Spiritual Thoughts

  I f everything I owned were taken away, what would remain that defines who I am? ~ Anonymous Y our conduct must be free from the love of money and y ou must be content with what you have, for He has said, "I will never leave you and I will never abandon you." ~ Hebrews 13:5

  C haracter is that force that enables an individual to carry out a resolution once the mood in which that resolution was born has died. ~ from Bits & Pieces A nd not only this, BUT we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance, and perseverance, proven character (tried integrity), and character of this sort, HOPE.    ~ Romans 5:4 (Amplified)

  H abit starts out as a thead. When threads are added, it becomes a rope we cannot break. ~ From Bits & Pieces A nd endurance develops maturity of character. And character of this sort produces the habit of joyful and confident hope of eternal salvation. ~ Romans 5:4 (Amplified)

  N ever does a man portray his character more vividly than his proclaiming the character of another. ~ Winston Churchill T wo men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.  The Pharisee stood and was praying this to himself: 'God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.' BUT  the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me, the sinner!' I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled,  BUT  he who humbles himself will be exalted . ~ Luke 18:10-14

  Y ou cannot dream yourself into a character; you must hammer and forge yourself one. ~ James A. Froude S o I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. BUT I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others, I myself should be disqualified. ~ 1 Corinthians 9:26-27

  C haracter is doing what is right when nobody is watching. ~ J. C. Watts, Jr. E ndurance develops maturity of Character (approved faith and tried integrity). And character of this sort produces the habit of joyful and  confident hope of eternal salvation. ~ Romans 5:4 (Amplified)

B e more concerned with your character than your reputation. ~ John Wooden   A nd endurance develops maturity of character. And character of this sort produces the habit of joyful and confident hope of eternal salvation. ~ Romans 5:4

Y our inner thoughts  reveal your true character. ~ Jonathan L. Huie   F or as he things in his heart, so is he. ~ Proverbs 23:7

  Friday Tale - PMA Company   Y ou can tell by the company people choose, what sort of character they have.   As the saying goes, “Birds of a feather flock together.” We usually choose friends and business associates who like the same things we do, people who share the same values.   If you choose happy, positive, productive companions, the odds are that you are or will soon become happy, positive, and productive yourself. Unfortunately, the reverse is also true. Unhappy, negative, destructive people are sure to drag you down with them.   Choose to spend most of your time with persons who have PMA — a Positive Mental Attitude. If your job requires you to spend time with negative people, limit that time to the best of your ability and above all don’t let them discourage you with their negativism. Instead, display your own PMA . ~ Jim Gentil   P raise the LORD! Sing a new song to the LORD, and His praise in the congregation of the god...

  Friday Tale - Walking the Talk    S ome time , in the not-too-distant future, these will probably be known as “the good old days.” But for now, they’re just the times in which we live. And they are challenging times, indeed. More and more we find ourselves facing situations which test our human fiber…and our moral compass.      Temptations to do what’s convenient, easy, and self-serving come at us like waves rushing to the shore.     How do we deal with this reality? How can we ensure that we stay on the right path and avoid compromising our values and beliefs? We do it by continually reflecting on the following five key principles of walking the talk…and acting accordingly.   Principle 1: Words to Live by Are Just Words…Unless You Actually Live by Them   Principle 2: You Are What You Do   Principle 3: Everything You Do Counts   Principle 4: The “Golden Rule” Is Still Pur...

  Friday Tale - Making Decisions   W illiam McKinley, the 25 th U.S. president, once had to choose between two equally qualified men for a key job. He puzzled over the choice until he remembered a long-ago incident.       On a rainy night, McKinley had boarded a crowded streetcar. One of the men he was now considering had also been aboard, though he did not see McKinley. Then an old woman carrying a big basket of laundry struggled into the car, looking in vain for a seat. The job candidate pretended not to see her and kept his seat. McKinley gave up his seat to help her.       Remembering this episode, which he called “this little omission of kindness,” McKinley decided against the man on the streetcar. Our decisions – even the small, fleeting ones – tell a lot about our true character . ~ Adapted from Presidential Anecdotes by Paul F. Boller, Jr . "H is master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servan...

  P ersonality can open doors, BUT only character can keep them open. ~ Elmer G. Leterman   O L ord, who may abide in Your tent? Who may dwell on Your holy hill? He who walks with integrity and strength of character, and works righteousness, and speaks and holds truth in his heart. ~ Psalm 15:2 (Amplified)

  O ur character is what we do when we think no one is looking. ~ H. Jackson Brown, Jr.   H e who walks in integrity and with moral character walks securely. ~ Proverbs 10:9 (Amplified)

  P erhaps there is no more  important component of character  than steadfast resolution.  ~ Theodore Roosevelt   L et us not lose heart in doing good,   for in due time we will reap  if we do not grow weary.  ~ Galatians 6:9

  Friday Tale - Grocery Carts     A  father  asked his son after grocery shopping to return their cart to the retrieval area. Although it would have taken only a minute, the son protested.     "C'mon, Dad," he said, "There are carts all over the lot. None of those people returned theirs. No one expects them to."     Then Mom chimed in. "For heaven's sake, they pay people to collect the carts. Returning one more won't change the history of the world. Let's just go."     Dad was about to surrender when he saw an elderly couple walking together to return their cart. After a moment, he said to his son, "We're not responsible for what other people do, but we are responsible for what we do. There are two kinds of people: those who put their carts away and those who don't. We put our carts away because that's the kind of people we are." ~ John William Smith       This story...

  I t doesn't matter what you look like. You can be tall, short, fat, thin, ugly or  handsome, or you can be black, yellow  or white, it does not matter.  What does matter is the size of your  heart and strength of your character. ~ Herman Numster   P ut off your old self... to be renewed in   your minds, and to put on the new self,  created after the likeness of God in  true righteousness and holiness. ~ Ephesians 4:22-24

  T rials, temptations, disappointments - all these are helps instead of hindrances, if one uses them rightly. They not only test the fiber of a character, BUT strengthen it. Every conquered temptation represents a new fund of moral energy. Every trial endured and weathered in the right spirit, makes a soul nobler and stronger that it was before. ~ James Buckham   C onsider it pure joy whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and  complete, not lacking anything. ~ James 1:2-4

  C haracter is the one and  only thing we have total control of - we can lose our health, wealth, beauty, family, or  freedom, BUT we never lose our  character. Our character is our strength, the house inside us. ~ Diane von Furstenberg   But that's not all!  We gladly suffer, because we know that suffering helps us to endure. And endurance builds character, which gives us a hope that will never disappoint us. ~ Romans 5:3-5 (CEV)

  P erfecting your character is not a marathon, a race, or a competition. It can only be won in stride by stride, with daily motivation. ~ Orly Wahba   Y ou, therefore, will be perfect, growing into spiritual maturity, both in mind and character, actively integrating Godly values into your daily life, as your heavenly Father is perfect. ~ Matthew 5:48 (Amplified)

L ife is a quarry, out of which we are to mold and chisel and complete a character. ~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe   A nd not only this, BUT we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character, and proven character - hope. ~ Romans 5:3-4