WHAT CAN YOU DO WITH YOURSELF?

“I do not know what to do with myself” is a common complaint. You can’t do much with other problems until you deal with this one.

What JESUS did with Himself.  He used His life on earth for a purpose that was greater than the moment.

He kept the Father’s will always in mind.  Remember:  “He who sacrifices his conscience for a selfish ambition burns a beautiful picture to obtain the ashes.”

You can decide to correct some destructive habits:  jealousy, temper, etc.  Not easy, of course, but diligent effort will produce amazing results.

Try doing something that you know God will approve.  “All evil is due to unused life.”  (Erich Fromm) e H

Have you found rest for your soul?

“Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.”  Jeremiah 6:16

Our lives are determined by the choices that we make at the “crossroads” of life.  So we ought to examine the ideas that we are allowing to use us.  The prophet’s advice is to consider GOD, OUR CREATOR.  By honestly considering His word we can learn what He wants us to do.  Then by a willingness to put His commands into practice we find life that is fulfilling and productive…truly
“rest for our souls.”

Does this sound simple?

In fact, it is…quite simple but not superficial!!

There will never be a better time than the present for each of us to consider the commands and blessings of God.

Did you make a difference today?

In the dark days of World War II, Winston Churchill encouraged and challenged his people:

“There is a place for everyone, man and woman, old and young, hale and halt: SERVICE IN A THOUSAND FORMS IS OPEN. From the highest to the humblest task, all are of equal honor; ALL HAVE THEIR PART TO PLAY.”

These principles apply to each of us today.  You and I can make our part of the world better. Remember:  “Service in a thousand forms is open to each of us.”

So you and I must choose: to make a difference for good or to become a tool for evil to triumph by our simply doing nothing. 

Are these your characteristics of success?

Success depends upon our having eager minds rather than being satisfied with just turning the pages of the calendar.

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE EAGER MIND

1.      Promptness.  The eager mind is known for enthusiasm.  It is better for the pot to boil over than not to boil at all.

2.      Spirit of inner happiness.  This is found through a personal association with the Christ.  Jesus said, “The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.”  John 6:63

3.      Generous.  After all, “…for God loves a cheerful giver.”

4.      Steady and Persevering.  God will not examine us for medals but for scars obtained in active service.

Who is the center of your life?

“The trouble with the human race is that no one wins it.”

To win the individual has to choose to become mature or to remain childish.

CHILDISH:

Sheds tears over trifles...performs only if attention is received…takes the blessings of life for granted…no intense sense of obligation.  All of this adds up to being SELF-CENTERED.

MATURITY:

Sheds tears of concern…sympathy is your pain in my heart…fulfills the duties whether there is applause or not…maintains a sense of gratitude…recognizes the beauty of duty.  All of this adds up to be GOD-CENTERED.

GOD CENTERED = VICTORY

Want LIFE to CHANGE for the BETTER?

A famous scientist observed, “It takes an unusual mind to comprehend the obvious.”

It is obvious:

That communities would be better when the citizenry is willing to think about the future, to plan for it, and to work diligently for productive goals.

It is obvious:

When you and I look into a mirror, each sees one person who can contribute to whatever changes are needed.

Comprehension of the obvious:

I must be willing to become the CHANGE that I want to see.   

How are you shaping your tomorrow?

In a world that is always seeking to put you down, start each day with a conversation with GOD.  He believes in you.

Choose to make this a productive day.  Not always easy but possible.  God will help if you allow Him to do so.

Practice the art of cheerfully greeting people.  A smile is a gentle curve that sets lots of things right.

Compliment someone close to you.  Do not take for granted the good that is about you.

Remember what you practice today…either good or bad…will be vital in shaping YOUR TOMORROW.

OBSERVATIONS FOR EVERYDAY LIVING

There are two types of people in the world…those who are WISE and those who are OTHERWISE.  You and I choose our category.

The Wise don’t learn the tricks of their trade…THEY learn their trade.

Seldom is too much paid for a TOP PERFORMANCE.  However, a mediocre job is always too expensive.

A TOP PERFORMANCE makes for a good day.  A mediocre one for NIGHTMARES.

JESUS was a carpenter-craftsman.  I cannot imagine His doing a mediocre work.

Are you available?

God never asks about our ABILITY or our INABILITY…just our AVAILABILITY.

“I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?’ Then said I, ‘Here am I; send me.’”

OBSERVATIONS:

From Ripley’s BELIEVE it or not…a picture of a plain bar of iron…value $5. 

It can be fashioned: 

A pair of horseshoes -- $50

Sewing needles -- $5,000

As balance springs for fine Swiss watches -- $500,000!

The material is not what is most important.  The development of the material IS!

So it is with each of us…the choice is to be AVAILABLE for God to develop us as He knows best.  

We have hope...

“The Word became flesh and lived for a while among us.  We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”  John 1:14

This statement of historical fact gives us hope for the future regardless of the problems of the day.

The “Word” in this reading is the LORD JESUS CHRIST.  He came into our world in the flesh to be one of us.  He came to pioneer the way to life for us in this world and in the one to come.

THEREFORE:

He understands us…He cares for us…He will help us…He paid the price for our sins that we might know forgiveness…He has made eternal victory possible for us. 

Do you send for Him?

A sign in a cotton factory:

IF YOUR THREADS GET TANGLED, SEND FOR THE FOREMAN!

A new worker got her threads tangled. The more she tried to disentangle them, the worse the situation grew.  Finally, she sent for the foreman.  He asked, “Why didn't you send for me earlier?”  She replied, “I was doing my best.”  He answered, “No, your best would have been to send for me.”

When we face a tough situation, our first response should be to ask for God’s direction and help.  He longs to be our helper and to be fully involved in our lives. The coming of Jesus into our history is full proof of that.

THEREFORE:

Let us bring our troubles to God:  He will be up all night anyway.  “He will not allow your foot to slip; He who keeps you will not slumber.” Psalm 121:3 

DAYS OF TEARS AND SMILES

“A little girl was eating her breakfast when a ray of sunlight suddenly appeared through the clouds and reflected on the spoon in her cereal bowl.  She immediately put it into her mouth.   With a big smile she exclaimed to her mother, ‘I just swallowed a spoonful of sunshine.’”

A spoonful of sunshine is excellent ‘soul food’ for all of us.

And on those days when laughter is not possible…let us remember that God knows our sadness…God cares for our tears…God will compensate.  The coming of Christ is our assurance!

How did you use your time today?

GOD never requires us to do something without giving us time to do it.

Therefore PARENTS have years to teach and to inspire their children. (These years pass quickly so they must be used wisely.)

STUDENTS have several years to acquire knowledge for a productive future.  (These are fleeting years that must not be wasted.)

WE have THIS DAY to obey GOD.  (Tomorrow is uncertain!!!)

Each must ask, “Am I using the time that God has given to me…as He would have me to use it?”

CONSIDER...

CONSIDER:

For the future to hold something for you, you must have some faith in it.

Preparation for the future involves your willingness to remember your blessings with a spirit of gratitude.

The future is dim for the person who thinks with fears rather than the recognition that great strength comes from the realization of being “created in the image of God.”

Let the future be illuminated with this enduring key of the Holy Spirit: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”

Hebrews 13:8

TRYING TIMES ARE NOT TIMES TO STOP TRYING

A cynic stated, “Perhaps instead of resting on the seventh day, God should have erased.

You and I must remember:

TRYING TIMES ARE NOT TIMES TO STOP TRYING

The power of prayer remains regardless.  Let us pray for the leaders of nations…for others…for ourselves.

God can work through YOU.  Do not underestimate what He can accomplish through YOU.  A handful of God fearing people could have saved the wicked cities of Sodom and Gomorrah.

Appreciate the privileges of today: speaking encouraging words…helping another…smiling…counting your blessings.

“The world is a looking glass and gives back to each person a reflection of his/her attitude.”

What are you complaining about today?

IF I AM ALWAYS COMPLAINING ABOUT THE WAY THE BALL BOUNCES…I just might be the guy who dropped it.

IF I AM CONSTANTLY COMPLAINING THAT THINGS “ AREN'T THE WAY THAT THEY USED TO BE”…I should realize that neither and I!

Some insist on complaining because God put thorns on roses, while other praise Him for putting roses on thorns.

The habit of being a constant complainer is dangerous.  It can weaken your immune system and invite physical illness.  It diminishes your influence upon those who love you the most. So both of us need to determine that with God’s help we are going to defeat the temptation to be chronic complainers.

NOTE:  There are “legitimate complaints” because of the sorrows of life.  Let us help each other in working through these. 

A friend is one who sings our song when we have forgotten the words.

How often do you read the Bible?

Our forefathers built this nation with three tools:

AN AX, A PLOW AND A BOOK.

That book was the BIBLE.  Thomas Jefferson stated, “I have always said and always will say that the studious perusal of the
Sacred Volume, the Bible, will make better citizens…better fathers, better husbands…the Bible makes the best people in the world.”

In the Bible we find ourselves where we are, and if permitted, it takes us where we ought to go.  We may not be able to understand all that we read in the Bible but we can attempt to obey what we do understand.

An occasional taste of the Bible will not cause us to develop much of a taste for it.  Pertinent are these words of General Douglas MacArthur, “Believe me, sir, never a day goes by, be I ever so tired, but I read the word of God before I go to bed.”

What have you given today?

Thoughts from Albert Schweitzer:

“I do not know what your destiny will be, but one thing I know, the only ones among you who will be really happy are those who will have sought and found how to serve.”

Jesus taught, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”  He was not minimizing the joy that comes from receiving a gift.  He was deeply grateful for the gift of expensive ointment what was generously given to Him; so grateful that an eternal blessing was bestowed upon the “Giver.” 

Two blessings come from giving:

1.      The Giver’s heart enjoys a sensitivity that comes from closeness TO THE SAVIOR.

2.      The Giver’s head is enlightened with the sense of accomplishment THAT THE SAVIOR APPROVES.

                        The attitude of giving enables a person to do more than just earn a living…it directs to make truly a life as well. 

Do you really treat others as you wish to be treated?

“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”  So familiar are these words of Jesus…so intensely practical for your well being.

When you help someone up a hill, you’re that much nearer to the top yourself.

The best exercise for strengthening your spiritual heart is to kneel to help another stand.

Not only do you help that person but also you do wonders for your personality and your self-image.  In other words, you make it easier to live with yourself.

Since Jesus understands each of us completely, it is an act of wisdom to pay attention to His teachings!

When did you last 'help' someone cry?

EMPATHY…The capacity to participate in another’s feelings or ideas.

Carol Warner in her book, The Last Word, tells this story:

Her little girl was late arriving home from school so the mother began to scold her, but stopped and asked, “Why are you so late?”  “I had to help another girl. She was in trouble,” was the reply.  ”What did you do to help her?”  “Oh, I sat down and helped her cry.”

From Romans 12, “Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.

“To handle yourself, use your head;

to handle others, use your heart.”

We Must Choose...Everyday!!

I sincerely believe that you and I can make this world a better place.  Is that a non-realistic, sentimental view?  I don’t think so…

Harry Emerson Fosdick stated the terms of reality:  “Realism is degraded when it slips down into the idea that only ugly things are real.”

He continued:  “…some write novels…as though sewers were the only real things and that mountain streams are not…slums are real but so are humble and beautiful homes…Judas Iscariot is real but so is JESUS CHRIST. If a man is to be realist, let him be thorough about it.”

So this real world presents a choice to each of us today.  That choice is to determine whether we’re going to use our lives in terms of service or selfishness.  YOU AND I MUST CHOOSE…reality demands it. 

Are you willing to accept His invitation?

All of us think about the past and probably most of us are concerned about the future. (Pessimism declares that you learn to face the future by dreading one day at a time.)

The most important thing for all of us is to examine our hearts.  God wants each of us to develop our talents and to use our opportunities.  By looking within our hearts and by listening to God, we can make the future powerful instead of “dreadful”.

As far as the past is concerned, we can bring our lives to God to receive forgiveness…we can learn from the past…but we need to cremate and not embalm those items that are detrimental to dynamic living in the present.

God is willing to help each of us…the choice is ours to accept His gracious invitation. 

A better world begins with me...

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness…” 

Declaration of Independence

Freedom can be ushered in by liberty bells.  It can be ushered out by “dumb bells.”

Freedom means that I must recognize the importance of doing my duty just as I recognize the “rights” that belong to me.

There is a “discipline of liberty”.  That discipline requires that I consider my fellow citizens with courteous respect and honest living. That discipline requires that I constantly search my heart to develop those qualities that make for a better world.

“A better world begins with me…”

Do you talk to yourself or just say "Huh?" to the question?

One good think about talking to yourself is that you always have an attentive audience.

Each ought to ask:

SELF, WHAT ON EARTH ARE YOU DOING FOR HEAVEN’S SAKE?

SELF, ARE YOU MAKING YOUR CORNER OF THE WORLD BETTER?

SELF, ARE YOU BEING AS PART OF THE SOLUTION OR A PART OF THE PROBLEM?

SELF, ARE YOU GROWING THROUGH LIFE OR MERELY GOING THOUGH LIFE?

SELF, ARE YOU MORE CONCERNED ABOUT ADDING YEARS TO YOUR LIFE THAN YOU ARE OF ADDING LIFE TO YOUR YEARS?

SELF, ARE YOU WILLING TO EXAMINE YOUR PRIORITIES?

Is your disposition 'cloudy' or is it just the weather?

REMEMBER:

The three things that we crave most in life; happiness, freedom and peace of mind… are always attained by giving them to someone else.

This is why Jesus taught, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

PERSONAL EXAMINATION:

If I am miserable today, I need to formulate a spiritual gift list of items that I can GIVE:  items like courtesy, friendliness and sensitive concern.  Generous giving from this list will do much to alleviate my cloudy disposition. 

Love Never Fails

“Somewhere out there is a unique place for you to help others…a unique life role for you to fill that only you can fill.”  (Thomas Kinkade.)

The Holy Spirit describes the attitude of life that is truly mature.  He uses the word “love” as a synonym for the maturity that makes it possible for us to fill the unique role that God has assigned.

“Love is patient.  Love is kind.  It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.  LOVE NEVER FAILS.”  I Corinthians 13

Are you old?

Anyone who stops learning is old, whether this happens at 20 or 80 plus.

Anyone who keeps on learning not only remains young at heart, but also becomes constantly more valuable regardless of physical changes.

When you get discouraged with your efforts to keep going, remember these words of Thomas Edison.  He was describing the number of experiments that he had conducted before he succeeded in developing a successful light bulb.

"I have not failed.  I've just discovered 10 thousand ways that won’t work.”

Are you willing to try just one more time?

When I was in grade school, I heard the “old people” talk about my being in the awkward age of my life. (OLD PEOPLE being those past 30.) 

Now that I am 85 plus, I am aware that the real “AWKWARD AGE” is any time between birth and death.

Being awkward isn't so bad if you realize that you have the opportunity of being a little better today than you were yesterday.

SO FOR TODAY:

I will spend time in prayer to God.  Yes, I realize that I’m awkward in talking to HIM but He understands and listens anyway.

I am going to try to make my little part of the world a little better. Yes, I know that I've made lots of mistakes.  BUT IF I TRY TODAY, I JUST MIGHT DO SOMETHING RIGHT FOR SOMEONE ANYWAY! 

How is your 'gratitude attitude'?

GRATITUDE IS THE CONSCIENCE OF MEMORY…the person who enjoys much is the one who is grateful for the daily blessings that are so frequently taken for granted.

Being grateful doesn't cost much but it pays big dividends in friendship, goodwill and happiness.

SO TRY IT TODAY!

Polish up your gratitude ability.  Let it shine on others. The smile that you give…the kind word that you say…the courtesy you display…these simply actions make a difference.

Gratitude is an effective antidote for the poisoning effect of being always complaining…always finding fault…always being pessimistic.

A doctor said to her patient:  “The problem is you are allergic to yourself!”  The art of gratitude can cure this allergy!

Will you allow God to help?

“The tragedy of life is not in the fact of death, but in what dies inside while you live.”  (Norman Cousins)

These three words hold the key to LIVING rather than simply EXISTING:  FAITH, HOPE and LOVE.

Faith in Christ gives the foundation upon which we can rely for strength and direction.

Hope through Christ supplies the motivation to continue to seek for the worthwhile.

Love as demonstrated by Christ gives inspiration to make life an expression of service rather than a stagnant pool of selfishness. 

You and I have the awesome freedom of choice.

God will supply the thread if we will attempt to weave the worthwhile.  

Do you trust God to supply your wisdom?

          

“ I'VE SEEN THE FUTURE AND I DON’T WANT TO GO.”

Perhaps most of us feel that way at times.

However, we must remember there are victories possible in the face of difficulties.  God has not given up on the human race.  The coming of the Son of God into our history is proof of that.

We must remember there are young people who need us.  Yes, they need to see in us a spirit of determined hope.  They need to see us as adults acting our chronological age.

So when it seems there is nothing left to do, you and I must use our hearts and our heads in turning to God for wisdom. 

HE WILL SUPPLY!!

What are you thinking?!?!?

“Worry is a thin stream of fear trickling through the mind.  If encouraged it cuts a channel into which all other thoughts are drained.”  Arthur S. Roche

It is imperative to know what deserves attention and what should be ignored.

Don’t make mountains out of molehills.

YOU ARE THE ONLY PERSON IN THE WORLD WHO CAN USE YOUR ABILITY.

Daily your brain receives neurons of power…unless they are used, they decay…they cannot be stored.

A person has attained a degree of maturity with the recognition that the awkward age of being human is anytime between BIRTH and DEATH.

ALLOW GOD TO SHOW YOU HAVE TO LIVE!   

Francis of Assisi's Prayer

The prayer of Francis of Assisi (1181-1226)

LORD, make me an instrument of Thy peace;

where there is hatred, let me sow love;

where there is injury, pardon;

where there is doubt, faith;

where there is despair, hope;

where there is darkness, light;

where there is sadness, joy.

O DIVINE MASTER,

grant that I may not so much seek

to be consoled as to console;

to be understood as to understand;

to be loved as to love;

for it is in giving that we receive,

it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,

and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

Do you give up or keep on trying???

The greatest results in life are usually attained by simple means and the exercise of ordinary qualities.  These are for the most part summed up in two terms:

COMMON SENSE & PERSEVERANCE

Common sense reminds us that we have been created in the image of GOD!

It is the highest act of common sense to listen to our Creator.  He fully understands us.  He can supply wisdom that we need for all the circumstances of life.

Perseverance is that quality that says, “I must keep going.”  I realize that I fail…however; I must also recognize that the failure does not become fatal until I quit trying.

It is not so much that we fail when we try as it is that WE FAIL TO KEEP ON TRYING.

What kind of memories are you making?

”A man’s real possession is his memory.”

Memory allows me to go back to any moment that I choose, whether it is a spring day in grade school or an event a week ago.  As long as I cherish memories that are beautiful, exciting, productive, inspiring and truly worthwhile, I have reason to consider the true wealth of my life.

Memory also reminds me that I OUGHT TO BE DOING THOSE ACTIONS TODAY THAT WILL BE RICH MEMORIES TOMORROW.  Memory will never allow me to become a mere spectator in life.  This is one of the reasons that God has given this ability to each of us.

EACH MUST MAKE A CHOICE ABOUT USING THIS ABILITY!

LET US REMEMBER

Created in the image of God, we are creatures of both TIME and ETERNITY. It is our heritage to think about the future.

LET US REMEMBER:

“Language makes culture, and we make a rotten culture when we abuse words.”

It does not cost anything to use words that speak of dignity, of worth, of purpose, of respect.  It does not enrich our hearts to use words that are cheap, vulgar or obscene.

LET US REMEMBER:

Our children and our grandchildren are often reflections of the dignity or lack of it that we have demonstrated to them in our daily vocabularies. 

What have you done TODAY?

“Winning isn't getting ahead of others.  It’s getting ahead of yourself.”  (Roger Staubach, Legendary Dallas Cowboy quarterback)

The winner in life is the person who continues to develop her/his talents and abilities.  The winner is the person who wants to be better today than yesterday.

EACH OF US HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE A WINNER.

REMEMBER:  If what I did yesterday still looks big to me, I probably haven’t done much TODAY.  

How do you handle anger?

“If you are patient in one moment of anger, you will escape a hundred days of sorrow.”  (Chinese Proverb)

Irritations come daily. Often temper is held in a business setting only to be vented on a family member for a minor mistake.

Remember the word “anger” is only one letter short of the word “danger.”

Remember that trying to unsay some cutting remark is just about as easy as putting toothpaste back into a tube.

So you and I need to ask God for the wisdom to be patient in “the moment of anger.”  He promises to supply wisdom if we ask in faith and trust.

“Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no place for the devil.”  Ephesians 4:26, 27

Do you ever disappoint God?

It is better to show a person how to get on than to tell him where to get off.

By carefully pointing out what needs to be done, WE will encourage the other person to do a good job.  We are letting that person know of our confidence and trust. 

An expression of encouragement to a young person today could mean the difference between success and failure.

An expression of trust in a family member could create an atmosphere of love that would benefit all concerned.

God patiently teaches us “how to get on.”  He will supply the wisdom that WE need in making vital decisions of life.  He believes in US.  WE MUST NOT DISAPPOINT HIM.  

Practice Thinking!

If a person reaches a conclusion without reason, it is very difficult to reason him out of that conclusion.

About the only exercise some get is in stretching the truth, bending over backwards and jumping to conclusions.

So often the head is like concrete…all mixed up but very thoroughly set! 

HOW DO WE AVOID THIS SYNDROME?

Practice thinking.  Do not go through life hitting the nail squarely on the thumb.

Discover humility.  Humility is not thinking little of oneself…it is thinking of oneself little.

Set a goal. Yoga Berra stated, “If you do not know where you are going, you will be lost when you get there.”

Develop convictions. An examined life and an unexamined faith are invitations to emotional poverty.  

This is your hour...will you use it or lose it?

Today is the most important time there is because it is the only time in which you can act.  Yesterday is gone…tomorrow isn't here yet…so today holds the key to opportunities.

“Time is the most valuable thing that we can spend.” 

Thomas Edison

To condition yourself to spend time wisely:

            Set a goal to do something worthwhile.

            There are all sorts of needs around you.

            God will help if given the opportunity.

THIS IS YOUR HOUR…USE IT WISELY!