Tag: #Selfishness

Scripture for Tuesday, April 4 (4/4)

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn Daily, death, faith, forgiveness, governments, Inspirational, judging, persecution, power, prayer, Satan, truth, worshipLeave a comment

Update on our brother being threatened for his faith.  He received a phone call from the one who has been threatening him, this time demanding $50,000.  This happened to him four years ago when he was cornered in an alley and threatened with imprisonment for becoming a Christian if he did not pay $50,000.

He sent his family into hiding where they changed locations every night. (Kidnapping children and demanding $50,000 is common there among the Taliban, Al Quida, ISIS, etc. If you do not pay, they either kill the child or make them slaves the rest of their life.) He went to yet another province to hide and draw attention away from his family. He sold his house and they escaped to India. He could not find a job, so their only choice was to finish raising their children in a UN immigration camp or return home.  They returned to a different city and I think he paid them a periodic bribe after that.

He had only been a Christian a year at that time. This time he has been a Christian five years. When they called and demanded $50,000 yesterday, he refused to talk to them and hung up the phone.

Keep praying for this mighty warrior for the Lord.

BTW, his son has had to drop out of university and go into hiding with the rest of the family, so he has asked me for many Bible materials to study.  About a year ago when he was 19, he told his father, “I want to be a preacher some day. I know they will kill me, but that’s what I want to do.”

 

HS-COVER-KINDLE-GOLDThe scripture for today, April 4, is Psalm 4:4 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

“In your anger do not sin.”

This seems like an impossibility. After all, when people get angry, don’t they lash out at other people? And yell and call them names? And show their temper? Maybe even throw a few things? After all, that’s the only way to get across to the other person that you are really angry.

Not so. If a child, for instance, does what s/he was just told not to do, we become angry. Angry at the dangerous consequence of their action. Angry at not doing something to make that child a better person.

We can choose to lash out at the child wildly so that our emotions mask our words. Or we can choose to talk calmly and explain the dangers that child was put in because of that action, or the missed opportunities. We can even punish a child without losing our temper. We can calmly but firmly tell them what their punishment is.

It is the same way with adults. If we lose our temper and shoot daggers with our eyes and rant and rave, all these things distract people from our words. Are we wanting to punish them or reconcile? Aren’t our words of explanation more important than the emotionalism and yelling? If we were hurt, just say so. If they hurt themselves, just say so.

While we’re at it, not all words help. Name calling does not help. Name calling is done when we choose not to explain how we feel.

Name calling locks the other person in and sets them up for future failures between us and them. Losing our temper during anger gets us off the issue and into sin.

Let us try to remain calm and then explain the problem in tones that the person who has angered us can truly listen to and learn from. If you have trouble doing this, practice when you’re alone. It will teach us to remain calm when we’re angry so we can explain how we feel, not how bad the other person is. When we are angry, we must not sin.

 

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#anger, #ire, #irrationality, #yelling, #shouting, #beating, #accusing, #scorning, #hating, #selfishsness, #ego, #patience, #feelings, #calm, #punishment, #hurt, #pain, #NameCalling, #failure, #temper, #sin, #consequences, #solution, #reconciliation

Scripture for Sunday, April 2 (4/2)

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn Bible, blessings, Daily, good works, Inspirational, Life of ChristLeave a comment

UPDATE ON OUR BROTHER WHOSE LIFE HAS BEEN THREATENED: 

In March, another brother in Iraq was threatened with imprisonment for being anti-Islamic. He was summoned to court and asked us, “Pray that I do not denounce Jesus, my Lord.” Hundreds of Christians prayed for him.  The judge threw the case out. (Prayer is so powerful.)

I asked that brother if he had any advice for his brother in Afghanistan. Among other things, he said, “You must also know that the one who defends you is Christ himself and that all those who confront you will be afraid of you. And you should know that the prayer that Mum Katheryn and all of us will make miracles. Therefore, Rejoice, then rejoice and rejoice. Because you will prevail.”

So, John Mark, though still very frightened, decided to face the jaws of the lion head on. He decided to go back to work and try to act normal (though his family is still in hiding). He wrote me last night, “Dear Mum I am fine and went to work today.  No one catches me.”

Keep praying. Prayer is so powerful.

 

00-Heroes-Alone-COVER-KINDLEThe scripture for today, April 2, is Exodus 4:2f as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

“Then the Lord said to him, ‘What is that in your hand?’ ‘A staff,’ he replied.”

God had just called Moses to go to Egypt and free his people from their slavery ~ one man against an entire nation. Moses objected that he couldn’t do it. Five times In Exodus 3 and 4 he argued with God. “BUT I’m not famous,” “BUT they won’t believe I come from the God of their ancestors,” “BUT they won’t believe God sent me, “BUT I’m not a good speaker,” “JUST send someone else.”

Then God replied, “What is that in your hand?”.

Moses had a staff. God showed him how to use it to perform miracles. Today, are you using excuses to claim there is nothing you can do for the cause of God and salvation? God challenges you: “What is that in your hand?” It is a steering wheel, a shovel, thread, a computer, a spoon, a wrench, a cookbook, a band aid, a Bible? Whatever is in your hand, God can use to bless people through you.

You are God’s hands and feet and mouth.  Use them.  Today.

 

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#Called, #excuses, #procrastination, #selfishness, #time, #pride, #FalseHumility, #Pretending, #miracles, #hands, #feet, #mouth

Scripture for Thursday, March 30 (3/30)

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn blessings, church, Daily, death, good works, Inspirational, judging, power, truthLeave a comment

The scripture for today, March 30, is John 3:30 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

0-Stephen-Cover-Kindle-Medium“He must become greater; I must become less.”

This is John the Baptist speaking. He had a great following. People “were constantly coming to be baptized” by John (3:23). He had it made! But at the height of his popularity, he said, “I will be stepping down soon.”

Can you do this? Are you at the height of your popularity, perhaps at a club, an organization, church? Could you step down if someone more qualified than you came along? Or will you say, “I started this _______, and I was here first, so this is my project!” ?

Let us constantly look at our motives for doing good ~ whether selfish ambition or love for others. 1st Corinthians 13:1 says that, even if I offer my body to be burned and do not have love, it benefits me nothing.

Jesus warned, “Be careful not to do your acts of righteousness before men to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.”

Father in heaven, help me look at myself the way You do.

 

 

#ego, #pride, #selfishness, #ambition, #credit, #acclaim, #power, #recognized, #praised, #applauded, #popular, #StepDown, #reward, #humility

Scripture for Friday, February 3 (2/3)

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn blessings, Daily, good works, Holy Spirit, Inspirational, judging, Satan, ThanksgivingLeave a comment

The scripture for today, February 3, is Philippians 2:3 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

00-cover-kindle-medium-new“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.”

This is probably among the top ten hardest-to-keep commands in the Bible. It’s right up there near loving our enemies.

One time Jesus said that, when we are invited to a banquet and can seat ourselves, we shouldn’t sit at the head table because that seat may be reserved for someone else. If so, someone would have to ask us to move and we would be humiliated. He suggested that instead, we sit at one of the back tables. Then, if someone goes to us and says, “Sit up here closer to the front,” we will feel honored. (See Luke 14:811)

Jesus was always a server, helping others to be better. The last time he ate with his apostles before his death, he put on an apron and went around washing their feet. Apparently, none of them felt they should stoop so low as to do it.

So the Son of God did it.

#Selfishness, #Vanity, #Ego, #Conceit, #Humility, #Servant, #Ambition

Scripture for Sunday, January 29 (1/29)

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn blessings, Daily, faith, good works, Holy Spirit, Inspirational, prayerLeave a comment

The scripture for today, January 29, is Colossians 1:29 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

PAUL COVER-KINDLE-“To this end I labor, struggling with all His energy which so powerfully works in me.”

Wow! Hyper-active Paul, Paul who preached even while in jail, Paul who always went back to preaching after he’d been beaten and told not to, Paul with the A-type personality said he got all that energy from Jesus Christ (see verse 28).

Who provides your energy? It depends on what you are being driven to do. It depends on what consumes you. It depends on what you’re spending your time doing. It depends on what is on your mind all the time.

Think about it today. On what things do you use the energy of Jesus?

#Energy, #Power, #Selfishness, #ATypePersonality, #Selfishness, #GoodWorks, #Souls, #Others

Scripture for Friday, December 23 (12/23)

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn Daily, faith, good works, Inspirational, judging, prayer, Satan, UncategorizedLeave a comment

The scripture for today, December 23, is 1st Samuel 12:23 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:


HS-COVER-KINDLE-GOLD“As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by failing to pray for you. And I will teach you the way that is good and right.”

It’s a sin not to pray for others!

Do your prayers get bogged down in the mire of me’s? Do you wonder why you can’t pray for more than a couple minutes ~ five on a good day? Satan gets you to do this; he is the enemy of prayer because he knows how powerful it is.

Who is on your prayer list? Pray for people by name. Your neighbors. People you work with. Your government officials ~ both good and bad. People in a nursing home. People in your congregation. People in the military. People being persecuted, imprisoned and even killed because they are Christians. Missionaries. Children in an orphan home. Sales people at the store. Local school teachers.

Pray for 15 minutes a day. Half an hour. An hour. It’s oh so easy when we stop praying only for self and pray for others.

Pray for them by name. And tell them that you do. Some people have never been told, “I am praying for you”.

Let us not sin by praying only for “me”.

#Prayer, #Selfishness, #GoodWill, #Love, #Power

Scripture for Wednesday, November 2 (11/2)

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn Daily, Inspirational, worshipLeave a comment

The scripture for today, November 2, is Proverbs 11:2 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

CHANGES IN WORSHIP-COVER-KINDLE“When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.”

The word “ disgrace” comes from Hebrew qalon meaning confusion. It is also translated dishonor and reproach.

Pride is so hard to control. With the church or clubs or other organizations, we think our ideas, our points of view, our ways of doing things are the right ideas views and ways. We accuse others of not cooperating if it is our ideas, views, and ways they don’t go along with. It is so hard to give up our ideas views and ways for the sake of peace.

Even in doing daily business, our pride shows up. We become impatient with clerks in stores who do not help us, with other drivers on the road who are too slow for us, with people delivering things to our homes who do not deliver them right to our door, with kids throwing rocks at things that belong to us, people who try to cut in line ahead of us, fellow workers who take credit for our work, and on and on.

It is hard to sit by and let others be praised when we do better work than they do, or we work harder than they do, or they get the promotion we deserve.

How do we control our pride? Perhaps by comparing ourselves, not with others around us, but with Jesus. In the same circumstance, what did he do?

#pride, #arrogance, #selfishness, #ideas, #WhatWouldJesusDo

Scripture for Wednesday, October 5 (10/5)

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn Daily, InspirationalLeave a comment

The scripture for today, October 5, is 2nd Corinthians 10:5f as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

0-Cover-KINDLE“Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered over the desert. Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did.”

This is about the 40 years that the Jews wandered in the wilderness between leaving their slavery in Egypt and beginning a nation for themselves. They believed their way was better than God’s way. They kept God at a distance.

Events in the Old Testament are there as examples to us. Do we keep God at a distance? In that case, God keeps us at a distance. God treats us the way we treat him. The early Jews did not want to listen to God, so God did not listen to them.

Do we want God to treat us the way we treat him?

#God, #selfishness, #goodworks