IRONY
The irony of the scene is obvious. A seemingly poor woman playing her instrument for donations outside of the world-renown Concert Hall in New York City.
No doubt Concert Hall patrons would have a variety of reactions: Some compassionate, others indignant.
How would you have reacted?
Proverbs 28:27 states a startling principle:
“Whoever gives to the poor will not want, but he who hides his eyes will get many a curse.”
Let us not hide our eyes.
BE A WINDSHIELD, NOT A REARVIEW MIRROR BELIEVER!
Why are we more inclined to dwell on the past than to consider the future:
Perhaps the reasons to get stuck on the past include: Fear, Un-Forgiveness, Blaming, Procrastination, Trauma, Self-Pity, Sentimentality, Anger, Doubt & Unfinished Business.
Perhaps the reasons to avoid forward thinking about the future include: Lack of meaning, pessimism, laziness, perfectionism, pride, insecurity, confusion, lack of direction, debt, regret & failure to be in the Word &/or to pray.
Whatever your reasons might be, the Lord Christ calls & commands you to forward, faith-filled thinking!
When I was learning to drive my instructor urged me to look through the windshield & only to glance at my rearview mirror about every 6 seconds!
Rearview mirror over-looking causes accidents!
Eyes front! Drive safe!
NOT MY CUP OF TEA BUT THANKWORTHY
Not bacon & eggs but bugs & eggs.
I know that the verses leading up to 1 Timothy 4:3 have to do with false, apostate & corrupt teachers who were prone to legalism.
But one of the underlying principles is that all food is given to us by our Father’s kind hand.
” … forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.”
(1 Timothy 4:3)
Bon appetite!
LURED
This big boy saw a lure that tricked him into thinking it was delicious.
James 1:13-16 – “Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am being tempted by God’; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death. Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren.”
What’s tempting about fishing lure is that it looks like food to a hungry fish.
What’s enticing about any sinful temptation that it appeals to our own lusts.
Here’s the equation:
TEMPTATION = DESIRE + BAIT
Desire without bait is not temptation.
Bait without desire is also not temptation.
Watch your desires. Bring them under the Lordship of Christ; then you won’t get “hooked”!
SILENCE IS GOLDEN
Proverbs 17:28 – “Even a fool, when he keeps silent, is considered wise; when he closes his lips, he is considered prudent.”
My grandfather often said: “if you can’t improve on silence then don’t speak.”
He lived by that adage.
He was a man of few but weighty words.
It’s only the Holy Spirit who can hold a believer’s tongue!
And often the believer’s tongue needs holding!
DID YOU HEAR THE ONE ABOUT?
It’s great to see these two having a belly-laugh together!
Proverbs 17:22 assures:
“A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.”
There certainly is a time to take things & oneself seriously but only doing that is unhealthy.
There are a lot of broken-spirit, dried-up-boned persons. They rarely laugh & they usually criticize those who do laugh. These unhappy & unhealthy souls take themselves altogether too seriously.
Every once and a while it will do you good to watch or to listen to some clean humour.
How about this Saturday?
THE WEIGHT OF THE WORLD
Sometimes we make the big mistake of taking upon ourselves the weight of the world.
When we do this we over estimate ourselves and underestimate our God.
1 Peter 5:6-7 are clear!
“Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.”
The word “casting” carries the idea of happily throwing aside
not to pick it up again. Like the high-schooler who casts aside his backpack full of school books on Friday afternoon, not at all intending to use those books all weekend.
The other thing about prayerfully giving the weight of the world back to God is: It’s a very practical way to humble oneself.
Really, taking on the weight of the world is an act of incredible pride.
The weight of the world clearly belongs on God Almighty’s shoulders! He is more than able & willing to have it!
AUTO-CORRECT
The wonderful Holy Spirit of God is Spiritual Auto-Correct for each Christian.
He indwells each true born-again believer to assist in the glorification of the Lord Jesus Christ. (John 16:12-14)
Typically, the Holy Spirit’s ministry is to control speech and conduct (Ephesians 5:18; Galatians 5:16-25) in such a way that there is auto-correction taking place all of the time.
It is the believer’s moment-to-moment responsibility to pay attention to the indwelling Holy Spirit’s auto-corrects.
As a preacher I was both challenged and encouraged
to hear a very well-known preacher begin to make a statement in a sermon and then to stop and then to pause and then to say: “I best not go there. I won’t say anything more on that”.
Auto-Correction. Holy Spirit-Correction. Edification. Glorification of Christ Jesus.
That was a case where auto-correction didn’t leave a silly result but rather it most certainly left a Christ-honouring result.
Pay attention to your auto-correct Agent: The indwelling God the Holy Spirit.
THE BIG ONE THAT DIDN’T GET AWAY
I imagine that none of these guys got on the boat that day expecting to catch an 835 pound monster. But they did!
You know: So much of life is simply showing up … especially when it comes to our magnificent God who delights to do the unexpected using un-expectant persons.
There was the shepherd boy David who was delivering food but who wound up downing the giant!
And there was the boy who went to hear Jesus teach carrying his simple bag lunch for one!
And there was Simon the Cyrene who was minding his own business until he was commandeered to carry Jesus cross!
Don’t let the big one get away!
Show up each day, in each situation, willing to be used of the Lord for significant purposes!
SHOW YOUR TRUE COLOURS!
Beth and I were once in Old San Juan Puerto Rico. We were in a group touring the Old Fort there.Another tour group went by us & its leader was carrying a bright Norwegian flag.
The flag was a way for the group members to stick with their tour guide.
Because Beth is half Norwegian, I asked to borrow the flag and I had my wife
hold it so I could take a fun picture.
It was not evident that Beth is Norwegian until she carried Norway’s flag.
We have true colours as Christians.
In Matthew 5:16 our Lord said:
“Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father Who is in heaven.”
Our true colors as Christians should be both light (a reflection of God’s light) and good works.
Do persons see God’s light and good works as they observe you? This is the flag you are to carry! It will identify you as being a Christ-follower.