"Slim Pickin's ?" - Inspirational Weekend

[Brazilian Cardinal On Coconut Shell On Hawaiian Beach]

Some time ago, from my reference photograph above, I completed an oil painting of this cardinal and titled it "Slim Pickin's".  Although the coconut contained sand from the beach, somehow the bird was finding some "slim pickin's" to nibble on.

It occurred to me just now that many people are surviving on just slim pickin's in their life, with no real "meat" of truth or hope to sustain them.  It's even true with some Christians who never read their Bible and seldom pray.

What to do?

First of all, we must have a vibrant and living faith and belief in Jesus Christ as the Savior.  Without that, you are dead....spiritually dead, and will not make it to heaven.

Secondly, we must die to self.  Yes, in an age where people are always thinking of themselves first and love to take selfie photos and the like, we must learn to put the heavenly Father and Jesus first in our lives.  

"Look for yourself, and you will find in the long run only hatred, loneliness, despair, rage, ruin, and decay.  But look for Christ, and you will find Him, and with Him everything else thrown in."    -   C.S. Lewis (from his book, Mere Christianity)

Let us consider some Christian quotes and, most importantly, some Scriptures which follow that will enrich our soul and mind and heart.

"God always gives His very best to those who leave the choice with Him."  -   James Hudson Taylor

"Life is not about how long you live, but whether you are living intentionally and devotedly to Christ."  -  Dr. Charles Stanley

"Your life helps paint your neighbor's picture of God."   -  unknown

"Being at peace with yourself is a direct result of finding peace with God."  -  Olin  Miller

"The safest place in all the world is in the will of God, and the safest protection in all the world is in the name of God."   -  Warren Wiersbe

[Haleiwa Beach, Oahu, Hawaii]

Lately, quotes by Christians on this blog have been more rare, as I think we should focus primarily on God's Holy Word. Following are some verses from Psalm 40, which all Christians can relate to:

Psalm 40:1-3 :    (1) "I waited patiently for the LORD; and He inclined unto me, and heard my cry.  (2) He brought me up also out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. (3) And He hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD."

"For the joy of the Lord is your strength."  -  Nehemiah 8:10 b

"Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Spirit."  -   Romans 15:13

"And ye shall seek Me, and find Me, when ye shall search for Me with all your heart."  -    Jeremiah 29:13

[Waterfall At Waimea Bay Botanical Gardens, Oahu, Hawaii]

Please ponder over the above Scriptures; let them sink deep into your heart.  But nothing compares to actually opening the Bible and pouring over God's Holy Word daily for yourself.   As has been stated here before, the Bible is God's love letter to us, as well as His instruction manual to guide us along life's paths as we endeavor to do His will.   When you read the Bible daily, you learn more about God and His Son Jesus, and you appreciate their attributes and that they personify love.... a love beyond our finite understanding.  You will grow to love the Lord more and more as you read His Holy Word..... you will draw ever closer to Him.

The same applies to daily prayer.  The good Lord wants to fellowship with us.  He loves us.  You cannot  develop a good relationship with anyone if you never communicate with him.   As you read the Bible and pray daily, you will find that you will grow in your relationship to the Lord.   It will become a close, intimate, personal, ongoing love relationship.  Isn't God awesome!

So do not live a life of "slim pickin's".  A life without Jesus is a failure.   True success is a life lived in obedience to Him.

".... I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly."   -    Jesus at John 10:10

"Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth and believeth in Me shall never die.  Believest thou this?"    -  John 11:25-26

"Jesus saith unto him,  I am the way, the truth, and the life:  no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me."   -    John 14:6

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."    John 3:16

  Have a blessed and Christ centered weekend...... and life !!

"Is Something Missing? Could It Be The Abundant Life?" - Inspirational Weekend

Do you ever feel like something is missing?  Or that you are missing out on something in your life?  I guess all of us at times feel like there has got to be more than the humdrum, everyday common chores and jobs and existence.   Like, oh, so boring!  Like there is no getting out of the rut you are in? At least, some people feel they are in a rut; I used to feel like that, but no more.   Not since I have tried to put the Lord first in my life and am trying to please Him as best I can.   I am not bragging on myself, I'm bragging on the Lord for changing my heart and my attitude.   So that nagging feeling you have that something is missing could be the abundant life that Jesus promised us, His followers.

What is this abundant life?  It is to live life to the full in faith in Jesus Christ.  It is to have a close, personal and intimate relationship with God through Jesus, our Savior.  

"The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy:  I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly."  -  Jesus speaking at John 10:10  (KJV)

Jesus is referring to abundant life from a heavenly viewpoint, not an earthly one.   Some people read the above verse and think of a prosperous life, or one filled with prestige and power on this earth.   Not so !  Remember that Jesus Himself was poor and meek while on this earth; there is no guarantee that Christians will be rich and powerful, although some of them are just that.   

An abundant life is one that is heavenly or spiritually abundant.  Christians have the Holy Spirit; how abundant is that !!  They have the love and protection of God and Jesus and the hope of eternal life; how awesome !!  And what a comfort to the soul to believe and realize these truths.   Material things in this world do not compare to these blessings of abundant life from a heavenly perspective.   This reminds me of the apostle Paul who had many hardships after being converted to Christianity, yet he truly had an abundant life in Christ.

"I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.  I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me."  -  Paul at Philippians 14:12-13.

I went through an extremely difficult time for a few years, and that verse 13 of Philippians 14 helped see me through as I repeated it over and over,  "I can do all things through Christ Who strengthens me."   There were other verses as well, but that one helped the most and kept me hanging on.   

The word "abundant" in the Greek is "perisson", meaning "exceedingly, very highly, superfluous, beyond measure.......".   Only Jesus could promise us a life like that.   This brings to my mind the Scripture found at 1 Corinthians 2:9,  "But as it is written, eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him."  The apostle Paul also says, "Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us."  -  Ephesians 3:20 

These Scriptures are very encouraging and give us something to hope for and to look forward to.   Goodness knows we need that in this chaotic world in which we live; these last days that now have the threat of World War Three looming ever closer, not to mention all the immorality and the certain collapse of the world's economies.     But if you are familiar with Bible prophecy and are a true believer,  you know there is hope for you with a bright future..... an eternal future with the Lord.   You will not panic, and you will still have a peace in your soul that is from God.   True peace, love, joy, and more are given to us by the Holy Spirit which sealed us at the time of our salvation and will see us through all the turmoil.  (Galatians 5:22-23).

"I have a great need for Christ, I have a great Christ for my need."  -  Charles Spurgeon  

Someone once said, "If the outlook is dark, try the uplook."   Look to Jesus for deliverance and protection.  Faith can work miracles in a person's life and in his attitudes.   To God be all the glory!

Following is a sermon by Adrian Rogers on the abundant life.  

"If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.  Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth."  - Colossians 3:1-2