Susan G. Komen for the Cure
Check this out if you are interested in helping to find the cure for breast cancer or know and love someone that has been diagnosed and want to understand.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Saturday, January 24, 2009
A Twig In The Wood
Once thought a wee little twig,
"I am nothing compared to a branch."
Once thought a sturdy ol' branch,
"I am nothing compared to a tree."
Once thought a tall, mighty tree,
"I am nothing compared to the wood."
Then a young man with his dear lovely lady
Came stroling near by hand in hand.
He picked a lacy bloom off the twig
Off the branch off the tree in the wood,
Then he got on his knee facing his ladysaid
"Marry me please!
I am nothing compared to this tree
Tall, noble, and strong.
But, you my darling, are more beautiful
Than the blossoms that bloom from this twig
On the branch from this tree in the wood.
Like this tree that stands more glorious
And beautiful than all other trees in the wood,
You, my darling, stand the fairest among maidens,
And my love for you is like this old tree,
Unwaivering through many a wind."
He stood to his feet and adorned her brown tresses
With the lacy blossom.
Out of her lips came a soft spoken answer
Accompanied by tears glittering her rosy cheeks.
The man in his strength lifted her high
And swug her around in a color swept sky.
Then as if she was porcline
He put her feet back to the ground
And on her lips placed a passionate kiss.
They dallied back from where they came
Hand in hand and full of life.
Then thought the twig, the branch, the tree,
"What a glorious happening took place in our shade.
But we are nothing compared
To this man's love for his lady."
What's Your Motivation???
Ya know...sometimes I really don’t know why I do what I do. Why do I continue to pursue an education when I am so ready to be done with school? Why do I continue to invest in my character when it seems like all it brings is pain? Why press on? Why take initiative? What it all boils down to is why even live? We all need reminders of why we do what we do. We all need that inner drive that nudges us when our will power is depleted, that hand that pushes us up the hill when we think we can’t possibly take another step. We all need motivation. What’s yours?
Isaiah 40:28-31 ESV
(28) Have you not known? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable.
(29) He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength.
(30) Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted;
(31) but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.
Why would God energize us and give us strength if we had no purpose? Have you ever seen someone on a Monster that really didn’t need it because they weren’t doing anything that required a bunch of energy? They act like a chicken with it’s head cut off!!! They can’t sit still because they are all jittery and they begin to talk to fast for their brain, so whatever they say comes out as a meaningless slur. Where is all that energy going? They’re not doing anything productive with the energy it provides, there just sitting there enjoying the feeling of the energy rush...an energy rush they can’t get anywhere else. Pretty soon they gotta get another drink so they can sit around and bask in the wonderful feeling of the rush. Some become dependant, even addicted, to this energy garbage. Do we do the same with the energy God gives us?
We were made for a purpose!!! We are given health and ability for a reason!!!
So why do what I do??? What is my motivation for my actions??? What is it that I am “called” to do??? Why did God put me on earth???
Matthew 22:37-39 ESV
(37) And he said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.
(38) This is the great and first commandment.
(39) And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
Matthew 4:19 ESV
(19) And he said to them, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men."
Matthew 28:19-20 ESV
(19) Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
(20) teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."
John 21:15-17 ESV
(15) When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." He said to him, "Feed my lambs."
(16) He said to him a second time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." He said to him, "Tend my sheep."
(17) He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, "Do you love me?" and he said to him, "Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Feed my sheep.
Matthew 10:38 ESV
(38) And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.
The cross was Jesus’s purpose, it was his burden, it was the reason he came to earth.
So what is your purpose??? Jesus didn’t worry about giving each individual disciple specific instructions for what they were supposed to do. His instructions were general and incredibly clear. Love God, love your neighbor, follow Jesus, and GO and reach the lost of the world!!! Don’t worry about specifics for the time being, God will work those out, but you have to take the first step. Don’t just stand there and knock on the door, what if it is unlocked??? The door won’t open unless you push...and doors can’t close on you unless you open them.
My motivation, my purpose...the lost!!!
Isaiah 40:28-31 ESV
(28) Have you not known? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable.
(29) He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength.
(30) Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted;
(31) but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.
Why would God energize us and give us strength if we had no purpose? Have you ever seen someone on a Monster that really didn’t need it because they weren’t doing anything that required a bunch of energy? They act like a chicken with it’s head cut off!!! They can’t sit still because they are all jittery and they begin to talk to fast for their brain, so whatever they say comes out as a meaningless slur. Where is all that energy going? They’re not doing anything productive with the energy it provides, there just sitting there enjoying the feeling of the energy rush...an energy rush they can’t get anywhere else. Pretty soon they gotta get another drink so they can sit around and bask in the wonderful feeling of the rush. Some become dependant, even addicted, to this energy garbage. Do we do the same with the energy God gives us?
We were made for a purpose!!! We are given health and ability for a reason!!!
So why do what I do??? What is my motivation for my actions??? What is it that I am “called” to do??? Why did God put me on earth???
Matthew 22:37-39 ESV
(37) And he said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.
(38) This is the great and first commandment.
(39) And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
Matthew 4:19 ESV
(19) And he said to them, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men."
Matthew 28:19-20 ESV
(19) Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
(20) teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."
John 21:15-17 ESV
(15) When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." He said to him, "Feed my lambs."
(16) He said to him a second time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." He said to him, "Tend my sheep."
(17) He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, "Do you love me?" and he said to him, "Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Feed my sheep.
Matthew 10:38 ESV
(38) And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.
The cross was Jesus’s purpose, it was his burden, it was the reason he came to earth.
So what is your purpose??? Jesus didn’t worry about giving each individual disciple specific instructions for what they were supposed to do. His instructions were general and incredibly clear. Love God, love your neighbor, follow Jesus, and GO and reach the lost of the world!!! Don’t worry about specifics for the time being, God will work those out, but you have to take the first step. Don’t just stand there and knock on the door, what if it is unlocked??? The door won’t open unless you push...and doors can’t close on you unless you open them.
My motivation, my purpose...the lost!!!
Make It Count
Contemplating the recent fatal accident involving four fellow students forces me consider how precious life really is...not to mention how fleeting it seems to be.
I'm reading this book right now called "When the Game Is Over It All Goes Back In the Box" by John Ortberg. Ortberg uses an illustration that is incredibly simple to understand but convicting and inspirational at the same time. It goes something like this:
The calander boxes in our little planners/date books are a graphic illustration of the 24 hour period we are living in at the moment. We fill each box with daily tasks, appointmens, and important occations we don't want to forget. And as if by magic, a little invisible door at one end of the box we're in opens and sucks us through into the next square. But one day, one of those boxes is going to be our teminal...no invisible door...no moving on to the next square...no more second chances.
I'm going to tweak the illustration a little bit. I'm gonna say that the squares represent the moment we're in. Too much can happen, too much can change in a day. Don't wait until this afternoon to make amends with someone. Don't wait until you get home to tell your mom "I love you." Call her and tell her now. Don't wait until dinner time prayer to thank God for His many blessings. Regrets are born in an instant, so make this moment count!!! You'll never get it back, and you don't know what the next one will bring.
BTW...Jesus wants your heart NOW. Please don't wait!!! Your life can be taken in the blink of an eye, and after that there is no second chance.
I'm reading this book right now called "When the Game Is Over It All Goes Back In the Box" by John Ortberg. Ortberg uses an illustration that is incredibly simple to understand but convicting and inspirational at the same time. It goes something like this:
The calander boxes in our little planners/date books are a graphic illustration of the 24 hour period we are living in at the moment. We fill each box with daily tasks, appointmens, and important occations we don't want to forget. And as if by magic, a little invisible door at one end of the box we're in opens and sucks us through into the next square. But one day, one of those boxes is going to be our teminal...no invisible door...no moving on to the next square...no more second chances.
I'm going to tweak the illustration a little bit. I'm gonna say that the squares represent the moment we're in. Too much can happen, too much can change in a day. Don't wait until this afternoon to make amends with someone. Don't wait until you get home to tell your mom "I love you." Call her and tell her now. Don't wait until dinner time prayer to thank God for His many blessings. Regrets are born in an instant, so make this moment count!!! You'll never get it back, and you don't know what the next one will bring.
BTW...Jesus wants your heart NOW. Please don't wait!!! Your life can be taken in the blink of an eye, and after that there is no second chance.
Guard Your Heart
Proverbs 4:20-27 says,
"20 My son, give attention to my words;incline your ear to my sayings.
21 Do not let them depart from your eyes;keep them in the midst of your heart;
22 for they are life to those who find them,and health to all your flesh.
23 Keep your heart with all diligence,for our of it spring the issues of life.
24 Put away from you a deceitful mouth,and put perverse lips far from you.
25 Let your eyes look straight ahead,and your eyelids look right before you.
26 Ponder the path of your feet,and let all your ways be established.
27 Do not turn right or left;remove your feet from evil."
some different versions of verse 23 are:
23 Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life. (ESV)
23 Guard your heart more than anything else, because the source of your life flows from it. (GW)23 And keep watch over your heart with all care; so you will have life. (BBE)
23 Carefully guard your thoughts because they are the source of true life. (CEV)
23 Be careful how you think; your life is shaped by your thoughts. (GNB)
So what does "guard your heart" mean?
Guard- to keep or protect
Heart- according to Strong's Hebrew and Greek Dictionary, the word used for this means feelings, the will, and even intellect
Look at the verses around verse 23. They talk about keeping the eyes and the mouth pure and using your mind to purposely think/intend to walk in upright/holy ways. There is a connection between the holiness of your thoughts and what you literally look upon and what you literally say.Those who follow Jesus fight more battles in the head than they do in the physical world. after all, our battle is agains the rulers, authorities, and powers of this dark world. How can we live holy lives if our minds are filled with junk because of the thins we let filter into our eyes and ears? How can we have clean, unperverted mouths if we constantly purposely fill our ears with swear words? How can we think pure thoughts if we feast our eyes on immorality? How can we fix our eyes straight ahead if they are distracted looking at images and watching films that are anything but godly? How can be have the attitude of Christ if we let ourselves bask in and soak up the attitudes of people who don't know Christ? How can we surrender to God, live the Christian life, never swerving from the path of righteousness when were soaking uup like sponges ideas of relativity, independance, evolution, liberal tolerance, and taking grace for granted? GUARD YOUR HEART, for out of it comes the spring of life!!! BEWARE of what you let yourself get indoctrinated by.
Proverbs 23:7"for as he thinks in his heart, so he is."
"20 My son, give attention to my words;incline your ear to my sayings.
21 Do not let them depart from your eyes;keep them in the midst of your heart;
22 for they are life to those who find them,and health to all your flesh.
23 Keep your heart with all diligence,for our of it spring the issues of life.
24 Put away from you a deceitful mouth,and put perverse lips far from you.
25 Let your eyes look straight ahead,and your eyelids look right before you.
26 Ponder the path of your feet,and let all your ways be established.
27 Do not turn right or left;remove your feet from evil."
some different versions of verse 23 are:
23 Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life. (ESV)
23 Guard your heart more than anything else, because the source of your life flows from it. (GW)23 And keep watch over your heart with all care; so you will have life. (BBE)
23 Carefully guard your thoughts because they are the source of true life. (CEV)
23 Be careful how you think; your life is shaped by your thoughts. (GNB)
So what does "guard your heart" mean?
Guard- to keep or protect
Heart- according to Strong's Hebrew and Greek Dictionary, the word used for this means feelings, the will, and even intellect
Look at the verses around verse 23. They talk about keeping the eyes and the mouth pure and using your mind to purposely think/intend to walk in upright/holy ways. There is a connection between the holiness of your thoughts and what you literally look upon and what you literally say.Those who follow Jesus fight more battles in the head than they do in the physical world. after all, our battle is agains the rulers, authorities, and powers of this dark world. How can we live holy lives if our minds are filled with junk because of the thins we let filter into our eyes and ears? How can we have clean, unperverted mouths if we constantly purposely fill our ears with swear words? How can we think pure thoughts if we feast our eyes on immorality? How can we fix our eyes straight ahead if they are distracted looking at images and watching films that are anything but godly? How can be have the attitude of Christ if we let ourselves bask in and soak up the attitudes of people who don't know Christ? How can we surrender to God, live the Christian life, never swerving from the path of righteousness when were soaking uup like sponges ideas of relativity, independance, evolution, liberal tolerance, and taking grace for granted? GUARD YOUR HEART, for out of it comes the spring of life!!! BEWARE of what you let yourself get indoctrinated by.
Proverbs 23:7"for as he thinks in his heart, so he is."
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