DAILY VIDEO DEVOTIONAL
Have you ever wondered why people seem to have such a difficult time living together? Why did Serbians kill Bosnians and Bosnians hate Serbians? The answer may be the same reason for violent crime in our streets or the rise of divorce in our homes in the past few decades.
There are two major culprits that are causing havoc in the hearts and lives of people and even nations – guilt and bitterness. Guilt originates from what we have done wrong, and bitterness comes from wrongs inflicted upon us. The amazing thing about these two culprits is that they can be passed easily from one generation to the next.
Immediately prior to the breakup of Yugoslavia, I was scheduled to conduct a nationwide pastors conference in Yugoslavia. After I flew into the Belgreg airport, I began to speak with the manager of one of the car rental places. He asked what I had heard in the US news about the conflict between the Serbians and Croatians. I try to avoid any discussion of such sensitive political matters. But he wouldn’t let me leave without hearing his feelings. He told me, “I am Serbian. I have Croatian friends. Some were even in my wedding party.” All of a sudden his countenance changed and he sternly said, “But I would kill them in a minute.”
I was shocked and asked him, “Why?” I couldn’t believe what he said next. He was younger than me, which meant that he was also a post World War II baby boomer. He said, “In World War II, the Croatians sided with the Nazis.”
I interrupted, “But you and your Croatian friends weren’t even alive then. Why would you want to kill them now?” Bitterness began to flow out of his heart. At that moment, I realized one of the great truths of life. Whatever we hold in our hearts – good or bad – will eventually flow out to our children and grandchildren. What kind of future will you leave for your children? One of peace and forgiveness or one of guilt and bitterness. It may be determined by what’s in your heart. Perhaps each one of us needs to pray with the Psalmist, “Create in me a pure heart, O God.” (Psalms 51:10, NIV) The fruit of that prayer may be reflected in your children and grandchildren.
Psalm : Chapter 51
1) Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. 2) Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. 3) For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. 4) Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight; so you are right in your verdict and justified when you judge. 5) Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me. 6) Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb; you taught me wisdom in that secret place. 7) Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. 8) Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice. 9) Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity. 10) Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Book of the Month
Sammy Tippit told his fiancée, “I can’t promise we’ll be rich, but life won’t be boring.”
Sammy had no idea what an understatement that would become. Beginning in the bars of Baton Rouge and the nightclubs of Chicago, Tippit has shared the news of life-changing faith in Christ all over the world – including in the middle of a revolution in Romania, the aftermath of genocide in Rwanda, and war in Burundi and the Congo.
Sammy’s lifelong adventure has come at a great price. He’s been cursed, threatened, arrested, deported, and blacklisted. He’s also been personally broken, ravaged with illness, and devastated by grief.
Yet he continues to preach to in stadiums, in open fields, and via satellite technology to hundreds of thousands around the globe. For all other books…
About Sammy Tippit Ministries
STM has been providing inspiration and help around the world for nearly 50 years. Sammy Tippit, founder and president, is a world renowned counselor, teacher and evangelist with experience serving and helping people in over 80 countries. Sammy provides materials that help people tackle a broad array of social, societal, psychological and spiritual issues. He is particularly passionate about making materials accessible to other countries around the world. Sammy is married to Debara “Tex” Tippit, and they have two children and five grandchildren.
Sammy Tippit Ministries is a registered 501c3 non-profit organization.
Contact: info@sammytippit.org
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