Posts Tagged ‘Success’
Monday, February 22nd, 2010
We have all likley taken tests in school; some that we prepared for and others we did not prepare for. If you were like me, I always did better on the tests that I prepared for.
And, if you have ever participated in competitions involving academics, sports, speach, music, business, etc., you also know how important it is to put in the work to prepare before you compete.
This timeless principle that preparation is critical to overall success is described well in the scripture that states:
“A man reaps what he sows.” (Galatians 6:7)
I discovered the following short movie and resource that I beleive helps us realize how important it is for us to be very intentional and careful about what we “sow” into our minds, and how critical this is to being successful no matter what endeavor we pursue. I hope you enjoy it, and that it motivates you to “sow” healthy, good and positive seeds into your mind.
As you view and consider the message in the video, please consider these words:
“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. 9Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.” (Philippians 4:8-9)
Tags: Be Happy, Contentment, Failure, Happiness, Happy Life, Pressure at Work, Success, successful career, Victorious Life
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Wednesday, February 17th, 2010
“A sculptor does not use a ‘manicure set’ to reduce the crude, unshapely marble to a thing of beauty. The saw, the hammer and the chisel are cruel tools, but without them the rough stone must remain forever formless and unbeautiful. To do His supreme work of grace within you, God will take from your heart everything you love most. Everything you trust in will go from you. Piles of ashes will lie where your most precious treasures used to be!” (A.W.Tozer)
I love this Tozer quote which is used in the opening monologue of the movie the Heart Of Texas”. Today’s thought is not about this movie, but I would highly reccomend seeing it; to see a promo, click hear.
Now, back to the message for this post…
How do you respond when your husband or wife, friends or family trample your emotions? When your child rebels? When you lose a big deal or important client? When your boss fires you unexpectedly? In this very difficult economy, you may have lost thousands in savings or in the value of your 401K or other investments? When disappointments like these smash into your life, you may want to scream, “How could God allow this to happen?”
But, what if God didn’t just “let it happen?” What if the things you treasure the most and hold on to the tightest are damaged or destroyed? What if what you call disappointments are really God’s appointments? What if like a skilled sculptor, He is using your disappointments like the sculptor’s hammer and chisel to chop and carve away the undesirable elements in your life, leaving you pure and radiant…His beautiful masterpiece?
Life’s disappointments can destroy you, or you can become stronger because of them. The dangerous spiral of disappointments can lead to discouragement, disillusionment, depression or even despair. But you can learn to break that cycle and embrace the disappointment and trails with a faith that recognizes that they are the hammer and chisel God uses to make you a reflection of Him. We can follow the selfish course of our natural reactions and be subtly trapped in a downward spiral that swiftly leads into depression and discouragement. Or, we can take those trials and count them all joy, knowing that our faith and endurance will be strengthened. Our disappointments are the stone that God will use to sculpt us as a sculptor would his rough stone. If we respond by taking the steps of trust, obedience and relying on His grace , we will discover that we are being sculpted into His masterpiece that reflects the radiance of His image and character. Knowing this, today as you face those trials or are in the pit of despair, what will be your decision? To continue on that road of despair, or make the turn and trust Him and His grace?
I offer these scriptures to encourage you:
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”(James 1:2-4)
“Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Corinthians 12:8-10)
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.”(Romans 8:28-29)
Tags: Be Happy, Depression, Despair, Discouragement, Disillusionment, Failure, Faithfulness, Fear, Freedom, Get out of the pit, Happiness, Happy Family, Happy Home, Happy Life, Happy Marriage, Happy Relationship, Hope, Living a Happy Life, Obedience, Overcoming Discouragement, Pain, Pressure at Work, Success, Victorious Life
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Monday, January 25th, 2010
We all face day after day of busy schedules, challenges and the pressures of life at work and at home. Let’s face it, sometimes ”doing life” can can take the joy out of living. Well I am hereto tell you that there is promise in a Hope that is pure and simple. We all need to be encouraged and inspired from time to time; I hope this short presentaion will offer you encouragement and inspiration today, and that you will come to know the Hope that is pure and simple!
Tags: Be Happy, Discouragement, Failure, Fear, Get out of the pit, Happiness, Happy Family, Happy Home, Happy Life, Happy Marriage, Hope, Life Trials, Living a Happy Life, Loneliness, Overcoming Discouragement, Success, successful career, Victorious Life
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Monday, January 11th, 2010
Have you declared your New Years resolution(s) for 2010? If you have not, you know someone who has. New Years resolutions are made each year in an attempt to improve our lives and help make us happier.
According to the USA.gov (”Government Made Easy”) website, the dozen most popular New Year’s Resolutions are: lose weight, manage debt, save more, change jobs, get in shape, go back to school, drink less, stop smoking, reduce stress in general, reduce stress at work, travel, and volunteer. Any of those look familiar? Since they’re the “most popular,” they probably do.
Here’s a different approach for 2010: Instead of focusing on what’s wrong with yourself or your circumstances, resolve this year to focus on God. Instead of making resolutions, resolve to do one main thing: Make your life the subject of gentle conversation between you and God on a daily basis. That doesn’t mean in the sense of, “God, I want . . . I need . . . I wish.” Rather, “God, I want to reflect Your glory in my life more in 2010 than in 2009. I want to live today in light of the end of my life. Speak to me and empower me to be conformed, gently but surely, more into the image of Christ this year.
“Lord, make me to know my end, and what is the measure of my days, that I may know how frail I am.” (Psalm 39:4)
That’s a prayer God will answer by replacing the weakness of our resolve with the strength of His; a resolution that will not fail; a resolution that will make you happier in life and at work.
God’s peace!
Tags: Abide, Abiding, Be Happy, Contentment, Happiness, Happy Life, Hope, Joy, Living a Happy Life, Peace, Success, Victorious Life
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Friday, December 18th, 2009
The following wonderful and challenging message is from Os Hillman.
If an enemy were insulting me, I could endure it; if a foe were raising himself against me, I could hide from him. But it is you, a man like myself, my companion, my close friend.
Psalm 55:12-13
“You will always be attacked in the place of your inheritance,” said the man sitting across the breakfast table. “God has called you to bring people together and to impact other people’s lives as a result of this anointing in your life. You must make sure that you seek to maintain righteousness in all of your relationships.” Those words came from someone who had the wisdom and authority to speak them to me.
I have had a number of close relationships that ended in betrayal. I am very loyal to my friends and those with whom I have covenant relationships. Yet there are times that no matter how righteous you are, when someone means to betray you, he will do it. Loving those who betray you is “graduate-level Christianity.” The religious community and one of His closest friends betrayed Jesus. Those who were closest to David betrayed him. Joseph’s own family betrayed him. Loving our enemies cannot be accomplished by mustering it up. It can only happen when we have come to a death in ourselves so that Christ can love through us. It is truly one of those acts of identifying with the cross.
If you are a leader, you can be sure God will allow you to experience betrayal. It is one of those courses in the Kingdom that may not be required until God has seen that you have successfully passed other tests. It is the most difficult and most gut wrenching of all tests. A godly response goes against all that is in us. Our natural response is to protect, retaliate, and retain unforgiveness and bitterness. Our natural response is satan’s most powerful weapon; to overcome it requires much grace from God. Ask God to build His nature in you now so that when such attacks come, you will be aware that it is a test and you will respond in righteousness.
A suggested resource to go along with this exhortation is “Real Love In The Workplace” by Greg Baer M.D.
Tags: Balanced Life, Be Happy, Betrayal, Bitterness, Conflict Resolution, Contentment, Discouragement, Faithfulness, Happiness, Happy Life, Happy Relationship, Hope, Joy, Leadership, Life Crisis, Life Trials, Living a Happy Life, Overcome Anger, Overcoming Discouragement, Pain, Peace, Pressure at Work, Relationships, Righteousness, Success, successful career, Unforgiveness, Victorious Life, Work Life Balance, Workplace Relationships
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Sunday, December 13th, 2009
Giants. When you hear that word, what do you think of? Yes I know, if your a sports fan, you think of the football or baseball Giants. But, outside of that reference, we typically think of scary, exceptionally large beast that we are powerless to fight or overcome.
Giants have been around since the beginning of time. Giants are even mentioned in the very first book of the Bible. Genesis 6:4 says “The Nephilim were on the earth in those days—and also afterward…” The word, Nephilim is a picture of someone who is of great size and physical height, and who is exceptionally strong, fierce, and warlike. The word also carries the meaning of “fallen one”. Some propose that they were called fallen ones because men’s hearts would fail at the sight of them. Some suggest that it was because when they fell, the ground shook, causing others to fall too.
Are giants around today? You bet they are. Maybe not physically, as described above, but giants do still exist and attack us as we endeavor and dream to be successful and happy in life and at work.
Who are the giants of today who bully us and wage war against us; preventing us from becoming all that God has created us and called us to be. They are the same giants who kept God’s people, the Israelites, out of the promised land; the land of milk and honey. The same giants who through intimidation caused the people of God to give up, to decide that water and bread would be enough for them, and to ultimately settle for less than God’s best for their lives.
Do you recognize any of these Giants?
- Fear
- Discouragement
- Loneliness
- Worry
- Guilt
- Temptation
- Anger
- Resentment
- Doubts
- Procrastination
- Failure
- Jealousy
People, hear me when I tell you that God does not want you to settle for less than his best. Read what God told Israel and what what he is telling you!
Hear, O Israel. You are now about to cross the Jordan to go in and dispossess nations greater and stronger than you, with large cities that have walls up to the sky. The people are strong and tall—Anakites (who were part of the Nephilim)! You know about them and have heard it said: “Who can stand up against the Anakites?” But be assured today that the LORD your God is the one who goes across ahead of you like a devouring fire. He will destroy them; he will subdue them before you. And you will drive them out and annihilate them quickly, as the LORD has promised you. (Deuteronomy 9:1-3)
Which giant is keeping you from experiencing all that God desires for you; keeping you from being happy in life and at work? Well guess what, it does not matter because God is bigger and more mighty than them all! He wants to go ahead of you to help you gain victory over your giant(s) and send you into a wonderful new land.
Read the passage from Deuteronomy again; stand tall and with God by your side face the giants in your life. Please do not be afraid. God promises all of us that he will never leave or forsake us, that he will never give us more than we can endure, and that his power will be with us. With God on your side, you have what it takes! Don’t believe me. Grab your Bible and read about Joshua, Moses, Abraham, Daniel, Isaiah, David, and the apostles.
In addition, I highly recommend “Slaying The Giants In Your Life” by David Jeremiah.
Tags: Anger, Be Happy, Bitterness, Contentment, Courage, Discouragement, Doubt, Doubts, Failure, Fear, Guilt, Happiness, Happy Family, Happy Home, Happy Life, Happy Marriage, Happy Relationship, Hope, Jealousy, Joy, Life Crisis, Life Trials, Living a Happy Life, Loneliness, Overcome Anger, Overcoming Discouragement, Pain, Peace, Procrastination, Resentment, Success, successful career, Temptation, Victorious Life, Worry
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Tuesday, December 1st, 2009
Do you want to enter your own “Promise Land”?
Are you familiar with the story in the Bible about Joshua and Caleb and their reconnaissance mission into the territory God had led them to, The Promised Land…filled with milk and honey…a land full of promise, opportunity, and safety.
Joshua and Caleb were part of a group of 12 sent into The Promised Land to see if it could be taken as God had promised. The other 10 gave a bad report that instilled fear in the people. They had a spirit of fear, and the ultimate result of their fear-based actions was rebellion among the people and ultimate death of an entire generation; they never made it into and were never abel to enjoy The Promised Land. Joshua and Caleb, who are described as men who had a different spirit (the Spirit of the Lord), were the only two who gave a report saying that the land could be taken just as God had promised. They were the only two of their generation to enter The Promised Land.
Are you a person led by a spirit of fear or are you led by the Spirit of God?
God says of Caleb and Joshua, “because my servants have a different spirit and follow me wholeheartedly, I will bring them into the land they went into, and their descendants will inherit it.” God’s Spirit led Joshua and Caleb; they were not led by fear!
Fear is powerful. It can paralyze us. Many of us fail to enter into our own Promise Land because we have failed to be led by the Spirit and are instead led by fear. Fear prevents us from entering into what God has reserved for us…a life and an inheritance that is exceedingly good. God described The Promised Land as a land of milk and honey. Our own Promise Land is the same, but The Spirit must lead you in.
Romans 8:13-14 says it this way:
“For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.”
To learn more about living a fearless life led by The Spirit, we reccomend the following resource
Tags: Abide, Abiding, Be Happy, Contentment, Courage, Fear, Fearless, Freedom, Happiness, Happy Life, Joy, Living a Happy Life, Obedience, Success, successful career, Victorious Life, Wisdom
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Friday, November 13th, 2009
A very dear friend of mine, after reading the November 11th post, Happy Life and Work Through Sowing Tears, sent me the following message of encouragment from Os Hillman. It is the perfect follow up to the November 11th post; I hope it encourages you to be Happy in life and at work!
“The second son he named Ephraim and said, ‘It is because God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering.” Genesis 41:52
When Joseph was elevated to rule over the Egyptian kingdom, he revealed some profound truths gained from the experiences of his years of adversity. He named his first son, Manasseh for, he said, “God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father’s household” (Gen. 41:51b). His second son was named Ephraim because, “God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering.”
Whenever God takes us through the land of affliction, He will do two things through that affliction: 1) He will bring such healing that we will be able to forget the pain, and 2) He will make us fruitful from the painful experiences.
God does not waste our afflictions if we allow Him the freedom to complete the work in us. His desire is to create virtue that remains during the times of testing so that He can bring us into the place of fruitfulness in the very area of our testing. He has never promised to keep us from entering the valleys of testing, but He has promised to make us fruitful in them. He is the God who turns the Valley of Achor (trouble) into a door of hope (see Hos. 2:15).
If you are in the valley of affliction, now is the time to press into Him. When the time comes to bring you out of this valley, He will heal your memories and bring fruit from this very time.
Sugessted resource: Fear Fighters by Jentezen Franklin
Will you live in FEAR? Or will you live by FAITH? Fear has the deceptive ability to influence and affect our daily lives and the world we live in. What do you fear most in life? What are the greatest threats facing you? Crime? Violence? The economy? Failure? Death? Eternity? Fear Fighters will help you identify and defeat the very source of fear that threatens you from living in peace and joy. This incredible book will open your eyes, build your faith, and empower you to reach out to those around you with the light of truth and hope.
Tags: Affliction, Be Happy, Build Your faith, Contentment, Courage, Discouragement, Failure, Faithfulness, Fear, Freedom, Fruitfulness, Get out of the pit, Happiness, Happy Family, Happy Home, Happy Life, Happy Marriage, Happy Relationship, Healing, Hope, Joy, Life Crisis, Life Trials, Living a Happy Life, Overcoming Discouragement, Pain, Peace, Prosperity in Affliciton, Success, successful career, Victorious Life
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Wednesday, November 11th, 2009
“Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy.” - Psalm 126:5
Psalm 126 describes an interesting process that goes against our natural tendencies when we are taken into a difficult period in our lives. Whenever we are hurled into a crisis that brings tears, our tendency is to retreat or recoil in fear and hurt. However, there is a better way that God tells us to handle such times of travail.
Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy. “He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him” (Ps. 126:5-6). God is telling us that if we will do what is unnatural for us in these circumstances, He will make sure that what we sow in tears will return in joy. This is one of the most important lessons I have learned when faced with difficult circumstances. Rather than sit back and allow self-pity and discouragement to consume us, we should plant seed during this time. Reach out to a person who needs a friend. Invest in the life of another. See where you can be a blessing to someone. Give of yourself.
The psalmist acknowledges that we are doing this while we are in our pain. However, during this time we are to sow seed. That seed will return to us in another form. Here is what will happen when we do this. “He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him.” We will receive joy and fruit from the seed that we plant during this time. Sheaves represent the fruit of a harvest. We will actually get a harvest from this seed.
“You must not let the circumstances destroy you! Too many in the Kingdom are counting on you to come through this because of the calling on your life!” Those were the words spoken to me by a friend one time when I was in the midst of a very difficult business and personal circumstance that was threatening to destroy me emotionally. This person saw what God was doing and the fruit that God wanted to bring from these circumstances. Sometimes we need others around us to push us through the difficult times. If you find yourself in a difficult place today, see where you can sow some seed. Soon you will be reaping songs of joy and be Happy in life and at work.
Suggested resource The Upside of Adversity by Os Hillman.
Can God actually use prolonged difficulty in our lives for good? Os Hillman says yes! After a seven-year journey filled with disappointement and adversity in his personal and work life, Os went from the pit of despair and unhappiness to operating an international speaking and teaching organization for workplace leaders that has taken him to more than 20 countries. Like the Joseph of the Bible, Os let God use a long string of personal calamities-what he terms his “Joseph Pit”-to form him for leadership, influence and service and bring real happiness and joy into his life and work.
Tags: Be Happy, Blessings, Contentment, Crisis, Difficult Circumstances, Discouragement, Get out of the pit, Happiness, Happy Family, Happy Home, Happy Life, Happy Marriage, Happy Relationship, Hurt, Joy, Joy Filled Life, Life Crisis, Life Trials, Living a Happy Life, Overcoming Discouragement, Pain, Peace, Self Pity, Songs of Joy, Sowing, Success, successful career, Tears, Travails, Victorious Life, Weeping, Work Life Balance
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Friday, November 6th, 2009
I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten – the great locust and the young locust, the other locusts and the locust swarm – My great army that I sent among you.” – Joel 2:25
There are seasons in our lives that involve times of famine and times of restoration. Solomon tells us that He has made everything beautiful in its time and that there is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under Heaven. (See Ecclesiastes 3:1,11.)
God brings about both the good and the bad. The seasons of famine have a divine purpose in our lives. They accomplish things that only these hard places can accomplish. But there is a time when those hard places have accomplished their purpose and He begins to restore. God did this with the nation of Israel after a season of famine and devastation.
Be glad, O people of Zion, rejoice in the Lord your God, for He has given you the autumn rains in righteousness. He sends you abundant showers, both autumn and spring rains, as before. The threshing floors will be filled with grain; the vats will overflow with new wine and oil. “I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten – the great locust and the young locust, the other locusts and the locust swarm – My great army that I sent among you. You will have plenty to eat, until you are full, and you will praise the name of the Lord your God, who has worked wonders for you; never again will My people be shamed. Then you will know that I am in Israel, that I am the Lord your God, and that there is no other; never again will My people be shamed” (Joel 2:23-27).
God wants each of us to know that there is a time when He will restore in order to demonstrate His gracious hand in our lives. He is a loving Father who tenderly guides His children through the difficult places. If God has taken you through a time of leanness, know that He is the restorer of that which the locusts have eaten. Wait patiently for Him to bring this about in your life. He will do it.
Reccomended reading: The Joseph-Daniel Calling
Like Joseph and Daniel in the Bible, God is calling men and women to serve in strategic positions of influence and power in the workplace for His purposes. This book addresses the dynamics of this calling, God?s economy, and the challenges of these uniquely called Josephs and Daniels. Among other agendas, they will be facilitators of the release of the wealth of the wicked into Kingdom initiatives.
Tags: Abide, Abiding, Abundance, Be Happy, Contentment, Discouragement, Faithfulness, Get out of the pit, Happiness, Happy Family, Happy Home, Happy Life, Happy Marriage, Happy Relationship, Joy, Life Crisis, Life Purpose, Life Trials, Living a Happy Life, Obedience, Overcoming Discouragement, Patience, Peace, Pupose in Life, Purpose of life, Seasons of Life, Solomon, Success, successful career, Surviving Life, Work Life Balance
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