James 4:8 Draw nigh to God and he will draw nigh to you…….

Posted on June 26, 2017 by howtobesaved@abiblecommentary.com
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Each day we live we should make every effort humanly possible to become closer to our God. In 2 Chronicles 15:1-2 we read these words: “And the Spirit of God came upon Azariah the son of Oded: And he went out to meet Asa, and said unto him, Hear ye me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin; The Lord is with you, while ye be with him; and if ye seek him, he will  be found of you; but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you”. We find here a most important principle for us to consider, namely, if we desire to have God’s presence in our lives we must  walk closely with him. In doing so we strive to avoid everything that is offensive in his sight. Drawing nigh to him we endeavor to do his will in all things because we cannot trifle with his commands and still remain close to him. Drawing nigh to God requires that we present our bodies to him a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1). In essence this means that we give ourselves to him letting his word fill our hearts, mold our thoughts and guide our lives every step of the way.  Make no mistake about this, there are so many things that will tug at our heartstrings in an effort to draw us away from God. The devil will throw all manner of temptations in our way attempting to lure us away from God. He will use the lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes and the pride of life in ways that will sorely try us (1Peter 5:8; 1 Peter 2:11; 1 John 2:15-17). It will take a tremendous effort on our part to   walk  hand in hand, side by side with him down this pathway of life. When there is a task to be done, a temptation to overcome, a mountain to climb or a battle to be fought, there is no doubting in my mind as to what God can and will do for us so long as we continually draw nigh to him. He will impart to us the strength and the courage to bear all things and to overcome any obstacle the devil may place in our path (Heb. 13:5; 1 Cor. 10:13; Heb. 4:16). Today the words of one of our grand old hymns echoes within my heart:

“I am weak but thou art strong; Jesus keep me from all wrong.

I’ll be satisfied as long As I walk, dear Lord, close to thee.

Thro’ this world of toil and snares, If I falter, Lord who cares?

Who with me my burden shares? None but thee, dear Lord, none but thee”.

Charles Hicks

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Congregational appreciation day sermon

Posted on June 25, 2017 by howtobesaved@abiblecommentary.com
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Servants and congregational appreciation day

  • In this lesson– a study of the word “servant.”
    1. In the New Testament there is a word which is often translated “servant.”
    2. The first time we find this word is Mt. 8:9, a verse used in our Scripture reading (Mt. 8:5-9).
  • The word used in Mt. 8:9 means “bond-servant” (the lowliest type of servant).
  • Servants of this class were not their own masters.
  • READ Mt. 13:27.
    1. The church is not a building; the church is composed of a group of people who are “servants.”
    2. We may have different roles or functions, but we are all “servants.”
  • Visible acts of service are easy to find, but there are also some less noticeable acts of service.
  • There are cong. which have a mindset of: “Let’s hire a preacher and let him do all the work.”
  • Others look at the elders and see them and those who should be doing everything.”
  • Some see the deacons as men who should be dumped on till they nearly collapse.
    1. In Mt. 20:28 the Bible says Jesus did not come to “be ministered” to.
    2. In the preceding verse (Mt. 20:27) we are told the important people are those willing to serve.
  • One might think willing servants would always or nearly always be treated pretty well.
    1. In Mt. 21:35 we again find our word “servant” and we read about some pretty rotten treatment.
    2. This verse is part of one of Jesus’ teachings and let’s see what the Lord said – READ Mt. 21:35.
  • Servants in the world and in the church can be criticized for almost anything they do.
  • Show up to help put shingles on the roof, and we might be criticized.
  • Take responsibility to organize a project or outing and we may get criticized.
  • Clean the building or fix something and we may be criticized.
  • Work and work in the best and most dedicated ways regardless of critics.
  • Our incentive to behave in this manner is found in 24:46 –
  • “Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find him so doing.”
  • We are working for God, not the critics.
  • Faithful servants will one day hear the words, “Well done thou good and faithful servant” (Mt. 25:21).
    As we work for God we must always keep something in mind…
  • In the sight of God, even the best servants are “unprofitable” (Lk. 17:10).
  • Each person is some type of servant.
    1. I know there are those who would likely say, “I AM MY OWN PERSON – I SERVE NO ONE!”
    2. God says those who “commit sin are the servant of sin” (Jn. 8:34).
    3. We are servants of God or the devil if we are accountable for our actions.
  • Being a servant of God is pretty important; listen to what Jesus told His apostles in Jn. 15:15 – READ
  • Being a true “servant of God” means being a “friend of God.”
  • Faithful servants are precious, precious people.
  • It is no wonder God says to His precious servants, YOU ARE MY FRIENDS!
  • Perhaps a congregational appreciation meal is long overdue.

Servidores y día de reconocimiento congregacional
1) En esta lección, un estudio de la palabra “servidor”.
A) En el Nuevo Testamento hay una palabra que a menudo se traduce como “siervo”.
B) La primera vez que encontramos esta palabra es Mt. 8: 9, un versículo usado en la lectura de nuestra Escritura (Mt 8: 5-9).
2) La palabra usada en Mt. 8: 9 significa “sirviente” (el tipo más bajo de sirviente).
3) Los siervos de esta clase no eran sus propios amos.
4) LEER el Monte. 13:27.
A) La iglesia no es un edificio; La iglesia está compuesta por un grupo de personas que son “sirvientes”.
B) Podemos tener diferentes funciones o funciones, pero todos somos “sirvientes”.
5) Visible actos de servicio son fáciles de encontrar, pero también hay algunos menos notables actos de servicio.
6) Hay cong. Que tienen una mentalidad de: “Vamos a contratar a un predicador y dejarlo hacer todo el trabajo.”
7) Otros miran a los ancianos y los ven y los que deben estar haciendo todo. ”
8) Algunos ven a los diáconos como hombres que deben ser arrojados hasta que casi se derrumban.
A) En el monte. 20:28 la Biblia dice que Jesús no vino a “ser ministrado”.
B) En el versículo anterior (Mt. 20:27) se nos dice que las personas importantes son aquellas que están dispuestas a servir.
9) Se podría pensar que los sirvientes voluntarios siempre o casi siempre serían tratados bastante bien.
A) En el monte. 21:35 volvemos a encontrar nuestra palabra “sirviente” y leemos acerca de un tratamiento bastante podrido.
B) Este versículo es parte de una de las enseñanzas de Jesús y vamos a ver lo que el Señor dijo – LEER Mt. 21:35.
10) Los siervos en el mundo y en la iglesia pueden ser criticados por casi cualquier cosa que hagan.
11) Mostrar hasta ayudar a poner tejas en el techo, y que podría ser criticado.
12) Asumir la responsabilidad de organizar un proyecto o excursión y podemos ser criticados.
13) Limpiar el edificio o arreglar algo y podemos ser criticados.
14) Trabajar y trabajar en las mejores y más dedicadas formas, independientemente de los críticos.
15) Nuestro incentivo para comportarnos de esta manera se encuentra en el Monte. 24:46 –
16) “Bienaventurado aquel siervo, al cual su señor cuando llegue, lo hallará así”.
17) Estamos trabajando para Dios, no para los críticos.
18) Los siervos fieles escucharán un día las palabras: “Bien hecho, siervo bueno y fiel” (Mt 25:21).
Mientras trabajamos para Dios debemos tener siempre algo en mente …
19) A la vista de Dios, incluso los mejores siervos son “inútiles” (Lc 17:10).
20) Cada persona es un tipo de sirviente.
A) Sé que hay quienes probablemente dirían: “¡SOY MI PROPIA PERSONA – NO AYUDO A NADIE!”
B) Dios dice que aquellos que “cometen pecado son siervos del pecado” (Juan 8:34).
C) Somos siervos de Dios o del diablo si somos responsables de nuestras acciones.
21) Ser un siervo de Dios es muy importante; Escucha lo que Jesús le dijo a sus apóstoles en Jn. 15:15 – LEER
22) Ser un verdadero “siervo de Dios” significa ser un “amigo de Dios”.
23) Los siervos fieles son personas preciosas y preciosas.
24) No es de extrañar que Dios le diga a Sus siervos preciosos, USTEDES SON MIS AMIGOS!

25) Tal vez una comida de apreciación de la congregación es hace mucho tiempo.

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Perfectionism

Posted on June 23, 2017 by howtobesaved@abiblecommentary.com
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When the towels need to be folded, there’s more than one way to get the job done. BUT, if you’re a perfectionist there is only ONE way to fold them…the RIGHT way!

Merriam-Webster defines perfection as the doctrine that the perfection of moral character constitutes a person’s highest good. It goes on to describe a perfectionist as having a disposition to regard anything short of perfection as unacceptable.

There are many good aspects of being a perfectionist, such as; preparing in advance, great organizational skills, motivated for excellence, adherence to rules and being performance driven. These are qualities that most of us would strive for.

There is however a darker side of perfectionism. Often times this darker side is what rules the perfectionist’s life and unfortunately the lives of those around them. Some of the negative aspects of being a perfectionist are: procrastination, self-devaluation, anxiety, stress, and low self-esteem. These will often lead the perfectionist into depression and if not cared for timely and properly can even result in suicide. More and more research has been found that shows people who suffer from perfectionism are sadly taking their own lives due to the inability to live up to their own expectations let alone the expectations they feel others have for them.

Many times the family members, friends and loved ones suffer from the effects of the perfectionist as much or more, but in a totally different way. A simple task such as folding towels, putting the dishes away or waiting to leave for an appointment can turn into an argument which leaves the perfectionist angry and disgusted as well as leaving the other person feeling inadequate, guilty and angry as well. Perfectionism is often a barrier that separates instead of an opportunity that joins. Unfortunately, perfectionism has been the cause of far too many broken marriages and alienation between parents and children.

The only true way to counteract any negative effects of perfectionism is to first identify yourself as a perfectionist, then realize not everyone else is a perfectionist and most importantly that God created all of us. In Psalm 139:13, David wrote that God knit him together. In verse 14 David thanked God for making him so complex. In Matthew 5:48, Jesus says “Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.” Jesus is not telling us to be perfect, He is instructing us to live our lives loving one another and striving to be Christ like.

If you are a perfectionist, celebrate the way God made you but understand that God did not make all people perfectionists. If we are to strive to love one another and live a Christ-like life, then we must smooth our ridged expectations of those who are not perfectionists. If you need to be overly punctual, sit down with those who are making you “late” and work through that together in love with God in your presence. If you are not a perfectionist but are married to one, look at the way they fold the towels. Does it really take that much longer to fold them their way? Does it look better when the towels are put away? Realize the significance this insignificant task has on the perfectionist you love. The only way to truly overcome any negative aspect with yourself or the person you love is God. Communicate with each other but most importantly, communicate together with God, Ephesians 5:22-33.

James Pulley

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An Apology Shows Strength

Posted on June 22, 2017 by howtobesaved@abiblecommentary.com
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    Executive editor of The Weekly Standard, Fred Barnes, has written an article in the recent issue (June 19th, pgs. 11-12) about Donald Trump. The title is “Rules of Disorder: The President Leads Himself Astray.” He begins by stating that President Trump has three rules:

    1. When you are right, you fight.

    2. Controversy elevates message.

    3. Never apologize.

    I am not interested in critiquing Barnes, his article, or President Trump (not primarily). But it is that last point that caught my attention and my cogitations. Barnes says that Newt Gingrich, an advisor to Trump, says the president does not apologize because he thinks it shows weakness. Barnes writes, “An apology by a confident leader can build loyalty, respect, and an expectation of being treated fairly.”

    I offer an example from the other political party. President Bill Clinton was moving down in opinion polls following the out break of the Monica Lewinsky scandal – until he admitted what he did. Then, the public swung behind him, rightly or wrongly. His “apology” (observe the quotation marks) was enough to carry him through impeachment hearings and kept alive his wife’s aspirations to be president.

    One of the behaviors I think we dislike most about politicians is the inability that so many of them have of admitting they are wrong and/or accepting responsibility for their wrong decisions. But as Mom use to say, “As we point our finger at others, we have four pointing back at us.”

    Barnes concludes his article with this paragraph: “It’s important for Trump to give his Christian faith some breathing room at the White House. He’d soon realize that he’s wrong on occasions, that controversies can be counterproductive, and that an apology or two would show strength and self-discipline.”

    Whether you agree with Barnes’s view of Trump or not, he makes some good points about the strength of apologies. The word “apologize” is not in the Bible. But there are other concepts that carry the same idea. Like “repentance” – used 73 times. Before you can repent, you have to admit you made a mistake. That means taking responsibility for what you have done or said wrong. If we repent to our fellowman, then it requires admitting we’re wrong.

    Pride and its counterpart, humility, also suggest the idea of apologizing. Pride (used 55 times) keeps one from repenting, from admitting he/she was wrong. Pride suggests that I always do the right thing or say the right thing. Of course, that is simply not true. So, humility (99 times) is the ability to admit you are wrong, to admit you may have said the wrong thing, to admit you don’t know everything and can’t read other peoples’ minds. 

    So, yes, apologizing shows strength. It shows strength of character. It shows humility and dependency. Humility and dependency build loyalty – why be loyal to someone who has no need of anything from you? Humility and dependency also earn the respect of others because you show that you are in touch with reality. Everyone else knows and sees you are imperfect. When you apologize, it shows that you know that too. Apologizing also helps with character because it does mean you treat others fairly. They may be right. Recognize that. Even if it means admitting you are wrong.

    Here’s my political statement: Our president has a lot to learn. But, do we apologize when we should?

–Paul Holland

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The Eve of Destruction Jeremiah 18:1-11

Posted on June 21, 2017 by howtobesaved@abiblecommentary.com
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    Napoleon Bonaparte, at the height of his career, was asked by someone if God was on the side of France. He responded: “God is on the side that has the heaviest artillery.”

    But then came the famous Battle of Waterloo when Napoleon lost the battle and his empire. Napoleon was sent into exile on the island of St. Helena, humbled. It is reported that he quoted a German theologian, Thomas a Kempis: “Man proposes; God disposes.”

    Before we move into the text itself, let’s define the word “sovereignty:” “supreme power or authority.” Human beings have a great degree of “sovereignty.” When it comes to God, the Bible teaches that He is sovereign over the entire universe and everything in it. Jeremiah 18 illustrates this on the level of nations.

THE POTTER – 18:1-4:

    Verse 4 is the key to the whole text: the potter did “what he pleased.” That is going to be the message God gives to Jeremiah for Israel.

THE MESSAGE TO ISRAEL – 18:5-6:

    At this point, with this object lesson in front of him, God gives the message to Jeremiah which he is to share with Israel. “Like the clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel.”

    God can do with Israel as He pleases. If Israel is complaining about being taken over or punished by the Babylonian nation, it is God’s sovereign right to do that. He has a plan to accomplish.

THE MESSAGE TO ALL NATIONS – 18:7-10:

    Verse 8 lets us know that this destruction is entirely contingent on the free will choices of the people of those nations. IF they relent of their evil, if they repent of their wickedness, then God will not destroy them. The city of Nineveh, at the preaching of the prophet Jonah, is a great example of this point.

    On the other hand (verse 9), if a nation is being blessed by God but then chooses to do evil (please observe the word “obeying” – vs 10), God has the sovereign right to change what He had planned to do with the nation. America is a great example of this point (cf. Psa. 115:3).

JEREMIAH’S MESSAGE TO ISRAEL – 18:11:

    The conclusion to Jeremiah’s message, as far as our study is concerned, is found in verse 11. There is still hope, as there always is, verse 11b. Repentance. Restoration.

    The apostle Paul makes reference to this passage, specifically verse 6, in Romans 9. Many of our religious friends read Romans 9 and believe it teaches that in God’s sovereignty, He chooses which individual people will be saved and which will be lost. But Paul’s point in Romans 9 is not about individual salvation.

    Paul’s point in Romans 9 is the same as Jeremiah’s point in Jeremiah 18. The theme of Romans 9 is: “What is the situation with Paul’s ‘kinsmen according to the flesh’ since Christ is God’s chosen vessel of salvation today?” Where does the Israelite nation stand today in God’s eyes? What good was it to be an Israelite if God was going to save the world through Christ and faith, and not Israel and the Law of Moses?

    God has the sovereign right to do with Israel as He pleases. The role of Israel was to bring Jesus into the world (verse 5). Israel fulfilled her purpose. If she wants to be saved, then she’ll believe and accept Christ. But God has the right to do with Israel what He pleases.

    Now, what about today? I have already indicated that God can and will do with the United States of America what He pleases. Every church of Christ, as the body of Christ, also falls within the promise and warning of chapter 18 of Jeremiah. God can do with us as a body what He chooses. We may feel like He is blessing us. The only way to know if God is blessing us is to make sure we are obeying what Christ commands of His people. 

    Let us be faithful to God and trust His decisions. He will do what is right.

–Paul Holland

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“WHAT DOES YOUR DADDY DO?”

Posted on June 20, 2017 by howtobesaved@abiblecommentary.com
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When our boys were growing up at home and had friends of either sex over to our house I was always interested in meeting them and visiting with them. I was interested in knowing about them and their families. One question I would sometimes ask was, “What does your daddy do?” I always felt that question provided some insight into the kind of family the young person was from.

If I was told that the father was a bootlegger or a used car salesman or a lawyer or an entrepreneur, I was always a little leery of the young person’s background. (Only kidding except for the first occupation mentioned). If I was told that the daddy was a farmer or a mechanic or a banker or a preacher or a teacher or a football coach or a firefighter or a doctor I at least had some idea as to the kind of home that young person was from.

In Scripture the specific occupation of a man does not have that much importance attached to it, but a husband and father is to work at an honorable job and provide for his family. Paul wrote: “But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever” (I Timothy 5:8).

Though providing physically and financially for their families is extremely important, what daddies do in the way of teaching and training their children to be good, honorable, God-fearing people is more important. Noah was a boat-builder, but more significantly, he “walked with God” (Genesis 6:9), and trained his three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth, to do the same. When the massive flood came and wiped out all civilization, Noah, his wife, his three sons and their wives were the only survivors (I Peter 3:20).

Jacob (whose name was changed to Israel) was a Bedouin shepherd who had twelve sons and a daughter. Though human and therefore marked by imperfections, in time the twelve sons became the progenitors of the twelve tribes of Israel. From the descendants of one of these sons—Judah—Jesus was born.

Eli was a priest of God and apparently a good man himself, but he did a poor job of training his sons. “Now the sons of Eli were corrupt; they did not know the Lord” (I Samuel 2:12). God said, “For I have told [Eli] that I will judge his house forever for the iniquity which he knows, because his sons made themselves vile, and he did not restrain them” (I Samuel 3:13). Growing up in a religious home is no guarantee that the children will turn out to be men and women who love and honor God.

Zacharias also was a priest in Israel, and he and his wife Elizabeth “were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless” (Luke 1:6). They became the parents of John the Immerser of whom Christ said, “Among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he” (Matthew 11:11). John never lived to see the kingdom of God (the church) established and to be a part of it, but he was a great man, due in no small part to his father, Zacharias.

Joseph was the step-father of Jesus and worked as a carpenter. What kind of man Joseph must have been for God to choose him to be the one entrusted with the rearing of His only begotten Son! Like all Jewish boys, Jesus learned an honorable trade and also became a carpenter (Mark 6:3).

Men have a great responsibility to their children. Sadly, many children do not know who their father is! They have been born to promiscuous women who have had children by a multiplicity of men and are never sure of who is the father of which child. This has weakened the moral fabric of society and brought shame to our nation. Then there are those fathers who simply neglect their children and fail to have any part in their rearing.

The Bible commands, “And you fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4). How urgent it is that fathers do that! Yet before daddies can train their children in the way of the Lord, they must know the way of the Lord themselves!

I had a wise old English professor at Freed-Hardeman University (a Christian university), W. Claude Hall, who pointed out the difference between “raise” and “rear” by noting that a farmer may “raise” hogs, but fathers are to “rear” their children. Brother Hall would then say, “Of course, some people just ‘raise’ their children!”

What does your daddy do? What are you doing as a daddy?

Hugh Fulford

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Legacy-Leaving Dads: “Respect”

Posted on June 19, 2017 by howtobesaved@abiblecommentary.com
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Ephesians 6:1-4

R-E-S-P-E-C-T. Aretha Franklin made popular a song written by Otis Redding. “I got to have a little respect.”

Dads, it is our responsibility to provide for our families. But, we can’t get so distracted by putting food on the table and teaching our sons to play ball or our daughters to hunt that we forget to teach some of the basic virtues they need in life in order to please Jesus Christ and to be successful.

Let’s talk about respect.

DEFINITION OF RESPECT:
“Respect” is defined as a “deep admiration for someone or something elicited by their abilities, qualities or achievements.” That’s the meaning of the word “honor” here in our text: Ephesians 6:1. Children respect their parents with a “deep admiration” for them because of who they are. When children are little, they do not and cannot respect their parents for their knowledge, ability, achievements, etc. But they can respect their parents for their role of authority. Teenagers also have to respect the role of Mom and Dad as the authority figures in the home.

Respect is a total lifestyle, a total package.

REQUIRE RESPECT:

Take a look at Leviticus 19:2-3: “Speak to all the congregation of the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy. ‘Every one of you shall reverence his mother and his father.” If God requires such a high level of holiness in our homes, then we need to take this seriously and demand our children respect those people they need to respect.

ESTABLISH RESPECT:

First, teach respect for God. If we will teach our children to respect God, then the fifth commandment (honoring mom and dad) will flow naturally. If you will study the Bible frequently yourself, God’s teachings will come out in your daily conversation with your child. If your heart and mind are saturated with God’s words, then your mouth and speech will also be saturated. Teach your children the Bible so they will grow to respect God.

Explain God’s chain of command. God sent Jesus who sent the Holy Spirit, who inspired the apostles to write God’s commands down in the Bible. The Bible gives dads the highest responsibility in the home but moms have equal authority over the children.

SHOW RESPECT:

Dads, you are not going to teach me how to rebuild an engine if you have never done it before yourself. You might have the “head knowledge,” but if you haven’t actually done it yourself, then you will not be a very effective teacher. Demonstrate respect.

While respect is required on one hand, it is also earned. If we walk with the Spirit and exhibit Christ-likeness in our lives, then it will be easy and natural for our children to have a respectful attitude. You know that the multitudes of Jews respected Jesus Christ. To the degree that we walk with Christ and imitate His manners and attitudes toward others, to that degree, our children will also respect us.

So, men – how do you “model” respect at home? Teach your children to respect you, your wife, others, and God.

–Paul Holland

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Sermons for father’s day

Posted on June 18, 2017 by howtobesaved@abiblecommentary.com
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Father’s Day (2017)

 

  • Have we ever considered how God the Father never takes a day off?
  • God never goes on vacation. He never naps for a brief period or sleeps for an evening.
  • God does not say to some angels, “You take over for a time and I will come back later.”
  • The Bible does say God “rested” after 6 days of creation (Gen. 2:2), but this was not “total rest.”
  • Imagine a parent who says to a child, “I am off duty.”
    1. 6:6 – READ
    2. Jesus said the “Father sees.”
  • When a person is ON DUTY, they should be watchful and observant (Mt. 6:6).
  • Verse 8 – READ
  • Verse 9 – READ
  • In describing the Father, Jesus said, “Hallowed be thy name.”
  • A “good name” was important in the ancient world and it is still important in our time.

 

IDEALLY ADULTS AND ESPECIALLY PARENTS WOULD REALIZE THEY ARE ALWAYS “ON DUTY.”

 

  • Children have a parent who strives to be there for them as much as possible need to be thankful.
  • Never forget a parent or spouse who tries to always ON DUTY should leave us feeling grateful.
  • All too often it is easy and tempting to criticize those who work hard at being ON DUTY all the time.
  • It might be nice if people were always ON DUTY every waking minute of the day.
  • When we have days like Father’s Day and Mother’s Day, we are not talking about perfect parents.
  • Days like this are designed to recognize those who do try to generally be ON DUTY.

 

WHEN PEOPLE TRY THEIR BEST TO BE “ON DUTY,” THEY NEED TO BE COMMENDED INSTEAD OF CRITICIZED.

 

  1. We have thought about ON DUTY for a bit, but what about the other side of the coin?

 

  • In Mk. 12:43 Jesus tells us something pretty interesting about demons.
    1. The Lord spoke of an unclean spirit seeking “rest.”
    2. I bring up a demon’s desire for rest to make a point about others, including fathers.
  • Dads might be looked upon as being ON DUTY all the time, but fathers also deserve & need some rest.
  • If demons desire rest, all fathers will have this same desire at times.
  • Sometimes dads want some down time; they want to go “off duty” for a bit.
  • Jesus (Mk. 6:31) took the disciples aside and had them “rest” for a period.
  • Trying to help others find some periods where they can go “off duty” for a time is a good thing.
  • Do mothers and fathers deserve more than one break a year? Yes.
  • Learn to give mom and dad or a husband and wife some OFF DUTY time.

 

  • A few days ago I read the following from a Christian mother:
  • “I have bronchitis, an ear infection and the beginning of pneumonia.”
  • The son of this mother took the day off from his classes…

 

  • To all those – especially fathers who always seem to be ON DUTY – thank you.
  • This day is for you, but we hope there are some more OFF DUTY periods for you before 2018.
  • God believes in rest for His people.

 

Día del Padre
1) ¿Alguna vez hemos considerado cómo Dios el Padre nunca toma un día libre?
2) Dios nunca va de vacaciones. Él nunca duerme durante un breve período o duerme una noche.
3) Dios no dice a algunos ángeles: “Tú tomas el control por un tiempo y volveré más tarde”.
4) La Biblia dice que Dios “descansó” después de 6 días de creación (Génesis 2: 2), pero esto no era “descanso total”.
5) Imagínese a un padre que dice a un niño, “estoy fuera de servicio.”
A) El monte. 6: 6 – LEER
B) Jesús dijo que el “Padre ve”.
6) Cuando una persona está en DEBER, deben ser vigilantes y observadores (Mt 6: 6).
7) Verso 8 – LEER
8) Verso 9 – LEER
9) Al describir al Padre, Jesús dijo: “Santificado sea tu nombre”.
10) Un “buen nombre” era importante en el mundo antiguo y sigue siendo importante en nuestro tiempo.

IDEALMENTE ADULTOS Y ESPECIALMENTE LOS PADRES REALIZARAN QUE ESTÁN SIEMPRE “EN DEBER”.

1) Los niños tienen un padre que se esfuerza por estar allí para ellos tanto como sea posible deben estar agradecidos.
2) Nunca olvide que un padre o cónyuge que intenta siempre en DEBER debe dejarnos sentir agradecidos.
3) Con demasiada frecuencia es fácil y tentador criticar a aquellos que trabajan duro para estar en servicio todo el tiempo.
4) Puede ser agradable si la gente siempre estaba en servicio cada minuto de vigilia del día.
5) Cuando tenemos días como el Día del Padre y el Día de la Madre, no estamos hablando de padres perfectos.
6) Días como este están diseñados para reconocer a aquellos que tratan de estar en servicio.

CUANDO LA GENTE TRATE SU MEJOR SER “DEBER”, NECESITAN SER ELOGADOS EN VEZ DE CRITICAR.

A) Hemos pensado en el DEBER para un poco, pero ¿qué pasa con el otro lado de la moneda?

2) En Mk. 12:43 Jesús nos dice algo muy interesante acerca de los demonios.
A) El Señor habló de un espíritu inmundo que buscaba “descanso”.
B) Traigo el deseo de un demonio de descanso para hacer un punto sobre otros, incluyendo a los padres.
3) Los papás se pueden ver como estar en servicio todo el tiempo, pero los padres también merecen y necesitan un poco de descanso.
4) Si los demonios desean descansar, todos los padres tendrán este mismo deseo a veces.
5) A veces los papás quieren algún tiempo de inactividad; Quieren ir “fuera de servicio” para un poco.
6) Jesús (Mc 6:31) tomó a los discípulos a un lado y los hizo “descansar” por un período.
7) Tratando de ayudar a otros a encontrar algunos períodos en los que pueden ir “fuera de servicio” por un tiempo es una buena cosa.
8) ¿Las madres y los padres merecen más de una pausa al año? Sí.
9) Aprender a darle a mamá y papá o un marido y su esposa algún tiempo fuera de servicio.

10) Hace unos días leí lo siguiente de una madre cristiana:
11) “Tengo bronquitis, una infección del oído y el comienzo de la neumonía”.
12) El hijo de esta madre tomó el día libre de sus clases …

13) A todos aquellos – especialmente padres que siempre parecen estar en servicio – gracias.
14) Este día es para ti, pero esperamos que haya más períodos fuera de servicio para ti antes de 2018.
15) Dios cree en descanso para su pueblo.

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Restore Us Again: Dealing with Guilt

Posted on June 16, 2017 by howtobesaved@abiblecommentary.com
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    As a minister, I have dealt with people struggling with guilt from three sources. Some have fought in war and felt guilt over killing people, even if it was justified. Women who have had abortions feel guilty. And third, parents whose children have become unfaithful sometimes feel guilty.

    Guilt is a feeling that results from doing wrong or from you thinking you have done wrong. In an objective sense, guilt is justified when we have sinned against God. But guilt also has a subjective sense in that it is the feeling we experience when we have violated our own standard of ethics. That suggests that sometimes our feelings of guilt are not justified.

    Listen to Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 7:8-13: “For though I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it; though I did regret it—for I see that that letter caused you sorrow, though only for a while— I now rejoice, not that you were made sorrowful, but that you were made sorrowful to the point of repentance; for you were made sorrowful according to the will of God, so that you might not suffer loss in anything through us. For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death. For behold what earnestness this very thing, this godly sorrow, has produced in you: what vindication of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what avenging of wrong! In everything you demonstrated yourselves to be innocent in the matter. So although I wrote to you, it was not for the sake of the offender nor for the sake of the one offended, but that your earnestness on our behalf might be made known to you in the sight of God. For this reason we have been comforted. And besides our comfort, we rejoiced even much more for the joy of Titus, because his spirit has been refreshed by you all.”

    Sin causes feelings of guilt. Sometimes we have been taught things are wrong that, in reality, are not wrong so that we have feelings of guilt that are not justified. Frequently, we will punish ourselves, making ourselves feel guilty, when that is not reasonable. Too, we are made to feel guilty by others, whether that is justified or not.

    So, how do you handle feelings of guilt? First, you have to examine your feelings and understand whether those feelings are reasonable and justified or not. Are your feelings not justified? Then talk to yourself and reassure yourself that your feelings are not reasonable. How important it is for us to learn when to trust our feelings and when not to. They are so temporary.

    You may also have to change your expectations of yourself. For those who feel guilty for not being perfect (like parents whose children might leave the faith or for those whose marriage ends in divorce), you may have to remind yourself that you are only human.

    If your feelings of guilt are justified, then you might need to make restitution, as Zacchaeus desired to do (Luke 19:1-9). You might need to be forgiven through Christ by obeying the gospel (Acts 2:38) or by confessing your sin to Christ and receiving His forgiveness (1 John 1:7-9).

    To deal with deep and recurring feelings of guilt, you have to have discipline, persistence, and faith.

–Paul Holland

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Einstein’s Brain

Posted on June 15, 2017 by howtobesaved@abiblecommentary.com
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    The news that Albert Einstein’s eye balls were still preserved, in a lock box in New York City, led me on a “wild goose chase.” I ended in an article on npr.org website: “The Long, Strange Journey of Einstein’s Brain,” published in April of 2005. 

    Albert Einstein died in 1955, over 60 years ago. He died of a ruptured aortic aneurysm. A doctor at the hospital where Einstein died, Thomas Harvey, kept the brain and the eye balls, without legal permission. He gave the eye balls to Einstein’s eye doctor. He kept the brain, for almost 40 years.

    Harvey was perplexed by Einstein’s genius and firmly believed that that genius resided somewhere in the gray matter of the brain. So, over that 40 year period, Harvey sent sections of Einstein’s brain to different researchers throughout the world, at least to those who would accept them. He was hoping that the secret of genius could be discovered.

    At least part of the story is told in a book published in 2005 by Brian Burrell named Postcards from the Brain Museum. An excerpt of that book was published on npr.org. The long and short of it, apparently, is that nothing could be discovered from Einstein’s brain.

    The long and short of it is this: the mind is more than just matter. The secret to strength is to understand the muscles, their physiology, nutrition, etc. But the secret to our minds cannot be examined under a microscope. Sure, education plays a large part. Some believe Einstein suffered from dyslexia. If his parents had known the physical condition of his brain when he was a child, perhaps they would have pushed him into service of the state instead of the pursuit of the mind. Where would modern science, especially physics, be if that had happened? But personality and the mind are more than just education.

    The point I’m making is that evolution – macro-evolution – is false to suggest that all of life can be boiled down to just chemistry and biology. There is, to be sure, a part of man (our minds, our personality, etc.) that is more than the physical. If that is the case, then surely it is not a stretch beyond science to suggest there is more to our world than just the physical!

–Paul Holland

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