I read the following this morning. It’s from Josh Hinds a motivational speaker and life coach. It challenged me and I wanted to share it with you.
“Keep A Positive Attitude and Contagious Enthusiasm”
“Why and how can a positive attitude directly affect your success? Your mood effects your beliefs, which in turn reflects onto your personal and business life and then onto your customers. If you are in a negative mood, it will sweep through your business like a wild fire.
“Staying positive and enthusiastic is essential to the shameless self-promoter. A positive attitude along with
contagious enthusiasm will support your groundwork to effectively self promote.
“Even if you think of yourself as a marketing zero, you can make a good start towards becoming a marketing hero if you have a positive state of mind and contagious enthusiasm.
“Although you know that enthusiasm is contagious, it is also contagious to reflect on negative energy. In fact, it is even easier for us to pick up negative vibes and reflect them internally in our daily lives.
“Watch out for negative energy and stay away from negative forces in your life. Being positive will promote your self-esteem, self-belief and help you avoid depression.”
Zig Ziglar, who probably needs no introduction to you says, “I am so optimistic that I’d go after Moby Dick in a row boat and take tartar sauce.” This is all about attitude. As you have heard me say many times (as well as others), “No one gives you an attitude. You can’t blame your current state of mind or attitude on anyone or any circumstance. You choose your attitude whatever it is.”
It’s true, you can be positive in the most negative circumstances of life. It’s what you choose to see and believe.
Now, now! Some of you are saying, “Where’s the Word? Where’s the Word, pastor?”
Well, let’s talk about our worth. What you feel about yourself and your worth is what determines your attitude about everything else in life. What is self-worth? It is the belief that your life has value and significance. The Greek word for worth is “axios” which means “of weight and worth.” In Biblical times, gold and other precious metals were placed on a balancing scale where their weight determined its worth.
I enjoy going to an auction. Not necessarily for the bargains (I’ve found my share of them, though), but just for the event. Some days stuff goes really cheap. Other days things go for amazing prices. It is all determined by the value the buyer places on the merchandise. It’s really true with anything in life. A car, a house, land, etc. We can appraise them all, but the truth is they are all worth what someone is willing pay for them.
“How is my worth, your worth determined? At an auction, what determines the worth of an item? Its worth is determined by the highest price paid. The auctioneer sells each item to the highest bidder. The highest price paid for your life was paid by Jesus, and the One willing to pay the highest price established your worth. Jesus Christ paid the ultimate price for you—willingly dying on the cross—paying the penalty for your sins. He loved you that much!
“Your true worth is not based on anything you have done or will do. Without a doubt, Christ already established your worth . . . you were worth dying for. (from Hope For The Heart Biblical Counseling Keys © 2005 by Hope For The Heart. All rights reserved.)
“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8 (NIV)
We all went for a really high price! We must be worth a lot! Pick up your head. Stand tall and straight. Walk and speak with confidence. Be positive and enthusiastic. A very high price was paid for your freedom and your life today. Act like that person that God sees when He looks at you.
Here is what He sees...”Through what Christ would do for us, God decided to make us holy in His eyes, without a single fault – we stand before Him covered with His love.” Eph. 1:4 (LB)
Prayer: Lord Jesus, forgive me for thinking negatively about life and about my life. Forgive me for demeaning what You love and value so highly. Help me by Your Holy Spirit to see what You see and think like You think. Help me change the atmosphere of my home, my office, my school... my life by changing my outlook, my attitude. Thank You for loving me so much and valuing me so highly. AMEN.
Blessings!
Pastor Roger
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
More on Seedtime and Harvest
“The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor.” 1 Corinthians 3:8 (NIV)
I wrote yesterday’s devotional then picked up my devotional that I am reading by Max Lucado. I am a few days behind but this morning I read:
“Think for a moment of your heart as a greenhouse...And your heart, like a greenhouse can be managed.
“Consider for a moment your thoughts as seed. Some thoughts become flowers. Others become weeds. Sow seed of hope and enjoy optimism. Sow seeds of doubt and expect insecurity...
“The proof is everywhere you look. Ever wonder why some people have the Teflon capacity to resist negativism and remain patient, optimistic, and forgiving? Could it be that they have diligently sown seeds of goodness and are enjoying the harvest?
“Ever wonder why others have such a sour outlook? Such a gloomy attitude? You would, too, if your heart were a greenhouse of weeds and thorns.” —by Max Lucado in “Just Like Jesus”
Sounds like God is trying to get a point across, at least to me, and perhaps to some of you as well.
Everything in life is a seed. The law of the harvest is an immutable law. Folks, it’s not going away. We really do choose the seed that we plant. God doesn’t force any of them on us. However, we do not make the choice to sow seed. Everybody sows seed in life. We just get to choose WHAT seed we sow.
It makes me want to stop and think before I speak or act instead of just recklessly scattering seed without thought. I do believe in the powerful grace of God, though. I can ask God to help me to change my attitude and begin to sow good seed. He can even in His sovereignty not allow some of the bad seed to grow when He sees the good seed we begin to sow. One thing is totally in our control. You cannot expect to harvest what you don’t plant. You can pray all you want, but if you do not sow the seed the harvest will never come. God placed this law in the universe and even He is bound to it. It’s why He sowed the life of His Son so that we may have eternal life. Which reminds us that we do not sow for this life only, but for the life to come as well.
“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.” 2 Corinthians 5:10 (NIV)
Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for the law of the harvest. Father, thank You for planting the most important and powerful seed of all, Your son, Jesus. Thank you for salvation, for eternal life, and for an abundant life now in this temporal state in which we live. Help me today as I sow seed from my life that will not just bless me but others as well. AMEN.
Blessings!
Pastor Roger
I wrote yesterday’s devotional then picked up my devotional that I am reading by Max Lucado. I am a few days behind but this morning I read:
“Think for a moment of your heart as a greenhouse...And your heart, like a greenhouse can be managed.
“Consider for a moment your thoughts as seed. Some thoughts become flowers. Others become weeds. Sow seed of hope and enjoy optimism. Sow seeds of doubt and expect insecurity...
“The proof is everywhere you look. Ever wonder why some people have the Teflon capacity to resist negativism and remain patient, optimistic, and forgiving? Could it be that they have diligently sown seeds of goodness and are enjoying the harvest?
“Ever wonder why others have such a sour outlook? Such a gloomy attitude? You would, too, if your heart were a greenhouse of weeds and thorns.” —by Max Lucado in “Just Like Jesus”
Sounds like God is trying to get a point across, at least to me, and perhaps to some of you as well.
Everything in life is a seed. The law of the harvest is an immutable law. Folks, it’s not going away. We really do choose the seed that we plant. God doesn’t force any of them on us. However, we do not make the choice to sow seed. Everybody sows seed in life. We just get to choose WHAT seed we sow.
It makes me want to stop and think before I speak or act instead of just recklessly scattering seed without thought. I do believe in the powerful grace of God, though. I can ask God to help me to change my attitude and begin to sow good seed. He can even in His sovereignty not allow some of the bad seed to grow when He sees the good seed we begin to sow. One thing is totally in our control. You cannot expect to harvest what you don’t plant. You can pray all you want, but if you do not sow the seed the harvest will never come. God placed this law in the universe and even He is bound to it. It’s why He sowed the life of His Son so that we may have eternal life. Which reminds us that we do not sow for this life only, but for the life to come as well.
“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.” 2 Corinthians 5:10 (NIV)
Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for the law of the harvest. Father, thank You for planting the most important and powerful seed of all, Your son, Jesus. Thank you for salvation, for eternal life, and for an abundant life now in this temporal state in which we live. Help me today as I sow seed from my life that will not just bless me but others as well. AMEN.
Blessings!
Pastor Roger
Monday, February 26, 2007
Seedtime and Harvest
“Don't be misled: No one makes a fool of God. What a person plants, he will harvest.” Galatians 6:7 (MSG)
There are laws in the universe that God has put into place! These are immutable laws. These laws cannot and will not change. They have not only stood the test of time, they have been in existence since the beginning of time. As surely as there is day and night and as surely as there is good and evil, there is seedtime and harvest. Always has been... always will be. It is the nature of things. God set the law in motion and it will never stop or go away.
Without seedtime and harvest there would be no procreation. There would be no crops. There would be no food. Seedtime and harvest are the most basic fundamentals of perpetuating life on planet Earth as we now know it! I am amazed at how many people are not aware of this law and it's incredible power. So, let's examine this concept and discover how it affects our lives, our families, and our business.
Here are some truths about sowing and reaping that will never change.
1. You will always harvest what you sow.
You don’t have to ask a man what he has been sowing. Just look at what his life is producing. That reveals the seed he has been planting. When you plant apple seed you get an apple tree that produce apples. When you plant corn you always get corn in return. When you plant tomatoes you always get tomatoes. You just cannot plant tomato seed and expect to get cantelopes, or apple seed and expect potatoes from them. Life has never worked that way and never will.
Most of us accept these without question. Why then can’t we realize that when we sow discord we will reap discord in our life? People who sow strife, reap strife. People who sow joy, reap joy! What you plant into other peoples lives will someday, somehow be harvested in your own life. You are what you are today because of seeds you've sown in the past. You have what you have today, because of seeds you've sown in the past. Today is the harvest of seeds planted yesterday or last week or maybe even a month or a year or longer! You reap what you sow!
What are you planting into your children? Are you planting time? What about faith? How about integrity? Do you somehow justify a "little white lie" they heard you tell (maybe they were just one year from getting the children’s menu or the kid’s rate a Six Flags). You will harvest in the form of lies from their mouths in the future. If you want champions for children then you need to be planting the seeds of greatness. Plant love! Reap love! Plant big dreams and you'll reap a President or a missionary, or a great leader!
What are you planting into your wife... or your husband? Kindness... forgiveness... gentleness? Their hearts are fields that you plant into daily. What are you reaping? The law of the harvest says that what you sow, you will reap? We should stop and think every time we open our mouth to speak to our spouse. Will this edify or build them up, or will it tear them down? You see, there are no useless, lifeless words. They either bless or curse. They either build or destroy! Some one noted that we have two ears... and one tongue. Maybe we should listen twice as much as we speak. What is your harvest in your family? Maybe it's time to examine your crops ... then examine your seeds.
2. You will always harvest more than you sow.
We don’t harvest one for one. Seeds multiply. God is not into addition, He multiplies. One apple seed produces a tree that produces hundreds of apples that each have the potential of producing a dozen or more trees that will produce hundreds of apples, and on and on the process goes. One grain of corn produces a stalk that produces many ears of corn each with hundreds of grains on them that have reproducing power.
While we do harvest MORE than we plant the rate of return is affected by the generosity with which we plant. “Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.” 2 Corinthians 9:6 (NIV)
So, we should expect to get back what we sow and much more than we sow.
3. The harvest always comes later, much later than you sow.
We need to learn patience. Some seed germinates and produces in weeks or months, but some takes years. The truth is that every seed produces in its time.
So, go today and make your life a seed. It really is whether you consciously make that decision or not. Every word, every deed, every action, every thought, every gift.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, help to make my life today and everyday a strategic seed planted for Your glory and to bless others. Thank You in advance for the harvest. AMEN.
Blessings!
Pastor Roger
There are laws in the universe that God has put into place! These are immutable laws. These laws cannot and will not change. They have not only stood the test of time, they have been in existence since the beginning of time. As surely as there is day and night and as surely as there is good and evil, there is seedtime and harvest. Always has been... always will be. It is the nature of things. God set the law in motion and it will never stop or go away.
Without seedtime and harvest there would be no procreation. There would be no crops. There would be no food. Seedtime and harvest are the most basic fundamentals of perpetuating life on planet Earth as we now know it! I am amazed at how many people are not aware of this law and it's incredible power. So, let's examine this concept and discover how it affects our lives, our families, and our business.
Here are some truths about sowing and reaping that will never change.
1. You will always harvest what you sow.
You don’t have to ask a man what he has been sowing. Just look at what his life is producing. That reveals the seed he has been planting. When you plant apple seed you get an apple tree that produce apples. When you plant corn you always get corn in return. When you plant tomatoes you always get tomatoes. You just cannot plant tomato seed and expect to get cantelopes, or apple seed and expect potatoes from them. Life has never worked that way and never will.
Most of us accept these without question. Why then can’t we realize that when we sow discord we will reap discord in our life? People who sow strife, reap strife. People who sow joy, reap joy! What you plant into other peoples lives will someday, somehow be harvested in your own life. You are what you are today because of seeds you've sown in the past. You have what you have today, because of seeds you've sown in the past. Today is the harvest of seeds planted yesterday or last week or maybe even a month or a year or longer! You reap what you sow!
What are you planting into your children? Are you planting time? What about faith? How about integrity? Do you somehow justify a "little white lie" they heard you tell (maybe they were just one year from getting the children’s menu or the kid’s rate a Six Flags). You will harvest in the form of lies from their mouths in the future. If you want champions for children then you need to be planting the seeds of greatness. Plant love! Reap love! Plant big dreams and you'll reap a President or a missionary, or a great leader!
What are you planting into your wife... or your husband? Kindness... forgiveness... gentleness? Their hearts are fields that you plant into daily. What are you reaping? The law of the harvest says that what you sow, you will reap? We should stop and think every time we open our mouth to speak to our spouse. Will this edify or build them up, or will it tear them down? You see, there are no useless, lifeless words. They either bless or curse. They either build or destroy! Some one noted that we have two ears... and one tongue. Maybe we should listen twice as much as we speak. What is your harvest in your family? Maybe it's time to examine your crops ... then examine your seeds.
2. You will always harvest more than you sow.
We don’t harvest one for one. Seeds multiply. God is not into addition, He multiplies. One apple seed produces a tree that produces hundreds of apples that each have the potential of producing a dozen or more trees that will produce hundreds of apples, and on and on the process goes. One grain of corn produces a stalk that produces many ears of corn each with hundreds of grains on them that have reproducing power.
While we do harvest MORE than we plant the rate of return is affected by the generosity with which we plant. “Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.” 2 Corinthians 9:6 (NIV)
So, we should expect to get back what we sow and much more than we sow.
3. The harvest always comes later, much later than you sow.
We need to learn patience. Some seed germinates and produces in weeks or months, but some takes years. The truth is that every seed produces in its time.
So, go today and make your life a seed. It really is whether you consciously make that decision or not. Every word, every deed, every action, every thought, every gift.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, help to make my life today and everyday a strategic seed planted for Your glory and to bless others. Thank You in advance for the harvest. AMEN.
Blessings!
Pastor Roger
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
The Power of Habits
Let’s talk about habits. Stephen Covey wrote a book titled “Seven Habits of Highly Successful People.” I don’t know anybody who says, “No, not me... I don’t want to be successful.” Just can’t stand any of that success stuff. No, we all want to be successful. Some are more committed and passionate about it than others, but we all enjoy success.
A lady named June Hunt said, “You are not born with your habits—you weave them and wear them. Your habits can be the rags of self-centered addictions or the robes of Christ-centered self-control.” (from Hope For The Heart Biblical Counseling Keys © 2005 by Hope For The Heart.)
Habits
Interestingly, in most dictionaries the first definition for the word habit reveals it to be “a type of clothing that is characteristic of a certain calling, rank or function.” You know, it’s what a nun wears. When she gets up and gets dressed there is no decision to be made about what they will wear. Their habit is right there in the closet waiting to be put on.
Eventually a habit came to be “a pattern of behavior acquired by frequent repetition that reflects the prevailing character of a person.” The Bible is interwoven with the same concept: Your habits characterize your character. If you are a Christian, your calling is to be clothed in the habit of Christ, with the result that your character actually reflects His character.
“Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature.” Romans 13:14 (NIV)
Steven Killpatrick said, “Watch your thoughts; they become words. Watch your words; they become actions. Watch your actions; they become habits. Watch your habits; they become character. Watch your character; it becomes your destiny. What starts out as a simple thought may ultimately determine our destiny, even our eternal destiny. Mr. Killpatrick must have heard or read the words of Solomon found in Proverbs 23:7: "As a man thinks in his heart, so is he."
Our thoughts reflect the person we really are. That’s character. Someone said, “Character is what you are when no one is looking.” If we have thoughts which are hateful, they will manifest themselves as words--actions--habits. If, however, we fill our hearts with positive things, can anything but good actions result? Paul summed it up when he wrote in Philippians 4:8, (NIV) "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things."
We choose our habits. Habits do not choose us. Make your choices today.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, today I choose... I choose to ask for Your help. I choose to think about good things, things that please You and will enhance my life. Today, I clothe my self with You and choose to please You and not myself. I want You to be my "habit." AMEN.
Blessings!
Pastor Roger
A lady named June Hunt said, “You are not born with your habits—you weave them and wear them. Your habits can be the rags of self-centered addictions or the robes of Christ-centered self-control.” (from Hope For The Heart Biblical Counseling Keys © 2005 by Hope For The Heart.)
Habits
Interestingly, in most dictionaries the first definition for the word habit reveals it to be “a type of clothing that is characteristic of a certain calling, rank or function.” You know, it’s what a nun wears. When she gets up and gets dressed there is no decision to be made about what they will wear. Their habit is right there in the closet waiting to be put on.
Eventually a habit came to be “a pattern of behavior acquired by frequent repetition that reflects the prevailing character of a person.” The Bible is interwoven with the same concept: Your habits characterize your character. If you are a Christian, your calling is to be clothed in the habit of Christ, with the result that your character actually reflects His character.
“Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature.” Romans 13:14 (NIV)
Steven Killpatrick said, “Watch your thoughts; they become words. Watch your words; they become actions. Watch your actions; they become habits. Watch your habits; they become character. Watch your character; it becomes your destiny. What starts out as a simple thought may ultimately determine our destiny, even our eternal destiny. Mr. Killpatrick must have heard or read the words of Solomon found in Proverbs 23:7: "As a man thinks in his heart, so is he."
Our thoughts reflect the person we really are. That’s character. Someone said, “Character is what you are when no one is looking.” If we have thoughts which are hateful, they will manifest themselves as words--actions--habits. If, however, we fill our hearts with positive things, can anything but good actions result? Paul summed it up when he wrote in Philippians 4:8, (NIV) "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things."
We choose our habits. Habits do not choose us. Make your choices today.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, today I choose... I choose to ask for Your help. I choose to think about good things, things that please You and will enhance my life. Today, I clothe my self with You and choose to please You and not myself. I want You to be my "habit." AMEN.
Blessings!
Pastor Roger
Thursday, February 15, 2007
What is Your Dream?
What do you want in life? What do you want to do? What do you want to be? When you ask children they can answer you quickly. They want to be a fireman, a policeman, a soldier, a doctor, a baseball player, etc. They know what they want to be. We tend to smile and discount what they say at that point and then proceed to undermine their God given creativity telling them they can only color “inside the lines” and we scold them if we catch them in school “daydreaming.”
God made us to be dreamers, to be people of vision. We have the privilege to choose our dream. Someone said, “You’re dreams and destiny do not come by CHANCE they are your CHOICE. God gave Joseph a dream, but he had to choose to embrace it. Did you know you can go anywhere you want to in life... if you know where you want to go. You can have anything you want in life... if you know what you want. Remember in Alice in Wonderland, Alice asked the cat, "Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?" The cat answered, "That depends a great deal on where you want to go." Alice said, "Oh, I don't much care." He answered, "Then it really doesn't matter which way you go."
The proverb writer reminds us, “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” (Proverbs 29:18 KJV)
The NIV says it this way, “Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint. (Proverbs 29:18 NIV)
In others words we need a dream to give us structure in our lives, to channel our energy in the right direction, to guide us in our decision making. Joseph went through some extremely difficult and even unfair times in his life, but through it all he never lost the dream. The dream God gave him was that one day he would be a significant leader among his people. The dream kept him going when his brothers wanted to kill him, when he was sold into slavery (slave - leader, somehow that doesn’t calculate), when others lied about him, and the liars were believed landing him in an Egyptian prison. He never lost the dream, the vision.
What is your dream? What do you want in life? Don’t allow life to just happen to you. Choose your dream. Choose your destiny. Oh, but you say, “I want God to just give me a dream.” That’s great, but you still must embrace it, choose it, think about it, meditate on it, never let go of it. Think about it... dreams - faith, faith - dreams. They really are the same. “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for (that’s the dream) and certain of what we do not see.” (Hebrews 11:1 NIV)
Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for the dreams You place in our hearts. Help me to be true to that dream no matter what life may look like at the moment. I want to hold on to the dream, talk about the dream, expect the dream to happen in my life. It is Your promise that “if I delight myself in You then You will give me the desires of my heart”... my dreams. AMEN
Blessings!
Pastor Roger
God made us to be dreamers, to be people of vision. We have the privilege to choose our dream. Someone said, “You’re dreams and destiny do not come by CHANCE they are your CHOICE. God gave Joseph a dream, but he had to choose to embrace it. Did you know you can go anywhere you want to in life... if you know where you want to go. You can have anything you want in life... if you know what you want. Remember in Alice in Wonderland, Alice asked the cat, "Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?" The cat answered, "That depends a great deal on where you want to go." Alice said, "Oh, I don't much care." He answered, "Then it really doesn't matter which way you go."
The proverb writer reminds us, “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” (Proverbs 29:18 KJV)
The NIV says it this way, “Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint. (Proverbs 29:18 NIV)
In others words we need a dream to give us structure in our lives, to channel our energy in the right direction, to guide us in our decision making. Joseph went through some extremely difficult and even unfair times in his life, but through it all he never lost the dream. The dream God gave him was that one day he would be a significant leader among his people. The dream kept him going when his brothers wanted to kill him, when he was sold into slavery (slave - leader, somehow that doesn’t calculate), when others lied about him, and the liars were believed landing him in an Egyptian prison. He never lost the dream, the vision.
What is your dream? What do you want in life? Don’t allow life to just happen to you. Choose your dream. Choose your destiny. Oh, but you say, “I want God to just give me a dream.” That’s great, but you still must embrace it, choose it, think about it, meditate on it, never let go of it. Think about it... dreams - faith, faith - dreams. They really are the same. “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for (that’s the dream) and certain of what we do not see.” (Hebrews 11:1 NIV)
Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for the dreams You place in our hearts. Help me to be true to that dream no matter what life may look like at the moment. I want to hold on to the dream, talk about the dream, expect the dream to happen in my life. It is Your promise that “if I delight myself in You then You will give me the desires of my heart”... my dreams. AMEN
Blessings!
Pastor Roger
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
The Way to Success
Brian Tracy is a life coach, an author, and a motivational speaker. He has what he calls the Success Mastery Academy. One of the principles or laws that he teaches is “The Law of Correspondence.” The basic premise is that everything in life corresponds to an opposite force, decision, or action. That is my interpretation of this principle not a quote from Mr. Tracy.
Whatever I am on the outside corresponds directly to what I am on the inside. So ultimately if I want to be a better father, a better husband, a better employee, a better employer, a better friend, a better leader, a better anything then I must become a better person, become better inside.
A successful beauty product company asked the people in a large city to send pictures along with brief letters about the most beautiful women they knew. Within a few weeks thousands of letters were delivered to the company.
One letter in particular caught the attention of the employees and soon it was handed to the company president. The letter was written by a young boy who was obviously from a broken home, living in a run-down neighborhood. With spelling corrections, an excerpt from his letter read: “A beautiful woman lives down the street from me. I visit her everyday. She makes me feel like the most important kid in the world. We play checkers and she listens to my problems. She understands me and when I leave she yells out the door that she’s proud of me.”
The boy ended his letter saying, “This picture shows you that she is the most beautiful woman. I hope I have a wife as pretty as her.”
Intrigued by the letter, the president asked to see this woman’s picture. His secretary handed him a photograph of a smiling, toothless woman, well-advanced in years, sitting in a wheelchair. Sparse gray hair was pulled back in a bun and wrinkles that formed deep furrows on her face were somehow diminished by the twinkle in her eyes.
“We can’t use this woman,” explained the president, smiling. “She would show the world that our products aren’t necessary to be beautiful.”
When Samuel was sent to anoint a king for Israel he was sent by God to the house of Jesse. As soon as he arrived he saw one of Jesse’s sons and thought he must be the one. 1 Samuel 16:6-7 “When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and thought, ‘Surely the LORD's anointed stands here before the LORD.’
“But the LORD said to Samuel, ‘Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.’" NIV
He went on the pass seven of Jesse’s sons past him and the Lord said “No” to each one. God was looking for a kingly heart not a kingly physique. Well, Jesse asked if had any other sons. He said that he had a younger son attending the sheep. As you know, if was David, and David had the heart of a king.
Proverbs reminds us, “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.” (4:23) and “My son, if your heart is wise, then my heart will be glad...” (23:15)
So, the beginning of any success in our life begins with our heart, who we am on the inside. We cannot be consistently good in our outer life and be bad inside. WeI may have our moments of success but ultimately the real heart, the real person will come through.
So, our prayer today is for a heart like Jesus. Lord Jesus, I pray as David prayed, “Create in me a clean heart, renew a right spirit within me.” Start on the inside to make me what you want me to be. I really do want to do what is right and holy and pure and Christlike so help today by cleansing my heart from every sinful way and thought. AMEN.
Blessings!
Pastor Roger
Whatever I am on the outside corresponds directly to what I am on the inside. So ultimately if I want to be a better father, a better husband, a better employee, a better employer, a better friend, a better leader, a better anything then I must become a better person, become better inside.
A successful beauty product company asked the people in a large city to send pictures along with brief letters about the most beautiful women they knew. Within a few weeks thousands of letters were delivered to the company.
One letter in particular caught the attention of the employees and soon it was handed to the company president. The letter was written by a young boy who was obviously from a broken home, living in a run-down neighborhood. With spelling corrections, an excerpt from his letter read: “A beautiful woman lives down the street from me. I visit her everyday. She makes me feel like the most important kid in the world. We play checkers and she listens to my problems. She understands me and when I leave she yells out the door that she’s proud of me.”
The boy ended his letter saying, “This picture shows you that she is the most beautiful woman. I hope I have a wife as pretty as her.”
Intrigued by the letter, the president asked to see this woman’s picture. His secretary handed him a photograph of a smiling, toothless woman, well-advanced in years, sitting in a wheelchair. Sparse gray hair was pulled back in a bun and wrinkles that formed deep furrows on her face were somehow diminished by the twinkle in her eyes.
“We can’t use this woman,” explained the president, smiling. “She would show the world that our products aren’t necessary to be beautiful.”
When Samuel was sent to anoint a king for Israel he was sent by God to the house of Jesse. As soon as he arrived he saw one of Jesse’s sons and thought he must be the one. 1 Samuel 16:6-7 “When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and thought, ‘Surely the LORD's anointed stands here before the LORD.’
“But the LORD said to Samuel, ‘Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.’" NIV
He went on the pass seven of Jesse’s sons past him and the Lord said “No” to each one. God was looking for a kingly heart not a kingly physique. Well, Jesse asked if had any other sons. He said that he had a younger son attending the sheep. As you know, if was David, and David had the heart of a king.
Proverbs reminds us, “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.” (4:23) and “My son, if your heart is wise, then my heart will be glad...” (23:15)
So, the beginning of any success in our life begins with our heart, who we am on the inside. We cannot be consistently good in our outer life and be bad inside. WeI may have our moments of success but ultimately the real heart, the real person will come through.
So, our prayer today is for a heart like Jesus. Lord Jesus, I pray as David prayed, “Create in me a clean heart, renew a right spirit within me.” Start on the inside to make me what you want me to be. I really do want to do what is right and holy and pure and Christlike so help today by cleansing my heart from every sinful way and thought. AMEN.
Blessings!
Pastor Roger
Monday, February 12, 2007
Who's First?
A young boy by the name of James had a desire to be the most famous manufacturer and salesman of cheese in the world. He planned on becoming rich and famous by making and selling cheese and began with a little buggy pulled by a pony named Paddy. After making his cheese, he would load his wagon and he and Paddy would drive down the streets of Chicago to sell the cheese. As the months passed, the young boy began to despair because he was not making any money, in spite of his long hours and hard work.
One day he pulled his pony to a stop and began to talk to him. He said, "Paddy, there is something wrong. We are not doing it right. I am afraid we have things turned around and our priorities are not where they ought to be. Maybe we ought to serve God and place him first in our lives." The boy drove home and made a covenant that for the rest of his life he would first serve God and then would work as God directed.
Many years after this, the young boy, now a man, stood as Sunday School Superintendent at North Shore Baptist Church in Chicago and said, "I would rather be a layman in the North Shore Baptist Church than to head the greatest corporation in America. My first job is serving Jesus."
So, every time you take a take a bite of Philadelphia Cream cheese, sip a cup of Maxwell House, mix a quart of Kool-Aid, slice up a DiGiorno Pizza, cook a pot of Macaroni & Cheese, spread some Grey Poupon, stir a bowl of Cream of Wheat, slurp down some Jell-O, eat the cream out of the middle of an Oreo cookie, or serve some Stove Top, remember a boy, his pony named Paddy, and the promise little James L. Kraft made to serve God and work as He directed. (From Illustrations for Biblical Preaching, Baker, p. 331.)
Today is Monday and the beginning of another week of work for most of you. As much as I value hard work, and as much as the Bible teaches and values hard work, hard work alone will not bring true success and fulfillment in life. That comes from putting God first. Matthew 6:33 reminds us to seek first the kingdom (the rule, the ways, the principles) of God and His righteousness and all these things (food, clothing, shelter, the things that worry us) will be added to our lives.
I think it is interesting how that admonition is worded. It doesn’t say to ADD to our lives the value of seeking God’s kingdom and righteousness. Too often that is what we do. We try to find a way to add God to all that we are already doing and involved in. Try to squeeze Him in. No, it says to clear the calendar, clear the desk and put God there first. Then He will ADD everything else that we need back to our lives. Jesus can’t just be an added feature in our lives, an added venture in our lives. He must be our life and to Him everything else is added.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, help me to get this principle right. It is so difficult in the world we live in. I am sure it was no easier when Matthew 6:33 was penned that it is today, but ot just seems so much more difficult right now. I really do want You to be first in my life so that everything else will find it’s proper place. Give me the courage, the wisdom, and the strength to do it. AMEN.
Blessings!
Pastor Roger
One day he pulled his pony to a stop and began to talk to him. He said, "Paddy, there is something wrong. We are not doing it right. I am afraid we have things turned around and our priorities are not where they ought to be. Maybe we ought to serve God and place him first in our lives." The boy drove home and made a covenant that for the rest of his life he would first serve God and then would work as God directed.
Many years after this, the young boy, now a man, stood as Sunday School Superintendent at North Shore Baptist Church in Chicago and said, "I would rather be a layman in the North Shore Baptist Church than to head the greatest corporation in America. My first job is serving Jesus."
So, every time you take a take a bite of Philadelphia Cream cheese, sip a cup of Maxwell House, mix a quart of Kool-Aid, slice up a DiGiorno Pizza, cook a pot of Macaroni & Cheese, spread some Grey Poupon, stir a bowl of Cream of Wheat, slurp down some Jell-O, eat the cream out of the middle of an Oreo cookie, or serve some Stove Top, remember a boy, his pony named Paddy, and the promise little James L. Kraft made to serve God and work as He directed. (From Illustrations for Biblical Preaching, Baker, p. 331.)
Today is Monday and the beginning of another week of work for most of you. As much as I value hard work, and as much as the Bible teaches and values hard work, hard work alone will not bring true success and fulfillment in life. That comes from putting God first. Matthew 6:33 reminds us to seek first the kingdom (the rule, the ways, the principles) of God and His righteousness and all these things (food, clothing, shelter, the things that worry us) will be added to our lives.
I think it is interesting how that admonition is worded. It doesn’t say to ADD to our lives the value of seeking God’s kingdom and righteousness. Too often that is what we do. We try to find a way to add God to all that we are already doing and involved in. Try to squeeze Him in. No, it says to clear the calendar, clear the desk and put God there first. Then He will ADD everything else that we need back to our lives. Jesus can’t just be an added feature in our lives, an added venture in our lives. He must be our life and to Him everything else is added.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, help me to get this principle right. It is so difficult in the world we live in. I am sure it was no easier when Matthew 6:33 was penned that it is today, but ot just seems so much more difficult right now. I really do want You to be first in my life so that everything else will find it’s proper place. Give me the courage, the wisdom, and the strength to do it. AMEN.
Blessings!
Pastor Roger
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