I read about the experience of a man who underwent open-heart surgery. He said, "The day before surgery a nurse came into my room to visit. She took hold of my hand and told me to feel it and hold it."
"Now," she said, "during the surgery tomorrow you will be disconnected from your heart and you will be kept alive only by virtue of certain machines. When your heart is finally restored and the operation is over and you are recovering, you will eventually awaken in a special recovery room. You will be immobile for as long as six hours. You may be unable to move, or speak, or even to open your eyes, but you will be perfectly conscious. You will hear and you will know everything that is going on around you. During those six hours, I will be at your side and I will hold your hand, exactly as I am doing now. I will stay with you until you are fully recovered. Although you may feel absolutely helpless, when you feel my hand, you will know that I will not leave you." "It happened exactly as the nurse told me. I awoke and could do nothing. But I could feel the nurse's hand in my hand for hours. And that made all the difference!" Jesus' favorite word for His promised presence in the Holy Spirit is "Paraclete - the One called alongside." Engrave the words of Jesus on your mind until they are such a part of you that even during the hardest times of your life, regardless of how you feel, you will know that He is with you - holding your hand - and he will never leave you or forsake you. (Hebrews 13:5) I had a lot of hatred in my life. It wasn't something outwardly manifested, but there was a kind of inward grinding. I was disgusted with people, with things, with issues. Like so many other people, I was insecure. Every time I met someone different from me, he became a threat to me. But I hated one man more than anyone else in the world. My father. I hated his guts. To me he was the town alcoholic. If you're from a small town and one of your parents is an alcoholic, you know what I'm talking about. Everybody knows. My friends would come to high school and make jokes about my father being downtown. They didn't think it bothered me. I was like other people, laughing on the outside, but let me tell you, I was crying on the inside. I'd go out in the barn and see mother beaten so badly she couldn't get up, lying in the manure behind the cows. When we had friends over, I would take my father out, tie him up in the barn, and park the car up around the silo. We would tell our friends he'd had to go somewhere. I don't think anyone could have hated anyone more than I hated my father. After I made my decision for Christ - maybe five months later - a love from God through Jesus Christ entered my life and was so strong it took that hatred and turned it upside down. I was able to look my father squarely in the eyes and say, "Dad, I love you." And I really meant it. After some of the things I'd done, that shook him up. When I transferred to a private university I was in a serious car accident. My neck in traction, I was taken home. I'll never forget my father coming into my room. He asked me, "Son, how can you love a father like me?" I said, "Dad, six months ago I despised you." Then I shared with him my conclusion about Jesus Christ: "Dad, I let Christ come into my life. I can't explain it completely, but as a result of that relationship, I've found the capacity to love and accept not only you, but other people just the way they are." Forty-five minutes later, one of the greatest thrills of my life occurred. Somebody in my own family, someone who knew me so well I couldn't pull the wool over his eyes, said to me, "Son, if God can do in my life what I've seen Him do in yours, then I want to give Him the opportunity." Right there my father prayed with me and trusted Christ. Sometimes in life there are more wonders than you thought...
A group of students were asked to list what they thought were the present Seven Wonders of the World. Though there were some disagreements, the following got the most votes: 1. Egypt's Great Pyramids 2. Taj Mahal 3. Grand Canyon 4. Panama Canal 5. Empire State Building 6. St. Peter's Basilica 7. China's Great Wall While gathering the votes, the teacher noted that one quiet student hadn't turned in her paper yet. So she asked the girl if she was having trouble with her list. The girl replied, "Yes, a little. I couldn't quite make up my mind because there were so many." The teacher said, "Well, tell us what you have, and maybe we can help." The girl hesitated, then read, "I think the Seven Wonders of the World are: 1. to touch 2. to taste 3. to see 4. to hear (She hesitated a little, and then added:) 5. to feel 6. to laugh 7. and to love." The room was so full of silence you could have heard a pin drop. Those things we overlook as simple and "ordinary" are truly wondrous. A gentle reminder that the most precious things in life cannot be bought. I hope your life is filled with the world's Seven Wonders. “For Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the LORD and to practice it, and to teach His statutes and ordinances in Israel” (Ezr 7:10, NASB) The Bible tells us that Ezra’s trip from Babylon to Jerusalem, a journey of about 900 miles, took less than five months because “the gracious hand of his God was on him.” And then adds, “This was because Ezra had determined to study and obey the Law of the LORD and to teach those decrees and regulations to the people of Israel” (Ezr 7:9-10). When we set our hearts upon studying and obeying God’s Word, and add the desire to teach it to others — God will prosper our steps with expedience and favour. “The path of the righteous is like the light of day, shining brighter and brighter” (Pro 4:18). Ezra and his fellow footmen were protected from attacks by bandits, and were preserved in their supplies, both physically and emotionally. They left Babylon in high hopes, and arrived in Jerusalem refreshed and filled with wonder. Elsewhere the Bible says, “Great peace have they who love Your Law; and nothing will offend them” (Psa 119:165). Set your heart upon God’s Word, and watch how God begins to prosper your way; how He blesses you in business, in friendships, in breakthroughs, and in favor with others. The bottom line is that God’s Word is true and trustworthy, and by opening our hearts to its life-giving power, we can live everyday in the deep assurance that God will open His heart to us with blessing and favor. At times we need to be reminded God is in control, even if we think our lives are spinning out of control. TRUST GOD, Pray about your situation, and the best thing to do is ask for wisdom that you make the right choices...Rusty
"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything" (James 1:2-5). God often allows pain to ignite destiny in our lives. Without motivation, many of us would never fulfill the purposes for which God created us. Oftentimes a measured assault invades our life and creates a depth of pain that all we know to do is press into God with all our being. At first, our motivation is to alleviate the pain. After a season of extreme emotional and sometimes physical pain, a second phase begins. This phase moves us to discover a new and deeper relationship with God. We begin to discover things about ourselves and about God that we never would have discovered without this motivation. Gradually, our heart changes our motivation from pain to loving obedience because there is a transition of the heart that takes place. No longer do we seek God for deliverance from the pain; we seek God because He is God. We seek His face and not His hand. When we move to the second phase we often find ourselves moving into a new destiny and calling for our lives because God often separates us from the old life in this process. No doubt Joseph and Peter felt the pain of their individual crises. However, later they could realize God's purposes in their crisis. Like Joseph, we are able to say, "You meant it for evil, but God meant it for good." Today, let God move you from the place of pain to the place of destiny. Let God show you the secret things He has reserved for you as a result of the crisis you may find yourself in. Lord I want to be Your eyes on the earth
Help me to see others just as You see them through eyes of love Lord I want to be Your mouth on the earth Help me to only speak words of life, encouragement and always speak the truth in love Lord I want to be Your hands on the earth When I see others in need, help me to extend my hands to them and not withhold doing good when it is in my power to do so Lord I want to be Your feet on the earth May I never be too proud or lofty to go into places where there are those less fortunate then me Lord may my heart beat as Yours, may it love the things that You love and hate the things that You hate And when I finally stand before You on that great day, may You say unto me “well done my good and faithful, enter into the joy of the Lord” Every time I am asked to pray, I think of the old deacon who always prayed,
'Lord, prop us up on our leanin' side.' After hearing him pray that prayer many times, someone asked him why he prayed that prayer so fervently. He answered, 'Well sir, you see, it's like this... I got an old barn out back. It's been there a long time; It's withstood a lot of weather; It's gone through a lot of storms, And it's stood for many years. It's still standing. But one day I noticed it was leaning to one side a bit. So I went and got some pine poles and propped it up on its leaning side so it wouldn't fall. Then I got to thinking about that and how much I was like that old barn. I've been around a long time. I've withstood a lot of life's storms. I've withstood a lot of bad weather in life, I've withstood a lot of hard times, And I'm still standing too. But I find myself leaning to one side from time to time, So I like to ask the Lord to prop us up on our leaning side, 'Cause I figure a lot of us get to leaning at times. Sometimes we get to leaning toward anger, Leaning toward bitterness, Leaning toward hatred, Leaning toward a lot of things that we shouldn't. So we need to pray, 'Lord, prop us up on our leaning side, So we will stand straight and tall again, To Glorify The Lord. Many of the world's greatest dramas are not on a stage or a screen, but they are played out in that quadrennial spectacle we call the Olympics. One year Britain's representative in the 400-meter race, Derek Redmond, went down in the back stretch with a torn right hamstring. As the medical attendants approached, Redmond fought to his feet and set out hopping, desperately trying to finish the race. He knew he wouldn't win, he was just trying to finish.
When he reached the final stretch, a man came out of the stands, pushed past a security guard, and ran to Redmond and hugged him. That man was Jim Redmond, Derek's father, and he said to him, "Son, you don't have to do this." Gritting his teeth and with tears in his eyes, his son said, "Yes, I do." His father's reply, "Well, then, we're going to finish this together." Derek's head was sometimes buried in his father's shoulder, but they stayed in his lane to the end. When they crossed the finish line, the crowd stood to its feet, cheered, and wept as those two men finished the race. Moses says to Israel in Deuteronomy 1:29-31 , "Then I said to you, 'Do not be terrified; do not be afraid of them. The Lord your God, who is going before you, will fight for you, as he did for you in Egypt, before your very eyes, and in the desert. There you saw how the Lord your God carried you, as a father carries his son, all the way you went until you reached this place.'" Maybe today you are tired, banged up, or stressed out, and like that 400-meter runner in the Olympics, you are staggering right now. You're having a hard time finishing your race. You started well, and you have been running hard, but you're about to go down. Maybe you have been hit by discouragement, illness, family trouble, a lack of support, or a lack of help. Maybe you've run into obstacles or pain and you are hurting, and there is still more of the race ahead of you. God wants to give you the good news that someone has left the stands to help you. He is coming to the track to help you finish the rest of the way. Whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. Luke 9:24
Deception is nothing new. Jesus described Satan as one who “does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him . . . for he is a liar and the father of it” (John 8:44). The enemy of our souls tells us, “Live only for the present,” when he knows it will result in our eternal loss. Jesus, on the other hand, did not offer His disciples a life of prosperity and ease but called them to self-sacrifice and identification with Him. After telling them that He would be killed and raised from the dead, Jesus said, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it” (Luke 9:23-24). There are two voices telling us where to invest our lives. It’s risky business to follow the wrong one. If we hold on to God’s truth, we won’t be trapped by Satan’s lies. Do you judge others? Is it easy for you to find fault with those around
you? Then beware: Your spiritual life is in danger. A critical attitude can hinder your walk with God and distract you from God's purposes for your life. Why We Judge We judge because of our own selfish interests. For example, we sometimes become critical when comparing ourselves to those around us. We try to find fault in others to prove that we are smarter, better looking, happier or wealthier. But these are selfish reasons. We simply want to feel better about ourselves. We also get critical when others fail to do what we ask, or do not do what we think is right. Often, it is a family member, friend or co-worker who fails to meet our expectations. Our expectations lead to a judgmental attitude. Even our own frustrations can lead to a critical attitude. If life is not turning out the way we desire, we hide our own frustrations by finding fault with others. Judge Not... Finding fault and being critical are some of the easiest things to do. They seem to come naturally to us. But Jesus told us not to judge "lest you be judged" (Matt. 7:1, NASB). We should obey His command. Jesus then explained why a judgmental attitude is so dangerous: "God will be as hard on you as you are on others! He will treat you exactly as you treat them" (v.2). When we judge, we invite judgment upon ourselves. The Bible says that "judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy" (James 2:13). By judging others, we hide our own hypocrisy. For example, when the religious leaders brought a woman to Jesus who had been caught in sexual sin, they wanted to kill her. But Jesus responded, "If any of you have never sinned, then go ahead and throw the first stone at her" (John 8:7). Nobody threw one. God alone reserves the right to judge each person (Romans 14:4). As the Apostle Paul said, "Dear friends, don't try to get even. Let God take revenge. In the Scriptures the Lord says, `I am the one to take revenge and pay them back'" (Romans 12:19). The Cure for Criticism Judgment is very important. The Bible says that "God is a righteous judge" (Psalm 7:11, NASB). The cure for criticism is found in understanding the nature of God's judgment. The Bible says that every person is a sinner. This sin drives a wedge between God and man, and deserves judgment (Romans 3:23; 6:23). Regardless of how "good" we think we are, "all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment" (Isaiah 64:6, NASB). We cannot make up for all the bad things we have done. Left alone, we still deserve God's judgment: death and eternal torment in a place the Bible describes as a "lake of burning sulfur" (Rev. 19:20). Only God could satisfy the judgment against us for our sins. So God sent His Son into the world to pay the price for our sins. Jesus Christ took our judgment on Himself and died in our place. In return, God offers to each person all His blessings -- including eternal life, forgiveness, peace, joy and hope -- provided we acknowledge Jesus as our Lord and Savior. If we truly understood the judgment that we each deserve from God, we would be less inclined to judge others. Giving Grace Instead Have you learned to receive God's grace and mercy? This is the first step to overcoming a critical spirit. If you have never thanked Jesus for paying the penalty you deserve, do so now. Simply repent of your sins and turn your life over to Him (Acts 3:19; Romans 10:9,10). If you know Jesus as your Savior, thank Him for His grace and mercy. Thank Him for forgiving you of your sins. Thank Him for giving you a second chance at life. Now, offer grace and mercy to others, Jesus said, "Freely you received, freely give" (Matt. 10:8, NASB). Instead of judgment, extend God's love to those around you, beginning with your family, your friends and your co-workers. Often those closest to us feel the harshest effects of our judgmental attitudes. From now on when you feel the temptation to become critical, follow Jesus' clear instruction to take a close look at your own life first (Matt. 7). Ask God to forgive you for your sins. You may even discover why you are so critical of others. Remember, it's easy to be critical. The faults of others are often very obvious to us. During these times we need to make sure we give grace instead. Thank God for those people and ask the Lord to bless them and reveal His will to them. It's really quite simple: God has granted you mercy. He has paid the debt for your sins. Now, the only debt you owe is to offer His love and mercy to others, for "mercy triumphs over judgment" (James 2:13; NASB). Finally, be sure to spend time with God in prayer and study the Bible. As you read the Scriptures, ask God to help you to be patient with those around you. In time, you will change from a fault-finder to a grace-giver as you learn to live like Jesus lived. As You Pray If you are a fault-finder, turn to the Lord right now and ask Him to set you free. "Dear Lord Jesus, I'm so sorry for the times when I have allowed judgmental attitudes to rule me. Please forgive me. Help me to remember Your mercy toward me so that I can extend Your mercy to others. Thank You so much for loving me. In Jesus' name. Amen." God's Word on Criticism "Always be humble and gentle. Patiently put up with each other and love each other. Try your best to let God's Spirit keep your hearts united. Do this by living in peace" Eph. 4:2,3. Scriptures for Study John 8:7 -- No one qualified to judge Matthew 7:1-2 -- Effects of judging James 2:1-13 -- Pitfalls of judging 1 Peter 2:1-3 -- Antidote for judging Philippians 4:4-8 -- Learning to put up with others' faults |
Ana & Andre Schoonbee God uses us to motivate and encourage the body. Authors
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