FEED MY SHEEP

"[Jesus] said to him the third time, 'Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?' Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, 'Do you love Me?' And he said to Him, 'Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.' Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep.' "  (John 21:17 NKJV)

I wish they would remember that the charge to Peter was "Feed my sheep", not "Try experiments on my rats", or even "Teach my performing dogs new tricks". 

-- C. S. Lewis (1898-1963)

#2993

READY TO BE FREE

"So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." (John 8:36 NIV)

I am entirely ready to have the chains that keep me bound be broken.  I am entirely ready for the walls I've built around myself to be torn down.  I am entirely ready to give up my need to control every situation.  I am entirely ready to let go of my resentments.  I am entirely ready to grow up. 

-- Macrina Wiederkehr


#2992

BEING CONTENT

Greed is really an attitude, which means it is possible for anyone to be greedy. Whether you have a lot or a little, you will always want more. Credit only becomes the vehicle for fueling our greed. At its root is a lack of contentment with the provisions of God. Unlike the apostle Paul, we have not become good at being content in whatever state we find ourselves. 

-- Bruce Howard, Chair of Wheaton College's Business and Economics Department, in ChristianityToday.com

#2991

SPIRIT-DIRECTED PROMPTINGS

Finding words to adequately define the promptings of the Holy Spirit is no easy feat.  Promptings are mystical.  They are phenomenal.  They are intangible.  And they're real.  In fact, promptings have been present in the lives of Christ-followers since Jesus left his bodily form on earth and ascended to heaven.  Remember?  That was the day when He sent the Spirit of God to take up residence in the heart of every believer.  "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you," He said. (It should clue us in to the challenging nature of our mission that Christ would need to send a permanent source of supernatural power to assist us.)
But what exactly was this power all about?  The rest of the story from Acts 1:8 explains that Christ-followers have a mission while here on earth.  They are to be Christ's witnesses all over this planet.  It's as if Christ said, "Think you're missing the book smarts, the street smarts, the looks, the talent, or the speaking ability to accomplish this mission?  Don't be concerned with those things, because you have my mountain-moving, life-transforming, death-defying power on your side." 

-- Bill Hybels in Just Walk Across the Room

#2990

BE STILL AND…

"Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world." (Psalm 46:10 NLT)

Our Adversary majors in three things: noise, hurry and crowds.  If he can keep us engaged in "muchness" and "manyness," he will rest satisfied. 

-- Richard J. Foster

#2989