Control Your Anger Written by Bob & Debby Gass

Thursday, February 17, 2011

The Word for Today
www.rhema.co.nz/

'A quick-tempered man acts foolishly...'Proverbs 14:17 NKJV

It's normal to get angry, but uncontrolled anger can cost you dearly. When Nabal refused to feed King David and his soldiers, David's anger almost drove him to murder. Only Abigail, Nabal's wife, saved David from the destructive potential of his own unchecked emotions. Looking back, David told Abigail, 'Blessed is your advice... because you have kept me this day from coming to bloodshed...' (1 Samuel 25:33 NKJV).

Our anger is often rooted in pride. Naaman the leper felt insulted when Elisha told him to dip seven times in the muddy Jordan River. '...Naaman became furious, and went away and said, "Indeed," I said to myself, "He will surely come out to me, and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the place, and heal the leprosy"' (2 Kings 5:11 NKJV). The Arizona Republic, a US newspaper, reported that when Steve Tran of Westminster, California, closed the door on 25 activated bug bombs, he thought he had seen the last of the cockroaches that shared his apartment. But when the spray reached the pilot light of the stove, it ignited, blasting his screen door across the street, breaking all his windows and setting his furniture ablaze. 'I wanted to kill all of them,' he said. 'I thought if I used a lot more, it would last longer.' According to the label, just two canisters of the pesticide would have solved Tran's roach problem. The blast caused over $10,000 damage to the apartment building. And the cockroaches? Tran reported, 'By Sunday, I saw them walking around.'

Yes, 'A quick-tempered man acts foolishly.'

Read the Bible in a year.
www.biblica.com/bibles/daily-reading
/

Today’s readings are:

Old Testament Reading
Exodus 21; Exodus 22
www.biblica.com/bibles/chapte
r/?verse=Exodus+21%3B+Exodus+22&versio
n=niv

New Testament Reading
Mark 2:18-27; Mark 3:1-30
www.biblica.com/bibles/chapte
r/?verse=Mark+2%3A18-27%3B+Mark+3%3A1-
30&version=niv

Psalms Reading
Proverbs 5:1-14
www.biblica.com/bibles/chapte
r/?verse=Proverbs+5%3A1-14&version=niv

For your convenience, here is the whole Bible on one page:
www.jrsbible.info/bible.htm

  

How Are Your Children Doing? Written by Bob & Debby Gass

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

The Word for Today
www.rhema.co.nz/

'...He [will] command his children... after him...'Genesis 18:19 NKJV

At a Promise Keepers' conference in Texas, James Ryle told this story. When he was two years old his father was sent to prison. When he was seven, authorities placed him in an orphanage. At 19, he was in a car crash that killed a friend. He sold drugs to raise money for his legal fees and was arrested, charged with a criminal offence and sent to prison. While in prison James accepted Christ. After he served his time he eventually went into the ministry. Years later he sought out his father to reconcile with him. Their conversation turned to prison life. James' father asked, 'Which prison were you in?' When James told him, his father said, 'I helped build that prison.' He'd been a welder who went from place to place building penitentiaries. Looking at that audience of men, Ryle said, 'I was in the prison my father built.'

Your children may not always heed your advice, but they'll never escape your influence. Any time a child spends the first 18 to 21 years of their life with you, they'll grow up to repeat some of your mistakes, resent some of their memories of you, and may rejoice in the legacy you left them. God said of Abraham, '...I have known him... he [will] command his children... [to] keep the way of the Lord...'.

Can God say that about you? Philip the evangelist won the city of Samaria to Christ, but he has an even greater claim to fame. He had '...four virgin daughters who prophesied' (Acts 21:9 NKJV). His children made it morally and spiritually. So, how are your children doing?

Read the Bible in a year.
www.biblica.com/bibles/daily-reading
/

Today’s readings are:

Old Testament Reading
Exodus 21; Exodus 22
www.biblica.com/bibles/chapte
r/?verse=Exodus+21%3B+Exodus+22&versio
n=niv

New Testament Reading
Mark 2:18-27; Mark 3:1-30
www.biblica.com/bibles/chapte
r/?verse=Mark+2%3A18-27%3B+Mark+3%3A1-
30&version=niv

Psalms Reading
Proverbs 5:1-14
www.biblica.com/bibles/chapte
r/?verse=Proverbs+5%3A1-14&version=niv

For your convenience, here is the whole Bible on one page:
www.jrsbible.info/bible.htm

  

Surrender (3)Written by Bob & Debby Gass

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

The Word for Today
www.rhema.co.nz/

'...Because you say so, I will...'Luke 5:5 NIV

Ever notice how much energy it takes to keep a tight grip on something? Come on, you know what you're holding on to, don't you? You're in turmoil because you can't control the people or circumstances in your life. Hey, release your grip. Go ahead: surrender it to God. You'll be amazed at how much more energy you'll have, and how much easier life will be. Once you make the choice to surrender it to God, your hardest days become your easiest.

AW Tozer wrote: 'Father... my coward heart fears to give up its toys. I cannot part with them without inward bleeding, and I do not try to hide from [You] my terror of the parting. I come trembling, but I do come. Please root from my heart those things which I have cherished so long and which have become a very part of my living self, so that [You may] enter and dwell there without a rival.'

You say, 'Surrender what?'
(1) Your position! Place it all before your God. Find your security, your identity and your contentment in Him.
(2) Your plans! Plan wisely, but be ready for God to rearrange things and take you along paths that may be uncomfortable for you. Nothing this side of Heaven is permanent, including relationships. Enjoy the time you have with your loved ones, but avoid the temptation to cling.
(3) Your anxiety! If your emotions are wrapped around some issue involving a possession, a job, a particular expectation or a relationship, you aren't fully relying on God. No, you're still clinging to lesser things. Stop. Let it go! You're delaying the surprise God has waiting for you.

Read the Bible in a year.
www.biblica.com/bibles/daily-reading
/

Today’s readings are:

Old Testament Reading
Exodus 17; Exodus 18
www.biblica.com/bibles/chapte
r/?verse=Exodus+17%3B+Exodus+18&versio
n=niv

New Testament Reading
Mark 1:1-28
www.biblica.com/bibles/chapte
r/?verse=Mark+1%3A1-28&version=niv

Psalms Reading
Psalm 22:1-11
www.biblica.com/bibles/chapte
r/?verse=Psalm+22%3A1-11&version=niv

For your convenience, here is the whole Bible on one page:
www.jrsbible.info/bible.htm

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

IAMWINNING 2/26/2011 4:15PM

Christel, I just read all three "Surrender" blogs, and I want to give you a great big THANK YOU for posting them. I'm undergoing much stress at this time, and I'm struggling with surrendering ALL to the Lord. I'm working on it, surrendering what I can, as I can, with the ultimate desire being to surrender ALL. God is gracious, loving, all-knowing, compassionate. Thank you for posting these blogs. Nancy Report Inappropriate Comment

Surrender (2)Written by Bob & Debby Gass

Monday, February 14, 2011

The Word for Today
www.rhema.co.nz/

'...Because you say so, I will...'Luke 5:5 NIV

When we start to do things God's way instead of our own, we experience three great benefits. First, we have peace: 'Submit to God, and you will have peace; then things will go well for you' (Job 22:21 NLT). Second, we have freedom: '...I will live in freedom, because I...follow Your orders' (Psalm 119:45 NCV). Third, we have power: '...Submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you' (James 4:7 NKJV).
Stubborn temptations and overwhelming problems are defeated by Christ the moment we surrender. As Joshua approached the walls of Jericho he encountered God, fell down and worshipped, surrendered his plans and said, 'What does my Lord say to His servant?' (Joshua 5:14 NKJV) Joshua's surrender led to a spectacular victory. Here's a paradox: victory comes through surrender! Surrender doesn't weaken us, it strengthens us. Surrendered to God, we don't have to fear surrendering to anything else. William Booth, founder of the Salvation Army, said, 'The greatness of a man's power is in the measure of his surrender.' Eventually everybody surrenders to something. If not to God, we'll surrender to the opinions and expectations of others, to money, to resentment, to fear, to our own lusts or ego. We're free to choose whatever we surrender to, but we're not free from the consequences of that choice. E. Stanley Jones said, 'If you don't surrender to Christ, you surrender to chaos.'
The supreme example is Jesus. The night before His crucifixion He surrendered to God's plan, saying, 'I want your will, not mine.' And He is our example!

Read the Bible in a year.
www.biblica.com/bibles/daily-reading
/

Today’s readings are:

Old Testament Reading
Exodus 17; Exodus 18
www.biblica.com/bibles/chapte
r/?verse=Exodus+17%3B+Exodus+18&versio
n=niv

New Testament Reading
Mark 1:1-28
www.biblica.com/bibles/chapte
r/?verse=Mark+1%3A1-28&version=niv

Psalms Reading
Psalm 22:1-11
www.biblica.com/bibles/chapte
r/?verse=Psalm+22%3A1-11&version=niv

For your convenience, here is the whole Bible on one page:
www.jrsbible.info/bible.htm

  

Surrender (1)Written by Bob & Debby Gass

Monday, February 14, 2011

The Word for Today
www.rhema.co.nz/

'...Because You say so, I will...'Luke 5:5 NIV

Until we accept and cooperate with the law of gravity, we can't fly. Until we accept and cooperate with the law of economics, we can't succeed in business. Getting the idea? Surrendering to God is not weakness, it's wisdom. Only a fool resists God, because it's a fight we can't win. It's in surrendering to Him that we are empowered to succeed in what He's called us to do. Surrender is demonstrated by obedience. It's saying, 'Yes, Lord,' to whatever He asks. To say, 'No, Lord,' is a contradiction. How can we call Jesus 'Lord', and refuse to obey Him? (Luke 6:46 NKJV).
Peter demonstrated true surrender when Jesus told him to try again. '..."Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net." And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish...' (Luke 5:5-6 NKJV). Surrendered people obey God even when it doesn't seem to make sense. Abraham followed God without knowing where it would take him. Hannah waited on God's timing without knowing when. Mary expected a miracle without knowing how. Joseph trusted God's plan without knowing why circumstances happened as they did. Each was fully surrendered to God, and they came out on top.
'How will I know I'm fully surrendered?' we ask. When we rely on God to work things out instead of trying to manipulate others, force our own agenda or control the situation. We don't have to be in charge, we simply let go and let God have His way.

Read the Bible in a year.
www.biblica.com/bibles/daily-reading
/

Today’s readings are:

Old Testament Reading
Exodus 15; Exodus 16
www.biblica.com/bibles/chapte
r/?verse=Exodus+15%3B+Exodus+16&versio
n=niv

New Testament Reading
Matthew 28:1-20
www.biblica.com/bibles/chapte
r/?verse=Matthew+28%3A1-20&version=niv

Psalms Reading
Psalm 21:8-13
www.biblica.com/bibles/chapte
r/?verse=Psalm+21%3A8-13&version=niv

For your convenience, here is the whole Bible on one page:
www.jrsbible.info/bible.htm