Just Continue That Thought...

A thought by Bob Goff, (2012-05-01) from his book, Love Does: Discover a Secretly Incredible Life in an Ordinary World (Kindle Locations 134-135). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition. And that beginning thought by Bob caught my attention.   The island is Tom Sawyer Island at Disneyland.   I have had an Annual Pass to Disney World and I now have an Annual Pass to Disneyland and I have never been to Tom Sawyer Island.   And that speaks to too many of us and our trek through life. Oh I’ve looked across and seen it many times but I didn’t think it looked very interesting or exciting so I stayed on my side of the water and never adventured to the other side to see what was there.   But Bob did and he says, “I do all of my best thinking on Tom Sawyer Island at Disneyland. There’s a picnic table at the end of a little pier right across from the pirate ship. I suppose most people think this place is just a prop because there are a couple of wooden kegs marked “gunpowder” and some pirate pa

A thought by Andy Stanley, (2009-01-21) from his book, Louder Than Words: The Power of Uncompromised Living (Kindle Location 1942). The Doubleday Religious Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.  (Click on the title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) Now it does have some benefit to the one being forgiven.   I mean it really makes us feel good when someone shows they care enough to ask us to forgive them for something we did to them.   The gift of forgiveness to someone is a very meaningful gift but the real gift is to the one doing the forgiving. As Andy says, “We have a tendency to view forgiveness as a gift to the one who offended us— as a benefit to that person.”   That is why it is difficult for us to do.   We see it as letting them off the hook for what they did to us.   But he then goes on to say, “For the most part, it’s a gift that was designed for us. It’s something we give ourselves. Because when you consider everything that’s at stake, the one who benefits the m

A thought by Andy Stanley, (2009-01-21) from his book, Louder Than Words: The Power of Uncompromised Living (Kindle Locations 1540-1541). The Doubleday Religious Publishing Group. Kindle Edition. I almost did that today.   I wasn’t feeling very inspired and I had a lot of other things getting my attention and I just about convinced myself to not write a new post.   I could wait and write it tomorrow.   I just don’t feel like writing today. Do you ever get to that point?   I heard of this guy who got up on a Sunday morning and told his wife, “You know, I just don’t feel like going to church today.   I was up late last night and I just feel like staying home.”   But his wife brought him back to reality.   She said, “But you are the Pastor.   You can’t stay home.” Maybe that is the way you feel every Monday.   “I just don’t feel like going to work.   I think I will just stay home.   That is what I really feel like doing?”    But you get up and get ready and head in to work b

A thought by Andy Stanley, (2009-01-21) from his book, Louder Than Words: The Power of Uncompromised Living (Kindle Locations 1369-1370). The Doubleday Religious Publishing Group. Kindle Edition. What tempts you?   What is it you want to do and you have great trouble in not giving in to doing it?   Does something come to your mind? Andy says, “Analyze your temptations. What exactly is the appeal? What is the promise of sin? What sort of mental gymnastics do you go through to justify it? Think through the conversations you have with yourself as you talk yourself into something you know is wrong.” This is so important.   Figure out what the lie is that is drawing you to the temptation. Back when Jesus was first starting His ministry Matthew tells us in chapter 4 verses 1-3 (CEB), “Then the Spirit led Jesus up into the wilderness so that the devil might tempt him. After Jesus had fasted for forty days and forty nights, he was starving. The tempter came to him and said, “

A thought by Andy Stanley, (2009-01-21) from his book, Louder Than Words: The Power of Uncompromised Living (Kindle Locations 1248-1249). The Doubleday Religious Publishing Group. Kindle Edition. Andy uses as an example of a false belief that was controlling the world at the time of Christopher Columbus that the world was flat.   That was a false belief that Columbus rejected and by that found the New World.   And there are many false beliefs that we need to identify and deal with before we can step out into our new world.   As Andy says, “Every single facet of our behavior is somehow tied back to something we believe. When you and I believe the wrong thing, it works its way out in the form of wrong behavior.” Here are a couple of these he gives, “If you believe happiness is found in the accumulation of possessions, you’re not going to be very generous. If you believe that people cannot be trusted, you’re not going to have many close friends.”   But you have your own fals

A thought by Andy Stanley, (2009-01-21) from his book, Louder Than Words: The Power of Uncompromised Livin g (Kindle Location 1175). The Doubleday Religious Publishing Group. Kindle Edition. I don’t think any of us really can see the potential in us if we would let God work in and through us.   Even the best Christ follower at times holds back from letting God work on us.   I mean we fight those circumstances that are there to make us in the image He wants for us. You see as Andy says, “When the two of you are in alignment, there will be unleashed a whole new dimension of His power in your life. And as you renew your mind, you will begin to understand and cooperate with God’s purposes for your life, rather than fighting against them.” And that is where the potential in us is realized.   I mean all that is happening to us and in us is for our good.   We just need to relax and let Him work.   Don’t waist the circumstances accept and see what He is doing. What could happen

A thought by Andy Stanley, (2009-01-21) from his book, Louder Than Words: The Power of Uncompromised Living (Kindle Locations 1054-1055). The Doubleday Religious Publishing Group. Kindle Edition. We have a tendency to think that if I am a Christ-follower then longevity means maturity.   That when I accepted Christ into my life that I have arrived and that is it but that isn’t true.   Oh there may be some things that changed in that moment but there are other things that come from growth.   We grow in our character.   Now I am a 67 year old retired pastor who has found a ministry through writing.   I take other people’s thoughts and from my experience I give my thoughts, I just continue that thought.   Now it can come across that I have arrived.   I no longer have a need to grow, I just need to show.   And there is great spiritual danger there.   I have not yet arrived.   I am still going through the process and I have to constantly live with that fact.   And God is still