The problem with stuff by Rick Warren

“What do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?” (Matthew 16:26 NLT)

Life keeps getting more and more complicated. And, on top of that, we keep adding more and more stuff to our lives. The problem with stuff is, the more you have, the more it takes to take care of it all — the more you have to clean it, the more you have to protect it, the more you have to insure it, and the more you have to repair it. 

It isn’t too long before stuff dominates your life. My guess is you probably have more stuff than your parents did. In fact, today we have an entire industry that we didn’t even have 50 years ago. It’s called personal storage units. It’s like you don’t even have enough room in your house any more, so you have to put some of it in a storage unit and pay rent to hold all your stuff!

A lot of people think the whole purpose of life is just to collect stuff. You’ve seen the bumper sticker: “He who dies with the most toys, wins.” The truth is, “He who dies with the most toys ... still dies!”

But your life is not about things. God didn’t design you that way. You were never meant to keep collecting and collecting stuff.  

The other day on Twitter (@rickwarren), I sent this message: “When+Then” thinking is a lie: “When I get what I want, then I'll be happy.”
So how much more stuff do you need until you’re happy? In Matthew 16:26, Jesus says, “What do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?” (NLT)
Jesus modeled a very simple life. You don’t see him collecting things. He spent his time and energy on relationships — because he knew they were more important than all the stuff in the world.
Talk It Over

• If someone were to look at your life, what would he say is more important to you: things or relationships?
• What do you need to change about your attitude toward things so that you can be more like Jesus?

Your Choice

“Today I am giving you a choice between good and evil, between life and death.” (Deuteronomy 30:15 GNT)

We have a choice to do good or bad, to love God or not to. God has given the ability to choose how to live our live though he encourages us to choose life, good and edifying things.
God can not force us to love him or to have faith in Christ his son but he tells us that we are saved by having faith in him though it is still our choice on which road to take. Joshua choose that his family and himself should serve the Lord. We should also choose to follow the Lord because he is the faithful God.
God loves us unconditionally and we should choose him to be our God!

*******Have fun till we meet again*******

Guard Your Heart

Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.

Proverbs 4:23, NLT The Bible tells us that the heart is where the issues of life spring forth. What we allow to enter our hearts will affect our thoughts, actions and even our bodies. In other words, the condition of one’s heart determines the course of one’s life! That is why Jesus, who bequeathed to us His peace, tells us, “…Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27). So if we want to walk in His peace and rest, we need to guard our hearts and not let them spiral into negative thoughts, worry and fear. The Book of Wisdom also tells us that a peaceful and cheerful heart promotes health (Proverbs 17:22). Beloved, there may be many things in our lives that we want to “guard”, such as our families, health or careers. But God wants us to guard our hearts above all else, and He will guard the rest!     *******Have fun till we meet again*******

Don't let fear rob you of your inheritance (Joseph Prince)

Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.

Isaiah 41:10

Moses sent 12 spies into the promised land that God wanted the Israelites to inherit. Two of them, Joshua and Caleb, came back with a good report of the land, saying, “The land we passed through to spy out is an exceedingly good land…‘a land which flows with milk and honey.’ Only do not rebel against the Lord, nor fear the people of the land, for they are our bread; their protection has departed from them, and the Lord is with us. Do not fear them” (Numbers 14:7–9).

However, the other 10 spies gave a bad report, saying, “We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we…There we saw the giants…and we were like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight” (Numbers 13:31–33).

All 12 of them saw the same land, the same giants, but what a stark contrast in their reports! Joshua and Caleb had a different spirit—a spirit of faith (Numbers 14:24). They focused on the promises and goodness of God. But the rest cowered in fear and saw only the giants. And the fear paralyzed them!

My friend, today, no matter how dire your circumstances may appear, choose to focus on God’s goodness. Choose to meditate on how Christ has paid the price for you to enjoy God’s unmerited favor, peace, protection and provision. That’s how fear will not paralyze you. That’s how you experience God’s faithfulness and walk in His blessings!

*******Have fun till we meet again*******

What do you think on?

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

Philipians 4: 8

Even when you are tempted to think bad about someone, do not for it would yield no result but will rather cause you to speak or act in a way you would regret.
When you are hurt, you can make two choices as achild of God, to speak to the person and offer forgiveness or to ignore the hurt and forgive.
The basic thing is to forgive at all times Mathew 18:22, which is extremely difficult to do if your mind is filled with anger and bitterness (i would know). Our mind is to be purified and can only be so if we follow the directives of Philipians 4:8 and hand over our thoughts to God.
I give you my thought life oh Lord! in Jesus name, Amen.

*******Have fun till we meet again*******

Love truly

"My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth."

1John 3:8

We are encouraged to love our brothers and sisters in Christ and the needy around us in deed and in truth, that is words backed up by actions.
A brother in need of shelter rejoices to hear you love him with the love of Christ but will become confused what sort of love that is if you don't do anything practical to help his situation.
Not that you have to do all things yourself but be involved in one way or the other to help the persons need, you can talk to those that can help or can bring some people together to help.
Jesus Christ himself said it is better to give than to recieve and this same advice was also stressed by Paul in Acts 20:35. Therefore my dear ones to  love truly is to love in action. Happy New Month!

*******Have fun till we meet again*******