Category: attitude

Monday 6/4 ~ Have you ever walked away from God?

On By In attitude, discouragement, emptiness, forgiveness, loveLeave a comment

The scripture for today, June 4, is Psalm 6:4 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

0-BK 8-ComeFlyWithMe-Cover-Thumbnail-New“Turn, O Lord, and deliver me; save me because of your unfailing love.”

Have you ever walked away from God then couldn’t figure out how to make a turnaround and get your life back on track? Are you there now?  Stop! 

Stop whatever you are thinking and feeling and considering.  Look behind you.  God is a gentleman and will never force himself on you. When you turn away from him, he turns away from you.  But, oh, how he misses you.  He wants you back so you can feel his love again. 

All you have to do is stop everything and call for him to come get you. “Turn, O Lord! Turn! Deliver me!”

Why would God be so good to someone walking away from him? Because he loves you and is always listening for your voice. His love is unfailing.

 

~~BUYLINK for eBOOK and discount PAPER:   http://bit.ly/2tukMA0

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Saturday 6/2 ~ Too busy to be inconvenienced?

On By In attitude, discouragement, good works, judging, loveLeave a comment

The scripture for today, June 2, is Galatians 6:2 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

00-Cover-KINDLE-Thumbnail-New“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way, you will fulfill the law of Christ.”

In case you’re thinking people should take care of their own problems, you are right. But the term “burdens” here refers to overloads.

The main reason this is hard to do is that taking on someone else’s overloaded burdens upsets your daily routine and our peace of mind. It is inconvenient. 

Just remember, it is always inconvenient for those people to have an overload of burdens. They don’t want them. Many times they didn’t ask for them. But, even if they did ask for them with foolish acts, can we not roll up our sleeves and help them out for a little while (not forever)?

You do not have to take on all their problems. But you can give them relief of some of the basic problems so they can concentrate on the more serious ones.  If they need a babysitter, find one for them. If they don’t have decent clothes to go to work, take them to Goodwill.  If they’re behind financially, buy them a tank of gas.  If they haven’t written their parents for a year, sit with them while they write that letter. Take their overburden from them.

What if Jesus had said, “Hey, it’s not my problem! Those people on earth mess up their lives all the time. Why should I leave the comforts of heaven to live among sinners and misery?” But he didn’t say that. Thank God he didn’t say that.

Inconvenient for him to take our overloaded burdens to his cross? Yes. Did he want to do it? No. But he did what was necessary to rescue us. Do we really and truly want to be like Him?

~~~BUYLINK to eBOOK and discount PAPER:  http://bit.ly/500GoodWorks

 

Friday 6/1 ~ How to make an argument stick

On By In attitude, Enemies, humility, problemsLeave a comment

The scripture for today, June 1 (6/1), is Psalm 6:1 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

04-Isaac&Jacob-KindleThumbnail.jpg“O Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger or discipline me in your wrath.”

This is not only a good request to God, but it is a good request to each other ~ family and friends alike. When you disagree with someone, do you “back it up” with loud yelling or throwing or hitting things? Do you believe that your point cannot be understood and will not be accepted without a “tantrum”?

This scripture indicates that it is indeed possible to rebuke someone without the tantrum. In fact, it is more effective. When you calmly tell someone you disagree with them, it does not raise their blood pressure and put them on the defensive. With tantrums, they may react like you want on the outside, but you drive them farther from you on the inside.

Calm rebuke does not mean you don’t mean it; it means you are convinced enough, your point of view does not need reinforcement. In that case, the other person is likely to be convinced too.

Today, practice saying calmly what you normally back up with a tantrum. Practice in front of the mirror.  Practice when driving. Practice when cooking or mowing the lawn or combing your hair.  Then, next time you disagree with someone close to you, you will be ready ~ ready to not rebuke in your anger.

~~~BUYLINK to eBOOK & discount PAPER:  http://bit.ly/2LacnWf

 

Monday 5/28 ~ Are you too uppity?

On By In attitude, healing, humility, judgingLeave a comment

The scripture for today, May 28 (5/28), is Luke 5:28 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

“And Levi got up, left everything and followed him [Jesus].”

000-COVER-KINDLE-ThumbnailThis Levi was a tax collector, who, in those days, was allowed to set his own tax rates so he could pocket some of it for himself. Why would such a man follow Jesus, a man who apparently didn’t have much money of his own? He had to trust Jesus and believe that he was truly a friend.

And why would Jesus ask him? Jesus was certainly taking a chance since the uppity leaders of society and their religion openly declared Jesus a bad person for associating with “sinners and tax collectors”. Jesus, in turn, had to trust and believe in Levi.

A lot of Christians brag that their only friends are those who worship with them. They don’t really trust anyone else, so don’t really want to be anyone else’s friend. Well, how are they supposed to bring anyone to Jesus? Jesus went out to “seek and save the lost.”

And sometimes there is a visitor at worship who isn’t dressed right ~ perhaps with uncombed hair, or smell from no shower, or makeup put on too heavy, or clothes not in style, or maybe even dressed too richly. Are we ashamed to be seen with them? Jesus wouldn’t have been. He was color blind, style blind, class blind.

Today, reach out and make friends with someone you have been staying away from. Jesus did. And thereby, you will be like him.

 

~~BUYLINK to eBOOK & discount PAPER;  http://bit.ly/LazarusSamaritan

 

Friday 5/25 ~ How in the world am I going to love my enemies?

On By In attitude, discouragement, Enemies, humility, judgingLeave a comment

The scripture for today, May 25 (5/25), is Galatians 5:25f as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

05-Joseph-KindleThumbnail“Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.”

When someone is better than you in doing something, do you pick fights with them as punishment, or spread gossip about them in order to get others to quit respecting them?

Perhaps you don’t do this all the time. But what about times when there is something you feel you are really good at, but another person not as talented gets the honor? That’s when it’s hard to “keep in step with the Spirit.”

Whenever you envy someone, deep down you consider that person your enemy. Jesus said, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:44-45a).

To many, loving our enemy is the most difficult command in the Bible. Perhaps one way to love your “enemy” is to realize that Jesus loved his enemies. Every time you sin, you become one of his enemies. But Jesus keeps right on loving you, even when you don’t want to stop doing whatever you shouldn’t.

Jesus demonstrates the love of the Son of God. And here he says, if you love your enemies, you are demonstrating what the children of God do. And that is far more important than honor that goes to those you envy. Leaving behind conceit makes it much easier to love everyone.

~~~BUYLINK for EBOOK or discount PAPER:  http://bit.ly/JosephInEgypt

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Wednesday 5/23 ~ Is it a good idea to be mad at God?

On By In attitude, discouragement, Inspirational, problemsLeave a comment

The scripture for today, May 23(5/23, is Exodus 5:23 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

0-Bk3-HeartsAfire-COVER-Kindle.thumbnail-new“Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in your [God’s] name, he has brought trouble upon this people, and you have not rescued your people at all.”

This is Moses talking to God, and Moses is very angry. Is it a good idea to be mad at God? Deuteronomy 34:10 says there was never a prophet like Moses “whom the Lord knew face to face.”

Getting angry [not violent, that’s different] sometimes is part of a healthy relationship, as long as we are willing to stick around long enough to understand the other person’s point of view. Moses did not desert God. He spoke his mind, then waited to see how God would reply.

It wasn’t that God didn’t want to rescue his people from slavery in Egypt. God was not quite ready yet. And he probably did not rescue his people in the manner Moses had in mind. But eventually ~ after a little patience on Moses’ part ~ it happened: God rescued his people.

Are you angry at God over something? Tell him so. Then stick around and wait for him to express his point of view. It will happen someday. Maybe it won’t be your point of view. Probably it will be better.

~~BUYLINK for eBOOK or discount PAPER:  http://bit.ly/Hearts-Afire

 

 

Tuesday 5/22 ~ There is no law against slowing down

On By In attitude, Daily, healing, Inspirational, loveLeave a comment

The scripture for today, May 22 (5/22), is Galatians 5:22f as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

00-Cover-Thumbnail“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things, there is no law.”

There are some people in the world who call people who practice these traits “losers.”  They distrust people who love everyone, are kind to everyone and are always happy.  “People like that are not for real.”  They believe you have to stick up for yourself and get ahead of the pack or the world will trample you and pass you by.

They are a lot like drivers out on a highway who think they have to pass every car. Once they do, there is usually a brief period when they are ahead of all the others. But soon they catch up with another pack of cars and begin all over again to pass every one, to get ahead of the pack. And so, it happens over and over endlessly. They never relax, for they are never ahead of the others for very long.

Today, relax a little. Exercise patience and self-control.  There is no law against slowing down. And in the process find gentleness and find peace.

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~~~BUYLINK for Ebook or Discount Paper:  http://bit.ly/FunBibleNumbers

 

Saturday 5/19 ~ Playing on the strings of

On By In attitude, Inspirational, joy, worshipLeave a comment

The scripture for today, May 19, is Ephesians 5:19 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

OldOldTunes-Thumbnail“Speak to one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord.”

What is so interesting about this scripture is how I am to make music to the Lord. In the original Greek the New Testament of the Bible was written in, the term “make music” means to play on strings. But put with the rest of the verse, I see that it means to play on the strings of my heart.

How beautiful! In God’s ears, the strings of my heart are far superior to any musical instrument I can contrive. So, why would I want to use them as a substitute? Shall I not please the One I am worshiping? May I be attuned, not to what I love, but to what God loves.

And so, I sing! And in the process, my singing is accompanied by the beautiful, harmonious, spirit-filled strings of my worshiping heart.

~~~BUYLINK for ebook & discount paper:  http://bit.ly/BibleSongBook

 

 

Tuesday 5/8 ~ Deadends blocking heaven

On By In attitude, Enemies, Heaven, Inspirational, problemsLeave a comment

The scripture for today, May 8 (5/8), is Psalm 5:8 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

0-Titus-Cover-Lg Thumb“Lead me, O Lord, in your righteousness, because of my enemies ~ make straight your way before me.”

An enemy would like nothing more than to get into a good fight with someone. Do not let that happen. You have better things to do than argue with people.

Set your eyes, not on your enemy, but on the Lord. The path of enemies will take you on all sorts of side trips that lead to dead ends. The path of God rises up before you ~ straight and direct. Never let your attention stray from that path.
Keep on walking on the path of God.

And keep on walking,

and keep walking,

and walking, and walking….

….Until at last, you walk right through the gates of heaven.

Tuesday 5/1 ~ It stretches our mind, our heart, our soul

On By In attitude, Death of Jesus Christ, forgiveness, Heaven, Saved from hellLeave a comment

The scripture for today, May 1 (5/1), is Romans 5:1 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

00-PAUL COVER-Thumbnail-“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Of course, if we do not have faith in Jesus, we will not obey any of his commands. He said in John 15:14, “You are my friends IF you do what I command.”

How do we become his friends?  By obeying all his commands. But we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23) and the wages we earn with our sins is body and soul death (Romans 6:23).

That makes it impossible for us to live in heaven. Only the just can enter heaven. Otherwise, heaven wouldn’t be heaven. But how do we become just when the fact remains that we sin by actions, attitudes, and good things we leave undone?

Every time we sin, we come in the clutches of Satan, the originator of both body and soul death.  He holds us hostage. So, God came to us in flesh, paid our fine, our bail, and bought us out of the death prison of Satan. He got us out and declared us not guilty.

But we have to believe he did that for us.  What amazing God we have. We can barely comprehend it. It stretches our mind, our heart, our soul.

Yes, it is a beautiful thing what God did for us. That was his part. Our part is to believe it, accept it, and actively follow it.

That, too, is beautiful.