Monday, December 31, 2012

A New Vision for a New Year

Search & Win
Where there is no vision, the people perish: 
but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.
- Proverbs 29:18 (KJV)

2013 is upon us.  We have some some serious choices ahead of us in the coming days.  For now, let us enter into 2013 with prayer.  Let us thank God for what He showed us in 2012, even tragedy and triumph.  Thank God for allowing us to see 2013.  Pray to God that He will bless us with all that we need in 2013, especially clarity of the vision that He has for our lives.

Amen.


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Wednesday, December 26, 2012

The Miracle of Christmas


Feliz Navidad!
Merry Christmas!
Happy Holidays!



Previously, I wrote about the miracles of Jesus and shared some of the inspirational accounts from the Gospels.  The Gospels depict Jesus as a worker of miracles as well as a messenger of God's redemption while remaining the Messiah who would serve as the Lamb of God.

But when the time had fully come, 
God sent his Son, 
born of a woman, 
born under law, 
to redeem those under law, 
that we might receive the full rights of sons.
- Galatians 4:4-5 (NIV)

However, the miracle of Christmas is more about God orchestrating everything beyond coincidence.  He set things in order long before they began to unfold in order to redeem mankind.  Christmas marks a celebration of things coming in order to fulfill God's plan for redemption.

Sunday, December 23, 2012

New Mercies Day by Day


Morning by morning new mercies I see. . .- "Great is Thy Faithfulness"

Every single day is a blessing.  Yes, I know that it can be considered a given, but today I have good reason to say so.  After tossing and turning all night with a head cold, I could hardly sleep.  I awoke in a stuper this morning and in no condition to even try to go to church, possibly infecting everyone near me.  I awoke and celebrated the goodness of God.

Great is Thy Faithfulness!

I celebrate the fact that God is in charge.  He can slow us down when we will run ourselves down to the bone and keep on until there's nothing to wear out left.  God has stopping power.  He can stop the planets in the middle of their orbit.  He can command the birds of the air to feed a runaway prophet and the fish of the sea to leap into the nets of a small boat for Simon Peter.  God has power.

He gives us new mercies daily.  He doesn't try to pass off yesterday's mercies as just as good or in working condition.  He gives us the best that He has to offer.

Lord,
I just say thank you for not leaving me in yesterday's condition and
allowing me to awake today in a new condition.
Yes, Lord, You are powerful!
Amen.

Read my article. . . Fantasy Sports are More and More Popular These Days

Focus on Freelancing

WizzleyI write all sorts of content as a freelance writer.

Support independent publishing: Buy this e-book on Lulu.I have no real niche.  I write poetry and fiction.  I write about religion as much as I write about sports and community activities and events.  I blog, journal, present, teach, and edit online as a freelancer.

 I write e-zine articles and post to multiple blogs.  I write for a wide variety of audiences.

You can join me on my freelance journey at iWriter, too.

I have published articles on Squidoo and HubPages, too.  My articles include content related to writing grants and freelance writing opportunities.  I also publish my own books of inspirational poetry on Lulu.


Get a copy of one of the Bible studies offered by Life Path Ministries & Services.  Subscribe to get inspiration from one of my other blogs either Rev Bruce or Life Path.

Bruce Jackson, EzineArticles Basic Author

Saturday, December 22, 2012

Winning at All Costs

"Winning isn't everything,
but wanting to win is!"
- Vince Lombardi
Head Coach
Green Bay Packers


Look back at Lombardi.  He bred and led champions.  the NFL has named its coveted championship trophy after him and in his honor.  He was a pioneer in the sport's history-making era.  He stood out as a man who could lead men, a man's man and a player's coach.  If there ever was an example of gridiron guts and gallantry to behold, Lombardi was the prime example for all to lay there eyes upon.

Today's NFL is nothing like Lombardi's heyday.  Hard work and determination have been replaced with performance enhancing drugs and off-field antics that border between publicity stunts and public disgraces.  Bountygate has taken prisoners among both players and coaches, revealing true character as it has unraveled before our own eyes.  The NFL currently suffers more black eyes than Pacquiao after his last bout.

The sad truth is that Lombardi's words speak to our character once we get set on winning.  We become consumed with winning at all costs.  We will cut corners to get an edge on our competition.  We will kick an opponent while he's down and out, leaving him with no recourse except to wave the white flag of defeat.  That's what becomes of us when we let a "winning" spirit take over and consume us.

That doesn't have to be the case, though.

He that loves silver shall not be satisfied with silver
nor he that loves abundance with increase: 
this is also vanity.
 - Ecclesiastes 5:10

Putting our focus on the prize can detour us from the right pathway.  There are no shortcuts to righteousness.  Purity and holiness do not have a cheat code available to a select few.  No, the Lord shows us that a wise choice is to take the moral high road rather than to stoop to the level of cheater just to get ahead.

Our desire to win should remain in check as win people over on our way towards achieving the prize.

Support independent publishing: Buy this e-book on Lulu.
Order a copy of my urban poetry collection Words from the Underground

Friday, December 7, 2012

Succeeding at Necessities

"You must succeed at doing what is necessary." - Winston Churchill

Winston Churchill stands out as a prominent figure due to what history has made out of his accomplishments as part of Great Britain's wartime stance against the air raids of the German Lufthansa during World War II.  However, Churchill's many quotes should also provide today's business leaders with some stirring words to ponder.

How many of us view success as "doing what is necessary?" That is not a common perspective for most people, especially those trying to run a business on their own in the hopes of growing and increasing revenue or the pastor of a storefront church who has aspirations of growth and expansion.  Necessary things seem to fall right into the mix with all of the other unexpected fires that have to be put out as one makes it day by day and step by step. Yet, Churchill offers such words to cause us to ponder if what we are tinkering with here and there is really leading towards true success.

Ask yourself if you have done "what is necessary" in order to keep the doors open and the lights on.  Develop a list of fundamentals that have to be in place before you move to bigger things.  Utilize this list as a check-in point for yourself before you get started on your daily grind.  I guarantee that such a checklist is exactly what will come in handy as you work on getting to that crucial point that we all seek so desperately and tirelessly that we tend to call success.

Wizzley

Thursday, December 6, 2012

Busy Online with Words

Support independent publishing: Buy this book on Lulu.
I have spent a few days mulling over publishing another book while still preparing for a 2013 full of events and activities that will fill my schedule and almost wear me down.  I have spent some time writing some articles online and feel that it is time to share with some of my blogging audience this side of both myself and Life Path.

My latest article has been posted on Wizzley about MLK.  It is one of those new ventures that I havebeen working on since I started freelancing online in 2011.  Post comments online and share your sentiments.
Wizzley

See more articles that I have posted online:

Saturday, December 1, 2012

A Profitable Prophecy for Hard Economic Times


Then Elisha said, "Listen to the word of the LORD; thus says the LORD, 'Tomorrow about this time a measure of fine flour will be sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, in the gate of Samaria.'" - 2 Kings 7:1 (NASB)

Then the people went out and plundered the camp of the Arameans. So a seah of flour sold for a shekel, and two seahs of barley sold for a shekel, as the LORD had said. 
- 2 Kings 7:16 (NIV)

It happened as the man of God had said to the king: "About this time tomorrow, a seah of flour will sell for a shekel and two seahs of barley for a shekel at the gate of Samaria." 
- 2 Kings 7:18 (NIV)

The man of God in the Old Testament was more than priestly.  He usually stood out as a messenger of God, a prophet.  Elisha was such a messenger.  He was an advisor to the Hebrew kings of his generation and times.  He provided spiritual insight and interpretation for the benefit and blessing of the entire kingdom based on the word of the LORD.  

A severe famine had struck the land due to invaders surrounding the city and placing it under siege.  This same famine caused the market rates to go sky high.  During this famine, a  donkey's head sold for eighty shekels of silver and quarter of a cab of seed pods for five shekels ( 2 Kings 6:25, NIV).  Eighty shekels of silver was the equivalent of approximately two pounds, while a quarter of a cab represented about 1/2 pint of seed pods.  In such an economic crisis, no one can get much for their money due to the limited supply and a high demand.  When did donkey heads become listed commodities on the open market? That's when you know things have gotten real bad.

Things had gotten so bad that a woman had agreed to cook her son and eat him with another woman. Upon hearing of this, the king becomes distraught and tears his robe as a sign of mourning.  He vows to have the head of Elisha, God's messenger.  Obviously, Elisha quickly fell out of favor with the king at this point due to the dire conditions of the kingdom in that day. God's messenger is His representative among the people, too.  That also makes him the perfect target for outrage and criticism when things go awry.

Elisha offers a prophecy of coming profitability.  God shared that the famine would end soon and things would turn around.  He prophesied that by the next day  a "seah" of flour and two of barley would both sell for only one shekel.  When it comes true, the people are overjoyed and elated.  They readily grab hold of  all that they could and lived on during the economic recovery.

Keep in mind that the head of God's messenger was sought by high ranking officials just hours before things turned for the better.  Even though he believed it to be so, others did not readily believe it until they saw it for themselves. 

Today's financial conditions will not remain the same always.  Hear where God is directing you and see where He is making swift changes and movements that impact our global economy right before our eyes.  You may need to prepare for today's prophecy becoming tomorrow's reality quick and soon.

Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: 
for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. 
- Matthew 5:12


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Saturday, November 24, 2012

The Day of the Lord is Coming



“I will utterly consume everything
From the face of the land,”
Says the Lord;
“I will consume man and beast;
I will consume the birds of the heavens,
The fish of the sea,
And the stumbling blocks along with the wicked.
I will cut off man from the face of the land,”
Says the Lord.

-Zephaniah 1:2-3 (NKJV)

Consider yourself warned.  God will have a day of reckoning.  he prophets spoke of it.  In particular, Zephaniah spoke explicitly about it.  It would be the type of day that no one would want to see in their lifetime.

Think you have had a bad day? That's nothing like what will happen when this day comes about.  The Lord will not be slow to anger on that day.  He will set forth His wrath like it has never been unleashed before.

Take care of business, brothers and sisters.  Know that how you manage your business affairs is part of how you reflect God in your daily life to others, especially those who are not of the faith.


  • Are you viewed as shrewd and crafty, ready to cut costs at the expense of the livelihood of your employees and vendors?
  • Do you readily examine the bottom line or the heart of the matter when making decisions?
  • Do you pray over your business decisions and seek godly counsel from other Christian business men and women?


Consider how you handle your business.  Others are watching you.  Others take into account that you say that you are a Christian.  God is watching.  God will not always be waiting.  One day, and we we do not know when, God is going to call us on what we have done and what we haven't done as His children.


Saturday, November 17, 2012

Remain Positive

He who walks with wise men will be wise,
But the companion of fools will suffer harm.
-Proverbs 13:20

Why suffer needlessly? It's senseless.  It's foolish.  It's totally unwise.

In midst of all of this foolishness that may come your way, I suggest that you remain positive.  Norman Vincent Peale wrote The Power o f Positive Thinking many years ago and it still generates fans to this day.  Keep yourself positive.

How?

Keep a positive perspective on things.  Be an optimist.  Winston Churchill once stated: "The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty." Maintain a positive perspective.

Stick with positive people.  Don't fall in with the wrong crowd at the copy machine or water cooler.  Keep yourself surrounded by people who will build you up and lift your spirits.

Stay positive.  We all know that bad things still happen to good people.  That's still a reality.  Let's maintain our own positivity in the midst of the storms of this life.  hink about the folks who survived Hurrican Sandy and who were so thankful to God for sparing their lives and the lives of their loved ones.  That's how to stay positive in the storm and beyond.

Sunday, November 11, 2012

Making a Name for Yourself

Expertscolumn.com 

Most of us have dreams of having our names in lights.  We dream of seeing our names plastered on some billboard near the Hollywood sign or in pixelated images overlooking the Strip in Las Vegas.  Stardom has a certain appeal that keeps our heads in the clouds.

Beyond dreaming is doing.  You have to do certain things to get to the point where you earn that type of name recognition.  You might not be able to point out James Patterson in a shopping mall or the grocery store, but you most probably know him for his best-selling Alex Cross novels.  That's name recognition.


How do people recognize your name?

What do people attribute to or associate with your name?

Is there more that you can do to build a better brand out of your name?

Make a name for yourself in your industry.  Become a recognized expert in your field within your city or region.  Do not let opportunities to share and show your expertise pass you by simply because they all do not pay in per diem or client fees.  Some of your biggest dividends may be the fact that people begin to recognize your name, even if it isn't in lights.

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Beyond What We See with Hurricane Sandy

But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father...Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.
Matthew 24:36, 42 (NIV)



You don't typically see folks in such a frenzy like you do today since Hurricane Sandy has struck the eastern seaboard of the United States.  From the Carolinas to New York and parts of New England, we saw the devastation and destruction left from a natural disaster like Hurricane Sandy.

Then take a look at what the Lord says for us to do.  He wants us to keep watch.  He wants us ready with both anticipation and expectancy, holding onto the hope that only He can offer us.  Don't get swept of in the storm of the present confitions of today.  Keep your eyes open with your everlasting hope resting in what heaven can provide us.



Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
- Colossians 3:2 (KJV)





Friday, September 28, 2012

Get Busy Growing

In The Purpose Driven Church, Rick Warren stated: "If the church isn't growing, it's dying." That is enough to shock and stun some pastors, even petrify others.  Yet, the ones who read those words and take proactive actions to set their church to growing tend to see results.  Others who dare not do anything different seem to be doomed to see their church see very few results.

If you want to see some growth in your church, you need to get growing.  Get busy doing the things that grow the church.  Don't simply pay attention to who you have in attendance.  Get in touch with those who are not in attendance.

What do you do about those who:
  • Stopped coming to Sunday school?
  • Quit serving in ministry?
  • Never signed up for anything at church?
Get a team together to work on reconnecting with such people as soon as possible.  Work with that team on how to reach people in a variety ways.  Develop a plan for getting in touch with these people.  Schedule when to execute the plan.  Start bringing the plan to life.

Once you get that going, bring another team together and see how to reach those within the community.  Plan outreach activities where you can reach people through the Word and your good works. 

Jesus fed folks, healed some, and taught others.  He used parables many times rather than laying out a exegesis of the Scriptures through a sermon. 

Don't trip.  God has already gifted both you and your team with what you need to reach others.  You just got to get busy growing.

Three books that can help you grow: