“The FATHER Can Still Reach Our CHILDREN”

Luke 7:11-15, “Not long after that, Jesus went to the village Nain. His disciples were with him, along with quite a large crowd. As they approached the village gate, they met a funeral procession—a woman’s only son was being carried out for burial. And the mother was a widow. When Jesus saw her, his heart broke. He said to her, “Don’t cry.” Then he went over and touched the coffin. The pallbearers stopped. He said, “Young man, I tell you: Get up.” The dead son sat up and began talking. Jesus presented him to his mother.” (MSG)

Believe it or not, but I am the proud mother of 6 adult children! I birthed 2 beautiful daughters (ages 31 and 28); and I was also blessed to inherit 4 more amazing children through marriage (ages 31, 30, and 27 year old twins). And they are all indeed a wonderful handful! Are they perfect? Absolutely Not! They are 6 very different, interesting and sometimes strange creatures! Not 1 personality is a duplicate of any of the others, so it definitely makes for a very comical parenting life. Their careers range from psychology, medicine, furniture, music, government to entertainment law. Now, if that’s not 6 different individuals, I don’t know what is. But truth is, I’m very proud of each of them and love each of them dearly.

Now, as amazing, wonderful, gifted, handsome and beautiful as all my children are, they can indeed drive me nuts! Yes, they are all adults now, and I was told it gets easier as they get older (I have no idea who started that rumor and lie), but I don’t believe that to be at all true! You see, when they’re younger you have so much more control over them and what they do and where they go and who they spend time with. But when they become adults, you become more nervous because they don’t always have to clue you in on their every decision and move they make. And for an over-protective parent like me, that can mean a lot of sleepless nights in prayer!

However, I think it’s safe to say that not many parents can sleep real soundly until they know their children are safe and in for the night. My oldest daughter is 31 years old, and I still look for her to let me know at night, no matter how late it is, that she’s made it home safely. I always look forward to hearing the words, “Ma, I’m home.” Sometimes they get delayed, or sometimes they’re in a situation where they couldn’t call. And it’s natural, I think, for a mom or a dad to be anxious until they can get a fix on where their kids are, and the great time of relief is when they come in the door and we know everything’s okay. Right? I guess some of the most beautiful words in the English language are, “Mom, Dad, I’m home.” Maybe you know a child who’s way overdue in saying those words.

With that said, let’s take another look at our text in a different translation: “Soon afterward Jesus went to a city called Nain [near Nazareth], and His disciples and a large crowd accompanied Him. Now as He approached the city gate, a dead man was being carried out—the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the city was with her [in the funeral procession]. When the Lord saw her, He felt [great] compassion for her, and said to her, “Do not weep.” And He came up and touched the bier [on which the body rested], and the pallbearers stood still. And He said, “Young man, I say to you, arise [from death]!” The man who was dead sat up and began to speak. And Jesus gave him back to his mother.” (AMP)

Wow! That’s a powerful story! And the most touching words of all for me (as a mother) are these, “…And Jesus gave him back to his mother.”

You know, Jesus is still in the business of giving children back to their parents, even when it appears hopeless they’ll ever come back. Maybe you or someone you know has a son or a daughter who’s away right now; spiritually, emotionally, mentally, physically. Well, my word of encouragement is this simple word from the Lord. He’s still in the business of giving children back to their parents.

I know what some of you may say though, “you don’t know how far gone my child is; or I just don’t see it as possible, it’s been too long or they’ve been like this too long.” Well, let me tell you, from experience, it’s not too late for your child to return. Some may not know it, but I wasn’t raised in church. And although I loved school and went to school and I was even a straight A student, I was still a bit of a wild child. Yes, I had both parents at home, and yes they believed in discipline. And yes, I still got into trouble! I partied, clubbed, hung out in the streets, I did drugs and alcohol, and my virginity was not preserved for marriage. Some will say, ‘why would you share all that?’ Because, someone, somewhere needs to know that their child is not the only one. I had 2 children before my 19^th birthday. I struggled taking care of them at some point and ended up with no job, no money, no man, and sleeping in a shelter with my children. I guess that’s a far cry from the preacher, teacher, robe-wearing, bible toting Christian you see today. Am I perfect? Not on your life! Not even on my best day! But am I better than where I was (spiritually, emotionally, mentally and physically), absolutely! Did it happen overnight? Uh…NOPE! Did I make more mistakes even after salvation? Sure Did, Every Day! But am I still redeemable? YES! And so are children, regardless of their age, and regardless to what they’ve done or where they’ve been or how long it has been.

You see, I was blessed enough to have a woman cross my path, and much like Jesus did for the woman’s son in the above Scripture, someone stopped by my dead life and spoke life so that I might live again, and live better. And that’s my intention for you and your children today. To stop by and speak life, no matter how dead their situation may be!

I don’t know why specifically, but for some reason, I just thought that this day should be the time when we should talk about this for someone who needs that little word of encouragement. Someone that needs to hear that their children are not lost forever!

I know this to be true and not just because of my own past youth mistakes and redemption, but from my own children’s lives as well. All 6 of them, unlike me, were raised in church. They were taught about Jesus at the same time as learning A,B,C’s and 1,2,3’s. They went to Sunday School, Bible Study, and ALL Church Services. They were on multiple auxiliaries at church. And when it was time to make friends, they were to pick their friends from church! Sounds a little nuts, but we pushed our kids hard in the Christian Faith and have absolutely no regrets about it to this day. Now, did all of that keep them saved, sanctified, holy, delivered and spotless? Heck, I Wish! But truth is, it didn’t. They are church kids, and preacher’s kids, but will I stand here and tell you they have never had a drink of alcohol and never seen the inside of a club and never crossed the sexual line…sorry, but if I’m going to help you, I have to be honest with you, and that most certainly is not the case here! They’ve dated people I wish they never met, they’ve lied to us, they’ve done things and gone to places I wish I could erase from my memory bank! As a mom I would love to un-tattoo them, un-pierce them, un-drink them, un-fornicate them, and un-do every bad decision they’ve ever made in life, but I can’t, and neither can you and neither can they! But thank God He doesn’t need us or them to go back and un-do anything! He can make them whole using all of their fractured pieces!   

Maybe you know better than I do why we’re talking about this today. Sometimes maybe it seems like your prayers just are not being answered for the one you love. But remember, much of God’s work is invisible. Like plants getting ready to sprout and come out, and flowers blooming in the spring. We don’t see anything going on all winter, looks like nothing is going on under the ground. But God is at work all the time. My pastor loves to say, “when it looks like nothing’s happening, God’s still at work.” And I believe it to be true. Much that God is doing to bring that child home, you can’t see. But you’d better believe it’s going on under the ground where you can’t see it.

I know you’ve prayed, fasted, pleaded with God, interceded on their behalf and still it looks like nothing is happening. And if you’ve been in my shoes as a parent, sometimes it seems like the more you pray, the worse they get! I know the feeling of, “Lord, when are you going to do it for my kid? When are they coming back? When will they come back to church? When will they change for the better? When will they finish school? When will they turn around? When God…When?” And because I’m a counselor, I know that some of you have even deeper questions such as, “When will he get off drugs? When will she get out of that crack-house? When will he get out of that gang? When will she get out of that abusive relationship? When will he get a job? When will she stop having babies?” Truth is, it’s not easy being a parent. And sometimes we just want our kids to just ‘get that.’ But more often than not, they won’t until they’re forced by life to walk in our shoes. However, for the time being, we’ll simply trust our Father to keep us and them! After all, He’s the Father of Children like US, and after all we’ve done, said, and been, and He yet loves US unconditionally still, certainly He can be trusted to help us Parent!

Proverbs 3:5-12, “Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; He’s the one who will keep you on track. Don’t assume that you know it all. Run to God! Run from evil! Your body will glow with health, your very bones will vibrate with life! Honor God with everything you own; give Him the first and the best. Your barns will burst, your wine vats will brim over. But don’t, dear friend, resent God’s discipline;don’t sulk under His loving correction. It’s the child He loves that God corrects;a father’s delight is behind all this.” (MSG)

Father Knows Best, Is Indeed More Than the Title of a TV Show, But For Us It’s the God’s Honest Truth!

So, we have Jesus to Save them and bring them back to life; we have the Father to help us Parent them; and then there’s the Wonderful Comforter and Counselor, the Holy Spirit – and He pursues that child wherever he goes. They can get away from us; but they can’t get away from Him. Psalm 139:7-12, “Is there anyplace I can go to avoid your Spirit? to be out of Your sight? If I climb to the sky, You’re there! If I go underground, You’re there! If I flew on morning’s wings to the far western horizon, You’d find me in a minute—You’re already there waiting! Then I said to myself, “Oh, He even sees me in the dark! At night I’m immersed in the light!” It’s a fact: darkness isn’t dark to You; night and day, darkness and light, they’re all the same to You.” (MSG).

Isn’t it wonderful to know, that your child has an internal tracking device, so that they are NEVER truly off the grid?! There is absolutely nowhere for your child to run and hide, where they are not seen and heard. No matter what they do, who they do it with, where they go or how far they go, they can’t get away from the Holy Ghost! That may frustrate them, but it should certainly fortify your faith! Your child has nowhere on planet earth to hide from God! In fact, look at verse 8, “If I ascend to heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in Sheol (the nether world, the place of the dead), behold, You are there.” (AMP). Your child can’t find a hiding place on the earth, in heaven, in hell or even in death! So, keep praying mom, keep fasting dad, they have no real way of escape!

I must also add this admonishment though, open arms do more than open mouths to bring kids home. Sometimes we can talk too much and push them so hard we actually push them away from the Lord. Listen: The Father of the prodigal son didn’t chase the son. He just kept his arms open for him to come home. (Feel free to read the entire story in Luke 15:11-32), but I just want to hone in on a small part for now that reads, “So he got up and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was moved with compassion for him, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Quickly bring out the best robe [for the guest of honor] and put it on him; and give him a ring for his hand, and sandals for his feet. And bring the fattened calf and slaughter it, and let us [invite everyone and] feast and celebrate; for this son of mine was [as good as] dead and is alive again; he was lost and has been found.’ So they began to celebrate.” (vss. 20-24 AMP)

There’s so much that I love about this story, but what I found most interesting today are these 3 things:

1.. As bad as this son messed up, you would think it would’ve been the son running to the safety of his father, but it was the other way around, the father seeing him a far off, “…ran and embraced him and kissed him…” You can’t always wait for your child to come to you, sometimes you have to meet them half way, or go all the way. Some may think it unfair, since it was the kid that messed up. But the father didn’t even care. He saw his son a far off, and went to him first. Sometimes we can let our anger cloud our judgment and think, “as bad as you messed up, you have to earn your way back into my good graces; you’ll need me first; you better beg for my forgiveness; you better hope I let you back in…” But the father, saw his son and went to him and with compassion, and showed him love and affection. Make sure you do the same;

2.. The son immediately starts with, “…I am no longer worthy to be called your son…” But my favorite part is, “…But the father said to his servants…” The father never even addressed the sons’ sins. He immediately started the restoration process. Believe me, as a kid and as an adult, nobody knows better than you just how badly you’ve messed up. So having others pour salt in your fresh, open wound doesn’t help any with the healing. They know what they’ve done, so when they make their U-turn back, don’t keep giving them fines for everything they’ve done wrong and every wrong turn they’ve ever made. Let them start over. Give them another chance. You know, like the many you receive from God daily… Don’t rub it in their faces. Don’t keep rehashing old history. Don’t keep reviewing their mistakes like an auditor during tax season. Take their lives from under the microscope. Be grateful that they’ve made it back and not in a coffin!

3.. Many of us make the mistake, after our children return, of telling everybody, everything about the what, when, where, why, and how, behind our children’s mistakes. Please don’t. Instead, do what the father did, before he told others (and all he told them was to come and celebrate with him for the return of his son that was good as dead, but is now alive), he Re-Covered the son that he’d Recovered! “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quickly bring out the best robe [for the guest of honor] and put it on him; and give him a ring for his hand, and sandals for his feet….” The son didn’t deserve it, but the father did it anyway. People may have known that he’d left home, but when he returned, his father made sure that before anyone saw him, he Re-Covered, and Re-Clothed him so that he didn’t look like where he’d been or what he’d done. Isn’t that just like our Father? By the time the folks would arrive to see him, he would look like he’d never left in the first place. Parents, when they return, restore them, re-cover them, and celebrate! After all, that’s all that really matters is that they’ve finally returned home…right?

Looking at the widow’s dead son, and the prodigal son, both looked like hopeless cases never to be resolved. And yet, they both were. One son was dead, and the other as good as dead, and yet, both were recovered and restored. Even when it looked completely impossible.

Therefore, I encourage you today, don’t give up on your children. They are redeemable, just as you were.

1 Corinthians 6:9-11, “Don’t you realize that this is not the way to live? Unjust people who don’t care about God will not be joining in his kingdom. Those who use and abuse each other, use and abuse sex, use and abuse the earth and everything in it, don’t qualify as citizens in God’s kingdom. A NUMBER OF YOU KNOW FROM EXPERIENCE WHAT I’M TALKING ABOUT, FOR NOT SO LONG AGO YOU WERE ON THAT LIST. Since then, you’ve been cleaned up and given a FRESH START by Jesus, our Master, our Messiah, and by our God present in us, the Spirit.” (MSG)

Mom, Dad, Don’t Forget You Messed Up Too! But the Bible clearly says, “…Since then, you’ve been cleaned up and given a FRESH START by Jesus, our Master, our Messiah, and by our God present in us, the Spirit.” Give them the second chance God continually gives you. And I’m crazy enough to believe that one day you will hear, “Mom… Dad… I’m home.”

“Where I left gaps in my children’s upbringing, God fills them in.” (Lisa Pennington)

“The difference between mercy and grace? Mercy gave the prodigal son a second chance. Grace gave him a feast.” (Max Lucado)

“Jesus told the story of the prodigal son to make a simple point: never mind what you’ve done, just come home.” (Glen Fitzjerrell)

“Satan Seeking Whom He May DEVOUR is No Match for a Savior Seeking Whom He May DELIVER.” (Tony Nolan)

Luke 19:10, “The Son of Man came to look for and to save people who are lost.” (CEV)

Matthew 18:12-14, “Look at it this way. If someone has a hundred sheep and one of them wanders off, doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine and go after the one? And if he finds it, doesn’t he make far more over it than over the ninety-nine who stay put? Your Father in heaven feels the same way. He doesn’t want to lose even one of these simple believers.” (MSG)

Luke 15:4-7, “Suppose one of you had a hundred sheep and lost one. Wouldn’t you leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the lost one until you found it? When found, you can be sure you would put it across your shoulders, rejoicing, and when you got home call in your friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Celebrate with me! I’ve found my lost sheep!’ Count on it—there’s more joy in heaven over one sinner’s rescued life than over ninety-nine good people in no need of rescue.” (MSG)

John 3:16-17, “For God so [greatly] loved and dearly prized the world, that He [even] gave His [One and] only begotten Son, so that whoever believes and trusts in Him [as Savior] shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge and condemn the world [that is, to initiate the final judgment of the world], but that the world might be saved through Him.” (AMP)

Much Love, Dr. Shermaine #EnjoyTheRead #BeInspired #BeEncouraged #BeEmpowered #BeChallenged #ShareTheWordFeel free to also join us at: http://www.selfcarewithdrshermaine.blogspot.com Today’s Lesson: “5 Foods to Avoid if You Have Arthritis and 5 Foods That Help, According to Dietitians”

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“How Well Do You Represent Your Name?”

Acts 4:36, “Joseph, a Levite and native of Cyprus, who was surnamed Barnabas by the apostles (which translated means Son of Encouragement.)” (AMP)

My friend Alan lives in Colorado. And if it’s one thing anyone who knows about me knows, I absolutely love Aspen, Colorado, in particular. Another favorite of mine is also the season of Fall. And with Colorado having so many trees, you can only imagine how breathtakingly beautiful it looks in Autumn. Well, my friend Alan, although he loves his home state, is not exactly a huge fan of the trees or the Fall season! You see, one of the good things about Alan’s yard is all the huge, beautiful trees he has. However, one of the really bad things about Alan’s yard is all the huge, beautiful trees he has…especially in the Fall! The problem is, his town requires the bagging of leaves, so they had the exciting challenge of raking and bagging over 100 bags every single year! And as the kids left home, one by one, guess what…Alan’s labor force dwindled to one. And take a wild guess as to the one who was left with the responsibility of raking and bagging all of those leaves? Yep, you guessed right, Alan!

Well, one day Alan was out there raking away – The Lone Raker. And suddenly an angel arrived in the yard. Well no, actually, it was his eight-year-old next door neighbor, Sandra. But in Alan’s book, she must have been an angel! Why? Because she said she wanted to help, and help she did. She raked, she bagged, and then she said, “Any time I hear you raking, I’m going to come over and help!” Alan said ‘this girl must wear specially tailored sweaters to cover up her huge angel wings!’ Well as Sandra was going for another bag, she told Alan why she’d come to help him rake and bag. She said, “My parents told me that my name means ‘Someone Who Helps’, so I’m always trying to do what my name says I’m supposed to do, help.” I don’t know about you, but I absolutely love that! Someone who lives up to their name!

In doing a little research on Sandra’s name, I actually learned that it’s Greek, and means “Helper of Humanity.” I for one can attest she lives up to her name and represents it quite well!

Now, the girl next door has been named Helper, and she’s living up to her name. And truth is, most people usually do live up to the names they’re called…for better or worse. Acts chapter 4, verse 36, the Bible identifies a man who will become a trusted and important leader of the early Christian church. It calls him “Joseph, a Levite and native of Cyprus, who was surnamed Barnabas by the apostles (which translated means Son of Encouragement.)” (AMP) Well, later we see Barnabas go into action when the Christians are trying to decide how to handle the most notorious convert they had – Saul of Tarsus; the man who until recently had been the number one persecutor of the followers of Christ. But now he had met Christ.

Here’s what Acts 9:26-27 says, “When he came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple. But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus.” (NIV).

Barnabas introduces Saul and opens the door for him to the apostles. Here’s the Son of Encouragement putting an arm around a new believer and giving him a chance when no one else would.

With that said, I wonder how much better our homes, churches, jobs, schools and communities would be, if only we were more like Barnabas? If we encouraged, included, supported, defended and helped others. Instead of joining the critical clan in competing, comparing, and criticizing. And truth is, Saul had a lot against him, and he was the one who put all of it against himself. No one made him do the things he did. He was a horrible man. Yes, that was his truth. But Jesus changed him, therefore who had the right to judge his change? I personally believe we spend too much time talking about who and what someone was, that we miss out on all the great things they’ve become and accomplished since. I mean if your daughter was a straight D student, and then sought out help with tutors, and put in extra hard work, to now become a straight A student…would you continue to throw her past D’s in her face? If your spouse wasn’t as attentive the first 5 years of your marriage, but has been the last 5 years of your marriage, do you hold the first 5 years over their head forever? If they weren’t growing, but now they are, do you keep watering their past weeds, or celebrate that they’ve gotten rid of them? They’re better this year (2020), but do you keep them mentally imprisoned in year (2000)?

Just as you deserved a second chance (and that’s putting it mildly, because we’re all on the minimum chance number 1,000,000,000,000…clearly you get the picture), so don’t they deserve the same chance? What if people locked you into the person you used to be? What if they kept throwing in your face your drug and alcohol abuse; your adultery; your fornication; your babies out of wedlock; your 2 baby mama’s and 3 baby daddies; your lying; your stealing; your gossiping; your repossessions; your 4th closed church; your pink slip; your cussing; your prison record; your recovery relapse; your foreclosure; your unemployment; your 3^rd marriage; your overeating; your abortions; your promiscuous ways…would that be acceptable?

What if they continued to throw in your face when you lived in a filthy one room apartment; when you had no money, no food, and no one to help or love you…would that be acceptable?

No, it wouldn’t be, and you wouldn’t like it one bit. Therefore, do unto others as you would have them do unto you. If you were redeemable, remember that so is everybody else, no matter what they did, who they were, or where they came from! Jesus died for ALL, not just for the ‘acceptable few!’

That’s why I love Barnabas’ response to Saul. Knowing who he was, what he did and where he came from, STILL when he brought him before the people, he spoke of who he is NOW! Why not allow today to be the day you treat others likewise. Stop speaking of their THEN, and speak of their NOW, because you have no idea what great things God can still do for them in their LATER.

That’s the story of Barnabas’s life. In Acts 11:23 we’re told that the believers (who were almost all Jewish at this point) weren’t sure how to respond to the news that Gentiles were coming to Christ in Antioch. Guess who they sent to check it out? “They sent Barnabas,” it says. “When he arrived and saw the evidence of the grace of God, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord.” What did he do? “Encouraged them all,” what else would you expect from Mr. Encouragement? He Always Represented the Name Whereby He’d Been Called…Do You? Selah…

Let’s read the text in full: “Those who had been scattered by the persecution triggered by Stephen’s death traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, but they were still only speaking and dealing with their fellow Jews. Then some of the men from Cyprus and Cyrene who had come to Antioch started talking to Greeks, giving them the Message of the Master Jesus. God was pleased with what they were doing and put his stamp of approval on it—quite a number of the Greeks believed and turned to the Master.When the church in Jerusalem got wind of this, THEY SENT BARNABAS TO ANTIOCH TO CHECK ON THINGS. As soon as he arrived, he saw that God was behind and in it all. HE THREW HIMSELF IN WITH THEM, GOT BEHIND THEM, URGING THEM TO STAY WITH IT THE REST OF THEIR LIVES. He was a good man that way, enthusiastic and confident in the Holy Spirit’s ways. The community grew large and strong in the Master.Then Barnabas went on to Tarsus to look for Saul. He found him and brought him back to Antioch. They were there a whole year, meeting with the church and teaching a lot of people. It was in Antioch that the disciples were for the first time called Christians.” (Acts 11:19-26 MSG)

How phenomenal of a leader and believer is Barnabas? Not only does he exemplify leadership, but also character, integrity, credibility, accountability, and encouragement. And does he take any credit for himself? Absolutely not! In fact, he goes looking for Saul (the one no one wanted to include, encourage, support and help), and he had him to join him in the work of strengthening the church. In a place of persecution, their work for the Lord prospered for the people. It’s in this setting in which disciples are first called Christians, in the midst of one man who simply encouraged all! One man who simply lived up to his name!

Then to take it a step further, later, when Barnabas and Paul have a disagreement on a young missionary named Mark, it’s Barnabas who takes a chance on this young man who actually flunked out as a missionary and he disciples him into leadership. The point’s obvious. Just like Sandra next door in our opening story, Barnabas became what he was called; he did what his name indicated he would do. Sandra helped, Barnabas encouraged. What are you supposed to be doing? Are you doing it?

Example: Daniel means ‘God is my judge’; David means ‘beloved’; Ruth means ‘friend’. And each lived up to their names, but so did Achan whose name means ‘trouble’. What name are you living up to?

Think about it: Do the people around you remember and probably act out the names that they’ve been called growing up? You know as parents I think we forget the power of our words sometimes to make our children feel very big or very small. We call them lazy, or stupid, or rebel, or not good enough. And chances are, that will imprint the tape in their heart and mind and it’ll play back their whole life! Think of how that affected you and how even as a grown up, maybe you’re still playing back those old tapes of what mom or dad said; grandma or grandpa; that sibling; aunt; cousin; coworker; boss; pastor; teacher; coach; neighbor; friend; ex-boyfriend or girlfriend; spouse etc… People have a tendency to become what you call them, much like many of us have had the hurtful experience of becoming what others called us.

For instance, in counseling, there are so many terms that come up that I absolutely detest. Things like: “you’ll never be nothing because your daddy wasn’t nothing”; “you act just like your no good mama”; “his daddy went to jail and he’s on his way just like him”; “her mama got pregnant at 16, just wait and see, the way she act and dress, she’s gonna be just like her”. Those kinds of words, names and labeling are easy to attach, but never are they so easy to detach from! Which is why we should be ever so careful how we label people. Stop calling them: “mean, rude, nasty”, don’t label them with what you wouldn’t want to wear on your own back.

That’s why it’s so important to consistently call people what we want them to become; caring, unselfish, helper, listener, creative, smart, accomplished, better, changed. Even when you see just a flash of a great trait, tell them how much that means to you and others. Celebrate their every improvement, no matter the size of it.

In addition, even our mates tend to become what we call them; our friends and family; the people we minister to. And it’s important to water what you want to grow with positive strokes and sincere praise. Remembering that Proverbs 18:21 admonishes: “Words kill, words give life; they’re either poison or fruit—you choose.” (MSG). So look for the beauty in each person in your world and speak the beauty, even when you see the ugly. Romans 4:17, “…God who gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist.” (AMP). Our words are powerful, impactful, creative and life giving, we just have to Choose to use them Wisely! Therefore, no matter how bad it looks in their life, speak good by faith until it manifests! Look for the gifts they have; for a spark of what they could be if someone would just fan that spark into a mighty flame. What you’re really doing is helping a person see the masterpiece and workmanship God made when He made them; the make-a-difference person that Jesus can make them.

Now, as for all of us as believers, we are called Christians. But are we living up to that name? ‘Christian’ in and of itself is defined as ‘a person who has received Christian baptism or is a believer in Jesus Christ and follows His teachings; someone who lives Christ-Like.’ And that term ‘Christ-Like’ is defined as “resembling or showing the Spirit of Jesus Christ.” And “resemble” is defined as “to have a similar appearance to or feature in common with.” Its Old French Origin “resemble”, from Latin “similare”, from “similis” literally means “like”. And if someone were to ask if YOU live your CHRISTIAN LIFE, CHRIST-LIKE, what would be your HONEST response?

After all, Jesus was and encourages us to be:

“Loving” (John 13:1, “It was before the special religious gathering to remember how the Jews left Egypt. Jesus knew the time had come for Him to leave this world and go to the Father. He had LOVED His own who were in the world. He LOVED them to the end.” (NLV);  

“Joyful” (John 15:11, “I have told you these things so My JOY may be in you and your JOY may be full.” (NLV);

“Peaceful” (Matthew 5:9, “Those who make PEACE are happy, because they will be called the sons of God.” (NLV);

“Kind” (Ephesians 4:32, “You must be KIND to each other. Think of the other person. Forgive other people just as God forgave you because of Christ’s death on the cross.” (NLV);

“Forgiving” (Luke 23:34, “Then Jesus said, “Father, FORGIVE them. They do not know what they are doing.” And they divided His clothes by drawing names.” (NLV)

“Fair” (Matthew 7:12, “Do for other people whatever you would like to have them do for you. This is what the Jewish Law and the early preachers said.” (NLV)

“Compassionate” (Mark 1:41, “Jesus put His hand on him with LOVING-PITY. He said, “I want to. Be healed.” (NLV);

With that said, if you were accused of being a Christian (Christ-Like), would you be found guilty…or innocent of all charges and characteristics?

I’m personally very thankful for my friend Alan’s neighbor Sandra and for her parents who named their daughter Helper. She was becoming what she’d been called, and you know what? That could happen to the people around you as well. So be sure you call them what Jesus would call them.

You know in preparing this, I thought of Benjamin, when his mother birthed him and what she called him: Genesis 35:18, says “With her last breath, for she was now dying, she named him Ben-oni (Son-of-My-Pain), but his father named him Ben-jamin (Son-of-Good-Fortune).” (MSG) Can you imagine what people can turn out to be if we call them (not by the past, not by the hurt, not by their failures or mistakes, not by their sin or short-comings, not by their experience, not by our mood or attitude), but by what they can actually become! Benjamin went from being the son of pain, to the son of good fortune, and all because one person refused to allow him to wear a label he was not to be called by! You have the power to change what someone’s been called the same way! Just speak well of them and what they will become!

In fact, a name was so important to God that He even changed Jacobs name: Genesis 35:9-10, “God revealed himself once again to Jacob, after he had come back from Paddan Aram and blessed him: “Your name is Jacob (Heel); but that’s your name no longer. From now on your name is Israel (God-Wrestler).” (MSG) If God can change Jacob’s name, He can change yours and theirs!

Don’t get stuck on how they behave, conduct themselves, what they say and do. Don’t get stuck on their past, their failures and mistakes. Don’t even get stuck in their personality flaws. Because truth is, we ALL have issues, flaws, mistakes and a past. Remember what the Bible admonishes: 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, “Don’t you realize that this is not the way to live? Unjust people who don’t care about God will not be joining in his kingdom. Those who use and abuse each other, use and abuse sex, use and abuse the earth and everything in it, don’t qualify as citizens in God’s kingdom. A NUMBER OF YOU KNOW FROM EXPERIENCE WHAT I’M TALKING ABOUT, FOR NOT SO LONG AGO YOU WERE ON THAT LIST. SINCE THEN, YOU’VE BEEN CLEANED UP AND GIVEN A FRESH START BY JESUS, OUR MASTER, OUR MESSIAH, AND BY OUR GOD PRESENT IN US, THE SPIRIT.” (MSG) Therefore, BEFORE you call, name and label Them…remember…the Bible says: “…A NUMBER OF YOU KNOW FROM EXPERIENCE WHAT I’M TALKING ABOUT, FOR NOT SO LONG AGO YOU WERE ON THAT LIST…” Don’t Remember What They Were, and Forget What YOU Were! After all, you don’t want anyone going through the dirty laundry of your past, so stay out of the hampers of others! You are now Clean, so call them Clean too, after all it is the SAME Savior and Word that Washed and Cleansed You Both!

Today let’s start by behaving by the name in which we are called, Christians, who live Christ-Like. Let today be the day we exemplify the fruit of the Spirit that is supposed to be dwelling on the inside of us, or so we say. Galatians 5:22-25, “But the fruit that comes from having the Holy Spirit in our lives is: love, joy, peace, not giving up, being kind, being good, having faith, being gentle, and being the boss over our own desires. The Law is not against these things. Those of us who belong to Christ have nailed our sinful old selves on His cross. Our sinful desires are now dead.If the Holy Spirit is living in us, let us be led by Him in all things.” (NLV)

Lastly, I thought of Jabez. The Bible says in 1 Chronicles 4:9-10, “Jabez was a better man than his brothers, a man of honor. His mother had named him Jabez (Oh, the pain!), saying, “A painful birth! I bore him in great pain!” Jabez prayed to the God of Israel: “Bless me, O bless me! Give me land, large tracts of land. And provide your personal protection—don’t let evil hurt me.” God gave him what he asked.” (MSG) In this instance, his name wasn’t changed, but he prayed to God to change what his name represented. He would go from pain, to God’s personal protection. Likewise, for those of you who have spent years struggling and hurting with the names and labels that have been attached to you, the best thing to do is go to God. And like Jabez, despite what They called you (even when it’s family…Selah!), God can still bless you! God is your Maker, so never settle for wearing a Label He didn’t Design for you!

You have been called Christian. You have been called to be Christ-Like. Today, Remember Who you represent, and Whose Name you represent, and Live Up to It! And while You do so, make sure you give that same opportunity and grace to Others as well! Everyone deserves a second chance and a fresh start no matter what they’ve been called by name: liar, cheat, thief, bastard, no good, loser, failure, drunk, stupid, etc.

Which reminds me of a quote that says, “The devil knows your name, but calls you by your sin. God knows your sin, but calls you by your name.” (Author Unknown).

And what new names has God given you? 1 Peter 2:9, “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a consecrated nation, a [special] people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies [the wonderful deeds and virtues and perfections] of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” (AMP).

God doesn’t call you any less, so make sure you don’t call others any less. 

Never Forget, We Are Called to the Ministry of Reconciliation, Not Retaliation! 2 Corinthians 5:16-20, “Because of this decision we don’t evaluate people by what they have or how they look. We looked at the Messiah that way once and got it all wrong, as you know. We certainly don’t look at him that way anymore. Now we look inside, and what we see is that anyone united with the Messiah gets a fresh start, is created new. The old life is gone; a new life burgeons! Look at it! All this comes from the God who settled the relationship between us and him, and then called us to settle our relationships with each other. God put the world square with himself through the Messiah, giving the world a fresh start by offering forgiveness of sins. God has given us the task of telling everyone what he is doing. WE’RE CHRIST’S REPRESENTATIVES. God uses us to persuade men and women to drop their differences and enter into God’s work of making things right between them. We’re speaking for Christ himself now: Become friends with God; he’s already a friend with you.” (MSG)

We are God’s Representatives, so let’s make sure that we live up to all His Name Represents! After all, we are Called Christians, after Christ, so shouldn’t we behave Christ-Like (in word, deed, attitude, lifestyle)?

Genesis 1:26-27, “God spoke: “Let us make human beings IN OUR IMAGE, make them REFLECTING our nature so they can be responsible for the fish in the sea,the birds in the air, the cattle, and, yes, Earth itself,and every animal that moves on the face of Earth.”God created human beings;he created them GODLIKE, REFLECTING GOD’S NATURE.He created them male and female.God blessed them:“Prosper! Reproduce! Fill Earth! Take charge!Be responsible for fish in the sea and birds in the air,for every living thing that moves on the face of Earth.” (MSG)

This is who we are called to be and what we are called to do. Let’s represent this well! Let’s represent His name well. Let’s represent well the name we’ve been called.

“Whether you realize it or not, people are watching you. Even in small areas, make sure you’re representing God in a great way.” (Author Unknown)

“We are citizens of a different Kingdom, ambassadors representing Christ in a foreign land.” (Randy Alcorn)

“We are called to be ‘ambassadors of Christ’ (2 Corinthians 5:20). Ours is a ministry of reconciliation. To be an ambassador for Christ means above all to invite everyone to a renewed personal encounter with the Lord Jesus.” (Pope Francis)

“You have the right to do a lot of things, but you have the responsibility to represent Jesus well by loving others.” (Author Unknown)

“If I’m going to represent God I have to do it the best I can.” (Cliff Richard)

“Don’t spend your life trying to be someone else. No one has ever walked the planet who can represent God the way you can.” (Lisa Bevere)

“Wherever you are you represent the Kingdom of God.” (Author Unknown)

“I play to represent God, something bigger than baseball.” (Albert Pujols)

“The God who speaks with utmost integrity must have messengers who represent Him well.” (Haddon W. Robinson)

“You are placed on this earth to represent God. Make sure you do a good job.” (Elizabeth George)

“God calls each of us individually and corporately to represent Christ to the world, but our independence, pride and individualism often prevent us from becoming unified in the work of the Kingdom. When unity takes place among leadership in the Body of Christ, the Lord will respond by pouring out the Holy Spirit and His anointing on His people. We will see more fruitful evangelism, genuine signs and wonders, and an impact on the nation we never thought possible.” (Pastor Mensa Otabil)

“Everywhere you go, if you’re going to call yourself a Christian, you’re representing God.” (Joyce Meyer)

“God specifically created us to be like Him. This is impossible to wrap our minds around, but God created us like Him in some respect and then set us in the midst of this world to represent Him.” (Francis Chan)

“God doesn’t call us to mediocrity. He calls us to a greater standard that doesn’t teach us to tear people down to reach Him, but to lift others up. Be the type of person that when people walk away from you, they know Who you represent.” (Shannon L. Alder)

“I don’t live in this world to give my opinion. I’m here to represent the Word of God.” (John MacArthur)

Much Love, Dr. Shermaine #EnjoyTheRead #BeInspired #BeEncouraged #BeEmpowered #BeChallenged #ShareTheWordFeel free to also join us at: http://www.selfcarewithdrshermaine.blogspot.com Today’s Lesson: “15 Exercise Tips For People With Type 2 Diabetes”

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“No Child Has Gone Too Far, to Come Back”

 

Luke 7:11-15, “Not long after that, Jesus went to the village Nain. His disciples were with him, along with quite a large crowd. As they approached the village gate, they met a funeral procession—a woman’s only son was being carried out for burial. And the mother was a widow. When Jesus saw her, his heart broke. He said to her, “Don’t cry.” Then he went over and touched the coffin. The pallbearers stopped. He said, “Young man, I tell you: Get up.” The dead son sat up and began talking. Jesus presented him to his mother.” (MSG)

Believe it or not, but I am the proud mother of 6 adult children! I birthed 2 beautiful daughters (ages 28 and 26); and I was also blessed to inherit 4 more amazing children through marriage (ages 28, 27, and 25 year old twins). And they are all indeed a wonderful handful! Are they perfect? Absolutely Not! They are 6 very different, interesting and sometimes strange creatures! Not 1 personality is a duplicate of any of the others, so it definitely makes for a very comical parenting life. Their careers range from psychology, medicine, furniture, music, government to entertainment law. Now, if that’s not 6 different individuals, I don’t know what is. But truth is, I’m very proud of each of them and love each of them dearly.

Now, as amazing, wonderful, gifted, handsome and beautiful as all my children are, they can indeed drive me nuts! Yes, they are all adults now, and I was told it gets easier as they get older (I have no idea who started that rumor and lie), but I don’t believe that to be at all true! You see, when they’re younger you have so much more control over them and what they do and where they go and who they spend time with. But when they become adults, you become more nervous because they don’t always have to clue you in on their every decision and move they make. And for an over-protective parent like me, that can mean a lot of sleepless nights in prayer!

However, I think it’s safe to say that not many parents can sleep real soundly until they know their children are safe and in for the night. My oldest daughter will be 29 years old this year, and I still look for her to let me know at night, no matter how late it, that she’s made it home safely. I always look forward to hearing the words, “Ma, I’m home.” Sometimes they get delayed, or sometimes they’re in a situation where they couldn’t call. And it’s natural, I think, for a mom or a dad to be anxious until they can get a fix on where their kids are, and the great time of relief is when they come in the door and we know everything’s okay. Right? I guess some of the most beautiful words in the English language are, “Mom, Dad, I’m home.” Maybe you know a child who’s way overdue in saying those words.

With that said, let’s take another look at our text in a different translation: “Soon afterward Jesus went to a city called Nain [near Nazareth], and His disciples and a large crowd accompanied Him.  Now as He approached the city gate, a dead man was being carried out—the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the city was with her [in the funeral procession].  When the Lord saw her, He felt [great] compassion for her, and said to her, “Do not weep.”  And He came up and touched the bier [on which the body rested], and the pallbearers stood still. And He said, “Young man, I say to you, arise [from death]!” The man who was dead sat up and began to speak. And Jesus gave him back to his mother.” (AMP)

Wow! That’s a powerful story! And the most touching words of all for me (as a mother) are these, “…And Jesus gave him back to his mother.”

You know, Jesus is still in the business of giving children back to their parents, even when it appears hopeless they’ll ever come back. Maybe you or someone you know has a son or a daughter who’s away right now; spiritually, emotionally, mentally, physically. Well, my word of encouragement is this simple word from the Lord. He’s still in the business of giving children back to their parents.

I know what some of you may say though, “you don’t know how far gone my child is; or I just don’t see it as possible, it’s been too long or they’ve been like this too long.” Well, let me tell you, from experience, it’s not too late for your child to return. Some may not know it, but I wasn’t raised in church. And although I loved school and went to school and I was even a straight A student, I was still a bit of a wild child. Yes, I had both parents at home, and yes they believed in discipline. And yes, I still got into trouble! I partied, clubbed, hung out in the streets, I did drugs and alcohol, and my virginity was not preserved for marriage. Some will say, ‘why would you share all that?’ Because, someone, somewhere needs to know that their child is not the only one. I had 2 children before my 19^th birthday. I struggled taking care of them at some point and ended up with no job, no money, no man, and sleeping in a shelter with my children. I guess that’s a far cry from the preacher, teacher, robe-wearing, bible toting Christian you see today. Am I perfect? Not on your life! Not even on my best day! But am I’m better than where I was (spiritually, emotionally, mentally and physically), absolutely! Did it happen overnight? Uh…NOPE! Did I make more mistakes even after salvation? Sure Did, Every Day! But am I still redeemable? YES! And so are children, regardless of their age, and regardless to what they’ve done or where they’ve been or how long it has been.

You see, I was blessed enough to have a woman cross my path, and much like Jesus did for the woman’s son in the above Scripture, someone stopped by my dead life and spoke life so that I might live again, and live better. And that’s my intention for you and your children today. To stop by and speak life, no matter how dead their situation may be!

I don’t know why specifically, but for some reason, I just thought that this day should be the time when we should talk about this for someone who needs that little word of encouragement. Someone that needs to hear that their children are not lost forever!

I know this to be true and not just because of my own past youth mistakes and redemption, but from my own children’s lives as well. All 6 of them, unlike me, were raised in church. They were taught about Jesus at the same time as learning A,B,C’s and 1,2,3’s. They went to Sunday School, Bible Study, and ALL Church Services. They were on multiple auxiliaries at church. And when it was time to make friends, they were to pick their friends from church! Sounds a little nuts, but we pushed our kids hard in the Christian Faith and have absolutely no regrets about it to this day. Now, did all of that keep them saved, sanctified, holy, delivered and spotless? Heck, I Wish! But truth is, it didn’t. They are church kids, and preacher’s kids, but will I stand here and tell you they have never had a drink of alcohol and never seen the inside of a club and never crossed the sexual line…sorry, but if I’m going to help you, I have to be honest with you, and that most certainly is not the case here! They’ve dated people I wish they never met, they’ve lied to us, they’ve done things and gone to places I wish I could erase from my memory bank! As a mom I would love to un-tattoo them, un-pierce them, un-drink them, un-fornicate them, and un-do every bad decision they’ve ever made in life, but I can’t, and neither can you and neither can they! But thank God He doesn’t need us or them to go back and un-do anything! He can make them whole using all of their fractured pieces!   

Maybe you know better than I do why we’re talking about this today. Sometimes maybe it seems like your prayers just are not being answered for the one you love. But remember, much of God’s work is invisible. Like plants getting ready to sprout and come out, and flowers blooming in the spring. We don’t see anything going on all winter, looks like nothing is going on under the ground. But God is at work all the time. My pastor loves to say, “when it looks like nothing’s happening, God’s still at work.” And I believe it to be true. Much that God is doing to bring that child home, you can’t see. But you’d better believe it’s going on under the ground where you can’t see it.

I know you’ve prayed, fasted, pleaded with God, interceded on their behalf and still it looks like nothing is happening. And if you’ve been in my shoes as a parent, sometimes it seems like the more you pray, the worse they get! I know the feeling of, “Lord, when are you going to do it for my kid? When are they coming back home? When will they come back to church? When will they change for the better? When will they finish school? When will they turn around? When God…When?” And because I’m a counselor, I know that some of you have even deeper questions such as, “When will he get off drugs? When will she get out of that crack-house? When will he get out of that gang? When will she get out of that abusive relationship? When will he get a job? When will she stop having babies?” Truth is, it’s not easy being a parent. And sometimes we just want our kids to just ‘get that.’ But more often than not, they won’t until they’re forced by life to walk in our shoes. However, for the time being, we’ll simply trust our Father to keep us and them! After all, He’s the Father of Children like US, and after all we’ve done, said, and been, and He yet loves US unconditionally still, certainly He can be trusted to help us Parent!

Proverbs 3:5-12, “Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; He’s the one who will keep you on track. Don’t assume that you know it all. Run to God! Run from evil! Your body will glow with health, your very bones will vibrate with life! Honor God with everything you own; give Him the first and the best. Your barns will burst, your wine vats will brim over. But don’t, dear friend, resent God’s discipline; don’t sulk under His loving correction. It’s the child He loves that God corrects; a father’s delight is behind all this.” (MSG)

Father Knows Best, Is Indeed More Than the Title of a TV Show, But For Us It’s the God’s Honest Truth!

So, we have Jesus to Save them and bring them back to life; we have the Father to help us Parent them; and then there’s the Wonderful Comforter and Counselor, the Holy Spirit – and He pursues that child wherever he goes. They can get away from us; but they can’t get away from Him. Psalm 139:7-12, “Is there anyplace I can go to avoid your Spirit? to be out of Your sight? If I climb to the sky, You’re there! If I go underground, You’re there! If I flew on morning’s wings to the far western horizon, You’d find me in a minute—You’re already there waiting! Then I said to myself, “Oh, He even sees me in the dark! At night I’m immersed in the light!” It’s a fact: darkness isn’t dark to You; night and day, darkness and light, they’re all the same to You.” (MSG).

Isn’t it wonderful to know, that your child has an internal tracking device, so that they are NEVER truly off the grid?! There is absolutely nowhere for your child to run and hide, where they are not seen and heard. No matter what they do, who they do it with, where they go or how far they go, they can’t get away from the Holy Ghost! That may frustrate them, but it should certainly fortify your faith! Your child has nowhere on planet earth to hide from God! In fact, look at verse 8, “If I ascend to heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in Sheol (the nether world, the place of the dead), behold, You are there.” (AMP). Your child can’t find a hiding place on the earth, in heaven, in hell or even in death! So, keep praying mom, keep fasting dad, they have no real way of escape!

I must also add this admonishment though, open arms do more than open mouths to bring kids home. Sometimes we can talk too much and push them so hard we actually push them away from the Lord. Listen: The Father of the prodigal son didn’t chase the son. He just kept his arms open for him to come home. (Feel free to read the entire story in Luke 15:11-32), but I just want to hone in on a small part for now that reads, “So he got up and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was moved with compassion for him, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’  But the father said to his servants, ‘Quickly bring out the best robe [for the guest of honor] and put it on him; and give him a ring for his hand, and sandals for his feet.  And bring the fattened calf and slaughter it, and let us [invite everyone and] feast and celebrate;  for this son of mine was [as good as] dead and is alive again; he was lost and has been found.’ So they began to celebrate.” (vss. 20-24 AMP)

There’s so much that I love about this story, but what I found most interesting today are these 3 things:

1.. As bad as this son messed up, you would think it would’ve been the son running to the safety of his father, but it was the other way around, the father seeing him a far off, “…ran and embraced him and kissed him…” You can’t always wait for your child to come to you, sometimes you have to meet them half way, or go all the way. Some may think it unfair, since it was the kid that messed up. But the father didn’t even care. He saw his son a far off, and went to him first. Sometimes we can let our anger cloud our judgment and think, “as bad as you messed up, you have to earn your way back into my good graces; you’ll need me first; you better beg for my forgiveness; you better hope I let you back in…” But the father, saw his son and went to him and with compassion, showed him affection. Make sure you do the same;

2.. The son immediately starts with, “…I am no longer worthy to be called your son…” But my favorite part is, “…But the father said to his servants…” The father never even addressed the sons’ sins. He immediately started the restoration process. Believe me, as a kid and as an adult, nobody knows better than you just how badly you’ve messed up. So having others pour salt in your fresh, open wound doesn’t help any with the healing. They know what they’ve done, so when they make their U-turn back, don’t keep giving them fines for everything they’ve done wrong and every wrong turn they’ve ever made. Let them start over. Give them another chance. You know, like the many you receive from God daily… Don’t rub it in their faces. Don’t keep rehashing old history. Don’t keep reviewing their mistakes like an auditor during tax season. Take their lives from under the microscope. Be grateful that they’ve made it back and not in a coffin!

3.. Many of us make the mistake, after our children return, of telling everybody, everything about the what, when, where, why, and how, behind our children’s mistakes. Please don’t. Instead, do what the father did, before he told others (and all he told them was to come and celebrate with him for the return of his son that was good as dead, but is now alive), he Re-Covered the son that he’d Recovered! “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quickly bring out the best robe [for the guest of honor] and put it on him; and give him a ring for his hand, and sandals for his feet….” The son didn’t deserve it, but the father did it anyway. People may have known that he’d left home, but when he returned, his father made sure that before anyone saw him, he Re-Covered, and Re-Clothed him so that he didn’t look like where he’d been or what he’d done. Isn’t that just like our Father? By the time the folks would arrive to see him, he would look like he’d never left in the first place. Parents, when they return, restore them, re-cover them, and celebrate! After all, that’s all that really matters is that they’ve finally returned home…right?

Looking at the widow’s dead son, and the prodigal son, both looked like hopeless cases never to be resolved. And yet, they both were. One son was dead, and the other as good as dead, and yet, both were recovered and restored. Even when it looked completely impossible. Therefore, I encourage you today, don’t give up on your children. They are redeemable, just as you were.

1 Corinthians 6:9-11, “Don’t you realize that this is not the way to live? Unjust people who don’t care about God will not be joining in his kingdom. Those who use and abuse each other, use and abuse sex, use and abuse the earth and everything in it, don’t qualify as citizens in God’s kingdom. A NUMBER OF YOU KNOW FROM EXPERIENCE WHAT I’M TALKING ABOUT, FOR NOT SO LONG AGO YOU WERE ON THAT LIST. Since then, you’ve been cleaned up and given a fresh start by Jesus, our Master, our Messiah, and by our God present in us, the Spirit.” (MSG)

Mom, Dad, Don’t Forget You Messed Up Too! But the Bible clearly says, “…Since then, you’ve been cleaned up and given a fresh start by Jesus, our Master, our Messiah, and by our God present in us, the Spirit.” Give them the second chance God continually gives you. And I’m crazy enough to believe that one day you will hear, “Mom… Dad… I’m home.”

“Where I left gaps in my children’s upbringing, God fills them in.” (Lisa Pennington)

“The difference between mercy and grace? Mercy gave the prodigal son a second chance. Grace gave him a feast.” (Max Lucado)

“Jesus told the story of the prodigal son to make a simple point: never mind what you’ve done, just come home.” (Glen Fitzjerrell)

“Satan Seeking Whom He May DEVOUR is No Match for a Savior Seeking Whom He May DELIVER.” (Tony Nolan)

Luke 19:10, “The Son of Man came to look for and to save people who are lost.” (CEV)

Matthew 18:12-14, “Look at it this way. If someone has a hundred sheep and one of them wanders off, doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine and go after the one? And if he finds it, doesn’t he make far more over it than over the ninety-nine who stay put? Your Father in heaven feels the same way. He doesn’t want to lose even one of these simple believers.” (MSG)

Luke 15:4-7, “Suppose one of you had a hundred sheep and lost one. Wouldn’t you leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the lost one until you found it? When found, you can be sure you would put it across your shoulders, rejoicing, and when you got home call in your friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Celebrate with me! I’ve found my lost sheep!’ Count on it—there’s more joy in heaven over one sinner’s rescued life than over ninety-nine good people in no need of rescue.” (MSG)

John 3:16-17, “For God so [greatly] loved and dearly prized the world, that He [even] gave His [One and] only begotten Son, so that whoever believes and trusts in Him [as Savior] shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge and condemn the world [that is, to initiate the final judgment of the world], but that the world might be saved through Him.” (AMP)

Much Love, Dr. Shermaine #EnjoyTheRead #BeInspired #BeEncouraged #BeEmpowered #BeChallenged 
Feel free to also join us at: http://www.selfcarewithdrshermaine.blogspot.com Today’s Lesson: “The History of International Women’s Day (March 8th)”