Where Does Your Faith Lie?
By Tanya James
This week's topic: Faith In God
If you have been keeping up with current events, you know that the story told by the media is very bleak. Unemployment numbers are at an all time high, crime is on the rise, marital relationships are deteriorating, the financial institutions and auto companies are failing, and life threatening diseases are killing millions of people...
One could find themselves depressed, panicky, stressed and overwhelmed if they allowed these reports to rule their lives. And what’s unfortunate is that the church sometimes seems to be just as scared right now as the world. Which brings me to the question of where or in whom does your faith lay?
If your faith is built on worldly institutions – than yes, you should be running to the hills fearing for your life. But if you have built your faith in God than your head should still be hung high as you confidently go through each day knowing God is in control.
Now I am not foolish enough to think that we won’t sometimes get discouraged and that worry may not creep up and rear its ugly head – but when those times come – we must seek God maybe like we have never done before to get through those times. God knows that our faith will sometimes be shaken up...He just wants you to take that first baby step...
“If you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.” Matthew 17:20
Have you seen the size of a mustard seed? It’s super tiny! So don’t throw in the towel because you can’t seem to muster up an overwhelming amount of faith...walk in the little bit you may have...and as you continue to seek God’s face and direction – your faith will continue to grow.
It’s just like a flower, you have to water it and nurture it in order to cultivate it. And there is no better time than the present to start (or continue) that process. Do it and watch God honor your commitment.
Scripture Of The Day: “For we walk by faith, not by sight” - 2 Corinthians 5:7 (NKJV)
Founder and president of The Master Plan, Tanya James is the author of From Promiscuity to Proverbs 31: Getting Off the Fence of Sexual Immorality. For more information about Tanya, log onto http://www.armedanddangerous.biz or http://www.themasterplan.biz.
Subscribe to receive the SF Daily Devotional in your inbox each morning!
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Daniel, Where Are You?
Daniel, Where Are You?
By Milan Ford
This week's topic: Faith In God
Ever since I was a kid, I’ve always been a huge fan of crime and mystery stories. I can remember the first time I ever picked up a Hardy Boys novel, and after reading just a few pages, I was convinced I could point out who the culprit was without reading the rest of the story.
Sometimes I was right. But most of the time, I was way off.
I must admit that despite all of my futile attempts of becoming the next Sherlock Holmes, there remains one mystery that I have yet to solve. No matter how many times I try, I have yet to put all the pieces together. I hope together we can do so on today.
I’m sure you will agree that story and life of Daniel is a remarkable one. Many scholars believe it was at the young age of 14 or 15 that Daniel, along with his friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, were summoned by King Nebuchadnezzar (the ruler of Babylon) to serve in his palace.
(You may recognize Daniel’s friends by some other names: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego)
According to the first chapter of Daniel, these four boys were wise and gifted beyond their years, and Daniel was the rarest of them all, because of his ability to interpret visions and dreams.
After impressing King Nebuchadnezzar with their knowledge and faith in the Lord, all four were promoted by the king to govern over the affairs of Bablyon. But Daniel, was given an even higher position as a ruler who sat at the very gate of the king (see Daniel 2:46-49).
And this is where it gets interesting.
In Daniel 3, King Nebuchadnezzar sent out a word to ALL of those who ruled under him to gather to dedicate a special golden image he had created. A decree when out to every governor, judge, and high ranking official serving within his kingdom, that at the sound of music, everyone would have to bow and worship the image he had created. EVERYONE.
The penalty for anyone who did not bow was death courtesy of a fiery furnace, not exactly the most pleasant of executions. So when the music was cued, every governor, judge, and high ranking official that was called to gather bowed before the image. Except for three.
Not four. But three.
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego refused to bow, but to rather stand on FAITH against the king. The penalty of their actions caused them to be thrown into the fiery furnace. Yet to the surprise of the king and all who gathered around to see them executed, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego were not being consumed by the fire. In fact, they were joined by another person: the Son of God!
Now this is the part of the story where most people jump to their feet and cheer. But it is here where the mystery begins. Have you ever stopped to wonder…where was Daniel?
Why were there only three that defied the king’s orders, and not four? There are many who would like to say that Daniel just wasn’t there at the time, but the decree called for EVERYONE to be present. There are others who just believe the king gave him a pass for the day, but for those familiar with the tyranny of King Nebuchadnezzar, that probably isn’t true either.
While the whereabouts of Daniel still remain a mystery to many of us, could it have been possible that our beloved young Daniel, surrounded by the pressures of life and his newly appointed position, took a bow for the first time in his life? As unpopular and uncomfortable as that may be to consider, there is a far greater lesson we all can pull out from this story. A far greater question must be asked.
To every Daniel reading this devotional today…where are you?
Where is the FAITH you once had in that job God told you to apply for earlier this year? Where is the FAITH you once had in your marriage, (you know) the one you now are looking for a way out of? Or what about the FAITH in God you once could not stop sharing with others, that now has been minimized to just an invitation for people to visit your church?
Daniel…where are you?
(I pray that question stays in front of you and I on today!)
Now is not a time to BOW out of what God has promised you. Daniel, no matter what the obstacles may look like, know that God will deliver you. And if you don’t believe me, maybe I should show you what He can do with some lions! (Daniel 6:10)
Scripture Of The Day: “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” - Hebrews 11:6 (NKJV)
Milan Ford has been a leader (and survivor) of ministry within the local church for most of his life. The author of the brand new book, 83 Things I Wish The Black Church Would Stop Doing, you can find Milan rambling and writing at http://www.thepewview.com.…
By Milan Ford
This week's topic: Faith In God
Ever since I was a kid, I’ve always been a huge fan of crime and mystery stories. I can remember the first time I ever picked up a Hardy Boys novel, and after reading just a few pages, I was convinced I could point out who the culprit was without reading the rest of the story.
Sometimes I was right. But most of the time, I was way off.
I must admit that despite all of my futile attempts of becoming the next Sherlock Holmes, there remains one mystery that I have yet to solve. No matter how many times I try, I have yet to put all the pieces together. I hope together we can do so on today.
I’m sure you will agree that story and life of Daniel is a remarkable one. Many scholars believe it was at the young age of 14 or 15 that Daniel, along with his friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, were summoned by King Nebuchadnezzar (the ruler of Babylon) to serve in his palace.
(You may recognize Daniel’s friends by some other names: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego)
According to the first chapter of Daniel, these four boys were wise and gifted beyond their years, and Daniel was the rarest of them all, because of his ability to interpret visions and dreams.
After impressing King Nebuchadnezzar with their knowledge and faith in the Lord, all four were promoted by the king to govern over the affairs of Bablyon. But Daniel, was given an even higher position as a ruler who sat at the very gate of the king (see Daniel 2:46-49).
And this is where it gets interesting.
In Daniel 3, King Nebuchadnezzar sent out a word to ALL of those who ruled under him to gather to dedicate a special golden image he had created. A decree when out to every governor, judge, and high ranking official serving within his kingdom, that at the sound of music, everyone would have to bow and worship the image he had created. EVERYONE.
The penalty for anyone who did not bow was death courtesy of a fiery furnace, not exactly the most pleasant of executions. So when the music was cued, every governor, judge, and high ranking official that was called to gather bowed before the image. Except for three.
Not four. But three.
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego refused to bow, but to rather stand on FAITH against the king. The penalty of their actions caused them to be thrown into the fiery furnace. Yet to the surprise of the king and all who gathered around to see them executed, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego were not being consumed by the fire. In fact, they were joined by another person: the Son of God!
Now this is the part of the story where most people jump to their feet and cheer. But it is here where the mystery begins. Have you ever stopped to wonder…where was Daniel?
Why were there only three that defied the king’s orders, and not four? There are many who would like to say that Daniel just wasn’t there at the time, but the decree called for EVERYONE to be present. There are others who just believe the king gave him a pass for the day, but for those familiar with the tyranny of King Nebuchadnezzar, that probably isn’t true either.
While the whereabouts of Daniel still remain a mystery to many of us, could it have been possible that our beloved young Daniel, surrounded by the pressures of life and his newly appointed position, took a bow for the first time in his life? As unpopular and uncomfortable as that may be to consider, there is a far greater lesson we all can pull out from this story. A far greater question must be asked.
To every Daniel reading this devotional today…where are you?
Where is the FAITH you once had in that job God told you to apply for earlier this year? Where is the FAITH you once had in your marriage, (you know) the one you now are looking for a way out of? Or what about the FAITH in God you once could not stop sharing with others, that now has been minimized to just an invitation for people to visit your church?
Daniel…where are you?
(I pray that question stays in front of you and I on today!)
Now is not a time to BOW out of what God has promised you. Daniel, no matter what the obstacles may look like, know that God will deliver you. And if you don’t believe me, maybe I should show you what He can do with some lions! (Daniel 6:10)
Scripture Of The Day: “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” - Hebrews 11:6 (NKJV)
Milan Ford has been a leader (and survivor) of ministry within the local church for most of his life. The author of the brand new book, 83 Things I Wish The Black Church Would Stop Doing, you can find Milan rambling and writing at http://www.thepewview.com.…
Monday, July 5, 2010
Frontliners Men's Retreat 2010
Frontliner's 2010 Men's Retreat:
"MASTERING YOUR EMOTIONS"
June 11-13th
FRONTLINERS Retreat 2010 "Mastering Your Emotions"
At Midnight
At Midnight
By Pastor Marquis Boone
This week's topic: Faith In God
People of God, adversity comes in many shapes forms and fashions. These perplexing, confusing, and mystifying predicaments show up at the most inconvenient and awkward times in our lives, and the frustrating thing is that adversity does not need an invitation to enter your home.
One moment life appears to be serene, calm, peaceful and quiet; then the next moment we find ourselves caught in the middle of the storm. For some of us life is just one storm after another.
One of the strange things about this season is that it seems like it is lasting forever. One of the purposes God has for our lives is that we grow to maturity in our faith in Him and not in stuff or in people. You know your faith is maturing by what you do and how you act during your storm and in your problem.
"And when they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to keep them securely. Having received such a charge, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks. But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed. And the keeper of the prison, awaking from sleep and seeing the prison doors open, supposing the prisoners had fled, drew his sword and was about to kill himself. But Paul called with a loud voice, saying, “Do yourself no harm, for we are all here.” Acts 16:23-28 (NKJV)
Here in the book of Acts we find a story about the Apostle Paul and Silas who find themselves in what seems to be a storm. Paul & Silas were called by God to take the gospel into the region of Macedonia. However, when they got there, instead of wide open doors, like they might have expected, they ran into a season of opposition!
They are locked up and in chains because they were at the place God wanted them to be, doing the very thing God told them to do. What I love about Paul and Silas is that they still had faith in God. The text does not say they were crying and angry but that they were praying and singing praises.
This is my favorite part of the text, it says “but at midnight”. I know you have heard people say that midnight is the darkest hour and it’s when you’re at your lowest, but what I want to point out here is that midnight is also a transition period. It is the transition from an old day to a new day. It can confuse you because when you think of transition you think of a sudden, rapid change.
Midnight transition is very minute because nothing really changes but the time. I want you today to put all your faith in God no matter how it looks my sister and no matter what they say my brother. Don’t allow the code red to detour you because there is a transition about to take place in your life but you have to trust God.
Remember you are where He wants you to be. It’s not time to put your faith in the things you see but put to your faith in the God who holds you in His hand.
Scripture Of The Day: "By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible." - Hebrews 11:3 (NKJV)
Marquis D. Boone is the Lead Pastor of Fresh Start Church whose mission is to Re-vive, Re-fresh, Re-lease and to Re-store people back to God. For more information about Pastor Boone; log onto http://www.myfreshstartchurch.org or http://www.dreamoutloudtoday.com.…
By Pastor Marquis Boone
This week's topic: Faith In God
People of God, adversity comes in many shapes forms and fashions. These perplexing, confusing, and mystifying predicaments show up at the most inconvenient and awkward times in our lives, and the frustrating thing is that adversity does not need an invitation to enter your home.
One moment life appears to be serene, calm, peaceful and quiet; then the next moment we find ourselves caught in the middle of the storm. For some of us life is just one storm after another.
One of the strange things about this season is that it seems like it is lasting forever. One of the purposes God has for our lives is that we grow to maturity in our faith in Him and not in stuff or in people. You know your faith is maturing by what you do and how you act during your storm and in your problem.
"And when they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to keep them securely. Having received such a charge, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks. But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed. And the keeper of the prison, awaking from sleep and seeing the prison doors open, supposing the prisoners had fled, drew his sword and was about to kill himself. But Paul called with a loud voice, saying, “Do yourself no harm, for we are all here.” Acts 16:23-28 (NKJV)
Here in the book of Acts we find a story about the Apostle Paul and Silas who find themselves in what seems to be a storm. Paul & Silas were called by God to take the gospel into the region of Macedonia. However, when they got there, instead of wide open doors, like they might have expected, they ran into a season of opposition!
They are locked up and in chains because they were at the place God wanted them to be, doing the very thing God told them to do. What I love about Paul and Silas is that they still had faith in God. The text does not say they were crying and angry but that they were praying and singing praises.
This is my favorite part of the text, it says “but at midnight”. I know you have heard people say that midnight is the darkest hour and it’s when you’re at your lowest, but what I want to point out here is that midnight is also a transition period. It is the transition from an old day to a new day. It can confuse you because when you think of transition you think of a sudden, rapid change.
Midnight transition is very minute because nothing really changes but the time. I want you today to put all your faith in God no matter how it looks my sister and no matter what they say my brother. Don’t allow the code red to detour you because there is a transition about to take place in your life but you have to trust God.
Remember you are where He wants you to be. It’s not time to put your faith in the things you see but put to your faith in the God who holds you in His hand.
Scripture Of The Day: "By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible." - Hebrews 11:3 (NKJV)
Marquis D. Boone is the Lead Pastor of Fresh Start Church whose mission is to Re-vive, Re-fresh, Re-lease and to Re-store people back to God. For more information about Pastor Boone; log onto http://www.myfreshstartchurch.org or http://www.dreamoutloudtoday.com.…
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Faith Report Card
Faith Report Card
By Latrice Pace
This week's topic: Faith In God
As a preacher's kid, I grew up hearing and reading about faith. As an adult I've come to know and experience what faith is and does. FAITH: loyalty, belief and trust in God. I am a fan of Webster.com and when I typed "trust" I noticed the derivatives were, "trustability", "trustable", "truster", "trustingly", "trustingness".
Nothing came up for "trusted". It may very well be a word, but not acknowledged by Webster. My point, "trust" is never past tense. It's not something you did once and it didn't work out for you. A friend once said to me, "to say you've trusted is to say life got stuck in a previous experience of failure or hurt." As believers its never a thing of the past, it's our now, our life. It's the fundamental fact of our existence.
"But without faith it is impossible to please and be satisfactory to Him." Hebrews 11:6 Amp.
I, like so many others have found myself to the point of frustration and really wanting to be enlightened when it came to the subject of faith. I'd ask, What am I doing wrong?, What am I not getting? Why is my life not yielding certain results? There have been numerous Biblical testimonies of faith set before us to show us that if we get in the habit of believing (without options, without a plan b) our lives can yield the same results if not better. They stood firm, in the state of mind in which they had un-shakeable confidence and faith in God.
Abraham when asked was ready to return his promised son, Isaac back to God not knowing that other provisions had already been made. Abraham didn't go to the undisclosed location with Isaac and an optional sacrifice. He knew that there was a reason God was asking for the son in which his descendants would spring forth.
Now he very well could have asked a plethora of questions and refused to make a move until he understood. I'm sure nothing about this was making sense to him. However, he didn't seek to understand it, he moved and believed. God saw his heart, his desire to please Him. Therefore, He provided the ram.
Noah, who was a farmer and aspiring entrepreneur. He was probably in the process or planting his very own vineyard so he could open a farm winery, but God interrupts his plans. He was asked to build an ark in the Summer's heat, if I may. The process of building a boat/ship/ark is a traditional craftsmanship which is a refined art delivered from master to apprentice. The skill is passed on by doing and often without a sketch or blueprint.
In Genesis 6 and 7, God (the master) gave detailed instructions for the ark and Noah (the apprentice) obeyed. Why? He was in the habit of believing. Noah's habit affords us the opportunity to experience the brilliant beauty of the consequent rainbow today.
Enoch's habit caused him to be caught up and transferred to heaven, so that he did not see death.
SELF ANALYSIS: Is your faith failing or satisfactory?
1. Like Abraham, has God ever asked you to sacrifice something he promised you with no explanation why and not knowing the end result?
2. Like Noah, has He ever wanted to interrupt your plan because He had need of you?
3. Just as Enoch did, He expects us to be "caught up". Get caught up in the habit of trusting Him, so that our faith grows increasingly faster than any giant/deathly circumstance we may face today.
A firm mindset of faith influences a habit of faith.
Scripture Of The Day: "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." - Hebrews 11:1 (NKJV)
Latrice A. Pace, longtime member of Gospel group, The Pace Sisters. Latrice was recently featured in Tyler Perry’s What’s Done In The Dark, as well as the stage musical play, Jesus Christ Superstar Gospel. She has performed with and contributed background vocals for many of today’s most popular gospel artists.
Subscribe to receive the SF Daily Devotional in your inbox each morning!
By Latrice Pace
This week's topic: Faith In God
As a preacher's kid, I grew up hearing and reading about faith. As an adult I've come to know and experience what faith is and does. FAITH: loyalty, belief and trust in God. I am a fan of Webster.com and when I typed "trust" I noticed the derivatives were, "trustability", "trustable", "truster", "trustingly", "trustingness".
Nothing came up for "trusted". It may very well be a word, but not acknowledged by Webster. My point, "trust" is never past tense. It's not something you did once and it didn't work out for you. A friend once said to me, "to say you've trusted is to say life got stuck in a previous experience of failure or hurt." As believers its never a thing of the past, it's our now, our life. It's the fundamental fact of our existence.
"But without faith it is impossible to please and be satisfactory to Him." Hebrews 11:6 Amp.
I, like so many others have found myself to the point of frustration and really wanting to be enlightened when it came to the subject of faith. I'd ask, What am I doing wrong?, What am I not getting? Why is my life not yielding certain results? There have been numerous Biblical testimonies of faith set before us to show us that if we get in the habit of believing (without options, without a plan b) our lives can yield the same results if not better. They stood firm, in the state of mind in which they had un-shakeable confidence and faith in God.
Abraham when asked was ready to return his promised son, Isaac back to God not knowing that other provisions had already been made. Abraham didn't go to the undisclosed location with Isaac and an optional sacrifice. He knew that there was a reason God was asking for the son in which his descendants would spring forth.
Now he very well could have asked a plethora of questions and refused to make a move until he understood. I'm sure nothing about this was making sense to him. However, he didn't seek to understand it, he moved and believed. God saw his heart, his desire to please Him. Therefore, He provided the ram.
Noah, who was a farmer and aspiring entrepreneur. He was probably in the process or planting his very own vineyard so he could open a farm winery, but God interrupts his plans. He was asked to build an ark in the Summer's heat, if I may. The process of building a boat/ship/ark is a traditional craftsmanship which is a refined art delivered from master to apprentice. The skill is passed on by doing and often without a sketch or blueprint.
In Genesis 6 and 7, God (the master) gave detailed instructions for the ark and Noah (the apprentice) obeyed. Why? He was in the habit of believing. Noah's habit affords us the opportunity to experience the brilliant beauty of the consequent rainbow today.
Enoch's habit caused him to be caught up and transferred to heaven, so that he did not see death.
SELF ANALYSIS: Is your faith failing or satisfactory?
1. Like Abraham, has God ever asked you to sacrifice something he promised you with no explanation why and not knowing the end result?
2. Like Noah, has He ever wanted to interrupt your plan because He had need of you?
3. Just as Enoch did, He expects us to be "caught up". Get caught up in the habit of trusting Him, so that our faith grows increasingly faster than any giant/deathly circumstance we may face today.
A firm mindset of faith influences a habit of faith.
Scripture Of The Day: "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." - Hebrews 11:1 (NKJV)
Latrice A. Pace, longtime member of Gospel group, The Pace Sisters. Latrice was recently featured in Tyler Perry’s What’s Done In The Dark, as well as the stage musical play, Jesus Christ Superstar Gospel. She has performed with and contributed background vocals for many of today’s most popular gospel artists.
Subscribe to receive the SF Daily Devotional in your inbox each morning!
Worshipping With Jumper Cables
Worshipping With Jumper Cables
By Cindy Beall
This week's topic: Reaching Our Children
I'll never forget one Christmas eve, my husband and i were driving separate cars with a boy in each, heading out to our church. Not necessarily decked out in my nice clothes, but definitely a little more jazzed up than my usual Wal-Mart attire, I was ready for an hour full of amazing music and a message to keep me centered on the reason we celebrate this season.
Before we even hit the stop sign at Midwest and Waterloo, there was a delay. Not sure, at first, what it was, I inched up further along on the asphalt to take a gander. And what to my wondering eyes did appear? A stalled SUV with flashers blaring as if to say, "Will somebody please help me?"
Car by car made their detour around the man and woman as they frantically attempted to turn the key over just one more time. Now it was my turn. With my 10-year old in my car learning from my every move, I had to decide: Do I go around this hindrance in order to make sure that my nicely pressed outfit would remain intact for the church service I was headed to? Or do I toss the plans out the proverbial window in order to be a Samaritan to someone I may never see again?
Rolling down my window, I yelled to the distraught woman, "Do you need some help?" Her affirmative reply was followed by a sigh of partial relief. Shortly after that, I whipped my Honda Pilot around and pointed my hood to theirs as my handsome hubby worked his magic with our old set of jumper cables.
"Give it some gas," he hollered to me. Nothing happened.
Continuing to apply my three-inch black heel to the accelerator, I started to pray, "Father, please help this couple. Help their car to start so that they can get home. Help them..."
Vroom, vroom, vroom.
"Thank you so much for your help," the man said. "And Merry Christmas!" Quietly watching the entire occurrence, Noah said, "That was nice." I agreed with him and told him that I could have just driven around them to make sure that we wouldn't miss church because we wanted to worship Jesus.
"I think Jesus wanted us to help them more than he wanted us to go to church today, Mom," came his wise reply.
With tears beginning to sting my baby blues, I nodded and said, "I couldn't agree more."
Thank you, Heavenly Father, for allowing us the opportunity to be your hands and feet. And for creating a tender heart in our sons that will know how to love you by loving others.
Scripture Of The Day: "Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it." - Proverbs 22:6 (NKJV)
Cindy Beall is a Christ follower who uses her gift of exhortation by writing and mentoring women. She uses her past experiences, including the near death of her marriage, to encourage people that God truly does redeem. For more information about Cindy, log onto http://www.cindybeall.com
By Cindy Beall
This week's topic: Reaching Our Children
I'll never forget one Christmas eve, my husband and i were driving separate cars with a boy in each, heading out to our church. Not necessarily decked out in my nice clothes, but definitely a little more jazzed up than my usual Wal-Mart attire, I was ready for an hour full of amazing music and a message to keep me centered on the reason we celebrate this season.
Before we even hit the stop sign at Midwest and Waterloo, there was a delay. Not sure, at first, what it was, I inched up further along on the asphalt to take a gander. And what to my wondering eyes did appear? A stalled SUV with flashers blaring as if to say, "Will somebody please help me?"
Car by car made their detour around the man and woman as they frantically attempted to turn the key over just one more time. Now it was my turn. With my 10-year old in my car learning from my every move, I had to decide: Do I go around this hindrance in order to make sure that my nicely pressed outfit would remain intact for the church service I was headed to? Or do I toss the plans out the proverbial window in order to be a Samaritan to someone I may never see again?
Rolling down my window, I yelled to the distraught woman, "Do you need some help?" Her affirmative reply was followed by a sigh of partial relief. Shortly after that, I whipped my Honda Pilot around and pointed my hood to theirs as my handsome hubby worked his magic with our old set of jumper cables.
"Give it some gas," he hollered to me. Nothing happened.
Continuing to apply my three-inch black heel to the accelerator, I started to pray, "Father, please help this couple. Help their car to start so that they can get home. Help them..."
Vroom, vroom, vroom.
"Thank you so much for your help," the man said. "And Merry Christmas!" Quietly watching the entire occurrence, Noah said, "That was nice." I agreed with him and told him that I could have just driven around them to make sure that we wouldn't miss church because we wanted to worship Jesus.
"I think Jesus wanted us to help them more than he wanted us to go to church today, Mom," came his wise reply.
With tears beginning to sting my baby blues, I nodded and said, "I couldn't agree more."
Thank you, Heavenly Father, for allowing us the opportunity to be your hands and feet. And for creating a tender heart in our sons that will know how to love you by loving others.
Scripture Of The Day: "Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it." - Proverbs 22:6 (NKJV)
Cindy Beall is a Christ follower who uses her gift of exhortation by writing and mentoring women. She uses her past experiences, including the near death of her marriage, to encourage people that God truly does redeem. For more information about Cindy, log onto http://www.cindybeall.com
Growing Olives, Growing Children
Growing Olives, Growing Children
By Kimberly Webb
This week's topic: Reaching Our Children
The Bible states that our children will be like olive plants around our table. I wondered why God would use an olive plant to describe children. I began researching olive plants and found that they are rare plants that can grow well in coastal climate environments, such as the Mediterranean, South Africa, Australia and some parts of California.
They grow slowly and require a long, hot growing season to properly ripen. Olive plants can grow when neglected, but they don’t grow very well. A deep, monthly watering is recommended for maximum growth potential. As a result of researching olive plants, I began to see the reason God used them in His word to describe our children.
Olive plants, like children, grow well in the right kind of environment. And as their parents, we are responsible for creating that environment. This is a key parenting principle because our environment colors the view we have of ourselves, others and the life around us. Therefore, parents must spend the time necessary to create an environment where our children receive the Word of God, prayer, encouragement and affirmation needed to grow and flourish, thus producing good fruit themselves.
Honestly, we all have been guilty of not spending enough time with our children or doing something else while we are supposedly spending time with them. But we are being held accountable for what we are pouring into our children. No one should have more influence on a child than God and that child’s parents.
You may be saying, “But I don’t have time, I’ve got too much on my plate.” Then maybe it’s time to clean the plate. Don’t get me wrong, I‘m not saying that you have to drop everything that doesn’t involve your child. But I am saying that it is your responsibility to remove the unnecessary things that fill up your time. You and I are responsible for creating an environment where our olive plants can grow and thrive, reaching their fullest potential.
You may be thinking, “Where do I start, how do I begin?” The best place to start is in the Word of God! Ephesians 6:4 states, Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the nurture and instruction of the Lord.
Begin by speaking love to them. If you do not already do so, begin by saying you love them every day. Reinforce that love by spending some real time with them. This may mean you need to turn off the TV and reconnect with your children. Find out what they are interested in, start building a relationship with them, and make a conscious effort to show that you care about them and their interests.
Here are some suggestions for growing your olive plants:
1) Review your day. Determine how much time your olive plant spends alone, with others, or with the TV. Then determine how much time you spend with your olive plant. Set a daily goal to spend quality time with your olive plant either doing an activity, or just talking.
2) Each day, ask your child about their day. For example, "What did you learn?" "Who did you play with?" Or if you have teenagers, just ask “How was your day?” Now, you may have to probe deeper in order for them to give you some information. But if you have younger children, starting with this pattern of talking about their day engages them and causes them to develop a closer relationship with you. It becomes a normal routine for them, so when they are teenagers, those lines of open communication have already been established.
3) Encourage scripture memory. Encourage them to memorize one scripture a month, and find ways to use that scripture weekly. Talk with them about the scripture, and remind them of the scripture when dealing with issues they are facing. Always remind them of God’s love. As we discussed earlier, this can be started as young as 2 or 3 years old.
Scripture Of The Day: "Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine, in the very heart of your house, your children like olive plants, all around your table." - Psalm 128:3 (NKJV)
Kimberly Webb is the author of The Making of a Joyful Mother: A Spiritual Journey for Women Experiencing Infertility and founder of Kimberly Webb Ministries. Kimberly is an inspirational speaker who leaves an indelible mark on all those who come in contact with her. For more information visit her website at http://www.kimberlywebb.org.…
By Kimberly Webb
This week's topic: Reaching Our Children
The Bible states that our children will be like olive plants around our table. I wondered why God would use an olive plant to describe children. I began researching olive plants and found that they are rare plants that can grow well in coastal climate environments, such as the Mediterranean, South Africa, Australia and some parts of California.
They grow slowly and require a long, hot growing season to properly ripen. Olive plants can grow when neglected, but they don’t grow very well. A deep, monthly watering is recommended for maximum growth potential. As a result of researching olive plants, I began to see the reason God used them in His word to describe our children.
Olive plants, like children, grow well in the right kind of environment. And as their parents, we are responsible for creating that environment. This is a key parenting principle because our environment colors the view we have of ourselves, others and the life around us. Therefore, parents must spend the time necessary to create an environment where our children receive the Word of God, prayer, encouragement and affirmation needed to grow and flourish, thus producing good fruit themselves.
Honestly, we all have been guilty of not spending enough time with our children or doing something else while we are supposedly spending time with them. But we are being held accountable for what we are pouring into our children. No one should have more influence on a child than God and that child’s parents.
You may be saying, “But I don’t have time, I’ve got too much on my plate.” Then maybe it’s time to clean the plate. Don’t get me wrong, I‘m not saying that you have to drop everything that doesn’t involve your child. But I am saying that it is your responsibility to remove the unnecessary things that fill up your time. You and I are responsible for creating an environment where our olive plants can grow and thrive, reaching their fullest potential.
You may be thinking, “Where do I start, how do I begin?” The best place to start is in the Word of God! Ephesians 6:4 states, Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the nurture and instruction of the Lord.
Begin by speaking love to them. If you do not already do so, begin by saying you love them every day. Reinforce that love by spending some real time with them. This may mean you need to turn off the TV and reconnect with your children. Find out what they are interested in, start building a relationship with them, and make a conscious effort to show that you care about them and their interests.
Here are some suggestions for growing your olive plants:
1) Review your day. Determine how much time your olive plant spends alone, with others, or with the TV. Then determine how much time you spend with your olive plant. Set a daily goal to spend quality time with your olive plant either doing an activity, or just talking.
2) Each day, ask your child about their day. For example, "What did you learn?" "Who did you play with?" Or if you have teenagers, just ask “How was your day?” Now, you may have to probe deeper in order for them to give you some information. But if you have younger children, starting with this pattern of talking about their day engages them and causes them to develop a closer relationship with you. It becomes a normal routine for them, so when they are teenagers, those lines of open communication have already been established.
3) Encourage scripture memory. Encourage them to memorize one scripture a month, and find ways to use that scripture weekly. Talk with them about the scripture, and remind them of the scripture when dealing with issues they are facing. Always remind them of God’s love. As we discussed earlier, this can be started as young as 2 or 3 years old.
Scripture Of The Day: "Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine, in the very heart of your house, your children like olive plants, all around your table." - Psalm 128:3 (NKJV)
Kimberly Webb is the author of The Making of a Joyful Mother: A Spiritual Journey for Women Experiencing Infertility and founder of Kimberly Webb Ministries. Kimberly is an inspirational speaker who leaves an indelible mark on all those who come in contact with her. For more information visit her website at http://www.kimberlywebb.org.…
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