Our theme for this month: “Personal Responsibility”

Our Bible verse for today: “In the morning, O Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation.” Psalm 5:3 (NIV)

Our thought for today: “You are responsible for starting the day off right.”

Yesterday I told you about the commencement speech given by Admiral William McRaven to the 2014 graduating class of the University of Texas. The title of the talk was “Make your bed”. Admiral McRaven told the story of how when he was in training to become a Navy SEAL the first task of each day was to make his bed, and to make it so well that it would pass a rigorous inspection by a SEAL instructor.

Making the bed was an exercise designed to instill the virtues of attention to detail and of doing all tasks with a high degree of excellence. But the other point Admiral McRaven was making was that starting the day by making his bed very well helped to set the tone for the rest of the day. Now that he had started the day by doing one thing exceptionally well, he was ready to go forward into the day doing all things exceptionally well. Making his bed with that degree of attention to detail, and with such a commitment to excellence, helped to establish his attitude for how he would approach the entire day.

Starting the day with the right attitude is important. Then you can use that good beginning as a foundation to build the rest of the day on. In Philippians 4:13 the Apostle Paul reminds us of a great truth that is very helpful when it comes to establishing and maintaining a good and positive attitude. “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” In other words, there is nothing you will face in the upcoming day that you and Jesus can’t handle together. This is more than just a theological truth, it’s a practical reality. Claim the truth of Philippians 4:13 first thing. Then as you walk through your day you can keep calling on and relying upon the Lord, and He will help you.

The best way to start your day is in prayer and Bible study. Spend some time reading the Bible and then talking to God. Talk to Him especially about the day that lies before you. Review it with Him, asking Him for guidance and help. Ask Him also for a sense of peace and joy as you approach the new day. Then, get going. You have started the day well, now go live it well. This is on you. It’s up to you to get out of bed early enough so you can do this. Billy Graham once said “If I don’t start my day with Jesus, I meet Satan around every corner all day long.”

Navy SEAL trainees start their day off right by making their bed. The smart Christian starts his or her day off right by spending time with the Lord. It’s your responsibility to start the day off right.

God Bless,
Pastor Jim

Our mailing address is:

Our theme for this month: “Personal Responsibility”

Our Bible verse for today: “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.” Colossians 3:23 (NIV)

Our thought for today: “You are responsible for doing your best.”

Vice-Admiral William McRaven was a four-star Navy Admiral and the highest ranking Navy SEAL in the service. Not only did he spend more than thirty-five years as a member of the most elite military unit in the world, but he was the commander of that elite force.

In 2014 he gave the commencement address at the University of Texas graduation ceremony and the title of his talk was “Make Your Bed”. He told the story of how in SEAL training, known as “BUDS” (Basic Underwater Demolition School), the first task each day was to make your bed. And not only did you have to make your bed, but you needed to make it in an extremely precise manner. The sheet had to be pulled so tight that a quarter would bounce off of it. The pillow had to be positioned at the head of the bed in the exact spot it was supposed to be in, and likewise with the blanket at the foot of the bed (folded into a neat square with precise folds). A SEAL instructor would then enter your room and examine how well you made your bed. He would even pull out a little ruler and measure the positioning of your pillow and blanket to ensure they were in the exact correct location.

This was the toughest military training in the world. They were learning advanced military tactics and deep sea diving; they were becoming experts in explosives and all sorts of military weapons; they were learning how to evade the enemy, blow up ships, interrogate prisoners, and jump from airplanes. But they started each day with an inspection to see how well they made their bed? That seems silly.

However the entire routine was designed to teach and reinforce the importance of attention to detail and a commitment to excellence. If you pay attention to the small details you will also pay attention to the big details. If you are committed to doing the little unimportant things well, you will also do the big important ones well. Attention to detail and a commitment to excellence is an attitude that begins with the small things and then carries over into all of life. And, it is one of the foundational principles of success. Sloppy, careless people are seldom successful. And as a Navy SEAL such a person also wouldn’t live very long.

In Colossians 3:23 the Apostle Paul urges us to apply that attention to detail and commitment to excellence to all things in life, and to do it as a means of honoring Christ. As a follower of Christ you and I should be committed to doing our very best in everything we do – simply because it’s the right thing to do.

We will discuss this more tomorrow. For now just remember that the Lord expects you to do your best in all situations. “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart…”

God Bless,
Pastor Jim

Our mailing address is:

Our theme for this month: “Personal Responsibility”

Our Bible verse for today: “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he.” Proverbs 23:7 (KJV)

Our thought for today: “You are responsible for how you think.”

“Sow a thought, reap an act; Sow an act, reap a habit; Sow a habit, reap a character; Sow a character, reap a destiny.” Those wise words came from the pen of the great American poet Ralph Waldo Emerson and they reflect the truth Solomon taught in Proverbs 23:7 – how you think matters.

Thoughts are the seed from which actions come; actions, if repeated, become a habit; habits determine your character; and your character determines your destiny. More than one hundred years ago the author James Allen expressed it this way: “As the plant springs from, and could not be without, the seed, so every act of a man springs from the hidden seeds of thought, and could not have appeared without them.”

You are responsible for how you think. The thoughts you think are determined by the influences you allow into your mind. If you fill your mind with junk then you are going to think junky thoughts. If your music, video games, movies, television shows, and reading materials are filled with sex, violence and profanity, then those are the influences which will shape your thoughts. But if you fill your mind with wholesome influences such as Christian music, Bible reading, good conversation with Christian friends, etc, then you will think good thoughts.

This is why the Apostle Paul wrote in Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.” (NIV)

The fact is that you can control your environment. You have a choice about the music you listen to, the television shows and movies you watch, the books you read, the people you associate and converse with, etc. You can control how you think by controlling the influences you allow into your mind.

You and you alone are responsible for your thoughts and ultimately your life will be the sum total of your thoughts.

God Bless,
Pastor Jim

Our mailing address is:

Our theme for this month: “Personal Responsibility”

Our Bible verse for today: “Let us not get tired of doing good, for we will reap at the proper time if we do not give up.” Galatians 6:9 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “You have a responsibility to persevere and not give up.”

“Nothing is over until you choose to give up!” I don’t know who said that first but I’ve heard it repeated more times than I can count, and almost always it’s being said by someone who has accomplished some significant thing. Usually they’re explaining how they were able to accomplish the thing in question, and almost always it was because they just kept at it and refused to give up.

As we’ve been following the adventures of David Ponder in the book “The Traveler’s Gift”, we have seen him travel through time having significant encounters with real historical figures. In each case that person taught David some important life lesson which, if implemented, would improve the quality of his life and greatly increase the chances of his success.

On his seventh and final stop on his adventure David finds himself in an encounter with the angel Gabriel. This time he is in some supernatural storehouse filled with things that never happened. The storehouse holds college degrees that were never completed, and careers that never happened, and salaries that were never earned, and homes that were never owned, and achievements that were never achieved, and reports about amazing inventions that were never invented.

On and on it went, the storehouse seemed to extend endlessly. As they toured the facility Gabriel explained to David that these were all things that “would have been” if the people involved simply had not given up. In each case the individuals had stopped trying just before they would have succeeded.

The final life lesson for David (and for us) is: “I will persist and persevere without exception. I hold fast to my dreams and visions. I stay the course. I do not quit. Fatigue is often a precursor to victory. I will not be one of those who gave up just before the victory would have come. I waste little time worrying about how things are now, and focus instead on how they are going to be. In the game of life nothing is less important than the score at halftime. Trying times produce great men. I will persist and persevere without exception.”

I encourage you to hang in there and don’t give up. If you have a vision from God, don’t lose it. If you have a dream you are working to achieve, don’t stop. If you know where you are going in life and what you are working to accomplish, don’t give up. Too many people quit just before they would have succeeded. Your responsibility is to persevere and not give up.

God Bless,
Pastor Jim

Our mailing address is:

Our theme for this month: “Personal Responsibility”

Our Bible verse for today: “And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against someone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven will also forgive you your wrongdoing.” Mark 11:25 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “You are responsible for forgiving”

Receiving and granting forgiveness is one of the dominant themes in the Bible. God forgives us, He wants us to forgive others, and we are also to forgive ourselves.

Forgiveness is a key ingredient to living a happy and successful life and it’s one of the primary reasons that many people aren’t happy. There are three avenues forgiveness must travel in our lives in order for us to be in right relationship with God, others, and ourselves. First, we must receive forgiveness from God for our sins. That comes through a personal relationship with His Son Jesus Christ. When our sins are forgiven we will be at peace with God and then we can be at peace with others and with ourselves.

Second we must forgive others. God has forgiven us and He expects us to forgive others. Harboring a spirit of un-forgiveness becomes a toxic stew. The sense of resentment and anger plays in our mind, it churns in our gut, and it steals our joy. There are many good Bible studies and guides that can assist you in learning about the process of forgiveness. It is essential that we learn to forgive. You will not live a happy and well-adjusted life if you are not at peace with God and with others. And, you must learn to forgive yourself. God forgives you and you must forgive yourself.

In recent devotional messages we’ve been following our friend David Ponder, in the book “The Traveler’s Gift, on his adventures in time, encountering real historical figures and learning important life lessons from them. On his sixth stop in time David meets Abraham Lincoln and learns a powerful lesson about forgiveness. Here’s a summary of the principle David learned:

“I am a forgiving person. First, I forgive myself. When I forgive myself I release the demons of the past. I will no longer be my own worst enemy by reliving past mistakes and failures. Second, I forgive others. Forgiveness has power and value only when it is given away. I will not waste valuable time and emotional energy imagining revenge or fantasy confrontations. I am a forgiving person. I forgive myself and I forgive others.”

You are responsible for forgiveness. Seek forgiveness from God, give forgiveness to others, and be sure to forgive yourself.

God Bless,
Pastor Jim

Our mailing address is:

Our theme for this month: “Personal Responsibility”

Our Bible verse for today: “Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” Nehemiah 8:10 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “You are responsible for your own happiness.”

As we’ve been following our friend David on his adventures through time in the book “The Traveler’s Gift”, we read about him having brief encounters with actual historical figures. In each case he is taught an important life principle which, if he implements it, will have a profound positive influence on his life.

On his fifth stop in history David finds himself with the young Jewish girl Anne Frank, hiding from the Nazis in secret rooms in a building in Amsterdam during World War II. For three years Anne and her family lived a secret life confined to small rooms in an office building where her father had worked. And yet, despite living in such confined surroundings for such a long time, hiding from those who would take her to a concentration camp if they found her, Anne was a bright, happy, perky teenage girl who was a pleasure to be with. (Her story is recorded in the famous book “The Diary of Anne Frank”).

When David marvels at Anne’s positive and happy attitude despite her terrible circumstances, she tells him that happiness is a choice and we are all responsible for our own happiness. Here’s a summary of the life lesson David learned from his encounter with her:

“Happiness is a choice. I choose to be happy. I can choose to think thoughts and engage in activities that bring me joy. I choose to be happy. I choose to be grateful and I choose not to complain. I smile at people. People are drawn to me because I have joy in my heart, a smile on my face, and laughter in my voice. Life itself is a privilege. I choose to live it with joy and to the fullest. I do not deny the reality of my situation, but I do deny the finality of it. This too shall pass. I choose to be happy.”

In Nehemiah 8:10 we’re told that the joy of the Lord is our strength. In other words, when we look to the Lord for our joy, instead of to our circumstances, it makes us strong and gives us the ability to look difficulties in the face and smile. In Galatians 5:22 the Apostle Paul taught us that this joy is part of the fruit of the Holy Spirit. Joy is something the Spirit develops in our lives as we grow in our relationship with Christ and become more spiritually mature.

You are responsible for your own happiness. It’s all a matter of how you think and the source you’re looking to for your joy and happiness.

God Bless,
Pastor Jim

Our mailing address is:

Our theme for this month: “Personal Responsibility”

Our Bible verse for today: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV)

Our thought for today: “You are responsible for having a vision and for then acting on it.”

“The road of life is paved with flat squirrels that couldn’t make a decision!” So says the meme on Facebook, and I believe it’s true. A lot of people are like those flat squirrels – they get run over by life because they can’t make decisions. People who don’t have vision and purpose end up drifting through life with no sense of direction and they tend to be indecisive. Consequently they end up like a flat squirrel on the road of life.

That’s not God’s desire for us. He wants us to have vision and direction in life, and then to walk it out, day-by-day, one step at a time, putting one foot in front of the other, always moving forward with purpose and conviction. This is one of the keys to a successful life. Successful people know what they’re about. They understand their purpose and direction in life and they take the action necessary to fulfill that purpose. They don’t procrastinate and make excuses, they move forward.

That’s what Proverbs 3:5-6 is all about. Make sure your heart is right and you truly are seeking God’s will and not your own; check Scripture; consult with friends; make a plan; and then get going and keep going.

In the book “The Traveler’s Gift”, which we’ve been consulting in recent days as we consider this issue of personal responsibility, the fourth life principle our man David is taught is “I have a determined heart”:

“I have a vision. I have purpose. I am determined. I will persevere. A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. I have the power to control my direction, as well as my forward movement in that direction. I do not procrastinate. I have passion. Passion breeds conviction and conviction turns mediocrity into excellence. Passion overcomes obstacles. All my problems become smaller when I confront them. I have a determined heart.”

What could you accomplish in life with a vision, a determined heart, and the conviction to just keep moving forward? I encourage you to find out.

God Bless,
Pastor Jim

Our mailing address is:

Our theme for this month: “Personal Responsibility”

Our Bible verse for today: “Go to the ant, you slacker! Observe its ways and become wise. Without leader, administrator, or ruler, it prepares its provisions in summer; it gathers its food during harvest. How long will you stay in bed, you slacker? When will you get up from your sleep?” Proverbs 6:8-9 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “You are responsible for taking action.”

The primary difference between successful people and unsuccessful people is that successful people simply go out and do what needs to be done, while unsuccessful people procrastinate and make excuses. You would think that the key to success in life would be something like talent, skill, or intelligence. But no, the most important ingredient for success is action. The world is filled with intelligent, talented, skilled people who failed because they didn’t act.

In Proverbs 6:8-9 Solomon used the example of the ant – an insect known for hard work and diligence. The ant is a self-starter who doesn’t need to be instructed and closely supervised – it just goes out and does what needs to be done. He contrasted that with a person who is a lazy, excuse-making slacker. The Biblical wisdom being imparted here is that we are to get off the couch and be productive.

In recent devotional messages I’ve been referring to the life-lessons taught in the great little book “The Traveler’s Gift”. In the book the main character, David, is travelling through time having encounters with real historical figures. At each stop David is taught an important life-lesson which, if implemented, will make his life substantially better. At one point he had a brief encounter with Civil War hero Colonel Joshua Chamberlain. Colonel Chamberlain was known as a courageous man of action. The principle David is taught in this encounter is “I am a man of action”. Here’s a summary of it:

“I am a person of action. I will not dwell in a pit of despair. I will not waste time regretting lost opportunities. I will take the action necessary to make my life better. When faced with a choice of doing something or doing nothing, I will always choose to act. Successful people make their decisions quickly, change their minds slowly, and move forward with confidence. I am a person of action.”

This is what Solomon taught in Proverbs 6:8-9, God expects us to be people of action. We are not to procrastinate, make excuses, or be lazy. We have a responsibility to take the action necessary to accomplish the things that need to be done.

I encourage you to be a man or woman of action.

God Bless,
Pastor Jim

Our mailing address is:

Our theme for this month: “Personal Responsibility”

Our Bible verse for today: “Rather, each will die for his own iniquity. Anyone who eats sour grapes – his own teeth will be set on edge.” Jeremiah 31:30 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “You are responsible for your choices.”

Probably one of the top ten most inspiring and motivational books I’ve read is “The Traveler’s Gift” by Andy Andrews. I’ve mentioned this book in the past in previous devotionals.

The story revolves around a man named David who is at a low point in life and who has no idea how to get himself straightened out. As the story unfolds he finds himself on a journey through time. At each stop in history he encounters a real historical figure who teaches him an important life-lesson which will help to make his life better. Those principles become what he called “The Seven Decisions”. They are seven principles that a person can adopt and which will have a great positive impact on his or her life. All of them have to do with our topic of personal responsibility, so over the next seven days I will paraphrase and expand on each of those seven principles.

The first principle is “The buck stops here” and it comes from David’s encounter with President Harry Truman. Truman’s life lesson for David is that he must accept personal responsibility for his own choices, and for what those choices have brought into his life. A summary of that principle reads like this:

“I accept responsibility for my past. I am where I am because of my thinking. The way I think determines the choices I make. The choices I make determine how my life develops. My thinking creates a pathway to success or failure. Therefore, from this point forward, my thinking will be constructive rather than destructive. I will be my best mentally, physically, emotionally, spiritually, and financially because of the way I think. My future is my responsibility.”

The way you think determines the choices you make. The choices you make will determine how your life turns out. You are where you are today because of the choices you have made in the past. Where you will end up tomorrow will largely be determined by the choices you are making today. You are responsible for you. It’s not up to anybody else to provide you an income, pay your bills, put food on your table, mow your lawn, make your bed, or anything else in your life. That’s the point of Jeremiah 31:10. It’s all about personal responsibility.

If you make good choices you will get good results. If you make bad choices and you will get bad results. It’s your responsibility to think right, act right, and live right. This is the life that God will bless.

God Bless,
Pastor Jim

Our mailing address is: