Spiritual Thoughts

Ability is what you're capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it. --Lou Holtz Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus. Philippians 2:5 All a man's ways seem innocent to him, but motives are weighed by the LORD. Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed. Proverbs 16:2-3

Hard things are put in our way, not to stop us, but to call on Him who is our courage and strength. -- Anonymous I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the LORD In the land of the living. Wait for the LORD; Be strong and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the LORD. Psalm 27:13-14

A friend will joyfully sing with you when you are one the mountain top, and silently walk beside you in the valley. -Anonymous Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You have anointed my head with oil; My cup overflows. Surely goodness and loving-kindness will follow me all the days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. Psalm 23:4-6

To get your ideas across use small words, big ideas, and short sentences. - John Henry Patterson My favorite: For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes. Romans 1:16

Service is nothing but love in work clothes. Author Unknown "Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. You are My friends if you do what I command you." John 15:13-14

Unless we form the habit of going to the Bible in bright moments as well as in trouble, we cannot fully respond to its consolations, because we lack equilibrium between light and darkness. Helen Keller You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:13

Every action of our lives touches on some chord that will vibrate in eternity. Edwin Hubbel Chapin However, as it is written: "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him" - but God has revealed it to us by his word. 1 Corinthians 2:9-10

If you don't have a plan for yourself, you'll be a part of someone else's. --American Proverb In the long run men hit only what they aim at. --Henry David Thoreau For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:17-18

A benchmark of emotional management and responsibility is the realization that our past can no longer be blamed for our actions in the present. The HearthMath Solution, Doc Childre & Howard Martin, 1999 Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:13-14

He who knows no hardships will know no hardihood. He who faces no calamity will need no courage. Mysterious though it is, the characteristics in human nature which we love best grow in a soil with a strong mixture of troubles. Harry Emerson Fosdick The LORD is good, A stronghold in the day of trouble, And He knows those who take refuge in Him. Nahum 1:7 Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. James 1:2-4

Courage doesn’t roar… Sometimes Courage is the quiet voice At the end of the day, saying “I WILL TRY AGAIN TOMORROW” Wait for the LORD; Be strong and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the LORD. Psalm 24:17

People who fight fire with fire, usually end up with ashes. Abigail Van Buren A worthless man digs up evil, While his words are like scorching fire. A perverse man spreads strife, And a slanderer separates intimate friends. He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, And he who rules his spirit, than he who captures a city. Proverbs 16:27-28, 32

My conviction is that failure of some kind is common to us all. And since God had people like us in mind when Christ died, God's grace is adequate to make the best of any situation. Successful people are those who apply God's remedy for failure. Erwin W. Luzer Psalms 143:7-8 Answer me quickly, O LORD, my spirit fails; Do not hide Your face from me, Or I will become like those who go down to the pit. Let me hear Your loving-kindness in the morning; For I trust in You; Teach me the way in which I should walk; For to You I lift up my soul. 1 Corinthians 13:8 Love never fails

"The game of life is a lot like football. You have to tackle your problems, block your fears, and score your points when you get the opportunity." Lewis Grizzard Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier. Also if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not win the prize unless he competes according to the rules. 2 Timothy 2:3-5

"When we long for life without difficulties, remind us that oaks grow strong in contrary winds and diamonds are made under pressure." -Peter Marshall Zechariah 9:16-17 The LORD their God will save them on that day as the flock of his people. They will sparkle in his land like jewels in a crown. How attractive and beautiful they will be!

Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape. -- Unknown 1 Peter 3:8 Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble.

Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in the gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat. ~Theodore Roosevelt Fall seven times, stand up eight. ~Japanese proverb Psalm 37:23-24 If the LORD delights in a man's way, he makes his steps firm; though he stumble, he will not fall, for the LORD upholds him with his hand.

So you have failed? You cannot fail. You have not failed; you have gained experience. Forward! -Josemaría Escrivá Psalms 119:71-72 It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees. The law from your mouth is more precious to me than thousands of pieces of silver and gold.

The optimist says the cup is half full. The pessimist says the cup is half empty. The child of God says, "My cup runneth over." -Unknown Psalm 23:5-6 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

God gave you the gift of 86,400 seconds today. Have you used one to say, "thank you?" William Arthur Ward Psalm 100:4-5 Enter His gates with thanksgiving And His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him, bless His name. For the LORD is good; His loving-kindness is everlasting And His faithfulness to all generations.

The beaten path is the safest, but the traffic's terrible. Jeff Taylor Jeremiah 6:16 Thus says the LORD: "Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where the good way is, and walk in it; then you will find rest for your souls. Matthew 7:13-14 "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it."

God doesn't always smooth the path, but sometimes He puts springs in the wagon. Marshall Lucas Psalm 27:11, 13 Teach me your way, O LORD; lead me in a straight path because of my oppressors. I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.

f you think you're too small to be effective, you've never been to bed with a mosquito. Anita Roddick James 5:16 The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much. One person can do much.