obedience

24 ~ in three different lights

Chelan1 Comment

I love “24”. Jack can save the world – save “millions” of lives in just 24 hours.

My last 24 hours wasn’t as exciting. Yesterday was long. Work went well, but kind of stressful. I was feeling stuffy trying to fight off a chest-cold with air-borne, and neither my little girl nor myself could take a nap, because she had just learned how to escape her ‘sleeping quarters’ . It’s finally time to graduate to her big-girl bed. I couldn’t find my wallet or my phone – it’s goin’ on a week now. And I found out I need a crown and my son has no enamel on his teeth due to a high fever he had when he was 2, so he has many cavities, and we have no insurance.

But it all seems a little insignificant in light of what I recently read happens in the span of 24 hours elsewhere:

  • Over 13,000 children age 5 & younger will die of hunger
  • About 3,000 children will die of diseases caused by unclean water & poor sanitation
  • Nearly 3,000 children will die from malaria

These stats blow my mind. Nearly 20k kids dead, in 24 hours. It seems so senseless! But in one day, we can help turn these numbers around. We really, really can.

Ricky & I have been able to make a dent in the numbers by reaching out to even one 6-yr. old child, Jhonatan. It doesn’t seem like a big impact (just one child), but I know that our $32., the letters from his American friend, Braylon, & our prayers really do make a big impact on Jhonatan and his family. Would you join us? Those who have a little bit extra are called to give to those who do not. But ya know, those who do not have a little extra are also called to give to those who are suffering from poverty. When you answer, God will more than step up to your level of faith and provide for you. Faith can do wonders. He’ll reward every effort. It is his very nature, as our Provider & Father…and we will know in our hearts that we obeyed.

I’m no Jack Bauer, but I can help save one life, and I can’t think of a better feeling.

jack

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For more info, or if you want to choose a child to impact as well, just click over to C.I. (Compassion International) & start your search.

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raising the bar, pt.3 “confrontation”

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matthew 15:18 –

“Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. if he hears you, you have gained your brother.”

raise the bar:

i thought it was pretty noble to forgive those who come to me after they’ve offended me. even more so if they never asked for forgiveness out right. but this passage says essentially that if i’m offended by someone’s actions toward me, i don’t wait for him to come a-knockin’ Continue reading →

raising the bar, pt.2 “bless those who curse you”

Chelan1 Comment

luke 6:27, 28; romans 12:20, 21

“But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” “…if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals upon his head…Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.”

raise the bar:

we are “set apart”! we are sanctified. we can’t afford to treat people who’ve have done us wrong (or for that matter, like mike guglielmucci, shamed the Christian faith), how the world would treat them. then what makes us any different than the world!? for Christ’s sake! literally. for the sake of Jesus, who gave up his throne in heaven and eventually gave up his dignity & his very life-blood. for the sake & glory of Jesus who forgave us our every sin, we need to strive as one body to live above the standards of your average joe…even your average Christian joe.

one major way we can do this is by forgiving beyond what we think we can, by praying. how about somethin’ like, “Lord, i wanna see _____ the way you see them. even though they did this, give me compassion for them & help me see past my own hurt. give me your eyes for them. your heart for them. forgive them.” or if you can’t muster up all that with sincerity, then heck, start with a simple, “God, show ____ your love today”. what if two weeks of that consistent prayer leads to actually meaning it…which leads to real forgiveness…which leads to freedom and maybe even restoration and salvation?! itellyouwhat. get ready to take the limits off of His blessings when you act in obedience.

Q 4 U:

when’s the last time you blessed someone who cursed (or mistreated) you? do you think it’s tougher, the closer that person is to you?

we’ve all been judged or shamed. we remember the pain. or do we? does the extent to which we give grace to others depend on how long ago it was given to us?