Home Remedies

I've decided to give out a few home remedies this week. With the flu season approaching, some of you may appreciate this one. Pound a piece of ginger root, pour a cup of boiling water over it, and let stand until cool. You may then sweeten with honey for the cold, or gargle for a sore throat. For insomnia, a pinch of nutmeg in a cup of warm milk taken half hour before bedtime has been found to be helpful. And how about this one for high blood pressure. Add 5-8 drops of apple cider vinegar to a cup of hot water, sweeten with honey and drink early in the morning. It's supposed to reduce cholesterol as well. I remember my mother doing this one with very good results. Boil 5-6 leaves of olive in a cup of water and drink three times a day.

I have only tried the first one and it worked very well for me. Hope it does for you too. However, some people are skeptical of home remedies. If they don't have to go any further than their pantry to get it, they won't put much faith in it. That's pretty much the way Naaman must have felt when the prophet Elisha told him to go and dip in the river Jordan seven times in order to be cured of his leprosy. Naaman felt that the waters of his homeland were far superior to those of Israel, and therefore he refused to do it. But one of his servants came to him and said, "My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it?" 11 Kings 5:13.

And therein lay the problem. In Naaman's mind, the prophet's simple home remedy could never work. Centuries later, our Lord Jesus Christ used a simple home remedy to open a blind man's eyes. Today there are many who doubt that believing in Him would give them eternal life. Why so simple? Why not pay huge sums of money to have your body frozen so you can later be brought back to life? Or, perform some mighty works in order to get into heaven. No. The Bible says God has chosen the simple things of this world to confound the wise. "For God so loved the world, that He gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16.

That's all it takes. You don't even have to go to Israel and dip in the Jordan river seven times. Just stay right where you are and give your heart to Jesus, and watch Him do the rest. The home remedies given above are not medical advice by any means, and may not work for everyone. You may still have to go to the doctor to check on your blood pressure, cholesterol or whatever, but you can trust the spiritual advice. "...Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house." Acts 16:31.

Crossing the Red Sea

I was watching a documentary this week about the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt. The narrator said that the Israelites walked on dry land through the Red Sea, but no one has since been able to locate the exact spot where this phenomeon took place, or give any explanation for how it could have happened. We can only conclude that the hand of God wrought this miracle through Moses.

This set me thinking about my own life and the times God helped me out of some difficulty. When I looked back, I realized that I couldn't always pinpoint when or where it happened. All I know is that it did, by the grace of God.

So it is with salvation. Some people are able to give the exact date and time when they came to believe in Jesus Christ. With others, like myself, it's a process. I woke up one morning and realized that I was not the same person I used to be. Things that used to interest me no longer do. "All things have been made new." I had crossed the Red Sea and left Pharoah and his armies behind.

If you are in a difficult situation today, or struggling to find your place in Jesus Christ, take heart. Wait on Him. He will part that Red Sea and He'll bring you over to the other side.

Let Us Pray

One of the things I like about traveling is that it affords me the opportunity to read. Nothing like a good book to help you forget you are thirty-something thousand feet in the air with nothing holding you up. After reading the back cover, I chose This Present Darkness by Frank Peretti as my traveling companion, thinking if it did not accomplish the aforementioned goal, it would at least put me to sleep. By the time I’d read the first page, I was very much awake, and knew I was in for quite a ride.

The story tells about a small town which was being overtaken by the powers of darkness, and goes on to show how demons and angels battle it out to gain control. Now the Bible tells us that we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, powers and the rulers of darkness (Ephesians 6:12). However, what is amazing is the role that the prayers of the believer play in determining who wins the battle, something Peretti shows in startling detail.

He also shows why it sometimes appears that God is silent, or that our prayers are not being answered. The solution? Keep on praying, keep on believing, keep on serving. God’s angels are standing by, waiting on the right time to do God’s bidding. The protagonist of the story, a young praying pastor, with the help of other praying souls, was able to defeat the powers of darkness and restore peace to the town.

Whether you are a believer or unbeliever, this book will help you pass the time on a rainy afternoon, or while you’re airborne on your way to some exciting destination. But it will do more than that. It will fascinate, educate or even scare you, but most of all it will increase your faith in the omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent God. Shall we pray?

Our Father and our God, we thank you for the weapon of prayer and the Name of Jesus with which we can defeat the enemy. Help us, Lord, to not become complacent and take this weapon for granted, but instead to use it without ceasing on behalf of ourselves and others, for we ask it in Jesus’ name. Amen

The Exchange Factor

Some of you may remember the movie Sleeping with the Enemy which was made popular some years ago. I recall feeling traumatized by the fact that this woman was living with a husband who planned to murder her. But as in most movies, his plan did not succeed.

I thought of this movie as I read the story, for the umpteenth time, about the betrayal of Jesus by Judas Iscariot. How could Our Lord, who sees and knows all things, eat, sleep, talk and walk with Judas day after day, knowing his intentions? Jesus knew He came to this earth to die, no question about that. He knew he would be hanged on a Roman cross like a common criminal because that was His Father’s plan of redemption. And Jesus bore His cross willingly. But to be betrayed by a close friend in that manner seemed to be adding salt to the wounds.

And yet, many of us humans also bear our cross every day. In fact, Jesus said in Matthew 10:38, “And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.” And again in Matthew 16:24 He says: “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.”

I believe that as long as we are following Jesus, we will have a cross to bear. It may be a marriage, a child, a job, our finances, our health. The list can go on and on. The Christian life is not an easy one, but while we are bearing that cross, if we would keep our eyes on Jesus, He will one day take it from us, just as His Father took His. And God didn’t just relieve Jesus of the cross, He gave Him a crown. He crowned Him King of Kings and Lord of Lords. We too will eventually exchange our cross for a crown if we keep on following Jesus.

Make God Happy

When we read the four gospels we can't help being struck by the amount of work Our Lord did during the three short years of His ministry. He Himself said in Matthew 20: 26-28: "Whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; and whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many." Our Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, left the splendor of his home in heaven and came down to earth to serve sinful man.

With that thought blowing through my mind, I began praying that God would show me opportunities for service. Last week He answered my prayer in an astounding way. I mentioned to a friend that I needed help getting into my attic to clean my air condition filter. Helpful person that she is, she said she would come and do it for me. Before she went into the attic, we sat down and chatted about our love for God and what He was doing in our lives. Then she said, "I want to serve Him. I want Him to know how much I love Him." My interest grew because I'd been thinking the same thing. She continued, "I want to gather a team of women to visit the sick in the nursing homes, especially the ones who have no one to visit them."

I immediately said, "Count me in." We chatted some more, then she went into the attic. It turned out that my filter was perfectly fine, did not need cleaning. I laughed and said to my friend, "You didn't come here to help me with my filter. You came to bring a word from the Lord."

Isn't it amazing the way God answers prayer? Just ask Him to show you where the harvest is, or where the field is that needs to be sowed, and He'll lead you to it. Then when you stand before Him, you'll hear the words, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant."

ASK FOR HELP

The story of Barak and the prophetess Deborah in the book of Judges fills me with some amusement, as well as food for thought. Deborah was judge over Israel at a time when they had been sold into the hands of Jabin, king of Canaan. The commander of Jabin's army was a man named Sisera who cruelly oppressed the Israelites.

Deborah sent for Barak and told him that the Lord had commanded him to take ten thousand men and go up against Sisera, and the Lord will deliver him into Barak's hands. Barak's response? "If you go with me, I will go; but if you don't go with me, I won't go." Now I could just picture Barak telling his buddies, "I'm going to fight Sisera, and Deborah is going with me." Their hoots of laughter would most likely ring out across the Kishon River. Then they would sober up and ask, "You're kidding, right?" But Barak's serious face would show he wasn't kidding.

Why would a man abandon his male ego and risk ridicule from his friends to ask a woman for help? I believe it could be one of two things: Deborah was a woman of power. As a judge, she settled disputes and people looked up to her. As a prophetess, her word could be trusted. But the other reason could be that Barak knew the anointing of the Lord was upon her, and he needed that if he was to succeed. But to ask a woman for help still seemed a bit cowardly. Nevertheless, the story goes on to say that Deborah accompanied Barak, and they defeated Sisera.

I think we could all, men and women, learn something from Barak. When we face tough issues, we should not be too proud to ask for help. And if it means asking someone who we might consider beneath us in station, let's do it. However, sometimes we might not find anyone we can ask. But Jesus is always there. He is the Christ, the anointed One. All power and wisdom reside in Him. We do not have to face our battles alone. We can say like Barak did: "If you go with me, I will go; but if you don't go with me, I won't go." It's the only sensible decision to make.

Forgiven

Some of the things I hear on the news never cease to amaze me. This week a case was brought before the court against a mother who gave false information about where she lived in order to get her kids into schools in another city. The prosecutor asked that the woman be sent to jail for one year because of this. However the woman pointed out that while she and the kids did not live at that address, her family did, and they would be able to provide after school care for her kids when necessary.

My heart filled with compassion for the woman, and I could see no earthly reason for such harsh punishment. Had the prosecutor ever lied in his life? How many criminals are walking about scot free because they and their attorneys lied? What happened to mercy, understanding and forgiveness? Our court system is based on the laws of the Bible, and I think that prosecutors should consider this before bringing certain cases before the court. I thought about Jesus and the compassion He felt for mankind. He forgave sinners and commanded us to forgive.

I'm not saying that everyone who lies should not face the consequences. What I'm saying is that each case should be judged on its own merit. I'm happy to say that the jury found the woman not guilty on all counts and she was set free. After the hearing the D.A. said his office never intended for her to be sent to jail. So why tie up the court's time with matters that could be settled otherwise? Do taxpayers have time or money to waste? Not with gas prices at over $3.00 a gallon. Are we being told the truth about the reason for those hight prices? Hmm.

A Prayer For Mothers

This is a prayer for all mothers, young and old, single or married, divorced, widowed or otherwise. As long as you are a mother, biological or adoptive, this prayer is for you.

Dear Lord, I thank you for gving me the gift of being a mother, the opportunity to love, cherish and nurture the precious human being you have loaned to me. Help me, Lord, to always remember that I'm not in this by myself. You are with me when I go into the delivery room, when I nurse that infant at my breast, when I sing him to sleep, and when I walk the floors at night. You are with me whether I feel pride at some small achievement, or whether I feel exasparated, overwhelmed or confused.

Help me to remember, Lord, that I am not perfect. You are the only perfect parent. In you lies all wisdom, strength and patience. So Father, when I don't know what to do or where to turn, remind me that you are there. That you see that child when I can't see him, because he is also your child, a heritage from You, and You guard your own fiercely.

So Father God, I thank you for this Mother's Day. A day that celebrates the most priceless miracle of all times - the birth of a human being. I do not take this miracle lightly, and everyday I fall on my knees I say thank you to My Heavenly Parent for the honor of sharing the joys- and the sorrows- of parenthood with You. Thank you, Lord.

One for the birds

Every morning I drive through densely wooded areas on my way to work. Nature lover that I am, this affords me the opportunity to enjoy God's creation in all its virgin beauty. Fall, with its varying shades of orange, red and yellow leaves, fills me with awe, and when the leaves begin to fall off, I feel a sense of personal loss. Winter offers little here in Atlanta by way of snow, so I wait eagerly for spring. This year, however it seems that the trees put out their decorations one morning and took them down faster than we do our Christmas decorations. And with the present drought, color is few and far between.

However, the birds are there. Flitting, swooping, zooming in and out, they attract me with their calls and their swift movements. One of my favorites is the red bird. I don't know the scientific name for it, but it's just red all over. It flits by and is gone quicker than my eyes can follow it. A friend told me she also loves the little creature. She said when her sister had to undergo an operation she was so worried, she prayed constantly that the surgery would be successful. She said while she sat on her porch praying, a red bird flitted by. On impulse she prayed, "Lord, if my sister is going to be allright, let me see another red bird." Not long after her prayers were answered. Since she told me this story, every time I see a red bird I ask the Lord to let me see another. And always, without my thinking about it, I would see another one before I get to work.

What does it mean? Maybe nothing. Or maybe God is just assuring me that He is there. Just as my friend prayed for that sign and God answered, I believe God is telling me, "I am here whenever you need Me. You may not see Me all the time, but I am here." In Isaiah 65:24 he says, "Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear."

Fess up.

This week a family in Atlanta scored a victory when two policemem involved in the shooting death of a ninety two year old woman pleaded guilty to planting evidence in the woman's house, lying and other things in an attempt to cover up the fact that they had botched a drug bust. I celebrate with the family, although the officers' confession and subsequent jail sentence will not bring the lady back. However it does give a sense of satisfaction to the family and to the community.

This reminds me of a passage I read in the Bible a few days ago in Luke 12:2-3. "There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs"(NIV).

Did those officers really expect to get away with what they had done? Maybe. Others have in the past. But God is watching them and He is watching us. We may not commit a dastardly act like these policemen did, but God still sees, and He expects us to fess up before He "proclaims it from the roofs".

So let's ask ourselves, what are we hiding? What have we done that we would not tell our best friend about? Cheating, lying or even murder? No problem. We have another Best Friend we can confide in, and He won't tell anyone. His name is Jesus. He will forgive us and keep on loving us, just as He loves those policemen. And if we ask Him, He will give us the grace to abstain from whatever it is. God bless.

Sound off!

I usually don't sound off on things that are happening in the country, but after the tragedy at Virginia Tech last week, I feel I should say something. Contrary to what the President of the college said, I don't think every thing was done to prevent the massacre. I believe that after the first two people were murdered, shock must have rendered the authorities impotent to handle the situation, because in my opinion more could have been done to offset the massacre that followed.

For the college to remain open after the first two murders is to treat the situation like if someone had just stolen cookies from the cookie jar. Did authorities think the atmosphere following the shooting would be conducive to learning, or teaching? Did they expect to have business as usual after two people had been murdered on the campus? Did they hope to find the gunman on a campus of over twenty thousand students?

However, leveling blame would not bring back that teacher who used his body to protect his students, or those students who left home that morning with hopes of a bright future. My heart goes out to the bereaved families and friends and to the Chos who are hurting in a way we may never understand. But as some have said, let us hope that this incident would spark a lot of dialog as to how to prevent a similar recurrence from happening anywhere in the country.

Be a gold-digger

I recently discovered that the pages of my journal in which I've been writing for years now, are gilt-edged. So, you say, what is so special about that? Nothing, really, except that I discovered it after the pages have turned cream and are not so crisp any more. And as I stared at the gilt edges glinting in the light of the morning sun filtering through my bedroom window, I thought, how many people, situations in my life that seem ordinary are really extraordinary?

Have we searched for the gold in that husband, wife, child, brother, sister or friend with whom we interact day in and day out? The one who appears to have no special gift or value? Sometimes it's only when that person is removed from our lives that we appreciate the valuable qualities he or she had.

Or that job that seems so mundane, useful only to pay the bills, may have some gold beneath the dreary exterior. Maybe it's the friends we've made there or the skills we've acquired, or the fact that they always remember our birthday.

How about that situation that keeps you up at nights, sometimes causing you to reach for the Pepto Bismol? Even there, in that situation, you may find some gold. For the Bible says, "All things work together for good to them that love the Lord, and are the called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28).

So take a closer look around you, at the people in your life, the situations, the job, your environment, and you may find things beneath the surface that astonish you. You may strike gold, and when you do, treat it as the precious substance that it is,never becoming obsolete, always increasing in value.

God bless.

Good news

This week I received the good news that the book Cup of Comfort for Mothers, in which one of my devotionals is published, is about to hit the bookstores, just in time for Mother's Day. And why is this good news? Because it's the first meaningful publication I've ever had. This book will be widely circulated throughout the US and possibly abroad.

However, I'm also excited because the book will really be a source of comfort for mothers everywhere. Just yesterday I was speaking to a new found friend, and I told her about a program I listened to on my car radio where a woman was lamenting the fact that she'd brought up her child in church, but the child rebelled, and now she is filled with guilt. The host told her she should not blame herself because God, the perfect Father, created Adam and Eve, put them in a perfect environment, and they still rebelled.

As a mother, I also struggled with guilt over my two younger sons who have also rebelled against my Christian teachings. And that's what prompted me to write the devotional for Cup of Comfort. After I spoke to my friend yesterday, she shared with me her own struggle with guilt over her child. When I told my friend about the devotional, and how I'd come to realize that God never gives up on us, she hugged me and said, "Thanks. I needed to hear that."

It's true. God never gives up on us, no matter how much we hurt Him, therefore we should not feel guilty, neither should we give up on our children. I hope this encourages somebody today, and remember to look for Cup of Comfort for Mothers in bookstores next month. God bless you.

Turn Around

As a new resident of Atlanta I find the roads, particularly the expressway, confusing. Every time I head south I get lost. This weekend I was sure I had good directions and would not make the same mistake again. Wishful thinking. I exited at a place where the numbers were lower than the exit I was supposed to take. I kept thinking the miraculous would happen and the numbers would get higher again. More wishful thinking. I passed four exits before I decided to get off and call the hotel where my meeting was being held. Sure enough, I was instructed to turn around and head north.

Has this happened to you? Have you ever felt yourself going in the wrong direction and waited too long before deciding to turn around? Fortunately, I had left home early so I arrived at the hotel exactly on time, but harried and nervous. All of this could have been avoided had I turned around sooner.

So it is with sin. Many times we feel the warning signs telling us to stop and turn around, but we do not heed them. We keep on going until circumstances force us to stop. As we travel along the road of life, let us pay attention to the signs along the way, and as soon as we realize we're going in the wrong direction, let's turn around. If we don't, we may arrive before our Maker, not just harried and nervous, but frightened and condemned.

Hold on

This past week my mind was saddened by the disasters that occurred here in Georgia and neighboring Alabama. In case you didn't watch the news, tornadoes touched down in these two places taking a number of lives, including that of eight children in Alabama. And as if that wasn't enough some baseball players and others injured when their bus hit the overpass and tumbled over to the highway below.

Always one to cry easily, I wept as I watched the news, thinking of the age-old question, Why do bad things happen to good people? Of course there are no answers, but I do want to extend some words of comfort to the families who lost their loved ones and to the people who lost their homes and possessions.

When the storms hit
And life looks bleak
When all we can do is ask "God, why?"
As lives and dreams bid us good-bye.
Hold on.

When we have no more tears to shed,
And sorrow still rears his ugly head
When nothing one can say will bring back
that child, that house, that smile.
Hold on

For the sun will shine again,
Hope and peace will be yours again
Your shoulders will straighten
Your burden will lighten
Dear one, hold on.

We'll Be Together

Celebrities usually draw nation wide attention during their lifetime, but sometimes even more so through their death. And when this passing is an untimely one as happened in the case of a super model recently, the attention is widespread and riveting.

But what prompted this blog more than anything is the action of a Florida judge who had the task of deciding where the lady's remains should be buried. According to the news report, the judge broke down in tears as he read his ruling, viz that the lady should be buried next to her son who also died under tragic circumstances last year. The judge, amidst tears said, "I want them to be together."

Those words have stuck with me ever since. How many of us share that same wish when we think of our own passing? I know my dearest wish would be to have my loved ones with me when I pass on. Not their earthly remains, but their eternal soul, and I want us to be together in a place where worms will not eat at us, a place where we'll live happily ever after.

I can think of no better place but heaven with my Lord Jesus Christ. But in order to get there we, and our loved ones, must first accept Him into our lives and live according to His teachings. Then we can be assured we will be "together" and the judge who will make that ruling will be none other than Jesus Christ Himself. Just think about it.
God bless.

The Alligator Story

This week I came across a little story about a woman, let’s call her Liz, who was in love with a man we’ll call Greg. Liz wanted to go and meet Greg but in order to get to him she had to cross a river teeming with alligators, and to make matters worse the bridge over the river was washed out. So Liz went to Captain Sinbad and asked him to take her across in his boat. Sinbad demanded certain favors which Liz refused. She then approached Harry who turned her down, so she went back to Sinbad and agreed to his terms. Once the deal was closed, Sinbad fulfilled his promise and delivered her into Greg’s arms. However, when Liz told Greg what she had to do in order to get to him, Greg became angry and dumped her. Liz found another guy, Sampson, who beat Greg up for the way he treated Liz, and in the end Liz and Sampson ride off in the sunset together.

Now this did not happen on the Jerry Springer show or one of the popular soaps. However, when we examine the story closely we may judge Liz for her lack of morals or Greg for his unwillingness to forgive, but I think the take of the story is how far would we go to get what we want. This lady was willing to cross a river teeming with alligators in order to get to the man she loved, or thought she loved.

I think for all of us there is a Greg that we may be prepared to go to any lengths to have. Our Greg may be a job, a promotion, a spouse, a car. Whatever it is we have to be careful, especially as women, not to compromise our values, because like Liz we may realize that our Greg is not really worth the trouble. God bless.

Lose The Weight

This month two of my female co-workers have had liposuction to make their bodies look slimmer and more sexy. I admire their courage as well as their new appearance, and while at first I was tempted to criticize, the more I thought about it the idea began to appeal to me. After all, I have some areas, my arms especially, that could benefit from suctioning as well.

Plastic surgery is the fastest growing area in the medical field. Face lifts, tummy tucks and breast implants, initially the domain of the Hollywood crowd, are now being sought after by ordinary housewife or working woman. One of my co-workers said the liposuction took ten pounds off her instantly. No sweat, no hunger pangs, no pain. Just a few thousand dollars and the surgeon’s scalpel. Sounds tempting, very tempting.

But I know of another procedure that can take pounds and pounds of weight off you instantly. It might not flatten your tummy or trim your thighs, but it will give you a sense of peace and unspeakable joy you never dreamed possible. It’s giving your life to Jesus. He can trim the weights of anger, hopelessness, depression, guilt, fear and many others.

All you have to do is believe that Jesus, the Son of God, came to this earth and died that you might live. Then ask Him to come into your heart, and He will. He will fill you so completely there will be no room for any other weight. And as an added bonus He will show you how to lose any extra physical weight you may be carrying around. Try it and see.

Hope in God

In my job as a behavioral health therapist I come across a lot of people suffering from depression who are hopeless and helpless. In fact, one depressed patient once said to me, "I have no dreams; I have no hope." And from his constricted affect I knew he was speaking the truth.

Many times I ask myself what terrible circumstances conspire to render someone so hopeless that they think of taking their own lives, or occupy their thoughts with death wishes.

In my own life I can identify with some of the struggles that many of my patients face, and yet I continue to function normally. My friends, too, have issues that beg for understanding and compassion - the death of a child, loss of a job, an unexpected diagnosis, divorce - and yet they continue to function. Sometimes the circumstances may not be severe, but they gnaw at our peace just the same. And we all experience them. Someone said, "Show me the person who doesn't have problems and I'll show you someone who isn't breathing."

So what separates those of us on the outside of a psychiatric unit from those on the inside? Better mental and emotional health? Inner strength? God? Our genetic make up? All of these can determine whether we succumb to depression or not, but the fact is if we do succumb there is hope in God. We do not have to say like that young man, "I have no hope." The Bible tells us, "Hope thou in God." We need to hope in Him, not in our wealth, position, our physician, or our therapist, but in God.

Father forgive them

I recently became a fan of a secular program, and for me that is a rare thing. It happened because of one contestant who had the nerve to stand up to the insufferable Simon after he insulted her with his remarks about her size. The charming, talented young woman told Simon in no uncertain terms that she forgave him without needing an apology because Jesus had forgiven her! To have the boldness to say that on national TV is a gift that could only have come from God. When I heard it I thought, I have to see who this person is, so I watched the show this week and was very impressed.

In reading about the trailblazers that shaped the future of African Americans, I came across a young lady who also displayed a great lesson of forgiveness. Six-year-old Ruby Bridges was bused to the Franz Elementary School in New Orleans under desegregation laws, and met with a great deal of persecution from the white parents, so much so that President Dwight D. Eisenhower ordered that she be escorted by marshals to school every day.

As a result parents kept their children away from the school as a mark of protest, so little Ruby sat alone in the school while her teacher taught her. But it is recorded that while she was being escorted she prayed, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.” Eventually the whites woke up to the realization that their kids were not being educated and they sent them back to school.

I spoke to a man the other day who said, “I will never forgive my ex-wife for what she did to me. Never!” He admitted that he was only hurting himself, and when I told him that Jesus chose to forgive the Roman soldiers who tortured and killed Him, he became even more angry and stormed away. But whether you’re dealing with a Simon, an errant spouse or a whole bunch of enemies, forgiveness wins every time.