Forgiveness

There are days where I am not having a good attitude or do not act right. A lot of times I get down on myself and think I will never be able to please God. This thinking can begin to drive a wedge between me and Him. There is always forgiveness available I just have to accept it. The below quote helps me to think correctly. I hope it helps you too.

"If our heavenly Father gives us a gift, we can trust He will never take it away. It becomes ours to keep. That’s what a gift is! We did nothing to deserve it. So, we can do nothing to lose it. It all rests on God’s initiative.

But, a greater theological principle is at work here. If the believer’s sin after salvation could require death—or any form of punishment— then Jesus’ sacrifice was insufficient. However, the Bible tells us Jesus’ death was wholly sufficient and a once-for-all payment of mankind’s sin-debt. (Hebrews 7:26-27)

Either Jesus’ blood does cover our sins, or it doesn’t. There’s no middle ground. The Holy Spirit, Christ’s words, and Scripture’s testimony clearly state that it does." ~Charles Stanley

Cost

"Yes, and those who decide to please Christ Jesus by living godly lives will suffer at the hands of those who hate Him." (2 Timothy 3:12)

"Don't let others spoil your faith and joy with their philosophies, their wrong and shallow answers built on men's thoughts and ideas, instead of on what Christ has said." (Colossians 2:8)

"The Bible is filled with examples of men and women who were hated, abused and cast out by their own families––men and women who were loners, friendless, lacking in talents or abilities, yet who triumphed over the greatest adversity because of their trust in God. " ~Dave Hunt

Thinking About Trials

Sometimes our trials feel like confinement. We want to break free from them. Yet God, in His great wisdom sees it as a way to carry us through. A way to bring us closer to Him. A way to strengthen our faith. We must continue to trust the protective boundaries of our Lord. If we will submit and trust, we will grow in patience and wisdom and bring glory to His name.

1 Peter 1: 7
These trials are only to test your faith, to see whether or not it is strong and pure. It is being tested as fire tests gold and purifies it - and your faith is far more precious to God than mere gold; so if your faith remains strong after being tried in the test tube of fiery trails, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day of His return.

James 1:2-4
Dear brothers, is your life full of difficulties and temptations? Then be happy, for when the way is rough, your patience has a chance to grow. So let it grow, and don't try to squirm out of your problems. For when your patience is finally in full bloom, then you will be ready for anything, strong in character, full and complete.

2 Peter 1: 6
Next, learn to put aside your own desires so that you will become patient and godly, gladly letting God have His way with you.

To Believe or Not to Believe

I have been feeling overwhelmed by life and this encouraged me.

By Charles F. Stanley

I have a friend whose heart was broken when his son decided he no longer wanted to be married. The father prayed that God would reconcile that broken relationship, but soon the divorce was final. My friend felt as though the Lord had let him down.

After Christ’s death, Thomas struggled with a similar issue. He had envisioned his Messiah ruling as King of the whole earth—but now Jesus was dead, and Thomas’s hopes were buried with Him. Had he believed a lie? Why had his Lord not done what the biblical prophecies said He would do?

When the other disciples reported that the Lord had risen from the dead, Thomas refused to believe unless he could actually see Christ’s wounds of crucifixion (John 20:25). Having been disappointed after putting faith in Jesus before, he hesitated to do so again without tangible proof.

Our trust in God can take a nosedive when expectations of what He will do are unfulfilled. Perhaps you can think of a time you asked the Lord for something and believed with all your heart that He would do it—but then He didn’t. What are we to do when it looks as if God has failed us? Keep believing! Jesus said, “Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed” (v. 29).

Thomas’s huge disappointment—Christ’s death—ultimately led to the greatest hope for mankind. When we feel that the Lord has let us down, we need to realize that in His great wisdom, He is doing something even greater than we asked.

Standing for Christ

I have extended family that is not Christian. I love them all, but when participating in family functions I sometimes have to listen to them criticize Christian beliefs. I also have to put up with being left out at times. My sister said to me the other day "You always have to be different." I am going to take that as a compliment and keep praying.

"For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. " (1 Corinthians 1:18)

Don't Ever Quit - Even if Your Teen Hates You

A good article by Mark Gregston:

I have seen many parents wonder what in the world happened to their family. They seemingly woke up one morning to a teen who completely changed overnight. Their loving, kind and thoughtful kid is now a person they no longer recognize. It's easy for them to feel they are not prepared for all of this – but who is?

No matter how good a parent you are, there are forces at work in our culture trying to send your kid spinning off in a direction that you could never imagine. The teen culture is bent on undermining the values you have tried so hard to instill into their lives.

Should you ever wonder if your teen's troubles have something to do with what you did or didn't do as a parent, remember this truth: There are no guarantees or perfect formulas in parenting! Every parent struggles with one adolescent or another. If you haven't, you probably will.

~Read the rest of this article by clicking here

Godly Mothering

The impact a mother can have on her child's life is awesome. Perhaps you've heard me talk about my dear mother Rebecca and what a great example she was for me.

Mother and my father Charlie Stanley had been married just three years when he died. I was only nine months old. It was 1933 and the entire nation was struggling through the Great Depression. things were very difficult for everyone, but especially for my mother, who had to provide for and raise a child on her own. She didn't understand why the Lord had allowed her to experience such adversity. But through it all, she still trusted Him, and her faith in God made a tremendous difference in my life.

Now, you may wonder if you are equipped to be a good example to others. But the only qualifications necessary are unconditional love and obedience to the Lord Jesus Christ. My mother never taught a Sunday school class, never sang in the choir, and never held an office in her church. She was a very quiet, unassuming, humble lady. But she was very wise, because her focus on God and His Word was central to her life.

So how can you impact the lives of your children and the young people you know? It's the same way that my mother influenced me. ~ Charles Stanley

How to be a good example to a child:

1. Read the word of God.
2. Pray
3. Trust the Lord for your needs and be thankful.
4. Submit to the Lord, obey His word.
5. Love others as Christ does.