Happy Thanksgiving!
Today’s post is a fun application of the song, “Count Your Many Blessings” using the alphabet. Some are spiritual. Others physical. A few personal. Plus little things we take for granted. Continue reading
GREAT VERSES OF THE BIBLE: James 1:17
“The gift that keeps on giving.” Google this phrase and you’ll get 10,800,000 results.
This well-known slogan has been used in commercials over the years to sell Father’s Day and Mother’s Day gifts, subscriptions to Sports Illustrated, and promote a variety of goods and services including banks, florists, and cameras. As we approach the holiday season, we all want to purchase that perfect gift that pleases our family and friends–a gift that keeps on giving. Continue reading
Filed under Great Bible Verses
How Does Love Deal With Hurts Without Keeping A Record Of Wrongs?
Last week in a post from 1Corinthians 13:5, we wrote about “(Love) keeps no record of wrongs.”
In response, one of our regular readers, Stephen, commented, “forgiving someone isn’t a license for them to keep on running over you (continue hurting you through their actions).” He then mentioned the analogy of Lucy holding the football for Charlie Brown and asked that I write about this issue.
It was a classic every football season for several years in the Peanuts comic strip. Charlie Brown practicing his place kicking and Lucy holding the football.
Filed under Forgiveness, Love
Word of the Week: Thankful
My late friend and college room mate, David Lewis, once related a touching story by Dr. John Kavanaugh, about a woman in an extended care hospital.
“She had some kind of wasting disease, her different powers fading away over the march of the month. A student of mine happened upon her on a coincidental visit. The student kept going back, drawn by the strange force of the woman’s joy. Though she could no longer move her arms and legs, she would say, ‘I’m just so happy that I can move my neck.’ When she could no longer move her neck, she would say, ‘I’m just so glad that I can see and hear.’ Continue reading
Filed under Word of the Week
Your Best
Graham Kendrick reminds us, “Worship is first and foremost for His benefit, not ours, though it is marvelous to discover that in giving Him pleasure, we ourselves enter into what can become our richest and most wholesome experience in life.” Continue reading
Filed under Sunday Seed Thoughts
IT’S FRIDAY. BUT SUNDAY’S COMING! Christ–The Power of God
Do You not know that I have power to crucify You, and power to release You?” Pontus Pilate asked Jesus at His trial.
The power in Jesus’ day resided in Rome. Everyone knew it. Their empirical rule reached across the known world. The power was evident in their army. Their outposts of culture. Their massive building programs. Their roads. And, of course, their ruler. He was Pontifex Maximus. Continue reading
Filed under It's Friday. But Sunday's Coming!
Sowing Discord Among Brethren
Perhaps you’ve heard the story about a man who was stranded on a desert island for many, many years. One day, while strolling along the beach, he spotted a ship in the distance. This had never happened in all the time he was on the island, so he was very excited about the chance of being rescued.
Immediately, he built a fire on the beach and generated as much smoke as possible. It worked! Soon, the ship was heading his way. When the ship was close enough to the island, a dinghy was dispatched to investigate the situation. The man on the island was overjoyed with the chance to be rescued and met his saviors as they landed. Continue reading
Filed under Unity
GREAT VERSES OF THE BIBLE: 1Corinthians 13:5
I heard a story about a man in the early 1900’s who was bitten by a rabid animal and taken to the local hospital. The doctor examined him, ran some tests, and broke the bad news to him.
“I’m sorry,” he said, “but you have contracted rabies.” This was prior to a cure being found. So the Dr sadly announced, “There’s no hope for you. We can keep you comfortable during your last days, but that’s all. I suggest you write out your will and set your affairs in order.” Continue reading
Filed under Great Bible Verses
The Folly of Trying to Please Everyone
From Aesop’s Fables is this story with a great moral–The Man, The Boy, and The Donkey.
A man and his son were once going with their donkey to market. As they were walking along by its side a countryman passed them and said: “You fools, what is a donkey for but to ride upon?” So the man put the boy on the donkey and they went on their way.
But soon they passed a group of men, one of whom said: “See that lazy youngster, he lets his father walk while he rides.” So the man ordered his boy to get off, and got on himself. Continue reading
Filed under Criticism
Word of the Week: Choose
“When I was a boy, my father, a baker, introduced me to the wonders of song,” said the late tenor Luciano Pavarotti who died in 2007.
“He urged me to work very hard to develop my voice. Arrigo Pola, a professional tenor in my hometown of Modena, Italy, took me as a pupil. I also enrolled in a teachers college,” related Pavarotti.
On graduating, I asked my father, ‘Shall I be a teacher or a singer?’ Continue reading
Filed under Word of the Week
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