and receive his salvation
and forgiveness.

Remember

Love,
millie

Trusting Even In the Night Watch

Good Morning Everyone,


I wanted to tell you I have been in the hospital, and not
on the computer much at all lately. I am still not well, but
hopefully will be with rest, and the correct medicines, and
following a diet strictly. Would appreciate your prayers.
It will be a long process, but one I pray that will end with great
success.

I wanted you to know while I was in there, the more
xrays and tests they took, the more they found. There
was 2 or 3 nights, I really fought a spiritual battle. Then
I realized, it was not my battle to win. My job was to
cling to my heavenly Father for all I am worth, and
face one day at a time, one thing at a time, and I will NOT
face it alone. God is always with me. And he can be
with you like that too. Just make sure Jesus is Lord
and Savior of your life, by repenting of your sins and
asking him to be your Savior. He will come into your life
immediately and forever change it. Then, get into
a good Bible teaching church, and read Gods word daily
for it will strengthen you, bring you hope, and teach you
how to grow closer to God.

I wanted to ask you a question.

Have you been still lately? I mean really still?
With no television or radio playing, no one to talk to.. just
sitting still?

I know I have told you we have a large back yard, full of
nurtured plants, a vegetable garden, and many rose bushes.
It is quiet back there. The only noise a occasional barking
of our dog, or the song of a bird. It is so restful. No noise.
Just the surroundings of God's beautiful creation.
A quiet place.

We all need that quiet place within us.. where the world
cannot intrude, where our troubles don't take precedence,
and where we allow God's spirit to whisper to ours.

A place that is a garden of refreshing.. of hope, of renewal.

If you have not found that quiet time, that quiet spot
then you are missing out on the most important time
in your spiritual life daily. Time with God.

We take time to talk to God, and then sit in his presence
and wait for his gentle leading and urgings in our heart,
and we sit until we feel peace.

Nothing you do, will matter more than this time.
Nothing. Everything else will pass away.

Only time with God will prosper and last.

Love others, savor them, enjoy the day,
but don't neglect the God you need above all else.

Then today you can say, I walked in the garden with
God, and He refreshed me and held me close.
I knew then, everything would be ok.

Love
millie

For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed,
but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall
the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord that
has mercy on thee.
Isaiah 54:10

Receive that blessed peace.. in the quiet times and small
corners of each day

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"God Speaking"

The man whispered, "God, speak to me" And a
meadowlark sang.
But the man did not hear.

So the man yelled "God, speak to me" And the thunder
& lightning rolled across the sky. But the man did
not listen.

The man looked around and said, "God, let me see you."
And a star shined brightly. But the man did not see.

And, the man shouted, "God, show me a miracle" And a
life was born.
But the man did not notice.

So, the man cried out in despair, "Touch me, God, and
let me know you are here"
Whereupon, God reached down and touched the man.
But the man brushed the butterfly away and walked on.

I found this to be a great reminder that God is always
around us in the little and simple things that we take
for granted. .even in our electronic age . . . so I would
like to add one more:

The man cried "God, I need your help" . . . and an
e-mail arrived reaching out with good news and
encouragement. But the man deleted it and continued
crying.....

The good news is that you are loved. Don't miss out
on a blessing because it isn't packaged the way that
you expect.

Expect the unexpected....
It is called Faith :)