We have all done things that we are not proud of. Perhaps we were not there for a friend when they needed us, or we may have been responsible for unhappiness in our family. These sorts of past actions can leave us feeling ashamed and guilty, and we can end up carrying our guilt for years. Guilt is probably one of the most debilitating and negative emotions there is — one that can, and often does, destroy a person’s life. But if we want to live happy lives, we need to deal with the consequences of our past actions and not allow our lives to be wracked with guilt. Feeling guilty should not be confused with taking responsibility for our past. Taking responsibility means that we actively address the consequences of our actions in whatever way we can, in particular changing our behavior patterns. Taking responsibility also includes moving on by making peace with the past.
“…All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Matthew 28:18 - 20
The last recorded words Jesus spoke to His disciples were “…You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in
We are to be Christ’s witnesses — to tell others about Jesus. This is a wonderful privilege — to share the life changing message of Jesus Christ with the world!
How do we do this? Dr. Bill Bright, in Transferable Concept #5, shares these key points: We are to Prepare by 1) Be sure you are a Christian; 2) Be sure there is no unconfessed sin in your life; 3) Be filled with the Holy Spirit; 4) Be prepared to communicate your faith in Christ.
Then, we are to Go by 1) Praying; 2) Going to others; 3) Talking about the Lord Jesus; and 4) Expecting God to use you.
Be filled with the Spirit.”
You can be filled with God’s Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is God — here on earth, but invisible — who came to live in the lives of those who have accepted Christ as Savior.
You do not have to try to live the Christian life on your own power without help. The Holy Spirit can give you God’s power in your life to overcome sin. The fruit of the Holy Spirit in your life will be love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and self-control. God can help you live the Christian life by His power — His Holy Spirit — in your life!
It is not easy to put our friends and lovers in the same comparison because we are in love with our partners, and therefore will be more patient with them than we would with our friends. You can easily blind yourself due to the love you feel for that person and not even realize when he or she is not being a good friend and partner to you. How can you tell? A true friendship is basically the same as the true qualities that define real love. The difference is, we are in love and have a deep desire for our mates, with commitment and a goal of building a future, and perhaps even getting married and making a family together. The list below will help you see if your lover is a friend to you as well.
• You can talk to and confide in each other about anything.
• Your partner is there for you when you need to talk to someone.
• Being able to always rely on each other when one is counted on.
• Having a permanent shoulder to cry on when we need it.
• Having many things in common.
• Accepting one another for who we are.
• Listening to us and considering our opinions important.
Do not feel guilty for having higher expectations from your lover either. People often feel like they should be more lenient and understanding when it comes to their lovers. Even though it is important to keep an understanding attitude (to avoid misunderstandings and arguments), you should never let things always slide or make up excuses for your partner’s wrong doings. You should expect better and not except such behavior. You deserve better. After all, you invest most of your emotions and time into your partner, so always remember that you are entitled to receive the same.
As important as having that great friendship is, it is also good to remember not to let the friendship get out hand. Is it possible to let a friendship get carried away? Yes, in a relationship it is. It is wonderful when you can be best friends with your partner, but sometimes the friendship is doing so well that it receives all the focus, while in the meantime the romance (being in love) has been neglected. If you are not careful, in time, you will start looking at each other as close buddies and no longer be that passionate couple you started as. There are points that can guide you into detecting when your romance and desire is entering the danger zone before it is too late and would be suggestible to seek professional advice on how to get things back on track.
Remembering not to forget our desires for our partner will keep the romance in the picture. If the relationship still fails to rekindle those feelings and you or your partner cannot leave that buddy mode, looking around with curiosity for others, then your relationship will need some extra help (you can get advice on how to save your relationship). What if it is difficult to have a friendship? This can be another issue, but there are ways to help you find solutions. Some couples may share the most wonderful romance and sex ever, but not really have an actual friendship. In most cases, it would not be advisable to stay in such a relationship, but there are ways you can try and still have some hope.
“We love Him because He first loved us.”
1 John 4:19
There are certain key things that every new believer in Christ should know. The first is that you are God’s child — God loves you! You can be sure that God loves you forever.
You can also know that God loves you so much that He came searching for you, even when you are lost. The parable in the Bible of the woman with the lost coin tells us this. “Suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Does she not light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’ In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
In the same way, God gave His only Son Jesus Christ so that we might come to have eternal life. Let us pray that: you and I will have God’s heart of love for those who do not know Christ.
God’s love for us is wonderful! Let us share His love for the world with those who do not know Him.
I guarantee you will remember the tale of the Wooden Bowl tomorrow, a
week from now,a month from now, a year from now.
A frail old man went to live with his son, daughter-in-law, and
four-year old grandson. The old man’s hands trembled, his eyesight was blurred,
and his step faltered. The family ate together at the table.
But the elderly grandfather’s shaky hands and failing sight made eating
difficult. Peas rolled off his spoon onto the floor. When he grasped the
glass, milk spilled on the tablecloth.
The son and daughter-in-law became irritated with the mess. “We must do
something about father,” said the son. “I’ve had enough of his spilled
milk, noisy eating, and food on the floor.”
So the husband and wife set a small table in the corner.
There,Grandfather ate alone while the rest of the family enjoyed dinner. Since
Grandfather had broken a dish or two, his food was served in a wooden bowl!
When the family glanced in Grandfather’s direction, sometime he had a
tear in his eye as he sat alone. Still, the only words the couple had for him
were sharp admonitions when he dropped a fork or spilled food.
The four-year-old watched it all in silence.
One evening before supper, the father noticed his son playing with wood
scraps on the floor. He asked the child sweetly, “What are you making?”
Just as sweetly, the boy responded, “Oh, I am making a little bowl for
you and Mama to eat your food in when I grow up.” The four-year-old smiled
and went back to work.
The words so struck the parents so that they were speechless. Then
tears started to stream down their cheeks. Though no word was spoken, both
knew what must be done.
That evening the husband took Grandfather’s hand and gently led him
back to the family table. For the remainder of his days he ate every meal with
the family. And for some reason, neither husband nor wife seemed to care any
longer when a fork was dropped, milk spilled, or the tablecloth soiled.
If you woke up this morning with more health than illness, you are more blessed than the million who won’t survive the week.
If you have never experienced
the danger of battle,
the loneliness of imprisonment,
the agony of torture or
the pangs of starvation,
you are ahead of 20 million people
around the world.
If you attend a church meeting
without fear of harassment,
arrest, torture, or death,
you are more blessed than almost
three billion people in the world.
If you have food in your refrigerator,
clothes on your back, a roof over
your head and a place to sleep,
you are richer than 75% of this world.
If you have money in the bank,
in your wallet, and spare change
in a dish someplace, you are among
the top 8% of the world’s wealthy.
If your parents are still married and alive,
you are very rare,
If you hold up your head with a smile
on your face and are truly thankful,
you are blessed because the majority can,
but most do not.
If you can hold someone’s hand, hug them
or even touch them on the shoulder, you are blessed because you can offer God’s healing touch.
If you can read this message,
you are more blessed than over
two billion people in the world
that cannot read anything at all.
You are so blessed in ways
you may never even know.
