"For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if [there be] any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." (Romans 13:9) KJV
Staggering into my room around midnight is nothing new to me, but collapsing onto my bed after traveling around the world was. My trek from Italy back to Florida took a total of 24 hours. Looking back over the nine days the marching band spent together will be a memory I will cherish forever, as well as the lessons we learned about each other.
We were like four brothers rooming together. We loved each other one minute and would love to give each other a swirly the next. It's one thing to say you know someone, but it's a whole other story once you live with them for a few days.
Oh, we had lots of fun; I remember holding down Chad when he got this bright idea that he would steal my bed as Matt introduced a wet towel to his rear end. I also remember seeing that same person dazed and confused when the girl he liked didn't like him in return. Then we had Derrick, who was God's gift to women, then Matt, who just stayed in his own little world most of the time. Last was myself who joked around and sat back and watched the events unfold.
I believe Paul knew how much it meant to love one another; he was beaten, whipped, and imprisoned for trying to save people's lives. When he wrote the book of Romans he spoke of experience. What experiences do you recall? Have you had times when you felt unloved and alone? Remember the times when you first met Jesus? Remember the warmth and comfort and security you felt when you accepted Him into your heart? Now you know what Paul continued with the next verse. "Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law." May peace be with you.
(www.tddm.org)
Friday, May 20, 2011
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Through His Eyes
"Let your light shine before all men so they can see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven." (Matthew 5:16) NKJV
What would it be like to look through those awesome eyes, full of love, compassion, and submission? Wow, what a thought. To think of the multitudes they came in contact with, the grief they saw, the pain and suffering they witnessed. Then to see a tear break their lids like a water fall as it runs down His body to the nail drove deep into his feet. Every time I think about the events it's not my eyes that water, but my brain that tries to comprehend such a love. What could I ever say to let Him know what the cross means to me, what could I ever do to repay the blood that was shed for me?
The vision Jesus saw when He placed himself in the hands of the world was of a single person, of a person who deep down inside knew what right and wrong was. A person who He could one day sit down and talk face to face with and call them Son. What did Jesus see when He made the decision to put on flesh? He saw you.
As Christians we are called to be the light during these dark times; we are called to be the hope for the hopeless, and the eye in the storm. Remember how you felt when you first accepted Jesus into your heart? Remember the peace and the love you felt? The joy that only a Savior can bring? Jesus not only wants us to feel that but He wants your best friend to feel that, He wants your next door neighbor and even the bully in your 6th period class to feel that.
The best way we can be that light is by the way we act. Do you see a light house in the middle of the Atlantic? Never. Yet we try and put ourselves in the middle of everyone and everything and push Christianity on people. The best way is to let people see what you have. Boats always come to shore sooner or later, so do all of God's people, we just have to be prepared to lead them safely to shore once they come in, because it's then that Satan will use the rocky coastline to tear them apart.
In today's world words seem meaningless. Just a bunch of letters thrown together. When people see Christians talking the talk one day then drinking the beer the next, there is no wonder why witnessing with words can be a lost cause. Think of someone today that needs to be saved. Then start praying for them. Get to know them and let your example shine so when they are caught in the darkness of the world there will be one light that will always lead them home. May peace be with you.
(www.tddm.org)
What would it be like to look through those awesome eyes, full of love, compassion, and submission? Wow, what a thought. To think of the multitudes they came in contact with, the grief they saw, the pain and suffering they witnessed. Then to see a tear break their lids like a water fall as it runs down His body to the nail drove deep into his feet. Every time I think about the events it's not my eyes that water, but my brain that tries to comprehend such a love. What could I ever say to let Him know what the cross means to me, what could I ever do to repay the blood that was shed for me?
The vision Jesus saw when He placed himself in the hands of the world was of a single person, of a person who deep down inside knew what right and wrong was. A person who He could one day sit down and talk face to face with and call them Son. What did Jesus see when He made the decision to put on flesh? He saw you.
As Christians we are called to be the light during these dark times; we are called to be the hope for the hopeless, and the eye in the storm. Remember how you felt when you first accepted Jesus into your heart? Remember the peace and the love you felt? The joy that only a Savior can bring? Jesus not only wants us to feel that but He wants your best friend to feel that, He wants your next door neighbor and even the bully in your 6th period class to feel that.
The best way we can be that light is by the way we act. Do you see a light house in the middle of the Atlantic? Never. Yet we try and put ourselves in the middle of everyone and everything and push Christianity on people. The best way is to let people see what you have. Boats always come to shore sooner or later, so do all of God's people, we just have to be prepared to lead them safely to shore once they come in, because it's then that Satan will use the rocky coastline to tear them apart.
In today's world words seem meaningless. Just a bunch of letters thrown together. When people see Christians talking the talk one day then drinking the beer the next, there is no wonder why witnessing with words can be a lost cause. Think of someone today that needs to be saved. Then start praying for them. Get to know them and let your example shine so when they are caught in the darkness of the world there will be one light that will always lead them home. May peace be with you.
(www.tddm.org)
Monday, May 16, 2011
Cast Your Cares
Missy was the kind of girl that everyone wanted to know. She had lots of friends, was always happy, always looked at the positive side of things, was always there for her friends, and always had the time to listen and make you smile. She was one of those people who, when you asked her how she was, never said bad, and 99% of the time her answer was "great." She always found joy in something, something that often many wondered where she got the strength to find it in.
"Ask, using my name and you will receive, and you will have abundant joy." John 16:24 NIV
Missy found her joy, and the joy she shared with others, in God. Her God, her Heavenly Father, and her best friend Jesus. That's how people always saw her as happy and cheerful. The past few days though, Missy had a strange feeling within her. She had a full day at school, went to volleyball, and now was at home finished with her homework. She sat on her bed holding her pillow in her arms, as out of no where tears began to pour down her cheeks. For a reason unbeknown to her, Missy couldn't stop crying. For the past days, sad feelings had building up inside of her, and her heart weighed heavy. Nothing in particular had been terribly wrong, but little things had piled up and eventually poured out. Missy needed peace with herself, and with her issues.
"I am leaving you with a gift - peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give isn't like the peace the world gives. So don't be troubled or afraid." John 14:27
Friends, sometimes there are times in our life that pile up on us, and rain over us like rushing floods. But our God is there for us, to give us love, peace, joy, and an understanding.
Especially as teens, we go through times where sometimes we just don't know who we are anymore, but God is there to show us our path. "Cast all your cares upon him, for he cares for you." Turn your cares over to him.
(www.tddm.org)
"Ask, using my name and you will receive, and you will have abundant joy." John 16:24 NIV
Missy found her joy, and the joy she shared with others, in God. Her God, her Heavenly Father, and her best friend Jesus. That's how people always saw her as happy and cheerful. The past few days though, Missy had a strange feeling within her. She had a full day at school, went to volleyball, and now was at home finished with her homework. She sat on her bed holding her pillow in her arms, as out of no where tears began to pour down her cheeks. For a reason unbeknown to her, Missy couldn't stop crying. For the past days, sad feelings had building up inside of her, and her heart weighed heavy. Nothing in particular had been terribly wrong, but little things had piled up and eventually poured out. Missy needed peace with herself, and with her issues.
"I am leaving you with a gift - peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give isn't like the peace the world gives. So don't be troubled or afraid." John 14:27
Friends, sometimes there are times in our life that pile up on us, and rain over us like rushing floods. But our God is there for us, to give us love, peace, joy, and an understanding.
Especially as teens, we go through times where sometimes we just don't know who we are anymore, but God is there to show us our path. "Cast all your cares upon him, for he cares for you." Turn your cares over to him.
(www.tddm.org)
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