February 04
Morning
"The love of the Lord."
Hosea 3:1Believer, look back through all thine experience, and think of the way whereby the Lord thy God has led thee in the wilderness, and how he hath fed and clothed thee every day--how he hath borne with thine ill manners--how he hath put up with all thy murmurings, and all thy longings after the flesh-pots of Egypt--how he has opened the rock to supply thee, and fed thee with manna that came down from heaven. Think of how his grace has been sufficient for thee in all thy troubles--how his blood has been a pardon to thee in all thy sins--how his rod and his staff have comforted thee. When thou hast thus looked back upon the love of the Lord, then let faith survey his love in the future, for remember that Christ's covenant and blood have something more in them than the past. He who has loved thee and pardoned thee, shall never cease to love and pardon. He is Alpha, and he shall be Omega also: he is first, and he shall be last. Therefore, bethink thee, when thou shalt pass through the valley of the shadow of death, thou needest fear no evil, for he is with thee. When thou shalt stand in the cold floods of Jordan, thou needest not fear, for death cannot separate thee from his love; and when thou shalt come into the mysteries of eternity thou needest not tremble, "For I am persuaded, that neither death; nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Now, soul, is not thy love refreshed? Does not this make thee love Jesus? Doth not a flight through illimitable plains of the ether of love inflame thy heart and compel thee to delight thyself in the Lord thy God? Surely as we meditate on "the love of the Lord," our hearts burn within us, and we long to love him more.
Saturday, February 4, 2012
The Love of the Lord
I love Charles H. Spurgeon. He often encourages me from writings of his devotional book Morning and Evening. If you can get past the "thee's", "thous", and other formal language, I think this will encourage you, too!
Monday, January 30, 2012
Seeds for all!
The excerpt below was taken from the Seeds Family Worship website. I thought it was very good. You may visit their website at http://www.seedsfamilyworship.net/ This is the same site that Hunter mentioned in an earlier email. Their Scripture-to-music CDs are very good!
At Seeds Family Worship, we are always thinking about ways to help your whole family spend time together. To this end, we are busy creating activities to bring the Scripture learned through Seeds Family Worship songs to life.
At Seeds Family Worship, we are always thinking about ways to help your whole family spend time together. To this end, we are busy creating activities to bring the Scripture learned through Seeds Family Worship songs to life.
You can go to our YouTube channel to find videos to supplement family worship and encourage deeper conversation. Continue visiting this page for guides for family worship activities, resources, and much more.
To start, try this sunny day activity at home with your family.
- Listen to the song “Heavenly Lights” from the Power of Encouragement CD.
- Go outside and find a place on the pavement where you can all see your shadows. Stand still and trace each other’s shadows. Also trace where your feet are standing. Let the younger children help trace the shadows of the parents. This gives them a special sense of accomplishment and connectedness.
- Sit down outside and read James 1:17 from your Bible.
- Ask your family to list out the “good and perfect gifts” they know. For younger family members, have them draw these gifts in chalk on the pavement.
- Talk about what it means for God to be the Father of the heavenly lights.
- Now, take some time to be active. Observe your shadows as you jump up and down, move from side to side, and wave your arms. Laugh and talk with your family about what they notice about their shadows.
- If you want, take some more time to allow the kids to color in their shadows with chalk. The whole time, continue talking about light, dark, and their shadows.
- Now, have everyone go back and place their feet in the chalk outlines. Look to see how the shadows have now moved.
- Ask why the Scripture says God doesn’t “change like shifting shadows.” Talk about how good it is that “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). What would it look like if we displayed the consistency of Christ?
Monday, January 23, 2012
Very Good Read...
I highly recommend that you obtain a copy of George Barna's book. Read the excerpt below...
SAMPLE READING from
Transforming Children into Spiritual Champions by George Barna
SAMPLE READING from
Transforming Children into Spiritual Champions by George Barna
Chapter 8
It's Time to Produce Some Spiritual Champions
Children often need reassurances that they are loved by those whom they trust and depend upon. My oldest daughter loves to ask challenging questions of her mother and me. Several years ago, while spending a laid-back Saturday lounging around the house, she wandered into my study where I was working at the computer .
“Daddy,” she began innocently, “do you love me?”
After turning away from the computer to give her my full attention, I affirmed that she was more important to me than anything else in the world and that I loved her very dearly. She smiled and then let loose the big one.
“How do I know you really love me?”
Ah, the thoughts that went racing through my mind. <em>Let's see. I wiped your poopy behind every day for two years, ran a car into the ground carting you to sports practices, spent hours awake late at night holding you or calming you when you had earaches or stomachaches, spent more money than I'd care to tally on special adventures and events, played silly games until I couldn't bear it any longer, and so on.
“I hug you and kiss you and tell you all the time how much I love you,” I replied.
“Yeah, but how do I know you really mean it?” she pressed forward, digging for the golden nugget of truth. “I work really hard to make the money that provides your food, clothing, home and toys.”
“Yeah, but you have to do that. That's what every parent has to do, but that doesn't mean you love me.”
I invited her to sit on my lap while I told her the ultimate, indisputable way that she could know that I loved her more than anything else on the planet. “Buddy, I do everything I can to try to raise you up to be the woman that God made you and wants you to be. There is nothing more important than that you love, obey and serve God with all your heart, mind, strength and soul. And I do everything I can to help you be a little girl who grows up to be a big girl who is God's pleasing and faithful servant. There's nothing more special that any parent can do than to help his or her child honor God; and I will never stop trying to do the things that bring you closer to Him. That's more important than buying you nice clothes or giving you a cell phone, than letting you see every movie you want to see or giving you the biggest room in the house. I really want God and other people throughout the world to be blessed by who you are.”
Her big, dark eyes continued to stare intently into mine for a few seconds after I finished delivering my best shot. Then she pursed her lips, grinned, nodded her head up and down a few times, and simply said, “Okay,” and went bounding out of the room. She has never asked me that question again. I hope it is because she sensed the truthfulness and sincerity of my reply.
A Shared Goal
Each of us who has the privilege of relating to young children these days shares a special goal: to help transform those children into spiritual champions. It will not happen by accident. It may not happen even if we devote our best resources to that task, but the possibility is worth the risk. In fact, this isn't really a risk at all since our personal success in life is completely wrapped up in our willingness to nurture these young people.
It's Time to Produce Some Spiritual Champions
Children often need reassurances that they are loved by those whom they trust and depend upon. My oldest daughter loves to ask challenging questions of her mother and me. Several years ago, while spending a laid-back Saturday lounging around the house, she wandered into my study where I was working at the computer .
“Daddy,” she began innocently, “do you love me?”
After turning away from the computer to give her my full attention, I affirmed that she was more important to me than anything else in the world and that I loved her very dearly. She smiled and then let loose the big one.
“How do I know you really love me?”
Ah, the thoughts that went racing through my mind. <em>Let's see. I wiped your poopy behind every day for two years, ran a car into the ground carting you to sports practices, spent hours awake late at night holding you or calming you when you had earaches or stomachaches, spent more money than I'd care to tally on special adventures and events, played silly games until I couldn't bear it any longer, and so on.
“I hug you and kiss you and tell you all the time how much I love you,” I replied.
“Yeah, but how do I know you really mean it?” she pressed forward, digging for the golden nugget of truth. “I work really hard to make the money that provides your food, clothing, home and toys.”
“Yeah, but you have to do that. That's what every parent has to do, but that doesn't mean you love me.”
I invited her to sit on my lap while I told her the ultimate, indisputable way that she could know that I loved her more than anything else on the planet. “Buddy, I do everything I can to try to raise you up to be the woman that God made you and wants you to be. There is nothing more important than that you love, obey and serve God with all your heart, mind, strength and soul. And I do everything I can to help you be a little girl who grows up to be a big girl who is God's pleasing and faithful servant. There's nothing more special that any parent can do than to help his or her child honor God; and I will never stop trying to do the things that bring you closer to Him. That's more important than buying you nice clothes or giving you a cell phone, than letting you see every movie you want to see or giving you the biggest room in the house. I really want God and other people throughout the world to be blessed by who you are.”
Her big, dark eyes continued to stare intently into mine for a few seconds after I finished delivering my best shot. Then she pursed her lips, grinned, nodded her head up and down a few times, and simply said, “Okay,” and went bounding out of the room. She has never asked me that question again. I hope it is because she sensed the truthfulness and sincerity of my reply.
A Shared Goal
Each of us who has the privilege of relating to young children these days shares a special goal: to help transform those children into spiritual champions. It will not happen by accident. It may not happen even if we devote our best resources to that task, but the possibility is worth the risk. In fact, this isn't really a risk at all since our personal success in life is completely wrapped up in our willingness to nurture these young people.
1 of 2 5/4/07 10:19 AM
Transforming Sample http://regalbooks.com/transform_children_sample.html
If you have not yet reached the point of embarrassment over the fact that most adults—perhaps even you—abdicate your children's moral and spiritual development to illegitimate usurpers of that responsibility (e.g., schools, the media, legislatures, judges and even churches), then I pray that the Holy Spirit will heighten your sensitivity to this travesty with all due haste. We have no right to complain about how our children develop if we are not heavily and purposefully investing in those outcomes. Those who fill the gap in our absence are mere substitutes for us when we don't pull our weight. If we default on our responsibility, we cannot blame those substitutes for making the most of the opportunity. This is, after all, part of the battle for the minds and hearts of humanity.
I pray that in the years to come you will seize the opportunities that God provides to you, as a committed disciple of Jesus Christ, to enable your home and those of other believers to be places of victory in the turbulent and relentless spiritual battle for those young hearts, minds and souls. May your household provide a nurturing environment of faith, love and spiritual growth so that the emerging generation of America's children will be all that their creator intends them to be.
I pray that in the years to come you will seize the opportunities that God provides to you, as a committed disciple of Jesus Christ, to enable your home and those of other believers to be places of victory in the turbulent and relentless spiritual battle for those young hearts, minds and souls. May your household provide a nurturing environment of faith, love and spiritual growth so that the emerging generation of America's children will be all that their creator intends them to be.
Friday, January 13, 2012
New Year's Resolutions
I borrowed this from Lakeland Pres' website. I'm sure they won't mind!
New Year’s Resolutions
New Year’s Resolutions
New Year’s Resolutions are usually a waste of time. Ac-cording to some statistics less than half of the resolu-tions made will be kept after two months. However, you can make some important resolutions that will benefit you and your child.
1. Laugh a lot. Laughing re-leases endorphins and other hormones which make us feel good. Laughing makes being a family fun. Young children love physical comedy and older children often love a joke played on parents. Laugh loud and laugh often.
2. Catch your children being good. Studies show that children are told "no" about once every nine minutes. Find a reason to say "yes" and praise good behavior. Be specific as you praise well and praise often.
3. Add some boredom to kid’s lives. Call it what you will— downtime, relaxation, day dreaming, vegging out. They will call it boring, but it renews the brain. Stargaze or cloud watch, but teach your child to relax. In the harried world we live in, it may be an invaluable lesson.
4. Read to them every night. Developing language skills, learning to listen, time spent together are only three little reasons why this is important. The Bible is a great thing to read together as a family.
5. Plan adult time. Nurturing your adult relationships is very important for you and your kids. They will, after all, leave you one day. Your adult relationships are part of what makes you a healthy adult and those will not grow if not nurtured. So, get a babysitter or take advantage of a parent’s night out and go once in a while.
If your resolutions don’t last the week, mine never do, cut yourself some slack and start over!
Lakeland Presbyterian Church Children’s Ministry
1. Laugh a lot. Laughing re-leases endorphins and other hormones which make us feel good. Laughing makes being a family fun. Young children love physical comedy and older children often love a joke played on parents. Laugh loud and laugh often.
2. Catch your children being good. Studies show that children are told "no" about once every nine minutes. Find a reason to say "yes" and praise good behavior. Be specific as you praise well and praise often.
3. Add some boredom to kid’s lives. Call it what you will— downtime, relaxation, day dreaming, vegging out. They will call it boring, but it renews the brain. Stargaze or cloud watch, but teach your child to relax. In the harried world we live in, it may be an invaluable lesson.
4. Read to them every night. Developing language skills, learning to listen, time spent together are only three little reasons why this is important. The Bible is a great thing to read together as a family.
5. Plan adult time. Nurturing your adult relationships is very important for you and your kids. They will, after all, leave you one day. Your adult relationships are part of what makes you a healthy adult and those will not grow if not nurtured. So, get a babysitter or take advantage of a parent’s night out and go once in a while.
If your resolutions don’t last the week, mine never do, cut yourself some slack and start over!
Lakeland Presbyterian Church Children’s Ministry
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Happy New Year!
The New Year came creeping in quietly at the Andrews' home. Johnny's breathing was steady long before midnight. I continued my quest of undecorating the house. The quest continues... and gives me plenty of time to ponder...
Earlier today (actually, yesterday, now), I was at the office choosing a color page for our precious little ones to use during the worship service. I chose a drawing of baby Jesus. The Bible verse written at the bottom of the page is from Isaiah 9:6
"For to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given, and the government shall be upon His shoulder, and His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."
He is surely the Wonderful Counselor; He will see us through every difficult, hurting, confusing time in this new year, guiding our every step if we look to Him in His Word. He is the Mighty God; even the wind and waves obey His voice; He can be trusted to carry us through our most treacherous, heart-wrenching journey. He is the Everlasting Father; He has loved us with an everlasting love, from eternity past through eternity before us, that cannot be broken, ever drawing us closer to Himself. He is the Prince of Peace; though our world will be rocked by uncertainty, doubt, and broken worldly promises, we have the promise of peace that transcends our understanding when we lift our brokeness to Him in prayer. The government is on His shoulders. Not ours. He is the One in charge. He alone has the qualifications.
Because of the Child born to us, we have Hope for today. Hope for 2012. Real Hope. Happy New Year.
Earlier today (actually, yesterday, now), I was at the office choosing a color page for our precious little ones to use during the worship service. I chose a drawing of baby Jesus. The Bible verse written at the bottom of the page is from Isaiah 9:6
"For to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given, and the government shall be upon His shoulder, and His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."
He is surely the Wonderful Counselor; He will see us through every difficult, hurting, confusing time in this new year, guiding our every step if we look to Him in His Word. He is the Mighty God; even the wind and waves obey His voice; He can be trusted to carry us through our most treacherous, heart-wrenching journey. He is the Everlasting Father; He has loved us with an everlasting love, from eternity past through eternity before us, that cannot be broken, ever drawing us closer to Himself. He is the Prince of Peace; though our world will be rocked by uncertainty, doubt, and broken worldly promises, we have the promise of peace that transcends our understanding when we lift our brokeness to Him in prayer. The government is on His shoulders. Not ours. He is the One in charge. He alone has the qualifications.
Because of the Child born to us, we have Hope for today. Hope for 2012. Real Hope. Happy New Year.
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Cookie Swap
Cookie Swap
&
Cookie Decorating Party
For moms and children. All ages!!
at the Church Office
On Saturday, December 3
at 4:00
After all the parades!!
Moms, bring 4 dozen Christmas cookies or goodies. We will eat 1 dozen at the party and "swap" the other 3. Everyone will go home with 3 dozen goodies. (You'll need a container in which to put your new selections.) Also, please bring the recipe for the goodies that you bring - enough copies for several people. Cookies and all decorating accessories will be provided for the children.
Questions? sherlie@madisonheightschurch.com
As always,
Invite guests to come with you!
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Christmas or Holidays?
Don't you just love the holidays? People are more chatty and friendly. Traffic lights and headlights suddenly become part of the Christmas glow. Pantries fill up with ingredients just waiting to be turned into goodies to be enjoyed by family and friends. Children, grandchildren, parents, grandparents, uncles, aunts, and cousins reunite. Memories are made and remembered. I love it all!
I particularly treasure the word "holidays." It is a combination of "holy" and "days." Holydays. There is much to-do about taking Christ out of Christmas. About calling the Christmas season "the holidays." About saying, "Happy Holidays" instead of, "Merry Christmas." But how can one really take Christ out of Christmas? Out of the Holy-days? We can take our focus off of Him, but He is still and will forever be among His people. Immanuel. God with us. He was here long before we were. He's here to stay. He lives within us. He lives in the Holy realm of Heaven. He is everywhere. Forever.
So Merry Christmas!! Happy Holydays!! Enjoy celebrating the time that our loving, gracious, compassionate, forgiving Heavenly Father sent His son, Immanuel, to redeem us.
I particularly treasure the word "holidays." It is a combination of "holy" and "days." Holydays. There is much to-do about taking Christ out of Christmas. About calling the Christmas season "the holidays." About saying, "Happy Holidays" instead of, "Merry Christmas." But how can one really take Christ out of Christmas? Out of the Holy-days? We can take our focus off of Him, but He is still and will forever be among His people. Immanuel. God with us. He was here long before we were. He's here to stay. He lives within us. He lives in the Holy realm of Heaven. He is everywhere. Forever.
So Merry Christmas!! Happy Holydays!! Enjoy celebrating the time that our loving, gracious, compassionate, forgiving Heavenly Father sent His son, Immanuel, to redeem us.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)