“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” —Winston Churchill
Does the Bible address courage? Glad you asked.
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.
Whether you experience success or failure, have your mind made up to keep going. Give it some thought.
Gary
Tamar was married to the son of Judah. However, the son died young and left her no children. She played the part of a harlot and conceived twin boys by her father-in-law, one of the sons of Jacob. Can you believe this account is recorded in Scripture and that she is in the genealogy of Christ in Matthew’s gospel?
Something even stranger than that is the fact, that if you have received Christ, your name and mine is in the Book of Life forever.
He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.
Give it some thought and fall on your knees and thank Him. These stories and more are recorded to show the grace of God toward a repentant sinner.
Gary
Ruth was a woman born into a society that God hated. The poor thing married a sickly man who died young and she had a bitter mother-in-law. She didn’t stand much of a chance. However, she developed a real and lasting faith in the God of Israel. There is even a Holy Ghost inspired book written about her in the Old Testament. Read it sometime.
Ruth 1:16-17
But Ruth said:
“Entreat me not to leave you,
Or to turn back from following after you;
For wherever you go, I will go;
And wherever you lodge, I will lodge;
Your people shall be my people,
And your God, my God.
Where you die, I will die,
And there will I be buried.
The Lord do so to me, and more also,
If anything but death parts you and me.”
She is also found in the genealogy of Christ. Give it some sincere meditation.
Gary
Rahab was a harlot who owned a guesthouse and lied about her guests. She is mentioned three times in the New Testament and is found in the genealogy of Christ. The writer of Hebrews wrote about her faith. Like the old hymn says, “It is no secret what God can do.”
By faith the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who did not believe, when she had received the spies with peace.
Consider what God can do with what most would call a hopeless case. For the Word tells us that God is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. The choice is yours.
Gary
Youth comes but once in a lifetime. -Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
I think that when Henry made that statement, he was reflecting on his past. He was probably thinking, “I only had one shot at that and I wasted it.” Then again, it’s possible he was trying to influence the young to consider the gift given to them by God. Does the Bible address it? Glad you asked.
Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth. Walk in the ways of your heart and the sight of your eyes. But know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment.
Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near of which you will say, “I have no pleasure in them.”
Give it some thought.
Gary
“Just thinking about a friend makes you want to do a happy dance, because a friend is someone who loves you in spite of your faults.”
― Charles M. Schulz
Charlie sure had that one nailed. I don’t know if I told you, but I’m 73 years old and I never experienced life without friends. I’ll tell you, it’s like owning gold because they just keep going up in value. Thank God for them and tell them how thankful you are for sharing life with them.
Oil and perfume make the heart glad, and the sweetness of a friend comes from his earnest counsel.
Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace:
Remember that they all need maintenance and thank God for the ones who are low maintenance.
Give it some thought.
Gary
“He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands” is a traditional African-American spiritual, first published in 1927. It became an international pop hit in 1957–58 in a recording by British singer Laurie London. It is one of the best-selling gospel songs of all time. It focuses on the One who created and oversees all that takes place in the universe.
For His invisible attributes, namely, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.
By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and by the breath of His mouth all their host.
Beyond all that, He gave us a free will. We can believe Him or reject Him. He left the choice to us.
Give it some serious consideration.
Gary