That ball rolled right under the……refrigerator. I did not want to go there this morning, but it was the baby’s ball. I found a flashlight, got down on all fours, and shined the light into the darkness. There was the ball – sitting right in the middle of a dusty mess! If you ask me […]
NOTE IF YOU HAVE BEEN BLESSED, PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD TO YOUR FRIENDS Just key in “ptl2010.com” Failure Jeremiah 8:4 Jeremiah, say this to the people of Judah: This is what the Lord says: You know if a man falls down, he gets up again. And if a man goes the wrong way, he turns around and comes back. Proverbs […]
If I could write a symphony While I’m down here on my knees And If the melody could melt a room like wax It still wouldn’t be enough To express all that You have done. If I could sing like angel choirs And light the stage with flames of fire And if my voice could […]
Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers, and blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord. Proverbs 16:20 NIV The Lord always wants what is best for us, so it’s important to follow His instructions for our lives. Although we may not always understand why He is leading us in a certain direction, we can […]
I will sing praise to the Lord my God. He knew me in my mother’s womb, nurtured me, taught me His ways and raised me to speak His heart. I will take refuge in Him, for I know He will deliver me from all my trials. “I will give to the LORD the thanks due […]
I am …. Forgiven “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Romans 8:1 ESV “Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” Colossians 3:13 Meditate on this truth today. If you have given Jesus Lordship of your life, rulership […]
Father God, Sometimes I am overwhelmed with the problems in this world. There is so much work to do, and I am tired. Help me to be like Abraham who did not stagger at Your promise. Even though he had to be stumped with the impossibility of the situation (You promised him a son when […]
Within a moments’ noticeWisdom was gone. There was no note,-nothing. All I have to remember her byare the memoriesof the lessons that she once taught me. Wisdomis a beautiful gift from God.And I begin to search for what can be found. I then ask The Lord to forgive meand for His grace and mercy to […]
37 Even after Jesus had performed so many signs in their presence, they still would not believe in him. 38 This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet: “Lord, who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?” 39 For this reason they could not believe, because, as Isaiah says elsewhere: 40 “He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, so they can neither see with their eyes, nor understand with their hearts, nor turn—and I would heal them.” 41 Isaiah said this because he saw Jesus’ glory and spoke about him. 42 Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they would not openly acknowledge their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue; 43 for they loved human praise more than praise from God. 44 Then Jesus cried out, “Whoever believes in me does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me. 45 The one who looks at me is seeing the one who sent me. 46 I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness. 47 “If anyone hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge that person. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. 48 There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; the very words I have spoken will condemn them at the last day. 49 For I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me to say all that I have spoken. 50 I know that his command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say.”
1.
As the varied way of life we journey,
Come the plains and then the mountainside,
Come the days of joy when birds are singing,
And the world is fair and sweet and wide;
Then a deeper joy comes, overfilling,
From the everlasting throne of love,
And all other joy is but an echo
From the ever-blessed heights above.
2.
There are shadows on the earthly pathway
Where, at times uncertainly, we tread;
In perplexity we halt and linger
Till our faith again is upward led.
For the heights of truth are ever calling,
And celestial radiance from afar
On our pilgrim way is gently falling
For our comfort where the shadows are.
3.
In the days of peace and golden sunshine,
In the days of joy. or days of woe,
There is confidence in him who holds us;
There is light to guide us here below.
And beyond await the heights of rapture
Where all earthly joys, transcended, fade
In the glory of the Saviour’s presence,
In the home eternal he has made.
10 “Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. 2 The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” 6 Jesus used this figure of speech, but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them.
7 Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. 9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.[a] They will come in and go out, and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. 13 The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.
14 “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. 17 The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”
19 The Jews who heard these words were again divided. 20 Many of them said, “He is demon-possessed and raving mad. Why listen to him?”
21 But others said, “These are not the sayings of a man possessed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”