Ray Kroc, as he was building the McDonald’s empire, is quoted as using the slogan, “As long as you’re green you’re growing. As soon as you ripen you start to rot.”
Lord, keep me fresh and green!
17
Mar
2010
Spiritual Life
16
Nov
2009
Paralyzing Introspection
While we need to strive for pure motives, we must be careful that our introspection doesn’t keep us from action. It is possible to be so concerned about untainted motives, so focused on why we would do something, that we fail to respond to God’s leading or delay until an opportunity is missed. When we are prompted to action we need to proceed, being careful not to let over-analysis of our motivation hold us back. If we use the excuse that we weren’t properly motivated, we can develop a sense of sinful pride – claiming that our restraint is actually good because we didn’t proceed for the wrong reasons. Or it may simply be an excuse for laziness.
Our concern should be for the needs of others, whether we feel the right to be blessed by what we do for them or not. When we have the capability to help and we don’t, simply because we don’t think we are properly motivated, we sin. We need to stop over-analyzing and just do it.
19
Jun
2009
Happy Father’s Day Lord
We’ve been reading through the Gospel of John in short segments at breakfast each weekday. This morning we found ourselves outside the empty tomb where Jesus tells Mary Magdalene to go tell His disciples that He was about to go to the Father. How He said that had never struck me like it did this morning – the Friday before Father’s Day. He didn’t refer to the Father as His Father alone, but as “… My Father and your Father, to My God and your God.”
Wow!
We (His disciples) are His brothers & sisters in God’s Family! Selah (Think about that!) A family relationship with the Creator of the universe!
Did I say Wow?
“I’m so glad I’m a part of the family of God. Joint heirs with Jesus …”
Happy Father’s Day God!
Help me to act like your son. Glorify yourself in your use of me.
17
Sep
2008
The Good Samaritan – “Who is my neighbor?”
As I was reading the parable of the Good Samaritan this morning, it occurred to me that the Samaritan was in hostile territory when he happened upon the injured man. The road from Jerusalem to Jericho was not the route between Jerusalem and Samaria. He was really in Jewish territory. Yet he, a despised stranger, had compassion and showed mercy to one who quite likely would not have done the same for him had the situation been reversed. Luke 10:25-37; John 4:9
26
Nov
2006
“and forgive us … as we forgive…”
Charles Stanley this morning in his series on the Ways of God spoke on the topic, “He Forgives Our Sin.” We typically listen to his InTouch telecast as we are getting ready for church on Sunday mornings.
What jumped out at me this morning was his relating the portion of the Model Prayer (aka The Lord’s Prayer) that asked, “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us” (Matthew 6:12).
Dr. Stanley pointed out that we are asking the Father to forgive us in the same manner that we forgive others. So, if we are not forgiving someone, we are actually telling God not to forgive us. Our walk and fellowship with the Lord are therefore hindered. BTW, it doesn’t help to avoid saying the Lord’s Prayer. We are instructed to forgive just as Christ has forgiven us, Ephesians 4:32. So not forgiving others is disobedience. This is true whether they deserve or ask for that forgiveness.
24
Nov
2006
Holy Spirit and Prayer – What difference do they make?
I’ve been re-reading, after several decades, Edith Schaeffer’s L’Abri in which she quotes her husband Francis Schaeffer. “Supposing we had awakened today to find everything concerning the Holy Spirit and prayer removed from the Bible-that is, not removed the way liberals would remove it, but that God had somehow really removed everything about prayer and the Holy Spirit from the Bible. What difference would it make practically between the way we worked yesterday and the way we work today, and tomorrow? What difference would it make to the majority of Christians’ practical work and plans? Aren’t most plans laid out ahead of time? Isn’t much work done by human talent, energy and clever ideas? Where does the supernatural power of God have a real place?”
Very good question! How are we living as believers in the God of the Bible that is any different from the way an agnostic or atheist lives?
I’m afraid I find myself most consistently living as a practical atheist.
Lord, make my life a demonstration that You, the Personal-Infinite God are really there.
23
Nov
2006
Theme of the Bible: “Trust Me!”
The overall theme of the Bible can be summarized as God saying,
- I created you.
- I am holy.
- Your rebellion against me is serious!
- You need Me.
- Trust Me.
This obviously leaves out a lot of detail, but the essence is there. Many of the ‘problems’ of Scripture fall into place, at least for me, with this basic outline. I’ll try to develop this in coming weeks. (See my caveat under “Pages” in the upper right column.)