Another happy parent

 

This is yet another testimonial form a parent who has a child at Open Arms here in Slidell, Louisiana.

 

It is my joy to be the Executive Director in charge of 3 things: Ministry, Marketing, & Management.

 

We re honored to be a part of every home we touch and are already seeing little children encourage their parents to be more active spiritually.

 

Parent testimony

It Feels Soul Good!

 

3 John:2 Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul.

 

We spend billions each year to try to gain or maintain our physical health.  We spend billons on mental health as well.  We seek peace of mind and  health.

 

John says if we maintain our soul these things will follow.

 

How can we get things to go well for our soul?  Go to the soul maker, Jesus.

 

He made us and designed us to fellowship with Him.  Spend time with Him in the Bible and prayer and see how your soul  begins to gain health.

 

The healthier the soul is the more you will think, act and feel the way Jesus does about others.  You will see people with eyes of mercy and grace.  You will want to be part of God’s redemptive plan.

 

You will know the riches of Christ in a relationship that makes other pale in comparison.

 

So, start your way to a healthy soul today.

Ministry Musings?

 

In a local church, there are many types of ministry to serve and help specific groups.

 

For example….Senior Adult Ministry helps Seniors

 

Youth ministry helps youth

 

Children’s ministry help children.

 

So that begs the question.  What does TV ministry help?

 

Just a thought.

How we doing?

 

2 John verse 4 I rejoiced greatly to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as we were commanded by the Father.

 

John was deeply moved to hear that some of those he grew into maturity were walking in truth.  That is , their life was staying on the straight and narrow and making  a difference.

 

Any parent can relate.  We long to hear good things of how our children are doing when they are away from home.  It does not matter if they are just playing down the street with a friend, at school or living in another state hundreds of miles away.

 

It particularly delights our hearts to hear our loved ones have remained or returned to the faith of their fathers.

 

We call it love that lasts!

Don't Fail This One Question Exam!

1 John 5: 11 And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.

What is the most important question you ever have to answer?

Did you go to church every week?

Were you a good person?

Were you religious?

Did you try to follow the 10 commandments?

None of the above.

It is- “What did you do with My Son, Jesus?”

God gave and defined eternal life…life in the Son, Jesus.  It is all about relationship with God through Jesus.  

For all of time, in trying to follow God man has attempted to:

Complicate

Control

Condemn.

God says, “Love Me by loving and living in My Son.”

KISS- Keep it simple, saints

"No...really. You go first!"

I John 4: 19 “We love because he first loved us.”

One definition of love I hear is “Giving of oneself to meet the needs of another without expectation of return.”

It is not "I love you if…"

"I love you when…"

"I love you because you make me feel…"

It is God kind of love.  "I love you (period)."

God’s is the great initiator.  He sought us, we never seek Him.  Jesus said he came to seek and save that which was lost…us.

The closest thing on earth is the love of a parent for their child.  Giving…loving…sacrificing because of the needs of the person who is the object of love and not just for what the parent can experience in return.

So it is with Jesus.

He loved and waited to see if it was recognized…responded to…returned.

He loves you.  What you gonna do about it?

Your Gap is Showing

I John 3: 18 “Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.”

Know what an example of frustration is?  When you know what to do and don’t do it.  It is also a source of tremendous stress in our lives.

Want to enjoy life more? Close the gap between what you say and what you really do.

This is also the definition of hypocrisy.  Saying we love Jesus and fellow man, but our actions don’t demonstrate it.

Many non-believers say they don’t like all the hypocrisy in church, and that’s’ why they stay away.  Let me share a Greek word for that….BALONEY!  If they had any interest in God or desired to be with His people they could learn to overlook inconsistencies, faults and failings.  They would look for a church where these kind of people are embraced.  People are looking for a safe place to be honest…vulnerable…imperfect.

So, do like a local Ford dealer says down here in New Orleans…”bridge the gap” between what you say and what you do.

You’ll be glad you did.