Renew

photo: Springtime in the Rockies

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Restore us to You, O LORD, that we may be restored; Renew our days as of old.

When you give them your breath, life is created, and you renew the face of the earth.

I love your clear-cut revelation. You're my place of quiet retreat; I wait for your Word to renew me.


Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes.

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right, persevering, and steadfast spirit within me.

Those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint

Lamentations 5:21 Psalm 104:30 Psalm 119:113 Ephesians 4:23 Psalm 51:10 Isaiah 40:31

To renew your love for Christ, review Christ’s love for you.

LIFEgroups – together experiencing God.

Glenn – 368 Mission Hill Way, Colorado Springs CO 80921

More than...

photo: Fish Creek Falls,CO

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More than the sounds of many waters, Than the mighty breakers of the sea, The LORD on high is mighty.

Why is everyone hungry for more? "More, more," they say. "More, more." I have God's more-than-enough, More joy in one ordinary day

You have put gladness in my heart, More than when their grain and new wine abound.

You satisfy me more than the richest feast. I will praise you with songs of joy

My mouth shall tell of Your righteous acts and of Your deeds of salvation all the day, for their number is more than I know.

Every word you give me is a miracle word— how could I help but obey? Break open your words, let the light shine out, let ordinary people see the meaning. Mouth open and panting, I wanted your commands more than anything. Turn my way, look kindly on me, as you always do to those who personally love you. Steady my steps with your Word of promise so nothing malign gets the better of me. Rescue me from the grip of bad men and women so I can live life your way. Smile on me, your servant; teach me the right way to live. I cry rivers of tears because nobody's living by your book!

Psalm 93:4 Psalm 4:6 Psalm 4:7 Psalm 63:5 Psalm 71:15 Psalm 119:129

When you taste God’s goodness, His praise will be on your lips.

LIFEgroups – together experiencing God

Glenn – 368 Mission Hill Way, Colorado Springs CO 80921

Clear

photo: Steamboat Lake area

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Be generous with me and I'll live a full life; not for a minute will I take my eyes off your road. Open my eyes so I can see what you show me of your miracle-wonders. I'm a stranger in these parts; give me clear directions.

When you walk, your steps shall not be hampered [your path will be clear and open]; and when you run, you shall not stumble

The revelation of God is whole and pulls our lives together. The signposts of God are clear and point out the right road. The life-maps of God are right, showing the way to joy. The directions of God are plain and easy on the eyes. God's reputation is twenty-four-carat gold, with a lifetime guarantee. The decisions of God are accurate down to the nth degree.

You've been raised on the Message of the faith and have followed sound teaching. Now pass on this counsel to the followers of Jesus there, and you'll be a good servant of Jesus. Stay clear of silly stories that get dressed up as religion. Exercise daily in God—no spiritual flabbiness, please! Workouts in the gymnasium are useful, but a disciplined life in God is far more so, making you fit both today and forever. You can count on this. Take it to heart. This is why we've thrown ourselves into this venture so totally. We're banking on the living God, Savior of all men and women, especially believers

Open up before God, keep nothing back; he'll do whatever needs to be done: He'll validate your life in the clear light of day and stamp you with approval at high noon.

Psalm 119:17 Proverbs 4:12 Psalm 19:7 1 Timothy 4:6 Psalm 37:5

A clear conscience is a soft pillow.

LIFEgroups – together experiencing God.

Glenn – 368 Mission Hill Way, Colorado Springs CO 80921

Work

photo: Garden of the Gods

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For You are great and work wonders! You alone are God

Show me how you work, God; School me in your ways.

For the word of the Lord is right; and all His work is done in faithfulness

Everyone sees it. God's work is the talk of the town. Be glad, good people! Fly to God! Good-hearted people, make praise your habit.

The humble will see their God at work and be glad. Let all who seek God’s help be encouraged.

But let me run loose and free, celebrating God's great work, Every bone in my body laughing, singing, "God, there's no one like you!

Psalm 86:10 Psalm 25:4 Psalm 33:4 Psalm 64:9 Psalm 69:32 Psalm 35:9

Work is a blessing when it blesses others.

LIFEgroups – together experiencing God

Glenn – 368 Mission Hill Way, Colorado Springs CO 80921

Abundance

photo: Yampa River, CO 5/16

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They drink their fill of the abundance of Your house; And You give them to drink of the river of Your delights.

Where there is no guidance the people fall, But in abundance of counselors there is victory.

You let men ride over our heads; we went through fire and water, but you brought us to a place of abundance.

Praise Him for His mighty acts; praise Him according to the abundance of His greatness!

You crown the year with a bountiful harvest; even the hard pathways overflow with abundance.

I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows).

And God is able to make all grace (every favor and earthly blessing) come to you in abundance, so that you may always and under all circumstances and whatever the need be self-sufficient [possessing enough to require no aid or support and furnished in abundance for every good work and charitable donation].

Psalm 36:8 Proverbs 11:14 Psalm 66:12 Psalm 150:2 Psalm 65:11 John 10:10 2 Corinthians 9:8

Only Christ, the living water, can quench our spiritual thirst.

LIFEgroups – together experiencing God

Glenn – 368 Mission Hill Way, Colorado Springs CO 80921

Walk

photo: New Mexico '05

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In generations past He permitted all the nations to walk in their own ways

“What are you discussing so intently as you walk along?”

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."

Jesus said, "For a brief time still, the light is among you. Walk by the light you have so darkness doesn't destroy you. If you walk in darkness, you don't know where you're going. As you have the light, believe in the light. Then the light will be within you, and shining through your lives. You'll be children of light."

But Peter said, Silver and gold (money) I do not have; but what I do have, that I give to you: in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk!

“Meanwhile the tax man, slumped in the shadows, his face in his hands, not daring to look up, said, 'God, give mercy. Forgive me, a sinner.'" Jesus commented, "This tax man, not the other, went home made right with God. If you walk around with your nose in the air, you're going to end up flat on your face, but if you're content to be simply yourself, you will become more than yourself."

Acts 14:16 Luke 24:17 John 8:12 John 12:35 Acts 3:6 Luke 18:14

When we walk with the Lord, we’ll be out of step with the world.

LIFEgroups – together experiencing God

Glenn – 368 Mission Hill Way, Colorado Springs CO

Measure

photo: Maui

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Great is the Lord! He is most worthy of praise! No one can measure his greatness.

Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, marked off the heavens with a [nine-inch] span, enclosed the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales and the hills in a balance?

Have you never heard? Have you never understood? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth. He never grows weak or weary. No one can measure the depths of his understanding.

For since He Whom God has sent speaks the words of God [proclaims God's own message], God does not give Him His Spirit sparingly or by measure, but boundless is the gift God makes of His Spirit!

And He said to them, Be careful what you are hearing. The measure [of thought and study] you give [to the truth you hear] will be the measure [of virtue and knowledge] that comes back to you--and more [besides] will be given to you who hear.

My mouth will tell of your righteousness, of your salvation all day long, though I know not its measure.

Psalm 145:3 Isaiah 40:12 Isaiah 40:28 John 3:34 Mark 4:24 Psalm 71:15

The true measure of a person is what’s in the heart.

LIFEgroups – together experiencing God

Glenn – 368 Mission Hill Way, Colorado Springs CO 80921

Powerful

photo: Maui

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God means what he says. What he says goes. His powerful Word is sharp as a surgeon's scalpel, cutting through everything, whether doubt or defense, laying us open to listen and obey. Nothing and no one is impervious to God's Word. We can't get away from it—no matter what.

Going through a long line of prophets, God has been addressing our ancestors in different ways for centuries. Recently he spoke to us directly through his Son. By his Son, God created the world in the beginning, and it will all belong to the Son at the end. This Son perfectly mirrors God, and is stamped with God's nature. He holds everything together by what he says—powerful words!

It's your heart, not the dictionary, that gives meaning to your words. A good person produces good deeds and words season after season. An evil person is a blight on the orchard. Let me tell you something: Every one of these careless words is going to come back to haunt you. There will be a time of Reckoning. Words are powerful; take them seriously. Words can be your salvation. Words can also be your damnation."

It's news I'm most proud to proclaim, this extraordinary Message of God's powerful plan to rescue everyone who trusts him, starting with Jews and then right on to everyone else! God's way of putting people right shows up in the acts of faith, confirming what Scripture has said all along: "The person in right standing before God by trusting him really lives."

This image of planting a dead seed and raising a live plant is a mere sketch at best, but perhaps it will help in approaching the mystery of the resurrection body—but only if you keep in mind that when we're raised, we're raised for good, alive forever! The corpse that's planted is no beauty, but when it's raised, it's glorious. Put in the ground weak, it comes up powerful. The seed sown is natural; the seed grown is supernatural—same seed, same body, but what a difference from when it goes down in physical mortality to when it is raised up in spiritual immortality!

Hebrews 4:12 Hebrews 1:1 Matthew 12:34 Romans 1:16 1 Corinthians 15:42

When Satan strikes, strike back with the Word of God

LIFEgroups – together experiencing God

Glenn – 368 Mission Hill Way, Colorado Springs CO 80921

How long?

photo: Yesterday morning 5/7/07

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There's not a sign or symbol of God in sight, nor anyone to speak in his name, no one who knows what's going on. How long, God, will barbarians blaspheme, enemies curse and get by with it? Why don't you do something? How long are you going to sit there with your hands folded in your lap? God is my King from the very start; he works salvation in the womb of the earth.
How long will you look the other way?

Well, think again, you idiots, fools—how long before you get smart? Do you think Ear-Maker doesn't hear, Eye-Shaper doesn't see? Do you think the trainer of nations doesn't correct, the teacher of Adam doesn't know? God knows, all right— knows your stupidity, sees your shallowness.

My [inner] self [as well as my body] is also exceedingly disturbed and troubled. But You, O Lord, how long [until You return and speak peace to me]?

"Simpletons! How long will you wallow in ignorance? Cynics! How long will you feed your cynicism? Idiots! How long will you refuse to learn? About face! I can revise your life. Look, I'm ready to pour out my spirit on you; I'm ready to tell you all I know. As it is, I've called, but you've turned a deaf ear; I've reached out to you, but you've ignored me.

Oh! Teach us to live well! Teach us to live wisely and well! Come back, God—how long do we have to wait?— and treat your servants with kindness for a change. Surprise us with love at daybreak; then we'll skip and dance all the day long. Make up for the bad times with some good times; we've seen enough evil to last a lifetime. Let your servants see what you're best at— the ways you rule and bless your children. And let the loveliness of our Lord, our God, rest on us, confirming the work that we do. Oh, yes. Affirm the work that we do!

And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep His love is.

Psalm 74:9 Psalm 94:8 Psalm 6:3 Proverbs 1:22 Psalm 90:12 Ephesians 3:18

Life’s challenges are not designed to break us but to bend us toward God.

LIFEgroups – together experiencing God

Glenn – 368 Mission Hill Way, Colorado Springs CO 80921

Shine

photo: Old Colorado '06

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I (Jesus the Christ) have come as a light to shine in this dark world, so that all who put their trust in Me will no longer remain in the dark.

For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ.


Let your light so shine before men that they may see your moral excellence and your praiseworthy, noble, and good deeds and recognize and honor and praise and glorify your Father Who is in heaven.

Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life

"Here's another way to put it: You're here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We're going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don't think I'm going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I'm putting you on a light stand. Now that I've put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you'll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven.

"'Men and women who have lived wisely and well will shine brilliantly, like the cloudless, star-strewn night skies. And those who put others on the right path to life will glow like stars forever.

John 12:46 2 Corinthians 4:6 Matthew 5:16 Philippians 2:15 Matthew 5:14 Daniel 12:3

You can trust God in the dark as well as in the light.

LIFEgroups – together experiencing God

Glenn – 368 Mission Hill Way, Colorado Springs CO 80921

Promises

photo: Denver,Botanical Gardens

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God’s way is perfect. All the Lord’s promises prove true.

The Lord’s promises are pure, like silver refined in a furnace, purified seven times over.

When my soul is in the dumps, I rehearse everything I know of you … Chaos calls to chaos, to the tune of whitewater rapids. Your breaking surf, your thundering breakers crash and crush me. Then God promises to love me all day, sing songs all through the night! My life is God's prayer.

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.

God has spoken in His holiness [in His promises]: I will rejoice

Your promises have been thoroughly tested; that is why I love them so much.

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 with a lyre, O Holy One of Israel

Psalm 18:30 Psalm 12:6 Psalm 42:6 Psalm 15:4 Psalm 60:6 Psalm 119:140 Psalm 71:22

God is not obligated to give us answers, but His promises are sure!

LIFEgroups – together experiencing God

Glenn – 368 Mission Hill Way, Colorado Springs CO 80921

Face

photo: Beulah,CO

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Who can climb Mount God? Who can scale the holy north-face? Only the clean-handed, only the pure-hearted; Men who won't cheat, women who won't seduce.

Now you've got my feet on the life path, all radiant from the shining of your face. Ever since you took my hand, I'm on the right way.

So let's agree to use all our energy in getting along with each other. Help others with encouraging words; don't drag them down by finding fault. You're certainly not going to permit an argument over what is served or not served at supper to wreck God's work among you, are you? I said it before and I'll say it again: All food is good, but it can turn bad if you use it badly, if you use it to trip others up and send them sprawling. When you sit down to a meal, your primary concern should not be to feed your own face but to share the life of Jesus. So be sensitive and courteous to the others who are eating. Don't eat or say or do things that might interfere with the free exchange of love.

These are all warning markers—danger!—in our history books, written down so that we don't repeat their mistakes. Our positions in the story are parallel—they at the beginning, we at the end—and we are just as capable of messing it up as they were. Don't be so naive and self-confident. You're not exempt. You could fall flat on your face as easily as anyone else. Forget about self-confidence; it's useless. Cultivate God-confidence.

My inner self thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and behold the face of God?

For the LORD is righteous, he loves justice; upright men will see his face.

Psalm 24:3 Psalm 16:11 Romans 14:19 1 Corinthians 10:11 Psalm 42:2 Psalm 11:7

The more we meditate on the Scriptures, the closer we’ll walk with the Savior.

LIFEgroups – together experiencing God

Glenn – 368 Mission Hill Way, Colorado Springs CO 80921

Value

photo: Carmel, CA

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A capable, intelligent, and virtuous woman--who is he who can find her? She is far more precious than jewels and her value is far above rubies or pearls. Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value.

[ The Very Tree of Life ] You're blessed when you meet Lady Wisdom (Holy Spirit), when you make friends with Madame Insight. She's worth far more than money in the bank; her friendship is better than a big salary. Her value exceeds all the trappings of wealth; nothing you could wish for holds a candle to her. With one hand she gives long life, with the other she confers recognition. Her manner is beautiful, her life wonderfully complete. She's the very Tree of Life to those who embrace her. Hold her tight—and be blessed!

When he discovered a pearl of great value, he sold everything he owned and bought it!

Keep reminding them of these things. Warn them before God against quarreling about words; it is of no value, and only ruins those who listen.

Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.

For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.

Proverbs 31:10 Proverbs 3:13 Matthew 13:46 2 Timothy 2:14 Philippians 3:8 Galatians 5:6

The sign of genuine faith is faith that needs no sign.

LIFEgroups – together experiencing God

Glenn – 368 Mission Hill Way, Colorado Springs CO 80921

Direct

photo: Arizona highway

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"Don't bargain with God. Be direct. Ask for what you need. This is not a cat-and-mouse, hide-and-seek game we're in.

Hear, my son, and be wise, and direct your mind in the way [of the Lord].

Teach me Your way, O Lord, that I may walk and live in Your truth; direct and unite my heart [solely, reverently] to fear and honor Your name.

Point me down your highway, God; direct me along a well-lighted street;

Establish my steps and direct them by [means of] Your word; let not any iniquity have dominion over me.

In all your ways know, recognize, and acknowledge Him, and He will direct and make straight and plain your paths.

But now you have arrived at your destination: By faith in Christ you are in direct relationship with God. Your baptism in Christ was not just washing you up for a fresh start. It also involved dressing you in an adult faith wardrobe—Christ's life, the fulfillment of God's original promise.

Luke 11:10 Proverbs 23:19 Psalm 86:11 Psalm 27:11 Psalm 119:133 Proverbs 3:6 Galatians 3:25

Take your direction from those who follow God’s Word.

LIFEgroups – together experiencing God

Glenn – 368 Mission Hill Way, Colorado Springs CO 80921