July 26, 2009

Acceptance: July 24, 2009

TODAYS WORD FOR FRIDAY JULY 24, 2009

ACCEPTANCE

Defined by Webster:

Capable or worthy of being accepted; pleasing to the receiver; agreeable; welcome; barely adequate; capable of being endured.

TODAYS WORD

“That you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” Romans 12:1.

“Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions and giving of thanks be made for all men, for this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior” I Timothy 2:1.

WORDS FROM KEN AND DOTTIE

When Jesus was here on this earth the Jewish people hated the Samaritans and did not accept them. In John 4, Jesus met a Samaritan woman at the well and began to talk with her. When Jesus asked for a drink she was surprised and wanted to know why He was talking to her as no Jewish man would ever talk to a Samaritan woman. But Jesus continued to talk with her and she believed and accepted His gift of “living water.”

She went back to her village and led many Samaritans to become believers in Jesus. The good news that we can learn from this, is that Jesus came to this earth for all of us. And He accepts all who come to Him in faith believing for forgiveness of their sins.

In Romans 15:7 we are told to accept one another just as Christ accepted you in order to bring praise to God. As Christians we are to accept and encourage other Christians. Also we must be willing to accept others, who do not know the Lord that we meet even if we do not condone what they do, so we can introduce them to Christ.

Jesus knew that the Samaritan woman was an immoral woman. He did not shun her for her race, social position or her sins. He accepted her as someone who needed His saving grace.

People today are hungry for acceptance. Children in school do every thing they can, including lowering their standards, to be accepted by their peers. Adults are much the same. They want to be included in “THE GROUP” just as children do.

Paul tells us in Romans 14:1--- “Do not refuse to accept someone who is weak in faith. And do not argue with him about opinions.

We, as Christians, need to make people feel important and needed. This way they will feel accepted and will more than likely be open to hear about Jesus.

Back when we attended school at Wheaton College in Illinois, I (Ken) remember being in an ethics class where we had a discussion about a small group of students who were not living up to the standards set by the college and they were not being accepted by many of our peers. As a class we began praying for this group and about a week later one of the students in the class told us that she had approached one of the people in the group.

The one thing I remember her saying was that they did not feel accepted at the school so why should they change their life style? This small group had all come from home situations where living a much looser life was acceptable. We believe that because of our prayers and the fact everyone began to let them know they were being accepted, soon the group came around and everyone could see their lives being changed. Fellow students approached them with love and not with criticism with the result that soon they all felt accepted.

This is an example that should remind each of us to do all we can to make people we touch shoulders with feel accepted.

TODAYS FAMILY PRAYER

Help me to find people today who need to feel accepted. May these people see Christ through my words and my deeds. Help my children to stand up for what they believe and not to be swayed by the crowd. Help me to do what is good and acceptable in your sight so that I may know beyond any doubt the good and acceptable and perfect will of God for my life.

Encouragement: July 23, 2009

TODAYS WORD FOR THURSDAY JULY 23, 2009

ENCOURAGEMENT

Defined by Webster:

The act of encouraging; the state of being encouraged; something that encourages.

GODS WORD

“That I may be encouraged together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me.” Romans 1:12.

“That your hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love.” Colossians 2:2.

“We sent Timothy, who is our brother and God’s fellow worker in spreading the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith.” I Thessalonians 3:2

WORDS FROM KEN AND DOTTIE

The Apostle Paul on his second missionary journey established a church for new believers in Thessalonica. Paul knew the importance of new Christians needing encouragement so that they would not be drawn away from their faith by the pagan society they lived in. Since he could not return, he sent Timothy to encourage and strengthen them in their faith.

People today continually go through times of discouragement and they need friends like us and friends like you to give them a word of encouragement. Many children today never receive a word of encouragement from their parents. This was verified by a recent study released by UCLA that said that the average father spent FOUR minutes a day talking to his child and FOUR hours a day watching TV. Children who receive no encouragement and affirmation at home will seek it elsewhere. And most likely it will be in the wrong places and from the wrong people. How then can that child feel encouraged in life?

Look at what children are surrounded with today. They live in a POP culture, with drugs and alcohol available to them almost wherever they go, including on their school campus. They have the trash on the internet and unless a parent filters what they can see, they see the worst. They are not allowed to read their Bible or pray at school. The Ten Commandments have been banished and now an attempt is being made to take off our money the phrase IN GOD WE TRUST. Our children live in an immoral society with all their peers looking out for themselves and they are doing only what will make them happy. And most important they live in an anti-God and anti –religious society.

Communication is one of the most important elements of a successful marriage and family. Families today are breaking up because no one gives another family member any word of encouragement. We are so quick to criticize, but so slow to encourage. Stop and think right now --- when was the last time you gave an encouraging word to your spouse, to your children, to your extended family or to your associates. No doubt there is someone you know right now who is going through a time of discouragement. What a blessing an encouraging word from you could be to that person.

Begin today by making it a point every day to call someone on the telephone and leave an encouraging message. Think about stopping on the street just to say “hello” and “how are you?” to someone. You will have scores of opportunities to be friendly and to give someone a word of encouragement. Those you talk to will feel so much better and you will feel even better. When we encourage someone there is a positive result --- we are united in love.

TODAYS FAMILY PRAYER

Put me in situations today where I can be an encouragement to people. Help me to seize every opportunity possible to show people that someone cares for them. And then may my life, by my words and actions, glorify your name and bring honor to you.

Vision: July 22, 2009

TODAYS WORD FOR WEDNESDAY JULY 22, 2009

VISION

Defined by Webster:

The act or power of sensing with the eyes; the act or power of anticipating that which or may come to me; an object of sight.

GODS WORD

“When your eye is good, your whole body is also filled with light. But when your eye is bad, your body is also full of darkness.” Matthew 11:36

“Your old men will dream dreams and your young men shall see visions.” Joel 2:28.

“Where there is no vision the people perish.” Proverbs 29:18

WORDS FROM KEN AND DOTTIE

When we think of the word “vision” two things come to mind. First is the “vision” we have when we see things as they are. Secondly we think of “vision” as it relates to things in the future that we want to accomplish. In life today most people see things only as they are now and can not, for the most part, see past today.

Someone once said that worse than blindness is living without vision. As we think back on our lives we have seen God do so much through our lives and this has been mainly because we had a vision to accomplish sometimes the impossible.

We can remember after our sixth child, a woman Dottie knew, came up to her and asked how were we ever going to get our children through college on the income we were getting from our ministry? From the day each child entered Junior High School we continually encouraged them to do their very best so that they could get the financial aid they would need to attend college. Each one responded to our vision and they all went to a private college because they excelled at every level of school so that they were able to receive financial aid and low interest loans.

For us, life would have been very boring if we did not have a vision for our family and a vision even today for the world around us that needs to know Jesus.

Columbus had a vision to find the new world and he set out on a course that was unknown to man and his vision resulted in finding this new world. We have known a few Christian leaders in our life time that had a vision for the impossible. Then God took over and those visions became a reality.

Where there is no vision the people will perish. Leaders that we have known well include: Dr. Billy Graham, Dr Bob Pierce, Dr. Torrey Johnson, Dr. Bill Bright and Dr. Henrietta Mears. They all had visions that when first talked about were thought to be impossible. But look what God has done because these and others had a vision that God had given them and then they acted upon that vision. We all know about the ministries of Billy Graham. Dr. Pierce founded with my [Ken] father World Vision which today is one of the top five charities in the world. Dr Johnson founded Youth for Christ, a youth organization that made a dramatic impact on teenagers lives for over 40 years. Dr. Bright founded Campus Crusade that started as a college ministry and today is a world wide ministry. And finally Dr. Mears founded Gospel Light Press, the first major Sunday school material publishers in America. These people all were ordinary people that had a VISION and acted upon it believing God for the impossible.

We challenge you and your family to ask God for a special vision to further His work here on earth. Whether your vision is large or small it is important to God. We can remember our prayer over 50 years ago. It was simply for God to use us and give us a burden for a world that needed Jesus. Then we watched God open doors and we were ready to march through those doors as God led us. God needs you to think and pray this way today.

TODAYS FAMILY PRAYER

Open my eyes so I can see the world around me with a new vision of how I can reach this world with the message of Your love and free gift of salvation. Enable me to step out in faith believing that I can fulfill that vision because You have promised to be with me and help me. Bless my family and help us to make an impact on the world we live in.

Knowledge: July 21, 2009

TODAYS WORD FOR TUESDAY JULY 21, 2009

KNOWLEDGE

Defined by Webster:

Acquaintance with facts, truths or principles; familiarity or coversance; the fact or state of knowing; the sum of what is known.

GODS WORD

“Wise people store up knowledge.” Proverbs 10:14.

“It is not good for a soul to be without knowledge.” Proverbs 19:2.

“But the excellence of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of those who possess it.” Ecclesiastics 7:12.

WORDS FROM KEN AND DOTTIE

Knowledge and wisdom is not the same thing. We have a lot of knowledge in this world, but real wisdom is scarce. Knowledge is knowing the truth, the facts and the principles. Wisdom is discernment and understanding in the use of our knowledge. Both wisdom and knowledge come only to those who seek it.

In the book of Proverbs chapter two and verses three to five it reads: “If you cry out for discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding, if you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures; then you will understand the fear of the Lord, and the KNOWLEDGE OF GOD.” God is the source of knowledge and understanding.

It is interesting to note that when God planted a garden in Eden he included a tree of the knowledge of good and evil [Geneses 2:9]. From the beginning of time, God was the source of knowledge. Before they ate of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, Adam and Eve knew only good. Satan told Eve that if she ate the fruit from the tree, her eyes would be opened and she would be like God, knowing good and evil. Adam and Eve had the knowledge of good and received the knowledge of evil by doing evil and they suffered the disastrous consequences. The lesson for us is to make sure we pursue the right kind of knowledge.

Knowledge comes to us in various ways. We learn from schooling, reading books, and observing life experiences. Education equips us and helps us gain earthly knowledge. But it is more important for us to depend on the knowledge and wisdom that comes from God, through His Word, because it is based on truth and does not change.

We read in the Old Testament about Daniel. After Daniel was taken captive to Babylonia, he was chosen to be taught the Babylonian culture. We read in Daniel 1:17 that God gave him knowledge and understanding in all kinds of literature and wisdom. When the King had a dream and wanted it interpreted, Daniel was chosen to tell the King the meaning. Daniel realized that all of the education that he had been given was not sufficient to respond properly. So Daniel turned to God in prayer and asked God to reveal the meaning of the dream to him. Daniel knew that God was the true source of all knowledge. As a result of his faith, God revealed to Daniel the meaning of the dream.

We can learn from this illustration from the life of Daniel to place our knowledge and wisdom, which comes from God, into His hands each day. Knowledge without values is like a canoe without oars. In your pursuit of knowledge make sure you look to God for His direction and make sure you develop Biblical values in your understanding of knowledge.

TODAYS FAMILY PRAYER

Help me dear Lord to pursue knowledge that will not only honor you but that you may use through me to further your kingdom. Help me to learn your Word, and as the scripture says, to hide it in my heart so I may not sin against You. Help me to follow Your words to Your disciples when You washed their feet saying: “If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.”

Fear: July 20, 2009

TODAYS WORD FOR MONDAY JULY 20, 2009

FEAR

Defined by Webster:

A distressing emotion; aroused by impending danger; evil; pain; being afraid; concern or anxiety; something that causes fright.

GODS WORD

“The fear of the Lord, that is wisdom and to shun evil is understanding.” Job 28:28

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” Proverbs 1:7.

“So we can say with confidence, the Lord is my helper so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?” Hebrews 13:6

“Oh fear the Lord, there is no want to those who fear Him.” Psalm 34:9

WORDS FROM KEN AND DOTTIE

The Bible frequently speaks of the fear of the Lord. Fear of the Lord means to revere and respect God and to be in awe of His power and majesty. Job tells us that the fear of the Lord is wisdom because it wisely brings us to revere and honor God and causes us to want to live in obedience to His Word.

Solomon says fear is the beginning of knowledge and wise men store up knowledge [Proverbs 10:18]. Fear of the Lord, the scripture tells us, should cause us to run to Him and not from Him. In Proverbs 18:10 we are told that the name of the Lord is a strong tower and the righteous should run to it. The awesomeness of the power of God that leads us to fear Him is also what causes us to run to Him. We are to run to God for our salvation and when we are saved we have no reason to fear.

Fear of the Lord is one meaning of the word fear. There is also the fear that many people have in their life today. These fears could be family related such as fear of abuse, job situations, health issues or financial concerns. Many people today are fearful of the uncertainty of the national economy here in America. But the Lord has said in Psalms 27:1 “He is our light and salvation, whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life, of whom shall I be afraid?”

These fears arouse a sense of impending danger in our minds that could bring on bodily harm or mental and emotional concerns. In II Timothy 1:7 Paul tells us that God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of a sound mind. When we put our trust in God, He gives us the power and courage to face our fears and the sound mind to calm our fears.

We have an awesome God and nothing is too big for Him. We need to put our complete trust in Him and He will take away our fear. But for those who do not put their faith in Jesus, life will be filled with fear. The unbeliever has reason to fear. You have no hope, no peace and no room for any kind of joy in your life. If your life seems hopeless today then study this verse: “So we can say with confidence, the Lord is my helper so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?” Hebrews 13:6.

You have a choice to make if you do not have your trust in the Lord. You can continue living a life controlled by fear, hopelessness, loneliness and the emotional anguish that accompanies fear or you can run to God and put your trust in Him and ask Him to be your helper and take away your every fear. It is your choice to make.

TODAYS FAMILY PRAYER

Thank you Lord for all that you are to me. Help me today to run to you with my fears and concerns. Help me not to be tempted to run away from you under the pressures of those that I associate with. Guide and bless my family with your awesomeness today.

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