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Philippians 1:9-10 This is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ. A comment about the text. I don't know about you, but my hardest decisions aren't about choosing between good and bad. I usually know what is good and what is bad, especially when bad involves evil. My toughest choices are when I have to choose between good, better, and best. My love for God usually overcomes my weaknesses, and I choose good over bad — or at least recognize good over bad. But unless I've placed myself before God's word and surrendered my heart to him in prayer, asking to be led by the Holy Spirit, I have a very tough time choosing between good, better, and best. In my heart of hearts, I want "to discern what is best" and "be pure and blameless until the day of Christ." Yet I'm convinced that much of what God would love to do through me today often goes lacking because I've settled for good when he longs to lead me to the best, to be the best, and to be the best blessing to others as possible! So, dear friend in Jesus, let's pray this prayer for ourselves and our brothers and sisters in Christ, so we can all be the best of what God is making us to be.

1 Corinthians 2:14 The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. A comment about the text. The Holy Spirit is God's abiding gift, God's seal, our anointing, and our promise of future glory.* The Spirit is our assurance that what God began with Jesus' sacrificial death and our participation in it through faith and baptism, he will bring to completion at Jesus' return. But the world cannot understand this great promise, just like it cannot understand much of Scripture. Without the gift of the Holy Spirit, their eyes only see what they can touch with their fingers and cannot fully see what is true in God's heart and what God has revealed in his Word. * The things said about the Holy Spirit come through clear statements in the Scriptures from places like John 14:18-23; Romans 8:9-39; Titus 3:3-7; 2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13; and 1 John 2:20, 26-27.

On this day, 10 October 2007, Senior Chief Aviation Systems Warfare Operator, Todd Ethington, 38, a native of Independence, Mo.; assigned to Patrol Squadron 16 (War Eagles), Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Fl.; died unexpectedly, while on home cycle, in Jacksonville, Fl. We must never forget those who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our nation. Fair Winds and Following Seas Shipmate. I had the pleasure of serving with Todd back in 93/94 while stationed at VP11 -NAS Brunswick, Me. He was my sponsor when I checked into the squadron. He was both a mentor and a friend. His passing was so sudden, so unexpected. When we got word we couldn’t believe it, he was so young, 38. He has been gone 18 years now, hard to believe. Those of us that knew his ensure him memory will not be forgotten. Background should reflect the flight line, at Naval Air Station Jacksonville