Discipleship

Are you a giver or a taker? Of course, the goal is to be a giver! However, in order to be a giver, we must first become a receiver.

Mr. Linden’s student was deathly ill and had called for his beloved schoolteacher. Responding quickly, the teacher came to the boy’s home. Entering the dimly lit bedroom, the teacher tenderly lifted the young boy into his arms and began pacing back and forth. Little Johnny Fax, sickly and pale, gazed gratefully at Mr. Linden’s face and faintly whispered, “Sing.” The gentleman began singing softly: Jesus loves me, this I know;For the Bible tells me so;Little ones to Him belong,They are weak but He is strong.  The original stanzas closed with this final verse:  Jesus loves me, He will stayClose beside me all the way;Then His little child He’ll takeUp to heaven for His dear sake.  The above story and poem are from the Victorian novel Say and Seal. The book introduced the poem that affirms the heartwarming truth that “Jesus Loves Me.”  The book, co-authored by sisters Anna and Susan Warner, was published in 1860, and it quickly became a bestseller. The poem penned by Miss Anna resonated with many readers.  Miss Warner and her sister had become writers due to what seemed a terrible misfortune to human eyes. Their widowed father lost his wealth in the financial Panic of […]

Joyfulness is the bright spirit and radiant countenance that come by being in full fellowship with the Lord.

Doing more than is expected is a powerful way to show someone you love him. When you do more than others expect, it will probably be remembered for a long time. This happened to me one day.

Deference requires more than choosing to do things that are good. Deference requires that we choose things that are excellent, that we in no way hinder our own walk with Christ or the walks of others.

Our words have great influence in the lives of those around us, and spoken blessings can bring hope, encouragement, and direction to our families, friends, and others. Many people are experiencing stronger relationships and spiritual encouragement as they discover the power of spoken blessings.

Before you go to another person to seek forgiveness for an offense, repent before God and ask for His cleansing and forgiveness. Then as you go to the offended person, let your attitude and manner reflect the humility of one who is asking for something he does not deserve.

Understanding different levels of friendship can be very helpful in our interactions with others. Every friendship we have involves specific freedoms and responsibilities, depending on the closeness of the relationship. Friendships are important because of the tremendous influence they hold over our lives.

Jesus said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15). What are these commandments, and what does it mean to “keep” them? We cannot keep (observe, remember, and apply) Christ’s commands without first knowing what they are.

You probably know the pain of regretting words you have spoken: words of pride, dishonesty, envy, gossip, or anger. Although you can seek to restore bruised relationships through repentance and forgiveness, spoken words can never be retrieved.