Our Words Can Hurt!
Read: James 3: 1-12
What we say to others can really hurt their feelings. We need to be very careful
with what we say to others. Have you ever been called names? How did that make
you feel? Have you ever called anyone names? How do you think that would make
them feel? It makes God very sad when we say hurtful things to other people. He
loves all people the same. Even if we don’t like someone, God does. He loves
that person just as much as He loves us. If we try to remember that, we may not
want to say something mean to them. Remember that God loves you, and cares about
how you feel.
A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. -
Proverbs 15:1
Lord help me never say
Words that hurt another
Help me always speak with words
That will uplift and encourage.
Fear Not!
The Lord God, the creator of the universe, tells us to ‘Fear Not’, and that
we are so very precious to Him. He has created us, and has saved us. He knows us
and calls us by name. We are His very own children. (V.1). Whatever we go
through, we can be sure that God is always with us. He walks with us every day.
Just remember next time you feel afraid, that God is standing right by your
side, and that He will walk with you. Keep on calling out to Jesus and He will
be there. He loves you and you are so very precious to Him. You needn’t be
afraid when you know Jesus is by your side. Greater is He that is in you, than
he that is in the world.
Is there something you feel afraid of? Tell Jesus now how you feel and ask Him
to help you not feel afraid anymore.
There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has
to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. - 1 John
4: 18
Lord, please come and be with me
When I feel afraid
Take my fear away from me
And fill me with more faith.
Choose What's Right
Read: Daniel 3:14-30
This is a well-known story, showing how we should always choose to do what’s
right – even if it costs us something. King Nebuchadnezzar had made an image of
gold, and had an order given for the people to bow down to this image when they
heard the music, and worship it. Three men named Shadrach, Meshach and Abedenego,
who the king put in charge over the affairs of Babylon, would not bow down to
it. They chose to do what was right. They would only serve and worship God
Almighty, even though they could have been killed for it. Are we too willing to
serve and worship the Lord only – no matter what the cost? We are daily faced
with choices – to do what others want or what we know the Lord wants. It may
cost us to choose what the Lord wants, but it is the right choice. We may get
laughed at or put down – but we can’t let what others think stop us from doing
what we know is the right thing to do. It makes God happy when we choose Him and
His ways over what the world says. He will strengthen you as you choose what’s
right.
Choose my instruction
instead of silver, knowledge rather than choice gold. - Proverbs 8: 10
Lord I need your help each day
With the choices that I make
Help me choose what’s right to do
No matter what it takes.
When
We Face Temptation
Read: Luke 4: 1-14
Like Jesus in this
story, we too are faced with temptation. It is always Satan, our enemy that
brings temptation to us. God will never tempt anyone.
How do we handle temptation? What do we do? Often we can give in to how we feel,
even thinking it’s not that bad. Sometimes temptation to do what’s wrong comes
disguised as something that seems alright. Looking at it on the surface often
doesn’t look too bad. And after all, ‘everybody’s doing it’. But don’t be
fooled. Satan has a way of disguising it. We need to follow Jesus’ example. How
did He respond to Satan’s attacks? Each time Jesus answered Satan, He answered
with scripture – ‘It is written….’ We need to know what the word of God says.
The other thing to remember is that Satan also knows scripture – but often it is
used in the wrong way.
Is there anything you find you get tempted with? Maybe you feel tempted to lie
so you don’t get in trouble, or take something you want that is not yours, or
say mean things to someone because they may have said mean things to you. There
are so many things Satan tempts us to do that we shouldn’t do. When you feel
tempted, the best thing to do is to pray to Jesus to help you. He knows how you
feel, because He was tempted too.
Stay alert; be in prayer so you don't wander into temptation without even
knowing you're in danger. There is a part of you that is eager, ready for
anything in God. But there's another part that's as lazy as an old dog sleeping
by the fire.
- Matthew 26: 41(Message)
Lord I pray you’ll help me through
The temptation that I face
To know the truths in your word
And to walk in your sweet grace.
Getting Right With God
Read: 1 John 1: 5-10
We read here that God is light and that there is no darkness in Him. Because
of that, we who confess to be ‘Christian’ but are not living by the truth of the
gospel, cannot be living in God’s light – but still in darkness.
We cannot say we have no sin. Even as Christians, we can still stumble along the
way. Nobody is perfect. We all make mistakes by what we say or do. But God is
still there loving us and willing to forgive us when we confess it to Him. God
understands and sees into our hearts. He is full of love for us. When we make a
mistake, He doesn’t go mad at us. He won’t snap at us and tell us we’re useless.
He won’t boil over in anger at every little ‘slip-up’. No, God is not like that
at all.
We shouldn’t feel scared or unsure of how God will be toward us when we do the
wrong thing. We can be confident to come to God and tell Him we are sorry. He
will gather us up in His arms and whisper in our ear “I love you and I forgive
you”.
For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive,
and abundant in mercy to all those who call upon You. ~ Psalm 86:5
Lord to you I confess my sin
For it’s the right thing to do
I know that you will forgive me Lord
And whisper ‘I love you’
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