STOP AND THINK Change and growth take place when a person has risked himself and dares to become involved with experimenting with his own life. (Dr. Herbert A. Otto, author)
There is no doubt that growth often involves a willingness to make changes in your habits and lifestyle. Many people are unwilling to take that risk, fearing failure and embarrassment. And Dr. Otto’s challenge to experiment with life could be dangerous. You need to have a healthy self image and a solid foundation of good behavior.
Teach them [God’s] decrees and instructions, and show them the way they are to live and how they are to behave (Exodus 18:20).
GOD OF HOPE
Daily Stop & Thinks
October 4, 2015
STOP AND THINK: Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving. (Albert Einstein, noted theoretical scientist)
Bike riders know full well that the slower they pedal, the more difficult it is to stay upright. As Einstein suggests, life is a lot like that. Occasional rest stops are essential for good health, but inertia can make us useless. It’s so much easier to steer a moving vehicle than one at a dead stop. So, keep moving forward to maintain a healthy balance in life.
My son, pay attention to my wisdom, turn your ear to my words of insight, that you may maintain discretion (Proverbs 5:1-2).
October 3, 2015
STOP AND THINK: Remember not only to say the right thing in the right place, but far more difficult still, to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment. (Benjamin Franklin, statesman, inventor, and author of practical maxims)
Most people try to say the right things at the right time, hoping to be helpful and engaged. As Franklin says, however, the greater problem is not saying the wrong thing at the wrong time. Some people with a glib tongue, attempting to be humorous, sometimes say things that hurt. It’s hard work to guard one’s tongue, but it can save a lot of embarrassment.
Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless (James 1:26)
October 2, 2015
STOP AND THINK: Trust men and they will be true to you; treat them greatly and they will show themselves great. (Ralph Waldo Emerson, 19th century essayist and poet)
Who can you trust? We’re living in a time when it seems difficult to find trustworthy leaders. But when you find a person in whom you can place unlimited trust, you can be assured of his reliability. And those you treat with respect and loyalty will most often demonstrate that your faith is well-placed as they ascend to great achievements.
The Lord . . . delights in people who are trustworthy (Proverbs 12:22). It is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful (1 Corinthians 4:2).
October 1, 2015
STOP AND THINK: It is one thing to show a man that he is in error, and another to put him in possession of truth. (John Locke, 17th century English philosopher)
It’s so easy to criticize—to see other’s errors and, too often, to point them out to anyone who will listen. How much better it would be to carefully direct the erring person to the truth with the purpose of helping him or her learn and grow. A personal, caring touch will not only correct an error, but very likely it will cement a good relationship.
Whoever heeds correction shows prudence. . . . The one who heeds correction gains understanding (Proverbs 15:5, 32).
The End or the Beginning
By: Jesse Deloe
In the life of almost everyone, there comes a time when one thing ends and something else begins. Life is full of ends and beginnings. While endings are many times sad and hard, it is very often true that good things cannot start until other things finish.
Spring can’t come until winter passes. Summer vacation doesn’t begin until school closes. Marriages occur when singleness ends. And, aren’t you glad that when a baby is born, a pregnancy concludes—including the pain of birth?
When you get the pink slip, and you’re laid off from your job, the end can be very difficult. You may fear it’s the end of a career. But, it may also open the door to a new career—a new beginning.
This true story illustrates the point; we’ll call the man Stan.
Stan had worked in an administrative office in higher education. As is sometimes the case in schools, decreasing enrollment and budget constraints created the need to reduce faculty and staff, so Stan lost his job. About that time, another administrative position seemed to be coming his way, but the opportunity was withdrawn. Unable to find work in higher education, Stan took a position on a church staff, and some might well argue that it was a step up, though it involved relocation.
Later, Stan was working in another administrative office, this time in a church-related organization, when the economy suffered a bit, and his job once again was cut from the budget. For all practical purposes it meant retirement, and for several months he worked in part-time positions, taking some training and learning required skills. Ultimately, Stan was given another administrative position to assist in revitalizing a struggling non-profit. Guess what? After several years, the dreaded budget cuts reared their ugly heads, and again Stan was let go.
Today, Stan is happily retired, but working in a freelance capacity and joyfully pursuing life after many endings and new beginnings.
Early on, someone told Stan, “Don’t fear; God has something better for you.” That’s a wonderful promise from the Bible, by the way, but what does that mean? A better job with a higher salary, a bigger home, advanced benefits, etc.? In reality, what Stan learned was that trusting God is the only way to have peace of mind and a sense of security, whatever the circumstances.
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6
September 30, 2015
We can do anything we want to do if we stick to it long enough. (Helen Keller, lecturer & author))
We might think this is a gross overstatement until we realize who said it. Helen Keller suffered severe disabilities including being blind and deaf. But, with the persistent help of caring teachers, she learned and achieved far more than most fully abled people. Instead of grieving over our handicaps, we must be persistent and give our best in order to achieve.
Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him (James 1:12).
September 29, 2015
There is no key to happiness. The door is always open. (Unknown)
We’re always looking for keys—the key to success, the key to riches, the key to lasting love, and, of course, the key to happiness. Like so many other doors whose keys we’re searching for, however, there are no magic formulas, no secret signs. The real key is within ourselves. Develop integrity in a relationship with God, and the door to happiness will open wide.
The fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure (Isaiah 33:6).
September 28, 2015
Isn’t it interesting that all these secrets have been preserved for so many years just so we could discover them? (Orville Wright, pilot of the first powered airplane flight)
When Orville and Wilbur Wright accomplished the impossible by flying a self-propelled, heavier-than-air machine in 1905, they were working on principles of physics that had always existed. Orville’s comment is a wise discovery in itself. It suggests a Creator who is waiting for us to discover the hidden truths He brought into existence.
God’s wisdom [is] a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began (paraphrase of 1 Corinthians 2:7).
September 27, 2015
True happiness consists not in the multitude of friends, but in their worth and choice. (Inspiration Line)
Young adults today seem to be looking for something in the big, noisy crowds—parties, music festivals, entertainment centers—wherever there are lots of people and contemporary music. Often, they find themselves with people they really don’t know. How much better to seek friends you can know well and who have common values.
The righteous choose their friends carefully. . . . One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother (Proverbs 12:26; 18:24).
September 26, 2015
The right train of thought can take you to a better station in life. (Unknown)
What you focus your mind on will not only pretty well determine the direction of your life but also its ultimate goal. One thought leads to another and that to another; they are all linked together—thus the train imagery. It is critical that we learn from a young age not only how to think but what to think about—what to focus our thoughts on.
Whatever is true, whatever is noble . . . right, . . . pure, . . . lovely, . . . admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things (Philippians 4:8).
September 25, 2015
Where fear is, happiness is not. (Seneca, 1st century Roman Stoic philosopher)
A simple statement but an obvious truth. Have you ever known a fearful person that was truly happen—even for a short time? Happiness depends, at least in part, on some sense of security. Insecurity is probably the basis for a lot of fear—panic in an unknown situation or dread of an unknown future. Shun fear and embrace security and its sense of happiness.
Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe (Proverbs 29:25).