It has occurred to me that when a glass if full, there isn’t room for anything else. When the gas tank is full, it is better not to try and “top it off” with another drop. When the measuring cup is full and I have leveled it off, that is the amount that the recipe…… Continue Reading
Category Archives: Lessons
Lesson 4 – Introduction – May 11 – 18 Philippians 4: 4 – 13
Gloom and doom. Negative thinking. Pessimism. Why is it that some people seem to be programmed to focus more on the chance of failure than success, of sickness than health, of misfortune than progress? Many of us do not like to admit it, but we, too, have a tendency to look at our own…… Continue Reading
Sharing an Insight – Lesson 3
It has been helpful for me to think about the idea of getting dressed. I have the total freedom through the power of the Holy Spirit to “take off the old bedroom slippers” and put on the “new walking shoes”. The problem is that sometimes the soft old slippers are comfortable. They’re accessible and…… Continue Reading
Lesson 3 – Intro – May 4 – 11 Ephesians 4: 27 – 5: 2
What would you say are the best ways to motivate people to change, to do their best, or to accomplish specific goals? At work, a sense of accomplishment, feeling appreciated, and a salary, all impact an employee’s motivation level. At home, a sense of shared goals, a cooperative spirit, and defined responsibilities can inspire…… Continue Reading
Sharing an Insight – Lesson 2
Mercy, mercy, mercy. It is a great deal more than kindness, compassion, and forgiveness. It is more than leniency, forbearance, or charity. It is all of those things combined shown to someone who in no way deserves it or will ever be able to repay it. In fact it is only mercy when these traits come…… Continue Reading
Lesson 2 – Intro – April 27 – May 4 Romans 12
What would happen if a caterpillar had the opportunity to decide whether or not it wanted to become a moth or a butterfly? Some would, no doubt, refuse to change out of fear or anxiety about the unknown. Others might want to simply be in charge of their own destiny. There may be a…… Continue Reading
Sharing an Insight – Lesson 1
Can you say it any better than the translation found in THE MESSAGE does – Romans 8: 12 – 15. “So, don’t you see that we don’t owe this old do-it-yourself life one red cent? There’s nothing in it for us, nothing at all. The best thing to do is give it a decent…… Continue Reading
Lesson 1 – Intro – April 20 – 27 Romans 8: 1 – 17
Correction – Question # 4 should be Romans 16: 5 – 15 (not 15: 5 – 15) What is your favorite chapter in the Bible? What chapter would you say is the most important one in all of Scripture? Many theologians and pastors choose Romans 8 because in those 39 verses Paul explained to the…… Continue Reading
WHAT'S ON YOUR MIND? – A Prologue – I Corinthians 2: 16
Have you thought about what it means to “have the mind of Christ”? It’s a profound and astounding idea, isn’t it? What is the purpose? How does it happen? What are the implications for you and for me? In his letter to the believers in Corinth, Paul explains this idea quite simply when…… Continue Reading
Lesson 11 – Sharing an Insight
My daughter, her husband, their 2 Border Collies, and I wandered around the very old cemetary on a small hillside in Sierraville, California, this past weekend. We looked at the tombstones and the markers with some amount of curiosity and interest. Most of them simply had the date of birth and the date of death. …… Continue Reading