Your level of disappointment is directly proportional to your level of expectation.

Managing our expectations:

We need to have expectations of ourselves and others. But unrealistic expectations, or unspoken expectations, can cause incredible disappointments in our lives. Managing our expectations will limit our disappointments in life. Managing our expectations doesn’t mean we don’t dream or pursue things in our lives. What it does mean is that we don’t allow our expectations to cause us to become discouraged and offended when things don’t work out.

Being willing to pay the price: 

An unrealistic expectation could be if you’re 5’10” and want to play in the NBA. Chances are that’s not going to happen. It could, but the probability is very, very low. So, our expectations of ourselves must be in line with are you willing to pay the price to realize your expectations coming to pass? Are you willing to work hard and sacrifice, or are your expectations based on a whim?

Voicing our expectations: 

We get disappointed in others at times because we expect something from someone that has never been spoken or discussed. You may hear people say, “Well, I just expected that [he or she] would [do such and such].” This only creates great disappointment. We need to voice our expectations, especially of others. It doesn’t mean they will do what we ask or expect, but at least we can know that up front.

Let’s manage our expectations realistically with wisdom and lessen our disappointments. 

Just a thought,

PSS

What is happening in our country is really a fight between light and darkness — people who believe in abortion and ungodliness vs. those who believe in life and morality. 

Do not compromise:

The only way light can lose is through compromise. There is only light and darkness, right and wrong, good and evil. Compromise is the gap between two extremes. You can’t compromise God’s word. So many think that compromise is the answer. It is not. Compromise only lessens our influence. G. Campbell Morgan said, “The reason why [sic] men do not look to the Church today is that she has destroyed her own influence by compromise.”

Have no fellowship with darkness:

Light has no fellowship with darkness. Light is the word of God. As we live it, act on it, and teach it, we become the light of the world.

Let your light shine:

The Bible teaches us to let our light shine before men. Our light will be hidden if we compromise what the Bible teaches. Let’s allow our light to shine. Light repels the darkness —the world’s ways — anti-God living.

Let’s stand up for truth and regain the influence we are supposed to have on a world that is lost. When we refuse to compromise, people will receive eternal life by accepting Jesus as their savior!

Just a thought,

PSS

People really don’t just rise to the occasion. You will always fail or fall to the level of your preparation. This means you cannot — will not — rise above your preparation.

Prepare for success: 

Prepare is defined as: make something ready for use or consideration. We must constantly be preparing ourselves for whatever it is we are dealing with in life. Lack of preparation is the thing that causes people to fail. If you prepare properly, it will give you the best opportunity to succeed.

Give yourself a chance:

If you are going to run a marathon, you must prepare beforehand to succeed. You will have to begin to run a certain amount of miles a day to prepare to run the marathon. Lack of preparation will guarantee you failure. But if you put in the work, you will finish the marathon.

If you don’t properly study for the test, you will probably flunk it. If you study properly for the test, you will give yourself a chance to do well on it.

Overcome by the word of God:

When life hits you, and negative circumstances attack your life and cause you pain, if you have studied the word of God and placed it in your heart, you will overcome. You will not fall but grow and develop and become stronger. You will not quit or give up. You will come out on top. Why? — because you prepared for it.

Just a thought,

PSS

As our society deteriorates, we must know what we believe and why we believe it.

The truth frees us:

The truth is what sets us free — only the truth. When we speak of the truth, we are talking about the word of God. Truth exposes the lies and deception of this world. The world doesn’t want absolute truth. They want truth that constantly changes with the whims of man’s fancy.

Sin destroys us:

The culture is constantly changing. What is acceptable today wasn’t acceptable yesterday. This is the very reason our cities, states, and people are so messed up.

Sin always destroys — it never produces a good result. The reason society is so messed up is that society, as a whole, has moved further and further away from God. There is a way that seems right to a man, but the end thereof is death (Proverbs 14:12).

God’s word exposes deception:

We must cling to the word of God and seek God each and every day so we don’t get caught up with the deception of the world. Only God can help mankind — only when we repent and come back to Him, His ways, and His teachings, and be doers of them.

Let’s all pray that God opens the eyes of our understanding so that we will know and recognize the truth and never walk in deception. 

Just a thought, 

PSS

Cultivating Godly Desires

God gives us the desires of our hearts. Really, I mean He actually places the desires in us, to do or become what it is we desire to do.

Good desires are God-given:

Desire is defined as: a strong feeling of wanting to have something or wishing for something to happen. I think people, at times, believe that a desire just shows up. But I believe God places those desires in us. Then we have to work on cultivating those desires — by going to school, or reading materials so we can understand our subject.

Godly desires must be fed:

Jim Rohn said, “Without a sense of urgency, desire loses its value.” If you have a desire to do something, you must pursue it. If you don’t, that desire will begin to fade. We have to feed our desires — the good ones anyway. We must starve the bad ones. So, we keep our desires alive by passionately pursuing them, feeding them.

Passionately pursue godly desires:

When I first started pastoring, I realized early on that I didn’t know how to lead. So, I began going to conferences, reading books, and listening to tapes — all on leadership. I knew I had to grow. There was a desire in me to learn. So, I began to learn, and today I am still on that journey.

Let’s passionately pursue the desires that God has placed in our hearts and minds. What you will discover is that you will accomplish so much more in life.

Just a thought,

PSS