Week Fifty, 2018

PHYSICIAN, HEAL THYSELF

Jesus said to them, “Surely you will quote this proverb to me: ‘Physician, heal yourself!’ And you will tell me, Do here in your hometown what we have heard that you did in Capernaum” (Luke 4:23).

He was a hometown boy in our city who became a world famous cardiac surgeon. He pioneered heart transplants and perfected many surgical procedures. He was known for both his skill and his speed. His skills in heart surgery are credited with saving many lives. Recently he died…. of all things from heart failure. He could heal others, but could not heal himself.

The Bible speaks of people who can heal others, but not themselves. What’s the meaning of the phrase ‘Physician, heal thyself’? It refers to tend to one’s own faults, in preference to pointing out the faults of others.

The phrase alludes to the readiness and ability of physicians to heal sickness in others while sometimes not being able or willing to heal themselves. This suggests something of ‘the cobbler always wears the worst shoes’. That is cobblers are too poor and busy to attend to their own footwear. It also suggests that physicians, while often being able to help the sick, cannot always do so and, when sick themselves, are in no better place than anyone else.

We should not attempt to reach out and cure the ills of others until we heal the ills and faults of our self. Things need to be okay at home in our own lives before we try to “concur the world.”

Early in His ministry, Jesus was in Nazareth speaking in the synagogue. Nazareth was His hometown, and the people there were familiar with His family and had watched Him grow up (Luke 4:16). When Jesus read a messianic prophecy from Isaiah and claimed to be the fulfillment of it, the crowd in the synagogue immediately balked (verses 17–22). It was then that Jesus made reference to a proverb of the day: “Physician, heal thyself” (verse 23, KJV).

People should take care of their own defects and not just correct the faults of others. Jesus was aware that this would not set well with the hometown folks, who refused to examine and correct themselves before reaching out to expose the ills and sins of those in other towns.

This is a reminder for us to look at ourselves in the mirror and see our faults before lashing out at others.

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SOMETIMES TRUE STORIES

This will boggle your mind!

The year is 1918 “One hundred years ago.”

What a difference a century makes!

Here are some statistics for the Year 1918:

• The average life expectancy for men was 47 years.
• Fuel for cars was sold in drug stores only.
• Only 14 percent of the homes had a bathtub.
• Only 8 percent of the homes had a telephone.
• The maximum speed limit in most cities was 10 mph.
• The tallest structure in the world was the Eiffel Tower.
• The average US wage in 1918 was 22 cents per hour.
• The average US worker made between $200 and $400 per year.
• A competent accountant could expect to earn $2,000 per year.
• A dentist earned $2,500 per year.
• A veterinarian between $1,500 and 4,000 per year.
• And, a mechanical engineer about $5,000 per year.
• More than 95 percent of all births took place at home
• Ninety percent of all Doctors had NO COLLEGE EDUCATION!
• Instead, they attended so-called medical schools, many of which were condemned in the press AND the government as “substandard.”

• Sugar cost four cents a pound.
• Eggs were fourteen cents a dozen.
• Coffee was fifteen cents a pound.
• Most women only washed their hair once a month, And, used Borax or egg yolks for shampoo.

• Canada passed a law that prohibited poor people from entering into their country for any reason.
• The Five leading causes of death were:

1. Pneumonia and influenza

2. Tuberculosis

3. Diarrhea

4 Heart disease

5. Stroke

• The American flag had 45 stars …
• The population of Las Vegas, Nevada was only 30.
• Crossword puzzles, canned beer, and iced tea hadn’t been invented yet.
• There was neither a Mother’s Day nor a Father’s Day.
• Two out of every 10 adults couldn’t read or write
• And, only 6 percent of all Americans had graduated from high school.
• Marijuana, heroin, and morphine were all available over the counter at local corner drugstores. Back then pharmacists said, “Heroin clears the complexion, gives buoyancy to the mind, regulates the stomach, bowels, and is, in fact, a perfect guardian of health!” (Shocking?)
• Eighteen percent of households had at least one full-time servant or domestic help…
• There were about 230 reported murders in the ENTIRE U.S.A. !

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QUOTES YOU CAN USE

Generosity gives out of abundance; sacrifice costs us something.

See the Good, not the Bad

Gratitude Is the Attitude that Sets the Altitude for Living. Focus on the Positive not the Negative

When we have an education of God’s performance in the past and evidence of God’s presence in the now, we can have an encouragement of God’s provision in the future.

If God is all you have, you have all you need.

I might wake up early and go running or I might wake up early and win the lottery. The odds are about the same.

Week Forty-Nine, 2018

“JOHN ANDERSON”

By John Grant

Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you. Luke 6:38

Grace was an elderly lady driving alone at night on a rural road, She felt uneasy. Suddenly she pulled over with a flat tire and felt helpless. A truck pulled in behind her and a big man stepped out and knocked on her window. Even though he asked her to lower her window, she was very scared.

He told her his name was John Anderson and he wanted to change her tire. Feeling somewhat relieved, she told him to go ahead. When he was finished he came back to her window and she asked how much she owed him. He said nothing as it was an act of kindness. Then he said to her that when she next saw someone in need to help them.

Grace drove away and stopped at an all-night diner, where she was approached by a somewhat over pregnant server named Judy, who politely served her. When Judy brought her the check, Grace handed Judy a one hundred dollar bill and told her to keep the change. When Grace left, Judy proceeded to clean the table, she found four more one hundred dollar bills under a napkin. Judy felt so blessed as she and her husband lacked the money to pay for the delivery and now they had the money.

Judy got off work at midnight and went home to find her husband already asleep in bed. As Judy climbed into their bed, she woke her husband and shared the good news with him. They both felt blessed.

There’s something Biblical about passing on blessings. In Luke it says that we are to give and it will come back to you. We are told to help and bless others, even at our own cost. John blessed Grace, who blessed Judy.

We have heard the quote that says “what goes around comes around comes around”. Too often that used to describe what happened when we do bad things. The Bible says it is what happens when we live a life of generosity and blessing others.

We should focus on how we can bless others. It will always come back, perhaps not to us, but to someone, as we focus on giving rather than receiving. That’s what John and Grace did.

But now the rest of the story. The husband who Judy shared her good news was none other than John Anderson.

SOMETIMES TRUE STORIES

A new Harvard study investigated the health and mental health of children and teenagers who were raised with religious or spiritual practices. What they found was fascinating.

Those who attended religious services at least once a week as children or teens were about 18 percent more likely to report being happier in their twenties than those who never attended services. They were almost 30 percent more likely to do volunteer work and 33 percent less likely to use drugs in their twenties.

In addition, people who prayed and meditated individually on a daily basis had more life satisfaction, were better able to process emotions, and were more forgiving. They were less likely to have sex at an earlier age and to have a sexually transmitted disease.

The Forbes article reporting on the study concludes: “Some of the fundamental habits that humans have been doing for eons (praying, meditating) might actually have a lot more value than we tend to think.”

— o —

Ken Whitten on giving:

1. The Greatest Givers do not Necessarily Give the Greatest Gifts.

2. Don’t Have to be Rich to be Generous

3. Don’t Have to Have a Lot to Give

4. Don’t Have to Have a Lot to Give a Lot.

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QUOTES YOU CAN USE

Virginia Satyr says that most people prefer the certainty of misery than the misery of uncertainty. We’d rather head back to Egypt than learn to live as healthy people.

The woman came from a man’s rib. Not from his feet to be walked on. Not from his head to be superior, but from his side to be equal. Under the arm to be protected and next to the heart to be loved.”

Focus on the Right not the Wrong.

Eyes that look are common; eyes that see are rare,” wrote J. Oswald Sanders in his book Spiritual Leadership.

©2018 John Grant | Florida State Senator (Ret.)

Week Forty-Eight, 2018

THE ACORN

By John Grant

A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Matthew 7:18

Right after we built our home nearly fifty years ago, my wife decided we should have a big tree in our front yard. In a small pot she planted a single acorn. As the sprout grew, it was transferred to a bigger pot and finally into the ground. It grew and grew and grew until it reached adulthood and topped over our two-story house. It was always her favorite tree.

Trees, like people have an expiration date. Our tree began to age, with rot and falling limps. Like an old dog, it was time to go, so we secured an arborist who agreed and proceeded to level the tree.

As I watched the tree go down limb by limp, I could not stop thinking of the day we planted that acorn. It was a journey from a small seed to a giant oak. We are like that, beginning with a small seed, but the rest is up to us. How will we grow, like a giant oak or an acorn that stays on the ground and rots?

“From little acorns mighty oaks do grow” is an enduring proverb that gives believers hope for their future in God’s Kingdom. We should all strive to become the uncommon acorn—the one that develops into a majestic oak with limbs reaching out to a hurting world.

Max Lucado writes: There’s an oak within every acorn. One little acorn, with time, can also be the start of a whole forest of mighty oak trees. The acorn is the seed of the mighty oak tree; therefore, it symbolizes potential and strength. … The acorn is the youth of a mighty oak tree. As Christians, we should continue to grow until our expiration date.

What characteristics are evidence of Christian growth? The evidence of Christian growth can be broken down into three main areas: hunger for God’s Word, confidence, and obedience. These three characteristics are based on love. The work of the Holy Spirit and God’s grace within us, help us to grow and start to display evidence of Christian growth.

God is not done with his work when we first believe and are saved. He intends day by day to make us into what we already are in Christ. Spiritual growth is not optional or marginal in the Christian life. Every person that truly believes in Christ is increasingly transformed into his likeness.

What will you be an acorn or a tree?

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SOMETIMES TRUE STORIES

What do you believe about God? Salvation? Sin? Ethics? And the Bible?

According to a recent survey conducted by LifeWay Research based on interviews with 3,000 people, American evangelicals are “deeply confused” about many basic Bible doctrines.

Their conclusion, that is “overall, US adults appear to have a superficial attachment to well-known Christian beliefs.” While the majority believed that Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead, 6 in 10 Americans think “religious belief is a matter of personal opinion [and] not about objective truth.”

▪ A majority of US adults (59%) believe the Holy Spirit is a force and not a personal being.

▪ 58% don’t see regular church attendance as important.

▪ 69% are not bothered by “small sins” as being condemned by God.

▪ 51% agreed that God accepts the worship of all religions.

▪ Incredibly 78% believed that Jesus was a created being.

The problem, cites the survey, is the impact of “relativism” on religion. Today’s culture, however, looks at truth as being “relative.” It says, “What is truth for me, may not be truth for you. And what truth is for you, may not be truth for me” This philosophy can be summed up in two words: “No Absolutes!”

This philosophy spouts off phrases like “It doesn’t matter what you believe (or do) as long as you’re honest and sincere.” “It says there are no absolute truths in life.” Of course, this is ridiculous. That statement in itself is an absolute. Preacher Man

— o —

Italian Tomato Garden

An old Italian lived alone in New Jersey. He wanted to plant his annual tomato garden, but it was very difficult work, as the ground was hard.

His only son, Vincent, who used to help him, was in prison. The old man wrote a letter to his son and described his predicament:

Dear Vincent,

I am feeling pretty sad, because it looks like I won’t be able to plant my tomato garden this year. I’m just getting too old to be digging up a garden plot. I know if you were here my troubles would be over. I know you would be happy to dig the plot for me, like in the old days.

Love, Papa

A few days later he received a letter from his son.

Dear Pop,

Don’t dig up that garden. That’s where the bodies are buried.

Love,

Vinnie

At 4 a.m. the next morning, FBI agents and local police arrived and dug up the entire area without finding any bodies. They apologized to the old man and left.

That same day the old man received another letter from his son.

Dear Pop, Go ahead and plant the tomatoes now. That’s the best I could do under the circumstances.

Love you,

Vinnie

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QUOTES YOU CAN USE

God doesn’t need a majority; he needs a remnant. PS 105:17

Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things. Robert Brault

When Facing Something New, Follow Someone Old

The Most Fearful Times Can Be The Most Fruitful Times

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Your feedback is welcome. Feel free to pass this along to others and to contribute your ideas and thoughts. Address all items and comments to [email protected]. © Thoughts on Life Copyright 2018

©2018 John Grant | Florida State Senator (Ret.) | 10025 Orange Grove Drive | Tampa, FL 33618

Week Forty-Seven, 2018

ARE YOU READY?

By Senator John Grant, FL (Ret.)

You also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected. Matthew 24:44

As a Boy Scout, I learned and lived by the motto: Be Prepared. It was a good lesson for a young boy. Don’t get caught short and don’t fail to be prepared to meet deadlines.

Recently my bride and I were preparing for a short trip. As always, she printed out the packing list. Mine was simple… toothbrush, comb and razor. Hers was a bit more inclusive. It included, but was not limited to toner (whatever that is), moisturizer, eye cream, cleaner, exfoliator, lip balm, make up, mascara, eyebrow brush, eyeliner, concealer, lip liner and the list goes on.

Women are just plain complicated, but what is not complicated is God’s plan of salvation. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6.

We know not the time or the hour, but we must be prepared and ready at all times. We spend a significant amount of time every day getting ready for what lies ahead, but how much time do we spend getting ready to meet the Lord?

Jesus is coming! How do you react to that statement of truth? Some people wring their hands in fear. Or roll their eyes in skepticism. Or yawn with disinterest. Or jump up and down with excitement. How should we react to that statement? While no one knows the day or the hour of His return, Jesus Himself instructed His disciples repeatedly to be ready (Luke 12:35, 38, 40, 47). And the Bible tells us exactly how.

If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved (Romans 10:9-10).

Are you prepared spiritually? He may come tonight and you could be left behind if you are not prepared.

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SOMETIMES TRUE STORIES

Every minute on the internet, 2.78 million YouTube videos are downloaded; 2.4 million Google searches are initiated; 347,222 new tweets are sent; 527,760 photos are shared on Snapchat, 150 million emails are sent; and Amazon registers $203,596 in sales.

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Drug overdoses killed 72,000 Americans last year, more than died in Vietnam (58,220) or from guns (38,658 in 2016) or car crashes (40,100 in 2017). And the crisis is far worse in Florida than the nation, as fatal overdoses spiked 47 percent from 2015 to 2016, more than double the national rate.

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Among all of God’s creatures, only humans can anticipate the future.

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REMEMBER THAT JOY is not dependent on your circumstances. Some of the world’s most miserable people are those whose circumstances seem the most enviable. People who reach the top of the ladder career-wise are often surprised to find emptiness awaiting them. True Joy is a by-product of living in Jesus’ presence. Therefore, you can experience it in palaces, or in prisons or anywhere else.

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Do you enjoy brand new things? When you are given something new, how do you feel? What goes through your mind? How does it help or encourage you? Take a moment and reflect on the four things God will do for you in a new way as you seek Him.

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QUOTES YOU CAN USE

Are you going to church or you being the church?

What your life says speaks is louder than what your mouth speaks

Idolatry is glorifying anyone or anything more than we glorify God. It is valuing anyone or anything more than we value our Lord. And it’s finding our primary source of hope in anything other than our heavenly Father. Jim Denison

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Selected portions of Thoughts on Life can also be read at TheLife.com.

Your feedback is welcome. Feel free to pass this along to others and to contribute your ideas and thoughts. Address all items and comments to [email protected]. © Thoughts on Life Copyright 2018

©2018 John Grant | Florida State Senator (Ret.) | 10025 Orange Grove Drive | Tampa, FL 33618

Week Forty-Six, 2018

BE PREPARED

By John Grant, Florida State Senator (Ret.)

“Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 6:11).

Perhaps the greatest help I received as a child was my involvement in scouting. It helped me to grow up and face the realities and challenges I would face as an adult. The Scout motto was: Be Prepared.

I was brought up in a church that had a lot of activities, however, Bible study was not one of them. One Sunday was designated as youth Sunday when the young people would lead the church service. I was asked to preach the sermon. This was the first time I ever stood in a pulpit. As I thought about what to do, I was lost, but the priest helped me by suggesting that I speak on Ephesians 6. He helped me to prepare an outline.

As I studied that scripture it was probably the first time I had looked at a Bible, but that passage resonated with me and has continued to do so throughout my life. It gave a whole new of looking at how to be prepared.

Ephesians provided a spiritual checklist by listing all the steps to be prepared for war with Satan, since all of us will fight against him until our dying day. He tempts us all.

In this book, Paul tells the church at Ephesus that to be prepared, we need to put on the full armor of God, not just partially, but all. He then precedes to list the specific parts of getting spiritually dressed…. the belt of truth buckled around our waist, the breastplate of righteousness in place, with our feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, which we can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one and the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

God has chosen us to go on this spiritual journey of developing Christ’s character. We don’t need to be overwhelmed at the thought of how much we need to grow as a person to develop holy virtues to wear, because God knows exactly what kind of help you need. He will empower us every step of the way. Fitting into spiritual clothes doesn’t happen just by trying to manage our behavior; it becomes possible when we invite God to transform us from the inside out, making us holy. Are you prepared and spiritually dressed?

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SOMETIMES TRUE STORIES

FOCUS:

William Hinson explains why animal trainers carry a stool when they go into a cage of lions. They have their whips, of course, and their pistols are at their sides. But invariably they also carry a stool.

Hinson says it’s the most important tool of the trainer. He holds the stool by the back and thrusts the legs toward the face of the wild animal. He maintains that the animal tries to focus on all four legs at once. In the attempt to focus on all four, a kind of paralysis overwhelms the animal, and it becomes tame, weak, and disabled because its attention is fragmented

When I heard that story I thought it describes our society today that has lost focus on what is really important in life. Things like virtue. Honor. Integrity. Spiritual values. And because we are all influenced by our culture, it impacts the Christian community. Instead of seeking to transform culture through Christ, it is often easy to become conformed. The Preacher Man

— o —

TODAY IS THE OLDEST YOU’VE EVER BEEN; YET THE YOUNGEST YOU’LL EVER BE, SO ENJOY THIS DAY WHILE IT LASTS

” Do Not Regret Growing Older. It is a Privilege Denied to Many. ”

— o —

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QUOTES YOU CAN USE

He who controls the media controls the culture. Dr. Ted Baehr

We are able to be generous because our God has been so abundantly generous with us. John Campbell

Don’t treasure your treasure. You can exchange earthly treasure for heavenly treasure.

Are you drowning in your own prosperity?

If it’s not fun, you shouldn’t be doing it. When it ceases to be fun, it’s time to go home. Shelley Treadway

When you give yourself 100% to God ask what He wants you to do. You can be assured that the resources of the universe will be available to you to carry out His mission.

If God is God, then what God says must be absolute—man must have moral boundaries. He cannot devise his own morals to fit his own situation. The Bible tells us that with what judgment we judge we shall be judged. So we must avoid hypocritical and self-righteous glee at the evil that has been done.

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Selected portions of Thoughts on Life can also be read at TheLife.com.

Your feedback is welcome. Feel free to pass this along to others and to contribute your ideas and thoughts. Address all items and comments to [email protected]. © Thoughts on Life Copyright 2018

©2018 John Grant | Florida State Senator (Ret.) | 10025 Orange Grove Drive | Tampa, FL 33618

Week Forty-Five, 2018

THE ELECTION

By John Grant

If anyone wants to be a leader in the church, they want to do a good work for God and people. A leader must be free from blame. He must be faithful to his wife. In anything he does, he must not go too far. He must control himself. He must be worthy of respect. He must welcome people into his home. He must be able to teach. He must not get drunk. He must not push people around. He must be gentle. He must not be a person who likes to argue. He must not love money. He must manage his own family well. He must make sure that his children obey him. And he must do this in a way that gains him respect. 1 Timothy 3: 1-4

The mid-term elections are hours away. The outcome will determine who will be our leaders. It will determine which party will lead the Congress, select governors and state legislators, who will govern our schools and a host of other issues. It is a very important day in our country even though this Scripture applies to church leadership.

Sadly, less than half of those eligible are not registered to vote and of those who are, maybe half will take the time to vote. Sadly, the statistics are about the same for evangelical and other Christians as they are for the rest of the country.

How will people decide for whom they should vote… snappy TV ads, robo calls, clever direct mail pieces, party affiliation. Sadly those should be considered, but who we vote for should be determined by character, integrity, ability to govern, and experience.

Paul laid out the qualifications in writing to Timothy. He talked about faithfulness, self-control, worthy of respect, sobriety, humility, gentleness, not lovers of money and able to manage family. Too bad more Christians don’t use those criteria as they decide how to vote.

Paul lifts up character as opposed to those who seek office for power, possession and personal gain. When choosing, we should look deep to see if candidates private and family life are parallel. If someone cannot control themselves in private, then they probably won’t in public either.

Character cannot be separated from the person. To be of good character means that one’s habits, actions, and emotional responses all are united and directed toward the moral and the good. In this, public actions cannot be separated from private actions. Both sets of actions affect one’s character.

Christians have a God given privilege and responsibility to vote. Remember to go to the poles, study the candidates before you vote, pray before you vote and ask God to give you insight as you exercise the honor of being a voter in a free country.

Above all, remember that this election is not about the elephant or the donkey…. It is about the lamb.

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SOMETIMES TRUE STORIES

Power:

February 10, 2013, a fire broke out in an engine room of the Carnival cruise ship Triumph and knocked out the ship’s power. The more than 4,200 passengers and crew were left in limbo, drifting in Gulf of Mexico currents. No power meant it was impossible to flush the toilets, keep cool under the blazing tropical sun, or preserve and cook all the perishable food on board.

Passengers reported long lines for food, shortages of fresh water, illnesses, and widespread boredom. Many passengers slept in hallways or outside to escape the odors and heat below decks. The ship finally ported safely in Mobile, Alabama, four agonizing days later.

The awful ordeal of the Triumph is a riveting reminder of what can happen when anything or anyone is disconnected from its source of power. For those of us who are Christians, our power source is the Holy Spirit. You and I know there are millions who suffer darkness of spirit, who endure spiritual misery and pain, who have no hope and no relief. For them, the surge of power the Holy Spirit brings is instantly amazing. For others, it may feel like a more gradual process. But unless you embrace the power only the Holy Spirit can provide, you’ll be running on empty.

If you’ve tried to sustain these nine character traits consistently in your life, you know how difficult it is. Maybe you’ve decided it’s simply too difficult for you. You’re right! It’s not merely difficult to live the Christian life in your own power—it’s impossible. In the entire history of humanity, only one person has lived that kind of perfect life.

That person is Jesus Christ. But even He did not live that life by His own power. Though He was one with God in heaven, to be a complete and perfect human, He had to live His life the way humans were created to live. He had to lay aside the independent use of His divine attributes; submit Himself to God the Father; and allow the Father’s Spirit to live in Him, work through Him, and direct His life. As Jesus told His disciples, “The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works” (John 14: 10). “Jesus lived, thought, worked, taught, conquered sin and won victories for God in the power of that same Spirit whom we all may have.” The Spirit whom we all may have . . . if we accept Him. David Jeremiah

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QUOTES YOU CAN USE

Opportunities Always Come At a Price of Difficulty

I pray that God will greatly bless you with mercy, peace, and love. Jude 1:2

Fear leads to desperation. Max Lucado

Is your success sourced in the gifts God has given you? Or, is it from your own hands that you have accomplished things? Dwight Short

Don’t make life about stuff.

The average person will meet ten thousand people during their lifetime.

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Selected portions of Thoughts on Life can also be read at TheLife.com.

Your feedback is welcome. Address all items and comments to [email protected].

Thoughts on Life, ©2018, John Grant