Category: Relationships

Is your focus on others or yourself? Sometimes we need to examine ourselves.

Jeremiah 5:2-4 (NIV)

2 Although they say, ‘As surely as the LORD lives,’
still they are swearing falsely.”

3 O LORD, do not your eyes look for truth?
You struck them, but they felt no pain;
you crushed them, but they refused correction.
They made their faces harder than stone
and refused to repent.

4 I thought, “These are only the poor;
they are foolish,
for they do not know the way of the LORD,
the requirements of their God.

Luke 6:42
How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

Hebrews 10:25
Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. (NIV)

  • Are you attending church or making excuses?

Hebrews 4:11
Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience.

  • Don’t allow sin in your life to separate you from God. Repent and get rid of it. Don’t allow the sin of others to cause you to turn away. Others will fail you. Concentrate on your relationship with God and don’t look at their relationship as an example or a standard.

Parents: We Are Not Perfect

PARENTS: We Are Not Perfect

Let’s give God the freedom to do in our children what we cannot do. No matter how hard we try, we will more than likely look back and wish we would have done something differently. That is because we are not perfect and all children will be different. There is no set pattern for parenting. We must use all that we know and do all we can and let God fill in where we cannot.

We must pray continually for our children. For our prayers to be effective, we must be right before God. The example that we set will be the example they follow. Our children will change as we change. The tone we use with them will be the tone of our household and the tone that they develop.

Begin by asking God to show you where you have failed. Ask for forgiveness and wisdom to make changes where needed. This may also be asking your child to forgive you for an action or attitude that was wrong. Thank God for your children and the plans that He has for them. Focus on the positive.

Let’s trust God with the plan He has for our children. His plan is better than our plan all the time. A better plan for them and a better plan for us. Lets submit ourselves to both.

 

 

Prayer: Father God I bring myself to you. Show me where I need to change and where I have failed so that I can be what you want me to be. I thank you for my children that you have given to me for a time. Help me to guide them according to your will that they will fulfill the marvelous plan you have for them. Thank you for a plan to prosper them and not to harm them, a plan to give them a hope and a future.  Help me to not want to control my children but to love them and to guide them, to show them your perfect love that they will have the desire to serve you. Amen.

Jeremiah 29:11(NIV)

11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Ephesians 6:4(NIV)
Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.

Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV)

 5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.[a]

Heaven or Hell?

Heaven or hell? Is the choice really hard?

If we could imagine the worst torture ever, we could not even come close to what hell will be  like and it continues for eternity with no let up and no way out. There is one way to not end up there.

If we could imagine the most beautiful paradise ever, we could not come close to what heaven will be like. It continues for eternity and will be unbelievably better than anything we ever imagined and we will not want out. Jesus is the only way to make it to heaven and the only way to not end up in hell.

There will be no tears in heaven. This I have a hard time understanding because if I have loved ones that have not made it because of their choice, I can’t imagine not shedding tears. It must be that God won’t allow us to remember them. If we make it to God’s gate and he says depart from me I know you not, is that the way it will be for us that we will just not know them. This thought brings tears to my eyes because we want to remember our loved ones and the memories that we share.

I don’t have an answer but God does. If we follow Him faithfully and live as He wants us to then we will take as many of our loved ones with us that we are able to reach but it will be ultimately their choice and their choice alone that will make the difference. Jesus want a personal relationship with all of us. It is not His desire that any should perish.

Is the choice really hard?

Relationships

Jesus was relational. We are called to be relational. Our relationship with Him should be at the top so that we look to Him to fulfill us and not expect that of others. The relationship we have with others can only thrive when we don’t put too much expectations on the person in that relationship.

Relationships are a real treasure. They can last through eternity. Whatever material possessions God has blessed you with can be used in your relationship with others but it is the relationship that is the “real” treasure.

Relationships cannot survive when one is selfish and they cannot survive without forgiveness.

Relationships can be intersecting in a good way or a bad way just as a tangled string of beads. If they are tangled in a bad way, God can untangle them. If they are tangled in a good way just enjoy the mess.

Forgiven but Not Forgotten

Forgiven But Not Forgotten

When we forgive, things are not always forgotten. Even in remembrance, we  can have a relationship. Things may not be the same and we may need to be on guard. We live in a fallen world with fallen people. It is not our place to hold anything against anyone for their mistakes even when they have done something to us. We have a God that is all knowing. If He has allowed something into our lives then He has a purpose. He will use it for His glory and our betterment. Romans 8:28 says “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who[a] have been called according to his purpose.” Sin causes consequences. Those that have sinned against us will have consequences but it is not for us to decide those consequences. God should decide. If we try to bring about consequences, we are trying to be a god and that is not our job. God is the Father of fathers and knows what discipline is right for his children and the right actions to use with those that choose to not serve Him. He offers forgiveness to anyone that will come to Him and confess their sins. If that sin is not confessed through Jesus and covered by His blood then there will be eternal consequences. I believe God allows things into our lives to draw us to Him and to help us become stronger that He may use us for His purpose. We do not always see why God has allowed certain things in our lives but if we are to live a victorious life, we must do our best to be obedient. God is God and knows all things and His plan is bigger than we can even imagine.

1 John 1

5 This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all[b] sin.

8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.

Philippians 4

4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.