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(photo: above the catacombs of San Callisto,Rome,Italy)
All the ways of the LORD are loving and faithful for those who keep the demands of his covenant.
For the word of the LORD is right and true; he is faithful in all he does
I listen carefully to what God the Lord is saying, for He speaks peace to his faithful people. But let them not return to their foolish ways.
Those who refuse to gossip or harm their neighbors or speak evil of their friends. those who despise flagrant sinners, and honor the faithful followers of the Lord, and keep their promises even when it hurts,those who lend money without charging interest, and who cannot be bribed to lie about the innocent: Such people will stand firm forever.
Then I will praise you with music on the harp, because you are faithful to your promises, O my God. I will sing praises to you
Your love, God, is my song, and I'll sing it! I'm forever telling everyone how faithful you are. I'll never quit telling the story of your love— how you built the cosmos and guaranteed everything in it. Your love has always been our lives' foundation, your fidelity has been the roof over our world.
Psalm 25:10 Psalm 33:4 Psalm 85:8 Psalm 15:4 Psalm 71:22 Psalm 89:1
Be faithful – and leave the results to God.
LIFEgroups – together experiencing God
Glenn – 368 Mission Hill Way, Colorado Springs CO 80921
DVD Worship/Praise Music
(photo: Gleneagle yesterday)
I listen carefully to what God the Lord is saying, for he speaks peace to his faithful people.
LORD, who may abide in Your tent? Who may dwell on Your holy hill? He who walks with integrity, and works righteousness, and speaks truth in his heart.
The mouth of the righteous man utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks what is just.
David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works
For with the heart a person believes (adheres to, trusts in, and relies on Christ) and so is justified (declared righteous, acceptable to God), and with the mouth he confesses (declares openly and speaks out freely his faith) and confirms [his] salvation.
All this energy issues from Christ: God raised him from death and set him on a throne in deep heaven, in charge of running the universe, everything from galaxies to governments, no name and no power exempt from his rule. And not just for the time being, but forever. He is in charge of it all, has the final word on everything. At the center of all this, Christ rules the church. The church, you see, is not peripheral to the world; the world is peripheral to the church. The church is Christ's body, in which he speaks and acts, by which he fills everything with his presence.
Psalm 85:8 Psalm 15:2 Psalm 37:30 Romans 4:6 Romans 10:10 Ephesians 1:20
God speaks through His Word – take time to listen.
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Glenn – 368 Mission Hill Way, Colorado Springs CO 80921
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(photo: April in Colorado Springs)
"That explains it," said Paul. "John preached a baptism of radical life-change so that people would be ready to receive the One coming after him, who turned out to be Jesus. If you've been baptized in John's baptism, you're ready now for the real thing, for Jesus."
Such [former] ages of ignorance God, it is true, ignored and allowed to pass unnoticed; but now He charges all people everywhere to repent ( to change their minds for the better and heartily to amend their ways, with abhorrence of their past sins).
From Miletus he sent to Ephesus for the leaders of the congregation. When they arrived, he said, "You know that from day one of my arrival in Asia I was with you totally—laying my life on the line, serving the Master no matter what, putting up with no end of scheming by Jews who wanted to do me in. I didn't skimp or trim in any way. Every truth and encouragement that could have made a difference to you, you got. I taught you out in public and I taught you in your homes, urging Jews and Greeks alike to a radical life-change before God and an equally radical trust in our Master Jesus.
"What could I do, King Agrippa? I couldn't just walk away from a vision like that! I became an obedient believer on the spot. I started preaching this life-change—this radical turn to God and everything it meant in everyday life—right there in Damascus, went on to Jerusalem and the surrounding countryside, and from there to the whole world.
Acts 10:37 Acts 19:4 Acts 17:30 Acts 20:17 Acts 26:19
Jesus removes our sin and rewards our service.
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(photo: Sedona,AZ)
Fire tests the purity of silver and gold, but the Lord tests the heart.
“I baptize with water those who repent of their sins and turn to God. But someone is coming soon who is greater than I am—so much greater that I’m not worthy even to be his slave and carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.
Do not put out the Spirit's fire;
Even now the ax of God’s judgment is poised, ready to sever the roots of the trees. Yes, every tree that does not produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire.
You're not getting by with anything. Every refusal and avoidance of God adds fuel to the fire. The day is coming when it's going to blaze hot and high, God's fiery and righteous judgment. Make no mistake: In the end you get what's coming to you—Real Life for those who work on God's side, but to those who insist on getting their own way and take the path of least resistance, Fire!
That is why I would remind you to stir up (rekindle the embers of, fan the flame of, and keep burning) the [gracious] gift of God, [the inner fire] that is in you by means of the laying on of my hands.
Proverbs 17:3 Proverbs 17:3 Proverbs 17:3 Matthew 3:10 Romans 2:5 2 Timothy 1:6Satan’s ploys are no match for the Savior’s power.
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Glenn – 368 Mission Hill Way, Colorado Springs CO 80921
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(photo: Botanical Gardens, Denver)
For the LORD gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
The entrance and unfolding of Your words give light; their unfolding gives understanding (discernment and comprehension) to the simple.
I have better understanding and deeper insight than all my teachers, because Your testimonies are my meditation.
Joyful is the person who finds wisdom, the one who gains understanding.
When I was a boy at my father's knee, the pride and joy of my mother, He would sit me down and drill me: "Take this to heart. Do what I tell you—live! Sell everything and buy Wisdom! Forage for Understanding! Don't forget one word! Don't deviate an inch! Never walk away from Wisdom—she guards your life; love her—she keeps her eye on you. Above all and before all, do this: Get Wisdom! Write this at the top of your list: Get Understanding! Throw your arms around her—believe me, you won't regret it; never let her go—she'll make your life glorious. She'll garland your life with grace, she'll festoon your days with beauty."
Psalm 111:10 Proverbs 2:6 Psalm 119:130 Psalm 119:99 Proverbs 3:13 Proverbs 4:3
The key to understanding the written Word is knowing the Living Word.
LIFEgroups – together experiencing God
Glenn – 368 Mission Hill Way, Colorado Springs CO 80921DVD Worship/Praise music
(photo: Denver Botanical Gardens)
The worries of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.
Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.
Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.
He grants the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cries for help and rescues them.
If any man desires to do His will (God's pleasure), he will know (have the needed illumination to recognize, and can tell for himself) whether the teaching is from God
The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.
Matthew 6:21 Mark 4:19 Romans 8:5 Psalm 37:4 Psalm 145:19 John 7:17 1 John 2:17
It’s not the words we pray that matter most, it’s the condition of our heart.
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Glenn – 368 Mission Hill Way, Colorado Springs CO 80921
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(photo: Los Alamitos,CA)
Live creatively, friends. If someone falls into sin, forgivingly restore him, saving your critical comments for yourself. You might be needing forgiveness before the day is out. Stoop down and reach out to those who are oppressed. Share their burdens, and so complete Christ's law. If you think you are too good for that, you are badly deceived.
He called you to salvation when we told you the Good News; now you can share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and generous to those in need, always being ready to share with others.
And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.
Do not blush or be ashamed then, to testify to and for our Lord, nor of me, a prisoner for His sake, but [ with me] take your share of the suffering [to which the preaching] of the Gospel [may expose you, and do it] in the power of God.
Philippians 3:10 Galatians 6:1 2 Thessalonians 2:14 1 Timothy 6:18 Colossians 3:4 2 Timothy 1:8
God gives us all we need, so we can give to those in need.
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(photo: Garden of the Gods, Colorado Springs)
And He said to them, Cast the net on the right side of the boat and you will find [some]. So they cast the net and now they were not able to haul it in for such a big catch (mass, quantity) of fish [was in it].
There are so many other things Jesus did. If they were all written down, each of them, one by one, I can't imagine a world big enough to hold such a library of books.
And Levi gave a big reception for Him in his house; and there was a great crowd of tax collectors and other people who were reclining at the table with them.
If you're a hard worker and do a good job, you deserve your pay; we don't call your wages a gift. But if you see that the job is too big for you, that it's something only God can do, and you trust him to do it—you could never do it for yourself no matter how hard and long you worked—well, that trusting-him-to-do-it is what gets you set right with God, by God. Sheer gift.
Round up an orchestra to play for God, add on a hundred-voice choir. Feature trumpets and big trombones; fill the air with praises to King God.
Psalm 99:1 John 21:6 John 21:25 Luke 5:29 Romans 4:4 Psalm 98:6,5
God’s love cannot be explained – it can only be experienced.
LIFEgroups – together experiencing God
Glenn – 368 Mission Hill Way, Colorado Springs CO 80921DVD Worship/Praise Music
(photo: Gleneagle,CO)
There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the LORD.
We couldn't be more sure of ourselves in this—that you, written by Christ himself for God, are our letter of recommendation. We wouldn't think of writing this kind of letter about ourselves. Only God can write such a letter. His letter authorizes us to help carry out this new plan of action. The plan wasn't written out with ink on paper, with pages and pages of legal footnotes, killing your spirit. It's written with Spirit on spirit, his life on our lives!
God takes the wind out of Babel pretense; he shoots down the world's power-schemes. God's plan for the world stands up, all his designs are made to last. Blessed is the country with God for God; blessed are the people he's put in his will.
This foolish plan of God is wiser than the wisest of human plans, and God’s weakness is stronger than the greatest of human strength.
And this is the plan: At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ—everything in heaven and on earth.
Proverbs 16:9 Proverbs 21:30 2 Corinthians 3:4 Psalm 33:10 1 Corinthians 1:25 Ephesians 1:10
Never measure God’s unlimited power by your limited expectations.
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Glenn – 368 Mission Hill Way, Colorado Springs CO 80921
(photo: Garden of the God's)
The Lord is good to everyone. He showers compassion on all his creation.
Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out; you formed me in my mother's womb. I thank you, High God—you're breathtaking! Body and soul, I am marvelously made! I worship in adoration—what a creation! You know me inside and out, you know every bone in my body; You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit, how I was sculpted from nothing into something. Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth; all the stages of my life were spread out before you, The days of my life all prepared before I'd even lived one day.
Oh, visit the earth, ask her to join the dance! Deck her out in spring showers, fill the God-River with living water. Paint the wheat fields golden. Creation was made for this! Drench the plowed fields, soak the dirt clods With rainfall as harrow and rake bring her to blossom and fruit. Snow-crown the peaks with splendor, scatter rose petals down your paths, All through the wild meadows, rose petals. Set the hills to dancing, Dress the canyon walls with live sheep, a drape of flax across the valleys. Let them shout, and shout, and shout! Oh, oh, let them sing!
Creation and creatures applaud you, God; your holy people bless you. They talk about the glories of your rule, they exclaim over your splendor
And look! Be glad; rejoice forever in my creation!
Psalm 104:31 Psalm 145:9 Psalm 139:13 Psalm 65:9 Psalm 145:10 Isaiah 65:18
All creation sings God’s praise.
LIFEgroups – together experiencing God
Glenn – 368 Mission Hill Way, Colorado Springs CO 80921
(photo: Maui)
While he was going on like this, babbling, a light-radiant cloud enveloped them, and sounding from deep in the cloud a voice: "This is my Son, marked by my love, focus of my delight. Listen to him."
Jesus said, "'Love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence.' This is the most important, the first on any list. But there is a second to set alongside it: 'Love others as well as you love yourself.' These two commands are pegs; everything in God's Law and the Prophets hangs from them."
We prove ourselves by our purity, our understanding, our patience, our kindness, by the Holy Spirit within us, and by our sincere love.
"Don't bargain with God. Be direct. Ask for what you need. This isn't a cat-and-mouse, hide-and-seek game we're in. If your child asks for bread, do you trick him with sawdust? If he asks for fish, do you scare him with a live snake on his plate? As bad as you are, you wouldn't think of such a thing. You're at least decent to your own children. So don't you think the God who conceived you in love will be even better?
For when we place our faith in Christ Jesus, there is no benefit in being circumcised or being uncircumcised. What is important is faith expressing itself in love.
2 Corinthians 13:12 Matthew 17:5 Matthew 22:37 2 Corinthians 6:6 Matthew 7:7 Galatians 5:6
To renew your love for Christ, review His love for you.
LIFEgroups – together experiencing God
Glenn – 368 Mission Hill Way, Colorado Springs CO 80921
(photo: Naples,CA)
This mystery has been kept in the dark for a long time, but now it's out in the open. God wanted everyone, not just Jews, to know this rich and glorious secret inside and out, regardless of their background, regardless of their religious standing. The mystery in a nutshell is just this: Christ is in you, so therefore you can look forward to sharing in God's glory. It's that simple. That is the substance of our Message. We preach Christ, warning people not to add to the Message. We teach in a spirit of profound common sense so that we can bring each person to maturity. To be mature is to be basic. Christ! No more, no less. That's what I'm working so hard at day after day, year after year, doing my best with the energy God so generously gives me.
Repeat these basic essentials over and over to God's people. Warn them before God against pious nitpicking, which chips away at the faith. It just wears everyone out. Concentrate on doing your best for God, work you won't be ashamed of, laying out the truth plain and simple. Stay clear of pious talk that is only talk. Words are not mere words, you know. If they're not backed by a godly life, they accumulate as poison in the soul.
Summing it all up, friends, I'd say you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.
Psalm 11:4 Colossians 1:26 2 Timothy 2:14 Philippians 4:8
The best reason for hope is God’s faithfulness.
LIFEgroups – together experiencing God
Glenn – 368 Mission Hill Way, Colorado Springs CO 80921
(photo: Garden of the Gods, COS)
I will climb up to my watchtower and stand at my guard post. There I will wait to see what the Lord says and how he will answer
Is there anyplace I can go to avoid your Spirit? to be out of your sight? If I climb to the sky, you're there! If I go underground, you're there! If I flew on morning's wings to the far western horizon, You'd find me in a minute— you're already there waiting!
You're my cave to hide in, my cliff to climb. Be my safe leader, be my true mountain guide. Free me from hidden traps; I want to hide in you. I've put my life in your hands. You won't drop me, you'll never let me down.
Circle Zion, take her measure, count her fortress peaks, Gaze long at her sloping bulwark, climb her citadel heights— Then you can tell the next generation detail by detail the story of God, Our God forever, who guides us till the end of time.
Climb a high mountain, Zion. You're the preacher of good news. Raise your voice. Make it good and loud, Jerusalem. You're the preacher of good news. Speak loud and clear. Don't be timid! Tell the cities of Judah, "Look! your God!" Look at him! God, the Master, comes in power, ready to go into action. He is going to pay back his enemies and reward those who have loved him. Like a shepherd, he will care for his flock, gathering the lambs in his arms, hugging them as he carries them, leading the nursing ewes to good pasture.
Psalm 24:3 Habakkuk 2:1 Psalm 139:7 Psalm 31:3 Psalm 48:12 Isaiah 40:9
Our greatest weakness may be our failure to rely on God’s strength.
LIFEgroups – together experiencing God
Glenn – 368 Mission Hill Way, Colorado Springs CO 80921
(photo: Gleneagle,CO)
Don’t excuse yourself by saying, “Look, we didn’t know, ”For God understands all hearts, and he sees you. He who guards your soul knows you knew. He will repay all people as their actions deserve.
"I the LORD search the heart and examine the mind, to reward a man according to his conduct, according to what his deeds deserve."
God makes everything come out right; he puts victims back on their feet... God is sheer mercy and grace; not easily angered, he's rich in love. He doesn't endlessly nag and scold, nor hold grudges forever. He doesn't treat us as our sins deserve, nor pay us back in full for our wrongs. As high as heaven is over the earth, so strong is his love to those who fear him. And as far as sunrise is from sunset, he has separated us from our sins.
"If you don't go all the way with me, through thick and thin, you don't deserve me. If your first concern is to look after yourself, you'll never find yourself. But if you forget about yourself and look to me, you'll find both yourself and me.
All you who fear God, how blessed you are! how happily you walk on his smooth straight road! You worked hard and deserve all you've got coming. Enjoy the blessing! Revel in the goodness!
Psalm 90:11 Proverbs 24:12 Jeremiah 17:10 Psalm 103:6 Matthew 10:38 Psalm 128:1
To ease another’s burden, help to carry it.
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Glenn – 368 Mission Hill Way, Colorado Springs CO 80921
(photo: Emerald Isle, Lake Tahoe,CA)
God's my island hideaway, keeps danger far from the shore, throws garlands of hosannas around my neck.
But there are some who will break into glad song. Out of the west they'll shout of God's majesty. Yes, from the east God's glory will ascend. Every island of the sea Will broadcast God's fame, the fame of the God of Israel. From the four winds and the seven seas we hear the singing: "All praise to the Righteous One!"
"Last night God's angel stood at my side, an angel of this God I serve, saying to me, 'Don't give up, Paul. You're going to stand before Caesar yet—and everyone sailing with you is also going to make it.' So, dear friends, take heart. I believe God will do exactly what he told me. But we're going to shipwreck on some island or other."
The head man in that part of the island was Publius. He took us into his home as his guests, drying us out and putting us up in fine style for the next three days. Publius's father was sick at the time, down with a high fever and dysentery. Paul went to the old man's room, and when he laid hands on him and prayed, the man was healed. Word of the healing got around fast, and soon everyone on the island who was sick came and got healed.
Psalm 84:10 Psalm 32:7 Isaiah 24:14 Acts 27:23 Acts 28:7
You won’t be a child of despair if you remember you are in your Father’s care.
LIFEgroups – together experiencing God
Glenn – 368 Mission Hill Way, Colorado Springs CO 80921
(photo: Denver Botanical Gardens)
And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death.
You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.
so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.
So, my brothers, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit to God.
All [things that are] Mine are Yours, and all [things that are] Yours belong to Me; and I am glorified in (through) them.
Because we belong to the day, we must live decent lives for all to see.
Romans 1:6 Romans 8:2 Romans 8:9 Romans 12:5 Romans 7:4 John 17:10 Romans 13:13
God pours His love into our hearts to flow out to others.
LIFEgroups – together experiencing God
Glenn – 368 Mission Hill Way, Colorado Springs CO 80921
(photo: Gleneagle)
It seemed to the Holy Spirit and to us that you should not be saddled with any crushing burden, but be responsible only for these bare necessities
Then Jesus said, "When I sent you out and told you to travel light, to take only the bare necessities, did you get along all right?" "Certainly," they said, "we got along just fine."
I want you to be smart in the same way—but for what is right—using every adversity to stimulate you to creative survival, to concentrate your attention on the bare essentials, so you'll live, really live, and not complacently just get by on good behavior."
The Master said, "You don't need more faith. There is no 'more' or 'less' in faith. If you have a bare kernel of faith, say the size of a poppy seed, you could say to this sycamore tree, 'Go jump in the lake,' and it would do it.
Jesus simply replied, "Go home. Your son lives." The man believed the bare word Jesus spoke and headed home. On his way back, his servants intercepted him and announced, "Your son lives!"
Hebrews 4:13 Acts 15:28 Luke 22:35 Luke 16:8 Luke 17:6 John 4:50
Prayer does not make God see things as we see them; it helps us see things as God sees them.
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Glenn – 368 Mission Hill Way, Colorado Springs CO 80921
(photo: Aviala Bay,CA)
Listen. Listen carefully: Don't stay stuck in your ways! It's God's Message we're dealing with here. Let your lives glow bright before God before he turns out the lights …
The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure and bright, enlightening the eyes.
Wisdom is sweet to your soul. If you find it, you will have a bright future, and your hopes will not be cut short.
Those who are wise will shine as bright as the sky, and those who lead many to righteousness will shine like the stars forever.
Blessed are the people who know the passwords of praise, who shout on parade in the bright presence of God. Delighted, they dance all day long; they know who you are, what you do—they can't keep it quiet! Your vibrant beauty has gotten inside us— you've been so good to us! We're walking on air! All we are and have we owe to God, Holy God of Israel, our King!
1 Corinthians 13:12 Jeremiah 13:15 Psalm 19:8 Proverbs 24:14 Daniel 12:3 Psalm 89:5
God’s Word promises riches that money cannot buy.
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Glenn – 368 Mission Hill Way, Colorado Springs CO 80921
(photo: Botanical Gardens, Denver)
He withholds the waters, and the land dries up; again, He sends forth [rains], and they overwhelm the land or transform it.
"On that great day," God says, "I will round up all the hurt and homeless, everyone I have bruised or banished. I will transform the battered into a company of the elite. I will make a strong nation out of the long lost, a showcase exhibit of God's rule in action, as I rule from Mount Zion, from here to eternity.
Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
But there's far more to life for us. We're citizens of high heaven! We're waiting the arrival of the Savior, the Master, Jesus Christ, who will transform our earthy bodies into glorious bodies like his own. He'll make us beautiful and whole with the same powerful skill by which he is putting everything as it should be, under and around him.
(He), who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.
Isaiah 51:1 Job 12:15 Micah 4:6 Romans 12:2 Philippians 3:20 Philippians 3:21
God transforms the ordinary into the extraordinary, the trials into triumphs.
LIFEgroups – together experiencing God
Glenn – 368 Mission Hill Way, Colorado Springs CO 80921
(photo: Monterey, CA)
Mightier than the thunder of the great waters, mightier than the breakers of the sea— the LORD on high is mighty.
Let the heavens be glad, and the earth rejoice! Let the sea and everything in it shout his praise!
Your thoughts—how rare, how beautiful! God, I'll never comprehend them! I couldn't even begin to count them— any more than I could count the sand of the sea. Oh, let me rise in the morning and live always with you!
He made heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them. He keeps every promise forever.
Shout the news of his victory from sea to sea, Take the news of his glory to the lost, News of his wonders to one and all!
Psalm 93:3 Psalm 93:4 Psalm 96:11 Psalm 139:17 Psalm 146:6 Psalm 96:2
God’s strength is seen best in our weakness.
LIFEgroups – together experiencing God
Glenn – 368 Mission Hill Way, Colorado Springs CO 80921
(photo: above the catacombs of San Callisto,Rome,Italy) 
