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The Biggest Price

What is the greatest thing you want to obtain?  Is it worldwide fame and recognition?  Is it being a member of the “billionaire” club?  What is the highest achievement you want to reach?

Most people think that if they obtain enough money, not only will all their problems disappear, they will gain all the fame and recognition they desire.  Many people work hard to increase their finances, hoping to someday arrive at a very comfortable destination.  Some make it; others don’t.

I am a believer in being all you can be. I believe in developing your skills and abilities in order to reach your personal potential.  I also believe in finding ways to increase your finances.  I do not find it greedy to look for and implement ways to improve any area of life.

But what is the biggest prize you or I could ever obtain?  If money can’t buy happiness, being happy and fulfilled would be life’s greatest achievement.  But we could go a step further and decide that being the greatest benefactor, sharing millions or billions with those less fortunate would be a pinnacle.

Giving of your abundance to help others is a wonderful thing to do.  True givers continue to give more as they increase.  Some of the wealthiest people in the world are some of the biggest givers.

But We Know What Happens

While life expectancy has recently edged up a few years, how many people do you know who are 120 years old?  None, I am sure.  I think the oldest person living today, that they know of, is around 114, but none of us will reach 120.

No matter how much wealth you amass, no matter how much you give away, no matter how happy and fulfilled your life is, all of us someday will die. So, what price would you be willing to pay in order to live forever?

If the price tag were one million dollars in gold, wouldn’t you work your entire life to obtain it?  Of course, we all would, because once we obtained it, then we would live forever. Wouldn’t that be the biggest prize of all?

Think how much money is spent every year just to look a little younger.  It is a billion dollar per year industry.  All that money is spent to sort of prolong the inevitable just a little bit longer.

Few people believe that we really lived as long as it says they lived in the early portion of the Bible.  But even those people, who lived around eight hundred and nine hundred years, still died. When you consider living far, far beyond nine hundred years, can we really even attempt to put a price tag on eternal life?

What If Eternal Life Is A Gift?

What if the Bible is true and eternal life is a gift from God?  What if our loving God designed a plan whereby anyone could obtain eternal life?  What if the price has already been paid and the gift is now free?

The Bible is true, but, sadly, so many times religious thinking steps in and muddies the waters. “Yes, it’s a gift from God, but, you have to earn it.  There are things you must do to deserve it before you can obtain it.”

Countless, sincere people try to do the best they can, hoping they will “make it.”  They try to do enough “good things” so that they will earn eternal life.  What they “must do” depends upon which school of religious thinking gives out the regimen.

Yet, the Bible is very clear that salvation is a gift and eternal life is a gift.  Wages are earned; a gift is not earned.  When your boss pays you, do you thank him for the generous gift?

The Price Has Been Paid

What would you do if someone handed you the keys to a new car?  What if they said, “Here are the keys to your new car; it is bought and paid for.”  Would you then begin making monthly payments for the car?  Of course not! But, that’s exactly what many Christians are trying to do to obtain the gift of eternal life.

After the fall in the Garden of Eden, and the cataclysmic disaster brought upon mankind, God devised a plan to redeem the human race.  In order to complete redemption satisfying any and all claims of justice, it would require the sacrifice of a perfect human being.

The motivation for God rescuing us was love.  His love for humanity, all people, was so great that He willingly gave His only begotten Son.  He created seed inside Mary, and she gave birth to her son, who was literally, the Son of God.

Jesus Christ lived a perfect life.  He went about doing good; healing all those oppressed by the devil, allowing his Father, God Almighty, to work with him.  He taught people about God, and introduced the concept of God being our Father.

He Did It For Us

When the time came, Jesus willingly suffered and endured, and willingly laid down his life for you and for me.  His death was payment in full for all the sins of the world, and opened the door for any and all who believe in him to receive everlasting life.  The Bible declares his one sacrifice, once and for all, the full and complete payment.

God raised Jesus from the dead.  Now, those who choose to believe that Jesus is the savior and the redeemer, lord of all men, raised from the dead by God, the Bible declares are saved.  Salvation is a gift.  Eternal life is a gift.

We don’t try to do enough “good works” to obtain salvation and eternal life.  We already have them.  And the more we recognize what has been freely given to us and who God has made us to be, out of gratitude, not duty, we live our lives for Him.

The price paid for the biggest prize was the highest price ever paid, the life of a perfect man, Jesus Christ, the Son of God.  The Bible says that we are bought and paid for.  If God was willing to pay such a high price for you and for me, then what are we now worth to Him?

Mike Verdicchio
2012

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John 3:16 Compilation
Buy Without Money
Paid In Full

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God’s Timetable

I’ve heard an expression many times over the years: God is never late.  On the other hand, perhaps, a good expression for us would be: we are never patient.  So how can we figure out God’s timetable?

First, let’s admit that we really are impatient.  We have become a product of our modern conveniences.  We microwave “instant” foods that are ready to eat in mere seconds.

It irritates us if our two hour flight, that takes us hundreds of miles, is delayed by ten minutes.  We expect our fully cooked “fast food” to be ready by the time we get to the pick up window.

These and many more examples that you can probably think of, show clearly that we have lost a lot of patience.  And so many times when it comes to asking God for something, if it doesn’t happen very quickly we get frustrated.

So, when you pray and petition God for something, how long are you supposed to wait?  Is He going to answer?  Could I please take a quick peek

at His timetable on this one?

Too often people just think that God either doesn’t hear their requests, or that He just doesn’t want to answer them. Some often wonder if maybe they haven’t been good enough for Him to respond in kind.

No one knows God’s timetable.  In fact, honestly, there is a lot we don’t know about God.  He says in the Bible, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways.”  So, maybe we ought not to be so presumptuous to think we have God all figured out, because we don’t.

Let’s take this position. In the situations that we are faced with in our own lives, there is nothing too hard or too big for God.

If we don’t take that position, then it is pointless to continue this discussion.  God is indeed unlimited in His ability and resources.

Let’s also take the position that God does not lie.  The Bible says that His ears are open unto our prayers.  So we know that every time we pray and ask Him for His help, He indeed hears us.

Muller's Orphan Houses

A man who lived in the 1800’s by the name of George Mueller, set out to show people that God answers prayers.  He had

already seen this in his own life, but wanted to give people something tangible that they could see so that they too could tap into answered prayer.

His plan was establish orphanages for the many homeless children in Great Britain.  He believed that God would provide everything he needed without having to ask anyone for contributions.  He did just that for 64 years.

During that time he built The Orphanage campus at Ashley Down, where it is reported that he cared for and educated over 18,000 children. He educated over 100,000 more in other schools at the Orphanage’s expense and distributed hundreds of thousands of Bibles and countless tracts, in addition to supporting hundreds of missionaries.

He never ever asked for one penny from anyone.  His children never missed a meal, and he never had a debt.  Perhaps regarding God’s timetable, a quote by Mr. Mueller would be helpful.

George Muller

“I live in the spirit of prayer.  I pray as I walk, when I lie down, and when I rise.  And the answers are always coming.  Tens of thousands of times have my prayers been answered.  When once I am persuaded that a thing is right, I go on praying for it.  The great point is never to give up till the answer comes.  The great fault of the children of God is, they do not continue in prayer; they do not persevere.  If they desire anything for God’s glory, they should pray until they get it.”

When it comes to God’s timetable, let’s not get impatient.  Let’s stay persistent in prayer. As Jesus said, we ought not to faint in prayer.  And, let’s keep looking and expecting an answer, no matter how God chooses to get the job done.

And here is another quote from Mueller that I find both inspiring and encouraging.  I hope you do as well.  “Be assured, if you walk with Him and look to Him, and expect help from Him, He will never fail you.”

Mike Verdicchio
2012

Don’t Be Shy – Leave A Comment!
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http://confidenceandjoy.com/your-solutions-or-his/
http://confidenceandjoy.com/are-you-putting-limits-on-god/
http://confidenceandjoy.com/persistent-in-prayer/

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Memorial Day 2012

They paid the ultimate price.   Today, we gratefully remember them.

This morning,  I am honored to be the emcee for the annual Memorial Day program, at the VA’s National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona.  The ceremony includes a fly over, patriotic songs, a parade of colors, placing of wreaths, rifle volleys and other remembrances. The National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona program is made possible by the National Memorial Cemetery Support Committee of Arizona.

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Nothing. Really?

I’ve been thinking about a verse in the Bible lately that I have known for years.  I have read it so many times that I have it memorized.  I have shared this verse many times in teachings over the years.

But lately, I have been thinking a lot about it; I’ve been considering just how overwhelming the message really is.  And, in considering what it says, I am almost lost for words.

The verse is found in the book of Romans.  Romans is part of the section known as the Church Epistles. These nine epistles contain specific information given to those who are born again.  Most of what you read in them is directed to the children of God, those who are saved.

It is in these Church Epistles that one discovers what God has given to those who accept His Son, Jesus, as lord and believe that God indeed raised him from the dead.  By acknowledging Jesus as lord (meaning he is lord of all men) and believing that God raised him from the dead, you shall be saved.

The Bible is very clear that eternal life is a gift; salvation is by God’s grace. This means no one could ever obtain it by themselves.  It is the completed work of Christ who made eternal life and salvation, available, and, for anyone to become a child of God.

Who Are You?

In these same Church Epistles that we discover who we really are in God’s eyes, who He has made us to be.  We find out that He made us righteous, which means we are right in His sight.  We are accepted by God; we have been forgiven. We are holy and without blame; we have been given all spiritual blessings.  And, there is a lot more!

Far too many people base their self worth on what others think of them.  They spend their whole lives trying to please anyone and everyone around them.  Too many people base their self image on the opinions of others.

Wouldn’t it be great if we decided to think of ourselves as God thinks of us?  I’m talking about what you read in those epistles, not what some people propound.  God is not angry and disgusted with you. Because of what Jesus Christ accomplished, He made you righteous in His eyes; He loves you.

He Loves You!

That’s my point.  God loves you, unconditionally and without reservation.  The verse in Romans 8 that I have been pondering the last few days is just astounding.  After listing everything possible that could be considered, God tells us that there is nothing that “shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

That is why I said that God loves you, unconditionally and without reservation.  His love for you does not get any greater for you when you do something good.  He doesn’t love you any less when you fall short.  His love for you remains constant and certain.

We all know that we don’t deserve His love, and that we could never do enough to obtain His love.  Yet, He loves us. He loves you and He loves me, and that does not change, ever!

Why Do We Love God?

We don’t love God so that He will love us back.  The Bible says that we love Him because He first loved us.  The more we think about and focus on God’s unconditional and unchanging love for us, the more we cannot help but to love Him back.

The more we see who He has really made us to be, because of His great unchanging love, the more we can begin to accept and believe who we really are.  And, as we grow in that acceptance, we will grow in our genuine love for others.

Nothing can separate you from the love of God.  Nothing? Really?  Nothing!

Mike Verdicchio
2012

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The Love Of God Part 1
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Are You Afraid To Trust God?

There are a number of different reasons why some people are afraid to trust God for His help.  But it seems that in the troubling days we are living in, a few more people each day are at least considering the possibility of receiving help from God.  Perhaps this article can be of great assistance to those wondering if they really can trust God to help them.

Why are some people afraid to trust God? Some are afraid of the answer they might receive.  Others are afraid that they are not worthy of receiving His help.  Still others fear that God may not give them what they really need.  But are these really valid reasons, or are they just suppositions or assumptions based on falsehoods?

Some are afraid to trust God because they have heard that God gives you sicknesses or problems just to test your faith.  It’s pretty hard to put your trust in someone who just might bring disaster in your life, isn’t it? I don’t believe that God brings misery and tragedy into your life to test you.  That is not the action of a loving God.

Others have a hard time trusting God because they just don’t feel like their life has measured up to the standard that they think warrants having God’s blessing on their life.  In other words, they are afraid that they don’t deserve God’s help or His blessings, because they haven’t been as “good” as someone else said that they should be.  Some sincere religious soul has duped them into thinking that they must earn God’s love.

Others are afraid that God’s answer might bring them help in a way that they would not like.  In other words, if they ask and trust God for housing that they need, they are afraid that His answer might be a one room apartment and that they would then need to be thankful and just accept it.  But that is just the opposite of what is promised in the Bible. The Bible says that God supplies all that we need.

He Is Not Testing Your Faith

God does not rain problems down on your life to test your faith.  God does not bestow His love and blessings on those who have earned it and deserve it.  (Who would qualify?)  And, God does not answer our prayers with inferior results that do not supply our needs.  Those assumptions are erroneous, and those who teach such are teaching error and are actually preventing people from receiving from a loving and kind God.

So, we are left with a decision.  We can either choose to not trust God based on what people say, or we can choose to trust God based on what He says.  There are countless scriptures where God encourages us to trust Him.  The Bible is full of exhortation for us to call upon Him for help.  And, He has made promise after promise that He will indeed help us.

What does it really mean to trust Him?  Is it some kind of blind faith?  Is it more than just saying that we are trusting in Him?  What can we expect from Him when we do indeed trust Him?

How To Trust God

To trust God is to have absolute confidence in Him and simply accept and believe what He has promised us.  It is not a casual request to someone who may or may not be interested in helping.  It is not going through some religious motion or notion of saying a prayer and then hoping for the best.

Trusting God means that we have no doubts; we are convinced.  We recognize that He is unlimited in His resources to supply.  We recognize that He is the One Who said that we ought to ask for His help.  We accept and believe that what He has promised He is willing and able to perform on our behalf.  That is how to trust God.

We have many examples in the scriptures of those who believed and trusted God and received genuine help from Him.  Those examples cover aspects of life including healing, finances, peace and safety, to name a few  If they trusted God and received the help that they needed, so can we.

We each choose what we are going to believe. We can choose to believe some sincere soul who claims to speak for God but is in fact not speaking truthfully according to the scriptures.  Or, we can choose to accept what God says and take Him at His Word, putting our complete trust and confidence in Him.  If we truly want the results that we are looking for, we would be wise to trust in God.

Mike Verdicchio
2012

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Where Does Your Help Come From?
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Your Solutions or His?

When some people pray to God, they not only present their request to Him, they also instruct Him on how He is supposed to take care of it.  That sounds a little presumptuous and arrogant, don’t you think?  Of course no one would ever admit that they are engaged in ordering the Almighty around, but that’s really what they are doing.

Far too often we think that we see the only possible solution.  So, we petition God with our request, and add the solution to the prayer.  This is what I need, and this is how and when to get it done.  Have we forgotten that He is still God Almighty?

Remember the story in the Bible of the woman whose husband died leaving her and two sons with some debt?  In that culture, it was legal for the creditor to come and take away the two sons and have them work until the debt was paid off.  That scenario would of course been disastrous for the widow.

What Can She Possibly Do Now?

She needed money to pay that debt.  And again, in that culture, she couldn’t just go out and get a job.  She certainly was not going to get a “bail out” from the government!

So how was she to acquire the funds necessary to pay off the debt? The solution that God provided was so far outside of the nine dots that it is truly remarkable.  The man of God told her exactly what to do.

The only thing of value that she had was a little bit of olive oil in a cruse.  The first part of the solution was to borrow as many empty vessels as she could.  The second part of the solution was to then fill those empty vessels from her little cruse of oil.

The miracle was that she kept filling and filling until all the empty vessels were filled with oil.  The third part of the solution was to sell the oil.  The money she received was enough to pay all the debt, and, she had enough left over for her and her sons to live.

What About You?

Of course someone might say, “Well, that’s nice for her, but God would certainly never do something like that for me today.”  For those who choose to think that way and believe that way, they are right. He won’t.

Why do we choose to live outside of the supernatural?  Why do we dismiss the miraculous?  Why do we limit God by simply putting Him into a box that we have designed?

The God of the Bible is still today a God of unlimited resources and endless possibilities.  Do we believe that He has run out of His ability to provide solutions?  Do we propose that the only solutions He has are solutions that we can conceive?

Unfortunately, some people’s prayer life has become simply giving God orders.  These people tell God what the situation is, and then they tell Him how He is supposed to fix it.  And when He doesn’t comply, people get discouraged and think that He no longer answers prayers.

Stop Ordering Him Around!

We are instructed in Scriptures to tell God what our need is.  We are to let Him know our requests.  We are to cast all our cares upon Him because He cares for us.  But does it say we are to then tell Him how and when to answer?

It is always a great joy to me in my life when God answers a prayer in a way that I would have never considered.  Every time it happens I am reminded once again that God is almighty; He is a God of endless solutions and possibilities.

I’m not saying that God will always answer a prayer in a way that you would have never imagined.  But the point is, we need to let God be God and allow Him to do His part however He sees fit. Our part is to pray, to ask, and to let Him know what we need.  We pray and believe that He will answer our prayer.

If we truly believe and have confidence in God to answer our prayers, then we look for and expect an answer with patience.  We have our eyes open for possibilities and solutions that we may have never have even imagined.

No matter what situation you may be in, never doubt God’s ability.  He has unlimited resources.  He has solutions that you have never even dreamed of.  He is, after all, God Almighty.

Mike Verdicchio
2012

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Is There A Solution?
What’s The Solution?
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It’s Special

It’s a special day for me; for us.

41 years ago today, on a Saturday afternoon, Kathy and I stood before a Justice of the Peace in El Paso, Texas.  We both said, “I do.”

We ate at McDonald’s and stayed at Motel 6.  We went across the border and each bought a floppy leather hat and a pair of sandals.   The next day, we returned to Carlsbad, New Mexico, and on Monday we went back to work.

I have often told couples that it is not who performs your ceremony, where the wedding takes place, or even who attends.  What is most important is the commitment that you make to each other before God.

Yes, it would have been really great to have had a wedding with lots of family and friends and a big celebration.  And while we have no memories of that kind of an event, we do remember driving home down the highway, windows open, floppy hats flapping in the breeze, singing and laughing.

That was 41 years ago.  Today, we no longer have the floppy hats, but we still enjoy being together, singing and laughing.  Marriage is a commitment; a decision that no matter what happens, the two of you, with God’s help, can enjoy your lives together as husband and wife.

I am so grateful, beyond words, for the commitment and loving support from my best friend through all these years.  And should we be blessed to live another 41 years, I look forward to more singing and laughing.

Happy Anniversary, Kathy!

Mike Verdicchio
2012

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What Am I Supposed To Learn From This?

Have you ever been in a trying or difficult situation and thought, “What am I supposed to learn from this?”  If you have, or know others who have, it is because that kind of thinking is propounded by some people.  But, why is that?

Now of course you and I learn many things from various difficult situations that we face in our lives, no doubt.  We all make mistakes, and, hopefully, we learn from them.  I’m not denying that.

But posing the question, “What am I supposed to learn from this,” results in subtle undertones that the situation itself was given to me for the sole purpose that I need to learn something.  I do not ascribe to that kind of thinking, and I’ll tell you why.

Trying Times Are Not Fun

First of all, being in a difficult situation is never pleasant. Whether it is through my own mistakes, or something outside of my control, those situations are never a lot fun.  Wouldn’t you agree?

But then, if I then add to the current misery that this situation was given to me so that I could learn something, I have to wonder who gave it to me. Don’t you?  And there are some well meaning religious people quick to inform you that God is the one who gave you this misery, because you are supposed to learn something.

I believe that is foolish.  If you’ve ever read about the man Job in the Bible, then you know that he experienced an extremely difficult time.  He lost all his children, all of his wealth, and, almost all his health in a very short amount of time.  It was so bad that his wife encouraged him to just curse God and die.  But the record says that Job never charged God foolishly.

Whether openly, which some people do, or subtly, it disgusts me to hear God being blamed for troubles, hardships and evil.  The nature of the one true God is love and light, not hate and darkness.  To think that difficult times are engineered by Him so that you can learn something is very degrading to the Almighty.

The truth is that in difficult situations we certainly might learn something valuable, but on the other hand we might not.  A better question might be, “What can I learn from all of this?”  Of course, if we’re honest, we all know that in those difficult situations, what we learn is not our primary focus, is it?  The learning usually takes place once we’ve discovered a solution or resolution and we look back and reflect.

His Nature

The one true God is a God of love, light and deliverance; a very present help in time of need.  He does not send sickness, tragedy, or difficult times because you need to learn a few things.  However, there is another god mentioned in the Bible who has quite a different agenda.  He comes to steal, kill and destroy.

The evil in this world originates from, as the Bible calls him, “the god of this world,” among other names.  There is day coming when he will be completely destroyed.  But even so, I am also not one of those who constantly refer to the devil. I don’t say, “The devil did that; look what the adversary did to me now; Satan is really attacking this time,” or anything similar.

Even though I know that all the evil can be traced back to him, I refuse to even give him credit for his evil. Instead, I choose to put my focus on my loving God and Father.  The one true God is a God of solutions, even miraculous solutions at times.  The Bible states, “If God be for us, who can be against us?”

It’s Your Choice

As we go through this life we ought to continue learn and grow.  And certainly in difficult situations there are things we can learn.  But why not choose to keep your focus on the Giver, the Supplier, and the Healer? Focus on the truth in the Bible that nothing can separate you from His love.

By the way, the man Job had some friends who in his time of trouble tried very hard to get him to admit that his situation was the result of sin in his life.  But, once they were all done jawing, God asked Job to pray for them!  You would have thought it would be the other way around, right?

Then God not only healed Job, but He gave him double of everything that he lost.  God doesn’t steal, He gives; He doesn’t kill, He heals.

And, one more thought, just for fun.  Have you ever noticed that when something really good is happening in your life, no one ever says, “What are you supposed to learn from this?”

Mike Verdicchio
2012

Don’t Be Shy – Leave A Comment!
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You Might Also Enjoy:
Does God Want You To Suffer?
God Is not In Charge
The Choice Is Yours

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24 Hours

Do you watch a lot of TV?  How much is a lot?  It’s probably nobody’s business how much you watch, anyway, right?

I was curiously searching the other day and found that we Americans watch TV on average 5 hours a day. Wow. That’s 35 hours a week in front of the tube (not counting another 10 hours a week on the internet.)

Then I found, from people who like calculating numbers, that it is estimated that by age 65 a person will have spent around 9 years of their life in front of the television.  Even if that figure is high, it is startling to think that you and I could spend even one year of our lives watching TV, isn’t it?

This intrigued me, so I searched some more and found some statistics from 2010.  One said that 66 percent of US households have three or more TV sets. Another said that said that 49 percent of Americans think they watch too much TV.

Don’t worry, I’m not going to go off on a rant similar to Peter Finch in 1976 in his role as Howard Beale, in the movie Network.  Nor am I judging anyone or being critical.  We all make our own decisions on what we do with each twenty four hours we are given every day.

Increased Ratings = Increased Revenues

I’ve heard it said a number of times in a few different ways, but the essence is still the same:  when we watch TV we are watching other people living their dreams, having fun and making money.  That was one of those statements that when I heard it for the first time, I wished that I hadn’t heard it.

But it’s true isn’t it?  The more people that watch a certain show, the better the ratings and income for those involved.  But what does watching a TV show do to improve our lives?  Yes of course we need to relax and “chill out,” but we still all only receive 24 hours every day.

Now again, I’m not judging or telling anyone what to do.  I don’t watch very much, but I do like the History Channel and sports once in awhile. My wife Kathy likes Dancing with the Stars.  But what if someone decided to cut out just one hour a day of TV watching and instead did something to improve their life?

Imagine what you could learn or develop in just one year after putting 365 hours into it.  Even one hour a week would yield you 52 hours of learning and growing.  What could you learn?

What’s Your Suitcase Look Like?

Once, many years ago when I felt I too overloaded with not enough time, someone said something to me that I have never forgotten.  They said that each day we all get a 24 hour suitcase; some people have just learned how to pack better than others. Too often you hear people say, “If I just had more time…”  The truth is we never get any more time than the 24 hours we are given every day.

It is always a good exercise to stop and take a look at how we are using our 24 hours.  Evaluate your time and then make some decisions.  Make the time to do something that will improve and enhance your life, spiritually, mentally, and physically.

Mike Verdicchio
2012

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You Are What You Think

You’ve probably heard the phrase, “You are what you eat.”  That’s true in a sense.  But you know what is even truer?  You are what you think.

No question that our physical diet directly affects us, right?  I have found that as I age, my body doesn’t seem to respond very well to things I could eat when I was younger.  When I was younger I was really not that concerned with what I ate; but I am now.

However, equally, if not even more so, we all ought to be very concerned with what we are feeding our minds, or, what our minds are feeding upon.   Most people feed on a consistent diet of negatives, and in addition actually anticipate negatives.

Want An Example?

What do you expect to hear when someone asks you, “Did you hear what happened?”   Are you expecting to hear something really good and positive?  Are you expecting to hear of a miracle and someone receiving healing?  Are you expecting to hear something really good?

I wonder what the person asking would think if you responded to that question by saying, “If it’s something negative I don’t want to hear about it.”  They might look at you like you’re crazy or something.

But honestly, outside of something negative happening to family and close friends, what good does it do you to hear yet another negative?  And we hear them all day long, don’t we?  On the news, at work, with family and friends, we constantly hear about negative events.

How Much?  Try This Out.

Take a piece of paper and pen with you wherever you go, and for just one day, make a check mark every time you hear something that is negative.  And make a check mark on the other side of the paper every time you hear something that is positive, uplifting, or encouraging.

Try it for one day.  You will be amazed.  Talk about a diet of junk food!  And guess what?  That does not even include any negative self talk, or the negative things you think and say to yourself, about yourself.

Now I realize that everyone is different; some people hear less negatives in a day than others; others have trained themselves to eliminate destructive self talk.  But, if you know someone who is very, very negative, now you know why.

Room For Improvement

All of us, myself included, no matter where we are today, can improve our attitude, and thus improve our lives.  Start by listening a lot closer to your own self talk.  Is there more positive self talk, or more negative self talk?

Some people go as far as to suggest that you shouldn’t listen to any negative thoughts that you are having, but I disagree. Whatever those thoughts are, you need to get to the bottom of it. Once you do, you will be able to change your core beliefs.

For example, if you are having thoughts of failure; thoughts of not being able to do this or do that, then the question is, why do you think that way?  Ask yourself that question. Then, listen to the answers.

Whatever the answers are, you next need to ask yourself why you think those are valid answers or reasons.  And, then do the same with the next answers.  The point is, keep digging until you get to the bottom of it.  

I can guarantee you that when you get to the bottom of it, whatever it is, it will be opposite to what God promises you in the Bible, and who He made you to be as a Christian.  At that point, make a conscious effort to release it, put it off, cast it down, and then replace it with God’s promises.

Make The Time

You may need to repeat this simple exercise over and over for specific issues.  It may take some time and effort.  But what you are really doing is changing your core beliefs, and our lives are a direct result of our own core beliefs.  So, isn’t it worth it to make the time and effort to get our core beliefs to work for us and not against us?

Finally, what do we allow our minds to feed on?  I know we can’t lock ourselves in a closet with our fingers in our ears.  But, we can control how much of the “news” we listen to, and instead, replace that with an uplifting, encouraging inspiring book.  (I’m highly in favor of the Bible, by the way!)

If you’re driving you obviously can’t read a book at the same time.  Instead, utilize a media player of some sort so that you can expose and feed your mind that which is uplifting, encouraging and inspiring.  It’s your time and it’s your mind.

Most everyone knows what changes can happen when we have a very good physical diet.  But very few have ever explored how dramatically ones life can change from a very good mental diet.  Every day, every minute, every thought, the choice is ours.

Mike Verdicchio
2012

Don’t Be Shy – Leave A Comment!
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