SENSITIZE 58
Every morning, Mr. Cring takes a personal moment with his friends.
Today: The answer is within the question. WILL JON EAT THE BREAD PUDDING?
Click the picture below to see the video
3 Things … February 13th, 2020
Jonathots Daily Blog
(4319)
That Always Justify Your Existence
1. Ask the question which everyone is avoiding
2. Answer the need which others have ignored
3. Agree with those who need some support
1 Thing You Can Do This Week (To Help Things Along)
Question Your Statement
Undoubtedly the greatest need in our world is for some human beings to show up at the human race.
We seem to be populated by an Earth full of little tin gods who believe that once they have arrived at an opinion, their contention is supreme and should not be challenged.
People make statements:
- “I believe in God.”
- “I’m pro choice.”
- “We need gun control.”
- “The Second Amendment rules.”
- “We should guard our borders.”
- “We should open to other people.”
- “Pour hot sauce on everything.”
These are statements. Other statements have been made throughout history—just as convincingly—and ended up being false.
- “Black people are not as smart.”
- “Jews are rats.”
- “The Native Americans are savages.”
- “The Earth is flat.”
All the people who spoke these statements were just as determined as you and me of their rightness.
If you’re going to contribute to the quality of human life, you must question your statement—and the question you should ask of any statement that you hold as a principle for your life is:
What if I’m Wrong?
“I believe in God…but what if there is no God?”
“I’m pro-choice…but what if it ends up being a human life instead of just a fetus?”
“I’m going to heaven…but what if I’m mistaken?”
The humility necessary to be a human being includes the need to question our statements. When we’re not willing to question our statements, we become fanatics for our ideas instead of being enthusiasts for the truth.
The producers of jonathots would humbly request a yearly donation for this inspirational opportunity
Quatrain of Discourse … June 10, 2014
Jonathots Daily Blog
(2259)
A statement
For challenge
To question
With conversation
The producers of jonathots would humbly request a yearly subscription donation of $10 for this wonderful, inspirational opportunity
After an appearance earlier this year in Surprise, Arizona, Janet and I were blessed to receive a “surprise” ourselves. Click on the beautiful Arizona picture above to share it with us!
Click here to get info on the “Gospel According to Common Sense” Tour
Please contact Jonathan’s agent, Jackie Barnett, at (615) 481-1474, for information about scheduling SpiriTed in 2014.
Click here to listen to Spirited music
What Do I Want? … April 28, 2014
Jonathots Daily Blog
(2216)
As I scanned the congregation yesterday morning at Highland Hope United Methodist Church, looking into the varied countenances of those attending, I was reminded of a question posed to me two nights earlier by a young man after my concert. He was a precocious fellow with a bit of edge, but a curiosity that was born of purity rather than guile.
He asked me, “Mr. Cring, what is it you want?”
In other words, if I actually had a say in the matter, what is it I would like to see happen in the spiritual, social, cultural and maybe even political climate of our country?
People who pursue good cheer
Good cheer that leads to truth
Truth sensitive to humans
Humans searching for hope
Hope grounded in reality
Reality that uses talent
Talent which grows
Growth moving towards mercy
Mercy that believes in change
Change that births better people
Yes, I would love to see a church that has followers of Jesus instead of merely observers of the after-effects of the doctrine of blood atonement.
Jesonian: excited about the announcement that Jesus still has good ideas.
The producers of jonathots would humbly request a yearly subscription donation of $10 for this wonderful, inspirational opportunity
Click here to get info on the “Gospel According to Common Sense” Tour
Please contact Jonathan’s agent, Jackie Barnett, at (615) 481-1474, for information about scheduling SpiriTed in 2014.
Hone to Own … December 7, 2013
Jonathots Daily Blog
(2086)
- “I did my best.”
- “It must not have been in God’s plan.”
- “It wasn’t fair.”
You have just read the three excuses that keep mankind pursuing a mediocrity that teeters us precariously between animal and God.
These excuses are so universally accepted as “facts of life” that to question them is to be declared either cantankerous or un-American. Yet, may I address them?
First of all, I don’t know what my best is.
It is both arrogant and surrendering to make the statement. Arrogant because I am presenting that my best should be good enough, and surrendering because I portray that life should not be about the pursuit of improvement.
I have the responsibility to hone my talent. “Hone” is an unusal word. We don’t hear it much because it requires the combination of critique and passion. Actually, if I follow the Good Book, I am told to multiply my talent–which in reality, is the only way to hone it. If I am not looking for subtle ways to create differences and increase my potentials, I will gradually slide back into mediocrity.
I critique myself, and then pursue with passion additional avenues with great joy due to the possibility of getting better.
Secondly, God’s plan, put bluntly, is to give people the freewill choice to not perish.
As a matter of fact, it says that: “It is not God’s will that any should perish.” Then it adds this caveat: even though it is not His will that any should perish, He wants us to pursue repentance.
Repentance is changing your life in the direction of success.
If you actually believe that God planned for you to suffer, you might want to start checking out those Greek gods from Mt. Olympus.
And finally, “it wasn’t fair” is comical because life was never meant to be fair–but rather, balanced.
And the balance in life is found by combining events with my reaction.
In other words, if a blessing comes my way and I gloat, I set myself up for future failure by ignoring the need for reflection. If a trial comes my way and I become depressed, I am a duck sitting in the middle of a pond in front of twenty-five hunters.
It is my job to hone my abilities in order to own the privilege of determining my destiny.
Don’t cripple yourself with self-confidence. Also, don’t limit your prospects with self-pity.
- You haven’t found your best yet.
- God’s plan is for you to succeed and not perish by adding the miraculous ingredient of change.
- And searching for fairness is futile when the only balance in life is giving a great reaction to whatever comes our way.
In conclusion:
Answer the question
Question the answer.
The producers of jonathots would humbly request a yearly subscription donation of $10 for this wonderful, inspirational opportunity
Click for details on the SpirTed 2014 presentation
Please contact Jonathan’s agent, Jackie Barnett, at (615) 481-1474, for information about scheduling SpiriTed in 2014.
click to hear music from Spirited 2014
When Living Stops and Breathing Continues … November 11, 2013
Jonathots Daily Blog
(2064)
“I just don’t know what to do!”
Be careful.
This statement is not a question. When you hear people speak it aloud, do not assume they are looking for counsel.
Rather, it is a proclamation–a surrender.
Too many individuals have given up on the idea of happiness as being childish and immature, and have settled in to try to achieve contented breathing. They have become so involved with forgiving others, their calling or being overwhelmed with responsibility that they have ceased to pursue the idea of being happy.
Matter of fact, in our art and literature we often decry such an emotion. We like to take people who act happy and portray them as inexperienced and unaware.
But I’m curious–if happiness is not the goal of our earth journey, then why do we think we would be comfortable with it in the afterlife? Wouldn’t we find it unusual? Perhaps redundant? Or would we continue, in eternity, to consider happiness to be “unrealistic” and keep waiting for the sky to fall on us?
If you don’t start believing in happiness now, you will never be allowed to have happiness forever.
So what can you do when the process of forgiving other people and yourself, or pursuing your job and calling with its responsibilities, has sapped all the maple out of your syrup?
Every day of your life, make sure of three things:
1. I am involved in my own choices.
Never sacrifice your ability to decide to either God or man. We gain power, intelligence and creativity when we allow ourselves the privilege of stopping, considering, concluding and moving out on an idea born of our own spirit.
2. I feel joy, which brings strength.
I will take a moment every single day to make sure that I allow joy to be a part of my experience. What is joy? It’s the knowledge that God has everything under control. And what is that control? Nothing can separate us from His love–therefore there is nothing which is truly terminal.
3. I am moving toward what is proving itself to be fruitful.
When I lived in Tennessee we had a tree in our front yard that was proclaimed by the former owners to be a pear tree. Here’s the problem: it never produced pears. I caught myself one day telling a visitor that it was a pear tree. Then I paused, took a deep breath, and said, “Honestly, I don’t know WHAT kind of tree it is. But one thing for certain–it’s NOT a pear tree.”
If your tree isn’t making pears, don’t think that next year will be any better. Pursue what is fruitful, even if it is not immediately to your preference. In the long run you will enjoy success much more than tradition.
- We must continue to forgive.
- We should pursue our calling.
- And taking responsibility for our life is essential for maturity.
But when these three things rob us of joy, turning us into mere “breathing organisms,” we need to restore our choices, regain our strength and pursue our fruit.
The producers of jonathots would humbly request a yearly subscription donation of $10 for this wonderful, inspirational opportunity
Please contact Jonathan’s agent, Jackie Barnett, at (615) 481-1474, for information about personal appearances or scheduling an event
Jonathots Daily Blog 