The power of desire backed up by faith gives us a way to keep coming back when things seem discouraging. There is a big difference in wanting things that are good and just and things that have a negative impact on society. Food, water, and clothing, are necessities of life that many of us take for granted but there are many places around the world that do not have these basic necessities. The foundation of meeting our basic needs provides us with lessons for not only meeting these needs but also in obtaining abundance in our lives.
The first part of meeting needs is to believe you can receive it. The bible tells us that we should have confidence in God and that if we ask anything according to his will, He hears us. To ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who ask receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks the door will be opened. A walk with God provides abundant joys, life, grace, power, supplies, and entrance to eternity
Our talents are like seeds that have not germinated. As a seed requires light, heat, and nutrients to grow; talents require planning, goal setting, action, and dedication. As mentioned in lesson two, we live in abundance. There are over 100 billion galaxies with each galaxy having billions of stars. Scientists have also discovered that the universe is still expanding. Although there is abundance in the world, we must see abundance in ourselves before we can use it. There is untapped potential in everyone. Most psychologists think few people ever use more than thirty percent of their potential.
Your brain has the capacity to think, to reason, to recall, to visualize, and imagine. It can also choose and create. I once heard a story about a tourist that stopped his car on a country road and asked a young boy “How far is it to Smithville?” “Well,” said the boy, “The way you are going, it’s about 24,996 miles, but if you turn around, it’s about four.” It’s important to put some thought into the direction you are going. On a wall as you wait in line at the model-T car ride at Six Flags in Arlington Texas is a sign of a quote by Henry Ford that reads, “Thinking is the hardest work and that is probably why only a few engage in it”.
I read a book a few years back called “Man in the Mirror” and one statement made in this book was that each day is a battle for our thought life. You have to work at being a thinker. Gordon MacDonald in his book, “Ordering Your Private World”, says that we need to train our minds to be alert and alive, taking on fresh amounts of information every day, regularly producing new discoveries and conclusions. He says that thinkers see old things in new ways; they analyze hypotheses, separating out the true from the false.
A football team studies the competition by looking at game film to know the upcoming opponents tendencies. We too face competition. It is anything that holds us back like fear, despair, and hate. So, study the film called life to come up with plans for your tomorrows. Think accurately and make adjustments so you’re in a position to be successful. Develop that untapped potential; the amazing abundance of talent and ability that you have never used.
Every day you have greater opportunities than you have ever had before simply because you are the beneficiary of the past. You can relate the normally unrelated and see usual things in unusual ways. This week, take a look at the Purpose Tool Template spreadsheet at this Link. Click on the Priorities tab at the bottom and fill out at your own pace throughout the week. Also, feel free to download the template to your own computer and modify for your own personal use.
So much in life can give us a lift like a funny photo or inspirational thought. Give the mind positives to process and produced are qualities like enthusiasm, optimism, and initiative for life.
This is a photo of our family dog. She’s very photogenic. When we saw her photo on the local animal shelter add, we went down to see if she was still there and when she was, we adopted her. Over the years, she has given us a lift with her funny expressions.
Many famous people give us examples of how a dream can turn into reality even with many obstacles in their way. Christopher Columbus didn’t know the world was round but he had a good hunch it was so he acted on that belief with courage. As he set out to find a better route to China, he discovered America. Thomas Edison failed over 9,000 times before he invented the light bulb. Yet from that point forward he went on to receive 1,093 patents, more than any other person in U.S. history. Ray Kroc was 52 years old and in bad health when he started McDonald’s. At its high point, a new McDonald’s was opening every 5 hours somewhere in the world.
Leonardo De Vinci was a great artist but he also had a system for getting things done. The man that painted the “Last Supper” also created the parachute, bicycle, and helicopter. He acted on his ideas. The system he followed every time he began a new idea consisted of a specific goal that was measurable. He made sure someone kept him accountable for attainment of his goal and that it was realistic and relevant. The goal always had a timeline. If you take the first letter of each part of his system, you have the word SMART and that’s exactly what De Vinci’s system was.
You have the potential to do something great like the famous people mentioned above. Set your imagination free and free your creative powers. Consider this fact. The sun travels at a speed of 155 miles per second, but it still takes 230 million years for it to complete a single revolution of our galaxy. There’s nothing up there but sky and with God, the sky is the limit! My pastor for many years, Steve Ramsdell once said in a sermon that each morning, we have a fresh start with God. We have a chance to be freed from the pessimism we may have had and can use the unlimited power, amazing grace, and unquenchable love He has for us. It’s not always easy and we have bad days but think of all the inventions that have come about because of someone having a bad day. Bad days make people think up new ways to create better days for someone else. According to amusingfacts.com, it was after dropping and breaking a bottle of milk which spilled all over his floor one morning that John Van Wormer invented paper milk cartons.
The Bible Study Guide mentioned in lesson one is a tool that allows you to be creative and set your imagination free. Like the creativity of small children with curiosity and the questions they ask, we can ask God questions. As we get older, sometimes we stop listening to ourselves and to others because we become boxed in to this certain way of doing bible study. We become closed minded to new ideas. We lose our curiosity and shut out the adventure, excitement and thrill of gaining wisdom from God. Imagination is a tool for a successful and rewarding life. As you read from the bible each day and go to God in prayer, see a bright future; one in which you are on God’s side and are having winning days as you work together.
Happiness is something you decide upon ahead of time. It’s a decision you make every morning you wake up. In Psalms 23:6, David expected goodness and compassion, not part of the time, but all the days of his life. David’s attitude was that God will always provide and I just can’t get away from the good things of God!” David’s attitude was to build up the house of the Lord; a house where every need is met and all people are cared for. He encourages us to take the lead in promoting God’s goodness. This is the same David that faced the giant Goliath. Many thought the giant was too big but David’s only thought was about how big a target the giant was and that he couldn’t miss this big target. How should we face our giants each day? Do you see your targets like David did?
To have optimism, it’s important to go after things with a passion. People accomplish much more when they act on things that they have a passion for. A person can be the most skilled at their profession but unless they have the passion, they will not be at their best. There are six major beneficial emotions that help change goals to action and ultimately to success.
Faith Desire
Love Enthusiasm
Hope Rewards
Many people pray with their minds filled with fear and doubt. Prayer is kind of like sound when communicated by radio. If the mind is cluttered with fear and doubt, the answer from God is hard to receive. The positive emotions act as an antenna to receive the plan from God.
From a website called howstuffworks.com, it was explained that the Voyager spacecraft transmits radio messages long distances because there is a large antenna on earth that is pointing directly to another one on the spacecraft. To read more about the Voyager probes, here is a link: Science News. Optimism is like that big antenna pointed in the right direction. We can also be optimistic when we are pointed in the right direction. When our thoughts are pointed to God, we are prepared, confident, and feel an inner peace because the Kingdom of God is within us. If you want to be happy, work on your relationship with God, believe that you will receive God’s favor, and expect your future to be bright. Apply your faith by seeing a picture of success and help others as you work together; trust God for peace of mind, abundant joy, and rewards beyond measure.
I love pulling for a local sports team like the Cowboys. The only thing is that they don’t always win. It’s better to pull for God’s team. The victories keep coming in. The championship for His people is a prepared place in Heaven for all who are faithful to him. His people are even assured of the power over death. So let God conquer worry by believing in His son and receiving spiritual wealth. He can send the Spirit of His Son into your heart and touch you with divine power.
A book series that has sold millions of copies and produced income of billions of dollars is “Harry Potter”. The series of books and movies are about how the study of witchcraft leads to an amazing, fun, and adventurous life for a young boy. We all are writing a book as Christians. Each day, we are writing sentences to our book about how the study of Christ leads to an amazing, fun, and adventurous life. Millions of people will read this book you are writing over your life time and the reward you will receive is beyond comprehension.
They say that the earlier you plan for retirement the better. Well it’s the same with your Spiritual life. The sooner you start collecting the treasures from God, the wealthier you become spiritually. In God’s timing, things will be made right. Know that God is for you and believe you can do everything. Be at peace and focus on the good that will happen because you trust in Him. We can receive encouragement to help us manage our daily living. Be reinvigorated by Christ’s power and believe that tomorrow will always be better than today. Recall the blessings you have received and give praise. He has much more to give. If you are having difficulty, receive the hope. Be assured by a clear picture of victory. One use I have found with the Microsoft application called PowerPoint is to put together a slide presentation. I try to run this at least three times a week to get me on track. I have written down goals and included quotes and other inspirational affirmations. I use this tool to help me see my part in God’s plan.
As a believer, you share from the same nourishing food for the soul that not only improves your life but also those around you wanting to join in. As we relate to others, we can be optimistic because by the grace of God we are allowed to stand firm in Christ and possess His Spirit in our heart. This resource is only a deposit securing what is to come. So don’t worry if you haven’t received the promotion or big project – don’t be upset. You may find out that you are better off without them. I heard this saying on the Paul Harvey radio segment one time and it went something like this – it’s always the second mouse that gets the cheese. Friend, it’s Ok to come in second if God’s number one. You are so much more prepared today to handle life’s challenges than yesterday. You’re getting better and better each day and closer and closer to the ultimate reward.
We live in abundance. The world is filled with abundance of opportunity which the dreamers of the past never knew. A while back, Scientist discovered that the universe is still growing at a rate of 45 miles per second. This reminds me of a Bible reading I had recently. In 1 Kings 17:10-16, a widow was running out of cooking oil and flower. She was going to make the last meal and then God promised to provide flour and oil. God’s resources are plentiful. He has made the earth productive and His people acquisitive. In obtaining knowledge, the goal is to maintain what you have and to want more. Have you ever just looked up at the moon and thought “A person has walked on that”? It’s amazing and it makes me think that God will let us achieve the impossible if we just want to bad enough. According to the book “Guinness Book of World Records”, there are over 100 billion galaxies with each galaxy having billions of stars.
Many may have potential but without a goal, nothing materializes. How does one start setting goals? First, goals must be clearly defined. Even the greatest high jumper didn’t begin at seven feet. They may have to start at four feet and work their way up. A good first step is to fill out the List of Dreams by clicking on the tab at the bottom of the worksheet. Here is the Link to the worksheet with the tab at the bottom labeled List of Dreams. You are welcome to save this blank copy of this excel document to your own computer. Plan for what you can become. Believe you deserve it and look forward to the reward. Decide for yourself what to do with your life. Only you can decide because you are the most qualified.
I graduated from High School in 1980 not knowing what to do next. I was definitely going off to College, but what would I study. At the time, I loved sports and I had grown up around sports since my Dad had been a coach while I was growing up but I also found after taking basic undergrad courses that what interested me the most was leadership, motivation, and teamwork within organizations so I decided to major in Business Management. Upon graduation, the personal computer became the “big thing” in business; virtually taking over the job duties of entry level managers so my first job was to develop a computerized system for tracking work orders within a company’s quality assurance department. Since then, I’ve taken courses at a local Technical College and received a degree in computer science; working on computer systems ever since but continuing over the years with study in my initial passions of leadership, motivation, and teamwork.
Computers are amazing for efficiency and productivity but for some reason they’ve caused our society to lose focus on the most important aspect of any company; people working together as a team to reach individual and company goals. We have a generation in crisis with a national debt so big that most can’t envisage its enormity. To me, the only solution to our economic uncertainty is to get back to the basics. In the words of Tony Evans, “Living out a Kingdom purpose starts with our walk with God, moves to our relationship with our families, and then goes on to our involvement in the church. Soon we’ll see a difference in our cities, our states, and even our nation. That’s Kingdom impact, and it starts with you and me.”
I remember when Emmitt Smith was inducted into the football Hall of Fame in 2010. In his induction speech, he talked about how he wrote down his goals at an early age. He wanted to be a great football player, play for the Dallas Cowboys, and rush for more yards than anyone in history. He accomplished every one of these goals. Goal setting is a vital ingredient for success. It bridges the gap between mediocrity and greatness; helping one to plan out what to do and staying on track to getting it done.
Good plans, backed with desire and Initiative have a tendency to result in success. It took these qualities for the men who signed the declaration of independence. For they signed their own death warrant should the colonies lose in the fight with Great Britain but they took the initiative which gave this nation its freedom that we enjoy today.
The greatest expenditure of energy in a rocket launch is the first 500 yards. The same is true with us. It’s the first few moves and that first step out of bed that is the hardest. If we can just make it to the cup of coffee, then things get easier. There’s a little initiative in each cup. What is it that Folgers says on their commercial – the best part of waking up is Folgers in your cup. To keep your momentum going and before you begin your busy schedule, take the initiative to meet with God in bible reading and prayer. Listen for plans and directions. He wants to meet and help you build a great day. Let Him shine His light and help you develop a positive picture that will be presented in reality as you go through the day. Listen for plans and directions. He wants to meet and help you build a great day so set aside a daily time for bible reading and prayer. Design a form or document that helps you plan your activities, establishes goals, and documents ideas and thoughts that can be shared.
Some years back, I went through some courses at my church about being a member and some possible roles I might consider as a member. A short time after that, our church started using multi-media in the church service. It seemed like a good idea to me so I asked if I could play a role. I’ve been on the multi-media team running the computer every other month for one of the worship services ever since. The thing I like about multi-media is that a person can get more of their senses involved in the learning process. A person not only hears the sermon but they can see the message on the screen.
I’ve recently started a hobby of creating a multi-media Bible
Study Guide to not only help myself but others in creating a daily reading and prayer time. It’s a guide that divides the Bible up in such a way that a person can read a passage each day. Along with the passage are questions to answer, suggested videos to watch, quotes, or pictures to look at. Also, suggestions on a response to the values or principles brought out in the passage are made. These multi-media tools are utilized to get the mind thinking so one may be inspired to jot down notes. These notes of ideas, thoughts, or plans might be of use for their own goal setting or to share with others.
A while back, I took an on-line course leading into becoming certified in Information Technology. Within this course, there was material dealing with how to continually improve an IT department. It is called the 7-Step improvement process and it consist of identifying the vision and goals, defining what should be measured, defining what can be measured, gathering data, presenting the data, and implementing corrective action.
The Bible study guide is built on this philosophy of continual improvement. Instead of improving a department, the goal is to transform and improve individuals. It provides a step-by-step process of setting a goal for Bible reading, planning how much should be read each day, gathering data like quotes, personal thoughts from the reading, and ideas for personal transformation.
In order for the Bible study program to work, it’s important to understand which part of the day is your best. Determine if you are a morning person or an evening person by experimenting to see what works best for you. Expect to pay the price. You may have to get up a little earlier or stay up a little later. To make it a plan that is uniquely yours, look up quotes and find videos that fit with your interest so they will inspire your thinking. Bible study is not just reading a daily passage. The ultimate goal is to stimulate thought and come up with ideas that will help make the needed changes you desire. It may take years for someone to transform and fully reach their God given potential.
The Bible study program I have developed is very similar to the Deming Cycle or also known as PDCA (plan-do-check-act) which was made popular by Dr. W. Edwards Deming who is considered by many to be the father of modern quality control. After World War II, he taught top managers in Japan how to improve processes and to build quality products. The Deming Cycle is an interactive four-step problem-solving process typically used in business process improvement
Below is an example of a Bible study plan. As you will see, there are Bible passages planned out, some questions to do, a video or quote to provide inspiration and stimulate thought, prayer ideas to help check the meaning of the passage and talk with God about possible plans of action. Hopefully lessons can be learned from the passage or the passage will stimulate memories of lessons learned from experiences of the past. This will give some ideas on what to do next and what action to take.
Reading for Today
Set some time aside; maybe 10 minutes each day for the next two
days. Read Isaiah 50-51:8 using your Bible or the passage lookup tool: Passage Lookup. After reading the passage for today, click back and continue with the items below.
Question:
In less than conciliatory tones what challenge does this listening
servant put forth to Israel?
Jesus brings us back to God. Think of what God created; the oceans, the plants, mountains, animals, and people. I don’t know about you but I want to be on the same team as the one who created all the majestic wonders of the world.
Prayer Ideas:
The Lord gives joy, light, and salvation forever. Pray for inspiration. Ask that you pay close attention and learn a lesson from a sermon, a Sunday school lesson, a daily Bible reading, or a video and that it makes an impression on your soul.
Action:
What lessons have you learned? Write out some plans of action like sharing with someone a lesson learned from this reading.
Sometime this week, take a look at an example of the Purpose Tool worksheet located at this Link. Download the Purpose Tool Template and use it as we go through these lessons together. For this week, take a look and fill out the worksheet with the tab labeled activities.
My pastor for many years Steve Ramsdell once said in a sermon, “Why put off a gift that you can use for a lifetime and beyond? It is the gift of God’s love for us through His son Jesus”. I hope you had a Merry Christmas and are looking forward to a wonderful New Year!
Many may ask after receiving the greatest gift ever, “What next”! Over the next few weeks, I will reblog some writings that may help answer this question. Take a look at this video: I Am – Mark Schultz.
Videos like this one, pictures, and other media can be tools to build our faith and receive God’s blessings. God’s principles never change. A daily devotional time like “This Day with God” internalizes His guiding principles; becoming an instrument which pushes one to focus on Him in every activity throughout their day.
This Day With God - A Spiritual Journey 