By His Breath We Live

Psalm 148 KJV; 2nd Sunday of Easter; He breathed. The Word was spoken and all things came into being.

Praise Ye The Lord!

Psalm 150 KJV

Praise ye the Lord. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power.

Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness.

Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp.

Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs.

Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals.

Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord.

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There is nothing that our God cannot do. Give thanks and praise to Him for all that He has done and will do! Our God is a great God! Praise ye the Lord!

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Good Gifts for Children

If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him? (Luke 11:13 KJV)

Not every parent gives good gifts to their children. There are those parents who are so self-absorbed that their children are neglected and/or abused in order to satisfy their own egos; their own desires. Years ago I was doing substance abuse assessments on new intakes at a youth correctional facility. One young man told me how his uncle who was his guardian beat him with an electric cord when he didn't live up to his uncle's expectation. I asked for an example of what would get him a beating. This teen was expected to keep the house clean. On his knees, he used a scrub brush and rags to clean the floors. Of course, this is not unheard of. Many of us still do this. However, if his uncle found the job to be unsatisfactory, the boy would bare his back and the uncle would beat him with an electric cord. I asked to see his back.  His dark skin was covered in stark white and fresh pink scars; too many scars to even count. I cannot comprehend how anyone could hurt anyone like this. I do not recall why this child was in the correctional facility. However, the atrocities that were committed against him by someone who should have been caring for him are burned into my mind.

Not all parents or guardians know how to give good gifts to their children. But, it is not so with our heavenly Father. Whether we live up to all of the standards the world would set for us; our Father in heaven loves us and cares for us.  Every now and then I cannot help but give thanks in wonder at why He should bless me so richly. 

Let us give thanks to God for our life and our breath and for His loving presence with us always. May He also put a spirit of unconditional love into the hearts of all who are in positions to care for children. And, we all are!

God's Peace - Pr. J