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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?

It’s good medicine.


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.