Peace

Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. – Psalm 37:7

In this crowded world most people don’t want to be alone or away from the crowd, but Jesus wants us to sit quietly in His presence while He blesses us. He wants us to rest in His sufficiency, as we consider the challenges of the day. He doesn’t want us to wear ourselves out worrying if we can handle the pressures of the day. He wants to walk through every day with us.

Too often we rush and forget whose we are. We are royalty in His kingdom. It is so easy in this crowded and confused world to lose sight of Jesus, especially in a culture that tells us to do whatever we do in a worldly way.

We are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy people belonging to God and we need to continually declare the praises of Him who by His sacrifice called us out of darkness and into His wonderful light.

Through time alone with Him we are transformed. When we center on him, trust displaces fear and worry. As one goes up, the other comes down. Time with Him also helps us to discern the important from the not so important things in life.

At the end of the day, what we spend most of our time worrying about really doesn’t matter in the long term.

Recently we sang a song that says it all:

Take time to be holy, speak oft with thy Lord; abide in him always, and feed on his word. Make friends of God’s children, help those who are weak, forgetting in nothing his blessing to seek.

Take time to be holy, the world rushes on; spend much time in secret with Jesus alone. By looking to Jesus, like him thou shalt be; thy friends in thy conduct his likeness shall see.

Take time to be holy, let him be thy guide, and run not before him, whatever be tide. In joy or in sorrow, still follow the Lord, and, looking to Jesus, still trust in his word.

Take time to be holy, be calm in thy soul, each thought and each motive beneath his control. Thus led by his spirit to fountains of love, thou soon shalt be fitted for service above.

SOMETIMES TRUE STORIES

TEN THINGS TO TEACH YOUR SON ABOUT TRUE MANHOOD:

1. Being a gentleman is still worth the effort:
2. Hold the door.
3. Stand up when a woman leaves or joins the table.
4. Walk on the “splash” side of the sidewalk.
5. Attempt (gently) to pick up the tab.
6. Go get the car when it’s raining.
7. Offer your hand
8. At the same time, be respectful: All the above “gentlemanly” actions must be offered subtly, and – if necessary – set aside graciously when refused.
9. Take responsibility: In a word (well, two), “step up.” True manhood takes responsibility for its actions, choices, values and beliefs. And while taking responsibility, manhood is also willing to admit with grace – when it is wrong.
10. Don’t be afraid to be vulnerable: Real strength allows other people in. Manhood is honest about feelings and not afraid to be known. True manhood never builds a wall where there should be a window, or a fortress where there should be a sanctuary.
11. Actually being a man is more important than talking like one: Real men don’t just stand up and speak up – they put up too. Loud talk and tough posturing don’t cut it. True manhood involves finding a need and doing something about it. Real men don’t complain about social problems, they go out and do something about them. Real men don’t point fingers, they work for solutions. Real men get calluses on their hands.
12. Listen respectfully, disagree politely and never exclude women from conversation: True manhood is inclusive. It may be strong, but it’s unfailingly polite. Men who equate bluster or machismo with strength are typically covering something up. Men who think women have nothing to contribute to the conversation need to wake up and smell the 21st Century.
13. Love is stronger than muscles: True manhood understands that brute force is less compelling than self-giving love. The best solutions to difficulties involved applied love.
14. The first shall be last: True manhood puts others first. Jesus is quoted more than once as saying something like this: If you want to be a leader, then the place to be is on your knees, with a towel in your hand, washing someone’s feet.
15. Manhood is sometimes – more about what you could do but didn’t than what you could have avoided but did anyway: There’s a lot of restraint a great deal of “Quiet Strength” in true manhood. Real men tend to always have something in reserve.
16. True manhood is more about giving than about getting: Our culture often touts a men see what they want, then they go out and get it view of manhood. But true manhood is more along the lines of see what the world needs, then go out and do it. Strength leveraged for the benefit of others.

QUOTES YOU CAN USE

Resist the temptation to value responsibilities over relationships.

Many things are important, but only one is necessary and that is knowing Jesus as savior and Lord.

To renew your mind is to involve yourself in the process of allowing God to bring to the surface the lies you have mistakenly accepted and replace them with truth. – Charles Stanley

If your mind is filled with the Word of God, then it can’t be filled with impure thoughts. – David Jeremiah

Churchill said, “the price of greatness is responsibility.” Leadership is not just a title, name on a door or parking place, it is influencing others and taking responsibility for everything you say and do.

The path to heaven is a relationship, not a route.

We can do anything if we have divine authority and courage enough to take the Lord at His word. (Spurgeon)

Time is like a river. You cannot touch the same water twice, because the flow that has passed will never pass again. Enjoy every moment of life.

Selected portions of Thoughts on Life can also be read at www.thoughtsaboutgod.com/blog.

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