In the difficult times of life, we should always remember that God's love is perfect and without limit.  Never think about giving up on life because if we could see with spiritual eyes, we would see the invisible army of God who stand ready to take our defense.  It is true that while we are on the earth trials and tribulations will come our way, but we must remember the God in Whom we believe and know that all things will work together for our good.  Trust Him all the days of your life no matter what happens and remind yourself that soon all will be well. (2 Kings 6:15-17) (Psalm 118:5-9)
Hope you are encouraged by today's message to see that God's love is constant no matter our sins or shortfalls and He will be there to receive us afresh each day that we awake.

IT’S OK DAD, I STILL LOVE YOU
You can learn a lot from a four year old. Now I'm not talking about the obvious like the names of every dinosaur known to man, or the behavioral adage patience is a virtue. No, I'm talking about deep and meaningful lessons, the kind that happens in an instant, yet affect you for the rest of your life. I had such an experience when my son Zac taught me a lesson on forgiveness and unconditional love.

It started out with an innocent itch -- you know, the one that gets deep into your skin and won't go away until sufficiently scratched. This particular itch centered on remembering a line from the movie “The Preacher's Wife.”
If you've seen “The Preacher's Wife,” you know the script is full of emotional one-liners. I had seen the movie years ago and was having trouble remembering one exact line.

One night I'm channel surfing and lo and behold, “The Preacher's Wife” is on Disney. It's 8:30pm, the movie started at 8:00pm -- and I'm already praying the line I'm looking for wasn't in the parts I've already missed. I yell to my wife that Preacher's Wife is on, then settled into my seat with the single-minded mission of capturing THE line.

Suffice to say that the kids had other plans for me. First it was the electronic keyboard at full volume -- a gift from a grandmother who took obvious joy in helping me relive my own childhood. Then it was the dinosaur roars, followed by the cries of my two-year old “He's scaring me!” Then came the incessant “I'm thirsty”, followed by “I'm hungry”, followed by “read me this book”, followed by “I want a bath.” In the span of one hour, my little angels had become anything but, and my blood pressure was rising with each passing minute.

“Zechariah David,” I yelled thinking like all parents do, that using the middle name reinforces to the child “I mean business.” “Stop picking with her...apologize now please...in a minute sweetie...hang on, a commercial's coming...wait just a second...stop fighting...alright, that's it, time out.”

Sound familiar parents?
Finally the big moment came. I slapped the couch several times and said, “Shh...this is it.” Right at that moment, both kids began to wail -- I'm talking screams that would make even a banshee blush. Even though I got right up next to the speaker, I missed the line. I clenched my teeth, suppressed an internal scream, and stormed off to another room, angry as I've ever been.

I made it to our basement steps, sat down in the dark, and like many parents caught in the grips of frustration, I tried counting to ten.

Right about the time I got to fifty, Zac comes around the corner and asks “What's wrong Dad?” I replied, “Daddy's real upset. I missed a special part of the movie because you and Caycie decided to throw a fit. I'm angry and frustrated and not handling things well right now.”

My son, all four-years and forty pounds, put his arms around me, kissed me on the cheek and said, “It's OK, I still love you.” As I hugged my son in the dark, with tears flowing, I realized the hand of God had just touched me in very personal and profound way.

This same heavenly Father, in the very same vein of love and forgiveness, sent His Son to be sacrificed so that we may have the chance to live eternal. A son who, even on our worst and most selfish days, has the glorious ability to pull us back to reality with Him as the focal point in our lives. A son who daily teaches each of us that unconditional love and forgiveness do exist. For whether we stumble and fall, or simply lose sight, our Heavenly Father reminds each of us, “It's OK, I still love you.”

Months later, and the house to myself, I was able to watch the Preachers Wife uninterrupted -- funny how God plans that. The line I was looking for was this: “Look in wondrous glory at someone you love, and see the face of God.”
Sometimes, while Zac isn't watching, I'll watch him closely and marvel what lies ahead for him. With his words “It's Ok Dad, I still love you,” echoing through my head, I'll look in wondrous glory at this son I love and see the grace of God.

By Randall Willard

Read and meditate on these scriptures:
Romans 12:9-10 “Let love be without dissimulation.  Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.  Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another.”
Matthew 6:14-15 Jesus says, “For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”
1 John 4:10-12 “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.  Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.  No man hath seen God at any time.  If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and His love is perfected in us.”
All of these scriptures can be found in the King James Version Bible.

ซาตานทำงานอย่างไร

Many times life throws us a hard blow and instead of regrouping and starting over, we give up on trying and stay in the same defeated place for months and sometimes years.  We must renew our minds with the Word of God and know with the Lord’s help and guidance; we will overcome and live a blessed and victorious life.

Lets pray that we will be challenged and encouraged by this message on the pencil and hope it helps you understand the great potential that you possess once God has control of your life. 

PARABLE OF THE PENCIL

The Pencil Maker took the pencil aside, just before putting him into the box. “There are 5 things you need to know,” he told the pencil, “Before I send you out into the world. Always remember them and never forget, and you will become the best pencil you can be.”

 

“One: You will be able to do many great things, but only if you allow yourself to be held in Someone's hand.”

“Two: You will experience a painful sharpening from time to time, but you'll need it to become a better pencil.”

“Three: You will be able to correct any mistakes you might make.”

“Four: The most important part of you will always be what's inside.”

“And Five: On every surface you are used on, you must leave your mark. No matter what the condition, you must continue to write.”

The pencil understood and promised to remember, and went into the box with purpose in its heart.
Now replacing the place of the pencil with you. Always remember them and never forget, and you will become the best person you can be.

One: You will be able to do many great things, but only if you allow yourself to be held in God's hand. And allow other human beings to access you for the many gifts you possess.

Two: You will experience a painful sharpening from time to time, by going through various problems, but you'll need it to become a stronger person.

Three: You will be able to correct any mistakes you might make.

Four: The most important part of you will always be what's on the inside.

And Five: On every surface you walk through, you must leave your mark. No matter what the situation, you must continue to do your duties.

By understanding and remembering, let us proceed with our life on this earth having a meaningful purpose in our heart.

The Bible says that God is the potter and we are the clay.  He is the master and we are the servants.  With God's leading and the still small voice of the Holy Spirit guiding our steps, we can do great things with our life.  Allow this parable on the pencil to encourage you to know that you are a special person and only you can fulfill the purpose to which you were born to accomplish.  Never allow yourself to get discouraged and think that your life is insignificant and cannot make a change. (Isaiah 64:8)

God has put breath in your physical body for a reason and so I hope you will seek Him in prayer to find out your purpose and what plans God has for your life.  Only when we seek Him can we find out the plan of the Lord for our life.  I encourage you to be submitted to the Lord just as a pencil is submitted in the writer’s hand. (Proverbs 3:5-6) (Jeremiah 29:11-14)

Allow the Lord to write through your life things that will never be erased.  Each pencil has the potential to write the greatest of stories, but it first must be held in the writers hand and so it is with us.  We have the potential to do so many great things if only we submit to the Master's Hand and let God have His way. (Jeremiah 33:3) (Philippians 4:13)

Read and meditate on these scriptures:

Isaiah 64:8-9 “But now, O LORD, thou art our Father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of Thy Hand. Be not wroth very sore, O LORD, neither remember iniquity for ever: behold, see, we beseech thee, we are all thy people.”

Luke 12:11-12 Jesus says, “And when they bring you unto the synagogues, and unto magistrates, and powers, take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall answer, or what ye shall say: For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say.”

Joshua 1:8-9 “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.  Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.”

Hebrews 12:1-3 “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.  For consider Him that endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.”

All scriptures can be found in the King James Version.

หลุมพรางทั้งสิบสอง

1. หลุมพรางของเอลี : เมื่อความอ่อนแอกลายเป็นบาป    เอลีรู้ว่าลูกของตนทำบาป แต่เขาอ่อนแอเกินไปที่จะทำอะไรกับมัน สุดท้ายต้องตายอย่างอเนจอนาถ
2. หลุมพรางของยาโคบ : การใช้วิธีการอย่างโลกเพื่อให้ได้มาซึ่งพระพรจากพระเจ้า    ยาโคบได้รับสัญญาเกี่ยวกับพระพรที่จะมาถึงเขาตั้งแต่แรกเกิด แต่เขาใช้อุบายเพื่อให้ได้มาซึ่งพระพรของพี่ชาย
3. หลุมพรางของแซมสัน : ความเป็นผู้นำที่โดดเด่นแต่ขาดชีวิตที่มีคุณธรรม    ความสามารถตามธรรมชาติและความสามารถด้านจิตวิญญาณที่น่าประทับใจ ไม่อาจทดแทนความซื่อสัตย์จากภายในที่จำเป็นต้องมีได้
4. หลุมพรางของโมเสส : ใช้ความโกรธแบบพระเจ้าในทางที่ไม่ถูกต้อง    เพราะความโกรธและการเชื่อฟังเพียงบางส่วนทำให้โมเสสหมดโอกาสที่จะเข้าสู่แผ่นดินพระสัญญา มีผู้นำกี่คนที่ทำให้พระคุณของพระเจ้าสูญเปล่า โดยการใช้สิทธิอำนาจของพวกเขาอย่างไม่ถูกต้องเช่นนี้บ้าง
5. หลุมพรางของเอลียาห์ : ยอมรับความท้อแท้ใจ    เอลียาห์ยอมตกอยู่ใต้อำนาจวิญญาณแห่งความท้อใจ อย่าปล่อยให้ความคิดแง่ลบมาครอบงำใจหรือขโมยความชื่นชมยินดีในพระคริสต์ไปจากตัวเอง
6. หลุมพรางของโยชูวา : ความบาปของการทำโดยพลการ    เพราะมีบาปซ่อนอยู่ในค่าย และพวกเขาไม่ได้คิดที่จะตรวจตราแรงจูงใจและความปรารถนาของตนก่อน
7. หลุมพรางของกษัตริย์ซาอูล : การปล่อยให้ความโง่กลายเป็นความบาป    การรีบเร่งอย่างโง่เขลาตามอำเภอใจนั้นเองที่จุดชนวนให้กษัตริย์ซาอูลถูกปฏิเสธจากการครองราชบัลลังก์และจนถึงกับทำลายอาณาจักรของพระองค์เอง
8. หลุมพรางของดาวิด : การไม่ได้กำหนดขอบเขต    ดาวิดปิดบังความบาปลับ ๆ ไว้ในชีวิต และต้องชดใช้ด้วยการรับผลที่เกิดขึ้นตามมา ในที่สุดพระองค์สำนึกผิดและกลับใจอย่างแท้จริง
9. หลุมพรางของซาโลมอน : ความหันเหซึ่งถึงแก่ชีวิต    บาปใหญ่คือการเพิกเฉยต่อการทรงเตือนของพระเจ้าว่า การแต่งงานกับหญิงต่างชาติจะทำให้ซาโลมอนเอนเอียงไปหารูปเคารพของพวกที่ไม่เชื่อในพระเจ้า
10. หลุมพรางของโยนาห์ : การรับใช้พระเจ้าด้วยความลังเล    โยนาห์ก้าวจากการไม่เชื่อฟังไปสู่การเป็นผู้รับใช้ที่สองจิตสองใจ เขาฝืนใจไปยังเมืองนีนะเวห์ แม้เขาจะไปยืนอยู่ที่นั่น แต่ใจของเขาไม่ได้อยู่ที่นั่นเลย
11. หลุมพรางของเปโตร : การกลัวมนุษย์ยิ่งกว่ากลัวพระเจ้า    เปโตรเป็นคนที่ชอบเอาใจใคร ๆ ความหน้าซื่อใจคดของเขาก็มีอิทธิพลต่อคนอื่น ๆและทำให้เขาต้องประนีประนอมกับความซื่อสัตย์จริงใจ
12. หลุมพรางของเศรษฐีหนุ่ม : การปฏิเสธที่จะทิ้งรูปเคารพชิ้นสุดท้าย    การเชื่อฟังแต่เพียงเปลือกนอกเท่านั้นใช้ไม่ได้ สิ่งที่เรารักมากกว่าพระเจ้า มันซ่อนอยู่ในมุมลับแห่งหัวใจของเรา

He Wants to Comfort You

by Max Lucado

My child’s feelings are hurt. I tell her she’s special. My child is injured. I do whatever it takes to make her feel better.

My child is afraid. I won’t go to sleep until she is secure.

I’m not a hero. I’m not a superstar. I’m not unusual. I’m a parent. When a child hurts, a parent does what comes naturally. He helps.

And after I help, I don’t charge a fee. I don’t ask for a favor in return. When my child cries, I don’t tell her to buck up, act tough, and keep a stiff upper lip. Nor do I consult a list and ask her why she is still scraping the same elbow or waking me up again.

I’m not a prophet, nor the son of one, but something tells me that in the whole scheme of things the tender moments described above are infinitely more valuable than anything I do in front of a computer screen or congregation. Something tells me that the moments of comfort I give my child are a small price to pay for the joy of someday seeing my daughter do for her daughter what her dad did for her.

Moments of comfort from a parent. As a father, I can tell you they are the sweetest moments in my day. They come naturally. They come willingly. They come joyfully.

If all of that is true, if I know that one of the privileges of fatherhood is to comfort a child, then why am I so reluctant to let my heavenly Father comfort me?

Why do I think he wouldn’t want to hear about my problems? (“They are puny compared to people starving in India.”)

Why do I think he is too busy for me? (“He’s got a whole universe to worry about.”)

Why do I think he’s tired of hearing the same old stuff?

Why do I think he groans when he sees me coming?

Why do I think he consults his list when I ask for forgiveness and asks, “Don’t you think you’re going to the well a few too many times on this one?”

Why do I think I have to speak a holy language around him that I don’t speak with anyone else?

Why do I not take him seriously when he questions, “If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!” (Matthew 7:11)

Why don’t I let my Father do for me what I am more than willing to do for my own children?

I’m learning, though. Being a parent is better than a course on theology. Being a father is teaching me that when I am criticized, injured, or afraid, there is a Father who is ready to comfort me. There is a Father who will hold me until I’m better, help me until I can live with the hurt, and who won’t go to sleep when I’m afraid of waking up and seeing the dark.

Ever. And that’s enough.

HANDY LITTLE CHART
God has a positive answer:

You say: 'It's impossible' God says: All things are possible (Luke 18:27) You say: 'I'm too tired' God says: I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28-30) You say: 'Nobody really loves me' God says: I love you (John 3:1 6 & John 3:34 ) You say: 'I can't go on' God says: My grace is sufficient (II Corinthians 12:9 & Psalm 91:15) You say: 'I can't figure things out' God says: I will direct your steps (Proverbs 3:5- 6) You say: 'I can't do it' God says: You can do all things (Philippians 4:13) You say: 'I'm not able' God says: I am able (II Corinthians 9:8)

You say: 'It's not worth it' God says: It will be worth it (Roman 8:28 ) You say: 'I can't forgive myself' God says: I Forgive you (I John 1:9 & Romans 8:1) You say: 'I can't manage' God says: I will supply all your needs (Philippians 4:19) You say: 'I'm afraid' God says: I have not given you a spirit of fear (II Timothy 1:7) You say: 'I'm always worried and frustrated' God says: Cast all your cares on ME (I Peter 5:7) You say: 'I'm not smart enough' God says: I give you wisdom (I Corinthians 1:30) You say: 'I feel all alone' God says: I will never leave you or forsake you (Hebrews 13:5)

PASS THIS ON. YOU NEVER KNOW WHO MAY BE IN NEED
The first sentence is pretty powerful!
Father God,  bless all my friends and family in whatever it is that you know they may need this day! And may their life be full of your peace, prosperity and power as they seek to have a closer relationship with you. All this I ask in Jesus name, Amen.

Make it a Wonderful Day!!

Shalom, Shalom

Jermaine