I haven't written for a while since I took some time to go up to New England and do some needed repairs around my mother's house, as well as do some sightseeing, and relax this last week by doing a building project around my own home. So, now that I'm back, these should be coming weekly!
This week's 'thought' is actually comprised of a few smaller 'thoughts.' Sometimes it's better that way. If one doesn't speak to where you are at, another might. My hope is that at least one will! They come from various authors and sources -- only the authors name is given. Enjoy.
From a sermon on Matthew 6:34: "Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough troubles of its own." "No man even sank under the burden of the day. It is when tomorrow's burden is added to the burden of today that the weight is more than a man can bear. Never load yourself so. If you find yourself so loaded, at least remember this: It is your own doing, not God's. He begs you to leave the future to Him and mind the present. Each day has enough troubles of it's own." George MacDonald
"Do not be angry that you cannot make others as you wish them to be, since you cannot make yourself as you wish to be." Thomas A'Kempis
"Whatever weakens your reason, impairs the tenderness of your conscience, obscures your sense of God, or takes away your relish of spiritual things; in short, whatever increases the strength and authority of your body over your mind -- that thing is sin to you." Susannah Wesley
"Faith and obedience are bound up in the same bundle. He that obeys God, trusts God; and he that trusts God, obeys God." Charles Spurgeon"Soul winners are not soul winners because of what they know, but because of Whom they know, how well they know him, and how much they long for others to know him." Dawson Trotman (founder of 'The Navigators')
"A young teen who was constantly getting into trouble always apologized when his parents confronted him. No matter how much he hurt them with his previous wrongdoing, he would turn around and do something else wrong -- knowing he would be forgiven. Finally, his dad took him out to the garage for a talk. Dad picked up a hammer and pounded a nail into the garage wall. Then he gave his son the hammer and told him to pull out the nail. The boy shrugged, grabbed the hammer, and yanked out the nail. 'That's like forgiveness, son. When you do something wrong, it's like pounding in a nail. Forgiveness is when you pull the nail out.' 'Okay, I get it,' said the boy.
'Now take the hammer and pull out the nail hole,' his dad said. 'That's impossible,' the boy said, 'I can't pull out the hole.' Exactly. As King David's life proves, sin carries consequences. Even though David was forgiven, his adultery and murder of Uriah left scars and led to family problems years down the road (II Sam. 12:10). This sobering truth can serve as a warning for our lives. Because of David's sin with Bathsheba, Samuel declared to David: "The sword shall never depart from your house, because you despised me and took for yourself the wife of Uriah the Hittite." The best way to avoid the lingering damage of sin is to live a life of obedience to God. Our sins can be forgiven and washed away, but their consequences are often ours to pay." Dave Branon
With prayers that more of God's wisdom might come to you through the words of His servants, Pastor Jeff
