When we first moved to AL, we started a new tradition of having a short Bible reading and prayer time before Mike left for work. The hardest part of moving from our house to this apartment was saying goodbye to our “Music Room” where we practiced these family devotions each morning.
We had tried family devotions several times before, but his was the first time we were able to stick with it. I am praying that with God’s help we’ll be able to keep it up even in the face of Mike’s new, more stressful job. So, far, so good.
I think the thing that makes it doable is that we keep it REALLY short and sweet. I have a selection of verses prepared for the week or month and we read just a few verses each morning, then we each take a turn praying a short prayer. Sometimes, when we have a little time left, it turns in to a family discussion or planing meeting.
I wish I could tell you that we read the whole Bible through each year, or that when we prayed fire came down from heaven.. but we don’t and it hasn’t.. yet, but I think we have grown closer together and have been blessed and encouraged and even matured from our time together. Thank You, Jesus.
This morning after Mike went to work, I had a mini sermon prepared for the kids. These occur from time to time as an occasion calls for it. I only have a few messages in my heart. This is a big one for me.
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I started – When you first meet a person or sit and listen to a pastor or someone being interviewed on TV such as a scientist or politician, what is the first thing you notice?
Josh replied – their manner or attitude. (That was a really good answer.)
My answer – What is coming out of their mouths? Wisdom or Foolishness?
Luke 6:45 The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.
My next question – Where does wisdom come from?
Judi answered – Jesus/God. (Yes!)
My answer – So what they say reveals if or not they treasure God; if they seek after Him or spend time with Him.
Luke 12:34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
God is the greatest treasure that exists. Knowing and acting on that is wisdom.
You know a person by their _________?
James answered – fruit
My answer – Exactly – good or bad. Good fruit: wisdom – nourishes – leads to life – you feel a “yes” in your Spirit
Bad fruit: rotten – weeds – poison – leads to death – you feel a check in your Spirit.
Now you wouldn’t expect to turn on Sean Hannity one day (Josh and Joel turn him on every day) and hear him say
how wonderful the new health care plan is. – You’d think he was brain washed or something.
A tree can only produce one kind of fruit – good or bad
So either they are seeking God as their most valued treasure or they are not – can’t serve two masters.
Next question – Where does fruit get its start?
Judi answered – From a seed.
me – Yes, and a seed is a thought.
We sow our thoughts, and we reap our actions; we sow our
actions, and we reap our habits; we sow our habits, and
we reap our characters; we sow our characters, and we
reap our destiny. Desiderius Gerhard Erasmus
… life or death – good tree or bad tree
So if you have a bad thought what should you do with it?
a) meditate on it?
b) throw it out?
c) replace it with a God truth?
If you choose to meditate on it, it will eventually come out of your mouth as a seed/thought planted in someone else.
Proverbs 18:21
The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.
We are always either planting a tree of life/nourishment or death/poison when we speak.
Next question – If you turned on Sean Hannity one day and he was cussing and airing pornography clips, what would you do? What was a source of life has now become a source of death. I’d be angry/offended.
When people come to your well – your facebook or myspace page – do they find a source of life?
If you make a mistake and let a bad thought take root and grow and hurt someone else, what should you do?
What would you think of Sean Hannity if he made jokes, excuses or blamed someone else for his actions?
What would a mature person do?
Josh answered – delete it, apologize
My answer – Yes, they should take responsibility, apologize, repent, run to God, who is quick to forgive, ask for His help to reject bad seeds and to seek Him with all their hearts as their greatest treasure.
I love you. God loves you. Love each other the way He loves you.
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Hope you enjoyed my sermon and are able to learn from our life lessons.
Love,
Jenny
