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by an unknown arthor There's a story of an eccentric old man who carried an oil can with him everywhere he went. If he passed through a squeaky door or a stiff gate, he applied oil to the hinges. His practice of lubricating made life easier for those who followed after him. Nearly every day we encounter people whose lives creak and grate with problems. In such situations we face two choices--either to aggravate their problems with a spirit of criticism or to lubricate their lives in the Spirit of Christ. Some people we meet carry unbearable burdens and long for the oil of a sympathetic word. Others are defeated and feel like giving up. Just one drop of encouragement could restore their hope. Still others are mean and sin-hardened. Such people can become pliable toward the saving grace of Christ through regular applications of the oil of kindness. When we receive Christ as our Savior and Lord, the Holy Spirit indwells us and equips us to bless others. If we're prepared to pour out God's oil of helpfulness every day and everywhere, beginning at home, we'll minister Christ's beauty and oil of joy to many hurting people. Perhaps the old man with the oil can wasn't so eccentric after all. Putting It Into Practice Lend a listening ear. Pause to pray specifically. Speak a word of encouragement. The Lord has anointed Me... to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning.- Isaiah 61:1,3 The human spirit can gain new hope from an encouraging word.  Written by an unknown author How did everything get so dirty so fast?” I grumbled as I dusted the glass tabletop. “I had the whole house clean a month ago.” “Cleaning is away of life, not an event,” My husband responded. I know he’s right, but I hate to admit it. I want to clean the house once and have it stay that way. But dirt doesn’t surrender that easily. Speck by speck, the dust returns. Piece by piece, the clutter piles up. Sin is like the dust and clutter in my house. I want to eliminate all of it with one prayer of confession and repentance. But sin doesn’t surrender that easily. Thought by thought, bad attitudes return. Choice by choice, unpleasant consequences pile up. The apostle Paul told the believers in Colosse to get rid of “anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language” (Colossians 3:8). And he told the church at Ephesus, “Be angry, and do not sin: do not let the sun go down on your wrath” (Ephesians 4:26). Christ’s death and resurrection eliminated the need fro daily sacrifice. But confession and repentance are still essential to the Christian’s daily life. Getting rid of such things as anger, rage, and malice is a way of life, not a one-time event. We’re thankful, Lord, that when we fall We can begin anew If humbly we confess our sin, Then turn and follow You. Do not let the sun go down on your wrath. – Ephesians 4:26 The best eraser in the world is an honest confession to God. Written by an unknown author I’ll never forget the painful lesson I learned in early childhood about disobedience. My father, who had been mowing our lawn, interrupted his work to go shopping. He left the push mower standing near some flowers and ordered me not to touch it while he was gone. But I disobeyed him and gave it a push. To my shock, the mower veered and knocked over several flowers. When Dad returned, I blubbered, “I didn’t mean to do it!” Wisely, he replied, “Why did you do it then?” I knew the truth – I did mean to push the mower. My sin wasn’t that I mowed the flowers down, it was that I disobeyed my father. This childhood lesson is a reminder to be sorry for disobedience and not just the consequences. Rather than blubber to God, “I didn’t mean to do it,” I do what Hosea told wayward Israel to do: “Take word [of repentance] with you, and return to the Lord” (Hosea 14:2). I tell the Lord honestly that I knew His will but chose to disobey, and I cry out for His mercy. Praise God, He forgives! Are you grieved that you chose to disobey, and not merely sorry about the consequences? Then “take words with you, and return to the Lord” today. He promises to forgive you of your sin, for He loves you freely (v. 4). I’ve strayed, O Lord, and turned aside, I’ve disobeyed Your voice; But now with contrite heart I turn And make Your will my choice. I will heal their backsliding. I will love them freely. – Hosea 14:4 Repentance keeps the way clear in our walk with God. Written by an unknown author Life-changing events do not happen by accident. They are not determined by the stars. They are not by chance. The Lord uses every situation in life to accomplish His purposes. Frank W. Boreham (1871-1959), British pastor and essayist, said, “It was not by chance that Elijah and Ahab met on the grassy slopes of Carmel. It was not by chance that Herod and John met on the highways in Galilee. It was not by chance that Pilate and Jesus met in the judgment hall at Jerusalem. It was not by chance that Peter and Cornelius met on the Syrian seaboard. It was not by chance that Philip and the Ethiopian met on the sandy road to Gaza. It was not by chance that Nero and Paul met amid the antique splendors of ancient Rome…. No, our meetings are no more by chance than the meeting of Stanley and Livingstone in Central Africa.” We should begin each day with a sincere desire to please the Lord, gladly anticipating His appointments for us. They may be circumstances that are unplanned, or people we meet unexpectedly. But we should welcome them as opportunities to witness, to serve, and to grow spiritually. Recognizing God’s sovereign leading, let us rejoice in His appointments. All things work out for good, we know- Such is God’s great design; He orders all our steps below For Purposes divine. A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps. – Proverbs 16:9 The stops of a good man are ordered by the Lord as well as his steps. Jude 17-23 The great American statesman and lawyer William Jennings Bryan (1860-1925) was having his portrait painted. The artist asked, "Why so you wear your hair over your ears?" Bryan responded, "There is a romance connected with that. When I began courting Mrs. Bryan, she objected to the way my ears stood out. So, to please her, I let my hair grow to cover them." "That was many years ago," the artist said. "Why don't you have your hair cut now?" "Because," Bryan winked, "the romance is still going on." Is the romance still going on in our relationship with Jesus? When we first came in faith to Christ, we experienced the joy of knowing our sins were forgiven and we were adopted into His family. Our hearts were full and overflowing with love for the Lord. We longed to please Him. As time passed, however, the zeal of our first love may have begun to cool. That's why we need to take to heart the words of Jude. He wrote, "Keep yourselves in the love of God" (v.21). Jesus used similar terms when He said, "Abide in My love" (John 15:9-10). We nurture that love when we focus on pleasing Him instead of ourselves. Keep the romance going. "Keep yourselves in the love of God" Is what He says to do; Feeding on His Word each day, You'll find His love anew. Keep yourselves in the love of God. -Jude 21 To renew your love for Christ, review His love for you. Abigail was indeed a remarkable woman! She was a peacemaker whose courage spared the future king of Israel from committing a terrible sin. Here's her story: David had been forced to live in the countryside to escape King Saul's jealous wrath. A group of about 600 men and their families had gathered around him. For several months they camped near Carmel where the flocks of Nabal (Abigail's husband) were grazing. David's men had helped Nabal's shepherds protect the sheep from robbers. Now the shearing time had come, and David sent messengers to request some compensation form Nabal, who was a wealthy man. But he refused and treated David's men with disdain. In anger David rashly decided to kill Nabal and all the men in his household. When Abigail heard what had happened, she quickly gathered a large supply of food, intercepted David and his fighting men, and humbly apologized for her husband's behavior. David immediately realized that she had prevented him from carrying out a vengeful decision, and he praised God ( 1 Samuel 25: 32). Are we as quick to resolve a conflict? Jesus said, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God" (Matthew 5: 9). -Herb Vander Lugt How blest are those who persevere To bring a conflict to an end; And if the peace of Christ takes hold, An enemy becomes a friend. - D. De Haan Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. - Matthew 5: 9 You can be a peacemaker if you have God's peace in your heart. by an unknown author Michele Singletary and her husband decided to reduce their Christmas spending. They made some presents themselves and thought of creative ways to give their time and service to others. In her newspaper column on personal finance, Michele summarized her purpose in taking a hard look at her spending: "Building and maintaining relationships - what really matters over the holidays and throughout the year are priorities that shouldn't get crowded out by our conspicuous consumption." Deciding to spend less money at Christmas is a personal choice. But if relationships are high on our list of priorities, we could resolve to give more by giving of ourselves away. Isaiah described the kind of spiritual sacrifice that pleases God as one of serving others. "If you extend your soul to the hungry and satisfy the afflicted soul, then your light shall dawn in the darkness, and your darkness shall be as the noonday" (Isaiah 58:10). Jesus our Savior, whose birth we celebrate, said, "The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many" (Mark 10:45). As we observe Christmas this year, let's give more by giving ourselves away. Putting It Into Practice Is your holiday spending out of control? How could you give more of yourself this year and invest in your relationships? If you extend your soul to the hungry and satisfy the soul, your darkness shall be as the noonday. ~ Isaiah 58:10 Spend yourself for others this Christmas. By and Unknown Author by an unknown author After visiting his wife at a residence for Alzheimer's patients, retired pastor Browning Ware described the scene as he and close friends prepared to leave: "We shared hugs all around and held hands in prayer. So much to be grateful for! I thanked God for family, for friends, and for His radical love that liberates us even when caught within life's clawing circumstances." As we pause to thank God for every way He has blessed us, it's good to remember that our greatest treasure is His unfailing love. Too often our thankfulness ebbs and flows with our health or financial security. We equate God's blessing with freedom from pain and sorrow. But through faith and experience we learn that God's great love for us expressed in Jesus Christ can calm our hearts and minds even in the most taxing situations. Four times in Psalm 107 we read, "Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!" (vv. 8,15,21,31). Even when life seems overwhelming, we can cry out to the Lord and find His deliverance from our distress (vv. 6,13,19,28). It is not health or wealth, but God's unfailing love that sets us free in every circumstance of life. Thinking It Over What "clawing circumstances" have invaded your life? For what can you be thankful, even in troubling times? Read Psalm 107 for suggestions. Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works! - Psalm 107: 21 IF WE PAUSE TO THINK, WE'LL FIND CAUSE TO THANK. Psalm 56 Was David paranoid? Did he think the whole world was out to get him? You might get that impression as you read through some of his psalms. Look at a few of the statements he made: "Strangers have risen up against me, and oppressors have sought after my life" (Psalm 54: 3). "There are many who fight against me" (Psalm 56: 2). "They lie in wait for my life; the mighty gather against me" (Psalm 59: 3). Of course, during this time David was being hotly pursued by Saul and his men, so it's easy to see why he felt as he did. Nonetheless, his observations about people may echo the way we feel on occasions when others criticize and oppose us. Perhaps it's those with whom we work. Or maybe it's family members who apparently enjoy irritating us. Or people at church who seem to be critical and faultfinding. We just feel as if everyone is against us. If this describes your situation, it's time to do what David did. He declared, "In God I have put my trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?" (Psalm 56: 11). When you have trouble with people, turn to God. He understands. When people are cruel and attack you, And hope for relief becomes dim, Remember that Jesus has told you To cast all your care upon Him. In God I have put my trust; I will not be afraid. "What can man do to me? - Psalm 56: 11 GOD IS STRONGER THAN OUR STRONGEST FOE. Romans 5: 6-11 British pastor Joseph Parker was asked, " Why did Jesus choose Judas to be one of His disciples?" He thought deeply about the question for a while but could not come up with an answer. He said that he kept running into an even more baffling question: " Why did He choose me?" That's a question that has been asked throughout the centuries. When people become painfully aware of their sin and are overcome with guilt, they cry out to Jesus for mercy. In joyous wonder they experience the truth that God loves them, that Jesus died for them, and that they are forgiven of all their sins. It's incomprehensible! I too have asked, " Why me?" I know that the dark and sinful deeds of my life were motivated by a heart even darker, and yet God loved me! ( Romans 5:8). I was undeserving, wretched, and helpless, yet He opened His arms and His heart to me. I could almost hear Him whisper, " I love you even more than you loved your sin." It's true! I cherished my sin. I protected it. I denied its wrongdoing. Yet God loved me enough to forgive me and set me free. " Why me?" It's beyond my understanding. Yet I know He loves me- and He loves you too! Love sent the Savior to die in my stead. Why should He love me so? Meekly to Calvary's cross He was led. Why should He love me so? GOD LOVES US NOT BECAUSE OF WHO WE ARE, BUT BECAUSE OF WHO HE IS. God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. - Romans 5:8 From an unknown author Written by an unknown author Can you think of anything too hard for God to do? Put yourself in the shoes of a fellow Christian who has committed a sin so awful that the person cannot imagine that God would forgive it. Think about what he or she considers to be impossible for God. In an article on forgiveness, Pastor Charles Stanley wrote about talking to a teenager who was having a hard time believing that God could forgive her sexual sins. She told him she was a Christian and had asked Jesus many times to forgive her. Even though she knew the Bible says God had forgiven her, she still felt dirty in her heart. This teenager thought she had found something that was too hard for God to do - forgive her. When we tell ourselves that our sin is so bad God won't forgive us; we are doubting His power. We are robbing ourselves of the great gifts of a clear conscience and fellowship with God. Does guilt for sin have its icy hands around your heart? Is it strangling your joy and making you forget that God's forgiveness is not based on what you do but on what Christ has done? Ask for His forgiveness. Then thank Him for it, and moment by moment remind yourself of the wonder of God's grace. Think it over. If you are struggling with accepting God's forgiveness for something you've done, meditate on these verses: Ephesians 1:3-8 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessings in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will - to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. Colossians 1:13-14 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. Hebrews 8:12 "For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more." Other verses: 1John 1:5-2:2 Psalm 32 1John:5-10 | Power of Prayer | Michele's Message | | Return Home | 40+ Singles for All Seasons | Pay in Advance | Dance Clubs | Spiritual Journey | Classified Ads | Jobs | Business Networking | Volunteers | |
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