GEMS OF ENCOURAGEMENT FOR SATURDAY AUGUST 10, 2013.
PROVERB:
Those who forsake the law praise the wicked, but those who keep the law resist them. Proverbs 28:4.
PROMISE:
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. I John 3:4-6
PRAISE:
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. Romans 8:1-2
August 11, 2013
Opportunities: August 9, 2013
TODAY’S WORD FOR FRIDAY AUGUST 9, 2013
OPPORTUNITIES
DEFINITION:
A favorable occasion or time; timely; appropriate.
SCRIPTURE:
Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith. Galatians 6:10.
Be very careful how you live, not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity because the days are evil. Ephesians 5:15-16.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
By definition the word “opportunity” suggests that it comes with a time limit. In Isaiah 55:6-7 it says: “Seek the Lord while He may be found; call on Him while He is near.” The scripture is clear to warn us that this opportunity will not always be there for us. We can distance ourselves away from God by getting deeper into the sinful ways of this world. Sin hardens our heart against God. The more our hearts are hardened the more difficult it becomes to turn to God. Isaiah 55:7 gives us the assurance that if we are willing to give up our sinful ways we can turn to God and He will have mercy on us and freely pardon us.
The Bible tells us that “All have sinned and come short of the Glory of God.” (Romans 3:23), and that the “wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life.”(Romans 6:23). If you have passed up opportunities to accept Christ as your Savior, now is the time to accept Christ’s free gift of forgiveness and receive eternal life. God gives us many opportunities to receive this gift of eternal life and we like to think there is always a tomorrow, but there will be a time that He will close that door of opportunity.
The Lord can return at any moment and we must be ready. Jesus said in Luke 13:25-28 that the day will come if we miss our opportunities to come to Him when He will say, “I tell you I do not know you or where you come from.” When you find yourself standing at heavens’ door, will Jesus know you?
Jonah was one person that was given a second chance, an opportunity to do what God asked him to do. (Jonah 1:1-3). God used the “WHALE” to wake up Jonah and Jonah responded by going and doing what God wanted him to do.
Paul gives us numerous illustrations about making use of every opportunity that came his way. In Acts 21:37, Paul was arrested by the soldiers and he asked for the opportunity to witness. He loved the Lord so much that whatever situation he was in he wanted the opportunity to tell others about his Lord.
And Paul tells the church at Philippi as recorded in Philippians 4:10, how much he appreciated their care for him. They had an opportunity to help Paul and he said: “I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at last your care for me flourished again; though you surely did care, but before you did not have the opportunity.”
Paul stresses to us in Ephesians 5:16-17 (above), the urgency of making the most of every opportunity. Paul felt a sense of urgency because of the evil that prevailed at that time. We live in a world that seems to have even more evil around us than in Paul’s time. Every day we have opportunities. We have opportunities to tell someone about Jesus. We have opportunities to help a hurting or hungry person. We have opportunities to build a relationship with someone that is hurting. It is urgent that we as Christians take a look at how we respond to opportunities so that as we look back on our life we do not regret not doing something God gave us a chance to do.
All of us have these opportunities but we are either too lazy to act, too fearful to respond, or just do not care. Read the verse again that we have put above (Galatians 6:10) and then ask yourself the question, “Am I doing good to all that I meet each day?”
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Ephesians 6:10.
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.
PRAYER:
Give me new opportunities today to share my love with people that need to know You. Help me to be sensitive to any opportunities I may see to help people that are hurting. Bless my family and give each one of us opportunities to do good to all we meet.
OPPORTUNITIES
DEFINITION:
A favorable occasion or time; timely; appropriate.
SCRIPTURE:
Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith. Galatians 6:10.
Be very careful how you live, not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity because the days are evil. Ephesians 5:15-16.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
By definition the word “opportunity” suggests that it comes with a time limit. In Isaiah 55:6-7 it says: “Seek the Lord while He may be found; call on Him while He is near.” The scripture is clear to warn us that this opportunity will not always be there for us. We can distance ourselves away from God by getting deeper into the sinful ways of this world. Sin hardens our heart against God. The more our hearts are hardened the more difficult it becomes to turn to God. Isaiah 55:7 gives us the assurance that if we are willing to give up our sinful ways we can turn to God and He will have mercy on us and freely pardon us.
The Bible tells us that “All have sinned and come short of the Glory of God.” (Romans 3:23), and that the “wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life.”(Romans 6:23). If you have passed up opportunities to accept Christ as your Savior, now is the time to accept Christ’s free gift of forgiveness and receive eternal life. God gives us many opportunities to receive this gift of eternal life and we like to think there is always a tomorrow, but there will be a time that He will close that door of opportunity.
The Lord can return at any moment and we must be ready. Jesus said in Luke 13:25-28 that the day will come if we miss our opportunities to come to Him when He will say, “I tell you I do not know you or where you come from.” When you find yourself standing at heavens’ door, will Jesus know you?
Jonah was one person that was given a second chance, an opportunity to do what God asked him to do. (Jonah 1:1-3). God used the “WHALE” to wake up Jonah and Jonah responded by going and doing what God wanted him to do.
Paul gives us numerous illustrations about making use of every opportunity that came his way. In Acts 21:37, Paul was arrested by the soldiers and he asked for the opportunity to witness. He loved the Lord so much that whatever situation he was in he wanted the opportunity to tell others about his Lord.
And Paul tells the church at Philippi as recorded in Philippians 4:10, how much he appreciated their care for him. They had an opportunity to help Paul and he said: “I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at last your care for me flourished again; though you surely did care, but before you did not have the opportunity.”
Paul stresses to us in Ephesians 5:16-17 (above), the urgency of making the most of every opportunity. Paul felt a sense of urgency because of the evil that prevailed at that time. We live in a world that seems to have even more evil around us than in Paul’s time. Every day we have opportunities. We have opportunities to tell someone about Jesus. We have opportunities to help a hurting or hungry person. We have opportunities to build a relationship with someone that is hurting. It is urgent that we as Christians take a look at how we respond to opportunities so that as we look back on our life we do not regret not doing something God gave us a chance to do.
All of us have these opportunities but we are either too lazy to act, too fearful to respond, or just do not care. Read the verse again that we have put above (Galatians 6:10) and then ask yourself the question, “Am I doing good to all that I meet each day?”
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Ephesians 6:10.
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.
PRAYER:
Give me new opportunities today to share my love with people that need to know You. Help me to be sensitive to any opportunities I may see to help people that are hurting. Bless my family and give each one of us opportunities to do good to all we meet.
Maturity: August 8, 2013
TODAY’S WORD FOR THURSDAY AUGUST 8, 2013.
MATURITY
DEFINITION:
Complete in natural growth; ripe; fully developed.
SCRIPTURE:
Behold a sower went forth to sow, and when he sowed, some seeds fell by the wayside, and the fowls came and devoured them up; some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth; and when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root they withered away. Matthew 13:3-6.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
In the life of a tree the major key to survival is for that tree to have more roots than shoots. If a tree puts on a lot of top growth and few roots it is usually unable to get the needed water and nourishment to sustain itself so that it can grow to maturity.
A tree that puts down a great deal of roots and adds shoots more slowly has a chance to live longer and have more resistance to stress and strain.
The lives of people can be likened to that of a tree. Someone might seem to be on a fast track for success but if they neglect to establish a healthy base they most likely will fail. People, just like trees that put up shoots faster than they put down roots, are fragile and in danger of breaking, falling or dying.
In the parable told by Jesus in Mark 4, the seed that fell on rocky soil sprang up quickly but soon withered and died because it had no roots. In His explanation of the parable Jesus said some people are like the seed sown on rocky soil because upon hearing God's Word they receive it quickly and joyfully, but they last only a short time because they do not develop any spiritual roots. Roots are not the least bit attractive but they are the source for strength that makes the rest of the plant productive.
We can learn from this illustration of trees and this parable that Jesus taught as to the importance of becoming mature believers in Christ. Maturity comes by hard work. Maturity in our spiritual life comes from reading and studying the Bible.
Trees need the nourishment that they receive through their roots in order to grow. In order for us to grow in our spiritual maturity, believers need the nourishment that comes from the roots of their faith that has been given to us in God's Word. That is why it is not only important but necessary to read God's Word daily.
The more we study and learn the truths taught in God's Word the more mature we will become. Maturity comes through prayer. We need to communicate with our Lord and He will respond according to our needs and empower us through His Holy Spirit, who dwells within us. When God answers prayer in our lives our faith cannot help but be increased and deepened. Maturity also comes by putting our faith into action. We need to be a witness of our faith to those we see every day. The more we serve Him the more spiritually mature we will become.
It should be the goal of every believer to become spiritually mature. Peter instructs us in II Peter 3:18 to "grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." If our roots grow deep in the knowledge of God we will have the spiritual strength and maturity to resist evil and survive the storms of adversity. The roots of stability come from being grounded in God's Word and in daily prayer.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Ephesians 6:10.
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.
PRAYER
Lord keep me and my family from being envious of the bright lights of evil that shine in our world. Help us to use the resources You have given us to put down deep spiritual roots that will make us strong rather than just growing branches that make us attractive only.
MATURITY
DEFINITION:
Complete in natural growth; ripe; fully developed.
SCRIPTURE:
Behold a sower went forth to sow, and when he sowed, some seeds fell by the wayside, and the fowls came and devoured them up; some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth; and when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root they withered away. Matthew 13:3-6.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
In the life of a tree the major key to survival is for that tree to have more roots than shoots. If a tree puts on a lot of top growth and few roots it is usually unable to get the needed water and nourishment to sustain itself so that it can grow to maturity.
A tree that puts down a great deal of roots and adds shoots more slowly has a chance to live longer and have more resistance to stress and strain.
The lives of people can be likened to that of a tree. Someone might seem to be on a fast track for success but if they neglect to establish a healthy base they most likely will fail. People, just like trees that put up shoots faster than they put down roots, are fragile and in danger of breaking, falling or dying.
In the parable told by Jesus in Mark 4, the seed that fell on rocky soil sprang up quickly but soon withered and died because it had no roots. In His explanation of the parable Jesus said some people are like the seed sown on rocky soil because upon hearing God's Word they receive it quickly and joyfully, but they last only a short time because they do not develop any spiritual roots. Roots are not the least bit attractive but they are the source for strength that makes the rest of the plant productive.
We can learn from this illustration of trees and this parable that Jesus taught as to the importance of becoming mature believers in Christ. Maturity comes by hard work. Maturity in our spiritual life comes from reading and studying the Bible.
Trees need the nourishment that they receive through their roots in order to grow. In order for us to grow in our spiritual maturity, believers need the nourishment that comes from the roots of their faith that has been given to us in God's Word. That is why it is not only important but necessary to read God's Word daily.
The more we study and learn the truths taught in God's Word the more mature we will become. Maturity comes through prayer. We need to communicate with our Lord and He will respond according to our needs and empower us through His Holy Spirit, who dwells within us. When God answers prayer in our lives our faith cannot help but be increased and deepened. Maturity also comes by putting our faith into action. We need to be a witness of our faith to those we see every day. The more we serve Him the more spiritually mature we will become.
It should be the goal of every believer to become spiritually mature. Peter instructs us in II Peter 3:18 to "grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." If our roots grow deep in the knowledge of God we will have the spiritual strength and maturity to resist evil and survive the storms of adversity. The roots of stability come from being grounded in God's Word and in daily prayer.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Ephesians 6:10.
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.
PRAYER
Lord keep me and my family from being envious of the bright lights of evil that shine in our world. Help us to use the resources You have given us to put down deep spiritual roots that will make us strong rather than just growing branches that make us attractive only.
Judgment: August 7, 2013
TODAY’S WORD FOR WEDNESDAY AUGUST 7, 2013.
JUDGMENT
DEFINITION:
The act or an instance of judging; the ability to make a decision or form an opinion; to pass sentence upon; condemn.
SCRIPTURE:
The Lord is slow to anger and great in power; the Lord will not leave the guilty unpunished. Nahum 1:3
The Lord is good. A stronghold in the day of trouble; and He knows those who trust in Him. Nahum 1:7.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
The book of Jonah has the makings of a great movie plot. It stars a runaway prophet who is tragically caught in a terrible storm and swallowed by a great fish. It has a happy ending as God spares the prophet's life which leads to his repentance and his fulfillment of his mission from God to bring the people of the wicked city of Nineveh to repentance. This is the account we receive from the book of Jonah and the result was repentance.
But in the book of Nahum the story has a different ending. Nahum ministered in Nineveh about 100 years after Jonah was there. The Ninevites had no interest in the message that Nahum was preaching and no interest in repentance. They rejected repentance and thus chose, by not responding, judgment.
Like so many today, they were in denial concerning their vulnerability in the face of God’s authority. Assyria was the most powerful nation of that day so they believed they were invincible and God could not possibly destroy their nation. Finally Nahum condemns Nineveh and on behalf of God pronounces judgment on the people.
God is patient. He withheld His judgment for several decades. God never judges in haste. He patiently waits for repentance but those that defy God will receive His judgment. God fulfilled Nahum's prophecy of judgment through the nation of Babylon who destroyed Nineveh and toppled the Assyrian empire.
In Nahum 1:3, Nahum preaches to the Ninevites, "The Lord is slow to anger but He will not leave the guilty unpunished." It is not wise to defy God and test His patience. In verse 7 (above) he tells the people that the Lord is good. God knows those who trust in Him and those who trust in Him do not have to fear God’s judgment. The Ninevites did not listen and the result is that the Ninevites rejected repentance and accepted judgment.
We learn by these two accounts, Jonah and Nahum, that every generation has their individualistic responses to God and His message. In Jonah's time the people repented and God blessed them. In Nahum's time they did not repent and thus received God's judgment. We have the same choice in our lives, repentance or judgment.
Here in America we are fast becoming like Nineveh. It was not so many years ago that this country respected God. People were allowed to pray in public, and our leaders honored the Christian-Judean principles that this country was founded on. This is not so true today. Will we repent or receive God's judgment? Remember God honors those that repent of their sins and honor Him.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Ephesians 6:10.
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.
PRAYER:
Help my family to learn from these accounts from the Old Testament concerning how the people responded to Your prophets Jonah and Nahum. Thank You that You are patient and compassionate giving us a chance to repent of our sins. Give us the courage to stand up for what we believe and may others be able to see Christ through us and accept Him as their Savior.
JUDGMENT
DEFINITION:
The act or an instance of judging; the ability to make a decision or form an opinion; to pass sentence upon; condemn.
SCRIPTURE:
The Lord is slow to anger and great in power; the Lord will not leave the guilty unpunished. Nahum 1:3
The Lord is good. A stronghold in the day of trouble; and He knows those who trust in Him. Nahum 1:7.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
The book of Jonah has the makings of a great movie plot. It stars a runaway prophet who is tragically caught in a terrible storm and swallowed by a great fish. It has a happy ending as God spares the prophet's life which leads to his repentance and his fulfillment of his mission from God to bring the people of the wicked city of Nineveh to repentance. This is the account we receive from the book of Jonah and the result was repentance.
But in the book of Nahum the story has a different ending. Nahum ministered in Nineveh about 100 years after Jonah was there. The Ninevites had no interest in the message that Nahum was preaching and no interest in repentance. They rejected repentance and thus chose, by not responding, judgment.
Like so many today, they were in denial concerning their vulnerability in the face of God’s authority. Assyria was the most powerful nation of that day so they believed they were invincible and God could not possibly destroy their nation. Finally Nahum condemns Nineveh and on behalf of God pronounces judgment on the people.
God is patient. He withheld His judgment for several decades. God never judges in haste. He patiently waits for repentance but those that defy God will receive His judgment. God fulfilled Nahum's prophecy of judgment through the nation of Babylon who destroyed Nineveh and toppled the Assyrian empire.
In Nahum 1:3, Nahum preaches to the Ninevites, "The Lord is slow to anger but He will not leave the guilty unpunished." It is not wise to defy God and test His patience. In verse 7 (above) he tells the people that the Lord is good. God knows those who trust in Him and those who trust in Him do not have to fear God’s judgment. The Ninevites did not listen and the result is that the Ninevites rejected repentance and accepted judgment.
We learn by these two accounts, Jonah and Nahum, that every generation has their individualistic responses to God and His message. In Jonah's time the people repented and God blessed them. In Nahum's time they did not repent and thus received God's judgment. We have the same choice in our lives, repentance or judgment.
Here in America we are fast becoming like Nineveh. It was not so many years ago that this country respected God. People were allowed to pray in public, and our leaders honored the Christian-Judean principles that this country was founded on. This is not so true today. Will we repent or receive God's judgment? Remember God honors those that repent of their sins and honor Him.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Ephesians 6:10.
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.
PRAYER:
Help my family to learn from these accounts from the Old Testament concerning how the people responded to Your prophets Jonah and Nahum. Thank You that You are patient and compassionate giving us a chance to repent of our sins. Give us the courage to stand up for what we believe and may others be able to see Christ through us and accept Him as their Savior.
Influence: August 6, 2013
TODAY’S WORD FOR TUESDAY AUGUST 6, 2013.
INFLUENCE
DEFINITION:
The capacity or power of persons or things to produce effects on others by intangible or indirect means.
SCRIPTURE:
Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and pure children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world. Philippians 2:14-15.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
We began training our children when they were very young concerning both good and bad influences that they would run into in life. We often discussed the influence that peers would have on their lives. We encouraged our children when they ran into negative influences to reverse the trait and offer a positive substitute so that they would be a positive influence on their peers.
As they grew older we often discussed the influences that so called "role models" have on lives including theirs. It is important for children today to be constantly reminded that role models are just human people that make mistakes. Therefore, it is important for a child to put Christ first in their lives and not people.
We set up general boundaries for our children when they were young and we could see as they got older how these boundaries helped govern our children's decision making.
It was very important to us to always let our children make choices. We would compliment them on good choices and caution them when we were concerned about a choice.
As the scripture says, we are living in a crooked and perverse generation. This is why our Christ-like influence on people is more vital than ever. In the verse above, Paul is telling the church at Philippi that they must shine as lights in the world. This is what we need to communicate to our children today. The stronger they are spiritually, the brighter their light will shine.
As parents we must train our children daily in the ways of the Lord. We need to start training them at an early age telling and showing them that as Christians they will stand alone many times in life because of their faith. This is why it is important that they choose friends that have the same Christian values as they do. The training they receive when they are young will go a long way in helping them to stay true to their faith in later years.
Children and adults have many influences on their lives today. Some of these are good and some bad. For just one example, it is hard to overestimate the ungodly influence questionable literature has upon an individual. Several murderers have said in prison that reading just one vicious romance book led them into crime.
England's John Angeli, (some have referred to him as being one of England's most honest men) said when he was getting quite old, that he never got over the evil effects of having to read in school a bad book for just fifteen minutes.
Today it is the media that has the greatest impact upon our society. Think about how the myriad of electronic devises available today has brought all sorts of evil influence right into the home. With the use of earphones it is very difficult for parents to really know what their children are listening to.
Hour after hour and day after day we are bombarded with objectionable material in the press, on television and radio and on the internet that can scarcely even be described. This kind of influence on our children and their parents undermines their moral values and sense of what is right and what is wrong. Because of this bombardment of negative, satanic influences, it is no wonder we live in an "anything goes society." Is it any wonder that our families are dysfunctional and our world is wracked by insoluble problems?
What kind of evil influences are impacting your family each day? Have you evaluated what both you and your children watch, hear, and see on the television, the radio, computers, I-pods, internet, conversations and even the actions and deeds around your home or from your neighbors? As parents are you setting boundaries for your children and yourself?
What kind of influences is your family facing at school, at the work place or with friends? Are you aware of whom your children spend time with each day and what kind of activities they are involved in? Again we ask, "Are boundaries being set?" You need to eliminate the evil influences in your life and seek out positive influences. By doing this you will set a standard and example for your family. To begin on a positive note, read the Bible daily alone and with the family. Also then pray daily alone and with the family. Turn off the television if you have any concerns on the content. Watch carefully what your children are doing on the computer and their cell phones and IPods.
The apostle Paul advises us that we should quit arguing and complaining. Arguing and complaining among family members causes dissention and destroys the unity of the family. If your family is serving the Lord, He will be a unifying influence and enable you to live peaceably and in harmony.
Remember --- a family that eats dinner together, talks and listens together and reads the Bible and prays together will be putting positive values in their lives that will enable them to overcome the evil influences that they face. As you train your family to live lives that honor God, each of you will shine as bright lights in this dark and corrupt world.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Ephesians 6:10:
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.
PRAYER:
Help me and my family to look to You for strength daily so we can turn away from evil influences in our lives. Give us the strength to cling to You and Your Word. Help us to live our lives honoring You so that we are a positive influence on those around us.
INFLUENCE
DEFINITION:
The capacity or power of persons or things to produce effects on others by intangible or indirect means.
SCRIPTURE:
Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and pure children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world. Philippians 2:14-15.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
We began training our children when they were very young concerning both good and bad influences that they would run into in life. We often discussed the influence that peers would have on their lives. We encouraged our children when they ran into negative influences to reverse the trait and offer a positive substitute so that they would be a positive influence on their peers.
As they grew older we often discussed the influences that so called "role models" have on lives including theirs. It is important for children today to be constantly reminded that role models are just human people that make mistakes. Therefore, it is important for a child to put Christ first in their lives and not people.
We set up general boundaries for our children when they were young and we could see as they got older how these boundaries helped govern our children's decision making.
It was very important to us to always let our children make choices. We would compliment them on good choices and caution them when we were concerned about a choice.
As the scripture says, we are living in a crooked and perverse generation. This is why our Christ-like influence on people is more vital than ever. In the verse above, Paul is telling the church at Philippi that they must shine as lights in the world. This is what we need to communicate to our children today. The stronger they are spiritually, the brighter their light will shine.
As parents we must train our children daily in the ways of the Lord. We need to start training them at an early age telling and showing them that as Christians they will stand alone many times in life because of their faith. This is why it is important that they choose friends that have the same Christian values as they do. The training they receive when they are young will go a long way in helping them to stay true to their faith in later years.
Children and adults have many influences on their lives today. Some of these are good and some bad. For just one example, it is hard to overestimate the ungodly influence questionable literature has upon an individual. Several murderers have said in prison that reading just one vicious romance book led them into crime.
England's John Angeli, (some have referred to him as being one of England's most honest men) said when he was getting quite old, that he never got over the evil effects of having to read in school a bad book for just fifteen minutes.
Today it is the media that has the greatest impact upon our society. Think about how the myriad of electronic devises available today has brought all sorts of evil influence right into the home. With the use of earphones it is very difficult for parents to really know what their children are listening to.
Hour after hour and day after day we are bombarded with objectionable material in the press, on television and radio and on the internet that can scarcely even be described. This kind of influence on our children and their parents undermines their moral values and sense of what is right and what is wrong. Because of this bombardment of negative, satanic influences, it is no wonder we live in an "anything goes society." Is it any wonder that our families are dysfunctional and our world is wracked by insoluble problems?
What kind of evil influences are impacting your family each day? Have you evaluated what both you and your children watch, hear, and see on the television, the radio, computers, I-pods, internet, conversations and even the actions and deeds around your home or from your neighbors? As parents are you setting boundaries for your children and yourself?
What kind of influences is your family facing at school, at the work place or with friends? Are you aware of whom your children spend time with each day and what kind of activities they are involved in? Again we ask, "Are boundaries being set?" You need to eliminate the evil influences in your life and seek out positive influences. By doing this you will set a standard and example for your family. To begin on a positive note, read the Bible daily alone and with the family. Also then pray daily alone and with the family. Turn off the television if you have any concerns on the content. Watch carefully what your children are doing on the computer and their cell phones and IPods.
The apostle Paul advises us that we should quit arguing and complaining. Arguing and complaining among family members causes dissention and destroys the unity of the family. If your family is serving the Lord, He will be a unifying influence and enable you to live peaceably and in harmony.
Remember --- a family that eats dinner together, talks and listens together and reads the Bible and prays together will be putting positive values in their lives that will enable them to overcome the evil influences that they face. As you train your family to live lives that honor God, each of you will shine as bright lights in this dark and corrupt world.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Ephesians 6:10:
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.
PRAYER:
Help me and my family to look to You for strength daily so we can turn away from evil influences in our lives. Give us the strength to cling to You and Your Word. Help us to live our lives honoring You so that we are a positive influence on those around us.
Family: August 5, 2013
TODAY’S WORD FOR MONDAY AUGUST 5, 2013.
FAMILY
DEFINITION:
A household; descendants of a common ancestor; lineage.
SCRIPTURE:
And God said to Abraham, "And in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed." Acts 3:25.
To Timothy, a beloved son: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. II Timothy 2:2.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
We have a large family with six children and twenty grandchildren. As God has blessed us with our family He has also given us experiences and knowledge in the raising of our family that we can now share with friends like you. We trust our comments will be a help and aid to assist many families to move toward having a happier family.
Nothing has been more important to us over the years, except our relationship with God and our Lord, than our family. Together we were committed to raise our children by Biblical principles and to have them honor and serve our Lord and Savior. We learned that little things made major differences for us.
For example, we made it a priority to have dinner together with the entire family every night. One may say that this is not that important but frankly it is VERY important for all families and we think it sets the ground work for training a family in the ways of the Lord. This is because it demands a commitment for every member of the family to be there for each other and to value the special relationship family members have with one another.
Having dinner together gave each one in the family an opportunity every night to share their activities and concerns with the family. It gave us as parents an opportunity to listen. This is when we could hear problems beginning and we could talk about them before they became a problem and could be dealt with as only a situation.
Dinner was also a time when we could read the Bible together as a family. Also it gave us a time to pray together as a family. And finally we memorized verses from the Bible together each week as a family. This is why we have a memory verse of the week at the bottom of each of our daily devotionals to you.
It was also important for us to put our children's schedule ahead of ours all the time with very few exceptions, unless it was work related. We always tried to go to their school activities and their sport activities. We believed then, and still do, that it is important for children to know that you are there for them and that they are worthy of your time.
Families today are basically dysfunctional because they do not communicate and spend quality time together. Both parents work today so children come and go as they want. Parents become too busy to do things with their children, including having dinner together, and communicating with their children. This is unacceptable if you want a happy family. Another major concern is that when problems come up concerning relationships with spouses and children the problems are not dealt with because everyone thinks they will go away with time. They do not. They only grow to be major concerns.
To read more about how we raised our family including reading about the high mountains we climbed and the low valleys we went through, we urge you to get our book: NO PROBLEMS ONLY SITUATIONS! This is available to you by going to our web site: www.thehungersolution.org. We are running a special price for this for the next week. So we encourage you to get your copy. We will sign a copy for you before we send it to you.
The scriptures point out two important facts about family that we want to emphasize today. First in Genesis, and again in the book of Acts (above) we are reminded that God promised Abraham that in his seed, through him, all the families of the earth shall be blessed. This blessing comes to those of us that put our Lord first place in our lives. Our goal as parents must be to teach and lead our children to live a Christ honoring-life in all that they do. God blesses us when we honor Him and let Him control our lives.
The Apostle Paul in the verse above talks about his relationship with Timothy as a son. Paul was in prison in Rome when he wrote II Timothy. He was writing to Timothy, a young man, whom he had mentored in life, in faith and in ministry. Although Paul was never married and had no children he recognized the importance of a father's role in the spiritual growth of a child of God. Paul and Timothy had developed a father and son relationship that was strengthened by the spiritual bond of their mutual desire to serve the Lord.
Timothy came from a deeply spiritual "family" heritage. His grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice taught him the scriptures and they were involved in leadership at the church at Lystra. This is where Timothy met Paul and from there Paul took Timothy as a son because of his love for the Lord and desire to reach his world with the gospel of Jesus Christ. In training Timothy, Paul continually pointed him back to his Godly heritage, emphasizing the importance of parents, grandparents and the home for spiritual growth.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Ephesians 6:10
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.
PRAYER:
Thank You for not only my family but the family of God that I am part of because of what you have done for me. Thank You for the line of ancestors you have given my family beginning years ago with Abraham. As we study Your Word together as a family may we learn from those that have preceded us. Make today a most blessed day for us because of our faith in You.
FAMILY
DEFINITION:
A household; descendants of a common ancestor; lineage.
SCRIPTURE:
And God said to Abraham, "And in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed." Acts 3:25.
To Timothy, a beloved son: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. II Timothy 2:2.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
We have a large family with six children and twenty grandchildren. As God has blessed us with our family He has also given us experiences and knowledge in the raising of our family that we can now share with friends like you. We trust our comments will be a help and aid to assist many families to move toward having a happier family.
Nothing has been more important to us over the years, except our relationship with God and our Lord, than our family. Together we were committed to raise our children by Biblical principles and to have them honor and serve our Lord and Savior. We learned that little things made major differences for us.
For example, we made it a priority to have dinner together with the entire family every night. One may say that this is not that important but frankly it is VERY important for all families and we think it sets the ground work for training a family in the ways of the Lord. This is because it demands a commitment for every member of the family to be there for each other and to value the special relationship family members have with one another.
Having dinner together gave each one in the family an opportunity every night to share their activities and concerns with the family. It gave us as parents an opportunity to listen. This is when we could hear problems beginning and we could talk about them before they became a problem and could be dealt with as only a situation.
Dinner was also a time when we could read the Bible together as a family. Also it gave us a time to pray together as a family. And finally we memorized verses from the Bible together each week as a family. This is why we have a memory verse of the week at the bottom of each of our daily devotionals to you.
It was also important for us to put our children's schedule ahead of ours all the time with very few exceptions, unless it was work related. We always tried to go to their school activities and their sport activities. We believed then, and still do, that it is important for children to know that you are there for them and that they are worthy of your time.
Families today are basically dysfunctional because they do not communicate and spend quality time together. Both parents work today so children come and go as they want. Parents become too busy to do things with their children, including having dinner together, and communicating with their children. This is unacceptable if you want a happy family. Another major concern is that when problems come up concerning relationships with spouses and children the problems are not dealt with because everyone thinks they will go away with time. They do not. They only grow to be major concerns.
To read more about how we raised our family including reading about the high mountains we climbed and the low valleys we went through, we urge you to get our book: NO PROBLEMS ONLY SITUATIONS! This is available to you by going to our web site: www.thehungersolution.org. We are running a special price for this for the next week. So we encourage you to get your copy. We will sign a copy for you before we send it to you.
The scriptures point out two important facts about family that we want to emphasize today. First in Genesis, and again in the book of Acts (above) we are reminded that God promised Abraham that in his seed, through him, all the families of the earth shall be blessed. This blessing comes to those of us that put our Lord first place in our lives. Our goal as parents must be to teach and lead our children to live a Christ honoring-life in all that they do. God blesses us when we honor Him and let Him control our lives.
The Apostle Paul in the verse above talks about his relationship with Timothy as a son. Paul was in prison in Rome when he wrote II Timothy. He was writing to Timothy, a young man, whom he had mentored in life, in faith and in ministry. Although Paul was never married and had no children he recognized the importance of a father's role in the spiritual growth of a child of God. Paul and Timothy had developed a father and son relationship that was strengthened by the spiritual bond of their mutual desire to serve the Lord.
Timothy came from a deeply spiritual "family" heritage. His grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice taught him the scriptures and they were involved in leadership at the church at Lystra. This is where Timothy met Paul and from there Paul took Timothy as a son because of his love for the Lord and desire to reach his world with the gospel of Jesus Christ. In training Timothy, Paul continually pointed him back to his Godly heritage, emphasizing the importance of parents, grandparents and the home for spiritual growth.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Ephesians 6:10
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.
PRAYER:
Thank You for not only my family but the family of God that I am part of because of what you have done for me. Thank You for the line of ancestors you have given my family beginning years ago with Abraham. As we study Your Word together as a family may we learn from those that have preceded us. Make today a most blessed day for us because of our faith in You.
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