Aloha Friday Message – October 29, 2010 – Blessing you can count on Aloha Friday

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Happy Aloha Friday, Beloved! Today’s Bible verse is another Memory Verse plucked from the past. I set it in bold italics below – Romans 3:23.

Romans 3:21-24

NAB 21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; 22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: 23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; 24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

KJV 21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, though testified to by the law and the prophets, 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction; 23 all have sinned and are deprived of the glory of God. 24 They are justified freely by his grace through the redemption in Christ Jesus,

Being sinners is just one of the things we have in common. It’s a pretty important thing because it leads to another thing we all have in common: The need for redemption. In many of his letters, Paul makes the point that it is the Law that convicts us of sin, and it is Christ and Christ alone that redeems us from that sin. There a lot of things are common to all of us, but not all of them require such divine intervention.

Sometimes we can all agree on tings that sound like good, sensible statements. Here are a few I came across recently:

Success isn’t permanent and failure isn’t fatal. Mike Ditka

Nothing is easy to the unwilling. Nikki Giovanni. Poet

I have never seen a monument erected to a pessimist. Paul Harvey

Another thing we all have in common is Blessings – think of them as presents God gives you for no particular reason other than He is God and chooses to do so. Everyone gets blessings. Remember this from Matthew 5?

Love for Enemies
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

One of my favorite hymns is about blessings:

Count Your Blessings
1. When upon life’s billows you are tempest-tossed,
When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,
Count your many blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.
o Refrain:
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
Count your blessings, see what God hath done!
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
*Count your many blessings, see what God hath done.
[*And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.]
2. Are you ever burdened with a load of care?
Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?
Count your many blessings, every doubt will fly,
And you will keep singing as the days go by.
3. When you look at others with their lands and gold,
Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold;
Count your many blessings—wealth can never buy
Your reward in heaven, nor your home on high.
4. So, amid the conflict whether great or small,
Do not be discouraged, God is over all;
Count your many blessings, angels will attend,
Help and comfort give you to your journey’s end.

By hymn-writer Johnson Oatman, Jr. & Composer Edwin Excell.

Read more at Suite101: http://www.suite101.com/content/count-your-blessings-hymn-a34399#ixzz13hoxIivX

So yes we are all sinners, and yes we are all blessed. When you count your blessings, I hope you will be certain to list “grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” as the very best.

This week, please remember these petitions

• FO – diagnosed with adenocarcinoma in one lung. Still waiting for a final diagnosis and prognosis
• ZL – celebrated her 85th birthday in the hospital very ill from dehydration and kidney malfunction. Pray that her nursing home monitors her more carefully
• MH – has chosen hospice-care. Pray for the family to be strengthened in this phase of life.
• BA – passed away after rejoining his family on Kaua‘i for a brief time. Pray for the family members. It was a difficult time, but also a time of blessings for BA.
• NA – continues to struggle, but still has a marvelously positive attitude – do in part, she says, to a new puppy.
• TH, CD, TO and many others up against the wall looking for jobs to keep their homes and families together. Pray we can climb out of this disastrous economy and bring everyone to higher ground.
• Remember the folks in the Philippines, Indonesia, China, The whole East Coast of America and everywhere else there have been so many weather disasters.
• Please also take a few minutes to count your blessings and personally thank God for each one of them. I think once you get started on that you’ll find it can fill up hours instead of minutes.
• One of the greatest blessings we have is the Love we receive from God through his Son, Jesus, by the ministry of the Holy Spirit. It is the love we share with others. Thank the Trinity for that love, because you have more than enough to share with your family and friends, and even with the MBN.

Before I sent this out, I looked over the list of E-Mail addresses. There are so many now! Each of you is a blessing to me and to all the other members of the MBN with your love and prayers for one another. May God continue to overflow your life with many thousands more blessings.

Whatever, whenever, wherever, whoever, however, if ever, forever — at your service, Beloved

chick

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About Chick Todd

American Roman Catholic reared as a "Baptiterian" in Denver Colorado. Now living on Kauaʻi. USAF Vet. Married for over 50 years. Scripture study has been my passion ever since my first "Bible talk" at age 6 in VBS.

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