I found this on Facebook and since it made me tear up – I’m sharing it here too.
Category Archives: Guests
My Find
A find I didn’t know I had.
Off and on for much of this fleeting Saturday, I have invested in studying for tomorrow’s Bible lesson during Sunday School hour at First Baptist Satsuma. And in the process I chased a number of rabbits. :) I do that often with the various study tools I have. This one is Logos. Isn’t it delightful when you find you have something you didn’t know you had?
So reading, clicking and exploring my Logos Library I found the following and decided I’d post a small portion of my find here. I am thinking of my grandchildren. Perhaps you have children or grandchildren that will come to mind as well:
Selecting a Mate
Many young people have a romantic expectation of meeting someone who is erotically attractive and elicits a mysterious sense of compatibility. “Falling in love” hits like a powerful religious experience and is taken to be the voice of God: “This is the one for you.” Christian young people are sitting ducks for this deception.
They need compelling instruction that identifies Christian love as service love, founded on a decision, drawing from the emotions but not grounded in them. They also need wise criteria for selecting a spouse. We suggest they consider questions like the following:
—What kind of life is God calling you to live? What kind of spouse would support that?
—What kind of person would likely make a good father or mother for your children?
—What personality traits would put additional stress on your personal weaknesses?
—What are the important qualities in a spouse “for the long haul”? How do attractive appearance and an urbane sense of humor rate over time with a trait like faithfulness?[1]
I wonder how many divorces would have been avoided had the marriages been predicated on these criteria? I also wonder how many godly homes would have been established? It is not too late for this generation if our generation will make some changes.
Food for thought.
Happy Saturday, my Friends,
Because we Need to Know & Pray
VOM-USA Prayer Update for March 22, 2013
The Voice of the Martyrs USA: www.persecution.com
Pakistan—Christian Neighborhood Destroyed in Riot
Source: VOM Contacts
A mob of about 3,000 people looted and burned a Christian neighborhood in Lahore on March 9 after a man in the neighborhood was accused of blasphemy. The riot forced 200 families to flee. Mosque loudspeakers began to broadcast news of the blasphemy charge at 4 p.m. on Friday, March 8, and a mob of extremists appeared in the neighborhood at 9 the next morning. Terrified Christians fled their homes, remembering a 2009 riot in Gojra, Pakistan, in which eight Christians were killed, many more injured and at least 40 homes destroyed. As in Gojra, police in Lahore apparently stood by while the mob destroyed at least 175 homes in the neighborhood over a five-hour period. The man accused of blasphemy is in police custody.
Senegal—Brazilian Christians Remain in Jail After Conversion Complaint
Source: VOM Contacts
Two Brazilian Christians remain in prison in Senegal on charges of kidnapping and child trafficking. The Christians operated a home for street children, many of whom were members of Quranic schools that force their pupils to sleep on the streets. The home provided food, shelter and education to about 17 children. After one of the youths told his father he had become a Christian at the home, the boy’s father made accusations against Pastor Jose Dilson Alves Da Silva. Legal efforts and intervention by Brazilian diplomats have so far had no effect. “This is a prayer subject for all of us,” said VOM’s field worker in Senegal. “The only person who can solve this problem is the Lord.”
Turkey—Murder Conspirators Released on Bail
Source: VOM Contacts
All but one of the 14 men arrested in a murder plot against Pastor Emre in Izmit have been released on bail, pending the investigation and trial. According to VOM’s field worker for the region, “Christians have to work harder than most people to get justice in Turkey, a country where victims need lawyers to push the justice system to pursue justice.” Pastor Emre has already offered forgiveness to the conspirators.
Laos—VOM Project
Pray for eight young Khmu women who are receiving training in biblical studies and in tailoring. The young women are daughters of pastors, ministry leaders and PSP workers. Some of their families have been directly persecuted, and many of them see opposition to Christianity in their villages.
Officers of the Court
Day 35 of 35 – Soul Detox
Devotional
If you’re hurting all the time, you can’t help hurting other people, but if you will do what it takes to Biblically manage toxic relationships, then you can be strong and share the love of God to people who need to know Him. Strive to manage the toxic relationships in your life, and more importantly, strive to make sure you aren’t being the toxic one in your relationships.
What are some things you can to do to build healthier relationships in your life?
via Soul Detox | YouVersion.com.
And so our Soul Detox study together closes. However, I think if we are wise and if this study is to be perfected in us, we will continue to ponder the TEXTS we have read and the questions asked and the messages given.
Today’s TEXT addressed Judgment, using the word in my Translation six (6) times. And after this study today I am more firmly convinced that our society does not have a clear understanding of the word and it is inappropriately thrown around for the specific purpose of dismissing one’s responsibility before GOD and warding off corrective admonitions of Others.
The use of the word Judge in our TEXT today is this:
to preside over with the power of giving judicial decisions
via Krino – New Testament Greek Lexicon – King James Version.
What is a judicial decision? An execution or acquittal.
And who makes judicial decisions? One having the power and authority to carry out those decisions.
And when a human judge sits the bench and he gives a judicial decision to place the Offender in prison and the Police Officer comes and takes the guilty one away, do we say the Police Officer JUDGED the Offender? I’ll leave that there for you to ponder the analogy.
But I will ask, who has the ultimate power and authority over man?
Who has the right to Execute or Acquit?
Who has the power and authority to open up hell and drop One in or open Heaven and welcome One in?
Who has the directive from GOD to warn and invite mankind respectively? (See Matthew 28:19-20.)
How did JESUS speak to the Woman taken in adultery? (See John 8:10-12.)
“Neither do I condemn you. Now go, and don’t sin any more.”
via John 8:10-12 CJB – Standing up, Yeshua said to her, – Bible Gateway.
Allow me to share an example of a communique that is NOT Judging: I don’t know the specific weapons the Evil One used to entice your flesh to commit adultery (or fill in any other sin); whatever they were I am sorry. I am sorry you did not see any other way; I am sorry you were overtaken by this. It is wrong. It is an evil choice you made. But I have great news! You can be set free of it and forgiven. Based upon the Word of JESUS, if you will repent; if you will change your mind about this sin, and admit it is evil and a violation of GOD’s Holy Word, determining in your heart that you are willing to forsake this sin, He will forgive you and heal you; and the HOLY SPIRIT will help you never do it again.
That my sisters and brothers is what we need. You and me willing to love enslaved people enough to give them this GREAT NEWS! It is not our JUDGMENT. It is ABBA’s Judgment. We are merely given the privilege and responsibility of being Officers of His Court.
ABBA, this is a heavy ending to this study but I thank You for it. It helps me see and I pray it will help others see too. See that You do hate sin and that sin will eternally kill and destroy us if we do not repent and yet when we do repent You will forgive us, You will heal us and we will LIVE forever with You. Why am I so shy with speaking this glorious message? I pray for your mercy and forgiveness to repent of this and allow You to fill me with bold and holy love for people. And, ABBA, I pray this too for every sister and brother who joins me in agreement. Thank You again for this study, please seal it in our hearts and walk it out with our lips, our hands and our feet for JESUS name sake. Amen and amen.
