GodThoughtsWired! Archives

Sunday, July 23, 2006

The Tale of the Tortoise

The Tale of the Tortoise
Brad Reiches
Jul 23 2006 11:00PM

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I am currently on vacation until July 27th and therefore unavailable for e-correnspondence.

Monday, July 24, 2006
A GodThoughts Classic!

"The Tale of the Tortoise"

My oldest daughter Alison loves pets. Several months ago, at age 5, she asked if she could have a turtle. Thinking back to when I was a kid I remembered having a little "box" turtle that I thought was pretty neat. I think it cost about 5 bucks. My wife and I promised her that when she turned 6 she could have a small one.

Well, her birthday was in February but we didn't realize that turtles hibernate until the beginning of April. I promised her at that time that as soon as the turtles "woke up" she could pick out whichever turtle she wanted. Last Friday, the turtles finally arrived at our local pet store. Ali was beside herself with excitement. As we approached the "turtle area" I could see that there were 5 or 6 different ones from which she could choose. Each one was about 4-5 inches in size.

Each of the turtles looked virtually the same to me, but not to Alison. She knew immediately which one she wanted. She informed us that it's name would be, "CuteTurtle." It was only then that the nightmare began to unfold. To our horror and dismay we were informed that our daughter had chosen the lone...Russian Tortoise. The...$238.00 Russian Tortoise! The kind of tortoise that lives for more than ONE HUNDRED YEARS!(Actually, the tortoise itself was "only" $70.00. The additional costs were for all of the necessary tortoise "accessories.")

As my wife and I continue to recover, here's a GodThought:

Among the many differences between me and God, here are four:

1) When God makes a promise...He always knows what He's doing.

2) When God makes a promise...He always knows what He's saying.

3) When God makes a promise...He always understands the consequence.

4) When God makes a promise...He always says exactly what He means, and means exactly what He says(see 2 Peter 1: 4).

Thursday, July 20, 2006

This Is The Day!

This Is The Day!
Brad Reiches
Jul 20 2006 11:00PM

I am currently on vacation until July 27th and therefore unavailable for e-correnspondence.

Friday, July 21, 2006
A GodThoughts Classic!

"THIS IS THE DAY!"

Neglect is a DISEASE!

Begin that project...today! Make that phone call...today! Send in that application...today! Get it done...today! Today is the future that you looked for yesterday...and tomorrow never comes. It is always...today! Remember: "Procrastination is the thief of accomplishment!"(see GodThoughts, Feb. 20, 2001).

Mediocrity is the child of procrastination!

Choose ye...today! whom you will serve(see Joshua 24: 15). Encourage somebody...today!(see Hebrews 3: 13). Seek the Lord...today, for there's no guarantee that you'll be able to find Him tomorrow(see Isaiah 55: 6). Extend that forgiveness...today! Lift up that prayer...today! Make that apology...today!

Never allow the urgent to steal from the important.

This is the day of opportunity!

This is the day of preparation!

This is the day of new beginnings!

This is the day to cultivate the soil...plant the seed...reap the harvest!

The future is always the fruit of seeds planted...TODAY!

"This is the day that the Lord has made,

let us rejoice and be glad in it!"

Psalm 118: 24

Wednesday, July 19, 2006

Consider Your Ways

Consider Your Ways
Brad Reiches
Jul 19 2006 11:00PM

I am currently on vacation until July 27th and therefore unavailable for e-correnspondence.

Thursday, July 20, 2006
A GodThoughts Classic!

"Consider YOUR WAYS"

"Now therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts,

'CONSIDER YOUR WAYS!'"

Haggai 1: 5

Several years ago I had a dream that I was driving a car with Jesus in the passenger seat. Amidst the silence, Jesus suddenly turned to me with eyes of sincere curiosity and asked, "Why do you call me Lord, and do not do what I say?"(see Luke 6: 46). When I awakened, I was certainly relieved that it was just a dream, but it did cause me to pause for a moment and, "consider my ways."

Over the years there have been other "GodThoughts" that have prompted me to stop and consider. Here are a few:

"If you abide in Me, and My word abides in you,

ask whatever you wish, and it shall be done for you."

John 15: 7

"There is a way which seems right to a man,

but its end is the way of death."

Proverbs 16: 25

"For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world,

and forfeit his soul."

Mark 8: 36

"You have sown much, but harvest little...

And he who earns,

earns wages to put into a purse with holes."

Haggai 1: 6

Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due,

when it is within your power to do it.

Proverbs 3: 27

Joshua 1: 8-9 says that meditating on God's word for the purpose of application will bring prosperity and success. It's why I "consider" things like icebergs, ants, and the wind. It's why I periodically try and consider my ways.

Tuesday, July 18, 2006

Consider the Ant

Consider the Ant
Brad Reiches
Jul 18 2006 11:00PM

I am currently on vacation until July 27th and therefore unavailable for e-correnspondence.

Wednesday, July 19, 2006
A GodThoughts Classic!

"Consider the ANT"

"The ants are not a strong folk,

But they prepare their food in the summer...

And gather their provision in the harvest."

Proverbs 30: 25; 6: 8

Consider the ANT.

Amazing! In the Bible's greatest book on wisdom, Proverbs, one of wisdom's greatest models of success...is the ANT. Here are some GodThoughts:

#1. Ants are always PREPARED. To think is to become. Knowing what we want is the first step. Then we must become. The first link between desire and achievement...is preparation. It is preparation that enables success when opportunity arises. I believe that opportunity knocks on everyone's door. The successful are those who have prepared for her arrival.

Ants have successful winters...because their summers are filled with preparation.

#2. The amount of PROVISION is determined by the amount of PREPARATION. He would harvest much, must plant much(see Matthew 25: 14-29). She who would reap much, must sew much(see Galatians 6: 7). Rome wasn't built in a day, nor was it destroyed in a day. How much do ants prepare?...AS MUCH AS THEY CAN!

#3. Ants gather as much as they can. Consider the teachings of Jesus on "ambition:"

Whoever wishes to be first among you,

must be slave of all.

Mark 10: 44

God doesn't condemn ambition. Biblically, "ambition" is a neutral term. It can be bad, as in the case of selfish desire or greed(see Philippians 2: 3-4; Colossians 3: 5), but it can also be good. Jesus exemplifies this by encouraging those with the greatest ambition for the kingdom of God, to become servants of all.

#4. ANTS never quit. The only way to stop an ant...is to squish 'em(I speak here by way of illustration only. I am not condoning "ant-squishing"). Otherwise, the ant will always find a way. They'll go over, under, or around. They'll climb if they have to; they'll dig if necessary. How long will an ANT look for a way? As long as it takes.

Yes...Consider the ANT.

Go to the ANT, O sluggard,

Observe her ways and be wise.

Proverbs 6: 6