Hurting

This Season, Give the Gift of Forgiving!


Then said Jesus, Father, forgive
them; for they know not what they do.
And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.
(Luke 23:34)

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Does the holidays have you stressed out because you don’t seem to have much to give?  Why don’t you give someone a wonderful gift this holiday season that may be valued more than money? Give forgiveness! This great gift that you have can, no doubt, bring joy to some troubled soul today. You may very well have the power to release someone of past offenses done to you or levelled at you. Release them and in turn, release yourself. You may find it to be the best gift you ever gave.

It is true that some people don’t accept gifts to well, but still give it in the spirit that Christ would (St. John 1:11). All of us have given quality gifts we thought people would like only to find it didn’t suit them, and that’s okay…but, give anyway!

There has never been a better time when Christmas and Easter come together so beautifully. We celebrate both Christ’s birth and resurrection as well as reflect on His death. His birth is a season for giving. His death is a time we reflect on Him giving himself for those who humiliated and wronged Him. They planned and schemed. They lied in wait for Him and finally, beat and put Him to death. Here is a quote from Luke 23;34, “Father forgive them; for they know not what they do.” In His humility, Christ was a VICTIM who became the world’s greatest OVERCOMER (Phil. 2:8-9)! He gave to those who hurt Him the most. His example is the true spirit of giving this holiday season!

Why don’t you, by the Spirit of the Lord, call someone and tell them you are sorry for what happened in the past and ask for forgiveness or maybe you need to tell them you forgive them. These make great gifts this time of year!

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An Imitation of Love!


Little children, we must stop expressing love merely by our words
and manner of speech; we must love also in action and in truth. 
(1 John 3:18)

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There is a movie titled: “The Imitation of Life”, that could have easily been named the Imitation of Love. The two main actors are a single black mother and her fair-skinned daughter, who conveniently passed as white. The daughter had struggles loving her mother because she wanted to “fit in” with white America during the 1950’s. The mother pursued the daughter with unconditional love. The daughter (suffering her own struggles with her skin color) rejected her mother’s love. She finally realized the depths of her love for her mother at the time of her mother’s death — which was too late. (This was a tragic story!) The movie should be seen by all people who have issues loving anyone because of internal and external pressures.

In many ways there are struggles we face with those who are considered different than who we have defined ourselves as. Many only want those type of people in their world. The church also struggles with loving certain members who are in the body. We all know that love can be expressed by words, but “I love you” means nothing if there are no actions that back up mere words. Take a moment and ask yourself how would you define love? What does it look like? Is it a nice feeling you have for someone and they, in-turn, have for you? How would you define it? Let’s go back to I Corinthians, chapter 13 and revisit the “love” chapter and see what love really is. Here is a good biblical definition of love, as well: For God so LOVED the world that He GAVE his only begotten son. The verse clearly suggests that love is a sacrifice. Forms of intense giving are expressions of love. Love means little to others if our flowery words are simply poured out on them. We must be careful because there is an imitation of love. It looks like love, and it often masquerades as love, but it can have its root in selfishness and indifference. True love cannot be imitated with just words of expressions.

God — help us to love — not just with words, but also in deeds! Amen!

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“Things I Have Learned” Series. PCAF Senior Adults Teaching Online!


Deacon Gene Claxton
ICEA Director
and the
International Christian Education
Auxiliary (ICEA) Staff

– invite you to –

“The Things I Have Learned”

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The upcoming phone conference date will be:

Saturday, July 13 @ 8:00 p.m. (E.S.T)

Click & print full-size “Things Learned” Flyer

 

 

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Depression and the Bible. Seeking God for Deliverance!


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– Deliverance from Depression –

FIGHT BACK BY CONSTANTLY
QUOTING THESE VERSES!

5 Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why have you become disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him For the help of His presence. 6 O my God, my soul is in despair within me; Therefore I remember You from the land of the Jordan And the peaks of Hermon, from Mount Mizar. 7 Deep calls to deep at the sound of Your waterfalls; All Your breakers and Your waves have rolled over me. 8 The LORD will command His lovingkindness in the daytime; And His song will be with me in the night, A prayer to the God of my life.
(Psalms 42:5-8)

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6 Moreover David was greatly distressed because the people spoke of stoning him, for all the people were embittered, each one because of his sons and his daughters. But David strengthened himself in the LORD his God.
(I Samuel 30:1-6)

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3 But thou, O Lord, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head. 4 I cried unto the Lord with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill.
(Psalms 3:3-4)

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1 I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. 2 He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. 3 And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord.
(Psalms 40:1-3)

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1 Hear my cry, O God; Give heed to my prayer. 2 From the end of the earth I call to You when my heart is faint; Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
(Psalms 61:1-2)

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1 I love the LORD, because He hears My voice and my supplications. 2 Because He has inclined His ear to me, Therefore I shall call upon Him as long as I live. 3 The cords of death encompassed me And the terrors of Sheol came upon me; I found distress and sorrow. 4 Then I called upon the name of the LORD: “O LORD, I beseech You, save my life!” 5 Gracious is the LORD, and righteous; Yes, our God is compassionate. 6 The LORD preserves the simple; I was brought low, and He saved me. 7 Return to your rest, O my soul, For the LORD has dealt bountifully with you. 8 For You have rescued my soul from death, My eyes from tears, My feet from stumbling.
(Psalms 116:1-8)

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5 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths.
(Proverbs 3:5-6)

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Come unto me, all ye that labour and are
heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
(Matthew 11:28)

 

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A Memorial. Your Memorial?


The Red Sea
When your children ask you, ‘What are these
stones to you?’ you’ll say, ‘The flow of the
Jordan was stopped in front of the Chest
of the Covenant of God as it crossed the
Jordan—stopped in its tracks. These stones are
a permanent memorial for the People of Israel.’”
(Joshua 4:6-7)

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The following is the thoughts of this author’s mental picture of Israel’s Red Sea deliverance based on the Bible along with comments about our memorial:

The Egyptian army pursued the children of Israel into the massive sea bed! Their purpose was to enslave them again or possibly kill scores of them there in a mass grave. God looked at this scene and overthrew Pharaoh’s great army of 600 elite chariots of soldiers, along with all of his other superior fighters on chariots. The one angel of God stood between the fleeing Israelites and the insane Egyptians. At one point…the Egyptian armies were thrown into confusion as a result of God’s presence. He caused their chariot wheels to bog down in miry surfaces of the sea as they retreated…finally realizing God was fighting for His people! Moses stretched his hand out over the sea and the raging sea collapsed over the escaping Egyptians, killing them all! The Israelites meanwhile, continued journeying the opposite route with a corridor of waters (mounted on their left and right) ushering them to the shore on the other side! After safely coming to the land, the Israelites saw the dead bodies of the Egyptians that were washed ashore!

Oh…the praises that must have erupted at one of the greatest deliverances recorded in history! The children of Israel’s praises were encapsulated in the following words from their song!: Exodus, chapter 15 – click here.

After coming forth from the bowels of the Jordan sea, the children of Israel were commanded to set up 12 massive stones (near Jordan’s banks) as a perpetual memorial and to remind future generations of the power of God’s deliverance. These succeeding generations would see the stones and ask what was their purpose. Thus, the traditions of the elders was verbally passed down as generation after generation came to realized the realness of Israel’s mighty God!

Your Memorial?

You should have a memorial…how our great God has delivered you from what would otherwise have been humanly impossible to be delivered from! This memorial should be a place in one’s heart and mind of the power of God. It is a memorial of the past that gives hope for the future!

Never forget where God has brought you from? How He has placed people in your life to change you for the better? Remember your elders and your instructors, those who made a difference during your seasons of unrest. Don’t forget men and women who have helped you. Be thankful!

God has lovingly held back and made many restrictions in our lives! He has also set us free from all kinds of bondages! Like the children of Israel, let’s stop and give memory to the wisdom of a loving God. Israel saw the death of the Egyptians and yet were delivered from death. Look around you and you too will witness violent and premature deaths, as well. But God has spared our lives another day, and so, every new day should be a memorial of the past day. Give thanks and be thankful for these types of memorials are good things!

 

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