ARE YOU A 'CHICKENISTA?' by Ray Eddy

According to a recent newspaper article, if you are one of the growing numbers of people who live in an urban area and have one or more chickens as pets, then you are a ‘Chickenista.’ Having a chicken(s) as a pet is one of the growing fads of the day and those who do so are said to have ‘panache.’

What exactly is panache? I wasn’t sure so I went to the dictionary for a definition. This is a summary of what I found. Panache is from a French word meaning a ‘plume of feathers flying in the wind.’ It was Cyrano de Bergerac who was said to have ‘panache’ because he wore a plume of feathers in his hat, a daring thing to do in his day. Panache then came to be a term to describe one who had the ‘confidence of style or manner.’ In other words, one who ‘dared to be different and not care what other people think.’

If anyone ought to have ‘panache’, it should be the followers of Christ. Christians are called to be distinguishable from the world by their confident lifestyle and manner of living. Jesus said we are to be ‘in the world, but not of the world.’ And Paul tells us in Romans 12 to, ‘not be conformed to the world, but be transformed.’

Christians ought to live as those who have been transformed and not care what other people may think. Get some panache, become a ‘Christianista!’

Looking for churches in Santa Clarita? Check out Heart of the Canyons.

LOVE IS NOT PUFFED-UP by Ray Eddy

The following bit of verse is by Joseph Morrie. I’m not sure when it was written but I suspect it was some time ago. It seemed appropriate for the subject. It’s called,… “Swellitis.”

Somebody said he’d done it well, and ‘Presto!’ his head began to swell;
Bigger and bigger the poor thing grew. A wonder it didn’t split in two.
In size, a balloon could scarcely match it; it took a fishing-pole to scratch it.
But six and a half was the size of his hat, and it was big on his head at that.

“Good work” somebody chanced to say. And his chest grew as big as a load of hay.
About himself like a rooster he crowed; of his wonderful work he bragged and blowed.
He marched around with a peacock strut; gigantic to him was the figure he cut.
But he wore a very small sized suit, and loosely it hung on him to boot.

HE was the chap who made things hum! HE was the drumstick and the drum!
HE was the shirt front and the starch! HE was the keystone in the arch!
HE was the axis of the earth! Nothing existed before his birth!
But when he was off from work a day, nobody knew that he was away.

This is a fact that is sad to tell; it’s the empty head that’s bound to swell;
The ego-filled fellow soars to the skies, bursting like a bubble before your eyes.
A big man is humbled by honest praise. And tries to think of all the ways
To improve his work and do it well. But a little man starts of himself to yell!

Looking for Santa Clarita churches? Check out Heart of the Canyons.

DON'T GIVE IN! by Ray Eddy

Compromise is the devil’s suggestion of a way out of our troubles. Just “give in,” he whispers in your ear. “Take the easy way out, the safe way. Why put yourself in harm’s way? After all, God will understand. You need to be smart and just ‘give in.’”

Sometimes it seems that giving in is better than going on. Compromise always seems the easy way out. After all, people do it every day and seem none the worse for wear. But you do know that the devil is a liar and whenever he can he will suggest that you compromise and give in.

You can compromise yourself right out of the will of God. God doesn’t offer the easy way out. He wants us to stand firm in our faith and trust Him. In Daniel 3 the three Hebrew children had a choice to make. They could bow down to the idol the King had erected or face the fiery furnace. Now bowing down doesn’t seem like an unreasonable thing. But they knew bowing was out of the question. They chose to face the furnace. In verses 17-18 they said: “Our God is able to deliver us…but if not…” They had faith to say, “God can do it, but if He doesn’t, He is still our God.” (and God did it!)

In the midst of trouble, how’s your, ‘…If Not?’

Looking for Churches in Santa Clarita? Check out Heart of the Canyons.

LIVING A LIFE OF FAITH by Ray Eddy

Romans 1:17 tells us: “The just shall live by faith.” As you read the 11th chapter of Hebrews, you encounter the phrase “By Faith” 18 times as it tells us how the saints of the past lived their lives.

Living a life of Faith is not an option, it is a command. It’s how God expects His people to live. It’s a life dedicated to HIM. It is a life of Faith that…

HONORS GOD - Faith acknowledges God. Hebrews 11:6 says, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” Faith honors God by obedience to His Word in all we do and all we say. It is to believe in God and seek Him with all of our hearts. Psalms 96:8 tells us to, “Give to the Lord the glory due His name.”

IMPRESSES OTHERS - When we live by faith, those who observe our manner of living will be impressed to the point that they may ask of us “…a reason for the hope that lies within us.” It gives us an opportunity to be a witness for Christ, to tell them of His love and purpose for their lives in Christ Jesus.

MAKES ME A BETTER CHRISTIAN - Faith is Christ dwelling in our hearts filling us “with all the fullness of God.” (Ephesians 3:17-19) Faith in our hearts will fulfill God’s purpose for our life.

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