Enough to get you thinking but you then have to decide what you'll embrace or not.
Just remember that these Quick Lessons are provided as quick reads.
Enough to get you thinking but you then have to decide what you'll embrace or not.
0 Comments
Okay, I know you are busy so this week's Quick Lesson #5 (on being Positive) is a brief one. Why? Because our attitude is one of our keys to success. If yours is good and one that others appreciate, congrats! If yours is not so great, than take on our challenge to make yours better. How? Consider the following. . . Live your life and forget your age. Never talk defeat. Use words like Hope, Belief, Faith, Victory. Life's blows cannot break a person whose spirit is warmed at the fire of enthusiasm. Help other people to cope with their problems and your own will be easier to cope with. Develop a tremendous faith in God and that will give you a humble yet realistic faith in yourself. Get worked up about your job and you will work your job up. Ten times a day repeat these dynamic words, "If God be for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:31) Now these words above are from Norman Vincent Peale's "Positive Thinking Every Day". If those above don't help you, then find some and let us know the words or quotes that you find helpful. Please use our Comments button or our Contact Form. We appreciate any great advice that men can leverage. In closing; to the left is a mix of some words to ponder and a little humor. Thank you for taking a look at yourself, for considering our quick lessons and for sharing this info with others when you can. REAL Men know what to do and what life expects of us. Where can you find wisdom that endures? Last week we shared some ideas on managing our finances. This week's Quick Lesson #4 (on pursuing for wisdom) was found on line from Dr. Jack Graham and as we men are pursuing knowledge - it is for your consideration. "But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere." James 3:17 It’s amazing to think about all the advances in human thought that have been brought about over the years. Isaac Newton was sitting under a tree one day when an apple fell on his head, inspiring him to coin the Universal Law of Gravitation. And when Gutenberg saw a scribe diligently copying a scroll, he thought there must be a better way and invented the printing press. It was Einstein who conceived the Theory of General Relativity and turned the science world on its head. And the great writer William Shakespeare penned some of the most prolific theatrical plays in the history of the world. Yes, mankind has had some amazing thoughts that have changed the world. But I believe none of them compare to the profoundly simple words of the shepherd-king named David, who wrote, “The LORD is my Shepherd; I shall not want” (Psalm 23:1). In that phrase, He summed up the essence of life: to acknowledge God and find our satisfaction in Him. Wisdom without God is temporal. But godly wisdom informs us for this life and the life to come. So grow in knowledge and remember that wisdom that truly endures comes not from the world, but from God! FILL YOUR MIND WITH GODLY WISDOM THAT ENDURES FROM THIS LIFE TO THE NEXT! For more from Dr. Jack Graham, visit www.jackgraham.org In closing, you can see the "GOD's NOT DEAD" (movie) picture above. I include it here because we all have to start somewhere. All the words above point to faith and the pursuit of it as a path toward knowledge - will bless you. Don't forget to take the first step, decide if you believe (our Christian faith). If you do, then the second step is to pursue a growing faith (learn, live, love). I really liked this movie. I hope as many people as possible can see it. For Christians, it is a great reminder for us as to our faith and why we love it. For non-Christians, it may be a starting point for them. For those that don't see the movie - don't forget, we then become an example of a Christian that others see. Ok men - the following maybe helpful for you or someone you know - it all depends on who is managing their finances as needed. For this week, we have two options that you can choose or share as needed. First, for your Quick Lesson #3 (on Financial Success), it is as simple as this: Understand your expenses, manage your funds, pay your bills and don't use your credit cards to your disadvantage. Second, if you would like to see a more detailed plan - then consider the following that was shared across the web recently. Here are some good basics to consider and where beneficial, to pursue. Don't do these things anymore if you want to make extra money, you might consider getting a second job or paring back your budget. Both are smart strategies, but first consider whether you have any bad money habits you need to curb. After all, if you’re always paying bills late and getting hammered with late fees, that may be what's draining your bank account. So if you're the reason your money never seems to stick around, here are some questions to help break five bad financial habits, culled from research and interviews with members of the National CPA Financial Literacy Commission. R U Paying bills late? Late fees can be as much as 10 to 15 percent of your monthly bill. If you're frequently late with most bills, you're probably spending 10 percent more each year on bills than you should. And if you're constantly late with some bills, like credit card payments, the credit bureaus are probably taking note and dinging your credit score. How to break the habit: It sounds so easy: Pay on time. But it isn't easy if you're living paycheck to paycheck, and you never have enough money on hand.If that's the case, being more organized will help. Experts recommend setting up calendar reminders through your email or phone to alert you when bills are due. If you have ample money but are just forgetful, consider setting up auto pay so the bills are paid automatically from your bank account each month. R U Getting hit with bank fees? Every fee you pay your bank for having insufficient funds in your account is money you could have spent on yourself or your household. If you get hit with multiple bank fees a month at $36 or so, that's over $1,000 a year you could save by ending the overdraft fee madness. How to break the habit: If you're constantly collecting bank fees, it’s probably due to a lot of reasons, from not making enough money to overspending. If it's a joint account, you may be communicating badly with your spouse about how the money should be managed.Analyze everything you're doing to pinpoint the culprit. And don't be afraid to consult your bank manager, who might go easy on you and reverse some recent fees. The manager might also have some practical suggestions for curbing your fees, like opening a savings account so if your checking account goes into overdraft, money would be pulled out of savings.There are often fees to that approach, too, but smaller fees – and there's also the matter of funding the savings account. R U Taking out a loan for everything? If you're putting daily purchases on credit cards and not paying them off every month, or if you're taking out payday loans or drawing on a home equity loan, you're collecting more interest every month and digging a financial hole. How to break the habit: Like collecting bank fees, you need to do a financial exam to see exactly where you're going wrong. But you would help yourself a lot if whenever you get paid, pay yourself first. You can set aside an amount, automatically deducted from your pay, to set up an emergency fund. Start with a small amount and build from there (if you could put away $10 a week, you'd have $520 by the end of the year for emergencies). R U Overspending? This leads to just about every financial problem and bad habit, from mounting debt to feeling like you need to take out a loan – to pay for the loans you already have. How to break the habit: Your overspending problem may be due to a lack of clarity on how much money you have to spend. If you start tracking your expenses (so that you know all that you are spending your moneu on), as well as work to delay your purchases for when your finances are better positioned, you will start to control your spending and making better decisions. This is not easy but be committed to getting your spending under control. R U Spending money as soon as you get it? Spend your paycheck without thinking things through and putting savings aside, and you'll never have money on hand when you need it. How to break the habit: Break all of the other habits first. You're probably spending money quickly because a bill is due, or overdue, and hanging onto it isn't an option.Or perhaps you've been going without something for so long that you're grateful to have a little money in the bank, and you can't help but spend it. But if that's the case, it's quite possibly because you're paying bills late, collecting bank fees, taking out a loan for virtually everything and doing a lot of overspending. In other words, break your worst financial habits, and you'll stop breaking the bank. Find a way to start making progress, Have a budget and make it work. We hope the above gives you a lot of ideas to consider - and remember, if you are doing well - then share your successes on this with others or forward the above on to those that it could help. Hey everyone, thanks for following along as we continue our Stepping Up actions. We know everyone is busy so do us a favor. Ponder these words shared and let us know of any comments, questions or recommendations. Because, as men, we are all in this 'game of life' together (iron sharpens iron). For this week we're keeping it simple for Quick Lesson #2 (on Optimism) so pursue all things with the right attitude and you will see success fall into place. And if you have a great path on this, help your son, daughter or grandchild to learn this (it is a foundation to build upon). And remember. . . Joshua 1:9 - "Have not I commanded you? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be dismayed: for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go". Where do we go from here? Know that: Life offers a second chance, it is called TOMORROW. QL#1 . . . (Prayer, it does a body good)Our first Quick Lesson (QL) to learn is in regard to prayer (do we pursue it, does it help, etc). I hope you will take the time to read and to consider the following, it is from the biblical teaching Dr. Charles Stanley.
Perseverance in Prayer. Reference Romans 12:11-13 As a pastor, I speak with many people about their spiritual journey. From these interactions, I know that most individuals are not satisfied with their prayer life. They lack anticipation and faith, and time with God feels empty. Most likely, this is why many Christians pray so little and so passionlessly. Yesterday, we began looking at obstacles to a healthy prayer life. Let’s explore one more hindrance that blocks vibrant communication between God and us: impatience. Most of us have at some point brought our supplication to Jesus vigorously but did not see the desired results. Unfortunately, humans are, by nature, fainthearted. We get weary of asking and listening when all we perceive is silence. Remember, though, that God is not some “cosmic bellhop”; He does not act on our cue. In fact, if we could see the big picture as He can, we would gladly wait for His way and time. Actually, I believe that we benefit by not receiving all that we request. Understanding this concept is a sign of spiritual maturity. When we are thoroughly satisfied with the Lord’s presence, our relationship with Him will flourish, even when we don’t get all we ask. When that is the case, we grasp what prayer is—not a long want list, but a relationship. Barriers can develop if we persistently cry out to God but nothing changes. Continue to pray. Beyond this “wall,” you’ll sense God’s presence, where you will find peace, joy, and awesome glimpses of His glory. This will be completely satisfying, even if He never gives you exactly what you requested. |
AuthorHi, my name is Keith Gore and I encourage all to join in as we pursue this journey of men helping men to achieve the success they desire in faith, with their family, at work and with friends. The blogs are posted with the latest info first. Read through them to catch up on all the info shared and as always, comments are welcomed (and you may have some great insights to share). Archives
March 2024
Categories |