SHOULD CHRISTIAN'S "LIGHTEN UP" OR "BRIGHTEN UP?"

  I think it's time we "brighten up" instead of "lighten up." Each time I read post about controversial issues there is usually a person that will post the comment, "Christians just need to lighten up. There are times that things are drawn, created or posted just to stir Christian emotions." Guess what, it works!

   As I read the post I see numerous emotions being expressed openly in both directions. It's not easy to see all the changes in our society and not express our opinion.

   Satan would love for Christians to sit down and shut up while he keeps drawing people into his kingdom. Movies, songs, games and the lists go on of things Satan has his stamp on. He never sits down and he never shuts up.

   Personally I feel if the Christians are silent then we will only slip further and further into pulling away from God. It's the Christians voice that needs to be heard, but we need to make sure it is done correctly. If we do it incorrectly, it can do more harm than good.

   What we need to do before we speak and share our opinions is to "brighten up" on what the word of God says. When we share our opinion instead of God's opinion we really don't have ground to stand on.

   When we stand on the word of God, then we are standing on truth, and that is what will change our world.

      Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. (II Timothy 2:15)

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THE DOLPHINS TEACH US FAMILY LIVING

  

When we lived in Aransas Pass one of our favorite past times was to ride the ferries across the bay. The highlight of the ferry ride was to see the dolphins swimming and jumping out of the water.

Unaware of their protective nature we were only interested in their beauty. Until one day while my father was doing some deep sea construction work, there was a shark swimming toward him. Out of nowhere, a dolphin came by and ran the shark off. Learning of this, it gave us a better understanding about the nature of these beautiful creatures.

Dolphins are very family oriented. They run in pods and the pods include male, females, babies and elderly dolphins.

Dolphins are very calm and friendly but there are times they get very aggressive. One of the times they become aggressive is when something starts to attack one of the elderly or young dolphins. Another example is when a shark tries to attack a human.

The healing process in dolphins is faster than in any of the other mammals. A deep shark attack heals extremely fast, thus making them less vulnerable.

Most dolphins enjoy socializing and playing. They spend much of their time playing with other dolphins but they will also become very playful with humans as well as other sea creatures and with humans. A favorite past time for many dolphins is to tease and interact with others in a playful manner.

The dolphin has the greatest communication skills of all the sea creatures. They spend most of their time communicating with one another with what seems to be squeaks and squeal to us.

The dolphin's eyes are connected to two separate areas of its brain. While one section sleeps the other section of the brain is awake and active watching for predators. Making sure nothing sneaks upon the pod.

We need to be like the dolphins and take the time to communicate with, play with, and protect both our younger and our older generations from harm.

The scripture teaches us the value of family living. Let's be more like the dolphins and care for our orphans, children and widows. We need to take the time to show them the attention, the love and protection they need.

Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. (James 2:17)

 

WRAPPED UP

It's so easy to get wrapped up in the holidays and the hustle and bustle of shopping, cooking and getting the presents wrapped and placed under the tree.   Our greatest need is to be wrapped up ourselves. 

We need to allow the Savior to wrap his arms of love around us.  When people look at our lives this holiday season may we radiate with these beautiful wrapping.

 

II Peter 1:3-7

According as his divine power

hath given unto us all things '

that pertain unto life and godliness,

through the knowledge of him

 that hath called us to glory and virtue:

Whereby are given unto us

exceeding great and precious promises:

that by these ye might be partakers

of the divine nature,

having escaped the corruption

that is in the world through lust.
And beside this,

giving all diligence,

add to your faith virtue;

and to virtue knowledge;
And to knowledge temperance;

and to temperance patience;

and to patience godliness;
And to godliness brotherly kindness;

and to brotherly kindness charity.

WHAT PORTRAIT ARE YOU LEAVING BEHIND?

 

People are watching you every day. They are watching what you do and what you say. It surprises me sometimes when a person says, "I read this on your Facebook page."

The reason I am surprised is that I never see them on my Facebook page. They never click on, "like" and never leave a comment. There have been several who say, "I read your posts everyday and follow your comments to others." Wow, this surprises me. People are watching more closely than I thought.

Our children are more likely to do what we do than what we say. Many times we go to the extreme to teach them what we want them to be when they become adults. Then, we who are hoping to teach them, walk out into the world and do the opposite.

I've seen parents live a consistent Christian life as long as the children lived at home. The minute their kids were off to college, the parents were off to a new life without the Lord.

When this happens, the whole slate of what you taught has been wiped clean. These children see that what you taught them meant nothing in your own personal life.

My father-in-law and mother-in-law were not the type of Christians who went on mission trips or even went door to door, witnessing to others. The things they did do, that spoke louder than anything they ever said, was to attend church regularly, read their bible regularly and love the Lord their God regularly until their last breath.

As the artist in charge of painting your life, what picture are you painting from start to finish?

 Are you having to start all over every few years because of the inconsistency of your lifestyle or does your portrait consist of building blocks, each year, adding more and more color to your work?

When your life is over and people look at the portrait you drew of yourself, what stands out to them?

Even if you don't want them to be watching, you can't stop them. Close your eyes and picture in your mind the people that have passed away. Your mind immediately draws an image. The same will be true about you.

Jesus left an image of himself for us to see and live by. He not only died on the cross but he rose again so you and I can be free.

All we have to do is receive the gift of himself he left for us.

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.( Galatians 2:20)

 

 

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?

 

Our little granddaughter, who is attending a preschool, was one day asked by her teachers what she wanted to be when she grows up. She answered, "A church." They asked her several times and each time she responded with the same answer.

Upon hearing this story, there have been several responses to her statement. One lady said, "Somebody needs to sit her down and explain to her what a church is." I'm thinking to myself, "No Ma'am, somebody needs to explain to you what a church is."

A church isn't a building in which we meet. It is the people, who are members, which make up the body of Christ.

Many people have been taught the church is holy, and we are to show reverence toward it. No running. Sit still. No drinks. Take your hat off … and the list goes on. They will pass this teaching down to their children.

These same people will do sinful things to their bodies and think nothing about it. We should be respectful in the building where we worship but the most important thing to remember is that our body is actually the temple of the Holy Spirit. We need to spend each day making sure that it's our bodies that we are to keep clean and pure.

I hope my granddaughter never quits saying she wants to be, "A church" when she grows up. Our body is the temple of God.

What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s. (I Corinthians 6:19-20)

COUNTERFEIT OR REAL?

This is a question asked by many, "Is God real or have we just created this being and everyone started worshipping him?"

 I see more people confused as time passes by about who God really is.

If we were to visit the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, we could see money printed that would be crisp and new. There are people who counterfeit, attempting to make something that looks identical to the real thing. No matter how they try, perfection can't be reached. The counterfeit money is put into circulation and is very hard to identify, but experienced bankers can tell the difference.

Have you ever heard of someone trying to counterfeit monopoly money? The answer is "no" because it's fake money to begin with. Why would anyone want to counterfeit fake money which has no value?

The same is true with the word of God. Satan knows the word of God is sharper than any twoedged sword. Satan desires to appear real and the only way he can come close is by trying to counterfeit the word of God. He is doing such a convincing job of it that many people today are confused.

Many ask others over and over to prove the reality of God. I'm here to say the word of God proves he is real. Satan himself proves God's existence by his desire to counterfeit the word of God.

The very act of counterfeiting his word proves God is real. There is only one way to recognize the difference and that is to read the word of God and know it as well as a banker knows how to recognize real money.

If it's hard for us to recognize counterfeit money, why would we think it easy to identify a spiritual counterfeit?

Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. (Isaiah 40: 28-29)

Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created. (Revelation 4:11)