Making a Difference in your Life, in the Parts that are for Keeps!
Success in the Christian life can best be summarized with one word.
CONTENTMENT
– – –
“I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content.”—–His Book (Paul wrote that, after dozens of close encounters with life-threatening trouble, stoned, left for dead, shipwrecked, etc.)
– – –
Contentment is a far cry from Comfortable.
“In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.”—–also from His Book
If the title does not apply to you, that’s good—you’re satisfied with your age, and your attitude makes the most of it, and it shows.
– – –
First, it is universally pointless to not act your age—that is, deny your age.
We cannot do anything to change our age, except live another day and another year, and our age changes automatically (my, how profound).
Sometimes we see others trying to act younger than their age, and it can look silly, or impressive for awhile.
On the other side, the routine of childhood, wishing to be older with more freedom, may be harmless, unless we do not outgrow the wishing and dreaming for that elusive someday when our goals are reached and we can really live.
That attitude never matches our age, and results in missing out on living today, and the next day, and so on.
– – –
Our conversations often reveal our attitude, and whether it matches our age.
We can talk about “someday” in the future, or we can talk about “once upon a time” in the past, but others listening to us can tell if our outlook seizes the opportunities of today, or not.
Be thankful for today, and your age, and everything in your life now.
If life stinks, you can’t make it smell better by talking about yesterday and doing nothing, or by living for tomorrow and burning the candle at both ends, any more than you can improve your finances with credit cards.
There’s no place to buy another candle, with your choice of smell.
If you’re struggling with ‘contentment syndrome’ (that is, discontent), start with thinking about contentment for today, and work hard and faithfully on what you can do today.
Then your age and your attitude can mesh like the teeth of two gears, and you can experience more energy for today.
– – –
There is another article on this site, SUCCESS – – – SIMPLIFIED.
“Having food and clothing, be content.”—–His Book
“Godliness with contentment is great gain.”—–His Book
I like to combine those two into a formula.
Food + Clothes = Contentment
Godliness + Contentment = Great Gain (Success)
Therefore:
Godliness + Food + Clothes = Success
Must see—true story—movie came out September 9—in theaters one week, then extended, based on response.
Try to see it the first weekend—you may likely want to invite others then.
From everything I’ve seen and heard—this movie tops the list—I want everyone I know to see it.
lifemarkmovie.com
There is a fallacy, widespread in doctrines of theology.
From now on, read and listen with the filter of the following lens—and see what you may have never seen before.
– – –
Far too often, for many theologians, the Bible exists to prove what man says.
Dear Xi Xi Ping Pong,
Just want to you have my word that our recent test of the ICBM means nothing for our relationship.
You know, the military rules call for periodic tests that I have no control over.
So, nothing to worry about.
You know, the media is just a fiddle to be played.
We both have obligations to react appropriately to keep our people content, if possible.
You have better control over yours.
I’m working as fast as I can on mine, following your methods.
And we do have a lot of the same goals, thanks to our times together.
There’s a lot we can work out with talks and deals.
Maybe we don’t have to blow up the world.
Hope things are going well for your leadership.
Sincerely,
Joe Biden my time
P. S. – – – We need to get together for another game (secretly of course), before I get too old or you get too fat to be at the top of our game. Who would have ever thought a little white ball could make so much difference in international relations between the world’s two superpowers?
Remember me.
An object lesson at my funeral/memorial service at Jones Park in Temple, Texas.
A small U-Haul trailer parked on site.
Two signs posted on the door:
Jesus said, “Do not lay up treasures . . .”
Jesus said, “Do lay up treasures . . .”
– – –
Open the door—it’s empty, obviously.
A sign inside says, “Larry sent it all ahead.”
– – –
Steve, my pastor, would explain in his message:
Jesus said, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
– – –
I want Daddy’s legacy to be my legacy—he constantly shared those words of Jesus, and applied them in practice in his life.
CREATION to CREMATION – – – with INUNDATION in between, one time.
That’s the history and the future of this world and the universe.
– – –
CREATION—“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”
INUNDATION—“Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight and was full of violence. I am going to bring floodwaters on the earth to destroy all life under the heavens, every creature that has the breath of life in it. Everything on earth will perish.”
CREMATION—“But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare.”*
– – –
What about you, and me?
Not quite as simple, but very clear.
– – –
+CREATED at conception
+INUNDATED at times by life
+DEAD at appointed time
+CREMATED (optional, changes nothing)
– – –
then
– – –
+JUDGMENT at the throne of God !
– – –
“It is appointed unto man once to die, and thereafter the judgment.”
– – –
No reason to dance around reality.
“I wish we’d all been ready.
There’s no time to change your mind;
The Son has come, and you’ve been left behind.”
– – –
“Have you been to Jesus for the cleansing flood?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Are your garments spotless, are they white as snow?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?”
– – –
“Do you know that you’ve been born again?
Does the Spirit dwell within
Bearing witness that you’ve been
Cleansed from every sin and shame?
Are you ready if the Lord should come
Or today your soul should claim?
– – –
“Behold, now is the accepted time (to accept Jesus); behold, now is the day of salvation.”
*”Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives.”
I recently came across a radio station by accident, because I lost my preset to American Family Radio.
I listened for awhile to someone expounding on the trinity.
He sounded sincere enough, and he must have a following, to be on the radio.
Then he said the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit show the diversity of God.
WOW—maybe some other time, but the current use of the word ‘diversity’ is tied to ‘inclusive’—specifically accepting and promoting everything the lgbt agenda demands—totally anathema to Christianity.
The speaker could not not know, that he was watering down the message of the Bible to the point of absurdity.
– – –
Just to make sure, for the record, for everyone:
The clear reason that lgbt/dei*, in any form, is incompatible with Christianity—
+They can only talk about love, and including everyone (except Christians).
+Christianity calls for repentance from sin, and accepting God’s love and forgiveness, paid by Jesus on the cross.
– – –
Let no one who is a Jesus follower ever dilute or distort the message of the Bible, in its simplicity and clarity.
It cannot be misunderstood or misrepresented except by intentional design—and there is a lot of that now—promised apostasy close to the end.
*lgbt/dei—lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender / diversity, equity, inclusion
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation guarantees protection of your money in the bank—backed by the “full faith and credit of the United States government.”
– – –
Just how far can your faith in the credit of the U S government actually guarantee anything?
Just how far can your faith in the fox guarantee protection for your chickens in the hen house?
– – –
Suppose you do not have credit debt over the limit.
Suppose you have money in the bank.
Suppose the above questions and skepticism apply to you.
– – –
Is there any safe place for your money, guaranteed?
Oh, there is no end to more and more financial advice, to steer you clear of the pitfalls of the past, with better plans to do well in the midst of serious, present uncertainty—and the unknowns ahead.
– – –
STORING UP TREASURES (read the article on this site soon)
Where is your money safe, guaranteed?
Just do what Jesus told us to do.
Do you know Jesus said, “Do not store up treasures, . . .” ?
Do you know Jesus said, “Do store up treasures, . . .” ?
– – –
“Do not store up treasures on earth, where moth and rust corrupt, and where thieves break in and steal.”
“Do store up treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not corrupt, and where thieves do not break in and steal.”
“Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
– – –
Antithetical to everything currently American—Follow what Jesus said, literally—Give your money away now, to meet people’s needs, in ways that also include telling them about Jesus.
I suggest—and urgently encourage—that all talk and teaching about God would simply use the multitude of Bible passages on The Father, The Son, The Holy Spirit—and skip all the man-made wording created surrounding the created word ‘trinity.’
– – –
What freedom to be found in total use and dependence on the Word of God.
– – –
Then, what freedom when you realize there is no defense for anything about ‘trinity.’
– – –
And, what drives the universal compulsion to constantly use the words created by man instead of the Bible?
Who are the preachers, teachers, and theologians answerable to for this—honoring God’s Word, or honoring the men who created these words?
This is the Secondary Sidebar Widget Area. You can add content to this area by visiting your Widgets Panel and adding new widgets to this area.
Copyright © 2026 A Word For Thought · Genesis Framework