The Beatitudes -- Matthew 5:1-12

One day as the crowds were gathering, JESUS went up the mountainside with His disciples and sat down to teach them. This is what He taught them:

GOD blesses those who realize their need for Him, for the Kingdom of...

Heaven is given to them. GOD blesses those who mourn, for they...

will be comforted. GOD blesses (those)...

who are gentle and lowly, for the whole earth will belong to them.

GOD blesses those who are hungry and thirsty for justice, for they will receive it in full. GOD blesses those...


who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy.

GOD blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see GOD.

(GOD blesses those who work for peace, for they) will be called the children of GOD. GOD blesses those who are persecuted because they live for GOD, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.

GOD blesses you when you are mocked and persecuted and lied about because you are My followers.

Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you...

in heaven.

For GOD so loved the world that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)

The joy of the LORD is my strength. (Nehemiah 8:10)

(To see other rln originals for sale, click here.)

Irene's MATTHEW 5:16

You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. (Matthew 5:14-15)

Matthew 5:16...love...

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and

glorify your FATHER in

heaven.

Geraldo DUDUNI's T-Shirt

Geraldo Duduni (in the middle), is a 17-year old from Vanuatu, in the South Pacific. Thanks to GOD's mysterious orchestration, we are now friends...though we've never met.

And thanks to GOD's marvelous engineering, we both have a friend in Ona Filloy (Juju Mamas)...a New Zealander Kiwi, now living in Brisbane, Australia...and we've yet to meet!

How wonderful are GOD's ways! Ona and i met in cyber-space, via our blogs. We both have a romantic affinity with South Pacific isles; and GOD, Giver of all good things, gifted us both with artistic abilities -- though by far, Ona is the more talented one! (LORD, that's not a complaint...i am perfectly content with all that you've given me. i'm praising You for your blessing Ona with unique creativity and a generous heart.)

Ona invited Geraldo for a month-long CHRISTmas visit with her family, where he was treated to many "firsts" -- first train ride, first soccer practice with pros at a Brisbane stadium, first swim in a pool, first ride in an elevator, first McDonald's hamburger... GOD has truly blessed this young man, out of the richness of His merciful heart -- to draw Geraldo closer to Himself, for a purpose only He knows.

Nana Ona has been most kind to let me in on this friendship, allowing me to see this "love story" unfold, almost right before my eyes. i've become Geraldo's Auntie rln, thanks to Ona sharing with me this wonderful experience of our "adopted" son from Vanuatu.

Geraldo's dream is to be a professional soccer player...and why not? It is written: Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which GOD has prepared for those who love Him. (I Corinthians 2:9) With GOD, all things are possible. (Matthew 19:26b) GOD causes all things to work together for good to those who love Him, to those who are called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28)

When i asked Geraldo for his favorite Bible life-verse for his t-shirt, he answered John 14:14,

If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.

If you love Me, obey My commandments. (John 14:15)

And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Counselor,

who will never leave you. (John 14:16)

Geraldo...i pray that from GOD's glorious, unlimited resources He will give you mighty inner strength through His Holy SPIRIT. (Ephesians 3:16)

Ona...may you experience the love of CHRIST, though it is so great you will never fully understand it. Then you will be filled with the fullness of life and power that comes from GOD. (Ephesians 3:19)

ShoppE at ROSE's -- 2010 Shopping Extravaganza!

Hello, ShoppErs!


Spring is just around the corner and the ShoppE at ROSE's is overflowing with goods that your house is crying out for -- kitchenware, bedsheets and towels, neat knick-knacks, books, toys for tots...

There really is something for every member of the family -- from toothless Granny, to toothy little baby in the stroller; to lumberjack Jack, to skateboarding Zack; to pretty-in-pink teen, to striking-in-red...YOU.

Ladies (and gents) -- you don't have to get up as early as you may have done during the after-Thanksgiving sale, or even the crazy after-CHRISTmas sale-o-rama. Just remember -- you snooze...you lose (OUT on some pretty good deals)!

The wonderful ladies at ROSE's will be there to greet you with a smile and sometimes even a hug! Please stop by from 12 to 4 pm, Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays...and immediately after Midway's Sunday 10:30 a.m. worship service. The ShoppE at ROSE's is located on the church grounds, at Palm Avenue, close to the Palm Trolley Station.

Please keep the CHRISTmas spirit going all year round...keep donating your used but still good items...and keep shopping at ROSE's. All your dollars go to missions!

So why shop at Ross? ShoppE at ROSE's instead for waYYY less, while doing a good deed indeed for those in need.

2010 rln T-Shirt ART

Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you. (Deuteronomy 31:6)

This gives the believer In CHRIST great assurance in whatever situation he faces. i can remind myself that GOD -- in all His omnipotence, omniscience, omnipresence -- is with me even in this... this being whatever GOD has allowed to manifest at the moment for His purpose.

Utter sense of peace comes when the believer's faith is such that he knows beyond a shadow of a single doubt that GOD is indeed in control of the heavens -- the billions of stars and galaxies -- and all on earth -- even the flowers and the bees... and also in control of whatever situation the believer faces at the moment.

Utter sense of freedom comes with being a child of GOD -- this truly awesome and indescribably amazing GOD who controls the heavens, and yet so sensitive and so tender an Artist as to create fragile sweet smelling blooms in all shades of the rainbow... this GOD Whom the believer is privileged to call Abba... dearest Father... "Daddy."

Love, joy, peace... patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22) -- all the fruit of the indwelling Holy SPIRIT of GOD, is the believer's overflowing promise In CHRIST.

Worthless RUBBISH

My treasures on earth -- my travel experiences, the many photo albums which remind me of the variety of places visited and people befriended; my health and fitness, the exercises and diet with which i disciplined my body; my artwork, the paintings and b&w photos; head knowledge collected through poring over spiritual self-help books and attending retreats and seminars...

i once thought all these things were so very important, but now i consider them worthless because of what CHRIST has done. (Philippians 3:7, NLT)

Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the priceless gain of knowing CHRIST JESUS my Lord. i have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that i may have CHRIST (3:8)

and become one with Him. i no longer count on my own goodness or my ability to obey GOD's law, but i trust CHRIST to save me. For GOD's way of making us right with Himself depends on faith. (3:9)

As a result, i can really know CHRIST and experience the mighty power that raised Him from the dead. i can learn what it means to suffer with Him, sharing in His death, (3:10)

so that, somehow, i can experience the resurrection from the dead! (3:11)

i don't mean to say that i have already achieved these things or that i have already reached perfection! But i keep working toward that day when i will finally be all that CHRIST JESUS saved me for and wants me to be. (3:12)

No, dear brothers and sisters, i am still not all i should be, but i am focusing all my energies on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, (3:13)

i strain to reach the end of the race and receive the prize for which GOD, through CHRIST JESUS, is calling us up to heaven. (3:14)

Not that i was ever in need, for i have learned how to get along happily whether i have much or little. (4:11)

i know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. i have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. (4:12)

For i can do everything with the help of CHRIST who gives me the strength i need. (4:13) He is the ROCK of my salvation.