Posted by John | Filed under Uncategorized
I was very angry with God today so I thought I would google the phrase “God, I’m Angry with you.” Here is what I found.
By
Kelli Mahoney,
Okay, so we may not always say it that way, but many of us have experience some anger or frustration with Godat some point in our lives. Hey, life is far from perfect, and sometimes we have to deal with tragedies or disappointments that we don’t understand. Sometimes that leads us to blame God for the things that went wrong.
Yet, learning a bit from Job, David, and Jonah, we can see sometimes what anger with God can do. Job expressed his anger and listened with God reprimanded him. Jonah got swallowed by a whale, and eventually repented. David would get angry and eventually allow it to turn into trust and love. What all three characters tell us is that it’s not okay to just be angry with God. We have to express to God what our feelings are and let Him provide us comfort and guidance.
Is it easy to do? Not always. Sometimes it just feels good that God listens, so we get over it. Sometimes it takes long periods of time in prayer and conversation with God. Yet holding a grudge against God only leads to distance between you and God, which can end up in us losing our faith completely.
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May 28th, 2009
Posted by John | Filed under Uncategorized
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by Rick Warren
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“A man’s wisdom gives him patience…” (Proverbs 19:11 NIV).
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| It’s amazing how fifteen minor frustrations at the office can add up to one big, bad attitude by the time you head for home. Frustrations come in three varieties:
1. Interruptions: Unexpected visitors or phone calls when you have a deadline to meet or something important requires your attention. Our best plans are often interrupted.
2. Inconveniences: While interruptions are usually from people, inconveniences are usually situations involving things: the copy machine breaks down, traffic jams up, or you can’t find what you need when you need it.
3. Irritations: Long delays, unreliable people, playing telephone tag, catching a cold, obnoxious clients, etc.
But the truth is you can’t eliminate these. No doubt you’ll face all three varieties this week, but you can keep them from stressing you out.
What’s the secret of managing your frustrations?
Don’t resist it, but don’t overreact or blow up. Don’t resent it; don’t internalize you anger. Don’t resign to it; don’t have a pity-party.
Instead, reduce it. Treat it as insignificant. Put the frustration into proper perspective. It’s just a minor setback, a part of living, no big deal! It’s certainly not worth a heart attack. Follow these rules for stress management:
• RULE #1: Don’t sweat the small stuff.
• RULE #2: Realize it’s all small stuff!
The Bible says, “A man’s wisdom gives him patience…” (Proverbs 19:11 NIV). The only way we can see all stuff as small stuff is to view it from God’s perspective. When I am in tune with God, I remember he has everything under control even though I don’t! So I don’t have to sweat it: “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23 NIV).
Pray this prayer: “Lord, help me to be filled with your love, joy, and peace, so that when I’m squeezed and pressured it is your love, joy, and peace that spill out of me.”
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May 27th, 2009
Posted by John | Filed under Uncategorized
a quote from ECKART TOLLE’s new book: STILLNESS SPEAKS. From chapter “Suffering and the End of Suffering:”
“You don’t need to be a Christian to understand the deep universal truth that is contained in symbolic form in the image of the cross.
The cross is a torture instrument. It stands for the most extreme suffering, limitation, and helplessness a human being can encounter. Then suddenly that human being surrenders, suffers willingly, consciously, expressed through the words, ‘Not my will but Thy will be done.’ At that moment, the cross, the torture instrument, shows its hidden face: it is also a sacred symbol, a symbol for the divine.”
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May 22nd, 2009
Posted by John | Filed under Uncategorized
You will not stumble while on your knees.
“My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of Heaven and earth. He will not let my foot slip—He who watches over me will not slumber…” Psalm 121:2,3
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May 20th, 2009
Posted by John | Filed under Uncategorized
Right now my prayers are not being answered. I know I am being tested. I know there is “an answer” out there that JESUS has in store for me. But it is taking longer than I want and it most likely won’t be the answer I want. I know God’s time table is not limited by my time table and only HE can see the Big Picture of my life. So I have a few options.
First, I can curse and make myself sick and angry and make everyone around me miserable. Or second, I can accept “what is” on faith and trust that it will all work out……….some how, even if not exactly the way I want. That is not to say that I am not trying to take appropriate action to solve my problems, but some things are just simply totally out of my control. I am trying to choose the 2nd option.
My mother, God Bless her soul, who has been with Jesus for several years now, once told me when I was very young and going through a difficult time (as we all do), that “THIS TOO WILL PASS.” At the time I thought, how stupid is that!!
I have since begun to understand exactly what she meant. We all go through very difficult times as well as very good times. Sometimes it seems so erratic, unpredictable and uncontrollable. But the one constant, is that everything changes and in deed, “THIS TOO WILL PASS” as does everything.
Now at first, realizing that everything always changes and “PASSES” was frightening to me. But then I realized that there are a few things that will not pass nor change: Our Spiritual Being or Soul, Eternity and God. Those are the true constants in our existence.
When I am able to focus on those true constants, my current problems, although concerning and pressing, lose some of their traumatic negative impact on my life because vs Eternity, those problems just don’t seem so overwhelming.
So, in the meantime, I am trying not to focus on the unsure future in this life which will only add to my potential for misery, but take each day and each moment as it comes and accept it, surrender to it, enjoy it and make the most of it. And accept everything else on my faith in Jesus Christ that HE has a plan for me and it will all work out in the end.
Praise to you O Lord, Jesus Christ.
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May 19th, 2009
Posted by John | Filed under Uncategorized
by John Fischer
Intimidated? Naw. Though he sure could have been. No name Matt Palmer of the Los Angeles Angels went up against the New York Yankees and their new ace, CC Sabathia on Saturday, in spanking new Yankee Stadium, and won.
Palmer, who is 30 years old, considered by many to be too old to be starting a major league career, was pitching in only his fifth big league start, and on paper, David shouldn’t even be on the same field with Goliath. Sabbathia is a 6 foot 7 inch 300 pound behemoth with a contract that pays him $23 million a year. Palmer is a half a foot shorter and will make the major league minimum of $400,000 this year. That’s a difference of $22.6 million. But this time, the money didn’t pay off. That’s what you have to love about this game.
Palmer won the game for the Angels with a 6 1/3 inning, three hit, one run effort, while Sabbathia gave up five runs and eight hits in 6 2/3 innings.
Palmer gives credit to his wife, who consistently believed in his pitching abilities even when he wanted to give up and go into the landscape business, and to the Angels coaches who taught him to trust his “stuff” rather than try and finesse the ball. His coaches found that he had a natural movement on his fastball that confused hitters and basically taught him to trust his gifts and aggressively go after hitters. Well at least on Saturday, it worked out.
What surprised me about this story is that Matt Palmer didn’t request a souvenir from the game. (Players who accomplish something special often ask for a memento of some kind like a game ball.) He certainly was entitled.
But when asked what he would take with him from this experience, he replied, “Just the feeling—you always have memories. I don’t believe in souvenirs and all that. From here on out, it’s all about competing and trying to stay here and showing the coaches and the staff and the team that I belong here.”
That’s a take home for me. It’s one thing to mark one victory—and that’s fine—but it’s another to perform at a level that guarantees a steady stream of them. We are all gifted by God. We’ve got a natural pitch. Learn to trust your gift and start to live at a level that requires it.
I (Paul) urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. (Ephesians 4:1)
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May 18th, 2009
Posted by John | Filed under Uncategorized
If you were arrested for being kind, would there be enough evidence to convict you?
“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” Colossians 3:12
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May 15th, 2009
Posted by John | Filed under Uncategorized
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by Rick Warren
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| In our Devotionals series, Pastor Rick Warren discusses the Bible passages that inspire him the most. Today’s Devotional is based on this passage: |
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“Listen before you answer. If you don’t, you are being stupid and insulting” (Proverbs 18:13 TEV).
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| To really communicate, you must give up three things:
1. You must give up your assumptions. We get into trouble when we start assuming we understand the meaning of what people say to us. The truth is everything you hear goes through a filter. Your filter is determined by your past experiences and your unique personality. You may not be hearing what they are really saying. Therefore, it is smart (and safe) to ask for clarification: “Listen before you answer. If you don’t, you are being stupid and insulting” (Proverbs 18:13 TEV).
2. You must give up your accusations. You never get your point across by being cross. Anger and sarcasm only make people defensive and that kills communication. There are four common forms of accusation:
• Exaggerating, such as making sweeping generalities like “You never,” or “You always.”
• Labeling, such as derogatory name-calling. Labeling never changes anyone. It only reinforces the negative behavior.
• Playing historian, such as bringing up past failures, mistakes, and broken promises.
• Asking loaded questions, ones that really can’t be answered, such as, “Can’t you do anything right?”
The Bible says, “Do not use harmful words, but only helpful words, the kind that build up and provide what is needed, so that what you say will do good to those who hear you” (Ephesians 4:29 TEV).
3. You must give up your apprehensions. Fear prevents honest communication. It causes us to conceal our true feelings and fail to confront the real issues. The two most common apprehensions are: the fear of failure and the fear of rejection. But when you face your fear and risk being honest, then real communication can happen. Freedom is the result of openness. Jesus said, “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32 TEV). |
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May 14th, 2009
Posted by John | Filed under Uncategorized
I attended a funeral recently of a relative with whom when we were very young, we were very close. Over the years we drifted a part….. not completely sure why……..but it happened. I always assumed we would some day reconcile and “live happily ever after.” Even though there were attempts to get together, it never happened.
At the funeral when I saw what a wonderful family and many grand children this person had, I felt it was such a waste and shame that that family and mine could not have been closer to enjoy each other. We hope to try and mend that but so much precious time and opportunity have been lost.
The reason I am sharing this with you is that if there is someone…….anyone……… in your life or your past….a sister, brother, mother, father, relative, in-law, friend, neighbor, rival, classmate, ex-business partner, colleague, or any other person with whom you long to be closer to………………………………………………..
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May 13th, 2009
Posted by John | Filed under Uncategorized
The following quote from ECKART TOLLE’S latest book, NEW EARTH, following his best selling THE POWER OF NOW, really made an impression on me:
“Many people don’t realize until they are on their deathbed and everything external falls away that “NO THING” ever had anything to do with who they are. In the proximity of death, the whole concept of ownership stands revealed as ultimately meaningless. In the last moments of their life, they then also realize that while they were looking throughout their lives for a more complete sense of self, what they were really looking for, THEIR BEING, had actually always been there, but had been largely obscured by the their identification and obsession with and fixation on things.”
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May 12th, 2009
