Have you ever given much thought about what it means to keep your word, your commitments and your promises? One of the reasons I believe we don't trust (have any confidence) is because we say and commit to things and then think nothing of breaking them. We develop a sense of distrust because it starts with us. If we don't keep our word, why should we expect anyone else to keep his or hers? If our words aren't sincere, why should we believe anyone else's is sincere? We tend to put high standards on others, but excuse ourselves from the same standards.

The Bible talks about swearing to your own hurt. In other words, when you give your word, or make a commitment or promise, you should keep it. But in a society that embraces self and selfishness, it's hard to be the one whose word becomes their lord. More importantly, when we keep our word to ourselves, it will elevate our own self-worth, self-confidence and self-esteem. It will begin to help us in every area. We will be more disciplined in our commitments, and won't give our word to do something without counting the cost. We will become more Christ-like because God always keeps His word no matter what the situation or circumstance. Overall, it will bless our lives and enrich those lives around us.

Just a thought. God bless.

PSS

Deception and fake expectations are some of the leading causes as to why Christians fail and backslide. With deception, people start believing a lie, possibly to justify their actions or they are really being "duped". Whatever the reason, believing something that is not true has horrible effects on people and their entire lives. It leads them down a path of destruction, one that for some, there is no return.

The Bible says that the devil is a liar and his whole goal is to remove you from the church and place you in a group that will have certain characteristics to them: 1.) They'll want to isolate you so you won't go to anyone and discuss what you are being told. These folks only want to control everything you're hearing. They work hard to point out everyone else's flaws, but never their own. 2.) They're usually the victims of something; the ones who got hurt, and then the "real" them comes out. 3.) They have to continually feed you lies until you come with them and become filled with hatred and bitterness. They never see anyone come to Christ; they just go after a target. These people really don't care about people; they just want to get back at someone. They want trophies. They're the wolves in sheep's clothing.

Anyone involved with these types of groups should repent quickly and never have anything to do with them ever again. There will be no peace because they grieve the Holy Spirit by spreading lies and deceit. "In the last days many will be deceived..." Protect yourself and be careful who you associate with and what you are listening to.

Just a thought, God bless.

PSS

There is a pain associated with making changes in our lives. Change of any kind can be quite agonizing and can affect us mentally, physically, spiritually and emotionally. Some shifts just happen, like the loss of a loved one, losing a job, or going through a divorce, just to name a few. I have been around people who have lost a loved one and observed the adjustments they've had to make. I watched their pain as they deal with situations and the choices they have to make. It needs to be something we take a closer look at and count the cost, especially since 70% of us resist change when it comes. What I mean by that is, what will it cost us for making (or not making) changes and adjustments and what benefit / harm will it bring me? Let's be open to making changes in our lives and making the tough decision that will ultimately benefit our families and us.

Just a thought. God bless.

PSS

Have you ever thought about the proper way to deal with difficult people? You know the ones: they're hard to get along with, they always seem to have issues and they also seem to cause you problems. All of us know or have at least one in our life. It could be your boss, your co-worker, an employee or family member. One way to help them is to befriend them. Talk with them and find out what happened in their lives to cause them to act in a way that affects others so adversely. Most of the time you'll find out they have been hurt or they walk in fear because of something that has happened to them. Being kind and understanding will help bridge the gap and put that person at ease so they won't always be so defensive. To fight back or argue with them will only feed their insecurities; it won't help them to relax and let their guard down. Most people I've met like this are hurting and one thing I know: hurting people hurt people. So let's try to understand where difficult people are coming from and help them.

Just a Thought. God bless.

PSS

Have you ever been frustrated with a person or some circumstance? Today, we see more and more people experiencing this emotion. Frustration is a state of tension that occurs as a result of some goal-directed behavior that is being thwarted or postponed. It is also the equivalent of disappointment, impediment and failure. The root cause of frustration is insecurity and is the outcome of persistent emotional imbalance in one's life. This bafflement is the feeling that comes when you believe you are being stopped from reaching your goals. All of us have experienced this at one time or another, but then we get our bearings straight and move ahead. For some people, it stops them every time. It begins to anger you to the point of complete discouragement. It causes us to think irrationally, take things out of perspective and begins to focus in on someone or something and blames them for our lack of success. It is something we can control, by being patient and realizing that setbacks can later on produce greater success if we handle them properly. So, when you start to feel frustration coming on, take a deep breath, take a step back and allow yourself to keep it in perspective. Understand this: if your plan gets altered it's not the end of the world. It just means you have another opportunity to succeed.

Just A Thought.  God bless.

PSS