The Best Policy Which is best: openness or honesty? The answer may be determined by the situation and timing. Openness is not necessarily the same as honesty. Others believe that honesty is the best policy, but I think God would rather us be honest, not because it is the best policy, but because we are…
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Reaction: Good or Bad Reactions to correction are obvious–good or bad, the reaction will come when corrected. What is your reaction when a person says, to you, “I’m going to be very frank with you.” You probably don’t say, “Let me pull up a chair. I can’t wait to hear this!” Most likely, we shout…
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Developing Discretion Right choices begin with right thinking! It is not enough to hope that you are making the right choice, you must base your decisions on right information. And most of all, your timing must be right! When wisdom enters your heart, and knowledge is pleasant to your soul, discretion will preserve you; Understanding will…
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Worldly sorrow is unmistakably different than godly sorrow. Is it possible for you to say, “I am sorry,” but not mean it? Yes. What kind of sorrow is that? It is worldly sorrow, not godly sorrow. This type of sorrow has no intention of producing change. It is simply sorry that a situation exists or…
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What is your normal reaction to correction? When a friend confides, “I’m going to be very frank with you.” Do you grasp his hand and pull him to a chair so he can sit down and tell you your shortcoming? Do you shout for joy that he is about to get another glimpse of your…
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Trouble, perplexity, persecution, and rejection are all difficult to face. The Apostle Paul had all of these but understood that there is a power that will enable a person to face such treatment without distress, despair, self-pity, or ruin. It is the power of God. The end products of distress can definitely be bodily changes.…
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God’s faithfulness is beyond measure, yet, the sad fact is that many miss out on recognizing the faithfulness of God. The faithfulness of God is the most consistent thing on earth! You might have thought the Old Faithful geyser At Yellowstone National Park was the most consistent thing on earth. After all, the geyser was named in 1870 and…
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Though right living enhances joy, no person can attain perfect behavior all the time. We must find joy in a source other than our behavior. When would you be able to rejoice and have great joy if it depended on perfect behavior? Striving toward perfectionism you cannot attain, keep, control, or manage may push you…
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Pouting and sulking are people’s attempt to get their own way. Pouting is selfishness. Have you ever been around people who sulk or pout? Most of the people I counsel are adults and many are experts at pouting. If I say something in a counseling situation that they do not like, they show their displeasure…
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God’s strength needs to become our strength. But, when do you need that to happen? One of the most common times of seeing your weakness is when you try to love somebody you do not like! It is hard to do. You can try. You can do good things for people you do not like. By…
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