MAGNIFICENT OBSESSION

I am the vine, ye are the branches.

He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit;

for without me ye can do nothing.

~ John 15:5, KJV ~

"Magnificent" to stress-survivors may be altogether different than to others.

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What impresses us as extraordinary and exceptional may not even faze some folk--especially if they've never been stranded on a stressful path.

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In the 1954 classic, "Magnificent Obsession," party-hardy, Bob Merrick, is to blame for Joyce Hudson husband's death; and then for her tragic blindness.

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As stressful as his situation started out, there was sweet peace in the end. In spite of Bob Merrick's many reckless choices, he surprisingly turned his life around.

After he met a man who shared a powerful testimony about "connecting to the power source ," it became a "Magnificent Obsession" to Merrick to do--and to be--everything possible to to achieve this connection.

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As stress survivors, once we have stressed until we literally feel ill, we come to a point where we're willing to surrender to a power much greater than ourselves. And we too determine to do whatever it takes to obtain this power.

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JESUS reminds us (John 15:5) that HE is our Power Source. And it matters not who we are, what we've done, or where we've come from, we--like the determined Bob Merrick--must develop a Magnificent Obsession with Jesus and seek His Ultimate Power Source.

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Peace I leave with you . . .

THE BIG PICTURE

" Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God,

and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;"

2 Corinthians 10:5 (KJV)

ALL PICTURES are not created equally . . . and some people wonder why?

There are times when stress-survivors wonder why certain people prosper and others don't--Why some will accomplish big dreams and others won't.

There are times when some stand on the side-lines of life and watch, while others parade by with banners of success. Why have some captured "The Big Picture" and others have not?

When in the midst of these thoughts, first, we must examine ourselves. We must determine if our lives are disciplined by God's Word, or if undisciplined lives are adding to our stresses.

When we allow every little doubt and disappointment to cause us stress, we forfeit a part of our big picture. Envy, jealousy and gossip are all apart of the small picture. And as long as we focus on small stuff, we can't entertain anything bigger.

We can stress out 'til Dooms Day, but if we don't take our thoughts captive to the Word of God, we limit ourselves to less-than "The Big Picture."

Indeed this takes practice and prayer, and it may not always appear to benefit us, but every thought and deed we align to the obedience of Christ puts us closer to our "BIG PICTURE."


Peace I leave with you . . .

A NEW SEASON

TO EVERY THING

there is a season,

and a time to every purpose

under the heaven:

Ecclesiastes 3:1

Praise God For A New Season!

THE WINNERS' CIRCLE

"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness;

and all these things shall be added unto you."

~ Matthew 6:33 ~

Almost everyone, everywhere, loves being a winner--stress-survivors included.

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As children, back in the 50's and 60's, we had something we called a winner's sucker. These suckers were favorites among us kids because, as the name implies, they were winners. Sometimes.

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When we bought a sucker, unwrapped it, and pulled out a little white strip of paper that had "Winner" written on it, we'd win a free sucker.

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We spent nickel after nickel, trying to be a winner. And when we didn't win--even back then--we'd become aggravated and upset.

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Since then we've moved on and matured, of course, we're still holding on to that winners' mentality.

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Who among us does not stress over winning? Winning affection in private; winning praise in public; winning recognition on the job; even winning consumer "rewards."

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Fortunately, we've been exposed to a much bigger and better winners' circle. In this particular winners' circle there's no stressing over whether or not we're going to win. WE ARE GUARANTEED TO WIN.

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GOD guarantees when we seek HIS WORD and HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS, "ALL" things will be added unto us (See Matthew 6:33).

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Please understand, with this win, as with our winners' suckers, there's a part for us to play. We must seek God's way--first. We must conform to His will in doing and being right. Then, for certain, we'll be in THE WINNERS' CIRCLE.

Peace I leave with you . . .