http://pathwayinthesea.blogspot.com/2012/07/this-morning-i-uncharacteristically.html Classics: Streams in the Desert "They looked...and behold, the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud" (Exod. 16:10). Get into the habit of looking for the silver lining of the cloud and when you have found it, continue to look at it, rather than at the leaden gray in the middle. Do not yield to discouragement no matter how sorely pressed or beset you may be. A discouraged soul is helpless. He can neither resist the wiles of the enemy himself, while in this state, nor can he prevail in prayer for others. Flee from every symptom of this deadly foe as you would flee from a viper. And be not slow in turning your back on it, unless you want to bite the dust in bitter defeat. Search out God's promises and say aloud of each one: "This promise is mine." If you still experience a feeling of doubt and discouragement, pour out your heart to God and ask Him to rebuke the adversary who is so mercilessly nagging you. The very instant you whole-heartedly turn away from every symptom of distrust and discouragement, the blessed Holy Spirit will quicken your faith and inbreathe Divine strength into your soul. At first you may not be conscious of this, still as you resolutely and uncompromisingly "snub" every tendency toward doubt and depression that assails you, you will soon be made aware that the powers of darkness are falling back. Oh, if our eyes could only behold the solid phalanx of strength, of power, that is ever behind every turning away from the hosts of darkness, God-ward, what scant heed would be given to the effort of the wily foe to distress, depress, discourage us! All the marvelous attributes of the Godhead are on the side of the weakest believer, who in the name of Christ, and in simple, childlike trust, yields himself to God and turns to Him for help and guidance. --Selected On a day in the autumn, I saw a prairie eagle mortally wounded by a rifle shot. His eye still gleamed like a circle of light. Then he slowly turned his head, and gave one more searching and longing look at the sky. He had often swept those starry spaces with his wonderful wings. The beautiful sky was the home of his heart. It was the eagle's domain. A thousand times he had exploited there his splendid strength. In those far away heights be had played with the lightnings, and raced with the winds, and now, so far away from home, the eagle lay dying, done to the death, because for once be forgot and flew too low. The soul is that eagle. This is not its home. It must not lose the skyward look. We must keep faith, we must keep hope, we must keep courage, we must keep Christ. We would better creep away from the battlefield at once if we are not going to be brave. There is no time for the soul to stampede. Keep the skyward look, my soul; keep the skyward look! "Keep looking up-- The waves that roar around thy feet, Jehovah-Jireh will defeat When looking up. "Keep looking up-- Though darkness seems to wrap thy soul; The Light of Light shall fill thy soul When looking up. "Keep looking up-- When worn, distracted with the fight; Your Captain gives you conquering might When you look up." We can never see the sun rise by looking into the west. --Japanese Proverb The public domain version of this classic devotional is the unabridged edition of Streams in the Desert. This first edition was published in 1925 and the wording is preserved as originally written. Connotations of words may have changed over the years and are not meant to be offensive. Seek the Lord by C. H. Spurgeon
	"He shall see His seed; He shall prolong His days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand."--Isaiah 53:10 Plead for the speedy fulfillment of this promise, all ye who love the Lord. It is easy work to pray when we are grounded and bottomed, as to our desires, upon God's own promise. How can He that gave the word refuse to keep it? Immutable veracity cannot demean itself by a lie, and eternal faithfulness cannot degrade itself by neglect. God must bless His Son, His covenant binds Him to it. That which the Spirit prompts us to ask for Jesus, is that which God decrees to give Him. Whenever you are praying for the kingdom of Christ, let your eyes behold the dawning of the blessed day which draweth near, when the Crucified shall receive His coronation in the place where men rejected Him. Courage, you that prayerfully work and toil for Christ with success of the very smallest kind, it shall not be so always; better times are before you. Your eyes cannot see the blissful future: borrow the telescope of faith; wipe the misty breath of your doubts from the glass; look through it and behold the coming glory. Reader, let us ask, do you make this your constant prayer? Remember that the same Christ who tells us to say, "Give us this day our daily bread," had first given us this petition, "Hallowed be Thy name; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven." Let not your prayers be all concerning your own sins, your own wants, your own imperfections, your own trials, but let them climb the starry ladder, and get up to Christ Himself, and then, as you draw nigh to the blood-sprinkled mercy-seat, offer this prayer continually, "Lord, extend the kingdom of Thy dear Son." Such a petition, fervently presented, will elevate the spirit of all your devotions. Mind that you prove the sincerity of your prayer by labouring to promote the Lord's glory.

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On The Fringe

March 7, 2013 — by Julie Ackerman Link

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Our Daily Bread Radio is hosted by Les Lamborn

Read: Philippians 4:10-20

God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. —Philippians 4:19

Bible in a Year:
Deuteronomy 3-4; Mark 10:32-52

When butterflies hatch at Frederik Meijer Gardens in Grand Rapids, Michigan, they do so in an indoor tropical paradise perfectly suited to meet their every need. The temperature is perfect. The humidity is perfect. The food is a perfect balance of calories and nutrition to keep them healthy. No need to go elsewhere. Yet some butterflies see the bright blue sky outside the conservatory and spend their days fluttering near the glass ceiling far away from the plentiful food supply.

I want to say to those butterflies, “Don’t you know everything you need is inside? The outside is cold and harsh, and you will die within minutes if you get what you are longing to have.”

I wonder if that is the message God has for me. So I ask myself, Do I look longingly at things that would harm me? Do I use my energy to gain what I don’t need and shouldn’t have? Do I ignore God’s plentiful provision because I imagine that something just beyond my reach is better? Do I spend my time on the fringes of faith?

God supplies all our needs from His riches (Phil. 4:19). So instead of striving for what we don’t have, may we open our hearts to gratefully receive everything we’ve already been given by Him.

All that I want is in Jesus;
He satisfies, joy He supplies;
Life would be worthless without Him,
All things in Jesus I find. —Loes

Our needs will never exhaust God’s supply.

Trust in the Lord by C. H. Spurgeon
	"It is better to trust in the Lord, than to put confidence in man."--Psalm 118:8 Doubtless the reader has been tried with the temptation to rely upon the things which are seen, instead of resting alone upon the invisible God. Christians often look to man for help and counsel, and mar the noble simplicity of their reliance upon their God. Does this evening's portion meet the eye of a child of God anxious about temporals, then would we reason with him awhile. You trust in Jesus, and only in Jesus, for your salvation, then why are you troubled? "Because of my great care." Is it not written, "Cast thy burden upon the Lord"? "Be careful for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication make known your wants unto God." Cannot you trust God for temporals? "Ah! I wish I could." If you cannot trust God for temporals, how dare you trust Him for spirituals? Can you trust Him for your soul's redemption, and not rely upon Him for a few lesser mercies? Is not God enough for thy need, or is His all-sufficiency too narrow for thy wants? Dost thou want another eye beside that of Him who sees every secret thing? Is His heart faint? Is His arm weary? If so, seek another God; but if He be infinite, omnipotent, faithful, true, and all-wise, why gaddest thou abroad so much to seek another confidence? Why dost thou rake the earth to find another foundation, when this is strong enough to bear all the weight which thou canst ever build thereon? Christian, mix not only thy wine with water, do not alloy thy gold of faith with the dross of human confidence. Wait thou only upon God, and let thine expectation be from Him. Covet not Jonah's gourd, but rest in Jonah's God. Let the sandy foundations of terrestrial trust be the choice of fools, but do thou, like one who foresees the storm, build for thyself an abiding place upon the Rock of Ages.

No Oak, Bay Laurel and Halibut

Nina and I spent this past President's Day Weekend along the Mendocino Coast. One of my goals for the trip was to take pictures for subject matter for my oil painting hobby. While taking pictures along the Navarro River...

... I noticed plants that I was pretty sure were Bay Laurel. A recipe for home made Split Pea Soup calls for bay leaves, and a spice-rack-sized jar of bay leaves runs in the neighborhood of $12.00, so I thought I'd stock up.I wanted to make sure my botanical information was accurate... 

(My photo.)

...so I Googled it. I'm pretty sure I got the right stuff. Walking with God is mind-blowing:

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

THE ALCHEMY OF TASTE

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2009

No Oak, Bay Laurel and Halibut

You're looking at a sneaky camera phone shot of a bottle of 2006 Chateau de Montmirail from Gigondas at Cafe Claude in SF. More fruit forward than I expected for a French wine but nevertheless well balanced, good tannins, a little black pepper and....no oak. I did not miss it one bit. Check it out. Delightful with a wedge of the house made paté de campagne.

With only 2 days in the city, I was bowled over twice more with spot on concepts and executions in taste. Tara's, a tiny, extremely hip and happen' ice creamery on Claremont in Oakland always has an edgy selection of ever changing flavors, some made with sugar and some with agave syrup. My kudos and compliments on the brilliant and ethereal Bay Laurel. On initial taste, I was immediately transported to the Bay tree canopied logging road along the Navarro River -- minty, ever so slightly stinky, pungently herbaceous and oily. There's really nothing to say other than you're missing out on something life changing and important if you haven't tried it.

Yesterday, February 20, 2013, I received a $20 gratuity from a customer. She insisted I use it for an ice cream cone. Its relevance to this blogshot only just occurred to me. I think I'll look up "Tara's" and see if "Bay Laurel" ice cream has thus far survived the recession. Alas! "Tara's" survives but "Bay Laurel" is off the menu.
Update: February 22, 2013. Today, I cleared a call on Colby St. in Oakland (a not too common location for my company to send me) and was put on lunch so I punched up Tara’s Organic Ice Cream,  Berkeley in Google maps. It was TWO BLOCKS away.
 
So I went on over, ordered the Sunflower Butter and had the Rosemary Pear at the server's suggestion in the $3.25 size cup. NICE PEARING. After the aromatically nuanced Rosemary Pear, the Sunflower Butter flavor (an exotic riff on the more pedestrian but justly popular peanut butter) baptizes your tastebuds in the better angels of salted sunflower seeds. The pricing and serving size lend themselves to moderation in the consumption of these miraculous concoctions, but I think that adds value to the experience. End of update.

Some other shots:

(Update 3-2-13: On the way up to Ft. Bragg on the 101 Freeway, we passed the aftermath of a traffic accident wherein a vehicle had run into the back of an eighteen-wheeler at full speed. Yesterday, my boss and, by coincidence, one of our customers, were attending the funeral of the driver of that vehicle. He was a husband and father in his early forties. Heartbreaking tragedy. A reminder of how temporary and ruthlessly unpredictable life in this world can be.What an instructive mix of convergent experiences. Footprints in the sand.Only this is no dream.)

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  9:42

  VLADIMIR PUTIN EXPOSES THE NWO - PART 2

  From Feb 2007
  Vladimir Putin exposes the NWO & illuminati Part 2

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  Drip meister 2 weeks ago

  Another communist preaching "gun control" in the name of "security". "I can't trust you unless you abandon your defenses". "You are bad because you refuse to be my powerless victim". SUCKERS!

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  Nick Asatourian 2 days ago

  Is that your interpretation? Did you come up with that interpretation in-between juggling my balls on your tonsils at breakfast and your lunch hour?

   ·  in reply to Drip meister (Show the comment)
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  Drip meister 2 days ago

  You would actually have to have balls for that to happen.

   ·  in reply to Nick Asatourian (Show the comment)
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  Nick Asatourian 2 days ago

  I have enough balls to feed Africa, your mom, sister and all your children. Lacking balls? I am not the one who has faggots in my military and who's women will fuck anything on earth but you gutless White boys cause you are emasculated females that take orders from Vagina. Are you working three jobs to pay child support to your Whore of a boss?

   ·  in reply to Drip meister (Show the comment)

  
  

  Nick Asatourian

  Re: Reply to your comment on: VLADIMIR PUTIN EXPOSES THE NWO - PART 2 Let's just say I'm not a part of the those problems in America I'm a part of the solution to those problems and why do those problems exist? Marxist May Day Illuminist subversion.The same subversion that created the Soviet Union. Sent to: Nick Asatourian

  Nick Asatourian

  Re: Reply to your comment on: VLADIMIR PUTIN EXPOSES THE NWO - PART 2 I agree. A bunch of sick, twisted Jew kikes created the Soviet Union and its Marxists Communism. Marx, Lenin, Trotsky, Gordovsky, etc, etc. All a bunch of filthy anti-white Jews. I am White, racist and proud of it. These same Jews convinced White Americans and White Russians to invade and kill the one man, the one hope of destroying Jews and saving our race. Your dumb ass Union and my dumb ass country deserve what we have suffered. But... We have suffered enough. I hate Communism and love Capitalism. Stalin, the Georgian Jew fuck that he was (Also married to a Jewess) killed my Great grandfather (Brotherhood Of Russian Truth) and ran us out of Russia. My other Great G Sent to: Drip meister

  Nick Asatourian

  Re: Reply to your comment on: VLADIMIR PUTIN EXPOSES THE NWO - PART 2 While many of Jewish ethnicity are instruments of socio-economic toxicity, the Divine Remedy for all the Cosmos' ills and the people He chose to come through to effect that remedy are Jewish. Racism is also a vehicle for socio-economic toxicity. All socio-economic toxicity has a more archaic term to describe it: sin. Sent to: Nick Asatourian

  Comfort in God's Service by C. H. Spurgeon
  	"But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord, and went down to Joppa." --Jonah 1:3 Instead of going to Nineveh to preach the Word, as God bade him, Jonah disliked the work, and went down to Joppa to escape from it. There are occasions when God's servants shrink from duty. But what is the consequence? What did Jonah lose by his conduct? He lost the presence and comfortable enjoyment of God's love. When we serve our Lord Jesus as believers should do, our God is with us; and though we have the whole world against us, if we have God with us, what does it matter? But the moment we start back, and seek our own inventions, we are at sea without a pilot. Then may we bitterly lament and groan out, "O my God, where hast Thou gone? How could I have been so foolish as to shun Thy service, and in this way to lose all the bright shinings of Thy face? This is a price too high. Let me return to my allegiance, that I may rejoice in Thy presence." In the next place, Jonah lost all peace of mind. Sin soon destroys a believer's comfort. It is the poisonous upas tree, from whose leaves distil deadly drops which destroy the life of joy and peace. Jonah lost everything upon which he might have drawn for comfort in any other case. He could not plead the promise of divine protection, for he was not in God's ways; he could not say, "Lord, I meet with these difficulties in the discharge of my duty, therefore help me through them." He was reaping his own deeds; he was filled with his own ways. Christian, do not play the Jonah, unless you wish to have all the waves and the billows rolling over your head. You will find in the long run that it is far harder to shun the work and will of God than to at once yield yourself to it. Jonah lost his time, for he had to go to Tarshish (sic, Nineveh?) after all. It is hard to contend with God; let us yield ourselves at once.

  
  

  
  

  February 24

  Matthew 12:32-34 (NIV) ³²Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come. ³³"Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit. ³⁴You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speak.

  
  

  Jesus had just restored a man's withered hand on the Sabbath. The religious leaders said it was because the Prince of demons helped Him. The people were in awe and wondered if Jesus was "the Son of David". That was a reference to the promise of God that the son of David would reign forever.

  Jesus was walking in the power and direction of the Holy Spirit. His words were from God. He did nothing on His own. He said if someone speaks against me, it will be forgiven, but you will never be forgiven for speaking against the Holy Spirit. He referred again to fruit as the distinguishing characteristic of the tree. Jesus can't go about constantly doing good by the power of the Prince of demons. A person who demonstrates the power of the Holy Spirit, doing good and speaking truth, is connected to the source of goodness. Condemn his works and you are condemning the goodness of God demonstrated by the working of the Holy Spirit.

  Jesus pulled no punches in telling them that they were bad trees. He called them a swarm of baby snakes. Their words confuse and distort what is real, causing the seeking soul to be led astray. That is what is in their heart. Have you paid attention to the words that come from your lips? Are they honest, loving, truthful, in line with God's word and His Spirit? Do they direct people to Jesus or away from Him? Do they nurture the seeking soul or pull the seeker to someone other than Christ? If your words trouble you, check your heart condition. Fill it with the Word of God and a desire to yield to the Holy Spirit. Then our mouths will overflow with goodness.

  Consider: Your heart is the well, and your mouth is the bucket.

  
  

  
  

Hillary Clinton then and now.

Like Jesus

January 24, 2013 — by Anne Cetas

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Our Daily Bread Radio is hosted by Les Lamborn

Read: 1 John 2:5-11

He who says he abides in [Jesus] ought himself also to walk just as He walked. —1 John 2:6

Bible in a Year:
Exodus 9-11; Matthew 15:21-39

During a children’s church service, the teacher talked about the first of the Ten Commandments: “You shall have no other gods before Me” (Ex. 20:3). She suggested some ways for the kids to keep this command. She said, “Nothing should come before God—not candy, not schoolwork, not video games.” She told them that putting God first meant that time with Him reading the Bible and praying should come before anything else.

An older child in the group responded with a thought-provoking question. She asked if being a Christian was about keeping rules or if instead God wanted to be involved in all areas of our life.

Sometimes we make the mistake of viewing the Bible as a list of rules. Certainly obeying God (John 14:21) and spending time with Him are important, but not because we need to be rule-keepers. Jesus and the Father had a loving relationship. When we have a relationship with God, we desire to spend time with Him and obey Him so we can become more like Jesus. John said, “He who says he abides in [Jesus] ought himself also to walk just as He walked” (1 John 2:6). He’s the example we can follow.

When we want to understand how to love, or how to be humble, or how to have faith, or even how to set our priorities, we can look at Jesus and follow His heart.

Lord, as I look ahead to another day, I give myself

to be led by Your Spirit. Give discernment in

priorities, but most of all a sensitive heart to live like

Jesus did—filled with Your love and power. Amen.

Jesus calls us to follow Him.

Classics: Morning and Evening

	Holiness of the Will by Charles H. Spurgeon
	"Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law."--Romans 3:31 When the believer is adopted into the Lord's family, his relationship to old Adam and the law ceases at once; but then he is under a new rule, and a new covenant. Believer, you are God's child; it is your first duty to obey your heavenly Father. A servile spirit you have nothing to do with: you are not a slave, but a child; and now, inasmuch as you are a beloved child, you are bound to obey your Father's faintest wish, the least intimation of His will. Does He bid you fulfil a sacred ordinance? It is at your peril that you neglect it, for you will be disobeying your Father. Does He command you to seek the image of Jesus? It is not your joy to do so? Does Jesus tell you, "Be ye perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect"? Then not because the law commands, but because your Saviour enjoins, you will labour to be perfect in holiness. Does He bid his saints love one another? Do it, not because the law says, "Love thy neighbour," but because Jesus says, "If ye love Me, keep My commandments;" and this is the commandment that He has given unto you, "that ye love one another." Are you told to distribute to the poor? Do it, not because charity is a burden which you dare not shirk, but because Jesus teaches, "Give to him that asketh of thee." Does the Word say, "Love God with all your heart"? Look at the commandment and reply, "Ah! commandment, Christ hath fulfilled thee already--I have no need, therefore, to fulfill thee for my salvation, but I rejoice to yield obedience to thee because God is my Father now and He has a claim upon me, which I would not dispute." May the Holy Ghost make your heart obedient to the constraining power of Christ's love, that your prayer may be, "Make me to go in the path of Thy commandments; for therein do I delight." Grace is the mother and nurse of holiness, and not the apologist of sin.