Self denial for any other reason than to serve others is just one more way of thinking too much about yourself.

“I die daily.” ! Cor.15

It is a good thing to deny yourself something if it will put you in a better place to serve someone, such as a mother who gives up sleep to attend to her newborn. But to practice self denial because you think it will make you more presentable to God is just another form of silly pride. Give up food or sleep to pray for others; by all means do so as an offering of love. Give up food or sleep to appease guilty feelings or impress God; forget it. Conversations Within” ts 3/27/2015

Self denial for any other reason than to serve others is just one more way of thinking too much about yourself.

“I die daily.” ! Cor.15

It is a good thing to deny yourself something if it will put you in a better place to serve someone, such as a mother who gives up sleep to attend to her newborn. But to practice self denial because you think it will make you more presentable to God is just another form of silly pride. Give up food or sleep to pray for others; by all means do so as an offering of love. Give up food or sleep to appease guilty feelings or impress God; forget it. Conversations Within” ts 3/27/2015

“It’s not the dates that count, it’s the dash.” (Robin Williams talking about his tombstone in the movie “Angriest man in Brooklyn.”

“You reap what you sow.” Gal.6

A godly worldview teaches us that the dash between the dates is not a “grab all the gusto you can get” before the second date arrives. The second date is not viewed as an end date, but a season change. The dash between the dates is planting time or to put it another way, the sowing of the seed of our lives in the ground of service. The second date is the beginning of harvest of all that is sown between the dates.  Conversations Within” ts 3/26/2015

“It’s not the dates that count, it’s the dash.” (Robin Williams talking about his tombstone in the movie “Angriest man in Brooklyn.”

“You reap what you sow.” Gal.6

A godly worldview teaches us that the dash between the dates is not a “grab all the gusto you can get” before the second date arrives. The second date is not viewed as an end date, but a season change. The dash between the dates is planting time or to put it another way, the sowing of the seed of our lives in the ground of service. The second date is the beginning of harvest of all that is sown between the dates.  Conversations Within” ts 3/26/2015

A seed is only a seed until it is sown in the ground. Only its death can release its full and intended potential. We too must die to ourselves if we are to discover the life of God in us.

“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” Jesus

Jesus became His own best illustration of what can happen when we lay down our lives in love and service for others. Consider for a moment the powerful impact of His influence still expanding in the hearts of men throughout the world. Who, looking at a single grain of wheat, would envision acre upon acre of amber waves? Every time we pray, “Not my will but your will be done,” we too sow a powerful seed whose fruit is hard to imagine, especially when praying it. Conversations Within” ts 3/25/2015