TODAYS WORD FOR WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 9, 2011
CARING
DEFINITION:
To be concerned; to desire to make provision; to watch over.
SCRIPTURE:
“If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse then an unbeliever." I Timothy 5:8.
“Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world." James 1:27.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
These scriptures remind us that we have a responsibility to care, both physically and spiritually, for those in our family. God’s Word also instructs us of our responsibility to CARE for the orphans, the widows, the hungry, the poor and the needy.
After Saul and his sons were killed in a battle with the Philistines, David became King. David asked, “Is there anyone still left of the house of Saul to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan’s sake.” 11 Samuel 9:2. David was told that there was only Mephibosheth. He was the son of Jonathan and crippled in both his feet. David immediately sent for him.
Mephibosheth came before David in great fear because he knew that his grandfather, Saul was jealous of David and had sought to kill him. After reassuring Mephibosheth to not be afraid, David said, “I will surely show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan. I will restore to you all the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul and you will always eat at my table.” (11 Samuel 9:7) All the rest of his life Mephibosheth sat at David’s table like one of his sons. David showed he cared by his action of kindness. When we truly care we will act upon it.
God instructed the children of Israel under Moses, when they were wandering in the desert, that they were to take care of their families, and not only their families but also the widows, the fatherless and their neighbors. Caring for others does not come readily for most people. God does care about each one of us.
It is God who works in us to care about others. Down through the years it has always been those who love God who have done the most to care for those who are lonely, hungry and needy. Many times it is not an easy task. The closer you are to God, the more you will have a heart for others and caring for others will become more natural to you.
As those who love the Lord, loving and caring for others should be our major life's work and caring for those of our "own house" is our highest priority.
All of our lives we have had what we consider a privilege to work with missions where we have been able to help CARE for the poor and needy. It began over 50 years ago when we were in Korea with the assignment to set up over 140 orphanages to take care of the "GI" babies after the Korean War. It continued then for us in later years as we cared for the children living in the slums and in refugee camps in Africa. We will never forget caring for over 10,000 children that we saw living on top of a massive garbage dump in the Philippians.
Our hearts were broken when we saw children in Honduras dying with cancer with no medical equipment or medicine in the country to help them. We could not help but to respond by getting them equipment and medicine to show that we cared for them. These few examples, we pray, will be enough to challenge you to care for someone you meet today that has a need, someone that needs your love and a word of encouragement, and someone who is waiting for you to CARE for them.
Remember when you start to consider how you can show a caring attitude, begin with something small. Help someone out of the grocery store that is struggling. Pick up something that someone around you dropped and give it to them. Soon your caring will become part of your life and then watch what God will do for you.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Psalm 23:6.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
PRAYER:
Make this be a special day for me by leading me to someone that needs to be cared for. Soften my heart and allow me to care as only You cared for this world that we live in. Thank You for the many blessings that You have given and continue to give my family. But for your grace, I realize that we could be one of Your children living in some remote part of our world that has never heard Your name. Thank You for who You are and I praise You for being my Lord and my Savior.
February 17, 2011
February 13, 2011
Lonely: February 11, 2011
FEBRUARY 11, 2011. TODAYS WORD FOR FRIDAY FEBRUARY 11, 2011
LONELY
DEFINITION:
A depressing feeling about being alone; destitute of sympathetic or friendly companionship; without company; isolated.
SCRIPTURE:
“No one stood with me, but all forsook me. But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me." II Timothy 4:16-17.
"Look to my right and see; no one is concerned for me. I have no refuge; no one cares for my life. I cry to you O Lord; I say, “You are my refuge, my portion in the land of living.” Psalm 142:4.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
How many times in life have you felt lonely? We all have had moments of loneliness. When David wrote Psalm 142, he was in hiding because Saul, who had been chasing David for years, was seeking to kill him so that he could not become the King of Israel. David was alone and felt no one in the world cared. But he did know that God loved and cared for him and that he could call on Him in his time of need. David kept his faith, knowing that God would keep him safe and he prayed asking God to rescue him so that he might be King, as God had promised.
The letter that Paul wrote to Timothy was written when he was all alone in prison and facing death. Like David, Paul knew who he could turn to and knew the Lord was with him. God gave him strength in his time of need.
Many people are lonely today because they have no relationship with God and no hope for tomorrow. We constantly see that the loneliest people in the world are those that do not know the Lord.
There are many situations in life that bring on loneliness such as the separation from a spouse, a family or a friend. Money is not the answer. Rich people are often very lonely. Watching TV, listening to the radio, going to a movie, playing games or visiting with a friend all help time to pass by, but they do not offer a lasting solution to being lonely. These "things" are superficial. They have no substance or lasting value, and cannot provide real satisfaction or sense of fulfillment. This is when loneliness sets in. If you are feeling all alone, now is the time to look to the Lord just as David and Paul did in their time of loneliness. God is waiting to be your friend and to give you comfort and hope for the future.
We have had the opportunity to travel to almost every corner of the world. And in these travels we have noticed the dramatic difference between people that have much and people that have so very little. But even more so we have noticed the difference between people that have a relationship with God [their lives radiate joy] and those who do not [they are mostly lonely, hurting and concerned about their tomorrows]. The contrast is overwhelming. Whether they have many "things" or have nothing really does not make the difference. Without God there is no smile, no hope and nothing but sadness. With God there is a big smile, singing, giving glory to God and excitement just for the opportunity of living. It is a contrast that is not only revealing to see but a contrast that reminds us that one will always ultimately be lonely without a relationship with God through His Son Jesus Christ.
Jesus understands our loneliness because He experienced loneliness. Think about the loneliness of Jesus as He was alone in the Garden of Gethsemane just hours before His death on the cross. Just think of His loneliness when He cried out to God on the cross: "My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me?" Jesus endured loneliness when He died on the cross. He understood that He alone could pay the penalty of sin committed by all mankind so all of us could have the “blessed hope” of eternal life.
In His hours of total aloneness in the Garden of Gethsemane, who did Jesus turn to? His disciples had let Him down by going to sleep. They were not there for Him in His time of need. You can experience what David experienced in Psalm 142:5 (NLT), “Then I pray to You, O Lord, I say … ‘You are my refuge, You are all I really want in life.’” If you are feeling all alone and feel no one is there for you, then talk to God. He is waiting and He will not let you down.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Psalm 23:6.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
PRAYER:
Thank You Lord for the sacrifice you made for me by dying on the cross to pay for my sins. And thank You Lord for rising again out of the grave so I can serve a risen Savior. Help me this day to be an encouragement to someone who is lonely. Help me to learn to pray for a world that needs to know Jesus. Bless my family today and thank You for providing for us far beyond what we deserve.
LONELY
DEFINITION:
A depressing feeling about being alone; destitute of sympathetic or friendly companionship; without company; isolated.
SCRIPTURE:
“No one stood with me, but all forsook me. But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me." II Timothy 4:16-17.
"Look to my right and see; no one is concerned for me. I have no refuge; no one cares for my life. I cry to you O Lord; I say, “You are my refuge, my portion in the land of living.” Psalm 142:4.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
How many times in life have you felt lonely? We all have had moments of loneliness. When David wrote Psalm 142, he was in hiding because Saul, who had been chasing David for years, was seeking to kill him so that he could not become the King of Israel. David was alone and felt no one in the world cared. But he did know that God loved and cared for him and that he could call on Him in his time of need. David kept his faith, knowing that God would keep him safe and he prayed asking God to rescue him so that he might be King, as God had promised.
The letter that Paul wrote to Timothy was written when he was all alone in prison and facing death. Like David, Paul knew who he could turn to and knew the Lord was with him. God gave him strength in his time of need.
Many people are lonely today because they have no relationship with God and no hope for tomorrow. We constantly see that the loneliest people in the world are those that do not know the Lord.
There are many situations in life that bring on loneliness such as the separation from a spouse, a family or a friend. Money is not the answer. Rich people are often very lonely. Watching TV, listening to the radio, going to a movie, playing games or visiting with a friend all help time to pass by, but they do not offer a lasting solution to being lonely. These "things" are superficial. They have no substance or lasting value, and cannot provide real satisfaction or sense of fulfillment. This is when loneliness sets in. If you are feeling all alone, now is the time to look to the Lord just as David and Paul did in their time of loneliness. God is waiting to be your friend and to give you comfort and hope for the future.
We have had the opportunity to travel to almost every corner of the world. And in these travels we have noticed the dramatic difference between people that have much and people that have so very little. But even more so we have noticed the difference between people that have a relationship with God [their lives radiate joy] and those who do not [they are mostly lonely, hurting and concerned about their tomorrows]. The contrast is overwhelming. Whether they have many "things" or have nothing really does not make the difference. Without God there is no smile, no hope and nothing but sadness. With God there is a big smile, singing, giving glory to God and excitement just for the opportunity of living. It is a contrast that is not only revealing to see but a contrast that reminds us that one will always ultimately be lonely without a relationship with God through His Son Jesus Christ.
Jesus understands our loneliness because He experienced loneliness. Think about the loneliness of Jesus as He was alone in the Garden of Gethsemane just hours before His death on the cross. Just think of His loneliness when He cried out to God on the cross: "My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me?" Jesus endured loneliness when He died on the cross. He understood that He alone could pay the penalty of sin committed by all mankind so all of us could have the “blessed hope” of eternal life.
In His hours of total aloneness in the Garden of Gethsemane, who did Jesus turn to? His disciples had let Him down by going to sleep. They were not there for Him in His time of need. You can experience what David experienced in Psalm 142:5 (NLT), “Then I pray to You, O Lord, I say … ‘You are my refuge, You are all I really want in life.’” If you are feeling all alone and feel no one is there for you, then talk to God. He is waiting and He will not let you down.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Psalm 23:6.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
PRAYER:
Thank You Lord for the sacrifice you made for me by dying on the cross to pay for my sins. And thank You Lord for rising again out of the grave so I can serve a risen Savior. Help me this day to be an encouragement to someone who is lonely. Help me to learn to pray for a world that needs to know Jesus. Bless my family today and thank You for providing for us far beyond what we deserve.
Commitment: February 10, 2011
TODAYS WORD FOR THURSDAY FEBRUARY 10, 2011
COMMITMENT
DEFINITION:
The act of committing; pledging or engaging oneself; a promise; obligation.
SCRIPTURE:
“Commit yourselves to the Lord and serve Him only.” I Samuel 7:3.
“Commit to the Lord whatever you do and your plans will succeed." Proverbs 16:3.
Jesus said: "Whoever commits sin is a slave to sin." John 8:34.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
These three scripture verses give us three ways to look at the word COMMITMENT. First, we are to commit OURSELVES to the Lord. Secondly, we are to commit ALL THAT WE DO to the Lord daily. Thirdly, there is a reminder to us that when we commit sin we become a SLAVE TO SIN.
There are numerous times every day when a commitment to or for something is necessary. The most important commitment that one can make in a lifetime is a firm commitment to God. This is the first step in living a life that is pleasing to God. Making a commitment to God is more than going to church, reading the Bible or even praying. A commitment to God is having a relationship with God's Son, Jesus Christ. This is what makes Christianity meaningful, unique and different than all other religions. As we develop a closer relationship with God, He will be able to work in and through us and then we can experience God’s blessings.
Other commitments that are important to make in life is a commitment to your spouse, your family, your neighbors, your church, your school and your job. These commitments are vital for one to live a rewarding and fulfilled life. It means more than a promise. A commitment requires action.
The nation of Israel was the fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham, “to make him into a great nation.” (Genesis 12:2) When God promised Moses that He would deliver the Israelites from slavery under Pharaoh, He reminded Moses that the Israelites were His “own people” (Genesis 6:7) and that He was their God. God’s desire was that the Israelites commit themselves to loving and serving Him and keeping His commandments and then He would bring them safely to the “Promised Land.” The Old Testament covers the history of Israel and vividly portrays how the times of commitment to God brought God’s blessing of protection and victory and how disobedience brought suffering and defeat.
God is faithful and wants to bless us abundantly but we cannot expect Him to bless us when we are not committed to Him. The world offers many distractions that interfere with our commitment to the Lord. It takes conscious effort on our part to be faithful to keep our commitment to the Lord. The Lord deserves our full commitment, not a half-hearted one. 11 Chronicles 16:9 tells us, “The eyes of the Lord search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him.” The Lord knows all about each one of us. We cannot hide anything from God anymore than Adam and Eve could hide their sin from God in the Garden of Eden. As the eyes of the Lord search the world today will He find you committed to Him and serving Him faithfully?
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Psalm 23:6.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
PRAYER:
We come to You today Lord, to renew our commitment to You to live this day honoring Your name. We ask for strength, that only You can give, for us to meet every commitment we have made for today. We commit our works, our deeds and our thoughts to You. We pray that You will give us opportunities to help others to know You as their Lord. We ask You to bless our family, our friends, our church and the world we live in with a special blessing from You today.
COMMITMENT
DEFINITION:
The act of committing; pledging or engaging oneself; a promise; obligation.
SCRIPTURE:
“Commit yourselves to the Lord and serve Him only.” I Samuel 7:3.
“Commit to the Lord whatever you do and your plans will succeed." Proverbs 16:3.
Jesus said: "Whoever commits sin is a slave to sin." John 8:34.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
These three scripture verses give us three ways to look at the word COMMITMENT. First, we are to commit OURSELVES to the Lord. Secondly, we are to commit ALL THAT WE DO to the Lord daily. Thirdly, there is a reminder to us that when we commit sin we become a SLAVE TO SIN.
There are numerous times every day when a commitment to or for something is necessary. The most important commitment that one can make in a lifetime is a firm commitment to God. This is the first step in living a life that is pleasing to God. Making a commitment to God is more than going to church, reading the Bible or even praying. A commitment to God is having a relationship with God's Son, Jesus Christ. This is what makes Christianity meaningful, unique and different than all other religions. As we develop a closer relationship with God, He will be able to work in and through us and then we can experience God’s blessings.
Other commitments that are important to make in life is a commitment to your spouse, your family, your neighbors, your church, your school and your job. These commitments are vital for one to live a rewarding and fulfilled life. It means more than a promise. A commitment requires action.
The nation of Israel was the fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham, “to make him into a great nation.” (Genesis 12:2) When God promised Moses that He would deliver the Israelites from slavery under Pharaoh, He reminded Moses that the Israelites were His “own people” (Genesis 6:7) and that He was their God. God’s desire was that the Israelites commit themselves to loving and serving Him and keeping His commandments and then He would bring them safely to the “Promised Land.” The Old Testament covers the history of Israel and vividly portrays how the times of commitment to God brought God’s blessing of protection and victory and how disobedience brought suffering and defeat.
God is faithful and wants to bless us abundantly but we cannot expect Him to bless us when we are not committed to Him. The world offers many distractions that interfere with our commitment to the Lord. It takes conscious effort on our part to be faithful to keep our commitment to the Lord. The Lord deserves our full commitment, not a half-hearted one. 11 Chronicles 16:9 tells us, “The eyes of the Lord search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him.” The Lord knows all about each one of us. We cannot hide anything from God anymore than Adam and Eve could hide their sin from God in the Garden of Eden. As the eyes of the Lord search the world today will He find you committed to Him and serving Him faithfully?
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Psalm 23:6.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
PRAYER:
We come to You today Lord, to renew our commitment to You to live this day honoring Your name. We ask for strength, that only You can give, for us to meet every commitment we have made for today. We commit our works, our deeds and our thoughts to You. We pray that You will give us opportunities to help others to know You as their Lord. We ask You to bless our family, our friends, our church and the world we live in with a special blessing from You today.
Choices: February 8, 2011
TODAYS WORD FOR TUESDAY FEBRUARY 8, 2011
CHOICES
DEFINITION:
The act or instance of choosing; selection; the right or power or opportunity to choose; a variety from which to choose.
SCRIPTURE:
Jesus said: “You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit.” John 15:16
Joshua said: “Choose you this day whom you will serve, but for me and my house we will serve the Lord.” Joshua 24:15
“A good name is rather to be chosen then great riches.” Proverbs 22:1
“Refuse evil and choose good.” Isaiah 7:15
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
Every day we make many CHOICES in our day to day living. Some of these choices we make are good and some are bad. We choose what we wear. We choose what we eat. We choose where we go. We choose who we associate with. As parents we choose how we lead and teach. And as children we choose how we respond. When facing life as we know it every day we have to make choices.
The greatest and most important CHOICE we must make in our life is whether to serve God or not to serve God. One way or the other everyone makes that choice. This choice is easy to make. If we choose to serve God we have made a good and positive choice. If you choose not to serve God, you have chosen – even by not acting – not to serve God.
How can we determine when the choices we make in our daily lives are right or wrong? The right choice will not be in conflict with God’s Word – the Bible. This is why it is so important to study the Bible because in the Bible is God’s guide book for our life. The Psalmist said: “Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” Psalm 119:105.
Parents have a huge responsibility to train their children in how to make choices. There are so many outside influences today that make a profound impact on children’s thinking and affect the choices they make. Five of the most harmful are peer pressure, the internet, texting on a cell phone, music and television. Parents must be constantly on the alert and that is why we encourage every family to have dinner together every night so your children can talk and you can listen to what they are seeing and feeling. Knowing what is going on in your children’s lives will give you the opportunity to guide them into making wise choices.
Parents must begin teaching their children at a very early age that making the wrong choices can have a negative effect on their lives for a life-time. And the opposite is also true. Making the right choices affects one’s life in a positive way for a life time.
The choices children make are influenced by what they have observed in the actions of their parents. That is why we parents must live a consistent Christian life putting God first in all we do and in all we say. If we as parents make bad choices in life, these will have a negative influence on our children. As a parent do you take into consideration how the choices you make will affect your children and grandchildren?
Paul said of Timothy that he saw that Timothy had the same sincere faith that Timothy’s grandmother and Timothy’s mother had. Paul wrote in 11 Timothy 1:5, “I have been reminded of your sincere faith which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice.” Parents who live by faith before God will have a strong influence for the positive on their children and grandchildren.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Psalm 23:6.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
PRAYER:
Give us this day, dear Lord the wisdom to make choices to honor Your name. We give You praise for choosing us and then allowing us to choose to follow You and then bear fruit for Your sake. Help us to make the right decisions today in our choice of friends, our choice of words and our actions. Protect our children, dear Lord, from harmful choices. Thank You for being our Lord and our Savior.
CHOICES
DEFINITION:
The act or instance of choosing; selection; the right or power or opportunity to choose; a variety from which to choose.
SCRIPTURE:
Jesus said: “You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit.” John 15:16
Joshua said: “Choose you this day whom you will serve, but for me and my house we will serve the Lord.” Joshua 24:15
“A good name is rather to be chosen then great riches.” Proverbs 22:1
“Refuse evil and choose good.” Isaiah 7:15
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
Every day we make many CHOICES in our day to day living. Some of these choices we make are good and some are bad. We choose what we wear. We choose what we eat. We choose where we go. We choose who we associate with. As parents we choose how we lead and teach. And as children we choose how we respond. When facing life as we know it every day we have to make choices.
The greatest and most important CHOICE we must make in our life is whether to serve God or not to serve God. One way or the other everyone makes that choice. This choice is easy to make. If we choose to serve God we have made a good and positive choice. If you choose not to serve God, you have chosen – even by not acting – not to serve God.
How can we determine when the choices we make in our daily lives are right or wrong? The right choice will not be in conflict with God’s Word – the Bible. This is why it is so important to study the Bible because in the Bible is God’s guide book for our life. The Psalmist said: “Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” Psalm 119:105.
Parents have a huge responsibility to train their children in how to make choices. There are so many outside influences today that make a profound impact on children’s thinking and affect the choices they make. Five of the most harmful are peer pressure, the internet, texting on a cell phone, music and television. Parents must be constantly on the alert and that is why we encourage every family to have dinner together every night so your children can talk and you can listen to what they are seeing and feeling. Knowing what is going on in your children’s lives will give you the opportunity to guide them into making wise choices.
Parents must begin teaching their children at a very early age that making the wrong choices can have a negative effect on their lives for a life-time. And the opposite is also true. Making the right choices affects one’s life in a positive way for a life time.
The choices children make are influenced by what they have observed in the actions of their parents. That is why we parents must live a consistent Christian life putting God first in all we do and in all we say. If we as parents make bad choices in life, these will have a negative influence on our children. As a parent do you take into consideration how the choices you make will affect your children and grandchildren?
Paul said of Timothy that he saw that Timothy had the same sincere faith that Timothy’s grandmother and Timothy’s mother had. Paul wrote in 11 Timothy 1:5, “I have been reminded of your sincere faith which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice.” Parents who live by faith before God will have a strong influence for the positive on their children and grandchildren.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Psalm 23:6.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
PRAYER:
Give us this day, dear Lord the wisdom to make choices to honor Your name. We give You praise for choosing us and then allowing us to choose to follow You and then bear fruit for Your sake. Help us to make the right decisions today in our choice of friends, our choice of words and our actions. Protect our children, dear Lord, from harmful choices. Thank You for being our Lord and our Savior.
Discouragement: February 7, 2011
TODAYS WORD FOR MONDAY FEBRUARY 7, 2011
DISCOURAGEMENT
DEFINITION:
An act or instance of discouraging; the state of being discouraged; to deprive of courage, hope or confidence.
SCRIPTURE:
“But God, who comforts those that are downcast, comforts us." II Corinthians 7:6.
"Fathers do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged." Ephesians 6:4.
”Why are you downcast O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God." Psalm 42:5.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
At some time or another we all have had times of discouragement. Discouragement does deprive one of courage, hope and confidence. There are many reasons given for being discouraged. A child can be discouraged when he cannot find good friends, was not chosen for some role hoped for at school, or because of a grade on a test. For parents discouragement is a result of a souring relationship, an unhappy job situation, money concerns for the family, just to name a few.
We learned early in our married life that there would be times of discouragement. It was our faith in the Lord that got us through these times. We put our hope in God and praised Him for His goodness (Psalm 42:5 above) even when things weren’t going so good. When you are praising God your attitude changes. We found that then you could look at the problem we faced as just a situation, not a problem. This is where the title of our book came from -- “NO PROBLEMS ONLY SITUATIONS”!
From the moment each of our children was born we were, as parents, committed to teach and train each child to live with a positive attitude. We were committed to provide the love, interest and support for each child as needed.
Children need encouragement. Children who are constantly put down and told they never do anything right will become discouraged. (Ephesians 6:4) It was important to us as parents to make sure that our children were involved in church, in school, in sports and with their daily "household jobs" because being involved in activities is an important part of a child's life. It helps them learn, to develop relationships, keeps them active and busy. Children need to feel valued and that they are accomplishing something worthwhile. Boredom often leads to discouragement.
When discouragement comes your way, look to the Bible for strength and answers to your concerns. God told Joshua to always be strong, have courage, do not be afraid and do not be discouraged for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. [Joshua 1:9] This verse should be read every time you become discouraged.
Do something positive when you begin to feel discouraged. Eliminate negative thoughts in your life. Each day give something, like a kind word, to someone you do not know. David said to Solomon, his son: "Be strong and of a good courage." As parents we need to remind not only ourselves but also our children to be strong in the Lord. Our Lord is a God of comfort and hope. When we are downcast He will comfort us and renew our hope and we will be able to praise Him in spite of our discouragement. One of the best ways to brighten any day, if you are discouraged, is to STOP for a few minutes and think about the blessings, the good things, that you have and then thank God for those blessings. It is hard to be discouraged and praise God at the same time.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Psalm 23:6.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
SCRIPTURE:
Dear God, thank You for a new day and I ask for Your blessing on my life. Help me to not be discouraged today but to face each moment knowing that You are my God and that You are with me every moment of today. Comfort my family, friends and those that need a special touch from You this day because they are discouraged.
DISCOURAGEMENT
DEFINITION:
An act or instance of discouraging; the state of being discouraged; to deprive of courage, hope or confidence.
SCRIPTURE:
“But God, who comforts those that are downcast, comforts us." II Corinthians 7:6.
"Fathers do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged." Ephesians 6:4.
”Why are you downcast O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God." Psalm 42:5.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
At some time or another we all have had times of discouragement. Discouragement does deprive one of courage, hope and confidence. There are many reasons given for being discouraged. A child can be discouraged when he cannot find good friends, was not chosen for some role hoped for at school, or because of a grade on a test. For parents discouragement is a result of a souring relationship, an unhappy job situation, money concerns for the family, just to name a few.
We learned early in our married life that there would be times of discouragement. It was our faith in the Lord that got us through these times. We put our hope in God and praised Him for His goodness (Psalm 42:5 above) even when things weren’t going so good. When you are praising God your attitude changes. We found that then you could look at the problem we faced as just a situation, not a problem. This is where the title of our book came from -- “NO PROBLEMS ONLY SITUATIONS”!
From the moment each of our children was born we were, as parents, committed to teach and train each child to live with a positive attitude. We were committed to provide the love, interest and support for each child as needed.
Children need encouragement. Children who are constantly put down and told they never do anything right will become discouraged. (Ephesians 6:4) It was important to us as parents to make sure that our children were involved in church, in school, in sports and with their daily "household jobs" because being involved in activities is an important part of a child's life. It helps them learn, to develop relationships, keeps them active and busy. Children need to feel valued and that they are accomplishing something worthwhile. Boredom often leads to discouragement.
When discouragement comes your way, look to the Bible for strength and answers to your concerns. God told Joshua to always be strong, have courage, do not be afraid and do not be discouraged for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. [Joshua 1:9] This verse should be read every time you become discouraged.
Do something positive when you begin to feel discouraged. Eliminate negative thoughts in your life. Each day give something, like a kind word, to someone you do not know. David said to Solomon, his son: "Be strong and of a good courage." As parents we need to remind not only ourselves but also our children to be strong in the Lord. Our Lord is a God of comfort and hope. When we are downcast He will comfort us and renew our hope and we will be able to praise Him in spite of our discouragement. One of the best ways to brighten any day, if you are discouraged, is to STOP for a few minutes and think about the blessings, the good things, that you have and then thank God for those blessings. It is hard to be discouraged and praise God at the same time.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Psalm 23:6.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
SCRIPTURE:
Dear God, thank You for a new day and I ask for Your blessing on my life. Help me to not be discouraged today but to face each moment knowing that You are my God and that You are with me every moment of today. Comfort my family, friends and those that need a special touch from You this day because they are discouraged.
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