Wednesday, June 01, 2005

Ecc 3: 4

There is a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance,

Eph 5: 4Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes--these are not for you…6for the terrible anger of God comes upon all those who disobey him. 7Don't participate in the things these people do … 9produce only what is good and right and true. 10Try to find out what is pleasing to the Lord.

Phi 4: 8And now, dear brothers and sisters, … Fix your thoughts on what is true and honorable and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.

Loving Father-
Thank you for clearly posting the rules for Your house. Because I love and respect You and my siblings, I will strive to live obediently.


In Your home, there is a time to laugh and a time to cry; a time to mourn and a time to dance. It is not always a party. Help me to discern when to be happy and when to be sad. Teach me when to speak joyful words of encouragement to lighten a heavy heart. Show me when the pain is too deep for words, and I need to sit silently through the suffering. Give me grace to be jovial and gentle at the appropriate time.

In Your home there will be no tolerance for obscene stories, foolish talk or coarse jokes. It is clear when I step out of bounds You will punish me. Your discipline is never fun! Therefore, I will fill my mind with good clean laughter by telling stories that are pleasing to You. My jokes will be pure and wholesome. I will laugh at things that are good, right and true. Things that are lovely and admirable will put a smile on my face, and a song in my heart. Only praiseworthy words of excellence that delight You will amuse me. People will know that I belong to Your family when I cheerfully follow the rules of Your house. They are for the benefit of everyone who lives here because of Jesus. Amen

Can people recognize that you are from the family of God by the things that make you laugh?

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