Encouragement
Gleanings from here and there on "Never Lose The Wonder Of It All".
Please let these help to restore the joy and wonder of Christmas, Good Friday and Easter.
1) Henry Drummond - "The Christian is a unique phenomenon - you cannot account for him and, if you could, would not be a Christian. I Cor. 2:15 says "the Christian cannot be explained in earthly terms!"
2) Westminister Shorter Catechism of 1647-- "The chief end of a person and the church is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever."
3) Tim Hansel _ "If you have to move even ten inches from where you are right now to discover joy and wonder, I guarantee you will never know it."
It is not genes...it's Jesus! It is not environment, it's an encounter!
4) Jenny Lind, a great singer in Sweden, quit at the height of her career. As she was sitting by a lake one day, she was asked 'why'. She replied, "When I thought nothing of that (pointing to the sunset) and very little of this (the Bible), then it was time to quit."
She also said, "O God, defend me from the task of dropping buckets into empty wells and growing old, drawing nothing up!"
5) A Pastor in San Antonio was saved and many asked, "How can this be?" and he replied, "All of these years, I had the words of Christianity, but I didn't have the music!"
6) Gypsy Smith, a great evangelist in the early 20th Century, was asked the secret of his long ministry and he replied, "I never lost the wonder of it all."
7) An art teacher observing students painting landscapes, told one of them, "You spend too much time on the shingles of that old barn and you're missing the glory of the sunset."
So which is it...shingles or sunsets?
8) A waitress was asked, "Do you have the joy of Jesus?" and she replied, "I have to work on Sundays." Our joy must be in the person of Jesus...not a place..nor whatever..nor whomever..nor wherever. (Colossians 1:27)
"Christ in me, the hope."
9) C. K. Chesterton: "The world will never starve for wonders, but only for the want of wonders." We must really enjoy God before we will really serve Him....and to enjoy Him, you must KNOW Him!
10) C. S. Lewis, an English Professor in England, was saved late in life and entitled his autobiography "Surprised By Joy". He wrote: "Whenever things seem impossible, whenever we have painted ourselves into a corner by our foolish mistakes and whenever our backs are against the wall of human inadequacy, watch carefully...listen intently...wait patiently---God is about to enter the drama with something or someone that will knock us back on our heels explaining, 'now why didn't I think of that?' The Christian life is a life surprised by God...a serendipitous life where we make extraordinary discoveries in the ordinary circumstances of life."
11) A Prayer by Sper is appropriate -- "What once filled me with wonder, lies cold upon my heart. Return, O Lord, that wonder and may it not depart."
12) Larry Hughes, in 1975, was a missionary to Malawi, Africa and due to a swimming accident was paralyzed from the neck down. He said, "I'm thankful that I can scratch my nose." Tim Sullivan, a blind actor, when asked what he was going to do that day, replied, "I'm going to run along the ocean this morning, then play a round of golf this afternoon."
Another blind golfer recently made a 'hole in one'. Be thankful for what you have....and use it!
13) Scripture says: "Whether therefore we eat or drink. or whatsoever we do, do all for the glory of God" (I Cor. 10:31)
"Whatsoever your hands find to do, do it with all of your might" (Eccl. 9:10) and "You shall love the Lord with all of your heart and with all of you soul and with all of your might" (Duet. 6:5)
14) Israel in the Old Testament had a problem that many have today. They lost the wonder of the relationship with God and fellowship with Him. They depended more on places and provisions, than in the person of God. They took their eyes off of the Creator and put them on the created. The wonder of the Red Sea Crossing and the experiences at Mount Sinai were lost when they reached Kadesh-Barnea and refused to go in to 'possess their possessions'.
Please take all that God gives and give all that He asks...and maintain daily fellowship (and follow-ship) with Him. Enjoy the process, not just the success!
15) A little brother wanted to care for his baby brother. The parents watched him as he said to the baby, "Tell me what God is like...I'm kinda forgetting."
Are you kinda forgetting God and your time with him?
16) How we lose the wonder of it all....and how to regain it. (Luke 15)
l. Aimless like lost sheep (vs. 4-7)
CURE: Found by and follow the Shepherd.
2. Useless like a lost coin (vs. 8-10)
CURE: Found by owner and put into circulation.
3. Rebellious like the prodigal (vs. 11-24)
CURE: Prodigals' regression is followed by his progression! Repentance and faith to receive the Father's love.
4. Loveless like the prodigal at home (vs. 25-32)
CURE: Experience the love of the Father.
CONCLUSION:
Christopher Reeves died recently. For 9 years, he was paralyzed from the neck down. He said, "There are people who are healthy, but who are paralyzed for other reasons."
So, make sure that you are not paralyzed spiritually....and NEVER lose the wonder of it all!
PLEASE ENCOURAGE AUTHOR BELOW LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE
Reader Count & Comments
Date
What a beautiful article! He is the doorway to the heart of God. He is the most exciting Person that any of us could ever know! Blessings, Sharon
The opinions expressed by authors do not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com. This is especially true with articles that
deal with personal healthcare and prophecy. We encourage the reader to make their own decision in consultation with God, His Word, and others as needed.
This article has been read 895 times < Previous | Next >
Read more articles by Travis Wiginton or search for other articles by topic below.
This article has been read 895 times < Previous | Next >
Search for articles on: (e.g. creation; holiness etc.)
Read more by clicking on a link:Free Reprints
Main Site Articles
Most Read Articles
Highly Acclaimed Challenge Articles.
New Release Christian Books for Free for a Simple Review.
NEW - Surprise Me With an Article - Click here for a random URL
God is Not Against You - He Came on an All Out Rescue Mission to Save You
...in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them... 2 Cor 5:19
Therefore, my friends, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. Acts 13:38
LEARN & TRUST JESUS HERE
FaithWriters offers Christian reading material for Christian readers. We offer Christian articles, Christian fiction, Christian non-fiction, Christian Bible studies, Christian poems, Christian articles for sale, free use Christian articles, Christian living articles, New Covenant Christian Bible Studies, Christian magazine articles and new Christian articles. We write for Jesus about God, the Bible, salvation, prayer and the word of God.