For "Scripture Sunday":
How to Avoid Repetitious Prayer
"Jesus cautioned against praying “vain repetitions” (Matthew 6:7). Do you find it difficult to avoid repeating the same words in your daily prayers?
Here is one idea for avoiding repetitious prayers. (Click here to download PDF.)
Early in His ministry, Jesus gave His disciples a model prayer so that they would know how to talk with the Father. It is part of the “Sermon on the Mount” (Matthew 6:5-15).
“The Lord’s Prayer” was a teaching tool
Jesus did not want His disciples simply to recite what He told them. Obviously, the disciples would have done that, if that was all there was to praying! They perceived there was more to it by seeing Jesus’ example over the years, and they asked for additional guidance.
“Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples’” (Luke 11:1).
Seeing Jesus’ example prompted one disciple to ask Jesus (on behalf of them all) to review His instructions. Luke records Christ’s answer in Luke 11:2-4.
This has inappropriately come to be known as “The Lord’s Prayer,” instead of “the Lord’s model for praying.” Jesus said, “In this manner, therefore, pray” (Matthew 6:9, emphasis added throughout).
Christians still struggle with prayer today"
Complete article at: http://lifehopeandtruth.com/god/prayer-fasting-and-meditation/how-to-pray/how-to-avoid-repetitious-prayer/
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Christian Budget
"Budgeting is a helpful and wise way to manage your money. There are biblical principles that can help you develop and use a Christian family budget.
What does the Bible say about managing money and a Christian budget?
Most people are familiar with the term budget, and many understand that budgeting is a smart way to keep track of their money. But how many actually use a written budget as a part of their personal or family finances? Not very many.
Budgets are required
Small and large businesses have and live by their annual budgets. Budgets help businesses know where they are, what they need to accomplish and where they can change to improve their financial standing. Therefore, budgets are required by boards of directors, shareholders, banks that give business loans and, in some cases, even the government as a qualification for certain types of programs. A budget is required because it makes good financial sense.
Does it also make good sense for our families? When it comes to individuals or families, there is a greater tendency to let the budgeting thing slide. It may be seen as too much trouble or just not necessary—and as a result, many families find themselves in serious financial difficulties. Sadly, a major factor for the failure of marriages today is financial problems.
How many individuals and families truly understand how to budget? Of those, how many have a balanced Christian budget? We use the term Christian budget due to the fact that there are sound scriptural principles that you can find in the Bible that can help you and your family become successful in managing your finances.
Christian budgeting
Throughout the Bible, God gives us important principles for life, including how to handle money and finances. So let’s consider a few pertinent scriptures:
“The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to want” (Proverbs 21:5, New Revised Standard Version).
A budget is nothing more than a plan for saving and spending money. It includes where the money will come from and how much to expect, as well as what expenses that same money will be used to meet. A good budget takes care of all the regular and important bills—like rent or mortgage, utilities, food, gasoline and insurance—and allows for the unexpected or occasional expenses.
With budgeting, when the paycheck comes in, the family already knows how much of this check needs to be set aside to meet the bills coming due, and how much is available for extras—perhaps dinner out and a movie. Everything is planned for and covered.
To live without a budget often leads to shortsighted decisions: “If I have money right now, I can spend it right now. So if I want new clothes today, and I have the money today, why not spend it? The rent isn’t due until next week, so I’ll worry about that then.”
In the terms of the verse we just looked at, this kind of thinking is “hasty.” This describes a person who jumps at a purchase without a plan and without thinking through the consequences.
Unless you are one of those rare individuals who makes more money than you can spend, you will need to develop a plan for where your money goes or it will slip out of your hands. Sometimes it will disappear in small amounts that add up quickly, maybe a candy bar purchase here, a newspaper there, a cup of coffee or some fast food. Supermarkets, convenience stores, fast-food chains and so forth are all successful in squeezing money out of you, especially if you have no budget—no plan. After all, it is only money, right?
Biblical financial principles
So we can see that it takes a plan to make our funds stretch to meet all our needs. This is where a Christian budget becomes a useful tool to receive God’s blessings as wise financial stewards. Through proper planning, it is possible to have a balanced budget and to have a reserve for unplanned expenses.
God’s Word, the Bible, is filled with principles of sound financial management.
Wise King Solomon wrote: “Be diligent to know the state of your flocks, and attend to your herds; for riches are not forever, nor does a crown endure to all generations. When the hay is removed, and the tender grass shows itself, and the herbs of the mountains are gathered in, the lambs will provide your clothing, and the goats the price of a field; you shall have enough goats’ milk for your food, for the food of your household, and the nourishment of your maidservants” (Proverbs 27:23-27).
The principle is that of a wise overseer. It isn’t always easy to wisely use and manage family assets. It will require not only planning, but self-discipline to stay within the budget. It will probably involve putting off some purchases until later or deciding against others entirely. But men and women who can wisely and carefully manage their resources can successfully see to it that the family needs are met.
Where do I begin?"
Complete article at: http://lifehopeandtruth.com/relationships/finances/christian-budget/
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Update:
Jay and I have been doing lots of little jobs that normally Ray would have done if he hadn't disappeared. The motion security lights didn't come on anymore, one door lock wouldn't lock, the automatic watering system for the hedge had a leaking faucet, and my mirrored sliding closet doors had lost their 'slide', and were too hard to move.
Hopefully, we have reset the motion lights, and moved the lock's striker plate to the right place. The new outside faucet works fine, and we made the sliding door's opening taller, so they slide better. Then there was the usual mowing, and washing the van to go to church on the Sabbath. We only work 2-3 hours a day, but we get a lot done.
We have all the plywood cut for the new floor in the guest house, but it isn't screwed down yet, as we have to install some board insulation and tar paper under there first. Also, in the kitchen area we have to mark the plywood floor for each cabinet so that we know where to stub up the plumbing for the sink and propane stove. Then we will insulate the water lines under the house before we screw down the floor. We still have to repair the walls.
After Roy's brother had picked up the rest of Roy's things, Roy showed back up. I let him work a while on the side of the guest house, cleaning up an old lumber rack because neither Jay nor I had time to do it. I wasn't going to let him work inside, as he might try to move in again.
Ray's things are still stacked up in the guest house bedroom, as legally I can't get rid of them yet. A mountain of winter clothes on the bed, a closet full of other clothes, and all kinds of tools and kitchen things. Neither his son nor I have heard from him. He did send someone to pick up all his outside plants, though. Weird!
I am still cooking the food that Ray left and feeding it to his son, plus some of my own food, as he is not able cook. All he knows how to "cook" is precooked dinners and processed food in a microwave! That's not cooking, or food, in my book!
He loves to eat apples cut with my apple cutter/corer, so I make sure I have plenty of organic ones on hand. With his health problems he doesn't need to be eating anything doused with insecticides.
Ray had left 2 dozen eggs, so I hard boiled some, and oven-poached the rest in a muffin tin. http://lifehacker.com/poach-a-dozen-eggs-at-once-with-a-muffin-tin-1681243702 That's the easy way to do a mess of eggs all at once. But I did mine in paper bake cups to keep the muffin tin clean, and I added a little something to each cup before adding the eggs. Cheddar, Swiss, spinach, chili sauce, tomato slice, dill seasoning, basil, cinnamon, salsa, mozzarella, BBQ sauce, or what-have-you.
Jay and I went to church, and I took a homemade sliced-tomato-onion-sweet potato-cheese casserole, and he took a red velvet cake that he had made.
The Bible readings were Psa. 100, Num. 33- end chapter, we will be reading out of Deuteronomy next week, Jer. 2:4, 4: 1-2 and James 4:1-12. The teaching was the fourth one on Idolatry, and how idolatry is greed and covertness. Idolatry comes from wanting things more than God; money, power, prestige, fame, material things, all of which can come with the choice of careers. So many are unhappy all their working lives chasing money, instead of being happy.
One example is: 1 Kings 21:2-22
2 Ahab said to Naboth, “Let me have your vineyard to use for a vegetable garden, since it is close to my palace. In exchange I will give you a better vineyard or, if you prefer, I will pay you whatever it is worth.”
3 But Naboth replied, “The Lord forbid that I should give you the inheritance of my ancestors.”
4 So Ahab went home, sullen and angry because Naboth the Jezreelite had said, “I will not give you the inheritance of my ancestors.” He lay on his bed sulking and refused to eat.
5 His wife Jezebel came in and asked him, “Why are you so sullen? Why won’t you eat?”
6 He answered her, “Because I said to Naboth the Jezreelite, ‘Sell me your vineyard; or if you prefer, I will give you another vineyard in its place.’ But he said, ‘I will not give you my vineyard.’”
7 Jezebel his wife said, “Is this how you act as king over Israel? Get up and eat! Cheer up. I’ll get you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.”
8 So she wrote letters in Ahab’s name, placed his seal on them, and sent them to the elders and nobles who lived in Naboth’s city with him. 9 In those letters she wrote:
“Proclaim a day of fasting and seat Naboth in a prominent place among the people. 10 But seat two scoundrels opposite him and have them bring charges that he has cursed both God and the king. Then take him out and stone him to death.”
11 So the elders and nobles who lived in Naboth’s city did as Jezebel directed in the letters she had written to them. 12 They proclaimed a fast and seated Naboth in a prominent place among the people. 13 Then two scoundrels came and sat opposite him and brought charges against Naboth before the people, saying, “Naboth has cursed both God and the king.” So they took him outside the city and stoned him to death.14 Then they sent word to Jezebel: “Naboth has been stoned to death.”
15 As soon as Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned to death, she said to Ahab, “Get up and take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite that he refused to sell you. He is no longer alive, but dead.” 16 When Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, he got up and went down to take possession of Naboth’s vineyard.
17 Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite: 18 “Go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, who rules in Samaria. He is now in Naboth’s vineyard, where he has gone to take possession of it. 19 Say to him, ‘This is what the Lord says: Have you not murdered a man and seized his property?’ Then say to him, ‘This is what the Lord says: In the place where dogs licked up Naboth’s blood, dogs will lick up your blood—yes, yours!’”
20 Ahab said to Elijah, “So you have found me, my enemy!”
“I have found you,” he answered, “because you have sold yourself to do evil in the eyes of the Lord. 21 He says, ‘I am going to bring disaster on you. I will wipe out your descendants and cut off from Ahab every last male in Israel—slave or free.[a] 22 I will make your house like that of Jeroboam son of Nebat and that of Baasha son of Ahijah, because you have aroused my anger and have caused Israel to sin.’
1 Timothy 6:6-10 King James Version (KJV)
6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.
7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.
8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.
9 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.
10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows."
There was a quote from a movie called “The Bucket List” that got me thinking about what I want to do with the rest of my life, “Have you found joy in your life? Has your life brought joy to others?” What about you?
1 Corinthians 6:9-10 New King James Version (NKJV)
9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.
Don't be set off by greed or lust, put God first.
During the tasty potluck, we both had a lovely time fellowshipping with the other people in the congregation. There are always interesting conversations going on in the dining hall.
While we were there, the tomato red van turned into a hothouse tomato, even with front and side sunscreens up. Once we got the inside of the van cooled down, we didn't want to stop anywhere, but we really enjoyed the day.
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