I was listening to Adrian Rogers of Love Worth Finding this morning on KCCV Radio in Kansas City. He asked a series of questions that made me stop to think. I’d like to ask you the same questions:

1) Are you upset that efforts are being made to remove the posting of the Ten Commandments from Schools and other Public Buildings?
2) Do you have the Ten Commandments posted in your home?
3) Can you state all ten commandments?

1) Are you bothered that our children are being told they cannot pray in school?
2) Do you actively pray with your children at home?

This series is titled “It Takes A Family”.

There is a lot a media today about people fighting for the posting of the Ten Commandments and for allowing “religious” activity in our schools, but that is not where the training should originate. How can we complain that that Ten Commandments poster is not allowed to hang in the classroom when we don’t even have it posted in our homes? Why should we expect the schools to teach the values of the Ten Commandments when we can’t even name them all? It is not the school’s responsibility to teach this. We must teach these from birth to our children in our homes. Proverbs 22:6 tells us to “Train up a child in the way he should go; Even when he is old he will not depart from it” We as parents are responsible to instill this in our children.

And we can’t just SAY the words, we have to LIVE the words. What am I teaching my child if I say “do not lie” and the child overhears me telling lies in conversations with other people? How can I say “do not steal” and then not return the extra $5 the cashier gave me by mistake?

I would like to keep prayer and commandments in school, but before I go on a media and political rampage, I need to first look into my own home and life.

Matthew 6:14 tells us “if you forgive others, your heavenly Father will forgive you”. Kim Bloomer tells us about why it is important for us to forgive in this week’s blog.

Have you ever wanted to be an “instrument for God”? Check out The Handyman’s Secret Weapon. This man’s rambling thoughts and ideas show us what kind of an instrument he wants to be for God.

I have been away from the computer on a much needed vacation and time of relaxation so I haven’t posted. I missed including the carnival last week so I want to be sure to include it this week.

Don’t forget to check out this week’s Christian Carnival and be sure to visit some of the entry sites.

This week’s Christian Carnival is hosted by Another Think and focuses on The Fruit of the Spirit. Check it out!!

And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; John 14:16

One day when my children were very young, I became ill at home. They watched in fear as their mother slumped to the floor, unconscious. An ambulance was called, and I was revived. Before taking me to the hospital I called my children to me and asked each of them to go into my room and to take a teddy bear off my bed (even then I had teddy bears everywhere). I asked them to hold tight to that teddy bear and to know that I had hugged and kissed that bear. It would be like having me there to hug and kiss them. They were to take comfort in that bear until I returned.

I spent a week in the hospital. The first day my family brought me my own special teddy bear. They had each hugged and kissed it. I held on to through sleep, through tests, through visits. It never left my side. It was my special comfort.

Then, many years later, I received a call that my husband had died of a massive heart attack. During the difficult days of making the arrangements, of the visitation and the funeral I held on, once again, to a beloved teddy bear. I had received one from him just a couple of months earlier. It was from Helzberg’s and had a sweater that read “ I AM LOVED “. For this difficult period of time in my life, it was my comforter.

Before His death on the cross Jesus tried to tell the disciples He would be leaving them. John 14 tells how Jesus explained He would be leaving. He told them He would be preparing a place for them and that they would be able to join him. He promised them that His father would send a comforter to them, to “bring to your remembrance these things I have said” (John 14:26)

God knew we would need comfort and so when Jesus would no longer be here physically on this earth, He provided us with The Holy Spirit. In John 14:18 Jesus tells His disciples “I will not leave you comfortless” and in verse 27 “my peace I give to you”.

Just like my children and I found comfort, peace and memories of each other through a small teddy bear, we have the comfort and guidance of our wonderful Lord and Savior through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit within our hearts. My teddy bear may get dirty, worn and torn, but My Father’s love endures through His comforter, the Holy Spirit “……that He may abide with you forever…….for He dwells with you and shall be in you” (verses 16 and 17)

I pray you find the comfort of the Lord through His Holy Spirit.

Looking for a fun activity to share with child? Go to your local Build A Bear store and join in the magic of creating a special bear. A special bear is offered to help support National Autism Month.

I was listening on my headphones to a sermon by Ken Davis titled “Super Sheep”. Ken Davis is an excellent speaker who uses humor and wit to bring to heart the word and love of God. In one of his scenarios he is saying he doesn’t want to be a sheep. A sheep can’t even run right!! How about a lion, now that is a creature to be. He looked up scripture trying to find a better creature to relate to than a sheep and found “lion”. Now there is a powerful animal. So, he read I Peter 5:8 which reads “the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour”. Hmmmm, a lion is not a good thing.

While listening to him speak about sheep and being devoured and how Christ is the shepherd that watches over us my mind wandered to a cartoon I used to enjoy. Ralph and Sam, a sheepdog and a wolf , greet each other as they clock in to work. The next scenes show them at work. Ralph tiptoes in to the herd of sheep and tries to steal one for dinner. Sam is no where in sight, until suddenly he appears before Ralph, knocks him out, and returns the furry little lamb to the field. Throughout the next scenes Ralph tries to harm the sheep but Sam, ever so quietly, ever so faithfully, sits and watches over the flock. You don’t even notice him. But when Ralph tries to devour one of the flock, Sam is right there to protect them.

Jesus is our shepherd. He quietly leads us to the fields to graze upon the lush green grass. We often forget he is there. He is quiet, he is watching. And He is there to protect us when the wolf comes along. Sometimes we don’t even notice He protected us, perhaps we were held back at work one night for some reason and find later that an accident occured which you were not in because of that simple little act.

“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. ” I used to think that was so silly, why is the Lord a shepherd that I don’t want. No, there is nothing that I need and do not have because the Lord, my shepherd “makes me to lie down in green pastures”. He provides rest and comfort and all my needs. Of course, there are those times I feel I can do a better job than He does and I leave the herd to find those things for myself. I always go back, or He comes looking for me. I can provide nothing for myself. All I have I have because the Lord gave them to me.

I am a fluffy little lamb enjoying the green pastures provided by my Lord and Savior. I can leave the herd, but I don’t want to. “Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for He is with me, His rod and staff protect me”.

Where are you? Are you walking along beside the great shepherd? Do you want to?

THE 23rd PSALM – EXPLAINED
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The Lord is my Shepherd –That’s Relationship!

I shall not want — That’s Supply!

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures — That’s Rest!

He leadeth me beside the still waters — That’s Refreshment!

He restoreth my soul — That’s Healing!

He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness — That’s Guidance!

For His name sake — That’s Purpose!

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death — That’s Testing!

I will fear no evil — That’s Protection!

For Thou art with me — That’s Faithfulness!

Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me — That’s Discipline!

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies — That’s Hope!

Thou annointest my head with oil — That’s Consecration!

My cup runneth over — That’s Abundance!

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life — That’s Blessing!

And I will dwell in the house of the Lord — That’s Security!

Forever — That’s Eternity!

This week’s Christian Carnival is hosted by Proverbs Daily. Proverbs Daily is a blog that ventures to, amongst many other things, take a biblical proverb every day and apply its wisdom to today’s world. This week’s posts are very informative. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.