“In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive'” Acts 20:35 (ESV).
Month: December 2020
Hard-Hearted Goat or Compassionate Sheep?
“And when the Son of man cometh in his glory and all the holy Angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory, And before him shall be gathered all nations, and he shall separate them one from another as a shepherd separateth the sheep from the goats. And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, and the goats on the left.
Then shall the king say to them on his right hand, Come ye blessed of my father: take the inheritance of the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I thirsted, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in unto you.I was naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, and fed thee? or athirst, and gave thee drink? And when saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in unto us? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
And the king shall answer, and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it to me” Matthew 25:31-40 (GNV).
The Lonely Stander’s Heartache
While standing for marriage is not new, it is a somewhat misunderstood and often very lonely experience. Having discovered Rejoice Marriage Ministries brought like-minded men and women into my life, if only from afar. While returned prodigal, Bob Steinkamp, has been in Heaven now for several years, Charlyne Steinkamp and family faithfully continue on with the ministry which God forged from their own marital issues and eventual restoration.
Bob Steinkamp wrote a fictional Christmas story about standing for marriage which allows us to see inside not only the stander’s heart, but the prodigal’s as well. While my heart is warmed each time I reread “Millie’s Christmas”, I no longer find my heart aching as it once did, largely due in part to Rejoice Marriage Ministries. With much appreciation to Rejoice Marriage Ministries and their generously allowing me to share, please take a moment to read this light yet heartwarming story of a prodigal spouse’s holiday homecoming.
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Faint Not, For the Glorious Joys of Heaven Await the Faithful
“Therefore we faint not, but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed daily. For our light affliction which is but for a moment, causeth unto us a far most excellent and an eternal weight of glory: While we look not on the things which are seen, but on the things which are not seen for the things which are seen, are temporal: but the things which are not seen, are eternal” 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (GNV).
The Power of Prayer & the Warfare of Praise
“Prayer sends angels, praise sends God” Bill Winston.
“Sing ye loud unto the Lord, all the earth. Serve the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyfulness. Know ye that even the Lord is God; he hath made us, and not we ourselves: we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter into his gates with praise, and into his courts with rejoicing: praise him and bless his Name. For the Lord is good: his mercy is everlasting, and his truth is from generation to generation” Psalm 100 (GNV).
So,…What’s Your Price?
“For what shall it profit a man, though he should win the whole world, if he lose his soul?” Mark 8:36 (GNV).
God’s Eternal Love
“For God so loveth the world, that he hath given his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him, should not perish, but have everlasting life” John 3:16 (GNV).
Take Upon You the Yoke of Jesus
“At that time Jesus answered and said, I give thee thanks, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise, and men of understanding, and hast opened them unto babes. It is so, O Father, because thy good pleasure was such. All things are given unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father: neither knoweth any man the Father, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him.
Come unto me, all ye that are weary and laden, and I will ease you. Take my yoke on you, and learn of me that I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light” Matthew 11:25-30 (GNV).
Mustard Seed Size Faith
“And when they were come to the multitude, there came to him a certain man, and, fell down at his feet, And said, Master, have pity on my son: for he is lunatic, and is sore vexed: for oft times he falleth into the fire, and oft times into the water. And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not heal him. Then Jesus answered, and said, O generation faithless, and crooked, how long now shall I be with you! how long now shall I suffer you! bring him hither to me. And Jesus rebuked the devil, and he went out of him: and the child was healed at that hour.
Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out?
And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, if ye have faith as much as is a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place, and it shall remove: and nothing shall be impossible unto you.
Howbeit this kind goeth not out, but by prayer and fasting” Matthew 17:14-21 (GNV).
The Parables of Jesus Christ
“And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables: That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them” Mark 4:11-12 (KJV).