But  let him who glories glory in this,  that he understands and knows Me.

Jeremiah 9:24

Marci was sexually abused by her stepfather, a deacon in a local church, from the time she was two until he was killed in an automobile accident when she was eight. Marci told her mother about the abuse, and her mother replied,”That’s no big deal! It happens to lots of girls.” A couple of years later, Marci’s mother married another “religious” man, but this one was physically rather than sexually abusive.

Marci came to me when she was thirty. She was married to an abusive atheist. I worked with her for over three years, trying to be a loving listener. Marci knew I was a Christian, but because  of her circumstances I tried to exhibit  Christian character in my therapy work without saying a lot about my faith. As we neared the end of therapy, Marci said,”Well, is that all there is?” I felt we had gotten to a place  she was ready for the “good news”. So I shared the gospel with her and worked to help her begin a relationship with God to fill the vacuum her “fathers” had left. Like many people Marci had to learn to see her heavenly Father without the “dark glasses” of her experience  with earthly father figures. Eventually, however, she came to see Him as He is-loving, kind, forgiving, and compassionate.

Thought:  Today I will try to see my heavenly Father as He really is , not through the glasses of my earthly experience.

God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you..may have an abundance for every good work.

-2 Corinthians 9:8

Corrie ten Boom, a Dutch woman who was imprisoned by the Nazis for hiding Jews in her home during World War II, once told of a valuable lesson her father taught her as a girl. Corrie was worried about being able to face all the trials and suffering that might come her way as a Christian. Her wise father reminded her of her frequent train trips to a nearby town. He said, “Corrie, when do I give you the money for your train ride?” She answered, “Just before I go.” He said, “That’s right, and that’s when God will give you the grace for any problem-just when you need it.”

God hasn’t promised us a life without trials, but He has promised us grace for the journey. God gave Corrie ten Boom the grace to endure a flea-infected Nazi concentration camp. He even used the fleas as a defense to keep the guards out so the women could have their Bible studies.

Think about the areas in your life where you are suffering and in need of help. Mentally dump them all into a cardboard packing box. Then picture Jesus as standing by your side, ready to lift one end of the box and carry it with you. Then relax in the assurance that His grace will always be there-ready when you need it.

Thought:  God’s grace can be mine-if I will accept it.

Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are pure, whatever  things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy-meditate on these things.

Philippians 4:8

The Christian life involves proper thinking. Compare your mind to a video recorder. If your “recorder” is continually tuned to a channel that broadcasts sleazy “soaps,” brutal “action,” exploitive “comedy,” and sensationalist “news,” these broadcasts will, in time, affect the way you live.

Our  verse encourages us to think on things that are true, noble, just, pure, lovely, and of good report-that have virtue and are praiseworthy. True is the opposite of dishonest and  unreliable. Noble means dignified and worthy of respect. Just involves conforming to God’s standards, not the standards of the world. Pure is wholesome, unmixed with moral corruption. Good report talks about that which promotes peace rather than conflict.Virtue and praiseworthy refer to those things which are positive and constructive, as opposed to negative and destructive.

Think about it! How different our lives could be today if we switched our channel of thinking from worldly thinking to Godly thinking.

Thought:  Staying tuned to God’s channel keeps my life on the right frequency.