Monday, July 28, 2014
Tuesday, July 22, 2014
Sunday, July 20, 2014
CELEBRATE WHO YOU ARE
There's no bigger waste of time than comparing yourself to others. Someone will always come out looking better than you look, and that will just make you feel jealous. or someone else will come out looking worse, and that will make you feel prideful and superior. Believe Me, you don't need those bad attitudes. They will smother your joy like sand on a fire. Many older people are afraid. Some fear trying to survive in a world. that's moving too fast. other fear the specter of fading health. Or being alone. Or becoming dependent. "What if . . . " and "I can't. . ." start a lot of their sentences. And the gray drizzle of fear overcasts the present, which is still bright with promise.
Because of all the things to be counted, this is the hardest to number our days. We number everything else so easily. We know how much money we have in our purse and how many dollar in the bank. Farmer number their sheep and cattle, Restaurants number meals served in a week. things we fails to account for, we waste. that why it is wise to ask God to teach us to consider each day separate from the next, distinct in its purpose, unique in the way it is to be lived. And celebrate who you are!
God's Attitude toward Aging
So much for the human perspective on growing old. Let's see what has to say about aging, first through a psalm of Moses.
A Psalm of Moses
Written by a senior citizen named Moses, Psalm90 tells us about an eternal God, who, in fact, lives outside time itself (verse 1-2 ) But unlike God, as Moses points out in the following verses, people have to deal with the temporal reality of aging.
Thou dost turn man back into dust,
And dost say, "Return, O children of
men."
For a thousand years in Thy sight
Are like yesterday when it passes by,
Or as a watch in the night,
Thou hast swept them away like a
flood, they fall asleep;
In the morning they are like grass
which sprouts anew.
In the morning it Flourishes, and
sprouts anew;
Toward evening it fades, and withers
away. . . for all our days have
declined in thy fury;
We have finished our years like sigh,
As for the days of our life, they
contain seventy years, Or if due to
strenght, eighty years,
Yet their pride is but labor and
sorrow;
For soon it is gone and we fly away.
( verses 3-6, 9-10 )
No wonder some people get discouraged about aging! This psalm sums up our lives on earth-- we sprout,
we wither, we die. But wait. The value of life isn't measured by the number of our years but by the quality of our days. The secret isn't in how long we live, but how we live. That's why Moses prays for the best use of his life, however long it may last.
So teach us to number our days,
That we may present to Thee a heart
of wisdom. ( verse 12 )
If we live wisely, we can approach old age with a song instead of sight.
O satisfy us in the morning with Thy
lovingkindness,
That we may sing for joy and be glad
all our days. ( v. 14 )
So the principle we derive from
Psalm 90 is this: Since every day is
a gift from God, live each one
enthusiatically for Him.
Listen, I made you who you are. You're priceless! I gave you wonderful gifts, and only you can fulfill My plan for you. Just as each snowflake is different, so each person is unique and precious to Me. And just as I created thousands of species of fish and flower in every color of the rainbow, so I created people of all different colors and races. I love variety! Celebrate who you are!
Just because our skin wrinkle
doesn't mean our walk with God
has to shrivel up as well. Rather, our
faith should increase with age as we
look back on all God has done for
us and look ahead to the great
things. He has yet to accomplish
through us.
none of us can avoid aging; there is no fountain of youth. But there is is a Fountain of living water. And thank to him
we can drink up all life has to offer-- even in our old age.
Living Insights
Just in case you think we stop making when we get old, take a look at Paul's to Words of Titus.
Older men are to be temperate, sensible, sound in faith, in love, in perseverance. Older women likeswise are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gosssip, nor enslave to much wine teaching what is good, that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be sensible, pure, workers at home that the word of God may not be dishonored
(Titus 2:2-5)
Sunday, July 13, 2014
Tuesday, July 8, 2014
IT'S A JUNGLE OUT THERE!
A righteous man may have many
troubles, but the Lord delivers him all.
-- Psalm 34:19
People are so confuse about the way I work. They think My job is get rid of all their troubles. I'm supposed to fix every bad situation and make every circumstances perfect.
Sorry, That's not My Job. I will fix many of your circumstances, but you're still going to have some troubles. The good news is, as you get to know Me, you'll find that I am always with you. I will lead you through your troubles and out to the other side.
Think of your life as a Jungle, and I'm your guide. I'm not going to turn the whole jungle into Disneyland. But I will lead you through the Jungle. When your life gets wild, dont freak out. Just stick close. I'll get you through it.
Saturday, July 5, 2014
"Grace Mercy and Peace"
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,
neither the present nor the the future, nor any powers, neither height nor
depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from
the love of God that is in christ Jesus our Lord." --Romans8: 38-39
The supreme reason that you can and should trust God through suffering is found at Calvary, for no better argument can be voiced apart from the cross. that He would endure the full of hell so you could escape it should tell you something as you face your own hellish circumstances. The greatest love scene in the world happened when christ hung and bled on the cross. It was God saying, "Look see, this is how much I love you!" What's amazing is that He played out this love scene while we snubbed Him in cool, callous indifference. Who would want to escape that kind of love, or ignore ir deny it? And what Christian could ever dare doubt it? Christ died for you. What love? sometimes after I've snapped at a friend or chipped in my two cents' worth of gossip, I catch my self thinking, Oh, God, these are the things that nailed Jesus to the cross. . . I am so sorry." Human logic tells me that He should turn away from me. But nothing, absolutely can separate us from His constants outpouring of love, grace, mercy, peace and forgiveness.
Often we twist God's arm for the "reason why" before we decide to trust Him with our circumstances. We want the blueprint spread before us. But the bruised and battered apostle Paul who probably had every reason to wonder "why," never said, "I know in whom I have believed." The love of Christ was enough. Inspired to write a song Title: Grace, Mercy, Peace
Verse1 His grace bring us good things everyday in our Lives
and his grace bring us Peace in troublesome sometimes
with his love opens heaven love and truth is pouring out
with grace mercy and peace
Chorus Glory to God in his amazing love
i will rejoice in the Lord with (3x)
grace mercy and peace
Verse 2. In him i was redeem through his blood his unfailing love
in whom having believe we are being sealed with promises
it's shall be established with
grace mercy and peace
Friday, July 4, 2014
"We Will Shine"
" Those who are wise will shine
like the brightness of the heavens,
and those who lead many to
righteousness, like the stars for ever
and ever."
Daniel 12:3
The other night before I went into the house, I stopped to listen to my neighbor's whistling pines and enjoy the thin slice of moon making a smile on the horizon. The night was a starry dome that took my breath away, and before the cold drove me indoors, my heart broke with joy and I whispered to the sky, "Jesus, wait for me, I'm coming home, I belong up there." Star do that to me.
Symbols of crown and thrones, crystal seas and stars are found on virtually every page of Scripture. And to some, such symbolism can be off-putting. Just look at today's verse. We will shine likes stars? As C.S. Lewis has said, "Who wishes to become a living electric light bulb?"
But wait. Have you ever stood in the night wind and looked up at a blanket of star? The blazing brightness of the heaven so captures you that words can hardly express the ache in your heart. Here's the thing. The glory of the stars that csptivates you will one day be yours. The ecstasy that enraptures your heart at the sight of the night ablaze with twinkling lights. . . you will put on glory like that. It will be yours for ever and ever.
For more reading on this delightful
subject, pick up C. S. Lewis's The
Weight of Glory. When it comes to
wrapping reality around heavenly
symbols, nobody says it quite as he
does.
"School of Obedience"
"During the days of Jesus' life on earth,
he offered up prayers and petitions
with loud cries and tears to one who
could save him from death, and he
was heard because of reverent
submission. Although he was a son, he
learned obedience from what he
suffered and, once made perfect, he
became the source of eternal
salvation for all who obey him."
Hebrews 5:7-9
Although Jesus wept and cried loudly,
wrestled and struggled, He obeyed. In fact, He learn obedience from what He suffered. Whether or not obedience came naturally ( or supernaturally) to Him is for theologians to argue; what is important to note is that our Lord submitted Himself to the school of obedience.
When we become Christians, God enrolls us in the same school, The trouble is, we want to have our cake and eat it, too. Like the person who enjoys the weather of Florida but has a terrific scholarship to a university in New England, we would dearly love to live in both.
That's why obedience must be learned. If Jesus was school in obedience from what He suffered, shall the servant be greater than his Master? At times we may be like the young boy who, when disciplined by his father, complains, "He's making me suffered because he doesn't want me having any fun!" Actually, what God is doing is getting our minds off the toys and games of this world and teaching us tough obedience in preparation for the next.
Avoid all appearance of evil. Let no unwholesome word come out of your mouth. Count others better than yourself. Forgive seventy times seven, Don't let the sun set on your anger. In everything give thanks.
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