And another thing...
A husband and wife were at a party chatting with some friends when the subject of marriage counseling came up.
"Oh, we'll never need that. My husband and I have a great relationship," the wife explained.
"He was a communications major in college and I majored in theater arts."
"He communicates real well and I just act like I'm listening."
Go ahead and smile, it'll do you good.
Too many times people treat each other badly, in a misguided attempt to exercise control over the other. Perhaps the ultimate is the "last word syndrome." Counselors will tell of people who left their offices trying to get in the very last word. Reminds me of the "did not", "did too" of childhood.
That's supposed to die out as you mature. But now, it doesn't have to. You can have the last word, even if you are dead. Or can you?
A California man has come up with a new device that will allow people to record digital video messages which may be viewed by visitors to their gravesite. The playback would either be via remote control through infrared or sonic triggers, or with the use of a swipe card affixed to the device. That way a person could let people know what they wanted to say but couldn't, or they could add something else as in "and another thing I always wanted to tell you was..."
Uh huh.
Proverbs 16:1 (Msg)
Mortals make elaborate plans,
but God has the last word.
Whatever you've done here with the time God has given you is what will really be remembered as what mattered.
Have you loved God with everything you've got?
Have you loved your neighbor as much and as well as you've loved yourself?
Have you lived up to what Jesus has done for you by seeking to obey His principles for life?
Those acts, multiplied over a lifetime, far surpass any recording you could do. And those you minister to will pass that love along. Folks, that message will be heard in all the right places.
Start living for eternity today.
Grace!
David
This devotional is written by David Wilson, pastor of New Hope Baptist church in Valparaiso, FL. If you find you have received this via a forward and would like to receive it regularly, or find you no longer wish to receive it, drop me an email at dwilsonfl@earthlink.net and I'll make the change to the list. If you'd like to know more about New Hope, visit our website at www.newhopevalp.org . May God bless you.
Thursday, July 08, 2004
Wednesday, July 07, 2004
The Worst Book
While I was at our local library yesterday, I picked up a book filled with the worst. The idea behind it was to prepare people for the worst thing that can happen to them. Now that I've read it, I no longer have to worry about what I'll do if:
- I have to jump from a bridge into a river.
- I have to deal with army ants
- I'm in a car dangling over a cliff and need to escape.
- I've decided to jump from a building into a dumpster
- I need to jump from a moving train.
- I'm attacked by leeches, or sharks, or killer bees, or alligators
- I fall into quicksand, or a cesspool, or frigid water
- I need to bribe a foreign official, deal with UFOs or charging bulls
These are just a few of the worst case scenarios the book tries to prepare you for. But even though they have given the reader an exhaustive list of what to do if your life may be in danger, they left out the biggest dangers and the best way out.
The biggest danger anyone can ever face is life without God, followed by death without God.
Job 27:1 (Msg) ".... What hope do people without God have when life is cut short?
when God puts an end to life?....
They don't have any hope. But God has provided for everything. The best way out?
1 John 4:9 (Msg)
This is how God showed His love for us: God sent His only Son into the world so we might live through Him.
All anyone needs to do is embrace God's love through Jesus Christ, His Son.
The writers of the "Worst Case Scenario" must have spent days thinking up the worst things that could happen to someone. You've got your own list I'm pretty sure. Just know this friends, in the words of the song, "Can't nobody love you like Jesus."
Open the book filled with the best love ever today. Let His love flow into your heart and through you to others.
Ephes. 5:2 (Msg)
Mostly what God does is love you. Keep company with him and learn a life of love. Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn't love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. Love like that.
Grace!
David
This devotional is written by David Wilson, pastor of New Hope Baptist church in Valparaiso, FL. If you find you have received this via a forward and would like to receive it regularly, or find you no longer wish to receive it, drop me an email at dwilsonfl@earthlink.net and I'll make the change to the list. If you'd like to know more about New Hope, visit our website at www.newhopevalp.org . May God bless you.
While I was at our local library yesterday, I picked up a book filled with the worst. The idea behind it was to prepare people for the worst thing that can happen to them. Now that I've read it, I no longer have to worry about what I'll do if:
- I have to jump from a bridge into a river.
- I have to deal with army ants
- I'm in a car dangling over a cliff and need to escape.
- I've decided to jump from a building into a dumpster
- I need to jump from a moving train.
- I'm attacked by leeches, or sharks, or killer bees, or alligators
- I fall into quicksand, or a cesspool, or frigid water
- I need to bribe a foreign official, deal with UFOs or charging bulls
These are just a few of the worst case scenarios the book tries to prepare you for. But even though they have given the reader an exhaustive list of what to do if your life may be in danger, they left out the biggest dangers and the best way out.
The biggest danger anyone can ever face is life without God, followed by death without God.
Job 27:1 (Msg) ".... What hope do people without God have when life is cut short?
when God puts an end to life?....
They don't have any hope. But God has provided for everything. The best way out?
1 John 4:9 (Msg)
This is how God showed His love for us: God sent His only Son into the world so we might live through Him.
All anyone needs to do is embrace God's love through Jesus Christ, His Son.
The writers of the "Worst Case Scenario" must have spent days thinking up the worst things that could happen to someone. You've got your own list I'm pretty sure. Just know this friends, in the words of the song, "Can't nobody love you like Jesus."
Open the book filled with the best love ever today. Let His love flow into your heart and through you to others.
Ephes. 5:2 (Msg)
Mostly what God does is love you. Keep company with him and learn a life of love. Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn't love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. Love like that.
Grace!
David
This devotional is written by David Wilson, pastor of New Hope Baptist church in Valparaiso, FL. If you find you have received this via a forward and would like to receive it regularly, or find you no longer wish to receive it, drop me an email at dwilsonfl@earthlink.net and I'll make the change to the list. If you'd like to know more about New Hope, visit our website at www.newhopevalp.org . May God bless you.
Tuesday, July 06, 2004
"Know It All's"
Our friendly neighborhood UPS man just brought me a present from a book publisher. Looking at the cover, I can see that it has a foreword by Dr. Charles F. Stanley, an attempted depiction of Michaelangelo's Sistine chapel painting of God and man reaching for each other, and a blurb promising great things. "The 40 Day health experience that will change your life forever!"
I don't think I'll read it.
After all, I know diets. I've personally lost enough weight to equal that of a 3rd grader - at least a couple of times.
And I've seen Charles Stanley on TV. He doesn't need to lose any weight. So how would he know anything about it?
Then there's that picture. I think God's arm was bigger in the real one, and Adam's was much rougher looking.
If they had just come to me before they made all these errors. Nope. No need to read that book. Oh, but wait - didn't I just read something about people who think that way?
Proverbs 28:26 (Msg)
If you think you know it all, you're a fool for sure;
real survivors learn wisdom from others.
Oops....
Obviously, there is a danger in assuming that our own personal experience is the standard by which all truth should be measured. Just because we've had some exposure to what an author has written on, doesn't give us the ability or discernment to decide it is worthless and unworthy.
We all need to learn, to grow, to change. We all have varied experiences. Don't let your prideful tendency to value what you have experienced rob you of something that might literally change your life. I don't know whether this book will or not, until I read it.
And you won't know whether God's Word can change your life either, unless you read its Truth and apply it to your life. To place your experience over the Bible's Truth isn't only foolish, it's a sin. Don't make that mistake.
Make today one to remember. Learn more about God. Then apply that knowledge to your life.
Grace!
David
This devotional is written by David Wilson, pastor of New Hope Baptist church in Valparaiso, FL. If you find you have received this via a forward and would like to receive it regularly, or find you no longer wish to receive it, drop me an email at dwilsonfl@earthlink.net and I'll make the change to the list. If you'd like to know more about New Hope, visit our website at www.newhopevalp.org . May God bless you.
Our friendly neighborhood UPS man just brought me a present from a book publisher. Looking at the cover, I can see that it has a foreword by Dr. Charles F. Stanley, an attempted depiction of Michaelangelo's Sistine chapel painting of God and man reaching for each other, and a blurb promising great things. "The 40 Day health experience that will change your life forever!"
I don't think I'll read it.
After all, I know diets. I've personally lost enough weight to equal that of a 3rd grader - at least a couple of times.
And I've seen Charles Stanley on TV. He doesn't need to lose any weight. So how would he know anything about it?
Then there's that picture. I think God's arm was bigger in the real one, and Adam's was much rougher looking.
If they had just come to me before they made all these errors. Nope. No need to read that book. Oh, but wait - didn't I just read something about people who think that way?
Proverbs 28:26 (Msg)
If you think you know it all, you're a fool for sure;
real survivors learn wisdom from others.
Oops....
Obviously, there is a danger in assuming that our own personal experience is the standard by which all truth should be measured. Just because we've had some exposure to what an author has written on, doesn't give us the ability or discernment to decide it is worthless and unworthy.
We all need to learn, to grow, to change. We all have varied experiences. Don't let your prideful tendency to value what you have experienced rob you of something that might literally change your life. I don't know whether this book will or not, until I read it.
And you won't know whether God's Word can change your life either, unless you read its Truth and apply it to your life. To place your experience over the Bible's Truth isn't only foolish, it's a sin. Don't make that mistake.
Make today one to remember. Learn more about God. Then apply that knowledge to your life.
Grace!
David
This devotional is written by David Wilson, pastor of New Hope Baptist church in Valparaiso, FL. If you find you have received this via a forward and would like to receive it regularly, or find you no longer wish to receive it, drop me an email at dwilsonfl@earthlink.net and I'll make the change to the list. If you'd like to know more about New Hope, visit our website at www.newhopevalp.org . May God bless you.
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