The Nails On The Fence

Source: Daily Life's Inspiration

There once was a little boy who had a bad temper. His father gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his temper, he must hammer a nail into the fence. The first day the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence. Over the next few weeks as he learned to control his anger, the number of nails hammered daily, gradually dwindled down. He discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those nails into the fence.

Finally the day came when the boy didn’t lose his temper at all. He told his father about it and the father suggested that the boy now pull out one nail for each day that he was able to hold his temper. The days passed and the young boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were gone.

The father took his son by the hand and led him to the fence. He said “you have done well, my son, but look at the holes in the fence. The fence will never be the same. When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one.” You can put a knife in a man and draw it out. It won’t matter how many times you say I’m sorry, the wound is still there. Make sure you control your temper the next time you are tempted to say something you will regret later.

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Kung paputok ang pag-uusapan, ang bibig ng tao ay ang pinakamalakas na paputok. Malalim na malalim ang sugat na maidulot ng matatalas na mga sinasalita nito. Matagal na panahon ang kailangan upang maghilom ang mga sugat na dulot nito, at kung sakaling maghilom man, nagiiwan ito ng matinding peklat sa puso ng mga tao.

In leading a people into nation building, one's words should be truly uniting instead of being divisive. One can uphold justice and fairness without sacrificing and trampling mercy and kindness. As the Lord is, so should his people ought to be. The Lord is tough against sin, yet he is merciful towards sinners. A merciful heart bleeds as it carries out justice against its brother or sister.

All authority comes from the Lord. No one sits in power unless the Lord allows it to happen. The Lord allows, and the Lord disallows. The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away. No one should think that he/she owes his authority to any man, for it is the Lord who gives him/her the power and authority. Therefore, anyone who is given power or authority should conduct himself/herself in the fear of the Lord. No one sees the secrets of the heart but the Lord alone. The Lord hates secret schemes, and thus those whom He has given power and authority also are supposed to hate secret schemings.

Use nails not to create destructive holes on the fence. Use nails to build and strengthen not just the fence but the nation -- and only the nails of unity can achieve this through a leader that is uniting instead of a divisive one.

God so loved the world...

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)

And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger. (Luke 2:12)

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. (Luke 2:11)
 
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6)

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men of goodwill!” (Luke 2:14)

      

Keeping Christ in Christmas

The number one way to keep Jesus Christ in your Christmas celebrations is to have him present in your daily life. Keeping Christ in Christmas is more about the way you live your life than the things you say—such as "Merry Christmas" versus "Happy Holidays."

Keeping Christ in Christmas means daily revealing the character, love and spirit of Christ that dwells in you, by allowing these traits to shine through your actions. Here are simple ways to keep Christ the central focus of your life this Christmas season.

1) Give God one very special gift just from you to him: 

Let this gift be something personal that no one else needs to know about, and let it be a sacrifice. David said in 2 Samuel 24 that he would not offer a sacrifice to God that cost him nothing.

Maybe your gift to God will be to forgive someone you've needed to forgive for a long time. You may discover that you've given a gift back to yourself.

Corrie Ten Boom, a Christian who survived extreme brutality in a German concentration camp after rescuing many Jews from certain death during the Nazi Holocaust, was later able to say, "Forgiveness is to set a prisoner free, and to realize the prisoner was you."

Perhaps your gift will be to commit to spending time with God daily. Or maybe there is something God has asked you to give up. Make this your most important gift of the season.

2) Set aside a special time to read the Christmas story in Luke 1:5-56 through 2:1-20:

Consider reading this account with your family and discussing it together.

• The Christmas Story
• More Christmas Bible Verses

3) Set up a Nativity scene in your home:

If you don't have a Nativity, here are ideas to help you make your own Nativity scene:

• Nativity Related Crafts

4) Plan a project of good will this Christmas:

A few years ago we "adopted" a single mom. My friend was barely making ends meet and didn't have money to buy gifts for her small child. Together with my husband's family we bought gifts for both of them and replaced her broken down washing machine the week of Christmas. Do you have an elderly neighbor in need of home repairs or yard work? Find someone with a genuine need, involve your whole family and see how happy you can make someone this Christmas.

• Top Christmas Charity Projects

5) Take a group Christmas caroling in a nursing home or a children's hospital:

One year the staff at the office where I worked decided to incorporate Christmas caroling at a nearby nursing home into our yearly staff Christmas party plans. We all met first at the nursing home and toured the facility while singing Christmas carols. Afterwards, we headed back to our party with our hearts full of tenderness. It was the best staff Christmas party we'd ever had.

6) Give a surprise gift of service to each member of your family:

Jesus taught us to serve by washing the disciples feet. He also taught us that it is "more blessed to give than to receive." Acts 20:35 (NIV) The idea of giving an unexpected gift of service to members of your family is to demonstrate Christ-like love and service. You might consider giving a back rub to your spouse, running an errand for your brother, or cleaning out a closet for your mother. Make it personal and meaningful and watch the blessings multiply.

7) Set aside a time of family devotions on Christmas Eve or Christmas morning:

Before opening the gifts, take a few minutes to gather together as a family in prayer and devotions. Read a few Bible verses and discuss as a family the true meaning of Christmas.

• Christmas Bible Verses
• Christmas Prayers and Poems
• The Christmas Story
• Christmas Devotionals

8) Attend a Christmas church service together with your family:

If you are alone this Christmas or don't have family living near you, invite a friend or a neighbor to join you.

9) Send Christmas cards that convey a spiritual message:

This is an easy way to share your faith at Christmastime. If you've already bought the reindeer cards—no problem! Just write a Bible verse and include a personal message with each card.

• Select Christmas Bible Verses

10) Write a Christmas letter to a missionary:

This idea is dear to my heart because I spent four years on the mission field. Receiving a letter always felt like opening a priceless gift on Christmas morning, no matter what day it was. Many missionaries are unable to travel home for the holidays, so it can be a very lonely time for them. Write a special Christmas letter to a missionary of your choice, thanking them for giving their life in service to the Lord. Trust me—it will mean more than you can imagine!

Fight Your Battles On Your Knees

Winning Your Battles Through Prayer
By Charles F. Stanley

What would you do if someone began to push against you, attempting to throw you off a position that is rightfully yours? How would you respond? Most people would lean into the weight and push back. That’s a posture of resistance. And as believers, we must know when it’s time to lean with all our might against evil. But how?

Prayer is the believer's  great privilege and powerful weapon against Satan and his plans. The apostle Peter wrote, “Resist him, steadfast in the faith” (1 Pet. 5:9). James echoed this teaching:

“Submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you” (vv. 4:7-8).

Both of these godly men admonished believers to oppose evil. And we do that by persevering in prayer. On the surface, this form of resistance may appear to be passive. But in practice, it is always active, intentional, and powerful.

Resistance begins with a decision to join the struggle against evil through prayer, rather than retreat. Such godly opposition takes strength and courage. It also requires patience and perseverance.

Peter and James point to two key words at the heart of our ability to resist the devil through our prayers: faith in God and submission to His will.

Submission

Submission to God means acknowledging that we can’t but He can. In our prayers, we might tell the Lord, “I can’t defeat the Enemy on my own. But with You, I can.” By taking this position, we join the apostle Paul in saying, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Phil. 4:13 NKJV).

James taught that submission occurs when we seek a closer relationship with God. As we spend time in His Word and His presence, we get to know the Lord better. We also discover how He wants us to overcome evil and experience blessing in our lives. By setting aside time solely to listen and wait upon the Lord for direction and guidance, we grow closer to Him. Periodically hiding ourselves away from all other influences and distractions is vital if we want to grow in knowledge of our God. The better we know Him, the more we see His power, experience His love, and grow in faith and wisdom.

Faith

Faith can be summed up in the statement “God, I believe You will.” In our efforts to overcome the Evil One, we might pray this way: “I believe You will defeat the Enemy and cause him to flee from me as I resist him and put my trust in You.” Again and again, David made this declaration of faith to the Lord: “O my God, I trust in You” (See Ps. 25:2; also 31:6; 55:23; 56:3; 143:8).

We grow in faith by exercising it—trusting God in every circumstance and relationship. Over time, we develop a personal history with God as He demonstrates His faithfulness and loving care for us. The result is an ever-deepening relationship with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Ultimately, it’s impossible to resist the Devil for long if you don’t believe that Jesus Christ can and will thwart Satan’s attempts to harm you. Remaining strong in faith requires total submission to God in all areas of your life—no exceptions. When you decide that you don’t need God’s help in one area, that’s precisely where the Enemy will strike.

The good news is that God has given each of us a measure of faith to nurture within our hearts. And by His grace, we are capable of submitting to His will. In whatever you do, remember the words of James: “Resist the devil and he will flee from you."

Growing Good Corn

Source: Daily Life's Inspiration

There once was a farmer who grew award-winning corn. Each year he entered his corn in the state fair where it won a blue ribbon.

One year a newspaper reporter interviewed him and learned something interesting about how he grew it. The reporter discovered that the farmer shared his seed corn with his neighbors.

“How can you afford to share your best seed corn with your neighbors when they are entering corn in competition with yours each year?” the reporter asked.

“Why sir,” said the farmer, “didn’t you know? The wind picks up pollen from the ripening corn and swirls it from field to field. If my neighbors grow inferior corn, cross-pollination will steadily degrade the quality of my corn. If I am to grow good corn, I must help my neighbors grow good corn.”

He is very much aware of the connectedness of life. His corn cannot improve unless his neighbor’s corn also improves.

So it is with our lives. Those who choose to live in peace must help their neighbors to live in peace. Those who choose to live well must help others to live well, for the value of a life is measured by the lives it touches. And those who choose to be happy must help others to find happiness, for the welfare of each is bound up with the welfare of all.

The lesson for each of us is this: if we are to grow good corn, we must help our neighbors grow good corn.

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When you come into your neighbor's standing corn, then you may pluck the ears with your hand; but you shall not move a sickle to your neighbor's standing corn. (Deuteronomy 23:25)

Wisdom For Life's Trials

Discerning the Source of Our Trials

By Charles Stanley

Key verse: James 1:2-8, 12

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.

Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.

What was the last painful or stressful trial you experienced? Was it a struggle for you physically, emotionally, and spiritually? No one has ever lived a life completely free from pain, uncertainty, stress, and trials. The Bible makes this point abundantly clear. Jesus, Moses, Job, Peter, Paul, and all of the heroes of Scripture are portrayed as men and women who, at one time or another, underwent trying times of hardship and heartache. Now, thousands of years later, God's servants are still undergoing hard times. Therefore, it is important that you learn how to cope with these harsh patches in life.

James 1:2 is a rather short verse, but it contains tremendous insight into the issue of life's trials. The phrase "when you encounter various trials" includes three key words that demonstrate the universality of man's hardships. First, it is significant that James uses the word "when." This defines the issue; undergoing trials is not a matter of if but rather when. Second, when he says that you will "encounter" misfortune, he is stating that difficulties will arise unexpectedly; there may be no time to prepare for these dilemmas. Third, he uses the adjective "various" to denote the ever-changing, often-surprising forms in which trials appear.

As you begin to examine the issue of life's persistent difficulties, a reasonable question to ask is, "Where do these hard times come from?" There are, in fact, some specific sources of trials. The primary cause is simply making wrong decisions ourselves. Our God-given free will allows us the opportunity and responsibility of making our own choices. Unfortunately, though, even the most committed Christian will make mistakes when making decisions, and the result will be a period of hardship.

Another cause of trials is persecution by other people. This is certainly an impediment with which the early church was familiar. Writing to the suffering Christians scattered throughout the ancient world, Peter says, "But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. And do not fear their intimidation, and do not be troubled" (1 Peter 3:14). Whether it is on account of your faith or for some other reason altogether, a sad fact of life is that the world is full of people who have the ability and desire to hurt you. This is certainly a challenge for Christians seeking to respond to their oppressors in a Christ-like manner.

A third source of trials is the fallen world in which we live. Sin has so permeated the earth that God's original concept of paradise seems impossible. Tornadoes, earthquakes, floods, sickness, war, bloodshed, and crime are all the results of sin's impact upon the world. Clearly, there is no way to escape the trials that seem to appear out of nowhere.

Not surprisingly, many trials often come straight from the Devil. After all, Satan is interested in ways in which he can torment us, and each attempt he makes has but one purpose—to draw us further away from God.

A final source of trials is the Lord. Many people resist this idea, believing that God desires only happiness for them. However, the truth is that God is more concerned with our maturity and development than He is our general happiness. That is difficult for some to accept, but our relationships with Him are far more important than our temporary well-being here on earth.

Often, there are lessons that can only be learned through hardship; therefore, God will allow difficulties to enter into our lives for His purposes. Finding God's reasoning for our suffering can be a daunting task, but when we view our hardships from our Father’s eternal perspective, we can begin to understand them more clearly. Therefore, the best starring point for understanding the rationale behind our trials is to prayerfully consider their source. The better we understand where these problems come from, the better we will be able to work through them.

For more info, watch the full video of the sermon: Wisdom For Life's Trials

Bulag, Pipi, at Bingi (Blind, Mute, and Deaf)

Bulag, Pipi, at Bingi (Blind, Mute, and Deaf)
By Freddie Aguilar 

1:
Madilim ang iyong paligid  (Dark is your surrounding)
Hatinggabing walang hanggan  (Midnight that's never ending)
Anyo at kulay ng mundo sayo'y pinagkaitan  (Earth's form and color, to you are missing)
Huwag mabahala kaibigan  (Friend, don't you worry)
Isinilang ka mang ganyan  (You maybe born that way)
Isang bulag sa kamunduhan  (A person blind in this worldliness)
Ligtas ka sa kasalanan  (Safe you are from sinfulness) 

Chorus:
Hindi nalalayo sa'yo ang tunay na mundo  (The real world isn't far from your's)
Marami sa amin nabubuhay ng tulad mo  (Many of us live our lives like your's)
Di makita, di madinig, minsa'y nauutal  (We see not, nor hear, at times we stutter)
Patungo sa hinahangad na buhay na banal  (Onward to the desire of a life that's holier) 

2:
Ibigin mo mang umawit  (Though you long to sing)
Hindi mo makuhang gawin  (You've no way of achieving)
Sigaw ng puso't damdamin  (Your heart's cry and feeling)
Wala sa'yong pumapansin  (No one seems to be noticing)
Sampung daliri, kaibigan  (Ten fingers, dear friend)
Dyan ka nila pakikinggan  (It's there they'll hear you then)
Pipi ka man nang isinilang  (Born mute you maybe one)
Dakila ka sa sinuman  (Noble you are to anyone) 

(Repeat Chorus) 

3:
Ano sa iyo ang musika?  (What is music to you?)
Sayo ba'y mahalaga?  (To you is it important?)
Matahimik mong paligid  (In your silent world)
Awitan ay di madinig  (Singing can never be heard)
Mapalad ka o kaibigan  (You're better off, my friend)
Napakaingay ng mundo  (So noisy is the world)
Sa isang binging katulad mo  (To a deaf person like you)
Walang daing walang gulo  (Complaints or confusions, there's none)

(Repeat Chorus)

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“You shall not curse the deaf, nor put a stumbling block before the blind; but you shall fear your God. I am Yahweh." (Leviticus 19:14)

The Lord shall open the eyes of the blind. He shall raise up those who are bowed down. For He loves righteousness. (Reference: Psalms 146:8)