God is not a dreamer

This past weekend, Joel Osteen said, “God’s dream for your life is bigger than your dream.”

I grew up going to church most every time the doors were open and I’ve been a student of the Bible for years, so (to use a phrase my friend John is fond of), “this isn’t my first day in the class.” While there are many names and characteristics of God presented in the Bible, the characteristic of “dreamer” isn’t one of them.

Joseph dreamed dreams from God. God didn’t dream dreams. But even the dreams talked about in the Bible are different from the types of dreams J. Osteen was speaking of. In our human frailty we may dream of having better relationships or better jobs or better cars or whatever, but God is not day dreaming about me having a better car or better job.

God is not sitting enthroned in heaven, daydreaming about how he hopes that one day I will say or do something that will make a significant splash in history, even my own. The Bible says that God has a plan.

Psalm 139:16 says,

“Your eyes saw my unformed substance;
in your book were written, every one of them,
the days that were formed for me,
when as yet there was none of them.” (ESV)

Jeremiah 10:23 says, “I know Lord that a man’s way of life is not his own; no one who walks determines hi sown steps.” (CSB)

Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” (ESV)

God didn’t dream, hoping that Moses would lead Israel out of Egypt, God led Israel out of Egypt (Exo 29:45-46).

God didn’t dream, hoping that Jeremiah would preach his words, God put his words into Jeremiah’s mouth (Jer 1:9).

God doesn’t dream, God acts and that is the Good News!

Faith Is Not Optimism

Faith is not optimism!  I once heard a man say, “Boy brother, you just gotta believe!”   Though he was sincere, he was speaking of optimism, not faith.  The dictionary defines “optimism” as “The optimistic feeling that all is going to turn out well.”    This is definitely NOT faith.   I can say all day long that “I believe” a chair will hold me up if I stand on it but that’s NOT faith, that’s optimism.   Faith would be for me to go over and stand up on the chair!  Do you see the difference?  To stand upon the chair would require my trust, my faith, that it will hold me up.   One can say he believes in Jesus all he wants to but that is NOT faith unless he actually places his trust upon Christ.  Salvation is NOT merely a belief, it is believing on Jesus Christ.  Believing requires a personal decision on your part to trust Christ.  Salvation is a relationship; a relationship where you become a Child of your heavenly Father.  Either you are a Child of God or else you are a child of the devil.  Believing that Jesus is real is NOT enough.  Even the demons believe that Jesus exists, “…the DEVILS ALSO BELIEVE, and tremble” (James 2:19).   You must not only acknowledge that Jesus is the Savior, you must personally ask Him to forgive your sins.  You must decide for yourself to rely 100% upon Christ to take you to heaven.   Only Jesus died on the cross for you.  Only Jesus shed his blood for you.  Only Jesus has the nail-scars in His hands and feet for you.  Have you ever made a deliberate, conscious decision (knowing you were a sinner) to rely upon Jesus Christ to forgive your sins and take you to heaven when you die?  Have you ever asked Jesus to save you?   You surely should remember a time in your life where you prayed in your heart for God to forgive you of your sins and save your soul.  If not, there’s no time like the present.  Maybe you remember praying many times but don’t know which time you were saved.  That’s easy—The first time!  God only requires a child-like faith.  If you had enough faith to “ask”, then that’s all the faith required for salvation.  “ASK, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you” (Matthew 7:7).   If you ask Jesus to save you, confessing that you’re a hell-deserving sinner, He will save you.  This is a promise from God!, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord SHALL BE SAVED” (Romans 10:13).  Salvation is of the heart my friend, it is NOT optimism.   There are millions of people who are optimistic that they will make it to heaven someday, but they won’t.   This is the great deception of religion and good works.  The Bible is clear, “The just shall live by FAITH” (Romans 1:17).   You must put your faith in Christ! 

I Couldn’t Find Peace About My Salvation

When I first became a Christian, I doubted my salvation for several years.  I simply didn’t understand the Bible enough to KNOW whether or not I was saved.  I had dozens of questions going through my mind.  Did I have enough faith?  Did I really “believe” on Christ?  If I did believe, then why am I unsure about my salvation?   What if I’m not saved?   Is God upset with me because I keep asking Him to save me?  Does it show a lack of faith because I keep asking God to save me?   Why can’t I find peace on the matter?  

Over the years which followed, I purposed in my heart to learn the Bible.  I wanted to know everything about salvation and faith there was to know.   Anytime I heard a sermon about faith or believing, I listened attentively.  I read every Gospel tract I could get my hands on, each several times through.   Time and time again I would admit to God I was a sinner and ask Him to save me.  I remember telling God in prayer that I had a right as His Child to KNOW if I was saved.  I told God that I would get saved in a heartbeat if I wasn’t saved.  The big problem was that I didn’t KNOW 100% sure whether I was saved or lost.  

I Finally Received the Assurance of My Salvation

The doubts continued for many years.  The Holy Spirit showed me many wonderful truths and finally, in time, I grasped the assurance of my salvation.   I had been saved all along but lacked the Bible knowledge to be at perfect peace about it.   I had been afraid of something which I didn’t understand.  I had been looking to a prayer and a past experience instead of looking to what was in my heart at the present.  I had learned that salvation is of the heart, not the mouth (Romans 10:9, “…and shalt believe in thine heart…”).  It wasn’t my prayer, but my faith that saved me.   After five years of searching and wondering, I finally had the assurance of my salvation.   Next to my salvation, this was the greatest thing which God had ever done for me.  I had learned that faith is NOT optimism.  It was ok to doubt, just as long as I was “believing on Jesus.”  No amount of doubt can keep a soul out of heaven, just as long as you believe upon the Lord Jesus Christ (“…Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved…” -Romans 16:31).

The Gift of God

Nothing in Life is Free

For the wages of sin is death; but the GIFT OF GOD IS ETERNAL LIFE through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23).   Eternal life is a gift, complements of the Godhead: God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.  Nothing in this life is free, not even salvation.  That’s right, not even salvation!  Jesus paid a great price by giving up His own life.  It was Christ Who shed His blood.  It is Christ Who wears the scars in His hands, feet, head, back and side.  Jesus had been beaten beyond recognition, “As many were astonied at thee; HIS VISAGE WAS SO MARRED more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men” (Isaiah 52:14).   Listen to the Prophetical Words of King David concerning Jesus Christ, “For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.  I may tell all MY BONES: THEY LOOK AND STARE UPON ME. They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture” (Psalm 22:16-18).   Jesus skin had been torn right off His bones.  Perhaps this was from the Cat-o-nine-tails (a whip with nine strands of leather, each with a piece of glass, rock or jagged metal at the end).  Perhaps the bones Jesus spoke of were in His wrists, pulled apart by the nails and the weight of His body hanging on the cross.  Most of the pictures of Jesus hanging on the cross show a little blood but this is not accurate.  Jesus must have been bathed in blood from head to toe.  The Roman soldiers ripped Jesus beard out, hit Him over he head repeatedly with a long staff to drive in the crown of sharp thorns, physically beat Him with their fists, stripped Him naked, spit upon Him, scourged Him with a whip—Jesus had been abused beyond recognition.  Oh yes my friend, Jesus paid a great price for your salvation.  I bid you please do not say “no” to Jesus.  The trifle sufferings of this life cannot be compared to the damnation of those who die in their sins without Christ as Savior.  Hell is forever.  The sad thing is that no one needs to go to hell, Jesus has paid the price. 
 

Eternal Life is Offered as a FREE GIFT to All Humanity

Eternal life is a gift.  Even though a gift is free, it MUST be accepted.  If I buy someone a gift and place it under the Christmas tree, the gift will sit there until someone claims it.  Jesus has purchased you a gift, it is sitting in Heaven with your name on it, you MUST reach out by faith and take it.  If you don’t take it—then it will go unclaimed.  Eternal life is a FREE gift from God, “But not as the offence, so also is the FREE GIFT. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.  And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the FREE GIFT is of many offences unto justification” (Romans 5:15,16).  How much plainer can the Bible be concerning the gift of eternal life.  Let’s say you go out and buy me a nice gift.  When you offer it to me I open my wallet and try to pay you some money.  You say, “no, no, it’s a gift!”  I continue to try to pay you for your gift but you refuse.  This is no more ridiculous than the person who seeks to impress God with their own good deeds and religion.  Eternal life is a gift my friend and there’s nothing you can do to earn it.  If you try to earn it, it is no longer a gift.  You can keep the seven sacraments all you want but it will avail you no good at the judgment. 
 

A Gift Has No Strings Attached

I have often used the illustration of a gift in Sunday School or while out soul-winning.  If I offer you a gift, all you have to do is to REACH OUT AND TAKE IT.  That is all you have to do and nothing more if it is truly a gift with no strings attached.  Salvation is a gift with NO strings attached.  I once witnessed to an Islamic Muslim man who didn’t believe Jesus was ever crucified.  I asked him, “Do you KNOW if you died today that you would go to Heaven?”  He abruptly responded in amazement by saying, “How arrogant!”  He said it was wicked arrogance for anyone to even think of claiming to “know” that they were going to Heaven.  He believed that a person must win the favor of Allah by their own merit.  He said that all we can do is our best and hope that Allah is merciful.  These are all lies of the devil!!!   First, the Bible says we can KNOW we’re saved in 1st John 5:13, “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may KNOW that ye have eternal life…”  Second, if the Muslims believed the Bible (which they don’t), they would KNOW that eternal life is a gift.  Every religion in the world is either “DO” or “DONE!”  Either you believe you must “DO” something to merit salvation OR else you believe Jesus did it all for you and it is “DONE.”  The Muslims are following a “DO” religion; whereas, all true Christians are following the “DONE” religion. 

Is Jesus the only way to Heaven?

Answer: “I’m basically a good person, so I’ll go to heaven.” “OK, so I do some bad things, but I do more good things, so I’ll go to heaven.” “God won’t send me to hell just because I don’t live by the Bible. Times have changed!” “Only really bad people like child molesters and murderers go to hell.”

These are all common rationales among most people, but the truth is, they are all lies. Satan, the ruler of the world, plants these thoughts in our heads. He, and anyone who follows his ways, is an enemy to God (1Pet 5:8). Satan always disguises himself as good (2 Corinthians 11:14), but he has control over all the minds that do not belong to God. “Satan, the god of this evil world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe, so they are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News that is shining upon them. They don’t understand the message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God” (2 Corinthians 4:4).

It is a lie to believe that God doesn’t care about small sins, and that hell is reserved for “bad people.” All sin separates us from God, even a “little white lie”. Everyone has sinned, and no one is good enough to get to heaven on their own (Romans 3:23). Getting into heaven is not based on whether our good outweighs our bad; we will all lose out if that is the case. “And if they are saved by God’s kindness, then it is not by their good works. For in that case, God’s wonderful kindness would not be what it really is – free and undeserved” (Romans 11:6). We can do nothing good to earn our way to heaven (Titus 3:5).

“You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose the easy way” (Matthew 7:13). Even if everyone is living a life of sin, and trusting in God is not popular, God will not excuse it. “You used to live just like the rest of the world, full of sin, obeying Satan, the mighty prince of the power of the air. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God” (Ephesians 2:2).

When God created the world, it was perfect. Everything was good. Then he made Adam and Eve, and gave them their own free will, so they would have a choice whether to follow and obey God or not. But Adam and Eve, the very first people God made, were tempted by Satan to disobey God, and they sinned. This separated them (and everyone that came after them, including us) from being able to have a close relationship with God. He is perfect, and holy, and must judge sin. As sinners, we couldn’t make it there on our own. So, God made a way that we could be united with Him in heaven. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23). Jesus was born so that He could teach us the way and die for our sins so that we would not have to. Three days after His death, He rose from the grave (Romans 4:25), proving Himself victorious over death. He bridged the gap between God and man so that we may have a personal relationship with Him if we would only believe.

“And this is the way to have eternal life – to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth” (John 17:3). Most people believe in God, even Satan does. But to receive salvation, we must turn to God, form a personal relationship, turn away from our sins, and follow Him. We must trust in Jesus with everything we have and everything we do. “We are made right in God’s sight when we trust in Jesus Christ to take away our sins. And we all can be saved in this way, no matter who we are or what we have done” (Romans 3:22). The Bible teaches that there is no other way to salvation than through Christ. Jesus says in John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.”

Jesus is the only way of salvation because He is the only One who can pay our sin penalty (Romans 6:23). No other religion teaches the depth or seriousness of sin and its consequences. No other religion offers the infinite payment of sin that only Jesus Christ could provide. No other “religious founder” was God become man (John 1:1,14) – the only way an infinite debt could be paid. Jesus had to be God so that He could pay our debt. Jesus had to be man so He could die. Salvation is available only through faith in Jesus Christ! “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

How to Manage Risk

One of the biggest enemies of small business is unacceptable risk. Many business owners can’t identify the risks they face and can’t evaluate the danger the risks pose for the survival of their business. As a result, they don’t take risks which are quite manageable and which would probably give beneficial results while accepting risks which could be fatal. Good risk management protects the business while promoting the interests of its customers.

While there are all kinds of risk, it is business risk which is the most difficult to manage. Business owners deal with risks covered by life insurance, medical insurance, loss-of-income insurance, liability insurance and similar risks on a personal level and they cover risks to the physical assets of the business by purchasing corresponding insurance but there is no insurance against bad business decisions. The business owner has to apply a structured approach to minimize the negative effects of bad decisions and increase the odds that good decisions will result in substantial benefits. He also has to realize and accept the fact that there will be plenty of both and avoid dwelling on the bad decisions which might have been avoided.

A structured approach to business decisions does more than identify risk and allow its management – it also increases the chances that good decisions will be made with regard to other factors such as profitability and quality. A structured approach means taking decisions apart and looking at the components individually, understanding completely what is being decided and what the implications are.

A typical example and the most common of business decisions is the decision to try to obtain and then to accept a contract. A typical example of a common series of bad decisions is the small business owner who goes after an unsuitable contract because he thinks it likely that he can get it. Typically the contract is too big for his business to handle well. He then invests heavily in the bid, doesn’t want to lose his investment and so agrees to unfavourable terms and then can’t perform the work to the satisfaction of the customer.

A structured approach would already at the bidding stage have identified the pitfalls. Such an approach doesn’t deal with the likelihood of the result but with the worst and best likely outcomes. The worst likely result is analyzed for acceptability – the business owner has to be comfortable with this worst case possibility since it reasonably can be expected to take place. In the example given above, the owner has to accept that he may invest heavily in the bid and not get the order. Had he done this analysis and accepted that possibility, he would not have agreed to an unacceptable contract.

The best likely outcome is also analyzed but for a different reason. While the worst likely outcome is looked at from a “protect the company” point of view, the best likely outcome is examined to determine whether the possible benefits are worth taking the risk in the first place. If the best possible outcome is an unfavourable contract, then the owner should not be bidding at all and he would have reached this conclusion if he had done this analysis.Looking at the best case/worst case scenarios to evaluate risk is also useful for comparative analysis. What the business owner is looking for is work whose “best” outcome will result in many benefits while the “worst” outcome will still allow adequate protection of the company. Generally there are several courses of action open to the business owner at any one time and a structured analysis of the different best/worst possibilities will let him balance the risks and chart the optimum course for the company. Based on that kind of analysis, he can then proceed with the work knowing that his company is protected and his efforts can be concentrated on achieving the best possible results.

27 Decision Making Tips

“… Foolish decisions trap you in a dead end.”   Proverbs 5:23 – The Message

 

“If you want to know what God wants you to do, ask him, and he will gladly tell you, for he is always ready to give a bountiful supply of wisdom to all who ask him; he will not resent it.”   James 1:5 – TLB

 

While we can rejoice that, because of God’s gift of grace, we have access to supernatural wisdom; it’s important to consider –  Just as people are different, so are their styles of decision making. Each person is a result of all of the decisions made in their life to date. Recognizing this, here are some tips to enhance your decision making batting average.

 

1.      Use the O.A.R. approach in decision making. Look at O, Objectives you are seeking to attain, A, the Alternatives you sense are available to you and R, the Risk of the alternative you are considering.

2.      Do not make decisions that are not yours to make.

3.      When making a decision you are simply choosing from among alternatives. You are not making a choice between right and wrong.

4.      Try to avoid snap decisions. Move fast on the reversible ones and slowly on the non-reversible.

5.      Choosing the right alternative at the wrong time is not any better than the wrong alternative at the right time, so make the decision while you still have time.

6.      Do your decision making on paper. Make notes and keep your ideas visible so you can consider all the relevant information in making this decision.

7.      Be sure to choose based on what is right, not who is right.

8.      Write down the pros and cons of a line of action. It clarifies your thinking and makes for a better decision.

9.      Make decisions as you go along. Do not let them accumulate. A backlog of many little decisions could be harder to deal with than one big and complex decision.

10.  Consider those affected by your decision. Whenever feasible, get them involved to increase their commitment.

11.  Recognize that you cannot know with 100% certainty that your decision is correct because the actions to implement it are to take place in the future. So make it and don’t worry about it.

12.  It has been said that a decision should always be made at the lowest possible level and as close to the scene of action as possible. However, a decision should always be made at a level insuring that all activities and objectives affected are fully considered. The first rule tells us how far down a decision should be made. The second how far down it can be made.

13.  Remember that not making a decision is a decision not to take action.

14.  To be effective a manager must have the luxury of having the right to be wrong.

15.  Trust yourself to make a decision and then to be able to field the consequences appropriately.

16.  Don’t waste your time making decisions that do not have to be made.

17.  Determine alternative courses of action before gathering data.

18.  Before implementing what appears to be the best choice, assess the risk by asking “What can I think of that might go wrong with this alternative ?”

19.  Many decisions you make are unimportant-about 80% of them. Establish operating limits and let your colleagues or others make them for you.

20.  Consider making the decision yourself in lieu of a group, but recognize the potential for less commitment by those affected.

21.  As part of your decision making process, always consider how the decision is to be implemented.

22.  As soon as you are aware that a decision will have to be made on a specific situation, review the facts at hand then set it aside. Let this incubate in your subconscious mind until it is time to finally make the decision.

23.  Once the decision has been made, don’t look back. Be aware of how it is currently affecting you and focus on your next move. Never regret a decision. It was the right thing to do at the time. Now focus on what is right at this time.

24.  Mentally rehearse implementation of your choice and reflect in your imagination what outcomes will result.

25.  Brainstorming alternative solutions with your staff or others will gain fresh ideas and commitment.

26.  Discontinue prolonged deliberation about your decision. Make it and carry it through.

27.  Once you have made the decision and have started what you are going to do, put the “what if’s” aside and do it with commitment.

 

Managing Stress

Think about the times in your life when you’ve felt stress: maybe while giving a presentation at work, worrying about your children, racing to meet a deadline or arguing with your spouse. Remember how your heart was pounding and you were breathing harder? People with

heart failure need to avoid that kind of physical response to stress. Emotional stress and anxiety make the heart work harder, which can make symptoms worse. That’s why patients and their caregivers should work together to keep stress under control.

Naturally, people with heart failure feel anxious about their diagnosis and what might happen to them or their families. And everyone has certain stress-causing “triggers” — things such as rush-hour traffic, a demanding boss, finances or family conflict. No one can control all of these challenges, but there are ways to cope with them better. Here are 12 good strategies for reducing stress. Use them if you have heart failure, or pass them along to a loved one who does.

• Talk with family, friends, clergy or other trusted advisers about your concerns and stresses and ask for their support.
• Take 15 to 20 minutes a day to sit quietly, breathe deeply and think of a peaceful scene.
• Learn to accept things you can’t change. You don’t have to solve all of life’s problems.
• Count to 10 before answering or responding when you feel angry.
• Don’t use smoking, drinking, overeating, drugs or caffeine to cope with stress. These make things worse.
• Look for the good in situations instead of the bad.
• Exercise regularly. Do something you enjoy, like walking, swimming, jogging, golfing, walking a pet, tai chi or cycling. Check with your doctor to determine what activity level is right for you.
• Think ahead about what may upset you and try to avoid it. For example, spend less time with people who bother you. If you’re still working or volunteering, cut back on your hours and adjust your schedule to avoid driving in rush-hour traffic.
• Plan productive solutions to problems. For example, talk with your neighbor if the dog next door bothers you, and set clear limits on how much you’ll do for family members.
• Learn to say no. Don’t promise too much. Give yourself enough time to get things done.
• Join a support group … maybe for people with heart disease, for women, for men, for retired persons, or some other group with which you identify.
• Seek out a mental health professional or counselor if you can’t cope on your own. Helping people is their specialty. Ask your doctor, family or friends for recommendations. If they can’t help, ask your spiritual leader or a hospital social worker for some names.

3 Easy Steps to Breaking Bad Habits

Think bad habits like nail biting and knuckle cracking are hard to break? Experts offer simple solutions.

We may be loath to admit it, but most of us have at least one bad habit. And while some bad habits — such as smoking — can pose serious health risks, others like nail biting, throat clearing, and knuckle cracking are really just plain irksome (for us and for the people that love us).

Odds are you have been biting your nails or cracking your knuckles for a long time. So how can you be expected to break these bad habits now?

Where there is a will, there is a way. No matter what your bad habit — whether nail biting, knuckle cracking, cuticle picking, chronic coughing, or throat clearing — WebMD’s cadre of experts have a simple three-step solution that can be customized to whatever habit needs breaking.

“The more you do it, the more difficult it is to get rid if it, but every single bad habit can be broken,”

Here’s how:

Step No.1: Make It Conscious

The first step is to figure out when — and why — you bite your nails, crack your knuckles, or engage in any other bad habit. “If you can notice when you are doing it and under what circumstances and what feelings are attached to it, you might be able to figure out why you are doing it and be able to stop,”

Step No. 2: Put It in Writing So It Really Sinks In

“Put down the antecedents, the emotions surrounding the knuckle cracking and what goes through your head when you crack your knuckles,” “This will make your bad habit more conscious.”

Wolfe suggests keeping the log for at least a week. The next step is to analyze the data and look at what your usual triggers are. “Do you do it when you are anxious or bored?”

Step No. 3: Bait and Switch

Once you realize when and why you are biting your nails, cracking your knuckles, or engaging in any other bad habit, the next logical step is to find a not-quite-as-annoying temporary or permanent replacement for it.

“If you are a nail biter, try gum,” Jaffee says.

“For throat clearing, the competing response may be some sort of slow exhaling because it is impossible to do that and clear your throat at same time,” Claiborn says. “Develop a way of breathing whenever you feel the urge to clear your throat. You can see some changes in a very short period of time. There will be a major reduction in throat clearing within days.”

If knuckle cracking is your way of coping with stress, Wolfe, says, “Try getting your hands in a position where you won’t be able to crack your knuckles. Or stroke the fabric of your sleeve, doodle, or do something else with your hands.” 

Meditation may also help break bad habits, she adds. Once you have identified the triggers, you can do meditation to distract yourself next time you are in a trigger situation. 

Another tactic involves placing a large rubber band around your wrist, says Farrell. “Every time you become aware that you are [engaging in a bad habit], pull it back and allow it to snap so it creates a discomfort,”