Just Continue That Thought...

A thought by Kyle Idleman, (2015-10-01) from his book, The End of Me: Where Real Life in the Upside-Down Ways of Jesus Begins (Kindle Location 1969). David C. Cook. Kindle Edition. (Click on the title of the book to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) My wife just went through her Evaluation at work.   That means she had to look back at her year and put on paper how she did this last year and then go through it with her boss.   Maybe you have to do that too at your work. Now some people love to look at their strengths but have real difficulty in accepting their weaknesses but we all have both.   As Kyle says, “The idea of weakness being something to celebrate isn’t just counterintuitive; it’s countercultural. In our world strength is valued— not weakness.” He goes on, “God is always strong, but in our weakness that strength goes viral. The world sees that it’s not about anything but him. At the end of me, I find a strength in God that I never would have...

A thought by Kyle Idleman, (2015-10-01) from his book, The End of Me: Where Real Life in the Upside-Down Ways of Jesus Begins (Kindle Location 1792). David C. Cook. Kindle Edition. (Click on the title of the book to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) I am closer to my 69 th birthday than my 68 th .   That means I am closer to my expiration date of my earthly life than my entrance date but I’m not done yet.   Yes there are some activities that I no longer do but I’m still at it.   You’re reading this blog that I’m writing aren’t you?   God is not done using me yet and he’s not done with you yet no matter what you have done or what reason you are using r what others think. Kyle says, “When I talk to people about serving God, one of the saddest responses I hear is, ‘God doesn’t want me. Not after what I’ve done.’   They assume God is just like a lot of people they know. He writes us off. He holds grudges. We’ll never meet his standards. Our mistakes ar...

A thought by Kyle Idleman, (2015-10-01) from his book, The End of Me: Where Real Life in the Upside-Down Ways of Jesus Begins (Kindle Locations 1478-1479). David C. Cook. Kindle Edition. (Click on the title of the book to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) But you might say, “That’s not what the Bible says.   It says, ‘God helps those who help themselves.’”   Kyle says, “It’s ingrained in our culture that we’re supposed to take care of business on our own, without seeking assistance. Maybe that’s why one of the most beloved of all Bible verses isn’t actually in the Bible. Yes, it’s this chestnut: ‘God helps those who help themselves.’ Just about everyone knows that one. People quote it, they love it, they try to live it, but it never crosses their mind that it can’t be found in Scripture.” He goes on, “Maybe God forgot to put it in? I don’t think so. A better explanation explanation is that God actually helps those who can’t help themselves . God helps those wh...