June 29, 2009
A Better Foreman by Charles R. Swindoll
Philippians 4:8
A person is a product of his or her own thoughts. Thoughts form the thermostat which regulates what we accomplish in life. My body responds and reacts to the input from my mind. If I feed it with doubt, worry, and discouragement, that is precisely the kind of day I will experience. If I adjust my thermostat forward---to thoughts filled with vision, hope, and victory---I can count on that kind of day. You and I become what we think about.
Take a minute to give your imagination a workout. Consider your mind a factory---a busy, bustling workshop of action and production. That's not far from the truth. Your mind is a thought factory. Every day on that internal assembly line it produces thousands, perhaps hundreds of thousands of thoughts. Production in your thought factory is under the charge of two foremen. The names on their hard hats are Mr. Gainground and Mr. Slideback. Mr. Gainground, as you'd imagine, oversees the production of positive thoughts. At the pull of a lever, wholesome, encouraging, reassuring plans and positive ideas roll down the belt and into the showroom.
That other foreman, Mr. Slideback, has responsibilities too. Over in a darker, damp wing of the plant, Gainground's counterpart manufactures negative, depreciating, worrisome thoughts. Both foremen are well qualified for their respective duties. Gainground specializes in producing reasons why you can face life triumphantly, why you can handle whatever comes your way, why you're more than a conqueror. Old Slideback earned his Master's at Inadequate U. He's full of reasons why you cannot succeed, why you're pitifully unable, why you should cave in, bow down, and surrender to the tangled thicket of inferiority, failure, and discouragement.
Both foremen, however, are instantly obedient. They await your signal to snap to attention. Provide yourself with a positive signal and Mr. Gainground throws himself into action. Pulling all the right switches, Gainground so gears production that one encouraging, edifying thought after another floods your mind and fills your life. As long as production is under his firm control, not even the slightest mist of misgiving may be observed hovering under the factory ceiling.
Foreman Slideback, however, awaits a negative signal (which he would prefer to call "reality" or "common sense") and he's off and running. At peak production, Slideback's assembly line cranks out discouraging, bad-news thoughts faster than the mind can process them. He will soon have you convinced that you can't or won't or shouldn't. Given sufficient time, he will drain your energy, squelch your confidence, and transform you into a frowning tight-lipped fatalist.
Neither Dale Carnegie nor Norman Vincent Peale originated such a message as this---God did. Listen to three biblical counselors:
Solomon, referring to attitudes: "For as he thinks within himself, so he is" (Proverbs 23:7).
Paul, referring to thoughts: "Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute . . . dwell on these things" (Philippians 4:8).
Peter, referring to the mind: "Therefore, prepare your minds for action" (1 Peter 1:13).
Thoughts, positive or negative, grow stronger when fertilized with constant repetition. That may explain why so many who are gloomy and gray stay in that mood, and why others who are cheery and enthusiastic continue to be so, even in the midst of difficult circumstances. Please do not misunderstand. Happiness (like winning) is a matter of right thinking, not intelligence, age, or position. Our performance is directly related to the thoughts we deposit in our memory bank. We can only draw on what we deposit.
What kind of performance would your car deliver if every morning before you left for work you scooped up a handful of dirt and put it in your crankcase? The fine-tuned engine would soon be coughing and sputtering. Ultimately, it would refuse to start. The same is true of your life. Thoughts about yourself and attitudes toward others that are narrow, destructive, and abrasive produce wear and tear on your mental motor. They send you off the road while others drive past.
You need only one foreman in your factory. The name is Mr. Gainground, and he's anxious to assist you. In fact, he is immediately available to all the members of God's family. His real name is the Holy Spirit---the Helper. If Mr. Slideback has been too busily engaged as foreman on your mental assembly line, then fire him! You'll be astounded by how smoothly the plant will run under new leadership.
Have A Blessed Day!!
Chris Spears
Ocala Florida
"Where Friends Send Friends"
Monday, June 29, 2009
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Start by doing what’s necessary .......
Start by doing what’s necessary; then do what’s possible; suddenly you are doing the impossible! -- St. Francis of Assisi
Make it a great day!
Make it a great day!
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Just A Little Bit More ....
Just A Little Bit More
“O God, I beg two favors from You before I die. First, help me never to tell a lie. Second, give me neither poverty nor riches! Give me just enough to satisfy my needs. For if I grow rich, I may deny You and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’ And if I am too poor, I may steal and thus insult God’s holy name.” Proverbs 30:7-9 NLT
To the greedy, how much is enough is always “just a little bit more.” Even the ungreedy often have a difficult time distinguishing between wants and needs.
We live in a consumer-driven economy that is based on creating a demand and then supplying that demand, and everything is made to look and sound so appealing.
Whether the world or the devil is doing the tempting, it is hard to resist the promise of the beer ads for fun and adventure, the car ads for the hemi, or for more power, more of everything, shampoo for beautiful hair, etc. All we have to do is discard our old and try the new and improved.
Satan will often plant seeds of dissatisfaction with our jobs and even our marriages to get us looking for “just a little bit more” happiness.
Sometimes we are so focused on seeking “just a little bit more” that we have it made and don’t even know it until we mess up and realize too late how good we really had it.
Generosity is one of the best antidotes for greed that has ever been invented. It also opens up the flood gates of God’s blessings with which He wants to bless us.
What we really need to understand is that our worth and wealth is not based on what we have but on Who we have. We can always be greedy for “just a little bit more” of Jesus!
Father, help me to be like Paul and learn to be content and filled with Your peace and joy, no matter what my worldly circumstances.. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Chris Spears
Ocala Fla.
** Message provided by Homily Grits ............
“O God, I beg two favors from You before I die. First, help me never to tell a lie. Second, give me neither poverty nor riches! Give me just enough to satisfy my needs. For if I grow rich, I may deny You and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’ And if I am too poor, I may steal and thus insult God’s holy name.” Proverbs 30:7-9 NLT
To the greedy, how much is enough is always “just a little bit more.” Even the ungreedy often have a difficult time distinguishing between wants and needs.
We live in a consumer-driven economy that is based on creating a demand and then supplying that demand, and everything is made to look and sound so appealing.
Whether the world or the devil is doing the tempting, it is hard to resist the promise of the beer ads for fun and adventure, the car ads for the hemi, or for more power, more of everything, shampoo for beautiful hair, etc. All we have to do is discard our old and try the new and improved.
Satan will often plant seeds of dissatisfaction with our jobs and even our marriages to get us looking for “just a little bit more” happiness.
Sometimes we are so focused on seeking “just a little bit more” that we have it made and don’t even know it until we mess up and realize too late how good we really had it.
Generosity is one of the best antidotes for greed that has ever been invented. It also opens up the flood gates of God’s blessings with which He wants to bless us.
What we really need to understand is that our worth and wealth is not based on what we have but on Who we have. We can always be greedy for “just a little bit more” of Jesus!
Father, help me to be like Paul and learn to be content and filled with Your peace and joy, no matter what my worldly circumstances.. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Chris Spears
Ocala Fla.
** Message provided by Homily Grits ............
Monday, June 15, 2009
Federal Withholding Taxes ........
Federal Withholding Taxes
“I tell you, use your worldly resources to benefit others and make friends. In this way, your generosity stores up a reward for you in heaven.” Luke 16:9 NLT
The genius who started the withholding of income and payroll taxes in 1943 deserves a spot in the bureaucratic hall of fame, if there is one. Before this bright idea came along during World War II, people just blithely ignored filing returns and paying taxes. This innovation revolutionized our government.
Although God will not withhold any good thing from those who do right, Scripture is very clear that He does withhold some rewards until we get to heaven. He says that those who pray in public, and those who do good works in public in order to get praise from men are going to get only that. However, those who do these things in secret will get rewards from God.
We could learn a lot about storing up treasures in heaven from the governments payroll deduction idea. Instead of putting it into the bank or spending it on, wood, hay, and stubble that has no lasting value, we should think about making regular deposits of our time, talents, and treasures into God’s bank account. This will assure that we don’t get overcome by greed or destroyed by selfishness.
We should never give to get or get the idea that we can earn our way to heaven. Heaven is a free gift that we cannot buy or earn. We receive eternal life by God’s grace. We should always give in gratitude for this marvelous gift God has given us.
The rewards that God promises when we give has nothing to do with where we are going, but may have a lot to do with what we will be doing when we get there. How much is in your
heavenly withholding account?
Father, may my heart yearn to hear Your “well done,” and may my offerings of my life be acceptable to You. Jesus’ name, Amen.
Chris Spears
Ocala Florida
(message by: Homily Grits Ministries )
“I tell you, use your worldly resources to benefit others and make friends. In this way, your generosity stores up a reward for you in heaven.” Luke 16:9 NLT
The genius who started the withholding of income and payroll taxes in 1943 deserves a spot in the bureaucratic hall of fame, if there is one. Before this bright idea came along during World War II, people just blithely ignored filing returns and paying taxes. This innovation revolutionized our government.
Although God will not withhold any good thing from those who do right, Scripture is very clear that He does withhold some rewards until we get to heaven. He says that those who pray in public, and those who do good works in public in order to get praise from men are going to get only that. However, those who do these things in secret will get rewards from God.
We could learn a lot about storing up treasures in heaven from the governments payroll deduction idea. Instead of putting it into the bank or spending it on, wood, hay, and stubble that has no lasting value, we should think about making regular deposits of our time, talents, and treasures into God’s bank account. This will assure that we don’t get overcome by greed or destroyed by selfishness.
We should never give to get or get the idea that we can earn our way to heaven. Heaven is a free gift that we cannot buy or earn. We receive eternal life by God’s grace. We should always give in gratitude for this marvelous gift God has given us.
The rewards that God promises when we give has nothing to do with where we are going, but may have a lot to do with what we will be doing when we get there. How much is in your
heavenly withholding account?
Father, may my heart yearn to hear Your “well done,” and may my offerings of my life be acceptable to You. Jesus’ name, Amen.
Chris Spears
Ocala Florida
(message by: Homily Grits Ministries )
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Emergency Power Source ............
Emergency Power Source
“For the Kingdom of God is not just fancy talk; it is living by God’s power.” 1 Corinthians 4:20 NLT
Portable power generators sell like popcorn before every impending hurricane. Hospitals, airports, and many other buildings and businesses spend billions installing emergency power generators to use in case of primary power failure.
As good as these alternatives may be in providing emergency back up power, they can’t begin to compare with the emergency power source believers have in the resurrection power of God.
This resurrection power comes with the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit and has never been known to fail. This power turned defeated and dejected disciples into the transformers of the world as God gave them the power to preach, witness, perform miracles, and spread the Gospel throughout the known world. They were able to consider it all joy to suffer persecution and martyrdom for the cause of Christ.
As great as this power is for emergencies, it was never intended to be merely a back up source to our own strength and reason. It has been given as a basic, everyday, always available, primary source of empowerment for living out our lives growing into the fullness of Christ.
The power that brought us into saving faith is the power that will keep us there. It is that “very present help in time of trouble,” our “bridge over troubled waters,” that will transform us into the likeness of Christ by the renewing of our minds.
Our power source needs constant refueling from the Word of God, prayer, and the fellowship of other believers in order to have sufficient reserve power during peak demands. Are you “plugged in”?
Father, thank you for giving me the faith to appropriate the powerof your presence and the truth of your promises into my every day life.. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Chris Spears
Ocala FLorida
Message provided by: Homily Grits Ministries
“For the Kingdom of God is not just fancy talk; it is living by God’s power.” 1 Corinthians 4:20 NLT
Portable power generators sell like popcorn before every impending hurricane. Hospitals, airports, and many other buildings and businesses spend billions installing emergency power generators to use in case of primary power failure.
As good as these alternatives may be in providing emergency back up power, they can’t begin to compare with the emergency power source believers have in the resurrection power of God.
This resurrection power comes with the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit and has never been known to fail. This power turned defeated and dejected disciples into the transformers of the world as God gave them the power to preach, witness, perform miracles, and spread the Gospel throughout the known world. They were able to consider it all joy to suffer persecution and martyrdom for the cause of Christ.
As great as this power is for emergencies, it was never intended to be merely a back up source to our own strength and reason. It has been given as a basic, everyday, always available, primary source of empowerment for living out our lives growing into the fullness of Christ.
The power that brought us into saving faith is the power that will keep us there. It is that “very present help in time of trouble,” our “bridge over troubled waters,” that will transform us into the likeness of Christ by the renewing of our minds.
Our power source needs constant refueling from the Word of God, prayer, and the fellowship of other believers in order to have sufficient reserve power during peak demands. Are you “plugged in”?
Father, thank you for giving me the faith to appropriate the powerof your presence and the truth of your promises into my every day life.. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Chris Spears
Ocala FLorida
Message provided by: Homily Grits Ministries
Monday, June 8, 2009
The Gong Show ...........
The Gong Show
“Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not.” Lamentations 3:22 NLT
There was a short-lived TV show in the 70’s where contestants would be allowed to perform until getting “gonged”and cut off at anytime. Most of the contestants were pretty terrible and deserved to get the gong, but it was actually kind of cruel to try to entertain us at the expense of the inept performances of others.
In many ways, life in this world is kind of like the gong show. Some of our loftiest dreams and highest ambitions often get “gonged.”
Athletic abilities some times get gonged by injury. Dreams of becoming a doctor or an astronaut often get gonged by the lack of money for training, lack of ability, or lack of talent.
Some marriages end up with one partner getting gonged by the other for any number of reasons.
All of us have or will have experienced the gong of failure in some manner or another during the course of our lives. We may get gonged financially, relationally, physically, or mentally sometimes in spite of our best efforts, often as consequences of our worst efforts.
Many times we get gonged by circumstances over which we have absolutely no control.
The good news is that these gongs are not fatal, that God can (and often does) turn what we perceive to be bad to good. His promises to never forsake us, to supply our every need, and to provide His all-sufficient grace to cover our weaknesses and failures are promises that can never be gonged.
He promises to gong the devil himself and cause him to flee when we stand firm and resist with the full armor of God.
Father, thank you for teaching, strengthening, and drawing me closer to You through the “gongs” of my life. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Have a great week!!!!
Chris Spears
Ocala Florida
(passage donated by Homily Grits Ministries)
“Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not.” Lamentations 3:22 NLT
There was a short-lived TV show in the 70’s where contestants would be allowed to perform until getting “gonged”and cut off at anytime. Most of the contestants were pretty terrible and deserved to get the gong, but it was actually kind of cruel to try to entertain us at the expense of the inept performances of others.
In many ways, life in this world is kind of like the gong show. Some of our loftiest dreams and highest ambitions often get “gonged.”
Athletic abilities some times get gonged by injury. Dreams of becoming a doctor or an astronaut often get gonged by the lack of money for training, lack of ability, or lack of talent.
Some marriages end up with one partner getting gonged by the other for any number of reasons.
All of us have or will have experienced the gong of failure in some manner or another during the course of our lives. We may get gonged financially, relationally, physically, or mentally sometimes in spite of our best efforts, often as consequences of our worst efforts.
Many times we get gonged by circumstances over which we have absolutely no control.
The good news is that these gongs are not fatal, that God can (and often does) turn what we perceive to be bad to good. His promises to never forsake us, to supply our every need, and to provide His all-sufficient grace to cover our weaknesses and failures are promises that can never be gonged.
He promises to gong the devil himself and cause him to flee when we stand firm and resist with the full armor of God.
Father, thank you for teaching, strengthening, and drawing me closer to You through the “gongs” of my life. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Have a great week!!!!
Chris Spears
Ocala Florida
(passage donated by Homily Grits Ministries)
Friday, June 5, 2009
Do not throw away ............
“Do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord, no matter what happens. Remember the great reward it brings you! Patient endurance is what you need now, so you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised.” -- Hebrews 35, 36 NLT
This is hard for many people to comprehend, but God not only promises that He will never leave nor forsake us but also promises that if we are truly His, we will never forsake Him.
When we receive Jesus Christ as our Savior, we also receive the fullness of the Holy Spirit as a guarantee that “He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6).
Jesus said, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand” (John 10:27).
We may stumble and fall and succumb to the temptations of the flesh and of the devil from time to time, but if we are truly saved, we can be sure that God will never allow us to perish by forsaking Him.
If we persist in intentional and deliberate sins, we at some point have to ask whether we were truly saved. We know from Scripture that all who call Jesus Lord are not saved.
One of the most hurtful darts of satan is the one making us doubt our salvation when we sin. As long as we have godly sorrow and the cleansing of confession and repentance, we can be sure that we are saved and that God loves us, forgives us, and accepts us, not because of our sins, but in spite of them– not on what we did or didn’t do but on what Christ did for us. Father, let me always know the security of Your love.In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Have A Blessed Day!
Chris Spears
Ocala Florida
This is hard for many people to comprehend, but God not only promises that He will never leave nor forsake us but also promises that if we are truly His, we will never forsake Him.
When we receive Jesus Christ as our Savior, we also receive the fullness of the Holy Spirit as a guarantee that “He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6).
Jesus said, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand” (John 10:27).
We may stumble and fall and succumb to the temptations of the flesh and of the devil from time to time, but if we are truly saved, we can be sure that God will never allow us to perish by forsaking Him.
If we persist in intentional and deliberate sins, we at some point have to ask whether we were truly saved. We know from Scripture that all who call Jesus Lord are not saved.
One of the most hurtful darts of satan is the one making us doubt our salvation when we sin. As long as we have godly sorrow and the cleansing of confession and repentance, we can be sure that we are saved and that God loves us, forgives us, and accepts us, not because of our sins, but in spite of them– not on what we did or didn’t do but on what Christ did for us. Father, let me always know the security of Your love.In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Have A Blessed Day!
Chris Spears
Ocala Florida
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