Spiritual Thoughts

Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men of talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. -- Calvin Coolidge To those who by persistence in doing good, seek glory, honor and immortality, He will give eternal life. Romans 2:7

Stop rationalizing, stop stewing. Get up out of your chair and start doing. -Denis Waitley Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing. 1 Thessalonians 5:11

"Some men have thousands of reasons why they cannot do what they want to, when all they need is one reason why they can." Mary Frances Berry Now when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling; and falling down before Him, she declared to Him in the presence of all the people the reason she had touched Him and how she was healed immediately. And He said to her, "Daughter, be of good cheer; your faith has made you well. Go in peace." Luke 8:47-48 Don't be fearful to come to our Lord - He will help.

Every time you touch a life you are making a presentation. What kind of presentation are you making for them? Unknown Then at the end of the days which the king had specified for presenting them, the commander of the officials presented them before Nebuchadnezzar.The king talked with them, and out of them all not one was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah; so they entered the king's personal service.As for every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king consulted them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and conjurers who were in all his realm. Daniel 1:18-20

A Scottish athlete in the 19th century made an iron discus based on a description he read in a book. What he didn’t know was that the discus used in official competition was made of wood with only an outer rim of iron. His was solid metal and weighed three or four times as much as those being used by other discus throwers. The man marked out the record distance in a field near his home and trained day and night to match the record. For years he labored until he could break the record. Then he took his iron discus to England for his first competition. When he arrived at the games, he was handed the official discus. He easily set a new record, a distance far beyond those of his competitors. He remained the uncontested champion for many years. This man trained under a heavy burden and became better for it. When we are given a heavy burden to bear, we need to learn to bear it with the help of our Higher Power and for His sake. Our burdens can make us better than we...

PERSEVERE ANYWAY People are often mean and cruel and irresponsible, LOVE THEM ANYWAY People often try to tear down what you build up. BUILD TODAY ANYWAY If you commit yourself to goodness, people may attack you for false piety, COMMIT YOURSELF TO GOODNESS ANYWAY. If you try to help people, they will often resent you and feel dependent, TRY TO HELP PEOPLE ANYWAY. Persevere and give the best you’ve got. Commit with every ounce and fiber of your being, You may get kicked in the pants, BUT PERSEVERE and give the world the best you've got, and give it every fiber of your being ANYWAY, Because it is really between YOU and GOD ... Anyway!!! We also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, b ecause the love of God has been poured out within our hearts. Romans 5:3-5

A man won a prize at the county fair for a full-grown pumpkin shaped like a small jar. How did he accomplish this? When the pumpkin stated to bloom he simply put the bloom into the glass jar and the pumpkin as it grew, filled up the jar. He then broke the jar, and the pumpkin had duplicated the size and shape of the jar. Many times we do the same to ourselves. We place ourselves in containers that limit our growth. The container will be just as large or small as we believe it to be. It is a matter of choice. We can choose to continue to grow or we can choose to become ripe and rot. Many times the achievement of our potential is just a matter of a very slight edge, but we don’t realize it. For example, in baseball a player who has a 350 average earns at least 3-5 million dollars a year. But a 250 hitter may only earn $750,000 a year. Yet the difference is only one hit every 10 times at bat - a very slight edge. How many Super Bowls are won or lost because the team missed a fir...

Obstacles can't stop you. Problems can't stop you. Most of all, other people can't stop you. Only you can stop you. - Jeffrey Gitomer Stop listening to instruction, my son, and you will stray from the words of knowledge. Proverbs 19:27

It is not what we read, but what we remember that makes us learned. It is not what we intend but what we do, that makes us useful. And, it is not a few faint wishes but a lifelong struggle that makes us valiant. - Henry Ward Beecher Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. 1 Peter 1:13

Take Action Keep on going and the chances are you will stumble on something, perhaps when you are least expecting it. I have never heard of anyone stumbling on something sitting down. - Charles F. Kettering "What do you think? If any man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go and search for the one that is straying? If it turns out that he finds it, truly I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine which have not gone astray. So it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones perish." Matthew 18:12-14

Every day that we wake up is a good day. Every breath that we take is filled with hope for a better day. Every word that we speak is a chance to change what is bad into something good. Walter Mosley This is the day which the LORD has made; Let us rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24

Most people want to be delivered from temptation but would like it to keep in touch. Robert Orben "Keep watching and praying that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak." Matthew 26:21

T hrough this toilsome world, alas! Once and only once I pass; Any good deed I may plan, Let me do it while I can. No delay, for it is plain I shall not pass this way again. - Author Unknown Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share,storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is life indeed. 1 Timothy 6:18-19

Need a Hero? Who's your hero? Hollywood has filled our lives with superhuman characters that promise to rescue the helpless humans from the evil menaces of society. Our minds have been so cluttered with images of masked heroes that some have forgotten about our true "Hero", the One who unselfishly gave His life and suffered all of the pain so that we may have eternal life. David proclaims in Psalm 33 that even the mightiest of kings that ride upon the strongest of horses, surrounded by the mightiest of armies are are not able to save themselves. There is but only one Hero that can save you. Psalm 33:16-22 The king is not saved by a mighty army; A warrior is not delivered by great strength. A horse is a false hope for victory; Nor does it deliver anyone by its great strength. Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear Him, On those who hope for His loving-kindness, To deliver their soul from death And to keep them alive in famine. Our soul waits for the LORD; He i...

"As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them." - John Fitzgerald Kennedy Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name.And do not neglect doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. Hebrews 13:15-16

"Good habits are hard to form and easy to live with. Bad habits are easy to form and hard to live with. Nothing is neutral. Everything counts." - Brian Tracy Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Galatians 6:9

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: "May they prosper who love you."May peace be within your walls, And prosperity within your palaces." Psalms 122:6-7 Today is the 40th anniversary of Jerusalem being taken back by the Jews for Israel. May our Lord come soon!

"Habits grow with practice, from cobwebs into cables." - Denis Waitley ....speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ. Ephesians 4:15

"Hope is necessary in every condition. The miseries of poverty, sickness and captivity would, without this comfort, be insupportable." -Samuel Johnson Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 1:13

It's hard to follow God closely when your eyes are focused on everyone else around you. ~ Unknown Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Hebrews 10:23-24

I am only one; but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; I will not refuse to do the something I can do. -- Helen Keller (1880-1968) Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Romans 12:11-14