07 August 2022
Two-Minute Features | 14 August 2022 | 31 July 2022

God Gives Good & Perfect Gifts (TMF:1915)

Friday, August 12, 2022
Peace to Live By: God Gives Good & Perfect Gifts (TMF:1915) - Daniel Litton
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       James tells us that “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above.” Do you see that? These gifts are called good and perfect. They are good and perfect in that they will match our own desire. Is it not God’s will to give his children good things that they ask him for? These good and perfect gifts, the things we want, they come to us from the Father of lights. This title for God, the Father of Lights, this is a title from the Jewish people—who remember, this letter is addressed to by James. Nevertheless, this name of God—the Father of Lights—signifies and reminds us that God is Creator of the Universe and the Earth. If God is over all, and actually created all, how much more should we suppose that God wants to create good in our lives, just like he had in the Universe. We don’t want to be like the Moon during a Solar Eclipse, and move in front of the Sun and block God’s light. The Moon for a moment of time desires to be star of the show, and in doing so, blocks light coming down to the earth.

Hard Work & Sacrifice? Part 2 (TMF:1914)

Thursday, August 11, 2022
Peace to Live By: Hard Work & Sacrifice? Part 2 (TMF:1914) - Daniel Litton
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       To put it plain and simply, the reality is that whatever we want in life doesn’t have to be received from hard work and sacrifice, trying hard, bending over backwards, or fighting for it. Yes, these methods can, and certainly often do, allow people to receive what they want. It’s just that, they aren’t needed, especially for the Christian. Even the non-Christian can win from this kind of mindset, for God gives his good things both to the good and bad, and to those who put into practice his basic, universal, all-encompassing laws. James tells us that “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above.” Do you see that? These gifts are called good and perfect. They are good and perfect in that they will match our own desire. Is it not God’s will to give his children good things that they ask him for? These good and perfect gifts, the things we want, they come to us from the Father of lights. This title for God, the Father of Lights, this is a title from the Jewish people—who remember, this letter is addressed to by James.

Hard Work & Sacrifice? Part 1 (TMF:1913)

Wednesday, August 10, 2022
Peace to Live By: Hard Work & Sacrifice? Part 1 (TMF:1913) - Daniel Litton
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       Next, James says, “Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers and sisters. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change” (James 1:16, 17, ESV). It’s easy to become deceived about the good things that happen in our lives. The world says that we obtain through hard work and effort, through a persistent attitude. The legalistic Christian says we obtain through sacrifice and suffering, which is basically the same thing the world says. A difference can be that the legalistic person is in even worse shoes because he or she may be moving toward something that they ‘think’ inside their minds that God wants, when in reality God really doesn’t want that at all. Their negative mindset has clouded their thinking. To put it plain and simply, the reality is that whatever we want in life doesn’t have to be received from hard work and sacrifice, trying hard, bending over backwards, or fighting for it. Yes, these methods can, and certainly often do, allow people to receive what they want.

Giving Up the Desire (TMF:1912)

Tuesday, August 09, 2022
Peace to Live By: Giving Up the Desire (TMF:1912) - Daniel Litton
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       I remember when I first went to start Peace to Live By. I recorded nine episodes over the summer. Of course, I originally recorded the first just to see if I was any good. And after listening to that, I decided I was good. So, anyway, after recording nine episodes, I was in contact with the radio station to get on the air. This was, I want to say, August. I waited over three months and things weren’t going anywhere. At that point, I went to prayer with God and said, “Well, God, I’m going to give it a couple more weeks. And if things don’t work out, I’ll assume this path just isn’t your will and move on.” Within less than a week after praying that prayer, the show had been green-lighted for air and I was sending a script to Wayne Shepherd for the open and close of the program. You see what happened here? I had a desire for the show to get on the air. It was when I gave up that desire, when I decided I was okay if the show didn’t happen, that’s when it was allowed for the show to actually happen.

Wanting Things Too Much (TMF:1911)

Monday, August 08, 2022
Peace to Live By: Wanting Things Too Much (TMF:1911) - Daniel Litton
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       You will see if you let the thoughts play out and pass, that they will go away more and more. Eventually, you won’t even think about that particular thought. I have been taught, you have been taught, that if we see certain things with our eyes, that those thoughts can permanently get inside our heads for us never to forget them. However, by giving up control of trying to get rid of thoughts, you will see that actually can go away forever. Okay—I want to go back to the things we want. The reality is, even for a good desire, a person won’t receive what he or she wants if the wantingness remains too strong. That’s why you see older people who have never gotten married, or who married the wrong person. That’s why you see a person who always talks about moving up the company ladder never seeming to advance in their career. This is why the person who strongly yearns for more money never seems to get it. These people never seem to arrive at their desires. Their high hopes lead to death—lead to disappointment and cravings unfulfilled. And it’s all because they haven’t learned the key to this principle I am talking about in giving up control.