DOING WHAT WE'D RATHER NOT

So this being St. Patrick's day I wanted to know the real story behind the holiday and came across some great information.

St. Patrick was not even Irish in blood, but he had great compassion for the people of Ireland.  How you ask?

He was once a slave in Ireland, captured from England who eventually escaped.  FREEDOM! Then he ran into God and became a slave to righteousness.

God eventually prodded him to go back to Ireland to preach the truth of God to the very people, and community who once enslaved him into harsh labor.  You see, they were really the slaves....to sin.  A call he wrestled with for a while.

As a result of his compassion and bringing the Gospel to the Emerald Isles, they began to celebrate his life shortly after he went to be with the Lord. 

Over the years, politics and sin have soiled the heart of the celebration, but the truth never died away.  So when you see all the foolishness of the contemporary celebration, you will now have a better understanding of what we really should be celebrating. 

WHAT GREAT AND WONDERFUL THINGS CAN HAPPEN WHEN WE DO WHAT GOD HAS CALLED US TO DO.  Especially when we'd rather not do it.

Ohh I almost forgot, he used the Shamrock to teach them about the Trinity, dude was an educator of the lost.

FIGHTING THE QUATERBACK

Just inches from their own 10 yard line, there seems to be an argument in the huddle.  It appears the quaterback and center are at odds with the rest of the players.  No one else knows what is really going on, but the huddle breaks and the offense slugishly walks up to the football.   Some are nearly a yard from the line of scrimage as they get set, others stand at the scrimage nonchalantly.  The recievers are just as scatter brained, one is even flirting with the cheerleaders. 

Only the center seems to be the most focused besides the quaterback.  Determined, the QB sets behind the center: "DOWN...SET...!"

Understanding the defense's set up, the QB calls and audible. "John 832, John 832."  One of the recievers sees the wisdom of the call and an opportunity to shine, so he stops looking at the crowd and trotts down to the amended position. 

"HUT...HUT!"

The center hikes the ball and launches out like a rocket, but is overpowered by two linemen and a back.  The blitzes the QB as the offensive line barely touches the opposing team, a few just hit the ground face down.  The defense closes in on the QB, it seems helpless.  Then the unthinkable happens.

One of the offensive running backs grabs the QB's feet and the entire defensive line collapes on top of them both as the crash of helmets can be heard in the nose bleeds.

The crowd gasps, not because of the impact, but because somehow a perfect pass was caught by one of the wide recievers.  He heads for the endzone shifting into fifth gear.

He's at the fourty, the thirty.  The safety is heading swiftly to cut him off.  There is a collosion, on of the tight ends smashes the safety from a blind angle at the twenty, the crowd reacts in unison.  The reciever gets to the ten and starts pointing to the crowd, high stepping for the onlookers.

Then he is suddenly hit from behind, by one of his fellow recievers and tumbles down at the four yard line.  No score.

This seems all out of line and makes no sense, but we treat Jesus, our QUARTERBACK in the same manner more often than we think.  Yet somehow we are still going to win the Super Bowl.

CHASTEN THE CLOCK

It seems since we don't have eternity, meaning we die eventually, that we often chase the clock.  Well life IS a vapor right? Yet and still, TIME MANAGEMENT is a huge issue to those of us who want to make our time mean something, or want a lot to happen in a shorter period of time. (Often called collapsing time-frames)

Too often we chase the clock trying to "get it" & miss out on Time--the seasons of opportunities to love on & serve good.

Many have spent too much time chasing after the wrong things, instead of investing our time into those things that truely matter.  Ususally its too late when we realize that a cherished season has passed us. 

WORK WHILE IT IS DAY, BUT ALSO LOVE OTHERS WHILE YOU HAVE THE CHANCE.

WHO IS TALENTED?

In the Bible is speaks of how the kingdom business is handled. Pleas read the link provided and seek understanding on HOW God operates and expects US to conduct ourselves as good stewards.

Talk is cheap, Action is an investment

Proverbs 14:23
In all labor there is profit:
but the talk of the lips leads only to poverty.  
(KJ2000 - sent from CadreBible)

Talk is not mearly cheap, but it drags down your economy.  As James says, let your walk display your living faith.

As my good friend Issac Kelly said Sunday to paraphrase;

TALK IS CHEAP, SO BE ABOUT IT!
(What else is there to say?)

THE ABILITY OF INABILITY

Its Monday and someone out there isn't happy about it.  Why?  Because they are either;
   1) Working a job with no value to them, or
   2) Can't seem to accomplish any moral godly good where they
        are (perhaps God is prodding you elsewhere?)

Let the Spirit remind you in the scriptures:

John 15:5 I am the vine, you are the branches: He that abides in me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit: for without me you can do nothing.   (KJ2000 - sent from CadreBible)

Make your mondays more memorable and ABIDE IN CHRIST TODAY.

BEAUTIFUL EULOGY

There are services that allow you to write great eulogies

Have you ever been to a funeral where they said such wonderful things about the deceased, but you knew they were lies.  It is said that we shouldn't speak ill of the dead. I totally understand how difficult it is to consider a loved one going to hell.  So I won't dwell on that.

SO WHAT ABOUT YOU?

In Romans 8:13 it says;
For if you live after the flesh, you shall die: but if you through the Spirit do put to death the deeds of the body, you shall live.   (KJ2000 - sent from CadreBible)

I want to focus on putting to death the flesh. We too often look on our past with a "good times" outlook, like we were not in bad standing in those days.  I submit to you in the spirit of a beggar at the red light:

WHY LIE, I NEEDED JESUS

EVERYDAY is a funeral for your past foolishness and the birth of a newer you. IF YOU ALLOW GOD TO HAVE CONTROL OF YOUR EVERYDAYS.


Speak ill of what is dead, and share the testimony of how God has changed you. LET THE REDEEMED OF THE LORD SAY SO.