Wednesday, February 22, 2012

God's Love - Thoughts about God

God Demonstrates His Love - part 2
By Katherine J. Kehler

This is a continuation of my thoughts on ways that God demonstrates His love for us.

He delights in our company. Although there are people who don’t enjoy being with us, we know that God actually enjoys our company.

“Therefore the Lord longs to be gracious to you, And therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you.” Isaiah 30:18

He is our gentle and humble friend. Matthew 11:29 says,

“Come to me . . . for I am gentle and humble . . .”

Imagine, the King of Kings asks us to come to Him – He loves us and He tells us that He is humble and gentle.

He died for all our sins—past present and future. John 3:16,

“For God so loves the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in shall not perish but have eternal life.”

Because of His death on the cross for our sins and because of His resurrection, we can walk in the power of His Holy Spirit while on earth and spend in the future -- live eternally with Him.

Jesus is bigger than all my problems. We don’t need to worry. He tells us not to worry, but tell Him about our problems. There is not a thing that confronts us me that He can’t fix or give us the strength to go through them. In fact, He is able to do more than you and I could ever imagine.

“With God's power working in us, God can do much, much more than anything we can ask or imagine.” Ephesians 3:20.

He is our shepherd. He knows us and directs us to places that are best for me.

“I say this because I know what I am planning for you," says the Lord. "I have good plans for you, not plans to hurt you. I will give you hope and a good future.” Jeremiah 29:11.

He also keeps us from going places which would be harmful.

He listens to us. Not only is God always with us, He listens to us.

“The Lord sees the good people and listens to their prayers” (1 Peter 3:12).

How helpless we would feel if we didn’t have access to Him. Our hearts agree with Simon Peter when he said,

“Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life.” John 6:68.

Many times a day we go to Him for direction, wisdom, answers, peace and comfort. And He always listens.

Father, thank you for opening our eyes and ears so we recognize Your amazing loving care for us. Amen

http://www.thoughts-about-god.com/meditating/kk_godslove2.html

God's Love - Thoughts about God

God's Love devotional - Thoughts about God

I am continually amazed and grateful for the many ways God demonstrates His love to us. During my devotional time, I began to make a list of them and want to share them with you. I pray that you’ll be blessed as you are reminded of His great love.

He never changes.

"I the Lord do not change” Malachi 3:6.

His love is always sure. Seasons change, people change, the world is changing, but God never changes. We can rely on Him

He is faithful. God is not moody or fickle. We are. People will love you for a while and then they don’t. But God is not like that. He sticks with you.

Whenever He asks us to obey Him, He also provides everything we need. 1Thess. 5:24

“You can trust the One who calls you to do that for you.”

He is our protector. He is our shield. Our “always there” protector.

“So our hope is in the Lord. He is our help, our shield to protect us.” Psalm 33:20

It is so comforting to know that everything that comes our way has to go through “the shield about us” before it touches us.

He is always thinking about us.

“How precious it is, Lord, to realize that you are thinking about me constantly! I can’t even count how many thoughts turn towards me.” Psalm 139: 17.

This is one of the neatest things. When you think about it--there are over 6 billion people in the world and He still thinks of you and me constantly. He is able to give us His undivided attention.

He is always with you. For He Himself has said,

“I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5.

He is never to busy for us. He never goes away, or takes breaks or a vacation.

When we are in trouble and think we are going under, we can be encouraged because,

“Underneath are His ever lasting arms.” Deut. 33:27

Lord, we are so grateful for the many ways you show your love to us. Thank you, thank you, for loving and caring for us so much. Help us to love You more. Amen

http://www.thoughts-about-god.com/meditating/kk_godslove1.html

God's Love devotional - Thoughts about God

The Christian Life Program

What is the Christian Life Program (CLP)?

The CLP is an integrated course intended to lead the program participants into a renewed understanding of God's call to them as Christian couples. It runs for a total of 13 separate sessions, usually held once a week. Most sessions consist of three basic ingredients: a teaching, a group discussion, and a time for fellowship. Each session would normally last for about 2 1/2 hours.

What are the goals of the CLP?

The CLP has two basic purposes: evangelism and spiritual renewal. To evangelize is to take the basic message of Christianity and to proclaim it anew so that those who hear it can make a renewed commitment to the Lord in a way which will allow them to receive a fuller experience of the work of the Holy Spirit in their lives.

Spiritual renewal works in three ways:

1. For the individual, it brings a person into a stronger relationship with God by discovering and living more fully the power and gifts he or she received through the Holy Spirit.

2. For the family, it brings married couples to a renewed commitment to Christian family Life and it starts to build up a community of committed Christian families.

3. For the Church, it brings people within a particular parish to a fuller experience of life in the Spirit. Consequently it strengthens and revitalizes community life in the parish.

What is the content of the CLP?

The CLP runs for a total of 13 consecutive sessions usually held weekly, divided into an orientation session and then 3 modules of 4 sessions each.

The topics of the 12 sessions are:

Module No. 1: THE BASIC TRUTHS ABOUT CHRISTIANITY

1. God's Love

2. Who is Jesus Christ?

3. What it means to be a Christian.

4. Repentance and Faith.

Module No. 2: THE AUTHENTIC CHRISTIAN LIFE

5. The Christian Ideal: Loving God

6. Loving Your Neighbor

7. The Christian Family

8. Life in the Holy Spirit

Module No. 3: LIVING A SPIRIT-FILLED CHRISTIAN LIFE

9. Receiving the Power of the Holy Spirit

10. Growing in the Spirit

11. The Life and Mission of the Couples of Christ

12. Transformation in Christ

http://couplesforchristglobal.org/cfc/the-christian-life-program

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Thursday, February 2, 2012

What is Couples for Christ?

WHAT IS COUPLES FOR CHRIST?

Couples for Christ (CFC) is a movement intended for the renewal and strengthening of Christian family life. The members have committed themselves to the Lord and to one another so that they may grow in maturity as men and women of God and fulfill their primary vocation of raising up families under the lordship of Jesus Christ and for the service of the Kingdom of God.

Couples for Christ is a work of Christ which raises up Christian couples and establishes Christian families committed to the work of evangelization, winning the world for Christ and Total Human Liberation through the power of the Holy Spirit.

It grows mainly through the establishment of localized units in different parishes.

WHERE AND HOW DID CFC BEGIN?

CFC began in 1981 in Manila when a local Christian community tried a new approach in evangelizing married couples. The method used consisted of bringing together a small group of prospective couples in a private home. There they were brought to a living relationship with Jesus Christ and to renewal in the power of the Holy Spirit through a series of weekly informal discussions of the gospel in a social environment.

Soon, CFC became a Christian family life renewal program made available to parishes and groups of married couples who wished to live out their Christian life in an active supportive relationship with one another.

Through the years, CFC has blossomed into a worldwide ministry, becoming a major force for the renewal of the Christian family life and also of the church.

WHY SUCH MINISTRY?

It is God’s plan that the family be the basic unit of society. However, there are many forces in the world today that would, wittingly or unwittingly, destroy the very foundations of the family. CFC wants to rise in defense of the family, which is God’s work. CFC wants to bring God’s strength and light to those who are struggling to be truly Christian families in the modern world.

Through the years, CFC has blossomed into a worldwide ministry, becoming a major force for the renewal of Christian family life and also of the church.

HOW DOES CFC INTEND TO WORK FOR CHRISTIAN FAMILY RENEWAL?

1. Individual renewal. Before one can consider the whole family, the husband and the wife first need to renew their commitment to God. CFC takes the basic message of Christianity and proclaims it anew so that those who hear it can make a renewed commitment to God in a way that will allow them to receive a fuller experience of the work of the Holy Spirit in their lives.

2. Family renewal. As couples renew their commitment to God, they also renew their commitment to one another and to their Christian family life. Gradually, the new life that they find in the Lord filters down to all their family relationships.

3. Church renewal. As individual families are renewed, they form a network of equally committed families that not only support one another but also strengthen the Church of which they are members.

WHO CAN BECOME MEMBERS OF CFC?

Any validly married Catholic couple can become members of CFC. Although a Catholic movement/organization, CFC remains open to having non-Catholic Christians as members. CFC draws its membership from all sectors of society, young and old, rich and poor, etc. CFC transcends all cultural, economic, educational, social and other distinctions.

HOW DOES A COUPLE BECOME A MEMBER OF CFC?

Those who want to join CFC go through a seminar that is called the Christian Life Program (CLP).

http://couplesforchristglobal.org/cfc/what-is-couples-for-christ