Tag Archives: Hatred

Being a Parent

Posted in Family, My thoughts by

Being parents is a difficult calling.
The first couple Adam and Eve had two sons, Cain and Abel. They were happy cuddly babies, grew up and were nurtured with their mum and dad. They would have told their sons about their former life in the garden of Eden when they walked with God in the cool of the evening.

After being put out of the garden they had to work the land to live.

When Adam and Eve disobeyed God He covered their nakedness with animal skins. Cain worked the earth and Abel worked with the animals. God was pleased with Abel’s sacrifice of a lamb. Cain brought vegetables. Cain became jealous of Abel and killed him. God banished Cain to roam from place to place. Adam and Eve lost their two sons. What sorrow!

Have you often wondered how things haven’t worked out the way you planned for your children? How did a much loved child turn out to get trapped in trouble, addiction and bondage?

Let’s remember Adam and Eve in the garden. Satan came and tempted them, told them lies, deceived them. He said it will be good for you. Satan appealed to their flesh. They believed his lies and sinned. They had free will. God didn’t create them to be robots to obey him all the time. He gave them choices. He showed them his goodness.

As a result of their choice they were put out of the Garden of Eden. Their choice to believe Satan brought trouble on their children. Sin entered their children.
We are born into this world and trouble is sure to come to us.

We are born with sin in our hearts. You don’t have to teach a child to lie or fight. This is sin. Satan has power over mankind. He is still deceiving mankind.

God knows the pain of being a Father. He sent his son Jesus to us as a human being. He lived among us and showed us his father’s goodness. He forgave sinners, healed diseases and delivered people from demons. He did not sin. He was crucified for doing the works of God and came to destroy the works of the devil.

By believing in Jesus and obeying him you can become free from the bondage of sin. Your diseases can be healed. You can be set free from demons. Satan will not rule over you. Your children after you will be blessed. They too can be free from hatred and all sin.

Hatred entered Cain’s heart for his brother. His hatred ended in murder.
Remember what you do as a parent affects your children after you. Adam and Eve’s sin affected their children.

You have a choice? Choose this day whom you serve. As Dylan said in his song, you’ve got to serve somebody. It may be the devil, it may be the Lord but you got to serve somebody. Set yourself free.

Jesus offers forgiveness for your sins. Knowing his forgiveness then we have to extend his forgiveness to others. Don’t seek revenge like Cain. This is the difficult part in following Jesus. But he gives us the power to forgive.

A lone winter rose.

The Word of God

Posted in Family Friday, Healing, Holiday, My thoughts, Restoration by

I was out yesterday gathering items along the sea shore to use in craft making. Just back from a recent holiday, I am invigorated and have plenty of energy. I was inspired by visiting some craft shops when I was away. Small sticks, driftwood, pottery and bits of rope were some of my find. What particularly interested me today was any flat pieces of wood.

A good sized rectangular piece was lying on one of the rocks. When I turned it over the remains of a placard was still attached to it. On it were these words in large bold letters,

“For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ”. The word Jesus is missing. This is a sentence from the Bible in 1 Timothy 2 verse 5.

Placards with a passage from scripture on it, I think are peculiar to Northern Ireland. You may find a notice with a scripture passage on a piece of wood nailed to a tree or hanging on a lamppost along a country road. Someone put it there in the hope of evangelising some unbeliever.

In the Provence where I live some Protestants try to evangelise Catholics with these notices. We had war in Northern Ireland because there was division and misunderstanding between Catholics and Protestants which led to hatred and murder of one another. One can easily take offence when one doesn’t agree with the another. Someone took offence at the placard, and dumped it in the sea!!  As a teenager I remember a street evangelist reached me a tract with a scripture on it.  He did not communicate with me to explain what he was giving me.  I wasn’t interested and threw it away. I was offended just like someone with the same attitude threw this placard in the sea!

Back as a teenager if someone had told me about God’s love for me and demonstrated it to me by being kind, giving, and coming along side me to identify with me and get to know me I may have received their tract. It’s not enough to preach at one. One needs to show love. It never fails.

As I write this on reflection I met my husband in my late teens. He did the very things I have just recounted. He came along side me, was giving and kind. He showed me love. That is why I responded and fell in love.

There were troubles in Northern Ireland because, no matter what religion one had, we didn’t know God’s unconditional love, blessing, care, tenderness, forgiveness, healing, comfort and debts cancelled. Like all humankind without God, our hearts were hard and bitter. We didn’t understand one another. There was little generosity or forbearing one another.

I got to know God more later in my twenties when I met some loving women who introduced me to the Word of God. I began to read the scriptures and believed what they said. I believe in God our creator and in his son Jesus and The Holy Spirit. This same God healed me from Malignant Cancer.

I should be in the grave today. God is alive. He is real. Jesus tomb is the only empty one. He arose from the dead. I can tell you this for sure. He rescued me from the grave to tell others about him. He shed his blood on the cross and became a sacrifice to forgive all people their sins and bring them to heaven.  If you believe in Jesus your heart can be healed and you can be sure of heaven.

When I overturned the piece of wood today I thought to myself, God’s Word will not return void. Isaiah 55 v 11 says

“So is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me void. But will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”

He can use all kinds of ways to speak to people and get their attention. God even used a donkey to speak to Balaam when he wouldn’t listen.  I want to encourage you through my story of God’s love in saving me from death.  Believe in the miracle working God for yourself.  Believe in Jesus and get to know him through reading his word.

The words on the placard, all messy with seaweed is still speaking. I retrieved it. I will publish it. Through the internet I can send this scripture far and wide across the nations.