Educate Yourself

Education is an investment. It pays dividends. It is an investment toward the future. Whose future? Your future. Your formal education, particularly when you take it to a higher level, will usually provide greater opportunities for you. Education costs. It costs money, time, effort, and sacrifice. At times it costs blood, sweat and tears. Once you have it, it cannot be stolen from you. It is yours. It is part of your very being. Go learn something. Get some training. Learn how to do things, repair things, research, learn a new language, learn higher math, learn how to prepare taxes, learn to cook, learn to read music, Learn about agriculture, landscaping, sales, carpentry, history, learn about sports. Become a computer expert. Study the Bible. Study, study, study. Learn, learn, learn. Learn many things. You will make some great discoveries. You won't be sorry. Maybe it is not always easy, but it can also be a great deal of fun. It can be very rewarding, financially and otherwise.

Don't Worry About Anything

I once demonstrated my frustration to someone and he told me : "Don't worry about anything." This is the best advice I have ever heard. I did not realize it at the time, but it is straight from the Bible. Philippians 4:6 starts off by saying: "Be careful for nothing." Obviously, we should not take one part of the Word of God, just focus on that part, and proceed to ignore the rest of the "counsel of God." Please know: God wants us to be happy! He did not call us and save us so that we could spend our lives fussing, worrying, fretting and fearing. His Word is a major love letter. Jesus is God manifest in the flesh. Jesus is God; flesh or no flesh. Jesus said: "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in the midst of them." (Matt.18:20) Jesus is the Holy Spirit. If He were not the Holy Spirit, He would not be there "in the midst of them." He certainly is not there in the flesh, is He? Jesus is there to bless. There is no worry involved. Don't worry about anything! Have faith in God. Yes, but what about sickness? "Is any sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord." (James 5:14) The result is: "and the Lord shall raise him up." Yes, but what about all of my other problems? What problems? Money problems, family problems, tough situations at work, problems with friends, responsibilities, and much more. Here is the solution: Pray, read the Word, enjoy God. Make your requests known unto God! "Ask, and it shall be given you: seek, and ye shall find: knock and it shall be opened unto you." (Matt.7:7) You believe the Word of God, don't you? Your faith grows by hearing it. You might be wondering about the part: "enjoy God." Where did THAT come from? It "came" from Psalm 37:4: "Delight yourself also in the Lord; and He will give you the desires of your heart." Please do not worry about anything. Read Philippians chapter 4. Jesus loves you. He does not just want you to be happy. He wants you to have joy. The joy of the Lord is your strength.

Its Only Money, Part II

"The love of money is the root of all evil." This is probably the most misquoted verse in the Bible. Money is not evil. The love of it is. We need to walk by faith and not by sight. If the Lord says that He will never leave you nor forsake you, then it is absolutely true. Jesus is God, and God cannot lie. He will supply all of your needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. God is the owner of all things; this includes your wallet and all of its' contents. He is the owner of all of our treasures. God gives, therefore, do not be afraid to give. Do not be afraid to spend a little money. Money? Earn some, save some, spend some, give some, invest some. Ask God to show you what to do with your money. First of all: pay your tithes. Remember: 100% of your money belongs to God. He asks for 10%. The best investment you can make is to pay your tithes. What is the return on your money? God opens the windows of heaven and pours out a blessing upon you that is so great that you will not be able to receive it all. (Mal.3:10) Again, please remember: GOD DOES NOT LIE! God wants to give you a great opportunity to get blessed. He loves us so much that He wants us to be like Him. God is perfect. He has absolutely no flaws or imperfections. He wants us to participate of His abundance so that we can bless others. But how can we be a blessing to others if we are tightwads and cheapskates. Have faith. I am perfectly aware of the fact that you cannot give what you do not have. Try this thinking: "I have because I gave," not "I gave because I have." I have seen people with faith borrow money for the purpose of giving to God's work. They were determined to not pass up a blessing. Remember: Jesus said; "It is more blessed to give than to receive." I did not make up that system. God did. It will never fail. Money is one of God's tools. Use it His way. It will never fail.

The Joy of the Lord

"The joy of the Lord is my strength." That verse is part of a scripture found in Nehemiah 8:10. It happens to be one of my favorite truths. It is powerful and so very true. I have actually experienced it in my life. Because of it, my life will never be the same. "The joy of the Lord is my strength" is a philosophy, a mind set, a way of life and a win-win situation. Who wants to be sad and depressed anyway? Do you want joy? I could just say: Ask God for it. But better yet; get to know God first; and then ask him for joy. If you get to know Him; you will know what He wants from you; and you will know what He has for you. He has more in store for you than you can possibly imagine. Do you know of anyone else who gave you (and me) 100% ? In the first place; His 100% keeps on giving and never runs out. "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." (Jn. 14:6) With Jesus; life does not run out. It never ends. This causes a great deal of joy. And as a bonus you get strength. This particular strength is enough to take you, and help you through anything this life delivers. Knowing this: causes joy.......and more strength! I am telling you: It is a win-win situation. You cannot get better odds in Las Vegas or anywhere else. Please do not waste any more time. Give your life to Jesus.

When You Get Married; Stay Married; Work It Out

I was a school teacher for 30 years. The last school where I worked was Granger Jr. High School. I had a sign written above my door that students could see every day as they walked out. It read: "When you get married; stay married; work it out." I have not always believed this, however, time, age, experience and being married for 32 years to the same woman has convinced me that staying married is the best option. Marriage is beautiful, but one must work at it. Make it work. Work things out. Do the best you can. Be honest with one another. Forget about the hidden agendas. Be faithful to one another. Love one another. Communicate with one another. Be best friends with one another. Be kind to one another. Do things for one another. Buy presents for each other. Pray for one another. Be brave. Be strong. Marriage is not for sissies. Stay married. Work it out.