All Things are Possible!
Have you ever had a problem that seemed so big that you just couldn't see any possible way to get through it? Have you ever had your children sick all at once and you needed t o work more than ever to make ends meet? Do you have something going on in your life right now that just seems like it will never end and the struggle is always trying to pull you down?
If you are a single parent you probably could say yes to at least one of the above and probably those of you who are not single parents as well! I'm going to be short and to the point since it's Sunday and we all have to get ready for church.
There once was a man who had dealt with a problem all of his parenting life. His child was full of evil spirits and would foam and thrash about on the ground; it would throw him in the fire and into the water to try and drown him! Can you imagine what this child must have looked like? Probably covered with scars; maybe long dirty nails on his hands and feet; maybe hair that looked more like an animals than human. Let read the verse,
Mark 9:22 And often it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters to destroy him: but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us.
In this verse the father was say,"Lord, if you can , please feel my pain, please understand, please don't run away from us like everyone else in the church does, please HELP US" and Jesus response was so awesome. Let's read,
Mark 9:23 Jesus said to him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believes.
Need I say anything else? Let's look at what happened next.
Mark 9:24 And immediately the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou my unbelief!
This man was blown away when Jesus told him that "all things are possible". He came to Jesus asking him if He could help and Jesus sent him away that day knowing that all things are possible for those who will just believe in His power.
Do you need something that seems impossible to happen in your life today? Do you need help with your unbelief? It's ok! Jesus loves us to come to him with that. He knows we are human and can have times when our faith gets weak due to the overwhelming circumstances.
Believe today and you too will experience the impossible in Your Life!
Join our Facebook Group to receive emails and updates of our ministry by clicking the link below
http://www.facebook.com/inbox/readmessage.php?t=1006160174465&f=1&e=0#/group.php?gid=85891532404
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Saturday, May 30, 2009
"Is It Worth the Wait?"
It is the summer of 1976 at my home in Selmer, Tennessee and we were living the country life to it's fullest. All I could think about was my horse and all the places I could ride that summer. We had woods that went forever behind our house. Sometimes I could ride for a couple of hours before turning around and it was mostly because I had to find my way back home. It was allot of fun and my other three brothers all had their own interests that kept us running in different directions at least until we had our family basketball games in the side yard on our dirt court with our rusty backboard that wobbled back ad forth every time someone took a shot.
It was a usual dry, hot day in June when I walked outside to find my older brother, John, jump roping his way down the driveway. I thought that was odd because I had always seen girls jump roping, but not guys! So, I decided to observe what was going on with my brother as he turned the end of the driveway and headed down the road. I walked to the end of the drive and caught a glimpse of him just as he went around the curve. He was jump roping and running at the same time!
The laid back person that I was, I decided to sit at the edge of our yard and wait for him to come back. I liked observing things that other people did as a child too. It just interests me to know why people do things they do!
I began to think that John wasn't coming back when I saw him coming back around the curve in the road that he had taken when he left about an hour earlier! When I saw him this time, he appeared to be in intense pain and was profusely sweating all over. I thought maybe he had gotten lost or maybe he had fallen along the way and was hurt and maybe he could barely make it home, as I noticed his pace had greatly decreased. I started to ask if he was ok and he just flew right past me with a focused look in his eyes like I had never seen before in my brother. I remember thinking that he must be in survival mode and can't think straight. Hmm? Don't we all get like that at times in our busy lives, especially as single parents?
I had an even bigger surprise when I got to the house to find John walking around and around the house after his long hop/run! Again I started to ask what he was doing but he just walked with that same blank stare! I was really getting worried about him at this point so I sat down on the steps and waited for him to speak up, but he didn't. When he finally stopped walking around the house, he went into the carport and started jumping up and touching a piece of tape on the wall! I couldn't believe it! He looked totally exhausted! He looked like he couldn't take another step! Now he is jumping? He kept jumping until I finally saw him collapse on the concrete floor, gasping for air again totally covered in sweat.
It was then that I ran in to get my dad to come help him up! I called out to my dad, "Hurry dad! Somethings wrong with John! He's been running and jump roping for over an hour and then he walked around the house like 5 times and then he jumped up and down in the carport until he just fell down on the floor! Hurry dad! He might be dying! Hurry!" Well, my dad kind of chuckled and said,"I'm sure he's ok." So calmly he assured me that John was just doing what he told him to do. I didn't really understand at first what he was saying, but I still got him to go out and check on John. Dad went to the carport and John still laid on the concrete floor breathing hard. Dad said,"Are you going to make it son?" and John said, " Of course! I just am doing what you told me to do!" I didn't know that my father had given John this exercise routine just the day before and that John was just following his fathers guidance because he wanted to be the very best player on the McNairy Central High School basketball team more than anything else in the world that day! He wanted to be a star player in the game! I saw my brother continue doing this day after day for the next few months as his body began to take on unbelievable transformations. His legs got like oak trees and his upper body showed every muscle, as he was leaner than ever before! He kept raising the tape on the wall in the carport to jump to and kept extending the length of his jump roping runs looking forward to that day when he would have the chance to play against and with the best of the player across the state. Well, it paid off! I actually remember him taking one step at the foul line and jumping up so high that he could take the ball between his legs and then dunk it! I believe his nickname became "hotdog" after that. Hotdog was a term used back the for the guy that takes the show. I was so proud of my brother though I may not have told him. But it was the first day when I saw him gasping on the floor of our carport and my father told me why he had done all that, that my brother became my hero! He was running the race and not giving up! He was suffering and waiting for the results that he couldn't see right then! He was trusting his father that had directed him to do this. What I also didn't know was that my own father had been the coach for the team for two consecutive years that had won the International Navy Volleyball Championship and he knew exactly what he was doing when he gave my brother his training to be a winner in the game of basketball! All my brother needed was perseverance, determination and the trust to wait on the results that would build his strength to not only be able to play basket ball that year but to also go on to gain a soccer scholarship into college and then to play on the USA Soccer All Conference team with the Best of the best from colleges across the US.
It is amazing that I was able to witness that day the start of what literally changed the destiny of my brother and his future! He may have found another way to do what he did, yes? He may have struggled along on his own and found out how to build his strength quicker through supplements or even steroids like some athletes did back then. Instead he went to his father and his father gave him the guidance he needed. he still had to do the work! He still had to run; he had to walk and he had to rest to get the strength to fly like the eagles on the court! I loved to watch him jump when he would go in to make his layups or dunks. I knew he was meant to do this. Why? Because he had a passion built into his heart to do it! God had made him that way!
Parents, there is a plan for each of our lives no matter where we are in the race! Whether you are just picking up the rope; whether you are rounding the curve; whether you have been run/jumping for an hour and still have to get back home; whether you are coming back up the driveway and the house is right in front of you; you must walk and you will not faint! The walking has it's purpose after the run! It cools us down and slows our heart rate so that we won't get sick. You may have to go jump in the carport right after the walk until you can't stand anymore, BUT don't grow weary! Don't give up! Your Father knows that you are getting stronger a little each day and one day when the transformation is obvious YOU WILL be able to do even more because YOU WILL renew your STRENGTH!
Remember though! Just as my brother's incredible God given strength didn't come over night; we must wait on the Lord to give us new strength! You see, waiting is not an option. We must wait upon the Lord!
Our scripture to read and remember for today is,
Isaiah 40:31 "But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint."
It was a usual dry, hot day in June when I walked outside to find my older brother, John, jump roping his way down the driveway. I thought that was odd because I had always seen girls jump roping, but not guys! So, I decided to observe what was going on with my brother as he turned the end of the driveway and headed down the road. I walked to the end of the drive and caught a glimpse of him just as he went around the curve. He was jump roping and running at the same time!
The laid back person that I was, I decided to sit at the edge of our yard and wait for him to come back. I liked observing things that other people did as a child too. It just interests me to know why people do things they do!
I began to think that John wasn't coming back when I saw him coming back around the curve in the road that he had taken when he left about an hour earlier! When I saw him this time, he appeared to be in intense pain and was profusely sweating all over. I thought maybe he had gotten lost or maybe he had fallen along the way and was hurt and maybe he could barely make it home, as I noticed his pace had greatly decreased. I started to ask if he was ok and he just flew right past me with a focused look in his eyes like I had never seen before in my brother. I remember thinking that he must be in survival mode and can't think straight. Hmm? Don't we all get like that at times in our busy lives, especially as single parents?
I had an even bigger surprise when I got to the house to find John walking around and around the house after his long hop/run! Again I started to ask what he was doing but he just walked with that same blank stare! I was really getting worried about him at this point so I sat down on the steps and waited for him to speak up, but he didn't. When he finally stopped walking around the house, he went into the carport and started jumping up and touching a piece of tape on the wall! I couldn't believe it! He looked totally exhausted! He looked like he couldn't take another step! Now he is jumping? He kept jumping until I finally saw him collapse on the concrete floor, gasping for air again totally covered in sweat.
It was then that I ran in to get my dad to come help him up! I called out to my dad, "Hurry dad! Somethings wrong with John! He's been running and jump roping for over an hour and then he walked around the house like 5 times and then he jumped up and down in the carport until he just fell down on the floor! Hurry dad! He might be dying! Hurry!" Well, my dad kind of chuckled and said,"I'm sure he's ok." So calmly he assured me that John was just doing what he told him to do. I didn't really understand at first what he was saying, but I still got him to go out and check on John. Dad went to the carport and John still laid on the concrete floor breathing hard. Dad said,"Are you going to make it son?" and John said, " Of course! I just am doing what you told me to do!" I didn't know that my father had given John this exercise routine just the day before and that John was just following his fathers guidance because he wanted to be the very best player on the McNairy Central High School basketball team more than anything else in the world that day! He wanted to be a star player in the game! I saw my brother continue doing this day after day for the next few months as his body began to take on unbelievable transformations. His legs got like oak trees and his upper body showed every muscle, as he was leaner than ever before! He kept raising the tape on the wall in the carport to jump to and kept extending the length of his jump roping runs looking forward to that day when he would have the chance to play against and with the best of the player across the state. Well, it paid off! I actually remember him taking one step at the foul line and jumping up so high that he could take the ball between his legs and then dunk it! I believe his nickname became "hotdog" after that. Hotdog was a term used back the for the guy that takes the show. I was so proud of my brother though I may not have told him. But it was the first day when I saw him gasping on the floor of our carport and my father told me why he had done all that, that my brother became my hero! He was running the race and not giving up! He was suffering and waiting for the results that he couldn't see right then! He was trusting his father that had directed him to do this. What I also didn't know was that my own father had been the coach for the team for two consecutive years that had won the International Navy Volleyball Championship and he knew exactly what he was doing when he gave my brother his training to be a winner in the game of basketball! All my brother needed was perseverance, determination and the trust to wait on the results that would build his strength to not only be able to play basket ball that year but to also go on to gain a soccer scholarship into college and then to play on the USA Soccer All Conference team with the Best of the best from colleges across the US.
It is amazing that I was able to witness that day the start of what literally changed the destiny of my brother and his future! He may have found another way to do what he did, yes? He may have struggled along on his own and found out how to build his strength quicker through supplements or even steroids like some athletes did back then. Instead he went to his father and his father gave him the guidance he needed. he still had to do the work! He still had to run; he had to walk and he had to rest to get the strength to fly like the eagles on the court! I loved to watch him jump when he would go in to make his layups or dunks. I knew he was meant to do this. Why? Because he had a passion built into his heart to do it! God had made him that way!
Parents, there is a plan for each of our lives no matter where we are in the race! Whether you are just picking up the rope; whether you are rounding the curve; whether you have been run/jumping for an hour and still have to get back home; whether you are coming back up the driveway and the house is right in front of you; you must walk and you will not faint! The walking has it's purpose after the run! It cools us down and slows our heart rate so that we won't get sick. You may have to go jump in the carport right after the walk until you can't stand anymore, BUT don't grow weary! Don't give up! Your Father knows that you are getting stronger a little each day and one day when the transformation is obvious YOU WILL be able to do even more because YOU WILL renew your STRENGTH!
Remember though! Just as my brother's incredible God given strength didn't come over night; we must wait on the Lord to give us new strength! You see, waiting is not an option. We must wait upon the Lord!
Our scripture to read and remember for today is,
Isaiah 40:31 "But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint."
Friday, May 29, 2009
"The Deep End"
By ROb Bailes
But I Can't Touch!
A couple of years ago, as my youngest daughter and I were getting ready to go swimming, just as we have many times before, we made sure we had everything we needed before heading to the Pullen Aquatic Center. She even thought of the things she needed to wash with after swimming. We guys just use whatever is available or do a quick rinse on the way to the lockers. We had been swimming for a while when Cass wanted to go down to the deep end where the diving boards were. The diving boards being closed for the day allowed us to just swim around at that end of the pool. I have to say that this pool is huge and you can swim quite a ways before you get to a lane rope or the other side of the pool.
At first she didn't want to actually get in and swim as it was 14 feet deep but she gradually ease herself into the deep blue water. She had dove off the diving boards many times but this time it seemed like unfamiliar territory for some reason. When she first got into the water and let go of the side she said, "Eww, it feels like something could swim up under me and bite my foot or leg."
I told her to put on her goggles and look into the water and see how clear it was but she decided she just wasn't ready to actually look at the deep water she was wading in. She might get scared and get out. Gradually we swam out into the middle of this deep area and were doing quite well. She seemed to be really enjoying herself and swimming allot better than I had remembered her swimming in the past. I was even feeling a bit proud of her courage and strength that had developed so quickly.
Then without any notice whatsoever, she got a frightened look on her face and began frantically swimming towards me! It was more of a dog paddle which really slowed her down in reaching her destination. I knew how tired I already was from our swim but I wasn't about to move away from her! I knew I couldn't possibly touch the bottom so I just whispered a prayer and said,"God I really need your strength to get us to the side of this pool."
As she got closer her panic increase and she said in a quick but convincing voice, "Help!" It was then that I saw her little chin going into the water and realized she was really loosing this fight mentally that she could make it. Something had happened in her little mind that caused her to feel a lack of security, enough so that she had lost her confidence in the years of swimming she had experienced before and the strength of her athletic body. Well, she made it and by the strength of God, I made it to the edge of the pool also. Wow! I also believe that those supplements definitely helped as well that I take each day.
Isn't it just like us sometimes to panic when we get into unfamiliar territory? We may have been there for a while but suddenly we get into a panic and satan begins to fill our minds with doubt and fear and the next thing we know, we are struggling just to get back home to our safe place or to a friend as fast as we can that makes us feel safe and protected.
I want to share a couple of verses written by David when he was being chased down by the kings men to be killed. They were waiting outside his door to catch him when he came out, but he had ran to the safety of his home and began crying out to the Lord for help!
Let's use this passage today to remind us of where our help comes from and do as David did when he found himself surrounded; like I did when my girl was swimming to me in the deep, deep, deep waters; like she did when she began to panic and feel she wouldn't make it back to her fathers arms crying, "HELP!" Let's trust in our Lord and make Him our refuge of strength! Let's call out to Him,"Help!" Let's pray often!
Psalms 59:16,17
16 But I will sing of thy power; yes, I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning: for thou hast been my defense and refuge in the day of my trouble.
17 To thee, O my strength, will I sing: for God is my defense, and the God of my mercy.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
What's the Point Anyways?
What's the Point Anyways?
As I was reading an email that includes a daily message from a writer earlier this week, I realized that he was telling all of his readers his opinion of why the Bible was written, but what he was saying would have meant nothing to me had I not been a Christian who understands the Word.
His message was a message of declaration as though he had just discovered this and wanted everyone else to stop everything and do what exactly what he said without further understanding anything else about what they were commiting their life to. His message was plainly that the main theme of the Bible is salvation and that this is all you really need to know about the Bible. He then said that we should simply get as many people as we can to pray and ask God into their life. That was it.
He said nothing else to explain why God wants us to do this and what the whole act of salvation is all about. This is where many churches are going astray today from what the Bible teaches us. This is why so many people are living out a tradition instead of Christ example.
I have to ask you who are Christians; even those who are not as well, "IS THIS NOT A PROBLEM? "
So many people going through the motions week after week after week in their lives and as their lives slip through their fingers one day at a time. OK, by now you may be thinking what I was thinking.
What's the Point?
Let me share with you exactly what I found in the Word in the few of hours of studying that I did! This is really going to be exciting for anyone because it can make an impact on all people, Christian or not! Ready?
First of all, the first thing I like to do when someone says that something is in the Bible is to do a word search on my E-sword Bible study program. It's pretty neat! You can put in one or more words, hit search and wallah!
I get a complete list of verses that have the word in it. Then I can choose any verse and open it up to read. When that's done, I can open my search back up and read the next verse. It opens the whole chapter actually so if your not careful, hours will slip by before you know it, especially if you start using your dictionary and commentaries available also.
So, I did a few word searches trying to find the most talked about theme in the Bible. Usually people talk most about what is most important, right?
What I found was amazing but then again, it wasn't surprising when you think about the whole picture. I found that the word "salvation" is found in 268 times in the Bible. The word "love or loved" is found 409 times in the Bible. I took my time to read some of these and found that "love" almost always related to our Lord Jesus and His teaching. The Lord was here because of love and that is why we see it so many times thoughout the Bible.
As I continued my search through verses to find the main thread that would tie the message together and give us something to hold onto as we were going through our earthly and spiritual journey, I found that it is something that we already have built into us by our creator. We can see it when we look at a mother holding her child for the first time or when a father plays catch with his child or when we drop a dollar in the beggars hat! Yes, it is LOVE.
Whoa! How did that last act tie into such a nice description of love? Everything was feeling and looking so beautiful in our nice cozy home life and maybe we even began to feel kinda righteous as we thought about how we love our families and children!
My friends, what I found pricked the very nerve of my heart when I realized how much I needed a reminder of what this thread was, "love".
In the Greek and Hebrew dictionary there are 34 descriptions for the word "love". I began to feel like it was going to be a long day trying to go through all of these and understand the differences of each of them, but as I began, I believe God led me to a passage that summed it all up. I know what you think, John 3:16! Not. That one we all know from our childhood up but the one I read I had heard but hadn't ever memorized as a child. I wish that I had because I would have seen people and the world from a different perspective all together. Read with me,
1Co 13:1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
1Co 13:2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
1Co 13:3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
1Co 13:4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
1Co 13:5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not its own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
1Co 13:6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;
1Co 13:7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
1Co 13:8 Charity never faileth: but whether there are prophecies, they shall fail; whether there are languages, they shall cease; whether there is knowledge, it shall vanish away.
1Co 13:9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.
1Co 13:10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.
1Co 13:11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
1Co 13:12 For now we see through a glass darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
When I read this passage, I realized what it is saying; that all the things that we are doing on this earth day by day, in church and out of church, are all going to pass away some day. Look at verse 8 where it says, "Charity never faileth". All other things do, but not charity.
I have to ask myself right now, "Where in the world is all the charity, if there are so many so called Christians in the world today?"
You might be thinking that all of this giving that people are doing to charity groups is what this is talking about but you'd better take another look my friend!
The last verse of this chapter sums it up! Lets read it,
1Co 13:13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
Faith and hope is what we hear all the time at church, in our classes, in studies, on the radio, in the Christian newspapers, but what about charity? I want to look at the meaning of charity with you because interesting enough, charity only has one meaning in the Greek and Hebrew dictionary. I truely believe that Jesus spoke of Charity in direct connection with our faith and hope in Christ in this last verse and that it is about loving ALL people without any conditions.
This is the definition from the Greek and Hebrew dictionary.
G26
ἀγάπη
agapē
ag-ah'-pay
From G25; love, that is, affection or benevolence; specifically (plural) a love feast: - (feast of) charity ([-ably]), dear, love.
I am concluding with this thought and one more verse that speaks to my heart. After reaading the scripture I have shared from ICorinthians 13, can we go through this day without sharing our love with all we come in contact with and call ourselves true believers?
If love is the greatest of faith, hope and love, then let's put that first and share our hope and faith once people have seen our love.
I once heard someone say this and it is so true, "People will not care about how much you know until they first know how much you care"
May you feel the presence of Gods love and his comforter with you throughout your day as His love flows through you to all people! God Bless! Shalom!
1Th 3:12 And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one towards another, and towards all men, even as we do towards you:
1Th 3:13 To the end he may establish your hearts unblamable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.
As I was reading an email that includes a daily message from a writer earlier this week, I realized that he was telling all of his readers his opinion of why the Bible was written, but what he was saying would have meant nothing to me had I not been a Christian who understands the Word.
His message was a message of declaration as though he had just discovered this and wanted everyone else to stop everything and do what exactly what he said without further understanding anything else about what they were commiting their life to. His message was plainly that the main theme of the Bible is salvation and that this is all you really need to know about the Bible. He then said that we should simply get as many people as we can to pray and ask God into their life. That was it.
He said nothing else to explain why God wants us to do this and what the whole act of salvation is all about. This is where many churches are going astray today from what the Bible teaches us. This is why so many people are living out a tradition instead of Christ example.
I have to ask you who are Christians; even those who are not as well, "IS THIS NOT A PROBLEM? "
So many people going through the motions week after week after week in their lives and as their lives slip through their fingers one day at a time. OK, by now you may be thinking what I was thinking.
What's the Point?
Let me share with you exactly what I found in the Word in the few of hours of studying that I did! This is really going to be exciting for anyone because it can make an impact on all people, Christian or not! Ready?
First of all, the first thing I like to do when someone says that something is in the Bible is to do a word search on my E-sword Bible study program. It's pretty neat! You can put in one or more words, hit search and wallah!
I get a complete list of verses that have the word in it. Then I can choose any verse and open it up to read. When that's done, I can open my search back up and read the next verse. It opens the whole chapter actually so if your not careful, hours will slip by before you know it, especially if you start using your dictionary and commentaries available also.
So, I did a few word searches trying to find the most talked about theme in the Bible. Usually people talk most about what is most important, right?
What I found was amazing but then again, it wasn't surprising when you think about the whole picture. I found that the word "salvation" is found in 268 times in the Bible. The word "love or loved" is found 409 times in the Bible. I took my time to read some of these and found that "love" almost always related to our Lord Jesus and His teaching. The Lord was here because of love and that is why we see it so many times thoughout the Bible.
As I continued my search through verses to find the main thread that would tie the message together and give us something to hold onto as we were going through our earthly and spiritual journey, I found that it is something that we already have built into us by our creator. We can see it when we look at a mother holding her child for the first time or when a father plays catch with his child or when we drop a dollar in the beggars hat! Yes, it is LOVE.
Whoa! How did that last act tie into such a nice description of love? Everything was feeling and looking so beautiful in our nice cozy home life and maybe we even began to feel kinda righteous as we thought about how we love our families and children!
My friends, what I found pricked the very nerve of my heart when I realized how much I needed a reminder of what this thread was, "love".
In the Greek and Hebrew dictionary there are 34 descriptions for the word "love". I began to feel like it was going to be a long day trying to go through all of these and understand the differences of each of them, but as I began, I believe God led me to a passage that summed it all up. I know what you think, John 3:16! Not. That one we all know from our childhood up but the one I read I had heard but hadn't ever memorized as a child. I wish that I had because I would have seen people and the world from a different perspective all together. Read with me,
1Co 13:1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
1Co 13:2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
1Co 13:3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
1Co 13:4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
1Co 13:5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not its own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
1Co 13:6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;
1Co 13:7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
1Co 13:8 Charity never faileth: but whether there are prophecies, they shall fail; whether there are languages, they shall cease; whether there is knowledge, it shall vanish away.
1Co 13:9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.
1Co 13:10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.
1Co 13:11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
1Co 13:12 For now we see through a glass darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
When I read this passage, I realized what it is saying; that all the things that we are doing on this earth day by day, in church and out of church, are all going to pass away some day. Look at verse 8 where it says, "Charity never faileth". All other things do, but not charity.
I have to ask myself right now, "Where in the world is all the charity, if there are so many so called Christians in the world today?"
You might be thinking that all of this giving that people are doing to charity groups is what this is talking about but you'd better take another look my friend!
The last verse of this chapter sums it up! Lets read it,
1Co 13:13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
Faith and hope is what we hear all the time at church, in our classes, in studies, on the radio, in the Christian newspapers, but what about charity? I want to look at the meaning of charity with you because interesting enough, charity only has one meaning in the Greek and Hebrew dictionary. I truely believe that Jesus spoke of Charity in direct connection with our faith and hope in Christ in this last verse and that it is about loving ALL people without any conditions.
This is the definition from the Greek and Hebrew dictionary.
G26
ἀγάπη
agapē
ag-ah'-pay
From G25; love, that is, affection or benevolence; specifically (plural) a love feast: - (feast of) charity ([-ably]), dear, love.
I am concluding with this thought and one more verse that speaks to my heart. After reaading the scripture I have shared from ICorinthians 13, can we go through this day without sharing our love with all we come in contact with and call ourselves true believers?
If love is the greatest of faith, hope and love, then let's put that first and share our hope and faith once people have seen our love.
I once heard someone say this and it is so true, "People will not care about how much you know until they first know how much you care"
May you feel the presence of Gods love and his comforter with you throughout your day as His love flows through you to all people! God Bless! Shalom!
1Th 3:12 And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one towards another, and towards all men, even as we do towards you:
1Th 3:13 To the end he may establish your hearts unblamable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.
Monday, May 25, 2009
"A Memorial of Her"
"Memorial of Her... "
Deanna Nielsen
Veteran: Deanna Nielsen
Submited by: Lynn SuDate
Submited: 3/30/2005
I joined the military in 1975 as an enlisted person. I received my commission to be an officer when I graduated from nursing school in 1976. I didn’t become commissioned for about a year, so in 1977 I became an officer. I was an enlisted person in another unit, but I had been with the 328th General Hospital after I transferred over as an officer. I was in the 328th when they called us to Desert Storm.
We were going to have a family portrait that year and I was making the girls all the same dresses. I knew that it was probably the last year that Natalie would wear the same dress her younger sisters would wear. I really wanted to have a picture like that. So I was in the middle of that and I received the news. Of course, I was crying. I couldn’t think of being separated from my children and my husband. Its not that I didn’t want to go and serve my country, but a lot of emotions were raging through me. . . . . .
This was a part of a story I found while searching for veteran stories online this morning. It was a good example of the sacrifice that has been made by thousands of medical staff to care for the wounded in our military. I thought I would talk about the lives of those that care for the dying and share some scriptures with you today. Join me!
We usually spend this day each year praising and thanking our military for the willingness that it took to give their lives and we take time out of our busy schedules to show appreciation to the families of those who lost their grandsons, sons, fathers and grandfathers in past conflicts. What I have realized while reading today is that I have forgotten many times to honor the ones who were behind the scenes; those endearing people that spent their life caring for the dying.
It is so interesting to find today, while doing a word search for the word "memorial" on my e-sword program, that "memorial" is found 31 times in the Bible and that it is actually mentioned by Jesus himself shortly before He is crucified! I would have thought that Jesus may have been speaking of His own remembrance or telling the crowds in the hours before His death how one day He would be honored across the globe, but I was quite shocked at what I did find!
As I opened one of the scriptures in Matthew, I didn't see Jesus talking about his disciples, his family or even about what great act He would soon acomplish that would allow man the grace and forgiveness by His very blood shed on the cross.
What was it that Jesus told his disciples in Bethany while dining at the house of Simon who was a leper? Hold that thought! Again I am surprised that the one we call our "Lord and Savior" would be spending His LAST HOURS on this earth with a man that had hands and feet that were probably nubs and smelled with the smell of rotting flesh! What kind of Savior do we worship anyways? Do we really demonstrate the love of our Savior?
I must humbly admit, I do not come anywhere close to this act of love and caring that Jesus was demonstrating for the Disiples and His followers today. Jesus made sure that this was recorded in the Bible because what happens next is even more enlightening. We get to see just what Jesus found to be important, enough so that He even says that it will be mentioned forever as a memorial.
If you have your Bible handy, look with me at Matthew 26:6 so you can make notes to remind you later. Let's read,
Mat 26:6 Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper,
Mat 26:7 There came to him a woman having an alabaster-box of very precious ointment, and poured it on his head as he sat at table.
Mat 26:8 But when his disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this waste?
Mat 26:9 For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor.
Mat 26:10 When Jesus understood it, he said to them, Why trouble ye the woman? for she hath wrought a good work upon me.
Mat 26:11 For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always.
Now isn't it just like a committee to figure out another way for someone to do something when this woman just did what God had laid on her heart? I don't know how many times I have shared with someone at a church something God impressed me to do and they said "Don't you think it would be better to just stick to what your doing and support the ones who do that already financially? I believe this passage is a very good example of Jesus teaching concerning this type of people and His appreciation for the servant who follows their heart.
Let read on in verse 12,
Mat 26:12 For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial.
She was caring for the needs of Jesus time to come. Wether she knew this or not, I don't know but one thing is for sure, God knew and Jesus seemed to understand what was happening here. Something else I thought about when I read this verse wasthat from this moment on Jesus carried this fragrance with Him. IT WAS In HIS HAIR! Have you ever got something in your hair and you kept smelling it? A good example is when you go into a restaurant where alot of people are smoking. You can smell that smoke until you shower and wash it out and even then you may have to wash twice. Our hair contains lots of calcium and calcium is very absorbent!
Jesus knew that He would smell like flowers when He sat at the last supper.
Jesus knew He would smell like flowers while He spent HOURS with His disciples in the garden praying.
Jesus knew he would smell like flowers when Judas kissed Him on the cheek.
Jesus knew that the aroma in His hair would rub off on the cheek and hair of Judas and linger not only in his sense of smell but his conscience long after he had betrayed his Lord.
Jesus knew that the aroma would fill the courts when he stood before Pilot to be judged!
Jesus knew that the smell would fill the courtyard when his sweat began to roll from His pores as the beatings began.
He knew that the robe that was devided between the guards at the foot of the cross would carry the sweet aroma of the small box of perfume that was broken and poured upon His head by the lady who loved him and felt compassion so strong to give of her prized possession; the valuable ointment.
In His final breaths Jesus could inhale this scent and remember that it was for His love of this woman that He gave His life that would free her from the bondage of sin.
How special are the ones that give their all to care for the dying?
Lets read the next verse and see!
Mat 26:13 Verily I say to you, Wherever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, which this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her.
Whoa!!! I had to look again! I couldn't believe this when I saw it! A sacrifice of love was performed while Jesus was preparing for the hours ahead and Jesu said, " Wherever the gospel will be preached IN THE WHOLE WORLD, what this woman has done will be told for a MEMORIAL of her!"
God gave this woman worldwide recognition for her compassion and care for the dying and her story will be told as a Memorial of her. Never feel as though your small deed or act of kindness goes unnoticed by God. he died for our freedom and that says alot about your life and what you do with it each and every day!
Let's remember the lives of the men and women spent caring for the dying today when we memorialize the veterans. THANKYOU doctors, nurses, medics and all involved in the medical care of our citizens who engaged in conflict for the freedom of America.
If you'd like to read the full article of Deanna Neilsen you can click on the link below. You will find many more stories there as well of those that have given of their lives to care for others.
http://nursing.byu.edu/Nursesatwar/archive_story_read.asp?storyid=93
Deanna Nielsen
Veteran: Deanna Nielsen
Submited by: Lynn SuDate
Submited: 3/30/2005
I joined the military in 1975 as an enlisted person. I received my commission to be an officer when I graduated from nursing school in 1976. I didn’t become commissioned for about a year, so in 1977 I became an officer. I was an enlisted person in another unit, but I had been with the 328th General Hospital after I transferred over as an officer. I was in the 328th when they called us to Desert Storm.
We were going to have a family portrait that year and I was making the girls all the same dresses. I knew that it was probably the last year that Natalie would wear the same dress her younger sisters would wear. I really wanted to have a picture like that. So I was in the middle of that and I received the news. Of course, I was crying. I couldn’t think of being separated from my children and my husband. Its not that I didn’t want to go and serve my country, but a lot of emotions were raging through me. . . . . .
This was a part of a story I found while searching for veteran stories online this morning. It was a good example of the sacrifice that has been made by thousands of medical staff to care for the wounded in our military. I thought I would talk about the lives of those that care for the dying and share some scriptures with you today. Join me!
We usually spend this day each year praising and thanking our military for the willingness that it took to give their lives and we take time out of our busy schedules to show appreciation to the families of those who lost their grandsons, sons, fathers and grandfathers in past conflicts. What I have realized while reading today is that I have forgotten many times to honor the ones who were behind the scenes; those endearing people that spent their life caring for the dying.
It is so interesting to find today, while doing a word search for the word "memorial" on my e-sword program, that "memorial" is found 31 times in the Bible and that it is actually mentioned by Jesus himself shortly before He is crucified! I would have thought that Jesus may have been speaking of His own remembrance or telling the crowds in the hours before His death how one day He would be honored across the globe, but I was quite shocked at what I did find!
As I opened one of the scriptures in Matthew, I didn't see Jesus talking about his disciples, his family or even about what great act He would soon acomplish that would allow man the grace and forgiveness by His very blood shed on the cross.
What was it that Jesus told his disciples in Bethany while dining at the house of Simon who was a leper? Hold that thought! Again I am surprised that the one we call our "Lord and Savior" would be spending His LAST HOURS on this earth with a man that had hands and feet that were probably nubs and smelled with the smell of rotting flesh! What kind of Savior do we worship anyways? Do we really demonstrate the love of our Savior?
I must humbly admit, I do not come anywhere close to this act of love and caring that Jesus was demonstrating for the Disiples and His followers today. Jesus made sure that this was recorded in the Bible because what happens next is even more enlightening. We get to see just what Jesus found to be important, enough so that He even says that it will be mentioned forever as a memorial.
If you have your Bible handy, look with me at Matthew 26:6 so you can make notes to remind you later. Let's read,
Mat 26:6 Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper,
Mat 26:7 There came to him a woman having an alabaster-box of very precious ointment, and poured it on his head as he sat at table.
Mat 26:8 But when his disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this waste?
Mat 26:9 For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor.
Mat 26:10 When Jesus understood it, he said to them, Why trouble ye the woman? for she hath wrought a good work upon me.
Mat 26:11 For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always.
Now isn't it just like a committee to figure out another way for someone to do something when this woman just did what God had laid on her heart? I don't know how many times I have shared with someone at a church something God impressed me to do and they said "Don't you think it would be better to just stick to what your doing and support the ones who do that already financially? I believe this passage is a very good example of Jesus teaching concerning this type of people and His appreciation for the servant who follows their heart.
Let read on in verse 12,
Mat 26:12 For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial.
She was caring for the needs of Jesus time to come. Wether she knew this or not, I don't know but one thing is for sure, God knew and Jesus seemed to understand what was happening here. Something else I thought about when I read this verse wasthat from this moment on Jesus carried this fragrance with Him. IT WAS In HIS HAIR! Have you ever got something in your hair and you kept smelling it? A good example is when you go into a restaurant where alot of people are smoking. You can smell that smoke until you shower and wash it out and even then you may have to wash twice. Our hair contains lots of calcium and calcium is very absorbent!
Jesus knew that He would smell like flowers when He sat at the last supper.
Jesus knew He would smell like flowers while He spent HOURS with His disciples in the garden praying.
Jesus knew he would smell like flowers when Judas kissed Him on the cheek.
Jesus knew that the aroma in His hair would rub off on the cheek and hair of Judas and linger not only in his sense of smell but his conscience long after he had betrayed his Lord.
Jesus knew that the aroma would fill the courts when he stood before Pilot to be judged!
Jesus knew that the smell would fill the courtyard when his sweat began to roll from His pores as the beatings began.
He knew that the robe that was devided between the guards at the foot of the cross would carry the sweet aroma of the small box of perfume that was broken and poured upon His head by the lady who loved him and felt compassion so strong to give of her prized possession; the valuable ointment.
In His final breaths Jesus could inhale this scent and remember that it was for His love of this woman that He gave His life that would free her from the bondage of sin.
How special are the ones that give their all to care for the dying?
Lets read the next verse and see!
Mat 26:13 Verily I say to you, Wherever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, which this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her.
Whoa!!! I had to look again! I couldn't believe this when I saw it! A sacrifice of love was performed while Jesus was preparing for the hours ahead and Jesu said, " Wherever the gospel will be preached IN THE WHOLE WORLD, what this woman has done will be told for a MEMORIAL of her!"
God gave this woman worldwide recognition for her compassion and care for the dying and her story will be told as a Memorial of her. Never feel as though your small deed or act of kindness goes unnoticed by God. he died for our freedom and that says alot about your life and what you do with it each and every day!
Let's remember the lives of the men and women spent caring for the dying today when we memorialize the veterans. THANKYOU doctors, nurses, medics and all involved in the medical care of our citizens who engaged in conflict for the freedom of America.
If you'd like to read the full article of Deanna Neilsen you can click on the link below. You will find many more stories there as well of those that have given of their lives to care for others.
http://nursing.byu.edu/Nursesatwar/archive_story_read.asp?storyid=93
Sunday, May 24, 2009
The God of All Comfort
2Corinthians 1: 2,3,4
This passage starts out with "Grace be to you and peace from God our Father" and also "from the Lord Jesus Christ". This really caught my attention because I had to stop and think about what it really means to receive grace from a father.
I can't help but believe that most people going to church every week do not really take the time to look at the real meaning of grace. The reason I say that is because of the way they treat each other. I rarely see people smiling at church except for when they shake hands OR when they are singing praise and that's a whole other devotional. We need to realize that the grace of our father is knowing what we have done but helping and caring for us regardless of that.
I remember in the last counseling session that my ex and I went to that the counselor told us that we needed to show grace to each other and my ex asked what that meant. The counselor looked at her kind of surprised because we had both spent our entire lives in church as preachers kids. I have to admit, I was a little lost when it came to the idea of giving someone else grace. He then explained how God is our example and His grace to us that allows us to live and continue learning while His Son Jesus in grace (also!) interceeds for us with His Father. He then explained that it would mean praying for me and accepting whatever problems she saw in me for that time while trusting God to work in my life and not insist that I change. Well, that didn't go over to well with her at all but I did learn something new that day about grace.
We read in verse 3, "Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ," and get this very important part that sequels with verse 2, "the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;" How much comfort was that? I believe it clearly says "all comfort". That would mean that anytime we are dealing with some difficulty in our life the comfort is available from God! Anytime! Anywhere! Don't let Satan fool you into thinking you're doing it all alone or you need someone else to make it through this time or that life is not worth living because no one else even cares or understands! Write this down on your mirror or hang it on the refrigerator! This next verse is one that changed my life two years after my wife left when I felt I couldn't find help from anyone and I was all alone dealing with the pain of loss and rejection. I cried out to God to help me that morning and when I opened my Bible God placed this verse right before my eyes! If we call out to God, He is all our comfort and always will be there for us!
The verse I read that morning is verse 4 ,
"Who comforteth US in ALL our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, BY the comfort wherewith WE ourselves are comforted of GOD."
There is enough comfort in that verse to cover every situation that the world could bring our way! When I read this verse I realized that God wanted to comfort me directly through His word and prayer. God wanted me to get close to Him in communion and build our relationship. It's pretty hard to build a serious relationship with someone you only see once every week or two. God wanted to comfort me daily and build my strength up through His word. It wasn't long after that, maybe a few months, that the second part of the verse started manifesting itself in my life. I met a lady and her two children on a path at Umstead State Park and she shared that she had went through a bad divorce. It was then that I was able to comfort her by the things that God had used to comfort me and thank God she is doing very well today. Guess what? It has continued to happen everywhere I have gone since then. Not everyday but as the Lord led me and planned to use what He had done for me.
We must look to God the Father and also our Lord Jesus Christ for the forgiving and caring example of grace(vs.2); His loving example of mercy and the most extraordinary example of comfort that nurtures our healing in all tribulations! (vs.3, 4)
This passage starts out with "Grace be to you and peace from God our Father" and also "from the Lord Jesus Christ". This really caught my attention because I had to stop and think about what it really means to receive grace from a father.
I can't help but believe that most people going to church every week do not really take the time to look at the real meaning of grace. The reason I say that is because of the way they treat each other. I rarely see people smiling at church except for when they shake hands OR when they are singing praise and that's a whole other devotional. We need to realize that the grace of our father is knowing what we have done but helping and caring for us regardless of that.
I remember in the last counseling session that my ex and I went to that the counselor told us that we needed to show grace to each other and my ex asked what that meant. The counselor looked at her kind of surprised because we had both spent our entire lives in church as preachers kids. I have to admit, I was a little lost when it came to the idea of giving someone else grace. He then explained how God is our example and His grace to us that allows us to live and continue learning while His Son Jesus in grace (also!) interceeds for us with His Father. He then explained that it would mean praying for me and accepting whatever problems she saw in me for that time while trusting God to work in my life and not insist that I change. Well, that didn't go over to well with her at all but I did learn something new that day about grace.
We read in verse 3, "Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ," and get this very important part that sequels with verse 2, "the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;" How much comfort was that? I believe it clearly says "all comfort". That would mean that anytime we are dealing with some difficulty in our life the comfort is available from God! Anytime! Anywhere! Don't let Satan fool you into thinking you're doing it all alone or you need someone else to make it through this time or that life is not worth living because no one else even cares or understands! Write this down on your mirror or hang it on the refrigerator! This next verse is one that changed my life two years after my wife left when I felt I couldn't find help from anyone and I was all alone dealing with the pain of loss and rejection. I cried out to God to help me that morning and when I opened my Bible God placed this verse right before my eyes! If we call out to God, He is all our comfort and always will be there for us!
The verse I read that morning is verse 4 ,
"Who comforteth US in ALL our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, BY the comfort wherewith WE ourselves are comforted of GOD."
There is enough comfort in that verse to cover every situation that the world could bring our way! When I read this verse I realized that God wanted to comfort me directly through His word and prayer. God wanted me to get close to Him in communion and build our relationship. It's pretty hard to build a serious relationship with someone you only see once every week or two. God wanted to comfort me daily and build my strength up through His word. It wasn't long after that, maybe a few months, that the second part of the verse started manifesting itself in my life. I met a lady and her two children on a path at Umstead State Park and she shared that she had went through a bad divorce. It was then that I was able to comfort her by the things that God had used to comfort me and thank God she is doing very well today. Guess what? It has continued to happen everywhere I have gone since then. Not everyday but as the Lord led me and planned to use what He had done for me.
We must look to God the Father and also our Lord Jesus Christ for the forgiving and caring example of grace(vs.2); His loving example of mercy and the most extraordinary example of comfort that nurtures our healing in all tribulations! (vs.3, 4)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)