Thought for the day
An elderly man lay dying in his bed. In death's agony, he suddenly smelled the aroma of his favorite chocolate chip cookies wafting up the stairs. He gathered his remaining strength, and lifted himself from the bed. Leaning against the wall, he slowly made his way out of the bedroom, and with even greater effort forced himself down the stairs, gripping the railing with both hands.
With labored breath, he leaned against the doorframe, gazing into the kitchen. Were it not for death's agony, he would have thought himself already in heaven: There, spread out on the kitchen table were literally hundreds of his favorite chocolate chip cookies. Was it heaven? Or was it merely one final act of heroic love from his devoted wife, seeing to it that he left this world a happy man?
Mustering one great final effort, he threw himself toward the table. His aged and withered hand made its way to a cookie at the edge of the table, when his wife suddenly smacked it with a spatula.
"Stay out of those," she said. "They're for the funeral."
She's not the only person to save something for a funeral that should have been shared long before. It often seems a shame that flowers are sent at a funeral rather than beforehand when they could truly be enjoyed. Many of the comments made at a funeral reflect the realization that we didn't express our feelings adequately to those we love while they were alive: "What a wonderful friend she was. I never told her how much I appreciated what she meant to me!" "I hope he realizes how much I loved him!"
If someone means something special to you, don't save it for the funeral. Share it with them now!
"Therefore comfort one another and edify one another, just as you are doing." (I Thess. 5:11)
Verses
1 John 5:4
for everyone born of God has overcome the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.
2 Corinthians 5:7
For we walk by faith, not by sight.
Ephesians 4:29
Let there be no more foul language, but good words instead -- words suitable for the occasion, which God can use to help other people.
Psalm 145:19
He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him; He also will hear their cry and save them.
2 Corinthians 9:8
And God is able to give you an abundance of his every blessing so that your every want may in every respect and at all times be abundantly supplied, and, as a result, you may give abundantly to every worthy cause.
Prayer
Father, You have placed Your children in a world where people push and shove to be first. Because of their self-importance they clamor for recognition and will stop at nothing until they get what they want in life, even if it means hurting others in the process. But You’ve called us to view life from a perspective that considers others as important as ourselves. We are to have a humble attitude that puts You first, others second, and ourselves last in everything we do. In our humanity this is impossible, but as we are being transformed into the likeness of Your Son, Jesus, we become more like Him. Our love and consideration for others grows and we apply the golden rule to our lives where we do to others as we would have them do to us. May this relationship rule guide us as we make decisions that affect others and ourselves. Help us to have the mind of Christ in all that we do. Amen.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Be a lion tamer
Thought for the day
A first grade teacher seated her students in a circle. She asked them what they wanted to be when they grew up. One by one, each child got up and announced, "I'd like to be a nurse like my mother," or "I want to be a banker like my father," or "I want to be a teacher like you, Miss Smith."
The last child to speak was the most shy and timid little boy in the class. He said, "When I get big, I'm going to be a lion tamer in the circus. I'm going to face those animals with my whip and chair and make them leap through hoops of fire and obey all of my commands." Seeing the disbelieving looks on the faces of his classmates that he could ever act so boldly or bravely, he was quick to reassure them, "Well, of course, I'll have my mother with me."
We are sometimes shy and timid about standing up for Christ in the midst of an immoral society. We keep quiet when we ought to speak up. We cower when we ought to take a stand. Where do we get the inner strength to be bold and brave? Only through the assurance that we have Christ by our side.
"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." (Phil. 4:13)
With that knowledge, take courage today to do something for God that you've been hesitant to do.
Verses
2 Corinthians 4:18
while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
Luke 10:9
"And heal the sick who are there, and say to them, 'The kingdom of God has come near to you.'
2 Corinthians 5:7
For we walk by faith, not by sight.
Luke 21:36
"Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man."
Romans 8:32
Surely He who did not spare His own Son but delivered Him up for us all, will together with this greatest of gifts grant us every other conceivable good.
Prayer
Father, thank You for Your repeated warnings in Scripture that informs, instructs and protects us from the evil one. Help us not to ignore your warnings or procrastinate in our obedience to Your commands. Embolden our spiritual leaders to be fearless watchmen who speak out Your truths, even when they’re not popular or politically expedient. May we be receptive to Your Word and obedient in our response. In the name of Jesus we pray, amen.
A first grade teacher seated her students in a circle. She asked them what they wanted to be when they grew up. One by one, each child got up and announced, "I'd like to be a nurse like my mother," or "I want to be a banker like my father," or "I want to be a teacher like you, Miss Smith."
The last child to speak was the most shy and timid little boy in the class. He said, "When I get big, I'm going to be a lion tamer in the circus. I'm going to face those animals with my whip and chair and make them leap through hoops of fire and obey all of my commands." Seeing the disbelieving looks on the faces of his classmates that he could ever act so boldly or bravely, he was quick to reassure them, "Well, of course, I'll have my mother with me."
We are sometimes shy and timid about standing up for Christ in the midst of an immoral society. We keep quiet when we ought to speak up. We cower when we ought to take a stand. Where do we get the inner strength to be bold and brave? Only through the assurance that we have Christ by our side.
"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." (Phil. 4:13)
With that knowledge, take courage today to do something for God that you've been hesitant to do.
Verses
2 Corinthians 4:18
while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
Luke 10:9
"And heal the sick who are there, and say to them, 'The kingdom of God has come near to you.'
2 Corinthians 5:7
For we walk by faith, not by sight.
Luke 21:36
"Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man."
Romans 8:32
Surely He who did not spare His own Son but delivered Him up for us all, will together with this greatest of gifts grant us every other conceivable good.
Prayer
Father, thank You for Your repeated warnings in Scripture that informs, instructs and protects us from the evil one. Help us not to ignore your warnings or procrastinate in our obedience to Your commands. Embolden our spiritual leaders to be fearless watchmen who speak out Your truths, even when they’re not popular or politically expedient. May we be receptive to Your Word and obedient in our response. In the name of Jesus we pray, amen.
Monday, November 22, 2010
How do you know when you're getting old?
Thought for the day
How do you know when you're getting old?
* Everything hurts, and what doesn't hurt, doesn't work.
* You feel like it's the "morning after", but you didn't go anywhere
the night before.
* You sit in a rocking chair but can't get it going.
* You bend over to tie your shoes and ask yourself, "Is there
anything else I need to do while I'm down here?"
* You sit down to the breakfast table, and the snap, crackle, pop
you hear isn't your breakfast cereal.
* People call at 9:00 p.m. and ask, "Did I wake you?"
* Dialing long distance wears you out.
* Your little black book contains names ending only in "M.D."
* Your daughter takes you out to dinner, and the cashier takes one
look and gives you both Senior discounts.
* You have as students the grandchildren of your former students.
* You sink your teeth into a steak, and they stay there.
* Your favorite part of the newspaper is "25 years ago today."
* You're proud of your lawn mower.
* The little gray-haired lady you help across the street is your wife.
* You have a party and the neighbors don't even realize it.
* The gleam in your eyes is from the sun hitting your glasses.
* You watch a pretty girl go by and your pacemaker makes the garage
door open.
* You finally know all the answers, but no one asks you the questions!
(author unknown)
That last line is almost too sad to be funny. I look around at some of the older saints who are filled with wisdom which has come about from a lifetime of experiences. So much they have to share. So much we have to learn. But no one is paying any attention.
"The silver-haired head is a crown of glory, if it is found in the way of righteousness." (Proverbs 16:31)
Allow me to make a suggestion. The next time you're having a hard time making a decision, talk to an older Christian. Ask their advice. You might be surprised to see what you can learn.
Verses
Joshua 1:3
Every place on which you put your foot I have given to you, as I said to Moses.
Romans 4:19
And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah's womb.
Ephesians 4:29
Don't use bad language. Say only what is good and helpful to those you are talking to, and what will give them a blessing.
Matthew 21:22
If you believe, then you will receive everything you ask for in prayer."
Romans 5:17
If one man by his sin made death a king, we, on whom God has poured His love and His gift of righteousness, are all the more certain the one Jesus Christ makes us live and be kings.
Prayer
Father, may holiness and truth continually flow from our lives and the words we speak. Help us to be obedient to Your commands and faithfully proclaim Your truths, making no concession to please the hearts of men rather than the heart of God. Some will turn away while others may carefully listen to the gospel message we proclaim. Above all may we be faithful to the Holy Scriptures and not be deterred by lack of receptivity. For, we seek Your approval far above the approval of others. Amen.
How do you know when you're getting old?
* Everything hurts, and what doesn't hurt, doesn't work.
* You feel like it's the "morning after", but you didn't go anywhere
the night before.
* You sit in a rocking chair but can't get it going.
* You bend over to tie your shoes and ask yourself, "Is there
anything else I need to do while I'm down here?"
* You sit down to the breakfast table, and the snap, crackle, pop
you hear isn't your breakfast cereal.
* People call at 9:00 p.m. and ask, "Did I wake you?"
* Dialing long distance wears you out.
* Your little black book contains names ending only in "M.D."
* Your daughter takes you out to dinner, and the cashier takes one
look and gives you both Senior discounts.
* You have as students the grandchildren of your former students.
* You sink your teeth into a steak, and they stay there.
* Your favorite part of the newspaper is "25 years ago today."
* You're proud of your lawn mower.
* The little gray-haired lady you help across the street is your wife.
* You have a party and the neighbors don't even realize it.
* The gleam in your eyes is from the sun hitting your glasses.
* You watch a pretty girl go by and your pacemaker makes the garage
door open.
* You finally know all the answers, but no one asks you the questions!
(author unknown)
That last line is almost too sad to be funny. I look around at some of the older saints who are filled with wisdom which has come about from a lifetime of experiences. So much they have to share. So much we have to learn. But no one is paying any attention.
"The silver-haired head is a crown of glory, if it is found in the way of righteousness." (Proverbs 16:31)
Allow me to make a suggestion. The next time you're having a hard time making a decision, talk to an older Christian. Ask their advice. You might be surprised to see what you can learn.
Verses
Joshua 1:3
Every place on which you put your foot I have given to you, as I said to Moses.
Romans 4:19
And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah's womb.
Ephesians 4:29
Don't use bad language. Say only what is good and helpful to those you are talking to, and what will give them a blessing.
Matthew 21:22
If you believe, then you will receive everything you ask for in prayer."
Romans 5:17
If one man by his sin made death a king, we, on whom God has poured His love and His gift of righteousness, are all the more certain the one Jesus Christ makes us live and be kings.
Prayer
Father, may holiness and truth continually flow from our lives and the words we speak. Help us to be obedient to Your commands and faithfully proclaim Your truths, making no concession to please the hearts of men rather than the heart of God. Some will turn away while others may carefully listen to the gospel message we proclaim. Above all may we be faithful to the Holy Scriptures and not be deterred by lack of receptivity. For, we seek Your approval far above the approval of others. Amen.
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
The influence of fathers
Thought for the day
Through the years, we have different ideas of what our father means to us. Someone has composed the following list, showing the way that our view of Father changes through the years:
4 years: My daddy can do anything.
7 years: My dad knows a lot, a whole lot.
8 years: My father doesn't quite know everything.
12 years: Oh well, naturally Father doesn't know everything.
14 years: Father? Hopelessly old-fashioned.
21 years: Oh, that man is out-of-date. What did you expect?
25 years: He knows a little bit about it but not much.
30 years: Must find out what Dad thinks about it.
35 years: A little patience, let's get Dad''s meaning first.
40 years: What would Dad have thought about it?
50 years: My Dad knew literally everything.
60 years: I wish I could talk it over with Dad once more.
Fathers, what an awesome responsibility has been given to us. And even during those years when our children think we are "hopelessly old-fashioned", they are listening to us and learning from us. Much of what our children learn is caught rather than taught they learn from what they observe. That means we can’t afford to cheat on our taxes, lie to our boss, or be rude to a salesperson. Our lifestyle is the greatest lesson we teach.
You are a role model for your children and, like it or not good or bad they will, to one degree or another, model their lives after you. You have inherited some of your father’s characteristics and your children are inheriting some of yours.
So whether you know it or not (and whether you mean to or not), you are influencing the lives of your children, and your children’s children. As I said earlier, what an awesome responsibility has been given to us. And thank God for the godly fathers who influenced us!
"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up." (Deut. 6:5-7)
Verses
Romans 10:17
So faith comes from the willingness to hear, and what is heard is the word which tells of Christ.
Isaiah 53:5
But he was wounded for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the punishment that made us whole, and by his bruises we are healed.
Romans 12:2
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God -- what is good and acceptable and perfect.
1 Peter 3:7
You husbands must be careful of your wives, being thoughtful of their needs and honoring them as the weaker sex. Remember that you and your wife are partners in receiving God's blessings, and if you don't treat her as you should, your prayers will not get ready answers.
Proverbs 22:7
The rich rules over the poor, And the borrower becomes the lender's slave.
Prayer
Father, so many of us live in a state of discontent when we find ourselves loving things and using people. It distorts our priorities and gives us temporary thrills with things, but leaves us with long-term dissatisfaction within ourselves and in our relationships. Help us to enjoy material things but to place a higher value on greater pursuits such as growing friendships, solid marriage relations, developing godly character, giving without receiving in return, and other worthy goals. We will be content as we rejoice in the fact that whether we are in want or whether we have plenty You have promised that You will never leave us nor forsake us. What a treasured promise for the believer in times of need and in times of prosperity. We are content when we realize our all-sufficiency is in You, Lord. You will never leave us nor forsake us and You will meet all our needs according to Your glorious riches in Christ Jesus. Amen.
Through the years, we have different ideas of what our father means to us. Someone has composed the following list, showing the way that our view of Father changes through the years:
4 years: My daddy can do anything.
7 years: My dad knows a lot, a whole lot.
8 years: My father doesn't quite know everything.
12 years: Oh well, naturally Father doesn't know everything.
14 years: Father? Hopelessly old-fashioned.
21 years: Oh, that man is out-of-date. What did you expect?
25 years: He knows a little bit about it but not much.
30 years: Must find out what Dad thinks about it.
35 years: A little patience, let's get Dad''s meaning first.
40 years: What would Dad have thought about it?
50 years: My Dad knew literally everything.
60 years: I wish I could talk it over with Dad once more.
Fathers, what an awesome responsibility has been given to us. And even during those years when our children think we are "hopelessly old-fashioned", they are listening to us and learning from us. Much of what our children learn is caught rather than taught they learn from what they observe. That means we can’t afford to cheat on our taxes, lie to our boss, or be rude to a salesperson. Our lifestyle is the greatest lesson we teach.
You are a role model for your children and, like it or not good or bad they will, to one degree or another, model their lives after you. You have inherited some of your father’s characteristics and your children are inheriting some of yours.
So whether you know it or not (and whether you mean to or not), you are influencing the lives of your children, and your children’s children. As I said earlier, what an awesome responsibility has been given to us. And thank God for the godly fathers who influenced us!
"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up." (Deut. 6:5-7)
Verses
Romans 10:17
So faith comes from the willingness to hear, and what is heard is the word which tells of Christ.
Isaiah 53:5
But he was wounded for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the punishment that made us whole, and by his bruises we are healed.
Romans 12:2
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God -- what is good and acceptable and perfect.
1 Peter 3:7
You husbands must be careful of your wives, being thoughtful of their needs and honoring them as the weaker sex. Remember that you and your wife are partners in receiving God's blessings, and if you don't treat her as you should, your prayers will not get ready answers.
Proverbs 22:7
The rich rules over the poor, And the borrower becomes the lender's slave.
Prayer
Father, so many of us live in a state of discontent when we find ourselves loving things and using people. It distorts our priorities and gives us temporary thrills with things, but leaves us with long-term dissatisfaction within ourselves and in our relationships. Help us to enjoy material things but to place a higher value on greater pursuits such as growing friendships, solid marriage relations, developing godly character, giving without receiving in return, and other worthy goals. We will be content as we rejoice in the fact that whether we are in want or whether we have plenty You have promised that You will never leave us nor forsake us. What a treasured promise for the believer in times of need and in times of prosperity. We are content when we realize our all-sufficiency is in You, Lord. You will never leave us nor forsake us and You will meet all our needs according to Your glorious riches in Christ Jesus. Amen.
Friday, November 12, 2010
Do not ask questions
Thought for the day
I heard about an old blacksmith who realized he was soon going to have to quit working so hard. With retirement in mind, he picked out a strong young man to become his apprentice, who, as fate would have it, was not the smartest fellow around. The old blacksmith was crabby, impatient and exacting. He told the young man, "Don't ask me a lot of questions; Just do whatever I tell you to do and you will do fine."
One day the old blacksmith took a white hot iron out of the forge and laid it on the anvil. "Get the hammer over there," he said to the boy, "When I nod my head, hit it real good and hard."
Now the town is looking for a new blacksmith.
"Don't ask me a lot of questions" is not very good advice. The truth is, it is almost always in our best interest to ask questions. Ask questions to learn something you don't know. Ask questions to clarify something you're not sure about. Ask questions to gain a new perspective on a matter.
Think of the men and women in the scriptures who asked questions:
The disciples came to Jesus and "asked him about the parable (of the sower)" (Mark 4:10). They received the best commentary in the world on Jesus' parables -- from Jesus himself! Why? Because they asked.
John the Baptist asked a good question -- "Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?" (Luke 7:20) Even though this may have appeared to be a "stupid question" coming from John, Jesus sent him a gracious answer.
The Philippian jailer asked perhaps the most important question in the world -- "What must I do to be saved?" (Acts 16:30) which led him to respond to Christ in an obedient faith.
I have known many people through the years who were hesitant to ask questions -- either in a classroom setting or even in private -- because they didn't want to appear to be stupid. As the saying goes, "There are no stupid questions." Don't be afraid to ask. The more you are willing ask, the more you will have the opportunity to learn!
Verses
Hebrews 10:23
Let us maintain the confession of our hope unshaken, for he who has given us his promise will not fail us.
Exodus 23:25
You shall serve the LORD your God, and I will bless your bread and your water; and I will take sickness away from the midst of you.
Psalm 145:9
The Lord is good to all, And His tender mercies are over all His works.
Matthew 21:22
You will receive all that you pray for, provided you have faith."
Psalm 1:1-3
Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper.
Prayer
Father, we want to trust You at all times – in the good times and in troubled times. Thank You for Your promise that You will not let us drown when we pass through the deep waters. We will not be burned nor will the flames hurt us when we walk through the raging fires that seek to engulf us. We don’t have to be afraid because You have saved us and called us by name. You are truly our Refuge and we pour out our hearts out to You for all that we have need of. May our faith increase and our devotion deepen as we lean hard on You. Amen.
I heard about an old blacksmith who realized he was soon going to have to quit working so hard. With retirement in mind, he picked out a strong young man to become his apprentice, who, as fate would have it, was not the smartest fellow around. The old blacksmith was crabby, impatient and exacting. He told the young man, "Don't ask me a lot of questions; Just do whatever I tell you to do and you will do fine."
One day the old blacksmith took a white hot iron out of the forge and laid it on the anvil. "Get the hammer over there," he said to the boy, "When I nod my head, hit it real good and hard."
Now the town is looking for a new blacksmith.
"Don't ask me a lot of questions" is not very good advice. The truth is, it is almost always in our best interest to ask questions. Ask questions to learn something you don't know. Ask questions to clarify something you're not sure about. Ask questions to gain a new perspective on a matter.
Think of the men and women in the scriptures who asked questions:
The disciples came to Jesus and "asked him about the parable (of the sower)" (Mark 4:10). They received the best commentary in the world on Jesus' parables -- from Jesus himself! Why? Because they asked.
John the Baptist asked a good question -- "Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?" (Luke 7:20) Even though this may have appeared to be a "stupid question" coming from John, Jesus sent him a gracious answer.
The Philippian jailer asked perhaps the most important question in the world -- "What must I do to be saved?" (Acts 16:30) which led him to respond to Christ in an obedient faith.
I have known many people through the years who were hesitant to ask questions -- either in a classroom setting or even in private -- because they didn't want to appear to be stupid. As the saying goes, "There are no stupid questions." Don't be afraid to ask. The more you are willing ask, the more you will have the opportunity to learn!
Verses
Hebrews 10:23
Let us maintain the confession of our hope unshaken, for he who has given us his promise will not fail us.
Exodus 23:25
You shall serve the LORD your God, and I will bless your bread and your water; and I will take sickness away from the midst of you.
Psalm 145:9
The Lord is good to all, And His tender mercies are over all His works.
Matthew 21:22
You will receive all that you pray for, provided you have faith."
Psalm 1:1-3
Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper.
Prayer
Father, we want to trust You at all times – in the good times and in troubled times. Thank You for Your promise that You will not let us drown when we pass through the deep waters. We will not be burned nor will the flames hurt us when we walk through the raging fires that seek to engulf us. We don’t have to be afraid because You have saved us and called us by name. You are truly our Refuge and we pour out our hearts out to You for all that we have need of. May our faith increase and our devotion deepen as we lean hard on You. Amen.
Thursday, November 11, 2010
It is not easy being a mom
Thought for the day
Judith Viorst once wrote an essay based on interviews she had with children. The subject was "What's a good mother like?"
Viorst reports that the children expected their mother to get angry from time to time. "She has to," said Ted, "or she'll faint from holding it in."
"But it's best to remember," said Randy, "that when your mother starts to act real weird, you have to look scared and serious. Don't giggle. When mommies are mad, they get madder if you giggle."
"My mommy got so mad," said Megan, "that she yanked the plate off the table and all the mashed potatoes flew into the air."
"And why," Viorst asked, pretending she'd never heard of such shocking behavior, "why would a mother do a thing like that?"
"Well," said Megan, "she told my older brother, Mike, he's 11 years old, to eat the potatoes on his plate and he said 'Later.' And then she told him again to eat the potatoes and Mike said 'Soon.' And then she told him he had better eat those potatoes right now and he said, 'In a minute.' And then she stood up and Mike finally took a bite and told her, 'How can I eat them? They're cold!'"
It truly is not easy being a Mom! But how blessed we were to have our mothers. In this country, we will honor our mothers on Sunday, and I think it’s certainly appropriate. Paul said we as Christians are to “give honor to whom honor is due” (Romans 13:7), and I can’t think of anyone any more deserving of honor than our mothers. I hope that you will honor in a special way those mothers who are like Hannah.
In I Samuel 1, we have recorded the birth of Samuel. Before he was born, Hannah prayed a vow to God. She said, "O LORD of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a male child, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and no razor shall come upon his head." (I Samuel 1:11)
The Lord heard her petition and she was blessed with the birth of Samuel. Hannah didn’t forget her vow to the Lord. She took her son Samuel to be trained at the feet of Eli, the priest of God. From a very young age, Hannah made sure that her son was preparing to serve the Lord.
I heard about a preacher a number of years ago who came home after preaching a gospel meeting, and he was asked how it went. Rather discouraged, he said that he had only baptized one young girl who was about 12 or 13 years old -- all in all, comparatively speaking, not a very successful meeting. But, after that girl grew up, she married and became the mother of five sons who became gospel preachers. What a great impact that young lady ended up having in the world!
I know that mothers -- especially mothers of young children -- sometimes get discouraged because they wonder if they’re really accomplishing anything. Let me assure you that if you are instilling within your children a love for God and His Word, you’re accomplishing something. It may be years down the road before you see the results, but you’re having an impact. You’re making a difference.
Give honor this weekend to your own mother -- and to those mothers around you -- who, like Hannah, have vowed to give their children over to God.
Verses
Romans 8:37
No, in all these circumstances we may live triumphantly through Christ's love.
Isaiah 53:4
But it was our pain he took, and our diseases were put on him: while to us he seemed as one diseased, on whom God's punishment had come.
1 Corinthians 6:19
Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?
Colossians 4:2
You must never grow discouraged in prayer, and, when you pray, you must be unwearied in thanksgiving.
1 Timothy 6:17
Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy.
Prayer
Father, the story that Jesus shares about the rich man who took no thought for his life after death is a picture of so many who live for the here and now. They store up treasures that don’t transfer to eternity and dismiss the truths that do prepare us for eternity. May this illustration bring comfort and peace of heart to those who suffer in this present life, as Lazarus did. May they be reminded of the joyous life yet to come where there is no pain, sorrow, or alienation? And help us to be faithful to warn others to prepare not just for this temporal life, but for eternal life. In the name of Jesus, we pray, Amen.
Judith Viorst once wrote an essay based on interviews she had with children. The subject was "What's a good mother like?"
Viorst reports that the children expected their mother to get angry from time to time. "She has to," said Ted, "or she'll faint from holding it in."
"But it's best to remember," said Randy, "that when your mother starts to act real weird, you have to look scared and serious. Don't giggle. When mommies are mad, they get madder if you giggle."
"My mommy got so mad," said Megan, "that she yanked the plate off the table and all the mashed potatoes flew into the air."
"And why," Viorst asked, pretending she'd never heard of such shocking behavior, "why would a mother do a thing like that?"
"Well," said Megan, "she told my older brother, Mike, he's 11 years old, to eat the potatoes on his plate and he said 'Later.' And then she told him again to eat the potatoes and Mike said 'Soon.' And then she told him he had better eat those potatoes right now and he said, 'In a minute.' And then she stood up and Mike finally took a bite and told her, 'How can I eat them? They're cold!'"
It truly is not easy being a Mom! But how blessed we were to have our mothers. In this country, we will honor our mothers on Sunday, and I think it’s certainly appropriate. Paul said we as Christians are to “give honor to whom honor is due” (Romans 13:7), and I can’t think of anyone any more deserving of honor than our mothers. I hope that you will honor in a special way those mothers who are like Hannah.
In I Samuel 1, we have recorded the birth of Samuel. Before he was born, Hannah prayed a vow to God. She said, "O LORD of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a male child, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and no razor shall come upon his head." (I Samuel 1:11)
The Lord heard her petition and she was blessed with the birth of Samuel. Hannah didn’t forget her vow to the Lord. She took her son Samuel to be trained at the feet of Eli, the priest of God. From a very young age, Hannah made sure that her son was preparing to serve the Lord.
I heard about a preacher a number of years ago who came home after preaching a gospel meeting, and he was asked how it went. Rather discouraged, he said that he had only baptized one young girl who was about 12 or 13 years old -- all in all, comparatively speaking, not a very successful meeting. But, after that girl grew up, she married and became the mother of five sons who became gospel preachers. What a great impact that young lady ended up having in the world!
I know that mothers -- especially mothers of young children -- sometimes get discouraged because they wonder if they’re really accomplishing anything. Let me assure you that if you are instilling within your children a love for God and His Word, you’re accomplishing something. It may be years down the road before you see the results, but you’re having an impact. You’re making a difference.
Give honor this weekend to your own mother -- and to those mothers around you -- who, like Hannah, have vowed to give their children over to God.
Verses
Romans 8:37
No, in all these circumstances we may live triumphantly through Christ's love.
Isaiah 53:4
But it was our pain he took, and our diseases were put on him: while to us he seemed as one diseased, on whom God's punishment had come.
1 Corinthians 6:19
Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?
Colossians 4:2
You must never grow discouraged in prayer, and, when you pray, you must be unwearied in thanksgiving.
1 Timothy 6:17
Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy.
Prayer
Father, the story that Jesus shares about the rich man who took no thought for his life after death is a picture of so many who live for the here and now. They store up treasures that don’t transfer to eternity and dismiss the truths that do prepare us for eternity. May this illustration bring comfort and peace of heart to those who suffer in this present life, as Lazarus did. May they be reminded of the joyous life yet to come where there is no pain, sorrow, or alienation? And help us to be faithful to warn others to prepare not just for this temporal life, but for eternal life. In the name of Jesus, we pray, Amen.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Make the most of your time
Thought for the day
Zig Ziglar, well-known motivational speaker, tells the story about a thief who was robbed. The incident took place back in 1887 in a small neighborhood grocery store when a middle-aged gentleman, Emanuel Nenger, gave the assistant a $20 note to pay for the turnip greens he was purchasing. When the assistant placed the note in the cash drawer she noticed that some of the ink from the $20 came off on her hands which were wet from wrapping the turnip greens.
She'd known Mr. Nenger for years and was shocked. She pondered, "Is this man giving me a counterfeit $20 note?" She dismissed the thought immediately and gave him his change. But $20 was a lot of money in those days so she notified the police who, after procuring a search warrant, went to Emanuel Nenger's home where they found in his attic the tools he was using to reproduce the counterfeit $20 notes. They found an artist's easel, paint brushes, and paints which Nenger was using to meticulously paint the counterfeit money. He was a master artist.
The police also found three portraits that Nenger had painted - paintings that sold at public auction for a little over $16,000!
The irony was that it took him almost as much time to paint a $20 note as it did to paint those portraits which sold for more than $5,000 each.
We are shocked that someone would waste their time doing something so foolish when he had the opportunity to do something so valuable. But we're all guilty of the same thing, aren't we? Think for a moment about how you spent your time yesterday, or last week. Think of the hours wasted dong things that were unimportant (or maybe even destructive) -- time which could have been spent developing your relationship with God and helping others.
We have each been given a gift by God of 1,440 minutes every day. In terms of time, no one is any richer than anyone else, for we all get exactly the same amount. And, like the manna of the Hebrews in the wilderness, none of those minutes can be stored up and used the next day. They must (and will) be used on the day they were given. But how we use those minutes is our choice. Choose wisely.
"Be careful then how you live, not as unwise people but as wise, making the most of the time, because the days are evil." (Ephesians 5:15-16)
Verses
Hebrews 10:23
Let us hold unwaveringly to the hope that we profess, for he who has given us his promise may be trusted.
Matthew 8:16
When evening had come, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed. And He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick,
Psalm 96:1
Sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth.
1 Corinthians 7:5
Do not deprive one another except with consent for a time, that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again so that Satan does not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.
Proverbs 28:25
Greed causes fighting; trusting God leads to prosperity.
Prayer
Father Your creation reveals that You are a lover of beauty, color, simplicity, and creativity. When disunity or rebellion crashes the loving setting that we so greatly desire, help us to reflect Your character of endurance, faithfulness and self -control. Our example as leaders in the home is more often taken notice of when we’re required to deal with the undesirable circumstances of life. May our family, in as much as it is possible, be a reflection of You whom we serve. Amen.
Zig Ziglar, well-known motivational speaker, tells the story about a thief who was robbed. The incident took place back in 1887 in a small neighborhood grocery store when a middle-aged gentleman, Emanuel Nenger, gave the assistant a $20 note to pay for the turnip greens he was purchasing. When the assistant placed the note in the cash drawer she noticed that some of the ink from the $20 came off on her hands which were wet from wrapping the turnip greens.
She'd known Mr. Nenger for years and was shocked. She pondered, "Is this man giving me a counterfeit $20 note?" She dismissed the thought immediately and gave him his change. But $20 was a lot of money in those days so she notified the police who, after procuring a search warrant, went to Emanuel Nenger's home where they found in his attic the tools he was using to reproduce the counterfeit $20 notes. They found an artist's easel, paint brushes, and paints which Nenger was using to meticulously paint the counterfeit money. He was a master artist.
The police also found three portraits that Nenger had painted - paintings that sold at public auction for a little over $16,000!
The irony was that it took him almost as much time to paint a $20 note as it did to paint those portraits which sold for more than $5,000 each.
We are shocked that someone would waste their time doing something so foolish when he had the opportunity to do something so valuable. But we're all guilty of the same thing, aren't we? Think for a moment about how you spent your time yesterday, or last week. Think of the hours wasted dong things that were unimportant (or maybe even destructive) -- time which could have been spent developing your relationship with God and helping others.
We have each been given a gift by God of 1,440 minutes every day. In terms of time, no one is any richer than anyone else, for we all get exactly the same amount. And, like the manna of the Hebrews in the wilderness, none of those minutes can be stored up and used the next day. They must (and will) be used on the day they were given. But how we use those minutes is our choice. Choose wisely.
"Be careful then how you live, not as unwise people but as wise, making the most of the time, because the days are evil." (Ephesians 5:15-16)
Verses
Hebrews 10:23
Let us hold unwaveringly to the hope that we profess, for he who has given us his promise may be trusted.
Matthew 8:16
When evening had come, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed. And He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick,
Psalm 96:1
Sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth.
1 Corinthians 7:5
Do not deprive one another except with consent for a time, that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again so that Satan does not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.
Proverbs 28:25
Greed causes fighting; trusting God leads to prosperity.
Prayer
Father Your creation reveals that You are a lover of beauty, color, simplicity, and creativity. When disunity or rebellion crashes the loving setting that we so greatly desire, help us to reflect Your character of endurance, faithfulness and self -control. Our example as leaders in the home is more often taken notice of when we’re required to deal with the undesirable circumstances of life. May our family, in as much as it is possible, be a reflection of You whom we serve. Amen.
Tuesday, November 09, 2010
Repainting the lines.
Thought for the day
The following news story came out of Tel Aviv on June 23:
"Tel Aviv - An Israeli woman who was caught by a police officer crossing a straight white line on a road in northern Israel, found a creative way to avoid a fine and plead innocent at a future court hearing, the Yediot Ahronot daily reported on Thursday.
"Two hours after she was caught on Wednesday morning, the 45-year-old woman sent a friend to the spot, who began painting black gaps in the line on the middle of the road.
"Unfortunately for the woman and her friend, the officer was still on undercover duty at the same location and arrested the suspect."
There is the temptation when we are discovered with sin in our lives to try to "re-write" the scriptures so as to be found innocent. That's why some people say that "the Bible doesn't teach that homosexuality is a sin" or "God could never condemn us. He's a God of love and mercy."
I actually knew someone who believed that baptism had nothing to do with salvation because he had taken a pair of scissors and cut out the passages which stated that!
But just as repainting lines doesn't change the offense, turning the dial on a set of scales doesn't change our weight problem, and breaking a mirror doesn't remove any dirt that may be on our faces, so removing (or ignoring) scriptures doesn't change what God thinks on a matter.
"Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth." (John 17:17)
Verses
Hebrews 10:38
But the righteous one shall live as a result of faith; and if he shall shrink back, my soul takes no pleasure in him.
Colossians 2:10
and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.
Romans 12:2
Don't let the world around you squeeze you into its own mould, but let God re-make you so that your whole attitude of mind is changed. Thus you will prove in practice that the will of God's good, acceptable to him and perfect.
James 1:4
And let endurance do its work perfectly, so that you may be absolutely perfect and not deficient in any respect.
Prayer
Father, as we examine the emotional pain of our lives, when it seems as though You’ve forgotten about us, we often start out with the question of “Why?” But in hindsight we realize that those struggles taught us practical truths that we could not learn overnight but over time, and that there truly was purpose in our pain and in Your timing. Help us to model integrity and steadfastness in the midst of the severe struggles and sweeping storms of life. Your eternal purpose is greater than our temporal pain. Remind us that it may not just be for our own instruction but for others looking on who may learn from our difficult experiences. Amen.
The following news story came out of Tel Aviv on June 23:
"Tel Aviv - An Israeli woman who was caught by a police officer crossing a straight white line on a road in northern Israel, found a creative way to avoid a fine and plead innocent at a future court hearing, the Yediot Ahronot daily reported on Thursday.
"Two hours after she was caught on Wednesday morning, the 45-year-old woman sent a friend to the spot, who began painting black gaps in the line on the middle of the road.
"Unfortunately for the woman and her friend, the officer was still on undercover duty at the same location and arrested the suspect."
There is the temptation when we are discovered with sin in our lives to try to "re-write" the scriptures so as to be found innocent. That's why some people say that "the Bible doesn't teach that homosexuality is a sin" or "God could never condemn us. He's a God of love and mercy."
I actually knew someone who believed that baptism had nothing to do with salvation because he had taken a pair of scissors and cut out the passages which stated that!
But just as repainting lines doesn't change the offense, turning the dial on a set of scales doesn't change our weight problem, and breaking a mirror doesn't remove any dirt that may be on our faces, so removing (or ignoring) scriptures doesn't change what God thinks on a matter.
"Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth." (John 17:17)
Verses
Hebrews 10:38
But the righteous one shall live as a result of faith; and if he shall shrink back, my soul takes no pleasure in him.
Colossians 2:10
and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.
Romans 12:2
Don't let the world around you squeeze you into its own mould, but let God re-make you so that your whole attitude of mind is changed. Thus you will prove in practice that the will of God's good, acceptable to him and perfect.
James 1:4
And let endurance do its work perfectly, so that you may be absolutely perfect and not deficient in any respect.
Prayer
Father, as we examine the emotional pain of our lives, when it seems as though You’ve forgotten about us, we often start out with the question of “Why?” But in hindsight we realize that those struggles taught us practical truths that we could not learn overnight but over time, and that there truly was purpose in our pain and in Your timing. Help us to model integrity and steadfastness in the midst of the severe struggles and sweeping storms of life. Your eternal purpose is greater than our temporal pain. Remind us that it may not just be for our own instruction but for others looking on who may learn from our difficult experiences. Amen.
Monday, November 08, 2010
Missed Opportunities
Thought for the day
The story is told of a young man who wished to marry the farmer's beautiful daughter. He went to the farmer to ask his permission. The farmer looked him over and responded, "Son, go stand out in that field and I'm going to release three bulls, one at a time. If you can catch the tail of any one of the three bulls, you can marry my daughter."
The young man stood in the pasture awaiting the first bull. The barn door opened and out ran the biggest, meanest-looking bull he had ever seen. He decided that one of the next bulls had to be a better choice than this one, so he ran over to the side and let the bull pass through the pasture out the back gate.
The barn door opened again. Unbelievable. He had never seen anything so big and fierce in his life. It stood - pawing the ground, grunting, slinging slobber - as it eyed him. Whatever the next bull was like, it had to be a better choice than this one. He ran to the fence and let the bull pass through the pasture, out the back gate.
The door opened a third time. A smile came across his face. This was the weakest, scrawniest little bull he had ever seen. This one was his bull. As the bull came running by, he positioned himself just right and jumped at just the exact moment. He grabbed... but the bull had no tail!
Life is full of opportunities. Some will be easy to take advantage of, some will be difficult. But once we let them pass (often in hopes of something better), those opportunities may never again be available.
The same thing is also true of opportunities to serve Christ. God often opens doors -- opportunities to speak up for Him, opportunities to minister to someone who is hurting or in need, opportunities to make an influence on the world around us. If we allow them to pass by (perhaps because we are waiting for something easier to come along), we may miss out on them altogether.
"Continue praying, keeping alert, and always thanking God. Also pray for us that God will give us an opportunity to tell people his message." (Col. 4:2-3a, NCV)
"Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith." (Gal. 6:10).
May you take advantage of the doors God opens for you this day!
Verses
Romans 8:28
and we know that for those who love God and have been called in accordance with his purpose, the Spirit makes everything work harmoniously for good.
Luke 10:19
"Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
John 14:24
He that does not love me neglects my words. Yet the word you hear is not my own but that of the Father who sent me.
Jeremiah 33:3
Call to Me, and I will answer you, And I will tell you wondrous things, Secrets you have not known.
2 Corinthians 9:8
And God is able to give you more than you need of every divine gift, so that in every situation you will always have everything you need, and enough left over for every good work,
Prayer
Father, the day to day living can be so challenging and easily drain us of the pleasures in life if we’re not careful. We thank you for our friends and family who pull us away from that mindset and add laughter to our lives. Would you bring genuine laughter to the hearts of our readers today as they go about their daily duties. May they hear laughter and may they make laughter, verbally, and in their hearts. In the name of Jesus we pray, amen.
The story is told of a young man who wished to marry the farmer's beautiful daughter. He went to the farmer to ask his permission. The farmer looked him over and responded, "Son, go stand out in that field and I'm going to release three bulls, one at a time. If you can catch the tail of any one of the three bulls, you can marry my daughter."
The young man stood in the pasture awaiting the first bull. The barn door opened and out ran the biggest, meanest-looking bull he had ever seen. He decided that one of the next bulls had to be a better choice than this one, so he ran over to the side and let the bull pass through the pasture out the back gate.
The barn door opened again. Unbelievable. He had never seen anything so big and fierce in his life. It stood - pawing the ground, grunting, slinging slobber - as it eyed him. Whatever the next bull was like, it had to be a better choice than this one. He ran to the fence and let the bull pass through the pasture, out the back gate.
The door opened a third time. A smile came across his face. This was the weakest, scrawniest little bull he had ever seen. This one was his bull. As the bull came running by, he positioned himself just right and jumped at just the exact moment. He grabbed... but the bull had no tail!
Life is full of opportunities. Some will be easy to take advantage of, some will be difficult. But once we let them pass (often in hopes of something better), those opportunities may never again be available.
The same thing is also true of opportunities to serve Christ. God often opens doors -- opportunities to speak up for Him, opportunities to minister to someone who is hurting or in need, opportunities to make an influence on the world around us. If we allow them to pass by (perhaps because we are waiting for something easier to come along), we may miss out on them altogether.
"Continue praying, keeping alert, and always thanking God. Also pray for us that God will give us an opportunity to tell people his message." (Col. 4:2-3a, NCV)
"Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith." (Gal. 6:10).
May you take advantage of the doors God opens for you this day!
Verses
Romans 8:28
and we know that for those who love God and have been called in accordance with his purpose, the Spirit makes everything work harmoniously for good.
Luke 10:19
"Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
John 14:24
He that does not love me neglects my words. Yet the word you hear is not my own but that of the Father who sent me.
Jeremiah 33:3
Call to Me, and I will answer you, And I will tell you wondrous things, Secrets you have not known.
2 Corinthians 9:8
And God is able to give you more than you need of every divine gift, so that in every situation you will always have everything you need, and enough left over for every good work,
Prayer
Father, the day to day living can be so challenging and easily drain us of the pleasures in life if we’re not careful. We thank you for our friends and family who pull us away from that mindset and add laughter to our lives. Would you bring genuine laughter to the hearts of our readers today as they go about their daily duties. May they hear laughter and may they make laughter, verbally, and in their hearts. In the name of Jesus we pray, amen.
Tuesday, November 02, 2010
The power of prayers
Thought for the day
One of Erma Bombeck's favorite Jewish grandmother stories involves a grandmother who took her grandson to the beach. She put a sun hat on him and then dozed off to sleep as the little boy played with his bucket and shovel in the sand. Suddenly, a large wave came in and dragged the child out to sea. The grandmother woke and was devastated. She fell to her knees and prayed, "God, if you'll save my grandson, I promise I'll make it up to you. I'll join whatever club you want me to. I'll volunteer at the hospital, give to the poor and do anything that makes you happy."
Suddenly, another huge wave came in and tossed her grandson on the beach at her feet. She noticed there was color in his cheeks and his eyes were bright. He was alive!
As she stood up, however, she seemed to be upset. She put her hands on her hips, looked skyward, and said sharply, "He had a hat, you know."
Though we may not always get everything we want when we pray, the Bible teaches a great deal about the power of prayer. Prayer truly makes a difference. As James said, "The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much." (James 5:16).
We see it happen time and again in the scriptures. Abraham's servant prayed and Rebekah appeared. Hannah prayed and Samuel was born. Isaiah and Hezekiah prayed, and 185,000 Assyrians were slain. After three years of drought, Elijah prayed again and rain came. The church in Jerusalem prayed and Peter was released from prison. That's just a small sampling of answered prayer in the Bible.
We've seen it happen in our own lives as well. We do not receive everything we ask for (even the apostle Paul didn't), but we have seen God's answers time and again -- for sickness to be healed, for safety through difficult times, for the wisdom to make right decisions, for needs to be provided.
"Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us." (I John 5:14)
Praise be to God -- our Heavenly Father -- who is willing to hear us and cares enough about us to answer our prayers. Most of us have been more than willing over the years to carry our burdens to God and tell Him what we want. May I suggest that you take some time today to give God your thanks for the many times He has heard and answered.
Verses
Psalm 89:34
I will not violate my covenant or alter what my lips have uttered.
Proverbs 17:22
A merry heart does good, like medicine, but a broken spirit dries the bones.
John 3:17
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
John 15:7
If you stay with me, and my sayings stay in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be given you.
Romans 8:32
He who did not withhold or spare [even] His own Son but gave Him up for us all, will He not also with Him freely and graciously give us all [other] things?
Prayer
Father, we are thankful for Your great compassion and enduring patience; that You do not treat us as our sins deserve but with Your never-ending mercy. From everlasting to everlasting Your love is with those who walk with You, who keep Your covenant and obey Your precepts. Amen.
One of Erma Bombeck's favorite Jewish grandmother stories involves a grandmother who took her grandson to the beach. She put a sun hat on him and then dozed off to sleep as the little boy played with his bucket and shovel in the sand. Suddenly, a large wave came in and dragged the child out to sea. The grandmother woke and was devastated. She fell to her knees and prayed, "God, if you'll save my grandson, I promise I'll make it up to you. I'll join whatever club you want me to. I'll volunteer at the hospital, give to the poor and do anything that makes you happy."
Suddenly, another huge wave came in and tossed her grandson on the beach at her feet. She noticed there was color in his cheeks and his eyes were bright. He was alive!
As she stood up, however, she seemed to be upset. She put her hands on her hips, looked skyward, and said sharply, "He had a hat, you know."
Though we may not always get everything we want when we pray, the Bible teaches a great deal about the power of prayer. Prayer truly makes a difference. As James said, "The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much." (James 5:16).
We see it happen time and again in the scriptures. Abraham's servant prayed and Rebekah appeared. Hannah prayed and Samuel was born. Isaiah and Hezekiah prayed, and 185,000 Assyrians were slain. After three years of drought, Elijah prayed again and rain came. The church in Jerusalem prayed and Peter was released from prison. That's just a small sampling of answered prayer in the Bible.
We've seen it happen in our own lives as well. We do not receive everything we ask for (even the apostle Paul didn't), but we have seen God's answers time and again -- for sickness to be healed, for safety through difficult times, for the wisdom to make right decisions, for needs to be provided.
"Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us." (I John 5:14)
Praise be to God -- our Heavenly Father -- who is willing to hear us and cares enough about us to answer our prayers. Most of us have been more than willing over the years to carry our burdens to God and tell Him what we want. May I suggest that you take some time today to give God your thanks for the many times He has heard and answered.
Verses
Psalm 89:34
I will not violate my covenant or alter what my lips have uttered.
Proverbs 17:22
A merry heart does good, like medicine, but a broken spirit dries the bones.
John 3:17
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
John 15:7
If you stay with me, and my sayings stay in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be given you.
Romans 8:32
He who did not withhold or spare [even] His own Son but gave Him up for us all, will He not also with Him freely and graciously give us all [other] things?
Prayer
Father, we are thankful for Your great compassion and enduring patience; that You do not treat us as our sins deserve but with Your never-ending mercy. From everlasting to everlasting Your love is with those who walk with You, who keep Your covenant and obey Your precepts. Amen.
Monday, November 01, 2010
The evil eye.
Thought for the day
English professors love to catch the errors students make in their term papers, and they love nothing better than to catch mixed metaphors. The "friends and survivors" of Calvin College English department collected this list of mixed metaphors and posted them on their web site:
"He swept the rug under the carpet."
"She's burning the midnight oil at both ends."
"It was so cold last night I had to throw another blanket on the fire."
"It's time to step up to the plate and cut the mustard."
"She's robbing Peter to pay the piper."
"He's up a tree without a paddle."
"Beware my friend...you are skating on hot water."
"Keep your ear to the grindstone."
"Sometimes you've gotta stick your neck out on a limb."
"Some people sail through life on a bed of roses like a knife slicing through butter."
There are no mixed metaphors in the Bible...or are there? There are certainly many metaphors (we are the "salt of the earth" and the "light of the world", Jesus is the "good shepherd" and the "bread of life" -- the list could go on and on). But surely there are no mixed metaphors. There's one scripture, though, that I've often struggled with because the metaphor seemed out of place.
In Matthew 6:19-24, Jesus is talking about our attitude toward material things -- "treasures on earth", "mammon". Right in the middle of this passage, though, Jesus says,
"The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!" (Matthew 6:23-24)
Talking about a "good eye" and a bad eye" seems somewhat out of place in this discussion. But I learned something recently. I was doing some research on the word "envy" and checked the dictionary to see what the derivation of our English word is. Envy comes from two Latin words meaning "to look upon". Past usage included the phrase "to cast an evil eye upon".
An "evil eye" is one that looks with envy, A "good eye" is one that does not. Knowing that sheds new light on this passage. The metaphor (as always) is so very fitting, and serves as reminder to me that I need to learn the value of contentment in my own life.
Is your eye good?
Verses
2 Corinthians 5:7
So my guide is faith, not physical sight.
Exodus 15:26
saying, "If you will diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD your God, and do that which is right in his eyes, and give heed to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases upon you which I put upon the Egyptians; for I am the LORD, your healer."
Romans 12:2
Do not conform outwardly to the standards of this world, but let God transform you inwardly by a complete change of your mind. Then you will be able to know the will of God -- what is good, and is pleasing to him, and is perfect.
Colossians 4:2
Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving;
2 Corinthians 9:6
Consider this: He who sows sparingly will reap sparingly, and he who sows abundantly will reap abundantly.
Prayer
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from You. As recipients of Your tender compassions and tremendous comfort help us to be like cisterns pouring out the mercies we receive from You into the lives of those who desperately need it. In the name of Jesus we pray, Amen.
English professors love to catch the errors students make in their term papers, and they love nothing better than to catch mixed metaphors. The "friends and survivors" of Calvin College English department collected this list of mixed metaphors and posted them on their web site:
"He swept the rug under the carpet."
"She's burning the midnight oil at both ends."
"It was so cold last night I had to throw another blanket on the fire."
"It's time to step up to the plate and cut the mustard."
"She's robbing Peter to pay the piper."
"He's up a tree without a paddle."
"Beware my friend...you are skating on hot water."
"Keep your ear to the grindstone."
"Sometimes you've gotta stick your neck out on a limb."
"Some people sail through life on a bed of roses like a knife slicing through butter."
There are no mixed metaphors in the Bible...or are there? There are certainly many metaphors (we are the "salt of the earth" and the "light of the world", Jesus is the "good shepherd" and the "bread of life" -- the list could go on and on). But surely there are no mixed metaphors. There's one scripture, though, that I've often struggled with because the metaphor seemed out of place.
In Matthew 6:19-24, Jesus is talking about our attitude toward material things -- "treasures on earth", "mammon". Right in the middle of this passage, though, Jesus says,
"The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!" (Matthew 6:23-24)
Talking about a "good eye" and a bad eye" seems somewhat out of place in this discussion. But I learned something recently. I was doing some research on the word "envy" and checked the dictionary to see what the derivation of our English word is. Envy comes from two Latin words meaning "to look upon". Past usage included the phrase "to cast an evil eye upon".
An "evil eye" is one that looks with envy, A "good eye" is one that does not. Knowing that sheds new light on this passage. The metaphor (as always) is so very fitting, and serves as reminder to me that I need to learn the value of contentment in my own life.
Is your eye good?
Verses
2 Corinthians 5:7
So my guide is faith, not physical sight.
Exodus 15:26
saying, "If you will diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD your God, and do that which is right in his eyes, and give heed to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases upon you which I put upon the Egyptians; for I am the LORD, your healer."
Romans 12:2
Do not conform outwardly to the standards of this world, but let God transform you inwardly by a complete change of your mind. Then you will be able to know the will of God -- what is good, and is pleasing to him, and is perfect.
Colossians 4:2
Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving;
2 Corinthians 9:6
Consider this: He who sows sparingly will reap sparingly, and he who sows abundantly will reap abundantly.
Prayer
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from You. As recipients of Your tender compassions and tremendous comfort help us to be like cisterns pouring out the mercies we receive from You into the lives of those who desperately need it. In the name of Jesus we pray, Amen.
Friday, October 29, 2010
Suing God.
Thought for the day
Did you hear in the news about the prisoner in a Romanian jail who is suing God?
"God received different material valuables from me, as well as prayers in exchange for promises of a better life. In reality, this did not happen - I found myself in the devil's hands," the plaintiff said.
The convict is serving 20 years in the west Romanian city of Timisoara. He apparently blames God for the troubles in his life and wants God brought to account for failing to fulfill the commitments He undertook and for taking bribes.
The plaintiff said that when he had been baptized in childhood, he concluded a contract with God that had legal effect - God was supposed to protect him from evil.
The plaintiff said the Romanian Orthodox Church, which, according to him, directly represents God, should compensate him for the alleged God-inflicted damage.
I promise - I'm not making this up! Does it surprise you? It shouldn't. The truth, there are a lot of people who feel the same way.
And while they may not take the absurd step of filing a lawsuit against God, they do feel that God has let them down and hasn't fulfilled his part of the "bargain."
Often, when people become Christians, they expect that God will take away all their problems and life will be easy (and many of them expect that because that's what a preacher told them). I suspect that we've all had the thought at some point in our lives, "How could God let that happen to me after all that I've done to serve Him?"
But, living the Christian life does involve difficulties. In fact, it may even be more difficult than life before Christ! Financial problems don't magically disappear, there are still health concerns, people still let you down, and on top of everything else, there are people in this world who don't like Christ who will make your life miserable at times.
But there's no way to accuse God of breach of contract. Jesus was very clear about things up front - "In the world you will have tribulation." (John 16:33). The problems don't disappear, but we are promised God's presence and His strength. And what God gives us far more than outweighs what we have given Him. Let's just hope that God doesn't sue us for our breach of contract!
Verses
2 Corinthians 4:13
However, we have the same spirit of faith. And you know how it is written, 'I believed and therefore I had to speak'; so I believe and am under the same constraint to speak.
1 Peter 3:10
For "He who would love life and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips from speaking guile;
Ephesians 5:1
Do as God does. After all, you are his dear children.
Isaiah 41:17
"When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongues fail for thirst, I, the Lord, will hear them; I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them.
2 Corinthians 9:10
God, who gives seed to sow and bread to eat, will give you an abundant supply of seed, and he will make it grow into a plentiful harvest, which will be the result of your charity to others.
Prayer
Father, Your Word I have hidden in my heart that I might not sin against You; for it teaches me to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly before You. Even when it brings about hurtful circumstances help me to do the right thing in keeping with the Christ-filled nature I received upon the day of my salvation. May I not be found lacking in integrity but rather be characterized by my integrity as it honors my Father in heaven. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
Did you hear in the news about the prisoner in a Romanian jail who is suing God?
"God received different material valuables from me, as well as prayers in exchange for promises of a better life. In reality, this did not happen - I found myself in the devil's hands," the plaintiff said.
The convict is serving 20 years in the west Romanian city of Timisoara. He apparently blames God for the troubles in his life and wants God brought to account for failing to fulfill the commitments He undertook and for taking bribes.
The plaintiff said that when he had been baptized in childhood, he concluded a contract with God that had legal effect - God was supposed to protect him from evil.
The plaintiff said the Romanian Orthodox Church, which, according to him, directly represents God, should compensate him for the alleged God-inflicted damage.
I promise - I'm not making this up! Does it surprise you? It shouldn't. The truth, there are a lot of people who feel the same way.
And while they may not take the absurd step of filing a lawsuit against God, they do feel that God has let them down and hasn't fulfilled his part of the "bargain."
Often, when people become Christians, they expect that God will take away all their problems and life will be easy (and many of them expect that because that's what a preacher told them). I suspect that we've all had the thought at some point in our lives, "How could God let that happen to me after all that I've done to serve Him?"
But, living the Christian life does involve difficulties. In fact, it may even be more difficult than life before Christ! Financial problems don't magically disappear, there are still health concerns, people still let you down, and on top of everything else, there are people in this world who don't like Christ who will make your life miserable at times.
But there's no way to accuse God of breach of contract. Jesus was very clear about things up front - "In the world you will have tribulation." (John 16:33). The problems don't disappear, but we are promised God's presence and His strength. And what God gives us far more than outweighs what we have given Him. Let's just hope that God doesn't sue us for our breach of contract!
Verses
2 Corinthians 4:13
However, we have the same spirit of faith. And you know how it is written, 'I believed and therefore I had to speak'; so I believe and am under the same constraint to speak.
1 Peter 3:10
For "He who would love life and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips from speaking guile;
Ephesians 5:1
Do as God does. After all, you are his dear children.
Isaiah 41:17
"When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongues fail for thirst, I, the Lord, will hear them; I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them.
2 Corinthians 9:10
God, who gives seed to sow and bread to eat, will give you an abundant supply of seed, and he will make it grow into a plentiful harvest, which will be the result of your charity to others.
Prayer
Father, Your Word I have hidden in my heart that I might not sin against You; for it teaches me to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly before You. Even when it brings about hurtful circumstances help me to do the right thing in keeping with the Christ-filled nature I received upon the day of my salvation. May I not be found lacking in integrity but rather be characterized by my integrity as it honors my Father in heaven. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Expectations of Jesus
Thought for the day
After being with his blind date all evening, the man couldn't take another minute with her. Earlier, he had secretly arranged to have a friend call him to the phone so he would have an excuse to leave if something like this happened.
When he returned to the table, he lowered his eyes, put on a grim expression and said, "I have some bad news. My grandfather just died."
"Thank goodness," his date replied. "If yours hadn't, mine would have had to!"
I am so glad that I don't have to deal with the "dating scene" -- worrying about making a good first impression so that I can meet her expectations and trying to deal with the awkwardness of the situation if she's doesn't meet my expectations. That's especially the problem with "blind dates", something I managed to avoid altogether in my dating years. You get an image in your mind of what your date is going to be like (or what you hope she's going to be like), and it often doesn't take much to shatter that misconception. Granted, your date could possibly turn out to be better than you expected, but it seldom seems to work out that way.
That was a problem that Jesus faced when he came to this earth. He should have been greeted with open arms -- after all, he was the long-awaited Messiah. The problem is that the Jews had expectations of what the Messiah would be like. For most of the Jews, that preconception involved an earthly king who would boot the Romans out of the land and assume control. In fact, they were quite prepared to make Jesus that king (John 6:15).
Even without that misconception, though, none of the Jews could imagine a Messiah hanging on a cross. So the cross became a "stumbling block" to the Jews and "foolishness" to the Greeks (I Cor. 1:23). Jesus didn't meet their expectations and they hurried to find a way to end the relationship.
Philip Yancey deals with this topic in his book "The Jesus I Never Knew". He speaks of his own misconceptions of Jesus at an early age: "I recalled the Sunday school image of Jesus that I grew up with: someone kind and reassuring, with no sharp edges at all -- a Mister Rogers before the age of children's television." Certainly Jesus was kind and reassuring, but he was so much more than that -- he was a man who was strong (physically and emotionally) and passionate.
What's important is that we allow the Gospels to define who Jesus was, and not expect him to measure up to our preconceived ideas. I challenge you to read the Gospels in a fresh light. Remove all expectations and allow the Word of God to define and shape who Jesus was. I guarantee the Messiah will turn out to be better than you expected!
"And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." (John 1:14)
Verses
Mark 11:23
Amen I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Arise, and hurl thyself into the sea,' and does not waver in his heart, but believes that whatever he says will be done, it shall be done for him.
Matthew 10:8
"Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.
Isaiah 53:5
But he was wounded for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the punishment that made us whole, and by his bruises we are healed.
Jeremiah 33:3
"Call to me and I will answer you; I will tell you great secrets of which you know nothing.
Romans 10:12
Indeed there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same universal Lord is abounding in resources [accessible] to all who call upon him.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, though we cannot see You in the heavenly kingdom, You do see us as we walk the pilgrim pathway. You guide us through this earthly maze of sudden turns, strange territory, and even the disappointing dead ends. Though we may be jostled from time to time in the midst of finding our way we are assured that You watch over us; our going in and our coming out. You know our heart’s cry and You strengthen us as we choose to walk the path of righteousness. Our hearts are fully committed to You and we look to You, our Father, for all our spiritual, physical, emotional and financial needs. Your continuous spiritual presence brings sweet fellowship to our soul. Amen.
After being with his blind date all evening, the man couldn't take another minute with her. Earlier, he had secretly arranged to have a friend call him to the phone so he would have an excuse to leave if something like this happened.
When he returned to the table, he lowered his eyes, put on a grim expression and said, "I have some bad news. My grandfather just died."
"Thank goodness," his date replied. "If yours hadn't, mine would have had to!"
I am so glad that I don't have to deal with the "dating scene" -- worrying about making a good first impression so that I can meet her expectations and trying to deal with the awkwardness of the situation if she's doesn't meet my expectations. That's especially the problem with "blind dates", something I managed to avoid altogether in my dating years. You get an image in your mind of what your date is going to be like (or what you hope she's going to be like), and it often doesn't take much to shatter that misconception. Granted, your date could possibly turn out to be better than you expected, but it seldom seems to work out that way.
That was a problem that Jesus faced when he came to this earth. He should have been greeted with open arms -- after all, he was the long-awaited Messiah. The problem is that the Jews had expectations of what the Messiah would be like. For most of the Jews, that preconception involved an earthly king who would boot the Romans out of the land and assume control. In fact, they were quite prepared to make Jesus that king (John 6:15).
Even without that misconception, though, none of the Jews could imagine a Messiah hanging on a cross. So the cross became a "stumbling block" to the Jews and "foolishness" to the Greeks (I Cor. 1:23). Jesus didn't meet their expectations and they hurried to find a way to end the relationship.
Philip Yancey deals with this topic in his book "The Jesus I Never Knew". He speaks of his own misconceptions of Jesus at an early age: "I recalled the Sunday school image of Jesus that I grew up with: someone kind and reassuring, with no sharp edges at all -- a Mister Rogers before the age of children's television." Certainly Jesus was kind and reassuring, but he was so much more than that -- he was a man who was strong (physically and emotionally) and passionate.
What's important is that we allow the Gospels to define who Jesus was, and not expect him to measure up to our preconceived ideas. I challenge you to read the Gospels in a fresh light. Remove all expectations and allow the Word of God to define and shape who Jesus was. I guarantee the Messiah will turn out to be better than you expected!
"And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." (John 1:14)
Verses
Mark 11:23
Amen I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Arise, and hurl thyself into the sea,' and does not waver in his heart, but believes that whatever he says will be done, it shall be done for him.
Matthew 10:8
"Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.
Isaiah 53:5
But he was wounded for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the punishment that made us whole, and by his bruises we are healed.
Jeremiah 33:3
"Call to me and I will answer you; I will tell you great secrets of which you know nothing.
Romans 10:12
Indeed there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same universal Lord is abounding in resources [accessible] to all who call upon him.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, though we cannot see You in the heavenly kingdom, You do see us as we walk the pilgrim pathway. You guide us through this earthly maze of sudden turns, strange territory, and even the disappointing dead ends. Though we may be jostled from time to time in the midst of finding our way we are assured that You watch over us; our going in and our coming out. You know our heart’s cry and You strengthen us as we choose to walk the path of righteousness. Our hearts are fully committed to You and we look to You, our Father, for all our spiritual, physical, emotional and financial needs. Your continuous spiritual presence brings sweet fellowship to our soul. Amen.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Based on an idea of mine.
Thought for the day
Townsend, the developer of the laser, was once asked if he didn't have a tremendous sense of achievement in all he had accomplished with his invention, such as methods for precision measurements, laser disc, and weapons technology.
He remarked, "Not really." He said that he could easily identify with the beaver and relayed the following story:
A beaver and a chipmunk happened upon the Hoover Dam while out strolling one day. They were caught off-guard, completely overwhelmed with amazement and awe at the size and magnificence of this structure.
Once the beaver recovered, he remarked, "Well, actually, I didn't build it myself, but it's based upon an idea of mine."
Like much of scientific advancement, I see spiritual growth as a building process. I took the spiritual training my parents gave me and have built upon it, and I expect my children to take the training that I give them and build upon that. I fully expect them to accomplish some great things in their lives, things that I may not have built myself, but which are based on spiritual principles which I have shared with them.
Paul was referring to this process when he said of Timothy, "I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also." (I Timothy 1:5). I wonder if Lois and Eunice ever even imagined all that that little boy Timothy would accomplish in his lifetime?
You may not feel like you're accomplishing much, but if you are instilling in your children (or others) a faith in God, who knows what they may accomplish in the years ahead!
Verses
1 Peter 5:7
casting all your anxiety onto Him, because it matters to Him concerning you.
Matthew 8:17
that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: "He Himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses."
John 13:34
"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.
Colossians 4:3
meanwhile praying also for us, that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in chains,
Proverbs 28:27
He who gives to the poor will not lack, but he who hides his eyes will have many curses.
Prayer
Father, there are those living among us who are “white-washed Christians.” Outwardly they appear to be believers by their conversation and Christian-like lifestyle. They look like gentle sheep but they are really dangerous like wolves dressed in sheep’s clothing. These deceivers will be exposed at Your appointed hour since nothing is hidden from You. But we also joyfully consider born-again believers whose hearts are genuinely devoted to You. Their spirit is obedient to You even when tested by fire. They live the noble life of a modern day disciple and show us the way through the narrow gate. The vast majority reject this road, but we know that is it the divine road that leads to internal peace and eternal life. May we, as true believers, extend our hands to others and walk them through this narrow gate that leads to life everlasting.
Townsend, the developer of the laser, was once asked if he didn't have a tremendous sense of achievement in all he had accomplished with his invention, such as methods for precision measurements, laser disc, and weapons technology.
He remarked, "Not really." He said that he could easily identify with the beaver and relayed the following story:
A beaver and a chipmunk happened upon the Hoover Dam while out strolling one day. They were caught off-guard, completely overwhelmed with amazement and awe at the size and magnificence of this structure.
Once the beaver recovered, he remarked, "Well, actually, I didn't build it myself, but it's based upon an idea of mine."
Like much of scientific advancement, I see spiritual growth as a building process. I took the spiritual training my parents gave me and have built upon it, and I expect my children to take the training that I give them and build upon that. I fully expect them to accomplish some great things in their lives, things that I may not have built myself, but which are based on spiritual principles which I have shared with them.
Paul was referring to this process when he said of Timothy, "I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also." (I Timothy 1:5). I wonder if Lois and Eunice ever even imagined all that that little boy Timothy would accomplish in his lifetime?
You may not feel like you're accomplishing much, but if you are instilling in your children (or others) a faith in God, who knows what they may accomplish in the years ahead!
Verses
1 Peter 5:7
casting all your anxiety onto Him, because it matters to Him concerning you.
Matthew 8:17
that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: "He Himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses."
John 13:34
"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.
Colossians 4:3
meanwhile praying also for us, that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in chains,
Proverbs 28:27
He who gives to the poor will not lack, but he who hides his eyes will have many curses.
Prayer
Father, there are those living among us who are “white-washed Christians.” Outwardly they appear to be believers by their conversation and Christian-like lifestyle. They look like gentle sheep but they are really dangerous like wolves dressed in sheep’s clothing. These deceivers will be exposed at Your appointed hour since nothing is hidden from You. But we also joyfully consider born-again believers whose hearts are genuinely devoted to You. Their spirit is obedient to You even when tested by fire. They live the noble life of a modern day disciple and show us the way through the narrow gate. The vast majority reject this road, but we know that is it the divine road that leads to internal peace and eternal life. May we, as true believers, extend our hands to others and walk them through this narrow gate that leads to life everlasting.
Monday, October 25, 2010
Complain or fish?
Thought for the day
A game warden noticed how a particular fellow named Sam consistently caught more fish than anyone else, whereas the other guys would only catch three or four a day. Sam would come in off the lake with a boat full.
Stringer after stringer was always packed with freshly caught trout. The warden, curious, asked Sam his secret. The successful fisherman invited the game warden to accompany him and observe. So the next morning the two met at the dock and took off in Sam's boat. When they got to the middle of the lake, Sam stopped the boat, and the warden sat back to see how it was done.
Sam's approach was simple. He took out a stick of dynamite, lit it, and threw it in the air. The explosion rocked the lake with such a force that dead fish immediately began to surface. Sam took out a net and started scooping them up.
Well, you can imagine the reaction of the game warden. When he recovered from the shock of it all, he began yelling at Sam. "You can't do this! I'll put you in jail, buddy! You will be paying every fine there is in the book!"
Sam, meanwhile, set his net down and took out another stick of dynamite. He lit it and tossed it in the lap of the game warden with these words, "Are you going to sit there all day complaining, or are you going to fish?"
Seems to me we have two similar options as Christians -- we can spend our time complaining or we can "fish." Jesus, of course, used the concept of fishing to describe the work of evangelism ("Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men." -- Matthew 4:19). The method we use does not involve dynamite, but it does involve the word from which dynamite comes to us -- "dunamis," the Greek word for "power."
"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek." (Romans 1:16)
I've known some folks in the church who use the "dunamis" of the gospel to fish for souls, and I've known other folks content to do nothing but sit back and complain about what everybody else is or isn't doing. It's your choice -- Are you going to complain or are you going to fish?
Verses
Mark 5:36
But Jesus heard what the men were saying, and so He said to Jairus, "You mustn't be afraid. The one thing you must do is keep on believing!"
Deuteronomy 7:14
"You shall be blessed above all peoples; there shall not be a male or female barren among you or among your livestock.
2 Corinthians 3:6
He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant--not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
Colossians 4:2
Keep an open line of communication to God with a grateful attitude and be responsive to what he says.
Proverbs 28:27
He who gives to the poor will not lack, but he who hides his eyes will have many curses.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, though we cannot see You in the heavenly kingdom, You do see us as we walk the pilgrim pathway. You guide us through this earthly maze of sudden turns, strange territory, and even the disappointing dead ends. Though we may be jostled from time to time in the midst of finding our way we are assured that You watch over us; our going in and our coming out. You know our heart’s cry and You strengthen us as we choose to walk the path of righteousness. Our hearts are fully committed to You and we look to You, our Father, for all our spiritual, physical, emotional and financial needs. Your continuous spiritual presence brings sweet fellowship to our soul. Amen.
A game warden noticed how a particular fellow named Sam consistently caught more fish than anyone else, whereas the other guys would only catch three or four a day. Sam would come in off the lake with a boat full.
Stringer after stringer was always packed with freshly caught trout. The warden, curious, asked Sam his secret. The successful fisherman invited the game warden to accompany him and observe. So the next morning the two met at the dock and took off in Sam's boat. When they got to the middle of the lake, Sam stopped the boat, and the warden sat back to see how it was done.
Sam's approach was simple. He took out a stick of dynamite, lit it, and threw it in the air. The explosion rocked the lake with such a force that dead fish immediately began to surface. Sam took out a net and started scooping them up.
Well, you can imagine the reaction of the game warden. When he recovered from the shock of it all, he began yelling at Sam. "You can't do this! I'll put you in jail, buddy! You will be paying every fine there is in the book!"
Sam, meanwhile, set his net down and took out another stick of dynamite. He lit it and tossed it in the lap of the game warden with these words, "Are you going to sit there all day complaining, or are you going to fish?"
Seems to me we have two similar options as Christians -- we can spend our time complaining or we can "fish." Jesus, of course, used the concept of fishing to describe the work of evangelism ("Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men." -- Matthew 4:19). The method we use does not involve dynamite, but it does involve the word from which dynamite comes to us -- "dunamis," the Greek word for "power."
"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek." (Romans 1:16)
I've known some folks in the church who use the "dunamis" of the gospel to fish for souls, and I've known other folks content to do nothing but sit back and complain about what everybody else is or isn't doing. It's your choice -- Are you going to complain or are you going to fish?
Verses
Mark 5:36
But Jesus heard what the men were saying, and so He said to Jairus, "You mustn't be afraid. The one thing you must do is keep on believing!"
Deuteronomy 7:14
"You shall be blessed above all peoples; there shall not be a male or female barren among you or among your livestock.
2 Corinthians 3:6
He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant--not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
Colossians 4:2
Keep an open line of communication to God with a grateful attitude and be responsive to what he says.
Proverbs 28:27
He who gives to the poor will not lack, but he who hides his eyes will have many curses.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, though we cannot see You in the heavenly kingdom, You do see us as we walk the pilgrim pathway. You guide us through this earthly maze of sudden turns, strange territory, and even the disappointing dead ends. Though we may be jostled from time to time in the midst of finding our way we are assured that You watch over us; our going in and our coming out. You know our heart’s cry and You strengthen us as we choose to walk the path of righteousness. Our hearts are fully committed to You and we look to You, our Father, for all our spiritual, physical, emotional and financial needs. Your continuous spiritual presence brings sweet fellowship to our soul. Amen.
Friday, October 22, 2010
Success at all cost.
The story is told of a man named Yussif, the Terrible Turk. Yussif was a 350-pound wrestling champion in Europe a couple of generations ago. After he won the European championship, he sailed to America to wrestle our champ, whose name was Strangler Lewis -- a little guy by comparison who weighed just a shade over 200 pounds.
Although he wasn't very big, Strangler had a simple plan for defeating his opponents and it had never failed to work. He put his massive arm around the neck of his opponent and cut off the oxygen. Many an opponent had passed out in the ring with Strangler Lewis.
The problem when he fought Yussif the Turk was that Yussif didn't have a neck. His body went from his head to his massive shoulders. Lewis could never get his hold and it wasn't long that the Turk flipped Lewis to the mat and pinned him. After winning the championship, the Turk demanded all five thousand dollars in gold. After he wrapped the championship belt around his vast waist, he stuffed the gold into the belt and boarded the next ship back to Europe. He was a success! He had captured America's glory and her gold!
He set sail on the SS Bourgogne. Halfway across the Atlantic, a storm struck and the ship began to sink. Yussif went over the side with his gold still strapped around his body. The added weight was too much for the Turk and he sank like an anvil before they could get him into a lifeboat. He was never seen again.
Maybe you think, "What a fool! He should have had a lot more sense than that!" But, the truth of the matter is, we all tend to grasp the things of this world and hold onto them even while we're sinking.
Solomon made this observation: "Then I returned and saw vanity under the sun: There is one alone, without companion: He has neither son nor brother. Yet there is no end to all his labors, nor is his eye satisfied with riches. But he never asks, 'For whom do I toil and deprive myself of good?' This also is vanity and a grave misfortune." (Ecclesiastes 4:8)
Solomon describes a man, like so many today, who doesn't know how to quit. He can't slow down. He's driven to succeed, to achieve, to accumulate. He works harder and harder to become that successful person he so wants to be. And never once does he pause long enough to ask the question, "Who am I doing this for? Why do I feel compelled to run faster and faster in the rat race?"
Success promises a view from the top. But, without God in the picture, success will drag you down just as it did for Yussif, the Terrible Turk.
"Better is a handful of quietness than both hands full, together with toil and grasping for the wind." (Ecclesiastes 4:6)
Verses
Matthew 17:20
And He says to them, Because of the littleness of your faith. For, assuredly I am saying to you, If you are having faith as a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, Remove hence to that place, and it shall remove. And not even one thing will be impossible to you.
1 Peter 2:24
Christ carried the burden of our sins. He was nailed to the cross, so that we would stop sinning and start living right. By his cuts and bruises you are healed.
Matthew 5:44
"But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,
1 Thessalonians 5:17
Never omit your prayers;
Deuteronomy 8:18
Instead, remember the LORD your God, for it is He who gives you the power to gain wealth, that He might fulfil at this time the covenant, which He made with your fathers.
Prayer
Father, there are those living among us who are “white-washed Christians.” Outwardly they appear to be believers by their conversation and Christian-like lifestyle. They look like gentle sheep but they are really dangerous like wolves dressed in sheep’s clothing. These deceivers will be exposed at Your appointed hour since nothing is hidden from You. But we also joyfully consider born-again believers whose hearts are genuinely devoted to You. Their spirit is obedient to You even when tested by fire. They live the noble life of a modern day disciple and show us the way through the narrow gate. The vast majority reject this road, but we know that is it the divine road that leads to internal peace and eternal life. May we, as true believers, extend our hands to others and walk them through this narrow gate that leads to life everlasting.
Although he wasn't very big, Strangler had a simple plan for defeating his opponents and it had never failed to work. He put his massive arm around the neck of his opponent and cut off the oxygen. Many an opponent had passed out in the ring with Strangler Lewis.
The problem when he fought Yussif the Turk was that Yussif didn't have a neck. His body went from his head to his massive shoulders. Lewis could never get his hold and it wasn't long that the Turk flipped Lewis to the mat and pinned him. After winning the championship, the Turk demanded all five thousand dollars in gold. After he wrapped the championship belt around his vast waist, he stuffed the gold into the belt and boarded the next ship back to Europe. He was a success! He had captured America's glory and her gold!
He set sail on the SS Bourgogne. Halfway across the Atlantic, a storm struck and the ship began to sink. Yussif went over the side with his gold still strapped around his body. The added weight was too much for the Turk and he sank like an anvil before they could get him into a lifeboat. He was never seen again.
Maybe you think, "What a fool! He should have had a lot more sense than that!" But, the truth of the matter is, we all tend to grasp the things of this world and hold onto them even while we're sinking.
Solomon made this observation: "Then I returned and saw vanity under the sun: There is one alone, without companion: He has neither son nor brother. Yet there is no end to all his labors, nor is his eye satisfied with riches. But he never asks, 'For whom do I toil and deprive myself of good?' This also is vanity and a grave misfortune." (Ecclesiastes 4:8)
Solomon describes a man, like so many today, who doesn't know how to quit. He can't slow down. He's driven to succeed, to achieve, to accumulate. He works harder and harder to become that successful person he so wants to be. And never once does he pause long enough to ask the question, "Who am I doing this for? Why do I feel compelled to run faster and faster in the rat race?"
Success promises a view from the top. But, without God in the picture, success will drag you down just as it did for Yussif, the Terrible Turk.
"Better is a handful of quietness than both hands full, together with toil and grasping for the wind." (Ecclesiastes 4:6)
Verses
Matthew 17:20
And He says to them, Because of the littleness of your faith. For, assuredly I am saying to you, If you are having faith as a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, Remove hence to that place, and it shall remove. And not even one thing will be impossible to you.
1 Peter 2:24
Christ carried the burden of our sins. He was nailed to the cross, so that we would stop sinning and start living right. By his cuts and bruises you are healed.
Matthew 5:44
"But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,
1 Thessalonians 5:17
Never omit your prayers;
Deuteronomy 8:18
Instead, remember the LORD your God, for it is He who gives you the power to gain wealth, that He might fulfil at this time the covenant, which He made with your fathers.
Prayer
Father, there are those living among us who are “white-washed Christians.” Outwardly they appear to be believers by their conversation and Christian-like lifestyle. They look like gentle sheep but they are really dangerous like wolves dressed in sheep’s clothing. These deceivers will be exposed at Your appointed hour since nothing is hidden from You. But we also joyfully consider born-again believers whose hearts are genuinely devoted to You. Their spirit is obedient to You even when tested by fire. They live the noble life of a modern day disciple and show us the way through the narrow gate. The vast majority reject this road, but we know that is it the divine road that leads to internal peace and eternal life. May we, as true believers, extend our hands to others and walk them through this narrow gate that leads to life everlasting.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
In the presence of God.
Thought for the day
I remember hearing about a congregation who had invited a famous preacher to preach for them one Sunday. As it turned out, however, he couldn't go and he sent his brother to speak in his place. As word got around the congregation, several people started to leave. The fill-in preacher then stood up and made this announcement: "Those of you who came to hear my brother speak may leave at this time; those of you who came to worship God may stay on."
There is another story that is told of a tourist in Washington, D.C., who telephoned the minister of a church where the president often attended. The tourist wanted to know if the president was expected to worship there that Sunday. The minister said, "That I don't know for certain, but I can tell you that we are expecting God to be here, and we hope his presence will attract a sizeable crowd."
Can you deny that you would be impressed, even a bit awed, by the presence of the president of the United States in your congregation? Sometimes we forget that as we gather, we are in the presence of Almighty God. We are privileged to have an audience with the King of all creation. We can enter his palace, kneel at his throne, speak our humble praise and receive his divine blessing.
You see, it's always tempting for us to judge the quality of worship by the beauty of the setting or the impressiveness of what we see and hear. At Mt. Sinai, the Israelites approached God in a scene that was tangible and terrifying to the senses. They could see the glory of God. They could hear the power of God.
But our worship is different. "For you have not come to the mountain that may be touched and that burned with fire, and to blackness and darkness and tempest, and the sound of a trumpet...." (Heb. 12:18-19a)
Our worship may not always look impressive, but we need to be careful that we never forget that we are still in the presence of God. "You have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God...." (Heb. 12:22a).
What that means is that Christians are on "holy ground" in the weekly worship assembly. The bricks and mortar, pulpit and pews are not sacred. But wherever God the Father and Jesus Christ the Son are present, we need to respond to that presence by figuratively taking off our shoes in reverent, worshipful praise.
Verses
Mark 5:36
Jesus heard the word said, and told the ruler of the synagogue, No need to fear; thou hast only to believe.
Matthew 8:17
This was to fulfil what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah, "He took our infirmities and bore our diseases."
Ephesians 5:1
Do as God would do. Much-loved children want to do as their fathers do.
3 John 2
My dear friend, I know your soul is doing well.
I pray that you are doing fine in every way and that your health is good.
Matthew 21:22
in fact, when you put your faith into action, you get anything you pray for."
Prayer
Father, we choose to follow You all the days of our life. We find great assurance as we’re reminded that we will not be engulfed by the surrounding evil but instead Your light will guide us to eternal blessing. Help us to walk by faith and not by sight holding onto Your promises as we continue to build a solid foundation through Your Holy Word. It is in the Name of Jesus that we pray to You today. Amen.
I remember hearing about a congregation who had invited a famous preacher to preach for them one Sunday. As it turned out, however, he couldn't go and he sent his brother to speak in his place. As word got around the congregation, several people started to leave. The fill-in preacher then stood up and made this announcement: "Those of you who came to hear my brother speak may leave at this time; those of you who came to worship God may stay on."
There is another story that is told of a tourist in Washington, D.C., who telephoned the minister of a church where the president often attended. The tourist wanted to know if the president was expected to worship there that Sunday. The minister said, "That I don't know for certain, but I can tell you that we are expecting God to be here, and we hope his presence will attract a sizeable crowd."
Can you deny that you would be impressed, even a bit awed, by the presence of the president of the United States in your congregation? Sometimes we forget that as we gather, we are in the presence of Almighty God. We are privileged to have an audience with the King of all creation. We can enter his palace, kneel at his throne, speak our humble praise and receive his divine blessing.
You see, it's always tempting for us to judge the quality of worship by the beauty of the setting or the impressiveness of what we see and hear. At Mt. Sinai, the Israelites approached God in a scene that was tangible and terrifying to the senses. They could see the glory of God. They could hear the power of God.
But our worship is different. "For you have not come to the mountain that may be touched and that burned with fire, and to blackness and darkness and tempest, and the sound of a trumpet...." (Heb. 12:18-19a)
Our worship may not always look impressive, but we need to be careful that we never forget that we are still in the presence of God. "You have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God...." (Heb. 12:22a).
What that means is that Christians are on "holy ground" in the weekly worship assembly. The bricks and mortar, pulpit and pews are not sacred. But wherever God the Father and Jesus Christ the Son are present, we need to respond to that presence by figuratively taking off our shoes in reverent, worshipful praise.
Verses
Mark 5:36
Jesus heard the word said, and told the ruler of the synagogue, No need to fear; thou hast only to believe.
Matthew 8:17
This was to fulfil what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah, "He took our infirmities and bore our diseases."
Ephesians 5:1
Do as God would do. Much-loved children want to do as their fathers do.
3 John 2
My dear friend, I know your soul is doing well.
I pray that you are doing fine in every way and that your health is good.
Matthew 21:22
in fact, when you put your faith into action, you get anything you pray for."
Prayer
Father, we choose to follow You all the days of our life. We find great assurance as we’re reminded that we will not be engulfed by the surrounding evil but instead Your light will guide us to eternal blessing. Help us to walk by faith and not by sight holding onto Your promises as we continue to build a solid foundation through Your Holy Word. It is in the Name of Jesus that we pray to You today. Amen.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
How lazy can you get?
The story is told of a man who told his doctor that he wasn't able to do all the things around the house that he used to do. When the examination was complete, he said, "Now, Doc, I can take it. Tell me in plain English what is wrong with me."
"Well, in plain English," the doctor replied, "you're just lazy."
"Okay," said the man. "Now give me the medical term so I can tell my wife."
Speaking of laziness, I am reminded of some of the humorous images painted by Solomon in the book of Proverbs:
"The lazy man says, 'There is a lion in the road! A fierce lion is in the streets!' As a door turns on its hinges, so does the lazy man on his bed. The lazy man buries his hand in the bowl; It wearies him to bring it back to his mouth." (Proverbs 26:13-15)
Imagine a man so lazy that he can't even lift his fork to his mouth to eat. Now that's lazy! But, while Solomon uses humor, he is trying to make a serious point. Laziness is a terrible sin.
Oh, I know, I know, if you were to make a list of the ten worst sins, you probably wouldn't include laziness. But think about it for a moment. Think about something good that you intended to do recently -- make a visit, send a card, invite someone over for dinner. Now think about why you didn't get it done. Is there a chance you said, "I just didn't get around to it"? That may be the "medical term", but you know what it is in "plain English."
Take a little extra effort (yes, it will take effort!) to do something good today that you know needs to be done. No excuses, no laziness, just do it.
Verses
1 John 5:4
because everyone who has been Begotten from God is victorious over the world; and the power that ensures victory over the world is this -- even our faith.
1 Peter 2:24
He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.
Hebrews 13:6
So we can say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can anyone do to me?"
Isaiah 56:7
even them I will bring to My holy mountain, and make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on My altar; for My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations."
Psalm 23:1
Because the LORD is my Shepherd, I have everything I need!
Prayer
Father, we are thankful for Your great compassion and enduring patience; that You do not treat us as our sins deserve but with Your never-ending mercy. From everlasting to everlasting Your love is with those who walk with You, who keep Your covenant and obey Your precepts. Amen.
"Well, in plain English," the doctor replied, "you're just lazy."
"Okay," said the man. "Now give me the medical term so I can tell my wife."
Speaking of laziness, I am reminded of some of the humorous images painted by Solomon in the book of Proverbs:
"The lazy man says, 'There is a lion in the road! A fierce lion is in the streets!' As a door turns on its hinges, so does the lazy man on his bed. The lazy man buries his hand in the bowl; It wearies him to bring it back to his mouth." (Proverbs 26:13-15)
Imagine a man so lazy that he can't even lift his fork to his mouth to eat. Now that's lazy! But, while Solomon uses humor, he is trying to make a serious point. Laziness is a terrible sin.
Oh, I know, I know, if you were to make a list of the ten worst sins, you probably wouldn't include laziness. But think about it for a moment. Think about something good that you intended to do recently -- make a visit, send a card, invite someone over for dinner. Now think about why you didn't get it done. Is there a chance you said, "I just didn't get around to it"? That may be the "medical term", but you know what it is in "plain English."
Take a little extra effort (yes, it will take effort!) to do something good today that you know needs to be done. No excuses, no laziness, just do it.
Verses
1 John 5:4
because everyone who has been Begotten from God is victorious over the world; and the power that ensures victory over the world is this -- even our faith.
1 Peter 2:24
He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.
Hebrews 13:6
So we can say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can anyone do to me?"
Isaiah 56:7
even them I will bring to My holy mountain, and make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on My altar; for My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations."
Psalm 23:1
Because the LORD is my Shepherd, I have everything I need!
Prayer
Father, we are thankful for Your great compassion and enduring patience; that You do not treat us as our sins deserve but with Your never-ending mercy. From everlasting to everlasting Your love is with those who walk with You, who keep Your covenant and obey Your precepts. Amen.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Why Eve was created.
Thought for the day
TOP TEN REASONS GOD CREATED EVE (written by Eve of course)
10. God worried that Adam would always be lost in the garden because men hate to ask for directions.
9. God knew that Adam would one day need someone to hand him the TV remote. (Men don't want to see what's ON television, they want to see WHAT ELSE is on!)
8. God knew that Adam would never buy a new fig leaf when his seat wore out and would therefore need Eve to get one for him.
7. God knew that Adam would never make a doctor's appointment for himself.
6. God knew that Adam would never remember which day was garbage day.
5. God knew that if the world was to be populated, men would never be able to handle childbearing.
4. As "Keeper of the Garden," Adam would never remember where he put his tools.
3. The scripture account of creation indicates Adam needed someone to blame his troubles on when God caught him hiding in the garden.
2. As the Bible says, "It is not good for man to be alone!"
1. When God finished the creation of Adam, He stepped back, scratched His head and said, "I can do better than that."
It's interesting that the only time that God said, "It is not good" during His creation was when man was alone. I thank God for his wisdom in creating such a perfect complement to man (despite everything they do to irritate us! :-)
"Then the rib which the LORD God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man. And Adam said: 'This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.' Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh." (Genesis 2:22-24)
If you're married, I encourage you to take a moment today to remind your wife (or husband) how much she/he means to you. They never get tired of hearing it!
Verses
Luke 1:37
God will see to it that every word of this will actually happen."
James 5:16
Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.
2 Corinthians 6:18
"I will be a Father to you, And you shall be My sons and daughters, Says the Lord Almighty."
1 Thessalonians 5:17
pray constantly,
2 Corinthians 8:9
For you know how generous our Lord Jesus Christ has been: he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that through his poverty you might become rich.
Prayer
Omnipotent Father, Your immeasurable love and unending forgiveness are characteristics that only a God like You can dispense. The gifts of the Spirit that we seek to implement in our lives such as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control are like prisms diffusing the brilliant light of Your holiness that shines forth through Your Holy Spirit in our lives. As recipients of Your unending goodness may we be dispensers of Your multiple blessings to those You bring into our lives. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
TOP TEN REASONS GOD CREATED EVE (written by Eve of course)
10. God worried that Adam would always be lost in the garden because men hate to ask for directions.
9. God knew that Adam would one day need someone to hand him the TV remote. (Men don't want to see what's ON television, they want to see WHAT ELSE is on!)
8. God knew that Adam would never buy a new fig leaf when his seat wore out and would therefore need Eve to get one for him.
7. God knew that Adam would never make a doctor's appointment for himself.
6. God knew that Adam would never remember which day was garbage day.
5. God knew that if the world was to be populated, men would never be able to handle childbearing.
4. As "Keeper of the Garden," Adam would never remember where he put his tools.
3. The scripture account of creation indicates Adam needed someone to blame his troubles on when God caught him hiding in the garden.
2. As the Bible says, "It is not good for man to be alone!"
1. When God finished the creation of Adam, He stepped back, scratched His head and said, "I can do better than that."
It's interesting that the only time that God said, "It is not good" during His creation was when man was alone. I thank God for his wisdom in creating such a perfect complement to man (despite everything they do to irritate us! :-)
"Then the rib which the LORD God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man. And Adam said: 'This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.' Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh." (Genesis 2:22-24)
If you're married, I encourage you to take a moment today to remind your wife (or husband) how much she/he means to you. They never get tired of hearing it!
Verses
Luke 1:37
God will see to it that every word of this will actually happen."
James 5:16
Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.
2 Corinthians 6:18
"I will be a Father to you, And you shall be My sons and daughters, Says the Lord Almighty."
1 Thessalonians 5:17
pray constantly,
2 Corinthians 8:9
For you know how generous our Lord Jesus Christ has been: he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that through his poverty you might become rich.
Prayer
Omnipotent Father, Your immeasurable love and unending forgiveness are characteristics that only a God like You can dispense. The gifts of the Spirit that we seek to implement in our lives such as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control are like prisms diffusing the brilliant light of Your holiness that shines forth through Your Holy Spirit in our lives. As recipients of Your unending goodness may we be dispensers of Your multiple blessings to those You bring into our lives. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
Monday, October 18, 2010
Power supply needed?
Thought for the day
After experiencing difficulties with his computer, a poor, incognizant user called the system maker's technical support line for
assistance:
Technician: Hello. How can I help you today?
Customer: There's smoke coming from the power supply on my computer...
Tech: Looks like you need a new power supply...
Cust: No, I don't! I just need to change the startup files...
Tech: Sir, what you described is a faulty power supply. You need to replace it....
Cust: No way! Someone told me that I just had to change the system startup files to fix the problem! All I need is for you to tell me the right command...
For the next ten minutes, in spite of the technician's efforts to explain the problem and its solution, the customer adamantly insisted he was right. So, in frustration, the technician responded...
Tech: I'm sorry. We don't normally tell our customers this, but there's an undocumented DOS command that will fix the problem...
Cust: I knew it!
Tech: Just add the line "LOAD NOSMOKE.COM at the end of the CONFIG.SYS file and everything should work fine. Let me know how it goes...
About ten minutes later, the technician received a call back from the customer...
Cust: It didn't work. The power supply is still smoking...
Tech: Well, what version of DOS are you using?
Cust: MS-DOS 6.22...
Tech: Well, that's your problem. That version of DOS doesn't include NOSMOKE. You'll need to contact Microsoft and ask them for a patch. Let me know how it all works out...
When nearly an hour had passed, the phone rang again...
Cust: I need a new power supply...
Tech: How did you come to that conclusion?
Cust: Well, I called Microsoft and told the technician what you had said, and he started asking me questions about the make of the power supply...
Tech: What did he tell you?
Cust: He said my power supply isn't compatible with NOSMOKE...
As humorous as that story may be, the same thing can happen on a spiritual level, and it's not humorous at all. Someone's life "goes up in smoke." Their reaction is to try to find a "patch" to get them through, when what they really need is a new "power supply". Unless we access the power found only in God, we are doomed to a life of frustration. And it is only when we realize the "incompatibility" between our attempts to patch things up and God's power that we are able to finally bring ourselves back to God in submission.
"Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers....that you may know....what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places." (Eph. 1:15-20)
Seen any smoke in your life lately? Have you tried replacing the power supply?
Verses
2 Corinthians 4:13
But scripture says, 'I believed, and therefore I spoke out,' and we too, in the same spirit of faith, believe and therefore speak out;
Ezekiel 47:9
"And it shall be that every living thing that moves, wherever the rivers go, will live. There will be a very great multitude of fish, because these waters go there; for they will be healed, and everything will live wherever the river goes.
2 Corinthians 3:5
Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God.
Philippians 4:6
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;
Proverbs 22:7
A rich person rules over poor people, and if you borrow you're a slave of him who lends.
Prayer
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from You. As recipients of Your tender compassions and tremendous comfort help us to be like cisterns pouring out the mercies we receive from You into the lives of those who desperately need it. In the name of Jesus we pray, Amen.
After experiencing difficulties with his computer, a poor, incognizant user called the system maker's technical support line for
assistance:
Technician: Hello. How can I help you today?
Customer: There's smoke coming from the power supply on my computer...
Tech: Looks like you need a new power supply...
Cust: No, I don't! I just need to change the startup files...
Tech: Sir, what you described is a faulty power supply. You need to replace it....
Cust: No way! Someone told me that I just had to change the system startup files to fix the problem! All I need is for you to tell me the right command...
For the next ten minutes, in spite of the technician's efforts to explain the problem and its solution, the customer adamantly insisted he was right. So, in frustration, the technician responded...
Tech: I'm sorry. We don't normally tell our customers this, but there's an undocumented DOS command that will fix the problem...
Cust: I knew it!
Tech: Just add the line "LOAD NOSMOKE.COM at the end of the CONFIG.SYS file and everything should work fine. Let me know how it goes...
About ten minutes later, the technician received a call back from the customer...
Cust: It didn't work. The power supply is still smoking...
Tech: Well, what version of DOS are you using?
Cust: MS-DOS 6.22...
Tech: Well, that's your problem. That version of DOS doesn't include NOSMOKE. You'll need to contact Microsoft and ask them for a patch. Let me know how it all works out...
When nearly an hour had passed, the phone rang again...
Cust: I need a new power supply...
Tech: How did you come to that conclusion?
Cust: Well, I called Microsoft and told the technician what you had said, and he started asking me questions about the make of the power supply...
Tech: What did he tell you?
Cust: He said my power supply isn't compatible with NOSMOKE...
As humorous as that story may be, the same thing can happen on a spiritual level, and it's not humorous at all. Someone's life "goes up in smoke." Their reaction is to try to find a "patch" to get them through, when what they really need is a new "power supply". Unless we access the power found only in God, we are doomed to a life of frustration. And it is only when we realize the "incompatibility" between our attempts to patch things up and God's power that we are able to finally bring ourselves back to God in submission.
"Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers....that you may know....what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places." (Eph. 1:15-20)
Seen any smoke in your life lately? Have you tried replacing the power supply?
Verses
2 Corinthians 4:13
But scripture says, 'I believed, and therefore I spoke out,' and we too, in the same spirit of faith, believe and therefore speak out;
Ezekiel 47:9
"And it shall be that every living thing that moves, wherever the rivers go, will live. There will be a very great multitude of fish, because these waters go there; for they will be healed, and everything will live wherever the river goes.
2 Corinthians 3:5
Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God.
Philippians 4:6
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;
Proverbs 22:7
A rich person rules over poor people, and if you borrow you're a slave of him who lends.
Prayer
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from You. As recipients of Your tender compassions and tremendous comfort help us to be like cisterns pouring out the mercies we receive from You into the lives of those who desperately need it. In the name of Jesus we pray, Amen.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Creative theories.
Thought for the day
These are the results of a "Creative Scientific Theories Contest" sponsored several years ago by Omni magazine:
GRAND PRIZE WINNER:
When a cat is dropped, it always lands on its feet. And when toast is dropped, it always lands with the buttered side facing down. I propose to strap buttered toast to the back of a cat; the two will hover, spinning inches above the ground. With a giant buttered cat array, a high-speed monorail could easily link New York with Chicago.
RUNNERS-UP:
#1
If an infinite number of rednecks riding in an infinite number of pickup trucks fire an infinite number of shotgun rounds at an infinite number of highway signs, they will eventually produce all the world's great literary works in Braille.
#2
Why yawning is contagious: You yawn to equalize the pressure on your eardrums. This pressure change outside your eardrums unbalances other people's ear pressures, so they must yawn to even it out.
#3
Communist China is technologically underdeveloped because they have no alphabet and therefore cannot use acronyms to communicate ideas at a faster rate.
#4
The earth may spin faster on its axis due to deforestation. Just as a figure skater's rate of spin increases when the arms are brought in close to the body, the cutting of tall trees may cause our planet to spin dangerously fast.
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
The quantity of consonants in the English language is constant. If omitted in one place, they turn up in another. When a Bostonian "pahks" his "cah," the lost r's migrate southwest, causing a Texan to "warsh" his car and invest in "erl wells."
Birds take off at sunrise. On the opposite side of the world, they are landing at sunset. This causes the earth to spin on its axis.
Those are certainly some creative theories. I am reminded that over the years there have been some creative theories proposed to explain the empty tomb. The first theory came the same day the tomb was found empty: "When [the chief priests] had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, saying, 'Tell them, "His disciples came at night and stole Him away while we slept." ' " (Matthew 28:12-13).
Other theories proposed include the suggestion that the women who reported the body missing went to the wrong tomb and just thought Jesus' tomb was empty, and that the appearances of Jesus after the resurrection were either illusions or mass hallucinations. Still others say that Jesus never really died; he merely fainted and later woke up in the tomb and walked out.
All fanciful theories. But none of them adequate the explain the event which showed the power of God more forcefully than anything else that has ever happened. Jesus Christ was raised from the dead!
"If Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty......But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep." (I Cor. 15:14,20).
Father, we thank you for the hope which comes through the knowledge that Jesus Christ was raised from the dead almost 2,000 years ago. While we look to his crucifixion for the cleansing power of forgiveness, we look to his resurrection for the hope of our own resurrection which will one day bring your children into your presence. Until that day comes, we praise you for having such great power. In Jesus' name, amen.
Verses
2 Corinthians 4:18
For we are not giving our attention to what is seen, but to what is unseen. For what is seen is for a time only, but what is unseen is eternal.
Mark 11:25
"And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses.
Matthew 7:11
"If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!
Matthew 7:11
And if you hardhearted, sinful men know how to give good gifts to your children, won't your Father in heaven even more certainly give good gifts to those who ask him for them?
2 Corinthians 9:11
You will be enriched in every way for great generosity, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God;
Prayer
Father, I pray that You will help me to sow for myself righteousness, so that I will reap the fruit of Your unfailing love. Break up the unplowed ground of my heart that is stony and hard so that I acknowledge my sins, receive Your forgiveness, and look to You for guidance. May I thoroughly discern the vain philosophies and empty deception that pervades our society. I want to seek Your will above man’s agenda so that You shower Your blessings upon me. Amen.
These are the results of a "Creative Scientific Theories Contest" sponsored several years ago by Omni magazine:
GRAND PRIZE WINNER:
When a cat is dropped, it always lands on its feet. And when toast is dropped, it always lands with the buttered side facing down. I propose to strap buttered toast to the back of a cat; the two will hover, spinning inches above the ground. With a giant buttered cat array, a high-speed monorail could easily link New York with Chicago.
RUNNERS-UP:
#1
If an infinite number of rednecks riding in an infinite number of pickup trucks fire an infinite number of shotgun rounds at an infinite number of highway signs, they will eventually produce all the world's great literary works in Braille.
#2
Why yawning is contagious: You yawn to equalize the pressure on your eardrums. This pressure change outside your eardrums unbalances other people's ear pressures, so they must yawn to even it out.
#3
Communist China is technologically underdeveloped because they have no alphabet and therefore cannot use acronyms to communicate ideas at a faster rate.
#4
The earth may spin faster on its axis due to deforestation. Just as a figure skater's rate of spin increases when the arms are brought in close to the body, the cutting of tall trees may cause our planet to spin dangerously fast.
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
The quantity of consonants in the English language is constant. If omitted in one place, they turn up in another. When a Bostonian "pahks" his "cah," the lost r's migrate southwest, causing a Texan to "warsh" his car and invest in "erl wells."
Birds take off at sunrise. On the opposite side of the world, they are landing at sunset. This causes the earth to spin on its axis.
Those are certainly some creative theories. I am reminded that over the years there have been some creative theories proposed to explain the empty tomb. The first theory came the same day the tomb was found empty: "When [the chief priests] had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, saying, 'Tell them, "His disciples came at night and stole Him away while we slept." ' " (Matthew 28:12-13).
Other theories proposed include the suggestion that the women who reported the body missing went to the wrong tomb and just thought Jesus' tomb was empty, and that the appearances of Jesus after the resurrection were either illusions or mass hallucinations. Still others say that Jesus never really died; he merely fainted and later woke up in the tomb and walked out.
All fanciful theories. But none of them adequate the explain the event which showed the power of God more forcefully than anything else that has ever happened. Jesus Christ was raised from the dead!
"If Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty......But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep." (I Cor. 15:14,20).
Father, we thank you for the hope which comes through the knowledge that Jesus Christ was raised from the dead almost 2,000 years ago. While we look to his crucifixion for the cleansing power of forgiveness, we look to his resurrection for the hope of our own resurrection which will one day bring your children into your presence. Until that day comes, we praise you for having such great power. In Jesus' name, amen.
Verses
2 Corinthians 4:18
For we are not giving our attention to what is seen, but to what is unseen. For what is seen is for a time only, but what is unseen is eternal.
Mark 11:25
"And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses.
Matthew 7:11
"If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!
Matthew 7:11
And if you hardhearted, sinful men know how to give good gifts to your children, won't your Father in heaven even more certainly give good gifts to those who ask him for them?
2 Corinthians 9:11
You will be enriched in every way for great generosity, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God;
Prayer
Father, I pray that You will help me to sow for myself righteousness, so that I will reap the fruit of Your unfailing love. Break up the unplowed ground of my heart that is stony and hard so that I acknowledge my sins, receive Your forgiveness, and look to You for guidance. May I thoroughly discern the vain philosophies and empty deception that pervades our society. I want to seek Your will above man’s agenda so that You shower Your blessings upon me. Amen.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Acceptable defects.
Thought for the day
The following "true story" speaks a lot about the quality of Japanese products and their quality standards. Supposedly, they're still laughing about this at IBM.
It seems the computer giant decided to have some parts manufactured in Japan as a trial project. In the specifications, they set out that they will accept three defective parts per 10,000.
When the delivery came in, there was an accompanying letter: "We, Japanese people, had a hard time understanding North American business practices. But the three defective parts per 10,000 have been separately manufactured and have been included in the consignment. Hope this pleases you."
I wonder, how many defects are we willing to accept in our spiritual lives? "Yes, I know there's some greed and gossip and lust, but three defects per ten thousand is still acceptable!" Is our goal as Christians to get our "defects" down to an "acceptable" level, or is our goal to get rid of them all? I know, I know, we'll never achieve that level of perfection in this life. But what is our goal? How much sin are we willing to tolerate before it becomes "unacceptable"?
"What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?" (Rom. 6:1-2)
"My little children, these things I write to you that you may not sin." (I John 2:1a)
That's our goal! May you be satisfied in your spiritual life with nothing less than striving to follow the perfect example of Jesus Christ himself.
Versus
Psalm 89:34
No, I will not break my covenant; I will not take back one word of what I said.
1 Peter 2:24
who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness--by whose stripes you were healed.
Ephesians 5:1
Since you are God's dear children, you must try to be like him.
1 Thessalonians 5:17
Don't let anything interfere with your prayer life.
Proverbs 13:22
A good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children, but the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous.
Prayer
Father, help us to look not only to our own interests but also to the interest of others. May our attitude be the same as that of Christ Jesus, who being equal to You, did not consider this unique privilege to be more important than taking on human flesh to meet our spiritual needs. May we follow Christ’s supreme example of meeting the needs of others when You have commissioned us to do so. In the name of Your Son, Jesus, we pray, amen.
The following "true story" speaks a lot about the quality of Japanese products and their quality standards. Supposedly, they're still laughing about this at IBM.
It seems the computer giant decided to have some parts manufactured in Japan as a trial project. In the specifications, they set out that they will accept three defective parts per 10,000.
When the delivery came in, there was an accompanying letter: "We, Japanese people, had a hard time understanding North American business practices. But the three defective parts per 10,000 have been separately manufactured and have been included in the consignment. Hope this pleases you."
I wonder, how many defects are we willing to accept in our spiritual lives? "Yes, I know there's some greed and gossip and lust, but three defects per ten thousand is still acceptable!" Is our goal as Christians to get our "defects" down to an "acceptable" level, or is our goal to get rid of them all? I know, I know, we'll never achieve that level of perfection in this life. But what is our goal? How much sin are we willing to tolerate before it becomes "unacceptable"?
"What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?" (Rom. 6:1-2)
"My little children, these things I write to you that you may not sin." (I John 2:1a)
That's our goal! May you be satisfied in your spiritual life with nothing less than striving to follow the perfect example of Jesus Christ himself.
Versus
Psalm 89:34
No, I will not break my covenant; I will not take back one word of what I said.
1 Peter 2:24
who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness--by whose stripes you were healed.
Ephesians 5:1
Since you are God's dear children, you must try to be like him.
1 Thessalonians 5:17
Don't let anything interfere with your prayer life.
Proverbs 13:22
A good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children, but the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous.
Prayer
Father, help us to look not only to our own interests but also to the interest of others. May our attitude be the same as that of Christ Jesus, who being equal to You, did not consider this unique privilege to be more important than taking on human flesh to meet our spiritual needs. May we follow Christ’s supreme example of meeting the needs of others when You have commissioned us to do so. In the name of Your Son, Jesus, we pray, amen.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Do what you are good at.
Thought for the day
A little boy was overheard talking to himself as he strutted through the backyard, wearing his baseball cap and toting a ball and bat. "I'm the greatest hitter in the world," he announced.
Then, he tossed the ball into the air, swung at it, and missed.
"Strike One!" he yelled. Undaunted, he picked up the ball and said again, "I'm the greatest hitter in the world!"
He tossed the ball into the air. When it came down he swung again and missed. "Strike Two!" he cried.
The boy then paused a moment to examine his bat and ball carefully. He spit on his hands and rubbed them together. He straightened his cap and said once more, "I'm the greatest hitter in the world!"
Again he tossed the ball up in the air and swung at it. He missed. "Strike Three!"
"Wow!" he exclaimed. "I'm the greatest pitcher in the world!"
It's important that we find what we're good at and do it with all our might. Not everyone can be a great hitter. If you can't hit, then work at being a great pitcher. If you can't do that, then be a great base runner or fielder or batboy or fan in the stands!
One of the great aspects of the Lord's church is that not everyone is expected to excel in the same areas. Some are great preachers. Others are great encouragers. Still others have a special way of working with children.
Paul used the illustration of a human body, each part having a different function, and each one essential to the well-being of the body as a whole.
"For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ." (I Cor. 12:12)
Thank God for the abilities and talents He has given you, and make every effort to use them to His glory in His kingdom.
Verses
James 1:2-4
My Brothers, when you meet with temptations, whatever they are, think of them as a cause for nothing but rejoicing, remembering that the testing of your faith develops endurance. And let endurance do its work perfectly, so that you may be absolutely perfect and not deficient in any respect.
Matthew 10:1
And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease.
Matthew 4:23
Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and curing every disease and every sickness among the people.
Luke 2:37
and this woman was a widow of about eighty-four years, who did not depart from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.
Philippians 4:19
My God will amply supply your every need, through Christ Jesus, from His riches in glory.
Prayer
Father, forgive us when we seek after temporal solutions to meet the deep yearnings of our heart. Your eternal solution was to send Jesus, Your Son, to give us life – a life that is no longer empty or imprisoned by sin’s chains. Thank You for Jesus who came that we might have abundant life through His substitutionary death on our behalf. Nothing on earth and no person dear to our hearts deserves our allegiance more than our Savior. Thank You for coming; thank You for giving and thank You for saving us from ourselves. Amen.
A little boy was overheard talking to himself as he strutted through the backyard, wearing his baseball cap and toting a ball and bat. "I'm the greatest hitter in the world," he announced.
Then, he tossed the ball into the air, swung at it, and missed.
"Strike One!" he yelled. Undaunted, he picked up the ball and said again, "I'm the greatest hitter in the world!"
He tossed the ball into the air. When it came down he swung again and missed. "Strike Two!" he cried.
The boy then paused a moment to examine his bat and ball carefully. He spit on his hands and rubbed them together. He straightened his cap and said once more, "I'm the greatest hitter in the world!"
Again he tossed the ball up in the air and swung at it. He missed. "Strike Three!"
"Wow!" he exclaimed. "I'm the greatest pitcher in the world!"
It's important that we find what we're good at and do it with all our might. Not everyone can be a great hitter. If you can't hit, then work at being a great pitcher. If you can't do that, then be a great base runner or fielder or batboy or fan in the stands!
One of the great aspects of the Lord's church is that not everyone is expected to excel in the same areas. Some are great preachers. Others are great encouragers. Still others have a special way of working with children.
Paul used the illustration of a human body, each part having a different function, and each one essential to the well-being of the body as a whole.
"For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ." (I Cor. 12:12)
Thank God for the abilities and talents He has given you, and make every effort to use them to His glory in His kingdom.
Verses
James 1:2-4
My Brothers, when you meet with temptations, whatever they are, think of them as a cause for nothing but rejoicing, remembering that the testing of your faith develops endurance. And let endurance do its work perfectly, so that you may be absolutely perfect and not deficient in any respect.
Matthew 10:1
And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease.
Matthew 4:23
Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and curing every disease and every sickness among the people.
Luke 2:37
and this woman was a widow of about eighty-four years, who did not depart from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.
Philippians 4:19
My God will amply supply your every need, through Christ Jesus, from His riches in glory.
Prayer
Father, forgive us when we seek after temporal solutions to meet the deep yearnings of our heart. Your eternal solution was to send Jesus, Your Son, to give us life – a life that is no longer empty or imprisoned by sin’s chains. Thank You for Jesus who came that we might have abundant life through His substitutionary death on our behalf. Nothing on earth and no person dear to our hearts deserves our allegiance more than our Savior. Thank You for coming; thank You for giving and thank You for saving us from ourselves. Amen.
Monday, October 11, 2010
Be careful who you imitate.
Thought for the day
The following story is reported to be true:
A new missionary recruit went to Venezuela for the first time. He was struggling with the language and didn't understand a whole lot of what was going on. Intending to visit one of the local churches, he got lost, but eventually got back on track and found the place. Having arrived late, the church was already packed. The only pew with a seat open was the one on the front row.
So as not to make a fool of himself, this recruit decided to pick someone out of the crowd to imitate. He chose to follow the man sitting next to him on the front pew. As they sang, the missionary tried to follow along. When the man stood up to pray, the missionary recruit stood up too. When the man sat down, he sat down. When the man took the cup and bread for the Lord's Supper, he took the cup and bread. During the preaching, the recruit didn't understand a thing. He just sat there and tried to look just like that man in the front pew.
Then he perceived that the preacher was giving announcements. People clapped, so he looked to see if the man was clapping. He was, and so the recruit clapped too. Then the preacher said some words that he didn't understand and he saw the man next to him stand up. So he stood up, too. Suddenly a hush fell over the entire congregation. A few people gasped. He looked around and saw that nobody else was standing, so he sat down.
After the service ended, the preacher stood at the door shaking the hands of those who were leaving. When the missionary recruit stretched out his hand to greet the preacher, the preacher said, in English: "I take it you don't speak Spanish."
The missionary recruit replied: "No I don't. Is it that obvious?"
"Well yes," said the preacher, "I announced that the Acosta family had a newborn baby boy and would the proud father please stand up."
There is nothing wrong with imitating godly men and women, but we need to be careful who we imitate, and to what extent. Even the apostle Paul was careful to limit those who sought to follow him:
"Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ." (1 Cor. 11:1)
Follow the example of those you know who are living godly lives, but be sure to keep one eye on Christ as the ultimate standard. Otherwise, you may find yourself standing when you ought to be sitting!
Verses
Hebrews 11:6
but without faith it is impossible to please him; for whoever would approach God must have faith in his existence and in his willingness to reward those who try to find him.
Matthew 8:7
And Jesus said to him, "I will come and heal him."
Genesis 8:22
"As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease."
Romans 15:30
Now I beg you, brethren, through the Lord Jesus Christ, and through the love of the Spirit, that you strive together with me in your prayers to God for me,
2 Corinthians 9:7
Each one should give, then, what he has decided in his heart to give. He should not give if it makes him sad. And he should not give if he thinks he is forced to give. God loves the person who gives happily.
Prayer
Father, may we be people who are quick to notice the ways in which we can be of special blessing to others. It seems quite easy when it comes to those whom we befriend. We often recognize their need before they express it and find genuine fulfillment in being Your hand extended to them. But You challenge us to go even further in making ourselves available to our enemies with whom it is not natural to provide for their needs. In expressing agape love to those around us we love in spite of what we see or have experienced. May all that we do, on behalf of others, be an expression of Your divine touch in the form of Christian service. It is in Your strength and compassion that we can do that which is unnatural to our human nature, but natural to our redeemed spirit. Amen.
The following story is reported to be true:
A new missionary recruit went to Venezuela for the first time. He was struggling with the language and didn't understand a whole lot of what was going on. Intending to visit one of the local churches, he got lost, but eventually got back on track and found the place. Having arrived late, the church was already packed. The only pew with a seat open was the one on the front row.
So as not to make a fool of himself, this recruit decided to pick someone out of the crowd to imitate. He chose to follow the man sitting next to him on the front pew. As they sang, the missionary tried to follow along. When the man stood up to pray, the missionary recruit stood up too. When the man sat down, he sat down. When the man took the cup and bread for the Lord's Supper, he took the cup and bread. During the preaching, the recruit didn't understand a thing. He just sat there and tried to look just like that man in the front pew.
Then he perceived that the preacher was giving announcements. People clapped, so he looked to see if the man was clapping. He was, and so the recruit clapped too. Then the preacher said some words that he didn't understand and he saw the man next to him stand up. So he stood up, too. Suddenly a hush fell over the entire congregation. A few people gasped. He looked around and saw that nobody else was standing, so he sat down.
After the service ended, the preacher stood at the door shaking the hands of those who were leaving. When the missionary recruit stretched out his hand to greet the preacher, the preacher said, in English: "I take it you don't speak Spanish."
The missionary recruit replied: "No I don't. Is it that obvious?"
"Well yes," said the preacher, "I announced that the Acosta family had a newborn baby boy and would the proud father please stand up."
There is nothing wrong with imitating godly men and women, but we need to be careful who we imitate, and to what extent. Even the apostle Paul was careful to limit those who sought to follow him:
"Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ." (1 Cor. 11:1)
Follow the example of those you know who are living godly lives, but be sure to keep one eye on Christ as the ultimate standard. Otherwise, you may find yourself standing when you ought to be sitting!
Verses
Hebrews 11:6
but without faith it is impossible to please him; for whoever would approach God must have faith in his existence and in his willingness to reward those who try to find him.
Matthew 8:7
And Jesus said to him, "I will come and heal him."
Genesis 8:22
"As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease."
Romans 15:30
Now I beg you, brethren, through the Lord Jesus Christ, and through the love of the Spirit, that you strive together with me in your prayers to God for me,
2 Corinthians 9:7
Each one should give, then, what he has decided in his heart to give. He should not give if it makes him sad. And he should not give if he thinks he is forced to give. God loves the person who gives happily.
Prayer
Father, may we be people who are quick to notice the ways in which we can be of special blessing to others. It seems quite easy when it comes to those whom we befriend. We often recognize their need before they express it and find genuine fulfillment in being Your hand extended to them. But You challenge us to go even further in making ourselves available to our enemies with whom it is not natural to provide for their needs. In expressing agape love to those around us we love in spite of what we see or have experienced. May all that we do, on behalf of others, be an expression of Your divine touch in the form of Christian service. It is in Your strength and compassion that we can do that which is unnatural to our human nature, but natural to our redeemed spirit. Amen.
Friday, October 08, 2010
We have to change!!!
Thought for the day
The men of Charlie Company had been in the field for two weeks when the Sarge announced, "I've got good news and bad news. First the good news. Today we're going to change our underwear." The troops started cheering at the news. "Now the bad news. Smith, you change with Jones. Andrews, you change with Murphy..."
Change. The very word is frightening to some. We get comfortable doing things a certain way and don't like to do them differently (try convincing someone who uses a certain word processor or web browser they need to change and see what kind of reaction you get!).
And some changes (as the story above illustrates) are completely undesirable.
But some change is necessary if we are to grow. If our children don't change as the years go by, we worry. And if we don't change in our relationship with God, then we better check to see if we're growing because (as scary as it may be) growth has to involve change.
"But we all....beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord." (2 Corinthians 3:18)
May God bless you in your effort today to change....to look more and more like Jesus Christ.
Verses
Ephesians 6:13
So take up God's armour, in order that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and when you can do no more, still hold your ground.
Deuteronomy 7:15
"And the Lord will take away from you all sickness, and will afflict you with none of the terrible diseases of Egypt which you have known, but will lay them on all those who hate you.
Romans 12:2
Do not model yourselves on the behavior of the world around you, but let your behavior change, modeled by your new mind.
This is the only way to discover the will of God and know what is good, what it is that God wants, what is the perfect thing to do.
Mark 11:24
Therefore I say to you, all things whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you shall receive, and they shall come to you.
Philippians 4:19
In return my God will fulfill all your needs, in Christ Jesus, as lavishly as only God can.
Prayer
Father, may holiness and truth continually flow from our lives and the words we speak. Help us to be obedient to Your commands and faithfully proclaim Your truths, making no concession to please the hearts of men rather than the heart of God. Some will turn away while others may carefully listen to the gospel message we proclaim. Above all may we be faithful to the Holy Scriptures and not be deterred by lack of receptivity. For, we seek Your approval far above the approval of others. Amen.
The men of Charlie Company had been in the field for two weeks when the Sarge announced, "I've got good news and bad news. First the good news. Today we're going to change our underwear." The troops started cheering at the news. "Now the bad news. Smith, you change with Jones. Andrews, you change with Murphy..."
Change. The very word is frightening to some. We get comfortable doing things a certain way and don't like to do them differently (try convincing someone who uses a certain word processor or web browser they need to change and see what kind of reaction you get!).
And some changes (as the story above illustrates) are completely undesirable.
But some change is necessary if we are to grow. If our children don't change as the years go by, we worry. And if we don't change in our relationship with God, then we better check to see if we're growing because (as scary as it may be) growth has to involve change.
"But we all....beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord." (2 Corinthians 3:18)
May God bless you in your effort today to change....to look more and more like Jesus Christ.
Verses
Ephesians 6:13
So take up God's armour, in order that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and when you can do no more, still hold your ground.
Deuteronomy 7:15
"And the Lord will take away from you all sickness, and will afflict you with none of the terrible diseases of Egypt which you have known, but will lay them on all those who hate you.
Romans 12:2
Do not model yourselves on the behavior of the world around you, but let your behavior change, modeled by your new mind.
This is the only way to discover the will of God and know what is good, what it is that God wants, what is the perfect thing to do.
Mark 11:24
Therefore I say to you, all things whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you shall receive, and they shall come to you.
Philippians 4:19
In return my God will fulfill all your needs, in Christ Jesus, as lavishly as only God can.
Prayer
Father, may holiness and truth continually flow from our lives and the words we speak. Help us to be obedient to Your commands and faithfully proclaim Your truths, making no concession to please the hearts of men rather than the heart of God. Some will turn away while others may carefully listen to the gospel message we proclaim. Above all may we be faithful to the Holy Scriptures and not be deterred by lack of receptivity. For, we seek Your approval far above the approval of others. Amen.
Thursday, October 07, 2010
Fear of questions.
Thought for the day
In a terrible accident at a railroad crossing, a train smashed into a car and pushed it nearly four hundred yards down the track. Though no one was killed, the driver took the train company to court.
At the trial, the engineer insisted that he had given the driver ample warning by waving his lantern back and forth for nearly a minute. He even stood and convincingly demonstrated how he'd done it. The court believed his story, and the suit was dismissed.
"Congratulations," the lawyer said to the engineer when it was over. "You did superbly under cross-examination."
"Thanks," he said, "but he sure had me worried."
"How's that?" the lawyer asked.
"I was afraid he was going to ask if the lantern was lit!"
In a similar way, we often go through our lives afraid that someone will ask us a particular question. "If someone asks me why I believe in God and not evolution, what will I say?" "What if someone asks me how I can possibly believe in the resurrection?" "What do I say if someone asks me why I believe the Bible truly is the Word of God, or why I believe that it teaches this or that?"
Instead of being detrimental as in the case of the engineer above, though, such questions provide us with an opportunity to share our faith.
"But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear." (I Peter 3:15)
Don't be afraid for anyone to ask!
Verses
Romans 4:21
in the unshakable conviction that God is able, not only to make promises, but also to make his promises come true.
John 6:63
"It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.
Revelation 3:21
To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne.
Jeremiah 33:3
Let your cry come to me, and I will give you an answer, and let you see great things and secret things of which you had no knowledge.
Proverbs 22:4
By humility and the fear of the LORD Are riches and honor and life.
Prayer
Father, I confess that there are times when my spirit becomes stagnant after I veer off course and am pulled into the murky waters. Draw me to the cleansing fountain of Your saving blood which flows from the cross of Calvary. It is there that springs of living water quench my thirst and invigorate my spirit so that I am refreshed in the Holy Spirit and renewed in my resolve to follow You all the days of my life.
In a terrible accident at a railroad crossing, a train smashed into a car and pushed it nearly four hundred yards down the track. Though no one was killed, the driver took the train company to court.
At the trial, the engineer insisted that he had given the driver ample warning by waving his lantern back and forth for nearly a minute. He even stood and convincingly demonstrated how he'd done it. The court believed his story, and the suit was dismissed.
"Congratulations," the lawyer said to the engineer when it was over. "You did superbly under cross-examination."
"Thanks," he said, "but he sure had me worried."
"How's that?" the lawyer asked.
"I was afraid he was going to ask if the lantern was lit!"
In a similar way, we often go through our lives afraid that someone will ask us a particular question. "If someone asks me why I believe in God and not evolution, what will I say?" "What if someone asks me how I can possibly believe in the resurrection?" "What do I say if someone asks me why I believe the Bible truly is the Word of God, or why I believe that it teaches this or that?"
Instead of being detrimental as in the case of the engineer above, though, such questions provide us with an opportunity to share our faith.
"But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear." (I Peter 3:15)
Don't be afraid for anyone to ask!
Verses
Romans 4:21
in the unshakable conviction that God is able, not only to make promises, but also to make his promises come true.
John 6:63
"It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.
Revelation 3:21
To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne.
Jeremiah 33:3
Let your cry come to me, and I will give you an answer, and let you see great things and secret things of which you had no knowledge.
Proverbs 22:4
By humility and the fear of the LORD Are riches and honor and life.
Prayer
Father, I confess that there are times when my spirit becomes stagnant after I veer off course and am pulled into the murky waters. Draw me to the cleansing fountain of Your saving blood which flows from the cross of Calvary. It is there that springs of living water quench my thirst and invigorate my spirit so that I am refreshed in the Holy Spirit and renewed in my resolve to follow You all the days of my life.
Wednesday, October 06, 2010
Why are you here?
Thought for the day
One day, a couple by the name of Herman and Mary were riding along in their shiny new car. Mary spoke up and said, "You know, Herman, if it weren't for my money, we probably wouldn't have this wonderful new car." And Herman just sat there and didn't say anything at all.
As they pulled into the driveway, Herman turned off the motor and they quietly admired their new home. Then Mary said, "You know, Herman, if it weren't for my money, we probably wouldn't have this new house." And again, Herman just sat there and didn't say anything.
They got out of the car and walked in just as the delivery man finished setting up their new furniture. "You know, Herman," said Mary once more, "If it were not for my money, we probably wouldn't have this new carpet and all this new furniture." And once more, Herman didn't say a word.
It happened again as they sat down in their new den and propped their feet up and watched the big screen TV in their new entertainment center. "You know, Herman," said Mary, "if it were not for my money, we probably wouldn't have this huge entertainment center."
And with that, poor Herman had had enough. He turned to Mary and said, "I don't want to hurt your feelings, honey, but you know if it weren't for your money, I probably wouldn't be here either!"
I have a question for those of you who are Christians. Why are you "here"? By that, I mean, what is it that keeps you faithful and active as a part of the body of Christ? Is it the money? Not likely (though the future treasure of a heavenly home may be part of the reason). Is it guilt? Perhaps. Is it because it's what's expected of you, or just what you've always done out of habit?
In the letter to the Hebrews, the author deals with this question. He writes to a group of Christians who are considering walking away from Christianity. And his strongest warnings to them come as a reminder that walking away means losing the most important thing in this world -- a relationship with Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Ultimately, that's why we're here.
"Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess." (Hebrews 4:14).
Sometimes, in the midst of our trials and difficulties, we need a reminder that there's one very important thing keeping us "here" -- Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior!
Verses
1 John 5:4
Because everyone who has been born of God conquers the world, and this is the victory that triumphs over the world, the faith that we have.
Philippians 4:13
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
John 8:36
So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.
Romans 12:12
Base your happiness on your hope in Christ. When trials come endure them patiently; steadfastly maintain the habit of prayer.
Proverbs 13:21
Misfortune pursues the sinner, but prosperity is the reward of the righteous.
Prayer
Father, when we face struggles with a confident heart instead of a cringing fear we give testimony to Your active power in our lives. There is nothing that we cannot overcome by Your grace as You work out the details and the timing. A whining spirit only leads to self-pity while a thankful spirit visualizes a hopeful outlook. Our confidence grows as we look beyond the current crisis to You, our Great Deliverer, who has done so many wondrous works that the whole world is not big enough to contain the books that would describe Your miraculous, delivering power. Amen.
One day, a couple by the name of Herman and Mary were riding along in their shiny new car. Mary spoke up and said, "You know, Herman, if it weren't for my money, we probably wouldn't have this wonderful new car." And Herman just sat there and didn't say anything at all.
As they pulled into the driveway, Herman turned off the motor and they quietly admired their new home. Then Mary said, "You know, Herman, if it weren't for my money, we probably wouldn't have this new house." And again, Herman just sat there and didn't say anything.
They got out of the car and walked in just as the delivery man finished setting up their new furniture. "You know, Herman," said Mary once more, "If it were not for my money, we probably wouldn't have this new carpet and all this new furniture." And once more, Herman didn't say a word.
It happened again as they sat down in their new den and propped their feet up and watched the big screen TV in their new entertainment center. "You know, Herman," said Mary, "if it were not for my money, we probably wouldn't have this huge entertainment center."
And with that, poor Herman had had enough. He turned to Mary and said, "I don't want to hurt your feelings, honey, but you know if it weren't for your money, I probably wouldn't be here either!"
I have a question for those of you who are Christians. Why are you "here"? By that, I mean, what is it that keeps you faithful and active as a part of the body of Christ? Is it the money? Not likely (though the future treasure of a heavenly home may be part of the reason). Is it guilt? Perhaps. Is it because it's what's expected of you, or just what you've always done out of habit?
In the letter to the Hebrews, the author deals with this question. He writes to a group of Christians who are considering walking away from Christianity. And his strongest warnings to them come as a reminder that walking away means losing the most important thing in this world -- a relationship with Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Ultimately, that's why we're here.
"Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess." (Hebrews 4:14).
Sometimes, in the midst of our trials and difficulties, we need a reminder that there's one very important thing keeping us "here" -- Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior!
Verses
1 John 5:4
Because everyone who has been born of God conquers the world, and this is the victory that triumphs over the world, the faith that we have.
Philippians 4:13
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
John 8:36
So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.
Romans 12:12
Base your happiness on your hope in Christ. When trials come endure them patiently; steadfastly maintain the habit of prayer.
Proverbs 13:21
Misfortune pursues the sinner, but prosperity is the reward of the righteous.
Prayer
Father, when we face struggles with a confident heart instead of a cringing fear we give testimony to Your active power in our lives. There is nothing that we cannot overcome by Your grace as You work out the details and the timing. A whining spirit only leads to self-pity while a thankful spirit visualizes a hopeful outlook. Our confidence grows as we look beyond the current crisis to You, our Great Deliverer, who has done so many wondrous works that the whole world is not big enough to contain the books that would describe Your miraculous, delivering power. Amen.
Tuesday, October 05, 2010
As old as the Hills
Thought for the day
The census taker knocked on the lady's door. She answered all his
questions except one. She refused to tell him her age.
"But everyone tells their age to the census taker," he said.
"Did Miss Maisy Hill, and Miss Daisy Hill tell you their ages?" she asked.
"Certainly," he replied.
"Well, I'm the same age as they are," she snapped.
The census taker simply wrote on the form, "As old as the Hills."
In 1997, a 122-year-old woman in France died. She was the oldest person on
the earth whose birth record could be verified. A 143-year-old woman in
Kenya and a 135-year-old man in Lebanon don't have the birth records to
verify their ages, but could easily be described with the phrase, "As old
as the hills."
But they are all babies when compared with Methuselah. You recognize his
name. He's known in the Bible for one thing -- being the oldest person
mentioned. 969 years old! That's a lot of years. And I think it's sad.
Not that he was so old, but because that's what he is known for. He's not
known for his great faith, for his moral courage, or for his righteousness.
He's known for being old.
In fact, if you do the math, you come up with an interesting fact --
Methuselah died the year it started flooding. Was it just a coincidence,
or was Methuselah one of the many who perished in that judgment of God? We
don't know.
I just pray that some day I'll be remembered, not for the number of years I
lived upon this earth, but for the way that I lived while I was here.
"The silver-haired head is a crown of glory, if it is found in the way of
righteousness." (Proverbs 16:31)
Verses
Habakkuk 2:3
For the vision is yet for an appointed time, and it hastens to the end [fulfillment]; it will not deceive or disappoint.
Though it tarry, wait [earnestly] for it; because it will surely come, it will not be behindhand on its appointed day.
Matthew 8:17
This was to fulfill what had been spoken through the prophet Isaiah, "He took our infirmities and bore our diseases."
Ephesians 5:1
Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children
Luke 18:1
Then he told them a parable illustrating the need to keep on praying and not to give up.
Psalm 35:27
Let them exult and rejoice that delight in my righteousness; and let them say continually, Jehovah be magnified, who delighteth in the prosperity of his servant.
Verses
Father, we choose not to live according to our sinful nature that will lead to a hopeless death, but we choose to live by Your Spirit that leads to a hope-filled life here on earth and for all eternity. Help us in our daily struggles that tempt us to wander from the heart of God. Keep our hearts in oneness with Yours. In the name of Your precious Son, Jesus, we pray. Amen.
The census taker knocked on the lady's door. She answered all his
questions except one. She refused to tell him her age.
"But everyone tells their age to the census taker," he said.
"Did Miss Maisy Hill, and Miss Daisy Hill tell you their ages?" she asked.
"Certainly," he replied.
"Well, I'm the same age as they are," she snapped.
The census taker simply wrote on the form, "As old as the Hills."
In 1997, a 122-year-old woman in France died. She was the oldest person on
the earth whose birth record could be verified. A 143-year-old woman in
Kenya and a 135-year-old man in Lebanon don't have the birth records to
verify their ages, but could easily be described with the phrase, "As old
as the hills."
But they are all babies when compared with Methuselah. You recognize his
name. He's known in the Bible for one thing -- being the oldest person
mentioned. 969 years old! That's a lot of years. And I think it's sad.
Not that he was so old, but because that's what he is known for. He's not
known for his great faith, for his moral courage, or for his righteousness.
He's known for being old.
In fact, if you do the math, you come up with an interesting fact --
Methuselah died the year it started flooding. Was it just a coincidence,
or was Methuselah one of the many who perished in that judgment of God? We
don't know.
I just pray that some day I'll be remembered, not for the number of years I
lived upon this earth, but for the way that I lived while I was here.
"The silver-haired head is a crown of glory, if it is found in the way of
righteousness." (Proverbs 16:31)
Verses
Habakkuk 2:3
For the vision is yet for an appointed time, and it hastens to the end [fulfillment]; it will not deceive or disappoint.
Though it tarry, wait [earnestly] for it; because it will surely come, it will not be behindhand on its appointed day.
Matthew 8:17
This was to fulfill what had been spoken through the prophet Isaiah, "He took our infirmities and bore our diseases."
Ephesians 5:1
Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children
Luke 18:1
Then he told them a parable illustrating the need to keep on praying and not to give up.
Psalm 35:27
Let them exult and rejoice that delight in my righteousness; and let them say continually, Jehovah be magnified, who delighteth in the prosperity of his servant.
Verses
Father, we choose not to live according to our sinful nature that will lead to a hopeless death, but we choose to live by Your Spirit that leads to a hope-filled life here on earth and for all eternity. Help us in our daily struggles that tempt us to wander from the heart of God. Keep our hearts in oneness with Yours. In the name of Your precious Son, Jesus, we pray. Amen.
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