GOD OF HOPE

Daily Stop & Thinks

Stop & Think: January 14, 2025

Words Can Hurt

Be careful what you say. You can say something hurtful in ten seconds, but ten years later, the wounds are still there. (Joel Osteen, TV evangelist)

Have you ever met someone who never seems to be content with life and you wondered about the reason for such ongoing unhappiness? It could simply be the result of an unkind observation or a misunderstood remark someone made years ago. It’s a reminder to all of us to choose our words very carefully lest they be harmful tomorrow.

The heart of the godly thinks carefully before speaking … The lips of the godly speak helpful words. (Proverbs 15:28; 10:32)

Stop & Think: January 13, 2025

Dare to Fail

Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly. (John F. Kennedy, 35th U.S. president)

Note that Kennedy didn’t say that to succeed you had to “fail greatly.” The challenge it to “dare to fail greatly.” That’s a big difference, isn’t it? No one wants to fail, but to accomplish anything of value, you may have to risk failure. Be prepared to continue trying after each failure. Persistence with courage is often the key to success.

The godly may trip seven times, but they will get up again. (Proverbs 2 4:16)

Stop & Think: January 12, 2025

Knowing & Doing

Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Willing is not enough; we must do. (Kary Oberbrunner, author and motivator)

We sometimes joke about the scholar who has a lot of letters after his name (ThM, PhD. MD, for example). We may say that the more degrees they have, the hotter they think they are. Of course, they have earned those credentials, and what they have learned can be of great value. But only if the knowledge is applied and, perhaps shared with others, will it make a difference

Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control … The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be … (2 Peter 1:5-6, 8)

Stop & Think: January 11, 2025

Concentration

Our appetite for distraction is nearly infinite. (Aldous Huxley, 20th century English philosopher)

It’s often difficult to concentrate on a particular event or project for an extended time. The drone of a professor’s voice or a classmate’s whisper can easily distract a student in the classroom. Our enjoyment at a concert is sometimes interrupted by random thoughts unrelated to the music. To accomplish what we should, we must discipline ourselves to pay attention in the moment.

To learn, you must love discipline. (Proverbs 12:1)

Stop & Think: January 10, 2025

The “Extra Mile”

It’s never crowded along the extra mile. (Wayne Dyer, self-help, best-selling author)

Dyer’s reference to “the extra mile” is from a Bible text where Jesus speaks of his true disciples as those who go beyond what is required when asked to serve. In today’s self-centered society, it’s rare to find someone with that attitude. Too many are trying to get by with doing only what’s required. Going the “second mile” is truly evidence of someone with a servant’s heart.

If a soldier demands that you carry his gear for a mile, carry it two miles. (Matthew 5:41)

Stop & Think: January 9, 2025

Success

The real opportunity for success lies within the person and not in the job. (Zig Ziglar, late motivational speaker)

Those who climb “the ladder of success” often look for that better job or a higher position in the firm, thinking that is where success will be found. As Ziglar points out, however, success is not so much in the job but in the success-seeker. The more we develop our skills, especially relationships, the more likely we will move up to greater opportunities to serve.

I know all the things you do. I have seen your love, your faith, your service, and your patient endurance. And I can see your constant improvement in all these things. (Revelation 2:19)

Stop & Think: January 8, 2025

Learning & Humility 2

The knowledge of how little you can do alone teaches you humility. (Eleanor Roosevelt)

Studying with others is a valuable exercise in learning how to work together. It begins when we realize that we don’t and never will know it all. Learning and working together well requires humility. As businessman Robert Kivoski writes: “Humility is the first step towards learning. You can’t learn until you are humble enough to realize there is something for you to learn.”

What you learn from them will crown you with grace and be a chain of honor around your neck. (Proverbs 1:9)

Stop & Think: January 7, 2025

Learning & Humility 1

What is most needed for learning is a humble mind. (Confucius, Chinese philosopher)

Have you encountered a “know-it-all”? Whatever you talk about, he or she knows a lot more about it and will correct you without hesitation. Irritating, isn’t it? There are some people who know more than we do, of course, but truly intelligent people recognize that they really don’t know everything, and they continue to learn from a humble attitude of openness.

If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom. (James 3:13)

Stop & Think: January 6, 2025

History

History informs the present and helps us make wise decisions for the future. (Gloria Gaither, gospel song lyricist)

George Santayana famously wrote, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” We have seen that truth played out today, haven’t we? Gaither gives us a great reason to study history. With a good knowledge of the past, we can understand more clearly where we are today and why. That understanding will make planning for the future so much easier.

What is happening now has happened before, and what will happen in the future has happened before, because God makes the same things happen over and over again. (Ecclesiastes 3:15)

Stop & Think: January 5, 2025

Trust

In God we trust. All others pay cash. (Kenneth J. Brown, author)

Brown also wrote, “In God we trust. All others we audit” Without honesty trust is impossible. It might be that counterfeit money is not as great a problem today as it once was. But technology has made it a lot easier to cheat people with scams, stealing titles, and hacking credit card accounts. We all must be diligent to determine whom and what we can trust.

Trust in your money and down you go!  . . . (Proverbs 11:28)
Teach those who are rich in this world … not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God … (1 Timothy 6:17)

Stop & Think: January 4, 2025

Honesty

Honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom. (Thomas Jefferson)

“Thou shalt not lie.” Sounds like one of the Ten Commandments, doesn’t it? It isn’t actually, but it is clearly one of the foundational requirements for having a clear conscience personally and successful community living, too. It just isn’t smart to lie, “fib” or tell so-called “white lies,” to avoid an embarrassing situation. Honesty is always the best policy.

Honesty guides good people; dishonesty destroys treacherous people. . . . The godly are directed by honesty; the wicked fall beneath their load of sin. (Proverbs 11:3, 5)

Stop & Think: January 3, 2025

Revenge

An eye for an eye will only make the whole world blind. (Mahatma Gandhi, Indian lawyer)

That misunderstood Old Testament regulation is the excuse often given when someone has been wronged. Gandhi’s comment is eye-opening, isn’t it (pardon the pun)? Revenge actually accomplishes very little. The OT law was intended to establish limits on retaliation. It’s even better to leave the getting even to God. He does it better.

Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the Lord. (Romans 12:19)