“Your time is limited, don’t waste it living someone
else´s life.” Steve Jobs

It took me a long time in fact years to be comfortable in my own skin living my own life, but who else’s life can we really live? Seriously when it’s all said and done we better like our own company and our own life, after all we are the one that make the choices and then our choices make us.

We choose what we eat and with whom we eat.  We decide how well we do in school or if we even go to school after 12th grade.  We pick our friends and decide who we follow and who we leave behind. I’ve heard it said the five closet people decide your income. I’ve heard who you hang out with determines your choices at a restaurant and if you are overweight or not.  I am not saying this is fact or science…I’m just saying.

1 Corinthians 15:33 “Be not deceived: evil companions corrupt good morals.”

Your time is limited. My time is limited. We are all made with a purpose in our Makers master plan. One of our main goals of life is to seek our Maker and then asks Him why He made us and what He wants us to do and be.

“Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it.” Steve Jobs

I am so excited to be going back to work tomorrow, because I love what I do. I love the people I do like with. After a short vacation, visiting friends and family and just seeing a different part of the world I have a refreshed perspective. Visiting a different church and hearing different praise and worship music ministered to my soul and spirit.  I tapped into the creative part of my person.  I heard the spirit’s voice more often.  I learned once again you have to come away with Him to want to be with others.

Luke 5:16 (NIV) “But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.”

John 6:15 (NIV) “Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.”

Mark 6:45-46 (NIV) “And immediately He made His disciples get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side to Bethsaida, while He Himself was sending the multitude away. And after bidding them farewell, he departed to the mountain to pray.”

Jesus led by example. When we follow Jesus we follow His example.  Going away at least once a year to be refreshed and renewed is one way to be filled so we can again empty ourselves.  My spiritual grandmother says, “Daily divert, weekly withdrawal and annually abandon.” Take the advice of those older and wiser and you too can be a dublicatable model.

What would you do if you could do anything you wanted? The question has been posed to me many times. I’ve given lots of answers. However approaching, or in my golden years as they call them I now know what I would do. I’d read, write and do arithmetic (NO NOT NUMBERS) share Jesus...and He adds to everything and everyone who will allow Him.  I know you may not believe it but that’s what I did on vacation. A man vacationing with his friend had a back problem. A nice lady told me about her sister in peril and I prayed for her. I read three books and in the midst of it all I did garage shopping, yard sales, estate sales, Thrift store shopping with my brother and friend. With family I went to Flea Markets, did some sunbathing and lots eating. I attended my nieces Bridal Shower and met her friends and more family.  I stopped along the route to visit old friends and attend a great church service. My favorite part—being used by God. I don’t know all the endings to all the stories.  I got to have a few lines in the chapters of other people’s lives.   I felt God love people and felt people receive His power.

Today I am traveling. I pass a lot of cars, see a lot of faces but that’s all.  I just see them go by.  I prefer to stop and look into those faces if only for a short time and share Jesus.  What would I do for free?  If I could do anything in the world, what would it be?  I would do exactly what I am doing. In the midst of it all I would still see family, hugs babies, smell the flowers, walk on the beaches and of course eat and laugh….but I wouldn’t just pass by faces without sharing about the power of my savior to heal, deliver and set free.

Vacation is over.  I will be changing zip codes, but I still get to do the thing I love. We are not just saved to be something we are saved FOR something--a purpose bigger than ourselves. We are saved for being a light that expels darkness and reflects the image of God to the world for His glory.

Psalm 84:10 (KJV) “For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.”

 Text for series read: James 1:21-25 
 
James 1:23-25 ( ) “Because if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man looking at his own face in a mirror.  For he looks at himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.  But the one who looks intently into the perfect law of freedom and perseveres in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but one who does good works—this person will be blessed in what he does” 
  
Ladies we know how important a mirror is. This week I am at the beach and there is not a full length mirror in the Condo. This is not good considering at the beach one usually wears a swim suit and likes to check to see if they are getting burned or if they are covered properly.  With no mirror to check I am sure I probably look worse than I already feel in my swim suit.
                                                         
If the Bible is a mirror that reveals our true condition, too many of us walk away thinking we’re better than we really are. While it may be okay to say, “Close enough” when it comes to our appearance, it’s deadly to say that about our spiritual life. 
  
The real danger here is forgetting. 
We read “Love one another” but then we forget. 
We read “Pray without ceasing,” but then we forget. 
We read “Rejoice always,” but then we forget. 
We read “In all things give thanks,” but then we forget. 
  
We must “look intently” into the truth of God. 
We must not forget what we have heard. (James 1:23-25)
  
Note that the Bible is called the “perfect law of freedom.” That sounds very archaic to modern ears. We don’t equate law with freedom. We think the law restricts our freedom by telling us what not to do. That’s partly true. After all, eight of the Ten Commandments are in the negative. The law puts limits on our behavior. It tells us not to worship other gods, not to make idols, not to misuse God’s name, not to murder, not to commit adultery, not to steal, not to bear false witness, and not to covet. But those laws were given by God to protect us from our own sinful impulses. In a deep sense, we do not “break” the Ten Commandments. We are broken by them when we disobey. 
  
For instance, a man may be bored with his marriage and decide he needs to have some fun on the side. So he joins one of those websites devoted to helping you have an affair discreetly. But then one day hackers break the encryption and suddenly his name is broadcast to the world as an adulterer. It costs him his reputation and his marriage, and it may cost him his career. 
  
Meanwhile, here is a man who loves his wife, who because of a promise he made to her, fights off temptation, keeps his vows, stays faithful, and doesn’t have an affair. He and his wife have gone through the trials of life side by side and hand in hand. When they get to the end of their earthly journey, they are still together and still in love. 
  
Which man is truly free? The man who kept the rules or the man who broke them? 
  
In all of life, there is always an easy way and a hard way. In the beginning, the easy way looks inviting because you can take short cuts to get where you want to go. The hard way seems daunting because it demands so much discipline. But in the end cutting corners and bending the rules always costs more. The easy way turns out to be the hard way, and the hard way turns out to be the easy way. So it is with the Word of God. 
  
That leads us to the final question: Am I willing to obey even when it is not easy? When the answer is yes, we discover the freedom that becomes a blessing from the Lord. 

Text for series read: James 1:21-25 

James 1:22 (NKJV)“  But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.”  

The real challenge for most of us is not in the doing, but in the deceiving. The worst lies are the ones we tell ourselves. It’s one thing to deceive other people, that’s bad enough; but it is profoundly dangerous to lie to yourself. When John wrote his first epistle, he tackled this topic right out of the box. Three times in 1 John 1 the apostle repeats the phrase “If we say”: 
 
“If we say, ‘We have fellowship with Him,’ yet we walk in darkness” (v. 6). 
“If we say, ‘We have no sin’” (v. 8). 
“If we say, ‘We don’t have any sin’” (v. 10).
  
Every deception starts with the man in the mirror. 

If you lie to a friend, that’s bad, but at least you know what you’ve done. If you lie to yourself, you’re probably not even aware of it. No wonder the psalmist confessed,

Psalm 19:12 (NLT)  “How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart? Cleanse me from these hidden faults” 

Only the Lord himself can deliver us because he alone sees the part hidden from our own view. Unless I am regularly contradicted by God’s Word, I am not engaging it. God’s Word is like a sword (Hebrews 4:12-13). Swords cut. Good swords are razor sharp. Even a slight touch draws blood. 
  
That leads to a third question: Am I willing to be rebuked by the Lord? It’s one thing to read the Bible. It’s another thing to let the Bible read me. 
 

Text for this week’s Blog James 1:21-25 

James 1:21 “Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.”
 
There is a reason we are to “humbly” receive God’s Word. True repentance strips us bare, leaving us with nothing good to claim. We stand before God naked, exposed, with all secrets revealed, all hidden motives uncovered, all shameful deeds dragged out into the light, every casual thought and every foolish word brought before the Lord so that we might be forgiven, healed, and made whole. 
  
A proud man can’t repent because he won’t repent. His pride keeps him from admitting anything. But when we are finally stripped bare, then we are in the ideal position to receive God’s Word because then we have a truly teachable spirit. We are able to receive that which will save our soul.
  
We are to “receive” God’s Word the same way we receive an old friend who has made a long journey to see us. That means when we hear the Word, we don’t argue with it and we don’t make excuses. We welcome it with open arms. “Speak to me, O Lord, I am ready to hear your voice.” 
  
The word “implanted” pictures a seed planted in the ground. God’s Word is like a seed that will grow up within us to produce good fruit. If you combine this truth with the previous one, it means when we pull up the weeds of sin, we make room so that God’s Word can grow up within us to produce the fruit of a life filled with the beauty of Jesus. When that happens, the implanted Word is able to save us. It delivers us from sin, guilt, shame, condemnation, and the moral filth of the world around us. 
  
Here is the second question: Am I willing to receive God’s Word with an open heart? If the answer is yes, then we can move on to the next step. Talk with you tomorrow here on RPMDaily.net for #3 "Respond By Doing"

Text for series read: James 1:21-25 

Lots of people ask me, “Hey what is the Best Bible to read?” It’s a great question and one I used to ask myself too.  Since that time of searching I have found that the best one to read is the one you will read. (smile) Seriously, if you are not interested in it then you won’t stick with it. If you’re not really a reader then why torture yourself. Try listening to the bible instead of reading and taking notes into your phone by talking. Any plan that gets you reading the Bible is good for your soul and spirit, and any plan you actually use is better than a plan you don’t use. So for today’s RPM let’s look at “Removing the Filth”.

James 1:21 (NIV) “Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.”

The word “filthiness” comes from a Greek word that referred to wax in the ear. In verse 19 James has already told his readers they must be “quick to hear” what God is saying. But sin is like wax in the ears that shuts out the Word of God. Wax like that can make a man deaf. In the same way sin makes us deaf to God. 

If we are going to change, we must actively get rid of the moral filth that has become like spiritual earwax. That means we must repent on a daily basis. The word repent literally means “to change the mind or to go a different direction .” It has to do with the way you think about something. You’ve been thinking one way, but now you think differently. That’s repentance—the changing of the mind that leads to a change of heart that leads to change of behavior.

Repentance is the only no shame solution to a renewed Christian conscience, because it only proves the obvious: God was right all along.

It's only 94 Days till Christmas and today this is the song that came to my mind......What are you hearing?

Greetings to all of you RPMDaily followers.  It is my prayer you enjoy the Remarkable Blog. All last week we talked about the six symptoms of pride. Today we finish this series. Our number six symptom is:

An unhealthy sense of competition

Some people have more stuff than they can afford because of pride. They want to feel like they are in a class they are not in.
One salesman made hundreds of sales by saying, "Let me show you something your neighbors say you can't afford."

Proverbs 16:5 (KJV) “5 Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD: though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished.”

If there was no pride there would be no devil. Lucifer exercised pride in wanting to be like God. It was pride that plunged the human race into sin. Pride was the bait on the hook for Eve. She wouldn't have done that just for a bite of juicy fruit.(not gum J)

Satan said to her, “Take it, you'll be like God!”  This means that all sin in the world was caused by pride. Every single rape, murder, theft, is caused by pride. Pride caused it all! We will fight this problem until we leave this earth and go to heaven. Pride is not dead until we are!

In 1958 the most famous bullfighter in Spain was named Jose, and was 21 years old. He was the most successful, well known matador of his day. He died on a day when he struck the bull w/ his sword, and thinking it was dead he turned his back on the bull to receive his applause. But in an instant the bull rose and gored him thru the back, puncturing his heart. 

The lesson? Never turn your back on pride because as soon as you think you've got it whipped it will rise up and stab you in the back!

Proverbs 16:18 (NIV) “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.

Hello Friday #5 Pride Series “Victim Mentality”

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All week here on the Remarkable Blog we have been sharing the six symptoms that are indicative of pride in our life. I hope if you are new to the Blog or just finding it you will take a look at the other four that we began on Monday of this week and I will end our series on this coming Monday. Today we will look at the fifth:

A Victim's mentality.

Bitterness over something God hasn't given you, or feeling you got a raw deal is a symptom of pride. If you feel something is owed to you that is a self-centered symptom of pride. Catch yourself saying things like, “Life isn't fair”, and “We have no real rights”, can also indicate pride is lurking in our heart. The entitlement mindset permeates America today. Let's remember that if we got what we deserved we would be in hell tonight! Anything short of that is only by the grace of God.

God did not come to the world to condemn us but save us from our sins. (John 3:17)  He came so we could have life, life abundantly. (John 10:10) The Bible clearly teaches that God is love (1 John 4:16). Even God’s discipline stems from His love (Hebrews 12:6). It’s not God’s objective to ruin anyone’s life (Jeremiah 29:11).

No one has the “perfect” life. We are told in the Bible we will have problems in this world. (John 16:33)

John 16:33 (NIV) “"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

In the Kingdom of God there are no victims only victory for all who will call upon His name!

All this week we have been looking at the subject of pride. Today we will take a look at the fourth characteristic of a person with pride in their life.

Not seeking counsel.

To not ask advice is a symptom of pride.

In the 50’s an airplane flew over Alaska with six persons on board. They found themselves in a fierce snowstorm. The navigator thought they might be off course and contacted an airbase. The radio controller said indeed they were hundreds of miles off course. They gave the navigator the correct coordinates to fly by. He said, “There's no way we're off by that much”, and went by his gut. He was wrong. They eventually ran out of fuel. They parachuted but landed in conditions of 50 degrees below zero and all died, their bodies found 3 days later.

Proverbs 12:15 (KJV) “15 The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise.”

No matter how high we get we can get off. (Pun intended) We have to stay grounded and learn to submit to a higher power than our own. If we refuse correction and direction we will inevitably get off course. Getting off course when you are responsible for others can be deadly.