Defeat Can Be An Advantage To Us

Dear readers,I want you to understand that there is a difference between failing and being defeated.There was a teaching on the benefits of failing here,It is therefore good that we also get to know the advantages derived from being defeated. Happy Reading.(Culled:Christian quotes)

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1.EXPERIENCE AS A TEACHER

No textbook or teacher can teach us like experience. I have learned more from my mistakes than I ever did by doing it a thousand times the right way. Experience really is the best teacher. You can warn someone you are trying to help by telling them about your own experience, but most (like me at times) will ignore your warnings and end up learning for themselves; the hard way! And that’s okay. Try seeing defeat from the vantage point of learning from it. This might help us avoid repeating the same mistake twice.

2.LEARNING HOW NOT TO DO IT

I hear it took Thomas Edison over 1,000 times before the lightbulb ever worked and when asked about his many failures, Mr. Edison saw it as 1,000 ways not to do it. He took these defeats and piled them upon his daily experiences and used those many defeats to bring about one of the greatest inventions of his time. Mr. Edison was told by his teachers “you’re too stupid to learn anything” but they forgot about the teacher of experience. Thomas Edison’s perseverance paid off as he made ever defeat one step closer to success.

3.TRUSTING GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY

What we might see as defeat, God might see as gain. Paul wrote “I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 20:24) so in turning his life over to God he wrote to the church at Rome; “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered” (Rom 8:36). He never pondered judgment or exacting revenge on those who beat him, imprisoned him, and sought his life. He trusted God’s sovereignty and so wrote, “Repay no one evil for evil” (Rom 12:17) and “never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord” (Rom 12:19).

CONCLUSION
Hall of Fame college basketball coach John Wooden once said that winners make the most errors. Maybe that’s because they try so many attempts. The truest defeat is not even trying because then, you’ve lost before you ever tried.

Reasons Why Our Response Should Come With Grace

“A fool expresses all his emotions, but a wise person controls them.” (Proverbs 29:11 GW)

You can’t control much of what happens to you in life. Like I mentioned a few days ago in these devotionals, you can’t control who your parents are, where you were born, and a variety of other factors that have a significant influence on your life.

But you can choose how you react to what life throws your way. You can get angry or stressed out or shrink into depression when slights come at you — or you can respond gracefully.

The choice is always yours. The Bible says, “A fool expresses all his emotions, but a wise person controls them” (Proverbs 29:11 GW). To live responsibly, we must put our minds in gear before we put our mouths in gear. We must think before we act.

When others cause pain in our lives, we often respond by trying to get even. Ironically, in our effort to “get even” with a person who has wronged us, we do get even. We sink to the other person’s level.

God calls us to a much greater response: forgiveness.

When you’re mistreated, the proper reaction isn’t to blow up or clam up. Both are irresponsible. Instead God calls us to respond to slights with calmness, love, and truth.

Here’s the bottom line: Trust God to settle the score. He has much better resources to do that,than you do.

Action Points

• What strategies can you use when you’re hurt so you don’t react without thinking?
• Why is learning to control your reactions an issue of faith?
• How can other people in your life hold you accountable as you learn to more responsibly control your reactions?

Credit:Daily Hope With Rick Warren

5 INSPIRING QUOTES ABOUT HEAVEN

The Bible talks a lot about heaven, and as believers, it’s a place that we all dream about and look forward to. Christians throughout the centuries have written about heaven – that glorious place where God lives and where one day we will join Him.

Please see some of the wonderful Quotes about Heaven Below:

1.The way you store up treasure in heaven is by investing in getting people there.

Rick Warren

2.Life, if properly viewed in any aspect, is great, but mainly great when viewed in its relation to the world to come.

Albert Barnes

3. I have all that I need here and heaven hereafter! How much richer could anybody want to be?

Lester Roloff

4.The Lord looks down from heaven on the children of man, to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God.

Psalm 14:2

5.There are no crown-wearers in heaven who were not cross-bearers here below.

Charles Spurgeon

I hope that this collection of verses and quotes have inspired you to look towards the eternal future. Our job as Christians is to bring a little bit of heaven to earth, so that when it’s time for us to go home, we take others with us, so that we can all be together with our Lord in Heaven.Amen

Credit:Christian Quotes

What Are You Filling Your Brain With?

“A wise person is hungry for knowledge, while the fool feeds on trash.” (Proverbs 15:14 NLT, second edition) Our minds control everything else about us. Our thoughts influence our feelings. Our feelings impact our actions. What you think matters, because everything starts in the mind. To be a responsible person, you have to control your thoughts. But let me relieve you of a little false guilt: You’re not responsible for every stray thought that passes through your mind. Stray thoughts enter our minds for a variety of reasons — conversations you hear by accident, things you see, stuff the devil puts in your mind, etc. You’re responsible for how you deal with those stray thoughts. Martin Luther said it like this: “You can’t keep the birds from flying over your head, but you can keep them from building a nest in your hair.” God will hold you accountable for what you allow to enter your mind. I’m amazed by what some people watch — not to mention what they let their children watch. Many true followers of Jesus spend their time watching trashy TV and listening to trashy radio. They pay good money to see deviant behavior as entertainment. People watching such shows have told me, “When I go see those kinds of things, it just doesn’t phase me. It doesn’t bother me. It doesn’t affect me.” But that’s just not true! Scientists have done study after study that says you never really forget any scene you see. Even if you don’t consciously recall the scene, that idea will come right back to your mind — in living color — when something else stimulates the thought. In other words, “Garbage in, garbage out.” What you put into your mind will inevitably bear fruit in your behavior and beliefs. In fact, when trashy entertainment doesn’t bother you anymore, it’s a warning light that you’ve already passed the threshold. One of Satan’s greatest tricks for attracting you to sinful lifestyles is comedy. That’s why on television or in movies, deviant behavior always starts in a comedic situation. If Satan can get you laughing at something that is sinful, you’ve already lost the battle. Sin isn’t funny. Sin put Jesus on the cross. What are you filling your brain with? Action Points ·         Which form of media tempts you the most? ·         Who can hold you accountable for what you watch and listen to? ·         What are some practical ways you can help teach your children these principles? Credit:Daily Hope With Rick Warren

4 POTENT POWERS OF LOVE

“Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.”

– Mother Teresa

Hello dear readers,Please see some ways we can express love to others that will yield great results not only for us but for Christ too.

Giving in Love

Jesus put it simply beautifully when He said “give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you” (Luke 6:38), showing that when you give, you are actually receiving more than you gave in the first place. This is exactly what Solomon meant when he wrote “whoever is generous to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will repay him for his deed” (Prov. 19:17). We don’t give to the poor to be repaid because this is not really giving; it’s a loan. We give to the poor because it’s the right thing to do. Your blessings might not come in the form of money, but blessings can come in a hundred different non-monetary ways, not to say that it cannot also benefit you financially.

Speaking in Love

Whatever you say to someone has one of two effects: It either tears down or builds up. Paul was all about building up the body of Christ, the church. It’s such a small thing to say “thank you” or “you’re doing a great job” to someone, but what a great impact that might leave. Little things can mean a lot to someone who has little or hears little good in their life. We should always be “speaking the truth in love” (Eph. 4:15), even if the truth hurts. There is a lot of wisdom in knowing “faithful are the wounds of a friend; profuse are the kisses of an enemy” (Prov. 27:6). Even I must sometimes be wounded in order to heal. My mentor tells me the truth, which shows me he loves me. Truth-telling is an expression of love. The truth sets people free, or it makes them really mad.

Serving in Love

Paul said the motivation of what we do and say must be done in love, and so it is “through love [we] serve one another” (Gal. 5:13). Consider the humility of the great Apostle Paul, who humbly wrote, “I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them” (1 Cor. 9:19). How does Jesus define love? He says, “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). It is so rare to find someone dying for a good person (Rom. 5:7) but for an enemy and wicked person (Rom 5:8, 10). Saying you love someone is one thing, but doing something that shows it makes it real.

Living in Love

Did Jesus believe that people might be drawn to Him by our good works? Jesus said, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matt. 5:16). This includes the imperative to “keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation” (1 Pet. 2:12). Love is a verb; it is what you do more than what you say. If your words don’t match your actions, then it’s just a lot of useless noise to God (1 Cor. 13:1).

Conclusion

Mother Teresa is exactly right in saying “not all of us can do great things, but we can do small things with great love,” and that includes giving in love, speaking in love, serving in love, and doing works as a result of our love, thankfulness, and devotion to the Creator of love: God!

Credit:Pastor Jack Wellman

LOVE THOSE WHO OPPOSE YOU!

“Love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, offer the other cheek also. If someone demands your coat, offer your shirt also.” (Luke 6:27b-29 NLT, second edition)

When you’re persecuted, harassed, and face opposition, you need to respond with a blessing.

Jesus says in Luke 6:27-29, “Love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, offer the other cheek also. If someone demands your coat, offer your shirt also” (NLT, second edition).

Who does that?! Not many people, actually. It’s what sets Christians apart, because it’s not a natural or popular or easy response.

It takes a lot of courage to do those things! Any fool can fight back. Any wimp can retaliate. Any idiot can say something mean back. Even parrots can be taught to curse.

God wants you to love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who hurt you, and turn the other cheek. Is that easy? No. You can only do it by being filled with God’s love. And, it is the most powerful form of witness.

In the movie The Butler, they show the Freedom Riders, who fought racism in the South during the Civil Rights Movement, train people how to not retaliate when they’re hit, spit on, cursed, pushed, or when people throw food at them. It’s a very powerful scene of taking a nonviolent stance.

As I watched that scene, tears started coming down my face. I thought, “I want to be that kind of person for Jesus. I want to be that brave. I want to have a heart of courage that won’t cave in to what’s wrong, no matter what they throw at me. And I want to respond with love.”

When you refuse to retaliate and instead respond in love at work or with somebody who doesn’t like you, God will be pleased. And, you’re going to be blessed.

“God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers. Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven” (Matthew 5:10-12a).

Jesus paid a price for you. He says there’s a price to be paid for following him. Popularity on Earth is not part of the guarantee of being a Christian, but your reward in Heaven is a guarantee.

Action Points

·         What is your faith costing you?

·     How are you willing to suffer for Jesus Christ? How does your answer affect the way you handle insults or disapproval?

·         Why is responding in love and not retaliation the most powerful form of witness for Christ?

Credit:Daily Hope with Rick Warren

OPPOSITION?....Three Ways It Benefits You

“God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers. Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven.” (Matthew 5:10-12 NLT, second edition)

When you feel pressured by the world because you love Jesus and other people don’t, you need to remember three things:

1.     Opposition can make you more like Jesus. Jesus says in John 15:18-20, “If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first. The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you. Do you remember what I told you? ‘A slave is not greater than the master.’ Since they persecuted me, naturally they will persecute you. And if they had listened to me, they would listen to you” (NLT, second edition). If you’re going to grow up and be like Jesus Christ, then you’re going to have to go through the things Jesus went through, including loneliness, discouragement, stress, and temptation. What makes you think God would spare you when he didn’t spare his own Son from those things?

2.     Opposition will deepen your faith. Your faith is like a muscle. A muscle doesn’t grow by sitting in a chair and eating popcorn. A muscle grows by being stretched, strained, and tested. You’re never going to grow a muscle if no weight is ever pulling in the opposite direction. If you don’t have opposition in your life, then your faith is not growing. The strongest believers in the world right now are those who are having their faith tested the most. The Bible says in 1 Peter 1:7, “These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold — though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.”

3.     Opposition will give you eternal rewards. Matthew 5:10-12 says, “God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers. Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven.” God’s going to bless anybody who’s persecuted because they live for him. Notice that you don’t get rewarded for being rude or obnoxious. If you live a self-righteous life when you get persecuted, you’re not a martyr; you’re just a jerk.

You don’t get rewarded for that. You get rewarded for being like Jesus. When you share your faith, you’re to do it with gentleness and respect, just like Jesus, and you will be rewarded for it one day in Heaven.

These are the three things you need to remember whenever you’re harassed for your faith: It can make you more like Jesus. It can deepen your faith. And you will be rewarded for it in eternity.

Action Points

·         How have you responded to the testing of your faith? How do you think God feels about your response?

·         What does persecution look like in American culture?

·         How do you think God wants you to pray for people who are persecuted?

Credit:Pastor Rick Warren