Just Continue That Thought...

A thought by Mark Batterson (2013-09-24) in his book, All In: You Are One Decision Away From a Totally Different Life (Kindle Locations 2105-2106). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. (Click on the title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) And the whole Christmas celebration is about a miracle.   It is the miracle of God coming to earth as a baby.   That is an unbelievable miracle and giving is one way we get in on it. If you have read the story of the Nativity you know about the Magi, the Three Kings from the East who brought gifts for the baby Jesus.   Mark says, “At first glance, it seems like the Magi bring the wrong gifts to this baby shower, doesn’t it? What kid wants a bottle of frankincense, right? Get the poor kid an ancient Jewish action figure — David with slingshot or Shamgar with oxgoad.”   Now when the Wise Men came searching for the child they went to King Herod and asked where the young ruler was to be born.   The fact that there was this young ruler out there w

A thought by Various Authors (2010-02-23) from the Holy Bible (NIrV) for Adults (Kindle Locations 66388-66389). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. (Click on the title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) I am reading through the accounts in the New Testament of the Bible of the birth of Jesus and I came across this line in the first chapter of Luke.   And I found this line a little interesting.   Now I do know the story but I still find this fact interesting. Now Zechariah is an older priest and an angel comes to him and said this statement.   Of course I probably would be afraid if I saw an angel but excited that God had heard my prayer and was going to answer it.   It seems that Zechariah had been praying since he was young for a child and now the angel says it is going to happen and he is afraid. I know it was something he really wanted but with it not happening and he and his wife getting older he may have been praying just because he had always done it.   He had gotten to

A thought by Various Authors (2010-02-23) from the Holy Bible (NIrV) for Adults (Kindle Location 63105). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. (Click on the title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) Here is the context of this question.   It is found in Matthew 2:1-4 (NIrV).   It says, “After Jesus’ birth, Wise Men from the east came to Jerusalem. They asked, ‘Where is the child who has been born to be king of the Jews? When we were in the east, we saw his star. Now we have come to worship him.’” These guys were from a different country and through their search they had read that a child was going to be born who was going to make a major difference.   Through an unbelievable experience they had found out that it was now happening so they had come to find him.   They had made it this far but they still didn’t know where he was so they came to King Herold to ask him.   But he was the wrong person to ask. Where do you go for answers to your important questions?   Do you just sit dow

A thought by Various Authors (2010-02-23) from the Holy Bible (NIrV) for Adults (Kindle Locations 63089-63090). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. (Click on the title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) Have you ever wondered about something and you didn’t know where to turn to find the answer?   I had heard someone say that going to college is not to know all the answers but where to find them.   So because of that fact I thought I would take a few days leading up to Christmas and read a book that tells about the person of Christmas.   And that person is Jesus Christ and the book is the first book in the New Testament of the Bible.   And it is written by a man who personally knew and followed Jesus.   His name was Matthew. Now of the first four books on the life of Christ in the New Testament two of them tell of His birth but this thought comes from the book by Matthew in chapter 1 and verse 18.   I t is a very interesting and in some ways unbelievable story.   If you have neve

A thought by John Ortberg (2014-04-22) from his book, Soul Keeping: Caring For the Most Important Part of You (p. 175). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. (Click on the title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) Oh how our kids need that.   Oh how our mate needs that.   Oh how our parents need that.   Oh how our friends need that.   Oh how our God wants that. I like how John puts it.   He says, “When you say ‘Blessed are you, O Lord,’ you are not only expressing gratitude, but you are saying, ‘I want to make you happy and praise you, God, with my gratitude for what you have done.’ It’s a subtle reminder that gratitude is good for both the person expressing it and the one receiving it.” John also says, “Gratitude does not always come naturally. You will not always feel grateful. But you can take the time each day to remember the benefits you received, see your benefactor, and thank him for his benefits. As Thornton Wilder put it, ‘We can only be said to be alive in those moments

A thought by John Ortberg (2014-04-22) from his book, Soul Keeping: Caring For the Most Important Part of You (p. 171). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. (Click on the title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) We so easily get into this trap of entitlement.   I mean even Christians can mistakenly believe that we are entitled to stuff but all that we have is because of His grace.   John continues this thought by saying, “and without a grateful heart the soul suffers. Because the soul needs gratitude.” I find it so easy at this Season to feel that we deserve gifts.   I mean I expect my family to give me gifts.   It’s Christmas but that is not the reason for this Season. Yes we celebrate a gift that was given but we were very undeserving of that gift.      John continues.   He says, “Here’s the deal: The more you think you’re entitled to, the less you will be grateful for. The bigger the sense of entitlement, the smaller the sense of gratitude. We wonder why in our world we keep

A thought by John Ortberg (2014-04-22) from his book, Soul Keeping: Caring For the Most Important Part of You (p. 169). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. (Click on the title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) Here is what John says to do… “Today, when you greet people, begin your conversation with a little complaint. The Bible calls that grumbling, as in ‘Do everything without grumbling.’ It might be a complaint about something in your life: your health, your job, money problems, the fact that you don’t have a spouse, the fact that you do have the spouse that you have. It might be something about the person you’re greeting. You don’t like how they’re dressed. Or you just don’t like their personality, or maybe you’re jealous. Just greet a friend or colleague with something like, ‘Man, did I have a horrible night’s sleep.’ I’d be thrilled if you couldn’t think of anything. ” He continues,  “ Tomorrow, try to greet people with a word of gratitude. I hope this is a lot easier for