Thoughts by Men Archives - Page 155 of 186

Published July 20, 2012

It Doesn’t have to be Complicated

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16

Just about the time I think I am getting “tech savvy,” I get some new electronic device to figure out. It is incredible what these things can do, but the challenge is in getting them to do it.
Toyota recently announced that two new positions are being created in every dealership across the land to assist new car buyers in figuring out how to use the electronics in their new cars. I think they are called Electronic Usability Specialists or something like that.

New gadgets are designed to make life easier, but somehow they tend to make it more complicated. I have a hard time just remembering all of my passwords, much less how to use them.

One thing that hasn’t changed over the years is the simplicity of the Gospel. It is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow and will be for evermore. It isn’t complicated and doesn’t have to be.

Here’s how one of the greatest theologians of all time, Charles Haddon Spurgeon expressed it.

“God be thanked for the simplicity of the gospel. The longer I live, the more I bless God that we have not received a classical gospel, nor a mathematical gospel, nor a metaphysical gospel; it is not a gospel confined to scholars and men of genius, but a poor man s gospel, a ploughman’s gospel; for that is the kind of gospel which we can live upon and die upon. It is to us not the luxury of refinement, but the staple food of life. We want no fine words when the heart is heavy, neither do we need deep problems when we are lying upon the verge of eternity, weak in body and tempted in mind. At such times we magnify the blessed simplicity of the gospel. Jesus in the flesh made manifest becomes our soul’s bread. Jesus bleeding on the cross, a substitute for sinners, is our soul’s drink. This is the gospel for babes, and strong men want no more.”

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9). It doesn’t get much more simple than that and doesn’t have to be.
(a thought on life from John Grant )
John Grant is a former Florida State Senator and is a practicing attorney

You can comment on this devotional online at:
https://thoughts-about-god.com/blog/2012/07/20/jg_doesnt-have-to-be-complicated/

Thoughts by All thoughts by John Grant Thoughts by Men

Published July 11, 2012

A Friend in High Places

by Max Lucado

“God has put all things under the authority of Christ.”
(Ephesians 1:22)

Christ is running the show. Right now. A leaf just fell from a tree in the Alps. Christ caused it to do so. A newborn baby in India inhaled for the first time. Jesus measured the breath. The migration of the belugas through the oceans? Christ dictates their itinerary. He is –

“the firstborn of all creation. For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities, all things have been created through Him and for Him.” (Colossians 1:15-16)

What a phenomenal list! Heavens and earth. Visible and invisible. Thrones, dominions, rulers, and authorities. No thing, place, or person omitted. The scale on the sea urchin. The hair on the elephant hide. The hurricane that wrecks the coast, the rain that nourishes the desert, the infant’s first heartbeat, the elderly person’s final breath -all can be traced back to the hand of Christ, the firstborn of creation.

Firstborn in Paul’s vernacular has nothing to do with birth order. Firstborn refers to order of rank. As one translation states: “He ranks higher than everything that has been made.” (v.15) Everything? Find an exception. Peter’s mother-in-law has a fever; Jesus rebukes it. A tax needs to be paid; Jesus pays it by sending first a coin and then a fisherman’s hook into the mouth of a fish. When five thousand stomachs growl, Jesus renders a boy’s basket a bottomless buffet. Jesus exudes authority. He bats an eyelash, and nature jumps. No one argues when, at the end of his earthly life, the God-man declares, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.” (Matthew 28:18).

The Christ of the galaxies is the Christ of your Mondays. The Star maker manages your travel schedule. Relax. You have a friend in high places. Does the child of Arnold Schwarzenegger worry about tight pickle-jar lids? Does the son of Nike founder Phil Knight sweat a broken shoestring? If the daughter of Bill Gates can’t turn on her computer, does she panic?

No. Nor should you.

You can comment on this devotional online at:
https://thoughts-about-god.com/blog/2012/07/11/ml_a-friend-in-high-places/

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Max Lucado
From: Next Door Savior
Copyright (W Publishing Group, 2003)

Used by permission
To learn more about Max Lucado visit his website at:
http://maxlucado.com/about/

Thoughts by All thoughts by Max Lucado Thoughts by Men

Published June 30, 2012

God is not Unjust

by Phil Ware

“God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.” Hebrews 6:10

Thoughts on today’s verse
So much assurance in such a short verse! God is not unjust — boy is that an understatement. If he produced the atoning sacrifice for our sins, what will he deny us if we seek after him? He will not forget our work and love — an eternal record of the good we have done! When we help our brothers and sisters in Christ, we bless him! We are HIS people!! That’s real motivation to keep on maturing in Christ.

Prayer:
God, you are so gracious. Thank you. Words cannot express my joy at hearing such a simple and profound statement describing your virtues. I am so glad I am your child. Through my brother Jesus I pray. Amen.

You can comment on this devotional online at:
https://thoughts-about-god.com/blog/2012/06/30/pw_god-is-not-unjust/
from http://www.heartlight.org
– used by permission. You can also follow Phil’s daily devotionals on http://www.verseoftheday.com

Thoughts by All Thoughts by Men thoughts by Phil Ware

Published June 23, 2012

The Shadow of a Doubt

by Max Lucado

Sunday mornings. I awake early, long before the family stirs, the sunrise flickers, or the paper plops on the driveway. Let the rest of the world sleep in. I don’t. Sunday’s my big day, the day I stand before a congregation of people who are willing to swap thirty minutes of their time for some conviction and hope.

Most weeks I have ample to go around. But occasionally I don’t. (Does it bother you to know this?) Sometimes in the dawn-tinted, pre-pulpit hours, the seeming absurdity of what I believe hits me. The fear that God isn’t. The fear that “why?” has no answer. The valley of the shadow of doubt.

To one degree or another we all venture into the valley. In the final pages of Luke’s gospel, the physician-turned-historian dedicated his last chapter to answering one question:
how does Christ respond when we doubt him?

For both the dejected Emmaus bound disciples (Luke 24:13-35) and the frightened upper room disciples (Luke 24:36-49): A meal is served, the Bible is taught, the disciples find courage, and we find two practical answers to the critical question, what would Christ have us do with our doubts?

His answer? Touch my body and ponder my story. We still can, you know. We can still touch the body of Christ. We’d love to touch his physical wounds and feel the flesh of the Nazarene. Yet when we brush up against the church, we do just that. “The church is his body; it is made full and complete by Christ, who fills all things everywhere with himself ” (Ephesians 1:23 NLT).

Christ distributes courage through community; he dissipates doubts through fellowship. He never deposits all knowledge in one person but distributes pieces of the jigsaw puzzle to many. When you interlock your understanding with mine, and we share our discoveries . . . When we mix, mingle, confess, and pray, Christ speaks.

The adhesiveness of the disciples instructs us. They stuck together. Even with ransacked hopes, they clustered in conversant community. They kept “going over all these things that had happened” (Luke 24:14 MSG). Isn’t this a picture of the church—sharing notes, exchanging ideas, mulling over possibilities, lifting spirits? And as they did, Jesus showed up to teach them, proving “when two or three of you are together because of me, you can be sure that I’ll be there” (Matthew 18:20 MSG).

You can comment on this devotional online at:
https://thoughts-about-god.com/blog/2012/06/23/ml_shadow-of-a-doubt/

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Max Lucado
From: Fearless (now in paperback)
Copyright (Thomas Nelson, 2009) Max Lucado

Used by permission
To learn more about Max Lucado visit his website at:
http://maxlucado.com/about/

Thoughts by All thoughts by Max Lucado Thoughts by Men

Published June 19, 2012

Made for Heaven

by Max Lucado

“My kingdom does not belong to this world.”
John 18:36 (NCV)

Unhappiness on earth cultivates a hunger for heaven. By gracing us with a deep
dissatisfaction, God holds our attention. The only tragedy, then, is to be satisfied
prematurely. To settle for earth. To be content in a strange land…

We are not happy here because we are not at home here. We are not happy here
because we are not supposed to be happy here. We are “like foreigners and strangers
in this world.” (1 Peter 2:11)…

And you will never be completely happy on earth simply because you were not made
for earth. Oh, you will have your moments of joy. You will catch glimpses of light.
You will know moments or even days of peace. But they simply do not compare with
the happiness that lies ahead.

You can comment on this devotional online at:
https://thoughts-about-god.com/blog/2012/06/19/ml_made-for-heaven/

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Max Lucado
From: When God Whispers Your Name

Used by permission
To learn more about Max Lucado visit his website at:
http://maxlucado.com/about/

Thoughts by All thoughts by Max Lucado Thoughts by Men

Published June 14, 2012

About Your Needs

by Roy Lessin

“And my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19 (NASB)

The first thing:

God has the power to meet every need in your life because He is omnipotent.
“The LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am God Almighty.”
Genesis 17:1(NASB)

The second thing:

God knows what your needs are and how to meet those needs because He is omniscient.
“Nothing in all creation is hidden from God.” Hebrews 4:13 (NLT)

The third thing:

God will personally see to it that your needs are met because He is omnipresent.
“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God.”
Isaiah 41:10 (NKJV)

You can comment on this devotional online at:
https://thoughts-about-god.com/blog/2012/06/14/rl_about-your-needs/

Thoughts by All Thoughts by Men thoughts by Roy Lessin

Published May 26, 2012

A Worry-Slapper

By Max Lucado

Become a “worry-slapper!” Treat frets like mosquitoes!

Do you procrastinate when a bloodsucking bug lights on your skin? Do you say, “I’ll take care of that in a moment.” Of course you don’t! You give the critter the slap it deserves.

Be equally decisive with anxiety. The moment a concern surfaces, deal with it. Don’t dwell on it. Head it off before it gets the best of you.

Don’t waste an hour wondering what your boss thinks; ask her. Before you diagnose that blemish as cancer, have it examined. Instead of assuming you’ll never get out of debt, consult an expert. Be a doer—not a stewer!

In Matthew 6:32-33,. Jesus said, “Your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. See the kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need!”

On that you can depend and never worry!

You can comment on this devotional online at:
https://thoughts-about-god.com/blog/2012/05/26/ml_a-worry-slapper/

***********************************************************
Max Lucado
From: Max Lucado Daily: Everyday Blessings

Used by permission
To learn more about Max Lucado visit his website at:
http://www.maxlucado.com/info/view/about_max_lucado/

Thoughts by All thoughts by Max Lucado Thoughts by Men

Published May 22, 2012

He’s Your God

by Roy Lessin

He’s your God in the sunshine,
He’s your God in the rain,
He’s your God in the laughter,
He’s your God in the pain.

He’s your God in the springtime,
He’s your God in the fall,
He’s your God in the silence,
He’s your God in the call.

He’s your God in the quiet,
He’s your God in the test,
He’s your God in the battle,
He’s your God in the rest.

He’s your God in the heat wave,
He’s your God in the chill,
He’s your God in the whirlwind,
He’s your God in the still.

In light time and dark time
In the valleys and peaks,
He’s the God who holds you,
He’s the God who keeps.

“I will take you by the hand and will keep you.” Isaiah 42:6 (AMP)

You can comment on this devotional online at:
https://thoughts-about-god.com/blog/2012/05/22/rl_hes-your-god/

Thoughts by All Thoughts by Men thoughts by Roy Lessin

Published May 20, 2012

It All Belongs to Him

By Dr. Bill Bright

“For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills” Psalm 50:10, (KJV)

Gently chiding a Christian worker for praying that God might give him a second-hand car to use in his service for the Lord, Dr. A.W. Tozer reminded the man:
“God owns the cattle on a thousand hills, and the Cadillacs, too. Why not ask Him for the best?”

What same principle might apply to many areas of our lives today. If we truly believe that “according to your faith be it unto you,” then it is imperative that we trust God for greater things than normally we might.

Motive, of course, is supremely important in our asking from God. If the thing asked is clearly for God’s glory, to be used in His service, the motivation is good. If pride or any other motive plays a part in the decision, then we do well to think twice before asking great things from God.

What man owns, we do well to remember, we own under God. And God has never given to man the absolute proprietorship in anything. Nor does He invade our rights when He comes and claims what we possess, or when He in any way removes what is most valuable to us.

God owns all things – let’s leave to Him the right to do whatever He wishes with the things He owns.

Bible Reading: Psalm 50:7-15

Today’s Action Point:
Since my receiving is “according to my faith,” I will with proper motive for His glory believe God in a large manner this day – for whatever needs may arise.

You can comment on this devotional online at:
https://thoughts-about-god.com/blog/2012/05/20/bb_all-belongs-to-him/

Thoughts by All thoughts by Bill Bright Thoughts by Men

Published May 19, 2012

Fighting Evil or Seeking Good?

by John Grant

“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”
2 Chronicles 7:14

We have just observed the National Day of Prayer, something officially observed in our land since President Truman signed a proclamation in 1952. There were numerous events but for the most part people kept on doing what they normally do with scant observance of the reason for the day. There was not a word about it in my hometown newspaper.

It seems that all too often there is a lackadaisical attitude about prayer, but the Scriptures admonish us to pray. (Hebrews 10:22) tells us to draw near. God always encourages us to draw close to Him in prayer. Here Paul instructs us to do so with unwavering confidence, fullness of faith, without any doubt, because the sacrifice of Jesus Christ has cleared our conscience and paved the way into God’s presence. Today, some no longer feel the need to pray and study daily. They make the excuse that they do not have enough time.

All too often we see the victory against evil is to engage in a culture war to root out evil, focusing on what is wrong. We should do that, but not as a primary focus. As long as we seek moral and spiritual victory on a horizontal plane, we will fall short.

The scriptures are clear that we are to seek good and the overcoming of evil by looking up, not out. Prayer is the access to that vertical relationship. We need to spend less time fighting evil and more time seeking good (God).

We, who are called by his name are to humble ourselves and pray and seek His face and turn from our wicked ways. I can’t control the actions and thoughts of others, but I can control myself and turn from my wicked ways. I should cleanse myself before throwing darts at others. All of us have fallen short and need to daily repent, rebuild and ask God to restore.

We do that through prayer ………. silent prayer, corporate prayer, intercessory prayer and constant prayer. When we do this individually and corporately as people of faith, then God will hear, forgive and heal our land.

So before we judge others may we resolve to look first at ourselves, get on our knees and seek personal restoration. Then, and only then, individually and collectively, we will discover the true power of prayer.
(a thought on life from John Grant )

You can comment on this devotional online at:
https://thoughts-about-god.com/blog/2012/05/19/jg_evil-or-good/
John Grant is a former Florida State Senator and is a practicing attorney

Thoughts by All thoughts by John Grant Thoughts by Men

Published May 15, 2012

Son Reflectors

by Max Lucado

What does the moon do? She generates no light. Contrary to the lyrics of the song, this harvest moon cannot shine on. Apart from the sun, the moon is nothing more than a pitch-black, pockmarked rock. But properly positioned, the moon beams. Let her do what she was made to do, and a clod of dirt becomes a source of inspiration, yea, verily, romance. The moon reflects the greater light.

And she’s happy to do so! You never hear the moon complaining. She makes no waves about making waves. Let the cow jump over her or astronauts step on her; she never objects. Even though sunning is accepted while mooning is the butt of bad jokes, you won’t hear ol’ Cheeseface grumble. The moon is at peace in her place. And because she is, soft light touches a dark earth.

What would happen if we accepted our place as Son reflectors?

Such a shift comes so stubbornly, however. We’ve been demanding our way and stamping our feet since infancy. Aren’t we all born with a default drive set on selfishness? I want a spouse who makes me happy and coworkers who always ask my opinion. I want weather that suits me and traffic that helps me and a government that serves me. It is all about me. . . .

How can we be bumped off self-center? . . . We move from me-focus to God-focus by pondering him. Witnessing him. Following the counsel of the apostle Paul: “Beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, [we] are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord” (2 Corinthians 3:18 KJV).

Beholding Him changes us.

—originally from It’s Not About Me

O Lord, change our focus from a me-focus to a God-focus. Work your will in our lives that we might be instruments to do your work and to tell others of your great love. Let our lives reflect your holiness through thick and thin. Help us live in pursuit of what you want rather than what we want. May we keep a firm grip on our faith no matter what hard times come our way. In all we do, may we honor you, amen.

“Sing praise to the Lord, . . . and give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name.” Psalm 30:4

You can comment on this devotional online at:
https://thoughts-about-god.com/blog/2012/05/15/ml_son-reflectors/
_________________________________________
Max Lucado
From: From Live Loved: Experiencing God’s Presence in Everyday Life
Copyright (Thomas Nelson, 2011) Max Lucado

To learn more about Max Lucado visit his website at:
http://www.maxlucado.com/info/view/about_max_lucado/

_________________________________________

For Mobile Devices – God-daily.com

Thoughts by All thoughts by Max Lucado Thoughts by Men

Published May 7, 2012

Bless the Lord

By Roy Lessin

“Bless the Lord, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits.”
Psalm 103:1-2 (NKJV)

Bless the Lord—

The Provider and your Provision,
The Healer and your Health,
The Caring One and your Care Giver,
The Blessed One and your Blessing,
The Holy One and your Holiness,
The Almighty One and your Strength,
The Giver and your Gift,
The Creator and your Creativity,
The Deliverer and your Deliverance,
The Protector and your Protection,
The Defender and your Defense,
The Warrior and your Victor,
The Eternal One and your Ever-Present Help in time of need.

You can comment on this devotional online at:
https://thoughts-about-god.com/blog/2012/05/07/rl_bless-the-lord/

Thoughts by All Thoughts by Men thoughts by Roy Lessin

Published May 4, 2012

Restore

by Roy Lessin

“I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten.”
Joel 2:25 KJV

“Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, And uphold me by Your generous Spirit.” Psalm 51:12 NKJV

“For I will restore health to you And heal you of your wounds,” says the LORD. Jeremiah 30:17 NKJV

You can comment on this devotional online at:
https://thoughts-about-god.com/blog/2012/05/04/rl_restore/

From: Devotional – REpurposed

Thoughts by All Thoughts by Men thoughts by Roy Lessin

Published May 1, 2012

Guilty as Charged

by John Grant

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son.”
John 3:16

He had been out of prison only a few weeks when I met him. It was the result of a cold call that I made to ask him to speak at a men’s retreat I was leading. He said yes and it was the beginning of a long friendship. He was known as “The Hatchet Man” in the White House. He went from the Oval Office to standing in front of a judge and answering “guilty as charged.”

While confined in a jail cell he was touched by John 3 and once again said “guilty as charged.” He became a new creation…. a new man as he gave his heart and life to Christ. He wrote a best seller in Born Again and the rest is evangelical history.

He called me one day to say that he had a heart for those in prison and wanted me to help. A group of us later sat around a table in Washington and laid the plans for what was to become the tremendous ministry of Prison Fellowship. It has touched tens of thousands of lives in more than one hundred countries around the world.

Through Colson’s ministry, thousands upon thousands of convicts have heard the gospel, heard about God’s amazing love and grace for the lost, turned their lives over to Christ, had their lives completely transformed. He was a scholar, a constitutional lawyer, and a compassionate humanitarian who befriended lost and lonely prisoners for nearly 40 years. What’s more, many Christians have been moved to visit, love and serve prisoners in obedience the teaching of Jesus.

But what Chuck Colson may best be remembered for was his deep theological acumen. Colson went from being a convict himself to becoming a remarkable force in Christendom who lived a life of tremendous impact. He was one of the greatest Christian apologists of our time, an intellectual giant dedicated to the sanctity of life, traditional marriage and religious liberty. His commitment to God and country was second to none.

Pleading “guilty as charged” to a judge put Colson behind bars, but pleading “guilty as charged” to the Lord in Heaven put him in eternal peace. While the gates of Heaven welcomed him to glory, those of us left behind morn a great Christian leader, a defender of the faith and for some of us a dear friend.

Perhaps the point though is not what he did, but how he got there. While in prison, where he was just another prisoner and a wretched man he was discipled by several older, wiser Christian men who loved him and helped him develop a love for reading the Word of God and for prayer and also helped him reorient his worldview from a secular worldview to a distinctly Biblical perspective.

And it all began with John 3 and a few men who cared about the life of another. You never know the depth of the lives you touch when you share the Gospel.
(a thought on life from John Grant)

You can comment on this devotional online at:
https://thoughts-about-god.com/blog/2012/05/01/jg_guilty-as-charged/
John Grant is a former Florida State Senator and is a practicing attorney

Thoughts by All thoughts by John Grant Thoughts by Men

Published April 29, 2012

Living

by Rod Marshall

“He was still speaking when, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to Him.” Matthew 17:5 (ESV)

In 2011, life gave me a little squeeze, to find out what is really inside, where and what my priorities are, when push comes to shove.

I have been busy both at home and at work. At home, with the addition of two toddlers, whilst being a great joy and pleasure for a maturing father, they are nevertheless all-consuming for Caroline and I, so we find it hard to find the time for us. At work, with the closure of one of the university’s campuses, and the arrival of a large proportion of students to my site, I find myself under a new review, the third in twelve months!

With all this continued uncertainty hanging over me, I have been getting depressed. Apparently, it became obvious, because once, Caroline even suggested that I go to the doctor for help. However, I praise God that when I called on Him as I found myself on the threshold of being sucked down the plughole of despond again, He answered my prayers and plugged the drain. I am aware, too, that others must have been praying, for which I am thankful, because intercession really does matter.

There were no shining lights or angels, no instant change. He simply reminded me of what He has done for me in the past in seemingly impossible situations that were outside of my control. I remembered a time when I was unemployed with a small child and I was down to my last ten pounds in the bank, with a mortgage, and then I “found” the right job for me. It was exactly what was needed for what happened next. I am clear that it was this insight and grace given to me over the course of a day, and not my will, which delivered me back into my right heart and mind, putting my faith in my God above how others plan. All praise be to God who inhabits our praises and our beings: at least the parts we are willing to give into His care!

So as God reminded me that He has a plan for each of us, it encouraged me that I do not have to be in control all the time, because we cannot plan for the unforeseen. As Christians, we must do what we can and then submit it to God. As I returned my trust to His will for me, He drew me back from the precipice, and I found His inner peace waiting for me.

Romans 8:38-39 (ESV):– “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Prayer: Lord, forgive us because we have erred again. Whenever You come to us, You clear away the fog and bring inner peace. Please direct our paths and instill in us today Your God-with-us by the Holy Spirit, so that no matter how things appear, we may know that when the living gets tough, You are with us always, willing to make a difference. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

You can comment on this devotional online at:
https://thoughts-about-god.com/blog/2012/04/29/rm_living/
_________________________________________

For Mobile Devices – God-daily.com

Thoughts by All Thoughts by Men thoughts by Rod Marshall

Category: <span>Thoughts by Men</span>