Twenty-Four Hour Rule

Twenty-four hour what?!!! This is a rule I created to help me stay out of trouble... and I can say it really works, but it takes practice. 

I had a really bad habit of saying things before I had a chance to think about them.  I'm sure I am not the only one with this disease of having a foot shaped mouth.  I tend to be like Peter in this area.  Trivia - Did you know that Peter was known as the disciple with the foot-shaped mouth? why? because he was always putting his foot in his mouth - speaking before thinking.  This can be found in the book "Twelve Ordinary Men.  Interesting reading... anywho...

Many times I have given my opinion before it is needed or even wanted.  And many times I have given my opinion before I knew all (and I mean all) the facts.  I have expressed my opinion without concern for other's feelings and I have given opinions trying to protect my feelings (Get them before they get you attitude).  Either way giving an opinion in the heat of the moment can be detrimental to your witness (personal testimony) and/or detrimental to the person on the receiving end.

Keeping our emotions in check is a sign of maturity and wisdom.  If you are not sure how to respond, it is best to wait 24 hours.  During that 24 hours you have a chance to meditate and pray asking for guidane and wisdom.  It is also during that 24 hour period all parties involved have had a chance to cool down and look at the issue objectively by putting their feelings to the side.  Most of the time 24 hours later it doesn't seem as big of an issue as it was the day before.  Sounds weird.. but it is so true.

Twenty-Four hour rule... practice and pray.. it will come and you will be a better Christian for it.  No longer will you be eating "piggies" for breakfast and "crow' for lunch.

Parting Note:  There are times where an immediate response is needed.  For example;  Squashing gossip before it gets started; Standing up for God's Holy Word; and standing up for your rights as a Christian and a Child of God.  With practice and prayer you will be able to conquer your foot-shaped mouth and will spend more time doing creative things and not having to explain your actions.

Think About It:  Our words are like toothpaste in a tube.  Once you squeeze the paste out of the tube you can't put it back in...  Once you say it.. you can't take it back.

Shifting Focus

Satan has a very unique way of shifting our focus on things that need no attention.  Things that are not relevant to building God's Kingdom.  Things that 100 years from now who will care?  I mean really... come on..  By not putting our armor of God on first thing in the morning we expose ourselves to Satan's darts.  Darts that come fast, furious and relentlessly when we are unprotected spiritually speaking.  Satan walks the earth looking to devour some poor unprotected soul.

Why is focus shifted?  The number one reason.... PRIDE (go figure) and Satan knows just how to use it - after all he is the author of confusion.  Pride defined by Webster - inordinate self-esteem, conceit, a reasonable or justifiable self-respect.  How many times is the word SELF mentioned in this definition.  SELF defined by Webster - one's own.  Pride causes us to focus on ourself and to put OUR WANTS (not needs) ahead of others.

Keep your focus on God and the task given before you by God.

Chilean Miners Parable

Just got through talking to a friend about the miners in Chile and the rescue efforts to free them from their bondage hundreds of feet below the surface of the earth.  Thirty-Three men awaited rescue after spending 69 days below ground deprived of life's luxuries and the ability to hug and hold their loved ones.  As the rescue effort began someone had to descend from above and travel to their temporary home to prepare them to ascend to the surface.  Sound Familiar!!   Someone had to descend before they could ascend.

Jesus is our rescuer as He chose to descend from His heavenly home to earth... to rescue us from our bondage of sin so we could eventually ascend to heaven and have the gift of eternal life.  A life without darkness and fear, a life filled with joy and blessing.  A life with our Rescuer... Jesus.

Food for Thought!

I was talking to a friend last night as our conversation turned toward Sunday School and the Bible, She said, "You Know, I thought I knew a lot about the Bible, but there are so many things I don't know."  I responded "The more you read the Bible the more you realize the less you think you know and understanding this you know more than most."

Make sense.....   The more you read the Bible, the more you realize there is just so much to learn and can be extremely overwhelming.  There is more to the Bible than what one may think.  Once you realize that you have not "arrived" and there is so much more, you actually know more than what most Biblical scholars know."

Realizing that you have a lot more to learn puts you ahead in the game.  Continuing to strive for knowledge will keep you ahead of the game.  Building that relationship with Christ, you will win the game.