A Study of Contrasts

Here are some things that caught my attention this week during my time in Scripture.

• In Joshua 4 the Lord exalted Joshua. When you exalt yourself you will be humbled. When you humble yourself you will be exalted. (Luke 14)

• Jesus associated with sinners. There is rejoicing in the presence of angels when a sinner repents. Rejoice when lost are found (Luke 15)

• The people of this world are shrewder in dealing with their own kind than people of the light. Use worldly wealth to gain friends. If you can / can’t be trusted with a little, then you can / can’t be trusted with a lot. If you are not trustworthy with worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? (Luke 16)

• Only one in ten were thankful and willing to praise God (Luke 17)

• Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere (Psalm 84:10)

• Righteousness guards a man of integrity, wickedness overthrows a sinner (Proverbs 13:6)

• Don’t judge on appearances, there are those who pretend to be rich and have nothing, and there are those who pretend to be poor and are wealthy (Proverbs 13:7)

• What must I do to gain eternal life? Give up everything and follow Christ. Peter said that he had given up everything to follow Christ. See Luke 18:29 for Christ’s response. How do you reconcile this?

• Choice: be full of pride OR take advice (Proverbs 13:10)

Notes from Lesson 8 of Og Mandino's University of Success

Lesson 8 focused on how to develop your strengths. Main thoughts include:

• You create opportunity by your feelings and determination

• You must support yourself instead of undermining yourself

• Be creative and imaginative instead of worrying

• Live in the present. The past is gone. The future is unknown.

• Set constructive goals and move yourself toward today’s opportunities

7 Tensions Common to Christians in the Marketplace

1. Serving God versus pursuing mammon
2. Love versus competition
3. People versus profits
4. Family versus work
5. Perspective in the face of success
6. Charity versus wealth
7. Faithful to God versus pluralistic

See Ecclesiastes 3 for perspective
(from the book Halftime by Bob Buford)