Word for the day by Christian Education Forum
Feast of Pentecost
– A calling to Mission /sharing Christ
"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is
noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is
admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things.
Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me - put it
into practice. And the God of peace will be with you." (V 8-9)
Paul is saying, "Here are 8 filters. Everything you
hear & everything you see needs to pass through them. And if it
doesn't make it through these 8 filters then it shouldn't be in your mind and
heart. There is so much garbage in this world. The old saying "garbage in,
garbage out" is true. So think about it. Can the movies you see, & the
TV programs you watch, & the music you listen to pass through these 8
filters?
Paul says, "Put everything through these 8 filters.
If it’s not true, then don’t welcome it. If it’s not noble, if it’s not right,
or pure or lovely or admirable or excellent or praiseworthy, don’t let it find
a home in your heart. And if you’ll use these filters you’ll have peace with
God." Jesus said in John 16:33, "I have told you these
things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble.
But take heart! I have overcome the world."
In 1950, missionary Russell Morse went to China just as
the communists were taking over China. The communist soldiers
arrested and imprisoned him for 18 months. He spent 15 months in solitary
confinement. His small windowless cell had only a small hole, high up to let in
a little bit of light and air, no bed, just filthy straw on the floor. Once a
day a small panel was opened in the bottom of his cell door and a bowl of food
was shoved through. He had no Bible, nothing to read. They had even taken away
his glasses, so that he could barely see.
He later wrote, "The only things that helped
me keep my sanity during that period were the Bible verses and hymns I had
memorized. And the one verse that kept me going the most was Philippians 4:6:
Don’t be anxious about anything. Pray about everything, and with thanksgiving
let your requests be made known unto God." He wrote, "If
there was ever a time to be anxious, it was when I was in that prison. And if
there ever was a time when it was difficult to pray and be thankful, it was
then. But I kept repeating those words in my mind over and over again."
When Russell Morse came out of the prison, he didn’t have
to be deprogrammed because God gave him the peace that transcends all
understanding.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for
caring about my burdens, and my loved ones. Right now, I release every worry,
every fear and every burden that we carry into Your loving arms so that You can
completely comfort each one of us. Thank you, Lord, for ministering to me and
to my loved ones. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Thought for the Day: Do you find
yourself carrying burdens that are too heavy to carry? When you finish reading
this, will you still have those burdens? Or are you going to turn them over to
Jesus?
Aley David Seattle
MTC