Who Is God?

"Return to your God Yahweh, O Israel!
Your sins have caused your downfall.
Return to Yahweh with humble words. Say to him,
'Oh you who show compassion to the fatherless
forgive our debt, be appeased.
Instead of bulls and sacrifices,
accept the praise from our lips.

"'Assyria will not save us:
no longer shall we look for horses
nor ever again shall we say "Our gods"
to the work of our hands.'

"I will heal their wavering
and love them with all my heart
for my anger has turned from them.
I shall be like dew to Israel
like the lily will he blossom.
Like a cedar he will send down his roots;
his young shoots will grow and spread.

"His splendor will be like an olive tree,
his fragrance, like a Lebanon cedar.
They will dwell in my shade again,
they will flourish like the grain,
they will blossom like a vine,
and their fame will be like Lebanon wine.

"What would Ephraim do with idols,
when it is I who hear and make him prosper?
I am like an ever-green cypress tree;
all your fruitfulness comes from me.

"Who is wise enough to grasp all this?
Who is discerning and will understand?
Straight are the ways of Yahweh:
the just walk in them, but the sinners stumble."

HOSEA 14:2-10

"Prayer: God, may You be my priority as the day begins."

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Oh, This Life!

Canon EOS 350D, f/9, 1/50 sec

"One thing I did command them: Listen to my voice and I will be your God and you will be my people. Walk in the way I command you and all will be well with you. But they did not listen and paid no attention; they followed the bad habits of their stubborn heart and turned away from me.

"From the time I brought their forefathers out of Egypt until this day I have continually sent them my servants, the prophets, but this stiff-necked people did nto listen. They paid no attention and were worse than their forefathers.

"You may say all these things to them but they will not listen; you will call them but they will not answer. This is a nation that did not obey Yahweh and refused to be disciplined; truth has perished and is no longer heard from their lips."

JEREMIAH 7:23-28

"Dear Jesus, always guide me and be my light
so that I will never stray."

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300 Bible Verses

Canon S45

"Do not think that I have come to remove the Law and the Prophets. I have not come to remove but to fulfill them. I tell you this: as long as heaven and earth last, not the smallest letter or stroke of the Law will change until all is fulfilled.

"So then, whoever breaks the least important of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be the least in the kingdom of heaven. On the other hand, whoever obeys them and teaches others to do the same will be great in the kingdom of heaven."

MATTHEW 5:17-19

"Lord Jesus, grant me the grace to devour Your Word.
Help me to remember and plant them
as seeds in my heart. Amen."

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Mercy Received

Canon EOS 350D, f/4, 1/2 sec

"Then Peter asked him, 'Lord, how many times must I forgive the offenses of my brother or sister? Seven times?' Jesus answered, 'No, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.'

"'This story throws light on the kingdom of heaven. A king decided to settle the accounts of his servants. Among the first was one who owed him ten thousand gold ingots. As the man could not repay the debt, the king commanded that he be sold as a slave with his wife, children and all his goods in payment.

"'The official threw himself at the feet of the king and said, "Give me time, and I will pay you back everything." The king took pity on him and not only set him free but even canceled his debt.

"'This official then left the king's presence and he met one of his companions who owed him a hundred pieces of silver. He grabbed him by the neck and almost strangled him, shouting, "Pay me what you owe!" His companion threw himself at his feet and asked him, "Give me time, and I will pay everything." The other did not agree, but sent him to prison until he had paid all his debt.

"'His companions saw what happened. They were indignant and so they went and reported everything to their lord. Then the lord summoned his official and said, "Wicked servant, I forgave you all that you owed when you begged me to do so. Weren't you bound to have pity on your companion as I had pity on you?" The lord was now angry, so he handed his servant over to be punished, until he had paid his whole debt.'

"Jesus added, 'So will my heavenly Father do with you unless each of you sincerely forgive your brother or sister.'"

MATTHEW 18:21-35

"Forgive me, Lord, as I forgive those who hurt me."

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Once Is Not Enough

Canon EOS 350D, f/5.6, 1/2000 sec

"Naaman was the army commander of the king of Aram. This man was highly regarded and enjoyed the king's favor, for Yahweh had helped him lead the army of the Arameans to victory. But this valiant man was sick with leprosy.

"One day some Aramean soldiers raided the land of Israel and took a young girl captive who became a servant to the wife of Naaman. She said to her mistress, 'If my master would only present himself to the prophet in Samaria, he would surely cure him of his leprosy.'

"Naaman went to tell the king what the young Israelite maidservant had said. The king of Aram said to him, 'Go to the prophet, and I shall also send a letter to the king of Israel.'

"So Naaman went and took with him ten gold bars, six thousand pieces of silver and ten festal garments. On his arrival, he delivered the letter to the king of Israel. It said, 'I present my servant Naaman to you that you may heal him of his leprosy.'

"When the king had read the letter, he tore his clothes to show his indignation, 'I am not God to give life or death. And the king of Aram sends me this man to be healed! You see he is just looking for an excuse for war.'

"Elisha, the man of God, came to know that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, so he sent this message to him: 'Why have you torn your clothes? Let the man come to me, that he may know that there is a prophet in Israel.'

"So Naaman came with his horses and chariots, and stopped before the house of Elisha. Elisha then sent a messenger to tell him, 'Go to the river Jordan and wash seven times, and your flesh shall be as it was before, and you shall be cleansed.'

"Naaman was angry, so he went away. He thought: 'On my arrival, he should have personally come out, and then paused and called on the name of Yahweh, his God. And he should have touched with his hand the infected part, and I would have been healed. Are the rivers of Damascus, Abana and Pharpar not better than all the rivers of the land of Israel? Could I not wash there to be healed?'

"His servants approached him and said to him, 'Father, if the prophet had ordered you to do something difficult, would you not have done it? But how much easier when he said: Take a bath and you will be cleansed.'

"So Naaman went down to the Jordan where he washed himself seven times as Elisha had ordered. His skin became soft that of a child and he was cleansed.

"Then Naaman returned to the man of God with all his men. He entered and said to him, 'Now I know that there is no other God anywhere in the world but in Israel. I ask you to accept these gifts from your servant.'"

2 KINGS 5:1-15b

"Lord, once more, I come to You..."

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Well Wowee!

Canon EOS 350D, f/18, 1/6 sec

"He came to a Samaritan town called Sychar, near the land that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob's well is there. Tired from his journey, Jesus sat down by the well; it was about noon. Now a Samaritan woman came to draw water and Jesus said to her, 'Give me a drink.' His disciples had just gone into town to buy some food.

"The Samaritan woman said to him, 'How is it that you, a Jew, ask me, a Samaritan and a woman, for a drink?' (For Jews, in fact, have no dealings with Samaritans.) Jesus replied, 'If you only know the Gift of God! If you knew who it is that asks you for a drink, you yourself would have asked me and I would have given you living water.'

"The woman answered, 'Sir, you have no bucket and this well is deep; where is your living water? Are you greater than our ancestor Jacob, who gave us this well after he drank from it himself, together with his sons and his cattle?'

"Jesus said to her, 'Those who drink of this water will be thirsty again; but those who drink of the water that I shall give will never be thirst; for the water that I shall give will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.'

"The woman said to him, 'Give me the water, that I may never be thirsty and never have to come here to draw water.' Jesus said, 'Go, call your husband and come back here.' The woman answered, 'I have no husband.' And Jesus replied, 'You are right to say: "I have no husband"; for you have had five husbands and the one you have now is not your husband. What you said is true.'

"The woman then said to him, 'I see you are a prophet; tell me this: Our fathers used to come to this mountain to worship God; but you Jews, do you not claim that Jerusalem is the only place to worship God?'

"Jesus said to her, 'Believe me, woman, the hour is coming when you shall worship the Father, but that will not be on this mountain or in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship without knowledge, while we Jews worship with knowledge, for salvation comes from the Jews. But the hour is coming and is even now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for that is the kind of worshipers the Father wants. God is spirit and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.'

"The woman said to him, 'I know that the Messiah, that is the Christ, is coming; when he comes, he will tell us everything.' And Jesus said, 'I who am talking to you, I am he.'

"At this point the disciples returned and were surprised that Jesus was speaking with a woman; however, no one said, 'What do you want?' or 'Why are you talking with her?' So the woman left her water jar and rant to the town. There she said to the people, 'Come and see a man who told me everything I did! Could he not be the Christ?' So they left the town and went to meet him.

"In the meantime the disciples urged Jesus, 'Master, eat.' But he said to them, 'I have food to eat that you don't know about.' And the disciples wondered, 'Has anyone brought him food?' Jesus said to them, 'My food is to do the will of the One who sent me and to carry out his work.'

"'You say that in four more months it will be the harvest; now, I say to you, look up and see the fields white and ready for harvesting. People who reap the harvest are paid for their work, and the fruit is gathered for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together.

"'Indeed the saying holds true: "One sows and another reaps." I sent you to reap where you didn't work or suffer; others have worked nd you are now sharing in their labors.'

"In that town many Samaritans believed in him when they heard the woman declared, 'He told me everything I did.' So, when they came to him, they asked him to stay with them and Jesus stayed there two days. After that many more believed because of his own words and they said to the woman, 'We no longer believe because of what you told us; for we have heard for ourselves and we know that this is the Savior of the world.'"

JOHN 4:5-42

"Lord, give me the courage to confess my sins to You
that I may receive Your forgiveness
and the dignity that comes from becoming Your child again."

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Who's Better?

From www.rembrandtpainting.net

"Meanwhile tax collectors and sinners were seeking the company of Jesus, all of them eager to hear what he had to say. But the Pharisees and the scribes frowned at this, muttering, 'This man welcome sinners and eats with them.' So Jesus told them this parable:

"'There was a man with two sons. The younger said to his father, "Give me my share of the estate." So the father divided his property between them.

"'Some days later, the younger son gathered all his belongings and started off for a distant land where he squandered his wealth in loose living. Having spent everything, he was hard pressed when a severe famine broke out in that land. So he hired himself out to a well-to-do citizen of that place and was sent to work on a pig farm. So famished was he that he longed to fill his stomach even with the food given to the pigs, but no one offered him anything.

"'Finally coming to his senses, he said: "How many of my father's hired workers have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will get up and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against God and before you. I no longer deserve to be called your son. Treat me than as one of your hired servants." With that thought in mind he set off for his father's house.

"'He was still a long way off when his father caught sight of him. His father was so deeply moved with compassion that he ran out to meed him, threw his arms around his neck and kissed him. The son said: "Father, I have sinned against Heaven and before you. I no longer deserve to be called your son..."

"'But the father turned to his servants: "Quick! Bring out the finest robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Take the fattened calf and kill it. We shall celebrate and have a feast, for this son of mine was dead and has come back to life. He was lost and is found." And the celebration began.

"'Meanwhile, the elder son had been working in the fields. As he returned and was near the house, he heard the sound of music and dancing. He called on of the servants and asked what it was all about. The servant answered: "Your brother has come home safe and sound, and your father is so happy about it that he has ordered this celebration and killed the fattened calf."

"'The elder son became angry and refused to go in. His father came out and pleaded with him. The indignant son said: "Look, I have slaved for you all these years. Never have I disobeyed your orders. Yet you have never given me even a young goat to celebrate with my friends. Then when this son of yours returns after squandering your property with loose women, you kill the fattened calf for him."

"'The father said: "My son, you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But this brother of yours was dead, and has come back to life. He was lost and is found. And for that we had to rejoice and be glad."'"

LUKE 15:1-3,11-32

"Oh Lord, open my heart, mind, body and soul.
Refresh me with Your love.
Constantly embrace me and assure that You will always be there.
Hear me O lord, save me.
May I daily dwell in Your presence."

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Service Personified

Canon EOS 350D, f/8, 1/125 sec

"I now address myself to those elders among you; I, too, am an elder and a witness to the sufferings of Christ, hoping to share the Glory which is to be revealed. Shepherd the flock which God has entrusted to you, guarding it not out of obligation but willingly for God's sake; not as one looking for a reward but with a generous heart; do not lord it over those in your care, rather be an example to your flock. Then, when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will be given a crown of unfading glory."

1 PETER 5:1-4

"Grant me the grace, Lord, to lovingly and willingly
do what You ask of me."

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Thinking Of The Poor

Canon EOS 350D, f/5.6, 1/200 sec

"Once there was a rich man who dressed in purple and fine linen and feasted every day. At his gate lay Lazarus, a poor man covered with sores, who longed to eat just the scraps falling from the rich man's table. Even dogs used to come and lick his sores. It happened that the poor man died and angels carried him to take his place with Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried. From hell where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham afar off, and with Lazarus at rest.

"He called out: 'Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus with the tip of his finger dipped in water to cool my tongue, for I suffer so much in this fire.'

"Abraham replied: 'My son, remember that in your lifetime you were well-off while the lot of Lazarus was misfortune. Now he is in comfort and you are in agony. But that is not all. Between your place and ours a great chasm has been fixed, so that no one can cross over from here to you or from your side to us.'

"The rich man implored once more: 'Then I beg you, Father Abraham, to send Lazarus to my father's house where my five brothers live. Let him warn them so that they may not end up in this place of torment.' Abraham replied: 'They have Moses and the prophets. Let them listen to them.' But the rich man said: 'No, Father Abraham. But if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.'

"Abraham said: 'If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the grave.'"

LUKE 16:19-31

"Lord, open my eyes to the poor around me.
Make me Your instrument to help make their lives a little better."

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Freedom's Door

Canon S45

"When Jesus was going to Jerusalem, he took the Twelve aside and said to them on the way. 'See, we are going to Jerusalem. There the Son of Man will be given over to the chief priests and the teachers of the Law who will condemn him to death. They will hand him over to the foreigners who will mock him, scourge him and crucify him. But will be raised to life on the third day.'

"Then the mother of James and John came to Jesus with her sons, and she knelt down to ask a favor. Jesus said to her, 'What do you want?' And she answered, 'Here you have my two sons. Grant that they may sit, one at your right and one at your left, when you are in your kingdom.'

"Jesus said to the brothers, 'You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the cup that I am about to drink?' They answered, 'We can.' Jesus replied, 'You will indeed drink my cup, but to sit at my right or at my left is not for me to grant. That will be for those for whom the Father has prepared it.'

"The other ten heard all this and were angry with the two brothers. Then Jesus called them to him and said, 'You know that the rulers of the nations act as tyrants, and the powerful oppress them. It shall not be so among you; whoever wants to be more important in your group shall make himself your servant. And if you want to be first, make yourself the servant of all. Be like the Son of Man who has come, not to be served but to serve and to give his life to redeem many.'"

MATTHEW 20:17-28

"Lord, to whom shall we go?
You have the words of eternal life."
(Johm 6:68)

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Walking The Talk

Pentax Optio S50

"Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples:

"'The teachers of the Law and the Pharisees sat on the seat of Moses. So you shall do and observe all they say, but do not do as they do, for they do not what they say. They tie up heavy burdens and load them on the shoulders of the people, but they do not even raise a finger to move them. They do everything in order to be seen by people; so they wear very wide bands of the Law around their foreheads, and robes with large tassels. They enjoy the first place at feasts and reserved seats in the synagogues, and being greeted in the marketplace and being called "Master" by the people.

"'But you, do not let yourselves be called Master because you have only one Master, and all of you are brothers and sisters. Neither should you call anyone on earth Father, because you have only one Father, he who is in heaven. Nor should you be called leader, because Christ is the only leader for you. Let the greatest among you be the servant of all. For whoever makes himself great shall be humbled, and whoever humbles himself shall be made great.'"

MATTHEW 23:1-12

"Lord, help me lead by example.
Make me the kind of leader who follows
the example set by Your Son."

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The Missing Stamp

From http://collectibles.savvy-cafe.com

"'Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

"'Don't be a judge of others and you will not be judged; do not condemn and you will not be condemned; forgive and you will be forgiven; give and it will be given to you, and you will receive in your sack good measure, pressed down, full and running over. For the measure you give will be the measure you receive back.'"

LUKE 6:36-38

"Thank You, Lord, for teaching me not to judge others immediately.
May I see the good in others first
and not judge their actions."

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Never Too Late

From www.ranchospenardo.com

"Yahweh said to Abram, 'Leave your country, your family and your father's house, for the land I will show you. I will make you a great nation. I will bless you and make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you, I will curse you, I will curse, and in you all peoples of the earth will be blessed.'

"So Abram went as Yahweh had told him, and Lot went with him.

"Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran."

GENESIS 12:1-4a

"Lord, help me live every moment to the fullest."

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Wise Investment

Pentax Optio S50

"On this day, Yahweh, your God, commands you to fulfill these norms and these commandments. Obey them now and put them into practice with all your heart and with all your soul.

"Today, Yahweh has declared to you that he will be your God, and so you shall follow his ways, observing his norms, his commandments and his laws, and listening to his voice.

"Today Yahweh has declared that you will be his very own people even as he had promised you, and you must obey all his commandments. He, for his part, will give you honor, renown and glory, and set you high above all the nations he has made, and you will become a nation consecrated to Yahweh, your God, as he has declared."

DEUTERONOMY 26:16-19

"Heavenly Father, You are the God who does not fail
to supply our needs!"

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Setting Priorities

Pentax Optio S50

"I tell you, then, that if you are not righteous in a better way than the teachers of the Law and the Pharisees, you cannot enter the kingdom of heaven.

"You have heard that it was said to our people in the past. Do not commit murder; anyone who does kill will have to face trial. But now I tell you: whoever gets angry with a brother or sister will have to face trial. Whoever insults a brother or sister deserves to be brought before the council; whoever humiliates a brother or sister deserves to be thrown into the fire of hell. So, if you are about to offer your gift at the altar and you remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar, go at once and make peace with him, and then come back and offer your gift to God.

"Don't forget this: be reconciled with your opponent quickly when you are together on the way to court. Otherwise he will turn you over to the judge, who will hand you over to the police, who will put you in jail. There you will stay, until you have paid the last penny."

MATTHEW 5:20-26

"Lord God, inspire me always to put You ahead
in all that I do. Amen."

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Embraced By The Light Of The World

Canon EOS 350D, f/13, 1/100 sec

"Ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened. For everyone who asks, receives; whoever seeks, finds; and the door will be opened to him who knocks. Would any of you give a stone to your son when asks for bread? Or give him a snake, when he asks for a fish? As bad as you are, you know how to give good things to your children. How much more, then, will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

"So, do to others whatever you would that others do to you: there you have the Law and the Prophets."

MATTHEW 7:7-12

"Lord, use my arms whenever You want
to hug some people who are grieving silently."

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Give Me A Sign

"As the crowd increased, Jesus began to speak in this way, 'People of the present time are evil people. They ask for a sign, but no sign will be given to them except the sign of Jonah. As Jonah became a sign for the people of Nineveh, so will the Son of Man be a sign for this generation. The Queen of the South will rise up on Judgment Day with the people of these times and accuse them, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and here there is greater than Solomon. The people of Nineveh will rise up on Judgment Day with the people of these times and accuse them, for Jonah's preaching made them turn from their sins, and here there is greater than Jonah."

LUKE 11:29-32

"Lord, open my eyes of faith that I may see
that Your love for me as displayed in Your crucifixion
is the greatest sign of my hope and my salvation."

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When We Say Nothing

"When you pray, do not use a lot of words, as the pagans do, for they hold that the more they say, the more chance they have of being heard. Do not be like them. Your Father knows what you need, even before you ask him.

"This, then, is how you should pray:
Our Father in heaven,
holy be your name,
you kingdom come
and you will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today the kind of bread we need.
Forgive us our debts
just as we have forgiven those who are in debt to us.
Do not bring us to the test
but deliver us from the evil one.

"If you forgive others their wrongs, your Father in heaven will also forgive yours. If you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive you either."

MATTHEW 6:7-15

"You are the Peace that guards my heart, Lord.
Thank You that You are Father who knows me through and through.
And words are not necessary for me to come to You."

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Ordinary Holiness

Canon EOS 350D, Lensbaby

"Yahweh spoke to Moses and said, 'Speak to the entire assembly of the people of Israel and say to them: Be holy for I, Yahweh, your God, am holy.

"Do not steal or lie or deceive one another. Do not swear falsely by my name so as to profane the name of your God; I am Yahweh.

"Do not oppress your neighbor or rob him. The wages of a hired man are not to remain with you all night until morning. You shall not curse a deaf man nor put a stumbling block in the way of the blind; but you shall fear your God; I am Yahweh.

"Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality tot he poor nor bow to to the great; you are to judge your neighbor fairly so as not to share in his guild. Do not go about as a slanderer of your people an do not seek the death of your neighbor; I am Yahweh.

"Do not hate your brother in your heart; rebuke your enighbor frankly so as not to share in his guilt. Do not seek revenge or nurture a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself; I am Yahweh."

LEVITICUS 19:1-2,11-18

"May our ordinary lives show Your glory, O Lord."

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America, Here I Come!

Pentax Optio S50

"Then the Spirit led Jesus into the desert that he be put to the test by the devil. After spending forty days and nights without food, Jesus was hungry.

"Then the devil came to him and said, 'If you are the Son of God, order these stones to turn into bread.' But Jesus answered, 'Scripture says: one does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'

"Then the devil took Jesus to the holy city, set him on the highest wall of the temple, and said to him, 'If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for scripture says, 'God has given orders to his angels about you. Their hands will hold you up lest you hurt your foot against a stone.' Jesus answered, 'But scripture also says: You shall not put to the test the Lord your God.'

"Then the devil took Jesus to a very high mountain and showed him all the nations of the world in all their greatness and splendor. And he said, 'All this I will give you, if you kneel and worship me.' Then Jesus answered, 'Be off, Satan! Scripture says: worship the Lord your God and serve him alone.'

"Then the devil left him, and angels came to serve him."

MATTHEW 4:1-11

"Lord, lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil. Amen."

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Bisaya

Canon EOS 350D, f/4, 1/60 sec

"After this Jesus went out, and as he noticed a tax collector named Levi sitting in the tax office, he said to him, 'Follow me.' So Levi, leaving everything, got up and followed Jesus.

"Levi gave a great feast for Jesus, and many tax collectors came to his house and took their place at table with the other people. Then the Pharisees and their fellow teachers complained to Jesus' disciples, 'How is it that you eat and drink with tax collectors and other sinners?' But Jesus spoke up, 'Healthy people don't need a doctor, but sick people do. I have come to call to repentance; I call sinners, not the righteous.'"

LUKE 5:27-32

"Grant me the grace to look at people
the way You do."

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Proof Of Life

Canon EOS 350D, f/4, 1/60 sec

"Have mercy on me, O God, in your love.
In your great compassion blot out my sin.
Wash me throughly of my guilt;
cleanse me of evil.

"For I acknowledge my wrongdoings
and have my sins ever in mind.
Against you alone have I sinned;
what is evil in your sight I have done.

"You are right when you pass sentence
and blameless in your judgment.

"You take no pleasure in sacrifice;
were I to give a burnt offering,
you would not delight in it.
O God, my sacrifice is a broken spirit;
a contrite heart you will not despise."

PSALM 51:3-4,5-6ab,18-19


"Lord, let my life be a living proof
of my relationship with You."

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The Choices We Make

Pentax Optio S50

"See, I set before you on this day life and good, evil and death. I command you to love Yahweh, your God and follow his ways. Observe his commandments, his norms and his laws, and you will live and increase, and Yahweh will give you his blessing in the land you are going to possess. But if your heart turns away and does not listen, if you are drawn away and bow before other gods to serve them, I declare on this day that you shall perish. You shall not last in the land you are going to occupy on the other side of the Jordan.

"Let the heavens and the earth listen, that they may be witnesses against you. I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore, choose life that you and your descendants may live, living Yahweh, listening to his voice, and being one with him. In this is life for you and length of days in the land which Yahweh swore to give to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob."

DEUTERONOMY 30:15-20

"Lord, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
courage to change the things I can,
and wisdom to know the difference."

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Represent!

Pentax Optio S50

"So we present ourselves as ambassadors in the name of Christ, as if God himself makes an appeal to you through us. Let God reconcile you; this we ask you in the name of Christ. He had no sin, but God made him bear our sin, so that in him we might share the holiness of God.

"Being God's helpers we beg you: let it not be in vain that you received this grace of God. Scripture says: At the favorable time I listened to you, on the day of salvation I helped you. This is the favorable time, this is the day of salvation."

2 CORINTHIANS 5:20-6:2

"Lord Jesus, with humility I ask that You mold me into Your likeness
that I may be an instrument of Your abounding love. Amen."

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What Have You Been Told?

Canon EOS 350D, f/3.5, 1/100 sec

"Jesus then crossed to th other side of the lake and while he was still on the shore, a large crowd gathered around him. Jairus, an official of the synagogue, came up and seeing Jesus, threw himself at his feet and asked him earnestly, 'My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her so that she may get well and live.'

"Jesus went with him and many people followed, pressing from every side. Among the crowd was a woman who had suffered from bleeding for twelve years. She had suffered a lot at the hands of many doctors and had spent everything she had, but isntead of getting better, she was worse. Since she had heard about Jesus, this woman came up behind him and touched his cloak thinking, 'If I just touch his clothing, I shall get well.' Her flow of blood dried up at once, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her complaint.

"But Jesus was conscious that healing power had gone out from him, so he turned around in the crowd and asked, 'Who touched my clothes?' His disciples answered, 'You see how the people are crowding around you. Why do you ask who touched you?' But he kept looking around to see who had done it. Then the woman, aware of what had happened, came forward trembling and afraid. She knelt before him and told him the whole truth.

"Then Jesus said to her, 'Daughter, your faith has saved you; go in peace and be free of this illness.'

"While Jesus was still speaking, some people arrived from the official's house to inform him, 'Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Master any further?' But Jesus ignored what they said and told the official, 'Do not fear, just believe.' And he allowed no one to follow him except Peter, James and John, the brother of James.

"When they arrived at the house, Jesus saw a great commotion with people weeping and wailing loudly. Jesus entered and said to them, 'Why all this commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but asleep.'

"They laughed at him. But Jesus sent them outside and went with the child's father and mother and his companions into the room where the child lay. Taking her by the hand, he said to her, 'Talitha kumi!' which means: 'Little girl, get up!'

"The girl got up at once and began to walk around. (She was twelve years old.) The parents were astonished, greatly astonished. Jesus strictly ordered them not to let anyone know about it, and told them to give her something to eat."

MARK 5:21-43

"Lord, teach me to believe in myself
the way You believe in me."

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Announcing The Miracle

From the TV Show "House"

"They arrived on the other side of the lake in the region of the Gerasenes. No sooner did Jesus leave the boat htan he was met by a man with evil spirits who had come from the tombs. He lived among the tombs and no one could restrain him, even with a chain. He had often been bound with fetters and chains but he would pull the chains apart and smash the fetters, and no one had the strength to control him. Night and day he stayed among the tombs on the hillsides, and was continually screaming and beating himself with stones.

"When he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and fell at his feet and cried with a loud voice, 'What do you want with me, Jesus, son of the Most High God? For God's sake I beg you, do not torment me.' He said this because Jesus had commanded, 'Come out of the man, evil spirit.' And when Jesus asked him, 'What is your name?' he replied, 'Legion is my name, for we are many.' And all of them kept begging Jesus not to send them out of that region.

"Now, a great heard of pigs was feeding on the hillside, and the evil spirits begged him, 'Send us to the pigs and let us go into them.' So Jesus let them go. The evil spirits came out of the man and went into the pigs, and immediately the herd rushed down the cliff and all were drowned in the lake. The herdsmen fled and reported this in the town and in the countryside, so all the people came to see what had happened.

"They came to Jesus and saw the man freed of the evil spirits sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, the same man who had been possessed by the legion. They were afraid. And when those who had seen it told what had happened to the man and to the pigs, the peopled begged Jesus to leave their neighborhood.

"When Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed begged to stay with him. Jesus would not let him and said, 'Go home to your people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you and how he has mercy on you.' So he went throughout the country of Decapolis telling everyone how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were astonished."

MARK 5:1-20

"Lord, You are indeed a good and merciful Father.
Let me announce it.
Thank You for the miracle.
Praise be Your Holy Name."

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The Power Of Sitting Down

Canon EOS 350D, f/13, 1/80 sec

"When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain. He sat down and his disciples gathered around him. Then he spoke and began to teach them.

"Fortunate are those who have the spirit of the poor, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

"Fortunate are those who mourn, they shall be comforted.

"Fortunate are the gentle, they shall possess the land.

"Fortunate are those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they shall be satisfied.

"Fortunate are the merciful, for they shall find mercy.

"Fortunate are those with a pure heart, for they shall see God.

"Fortunate are those who work for peace, they shall be called children of God.

"Fortunate are those who are persecuted for the cause of justice. For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

"Fortunate are you, when people insult you and persecute you and speak all kinds of evil against you because you are my followers. Be glad and joyful, for a great reward is kept for you in God."

MATTHEW 5:1-12a

"For You, O Lord, are my Sure Foundation:
I will not be disturbed."

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Do You Recognize Jesus?

"When the day came for the purification according to the law of Moses, they brought the baby up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, as it is written in the law of the Lord: Every firstborn male shall be consecrated to God. And they offered a sacrifice as ordered in the law of the Lord: a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.

"There lived in Jerusalem at this time a very upright and devout man named Simeon; the Holy Spirit was in him. He looked forward to the time when the Lord would comfort Israel, and he had been assured by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before seeing the Messiah of the Lord. So he was led into the Temple by the Holy Spirit at the time the parents brought the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law.

"Simeon took the child in his arms and blessed God, saying,

"'Now, O Lord, you can dismiss your servant in peace,
for you have fulfilled your word
and my eyes have seen your salvation,
which you display for all the people to see.
Here is the light you will reveal to the nations
and the glory of your people Israel.'

"His father and mother wondered at what was said about the child. Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother, 'See him; he will be for the rise or fall of the multitudes of Israel. He shall stand as a sign of contradiction, while a sword will pierce your own soul. Then the secret thoughts of many may be brought to light.'

"There was also a prophetess named Anna, daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. After leaving her father's home, she had been seven years with her husband, and since then she had been continually about the Temple, serving God as a widow night and day in fasting and prayer. She was not eighty-four. Coming up at that time, she gave praise to God and spoke of the child to all who looked forward to the deliverance of Jerusalem.

"When the parents had fulfilled all that was required by the laws of the Lord, they returned to their town, Nazareth in Galilee. There the child grew in stature and strength and was filled with wisdom: the grace of God was upon him."

LUKE 2:22-40

"Holy Spirit, open my eyes that
I may see my Lord and Master in every person I meet."

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A Financial Solution

Pentax Optio S50

"Jesus also said, 'In the kingdom of God it is like this. A man scatters seed upon the soil. Whether he is asleep or awake, be it day or night, the seed sprouts and grows, he knows not how. The soil produces of itself; first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. And when it is ripe for harvesting the sickle for the cutting: the time for harvest has come.'

"Jesus also said, 'What is the kingdom of God like? To what shall we compare it? It is like a mustard seed which, when sown, is the smallest of all the seeds scattered upon the soil. But once sown, it grows up and becomes the largest of the plants in the garden and even grows branches so big that the birds of the air can take shelter in its shade.'

"Jesus used many such stories or parables, to proclaim the word to them in a way they would be able to understand. He would not teach them without parables; but privately to his disciples he explained everything."

MARK 4:26-34

"Lord, teach me to toil and sow good seeds
that I may have an abundant harvest
of material and spiritual treasures."

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