Thought for Saturday, December 1st

December 1, 2012

Kid’s Games and Christian Living

Is there A Connection

Part Three

“Most amusements only mean trying to win.”

-       Rudyard Kipling

And they brought unto him also infants, that he would touch them: but when his disciples saw it, they rebuked them.  But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.  Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein.

Luke 18:15-17

Today I want to look at one last children’s game and what it can say to us about our spiritual life.

Finally let us look at the game of Hide and Seek.  The game requires everyone playing to hide while one person counts.  Then that person the ‘It’ person has to find everyone and tag them before they get back to base. This game often describes the real world of how many of us, as Christians try to live.  We think we can hide from God and when He invariably finds us we want to run to a safety spot and call base so that God can’t tag us and maybe expect something from us. (This application may be a bit of a stretch but the truth of what it implies is still the truth)

How often do we try to avoid God by hiding behind our justification and rationalizations that we are doing enough or we have got it all together spiritually?

We need to learn that there is no hiding place where God can not find us, just look to the writings of David for confirmation of this.

Again as in Hot Potato, we should hunger to be found by God and desire to be tagged for opportunities to serve and honor Him.

These applications may not be as directly associational as some might like things to be: but it does demonstrate for us that if we are willing to be open to the prospects and possibilities of what God could show us and teach us through unlimited sources and resources, there is almost always something that we can learn from almost everything we experience.  This is why we need to stay child like in our openness to the possibilities of God.  We need to have unquestioning faith to believe anything and everything is possible.  And we need to be child like enough to believe our Father is bigger, better, greater and more awesome than anything in the world could ever be.

If we can have that kind of heart, spirit and mind towards God and the things of His kingdom, there is nothing He can’t use to teach us, touch us, equip us and enable us to do greater and more wonderful things for Him.

Today’s Prayer

Father, I know I will always be a child in your eyes: but help me to also always be a child in heart, spirit, faith, hope and love towards you and the things you want to do in my life.

Thought for Friday, November 30th

November 30, 2012

Kid’s Games and Christian Living

Is there A Connection

Part Two

“Man is a gaming animal.  He must always be trying to get the better in something or other.”

-       Charles Lamb

At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them,  And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 18:1-4

Yesterday found us looking at the prospect of what Children’s games might have to say to us with respect to spiritual living.  Today let’s look at a few specific games and see if we can connect any dots.

Let’s look at the game of Duck, Duck Goose:  the premise is simple, you sit in a circle and the person who is ‘it’ goes around tapping each person, saying duck, duck duck – until he chooses someone and yells goose.  The ‘goose’ person then is to get up and chase the ‘it’ person with enthusiasm and expectancy of catching up to and tagging that individual.  How like us sitting in our circle of humanity, awash in our day to day affairs as life is passing us by and then the Holy Spirit taps us on the head and draws us into the game and we have the glorious opportunity to become not just mere observers but active participants in the events that are going on.  Do we jump up and follow after the Holy Sprit enthusiastically or do we grumble, whine, complain and stumble along wondering why we had to be chosen.  If we could be as enthusiastic and energized as most the ‘goose’ people I have seen play this game when it comes to doing something for God – I wonder how much more we might get done.

Hot Potato is one of those games that we seem to have taken hold of in many Christian circles.  The idea behind this game is that an object usually a ball is tossed around and whoever gets stuck with it is burned.   We tend to treat ministry opportunities, needs in the church, and acts of service for God as a hot potato, tossing them quickly on to another person, hoping we won’t be the one that gets caught holding the ball when the time comes for the deed to be done.  Maybe this game could inspire us to want to hold onto the hot potato, so to speak, hoping we are the one who gets it last, rather than over anxiously tossing it away.  (This is a bit of a reverse application, but at least you can see how my mind works)

It would seem that children’s games and child like qualities can both teach us a lot and enhance our walk with the Lord.  Sometimes we just have to be willing to dust off our thinking caps and apply a little imagination in order to see the potential truths that God can reveal to us.

Today’s Prayer

Father, keep my heart open, my mind inquisitive and my spirit willing to allow you to show me ways to serve you better, even if it is in things that might be childish or child like in nature.

“There is a candle in every soul

Some brightly burning, some dark and cold

There is a Spirit, who brings a fire

Ignites a candle and makes His home.

Frustrated brother see how he’s tired to

light his own candle some other way.

See now your sister she’s been robbed and lied to

Still holds a candle without a flame.

So carry your candle, run to the darkness

Seek out the lonely, the tired and worn.

Hold out your candle for all to see it,

Take your candle, go light your world.“

-  Lyrics from ‘Go Light Your World’ by Chris Rice

Thought for Thursday, November 29th

November 29, 2012

Kid’s Games and Christian Living

Is there A Connection

Part One

“It should be noted that the games of children are not games, and must be considered as their most serious actions.”

-       Michel De Montaigne

And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them.  But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.  Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.  And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them.

Mark 10:13-16

The games children play have changed significantly with the advancements in technologies and the greater ease of access that the youth of today have to electronic devices: yet there are some traditional games from childhood that have survived, even Wii, Playstation, Xbox and Gamegear, to only mention a few.  Games such as Tag, Hide and Seek, Flashlight Tag, Duck, Duck Goose and Hot Potato are among them.

My pontification of the day: considering that we are to embrace the kingdom of God as little children:  has brought me to wonder if there might be some spiritual implication that could be drawn from these kid’s games that might have some saliency for adult Christians in today’s world.  And I have come to the conclusion that there are some applicable concepts specific to these games that could be beneficial to us as we live for God from day to day. 

While I would never be so flippant as to think that living for God is so simple that it could be considered child’s play: I do think that children can teach us a great deal about how to simplify some of the things we adults tend to overcomplicate.

Over the next couple of days, we will look at a few children’s games and see what they might teach us about our lives as Christians.

But this simple truth needs to stay with us in all we do in living for the Lord: the more innocent we can be:  the more pure in motive and expectancy we can become: the greater childlike our faith can be – the better and greater will be our degree of success in living for Him.

Today’s Prayer

Father, help me to grow and mature spiritually without loosing the childlike components that will enable me to be more pleasing to you.

“There is a candle in every soul

Some brightly burning, some dark and cold

There is a Spirit, who brings a fire

Ignites a candle and makes His home.

Frustrated brother see how he’s tired to

light his own candle some other way.

See now your sister she’s been robbed and lied to

Still holds a candle without a flame.

So carry your candle, run to the darkness

Seek out the lonely, the tired and worn.

Hold out your candle for all to see it,

Take your candle, go light your world.“

-  Lyrics from ‘Go Light Your World’ by Chris Rice

Thought for Wednesday,November 28th

November 28, 2012

Are You Playing the Game of Keep-a-way

“Sin will keep you from the book {The Bible}: or the book {The Bible} will keep you from sin.”

-       Dwight L. Moody

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

Psalms 119:105

  But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

2 Timothy 3:14-17

Keep-a-way Is a familiar children’s game: that to the best of my recollection: we generally played to annoy a cousin or sibling, by tossing a desired object back and forth while the person being annoyed ran back and forth trying to catch the object while whining and occasionally crying.  I realize this was probably not the intent of this game at it’s inception but it always seemed to fit the purpose of the moment at hand when there was a younger sibling or cousin that needed a dose of good old fashioned teasing and being irritated.

Sometimes I wonder if the devil and his demons don’t like to play keep-a-way with Christians, figuratively speaking, when it comes to the truth, promises and guidance that is available to us from God’s Word.

His Word should be something we always want more of (though unfortunately this isn’t always the case) and it should be something we are willing to work towards attaining.

However, I tend to wonder if we do not fall prey to the temptation to engage in that figurative game of keep-a-way when it comes to our commitment to actually studying and devouring God’s Word.  Is it easier to whine about why we don’t do it and just play along with all the things that come along to keep us away from being committed to daily times of study and reflection, while whining and making excuses as to why it’s just not fair and just to hard to do it?

“You who like to play at Bible,

Dip and dabble here and there

Just before you kneel, aweary,

And yawn through a hurried prayer;

You who treat the Crown of Writings

As you rate no other book –

Just a paragraph disjointed

Just a crude, important look, -

Try a worthier procedure,

Try a broad and steady view.

You will kneel in steady rapture

When you read the Bible through.”

-       Amos R, Wells

Today’s Prayer

Father, may I not become guilty of engaging in a game of keep-a-way: that keeps me from your Word or You.

“There is a candle in every soul

Some brightly burning, some dark and cold

There is a Spirit, who brings a fire

Ignites a candle and makes His home.

Frustrated brother see how he’s tired to

light his own candle some other way.

See now your sister she’s been robbed and lied to

Still holds a candle without a flame.

So carry your candle, run to the darkness

Seek out the lonely, the tired and worn.

Hold out your candle for all to see it,

Take your candle, go light your world.“

-  Lyrics from ‘Go Light Your World’ by Chris Rice

Thought for Tuesday, November 27th

November 27, 2012

The Spiritual Significance

Behind the Story

Of the Three Little Pigs

“When a person cannot deceive himself the chances are against his being able to deceive other people.”

-       Mark Twain

  Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;  And did all eat the same spiritual meat;  And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.  But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness. Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.  Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand. Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents. Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.  Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry. I speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say.

1 Corinthians 10:1-15

The children’s tale of ‘The Three Little Pigs’ seems to have a very simple and significant moral; but if you look at this story from a spiritual perspective, it’s implications can be multifaceted and it’s messages to us can be many.

First, we must come to a realization that we, when doing the work of the Lord need to be committed, dedicated and focused on the objective or goal that is before us.  We can not be lazy or cut corners, so as to enjoy the frivolities of sinful folly.  The point being if we build our spiritual houses out of straw or sticks the bid bad wolf, (the devil) will come along and huff and puff and blow our house down and we will in most likely scenarios; escapes by the hair of our chinny, chin chin.

This story also reinforces for us that we must have the foundation of our spiritual house well established on the solid rock.  We must take the time and exert the energy, effort and hard work it takes to have the right resources established within our lives so that when our enemy comes: we will be ready and able to withstand his attacks.

This story also tells us that we have to have compassion on those who may not have been as committed or be as prepared as we are when the storm of life come our way.  We have to love our brothers (in this story the other pigs) even though they may have made mistakes:  been foolish and experienced failure.  But by the grace of God it could have been us.

Now you may say, it takes a strange mind to take a children’s story, such as this one, to apply spiritual truths to that can be applied to our daily lives: but my question to you is this:  is not the moral and logical conclusions drawn from this application rather apropos and are they not truly applicable to those things we need to be aware of when we live for God from day to day?

Satan would love to catch us playing instead of working; and he would like for us to be ill prepared for the attacks he perpetrates upon our souls: but we have the power and the means to overcome and win: the question is are we willing to exert the effort, utilize the resources and always be ready and able?

Today’s Prayer

Father, may I not attempt to deceive myself into thinking I can do things half way and be successful in living for and serving you.  Help me to stay focused, committed, prepared and ready for what ever comes my way.

“There is a candle in every soul

Some brightly burning, some dark and cold

There is a Spirit, who brings a fire

Ignites a candle and makes His home.

Frustrated brother see how he’s tired to

light his own candle some other way.

See now your sister she’s been robbed and lied to

Still holds a candle without a flame.

So carry your candle, run to the darkness

Seek out the lonely, the tired and worn.

Hold out your candle for all to see it,

Take your candle, go light your world.“

-  Lyrics from ‘Go Light Your World’ by Chris Rice

Thought for Monday, November 26th

November 26, 2012

Are You Wet Yet

“If grace is like water, the church should be an ocean.”

-       Jefferson Bethke

And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.

Revelation 22:1

We have heard of being ‘wet behind the ears’ or ‘being all wet’: and these idioms usually indicate a sense of lacking something, such as experience or knowledge or maybe understanding.

Conversely, from a spiritual perspective, being all wet, might not be such a bad thing nor would being wet behind the ears.

Let me explain my stream of thought which lead me to the pool of this conclusion.

Jesus said He was the living water and to be submerged in His presence and power would not be a bad thing.

Of course I am not speaking from a literal perspective, but rather from a figurative point of view; but the truth remains that if we as Christians would allow ourselves to dive heart first into the spring of God’s living water: to let His mercy and grace flow like a river and we were to stay immersed in His power and presence: it would be wonderfully refreshing, rejuvenating and amazing to see what He could do in our lives and in the life of our churches.

The idea of total submersion implies we are completely surround and totally covered.  Since the Holy Spirit is already on the inside, if we are believers: to be totally surrounded on the outside would seem to me to be the optimal of all possibilities.

So are you ready to get wet?

Today’s Prayer

Father, may I be and stay totally submerged in your power and presence.

“There is a candle in every soul

Some brightly burning, some dark and cold

There is a Spirit, who brings a fire

Ignites a candle and makes His home.

Frustrated brother see how he’s tired to

light his own candle some other way.

See now your sister she’s been robbed and lied to

Still holds a candle without a flame.

So carry your candle, run to the darkness

Seek out the lonely, the tired and worn.

Hold out your candle for all to see it,

Take your candle, go light your world.“

-  Lyrics from ‘Go Light Your World’ by Chris Rice

Thought for Saturday, November 24th

 November 24, 2012

How Well Are You Connected

“You and I must remain connected with the source of strength, our vine, Jesus.”

-       Corrie ten Boom

I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.  Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.  I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

John 15:1-5

Being connected is almost a necessity in our modern world.  Every where you go people want to know where the hot spots are for WiFi connectivity and if there is a free source of connection so that we can be in touch with the world and have access to the many offerings of our cyber lifestyle.

Yet, as Christians, we have free, uninterrupted and never out of range access to the greatest power, most optimal source of information and guidance and the source of all the answer we need to any of life’s problems: yet we don’t bother to get or stay connected.

Sometimes it appears some think the only true hot spot is in a meeting room on Sunday morning, and then and only then, if the conditions are optimal to our taste, desires and mood.

Sometimes there are those of us who find that there are optimal times for connectivity, as long as it doesn’t interfere with our plans or other activities.

Yet God wants us to be connected to Him through His Son, Jesus twenty four seven: three hundred and sixty five or six if it is a leap year: yet how much of our time do we spend disconnected from Him?

We don’t have to pay premiums: we don’t have to be concerned about download speeds and signal strengths:  all we have to do is open  our hearts and present our  minds and spirits to Him and give Him total access to our lives to be really connected to the greatest source of eternity.

So what is keeping us from getting really connected?

Today’s Prayer

Father, help me to not just get connected, but help me to stay connected to you and to depend on you for my source of all the information , direction and help that I need,

“There is a candle in every soul

Some brightly burning, some dark and cold

There is a Spirit, who brings a fire

Ignites a candle and makes His home.

Frustrated brother see how he’s tired to

light his own candle some other way.

See now your sister she’s been robbed and lied to

Still holds a candle without a flame.

So carry your candle, run to the darkness

Seek out the lonely, the tired and worn.

Hold out your candle for all to see it,

Take your candle, go light your world.“

-  Lyrics from ‘Go Light Your World’ by Chris Rice

Thought for Friday, November 23rd

November 23, 2012

Silence Isn’t Always Golden

“Silence in the face of evil, is itself evil.  God will not hold us guiltless.  Not to speak is to speak.  Not to act is to act.”

-       Dietrich Bonhoeffer

The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.

Proverbs 18:21

Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.

Proverbs 12:18

Ironic, isn’t it: that we are, as Christians often charged to focus on saying less and speaking little: when we simultaneously must also recognize that there is a time to speak up and speak out.

We are called to declare the word of the Lord: and while we can do that in many ways by the way we live: we must also be willing to speak up, testify and give account of the hope and faith that are alive in us.

And as Christians, there are times when we must be ready and willing to speak up against evil and to put things into a proper perspective, even though our words might not be welcomed or desired.    Just as it is important to remember to love each other we must remember that love can be tough.  All scripture is given for inspiration, instruction, as well as correction: and there are those times when we see brothers or sisters in the faith, acting like the devil, that we need to call them on the carpet and hold them accountable for their deeds and actions.

We must always remember to enter such interchanges prayerfully and under the leadership of the Holy Spirit: but we must not be intimidated to be bold and courageous when the situation requires it.

Sadly it seems we have a tendency as Christians to be timid and meek in the face of evil and crash and bold when there is no call or justification for such behaviors.

I suppose that is why we need to rely so heavily on the power and presence of God in our life to keep us in check and help us know when which is appropriate and how to speak in love even when correction and admonition are warranted.

Today’s Prayer

Father, may I be bold to speak and quick to hush and wise enough to know which I need to do when.

“There is a candle in every soul

Some brightly burning, some dark and cold

There is a Spirit, who brings a fire

Ignites a candle and makes His home.

Frustrated brother see how he’s tired to

light his own candle some other way.

See now your sister she’s been robbed and lied to

Still holds a candle without a flame.

So carry your candle, run to the darkness

Seek out the lonely, the tired and worn.

Hold out your candle for all to see it,

Take your candle, go light your world.“

-  Lyrics from ‘Go Light Your World’ by Chris Rice

Thought for Thursday, November 22nd

November 22, 2012

The Attitude of Gratitude

“When we bless God for mercies, we prolong them.  When we bless God for miseries, we usually end them.  Praise is the honey of life which a devout heart extracts from every bloom of providence and grace.”

-       Charles Spurgeon

Come let us praise the Lord!  Let us sing for joy to the God, who protects us!  Let us come before him with thanksgiving and sing joyful songs of praise.

Psalms 95:1-2

It has been said, ‘If you want to find gratitude, look for it in the dictionary.

Considering that today is Thanksgiving Day, this axiom sounds a bit out of place, doesn’t it?

Yet how often do we as Christians find ourselves relegating our attention towards thankfulness that transcends the superficial, to almost a minimal status, on the remaining three hundred and sixty four days of the year?

This is not to imply that we don’t offer a cursory thanks to God for His blessings on an occasional basis: but how often do we take the time to be genuine, heartfelt and earnestly thankful for blessing both tangible and intangible that we receive continuously?

Does our gratitude extend beyond the mere utterance of a few words of appreciation?  Do we allow ourselves to be more demonstrative with our gratitude or do we think that God should be thankful that we bothered to say thanks?

A real attitude of gratitude goes beyond a spoken word: and even beyond a song or two sung in praise on a Sunday morning: true gratitude is proven out by the commitments we make and the behaviors we demonstrate.

A true heart of gratitude is akin to art of worship – it is a lifestyle, not an event.

While most of us will pause today to give a special proclamation of thankfulness for the bounty of the days and months that have passed and the blessing that have filled them, since last Thanksgiving: may we also make a commitment to live a life for the next three hundred and sixty four days between now and next Thanksgiving, that is indicative of a true attitude of gratitude for who God is, what He means to us and all that He does in each of our lives.

Today’s Prayer

Father, the words thank you are comprised of only eight little letters: but the number eight is indicative of new beginnings.  May I have a new beginning as I give thanks this year in not only verbalizing my appreciation; but also actualizing it in the days and weeks ahead by the life I choose to lead and the way I chose to live it.

“There is a candle in every soul

Some brightly burning, some dark and cold

There is a Spirit, who brings a fire

Ignites a candle and makes His home.

Frustrated brother see how he’s tired to

light his own candle some other way.

See now your sister she’s been robbed and lied to

Still holds a candle without a flame.

So carry your candle, run to the darkness

Seek out the lonely, the tired and worn.

Hold out your candle for all to see it,

Take your candle, go light your world.“

-  Lyrics from ‘Go Light Your World’ by Chris Rice