1. Today I will not strike back. If someone is rude; if someone is impatient; if someone is unkind…I will not respond in like manner.

2. Today I will ask God to bless my “enemy” If I come across someone who treats me harshly or unfairly, I will quietly ask God to bless that individual. I understand the “enemy” could be a family member, neighbor, co-worker or stranger.

3. Today I will be careful about what I say. I will carefully choose and guard my words, being certain that I do not spread gossip, slander or malign anyone in any way.

4. Today I will go the extra mile. I will find ways to help share the burden of another person . I will find ways to make life more pleasant.

5. Today I will forgive. I will forgive any hurstsor injuries that come my way. (I will also work to forgive injuries that have been inflicted upon me in the past.)

6. Today I will do something nice for someone, but I will do it secretly. I will reach out anonymously and bless the life of another person.

7. Today I will treat others as I wish to be treated. I will practice the golden rule–do unto others as you would have them do unto you–with everyone I encounter.

8.Today I will raise the spirits of someone who is discouraged. My smile, my words, my expression of support, can make the difference to someone who is wrestling with life.

9. Today I will nurture my body. I will eat less; I will eat only healthy foods; I will thank God for my body.

10. Today I will grow spiritually. I will spend a little more time in prayer today; I will begin reading something spiritual or inspirational today; I will find a quiet place (at some point during this day) and listen to God’s voice

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Prayer is mighty in its operations, and God never disappoints those who put their trust and confidence in Him. They may have to waithlong for the answer, and they may not live to see it, but the prayer of faith never misses its object.

IF YOU SHALL ASK ANYTHING IN MY NAME, I WILL DO IT.

John 14:14John 14:14
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14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.  

If we would have God in the closet, God must have us out of the closet. There is no way of praying to God, but by living to God.

The psalmist David found comfort in the safest pair of hands–God’s hands.  He wrote of God’s protection in Psalm 138,  You will stretch out  Your hand…and Your right hand will save me, (v.7).  Like David, we can look to God’s safe hands to keep us from spiritual danger and defeat.  Another assurance from God’s word for followers of Christ is Jude 1:24-25Jude 1:24-25
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24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, ²⁵ To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.  

:  “Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless powers before the presence of His glory with exceeding  joy, to God our Savior, who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen.”  That doesn’t mean we’ll never stumble.  But it does mean we won’t stumble so badly that God cannot pick us up.  God’s safe pair of hands can never fail–ever!  From Him, who loves me now so well, What power my soul can sever?  Shall life or death, or earth or hell?  No–I am His forever.  NO PLACE IS MORE SECURE THAN TO BE IN GOD’S HANDS.

So He came to Nazareth, where Had been brought up.  And as His custom was, He went inti the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read.  And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah.  And when He opened the book, He found the place where it was written: The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor;  He sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the capitives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; to procliam the acceptable year of the Lord. Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down.  And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue weree fixed on Him.  And He begin to say to them,”Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”   INSIGHT          In today’s Bible reading, we see Jesus announcing His arrival as the Messiah of  Israel.  Quoting from Isaiah 61:1-2Isaiah 61:1-2
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61 ¹ The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; ² To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;  

, our Lord declares that His would be a mission of rescue-including the rescue of those who had been marginalized by the world of that day.  Notice the terms used to describe the people who are often pushed to the fringes life: “poor”, “brokenhearted,” “capitives,” “blind,” and “oppressed.”  A commentary suggests the “the acceptable year of the Lord” (v.19) may be “an allusion to the jubilee year (Lev. 25:10), a year of universal release for person and property. (See also Isa. 49:8, 2 Cor. 6:2)

When people ask, “Where is God?” the answer is, “Right here.”  One way God is at work is through Christians like you who are continuing the work Jesus started—-healing the brokenhearted and binding up their wounds (Psalm 147:3Psalm 147:3
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3 He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds. wounds: Heb. griefs  

).   God is here; He stands beside you.  God is here; He wants to guide you.  God is here and He will help you, So do not fear—Your God is near.  WHEN WE LOVE GOD WE WILL SERVE PEOPLE.

I said a prayer for you today and know God must have heard. I felt the answer in my heart although He spoke no word. I didn’t ask for wealth or fame (I knew you wouldn’t mind).   I asked Him to send treasures of a far more lasting kind!  I asked the He’d be near you at the start of each new day.  To grant you health and blessings and friends to share your way!  I asked for happiness for you in all things great and small.  But it was for His loving care I prayed the most of all.

Cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you; He will  never let the righteous fall.  Psalm 55:22Psalm 55:22
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22 Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved. burden: or, gift  

Cast all your care on Him because He cares for you. 1 Peter 5:71 Peter 5:7
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7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.  

We receive a great deal from God without asking for it.  Simply because God is love,  and the essence of love is to give: give all it has to give, give all it can without bringing harm to the loved one, give all it can persuade the loved one to accept.

My beloved is mine, and I am His.   Song of Solomon 2:15

The entire day receives order and discipline when it acquires unity.  This unity must be sought and found in morning prayer.  The morning prayer determines the day.

Cause me to hear thy loving kindness in the morning.  Psalm 143:8Psalm 143:8
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8 Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee.  

Christ taught us also to approach the  Father in His name.  That is our passport.  It is in His name that we are to make our petitions known. That is the Divine declaration, and opens up to every praying child a vista of infinite resource and possibility.

Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, He will give it to you.  John 16:23John 16:23
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23 And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.  

Christians have a powerful influence for good in this world. The Christian influence is depicted in several ways.

Christians are the light of the world. (Matthew 5:14-16Matthew 5:14-16
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14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. ¹⁵ Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. a bushel: the word in the original signifieth a measure containing about a pint less than a peck ¹⁶ Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.  

). They show the world the way to  live and please God. God is called the “Father of lights” (James 1:17James 1:17
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17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.  

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) and Jesus “the true Light which gives light to every man” (John 1:9John 1:9
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9 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.  

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) The Christian’s light shines by doing good to the world. “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify you Father in Heaven” (Matthew 5:16Matthew 5:16
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16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.  

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).

Christians are the salt of the earth (Matthew 5:13Matthew 5:13
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13 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.  

). Salt preserves food and gives it a nice flavor. Christians are likened to salt because they make the earth a better place by righteous words and deeds. Colossians 4:6Colossians 4:6
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6 Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.  

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says, “Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt…”

Christians are an epistle of Christ (II Corinthians 3:2-3). The New Testament contains several epistles or letters that were written to churches throughout the ancient world. Those who read and follow them convey the teachings of the New Testament by example. Paul said, “You are our epistle… known and read by all men; clearly you are an epistle of Christ.”

Christians reflect the image of Christ (Galatians 2:20Galatians 2:20
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20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.  

).The apostle Paul said, “I have been crucified with Christ; it is now longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” This is true of all who are Christians. Jesus Christ still walks the earth in the bodies of all who do His will. “Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You almost persuade me to become a Christian.” (Acts 26:28Acts 26:28
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28 Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.  

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).