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Transforming Self-righteousness: A Path to Unity and Love
https://unsplash.com/@sharonmccutcheon Life can be very full. We meet and communicate with many people every day. These people are likely to be preoccupied with things in their own life. At times we may encounter different perspectives and friction. How do we respond?
I know I have truly struggled with this in the past. Mistakenly believing my opinion was the only point of view worth considering, I would rigidly hold onto my need to be right, and try to change the other persons mind. If I later discovered I was incorrect, I felt as though someone had taken something from me. Have you ever wrestled with anything like this?
Reacting strongly to someone else’s viewpoint can lead to relationship breakdowns. Regardless of our intentions, it is unlikely to end well.
First we must become aware that our need to be right is the real problem, and not the other person’s opinion. For what is an opinion:
A view or judgement formed about something, not necessarily based on fact or knowledge
https://languages.oup.com/google-dictionary-enSometimes I have viewed my opinions as facts. And boy oh boy have I been wrong at times. If my thinking and requirement to always be correct is an obstacle to loving my neighbour, I have a problem.
The New Testament and the commandments are where I find my rules to live by. Loving my God and loving my neighbour as myself are the top two commandments according to Jesus.
If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.
Romans 12:18 NIVBeing in unity does not mean we all have to have the same opinion. We are all unique individuals, each with his or her own perspective. We are called to live in fellowship with all. This is possible if we submit our will to His and walk in love and humility on this earth.
So, we take this self-righteousness to God. We apologise and tell Him we want to change. We ask Him to transform our minds to make us more Christ-like every day and we accept our forgiveness.
Our Father God loves us so much. He sent His only son to die on the cross for our sins, so we might be saved. He won’t withhold His goodness to His children.
I hope you enjoyed this. If you would like to post a comment or subscribe, please fill out the form below. God bless you.
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My dreams or His?
george-lemon-DsbZSXqNYTM-unsplash.jpg I hear from a lot of older Christian’s that their dreams are unfulfilled. They feel like they have missed out and are disillusioned.
I find this astonishing as we have a good and loving God who fulfils his promises. He will not fail you if the dream was a promise of His.
I encourage you to carefully analyse these dreams. What is your dream.? Is it a God given dream that He placed on your heart? Where and when did it arise? What do you think is God’s hope if this dream is fulfilled? What are you hoping to achieve if this dream is realised?
I am not saying we cannot have desires, and wants. But if we are blaming God for not achieving a dream we need to know if this is God breathed or not.
What does scripture say about dreams?
For when dreams increase and words grow many, there is vanity; but God is the only one you must fear.
Ecc 5:7 ESVDoes your dream align with God’s good and perfect will? Is this dream good for the body of Christ and for furthering His kingdom? Or is it a desire you have? Is it self-serving? Was it an adolescent flight of fancy? Will it increase your status and glorify you? Or will it glorify God and further his kingdom on earth? Is it a covenant promise from God (think Abraham and Sarah)?
I think this writer explains dreams and visions in the OT and NT very well:
God used dreams and visions (visions are “waking dreams”; see Numbers 24:4) several times in the Bible to communicate with people.
https://www.gotquestions.org/dreams-visions-Bible.html
God used visions in the Old Testament to reveal His plan, to further His plan, and to put His people in places of influence.
Visions in the New Testament also served to provide information that was unavailable elsewhere. Specifically, God used visions and dreams to identify Jesus and to establish His church.If it is your desire or want, you are completely responsible for achieving it. So, you must do all the work and toil required to reach your goal. Don’t blame God if your desires do not come to fruition.
If it is a promise of God’s you will usually know, as it will be impossible to achieve without His help. Think Moses and releasing the Israelites from Egypt. God will partner with you and co-labour with you. However, you are responsible for stepping into it and walking it out. He will lend His strength and all the resources of heaven to help you achieve it.
I hope you found this helpful. If you have any comments or would like to subscribe, please fill out the section below. All comments are not published until read. If you would like your comment to remain private, please say so and it will not be published.
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Honouring one another
Hannah Busing on unsplash https://unsplash.com/ It’s common for human beings to feel the need to be accepted, liked and be a part of a group. This typically occurs at school, work, in social situations and even with family. At times, we can be drawn into, or initiate harmful conversations in order to obtain “entry” into one of these groups. These discussions may occur in any social situation, and even online.
The incredible advances that technology has brought, have also come with their fair share of problems. Smart phones are prone to dependence with a burst of dopamine and instant gratification whenever someone receives a text, “like” or a “comment” on one of their posts.
Social media pushes the idea of the “instagram” life, look, family, and holiday. The internet is full of polished pictures taken at flattering angles with well rehearsed smiles. You do not see the 50 photos that occurred prior to the “perfect” one being chosen to publish. Neither do you witness the pressure, little annoyances or disagreements any family is likely to encounter during the production of this “masterpiece”. This type of communication can be shallow, without any real human connection. Its aim may be to obtain approval, recognition, adoration and influence. Individuals may be wanting to commercialise their life. It can also trigger feelings of rejection and inadequacy when they don’t receive a response to texts and posts.
The darker side of social media happens when people judge, criticise and condemn someone on a public platform from the privacy of their own home. This causes humiliation and untold harms. Individuals can and do say things that they would never do if they were face to face with the person. As humans we are wired to read the facial expressions of others. If we notice someone is becoming upset or uncomfortable with how we are expressing ourselves or responding to them, we can check on their feelings, we can check on ourselves and be more respectful, and we can apologise or change the conversation. Unfortunately, we are not able to read someone’s reactions well from a text, GIF or emoji (no matter how cute some of them may be).
Jesus is our best example on how to live and be with others. He is love and spoke truth with love. Jesus said: .
The second is like it, “you shall love your neighbour as yourself [that is unselfishly seek the best or higher good for others]”
Matt 22:39 (AMP)I think it’s important to search our hearts and check our motives before we even open our mouths, or type a reply to anything we hear or read. Do we need to stop and take a breath? Will we take the time to enquire of and listen to the Holy Spirit’s urging? Are we considering how our reaction would make us feel, if we were in their shoes? Does our answer sound like something Jesus would say?
We are a royal priesthood, called to live as Christ did, not to conform to the ways of this world. In reality, Christians are strange people, at odds with this world. Phil Dooley was discussing the transformation of our minds and lives recently and said he was going to declare daily, 1 Cor 13:4-8 and change the word love to I”. It reads like this:
I am patient. I am kind. I do not envy, do not boast and am not proud. I do not dishonour others, I am not self-seeking, I am not easily angered, I keep no record of wrongs. I do not delight in evil, but rejoice with the truth. I always protect, always trust, always hope, always persevere.
As ambassadors of God, how we live in community demonstrates Christianity to those around us, including our children, grandchildren, neighbours, work colleagues, etc. What does the bible teach us about living in community and with others?
And never let ugly or hateful words come from your mouth, but instead let your words become beautiful gifts that encourage others; do this by speaking words of grace to help them.
Ephesians 4:29 (TPT)If you believe your face to face and online communication falls short of this, I encourage you to read the gospels and ask God for the gifts of love, mercy, understanding and encouragement. He will not disappoint you.
God bless you and your family.
I hope you have enjoyed today’s blog. I would love to hear from you – your testimony, questions, suggestions for future topics or feedback to my blog. Please feel free to respond below. You can also subscribe to Jesus 4 Generations by filling out your details below. Alternatively, you can email me at admin@Jesus4Generations.com and I will get back to you.
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Forgiveness: Breaking Free from Bitterness and Choosing God’s Way of Peace
If you’d prefer to listen to this post, click on the link below and listen for free on Podbean. Alternatively, you can listen to The Jesus 4 Generations Podcast on your favorite streaming platform.
https://ozsazzles.podbean.com/e/7-forgiveness/
As human beings we live, work and grow in communities. On occasion, we can be hurt by the words and or actions of others. Often when their intentions are quite the opposite.
Our perspective can become skewed. We tell ourselves stories of what happened and these stories tend to morph and change over time. We can end up believing these distorted stories nailing them into our conscious and subconscious mind with each retelling. We may hold onto hurts, real or imagined for decades. Sometimes, for long after the person who offended us has passed away.
I am not saying that shocking crimes and horrific abuses don’t happen. What I am saying is that if we hold onto these things tightly and go over them frequently, we change the structure of our brain, laying down strong neural pathways. They become our “go to”, our “norm” our habitual way of thinking. They become our narratives, our treasures stored up in our hearts and lead to unforgiveness which turns to bitterness.
As they change the way we think, stories of hurts and upsets from the past can drive current behaviour. They can become twisted testimonies of loss, betrayal and pain. Instead of speaking of the good things in our lives and the hope we have in Jesus, we can attest to the misery, death and destruction of relationships, hopes and promises.
Our words are powerful. What are we speaking over our lives? Are we sowing seeds of hope, light and a good future? Or are we ravaging our lives with our thoughts and our words? The bible says:
The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.
Proverbs 18:21 NIVSo what do we do? Do we end up conforming to this world that urges us to cultivate bitterness and somehow get even? Or do we get deep into God’s word and nurture forgiveness that leads to peace? The bible says:
Be kind to one another, tender hearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
Ephesians 4:32 ESVWhen Jesus taught his disciples how to pray he included forgiveness, but there are stipulations. We are forgiven if we forgive others:
For if you forgive others their trespasses, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your father forgive your trespasses.
Matthew 6:14-15 ESVRemarkable at the time, and even today, Jesus’ revolutionary teaching spoke on the importance of forgiveness. Responding to Peter’s question about how many times he must forgive his brother who sins against him, Jesus said we must forgive 70 x 7 times. Radically, Jesus also said:
But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.
Matthew 5:44 NIVWhen we have been deeply hurt it may seem unreasonable to forgive. According to this worlds standards, some things are unforgivable. Nevertheless, it is important to remind ourselves that we belong to a spiritual kingdom, far greater than the natural one we see here on Earth. God’s kingdom works by different rules:
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Matthew 5:3-12God loves all of us. If you are struggling to forgive, I urge you to pray for a heart of forgiveness. Your Father in heaven will hear you and help you. He is a good and faithful God and He will bring you peace, peace that surpasses all understanding.
I hope you enjoyed this post. I would love to hear your testimony and if it helped
As human beings we live, work and grow in communities. On occasion, we can be hurt by the words and or actions of others. Often when their intentions are quite the opposite.
Our perspective can become skewed. We tell ourselves stories of what happened and these stories tend to morph and change over time. We can end up believing these distorted stories nailing them into our conscious and subconscious mind with each retelling. We may hold onto hurts, real or imagined for decades. Sometimes, for long after the person who offended us has passed away.
I am not saying that shocking crimes and horrific abuses don’t happen. What I am saying is that if we hold onto these things tightly and go over them frequently, we change the structure of our brain, laying down strong neural pathways. They become our “go to”, our “norm” our habitual way of thinking. They become our narratives, our treasures stored up in our hearts and lead to unforgiveness which turns to bitterness.
As they change the way we think, stories of hurts and upsets from the past can drive current behaviour. They can become twisted testimonies of loss, betrayal and pain. Instead of speaking of the good things in our lives and the hope we have in Jesus, we can attest to the misery, death and destruction of relationships, hopes and promises.
Our words are powerful. What are we speaking over our lives? Are we sowing seeds of hope, light and a good future? Or are we ravaging our lives with our thoughts and our words? The bible says:
The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.
Proverbs 18:21 NIVSo what do we do? Do we end up conforming to this world that urges us to cultivate bitterness and somehow get even? Or do we get deep into God’s word and nurture forgiveness that leads to peace? The bible says:
Be kind to one another, tender hearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
Ephesians 4:32 ESVWhen Jesus taught his disciples how to pray he included forgiveness, but there are stipulations. We are forgiven if we forgive others:
For if you forgive others their trespasses, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your father forgive your trespasses.
Matthew 6:14-15 ESVRemarkable at the time, and even today, Jesus’ revolutionary teaching spoke on the importance of forgiveness. Responding to Peter’s question about how many times he must forgive his brother who sins against him, Jesus said we must forgive 70 x 7 times. Radically, Jesus also said:
But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.
Matthew 5:44 NIVWhen we have been deeply hurt it may seem unreasonable to forgive. According to this worlds standards, some things are unforgivable. Nevertheless, it is important to remind ourselves that we belong to a spiritual kingdom, far greater than the natural one we see here on Earth. God’s kingdom works by different rules:
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Matthew 5:3-12God loves all of us. If you are struggling to forgive, I urge you to pray for a heart of forgiveness. Your Father in heaven will hear you and help you. He is a good and faithful God and He will bring you peace, peace that surpasses all understanding.
I hope you enjoyed this post. I would love to hear your testimony and if it helped you. Please comment and subscribe below so you don’t miss any future posts.
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Transforming Lives Through Testimony
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https://ozsazzles.podbean.com/e/whats-your-testimony
The evidence of transformed life is a powerful unspoken testimony. How we live our lives, what we say, our character and actions can have a lasting impact on those around us. The behaviour we model will effect our children and grandchildren. We can live lives that inspire our family, friends and colleagues to come to Jesus. Or we can live in a way that causes people to turn away from him.
Scripture teaches us that what we say reveals what’s in our heart:
… For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.
Luke 6:45 NKJVSo what is overflowing out of the abundance of your heart? What do your words demonstrate is in your heart? Is your heart filled with peace, hope, joy, love, goodness, kindness, patience, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control? Or is it filled with something else?
Scripture says words are extremely powerful:
The tongue has the power of life and death and those who love it will eat it’s fruit.
Proverbs 18:21 NIVWe can use our words to either build people up or tear them down. We can see the goodness in others or search out their faults.
Think back over the last week and the conversations you were a part of. Who did you talk to? What part did you play in the conversation? What did you say?
Did you show empathy, kindness, love and understanding? Were you supportive and interested in the other person? If the conversation was about someone who was not present, did you honour them and refrain from gossiping? Or were you criticising and cursing others? Were you speaking out of anger and hatred? Were you unkind?
It’s important to remember that God loves us all – even the person you are annoyed with. Jesus showed us how to live good fruitful lives. He said the most important commandments are:
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: Love your neighbour as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.
Mark 12:30-31 NIVWe can all struggle with this. If you haven’t been living these commandments. Meditate on them. Ask God to forgive you and help you to change, so you start to speak and act out of love. This will change your life and your relationships.
I hope you enjoyed this. You can subscribe below. I would love to hear your testimony or questions. Please reply to this blog below. Your response will not be seen by visitors to this site unless you want it shared
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The Impact of Prayer on Family Relationships
If you would like to listen to this blog click on the link below
https://ozsazzles.podbean.com/e/the-power-of-prayer/
The power of prayer never ceases to amaze me. I know each of my children are a blessing from God. When they were born, I was besotted with them. My love for them has grown daily since then. We have a good God and as hard as it may sound, He loves us even more than we love our children and grandchildren. He wants every good thing for us and our family.
When my three children were born I prayed for them daily. A simple prayer along these lines –
Dear God, Bless [name of child or children]. Keep them safe. Protect them and bless them with a loving and supportive partner when they grow up. Someone they love and care for and who loves and cares for them.
I prayed this prayer nightly for decades. At times it seemed as though it might fail, when my teenagers’ engaged in behaviours that seemed unlikely to appeal to anyone, let alone a great partner, i.e.:
- Refusing to wash their hair when it was so dirty it could stand up by itself and the plants wilted as they walked by.
- Wearing black oversized clothes and acting sullen and moody all the time. Rolling their eyes at me whenever I said anything at all.
- Having no emotional regulation skills at all and screaming “Why are you trying to ruin my life!” at me and my husband.
But somehow we muddled through teenage-hood and surprisingly, everyone survived! Don’t be fooled by the experts. In my experience teenage-hood can last well into their late twenties! At times you will have to pick yourself up, dust yourself off and try again. It’s likely you will accumulate a few extra wrinkles and grey hairs in the process.
I am happy to say my God answers prayers. Each of my children have attracted lovely supportive partners into their lives.
My daughter-in-law, affectionately known as “the magical unicorn”, because she always looks amazing but more importantly is a lovely young woman, with a kind and caring heart. She is the perfect partner for my son and a loving mother to my grandson.
My son-in-law who was initially blown away by how loud and raucous our family is, has grown used to us over the years. He is a considerate and insightful young man and is a wonderful husband and devoted father to my grandson.
My other son-in-law has a generous and kind heart with a great sense of humour. He is an affectionate husband and fun father, who will take the time to play with his children.
So as you can see from this post, my prayers have been granted. As it says in the bible:
Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
Mark 11:24 ESVI hope you enjoyed this blog. I would love to hear how God has answered your prayers. You can comment below and subscribe so you don’t miss any posts. Alternatively, you can contact me directly at admin@jesus4generations.com
Thanks to Kenny Eliason @neonbrand for making this photo available freely on Unsplash 🎁
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Am I too weak or flawed?
Photo by Marianna Smiley on Unsplash If you would prefer to listen to this blog, please click on the below. Alternatively, you can listen to The Jesus 4 Generations Podcast on your favourite streaming platform, e.g. Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
https://ozsazzles.podbean.com/e/2-am-i-too-weak-or-flawed/
My loyal God has been with me always, even before I welcomed Him into my life. Continually wooing, loving and coaxing me towards Him. To my amazement, when I invited Him to be my Lord and saviour, He moved into this humble temple, and began a work of transformation in my life, that He has never and will never abandon.
Unfortunately, at times, my mind will dwell on the years lost without Him at the centre of my life. The season when I kept Him to the very edges of my existence. Calling on Him when in need, but unsure if He heard, or even if it mattered to Him. Focussing on what could have, should have and would have happened had I given Him my all. As well as feeling dismayed about my weaknesses in the past. Has this ever happened to you?
At these times, I must question what I am thinking. Does this introspection lead to guilt and shame? Does it lead me toward Jesus or make me want to run and hide as Adam did? I recommend you ask yourself these questions too. If you think your thoughts are leading you to shrink from the Lord’s presence, they are not thoughts you want to entertain. These bible verses guide me well when I am being dragged down by negative thoughts:
Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
1Pet 5:8 (NIV)We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ
2Cor 10:5 (NIV)I find declaring God’s promises is an amazing cure for brooding over my past mistakes and this is a favourite:
All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name
Acts 10:43 (NIV)I love to meditate on The Parable of the Lost Coin:
In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.
Luke 15:10 (NIV)God is not remembering the time missed. He and His angels are celebrating our salvation! We are with Him! Our God is so very good. It is often hard to believe.
When we think we are not good enough, weak or flawed, remember He uses our weaknesses to display his glory. He says:
My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.
2Cor 12:9 (NIV)He is not looking for perfection. He is looking for people who love Him.
I hope you found this encouraging.
God bless you all
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Loving Family Well: Building Faith, Connection, and Legacy Across Generations
Photo by Ekaterina Shakharova on Unsplash
If you would prefer to listen to this blog, please click on the link below and listen for free on Podbean. Alternatively, you can listen to The Jesus 4 Generations Podcast on your favorite streaming platform.
Family has always been very important to me. When our children were teenagers and my husband and I were separated, we did not want our connections with one another and sense of “family” to deteriorate. So together we made a decision. We instituted a weekly Sunday night family dinner, and by God’s grace, that simple rhythm has continued for the past 14 years.
Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from Him.
Psalm 127:30 (NIV)Our hope has always been that our children and grandchildren would want to spend time with us. Not out of obligation or duty, but because they genuinely enjoy our company.
So how do we create an environment that feels welcoming, safe, and fun?
It begins with relationship. We talk with our children and grandchildren and take a real interest in what matters to them. And if I’m honest, that isn’t always easy. For example, learning all about Pokémon, what they do, how to catch them, and how Pokémon Go works, takes effort! But it’s an effort worth making. It’s an intentional choice to build connection.
It also means putting aside our chores and never-ending “to-do” lists and choosing to invest time in simply having fun together. Pushing a child on a swing. Playing “What’s the time, Mr Wolf?” Teaching them to ride a bike. Heading to the pool or the beach. Sitting on the floor playing dolls or hosting a tea party. Or introducing them to games like Memory, UNO, Yahtzee, or Monopoly. These moments require patience – especially when explaining rules, and a good measure of peace to manage the noise levels (Yahtzee can get quite enthusiastic!).
When we speak and respond, we aim to do so with love and kindness.
Now, I can’t say I’ve always met these standards. Far from it. But over time, I believe my patience has grown, and I’ve become more attuned to the leading of the Holy Spirit. When we keep our focus on building healthy, life-giving relationships, we can take deliberate steps toward that goal.
As parents and grandparents, we long for our children and their families to thrive. We want them to experience the love, joy, peace, companionship, and hope that we have found in Jesus. Ultimately, we want to model Him to them.
Families are complex. Every family has its own culture, rhythms, and ways of communicating. I’ve certainly blundered and learned … sometimes the hard way, how not to communicate about God’s kingdom. My excitement and enthusiasm to share the love of Jesus have, at times, backfired. So how do we help our families truly see Him?
Firstly, we pray. We pray that our children, grandchildren, and generations to come would know Jesus intimately and accept Him as their Lord, Saviour, Teacher, and Friend.
Acts 16:30-31 (NIV)
He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.”Secondly, we resist the urge to preach or lecture. While usually well-intentioned, this can often push people away and create resistance rather than openness.
Thirdly, we don’t hide our faith. We live it out, in how we speak, how we behave, and how we love, demonstrating kindness, mercy, humility, peace, and joy.
1 John 3:18 (NKJV)
Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.When they ask questions about our faith, and they will, we answer honestly and to the best of our ability. We do this, mindful not to push them as that may cause them to backpedal. We may have the opportunity to pray for them.
I have been richly blessed with a dear friend and mentor who welcomed me into our church community during COVID, initially through a simple phone call. She has faithfully nurtured our relationship ever since. Through her wisdom and encouragement, I’ve learned so much.
She also carries a powerful testimony of how Jesus came into her life and how, through prayer, every single member of her family came to know Him. Her story fills me with hope. What Jesus has done for her family, He can do for mine and for yours.
Recently, another dear friend shared a scripture with me to pray over my family:
Genesis 19:16 (NLT)
When Lot still hesitated, the angels seized his hand and the hands of his wife and two daughters and rushed them to safety outside the city, for the Lord was merciful.The Lord is merciful. He hears our prayers. He responds. He is able and willing to send His angels to draw our families and friends out of darkness and into His marvelous light.
I pray this blog has blessed you today and given you fresh hope for the future of your family and loved ones. If it has, please feel free to share it with someone who may be encouraged by it. I’d also love to hear from you. Please feel free to comment below, and if you’d like to subscribe, you’re most welcome to do so.
Blessings to you and your family. 💛
References:
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Why Jesus 4 Generations?
If you’d prefer to listen to this post you can click on the link below and listen for free on Podbean. Alternatively, you can listen to The Jesus 4 Generations Podcast on your favorite streaming platform.
https://ozsazzles.podbean.com/e/legacy-of-light-unveiling-jesus-4-generations
As a 56 year old woman who had walked away from church for almost 2 decades and then returned, I felt like I had missed the boat and lost my chance to do anything worthwhile for God. I especially felt I had let down my family. When our children were very young we had taken them to church and prayed with them. When we turned away from church I prayed in private.
When a crisis occurred in our family, my husband and I returned to praying together. God put people in our path to light the way back to Him, and I am eternally grateful to them. During COVID in 2020 we returned to church online and eventually we went in person.
I was painfully aware of the lost years. I felt a failure and that we had missed our chance of raising our children as Christians. When talking with other older Christians I became aware that some of them were living with regrets and felt that their hopes had not been fulfilled.
This is where Jesus 4 Generations was born. If you are a mature person and want Jesus in your life. If you are an older Christian, concerned you haven’t heard or followed your calling. If you’ve had time away from God and have returned or aren’t sure what to do. If you are concerned about your friends, family and colleagues salvation. If you think there isn’t enough time left and you’ve “missed the boat.” I want to give you hope. There is no age limit on salvation and running the good race. Right NOW is always the best time to start.
Firstly, I am not a theologian or religious scholar. I am a daughter, sister, wife, mother of 3, Nanny of 7, nurse and most importantly, devoted lover of Jesus.
I hope to write fortnightly posts, showing some ways other people and myself have used to impart Jesus’ message of peace, hope, love, joy and salvation to all. I welcome your questions and testimonies. I hope you find it helpful and inspiring.
Prayer
Heavenly Father,
Thank You that it is never too late to return to You.
Heal any regret, shame, or fear that tells us we have missed our moment.
Renew our hope, strengthen our faith, and help us run the race You have set before us with joy and purpose.
Teach us to trust that right now is always the best time to begin with You.
Amen.
Activation
This week, take one small step:
- Ask God where He is inviting you to begin again.
- Pray for one person in your family or circle who needs hope.
- Share one story of God’s faithfulness, past or present, with someone you trust.
Small steps, taken in faith, can have generational impact.
If this message encouraged you, please share it with someone who might be blessed by it. I’d love you to join me on this journey, you can subscribe and comment below.
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Jesus 4 Generations
Revealing our loving God to generations
Jesus 4 Generations 