28 Feb, 2011
The KING of KINGS Speech
As I type this DailyBide, the Oscars are going on in Los Angeles. The speculation is coming to an end as the winners are announced and they come forward to make their acceptance speeches. The quest for fame and fortune is on. One winner was The King's Speech. While there may have been some great acceptance speeches throughout the night, let's pause today and take look at another speech, this one given by the KING of KINGS, Jesus in his Sermon on the Mount.
Photo courtesy of images.google.com.
The Sermon on the Mount
1Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him.
2And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:
3 "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4"Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
5"Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
6"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
7"Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
8"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
9"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
10 "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 "Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Check out what the Life Application Study Bible has to say about the beginning of Jesus' Sermon on the Mount ...
Enormous crowds were following Jesus-he was the talk of the town, and everyone wanted to see him. The disciples, who were the closest associates of this popular man, were certainly tempted to feel important, proud, and possessive. Being with Jesus gave them not only prestige but also opportunity for receiving money and power.
The crowds were gathering once again. But before speaking to them, Jesus pulled his disiples aside and warned them about the temptations they would face as his associates. Don't expect fame and fortune, Jesus was saying, but mourning, hunger, and persecution. Nevertheless, Jesus assured his disciples that they would be rewarded-but perhaps not in this life. There may be times when following Jesus will bring us great popularity. If we don't live by Jesus' words in this sermon, we will find ourselves using God's message only to promote our personal interests.
What a different perspective than that of Hollywood today!
- Set aside some time this week to read the rest of Jesus' Sermon on the Mount.
- As you read Jesus' "speech," record the ways you are challenged in a journal or in the margin of your Bible.
- Do you struggle with a desire to have fame and fortune? Confess that desire to God and ask Him to replace it with a desire to know Him more.
- Take the challenge to read the rest of Jesus' sermon and do it with a friend.
- Set aside some time to get together to talk about what God is teaching both of you through His Story.
- As you read, ask God to place friends on your heart who might need to hear specific parts of Jesus' message in the Sermon on the Mount. Pray for those friends when God lays them on your heart. Write their names in the margin of your Bible as a reminder to pray for them.
25 Feb, 2011
More Words To Live By
24 Feb, 2011
Words to Live By
Today’s Story: Words to Live By
Are you a lexophile? It means you're a lover of words. See if you think these are punny, 
I mean funny.
A bicycle can’t stand alone; it is two tired.
A will is a dead giveaway.
Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana.
A backward poet writes inverse.
A chicken crossing the road: poultry in motion.
Show me a piano falling down a mine shaft and I’ll show you A-flat miner.
When a clock is hungry it goes back four seconds.
The guy who fell onto an upholstery machine was fully recovered.
You are stuck with your debt if you can’t budge it.
He broke into song because he couldn’t find the key.
A calendar’s days are numbered.
A lot of money is tainted: ‘Taint yours, and ‘taint mine.
A boiled egg is hard to beat.
He had a photographic memory which was never developed.
A plateau is a high form of flattery.
Those who get too big for their britches will be exposed in the end.
When you’ve seen one shopping center you’ve seen a mall.
When she saw her first strands of gray hair, she thought she’d dye.
Bakers trade bread recipes on a knead to know basis.
Acupuncture: a jab well done.
Marathon runners with bad shoes suffer the agony of de feet.
I thought I saw an eye doctor on an Alaskan island, but it turned out to be an optical Aleutian.
A rubber band pistol was confiscated from algebra class because it was a weapon of math disruption.
The butcher backed into the meat grinder and got a little behind in his work.
No matter how much you push the envelope, it’ll still be stationery.
A dog gave birth to puppies near the road and was cited for littering.
Two silk worms had a race. They ended up in a tie.
Two hats were hanging on a hat rack in the hallway. One hat said to the other, ‘You stay here, I’ll go on a head.’
I wondered why the baseball kept getting bigger. Then it hit me.
Collection from sources unknown / photo courtesy of 123rf.com
1You can be certain that in the last days there will be some very hard times. 2People will love only themselves and money. They will be proud, stuck-up, rude, and disobedient to their parents. They will also be ungrateful, godless, 3heartless, and hateful. Their words will be cruel, and they will have no self-control or pity. These people will hate everything that is good. 4They will be sneaky, reckless, and puffed up with pride. Instead of loving God, they will love pleasure. 5Even though they will make a show of being religious, their religion won't be real. Don't have anything to do with such people.
14Keep on being faithful to what you were taught and to what you believed. After all, you know who taught you these things. 15Since childhood, you have known the Holy Scriptures that are able to make you wise enough to have faith in Christ Jesus and be saved. 16Everything in the Scriptures is God's Word. All of it is useful for teaching and helping people and for correcting them and showing them how to live. 17The Scriptures train God's servants to do all kinds of good deeds.
God’s Words are the most important words that we can utter. The Scriptures are full of promises. It’s our manual for how to live our life.
Read the Bible daily. Meditate on it. Study it. Memorize it. Apply it. Pray the scriptures. The Bible is still relevant, fresh, and alive!
How can we connect today’s story, God’s Story scripture, and our story to others?
• Use the Bible to encourage others.
• Share how the Bible has and is changing your life and your spiritual journey with Jesus.
• Use different translations to get a fresh and new perspective on the Scriptures. Find a translation that you can understand.
• Ask your pastor or youth leader to help you with scriptures that you don’t understand.
• Find an accountability partner that will help keep you on track in reading the Scriptures each day.
Let the Scriptures change your life. Don't be like the small boy who swallowed some coins and was taken to a hospital. When his grandmother telephoned to ask how he was, a nurse said, ‘No change yet.’ You can't change the Word - it has to change you.
23 Feb, 2011
Discover
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The space shuttle Discovery stands ready for its planned liftoff in two days from NASA's Kennedy Space Center here, on what will be the orbiter's final journey to space.
"Over the last two months, the team has been very busy," NASA test director Steve Payne said in a news briefing today (Feb. 22). "Discovery is poised to lift off on Thursday afternoon, bound for the International Space Station, to do what she does best." ...
Discovery's 11-day mission to the International Space Station will be the orbiter's 39th and final flight. It also marks NASA's 133rd shuttle mission, which is one of the final three shuttle flights before the space agency brings its 30-year space shuttle program to a close later this year. ...
Article courtesy of Yahoo News
Image courtesy of Google images
7 But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ--the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.
12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. 15 All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you.
As a child I was always fascinated with the launch of the space shuttle, and where it went to. I knew the people that went on the missions where special, and had an opportunity that most of us would never have.
There was even a part of me that wondered, I have never been to space, and I have never been to heaven, which lead me to wonder: if you are in a space shuttle does it pass heaven? When you go to heaven, do you get to go in the space shuttle? Then ultimatly it brought me to: What is heaven like?
Have you ever wondered what Heaven is like?
I still wonder to this day of what it will be like. I have read about it, but I believe no matter how much we imagine, God will blow our minds. The more I wonder the more I get excited about where God is taking us, and amazed that He chose us to be part of this "shuttle mission".
Take time to wonder about Heaven and the place God has prepared for us. (John 14:3)
Do you know that Paul wrote to the Philipians from prison saying, (v8) "I consider everything a lost compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ" Do you crave more passion for God today? ask for it.
We don't belong here, we belong to Christ, and one day we will be with Him in Heaven. (v14) So we press on, we get excited for life and what is to come. The message says (v14) is, "I'm off and running, and I'm not turning back."
Ask God today what running, and not turning back looks like in your life!
All Good things Come to an end, the Shuttle program ran for 30 years and just has 3 missions left. wow. They had the oppertunity to experience some amazing things in space. Ask your friends if they have ever experienced something they cannot explain? Or have they ever experienced something that was a once in a lifetime event? What was it like? How did they feel? Would they do it again if they could? Ask is there anything they are looking forward to, like if there was anything that they thought would be amazing to do, but have not had the chance to do or go to yet?
Talking about heaven is not always easy. Pray about talking to friends today that God has been laying on your heart. Talk about what you look forward to seeing, what you think heaven could be. Ask what they might imagine heaven to be?
22 Feb, 2011
Hope
While on my way home the other night, I tuned into a radio station that I don’t usually listen to, but what I heard caught my attention. The DJ had chosen to designate her portion of the show as “Mystic Monday.” She encouraged her listeners to be open to the use of psychic power, and she intended to have a guest psychic on the show. She explained to her co-host that she saw no harm in having your fortune told or having a psychic look into the future for you because she believes that psychics give people hope. I listened to her twisted logic as she described spending lots of money to have a stranger tell her some very vague ideas of what the days ahead might or might not bring, but because she saw that as hope for her future, she was satisfied and deemed it “money well spent.”
"From heaven the LORD looks down
and sees all mankind;
from his dwelling place he watches
all who live on earth—
he who forms the hearts of all,
who considers everything they do.
No king is saved by the size of his army;
no warrior escapes by his great strength.
A horse is a vain hope for deliverance;
despite all its great strength it cannot save.
But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him,
on those whose hope is in his unfailing love,
to deliver them from death
and keep them alive in famine.
We wait in hope for the LORD;
he is our help and our shield.
In him our hearts rejoice,
for we trust in his holy name.
May your unfailing love be with us, LORD,
even as we put our hope in you."
Isaiah 46:9-10
"Remember the things I have done in the past.
For I alone am God!
I am God, and there is none like me.
Only I can tell you the future
before it even happens.
Everything I plan will come to pass,
for I do whatever I wish."
God knows everything that we say and do. He knows our thoughts, our history, our dreams and desires. As this passage of scripture says, he formed our hearts and considers everything that we do, and he is the ONLY one who knows what the future holds for us. He is our reason for hope, because in Him we have assurance of eternal life with Christ in heaven, and He is the only sure thing that we can put our trust in.
Don’t let them fool you. Horoscopes, psychics, or others who pretend to predict the future are just tools that Satan uses to trick us into putting our hope in anything besides God. How often do you consult other sources for a glimpse into what to expect, or a glimmer of hope for what lies ahead? Even something as seemingly harmless as reading a generic horoscope can plant a seed in your heart and mind that can grow into an unhealthy belief in what is ultimately false. Put your hope in God and in Him alone.
What do your friends seek to give them hope for the future? Have you shared with them the hope and encouragement for your future that God has given you? Pray for an opportunity this week to share your hope in Christ.
21 Feb, 2011
Way Down Deep
- Take some time this week to thank God for the new life He has given you in a relationship with Jesus.
- Read Psalm 139 every day this week and make it your prayer, asking God to search the bottom of your heart for any areas of your life you haven't turned over to Him.
- Ask God to lead you in "the way everlasting."
- Do you have friends who seem to be struggling to let go of their "old" ways and their "old" life? Encourage them to make Psalm 139 their prayer as well.
- Pray for and with your friends who are asking God to search their hearts.
- Share with your friends that God wants to give them a new life through a relationship with Jesus.
18 Feb, 2011
"3"
What does God's Story teach us about how we should be remembered?
Dale Earnhardt will forever be remembered by the number 3. I don't know if NASCAR is popular where you live, but around my part of the country, you don't have to look very far to see a 3 sticker on the back of a car or truck to memorialize Earnhardt. He is remembered by his number and his sport.
In today's God's Story scripture we read about men and women who were remembered for their faith. In fact, Hebrews 11 is often called the Faith Hall of Fame. They set a great example of what it meant to live by faith. Today, we are challenged to let our faith be our legacy as well.
- How have you seen faith at work in you own life? Grab a pen and paper and write your own "By faith" statement about your journey so far.
- Thank God for His presence in your life and for the story He is writing for you - the story of how you will be remembered.
- Ask God to direct your steps toward the purpose He has for you in this life.
- As you hear stories of Dale Earnhardt throughout the weekend, take some time to talk with your friends about how they want to be remembered.
- Take some time to talk with a friend about today's God's Story scripture. Talk about the men and women from Hebrews 11 and ask your friend where they are on their faith journey.
- Be sensitive as you listen to your friend's repsonse and ask them if you can pray for them they as consider what God might have in store for them.
17 Feb, 2011
Ready to be Found
I shop all year round for Christmas gifts. I look for the bargains, sales, and things I see I know my family and friends will like. I don’t like waiting until the last minute to find the perfect gift.
Last August my husband and I bought our kids their Santa gifts. I hid them and was relieved that I didn’t have to worry about them for the rest of the year. As I was wrapping gifts for Christmas in December, I began looking for the Santa gifts in my hiding spot. After moving boxes around, looking through bags, and running out of places to look I began to panic.
Christmas 2010 came and went and I still had no idea where the presents were. Until tonight. My husband found the bag and gifts. Should I mention he found them while we were looking for something else that we lost?
Picture courtesy of google image
Luke 19:9-10 (NIV)
Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
The whole reason Jesus came to earth as a baby was to die for our sins. We are lost without Him and He came to save us.
You never know what you will find when you are looking for something. As my husband and I were searching for some papers this evening, we not only found the Christmas gifts but money we had forgotten about. We have to be looking in order to find things.
How can we connect today’s story, God’s Story scripture, and our story to others?
Have you ever lost something important? Doesn’t your gut just hurt from the anxiousness of not knowing where it is or if you’ll ever find it?
When someone asks you to help them find something, remember that God is searching for His lost children. Think about where you would be without Jesus. He found you when you were lost.
Focus on the needs of those around you. Do you realize there are lost souls who don’t know Jesus or that He even loves them? Find ways to introduce them to Jesus. They’ll find Him to be the best gift they’ve ever received – even better than Christmas presents on December 25th.
16 Feb, 2011
Control it!
Self-control keeps us from eating a whole bag of chips or from running up the credit card. A new study says that self-control makes the difference between getting a good job or going to jail — and we learn it in preschool.
"Children who had the greatest self-control in primary school and preschool ages were most likely to have fewer health problems when they reached their 30s," says Terrie Moffitt, a professor of psychology at Duke University and King's College London. ...
The researchers define self-control as having skills like conscientiousness, self-discipline and perseverance, as well as being able to consider the consequences of actions in making decisions.
The children who struggled with self-control as preschoolers were three times as likely to have problems as young adults. They were more prone to have a criminal record; more likely to be poor or have financial problems; and they were more likely to be single parents.
This study doesn't prove that the lack of self-control in childhood caused these problems, but the large size of the study, and the fact that it followed one group of people over many years, makes a good case for an effect.
... Moffitt says there is evidence that self-control can be learned.
"Identical twins are not identical on self-control," she says. "That tells us that it is something they have learned, not something they have inherited."
Article courtesy of NPR.
Picture courtesy of Google images.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature
with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.
Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.
As children we are very impressionable. Some say we are shaped mentally & emotionally for the most part by age 5. The key thought in this article is that Kids/Children can LEARN "Self-Control", "it is something they have learned, not something they have inherited" Its not and never will be to late to learn for you!
Time and time again people in the bible are learning lessons, and more lessons, some lessons are even taught over and over again. I think of the disciples and all the questions they had, and how many where young and untrained, yet Jesus chose to have them follow Him. God believed and still believes in them, and us that we might LEARN things like Self-control.
How can I connect today's God's Story Scripture to my life?
We have the ability to be LIFE LONG LEARNERS, meaning we have the great honor of continuing to learn more and more about how God's Story fits in our lives. In fact the more we learn about God, the bigger He becomes. So the more you explore the more you will learn, God does not get trapped in a box of your expectations, or assumptions, but He becomes something you can trust in: His vast power, love, and ability to know what is best for you.
* Look for people this week (that you know or strangers you can people watch) that display self-control. See how many different situations you can observe and ask yourself if you would do the same thing in the situation.
- When you begin to get upset this week, practice self-control.
- Ask God what areas of your life need more self-control, and ask Him to help you.
- Are you "In Step with the spirit" Are there other fruits of the spirt that you feel God leading you to LEARN more about?
I am sure you have heard these verses many times if you have been to bible school, or sunday school, the fruits of the spirit are catchy & simple, yet deeply powerful if you let them be.
When I look at this picture above I imagine two seconds later the little girl is SCREAMING right back at the little boy! At least that is what most people might want to do. One of the most powerful examples of your faith are your actions. Your friends are watching you, and Not showing Self-control can be a huge turn off to following God.
We may not have grown up learning self-control, give grace to your friends that do not show it, and set an example in your actions this week. Don't be the person that screams back, be the person that responds with gentleness and self-control.
15 Feb, 2011
Pillars
I often put great pressure on myself to figure out right now what I am doing with my life. Sometimes I'm just thinking of this week. Other times I think about the next few years or beyond. Am I doing what I'm supposed to with my time? Am I investing in the people I should be? Am I working hard enough at knowing God better each day?
And what's the plan for the future? Am I heading in the right direction? Should I be taking on more responsibility? Or less? Should I make different friends? Work harder? Get a different job?
Image courtesy of googleimages
What does God’s Story scripture teach us about His guidance?
Imagine yourself as an ancient Israelite. I'm talking about the ones who lived back when Moses was around. The ones who wandered in the desert. God's presence was literally there before them, for all to see. They didn't have to wake up each morning and wonder what direction they should walk. They didn't have to consult someone else to find that information out for them. They just looked up and followed the cloud during the day or the fire during the night. And it was always there.
Don't you wish it were that easy for us today? Sometimes I do. I wonder if the Israelites felt great relief in not having to make those decisions for themselves. No one wondered where or when. The pillar of cloud or fire showed them when and led them where. It could not have been more clear.
Sometimes God still helps us out by making things obvious for us. But for all those less obvious times, we are not helpless. We have God’s Word, and we have the promised presence of the Holy Spirit.
How can I connect today’s God’s Story scripture to my life?
What are you looking to for guidance as you look into the days ahead? Are you tempted to consult others before you seek God in your decisions? Or do you trust the guidance of the Holy Spirit and look to Him first?
How can I connect today’s God’s Story scripture and my story to others?
When a friend comes to you for advice or to seek guidance, offer to pray with them. Seek the Holy Spirit together and look to God’s Word on your friend’s behalf.
14 Feb, 2011
Happy Valentine's Day!
Love ...is patient and kind;does not envy or boast;is not arrogant or rude.does not insist on its own way;is not irritable or resentful;does not rejoice at wrongdoing,rejoices with the truth.Love bears all things,believes all things,hopes all things,endures all things.Love never ends.
- Take some time on this Valentine's Day to thank God for His unconditional love and acceptance.
- Tell God how much you Love Him today, as well. Even though He does know, He does like to hear it.
- Ask yourself some hard questions today about how well you are loving others. Spend some time asking yourself if the love you express toward others reflects the qualities from the above list.
- Read today's God's Story scripture to a close friend and ask them to let you know how you are doing when it comes to loving others.
- Ask that same friend to help you love others well by letting you know when your love doesn't match this list.
- On this day when the whole world is talking about love, make a conscious effort to express God's Love to someone you see today.
11 Feb, 2011
Stop and Celebrate!
Ray Allen passes Reggie Miller for 3-point record
BOSTON – Ray Allen broke the NBA record for 3-pointers on Thursday night, sinking two in the first quarter against the Los Angeles Lakers as the man he passed, Reggie Miller, sat courtside working the TV broadcast.
Allen hit his second 3 of the game with 1:48 left in the first quarter to reach 2,561 in his career — a number that flashed on the scoreboard in green and white while the TD Garden erupted in applause.
The 38-year-old Celtic celebrated little as he got back on defense, but at the next whistle went over to Miller for a hug and a handshake, then bumped fists with Lakers star Kobe Bryant.
"I'm just so happy for him because this is one of the best guys," Miller said on the TNT broadcast. "He's so humble, he's so giving, he's a great family man and I'm excited. This is great. This is great for the game of basketball. You know why? We're focusing and talking about shooting."
The record-breaker came on a transition basket from the right side on a pass from Rajon Rondo. The sold-out crowd at the TD Garden — the visit by the rival Lakers would have been enough for that — cheered, and his teammates rose out of their seats. After the end of the quarter, Allen exchanged a few words, and another hug, with Miller, then went down the sideline to receive his family's congratulations.
To see Ray Allen hit the record breaking 3 check out NBA.com
Photo courtesy of news.yahoo.com.
17"But when he came to himself, he said, 'How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! 18I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants."' 20And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. 21And the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.' 22But the father said to his servants, 'Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. 23And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. 24For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.' And they began to celebrate.
What does God's Story teach us about celebrating?
When Ray Allen broke the record for most 3 pointers made in an NBA career last night the crowd went crazy. Ray Allen went over to the previous record holder, Reggie Miller at one of the next breaks in the action. Then, as the first quarter ended, the celebration really got going. Allen began making his rounds, celebrating with the team, his mom, and his wife and kids. It was time to stop and celebrate such a great accomplishment.
In today's God's Story scripture, the father of the lost son stops everything to celebrate his son's return. And man, do they celebrate! So much that the older son is offended. But, as the father says, his son is "alive again." That is definitely reason to celebrate.
As we walk with Jesus, do we ever stop long enough to really celebrate what he is doing in our life? Do that this weekend. Take some time alone this weekend to thank God for the work He has done, and is doing, in your life.
Don't keep the celebration to yourself. Get together with some friends who are also following Jesus and talk about what you could do to celebrate how God is working in your lives.
10 Feb, 2011
The Last Straw....
The Star-Spangled Banner can be a notoriously difficult song to sing, with its broad range and piercing high notes. But usually, the lyricswork out just fine.
At the opening of Super Bowl XLV, less than a minute into the song, Christina Aguilera mangled some words of the national anthem.
Instead of “O’er the ramparts we watch’d, were so gallantly streaming,” Ms. Aguilera belted out, “What so proudly we watched at the twilight’s last reaming.” That line was a repeat of one she’d already sung a few seconds earlier, except with some personal embellishments, like her replacement of the word “gleaming” with “reaming.”
Ms. Aguilera’s flub was heard by tens of millions of viewers. Twitter was immediately abuzz with talk of her mistake, and by the third quarter her Wikipedia page was changed to include the incident.
“I can only hope that everyone could feel my love for this country and that the true spirit of its anthem still came through,” Aguilera said in a statement after the performance, The Associated Press reported.
Story courtesy of nytimes.com
Picture courtesy of fanpix.net
Ephesians 4:15-16 (Contemporary English Version)
15Love should always make us tell the truth. Then we will grow in every way and be more like Christ, the head 16of the body. Christ holds it together and makes all of its parts work perfectly, as it grows and becomes strong because of love.
What does today’s Scripture Story teach us about perfection and love?
Speaking the truth in love means that we are honest. Yes, Christina messed up. Who doesn’t? Are we Christ-like when we point out others mistakes? We are to encourage and build each other up. To love one another so that as His family, we are perfectly working together.
How can we connect today’s God’s Story scripture to our lives?
I had planned on writing about Christina and her version of the national anthem. I wasn’t so much going to complain about her messing up the words or the way that she sang it, I was just going to mention that we shouldn’t make that big of a deal out of her making a mistake. And then today my son said something that reiterated the point I was supposed to be making.
Michael, who is 10 years old, went with me to lunch at a fast food drive through restaurant. After receiving the food and drinks, I asked if the napkins were in the bag. The lady assured me that they were, but then gave me some more. I loved her….you can never have enough napkins!
We drove away. After handing my son his food, I rifled through the bag to get the straw for our drinks. I searched at a stop sign. I frantically rummage around at a stop light. Ugh! No straws. What was wrong with that lady? Why would they give me 2 drinks and no straws? I complained, rolled my eyes, made exasperated sounds, and more than once expressed my annoyance at how I was supposed to drink without a straw. As we were getting out of the van at our home, Michael (who I’m sure was quite tired that I was still fixated on the missing straws) quietly said, “Nobody’s perfect, mom”. Ouch!! My son definitely told me the truth – in love.
You may have seen Christina mess up live at the Super Bowl on Sunday night. If you didn’t catch it on TV, you’ve probably seen in on youtube – and you’ve more than likely heard others comment on it.
Re-read today’s scripture. Quietly pray for the Lord to examine your heart. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you areas of your life where your love needs to grow.
When you make an mistake, admit it. None of us are perfect, but we can learn from our experiences and grow in Christ.
Are you expecting perfection from those around you? Don’t put that pressure on your friends or family. Love them for who they are. Respond to them with gentleness and respect and show them love when they make mistakes. Lead by example and let Christ shine through you.
When I got home this afternoon, I got my food from the bag and found – yes, you guessed it – two straws. Right where they should be. I apologized to my son for my actions, told him that he was totally right about no one being perfect, and gave him a big hug and kiss (he still lets me!). I finished my food plus had a huge helping of humble pie for dessert, cause finding those illusive sucking devices in the fast food bag was literally the last straw!
9 Feb, 2011
It's more than a Condiment.
Teenager beats rare brain condition and saves sight - after her father finds miracle cure on the internet
A teenager has beaten a rare brain condition that nearly robbed her of her sight - after her father found a miracle cure on the internet.
Charlotte Durham has a condition that causes her body to pump spinal fluid into her skull - pushing down on her brain and causing crippling migraines.
Charlotte Durham has beaten a rare brain condition after her father Andy found a promising drug during a Google search and convinced doctors to prescribe it. Doctors warned the 19-year-old that she would have to undergo a series of risky and expensive operations to try and save her sight and halt the horrendous headaches that had plagued her for years.
But the teenager was given a pioneering new treatment after her father read about a promising medical drug trial online and convinced doctors to try it.
Andy said: 'I've got a stubborn streak and was sure I could find a cure somewhere out there.
'I saw dramatic improvements in my condition almost straight away. The headaches weren't as bad, the noise in my ears had gone, as had pressure behind my eyes. 'I'm shocked it has made an impact on my eyes because they are the last things to repair themselves.
'I'm grateful the PCT funded it. I dread to think where I'd be without it.'
Charlotte and her family now hope that the unusual treatment can be used to help others who suffer from IHH. Charlotte's mum, Sharon, 49, an ambulance technician, said: 'Within eight months of Charlotte getting the drug, we have helped about 10 people get Octreotide all around the world. 'We get so many people emailing us, thanking Charlotte for telling her story because they say they wouldn't have known about it if it wasn't for her.
'We're surprised how it has gone, but really pleased, especially because it has worked for Charlotte.'
Article courtesy of dailymail.co.uk
Photo courtesy of google images
"He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move.
Nothing will be impossible for you.”
A mustard seed? Like the stuff that makes that "Yellow stuff" I put on my corn dog? Yeah. How many times to you stop to think about your condiments on your food, or for that matter what it comes from. In the picture above, there is ONE seed in the palm of their hand. ONE SEED. Now I am sure your traditional mustard has to use many seeds in order to provide you with ONE SQUEEZE of our condiment. Can the seed be any smaller than what it is??? If you sneezed during the photo shoot we would have to give the person another mustard seed because the ONE you sneezed away, is long gone and too small to find.
How often to we have such SMALL faith that we can't find even a tiny, little, bitty, teensy-weensy, yea big amount of faith in us. I always thought that if I had faith in something I needed a lot of it. Yet, God tells a different story, that we need just a "little" spec of faith to do the unthinkable MOVE A MOUNTAIN!
Charlotte's family truly had faith the size of a itsy bitsy mustard seed.
Do we dare to dream, do we dare to actually have even the slightest glimmer of hope that something could happen as crazy as moving a mountain. God, knows we have problems having these hopes, so he suggests that all we need is a mini insignificant amount of a seed.
Think about what you have asked God for lately... have you had faith that it will come true? If I am honest, I have not had even a minuscule amount of faith, in what is possible in these last months.
So I challenge you, (and myself) to reach into our depths and find the pocket-sized faith, and to actually BELIEVE IT.
- Ask God to move some mountains in your life.
- Sit and ask your self why it is so hard to trust God, & have faith that what he has planned for your life, is good, abundant, and right.
- Find, buy, look at an actual mustard seed this week. Feel what an itty-bitty mustard seed has the potential for, in your life.
We must grasp it first, that God is not in a box but capable of healing, moving, changing the unthinkable times in our lives. Use this story to talk about how crazy the internet has become that people are finding cures for illnesses. Talk about what it would be like at 19 to start loosing your sight, and hearing. And then suddenly be cured...
- Ask your friends if they believe you if you told them: "Nothing will be impossible for you"
Listen to their story on their dreams, hopes, and desires in life. Share some of your thoughts on the phrase, and how amazing that God only needs a mustard seed of Faith from you.
8 Feb, 2011
Spectator vs. Participant
I watched the Super Bowl on Sunday. Well, to be honest, I watched a few minutes of the actual game, some of the commercials, and about half of the half-time show. For the die-hard football fans, Super Bowl Sunday means that the biggest game of the year gets their undivided attention, no matter who is playing. For those who are fans of the two opposing teams, special attention is most certainly given to every moment that the clock is running. But for the rest of the estimated 110 million viewers, it’s a great time for a party! A whole evening is set aside just to be with friends, and everyone makes a fuss over the food, of course. Websites, blogs, magazines and TV shows all spend weeks highlight the best foods to make for football fans so that you can have the best party fare. Football-shaped paper plates, goal-post toothpicks, and great conversations divert our attention from the reason we say we are there. If you’re not that into the game, there’s always the kitchen for hanging out and catching up with friends. There are so many reasons to attend a Super Bowl party besides the football game itself, and there are plenty of things to distract us from the game, even if we do want to watch it.
Image coutesy of google images
“I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.”
What does God’s Story scripture teach us about participating?
As I was thinking about Super Bowl Sunday, I began to think about how similar it can be to our experience with church. We think church is a great place to connect with God and learn about him, but there are so many distractions that we often miss the point of being there. In Revelation, John wrote these specific verses to the church in Laodicea as a warning. I can imagine that they were going through the motions, making their appearance, but not really present for what mattered most to God. Their hearts were not in it. They probably looked really great from the outside, but being busy for the Lord or being present in church does not equal a heart on fire for Him.
- Are you a spectator or a participant in God’s Story?
- Are you hanging around church and other believers to see what they are doing for God, or are you taking an active part in what He has planned for you?
- Are you hot, cold, or lukewarm for Him?
How can I connect today’s God’s Story scripture and my story to others?
As you talk to friends about their Super Bowl activities this past weekend, find out if they were there for the game, the people, or the food. Connect their answer to God’s warning in scripture to be a full-on participant in His purpose.
7 Feb, 2011
Turned Away
ARLINGTON, Texas – Angry fans outside a Cowboys Stadium fence chanted “Let us in!,” “Jerry sucks!” and “We want seats!” while being denied inside access for Super Bowl XLV on Sunday.
After initially being turned away at the gate, approximately 850 fans with tickets in temporary seating sections were relocated to similar or better seats for the game between the Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers.
After the game started, the NFL said another 400 fans who were not accommodated with seats in the stadium were eventually taken inside to watch the game on monitors in the North Field Club behind the Pittsburgh bench.
“They also had the option of viewing the game from standing room platforms in each corner of the stadium,” the league said in a statement. “In addition, these fans will each receive a refund of triple the cost of the face value of their ticket. The face value of these tickets is $800.”
Story and Image courtesy of news.yahoo.com.
1 “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. 2 There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? 3 When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am.
When we are in a relationship with Jesus, our seats are saved. Not only do we have a seat, we have a room being prepared for us in heaven. While we may not be able to comprehend what heaven will be like, we can know that Jesus is preparing for us to spend eternity with him. And we won't be turned away.
Thank God today for saving a room for you in heaven where you will spend an eternity with Jesus.
Many of your friends will be talking about the Super Bowl on Monday. Whether it's about the game, or the commericials, or some other related story, it will be a hot topic of conversation. If you don't hear anyone bring up Today's Story, then why don't you bring it up? Ask your friends how they would have felt if they would have been one of those who were turned away. Begin a conversation about the today's God's Story scripture and God's promise to prepare a room for us.
4 Feb, 2011
Worth More Than A Super Bowl Commercial!
- Thank God for the new Story He is writing for you.
- Spend some time this weekend connecting with God's Story by reading the rest of John 4.
- Ask God to point out people in your life who need to hear how Your Story and God's Story have connected.
- If you watch the Super Bowl with some friends, bring up Today's Story during the commercials. Ask them how much they would be willing to pay to be able to tell their story. Ask them if you could tell them Your Story someday soon.
- Pray for that friend every day for the next week.
3 Feb, 2011
Spring Ahead!
The world-famous weather-reading groundhog Punxsutawney Phil predicted spring was on its way Wednesday from his home at Gobbler's Knob, near Punxsutawney, Penn.
His prediction offered the US some hope of respite as the country faced one of its largest winter storms since the 1950s. Thirty states were crippled by what the National Weather Service described as "life-threatening" weather conditions that stretched across 2,000 miles from Texas to Maine.
According to American folklore, if the rodent sees his shadow, then the country can expect six more weeks of winter. If he does not, then spring is on the way.
Story and picture courtesy of foxnews.com
Matthew 24:36-44
36 “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 37 As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; 39 and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.
42 “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. 43 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. 44So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.
The calendar tells us what day spring officially arrives, but just because it’s on paper doesn’t mean the weather will automatically be warm and sunny. Punxsutawney Phil may even predict spring to be here in six weeks, but his shadow isn’t a guarantee of what the weather – or future – holds. Only God the Father knows the future.
How can we connect today’s God’s Story scripture to our lives?
Do I trust a groundhog to give me weather and seasonal advise? No – I know that it doesn’t matter if Phil sees his shadow or not, spring will arrive. I’ll be preparing for it – cleaning the house, putting away the heavy coats, winter boots, and opening the windows to let in the warm sun and gentle breezes.
I must also be alert for my spiritual home to be ready for the physical return of Jesus Christ. I need to ask Him to clean out any unclean parts of my life, throw out things that aren’t pleasing to Him, and be prepared completely for Him. I don’t know when His return will be, but I want my friends to have an opportunity to make an informed decision about making Jesus their Best Friend.
How can we connect today’s story, God’s Story scripture, and our story to others?
As you talk to your friends today and in the upcoming weeks, the topic of weather and the season spring is certain to arise.
• Ask them who they trust for their weather information and why
• Let your friends know that you know the Maker of the wind, rains, and snow
• Show them by your actions that you trust Jesus
• Talk about Jesus in normal conversations
• Invite your friend to your YFC events, Campus Life meetings or church – involve them in your life
There’s no time to waste. Just like spring is right around the corner, Jesus IS coming back….any day……
2 Feb, 2011
Plowing the Way!
Snow couldn't stop a very special delivery
By Monica Buchanan
A special delivery for one Connecticut mom made for a dramatic story with a happy ending.
Cynthia Mello was expecting her second child when her water broke 11 days early. It happened during the height of Thursday’s snowstorm. Snow or not, little Jack was on his way.
“I didn’t think we were going to make it to the hospital on time. I told my husband to start shoveling the driveway. He came back in minutes later and told me there was too much snow,” Mello recalled.
Mello’s husband called 9-1-1, but the snow was quickly piling up and the driving conditions were getting worse. She didn’t know if the ambulance would get her from her home in Tolland to Saint Francis Hospital in Harftord in time.
“The ambulance driver told me he had such a hard time getting to us. We live up on a hill and they had a plow with them leading the way. The driver led us all the way to the hospital,” said Mello.
It wasn’t what she expected, but without that plow driver she says they never would have made it. A trip that usually takes her 20 minutes turned in a 2-hour ordeal.
“We were on I-84 and there were 4 tractor trailers that had jackknifed. We had to turn around and take back roads to the hospital,” Mello said.
They safely made it to the hospital and hours later little Jack William Mello was born.
Cynthia and Jack’s unusual escort is now the talk of the hospital.
“She called the ambulance because her water broke and the next thing we know we have a snow plow leading her in the ambulance so she can have her baby on time,” said Pat McDonald, a nurse.
Not only does baby Jack have a great story to tell his friends one day, he also has a very appropriate nickname- Jack Frost.
Article courtesy of NBC New York
"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it."
God will always lead you but it will not always be easy to follow. Cynthia and her husband tried to make it to the hospital by themselves. They were not able to so they called out for help. The large and inviting path of the highway was blocked by many people and thus, the plow was not able to get through. The plow and the ambulance needed to take several detours and side routes to make it to their destination. The normally easy trip turned out to be six times longer on the small and narrow path. God says in Matthew 7:14, "But small is the gate and narrow is the road that leads to life." In this case the road literally lead to the life of Jack.
Sometimes our life places us in the midst of a snow storm. We don't always know which way is the correct way to travel, yet God promises to lead us much like the snow plow led that little family to the hospital...God desires to lead you.
Have you allowed God to lead you?
Are you in the middle of a snow storm?? Does God need to guide you to safety?
God longs for you to call a "911" out to Him. Don't be caught up in your pride on believing you can do it all on your own. He wants to clear the way for the narrow less travelled road, the road that He knows is not easy but the rewards and health of you life mentally and spiritually are if you choose to call out to God.
As God moves in your life, your friends will begin to see a difference. Share about how the Road is not easy, and take time to share why it's different. At some point we all need to let God be the plow in our lives.
Continue to pray for your friends that they might see the need to call "911" when storms come in their lives. God works in many different ways. He could even call you to be a plow in one of your friends lives. Pay attention to ways God might have you help them. For an example God may need you to be the constant support, love and an understanding ear that they need from their friend.
1 Feb, 2011
Gossip
Call it what you will, it's still wrong
I was flipping through a magazine last week when I came across an article entitled “Have You Heard?” The tagline stated, “Admit it, you love a good piece of gossip. Here’s why it’s not as bad a habit as you may think.” The article went on to justify passing along hearsay and listening eagerly to someone else’s dish, and encouraging the reader to virtually ignore the twinge of guilt that accompanies these juicy conversations. Its author cites the upside of gossip with points such as releasing good chemicals in the brain and bonding with others, and statistics outlined the fact that both men and women gossip equally, though often in different ways or over different subject matter.
Proverbs 11:13
“A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy person keeps a secret.”
James 3:9-11
“With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring?”
What does God’s Story scripture teach us about gossip?
Gossip is an easy trap to fall into, and it’s difficult to turn away when someone else starts to gossip. But the Bible has much to say about gossip being hurtful and wrong. Numerous Proverbs warn against it. The New Testament writers refer to gossipers in the same breath as God-haters and evil-doers. And if you have ever been the subject of rumors or unconfirmed information, you understand how wounding gossip can be. It doesn’t matter if it makes you feel good for a moment, as the magazine said. That twinge of guilt is there for a reason: God tells us that gossip is wrong.How can I connect today’s God’s Story scripture to my life?
- Check yourself: Do you ever find yourself passing along information that is not yours to share? Do you listen in on conversations about others who are not present? Even if you don’t speak, do you allow others to gossip to you?
- Ask God for the conviction to know when to stop speaking gossip, or to stop listening to it.
How can I connect today’s God’s Story scripture and my story to others?
The next time you find yourself tempted to gossip or in the midst of an inappropriate conversation, stop, think, and excuse yourself. Tell your companions, “I’m sorry, but we really shouldn’t be gossiping.” Dare to be the one to do the right thing, though it may be a daily battle.
