Saturday, August 28, 2010 Giving and Receiving Joyfully by Robert Ricciardelli We need discernment in giving and in our ability to receive. We give as we should but may miss what we need to receive to keep on giving. Generosity pleases God, but pride may not allow others to bless us in return. When we keep giving without receiving it is not sustainable. There is a time to give and a time to receive, and we need the reciprocity of... Read more

“Unrelenting disappointment leaves you heartsick, but a sudden good break can turn life around.” (Proverbs 13:12, The Message) go awayA friend in the promotion business says, “Every time someone tells me “NO!” I get happier — because I’m one step closer to that person who will say “YES!” Some people cannot bear to be told “NO” even once; let alone repeatedly. And then there are others who stop just one person too soon. All they needed was to ask one... Read more

Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world – to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.”  Pilate said to him, “What is truth?” John 18:37-38 (ESV)      Pilate is hung up on the kingship issue. He is afraid that Jesus is planning to take over... Read more

As I sit here in the outdoors this evening enjoying an unusually cool and brilliantly moonlit sky, I am stirred to speak openly and transparently about the things that God is not only dealing with in my personal journey with him, but also some of the trends and presumptions that occur in the world of “Christendom” when it appears and feels as if the Father God is far off and seemingly unresponsive to the cries of those desperate for relief... Read more

Last week one of my best friends showed me what it really means to selflessly lay down your life. Last week one of my best friends, Chris Maxwell, organized a two-day prayer gathering for me in north Georgia, where he serves as the pastor of a Christian college. Chris had listened to me whine for months about how confused I was about my future. He took it upon himself to contact a group of my friends, and they agreed to... Read more

By definition, a narcissist is a person who believes the world evolves around them to such an extent their own desires blind them to relational reality which makes them insensitive to the needs and perspectives of others. One of the sad realities in our consumer driven, hedonistic culture is that we are producing millions of narcissistic people including leaders of large organizations. Because of our sinful nature as human beings, all of us have some narcissistic tendencies to deal with.... Read more

Isaiah wrote that one reason Jesus walked on the earth was to save our souls from death. He would be despised and rejected, oppressed and afflicted — all of which are issues of the soul. And the answer, peace, is also an issue of the soul. Jesus’ death and resurrection gave us the opportunity of having peace of mind, emotions and will, so that we can find rest in Him and no longer have to struggle within ourselves. “The chastisement... Read more

We need discernment in giving and in our ability to receive. We give as we should but may miss what we need to receive to keep on giving. Generosity pleases God, but pride may not allow others to bless us in return. When we keep giving without receiving it is not sustainable. There is a time to give and a time to receive, and we need the reciprocity of both to remain healthy and joyful in our giving. Read more

Helping others who are suffering does not mean we need to share with them are own personal suffering because sharing our own pain is seldom useful to the wounded in need of healing. Healers can listen to a person in pain without having to speak about their own wounds. We can empathize with them attentively and lovingly, completely committing ourselves to serving them and their needs. We become more whole in leading others to wholeness. Read more

We can harness our own experiences of loneliness, depression and fear, and become a gift for others as we embrace God’s healing presence. If our wounds remain open and bleeding we cannot help others. But as the love and caring progresses, we can love and care for others. When we experience the healing presence of God from others, we can discover our own gifts of healing, and build strong bonds of unity. Read more