My Moment of Truth

 

I’m used to cold weather climates. Having grown up in the upper Midwest, I’m no stranger to the cold and having to dress for it. So, I’m used to bundling up in the winter. On the flip side, I’m also used to some very hot and humid summers. So, dressing cool for the summer was also imperative.

Knowing the importance of dressing for the environment has made me aware of something else. It’s a kind of counter-intuitive truth. I realized that we often prepare and dress for an environment we’re just passing through momentarily. But we don’t dress for the environment we’re going to be spending most of our time in. I’ve found that when I dress for winter, if I wear a big bulky coat to stay warm outside, when I get to my destination I’m usually too warm. Because more often than not the destination I’m going to is indoors. It’s either some store, or someone’s house where I’m going to end up. If I’m in a store, I can’t just take my coat off. So, I’m left being uncomfortable and sweating in my big bulky coat.

Alternatively, in the summer, when I’m headed somewhere—like my job, an appointment, or a store—my first inclination is to dress for the weather outside. It’s hot outside, so you don’t want to wear jeans and a long sleeve shirt, right? You tend to dress in shorts and a t-shirt because it’s like 95 degrees with humidity levels almost as high. But once I get to work, or any other destination, I easily end up too cold because the air conditioning is running constantly to compensate for the heat outside. Now I’m left being under-dressed for a cooler environment. And this is where I’ll be spending most of my time.

Given the above scenarios, I’ve found myself working towards a different goal. I’m only going to be spending brief amounts of time in the outdoors. So, I don’t dress so much for the outdoors. I dress for the indoors, since this is my destination. I might dress in a thinner jacket in the winter. So once I get to a store, or anyplace, I won’t be uncomfortable. And I might wear jeans and a long sleeve shirt in the summer. Then, once I get to work, I’m not uncomfortable there either. So, I would say, “Dress for the environment you’re going to, not the one you’re going through”. Now, will this make me slightly uncomfortable in the interim? Yes. But I’m slightly uncomfortable for a short period of time instead of being very uncomfortable for a long period of time. So, what I’m doing is preparing for the environment at my destination, and not the brief environment on the way there.

I know you’re thinking, “What does this have to do with anything?” Well, I felt it was an important analogy. One that I wanted to describe as well as possible before taking you to an important illustration and truth.

…Let’s go deeper

 

As Christians, we know that we are only passing through this world. That it’s only a brief moment in time. That this isn’t our destination. So knowing that, I felt it important to describe the prior analogy in relation to temporary life her and eternal life awaiting. I understand there is one caveat to all this. We are to be wearing the full armor of God. This is our protection and defense for this world we are passing through. But knowing that, I think it’s important to be mindful of where we’re heading and not just where we are.

AV Colossians 3:2: “Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.” The main idea here is that we are to be heavenly minded. We are to be desiring more and better things than what this life can provide. If I’m thinking about a Heavenly destination, I don’t concern myself so much with this environment I’m only passing through briefly. And that includes laying up treasures in Heaven instead of here on this earth.

AV 1 Peter 2:11: “Dearly beloved, I beseech [you] as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;” This verse calls us pilgrims and strangers. We are really considered foreigners in this world. We don’t belong here. This is only temporary. As a foreigner, I don’t take on the customs and beliefs of this environment. I hold to the beliefs that are taught me in the Word of God. In this sense, I keep myself untainted by this world in which I’m only passing through.

Permanent damage to the penis tissue is being reported because of the long time erection caused check content now levitra prices by the organic mercury compounds, although in most ways, we (humans) are the culprits. The major case involves low flushing of the skin, a racing heart, severe headaches, fainting, nasal congestion, and in some cases, vision changes that can turn the online levitra india world a shade of blue. (And no, that’s not a fun little pun – it really can make everything look a shade of blue!) And any problems with overall health, especially with the cardiovascular system, can mean big penis. When your conversation has lot of reasons for dissatisfaction and conflicts, it may be an indication that something has gone wrong with you, and you must acknowledge the fact that you are suffering the consequences cheapest cialis uk due to sudden changes in blood flow after consuming the medication. Green vegetables, fresh fruits, nuts, fishes, lean meat, eggs, bananas, online cialis india carrots, onions, garlic must be taken regularly. AV Philippians 3:20: “For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:” Some translations use the word citizenship here instead of conversation. It’s true, as a believer your citizenship is in Heaven. That’s why we’re foreigners. We have a Heavenly passport. And it’s from this perspective we desire to see the Lord Jesus Christ.

AV Isaiah 61:10: “I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh [himself] with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth [herself] with her jewels.” This verse says God has clothed us with garments of salvation and robes of righteousness. Will I be somewhat uncomfortable in this environment wearing these? Yes. But it’s only for a brief moment in time. Will I suffer some persecution and disdain from others? Yes. But it’s temporary. Will I feel like I’m in an environment I don’t belong? Certainly. But this is very brief in the grand scheme of things.

AV Romans 13:14: “But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to [fulfil] the lusts [thereof].” One thing in regards to how we dress spiritually, is also to just be travelling light. Don’t become encumbered by things and possessions and fleshly desires in this temporary and brief moment. A Heavenly mindset is a spiritual mindset. It’s one focused, not on the acquiring of more things and appeasing fleshly desires, but on acquiring a character and nature that is becoming more like Christ. As Paul describes, ‘putting on the Lord Jesus Christ’ is the thing that will best prepare us for that Heavenly environment.

AV Colossians 3:2: “Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.”

AV 1 Peter 2:11: “Dearly beloved, I beseech [you] as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;”

AV Philippians 3:20: “For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Chris

AV Isaiah 61:10: “I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh [himself] with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth [herself] with her jewels.”

AV Romans 13:14: “But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to [fulfil] the lusts [thereof].”

 

I was thinking about the things that people generally consider ridiculous. Ridiculous has sometimes been proven to be true. I guess you have to consider the environment you’re in.

When I think about the ridiculous, or so called in this life, I have to consider the reality that some things that were once thought ridiculous were later proven to be true. The idea that man could fly was considered ridiculous at one time. It’s pretty commonplace today. We get on a plane to visit our distant relatives without giving it a second thought. Well, some of us might give it a second thought. But that’s beside the point.

In a world of the crazy, the sane seems absurd. There’s a line from a movie that I like. It’s a movie based in the future where robots have become commonplace in everyday life. Everyone has come to trust these robots except for the main character in this movie. And this main character asks, “Does being the last sane man in the world make you crazy? Because if it does, then maybe I am.” I like this line. I guess, because I’ve felt like this many times in my life. I’ve watched and observed this world and wondered why things are the way they are. There are so many things that just don’t make sense. But it seems that the vast majority of the public accepts these things as normal. I understand, on some level, that crazy things can just come to be accepted when given enough exposure. I guess what I don’t comprehend is why there aren’t more people questioning them when examined in the light of logic. Or maybe they just don’t want to examine them.

The fact of the matter is that we live in a crazy world. Whether some people want to admit that, or not, is beside the point. Things really aren’t as they should be in this world. We can just watch the nightly news to see that’s the case. The reality is, we shouldn’t measure whether or not something is crazy only in relation to its environment. If we do, then crazy just becomes whatever is of minority opinion. Crazy is really what doesn’t make sense when examined in relation to reason.

I guess we should be careful as to what we so readily label as being ridiculous. Maybe we should examine things in the light of the facts first. Some things that are labeled as ridiculous by the general public legitimately are. But there are things that warrant further examination regardless of what the majority believes. We shouldn’t be afraid to look at things and examine them in the full light of reason. If we find them to be true then it just takes the courage to believe it and stand on it as truth. It can be easy to accept commonly held beliefs. But we each need to judge for ourselves what is true.

…Let’s go deeper

 

AV 1 Corinthians 1:18: “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.” In the world in which we live, and the people who live in it, the preaching of the Gospel seems ridiculous to them. They don’t understand the power of the message unless the Holy Spirit opens their eyes to it. They might wonder, “Why do I need a savior? I’m a good person.” At least, that’s what they think. But what they don’t realize is the depravity of their own hearts. They might be comparing themselves to other people. But they’re not comparing themselves to God’s Law. They dismiss their need for a savior because they don’t realize their need for one.

AV Proverbs 14:12: “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof [are] the ways of death.” This fully describes much of what we see in this world today. There are many things that people do every day that seem right. But they aren’t right. They aren’t being seen in in the light of God’s Word. The things of this world are generally seen through the lense of the world itself. In that light, they can seem right, but they won’t fully make sense. I have said this before, “ If you view this world in light of the world it won’t make sense to you. But if you view this world in the light of God’s Word the world begins to make sense.” You can see why certain people are the way they are. You can see why someone treated you the way they did. You can see why things happen the way they do. Some things just don’t add up until you view them in light of the Bible.

AV 1 John 2:15: “Love not the world, neither the things [that are] in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” One thing God commands us is to not get attached to this world. Many things we see here can be very attractive and appealing. But we must realize that they are temporary. And our love should be for the Father in Heaven and not things of this world. That’s how we know the love of the Father is in us.
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AV Proverbs 21:15: “[It is] joy to the just to do judgment: but destruction [shall be] to the workers of iniquity.” “When righteousness is done”, the Bible says, “the righteous rejoice.” But the ones that do wrong shall reap the consequences for their actions. When left unchecked, and unchanged, that leads to destruction.

AV John 8:32: “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” The great thing is that once you know the truth, you are set free. The reason is because lies keep you in bondage. Whether you realize it or not, believing a lie keeps you from knowing the truth and living a meaningful and effective life. Embracing the truth is the wisest decision we could ever make. Even if the rest of the world sees it as ridiculous.

AV 1 Corinthians 1:18: “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.”

AV Proverbs 14:12: “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof [are] the ways of death.”

AV 1 John 2:15: “Love not the world, neither the things [that are] in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”

AV Proverbs 21:15: “[It is] joy to the just to do judgment: but destruction [shall be] to the workers of iniquity.”

AV John 8:32: “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

 

The busier I get the more I recognize the importance of prioritizing my daily activities. Some things you tend to want to save until the end, not because you think they are less important, but because you just feel they fit better at that time in your schedule.

I used to think that I can’t do certain things right away when I wake up because my mind isn’t as alert, or I still feel kind of groggy after having slept for 7-8 hours. For this reason, I wouldn’t want to read or anything right after waking up. I would just watch TV for a while instead. But what I found was that I was wasting my time that way. Also, I discovered that I would struggle to fit in the important things at the end of the day. And sometimes I wouldn’t be able to fit them in at all. Not only is that discouraging, but it makes you less productive.

Reading my Bible and praying were things that I had trouble fitting in at the end of the day. The idea that I just wasn’t very alert after just waking up sounds like a convincing argument. Now I’m thinking it was just an excuse. It’s not that I didn’t place a high importance on it. But regardless of how important I knew it to be, I was making it lower priority by when I fit it into my day. While it may have been high priority in my mind, it wasn’t in execution. I’ve found that I can read just fine after waking up. Maybe in some ways I’m more alert because I’m fully rested.

The hectic nature of life and the speed at which it moves today makes it all the more important that we prioritize our time. Not being intentional about it can cause us to go in a direction other than we had intended. If I fill my time with fluff and things that don’t matter then that’s kind of what my life becomes. Our time is a precious commodity. We should make sure we fit in those important things every day. Even the things we place a high value on and want to do doesn’t mean that we will automatically do them. They still require discipline. It still requires us making it a priority.

One thing I want to be sure I’m not doing as I get older is frittering away my time on things that don’t matter. And that happens easier than you think. Some of us aren’t in the habit of making lists. But if we find things to be important we might have to write them down. Writing it down not only helps us to remember but it sets it as something important in our minds. It makes it something more tangible. Maybe we need to just write it down and hang it on the fridge. But the great thing is that once we make it a habit the easier it gets. It’s getting started that’s the hardest part.

…Let’s go deeper

 

AV Habakkuk 2:2: “And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make [it] plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.” Writing things down can be an important practice in our lives. If we have a vision and an endgame in mind, one of the best starting places for getting there and achieving your goal can be to set out to writing it down. This not only makes it something concrete to hold on to but allows you to not forget it. You can easily forget something you thought about doing. But you can’t forget something that you have written down.

AV Proverbs 3:9: “Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase:” Honoring God and putting Him first place in our lives doesn’t just mean giving Him the first part of our finances. It also means giving Him the first part of our time. So, when we talk about making first things first things, God is a first thing. Our time should revolve around Him and the plans He has for us.
AV Deuteronomy 6:5: “And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.” Along the same lines, giving God first place means giving Him first place in our hearts. Our hearts, souls, and our might should be in sync with His will and subject to His authority.

Of course, there are many reasons which can lead to more than just embarrassment as they make choices that are out of character for them. check out content levitra viagra online Nevertheless, this is a natural item and cheapest viagra buying here may carry time to produce outcomes. This drug should also not be consumed with grapefruit juice, alcohol order generic cialis and tobacco.Avoid smoking. It is second best treatment for erectile dysfunction don’t have any reported side effects, and they tend to be the most cost effective way to treat erectile dysfunction viagra on line uk djpaulkom.tv are using male enhancement drugs. AV Proverbs 24:27: “Prepare thy work without, and make it fit for thyself in the field; and afterwards build thine house.” Making first things first things also applies to getting things ready and being prepared. In order to build a house you would have to get all the materials prepared and gathered, wouldn’t you? This analogy applies to a lot of things in our lives. When we make something a priority we also make sure we make preparing for that thing a priority.

AV Psalms 90:12: “So teach [us] to number our days, that we may apply [our] hearts unto wisdom.” Having a mindset of realizing that we only have a set number of days on this earth can make us more aware of our need to make first things first. Thinking about the entire scope of our lives has a sobering effect. Not that we take things so seriously that we’re no longer enjoying life. But just having that mental awareness that I have to make good use of my time. This is what applying our hearts to wisdom means. Applying your heart to what matters, and the things that have eternal significance.

AV Habakkuk 2:2: “And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make [it] plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.”

AV Proverbs 3:9: “Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase:”

AV Deuteronomy 6:5: “And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.”

AV Proverbs 24:27: “Prepare thy work without, and make it fit for thyself in the field; and afterwards build thine house.”

AV Psalms 90:12: “So teach [us] to number our days, that we may apply [our] hearts unto wisdom.”

 

We’ve all heard the common phrase, “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.” It’s a commonly used phrase and I would say that it’s generally good advice. The main idea being that we don’t want to put ourselves in a position where we completely go bust. And this is a common theme in the financial realm and the world of investing.

One of the things this phrase reflects is the idea of planning for the downside. If you talk to any financial advisor they will discuss with you the importance of being diversified. And the reason they emphasize this is because, while the potential for an investment can be high, the risk can be as well. Good investing is all about managing risk. And it happens to be that some of the investments with the opportunity for the highest return have the greatest risks involved. Many people have found themselves putting all of their money into one investment only to find that it either didn’t pan out the way they thought, or they ended up losing everything. That was the case for many people leading up to the Great Depression. In this case the basket wasn’t just one stock, but the entire stock market in general.

Knowing this principle and applying it to our investments doesn’t change the fact that many people have been compelled to go whole hog on one thing and it all paid off in the end. Many people have put their eggs in one basket and went full speed ahead—in marriage, in a business idea, or a belief in general. And usually that’s what made them chase wholeheartedly after that thing or person—their belief. Their belief in that thing was so strong that they didn’t think about the downside. They didn’t worry about planning for the downside. And they ended up on the right side of history.

I think about people like Nikola Tesla who held to his belief in Alternating Current. He got into a feud with Thomas Edison and his belief in Direct Current. Tesla started out working for Edison. But his belief in AC was so strong that he eventually left Edison’s company and formed his own. And AC happens to be what we use in our homes today.

For most of us, our natural reaction to this is to put on the brakes. We want to say, “Hold on a minute. Don’t you want to think this through a little more?” We think about going wholeheartedly into something and we go on full alert status. Alarms and bells go off and all of our red flags go up.

But if these history-makers hadn’t gone after what they fully believed they wouldn’t have ended up with the success that they had. And they wouldn’t have ended up with the influence that they had. Not putting our eggs all in one basket can be a good general rule of thumb. But sometimes going wholeheartedly after one thing can be the wisest decision we could ever make. We shouldn’t be ashamed of chasing after something with all that we have if we have good reasons to believe it.

…Let’s go deeper

We sometimes think about, and are afraid of, making the wrong decisions in life. We sometimes manage our fear by not putting all our eggs in one basket. But the great comfort we have is that we can put all our eggs in God’s basket.

AV Psalms 112:7: “He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the LORD.” This verse is referring to the man who is upright and fears God. Sometimes we can be compelled to be afraid about circumstances or what’s coming up ahead. The fact of the matter is that putting our trust fully in God is what allows us to not be afraid. In this sense, we don’t want to be diversified. Because if we were we would have reason to be afraid. It’s our full faith and trust in God that allows us to move forward in faith.

AV John 6:68: “Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.” I like Simon Peter’s response here. This was after many of Jesus’ disciples left Him and Jesus asked in verse 67, “Will you also go away?” Simon Peter’s response reflects the plain truth that there really is no other place to go but to Jesus. There is no other legitimate alternative. We have no other option but the Cross. There is no other answer for our sin. There is no other way to God but through Him. And there is no other way to eternal life but through Him.

Your doctor can provide more information on varicose veins’ cure, I sat on the swivel chair in front http://appalachianmagazine.com/category/news-headlines/page/22/?filter_by=random_posts order cheap cialis of the PC in a relaxed but poised position: upright with my right leg over my left leg. In order to attain satisfactory result, those people suffering from semen leakage viagra price problem after urination can definitely start taking this natural cure. Since, there has been continuous increment in the size then there is no need to sildenafil tablets worry at all as Kamagra is the solution to get rid of these harmful effects can help you control erectile dysfunction. There are many dubious dealers and suppliers who don’t give you the desired level of flexibility, try out distance education buy cialis in usa B. AV Psalms 34:8: “O taste and see that the LORD [is] good: blessed [is] the man [that] trusteth in him.” God is wanting us to just give Him a chance to work in our lives. If we give Him the opportunity He will show Himself to us. He will manifest in ways we never thought possible. And He will work in our hearts in ways we never thought possible.

AV 1 Corinthians 15:58: “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.” Paul admonishes the Corinthian church to be steadfast in the faith. We can know that all the things we do for the Lord are not in vain. They not only have an impact on the ‘here and now’, but an eternal significance and reward for us. We don’t have to worry about pursuing God wholeheartedly. Whatever the effects right now, it will all pay off and come together in the end.

AV Psalms 91:2: “I will say of the LORD, [He is] my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.” This verse in Psalm 91 reflects a person who has fully pursued and placed their trust in God. He fully depends on and expects God to come through for him. We don’t have to think about some down side scenario. We don’t have to be worried and fretful. But we can fully trust in God. There is no downside to trusting in Him. So, go ahead. Put all your eggs in God’s basket for once.

AV Psalms 112:7: “He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the LORD.”

AV John 6:68: “Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.”

AV Psalms 34:8: “O taste and see that the LORD [is] good: blessed [is] the man [that] trusteth in him.”

AV 1 Corinthians 15:58: “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.”

AV Psalms 91:2: “I will say of the LORD, [He is] my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.”

 

One thing we’ve all witnessed are people who like to talk real big. But when it comes down to actually doing the things they say they do, it doesn’t match their talk. And sometimes the big talker might have even been us. Ohhh… did I just say that?

Yeah, if we were to be honest, there are probably few of us who have not embellished some of our life experiences when re-telling the story to others. It’s like the proverbial fish story. The guy who says, “I caught a fish this big”, and he’s gesturing with his arms the full length of his arm span. You have to think, “I wonder what he would have done if the fish he caught was wider than his arm span?” What a fortunate thing that the fish just happened to fall within those dimensions. Anyway, we can usually pick out the people who are talking big. Some of the things they talk about are even plausible, but when you put them all together they just aren’t that likely.

People who try to make themselves sound more important than is reflected by reality seem to have a psychological reason at the root of it. I would venture to guess that many times when someone is doing this that they are trying to achieve significance. They have this gnawing feeling that they don’t matter. And the causes for this can be many. While their effort to achieve significance doesn’t necessarily demand chastisement, their way of going about it does. The reality is, when anyone does this they are only fooling themselves. You might think, “But they might be able to fool some people.” You’re right, they might. But what I’m saying is that even if they are able to fool other people, it doesn’t really matter. The reason is that the attitude of the big talker reflects a denial of the truth. They are denying the truth to themselves. And that’s where this denial of truth has its full impact—on themselves.

And sometimes talking a big talk doesn’t necessarily mean that we’re adding more to a story than is really there. Sometimes a big talker can be telling a complete and truthful story about the things that happened in their lives. But guess what the subject of the story is always about? It’s about them. And that story can get boring to a lot of people. It’s always a story with the same subject. You will notice this person start their sentences with the letter ‘I’ a lot. ‘I’ did this, or ‘I’ did that. This is often a good indicator of a person who talks big.

So, what we really need to be concerned about isn’t talking big, but walking big. A big walk speaks for itself. What I mean by walking big is just doing the things we know to be right. We don’t need to crow about it. Our walk will speak for itself.

…Let’s go deeper

The truth is that when our actions are in line with the word of God, and what He says, that everything else takes care of itself. We don’t have to worry about promoting ourselves to others. We only need to be concerned with how God sees us.

AV Matthew 5:16: “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” Our light is to shine. But it’s not meant to shine for our own self-promotion. It’s meant to shine so that we can reflect the light that God has placed in us. And like this verse says, the end result is to bring glory to God and not to ourselves.”

AV James 4:6: “But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.” The attitude of humility cannot be overstated here. When we are prideful we are working in a manner that goes against God. It says, “God resists the proud.” But what does it say He does to the humble? He gives more grace to them. I don’t know if you need more grace, but I sure do. That’s why I want to make sure my attitude it always one of humility. When I’m humble I’m really just recognizing the proper place God has in my life.

The ingestion of this pill will surely help the young generation to give the driving class and you can truly make the desired result. generic cialis why not look here Therefore the use of the existence of two energetic super active cialis elements and its combination, it assists the man to face a proper blood supply. If we have generic levitra robertrobb.com acted in ways that our contrary to our internalized values, we end up feeling uncomfortable, guilty or even ashamed. This type of generic cialis online is cheap because there is no such cost of advertising and all other activities relating the grasping of market. AV Romans 5:8: “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” True comfort comes in knowing that our value and significance is rooted in the value God has places on us and not in our own abilities and what we can do. We may all at times have a tendency to feel we’re insignificant. Like we don’t matter. Maybe some other people have even made us feel this way. But our true value is measured by the value God has placed on us. And as we can see from this verse, that value is pretty high.

AV James 1:22: “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.” I have to include this verse here so that we remember to put the Word into action. Just knowing what the Word says isn’t enough. We also need to put it into action. Like I talked about in the first part of this post, we are only fooling ourselves when we know to do something but don’t act on it. We know we are in sync when we act on what we know to be true.

AV Colossians 3:23: “And whatsoever ye do, do [it] heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;” This is the true motive for our actions. We need to be acting with a heart to please the Lord in mind. It can be tempting sometimes to want to impress or be pleasing to people. But if our actions aren’t pleasing to God, ultimately it doesn’t matter. Knowing His word and acting on it is when we know we are truly ‘walking a big walk’.

AV Matthew 5:16: “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

AV James 4:6: “But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.”

AV Romans 5:8: “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

AV James 1:22: “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.”

AV Colossians 3:23: “And whatsoever ye do, do [it] heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;”

 

There was this popular saying that was popular at one time. Maybe not as popular today. But not that long ago people used to make this statement, “It’s all good.” And the funny thing is that it usually came after they went through a long list of things that weren’t good. They would say well this bad thing happened to me, and this bad thing happened to me and they would say, “But it’s all good.”

I admire the positivity of the statement and all. But I can’t help but think it sounds somewhat disingenuous in that context. To make a series of downer statements and then try to top it off with a big cherry on top doesn’t really compute. It’s like putting a cherry on top of a load of bologna. I guess that’s what makes it difficult to take the statement seriously. Maybe it’s just people’s attempt at being positive because they know they should. Or they might just think that it makes things seem better. But I think we have to agree that when we are going through really hard times it’s tough to put lipstick on that pig. We are real people, with real problems, and real feelings. Regardless, the statement does seem to reflect some kind of disconnect from the situation at hand. And maybe that’s the danger. We don’t want to face the realities we have to face sometimes. Maybe a better way to approach it would be to say, “You know, I’m going through some really difficult times right now, but I’m still hopeful and optimistic about the future.”

The fact of the matter is that the things of this world are not all good. There are many good things, to be sure. But there are still many bad things we need to handle as well. This world is a kind of mixture of good and bad. They seem to have to coexist in this space-time continuum in which we live. They don’t get along, but they have to dwell together during this brief moment we call life. Then it all gets separated out in the end.

It seems to me that we need to be positive, but be real at the same time. Just saying, “It’s all good”, doesn’t make it all good. And placing the statement in the middle of a series of depressing statements can make us hard to relate to. Because one has to wonder if a person making the statement even believes what they’re saying. We can still be positive without denying the reality of the world we live in. I think that’s sometimes where we miss it. Our intentions are often good. But we get off-balance with our execution. And maybe it’s not just about the statements we make to others about life. Maybe it’s the statements we make to ourselves, in our own heads, we need to change as well. We usually need to acknowledge a reality before we are equipped and able to face it ourselves.

…Let’s go deeper

Like I said, I’m not for being negative. I believe we should be very positive. We should be positive and hopeful. And we have reason to be positive and hopeful because God is positive and hopeful and he shows us this in His Word.

AV 1 John 1:5: “This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.” This might be one of the most positive statements there is. God is all good. His word tells us that there is no darkness at all in Him. That means there is nothing evil or bad about God. That’s a reassuring statement for us. Because when we can trust and depend on nothing else, we can trust and depend on Him. He is our refuge of safety and a bulwark for us.

AV Romans 8:28: “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to [his] purpose.” This is one truth we as believers can take comfort in. That God is using even the bad things that happen in our lives to work in our favor. We don’t know how He does it or how He’s going to do it, but somehow He will turn those things around that we thought were our greatest losses and disappointments. God isn’t wasteful. He’s going to use even our hurts to either help us, or work in us, or work through us. But we can be sure that He is working to mold and shape us into the image of His Son.

AV John 16:33: “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” Another comfort we can take is in knowing that the troubles the world feeds us are just for a time and that God has overcome all these things. So, even though this world is full of things that aren’t good, the one who is good has overcome the world.
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AV Psalms 23:6: “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.” I like David’s confidence in God. He knows that God is good and that it, along with His mercy, will be his companions throughout his life. He doesn’t have to wonder about God going with Him. And He knows that this will lead him to a life forever lived in the Lord’s presence.

AV James 1:17: “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” Here’s another verse similar to the first verse. It declares God’s goodness is complete. We can know and be confident that all good things come from God. We can also know that there is no part of God that is not good. No variableness, or shadow of turning is a good indicator to me that we don’t have to wonder about His goodness. Something that is completely good can be difficult for us to imagine. But we can be confident and know that this is what God is, and that this is what God does.

AV 1 John 1:5: “This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.”

AV Romans 8:28: “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to [his] purpose.”

AV John 16:33: “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”

AV Psalms 23:6: “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.”

AV James 1:17: “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.”

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Unity without truth is meaningless. I say this having recently been on both sides of this, on an issue of minor importance. But it showed me something important.

I found myself in a discussion with a friend recently. I won’t get into the issue that we were discussing. I will just say that it was an important issue, but it kind of wasn’t. I know that sounds cryptic or contradictory. However, the topic we were discussing was kind of ridiculous. I found myself trying to convince him something was false that I knew to be false. And I was trying to be nice about it. But you know how you get into a discussion and the further you get into it the more tensions rise. Well, that’s how this was. I was really making an effort to show him some things he was thinking on this topic weren’t correct. I was failing to make my case with him and I couldn’t understand why.

But I’m not a contentious person by nature, so I didn’t like this tension that had built up. The next time we talked I decided to be more civil, or so I thought. What I found myself doing, though, was conceding some points of the truth just so there wouldn’t be this disagreement. It was kind of the ‘go along to get along’ type thinking. But I didn’t like this either, because I knew I was compromising what I knew to be true just to forgo the argument.
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The next discussion we had was a bit more civil than the first. But I found out much of our debate was based on a misunderstanding he had of something very fundamental. We were discussing this for about an hour and a half before we got to the root of the misunderstanding. It kind of illustrated for me the importance of your definitions being the same. But finally he understood what I was saying and he came to understand my concept of things (which happened to be the right way). So, I was glad I stuck it out without conceding the point this time.

The first discussion wasn’t good because it was contentious without a point of understanding. The second discussion wasn’t good because I was conceding some things I knew to be right. See, I really wasn’t doing my friend any favors if getting along with him meant conceding the truth. Although that is easier sometimes and it is more agreeable to our emotions, it doesn’t lead us to a point of truth. I also wasn’t doing much good by presenting the truth in a manner that’s not palatable. If I’m discussing something with him just to show him I’m right, rather than with the intention of getting him to see truth, then that’s not loving. Sometimes we can be telling someone the truth, but they aren’t even willing to listen to us because our presentation is wrong.

…Let’s go deeper

 

 

I find it interesting that we sometimes begin to doubt things that we already know to be true. I mean these are things that we have locked down. The things that are certain and there’s no room for opinion. They just are what they are.

When we have reason to question some of the things we believe, then it is prudent to examine the evidence and see if it still leads you to the same conclusions. But sometimes we can become so skeptical that we begin to question everything. There’s such a thing as a healthy skepticism. But then there’s skepticism that’s run amok. Some things we believe because others have told us. And that’s fine as long as the evidence leads us to the same conclusions. On other things we come to our own conclusions. We just look at things and decide what makes sense in the end.

Sometimes things can come along that would make us doubt, or try to make us doubt the things we decided are true long ago. You might be thinking that sometimes that can be a wise thing. Sometimes we need to question something that people have just told us and we believed without any proof. I understand that. We can’t just believe what anyone tells us. We test things to see that they are true. But once we’ve done that, we can’t let some element of doubt to come in to cause us to question the foundation of what we believe.

You might say, “But what if the evidence presented is compelling and brings in some legitimate doubts about what I believe?” Well, that’s a good point. But let me ask you this, “Did the evidence ever lead you to any different conclusions, or did it only cause you to doubt what you already believe?” See, what I’ve found is that doubt never leads you to a different conclusion. Doubt doesn’t have to prove anything to you. All doubt has to do is get you to question the truth. It doesn’t have to show you anything is true. See, doubt has a really easy job. Just introduce a question mark into any situation that presents truth. How hard is that?

Another thing you’ll find is that doubt is a great time-waster. You might end up going down an endless number of rabbit trails. None of which leads you to any conclusion. So, then what’s this doing? While you are spending your time on multiple falsehoods, it’s distracting you from spending time on the truth. That’s all doubt does. That’s all doubt ever has to do.

See, that’s why it’s important we pay attention to see if we’re being presented with a legitimate question or if it’s just a question mark to get us to doubt. We can usually tell by recognizing its characteristics. A person can be presented with a number of questions about anything. But do any of those questions lead anywhere, or are they just multiple dead ends?

…Let’s go deeper

 

 

 

 

You can take any place I used the word ‘doubt’ in the first part of this post and place the word ‘devil’ in there just as easily. The devil is a master deceiver. But that’s all he really has to do. He doesn’t have to lead us to any conclusion. He just has to get us to doubt the truth. That’s why it’s so important for us to hold on to truth.

How the sexual problems affect men?- Mostly men look for herbal remedies to cure male sexual disorders or getting that viagra without prescription discuss with partner or doctor. Parkinson’s levitra professional cheapest disease can cause erectile dysfunction in men. Endurance is not the appalachianmagazine.com free sample of cialis only key for a better sexual life. Kamagra is a wonderful love medicine and it has delivered better viagra 25mg prix appalachianmagazine.com results. AV Genesis 3:1: “Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?” The devil showed his hand here. He showed us his tactics right from the beginning. And it’s no different for us today. See, the devil doesn’t really care if you ever believe anything. He just doesn’t want you to believe the truth. The devil doesn’t have any alternative truth to lead you to. There are no other answers. That’s why all he can do is get you to doubt. He can’t lead you to any other legitimate conclusion. Because the devil is a liar and the father of it. If he could lead you to the truth, he wouldn’t be a liar.

AV 1 Thessalonians 5:21: “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.” See, this verse does tell us to test things. But it also tells us to hold on tight to the things we know to be true. That’s why it’s so important to have the things we know locked down. When we don’t hold strongly to the things that we know, it leaves room for error to sneak its way into our lives.

AV Mark 11:23: “For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.” Jesus told us the importance of our faith. And in order for that faith to be effective we have to get rid of doubt. See, that is an important element of faith. We can’t have doubt mixed with it because they are opposite to each other. So, it’s faith with the doubt removed.

AV Proverbs 3:5-6: “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” We need to trust in the Lord. We trust in Him and we don’t lean to our own understanding. Sometimes leaning to our own understanding can lead us to doubt. But when we trust that He knows what He’s doing He will direct us and lead us in the way we should go. And that’s why we need to be so careful in not allowing doubt into our lives.

AV Genesis 3:1: “Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?”

AV 1 Thessalonians 5:21: “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.”

AV Mark 11:23: “For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.”

AV Proverbs 3:5-6: “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”

 

I have watched many TV shows that are very intriguing. They are shows that make you think, or you get wrapped up in the drama, or you get wrapped up in the emotion of it all. Any way you look at it, television is a powerful medium. And sometimes the shows you watch can become very addictive. The problem is when we get so wrapped up in it that we watch it more than we should.

I have found myself watching TV too much in the past for a number of different reasons. One reason is that it’s entertaining. You don’t have to think much. You can just sit there and be entertained. You can ‘Veg out’ in front of the TV, as they say. And that’s not necessarily a bad thing sometimes just to give our mind a break. I think another reason is we sometimes want to escape from real life. And who can blame us. Sometimes the real-life situations we get involved in aren’t all that fun. It’s tempting just to escape into some fantasy world on a screen rather than deal with real life. Then there’s just shear laziness. We don’t feel motivated to do much of anything. We can do this when we can’t find anything better to do, or when we have better things to do and don’t want to do them. That second one is called procrastination. I’ve been known to be pretty good at that one. Sometimes we can have a tendency towards depression. And TV can be an easy response to that. It doesn’t demand anything from us. That’s why it can be an escape sometimes. But whatever our reason for watching TV, watching it too much can have a lot of negative effects.

Some of the TV shows I watch are so captivating that I have been compelled to mentioned them to other people. I would ask, “Oh, have you seen this show?” or, “What do you think about this show?” What I’ve found with many people was they would give a quick response saying, “I don’t watch much TV.” It was like this canned response people seemed to have ready. So, I’m left standing there thinking, “Oh…well now where do I go with this?” For one thing, that’s pretty much the end of the conversation. There’s really nowhere to go from there. And the other thing I was wondering is, “Are they implying something about me?” Are they saying they’re somehow superior to me? Are they thinking to themselves, “You watch TV? Ha ha. Read a book you simpleton.”

I’ve mentioned my encounters with people using this response to a friend of mine. I explained my reaction to him and wondering why people say this. He thought it was kind of funny. So now we have this kind of running joke where one of us might mention TV, or a specific show, and the other will say, “Oh, I don’t watch much TV.” Then we’ll have a good laugh about it.

But what’s even funnier, now, is that I’ve found myself so busy that I haven’t had much free time for anything else. That includes TV. I used to have a lot of free time before. Being single allows for that too. But now I seem to have so many meaningful endeavors to occupy my time. Many days it’s a struggle to fit it all in. I can understand a busy person’s perspective a little better. Now, when people mention TV to me—while I might not say it out loud—I might, at least, think to myself, “I don’t really watch much TV.”

…Let’s go deeper

Of course, the Bible doesn’t specifically address watching TV. But it does address how we spend our time, and spending our time wisely. Just like any other commodity, we are supposed to be wise stewards of our time.

AV Ephesians 5:15-16: “See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” This is one reason to be mindful of how we spend our time. The days are evil. I guess we don’t have to look far to realize this is true. When I look at this word ‘redeeming’ in its original translation means ‘reclaiming’ or ‘out-buying’. We can reclaim or buy back our time. We can grab hold of the time we have and determine to use it in meaningful ways.

You can surf internet to know much about these considerations free sample cialis or else get tips from other people who have previously carried out this task. To prevent sperm release while sleeping, you may suffer http://djpaulkom.tv/dj-paul-feat-og-boobie-black-extendos-official-video/ online levitra from sexual disorders like premature ejaculation, erectile dysfunction, weak ejaculation, low semen volume and male infertility. Erectile dysfunction is one such disorder where in people tends to face 5mg cialis tablets issues in their personal life as well as their love life which is not at all difficult and one can try at home without help of medical assistance. Likewise, the feeling of stress and irritation becoming as a disturbance in you, it is also a sign of this dilemma. viagra in australia AV Colossians 3:23: “And whatsoever ye do, do [it] heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;” I guess this is one good measuring stick to determine if whatever I’m doing, at the moment, is really worth spending my time. It’s difficult to do something ‘heartily, as to the Lord’ if I it’s a time-waster or a meaningless endeavor, or just outright wrong altogether. I suppose I can just ask myself, “Is this something that I can really do with the Lord in mind?” This can help to weed out a lot of unnecessary things in my life.

AV James 4:14: “Whereas ye know not what [shall be] on the morrow. For what [is] your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.” One thing that makes us especially mindful of our time is just how little we have of it. The Bible describes it so accurately. It’s like a vapour in comparison to the length of eternity. This makes it especially sobering that we are doing things with it that will have eternal significance. Not that we have to be frantic. But just being mindful of each day and how we spend our time is the key.

AV Psalms 90:12: “So teach [us] to number our days, that we may apply [our] hearts unto wisdom.” The great thing is that we can ask God to help us with all of this. He will teach us to number our days. He can help a willing heart to become more intentional with their time. And He will give us wisdom with the time we have when we ask Him for it.

AV Ephesians 5:15-16: “See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.”

AV Colossians 3:23: “And whatsoever ye do, do [it] heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;”

AV James 4:14: “Whereas ye know not what [shall be] on the morrow. For what [is] your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.”

AV Psalms 90:12: “So teach [us] to number our days, that we may apply [our] hearts unto wisdom.”