PASSING IT ON

“It’s All About Attitude”

Proverbs 15:18 A wrathful man stirreth up strife: but he that is slow to anger appeaseth strife.

Proverbs 15:1 A Soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.

The study of great coaches and leaders will sometimes reveal men of immense sharp and acerbic personalities (men such as Bobby Knight , Vince Lombardi, and Richard Nixon ) I have always thought , however , that the coaches or my mentors that made the most impact on me to be ones who were at times more kind and positive.

Once I read an article about John Wooden the great basketball coach of UCLA , the question was  asked  “What is the most important trait for a leader?” His answer was quite surprising. He said “He must be a good listener, Having a kind listening sprit allows one to mentor and instruct far mote thoroughly than if one was to be overly reactive caustic or cruel.”

In Proverbs, the greatest book of wisdom ever written Solomon wrote, “The sweetness of the lips increaseth learning” The instructor needs to remember that the tongue is a little member that can cause a great fire or bring vast encouragement. In the words of the great philosopher Mary Poppins “A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down.” We need to be experts at looking for and commending the good.

Oftentimes an instructor can spot an offender committing the most minor of grievance at a distance of 400 yards. He will draw down on him like a bow hunter ready for the immediate kill on the first day of deer season. Equally, if the instructor will have the same amount of attention directed towards those who are doing right, attitudes would without doubt be affected. In short the Golden Rule will help us as we strive remember to treat others the way we would kike to be treated.

WHAT DOES SALVATION MEAN FOR ME?

I.                   WHAT I WAS :

A.    I was spiritually dead –Ephesians 2:1

B.     I was condemned already-John 3:18

C.    I was headed for the lake of fired-Revelations 20:15

D.    I was lost –Luke 19:10

II.               WHAT GOD PROMISE ME

A.    The gift of eternal life -Romans 6:23

B.     The forgiveness of sins – Colossians 1:14

C.    The joy of Jesus Christ –John 15:11

D.    The peace of God –Philippians 4:7

III.           WHAT I DID

A.    I Called upon the name of the Lord-Romans 10:13

B.     I Believed in my heart-Romans 10:9

C.    I received Him –John 1:12

D.    I repented of my sins  -Acts 17:30

IV.            WHAT GOD DID

A.    Washed me from my sins-Revelation 1:5

B.     Recorded my name in the Lambs book of life –Revelations 21:27

C.    Accepted me in the beloved –Ephesians 1:6

D.    Made me a new creature –II Corinthians 5:17

WISDOM IN THE WORD :48

Proverbs 31:4  It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink:

5.      Lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted.

Drunkenness has corrupted so many in our world today, even in our churches the battle rages over the use of alcohol. The bible makes it abundantly clear it is inexcusable for a national leader to be swayed by any form of a mind altering substance. Alcohol clouds the mind and the facts are it can lead to injustice and poor decisions. As leaders in our homes, our jobs, our communities and our churches the bible makes it clear those who will make wise judgments and truly lead in a godly manner will not drink strong wine, whiskey, beer, or coolers ….

Quote of the Week

There is no promise in the Bible to those who partially trust in Christ. If you’re not trusting 100%, you’re not trusting at all! — Pastor Dan Tidd

CHANGE

"To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace."

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

Our Christian lives are a series of changing seasons.

Throughout history, people have resisted changes to their everyday lives. For instance, when the railroad system was developed in America, many people vehemently opposed it. Here's a letter written to President Andrew Jackson on January 31, 1829:

As you may know, Mr. President, 'railroad' carriages are pulled at the enormous speed of 15 miles per hour by 'engines' which, in addition to endangering life and limb of passengers, roar and snort their way through the countryside, setting fire to crops, scaring the livestock and frightening women and children. The Almighty certainly never intended that people should travel at such breakneck speed.
Signed,
Martin Van Buren
Governor of New York

Even Governor Van Buren, a future President of the United States, opposed what now we can say was a very important step in our nation's transportation development. It seems that with every major change in history came some resistance. While not all change is good, good change is beneficial.
In our lives as Christians, there needs to be a "changing process" every so often. As our verses show, we live through different seasons in our lives. There will be times of growing, sowing, reaping, repenting, building, and repairing. Our Christian lives are a series of different seasons.

Take a moment to think of the season you've been in recently. Perhaps you've endured a trial and have since come through closer to God. Maybe you've experienced blessings and have had much for which to thank God. Or perhaps you've encountered a time of backsliding, a falling away from God's will.

What season are you in right now? If you are facing a difficult season, know that God doesn't bring seasons of difficulty or stretching and growing into your life for no purpose. There's always a reason! And as Ecclesiastes explains, your season of difficulty will not last forever. There will be seasons of blessings coming as you remain faithful to Him.

If you've experienced a season of blessing recently, take time to thank God! He has blessed you and deserves to be thanked because of it. Just as a season of difficulty will not last forever, so a time of blessing will end. Rather than spending the time of blessing away from God, make sure to stay close to Him so that when difficulties come, you can thank Him just as you did during the blessing season.
Or have you strayed from God recently? God never desires that you would turn away from Him, but He offers you forgiveness and restoration if you turn back to Him. You are never too far gone that God will not forgive you.

Which season of life are you in today? Thank God for His guidance and love no matter the season you face, and remain faithful to Him no matter what's going on in your life right now.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

Faith is a living, daring confidence in God’s grace, so sure and certain that a man could stake his life on it a thousand times. — Martin Luther

His Ways are Perfect

 

"Give ear, O ye heavens, and I will speak; and hear, O earth, the words of my mouth. My doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distil as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass: Because I will publish the name of the LORD: ascribe ye greatness unto our God. He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he. They have corrupted themselves, their spot is not the spot of his children: they are a perverse and crooked generation. Do ye thus requite the LORD, O foolish people and unwise? is not he thy father that hath bought thee? hath he not made thee, and established thee? Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations: ask thy father, and he will shew thee; thy elders, and they will tell thee. When the Most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel. For the LORD's portion is his people; Jacob is the lot of his inheritance."

Deuteronomy 32:1-9

Things may not go perfectly according to our plans, but we can trust that things always go perfectly according to God's plan.

If you've ever played the game of bowling, you understand the difficulty of bowling a perfect game with a score of three hundred points. Only the best of bowlers are able to accomplish such a feat. It's said when one bowler bowled three hundred, he collapsed after the final pin fell. Another bowler was so nervous about messing up his final roll that he refused to bowl his last turn. He never again set foot in a bowling alley and spent the rest of his life wondering what might have been.

The pursuit of perfection reaches beyond bowling and sporting events. Many people pursue perfection in their daily lives. They want the perfect job, the perfect spouse, the perfect children, the perfect home, the perfect salary, and so on. Yet while many people pursue perfection, as Christians we realize nothing in this sin-infested world is perfect. Things may not go perfectly according to our plans, but we can trust that things always go perfectly according to God's plan.

Psalm 18:30-32 tells us of God's perfect plan, "As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him. For who is God save the LORD? or who is a rock save our God? It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect." Things don't always go as planned. Our schedules can change, our plans can be stopped, and what we once thought was important can fall away. A bad medical report, a loss of a job, a wayward child, or a loss of a home can throw us into a downward spiral, yet God proves that no matter what enters our lives, His plan is perfect.

Realize that any situation you face is in God's hands. Any trial you come across has already been approved by God. God does not allow trials to hurt you, but to perfect your faith. Author Warren Wiersbe put it this way, "Christ has already run this race of faith and conquered for us! He is the Author (Pioneer, Trailblazer) and Finisher of our faith; He is Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End. What He starts, He finishes; He can see us through to victory."

God is not finished with you yet. He has not finished perfecting, maturing, shaping, and molding your life. Honestly, God will never be done until you reach full perfection in Heaven. Accept the fact that trials and difficulties will enter your life. Do not view them as inconveniences, but accept them as God's work. Ask God what His purpose in each trial is, and allow Him to mold you into a more Christ-like being.

Remind yourself of Deuteronomy 32:4 today as you go about your not-so-perfect day, "He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he." God's ways area always perfect. Rest in the fact that He's working through even the trials today.