Daily Stop & Thinks

It always seems impossible until it’s done. (Nelson Mandela, late president of South Africa)

Life is often filled with what seem to be impossible obstacles. We can’t do what we want to do because there isn’t enough money or time, or the people capable of completing the desired task. Many of us are stymied in such situations, but, thankfully, there are people, like Mandela, who persist until the impossible is achieved.

If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, “Move from here to there,” and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you (Matthew 17:10).

Jesus replied, “What is impossible with man is possible with God” (Luke 18:27).

If we don’t change, we don’t grow. If we don’t grow, we are not really living. (Gail Sheehy, American journalist and lecturer)

Change is difficult for a lot of people, especially as we grow older. We become “set in our ways,” and we resist learning to do things differently. At the same time, we realize that all living things have to grow in order to survive and advance. Life can be so much more enjoyable as we are challenged to learn, grow, and yes, change.

But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord (2 Peter 3:18).

Since time flies, you must be the navigator. (Church sign board)

The older we grow, the more we sense that time really is flying by. We can’t control time, of course, so it’s imperative that we learn how to control our use of it. We can’t just let “things happen”; we must take charge and plan how we spend time to its best possible use. To do so is to be good stewards (trustees) of what God has given us in time and resources.

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens . . . For there is a proper time and procedure for every matter (Ecclesiastes 3:1; 8:6).

Sometimes the right path is not the easiest. (Sign board)

Yogi Berra is famously quoted as saying, “When you come to a fork in the road, take it.” The question, however, is which road to take. We will try to take the right path, of course, but that doesn’t mean it’s the easiest. In fact, the right course is sometimes the most difficult, but we must choose right and work hard to learn and achieve the right end.

Who, then, are those who fear the Lord? He will instruct them in the ways they should choose (Psalm 25:12).

Once you replace your negative thoughts with positive ones you’ll start getting positive results. (Nelson, Country music star)

Nelson is noted more for his music career than for philosophical musings, but this thought has been shared by many renowned thinkers. Most of us, at some time or another, have let negative thoughts discourage us from moving ahead in the face of the disappointments of life. Replacing negative thoughts with optimistic concepts will bring greater success.

You were taught . . .  to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires [and] to be made new in the attitude of your minds (Ephesians 4:22-23).

Be thankful for what you have. Your life, no matter how bad you think it is, is someone else’s fairy tale. (Wale Ayeni, investment advisor)

We are following the example of the Pilgrims, who “…made seven times more graves than huts. No Americans have been more impoverished than these who, nevertheless, set aside a day of thanksgiving” (H. U. Westermayer). So, in the midst of the abundance that most of us enjoy, we should be grateful but also find ways to encourage the less fortunate.

The purpose of riches: “You will be made rich . . .  so that you can be generous on every occasion” (2 Corinthians 9:11).

Gratitude turns what we have into enough. (Often quoted)

In the United States, tomorrow is the day we will celebrate the long-standing tradition of Thanksgiving. The last Thursday of each November gives us at least one day to acknowledge our blessings. Many who do not have a lot of this world’s goods have learned to live happily with what they have because they have developed an attitude of gratitude.

Godliness with contentment is great gain. . . . If we have food and clothing, we will be content with that (1 Timothy 6:6, 8).

Don’t let your happiness depend on something that you may lose. (C. S. Lewis, British professor and apologist)

What make you happy? When your favorite sports team wins a championship? When your investments earn a significant gain? Perhaps, when you receive acclaim because of some noteworthy achievement? Unfortunately, all of those great accomplishments are transitory; they’re gone all too quickly. Better find your joy in those things that are eternal.

All that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life      . . . is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever (1 John 2:16-17).

Justice is getting what we deserve. Mercy is not getting what we deserve. Grace is getting what we don’t deserve. (Mike Lee, American pastor)

Victims of crime often plead for justice. What they want is to see the criminal caught and punished, getting what he deserves. Pastor Lee would remind us that each of us is indebted to God because of our sin and all of us deserve punishment. But in His mercy (undeserved), God offers grace (also undeserved) in response to faith in the work of Jesus on our behalf.

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God (Ephesians 2:8).

Leaders don’t create followers – they create more leaders. (Alex Absalom, church missions leader)

We sometimes say that a person is not a leader if no one is following him or her. Good leaders very likely have many who follow and are devoted to them. But Absalom takes the idea a bit further. Great leaders have followers, of course, but they reproduce themselves in their disciples, who, themselves, become leaders also.

Go and make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19).

There are two great days in a person’s life. The day you were born & the day you discover why. (Kary Oberbrunner, motivation writer and speaker)

In the formative years of our lives, we only begin to discover who we are. Our associations with family, school, and playmates help us develop our personalities and abilities. But, a primary question for everyone is, “Why am I here?” Discovering that answer will affect our continued personal growth and enable us to make a worthy contribution to society.

It is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose. … I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me. (Philippians 2:13; 3:14)

Obedience never produces love, but love will always produce life change. (Source unknown)

While this statement might be true, it can surely be said that obedience can be a strong evidence of love. Disobedience demonstrates a lack of love or respect for the one being disobeyed. Moreover, if you exhibit true love, you will see a change in life. We should obey not because we have to, but because we respect those who are in authority over us.

And this is love: that we walk in obedience to [God’s] commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love (2 John 1:6).