Tag: hate

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We Live in a World Full of Hate,Tragedy, and Hopelessness

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There are new things to look at on the site.

  1. The is a new trailer of the book, “Signs of Hope: Ways to Survive in an Unfriendly World.” It is on the right side under the Amazon icon. Click on it to see what the book is all about.
  2. There is a new page forming called, “All About Writing.” That page will talk about publishing; have guest authors share, and discuss writing trends. It is in a baby stage, so bear with me as I slowly develop it to my and your liking.
  3. I have posted two 5 star reviews of my book, “Signs of Hope: Ways to Survive in an Unfriendly World,” on the “All About Writing” page. I will be add others as the days go by. Click on the All About Writing tab to also see all my other places you can connect with me.
  4. There is a new page called, “Publishing News.” This page will bring you news from around the world on trends, latest news on publishing, and any other things that may be interesting. Check it every time you come here. There is a new post there today that is very interesting. Just click on the “publishing,” tab above, to read the latest news on publishing.

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Another shocking announcement! ( That got your attention!) “Signs of Hope: Ways to Survive in an Unfriendly World, ” is now out in eBook form. I You can acquire it at all the eBook outlets. It is only $4.99. Help it climb the www.amazon.com best selling list.

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I have a podcast here that I did with John Kremer, the marketing guru. He invited me to share unusual places to sell books. Take a listen and hit those streets running: goo.gl/WGTF7

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Has it been hard to show love? We live in a world full of hate; full of tragedy, and seems to be going in the wrong direction.

The last few generations have slowly change the way we see things. There are many broken homes. there are children who turn out like their parents, and that isn’t always the right way to go.

Let me share some thoughts from my book, “Signs of Hope: Ways to Survive in an Unfriendly World.”

One of the chapters is called, “Hate is Not a Family Value.” It talks about our obligations as parents to be good examples for our children so that they may grow up and pass it on to their own children.

I used this short analogy to get my point across.

“If you smoke your children will probably smoke too, because it is ‘Monkey see monkey do.’ If you drink too much, your children will probably drink too much, because it is monkey see monkey do. If you take drugs, your children will probably take drugs, because it is monkey see monkey do.”

That chapter did cause much conversation.  

I pleaded with the adults of this world to stop right now, and change their lives into a role of leadership for their children. If they show good leadership, their children will show good leadership, because it is monkey see, and monkey do.

Is it that simple? Is that all we need to do to change the world? Well, it certainly couldn’t hurt. It surely would change many lives, if everyone did the same thing in their own lives.

Remember:

You are not alone.

You are not forsaken.

You are not unloved.

And above all… Never, ever, give up!

 

 

 

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Hate is Not a Family Value

I want to thank those who have been signing up for the RSS feed. It helps us climb up the Google Search Rankings. Help us keep climbing by signing up today if you haven’t already. Just click on the icon right after the title to do that.

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Our bookstore has a timely book on a special sale right now. It is called, “Signs of Hope: Ways to Survive in an Unfriendly World.” This book reaches out to those who may be suffering from anxiety, fear, depression, addictions, self-doubt, hopelessness, and the many other usual suspects.

In the world we live in today, there are many who are facing one or more of those afflctions mentioned above. Click on the “Booksote,” tab at the the top of this page to check it out.

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I have another excerpt from the book, “Signs of Hope: Ways to Survive in an Unfriendly World.”

This excerpt talks about how hate is not a family value. People spread hate, and don’t seem to care how it affects others.

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Chapter 42

 

Hate Is Not a Family Value

 

You have heard that it was said, “Love your neighbors and hate your enemy.” But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.

Matthew 5:43–44

 

I have had students say things to other children that I couldn’t help but think came from their own homes. Surely these 8–11-year-old children couldn’t have learned so much hate anywhere else. They learned about discrimination and bigotry right in their own homes—perhaps because the parents also grew up with hate and prejudice.

Hate should not be a family value, but it feeds on generations of hate. And it will not stop being handed down as long as each family member continues to let hate breed within them. Someone needs to break the chain so that it stops in this generation.

If you are one who fuels hate, prejudice or discrimination, it has to stop with you! We must realize that it can stop when each of us decides to do something about it and banish it from our thinking. We accomplish nothing by showing hate or even simply looking down on other people as “beneath” us. We are all people of worth, and we need to respect that in everyone.

Proverbs 22:6 reminds us of this important thought: “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not turn from it.”

As parents and grandparents, change can start with us. We have the responsibility to teach our children to love and respect others. Imagine what a change there would in the world if everyone started to respect and love each other.

God didn’t create anything that wasn’t good. Each and every person (and thing) on earth was created by God. He does not make mistakes. He has a purpose for everything and everyone He created. Each of us has the same value to Him. Therefore, we should consider everyone around us as one of His creations and love them as we would love ourselves.

Hate never works any good in the end. We may try to hate, and shun someone, but we are the losers when we do. We wallow in our own mire and muck trying to hate our neighbors, but the only misery it causes is our own.

It really is so much easier to love someone than to work so hard at hating him or her. The stress level is much higher when you hate someone, and you never feel like you’ve won the game. Loving someone reaps many rewards—peace, for instance. Hating someone only destroys the crop—and eats away at you.

Avoid the rush. Be one of the first in your world to reach out and love those with whom who you’ve had conflict. They will be surprised, and may not react right away. But in the end they will respect you. They will have the burden on their shoulders to either accept your peace offering, or they will be the ones who get to wallow in the muck and mire.

Who would you rather it be—them or you?

 

But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.

Luke 6:27–28

 

Further Adventures

Think about what your parents taught you. Are they values you want to pass on to your children? Are they values you live by today? Do they teach tolerance and love? If not, do some soul-searching. For the sake of your children, take time to evaluate your thinking. If it isn’t quite what you think you want your children to know, do something about it. Get into the Word and see what God says about loving your neighbor—and yes, even loving your enemy.

 

Something to Ponder

Isn’t it funny that when you smile you have more face value?

 

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Satan Starts Working Overtime When you Become a Christian

 

Every Temptation Is an Opportunity to Trust God

 

No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.

1 Corinthians 10:13

 

When someone becomes a Christian, Satan starts working overtime to try to pull that person away from God. He hates it that one more person has accepted the love of God into their lives. He will do whatever he can to turn the new Christian around, and head him or her back into sin.

We have so much fun each day just trying to make it through the day fighting off temptations. I mean this as a challenge and not as a joke. We face temptations constantly to do what God would not want us to do. He allows a different close encounter to approach us in the form of many temptations going through our mind every day. It could be something small like telling an off-color joke to others in an effort to fit in, or something more serious like deciding to take home a business camera that no one will miss.

Being tempted is part of being human. God does not protect us from temptation. He allows it into our lives so we can learn to depend on Him. The verse above promises that He “will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.” It is our chance to build on solid ground for our eternal blessings. We are never free of temptations. It doesn’t matter how long we have been a Christian—Satan will tempt us. When we fall for the temptation, it’s because we have turned our back on the “way out” God has promised.

Jesus was tempted by Satan for forty days. He was offered a great deal of power in the world. He was given a chance to be king over all the kings. He was offered all the land He could see in all directions from the high place He was standing. He was tempted in every way you could think possible. This man called Jesus, who is the embodiment of how we should live on this earth, turned His back on all of the temptations! The way of escape for Him was falling back on the promises of God from Scripture.

We have the same power to not be caught by temptation by calling to mind God’s promises to us.

            We face temptations every day. (I am a sucker for Snickers candy bars, every time I see one in the store.) We need to concentrate on doing what is right each time we face a temptation. There is a very simple way to approach each and every temptation we face. Just ask, “What would Jesus do in this situation?” I mean, we can really ask that question each and every time we are tempted.

Example: Guys, a female friend asks you to help her put up a fence. About halfway through, she invites you into the house for something to drink. When you get inside, you see by what she’s wearing that she has other intentions. She comes close to you, and says that it would be OK to have a little fun. “No one will know,” she promises. What would Jesus do?

There is one thing you should do right away. You should run out of there like Joseph ran from the wife of Potiphar. You should run like you are being chased by a rabid dog looking for someone to bite.

Potiphar’s wife had tried for several days to get Joseph to sleep with her, and he refused. Then when he was close, and no one was around, she grabbed his cloak and ordered him to sleep with her. He broke loose and ran out of the house. He resisted temptation even though Potiphar’s wife tried so hard to seduce him.

Why did he run? Why should you run? It didn’t turn out well for Joseph. Potiphar’s wife became angry because he wouldn’t sleep with her. She accused Joseph of trying to seduce her. Even though he hadn’t touched her, Potiphar put him in prison for several years. Not a good situation for a young man that did everything he could to please God.

But there is a happy ending to the story of Joseph. In Genesis 39–50 we see how God brought Joseph through temptation and made him instrumental in His plan for the nation of Israel, giving him a place of prominence Joseph never could have dreamed would be his. It is one of the most wonderful stories in the Bible and I often wonder if the story would have ended as it did had Joseph not taken the “way out” God provided. Probably not.

Sometimes the “way out” may be simply walking away from temptation. Other times we may have to run as fast as we can.

As a child, I used to go to a movie in the downtown area of Salem, Oregon. It was within walking distance of my home. It was all right going to the movie, because it was still light. But on the way home it was very dark, and bushes lined the sidewalk where I had to walk. I knew there was a monster in those bushes and he was ready to grab me! I think I set some kind of record as I ran by those bushes. I was not about to be caught be some evil demon. I stayed in the middle of the street so a monster couldn’t grab me from either side.

All of us have monsters—real or imagined—in the bushes. Temptations are the real ones that we all face at some time in life. What is important is that each and every time we are faced with some kind of temptation, we ask, “What would Jesus do? What is the ‘way out’ He is providing me?”

 

[God’s grace] teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives.

Titus 2:12

 

Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

Hebrews 2:18

 

Further adventures

Think before you leap! Always be on alert. Think of life as a war between God and Satan. You are on the good guy’s side. You need to be careful of the attacks from the guy on the other side. He will do whatever he can to destroy you. He will try to convince you that what you are doing is OK just this one time. No one will know. Stop! That is not the good guy talking. That is the enemy! Trust God, and God only. Everything else is the enemy.

 

Something to ponder

Isn’t it funny how some of us never hear the music before the song is over?

 *Excerpt from: Signs of Hope: Ways to Survive in an Unfriendly World