All tagged family

Simple Family Conversations with Mom and God

Richard Forbes
Christian , Daily Devotional , Family Faith

I have traveled far, and returned to my parent’s home. My father died many years ago, but now my mother lies struggling in the final days of her life. Last night I slept in her quiet house as she lay fitful in a hospital room across town while my sisters tended to her. I went into her kitchen, prepared a cup of coffee, and sat down in my familiar chair where I had spoken so many times with her about life and faith, but as I turned to set my cup down there was a tiny little book sitting in the saucer. It was simply constructed; a white cover with a big smiley face, the word SMILE printed boldly above it, and the words “Jesus Loves You” below. It was a simple book containing four verses of scripture that would lead a person to Christ. It begins with a series of questions concerning one’s life and then a statement regarding our sinful nature. Understanding who we are is not hard, nor is it a mystery…

Family Stories of Faith and Blessing

Richard Forbes
Christian , Daily Devotional , Family witness

When it comes to spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, and the Word of God, we do a fairly good job as believers, but do we spend enough time with our children and grandchildren telling them about the glorious, wonderful, and occasionally miraculous ways that God has dealt with our families? Do we tell them about the amazing ways that Jesus has transformed us personally, or saved the souls of our relatives, and ancestors? We don’t serve, and believe in a distant God, but a very personal God who is with us, and engaged in our lives every day. Have we witnessed great moments of faith in our lives, or families… if so then we must share them with our children so that they can see how God, and Jesus just don’t just love and help others… they love and help our family too.

Thanksgiving Together… Today

Richard Forbes
Christian , Daily Devotional , Remembrances, Joint Prayer , Thanksgiving

As Christians we begin each day by thanking the Lord for His many blessings, but in the United States we celebrate a certain day in which entire families gather together and thank Him as one. We call this Thanksgiving Day, and although the secular join in by having a festive feast together, it began long ago as a holiday of Christian prayer; a time for worship, and thanksgiving, offered up as we thanked Him for His provision, protection, and the abundance of our lives… praying all this in the name of Jesus.

Spiritual Family traits, and being One in Faith.

Richard Forbes
Christian , Daily Devotional , Family of Believers

It should hurt the heart of every Christian to see how divided we are in our faith, and in our world today, and in this regard there is no one who is innocent; not even the Church, that has so successfully divided itself. What will we answer in judgement when we are asked why we have lived our lives divided in this manner? Will we begin by telling God how someone did some certain thing to us, or we didn’t love another because they didn’t like us first? Maybe we will say that the church down the street doesn’t really love Him, nor Jesus, and give a trivial example related to what robes they wear while worshipping, or how they take communion too often, or not enough. I can hear God’s heartbreak as He says “REALLY?”

Sinners Ride Home on the backs of Prayers

Richard Forbes
Daily Devotional , intercession

How strong, and fervently, do we intercede for others? Do we save our most sincere prayers for ourselves, and our family, while praying lesser blessings, or asking for things not quite as grand, when it comes to those around us? What about praying for our enemies; can we bring ourselves to pray God’s blessings upon them at all? Can we pray for others as sincerely as Paul prayed for the church at Ephesus?