Monthly Archives: December 2011

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2012 – A New Year

It’s Another Podcast!

Have you decided to do something different in this upcoming New Year?  I have, and I’ll tell you on this podcast.

Are you planning to have a better 2012 than 2011?  If you’re not, then listen to this podcast.  If you are, then listen to this podcast.

I am heading over to the Phoenix Rescue Mission in a couple of hours to teach tonight.  In this podcast, I share some of what I am going to share with them.

Happy New Year!

[If you cannot see the player below, just click the title above]

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You Might Also Enjoy:
Where Is Your Life Going This Year?
Happy New Day! I Mean, New Year!
Keeping Your Dreams Alive

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It Is A New Year

(This time of year, many people are talking about setting goals.  There are countless articles, books, and courses about goals. This article is about why some people do not even consider setting goals for the New Year.)

There are lots of people who don’t get very excited about another new year They simply expect another year of the same with a different date attached to it.  But there is a reason why they do not anticipate anything new and exciting in the days and weeks ahead.

One of the main reasons that people do not anticipate new and exciting things for the New Year is that they are very discouraged by where their lives are today.  Not only that, but they see no way for things to improve.  They have allowed disappointments and discouragements in the past to steal their hopes and dreams.

How can you arrive at the place in your life where you will no longer be disappointed or face any discouragement?  You can’t.  Everyone faces disappointments and discouragements.

It Happens To All Of Us

People who are discouraged and feel trapped hardly ever consider that everyone else in the world faces disappointments and discouragements, too.  We all face challenges, obstacles, disappointments, rejections, setbacks, etc.  Since we all face them, then it is our response to what comes our way that determines our futures.

You and I know people who seem to wallow in their troubles.  Looking at the New Year ahead, they often say things like, “I sure hope I have a better year than I did this last year.”  That statement, alone by itself, is not a statement of hope for the New Year, with a clear vision of what one wants to see happen, but rather it is a focus on the disappointments of the past year. What they are really saying is that they just don’t want any more disappointments coming to them in the coming year.

Now who doesn’t want a better year?  Of course, we all do.  But a better year than last year means different things to different people.

What’s Your Response?

For some, a better year is a year without disappointments. Others take an honest look at what they accomplished in the year ending, and decide where they want to go in the coming New Year.  Regardless of the disappointments and setbacks they experienced, their response is to keep dreaming big; they have vision and hope for the days ahead.

There is a big difference in the response, isn’t there?  One hopes that nothing bad happens, and the other hopes that something good happens.  Just like in all of life, our response is our own choice; we choose to respond and those responses really do determine our future.

Those with hopes and dreams for a brighter future have expectations for the coming year.  Many people like to break down the “big expectation” into smaller pieces so that they see their progress over short periods of time.  Some like to put dates on these short range expectations to further help them keep their eyes on what they are expecting for the year.

Shattered Dreams

A man recently shared with me some of what has happened to him in the past few years.  As unpleasant as it was, he was not complaining or looking for sympathy. We were having a discussion about the possibility of him doing something different that has great potential financially.

It was sad to see that he had lost the vision he once had for his life. He is not alone; I see people who desire to only have enough to pay their bills and buy their food.  Many have accepted that they will work until they die, or try to live off of social security.

A New Year?  What’s The Big Deal?

So, when it comes to a New Year, lots of people say, “What’s the big deal?” because they are not only discouraged at where their life is today, but they see no way for things to get any better. They need to stop and realize that while everyone faces disappointments, it is always the response to what life throws at you that is critical to your future.

Once you see and believe that, then you can stop allowing disappointments and discouragements to steal your hopes and dreams.  You can move forward knowing that God said that He will never leave you nor forsake you, that He will direct your path and that He will give you the desires of your heart!

You know, you just might be excited to write down some goals too!

Mike Verdicchio
2011

Don’t Be Shy – Leave A Comment!
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You Might Also Enjoy:
Are You Clear?
What Happened To Your Dreams?
Don’t Give Up!

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This Is My Favorite

It’s Another Podcast!

I have a song for you on this short podcast.  Actually, right before the song, I admit to something personal – so don’t be shocked, okay?

In the comments below, feel free to let everyone know what your favorite is.

Enjoy the podcast!  And be sure to check out some of the related links below.

[If you cannot see the player below, just click the title above]
http://confidenceandjoy.com/wp-content/audio/Podcast/O

Don’t Be Shy – Leave A Comment!
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You Might Also Enjoy:
Swaddling Clothes
Who Were The Magi? Part 1
Who Were The Magi? Part 2

Share This Podcast!
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Christmas Tree Or Holiday Tree?

It’s Another Podcast!

It happens every year.  The battle over whether to call it a Christmas tree or a Holiday tree.  Separation of Church and State, right?

In this short podcast [9:16 ] I’ll tell you about a Jewish man who does not like it referred to as a Holiday tree.  And, I’ll give you a little history and background of the Christmas tree.  And, what about the big picture?

Enjoy the podcast!  (There are some related links below as well.)

Do you have some thoughts about this?  We’d love to hear what you think.  Just scroll to the bottom of this post and type in your comment.

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Is It Just Meant To Be?

It must be hard to dream for the people who believe in fate.  For those who accept that everything is meant to be, it is pointless to imagine.  Subscribing to fate and the “everything is meant to be” philosophy stifles one’s imagination and negates possibility thinking, doesn’t it?

God gave human beings something far beyond what He gave the animals.  We have the ability to reason and choose our own thoughts.  And very few realize just how powerful our own thoughts are, and how dramatically our own thoughts effect our lives.

Those who are locked into fate can only hope that they are on the right track.  In other words, nothing they do will ultimately change their lives. All they can do is hope that their life is not as bad as other people’s lives.  That is not really living, is it?

But, those who understand that they don’t have to settle, and that they can have hope for something better, have genuine goals and desires. They have imagination and inspiration.  They grab hold of life and say, “Let’s see how far I can go!”

That kind of thinking, along with subsequent related actions, is possibility thinking, inspired by the freewill to choose thoughts. Possibility thinkers understand how vital and critical their own thoughts really are.  They are aware that they determine their own barriers or limits.

Barriers

It is really impossible to go beyond the barriers or limits that you build in your own mind and choose to believe. Regardless of the reason why, your mental barrier is yours; you built it and you own it.  You may have all kinds of reasons to justify your barrier, including others who concur, but it is still the barrier or limit that you built.

Countless examples exist of people who because of the odds, physical limitation, or any number of variables, would have been completely justified in building a barrier or limit in their mind. But they did not. They faced and overcame their challenges.  We all have a choice to think whatever thoughts we choose to think.  Those thoughts will either construct barriers, or construct possibilities; the choice is always ours.

What did Michael Jordan construct in his mind after he was cut from his high school basketball team?  He could have accepted his “fate” and moved on.  But he is now one of the greatest basketball players of all time.  He once said, “Whenever I was working out and got tired and figured I ought to stop, I’d close my eyes and see that list in the locker room without my name on it, and that usually got me going again.”

Want to know who failed sixth grade? He was subsequently defeated in every election for public office until he became Prime Minister of Great Britain at the age of 62. His name was Winston Churchill and he wrote, “Never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never – in nothing, great or small, large or petty – never give in except to convictions of honor and good sense. Never, never, never, never give up.”

Abraham Lincoln’s life was anything but success for many, many years.  He failed in business and he was defeated in public elections, over and over.  And yet, today he remains one of the greatest presidents of the United States.

A young boy wanted to be the ball boy for a Davis Cup tennis match.  He was rejected on the grounds that he was too awkward and clumsy.  That young boy was Stan Smith who went on to win Wimbledon, the U. S. Open, and, eight Davis Cups.

What Is Your Opinion?

The opinions we carry of ourselves, along with the things that we say to ourselves about ourselves, who we are and what we can do, are literally life changing.  And, as Christians, we not only have the ability to build mental possibilities instead of mental barriers, but God has given us His spirit.  That means that He can communicate to us and give us the wisdom we need for our journey in life.

We can just accept our fate and choose to believe that everything that happens is just, “meant to be.” Or, with God on our side, we can choose to put in the effort and determination to make our dreams come true.  What’s your choice?

Mike Verdicchio
2011

Don’t Be Shy – Leave A Comment!
Do you have some thoughts about this?  We’d love to hear what you think. Just scroll to the bottom of this post and type in your comment. (If you are receiving this post via email or RSS, just click the title above and then scroll to the bottom of the post and type in your comment.)

You Might Also Enjoy:
Do You Rely On Luck Or Fate?
What’s In Your Fortune Cookie?
What’s Your Fate?

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Reeds And Flax Part 2

From the Category, “The Eastern Eye”

[The Bible is an “Eastern” book. It was written many years ago in the “East” which today we refer to as “The Middle East.”  As such, there are many customs and idioms that are not familiar to the “Western” mind.

In understanding the Scriptures it is important for us to understand the culture, but it doesn’t mean that we should necessarily follow that culture. Rather, it is in the understanding of the Eastern culture that we gain light and understanding about many things in the Bible.]

In Part 1, we looked at the eastern idiom of, “a bruised reed.”  If you haven’t read that yet, just scroll down and read Part 1 first.

What Is The Smoking Flax?

The second idiom in Isaiah 42:3 is “the smoking flax.”  The verse says, “…and the smoking flax shall he not quench.”

In the times of the Bible, the people believed if there was a light in their home, God was there; the light represented God’s presence.  And so, every home always had a light in the house, even through the night. In Bible times of course they didn’t have electricity, so they utilized oil lamps.

They would put oil into the shallow container and then use a flax wick.  If the oil ran out then the wick would be smoking and stinking because of no oil.  Specific duties for men and women were important, and one of the woman’s duties was to keep oil in the lamp.

If on occasion the oil ran out during the night, the husband, smelling the smoke would wake his wife so that she could go and add oil.   If the woman was tired or lazy, instead of finding the oil and adding it, she would just take off the burned smoldering part of wick. Quenching the smoking flax and just throwing that part out was simply a temporary solution.  And, she might even light the fresh part of the flax wick.  But it would then still be a burning empty wick and it would still stink.

What Makes Us Stink?

Being negative is to stink.  Here in the United States we have an idiom: change your stinking thinking.  In the east the saying is, “a negative person is the biggest stink there is in the world.”

“I can’t; I can’t.”  “This is too hard.”  “Nothing works out for me.”  “Things in my life just don’t go right and they will probably get worse.”  All negative.

Negative people are always disturbed, dejected, and full of despair.  Their problems continue to sink them lower into stinking negativity.

In this stinking condition, they don’t think properly; they are full of fear and anxiety.  They epitomize despondency.  And beware: they are not the kind of people you go to for advice!

Smoking flax refers to being miserable.  But when we reflect on the completed work of Christ we can see that he did not provide us a temporary solution.  He didn’t just quench the smoking flax; he didn’t just take off the burnt part and relight it.  Instead, he filled container with oil to overflowing!

Who Are We?

The Bible states that as born again Christians, we are complete; there is nothing lacking.  We have all received all spiritual blessings.  We have all been filled with His spirit; it is all in all.  The love of God has been shed abroad in our hearts by the holy spirit which was given to us.

When we look at the blessings God has freely given all of us because of the completed work of Christ, we can choose to change from negativity.  We can refuse to live with fear and anxiety, and instead live by faith.  We really can be people of joy and gladness.

The work of Christ was a complete work.  No matter how bruised you are today, you will never be thrown away.  And Christ’s work was not a temporary fix, but an eternal solution; you have been given the gift of eternal life.  Nothing can separate you from God’s love.

If you are a bruised reed or smoking flax, look to Christ, the author and finisher of our salvation, who died so that you could live abundantly.  A bruised reed cannot have an abundant life. Smoking flax stinks, and smoke cannot have abundant life.  We can chose to accept what Christ has accomplished for us, claiming the victory that is ours: in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.

Isaiah 42:3
A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth.

Colossians 2:10
And you are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:

Ephesians 1:3
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

Romans 5:5
And hope makes not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the holy spirit which is given unto us.

Romans 6:23b
The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Romans 8:37-39
In all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,

Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Mike Verdicchio
2011

Leave A Comment!
Do you have some thoughts about this?  We’d love to hear what you think.  To leave a comment if you are receiving this post via email or RSS, just click the title above and scroll to the bottom of the post and type in your comment.  If not, just scroll to the bottom of this post and type in your comment.

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Resources
 There are a number of books that you can read to get insight on customs, manners, idioms and meanings from the Eastern culture in which the Bible was written.  The best I know of were written by Bishop K. C. Pillai.  I have had the pleasure of listening to many recorded teaching by him.

He wrote three books, and they are hard to find, and are usually over priced.  But, if you want to you can check this link to see what Amazon has to offer. Light Through an Eastern Window

Another great resource that I have used for years is a book called, “Manners and Customs of the Bible,” by James Freeman. Mine was printed in 1972 and I know they have newer additions. For the newest edition, just click the link and it will take you to Amazon. The New Manners and Customs of the Bible (Pure Gold Classics)

More Eastern Eye Articles

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Reeds And Flax Part 1

From the Category, “The Eastern Eye”

[The Bible is an “Eastern” book. It was written many years ago in the “East” which today we refer to as “The Middle East.”  As such, there are many customs and idioms that are not familiar to the “Western” mind.

In understanding the Scriptures it is important for us to understand the culture, but it doesn’t mean that we should necessarily follow that culture. Rather, it is in the understanding of the Eastern culture that we gain light and understanding about many things in the Bible.]

Figures of speech in the Bible are used for emphasis and are not what they appear on the surface.  Idioms are a figure of speech.  An idiom is a way of saying something that is peculiar to a people or culture.  Once you understand the idioms in the Bible, the true meaning becomes very clear.

There are two idioms in Isaiah 42, verse 3:  a bruised reed and the smoking flax.  To those unfamiliar with the culture of the Bible, the meaning of those idioms is not known. Here in Part 1, we’ll look at the first idiom.

Reeds grow wild. Although related to the sugar cane, which is solid, reeds are hollow in the middle.  They grow 3 to 4, and sometimes 5 feet high.  During the heat of the day they droop to the ground, but in the cool of the evening, they rise back up, straight and tall.  It was something beautiful for people to watch in the evening.

Jesus made reference to reeds in asking the people what they went out to see, John the Baptist, or the reeds.  In other words, he was asking them if they were paying attention to what John was saying, or if they were distracted by the reeds.

Ancient oriental flutes were made from the reeds.  The verse in Isaiah says, “A bruised reed shall he not break.”  If you know the idiom, “bruised reed,” then it makes the verse much clearer.

What Is A Bruised Reed?

If someone’s flute fell to the ground, it could easily break. It was then referred to as a bruised reed; that’s the idiom. A broken or bruised flute could no longer be used to play, and so, it was thrown away and another one was made.

Eastern shepherds often carried flutes and they would play them. However, they would not toss out their broken flute and make another, even though it didn’t cost anything to make a new one and it was very easy to make.  The reason the shepherd would not do that is because it was handed down to him for generations; it had a sentimental value.

So when the shepherd’s flute, or reed, was bruised, he would use wax or string to repair it.  He loved his flute just as he loved his grandfather who may have passed it on to him. He loved it so much that he repaired it and kept it for keepsake.

In this chapter, Isaiah is talking prophetically about the coming redeemer, Jesus Christ, who is of course referred to, in other places in the Bible, as the good shepherd.  He redeemed us, he laid down his life for us; he paid the full price for all sins.

Are You Bruised?

When a person is broken or bruised by sin or by indifference, that person loses the joy of having salvation; they lose their peace; they are mentally bruised and unhappy; they have no song of joy.

The invitation to salvation is simple and easy because all the work was accomplished for us by Christ.  One simply accepts Jesus as the savior, acknowledging that he is lord of all men, and that God raised him from the dead.  They then receive redemption, salvation, eternal life, forgiveness, and a lot more.

But accepting Christ does not mean that one becomes perfect, never to fall short; we all miss the mark.  When someone is in that position they need to remember Christ’s complete redemptive work.  Our falling short and missing the mark bruises us.

When we get in that position, we need to look to Christ, at his complete work.  He has cleansed us, repaired us, renewed us. He bought and paid for our forgiveness.

Jesus said, “And him that comes to me I will in no wise cast out.”  He doesn’t throw us out or toss us away because of our sins; his blood cleansed us from sin.  In the book of Hebrews it says, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”  Jesus will not throw us out and God will never toss us away.

What Will You Choose?

When we are unhappy, miserable, and bruised, and we look to Christ and reflect on what he has done for us, he, as the good shepherd, will not break us, meaning throw us out so that we end up completely crushed.  And so we have a choice.

Our adversary would have us go through life looking at all our faults, weaknesses, and failures.  “Look what I have done; I have failed again, I have messed up again; look at how lousy I am.”  Or instead, we can stop looking at our faults, and look to Christ.

Our loving God and Father is not condemning us.  He loves us so much that He gave His Son to die, to pay the full price for all sins.  In one of the Psalms, David wrote, “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts. And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”  He was asking God to help him to get his heart right.

Too often religion condemns the one who misses the mark, and then has a list of “good” things for him to do in order to make up for the bad that he has done, all the while ignoring the real issues of the heart.  And so, people go around doing all sorts of things so that God won’t toss them out.

The Bible says that Jesus Christ is not ashamed to call us brethren.  In God’s eyes we are His children having His righteousness.  We can be confident that we will never be tossed out because of our shortcomings.  So, why not believe in Christ’s complete redemptive work and open your heart to God?

Next time, in Part 2, we will look at the second idiom in Isaiah 42:3, the smoking flax.

Isaiah 42:3
A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth.

John 10:11
I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd gives his life for the sheep.

Romans 10:9 and 10
That if you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, you shall be saved.

For with the heart man believes unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

John 6:37
All that the Father gives me shall come to me; and he that comes to me I will in no wise cast out.

I John 1:7b
the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanses us from all sin.

Hebrews 13:5b
for He has said, I will never leave you, nor forsake you.

Romans 8:1
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus.

Psalm 139:23 and 24
Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:

Hebrews 2:11b
For which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren.

Mike Verdicchio
2011

Leave A Comment!
Do you have some thoughts about this?  We’d love to hear what you think.  To leave a comment if you are receiving this post via email or RSS, just click the title above and scroll to the bottom of the post and type in your comment.  If not, just scroll to the bottom of this post and type in your comment.

Share This Article!
To share this article on social media, like Facebook, or, Twitter, there are links below.

Resources
 There are a number of books that you can read to get insight on customs, manners, idioms and meanings from the Eastern culture in which the Bible was written.  The best I know of were written by Bishop K. C. Pillai.  I have had the pleasure of listening to many recorded teaching by him.

He wrote three books, and they are hard to find, and are usually over priced.  But, if you want to you can check this link to see what Amazon has to offer. Light Through an Eastern Window

Another great resource that I have used for years is a book called, “Manners and Customs of the Bible,” by James Freeman. Mine was printed in 1972 and I know they have newer additions. For the newest edition, just click the link and it will take you to Amazon. The New Manners and Customs of the Bible (Pure Gold Classics)

More Eastern Eye Articles

Posted on

Connecting Face To Face

It’s Another Podcast!

Over the Thanksgiving Holiday, I experienced something that I have known for a long time. I’m sure you probably know it too, but the more I thought about it the more I wanted to put it on this blog.

Should I write an article, do a video, or, a podcast?  Gee, so many different ways to communicate, right?  I settled on a short podcast [6:41] since I could not personally sit down with everyone who reads this blog.

You’ll understand what that means when you listen.

Enjoy the podcast!

[If you cannot see the player below, just click the title above]

Don’t Be Shy – Leave A Comment!
Do you have some thoughts about this?  We’d love to hear what you think.  Just scroll to the bottom of this post and type in your comment. (If you are receiving this post via email or RSS, just click the title above and then scroll to the bottom of the post and type in your comment.)

You Might Also Enjoy:
In The Clouds
The Great Giver
He Promised

Share This Podcast!
Do you want to share this podcast on your website or Blog?   To share on social media, like Facebook or Twitter, there are buttons below.

There’s More!
For past articles, click on the, “Posts” tab above.  For past videos and podcasts, mouse over the “Posts” tab above.  Look for more videos as well as more podcasts coming soon to Confidence And Joy!