Thought Nuggets

Thought Nuggets

GOOD NIGHT…GOOD MORNING

Can there be a good morning after a bad night? Joy after sorrow? Jubilant songs to replace our mournings? From the morning we’re hatched from the womb, till the night we’re dispatched to the tomb, our lives are matched with pain and grief. But we ought not despair when our days are dark or when we bid farewell to our loved ones!  Good night shouldn’t be goodbye, for there’ll be a good morning. A song reminds us of a glorious day coming,  “When no heart aches shall come …No more clouds in the sky…No more tears to dim the eye” (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Revelation 21:4). With Christ, the laments of our dreaded “Good Night” can be replaced by the songs of “Good Morning!” Morning, not mourning!—Samuel Koranteng-Pipim

Thought Nuggets

PEACE OR PIECES?

“You can bomb the world to pieces, but you can't bomb it into peace” (Michael Franti & Spearhead). Anger and violence seldom solve problems. So, don’t let bitterness and rage steal your sweetness and gentleness. Commit with Max Lucado: “I choose gentleness… Nothing is won by force. I choose to be gentle. If I raise my voice may it be only in praise. If I clench my fist, may it be only in prayer. If I make a demand, may it be only of myself.”  Are you sorely provoked or hurt? “Let your gentleness be known to all men” (Phil 4:5; cf. Rom 12:18). To right wrongs, write injuries in sand, and for each grievance, engrave gentleness in granite. The conquests of gentleness outlast the victories of violence.—Samuel Koranteng-Pipim

Thought Nuggets

OXYMORONS

I’m pretty sure this nugget will be clearly misunderstood! If you missed it, I just used an oxymoron (“clearly misunderstood”)—a combination of contradictory or incongruous words. Unless used for dramatic effect or to add flavor to a speech, oxymorons make no logical sense. Examples: Definitely maybe, pretty ugly, original copy, exact estimate, half pregnant, negative growth, living dead. Religious and political oxymorons include: unbelieving faith, kosher pork, unforgiving Christian, Sunday Sabbath, joyful noise, Christian Yoga, rules of war, honesty in politics, African democracy, United Nations. Can you think of more? "Let your yea be yea..." (Matthew 5:37; James 5:12) or yours is a truthful lie.—Samuel Koranteng-Pipim

Thought Nuggets

SURRENDER YOUR RIGHTS 

Jesus didn’t insist on His rights; He took our wrongs. “Crucified with Christ,” our attitude will be like Paul’s (Galatians 2:20). Leonard Ravenhill explains: “[Paul] had no ambitions [for himself]—and so had nothing to be jealous about. He had no reputation—and so had nothing to fight about. He had no possessions—and therefore had nothing to worry about. He had no rights—so therefore he could not suffer wrong. He was already broken—so no one could break him. He was dead—so none could kill him. He was less than the least—so who could humble him? He had suffered the loss of all things—so none could defraud him.” Advocate for the rights of others, but surrender your rights when YOU are right.—Samuel Koranteng-Pipim

Thought Nuggets

WOUNDS FROM GOOD PEOPLE

Evil men wreck evil, but often it’s good men who wound the most. NOT the devils who have stabbed in the back, but the angels of compassion who fan the wound site with the blade of the wounding-knife still deeply embedded. It’s NOT the vengeful adversaries, but the envoys of justice whose pious rage is matched only by the ferocity of their insecurity and obsession for attention. These good people are everywhere. As they themselves might also be wounded, respond with meekness and kindness. And if wrongly accused, slandered, or unjustly-treated, remember that gentleness is might, restraint is power, silence is speech, and grace is the remedy. You WILL heal to heal (1 Peter 2:21-23).—Samuel Koranteng-Pipim

Thought Nuggets

NEED OR GREED?

“There’s enough for everyone’s need, but not for everyone’s greed,” said Gandhi. This fact is illustrated in the provision of manna for the ancient Israelites. God strictly commanded them to only gather the manna for each day’s need, not for their greed (Exodus 16:4, 16, 18, 21). Also, except for the sixth day, Moses charged them: “Let no one leave any of it till morning…. But some of them left part of it until morning, and it bred worms and stank. And Moses was angry with them” (vss 19-20; cf. 22-31). Greed always stinks! Tempted to selfishly acquire, amass, or not share food, things, wealth, or power? The stench of greed is repulsive. God will supply all our needs, but never our greed.—Samuel Koranteng-Pipim

Thought Nuggets

THROUGH THE ROUGH SEAS

Life’s journey isn’t always smooth-sailing. Our ships will be battered and knocked off course due to poor judgment, boisterous winds and waves, hidden currents and rocks, or some treacherous icebergs. But the hazards of the journey shouldn’t cause despair. This, we learn from Apostle Paul’s long and dangerous voyage to Rome (Acts 27). Yes, the rough seas of life will cause delays, setbacks, and losses. Betrayals will hurt, prejudice, envy and hate will maim, failures will dishearten, regrets will sting, and opportunists will exploit. But, regardless of the rough seas, let’s find the will and faith to navigate to our destination. And for Christ’s sake, let’s make discouragement our encouragement.—Samuel Koranteng-Pipim 

Thought Nuggets

THE VALUE OF RAGS

“The youth can boast of new clothes, but never of as many rags as an adult” (West-African proverb). In stressing the value of rags, this proverb—as also Scripture—bids us to learn from the experiences of others (Romans 15:4). We must imitate their virtues and avoid their mistakes. Do you despise rags? C.S Lewis cautions: “Think of me as a fellow-patient in the same hospital who, having been admitted a little earlier, could give some advice.” I agree. To refuse lessons from other people’s experiences and to insist “I want to make my own mistakes” is to be very immature, arrogant, or idiotic—if not delusional. Be warned: He who derides others’ rags will surely lose his new clothes. (1 Corinthians 10:11, 12.)—Samuel Koranteng-Pipim

Thought Nuggets

BE BOLD! 

Stand up and fight! Theodore Roosevelt said: "It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who, at the best, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those timid souls who know neither victory or defeat."  The crown is kept for THE BOLD—those who “fight the good fight and keep the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7, 8).—Samuel Koranteng-Pipim.

Thought Nuggets

CLEAN RECORD

You can have a clean record! A preacher illustrates how: When Jesus sits at His heavenly computer, He highlights our list of sins. Then He hits the DELETE key, totally erasing our sins! But Christ does more. He also opens up another folder—the file containing His perfect, sinless record. He highlights and clicks on COPY, then goes back to our record, which is all blank now, and hits the PASTE key. And, lo and behold, His record appears on our record, and He presses the SAVE key! His righteousness becomes our own! “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9; cf. Isaiah 43:25; 44:22; Colossians 2:13, 14). Spotlessly clean record! Praise the Lord!—Samuel Koranteng-Pipim

Thought Nuggets

THE GOALPOST

There cannot be a goal without a goalpost. In football or soccer, a goalpost marks the target to be reached. It tells where you’re going, the progress you’re making, and when you make your aim. The goalpost also represents boundaries—those things which are never intended to move. In life, as in sports, success or failure is not only determined by a clear knowledge of your goal (God’s purpose for your life), but also of the goalpost (God’s guide for your life). You cannot score a goal when there’s no goalpost, and it’s futile trying to shift the goalpost. Life’s Goalpost is unchangeable, for the Ten Commandments are not Ten Suggestions (Exodus 20:1-15; Matthew 5:17–19). Want a goal? Aim for the Goalpost.—Samuel Koranteng-Pipim

  1. Don't Procrastinate!
  2. The Journey Ahead
  3. Happily Ever Laughter
  4. Watch Your Steps

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