Happy Valentines Day!

NOTE: I thought this was interesting and fitting for Valentines Day! I didn't do a check on the history myself - it's a devotional off the web but I figured that you guys would be interested in it anyway. So here it is! Happy Valentines Day!

"This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." (Jesus, John 15:12-13).

In ancient Rome, the 14th of February was a pagan holiday in honor of Juno, the goddess of women and marriage and the queen of the Roman Gods and goddesses.

Later, however, it became a Christian holiday named after a Christian priest. An Internet report says that, "According to church tradition St. Valentine was a priest near Rome about the year 270 A.D. At that time the Roman Emperor was imprisoning Christians for not worshipping the Roman gods. During this persecution Valentine was arrested. Some say he was arrested because he was performing Christian marriages, but others say it was for helping Christians escape prison.

"During the trial they asked Valentine what he thought of the Roman gods Jupiter and Mercury. Of course Valentine said they were false gods and that the God that Jesus called Father was the only true God. So the Romans threw him in prison for insulting the gods.

"While in prison Valentine continued to minister. He witnessed to the guards. One of the guards was a good man who had adopted a blind girl. He asked Valentine if his God could help his daughter. Valentine prayed and the girl was given her sight. The guard and his whole family, 46 people, believed in Jesus and were baptized. When the emperor heard about this, he was furious that Valentine was still making converts even in prison, so he had Valentine clubbed and beheaded.

"Valentine knew that he might get caught in his Christian activities. He knew that if he told the court the truth about the Roman gods that he would be thrown in prison. And he knew that if he continued to witness to Christ in the prison he would make his captors angry. But he continued because he loved the Lord and his fellow humans. He was willing to risk his life to free the prisoners and spread the Good News of Jesus Christ to those who needed to hear it." (Source unknown.)

Remember to give out the Valentine that God gave us - Jesus.

Merry Christmas

I was looking for a devotional on a good christmas story, and what better story is there than the one of Jesus? I found this poem and I hope you all enjoy it.

<3 Amber


P.S. - Here's the site if you want to go on it and check it out!
http://www.allisonsheart.com/pagelist.html

~ Oh How The Angels Sing ~

In the sparkling crystal coolness of a quiet winter night,
Was a boy child in a manger bathed in soft and holy light.
As a star shined high above Him, as the angels sang for joy,
They were welcoming the King of Kings in a tiny baby boy.
On a hillside shepherds huddled 'round a warm inviting flame,
It was just another winter night; How soon their lives would change.
For suddenly surrounding them were angel voices clear,
Singing, " Glory to God in the highest," The shepherds shook with fear.

When all at once the fear was gone, replaced with peace untold,
As angels brought good tidings, the story did unfold.
They told of how a King had come and in a manger lay,
In a quiet town in Bethlehem in a stable filled with hay.
Of how this little boy child was of a virgin birthed,
Fulfilling old time prophecies of Messiah come to earth.
The angels bade the shepherds to go and find the babe,
To seek the King of Glory in a manger filled with hay.

As suddenly as they had come the angels now were gone,
With them went the brilliant light and the night sky filled with song.
Yet over tiny Bethlehem on that cool and cloudless night,
Hung a sparkling star of promise; What a wondrous, glorious sight.
The shepherds made their journey while following the star,
They were looking for the tiny babe; It couldn't be too far.
When from a simple stable a baby's cry was heard,
The shepherds knew the melody was the Promise of God's Word.

They fell before the tiny King and worshipped Him with joy,
While all around the angels sang to the little baby boy.
For the humble little stable held a King beyond compare,
Not just an ordinary babe, but a Gift from God so rare.
At last those things had come to pass the prophets had spoken of,
God's Promise now had come to life; How great the Father's love.
That He would choose to send His Son in a tiny baby boy,
And make His life a sacrifice; How the angel's sing for joy.

Memo from God

I thought this was super cute!

MEMO FROM GOD


To: YOU
Date: TODAY
From: THE BOSS
Subject: YOURSELF
Reference: LIFE


I am God.

Today I will be handling all of your problems. Please remember that I do not need your help.

If life happens to deliver a situation to you that you cannot handle, do not attempt to resolve it. Kindly put it in the SFGTD (something for God to do) box. All situations will be resolved... but in My time, not yours.

Once the matter is placed into the box, do not hold onto it by worrying about it. Instead, focus on all the wonderful things that are present in your life now

If you find yourself stuck in traffic; Don't despair. There are people in this world for whom driving is an unheard of privilege.

Should you have a bad day at work; Think of the man who has been out of work for years.

Should you despair over a relationship gone bad; Think of the person who has never known what it's like to love and be loved in return.

Should you grieve the passing of another weekend; Think of the woman in dire straits, working twelve hours a day, seven days a week to feed her children.

Should your car break down, leaving you miles away from assistance; Think of the paraplegic who would love the opportunity to take that walk.

Should you notice a new gray hair in the mirror; Think of the cancer patient in chemo who wishes she had hair to examine.

Should you find yourself at a loss and pondering what is life all about, asking what is my purpose? Be thankful. There are those who didn't live long enough to get the opportunity.

Should you find yourself the victim of other people's bitterness, ignorance, smallness or insecurities; Remember, things could be worse. You could be one of them!

Guidance and Direction

This morning when I went to do my devotions I had a lot on my mind that I couldn't stop thinking about. I felt a little bit at a loss because there have been trials that seem like mountains, too big to climb and really scary. Well, I decided to dive into Gods word, using a book given to me for graduation I was able to study out 'Guidance'. This is what I got out of my devotion:


When you don't understand something, we need to go to God because he said he would give us the wisdom to understand it but we need to ask for it.

James 1:5-6

"If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed."


When we don't know why we have to climb the mountain - we should ask god for wisdom how to climb and have faith that he'll help us.

Deuteronomy 31:8
"....He it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed."

Gods with us, Jesus walked down the road before us and God promises that he won't forsake us or fail us, he might not remove the trial but he's going to help us through it.

Anyway, I got a blessing out of this and was able to get some help out of it so I thought I would share it with all of you. It's not much but I got some help out of it.