Thoughts for Today

Puzzling Isn’t It?

I sat beside a psychoanalyst on the plane on my way back from St. Louis and discussed the status of young people in our society and how they are affected by the condition of our world. She informed me that from her study and observation adolescents in our society today have not lost their desire or ambition to become a great contributor to society, but merely have become lost in the fragmented society in which we reside.

I got to thinking about this; it’s like a puzzle that doesn’t seem to want to work. All the pieces are on the table and yet it feels like there are still missing pieces. Have you ever looked for that missing puzzle piece? Ever finished a puzzle and still had a piece missing? That feeling of the puzzle not being complete can drive you crazy. (more…)

By lifetab, 10 years ago February 5, 2016

When Should A Christian Defend Themselves?

This is a question that all will ask at some point in time. Many will assume that anytime they feel threatened or imposed upon that the proper thing to do is to defend themselves, but what did Jesus have to say on the matter? Let’s break it down together:

To feel the need to defend oneself, a person must first feel threatened.

Many times people tried to intimidate or even harm Jesus. Never do we see him retaliate or defend himself.

Jesus was secure in the knowledge that he could call for angelic defence at any time that he wished. That knowledge was enough for him, he did not need to actually do it. (more…)

By lifetab, 10 years ago January 29, 2016

Amazing Love

Recently a friend commented, “I wish someone would look at me, like some people look at menus.”

It was such an unusual and thought provoking statement that it stuck with me for days. I think at the core of this expression there is a longing that resonates in each of us to be known completely, desired, and loved unconditionally. Most of us long for this kind of unconditional love and search for it through human relationships. Hollywood often portrays the message that if you could just meet the right person, your soulmate, you would find this kind of a relationship. As I was pondering the almost universal longing in this statement, (more…)

By lifetab, 10 years ago January 22, 2016

Trust the Voice

Many of us have seen or participated in a game where one person is blind folded and their partner leads them around obstacles to get to the other side of the course. The individual blind folded has no sight, no sense of direction, they just simply trust the voice of their partner to keep them safe.

The same can be said with us, as we follow God. Oftentimes we want to trust Him, and we want to give Him all that we have and follow his voice, however we get frightened because we can’t see the way. (more…)

By lifetab, 10 years ago January 17, 2016

Be Who You Are

There are many beautiful things about the animal kingdom if one observes, but one of the most beautiful things I have found is that animals are content to be themselves. I have never seen a crocodile trying to be a zebra. A crocodile with its short legs, its long tail and a very toothy grin, in all its clumsiness does not try and run with the elegance and long leggedness of a zebra. What is my point? My point is that they are content to be who they are, who they have been called to be shall we say. People could learn a lot from animals if we took the time to observe. (more…)

By lifetab, 10 years ago January 10, 2016

A Proper Perspective

“How beautiful are your tents, Jacob, your dwelling places, Israel! Like valleys they spread out, like gardens beside a river, like aloes planted by the Lord, like cedars beside the waters. Numbers 24:5-6 NIV

What a beautiful picture this passage of scripture depicts. To hear the writer describe it, one would think it was a vacation destination in the tropics. Let’s go!

The truth is a little less exciting to our short sighted natures. This was the picture of Israel wandering in the wilderness for 40 years after they had sinned against God by refusing to believe and obey His commands. They were in a hot, barren wilderness waiting for all of those 20 years and over to die before God would give them another opportunity to enter into His promise. It sounds pretty bleak, but that’s not how God viewed it. Let’s consider three points of interest. (more…)

By lifetab, 10 years ago January 2, 2016