Television

Devotional for July 1, 2011

“Do not be misled:

‘Bad company corrupts good character.’”

1 Corintians 15:43

Did your mother ever tell you that it was important to have good friends? It makes sense, right? I mean a bad friend can tempt you to do things you wouldn’t ordinarily do. They could even ruin your reputation. Friends can make or break you.

Obviously, God wants us to choose our friends wisely. He wants the best for us. As I read this verse, something else jumped out at me. As Christians, most of us are careful about the sort of people we hang out with and the type of activities we participate in. And yet, every evening in Christian homes across America men and women turn on the television and bring in “friends” who have a less than upright character.

Could television, videos, or movies be corrupting your good character? The Bible tells us to abstain from all types of evil. Paul says,

“The acts of the sinful nature are obvious:

sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery;

idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy,

fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions,

fractions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like.

I warn you, as I did before,

that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.” 

Galatians 5: 19-21 NIV.

Does that describe much of what is found on television and in the movies? The Bible also says,

“Do not let any unwholesome talk

come out of your mouths…”

Ephesians 4: 29a NIV.

Bad language abounds in much of what Hollywood has to offer us these days. This thought that, “Oh, a little sin won’t hurt,” is a far cry from what God has commanded in His Word. We are told,

“Avoid every kind of evil.”

1 Thessalonians 5: 22 NIV.

“How great is the love the Father has lavished on us,

 that we should be called children of God!

And that is what we are!

The reason the world does not know us

 is that it did not know Him.

Dear friends, now we are children of God,

and what we will be has not yet been made known.

But we know that when He appears,

we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.

Everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself,

just as He is pure. Everyone who sins breaks the law;

in fact, sin is lawlessness. But you know that He appeared

so that he might take away our sins. And in Him is no sin.

 No one who lives in Him keeps on sinning.

No one who continues to sin

has either seen him or known him.”

 1 John 3: 1- 6

It is important that we choose carefully what we watch on television. Shows and movies that glorify sin do not glorify HIM. Jesus is calling a purified people to be His people. He wants each one of us to “come out of Babylon” and serve Him with pure hearts and minds.

“For God did not call us to be impure,

but to live a holy life.”

1 Thessalonians 4: 7 NIV.

Are you willing to make the right choice?

Shared by Corinne Mustafa

A Battle Worth Fighting: Doubt

Devotional for 6/30/11

Every once in a while I ask myself and I am asked when will this stop being so hard. The ‘this’ is trusting God in good times and bad, on bright days and when our world is dark. When I was a young mom, there was a teacher in our church who was very proper, self-controlled, and disciplined. Truth be told, many of us young women were a little afraid of her. One day, pretending to be casually confident, I asked this woman who had walked with and served God as a pastor’s wife and teacher for 40 years if ‘this’ got easier.

She looked at me and into me thoughtfully as I held my breath. It doesn’t get easier, she explained, the way we want it to, it gets easier because we have so much more practice and experience of seeing God move in our lives and in the lives of those around us. When she starts to think something ‘wrong’ such as doubt, fear, lust, or envy, for example, within minutes she’s rebuking the thought in her mind, putting it in its proper place (the trash) and repeating to herself what God’s word tells her is true.

I was not so bold as to claim I did that, too! The truth was that I often spent most of a week envying someone’s new car or outfit before I realized that I was waist deep in obsessing and sinning. I was a grateful girl because God was so kind to bring things to my attention privately. Truth be told, He is still bringing all sorts of things to my attention on a daily basis.

If you have ever felt the mental and emotional weight of feeling overwhelmed spiritually then you understand how hard it can be to even lift our heads up high enough to look to the only One who can truly help us. But He has provided for even that.

GOD’S WORD:

Many are saying of me, there is no help for him in God. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]! But You, O Lord, are a shield for me, my glory, and the lifter of my head. With my voice I cry to the Lord, and He hears and answers me out of His holy hill. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]!

Psalm 3:2-4 (AMP)

ME:

I know but I can’t do it. I don’t have the strength. There’s not enough time. There’s not enough money. I’m not sure how. I’m concerned that…. I’m afraid of….

GOD’S WORD:

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer

 and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests

be made known to God.”

Philippians 4:6

ME:

I haven’t been very good, I’m not sure God will hear me. I have done wrong, He might not help me.

GOD’S WORD:

"This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn't go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again. Anyone who trusts in him is acquitted; anyone who refuses to trust him has long since been under the death sentence without knowing it. And why? Because of that person's failure to believe in the one-of-a-kind Son of God when introduced to him.

John 3:16-18(MSG)

ME:

I wish I could have the faith to trust Him like I should.

GOD’S WORD:

The LORD is trustworthy in all he promises and faithful in all he does. The LORD upholds all who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down.

Psalm 145:13b-14 (NIV)

ME:

I believe, Lord, help me to truly trust You!

GOD’S WORD:

And He will establish you to the end [keep you steadfast, give you strength, and guarantee your vindication; He will be your warrant against all accusation or indictment so that you will be] guiltless and irreproachable in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah).

God is faithful (reliable, trustworthy, and therefore ever true to His promise, and He can be depended on); by Him you were called into companionship and participation with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

 1 Corinthians 1:8-9 (AMP)

A glimpse of real life by Mary M. Wilkins

Be ye holy; for I am holy.

Devotional for 6/28/11

Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober,

and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought

unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves

according to the former lusts in your ignorance:

But as he which hath called you is holy,

so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;

Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

Peter 1: 13-16

_______________________________________________________________

The apostle Peter provides the practical implications of this wonderful hope. Hope can go to work for us and do wonders. God's calling and purpose are certainly wonderful, but He does not intend that they set us off on a daydream. Peter is declaring a call to arms: "Pull yourself together!" "Roll up your sleeves!" "Give hard thought and wrestle with the practical implications of salvation."

Remember that the church is the community where God's truth is taken seriously, and His mind is being formed in its members. To paraphrase and expand, Peter is saying, "Look, brothers, we should not be superficial about this. Keep cool. Do not be impetuous. Avoid excesses. Live a plain life. Work hard, but set your hope in God's grace, not in your own willpower.

"Remember always that your obedience is to a gracious Person, not to a coldly calculating judge or to society. Holiness is not sanctimoniousness. It is being separated for a special purpose by special instructions and discipline. We have been called to perform a unique purpose. We have been called to glorify God by our lives as a witness to all who observe, and at the same time being prepared for His Kingdom. God wants us to have a passionate love for goodness, so in your mind give Him a unique place.

"Do not fear the enemy, as we would Christ. Use your hope to think about Him, His power, justice, wisdom, goodness, truth, omnipotence, and omniscience. Remember always that He has wisdom without error, power without limit, love without hatred. Our hope is in One who is great in every respect. Quit thinking of God in fleshly terms. He is not a limited man nor even a superman. He is GOD! He is with us, and so who can permanently harm us? Concentrate on being completely devoted to Him, and if we do this, we have every reason to hope. God is not a man that He should lie. His promises are sure."

submitted by: Annie

ANSWERED PRAYER

Repost from Monday, July 26, 2010



I came to Him in my distress.
I let Him know my plea.
I asked Him for a great request.
I came on bended knee.
His Word assures us of His love,
His willingness to bless.
Why then did I stand so amazed,
When He quickly answered me?

The Word of God is filled with promises that the Lord hears our petitions and that He is more than willing to meet our needs and even give us the desires of our hearts. As we ask in faith according to His will, Scripture and even our past experiences confirm that the Lord can and will come to our aid.


Let us then remember then to be immeasurably thankful yet not so surprised when the Lord rescues us and works on our behalf through answered prayer.

Written by CF

WORTHINESS

Sunday, June 26, 2011

Repost From Sunday, July 11, 2010



What is your worth? There is an e-mail that goes around called The one Flaw in Women, which extols the virtues of women, and at the end says that the one flaw in women is that they forget their worth. Many of us live our lives for others every day, giving our all to those around us. We support one another, bear one another's burdens, share our hope, love and joy, and laugh and cry with our friends, even when we are sad or hurting inside. Is this what brings us value? Perhaps that is what brings us worth in some people's eyes.


But, then what is our worth when we fail at these things? Sometimes we may feel totally unworthy because of something we have or have not done or said. There may be people we have hurt or neglected, even if it was unintentional. Some days we might be too absorbed in our own lives to share our gifts or talents with others around us. Maybe we didn't reach out to someone in need for various reasons, even though we had the means to do so and saw their need. Or perhaps we simply didn't stand up for what was right in a certain situation. Does that make us unworthy people?


What brings us worth in other people's eyes may be whether we "do good things" - but what is it that brings us worth in God's eyes? First, He creates us with some intrinsic value. We are "fearfully and wonderfully made..." (Psalm 139:14). Then He redeems us again and again when we falter. God sees us through his one and only son, Jesus, who died on the cross to save us from our unworthiness/sinfulness. Thankfully, God is endlessly all-forgiving, because of what Jesus has done for us, not because of our own efforts! Because He forgives all of our short-comings, no matter how often they appear, we can start anew with a fresh slate, each and every moment of every day as we turn to Him in faith. When we "do good things" in this world then, it is not what brings us worth in God's mind, but rather it is what we do to thank Him for the free gift of forgiveness and salvation. It is our witness to the world of the love of our wonderful Lord and Savior.


So, what is your worth? If we are faithful/of noble character, we are "... worth far more than rubies." (Proverbs 31:10), and as we witness to others about our faith in Christ, we do not have to be afraid, because we are "... worth far more than many sparrows" (Matthew 10:31) which do not fall to the ground apart from God's will.
An affirmation to remember:
I am a worthy creation of God, and I am continually redeemed and made worthy again through faith in Christ!


Written by Jan A

Thoughts From On High

Repost from Saturday, July 10, 2010

On the plane coming back from Hawaii, I found myself sitting across the aisle and one row of seats back from a little girl and her mother. I observed this mother and daughter “5 hour flight experience” the entire flight. I honestly have to say that the behavior of this child in my eyes was unbelievable. I tried not to judge, as this mother and I obviously have different parenting techniques, but I could help but allow certain opinions to form in my mind. In spite of this, however, I was impressed with her (the mother, not the daughter).

My own analysis led me to believe that the parents did not believe in teaching their children self-control, and felt no harm in letting them hang onto whatever would pacify them and feed their self-indulgence. This was evident not only in their behavior (as I also observed the slightly older daughter and father behind us), but also in the bottle for the 2 year old, sippy cup for the 5 year old, as well as blankies, crackers, candy, etc. They were constantly being pacified going back and forth between mother and father for whatever they wanted and whenever they wanted it.

 

They ran the show…the kids, not the parents. The most unbelievable sight was this little girl, about age 2 by the size and speech, who was kicking and screaming, hitting and biting her mother from time to time, but mostly during the take-off and landing. It goes without saying that I was not impressed with these parents based on their parenting skills. No, it was instead their calm demeanor that impressed me so much. I can hardly tell what the mother’s voice sounded like because I rarely heard her speak. It took so much strength for that mother to hold onto this unruly child during the take-off and landing, but she did it.

Of course she did, she loves her child. She will safely hold this child as tight as she can no matter what it takes. She probably was noticing how many people were watching, but never the less, she did not break down. She didn’t cry, yell or even raise her voice. She was as strong as an oak holding with all her might this little girl who, in all her ferocious rebellion, just couldn’t understand why she couldn’t do what she wanted to do…get down.

Yes, she was like an untrained wild animal that was now being restrained and her rage was spewing out like a volcano. These words were shouting at me through the actions of the mother, “I know you’re rebellious, but I still love you and don’t want you to die…I know you’ve done nothing to receive this love and protection, and you’ve done everything to deserve punishment, but right now I don’t care. I still love you and I don’t want you to die.” I realized how many times God has held me back with restraints from things that I know now were dangerous, but I didn’t know at the time. So in all my rebellion I fought Him tooth and nail trying to get my way. But He wouldn’t let go. He loves me too much even though I don’t deserve it.

Now, do you hear these words of love shouting from the Father as He allowed His Son to die? He was shouting them to the Roman soldiers, to the children of Israel, to us…

“I know you don’t understand this, but it has to be done because I love you. I know your rebellious heart, but I still love you and don’t want you to die. This is hard for Me, this is hard for My Son, but it’s worth it because you’re worth it even though you don’t even know Me yet. I know you’ve done nothing to receive this gift and instead you deserve punishment, but right now I don’t care. I still love you and don’t want you to die.”

But God demonstrated His own love toward us,

 in that while we were yet sinners,

Christ died for us.

Romans 5:8

Written by Amie Spruiell

Buttons

Repost from Friday, July 9, 2010

“My frame was not hidden from You

when I was being formed in secret (and)

intricately and curiously wrought

(as if embroidered with various colors) in the

depths of the earth (a region of darkness and mystery).

Psalm 139:15

 (amplified Bible)

If you are like me, there have been times in my life that I have wanted to be

someone different from who I am. I have wanted to look different, to think

different, to act different. I have wanted to have different strengths, different

talents and different abilities. It has taken me a long time to be able to see that

the Lord has made me the way I am for a purpose, for His purpose.

Somewhere along the line I began to embrace this knowledge and I began

relating to being “different” in a new way. Because I am who I am, I somehow

began to relate this whole “topic” to something that we are all very familiar with and come across on an almost daily basis… buttons.

I began to think how wonderful it must be to be a “button”. There are so many

different types and sizes and colors and styles. There are simple buttons and

“loud” buttons, “crazy” buttons… and golden buttons.

I thought how buttons can be casual or elegant…how they can be “proper” or

silly. I imagined how a button must not think “too highly” of itself… or “too

little” of itself, either. It seems to me that buttons must be comfortable with what they are… and that above all else, they understand that they are needed.

I thought how buttons are both functional and fun. I see that they serve a very

important purpose… for in them, you find the “finishing” touch, and a sense of

“completeness”. If you don’t think so, just try “losing” one, and you will soon

experience the sense of panic that results!

I began to think that buttons must have been given an extra measure of grace…

for surely I think they must need it. I can see how most of the time, that the

showers of praise and admiration are focused primarily upon the “suit” or the

“dress” or the “outfit”… and, at times, I can imagine how the “button” must feel

a little left out, or perhaps, a bit insignificant.

That is when I imagine how the “Master Tailor” Himself… comes alongside and

begins to explain things to the very special button in a special way that she will

be able to understand. I think that He speaks softly to her as He reminds her how He created and designed her to be exactly the way that she is. I can almost hear Him as He shows her that He uses her for His very special purpose… how she was created to add support and reinforcement, beauty and laughter, or a fabulous show of color to an otherwise “dull” surrounding.

I love it as I imagine how the Master Tailor takes pride in, and values His very

special button. I think that He begins to show her that she is versatile and

loving… and that most of all He loves how she goes willingly to the different

garments that He sets out before her. In ending, I imagine how the very special

button begins to trust in the Master Tailor completely. I believe that she knows

that He is her thread, and I know that she longs for Him alone to shine forth from her very core.

After “seeing” these things about a button, I began to “see” how I can also relate to this whimsical story to my own life. It is my desire to bring joy to my Lord above all else also, and what better way is there for me to do that then to

embrace ALL of the things that He has made me to be. What more can I do than to strengthen my weaknesses and celebrate my strengths by using them to help

others. What better way can I bring my Lord joy than to love the person that I see looking back at me in the mirror each day, for after all, who am I to question that which He has made by His own Hand and design.

Written by Beverley A. Napier

Your priorities, God

Reposted from August 26, 2010

Summer has so many pleasant connotations. A day at the beach, camping, amusement parks and barbeques are fun activities that distinguish this season from all the others. What these enjoyable activities have in common is connecting with other people, even if the other people are my own family members!

The tentative smile of a new acquaintance and the beaming delight in the face of an old friend are agreeable to me. I think one explanation for this is that I am completely present. When I am connecting with others I am not reviewing my mental to do list, nor wondering if I’ll be able to squeeze in one more chore when this is over. Instead, I am enjoying the day.

School has started and the routines of the calendar are before me. These patterns of living are essential to getting things done; so many more details would get missed without the attempt to not drop the ball. But I see another, not so healthy pattern, in the mix. As I get into the flow of taking care of business, I don’t want to stop in case I throw the whole schedule off track. In my busyness I might reach out with a phone call or email but God’s Word offers some clarity:

Rejoice with those who rejoice [sharing other’s joy]

and weep with those who weep [sharing other’s grief].

Romans 12:15 (AMP)

Bear (endure, carry) one another’s burdens
and troublesome moral faults,

and in this way fulfill and observe perfectly
the law of Christ (the Messiah)

and compete what is lacking (in your obedience to it)

Galatians 6:2 (AMP)

I might be able to rejoice or weep in a ten minute phone call. But I cannot help to bear a burden without taking time to truly connect. If I am going to make the effort to interact with others during every season then I need to make some changes to my program.

Dear Lord, please help me to put Your priorities in the day to day routine of my life. Please give me Your wisdom and understanding so that I may be a trustworthy and faithful friend.

Written by Mary M. Wilkins

We Are Highly Valuable To God

My husband and I were at a city park recently. The park had a beautiful pond with ducks,turtles and lots of small fish. We had lots of fun feeding all of them with the bread crumbs we had brought. Smaller birds caught on that dinner was being served, so many began to gather around us just waiting for that right moment to catch a crumb. In the midst of all the activity, out of the corner of my eye I spotted a sparrow. It hung out by the pond for a few moments then as quickly as it came it flew away. Immediately my mind went to the scriptures in Matthew 10:29-31, about the sparrows where is says, " Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father's will. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows."


God knows precisely when every sparrow falls to the ground. In this universe, that's thousands of sparrows! How much more valuable are we his people to Christ! We can not even begin to fathom how highly important our Lord sees us and cares about us. God is concerned with the very smallest details of our life; even to the point of knowing exactly how many hairs we have on our head. That tells me He is so deeply concerned and involved in our life where we can't even comprehend.


When I read those scriptures out of Matthew, it warms and stirs my heart to a place that I want to know Him more. I desire to have an even greater, intimate relationship with Jesus. I want to run to Him and sit in His lap and hold on to Him as tightly as I can. He knows my life inside out and I want to allow God into my life where I can know Him in greater ways.


God is so crazy in love with me that it so delights my heart that words cannot even describe. I am His and cherished in His eyes in an amazing way. There is no greater place to be but in the arms of a God that highly values me for the rest of my days on this earth and with Him eternally.


Blessings,
Written by Sandy

Hope...absolute certainty of future good

And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three;

but the greatest of these is charity.

1 Corinthians 13:13

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Here, Paul lists hope as one of the "big three" virtues of Christianity. Whereas faith is the foundation on which the other two stand, and love is the object because it enables us to communicate, interact properly, and unite, hope is the quality that motivates, providing energy by keeping us in anticipation of greater and better things to come.

Hope, as used in Scripture, is not difficult to define. It appears as both a noun and verb, and conveys the absolute certainty of future good. I Corinthians 13:13 lists it with those things that remain, abide, or continue. In other words, even in the Kingdom of God, we will always be eagerly looking forward to some blessing or accomplishment as age upon age unfolds before us. This will occur because God's revelation never ends, as He Himself is an inexhaustible resource.

Ephesians 2:12 adds another dimension to Christian hope.

". . . that at that time you were without Christ,

being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel

and strangers from the covenants of promise,

having no hope and without God in the world."

Our hope is uniquely Christian because no other religion, no other way of life, can give its adherents a certain hope. Why? First, even though other religions may be moral in their teachings, they speak only from man's experiences. Second, their god is not living the life of God. Third, they have no expectation of the Messiah and all it implies.

The Bible leaves no doubt that our hope is a direct result of God's calling:

"There is one body and one Spirit,

 just as you were called in one hope of your calling"

(Ephesians 4:4).

Paul clearly links our hope with our calling, which is God's summons into His presence so that we may have a relationship with Him. In the context of the first paragraph of Ephesians 4, the implication is that this hope is a factor that unites us into one body. Our calling is an end to pessimism, negativity, and despair and the beginning of a confident, bright, and optimistic life filled with endless possibilities because this unique hope gives positive expectancy to life here and now and beyond the grave as well.

All men have hope occasionally, and some frequently seem hopeful. Many peoples' hope changes as often as the weather. The frequent fluctuations of the stock market indices often indicate investors' up-and-down confidence and hope about the future. Yet, our hope can be taken to higher level altogether because Christians can have continuous hope. Our hope is not a "mere flash in the pan."

submitted by : Annie

Keep Yours Eyes On Jesus

Monday, June 20, 2011


So you've lost your brand new cell phone. You've searched every nook and
cranny and it's nowhere to be found. You've called every possible public venue
where you might have left it and no one has turned in a cell phone. You are
forced to purchase yet another phone. One of the children nearly blew up the
kitchen microwave and 3 days later it still reeks of burnt popcorn and the interior
is now stained an unsightly yellowish brown hue. And to top it all off, you've
suddenly come down with what seems to be a case of the summer flu. No one
else is feeling ill. They are all too busy swimming, picnicing or preparing for a
trip to the Bahamas.


What do you do? Throw in the towel and cry "poor me"? On the contrary, you
take the advice of James who recommended, "Whenever trouble comes your
way, let it be an opportunity for joy." James 1:2 (NLT) Praise the Lord through
the trials, thank Him for all your blessings, and watch Him turn things around for
your good and His glory. I am convinced that God is working through even the
minor irritations of our daily lives. He is working to perfect our character, make
us strong, and to help us to be a witness to others.

Paul comforts us in 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 with the words, "For our light
affliction, which is but for moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and
eternal weight of glory, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the
things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the
things which are not seen are eternal." (KJV) Remember to keep your eyes on
Jesus, the author of your faith, and the lover of your soul.


Written by C.F.

HEAVENLY FATHER

Father's Day - a time to celebrate fathers. For some this is a lovely day spent with family, or sending a meaningful card and gift and making a personal phone call, remembering what our fathers have done to protect and provide for us. For others this may be a difficult time, remembering a not-so-loving relationship, or abandonment, or abuse at the hands of the one that is normally expected to do the opposite. Father's Day brings up many varied emotions for people.

The best part of this special day is that we all have a perfect Heavenly Father, who gathers us in his arms, gives us refuge, helps us to grow, protects us from evil - giving us the most precious gift of all, eternal life with him in heaven! May we all remember the greatest Dad of all, see him with the awe and trust of a young child, and approach him with much intimacy as our own daddy.

One of my favorite hymns to sing in parts speaks of us as the Children of the Heavenly Father. Read each verse and drink it in!

Children of the Heavenly Father, Safely in His bosom gather.


Nestling bird nor star in heaven, Such a refuge e'er was given.


God His own doth tend and nourish, In His holy courts they flourish.


From all evil things He spares them, In His mighty arms He bears them.

Neither life nor death shall ever, From the Lord His children sever.


Unto them His grace He showeth, And their sorrows all He knoweth.


Though He giveth or He taketh, God His children ne'er forsaketh.


His the loving purpose solely, To preserve them pure and holy.


Lo their very hairs He numbers, And no daily care encumbers.


Them that share His ev'ry blessing, And His help in woes distressing.

Praise the Lord in joyful numbers, Your Protector never slumbers.


At the will of your Defender, Ev'ry foe man must surrender.


Children of the Heavenly Father, Safely in His bosom gather.


Nestling bird nor star in heaven, Such a refuge e'er was given.

HAPPY HEAVENLY FATHER'S DAY!
Written by Jan A

Again?

10/28/14

As a child, I remember that it felt I was always forgiving someone. Whether it was my bullying brother or cousin, or some bratty kid that treated me badly, it seemed that someone was always being forced to say that they were sorry to me. I know I wasn't a saint myself, and I had my apologies to make since I did like to tease and sometimes I tried to get back at the bad guy instead of turning the other cheek, but still more often than not, I was the recipient. After awhile, I would get so hurt in my heart I just didn't feel like forgiving, “Again? I have to forgive again?” Can’t say that I recall the lesson giver, it was probably a parent, grandparent, or maybe even a teacher at the private Christian school I attended, but I learned that “yes” I always had to forgive.

I guess the good thing that came out of it was that I definitely learned to be a forgiving person. I never even held a grudge against the man who abandoned my child and that in itself has always shocked me, but it took me awhile to learn the lesson of “again?”

As a wife, there have been unhealthy recurring patterns over the years in our marriage. I’m sure most couples can relate. Two people learn all the right buttons to push, and when say one is set off by mistake, a familiar ping pong match of words, tones of voices, looks, actions, or lack thereof follows. Though I can say that there has been progress made over the years, sometimes baby steps and other times giant leaps, something that is not always shared with each other is the question I pose to God, “Again? You mean I have to be the first one again? Do I really have to be the one who humbles herself and goes to him with kind words to end this charade? Again?” His answer of course is “yes!”

It’s a good thing that God doesn’t ask “again?” because it seems that I always need this lesson shown to me…again. I’ve found myself asking it in the area of serving…as I’m sure many Christians have. Whether it’s in children’s ministries, Bible Studies, or clean up duty before or after an event, I know many have wondered why they are the only ones who ever volunteer. There have been times I’ve asked God this question as a member of my congregation for one reason or another, “Again? I’m the one left holding the ball again?”

It never occurred to me why this question was repeated in so many areas of my life until a friend of mine gave a testimony. She'd experienced similar situations throughout her life, and her heart was open to hear the Holy Spirit, so God used her to teach all of us who were in her hearing. The question of “again?” is evidence of our sin. It reveals our self-centeredness, being only concerned for ourselves. It shows our inability to love unconditionally like Jesus loves and likewise our need to learn how to let Him love others through us. We’re not supposed to ask “again?” We’re supposed to respond with “always”. When faced with the opportunity, we’re to always do the right thing.

Now that I realize that I've done this, I’m surprised at how many different situations I’m tempted to ask “again?” He’s taught me to always forgive, always try to be the first to make amends (unless my husband beats me to it since I think he’s learned the lesson of “always” as well), and to always step up when you have the opportunity. So when I was faced with praying over my son as he was about to play in the last game of his baseball tournament and I was tempted to say, “Again? Do I have to pray for both teams again?” I knew the answer before the thought ever finished forming in my mind. I still wanted my son’s team to win, but I knew I was to pray for both teams even if I didn't like the other team. I even know this lesson well enough to teach my own kids. So, when they lost to the team with the poor sportsmanship, when they came in second place to the first place team who we all thought didn't deserve it for one reason or another, and my son looked at me with a look of, “Again? Do I have to congratulate them again? I gave a reassuring nod of, “Yes, you always have to do the right thing.” Yes, we always have to be Christ to the world.

Written by
Amie Spruiell

Personal Evangelism

Personal Evangelism

Recently on a couple of  occasions I have been witness to a practice of Evangelism that to my way of thinking is too aggressive and as a result had negative effect on the person who was being evangelized. It is my thought that evangelism should move slowly and take into account the needs of the person. It should be guided by assessing his or her place on the scale of belief and interest. (However, this is not to say that, in some cases, the person may be ready to move rapidly in learning and accepting Jesus. Therefore, the progression can be much faster for this person.)

I went looking for advice on how one effectively practices evangelism and found a wonderful article. Here is the link for the article if you would like to study this in a deeper way…

http://www.giveshare.org/BibleStudy/doing/114.evangelism.html

But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord.
Always be prepared to give an answer
to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.
But do this with gentleness and respect… 1 Peter 3:15

It is my belief that no one should jam Christianity down another person’s throat. It is necessary to wait for cues and questions when you are trying to show someone your beliefs and to lead them to an acceptance of Jesus as their Lord and savior. To do it too soon or to show disrespect for what they believe will cause just the opposite of what you are trying to achieve. If your friend holds a certain belief then it is very important to move slowly and with care and respect for what they believe. To ask negative questions such as, “Well what does that do to you?” or “Don’t you think that this is a tall order to follow? How are you doing with that?” with a tone of voice that shows that you think it is all nonsense will just defeat your purpose.

Here is my story. I grew up in a religious tradition that told me that my belief was the one true religious practice that was handed down from Jesus to the apostle Peter and then on through the ages to the present day. I always felt privileged to have been born into such a religion and to be part of the only group who had gotten it right. When my daughter started public high school after elementary school in a parochial school she met some new friends  who were from a church who felt it was their duty to let others know what they believed. I allowed her to attend the youth group because I felt that it was better than some of the things she could be choosing to do. Several months later I became concerned because she seemed to be too into this new church. I felt that it was my duty as a mother to bring her to adulthood in the practice I had been following all my life.

So, one Sunday I decided to go and check it out. I was sure that there would be something to be found there that would give me a reason to deny her association with the new church. Quite on the contrary, I could find nothing to distrust or question. Three weeks later I decided to go to that church myself because of the quality of the messages. In fact, I felt that I was being fed there more that I could remember at any time of my life. My daughter and I continued to attend our old church on Sunday night and go to the new church on Sunday mornings. Never once during the time that she was involved alone in the new church did she ever say to me that it was better than our church. Nor did she attempt to encourage me to come and take a look. That just happened naturally in the passing of time. No one approached me to evangelize me. It just happened that I saw the value and the truth of this new way of looking at who God is, who I am in relationship with Him, and how to worship and be fed in a way that was valid and beautiful. After several months I decided to make this church the ONLY church I was going to attend.

When I said the prayer of salvation I was talking on the phone to a new friend from there. I said, “Karen, will you please tell me more about this “born again thing.” She did, and then she invited me to say the prayer of salvation with her. I was horrified and was telling myself that I was a __________. So, I told her that I was not sure, and she went on to tell me more. Then she invited me again to say the prayer with her. By then, I had decided that there was nothing contrary to the beliefs I already held, and so I said the prayer with her.

I tell you all of this because I also want to add that if anyone had pushed me before I was ready in my heart then I would have run back to my old church dragging my daughter with me. Sometimes people become so intent on leading someone forward that they scare them away. I do know that there are exceptions to this…times when a person may be ready almost immediately.

In the Book of Mark 4:33-34 which discusses how Jesus used parables, it isaaaaa aaaaaaaa aa          aaa ,aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaawritten...                                                                                                                         

³³ Jesus used many similar stories and illustrations
to teach the people as much as they could understand.
³⁴ In fact, in his public ministry he never taught without using parables;
but afterward, when he was alone with his disciples, he explained everything to them.

Jesus himself did not rush people past where their level of understanding was as He preached to them about the Kingdom of God. He planted seeds in his stories for the people to think about and ponder. This thinking brought people along to realize truths that enabled the seeds He was planting to come to full growth. Some may have been lost, but many did figure it out without pressure and became followers of Jesus.

Evangelism is very important. How dare we keep the good news to ourselves, thereby allowing others who have not received it to perish for eternity? We MUST share what we have been privileged to receive so that others can understand the beauty and importance of being followers of Christ. We just need to do it with “gentleness and respect.”  This is the most beneficial way to exercise your role in the Great Commission.

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you;
 and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem,
and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8

May you be blessed as you accept this challenge that Jesus has left with us…a challenge to be fishers of men.

Written by Corinne Mustafaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa