tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2037699572112613492024-02-08T06:28:54.011-08:00Mr. Jōb - Fired From His Job!Gramps Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08460487253055175359noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-203769957211261349.post-8566058808777360692011-09-09T21:54:00.000-07:002011-09-09T22:07:03.822-07:00Notice These Posts Have Been Reordered<div class="post-header">
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Please note the posts in this blog have been reordered to a top-down
order and grouped all within one month for your convenience. The posts
give a better read when the #1 etc. sequence is followed.</span><br />
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These posts are only suggestions you may use at your own discretion.</span><br />
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The guarantee you'll want to hold tight to is quoted here from Psalm 126:6</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><i>He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall
doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.<br />
</i></b><br />
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My own mission is in the "Grandfather's Psalm" 71:18:</span><br />
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</span><b><i style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> </i></b><br />
<b><i style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Now also when I am old and grayheaded, O God, forsake me not;
until I have shewed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to
every one that is to come.</i></b>Gramps Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08460487253055175359noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-203769957211261349.post-40668895305197470832011-09-09T05:46:00.001-07:002011-09-09T05:49:44.060-07:00#1 - Me Too! But Why?<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0in;">
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<span style="font-size: small;">Twenty-two
years, to the day, ended my employment with an 'invitation' to join
about eighty of my fellow workers to load onto a bus for a special
meeting at a vacant movie theater about two blocks from our company.
Someone passed me on in the hallway and mumbled, “Don't get on the
bus.” Upon entering the lobby of the theater, we were required to
hand over our company security badges and all would be explained in
the auditorium. </span>
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<span style="font-size: small;">As
you've guessed, we were terminated, because of downsizing. Many of
the terminated employees were encouraged to 'visit' a special
temporary employment service that would hire them right back into
doing exactly the same job they had been doing, but with decreased
pay and almost no benefits. The $1,400. outplacement training I was
granted, did little to bolster my self-esteem and help explain to my
family how I was going to begin pounding the streets for work, at
fifty-three years old.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">My
skills and experience put me as an electronic technician and
corporate computer programmer, but I might as well have been a
janitor. I am now seventy-one years old and still get a bad taste in
my mouth about that day.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-size: small;">I
have only Heaven to thank for the experience moving me to a closer
daily walk with the Savior and deep tears on the pages of scripture
promises.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">I
recently read some on-line extended comments of some present day job
searchers and all the work they've been going through to dot all
their “i”s and cross all their “t’s”.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">While
some people view their own experiences and condition as evidence that
God is sadistic is just the opposite of His character. Sadistic
people enjoy causing pain and extreme cruelty to others. This is not
in God's character nor does He allow it in His children.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">God
has no pleasure in seeing the man on the street corner with a sign in
his arms asking for work, even just food money. We want to delve into
how this truly loving God can allow such circumstances and His
purpose, as best as we can determine.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">A
proper first step is to be settled in our own mind and heart that God
has a great deal of good planned on our future steps and that we must
look to Him with all our questions bathed in trust. But accusations
toward Heaven will sink our ship even on a calm and sunny day.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">...</span>
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Gramps Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08460487253055175359noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-203769957211261349.post-78009786891193655642011-09-08T10:54:00.000-07:002011-09-10T10:58:40.708-07:00#2 – When Doing It Right is Not Enough<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;">What was my boss thinking, when he/she let me go. I was doing so much extra to help my company. There were even those days I put in extra hours and didn't put it on my time card. What does my boss expect – BLOOD? </span></div>
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In my daily Bible reading (actually FEEDING), I've just finished the book of JOB (pronounced, “Jōb”). So many verses sounded like blood was just what Job's boss (God in Heaven) was expecting. The very first verse of the book rushes right into describing Job's exceptional actions in the sight of Heaven. </span></div>
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I'm a little too quick sometimes, to describe all my 'goodness' to a supervisor in trying to make my employment a little more stable in troublesome times. With these descriptions on the tip of my tongue, it makes it all the more confusing, why my job was terminated and another person (with not as much bragging rights as me) is kept on... maybe even taking my place. No doubt, I could flash our competing employment abilities on a monster scoreboard faster than updated game totals appear on a major league computerized scoreboard. But it'd still make no difference, in the decision to send me out the door. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">A little later we'll take a closer look at Job, his 'friends', and a few other people – that even had 'killer' bosses. The odd question comes to mind, “Would I rather have a 'killer' boss, or none at all?” Maybe we'll tackle that one a little later also. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">As with other troubling thoughts I've dealt with in the past, I have two directions I can travel in. Both are represented in front of me. One is the quad-core screamer computer with BILLIONS of websites just on the other side of my keyboard. But I see over and over the dead ends (and fatalities too) of unemployed people that have begged technology to show them the way to peace, purpose, and provision. Any 10-year old can see that's no real answer. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Now with digital phones, computers, and other technology around me, my eyes fall on the only other direction for me to travel. It's a 'how-to' manual with ragged pages, and a loose flaking cover. The pages are yellow, and most are marked by my pen and my tears of so many storms weathered amid rocky shores of deception. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">As we are dealing with jobs; work, a pair of words in my Heaven-blessed 'how-to' manual come to mind. The words, very simply, are - “good works”. Hmmmmmm. This sounds like a lead well worth looking into. It is... far more than our minds can fully savor. The words are part of the description of that 'how-to' manual; yours and my Bible. 2nd Timothy 3:16 and 17 give a beautiful explanation of our Bible with the cap; the frosting; of it's whole purpose that ends with “all good works.” </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">The exciting part about this 'how-to' manual is that it comes with a resident teacher. When God gave us the inspired words of the Bible, He also promised, to those who've truly trusted in His salvation, the Holy Spirit, to help us understand and apply its promises. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">In our following posts, we'll be looking at some of those promises and how they apply to us, in the circumstances we are now in. Stay tuned.
</span></div>
Gramps Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08460487253055175359noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-203769957211261349.post-32795334758013955462011-09-07T22:01:00.000-07:002011-09-10T22:04:09.509-07:00#3 – Boy! I Wish I Was Boss!<br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">“</span><span style="font-size: small;">Boy!
I wish I was boss!” I can't begin to count the number of times
I've said that, while growing up. As clear as a photograph, I could
picture myself sitting at the big desk in the highest office, with a
staff of people all ready to leap into action at my every command,
now matter how big or small. Everyone would warmly greet me and show
a quiet reverence as I passed or shared my thoughts. My decisions
were never questioned or doubted. It would be employment suicide for
anyone to look me straight in the eye and ask, “But what if...?”</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
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<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Now
you and I know that circumstances are like that only in the movies
and liberal imaginations. It is most enlightening to look into
factual history books and see just what leadership turns out to be,
in real life.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-size: small;">A
famous man, once upon a time, was the 2<sup>nd</sup> most powerful
man on the planet. Now how he got there is really important to those
of us who'd like to be the boss... on most any level. Somehow I think
a boss doesn't have to look unemployment in the face like you and I
do. But that's that liberal imagination talking again.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
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<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">The
way the history books put it, this powerful leader got his start at
the bottom of a well, and narrowly escaped assassination in the
process. Some other troubling factors in this deep well experience
made the episode even more confusing. First, this world leader had
already been promised by God that he; Joseph, would someday rule with
such power. The second troubling factor, was that his jealous
brothers; his own family, were the ones that threw him down there,
lied to their father about him, sold him to slave traders, and were
initially planning on killing Joseph.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-size: small;">If
you were to someday become boss, remember there will be jealousy all
around you; likely even at home. </span>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Joseph's
First Boss Job</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">God
guided Joseph as Potiphar (the Egyptian jailer) made Joseph boss of
everything of his house, without question. But Joseph's boss,
Potiphar had a wife that DAILY tried to seduce Joseph and finally
accused Joseph of rape. I wonder if Joseph ever thought he was now
better off that when he was in the well. Things were about to get
rotten as Joseph was thrown in prison. You might ask why this happens
when Joseph was doing everything right. Have you ever asked God WHY?
(It's not a good thing to do.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Joseph's
Second Boss Job</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">With
God's leading, now Joseph becomes the unquestioned boss of the
prison. I doubt that Joseph could see any promotions from prison
leadership to Pharoah's second in command. But of course, God did.
That's what God does best; loving and leading.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Joseph's
Third Boss Job</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">One
of the skills Joseph had, was telling the meanings of dreams. That
started when he angered his brothers with God's prophecies to him. He
got his 2<sup>nd</sup> in worldwide command job by explaining the
meaning of Pharoah's dream, which was how to save the whole world
from starvation. One rich aspect of this supreme boss position gave
Joseph the power over life and death of his brothers who had planned
to murder him, but only threw him down a well and sold him into
slavery. </span>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-size: small;">How
did Joseph react to his brothers? Genesis 45 and verse 15 says that
Joseph kissed all his brothers and wept on them. Surely forgiveness
filled the room. That's how God's history book, our Bible states the
rise to boss position by Joseph. Think again about wanting to be the
boss. Maybe we should be willing to do God's will right where we're
at, even if we are currently unemployed. God knows exactly what He's
doing, and He's right on schedule. HIS SCHEDULE!</span></div>
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Gramps Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08460487253055175359noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-203769957211261349.post-26476495929333413292011-09-06T19:22:00.000-07:002011-09-11T19:24:31.048-07:00#4 - The Strangest Job Description<br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Job
descriptions are often quite different than what was posted at job
openings. Some of mine became completely different than the one I
signed on for. As good jobs are becoming more and more scarce, the
job descriptions are going to become even more skewed from fact.
That's not something surprising, in the least. To put this all in a
little more 'real world' context, let's consider the job description
(as posted) of a very famous, very real employee we read of his job
history. It's really enough to take a closer look at the ones you and
I have seen.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">The
job posting went something like this. “Immediate position open;
solo harpist; to be on call 24/7 for palace duty to entertain King
Saul, exclusively. Must be highly qualified in the style of music
that cheers up a woeful spirit. No sick leave, or vacation leave
provided. Slouches need not apply.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Jesse's
son David, was 'hired' and excelled. His other skills included being
valiant in battle and soon was promoted to include the King's
armorbearer. David also volunteered for a little side job that we
most often remember David for. He's very good at killing giants.
Especially one that was called GOLIATH. The fanfare and notoriety was
incredible. You'd think David would get the king's highest awards and
a permanent place of favor on the 'King's Special People List'.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">What
history tells us (in God's Word) is that David gained another enemy.
It was his boss the king. I've never had a boss that was daily
focused on killing me, or even harming me, that I know of. Get a
picture of this. David is playing his best harp music to cheer up the
man before him. How do you cheer up a man looking into your eyes,
with murder (of you) in his heart? David's job description certainly
didn't even hint of the boss setting out to murder one of his
employees (David).</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">You
and I can't even imagine those work day stresses put upon David...
just doing what he was told. David is faced with daily murder
attempts on his life at work. When he leads the army in the field,
he's faced with legions of enemies wanting to murder him. But it gets
even worse. As the history of David's life unfolds, his own son,
Absalom tries repeatedly to murder David, his own dad.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Would
you call this a dysfunctional family? Whew!</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">A
terribly wrong decision that happened earlier, involved David NOT
being on the job where he was supposed to be. Our employee history
book, our Bible, begins 1<sup>st</sup> Chronicles 20 stating that
King David wasn't where he was supposed to be. “...at the time when
kings go forth to battle...” tells us where David should have been.
The latter part of the same verse says that David tarried at
Jerusalem. What ensued was an affair that resulted in the death of an
innocent baby. </span>
</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">The
point here, is that whatever your employment status or rank is, be
faithful to God, and the one who hired you (in that order) and stay
faithfully on the job... more lives are at stake than you might
imagine.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
Gramps Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08460487253055175359noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-203769957211261349.post-47845317965201372742011-09-05T21:53:00.000-07:002011-09-11T21:54:22.894-07:00#5 - And You've Got It Rough?...<br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">If
I had a nickel for every time I thought everyone had it easier than
me... well... I could've retired much sooner and with more goodies.
We'll return again to a trusted history book with the strangest
circumstances of employees that could even be dreamed up.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">This
Bible-time soldier was putting his life and his heart on the line
every day, following his field maneuvers leader, Joab. But little did
he know that, at the same time, his wife at home was forced into an
affair that made his otherwise very faithful wife, very pregnant.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">This
soldier, Uriah, was given orders by his commander-in-chief (King
David) to return home immediately. The pregnancy coverup was hatched
by the king trying to get Uriah drunk, and spend bedroom time with
his wife, Bathsheba, thereby covering up the illicit actions by the
king. It didn't work. Uriah was both faithful to his wife and loyal
to his fellow warriors, by sleeping on the palace front steps.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">What
terrible circumstances for a faithful, loyal soldier, to be sure. But
it gets incredibly worse for this employee; this soldier in his
nation's military. Uriah is ordered back to immediate front-line
duty, and is to deliver a sealed letter to General Joab. Uriah has no
idea he is delivering his own death warrant to Joab, as depicted in
2<sup>nd</sup> Samuel 11 verse 15.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">It's
important that you read the historic details in all its context and
sense much of the ugliness of the consequences of sin and how it
festers like any cancer.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Chapters
11 and 12 provide the facts to Uriah's murder, and the death of the
newborn baby, he never saw. </span>
</div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">The
point to understand, is that faithfulness, loyalty, even
disobedience, are not comparative judgments. We are each,
individually held accountable by God for His provisions, leadership,
and our moment by moment trusting in Him, and Him alone. </span>
</div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">The
two words, VOCATION and AVOCATION are important here. Vocation is
his/her primary job; the one given most attention and energy to. A
person's avocation is his secondary job, which should never
jeopardize his vocation. Every Christian's vocation is to seek and
follow God's Will. So then all other employment, reporting to or
responsible for individuals is their avocation. </span>
</div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">In
light of the preceding descriptions, under Heaven, are you ever
primarily 'unemployed'?</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
Gramps Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08460487253055175359noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-203769957211261349.post-17889393222468869692011-09-04T07:31:00.000-07:002011-09-13T04:35:09.726-07:00#6 - W.W.W. Can Spell Real Trouble<br />
<h2 class="western" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-weight: normal; page-break-before: always;">
<span style="font-size: small;">It's
tough even for history scientists to try to fill in a list of all the
innovations of libraries between man's knowledge first being written
on walls of caves and today's on-line libraries with mind-blowing
search engines. We are stampeding toward 'living' on-line, as we
work, learn, entertain, and communicate so many hours every day.</span></h2>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span></span>
<br />
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">As
an author and teacher, I use the Internet most every day. But I have
to continually remember that going on-line is somewhat like walking
through a jungle, known for its vicious hungry predators. </span>
</div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">A
strong caution is appropriate here, spoken in 1<sup>st</sup> Peter
5:8: </span>
</div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
</div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">“</span><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Be
sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring
lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:”</i></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
</div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">The
world wide web gives us stupendous amounts of resources. But we must
remember, ESPECIALLY AS PARENTS AND TEACHERS, it TAKES from us, far
more than it gives; namely, our privacy and our identity. This
happens to us on a personal level, but also on a national level.
We'll not take time here to detail these intrusions on us. The WWW
news daily tells us of greater advances by evil people. </span>
</div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
</div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">What
we want to focus on, is the 'advice' we get from the web. Webpages
are decorated and worded to make us believe what we read on them, is
the 'gospel truth' (as grandma would say). The 'news' we read and
hear on-line, is put there by employees that are competing to keep
their jobs and profits for their company. And if their words happen
to align with the real truth, well, it was just coincidence.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
</div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">My
daily Bible reading (actually, FEEDING) has me just finished reading
the Old Testament book of Job. (rhymes with “robe”) There are
many aspects to his life story, but we want to touch on just a
couple. I think of Job as being an employee of sorts. He had many
responsibilities that are detailed in the first few verses of the
book. He was a leader that many looked to, for decisions and
provisions. But in a sense, God allowed Satan to 'fire'; to demote
him, to a very sick man sitting daily in an ash heap of despair. </span>
</div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
</div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>The
First “W” of WWW</b></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
</div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">I
see the ongoing question from Job, that sounds like, “Why God are
you doing this to me, I'm a righteous man?” Using the WHY word
toward God and His plan, is a step toward trouble. The WHY word,
seems to me, to always lead to the WHAT IF questioning of God's full
knowledge of what's best for us. This line of questioning was first
and foremost used in the Garden of Eden; in the ears of Eve. The
subtle serpent taught Eve to question, God's clear directives.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
</div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>The
Third “W” of WWW</b></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
</div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">The
third W of WWW leads us to be really cautious WHO we get our advice
from. Eve was getting her's from the subtle serpent, Satan. </span>
</div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
</div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">As
Job asked God why all these things were happening to him, Satan had
placed plenty of evil reasons and suggestions, beginning with Job's
wife telling her husband to curse God and die. (Job 2:9b) That was
just the start of all the evil advice Job's 'friends' were
continuously giving him. When we begin questioning God's plan for our
lives, the path of our future is flooded with pain, inside and out.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">That
path of questioning God, lays a foundation within us that undermines
our assurances that God is omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent.
(all knowing, all powerful, and everywhere present) In a word,
CONTROL. Questioning God WHY plants seeds of doubt that He alone has
control. </span>
</div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
</div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">What
is REQUIRED, whether we are employed, unemployed, or retired, is to
remind ourselves that God is in control and He loves us more than our
language can describe. We must immerse ourselves in black and white
proof each day, by reading Heaven's history book, our Bible, to see
examples of man following God's advice or trusting his own advice.
It's your choice, as you start each and every day God gives you
breath.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
Gramps Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08460487253055175359noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-203769957211261349.post-8386395955121121672011-09-03T10:17:00.000-07:002011-09-14T10:19:29.891-07:00#7 - Inside Work<br />
<h2 class="western" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-weight: normal; page-break-before: always;">
<span style="font-size: small;">“</span><span style="font-size: small;">Read
the verse backwards to get the good stuff out,” I've told many
others. The verse is one of those diamonds in scripture that you want
to be very careful you don't skip over; especially in these stressful
days when employment is not all that available. The verse has an
incredibly powerful work principle in it that you'll want to share
with others.</span></h2>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Ephesians
3:20 says, “<i>Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly
above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh
in us,</i>”. The verse is referring to God's power working inside
us, in the person of the Holy Spirit. We'll save the 'diamond' for
last.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
</div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">The
part that we can savor, sort-of reading backwards, is the description
of the Holy Spirit's abilities as He empowers our trusting obedience
to God's will for us each day. </span>
</div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
</div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Begin
with “<b>He is able to do all that we ask or think</b>.” Take
time and dwell just on that much alone. With our employment searches
and trials, isn't it a REAL comfort to know that God has the ability
and is at work inside us – but we have to be very careful that our
actions and attitudes give Him free rein. We have to get our
stiff-necked selves out of His way.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Now
take it up a notch by adding the previous word ABOVE to the above
phrase. It then becomes, “<b>He is able to do ABOVE all that we ask
or think</b>.” Now don't get in a big hurry. Try to visualize that
word ABOVE; it's like 'more than' that only Heaven can make happen.
But this all gets even better.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
</div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">When
we add the word ABUNDANTLY in front of above, we see that God does
things in our lives, for our own good, that is not just better...
that we think He can. No, God has big pockets and a big big heart of
love for you and me. All of what we see all around us, God made for
us. He made it all for us to learn how to be good stewards of His
good gifts, and teach others how to do the same.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
</div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">But
the diamond in this verse is seen as we add the word EXCEEDING in
front of the word abundantly. Exceeding is required, because our
language doesn't have a word more powerful than 'abundantly' that
even approaches the true description of God's power working within
us. The two words, EXCEEDING ABUNDANTLY form a 'doubly compounded
word meaning super-superabundantly'. </span>
</div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
</div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">It's
like you and I have Heaven-sent rocket power within us...
super-superabundantly. The key to remember about this power working
inside us, is that we can very easily follow Satan's advice and
squelch; turn off, this power. Not only can we turn off this power
working within us, but we can also present a defeated testimony to
others around us; many that are watching us, that we don't even
realize.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
</div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">As
we labor over updating our resumes, fine-tune our attitudes for
interviews, or just maintain a frustrating attitude at the work we
are now doing, realize the real work to be done is to be done INSIDE
us as we invite and praise God – The Holy Spirit to do His
super-superabundantly work inside us. This doesn't mean we sit and
sulk, but we need to be busy about doing our work and let God do His
work (in and around us.)</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
</div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">This
all becomes even more effective as we seek out work and stewardship
principles in scripture. Share your diamonds with others. There are
more than enough to go around. Job lost what we may think of, as his
day job of leading and caring for others. But he still had his main
job; his vocation of teaching others how to stay faithful in the
roughest circumstances. He had the big job of teaching Satan, and
other people, by his testimony. What is your testimony teaching
others?</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
Gramps Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08460487253055175359noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-203769957211261349.post-18690287734442893492011-09-01T17:54:00.000-07:002011-09-16T17:55:13.392-07:00A Really Great Next Step - Workshop<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Check out our Job Search Workshop at:</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://wsprog.com/1g.htm"><b>wsprog.com/1g.htm</b></a></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
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<br />
<br />Gramps Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08460487253055175359noreply@blogger.com