Category Archives: Family, Friends & Fellowship

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January 30, 2015

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Attitudes & Behavior, Church & Worship, Family, Friends & Fellowship, God's Grace & Love, Love & Works, Temptation & Sin

HE CAME FOR EVERYONE

For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. [John 3:16 NLT)]

That’s you, my friend, and me. It’s everyone else, too. Salvation isn’t just for the rich or pretty, the respected and comfortable, the intelligent and wealthy. It’s for all of us, no matter our color or nationality, our education or profession, our hygiene or attire. Let’s always remember that God has an “open door” policy; he loves us all and all are welcome in His house.

Jesus surrounded himself with an assorted group of people: tax collectors, fishermen, the mentally ill and handicapped, laborers, children, and even women of questionable reputations. He came for them all and loved them all. Every church has an interesting mix of people and we might find some of them a bit annoying at times. Perhaps it’s the special needs man who talks too loudly, the oddly dressed woman who seems to come only for the cookies and coffee, the smoker who brings the aroma of stale cigarettes with him to the sanctuary, the woman who falls asleep during the sermon and snores, the cougher who sits behind you and the lady next to him who loudly sings off key, the babies who cry, the kids who fidget, the person with body odor who sits beside you, or the ladies who whisper to one another during service. If we don’t like the person we’re sitting next to at church, it’s time to do a little soul searching. Remember, since God loved him enough to die for him, we ought to be able to muster up a little love, patience and tolerance for our neighbor. After all, he may have some misgivings about us, as well!

Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us. Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other. [Romans 12:3-5 (NLT)]

Respect everyone, and love the family of believers. [1 Peter 2:17a (NLT)]

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January 26, 2015

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Faith & Hope, Family, Friends & Fellowship, Prayer, Trusting God, Wisdom & Guidance, Worry

DON’T WORRY; PRAY

Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Jesus Christ. [Philippians 4:6-7 (MSG)]
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God does answer prayers but often not according to our time-table. Several years ago, my daughter was searching for a school that would be the right fit for her daughter, a bright and charming five-year old with some developmental delays. Application had been made to several charter schools that appeared to be good possibilities. Charter schools in her town select students by lottery and we were disappointed that her name had not been drawn by any of the schools to which she’d applied. My daughter and I had prayed up a storm that that the “right” school would accept her daughter, but none had.

That same spring, we were stunned to learn that our granddaughter has three congenital heart defects and major medical problems loomed ahead for her. Topping it off, in spite of much therapy, her developmental tests indicated that her motor skills weren’t what they should be for kindergarten. During prayers, I realized that God had answered our prayers. We’d asked for the “right” school for this sweet little girl; God was telling us that school wasn’t “right” for her at that time. Oddly, my daughter came to the identical conclusion at the same time. There would be another year of pre-school; kindergarten could wait one more year.

Early that fall, because of her medical problems, our grand had to miss what would have been the crucial early weeks of kindergarten. By the end of autumn, however, her most pressing medical issue had been resolved. She returned to pre-school, continued with a variety of therapies, and her skills continued to improve during the school year. The following spring, her mother learned of a private Christian school that seemed like the perfect fit for her daughter. Application was made, her name was put on the waiting list, and we again prayed that God would find the “right” school for our little girl. This time He did! Although she had been eighth on the waiting list, a spot was found for her. God does answer our prayers, just in his own time and in his own way.

My grand is now a happy successful fourth grader. As she approaches junior high, however, school decisions will need to be made again. For a second time, her mother and I will pray up a storm asking God to find the right school for her. We are, however, confident that He will hear our prayers and provide the right solution at exactly the right time.

I don’t know about tomorrow,
I just live from day to day.
And I don’t borrow from the sunshine,
‘Cause the skies might turn to gray.
And I don’t worry about the future
‘Cause I know what Jesus said.
And today I’m gonna walk beside Him
‘Cause He’s the one who knows what is ahead.
There are things about tomorrow
That I don’t seem to understand,
But I know who holds tomorrow
And I know who holds my hand.
[“I Know Who Holds Tomorrow” by Ira F. Stanphill]

 

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January 15, 2015

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Challenges & Difficulty, Family, Friends & Fellowship, Love & Works, Patience & Perseverance

FOR CAREGIVERS EVERYWHERE

He does not ignore those in trouble. He doesn’t hide from them but listens when they call out to him. [Psalm 22:24 (NCV)]

God will strengthen you with his own great power so that you will not give up when troubles come, but you will be patient. [Colossians 1:11 (NCV)]rose - CLIL959-8x10WEB

Cerebral palsy, rheumatoid arthritis, ALS, cancer, MS, Parkinson’s, MD, Down’s, congestive heart disease, Alzheimer’s, stroke: you name it – they’re all burdensome diagnoses. They take their toll not only on those afflicted but also on those who love and care for them. Most of us have all we can do to take care of ourselves, yet there are many who spend their days and nights looking after the needs of others as well as themselves. These caregivers are often emotionally, physically, and even spiritually exhausted. For many, it is a daily struggle to cope with their loved ones’ debilities and demands with no end in sight. For others, the end is painfully clear and their time together is no longer counted in years but rather in weeks, days or even hours.

Father in Heaven, thank you for those who care for and comfort the ill; we offer this prayer for caregivers everywhere. Strengthen and reassure them, free them from worry and fear, and give them patience, not only with their loved ones but also with themselves. Guide them through the many difficult decisions they face daily. Relieve their doubts and anxiety and make your loving presence known. Remind them of the necessity of taking respite time; encourage them to seek help and support from others. May we all be willing to ease their burden if we possibly can.

Though my sickness was a trouble for you, you did not hate me or make me leave. But you welcomed me as an angel from God, as if I were Jesus Christ himself! [Galatians 4:14 (NCV)]

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December 29, 2014

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Church & Worship, Family, Friends & Fellowship, Love & Works, Money & Wealth

LET YOUR LIGHT SO SHINE

Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. [Genesis 1:3 (NCV)]

You are the light that gives light to the world. A city that is built on a hill cannot be hidden. And people don’t hide a light under a bowl. They put it on a lampstand so the light shines for all the people in the house. In the same way, you should be a light for other people. Live so that they will see the good things you do and will praise your Father in heaven. [Matthew 5:14-16 (NCV)]

We are told to let our lights shine. What do you suppose would happen if we all shone our lights together? As I took photographs during our Christmas Eve service in the park, I saw what happened when 3,700 people lit small candles and held them high. While each individual candle gave off only a little light, the thousands of candles together illuminated the entire park. IMG_1414web

Saturday, I thought of how bright our lights can be when joined together as I read about a food packing event sponsored by Meals of Hope. In a matter of two hours, half a million fortified macaroni and cheese dinners were packed by 2,500 volunteers from fifty-two different organizations.

Acting individually, I suppose each of Wednesday’s 2,500 volunteers could have purchased a 5-pack of mac ‘n cheese at Walmart for $4.50. That, however, would have yielded only 12,500 meals. Each volunteer would have had to purchase forty 5-packs to get 500,000 meals. Let’s face it: few people are likely to donate $180 worth of Kraft® dinners to their local food pantry on the same day. Moreover, those store-bought dinners aren’t as large or as heavily fortified as those provided by Meals of Hope.

I’ll do the math for you. Meals of Hope packed 500,000 dinners, each weighing 12.5 ounces, for a total of 6,250,000 ounces of mac ‘n cheese. The entire event (hall rental, food, packaging, plastic gloves, fork trucks, etc.) cost $125,000 or less than 2 cents per ounce. Those 5-packs of mac ‘n cheese at Walmart cost 12 cents per ounce. If done individually, $750,000 would need to be spent to provide the same amount of food that Meals of Hope did by using group-power. These meals will now be distributed by various accredited food bank partners throughout Southwest Florida.

As Christians, we must keep our individual lights shining bright. When we join forces, however, as we did at the park Christmas Eve and as 2,500 people did last week when packing meals, we can become lighthouses and shine brighter than we ever could imagine. When we unite, when we light our candles as one, we can be a mighty power and change lives. Indeed, the whole can be far greater than the sum of its parts!

We are told to let our light shine, and if it does, we won’t need to tell anybody it does. Lighthouses don’t fire cannons to call attention to their shining—they just shine. [D.L. Moody]

Arise, Jerusalem! Let your light shine for all to see. For the glory of the Lord rises to shine on you. Darkness as black as night covers all the nations of the earth, but the glory of the Lord rises and appears over you. All nations will come to your light; mighty kings will come to see your radiance. [Isaiah 60:1-3 (NLT)]

 

 

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December 15, 2014

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Family, Friends & Fellowship, Holidays & Holy Days, Love & Works, Miracles

HOLY STROLLERS!

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Be generous: Invest in acts of charity. Charity yields high returns. Don’t hoard your goods; spread them around. Be a blessing to others. This could be your last night. [Ecclesiastes 11:1-2 (MSG)]

I’d like to share a story that is making the rounds on the Internet:

Years ago, a little boy was shocked when his sister told him there was no Santa. Tearfully, he went to his grandmother and told her of his disappointment. She quickly assured him that Santa existed; in fact, she would prove it to him. The two got into her car and drove to the local department store. Instead of visiting the store Santa, as he expected they would, his grandmother gave him $10 and told him to use it to purchase a gift for someone who needed one. Alone in the store, the boy pondered who should get a gift. Finally he decided on Robby, a boy in his classroom. Robby never went out at recess; although he said it was because he had a cough, everyone knew it was because he didn’t have a warm coat. The boy picked out a lovely red coat and brought it to the clerk with his money. He excitedly told her that it was a gift for a boy in his class who didn’t have a coat. She took all of his money and bagged up the coat.

Once home, Grandma removed the price tag, tucked it into her Bible, and helped her grandson box and wrap the coat. That evening the boy and his grandma went to Robby’s house and placed the beautifully packaged gift at the front door, rang the bell and hid behind the bushes. The joy they felt when Robby answered the door and picked up the box convinced the boy that Santa did, indeed, exist and that he and his grandma were on Santa’s team. That little boy is now a grown man. He still has Grandma’s Bible; the coat’s price tag of $19.95 is still in it.

IMG_0984WEBSunday, I saw proof of Santa and the spirit of Christmas when our church provided strollers for a nearby social service agency. (See “WHAT SHOULD WE DO?”) The agency needed at least sixty strollers; our pastor promised one hundred. There were a few Scrooges this morning as the first few strollers rolled in. “Have you priced strollers lately?” someone asked. “How would we ever get one hundred?” asked another. Well, we didn’t get one hundred. We actually got nearly two hundred. Along with strollers, there were gifts of food, toys and diapers. This truly was the spirit of Christmas. Santa is alive and well in south Florida. Praise God!

Christmas is not as much about opening our presents as opening our hearts.  [Janice Maeditere]

 They err who think Santa Claus comes down through the chimney; he really enters through the heart. [Mrs. Paul M. Ell]

Update: Sunday, December 21, our pastor announced that 251 strollers had been donated!

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December 10, 2014

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Family, Friends & Fellowship, Holidays & Holy Days, Sharing Our Faith, Thanks & Praise

BRAGGING RIGHTS

And so they do what they should not do. …They are rude, proud, and brag about themselves. [Romans 1:28b,30b (ERV)]

“Whoever boasts should boast only about the Lord.” What people say about themselves means nothing. What counts is whether the Lord says they have done well. [2 Corinthians 10:17-18 (ERV)]

It’s that time of year again: Christmas card and letter season! Years ago, two Chicago radio personalities had great fun during their “Merry Medical Christmas” specials reading medical tidbits from holiday letters. You know the ones I’m talking about: the letters that tell in great and gruesome detail about passing kidney stones, colonoscopies, allergic reactions to shellfish, and getting Montezuma’s revenge while on holiday. They use words like “pus,” “seepage,” “mucous” and “festering:” words that definitely do not evoke the spirit of Christmas! Reading these missives gives the impression that enduring medical maladies gives one bragging rights!

Fortunately, most people skip the health details in their Christmas letters; unfortunately, many do use their holiday letters to brag about everything else in their lives. They begin with their exceptionally attractive and brilliant children and continue with their even more extraordinarily beautiful and gifted grandchildren. What follows next is a list of their fabulous trips to exotic destinations, their outstanding strategies and many stellar accomplishments at work and in the community, their latest expensive purchases, their magnificent homes and furnishings, and even the number of Christmas ornaments and holiday lights on their tree. Granted, Christmas letters are a great way to share our lives with friends far and near, but many of these letters are nothing more than self-aggrandizement. The Bible is pretty clear about boastfulness: bragging about ourselves isn’t countenanced! Bragging about God, however, is! God is always pleased when we tell others about the glorious things He’s done in our lives.

Will you be sending a Christmas letter this year? After writing this devotion, I must admit that I had to rewrite mine. Has God done anything good for you lately? Do you have any of God’s Good News to share?

I will praise the Lord at all times. I will never stop singing his praises. Humble people, listen and be happy, while I brag about the Lord. Praise the Lord with me. Let us honor his name. [Psalm 34:1-3 (ERV)]

“But if someone wants to brag, then let them brag about this: Let them brag that they learned to know me. Let them brag that they understand that I am the Lord, that I am kind and fair, and that I do good things on earth. I love this kind of bragging.” This message is from the Lord. [Jeremiah 9:24 (ERV)]