There is an old saying that it takes a village to raise a child and there is probably more truth in that than many of us would like to admit; however, it helps to know what the village holds in high esteem…what are its core values? Unfortunately, the morals and values that seem to permeate our society today in America are a far cry from that of our grandmothers and grandfathers….some would argue that should be considered growth, but I beg to differ.
The Bible speaks plainly on this matter in Proverbs 22:6, where it reads, “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.”…and in Deuteronomy 6:5-7 which says, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and will all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down and when you rise.”
God has placed the yoke of raising our children squarely on our backs. We are to be their heroes…not some rock star or teenage heart-throb; not some football player or basketball protégé; not some movie starlet or “hunk’ from a sitcom….our children should identify with us, their parents, and we in turn should point them to Jesus. We should seize each and every teachable moment to instill and reinforce that Jesus Christ is Lord in this world and in our own hearts….nothing less will get the job done right!!!!
We must be alert for the opportunities that God presents each day as we go about the daily tasks and rituals of living in a fallen and sin-sick world….we must present Jesus in the way we deal with others and especially with the way we interact and love our children. It still remains a mystery why the old saying, “More is caught than taught” can ring so true; but our children are ALWAYS WATCHING what we do and they will do their very best imitation of us…often at the worst and most embarrassing time.
So, though the bulk of the work to raise healthy, loving and well-adjusted children is a parents’ greatest single challenge, it is permissible and practical to get some outside help. Your pastor, youth and children’s ministers, Sunday school teachers and others in your church are a great place to receive advice, counseling and encouragement for this all-important task …and this is a great village in which to entrust your children for the additional love and support that comes from a loving and caring fellowship of believers….if you're in such a place, THANK GOD; if not, ask God to direct your steps to a house of worship that treats children as Christ did when he said, ”Suffer the little children to come unto me.”
And as always be on the lookout for poignant material that reinforces the teachings in Scripture and puts them in practical, everyday language …like the following that was in a speech delivered by Bill Gates to a group of high schools students …talking about how the current feel-good, politically correct teachings have created a generation with no concept of reality in the REAL world …and how this teaching sets them up for failure ….read on and teach accordingly!
1. Life is not fair…GET USED TO IT!
2. The world does not care about your self-esteem. The world will expect you to accomplish something BEFORE you feel good about yourself.
3. You will not make $60,000 a year right out of high school. You won’t be a vice- president or have a chauffeur until you earn both.
4. If you think your teacher is tough…wait until you have a BOSS.
5. Flipping burgers is NOT beneath your dignity…your grandparents had a different word for flipping burgers called OPPORTUNITY.
6. Before you were born, your parents weren’t as boring as now…they got that way paying your bills, buying your clothes and listening to you talk about how great you are. So before you save the rainforests from the parasites of your parents’ generation, try cleaning up you own room….without your parents’ help.
7. If you mess up, it’s not your parents fault….Don’t whine, fess up and learn from you mistakes.
8. Your school may have done away with winners and losers, but the world HAS NOT! They may have abolished failing grades and may give you as many times as you need to get the correct answer; but that bears NO resemblance to ANYTHING in the real world.
9. Life is not divided into semester and you don’t get the summers off. In fact, few employers are interested in helping you FIND YOURSELF…do that on your own time.
10. Television is NOT real life. In real life, people actually have to leave the coffee shop and go to their jobs.
Some great and inspirational truths are often found in the most unlikely places ….so as a parent; keep learning so that you can keep teaching by word and most importantly, by example.
Keeping our eyes on Jesus…Teaching as He taught,
WPQ
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Monday, January 11, 2010
Step Up to Stand Out
Have you ever caught a snowflake on your finger and looked at its intricate pattern before it dissolved? Or have you ever witnessed a rainbow or sunset that was truly ‘one of a kind” and knew that there would never be another one like it?
If so, welcome to the wondrous world that God has created where no two humans are exactly alike (even identical twins have their own uniqueness). Welcome to a world that should celebrate that individualism and be a better world for it.
God has created each of us with special talents and abilities that will allow us (and only us) to accomplish His will and prepare the coming Kingdom for its completeness. The scriptures are resplendent with examples of godly men and women who forsook it all to follow Jesus…but they seldom started out that way and all too often, they needed a gentle push to set them on their way.
Paul is an excellent example of such a Biblical character that started out to destroy Jesus and his followers; but, after his dramatic conversion and some encouragement from a new-found friend, he finally got his act together and took it on the road. Check it out!
Read Acts 11:19-26 and you will read how Barnabas was sent by the church in Jerusalem to see what was taking place in Antioch….”When he arrived and saw the grace of God, he was glad and he encouraged all of them to remain true to the Lord with a firm resolve of the heart- for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith- and large numbers were added to the Lord.” Notice what happens next; “Then he went to Tarsus to search for Saul and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught large numbers. It was at Antioch that the disciples were first called Christians.”
Now, news was out that Saul (Paul) had become a convert…but NO ONE WANTED TO TRUST THIS NEW DISCIPLE WITH THEIR LIFE….except Barnabas. The stories were all too fresh of the horrors of Saul’s earlier past, but Barnabas, led by the Holy Spirit, knew that God’s calling was upon Paul’s life. If Paul was to become all that God wanted him to be, then he would need encouragement, direction and guidance; and above all else, he would need a friend that would stick closer than a brother in these new and trying times. Barnabas chose to be the one to effectively prepare Paul for the mission field that lay ahead. For a whole year, he poured all that was in him into this new vessel named Paul….and even though their relationship was later strained when they parted company, I am confident that Paul always knew the debt of love and gratitude that was due his good friend and mentor, Barnabas.
Are you that rising star, waiting in the wings for someone to give you a boost into the starry sky or …are you the one that God has called to do the boosting? Many times someone must step up in order to help someone else stand out. Barnabas did that for his new brother in Christ as he stepped out in faith and brought him into his ministry in Antioch…..and we only have to read the Scriptures to understand what this meant to Paul.
Right now, why not ask God if there is someone that needs a word of encouragement or perhaps, someone that you need to tuck under your wing and train for the work of His Kingdom. The cost may be great, but the reward is even GREATER.
Maybe, you’re the one that is waiting on God’s mentor and your upcoming assignment.
Either way, God is at work, raising up and preparing …ready to use your uniqueness for His Glory. You can be all that God has called you to be and you can help others do likewise…the choice is yours,
Seeking to serve….serving my Savior,
WPQ
Thought for the day:
God has called each of us
To live for Him each day
So why not bring others along
And guide them in His ways.
If so, welcome to the wondrous world that God has created where no two humans are exactly alike (even identical twins have their own uniqueness). Welcome to a world that should celebrate that individualism and be a better world for it.
God has created each of us with special talents and abilities that will allow us (and only us) to accomplish His will and prepare the coming Kingdom for its completeness. The scriptures are resplendent with examples of godly men and women who forsook it all to follow Jesus…but they seldom started out that way and all too often, they needed a gentle push to set them on their way.
Paul is an excellent example of such a Biblical character that started out to destroy Jesus and his followers; but, after his dramatic conversion and some encouragement from a new-found friend, he finally got his act together and took it on the road. Check it out!
Read Acts 11:19-26 and you will read how Barnabas was sent by the church in Jerusalem to see what was taking place in Antioch….”When he arrived and saw the grace of God, he was glad and he encouraged all of them to remain true to the Lord with a firm resolve of the heart- for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith- and large numbers were added to the Lord.” Notice what happens next; “Then he went to Tarsus to search for Saul and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught large numbers. It was at Antioch that the disciples were first called Christians.”
Now, news was out that Saul (Paul) had become a convert…but NO ONE WANTED TO TRUST THIS NEW DISCIPLE WITH THEIR LIFE….except Barnabas. The stories were all too fresh of the horrors of Saul’s earlier past, but Barnabas, led by the Holy Spirit, knew that God’s calling was upon Paul’s life. If Paul was to become all that God wanted him to be, then he would need encouragement, direction and guidance; and above all else, he would need a friend that would stick closer than a brother in these new and trying times. Barnabas chose to be the one to effectively prepare Paul for the mission field that lay ahead. For a whole year, he poured all that was in him into this new vessel named Paul….and even though their relationship was later strained when they parted company, I am confident that Paul always knew the debt of love and gratitude that was due his good friend and mentor, Barnabas.
Are you that rising star, waiting in the wings for someone to give you a boost into the starry sky or …are you the one that God has called to do the boosting? Many times someone must step up in order to help someone else stand out. Barnabas did that for his new brother in Christ as he stepped out in faith and brought him into his ministry in Antioch…..and we only have to read the Scriptures to understand what this meant to Paul.
Right now, why not ask God if there is someone that needs a word of encouragement or perhaps, someone that you need to tuck under your wing and train for the work of His Kingdom. The cost may be great, but the reward is even GREATER.
Maybe, you’re the one that is waiting on God’s mentor and your upcoming assignment.
Either way, God is at work, raising up and preparing …ready to use your uniqueness for His Glory. You can be all that God has called you to be and you can help others do likewise…the choice is yours,
Seeking to serve….serving my Savior,
WPQ
Thought for the day:
God has called each of us
To live for Him each day
So why not bring others along
And guide them in His ways.
Friday, January 8, 2010
Living in Troubled Times?
All of us, at one time or another, have heard the old saying that “Bad things happen to good people” and almost all of us would agree with that statement; however, many of us take issue with the idea that “Bad things happen to God’s people.”
For some reason, too many Christians have been misinformed or have become confused by the “prosperity” preachers of this age. Those “good time” prognosticators tell us that God wants us to prosper and have all the things of this world that our heart desires. They would lead us to believe that if bad things are happening in our lives and we are not prospering, we must be at fault.
And in some regards, this might be true! God does use hardships, trials, tribulations, afflictions and suffering to get our attention….especially when our focus has been on ourselves and our selfish agenda. Sometimes, God uses the pains of this world to punish and discipline us after sin has led us astray. Our pride and our desire to be in control of our lives is a constant source of consternation and concern for our Heavenly Father….when our focus is on us, it can’t be on Him and His will.
Jonah was a perfect example of this….as he turned his back on the people of Ninevah, he disobeyed God’s instruction and he suffered the consequences of his disobedience. God reckoned with Jonah’s sin ….and the whale had a great lunch.
Then, there’s the other reason that suffering seems to afflict so many good and faithful Christians….they are good and faithful! Just like Job of the Old Testament, many Christians are held up to pain and suffering because God has allowed Satan to inflict the best of God’s people with what I like to call “fine-tuning”. Satan thinks that his afflictions will cause us to falter and turn from our faith in our Father; but in reality, God allows these trials to fine tune us for greater service and intimacy with Jesus, the one who suffered for you and me. When we share in the suffering of our Christ, we become more like Him…..we endure the frustrations of the flesh and are drawn closer to Christ….through the comfort that He alone can offer.
And that’s the other reason that we live in such “troubled” times….to offer comfort to others because we have been where they are now. 2 Corinthians 1:3-5 says, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ, our comfort overflows.”
So, if today you are suffering and facing troubles that might seem insurmountable, you are faced with three choices…is it sin and self-centeredness….is it Satan’s seduction …or is it Christ-like suffering that brings intimacy with the Savior? Only you can know for sure… and that will require some self-diagnosis that might prove to be uncomfortable and disheartening.
The comfort of Christ awaits those that suffer through the trials and troubles of the flesh because the price of discomfort is worth the intimacy that awaits each of us. So, don’t turn away from the troubles that have beset you…don’t be like the captain that steers his ship back to the safety of the harbor when the seas become rough and choppy; rather, turn into the storm and know that the Father is waiting on the distant shore to welcome you with the comfort and compassion that only He can provide….no matter what you are going through at this time, Jesus knows and He cares for you…especially in these troubled times.
Sailing the stormy seas …with Jesus at the helm,
WPQ
For some reason, too many Christians have been misinformed or have become confused by the “prosperity” preachers of this age. Those “good time” prognosticators tell us that God wants us to prosper and have all the things of this world that our heart desires. They would lead us to believe that if bad things are happening in our lives and we are not prospering, we must be at fault.
And in some regards, this might be true! God does use hardships, trials, tribulations, afflictions and suffering to get our attention….especially when our focus has been on ourselves and our selfish agenda. Sometimes, God uses the pains of this world to punish and discipline us after sin has led us astray. Our pride and our desire to be in control of our lives is a constant source of consternation and concern for our Heavenly Father….when our focus is on us, it can’t be on Him and His will.
Jonah was a perfect example of this….as he turned his back on the people of Ninevah, he disobeyed God’s instruction and he suffered the consequences of his disobedience. God reckoned with Jonah’s sin ….and the whale had a great lunch.
Then, there’s the other reason that suffering seems to afflict so many good and faithful Christians….they are good and faithful! Just like Job of the Old Testament, many Christians are held up to pain and suffering because God has allowed Satan to inflict the best of God’s people with what I like to call “fine-tuning”. Satan thinks that his afflictions will cause us to falter and turn from our faith in our Father; but in reality, God allows these trials to fine tune us for greater service and intimacy with Jesus, the one who suffered for you and me. When we share in the suffering of our Christ, we become more like Him…..we endure the frustrations of the flesh and are drawn closer to Christ….through the comfort that He alone can offer.
And that’s the other reason that we live in such “troubled” times….to offer comfort to others because we have been where they are now. 2 Corinthians 1:3-5 says, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ, our comfort overflows.”
So, if today you are suffering and facing troubles that might seem insurmountable, you are faced with three choices…is it sin and self-centeredness….is it Satan’s seduction …or is it Christ-like suffering that brings intimacy with the Savior? Only you can know for sure… and that will require some self-diagnosis that might prove to be uncomfortable and disheartening.
The comfort of Christ awaits those that suffer through the trials and troubles of the flesh because the price of discomfort is worth the intimacy that awaits each of us. So, don’t turn away from the troubles that have beset you…don’t be like the captain that steers his ship back to the safety of the harbor when the seas become rough and choppy; rather, turn into the storm and know that the Father is waiting on the distant shore to welcome you with the comfort and compassion that only He can provide….no matter what you are going through at this time, Jesus knows and He cares for you…especially in these troubled times.
Sailing the stormy seas …with Jesus at the helm,
WPQ
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Riders To Your Post...
AND THEY’RE OFF….so says the track announcer at the start of each race….and that is often the phrase that describes each of us at the beginning of a New Year.
The New Year has begun and in an effort not to be left behind at the starting gate….WE COME OUT RUNNING AT FULL SPEED. Unfortunately, too often, we have no idea where we are headed. This year, why not try something a little different in order to see real growth and maturity in you and your relationships. You see, knowledge is power and we know the source of REAL POWER.
Though most of us would welcome a crystal ball or a well-connected psychic to help us plot the course of 2010… that’s probably not going to happen, so what can we do? (Besides, how much fun would life really be if we always knew what was coming our way…. Be it good or bad!)
There is a way, however, to stay connected to the true source of life and power….reading God’s word on a daily basis. In fact, Psalm 119: 105 says, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” Now, most of us want a bright spotlight or a massive floodlight to light our way; enough light so nothing will sneak up on us or catch us by surprise…. but God promises to provide a lamp…a single, solitary source of light by which He will light our path.
In biblical times, a lamp was little more than a candle in a candleholder or a wick shoved in a bottle of olive oil…and the light from either barely covered your next step. Today’s modern lamps come in all shapes and sizes and extreme wattages…some bright enough to light a runway where you could land 747’s. But that’s not what God has promised. He has promised to light your feet; to show you the next step along the path that He has chosen for you. He will not leave you in the dark, but He does require that you trust Him for the next step and the next step and the next….one step after the other leading you to fulfillment in Him.
But from where does this light come? It comes From spending time in His word…not dashing over a couple of scriptures verses just before heading off to run in the race of this world. It means setting aside some time where you and God’s word come together with the express desire of getting to know Him better, to listen for the voice and instruction of the Holy Spirit and to dwell on His precepts and commandments for righteous living.
So, put aside the desire to know what’s up ahead and slow down to enjoy the relationship that God has set aside for you….He is the light that will illuminate your path…He will guard your step….and He will protect you from all that you cannot see.
Just stay focused on Him and His Word and this year will take care of itself…..one step at a time!!!!!
Living in the moment ….secure in His Promise,
WPQ
The New Year has begun and in an effort not to be left behind at the starting gate….WE COME OUT RUNNING AT FULL SPEED. Unfortunately, too often, we have no idea where we are headed. This year, why not try something a little different in order to see real growth and maturity in you and your relationships. You see, knowledge is power and we know the source of REAL POWER.
Though most of us would welcome a crystal ball or a well-connected psychic to help us plot the course of 2010… that’s probably not going to happen, so what can we do? (Besides, how much fun would life really be if we always knew what was coming our way…. Be it good or bad!)
There is a way, however, to stay connected to the true source of life and power….reading God’s word on a daily basis. In fact, Psalm 119: 105 says, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” Now, most of us want a bright spotlight or a massive floodlight to light our way; enough light so nothing will sneak up on us or catch us by surprise…. but God promises to provide a lamp…a single, solitary source of light by which He will light our path.
In biblical times, a lamp was little more than a candle in a candleholder or a wick shoved in a bottle of olive oil…and the light from either barely covered your next step. Today’s modern lamps come in all shapes and sizes and extreme wattages…some bright enough to light a runway where you could land 747’s. But that’s not what God has promised. He has promised to light your feet; to show you the next step along the path that He has chosen for you. He will not leave you in the dark, but He does require that you trust Him for the next step and the next step and the next….one step after the other leading you to fulfillment in Him.
But from where does this light come? It comes From spending time in His word…not dashing over a couple of scriptures verses just before heading off to run in the race of this world. It means setting aside some time where you and God’s word come together with the express desire of getting to know Him better, to listen for the voice and instruction of the Holy Spirit and to dwell on His precepts and commandments for righteous living.
So, put aside the desire to know what’s up ahead and slow down to enjoy the relationship that God has set aside for you….He is the light that will illuminate your path…He will guard your step….and He will protect you from all that you cannot see.
Just stay focused on Him and His Word and this year will take care of itself…..one step at a time!!!!!
Living in the moment ….secure in His Promise,
WPQ
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
The Secret to a Happy New Year…
Just about everyone starts off the New Year by making a few, well-thought out New Year’s resolutions. In fact, I would venture to guess that most of us reason that if we will remain true to our vision of a better “you” and will commit ourselves to the fulfillment of our resolutions…we will enjoy a truly HAPPY New Year…..
The sad fact of the matter is that RARELY EVER HAPPENS.
So, in order to insure that you and my other faithful reader enjoy a blissful and extremely HAPPY New Year, I have decided to share my secret with you; although in truth, it really belongs to the apostle Paul. He wrote in Philippians 4:11-12 the following, “Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low and I know how to abound. In any and EVERY circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.”
And there it is, my friend….in a few simple sentences, the great apostle Paul tells us the secret to happiness….for life, health, wealth and everything else. We need to learn contentment….whether in good times or bad, whether happy or sad, in plenty or want or abundance or need…..LEARN TO BE CONTENT AND YOU WILL BE HAPPY!
Now, I know that sounds almost too simplistic and as you stand there scratching your head, think on this….We learn contentment when we abandon comparison….It is the constant use of comparison that leads to discontentment. If we buy a new car that meets our needs, we have reason to be happy…. until we compare our ride to that of our boss or neighbor or anyone else who has a newer, sleeker model. The bloom of comparison leads to the seeds of discontent and there goes the joy and happiness that was once ours.
Time after time after time, when we compare what others have with what we don’t have, we tear down our foundation to happiness. We need to see what we have as sufficient for our needs…as God’s measured blessing to insure our happiness and to keep us focused on doing His will.
Whenever you trade your contentment for discontentment, you become myopic in your vision for the Lord’s work and in His will for your life. You become so self-centered in looking at what you don’t have that you are rarely thankful for what God has given….this is more than just seeing the glass as half-empty or half-full….it is a greater truth that speaks to the heart of who you are and who you want to be in Jesus Christ.
Contentment is a learned response to the actions of a loving God….you can choose to be happy with little or with much…with great wealth or abject poverty….with exceptional wellness or poor health….the list is inexhaustible ….but the choice is always yours ….and the correct choice will lead to contentment and happiness that is often inexplicable to those who view your life from outside the faith.
So, learn this invaluable lesson that Paul sought to teach each of us….in EVERY SITUATION, in EVERY CIRCUMSTANCE….don’t look around to see if others have more or less than you…learn to be content in your situation….then you will be able to live in the fullness of verse 13 in Philippians 4 that says, “I can do all things through Him that gives me strength.”
Choose today to be a person that lives with a flexible cup that is always ready to expand or contract based on the Lord’s provisions…it is a mindset that will lead to contentment and one step closer to living a life that will honor your Heavenly Father….get started today; and oh, by the way, this is a secret that is okay to share with those you love….I know that’s what I intend to do.
Go On…..Make it a happy New Year,
WPQ
The sad fact of the matter is that RARELY EVER HAPPENS.
So, in order to insure that you and my other faithful reader enjoy a blissful and extremely HAPPY New Year, I have decided to share my secret with you; although in truth, it really belongs to the apostle Paul. He wrote in Philippians 4:11-12 the following, “Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low and I know how to abound. In any and EVERY circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.”
And there it is, my friend….in a few simple sentences, the great apostle Paul tells us the secret to happiness….for life, health, wealth and everything else. We need to learn contentment….whether in good times or bad, whether happy or sad, in plenty or want or abundance or need…..LEARN TO BE CONTENT AND YOU WILL BE HAPPY!
Now, I know that sounds almost too simplistic and as you stand there scratching your head, think on this….We learn contentment when we abandon comparison….It is the constant use of comparison that leads to discontentment. If we buy a new car that meets our needs, we have reason to be happy…. until we compare our ride to that of our boss or neighbor or anyone else who has a newer, sleeker model. The bloom of comparison leads to the seeds of discontent and there goes the joy and happiness that was once ours.
Time after time after time, when we compare what others have with what we don’t have, we tear down our foundation to happiness. We need to see what we have as sufficient for our needs…as God’s measured blessing to insure our happiness and to keep us focused on doing His will.
Whenever you trade your contentment for discontentment, you become myopic in your vision for the Lord’s work and in His will for your life. You become so self-centered in looking at what you don’t have that you are rarely thankful for what God has given….this is more than just seeing the glass as half-empty or half-full….it is a greater truth that speaks to the heart of who you are and who you want to be in Jesus Christ.
Contentment is a learned response to the actions of a loving God….you can choose to be happy with little or with much…with great wealth or abject poverty….with exceptional wellness or poor health….the list is inexhaustible ….but the choice is always yours ….and the correct choice will lead to contentment and happiness that is often inexplicable to those who view your life from outside the faith.
So, learn this invaluable lesson that Paul sought to teach each of us….in EVERY SITUATION, in EVERY CIRCUMSTANCE….don’t look around to see if others have more or less than you…learn to be content in your situation….then you will be able to live in the fullness of verse 13 in Philippians 4 that says, “I can do all things through Him that gives me strength.”
Choose today to be a person that lives with a flexible cup that is always ready to expand or contract based on the Lord’s provisions…it is a mindset that will lead to contentment and one step closer to living a life that will honor your Heavenly Father….get started today; and oh, by the way, this is a secret that is okay to share with those you love….I know that’s what I intend to do.
Go On…..Make it a happy New Year,
WPQ
Monday, January 4, 2010
Jumpstart your New Year...
One of the crucial steps to getting a New Year off to a rousing start is to take the time to set your priorities for the upcoming months. Christ shared with his disciples in Matthew 6:25-27 to set their priorities and to not be anxious about the future; “Therefore, I tell you, do not be anxious about your life; what you will eat or what you will drink nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more that clothing?"
How do you measure up when it comes to setting priorities for your life?
The following story was sent to me recently and it so eloquently illustrates the need to take control of your life and to surrender it to the Master’s touch….see if you don’t agree!
A professor stood before his philosophy class with some items in front of him. When the class began, he quietly picked up a very large, empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was. The professor then picked up a box of pebbles, poured them into the jar and shook it lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full….they agreed it was.
The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured its contents into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The response was a unanimous 'yes!' The professor then produced two beers from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar…. effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed.
'Now,' said the professor as the laughter subsided, 'I want you to understand that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things---your faith, your family, your children, your health, your friends and your favorite passions---and if everything else was lost and only these remained…. your life would still be full! The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house, your car. The sand is everything else---the small stuff” 'If you put the sand into the jar first,' he continued, 'there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life…..
If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff you will never have room for the things that are important to you. Pay attention to the things that are critical for your happiness so you can….
Spend time with your children.
Spend time with your parents and visit your grandparents.
Get medical checkups and follow your doctor’s advice.
Take your spouse out to dinner and get away for a romantic weekend at least once a year.
Play another 18 or dig in the dirt…there will always be time to clean the house or fix the disposal.
Take care of the golf balls first---the things that really matter.
Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.
One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the beer represented. The professor smiled and said, 'I'm glad you asked.' The beer just shows you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of beers with a friend.
When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day are not enough; remember the story of the mayonnaise jar and the 2 beers, take heart and do as Jesus did…..Seek ye first the kingdom and everything else you need will be provided from your Heavenly Father.
Living one day at a time…longing for His return,
WPQ
How do you measure up when it comes to setting priorities for your life?
The following story was sent to me recently and it so eloquently illustrates the need to take control of your life and to surrender it to the Master’s touch….see if you don’t agree!
A professor stood before his philosophy class with some items in front of him. When the class began, he quietly picked up a very large, empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was. The professor then picked up a box of pebbles, poured them into the jar and shook it lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full….they agreed it was.
The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured its contents into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The response was a unanimous 'yes!' The professor then produced two beers from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar…. effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed.
'Now,' said the professor as the laughter subsided, 'I want you to understand that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things---your faith, your family, your children, your health, your friends and your favorite passions---and if everything else was lost and only these remained…. your life would still be full! The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house, your car. The sand is everything else---the small stuff” 'If you put the sand into the jar first,' he continued, 'there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life…..
If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff you will never have room for the things that are important to you. Pay attention to the things that are critical for your happiness so you can….
Spend time with your children.
Spend time with your parents and visit your grandparents.
Get medical checkups and follow your doctor’s advice.
Take your spouse out to dinner and get away for a romantic weekend at least once a year.
Play another 18 or dig in the dirt…there will always be time to clean the house or fix the disposal.
Take care of the golf balls first---the things that really matter.
Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.
One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the beer represented. The professor smiled and said, 'I'm glad you asked.' The beer just shows you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of beers with a friend.
When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day are not enough; remember the story of the mayonnaise jar and the 2 beers, take heart and do as Jesus did…..Seek ye first the kingdom and everything else you need will be provided from your Heavenly Father.
Living one day at a time…longing for His return,
WPQ
Saturday, January 2, 2010
GPS for the New Year…
It was Christmas a year ago that my wife gave me a Garmin GPS system. Now, as any red-blooded American male would do, I thanked her profusely for her unselfish gift and thought to myself, “I don’t need some computer gizmo giving me directions…I can find where I need to go and how to get there ON MY OWN!”
Well. Here it is a year later and boy, was I ever wrong….this thing has been great. Over the first three months of 2009, I had a new job calling on businesses in the greater Greenville, SC area …going, or trying to go, to places I had never been before; some, in fact, probably did not even show up on a map. I was intrigued that every time I typed an address into the GPS, it gave me turn by turn directions to that specific location. This was nirvana for a manly man like me….getting directions without having to ask someone.
You know, a lot of us treat God like that….we want to go where He wants us to go; we just don’t want to ask for His directions. Scripture says, “The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes (directs) his steps.” Proverbs 16:9 We say that we want to be “in the Father’s will,” but then we set out to follow the desires of our hearts and hope that at some junction along our journey, our will and God’s direction will mesh in perfect harmony. Unfortunately, it hardly ever works out that way.
We become lost in life’s journey to serve a risen Lord when we fail to consult His GPS….God’s Placement System…..His Holy Word. God is ready, willing and totally able to direct and establish the roads that He wants us to take if we will only consult Him and read His word. The more we read, the more He directs; the more He establishes the way that is right, the more we enjoy the journey. Proverbs 3: 5-6, a favorite verse that was given to me as a young man from one of my spiritual mentors says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your path (steps).”
So don’t try to make it along life’s highway with just your understanding….tap into God’s GPS and acknowledge that He and He alone knows best. Read, study and ingest His Holy Word … let Him guide you and follow the path that He has set before you. And if, at some point, the directions seem fuzzy or you have gotten off course, do what my GPS does for me each time I make a wrong turn, miss an exit or travel too far down the road past my desired destination…..it screams at me, RECALCULATING, RECALCULATING!!!!
The start of this New Year is a great time to recalculate where God is directing you in service for Him…or to confirm that you are firmly implanted on the path that He has directed you to travel. Either way, it’s a great time to get into His Word and become a better you. Yes, God’s Holy word is your GPS and it will direct you to where He wants you to go. The question is simple ….Are you too manly (or womanly) to ask the God of Creation for directions?
I pray that 2010 will be the best year of your life thus far as God directs your steps and you follow His heavenly directions…..and if you have a moment; from time to time, drop me a line and let me know how goes the journey…..
Traveling Life’s Highway ….Following His Directions,
WPQ
Well. Here it is a year later and boy, was I ever wrong….this thing has been great. Over the first three months of 2009, I had a new job calling on businesses in the greater Greenville, SC area …going, or trying to go, to places I had never been before; some, in fact, probably did not even show up on a map. I was intrigued that every time I typed an address into the GPS, it gave me turn by turn directions to that specific location. This was nirvana for a manly man like me….getting directions without having to ask someone.
You know, a lot of us treat God like that….we want to go where He wants us to go; we just don’t want to ask for His directions. Scripture says, “The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes (directs) his steps.” Proverbs 16:9 We say that we want to be “in the Father’s will,” but then we set out to follow the desires of our hearts and hope that at some junction along our journey, our will and God’s direction will mesh in perfect harmony. Unfortunately, it hardly ever works out that way.
We become lost in life’s journey to serve a risen Lord when we fail to consult His GPS….God’s Placement System…..His Holy Word. God is ready, willing and totally able to direct and establish the roads that He wants us to take if we will only consult Him and read His word. The more we read, the more He directs; the more He establishes the way that is right, the more we enjoy the journey. Proverbs 3: 5-6, a favorite verse that was given to me as a young man from one of my spiritual mentors says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your path (steps).”
So don’t try to make it along life’s highway with just your understanding….tap into God’s GPS and acknowledge that He and He alone knows best. Read, study and ingest His Holy Word … let Him guide you and follow the path that He has set before you. And if, at some point, the directions seem fuzzy or you have gotten off course, do what my GPS does for me each time I make a wrong turn, miss an exit or travel too far down the road past my desired destination…..it screams at me, RECALCULATING, RECALCULATING!!!!
The start of this New Year is a great time to recalculate where God is directing you in service for Him…or to confirm that you are firmly implanted on the path that He has directed you to travel. Either way, it’s a great time to get into His Word and become a better you. Yes, God’s Holy word is your GPS and it will direct you to where He wants you to go. The question is simple ….Are you too manly (or womanly) to ask the God of Creation for directions?
I pray that 2010 will be the best year of your life thus far as God directs your steps and you follow His heavenly directions…..and if you have a moment; from time to time, drop me a line and let me know how goes the journey…..
Traveling Life’s Highway ….Following His Directions,
WPQ
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