No complaining

Philippians 2: 14

Do everything without complaining or arguing…

One thing that Debbie and I disciplined Jake & Ben for when they were little, was complaining and arguing.

They both were held to a pretty strict standard, when it came to an attitude of ingratitude.

Do you ever complain about your job?

Is your spouse not quite the dreamboat you remember?

I even remember as a child, that if we complained about what my Mom made for supper, we had the option of forgoing supper all together.

And just be sure of this—we were never allowed into the kitchen later on, to try and scrounge up something different.

That also meant that we had to go without dessert as well.

My Mom was trying to teach us five boys, to appreciate what we had.

She was also trying to show us, that a spirit of constant complaining, would probably follow us all of our adult lives.

That’s what we were trying to prevent from happening to Jake & Ben.

Truthfully—how much griping do you do?

How will you address this issue, the next time it comes up?

Do your children see you as a complainer, or someone who is satisfied with anything that comes your way?

Maybe stop for a moment today, and ask God to help you model a spirit of gratefulness.

If you demonstrate a grateful heart, your children will too one day.

It’ll probably be a pretty good environment for the people you hang out with too…

True Love..Thank you Carter!

1 John 4: 10

This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son…

I think I’ve learned more about love through my grandson Carter, than from any other person I know.

I’m sure most children try and test their parents, but in different ways than Carter has tested his Mom & Dad.

We also have some other people in our church, who have a number of adopted children.

I wonder if they’ve ever, for even a second, felt like this is just too hard?

Because of Carter and those other precious children, I know God in a way I don’t think I ever could.

God has called these parents to a kind of love they probably didn’t even think they were capable of.

Anyone can love a child that is theirs by birth, but to love one that is adopted, is to know the real love of God.

Carter lived in our home for a while, and I’m not sure I was crazy about that arrangement at first, but it gave me a front row seat to the love of God.

Because of this parents love, Carter has his first baseball game tonight.

I for one, am one proud Poppy to be able to attend, and watch him strut his stuff.

Is there someone in your life right now, that requires a special effort just to love them?

I know there are people in my church, that must find it really hard to love me like God does—and I fully understand why.

“Father God, thank You for always showing me the true picture of love.

Thank You for caring enough for me, for adopting me, and reserving a special place for me in Your Kingdom.

Thank You too, for giving us all the capacity to love, and for teaching us how to love. Amen.”

Leave it!

Acts 1: 14 (NAS)

These all with one mind were continually devoting themselves to prayer…

I often wonder what it might be like, to have everyone in the church of one mind.

It’s seems that there are more factions in the church today, that I’m able to count.

Yesterday in church we passed around a signup sheet for prayer.

The early church we’re known as people who prayed continually.

I shared in church a few weeks ago, that Pastor David Wilkerson said… “What ever happened to the all night prayer meetings?”

I thought that was a good question, so I scheduled one for our church.

An all night prayer meeting?

Yes—an all night prayer meeting.

Maybe the early church had one mind, because they actually labored together in corporate prayer.

Maybe the reason they saw the tremendous movement of God’s great power in the church, was because they were devoted.

I realize that praying at 2am, isn’t feasible for everyone.

I’m not sure Jesus was looking for people who actually sought convenience, or feasibility.

Call me crazy, but I’m pretty sure Jesus was looking for people who were willing to leave their old lives behind

Stand Firm!

Romans 14: 13

Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother's way.

Have you ever considered, how home entertainment can be construed as an obstacle?

When  a steamy scene comes on TV, what’s our first inclination?

What’s the standard in your home?

A little steamy stuff—a few curse words—just a smattering of violence perhaps.

What we watch, affects our children and will one day affect their children.

How about the music we invite in, to entertain us?

I believe it’s the responsibility of every person, to establish a godly standard when it comes to home entertainment.

I understand this is old fashioned thinking, but we are desperately trying to swim against a very strong cultural current.

My advice to you… STAND FIRM!

We need convictions in our home these days.

Do you have a standard in your home?

If not—why not?

Maybe it’s time to throw out the evil that’s being forced upon us these days.

Maybe it’s time to remove the stumbling block…

Look to others!

Philippians 2: 4

Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

 

Americans spend over $110 billion dollars a year on fast food.

That’s more than they spend combined on magazines, movies, books, and recorded music.

 

Can you imagine if most people thought about helping others, instead of helping themselves?

Many adults spend about $5 dollars per day on candy and soda. That’s short of $2 thousand dollars per year.

 

Not many people would choose to pull out yesterday’s left over spaghetti.

Let’s face it, we pretty often look out for number one, and leftovers aren’t usually a part of the menu.

 

What if we all gave thought to helping people who are starving in the world?

The average person in 2/3^rds of the rest of the world, live on less than $2 dollars per day.

 

What if instead of being concerned about how we’re going to live out our retirement years, we actually decided to help folks who are alive today.

They might not even make it to retirement age, if we don’t consider their interests first.

 

All we’d have to do, is cut our candy/soda intake in half, and we could make a huge difference.

But that would take some getting used to. That would actually take some sacrifice.

 

How do you plan at looking at the interests of others?

Do you even care about the interests of others? 

Self-Centered!

Job 30: 25

Have I not wept for those in trouble? Has not my soul grieved for the poor?

Have you ever experienced trouble, that you know other’s are going through right now?

I wonder if we’ve forgotten what it’s like, to be in a fix?

The heaviness of trouble, can wear a person down fast.

Do you know what it might have been like, to have someone else help carry that burden?

We almost never have to worry about what we’re going to eat for supper, but a poor person does.

Do we really grieve for the poor?

Having to go to a food pantry, must not be fun for the person who has to use one.

I can’t even relate, because I’ve never had to shop at one.

Maybe we wouldn’t have to beg for food to fill the shelves of our church food pantry, if we really knew what it was like to be poor.

Sometimes we hear of the trouble people have, and we’re honestly not one bit moved.

I wonder if we’re more self centered, than we thought we were…

“Abundant God, forgive us when we’re not really moved about people who have severe trouble.

Give our hearts a boost of compassion, as we consider the poor that live near us. Amen.”

Silence is not always golden!

Psalm 39: 9

I have become mute, I do not open my mouth.

Sometimes, there is so much noise in the world, that it can often drive us to silence.

Being a follower of Jesus, and being silent, is almost an oxymoron today.

When we signed up to be a Christian, silence is something that should almost never exist, with the exception of prayer.

Amazingly enough, most followers of Christ never open up their mouth in testimony of His greatness.

Sometimes, feelings of inadequacy silence us.

Often times the sheer thought of being vocal for Christ, brings us to embarrassment to even speak.

Do you have an emotional distance from the Savior?

Maybe you need to return to the place where He can use you in the most effective way?

Granted, there is a peace that can come with avoidance, but it never lasts very long.

Silence often times, is more appealing that dealing with reality.

Silence is one of Satan’s most deadly disguises.

He will often convince us, that Jesus is giving us the cold shoulder, so why say anything at all.

Reaching up to receive His redemptive closeness, can be our motivator to talk.

What drives you to silence?

Have God show you what to do, when you become quiet to the world, who desperately needs to hear about His never ending love…