Just Continue That Thought...

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...

A thought by Louie Giglio in his book,   Winning the War on Worry    (p. 3). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.) Now this is one of the worry lies. Louie says, "We’ve all been tormented by this lie. Throughout the day, as we are confronted by different situations, we too easily tilt to the negative extreme and assume something bad is going to happen. But really, only a fraction of the things we worry about come to pass. A 2019 study from Penn State showed that roughly 91 percent of the things we worry about never even happen. 1 But worry wants to convince you of what feels like the inevitability of every possible negative outcome. It tries to guarantee that your situation will end in the worst-case scenario. "There’s a quote often attributed to French philosopher Michel de Montaigne, who framed this lie well when he wrote: 'My life has been full of terrible misfortunes, most of which never happened.' Louie contin...

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, ...

A thought by Louie Giglio in his book,   Winning the War on Worry    (p. ix). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.) Worry is a difficult mental problem in the world in which we live. It really is. Louie says, "Like barnacles on the bottom of a boat, worry has a way of subtly attaching itself to our thoughts. Worry often starts below the waterline, out of sight, out of the forefront of our thoughts. At first it’s just a simple what if . . . "What if I get to the reception late and miss the moment?  What if I don’t know anyone when I get there?  What if my supervisor hates my idea?  What if it rains next week on the night I’ve planned the outdoor party?" He goes on, " Before you know it worrying becomes a way of life. And just like those barnacles on the bottom of a boat add weight and resistance and therefore slow down the vessel, worry slows down your progress and corrodes your quality of life. "Ove...

A thought by Louie Giglio, from his book,  Never Too Far   (p. 90). Thomas Nelson, Kindle Edition.  (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.) And that is such good news! Louie asks, " Did you catch that? We’re not out. "We’re not out because the thing we need most is not to be perfect but to be in love with Jesus." He says, "Sure, there are consequences to our decisions, and Scripture says that whatever we sow, we reap. But guess what? Grace overwhelms consequences. Even with consequences, there is love and grace and the mercy of God in Christ. God is bigger. Even if you’ve denied Christ, he will still use you to build his church." He goes on, "The Bible promises that God’s faithfulness is great and his mercies are new every morning (Lamentations 3:23). That means Jesus’ breakfast is served and served and served and served and served, again and again. And the meal comes first. Mercy is served as the first course, before any problems are s...

  A thought by Louie Giglio, from his book,  Never Too Far   (p. 88). Thomas Nelson, Kindle Edition.  (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.) And that is true of us too. Louie says, " Peter needed to depend on Jesus first. "Here’s this same truth taught earlier in John’s gospel. Jesus said, 'Apart from me you can do nothing. . . . If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.' (15:5–7)" Louie goes on, "Peter had forgotten that. But Jesus was teaching this truth to Peter all over again, saying, 'You went out and did your thing, but that didn’t work. Yet if you follow me and my ways and put the net where I say, then look—the net is full of fish.' "When the disciples landed on shore, they saw a fire with fish on it and some bread. Don’t you just love a campfire on a beach? It’s in this environment of gentle wood smoke and crackling warmth and relaxed vibrancy that Jesus began t...

A thought by Louie Giglio, from his book,  Never Too Far   (p. 78). Thomas Nelson, Kindle Edition.  (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.) Yes He does. Louie earlier shares, " My dad was disabled for a long while before he died. Before that, he worked as a graphic designer and did a lot of commercial work for Coca-Cola and other companies. He also had a penchant for painting, particularly abstract art. "He painted an amazing abstract of a magician. The whole painting was huge, taller and wider than a door. My mom never liked the painting that much; it just wasn’t her style. But Dad loved it and wanted to display it. So they reached a compromise. Dad and I cut the bottom off the length of it and an eight-inch strip off the side. Then he and I reframed the reduced painting and hung it in the landing of the stairwell in our townhouse. Because it was abstract art, it still looked cool—at least my dad and I thought so." He goes on, "Before he died, I ...

A thought by Louie Giglio, from his book,  Never Too Far   (p. 63). Thomas Nelson, Kindle Edition.  (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.) Louis says, " You can be a champion." And that may be great news for you today. He says, "God the Son, Jesus Christ, offers genuine redemption. Have you ever noticed the powerful 'but' in some Bible stories? This is the intervening moment." Judges 16:22 (NIV) says, "But the hair on [Samson’s] head began to grow again after it had been shaved. " Louie is telling the story of Samson. He says, "Samson’s hair started making a comeback, and his hair symbolized his strength vested in the Spirit of God. "The prophet Micah preached to his downtrodden people, 'Do not gloat over me, my enemy! Though I have fallen, I will rise. Though I sit in darkness, the LORD will be my light' (Micah 7:8 NIV). "The consequences of sin were very real for Samson. He was blinded and condemned to b...

A thought by Louie Giglio, from his book,  Never Too Far   (p. 50). Thomas Nelson, Kindle Edition.  (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.) Yes, yes He does! Louie says, " You think that sounds too easy? Easy isn’t the right word for this welcome. . . The price has been paid in full and forgiveness is on the table today. All you have to say is, 'I want to come back home.' The Father is waiting to throw his arms around you. "That kind of comeback is available to you." He goes on, "But be careful. Just when you’re dancing with the Father on the great dance floor, Satan tries to cut in and tell you it was all a dream. The Father doesn’t really love you after all. He was just kidding when he ran down the road to greet you." Louie then says, "That’s a lie. If you’re still breathing, it’s not too late." And that is the truth! So, would you just come back to Him? Would you let Him show you how much He really, really loves you? Wou...

A thought by Louie Giglio, from his book,  Never Too Far   (p. 36). Thomas Nelson, Kindle Edition.  (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.) Ok, what does he mean by that? Louie says, " It’s not all about me; it’s all about Jesus becoming known in this broken world. That doesn’t mean we should say, 'Bring me more struggle because more people will get salvation.' But when the battle comes to us, we know God is working a great purpose." He goes on, "I don’t know what you’ve lost, and I don’t know what place you’re in right now, but I know this: God isn’t finished with you yet. You may not run the exact race you thought you would be running, but God still has a race for you." Louie then says, "Here are God’s words as recorded in Jeremiah 29:11: 'I know the plans I have for you . . . plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.' The same God who spoke those words to the Israelites is speaking them to you tod...

A thought by Louie Giglio, from his book,  Never Too Far   (p. 35). Thomas Nelson, Kindle Edition.  (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.) And this is so important to see and live. A deep pit In the Old Testament in the Bible there is a story about a man named Joseph who as a teenager was thrown into a pit and then sold into slavery by his brothers who didn't like him but from that Joseph eventually became second in command in Egypt where his brothers came for help. His story was a great comeback story. And Louie says, " Let’s be honest: part of the appeal of Joseph’s comeback story is that we would like to be in a position to get back at the brothers and stick it to them. A better idea would be to tell the person who was unfair to you that God is in charge of your life, and they never have been, and you’re free of animosity toward them. You’re not saying that all consequences disappear, but you’re saying that you forgive them because you are in God’s ...

A thought by Louie Giglio, from his book,  Never Too Far   (p. 17). Thomas Nelson, Kindle Edition.  (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.) Yes it does.  Louie asks, " Does that seem too simple for you?" The comeback begins. He goes on, "We often think we need to do something great ourselves in order to have a comeback. We need to jump high hurdles or climb ladders to heaven. At the very least, we mistakenly think we need to be in the right place at the right time. "The good news is that the essential action has nothing to do with us. In fact, when it comes to being in position, it’s only important that Jesus is in the right place at the right time. And you can count on him not to miss his cue." He goes on, "There are so many stories in the Bible that show how Jesus is always on time and in the right place. "Once there was a woman who’d been sick for many years (her story is told in Luke 8). No doctor could help her. She knew she ne...

A thought by Louie Giglio, from his book,  Never Too Far   (p. 10). Thomas Nelson, Kindle Edition.  (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.) Is that where you are or someone close to you is? Louie says, " you’re not crazy, and you’re not alone. Your circumstances may be black, but Scripture says that God is light. Trust in him and he will give you a comeback." He goes on, "Life deals us blows, yes. Circumstances come up that are beyond our control, and obstacles keep us from living the life we dream of. Sometimes we deal blows to ourselves. We make mistakes and wrong decisions and choose paths that are harmful, not helpful.  "But there is hope." He continues, "Part of the beautiful solution I can offer you is that the solution isn’t about you trying harder. When people read books by preachers or hear talks at church, too often the solution points to something you need to do to change: walk forward or backward, or commit yourself to fifty ...

A thought by Louie Giglio, from his book, Never Too Far   (p. xii). Thomas Nelson, Kindle Edition.  (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.)   Are you in need of a comeback? Are you? Louie says, "It’s not too late, and you’re never too far from his love." Coming back! He goes on, "Everyone loves a good comeback story. The classic comeback story contains one of two twists: either an underdog who falters and then succeeds beyond his dreams, or a champion who falls, fights hard, and makes a big return. Either way, it’s about a person in pain whose pain is alleviated or who is able to see pain in a new perspective. There’s a reversal of fortunes. "Great comeback stories give us hope. We can all relate to the experience of spending time in difficult places where we wondered if we were ever going to make it back. We’ve all been in seasons when we’ve longed for something better than what we’re experiencing right now." He continues, "What kind of...

A thought by Louie Giglio, from his book,  Don't Give the Enemy a Seat at Your Table .   (p. 57). Thomas Nelson, Kindle Edition.  (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.)   Please, let's not believe that lie. Louie say, "Now, we’ve got to be really careful about this lie, because Scripture calls us to be humble. But as it’s been well said: humility is not thinking less of yourself; humility is thinking of yourself less. We easily get these confused by thinking it honors God for us to think less of ourselves. But nothing could be further from the truth. You are made in the very image of God. That staggering reality doesn’t cause us to strut around and grow an 'it’s all about me' persona. But it doesn’t leave us wallowing in the misery of 'I don’t measure up to anything' either. These two outcomes are where the Devil wants to lead you. Either to an overinflated ego or to an underappreciated sense of just how significant and valuable you are....

  A thought by Louie Giglio, from his book,  Don't Give the Enemy a Seat at Your Table .   (p. 54). Thomas Nelson, Kindle Edition.  (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.)   Is that what you feel? Is it? Louie says, "This voice tells you that life is hopeless. There’s no way out. May as well just chuck it all, quit, and die. "So often when we are asked how things are going, we reply with answers like, 'Man, I don’t know if I’m going to make it through this season. I’m not sure I’m going to survive this semester. I don’t know if I’m going to get through this time." He goes on, "Have you ever heard yourself saying something like that? Where did you get that kind of thinking? Where did you hear those words of gloom and doubt? Not from your Good Shepherd. You likely heard them from the Enemy at your table. "See, your God has just told you that even though you walk through the valley of the shadow of death, you don’t need to fear any evil....

A thought by Louie Giglio, from his book,  Don't Give the Enemy a Seat at Your Table .   (p. 49). Thomas Nelson, Kindle Edition.  (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.)   And that is so true! Louie says, "When you are up against life and death, when your back’s against the wall, when circumstances are poised to take you out, and when the Devil is whispering lies in your ear, you need to know there’s an all-powerful Good Shepherd with a rod in one hand and a staff in the other. That’s the Jesus of Psalm 23. That’s why we find comfort in His presence. With that staff, the Good Shepherd can grab you and pull you to safety. And with that rod, He can crush any prowling lion or raging bear that charges toward you." Louie goes on, "King David, who wrote Psalm 23, had taken on a lion and a bear and pounded them into the ground (1 Samuel 17:34–36). David understood what God said when He promised to be with us through the valley of the shadow of death. Jesu...

A thought by Louie Giglio, from his book,  Don't Give the Enemy a Seat at Your Table .   (p. 45). Thomas Nelson, Kindle Edition.  (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.) That is so very true. He quietly sits down. Louie says, "You might not recognize him when he first sits down. The Devil doesn’t arrive with a brightly flashing neon pitchfork. He doesn’t sit down with a growl and threaten to gouge out your eyes. No. At first, it’s simply another person seated next to you, helping himself to your brownie, wondering aloud which water glass is his, inadvertently wiping his mouth with your napkin. "It takes only a second. The unwelcome visitor sits down so swiftly and casually it’s hard to discern his true character. He often appears to be on your side at the start. He promises you relief from your troubles. Second Corinthians 11:14 describes how Satan 'masquerades as an angel of light,' which means that the Devil rarely comes to the table showing h...

A thought by Louie Giglio, from his book,  Don't Give the Enemy a Seat at Your Table .   (p. 41). Thomas Nelson, Kindle Edition.  (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.) And it can happen so fast. Louie says, " The Enemy only needs the tiniest crack. A sliver of opportunity. The smallest window of doubt or uncertainty. Just like that, the Devil is sitting at your table, beginning to win the battle for your mind." He goes on, "We’ve come to accept the Enemy sitting at our table as normal. That’s a big problem. We give him permission anytime we say things like, 'Oh, that’s just the way it is these days. Anxiety is just part of the equation. We’re all anxious, and there’s nothing we can do about it. Life’s just so chaotic today. Of course we’re all strangled by worry. Look at any news feed. Why wouldn’t I be afraid?' "In the same way, we accept the false narrative about our lives that we aren’t worth much to God . . . or anybody else, f...

A thought by Louie Giglio, from his book,  Don't Give the Enemy a Seat at Your Table .   (p. 24). Thomas Nelson, Kindle Edition.  (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.) Yes He does and it's a good thing. Louie says, "Sure, you can lie down on rocky ground if you want to. You can lie down in the heat and the dust. But Jesus says, Lie down in green pastures. Get some rest. Stop trying to manage all the outcomes. Take a break in the midst of the craziness of your day and acknowledge that I’m a Good Shepherd and I have your best interest at heart. By the way, while you’re resting, go ahead and eat some green grass. Allow Me to nourish your soul. That’s how I operate. I love you and take care of you, and any directive that I give you will be for your own benefit." He goes on, "See, when God refers to us as sheep, it’s a reflection of how we are wired, although it’s not necessarily a compliment. Sheep need leadership. God’s not saying that we’re cut...