“But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To Him be glory both now and forever. Amen.” (II Peter 3:18)
How many times have you heard someone say, “I’ll tell you why I’m not going to church”? The reasons go like this:
I cannot abide the preacher...the choir director...the deacons. On the front row every Sunday there are a bunch of hypocrites, who lie, steal, and cheat. Sunday they are the biggest Christians you’ll ever see, and Monday morning they are scoundrels. They are keeping me from church. I don’t want a part of God if these are His people. I’ll get more out of going to the lake than sitting in that church with that bunch of sinners calling themselves Christians. I don’t want anybody like that preaching to me or teaching my Sunday school class.
There are a few things to keep in mind. Don’t let anyone steal your joy in the Lord! Realize that these people are growing in grace. Try to see them as God sees them: through the love of Christ. Be sure that God is seeing you through the grace of Christ’s love. If you have not already claimed Christ’s saving grace through His shed blood, do so.
Turn your eyes toward Jesus and away from other people’s faults. Forgive them as you wish people would forgive you for the most stinking thing you have ever done to anybody. When you see mean-spirited persons on the front pew of the church (or even in the choir!) and you cannot help noticing them, thank God that they are in church. How much worse would they be if they were not there? How much has God already worked on them?
Let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. (Hebrews 10:24-25)
Remember that they are sinners saved by God’s grace. We are all growing in the Lord, and He hasn’t finished with us yet. Pray for them and thank God for the opportunity. Be especially kind to people who have offended you. Read and reread Matthew 5, Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount.
Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. (Matthew 5:7)
Go to church for encouragement from the Lord and to assemble yourselves with others to encourage them. All those other sinners saved by grace in God’s church need to see you there, where they can receive a hug and a handshake with your smile. They need to hear you say something sweet.
Did you know that there are little children who never receive kind and encouraging words except on Sunday in church? Did you know that there are elderly people who go all week without touching another human being except for the ones they hug in church?
Showing posts with label devotional. Show all posts
Showing posts with label devotional. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
I grew up in Mississippi . . . .
I grew up in Mississippi and now reside in Louisiana. I am the mother of one precious daughter. I have had careers as a teacher and registered nurse. Using the name Jane Riley, I have published a novel, SOLOMON'S PORCH and a story cookbook, FLAVORED WITH LOVE.
I have co-authored a story cookbook, THE COLLARD PATCH, with Paul Elliott. In preparing DO YOU KNOW HOW GOD LOVES YOU? I have benefited from Paul’s editing and spiritual guidance. Uniquely qualified to assist me, he is a devoted follower of Christ, a retired physician, a marketer, and a lover of language.
When my mother, Myrtle, was a little girl, she understood that her family loved her as long as someone was near and giving her constant attention. As a small member of a large bustling family, she would lose sight of her parents’ and sisters’ love occasionally and act out to gain reassurance.
It was time to hoe the crop in the field near the house. The parents, Mary Jane and Bud, left Katie and Rosa with household chores, including preparation of lunch, and also taking care of mischievous Myrtle and baby Idell. Most of the time the parents would be within earshot of their girls.
By midmorning when Katie and Rosa were busy attending to cooking lunch on the wood stove and changing the baby’s diaper, Myrtle, who had been instructed not to go outside unaccompanied, sneaked out to gain some attention. She had a plan. She knew how she could scare her sisters enough that they would play with her. If they loved her, they would have entertained her, she thought.
On the far side of the house, where she was never allowed to go alone, there was a loose board. She had heard it bump in the wind and observed that it sounded exactly like another sound that came from the nearby well. To draw water from the open well with its big hole large enough for her to climb into and fall 100 feet before hitting water, it was necessary to unhook the rope and place the attached bucket into the hole. (The water bucket was a long narrow cylinder with a flap at the bottom.) The rope uncurled from the crank beside the frame to lower the bucket until it made a noise as it hit the water. Then the flap would open to allow water to flow into the bucket. When it filled, the flap would close. I don’t know quite why, but we described that second sound as “the water sinking.” It was the signal to start drawing the water from the well.
Myrtle knew how to get Katie or Rosa to come looking for her. She popped the board on the side of the house and crawled under the house to hide. Katie and Rosa did not hear the noise, but Mary Jane, her mother, hoeing on the end of a row nearby did! Mary Jane yelled, “Myrtle’s done fell in the well. I heard the water sink! Come on, Bud! I shouldn’t have left my babies and gone to the field. Run, Bud. I heard the water sink! Myrtle’s in the well!”
They went running and yelling to the house. Bedlam broke loose. Katie went running out, and Rosa came behind her with baby Idell in her arms. By then Myrtle was too frightened go come out. She knew what would happen to her. Finally Bud called, “Myrtle!”
She could not resist his call. She had so much respect and love for him that she never wanted to disappoint him. “Yes, Papa!” she said from underneath the house, and she crawled out to face her punishment.
(Shared from my new book, DO YOU KNOW HOW GOD LOVES YOU?)
"For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth." (Proverbs 3:12)
I have co-authored a story cookbook, THE COLLARD PATCH, with Paul Elliott. In preparing DO YOU KNOW HOW GOD LOVES YOU? I have benefited from Paul’s editing and spiritual guidance. Uniquely qualified to assist me, he is a devoted follower of Christ, a retired physician, a marketer, and a lover of language.
When my mother, Myrtle, was a little girl, she understood that her family loved her as long as someone was near and giving her constant attention. As a small member of a large bustling family, she would lose sight of her parents’ and sisters’ love occasionally and act out to gain reassurance.
It was time to hoe the crop in the field near the house. The parents, Mary Jane and Bud, left Katie and Rosa with household chores, including preparation of lunch, and also taking care of mischievous Myrtle and baby Idell. Most of the time the parents would be within earshot of their girls.
By midmorning when Katie and Rosa were busy attending to cooking lunch on the wood stove and changing the baby’s diaper, Myrtle, who had been instructed not to go outside unaccompanied, sneaked out to gain some attention. She had a plan. She knew how she could scare her sisters enough that they would play with her. If they loved her, they would have entertained her, she thought.
On the far side of the house, where she was never allowed to go alone, there was a loose board. She had heard it bump in the wind and observed that it sounded exactly like another sound that came from the nearby well. To draw water from the open well with its big hole large enough for her to climb into and fall 100 feet before hitting water, it was necessary to unhook the rope and place the attached bucket into the hole. (The water bucket was a long narrow cylinder with a flap at the bottom.) The rope uncurled from the crank beside the frame to lower the bucket until it made a noise as it hit the water. Then the flap would open to allow water to flow into the bucket. When it filled, the flap would close. I don’t know quite why, but we described that second sound as “the water sinking.” It was the signal to start drawing the water from the well.
Myrtle knew how to get Katie or Rosa to come looking for her. She popped the board on the side of the house and crawled under the house to hide. Katie and Rosa did not hear the noise, but Mary Jane, her mother, hoeing on the end of a row nearby did! Mary Jane yelled, “Myrtle’s done fell in the well. I heard the water sink! Come on, Bud! I shouldn’t have left my babies and gone to the field. Run, Bud. I heard the water sink! Myrtle’s in the well!”
They went running and yelling to the house. Bedlam broke loose. Katie went running out, and Rosa came behind her with baby Idell in her arms. By then Myrtle was too frightened go come out. She knew what would happen to her. Finally Bud called, “Myrtle!”
She could not resist his call. She had so much respect and love for him that she never wanted to disappoint him. “Yes, Papa!” she said from underneath the house, and she crawled out to face her punishment.
(Shared from my new book, DO YOU KNOW HOW GOD LOVES YOU?)
"For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth." (Proverbs 3:12)
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Take a few minutes to relax and enjoy the imagery of this brief video while you listen to a soothing version of "Amazing Grace."
The trailer for DO YOU KNOW HOW GOD LOVES YOU was written and produced by Misty Taggart. A Hollywood screenwriter, she was one of the first women to write for animation such as SCOOBY DOO. Other credits include ANOTHER WORLD, FANTASY ISLAND,and KNOTS LANDING. Misty is an author, speaker, and certified Christian life coach. Her mentor was William Hanna, of Hanna/Barbera fame. She produces exciting video trailers for authors, speakers and event planners. To view more of her extensive repertoire, visit TrailertotheStars.com or youtube.com/booksinmotion.
Misty is a pleasant, efficient professional person, who is a delight to work with. I respect her creativity and high standards.
My portrait for DO YOU KNOW HOW GOD LOVES YOU was taken by Nicholas Hurkes II, a highly sought after photographer based out of Louisiana with over 34 years. He has photographed Garth Brooks, Trisha Yearwood, Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Brooks & Dunn, Alan Jackson, President Reagan, President Bush, Governor Foster, Governor Blanco, Terry Bradshaw, and Reba McIntyre. Having worked on assignments throughout the United States and abroad, he is happy to travel anywhere to document your story with images. For more information visit AmazingShots.net
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Jehovah-tsidkenu, the Lord Our Righteousness
From Do You Know How God Loves You?
“ ‘Behold, the days come,’ saith the LORD, ‘that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. In His days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is His name whereby He shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.’ ” (Jeremiah 23:5-6)
A highway running through our town becomes two one-way streets for several blocks. When people go the wrong way, wrecks occur. If the friendly folks and the policemen decided to be nice to strangers and allow them to go up it the wrong way, disasters would result. Drivers must travel the one-way streets the right way. I don’t think the law enforcement officers are arrogant when they require the traffic to flow in one direction.
The majority of church goers in the United States today feel that the idea of having one way to get to heaven is arrogant, uncharitable, and politically incorrect. They have decided that if people are sincere, there must be more than one way. If the people following other paths should terminate their life-journeys at the destination of heaven, where they would have to spend eternity with Jesus, the God they do not know or love, they would, I believe, reject Him there. Why would He want to let uninterested, ungrateful guests into His Father’s house?
Throughout history, human beings have sought to avoid the simplest path to salvation by traveling all kinds of circuitous routes. We human beings have taken raw materials that God has given us and shaped them into objects to worship, we have found exotic alien systems of religions to follow, we have tried to attain righteousness by pretending we are capable of obeying every law of God without loving Him, or we have taken a self-absorbed and self-achieving path to pseudo-righteousness.
All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags. (Isaiah 64:6)
No matter what perspectives human beings have, there is only one Way to righteousness. As human beings, we have no true righteousness, except through the one Way...the Lord, our Righteousness, Jehovah-tsidkenu.
Our Father God is kind and loving. His nature is goodness. If there were some other way He could remedy the central problem in the world, if there were some other way He could correct the underlying sin nature of mankind, if there were some other way besides a blood sacrifice for our sins, He would not have sent His beloved Son to earth to live without material possessions and then to suffer from the ridicule of scoffers, not to mention laying down His life in a death of torture for us. If He had another way to save us besides through the blood and sacrificed His Son anyway, He would be a cruel, hateful deity; but we know He is all love, kindness, purity, life, light, and intelligence. There is only one Way.
Jehovah-tsidkenu, the Lord Our Righteousness, is all righteousness and the only provision we have to make us righteous. This name applies to the Father, the Provider; the son, the Giver; and the Holy Spirit, the constant Presence. We have no righteousness of our own except through Jehovah’s righteousness.
Copied from Do You Know How God Loves You? by the author, Mary Lou Cheatham
“ ‘Behold, the days come,’ saith the LORD, ‘that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. In His days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is His name whereby He shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.’ ” (Jeremiah 23:5-6)
A highway running through our town becomes two one-way streets for several blocks. When people go the wrong way, wrecks occur. If the friendly folks and the policemen decided to be nice to strangers and allow them to go up it the wrong way, disasters would result. Drivers must travel the one-way streets the right way. I don’t think the law enforcement officers are arrogant when they require the traffic to flow in one direction.
The majority of church goers in the United States today feel that the idea of having one way to get to heaven is arrogant, uncharitable, and politically incorrect. They have decided that if people are sincere, there must be more than one way. If the people following other paths should terminate their life-journeys at the destination of heaven, where they would have to spend eternity with Jesus, the God they do not know or love, they would, I believe, reject Him there. Why would He want to let uninterested, ungrateful guests into His Father’s house?
Throughout history, human beings have sought to avoid the simplest path to salvation by traveling all kinds of circuitous routes. We human beings have taken raw materials that God has given us and shaped them into objects to worship, we have found exotic alien systems of religions to follow, we have tried to attain righteousness by pretending we are capable of obeying every law of God without loving Him, or we have taken a self-absorbed and self-achieving path to pseudo-righteousness.
All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags. (Isaiah 64:6)
No matter what perspectives human beings have, there is only one Way to righteousness. As human beings, we have no true righteousness, except through the one Way...the Lord, our Righteousness, Jehovah-tsidkenu.
Our Father God is kind and loving. His nature is goodness. If there were some other way He could remedy the central problem in the world, if there were some other way He could correct the underlying sin nature of mankind, if there were some other way besides a blood sacrifice for our sins, He would not have sent His beloved Son to earth to live without material possessions and then to suffer from the ridicule of scoffers, not to mention laying down His life in a death of torture for us. If He had another way to save us besides through the blood and sacrificed His Son anyway, He would be a cruel, hateful deity; but we know He is all love, kindness, purity, life, light, and intelligence. There is only one Way.
Jehovah-tsidkenu, the Lord Our Righteousness, is all righteousness and the only provision we have to make us righteous. This name applies to the Father, the Provider; the son, the Giver; and the Holy Spirit, the constant Presence. We have no righteousness of our own except through Jehovah’s righteousness.
Copied from Do You Know How God Loves You? by the author, Mary Lou Cheatham
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