Sometimes one can find themselves thinking that they are further down the road than they truly are. He will look down his spiritual nose at others in a prideful, condescending way, thinking that they are so immature. His problem stems from pride and a critical spirit.

He may have more information than the other person, but knowing and being are not one and the same thing. Information or knowledge puffs up (1 Cor. 8:1) but love
builds up. God has invested much in us and we must continually be applying it to
every relationship and circumstance in or for it to benefit the Kingdom and bring
glory to Jesus.



1. LOVE JESUS AND SPEND TIME WITH HIM EACH DAY. Matt 28:22 Mark 1:35

Don't rush off each morning without getting alone with him. You will find
yourself missing sweet communion then and all though the day. This is the motor
of everything in which we are involved. If Jesus needed to depart to a solitary place
to pray, how much more do we? It is more than a routine of reading out of a
devotional book: it is meeting with God himself. The acrostic ACTS is the
guideline for having time alone with the Lord. Adoration and praise, Confession
of personal sin. Thanksgiving and Supplication. Read from God's Word and apply
it to your life and circumstances. This is a time of opening our hearts up to him,
seeking His face, and giving Him time to speak. Time spent with our Master sets the
tone for the day, preparing us to allow Him to live out His life and power though us.



2. SEEK TO SERVE OTHERS. Colossians 3:23-24, Ephesians 6:7-8

Someone said, "I love the ministry, but people are such a chore." My friend,
people are the ministry. Begin with your family, closest friends and co-workers
and serve them knowing that it is the Lord Christ you are serving. Ask the Lord to
show you opportunities to serve others. Matthew 20:28 says that Jesus did not
come to be served but to serve and we need to be serving in order to imitate.
Our service is actually not for the one we are serving but for the Lord. Too often
the higher we get in leadership the less we serve which is a direct contradiction
of the Christian life.



3. LIVE FOR THE GLORY OF GOD. 1 Corinthians 10:31, Revelation 4:11-12, John 12:43

Many times we fell like no one recognizes and appreciates us for the exemplary
way we act and the good things we do. Humility is not thinking lowly of yourself,
It is not thinking of yourself at all. We are not to live for personal recognition.
We're not even to bring attention to our church, denomination, or any individual.
Our goal is to point to Jesus because He alone is due all honor, praise and glory.
The Bible tells us, "Do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing."
Be careful to live your life in such a way that brings all glory to God.



4. IN EVERYTHING GIVE THANKS. 1 Thessalonians 5:18, Ephesians 5:20

Have an attitude of gratitude. Situations occur which, humanly speaking,
call for fear, complaining or self pity. There will be instances in which you will
scratch your head and wonder how you can give thanks for a particular situation.
Christ in us, the hope and glory (Col 1:27) will enable us to look beyond
The present and temporal to seeing that God has a hand in ALL THINGS making us
more like Him. God will be glorified and praised as you thank Him without
understanding.



5. PRAISE THE LORD! Philippians 4:4:, 11-14

Paul wrote the book of Philippians from prison. He says that we must learn the
secret of being content in every situation. God has me right where we are and we
need to resist the temptation of "greener pastures". Always remember that the
grass may seem greener on the other side but you do not know their water bill.
When we praise the Lord it take the attention off of ourselves and our abilities,
and transfer it to the One who can see what we cannot and knows what we do not.
"Now to him who is able to do immeasurable more than all we ask or imagine,
according to his power that is at work throughout all generations, forever and ever." Ephesians 3:20


Holding onto anger is like drinking poison and expecting the other the person to die ......

"When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, "I used everything you gave me."