Great! Inspiring Quotes and Lessons (click here)
3/29/20265 min read
He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose. - Jim Elliot
Don't shine so that others can see you. Shine so that through you, others can see Him. - C.S. Lewis
Let us not glide through this world and then slip quietly out of it without having blown the trumpet loud and long for our Blessed Redeemer. At the very least, let us see to it that when the Devil gets news of our departure from the battlefield, he throws a thanksgiving party in hell. - CT Studd
Faith does not eliminate questions. But faith knows where to take them. - Elisabeth Elliot
If you have been following me for the past couple months and even if you are new, you probably see that I believe in the purpose of writing. Writing tends to crystalize thoughts. For me, this has been challenging and yet gratifying. I encourage you to engage in the practice of writing to crystalize your thoughts.
This edition of my Blog on Lessons and Learnings is about Faith. Wow!, I could not have imagined a more difficult blog edition for me to crystalize my thoughts. I wanted to write on Faith earlier, but it’s the scariest topic for me to write about, because I am even less qualified than other topics in my earlier Blog Lessons and Learnings. Even so, I will try and I will put myself in an extra vulnerable state.
Also, I was fortunate this week to come across a Podcast from David Novak interviewing Roy Williams – one of the greatest college basketball coaches. In addition, a family member sent me a speech by Lou Holtz – one of the greatest college football coaches. I am not sure if this was divine intervention, but it was coincidental that I feel both the podcast and the speech fit very well into my topic of Faith this week.
So, what is faith? According to some of my searches, faith is generally defined as firm trust, confidence, or allegiance to a person, idea, or, most commonly, God. It involves believing in things not seen or proven, acting as a conviction that guides life, and in religious terms, it is a response to divine revelation. It is an active, ongoing trust rather than a mere feeling.
What is a definition of vulnerability? According to some of my searches, vulnerability is the state of being exposed to physical or emotional harm, or susceptibility to influence, damage, or attack. It represents a weakness or limitation—whether in systems, people, or structures—that increases risk and reduces the capacity to withstand hazards.
I am vulnerable in many areas, but I feel that I am most vulnerable talking about Faith. That said, I also feel that my Faith led me to publish this topic and by coincidence or not, there is a great podcast and video for you to check-out in my website this week.
Today, and in the weeks, months, years, decades and centuries before, we were asking ourselves “what is right and what is wrong?” We thought we were special because many of us were probably saying today, “it’s so difficult to know what is right and what is wrong”. Then, it’s likely my Faith in God and Jesus Christ that lead me back to The Holy Bible. For me, Faith is the confident assurance, trust, and conviction in something – even without tangible proof or sight. Therefore, it’s rather simple for me to consider following the 10 commandments. For me, this is what is Right.
The 10 commandments
The Ten Commandments (Exodus 20, NKJV/NIV):
No other gods: "You shall have no other gods before Me".
No idols: "You shall not make for yourself a carved image...you shall not bow down to them".
Do not misuse God's name: "You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain".
Keep the Sabbath: "Remember the Sabbath (7th) day, to keep it holy".
Honor parents: "Honor your father and your mother".
Do not murder: "You shall not murder".
Do no commit adultry: "You shall not commit adultery".
Do not steal: "You shall not steal".
Do not lie: "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor".
Do not covet: "You shall not covet your neighbor’s house... or anything that is your neighbor’s".
I also captured the 10 commandments via this website and just copied and pasted:
7 Thou shalt have none other gods before me.
8Thou shalt not make thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the waters beneath the earth:
9Thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me,
10And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments.
11Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain: for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
12Keep the sabbath day to sanctify it, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee.
13Six days thou shalt labour, and do all thy work:
14 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thine ox, nor thine ass, nor any of thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates; that thy manservant and thy maidservant may rest as well as thou.
15 And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and that the LORD thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty hand and by a stretched out arm: therefore the LORD thy God commanded thee to keep the sabbath day.
16Honour thy father and thy mother, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee; that thy days may be prolonged, and that it may go well with thee, in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
17Thou shalt not kill.
18Neither shalt thou commit adultery.
19Neither shalt thou steal.
20Neither shalt thou bear false witness against thy neighbour.
21Neither shalt thou desire thy neighbour's wife, neither shalt thou covet thy neighbour's house, his field, or his manservant, or his maidservant, his ox, or his ass, or any thing that is thy neighbour's.
Some, reading my Blog are thinking that most of these commandments are “common sense”. For us, the problem with common sense is that it might not be that common. In addition, when do we find ourselves questioning, what is right and wrong and why? It seems pretty simple when I read the 10 Commandments.
Then, going beyond the 10 commandments, I often ask myself “am I lowering my standards or am I being flexible to accept something or someone who I feel might not be living up to the standards that I have for myself and I feel we should have for everyone?”
Can I change? Should I change? Should I pivot to something different?
Things on my mind:
“If I don’t stand for something, I will fall for anything”
“Little things can make a big difference”
“Is it better to be a little more patient while striving for perfection?”
“What are my non-negotiables?”
“When should I change?”
“When is good enough, good enough?”
If I were being physically tortured. This is scary stuff that I think and pray I will:
Abide by the 10 Commandments
Never denounce Jesus Christ as my savior
Always protect my wife and children
I am not a perfect person, but I can try and get a little better each day and I can expect others to put in the effort to do so too. I believe we should all find those who make us better.
For me, I start with my Faith in Jesus Christ, my family, and then surround myself as best I can with those who make me better. I realize that I become what I think I can become. With hard work and the willingness to learn, I believe you can become what you believe you can become.
This website if for your entertainment purposes only