Friday, April 27, 2018
Ecclesiastes 2:24-25 (NLT)...
Thursday, April 26, 2018
1 John 4:7-12 (NLT)...
FROM TODAY'S READING (4/26/2018)...
"When love is expressed or demonstrated, something unexpected occurs. Both the person expressing love and the one receiving love feel valued and that their lives matter. When we feel valueless, we can lose sight of who we are in God's eyes. Sometimes we mistakenly assume that our value lies in our accomplishments or in what we can give to or do for others. While achievements and generosity are great, they are no substitute for honest expressions of love."
John F. Westfall ("I Didn't Sign Up For This")
1 John 4:7-12 (NLT) Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.
Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us.
Image: Creative Commons (Flickr/Thomas R. Stegelmann)
Tuesday, April 24, 2018
Proverbs 3:1-4 (NLT)...
FROM TODAY'S READING (4/24/2018)...
"The foundation stones for a balanced success are honesty, character, integrity, faith, love and loyalty."
Zig Ziglar
Proverbs 3:1-4 (NLT) My child, never forget the things I have taught you. Store my commands in your heart. If you do this, you will live many years, and your life will be satisfying. Never let loyalty and kindness leave you! Tie them around your neck as a reminder. Write them deep within your heart. Then you will find favor with both God and people, and you will earn a good reputation.
Philippians 4:8 (NLT) And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.
Image: Creative Commons (jooinn.com)
Wednesday, April 18, 2018
Proverbs 22:6 (NLT)...
FROM TODAY'S READING (4/18/2018)...
CHILDREN LEARN WHAT THEY LIVE
By Dorothy Lawe Holt
If children live with criticism, they learn to condemn.
If children live with hostility, they learn to fight.
If children live with fear, they learn to be apprehensive.
If children live with pity, they learn to feel sorry for themselves.
If children live with ridicule, they learn to feel shy.
If children live with jealousy, they learn to feel envy.
If children live with shame, they learn to feel guilty.
If children live with encouragement, they learn confidence.
BUT
If children live with tolerance, they learn patience.
If children live with praise, they learn appreciation.
If children live with acceptance, they learn to love.
If children live with approval, they learn to like themselves.
If children live with recognition, they learn it is good to have a goal.
If children live with sharing, they learn generosity.
If children live with honesty, they learn truthfulness.
If children live with fairness, they learn justice.
If children live with kindness and consideration, they learn respect.
If children live with security, they learn to have faith in themselves and in those about them.
If children live with friendliness, they learn the world is a nice place in which to live.
Proverbs 22:6 (NLT) Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it.
Image: Creative Commons (Flickr.com/swaity)
Tuesday, April 17, 2018
Proverbs 20:19 (NLT)...
FROM TODAY'S READING (4/17/2018)...
"The mockingbird has a song of its own, but it rarely uses it. Instead, it simply mocks the other birds near it. Whatever it hears, it repeats. If it hears the pleasant notes of a house wren, it repeats those pleasant notes. If it hears the plaintive scold of bluejay, it scolds like a bluejay. Whatever else may be said for the mockingbird, anything it has to say is secondhand."
- Carl C. Williams
Proverbs 16:28 (NLT) A troublemaker plants seeds of strife; gossip separates the best of friends.
Proverbs 20:19 (NLT) A gossip goes around telling secrets, so don’t hang around with chatterers.
Titus 3:1-2 (NLT) Remind the believers to submit to the government and its officers. They should be obedient, always ready to do what is good. They must not slander anyone and must avoid quarreling. Instead, they should be gentle and show true humility to everyone.
Image: Creative Commons (Wikimedia Commons)
Monday, April 16, 2018
James 1:19-21 (NLT)...
FROM TODAY'S READING (4/16/2018)...
"People who fly into a rage always make a bad landing."
- Will Rogers
"A good thing to remember is that you can't save face if you lose you head!"
- Unknown
James 1:19-21 (NLT) Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires. So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls.
Image: Creative Commons (Wikimedia Commons)