Just Continue That Thought...

A thought by Craig Groeschel from his book, Dare to Drop the Pose (p. 59). The Crown Publishing Group. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) Loneliness is a terrible thing and God knows it.   Genesis 2:18 in the Bible says, “The LORD God said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone’ ” Craig says, “Loneliness was the fly in God’s otherwise perfect ointment—a problem He fixed by doubling the human population from one to two (and opening the way for centuries of arguments over who gets to hold the remote control). “But don’t miss this important point: God designed people to need each other. So, if it’s not good to be alone, I have one question: Why do I feel lonely so much of the time?” That is a good question, isn’t it? Craig goes on, “I’ve talked to married people aching for intimacy, kids who crave real friendships, teenagers who battle feelings of isolation. Countless single adults long for married companionship. Many ol

A thought by Craig Groeschel from his book, Dare to Drop the Pose (p. 22). The Crown Publishing Group. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) I know, I know, we want so much to make a difference but not so much to be different.   But to be different is the way to make a difference and it is what God wants us to do. Craig says, “If someone does something remotely wrong, I’m quick to point the finger, but if I do something wrong, I’m quick to justify. While I judge someone else by their actions, I judge myself by my intentions. That’s wrong. “Paul said in Philippians 2:5 that my ‘attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus.’ And just what is that attitude? ‘Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others’ (vv. 3–4). Notice that this passage tells us to do nothing out of self

A thought by Andy Stanley from his book, Irresistible: Reclaiming the New that Jesus Unleashed for the World (p. 27). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) That makes sense or does it? Andy says, “Purpose. If you refuse to become a means to an end, your life will never have meaning. That’s the meaning of meaning. Live for yourself and you’ll only have yourself to show for yourself. Become a means to an end and your life takes on . . . meaning. Funerals teach us this. Funerals remind us that the value of a life is always measured by how much of it was given away.” Andy then says, “God created the nation of Israel as a means to a divine end. He created the nation for a global purpose. God’s global plan for the nation was first announced long before there was a nation. Around 2067 BC, God promised ninety-nine-year-old Abraham a son who would become a nation that would bless the world. The entire world.” Andy goes on,