1 John 2:6 tells us that whoever says he abides in Him ought to walk in the same way in which He walked. How did Jesus walk?

God’s Word tells us that Jesus increased in wisdom (intellectual/mental growth) and in stature (physical growth) and in favor of God (spiritual growth)and man (social growth) (Luke 2:52).

So the question becomes, how do we increase in each of these four areas?

Wisdom
Ask God to give you wisdom  (James 1:5). Read, study, and apply Biblical principles to your life. Read one chapter each day from the book titled Wisdom to Succeed in Life and Business by Jane M. Kramer. Talk with people who have Godly wisdom.

Stature
Jesus did a lot of walking. So remember to incorporate a minimum of 30 minutes of daily physical activity.

Favor with God
The Great Commandment is to love the Lord your God with all of your heart, soul, and mind. (Matthew 22:37). If we love God, we will keep His Word (John 14:15) (1 John 2:5), including His Commandments (1 John 5:3). And in order to keep His Word and Commandments, we need to spend time each day reading our Bible and applying its principles.

And men (this means all people)
God created us to do good things for others (Ephesians 2:10)—not just to consume resources and serve ourselves. So think about opportunities to help and encourage others, such as your family, friends, and neighbors.

Have you ever felt as if something was missing in your life?

In my mid-thirties, I had a high-paying job, an expensive car, and more materialistic things than I could have ever imagined. However, I found that acquiring more of everything did not provide the joy and peace I was searching for. As a result, my attitude was often poor, and it adversely affected my family, friends, and co-workers.

One day, a friend told me that I was searching for joy and peace in all the wrong places.  He said that my problem was a spiritual void in my life that I could not fill with non-spiritual things.

He said that God loves me and wants me to experience His joy and peace. But he said that I also had another problem. You are a sinner. But don’t feel bad; you are not alone. When our actions and thoughts are compared with a Holy God, we have all sinned (Romans 3:23). And our sin separates us from God. (Isaiah 59:2) (Psalm 66:16).

Then he told me the good news. God’s love bridged the gap between God and me when he sent his son Jesus Christ to die on the cross for my sins. As a result, when Jesus died and rose again, He paid the penalty for my sins and reconciled me to God.

And he said after I admit that I am a sinner, ask forgiveness for my sins, and turn away from them, I can experience God’s joy and peace in my life. But I also need to believe that Jesus died on the cross to pay the penalty for my sins and ask Him to be my Lord and Savior. I followed my friend’s advice and took those steps. As a result, I found the joy and peace I was looking for.

Are all my days now filled with joy and peace? No. But now, when I find that joy and peace are missing in my life, I no longer try to regain them by pursuing more of everything. Instead, I turn to the Lord in prayer and ask him to restore my joy and peace.

But even after I do those things, I sometimes still struggle to find joy and peace. Nevertheless, I am happy to report that my struggles don’t last as long as they did before I asked Jesus to be my Lord and Savior. Furthermore, I have discovered that as long as I continue to pray and meditate on God’s Word on a daily basis, it is not too long before my joy and peace return.

When our granddaughter turned 13, I gave her three prayers. 1. Always keep the Lord by your side. 2. Rely on the Holy Spirit for Power. 3. And power up your prayer life by asking the Holy Spirit to pray to God the Father on your behalf.

1.    Keep the Lord by Your Side.

God’s Word tells us that King David said, “I have set the Lord always before me, because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.” (Psalm 16:8).

What did King David mean? He trusted the Lord to always be with him and to protect and guide his way. Because David kept the Lord at his right hand, nothing could move or shake him. As a result, he remained unafraid, confident, and unstoppable.

You too can be unafraid, confident, and unstoppable by always putting your trust and hope (confident expectation) in the Lord. Keep in constant contact with Him through prayer and Bible reading and then apply His word to your life.

2.    Rely on The Holy Spirit for Power.

As a believer, The Holy Spirit Lives inside you (1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:19) and provides you the enabling power to do much more than you could ever ask or think (Ephesians 3:20). In fact, God’s Word tells us that The Holy Spirit provides you with the same power He used to raise Jesus from the dead. (Romans 8:11).

Each morning, ask The Holy Spirit to “fuel” your day and take control of your life. Ask Him for His wisdom, insight, and guidance. Then ask Him to equip you, energize you, and empower you to do what you need to do each day.

3.    Power Up Your Prayer Life.

In order to make your prayers more powerful and effective, ask the Holy Spirit to intercede on your behalf. He will then pray to God the Father on your behalf. (Romans 8:26)

The 80/20 Rule and How To Use It

In 1906, an Italian economist named Vilfredo Pareto observed that 20% of the people owned 80% of the wealth.

In 1937, Dr. Joseph M. Juran observed that 20% of something is responsible for 80% of the results.

• 20% of your efforts produce 80% of your results.
• Stated another way, 80% of what you achieve comes from 20% of time spent.
• What can you do with this information?
• The 80/20 rule is a tool to help maximize performance.
• Helps you focus on the 20% that matters.
• Identify the 20% of your activities that are most important and focus on them.

The One Thing

• We have covered a lot of material on how to become a better time manager in a short period of time.
• But instead of overwhelming yourself with trying to implement everything that we covered, you need to ask yourself, what is one thing that I can do today to help me manage my time better
• After you identify the one thing, you need to prepare your own action plan for implementing it.
• For example, maybe you will decide that before you leave the office tonight, you will review your weekly calendar, and then list three tasks that you want to accomplish tomorrow, when, and in what order.
• You should then work on that one thing until it becomes a habit.
• Afterwards, you can focus on another thing that will help you become a better time-manager until that too becomes a habit.

Obstacles That Hinder Your Ability to Manage Time Better and How to Control Them

Why do you procrastinate?

• Maybe you have something that you do not want to do.
• Maybe you believe that you have plenty of time to complete the task, so you think, “What’s the rush?”

The problem with procrastination

• You may not complete the task on time.
• You may complete the task poorly at the last minute.
• You may become more anxious and stressed out.

Occasionally, I still struggle with procrastination. Sometimes, when I have a deadline, I try to justify my procrastination by telling myself that if I “cut it close,” the time pressure will make me more focused and efficient. Sometimes that tactic works. But here is the problem: What if you end up with multiple tasks that are due on the same day?

How do you beat procrastination?

• Remember, you do not have to complete the entire task at one sitting.
• If you feel as if the task is overwhelming, you can tell yourself that you are going to work on it today for only 15 minutes.

And here is the important point on how to beat procrastination:

• On the same day that you receive a task, you need to complete at least one specific step towards finishing it.
• The next day, you need to complete one more step.
• But be aware of false preparation: You feel so good about starting that you get a false sense that you don’t need much more time to finish the task.

If you procrastinate because of writer’s block, don’t allow yourself to get bogged down by seeking perfection from the start. If you are writing something and face writer’s block, you need to remember the Flowers Paradigm created by Dr. Betty S. Flowers, an English professor at the University of Texas. She said that there are four stages in the writing process. 1. The madman—generates ideas. 2. The architect—generates structure. 3. The carpenter—starts writing content without editing. 4. The judge—edits and re-writes looking for ways to improve the draft. Don’t allow the judge to become involved until after the madman, architect, and carpenter have completed their work. Otherwise, you will block your ability to generate ideas.

Three Important Questions to Ask

In order to help you prioritize your time throughout the day and keep you focused on what is important, you need to continually ask yourself three questions:

• First: What is the best use of my time right now?
• Second: Is what I am doing right now the best use of my time?
• Third: What action should I take next?

Artificial Completion Dates for Large Projects

If you have a large task to complete, you can reduce your stress and produce a higher-quality product if you set an earlier, artificial completion date.

• In order to leave some margin for unexpected assignments and surprises, you should schedule your completion date at least 5 days before the due date.
• For example, every year I have to prepare a detailed financial report and present what is in effect The State of the Union speech to our Partners.
• The presentation date always occurs on the last Wednesday in April.
• But on my calendar, I enter a completion date that corresponds with the second Wednesday in April.
• I can then set aside my report and presentation for a few days and relax before I review them again for any needed changes.

Cancun, Mexico

In order to be good time-managers, you must work with a sense of urgency and focus.

• Everyone knows how quickly you can accomplish a multitude of things during the week before you go on vacation.
• Let’s assume that it’s Monday, and you have 10 tasks that you must complete by 8 a.m. on Friday.
• However, you doubt that you have sufficient time to complete even 5 of them in that short period-of-time.
• Later that day, let’s assume that a friend calls and tells you that they have two free round-trip first-class airline tickets to Cancun plus a free place to stay for three days.
• But the plane leaves Friday morning at 8 a.m.
• How many of the 10 tasks do you think that you will complete before Friday morning? ALL OF THEM!
• So occasionally, you should work during the week as if you are going to Cancun on Friday.

To-Do List

• Do tomorrow’s planning today.
• Before you leave the office, create a written to-do list that will help you get things done tomorrow.
• For example, before I leave the office, I write down the top three things that I want to accomplish tomorrow, and when I plan to work on them.
• Creating a written to-do list keeps you focused on what is important.
• On the other hand, if you do not have a written to-do list, you end up spending your day reacting to all of the little things that pop up.
• After lunch, you may want to take 5 minutes to determine whether you are on track, or whether you need to re-prioritize your to-do list.
• Before you leave the office on Friday, prepare a To-do list for Monday morning.
• You also may want to prepare a stop-doing list.

The Dreaded Task

• You can’t afford to postpone the difficult or the unpleasant.
• Even though you want to hide the dreaded task under a pile of papers, or put off a conversation that you need to have, you must make it a habit to always complete the dreaded task first.
• Why? The dreaded task does not disappear simply because you try to ignore it.
• If at the end-of-the day, you have an uncompleted dreaded task, you need to attack it and complete it first thing in the morning.
• Otherwise, you will gravitate to things that you enjoy, while the dreaded task lingers on your desk.

Prioritize

• After you analyze your tasks to determine what needs to get done, when, and how fast, you need to prioritize them.
• You need to prioritize your tasks so you do not spend the entire day on all of the little things that pop up instead of focusing on the more important tasks.
• You should also prioritize your time when you are not in the office.
• If there is something you want to do outside the office, you should schedule it on your calendar. Otherwise, it may not happen.
• Remember, you always find time to do what you want to do.
• For example, you should never say that you do not have enough time to spend with God, family, and friends. What you are really saying is that you value something else more.

Treat Prioritizing Your Time as a Strategic Issue
When it comes to prioritizing your time, you can treat it as a strategic issue rather than as a set of time-management techniques.

Here are 6 examples:

1. 1. My dad told me to prioritize my time outside-of-the office around those who will cry at my funeral.
   2. I tell my family to prioritize their time around the only three things that are eternal: God, His Word, and People who will either be with God for eternity or separated from God for eternity.
   3. In addition, I tell my family to prioritize their time by doing what they want their spouse, children, family, friends, employer, employees, and pastor to say at their funeral.
   4. Prioritize your time around the Great Commandment, The New Commandment, and The Great Commission.
   5. Prioritize your time around always giving yourself fully to the work of the Lord as stated in 1 Corinthians 15:58. What is the work of the Lord? The answer is found in 1Thessalonians 2:8 that states you are to love and serve others and share the gospel.
   6. Prioritize your time around God’s gifts found in Romans 12:6-8 and around God’s spiritual gifts found in 1 Corinthians 12:7-11.

 Steps to Manage Your Time Better

Health

• You need to start with your health.
• You need to eat a balanced diet, exercise, get adequate sleep, and maintain a positive mental attitude.
• If you do these things, you will have more physical and emotional energy.
• Even though self-help books and motivational speakers can tell you how to become better time managers, they can’t provide you with the power to become better time managers.
• But The Holy Spirit can. Ask The Holy Spirit to empower you to become better time managers.

Workloads and Deadlines

• As soon as you receive an assignment, you should enter it on your Outlook calendar together with the corresponding start date, due date, and a reminder alert.
• It is also helpful to keep a document on your desk that lists each assignment and the due date. (This provides a reminder you can see).
• When you feel in control, you can use your energy to accomplish things instead of worry about them.
• If you choose to also use paper folders, use two racks—one to hold assignments that you are currently working on, and one that holds the long-term ones.
• Will a team work on the assignment? If so, who will do what and when?

A plan to manage your assignments and deadlines

• • When you receive an assignment, ask for the completion date.
  • Ask the person who assigns the assignment how much time you should spend on it.
  • Communication is critical.
  • Check in periodically with a progress report.
  • If you encounter any problems or issues that could keep you from completing the assignment on time, talk with the person who assigned the work.

Calendars—Monthly and Weekly

• Filling in and updating important dates on your monthly calendar helps you keep the big picture in mind.
• Filling in and updating assignments on your weekly calendar helps you see what you need to do on a daily and weekly basis, when you have time to do the work, and the due date.
• Optional==Print the monthly and weekly calendars from your computer and keep them on your desk.
• The advantage of paper calendars on your desk is that they create an instant snapshot and constant reminder about what you are working on, what is on the horizon, and what the due date is.
• In the office, I often use a printed copy of my electronic calendars. When I am out of the office, I use my iPhone and my iPad where I can simply click on my calendar and see the events for today, the week, the month, and the year.

In Chapter Nine of my book titled Created For Greatness – Living Your Best Life Through God’s Word, I discuss managing time.

As I stated in my book, we all have days when time just seems to slip through our fingers. But if you end every day wondering why you didn’t accomplish much, and if you often feel lack of control in your life, you’re probably not managing time effectively.

If we do not learn how to manage our time better, time will manage us. And because God’s Word tells us to make the best use of our time (Ephesians 5:16), my blogs from June 2023 until December 2023, will deal with ways to manage our time better.

The Why Question.
In general, why is it important to learn how to manage your time better?

The time-management experts say:

When you feel in control, your stress level drops.
You have more energy and are more productive.
And when you are more productive, you feel better about yourself.

And now the question becomes why do you want to manage your time better?

Maybe your answer to the why question is that you want to have less stress.

But here is something else to consider: In order to find the complete answer to a Why question, you need to ask and answer it 3 times.

So your second question becomes: Why do you want less stress?
Maybe your answer is that you want less stress so you can have more energy.
And your third and final question becomes: Why do you want to have more energy?
Maybe your answer is that you want to have more energy so after work you can enjoy your family, the evening activities, and the fruits of your labor.

By answering the why question three times, you now have the complete answer to the Why question, and as a result, you have created a goal.
Write down your goal and keep it on your desk.

Re-reading your goal from time-to-time will enable you to fight through distractions and difficulties that could hinder your efforts to manage your time better.

How does the Why question apply to believers?

The answer to that question is twofold.

First, we want to make the most of our time and live with a purpose because that is what the Lord commands us to do in Ephesians 5:15,16.

Second, when our time comes, we want to hear what the servant heard in Matthew 25, namely, “Well done good and faithful servant, enter into my joy”.

If we want to live life to the fullest, we need to ditch our “buts. Here are just two examples of “buts” to ditch: I know that I should do…….but it is just too difficult. I know that reading the Bible is beneficial to my overall well-being, but I am so busy that I don’t have time. See F.N.1 below

Another way to ditch our “buts” is to change our mindset. Instead of saying but I don’t like… replace that but phrase with I have the privilege of… For example, instead of saying but I don’t like to exercise say I have the privilege of exercising.

Here is one exception to ditching the word “but”: If you are preparing an oral or written persuasive argument, the use of the word “but” can be effective. The word “but” usually trumps everything that comes before it and signals that the only important stuff comes after it.

For example, when preparing a persuasive legal argument, you may write that even though plaintiffs argue….their arguments fail because…Nevertheless, a judge may conclude that…. You could then use the word ”but” by saying: But this conclusion is wrong for two reasons. First….Second….

And while we are ditching our “buts”, we should also ditch our thoughts that begin with “if only”… and “when…then”…

During my working years, I often heard things such as if only….then I would be happy. Or when I retire, then I will have time to…Or when I am able to retire, then I will be happy. Or when I can find the time, then I will…

We are simply using them as an excuse. And If we are waiting to do something until after we retire, we may either be unable to physically do it, or we could die before we retire.

F.N.1 (If you are dealing with a time issue, read chapter nine in my book Created for Greatness, Living your best life through God’s Word. That chapter discusses how to manage time. Each day God gives us Ninety-six 15-minute segments. If we spend just one of those Ninety-Six 15-minute segments with God each day, we not only refresh and recharge ourselves, we also gain access to His resources that include wisdom, insight, guidance, and supernatural power to help us leverage our time).

This month and next month, we will discuss the Ten Commandments, not the Ten Suggestions. The Ten Commandments are found in the book of Exodus 20: 1-17.

When I was growing up, I thought the Ten Commandments would restrain me and keep me from achieving the good life. Later in life, I realized that God gave us the Ten Commandments for our benefit so we could actually live the good life. In fact, God’s Word tells us that He intends to give us life to the fullest (John 10:10)  and true freedom (John 8:32). But remember, God’s Word also tells us that if we love Him, we will keep His Commandments (John 14:15).

Commandments one through four deal with our relationship with God. He knows that before we can be right with others, we need to be right with Him. And then Commandments five through ten deal with our relationship with each other.

This month, we will look at Commandments one through four. And next month, we will look at Commandments five through ten.

Commandments One through Four:

1. You shall have no other Gods before me.
This Commandment tells us who to worship. Who or what do we worship? What role does God play in our daily life? Is God first in our life? Is God the source of our security, contentment, and joy?

2. You shall not make for yourself a graven image…You shall not bow down to them or serve them…
Who or what do we worship? It is ok to have things like a cross or a crucifix to remind us of Jesus as long as we do not worship the cross or crucifix as a God.

3. You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain; for the Lord will not hold a person guiltless who takes his name in vain.
Vain means insincere or frivolous. For example, God’s last name is not “Dammit.”

4. Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
Do we take at least one day a week to rest and thank God for all that He has done for us and our family?

Have you ever felt a void in your life that prevents you from experiencing a constant state of inner joy and peace? Have you tried chasing different experiences to try and fill that void and found that none work?

And as part of your attempt to fill the void, do you find that you have a thirst to get more of something hoping that more is the answer, such as more house, more car, more pleasure, more adventure, and more money,.

If so, then more is knocking at your door. But don’t open it. You are wasting your time pursuing more and more.

Let’s look at just one example of a thirst for more. Let’s look at someone who loves money to the extent that they believe more money will fill the void and provide them with the constant state of inner peace and joy.

In the book of Ecclesiastes, King Solomon tells us that trying to find a constant inner joy and peace from the things of this world, such as more and more money, is like chasing the wind. God’s Word tells us that we will not be satisfied with more money because we will always want more. (Ecclesiastes 5:10)

The problem is that our desire for peace and joy involves a spiritual void, and we can’t fill a spiritual void with non-spiritual things. We need to draw our peace and joy from Jesus. Only Jesus can fill this spiritual void and provide the constant inner peace and joy we are seeking.

Granted, you may occasionally experience temporary peace without Jesus, but if you want a continuous inner peace with God, you need to do that through Jesus. (Romans 5:1) In fact, Jesus tells us, “…I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6)

Similarly, you may occasionally experience temporary joy without spending time with Jesus, but the temporary things of this world can not satisfy us at the deepest level. If you want to experience the fullness of joy, you need to spend daily time with Jesus. (Psalm 16:11).  In fact, fullness of joy is a by-product of spending time with him.

In the book of Ecclesiastes, God’s Word is clear. Pursuing more of everything just creates a never-ending thirst for more. In order to enjoy a constant state of inner peace and joy, we need to have a personal, daily relationship with Jesus. And we can do that by reading God’s Word in order to get to know Jesus better and by praying, which in its simplest terms, is talking with him.

The book of Ecclesiastes has 12 chapters. I recommend that for the next 12 days, you read one chapter each day and ask yourself two questions.

What is the point of this chapter, and how can I apply it to my life.?

In making a decision, do we do the right thing even if it is not advantageous? In everyday life, we often make fast decisions. But remember that it takes less time to make the right decision than it does to correct a poor decision.

To help us do the right thing, we should start our decision-making process by asking three questions:

1. Have I prayed for wisdom?
2. Is my contemplated decision in accordance with God’s Word?
3. Is it consistent with Christ’s character?

Remember the story of Jacob and Esau? (Genesis 25:21-28). Jacob did not make the right decision. Instead, Jacob teamed up with his mother to deceive his blind father and cheat his brother out of his father’s blessing. Apparently, the only question Jacob asked himself was whether he would be caught in his deceitful act. Jacob thought, what if my blind father touches my arm and realizes that I am not my brother, who is a hairy man? Consequently, Jacob and his mother devised a scheme to place some goat hair on Jacob’s arm to deceive his father into believing he was his hairy son Esau.

Contrast Jacob’s action in not doing what was right with Daniel’s action (Daniel 6:1-28). Daniel did the right thing by not compromising when and where he prayed. Even after the King passed a law forbidding prayer to anyone other than to a statute of himself (or else the King would order the offender tossed to the lions), Daniel kept praying to the Lord three times a day through an open window as he had always done.

Daniel could have simply avoided praying to the Lord for 30 days. Or, he could have simply closed the windows while he prayed. But Daniel believed in God and continued doing the right thing.

Next time we need to decide whether to do the right thing, we should first pray for wisdom (James 1:5). Second, we should ask for God’s direction (Proverbs 3:5,6). And then, before we make the decision, we should make sure that it is in accordance with God’s Word and consistent with Christ’s character.

Who or what motivates you? What are the drives that power your action and behavior?

Motivation can come from society, from God, or from both. When it comes to motivating ourselves and others, an excellent book titled Drive by Daniel H. Pink describes what works and what doesn’t work in a secular world.

Even though the secular world provides some beneficial motivational tips, the best motivational tips come from God’s Word. Why? The reason is God’s Word is powerful. (Hebrews 4:12)

I visited with one person I know who is always in God’s Word and who is always motivated. I asked him what his secrets are to remain motivated. Specifically, what action steps he takes each day that we too can take in order to stay motivated.

He started by saying because we have Christ’s power in us (Ephesians 1:19), he begins each morning by asking the Holy Spirit to give him the power to stay motivated throughout the day. (Zachariah 4:6)(Acts 1:8)(Ephesians 3:20)

Also, soon after he started working, he decided to get a new boss. And his new boss is Jesus. Each day, he bases his internal desire and commitment to excellence on who he works for. He told me that whatever he does, he does with enthusiasm as if he was working for Jesus and not for people. (Colossians 3:23)(Ephesians 6:7)

Therefore, every morning he reminds himself that Jesus is his boss. As a result, he stays motivated as Jesus provides him with wisdom (James 1:5), insight and guidance (Proverbs 3:5,6), and stability. (Psalm 16:8,9)  Also, Jesus provides a strength that is over and above what he can generate on his own. (Isaiah 41:10)

He prays throughout the day (1 Thessalonians 5:17) and focuses on God’s Word that includes God’s blessings and promises. (Read my March 2020 blog and my April 2020 blog located at equipyourfamily.com).

Here are four additional items that continually motivate him, and can motivate us, too:

1. Providing for his family (1Timothy 5:8) and desiring to leave a positive, significant legacy.
2. Believing something positive is going to happen during the day. (Romans 8:28)
3. Providing a service or something else that helps someone or makes a positive difference in someone else’s life. (Ephesians 2:10)
4. Hearing God say, well done good and faithful servant, enter into my joy. (Matthew 25:23)

When our children were growing up, I told them to ask three questions while listening to a speaker or reading a book. 1. What’s the point? 2. What’s in it for me? 3. What’s the specific action I need to take in order to apply the point to my life?

And when it comes to identifying and applying Biblical principles, Rick Warren developed an acronym titled SPACE PETS

Space Pets

Sin to confess

Promise to claim

Attitude to change

Command to follow

Example to follow

Prayer to pray

Error to avoid

Truth to believe

Something to praise God for

In each chapter of the Bible, you can identify one or more of these nine items. Then prepare an action plan to incorporate the item or items into your life.

In addition, here are four questions to consider:

1. What’s one thing you think God wants you to understand in this particular chapter, and what do you think God wants you to do about it?

2. Did you find a specific scripture verse that especially resonated with you, and how can you apply it to your life?

3. What one point encouraged you, and how could you use it to encourage others?

4. The One Thing: For me, the single most important thing that I learned from this chapter is…..and as a result, I will….

Everyone wants to be happy. Even The United States Declaration of Independence states that the pursuit of happiness is our right. Also, the international community sets aside March 20 each year as the international day of happiness.

So what is happiness? In simple terms, happiness is an emotion that depends on something good happening. How many good things happening do we need over and above negative things happening to make us happy?

Do we think that having more income would make us happy? The problem here is that an increase in income may provide temporary happiness, until we want more. And when more is knocking at our door, we need to remember that even though the accumulation of material things is at an all-time high, so too is the number of unhappy people.

Happiness research tells us that our connections with family and friends are important to our happiness. And it is not our pursuit of self-gratification that makes us happy, but rather our contribution to society.

So what makes us happy? What are our happy triggers? Maybe there is a person, thing, or activity that brings us a feeling of happiness. We should schedule time each day to enjoy a least one of them.

But if we want to experience lasting happiness that I define as a constant state of inner peace (also called joy) then God’s Word tells us that we need to spend time with Jesus. Sure we can experience some periodic joy without including Jesus in our daily life, but if we want to experience the fullness of joy, we need to spend time with him throughout the day. Why? Because in Psalm 16:11, God’s Word tells us that fullness of joy occurs when we are in his presence. In fact, true happiness is a by-product of spending daily time with Jesus.

At pages 21-32 in my book titled Created For Greatness—Living Your Best Life Through God’s Word, I discuss ways to maintain our happiness/joy by feeding our body, mind, and soul with the right food and by living the way that God created us to live. Also, at pages 32-35, I discuss the importance of filling our spiritual tank by turning our mind toward God and filling our service tank by turning our mind toward others.

Doing the things discussed above put us in the best possible position to live a happy and joyful life.

Even though God’s Word tells us that we should maintain an attitude of gratitude (1 Thessalonians 5:16,18), His Word also tells us that in this world, we will have problems. (John 16:33).

Simply stated, life happens. And problems, real or perceived, may cause us to lapse into a “woe is me pity-party.” If we start to think this way, we need to ask ourselves, what is the plan to change this “stinkin-thinking”?

In my May 2021 blog, I discuss some ways to experience an inner peace that is independent of problematic circumstances. This inner peace allows us to live above the frazzle and maintain an attitude of gratitude.

I found that one way to eliminate my “woe is me pity-party” is to read the blessings that God gives us. I typed his blessings on my iPhone so I can pull them up anytime I am having a bad day, or anytime I feel sorry for myself. His blessings change my attitude, and I am confident that they will change yours, too.

 Blessings from God

• Made in His image – Genesis 1:26
• Made after His likeness – Genesis 1:26
• God’s workmanship – Ephesians 2:10
• Chosen by God – John 15:16
• Peace with God – Romans 5:1
• A new creation – 2 Corinthians 5:17
• His child – John 1:12
• Christ’s friend – John 15:15
• Joint heir with Christ – Romans 8:17
• God loves me – John 3:16, Jeremiah 31:3
• Precious in His sight – Isaiah 43:4
• I am valuable – Matthew 6:26
• Christ died for me – 1 Peter 3:18
• Holy Spirit lives in me – 1 Corinthians 3:16, 6:19, Colossians 1:14
• Forgives my sins – 1 John 1:9
• Free from condemnation – Romans 8:1
• Always with me – Matthew 28:20
• Seated with Christ in heavenly places – Ephesians 1:3
• Will never forsake me – Deuteronomy 31:6
• Jesus is my advocate – 1 John 2:1
• Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life – John 14:6
• Holy Spirit is my Advocate, my Counselor, my Helper, – John 14:26
• and He intercedes for me in my prayer life – Romans 8:26
• Guarantees me eternal life – 1 John 5: 11-14
• Citizen of heaven – Philippians 3:20, Ephesians 26

Last month, I outlined seven dangers we face. This month, I outline seven more dangers.

Unaccountable Time—The need for a Christian mentor/friend
A danger here is that too many hours of unaccountable time can lead to trouble.

A Christian mentor/ friend can help us read and apply God’s Word to our life. And the friend also helps protect our reputation. The friend helps us spot and avoid unwise decisions, blind spots, and road mines which if we stepped on, kaa-boom our Christian witness at home or work is maimed or destroyed. Or kaa-boom, our marriage is maimed or destroyed.

I discuss the need for a Christian mentor/ friend in my May 2020 blog found here

Motivation
We need motivation to get up in the morning and keep us going throughout the day. The danger is relying on external motivation from society such as recognition and fear instead of internal motivation from God. External motivation is unreliable and fleeting as it can change in a second. But God’s internal motivation is reliable and enduring as it does not change. And one way internal motivation comes is from working on all tasks with enthusiasm, as working for the Lord and not for men.

Position, Power, and Wealth
Men’s three pursuits: position, power, and wealth. A danger here is that our position and power will someday vanish along with our wealth as there are no pockets in a coffin. Then what?

The antidote for men’s three pursuits is Jesus. Even if what motivates us is position, power, and wealth, Jesus has already satisfied all three. Position—believers are already seated with Christ in the heavenly places (Ephesians 2:6). Power—believers have Christ’s powers in them (Ephesians 1:19). And wealth—believers are recipients of the riches of his glorious inheritance (Ephesians 1:18).

Loss of Purpose
God did not create us only to consume resources that serve just ourselves. A danger  here is that if we do not live according to the way God created us to live, we will miss out on true, lasting happiness and joy with its accompanying state of inner peace.

At pages 26-32 in my book Created For Greatness, I discuss God’s five purposes and five callings that tell us how to live the way God created us to live.

Also, I discuss our purpose in my July 2021 blog and our “gifts” to serve others in my December 2021 blog. My blogs appear in my webpage located at equipyourfamily.com

Loss of Confidence
A danger here is loss of self-esteem coupled with fear and anxiety. Because our confidence has a “great reward” (Hebrews 10:35), God’s Word tells us not to “throw away” our confidence.

In Chapter 2 of my book, I discuss how to ensure confidence and thereby continue peak performance through life’s ups and downs. Also, in Chapter 8, I discuss how to manage fear and anxiety.

Ignoring the Holy Spirit
A danger here is loss of benefits from all the things The Holy Spirit does. See my October 2021 blog. Also, read my September 2020 blog on Power—where we get it, and how we use it.

Early in my Christian walk, I learned that some motivational speakers and writers provided helpful information on what to do and how to do it, but they were unable to supply me with the daily power to apply what I learned, and soon I became discouraged. We need the power of the Holy Spirit to do what we can’t do on our own power.

The Holy Spirit provides more power than we could ever ask for or think about (Ephesians 3:20). In fact, God’s Word tells us not to try and muscle our way through life. Specifically, God’s Word says, “…Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts” (Zechariah 4:6).

Not Creating and Maintaining a Powerful Prayer Life.
In its simplest terms, prayer is talking with God. A danger is ignoring that God’s Word tells us to develop the habit of praying throughout the day (1Thessalonians 5:17). I discuss creating and maintaining a powerful prayer life in Chapter 10 of my book.

For me, just one of the many reasons why I want to maintain a daily personal relationship with Jesus during my prayer life is the fact that in him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Colossians 2:3).

Below are seven dangers we face

Sin
A danger here is a hindrance to our prayer life. God’s Word tells us that sin separates us from God so he does not hear us (Isaiah 59:2). Also, remember that God does not grade on a curve. To God, sin is sin, even if it is just a little white lie (Revelation 21:8). And if we have sin in our life, we need to confess it (1 John 1:9).

Not Guarding Our Heart
A danger here is if we don’t guard our heart, it may deceive us (Jeremiah 17:9). As God’s Word says, “For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, fornication, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a man” (Mark 7:21-23). I discuss the heart, its dangers, and four ways to guard our heart in my February 2021 blog located at equipyourfamily.com

Not Guarding Our Mind
Because thoughts control our life, many voices battle to control our mind. The danger here is allowing the wrong person or entity to control our mind and, therefore our life. Do you want God to control your mind, or do you want our ever-changing society to control your mind? To help guard our minds, God tells us to be transformed by the renewal of our mind (Romans 12:2). And I discuss four ways to renew our mind in my August 2020 blog located at equipyourfamily.com

Not Guarding Our Eyes
A danger here is if we do not guard our eyes, our whole body will be full of darkness. Specifically, God’s Word says, “The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is sound, your whole body will be full of light; but if your eye is not sound, your whole body will be full of darkness” (Matthew 6:22-23). Ask God for help to guard your eyes. Ask God to “Turn my eyes from looking at vanities, and give me life in thy ways” (Psalm 119:37).

Trying To Fill A Spiritual Void With Non-Spiritual Things
A danger here is thinking that we can fill what turns out to be a spiritual void in our life with non-spiritual things. Some mistakenly think if they just have more of everything, including expensive material possessions, then they will fill any emptiness or void in their life. I discuss this issue on pages 23-24 of my book titled Created For Greatness Living Your Best Life Through God’s Word.

Pride
A danger here is our ego. I think of ego as an acronym for Edging God Out. We don’t want to be so proud that we do not allow God into our life. As God’s Word says, he opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble (James 4:6). And I have enough dangers in life to navigate around without the added danger of God opposing me.

Strongholds: A harmful behavior, activity, or addiction such as anger, alcohol, drugs, jealousy, and bitterness
A danger here is not admitting the stronghold has an unshakable grip on our life. And even if we admit the stronghold has an unshakable grip, there is a danger in thinking that we can destroy it on our own power. I discuss strongholds and how to win the battle against them in my March 2021 blog located at equipyourfamily.com

For some, the start of a new year is a joyous occasion. For others, who feel as if they have no hope, it can be an emotionally exhausting and depressing time. But whatever group we are in, we still have a reason to celebrate. We have a Lord and Savior who will never leave us or forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:6). And our Lord and Savior tells us that He has a plan to give us hope (Jeremiah 29:11).

We all need hope. Where do you find hope? Do you find it in God, or do you try to find it apart from God?

How do you view hope? The world views hope as wishful thinking or a desire for something good to happen. But God’s view of hope is different. God’s view of hope, which should also be our view of hope, is an expectation with certainty that He will do what He says.

If you want to read additional comments on hope, read pages 44-47 of my book. I discuss how Paul maintained hope even during his many trials and tribulations.

God is indeed a God of hope. And His Word tells us to hope in Him (Psalm 42:5). Also, we are to hope in His Word (Psalm 119:81,114). And His Word says, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope” (Romans 15:13).

Do you need hope? If so, ask God to give hope to you, and then ask the Holy Spirit for the power to abound in God’s hope and to maintain it throughout life’s ups and downs.