Friday Top Five

I've featured Friday Top Five at "TheScroogeReport" twice so far and wanted to import my third list here today.

Through Peter P's "Rediscovering the Church" blog I found Kevin Martineau's "Friday Top Five - What where your favorite posts from last week?" This "Shooting the Breeze" feature is one you can join as well. You'll be able to link up your Friday Top Five in his.



In no particular order:

1. "The key thought for this series is going to be this: a lie believed as truth will affect you as if it were true." -- Shooting the Breeze: The Lies We Believe

2. "The presence of Christ in you makes all that He is available to others." -- Blackaby: devotional series, Experiencing God Day by Day, You Are Salt (Feb. 20, 2009)

3. "Contrary to what many popular books, movies, and seminars tell you, you won’t discover your life’s meaning by looking within yourself." -- Purpose Driven Life: What On Earth Am I Here For?

4. "The Bible is the oldest collection of wisdom...the church's stimulus package." -- Baptist Press: Financial turmoil can yield revival, Johnny Hunt says

5. "People involved in top-quality relationships do not seek happiness. Instead, they seek growth. Growth, in turn, creates happiness." -- Cloud-Townsend: The Relationships Channel

Note To Self

I am focusing all my energies on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead. -- Philippians 3:13

Did you know that the first seven chapters of Rick Warren's Purpose Driven Life can be found online for free? I went to the site today in order to bolster my comments at BlogCatalog regarding "religion" and happiness. I put religion in quotes because it's often such a point of contention in regards to its definition.

My point is that salvation is not about religion. And unless you are concerned about where you will spend eternity and what kind of life you are leading here on earth, you might just care less about how much more important establishing faith in Christ is than religion. One more reason to care...you might be in just enough pain to surrender.

Back to my "note to self." So, as I was browsing those first few chapters I found Philippians 3:13 within the text. What a blessing! I'm not in the best sorts right now. I'm physically and emotionally spent. However, my joy remains in Christ and this little verse was a definite pick-me-up.

Prune and focus...my "mantra" in the coming days. I want more of Him and less of me!

Amen?

What are your priorities?

A friend of mine who doesn't spam me at all and sends only must-read emails sent me one I've filed for about two weeks now...it's on time management.

Go figure. I haven't read it yet.

Shuffling priorities has become increasingly difficult in this multi-task world. I heard on the radio last night that talking on your cell phone, hands-free or not, while driving has the equivalent effect as driving intoxicated.

Blogging can add another layer of tasks that can get out of hand. Priorities can fall by the way side...simply by blogging for what was supposed to be 15 minutes and turning into an hour or so.

Although my focus in posting has been mainly in my WordPress blog, TheScroogeReport, I am still drawn here. And by here, I mean focused on God's word...learning, praying, meditating, on what brings hope, comfort, and strength.

Those who know your name trust in you, for you, O Lord, do not abandon those who search for you. -- Psalm 9:10

What are your priorities?

To run or not to run?

The story goes that NBC initially accepted this ad for Super Bowl XLIII, then declined. This is powerful...stay tuned!

Surviving the Unemployment Storm

Many of us are looking for work now. The layoff numbers are staggering. These are tough times. Who knows how long the storm of unemployment will last?

Lately, a thought keeps popping up in my head, and that is to place a priority on seeking God's kingdom first and all else will fall into place. The thought is similar to what Matthew 6:33 reads: But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

It's easy to put a priority on making that cup of coffee first, and sitting at the computer first, perusing job openings...first. However, I can't escape the fact that putting God first, praying first, reading the Bible first, just might help pave the way. Doing so has helped me before and will do so again.

It may take forcing myself to remember. It may be like forcing myself to exercise. I've been told that we should exercise our "spiritual muscle." That loving and following God isn't always easy. But, today I want to put God first. Today, I read the devotional by Blackaby below first. Let us commit to putting God first!

This from Henry Blackaby's Experiencing God Day by Day:

And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. -- John 8:32

God’s truth never restricts you; it always sets you free! Are you discouraged? Is there a sense of in a particular area of your life? A lack of victory over a certain sin? A harmful addiction? It is possible that you do not yet understand a truth about God that can release you.

If you feel powerless to meet the challenges before you, take encouragement from the promise of Philippians 4:13: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” If you are defeated by circumstance, hold on to the truth of Romans 8:28 that God can work your most difficult situation into His good. If you are enslaved to a particular sin, work the truth of 1 John 1:9 into your life, which promises that if you confess your sin, God is faithful to cleanse you from all unrighteousness. All of these truths await the Holy Spirit’s implementation into your life.

It is one thing to know about the truth. It is yet another thing to experience the truth of God being worked out in your life. God’s truth will have no effect upon you unless you accept it and believe it. Perhaps you have already read and heard accounts of God working mightily in the lives of others. But have you allowed God to implement those truths into your life? What truth about God would you like to be experiencing in your life? Ask Him to implement that truth into your life today.

_______________

"Experiencing God Day-By-Day" is based on Henry Blackaby’s multi-million selling "Experiencing God" book and Bible study. Find insight and grace in this 365-day devotional focused on the divine presence in each life and around us.

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