This has been a weird and difficult year. I am continuing to discover how self-centered I am. I am so clever at rationalizing thoughts and actions that are far from where Jesus wants me. God gave me a particularly strong will. I want to surrender it entirely to the Holy Spirit and do His will 24/7. My main problem is waiting. I don't wait for God to do stuff, I jump right in and try to fix it or do it myself. Lord, forgive me and help me. I want to want to live your way. Help!
- dr joe |
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Links
Food for Thought...
I believe our nation is headed for very hard, even disastrous times. I do not believe politics will fix our economy - it's too far gone - too much debt to ever pay back. We depend completely on our fragile technological infrastructure for food, water, shelter, transportation, and entertainment. Any number of events could cause a sudden collapse of our system e.g., electric grid collapse from terrorism, natural event like solar flare, simple breakdown from lack of modernization, or Israel attacks Iran and the price of oil skyrockets, or China stops buying our treasury bonds. I am feeling called to prepare for such disaster by working to be less dependent and more self-sufficient. If you have interest in or questions about this line of thinking, please e-mail me by replying to this e-mail. Below are some of my favorite links:
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Give thanks to the lord, for he is good;
his love endures forever. 2 Let the redeemed of the lord tell their story- those he redeemed from the hand of the foe,
"Has the LORD redeemed you? Then speak out!" God has done so much for us, and we have so much for which to thank him. He wants us to tell everyone all that he has done. These verses are not so much a mandate to witness as a declaration that when we live in God's presence we will not be able to keep this glorious experience to ourselves. What has God done for you? Is there someone you can tell?
Verse and commentary above is copied from the Life Application Study Bible Reading Plan on YouVersion. Check it out at http://www.youversion.com/ .
Any Dr JOE comments will be in BLUE :0)
John 4: 27-38
The Disciples Rejoin Jesus
27 Just then his disciples returned and were surprised to find him talking with a woman. But no one asked, "What do you want?" or "Why are you talking with her?"
28 Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people,29 "Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?"30 They came out of the town and made their way toward him.
31 Meanwhile his disciples urged him, "Rabbi, eat something."
32 But he said to them, "I have food to eat that you know nothing about."
33 Then his disciples said to each other, "Could someone have brought him food?"
34 "My food," said Jesus, "is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.35 Don't you have a saying, 'It's still four months until harvest'? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.36 Even now the one who reaps draws a wage and harvests a crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together.37 Thus the saying 'One sows and another reaps' is true.38 I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor."
Wow do I struggle with food. I love food. I especially love food that isn't good for me. God made chocolate, I'm sure of that. My difficulty is that I look to food for emotional comfort not just physical sustenance. I try to fill the emptiness inside my heart with pizza and ice cream. It seems to work to a degree, but then I get fatter and feel miserable. The food that will fill me is the "Bread of Life." The person of Jesus inside me will satisfy my empty heart. We are deceived into thinking that life is about this world and we gauge our success or failure by worldly standards of comfort and status. My inconsistency in sending these e-mails is a gauge of my distraction from serving Him. Please Lord forgive me and give me renewed strength and commitment to your work.
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Questions?
Please e-mail me with any questions about today's scripture message or anything related to the Bible or Christianity.
I might not know the answer but I'll try real hard to find it. | |
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