by Brandy Webb
What if this happens, what will I do? Does your mind ever play out possible future scenarios? Usually, at least for me, when I let my mind wonder about the future, it isn’t positive hypothetical scenarios. It is usually scary scenarios of “what if” this happens or that happens, how will “I,” get through it. Continue reading
by Lenny Cacchio
Jesus frequently gave it between the eyes to the religious leaders of his day. “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!” He called them blind guides and whitened sepulchers. Twice he entered the temple, turned over the tables of the official temple moneychangers and drove them out. Continue reading
The New International News Volume 37 #1 is now available to read and share.
by Brandy Webb
“I’ll pay that person back the next time I get a chance.” Have you ever heard someone say something close to that phrase? Have you ever said it? Revenge for a wrong done to you at the time may seem sweet, but don’t be fooled; it is very bitter going down. Continue reading
by Brandy Webb
Have you ever had one of those weeks that you are just plain grumpy? Well, if you haven’t, I applaud you. I can’t stand it when I’m in what my kids call, “the mood,” and I call “frumpy” (feeling grumpy). I just want to start over on those days or go back to bed because it seems that I can’t get anything right.
Well, the truth is, I need some medicine to help me. Not the kind you get a prescription for, but what the Bible calls good medicine, “a cheerful heart” (Prov 17:22). Even if I have to look hard for something to smile about, I need to do it. I need to show my children that my being in the “frumpy mood” doesn’t mean I have to stay there. It is possible to snap myself out of it, if I am willing. I need to give them an example of not letting your mood ruin your day.
There are enough negative and moody people in this world. I choose not to be one of them. I don’t want to go around with a scowl on my face. No, I want “a happy heart” which makes “the face cheerful” (Prov 15:13). I want to smile more and scowl less. I want to speak more positive words that bring healing and less destructive words, including when I’m talking to myself. See, “out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks” (Matt 12:34). Therefore, if we are always negative then we will only have negative things to say, but on the flip side, if we strive to be positive we will speak positive words (Luke 6:45). We must guard our hearts because “everything [we] do flows from it” (Prov 4:23), and what comes out of our mouths comes from our hearts (Matt 15:18a). We will have to answer for everything we say (Matt 12:36).
I really don’t want a negative heart. I don’t want to speak negative things, and I definitely don’t want to defile myself by what proceeds out of my mouth (Matt 15:18b). I must make sure, daily, I take a dose of cheerful medicine. One way to do this is to not dwell on worries. Like, my son told me the other day, “What scares me the most is thinking about things that scare me.” So, he likes to actually think of things that make him happy, instead. He is really doing what Paul tells us to do in Philippians 4:8. Oh, how much I can learn from a child.
The cheerfulness “medication” also requires us to “rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for” us (1 Thess 5:16-18). The great thing about this “medication” is that it has good side effects. In fact, you will find yourself smiling more, laughing often, bringing joy into your dwelling place, being a light to others, and speaking words that bring forth life and healing. Seriously, who doesn’t want to take this type of medicine?
So, today if you are feeling a little “frumpy,” force yourself to smile, and then start singing “I’ve got the joy, joy, joy, joy, down in my heart…”
by Brandy Webb
When I was a child, I only thought that idols were statues that people bowed down to and worshipped. So, it was easy to say that I was not committing idolatry. As I have gotten older, I realize it is not always obvious when we are committing idolatry. I know I have said it before, but coveting is idolatry (Col 3:5). Therefore, when we look at that nice new car our neighbor just bought, and we wish we could get one too, well, we just coveted; therefore we broke two laws. Isn’t it awesome that we have a Savior who is very forgiving and patient!
We have now added an activity schedule for Super Sabbath Weekend in April 2016. We hope to see you there! Below is the link to the page.
by Brandy Webb
You know that favorite cliché when traveling, “Are we there yet?” Well, what about in our lives—are we there yet? Are we happy and content yet with our lives? Or are we still waiting, withholding enjoying life, until we arrive at some destination in our lives? You know, like when someone says, “Well, I’ll be happy when I get a new job,” or “get a new car,” or “get a new house,” or “get married,” or “have kids,” or “retire,” or when “this or that” happens. All we are doing is putting off enjoying life until the next “this or that” happens when we are supposed to enjoy life now. If we put off enjoying life until tomorrow, we may not ever enjoy life because tomorrow never comes; we only live in today.
“Come now, you who say, ‘Today and tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit’—yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that’” (James 4:13-15).
Life is too short to not enjoy the moment right now. Even if we live to 120 years old, it will still be too short. We are like dust in the wind, here a moment and gone in a moment, and if we are constantly looking towards the next “this or that” things to enjoy life, we will miss living. It is a gift from God to enjoy the blessings we receive, when we receive them. It is good for us “to eat and drink and find enjoyment in all the toil with which one toils under the sun the few days of his life that God has given him, for this is his lot” (Eccl 5:18).
See, I have a tendency to get excited about reaching a goal, but once it is in place, I start looking for another hill to conquer instead of enjoying the fact that I just conquered a hill. Honestly, I have a never-ending goal list that I seem to add to daily. Well, my husband, who loves me, brought this point up the other night as we were sitting in our living room of our new house. He started the conversation off by stating his hope that nine years from now, God willing, we will still be here enjoying our house. He wants us to make sure we enjoy the accomplishment of working nine years towards a house and finally seeing it through. He doesn’t want us to forget what it took to reach our goal, and just start moving on to new and bigger projects, thinking, Well, I’ll enjoy our new home once this or that is also completed.
I know I said it before, but I’m saying it again, life is too short to wait on the “this and that” moments. “There is nothing better for [us] than to be joyful and to do good as long as [we] live; also that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil—this is God’s gift to man” (Eccl 3:12-13).
So, are you and I “there yet”? Have we arrived at our destination of contentment? We are to enjoy the fruits of our labor today. Don’t put off joy into the morrow. We are to be content with what we have right now because no one knows when we will take our last breath. So live and be joyful today. Enjoy your blessings. Rejoice because you are blessed.
The Church of God International Springfield, Missouri 