A Declaration Of Dependence
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Posted:Jul 26, 2009 11:23 am
Last Updated:Jul 28, 2009 5:54 am 8091 Views
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“And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” John 8:32.
It is generally accepted that as soon as a young man finishes his education, his first concern will be to get established and to earn enough money to buy his family a good home, good clothes, and sufficient luxuries to make life easy. This matter of accumulating “things” very often becomes a hectic pursuit in which the wife, the husband, and the all are involved. More than ever people are dedicating their lives to the “climb” as the ultimate goal. They place making a living ahead of making a life. Thus all too often material security supersedes moral attainment.
In decided contrast to the general pattern of our day is the conduct of a missionary doctor. Years ago he left the United States with his family for the primitive jungles of Africa. Today he still holds the medical fort on a mission station. He does not possess much of the world’s wealth. He could have, though, because he is a brilliant surgeon. Instead, he has a spirit of serenity and deep satisfaction about him that could be the envy of many wealthier men. I would say that he is truly successful, for he breaths the freedom of dependence wholly on God.
You see, once you have been caught in a net of crooked values, a certain fear always sets in. You may gain the physical objects for which you set out, but once you have them, what then? The aim of your striving will be a panacea to eliminate the deeper problems arising from being a slave to the world of self-interest. But religion cannot lift the burden when self-interest is involved.
We shall never be truly free until we accept the freedom offered by Christ. And this freedom is not based on “things.” It is hope born of the Spirit, through which men come alive to the knowledge of their need and find peace, forgiveness, and freedom with God through Christ.
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What appears bad may be God's plan for good
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Posted:Jul 25, 2009 5:39 pm
Last Updated:Jul 26, 2009 11:21 am 6099 Views
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"I am Joseph!" he said to his brothers. "Is my father still alive?" But his brothers were speechless! They were stunned to realize that Joseph was standing there in front of them. "Come over here," he said. So they came closer. And he said again, "I am Joseph, your brother whom you sold into Egypt. But don't be angry with yourselves that you did this to me, for God did it. He sent me here ahead of you to preserve your lives. These two years of famine will grow to seven, during which there will be neither plowing nor harvest. God has sent me here to keep you and your families alive so that you will become a great nation. Yes, it was God who sent me here, not you! And he has made me a counselor to Pharaoh–manager of his entire household and ruler over all Egypt." Genesis 45:3-8 NLT
Homespun wisdom says, "If you fail to plan, you plan to fail." Although you won't find it put just that way in the Bible, you will find many stories of both effective and poor planning. The Bible teaches that God is a God of both purpose and planning. His purpose is to draw all humanity to himself in order to forgive and redeem. His plan from Creation, to the Law, to the Prophets, to Jesus and the church–is what we are seeing when we read and study the Bible. Planning is part of all of our lives. The only question is if, in all our planning, we ever consult his perfect and eternal plan.
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You Know Your Life Stinks When:
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Posted:Jul 25, 2009 8:26 am
Last Updated:May 27, 2024 11:32 pm 5485 Views
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A black cat crosses your path and drops dead.
You take an assertiveness training course and you're afraid to tell your wife.
The candles on your cake set off your smoke alarm.
Your chauffeur is on parole for car theft.
You have to take out a loan just to get money for the down payment.
Your 's school calls to surrender.
The bride's family throws rocks instead of rice.
Your wife wraps your lunch in a road map.
Your plants do better when you don't talk to them.
All your modeling jobs are for cartoonists.
Your engagement ring is, upon closer inspection, plastic.
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Where do we find God's presence?
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Posted:Jul 25, 2009 7:30 am
Last Updated:Jul 25, 2009 5:35 pm 6228 Views
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Open for me the gates where the righteous enter; and I will go in and thank the Lord. Those gates lead to the presence of the Lord, and the godly enter there. I thank you for answering my prayer and saving me! Psalm 118:19-21 NLT
The Lord is close to all who call on him, yes, to all who call on him sincerely. Psalm 145:18 NLT
Because of Christ and our faith in him, we can now come fearlessly into God's presence, assured of his glad welcome.
Ephesians 3:12 NLT
Psalm 118 pictures a victorious yet battle-weary king at the helm of a throng of grateful people entering the gates of the temple to thank God for saving them. During those times, the temple represented God's presence the place where followers would go to pray to the Lord. Today, we enter into God's presence in a car, at work, or in the aisles of a grocery store wherever we take time to pray to him. We can be sure God hears our prayers and answers each one wherever and whenever they are uttered. And by doing so, he gives us even more reasons to pray.
Just like the victorious king in this psalm, we should enter God's presence by thanking him for answering prayers. What answers to prayer are you thankful for today?
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Slow Down Therapy
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Posted:Jul 24, 2009 5:38 pm
Last Updated:Jul 27, 2009 3:43 pm 7326 Views
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Slow down; God is still in heaven. You are not responsible for doing it all yourself, right now.
Remember a happy, peaceful time in your past. Rest there. Each moment has richness that takes a lifetime to savor.
Set your own pace. When someone is pushing you, it's OK to tell them they're pushing.
Take nothing for granted: watch water flow, the corn grow, the leaves blow, your neighbor mow.
Taste your food. God gives it to delight as well as to nourish.
Notice the sun and the moon as they rise and set. They are remarkable for their steady pattern of movement, not their speed.
Quit planning how you're going to use what you know, learn, or possess. God's gifts just are; be grateful and their purpose will be clear.
When you talk with someone, don't think about what you'll say next. Thoughts will spring up naturally if you let them.
Talk and play with . It will bring out the unhurried little person inside you.
Create a place in your home at your work in your heart where you can go for quiet and recollection. You deserve it.
Allow yourself time to be lazy and unproductive. Rest isn't luxury; it's a necessity.
12. Listen to the wind blow. It carries a message of yesterday and tomorrow and now. NOW counts.
Rest on your laurels. They bring comfort whatever their size, age, or condition.
Talk slower. Talk less. Don't talk. Communication isn't measured by words.
Give yourself permission to be late sometimes. Life is for living, not scheduling.
Listen to the song of a bird; the complete song. Music and nature are gifts, but only if you are willing to receive them.
Take time just to think. Action is good and necessary, but it's fruitful only if we muse, ponder, and mull.
Make time for play the things you like to do. Whatever your age, your inner needs re-creation.
Watch and listen to the night sky. It speaks.
Listen to the words you speak, especially in prayer.
Learn to stand back and let others take their turn as leaders. There will always be new opportunities for you to step out in front again.
Divide big jobs into little jobs. If God took six days to create the universe, can you hope to do any better?
When you find yourself rushing and anxious, stop. Ask yourself "WHY?" you are rushing and anxious. The reasons may improve yourself understanding.
Take time to read the Bible. Thoughtful reading is enriching reading.
Direct your life with purposeful choices, not with speed and efficiency. The best musician is one who plays with expression and meaning, not the one who finishes first.
Take a day off alone; make a retreat. You can learn from monks and hermits without becoming one.
Pet a furry friend. You will give and get the gift of now.
Work with your hands. It frees the mind.
Take time to wonder. Without wonder, life is merely existence.
Sit in the dark. It will teach you to see and hear, taste and smell.
Once in a while, turn down the lights, the volume, the throttle, the invitations. Less really can be more.
Let go. Nothing is usually the hardest thing to do but often it is the best.
Take a walk-but don't go anywhere. If you walk just to get somewhere, you sacrifice the walking.
Count your friends. If you have one, you are lucky. If you have more, you are blessed. Bless them in return.
Count your blessings one at a time and slowly
Never regret anything. If it's good, it's wonderful, If it's bad, it's experience.
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Can the poor be happy?
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Posted:Jul 24, 2009 6:55 am
Last Updated:Jul 25, 2009 8:26 am 6193 Views
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God blesses you who are poor, for the Kingdom of God is given to you. God blesses you who are hungry now, for you will be satisfied. Luke 6:20-21 NLT
Have you ever met someone who said, "I really do not want to be happy. Happiness might be okay for some people, but it's really not for me"? Neither have I. That's because deep down inside, we all want to be happy.
In what we know as the Beatitudes, Jesus described how we can be "blessed," which means "happy."
What did Jesus mean when he said the poor would be happy? Does poverty make us more spiritual and wealth make us less so? Are we to believe that the fewer possessions we have, the more godly we become?
No, He doesn't mean that at all. The first beatitude simply promises the person who has nothing that possessions are not what matter most in life. What really matters is what lasts for eternity and possessions don't.
The problem with those who own a bunch of stuff is that they tend to become preoccupied with it.
Our Lord emphasized four essentials for true happiness: faith in God, love toward others, honesty with ourselves, and obedience toward God. Jesus is telling us, "Don't envy those who make spiritual compromises. Though you may not be rich in this world's eyes, you have true riches. And I promise you this: You'll be the happy one."
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A Shield And Buckler
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Posted:Jul 23, 2009 5:40 pm
Last Updated:Jul 24, 2009 5:41 pm 6235 Views
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“He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler.” Ps. 91:4.
Two men are facing each other in a Roman judgment hall. One of them represents imperial authority and wears the robes pertaining to his station. Carrying the scepter of temporal power, he is surrounded by the trappings of the state. The man is tall and handsome, but dissipation has etched telltale lines in his face. His eyes are those of the cynic. His name is Pilate.
The second is the Galilean carpenter. He stands before Pilate because He has been accused of insurrectionary activity. His face tanned by sun and wind, is altogether kind. His poise is impressive. His eyes, clear and straightforward, reveal that He is unafraid. His dress and manner are in sharp contrast with that of Pilate no kingly trappings, though He is a king.
In the conversation that took place between the two men, Pilate could only marvel at the wisdom and strength of One whose kingdom was that of the Spirit and truth. The plaited crown of thorns only enhanced the contrast. Pilate was at a loss to understand. His own tattered, disheveled conduct stared him in the face as he beheld a life with a purpose. “To this end was I born,” said Jesus at the climax of their debate, “and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Everyone that is of the truth hears my voice.” John 18:37
Pilate could only respond with the cynic’s perennial question, “What is truth?” How pitiful! Yet how human and actual Pilate appears. “What is truth?” men ask again. And the answer comes thundering back through God’s Holy Word to know truth men must, like Jesus, stand for truth in scorn of personal consequences. As they stand for truth, the truth will undergird their lives with certainty of eternal life.
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It's So Hot That
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Posted:Jul 23, 2009 5:25 pm
Last Updated:May 27, 2024 11:32 pm 5404 Views
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.....the birds have to use potholders to pull worms out of the ground
......the trees are whistling for the dogs
......the best parking place is determined by shade instead of distance
......hot water now comes out of both taps
......you can make sun tea instantly
......you learn that a seat belt buckle makes a pretty good branding iron
......the temperature drops below 95 F (35 C) and you feel a little chilly
......you discover that in July it only takes 2 fingers to steer your car
......you discover that you can get sun burned through your car window
......you actually burn your hand opening the car door
......you break into a sweat the instant you step outside at 7:30 a.m
......your biggest bicycle wreck fear is, "What if I get knocked out and end up lying on the pavement and cook to death?"
.....you realize that asphalt has a liquid state
......the potatoes cook under ground, so all you have to do is pull one out and add butter
......the cows are giving evaporated milk
......farmers are feeding their chickens crushed ice to keep them from laying boiled eggs.
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Alternate Meanings for Common Words.
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Posted:Jul 22, 2009 6:25 pm
Last Updated:Jul 23, 2009 5:33 pm 5963 Views
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Coffee (n.), the person upon whom one coughs.
Flabbergasted (adj.), appalled over how much weight you have gained.
Abdicate (v.), to give up all hope of ever having a flat stomach.
Esplanade (v.), to attempt an explanation while drunk.
Willy-nilly (adj.), impotent.
Negligent (adj.), describes a condition in which you absentmindedly answer the door in your nightgown.
Lymph (v.), to walk with a lisp.
Gargoyle (n.), olive-flavoured mouthwash.
Flatulence (n.) emergency vehicle that picks you up after you are run over by a steamroller.
Balderdash (n.), a rapidly receding hairline.
Testicle (n.), a humorous question on an exam.
Rectitude (n.), the formal, dignified bearing adopted by proctologists.
Pokemon (n), a Rastafarian proctologist.
Oyster (n.), a person who sprinkles his conversation with Yiddishisms.
Frisbeetarianism (n.), (back by popular demand): The belief that, when you die, your Soul flies up onto the roof and gets stuck there.
Circumvent (n.), an opening in the front of boxer shorts worn by Jewish men.
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How can I make my prayers effective?
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Posted:Jul 22, 2009 4:27 pm
Last Updated:Jul 23, 2009 5:30 pm 6024 Views
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I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. As you make your requests, plead for God's mercy upon them, and give thanks. Pray this way for kings and all others who are in authority, so that we can live in peace and quietness, in godliness and dignity. 1 Timothy 2:1-2 NLT
Paul urges Timothy to lift up requests, prayers, intercession, and thanksgiving. A request is a need, a deep desire for something we don't have something only God can supply.
A prayer is a word of praise and adoration. A more accurate translation of this word from the original Greek might be to "worship in earnest."
Intercession is praying on behalf of others. Our prayers should regularly reflect this kind of selfless lifestyle.
Thanksgiving involved remembering those past prayers that have already been answered, acknowledging that we not only trust God's supremacy and involvement in our life but also how his hand has moved and guided us in the past.
When we pray effectively, we do more than communicate with God we commune with him. We become one in mind and spirit and purpose. Today, let the focus of your prayer time be to connect with God in a very real and personal way, not as a slave would petition his master, but as a would enjoy the company of a loving and gracious father.
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