If we are to love our neighbors, before doing anything else we must see our neighbors. With our imagination as well as our eyes, that is to say like artists, we must see not just their faces but the life behind and within their faces. Here it is love that is the frame we see them in.
If you forget me, one of the ways I remember who I am will be gone. If you forget me, part of who I am will be gone. Your life and my life flow into each other as wave flows into wave, and unless there is peace and joy and freedom for you, there can be no real peace or joy or freedom for me. To see reality--not as we expect it to be but as it is--is to see that unless we live for each other and in and through each other, we do not really live very satisfactorily; that there can really be life only where there really is, in just this sense, love. "He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed" - Proverbs 13:20
There is a clear connection between the quality of life we live, and the type of friends we choose. We have all heard the old idiom that goes, "Birds of a feather flock together." Another way of putting this is eagles fly with eagles, and turkeys trot with turkeys. While association in the animal kingdom may be set by its fur and feathers, man is afforded a higher option. In other words, you can choose the sort of people you want to associate with; the kind of people you want to be around. But realize this – those you spend your time with will shape your thoughts, your character, and your future. Choose wisely. Solomon said, "Stop being gullible. Leave the company of foolish people, and live. Follow the way of knowledge; walk in the way of insight and understanding." (Proverbs 9:7, pastor's paraphrase). Paul echoes this in the New Testament. "Don't fool yourselves," he writes, "Bad friends will destroy you. If you hang around and associate with evil people, your good character will become corrupted and your good morals depraved. Don't let anyone deceive you about this. Associating with bad people will ruin decent people. Wicked friends lead to evil ends" (1Corinthians 15:33, pastor's paraphrase). In other words: Spend time with losers, and you will become a loser. Spend time with a godly man or woman, and you will become godly. So, who are you spending time with these days? And, here's an inescapable question — If someone spent time with you, what kind of person would they become? Many people will walk in and out of your life,
But only true friends will leave footprints in your heart. To handle yourself, use your head; To handle others, use your heart. Anger is only one letter short of danger. If someone betrays you once, it is his fault; If he betrays you twice, it is your fault. Great minds discuss ideas; Average minds discuss events; Small minds discuss people. He who loses money, loses much; He, who loses a friend, loses much more; He, who loses faith, loses all. Beautiful young people are accidents of nature, But beautiful old people are works of art. Learn from the mistakes of others. You can't live long enough to make them all yourself. Friends, you and me…. You brought another friend…. And then there were three. We started our group…. Our circle of friends…. And like that circle…. There is no beginning or end.. Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is mystery. Today is a gift." I was speaking at a youth conference, and we all had breakfast in the
cafeteria together. And then when we got together for our morning session I said, "Now, I want you guys to imagine that somebody who was at breakfast with us comes in the room and his cheeks are all puffy and you ask him what's wrong, and he just goes, "uh...uh... uh..." And you go, "Wait a minute. Wait a minute. Here's a piece of paper." And you give him a piece of paper and he writes down, "I'm starved." Now I ask him, "Did you eat breakfast?" "Uh-huh." "And you're still hungry?" "Uh-huh." And then I would ask him, "Did you swallow it?" "Huh-uh." "Oh, maybe that's why you're still hungry." See, it isn't enough just to ingest your food; you've got to swallow it for it to do anything for you. Well, I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Swallowing What You Eat." Now, our word for today from the Word of God is in Joshua 1:8. And you might say it's about spiritual eating and spiritual digestion, because ingestion is not enough to satisfy your appetite. Ingesting food is not enough to nourish you. Joshua 1:8 puts it this way in the biblical formula for personal success. It says this, "Do not let this book of the law (the Bible) depart from your mouth. Meditate on it day and night." In other words, be saturated with the Bible. Take a Bible bath. You should be in it day and night, really knowing what it's saying. But listen, it says, "So that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful." Did you catch those words "careful to do"? It doesn't say, "I want you to read the Bible to just know what it says." I want you to read the Bible to do what it says. The purpose of being in God's Word is to memorize it, meditate on it, but then to do what you read. In other words, until the Bible gets into your real life; until you've found a change you're going to make because of what you've read, all you've done is sort of take it in, kind of hold it in your mouth spiritually, but it's not in your system. So when you study the Bible, if you're going to read it to do something, that means before you close the Bible each morning when you're with the Lord, you say, "Lord, help me make a connection to something I'm going to face today." Always make that connection between what you're reading and what your life is doing right now. So, if you're reading about loving your brother, you say, "Okay, which brother am I having a hard time loving?" Okay, "Love your Ralph." Or whoever's the hard guy to love. If it's talking about patience, you say, "Let's see, who do I need to be more patient with right now? Okay, Lord, help me be more patient with my Mom, or my wife." If it's talking about temptation, then you say, "Which temptation am I facing right now?" And you put that temptation into the verse. So if it says, "Do not let sin control your body." Then which sin? Okay, so you put in there, "Do not let gossip control your body (the one you struggle with, whatever it is)." For example, in James 1. Let's try this. You're reading the book of James, and it says, "Consider it pure joy my brothers whenever you face trials of many kinds." Now if you're just ingesting, you'd kind of go, "Today I read about trials." Now, wait a minute. No, no! Which trial are you facing right now?" You go, "Oh, man, my boss!" Or you might say if you're married, "My in-laws." Okay, then make it in the verse, "Whenever you face trials of many kinds (with your boss), (with your in-laws) because you know that the testing of your faith (by your boss), (your in-laws) develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." Now, that verse could just be about trials in general, or it could be about someone or something you're facing today. When you make that connection, you begin to swallow what you're eating. God's got a lot of fat children who've never put into use what they're reading. Every day ask yourself the question, "What am I going to do because of what I read?" And once you do that and start to make those changes, you are well on your way to an exciting new you; one day, one change at a time. Hey, don't be content to just ingest the Bible, digest it. That's the only way you grow. If you can disappoint yourself as much as you love yourself and you still manage to disappoint yourself then why are you shocked when other people that you love disappoint you.
Isn't it funny how God will let you be at the right place at the right time with the right people to get what you want from the Lord. Nobody wants somebody who wants them for what they have or the position they're in--you want somebody who wants you for you. In case it all goes crazy and it all turns to dust. I want somebody who loves me in the welfare line, eating gumbo, eating fish,black eyed peas and rice. I want somebody that loves me. God wants you to love him, not his cars, not his house, not his blessing--love him. I rise before the dawning of the morning, and cry for help; I hope in Your Word. Psalm 119:147
My eyes fluttered open, but the room was still dark. It was too early to get up. I sighed, adjusted my pillow, and hoped for sleep. Unfortunately, a lengthy to-do list bombarded my brain. I needed to buy groceries, deliver a meal to a friend, answer e-mail, schedule a doctor’s appointment . . . . If you’ve ever been overwhelmed and worried, you know how it feels to stare at the ceiling when you should be sleeping. The writer of Psalm 119 was no stranger to this experience. He wrote, “I rise before the dawning of the morning, and cry for help; I hope in Your Word” (v.147). God’s Word delivered special comfort during the psalmist’s sleepless nights. Although he couldn’t make his problems disappear, he said, “My eyes are awake through the night watches, that I may meditate on Your Word” (v.148). At night he reviewed God’s Word over and over in his mind. He concentrated on Scripture rather than his concerns. This practice allowed him to proclaim, “Oh, how I love Your law!” (v.97). When worry wakes you up, remember, “The Word of God is living and powerful” (Heb. 4:12). Select a passage and mull it over. Our cares cannot compete with God’s Word! "For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures" (1 Corinthians 15:3-4, NIV)
As we celebrate the resurrection of Christ, I think about when they crucified Jesus. On that Friday, it was the darkest, most painful, discouraging day of His life. In fact, it was so bad that He sweat drops of blood. It looked as if His enemies had gotten the best of Him. But God had other plans. They put Him in the grave on Friday, celebrating their victory, but Sunday morning it was a different story. The grave could not hold Him! Death couldn't contain Him! The forces of darkness couldn't stop Him! On the third day, He came out of the grave and said, "I was dead, but now I am alive forevermore!" One principle that the resurrection teaches us is that God will always finish what He started. No matter how dark it looks, no matter how long it's been, no matter how many people are trying to push you down; if you will stay in faith, God will always take you from Friday to Sunday. He will always complete what He started in you! Father God, thank You for completing what You started in my life. I trust that no matter how dark things may seem, You are my shining light of hope. I thank You for working behind the scenes to carry me through to the place of victory in every area of my life in Jesus' name. Amen. Having just celebrated our 40th wedding anniversary, we're going through a reflective time. We LOVE being married this long! And the rewarding part is that we love and appreciate each other more than we ever have - which is truly remarkable. We hope you are, or that you get to that place too. Having lived through and learned A LOT, we appreciate others with the same commitment. Dr. James Robison and his wife Betty were married 41 years when they wrote an article titled, "Committed for Life." In it, they talk about different aspects of "loyalty and faithfulness," which has helped them in their marriage. Here's a portion of what they've learned (that you might benefit from prayerfully reading, to see if there is anything you can glean from it, to use in YOUR marriage.) -- "LOYALTY STARTS WITH COMMITMENT TO GOD. Our commitment to each other begins with a commitment to follow God, both individually and as a couple. Both are lifelong promises. Neither commitment allows us to say, 'Let's try this for a while and see if it works.' Both are tough; both call us to live a disciplined life. But both, in the end, are life giving. -- "LOYALTY DEPENDS ON COMMUNICATION. When there's a breakdown in communication, a breakdown in commitment is sure to follow. Communication isn't simply talking to each other; it's making sure we really learn each other. We try to listen and understand the heart of our mate, not just the words they speak. "Communication is especially important when situations aren't particularly easy or pleasant. But knowing that we're committed to each other helps us confront, confess, and open up more freely. -- "LOYALTY MEANS WE GIVE OUR SPOUSE THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT. An issue we've worked through has been when one of us says something that the other spouse takes the wrong way. An offhanded or unthinking comment can wreak havoc on our thoughts and relationship. "Dr. Jimmy Draper, our Pastor for many years, said something about his wife, Carol Ann, that put those statements in perspective: 'If I ever think she's said something to offend me, then I know I've misunderstood her, because she'd never do anything purposely to hurt me.' "That's an awesome reality when we stop to think that neither of us would intentionally hurt the other. When one of us says something that hurts, we stop before we react, and think, 'Did my mate say that intentionally to hurt me? ...That helps us confront the issue and not the person. "We'll say, 'I know you wouldn't hurt me, and I know you didn't intend this, but let me tell you how this came across to me. Let me tell you what I heard. Let me tell you how I felt.' -- "LOYALTY WILLINGLY COMPROMISES FOR THE OTHER PERSON'S GOOD. The Bible tells us me must lose our life for Christ's sake in order to find it (Matthew 10:39). That same spirit applies to marriage Although it doesn't make human sense, when we put the other person first, God grows our marriages. "Early in our marriage, we discovered our interests could have caused us to spend less time with each other. We knew it wasn't what we wanted our marriage to be - two people that 'did their own thing.' So we made a conscious effort to do things together. "The same is true of work and church obligations. There was a time when the demands of traveling for my ministry came close to destroying our relationship. Betty was extremely lonely, since I was gone much of the time, and I was burning the candle at both ends. I felt burned out and tormented by lustful thoughts! I knew I needed help, so I talked to some respected ministers. "One of them suggested I talk and pray with a man who had gone through a similar experience. It was a humbling time. But God used those men to help turn around my life and my marriage. "Since then we've learned to say 'no' to many invitations that come our way. We discuss our ministry and work opportunities with each other, and together, prayerfully decide which ones we believe are truly God's will. We try always to honor each other. Once we got in the habit of planning together, it became natural; it no longer feels like a sacrifice or compromise. "We're still pursuing life. We're still pursuing God. We haven't settled or retired from our marriage. The Apostle Paul says Christians are running a race to win (1 Corinthians 9:24). That's also true of marriage. While it's not always easy when we keep running on course, determined to cross the finish line - marriage gets sweeter." ...................... We realize that every couple travels a different road in their marriage. A lot of what works for us, for the Robison's, and for others, may not work in your relationship. But one principle is true for us all. Our commitment to reveal and reflect the love of Christ within our marriage is an important mission God gives us, when we say, "I do" to the promises set before us. As the Robison's conclude, and we agree, the following is a mission we all should keep before us: "As we go through life together, we realize more and more that we need each other in order to do what God has called both of us to do. It's an awesome responsibility and a great challenge to be there completely for each other, but it's a tremendous opportunity. "For us, everything started with our commitment to God, then our commitment to each other. Out of that, we've been able to impact the world with the love of Jesus Christ. And isn't that what it's all about?" To that we say, "AMEN!" We hope you will join us in being joyfully, prayerfully, and unswervingly "committed for life" in your marriages, for the glory of God. Mag ek begin met ‘n stukkie goeie nuus wat verlede week verskyn het in die klein kolom wat ek van Dinsdae tot Vrydae in die dagblad Beeld skryf: “In ‘n bekende kinderverhaal sê die koningin vir Alice in Wonderland: “It takes all the running you can do, to keep in the same place. If you want to get somewhere else, you must at least run twice as fast as that!” Ons almal hardloop so al wat ons kan net om op een plek te bly stilstaan. Ek lees onlangs in ‘n tydskrif vir fietsryers dat die gemiddelde fietsryer meer as 60% ekstra krag moet insit om 20% vinniger te ry. Harde werk vir min resultate! Maar dis hoe die lewe is... so ook ons geloofsroete. As geloof maklik was, het almal geglo. As vasbyt op die Here se pad die in-ding was, dan het almal vasgebyt. Tog is die vreugde eindeloos groot vir daardie klein groepie wat wel volhard op God se pad.”
Hoe ouer ek word, hoe meer word dit vir my duidelik dat ‘n lewe op Jesus se pad twee basiese kenmerke het — vreugde en moeilikheid. Beide hoort tot die ABC en die XYZ van geloof. Dit is nie ‘n gelykpad nie, maar dis ‘n pad waar God se Gees permanent saamloop. Nooit is ons aan onsself oorgelaat nie. Al waai die wind van voor af, en al is die pad styl en gevaarlik, daar is altyd ‘n Gids op die pad. Nie net enige Gids nie, nee, die Here van vreugde Self is saam met ons. Daarom dat ons lig kan reis — met ligte harte en vreugde op ons gesig. "Lord, who may abide in your dwelling place? Who receives an invitation to spend time with you? Whoever walks without blame, whatever is right, speaking truth from the heart; Who does not slander a neighbor, does no harm to another, never defames a friend; Who disdains the wicked, but honors those who fear the LORD; Who keeps an oath, no matter what the cost, who lends no money at interest, accepts no bribe against the innocent. Whoever acts like this, shall never be shaken." (Psalm 15)
In 2002, U.S. companies Arthur Andersen, Enron, and Salomon Brothers were all brought down by the rogue actions of a few who failed the integrity test. Their corporate integrity code failed to equip front-line employees to make the right decisions without supervision. Lack of integrity is nothing new. The Bible is full of examples. One of these involves Gehazi, the assistant to the most famous prophet of his day, Elisha. It's hard to imagine that anyone working with such an anointed man who saw firsthand the power of God would fail the integrity test. But he did. When Elisha healed Naaman (a general in the army) from leprosy, he didn't expect to be compensated and he didn't ask for money. When Naaman insisted that Elisha take some form of payment, the prophet answered, "As surely as the Lord lives, whom I serve, I will not accept a thing" (2 Kings 5:16). Gehazi, however, did not agree with his employer. He saw this as a great opportunity for gain and took matters into his own hands. "Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said to himself, 'My master was too easy on Naaman, this Aramean, by not accepting from him what he brought. As surely as the Lord lives, I will run after him and get something from him'" (2 Kings 5:20). As a result of his sin, God judged Gehazi. Elisha fired him and God struck him with leprosy, and his life was never the same. He was removed from serving one of God's most extraordinary prophets. Each of us has the potential of being a Gehazi if we do not have a foundation built into our lives that makes us willing to receive only what God gives us through the fruit of our obedience. Ask God to keep your motives pure in all you do. TGIF (Today God Is First) |
Ana & Andre Schoonbee God uses us to motivate and encourage the body. Authors
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