Archive for the ‘Daily Walk’ Category

7 Oct

The Purpose Driven Life – Day Five

Posted by Randy Carder in Daily Walk, Encouragement, Life Lessons.

Seeing Life from God’s View

The way you SEE your life SHAPES your life!

Pastor Rick asks the question, “How do you see your life?”  This is a great question and for me, not one that is easily answered.  Depending on your stage of life your metaphor might be something like….My life is a circus!….My life is a game!……My life is a whirlwind!….My life is a battle!  What is your life metaphor?  How you see your life often will determine what you value most. 

The Bible says, “Do not conform yourselves to the standards of this world, but let God transform you inwardly by a complete change of your mind.  Then you will be able to know the will of God.”  Romans 12:2 (TEV)  The Bible offers us three types of metaphors that teach us God’s view of life:  Life is a test, life is a trust, and life is a temporary assignment. 

There are several kinds of tests. There is the I am so busy test.  How many times have you just blown through your day, meeting deadlines, putting out fires, and taking care of your schedule while important situations and people all around you get unnoticed?  Sometimes those unnoticed people are the ones closest to you.  In our desire to complete our tasks, we fail the test God puts before us.  I have never known a man who comes to the end of his life and says, “I sure wish I had spent more time at the office.”  No, what I’ve heard over and over is, “I sure wish I had spent more time with my wife and kids.” 

There is the everyday situation test.  We are given the everyday test when we are standing in line at the convenience store ready to pay for our purchase and the person in front of us has a dozen or so lottery tickets to check on.  When patience is called for, how do you respond? 

There is the endurance test.  We’ve all been tested but some in ways more severely and for longer periods of time. My friend Bill endured his test for many, many years; you see, his wife had become disabled and needed 24 hour nursing care.  His test was not whether or not he loved his wife because he was totally committed to her.  He was going to love her through this illness because he had made a vow….in sickness and in health.  His was not a love test, but rather an endurance test.  Those years she spent in a nursing home, were not lonely years for her because you see, Bill saw her everyday.  He endured years of watching his mate slowly slip away but his love and commitment never waivered.  Bill definitely passed the endurance test.

You will be tested by major changes, undeserved criticism, delayed promises, unanswered prayers, unresolved problems, and senseless tragedies. Pastor Rick reminds us that our character is both revealed and developed by these tests, and all of life is a test.

The bottom line is that your faith, hope and love will all be tested.  How will you respond?

A point to ponder:  Life is a test and a trust.

A verse to remember:  “Unless you are faithful in small matters, you will not be faithful in large one.” Luke 16:10a (NLT)

A question to consider:  What has happened to me recently that I now realize was a test from God?  What are the greatest matters God has entrusted to me?

Be encouraged today friends!  Randy

18 Aug

The Purpose Driven Life – Day Four

Posted by Randy Carder in Challenges, Daily Walk, Encouragement.

Made to Last Forever

Surely God would not have created such a being as man to exist only for a day!  No, no, man was made for immortality.  Abraham Lincoln

This life is not all there is.  I for one am really glad!  If this life is all there is, then what’s the point?   Think of all the hurt and pain all around us.  We are reminded daily that man is cruel and destructive.  We see images of what mankind is capable.  Yes friends, without the promise of eternity, this world would be a very depressing place.  But it’s not the end! 

This world is full of choices but when your earthly life is over, there are only two choices: heaven or hell.  Where you spend eternity depends solely on your relationship with the creator of eternity.  Pastor Rick puts it best when he writes, “if you learn to love and trust God’s Son, Jesus, you will be invited to spend the rest of eternity with him.  On the other hand, if you reject his love, forgiveness, and salvation, you will spend eternity apart from God forever.”  The creator makes it so simple, yet we try to mess it up.  We say it’s your good works that gets you to heaven.  We say it’s your faith plus baptism or your faith plus church membership that will get you to heaven.  I don’t know why we insist on changing God’s way but we sure have done a major mess up job of it.  God makes it so simple.  Trust Jesus and He will share His eternity with you!

God’s plan includes eternity but that certainly is not the only part of the plan!  God has great plans for your life.  He stands ready to reveal that plan and purpose for you when you are ready to embrace it!  When you live with eternity with God in your future, everything here starts to make sense.  Our purpose here is to bring as many people along with us to God’s eternity.  The problems, difficulties, pain and suffering we bear here makes us able to relate to those around us bearing the same.  Our testimony of God’s provision and protection in the storms of life can and will lead others to a saving faith.  There is purpose in the pain and God never wastes a hurt!

Compared to eternity, our time here is short.  The songwriter said is best, “this world is not my home, I’m just a passing through.”  But in your passing through, make the best of the days God gives you to bring others along with you to your eternal home.

A point to ponder:  There more to life that just here and now.

A verse to remember:  “This world is fading away, along with everything it craves.  But if you do the will of God, you will live forever.” 1 John 2:17 (NLT)

A question to consider:  Since I was made to last forever, what is the one thing I should stop doing and the one thing I should start doing today?  For me, the one thing I should stop doing is looking at my situation with a negative eye.  I am extremely blessed but at times this life sure seems difficult.  Compared to 95% of the world, I am extremely rich and have a blessed life!  The one thing I should start doing is to act like this could be my last day.  We are not guaranteed tomorrow, only today, and we should take care of business like it is our last.

My questions to you are:  Is there a relationship you need to repair?  Is there a person you need to forgive?  Is there a hurt you need to heal?  Today is the day.  Pick up the phone or make a visit for tomorrow may be too late.  Get it done today!

Be encouraged today friends!  Randy

17 Aug

The Purpose Driven Life – Day Three, Part 2

Posted by Randy Carder in Daily Walk, Encouragement, Life Lessons.

What Drives Your Life?

The man without a purpose is like a ship without a rudder – a waif, a nothing, a no man. Thomas Carlyle

The Benefits of a Purpose Driven Life.  Pastor Rick tells us there are 5 benefits of living a purpose-driven life.

Knowing your purpose gives meaning to your life.  How many times have you heard or said, “My life has no meaning.”   We are made to have meaning!  I can personalize this by telling a quick story.  Last week I got an email from a friend of mine who reminded me of a time that I did something for her that I thought was very simple, but for her had tremendous meaning and impact.   You’ll never guess what I did for her…..I bought her a cup of coffee!  Simple, huh?   But for her, at that point in her life, it had great meaning and purpose.  She needed to know that someone cared enough about her to simply buy her a cup of coffee.  Didn’t the Savior say something about a cup of cold water given in His name?   This event happened probably 4 years ago and she took the time to remind me of that day and told me what it meant to her.  This showed me that many of the things we do for people that seem so simple and insignificant to us, can have great and lasting meaning to those to whom we direct our actions.  This simple truth proves that we all have meaning and purpose.  This side of eternity, we’ll never know the impact we’ve had on those with whom we come in contact, but when all is revealed, we’ll realize that everything done in the name of Jesus impacted someone in a huge way.

 Knowing your purpose simplifies your life.  One of the things on which I need to work is my obsessive need to do something about everything that comes across my radar.  I see the need to rescue a family from a hurricane in New Orleans, I’m there; re-build homes in New Orleans, I’m there!  How about clean up a lakefront at a nearby Christian camp after a flood, I’m there.  See what I mean?  My life got so complicated because I wanted to help everyone, all the time!  I was living outside my purpose.  Had I simply used the things I learned in my first reading of The Purpose Driven Life, I could have simplified my life to a great extent.  So my friend, are you yearning for a simpler lifestyle and a saner schedule?  Then live with your purpose in mind.  “A pretentious, showy life is an empty life; a plain and simple life is a full life.”  Proverbs 13:7 (Msg). 

Knowing your purpose focuses your life.  When you understand your purpose, you then can begin the process of focusing your time, talents and energies in order to realize your true purpose.  The people who seem to get the most out of life, are those who are truly focused.  Do you want your life to have meaning and impact, focus it!  Pastor Rick tells us to prune away all those activities that are not associated with a purpose-driven life.  He tells us that even the good activities, when not associated with your purpose, should be dropped.  The saying, “keep your eyes on the prize,” is applicable here.

Knowing your purpose prepares you for eternity.  What is your legacy?  Is it houses and land?  Is your legacy a large bank account?  Maybe your legacy is a large family.  I wrote about this in my blog at https://beencouragedtoday.wordpress.com/2009/11/11/people-who-make-a-difference/ .  What really matters is a legacy of faith!  You leave a lasting legacy by living with your purpose in mind.

A point to ponder: Living on purpose is the path to peace.

A verse to remember: “You, Lord, give perfect peace to those how keep their purpose firm and put their trust in you.” Isaiah 26:3 (TEV)

A question to consider:  What would my family and friends say is the driving force of my life?  What do I want it to be?  Tough questions for sure, but a great victory is on the way if you can honestly ask the questions then as you answer, make those necessary life adjustments to put yourself on the purpose driven path.

Be encouraged today friends!  Randy

15 Aug

Purpose Driven Life – Day Two

Posted by Randy Carder in Daily Walk, Encouragement, Purpose.

You Are Not an Accident

 I am your Creator.  You were in my care even before you were born.  Isaiah 44:2a (CEV)

The first line of Day 2 of PDL; “You are not an accident.”  How many times have I heard from a parent regarding their child, “my last one was just an accident!”  I know what they mean and more times than not, they are just trying to make a funny line out of the situation.  But the reality is that for millions of people, they have been given the message from their parent that they were not planned or wanted.  What about the millions upon millions of children who have been aborted in the last 34 years since the Roe v. Wade decision was handed down by our Supreme Court?  These babies were not planned but at the same time, they were not an accident.  Right now, those precious babies are in the presence of our Heavenly Father.  God has a different take on EVERY conception!  Yes, maybe you were not planned, but God was thinking about you before you were born!  There are unplanned pregnancies, but there are NO accidental children!

That being said, what does that mean for me?  God created this world to be inhabited by His ENTIRE creation; that includes you and me!  There is a God who made you for a reason, and your life has profound meaning!  We discover that meaning and purpose only when we make God the reference point of our lives.  Pastor Rick is telling us that no matter what negative messages you have received from your parents, your spouse, friends, children, co-workers, or the world; you are the most important creation of God and your life has tremendous meaning. 

Here’s an example.  Why in the world would God allow a child to be born into a loving family then allow that child to die either by disease or accident or by the hands of another human being?  This is a question for the ages.  I think that God allows us as parents to go through that kind of pain so that we can in turn be a source of comfort and support to another parent going through the same thing.  It’s part of your purpose for which you were created!  Read the poem by Russell Kelfer on pp 25-26 of PDL and this point will make more sense to you.

A point to ponder:  I am not an accident. Regardless of all the negative messages given to me from the world, I am precious to God because He was thinking about me when He created this world!

A verse to remember: “I am your Creator.  You were in my care even before you were born.”  Isaiah 44:2a (CEV)  What an amazing comfort to know that the Creator of the universe was thinking about me before I was born.  That one fact gives my life ultimate meaning.

 A question to consider: I know that God uniquely created me.  What areas of my personality, background, and physical appearance am I struggling to accept?  I don’t know about you, but this is a very tough question.  The one part of my personality that gives me the most problem is my tendency to be obsessive.  When I take on a project or a job, I obsess about it.  I will work many hours way beyond what are sometimes necessary to do a good job because I want everything to be perfect.  When perfection is not achieved, I take it personally.  This is one that I’m working on.  How about you?

Be encouraged today friends!  Randy

29 Jul

The Regret Game

Posted by Randy Carder in Challenges, Daily Walk, Encouragement.

Do not call to mind the former things or ponder things of the past. Behold, I will do something new, now it will spring forth; will you not be aware of it?  I will even make a roadway in the wilderness; rivers in the desert.                                                           Isaiah 43:18-19 (NAS)

What is your favorite game?  Here are my four favorites; Monopoly, spades, football and baseball.  I’m 54 years old now, guess which two I can still play and not get hurt too badly?  You guessed right!  I love to play baseball and football but if I do, I stand a pretty good chance of coming home with some serious aches and pains. 

If you are like me, there is another game we play that can also give us some serious aches and pains; it’s called “The Regret Game.”  This is not a game at which you want to become a master; if you do, it will eventually become your master!

How often do you play and what are your favorite Regret Game cards?  Here’s a few…..Why did I say that?…..If only I had married,                    …..If I had not taken that first drink…..If only I had listened to               …..and my personal favorite, “If only I had kept that 1965 Mustang!”

The thing to remember is that no one is perfect.  We all have regrets; we’ve all made bad choices, said foolish things and hurt ourselves and others.

A few years ago, Pastor Rick Warren wrote about getting over the regrets in our lives.  The following points are his but I’ve added my own thoughts.

How do you release your regrets?  Here are several strategies we tend to use that simply do not work:

You try to bury your past. It’s a common tactic, but burying the past will never help you get past your regrets. We minimize, compromise and rationalize but you will not get past the regrets by just acting like you haven’t made any mistakes!  What’s done is done and no amount of forgetting about or burying your past will change things. We have to face our past then not make the same mistake again.  This is the core of the gospel; confession, repentance, and restoration.  You do not have to regret your mistakes!  Through confession and repentance, embrace your past mistakes and be restored to a right relationship with our Heavenly Father!

We blame others.  Here is a favorite of many…..blame someone else!  I can’t tell you how many students have been in front of me for a discipline conference and when asked what happened, they immediately come down with a major case of the “It’s Not My Fault Syndrome!”  Most adults are no different!  Our world is full of men and women who blame someone else.  You’ve heard it too…”My wife didn’t love me like she should”…..”I didn’t have a daddy to show me the way”….”My momma didn’t love me like she should have!”  Every one of us has something in our past that will facilitate current and future decision-making;  but at the same time, we DECIDE to make wrong decisions.  Blaming others will not make the regrets go away!   

We beat up on ourselves.  Depression, doubt, self-hate are all a result of spending our time beating up on ourselves for wrong decisions and actions.  In an ill-conceived effort to relieve the pain, we keep giving ourselves a good beating for making stupid decisions.  Here is the problem with beating up on ourselves; we don’t know when to stop!  “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”  Romans 8:1 (NAS)

What does God want you to do with your regrets?

Admit your guilt.  Own up to your mistakes and quit making excuses. “A man who refuses to admit his mistakes can never be successful.  But if he confesses them, he gets another chance.”  Proverbs 28:13 (LB).

Accept Christ’s forgiveness.  Do you really want to be free of all the regrets?  Then accept His forgiveness and live in the light of His righteousness. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9 (NAS)

Forgive yourself and focus on the future.  Regarding our past deeds, I have this philosophy, “It is what it is, just deal with it!”  If God has forgiven us, who are we to continue to live with condemnation and self-doubt?    “Do not call to mind the former things or ponder things of the past. Behold, I will do something new, now it will spring forth; will you not be aware of it?  I will even make a roadway in the wilderness; rivers in the desert.”  Isaiah 43:18-19 (NAS)

Friends, let’s live in the light of Christ’s love and forgiveness and free ourselves of this demon we call regret!

Be encouraged my friends,

Randy

4 Mar

Lessons from the Valley

Posted by Randy Carder in Daily Walk, Inspirational.

Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death…..

 The Psalmist had been there; he had walked in that valley.  Have you been there too?  If so, you know the pain, the hurt, the fear of walking in that valley.  There are other valleys….the valley of the shadow of depression; been there have you?  Here’s one many of you have walked; the valley of the shadow of cancer; scary isn’t it?  Here’s one I walked last year; the valley of the shadow of despair, embarrassment, and unemployment. Have you walked that valley as have I?  March 3, 2009 is a day I’ll never forget.  After 9 years in a job that I loved, I had to walk away.  I walked away from the security of regular paycheck, the status of being very successful at my craft, loads of friends, colleagues and a place where I got my “need to be needed” fix met every day.  The job I left and the reasons for walking away are not as important as what I’ve learned in the past 365 days. 

I learned that you need others to walk with you through the valley.  I’m not sure if I would have made it this past year without some significant people walking with me.  My family, close friends, my restoration team and my counselor walked with me every step of the way.  There are just a very few people who know the whole story of how and why I had to leave my job last year.  I chose these people to walk the valley with me and they were glad to be my companions.

I learned that there is grace, peace and security in the valley. In my journey this past year, I experienced so much grace.  Through a time where justice should have prevailed, I received grace.  Grace is unmerited favor; getting something you don’t deserve.  Whatever definition you want to use, I got grace in big doses.  I found peace in the valley.  The events of 3/3/09 were the culmination of living under three years of extreme stress.  During that time, I kept up my “Superman” image.  I really thought I could handle all the stress and not be affected.  What I know now is that I was out of balance.  My spiritual life wavered, I wasn’t physically fit, and I was an emotional wreck.  On 3/3/09 I crashed.  My journey through this valley started that day and yes, I found peace.  I found security in the valley.  This valley was a place where I could rest, recuperate and be renewed.  It was only in the security of the valley that I was restored physically, spiritually and emotionally.

So friend, don’t be afraid of the valley.  The valley can be a good place but you need others to walk with you.  Don’t try to go it alone!  At the same time, try to see the purpose of why God has you walking through your valley.   

Be encouraged friends!

Randy

15 Feb

Come Down from the Mountain!

Posted by Randy Carder in Daily Walk, Encouragement.

     The air is thin; it’s difficult to breathe as you climb higher and higher.  You, and your climbing partners, are struggling just to get a breath.  Your chest aches, the muscles in your legs begin to cramp because there isn’t enough oxygen.  With each step you think to yourself, “Why did I think I could climb this mountain?”  You look around and realize that even the trees can’t survive at this altitude!  But your friends, those closest to you are right there, encouraging you to the top of the mountain.  There must be a reason for the pain; what’s so important about the top of the mountain?  What’s the big deal?  It would be so easy to turn around; no more climbing, no more muscle cramps, the breathing is easier in the valley.  But, you know there is something special at the top of the mountain, so you keep climbing.   When you reach the peak you understand why the pain of the climb was worth it!  The sky is bluer, the air is cleaner, and the view of God’s creation is nothing short of amazing!  All your senses are on high alert; this is something special.  It’s a moment to remember; one of those life-marker moments.  Then it hits you, you can’t stay here; you have to come down from the mountain!  

     We’ve all had mountaintop experiences.   Those special experiences are good and necessary for our edification, character development and simply our enjoyment.  For Jesus, one of those experiences is recorded in scripture when He took Peter, James and John, His inner circle, to the top of a mountain and gave them a glimpse of His future glory.  This was a mountaintop experience on steroids!  For me, the most important part of that story is recorded in Matthew 17:9, “And as they were coming down from the mountain…..”  There are three things I’ve learned about why coming down from the mountain is a very good thing.

  1.  We can’t live on the mountaintop!   Jesus taught us that our place is in the valley, not on the mountaintop.  He could have stayed with Peter, James, and John on the mountain; they even offered to build a shelter for Him, but He knew that His place was in the valley.  There are special experiences on the mountaintop, but it’s in the valley where life and ministry take place.
  2. We can’t depend on mountaintop experiences to sustain us!  The mountaintop was not designed to sustain us.  All the water, air, food, and vegetation is in the valley!  Everything we need to sustain our lives is in the valley.  If you are depending on mountaintop experiences to sustain your spiritual life, you are going to be starved!  Your spiritual sustenance is in the valley. 
  3. The mountaintop can be a dangerous place!  The Discovery Channel has a show about Mt. Everest and the people who travel there to climb the world’s highest peak.  One episode featured a group of climbers who were making their way up the last part of the climb.  One of the members of the climbing party couldn’t keep up so he fell behind.  The person in charge of those groups was at base camp and radioed him to come down the mountain because he knew that this guy wasn’t going to make the peak.  The man refused to turn back, ran out of oxygen, got caught in a storm, and died on the mountain.  Even those amazing mountaintop experiences can be deadly if we fail to see their purpose in our lives.

     It’s been my experience that trying to live on the mountaintop can be very destructive.  There is great stress and danger in using those experiences to define your success, purpose, and even your life itself.  The real living happens in the valley.   Celebrate those mountaintop experiences, but let’s remember to come down from the mountain!  There will be more to come about living in the valley.

Be encouraged friends!

Randy

10 Feb

A Simpler Life

Posted by Randy Carder in Daily Walk, Encouragement, Uncategorized.

“Be sure to do what you should, for then you will enjoy the personal satisfaction of having done your work well, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else. For we are each responsible for our own conduct.” (Galatians 6:4-5 NLT)

A few years ago Pastor Rick Warren wrote the book, The Purpose-Driven Life.  That book changed my life.  The problem is that over a period of time, I reverted to my default of just “The Driven Life.”  Can you relate?  Anyway, because of that, I was forced into a major life change this past year.  You’ll hear more about that in an upcoming blog.  For now, I wanted to share this devotional written by Pastor Warren.  When I ran across it this morning, I had a feeling that someone would read this and get some much needed encouragement today.  That’s my prayer as I send it out to you.  Be encouraged friends! 

Randy

Those of us who have Type A personalities, feel like we have to get it all done, and then we crash and burn when we can’t do it all. If you want to simplify your life, you need to understand that it’s all about making choices – and then sticking to those choices, no matter how tempting it is to add more to your “to do”list.   It’s easy to forget this, but it’s true: You’re the only one who must assume responsibility for your time, and you’re the only one who can clarify what’s really important to you. The choices you make control your calendar and, as a result, your lifestyle. Your choices are far more powerful than your circumstances, and you have the power to simplify your life by making purpose-full choices.

The Bible teaches, “We are each responsible for our own conduct.” (Galatians 6:4-5 NLT) That’s why it’s so important to discover why God placed you on this planet: What is your purpose for being here?

In the long run, the donation of your life will count far more than the duration. In other words, it’s not how long you live – or even how much you cram into the length of your life – it’s about how you live, according to God’s purpose for you.

What now?

· Let your purpose guide what you do with your life. As you serve, serve where you know God intends for you to serve. Don’t just volunteer for anything or everything. As you pray about it, you may sense God is prompting you to start a “not to do” list!

· You have just enough time to do God’s will. You’ve been given just enough time to fulfill His purpose over the next 30 days. When you try to do more than God planned for you to do, it’s only natural that you’ll stress over your schedule.

· Does your list include rest? God doesn’t want you to burn out; in fact, he may want you to specifically add “rest” to your to-do list because he knows you’re trying to overdo it. Does your list include getting rest and having some fun?  If not, it sure should!

27 Jan

Things to Ponder

Posted by Randy Carder in Daily Walk.

  Most of us at one time or another just sit and ponder.  What are some of the things on which you have been pondering?  The comedian Jerry Seinfeld ponders about weird things like “when they ship styrofoam, what do they pack it in?” Jerry was pondering about people’s fears when he said, “According to most studies, people’s number one fear is public speaking. Number two is death. Death is number two, does that sound right? This means to the average person, if you go to a funeral, you’re better off in the casket than doing the eulogy.”

   Just this past week, the good folks at the First Baptist Church in Temple, Texas lost their historic church buildings in a fire.  My good friend, Gary Anthony, the worship pastor of the church, lost 25 years worth of ministry work product and memories!  I’m pondering what good can come out of that tragedy?  On a more personal note, the past 12 months have been a roller coaster for Pam and me.  After 9 amazing years, I left a church and ministry that I loved, was unemployed for 5 months, and restarted my career in public education.  It has been an amazing year.  As I’ve pondered these events, I realize that we really are Romans 8:28 people! 

“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28 (NASV)

   This verse has been true in my life over the past year and I’m anxious to see how it is lived out with my friends at the First Baptist Church in Temple.  Here’s the point: God will use the difficult things in our lives to work for His and our good.  I don’t understand it, but He just does it; and I for one am very grateful. 

   I ran across a list of “things to ponder” written by Annette LaPlaca.  She’s a freelance author that has appeared in many publications.  This is her list, but I’ve added my comments.

  1.  Put first things first, like…FAMILY.  Major on the major thing!  I’m all for majoring on the major things, but it seems to me that we need to put our relationship with God first, then take care of ourselves and our families.  From my journey this past here’s what I’ve learned.  If I don’t take care of myself, I’m no good to anyone else.  There’s a reason why flight attendants tell you that if you have to use the oxygen masks during an in-flight emergency, put yours on FIRST then help those around you!  The point is that we need to take care of ourselves so that we can in turn take care of those around us. 
  2. Get out of the rut.  Do something out of your comfort zone!  You know what a “rut” is do you not?  A rut is a grave with both ends knocked out!  Living in the rut will get you where you’re going but the journey won’t have any joy!
  3. Laugh…sometimes at yourself!  “A joyful heart is good medicine;…” Proverbs 17:22 (NASV).  Google up Jerry Seinfeld quotes and have a good laugh!
  4. Serve…without fanfare.  Someone will always notice.  “just as the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.” Matthew 21:28 (NASV).  Want to know what God’s will is for your life?  It’s the same as it was for Jesus, to serve and to give.  Go thou and do likewise!
  5. Be gentle.  Gentleness will beat abruptness every time!  The apostle Paul asks this question, “What do you desire? Shall I come to you with a rod or with love and a spirit of gentleness?”  1 Corinthians 4:21 (NASV).  Want to get the very best out of your spouse, your kids, your friends, your employees?  Put away the rod and be gentle!  “A gentle answer turns away wrath.” Proverbs 15:1 (NASV)
  6. Forgive!  Perhaps the most difficult thing to do….even for the best of us.  Ponder this point for just a moment.  Wrap your brain around this concept.  On the cross, Jesus pleaded with God to forgive those who treated him so badly, even to point of crucifixion.  With that plea, Jesus was including his disciples and friends who left Him at the time of His greatest need!  Have you been abandoned at the time of your greatest need?  Have you been slandered, ill-treated, broken and beaten down?  It’s time to forgive, just as the God forgives when we come to Him in confession and repentance.  “But if you do not forgive men, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.” Matthew 6:15 (NASV). 

   So my friends, be encouraged with these words.  Join me today in some time of pondering.  Ponder God and His awesome works in our lives; ponder these 6 things I’ve shared with you and put them into practice, like today!  Leave me a comment and let me know what you are pondering today!

Be encouraged friends!

Randy

9 Dec

How to Sell Your House in 5 Days and Other Spiritual Truths

Posted by Randy Carder in Daily Walk.

One Saturday in September of 2008, I spent about 4 hours mowing our rather large yard, cleaning the pool and trimming ivy and trimming about 1000 feet of curbs and sidewalks; ok, it was more like 200 feet but it felt like a 1000.  It was 105 degrees and thought I was dying of heat stroke.  I walked into the house and told Pam we should sell the house and move two blocks up the street to a house that was being restored.  She thought about it for about 5 seconds and said, “Ok.” 

We spent 2 months and $800 to do some fix up around the house.  Late one Tuesday evening, we stuck a small FSBO (for sale by owner) sign in the front yard.  Five days later, we had a good contract for sale.  We not only sold the house but we got more than the asking price.  I learned some lessons during that period that have some spiritual applications for us.  

Life Lesson #1:  Move when God Prompts

            I believe God prompted me to put our home of 11 years up for sale at just the right time.  I didn’t know what was going to happen, but I knew the time was right and we had to act.  We missed the mortgage crisis by about 60 days.  Many years ago, I promised God that when I felt a prompt from Him, I would act on it.  Since then, many times God has tested me on this promise and I’ve done my best to carry out my promise.  The blessings have been immeasurable.   Here’s the spiritual application:  God prompts us in certain ways at certain times for our good.  The Bible is full of men and women who acted on the prompting of God even in the midst of uncertainty and man’s ridicule.  During this Christmas season, the man Joseph is one such man.  He did EVERYTHING God prompted Him to do and became the earthly father of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Life Lesson #2:  Listen to the Experts

            There’s a reason they call them experts.  One of the groups of people we listened to were all the experts on Home and Garden Television.  Pam and I love that channel and spend many hours watching their shows and heeding their advice.  They are the experts on buying, selling and maintaining our homes.  We listened and did everything they said and it paid off big time.  We listened to a good friend who was an expert in real estate.  He gave us awesome advice and we paid his firm to handle the paperwork for our sale.  They were the experts on buying and selling real estate.  We did everything they said, and it paid off big time.  One other person we listened to was the real estate appraiser.  We had an appraisal done on the house so that we could determine the best price for our home.  We did everything he said, and it paid off big time.  Here’s the spiritual application:  God is the expert; do everything He says and it will pay-off big time!   I’m not talking about a monetary pay-off.  God’s pay-off is in the abundant life here on earth and in the life ever after.

Life Lesson #3:  Timing is Everything

            Write these phrases down.  These truths work in selling or buying real estate, in business, in education, in relationships, in every facet of your life. 

The wrong idea at the wrong time produces failure

The wrong idea at the right time produces stress

The right idea at the wrong time produces frustration

The right idea at the right time produces success

 

Obviously when we sold our home, it was the right idea at the right time.  We had great success and in an amazingly short period of time.  Here’s the spiritual application:  God has blessed us with everything we need to have the right idea at the right time, thereby producing success.  Think about your life right now; your job, your family, your relationships, your private world.  Are you experiencing failure, dealing with stress and feeling frustrated?  If you are, then maybe you are not in the center of God’s will.  What is God’s will for your life, you ask?  God’s will for your life is to fulfill His purpose in you.  That purpose is to give Him glory.  You can give God glory in your family, in your job, in your relationships, and in your private world.  Notice I didn’t say anything about what job you have, who you marry, where you live, what church you attend.  It’s all about giving God glory in all you do.  Focus on that, and let God bless you with all the rich blessings and success He desires to pour out on His children. 

Be encouraged friends!

Randy

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