One generation will praise your deeds to the next. Each generation will talk about your mighty acts. Psalm 145:4 GW

How do our children share our values? We must model them and we must talk about them, showing how Godly principles impact our lives.

Do we tell our kids not to steal, but bring home supplies from work? Do we say not to cheat, but laugh at how we "cheat" on taxes. Do we say, "Obey the laws," but speed?

Values are caught as well as taught. Make sure your actions match you mouth. Live your principles, and, most likely, your children will follow.

V.17 The LORD is fair in all his ways and faithful in everything he does.

Are we?

Imitate me as I imitate Christ. 1 Corinthians 11:1 GW

I don't want wicked people to die." declares the Almighty LORD. "I want them to turn from their evil ways and live. Ezekiel 18:23 GW

http://IDealinHope.com/author
http://IDealinHope.com/bookreviews

Posted by Carolyn R Scheidies at 10:02 AM CDT

Share This Post

Post Comment | Permalink

Blessed are the people whose God is the LORD! Psalm 144:15b GW

Do we truly want God to bless us as individuals, families and as a nation? Then we have to do one very important thing--put Christ and His principles first in our hearts, our lives and in all we think, say and do.

It isn't rocket science, but in a culture that discourages those who live a value based life, it isn't always simple. But if we desire God-s blessing, it is of primary importance.

How do we know God and learn His principles? Read/study His book regularly, talk to Jesus, and do life His way.

http://IDealinHope.com/author
http://IDealinHope.com/bookreviews

Posted by Carolyn R Scheidies at 7:05 AM CDT

Share This Post

Post Comment | Permalink

Let me hear about your mercy in the morning, because I trust you. Let me know the way that I should go, because I long for you. Psalm 143:8 GW

We often live any way we please then expect God to save us when we get into trouble. Worse, we blame Him when our lives aren't smooth sailing. How arrogant.

The Psalmist knew how to reach God. He realized God wasn't his personal magician, but the Creator, the God of the universe. In light of who God is, this king of Israel knew his attitude needed to be as one petitioning someone of much higher status and authority.

He longed for more of God, more of His mercy, more of His direction.

If we want to interact with the God of Scripture we need to come in the same way as the Psalmist, humbly, laying our sorry lives and choices before Him, not demanding resolution to our problems, but asking for mercy and help.

V.10 Teach me to do your will, because you are my God. May your good Spirit lead me on level ground.

http://IDealinHope.com/author
http://IDealinHope.com/bookreviews

Posted by Carolyn R Scheidies at 8:51 AM CDT

Share This Post

Post Comment | Permalink

Knowledge makes people arrogant, but love builds them up. 1 Corinthians 8b:

We think we're so smart because of our intelligence or because we know more, are more educated, etc., than someone else. But when we live our lives by knowledge alone, we're only half living.

When we leave out love, we leave out compassion, leave out the caring support of spouse and family. Most of all we leave out Jesus Christ who is truth, who is love and who wants to give us life in abundance.

I'm all for education, intelligence and knowledge, but true knowing comes at the feet of Christ. True knowledge is based on a life-long desire to "know" Him.

V.2-3 Those who think they know something still have a lot to learn. But if they love God, they are known by God. 

V.6 But for us, "There is only one God, the Father. Everything came from him, and we live for him. There is only one Lord, Jesus Christ. Everything came into being through him, and we live because of him."

http://IDealinHope.com/author
http://IDealinHope.com/bookreviews

Posted by Carolyn R Scheidies at 8:36 AM CDT

Share This Post

Post Comment | Permalink

O LORD, set a guard at my mouth. Keep watch over the door of my lips. Psalm 141:3

How often should I be praying this prayer? How often do I open mouth, insert foot? You'd think I'd learn.

Maybe the problem is I 'm not walking as close to Christ or listening to His voice as I should. Maybe I need to start working on that.

Help me, Lord, follow You more today. 

http://IDealinHope.com/author
http://IDealinHope.com/bookreviews

Posted by Carolyn R Scheidies at 9:26 AM CDT

Updated: Wednesday, 26 March 2008 9:28 AM CDT

Share This Post

Post Comment | Permalink

ALL WHO CALL

(c) 2008 Carolyn R Scheidies 

I am glad we have a Savior that hears and answers prayer...

Because He cares, He came

Because of our sin, He died on a cross

Because He loves His creation,

   He rose to offer life and hope

        To all who call on Him.

 I have come so that they might have life , and that they might have it more abundantly. I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. John 10:10b-11 MKJV

http://IDealinHope.com/author

http://IDealinHope.com/bookreviews

Posted by Carolyn R Scheidies at 8:27 AM CDT

Share This Post

Post Comment | Permalink

Kings will mourn, and princes will give up hope. The common people will lose their courage. I will give them what they deserve and judge them as they have judged others. Then they will know that I am the LORD. Ezekiel 7:27

Israel turned their backs on God and He, eventually, had to judge them. We're at this place as well. As a nation and culture we've turned our backs on God, on His Word, on truth. Instead, because we no longer know the truth or even try to know God's Word, we follow feel-good philosophies such as the New Age paganism espoused by Oprah and other celebrities--even some pastors.

We are also receiving the leaders we deserve; those who are Anti-American, anti-individual freedom, anti-life. We're getting exactly what we've asked for by turning away from Christ.

Nevertheless, there is hope if we turn back to Him.

http://IDealinHope.com/author
http://IDealinHope.com/bookreviews

Posted by Carolyn R Scheidies at 8:56 AM CDT

Share This Post

Post Comment | Permalink

AS HE SAID

© 2008 by Carolyn R Scheidies

He is not here, for He has risen, as He said. Matthew 28:6a GW

And he said to them, Do not be frightened. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen, He is not here. Behold the place where they laid Him.  But go tell ... Mark 16:6-7a GW

He is risen

            As He said,

Savior who bled

            And died for U & I,

That we might choose to live each day

            With Him 2 guide

Living forever with Him

            Thru eternity

Because He's alive

            So are U

            So am I!

He is not here, but has risen. Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified, and the third day rise again?  Luke 24:6-7 GW

And Thomas answered and said to Him, My Lord and my God! Jesus said to him, Thomas, because you have seen Me you have believed. Blessed are they who have not seen and have believed. John 20:28-29 GW

V. 31 But these are written so that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you might have life in His name.  GW

Posted by Carolyn R Scheidies at 8:28 AM CDT

Share This Post

Post Comment | Permalink

So I encourage you to imitate me. 1 Corinthians 4:16

The apostle Paul wasn't arrogant in saying "imitate me." Instead, he was leaving us an example to follow. We should follow Christ so closely that others who follow us will also be following Christ.

Do I live for Christ closely enough to be confident I'm leading others to and not away from Christ by my words and behavior?

http://IDealinHope.com/author
http://IDealinHope.com/bookreviews

Posted by Carolyn R Scheidies at 9:01 AM CDT

Share This Post

Post Comment | Permalink

As a skilled and experienced builder, I used the gift that God gave me to lay the foundation for that building. However, someone else is building on it. Each person must be careful how he builds on it.  1 Corinthians 3:10

Each of us has gifts and abilities God wants us to use for building His kingdom and to help others grow in Him. But it isn't a competition. We are to invest in the lives of others God's principles not getting upset when others invest as well. No convert is "ours." We all belong to Christ. It is for Him and His kingdom we build. It is a humbling experience and a shared responsibility.

http://IDealinHope.com/author
http://IDealinHope.com/bookreviews

Posted by Carolyn R Scheidies at 9:58 AM CDT

Share This Post

Post Comment | Permalink

Son of man, don't be afraid of them or the things they say. Don't be afraid, even though thorns and thistles are around you and you live among scorpions. Don't let the things they say frighten you. Don't be terrified in their presence, even though they are rebellious people. Speak my words to them whether they listen or not, because they are rebellious.  Ezekiel 2:6-7

God told Ezekiel not to be afraid no matter what happened, that God would take care of him as long as he spoke God's Words.

We fear something as mild as a funny look, a derogatory word. What sort of Christ-followers are we when we're anything but fearless. Faith and fear cannot live together. If we fear we're not living by faith or if we're not living by faith, how can we say w 're following Christ or serving Him?

We need to be Ezekiels doing God's bidding regardless of the cost--fearless in following Him.

http://IDealinHope.com/author
http://IDealinHope.com/bookreviews

Posted by Carolyn R Scheidies at 8:25 AM CDT

Share This Post

Post Comment | Permalink

Jesus said to him, Thomas, because you have seen Me you have believed. Blessed are they who have not seen and have believed.  And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book.  John 20:29-30 MKJV

The Bible doesn't catalog all of the miracles Jesus did. It is simply a representation of them for one reason--that we might believe.

What does it take for us to believe Jesus is who He said He is? Or do we say we believe, but live like we don't. Or do we only take the parts that fit our own concepts, which puts Jesus in a box? We basically make up our own religion and wonder why God doesn't perform to our specifications.

Jesus isn't a performing monkey. He is Creator, Sustainer of the Universe. He asks us to trust and follow Him, accept the gift of life He offered by dying on the cross for our sin and rising again to give new and lasting life.

Anything less than this is false and not from God, including Oprah's foray into New Age theology with no salvation and no cross. It isn't new and it will not fill that God-shaped hole inside the soul.

V. 31 But these are written so that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you might have life in His name. 

Jesus Christ is the (only) way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Him. John 14:6

http://IDealinHope.com/author
http://IDealinHope.com/bookreviews

Posted by Carolyn R Scheidies at 8:34 AM CDT

Share This Post

Post Comment | Permalink

This happened so that the Scripture would come true: "None of his bones will be broken."  Another Scripture passage says, "They will look at the person whom they have stabbed."  John 19:36-37 GW

Over and over there are OT quotes, tying ancient prophecies to the present situation in Israel. Jesus is, indeed, the fulfillment of prophecy though missed by many who had so codified their own ideas that they could not see God at work. Most of the religious leaders missed the coming of the Messiah because they substituted tradition for faith and had it all nicely tucked away away in a sanitized box.

But you can't put Jesus in a box of our limitations. Jesus won't fit my expectations. My place is to accept Him for who He is, let Him change me as I follow Him.

http://IDealinHope.com/author 
http://IDealinHope.com/bookreviews

Posted by Carolyn R Scheidies at 8:58 AM CDT

Share This Post

Post Comment | Permalink

You call me teacher and Lord, and you're right because that's what I am. So if I, your Lord and teacher, have washed your feet, you must wash each other's feet. I've given you an example that you should follow.  John 13:13-15 GW

What was Jesus' example? To not act like others should serve Him. To be willing to serve others, without reward or media spotlight. To think not "how does this benefit me" but "how can I reach out to help others and share God's love?" Jesus was so other-centered He sacrificed His life to save us.

Without the cross nothing else makes sense for it is the focus of love, the love that helps us step out of our comfort zone to help someone.

The greatest love you can show is to give your life for your friends. You are my friends if you obey my commandments.  John 15:13-14

http://IDealinHope.com/author 
http://IDealinHope.com/bookreviews

Posted by Carolyn R Scheidies at 8:04 AM CDT

Share This Post

Post Comment | Permalink

A large crowd of Jews found out that Jesus was in Bethany. So they went there not only to see Jesus but also to see Lazarus, whom Jesus had brought back to life. The chief priests planned to kill Lazarus too. Lazarus was the reason why many people were leaving the Jews and believing in Jesus.  John 12:9-11

Most of us have heard how Jesus called Lazarus from the tomb, but how many realized the leaders hated losing their power so much they began to plot to murder Lazarus as well as Jesus.

Power and hate warps the soul as well as the mind. Many of the religious leaders, who were supposed to direct the people in the ways of Godliness, righteousness and truth, were so twisted they became the embodiment of evil.

How easy it is to seek to elevate our position in this world and totally miss what is most important--love, self-sacrifice...and truth.

http://IDealinHope.com/author 
http://IDealinHope.com/bookreviews

Posted by Carolyn R Scheidies at 8:57 AM CDT

Share This Post

Post Comment | Permalink