my prayer this morning

Psalms 44

Image by Getty Images via @daylife

Former Deliverances and Present Troubles
To the chief Musician for the sons of Korah, Maschil.
1	We have heard with our ears, O God,          our fathers have told us, what work thou didst in their days, in the times of old.
2	How thou didst drive out the heathen with thy hand,          and plantedst them; how thou didst afflict the people, and cast them out.
3	For they got not the land in possession by their own sword,          neither did their own arm save them: but thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance, because thou hadst a favor unto them.
4	Thou art my King, O God:          command deliverances for Jacob.
5	Through thee will we push down our enemies:          through thy name will we tread them under that rise up against us.
6	For I will not trust in my bow,          neither shall my sword save me.
7	But thou hast saved us from our enemies,          and hast put them to shame that hated us.
8	In God we boast all the day long,          and praise thy name for ever. Selah.
9	But thou hast cast off, and put us to shame;          and goest not forth with our armies.
10	Thou makest us to turn back from the enemy:          and they which hate us spoil for themselves.
11	Thou hast given us like sheep appointed for meat;          and hast scattered us among the heathen.
12	Thou sellest thy people for nought,          and dost not increase thy wealth by their price.
13	Thou makest us a reproach to our neighbors,          a scorn and a derision to them that are round about us.
14	Thou makest us a byword among the heathen,          a shaking of the head among the people.
15	My confusion is continually before me,          and the shame of my face hath covered me,
16	for the voice of him that reproacheth and blasphemeth;          by reason of the enemy and avenger.
17	All this is come upon us;          yet have we not forgotten thee, neither have we dealt falsely in thy covenant.
18	Our heart is not turned back,          neither have our steps declined from thy way;
19	though thou hast sore broken us in the place of dragons,          and covered us with the shadow of death.
20	If we have forgotten the name of our God,          or stretched out our hands to a strange god;
21	shall not God search this out?          For he knoweth the secrets of the heart.
22	Yea, for thy sake are we killed all the day long;          we are counted as sheep for the slaughter. Rom. 8.36
23	Awake, why sleepest thou, O Lord?          Arise, cast us not off for ever.
24	Wherefore hidest thou thy face,          and forgettest our affliction and our oppression?
25	For our soul is bowed down to the dust:          our belly cleaveth unto the earth.
26	Arise for our help,          and redeem us for thy mercies' sake.

Here are Matthew Henry’s notes on this chapter.

Commentary on Psalm 44:1-8

Former experiences of God's power and goodness are strong supports to faith, and powerful pleas in prayer under present calamities. The many victories Israel obtained, were not by their own strength or merit, but by God's favor and free grace. The less praise this allows us, the more comfort it affords, that we may see all as coming from the favor of God. He fought for Israel, else they had fought in vain. This is applicable to the planting of the Christian church in the world, which was not by any human policy or power. Christ, by his Spirit, went forth conquering and to conquer; and he that planted a church for himself in the world, will support it by the same power and goodness. They trusted and triumphed in and through him. Let him that glories, glory in the Lord. But if they have the comfort of his name, let them give unto him the glory due unto it.

Commentary on Psalm 44:9-16

The believer must have times of temptation, affliction, and discouragement; the church must have seasons of persecution. At such times the people of God will be ready to fear that he has cast them off, and that his name and truth will be dishonored. But they should look above the instruments of their trouble, to God, well knowing that their worst enemies have no power against them, but what is permitted from above.

Commentary on Psalm 44:17-26

In afflictions, we must not seek relief by any sinful compliance; but should continually meditate on the truth, purity, and knowledge of our heart-searching God. Hearts sins and secret sins are known to God, and must be reckoned for. He knows the secret of the heart, therefore judges of the words and actions. While our troubles do not drive us from our duty to God, we should not suffer them to drive us from our comfort in God. Let us take care that prosperity and ease do not render us careless and lukewarm. The church of God cannot be prevailed on by persecution to forget God; the believer's heart does not turn back from God. The Spirit of prophecy had reference to those who suffered unto death, for the testimony of Christ. Observe the pleas used, verses 25,26. Not their own merit and righteousness, but the poor sinner's pleas. None that belong to Christ shall be cast off, but every one of them shall be saved, and that forever. The mercy of God, purchased, promised, and constantly flowing forth, and offered to believers, does away every doubt arising from our sins; while we pray in faith, Redeem us for thy mercies' sake.

I am standing on the promise of GOD and this psalm. I acknowledge that all things come through GOD and HIS perfect righteousness. I pray for HIS deliverance and BLESSINGS. I give him ALL the credit and honor in HIS Kingdom. May HIS Will be done on earth as it is done in Heaven.

May God Bless You and Yours

Gene

You can also follow me on Twitter @gkelley58

Happy Thanksgiving (Canadian Style)

One of the many perks as an American living in Canada is that we get to celebrate 2 Thanksgivings. Now, aside from the obvious enjoyment of gouging on the groceries, we get to sit down and contemplate and give thanks for the many blessings in our lives.

Image by babasteve via Flickr

1 Chronicles 29:11-13 (KJV)
"Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power
and the glory and the majesty and the splendor,
for everything in heaven and earth is yours.
Yours, O LORD, is the kingdom;
you are exalted as head over all.

Wealth and honor come from you;
you are the ruler of all things.
In your hands are strength and power
to exalt and give strength to all.

Now, our God, we give you thanks,
and praise your glorious name."

The first step in having a thankful spirit is to acknowledge our place in the universe and that we are not “entitled” to the blessings that GOD has given us. We must continually remind ourselves that our purpose in life is to give glory and honor God not honoring ourselves. When  we realize that it is NOT “all bout ME”, we open up the door to blessings and thanksgiving beyond our wildest dreams.  By acknowledging our weaknesses, we can appreciate the awesome power of a Living God. Like a child being made aware of the vastness of the universe, we begin to see just a little of the possiblilities that God has at HIS command waiting for us.  All too often, even when we give lip service to God in thanksgiving, we try to take some of the credit for the good things in our life and quickly give the blame to God or other entities for the distasteful situations we meet. We must learn and know that ALL things work together for the glory of Our Father, THE CREATOR OF E V E R Y T H I N G !!!

Romans 8:28/29:  And we know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose, because those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. (NET)

I Thank Thee

O Thou whose bounty fills my cup,
With every blessing meet!
I give Thee thanks for every drop—
The bitter and the sweet.

I praise Thee for the desert road,
And for the riverside;
For all Thy goodness hath bestowed,
And all Thy grace denied.

I thank Thee for both smile and frown,
And for the gain and loss;
I praise Thee for the future crown
And for the present cross.

I thank Thee for both wings of love
Which stirred my worldly nest;
And for the stormy clouds which drove
Me, trembling, to Thy breast.

I bless Thee for the glad increase,
And for the waning joy;
And for this strange, this settled peace
Which nothing can destroy.

--Jane Crewdson (1860)

And In Conclusion:

Thanksgiving Prayer

Heavenly Father, on Thanksgiving Day
We bow our hearts to You and pray.
We give You thanks for all You've done
Especially for the gift of Jesus, Your Son.
For beauty in nature, Your glory we see
For joy and health, friends and family,
For daily provision, Your mercy and care
These are the blessings You graciously share.
So today we offer this response of praise
With a promise to follow You all of our days.

--Mary Fairchild

Image by radcliffe_photos via Flickr

Have a WONDERFUL AND BLESSED THANKSGIVING

 and

May God Bless You and Yours

Gene

You can also follow me on Twitter @gkelley58

Encouragement

1 Thessalonians 5:12 - 22 Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who labor among you and preside over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them most highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves. And we urge you, brothers and sisters, admonish the undisciplined, comfort the discouraged, help the weak, be patient toward all. See that no one pays back evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good for one another and for all. Always rejoice, constantly pray, in everything give thanks. For this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not extinguish the Spirit. Do not treat prophecies with contempt. But examine all things; hold fast to what is good. Stay away from every form of evil.

I want to thank you all for the many encouraging words that I have seen from you all.  As I write this blog, I warned you all that it will not be a nice little “feel-good” journey. It is a medium for me to vent my frustrations, disappointments as well as my thanksgiving for the MANY blessings bestowed in my life. In short: REAL LIFE. A poor man’s “reality show” – without the big paychecks or glitz – haha.

But seriously, your encouragement means so much to me and I enjoy sharing my life with friends and family. It not only makes the burden seem lighter, but HOPEFULLY, it may encourage you as well. Life is not fair, but with friends, it can be an exciting and worthwhile journey. By sharing our encounters and combined wisdoms, we lift each other to heights that would be unattainable alone. Paul knew this when he advised the Church at Thessalonica in the above scriptural passage. You are an integral member of THE CHURCH. You are valued by those around you, even when you think no one notices. Remember that sometime YOUR LIFE is the only Bible that people will read.

I love you all and  …

May God Bless You and Yours

Gene

You can also follow me on Twitter @gkelley58

DISCERNMENT

1John 4:1 – 3 Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to determine if they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.  By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses Jesus as the Christ who has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God, and this is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming, and now is already in the world.

2 Timothy 2:14 – 26  Remind people of these things and solemnly charge them before the Lord not to wrangle over words. This is of no benefit; it just brings ruin on those who listen. Make every effort to present yourself before God as a proven worker who does not need to be ashamed, teaching the message of truth accurately. But avoid profane chatter, because those occupied with it will stray further and further into ungodliness, and their message will spread its infection like gangrene. Hymenaeus and Philetus are in this group. They have strayed from the truth by saying that the resurrection has already occurred, and they are undermining some people’s faith. However, God’s solid foundation remains standing, bearing this seal: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and “Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from evil.”

Now in a wealthy home there are not only gold and silver vessels, but also ones made of wood and of clay, and some are for honorable use, but others for ignoble use. So if someone cleanses himself of such behavior, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart, useful for the Master, prepared for every good work. But keep away from youthful passions, and pursue righteousness, faithfulness, love, and peace, in company with others who call on the Lord from a pure heart. But reject foolish and ignorant controversies, because you know they breed infighting. And the Lord’s slave must not engage in heated disputes but be kind toward all, an apt teacher, patient, correcting opponents with gentleness. Perhaps God will grant them repentance and then knowledge of the truth and they will come to their senses and escape the devil’s trap where they are held captive to do his will.

Today we hear all kinds of “gospels” and so-called messages from God. We have to be careful to make sure that the advice and teaching we receive is authentic and IS from the right place. Just because someone quotes scripture does not mean that it is the truth. Satan knows the Bible better than ANY of us 9he has had the time to memorize it over and over again.  He even tried to use his knowledge of scripture to tempt  JESUS in the wilderness. Every temptation to HIM was from an APPROXIMATE quote from the scriptures , quoted out of context or made flattering assumptions (Luke 4:1-13) . This is a popular tactic even today.

The point of today’s post is to TEST every lesson and verse someone tries to pass as truth. ESPECIALLY if it seems to go against what our spirit Is telling us.  God is consistent in his will  and that is why I question many of today’s “feel-good” preachers that sugar coat salvation or offer alternative paths to heaven. In John 14:6,  Jesus replied, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” So we have to make sure that we do not teach or promulgate ANY doctrine that would deviate from THAT path. I say this as well for ME as for any other teachings you may read. IF I offer inaccurate insights, I BEG to be corrected. It is my intention to learn as much or more than I teach and I depend on my fellow believers and followers of JESUS THE CHRIST to keep me in line as well.

May God Bless You and Yours

Gene

You can also follow me on Twitter @gkelley58

Think and Grow Rich Study - Conclusion

I know that there are remaining chapters in our study of “Think and Grow Rich”, but as I read through them, the information they contained are better digested by meditating on each thought and exercise. So, I have decided to summarize and conclude the study with a few thoughts and suggestions.

Suggestion #1 is to read the book yourself and glean what you can directly. You are an intelligent individual (and many of oyu are A LOT smarter than I am). You can apply these principles to the specific circumstances in your life and  not be tainted by my own prejudices and thoughts. This book is free to download in PDF format at http://think-and-grow-rich-ebook.com/ .

Suggestion #2 is to not restrict your thoughts to material or monetary acquisitions. Wealth is much more than a large bank account or higher income bracket. Wealth encompasses more permanent and durable assets like spiritual maturity, wisdom, health, family and friends. So you can expand your quest to TRUE success and happiness  beyond mere $$$s.

Suggestion #3 would be to gather an inner circle of friends to discuss your own goals and report your progress. You can hold each other accountable to the precepts you have agreed upon and share intimate details in your journey. (It can also be used as an excuse for coffee and snacks to feed a REAL social network as well.

 

My prayer for each of you is to find the success you seek and enjoy the journey along the way. Please stayed tuned to this blog as I explore more ideas and try to learn more about myself and how I can become a more mature Believer as well as a wiser man.

As ALWAYS … You  are more than welcome to join into any discussion with thoughts, arguments or encouragements, as you see fit.

Thank you for your attention and your time in visiting my humble inner sanctum of insanity

May God Bless You and Yours

Gene

You can also follow me on Twitter @gkelley58

TIME OUT

Image by Dimitri N. via Flickr

I would like to take a “time out” to ask you, my family, friends and my readers, to circle around me and my family with prayer. We are at a difficult time where Denise’s job is unstable (at best) and my employment situation is insufficient to provide even a meager living. I am not asking for free money nor charity, but we could use ideas and suggestions on how to turn this around to the glory of God and (of course) my family. It seems that a lot of true believers are under real demonic attacks and this is my call to arms for all Prayer Warriors to join hearts and prayers in the battle.

Matt 18:18 - 20 “I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever you release on earth will have been released in heaven. Again, I tell you the truth, if two of you on earth agree about whatever you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you. For where two or three are assembled in my name, I am there among them.”

If you have any ideas, thoughts or suggestions, PLEASE email me at gkelley58@hotmail.com.

Image via Wikipedia

May God Bless You and Yours

Gene

You can also follow me on Twitter @gkelley58

POWER OF THE MASTERMIND

THE DRIVING FORCE – The Ninth Step Towards Riches

PLANS are inert and useless, without sufficient POWER to translate them into ACTION.

Napoleon Hill defines POWER as “organized and intelligently directed KNOWLEDGE.” Power, as the term is used here, refers to ORGANIZED effort sufficient to enable an individual to transmute DESIRE into its monetary equivalent.

Now we all agree that our knowledge and thought processes are limited within ourselves. Depending on our age and experiences, we may (or may not) have the required knowledge sets to achieve our material and/or spiritual goals. This is where a MASTERMIND comes into play. The accumulated knowledge of our “inner circle” of advisors can exponentially increase the base of our knowledge.  By wielding that knowledge in a responsible manner, we can “brainstorm” plans and evaluate our progress and process. The “two eyes are better than one” concept will allow us to identify strengths and weaknesses in our “journey to success”.

Many notable and great men surrounded themselves with advisors with specific knowledge and skills. Even JESUS chose 12 normal men to be in HIS “inner circle” to amplify and promulgate his mission on earth.

This “committee of knowledge” or MASTERMIND, must be chosen carefully and with great discretion if it is to be useful. The “MASTERMIND” can be defined as: “Coordination of knowledge and effort, in a spirit of harmony, between two or more people, for the attainment of a definite purpose. “ It is this spirit of harmony that will bind and correlate the specific pieces into a cohesive plan of ACTION and thus bring about positive results. JESUS, HIMSELF, acknowledged this POWER when he said in Matthew 18:18 – 20  “I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever you release on earth will have been released in heaven. Again, I tell you the truth, if two of you on earth agree about whatever you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you. For where two or three are assembled in my name, I am there among them.” This is  THE  P O W E R of the MASTER MIND .

May God Bless You and Yours

Gene

You can also follow me on Twitter @gkelley58

Think and Grow Rich - CH9 Persistence

THE SUSTAINED EFFORT NECESSARY TO INDUCE FAITH

As per Napoleon Hill, “PERSISTENCE is an essential factor in the procedure of transmuting DESIRE into its monetary (or whatever achievement you are seeking) equivalent. The basis of persistence is the POWER OF THE WILL.

Will-power and desire, when properly combined, make an irresistible pair. Men who accumulate great fortunes (and achievements) are generally know as cold-blooded and sometimes ruthless. Often they are misunderstood. What they have is will-power, which they mix with persistence, and place back of their desires to insure the attainment of their objectives. “

Persistence is a state of mind, therefore it can be cultivated. Like all states of mind, persistence is based upon definite causes, among them are:

a.       DEFINITENESS OF PURPOSE.  Knowing what you want is the first and, perhaps, the most important step in developing persistence. A strong motive forces one to surmount many difficulties.

b.      DESIRE. How bad do you want it?

c.       SELF_RELIANCE. Believe in your ability to develop and carry out your plan.

d.      DEFINITENESS OF PLANS. Organized Plans encourage persistence (even if they are in the initial stages and need tweaking

e.      ACCURATE KNOWLEDGE. Knowing that your plan’s are sound, based upon experience or observation, encourages persistence; guessing instead of knowing destroys persistence

f.        CO-OPERATION.  Sympathy, understanding and harmonious cooperation with others tend to also develop persistence.

g.       WILL-POWER.  The habit of concentrating you thoughts after building a plan.

h.      HABIT. Persistence is the direct result of HABIT. The mind absorbs and becomes a part of the daily experiences upon which it feeds.

h.      HABIT. Persistence is the direct result of HABIT. The mind absorbs and becomes a part of the daily experiences upon which it feeds.

A GREAT modern example of PERSISTENCE is in the story of Kurt and Brenda Warner. A grocery-store bagger to SuperBowl Football Legend with  more twist and turns than a Himalayan Mountain Path. You can read the sort and verified highlights on the Snopes website: http://www.snopes.com/glurge/warner.asp .  This story is one of my most inspiring motivators whenever I start to feel down and out and depressed with my surroundings. Kurt and Brenda personifies the old poem, “Don’t Quit”

When things go wrong as they sometimes will.
When the road you’re trudging seems all up hill.

When funds are low and the debts are high.
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh.

When care is pressing you down a bit.
Rest, if you must, but don’t you quit.

Life is queer with its twists and turns.
As everyone of us sometimes learns.

And many a failure turns about.
When he might have won had he stuck it out:

Don’t give up though the pace seems slow –
You may succeed with another blow.

Success is failure turned inside out –
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt

And you never can tell how close you are.
It may be near when it seems so far:

So stick to the fight when you’re hardest hit –
It’s when things seem worst that you must not quit.

- Author unknown

May God Bless You and Yours

Gene

You can also follow me on Twitter @gkelley58

Think and Grow Rich - CH8 DECISION

THE MASTERY OF PROCRASTINATION

When you have to make a choice and don't make it, that is in itself a choice.  - William James

We make millions of decisions every day. Some decisions are trivial and some are more significant.  In studies there is a direct link between failure to meet goals and achieve success  and inability to make a decision. PROCRASTINATION is the opposite of DECISION and is a common enemy which every man must conquer.  Theodore Roosevelt said that “In any moment of decision the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing. “

Image via Wikipedia

A wise man makes his own decisions, an ignorant man follows the public opinion.  - Chinese Proverb

Once you have reached an intelligent, informed decision, we must be quick to implement the result and slow to change our path. Many times mere persistence will overcome temporary obstacles and pave the way to a successful journey toward your goals. Public Opinion is as steady as a summer breeze. It shifts continuously and can sway our resolve in our quest to success. Remember the fable of the old man and the mule. Everyone had their opinion on how the man could best outfit his trip with the mule. Some said to pack the mule with everything, some even offered that the old man carry the mule to keep him fresh. In the end, both mule and man failed to reach the goal. This is the fate that awaits a shifting decision maker. Do not let anyone deter your decision and only allow your inner circle of “Master Mind” committee members sway your decision.

God gave man TWO eyes and TWO ears and only ONE mouth – Do you think there was a reason for this ???

You have a brain and mind of your own. USE IT. If you need facts or information from other people, delve into your resources and other knowledge sources quietly, without disclosing your purpose.  Keep your eyes and ears open and your mouth closed, if you wish to acquire the habit of prompt decision making. If you talk more than you listen, you not only deprive yourself of many opportunities to accumulate useful knowledge, you also disclose your plans and purposes to people that may take great delight in defeating you, because they envy you.

Four steps to achievement: Plan purposefully. Prepare prayerfully. Proceed positively. Pursue persistently. -William A. Ward

May God Bless You and Yours

Gene

You can also follow me on Twitter @gkelley58

Think and Grow Rich - CH 7 - Organized Planning

Sorry for the delay in posting this chapter. Things were a little busy this weekend and (truthfully) I was a little lazy in my reading.

 

Before we get started, though, I would like to let you guys know that you can get a free copy of this book online and in pdf format at http://think-and-grow-rich-ebook.com/ .  You  may find it easier to follow along as well as having a convenient copy at your fingertips.  Why Is “Think and Grow Rich” Free To Download? The reason why they can do this is because the original 1937 edition of “Think and Grow Rich” is now in the Public Domain. What this means is that everyone can now enjoy this classic work that has inspired many generations of successful, wealthy people who discovered the secret to finding financial freedom.

Now on to the lesson/discussion

We have learned that everything man creates or acquires, begins in the form of DESIRE. That DESIRE is then moved into the workshop of the IMAGINATION, where we crystallize them into ACTION  by forming and organizing  solid PLANS.

The author suggest that to build this “Master Plan”, we must surround ourselves with allies to assist us in forming and evaluating our plans. We should inventory what each member of this circle of minds brings to the conversation and use the best attributes of each person.  No one person knows all the answers or sees all the projected issues, so we should be alert and receptive to each input or observation.

If the initial plan fails, replace/modify it with a new one. The true “secret” to a successful objective is PERSISTENCE. Temporary defeat only means that the certain knowledge that there is something wrong with your plan.  The US Marines has a motto: “Improvise, Adapt and Overcome”. This attitude will lead to the successful implementation of a solid PLAN.

AS LONG AS YOU ARE MOVING – YOU AIN’T STUCK

The rest of the chapter is dedicated to practical actions and attitudes to develop a successful mindset toward achieving your goals. I will not copy down them here, but suggest that you read them (online or in print). The LEADERSHIP notes are truly invaluable in anything we may seek to pursue.

These points are the foundation of many modern Management Philosophies , today (i.e. Six Sigma, TQS et al)  …REMEMBER these ideas were publish back in 1937!!!! Truly a unique direction at that time.

 

May God Bless You and Yours

Gene

You can also follow me on Twitter @gkelley58

 

Think and Grow Rich - CH 6 Imagination

The previous chapters covers the importance of controlling our thoughts and developing the positive thoughts into positive desires and developing a plan of action from them. This chapter addresses the use of imagination in one of two way: Synthetic and Creative.

Synthetic Imagination rearranges old concepts, ideas and methods into new combinations. This typr of imagination does not create anything. It merely works with experience, education and observations to develop a “new’ conclusion.

In Creative Imagination, the finite mind connects with Infinite Intelligence. This is noticed in our hunches and inspirational thoughts and ideas. This is the basis through which all new ideas are received. It is thought this faculty that we may “tune in” with the sub consciousness of others. Great leaders of business, industry, finance and the great artists, musicians, poets and writers became great because they developed the faculty of creative imagination.

Thought the grind of life, most of us has allowed our imagination (both kinds) to grow weak through atrophy. I remember, as a child, having all sorts of ideas that would change the world. Through life, I have allowed obstacles and “reality” to wear down these “dreams” and imagination-driven goals. I have lost faith in my ability to dream big dreams and subsequently mold those dreams into a reality. This seems to be the common malady of “child-like” imaginations. I have replaced my dreams with the cynicism of experiences and failures (mine and others). This dulling of imaginations has costs me the thrill of watching an idea grow from conception to maturity. 

Image by Gilderic via Flickr

We can revive our imaginative faculties through deliberate exercise. Center  your attention on your synthetic imagination faculty (since this is the one that is most commonly used) and mentally rearrange processes and perceptions of a given idea. This may even result in a novel approach to an old idea and thus provide a path to a new result in your life as well.  If we allow ourselves to realease our “adult” restraints and approach a challenge with the trusting, innocent mind of a child, we may find solutions that otherwise  may have been hidden.

We like to be adults and in charge of what happens to us, but having faith like a child is allowing God to lead us through the Holy Spirit. If you pray instead of making decisions on your own, you will find that God answers your prayers acts according to His will. Then your heart will be instructed in the night seasons by either God speaking to your spirit or even in a dream. If we allow the Holy Spirit to direct us we will get good counsel, but if we do it ourselves then we rely on our own faulty ways. The spirit works through the heart as I said:

Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;

This means not to follow your mind and its ways but be like a child and let your spirit direct you through your heart. Allow the Holy Spirit to direct you through scripture before you make decisions. The Lord will look after you. He promises if you have the faith of a child you will enter into His Kingdom. It's time to go with your heart and be a child rather than living like an adult in your mind.

Resurrect that child-like imagination and see if there is a hidden path to success waiting just beyond the shadows of our consciousness.

May God Bless You and Yours

Gene

You can also follow me on Twitter @gkelley58

WAKE UP CHRISTIAN AMERICA !!!! Not so Fast

I interrupt my book review/report to bring you a Message FROM GOD  through Isaiah the Prophet. 

Isaiah 58:1 “Shout loudly! Don’t be quiet! Yell as loud as a trumpet!

Confront my people with their rebellious deeds; confront Jacob’s family with their sin!

58:2 They seek me day after day; they want to know my requirements, like a nation that does what is right

and does not reject the law of their God.

They ask me for just decrees; they want to be near God.

58:3 They lament, ‘Why don’t you notice when we fast?

Why don’t you pay attention when we humble ourselves?’

Look, at the same time you fast, you satisfy your selfish desires, you oppress your workers.

58:4 Look, your fasting is accompanied by arguments, brawls, and fistfights.

Do not fast as you do today, trying to make your voice heard in heaven.

58:5 Is this really the kind of fasting I want?

Do I want a day when people merely humble themselves, bowing their heads like a reed

and stretching out on sackcloth and ashes?

Is this really what you call a fast, a day that is pleasing to the Lord?

58:6 No, this is the kind of fast I want.

I want you to remove the sinful chains, to tear away the ropes of the burdensome yoke,

to set free the oppressed, and to break every burdensome yoke.

58:7 I want you to share your food with the hungry and to provide shelter for homeless, oppressed people.

When you see someone naked, clothe him! Don’t turn your back on your own flesh and blood!

58:8 Then your light will shine like the sunrise; your restoration will quickly arrive;

your godly behavior will go before you, and the Lord’s splendor will be your rear guard.

58:9 Then you will call out, and the Lord will respond; you will cry out, and he will reply, ‘Here I am.’

You must remove the burdensome yoke from among you and stop pointing fingers and speaking sinfully.

58:10 You must actively help the hungry and feed the oppressed. Then your light will dispel the darkness, and your darkness will be transformed into noonday.

58:11 The Lord will continually lead you; he will feed you even in parched regions. He will give you renewed strength, and you will be like a well-watered garden,

like a spring that continually produces water.

58:12 Your perpetual ruins will be rebuilt; you will reestablish the ancient foundations.

You will be called, ‘The one who repairs broken walls, the one who makes the streets inhabitable again.’

58:13 You must observe the Sabbath rather than doing anything you please on my holy day.

You must look forward to the Sabbath and treat the Lord’s holy day with respect.

You must treat it with respect by refraining from your normal activities,

and by refraining from your selfish pursuits and from making business deals.

58:14 Then you will find joy in your relationship to the Lord, and I will give you great prosperity,

and cause crops to grow on the land I gave to your ancestor Jacob.”

Know for certain that the Lord has spoken.

May God Bless You and Yours

Gene

You can also follow me on Twitter @gkelley58

Think and Grow Rich - Ch 5 Specialized Knowledge

They say Knowledge is power. I disagree. Knowledge is only the POTENTIAL for power. Unless that knowledge is inventoried, collocated and used, it is merely clutter in the brain. We must inventory, catalogue and develop a plan for using our personal knowledge. With the advent of the internet,  vast volumes of knowledge is at our fingertips. This fact (I think) levels the playing field when we need a specific tidbit of information. The difference comes in our specialized accumulation of knowledge and experience and how we perceive our accumulated knowledge in practice.

Wealthy people like Henry Ford, Thomas Edison and many others did not necessarily personally hold a great general knowledge of things, but they DID understand how to tap their resources and how to implement their plan and dreams into action. We can take a lesson from this. Specialized Knowledge can be quite helpful in achieving our personal and financial goals.  I have studied computers and networking since 1976. I have a in-depth comprehension of the principles in this field. I do not consider myself a totally ignorant man, but I would not even attempt to try brain surgery. Does this make a surgeon any smarter than me? I do not believe so. It is just we have different specialized knowledge. I am certain that he would not attempt to design and implement a Frame Relay Network with Maximum Packet Switching between remote rural nodes. See what I mean? Our Specialized Knowledge includes our personal experiences, talents, skills and personality as well as what we learn from interacting with those around us.

Experience is learning from your mistakes

                       Wisdom is learning from OTHER’s mistakes

The trick, (the way I understand this chapter) is finding a marketable way to implement your personalized, specialized knowledge to your advantage. This requires thought, self analysis and imagination.  Once you have conceived your goal in using YOUR personal attributes, you must construct a PLAN to implement this journey to success.  Also we must use the previously noted  steps for success and reaffirmation to continually motivate ourselves and convince our psyche to make this Plan complete.

Like the old adage states:

Plan your Work

&

Work your Plan

May God Bless You and Yours

Gene

http://twitter.com/gkelley58

"Think & Grow Rich - Chapter 4 - Autosuggestion

The medium for influencing the subconscious mind – the 3rd step toward riches

Image by Getty Images via @daylife

If you tell yourself something (or hear it often enough) it becomes reality

This statement can be seen in almost everything we see and do today. Commercials tell us over and over and over and … again how wonderful their product performs and how much better it is for us. By hearing that repeated over and over again, our reality included that product. How in the world did we EVER survive without Google or the internet or cell phones???? Marketing has injected the requirement into our reality and now it has become OUR reality. Why would this not work with our own “propaganda”? By focusing our mental input to what WE dictate, we can mold our reality to our goals.


This chapter take advantage of the knowledge that we control OUR thoughts and

OUR actions. By reaffirming our desire, belief and faith, we cause ourselves to mystically create our own reality. This works both for and against our goals. If we hold on to negative thoughts and influences, we will reap negative results.  That is why I think it is so important to fill your thoughts with positive contents and affirmations. Paul wrote to the Philippians just that sort of thing when he commanded them to think on “… whatever is true, whatever is worthy of respect, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if something is excellent or praiseworthy, think about these things.” (Phil 4:8 NET)

Our mind believes whatever we tell it – IF we tell it often enough.  Recall the steps I listed in Chapter 3 on reading your list aloud so that you actually HEAR your desires with your ears.  This is a form of autosuggestion. Concentrating on this truth will allow you to see it come into fruition.

"Our doubts are traitors, and make us lose the good we oft might win, by fearing to attempt." - Shakespeare

May God Bless You and Yours

Gene

You can also follow me on Twitter @gkelley58

"Think & Grow Rich - Chapter 3 - Faith

Visualization of, and Belief in Attainment of Desire – The 2^nd Step Toward Riches

Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is being sure of what we hope for, being convinced of what we do not see. (NETBible)

We have previously discussed the roles of controlling our thought processes and building a Desire to achieve our goals of success (financially and other values in our lives). Today, we get to address how FAITH plays a very important part of this transition from poverty thinking to wealthy thinking.

Hill  describes Faith as “á state of mind which you may develop at will, after you have mastered the thirteen principles, because it is a state of mind which develops voluntarily, through application and use of these principles.

Repetition of affirmation of orders to your subconscious mind is the only known methods of voluntary development of the emotion of faith. “

I urge you to read the entire chapter on your own as it is filled with wonderful examples and illustrations of how faith can play a dynamic part in developing a successful attitude and change your perspective on life’s events. The Bible talks about the power of faith on many occasions. Jesus, Himself, emphasized the power of faith throughout  his ministry. He told several of the people He healed that it was their FAITH that realized the miracle.

Faith work both good and bad. It is not a respecter of morals. If you have faith that something will come to pass (or the you will be a certain way) the inertia of that faith will pave the way for your faith to come to pass. Hill suggests that you may benefit, by passing on to your subconscious mind, any desire which you wish translated into its physical, or monetary equivalent, in a state of expectancy or belief that the transmutation will actually take place. Your belief, or faith, is the element which determines the action of your subconscious mind. There is nothing to hinder you from “deceiving” your subconscious mind when giving it instructions through autosuggestion.

To make this “deceit” more realistic,  conduct yourself just as you would if you were already in the possession of the material thing which you are demanding.

Thoughts which are mixed with any of the feelings of emotions constitute a “magnetic” force which attracts other similar or related thoughts.

Mr Hill’s Self Confidence Formula bears repeating and emphasis. Make this commitment to yourself and we will see the transformation in your life. It is as follows:

First:  I know that I have the ability to achieve the object in my definite purpose in life; therefore, I demand  of myself persistent, continuous action toward its attainment, and I here and now promise to render such action.

Second: I realize the dominating thoughts of my mind will eventually reproduce themselves in outward, physical action, and gradually transform themselves into physical reality; therefore, I will concentrate my thoughts for thirty minutes daily, upon the task of thinking of the person I intend to become, thereby creating in my mind a clear mental picture.

Third: I know through the principle of autosuggestion, any desire that I persistently hold in my mind will eventually seek expression through some practical means of attaining the object back of it; therefore, I will devote ten minutes daily to demanding of myself the development of self confidence.

Fourth: I have clearly written down a description of my definite chief aim in life, and I will never stop trying, until I shall developed sufficient self-confidence for its attainment.

Fifth: I fully realize that no wealth or position can long endure, unless built on truth and justice; therefore, I will engage in no transaction which does not benefit all whom it affects. I will succeed by attracting to myself the forces I wish to use, and the cooperation of other people. I will induce others to serve me, because of my willingness to serve others. I will eliminate hatred, envy, jealousy, selfishness, and cynicism, by developing love for all humanity, because I know that a negative attitude toward others can never bring me success. I will cause others to believe in me, because I will believe in them, and in myself. I will sign my name to this formula, commit it to memory, and repeat if aloud once a day, with full faith that it will gradually influiuence my thoughts and actions so that I will become a self-reliant, and successful person

May God Bless You and Yours

Gene

You can also follow me on Twitter @gkelley58