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Secret to Becoming Remarkable

William James, a distinguished Harvard professor of psychology once said,

In almost any subject, your passion for the subject will save you. If you care enough for a result, you will most certainly attain it. If you wish to be good, you will be good. If you wish to be rich, you will be rich. If you wish to be learned, you will be learned. Only then you must really wish these things and wish them with exclusiveness and not with one hundred other incompatible things just as strongly.

I love being reminded that God has a "big idea" for our lives. An ordained purpose and plan requiring all of our life's focus, energy and passion if it's to be realized. With out a doubt, one of the secrets to success and accomplishment in life is the ability to say no to the "good" and yes to the great". To whole-heartedly focus on and master what we're created and gifted to do.

It's living with that modus operandi day in and day out together with the passage of time you become remarkable at what you do. Exceptional In ways that unlock doors of opportunity, attract resources, draw others to your vision and unleash heaven's blessing to make your dream (God's dream) a reality!

Just my thought for today - God bless.

By My Spirit

While doing a little reading this afternoon I came across the following quote by Samuel Chadwick that spoke to me as a pastor, church planter, and Christ follower.

The Christian religion is hopeless without the Holy Spirit. The church has lost the note of authority, the secret of wisdom, and the gift of power, through persistent and willful neglect of the Holy Spirit of God.

Confusion and impotence are the inevitable results when the wisdom and resources of the world are substituted for the presence and power of the Spirit. The work of the church is to "minister the Spirit", to speak His message, and transmit His power. He calls and distributes, controls and guides, inspires and strengthens.

The work of the church is supernatural. It cannot be done in the strength of the natural man. It is not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, saith the Lord.

As He is, So Are We in This World

The other day I was reading a sermon by John G. Lake who stated, The great majority of the Christian world is still weeping at the foot of the cross. The consciousness of man is fixed on the Christ who died, not on the Christ who lives. They are looking back to the Redeemer who was, not the Redeemer who is.

This statement immediately reminds me the Bible says, as He is, so are we in this world (1 John 4:17). It does not say, as He was (before the cross). The rights, privileges, position and victory that Jesus obtained and currently possess, should be evidenced in the daily lives of every Christ follower.

The key to this truth being fulfilled in our lives however, is learning to cultivate and daily carrying a consciousness of the overcoming, ascended, victorious Christ within us. The world, the flesh and the enemy of our soul seeks to draw us down to a limited, defeatist, sinful mindset.

Yet an increasing comprehension of the true Christ who lives in us will lead our hearts into a fuller and more consistent consciousness of who we really are in Him. The net result according to Romans 12:2, it that we will experience a transformed life and reveal the true person and power of Jesus in our lives!

Be Bold, Take Risks

I love to be reminded to take risks, to be intentional, to boldly and aggressively move forward in God's plans for every area of life. Here's a quote I recently came across that challenges me to do just that.

A great deal more failure is the result of an excess of caution than of bold experimentation with new ideas. The frontiers of the kingdom of God were never advanced by men and women of caution.  - J. Oswald Sanders 

Highlights From Exponential '08

Tonight spending a little time decompressing from a full day at the Exponential '08 Conference. There's such an amazing wealth of wisdom and experience in the speakers presenting. Here are a few quotes from the day.

Pray like it depends on God, work like it depends on you - Mark Batterson

The cure for failure is failure, but in small enough doses that we become immune to it. - Mark Batterson

The curse of knowledge is that you assume everyone knows what you know - Any Stanley

Are we creating a culture within our churches that is bridging to the culture around us? - John Burke

Enlarge Your Thoughts

We lift ourselves by our thought. If you want to enlarge your life, you must first enlarge your thought of it and of yourself. Hold the ideal of yourself as you long to be, always everywhere.

Orison Swett Marden, 1850-1924, Auther and Founder of Success Magazine