Study

More Valuable

Maggie — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 17:00:00 GMT

A Time to Think
"Make us ever eager, Lord, to share the good things we have.

Grant us such a measure of Your Spirit that we may find more joy in giving than in getting."

— John Hunter

To Act
Celebrate the unique gifts that you bring to the world.

To Pray
Lord, help me to remember in thought and prayer those whom You have brought into my life.

~ Daily Thoughts from Guideposts
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I am so blessed to be able to 'talk' with you via email messages, and I so miss you when you don't write. I remember the days we had a 'party line' phone (now, if YOU remember those days too, you're confessing your age !! We had no 'FAX', no cell phones, no computers, but yet we kept in touch through phones and actual mailed letters. I miss those days because

they represent the best and most personal of having 'long-distance friends' !! Now a-days, it's so easy to get wrapped up in the day-to-day living, that we forget to 'keep in touch' with those who think of us, and who pray for us.

1 Thessalonians 2:8
"We loved you so much that we shared with you not only God’s Good News
but our own lives, too."

Proverbs 18:24

"There are 'friends' who destroy each other,
but a real friend sticks closer than a brother."

Therefore, I write to let you know that you are in my thoughts and prayers, and I pray you receive God's richest blessings.

Are you upset little friend?
Have you been lying awake worrying?
Well, don't worry...I'm here.
The flood waters will recede, the famine will end, the sun will
shine tomorrow, and I will always be here to take care of you.

~ Charlie Brown to Snoopy ~

We all have been besieged with so very many 'happenings' in this country.... There is so much to cry about, and to pray for. Some have been hit directly, others know of those who have been effected, others know of no one personally, but are still saddened regardless.

It is in times like these that we NEED to share with each other and to band together as friends, as a country, to stand together as a nation, to pray together as God's family.

Hope you have a lovely, prayerful, SHARED day. Maggie

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Ephesians 6:12

"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places."

When folks go through 'tough times', there's an old saying, "You really out find who

your friends are." Also, "friends are the angels who lift you when you forget how to fly"...

More Valuable Than A Fortune

~A MountainWings Original~

I sat in the dark.

Most mornings at five, I am up in prayer. I sit in the dark
downstairs in a sound isolated room that used to be a home
recording studio vocal booth. No noise enters from the outside

so that I can hear the quiet inner voices clearer.

I thought about material things. Not the desire for more or the

plans to make more.

I thought about the meager times versus the times of plenty.
I have lived on both extremes. For years, I earned less than

minimum wage. Now I am in the top tax bracket.

My first car was a 1966 Corvair. Not Corvette, Corvair. I paid

$125.00 for it. It leaked a trail of oil everywhere that I drove.
I now have a luxury car whose key costs more than my first car
and my motorcycle costs more than my first four cheap vehicles.

My first home was a condo. I paid $21,000.00 for it. That was

cheap even when I bought it. My home now is far larger and

more expensive.

I sat in the dark and thought about all these things.

I am a rather content and happy man. I honestly would not

trade places with anyone on earth even if I had the power to do

so. Yet, as I thought of all these things and the vast change in

material status, realization dawned.

I was happier with the cheaper things. Not even a private jet

would bring as much joy as my mini-bike.

As you grow, both in age and wisdom, the power of the material
to bring you true joy diminishes. Material things fade and turn to

dust, both in the natural and in the spirit.

Relationships and their power over the human spirit endure.

True love grows and remains just as strong and is even enhanced
as the years march by.

God spoke into my spirit as I sat in the dark and reflected. As I

thought about it during the next two days, it grew stronger and I

saw the truth of it even clearer. I repeat it for you now.

A friend is more valuable than a fortune. You will be called upon

to help a friend in trouble. What kind of friend will you be?

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Choose Friends Wisely

The company you keep has such an influence on your spiritual life. Fellowshipping with godly people will help speed you on to victory, while fellowshipping with those who are ungodly will drag you down to defeat.

That's why the Bible has some things to say about your friends. That's why it tells you to separate yourself from the world. Because evil companions will corrupt you.

Now, I'm not talking about ministry. Jesus Himself ministered to sinners. You have to mix with them to preach to them and pray for them. What I'm talking about here are the people you choose for friends.

If you want to walk in the things of the Lord, don't choose friends who walk in the things of the devil, people who talk and act ungodly, who don't give God any place in their lives. They'll pull you down. As you rub shoulders with them, you'll expose yourself to temptation. You'll get so familiar with sin it will start to appear less repulsive to you. Sooner or later, you'll fall into it. So choose your friends wisely. Fellowship with those who call on the Name of the Lord out of a pure heart.

(2 Timothy 2:22). Expose yourself to their love and peace. Let their faith rub off on you!

- Kenneth Copeland

This Is The Day

Maggie — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 12:13:00 GMT

When the alarm goes off, what's the first thing you think? For me, it's usually, "Oh, no...
Wish I could sleep another three or four hours." Now, granted, I usually do not go to sleep
until at least midnight, and most nights, it's three or four o'clock before my mind 'shuts down'. However, the 'amount' of sleep you get should never cast a shadow over the fact that you have another
day; that you should thank the Lord; that He is with you always, no matter how little sleep
you've had, no matter what difficulties await you.
                                 Hope you have a great, reassuring day. Maggie

    Psalm 118:24 -   "This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it."

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                                                               Time to Think
       "Plant a word of love heart-deep in a person's life. Nurture it with a smile and a prayer,
                                             and watch what happens." — Max Lucado

To Act
Nurture what you love.

To Pray
I will use this day as You would have me use it, Lord, and I will be glad in it.

~ Daily Thoughts from Guideposts

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Coffee Break

"Help In The Storms"

"And He was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake Him,

and say unto Him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?" Mark 4:38

Have you ever noticed that you can be "sailing" smoothly through life then all of a sudden a storm seems to come out of no where and threatens to destroy your life? When a storm hits our life and tries to turn our "boat" over, there are four things that we learn from this situation that the disciples found themselves in that we need to put into practice.

1) When you are in a storm, remember that you are not in it alone- Jesus is in the storm with you. "And he was in the hinder part of the ship."

2) Don't just remember that Jesus is with you, but remember WHO He is that is with you. "And He arose, and rebuked the wind, And the wind ceased." (v.39) We tend to forget that He is the All-powerful, Creator of the Universe and that with Him nothing is impossible. The disciples remembered that Jesus was with them- they woke Him up for help- but they forgot WHO Jesus was-- God in the flesh. "And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?" (v. 41) In remembering who He is, also remember that not only is He more powerful than the storms that rage against you, but He is the one who loves you! The disciples accused Him of not caring about them. "They awake Him, and say unto Him, Master, carest Thou not that we perish?" (v. 38) Never let your situation convince you that He doesn't love you or care about you. If you ever doubt His love for you, just take a look back at the cross. He went to the cross because of His great love for you.

3) Don't hesitate to ask Him for help. "They were filled with water, and were in jeopardy. And they came to Him, and awoke Him, saying, Master, master, we perish." (Luke 8:23,24) Never think that what you are going through is too big or too small for Him to handle. Never think that you are going to "bother" Him with your problems. Never think that He is too busy to come to your aid. He is always waiting and ready to help His children when they call. That is why He says for us to ask so that we might receive. And that is why we have not when we ask not.

4) Put your trust and faith in the Lord. "Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?" (v.40) It's one thing to acknowledge His presence and His power to protect and deliver in the storms, but it has to go one step further. You must put your faith in Him-- in the fact that He will do what He says He will do.

Storms of life come, but if we will put into practice these things we will not drown in them.

Have a great day. The All-powerful God who speaks peace to the storms is in the boat with you, so ask for His help because He loves and cares for you.

For further reading:

Romans 5:8

John 3:16

James 4:2

Matthew 7:7

Luke 8:22-25

Mark 4:35-40

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Coffee Break is written by Lorraine Ezell

About the Master's Business Ministry, Inc.

www.mastersbusiness.org

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ATTENTION READERS

Maggie — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 15:26:00 GMT

First, thanks to all who read my website. I really am grateful. However, I need to say that
I shall not 'endorse' any product, even if it's 'slipped in' to a comment on any article. I really
do appreciate those who take the time to write a genuine comment, but there are a few who write different ones on the same individual article, and include specific websites of their own, probably believing I will not catch it. Most of these are not the type of sites/blogs I would ever visit myself, therefore would never make it seem that I endorse them. To those of you who are doing that, with the same email address, or the same IP address, I ask that you refrain in the future. Again, to those who genuinely read and enjoy www.takecaregodbless.com, I thank you. Maggie

Leave It Behind

Maggie — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 14:30:00 GMT

Have you ever heard the expression, 'Don't beat yourself up over it' ??? That's a category I fall into often, and have all my life. I was raised to believe, well in nearly every incidence, that if something was 'amiss', it was surely my fault. I still battle with that to this day, although as I age, I've tried to learn that although we can try our best to have a positive effect on, and a blessing to, everyone with whom we come into contact, that's not always possible, and to let it go. However, I shall continue to pray for all.

Matthew 10:14
"If any household or town refuses to welcome you or listen to your message,

shake its dust from your feet as you leave."

Hope you have confirming and joyous days always. Maggie

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How To Leave Past Mistakes in the Past

At times, we all make mistakes. In remembering our personal past, we are reminded of embarrassing and depressing situations.

Wasn’t Moses trapped by his past? For 40 years, wanted for murder, he hid in the desert (Exodus 2:11-3:6).

Charmed by the beautiful Bathsheba, King David committed adultery and homicide (2 Samuel 11:1-17). This lay heavily on his heart until he found forgiveness (Psalm 51).

The Apostle Paul storms onto the pages of the New Testament hauling Christians off to jail (Acts 8:3).

The Bible’s saints made mistakes and committed sins that could have destroyed their usefulness. Yet they triumphed over their past. So can you.

How? Say with the Apostle Paul, “Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13-14).

Whenever you do something wrong, confess it, as David did, and experience God’s forgiveness. "Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin." — Psalm 51:1-2

After confessing to God, make amends as best you can. And believe the Bible’s clear teaching that God’s providential hand is in everything that happens. He can weave even our wounds and mistakes into the pattern of his ongoing purpose. “In all things God works for the good of those who love him…” (Romans 8:28).

~ from Guideposts

Bogged Down

Maggie — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 17:11:00 GMT

Coffee Break

"Bogged Down"

"Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh." Romans 8:12

Have you ever been "bogged down"? The term means to "be stuck"; "cause to slow down"; "grind to a halt.". Years ago we lived on a creek so we spent a lot of time enjoying the sand bar and water. At times you could be walking along on the sand and all of a sudden you would step onto a soft place and bog down- we called these soft spots "quick sand". Once you got in one you would sink to your knees. Getting out was very difficult, especially if it was a large area. You would have to try to pull your leg out and try to make a step with your other leg, and usually it would bog down too. You would have to keep trying to make steps, one after the other, until you could finally get back on solid ground.

There are several things that can bog you down physically- mud, quick sand, snow. People can get "bogged down" in their thoughts and in their emotions. You can also get bogged down by pressures on your job- added work when you haven't finished the first assignment.

There is another area of being "bogged down" that I want to discuss this morning. It is something that will bog you down spiritually to keep you from advancing in victory, in knowing God's purpose for your life and in fulfilling your destiny. It's your own flesh. Your flesh is like a "boggy" place. It wants to suck you in and get you stuck so that you can't move or go anywhere in your walk and relationship with the Lord.

The more time you spend catering to your flesh, the more time you spend giving into its wants and desires, the more time you spend entertaining it, the more time you spend feeding its appetites, lusts and desires... the more "bogged down" you will become. It is like that quick sand that I described earlier. It will get a strong hold on you and won't let you go- you'll be stuck! And you will have to struggle and work hard to get yourself out. (And believe me, the flesh doesn't let go easily.) The only way that it will let go of its hold is through death. The flesh has to die.

Are you wondering why you feel like you aren't making any progress? Do you feel like you aren't going anywhere and wonder why you are at a stand still? Are you struggling but not advancing? Perhaps it is your flesh that is bogging you down? I described above what we would have to do to get free from the areas of quick sand. To get ourselves free from the flesh that has caused us to get stuck/bogged down is by denying it. The more we deny our flesh, the more freedom from it we have. The more freedom we have from it, the less power it has over us. The less power it has over us, the harder it is to get bogged down. The harder it becomes to get bogged down by the flesh, the easier it is to live in the spirit.

Have a great day. Is your flesh bogging you down? Then get unstuck by denying it, crucifying it and yielding to the Spirit.

For further reading:

Romans 8:13; 6:6,7

Galatians 2:20; 5:16,17,25

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Coffee Break is written by Lorraine Ezell

About the Master's Business Ministry, Inc.

www.mastersbusiness.org

Trustful Decisions

Maggie — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 17:07:45 GMT

A Time to Think
"Each day comes bearing its own gifts. Untie the ribbons."

—Ruth Ann Schabacker

To Act
Every day, try to be a little wiser than you were the day before.

To Pray
Lord, it’s hard to make a decision that will affect my future. Help me to trust You to guide me wisely.

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The Economy, the Economy, the Economy..... Recent polls indicate that is the number one concern
of the American people. The word is defined as, "financial affairs: the production and consumption
of goods and services of a community regarded as a whole; careful, thrifty management of resources,
such as money, materials, or labor." However, I believe, from what I hear on a personal level, that folks are the most concerned about how 'the sluggish economy' affects them in particular.

I know of many, many cases in which the monthly bills are due and there's no money in the bank.
Of course, this causes extreme stress and gigantic depression, further exasperating the problem. People feel helpless in this situation, and that's certainly understandable. Of course I
firmly believe in prayer, and I definitely trust that all things are in God's plan and by His time. Unfortunately, creditors simply do not 'take that' as a 'payment due'. My Daddy used to say, "We can only do what we can do." That sounds so simplistic, but it's spot on. If we have depleted all 'earthly' sources as possible, if we have indeed done all we can physically do, then what we need to do is take a deep breath and turn it over to the Lord.

I know that I've told this scenario before, but it seems to fit in here:

Back during the Depression, a man and his wife would put all their bills into a hat, then when he got paid, they would draw out the bills - one at a time - and pay them until the money ran out. One particular creditor was hounding them unmercifully, and finally the man told him, "If you don't back off, I'm taking your bill out of the hat!"

Reread the 'To Pray' above.

Joel 3:14,16

   "Thousands upon thousands are waiting in the valley of decision.
      There the day of the Lord will soon arrive.
    ........... But the Lord will be a refuge for His people,
      a strong fortress for the people of Israel."

When Jesus died and arose, we all became 'His people'. He loves us, He cares for us. After all, 'we can only do what we can do' in any situation, and if we've done that, then we must turn it over to the Lord and take peace in His shadow.

Nahum 1:7

    "The Lord is good,
      a strong refuge when trouble comes.
      He is close to those who trust in Him."

Hope you have a peaceful, reassuring day. Maggie

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Coffee Break

"Thy Will"

"Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven." Matthew 6:10

"Thy will be done". How often we pray this simple pray. But praying it and saying it is one thing, while meaning and following it is another. It's easy to say, "Let Your will be done", but what happens when the will of God conflicts with our will. What happens when His will takes us in a direction that we would not choose? What happens when His will doesn't line up with our plans and agenda?

When we say, "Thy will be done", we usually mean as long as it takes us to the "palace" not the "pit"; an "oasis" not the "desert"; the "mountain top" not the "valley". But the will of God doesn't always take us into bright, sunny, pleasant places. Remember Jesus was lead into the wilderness by the Spirit. And what about the cross- it was the will of God.

The will of God will often take us into places that we would not choose for ourselves. The places where His will would take us are not always easy- often they are hard. So what do we do then? How easy is it to submit to His will then? Do we surrender to His will or do we totally ignore it and fulfill our own will?

The will of God may not be a pleasant place at the moment, but it is taking us somewhere. For Joseph the pit was the first stepping stone to the palace. For Jesus the wilderness was the place where He got victory over the temptations of the flesh and empowerment for the work He was sent to do. For Jesus the cross, though it looked like a place of death, actually was the place that provided an open door to eternal life.

We need not fear or draw back from the will of God when it takes us into unpleasant places. We just need to submissively follow His will and trust that through it He is working all things together for our good and that even the unpleasant places are stepping stones that take us from glory to glory.

Have a great day. God's will is not always in accordance with our will, but choose to follow His will because it is taking you to a greater plan than you have for yourself.

For further reading:

Matthew 4:1-11; 26:39 - "Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted there by the devil. For forty days and forty nights He fasted and became very hungry. During that time the devil came and said to Him, 'If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become loaves of bread.' But Jesus told him, 'No! The Scriptures say, ‘People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God'.

"Then the devil took Him to the holy city, Jerusalem, to the highest point of the Temple, and said, 'If you are the Son of God, jump off! For the Scriptures say, ‘He will order His angels to protect you. And they will hold you up with their hands so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone'.

"Jesus responded, 'The Scriptures also say, ‘You must not test the Lord your God'.

"Next the devil took Him to the peak of a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 'I will give it all to You,' he said, if You will kneel down and worship me'.

“Get out of here, Satan,” Jesus told him. “For the Scriptures say, ‘You must worship the Lord your God and serve only Him.’”

"Then the devil went away, and angels came and took care of Jesus."

"He went on a little farther and bowed with His face to the ground, praying, 'My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from Me. Yet I want Your will to be done, not mine'.”

2 Corinthians 3:18 - "So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like Him as we are changed into His glorious image."

Romans 8:28 - "And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them."

<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><

Coffee Break is written by Lorraine Ezell

About the Master's Business Ministry, Inc.

www.mastersbusiness.org

Gratitude: Pathway to Permanent Change

Maggie — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 11:16:00 GMT

Gratitude: Pathway to Permanent Change

Michael Zigarelli

It’s a timeless question: How do I become more like Jesus Christ? What can I do to develop authentic Christian character—to be patient and kind, to have joy and inner peace, to be gentle, compassionate, self-controlled, and forgiving? What can I do to truly care about people and to love them as God does? How can I finally—and permanently—become a better person than I am today?

There are a lot of answers to these questions. Good answers. Helpful answers. Theologically sound, exegetically elegant answers. Answers that can forever alter the trajectory of your relationship with God and people.

This article attempts to offer some further insight into this consummate discipleship question from an empirical angle. I studied the beliefs, behaviors and character attributes of 5,000 Christians worldwide, using a methodology applied regularly in the social sciences: Compare the “gold medalists” to the “silver medalists” and see what really distinguishes the champions. In other words, for this study I compared a group of what I call “high-virtue Christians” (i.e., people who consistently display “fruit of the Spirit” virtues) to a group of “average-virtue Christians” to see what makes the high-virtue Christian different.

What I found surprised me. Of all the possible explanations for why some Christians look more like Jesus than others, one explanation—one characteristic—clearly stood out above the rest: gratitude.

In Christian circles, when we discuss the question of how to grow in godliness, gratitude is seldom identified as one of the usual suspects. Rather, we’re quick to cite Bible study, prayer, worship, fasting and a host of other spiritual disciplines. And this is why the finding surprised me. In this research, the largest study on the subject to date (of which I’m aware), a mindset of gratitude dwarfed the practice of any or all such disciplines as an explanation for how Christians go from average in virtue to consistently high in virtue; that is, as an explanation for why some of us consistently display “fruit of the Spirit” virtues (Gal. 5:22-23) and others do not. Before I get to the evidence, let me explain why this happens.

Gratitude is a “Parent Virtue”

Centuries ago, the philosopher Cicero argued that among virtues, gratitude is “the parent of all the others,” a virtue that begets other virtues. There seems to be a lot of truth to that claim. Growing one’s gratitude appears to have a radical and transformational effect on character because it is one of God’s primary vehicles for inducing (or “parenting”) other Christian qualities. Stated from a Christian worldview, gratitude is a vehicle that makes us better, more Christ-like people. Call it a “parent virtue,” call it “the gratitude effect,” call it miraculous, call it whatever you’d like. Regardless the label, gratitude is a powerful disposition that provides us with a very efficient, very effective mechanism for developing myriad character traits. Want more inner peace? Work on gratitude. Want more patience? Work on gratitude. Want to be more compassionate? You get the idea.

Gratitude does all this by setting a new thought context for processing our circumstances in life—a context of an abundant life. A context where everything we have is a gift. A context where we see clearly all that we really do have in life, and where we recognize that things could always be worse. Within this context, our view of the entire world is different and we are suddenly empowered to be the people God calls us to be—to more deeply love God, to love neighbor, and to love our own lives. To be authentic salt and light at home, at work, at church, and everywhere else.

This theory of gratitude as a parent virtue derives not only from ancient philosophers like Cicero, but, not surprisingly, from theologians as well. Exegetes of the Hebrew Scriptures, the New Testament and even the Qur´an have all seated gratitude as central among virtues. What may surprise some people, though, is that contemporary social scientists have also advanced and empirically-tested this theory, concluding that gratitude “stimulates moral behavior” and encourages people to behave in a “pro-social manner.” Stated more concretely, they have shown that gratitude is positively related to such critical outcomes as life satisfaction, vitality, happiness, optimism, hope, empathy, and the willingness to provide emotional and tangible support for other people, while being negatively related to anxiety, depression, and overall disposition. Collectively, such studies present credible evidence that feeling grateful generates a ripple effect through every area of our lives, potentially satisfying some of our deepest yearnings—our desire for happiness, our pursuit of better relationships, and our incessant quest for inner peace and contentment.

Pop psychology has piggy-backed on these research findings, introducing gratitude to the mass market as a potential panacea. Simply peruse the self-help section of any major bookstore these days and you’ll find that many of the best-selling books propagate the premise that gratitude is a key to joy, to replenishment of the soul, to inner transformation, and to blessing others with our lives. “Gratitude journals”—diaries with little more than flamboyant artwork and blank, lined pages—flank these best-sellers on each side. Now these journals have become best-sellers, too.

Given all this, it should be clear that what I report in this article regarding the effects of gratitude is not new information. Quite the contrary, it’s old and very public news. It’s news that’s been around for millennia. But that’s a testimony to its merits. The advice to cultivate character through growing gratitude is time-honored wisdom that transcends generations, cultures, and religious traditions.

Growing Gratitude by Disciplining Your Mind

Much of the above reasoning may ring true for you. We’ve all experienced moments in life when we suddenly become cognizant of the enormity of blessing in our life. A narrowly-averted collision with a tractor-trailer. A momentarily-lost child at the store. A news segment about some illness that’s plaguing a third world country. A phone call at three a.m. that, contrary to our fears, is not tragic news, but only a wrong number. An eye-opening missions trip to a destitute area. A clarifying moment of watching our children sleep.

A wave of thankfulness quickly follows such events and lasts for as long as we remain mindful of the blessing. During that time, we experience significant manifestations of Christian virtues. We become more Christ-like in our disposition toward everyone and everything. But—and most of us have experienced this as well—the empowerment vanishes as suddenly as it appeared, and we’re back to being the people we were before. The transformation, while welcome and wonderful, was fleeting. That’s the nature of gratitude. It’s a generator of other virtues, but only so long as it exists.

I found that one of the major secrets to success for “high-virtue Christians”—those who are most consistently Christ-like—is that they have mastered the art of maintaining a grateful disposition. Gratitude is simply part of who they are, rather than being some sporadic, refreshing occurrence. How do they do it? How do they nurture and sustain a grateful spirit?

In a sentence, they think differently from the way many of the rest of us think. The mind of the high-virtue Christian, it seems, is a disciplined mind, a pure and godly mind. A mind that is adept at immediately clearing away sinful thoughts. It is a mind that is focused on what one has rather than what one does not have. A mind that refuses to think in terms of what’s missing from life—in terms of how much better life could be “if only…” Instead, the high-virtue Christians in my study want what they have. They are fully content with what’s been conferred upon them, and they frequently thank God for their blessings.

Let’s look at the evidence regarding what goes on inside the heads of high- versus average-virtue Christians. First, more than half of the high-virtue Christians in my study (53%) say they always or almost always try to immediately clear sinful thoughts from their minds. That’s a tough thing to do, much less to do almost all the time! By comparison, this is true for fewer than one in five average-virtue Christians (18%). In other words, high-virtue Christians are about three times more likely to consistently insulate their minds from the junk that undermines most of us. Their minds are conditioned to eradicate the incubators for ingratitude—envy, jealousy, greed, lust, and so on. That’s one of their secrets to success. High-virtue derives, in part, from high gratitude and high gratitude begins with taking charge of the thought life.

That’s especially true for thoughts that drift toward envy, since envy is the chief assailant of gratitude. The more we desire what other people have, the less satisfied we become with what we currently have. Thus, in an envious frame of mind, we are blinded to God’s providence, ungrateful for what He has done, and ungrateful for what He continues to do in our lives.

In general, I found that high-virtue Christians, more so than others, reject this kind of thinking. Not all of them have completely repudiated envy, but more than two out of three high-virtue Christians (68%) say they “rarely” or “never” desire what others have. By contrast, more than half of average-virtue Christians (55%) report being envious “sometimes,” “often” or “always.” As such, many of them remain in a mindset that steals their gratitude and with it, the myriad virtues that are the descendents of gratitude.

What do high-virtue Christians think about instead of entertaining envious thoughts? Where are their minds during their day-to-day routines? Here’s a striking statistic that reveals one of the key differences between high- and average-virtue Christians: Four out of five high-virtue Christians consistently remember throughout the day how God has blessed them. Only two out of five average-virtue Christians say they do this.

One might reasonably ask at this point: Are these people thanking God more than others do because they are well-off financially? Because they have more material possessions? Because they have more temporal assets than do others? These are not the reasons for their gratitude. In fact, I found that gratitude may be related to having fewer worldly goods. By far, the most grateful group in this study are those who identify themselves as “black,” and given the generally lower socio-economic status of blacks as compared to whites, this is interesting evidence that material possessions are not what drives and sustains a grateful heart.

What does drive gratitude is proper perspective. Seeing clearly. Remaining mindful moment-to-moment of what God has bestowed upon you. High-virtue Christians are perpetually aware of their bountiful life, regardless of what that life entails. They have trained their minds to think about the abundance in their lives rather than the insufficiencies. And it is this habit—a habit of keeping perspective—that transports them to the next level of gratitude and of character.

This is information that can change our lives, as it has for many throughout the centuries. Everything can be different starting tomorrow if we begin implementing these recommendations. So to facilitate that transformation, it might be helpful to encapsulate these findings into a one-sentence, bottom-line summary: The most fertile ground for growing gratitude is a thought life that purges sinful thoughts before they fester, that eradicates envy, and that replaces these thoughts with reminders of how richly blessed one really is. The Apostle Paul apparently had the same answer, but stated it more succinctly and more powerfully: “take captive every thought and make it obedient to Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5). Indeed, perpetual gratitude begins with a renewed mind.

Practical Recommendations for Growing Gratitude

There is more that can be said, though. In fact, one must say more lest we make the common mistake of pointing people in a direction without furnishing the means by which they can traverse the journey. The question still remains: How does one gain this new mindset? Besides meditating on the blessings in my life and taking captive envious thoughts, what else can I do to train my mind to be more grateful? There are some practical habits that Christians have found to be valuable for growing and preserving a grateful disposition—habits that sustain them to regularly see life in the context of what they do have rather than what they don’t have. Let’s look at a few of these.

Grow Gratitude through Keeping a Gratitude Journal

I did not test this proposition in my study, but almost unanimously, commentators both in and out of Christian circles suggest keeping a “gratitude journal.” This is a daily diary that focuses exclusively on the blessings in your life thereby re-centering you on God’s providence. Beyond that, a journal permits you to look back over several days, weeks, and months to review the numerous blessings that you might have forgotten had you not written them down.

Donald Whitney speaks to this point in a fine chapter on the practice of journaling. Among his many helpful insights, he says:

Many people think God has not blessed them with much until they move it all to a new address (and have to pack up all their stuff)! In the same way, we tend to forget just how many times God has answered specific prayers, made timely provision, and done marvelous things in our lives. But having a place to collect all those memories prevents their being forgotten.

Moreover, from the world of social science we find budding evidence of the value of gratitude journals. In an experiment using undergraduate students, those students who kept gratitude journals on a weekly basis reported more progress toward their personal goals, exercised more regularly, were more optimistic about the upcoming week, and felt better about their lives as a whole compared to those who kept weekly journals of hassles or of neutral life events.

Many claim there is power in the spiritual discipline of journaling, so to grow gratitude, you may want to give it a try. If you do, remember that there’s no one right way to do this. Just use a format that you find helpful. You don’t need to buy a special edition, full-color, twenty-dollar journal at your local bookstore. You don’t need to be concerned about whether your writing makes sense. You don’t need to worry about why you are grateful for these things. Just let the words flow.

The standard recommendation is to log five blessings per day. List more, list fewer. The exact number is not important. Just list some daily. For the first couple weeks, the blessings you list may be a bit repetitive from one day to the next. Over time, though, people generally find themselves including in their journal many new and formerly unrecognized gifts from God.

No one can say what you’ll discover through this process; however, one thing is almost certain. Through keeping a gratitude journal, you’ll probably grow your gratitude and through that, you’ll likely grow many other Christian qualities as well.

Grow Gratitude through the Disciplines of Periodic Fasting and Confession of Sin

I should note at the outset that one can certainly grow gratitude without fasting. In fact, looking at the most grateful one-third of Christians in my study, a high percentage (78%) say that they do not fast regularly. But I also found that fasting is one of the practices that can help people cultivate a strong and persistent feeling of thankfulness. Overall, there is a patent, positive relationship between periodic fasting and one’s level of gratitude. We see from Figure 1 that people who have lower levels of gratitude are not in the habit of fasting and that people who have higher levels of gratitude are much more likely to be fasters. In fact, by the time we get to the high-end of the gratitude spectrum, about fifty percent of these most grateful Christians say that they have made periodic fasting a habit.

This finding is consistent with traditional Christian theology which regards fasting as, among other things, a reminder that we do not live by bread alone (Matthew 4:4)—that it is not food that sustains us, it is God. And as we recall that teaching anew through fasting, we may feel more appreciative and more grateful to our Sustainer.

It is easy to experiment with this phenomenon for yourself. Just try going without food for a day and instead, use your mealtime for prayer or some other God-centered activity. You’ll likely enhance your appreciation for the gift of food and the sustenance of God. Perhaps you’ll better appreciate other things we take for granted as well.

The same linkage exists between confession of sin and greater gratitude. Why would this be? It is likely that regularly bringing our sin before God reminds us of both our flaws and God’s grace. The combination of contritely admitting sin and knowing it has been cleansed will automatically generate feelings of thanksgiving. The relationship works the other way as well: A stronger spirit of gratitude toward God leads us to a greater willingness to bring our sins before Him … which leads to more cleansing … which leads to more gratitude on our part … which leads to more willingness to bring our sins before Him, and so on. It’s a theory of an upward spiral—a theory that is now bolstered by this finding of a positive association between confession and gratitude.

Grow Gratitude by Habitually Praying for the Poor

This study also found a connection between remembering the poor in one’s prayers and growing in gratitude. Figure 2 graphically illustrates the almost linear relationship. The trend is remarkably consistent. Those who more frequently pray this type of prayer report being more grateful in life.

This happens, in all likelihood, because when one prays for those who have less, one is reminded of how much tougher his or her life could be. The practice not only comports with a scriptural mandate for intercession (e.g., 1 Timothy 2:1, John 17), it essentially serves as a corrective to keep one’s own life in perspective. Our frame of reference becomes the impoverished widow, the hungry child, the jobless father, the disease-ridden infant, the refugee forced from home by war, the third-world neighbor without electricity or running water. Praying daily for these people is a practice that illuminates our own existence in the blazing light of God’s providence, and as a result, we experience a stunning series of reversals. Envy gives way to fulfillment. Resentment gives way to contentment. Complaints give way to praise. The catalyst through it all is gratitude, borne of a clearer perspective that’s generated by reflecting on the poor.

Growing Gratitude by Creatively Developing Your Own Habits

The common thread in these gratitude-generating habits
is that they all yield fresh perspective on our life circumstances. With this in mind, you can develop other habits that work specifically for you—habits that will have
a powerful effect on your own perspective. Habits that remind you of just how good things are, or of how much worse things could be. And it doesn’t matter if they seem like strange habits, if others might not understand their connection to gratitude, or if they are not sanctioned by some religious body somewhere. What does matter is that you develop habits that engender an attitude that you are richly blessed by God.

To stimulate your thinking, let me share two habits that I’ve adopted. Some might say they’re peculiar habits, but I prefer to think of them as novel and pragmatic. Regardless the characterization, I offer them as examples of creative solutions that can grow gratitude daily.

Novel Habit #1: Whenever I see the number 518—whether on a digital clock, a license plate, an address, or somewhere else—I immediately thank God for my wife. Strange? On the surface, it might seem so. But the idea is prompted by Proverbs 5:18 which says: “Rejoice in the wife of your youth.” So I make it a practice to rejoice, to give thanks to God for my wife, when I see the number. I could do this without the numerical reminder, of course, but I’ve found that for me, having a mechanism like “518” to trigger my thanks ensures that I rejoice this way more often than I would otherwise. In fact, it usually happens between five and ten times each week. And then, like a boomerang, the thanks comes right back to me. I actually feel more grateful for my wife through this simple expression of gratitude to God, and that positively affects my character in her presence.

If you’re married, you might want to try something like this. Make it a habit to thank God for your spouse. It will likely grow both your level of gratitude and your marriage at the same time.

Novel Habit #2: This sounds morbid, I know, but it works remarkably well for me. I’ve made a habit of scanning through the obituary section of the newspaper every day
or two. I look at the pictures of the deceased. I contemplate the pained words of their loved ones. I pay special attention to the people who have died early in life. Through this uncomfortable activity, I’m reminded of both the preciousness and the brevity of life. And my perspective is often different—clearer and perfected—when I turn the page.

In a similar vein, I’ve tried to pay closer attention when I hear or read some news story about people who have little, whether they are local folks or people on the other side of the globe. Occasionally I make some time to visit Web sites that illuminate the plight of those in dire straights. As I do, I make mental notes of the statistics cited on such sites (e.g., 800 million people in the world suffer from malnutrition and hunger; 24,000 die everyday from hunger or hunger-related diseases). The strategy is the same as with the obituaries: I try to expose myself to moving reminders that I am exceedingly blessed.

The Connection to God-Centeredness

As explained above, gratitude is a parent of the other Christian virtues. More so than with any other virtue I’ve studies in this project, people who have a grateful disposition are likely to also experience inner peace, joy, patience, kindness, faithfulness, self-control, compassion, and the ability to forgive. Similarly, without gratitude, one is less likely to see those other virtues manifest in his or her life.

I’ve also described some habits that develop the kind of disciplined mind that grows and sustains gratitude. However, it’s important to remember that fundamentally shifting your outlook from “I want” to “I have” takes time and perseverance. For those of us who seek quick results (and that may be the majority of us), this endeavor is fraught with setbacks and frustration.

The good news, though, is that you need not pursue this change by yourself. God is your ally in this transformation. As you grow closer to God, the many habits that generate gratitude become natural. For example, the recommendations advanced in this article—discipline your thought life, thank God throughout the day, keep a gratitude journal, fast periodically, regularly confess sin, pray for the poor—are an outgrowth of that divine relationship. So let me close with a word of caution: It would be imprudent to engage in some gratitude-growth program apart from God. Instead, if you want to become perpetually grateful—if you want to experience long-term transformation in your thinking—imitate one final strategy of high-virtue Christians: Engage in this gratitude-growth program in tandem with a broader agenda to become more God-centered than you currently are. As you do, you’ll find that God’s gift of gratitude is a pathway to permanent change and to the life you’ve always wanted.

~ Excerpted from Cultivating Christian Character: How to become the person God wants you to be and how to help others do the same.

Trust God's Hidden Hand

Maggie — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 23:23:00 GMT

Isaiah 41:10
   "Don’t be afraid, for I am with you.
      Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God.
   I will strengthen you and help you.
      I will hold you up with my victorious right hand."

This is my favorite Scripture because it 'speaks' to me directly. I grew up being a 'worrier'.
I've had the awful, dreaded

'clinical depression'. I has raised feeling weak, discouraged,
and fearful. However, whenever I turn to the Lord, I know that I'm strong and have the
victory. So, when I say, "Been there, done that, and own the T-shirt", that's exactly what
I mean.

Hope that you have wonderful days filled with strength and victories. Maggie

_____________________________________________________________________________

A Time to Think
"Worry is a thin stream of fear that trickles through the mind, which, if encouraged,

will cut a channel so wide that all other thoughts will be drained out."

—Author Unknown

To Act
Remember that life is not a competition, it is a journey.

To Pray
Teach us, Lord, to trust Your hidden hand, leading in ways we may not understand.

~ Daily Thoughts from Guideposts

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"Worry and faith cannot occupy the same space" ~ Patrick Thibodeaux

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Coffee Break

"Can't Hide"

"Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the Lord.

Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the Lord."

Jeremiah 23:24

The verse above lets us know that even if we deliberately tried to hide ourselves from God and remove ourselves completely from His view, it would be impossible. He is everywhere- including the place where you would be hiding.

Nothing is hid from Him. Nothing can be hid from Him. Not your problems, not your pain, not your tribulation-- nothing. Not your sin, not your weaknesses, not your evil doings. Not your good works and deeds, not your obedience to His commands. There is nothing and no one who can hide from Him- whatever you do, good or bad, He sees it all. That should be comforting to those who are going through hardships and difficulties- your situation is not hid from Him. But for those who are not living the way they should be, this should compel you to make some changes.

If you are among those who are wondering if God sees what you are going through. If you are wondering if He sees the problems you are facing- take heart, He does-- neither you nor the situation is hid from Him.

Have a great day. God sees everything and everyone- nothing can hide from His all seeing eyes.

For further reading:

Hebrews 4:13

Psalm 139

Proverbs 15:3

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Coffee Break is written by Lorraine Ezell

About the Master's Business Ministry, Inc.

www.mastersbusiness.org

Just Do It

Maggie — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 23:21:17 GMT

A Time to Think
"When we come to the end of life, the question will be,

'How much have you given?' not 'How much have you gotten'?"

— George Sweeting

To Act
Put aside your fear of failure and replace it with effort towards your goals.

To Pray
Lord, show me how to make every activity of every day a doorway into Your presence.

Over the years, folks have told me I have 'artistic' ability. I did minor in Art Education, and used to paint a great deal. However, with raising kids, the strokes, etc., I've abandoned it completely. A couple of weeks ago, Ronnie and I were watching 'Texas Country Reporter' and there was a segment on blind artist, John Bramblitt. *(see his website:* http://sightlessworks.com/) *We were fascinated, and I checked out his website (above). On it, I saw that his original paintings were for sale, as well as* prints. Checking out his 'gallery' brought more amazement to me. I've decided that as soon as my shoulder heals, I am going to return to a segment of my life, even though it's been years and years since I picked up a brush, and begin doing art. *I thought about this promise I had made to myself when I read the 'To Act'* above, and about the best Scripture for me, which blesses me always.** Isaiah 41:10 "Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with My victorious right hand."

"Put aside your fear of failure and replace it with effort towards your goals."
Hope you have great days, and think about something which blesses you to do, that gives you a sense of fulfillment, and just do it !!! Maggie *www.takecaregodbless.com*

A Purpose to Live For........

Maggie — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 12:03:00 GMT

Psalm 4:4

"Don’t sin by letting anger control you.
Think about it overnight and remain silent."

Psalm 141:3

"Take control of what I say, O Lord,
and guard my lips."

Ecclesiastes 7:9

"Control your temper,
for anger labels you a fool."

The above Scriptures greatly blessed me. A lot of you know that my ancestors, my 'heritage', is Irish, French, and Italian.. ..... giving me the undesirable 'trait' of an explosive temper. Ronnie, on the other hand, does have some French in him (well, duh. 'Thibodeaux'), but mostly English with a touch of Dutch, giving him a more calm, level-headed personality.

Yesterday evening I got an email which angered me, and I immediately wrote back a scorching reply. However, I read the email 'out loud' to Ronnie, then my 'intended' reply. Fortunately, Ronnie told me just let it slide and not 'say' anything for which I'd later be sorry. Then, he quoted Marilyn (his sister) saying, "Build a bridge and get over it". So, begrudgingly,

I took his advice, and this morning, I'm so glad I did.

'Self help' books? The Bible and God's Word have all the answers, including how to stay strong and find peace. The daily 'news' may 'concern' us, but the bottom line is that God's always in control. Hope you have a peaceful day. Maggie

________________________________________________________________________________

A Time to Think
"A faith to live by, a self to live with, and a purpose to live for."

— Bob Harrington

To Act
Each night be still and let your surroundings, your home, bring peace to your soul.

To Pray
Lord, thank You for the mysteries that remind us that You are in control and that we are deeply loved.

June 19, 2010

"The end of a matter is better than its beginning. . . ." Ecclesiastes 7:8

It was five minutes to seven on a rare Saturday morning off from work when I heard knocking on my front door. I buried my head in the pillow. Please, God, let it just be a dream. But it wasn’t. Drowsily, I lumbered to the door and peeked out of the spyhole. My new downstairs neighbor was standing there. “Open up! It’s an emergency!”

I flung open the door, wide awake now. “What’s wrong?”

“Water is gushing from your apartment into my bedroom!”

We rushed around my apartment, checking the kitchen and the bathroom, flinging open closets, dropping to the floor to check for wet spots. Nothing. “Let’s go downstairs,” I said, “to check your place.”

In her bedroom she pointed to a drip so tiny that it would have taken twenty-four hours to fill a teapot. “This is the torrent?” I asked. “Call the manager.” I raced upstairs and went back to bed.

Five minutes later there was more knocking.

“What now?” I asked.

“I can’t find the landlord’s number. Please call him for me.”

So I did, and finally, half an hour later, I fell into a sound sleep.

That night I told my friend Claire what had happened: “And she woke me up! And she said it was gushing! And it was nothing! And I had to call the landlord! And we searched my apartment! And it was from the roof and didn’t involve me at all—”

Claire put her hand gently on my arm. “Linda, she was a frightened young woman, who’s probably never lived alone. To her, the drip was a big deal. Now I’m going to write down something that’ll calm you. Keep it in your wallet.”

“What is it?”

She handed me a yellow sticky note: “Thank God there’s no leak.”

God, when I get upset over nothing, remind me about that sticky note.

By Linda Neukrug

Daily Thoughts from Guideposts