Words to ponder

These thoughts about success have dug into areas of wisdom. Not the earthly type.

Wisdom that comes from above to believers.

Wisdom that comes from asking "is this a wise decision" and listening to the Holy Spirit.

Words to ponder - Success. Wisdom. Asking. Patience. Listening. Margins.


To that end....

Danny L. Smith
512-773-6528

"One cannot long outperform their own self-image" - Maxwell Maltz

"You'll be the same five years from today, as you are today, except for what you listen, what you watch, who you associate with, and what you read" - Zig Ziglar

Do you not give thought to wisdom...the state of your soul?

Good sir, you are an Athenian, a citizen of the greatest city with the greatest reputation for both wisdom and power; are you not ashamed of your eagerness to possess as much wealth, reputation, and honors as possible, while you do not care for nor give thought to wisdom or truth, or the best possible state of your soul? - Socrates
 
 

Philosopher Tom Morris writes, "Socrates' firm belief was that wealth does not bring about excellence, but excellence brings about wealth and all other public and private blessings known to man. It was the state of our soul that was important to Socrates. The inner life of each Person. Greatness of spirit. Wisdom. Inner excellence. When you give precedence to the inner, both inner and outer fall into place."

The beginning of this journey to find success' right place in my head and heart has been refreshing. Three reads specific to this subject I'm in are...

- Success God's Way, by Charles Stanley
- True Success, by Tom Morris
- Celebrate Recovery Bible

I've also found myself deep into some good reads about "thinking." These might be the most important stop-offs.

To that end.....Success!

Success, thinking on it

I also came to see the importance at the present time of thinking

clearly about what success is and about how we can attain the

most satisfying and sustainable forms of it in our lives. I came

to realize that we all need to philosophize about success.

- Tom Morris, PH.D., Public Philosopher, Advisor

Success, thinking on it. I think I don't really get the whole meaning of success. But....I pray that changes. I want to think success is

- a process
- a journey, not a destination (I hate cliches)
- glorifying God (what does that really mean?)
- being happy (?)...that is dependent on so many things (right?)
- well done good and faithful servant (Matthew 25:21) - this is my ultimate desire, the final success

You, I, get the point. So what about the THINKING? Thinking on success?

I think God

- has built into me (us) a deep desire for success
- has given me his Work to call and challenge me to obtain success
- wants me to depend upon Him
- has equipped me for success with gifts and talents
- has given me the desire to acquire the knowledge to renew my mind and be transformed
- has given me the Holy Spirit to enable my success

I think I'm struggling with achieving the success God has available for me because I

- have still have a distorted Biblical view of work and success
- have self-limiting beliefs that are negatively impacting my success
- have self-imposed "lids" that keep me from rising up to challenges
- have miss-managed and even wasted bad experiences
- am carrying unnecessary baggage
- should stop waiting for the "right time"

To that end....Lord, thank you for continuing to love me. I believe you've built a desire for your success in me so I'll act. Thank you for being patient with me as I keep trying to do this on my own. I give my success to you, pray I move forward in your power and glory. I give you my thinking about success. In your Son Jesus' name,

Amen



 

Success. Where's its place?

Can success and a Godly life truly be reconciled?

Absolutely - Charles Stanley

What does God say about success? Is it a contradiction to live a Godly life and pursue success? Many people think so. And that's just wrong.

I don't believe it's a coincidence that I've been attracted the past few weeks to books that include matters on this subject. This morning I had the thought "what do I think about being successful?"

A re-work of Lunch 'n Learn materials and brought to mind the roadblock matter of "the fear of success."  I ask attendees in my Guerrilla Marketing workshops why people fear success and had never gotten a good answer, though many acknowledge it's existence and some admit it's impact on their life. You can see the realization in their eyes! But, for a long time I'd never been able to really identify a cause of the problem (I hadn't really considered at the time I encountered the roadblock).

Until one participant answered "It's a Biblical thing. We've been wrongly taught things like 'a rich man can't get into Heaven' and that's subconsciously sabotaging us."

It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for
someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God. - Mark 10: 25

Wrongly understanding that verse and one can/will subconsciously sabotage their success. And Satan wins.

I'm seriously afraid I have a problem with success, subconsciously. Subconsciously I believe I struggle with some things Biblically about God's will in my life. I don't have a good grip on the problem, but I'm coming to realize how real it is and expect I'll uncover others also.

God made us in His image. He was successful. I want to understand and accept a truthful definition of success. This is where I'll drop anchor, search out, pray, ponder and write about here for a few weeks.

Let me know what you think of success. Let me know what you think of what I find out, my thoughts about success. I know they haven't been near accurate up until now.

To that end....Lord prepare my heart to receive Your word, THE true word about success. Help me practice Your will.

....lead a quiet life

I've been on a journey to "raise my lid" for a long time. This road has led me to places like 

- My work matters to God

- In His Glory, God conceals matters. The glory of kings is to search matters out (Proverbs 25:2)

- Staying in the box. Digging deeper to discover the real me God made in His image 

- God intends me to experience a Sabbath rest. And not just on Sundays

- That God's intended doctrine of work includes a good practice of rest

.....and then this morning, journaling my thoughts as I read "The Accidental Pharisee" I come across this scripture - 

"and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you" (1 Thessalonians 4:11 NIV)

Now that leads me to slow down for a time of pause and reflection specifically about "purpose." There's even some thoughts of validation streaming in!

To that end...

"Leadership develops daily, not in a day" - John Maxwell

In His Image...Gaining insight and being reconstructed

We are at this moment as close to God as we
really choose to be. True, there are times when we
would like to know a deeper intimacy, but when it comes to
the point, we are not prepared to pay the price involved. 

- J. Oswald Sanders

Continuing from the previous post about insight, some use the think-out-of-the-box approach to stretching ourselves. I have a hang-up on the thinking-out-of-the-box "fad." My experience is it leads to lack of responsibility and fickleness. Yes, fickleness. LOL. Instead of digging into life, thinking-out-of-the-box allows one to escape the struggle of reality. Oh, and this thinking of mine isn't something new. See my profile and the "In-the-Box-Thinking" blog I started years ago (now DannyLSmith.com).

Thinking-out-of-the-box doesn't cause one to stretch. Thinking-out-of-the-box only adds to the confusion. When I want stretch myself, I stay-in-the-box and dig deeper. God made me in His image. I need to raise my lid, from within...searching for the answer inside...that causes a stretch you can't even imagine.

God tells us we are "made in His image" at least 6 times in the Old and New Testament. Wow. What does that really mean, to be made in His image? What would it have been like with sin? What would it be like live, and see ourselves "in His image?" That takes some digging through a mess of things we've piled into our "box."

How glorious that would be, to discover how glorious He made me. Proverbs 25:2 says "In His glory, God conceals matters. The glory of kings is to search matters out." I think that means from the inside-out, gaining insight and being reconstructed. And to Mr. Sanders point, am I willing to pay the price for the intimacy of the reconstruction?

To that end....

The Fine Art of Insight

Vast knowledge of Bible facts won't make anyone more insightful

- Charles R. Swindoll in Hand Me Another Brick.

My friend Charles Middlebrooks gave me Swindoll's book in 1996. Cathy, Austen, Bear and I were moving back to Austin. We weren't sure about a lot of things, including where to live, job stabililty  and little insight. A travel trailer at the South Austin KOA ended up being our home for 21 months.

Insight increased during this time. 15 years later, a lot of living and I don't have the fine art part down, but it's a clearer picture. Paul Martinelli on the subject of will (God's vs mine), says, "the more time I spend with God, the time I invest with Him, the more I recognize His voice, His will." Yes, absolutely.

The more time I invest with Him....That's getting into the fine art Swindoll's talking about, the reinstruction of the people he labels the last seven chapters of the "Book of Nehemiah." What happens when we invest time with Him? Insight, and we become reconstructed.

Insight.....is it attainable? I believe it is, and in abundance. Having good insight can take time and more than a little extra pause, prayer and pondering will help. Taking time to remove the clutter (another Martinelli lesson) helps me to be more creative (what God wants...us to expand His creation, to dig...and clutter stops that digging like a limestone in the Texas Hill Country).

Reinstruction...how much? As much as it takes. There are some days where I wake up and think.."ug...I didn't go to Heaven. Now I have to do this all over again!" But every so often, and they're happening more and more, I seem to get-it. That restful feeling describe in Hebrews. That's powerful and I know the reconstruction is working from the inside-out....I'm learning to use what's "in-the-box" first.

Swindol ends his insight chapter, The Fine Art of Insight, with

...insightful leadership is attainable..but no one has a corner on the virtue. It is available to all who are willing to pay the price. Insight not lonly gives you good perspective on the past and the ability to face the future with confidence and vision, it will also give you an honest appraisal of yourself...

To that end...have a great Sunday

True success....a conception of what we want

"Condition One of true success: we need a clear
conception of what we want, a vivid vision, a goal
or set of goals powerfully imagined"

- Tom Morris is True Success

...a vivid vision, a goal, as set of goals...powerfully imagined. That's a dream. I need a dream. I have a dream. The goals will come about, the growth will happen...because I have a dream to hear these words -

"Well done good and faithful servant"

Pause and let life catch-up

Sometimes one needs to just pause and let life catch-up.

The past 11 hours has been one of those times; busy week, working on filling events, planning more events, data base problems, need new loans, new loans, working through appraisal problems, need documents from client, more blending of the two-faces-of-social-media, desire to help new people, 4 mastermind groups, am I spending enough time in scripture and prayer, bombing in Boston, explosion in West, what do I need to pay attention to, what's working, market smarter not harder, whoops...should have been more attentive to Cathy, didn't see any of the kids/grandkids this week, Randy seems to be doing ok, butt-dialed my Mom and acted like it was on purpose, hmmm...mower setting in middle of back yard and I didn't put it there, forgot to buy picture hangers last night, home office desk is mess/cluttered cluttered...has been for weeks, what is that telling me, social media marketing has been slack for 2-3 weeks, what's up with that, Chick-fil-A Leadercast, need to pay attention to May calendar, newsletter, data base. STOP....pause, reflect, pray...let life catch-up.

Browsing through previous writings in this blog and I ran across this 2008 post. I remember when Ted Lesley recommended the book to me...I was setting in my truck outside church. I was likely in a pause and reflect mode then also.

Good to ponder on....

2008 Notes from "The Joy of Fearing God" by Jerry Bridges

page 162 - If we express our fear of God by keeping all His decrees and commands as Moses said (Deut 6:2), then we must give attention to our interpersonal relationships.

Consider, for example the following from Romans 12:

• Love sincerely (v9), Be devoted to one another in brotherly love (10)
• Honor others above yourself (10)
• Share with others in need (13)
• Practice hospitality (13)
• Bless those who persecute you (14)
• Rejoice with those who rejoice (15)
• Mourn with those who mourn (15)
• Live in harmony with one another (16)
• Do not be proud or conceited (16)
• Do not repay evil for evil (17)
• Seek to live at peace with everyone (18)
• Do not seek revenge (19)
• Overcome evil with good (21)

From 9/18/2008 http://in-the-box-readwell.blogspot.com/

So much to learn!

Thank God for His grace and mercy.

To that end....

Things a wife wants to hear...

If you're wife is standing, you should be also.

- Doug Sherman in 

"Your Work Matters to God" Bible Study

I'm not sure if that's exactly how he says it, but that's how I remember Doug saying that 20+ years ago. It was another moment where I almost got up and walked out. Seriously? Does he really mean that? How about now, I wonder if he still feels that way?

Hmmm...that's another question I'll ask him if I get the chance.

My feelings have changed over the years because yes, I believe it. The depth and width of practicing such is usually beyond me, but I do have flashes of clarity every so often.

Here are some other quotes...

Doug Sherman - "As men, we need to go through re-entry on the way home each day."

Stormie Omartian - "The top 4 things I wife wants to hear from her husband:
- I love you
- You look beautiful
- The bills are paid
- I'm praying for you"

To that end...I'll be sure and say 1, 2 and 4 today (working on 3)

Theology is not a private reserve of theologians

This is another required reading for the Theology of Work class at Bakke Graduate University. The author is also the Professor at BGU and Regents College.


From the back cover......"Stevens challenges the idea that a select few are called to minister to others and argues that the clergy-laity division is not only biblically wrong but practically counterproductive. "Professor Stevens lays out the complete argument that a person's 'calling' is a call to salvation, holiness, and to service. He also insists that "calling" is to before do."

Anyone wrestling with whether or not their work is their ministry will want to read this book and consider, even challenge, Stevens' points and references.


In this 255 page read, scripture is referenced over 800 times and at least 50 different pages mentions the Holy Spirit.


Chapter 2, Reinventing Laity and Clergy is a must read. He starts the chapter out with this provocative quote from Karl Barth....


Theology is not a private reserve of theologians. It is not a private affair for professors....Nor is it a private affair for pastors...Theology is a matter for the church. It does not get on well without professors and pastors. But its problem, the purity of the church's service, is put to the whole church. The term 'laity' is one of the worst in the vocabulary of religion and ought to be banished from Christian conversation.


From post on Reading Blog

Don't let criticism crush your creativity

Thanks to Tim Hetzner, President of Lutheran Church Charities

 for his article that prompted my thoughts on this matter.

In A Closer Walk Catherine Marshall writes, 'One morning last week God gave me an assignment for one day. I was to go on a "fast" from criticism. I was not to criticize anybody or anything. 'For the first half of the day I simply felt a void, almost as if I'd been wiped out as a person. This was especially true at lunch. I listened to the others and kept silent. In our talkative family nobody seemed to notice. Bemused, I noted that the Federal Government, the judicial system, and the institutional church could apparently get along just fine without my personal observations! But still I did not see what this "fast from criticism" was accomplishing - until mid-afternoon. 'In the afternoon God gave me a new vision for my life. And it had His unmistakable hallmark on it - joy! Ideas began to come to me in a way I hadn't experienced in years. Now it was apparent what the Lord wanted me to see. My critical nature had not solved a single one of the multitudinous things I had found fault with. What it had done was to stifle my own creativity.'

Creativity is a huge part of marketing smarter and when we're cynical and critical about our competition, ourselves and well....., it stifles our energy and thoughts.

To that end....stay focused on your competitive advantages!

(this is a re-post from 1/14/12 in my blog Market-Smarter)

Sacred Work: Maturing

We tend to judge others based upon actions, ourselves upon intentions.

In a short conversation with Jim Butt (@JimButt3) on Friday he said "It's good to see how you've become more alive with your Christian walk in the last 2 years."

I was thankful, but also a bit stunned. Was he saying I wasn't always this forthcoming? I thought it was well known by anyone around me for very long that I was a believer. But, thinking about the period in my life when Jim and I met, I realized what he was saying. My feelings were I've been this way for years. My thoughts instantly jumped to a different period when we regularly talked about glorifying God through policies and procedures, prayed before meetings and even had people leave the company because of our beliefs. When I took someone to lunch, anyone, I'd say "I hope you don't mind but since I'm paying, we're praying." And I bought a lot of lunches in those days!

But....that was more "before" when I was a CEO with 8-10 direct reports and over 400 hundred employees. Things changed, surroundings changed, people within my daily circle shrunk. Two years ago I was trying to find myself, my dream and a new plan.

My mission has been intact; make a difference (Colossians 1:28,29) but I was struggling with how to do that in my new role. Ha! I wasn't sure what my new role was. Sometimes one day-at-a-time was just too long. I wasn't as open with my testimony as I had been. John Piper says "God is most glorified, when I'm most satisfied, in Him." I'm afraid I was not well satisfied.

But, that's when "the rubber meets the road" and one learns to put one foot in front of another, pause, pray, reflect and let life catch up. Those are the times we learn to be, in the words of John Eldridge, "alert and oriented x 5." Or not.

I thankful for these times, all times, God wants me to "....search the matters out" (Proverbs 25:2) and I know now that as much as I was worshiping Him and searching Him out before, I'm closer to Him today. God has led me through new times and my heart, soul and mind have been strengthened.


Thanks for the compliment and reminder Jim.


To that end.....blessings and God's mercy.

Intelligently cultivating thoughts

The workplace is today the most strategic arena

for Christian thinking and influence

- Doug Sherman and

William Hendricks

It's a powerful claim to declare the workplace to be the most strategic arena for Christian thinking and influence. Seriously, if it's true, where's the evidence of this activity? Thinking and influence become two very powerful words when combined with "and."

In his classic As a Man Thinketh James Allen writes "Man's mind may be likened to a garden , which may be intelligently cultivated or allowed to run wild; but whether cultivated or neglected, it must, and will, bring forth. If no useful seeds are put into it, then an abundance of useless weed-seeds will fall therein, and will continues to produce their kind."

I've been challenged this week, from a stage, but also by my own thoughts to

• think
• cultivate
• produce

My prayer today is, in the spirit of Colossians 1:28 and 29, that I'd think about life and purposefully cultivate my thoughts. I pray that I come to really realize the potential God has given me and that I'm able to influence others to dream, think and reach their potential.

To that end

Do right now well

Our grand business is not to see what lies dimly at a

distance, but to do what lies clearly at hand

- Thomas Carlyle

When I can't make a decision about tomorrow; I need to remember to just live for today. If today's too long; live in this moment.

Do right now well.

If it's a struggle, don't waste it. The struggle could be the prize and missing that prize would be a strategy. Don't stop three feet from gold.

Father, give me today my daily bread - Matthew 6:11

To that end

(this a re-post from Do right now well at www.DannyLSmith.com)