Week Forty-One, 2017
THE THINGS WE TAKE FOR GRANTED
When things are going well for you, be glad, and when trouble comes, just remember: God sends both happiness and trouble; you never know what is going to happen next. – Ecclesiastes 7:14
Life is full of the unexpected. You never know what is going to happen next. I knew it was going to be a challenging day when I saw water bubbling up by the sidewalk in front of our house.
We were without water for a time. It helped me to remember the importance of having clean water, or for that matter, any water in our home. I wanted to wash my hands and then brush my teeth, but both required water. We ended up going out for dinner because water was need for cooking. And, the list goes on and on.
All of this caused me to pause and think of all the things in life that I take for granted without thought or thanks, like starting with waking up in the morning.
God has given us so much. Most of what we have, we take for granted, that is until it is lost and then becomes very important. Paul says it so plainly in Ephesians 2:11-12: But don’t take any of this for granted. It was only yesterday that you outsiders to God’s ways had no idea of any of this, didn’t know the first thing about the way God works, hadn’t the faintest idea of Christ. You knew nothing of that rich history of God’s covenants and promises in Israel, hadn’t a clue about what God was doing in the world at large.
Do you have a clue or stop to think about what God is doing in the world and in your life? God has given us so many blessings that are too often taken for granted. Of these many blessings from God, there are some that He gives to everyone. Other blessings come from a rich and personal relationship of knowing Jesus is my Lord and Savior because I believe He died on the cross for my sins. I repented of my sins and was baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of my sins and now I have the blessing of receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Do you tend to pray comfortable prayers, like Thank you for another day, or please help so and so, or help me be more like you? Do you approach God with a sense of habit and familiarity. These aren’t bad things to pray and, in many respects, comfort with God is a good thing.
But sometimes I wonder: Am I too comfortable with God? Am I taking God for granted? In my mundane, daily prayers, have I lost sight of who God really is?
Ask yourself today if you are taking God’s blessings for granted.
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LWO – Lawrence Welk’s On
SOMETIMES TRUE STORIES
ABC’s
Living for Jesus is challenging, but accepting Him as Lord and Savior is as simple as ABC:
A – Acknowledge that you have sinned: “Sin” means “missing the mark.” For all have sinned and fall short of the glory (Romans 3:23).
Acts 2:38 Repent of your sins.
B- Believe in Jesus: Believing in Jesus is more than just knowing that he exists. It is placing total trust and faith in Jesus and His death, burial and resurrection. Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved (Acts 16:31).
C – Confess Jesus as Lord: Confessing Christ means accepting His plan for your life. If you say with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and if you believe in your heart that God raised Christ from death, you will be saved (Romans 10:9).
“Lord Jesus, I want to know you personally. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins. I repent of my sins. I receive you as my Savior and Lord. Thank you for forgiving me of my sins and giving me eternal life. Take control of my life. Lead me by the power of the Holy Spirit to grow in faith. In Your name I pray. Amen”
Texting For Seniors
- Teens have theirs, now seniors can have their own texting codes.
- ATD – At the Doctor’s
- BFF – Best Friends Funeral
- BTW – Bring the Wheelchair
- BYOT – Bring Your Own Teeth
- CBM – Covered by Medicare
- CUATSC – See You at the Senior Center
- FWBB – Friend with Beta Blockers
- FWIW – Forgot Where I Was
- FYI – Found Your Insulin
- GGPBL – Gotta Go, Pacemaker Battery Low
- GHA – Got Heartburn Again
- IMHO – Is My Hearing-Aid On?
- LMDO – Laughing My Dentures Out
- LWO – Lawrence Welk’s On
- OMMR – On My Massage Recliner
- ROFL..CGU – Rolling on the Floor Laughing…Can’t get Up!
- TTYL – Talk to You Louder
- WAITT – Who Am I Talking To?
- WWNO – Walker Wheels Need Oil
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QUOTES YOU CAN USE
If you eat an entire cake without cutting it, you have only consumed one piece.
Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord. 1Cor. 1:31
I have never met a strong person with an easy past.
Eat all your cake today and have a crummy tomorrow. Ken Whitten
Sin leads to foolishness. Ken Whitten
Just because judgment Is not immediate, doesn’t mean it’s not imminent. Ken Whitten
Forgiveness is instantaneous, restoration takes time. Ken Whitten
Most of us will not change until our pain becomes greater than our fear of change.
Our age suffers from “truth decay.” But regardless of what society says, Christians are called to a higher standard, asked to submit to a greater Authority. Ken Weliever
Any Fetus is Less Human Than an Adult Pig. Atheist Richard Dawkins
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| ©2017 John Grant | Florida State Senator (Ret.) | |