Category Archives: Prayer

Posted on

Protect the Lead

by

This is a sports analogy generally reserved for football but it also can be applied in Business. Generally, it is thought to be more defensive when your team is winning. Even on offense we want our teams to be conservative with their strategies and approach to the game when they are winning. I have a different philosophy on how to protect the lead. When your business is up, pour it on. Be relentless with all you do. Use your defense to blitz the quarterback. The opposing quarterback in business is represented by your biggest problem. Do not take a break from attacking and subduing whatever is attacking your business. If it is bills or production numbers, do not work with a slack hand when you are ahead.

protect the lead photo

Your offense should be even more impressive. You already know how to dominate and gain points. When your sales are up and you are covered in work figure out how to make more calls and appointments. Becoming a scoring machine and keep going for the big clients and bigger deals. Stay with your game plan, every yard is important. Look for the small deals also because they keep the sales quota going. If you need another reason add more effort just think of the third stringers that want to play. In business these are the new hires, people you may not know exist. When you get really far ahead you can rest a little and let the new hires help out some.
The Bible says in Genesis 1; 28 “And God blessed them, and God said unto them be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. This verse relates to protecting the lead because fruitful and multiply means making more of what God has given to you.

Finally, to protect the lead you have to remain patient and play smart. One fundamental way to protect the lead is to finish strong. Do not get sloppy because you have some success. You are only as good as your last play. Stay focused and make good decisions as if you are just starting the game.

Posted on

Are you conscious of His favor?

by

Raise your consciousness and increase your joy. We are responsible for our joy. Knowing where joy comes from and how to keep it is explained in this Psalm.
Psalm 97:11
Amplified Bible (AMP)
11 Light is sown for the [uncompromisingly] righteous and strewn along their pathway, and joy for the upright in heart [the irrepressible joy which comes from consciousness of His favor and protection].
This one passage by itself encompasses a lifetime of wisdom. It shows God’s preparation for you and me. It states that, “light is sown”, this means it was plant or created for the righteous. And then it is thrown along our pathway. So even when we are in a place of darkness God shines light on us. Those with an upright heart receive joy along the path.

The type of joy we receive is “IRREPRESSIBLE” (it cannot be pushed down). There is nothing or no one that can steal your joy. This joy comes from you and I being conscious or fixing our mind on God’s favor and protection. All paths in life have darkness but, with the right mind set we can live every day in His glorious light.

My daughter wrote this:

Be delighted with yourself. You have to have an upright or a happy spirit for God to give you gladness.

Posted on

Trust God: Why worry

by

Why worry: trust God. This is the week of big test this week, get your head up. This is the week you should look forward to not be anxious about.

Do not worry about your difficulties in Mathematics. I can assure you mine  are still greater.

Albert  Einstein

Remember (in my best Australian accent) “No worries mate”. I wrote a post on “Trust your training” (click here).  Worry has a place but it is not with you.

1 Peter 7 says, “Casting all your care upon Him, for He careth for you”

 

This is a great instruction, master this thought pattern and you are well down the path of peace and patience.  Every single anxious thought can be redirected to God and He will handle it.  That test in school, God will handle it. That big client with even bigger demands, God says cast that on me.

So how do we move our problems to God court? There is one more scripture that answers this.

Philippians 4 verse 6:      Be careful for nothing: but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known unto God.

The first statement “Be careful for nothing”, means do not worry stop concerning yourself with the cares of this world.  The way to cast your cares on Him is through prayer and supplication.  God hears your prayers so give Him thanks for meeting your every need.

The final portion of this scripture finishes with a promise we all hope to experience.

 

Philippians 4 verse 7:  And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

 

Have a great week and “Don’t worry, BE Happy”

Posted on

Confession for protection: Psalm 91

by

The following post is a prayer adaptation that I heard a long time ago.  It is a way to personalize Psalm 91.  There is a link to the original King James Version for your comparison.  I will highlight the altered portions.  You can say this in whenever you spend time with God it also good for your children use it as a prayer.

Psalm 91

I dwell in the secret place of the most High and shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

2 I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in Him will I trust.

3 Surely He shall deliver me from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.

4 He shall cover me with His feathers, and under His wings shall I trust: His truth shall be my shield and buckler.

5 I shall not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flies by day;

6 Nor for the pestilence that walks in darkness; nor for the destruction that wastes at noonday.

7 A thousand shall fall at my side, and ten thousand at my right hand; but it shall not come near me

8 Only with my eyes shall I behold and see the reward of the wicked.

9 Because I have made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the most High, my habitation;

10 There shall no evil befall me, neither shall any plague come near my dwelling.

11 For He shall give His angels charge over me, to keep me in all my ways.

12 They shall bear me up in their hands, lest I dash my foot against a stone.

13 I shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shall I trample under my feet.

14 Because I have set my love upon God, therefore will He deliver me: He will set me on high, because I have known His name.

15 I shall call upon Him, and He will answer me: He will be with me in trouble; He will deliver me, and honor me.

16 With long life will He satisfy me, and show me His Great salvation.

Please share this with your friends and family.  My book is coming soon, join the mailing list.

Posted on

Have joy in the small things

by

 

Do you pray for the small things? A small prayed I said recently was, “Lord I thank you that nothing is lost, therefore I thank you that I find my pocket knife.”  It seems trivial to ask the God of the universe for something as inconsequential as a pocket knife but I was thinking about it so I asked.  The knife was out of my possession for about 6 months

I was looking for my keys in the drawer that I normally keep my keys and way in the back I saw the knife.  The joy that I felt was overwhelming.  My heart was warm and the smile on my face was one of those cheek burners (the kind of smile that make your cheeks hurt because you’re smiling too hard).  What struck me as odd is that I haven’t felt this way in a while. What caused me to feel this way about this small tool?

We are thankful for the things that give us joy more than the ones that make us happy.  Sometimes we take our joy for granted. Joy normally comes from gifts that keep giving.   Do you have people or things that are in your life that you do realize are truly significant? So why did I have so much joy in finding this small part of my Life?

 

Here are some reasons I have joy over this knife hopefully you will have more meaningful things and people that give you joy

  1. My knife is useful

This particular knife is a Case brand knife that is maybe 4 ½ inches long open and thin but it is not fragile.  It is strong enough to turn screws.   It can whittle branches to nothing and perform delicate razor operations

2.   A little attention makes it perform better

The second thing I did after I put it my pocket and tapped it a couple of times, was to sharpen it.  If I take care of it, it will cut anything I ask of it.  Just like the people around you.   Don’t take anyone or anything for lightly.

3    Joy is small enough to hide in plain sight

Many things that give us joy are right in plain sight.  This knife was tucked away in a drawer that I use daily and when I have it I throw it in my pocket where it stays until I need it.  Moments are precious – look around and be thankful.

 

The Bible quote that completes this thought is:

Philippians 4:6 (KJV)

Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

 

God is interested in your well-being and your joy.  Look for the people and things that promote the warm feeling of joy and ask God to increase your awareness of them.

 

What gives you joy?

Posted on

Letter #2 to Hurricane Sandy Victims

by

 

 

This is the second letter that I would write if I had a friend that was victim to the tragedy of this great Storm Sandy.  It can serve as a letter to anyone that has been through a life altering experience.

Hello,

I was going to wait a week to send you another letter but I realized that the weekend was coming and you probably have a million thoughts running through your head.  Cast down all of your negative thoughts and replace them with thoughts of gratitude.

Help is coming, just not the way you think.  You may be out of luck, but you have plenty of favor, grace and blessings.  If you are reading this letter you have more physical and mental blessings than you can count.  I know it seems like you have been fighting a long time to keep it together, but that is just the fatigue and shock of going through this change.  You must continue to take a long term view to keep your mind right.

I know you have a lot of personal pride but please except help and assistance where it can be found.  Now that I have said that, get out and handle all of your business.  Do not be deterred from putting your life back together.  You will recover in the process of rebuilding.  You cannot wait to recover and then rebuild.  Move forward with tears in your eyes and the love of God in your heart.

A final note: If you feel like you are not strong enough to stay and fight then make your mind up to move on.  There is no shame in shifting your efforts elsewhere.  This will cause immediate intense heartache but will give you relief quicker than fighting through this trouble.  Ride with peace and your decisions will be easy.

 

Praying for you,

William J. Spencer, IV

Posted on

15 years of Marriage teaches Paitent Leadership

by

http://www.flickr.com/photos/juan-antonio-capo/

On my 15th wedding anniversary I thought about, what have I learned. It is shared here with you to enjoy. May God bless you and all the marriages around the world. I am grateful that my wife taught me and I thank God for the ability to listen and hear the wisdom of Patience.

1. You can’t do it alone
In marriage you quickly realize that anything you can do by yourself is better when done together. Leadership is the similar because marriage is
an agreement between two people to love, honor and respect

2. Communication is essential
Leaders have to communicate early and often. In marriage you have to communicate even earlier and more often

3. Listening is essential
The old saying, “you have two ears and one mouth” should be the clue. Like in marriage, leaders should close their mouths and open their hearts
so that peace and progress can prevail

4. Breaks are necessary
Leading a volunteer organization caused me to realize that taking a break from the familiar routine refreshed all aspects of the team. If
something is not as smooth as you would hope take a pause for the cause and decide what is the most positive direction for everyone involved.

5. Detailed plans reduce friction
“Write your vision and make it plain”, this Bible verse holds true in marriage and leadership. Do not be afraid to write your goals on
small issues as well as the large ones. This will cause you less time in the explanation phase

6. Assumptions cause friction
Do not assume you know what the other person is thinking or how the other person will react. I am still learning how to implement this is
everyday partial applications. Sometimes disagreements are only in the mind and not necessarily the reality. Prior actions are not always an
indication of future results.

7. It is only as good as you think it can be
This is the mind over matter/situation trick. You are what you think you are. You have what you think you have. Patient Leaders say what they
want to see. Any complaints will manifest as actions. Dominate your thoughts, Dominate you actions, Dominate your World(tm)

8. Apologize with sincerity and forget about it
Some people resent a sincere apology because they wish to have their moment of anger but the majority of the world appreciates this rare gift. I
you are wrong just say you are wrong, now everyone is free to move forward. If you forget about it truly than now there is room for love to
abound.

9. Take it serious
Life is serious and so is marriage but moments are precious. So enjoy the journey. Enjoy the small things and expect the big things.

10. Dont take it so serious
Patient Leaders fully grasp situations yet they still direct attention to the lighter side of life. Look for every opportunity to laugh.
Learn as many jokes as possible. Let the smile of others be your reward.

Posted on

EvangeliCrat: Evangelical and Socially Responsible

by

EvangliCrat(tm) is an Evangelical Christian who first believes the Bible and trust in the Holy Trinity. An EvangliCrat is socially responsible and in tune with the needs of God’s people. These ideologies promote unity by following the teachings of the Bible. There is a new Commandment:

John 13:34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

It is possible to support all the tenets of the Bible and still protect the rights of those with different beliefs. It is possible to love your neighbor and disapprove of their actions. It is possible to rely on the Father to supply your needs and then support those in need by feeding, housing and clothing them. Here are two scriptures that speak to that:

1. Deuteronomy 8:18 But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.

2. Matthew 25:35-36 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me

This is a free country founded on equality for all, let’s live that way. A political system that celebrates only two options does not speak to freedom. There is an opportunity to make another voice heard. A voice that is meek but powerful. Evangelical Christian values are not exclusively for the Republican Party and Socially Responsibly citizens are not exclusively for Democratic Party. There is a voice that must stand up for justice by following moral principles that are founded in truth, protect Civil Rights without compromising principles and thinking with a socially conscious collectiveness that promotes achievement.

Join the movement that will shift our country back to the people.

Posted on

Health care show me your new face

by

The New face of health care was not considered when the county commissioners of Jefferson County Alabama decided to close inpatient care at the Cooper Green Mercy Hospital, which cares for poor and more importantly the majority of people with no insurance. The claim was that our county could not afford “Indigent Care”. The indigent population is only a portion of the people served by this hospital.

The new face of health care is the man who worked for a religious organization and terminated for no fault of his own. When he showed me his glasses and then said “thank you” to Cooper Green.

The new face of healthcare is the thriving business owner that keeps the employees at their current pay but cannot afford insurance. These employees if they need care will be burdened with a bill or go without care.

All of the under employed retail workers that serve you anything at bargain price, have insurance at minimal levels. They can be called the “working poor”.

To this day I like applesauce with raisins on top because they were given to me at a free day care, while my mother was receiving prenatal health care at Grady Hospital in Georgia. Thank God for those people seeing our faces at that time.

Feed the people who need the help.

All of these people are standing beside you, worshipping beside you and some share a common family tree with you. This decision is not only hurts the person under the bridge it hurts the person in the mirror.

For all the rhetoric and mismanaged funds in our county the focus has again turned away from the people and is now back in a familiar place. Politicians fighting with politicians to keep jobs for executives that will land them on their feet and the constituents out of the door. The commissioners continue to say that there are other good hospitals in the area… This is true the Birmingham Metro has a lot of stellar hospitals that run on payments from the insurance companies. These are stories of communities nationwide. This one is happening in my community, so I will not sleep anymore.

Wake up if you care and wake up if you have been thrown into the pile. IF you care about people then sitting still and keeping quiet is not an option.

Rise up if you are the new face of Health care.

Posted on

How does your perfect house look?

by


Psalm 101

After reading this Psalm I had a few questions.

Who were these wicked?
Who are the faithful of the land?
What if you are the city and the evil doers are the spirits you allow to dwell inside of you?
Can you root them out?
You read it and see what you believe God is saying through David.

King James Version (KJV) A psalm of David

1 will sing of mercy and judgment: unto thee, O Lord, will I sing.
2 I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way. O when wilt thou come unto me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart.
3 I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me.
4 A froward heart shall depart from me: I will not know a wicked person.
5 Whoso privily slandereth his neighbour, him will I cut off: him that hath an high look and a proud heart will not I suffer.
6 Mine eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me: he that walketh in a perfect way, he shall serve me.
7 He that worketh deceit shall not dwell within my house: he that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight.
8 I will early destroy all the wicked of the land; that I may cut off all wicked doers from the city of the Lord.

David seems to have an ability to see himself and all of the forces that come against him. He even has a solution to combat the eveil within and the external evil. So keep your eyes away from wicked things, keep your eyes on the faithful of the land and destroy all of your thoughts early in the process.

What things are you doing to create a perfect way?