Trail Mix - 12.14.19

December 14, 2019 – “I read a quote from a friend recently who said, "People are normally going to take the softest easiest road available to them until the pain of staying the same becomes greater than the pain of changing." Change is always difficult, and spiritual change is especially so because of the dynamics involved. That's why we refer to this type of change as "spiritual warfare!" The broad road is "easy" and the narrow road is "hard," but the narrow road is worth all the pain. Remember the sports metaphor; “No pain, no gain.” There is no progress without pain!” S. E. Trail

My prayer for you today is for you to experience “growing pains!”

2 Peter 1:5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; 6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; 7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. 8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. KJV

 

“A Sunday school teacher began her lesson with a question, "Boys and girls, what do we know about God?" A hand shot up in the air. "He is an artist!" said the kindergarten boy. "Really, How do you know?" the teacher asked. "You know - Our Father, who does art in Heaven..."

2019 Bible Reading Schedule for today - 1 Timothy 5-6

Trail Mix - 12.13.19

December 13, 2019– “It's possible to be present when great things happen without great things happening to you. Paul had several companions on the Damascus road but he is the only one brought to faith in Christ. How can we know if our experience is genuine? Two things are important. Paul asked, "Who art thou Lord...and what wilt thou have me to do?" A real authentic experience with Jesus will answer both of these questions in your life. Our salvation must be a “done and do” salvation. Realize that Christ has already “done” everything for us and that He wants us to “do” something through Him and for Him.” S. E. Trail

My prayer for you today is for you to know the “woe” and “go” of Isaiah chapter six. The prophet got right with God and gave himself in service for God.

2 Samuel 22:3  The God of my rock; in him will I trust: he is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my saviour…KJV

“A minister waited in line to have his car filled with gas just before a long holiday weekend. The attendant worked quickly, but there were many cars ahead of him. Finally, the attendant motioned him toward a vacant pump. "Reverend," said the young man, "I'm so sorry about the delay. It seems as if everyone waits until the last minute to get ready for a long trip." The minister chuckled, "I know what you mean. It's the same in my business."

2019 Bible Reading Schedule for today - 1 Timothy 1-4

Trail Mix - 12.12.19

December 12, 2019 – “We can believe God too little but not too much! If faith pleases Him, then much faith must really give God much pleasure and don't forget that He rewards those who diligently seek Him. This does not mean that God will give us some unwise extravagant thing outside of His will but neither does it mean that we are restricted to the "bare necessities" inside of that will. It is His pleasure to give gifts to His children. Be thankful that we have a heavenly Father who gives “good and perfect gifts.” S. E. Trail

My prayer for you today is for you to know an ever increasing faith in the God who never fails.

Matthew 15:28 Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour. KJV

“In a  foreign country a priest, a lawyer and an engineer are about to be guillotined. The priest puts his head on the block, they pull the rope and nothing happens -- he declares that he's been saved by divine intervention-- so he's let go. The lawyer is put on the block, and again the rope doesn't release the blade, he claims he can't be executed twice for the same crime and he is set free too. They grab the engineer and shove his head into the guillotine, he looks up at the release mechanism and says, "Wait a minute, I see your problem...."

2019 Bible Reading Schedule for today - 2 Thess. 1-3

Trail Mix - 12.11.19

December 11, 2019 – “Vance Havner asked the question. Is your church more like Cana or is it more like Nazareth? Jesus performed his first public miracle at the one and could not do, "...many mighty works..." at the other because of unbelief. Christ works His miracles when humble servants do His bidding without question. Faith and obedience change the mediocre into the miraculous! Does your church live in Cana or Nazareth?” S. E. Trail  

My prayer for you today is that you would be “…living by faith, in Jesus above, trusting; confiding in His great love…”

Isaiah 43:10 Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. KJV

“A little silver-haired lady calls her neighbor and says, "Please come over here and help me. I have a killer jigsaw puzzle, and I can't figure out how to get started." Her neighbor asks, "What is it supposed to be when it's finished?" The little silver haired lady says, "According to the picture on the box, it's a rooster." Her neighbor decides to go over and help with the puzzle. She lets him in and shows him where she has the puzzle spread all over the table. He studies the pieces for a moment, then looks at the box, then turns to her and says, "First of all, no matter what we do, we're not going to be able to assemble these pieces into anything resembling a rooster." He takes her hand and says, "Secondly, I want you to relax. Let's have a nice cup of tea, and then," he said with a deep sigh ......"Let's put all the Corn Flakes back in the box."

2019 Bible Reading Schedule for today - 1 Thess. 1-5

Trail Mix - 12.10.19

December 10, 2019 – “How good to know that when men fail and churches fail, we can still get through to Jesus! He is the All in All, the Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. All that is true in any book or movement or group or doctrine or experience is already in Christ! Get through to the Source. The song says, "He's all I need, He's all I need, Jesus is all I need..." and He's all you need too!” S. E. Trail

 

My prayer for you today is for you to fall on Jesus, lean on Him for all that you need in this life and in the next!

 

Philippians 4:19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. KJV

‘There was a large group of people, on one side of the group stood a man, Jesus, on the other side of the group stood Satan. Separating them, running through the group, was a fence. The scene set, both Jesus and Satan began calling to the people in the group and, one by one - each having made up his or her own mind - each went to either Jesus or Satan. This kept going. Soon enough, Jesus had gathered around him a group of people from the larger crowd, as did Satan. But one man joined neither group. He climbed the fence that was there and sat on it. Then Jesus and his people left and disappeared. So too did Satan and his people. And the man on the fence sat alone. As this man sat, Satan came back, looking for something which he appeared to have lost. The man said, "Have you lost something?" Satan looked straight at him and replied, "No, there you are. Come with me." "But", said the man, "I sat on the fence. I chose neither you nor him." "That's okay," said Satan. "I own the fence."

2019 Bible Reading Schedule for today - Colossians 1-4

Trail Mix - 12.9.19

December 9, 2019 – “There are a lot of lonely people during the holiday season but God can do great things in our isolation. Jacob at Jabok, Moses on the backside of the desert, John on Patmos, Paul in the Maritime jail in Rome, John Bunyan in Bedford jail, Beethoven in his silent prison, and Fanny Crosby in her dark world all point to the fact that God is not limited in blessing, by our limitations. He is the God of the possible! Trust Him in your trial. He is our strength and our refuge, an ever-present help in time of need! Walk in faith and don’t fret, God is where He has always been; ready willing and able to meet your needs!” S. E. Trail

 

My prayer for you today is for you to know the “…peace that passeth understanding.”

 

Joshua 1:9 Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest. KJV

“A man is walking down the beach and comes across an old bottle. He picks it up, pulls out the cork and out pops a genie! The genie says, "Thank you for freeing me from the bottle. In return I will grant you three wishes." The man says "Great! I always dreamed of this and I know exactly what I want. First, I want one billion dollars in a Swiss bank account." Poof! There is a flash of light and a piece of paper with account numbers appears in his hand! He continues, "Next, I want a brand new red Ferrari right here." Poof! There is a flash of light and a bright red, brand-new Ferrari appears right next to him! He continues, "Finally, I want to be irresistible to women." Poof! There is a flash of light and he turns into a box of chocolates.”

 

2019 Bible Reading Schedule for today - Philippians 1-4

Trail Mix - 12.8.19

December 8, 2019 – “Christian practice without principle leads to license while Christian principle without practice is lifeless. We need both principle and practice to get a proper balance. Strive for both and you will be the kind of disciple that God can use to accomplish His will. Even in worship this is true for God is looking for those who will worship Him in "spirit and truth." The church is starving for “balanced believers!” S. E. Trail

My prayer for you today is that you will the “balance that leads to blessing” in your spiritual life!

James 1:25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he beingnot a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. KJV

"Why is it," said the rich man to his minister, "that people call me stingy when everyone knows that when I die I'm leaving everything to the church?" "Let me tell you a fable about the pig and the cow," said the minister. "The pig was unpopular while the cow was beloved. This puzzled the pig. 'People speak warmly of your gentle nature and your sorrowful eyes,' the pig said to the cow. 'They think you're generous because each day you give them milk and cream. But what about me? I give them everything I have. I give bacon and ham. I provide bristles for brushes. They even pickle my feet! Yet not one likes me. Why is that?' Do you know what the cow answered?" said the minister. "The cow said, 'Perhaps it is because I give while I'm still living.”

                                                                                                                         

2019 Bible Reading Schedule for today - Ephesians 4-6