Have you ever heard of the “Tall Poppy Syndrome”? Really, this just means that anytime anyone raises their head higher than others, they are cut down. Essentially, the purpose is to keep everyone running at the same pace.

God does not see you as a tall poppy, He sees you as a crown of splendor!  Regardless of missed or failed opportunities, we can take courage and recognize that if God lifts your head no one can put it down! Today allow God to be the lifter of your head. Reach out and receive the true dignity He offers to those who call upon His name!

Scriptures: Isaiah 62:3, Psalm 3:3

Most books in the airport book store are full of natural wisdom for businessmen on the move, but I wonder if they would be best sellers in the library of Jesus in His home town of Nazareth? He
seemed to have read a different book for His success. He spoke of a source that most businessmen do not consider when He said in Matthew 6:33: “Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Jesus was talking about the things that the gentiles seek after. The things that people want,
desire, eat, wear, live in, etc. He was saying that there is priority in life to receive from heaven the things you strive for on earth. The currency of Heaven is faith. How you use the faith you have will either unlock Heaven’s blessing, or limit you to just what your hand can produce. If you want to see more out of life, then it is wise to learn how your faith works. We know it is our faith that pleases God and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently use it. (Heb11:6) If we do not learn to see through the eyes of our faith, we will only see our need. When Jesus asked His disciples to feed the thousands of hungry people, their first response was to look at their need and say it was impossible. Their second response was to look at their few fish and
loaves…and still say it was impossible. Jesus taught them that with God nothing is impossible! He saw more than enough for the crowd and broke the bread and fish for the miracle. When the disciples were out fishing all night and caught nothing, Jesus gave them instruction to cast the net on the other side of the boat. Their first response was the natural wisdom that says it will not work. After all, they had fished all night and caught nothing. Then they obeyed, and the net could not contain all the fish that swam into it! Nature was responding to the words of
Jesus. Learn to respond to life with faith! Faith does not look at the need, but rather at the seed of God’s word as the supply for every situation. Faith is what pleases God and brings heaven to earth. We cannot speak enough on this subject, as it is the way God has chosen for the operation of His kingdom. In Heaven we do not need faith, but on Earth it is the key to meet any need!

Quote:  “In 40 years I’ve realized that the payments required for reaching a dream never stop. The higher you want to go the more you must give up and the greater price you pay, the greater joy you feel when you finally reach your dream!” – John Maxwell

Keep the Dream alive whatever it takes!  Ask these questions: How long before I succeed? What if I fail on my first attempt?

Look for incremental progress, because it always takes longer than you expect!  Don’t live in the desire for completion, live in the reality of incremental change.  As long as you are moving forward you are making progress!

Quote: “Positive anything is better than negative nothing.” – Elbert Hubbard

Martin Luther King said, “In the end we will remember not the words of our enemies but the silence of our friends.”

Nothing is more deafening than silence when people turn an apathetic eye towards humanity. But you and I can make a difference in our world. Your actions count!  Today let’s make a decision to help someone we know, someone trapped by tragedy, poverty or hopelessness without life.

APATHY is THE SUCCESS NEUTRALIZER, the inhibitor of dreams, the limiter of realization, and the thief of progress or life.

Apathy comes for many reasons – an expectation of failure, insensitivity to injustice, and a sense of helplessness.  Where apathy exists we find low expectation because initiative is lost, inhibiting our relationships and our opportunity in life.

Ask yourself some simple questions: Where have I set the standard for my life? Is failure my expectation, or is overcoming the impossible where I set my goal in life?

Did you know that apathy has a song made famous by the American singer Doris Day?  “Que Sera, Sera… whatever will be, will be…” You can kill motivation by surrendering your emotions, your will, and your expectation to a fatalistic philosophy of whatever, whenever, or whoever.

The Psalmist said, “Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God…”

Scripture:  Psalm 42:11

At 11 years old, Kevin McNulty imagined himself playing on the tennis courts of WIMBLEDON. His dream sustained him through physical impairments, poverty and an environment where no one believed in him. All the ODDS were AGAINST HIM! Eventually Kevin won several university scholarships, became a junior’s tennis champion, captain of the university’s tennis team, and was recently recognized as one of the top 25 players in the 100 year history of the Michigan State University tennis program!   Although he never played Wimbledon, HIS DREAM allowed him to soar to heights that no one believed he could reach!

Imagination is unique to humanity…to every individual who dares to dream!

Dare to Dream! Dare to soar with your imagination!

Quote: “The world will not be destroyed by those who do evil, but by those who watch them without doing anything.” – Albert Einstein

How do you and I overcome apathy? First we have to understand it! What is apathy?

They observe but do not act.

They know but they do not care.

They hear but they do not respond.

They think of themselves rather than thinking of others.

Are YOU a part of the collective ‘THEY?’ Helen Keller said, “Science may have found a cure for most evils; but it has found no remedy for the worst of them all – the apathy of human beings”.

How many destinies can be changed when you and I emerge from apathy to action? Consider it: wherever you are today, you and I have power to initiate change! It does not matter your sex, age, or culture!

Just as Mahatma Ghandi, Martin Luther King, and Helen Keller overcame apathetic concern for their causes, you and I can discover renewed hope and expectation! Why wait? Let’s do it now!

There are qualities in humans that override every obstacle faced in this earth. The key to overcoming is not perfection but perseverance.

Recently, I was profoundly impacted as I watched a video of the famous swimmer, Michael Phelps, in his quest for the new Olympic gold record. During the 7th race he was behind the Croatian swimmer the entire time, but a photo finish moment would determine his destiny. With 6 inches left to go, his opponent lifted his head and reached out for the wall.  But Phelps kept his head down, allowing for one more stroke. Stretching his right hand out, he touched the wall 1\100 of a second before the hand of his opponent, and history was made. One extra stroke and that little extra stretch was the difference between victory and defeat!

Paul had this attitude as He reached for his best life. He said:

“Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me… I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which area head, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:12-14)

TODAY’S QUOTE: It is difficult to know at what moment love begins; it is less difficult to know that it has begun. ~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Friends,

You will hear nuggets from this pen for years to come, even as I have given you nuggets for many years past. In all that is written remember that there is a vote that overrides all decisions. There is a card that trumps every hand. There is a law that supersedes all laws. That is Love. We make contracts with people because we are not sure of our future with them and any circumstances that may arise. God made a covenant with us for our benefit; He did not need it. Know therefore that Jehovah thy God, he is God, the faithful God, who keepeth covenant and lovingkindness with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations. Deuteronomy 7:9 In the garden there was only love. Before there were laws, there was love. Before there was an old or new covenant, there was love. Love is who lives in you. The mastery of love is what you saw in Jesus when you felt His embrace of salvation. But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet show I unto you a more excellent way. LOVE (1 Cor. 12:31)

HEALTH TIP: A healthy attitude is contagious but don’t wait to catch it from others. Be a carrier. -Tom Stoppard

Many people went to bed last night thinking they were safe from any economic storm. Millions are waking up this morning feeling very uneasy and nervous. In the past, common sense would tell you to invest in the stock market. People of common wisdom would tell you to buy real estate because it always goes up. It’s a sure bet. This morning they are discovering that common sense is not giving them peace of mind. Watch what bed you put your heart to rest in, because you can’t afford sleepless nights. The Word tells us: “The rich man’s wealth is his strong city: the destruction of the poor is their poverty.” Proverbs 10:15 If your heart is in your strong city of money then it could be crumbling right now. We have learned over the years as we have dared to go around the world without a strong city of wealth, that God has been there with us – He has become our resting place. Jehovah also will be a high tower for the oppressed, a high tower in times of trouble. “The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.” Psalm 9:9 Jesus is the best banker. He receives your offerings and multiplies them where nothing can get to them. We are in a Safe Place when we are reaching the world with His Gospel. We are confident of His favor and provision as we do His number one job of reaching the lost. You are welcome to our safe place.