Be A Kid

Adults are inclined to think like adults. The adult thought pattern, with its complexities and biases, tends to produce practices not productive to God's plans.

Adults:

• are skeptical.
• shake their heads, watching 'heroes' fall into disgraceful living.
• see gray instead of black and white.
• sit and watch others.
• ignore differences for tolerance and political correctness.
• are cruel to people (of road rage?) and animals (ASPCA?).
• refuse to improve through learning new ideas, or declining to adopt good learning practices .
• want to be pleased.
• allow friendships to fade into oblivion.
• are ambivalent or apathetic.
• are greedy and selfish.
• tell personal tales and become isolated from current opportunities.
• want others to take over their jobs.
• are prideful of who their person and accomplishments. 
• lack affection 
• are rude and hateful.

Does Jesus desire these traits in his family? I think not.

Once the adult disciples were thing like adults, They tried to control the crowd like an adult. Parents and grandparents wanted their children to see Jesus, maybe to touch Him or shake His hand. They were being rebuked by adult-thinking disciples.

Jesus rarely got upset, but the adult behavior of His disciples, preventing children from approaching Him, was not good. He became indignant. Jesus was very displeased with His adult acting students.

He claimed a moment for teaching them the characteristics He wants in His church. It was not what they expected. He said God's kingdom is made up "of such AS these." He added, "Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God LIKE A CHILD will not enter it at all."

To be a part of Is kingdom, I must struggle to exhibit child-like qualities. I must:

• believe what I read about Jesus.
• appreciate love, kindness, and affection.
• return love, kindness, and affection.
• try to please Jesus through obedience.
• be humble like a child.
• be efficient learners of Jesus, God, the Bible, etc.
• accept responsibilities as they are offered.
• be understanding and responsive to the hurts and needs of others.
• talk about what I am doing (such as TheStruggle and preaching), and share my experiences.
• be aware of the differences in people.
• willing to give more to others.
• be active in His Kingdom.
• be enthusiastic about my relationship with Jesus, and sharing the hope.
• discern between good and bad, eliminating gray areas.
• strenthen the ties with my friends.
• emulate my hero, Jesus.

Will you be my friend and join me in reverting back to a better life?
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They Stone Their Gods

I am constantly surprised with how fast large numbers of people change their minds (as though I never would do that--haha!)

Two years ago President Obama was hailed as the new hope to change Washington, D.C.  Now he is, on occasion, viewed as a liability to his own party.

Katrina roared ashore into New Orleans and the Gulf Coast causing catastrophic levels of damage. The outcry from my part of the nation was to help 'American Refugees' to get their lives back. It has been five years, the city hasn't fully recovered, lives are still not repaired, and the attention has shifted to the BP oil slick clean-up.

Man is a fickle species. They have been for more than 20 centuries. 

I read a story recently about a lame man being healed by two out-of-town dudes. When the locals saw him jumping, whooping, and 'hollerin', they assumed the Gods had come down to earth. They called the strangers (Gods) Zeus & Hermes.

It was everything the duo could do to dissuade the citizens in making sacrifices to them. You would think the people would put them on a 'pedistal' forever for doing such a noble thing. But it was only a short time later that leaders from a neighboring city came to town, and quickly stirred  up the people. Before you could sneeze, Paul is stoned and drug from the city as dead.

Maybe the best example of men changing their tune was what happened to Jesus. On Sunday he was given a triumphant entry into Jerusalem, but by noon Friday he was dieing on a cross.

Does this show the fickleness of men? Or does it reflect the work of infiltrators?

I believe it was neither. I believe these were the successful works by the "rulers of darkness", the same ones we fight against.

What do you think?  Click on the comment link and give everyone your thoughts.