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.

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.

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.

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.  

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?”

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.”

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. 

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 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! 

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!   

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. 

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.  

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!