A Huge Asset

As followers of God, you and I have a huge asset.  We know everything is going to turn out all right!

Christ has not budged from His throne, and Romans 8:28 has not evaporated from the Bible.  Our problems have always been His possibilities.

The kidnapping of Joseph resulted in the preservation of his family.  The persecution of Daniel led to a cabinet position.  Christ entered the world by a surprise pregnancy and redeemed it though His unjust murder.

Dare we believe what the Bible teaches?  That no disaster is ultimately fatal?

In 2nd Timothy 4:18 the apostle Paul wrote his final words from a Roman prison, chained to a guard, within earshot of his executioner’s footsteps.   Worst-case scenario?  Not from Paul’s perspective.

He wrote: “God is looking after me, keeping me safe in the kingdom of heaven.  All praise to Him, praise forever!”

Paul chose to trust his Father.  May we do the same.

We Can Do This

Parents!  We can do this.

We can take our parenting fears to Christ.  In fact, if we don’t, we’ll take our fears out on our kids!

Fear turns some parents into paranoid prison guards who monitor every minute, check the background of every friend.  They stifle growth and communicate distrust.  A family with no breathing room suffocates a child.

Fear can also create permissive parents.  For fear their child will feel too confined, too fenced in, they lower all boundaries.  High on hugs and low on discipline.   They don’t realize that appropriate discipline is an expression of love. 

Permissive parents.  Paranoid parents.  How can we avoid the extremes?

We pray!  Prayer is the saucer where parental fears are poured to cool.  Each time a parent prays, Christ responds.  His big message to moms and dads?

Bring your children to Me.  Pray!  Raise them in a greenhouse of prayer!

“Discipline your children, and they will give you peace; they will bring you the delights you desire. Proverbs 29:17″

From: Fearless

Sunday Sermon - 29-July-2012 - Ps. Ronnie Teoh

Speaker: Pastor Ronnie Teoh
Damansara Utama Lutheran Church

http://www.mediafire.com/?80kko2823l2uyjr

How Important is Dad?

If you have been reading First Steps bulletins for a while, you may remember I've mentioned Daddy's role before.

When you have a newborn, Daddy needs time to bond with your baby. (See 'Make Room for Daddy' and Bonding and Brain Chemicals)

At around 18 months little boys realize they are more like dad than mom. They begin to shift their interest and allegiance to dad. They want to do everything dad does and they crave his attention. This is normal and vital to later healthy gender development. (See: 'Healthy Gender Development')

But now I have another piece to add to the puzzle, how important is Dad?

Last month two studies involving dads and their children were published in scientific journals. The first study was done at the University of Connecticut over several decades. The second one was done by Brigham Young University on the effects of parenting style of dads on their children.

In the first study they found that kids who feel rejected by their fathers show higher rates of behavioral problems than those who feel rejected by their mothers. These children show much higher rates of delinquency, depression, and substance abuse.

Vanderlei de Lima (2004 Olympics Athens)

At five feet, five inches, Vanderlei de Lima is shorter than some fifth graders.  Don’t let his size fool you.  The body may be small, but the heart is bigger than the Olympic Stadium in Athens.  That’s where he received the 2004 bronze medal for the marathon.

He should’ve won the gold.  He was leading when a deranged protester hurled himself into the runner–forcing him off course.  De Lima resumed the race.  But in the process he lost his rhythm, precious seconds, and his position.  But he entered the stadium punching the air with his fists, both arms extended, weaving for joy!

I’m taking notes on this guy!  He reminds me of another runner.  Paul, the imprisoned apostle.  His chains never come off.  The guards never leave.  He may appear to be bumped off track, but he’s actually right on target.  Christ is preached.  The mission is being accomplished.

Run the race!

Paul said, “I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings. Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. I Corinthians 9:23-24”

From: Great Day Every Day

Balancing Work and Family

Money, Family, or Both?
Is it possible that we may be working so hard to support our families financially that we end up losing our families? Then money becomes empty compensation. This week we'll talk about the issue of money and marriage.

What is most important in life? If we are given stark choices, the issue becomes clear. If someone offered you one million dollars for your child or your spouse, would you take it? Any sensible parent or spouse would say, "No". But do we not sell our families for much less when we spend all of our energy working for money and have no time left to enjoy our relationships?

The Key is Balance
Work is a noble endeavor. In fact the Bible says that if a man will not work, neither should he eat. But can we work too much? Is vocational success worth losing a marriage? The Scriptures teach that life's meaning is not found in things, but in relationships. It is found first in a relationship with God, and then with family and others.

Seeing You

Why does God love you so much?

For the same reason the artist loves his paintings.  You are His idea!

Ephesians 2:10 confirms that we are “God’s masterpiece.  He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”

In the movie Hook, Peter Pan had become old and looked nothing like the Peter the lost boys knew.  In the midst of the boys shouting that this was NOT Peter, one of the smallest boys pulled him down to his level.  He places his hands on Peter’s face, moved the skin around and reshaped his face.  The boy looked into Peter’s eyes and said, “There you are, Peter!”

Shh.  Listen.  Do you hear?

God is saying the same words to you.  There you are!  There you are!

He’s seeing you and loving the you he sees.

From: Fearless

God, the Devil and the ‘Dark Knight’ Tragedy

J. Lee Grady

Last week’s shooting in Colorado should remind us that Satan is not a fictional character.

Plenty of mystery surrounds last week’s movie theater massacre in Colorado. Why did the suspected gunman, James Holmes, stage his bizarre killing spree during a midnight showing of The Dark Knight Rises? Why was this guy so angry that he would amass $15,000 worth of weapons and ammunition and then break into a crowded cineplex to kill and maim people? Did he dye his hair orange because he identified with The Joker, the most sinister villain in the Batman universe?

I’m not a crime sleuth. But if you ask me, the devil’s fingerprints are all over this tragedy.

"You can call me simplistic or old-fashioned, but I still believe the devil and his demons are real—and that Satan’s existence is the reason people like James Holmes carry out horrible crimes like the one we witnessed last week."

It has always baffled me that people question the existence of Satan—especially when something as horrific as the shootings in Aurora, Colo., makes headlines. But according to a Barna Research poll from 2009, the number of people in the United States who believe the devil is real is declining. A growing number of Americans believe he is just a mythological personification of evil.

When God Engraved Your Name

A person doesn’t have to be a golf fan to empathize with Adam Scott. With four holes to go he had a four shot lead in the British Open. Four shots! Par the final quartet of holes and the trophy was his. Might as well have told him to chew gum. He could par these holes in his sleep. Everyone knew the tournament was his. A craftsman in a nearby workshop began sketching the name Adam Scott on the winner’s medal.

But disaster struck. Missed putts. Wayward shots. The next thing he knew, he was scrambling to make a ten-foot putt to force a playoff. He missed it. “Wow,” he mouthed, chin trembling.

The most poignant moment of the collapse might have been the camera shot of the engraver as he was given the news. He stopped his work and, gulp, erased Adam Scott’s name from the first place medal.

Viewers offered a collective groan.

Many Christians can relate. We fear the same will happen to us. We fear the fatal stumble, the ultimate collapse. Might we fall so utterly that God will erase our name?

No, he won’t.

Jesus couldn’t be more emphatic. “And I shall give them eternal life, and they shall never lose it or perish throughout the ages. [To all eternity they shall never by any means be destroyed.] And no one is able to snatch them out of My hand” (John 10:28 AMP).

Jesus promised a new life that cannot be forfeited or terminated. “Whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned: he has crossed over from death to life” (John 5:24 NIV).

Unlike the medal engraver, Jesus has an eternal perspective. He knew every step of your life before you took the first one. He saw the bogies and the birdies, the strong days and bad ones. He made His choice. When you said “yes” to him, he entered your name into the eternal populace of heaven. Your name is “engraved on the palms of his hands.” (Is.49:16 )

Finish well. But, if you stumble along the way, don’t worry, Jesus doesn’t use an eraser.

A Life With No Fear

Can you imagine a life with no fear?

Fear corrodes our confidence in God’s goodness.  We begin to wonder if love lives in heaven.  If God can sleep in our storms.  Does He care?  Fear unleashes a swarm of doubts, anger-stirring doubts.

In the middle of a raging storm Matthew 8:26 tells us:  “Jesus got up in the boat and gave a command to the wind and the waves, and the sea became completely calm.”  

He handles the great quaking with a great calming.  The sea becomes as still as a frozen lake, and the disciples who witnessed it are left wondering, “What kind of man is this?  Even the winds and the waves obey Him.”  What kind of man indeed.

Jesus doesn’t want you to live in a state of fear.  Hysteria is not from God.  God has not given us a spirit of fear!

From: Fearless

He is Able

If your Father is God and you have a problem on your hands, what do you do?  Scripture tells us what to do.

Is your problem too large?  Ephesians 3:20 says, “God is able to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.”

Is your need too great?  2 Corinthians 9:8 reminds us, “God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance.”

Is your temptation too severe?  Hebrews 2:18 says, “God is able to help us when we are being tested.”

Is your future too frightening?  Jude 24 tells us, “God is able to keep you from falling away and will bring you with great joy into his glorious presence without a single fault.”

Make these verses part of your daily diet.  God is able to accomplish, provide, help, save, keep, subdue.  He is able to do what you can’t.  Go to Him!

From: Great Day Every Day

The Secret of Success

An accomplished Ironman triathlete told me the secret of his success.  He said, “You last the long race by running short ones.”   Don’t swim 2.4 miles; just swim to the next buoy.  Rather than bike 112 miles, ride 10, take a break, and bike 10 more.  Never tackle more than the challenge ahead.

Didn’t Jesus offer the same counsel?  He said in Matthew 6:34, “So don’t ever worry about tomorrow.  After all, tomorrow will worry about itself.  Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

When asked how he managed to write so many books, the author explained that he’d never written a book.  All he did was write one page a day.

Face challenges in stages.  You can’t control your temper forever, but you can control it for the next hour.

Remember, you last the long race by running the short ones!

From: Great Day Every Day

Sunday Sermon - 22-July-2012 - Ps. Lydia Karthigesu

Speaker: Pastor Lydia Karthigesu
The Tabernacle Seremban

http://www.mediafire.com/?yjv517439lf23py

Before the Engagement

Possible Proposal? Here are six questions you should ask before popping the question.

    Are my partner and I on the same wavelength intellectually? Try one of these exercises: Read a newspaper or online news article and discuss its merits and implications; read a book and share your impressions with each other.
    
    To what degree have we surveyed the foundation of our social unity? Explore the following areas: sports, music, dance, parties, and vocational aspirations.
    
    Do we have a clear understanding of each other's personality, strengths, and weaknesses? Take a personality profile. This is normally done under the direction of a counselor who will interpret the information and help you discover potential areas of personality conflicts.
    
    To what degree have we excavated our spiritual foundations? What are your beliefs about God, Scripture, organized religion, values, and morals?
    
    Are we being truthful with each other about our sexual histories? Are you far enough along in the relationship to feel comfortable talking about this? To what degree are you discussing your opinions about sexuality?
    
    Have we discovered and are we speaking each others primary love language? It is in the context of a full love tank that we are most capable of honestly exploring the foundations of our relationship. 

Continue the conversation: Share your questions, thoughts insights, or comments by joining the conversation on Facebook at facebook.com/5lovelanguages

Why We Must Invest in the Timothy Generation

J. Lee Grady

Please don’t ignore the mandate to disciple young people.

I don’t think of myself as a particularly effective youth speaker. I’m in my 50s. No matter what brand of jeans I wear, high school kids are not going to label me “cool.”

But when my buddy Jason, a youth pastor from Pennsylvania, asked me to speak at his summer youth retreat, I took the challenge because (1) I wanted to invest in his life, and (2) I thought it would be fun to swim in Lake Erie.

"Many churches throw money at youth ministry, as if expensive sound systems or skate parks automatically win kids to Jesus. But the best financial investment we can make is in a real live youth worker, not a program or a building.

When it comes to ministering to different age groups, I feel the most intimidated when I speak to teens. This is mostly because they are so honest. You can’t fool them. They don’t wear church masks like adults. They have an uncanny ability to detect insincerity.

So I tried to relax and be myself, even though I was still self-conscious about my age. On the first night I challenged them to forgive their parents—especially their dads—for being distant, absent, critical, abusive or addicted. I didn’t have trendy movie clips or animated graphics to illustrate my points. But in the end many of the teens came to the altar to receive prayer, and Jesus healed wounded hearts.

God is Enough

Let’s face it–anxiety or worry have no advantages!  They ruin our health, rob us of joy, and change nothing!  Our day stands no chance against the terrorists of the Land of Anxiety.

But Christ offers a worry-bazooka.  Remember how He taught us to pray?  “Give us this day our daily bread. Matthew 6:11”  This simple sentence unveils God’s provision plan:  live one day at a time.

Worry gives small problems big shadows.  Corrie ten Boom said, “Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrows; it empties today of its strength.”   And Romans 8:28 affirms: “Every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good.”

Most anxiety stems, not from what we need, but from what we want.  Philippians 4:4 says, “delight yourselves in the Lord, yes, find your joy in Him at all times!”

If God is enough, you’ll always have enough!

From: Great Day Every Day

Lavish Grace

Romans 3:23 says all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.

Worry is falling short on faith.  Impatience is falling short on kindness.  The critical spirit falls short on love.

So, how often do you sin, hmm… in an hour?  For the sake of discussion, let’s say ten times an hour.  Ten sins an hour, times sixteen waking hours, times 365 days a year, times the average life span of 74 years.  I’m rounding the total off to 4,300,000 sins per person!  How do you plan to pay God for your 4.3 million sin increments?  You’re swimming in an ocean of debt.

But God pardons the zillion sins of selfish humanity.  He forgives sixty million sin-filled days.  He got us out of the mess we’re in and restored us to where He always wanted us to be.  And He did it by the grace of Jesus Christ.

From: Great Day Every Day

Taking Out the Trash

Who wants to live with yesterday’s rubble?  Who wants to hoard the trash of the past?  You don’t, do you?  Or do you?

I’m not talking about the trash in your house, but in your heart.  Not the junk of papers and boxes but the remnants of anger and hurt.  Do you rat-pack your pain?  Amass offenses?  Record slights?

A tour of your heart might be telling.  A pile of rejections.  Accumulated insults.  No one can blame you.  They’re innocence takers, promise breakers, and wound makers.  They’re everywhere and you’ve had your share.

Jesus answered Peter’s question in Matthew 18:21 and 22 when he asked:  “Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me?  Seven times?”  “No, not seven times,” Jesus said.  “Seventy times seven!”

Do you want to give every day a chance?  Jesus says to get rid of the trash.  Give the grace you’ve been given!

From: Great Day Every Day

Do the Math

by Diane Brierley for Mark Gungor 

It seems as though too many people in our culture are not able to do the math when it comes to the following simple word problems:

If Person A doesn’t get married and have a child until 30-35 years of age, and then that child also waits until 30-35 years of age to marry and have a child, just how old will Person A be when he/she becomes a grandparent? How old will Person A be when he/she can actually have a meaningful conversation with said grandchild?

Now, let’s change the numbers a bit:

If Person B gets married and has a child at 18-22 years of age, and then that child also gets married and has a child at 18-22 years of age, how old will Person B be when he/she becomes a grandparent? How old will Person B be when he/she can actually have a meaningful conversation with said grandchild?

Maybe it’s not that people are incapable of the simple math required to figure out the answers. Maybe it’s something else. Perhaps it’s that we are thinking wrong about the problem to begin with….or we aren’t thinking about it at all.

Weed Hunts

God’s love sprouts around us like lilacs, but we go on weed hunts!  How many flowers do we miss in the process? If you look long enough, you’ll find something to bellyache about.  So quit looking!

Lift your eyes off the weeds.  Collect your blessings.  Catalog His kindnesses.  Assemble your reasons for gratitude.  “Always be joyful” is what Paul tells us in 1st Thessalonians 5:16-18.  “Pray continually and give thanks, whatever happens.  This is what God wants for you in Christ Jesus.”

Gratitude is always an option.  Make it your default emotion and you’ll find yourself giving thanks for the problems of life.  Who knows what you might record in your journal:

Mondays.  Oh boy–my favorite!

Final exams.  I can hardly wait!

“Impossible,” you say?  How do you know?

How do you know until you give the day a chance?  Thank God!

From: Great Day Every Day