The Prospect of Weariness

Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary. So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith.  Galatians 6:9-10

Most of us at one time or another has felt unappreciated and like our good deeds don’t’ matter.  We don’t always see the fruits of our labor making it easy for weariness to set in. 

The Prospect of Weariness- If we do not grow weary…

The word translated "lose heart" literally meant to loosen or relax in such a way that a thing became weakened.  It was used of a bowstring that had lost its tension, thus lessening the efficiency and power of the bow.  It was often used of becoming physically weakened through hunger or exhausting labor.

Paul recognized an inescapable truth: well doing often produces emotional and physical exhaustion. Today, we call it "burn-out."  One reason for this is that our good works never seem to have a point of completion. Can we ever say that we have finished the work of evangelism?  Good works often carry a pressure of timeliness. (Parenting has no end; the gospel has no end)

The word "opportunity" in v.10 is the same as the word "due time" in v.9.  It means a limited amount of time, a decisive period.  The implication is that we must seize the opportunities given to us to do good because they may not present themselves again.  To avoid fainting, it is vital that we find time for spiritual, physical, and emotional refreshment.  Tired people (emotionally or physically) are less productive, prone to mistakes, and more vulnerable to discouragement and depression.

The Problem of Waiting - in due time…

Have you discovered that there are times we can do nothing but wait? Often we plant seeds that we never get to see harvested.  

In due time reminds us that there is a relationship between seedtime and harvest.  We have "opportunities" to do good. When they arrive, it’s time to sow. For every opportunity, there is a time appointed for harvest. To miss the former is to lose the latter.  Yes, we are encouraged to work and to weed. But we must also learn to wait.  It comes down to the fact we lack maturity in a true knowledge of God, thus we become impatient with Him.  We also must realize that God’s timing may mean that we shall reap, but it might not be in this lifetime, but the next.  

James 5:7-8reminds us Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain.  You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.

The Promise of the Harvest We Will Reap
We will reapis God’s promise to the faithful and believing. On this basis, Paul charges us to take the opportunities God gives us. 

Persevering comes from the sure knowledge that God will keep His Word, the time of harvest will arrive, and therefore, our labor is not in vain.  There is a need to persevere in sowing good seed. But it is seldom easy, often tiresome, and usually under appreciated. Sometimes, we don’t even see the fruit of our labors in this life. We do the sowing, and a future generation reaps.  Such is the nature of the harvest, but it is all in God’s plan.  

We can be renewed when we start to lose heart by focusing on what is unseen, not what is seen.  A tiny seed taking root is unseen deep in the soil. The seeds you plant may be taking root even if you can’t see them.  The things you see or cannot see in this world are temporary and what we work for is not of this world.  It is eternal.  By that hope we can be renewed to continue on in good works for the Lord. 

Scripture to Claim:So we do not lose heart. though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self his being renewed day by day.  For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.  2 Corinthians 4:16

The Challenge of Persevering

Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary. So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith.  Galatians 6:9-10

We all know that a life of service can be a thankless existence, but in the passage above, Paul challenges Christians to not give up when is seems that our work is in vain.  He encourages us to continue to do good every chance we get.   

Perseverance is the drive that helps you push through challenges and not give up.  Persevere - Doggedness, steadfastness, persistence, tenacity - all of these imply a resolute and unyielding grasp and completion of a course of action.  This is not necessarily a word associated with something pleasant.  It usually means that we are working hard to keep going in a very difficult circumstance.  

Perseverance commonly suggests activity maintained in spite of difficulties or steadfast and long-continued application.  Sometimes we assume that doing good works will come naturally or easily.  The truth is that it doesn’talways come easy, and it is easy to become weary.  Paul knew we would need a word of encouragement to keep going.   

The peril of discouragement - Let us not lose heart in doing good…The word translated lose heartmeans "to be weary; to become discouraged”.  It is human nature to lose the desire to continue because of difficult circumstances or unfulfilled expectations.  This is especially true when results are not immediately apparent; when, in fact, it seems as if our work is unproductive, unappreciated, or unrewarded. 

The dangers of discouragement are: 

• an unfinished task 
• increased discouragement followed by 
• hesitancy to attempt anything again.

DISCOURAGEMENTcomes when things don't happen the way WE think they should.
There must be an expectation for there to be disappointment.  The dictionary defines discouragement as; “a feeling of despair in the face of obstacles; or a state of distraught and loss of sense of enthusiasm, drive or courage.” Momentary disappointment should never be allowed to stay long enough to conquer our spirit.  

To reap the full harvest of the good requires consistent and faithful effort.  Small seeds take a long time to produce a harvest, but the small seeds are so important!  Without the tiny seeds being planted in the first place, there would be no harvest at all.  So, it may seem that your good works are not producing any fruit, but the truth is that a root may be taking hold right now.  Little seeds lay unseen in the nourishing soil long before the fruit becomes visible. Don’t stop planting the seeds.  

It takes time, and nourishment for seeds to grow, both in the ground and in people’s hearts. You may not be the one watering the seeds you plant, and you may find yourself watering seeds someone else planted long ago.  Whatever role you play, they are all essential and important, and one depends on the other. Seeds that are planted but never watered, will never produce anything.  If we focus only on what we can see, we will be sure to be discouraged. We have to focus on what is unseen and trust that the good works we do for God will make a difference for His Kingdom, which is eternal and unseen.  

Scripture to Claim:
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.  Ephesians 2:10

Primary Purpose

Submitted by David Miller
When he came and had seen the grace of God, he was glad, and encouraged them all that with purpose of heart they should continue with the Lord. Acts 11:23

If you were asked to complete the sentence "My purpose of life is . . ." what would you say? As Christians, I know we would quickly say, "God." But let's be honest and not just say what we think is the right thing to say. What really is your purpose in life?  To put it another way, where do you channel most of your energy? What do you think about the most? What is the most significant thing to you in life?

Some people, if they answered honestly, would say, "My purpose in life is to have fun." Someone else might say, "My purpose in life is to experience pleasure." Another might say, "My purpose in life is to be successful." Another might say, "My purpose in life is to make money."

The book of Acts tells us that when Barnabas came to Antioch, he exhorted the believers there "that with purpose of heart they should continue with the Lord" (Acts 11:23). And Paul said,"For my determined purpose is that I may know Him that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly]" (Philippians 3:10, amp). 

Paul knew where he was going. And if you don't know where you are going, then you won't know whether you get there. Paul was essentially saying, "My purpose in life is to know Him. Yes, there are other things that I do, but my primary purpose is to intimately, deeply, and personally know God."

Our primary purpose in life is to know God more each day.  I once had an interview for a job.  The interview panel asked me what my professional goals were, which is a typical interview question.  Afterwards, one of the panel members said now that they had heard my professional goals, they wanted to hear my personal goals, what did I see as my purpose. Interesting question.  I responded by telling them that my purpose in life is to love God with all my heart, all my mind, and all my soul.  And to love my wife unconditionally as Christ loved me. I shared with the interview panel that if I keep these two purposes foremost in my life, all my other goals would simply fall into place.  

So, I encourage you to make your primary purpose in life to love God with all your heart, all your mind and all your soul. Then your purpose in life will have absolute clarity.

So, is that your purpose in life right now? 

Don’t Be a Bobble Head

Submitted by David Miller

In the body of Christ, we want to do things for the Lord. We mean well and get involved before we really seek the Lord about it. Maybe we do it out of guilt or feel pressured by well-meaning friends. But for whatever reason, if it is not from a heart of passion, it is empty. Personally, I don't want to waste my time bobbing up and down like a bobble-head doll and going nowhere. I will just be doing the work of the Lord with no real purpose.  

Everything we do must be done with a willing heart devoted to the Lord. Otherwise, it is empty. That is like a bobble-head doll. They have a spring inside, the head is bigger than the body, and they are hollow inside. They bob up and down, but don't really get anywhere. Do you ever feel like you go through the motions, yet your heart is not in it at all? That is what it is like to be a bobble-head.

The thing to do when you feel this way is to stop and ask yourself some questions. Is this what the Lord wants from my life? Am I bobbing up and down taking up space? Perhaps what you are doing isn't your calling or gifting.  

If you teach, then don't try to be an administrator. If you are a leader, get out there and lead with confidence. If you are a behind the scenes person, then do it with excellence. Step into the right position in the body of Christ, and the Lord will add gifts to your life. You may be multi-talented, but where is your passion? 

For example, I can teach but I am totally willing to let those who feel called to usher or work with the children's programs do their jobs. We each have our own areas of ministry.  We want to please the Lord, not man. Let's not burn out doing everything that we are not called to do. We need to keep our heads on straight, and look to the Lord for our callings. Let us do the very best in the place He shows us, and run with a heart after God.

No one is a bobble-head on purpose, and we certainly want a purpose driven life.  Paul prayed that God would bless the Christians in Corinth, so they might abound in every good work.  And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work (2 Corinthians 9:8 NIV).

He expressed confidence that God would continue to enhance the good work begun in them.

...being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus (Philippians 1:6 NIV).

Search your heart and see what your passion is, and then go after it. Use your gifts and talents, watch the Lord bless you. I can assure you that you will be content and there will be no more bobbing around. You will be moving forward, being all God has called you to be. 

Defying Gravity

Submitted by Kerry Patton

You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified? This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? Did you suffer so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain? So then, does He who provides you with the Spirit and works miracles among you, do it by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith? Galatians 3:1-5

I Don’t Do Ups…

Prior to his death in 2014, comedian John Pinette entertained crowds talking about how he didn’t “do ups.” “Oh nay, nay!” Pinette quipped when his heath trainer asked him to do a push up. “I don’t do ups… Sit down, lay down… In Black Jack I’ll double down.  Gimmie a cheese burger – I’ll wolf it down…Put on a little music – I’ll boogie down, but I don’t do ups!  Ups defy gravity.  Gravity is a law.  I OBEY the law!” While I certainly don’t endorse everything Pinette ever said in his comedy, I’ve always found that very clever, and very funny!

Obey the law. That’s what we are taught to do, from the time we are children...and rightfully so.  Drive the speed limit, don’t steal, observe posted warning signs, no cheating on your taxes, tell the truth, etc.  Our proper, functional participation in this peaceful society requires that we all adhere to the same standard of laws so that the rule of law is maintained, and thereby, the peaceful order of the society is also maintained.  In Romans 13:1-2, the Apostle Paul wrote:

Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.

Obey the law.  That seems pretty clear, doesn’t it?  But let’s differentiate between the Law of the Land…and God’s Law, shall we?  In Galatians chapter 3, Paul is addressing the Law of God specifically.  A problem had arisen with the church at Galatia where Jews who had come to know Christ Jesus and who had been made subject to the freedoms of the Law of the Spirit, were returning to the legalistic spiritual rules of the Law of Moses.  Why was this dangerous?

When Christ came, his life, and ultimately, his death and resurrection fulfilled the covenant established with Moses at Mt. Sinai, and a new covenant was established…a new law…the Law of the Spirit was established.  For the people of Galatia to continue to be subject to the former covenant, they effectively disqualified themselves from being partakers…participants, even heirs under the New Covenant, the Law of the Spirit.  The Mosaic Law pointed sin out.  It showed where the people of God transgressed, but it could not cure sin.  The Law of the Spirit, the shed sufficient blood of Jesus, is the only eternal cure for our sin nature.  This is the covenant whereby we are saved and can inherit the Kingdom of God and eternity in Heaven.  None other.  And to make one’s self subject to the Law of Moses again is to deny one’s self access to the liberty and eternal reward of the Law of the Spirit.  We cannot reach heaven by adhering to the old covenant law.

Yet we too feel the gravity to perform, don’t we?  Like John Pinette above… gravity is a law, and we OBEY the law.  We have a relatively clear memory of every sin we’ve ever committed and may harbor great concern that those imperfections will keep us out of heaven.  Further, we strive to “live right” and “not hurt anyone” to be good people.  We are tempted to comply with the gravity of good works in hope that we will deserve to live in heaven someday.  However, we must always remember, as Paul wrote to the church at Ephesus in Ephesians 2:8, 9: For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Ours is the task then to defy gravity…to resist an attitude of works righteousness, and live by faith.  But also to prove our faith by our good works…as James epistle, chapter 2, verse 18 reads: 

But someone may well say, “You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.”

Defying gravity… resisting the urge to become legalistic in our relationship with Jesus, our own lives, and our relationship with the world.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, may my life be a living sacrifice, a worthy offering of worship to you and my Lord Jesus.  May my ways be conformed to your ways, always…but allow me to walk and to live forever in the grace by which I stand in Christ.  Help me to live as an example of your love and mercy, and to be gracious as others strive to do the same.  

A Good Word

Submitted by Lara Cook
Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body.  Proverbs 16:24

Obviously, we humans have a hard time with our mouths evidenced by the thousands of self-help books written about the words we speak.  God gave us some good advice also in the many scriptures about the power of the tongue.  We study a lot about controlling our tongues and not saying things we shouldn’t.  We need to focus more on the things we should say. 

Sometimes a good word changes everything.  A kind word of affirmation can actually change a person’s whole day.  God does lay people and words on our hearts that are meant to be shared, and if that happens, then the chances are very good that the person needs a good word. Many times, I have had people tell me they prayed for me that very morning, or they have been thinking about me, and it comes at a time when I need some extra prayer or affirmation. We don’t always act on these prodding’s because we are so wrapped up in our busy worlds.  If the Lord lays someone on your heart, don’t ignore it.  

Like the verse above says, gracious words are like sweetness to the soul and health to the bones.  Healing, sweet, and so needed in this world today.  There are not enough gracious words being said. Somebody you know, someone you may come in contact with today, someone needs the sweetness and healing you can provide.  Someone needs a gracious word from you today.  

Scripture to Claim:
A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver.  Proverbs 25:11

One Lost and Found Sheep

Submitted by Lara Cook

So, he told them this parable: “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.  Luke 15:3-7

Have you ever lost something really important to you?  It is a terrible feeling but when you find it, it is such a feeling of relief and happiness.  Happy. That is how it feels to find something that you thought might be lost forever.  I was lost at one time, and now I am found, and the One who found me is happy that He found me.  

In the passage above, Jesus tells a parable about a man who owned 100 sheep, but one had strayed away from the rest and was now lost.  The shepherd would leave the 99 sheep to find the one that was lost.  When he found the lost sheep, he was rejoicing with his friends that he had found the one sheep.  The lost sheep represents you and I and the shepherd, Jesus.  The one lost sheep would not find its way back without the shepherd.  You and I are lost forever without Jesus.  A lost sheep is defenseless and vulnerable without its shepherd.  Without Jesus we are like a lost sheep waiting to be devoured, vulnerable and defenseless.  

I wrestle with the thought that He was happy to find me, because when I look at myself, I see my failures and weaknesses.  I see unworthiness.  But He looks at us with different eyes.  He sees a lost sheep that is worth rejoicing over!  He is happy we are found and we are His.  The devil will work hard to make you feel unworthy and that Jesus would never be happyto have you.  That feeling will keep you from fulfilling His work for you in your life. Satan whispers in our ears and reminds us of our sin and shame, desiring us to believe that our shame is where our true identity is found.  But our true identity is found in Christ the day we make Him the King of our heart. You did not find Him, He found you, and He rejoiced with great joy when He did.   

I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. John 10:11

The Parable of the Hidden Treasure

Submitted by Sam Nobles
The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

A parable is a story with a lesson.  Jesus told many parables to help people understand salvation, grace, and mercy.  The following is one of the parables of Jesus about a hidden treasure.  

The Parable of the Hidden Treasure – a parable of JesusA man finds a treasure in a field, and then covers it up.  In ancient Israel there were no banks around to keep your money safe like we have today. So, if a town or village was being sieged, the people of the town would bury their treasure together, so if they returned from captivity, they could start over. There are conspiracy theories and urban legends, especially during Jesus’ day, that there were freights of treasure, lying unclaimed from Israel’s captivity to Babylon.  

In his joy, this man sells all he has and buys the field.  To see a man selling everything he owns to buy a field, you would call him a fool, until you come to realize that he has found a richer treasure that is worth more than all he has.  The tendency we have to see a person who is living by the Great Commandment, putting God first over their money, their relationships, their studies, and even their hopes and dreams, and think that their life is wasted potential. You would call them a fool until you come to realize A person who is living by the Great Commandment has found a richer treasure in Jesus that is worth more than all they could ever have.

Missionary, Jim Elliot, put it like this, “He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”

Remember the parable:

• This man never would have found the treasure if he had quit walking –
  continue to seek after God.
• This man was not out looking for treasure, but he came across it –
  you never know what is going to show up in your life that will give you a perspective on what is really valuable.
• It was in this man’s joyof what he found that he did not hesitate to pay the cost.

In this parable, a man finds some treasure and immediately sells all he has to buy the field in order to gain the treasure therein. This parable is really about us:

Jesus is the Man, the world is the field, and we are the treasure.

Think about it. When you were saved, how many of you sold everything to follow Jesus? None of us did that. We were simply born again. How? Not by our will, not by our efforts, not even by our desire, but by God. 

God saved us; God elected us; God predestined us. We didn’t sell anything to receive Him. He, on the other hand, gave His life to purchase us. Why was the field (the world) purchased? Did the Lord want another planet? No, “the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame…” He wanted the treasure that was buried in the world. He wanted you.

…looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.  Hebrew 12:2

Return, Rest, and Be Saved

Submitted by Lara Cook

For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, “In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.” Isaiah 30:15

God is in the fixer upper business. His desire is always for His children who have turned away – for whatever reason – to return to Him for restoration.  There is more involved in restoration than just coming back.  You can buy an old house, but if it is falling down and not safe to live in, it is no good.  It just sits there, unable to be used to its fullest capacity.  Returning to God is the first step, allowing Him to restore us is key.  It doesn’t just bring us back physically, it brings us back to Him spiritually and emotionally, where we can receive His salvation and grace.  

Finding Strength

Quietness and trust are two things that are not easy when you are going through tough times.  As humans, we often think we have to “do” something and if are not doing anything then there is no progress towards a solution.  This is when we get in trouble.  The Lord has promised that in Him we can find strength to get through any situation. That does not mean everything will always work out perfectly.  It simply means that without Him, we will not find the strength we need.  There is no way except in Him.  It also does not mean that we give up and lose all hope.  It means that we quietly trust His power in every way.  

When we have made monumental mistakes in our lives, it feels like we can never go back.  It feels like we will never be worthy for God’s consideration, let alone to be received back in salvation and grace.  But He does wait for us to come back to Him and promises redemption.  If you are in a mess, turn around, go back now.  Don’t’ wait another minute.  He is waiting for you.  

Scripture to Claim:

You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:13

Family

Submitted by David Miller

Yesterday was Father’s Day.  This is devotional on the sacrificial role of fathers  As fathers we have just as important a role to play in the lives of our boys and girls that goes beyond carrying the family’s mantle of leadership. We must get back to the father’s traditional roles of provision and protection. A picture comes to my mind of a big, old tree in the backyard, an oak that spreads its branches across the sky like open arms, an oak that kids filled with energy run to in the morning or sit beside for comfort in the afternoon. I think of that feeling of unshakeable security, that sense of always being there for you.

When I think of what it means to be a dad, I think of a jolly ole father who says, “Come, come and sit on my lap. My boy, what did you do today? Did you make a mistake today? How did that go? What did you learn from that?” That may sound funny, but that’s the dad figure to me, a reflection of how I see our heavenly Father. Someone who’s always there, almost always smiling, always glad to see you, always glad to share a belly laugh. That father can be stern, but always in a loving way – never harsh, never cutting, never biting. Even when his kids know they’ve blown it, they don’t feel scared to talk with him about it. He fosters a relationship where his children can tell him anything. Consequences may come, even punishment. But in the midst of all that, he would never speak to them out of condemnation. His children would feel comfortable and safe speaking to him, no matter what they had done.

Is that an easy relationship dynamic to master? Hardly. Every one of us, even the greatest of dads, falls short. But it’s an ideal we should strive for every day.

Of course, being a “big tree” or a jolly, welcoming father doesn’t sound all that heroic. And maybe to some, it doesn’t even sound all that manly. Picking up a Ken doll and playing with your daughter and her Barbie Dreamhouse sounds, well, just about as unmanly as you can get. 

Look in the Bible and you’ll find that love, the secret to fatherhood, often gets explicitly tied to the idea of sacrifice. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 13:7. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things

In Romans 12:1-2, he writes,

I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God – this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – His good, pleasing and perfect will.

The Lord wills that we be good fathers to our children and good husbands to our wives. Is manliness just brute power and strength and might? Or does it say, “I’m going to lay down my life for you”? On the surface, sacrifice can feel weak and powerless, but it’s not. It’s powerful. Christ may have looked weak and powerless on the cross during his moment of ultimate sacrifice, and yet that sacrifice remains the most powerful act the universe has ever seen.

We are at our strongest when we lay down our lives, even in small ways, for our wives and children – maybe especially in small ways.

When you look at healthy families, you see one common characteristic – sacrificial men. 

Gentlemen, I urge you today and every day to be the sacrifice for your family as Christ was for you.  

Being A Top Ten Dad

Exodus 20:2-20

Every statistic says that most men are somewhere between dabbling on the edges of a self-disqualifying and self-destructive sin, or actually wading right into it. Let’s take a look at the application of the Ten Commandments to find ten things a man can focus on to be a blessing to himself and his family.

      I.     Know Who is Bossv 2-3

A man who does not know God, does not know himself, and lives deceivedin his estimation of his life.

    II.     Be Careful What You SacrificeTov 4-6

  III.     Beware UsingGod and Being Hypocriticalv 7

Those who use God as a personalreferenceshould walk under His control.

  IV.    Spend Timewith God and BalanceYour Life v 8-11

Prioritiesdo more than manage a day, they display the valuesand character of a life and maintain orderin the midst of chaos.

    V.     Show Respectto Authorityv 12

Respect in the home is absolutely a man’sresponsibility.  It is modeled in the way he treats his wifeAND all other authority.

  VI.    Control Negative Emotionsv 13

One of the most important lessons in life is how to handle negativeemotions.

VII.     Watch Your Eyesv 14

The best way to handle any temptationis to deal with it early.  

VIII.     EarnYour Way v 15

The most dangerous part about gossipis that it steals another person’s reputation.

  IX.    Be Honestin All Things v 16

Being honest takes courage.

Honesty is the key to good character. Without it, there is no confidence, trustor respect.

    X.     Watch Your Heartv 17

It has rightly been said that when we break any of the firstninecommandments, we also break the tenthcommandment.