Useful Thinking

Useful Thinking

Philemon 1: ⁸ For this reason I could be bold enough, as your brother in Christ, to order you to do what should be done. ⁹ But because I love you, I make a request instead. I do this even though I am Paul, the ambassador of Christ Jesus, and at present also a prisoner for his sake. ¹⁰ So I make a request to you on behalf of Onesimus, who is my own son in Christ; for while in prison I have become his spiritual father. ¹¹ At one time he was of no use to you, but now he is useful both to you and to me.

 

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Listening to the suggestions from the crowd, I began thinking of ways to get out of class and work. I wanted to play cards and hang out I got nervous when I was almost fired, so I straightened up temporarily.

 

• I hated my job, even though it paid the bills.
• I was constantly looking for ways to goof off or leave.
• I never thought of ways to improve the situation or to add value.

 

Paul humbly makes a request of Philemon on behalf of Onesimus. He describes Onesimus as being useful, but acknowledges that at one point in time he was not useful. Something change with Onesimus and he began serving Paul, the prisoner.

 

My Observations

• There are times when I want to complain, but this is useless to serving.
• There are times when I want to serve myself, but this is useless to drawing other people to GOD.
• There are times when I think only of myself and this type of thinking is useless  to helping other people.

 

Selfishness is blinding. I mean, the more I think of myself, I make excuses for not serving other people. In fact, I may even blame him or her for not serving me in the way “I” think I ought to be served. This type of thinking is useless to bringing people to GOD. Fortunately HE is so, so, so forgiving.

 

HE shows me my selfishness and opens my eyes to a plentiful harvest that HE wants to draw back to HIMSELF. HE show me the hurt and the lost and wants me to seek them and bring them to HIM. There are plenty to bring to HIM, but my eyes have to be opened. I am glad GOD includes me in HIS plan and forgives me when I think only of myself.

 

Challenge

• What tone is the writer taking?
• Have you ever felt sorry for yourself and felt you deserved more?
• Will you change your mindset and ask GOD “What do YOU want me to do for YOUR kingdom today?”

Thankful For You

Thankful For You

Philippians 1: ³ I thank my God for you every time I think of you; ⁴ and every time I pray for you all, I pray with joy ⁵ because of the way in which you have helped me in the work of the gospel from the very first day until now. 

 

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On special days like Mother’s Day or Father’s Day, I thought of the many adopted parents and my parents who blessed me in ways I cannot imagine. I also am thankful for family and friends who remained and still remain very prayerful for every situation.

 

• I have been truly blessed.
• I have been supported by many who bow down to GOD.
• I have been able to spread the gospel because of many prayerful Spirit-filled people.

 

Paul expresses gratitude for the many people who supported his difficult journey. He is filled with elation every time he thought of those who helped him tell people about JESUS. His thankfulness was especially for those who hung in there from the very beginning of his transformed ministry.

 

My Observations

• GOD wants me to be thankful for those who have prayed for me.
• GOD wants me to praise people in front of HIM so many can be honored in HIS presence.
• GOD wants me to look back and remember those who serve HIM loyally.

 

There are some people who come to mind when I think of impactful belief in GOD, who have influenced me. I mean, ordinary people who stand firm for CHRIST at all costs. I see his or her fervor, never missing a beat when life gets difficult. In fact, these people turn up the encouragement when the struggles are happening.

 

How is this possible? I ask myself. The only thing that comes to mind is their relationship with CHRIST. I thank GOD for the many who continue to serve GOD in spite of the many obstacles placed in front of them.

 

Challenge

• Can you feel the sincerity of the writer regarding thankfulness?
• Doesn’t it sound like the writer has been through a lot and he was fully supported along the way?
• Who comes to mind that you are thankful for as he or she has stood firm in CHRIST and has fully supported you with prayer consistently?
• Will you fill your heart to overflowing with thankfulness to GOD today?

Intentional

 

Intentional

1 Corinthians 16: Now, concerning what you wrote about the money to be raised to help God's people in Judea. You must do what I told the churches in Galatia to do. ² Every Sunday each of you must put aside some money, in proportion to what you have earned, and save it up, so that there will be no need to collect money when I come. ³ After I come, I shall give letters of introduction to those you have approved, and send them to take your gift to Jerusalem. ⁴ If it seems worthwhile for me to go, then they can go along with me.

 

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Driving in a certain area of this city, I noticed the restaurants, stores and services. I noted what I saw so I could come back one day. But when I served a homeless shelter, the van driver drove the same street pointing out homeless people. I did not notice them! The longer we rode around the more embarrassed I was because they were right in front of my face and I did not see them.

 

• The homeless were invisible to me.
• The homeless were unseen because I was thinking of my own problems.
• The homeless were not even a thought during my normal day to day escapades.

 

Paul addresses what to do with the money they raised for those in need. They must have had a desire to give and wanted to know how. Paul gave a guideline to be intentional and set aside some money to give to those in need. He also challenged them to “go” and see those in need.

 

My Observations

• GOD wants me to be intentional about giving to those in need.
• GOD wants me to also go and help those in need.
• GOD wants me to be checked out by others to ensure I am serving with the right motive.

 

Serving the needy is important to GOD. I mean, there are enough evil people who rob, steal and kill. GOD sees that too. BUT HE sends people to comfort those in need. There are many who need and people cannot see.

 

Some may appear rich but are in need. Others may just be barely hanging on but appear as if everything is alight. GOD wants me to be intentional in seeking those in need so my service will be to HIM. I am glad people saw me when I was in need and equally glad to serve those HE shows me.

 

Challenge

• Do you see the desire to give form this group?
• What ways can you be more intentional in your giving?
• Is there something you could postpone so you can give to those in need?
• Are you in need and barely hanging on?

 

Dear LORD, this is a special prayer for those in need. Please provide today. amen

Create the Menu with Love

 

Create the Menu with Love

Romans 14: ¹³ So then, let us stop judging one another. Instead, you should decide never to do anything that would make others stumble or fall into sin. ¹⁴ My union with the Lord Jesus makes me certain that no food is of itself ritually unclean; but if you believe that some food is unclean, then it becomes unclean for you. ¹⁵ If you hurt others because of something you eat, then you are no longer acting from love. Do not let the food that you eat ruin the person for whom Christ died! ¹⁶ Do not let what you regard as good get a bad name. ¹⁷ For God's Kingdom is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of the righteousness, peace, and joy which the Holy Spirit gives. ¹⁸ And when you serve Christ in this way, you please God and are approved by others.

 

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Putting together the lunch menu for the business meeting was supposed to be easy. I liked a certain type of food, but when I asked people what their choice was, I was shocked. “You mean you don’t like piles of deliciousness falling off of your plate?” I thought to myself. Several people wanted something different than what I would choose. I changed the menu.

 

• There have been times when I questioned what people ate.
• There have been times when I considered letting the ”picky” people, find their own meal.
• There have been times when I wanted to speak about CHRIST but my menu left people, who had different beliefs, out and I could not share the gospel with them.

 

Arguments over food needed to be addressed, so Paul wrote on this matter. He got to the heart of the matter, speaking to those who felt free to eat anything, telling them to curb their freedom for those who bound themselves to eat a certain way. It was not about the food, but the example.

 

• GOD wants me to think of others when I eat.
• GOD wants me to consider my freedom as offensive to those I may be trying to reach.
• GOD wants me to be flexible temporarily so I can serve those who HE wants to reach.

 

My freedom should not make someone fall. I mean, if I am alright with doing something, eating something or being somewhere that another person cannot handle, I should be flexible enough to pause my freedom for a moment. It’s not worth trying to convince “that” person to eat or drink a certain way.

 

GOD wants a good reputation and HE chooses sinners to provide it. HE wants me to be able to surrender my freedom temporarily, in order to reach the lost. It is not about me, it is about JESUS.

 

• Are you complaining about the way someone eats or does not eat?
• Do you think “that” person is weaker in faith?
• Will you “stop judging one another” and be a good example for CHRIST so you may be “approved by others” for HIM today?

Help Them

Luke 9: ¹⁰ And the apostles, when they had returned, told Him all that they had done. Then He took them and went aside privately into a deserted place belonging to the city called Bethsaida. ¹¹ But when the multitudes knew it, they followed Him; and He received them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who had need of healing. ¹² When the day began to wear away, the twelve came and said to Him, “Send the multitude away, that they may go into the surrounding towns and country, and lodge and get provisions; for we are in a deserted place here.”

¹³ But He said to them, “You give them something to eat.”

And they said, “We have no more than five loaves and two fish, unless we go and buy food for all these people.” ¹⁴ For there were about five thousand men.

Then He said to His disciples, “Make them sit down in groups of fifty.”¹⁵ And they did so, and made them all sit down.

¹⁶ Then He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the multitude. ¹⁷ So they all ate and were filled, and twelve baskets of the leftover fragments were taken up by them.

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Driving under a viaduct, I could see  a mound or stuff that looked like trash. Upon closer inspection I could see a person laying in the heap. The person was homeless and I felt sorry for them. The light changed and I drove on.

Sometimes I feel overwhelmed seeing people in need around me.

Sometimes I feel like the problem is too big for me to even start helping.

Sometimes I feel exhausted just thinking of my problems, let alone the problems other people are facing.

JESUS says something very strange. HE tells the disciples “You give them something to eat” in reference to feeding a crowd of five thousand or more people. They only had enough food for one person and suggested “money” and “time” as the answer. BUT GOD had another answer.

GOD wants me to know that only HE is the answer to any problem.

GOD wants me to understand that only HE can provide when it looks impossible.

GOD wants me to seek HIM as a solution to everything.

JESUS spoke with the FATHER then split the food up so everyone ate their fill. There was so much food left over that each disciple had a large basket of leftovers. HE wants me to see that only HE is the answer to all of my problems, large and small. HE grows my faith to believe HE can do absolutely anything!

Are you overwhelmed?

Do you think large problems require a solution that comes from humans?

Will you allow GOD to show you how great and powerful HE really is by trusting that HE has the solution?