GOOD START

Have you thanked Him?

Have you praised Him?

Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?

Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today?

1 Timothy 2:1 (The Message)

The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.

Getting off to a good start is crucial to a successful race.

Swimmers and track athletes spend countless hours on the blocks honing the craft of getting off the perfect start.

They tune their muscles and mind so precisely so that as soon as they hear the crack of the starters pistol or the beep of the electronic starter they spring into action and a good race is underway!

Our days are not much different. A good start can set the tone for an entire day.

Let's face it, we all have experienced the devastating effects of a “bad start” haven’t we?

Wake up on the wrong side of the bed.

Have a morning spat.

Spill the coffee.

Burn an egg. 

Carry yesterday’s concerns and anxiety into today. Those things usually don't translate into a good day, do they?

And never forget, the enemy would love nothing more to damage your “start”; to dampen your mood, to put a little “cranky” in your crankshaft just to ruin the potential of the day.

That is why it is crucial to “practice” getting out of the blocks on a good foot and in good position to run today’s race!

Start here.

Proverbs 4:23 (MSG)

Keep vigilant watch over your heart; that’s where life starts.

Don’t talk out of both sides of your mouth; avoid careless banter, white lies, and gossip.

Keep your eyes straight ahead; ignore all sideshow distractions.

Watch your step, and the road will stretch out smooth before you.

Look neither right nor left; leave evil in the dust.

Set your heart and mind to listening and doing what the Lord commands.

Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. Colossians 3:2 (ESV)

Don’t allow yourself to get distracted.

Don’t allow the enemy to hurt your start or keep you from a “good run” today.

A good start will set a good state of mind and a good state of mind can make for a good day. Don’t minimize its importance!

So let’s prep.

Pause.

Take a breath.

Time for a little prayer?

Filled up with a little Word?

You relaxed?

The day is out in front of you.

Heart ready? Mind ready?

3-2-1

GO!

God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. (and now we are)

off and running… from Philippians 3:14 (MSG)

Remember:

“You don't have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great”― Zig Ziglar

I love you all.

Have a blessed weekend!

OPPORTUNITIES for HOPE

HAVE WHAT YOU GIVE

Have you thanked Him?

Have you praised Him?

Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?

Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today?

1 Timothy 2:1 (The Message)

The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.

Francis of Assisi once remarked:

Remember that when you leave this earth, you can take with you nothing that you have received - only what you have given: a full heart, enriched by honest service, love, sacrifice and courage.

Makes you pause and think about how we spend our time doesn’t it? 

If you decide for God, living a life of God-worship, it follows that you…not be so preoccupied with getting…

(From Matthew 6)

There is that old saying you can’t take it with you right?

The Bible says it this way,

Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal.

Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal.

Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be. 

Matthew 6:19-20 (NLT)

So, if that is the case, if those scriptures and axioms are true (and we know they are) then both Matthew and Assisi raise some questions that need answered as we embark on this September day.

Is our heart full; full of GOOD?  Full of faith?

...draw near (to GOD) with a true heart in full assurance of faith – Hebrews 10:22

Do we have any HONEST service planned for the day?

Anne Frank once remarked, No one has ever become poor by giving.

OR serving for that matter!

How’s your LOVE? Sacrifice?

Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God. - Hebrews 13:16 (ESV)

Your boldness?

Remember we can wade in and tackle today courageously, equipped for whatever comes our way!

God will never give you the spirit of cowardly fear, but he gives the Holy Spirit who gives you mighty power, love, and sound judgment! - 2 Timothy 1:7 (TPT)

I love it when a single quote like this one from Assisi can set the tone for the day to come. So simple, yet so poignant.

Therefore,

Let’s spend this day preoccupied with GIVING. 

Let’s do that with a spirit of LOVE, HONESTY, and a heart FULL of faith. 

Let’s be courageous in our approach trusting the Holy Spirit for what needs to be done, said, and accomplished.

Do those things and it will be a day well spent; remembering that “We only have what we give.”  - Allende

I love you all.

Have a blessed day!

OPPORTUNITIES for HOPE

LET HIM

Have you thanked Him?

Have you praised Him?

Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?

Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today?

1 Timothy 2:1 (The Message)

The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.

Excerpts from Colossians 3 (MSG)

So if you’re serious about living this new resurrection life with Christ, act like it. Pursue the things over which Christ presides. Don’t shuffle along, eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things right in front of you. Look up, and be alert to what is going on around Christ—that’s where the action is. See things from his perspective....dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. 

Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It’s your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it.

Let the peace of Christ keep you in tune with each other, in step with each other. 

None of this going off and doing your own thing. And cultivate thankfulness. 

Let the Word of Christ—the Message—have the run of the house. Give it plenty of room in your lives. Instruct and direct one another using good common sense... 

Let every detail in your lives—words, actions, whatever—be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, thanking God the Father every step of the way.

GOOD practical counsel for today don’t you think?

Pursue today in a CHRIST-LIKE manner!

Be compassionate, kind, humble and disciplined. 

Don’t let anger or a short-temper derail the day! 

Embrace a forgiving spirit, a loving temperament. 

Allow PEACE to dictate rather than chaos.

Take a back seat to lift others to the forefront.

Yet what I love most about this little instruction from Paul is his encouragement to LET THE WORD, GOD’s WORD be the guide! 

Give it ROOM he says.

And that is not just in your intellect as you make decisions but in your heart as you deal with those "feeling" matters as well!

I know I will need to give IT plenty of room today as the calendar is jammed with some very diverse audiences, agendas, and tasks all of which are well beyond MY ability to navigate.  So, I am glad to acquiesce to Him and let the WORD to do the talking for me today.

As I wrap this up today, one last takeaway is that last line…

Let every detail in your lives—words, actions, whatever—be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, THANKING God the Father every step of the way.

Have you thanked Him yet?

Seems like the place to start!

For:

“When we are securely rooted in personal intimacy with the source of life (CHRIST), it will be possible to remain flexible without being relativistic, convinced without being rigid, willing to confront without being offensive, gentle and forgiving without being soft, and true witnesses without being manipulative.”

Henri J.M. Nouwen

 

I love you all.

OPPORTUNITIES for HOPE