Submitting Our Thoughts to the Lord of Pleasantness
There is plenty of unpleasantness in our world. Well, there is also plenty of pleasantness.
On a cloudy Monday morning, Delores and I sat down to breakfast in a bayside hotel restaurant. While sipping coffee and waiting for our meals to arrive, we excitedly chattered about the beautiful morning. Although a blanket of clouds hid the blue sky, small gaps in the cloud cover permitted shafts of brilliant sunlight to shine upon the bay’s rough surface. Seagulls soared overhead, fishing pelicans crashed into the water and shrimp boats puttered about. What marvelous displays of Father’s splendor! …
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Potiphar worshipped the crocodile god, prayed to the sun god and trusted in all the gods of his Egyptian forefathers. He knew nothing about the one true God, who created the universe.
Friends, God put us on earth so we could contribute to one another’s welfare. “
You see, God-centered people trust God to meet their needs. This trust frees us from depending only upon humans. When people fail us, we remain confident in God. We don’t use petty arguments to force others to meet our needs. God is going to take care of us even when humans fail us. We give ourselves to blessing those who fail us. God-centeredness always keeps us selfless.
It’s fun to do good when doing good is easy. When rewards for well-doing abound, we rejoice in our labor. We gladly look forward to carrying out our responsibilities and finishing “to do” lists. Work seems like recreation. …
“Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me,” 2 Timothy 4:10. What? How could this fellow worker and friend of the great apostle Paul just walk away from his love for Jesus? How could someone who preached the Gospel and frequently fellowshipped with Paul, love this present sinful world? How could he possible turn away from the Jesus who forgave his sins and baptized him into the Holy Spirit?
Read the Word, hear it preached and discussed. During your day purposefully recall passages of Scripture and think about them. This meditation on God’s Word releases God’s refreshing power in you. Strength, encouragement, joy and fearlessness control you.
After his team lost a game, I heard a basketball coach say, “I’ve never felt so positive about a loss.” I don’t know if the man was a Christian, but his statement is very Scriptural. Every born again, Jesus-loving Christian can have the faith to feel positive about the losses that life brings. …
Two thousand years ago God’s people felt unblessed. Sure, they repeatedly read the promises God pronounced upon their ancestors Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, but where were the blessings? A foreign government manipulated their lives and ruthlessly repressed all yearnings for independence. Poverty afflicted almost everyone and religious leaders used their influence for self-gratification. …
Panic stricken, fear filled messengers burst into King Jehoshaphat’s throne room. “A huge enemy army from three hostile nations is marching against us, oh King,” 2 Chronicles 20:2. …
