“They go from strength to strength.†(Ps 84:7 NKJV) IT’S TIME TO TAKE ACTION (3) The three essential steps to success are: (1) Do something; (2) Do something today; (3) Do something every day. One personal growth expert says, “We read about people who sail around the world in a thirty-foot sailboat or overcome handicaps to win a gold medal at the Olympics, and we later find their stories are all about persistence.†If you want to know your future, look at your daily routine. You don’t determine your future, you determine your habits and your habits determine your future. The secret to success lies in doing the right things day after day. If you do that, you will eventually succeed. But a word of caution: important priorities have a way of slipping out of place while you’re focused on less important things. Some sacrifices are simply not worth it: (1) In your attempt to build a reputation, don’t lose your character. Reputation is what people think you are; character is what God and those closest to you know you are. (2) Don’t sacrifice your family for your career. If you do you’ll end up winning the admiration of those who don’t matter, while losing the love of those who do. (3) Don’t sacrifice your relationship with God for material things. God told His people, “You may say to yourself, ‘My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.' But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth.†(Dt 8:17-18 NIV). Then He drops the other shoe: “If you ever forget the Lord. . .you will surely be destroyed.†(v. 19 NIV).
“Serve wholeheartedly, as If you were serving the Lord, not men.†(Eph 6:7 NIV) HARD WORK The story is told of a jockey who won more races than anybody else. When asked how he did it, he said before every race he went into the stables and read this poem to his horse: “Roses are red, violets are blue; horses that lose are made into glue!†Fortunately, God doesn’t take that approach with us! But since He was the first employer in the universe, His Word has a lot to say about the responsibilities and rewards of hard work. “Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people, because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do, whether they are slave or free. And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him.†(vv. 5-9 NIV). If you’re the boss, Andrew Carnegie offers the following insights: (1) Organize. Always make sure you have the right person in the right slot. (2) Deputize. Don’t micro-manage. Give a man or woman full authority to do the job you hired them to do, then give them the freedom to do it. (3) Supervise. You don’t get what you expect; you get what you inspect. (4) Recognize. Good workers are hard to find. If you want to keep the ones you’ve got, recognize and reward their efforts.
“Be...[ a ready listener].†( Jas 1:19 AMP) LISTEN MORE, SAY LESS Talking instead of listening—will get you into trouble. Two geese were preparing to fly south when a frog asked if he could go along. They questioned how he could do it. “Easyâ€, he said. “You guys hold a stick between your beaks and I’ll hang on with my mouth.†Off they went as people looked up, admiring their teamwork. The trio was making great progress until somebody below shouted, “Great idea! Whose was it? That’s when the frog opened his mouth and yelled, “Miiiiiiiine!†Every time you open your mouth there are consequences! So learn to listen. Plutarch said, “The talkative listen to no one, for they are ever speaking. And the first evil that attends those who know not how to be silent, is, that they hear nothing.†Listening without having to air your knowledge or interject your opinion is a quality of character that proves you’re mature. Larry King once said, “I remind myself every morning: nothing I say this day will teach me anything. So if I’m going to learn, I must do it by listening.†Jesus was a great listener, and as a result He attracted people like a magnet. Doubtless there were times He was tired and didn’t feel like it—but He listened anyway. When the disciples fussed among themselves, and the Pharisees grumbled and caused trouble, Jesus focused on the important things. He listened, He spoke, and people followed. Listening is often more effective than talking. In fact, there’s a point in every conversation where you need to say less and listen more. In those moments you not only hear what others are saying but what God is saying to you! Don't be a Frog! Ribit, Ribit, Ribit! (Rev 16:13)
“The...Lord is my strength...he enables me to go on.†(Hab 3:19 NIV) CHANGE YOUR RESPONSE! Are things in your life falling apart? Your finances look uncertain, the career you worked to build is floundering, your health is failing, the people you trusted have let you down. Nobody enjoys such times, but if you live long enough you’ll go through them. And they have a way of making you re-examine your responses. When the things the prophet Habakkuk counted on started to crumble, he was forced to discern between what’s truly important and what’s merely temporal. It’s a re-evaluation we all have to make at some point. Here’s what Habakkuk said: “Though the fig tree does not bud. . .there are no grapes on the vines. . .the olive crop fails. . .the fields produce no food. . .there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord. . .The Sovereign Lord is my strength. . .he enables me to go on.†(vv. 17-19 NIV) Habakkuk realized he had no control over certain things. So he chose to control his response by rejoicing in the Lord regardless of what happened, and drawing from God the strength to “go on.†What can you learn from this man? That you have a choice! That you can decide to praise God regardless of the hand life deals you. God doesn’t promise to take you out of your situation; He promises to bring you through it. So change your response and begin to praise God for His faithfulness, for your salvation, for your health, for your friends and family, and all the other blessings He’s given you. If you look for reasons to rejoice, you’ll find them!
“Jealousy is like cancer in the bones.†(Pr 14:30 NLT) ARE YOU JEALOUS? Christian educator Henrietta Mears said, “The man who keeps busy helping the man below him, won’t have time to be jealous of the man above him.†Doctor Seuss wrote hundreds of children’s stories. One of his most famous is about the Grinch, a cartoon character who gets so jealous of others that he ends up biting himself. Jealousy does that. It targets others, but ends up consuming you. God blessed King Saul and lifted him from obscurity to the highest position in Israel. But when David slew Goliath and won the adulation of the people, Saul became insecure and threatened. Instead of rejoicing that God had sent David to help him, he grew resentful and became “David’s enemy from that time forward.†(See 1 Sa 18:9). The Bible says, “A peaceful heart leads to a healthy body; jealousy is like cancer in the bones.†Jealousy is malignant; left unchecked it can destroy every relationship in your life. It poisons your attitude by making you compare yourself with others. It robs you of joy and contentment. You become ungrateful and self-centered. It makes you assume that God’s resources aren’t sufficient for Him to bless others and still bless you. Saul’s jealousy cost him his throne, his family, his respect in the eyes of the people, and ultimately his life. Don’t let jealousy do that to you. Repent before it robs you of your destiny. God made all of us His children when none of us deserved it. So when you feel resentful of somebody else’s blessings, ask God to remind you of the many ways in which He has blessed you even when you didn’t deserve it.
“The merciful. . .will be shown mercy.†(Mt 5:7 NIV) WALK IN FORGIVENESS The German philosopher Schopenhauer compared the human race to porcupines huddled together on a winter night: “The colder it gets outside, the more we huddle together for warmth. But the closer we get. . .the more we hurt one another with our sharp quills. And in the lonely night of earth’s winter, eventually we begin to drift apart and wander out on our own and freeze to death in our loneliness.†What’s the answer? “Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.†(See Mt 6:12). [U.S.] President Ronald Reagan understood this. After an attempt on his life in 1981, his daughter Patti Davis said, “The following day my father said he knew his physical healing was directly dependent on his ability to forgive John Hinckley. By showing me that forgiveness is the key to everything, including physical health and healing he gave me an example of Christ-like thinking.†Perhaps your wounds are old ones: an abusive parent, a cheating spouse, a business deal gone sour. Or maybe they’re still fresh: an overlooked promotion, an unpaid debt, kids who’ve forgotten you exist. Either way, you’ve a decision to make. Get over it, or get even. Let it heal, or turn to hate. Release it, or resent it. Resentment allows whatever’s eating you, to eat you up. It stokes the fire, fans the flames, and replays the pain. Think about it: has your resentment brought you relief? If today you stood by the grave of the one who hurt you, would you be free? It’s doubtful. “The merciful. . .will be shown mercy,†because they’ve experienced an even greater grace—God’s—and forgiveness is the key to understanding it.
“Through love serve one another.†(Gal 5:13 NKJV) SIMPLY SERVING (1) Bill Wilson builds Sunday schools in some of New York City’s worst areas. He has been stabbed and shot, and had team members killed. A Puerto Rican lady who could barely speak English said to him one day, “I want to do something for God, please.†Bill said, "Okay, ride a different Sunday school bus every week and just love the kids.' So she rode different buses—Bill has dozens of them—and loved the children. After several months she became attached to one little boy. “I don't want to change buses any more. I want to stay on this one,†she told Bill. The boy came to Sunday school every week with his sister and sat on the lady’s lap, but never made a sound. She would repeatedly tell him, “I love you, and Jesus loves you.†One day to her amazement, he turned around and stammered, I . . .love you too.†Then he gave her a big hug. That was at two-thirty on a Sunday afternoon. At six-thirty that night the boy was found dead in a dumpster under a fire escape. His mother had beaten him to death and thrown his body in the trash. “I love you, and Jesus loves you.†Those were some of the last words that little boy heard in his short life—from the lips of a Puerto Rican woman who could barely speak English. Bill says, “Who among us is qualified to minister? Who among us even knows what to do? Not you; not me. But I ran to an altar once and got some fire and just went. So did this woman who couldn’t speak English. And so can you.â€
This one really got to me. I had a hard decision whether to post it, but then I felt it was necessary. It makes you think. We do have it made, don't we. How awful some are in that situation. He was probably a very loving little boy.
I’ve decided to add the date. For our friends in the “land down underâ€, this will be a day late. Also remember, it is written by a group that believes in the Trinity. But, . . . if you think about it, Jesus is, and will be Our God (Ruler with power). English is such a poor idea code. SATURDAY, JULY 26, 2014 “Whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant.†(Mk 10:43 NKJV) SIMPLY SERVING (2) Pilate had an opportunity to acquit Jesus of any wrongdoing, but instead he called for a basin and washed his hands of the entire matter. His attitude was, “I’m not getting involved.†And a lot of people have that same attitude. But not Jesus. The night before His death He called for a basin of water and washed His disciples’ feet. He taught them: “Whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant.†(Mk 10:43 NKJV). Peter objected because foot-washing was a duty designated to the lowest servant in Middle Eastern households, and he considered it beneath Christ’s dignity. Catherine Marshall writes: “We, the disciples, are to be the servants, I want to insist along with Peter. But Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.†(Jn 13:8 NKJV). This is a stunning and stupendous thought. Unless I can believe in this much love for me, unless I can and will accept Him by faith as my servant as well as my God, unless I can truly know that it’s my good He seeks. . .then I cannot have His companionship.†This is so contrary to the world’s philosophy where everybody wants to lead and nobody wants to serve. But to be like Jesus is to be a servant, for that’s what He called Himself. Never have goals so lofty that they blind you to the needs of those around you. Without a servant’s heart, you’ll be tempted to use your gift for personal gain, or to exempt yourself from areas you consider beneath you. The truth is, the only way to serve God is by serving those He loves.
SUNDAY, JULY 27, 2014 “If you think you are too important to help. . .you are only fooling yourself.†(Gal 6:3 NLT) SIMPLY SERVING (3) In his book Swim With the Sharks, leadership expert Harvey Mackay writes about Philip Pillsbury of the famous Pillsbury milling family: “The tips of three of his fingers were missing. . .the unmistakable mark of a journeyman grain miller, albeit a somewhat less than-dexterous one. Philip Pillsbury had an international reputation as a connoisseur of fine foods. . .but to the troops his reputation as a man willing to do a hard, dirty job was the one that mattered. . .And you can be sure everyone was aware of it.†Following in the footsteps of Jesus calls for being service-oriented, not self-absorbed. Often the reason we don’t volunteer is because we think we can’t do it as well as somebody else. We’ve made the mistake of making excellence an idol by buying into the philosophy, “If I can’t do it right, I won’t do it at all.†The fact is, less-than-perfect service is better than the best of intentions. If you’re not willing to do it imperfectly in the beginning, you’ll never get out of the starting gate. Almost everything we do is done poorly at first. That’s how we learn. God’s plan has always been to involve as many folks as possible, not have everything run by a few experts. The best of people make mistakes; it’s how you gain knowledge and develop character. The Bible says, “If you think you are too important to help. . .you are only fooling yourself.†Sometimes you’re called to serve upward to those in authority; other times you’re called to serve downward to those in need. Either way, you’re serving God only when you’re willing to do what’s required. _________________________________ This appears to be good advice, except: If you are truly inexperienced in a particular subject, don’t volunteer. You will do more damage than help. I believe in the quote: “If I can’t do it right, I won’t do it at all.†I’ve seen too many situations where an inexperienced person jumps in to help and causes more problems. This is especially true when a person has no idea of previous work. A brother or sister has spent months talking with an interested party. The situation is at a turning point, because of the parties past association with another religion or belief. The inexperienced person, thinking they can help, offers a negative point of view on that religion such as; “Oh, anyone who would believe that is utterly stupid! Why, it doesn't take much thinking to find the error in that!†End of discussion, and all progress is stopped. In a different area, like work on a project at work. The team has spent months designing a solution for a client. You have a meeting with the client to show the progress that has been spent on the projected date for approval. When the time of meeting occurs, all the plans are missing. Come to find out, the new inexperienced person decided to help by rearranging the files, and accidentally deleted all the new work. Aaaaaaargh! YOUR FIRED!!! Another quote to consider; “If you can't do it right the first time, when will you have time to fix the mistakes?†And, “There is only one way to do it right the first time! There are many ways to do it wrong!â€
MONDAY, JULY 28, 2014 “Throw yourselves into the work of the Master.†(1 Co 15:58 TM) SIMPLY SERVING (4) Paul writes, “Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? ... If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ†(Gal 1-10 NIV). A true servant of God is content to work quietly in the shadows. They know that in heaven God will openly reward people we’ve never even heard of—people who taught emotionally disturbed children, cleaned up after the incontinent, nursed AIDS patients, and gave their lives in a thousand unnoticed ways. “Throw yourselves into the work of the Master, confident that nothing you do for him is a waste of time or effort†During World War II, when England needed to increase its coal production, Winston Churchill called together labor leaders. He asked them to picture in their minds a victory parade which he knew would be held in Piccadilly Circus after the war. First in line would be the sailors who kept the vital sea lanes open. After them would come the soldiers who returned from Dunkirk, then went on to defeat Rommel in Africa. Next would be the pilots who’d driven the Luftwaffe from the skies. Last of all, he said, would come a long line of sweat-stained, soot-streaked men in miners’ caps. Someone would shout from the crowd, “And where were you during the critical days of our struggle?†And from ten thousand throats would come the answer, “We were deep in the earth with our faces to the coal.†Not all jobs are prominent and glamorous. But those who serve God with their “faces to the coal†play a vital role in fulfilling His purposes in the earth.
TUESDAY, JULY 29, 2014 “Through love serve one another.†(Gal 5:13 NKJV) SIMPLY SERVING (5) In his book The Pursuit of Excellence, Ted Engstrom writes: “I was cleaning out a desk drawer when I found a flashlight I hadn’t used in over a year. I flipped the switch but wasn’t surprised when it gave no light I unscrewed it and shook it to get the batteries out but they wouldn’t budge. Finally after some effort they came loose. What a mess! Battery acid had corroded the entire inside of the flashlight. The batteries were new when I put them in and I’d stored them in a safe, warm place. But there was one problem. Those batteries weren’t made to be warm and comfortable. They were designed to be turned on—to be used. And it’s the same with us. We weren’t created to be warm, safe, and comfortable. You and I were made to be turned on.†You must constantly remind yourself that first and foremost you’re called to be God’s servant. That way, interruptions won’t frustrate you. “Whenever we have the opportunity, we have to do what is good.†(Gal 6:10 GWT). Be sensitive and spontaneous; otherwise great opportunities to serve God will pass you by. “Never tell your neighbors to wait until tomorrow if you can help them now.†(Pr 3:28 GNT). Look for small tasks nobody else wants to do, then do them as if they were great things because God is recording it all. Make yourself available. Don’t fill your time with other pursuits that limit your availability. Be ready to jump into service at a moment’s notice. Allow God to change your plans without becoming resentful. As a servant, you don’t get to choose where you’ll serve. God does.
WEDNESDAY JULY 30, 2014 “He that believeth shall not make haste.†(Isa 28:16 KJV) DON’T ACT ON IMPULSE! As twins go, Jacob and Esau were very different But they quickly learned to negotiate. Have you ever watched children make a deal that favored one over the other? For example, one offers the other a candy bar in exchange for an expensive video game. Well, that same dynamic was at work between Jacob and Esau. Esau had been out hunting and came home exhausted and hungry. Nothing mattered to him except food-and certainly not something as remote as a future inheritance. In a moment of weakness he said, “I am about to die. . .what is this birthright to me. . .So. . .he. . .sold [it] to Jacob. ..[for] bread and stew.†(Ge 25:32-34 NKJV). It was a decision Esau would live to regret, and couldn’t undo. Recovering addicts are taught the importance of observing their H.A.L.T. sign. When they’re Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired, they’re in danger. And so are you! Acting on impulse will cause you to: (1) buy stuff you don’t need at prices you can’t afford; (2) react before you get all the facts, resulting in a loss of respect, opportunities and good relationships; (3) compromise your character for a few moments of sinful pleasure; (4) quit in the middle of the race, or worse, on the threshold of victory. The Bible says, “He that believeth shall not make haste.†When you make choices based on short-term gratification rather than lifelong convictions and goals, you always lose out in the end. So don’t take the deal; don't trade your God-given destiny for momentary gratification. Be patient and hold fast. When you do, God will bring your dreams to pass in ways that honor instead of diminishing them.
THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2014 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.†(Mt 5:9 NIV) BE A PEACEMAKER Jesus spent much of His ministry tearing down barriers and building bridges. He did it through acts of love such as washing the feet of those who would fail and betray Him, eating with a tax collector everybody in town despised, and giving hope to a fallen woman that society condemned. The Bible says, “Peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness.†(Jas 3:18 NLT) Words of peace are like seeds. They don’t produce fruit overnight, but slowly and silently they work their way to the surface, changing hearts, minds, attitudes, and futures. Doctor Robert Oppenheimer, the noted physicist who masterminded the first atomic bomb, was asked by a congressional committee if there was any defense against it. Addressing a hushed audience he replied, “Yes—peace!†Now, if peace can defuse an atomic bomb, think what it can do in the lives of the people you come in contact with! Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the sons of God.†Every day you’ll meet frightened, despairing, lonely, angry people who need a word of peace. Do you have one? Solomon offers us three ways to calm strife, defuse a tense situation, and get a better result: (1) Patience. “A hot-tempered man stirs up dissension, but a patient man calms a quarrel.†(Pr 15:18 NIV). (2) Self-control. “Better a patient man than a warrior, a man who controls his temper than one who takes a city.†(Pr 16:32 NIV). (3) Wisdom. “A man’s [person's] wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook an offense.†(Pr 19:11 NIV).
I was reading on some other site ..that Jesus actions were always inclusive , never exclusive ..his association and his intentions were always to build , comfort , heal etc , not only did he spend time with those considered "fallen" but he also did the same for those who considered themselves "not fallen" not like these sinners. My own thoughts have to frequently be corrected in thinking of people in certain terminology which I have found difficult to be rid of , though I am conscious of them when they cross my filters . Since I can sit upright again I have been reading pretty voraciously the last week or so. So many forums cover pretty much the same things , but I find threads such as these give me more positive things to think about are are far more refreshing , which is why I think many are now visiting the forums for things they desire to continue learning ..which is about the divine nature of the Father in Christ Jesus and learning from him ..