Today's Word for Friday August 27, 2010
ABUNDANCE
DEFINITION
An extremely plentiful or over sufficient quantity or supply; affluence; wealth; overflowing fullness.
SCRIPTURE
"And let your soul delight in abundance." Isaiah 55:2
"Then Jesus said to them, 'Watch out! Be on your guard against all kind of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.'" Luke 12:15
"When God gives any man wealth and possessions, and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work - this is the gift of God." Ecclesiastics 5:19
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE
Abundance means different things to different people across our world. The definition is affected by our cultures and our living standards. But looking at the word abundance from a spiritual perspective we must view our possessions, whether large or small, as a gift from God.
In the book of Ecclesiastics, Solomon reflects back on his life. Solomon had it all. He had wealth, power and fame. He knew what it was like to have abundance. Solomon had asked God for wisdom. Through his wisdom he recognized that the abundance of "things" is not the source of joy. We are to rejoice and be happy because every good "thing" comes from God. Solomon reminds us that it is God who enables us to enjoy what we have and "accept our lot" and be happy.
In Luke 12:15, Jesus tells us that our life does not consist of the abundance of our possessions. The worth of anyone's life has nothing to do with being wealthy, powerful or wise. Jesus warns us to "WATCH OUT" against getting greedy. Often the more we have the more we want. If God blesses us with abundance, that is a good thing. Our perspective to the abundance that God has blessed us with is important. If our perspective is to accumulate abundance for ourselves with no concern for helping others it will be a shallow happiness and we are not truly rich and we will not be happy in the abundance we've been blessed with.
A truly rich life comes in living a life with gratitude to the giver of our abundance, sharing what has been given to us and then living a life of faith and obedience to Him
Most people think of abundance based on the "things" they have in life such as possessions and money. The standard of abundance is different to the family living in the mountains of Appalachia compared to the family living in Beverly Hills here in America. Even the poorest of the poor in America have more than the family living in a lean to cardboard "house" on the garbage dump in Manila. We can't begin to imagine what they might consider abundance.
Our perception of abundance here in America is found not in what we have but in what we enjoy and are thankful for every day. Abundance does not mean happiness. Some of the unhappy people in the world today have, in worldly standards, everything. But we have seen so many times that the very opposite is true. The rich often have no room in their life for God who is the giver of true happiness. People with very little are often the ones with hearts overflowing with joy and thanksgiving for what God has given them.
This is true with families we have seen living in the slums of east Africa, the families living on the top of garbage dumps in the Philippines and even many families that live in the inner cities of America.
When God blesses you with abundance, whether it is considered large or small, thank Him for His blessing to you. When we were raising our children we lived on a very tight budget. Dottie was a master in making dinners on a low budget that each one of us really enjoyed. She probably had a dozen ways to make casseroles and everyone loved them. For our family we did not have abundance but we really never had a complaint from any of our six children. God always provided just enough for all that we needed. When God blesses you with an abundance of wealth, an abundance of talent or an abundance of time, you have a greater responsibility to use your abundance for the glory of God.
LEARNING
Our memory verse for this week is found in Ephesians 6:10.
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.
PRAYER
Thank you for the abundance that You have given our family. Help us to use all that You have given us as You would have us use it. Bless us this day and may Christ be glorified through all that we do.
August 29, 2010
Character: August 26, 2010
Today's Word for Thursday August 26, 2010
CHARACTER
DEFINITION
The features and traits that form the individual nature of a person; moral or ethical quality; honesty; fortitude; distinctive.
SCRIPTURE
"Even a child is known by his deeds, whether what he does is pure and right." Proverbs 20:11
"But a generous man devises generous things and by generosity he shall stand." Isaiah 32:8
"A good name is more desirable than great riches." Proverbs 22:1
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE
The other day we went to see one of our grandsons play baseball at his little league field. There were signs on all the screens protecting the spectators from foul balls. The signs all read: YOUR CHILDREN ARE WATCHING! What does this say about the character of parents today? These signs have been placed there to remind the adults to watch there language, eliminate their harsh criticism of umpires, coaches and even players. What has happened to the character of people today?
It is next to impossible, humanly speaking, with all the pressures of our culture and society on a person who does not know Christ, to live a life that is honest, exemplary and shows character. The Christian today has a responsibility to live the kind of life that shows good character in all he or she does. This can happen when one turns over to the Lord his life and seeks to honor the Lord by his life.
The Apostle Paul encouraged the Christians at Galatia to be concerned about their character. Paul said that if our lives are controlled by the Holy Spirit, God will produce in us the characteristics of love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control. [Galatians 5:22-23] As you look at these character traits that Paul outlines in these verses, do you need to improve on any of them in your life?
Some of us need to show a little more gentleness and love to our family or possibly we need to show a little more kindness to a neighbor. Perhaps at the top of your list should be to spend more time in prayer and in reading Gods Word. It is not what you do, but it is who you are that is most important, but we become known by what we do. If you are a Christian and are of good character, it will be evident by your actions. It is our actions that give us a good name. Solomon with all his wealth said a good name is more to be desired than riches. Do your friends and family see you as a person of good character and one who stands up for what is right every day?
LEARNING
Our memory verse for this week is found in Ephesians 6:10.
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.
PRAYER
I come to You dear God asking for the courage and strength to live a life today that shows the characteristics that honor Christ. May others see Christ through me? Help me to be an example to my family and to those I meet and talk to today
CHARACTER
DEFINITION
The features and traits that form the individual nature of a person; moral or ethical quality; honesty; fortitude; distinctive.
SCRIPTURE
"Even a child is known by his deeds, whether what he does is pure and right." Proverbs 20:11
"But a generous man devises generous things and by generosity he shall stand." Isaiah 32:8
"A good name is more desirable than great riches." Proverbs 22:1
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE
The other day we went to see one of our grandsons play baseball at his little league field. There were signs on all the screens protecting the spectators from foul balls. The signs all read: YOUR CHILDREN ARE WATCHING! What does this say about the character of parents today? These signs have been placed there to remind the adults to watch there language, eliminate their harsh criticism of umpires, coaches and even players. What has happened to the character of people today?
It is next to impossible, humanly speaking, with all the pressures of our culture and society on a person who does not know Christ, to live a life that is honest, exemplary and shows character. The Christian today has a responsibility to live the kind of life that shows good character in all he or she does. This can happen when one turns over to the Lord his life and seeks to honor the Lord by his life.
The Apostle Paul encouraged the Christians at Galatia to be concerned about their character. Paul said that if our lives are controlled by the Holy Spirit, God will produce in us the characteristics of love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control. [Galatians 5:22-23] As you look at these character traits that Paul outlines in these verses, do you need to improve on any of them in your life?
Some of us need to show a little more gentleness and love to our family or possibly we need to show a little more kindness to a neighbor. Perhaps at the top of your list should be to spend more time in prayer and in reading Gods Word. It is not what you do, but it is who you are that is most important, but we become known by what we do. If you are a Christian and are of good character, it will be evident by your actions. It is our actions that give us a good name. Solomon with all his wealth said a good name is more to be desired than riches. Do your friends and family see you as a person of good character and one who stands up for what is right every day?
LEARNING
Our memory verse for this week is found in Ephesians 6:10.
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.
PRAYER
I come to You dear God asking for the courage and strength to live a life today that shows the characteristics that honor Christ. May others see Christ through me? Help me to be an example to my family and to those I meet and talk to today
Worship: August 25, 2010
Today's Word for Wednesday August 25, 2010
WORSHIP
DEFINITION
Reverent honor and homage paid to God; formal or ceremonious rendering of such honor; adoring, reverence or regard.
SCRIPTURE
"Because He is your Lord, worship Him." Psalm 45:11
"Oh come, let us worship and bow down, let us kneel before the Lord our maker." Psalm 95:6
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE
Worship is our way to show that we honor and revere God. He is all powerful and all knowing but more than that He is a loving and just God. He loved us so much that He was not willing for us to die in our sins so He sent His only Son to suffer and die for our sins. Because of this alone, He deserves our worship.
We worship the Lord with praise and thanksgiving for who He is and for the salvation He provided for us through Jesus Christ. We also worship Him for all the blessings He has given to us. James reminds us that every good and perfect gift is from above coming down from our father in heaven [James 1:7]. We have an awesome God! How can we not worship Him?
We have been in Kenya several times representing our ministry, World Opportunities International. One of the highlights of each trip was visiting some of the 75 churches we sponsored. We learned from them what true worship was all about. These dear people filled their churches to capacity every time the doors were opened. Most of them walked for miles to get to their church. They had no cars and could not afford any city buses that may have been available. Many were standing outside looking in through the open windows. We never have heard such singing from the heart. They would sit or stand for hours taking in every word that was being preached.
And when the offering was taken we learned so much about worship through their giving. Even though they had very little they worshipped God in the offering with a tithe of what God had given them. There gifts were simple things like a live chicken, or a piece of fruit. What is important was that they were given sacrificially and from the heart.
Many times we have compared the worship of these dear Kenyans with the church here in America. What a difference! We are sure you know what we mean. What happens when the preacher speaks too long or the service is longer than an hour? People look at their watch and shake it to see if it is working.
After we were first married and went to Korea for World Vision, one of the first things that we could not help but notice was the early Morning Prayer meetings. At 6:00A.M. EVERY MORNING the church bells rang and churches were filled to capacity for prayer. They prayed daily for their country, for their churches and for their countrymen who did not know the Lord. South Korea was recognized as a Christian nation because over 50% of their population was professing Christians and they made prayer and worship a part of their daily life. This was a great lesson to us about worship. Our world today needs to make the worshipping of our Lord a priority in our daily lives.
When you are worshipping in the presence of God, this is a time for God to talk to you. A good indicator of our spiritual temperature is our eagerness to worship God. Our worship of God here on earth is only a prelude to the great worship services we will have in the future when we are in the presence of God. We encourage you to worship God daily and live for what you will not regret when you die.
LEARNING
Our memory verse for this week is found in Ephesians 6:10.
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.
PRAYER
Give me today a spirit of worship. Help me to worship You, my God, my Lord and my Savior. I bring all that I have to You today so that as I worship You, You can use me as You see fit. Bless my family, my friends and those in the world we live in that are lonely, hungry and searching for hope that only You can give.
WORSHIP
DEFINITION
Reverent honor and homage paid to God; formal or ceremonious rendering of such honor; adoring, reverence or regard.
SCRIPTURE
"Because He is your Lord, worship Him." Psalm 45:11
"Oh come, let us worship and bow down, let us kneel before the Lord our maker." Psalm 95:6
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE
Worship is our way to show that we honor and revere God. He is all powerful and all knowing but more than that He is a loving and just God. He loved us so much that He was not willing for us to die in our sins so He sent His only Son to suffer and die for our sins. Because of this alone, He deserves our worship.
We worship the Lord with praise and thanksgiving for who He is and for the salvation He provided for us through Jesus Christ. We also worship Him for all the blessings He has given to us. James reminds us that every good and perfect gift is from above coming down from our father in heaven [James 1:7]. We have an awesome God! How can we not worship Him?
We have been in Kenya several times representing our ministry, World Opportunities International. One of the highlights of each trip was visiting some of the 75 churches we sponsored. We learned from them what true worship was all about. These dear people filled their churches to capacity every time the doors were opened. Most of them walked for miles to get to their church. They had no cars and could not afford any city buses that may have been available. Many were standing outside looking in through the open windows. We never have heard such singing from the heart. They would sit or stand for hours taking in every word that was being preached.
And when the offering was taken we learned so much about worship through their giving. Even though they had very little they worshipped God in the offering with a tithe of what God had given them. There gifts were simple things like a live chicken, or a piece of fruit. What is important was that they were given sacrificially and from the heart.
Many times we have compared the worship of these dear Kenyans with the church here in America. What a difference! We are sure you know what we mean. What happens when the preacher speaks too long or the service is longer than an hour? People look at their watch and shake it to see if it is working.
After we were first married and went to Korea for World Vision, one of the first things that we could not help but notice was the early Morning Prayer meetings. At 6:00A.M. EVERY MORNING the church bells rang and churches were filled to capacity for prayer. They prayed daily for their country, for their churches and for their countrymen who did not know the Lord. South Korea was recognized as a Christian nation because over 50% of their population was professing Christians and they made prayer and worship a part of their daily life. This was a great lesson to us about worship. Our world today needs to make the worshipping of our Lord a priority in our daily lives.
When you are worshipping in the presence of God, this is a time for God to talk to you. A good indicator of our spiritual temperature is our eagerness to worship God. Our worship of God here on earth is only a prelude to the great worship services we will have in the future when we are in the presence of God. We encourage you to worship God daily and live for what you will not regret when you die.
LEARNING
Our memory verse for this week is found in Ephesians 6:10.
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.
PRAYER
Give me today a spirit of worship. Help me to worship You, my God, my Lord and my Savior. I bring all that I have to You today so that as I worship You, You can use me as You see fit. Bless my family, my friends and those in the world we live in that are lonely, hungry and searching for hope that only You can give.
Integrity: August 24, 2010
Today's Word for Tuesday August 24, 2010
INTEGRITY
DEFINITION
Uncompromising adherence to moral and ethical principles; soundness of moral character; honesty.
SCRIPTURE
"Then the Lord said to Satan, 'Have you noticed my friend Job? There is no one quite like him, honest and true to his word, totally devoted to God and hating evil? He still has a firm grip on his integrity. You tried to trick me into destroying him, but it did not work.'" Job 2:3
"The man of integrity walks securely, but he who walks crooked paths will be found out." Proverbs 10:9
"In my integrity You uphold me and see me in Your presence forever." Psalm 41:2
"I have walked in my integrity, I have trusted the Lord." Psalm 26:1
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE
It is very difficult today to find a person with integrity. We have heard some say that you can not be successful in life unless you cut corners somewhere. We have always felt and tried to practice being honest and forthright to all that we meet with daily. Being a person of integrity is one of the most important characteristics one can have in life.
As it says in Proverbs 10:9, when we have integrity we can walk securely because we do not have to worry that we will be found out and our dishonesty will be revealed. When a person loses his or her integrity it is almost impossible to get it back.
Children today make their choices in life based on what they see their parents do. They can see when items come home from the office that does not belong to them. They can see when a parent short changes a friend. If a parent compromises his or her integrity, the first to see it is a child or a spouse. Children and parents today live in a "ME" generation where the end result is that if I benefit it is all right and they show no concern if it compromises their integrity.
In Exodus 20 you will find the Ten Commandments that God gave Moses. These were given to us so that we may know what God expects of us. When any of these commandments are broken, the integrity of the one that broke that commandment has been tarnished. Every day we have temptations come our way and if we yield to them we will be breaking God's law. And that is where the Lord comes in, as we make Him part of our daily life, to help us withstand temptation and keep our integrity. God honors those that honor Him.
Psalm 41:12 is a reminder to us that God rewards integrity. The Bible gives instance after instance of God's blessing on the lives of people who serve the Lord with integrity. Look at the story of Job and be reminded how God rewarded him because he held on to his integrity through probably the most difficult series of testing that any one has gone through.
In Genesis 39, we are given an example of integrity as seen in the life of Joseph. Potiphar trusted Joseph because of his integrity and put him in charge of his house and all that he had. When Pontiphar's wife tried to seduce him, Joseph refused her quickly and firmly by saying he could not sin against God and his master. He knew God's standard and chose to stand for right. That is INTEGRITY!
NO LEGACY IS AS RICH AS ONES INTEGRITY
LEARNING
Our memory verse for this week is found in Ephesians 6:10.
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.
PRAYER
Give me strength this day to live each moment with integrity. May my words and deeds honor You. I ask for Your protection as I face temptations today. Bless my family and my world and give me opportunities to show my integrity to others so You can be seen through me today.
INTEGRITY
DEFINITION
Uncompromising adherence to moral and ethical principles; soundness of moral character; honesty.
SCRIPTURE
"Then the Lord said to Satan, 'Have you noticed my friend Job? There is no one quite like him, honest and true to his word, totally devoted to God and hating evil? He still has a firm grip on his integrity. You tried to trick me into destroying him, but it did not work.'" Job 2:3
"The man of integrity walks securely, but he who walks crooked paths will be found out." Proverbs 10:9
"In my integrity You uphold me and see me in Your presence forever." Psalm 41:2
"I have walked in my integrity, I have trusted the Lord." Psalm 26:1
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE
It is very difficult today to find a person with integrity. We have heard some say that you can not be successful in life unless you cut corners somewhere. We have always felt and tried to practice being honest and forthright to all that we meet with daily. Being a person of integrity is one of the most important characteristics one can have in life.
As it says in Proverbs 10:9, when we have integrity we can walk securely because we do not have to worry that we will be found out and our dishonesty will be revealed. When a person loses his or her integrity it is almost impossible to get it back.
Children today make their choices in life based on what they see their parents do. They can see when items come home from the office that does not belong to them. They can see when a parent short changes a friend. If a parent compromises his or her integrity, the first to see it is a child or a spouse. Children and parents today live in a "ME" generation where the end result is that if I benefit it is all right and they show no concern if it compromises their integrity.
In Exodus 20 you will find the Ten Commandments that God gave Moses. These were given to us so that we may know what God expects of us. When any of these commandments are broken, the integrity of the one that broke that commandment has been tarnished. Every day we have temptations come our way and if we yield to them we will be breaking God's law. And that is where the Lord comes in, as we make Him part of our daily life, to help us withstand temptation and keep our integrity. God honors those that honor Him.
Psalm 41:12 is a reminder to us that God rewards integrity. The Bible gives instance after instance of God's blessing on the lives of people who serve the Lord with integrity. Look at the story of Job and be reminded how God rewarded him because he held on to his integrity through probably the most difficult series of testing that any one has gone through.
In Genesis 39, we are given an example of integrity as seen in the life of Joseph. Potiphar trusted Joseph because of his integrity and put him in charge of his house and all that he had. When Pontiphar's wife tried to seduce him, Joseph refused her quickly and firmly by saying he could not sin against God and his master. He knew God's standard and chose to stand for right. That is INTEGRITY!
NO LEGACY IS AS RICH AS ONES INTEGRITY
LEARNING
Our memory verse for this week is found in Ephesians 6:10.
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.
PRAYER
Give me strength this day to live each moment with integrity. May my words and deeds honor You. I ask for Your protection as I face temptations today. Bless my family and my world and give me opportunities to show my integrity to others so You can be seen through me today.
Afflictions: August 23, 2010
Today's Word for Monday August 23, 2010
AFFLICTIONS
DEFINITION
A depressed or painful state; misery; a cause of mental or bodily pain as sickness or calamity.
SCRIPTURE
"My heart is in turmoil and cannot rest; days of affliction confront me." Job 30:27
"This is my comfort in my affliction, for your Word has given me life." Psalms 119:50
"For our light affliction, which is for about a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory." II Corinthians 4:17
"Oh Lord my strength and my fortress, my refuge in the day of affliction." Jeremiah 16:19
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE
It saddens us and moves us to compassion when we see children, young people and even adults face afflictions in their lives. All of us react when an affliction affects one of our family members but do we show concern for those many miles away that may have even greater afflictions come their way? The definition of the word "AFFLICTION' refers to the mental or body pain one may have in a sickness or a calamity.
When sin entered the world through the fall of Adam and Eve, affliction entered as well. Our minds and our bodies are now subject to suffering and pain. Some suffer greater afflictions than others. It is heart wrenching to see children born with physical and mental challenges as well as people suffering with cancer and with other diseases. Just as sad is to see whole families living in poverty. This is affliction as well. No matter if the affliction is large or small it is so easy for the victim to fall into despair and as Job said the "heart is in turmoil."
As believers in Jesus we face affliction with a different attitude than those who do not know Him. As Christians we can look beyond our affliction in this life with the hope of a life without affliction with our Lord. Our suffering in this life is temporary.
It is usually the case that when we are going through the tough times in life with our greatest afflictions that God does His greatest work through us. Afflictions should increase our reliance on the Lord. This gives us an opportunity to share with others the strength of our faith and allows God to demonstrate His power through us.
We had a dear friend who was afflicted with lung cancer. She used her time of affliction to testify to others of her faith and trust in the Lord. What a blessing and encouragement she was to us and too many others. Today she is in heaven walking the streets of gold with absolutely no afflictions.
We have a family member [Dottie's sister] that has been physically and mentally challenged all of her life. We know of no one who is more cheerful, shows more concern for others and is more generous. If she ever had had money she would have given it all away because she gets so much joy out of giving. In her limited capacity she is a testimony of her faith in the Lord.
We have witnessed so many situations of affliction that it would be very easy for us to become immune to them as they come our way. We continue to ask God daily to make us sensitive to those that face an affliction. Do you have that caring spirit and attitude? Almost daily a situation involving someone who is hurting comes our way and we try to help but we wish we could do so much more. We are limited, as you are, by our limited finances and even with not having enough time to help as we should. But one thing we can do is pray and do all we can to be a friend to that person.
It may be a relative or friend with cancer, a child without food, a man or woman that lost a job or a family that lost their house and is now homeless. The list can go on and on, but remember, we can pray, we can love, we can encourage and we can care.
When you are facing an affliction in your life, look for opportunities to let others see Christ in you. You will be surprised to see how much God will bless you and ease your affliction because you are thinking of others and not yourself.
LEARNING
Our memory verse for this week is found in Ephesians 6:10.
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.
PRAYER
Help me today to have a heart that shows concern for those facing affliction in their lives. Help me to praise You throughout this day for the many blessings You have given me and my family. Give me strength to live this day looking for the one place where I can make an impact on another person's life that is hurting and needs Your love.
AFFLICTIONS
DEFINITION
A depressed or painful state; misery; a cause of mental or bodily pain as sickness or calamity.
SCRIPTURE
"My heart is in turmoil and cannot rest; days of affliction confront me." Job 30:27
"This is my comfort in my affliction, for your Word has given me life." Psalms 119:50
"For our light affliction, which is for about a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory." II Corinthians 4:17
"Oh Lord my strength and my fortress, my refuge in the day of affliction." Jeremiah 16:19
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE
It saddens us and moves us to compassion when we see children, young people and even adults face afflictions in their lives. All of us react when an affliction affects one of our family members but do we show concern for those many miles away that may have even greater afflictions come their way? The definition of the word "AFFLICTION' refers to the mental or body pain one may have in a sickness or a calamity.
When sin entered the world through the fall of Adam and Eve, affliction entered as well. Our minds and our bodies are now subject to suffering and pain. Some suffer greater afflictions than others. It is heart wrenching to see children born with physical and mental challenges as well as people suffering with cancer and with other diseases. Just as sad is to see whole families living in poverty. This is affliction as well. No matter if the affliction is large or small it is so easy for the victim to fall into despair and as Job said the "heart is in turmoil."
As believers in Jesus we face affliction with a different attitude than those who do not know Him. As Christians we can look beyond our affliction in this life with the hope of a life without affliction with our Lord. Our suffering in this life is temporary.
It is usually the case that when we are going through the tough times in life with our greatest afflictions that God does His greatest work through us. Afflictions should increase our reliance on the Lord. This gives us an opportunity to share with others the strength of our faith and allows God to demonstrate His power through us.
We had a dear friend who was afflicted with lung cancer. She used her time of affliction to testify to others of her faith and trust in the Lord. What a blessing and encouragement she was to us and too many others. Today she is in heaven walking the streets of gold with absolutely no afflictions.
We have a family member [Dottie's sister] that has been physically and mentally challenged all of her life. We know of no one who is more cheerful, shows more concern for others and is more generous. If she ever had had money she would have given it all away because she gets so much joy out of giving. In her limited capacity she is a testimony of her faith in the Lord.
We have witnessed so many situations of affliction that it would be very easy for us to become immune to them as they come our way. We continue to ask God daily to make us sensitive to those that face an affliction. Do you have that caring spirit and attitude? Almost daily a situation involving someone who is hurting comes our way and we try to help but we wish we could do so much more. We are limited, as you are, by our limited finances and even with not having enough time to help as we should. But one thing we can do is pray and do all we can to be a friend to that person.
It may be a relative or friend with cancer, a child without food, a man or woman that lost a job or a family that lost their house and is now homeless. The list can go on and on, but remember, we can pray, we can love, we can encourage and we can care.
When you are facing an affliction in your life, look for opportunities to let others see Christ in you. You will be surprised to see how much God will bless you and ease your affliction because you are thinking of others and not yourself.
LEARNING
Our memory verse for this week is found in Ephesians 6:10.
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.
PRAYER
Help me today to have a heart that shows concern for those facing affliction in their lives. Help me to praise You throughout this day for the many blessings You have given me and my family. Give me strength to live this day looking for the one place where I can make an impact on another person's life that is hurting and needs Your love.
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