Our Loves Are Like Icebergs

Our Lives Are Like Icebergs

By Pastor Timothy Satryan

Our lives are like icebergs. Only 15 percent is visible; that's reputation. The rest, our character, is below the surface, hidden. Character is what we think but never share. It's what we do when no one's watching. It's how we react to everyday aggravations. It's how we handle failure - and success. The thing that has made us what we are is our choices.

At the end of a successful career, Joshua challenges the people of Israel: "Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve... But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord." (Joshua 24:15) So the choice is yours!

French writer Fran�ois de la Rochefoucauld asserted, "Almost all our faults are more pardonable than the methods we think up to hide them." Ever notice that people with the weakest character tend to place blame on their circumstances? They talk a lot about poor upbringing, financial difficulties, the unkindness of others, or other circumstances that have made them victims.

Your circumstances may be beyond your control but your character is not. You can no more blame your character on your circumstances than you can blame the mirror for your looks. Developing character is always your choice. Every time you make a character-based decision you take another step forward in your spiritual growth.

Take a moment and jot down times when you have faced temptation and adversity. Next to each, note your choice: escape, excuses, capitulation, avoidance, perseverance, or victory. What problem areas do you see? How will you learn to do better? If many of the things you list are due to circumstances beyond your control, then choose to take greater control of your life.

Here is your copy of firstIMPRESSIONS, Volume 9.43. Live for God, on purpose, making choices each day that honor the Lord.

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Secrets Exposed

Saturday, October 24, 2009
Thought of the Day

(Courtesy of Our Daily Bread)
Click link above for devotional:

"Secrets Exposed"

Give God what He
desires most- a
broken and repentant heart.

Bkg. Courtesy of
Christian Backgrounds

Christians Persecuted in England!

"Chasing Lovers"

"And she shall follow after her lovers, but she shall not overtake them; and she shall seek them, but shall not find them: then shall she say, I will go and return to my first husband; for then was it better with me than now." Hosea 2:7

I had a very odd dream last night, it was a scene from the movie, "Gone With The Wind". In the dream Scarlett was apologizing to Rhett for all the wasted years she had spent chasing after a man that would never love her in return. In the dream she was truly repentant because she had finally realized the truth that he was not, never had been nor ever would be interested in her. The scales finally fell off of her heart and eyes and she knew she had wasted her life following only a dream and in the process rejected someone who truly did love her with all their heart.

As I replayed the dream in my thoughts this morning, I saw a spiritual application. Scores of people are out there living their lives following dreams that will never materialize. They are pursuing "lovers" that will never love them in return. They are chasing after a "lover" that they think will satisfy them, make them happy or will make their life perfect. Some of their lovers are wealth, fame, popularity, prestige, and other people. But while they are chasing after these "lovers", they are rejecting the one who truly does love them- Jesus.

Jesus is standing there waiting for you to stop chasing after dreams and ambitions that will never "love" you in return. They will never make you happy, they are not able to fulfill your greatest longing and desire. They may satisfy for the moment but the pleasure will wear off soon enough. He is waiting for you to stop chasing something that will never happen.

Are these "lovers" that we are chasing after really worth it? Are they worth sacrificing the true love? Can they and will they "love" you like Jesus does? If you keep chasing them eventually you will wake up and realize that you have wasted your life chasing after something that could never be while rejecting the best thing that could have ever happened to you.

Have a great day. Are you chasing after other "lovers"- other than Christ? If so, you are sacrificing true love for a false hope.

For further reading:

Deut. 6:5

Mark 12:30

Exodus 20:3

1 John 4:10, 19

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Coffee Break is a morning devotional written by Lorraine Ezell
and is sent to you free of charge for the asking from
About the Master's Business Ministry, Inc.
Please feel free to
call (601) 833-5278 or
E-mail: """"mailto:mastersbusiness@bellsouth.net""""
Visit us on the web: """http://www.mastersbusiness.org""""

"What Are You Doing?"

"Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper withersoever thou goest." Joshua 1:7

A lady came up for prayer the other day. Her request was to get closer to the Lord. As I started to pray the Holy Spirit impressed me to ask her a question. I asked her if she was reading her Bible and praying, and was she doing it everyday. Her answer was no that she wasn't and she began to weep. Human nature wants everything to come to us easily without any effort on our parts.

Even when it comes to spiritual things we want them imparted into our lives by some supernatural one time event. We want a spiritual "quick fix", we want the short cuts, we want God to just "zap" us and instantly, miraculously we'll have it. It doesn't happen that way. There are things that we must do ourselves.

For example, if you want to get closer to the Lord you have to spend time in His presence. If you want to be blessed financially you have to give. If you want to prosper then obey the commandments. If you are in need, seek first the kingdom of God. If you are in want, then fear the Lord and give Him the reverence and rightful place in your life that He deserves.

When the disciples asked Jesus why they could not cast the devil out of the man's son, His reply was that they had unbelief, then He told them that it happens by prayer and fasting. He had already empowered them to cast out devils but He didn't just place His hand on them and "boom" there they had it. He told them to go do something themselves- fast and pray. God's word is full of conditions.

He tells us in verse after verse that "if we will", "then He will". You can stand in every prayer line, you can be anointed with so much oil that it drips off your head, you can have hands laid on you seven days a week. But if you aren't doing your part, then some things just aren't going to happen. Just because someone lays hands on you and "imparts" some "gift" doesn't mean that is the beginning and the end of it. You have to stir up the gift that is within you, you have to yield yourself to God, you have to seek Him, you have to grow in grace and knowledge. You have to do it, and you have to keep on doing it.

Have a great day. Stop trying to get a spiritual "quick fix" and start doing what you need to be doing.

For further reading: Matthew 6:33 James 4:2 Deut. 11:13,14, 22,23 Matthew 21:21 Matthew 16:19 Matthew 5:3-9

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Coffee Break is a morning devotional written by Lorraine Ezell
and is sent to you free of charge for the asking from
About the Master's Business Ministry, Inc.
Please feel free to
call (601) 833-5278 or
E-mail: """"mailto:mastersbusiness@bellsouth. net""""
Visit us on the web: """http://www.mastersbusiness.org""""
You are welcomed to make copies and distribute them free of charge.
You may also forward them via e-mail. Please remember to give credit to
About the Master's Business Ministry.
Take time to visit our on-line Christian magazine and blogs. """"http://livingstonesmagazine. homestead.com"""

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Details, Details

Monday, October 12, 2009
Thought of the Day

(Courtesy of Our Daily Bread)
Click link above for devotional:

"Details, Details"

God has not promised to keep
us from life's storms,
but He will keep us through them.

Bkg. Courtesy of
Christian Backgrounds