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“Your job is not to crunch numbers and audit the will of God.”

A thought by Mark Batterson (2014-09-02) from his book, The Grave Robber: How Jesus Can Make Your Impossible Possible (p. 141). Baker Publishing Group. Kindle Edition. (Click on the title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) Mark in this chapter of his book is dealing with the feeding of the 5,000 with five loaves and two fish.   Now if we crunch those numbers, 5 + 2 does not = 5,000.   No way.   And we do that over and over in our lives don’t we?   But the equation had another variable to it that makes all the difference and it was 5 + 2 + God and that does = 5,000.   And that is true in your life too. As Marks says, “Your job is not to crunch numbers and audit the will of God. After all, the will of God is not a zero sum game. When you add God to the equation, His output always exceeds your input. And your two fish can go a lot further than you imagine if you put them into His hands.”   Just remember that as you face whatever you are facing this week.   The equatio

“Half of faith is learning what we don’t know. The other half is unlearning what we do know.”

A thought by Mark Batterson (2014-09-02) from his book, The Grave Robber: How Jesus Can Make Your Impossible Possible (p. 131). Baker Publishing Group. Kindle Edition. (Click on the title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) The first part means that we should spend a lot of time in the Bible trying to see how God thinks, how He reacts, and what He wants.   That goes a long way in building our faith.   It also means to think, to stop and remember what He has done in our lives in times past, and to read of other’s experiences.   That also strengthens our faith but we also need to do some unlearning. Mark says, "The second half is far more difficult than the first half. That’s why Jesus repeatedly said, 'You have heard that it was said . . . but I tell you.' He was uninstalling Old Testament assumptions with New Testament revelations. Going the extra mile or turning the other cheek was more than behavior modification. Jesus was reverse engineering the old rule

“Don’t let what’s wrong with you define you.”

A thought by Mark Batterson (2014-09-02) from his book, The Grave Robber: How Jesus Can Make Your Impossible Possible (p. 119). Baker Publishing Group. Kindle Edition. (Click on the title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) And that is so easy to do. I have been overweight a big part of my life but I have striven to not make that define me.   Now it may define what some people think of me but that is their problem not mine.   As I see myself today I see myself as a healthy person who is striving to be healthier. Now there was a time a few years back that I saw the potential if I didn’t start doing something with my weight problem of living my later years as an invalid.   And I knew that I had the potential to do something about it so I changed my eating and exercise habits.   So how do you see yourself? Mark has some very good thoughts on this.   He says, “When my children lie to me, I don’t call them liars. I remind them that that’s not who they are. I certain

“With a few minor changes, we could solve most of our major health problems.”

A thought by Mark Batterson (2014-09-02) from his book, The Grave Robber: How Jesus Can Make Your Impossible Possible (p. 113). Baker Publishing Group. Kindle Edition. (Click on the title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) But the problem is, we really don’t want to.   Oh we may wish to but want to is a different thing. Mark says, “No matter what goal you’re trying to achieve or problem you’re trying to solve, you have to want it more than the pain that will be inflicted upon you in the process of trying to attain it. That’s where nine out of ten of us fall short, according to Dr. Edward Miller, the thirteenth dean of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. More than one and a half million Americans undergo a coronary bypass graft every year. And while angioplasty effectively relieves many of the symptoms of clogged arteries, it’s a temporary fix. Without a change in eating and exercise habits, the health benefits are short-lived. And patients are told that poi

“God won’t answer 100 percent of the prayers we don’t pray.”

A thought by Mark Batterson (2014-09-02) from his book, The Grave Robber: How Jesus Can Make Your Impossible Possible (p. 94). Baker Publishing Group. Kindle Edition. (Click on the title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) Have you ever thought about the fact that one of the main ways that we can limit God working in our lives is by our not asking Him too?   Too many times when we have a problem and we are doing all we can to solve except we don’t stop to pray about it.   That shouldn’t be our last resort that should be our first. We really don’t realize the power of our relationship with God and the real difference it can make in our daily life.   Do you connect with God on a daily basis?   When my kids were in school I would pray for God’s protection each and every day.   I still do.   I live in Pasadena, California, Brett lives in Studio City, California and Stef lives in Las Vegas, Nevada.   I still pray for God’s protection on their lives every day and for Andrew, Mari

“Remember that I don’t need anyone’s approval to be happy.”

A thought from Rick Warren (2012-10-23) from his book,  The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For ? (p. 432). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. (Click on the title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) This is such an important fact to remember.   Happiness is a choice.   I choose to be happy.   But so many people live in such despair because they are looking to please someone who is unpleasable.   It is impossible to please some people.   And that is their problem not yours.   Rick says, “It is a fact of life that on our broken planet filled with broken people, there will always be those who will demean how you look, dislike what you do, disapprove of what you believe, dispute what you say, and disrespect who you are. But they cannot control your emotions unless you let them. Disapproval doesn’t have to devastate you.” I love this verse in Psalm 27: 10 (NLT). “Even if my father and mother abandon me, the Lord will hold me close.” Does that comfort you today?

“Anytime we accuse God of unfairness, we are actually doubting his goodness.”

A thought from Rick Warren (2012-10-23) from his book,  The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For ? (p. 420). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. (Click on the title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) There are phrases that are there for us to say that are phrases that don’t need to be said.   Like the phrase, “Life isn’t fair.”   Of course it isn’t.   But that is not where we need to dwell. Now I start each day with the phrase, “God is good.”   That gives me the focus that everything that happens to me may not be fair or may not be good but as it goes through a good God then it is changed into something that happens for my good. But it is so easy to hit the “live isn’t fair” button. Rick says, “Anytime I accuse God of being unfair, I am foolishly implying, ‘God, I’d make a better god than you, because if I was God, I’d be more fair than you are.’   The next time you start to rant about God’s unfairness to you, remind yourself of these facts: 1. Everything I hav