Bittersweet Farm

Bittersweet Farm

Current Thoughts

When You Feel Like a Loser

Filed Under: Current Thoughts


Roger W. Thompson. We Stood Upon the Stars.

One of the books on my summer reading list is by Roger W. Thompson. Roger is not very good at fixing things. He was raised without a dad and only a distant memory of his grandfather who seemed to know how to do everything. He wants to be a good fisherman so he can teach his boys. He wants to be a skilled outdoorsman so he can arrange experiences with his sons. He wants to have a happy and fulfilled wife, but there are so many hours in the day and so much money in his wallet and he is all too aware of how inadequate he is at so many things.

On camping and fishing trips and family vacations his planning if often inadequate and his VW van breaks down and he is afraid his wife and kids can see how incompetent and how insecure his is. Even once in a while, out in the wild looking at a trout river or a mountain scape or a field of stars in the heavens, he gets his bearings and remembers that he is a child of God and the Holy Spirit lives in him and God’s plan is right on schedule and he is a part of it!

Sometimes I am guilty and ashamed.
Sometimes I am clumsy.
Sometimes I am undisciplined.
Sometimes I am selfish.
Sometimes I am not able to fix what needs to be fixed or do what need to be done or figure out what I need to know.
Sometimes things seem out of control.
Sometimes things happen to people I love that break my heart.
Sometimes I fail to plan ahead and end up where I shouldn’t be.

But when I read about the Ancient of Days, the Son of Man, and the Peaceful Kingdom that will never end I don’t feel defeated I feel like a prince with God. I don’t feel so much like a loser. My Bible tells me that I am more than a conquerer a superhero in Christ, even when it looks like I am lined up for the slaughter. I am an overcomer even when I feel defeated.

I was talking to an old pastor once. I said how are you doing? How are things going? He said, “Well it’s been a tough…. but the last inning has not been played yet and the final score is not in yet…”

You may think your life and your work are insignificant. You may feel like a loser… but you have a throne near the Throne and you have the word of life—eternal life–and you are on the winning team! You have an important mission. Praise be unto God. Make me a blessing to someone today!

Amen?

Bittersweet Farm
July 26, 2022

An Unopened Gift

Filed Under: Current Thoughts

Much of your joy in life depends on how you approach it. Some people see every day as a trial to endure. Some see each day as mundane chore. But did you ever look at a day as an unopened gift from the Lord?

That is the best way to approach a day. You don’t know what’s inside. You do know that whatever happens to a child of God passes through the providential care of a loving Heavenly Father who knows just what you need. He can take the darkest trial and bring unspeakable good from it. (Read the Bible and you see this in every book).
Some days he has arranged a test or trial to strengthen us or deepen our faith. Sometimes it is an opportunity to bring glory to God. Almost every day he arranges a thousand delights for those who a spiritually sensitive enough to notice them.

So look around a little today and tear into the day like a beautifully wrapped gift. You never know what you might find inside.

Don’t Soften the Warnings, Soften Your Heart

Filed Under: Current Thoughts

I was reading in Daniel 6:24 today and thinking about the terrible judgment people will face who do not know God and submit to God. They will suffer. Their wives will suffer. Their children will suffer. Those who reject God do suffer and they will suffer. The innocent suffer because of the sins of others around them…

John wrote: ““For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.” (John 3:16–17, ESV)

This is so plain. Either you believe and have eternal life, or you reject Jesus and perish (die and suffer judgment).

All around us people are bleeding out. They are perishing, dying and going off to face the judgment of God.

We who are Christians and pastors have a tendency to soften the warnings of judgment, because we are afraid of offending people, but we should, instead soften our hearts and be afraid of offending God!

Don’t soften the warnings of Judgment.
—Soften your heart!

Don’t be afraid of offending people…
—Be afraid of offending God!

People all around us are perishing. God help us rescue the perishing.

Who are you praying for? Who are you loving? Who are you inviting? Who are you engaging in gospel conversation?

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