Just Continue That Thought...

A thought by Jentezen Franklin from his book, Love Like You've Never Been Hurt: Hope, Healing and the Power of an Open Heart. Baker Publishing Group. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.)   But that is not what we think, is it?    Abundant stuff = abundant life.   But does it? Jentezen says, “The world does not place much value on relationships. It tells us money is important. Titles are important. The right zip code is important. Looks are important. Fast cars and big homes are important.” He goes on, “Do you remember when Jesus was asked what the greatest commandment was?  ‘ He replied,  “ ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. ’ ”    This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it:  “ ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself’ ”  (Matthew 22:37–39 NKJV). “Here Jesus emphasized in a big way the importance of relationships. This is what life is

A thought by Jentezen Franklin from his book, Love Like You've Never Been Hurt: Hope, Healing and the Power of an Open Heart. Baker Publishing Group. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.)   Jentezen continues, “Or when we share the same viewpoints. Or the same theology. Or the same standard. It’s easy to love when marriage is in the honeymoon stage when our children act right all the time when we have our health and our happiness. But no one lives in that kind of state all the time.” No, we don’t. He goes on, “Jesus told us that in this world we would have trouble (John 16:33). In Matthew 18:7 (NKJV), He even says, ‘Offenses must come.’ Getting hurt is part of life. It’s inevitable. But that is not the end of the story. “God does not want us to be the walking wounded. He intended for us to be healed and to be whole. He created us to love like we’ve never been hurt because that is what He does, and we are made in His image.

A thought by Max Lucado from his book, Every Day Deserves a Chance: Wake Up to the Gift of 24 Hours (p. 98). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) Let’s look for a moment at finding your God-designed task.   OK? Max says, “It matches your passions and enlists your gifts and talents. Want to blow the cloud cover off your gray day? Accept God’s direction.” After some examples he says, “‘The Lord has assigned to each his task’ (1 Corinthians 3:5 niv). What is yours? What is your unique call, assignment, mission? A trio of questions might help: “ In what directions has God taken you? Tally up the experiences unique to you. ‘Don’t act thoughtlessly, but try to find out and do whatever the Lord wants you to’ (Ephesians 5:17 tlb). In what culture were you raised? To what lifestyles have you been exposed? Your past is a signpost to your future. Ask Moses. His Egyptian childhood experiences prepared him to stand before