Welcome! Have a click around - you're sure to find something that motivates or inspires you to live with more intensity and purpose.
“Help me to accomplish the purpose of my journey.” - Genesis 24:12, A Servant’s Prayer
People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered;
Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, People may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;
Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies;
Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you;
Be honest and frank anyway.
What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight;
Build anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous;
Be happy anyway.
The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow;
Do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough;
Give the world the best you’ve got anyway.
You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and God;
It was never between you and them anyway.
People are unreasonable, illogical and self-centered.
Love them anyway.
If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives.
Do good anyway.
If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies.
Succeed anyway.
The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow.
Do good anyway.
Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable.
Be honest and frank anyway.
The biggest people with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest people with the smallest minds.
Think big anyway.
People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs.
Fight for the underdog anyway.
What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight.
Build anyway.
People really need help, but may attack you if you help them.
Help people anyway.
Give the world the best you’ve got and you’ll get kicked in the teeth.
Give the world the best you’ve got anyway.
“Weeds are flowers too, once you get to know them.” – A.A. Milne (via Eeyore)
“Those who love you are not fooled by mistakes you have made or dark images you hold about yourself. They remember your beauty when you feel ugly; your wholeness when you are broken; your innocence when you feel guilty; and your purpose when you are confused.”
“The quality of your life is the quality of your relationships.” – Anthony Robbins
A young lady named Sally, relates an experience she had in a seminary class taught by her teacher, Dr. Smith. She says Dr. Smith was known for his elaborate object lessons. One particular day, Sally walked into the seminary and knew they were in for a fun day. On the wall was a big target and on a nearby table were many darts.
Dr. Smith told the students to draw a picture of someone they disliked or someone who had made them angry in the past. Then he would allow them to throw darts at the person’s picture.
Sally’s friend drew a picture of a girl who had stolen her boyfriend. Another friend drew a picture of his little brother. Sally drew a picture of a former friend, putting a great deal of detail into her drawing, even drawing pimples on the face. Sally was pleased at the overall effect she had achieved.
The class lined up and began throwing darts. Some of the students threw their darts with such force that their targets were ripping apart. Sally looked forward to her turn, but was filled with disappointment when Dr. Smith, because of time limits, asked the students to return to their seats.
As Sally sat down, thinking about how angry she was because she didn’t have a chance to throw any darts at her target, Dr. Smith began removing the target from the wall. Underneath the target was a picture of Jesus.
A complete hush fell over the room as each student viewed the mangled picture of Jesus; holes and jagged marks covered His face and His eyes were pierced.
Dr. Smith said only these words, “I assure you, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!” (Matthew 25:40)
No other words were necessary – the eyes of each student focused only on the picture of Christ.
- Luke 15:1-10
- Many times, we tend to cater to the Body of Christ instead of being a friend to sinners. We focus on ourselves instead of the outside world.
- That’s not totally bad, but when we don’t reach out for Christ, we’re failing Him. He has decided to use us, His church, to build His Kingdom.
- Be careful of the message of the Pharisees (their yeast). They taught that God basically hated sinners and that He is pleased when they suffer and die because of sin.
- Are we attracting sinners and tax collectors? What made Christ attractive to the lost should make us attractive to them as well. (Titus 2:10)
- Are we making it easy for sinners and tax collectors to feel welcome? Do we welcome them to our churches? Jesus never condoned or avoided or ignored their behavior, but He told them they were at the right place. “I’m glad you’re here.” (John 6:37). Jesus never turned anyone away– but many decided to leave Him.
- Are we identifying with sinners and tax collectors? Are we broken with and for them? (I Corinthians 5:9-11). We used to be like them– lost. Don’t forget where God brought you from.
- Lost people do what lost people are supposed to do. They are lost! Lost people don’t need just a scolding– they need love too. (Luke 15:5-6). Sometimes, we the church, put them down so far and show so little love, they see no way out.
- Every human being has been created in the image of God and is worth searching for.
- Some of us were covered with dirt (like the coin), and God can clean us up.
- How hard are we willing to search for the lost?
“You can be totally rational with a machine. But, if you work with people, sometimes logic has to take a back seat to understanding.” – Akio Morita
“Few delights can equal the mere presence of one whom we trust utterly.” – George MacDonald
A fellow was very much in love with a beautiful girl. One day she told him that the next day was her birthday. He told her he would send her a bouquet of roses – one rose for each year of her life.
That evening he called the local florist and ordered twenty-one roses with instructions that they be delivered first thing the next morning.
As the florist was preparing the order, he decided that since the young man was such a good customer, he would put an extra dozen roses in the bouquet.
The fellow never did find out what made the young girl so angry with him.
- Favoritism was already going on.
- Appearance can be deceptive.
- Christ had no beauty or attractiveness that would draw people.
- We must see others as Christ sees them– the ground is level at the cross.
- Christ is the standard by which we measure our life.
- Important Scriptures:
- I Samuel 16:7 and on
- Isaiah 52:2-3
- Romans 10:12
- Luke 10:25 and on
- I John 4:20
“Hurt people often hurt people.” – Max Lucado
- Romans 8:35-
- 2 Corinthians 5:11-6:2
- People have a deep hunger for a relationship that will last– look at the newspaper ads.
- God’s grace (His undeserved favor) isn’t cheap, but it’s free.
- We must be looking for ways to bring people back to God.
- If God doesn’t count sin against someone who has repented (because of Christ), why should we?
- What can truly seperate us from the love of Christ? Bad deeds? Lack of Church attendance? Poverty? Death? Nothing?
- We don’t deserve God’s grace, yet He multiplies it freely to us– that’s what makes it grace.
“Happiness is not based on possessions, power, or prestige, but on relationships with people you love and respect.”
“The tragedy is not that things are broken. The tragedy is that they are not mended again.” – Alan Paton Cry
“Love people and use things. Too many times we get this one backwards.” – Greg Taunt
“The more truthful a man is to himself, the more ready he is to believe others.”
- I Corinthians 1:10-17
- We were created to glorify God, not just to experience happiness– yet that seems to be our major goal many times.
- Fellowship is essential– it’s deeper than “Let’s have lunch.” It’s spiritual in nature. Cliques are incredibly destructive to fellowship.
- Matthew 22:37-38– A relationship with God is the foundation of fellowship.
- Judges 17:6; 21-25– Jesus needs to be Lord (TOTALLY) of our life. Anything that hinders our relationship with Christ must be removed.
- We can’t allow substitutes to replace a real relationship with Christ.
- Isaiah 31:1– Going to the world for help never solves a problem totally; we must involve the Lord for true solutions.
- Galatians 3:28, Isaiah 64:7, Exodus 33:1-3, John 15:5
10. “You know you’re the only one for me!”
9. “Do you come here often?”
8. “Trust me, this was meant to be!”
7. “Look around, baby. All the other guys around here are animals!”
6. “I already feel like you’re a part of me!”
5. “Honey, you were made for me!”
4. “Why don’t you come over to my place and we can name some animals?”
3. “You’re the girl of my dreams!” (Gen. 2:21)
2. “I like a girl who doesn’t mind being ribbed!”
And the number one pick up line from Adam is:
1. “You’re the apple of my eye!”
“Don’t smother each other. No one can grow in the shade.” – Leo Buscaglia
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