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Post by mommadee48 on Dec 20, 2021 10:29:30 GMT -5
I WILL BE WRITING SEVERAL STORIES FROM HIS TEACHINGS; HOPE YOU'LL ENJOY THEM.
THE NEED for CONVICTION:
1) ALL CHILDREN NEED DISCIPLINE, but the method a parent employs varies from child to child. The reason is because each child is unique.
The same is true in GOD's family---we all need HIS discipline. If we've wandered from HIM, HIS hand of correction will feel heavy as HE directs us back to the path of righteousness. This is called conviction. Its purpose is to awaken our awareness of sin so we will resume an attitude of obedience to our heavenly FATHER Jehovah.
Discipline is painful while it's happening, particularly if we've resisted the pressure of conviction. But any wise parent knows that living with the consequences of foolish behavior teaches children valuable lessons about the importance of obedience.
Left to our own devices, we'll waste our life chasing after fleeting pleasures and self-centered desires. But when we've been trained by GOD's discipline, we'll reap the fruit of peace and righteousness. So, let's yield to the Father's guiding hand as HE draws us away from danger and back into the shelter of HIS protection.
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Post by mommadee48 on Dec 20, 2021 11:03:34 GMT -5
2) THE POWER of PRAYER:
IN SCRIPTURE, WE FIND EXAMPLES of people who prayed with spiritual authority, and King Jehoshaphat is one of them. When we heard that a great army was coming against Judah, he immediately turned to the LORD for help. His example teaches us important lessons about praying powerfully. For instance, he......
SOUGHT THE LORD. Instead of relying on his own ability to conquer Israel's enemies, Jehoshaphat took a different approach and immediately looked to GOD.
FOCUSED ON GOD, NOT THE PROBLEM. The King acknowledged that the LORD was ruler over all the Kingdoms, and no one could stand against Him.
REMEMBER GOD's PAST FAITHFULNESS. Jehoshaphat's prayer recalled ways that the LORD had protected Israel in the past.
DEPENDED ON GOD. He acknowledged that the Israelites were powerless and didn't know what to do. The LORD was their only hope.
If your prayers seem to be having little impact, ask yourself if you've been focusing on GOD JEHOVAH or the problem. Have you remembered HIS past faithfulness, or do you doubt HIS care for you?
And finally, is GOD your only hope, or are you trying to fix the situation yourself?
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Post by mommadee48 on Dec 20, 2021 11:45:42 GMT -5
3)THIS IS A TRUE STORY, BY JOSEPH E. MILLER.
"SHE WANTS SENIORS TO KNOW IT'S NEVER TOO LATE TO KNOW GOD MORE---OR TO EXPERIENCE THE JOY OF BEING KNOWN BY HIM"...
TRANSFORMING TRAGEDY INTO HOPE.
PATRICA BIGLEY, Looks out her apartment window in southern New Jersey as a gentle rain fall. Bigley, who lives alone, has just moved in ---boxes are unpacked and decorations set up. On the windowsill stands one of her most precious possessions: an 8"x10" portrait of her son Brien. The sheen of his graduation cap and gown looks dull compared with his bright blue eyes and proud smile. Yet his face hides a heartbreaking reality: At the time of the photograph, Brien was using heroin. He died of an overdose in 2004.
Over the years, Bigley has learned how to forgive--- pardoning the people who sexually abused her when she was a small child; forgiving her husband, who left when the kids were young; and releasing herself from the burden of wondering if she could have done more to save her son.
Bigley never wanted kids of her own. But when she got pregnant with Brien, she was delighted. She had recently become a believer and knew JESUS could redeem anything, including changing her heart toward motherhood. Brien was always a happy little boy, Bigley says, but over the years she noticed a sadness developing in him. It crushed her to watch her teenage son struggle with addiction as she tried several times to get him help.
Since Brien's death, Bigley has channeled her grief into serving others. She's volunteered with substance abuse education programs, and through her career at an assisted living facility, she cares for the vulnerable---elderly people who face declining physical and mental health. For many years, she has led a weekly Bible study there, letting GOD transform the pain of her past circumstances into grace for the residents she serves. Over time, she's developed a deep understanding of the challenges facing seniors, especially toward the end of their lives.
Through all of this, Bigley has relied on Dr. Stanley as a mentor. Once, in 2003, on hearing that he was speaking locally, she left the hospital where Brien had been admitted for heroin- related health issues. Bigley arrived to find that the event was a book signing, but she needed gas and barely had enough money to get back to the hospital. Thankfully, a kind stranger bought her the book; when Bigley made it to the front of the line, Dr. Stanley prayed for her, and an In Touch representative snapped a photo of their meeting.
In her weekly Bible studies, Bigley takes lessons from pastors like Dr. Stanley and applies them to the specific issues her seniors struggle with. She wants them to know it's never too late to know GOD more---or to experience the joy of being known by HIM.
Each time she opens her highlighted and underlined Life Principles Study Bible, she removes her bookmark: the photo of her with Dr. Stanley at the book signing. It never fails to remind her of GOD's encouragement---and the call to lay her sorrow at the foot of the cross daily.
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Post by mommadee48 on Dec 20, 2021 12:02:35 GMT -5
4) THE LOVE OF GOD: (1 JOHN 4:7-21).
CHRISTIANS OFTEN HEAR THAT GOD LOVES THEM. This truth is repeated in church, and believers often recite Bible verses on the topic.
Yet do we really grasp what it means to be cared for in this way by the Creator of the universe?
1) First, GOD's love influenced by anything within or around us, because it is one of GOD's unchanging attributes. We know that even while we were still living in sin. CHRIST died for us (Romans 5:8). We didn't do anything to earn HIS love, and we can't do anything to hinder it.
2) Second, divine love is eternal. Believers will never be separated from it. In fact, Ephesians 1:4 tells us that the FATHER JEHOVAH chose us before the foundation of the world. We know, therefore, that HIS care for us has always been a fact---and always will be.
We can trust the ONE who loves us completely. JESUS proved HIS love by dying in our place to rescue us from sin and its consequences. HE promises to stay with us always and redirects us when we stray. Whether or not we feel HIS presence, HIS love surrounds and protects us forever.
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Post by mommadee48 on Dec 20, 2021 12:17:08 GMT -5
5) THE EFFECTS of UNFORGIVENESS; (MATTHEW 18:21-21).
RESENTMENT HAS FAR-REACHING AND OFTEN UNEXPECTED CONSEQUENCES. Although bitterness takes root in the mind, it can spread into other aspects of a person's life. For example, the hostility a man feels toward his father can color his relationship with his wife, his performance at work, or his involvement in the church.
Most of us realize resentment impacts the mind, but have you noticed the physical toll it can take on us as well?
An attitude of bitterness triggers tension and anxiety, which can affect everything from muscles to chemical balance in the brain. Over time, that kind of stress weakens the body.
Unforgiveness also causes spiritual turmoil that hinders a believer's growth. It can stifle prayer and turn worship dry and hypocritical. That's because it's difficult to effectively honor the LORD while trying to justify or hide a wrong attitude. What's more, resentment dampens a person's witness.
Forgiving someone means giving up bitterness and the "right" to get even with him or her, even though you were wronged. And GOD insists on forgiveness not just for others' benefit but for our as well. HE knows the damage that hostility and vengeance can cause in our life and wants to protect us from it.
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Post by mommadee48 on Dec 20, 2021 13:09:33 GMT -5
6) QUIETING YOUR SOUL; (PSALM 131).
DO YOU HURR THROUGH YOUR PRAYER TIME SO YOU CAN GET OTHER THINGS DONE?
If so, consider the values JESUS modeled when HE spent time with HIS FATHER.
SOLITUDE: Though JESUS was constantly surrounded by people as HE tended to their needs, HIS own need for seclusion was important. Often, after an intense period of ministry, He'd retreat from the crowds---and even HIS disciples---to pray in private.
SAFEGUARDED TIME. JESUS protected HIS time so HE could rest in the SPIRIT, be with the FATHER, and build up physical and emotional strength. Even when people were clamoring for HIS attention, JESUS safeguarded this time, knowing that HIS ministry would flow from it.
STILLNESS. PSALM 46:10 calls us to quietness with these words: "Stop striving and know that I am GOD". To develop this inner peace, stop everything you're doing, and let your soul become aware of the HOLY SPIRIT's presence. In verse 2 of today's reading, David described stillness as being like a "weaned child" who's at perfect rest and happy in his mother's arms.
These values may seem challenging in our fast-paced, multitasking world. But when you quiet your heart before the LORD, you'll discover how much you need the peace of HIS presence.
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Post by mommadee48 on Dec 20, 2021 13:24:35 GMT -5
7) YOU BELONG to GOD JEHOVAH; (1CORINTHIANS 6:17-20).
IN AN AGE THAT EMPHASIZES PERSONAL RIGHTS, it may be startling to realize that as believers in JESUS, we belong---body, soul, and spirit---to HIM, not to ourselves. This means we aren't free to do whatever we please but are called to live in obedience to the ONE who redeemed us with HIS precious blood (1PETER 1:18-19). The New Testament uses a lot of language that speaks of CHRIST's ownership. In fact, Paul called himself a "bond-servant of CHRIST", which literally means the LORD's slave (Gelation's 1:10).
We may be quick to believe this intellectually because belonging to CHRIST is a comforting thought.
But how does it work out Practically?
Our bodies are wonderful gifts from GOD that enable us to interact with our world and one another, but they are also temples of HIS HOLY SPIRIT. This means our mind, will, desires, affections, relationships, and possessions are all means by which we either honor or dishonor our SAVIOR.
To please the LORD, we need to change how we think. Our natural tendency is to simply do what we want in any given situation. But the best response is to consider how we can glorify GOD.
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