This morning I was listening to a sermon given by Pastor Bob Coy about gossip. He says that before we share other people's "cards" with someone else we need to ask ourselves these things:
-Is it true?
-Is it helpful?
-Is it inspired by God or by Satan?
-Is it necessary?
-Is it kind?
The Bible tells us we shouldn't gossip.
"A Perverse man stirs up dissension, and a gossip separates close friends."
~Proverbs 16:28
To listen to the entire sermon go to: http://www.activeword.org/.
Sunday, July 15, 2007
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Sunday, July 8, 2007
Friday, July 6, 2007
Thursday, July 5, 2007
God's promises
God's been trying to get me to let go of something for over a year now. And as I slowly detach myself from it, something amazing and beautiful is happening in my life. So, I thought I'd share this story with you...
JENNY'S PEARL NECKLACE
Jenny was a bright-eyed, pretty five-year-old girl. One day
when she and her mother were checking out at the grocery store,
Jenny saw a plastic pearl necklace priced at $2.50. How she
wanted that necklace, and when she asked her mother if she would
buy it for her, her mother said, "Well, it is a pretty necklace,
but it costs an awful lot of money. I'll tell you what.
I'll buy you the necklace, and when we get home we can make up a
list of chores that you can do to pay for the necklace. And
don't forget that for your birthday Grandma just might give you
a whole dollar bill, too. Okay?"
Jenny agreed, and her mother bought the pearl necklace for her.
Jenny worked on her chores very hard every day, and sure enough,
her grandma gave her a brand new dollar bill for her birthday.
Soon Jenny had paid off the pearls.
How Jenny loved those pearls. She wore them everywhere--to
kindergarten, bed and when she went out with her mother to run
errands. The only time she didn't wear them was in the shower--
her mother had told her that they would turn her neck green!
Now Jenny had a very loving daddy. When Jenny went to bed, he
would get up from his favorite chair every night and read Jenny
her favorite story. One night when he finished the story, he
said, "Jenny, do you love me?"
"Oh yes, Daddy, you know I love you," the little girl said.
"Well, then, give me your pearls."
"Oh! Daddy, not my pearls!" Jenny said. "But you can have
Rosie, my favorite doll. Remember her? You gave her to me last
year for my birthday. And you can have her tea party outfit,
too. Okay?"
"Oh no, darling, that's okay." Her father brushed her cheek with
a kiss. "Good night, little one."
A week later, her father once again asked Jenny after her story,
"Do you love me?"
"Oh yes, Daddy, you know I love you."
"Well, then, give me your pearls."
"Oh, Daddy, not my pearls! But you can have Ribbons, my toy
horse. Do you remember her? She's my favorite. Her hair is so
soft, and you can play with it and braid it and everything. You
can have Ribbons if you want her, Daddy," the little girl said
to her father.
"No, that's okay," her father said and brushed her cheek again
with a kiss. "God bless you, little one. Sweet dreams."
Several days later, when Jenny's father came in to read her a
story, Jenny was sitting on her bed and her lip was trembling.
"Here, Daddy," she said, and held out her hand. She opened it
and her beloved pearl necklace was inside. She let it slip into
her father's hand.
With one hand her father held the plastic pearls and with the
other he pulled out of his pocket a blue velvet box. Inside of
the box were real, genuine, beautiful pearls. He had them all
along. He was waiting for Jenny to give up the cheap stuff so
he could give her the real thing.
So it is with our Heavenly Father. He waiting for us to give up
the cheap things in our lives so that he can give us beautiful
treasure. Isn't God good? Are you holding onto things that
God wants you to let go? Are you holding on to harmful or
unnecessary relationships, habits and activities to which you
have become so attached that it seems impossible to let go?
Sometimes it is so hard to see what is in the other hand but do
believe this one thing: God will never take away something
without giving you something better in its place.
You can do two things with this story:
a) You can pass it on and let others be touched by its message
b) You can throw it away and not let it touch your heart
The greatest gifts happen when you share love and touch others'
hearts.
JENNY'S PEARL NECKLACE
Jenny was a bright-eyed, pretty five-year-old girl. One day
when she and her mother were checking out at the grocery store,
Jenny saw a plastic pearl necklace priced at $2.50. How she
wanted that necklace, and when she asked her mother if she would
buy it for her, her mother said, "Well, it is a pretty necklace,
but it costs an awful lot of money. I'll tell you what.
I'll buy you the necklace, and when we get home we can make up a
list of chores that you can do to pay for the necklace. And
don't forget that for your birthday Grandma just might give you
a whole dollar bill, too. Okay?"
Jenny agreed, and her mother bought the pearl necklace for her.
Jenny worked on her chores very hard every day, and sure enough,
her grandma gave her a brand new dollar bill for her birthday.
Soon Jenny had paid off the pearls.
How Jenny loved those pearls. She wore them everywhere--to
kindergarten, bed and when she went out with her mother to run
errands. The only time she didn't wear them was in the shower--
her mother had told her that they would turn her neck green!
Now Jenny had a very loving daddy. When Jenny went to bed, he
would get up from his favorite chair every night and read Jenny
her favorite story. One night when he finished the story, he
said, "Jenny, do you love me?"
"Oh yes, Daddy, you know I love you," the little girl said.
"Well, then, give me your pearls."
"Oh! Daddy, not my pearls!" Jenny said. "But you can have
Rosie, my favorite doll. Remember her? You gave her to me last
year for my birthday. And you can have her tea party outfit,
too. Okay?"
"Oh no, darling, that's okay." Her father brushed her cheek with
a kiss. "Good night, little one."
A week later, her father once again asked Jenny after her story,
"Do you love me?"
"Oh yes, Daddy, you know I love you."
"Well, then, give me your pearls."
"Oh, Daddy, not my pearls! But you can have Ribbons, my toy
horse. Do you remember her? She's my favorite. Her hair is so
soft, and you can play with it and braid it and everything. You
can have Ribbons if you want her, Daddy," the little girl said
to her father.
"No, that's okay," her father said and brushed her cheek again
with a kiss. "God bless you, little one. Sweet dreams."
Several days later, when Jenny's father came in to read her a
story, Jenny was sitting on her bed and her lip was trembling.
"Here, Daddy," she said, and held out her hand. She opened it
and her beloved pearl necklace was inside. She let it slip into
her father's hand.
With one hand her father held the plastic pearls and with the
other he pulled out of his pocket a blue velvet box. Inside of
the box were real, genuine, beautiful pearls. He had them all
along. He was waiting for Jenny to give up the cheap stuff so
he could give her the real thing.
So it is with our Heavenly Father. He waiting for us to give up
the cheap things in our lives so that he can give us beautiful
treasure. Isn't God good? Are you holding onto things that
God wants you to let go? Are you holding on to harmful or
unnecessary relationships, habits and activities to which you
have become so attached that it seems impossible to let go?
Sometimes it is so hard to see what is in the other hand but do
believe this one thing: God will never take away something
without giving you something better in its place.
You can do two things with this story:
a) You can pass it on and let others be touched by its message
b) You can throw it away and not let it touch your heart
The greatest gifts happen when you share love and touch others'
hearts.
Sunday, June 17, 2007
Ask for what you need
"Ask, and it shall be given to you, seek, and you shall find, knock, and it shall be opened to you. For he who asks, receives, he who seeks, finds, and to him who knocks, it shall be opened. (Matt. 7:7-8)
God knows our every need before we tell Him, but He still wants us to ask Him for what we need and desire. God will always take care of your needs.
God knows our every need before we tell Him, but He still wants us to ask Him for what we need and desire. God will always take care of your needs.
Saturday, March 24, 2007
My Savior, My God
I find this song very inspirational and a great reminder of God's love for each and every one of His children!
Aaron Shust - My Savior My GodFrom the album Anything Worth Saying
I am not skilled to understand
What God has willed, what God has planned
I only know at His right hand
Stands one who is my Savior I take Him at His word and deed
Christ died to save me; this I readAnd in my heart I find a needOf Him to be my savior
That He would leave His place on high
And come for sinful man to die
You count it strange, so once did I
Before I knew my Savior
Chorus (2x’s) My Savior loves, My Savior lives
My Savior’s always there for me
My God: He was, my God; He isMy God is always gonna be
Yes, living, dying, let me bring
My strength, my solace from this spring;
That He who lives to be my King
Once died to be my Savior
That He would leave His place on high
And come for sinful man to die
You count it strange, so once did I
Before I knew my Savior
Chorus (2x’s) (Instrumental)
Chorus: (2x’s)
My Savior loves, My Savior lives
My Savior loves, My Savior lives
Aaron Shust - My Savior My GodFrom the album Anything Worth Saying
I am not skilled to understand
What God has willed, what God has planned
I only know at His right hand
Stands one who is my Savior I take Him at His word and deed
Christ died to save me; this I readAnd in my heart I find a needOf Him to be my savior
That He would leave His place on high
And come for sinful man to die
You count it strange, so once did I
Before I knew my Savior
Chorus (2x’s) My Savior loves, My Savior lives
My Savior’s always there for me
My God: He was, my God; He isMy God is always gonna be
Yes, living, dying, let me bring
My strength, my solace from this spring;
That He who lives to be my King
Once died to be my Savior
That He would leave His place on high
And come for sinful man to die
You count it strange, so once did I
Before I knew my Savior
Chorus (2x’s) (Instrumental)
Chorus: (2x’s)
My Savior loves, My Savior lives
My Savior loves, My Savior lives
Saturday, March 17, 2007
Forgiveness
"For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not fogive your sins." (Mathew 6: 14).
It is important that we learn how to forgive our brothers and sisters in Christ, as the Lord forgives us. In the gospel, one of Jeses' desciples asks him how many times he should forgive his brother. He suggests "seven times?", but Jesus answers, "not seven times, but seven times seventy".
It may be easy to forgive a friend for "standing you up" once. It may be easy to forgive your significant other when he or she occassionally does something you don't appreciate or like. But, how many of us can forgive something bigger like an affair? Someone who raped you? Someone who told a lie that changed your entire life?
Sometimes it's very difficult to forgive big sins, but if we want to be forgiven for all of our sins, we need to learn how to forgive others as God has commanded us.
It is important that we learn how to forgive our brothers and sisters in Christ, as the Lord forgives us. In the gospel, one of Jeses' desciples asks him how many times he should forgive his brother. He suggests "seven times?", but Jesus answers, "not seven times, but seven times seventy".
It may be easy to forgive a friend for "standing you up" once. It may be easy to forgive your significant other when he or she occassionally does something you don't appreciate or like. But, how many of us can forgive something bigger like an affair? Someone who raped you? Someone who told a lie that changed your entire life?
Sometimes it's very difficult to forgive big sins, but if we want to be forgiven for all of our sins, we need to learn how to forgive others as God has commanded us.
Friday, March 16, 2007
God's Discipline
Last night I was reading my devotional for the day and it held the answer to my question I posted earlier: Does God punish?
Charles Stanley says, "Discipline is the tool He uses to bring focus to your life when you have drifted from His chosen path or when you are refusing to follow His instruction in a particular situation. Thorough discipline, you learn how to live a godly life."
God does not use discipline to punish His children. Rather He uses it to bring us closer to Him and to listen to His instructions for our lives.
Somehow this makes perfect sense to me, even though my parents have used discipline as punishment out of anger rather than out of love. If your parents were/are like this as well, try to remember the great love God has for you, always, no matter what sins you commit, no matter what mistakes you make. You are and always will be His child.
By the way, I plan on updating this blog more often. If you have a topic you would like see addressed (love, anger, stress, etc), please feel free to leave me a comment!
Charles Stanley says, "Discipline is the tool He uses to bring focus to your life when you have drifted from His chosen path or when you are refusing to follow His instruction in a particular situation. Thorough discipline, you learn how to live a godly life."
God does not use discipline to punish His children. Rather He uses it to bring us closer to Him and to listen to His instructions for our lives.
Somehow this makes perfect sense to me, even though my parents have used discipline as punishment out of anger rather than out of love. If your parents were/are like this as well, try to remember the great love God has for you, always, no matter what sins you commit, no matter what mistakes you make. You are and always will be His child.
By the way, I plan on updating this blog more often. If you have a topic you would like see addressed (love, anger, stress, etc), please feel free to leave me a comment!
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Lent
I grew up Catholic and I have always observed Lent. I attended Catholic school for about four years and during those four years it was impressed upon me the importance of Lent.
However, during one Lent service our priest told me something I had never heard before. He told us that Lent is not about giving something up, making sacrifices, as we often do during this time of year. He said it doesn't matter so much if we don't give something up in observation of Lent. He told us that what matters more is doing good deeds in this special time.
He encouraged us to go out of our way in order to make someone's day a little brighter, to show our love to one another as Jesus shows his love to us.
This Lenten season, I am going to challenge myself to do one good deed a day for someone I love. Whether this be dropping a friend an e-mail, sending someone an encouraging card, taking time out to do some community service, or just to alert the neighbor that the UPS man dropped by and couldn't get into our building, I want to set aside a little time every day this season to show love and compassion to those around me.
I encourage all of you to do the same.
However, during one Lent service our priest told me something I had never heard before. He told us that Lent is not about giving something up, making sacrifices, as we often do during this time of year. He said it doesn't matter so much if we don't give something up in observation of Lent. He told us that what matters more is doing good deeds in this special time.
He encouraged us to go out of our way in order to make someone's day a little brighter, to show our love to one another as Jesus shows his love to us.
This Lenten season, I am going to challenge myself to do one good deed a day for someone I love. Whether this be dropping a friend an e-mail, sending someone an encouraging card, taking time out to do some community service, or just to alert the neighbor that the UPS man dropped by and couldn't get into our building, I want to set aside a little time every day this season to show love and compassion to those around me.
I encourage all of you to do the same.
Saturday, February 17, 2007
Pleasing God
Joyce Meyer, in her book Approval Addiction assets that all we need to do in order to receive God's approval is to believe in Jesus and desire to please Him. God wants us to fulfill His Will for our lives, but He knows we are imperfect. He does not expect us to behave perfectly, she says, but He does expect us to have a heart that is right.
This is a hard concept for me, personally, to grasp. I have been (and still am) a people pleaser, so it is hard for me to fathom how God will accept me just as I am as long as I have a good heart and believe in Jesus.
This is a hard concept for me, personally, to grasp. I have been (and still am) a people pleaser, so it is hard for me to fathom how God will accept me just as I am as long as I have a good heart and believe in Jesus.
Pleasing God
Joyce Meyer, in her book Approval Addiction assets that all we need to do in order to receive God's approval is to believe in Jesus and desire to please Him. God wants us to fulfill His Will for our lives, but He knows we are imperfect. He does not expect us to behave perfectly, she says, but He does expect us to have a heart that is right.
This is a hard concept for me, personally, to grasp. I have been (and still am) a people pleaser, so it is hard for me to fathom how God will accept me just as I am as long as I have a good heart and believe in Jesus.
This is a hard concept for me, personally, to grasp. I have been (and still am) a people pleaser, so it is hard for me to fathom how God will accept me just as I am as long as I have a good heart and believe in Jesus.
Sunday, February 11, 2007
Blessings
In the hustle and bustle of every day life, I think it's easy to overlook or forget all the wonderful little things in our lives. God promises to pour His blessings upon us abundantly, but we won't recognize blessings if we don't take the time to remember the small things God does for us every day.
During your prayer time, take a few minutes to thank God for the blessings He gave you that day. Did someone smile at you on the street? Did your cat sleep on your pillow last night? Did you hear from a good friend today? Did you get a promotion or a raise? Did you enjoy sunny and/or warm weather?
Blessings can be big or small, but regardless of their size, we should thank God for each and every blessing He gives us.
Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for the continual outpouring of blessings into my life.
During your prayer time, take a few minutes to thank God for the blessings He gave you that day. Did someone smile at you on the street? Did your cat sleep on your pillow last night? Did you hear from a good friend today? Did you get a promotion or a raise? Did you enjoy sunny and/or warm weather?
Blessings can be big or small, but regardless of their size, we should thank God for each and every blessing He gives us.
Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for the continual outpouring of blessings into my life.
Wednesday, February 7, 2007
Does God Punish?
Verse: Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and throw into the fire. Mathew 7: 17-19 NIV
As a Christian and a religious studies scholar, I have often puzzled over the question of whether God punishes His children either here on earth or after we die.
This passage from Mathew suggests God will banish everyone who is not living a Christian life into Hell (Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and throw into the fire).
Many people, including myself, have trouble connecting the angry God of the Old Testament and the generally loving God of the New Testament. The parts of the Bible were written at different times for different audiences.
Perhaps our perceptions of ourselves and God affect how we see God. For instance, if you see yourself as deserving of love, you might perceive God to be much more loving than someone who sees himself or herself as deserving of punishment.
While some denominations of Christianity may preach that one needs to live a good, Christian life to avoid going to Hell, others preach that as long as you repent and ask for forgiveness of your sins, God will save you from the fire.
In their book If Grace is True: Why God Will Save Every Person, Phillip Gulley and James Mulholland go as far as to claim that God will save every human being, no matter their sins, no matter if they have asked for forgiveness, no matter whether they believe in God. Their theory says Hell does not exist.
As you can see, theories about God and punishment clearly run the gammot.
Do you think God punishes either here or in the afterlife? Feel free to discuss in the comments section.
Need a Blogger? Contact me
As a Christian and a religious studies scholar, I have often puzzled over the question of whether God punishes His children either here on earth or after we die.
This passage from Mathew suggests God will banish everyone who is not living a Christian life into Hell (Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and throw into the fire).
Many people, including myself, have trouble connecting the angry God of the Old Testament and the generally loving God of the New Testament. The parts of the Bible were written at different times for different audiences.
Perhaps our perceptions of ourselves and God affect how we see God. For instance, if you see yourself as deserving of love, you might perceive God to be much more loving than someone who sees himself or herself as deserving of punishment.
While some denominations of Christianity may preach that one needs to live a good, Christian life to avoid going to Hell, others preach that as long as you repent and ask for forgiveness of your sins, God will save you from the fire.
In their book If Grace is True: Why God Will Save Every Person, Phillip Gulley and James Mulholland go as far as to claim that God will save every human being, no matter their sins, no matter if they have asked for forgiveness, no matter whether they believe in God. Their theory says Hell does not exist.
As you can see, theories about God and punishment clearly run the gammot.
Do you think God punishes either here or in the afterlife? Feel free to discuss in the comments section.
Need a Blogger? Contact me
Tuesday, February 6, 2007
Worry
Verse: Therefore I tell you do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink: or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? Mathew 25-27 NIV
Worry is something most of us struggle with daily. I know I do. We think by worrying about finances, food, our children, or our jobs that we can somehow control the outcomes of situations.
But this isn't true.
God wants us to hand over all of our worries and concerns to Him. He promises to take care of the smallest of our needs. Today, instead of worrying about the future, try praying to our Heavenly Father, asking Him to take care of your burdens.
Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, help me hand my troubles over to you today instead of worrying about them. May I take comfort in knowing that You have promised to take care of all my needs. Amen.
Worry is something most of us struggle with daily. I know I do. We think by worrying about finances, food, our children, or our jobs that we can somehow control the outcomes of situations.
But this isn't true.
God wants us to hand over all of our worries and concerns to Him. He promises to take care of the smallest of our needs. Today, instead of worrying about the future, try praying to our Heavenly Father, asking Him to take care of your burdens.
Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, help me hand my troubles over to you today instead of worrying about them. May I take comfort in knowing that You have promised to take care of all my needs. Amen.
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