Devotions from Gary Thomas book, Pure Pleasure Today’s devotional is on laughter and seems to be timed well as we have laughed so much lately with our resent visitors! “If we can’t open the pressure valve with laughter, we just might explode. So laugh or die. It’s up to you!” Kevin Harney And Elton Tureblood…
Devotions from Gary Thomas’ book Pure Pleasure Francois Fenelon said, “When we have found God, there is nothing more to look for in men.” In each of our lives we will encounter difficult and trying circumstances and people. If someone hasn’t betrayed you, you’re unusual! Our spiritual enemy wants us to use our disappointments to …
Devotions from Gary Thomas’ book Pure Pleasure Jean Vanier, founder of L’Arche, an international community for people with intellectual disabilities said, “ So many people with disabilities are seen by their parents and families only as a tragedy…. But every child, every person, needs to know that they are a source of joy; every child,…
Devotions based on Gary Thomas’ book Pure Pleasure In Ecc 7:16, 18 it says “Do not be overrighteous, neither be overwise- why destroy yourself?… The man who fears God will avoid all extremes.” Some may make an idol out of poverty, wanting to be more pious. Spurgeon believed in riding first class on the train…
One of the struggles for men, wanting to deepen their relationship with God is our struggle with dualistic thinking. By that I mean, men see their relationship with God more as “God and me” rather then “God in me.” The “God and me” frame of reference tends to place God outside of ourselves, separated from our real life. We see our…
Devotions from Gary Thomas’ book Pure Pleasure As Christians we need to embrace and celebrate true, godly pleasure, lest we become susceptible to soul-destroying substitutes. If we feel all pleasure is wrong, then we squeeze all the joy out of life and end up squeezing part of God out of life too. We close ourselves…
Devotions from Gary Thomas’ book Pure Pleasure Our need is to live IN the pleasure instead of living For the pleasure. When we live In the pleasure, we take time to savor it; that moment becomes sacred. When we live For the pleasure, we often get so tied up with the expectations, fear, anxiety, and…
Devotions from GaryThomas book, Pure Pleasure Peter Kreetf said “I agree that pleasure as such is good, but not that all pleasant things are good.” In James 4 it says that friendship with the world is hatred toward God. And if we choose to be a friend of the world we become an enemy of…
Devotions from Gary Thomas’s book Pure Pleasure Francis Fenelon said, ”What do we need?…..Not to neglect our own needs while devoting ourselves to those of others, and not to neglect the needs of others while being engrossed in our own.” If we live our life out of obligation, neglecting our need for rest and recreation,…
From time to time I receive comments on the word “wildman.” Some of the responses are very interesting. The wives of men who come to “wildman” Saturdays wonder just what goes on in our time together. My response is, “If they are better husbands at meeting your emotions needs, then it must be good.” Others are…