Every child I’ve ever known who has been taught to pray gets in a habit of praying the exact same words without thinking about what he/she is saying. This is not a bad thing; after all, we are constantly encouraging our children to make habits of good things. The ultimate goal, though, is to mature them into people who talk to the Father rather than people who repeat a daily “liturgy.”

I think it’s important that we remind our very young children to think of new things for which to thank Him. So we say, just before the child prays “Think of some new things we can thank Him for…and let’s think of one thing we would love to ask Him for.” Then, in the prayer, if the children struggle to think of something new, you gently interrupt and say, “Let’s thank Him that the sun was shining while we were at the park,” or “Let’s tell God thank-you for the new book we got in the mail today,” or Let’s thank God that the rain is making our corn grow.” You might say “Don’t forget to ask God for help in some way…What about if we ask Him to help Grandma get over her cough or maybe we ask Him to help us to be able to invite someone to our gospel meeting tomorrow.”

Interrupting little prayers is a great way to prompt and promote “thinking” prayers. I’ve seen it become a great building block to sincere and thoughtful talks with the Father. Most importantly, your parental example of fervently talking to the Father, rather than “quoting” to Him is crucial in this process.

Cindy Colley

It is so easy to let things slip from our mouths. Sometimes words come out in a way in which we did not mean. That’s true whether we are writing or speaking.

This week I was reading a post on FB and read a reply written when just for a moment I felt a tinge, a little disappointment, a little heartbreak. Though I don’t know the person posting except through FB, I thought that he didn’t really mean for his comment to come across as it did.

The song we sing, “Angry Words, Oh let them never from the tongue unbridled slip. May the heart’s best impulse ever check them ere they soil the lip,” reminds us to watch what we say and especially in anger.

The Bible cautions us to not let the sun go down on our anger (Eph. 4:28). Have you ever had someone angry with you and they carried that anger for days? Anger hurts the one who is angry probably more than the one to whom they are angry.

Again the Bible says, “Be angry and sin not” (Eph. 4:26). Wonder how many of us can claim that scripture when we get angry?

The prayer above, “Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my God and my Redeemer,” should be a prayer that we pray regularly.

I often say that we should accept people where they are and work with them from that point. It’s easy to be critical of someone and turn them off in our minds. If we look deeper and see where they are and accept them from that standpoint our chances of making a difference in their life is much greater. Some people don’t know the love of God and we must find a way to share Him with them by word, deed, or pen. Someone has said, “Never write anything you wouldn’t want the other person’s mother to read.” Better than that we might add “that we don’t want our Lord to read.” He sees and knows all things.

Glenda Williams

Hebrews 10:14 “For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.”

The house was totally spotless and filled with sweet aroma. Windows were streak-free and not one dust-ball dared exist. Who wouldn’t want to buy this perfect house from the obviously perfect family living here?

With those thoughts, I closed my eyes to catch some precious sleep, aware the alarm would ring in a few hours to start our “perfect” day.

As the buzzer blared, our family of five leapt out of bed and the perfection of the night before quickly disappeared. A dysfunctional and chaotic scene emerged. One by one, half-clothed and half-asleep bodies stumbled into the garage, opened the hatch of the minivan, and tossed around items of clothing in search of something clean to wear. Elbows flung as we each claimed a garment in our size, threw it into the dryer to de-wrinkle, and dressed in lightening speed. Ordering others out of our way, we slammed the hatch, and a hungry, irritable family departed the very perfect house in a far from perfect demeanor.

I declare, never again will I put a house on the market! The stress of perfection is too much. With daily cleaning for five quickly getting out of control, I had ordered all laundry travel straight to the baskets in the back of my van. Until our house sold, in order to maintain a perfect house, I chauffeured our laundry (both clean and dirty) around with me everywhere I went.

Anyone looking at us from the outside would have observed a perfect life filled with order and harmony. No one would have guessed our real life was piled up in the back of that minivan: crumpled, disheveled, and completely out of control.

Oh, how we strive for perfection, all the while, on the inside we remain crumpled and messy. Skillfully, we hide the troubles in our marriages, our finances, our jobs, and our children until our energy is depleted from the whole facade and the stress of our pretense erupts.

Here is the good news, Sisters: It’s okay not to be okay. God made a plan. He sent His Son to be perfection for us. It is that Son, Christ Jesus, who knows our deepest secrets. It is through Him we find forgiveness when we fail, strength for our weaknesses, and grace to cover all. It is God who surrounds us with a family of His people who build us up as we reach out for encouragement and help. It is our Heavenly Father who longs for communion with us through prayer, offering His sweet peace.

When we find our lives in shambles, remember God knows we are not perfect. Instead, we are made to reach out to the One who is perfect and who longs to lovingly redeem us.

Father God, we praise you for loving us through our many imperfections.

Blessings,

Rita Cochrane

Proverbs 11:2 “Pride leads to disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.”

Have you ever realized a verse from scripture speaking directly to you in an “I told you so!” fashion? I have. So, in an effort to spare you, my friend, allow me to share my Proverbs 11 disgrace.

I had recently given birth to our third child and the struggle to get back into my clothes was real. Pridefully, I wished to be my pre-birth size and economically, I needed to.  And so, the hard work began.

Early morning sit-ups, leafy-green salads, miles of pushing the stroller, more leafy-green salads, and hours of Richard Simmons’, “Sweatin’ to the Oldies.” (If you’ve never witnessed this exercise guru, promise me you will google his videos. You’ll thank me!)

Finally, I could squeeze my post-baby body back into my pre-baby jeans and tuck in my shirt to boot! The momentous occasion merited my getting out of the house, for I was confident all of humanity desired to applaud my accomplishment.

Rounding up my crew, I headed to the store. Immediately I became aware of people looking me over and smiling. I was so proud others recognized my hard work.  I was even more proud to realize my jeans were not nearly as tight as I had anticipated.

Returning to the car, I reached down for the diaper bag and was mortified! My jeans were loose for a reason: my zipper was completely down and gaping wide open for all glory to witness!

“Pride leads to disgrace” proved very true for me.

Is self-pride ever regarded as virtuous in humanity? Admittedly, pride feels good for a fleeting moment. But sisters, be warned: disgrace will follow and disgrace is the absolute humbler!

Nabal’s story in I Samuel 25 epitomizes prideful disgrace. Scripture describes Nabal as, “cruel and mean,” both actions born out of his pride. Nabal held a greater-than-reality view of himself which caused him to lord-over David and his army, assuming them unworthy of his help. As Proverbs predicts, Nabal’s story ended in his untimely death, the ultimate disgrace. However, Nabal’s wife, Abigail, found immense blessing through her humility.

If pride were a painting, its strokes would be in abstract form, where the artist interprets the subject as he sees it, rather than with realistic detail. Pride does just that. Pride paints distorted and unrealistic pictures of reality, portraying ourselves as superior and others as inferior.

How is this problematic? Pride is power-hungry. It can split a church family, rip apart marriages, and topple large, successful companies. Painting an unrealistic view of ourselves and others creates unrealistic expectations and leaves little room for extending grace to those who need it most. Pride is not the example Jesus brought.  In all ways, Christ was humble: from washing the disciples’ feet, to touching the leper, to receiving small children.

When we feel compelled to be prideful, let us fill ourselves with the pride of II Chronicles 17:6, “He (King Jehoshaphat) took great pride in the ways of the Lord…” NAS

Blessings,

Rita Cochrane

King Ahab is one of the most interesting kings of the Old Testament. He was, on one hand, a strong soldier, capable of ruling as king, able to identify sin, and even repent. On the other hand, he was weak, selfish, and made some very unwise decisions. His biggest mistake was in marrying Jezebel and allowing her to bring idol worship to God’s people. He is called the most wicked king of Israel.

Syria was one of the enemies of Israel, but the two nations had been at peace for three years. Ben-hadad, king of Syria, had taken the city of Ramoth Gilead in battle; but he had promised to return it to Israel (First Kings 20:34). Ramoth was a city of refuge, one of six cities available for the protection of those who had unintentionally caused the death of another person.

Ahab approached Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, and requested his help in going into battle to take Ramoth. Jehoshaphat agreed, but he thought they should inquire of the Lord if this was a good idea. Ahab called together a group of prophets, 400 of them, and asked their advice. They said the Lord would be with them. These men were not true prophets of God. Jehoshaphat then wanted to know if there was not a prophet of the Lord besides these from whom they might get an answer to their question. Ahab informed him that there was a man of whom they could inquire, but Ahab said he hated this man. He said this prophet never prophesied anything good about him. Jehoshaphat wanted his opinion.

The two kings sat on their thrones, and Micaiah was brought to them. The messenger sent to get him informed him that the other prophets had prophesied good to King Ahab and King Jehoshaphat. He told Micaiah that his answer should be the same. Micaiah said that he would speak only what the Lord told him to say.

When he approached the kings, the other prophets told them the Lord would deliver Syria into their hands. Micaiah told them to go, for the Lord would deliver the city to them. He must have said this in a mocking tone because he knew that Ahab was not going to listen to him. Ahab’s response seemed to show that he wanted to discredit Micaiah. Micaiah was not affected by Ahab’s attitude, and he continued by telling him, “I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd” (First Kings 22:17 ESV). Micaiah’s reward for his vision from the Lord was prison with limited food and water. Ahab and Jehoshaphat went off to war against the warning of Micaiah.

In the end, Ahab was killed in battle. Jehoshaphat was later reproved by Jehu, a prophet of God. This came about because, as Jehu put it, he helped the ungodly and loved them that hate the Lord (Second Chronicles 19:2).

Jehoshaphat was condemned for supporting the ungodly. He believed prophets that were not true prophets of God. He saw the terrible treatment of Micaiah. He went into battle in a disguise that could have caused his own death. Though he asked for the support of the Lord, he accepted false assurances and disavowed the true message from God.

The apostle John spoke of this idea in his second epistle. He was writing about deceivers and warning the people to watch out for such individuals. He says, “If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds” (Second John 10-11 KJV).

If there was ever a time when we need to not keep silent when error is taught, it is now. We can’t be a people that sits silently by while those around us call evil good and good evil. If we do, we are bidding them God speed; and we are as guilty as they.

Sandra Oliver

Jesus turned water into wine

Acts 8:3-4 “As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison. THEREFORE, those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the Word.”

Gifts can come wrapped in the strangest packages.

After my sons married, boxes of their childhood “treasures” were left behind in our attic. Following years of accumulation, my husband and I began to purge and summoned our boys to claim their dusty belongings. Not being their top priority, it all remained in our attic.

Having a rare moment of Christmas-inspiration last December, I retrieved two of their largest boxes from the attic. Wrapping them in festive paper and topping them with an enormous bow, I placed them under our tree where they became the grandest of all our gifts.

On Christmas Day, my sons and daughters-in-law were delightfully intrigued and made numerous guesses as to the contents of their massive gifts. But after peeling away the wrapping and opening the lids, their expressions changed.

“What is that?” inquired both wives as they peered inside.

Our eldest son responded, “It’s the sub-woofer from my first car.” Our second son replied, “It’s the cash register from my college fireworks tent.”

Sheepishly grinning, my sons sarcastically said, “Thanks mom and dad.  Didn’t see that coming.”

They were good sports and as they departed, they made numerous jokes as to what they might do with their “gifts.”

What they anticipated was not their reality.

We find this same experience in Acts as the “Christian movement” grew and the Jews became more and more angry. Attempting to halt the movement, they had killed Jesus Christ, yet the number of Christians continued to increase. Their next plan was persecution, and Saul was just the man for the job. Surely, fear would stop Christianity in its tracks.

But what they anticipated was not their reality either. The believers scattered, and THEREFORE spread the Good News across the nations.

Saul didn’t see that coming, but it is a proven fact that God can take a mess and turn it into His message.

Our recent years have not been as we anticipated: a terrible virus, struggling economy, unemployment, babies born having no church-casseroles delivered, graduations and “I Do’s” pronounced without pomp and circumstance, and families kept apart from loved ones.

But THEREFORE. . .

The quarantines provided us a priceless opportunity. We were gifted time to slow life down, play games together, discover each other’s hidden dreams and ambitions, uncover new talents, appreciate laughter, and bond together over the dinner table.

Perhaps with an update, Acts 8:3-4 speaks loud and clear to our lives today:

“As for Covid, it made havoc of our lives, entering every household, and confining men, women, and children, committing them to their houses. THEREFORE, those who were quarantined discovered hidden blessings scattered in their lives.”

Didn’t see that coming? Rest assured, our God did.

Father God, open our eyes to the blessings hidden in the messes of our lives.

Blessings,

Rita Cochrane

Answers to that question today are varied, indeed. Some call Him a good man. Some call Him an imposter. Others say He was a liar. Even others say that only the Father was God, and Jesus and the Holy Spirit were beneath Him in rank.

Jesus asked his disciples, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?” So they said, “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:14-16).  Peter’s powerful confession, Jesus said, would be the foundation of His church.

Seven-hundred years before Christ was born, Isaiah prophesied about Him, “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel, which means ‘God with us’” (Isaiah 7:14 and Matthew 1:23): “And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6b). He will be called Mighty God!

The ruling Jews understood that Jesus was claiming to be God. Jesus told them, “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30-38). They were highly offended, and accused him of blasphemy, “You, being a man, make yourself God.”  When they heard Him say to the paralytic, “Your sins are forgiven you,” they reasoned incorrectly and correctly, “Why does this Man speak blasphemies like this? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” The thief on the cross recognized Him as the Son of God, as well as the centurion who witnessed His death (Luke 23:43; Mark 15:39).

The writer of Hebrews gives more insight into, “Who is this Jesus?” He said:

God spoke through Jesus. The Old Testament was communicated through many persons, but in these last days by His Son (Hebrews 1:2).

God appointed Jesus heir of all things (Hebrews 1:2). God declared Him to be His “only begotten Son,” which would entitle him to be heir of all things ( Matthew 3:17; 17:5).

God made the worlds through Jesus (Hebrews 1:2). “All things were made through him; and without him was not anything made that hath been made” (John 1:3). “For in him were all things created, in the heavens and upon the earth, things visible, and things invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things have been created through him and unto him” (Colossians 1:16).

Jesus is the very image of God (Hebrews 1:3). When Thomas asked Him to show them the Father, Jesus said,  “Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves” (John 14:10-11). As such, He has the divine right to receive people’s worship, adoration, and obedience. No doubt, Jesus exhibited the glory of God when he was transfigured, His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light (Matthew 17:2).

Jesus upholds all things by the word of his power (Hebrews 1:3). This makes Christ the sustaining force of the earth, universe, and beyond. Paul declared, “He is before all things, and in him all things consist.” (Colossians 1:16-17).

Jesus purged our sins with His death, burial, and resurrection (Hebrews 1:3). Paul said, He made purification of sins, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works (Titus 2:14).

Who is this Jesus?  The apostles came to know him in three short years. They saw his great compassion, astounding works, his humility, and heard his profound teachings. They saw him tenderly take a little child onto his lap and tell about greatness. They witnessed his healing of the sick, restoring sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, and his patience with those who were steeped in sin. They watched as he called dead Lazarus to come out of his tomb. They listened as he successfully took on his adversaries, the Pharisees, Sadducees, and ruling Jews. When Thomas doubted that Jesus was risen, the Savior appeared to him and asked him to look at his nail-scarred hands, and put his hand into His side. Thomas said, “My Lord and My God!” (John 20:28).

The disciples came to know that Jesus embodied one word. Love. “Greater love has no one than to lay down one’s life for his friends. You are my friends if you do whatever I command you” (1 John 3:16). No greater love! Why else would God come down to earth to live with dark, sinful men?

On a personal level, Jesus is the one who took the stripes that I deserved. The nails that pierced his hands should have pierced my hands. The crown of thorns on his head should have been pressed into my brow. He took my place. He died for me. He died for you, too. This is the epitome of LOVE!

Today’s Verses:  The Father said to the Son, “You, Lord, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth, And the heavens are the work of Your hands” (Hebrews 1:10);  “So Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many” (Hebrews 9:28a); “And He Himself is the propitiation [payment] for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world” (1 John 2:2).

Audios available at http://christianwomanaudiodevotionals.abiblecommentary.com

By Teresa Hampton

In Cambodia, we noticed they don’t use the words “garbage” or “trash” or “waste.”  They have RUBBISH cans.  We found humor in that and started using the word at every opportunity.  Today I ran across some real rubbish, some things that are most foul.  Out of curiosity, I wondered how many “God is” statements are in the Bible.  God is light.  God is love.  For some brainless reason, I opted to google it.  Here’s what popped up when I typed “God is…”

“God is Imaginary.  50 simple proofs to show that God doesn’t exist.”

“God is not a Christian.”

“God is dead.”

“God is for suckers!”

“God is an astronaut.”

“God is pretend.”

“God is impossible.”

I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised, but I was completely caught off guard.  I felt a little queasy, then angry, and then I wanted to put my head down and cry.  I know there are people out there who don’t believe in God, who ridicule Christianity.  But to see those statements in print, to feel the vehemence behind some of them, was unsettling, to say the least.  HOW CAN THEY BE SO BLASPHEMOUS?!

And then a couple of things hit me.  First, as much as those offensive statements bothered me, how must God feel?  He offered His own Son for those very people.  Second, those statements must surely be the result of ignorance, or anger and bitterness.  That means we need to do a better job of spreading the Word and demonstrating God’s love.

I didn’t click on any of those links.  I can’t read that kind of stuff.  But I hope the reminder that Satan is active will spur me on to do my part to stand up for our Creator.

Prayer for Today:  Help me live in such a way that the world will see that I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ (Rom. 1:16).

Kathy Pollard

How did Jesus choose His disciples?

         Since moving to a new city and a new congregation, one of the things I miss is not knowing all the children. Before, I knew all the children’s name, and I was able to interact with them even if they were not or had not been in my class. In a new place, it takes time. Though we are in a smaller congregation, I am still trying to learn the little people’s names.

There is a little girl with whom I became acquainted last summer during Vacation Bible School. She visited in my room while I was setting things up for my class. She is energetic, happy, and generally adorable. She never meets a stranger, and she talks like a grown-up, though she is only five.

A few weeks ago, she and her mother were sitting behind us during the worship service. I don’t remember the song we were singing, but I could hear Emilee singing clearly. It was one of the teens’ devotional songs; and since her parents work with our teens, she obviously had sung it with them in devotionals.

After worship, Emilee was hiding behind the doors going out of thee auditorium. She jumped out, attempting to scare me. She had a big smile on her face, and laughed when I responded to her prank. I took the opportunity to tell her I had heard her singing. She smiled even bigger when I told her she has a pretty voice. She really does! She didn’t miss a note or a word. I asked her if she liked to sing; and she replied, “Oh, yes. I love to sing, and that is my favorite song”.

In talking with her mother later, I discovered that Emilee really focuses on singing. She loves to sing. She tries to learn the words and the music, and thankfully her precious mother encourages her to sing out.

It occurred to me that parents rarely encourage children to sing the psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs we are privileged to enjoy in our worship services. I recently asked my fourth and fifth grade Bible class what their favorite part of worship is. They all said the singing. Unfortunately, many adults do not feel that way. Most congregations have a “singing night”, either Sunday night or Wednesday night; and many people stay home because they don’t like to sing.

Do you realize what a privilege it is to sing praises to God? Do you realize that we are commanded to sing and make melody in our hearts to the Lord? Do you realize that we are to teach and admonish one another when we sing? I suspect we all need to take the singing praises a lot more seriously.

Many years ago, a little boy sat on the front row with his dad during the worship service. When the song leader began the song, this little boy sang loudly. In fact, he could be heard above everyone. His father tried to quiet him, but it never worked. My mother told the father, “Leave that boy alone. He’ll be directing our singing one of these days”. Sure enough, Steve has been directing singing for many years. He still sings loudly, and you can tell he loves doing it.

Steve and Emilee are great examples of praising God in the way we are commanded to sing. On opposite ends of the age scale, they exhibit the true meaning of sing and be happy.

Sandra Oliver