Today my goals are almost completely focused on tasks that require me being alone, on the computer, or with my nose in a book. So on days like these, I sometimes challenge myself to find some time to make a few simple encouraging touches: a short email thanking someone, a brief phone call to check on someone, or a quick post on someone’s Facebook wall.
What are you doing today to strategically reach out and encourage someone?
Matt Chandler, pastor of The Village Church in Texas:
Do you know how this ends? With you and me in front of Him with the Kingdom of God, new heaven, new earth coming down, no more injustice, no more pain, no more sorrow, God’s redeemed, God’s elect, God’s Kingdom, Kingdom of God, established! Now do you think anybody is going to give a trash how much money you have right now? How much comfort you have right now? Who’s cool and who’s not? Who drove what and who didn’t? Who was well liked in the neighborhood and who wasn’t? You think ANY of that is going to matter? No one will care! But a lot of people will be embarrassed.”
Hear the whole sermon HERE.
“If you can get into Mayo, do it.” Such was the counsel of a friend of a friend, who has a career in the medical field here in Jacksonville.
I had an upper endoscopy at Mayo Clinic on Wednesday. As far as I know, it went well. I should hear the results of the biopsy in about a week. I am scheduled to meet with my doctor there on May 13th to discuss my case. As I shared with a friend of mine, the fact that the physician who did the procedure did not call for an urgent meeting gives me some confidence that he did not see any cancerous growths.
Yesterday I had an upper endoscopy done at Mayo Clinic here in Jacksonville. First of all, I want to thank all of you who prayed for me. It means a lot when facing anything like this to know that there are many who are lifting you before the throne of grace. Yes, it means a WHOLE lot.
I have been suffering from GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease) for over 10 years now. In the past month or so, my symptoms have increased significantly. This despite a fairly regimented management plan I had been living under for some time: nothing to eat 4 hours before bed, prescription medication ($145 a month), and elevated bed.
I’ve often heard people say something to the effect of, “You know, you can be so heavenly minded that you are of no earthly good.”
Sounds pretty good, but is that really sound advice? I think not. God’s Word commands us to be as heavenly minded as we can be:
Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. – Colossians 3.2 (ESV)
…and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith… – Hebrews 12.2 (NASB)
C. S. Lewis reminds us that being so heavenly minded actually makes us the most fit for life on earth:
If ou read history you will find that the Christians who did most of rhte present world were precisely those who thought most of the next. It is since Christians have largely ceased to think the other world that they have become so ineffective in this.”
250 years ago today (the day before Easter) George Frideric Handel went to be with the Savior, the One he glorified with the composing of this wonderful piece:
Crazy Love, p. 68:
The goals of American Christianity are often a nice marriage, children who don’t swear, and good church attendance. Taking the words of Christ literally and seriously is rarely considered.”
From Crazy Love, p. 67:
A relationship with God simly cannot grow when money, sins, activities, favorite sports teams, addictions, or commitments are piled on top of it. Most of us have too much in our lives…A lot of things are good by themselves, but all of it together keeps us from living healthy, fruitful lives for God.”
soundoftruth.org 