Category: Food for Thought

A Magnitude Of Love

DSC_0026
1 John 4: 10

“This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.”

God is the author, parent and commander of love. His love is the very foundation of our salvation. He loved us when we didn’t reciprocate. He loved us in our guilt, misery, shame and hopelessness. When we were polluted, unclean, unlovely and unlovable, He sacrificed His only Son for our wretched sinful condition, so …that we could be healed, restored, reconciled and made lovely. What sacrifice! What service! What mercy! What grace He bestowed upon us so that we might live life abundantly and live eternally blessed in His presence! O what a magnitude of love is ours in the deep, deep love of Jesus.

by Categories: Bible, Food for Thought, InspirationalTags: , Leave a comment

Me Myself And I


Philippians 2: 3, 4

“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.”

In the midst of their persecution Paul encourages the Philippians to be humble and to live a life like that of Christ, who was the perfect
example of humility. Self – centeredness and arrogance are not acceptable behavior patterns and have no place in the believer’s life. Watch a two-year old at play and see how irritating the “It’s mine” attitude is! Yet how often do we” Mature” adults confine ourselves to a small box called “self?” How often do we crawl in, close the door and
have to have it “my” way or no way? How often do we turn everyone’s world upside down because things aren’t right for us? Selfish, childish behavior does not have any interest, any sensitivity, or any compassion for another. Arrogance and jealousy tears apart and has no word of encouragement for one who has done well, or for one who needs a confidence boost. What a sorry sight “self” is and what destruction selfish ambition causes in a ministry, a church, a life, a family or a friendship. If the shoe fits lets wear it and cease from playing games with ourselves, or preying on the successes or failures of others to get ahead.

Paul’s advice is good advice for us to follow. Let’s be challenged to focus on Christ’s humility as we strive for unity among ourselves and yes within ourselves.
Enjoy a sweet and blessed day my friends.

by Categories: Bible, Food for Thought, InspirationalTags: , , , , , 1 Comment

Our Problem? Our Heart!


Romans 13: 6,7

“This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.”

Our world is in a distressing condition with conflict upon conflict and wars within and between countries but more than that, within the hearts of individuals. Sin is man’s basic problem and he is hopelessly engulfed in it. We tend to believe that the problems are political or economical and are a result of unwise ruling and choices. At such a time a this, we must remember that even though God ordains governments and calls us to be subject to them in Roman 13: 6-7, it doesn’t mean that Satan isn’t roaming about seeking to get in there with his power and influence. Even though we may not approve of all that goes on in our government, it’s in God’s sovereign hands and it’s authority over us serves a divine purpose under God to bring about fulfillment of prophecy.

Jesus spoke to the Pharisees in Luke 20:26 with instruction to give to Caesar what was Caesars and give to God what belongs to Him. But, in all honesty, do we do that? Do we really give God all that is His by giving of our time, our prayer, our passion, our thoughts, and our trust? They all belong to Him, yet we hold back from Him on so many aspects of our living. He has so lavishly graced us with salvation and the Hope of Glory and yet we fail to focus on Him as our solution. Perhaps much change would happen within our homes, our families, our schools, our churches and our governments, if within our hearts we could find the respect and honor for our Creator; the all-knowing, omnipotent, and omnipresent God in charge and then because of our love for Him..treat others with the love, forgiveness, respect and honor that we owe them simply because God requires it of His people, His disciples and His followers.

Let’s be challenged today to honestly evaluate our own hearts before God before criticizing another. Perhaps our own spiritual laxadasical attitude plays a big role in the distressing condition that we find the world and it’s governments in. Perhaps the real problem lies within ourselves.

by Categories: Bible, Food for Thought, InspirationalTags: , , , , , Leave a comment

Identity Theft


The story goes of a gentleman waiting to board a plane at an airport. While he waits, he decides to get a small bag of doughnuts and a coffee. After making the purchase he discovers one problem: there are no open tables at the coffee shop. He finally manages to find an empty seat at a table at which just one other man is sitting.
The man sits down at this table and begins to peel the lid off his coffee cup. He takes a sip. He puts his hand into the bag of doughnuts and takes out one doughnut and begins eating. Then something absolutely absurd happens. The man sitting across from him puts his hand into the same bag of doughnuts, smiles, takes a doughnut and begins eating. The first man is taken off guard. He does not know what to do. This is the first case of doughnut theft he can think of. He then makes a point by giving the other man a look that could kill. Then he takes a doughnut from his bag of doughnuts and eats his doughnut. Before he has time to finish eating, the other man once again dips into the bag for another. The doughnut-theft victim is baffled and now outraged. He is envisioning years of professional psychiatric care. He thinks, “What is the world coming to? We are now stealing doughnuts from each other?” Surely this should be the end of the story right?

Well, the doughnut thief gathers his own belongings as he needs to catch a flight. He smiles politely at the burgled victim, gets up and then once again dips into the bag to find only one left! He breaks, the doughnut in half and leaves one half in the bag and makes his departure, but not without a final seething look from the doughnut burgled victim. The doughnut victim is, of course, in shock, but he has his own flight to catch. As he bends down to get his suitcase, he’s even more shocked to find his own bag of doughnuts on top of his luggage.

He ate humble doughnuts, as he realized his accusations of the other man stealing was not stealing at all but, in fact, sharing, while he, on the other hand had been the thief! What an eye opener to the accusing and aren’t we guilty of the same kinds of things? We point fingers, accuse and blame others for what we ourselves are guilty of, either knowingly or unknowingly. Sometimes our accusations against others come because we don’t clearly see what really is happening and perhaps the problem lies in our own ignorance and perception.

by Categories: Food for Thought, ThinkersTags: 1 Comment