Monday, February 28, 2011

Daily Perspective for Feb. 28, 2011


Joshua 24:15-17
If serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”
“Choice” is a participant in the level of success one enjoys in life. There are two things actually that play into that success.
There is “Natural Ability” that every person on the planet has. The obviously varies from person to person.
Then there is “Choice” the person has in any given circumstance. When a person with much natural ability makes good choices, the potential for their success increases to the highest level. However, much natural ability accompanied by poor choices will almost certainly not lead to good results. Natural ability is God given to each person. Choices are the privilege God gives each man to make. Often it is not talent that determines if a person is successful; it is the choice made to engage that talent!
John Wooden was the coach of the UCLA basketball team. He is remembered by his young players for saying wise things as he coached them through life as well as basketball. One of his players recalled a practice session during which Coach Wooden said:
“There is a choice you have to make in everything you do. So keep in mind that in the end the choice you make, makes you.”
Have you made the choice to follow Jesus? How are you doing in managing that choice? The choice to follow Jesus was easier than the choices you will need to make daily to follow through on that most important choice of asking Him to be your Savior and making Him your Lord.
Don’t grow weary in following hard after Him in every choice of today! J
This is my Perspective. What’s yours?
Brent

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Perspective for Feb. 24, 2011


A thorny question?
I love Jesus' parables, one of my favorites is the Parable of the Sower, if you don't know this parable and it's meaning, take a moment to read it now in Mark 4:1-20.

I can easily see myself at various stages of my life in each of the four soils Jesus describes… there was a time when the seed of God's Word had little meaning to me... and there was a time when I got fired up and excited by "my faith" only to later struggle in hard times.  And, if I’m honest, there’ve been times when the cares of this world had my attention...

So, I’m thankful to be in the good soil now!  But Jesus said the mark of living in the good soil isn't right living, right thinking, or even right beliefs...

Jesus said the mark of living in the good soil is the production of a crop way beyond anything you, or I, could produce on our own, so… "where's my crop?" 

Hmmm… that could be a thorny question!
Pastor Jeff