"Harry Houdini was the world’s most famous magician. He escaped underwater death traps, slipped out of strait jackets, and amazed audiences with his disappearing acts. Many people believed Houdini had supernatural powers.
But Houdini never claimed to have magical powers. His extraordinary feats were not the result of hocus pocus, but years of practice and very determined focus.
The great Houdini has been dead for many years. But the idea of achievement through hocus pocus is still alive and well. Many people simply drift through life hoping for some magical moment or a lucky lottery win will that propel them to great success. They exempt themselves from a work ethic of daily focused effort which would have resulted in God’s best for their life.
In the book of acts the apostle Paul thoroughly discredits the use of magic. Instead, he told the Philippians to follow his example of focusing on one thing: wholeheartedly following Jesus Christ. Paul knew that focus, not hocus pocus, was the way to redeem the time.
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"One of the most powerful verses in Scripture is Psalm 119.165, where the psalmist declares, “Great peace have they which love thy law, and nothing shall offend them.”
Most Christians waste incredible amounts of emotional energy stressing over things which offend them. Irritating neighbors, church problems, family conflicts, or a middle seat on the plane can wreck their day.
Fortunately, it doesn’t have to be that way. God said we can avoid being offended by loving His law, that is, by learning and applying the principles of His Word. For example, next time you are tempted to be offended, quote this verse and insert the offense, such as “Great peace have they which love they love thy law and rude coworkers shall not offend them. Or, “Great peace have they which love thy law and false accusations shall not offend them.”
This tactic gives an instant response to the constant attacks of the enemy. You can claim this promise all day long as a way to stay in spiritual victory and redeem the time.
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"Here’s a riddle: In what job do you get fired as soon as you get hired? The answer- A human cannonball.
In my new book “Morning Momentum” I give a whole chapter to developing a strategy for getting the first minute of your day right. I titled that chapter, “How to shoot out of bed like a human cannonball.” I know that’s a bit overdramatic, but I needed a way to vividly emphasize the importance of getting the first minute of each day right.
God gives you 1440 minutes every day and the most important is the very first. That’s because it often sets the tone for the following 1439. When you wake up like a human cannonball, you unleash a pattern of energy and enthusiasm for the day. You take charge and establish control instead of allowing the day to control you.
When your alarm goes off tomorrow morning, I challenge you to seize the moment and speak a word of praise to the Lord as you launch into a day of redeeming the time.
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"Weather forecasters often tell us the winds today will be “light and variable.” That means they don’t have much force behind them and we can’t predict which way they will be heading.
Unfortunately, the forecast for many Christian’s daily plans could also be described as “light and variable.” They haven’t charted a purposeful day with meaningful activity. They are light, with no weight or depth to speak of. They are much more concerned with this world’s entertainments and flashy trinkets, than they are with spiritual growth or concern for the souls of those they will encounter today.
They are also variable. The Bible, in the book of James, describes them as “driven with the wind and tossed.” They don’t set goals and stick with them. They just float along with the crowd whichever way the wind happens to be blowing.
Opposite of light and variable people are the deep and steady. They take time to discern God’s will and factor in the spiritual element, so they will redeem the time.
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