Love looks like a tender smile-
when someone is sad,
Love looks like a gentle touch-
that will calm a fearful child.
Love looks like understanding-
when your teen can't understand Algebra,
Love looks like patience-
when confronted with disobedience.
Love looks like listening-
to not only what your child says,
but looks closely at the meaning beneath-
the one that's not being spoken aloud.
Love looks like forgiveness-
when someone does something wrong,
and Love looks like loving them anyway-
realizing that we, too have been forgiven.
Love looks like tears of joy-
as we watch our loved one respond in kind,
Love looks like kindness-
even when we've been hurt.
Love looks like discipline-
with a firm yet gentle word,
love looks like the nudge of the hand of discipline-
that is never used for pain, but gentle guidance., to show the way.
Love looks like a kiss-
planted on a face upturned,
Love looks like lifting one up-
during any kind of pain or sorrow.
Love looks like-
thinking before we speak,
words are either sweet, to build up
or they may kill the spirit from within and tear down.
Love looks like patting the hand, or a hug-
and encouraging words,
Love looks like speaking blessings-
and never curses or words of destruction.
Love looks like a cross-
with blood trickling down to the ground,
Love looks like Jesus-
Who died because of His great love for YOU.
Love looks like eternity with God in Christ Jesus-
Love looks like obedience,
and love looks like becoming the image of Christ-
Love is loving others as yourself.....Christ died for you-love yourself or you can't love others!
Monday, October 31, 2011
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Thinking About Thinking
King Solomon said in Proverbs 23:7
"As a man thinks-so he IS."
I recently did an article on Daily Words about what King Solomon said and our service on Sunday morning regarding creating our "outer kingdom through our inner kingdom's thoughts.....we ARE what we THINK!
The Bible says so, therefore, it's undeniable...irrefutable, and absolutely true.
Give it a good old college try!
I challenge you! Not for an hour or a week, but for a couple of months at least...at least!
Surely we can think on the good, true, lovely, best for two or three months consistently!
Surely we can see, speak, and encourage, focus on the best. Surely we can think-all things work together for good for those who love God, and are called to His purpose (His purpose is to give you hope and a future, to prosper you and not harm you...Jeremiah 29:11)
His plans for your children is the same as yours should be-to give them HOPE and a future, to prosper them and to not harm them. ( NOT harm spiritually, emotionally, psychologically, verbally or physically)
I digress, however;
Thinking about thinking-
The dictionary gives more definitions of the word "think" and how it's used than I've seen on any definition!
Think: to ponder, to reason, to think out rationally, to consider choices, make rational decisions, to consider (whether true or not) to devise or contrive, and on and on it goes.
We create scenarios in our Mind (SOUL) based on what we hear every day, what we see, and what we are told....our environment CAN and WILL lead us to either negative thinking or positive thinking.
Either we fill our thoughts with good or evil......IF we hear negative, bad all the time our thinking becomes filled with mis-trust, doubts, fears, anger, rage, criticism, rebellion.....all that can destroy us from within!
If we are told that we're worthless-we'll most likely become worthless.
We simply must "think on these things-if there be ANY good-think on this".
When a child disobeys they are NOT bad and should NEVER be told so, they are most likely just reacting to what they see others do or say in front of them.
Children and teens, especially, are like sponges who absorb their environment, soak it up, and spit it back out when 'squeezed'.
IF you want them to spit out good-you have to fill them up with good...they have to see it, hear it, watch it lived out in front of them.....they must be taught that they are loved unconditionally by God and mom and dad. (This NOT by words only-which are meaningless without SHOWING-not just telling!)
They must be treated with dignity, respect, trust, encouragement, uplifted, and most of all to know beyond a shadow of a doubt that you will be there for them no matter what. That you love them no matter what they do or say.
The only way to make them believe it is to THINK with the MIND of Christ yourself.....if you THINK them to be worthwhile-they will be worthwhile...and God loved you as a sinner (while we were yet sinners Christ DIED for us!), so no matter what your child does......love him or her the way Christ does.
Fill your own thinking the way you want your children to think-Godly thinking-
If your thoughts don't pass the "Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God" test....get rid of it! (Ephesians 4:30)
Don't THINK it, don't SPEAK it, don't dwell on it....keep your mind clean and your heart will be clean, and therefore your BEHAVIOR will be right-
The power of life and death are in the tongue and it begins in the THINKING!
From the mind (soul) to the heart-
from the heart to the mouth-
from the mouth to the very SOUL of the hearer!!!!
Lord God,
Give me words of Life-not destruction.
May I speak encouragement-
never defeat.
May I show my love-
not just tell.
May I persevere-
to teach those young ones how,
by my actions.
Give me strength-
to speak blessings, not curses.
Fill my soul (mind) with your truth and love-
that it may shine forth to light the path-
for those who see, hear, and think!
"As a man thinks-so he IS."
I recently did an article on Daily Words about what King Solomon said and our service on Sunday morning regarding creating our "outer kingdom through our inner kingdom's thoughts.....we ARE what we THINK!
The Bible says so, therefore, it's undeniable...irrefutable, and absolutely true.
Give it a good old college try!
I challenge you! Not for an hour or a week, but for a couple of months at least...at least!
Surely we can think on the good, true, lovely, best for two or three months consistently!
Surely we can see, speak, and encourage, focus on the best. Surely we can think-all things work together for good for those who love God, and are called to His purpose (His purpose is to give you hope and a future, to prosper you and not harm you...Jeremiah 29:11)
His plans for your children is the same as yours should be-to give them HOPE and a future, to prosper them and to not harm them. ( NOT harm spiritually, emotionally, psychologically, verbally or physically)
I digress, however;
Thinking about thinking-
The dictionary gives more definitions of the word "think" and how it's used than I've seen on any definition!
Think: to ponder, to reason, to think out rationally, to consider choices, make rational decisions, to consider (whether true or not) to devise or contrive, and on and on it goes.
We create scenarios in our Mind (SOUL) based on what we hear every day, what we see, and what we are told....our environment CAN and WILL lead us to either negative thinking or positive thinking.
Either we fill our thoughts with good or evil......IF we hear negative, bad all the time our thinking becomes filled with mis-trust, doubts, fears, anger, rage, criticism, rebellion.....all that can destroy us from within!
If we are told that we're worthless-we'll most likely become worthless.
We simply must "think on these things-if there be ANY good-think on this".
When a child disobeys they are NOT bad and should NEVER be told so, they are most likely just reacting to what they see others do or say in front of them.
Children and teens, especially, are like sponges who absorb their environment, soak it up, and spit it back out when 'squeezed'.
IF you want them to spit out good-you have to fill them up with good...they have to see it, hear it, watch it lived out in front of them.....they must be taught that they are loved unconditionally by God and mom and dad. (This NOT by words only-which are meaningless without SHOWING-not just telling!)
They must be treated with dignity, respect, trust, encouragement, uplifted, and most of all to know beyond a shadow of a doubt that you will be there for them no matter what. That you love them no matter what they do or say.
The only way to make them believe it is to THINK with the MIND of Christ yourself.....if you THINK them to be worthwhile-they will be worthwhile...and God loved you as a sinner (while we were yet sinners Christ DIED for us!), so no matter what your child does......love him or her the way Christ does.
Fill your own thinking the way you want your children to think-Godly thinking-
If your thoughts don't pass the "Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God" test....get rid of it! (Ephesians 4:30)
Don't THINK it, don't SPEAK it, don't dwell on it....keep your mind clean and your heart will be clean, and therefore your BEHAVIOR will be right-
The power of life and death are in the tongue and it begins in the THINKING!
From the mind (soul) to the heart-
from the heart to the mouth-
from the mouth to the very SOUL of the hearer!!!!
Lord God,
Give me words of Life-not destruction.
May I speak encouragement-
never defeat.
May I show my love-
not just tell.
May I persevere-
to teach those young ones how,
by my actions.
Give me strength-
to speak blessings, not curses.
Fill my soul (mind) with your truth and love-
that it may shine forth to light the path-
for those who see, hear, and think!
Thursday, October 27, 2011
As A Man Thinks-So He Is!! (King Solomon)
A recent sermon by Pastor Dave is one that can help us to begin thinking our futures into reality, and it IS Biblical....I find myself (and I have always considered myself to be very positive.....to the point that growing up my family and friends even considered me a bit naïve about many things), but as I grew older and perhaps more 'jaded' or experienced, I began to think somewhat more in the negative....I suppose life can do that to us-with all the struggles and things happening around us.....but I WANT to get back into my childhood mode of thinking, having the faith of a child-like I used to do- and just speaking good things-"choose blessings!" God says to His people.
The attitude of the mind determines the heart and thus the heart, the spoken word and the spoken word-our reality.....it's what we create for ourselves and like Jesus said, 'The kingdom of God in WITHIN", (even now!!) if our inner Kingdom is negative and thoughts dominate us that are negative-our Outer Kingdom will also be negative: "As a man thinks, so he IS (or becomes) This is POWERFUL!
Especially when we KNOW that through the spoken Word-God spoke all things into BEING!
And "there is power of life and death in the tongue" we all know, but the tongue gets it's words from the thinking we dwell on that goes into the heart (out of the overflow of the heart (from the MIND) the mouth speaks....it all fits together so perfectly!!
Mind (soul) to heart to words to reality.
....and it's 'stuff' we have all heard before, we just have a terrible time trying to live it out....BUT if we can only realize that we are living out our thoughts anyway and we find ourselves struggling with forces we THINK are beyond our control.....but they are NOT-we have the Power over them by way of replacing our thoughts of fear, anxiety, negative 'scenarios' and drama in our heads with great dramas, great outcomes, great peace, love and joy, perseverance-all that we need to live a conquered life...we already HAVE the victory.....then what's stopping us from SEEING the victory?
Our "stinking thinking!"
I need a DAILY reminder of how I will live out my thought life-whether good or bad....and it MUST be the good!!! (if there be any good-THINK on these things!)
Meditate on God's Word.
Jesus said, "I am the Way, the Truth, and The Life!"
Out of HIM will come springs of living water-water for the soul (MIND).
He is the Bread of Life.....FEED on His Word-
His WORDS are Truth and Life!
Fill your mind with His Words-the Holy Bible......feed your mind (soul) with good, positive, clean, healthy, life-giving words and those thoughts WILL reflect in the outcome of YOUR life, the life of your children, spouse, friends, family, and everyone you meet!
Go with God.....choose words of life....THINK words of life-encouragement and exhortation and see the victory live out from within you!
( everything I write comes from my heart and MY desire to live out these words and thoughts!!)
In Jesus Christ,
I greet you in love!
Sue
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Time Alone With Father God
Time alone with GOD!
What an awesome thought.....
GOD! Talk, cry, pray, visit together, friend and friend, trusting, sharing feelings,
listening patiently as He speaks through His Word,
into your heart, mind and spirit!
May you have some very special alone time today-
with your loving, loving Father!
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Study To Show Thyself (II Timothy 2:15)
The Bible as a book stands alone. There never was, nor ever will be, another like it. As there is but one sun to enlighten the world naturally, so there is but one Book to enlighten the world spiritually. May that Book become to each of us the man of our counsel, the guide of our journey, the inspiration of our thought, and our support and comfort in life and in death.
Thomas Galloway
How very true those words!
When we pray and ask God to show us His truths,
When we OBEY His commands,
He reveals Himself
with each act of obedience!
How many times I have obeyed-
not really thinking I was wrong in an issue-
yet going in obedience to God's Word-
"if your brother has anything against you-
leave your gift on the alter.
GO, make things right with your brother" (paraphrased by Sue)
(YOU GO!)
return to the alter...." and God will reveal Himself to you.
Lord I want to see you! I want to be obedient to your precious Word-
To do that.....I must first know your Word!
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Smile! God Loves You!
“ Most people are about as happy as they make up their mind to be. ”
— Abraham Lincoln
-Proverbs 17:22
.. I I PeterIIIIII
I
.Though you have not seen him, you love Him; and even though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy,
-I Peter 1:8
This is my command--be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go."
-Joshua 1:9
He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust." Surely he will save you from the fowler's snare and from the deadly pestilence.
-Psalm 91:1-3
I can only imagine His great love, mercy, and forgiveness!
Thank You, Father.......my Father and my God!
Friday, October 7, 2011
Eve: Paradise Fallen
In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve had the perfect life, opportunities to live in paradise on earth, walk with the very God of all creation, and never have to worry or struggle.
However, given another great gift-that of freedom of choice- paradise would soon be filled with sin.
The serpent knew exactly how to tempt: the lust of the eye, the desires of the heart, and the yearning for more knowledge....how to be like God...she thought!
When Satan slithered his way into Eve's presence, she had no reason to be afraid....not yet!
Satan said to her, "Did God REALLY say you must not eat from any tree in the garden?.....
You will not certainly die....for God knows that when you eat of the fruit of the tree, your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."
Eve certainly learned the hard way-one of the worst possible for a mother-
about good and evil. She already knew the good before the temptation and fall by disobedience;
Her firstborn son was a murderer and her second, his victim. What a terrible way to have your eyes opened to good and evil! Then her firstborn was sent far away, and she and her husband made to leave their beautiful, once perfect home.
Eve listened to the deceiver and liar and the most crafty of all creatures. Immediately she gave of the fruit to Adam and he ate as well.
Now an interesting thing comes to mind. God rebuked Satan FIRST, Eve second, and lastly Adam.
I think this is significant. ( Temptation comes first, Thinking about yielding to it comes next, and the actual sin is acted upon...or not)
Eve looked at the beautiful delicious-looking fruit...oh how pleasing it appeard to the eye! She couldn't have been 'hungry' with all the fruits of the garden......but it WAS forbidden!
Satan was the crafty deceiver, Eve was the target, but Adam, as the spiritual leader, took the bait....he listened to his wife rather than God. HE was the one God told to not eat of the tree! (Genesis 2:17)
The Bible also says sin came into the world through one man, Adam, (Adam was held accountable first and then Eve, as his wife). Now sin is inherent in all of us.
Christ came to offer redemption.
As the spiritual leader of the family we should love, honor, and greatly respect husband and father.
The mother has a powerful role in the family dynamics and one never to be under estimated! Women have the ability to discern and are sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit and can make or break a family with her own hands and words.
The fact that Eve could so easily lead Adam to partake of something that God Himself had told him specifically NOT to do....he did for Eve!
Satan KNEW that. What would have happened if he'd worked his craft by way of Adam?
I'm not saying women are the weaker gender.....in fact I'm saying the exact opposite- women have the ability to stand behind the spiritual leader and be a virtual "powerhouse" when working as God intended....to be a helpmate. She can also be a device of Satan and the devil knew it.
If Satan can know that women have that kind of 'power' we women had BEST BE AWARE as well!
"Be sober, be vigilant; For your adversary, the devil, as a ROARING Lion, walks about SEEKING whom he may DEVOUR!" (I Peter 5:8)
And he will most likely try using the wife and mother FIRST!
BUT guess what......God won!
Let Christ reign in your heart.....listen to Him....God says " Listen to Him!" (Mark 9:7)
Be the woman God created you to be. Pray every day. Read His Word every day-how else can you know Him? He reveals Himself and His plans for us in His Daily Word...the Bible.
However, given another great gift-that of freedom of choice- paradise would soon be filled with sin.
The serpent knew exactly how to tempt: the lust of the eye, the desires of the heart, and the yearning for more knowledge....how to be like God...she thought!
When Satan slithered his way into Eve's presence, she had no reason to be afraid....not yet!
Satan said to her, "Did God REALLY say you must not eat from any tree in the garden?.....
You will not certainly die....for God knows that when you eat of the fruit of the tree, your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."
Eve certainly learned the hard way-one of the worst possible for a mother-
about good and evil. She already knew the good before the temptation and fall by disobedience;
Her firstborn son was a murderer and her second, his victim. What a terrible way to have your eyes opened to good and evil! Then her firstborn was sent far away, and she and her husband made to leave their beautiful, once perfect home.
Eve listened to the deceiver and liar and the most crafty of all creatures. Immediately she gave of the fruit to Adam and he ate as well.
Now an interesting thing comes to mind. God rebuked Satan FIRST, Eve second, and lastly Adam.
I think this is significant. ( Temptation comes first, Thinking about yielding to it comes next, and the actual sin is acted upon...or not)
Eve looked at the beautiful delicious-looking fruit...oh how pleasing it appeard to the eye! She couldn't have been 'hungry' with all the fruits of the garden......but it WAS forbidden!
Satan was the crafty deceiver, Eve was the target, but Adam, as the spiritual leader, took the bait....he listened to his wife rather than God. HE was the one God told to not eat of the tree! (Genesis 2:17)
The Bible also says sin came into the world through one man, Adam, (Adam was held accountable first and then Eve, as his wife). Now sin is inherent in all of us.
Christ came to offer redemption.
As the spiritual leader of the family we should love, honor, and greatly respect husband and father.
The mother has a powerful role in the family dynamics and one never to be under estimated! Women have the ability to discern and are sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit and can make or break a family with her own hands and words.
The fact that Eve could so easily lead Adam to partake of something that God Himself had told him specifically NOT to do....he did for Eve!
Satan KNEW that. What would have happened if he'd worked his craft by way of Adam?
I'm not saying women are the weaker gender.....in fact I'm saying the exact opposite- women have the ability to stand behind the spiritual leader and be a virtual "powerhouse" when working as God intended....to be a helpmate. She can also be a device of Satan and the devil knew it.
If Satan can know that women have that kind of 'power' we women had BEST BE AWARE as well!
"Be sober, be vigilant; For your adversary, the devil, as a ROARING Lion, walks about SEEKING whom he may DEVOUR!" (I Peter 5:8)
And he will most likely try using the wife and mother FIRST!
BUT guess what......God won!
Let Christ reign in your heart.....listen to Him....God says " Listen to Him!" (Mark 9:7)
Be the woman God created you to be. Pray every day. Read His Word every day-how else can you know Him? He reveals Himself and His plans for us in His Daily Word...the Bible.
Saturday, October 1, 2011
EXPECTING TO SEE JESUS-by Anne Graham Lotz
I am now reading my new copy of "Expecting To See Jesus" by author Anne Graham Lotz, the daughter of Dr. Billy and Ruth Graham. ( WWW.ANNEGRAHAMLOTZ.COM )
On page 87 I stopped to write on the first page, what I'm thinking as I read this amazing book.
Oh. My. Gosh!
I wrote:
"LORD,
If I could afford it, I'd give a copy of this book to everyone I know and literally BEG or BRIBE them to read it!"
Anne does a marvelous job of 'telling it like it is' in the spirit of the Old Testament prophet, Isaiah, she tells of how we teach to 'them' and 'those' and 'others' but when confronted with The Eyes of Our Heart opened to God's HOLINESS, PURITY, and TRUTH, we must declare, as Isaiah did, that "Woe is me! I am undone! I am a man (or woman) of unclean lips!"
In the presence of a most holy, just, pure, and righteous God, we are all unclean....and as we see Him as He truly is, in His holiness, His splendor, the God of all creation, the Light of the world, the Redeemer, the Savior, Lifted up and high on His throne, with His glory filling the sanctuary.....how could we see ourselves other than in the true light of the sinners we are, but for the grace of God?
Anne's goal is to see us all have such a personal relationship with Jesus that we will see the vision of WHO HE really is......everyone who's ever had such a vision is forever changed, from the prophets of old, the New Testament Disciples such as Paul the Apostle, Peter, and Mary of Magdala, to the modern day Christians....all who've experienced a true vision of Jesus are never the same!
Give Me Jesus!
On a scale of one to ten.....definitely a ten!
On page 87 I stopped to write on the first page, what I'm thinking as I read this amazing book.
Oh. My. Gosh!
I wrote:
"LORD,
If I could afford it, I'd give a copy of this book to everyone I know and literally BEG or BRIBE them to read it!"
Anne does a marvelous job of 'telling it like it is' in the spirit of the Old Testament prophet, Isaiah, she tells of how we teach to 'them' and 'those' and 'others' but when confronted with The Eyes of Our Heart opened to God's HOLINESS, PURITY, and TRUTH, we must declare, as Isaiah did, that "Woe is me! I am undone! I am a man (or woman) of unclean lips!"
In the presence of a most holy, just, pure, and righteous God, we are all unclean....and as we see Him as He truly is, in His holiness, His splendor, the God of all creation, the Light of the world, the Redeemer, the Savior, Lifted up and high on His throne, with His glory filling the sanctuary.....how could we see ourselves other than in the true light of the sinners we are, but for the grace of God?
Anne's goal is to see us all have such a personal relationship with Jesus that we will see the vision of WHO HE really is......everyone who's ever had such a vision is forever changed, from the prophets of old, the New Testament Disciples such as Paul the Apostle, Peter, and Mary of Magdala, to the modern day Christians....all who've experienced a true vision of Jesus are never the same!
Give Me Jesus!
On a scale of one to ten.....definitely a ten!
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