“Beware of anything that competes with loyalty to Jesus Christ. The greatest competitor of devotion to Jesus is service for Him. It is easier to serve than to be drunk to the dregs. The one aim of the call of God is the satisfaction of God, not a call to do something for Him. We are not sent to battle for God, but to be used by God in His battlings. Are we being more devoted to service than to Jesus Christ?”
Oswald Chambers
“My Utmost For His Highest”
Thank you for the article about Belle Belle in the Oct. 4, 2012, issue of The Alabama Baptist. The family does not know me but I, a cancer survivor myself, have been in Belle’s corner as a prayer warrior and contributor since first hearing about her cancer. You did a beautiful job of capturing the essence of how the Father has used the worst of circumstances in Belle’s life to glorify Himself.
Jeff Brendle
Kings Mountain, N.C.
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“Being open to the wisdom and experience of others is the hallmark of a leader. People who are willing to listen spend more time doing what works the first time, rather than having to experience every mistake.”
Dan Miller
“48 Days to the Work You Love”
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‘Hope Discovered’
Excerpt from hopediscovered.com blog by writer and retired Alabama Baptist pastor Gary Hardin …
Problems and difficulties are common to all people. Someone has said that all of us occupy three positions in life: Getting ready to encounter a problem, being in the middle of a problem or just coming out of a problem. And if we are just coming out of a problem, we can be sure that before long we will be going into another one. The blog hopediscovered.com will help you discover some hope for the problem you are dealing with now.
I love people and I love the Bible. In this blog I bring together both typical problems and Bible verses that give hope for coping with those problems. Proverbs 13:12 says, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick.” Most people can work through their problems if they know they have some hope. To have no hope leaves us feeling sick (depressed, downcast).
Hope anchors our spirit as we persevere through life’s problems (Heb. 6:19). Visit this blog to find practical, real-life insights about hope.
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What am I hiding?
Excerpts from life coach and Bible study teacher Terry Newberry’s “An Art of the Question” blog at www.terrynewberry.com.
The heart is a powerful thing. Things that we allow in affect us. They surface in our life as something that strengthens us or perhaps as something that weakens or even hurts us.
For instance, there is emotion. Some of us have deep-seated hurt or anger hidden inside. This is one of the most dangerous areas of a hidden heart. Study after study has shown the ill effects of suppressed anger and hurt.
Then there is talent. Some of us are reluctant to let our true selves be seen. Perhaps we are fearful of rejection or being laughed at. Maybe we don’t want others to feel as though we are hogging the spotlight or trying to show off or take their position. Maybe we lack confidence or are just plain discouraged. But each of us has been given a talent of some sort. It may be fundamental or maybe quirky, but it is a part of who we are.
Don’t hide your talent. Let it out and share it with the world.
And then there is wisdom. A wise man once wrote, “As you think in your heart, so you are.” What do you think in your heart? What are you feeding your heart and your spirit? What do you read? What do you watch or listen to? What are the seeds that you plant in your mind and heart, and what harvest will they bring?
The world is filled with plenty of fear and friction. It has dread and disaster to spare. We live in the middle of a never-ending barrage of negativity, sensationalism, fear and “what-if” scenarios. How do you counter all that noise?
Hide some good things in your heart.
Find some good things to plant there. Positive things, worthwhile things. Make sure that you read something every day that will help you grow. Scripture, personal growth books, inspirational articles. Search for the keys, the secrets, the treasures that you alone know will feed your spirit.
Make sure to filter what you choose to listen to. I don’t mean that you should stick your head in the sand, but don’t allow negative, fear-laced rhetoric to be planted in your spirit.
One of my favorite writers dealt with physical limitations, depression and rejection. He was beaten and even jailed unfairly. But he never lost his focus. He summed up his secret in a letter he wrote to some friends. Here is what he said:
“Finally, friends, whatever is true, whatever brings honor, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, whatever is excellent and is worthy of praise — think about and meditate on these things.”
What are you hiding in your heart?
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