Family Archives

5 Power Phrases to Boost Your Relationships

Kayleen Dreesman on February 12, 2021

Need a boost to your relationships today? Here are 5 phrases that are sure to make a difference in any relationship you have, even if it has been struggling lately. Simple, yet amazingly effective. Try one out today!

1. “I love you.” If you love someone, let them know it. Tell them and show them often. You may think they know it, and they might, but it is always nice to say it. I Corinthians 13 reminds us that we can be smart, sacrificial and sound wonderful in our speech, but if we don’t have love, we are nothing. Tell your wife, your son or daughter, call your mom and dad. Even in the struggles, an “I love you” sure can’t hurt.

2. “I was wrong, forgive me.” One of my professors in college encouraged us to substitute this phrase for “I’m sorry.” In saying “I was wrong,” there is no doubt in the offended and hurt person’s mind that you know you hurt them and desire their forgiveness and restoration of the relationship. We cannot be rightly related to God if we have broken and torn relationships with others. Perhaps you need to use this phrase with someone today. Don’t wait for them even if they were wrong, too.

3. “Thank you.” In Luke 17, we read about those with leprosy who Jesus healed. He literally changed the rest of their lives. Things were different because of His intervention. Only one returned to say thank you. There certainly have been people who have made a difference in your life – people whose intervention changed things for the better. Do they know you are thankful? What about old friends, parents, your children, their teachers, a coach, or former pastor. Make sure they know you are thankful. “Thank you” is never said too late or too much.

4. “I will .” We must say “I will” to God as he speaks to us about things he wants us to do or change, but we also need to say it to others. Jesus showed us in John 13 His willingness to wash His disciples’ feet. He then commanded us to do the same. Look for needs you can meet, and then when you see it, say, “I will.” Try it with your husband or wife, your neighbor, your pastor, your children, or your mom and dad. You’ll be amazed at how serving others builds the relationship and encourages your own heart at the same time.

5. “I can.” Have you hit some brick wall in your Christian life? Do you feel defeated because of a sinful habit, or lack of prayer? Perhaps there is some difficult trial you and your teen or you and a spouse or friend are going through. In any instance, it is easy to say, “I can’t make it.” Paul reminds us that we CAN do all things THROUGH CHRIST who will strengthen us. A great lesson we must learn is that in myself I can’t, but in Him, I can. Try saying “I can” to yourself. Say it to others who you may be struggling with. Acknowledging that you can build your relationship by saying something like this can make a huge difference. “I can make this work with God’s help.” “I can react in forgiveness with God’s help.” “I can be patient and work through this by God’s grace.”

If we can be of help or encouragement to you in building your relationship with God, biblically repairing your relationship with others, or just listening to your heartache, please get in touch.

Written by Mike Glanzer.

Two Tips For The Next Two Months

Kayleen Dreesman on November 11, 2020

By Pastor Raymond Wicks | November 11, 2020

2020 has not turned out like most people had envisioned, and more could happen in the next two months. At the time of this writing, the election results are not yet certified. Covid-19 is still a real issue. Some folks are trying to uniquely navigate Thanksgiving and Christmas. Many are dealing with the other typical November and December issues like weather, health, relationships, and finances. With all these situations, please allow me to share “Two tips for the next two months.”

1. Endure

I have compassion on those who have suffered terribly this year. For one man I know, this has been the worst year of his life. My heart goes out to him. So, what does a pastor say? I’m so sorry? God cares? All things work together for good? Yes, these statements are true. It is also true that most of us will get through our difficulties if we can just endure.

To endure means to hold up, to not turn back or flee, to preserve or sustain, to get to the other side. God constantly reminds us in His Word to press on. Get through tough times. Many great Bible stories point this out, especially the story of Job.

James 5:11, “Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.”

The Lord is merciful and full of pity towards His people. There is an end coming, and God knows when the end will be. We should not declare it until God does. Until then, we must endure; there may be no other choice. With some aspects of life, we need to simply bear patiently and endure.

Thankfully, every morning starts a new day of hope and mercy. Even when problems are self-incurred, they are often temporary. Just go forward one more day.

Lamentations 3:22-23, “It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.”

Psalm 30:5, “For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.”

2 Timothy 2:3, “Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.”

Success should be measured by tenacity over talent. Understand, we have been equipped by God to handle far more than we ever thought possible. Get through one more day. Do right one more day. Love one more day. Live one more day. The truth is, sometimes we just endure. If you endure, you will get through 2020.

2. Enjoy!

While we may truly have to endure some parts of life, we should really try to enjoy the rest! God knows how easy it is for man to go into pity party mode. So, He had Solomon, the wisest man to ever live, remind us to enjoy life.

Ecclesiastes 2:24, “There is nothing better for a man, than that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God.”

Ecclesiastes 3:13, “And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God.”

The New Testament echoes the emphasis on enjoyment.

1 Timothy 6:17, “Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;”

These things include people, places, purpose, and more. Thanksgiving reminds us to count our blessings. A little girl in our church is doing the November thankfulness challenge. So far, her list includes thankfulness for hugs, toes, kisses, and fingers! Maybe we should take inventory too!

Also, take inventory of the special people in your life including family, friends, neighbors, co-workers as well as our relationship with God. Wow! We are really blessed! Don’t let your blessings be just a list. Let them be constant sources of enjoyment.

God reminds us to rejoice. Philippians 4:4 says, “Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.”

We may look back on 2020 as the most challenging and interesting year of our lives. Make some memories. We will never have a redo of the next two months. So, my two tips for the next two months are…endure and enjoy!

6 Characteristics of the Perfect Father

Kayleen Dreesman on June 19, 2020

By Pastor Raymond Wicks

Father’s Day reminds us to honor our earthly fathers, perfect or not. Take some time to think about and thank your earthly father for his influence in your life. Remind him of the good things you have learned from him. It will do you both good.

We are instructed in the Bible that once we are saved, we are to pray to God the Father. Our Heavenly Father is the ultimate example of fatherhood! Let’s honor Him as well this Father’s Day! Here are a few characteristics of our perfect Father. Read them and thank God today for being the perfect Father. What would you add to this list?

1. He Cares for His Children

1 Peter 5:7, Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

2. He Supplies all Our Needs

Philippians 4:19, But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

3. He Forgives His Children

1 John 1:9, If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

4. He Disciplines His Children

Hebrews 12:5, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him.

5. He Comforts His Children

2 Corinthians 1:3-4, Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.

6. He Listens to His Children

1 John 5:14-15, And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

Happy Father’s Day!

Honoring Mom

Kayleen Dreesman on May 5, 2020

By Pastor Raymond Wicks | May 2020

This Sunday we will give recognition to some of the most special people in our lives, our mothers. My heart is filled with wonderful thoughts and memories of my mother; she passed away almost nine years ago. The Bible clearly teaches us to honor our parents. Ex. 20:12 “Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.” As we approach Mother’s Day, here are a few practical tips to help us honor our mom.

Brag on her

Your mom does something better than anyone else you know. What is it? For example, my mom made the best pineapple sauce for ham and pork chops! My fiancée (now my wife) got the recipe and has now passed it on to our children. Every time we use it, memories flood back to those special meals with Mom. Let others know about your mother’s amazing chocolate chip cookies or her sweet comforting smile or her incredibly soft hands. Maybe she is the most faithful, hard-working person you know. Maybe her selfless deeds for others should be recognized. Take a few moments right now and think about ways you can brag on your mom. Give her some well-deserved accolades.

Listen to her

Early on I realized that there are only a few people that genuinely love us and have our success in mind. For many, that person is called “Mom.” With that in mind, she certainly deserves our attention when she tries to teach us, correct us, or guide us. Don’t be too cool to listen to your mother. In Prov. 1:8 the Bible says, “hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother.” Prov. 15:20 continues, “a foolish man despiseth his mother.” Listen to her. She is trying to help you. She probably has your best interest at stake.

Stay out of trouble

Prov. 10:1 says, “a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother.” Even as a young boy, I remember wanting to please Mom. I wanted her to be happy with my decisions and my life. One of the reasons I hired our current Youth Pastor is because he had a reputation of wanting to please his mother, even as a teen. Spare your mother from a lot of
heartaches and embarrassment by simply doing right.

Be a success

Give your mom a son or daughter she can be proud of. Make her child-rearing efforts worthwhile. My mom is now gone from this life, but she can look down from heaven and see four successful children who owe a great amount of honor to a wonderful lady we called “Mom.” She deserves honor.

Happy Mother’s Day Mom!

Moms Make a Difference!

Kayleen Dreesman on May 5, 2020

By Pastor Raymond Wicks | May 2020

An old Spanish proverb says, “An ounce of mother is worth a pound of clergy.”

Moms should be honored

Prov. 30:11 “There is a generation that curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother.”

Don’t let that be you! Instead give her some well-deserved accolades, for her sake and yours.

Ex. 20:12 “Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.”

Brag on her! Her cooking, faithfulness, kindness, and beauty.

Communicate with her with calls, cards, and notes. Let her know she is appreciated and special to you.

Be a success and stay out of trouble! Prov. 10:1 “…a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother.”

Moms should be helped

She is not your personal slave! Help her with the daily chores. Ease her load, or at least try not to be the load.

Find her greatest need and help her with it. Does she need encouragement? A hug? An “I love you?”

Moms should be heard

Prov. 1:8 “…hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother.”

Prov. 15:20 “…a foolish man despiseth his mother.”

Listen to her. She loves you and has your success in mind.

Happy Mother’s Day to all those who have put up with all of us!

First Baptist Plattsmouth