Musings and Nuggets

Jesus had just finished praying when the disciples asked Him to "teach them to pray" He gave them a hypothetical scenario to teach them that persistence in prayer is important.  Although the friend did not want to be inconvenienced, he knew that the person at the door making the request would not give up.  He got up, gave the friend the bread, but not out of the goodness of his heart. He knew that the friend would not stop bugging him until he complied.   His friend was the squeaky wheel.       I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs.    Luke 11:8  (nkjv) The Oxford dictionary defines persistence as "firm or obstinate continuance of a course of action in inspite of difficulty or opposition".  Simply put, it means being too stubborn or desperate to give up. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to...

                                                  Photo by A aron Burden on Unsplash *Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.  Proverbs 22:6 (nkjv) I am always annoyed when someone says that "children are the church of tomorrow".  I totally disagree. If children are a not functioning part of the church today at some level and allowed/encouraged to participate, then they are apt to lose interest, being reduced to being a mere spectator. They will be ill prepared to be tomorrow's church leaders.   For example, a person who is always sitting "on the bench" and never allowed on the court to develop their skills, or build camaraderie with the team, cannot be expected to jump in at the last minute and be effective participant with any kind of confidence.  They are at a disadvantage....

  But as many as received Him, to them He gave  the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:  who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.  John 1:12-13. (NKJV)   You've probably heard someone say that "we are all God's children!"   Perhaps you have actually said it yourself, but are we really a child of God just because our mother gave birth to us? According to the above scripture,  there is more to it than that.                                                                                                    Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash Each one of us has an equal "right"/opportunity to become a child o...

  Phil 4:6 (NKJV) Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be known to God. There was a young man in his early twenties whose parents gave him a car.  He later borrowed some chairs from a close relative for an event he was planning.  When the car had a mechanical issue, he left it where it became disabled and walked home angry.  He said that he didn't care about the car because in his opinion, "it was piece of junk".  He did not call a tow truck, notify his parents, or the person from whom he borrowed the chairs.  When I asked if he at least retrieved the chairs to return them to the owner,  he said with an emphatic "No!" saying that he didn't care about the chair or the car!   The lack of gratitude for having a car  given to him (when he did not have one) and lack of      responsibility to return the items he borrowed (from a church) were troubling....

If You, Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand?  But there is forgiveness with You, That You may be feared.                                                                 Psalm 130:3-4   NKJV The answer it no one. A person made a comment to me a few weeks ago that has been troubling my spirit.  This person said that 'they would not be involved in something because of what they knew about one of the individuals who is a part of the leadership team.'  Once it was revealed that said individual was not the leader,  this person said that they might consider participating/attending.   Sometime it seems that we forget that Jesus was the only perfect one Who ever walked the earth and was without sin; that each one of us is a sinful, imperfect being.   When God forgives someon...

All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all things *edify.  1 Corinthians 10:23, NKJV Many years ago, another person and I were witnessing to a young woman whose "before Christ" lifestyle was in the "fast lane" which included partying, playing cards, etc.  I don't recall whether gambling was a part of that lifestyle, but she was convinced that a real Christian should never play cards.  I had recently gone through  something very traumatic p rior to entering my freshman year of college. I did not do much except go to class, spending the rest of the time in my room where I learned to play solitaire which was relaxing.  Solitaire is a game played alone.       I could have attempted to convince the young woman that there was nothing sinful in and of itself about cards, however, the enemy would have used that as a stumbling block.  To her the cards represented a lifestyle that ...

  If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.          Hebrew 6:6  ( KJV) There is a commercial that would always get my attention whenever it was aired on television.   The character is talking about drug abuse and says the following with a sense of urgency.    STOP !  PAY ATTENTION !   DON'T LOOK AWAY !   IT'S IMPORTANT !  It always made me think of how there are times in our lives when we may be considering making an unwise choice regarding our  words, attitudes, actions, or re actions to something precipitated by something or someone who has hurt or disrespected us or a loved one.  How we respond is important! The fleshly reaction is to strike back in  retaliation.  In that moment, "take a beat" and ask yourself if that thought or action would honor or dishonor Christ,...