Just Continue That Thought...

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“The truth is, about the only thing most of us learn from experience is what to expect when we repeat the same bad decisions.”

A thought by Andy Stanley (2009-03-31) in his book, The Principle of the Path: How to Get from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be (p. 41). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition. Now we always hope that the result will be different but it isn’t. We may even pray that it will be different but it isn’t. We believe that it will be different but it isn’t. Now God is amazing. To realize that He created each and every one of us and He created every part of us should show us that He has a plan. Now He gave us a mouth so we could speak; He gave us eyes so we could see; He gave us feet so we could walk; He gave us hands so we could do; and He gave us a brain so we could think and He wants us to use each and every one of them, even our brain. Many times we do the same thing that didn’t end right the first time and before we do it we ask God to make it come out differently. Now God has that ability but God has also given us the ability to ev...

“To get from where we don’t want to be to where we do want to be requires two things: time and a change of direction. There isn’t a quick fix.”

A thought by Andy Stanley (2009-03-31) in his book, The Principle of the Path: How to Get from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be (p. 11). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition. Two years ago I realized I needed to change the direction of my life physically. I knew I was in trouble. Now I wish that I could have decided and then it happened but it didn’t work that way for me. I have been overweight all my life and I would at different times try to change direction. It would work for a while and then I would fall back. For me it had to be a total change in direction and I did it and things physically are changing for the better. I am now headed in the right direction. Yesterday was my wife, Margaret’s birthday and after church she and I with our daughter, Stefanie and her husband, Andrew went out to a great restaurant to celebrate. Now they had Blue Bell ice cream. That is the best ice cream you could ever have and I had some and it s...

“Christians start talking about forgiveness as if somehow forgiveness serves as an escape hatch from the outcome of bad decisions.”

A thought by Andy Stanley (2009-03-31) in his book, The Principle of the Path: How to Get from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be (p. 42). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition. Now what does forgiveness do? It absolves me of the guilt of my action but it doesn’t necessarily absolve me of the consequences of the action. For example, let’s say that I haven’t paid my income taxes for 10 years. That can be a very dangerous thing to do. But let’s say I go to God and I ask Him to forgive me. I repent of my breaking the law and I am then absolved on my guilt to God but that doesn’t absolve me of my guilt to the government. I still am going to have to pay my back taxes and probably some penalties and interest. That is the way it works. But let’s say, I expect God to take care of all that. I asked Him to forgive me. Shouldn’t He take care of at least the penalty and the interest? The answer is no. You are r...

“Life satisfaction is more closely tied to attitudes and values than to possessions and fame.”

A thought by George Barna, (2011-05-15). Futurecast: in his book, Futurecast: What Today's Trends Mean for Tomorrow's World (Kindle Location 488). Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.. Kindle Edition . I know a big percentage of people today don’t realize this or don’t believe it. If they did life would be so less complicated for them. They work and work to get stuff but they aren’t satisfied when they get it. They know they just need a little bit more. But needing a little bit more means they will never be satisfied. But what if they had the attitude that what they had was more than enough and had the value that helping others was better than helping themselves? They would be so much more satisfied. But doesn’t the Bible say that the Lord helps those who help themselves? No, Ben Franklin said that. The Lord says, it is more blessed to give than to receive. And another way to say blessed is happy. So how happy are you?

“Some experts say to completely solve global hunger would cost about thirty billion dollars a year. Americans spend more than that each year on pizza.”

A thought by Darren Whitehead and Jon Tyson (2011-07-19) in their book, Rumors of God: Experience the Kind of Faith You´ve Only Heard About (Kindle Locations 531-532). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition . We really don’t appreciate the problem of hunger do we? I know I don’t. I think I do but I really don’t. I may be hungry so I get up and go into our kitchen and find something to eat or I dial my phone to get a pizza. I don’t really know about being hungry. It comes down to the fact that we don’t have a food problem but a sharing problem. Have you heard the story about TOMS Shoes ? I got a pair for my birthday. I love them. TOMS Shoes is a unique company f ounded in 2006 by Blake Mycoskie. While competing on the second season of The Amazing Race with his sister, Mycoskie visited Argentina. He returned there on vacation in January 2006 and had the idea to develop a shoe company where for every pair s...

“For-give. You’re giving a gift—a gift of forgiveness. It’s a choice that you have to make, an action that you have to take.”

A thought by Darren Whitehead and Jon Tyson (2011-07-19) from their book, Rumors of God: Experience the Kind of Faith You´ve Only Heard About (Kindle Location 1351). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition. Now it is a gift for them, the one who has hurt you. It will free them if they ask for it but it is also a gift for you. It will also free you from their hold on you. But you also need to see if you don’t forgive then God won’t forgive you. His forgiveness is also a gift that is given to those who meet the requirements. One is confession and then asking for it and the other is forgiving those who have hurt you. Of course it’s not easy. You have to die to yourself, to taking revenge, to your getting back at them, to make them hurt like you did. You have to die. But also remember, Jesus had to die so you could have His forgiveness. He showed us what it means to forgive when He said on the cross, “Father forgive them because t...

“It takes a habit to break a habit.”

A thought by Andy Stanley (2009-08-22) from his book, It Came from Within!: The Shocking Truth of What Lurks in the Heart (p. 102). Multnomah Books. Kindle Edition. What habit do you need to break? I go to Starbucks every day for breakfast. For years I got a tall black pike, a grande ice water and a maple oat scone. I really loved my scone until I changed to something healthier. I now eat oatmeal with nuts. That’s what I now get every day. It is my new habit. I had to break a habit by starting another habit. Now I know we would like to just decide that we need to quite doing whatever it is that we know isn’t good for us but it doesn’t work that way. It took a long time to make the habit and it will take time to stop it. So what habit do you need to break? Then what habit do you need to make to break it? It is never easy to break a habit but if it is a harmful one then it will be worth the effort. So go for it...