Laughter

Things Turn Out Best for Those Who Make the Best of the Way Things Turn Out

Bible, Finances, Hardships, Healing, Laughter, Prayer, Questions, Relationship, Salvation, Scriptures, Spirit Filled Believers, Success, The Victorious Mind /

While Jesus and the apostles prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, a well-armed mob invaded their privacy.  After arresting Jesus, the throng led him to court.  Jesus faced interrogation, beating, ridicule, insult and humiliation.  After the final verdict, soldiers marched Jesus to the crucifixion site, nailing him to the cross. …

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Choosing Courage

Bible, Finances, Hardships, Healing, Laughter, Prayer, Questions, Relationship, Salvation, Scriptures, Spirit Filled Believers, Success, The Victorious Mind /

For two weeks the raging wind ceaselessly roared across the Mediterranean Sea, transforming the ocean waves into mountainous waves. The wind and waves violently beat against the ship which carried 270 crew and passengers. Every effort to save the ship from certain destruction failed and the weakened craft sank lower and lower into the water.  “We finally gave up all hope of being saved,” Acts 27:20. …

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Using What You Have

Bible, Finances, Hardships, Healing, Laughter, Prayer, Questions, Relationship, Salvation, Scriptures, Spirit Filled Believers, Success, The Victorious Mind /

Jesus commanded the apostles to feed the huge multitude of 5,000 men plus women and children.  “We can’t,” the apostles insisted. Jesus asked, “What do you have?” The twelve responded, “A few fish and some bread.” “Bring them to me,” Jesus demanded.  Our Lord multiplied the meager provisions the apostles possessed and  provided more than enough food for everyone present. …

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Go on with Life!

2 Comments / Bible, Finances, Hardships, Healing, Laughter, Prayer, Questions, Relationship, Salvation, Scriptures, Spirit Filled Believers, Success, The Victorious Mind /

Have you ever met anyone who constantly dwelt upon past mistakes?  Those people never move on with life because they continue reliving past events. …

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What’s All this Overcoming Getting Me?

Bible, Finances, Hardships, Healing, Laughter, Prayer, Questions, Relationship, Salvation, Scriptures, Spirit Filled Believers, Success, The Victorious Mind /

Overcoming life’s difficulties is fun. Everyone enjoys winning.

But the act of overcoming sometimes wears us out. Fighting one battler after another horribly fatigues us. After awhile, we begin wondering about the purpose of all this overcoming bit.

Overcoming is fun, if it isn’t too hard. …

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What’s All this Overcoming Getting Me? Read More »

Benefiting From Your Mind Time

3 Comments / Bible, Finances, Hardships, Healing, Laughter, Prayer, Questions, Relationship, Salvation, Scriptures, Spirit Filled Believers, Success, The Victorious Mind /

“Think about such things,” Philippians 4:8.

What things?

Things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent or praiseworthy.
 …

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Submitting Our Thoughts to the Lord of Pleasantness

2 Comments / Bible, Finances, Hardships, Healing, Laughter, Prayer, Questions, Relationship, Salvation, Scriptures, Spirit Filled Believers, Success, The Victorious Mind /

There is plenty of unpleasantness in our world.  Well, there is also plenty of pleasantness.

On a cloudy Monday morning, Delores and I sat down to breakfast in a bayside hotel restaurant.  While sipping coffee and waiting for our meals to arrive, we excitedly chattered about the beautiful morning.  Although a blanket of clouds hid the blue sky, small gaps in the cloud cover permitted shafts of brilliant sunlight to shine upon the bay’s rough surface.  Seagulls soared overhead, fishing pelicans crashed into the water and shrimp boats puttered about.  What marvelous displays of Father’s splendor! …

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Uncle Charlie’s Purple Poodle

Bible, Finances, Hardships, Laughter, Questions, Relationship, Salvation, Scriptures, Spirit Filled Believers, Success, The Victorious Mind /

 

“My uncle Charlie took his black poodle to the veterinarian the other day.”

“No, Hon, uncle Charlie’s poodle is brown not black.”

“He’s my uncle; I know his poodle is black!”

“I distinctly recall its color!”

Pettiness.  That’s right.  This couple is involved in pure pettiness.  Who cares if the poodle is black, brown or purple?  We still don’t know why uncle Charlie took his poodle to the vet.  But we do know that these two people are very small.  Self-interest occupies their attention; selflessness never enters their mind.

Friends, God put us on earth so we could contribute to one another’s welfare.  “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others,” Philippians 2:3-4. “No one should seek their own good, but the good of others, 1 Corinthians 10:24.

Arguments over petty issues reveal that we remain self-centered.  God plainly wants us to be others-centered.  Why is it so easy to be self-centered?  Because we aren’t God-centered.

You see, God-centered people trust God to meet their needs.  This trust frees us from depending only upon humans.  When people fail us, we remain confident in God.  We don’t use petty arguments to force others to meet our needs.  God is going to take care of us even when humans fail us.  We give ourselves to blessing those who fail us.  God-centeredness always keeps us selfless.

Incidentally, I still don’t know why uncle Charlie took his poodle to the vet, LOL.

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Doing Good When It Isn’t Easy

Bible, Finances, Hardships, Healing, Laughter, Prayer, Questions, Relationship, Salvation, Scriptures, Spirit Filled Believers, Success, The Victorious Mind /

It’s fun to do good when doing good is easy.  When rewards for well-doing abound, we rejoice in our labor.  We gladly look forward to carrying out our responsibilities and finishing “to do” lists.  Work seems like recreation. …

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When You Don’t Feel Blessed

2 Comments / Bible, Finances, Hardships, Healing, Laughter, Prayer, Questions, Relationship, Salvation, Scriptures, Spirit Filled Believers, Success, The Victorious Mind /

Two thousand years ago God’s people felt unblessed.  Sure, they repeatedly read the promises God pronounced upon their ancestors Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, but where were the blessings?  A foreign government manipulated their lives and ruthlessly repressed all yearnings for independence.  Poverty afflicted almost everyone and religious leaders used their influence for self-gratification. …

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