Thoughts for Life

Saturday, October 18, 2025

CHOICES

Choices

"Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers." Psalm 1:1 NIV

Radice Banks-

Amidst an unseasonably warm late January afternoon, Minister TL Allen and I sought solace within the cozy confines of a mom-and-pop café in Pelzer, South Carolina. His eyes, etched by seven and a half decades, harbored tales untold.

As our coffee cups cradled in our hands, he leaned back, his voice a gentle cadence, and bequeathed this enduring truth: “Life comes down to our choices, each decision echoing through time. These decisions ripple beyond our own souls, touching the lives of those who walk beside us.” Indeed, life is a symphony of choices.

Psalm 1 underscores the gravity of our choices and their eternal consequences. The opening verse introduces the Hebrew word ashrei, translated as “blessed.”[1] This term signifies supreme happiness or fulfillment.

The righteous person who walks in God’s way experiences this fulfillment by making choices that align with the Word of God. Their life becomes a testament to contentment and alignment with divine truth. Such a person will also not walk in the counsel of the ungodly, stand in the path of sinners, or sit in the seat of the scornful.

The righteous person recognizes and avoids ungodly counsel. Instead, they seek godly wisdom, as expressed in God’s testimonies. They are like a tree planted by streams of water, flourishing and bearing fruit. The ungodly, however, are like chaff driven away by the wind—without stability or purpose. Our choices determine whether we flourish like a tree or wither like chaff.

The psalmist invites us to be like the blessed tree, deeply rooted in God’s Word, flourishing and bearing fruit in due season. We should choose the path of righteousness and refrain from the counsel of the wicked, the way of sinners, and the seat of scoffers. This way, our choices will resonate with divine truth, leading us toward fulfillment and contentment.

As you sip your coffee or tea or pause in quiet reflection, consider the litany of choices before you. Make choices that harmonize with God’s Word, leaving a legacy that blesses generations. The canvas awaits your strokes. May they be guided by wisdom, faith, and the eternal promise of supreme fulfillment.

(1.) James Strong, Strong's Expanded Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2009), as-re, blessed.

Let's pray-

Father, our eyes also are etched with harbored tales untold. As our lives come down to our choices each decision has made over time, we've touched the lives of those who walk beside us.

The righteous person who walks in Your way experiences fulfillment by making choices that align with Your Word. Their lives become testiments to contentment and alignment with divine truth. Such a person will not walk in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stand in the path of sinners, or sit in the seat of the scornful.

Help us seek godly wisdom, not choosing the chaff-driven way, without stability or purpose. Our choices determine whether we flourish like a tree or wither like chaff.

In the name of Jesus we pray for guidance. Amen.

My weekly advice from the book, "We All Married IDIOTS, by Elaine W. Miller:

"I married an idiot--and so did my spouse. The word, "idiot" is derived from the Greek word meaning "common man." And aren't we all common men and women? ~ Elaine W. Miller

We All Married Idiots encourages husbands and wives to stop focusing on the 3 things you will never change in your marriage and concentrate on the 10 things you can. Make your mate a gift to treasure."

#108 Testimony- Charles Blanchard, (president of Wheaton College for 43 years-)

(pp 161,162) in Wesley L. Duewell's book, MIGHTY PREVAILING PRAYER.

"Friends, about two and ahalf or three years ago I was in the hospital in Philadelphia. I was an engineer on the Pennsylvania Lines, and although I had a praying wife, I had all my life been a sinful man. At this time I was very ill. I became greatly wasted. I weighed less than one hundred pounds.

Finally the doctor who was attenting me said to my wife that I was dead, but she said; "No, he is not dead. He cannot be dead. I have prayed for him for twenty-seven years and God has promised that he would be saved. Do you think God would let him die

now after I have prayed twenty-seven years and God has promised, and he is not saved?"

"Well," the doctor replied, "I do not know anything about that, but I know tha he is dead." and the screen was drawn around the cot, which in the hospital separates detween the living and the dead.

To satisfy my wife, other physicians were brought, one after another, until seven were about the cot, and each one of them as he came up and made the examination confirmed the testimony of all who had preceded. The seven doctors said that I was dead.

Meanwhile my wife was kneeling by the side of my cot, insisting that I was not dead,—that if I were dead God would bring me back, for He had promised her that I should be saved and I was not yet saved. By and by her knees began to pain her, kneeling on the hard hospital floor. She asked the nurse for a pillow and the nurse brought her a pillow upon which she knelt.

One hour, two hours, three ours passed. The screen still stood by the cot. I was lying there still, apparently dead. Four hours, five hours, six hours, seven hours, thirteen hours passed, and all this while my wife was kneeling by the cotside, and when people remonstrated and wished her to go away she said: 'No, he has to be saved. God will bring him back if he is dead. He is not dead. He cannot die until he is saved."

At the end of thirteen hours I opened my eyes, and she said, "What do you wish, my dear?" And I said: "I wish to go home, and she said: "You shall go home." But when she propsed it, the doctors raised their hands in horror. They said "Why, it will kill him. It will be suicide." She said: "You have had your turn. You said he was dead already. I am going to take him home."

I weigh now 246 pounds. I still run a fast train on the Pennsylania Lines. I have been out to Minnespolis on a little vacation, telling men what Jesus can do, and I am glad to tell you what Jesus can do!"

1576-1580 One-line Scriptures for those of you who want to learn some more verses this week- or to review them from when they were first posted-

1576- Jer. 4:3b "Break up your unplowed ground."

1577- Ps. 145:7 "They shall abudantly utter the memory of thy great goodness,

and shall sing of thy righteousness."

1578- Is. 30:15b "In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and

in confidence shall be your strength."

1579- Is. 29:19a "The meek also shall increase their joy in the LORD."

1580- Ps. 119:13 "With my lips have I declared all thy judgments of thy mouth."

#108 Hymn- There's Power In the Blood

The information about this song, is taken from the book by Robert J. Morgan, THEN SINGS MY SOUL (p. 249)

One day as missionary Dick Hillis preached in a Chinese village, his sermon was suddenly interrupted by a piercing cry. Everyone rushed toward the scream, and

Dick's coworker, Mr. Kong, whispered that an evil spirit had seized a man. Dick, having not previously encountered demon possession, didn't believe him.

Just then, a woman rushed toward them. "I beg you help me!" she cried. "an evil spirit has again possessed the father of my children and is trying to kill him.'

The two evangelists entered the house, stepping over a filthy old dog lying in the doorway. The room was charged with a sense of evil. "An evil spirit has possessed Farmer Ho,' Kong told the onlookers,"Our God, the Nothing-He-Cannot-Do One' is more powerful than any spirit, and He can deliver this man. First, you must promise you will burn your idols and trust in Jesus, son of the Supreme Emperor."

The people nodded. Kong asked Dick to begin singing the hymn, "There is Power in the Blood." With great hesitation, Dick began to sing, "Would you be free from your burden of sin. . . . "

"Now," continued Kong, "in the name of Jesus we will command the evil spirit to leave this man." Kong began praying fervently. Suddenly the old dog in the doorway vaulted into the air, screeching, yelping, whirling in circles snapping wildly at his tail. Kong continued praying, and the dog abruptly dropped over dead.

Instantly Dick remembered Luke 8, the demons of the Gadarenes who invisibly flew into the herd of swine. As Kong finished praying, Farmer Ho seemed quiet and relaxed, and soon he was strong enough to burn his idols.

At his baptism shortly afterward, he testified, "I was possessed by an evil spirit who boasted he had already killed five people and was going to kill me. But God sent Mr Kong at just the right moment, and In Jesus I am free."

Some encouraging words- John Calvin, in the book," The Struggle of Prayer, by Donald G. Bloesch (p. 87)

"For Calvin, supplication is opening up the treasures that God has stored for us in heaven. These include not only personal blessings but blessings for others as well. Indeed, no treasure is greater than souls for the Kingdom of God. Calvin firmly believed that through intercession, God's Kingdom could be advance in the world and the power of darkness overthrown."

Church Notes:

The place where God sets His control through our prayers, strongholds crack

and fall. It's where His power rests.

We are privileged to put God first in our hearts, and to give our all to Christ.

Our greatest achievement is to make God totally our center.

Humanity has stupidly not changed over the years. Children pay for their

parent's idolitry.

We're to give up fleshly desires to please God, as radical things take His place

when we fail to give Him first place.

We're to make ourselves available to God, as He wants us to be included in His plans.

We're to listen to His instructions!

Upcoming posts:

10/25- PROMPIED TO PRAY- Katara Patton

11/1 - MIND-BLOWING TEACHING- Sophia Roberts

8th- ROYAL RETURN- Sheridan Yoysey

Jean's blog (Click to see snippets of the 7 recent posts)

Pages

Prayer for salvation

For God Seekers- Healing Thoughts and Prayers

Samples of Jean's crafts

The North Country Christian Fellowship Center Churches,

located in the St. Lawrence county of NY,

broadcast their Sunday services at 10 or 10:15

You can view past services too.

Sermon listing:https://www.cfconline.org/sermon-library

Saturday, October 11, 2025

JOY FOR THE JOURNEY

Facts for the Journey- Mary Southerland

“The Lord is my Shepherd. I shall not want.” (Psalm 23:1 NIV)

"When it comes to the resources that we need for life, this promise from the 23^rd Psalm is staggeringly important to remember because it holds the promise of contentment in our lives. A famous actor was once the guest of honor at a social gathering where he was asked to recite favorite excerpts from various literary works. An old preacher who happened to be there asked the actor to recite the twenty-third Psalm. The actor agreed on the condition that the preacher would also recite it. The actor's recitation was beautifully intoned with great dramatic emphasis for which he received lengthy applause.

The preacher's voice was rough and broken from many years of preaching, and his diction was anything but polished. But when he finished, there was not a dry eye in the room. When someone asked the actor what made the difference, he replied, 'I know the psalm, but he knows the Shepherd.'

When we know Him, we have everything that we need. An amazing strength and unshakable contentment comes from a source that is not our own. It comes from an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ.

Knowing God makes all of His resources available to us – resources like wisdom, guidance, power, peace, love, patience and self-control. In other words, knowing God provides strength for every area of life. Strength is fertile soil for peace and will bring a harvest of contentment. God did not come to give us human strength. He came to give us His strength.

Psalm 29:11 “The LORD gives his people strength. The LORD blesses them with peace.”

Isaiah 12: 2 "The LORD GOD is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation."

When we count on His resources instead of our own, we will experience true contentment. There is no limit to His power and there is no end to His strength. In fact, our weakness is the perfect showcase for His strength. According to the American Holistic Health Federation, people who are not satisfied with their lives and seem to have no contentment increase their risk of premature death by at least ten percent. Hudson Taylor once noted, "God uses men who are weak and feeble enough to lean on Him."

Paul writes in another letter to the church at Corinth, 'My [Christ's] power works best in your weakness.' (2 Corinthians 12:19) Today, right now, exchange your weak resources for His by giving up your rights, your plans and solutions. Lay them at His feet and choose His plan instead. Then you will find contentment."

Prayer for the Journey

"Father, it seems that a seed of discontent has taken root in my life. I have tried so many things, hoping they would fill that 'hole' in my soul. I have looked to so many people to make me happy. I now realize the only source of contentment is You. Right now, I lay down every lifeless resource and submit to You, Your plan and Your perfect provision in my life. Thank You, Lord, for being everything I need.

In Jesus’s name,

Amen."

#107 Testimony- W. A. Maxwell Whyte

"Within a very short time after I had this radical [salvation] operation, my language changed. My mouth became filled with praise instead of swearing and off-color jokes. Any desire for liquor instantly disappeared, and my binding habit of tobacco smoking was miraculously broken when I prayed by myself in all simplicity.

I felt the unclean habit, which was like a smothering sack, literally lifted off me. This was a miracle. My renewed heart no longer had any evil things to pump into my brain, and so a corresponding change naturally occurred in my body, which now obeyed my new heart. A complete transformation of character took place.

The first one to notice this change was my wife, and later she also found Jesus Christ as her Savior and the One who baptized her in the Holy Spirit; then she found herself a stranger in her church! No one ever spoke of the new birth in her staid denominational congregation. I was a member of another established church, but I had never heard anything about a radical surgical change in the heart. . . .

In the Welsh Revival of 1904-06, crime largely disappeared. The police had nothing to do. The bars closed down; the theaters had no patrons. This can happen again, and I believe it is beginning to happen in this great charismatic restoration of the church."

1571-1575 One-line Scriptures for those of you who want to learn some more verses this week- or to review them from when they were first posted-

1571- Is. 44:21c "You will never be forgotten by me."

1572- Ps. 147:14a "He maketh peace in thy borders."

1573- Esther 9:19b "Of sending portions one to another."

1574- Neh. 2:18a "Then I told them of the hand of my God which was good upon me."

1575- Ps. 103:7a "He made known his ways."

#107 Hymn- Count Your Blessings

The information about this song, is taken from the book by Robert J. Morgan, THEN SINGS MY SOUL (p. 243)

Johnson Oatman wanted to teach young people in his song, "Count Your Blessings." It was published in a song book for young people in 1897. It reflected Johnson's optimistic faith, and has been a lesson to many ever since.

Some encouraging words-

Wesley Duewell- "Rejoice in Him, worship Him, and give thanks. The more we comprehend the greatness and goodness of the Lord, the more we will break forth in praise and thanksgiving.

Ps. 145:1-5 "I will extol You, my God, O King; and I will bless Your name forever and ever. Every day I will bless You, and I will praise Your name forever and ever. Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and His greatness is unsearchable. One generation shall praise Your works to another, and shall declare Your mighty acts. I will meditate on the glorious splendor of Your majesty, and on Your wondrous works."

Church Notes:

The Gospel works anytime, place, and for every need.

God's watching wherever we are, for godly character, for others are watching. Instead of rash words, we're to have holy conversations.

We're to lay down fleshly desires, as we're chosen, adopted, forgiven, and have eternal inheritance, peace, and access to Christ's citizenship.

What we're full of overflows. There's practical instructions in the Bible to live God's way. We're to be obedient to Him for His glory and our good.

Upcoming posts:

10/18th- CHOICES- Radice Banks

25th- PROMPTED TO PRAY- Katara Patten

11/1st- MIND-BLOWING TEACHING- Tom Felten

Jean's blog (Click to see snippets of the 7 recent posts)

Pages

Prayer for salvation

For God Seekers- Healing Thoughts and Prayers

Samples of Jean's crafts

The North Country Christian Fellowship Center Churches,

located in the St. Lawrence county of NY,

broadcast their Sunday services at 10 or 10:15

You can view past services too.

Sermon listing:https://www.cfconline.org/sermon-library

Saturday, October 4, 2025

BE WISER

Be Wiser

Amira Emmanual "Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies: For they are ever with me. Psalm 119:98 KJV. Photo

My best friend once tried to convince me that a mutual friend had said something wrong about me. This hurt me. I wanted to go to this friend and fight with her, but I prayed, opened my Bible, and changed my mind.

The following day, at a birthday party for one of our mutual friends, I saw the friend who had said something about me. A wave of bitter emotions rushed through me, but I prayed and put a smile on my face. I talked to her and did not show resentment. After some time, she asked if there was something wrong. I shared everything with her, and she was utterly shocked. She had no idea why our friend had told me such a thing.

It became clear that this friend tried to break up my friendship with our mutual friend. She sowed a bitter seed that God helped me to uproot with His goodness and love. The Word of God helped me to react wisely.

Our enemy can be clever, tactful, and intelligent. Tackling those who oppose or want to harm us is never easy. But believers are better than a thousand adversaries who are more powerful or shrewd. But what makes us stronger and wiser?

As David declared, we are stronger and wiser because we believe the commandments and precepts of the Lord. God is ever with us. But there is more involved than just knowing the commands. When David said this, he meant that he had the law of his Lord before his eyes, and he obeyed every commandment.

The Word of God urges us to do good deeds and guides us to the right path. When we fulfill God's will, God blesses us, including making us wiser and even wiser than our enemies. God does not let the enemies overcome the righteous but makes the wicked surrender.

The condition, however, is our complete obedience to God. God does not want us to be weak and timid. His people are mighty, like David. David obeyed the Lord and triumphed over his adversaries. To overcome your enemies and Satan, you must follow God's Word. Then you will be stronger and wiser than your enemies.

Let's pray-

Father, when a friend has said that a mutual friend has said something wrong about us, it will hurt. If we consider what the Bible says about this, we can pray for guidance as to how to handle it.

It may become clear that this friend tried to break up our friendship, but by asking You to help us, You'll uproot the hurt feeling with Your goodness and love, and enable us to react wisely.

Your word urges us to do good deeds and guides us in the right paths so we can fulfil your will, and not let the enemy overcome us, the condition being complete obedience to Your leadership. With Your help we will be stronger and wiser than the enemy of our souls!

We're praying about this in and through the mighty name of Jesus. Amen!

#106 Testimony- Those who are identified with Christ

In the mind of God, every believer shares complete identification with Christ from the cross to the throne. According to God's Word, we are crucified with Christ, buried with Him, raised with Him, exalted with Him, and seated on His throne with Him (Rom.6, Eph. 2).

The combined sin of the world could not be laid upon Him by itself, without the sinner himself. There is no such thing as abstract sin—sin with no sinner. Not only was the sinner's sin placed on Christ, but the person of the sinner was also placed upon Him. Therefore, when He went to the cross He carried the entire human race with Him.

"For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died" (2 Cor. 5:14, NIV) "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me" (Gal. 2:20, NASV). "It is a faithful saying: for if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him" (2 Tim. 2:11, KJV).

All mankind was identified with Him in death, but only those who believe are identified with Him in His resurrection and in His place of honor and glory.

1566-1570 One-line Scriptures for those of you who want to learn some more verses this week- or to review them from when they were first posted-

1566- Neh. 13:14 "Remember me, O God, concerning this and wipe not out of my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God."

1567- Pro. 21:20a "There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise."

1568- Is. 44:2a "Thus saith the LORD that made thee, and formed thee from the womb, who will help thee. Fear not."

1569- Ps. 118:27a "God is the LORD, which hath shewed us light."

1570- Is. 41:20 "That they may see, and know, and consider, and understand together, that the hand of the LORD hath done this."

#106 Hymn- Take Time To Be Holy

The information about this song, is taken from the book by Robert J. Morgan, THEN SINGS MY SOUL (p. 209)

"The words to "Take Time to Be Holy" were written about 1882 by William Longstaff, a wealthy Englishman who served as treasurer of the Bethesda Free Chapel in Sunderland, a port city in Northeast England. His church hosted the first meetings held by D. L. Moody and Ira Sankey in that area, and Longstaff became a great supporter of the two.

In his book of hymn stories, Ira Sankey said that "Take Time to Be Holy" was prompted by a sermon William heard in New Brighton on the text "Be holy, for I am holy" (1 Peter 1:16).

George C. Stebbins, who composed the music, said Longstaff was inspired to write this poem after hearing a missionary to China quoted as saying "Take time to be holy."

Some encouraging words-

"Paul prayed unceasingly and teaches us to pray unceasingly, too, for the wisdom of the Spirit to enlighten the eyes of our heart. Just as a child needs education, the believer who has the Spirit within him needs divine illumination daily to know God and the spiritual life He bestows. Without spiritual wisdom and understanding, we can never comprehend it." Andrew Murray

"The Knowledge of the Holy" notes of A. W. Tozer:

"If we would bring back spiritual power to our lives, we must begin to think of God more nearly as He is. We can never know who and what we are till we know at least something of what God is. No creature has life in itself; all life is a gift from God. We are made for eternity as certainly as we are made for time, and as responsible moral beings, we must deal with both. This is life eternal: to know the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom He has sent."

Upcoming posts:

10/11th- JOY FOR THE JOURNEY- Mary Southerland

18th- CHOICES- Radice Banks

25th- PROMPTED TO PRAY- Katara Patton

Jean's blog (Click to see snippets of the 7 recent posts)

Pages

Prayer for salvation

For God Seekers- Healing Thoughts and Prayers

Samples of Jean's crafts

The North Country Christian Fellowship Center Churches,

located in the St. Lawrence county of NY,

broadcast their Sunday services at 10 or 10:15

You can view past services too.

Sermon listing:https://www.cfconline.org/sermon-library

Saturday, September 27, 2025

THE ADVENTURE

Anne Cetas- "Christianity is not for me. It's boring. One of my values I hold on to is adventure. That's life to me," a young woman told me. It saddened me that she hadn't yet learned the incredible joy and excitement that comes with following Jesus—an adventure like no other. I excitedly shared with her about Jesus and how real life is found in Him.

Mere words are inadequate to describe the adventure of knowing and walking with Jesus, God's Son. But in Ephesians 1, the apostle Paul gives us a small but powerful glimpse of life with Him.

God gives us spiritual blessings directly from heaven (v. 3), holiness and blamelessness in God's eyes (v.4), and adoption as His own into the King's royal family (v.5), understanding of the mystery of His will (v.9), and a new purpose of living "for the praise of His glory" (v.12).

The Holy Spirit comes to live in us to empower and lead us (v.13), and He guarantees eternity in God's presence forever (v.14).

When Jesus Christ enters our life, we discover that getting to know Him more and following Him closely is the greatest of adventures. Seek Him now and every day for real life.

Let's pray-

Dear Jesus, thank You for loving us and always walking by our side. You've given us more than we could have imagined. We love being known and loved by You and sharing You with others. Amen.

#105 Testimony- R. A Torrey

R. A. Torrey believed that there are few people who are converted to Christ without someone praying for and seeking for their salvation. He gives the example of his own conversion in the middle of the night.

He was not converted in church, Sunday school, or in a personal conversation with anyone. He went to bed without any thought of God or salvation. He awoke in the night, God spoke to his heart, and he surrendered his life to Jesus in perhaps five minutes.

He writes; "A few minutes before, I was about as near eternal perdition as one gets. I had one foot over the brink and was trying to get the other one over . . . I thought no human being had anything to do with it, but I had forgotten my mother's prayers, and I afterwards learned that one of my college classmates had chosen me as one to pray for until I was saved."

Torrey adds, "Oh, the power of prayer to reach down, down, down where hope itself seems vain, and lift men and women up, up, up into fellowship with and likeness to God."

1561-1565 One-line Scriptures for those of you who want to learn some more verses this week- or to review them from when they were first posted-

1561- Is. 40:25 "To whom then will ye liken me, or shall I be equal? saith the

Holy One."

1562- Jer. 25:3b "I have spoken unto you, rising early and speaking."

1563- Is. 37:26a "Hast thou not heard long ago how I have done it?"

1564- Ps. 39:12a "Hear my prayer, O LORD, and give ear unto my cry; hold not thy

peace in my tears."

1565- Is. 41:14b "I will help thee, saith the LORD, and thy Redeemer, the Holy

One of Israel."

#105 Hymn- Leaning On the Everlasting Arms

The information about this song, is taken from the book by Robert J. Morgan, THEN SINGS MY SOUL (p. 219)

The idea for this song came from Anthony Showalter, principal of the Southern Normal Musical Institute in Dalton, Georgia. Showalter took a personal interest in each of his musical students, so when two letters arrived announcing the death of their wives, He selected Deuteronomy 33:27 and pondered the words that came to mind:

"Leaning, leaning, safe and secure from all alarms;

Leaning, leaning, leaning on the everlasting arms."

He scribbled replies to his bereaved friends, then, reaching for another piece of paper, he wrote to his friend, hymnist Elisha Hoffman. His letter said,"I can't come up with any verses." Hoffman wrote three stanzas and sent them back. Showalter set it all to music, and ever since, these words have cheered us in adversity. "Leaning On the Everlasting Arms."

Some encouraging words-

Charles Spurgeon- "If our God is a prayer-hearing and prayer-answering God (and He is!), and if our God is unlimited in power and ability (and He is!), then we should expect amazing answers in prayer. Even faith the size of a mustard seed can move mountains because of how great and powerful our God is!' [1 John 5:14-15; Eph. 3:20-21]

Church Notes:

Victory Over Darkness

We must have a solid understanding of who we are in Christ before we can work successfully through the practical aspects of Christianity.

We don't follow Him in order to become children of God, we are already children of God through faith in Jesus' provision of Salvation, and are becoming like Him.

We don't follow Him in order to be loved; we are loved, so we follow Him.