Funnies

A mother was preparing pancakes for her sons, Kevin, 5 and Ryan 3. The boys began to argue over who would get the first pancake. Their mother saw the opportunity for a moral lesson. “If Jesus were sitting here, He would say, ‘Let my brother have the first pancake, I can wait.'” Kevin turned to his younger brother and said, “Ryan, you be Jesus!”

Hat Tip: Susan

Daily Devotional – August 31

…Philippians 4:And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Prayer – It’s not that complicated.

Daily Devotional – August 30

PRAYER 

“If beauty were an hour, you’d be a second.”

I stifled a snicker, wondering if he was serious.

“How about this one: ‘Was your father a thief? ‘Cause someone stole the stars from the sky and put them in your eyes.'”

“Are you for real?” I asked Jerry.

“Yeah,” Jerry replied looking a bit stung. “Do you think this one will work? ‘Girl, you gotta be tired cuz you been runnin’ through my mind all day.'”

“For goodness sake, Jerry, what are you thinking?!” He looked back at me, the expression on his face the same one I had seen on the narrowly missed deer’s the previous night.

“Aw c’mon, Paul, you’ve never had a hard time getting a date–how else am I going to score?”

I looked at Jerry with a mixture of pity and amusement. “You know, Jerry, that may be your problem–women aren’t objects for you to ‘score’ with, and they may be a little smarter than you give them credit for. How would you like it if every time WE talked I came to you with some memorized or rehearsed speech trying to get something out of you? Ever try just talking to them?”

Philippians 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

Daily Devotional – August 29

 

SUPPLICATE

My lovely daughter wanted to go with a friend to a movie–the two of them accompanied by someone I didn’t know. 

“Dad,” she whined, “can I PLEEASE go to see to the movies with Courtney? Please! Please!”

I barely looked up from the book I was reading. 

“Details.” I asked simply.

“Well,  Tracy, a friend of Courtney’s who can drive is going to take us, and..”

I already knew what the answer was, but asked the obvious. “Who’s Tracy?”

“You don’t know her but she is a really careful driver, she is sixteen and we…”

At this point I lapsed into one of my annoying habits: tuning out the noise while my mind switched back to the book I was reading.

“…and then we are going to go to the mall afterwards.”

I looked up at her big and expectant eyes, my heart softening.  “Are those the full details?” 

“Yes, sir.” She looked at me, eyes narrowing suspiciously, expecting the answer she feared most.

“Sorry, kiddo, no.” 

“But, DaAd!”

I resisted the urge to launch into a “Mr. Brady Bunch” speech, and closed my book.  “I can’t take you right now, but call Courtney and ask her if she can can go with us on Saturday.”  I could tell immediately that the compromise was only half to her liking, but for now it would do. 

I smiled to myself as she stiffly walked from the room.  In about 10-15 years when she has her own children she’ll understand.

Philipians 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

Note

Generally people read a Daily Devotional as affirmation.  It is the way we are often uplifted or inspired. 

We understand this.

Being uplifted or inspired by things you already know or have already heard is a good thing.  We often need to be reminded of the important things.   However, one never grows or advances to the next level unless challenged to think, analyze and ponder.  We know this because as children we start out in kindergarten and advance a grade at a time through highschool and college-our mind in constant development.  

There are thousands and thousands of devotionals and devotional sites online, but at Common Sense Christian we sincerely want to give you something you can chew on, something that might make you go, “Huh?” pushing all of us to greater understanding and love.

If you leave this site without the CSC DD on your mind, please let us know and we will re-double,  NO, re-TRIPLE our efforts!

God bless you!

Daily Devotional – August 27

The ME Christian

Sometimes you gotta’ rant!

We are truly entering the age of the “ME Christian.”  Christian snobbery, phariseeism and self-righteousness is back in vogue.

This Sunday, a well-known T.V. pastor made the following assertions:

In order to be “successful” in life you need to surround yourself with people who are good for you.   You need to disassociate yourself from those who are “bad” for you.  (Gee, I need to clean house!)

But, seriously,  this isn’t just an isolated case, it’s epidemic.

• This same weekend a friend told me of an assistant pastor had said that he didn’t want the kids who came from the trailer park.   They were bad for the church.

• Numerous ministers are promoting out-dated self-love psychological theories that developed decades ago.  Theories that are currently being debunked and viewed with skepticism by the medical and psychological communities.

My Jesus surrounded himself with the struggling–criminals, beggars, recovering addicts, uneducated, weak.  His life wasn’t about himself–it was about others.  Ironically the most “righteous” among us would be enough to “bring him down” including the shiny haired preacher in the expensive suit preaching to thousands.

When are Christians going to understand that its not all about them?

Matthew 11:28 Come unto me, all [ye] that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 

Rant complete.

Legalism – Aborting Grace

Aborting Grace

Or

A Commentary on Legalism

The greatest distortion of grace is religious legalism.

Legalism and *religion are Satan’s greatest tools, the primary means by which he “blinds the minds of those who seek Christ” and which are included in Eph. 4:14 as part of “…every wind of doctrine, sleight of men, cunning craftiness, by which they lie in wait to deceive.” By these means, Satan tries to disrupt the plan of God and blind people to the principles of grace.

News

Disowning Conservative Politics, Evangelical Pastor Rattles Flock

Hat tip: Susan

Daily Devotional – August 24

DEDICATED TO SHANE

MY FRIEND, MY BROTHER, MY FELLOW SOLDIER IN CHRIST 

 2Timothy 2:3 Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

Daily Devotional – August 22

 

ITS GREEK TO ME

“Good day, Sir! I speak English very well!”

“You do?!” I replied. 

“Thank goodness!  I’m not from here and I don’t speak Indonesian.” I explained.  “But I need him to understand,” I pointed at the rattley cab and its driver, “that I need to go to the Singh Parrot in Jakarta.”

The man standing in front of me broke out in a toothless grin. “Ah!” he said. “I speak English very well!”

“That’s great!” I replied.  “Could you tell him where I need to go?  I am in somewhat of a hurry.”

Another smile.

“I speak English very well!  Good day, Sir!”

I stood there bewildered as he turned and walked away.   Then it dawned on me.  Given the proximity of our military base, evidently some of our service men had taught this man these few English words.  

“Fu-nny.”  I thought.

I looked back at the cab driver who had watched the whole exchange with a puzzled expression on his face.   He shrugged, smiled sheepishly and drove off.

I am ever impressed at the scholarship of men who resort to the Greek to make a point while preaching out of an English Bible.  I am often more impressed when they correctly interpret what the simple English says.   Because God realized that many non-Greeks like you and me desire to know and understand his Word he very capably provided it in our own language. 

Luke 21:33 Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.

Our God knows ALL languages and has no problem communicating in them, and unlike the old man in Indonesia–He TRULY speaks English very well.