Do you recognize the angel inside?

• In the book The Angel Inside written by Chris Widener, the author relates the following story: "One day, Michelangelo was working on this marble that would become [the sculpture] David when a young child came by. The young boy asked Michelangelo why he was working so hard hitting the rock. Michelangelo said to him, 'Young boy, there is an angel inside of this rock, and I am setting him free.'"

• God sees the angel inside each one of us

  As a sculptor, Michaelangelo could see the potential found in a simple block of stone in much the same way that God sees our potential. He sees the angel inside each one of us, and He longs to set it free. We may not see it, and others may not see it, but our creator sees it. His perspective of who are and what we can become is both limitless and eternal.

• We are often wrong about what we see in others

  Perspective is the way we look at or view something or someone. Our perspective differs from that of others. In fact, no two of us see things from exactly the same vantage point. We may watch a misbehaving child and make certain assumptions about who she is. And we may be wrong. Just as God does, if we look instead on her heart and love her for who she truly is, we can help her become who she is meant to become.

• We are also often wrong about what we see in ourselves

  There are both adults and children who have been convinced by unfeeling others that they are stupid, worthless, fat or ugly. They may come to accept these portraits of who they are. We hear tragic stories of children who take their own lives after being bullied by their peers on social media. We find ourselves angry over the senseless behavior of vicious bullies and perhaps baffled that precious children of God accept the limited perspective of callous others. Let us look instead to see what God sees.

• God knows where each piece of our puzzle belongs

  Family advocate Rafael Pino tells this story about his children.
  "In our home our children liked to do jigsaw puzzles. One of our children used to focus on the individual pieces, and when one did not fit in the place where he thought it should, he would become angry and assume it was no good and want to throw it away. He finally learned to do the puzzle when he understood that each small piece had its place in the final picture, even when he did not know where it fit at a given moment...The Lord knows where each piece [of our puzzle] belongs so that it fits into [His] plan for us." We won't see the final masterpiece that God is making of our lives until all the messy puzzle pieces finally fall into their proper places.

• Seeing ourselves and others as children of God changes us

  God knows us individually. It is He who sees what we can become. When we understand we are all precious children of God, it changes us for the better. Let us come to see the angel inside both ourselves and others.

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Filed Under: god, heaven Saturday, 25 April 2015 No Comments

6 ways to know that God is speaking to you

• Families today need the ability to know and understand God's voice in their life. Husbands and wives need to recognize God's voice so that they may learn how to build their marriage on a foundation of faith and selfless service. Mothers and Fathers need God's voice to help guide them when raising and teaching their children and to help their children gain righteous values and moral character. Children need to recognize God's voice so that they may be warned of danger when it arises and to help keep them from temptation when they are put in difficult situations.
  In a world where fast-paced and high-tech living is the everyday norm, it can sometimes be difficult to hear the still small whisperings of the Spirit, which is one of God’s preferred ways of communication. Often times, even when we do hear it, it is difficult to distinguish among the many worldly voices drowning him out. If God’s voice is sometimes difficult for you or your children to recognize, remember, God most often speaks to the mind and heart. So, as you search your thoughts and feelings, here are six ways you can know if God is speaking to you.

• Does it persuade you to do good?

  If you’re suddenly inspired to do a good deed or you feel inclined to make things right by doing the right thing, then you can know that you are receiving communication from God. Everything good comes from God, and that includes thoughts of doing good.

• Does it promote feelings of love?

  Are you prompted to show kindness when indifference would be so much easier? Are you compelled to clothe the homeless, feed the hungry, or help a family in need? If your heart is full of love and concern for others, then you can know that God is speaking to you. It is his way of helping his children in need through you.

• Does it enlighten your mind?

  Are you inspired to create something beautiful, to learn something new or to gain further understanding? Does your path seem clear, is your mind quickened or do you see life in a new light? If so, then your mind has been enlightened by the spirit of God and he is communicating his light to your mind and heart. This is how God brings beauty, joy and pure understanding into the world.

• Does it build you or someone else up?

  Are your thoughts and feelings positive? Are they affirmative in nature? Are they uplifting and do they edify? Do they bring you to a higher place to stand? If they do, then you can be certain that you are hearing God’s voice speaking to your heart. God’s voice will always uplift and edify. He will never speak thoughts of doubt, discouragement or fear. God’s voice will always be a voice of hope.

• Does it bring peace?

  Do you feel at peace with a decision? Do you feel calm in a time of trial? Do you feel comforted in your sorrows? If you do, then God is with you speaking peace to your heart and bringing solace to your soul. This is how God comforts his children.

• Does it inspire you to be better than you are?

  Are you motivated to be better today than you were yesterday? Do you desire to create goals and work toward fulfilling them? Do you see the goodness in others and desire to create that goodness in yourself? If you have a desire to improve, then you are being driven by the voice of God as he molds you into the person he knows you can be. This is how God perfects his children.
  God speaks to his children in many ways, and if you are listening, you can know when he is speaking to you and your children. If it invites you to do good, then you can be certain that it is from God. If you are doing your best to make the right choices in your life and you strive to live worthy of God’s spirit, you can know in your heart exactly what God is saying to you.

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Filed Under: faith, god Sunday, 19 April 2015 No Comments