You Can’t Teach a Frog to Fly

Once upon a time, there lived a man named Clarence who had a pet frog named Felix. Clarence lived a modestly comfortable existence on what he earned working at the Wal-Mart, but he always dreamed of being rich. “Felix!” he said one day, hit by sudden inspiration, “We’re going to be rich! I’m going to teach you to fly!”

Felix, of course, was terrified at the prospect. “I can’t fly, you twit! I’m a frog, not a canary!”

Clarence, disappointed at the initial response, told Felix: “That negative attitude of yours could be a real problem. We’re going to remain poor, and it will be your fault.”

So Felix and Clarence began their work on flying.

Continue reading You Can’t Teach a Frog to Fly

Why Are God’s Commands a Delight, Not a Burden?

1. Understand that when Psalm 119 was written, the whole Bible was not yet complete. The writer may have only been reading the first five books of the Old Testament which are technically called The Law. When he said that he loved God’s commands, he was actually saying he loved the WORD OF GOD. Keep this is mind as you read the entire chapter and you’ll see the fresh meaning of the verses right away.

2. God’s laws (or God’s Word) were given to give us the freedom to become what God wanted us to become. They restrict us from doing what might cripple us and keep us from being our best. God’s guidelines (words) help us follow his path and avoid paths that lead to destruction (quoted from Life Application Study Bible). If the Word of God has this saving power, I don’t see any reason why anyone would consider it a burden.

3. Obedience is a burden only to servants. To sons and daughters, it is a delight.

4. The reason we rejoice at the Word of God is because this same Word is the Word that became flesh and lived among us. The writer may have written about the first five books of the Bible but for us in the New Testament, we know that eventually the psalm points to Jesus.

5. I would rather hear a word of command from God than not hear from Him at all. Too many people complain that the Word of God is difficult to obey. Would they rather have a silent God? During the time of Exodus, the Israelites foolishly asked that God would only speak through Moses because they tremble at His voice. They didn’t want to hear him speak.

Malice

Malice needs nothing to live on; it can feed on itself.  A contentious spirit will find something to quarrel about.  A faultfinder will find occasion to accuse a Christian even if his life is as chaste as an icicle and pure as snow.  A man of ill will does not hesitate to attack, even if the object of his hatred be a prophet or the very Son of God Himself.  If John comes fasting, he says he has a devil; if Christ comes eating and drinking, he says He is a winebibber and a glutton.  Good men are made to appear evil by the simple trick of dredging up from his own heart the evil that is there and attributing it to them.

—A. W. Tozer, We Travel an Appointed Way

Copy-Paste Prayer

Only three weeks to go and my training at the School of Local Church Ministry will be over. This is a new season for me, personally and spiritually. And while I am nervous, I welcome all the changes with great anticipation.

This afternoon as I was reading my Bible, I happened to open 1 Kings 3.5-15, the story when Solomon was just starting out as King of Israel. It was a new season for him also. He was young and he was filling in a huge role his father, King David, left for him. When God asked him what he wanted, he only asked for wisdom.

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Humble Prayers

“…I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?” —1 Kings 3.7-8

Lord, I ask that my prayers today as I start out in the ministry would be the same prayers I say when I close my eyes to rest. Let not the years and experiences diminish my passion and convictions. Same heartbeat, same sense of wonder, same worship for the same God.

Discipleship Notes: How to Avoid Burnout

You know that sinking feeling at the pit of your stomach when the people you’ve been praying for are not coming to church anymore. You were all doing great, you started your discipleship group filled with high expectations that God will use you to reach many people with the gospel. For months, you were riding the wind of spiritual high. Then one by one, those happy faces started to disappear. One Sunday, there were only three of you left. Few bothered to send you text messages. Some hid their Facebook walls from you.

For most leaders, this is the time when they begin to look inward and ask difficult questions. Some could come up with fairly good answers, others start blaming themselves, others get broken and eventually quit. My heart goes out to those who are too frustrated to try again. If you are one of those who already hit a brick wall in your discipleship endeavors, I pray that you read on and find encouragement in these words. Continue reading Discipleship Notes: How to Avoid Burnout