Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Readers are Leaders!

My husband and I recently participated in a Financial Peace training by Dave Ramsey.  We learned so much from this course and man.  One thing that really jumped out at me during those 13 weeks was something he had quoted in our workbook during one of the lessons.  Simple but powerful "Readers are Leaders"! What I got from this quote was really nothing to do with money or finances...God used this quote to spark a different area in my life.  What kind of reader are you?  Do you read because you love to?  Do you read because you are forced to? Do you read because you feel obligated to read?  Or do you read because it is another item on your "To Do" list? Let me tell you I have never been one who just "loves" to read.  But what God has been showing me over the last couple of months is that reading is a GREAT benefit to me and others!  You see, no matter to what degree of a leader you are....you are a leader to someone! Pastors leading churches, husbands leading families, mothers leading children, teachers leading students, supervisors leading workers, coaches leading players, players leading other players, older brothers and sisters leading younger ones, friends leading friends, etc...you see we are all leading someone.   The greatest book any of us could ever read, study and seek wisdom or guidance from would be the Bible.  This book covers any possible area of life that you can think of! There is so much for you and me to gain from this book.  The more you know...the more you grow...the more you grow...the more you show!  Let me encourage you to dig in and read from this book but only do it in a way that you desire to learn and receive a word from God.  Don't do it because it is an item on your "to do" list or because your friends are reading it in sunday school, read and study it because you desire to be the child of God that He uses in advancing His kingdom...leading one person at a time!

The more you read....the more you receive...the more you receive...the better you lead!!

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

The Lion's Den of Life

In my time with the Lord this morning, I was led to Daniel chapter 6.  Daniel was faithful, honest and always responsible!  What lessons we can learn from this man of God!  Daniel was constantly proving himself to everyone around him that not only did he "talk the talk" but he "walked what he talked"!  Daniel was faithful to pray to the Lord three times a day, every day.  Even when opposition came his way, he never waivered in his faithfulness to the Lord. 

So many of us face a lion's den daily.  It may be the den of drugs, den of alcohol, den of adultery, den of bad attitude, den of harsh words, and the list can go on and on.  These things make up the den of life.  Every day we have a choice...to face the den of lions and completely trust God to protect and help us overcome just as Daniel did or be devoured by the mouth of the lion (satan).  In Daniel 6:16 - As Daniel is being arrested and thrown into the den of lions, the king said to him "May your God, whom you worship continually, rescue you".  If you finish reading this chapter you will see that Daniel is recued from the den of lions.  God sends an angel to shut the mouth of the lions so that Daniel is not harmed.  The king releases Daniel and then declares that the people of his kingdom tremble with fear before the God of Daniel.  King Darius then acknowledges that God is a living God and that He will endure forever. King Darius was one of several kings that God used Daniel in their conversion to believing in the one true God. 

Daniel 6:27 "He rescues and saves his people; he performs miraculous signs and wonders in the heavens and on earth. He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions." Just like God rescued Daniel, He will rescue you and me from our daily, lion's den of life.  Whatever you are facing today, trust God and allow Him to rescue you!   Rescue 911.....Your operator is God!

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

No Pain ~ No Gain

I recently started an exercise routine at a local gym. I have mistreated my body so badly over the last couple of years and I am paying for it now. The pain of the workout is insane at times! There are moments when I am jogging on the treadmill or on the elliptical machine, that physically and mentally I feel as though I can't go on anymore. I continue to push through the pain as long as I can. When I first started, the push through time was not very long at all. As I continue the workouts, I have noticed that the enduring time is increasing. There is still pain but I can endure for a longer period of time now. Jogging five minutes without stopping may not seem impressive to most people but to me it was a major accomplishment!


I was spending some time with God the other morning and He led me to the book of Job. As I read several chapters, I could not help but to ask how Job handled all the pain and suffering that he was enduring. As I continued to read, God revealed that Job did mourn and get discouraged at times and was even rebuked by God during a time that God had given permission for satan to attack him. Job's wife did not help matters either during this time. She lost faith and became a nagging discouragement to him. (Lord, forgive us wives for nagging and discouraging our husbands at times when we think we know best). Even though Job was considered a faithful servant to God, God allowed these hard times for Job only to better him. In the end, Job had grown greatly in his relationship with God and God restored his losses and blessings.


We all have times on the mountain and times in the valley. Of course, we prefer to be on the mountain. But as I continue to study the book of Job, it is reminding me to see how important our time in the valley is for us. It takes that "independent" fleshly mind-set of ours and turns it into a "dependent on the Lord" mind-set and spirit. The time in the valley is when we really grow spiritually. Our spiritual health is just as important as our physical health. Either way, we have to sometimes endure pain and suffering to conquer the healthier and better result for our lives. I hope you will get up and get moving....exercise your spirit with the Lord and exercise your body for the Lord!


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