Sermon Tone Analysis

! A Timeless Recipe For A Happy Holiday

 

/Happiness in this world, when it comes, comes incidentally.

Make it the object of pursuit, and it leads to a wild-goose chase, and is never attained.

Follow some other object, and very possibly we may find that we have caught happiness without dreaming of it./

/ /

/Nathaniel Hawthorne/

 

 

                   My Prayer

             

Lord help me to relax about insignificant details beginning tomorrow at 7:41:23 am PST

 

God help me to consider people's feelings, even if most of them ARE hypersensitive.

God help me to take responsibility for my own actions, even though they're usually NOT my fault.

God, help me to not try to RUN everything.

But, if You need some help, please feel free to ASK me!

 

Lord, help me to be more laid back, and help me to do it EXACTLY right.

God help me to take things more seriously, especially laughter, parties, and dancing.

God give me patience, and I mean right NOW!

 

Lord help me not be a perfectionist.

(Did I spell that correctly?)

God, help me to finish everything I sta

 

God, help me to keep my mind on one th -- Look, a bird -- ing at a time.

God help me to do only what I can, and trust you for the rest.

And would you mind putting that in writing?

Lord keep me open to others' ideas, WRONG though they may be.

Lord help me be less independent, but let me do it my way.

Lord help me follow established procedures today.

On second thought, I'll settle for a few minutes.

Lord, help me slow down andnotrushthroughwhatIdo.

 

Amen.

The Lord desired that His people take Him seriously but that they not take themselves too seriously.

He wants them to wipe off their grim looks, put smiles on their faces, and let laughter flow from their lips.

In light of this counsel, many of us would do well to ponder these comments from the pen of Helmut Thielicke:

 

Should we not see that lines of laughter about the eyes are just as much marks of faith as are the line of care and seriousness?

Is it only earnestness that is baptized?

Is laughter pagan?

We have already allowed too much that is good to be lost to the church and cast many pearls before swine.

A church is in a bad way when it banishes laughter from the sanctuary and leaves it to the cabaret, the nightclub and the toastmasters.

See:  Neh 8:10; Psa 16:11; Psa 30:11; Gal 5:22; Phil 3:1

 

Years ago, Dr. Karl Menninger of the Menninger Clinic was asked, "If someone felt a nervous breakdown coming on, what would you suggest that he do?"

   "If you feel a nervous breakdown coming on, I would urge you to find somebody else with a problem -- a serious one -- and get involved with that individual, helping him solve his problem."

In helping him to solve his problem, then in reality your own problem is going to disappear.

You're no longer thinking internally.

You're no longer letting things gnaw at your stomach.

You're no longer getting disturbed about yourself because you're not thinking about yourself.

You're thinking about others.

I don't know what your objective in life might be, but there is something each one of us can do.

See:  1 Cor 10:24; Phil 2:3-4; 1 Pet 4:10

 

What is the meaning of life?

Is it how long we live, how famous we become, or how rich we are at retirement?  Jesus says that the measure of life is in our service, the good we do for others.

Out of this spirit has come every Christian college and school, orphanage and beneficial work in the world.

George W. Truitt, the great Baptist preacher, said, "It is not the talents one has that makes him great, however many and brilliant they may be; it is not the vast amount of study that gives mental enrichment to the mind and life; it is not in shining social qualities; it is not the large accumulation of wealth that secures peace and honor.

In none of these measured by God's standards does greatness reside.

The true greatness consists in the use of all the talents one has in unselfish ministry to others."

See:  Rom 12:10-18; Phil 2:28-30

 

 

If you have any: 

 

Contrary to popular opinion, everyone has some quality, ability, talent, passion which activated, would make the world a better place to live.

What you have to offer others at this time of year will bring you and the person that you bless more happiness than you will ever find by pursuing “happiness” as an end in itself.

Sometimes the things that are the simplest make the greatest contribution to others.

The following is a list of simple things that are not found in abundance in our world today.

Many times people do not ask for the thing that they really want just because they do not know themselves.

n       Encouragement One of the highest of human duties is the duty of encouragement.

It is easy to pour cold water on their enthusiasm; it is easy to discourage others.

The world is full of discouragers.

We have a Christian duty to encourage one another.

Many a time a word of praise or thanks or appreciation or cheer has kept a man on his feet.

Barclay's Commentary, Hebrews

 

Mr.

Charles Schwab was one of the first men ever to earn a million dollars a year.

Why did Andrew Carnegie pay Schwab more than $3,000 a day?

Because he knew more about the manufacture of steel than other people?

No.

Schwab said that he had many men working for him whose technical knowledge surpassed his.

Schwab was paid such a handsome amount largely because of his ability to deal with people.

Here is the secret set down in his own words:

"I consider my ability to arouse enthusiasm among the men the greatest asset I possess, and the way to develop the best that is in a man is by appreciation and encouragement.

There is nothing else that so kills the ambitions of man as criticisms from his superiors.

I never criticize anyone.

I believe in giving a man incentive to work.

So I am anxious to praise but loath to find fault.

If I like anything, I am hearty in my approbation and lavish in my praise."

See:  Matt 7:12; 1 Thess 5:11

 

 

ENCOURAGEMENT

 

Over the years I've collected good advice from others about encouragement.

I see it as essential in leading a compassionate life.

Here are a few tips:

 

Encouragers are compassionate, unselfish, and loving people.

Encouragers seek out opportunities to help and drop everything for those in need.

Encouragers count their blessings and help others' inventory.

Encouragers pray for others, and with others.

Encouragers find the good in others, and they nurture it.

No cynics allowed.

Encouragers forgive and forget, and they listen and observe.

Encouragers make lists of people to thank and do so often.

Encouragers take advantage of what they have and erase thoughts of what might have been.

Encouragers can always be counted on.

Richard G. Capen, Jr.   From His Book "Finish Strong"

 

 

q       Comfort    Joe Bayly in his book, View From A Hearse says that one of the best contributions we can make to a person going through intense suffering and loss is our presence without words, not even verses of Scripture dumped into the ears of the grieving.

He said:  Don't try to "prove" anything to a survivor.

An arm about the shoulder, a firm grip of the hand, a kiss:  these are the proofs grief needs, not logical reasoning.

I was sitting, torn by grief.

Someone came and talked to me of God's dealings, of why it happened, of hope beyond the grave.

He talked constantly, he said things I knew were true.

I was unmoved, except to wish he'd go away.