Monday, January 26, 2009

Forgiveness Is Divine

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The power to forgive is one of the greatest powers given to man. It's part of the nature and essence of God, and when you exercise it you assume godlike stature. You have the power to forgive and thus rise above the pettiness of mortals.

Choosing to forgive another is one of the hardest things most people ever do, especially if it's undeserved. It's hard because it's not human nature. Human nature cries out for revenge and retribution. But why get stuck in human nature?

Jesus came to bring forgiveness and salvation from sin, but He also came to save you from human nature. When you received Him as your Savior, you received a measure of His superhuman nature. Once you've received Him, how much that superhuman nature rules in your life is up to you, and that is reflected in your choices. Since one of the most outstanding traits of His nature is a readiness to forgive, how quick you are to forgive others is a pretty good indication of whether or not you're letting His superhuman nature take charge.

Whether that person who wronged you deserves forgiveness or not is not the central issue. The central issue is you doing the right thing. No one really deserves forgiveness. If others have done wrong, they deserve a just punishment. But forgiveness is greater than justice. Justice is human; forgiveness is divine.

Forgive others who have wronged you, even as your heavenly Father forgives you.

Author: Unknown

Saturday, January 24, 2009

Children Are Forever

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Bearing babies and raising children is the greatest experience in this natural life. Children are eternal gifts—not just for a time, but for eternity.

Babies are so close to God—straight from Heaven. Although it's very mysterious how the Lord plans and orders His creation, we know that He does not make any mistakes. God is the Creator of souls. He's the one who creates that spark of life, the union of spirit and body to form a human soul.

Of course children are not only a gift of God, but also the work of God. If God has given you children, then your first duty to God is to raise those children right. Your children are God's work for you. They're His children too, of course, but He wants you to take care of and train them.

That's a full-time job, but with that big job come big rewards and lots of benefits. You should be very proud to be a parent, because yours is the greatest work in the world—molding the future. The world of tomorrow is what the parents of today make it, according to the way they raise their children.

Never minimize the training of your children. Did you ever realize that the most important things children are going to learn in their lifetimes, they learn before they're five years old? So just think how important it is that you teach and train them right during those first formative years. That's why the Bible says, "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it" (Proverbs 22:6).

You can't wait till your child is five years old before you begin teaching him or her. Every single day counts, and what that child learns each day is important. You as a parent are responsible to see to it that your child is not only fed, clothed, protected, and kept healthy, but also that your child is taught God's Word, trained in His truth, and inspired with His love.

Some parents have the wrong attitude that if their kids learn, they learn, and if they don't, they don't. While children shouldn't be forced to learn something they don't want to learn, the truth of the matter is that all children want to learn. They're happier and feel more fulfilled when they are learning, and they can learn a lot more with a parent's guidance and encouragement than if they are just left to learn on their own. In fact, it is entirely unscriptural to leave children to make up their own minds without first trying to inform them and guide them in their decisions. "A child left to himself brings his mother to shame" (Proverbs 29:15).

Children's minds are just like sponges, or tape recorders, or computers; they absorb, record, and process everything that goes on around them.

It's simple to teach your young children about Jesus. Just do it from your heart! Point them to the Lord by your example and your love, and by talking to them about Jesus.

Jesus said, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God" (Mark 10:14). He's just waiting to become their Best Friend and Savior!

May God help us to be good stewards of the most precious gifts He's given us—our children!

Text by David Brandt Berg

Sunday, January 18, 2009

Thank You Lord

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… for all the blessings you gave me this year.

… for the sunny days and for the sad, cloudy days.

… for the peaceful afternoons and the long, dark nights.

Thank you for health and sickness, for the sorrows and joys I had this year.

Thank you for all the things you lent me and then took back again.

Thank you, Lord, for the friendly smiles and helping hands, for the love I received and all wonderful things.

For the flowers and stars, for children and loving souls.

Thank you for the loneliness, for work, for difficulties and problems, for uncertainties and tears because all these brought me closer to You.

Thank you for preserving my life, for supplying shelter, food and all my needs.

Whatever you wish, My Lord

… I ask only that you grant me faith to see you in everything that comes my way,

Hope & Courage to not give up,

And Love… more love for you each day and for those around me.

Give me, Lord, what you know is good for me and that which I know not how to ask.

Grant me an obedient heart and a listening ear, an alert mind and active hands so that I may yield to your desire and submit to your perfect will for my life.

Pour out Your blessings over all my loved ones and bring peace to the hearts of men.

In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Saturday, January 10, 2009

Love & Children

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Love

As seen through the eyes of children.

The answers they got were broader and deeper than anyone could have imagined.

A group of social scientists asked this question to a group of four-to-eight-year-olds:

"What does love mean?"

See what you think.

"Love is that first feeling you feel before all the bad stuff gets in the way."

"When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn't bend over and paint her toenails anymore. So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That's love."

"When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different. You know that your name is safe in their mouth."

"Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French fries without making them give you any of theirs."

"Love is what makes you smile when you're tired."

"Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen."

"Love is when you kiss all the time. Then when you get tired of kissing, you still want to be together and you talk more. My mommy and daddy are like that."

"If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you hate."

"When you tell someone something bad about yourself and you're scared they won't love you anymore. But then you get surprised because not only do they still love you, they love you even more."

"There are two kinds of love, our love and God's love. But God makes both kinds of them."

“Love is when Mommy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than Robert Redford."

“Love cards say stuff on them that we'd like to say ourselves, but we wouldn't be caught dead saying.”

"Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well."

“My mommy loves me more than anybody. You don't see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night.”

"Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken."

"Love is when someone hurts you, and you get so mad but you don't yell at them because you know it would hurt their feelings."

"Love is when your puppy is so glad to see you even though you left him alone all day."

"You really shouldn't say I love you unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget."

"When they crucified Jesus, God could have said magic words to make the nails fall off the cross, but He didn't. That's love."

“Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings Thou ordained strength”

Psalm 8:2

Author: Unknown