Tag Archives: Children

What If Nobody Brought Me To JESUS ?

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BRINGING PEOPLE TO JESUS is not the work merely of professional evangelists.
It is the work of every saved person. Each of us has a particular role to play in accomplishing this work. It may be by personal invitation to know Christ as their Saviour. It may be by faithful prayer. It may be by the financial support of God’s work.

And when the men of that place had knowledge of Him, they sent out into all that country round about, and brought unto Him all that were diseased;
Matthew 14:35

WHERE WOULD YOU BE IF SOMEONE HAD NOT CARED ENOUGH TO GET INVOLVED BEFORE GOD ON YOUR BEHALF ?

1. WHAT IF NOBODY BRINGS THE CHILDREN ?
A. Some would say they would have been just as well off. NOT SO. They got an
earlier taste of the goodness of God, and would carry that seed planted in their
hearts.

And they brought young children to Him, that He should touch them: and His
disciples rebuked those that brought them. Mark 10:13

WE MUST BRING THE CHILDREN TO JESUS, EVEN IF THEY ARE NOT
WHAT WE WOULD CALL, “GOOD KIDS”. DISCIPLINE IS REQUIRED,
BUT ALL MUST BE GIVEN A CHANCE.

B. Bringing people to Jesus is what makes the community a better place to live.

Now when the sun was setting, all they that had any sick with divers diseases
brought them unto Him; and He laid His hands on everyone of them, and
healed them. Luke 4:40

*THINK OF WHERE THE HIGH CRIME AREAS ARE. THEY ARE WHERE
BIBLE-TEACHING CHURCHES ARE DEAD, OR NON-EXISTENT.

2. WHAT IF WE FEEL THAT WE ARE INCAPABLE OF DOING IT?
*Considering the consequences if we don’t – we must make ourselves capable !
Just as many people go to school to take a course so they will be more
effective in their jobs Christians must take up their Bibles, study them,
kneel before God and submit themselves to the Holy Spirit, so they might improve      over what they could do before.

A. It takes faith to bring people to Jesus.

And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed:
and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good
cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee. Matt. 9:2

B. It’s not enough to bring people to just religious folks.

And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him. Matt. 17:16

C. We can expect the Lord to deal with people honestly. (Not as many religious
people do for their own feelings sakes.)

And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him,
he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas,
which is by interpretation, A stone. John 1:42

3. WHAT IF WE FAIL TO CARE FOR THOSE WHO NEED THE HELP OF CHRIST?

1. We will be judged for it.
2. We will allow people to dwell in the false hope that something else can
satisfy their needs.

A. The most unlikely people can be brought to salvation. (No reason to
dismiss their worth to God. He died for them exactly the same way
He died for you.)

But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared unto
them how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken to him,
and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus.
Acts 9:27

B. Sometimes those beaten up by the world must be brought back to the Lord
for healing.

And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine,
and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care
of him. Luke 10:34

C. Believers can be brought out of the prisons of their situations.

But he, beckoning unto them with the hand to hold their peace, declared unto
them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, Go shew
these things unto James, and to the brethren. And he departed, and went into
another place. Acts 12:17


 

FATHERS . . .

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FATHERS…

WHAT ARE YOU TEACHING YOUR KIDS ?

GOOD FATHERS TEACH GOOD THINGS !


It’s true that being a father is a huge (and sometimes heavy) responsibility, but one that can be handled successfully with the Lord’s help. So Dads, sit down and “take a load off” as you review the following helpful hints, based on Scripture, that can help you become the father that the Lord wants you to be !

Unfortunately, many people focus on unimportant things. They never speak to their kids about life and death issues, and spiritual things.

When was the last time you spoke to your kids about spiritual issues ?

It is also unfortunate that many families use the dinner table as a “dumping ground” for all the complaints they couldn’t get off their chest earlier in the day. Many times if you listen to the conversations going on at tables around you in a restaurant you will find that the majority of them are negative.

When was the last time you spoke about the blessings of the Lord at the dinner table ?

Sometimes fathers lament that they didn’t have good examples for what a good father ought to be. Wives should pay special attention to this, because they can remind their husbands or sons to follow Scriptural principles. Most importantly, that they need to learn from Jesus (whether they had a good father or not) how to teach. Learning from the best Father in the universe will save all involved from many heartaches down the road.

Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest for your souls. Matthew 11:29

When judging our child-rearing, we must look to God as our standard, because what the world says is right, many times is in opposition of what God says is right. His standards are always true and righteous !

The world sets standards in many different ways. Take for example the following story about a rabbi who visited a young man’s house one day. The man invited the rabbi out to his barn to observe his shooting skills. The young man showed the rabbi numerous bulls eyes in which it appeared he had shot an arrow into the very center. The rabbi was amazed, “How did you learn to shoot so well?, he exclaimed. The young man grinned and replied, “It’s easy, anyone can do it ! First – shoot the arrows onto plain white paper, and then paint the circles around the arrow….”

As you can see, what appears to be “hitting the mark” isn’t always so. So how can you know that you are doing a good job at being a father, or in other words “hitting the mark” ?

Well, each person has to come before God and check themselves by His standards, but following you will find some solid Biblical principles that will surely help you along the way !

1. MAKE YOUR TIME COUNT WITH YOUR CHILDREN.
*TEACH THEM !
Most parents have a limited time with their children today. God didn’t ordain your wife – the school – or the church – to do all the teaching ! He left a great deal of it up to you.

And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. Deut. 6:7

2. TEACH THEM BY EXAMPLE. (YOU WILL WHETHER YOU WANT TO OR NOT !)
For example, when you teach your children a principle to live by, be sure that you are heeding that same principle as well !

Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them to thy sons, and thy sons’ sons; Deut. 4:9

**IF you want your kids to be complainers that can’t come up with solutions but spend most of their time complaining, then let them see only that part of you. If you always come home complaining – that is teaching them to do the same thing. ***IF YOU ARE A COMPLAINER… would you like to know why ? Chances are, your father always was, too. Don’t keep passing this sin down to all generations. Stop it now !

3. TEACH BY SITUATIONS. THIS IS THE MOST COMMON WAY THAT JESUS TAUGHT.
A. By experiences.

And straightway Jesus constrained His disciples to get into a ship, and to go before Him unto the other side, while He sent the multitudes away. Matt. 14:22

B. By personal involvement. (i.e. the loaves and the fishes)

And He commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, He blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to His disciples, and the disciples to the multitudes. Matt. 14:19

4. TEACH THEM BY LEADING THEM IN THE RIGHT WAYS.
Jesus placed before the disciples a correct view of the highest priorities. Make sure your kids understand what is really important. Always put the emphasis and priority on spiritual things. (After all, those are the only things that will last forever !)

And He saith unto them, Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men. Matt. 4:19

5. TEACH THEM BY YOUR AUTHORITY.
You have the right to demand certain things of your children.
A. You have authority in the home. But – don’t misuse it !
And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Eph. 6:4

Don’t deal with children at a time of anger, when you want to be satisfied rather than teach them something.

B. You have authority over your children that is God-given. (No matter what the government says.) GOD even tells the kids about your authority.

Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Eph. 6:1

THE PERFECT FATHER IS OUR GOD. YOU MAY HAVE KNOWN FATHERS WHO LET YOU DOWN, DISAPPOINTED YOU, DIDN’T FORGIVE YOU WHEN YOU DID WRONG, EVEN WHEN YOU ASKED. YOU WILL NOT FIND SUCH IN GOD.

He loves you so much He sent Jesus to die for you and He loves your children that much, too ! Why not let Him have full control of your family today… that you might reap the rewards that a Godly family is promised – peace and joy eternally ! It can’t be found without Jesus !


 

THE MYSTERY FLU

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……………… BREAKING NEWS STORY ! ……………………….

flu2
The day is over, you are driving home. You tune in your radio. You hear a little blurb about a little village in India where some villagers have died suddenly, strangely, of a flu that has never been seen before. It’s not influenza, but three of four people are dead, and it’s kind of interesting, and they’re sending some doctors over there to investigate it.

You don’t think much about it, but on Sunday, coming home from church, you hear another radio spot. Only they say it’s not three villagers, it’s 30,000 villagers in the back hills of this particular area of India, and it’s on TV that night. CNN runs a little blurb; people are heading there from the disease center in Atlanta because this disease strain has never been seen before.

By Monday morning when you get up, it’s the lead story. For it’s not just India; it’s Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran and before you know it, you’re hearing this story everywhere and they have coined it now as the “mystery flu”. The President has made some comment that he and everyone are praying and hoping that all will go well over there. But everyone is wondering, How are we going to contain it? That’s when the President of France makes an announcement that shocks Europe. He is closing their borders. No flights from India, Pakistan or any of the countries where this thing has been seen. And that’s why that night as you are watching a little bit of CNN before going to bed, your jaw hits your chest when a weeping woman is translated from a French news program into English. There’s a man lying in a hospital in Paris dying of the mystery flu. It has come to Europe.

Panic strikes. As best as they can tell, once you get it you have it for a week before you know it. Then you have four days of unbelievable symptoms and then you die. Britain closes it’s borders, but it’s too late. South Hampton, Liverpool, North Hampton and it’s Tuesday morning when the President of the United States makes the following announcement:
“Due to a national security risk, all flights to and from Europe and Asia have been cancelled. If your loved ones are overseas, I’m sorry. They cannot come back until we find a cure for this thing.”

Within four days our nation has been plunged into an unbelievable fear. People are talking about, “What if it comes to this country?” And preachers on Tuesday are saying it’s the scourge of God. It’s Wednesday night and you are at a church prayer meeting when somebody runs in from the church parking lot and says, “Turn on a radio! Turn on a radio!” And while the church listens to a little transistor radio with a microphone held up to it, the announcement is made. Two women are lying in a Long Island hospital dying from the mystery flu.

Within hours it seems, this thing just sweeps across the country. People are working around the clock trying to find an antidote. Nothing is working. California, Oregon, Arizona, Florida, Massachusetts…It’s as though it’s just sweeping in from the borders.

And then all of a sudden the news comes out. The code has been broken. A cure can be found. A vaccine can be made. It’s going to take the blood of somebody who hasn’t been infected and so, sure enough, all through the Midwest, through all those channels of emergency broadcasting, everyone is asked to do one simple thing: Go to your downtown hospital and have your blood type taken. That’s all we ask of you. When you hear the sirens go off in your neighborhood, please make your way quickly, quietly and safely, to the hospitals.

Sure enough, when you and your family get down there late on that Friday night, there is a long line, they’ve got nurses and doctors coming out, pricking fingers, taking blood and putting labels on it. Your wife and kids are out there, they take your blood type and they say, “wait here in the parking lot and if we call your name you can be dismissed and go home.” You stand around, scared, with your neighbors, wondering what in the world is going on and if this is the end of the world.

Suddenly a young man comes running out of the hospital screaming. He’s yelling a name and waving a clipboard. What? He yells it again! And your son tugs on your jacket and says, “Daddy, that’s me.” Before you know it, they have grabbed your boy. “Wait a minute, hold on!” And they say, it’s okay, his blood is clean. His blood is pure. We want to make sure he doesn’t have the disease. We think he has got the right type. Five tense minutes later, out come the doctors and the nurses crying and hugging one another – some are even laughing.

It’s the first time you have seen anybody laugh in a week, and an old doctor walks up to you and says, “Thank you sir. Your son’s blood type is perfect. It’s clean, it is pure, and we can make the vaccine.” As the word begins to spread all across that parking lot full of folks, people are screaming, praying. laughing and crying. But then the gray-haired doctor pulls you and your wife aside and says, “May we see you for a moment? We didn’t realize that the donor would be a minor and we need…we need you to sign a consent form.”

You begin to sign and then you see that the number of pints of blood to be taken is empty. “H-h-h-ow many pints?” And that is when the old doctor’s smile fades and he says, “We had no idea it would be a little child. We weren’t prepared. We need it all!” “But- but, I don’t understand. He’s my only son!” “We are talking about the world, here. Please sign. We…we need it all!” “But can’t you give him a transfusion?” “If we had clean blood we would. Please, will you please sign?”

In numb silence you do. Then they say, “Would you like to have a moment with him before we begin?”

Could you walk back? Could you walk back to that room where he sits on the table saying, “Daddy? Mommy? What’s going on?”

Could you take his hands and say, “Son, your mommy and I love you and we would never ever let anything happen to you that didn’t just have to be. Do you understand that?”

And when that old doctor comes back in and says, “I’m sorry, we’ve got to get started. People all over the world are dying.”

Could you leave? Could you walk out while he is saying, “Dad? Mom? Dad? Why…why have you forsaken me?”

And then next week, when they have the ceremony to honor your son, and some folks sleep through it, and some folks don’t even bother to come because they have better things to do, and some folks come with just a pretentious smile and pretend to care. Would you jump up and say, “EXCUSE ME! MY SON DIED FOR YOU! DON’T YOU EVEN CARE? DOES IT MEAN NOTHING TO YOU?”

I wonder, is that what God wants to say? “MY SON DIED FOR YOU! DOES IT MEAN NOTHING? DON’T YOU KNOW HOW MUCH I CARE?”

Father, seeing it from your eyes should break our hearts. Maybe now we can begin to comprehend the great love you have for us.