 Category :: Inspirational Articles |
Author :: Patricia Nordman  |
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| Article Title :: David Cuts a Corner |
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| "Afterward, David was conscience-stricken for having cut off a corner of his robe" (1 Samuel 24:5).An insightful person wrote,
There is only one way to achieve happiness on this terrestrial ball,
And that is to have either a clear conscience or none at all.David's clear and good conscience would not let him rest because he cut off a corner as proof of the power he could have had over Saul. God had assured David of the throne, and David's men interpreted this as a license to kill Saul while David had this blessed opportunity. But David knew this wasn't a blessed time or place to commit any kind of sin. Even cutting a corner pierced David's conscience. Saul committed outra (read full article) |
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| Category :: Inspirational Articles |
Author :: Patricia Nordman |
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| Article Title :: Casting Our Nets |
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| "Simon Peter went aboard and hauled ashore the net. . ." (John 21:11).A pastor lamented to a fellow pastor that he was not getting the converts he desired. His friend happened to think of this verse from John 21, and he told the unfortunate shepherd of the stationary flock that he should pull in the net if he wanted to catch his converts.We ordinary folk have nets, too: nets of kindness, letters that we should take time and love to write; many actions and reactions that pull in the net and catch a lamb for Christ. It may be a little child who Jesus wants us to bring to Him; indeed, it is the little ones -- and those with the simplicity of the children -- that He so desires. (read full article) |
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| Category :: Inspirational Articles |
Author :: Patricia Nordman |
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| Article Title :: Counting the Cost |
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| "...He is the kind of man who is always thinking about the cost" (Proverbs 23:7).This text deals with hospitality and how it is shared. This host apparently was very grudging with time and money and things. In fact, he couldn't enjoy his company for thinking of his losses rather than the gains of companionship and the profit to mind and spirit that comes from fellow-shipping. He gives not for the sake of love and friendship; rather, from a seeming unworthy and base motive. This is known as mendacity or hypocrisy. Too, if we accept someone's hospitality, knowing the person's reason is insincere, then we partake of the same sin."It is more blessed to give than to receive," we (read full article) |
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| Category :: Inspirational Articles |
Author :: Patricia Nordman |
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| Article Title :: Joy Is Peace |
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| "I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete" (John 15:11).Joy and religion seem opposites, because too many of us are morose Christians, but Jesus was/is a Man of Joy as well as a Man of Sorrows. The only contrariness here is those of us who proclaim Jesus as Lord and then walk around, down in sole and soul.Joy is internal, solid and light; pleasure is external, liquid and gray;
Joy is and will be; pleasure is a has-been;
Joy is character; pleasure is a condition;
Joy is expansive; pleasure is expensive;
Joy is reflection on the way to perfection; pleasure is deflection;
Joy is sense; pleasure is senses; (read full article) |
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| Category :: Inspirational Articles |
Author :: Patricia Nordman |
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| Article Title :: To Love is to Forgive |
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| I'm convinced that our mental and physical health depends on our attitude toward others and how we treat them. Included in this is forgiveness. In fact, if I could choose the one gift from God that I personally need to have and to give, it would be the gift of forgiveness both for others and for myself (by the way, have you forgiven yourself, dear reader?!).Maltbie Babcock wrote years ago: "How sure we are of our own forgiveness from God. How certain we are that we are made in His image, when we forgive heartily and out of hand one who has wronged us. Sentimentally we may feel, and lightly we may say, `To err is human, to forgive divine;' but we never taste the nobility and divinit (read full article) |
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| Category :: Inspirational Articles |
Author :: Patricia Nordman |
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| Article Title :: The Prodigal Brother |
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| The spotlight has always been on the prodigal son, but I find his brother even more interesting!One commentator calls the prodigal brother the narrow-minded saint. We Christians may be more inclined to be the older brother, for we are spared the gross sins of life. Also, the older brother may have felt that he was the only one who really had the family's (God's) interests at heart. Elijah thought he was the only person left in the world to do God's bidding but God informed him there were 7000 others out there who hadn't bent to knee to Baal. We are so foolish at times."The elder brother is very unpopular in the parable. He is not unpopular in society, and he has many descend (read full article) |
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| Category :: Inspirational Articles |
Author :: Barry McDonald |
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| Article Title :: Are You Giving Yourself A Hard Time? |
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| Are you constantly criticizing yourself for every little time you do wrong, for example saying things to ourselves like….“I should have said this”… “Look I can’t even do this simple thing”… “Everyone thinks I’m stupid” etc, etc.I put my hand up too, I know I’m guilty of this as well as everyone, I often say things like “I wonder will anybody read this article” or “maybe they will think it stinks” blah, blah, blah.But when you think of it if you had a best friend and you talked to them like this how long would they stay with you?.. Or would they even want to be around you? But we do this everyday and, when you really think about you’ll never (read full article) |
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| Category :: Inspirational Articles |
Author :: Patricia Nordman |
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| Article Title :: From Destitution to Restitution |
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| "Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters, and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost" (Isaiah 55:1).What a beautiful invitation! Two articles are for sale: milk, symbolic of abundance and the essentials of life, and wine, the emblem of that which cheers and inspires. The price we pay is no price: "Nothing in my hand I bring." It is an unconditional gift. We are not to pay for our salvation with any kind of works, for it is an insult to the grace of God. Indeed, it is our very emptiness which recommends us. Our destitution is His restitution. "Open wide your mouth and I will fill it" (Psalm 81:10b). We are not speak (read full article) |
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| Category :: Inspirational Articles |
Author :: Patricia Nordman |
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| Article Title :: The Bee Stings of Life |
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| "...Man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires" (James 1:20); "Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret--it leads only to evil" (Psalm 37:8).We expect to conquer the mountains in life and we are brought down by bee stings. And we get very angry about it, too. After all, if God keeps putting minor things like contrary people and events in our way, how can we prove ourselves in the major events? The key phrase here is "does not bring about the righteous life that God desires."In an excellent article on anger, Hendrie Weisinger points out that we have an anger problem if:1) we get angry six or seven times a day;
2) we stay angry (read full article) |
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| Category :: Inspirational Articles |
Author :: Patricia Nordman |
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| Article Title :: Accountability |
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| "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good" (Romans 12:21).I remark, then, that a man is overcome of evil:1. When ill-treatment excites the angry passions
2. When he settles down into confirmed hatred of the offender
3. When he indulges designs of revenge
4. When the ill-treatment of one leads us to suspect the friendship of others
5. When abuse begets habitual sourness of temper
6. When he attempts unnecessarily a public vindication of his character
D.A. ClarkIn Romans 12 Paul is more concerned with our responsibilities than our rights. There is a law of accountability that presupposes obligations to our brothers and sis (read full article) |
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