[joeNM]

Have you ever locked your keys inside your car? Mailed an envelope without putting the payment check inside? Baked a recipe without adding one of the main ingredients?

These are the kinds of things we all do when we don't give careful thought to what we are doing. Careless thinking means we either do something we shouldn't do or fail to do something we should. These wrong actions or irresponsible inactions can be minor inconveniences—or they can have serious lasting consequences.

You would think the people in Haggai's day wouldn't have committed thoughtless mistakes. Just 20 years before, they were living in exile in Babylon because they had disobeyed God. Now they were back in Jerusalem, but they were living as if that whole exile episode had never happened.

So through the prophet Haggai, God told them, "Consider your ways!" (Haggai 1:7). Then He told them their mistake: They were living selfish lives of luxury instead of completing God's temple. Careless thinking had led to wrong decisions and inaction.

God wants us to give careful thought to our actions, words, and relationships, and make decisions that bring glory to Him. Whatever you do today, give it careful thought. —Dave Branon


Let us think about what's good—
What's right and pure and true;
May God's Word control our thoughts
In everything we do. —Fitzhugh

Keep your thoughts in line, or they'll lead you astray

[TeamManager]

What if Jesus Is My Master?

I spent the weekend with about six thousand of my closest teenage friends listening to Bible teaching on the theme of Jesus as our "Master and Commander." In one of the texts that was used during the presentations, Jesus challenges his disciples to leave their familiar life and follow him. "Then Jesus said to Simon, "Don't be afraid; from now on you will catch men." So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him." (Luke 5:10-11 NIV) I've come away from the weekend asking myself, "What if Jesus is my Master?"

"What if Jesus is my Master?"

If Jesus is my Master, I will think differently. I will think differently about people who are different from me. I will not judge those who have a different color skin. I will not condemn people who do not think the same way I think. I will not criticize those who hold different views on political and religious issues. If Jesus is my Master I will think before I speak. I will think before I react. I will think before I assume. If Jesus is my Master I will think differently.

If Jesus is my Master, I will feel differently. My heart will influence my thinking. Compassion will play a more prominent role in my relationships. Forgiveness will come more quickly. Empathy will be offered more freely. I will hurt with those who hurt, I will weep with those who weep, I will rejoice with those who rejoice. I will feel differently if Jesus is my Master.

If Jesus is my Master, I will see differently. I will see beyond a person's actions and try to see the motive behind their actions. Then, I will try to understand their motives. I will see more that the obvious. I will not stop with outward appearances. I will not settle for externals. I will look deeper into the heart. I will look beyond the critical comment, the harsh words, or the negative attitude to find the source of their pain. I will see beyond the immediate. I will be able to see potential, and be hopeful even where there appears to be no reason for hope. If Jesus is my Master I will see differently.

If Jesus is my Master, I will act differently. Once my thinking is different, my feelings are different, and my vision is different. I will act differently. I will be more patient with people. I will be more giving to people. I will be more caring. I will be a better listener. I will be a more compassionate counselor. I will be a more understanding father. I will be a more loving husband. I will be a more insightful teacher and preacher. If Jesus is my Master my actions will be different.

All these things can happen if I allow Jesus to be my Master. The people around me need me to allow Jesus to be my Master. So, the only thing that remains is for me to allow Jesus to be my Master.

That is my prayer for me, and for you: May Jesus be our Master.

[jarabuon]

>What if Jesus Is My Master?
>

quote ur sources TM

[satjas]

Hey TM

i liked your post but thought:

What if Jesus Is My buddy?

If Jesus is my Buddy, I will not think differently from him. I will not think
differently about people who are different from me. I will not
judge those who have a different color skin. I will not
condemn people who do not think the same way I think. I will
not criticize those who hold different views on political and
religious issues. Even if Jesus is my Buddy or not I will think before I
speak. I will think before I react. I will think before I
assume. If Jesus is my Buddy I will not think differently from him.

If Jesus is my Buddy, I will not feel different, I'll still be me. My heart will
influence my thinking. Compassion will play a more prominent
role in my relationships. Forgiveness will come more quickly.
Empathy will be offered more freely. I will hurt with those
who hurt, I will weep with those who weep, I will rejoice with
those who rejoice. And all because my parents taught me these things before I knew Jesus and became his Buddy.I will not feel different if Jesus is my Buddy cos i am just as special as him.

If Jesus is my Buddy, I will not see differently from him. I will see
beyond a person's actions and try to see the motive behind
their actions. Then, I will try to understand their motives. I
will see more than the obvious. I will not stop with outward
appearances. I will not settle for externals. I will look
deeper into the heart. I will look beyond the critical
comment, the harsh words, or the negative attitude to find the
source of their pain. I will see beyond the immediate. I will
be able to see potential, and be hopeful even where there
appears to be no reason for hope. If Jesus is my Buddy I will
see the same as him.

If Jesus is my Buddy, he may influence me hence acting differently. Once my
thinking is different, my feelings are different, and my
vision is different. I may act differently. I will be more
patient with people. I will be more giving to people. I will
be more caring. I will be a better listener. I will be a more
compassionate counselor. I will be a more understanding
father. I will be a more loving husband. I will be a more
insightful teacher and lead by example. Again thanks to my parents and society as a whole for teaching me this before i even got to know Jesus. If Jesus is my Buddy my
actions may be different.

All these things can happen if I allow Jesus to be my Buddy.
The people around me need to give me the choice to allow Jesus to be my Buddy.
So, the only thing that remains is for me to allow Jesus to be
my Buddy.

The only real problem is Jesus my buddy promised to return over two thousand years ago and it is putting a strain on our friendship........You see i don't like false promises....but i will wait.

That is my dictum for me, and for you: May Jesus be our
Buddy.


Now perhaps, that, TM is abit more realistic don't you think?

-the paradigm shifter.......God's friend.


The soul is that which beholds beauty even when the mind denies it.

[TeamManager]

>>What if Jesus Is My Master?
>>
>
>quote ur sources TM
>
If Jesus Is My Master
Tom Norvell
Mar 9, 2005
"The Daily Encourager" <dlangerfeld@HarrisburgBaptist.org>

[TeamManager]

@Satjas
>All these things can happen if I allow Jesus to be my Buddy.
I am already his FRIEND
Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. John 15:13-15

>The only real problem is Jesus my buddy promised to
>return over two thousand years ago and it is putting a
>strain on our friendship........You see i don't like
>false promises....but i will wait.

Are we talking about the same Jesus? Since my friendship with Jesus has continiue to grow each and everyday.

HINT!! First, form a relationship with Jesus and then you will see the difference.

[satjas]

Hey TM

>Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life
>for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command.
>I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know
>his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for
>everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to
>you. John 15:13-15

That is why you guys are so confused-you give us an example of a master and now claim that the same master doesn't want us to be his servants but his friends........if you had read this before you would agree that the way i wrote it makes more sense.

-the paradigm shifter.......God's friend.


The soul is that which beholds beauty even when the mind denies it.