Just Continue That Thought...

A thought by Mark Batterson (2011-12-13) from his book Be a Circle Maker: The Solution to 10,000 Problems (Kindle Locations 129-130). Zondervan. Kindle Edition . I am really striving to understand this fact even at 64 years of age.  I have been going thought a crash course in the past few months.  Even yesterday God answered one of my prayers.  During my morning walk time I prayer a specific prayer and God answered it before I went to bed.  What could happen in 2012 if we really believed that God answers our prayers, our specific prayers?  He just wants us to ask.  Of course there are some prayers we don’t need to ask.  They are prayers that we know He won’t answer.  Please help that married person to start loving me.  He won’t answer that one.  As you read the Bible you will see God’s way of thinking so you won’t ask Him some things.  But there are way more He will answer but He won’t because we haven’t asked. God gave us a condo in Florida near where my sister and moth

A thought by Erwin Raphael McManus from his book, Chasing Daylight: Seize the Power of Every Moment (Kindle Location 637). Kindle Edition . What if Abraham would have lived that way?  For sure he wouldn’t have left his home to go to a place he didn’t know of.  In other words he wouldn’t have been the father of a great nation. What if Noah hadn’t listened to God and built the Ark?  We wouldn’t be here. What if the disciples would have said no to Jesus when He asked them to leave it all and follow Him?   We wouldn’t have the story of the New Testament and the examples and dedication they showed of what it means to be a Christ-follower. What if Jesus had said to His Father that He didn’t really want to leave Heaven and come to Earth as a baby and then die on a Cross for us?  Where would we be today? What if I hadn’t given my life to serve God as a Church Planter and leave the security of living in one place all my life?   Maybe you wouldn’t even be a Christian.

A thought by Greg Darley (2010-11-15) from his book, Passion Is Not Enough: Four Elements to Change the World (Kindle Locations 771-772). Backstage Publishing. Kindle Edition. The realization of that fact is the beginning of change within you.  The realization that you are responsible to do that is also very important in that change. Do you like who you are?  Then what are you going to do about it?  Now of course if you have a problem with being short you can’t change that but you can change your attitude toward being short.  We see things that people who are tall don’t see.  So even in some physical features that you may not like you can deal with seeing them in a different light.  Another thing to see is that the only way you can change another person’s response to you is by changing your response to them.  If they say something to you that you don’t like and you come back at them in the same nagging way you always do them then they don’t need to change.  They are use

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. 103). Multnomah Books. Kindle Edition. I know we look at the beginning of the New Year as a time to make New Year’s resolutions.  It could be a good thing if we were really serious. I mean, it was amazing to see all the new people out walking in the mall today.  Of course they could have just been there because they had the day off but they at least were trying to do something about their health.    I found it interesting to see one man who took a long walk and then as I went outside I saw him smoking.  Of course my temptation was to get something sweet to reward me for my effort.  Sucking smoke into my lungs has never been a temptation but eating a Vanilla Cream Filled Donut from Dunkin is extremely hard to resist.    r Oh of course the reason to smoke is because they have an introspective personality and it helps them relax or the donut habit me

A thought by Mark Batterson (2011-01-18) in his book, Soulprint: Discovering Your Divine Destiny (pp. 139-140). Multnomah Books. Kindle Edition. I love the story about a woman who said that God talked to her personally.  Her pastor heard her telling someone that and he took her aside to set her straight.  He wanted to prove to her that God didn’t talk to her so he said, “Now the next time you are talking to God would you ask Him something that He only knows about me, would you ask Him, ‘What was the last sin that I asked Him to forgive me for?’  Would you ask Him?”  She said she would. A few days later, the pastor met with her and he asked her if she had asked God, “What was the last sin that he had asked Him to forgive his for?”  She said she had.  The pastor then asked knowing that he had her now, “Well what did He say?”  She then said that He said, “I don’t remember.” Now of course that didn’t really happen but it does make a correct point that at the end of 2011 and t

A thought by Andy Stanley (2009-08-22) in his book, It Came from Within!: The Shocking Truth of What Lurks in the Heart (p. 115). Multnomah Books. Kindle Edition. Jesus says that over and over.  He cannot forgive unless you forgive.  What does it say in the Lord’s Prayer, Father forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.  It goes hand in hand. So wouldn’t it be great to look into the New Year with resolved differences with the people around you?  Maybe it’s a parent or a brother or sister?  Could be your spouse or one of your children?  Maybe it is someone at work or even at church?  What about your neighbor or one of your friends?  Whoever it is, get on the phone and strive to resolve it now.  Of course you understand it takes two but you strive to do your part.  Another thing to realize is if they have died or if they don’t know you have ever had an issue with them then you resolve it in your own heart.  Go back to the situation and forgive them for t

A thought by Erwin Raphael McManus from his book, Chasing Daylight: Seize the Power of Every Moment (Kindle Location 332). Kindle Edition. And it doesn’t stop at 64 or 24.  In each stage of life there is something that God has created us to do.  No one retires from God’s plan for their life.  Retirement just means I have more control of my time in order to focus on his plan.  My purpose in life is to seek the harassed and helpless and let them know that Christ can and wants to make a difference in their life.  That is my something to do and it doesn’t stop at 64.  I am no longer tied down to the expectations that a salary has but I have been released to do the something in a greater measure that God has given me to do.  Oh I wouldn’t trade my years as a church planter for anything else in the world.  My life has been exciting and has made significant differences in all the places I have served.  I was living out the something that God had for me to do each day of my life