Lord Stanley Quotes

Jesus is Lord, and everything else is bullshit.

Mary-born Lord, humble us so that we also might say, "Let it be with me according to your word.

Our emotions often stand in direct opposition to our faith in the Lord and what He is achieving for us.

So what do you do when you are stuck? The first thing I do when I am stuck is pray. But I’m not talking about a quick, Help me Lord, Sunday’s a comin’ prayer. When I get stuck I get up from my desk to head for my closet. Literally. If I‘m at the office I go over to a corner that I have deemed my closet away from home. I get on my knees and remind God that this was not my idea, it was His… None of this is new information to God… Then I ask God to show me if there is something He wants to say to prepare me for what He wants me to communicate to our congregation. I surrender my ideas, my outline and my topic. Then I just stay in that quiet place until God quiets my heart… Many times I will have a breakthrough thought or idea that brings clarity to my message. . . Like you, I am simply a mouthpiece. Getting stuck is one way God keeps me ever conscious of that fact.

5Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; 6In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall bdirect your paths.

For the entire summer, Lane’s cell phone background was a picture of Jared eating Lucky Charms out of the Kelly Cup. Jared’s was, of course, that shot of his that blocked Lane’s would-be goal. According to Jared, it was going to stay that way until he had a picture of Lane drinking Dr Pepper out of Lord Stanley’s Cup to replace it with. He liked to call it incentive.

Lord, help us to see trouble coming long before it gets here. And give us the wisdom to know what to do and the courage to do it.

But to say self-interest is all that exists, or that it should be given free rein! My Lord. Believe that and nothing matters but money.

Lord, as my Source and Creator, I will make time for You. Transform me so I may carry out Your wonderful plans for my life, amen.

It is dangerous for us to allow our difficulties to reside in the forefront of our thinking. Rather, our focus should always remain on our matchless God, who can triumph over any trouble we bring to Him. When God said no to one blessing, it was so I could experience a greater one later on. God speaks to you and me through every situation, but hearing Him is dependent upon our anticipating and paying attention to His instruction. Regardless of the circumstances we experience, we know God is teaching us something, and we will intentionally and eagerly learn and apply whatever it is. There are many days when I cannot wait to get home and be alone with the Father. I am eager to leave behind all the stresses and decisions, change out of my suit and tie, go into my prayer closet, open God’s Word, and relax in His loving arms. Many times I don’t need to say a word. I simply want to hear from the Lord, experiencing His peaceful wisdom and loving presence. There is nothing better in life than just being with Him.

Really?” “Yes. Lord of the Flies is like some Christian support group compared to the mean girls’ club.

Some must break Upon the wheel of love, but not the strange, The secret lords, whom only death can change.

30Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, But a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised.

The stewards, and then the bailiffs, and then finally the lawyers meet. They wrangle, they agree, and we are to be married in June. It is no little decision for me - for the first time in my life I have my own lands in my own hands as a widow; once I become a wife everything becomes Lord Stanley's property. I have to struggle to reserve what I can from the law that rules that a wife has no rights, and I keep what I can, but I know that I am choosing my master.

We fulfill our eternal purpose when our lives honor the Lord and reflect His glory. What pleases a human father more than to hear, “That boy looks just like you; he even acts like you”? God takes pleasure in spiritual sons who reflect His character.

— Who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory. When we die, we will immediately be in the presence of Almighty God. As believers, we will no longer remember the struggles and sorrows of this life because our minds and bodies will be absolutely purified in His presence. In fact, everything will be different, because we will stand holy and glorified before the Lord (1 Cor. 13:12; 1 John 3:2). If your body is broken, in pain, or you simply do not like it—hold on. One day, you will have a brand new one if you believe in Him (1 Cor. 15:40–54).

What the proprietorship of these papers is aiming at is power, and power without responsibility — the prerogative of the harlot through the ages. [Baldwin was attacking the leading press barons of his day (Lord Beaverbrook and Lord Rothermere); the phrase was suggested by Baldwin's cousin Rudyard Kipling (17 March 1931)]

Vengeance is ours saith the Lord and the writers.

Friend, be assured that the Lord—the Owner of heaven and earth—supplies all your needs. None is too massive, problematic, or severe for Jesus to meet it

7“The LORD shall cause your enemies who rise up against you to be defeated before you; they will come out against you one way and will flee before you seven ways.

You may be wondering why such difficulty has come into your life. However, the greater question is, “Lord, how do You plan to use this difficulty so I may serve You better?

We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps. PROVERBS 16:9 NLT

the eyes of the LORD move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His” (2 Chron. 16:9).

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight” (Prov. 3:5–6).

Jesus is Lord' is not my personal opinion. I take it to be a determinative political claim.

understand the Lord is a jealous God. He wants a relationship with you, and if He sees that you’re relying on another person to do what only He can, He often finds a way to end that relationship as it once was. Only the Savior can provide everything you need to live a peaceful, joyful, fulfilling life. So look to Him first and foremost to satisfy the needs of your heart.

FLESH IS LIKE GRASS, AND ALL ITS GLORY LIKE THE FLOWER OF GRASS. THE GRASS WITHERS, AND THE FLOWER FALLS OFF, 25BUT THE WORD OF THE LORD ENDURES FOREVER.” And this is the word which was preached to you.

Psalm 34:18 is clear, “The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” So when you feel at your most unworthy or defeated is when the Father is closest, tenderly bidding you to return to Him.

Paul declared in Philippians 3:8: “I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ” (NASB).

My God, my God, thou art a direct God, may I not say a literal God, a God that wouldst be understood literally and according to the plain sense of all thou sayest, but thou art also (Lord, I intend it to thy glory, and let no profane misinterpreter abuse it to thy dimunition), thou art a figurative, a metaphorical God too, a God in whose words there is such a height of figures, such voyages, such peregrinations to fetch remote and precious metaphors, such extensions, such spreadings, such curtains of allegories, such third heavens of hyperboles, so harmonious elocutions, so retired and so reserved expressions, so commanding persuasions, so persuading commandments, such sinews even in thy milk, and such things in thy words, as all profane authors seem of the seed of the serpent that creeps, thou art the Dove that flies. (Donne, Devotions 1624, as quoted in Fish, How to Write a Sentence p 142)

mean life will always be easy or problem-free. Sometimes the Lord will lead us into the wilderness or into situations that are difficult. In fact, this often happens after times of great spiritual growth or victory. However, if we trust and obey Him, we will surely triumph, and our relationship with Him will grow even deeper and stronger.

I do not, can not write just for money. Lord knows I haven't made much. I write because it is what my Father has given me to do. I do not mean that He woke me one morn, put His finger to my forehead and commanded me write. I mean He quietly and gently in His grace, whispered into my head, into my heart: courage to fail, confidence to succeed, belief in my ability to learn and in my own self worth. So in thankfulness I write.

SCRIPTURE READING: EPHESIANS 4:1–15 KEY VERSES: EPHESIANS 4:14–15 That [you] . . . speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ. The pattern Jesus gave us to live by is one of love. Paul wrote, “I . . . implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love” (Eph. 4:1–2 NASB). As a believer, live each day in such a way that your life honors the Lord, who saved you through His mercy and grace. This means to live in a “manner worthy” of your calling. How did Jesus call you? Did He come to you with a list of demands, requiring you to fulfill each one before He would consider caring for you? No. He came to you in love. Redemptive love brought Him to earth so that you might receive eternal salvation. Love was all the motivation He needed to be crucified at Calvary. His love watches over you, protects you, plans your future, and encourages you not to give up in times of sorrow and discouragement. You will spend eternity in the radiant goodness and greatness of His blessings, all because He chooses to love you. Love that is from God is humble and gentle. It loves with the surety of Christ. Someone today is hurting because he thinks God could not possibly love him. You know the truth about His love; will you tell him? Thank You, Lord, that I know the truth about Your love. Help me to share it with others. (SEEKING HIS FACE)

The Father is uniquely able to give us the victory over the damaged emotions we have. And because we cannot become the healthy, fruitful believers He wants us to be until we learn to control our feelings, we know for certain He is willing to help us. We are confident of this because we are assured the Lord desires for us to experience the fullness of His wonderful plans for our lives. He says, “I know the plans that I have for you . . . plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope” (Jer. 29:11). Truly, we serve a loving God who will not fail to lead us to freedom if we trust in Him (John 8:32).

12:15 — See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled. We are responsible to show the grace of God to everyone we meet, ridding ourselves of unforgiveness, letting go of our feelings of resentment, laying down our “right” to get even, and allowing God to deal with the person who has hurt us. We must choose forgiveness. We don’t want to lead anyone away from God or build a wall of bitterness and regret between our hearts and the Lord. We must always choose to show His mercy to others so we can truly be His representatives in the world.

This principle of overcoming strongholds can be applied as we pray for other saints as well. But at some point in time, others must take the responsibility for renewing their own minds—we cannot do it for them. We can pray that God will tear down a specific stronghold in their lives, and He will do it. But if they don’t rebuke the lies that protected that stronghold, the stronghold will come back. Only application of the truth can stand against Satan’s lies. One evening I shared with my son that God had shown me a stronghold of fear in my life. He smiled and said that the Lord had revealed this problem in my life to him the week before. He had been praying that God would tear down this

we have already asked Him to do. In the same way, there is no need to beg Him to do what He has already promised to do. Instead, we should thank Him for it. We should thank Him for the wisdom we are going to experience in our prayers. We should thank Him for granting our desires, meeting our needs, and giving us direction. Then we must wait. More asking will show a lack of faith. It is at this point, however, that our faith will be tested the most. We may want to add “if it is Your will” to our prayers, just in case we misunderstood. This is why basing our prayers on Scripture is so important—it gives us a foundation. God’s Word is unchanging truth. It is in the protected harbor of His Word that we bring our faith to rest. When we go to God, instead of asking, “Lord, please do this and that,” let’s ask Him to show us how to pray. Let’s ask the Holy Spirit to pray through us from beginning to end. Then we can be assured of praying according to His will. We will

Take time to intentionally sit or kneel in silence before the Lord. Empty your mind of all other thoughts. Concentrate on His Word and His presence with you. Ask Him to speak to you.

Montreal was the location of ice hockey’s first formal game (1875), its first published rules (1877), its first official club (1877), its first major tournament (1883), its first intercity league (1886) and its first national champion (1893).11 That occurred when the reigning governor general, Lord Frederick Stanley of Preston, presented his famous Cup, and a five-team league—three of which were from Montreal—settled on its winner.12 For much of this time, hockey as an organized sport had been marginal and largely unknown in Toronto.

Lord, I confess my anger today and ask You to please cleanse my heart of the deep resentment, bitterness, and injury I feel. They run so deep, Father—and the strength of those feelings alarms me at times. I know that this situation is not only about how I was wronged or the person who hurt me. It touched a profound place within me that needs healing,

ABSOLUTELY NOTHING I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. ROMANS 8:38 NLT There may be something on your mind—a sin, a bad decision, someone’s rejection, or a particular trial—that makes you feel as if the Father does not or could not love you. However, once you believe in Jesus as your Lord and Savior, nothing can separate you from His love. Not people. Not circumstances. Not angels, nor demons, nor the enemy’s entire army. Absolutely nothing. Psalm 34:18 is clear, “The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” So when you feel at your most unworthy or defeated is when the Father is closest, tenderly bidding you to return to Him. The most dangerous move you can make is to resist His love. So seek His face. Confess your failings. Ask Him to teach you. Thank Him for inviting you back. Then praise His holy name and love Him in return. Lord, thank You for accepting me. I am so grateful for Your wonderful, unconditional, unchanging love. Help me hear Your voice, amen.

No matter how far we may wander from the Lord’s perfect will for our lives, we are always welcome back.

Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.” You have that verse on your mind and in your heart as you encounter a coworker who is in a foul mood and very rude to you. Wanting to honor the Lord, you extend kindness to that person and discover his or her terrible attitude is due to difficulties he or she is carrying by him- or herself.

We are not lords of the universe. We're one small part of it. We may be its consciousness, but being the consciousness of the universe does not mean turning it all into a mirror image of us. It means rather fitting into it as it is, and worshiping it with our attention.

So when you are tempted by sin, ask yourself, “What will my actions do to my relationship with Jesus?” While the Lord has promised to love you, He also expects you to love Him in return, obeying His commands.

Therefore, the wisest thing you can do is pray, “Deal with me, God. Show me what it is in my life that is blinding me to Your will. And give me the strength and wisdom to turn away from the sinful attitudes and behaviors that are preventing me from following You in obedience. In Jesus’ name, amen.” Whatever the Lord reveals to you, agree with Him that it is a problem. Confess your sin and do as He says to turn away from it. And trust your loving heavenly Father to fill your deepest needs in a more profound

Lord, I will not doubt You. You are leading me to victory and I am so grateful for Your love, amen.

Why is black evil and white good?” he demanded of the Lord of Death. “I never saw it that way. If this is all my own thinking, then why is that so? Why is my Lord of Death not a big Arab slave trader, as it would be in my own village?

Lord Kelvin at that time maintained that the Earth, because it was still radioactive, could not be more than a few million years old.

and wondering, How am I going to pay my bills? Have I saved enough for retirement? How am I going to provide for my family? or any other concern that you may have. Friend, be assured that the Lord—the Owner of heaven and earth—supplies all your needs. None is too massive, problematic, or severe for Jesus to meet it (Philippians 4:19). So why do you still lack peace? The problem may be that you accept the idea of the Lord’s provision in your head, but you don’t believe

Cease striving and know that I am God.” PSALM 46:10 The most profound need of your soul is to be still in the presence of God. Stop wrestling with your troubles or worrying about circumstances—the Lord Almighty is greater than all of them. So calm your soul and focus on His astounding wisdom, ability, and timing.

Your hope, your defense, your vindication, and your future are all in the hands of the Lord God Almighty. The people and challenges aligned against you cannot overpower Him. Trust Him. No matter what comes, He will bring good from it.

Friend, don’t allow the storms in your life to discourage you; rather, cling to the Lord and invite Him to fill you with His strength and hope. Hold tightly to Him and to the promises He’s given you—no matter what the cost or how circumstances appear. Have faith to the end. Because you know that with God, you’ll be able to endure anything that comes your way in life and emerge triumphant.

But Jesus’ wisdom far exceeds the world’s, and He often did the opposite of what people expected because He understood spiritual realities they were too limited to see. That’s not to say that the Lord doesn’t utilize human wisdom—He does. But quite often, He will ask you to accomplish goals that seem illogical to your rational mind. When this occurs, be mindful that God is purposeful, wise, and absolutely sovereign. His ways are far higher than your own. And He will certainly bless you as you trust and obey Him. Father,

So I began to meditate on Scripture the way he taught me. That is, I wouldn’t just read the Bible—I would ask questions. “Lord God, what are You saying to me? How do You want me to apply this to my life? What is it I’m supposed to learn, Father?” This has helped

Friend, personal meditation isn’t difficult. It begins when you simply get alone with the Lord and sit quietly before Him. So don’t wait any longer. Focus on the Father. Listen to His voice, be filled with His peace, and find His direction and purpose for your life.

You see, fears will arise that prevent you from doing as He asks—proclaiming the gospel, reaching out to those in need, and submitting to His will. But the fear of the Lord—your respect for Him—should motivate you to obey Him anyway.

Friend, the Lord is intensely concerned for you and He wants you to know with certainty that He is closer to you than the very breath you breathe. Though you may feel lonely at times, you are never actually alone. Jesus is one Friend you will always have—who will be with you always—because He is “the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8).

Satan's primary goal is to prevent us from having an intimate relationship with the Lord. He

You are my Savior, Redeemer, Victorious Warrior, Healer, Deliverer, and Counselor. Thank You for loving me, my Lord and my God!

God knows your past, future, personality, woundedness, and everything that makes you who you are—and He loves you anyway. So don’t hide from Him. Return to the Lord. Seek His wonderful presence, let Him heal you, and live.

As long as you hold Him at arm’s length, you cannot know Him. This is because abiding relationships, including yours with the Lord, can only exist and grow through mutual intimacy. Friend, the only relationship that can fill your longings, sustain you through difficulties, and bring you peace is the relationship you have with God. Don’t hold Him back in any way.

Your enemy cannot stand hearing the Lord exalted, so when you do this, he flees from you. Therefore, in moments when fear, doubt, and anxiety arise, recognize the devil’s attack and defeat him by praising the name of Jesus!

Obeying the Lord may not be easy or popular, but you can have peace no other way. So stand firm in Him and trust that He will be your place of rest.

An unschooled man who knows how to meditate upon the Lord has learned far more than the man with the highest education who does not know how to meditate.” Charles Stanley

13th June, 1872.—Sangara, one of Mr. Stanley's men, returned from Bagamoio, and reports that my caravan is at Ugogo. He arrived to-day, and reports that Stanley and the American Consul acted like good fellows, and soon got a party of over fifty off, as he heard while at Bagamoio, and he left. The main body, he thinks, are in Ugogo. Hecame on with the news, but the letters were not delivered to him. I do most fervently thank the good Lord of all for His kindness to me through these gentlemen. The

9th August, 1872.—I do most devoutly thank the Lord for His goodness in bringing my men near to this. Three came to-day, and how thankful I am I cannot express. It is well—the men who went with Mr. Stanley came again to me. "Bless the Lord, my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name." Amen.

God, who has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. . . . 2 TIMOTHY 1:8–9 NOVEMBER 13 I remember an experience of my old friend E. Stanley Jones, the famous missionary. During his first few years in India, he labored under a heavy sense of personal inadequacy. He began to think he would have to give up his missionary career. At a meeting in Lucknow he had a remarkable experience. He was praying and he seemed to hear a voice asking, “Are you ready for this work to which I called you?” Silently, he confessed that he just didn’t seem to have the strength. Then the voice said, “If you will turn it over to Me, I will take care of it.” But there is a catch. You can’t expect God to help you repeatedly unless you help Him. The furtherance of His kingdom on earth comes about through human beings trying to help and serve. That is how He ordained it should be. God wants to have the love and help of people. Our Heavenly Father, we thank You for the great truth that we are not alone, that You are always with us and always will be, to the end of our lives and beyond. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

The most profound need of your soul is to be still in the presence of God. Stop wrestling with your troubles or worrying about circumstances—the Lord Almighty is greater than all of them. So calm your soul and focus on His astounding wisdom, ability, and timing.

Satan cannot destroy your soul, but he can demolish your effectiveness. And he does so by building strongholds in your life that influence your thoughts and actions—ultimately enslaving you to sin. Thus he renders you ineffective for the kingdom of God. Don’t fall for his trap. Instead, defeat the enemy by declaring your trust in God. Allow the Lord to identify strongholds and deliver you from them. Remember who you are in Christ. The Lord is greater than any weapon the enemy can bring against you. So commit yourself to God wholeheartedly and let Him defend you.

Trust God. Believe with every fiber of your being that He will faithfully fulfill His promises. Do not just say, “I hope the Lord will come to my aid.” Do not merely stop at declaring, “I know He can work everything out.” Exhibit the highest level of faith by proclaiming, “I am absolutely certain my heavenly Father will help me—it’s as good as done.

Sometimes I run into a person who tells me, “I was once committed to God, but something happened. I changed or He changed or something, but it’s just not like it once was between us. I don’t feel like He cares for me.” God will never stop loving you. Nothing you can do has the power to derail His love. If there seems to be a distance between you and Him, then it is because you have moved in your devotion, trust, or love for Him. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Heb. 13:8). Satan, however, will do all he possibly can do to remind you of past sin—sin that you have asked God to forgive. He will tell you the Lord is disappointed in you and that there is distance between you and Him. Never believe a word of this. God is intimately involved in the lives of His creation, and He is always close to you. If you have yielded to sin, then you will sense a distance between you and the Lord. But the distance is not because God has moved. He remains the same in His loving care for you. We are the ones who move whenever we choose to disobey the Lord. Sin creates a distance within our hearts. James writes, “Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you” (4:7–8).

Remember, the author of Proverbs writes, “In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your body and refreshment to your bones” (3:6–8). We make wrong decisions. Satan will never tell you about the consequences. He always wants to tell you about what you are feeling and how unfair the circumstances are or how your needs should be met. Only the Spirit of God will warn you about the consequences of sin and disobedience. The prodigal walked away from his father’s love and the very things he longed to have—security and a future. All too often we do the same thing. We abandon God’s will for what we think will be greener pastures, but this is never the case. Sin may seem pleasurable for a season, but sooner rather than later, we find out the truth and also the price of our rebellion. The issue at stake is whether we will do whatever we feel is best or whether we will obey the Lord. The decision to walk away from God is always a disastrous one.

Many times we fail to sense God’s love because our hearts are burdened with false guilt over past mistakes we have made. However, once we pray and ask God to forgive us, He does. He never brings up our sin again. He will not point His finger at us and say, “Remember when you sinned here or failed to keep My commandment there?” This is what the devil does to prevent us from growing in our love and devotion to God. He accuses us and seeks to discourage us so we will want to run away from the Lord. Condemnation is not from God (Rom. 8:1); it is from the enemy of our souls. The Lord knows we are not perfect. However, He wants us to submit our lives to Him so that He can mold and shape us into the image of His Son.

Unless you and I strive to obey the Lord in our homes, we will create a spiritually poisonous atmosphere that will infect our children with disrespect for authority—both ours and God’s. Pay close attention to this principle: we reap what we sow. Our disobedience today may become our children’s rebellion tomorrow.

human words are at best tentative, being true only in so far as they align with the revelation of the Bible. We are not a cadre of superior believers who reach from their lofty heights to assist those of inferior development along the way. Rather, we are fellow travelers along the path of life who desire to share what we have learned about God and His dealings. The call is to those who read to come along and let us learn together about the riches of our Lord.

The Lord desires to heal you to the core of your being—even in the places you’ve forgotten exist. So listen to Him and deal with whatever He surfaces, confident He is leading you to freedom.

On Sunday we didn’t work at all. That was the Lord’s Day. As soon as we heard the drum beating, we knew it was time for church. We met at the house of Captain Myles Standish, the military leader of the colony. Then we lined up by threes and marched to church. Everybody in town was expected to go (even if they weren’t church members), and the service lasted all morning. Then after lunch (which they called dinner) we went back for three more hours!

MORE FROM GOD’S WORD According to the grace given to us, we have different gifts: If prophecy, use it according to the standard of faith; if service, in service; if teaching, in teaching; if exhorting, in exhortation; giving, with generosity; leading, with diligence; showing mercy, with cheerfulness. Romans 12:6-8 HCSB Do not neglect the gift that is in you. 1 Timothy 4:14 HCSB Each one has his own gift from God, one in this manner and another in that. 1 Corinthians 7:7 NKJV So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, “Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.” His lord said to him, “Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.” Matthew 25:20-21 NKJV I remind you to keep ablaze the gift of God that is in you. 2 Timothy 1:6 HCSB SHADES OF GRACE When you experience grace and are loved when you do not deserve it, you spend the rest of your life standing on tiptoes trying to reach His plan for your life out of gratitude. Charles Stanley A PRAYER FOR TODAY Father, You have given me abilities to be used for the glory of Your kingdom. Give me the courage and the perseverance to use those talents. Keep me mindful that all my gifts come from You, Lord. Let me be Your faithful, humble servant, and let me give You all the glory and all the praise. Amen

Those who think they have not time for bodily exercise will sooner or later have to find time for illness. —Lord Edward Stanley,

Lord, thank You that You are omnipotent. Thank You that You are omniscient and know everything I am about to tell You. Thank You that You are omnipresent, and You are not separated from me. As I come into Your presence, I humble myself before Your throne to thank You for Your holiness, Your forgiveness, and Your mercy. I acknowledge You as the great Creator, Sustainer, and Lover of mankind. Father, I am coming to You, recognizing Your greatness and Your holiness. I bow before You as Your child, knowing that You are more than sufficient to meet my needs.

The eyes of the LORD move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His.

MORE FROM GOD’S WORD I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Choose life so that you and your descendants may live, love the Lord your God, obey Him, and remain faithful to Him. For He is your life, and He will prolong your life in the land the Lord swore to give to your fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Deuteronomy 30:19-20 HCSB Ignorant zeal is worthless; haste makes waste. Proverbs 19:2 MSG But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself…. Daniel 1:8 KJV But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you. Matthew 6:33 HCSB Above all and before all, do this: Get Wisdom! Write this at the top of your list: Get Understanding! Proverbs 4:7 MSG The wise people will shine like the brightness of the sky. Those who teach others to live right will shine like stars forever and ever. Daniel 12:3 NCV SHADES OF GRACE The Gospel is not so much a demand as it is an offer, an offer of new life to man by the grace of God. E. Stanley Jones A PRAYER FOR TODAY Dear Lord, today I will focus my thoughts on Your will for my life. I will strive to make decisions that are pleasing to You, and I will strive to follow in the footsteps of Your Son. Amen

People who realize they are traveling in reverse usually respond in one of two ways: either they turn and walk toward the Lord, or they ignore His call and continue traveling in misery and sorrow. You do not have to travel away from God any longer. Right now you can turn and walk toward the one Person who loves you just the way you are. The moment you acknowledge that you have taken the wrong route and that you want your life to change, God moves mightily on your behalf (Isa. 30:18–19). In Joel, He tells us, “I will make up to you for the years that the swarming locust has eaten” (2:25). You may have drifted in your devotion to the Lord, but He is waiting for you to return to Him. Or perhaps you have never made a commitment to love and obey Him. My prayer is that this book will be used in your life to encourage you to follow the Savior and begin to spend time with Him in prayer and worship. If you will allow God to work, He will restore all that has been lost. It may not be exactly the same, but whatever He gives, it will be more than enough to meet every need you have, to the point of overflowing. Charles F. Stanley

One of Satan’s primary weapons against the believer is discouragement. The Enemy works on our emotions, trying to persuade us that we’re not worthy of God’s love, plan, or blessings. He tells us that the trials we experience are evidence that the Lord has rejected us. He seeks to make us feel defeated because if he can make us give up, he will have neutralized a potential vessel of Christ’s glory.

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” —Joshua 1:7–9

Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or tremble at them, for the LORD your God is the one who goes with you. He will not fail you or forsake you.… The LORD is the one who goes ahead of you; He will be with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” —Deuteronomy 31:6, 8

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” —Proverbs 3:5–6

MAY 24 CHOOSE HIS PEACE “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.” JOHN 14:27 When you focus on what you can accomplish instead of God’s power, your life will be characterized by defeat and frustration rather than victory, peace, and joy. Perhaps you are discouraged right now. Maybe you’ve been disillusioned by unmanageable circumstances and delayed dreams. But this is a sure indicator that you’re relying on the wrong foundation for your hope and security. There is only one source of true peace—the Lord God Almighty, who holds the entire universe together. The tranquility of soul He gives is not dependent upon circumstances but upon your personal relationship with Him and your faith in His perfect power, wisdom, and love. So today and every day, you have a choice. You can either dwell on your limited resources and negative circumstances, or you can choose to trust God. Friend, surrender to Him—because with the Father as your focus, you can face every day with His indescribable peace. Lord God, I choose to focus on Your wisdom, power, and love instead of my circumstances. Thank You for being my peace, amen. ​​ In His presence . . . find true peace.

Psalm 34:18: “The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

You, O LORD, will not withhold Your compassion from me; Your lovingkindness and Your truth will continually preserve me. For evils beyond number have surrounded me; My iniquities have overtaken me, so that I am not able to see; They are more numerous than the hairs of my head, And my heart has failed me. Be pleased, O LORD, to deliver me; Make haste, O LORD, to help me. (Psalm 40:11–13)

My flesh and my heart may fail, But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. . . . The nearness of God is my good; I have made the LORD GOD my refuge, That I may tell of all Your works. —PSALM 73:26, 28

At my first defense no one supported me, but all deserted me; may it not be counted against them. But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that through me the proclamation might be fully accomplished. —2 TIMOTHY 4:16–17

We have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light. —COLOSSIANS 1:9–12

The Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will. —2 TIMOTHY 2:24–

O LORD, the God of our fathers, are You not God in the heavens? And are You not ruler over all the kingdoms of the nations? Power and might are in Your hand so that no one can stand against You. . . . We are powerless before this great multitude who are coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are on You. —2 CHRONICLES 20:6, 12

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You have anointed my head with oil; My cup overflows. Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. (Psalm 23:4–6)

Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine! When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, Nor will the flame burn you. For I am the LORD your God, The Holy One of Israel, your Savior. —ISAIAH 43:1–3

I want to thank You, Lord, for this day. I am absolutely dependent upon You to enable me today to live the life You want me to live and to do the work You’ve called me to do. I choose to abide in You today. I ask You to make salvation the foremost thought in my mind, Your righteousness the foremost impulse of my heart, Your truth the foremost motivation and desire behind all I do, Your peace and wholeness the goal of all I want to accomplish. I ask You to help me walk in faith against all forms of evil. I ask You to quicken Your Word in my mind and in my mouth so that all I think and say will be in complete alignment with Your Word. I choose right now to rely upon Your Holy Spirit to give me the direction and guidance I need every minute of this day. I trust You to do this and I believe You are going to do this.

On the steamer Californian, which is estimated to have been anywhere from eleven to twenty miles away, eight rockets were sighted but none were heard. A recent study has revealed that the unusually flat sea that night would have acted like a mirror that reflected and thus deadened the sound, making it inaudible beyond five to six nautical miles. Yet the rockets were definitely seen if not heard by the Californian, and the fact that its captain, Stanley Lord, did not wake the ship’s wireless operator to find out why a ship was firing rockets in the middle of the night remains one of the most haunting “if only’s” of the Titanic story.