“There are no shortcuts to any place worth going to.”
Beverly Sills, opera singer
Quote
Be willing to do what you have to do and eventually you’ll be able to do what you want to do.
We the willing,
led by the unknown,
Are doing the impossible
for the ungrateful.
We have done so much
with so little for so long,
we are now qualified to do
anything with nothing.
“A vacation is what you take when you can no longer take what you’ve been taking.”
attributed to Earl Wilson
“All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy… and makes Jill a wealthy widow!”
Anon.
“The Bible plainly states many different times, “Do not worry” (Matthew 6:34). And to do what the Bible says not to do is a sin, plain and simple.”
Paul J. Meyer
Paul J. Meyer, Unlocking Your Legacy, 2002, Chicago Illinois, Moody Press, p.216
“The best way to kill your worries is to work them to death.”
Napoleon Hill
“Worry never robs tomorrow of its sorrow, but only saps today of its strength.”
A. J. Cronin
Christianity is founded on the sacrificial death and resurrection of Christ. Let’s look for a moment at the difference between Christianity and Islam on the death of Christ… ‘Death by crucifixion could be sped up by breaking the person’s legs. In Jesus’ case, this was not necessary, as he was already dead (John 19:33). ‘Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water’ (v.34). At death the clot and serum of the blood separates, and this would look like blood and water. John provides good medical evidence that Jesus was truly dead.
It may be that there were already people at the time arguing that Jesus did not really die, but only seemed to. This view came to be known as ‘docetism’ from the Greek word dokew, meaning ‘seen’. Mohammed was influenced by docetic views. The Quran states, ‘They did not kill him, neither did they crucify him; it only seemed to be so’ (Sura 4:157).
Bible in One Year 2020 with Nicky Gumbel, day 151
Everyone lives forever somewhere.
Andy Stanley
Good people don’t go to heaven, forgiven people do.
Andy Stanley
Christian Leadership Qualities
- The Christian leader has a clear vision: Vision is compounded of two complimentary things, namely a deep dissatisfaction with what is and a clear grasp of what could be. It begins with indignation over the status quo and grows into the earnest quest for an alternative… One might say that apathy is the acceptance of the unacceptable, whereas leadership begins with a decisive refusal to do so. How can we tolerate what God finds intolerable?
- The Christian leader feels deeply about his vision. It is not enough to see the present situation as displeasing to God and to discern how it could be changed. We must also feel both indignation and compassion.
- A Christian leader seeks support from both God and human beings. Prayer and action are not alternative options. Nor are they incompatible with each other. They belong together, and either without the other is dangerously unbalanced.
- A Christian leader develops a realistic plan. They become thinkers, planners and workers. People of vision need to become people of action… In true leadership vision and action, a dream and a plan go together.
- A Christian leader attracts a following. Indeed, the very word leader implies this. The leader takes the initiative, but he persuades others to join him. Of course, some leaders in history have been strong individualists. The authentic leader, however, inspires people to follow his lead, for he sees his task as a corporate enterprise.
- The Christian leader refuses to be discouraged. Once a work of God begins, opposition can be expected. The forces of reaction muster, and hostility comes out into the open. Indeed, discouragement is the chief occupational hazard of a leader.
John Stott, 2006, Through The Bible Through The Year, Abingdon: Candle Books, p.129-131.
You have been, perhaps, in a maze, and you know how difficult it is to find your way to the centre. But sometimes there is one perched aloft who sees the whole of the maze spread out before him like a map, and he calls out to you to turn either to the right or to the left, and if you attend to his directions you soon find the way. Even so the maze of life is only a maze to us, but God can see it all. He who ruleth over all, looks down upon it as men look down upon a map; and if we will but look to him, and if our communion be constantly kept up we shall never err, but we shall come to the goal of our hopes right speedily by following his voice.
Spurgeon
www.spurgeon.org/resource-library/sermons/a-happy-christian/#flipbook/ (accessed 3/9/2020)
There is something uniquely wonderful about gathering as God’s people to worship him on his day. It’s not just that we get to see one another or to learn from the Bible (although those things are, of course, both wonderful too). The Lord is very clear that, when we gather as church on Sundays, we actually get to meet with him in a way that almost defies description and simply isn’t replicated elsewhere (see how Hebrews 12:22-24 describes it if you think that’s over the top). Meeting together is also the best way we can encourage one another to keep going, and growing, in faith. So, no wonder the Lord warns us so clearly not to neglect meeting in these ways (Hebrews 10:23-25).
https://abch.churchbuilder.org.uk (accessed 10-2020)
God invented giving!
Charles F. Stanley writes:
It’s safe to say that the questions I’m most frequently asked as a pastor involve the issue of God’s will. People often ask, “How do I know what the Lord wants me to do with my life?” Or, “When I have two options, how can I know which way the Father wants me to go?” I’ve also found that never are believers more concerned about God’s will than during times of waiting—when we desperately want to know what He’s up to and whether He’ll answer our prayers.
King David was able to endure through all his adversity because he understood that it was the Lord’s plan for him to be king of Israel (1 Sam.16:1-13). And Abraham was able to be patient because the Father had promised he’d have many descendants and become a great nation (Gen. 12:2). Though I’m sure the delays were extremely difficult for these two men, they could hold on to the Lord’s assurances about their eventual blessings. Unfortunately, the long intervals of anxious anticipation can be even more challenging when you’re not really sure where God’s taking you or what He’s planned for your life.
Perhaps the issue of God’s will has been heavy on your heart. You know His plans for you are good, but what are they? Do they really include the fulfillment of your dearest hopes and dreams? Is there any way you can be certain?
Friend, please be assured the Father wants you to know His will for your life. In fact, I wholeheartedly believe that if you genuinely desire to follow Him, He’ll move heaven and earth to show you His will. How can I say this for certain? Because in order for you to accomplish the good goals God’s designed for you to achieve, you must know what He’s called you to be and do (Eph. 2:10).
Think about it. If you had a son and you wanted him to help with the dishes, would you wait for him to figure out what to do on his own? Of course you wouldn’t. You’d teach your son how to properly wash dishes. Then you’d express your expectations about how often you’d like for him to do so. You’d direct him carefully. And if he forgot your instructions, you’d be sure to remind him.
The same is true for your heavenly Father. He prepares you to do His will, equips you to carry it out, then leads you in accomplishing it. It’d be completely out of character for God to hide His plan or refuse to help you achieve it. Instead, the Lord promises, “I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you” (Ps. 32:8). The Father wants you to make the right decision. So just like a Shepherd lovingly steers a lamb who’s prone to wandering, He trains you to listen to His voice, prods you, calls to you, protects you, and even disciplines you in order to lead you in the way you should go (John 10:2-4).
Not only will the Father guide you, but in Jeremiah 29:11, He assures: “I know the plans that I have for you … plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.” In other words, you don’t have to be afraid that there’s only heartbreak ahead. God’s purposes for you will bring you contentment, satisfaction, and success. Though you’ll most likely face times of adversity—as we all do—you can be sure in those seasons that He’ll “cause all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose” (Rom. 8:28). You can be especially confident in the waiting seasons of your life that God is leading you and engineering all circumstances for your ultimate benefit.
Charles F. Stanley, 'Waiting For God' devotional, day 5 of 8, YouVersion
Christmas wasn’t a beginning for Jesus, it was a becoming!
Death hurts but it’s not the end… we don’t mourn as those who have no hope.
Jesus appealed to all the tired, weary, and burned out, and simply said, “Come, find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (…) And yet, his imagery of an “easy yoke” is a bit odd. Far removed from an agrarian economy, we forget that a yoke is a tool for work; it was used to harness oxen together to plough a field. That sounds like the last thing a burned-out worker needs – the tired among us don’t want a yoke, we want a vacation!
But Jesus is wise beyond comprehension; he gets – better than we often do – that life is an unending series of burdens. There’s no way around the weight of responsibility that is life this side of resurrection. What we need isn’t an escape from that weight, but a way to carry it with ease and joy. That’s what Jesus offers – a way to carry the weight of life with a straight back and smile on your face.
John Mark Cromer
‘The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry’ reading plan on You Version, day 5 of 5
Dr Derek Prince wrote: ‘I am simple-minded enough to believe that it happened the way the Bible described it. I have been a professor at Britain’s largest university [Cambridge] for nine years. I hold various degrees and academic distinctions, and I feel in many ways I am quite sophisticated intellectually, but I don’t feel in any way intellectually inferior when I say that I believe the Bible record of creation. Prior to believing the Bible I have studied many other attempts to explain man’s origin and found them all unsatisfying and in many cases self-contradictory. I turned to study the Bible as a professional philosopher – not as a believer – and I commented to myself, “At least it can’t be any sillier than some of the other things I’ve heard,” and to my astonishment, I discovered it had the answer.’
UCB Word for Today 16/02/2021
If your life is worth living it’s worth recording! Get into journaling.
The road called “Someday” leads to a town called “Nowhere”.
The world is full of dream crushers and idea killers.
Business professors Gary Hamel and C.K. Prahalad wrote about an experiment conducted with a group of monkeys. Four monkeys were placed in a room that had a tall pole in the centre. Suspended from the top of the pole was a bunch of bananas. One of the hungry monkeys started climbing the pole to get something to eat. But just as he reached out to grab a banana, he was doused with a torrent of cold water. Squealing, he scampered down the pole and abandoned his attempt to feed himself. Each monkey made a similar attempt, and each one was drenched with cold water. After making several attempts, they finally gave up.
Then researchers removed one of the monkeys from the room and replaced him with a new monkey. As the newcomer began to climb the pole, the other three grabbed him and pulled him down to the ground. After trying to climb the pole several times and being dragged down by the others, he finally gave up and never attempted to climb the pole again.
The researchers replaced the original monkeys, one by one, with new ones, and each time a new monkey was brought in, he would be dragged down by the others before he could reach the bananas. In time, only monkeys who had never received a cold shower were in the room, but none of them would climb the pole. They prevented one another from climbing, but none of them knew why.
Perhaps others have dragged you down in life. They’ve discouraged you from dreaming. Maybe they resented the fact that you wanted to move up or to do something significant with your life. Or maybe they were trying to protect you from pain or disappointment. Either way, if you’ve been discouraged from dreaming, take heart. It’s never too late to start dreaming and pursuing your dream.
John C Maxwell
John C Maxwell, ‘Put Your Dream to the Test’, 2011, Thomas Nelson: Nashville Tennessee, p.xiv-xv
Numbers matter because people matter!
Be more concerned with your character than with your reputation. Your character is what you really are while your reputation is merely what others think you are.
Dale Carnegie
Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy!
Dale Carnegie
Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no help at all.
Dale Carnegie
If you want to make friends, make it a point to remember them. If you remember my name, you pay me a subtle compliment; you indicate that I have made an impression on you. Remember my name and you add to my feelings of importance.
Dale Carnegie
Are you bored of life? Then throw yourself into some work you believe in with all your heart; live for it; die for it, and you will find happiness that you had thought could never be yours.
Dale Carnegie
If we think happy thoughts, we will be happy. If we think miserable thoughts, we will be miserable.
Dale Carnegie
One of the most tragic things I know about human nature is that all of us tend to put off living. We are all dreaming of some magical rose garden over the horizon, instead of enjoying the roses blossoming outside our window today.
Dale Carnegie
When we are thinking about making a change or taking a step in a new direction, we often feel fearful, scared or insure. When this situation occurs ask yourself these four questions:
- Is this (whatever the event or circumstance) going to kill me?
- Am I going to go totally broke and not be able to feed myself or my family?
- Am I going to hurt anyone?
- If I don’t try this, or do something different, will anything change?
If you answer “no” to these questions, then answer these next four questions:
- Can taking this step improve my life?
- Have I or anyone I know ever been in a similar circumstance and got through this ok or even been better off?
- Am I scared because I feel I can’t accomplish this, or are my old limiting beliefs holding me back?
- Is this step or action what a successful person would do?
If you answer “yes” to any of these questions, then you know your answer is to go for it.
It will only be Good Friday for the people who repent and receive the mercy which flows from the cross.
We don’t have to be ‘good enough’ we just have to be ‘honest enough’… to admit our sins and ask God to forgive us in Christ.
To improve your problem-solving abilities: (1) Find the right strategy. Sometimes it’s hard to solve a problem because we don’t know how to tackle it. Try using the acronym T.E.A.C.H.: Time – take the time required to discover the real issue. Exposure – find out how others have solved similar problems. Assistance – don’t do it all alone, let others help you. Creativity – brainstorm numerous solutions. Hit it – execute the best solution. (2) Surround yourself with problem solvers. ‘He who walks with wise men will be wise’ (Proverbs 13:20 NKJV).
Word for Today, 15/10/22