“It’s time to stop making excuses and start getting well.”

A thought by Craig Groeschel (2015-10-27) from his book, #Struggles: Following Jesus in a Selfie-Centered World (p. 201). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. (Click on the title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.)

I don’t know how you are finishing this year and what you are carrying into the new year. Is it the same thing that you started 2015 with? Craig gives some great advice. Oh I know. My dad used to say that advice not asked for stinks. I know that can be true. But this thought could make all the difference in the new year ahead. Here it is, “It’s time to stop making excuses and start getting well.” That is very good stuff.

Over in John 5:8-9 we find Jesus looking at a crippled man and He said to him, “‘Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.’ At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked.” Maybe that is what he is saying to you at the end of 2015.

Craig said, “Jesus didn’t heal the man a month later; it happened immediately. In the same way, when you surrender this challenge to Jesus, he can do more in that moment than you can even imagine. You might not feel any different, and the change might not happen all at once, but Jesus’ power will be working in you.”

He continues, “Jesus told the invalid to get up and start walking. That’s a pretty hefty assignment for a guy who most likely had never walked in his life. Jesus told him to do what everyone else would have considered impossible. Notice that the guy didn’t even ask Jesus to heal him. Jesus just did it because he’s Jesus.”

And then Craig gives another good thought, “When you get close to Jesus, he will do things you don’t even ask him to do. He’s just that good.”

Craig then says, “Right now Jesus may be saying to you, ‘I don’t want to hear your excuses. I want you to believe that I have something even better, something richer for you. Something that will satisfy your longing that nothing else can quench.’”

Is that what He is saying to you?

Comments

"Lie 2: The more you worry about it, the better your odds of avoiding it."

A thought by Louie Giglio in his book, Winning the War on Worry (p. 5). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.) Here is another lie that the Enemy uses with us. And Louie says, "This is a tricky lie. Yes, we often have cause for concern and preparation. But the Enemy wants you to believe that if you worry or fret over a certain outcome long enough, you can keep something bad from happening." But this is so important to realize. He says, "The reality is worrying has never once prevented something negative from happening. Planning might. Prayer has. But worry never will." He continues, "The Enemy tells you that by worrying about a situation (or every situation) you can make your tomorrow better. Really, worry just robs you of today. Jesus implored us: 'I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body mor...

“There’s a big difference between building a castle and building a kingdom.”

A thought by Bob Goff from his book, Everybody, Always: Becoming Love in a World Full of Setbacks and Difficult People ( p. 41). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) Have you ever built a sand castle or maybe a Lego castle? Have you? Bob says, “We actually build castles all the time, out of our jobs and our families and the things we’ve purchased. Sometimes we even make them out of each other. Some of these castles are impressive too. Lots of people come to admire what we’ve built over the course of our lives and tell us what great castles we have. But Jesus told His friends we weren’t supposed to spend our lives building castles. He said He wanted us to build a kingdom, and there’s a big difference between building a castle and building a kingdom.” Bob goes on, “You see, castles have moats to keep creepy people out, but kingdoms have bridges to let everyone in. Castles have dungeons for people who ha...

"To put it simply, worry isn’t just a bad habit."

A thought by Louie Giglio in his book, Winning the War on Worry (p. 1). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.) Ok, that is interesting. Louie says, "Worry is an Enemy tactic—a strategy built on lies that are designed to rob you of peace and tear your mind to pieces. "That’s why it’s crucial that you are able to spot the lies worry tells." He goes on, "Not long ago while on safari in South Africa, Shelley and I were really wanting to see a leopard in the wild. Early and late on our game drives our eyes were set on every tree limb, bush, grassy hill, and river path in hopes of finding one of several leopards that were known to frequent this particular area. But here’s the thing: leopards aren’t bright orange with tall, sparkly antennae on their backs. They are designed to blend into the surroundings, like the bark of a baobab tree where they might be lounging on one of its mighty branches. "In the same way, ...

Just Continue That Thought...

Search This Blog