To accomplish our goals for 2015. . .an average effort is not enough.  An average commitment is not enough.  Average desire is not enough.

A.W. Tozier, the noted theologian, wrote:

“Refuse to be average. Let your heart soar as high as it will.”

Being average is a settled for. . .kind of life.

The average person settles for whatever comes their way. . .by resigning themselves to exist as they are…by refusing to make the effort to move beyond and out of their comfort zone. . .into the kind of life God desires for them.

10.  View every person you meet today as a divine connection or someone to pray for…either way…you win.

  9.  My prayer this morning is for you to attract into your life people with a goal, a dream, a vision and an attitude for success.

  8.  Our birth is the evidence that God has plans for our lives.  Jeremiah 29:11

  7.  It’s time to stop letting other people use your head as a septic tank for trash talk and toxic thoughts. Philippians 4:8

  6.  If you continually overlook the problems you’re facing…you’ll never overcome them.

Here are the Top 5 Rich Thoughts Nuggets of the week.

  5.  Confess this:  “I can do more than I think I can because I have the mind of Christ functioning fully and freely within me.”

  4.  Think of one thing you can do TODAY to improve the quality of your TOMORROW…then do it.           

  3.  If you have a pulse…you have a purpose…find it…live it.

  2.  If you don’t act on a God idea…you will never experience what might have been.

 # 1 Rich Thoughts Nugget you selected is:

  1.  The best way to jump start 2015 is by praising God for what He did in 2014.  Write down how He blessed you and PRAISE HIM for it.

I got excited thinking about how our first SUNDAY NITE LIVE of the year should be a positive, uplifting and motivating message.

So you can imagine our surprise when we were led to teach the seven things not to do in 2015.

Please understand this is not a negative teaching but rather one that’s instructive providing a clear direction on what the Word says we should and shouldn’t be doing in the New Year. . .or, for that matter. . .any other year.

1.         Bad attitude

"I sent in my prayer request and was specific.  I believed God would stop the wage garnishment for my student loan as I had applied for consolidation.  The company I was making payments to submitted for wage garnishment despite my informing them of consolidation being accepted and payments scheduled to begin early 2015.

"The company had taken 3 payments from my check already.  New Year's Eve I received a letter from my HR department simply stating "we received documentation regarding student loan and garnishment" and to call them.

“Set up the Tabernacle on the first day of the new year for you.”
Exodus 40:2 (NLT; personalized)
 
In a very special moment. . .God directed my fine wife Bev and I to establish a tabernacle of prayer on New Year’s Day for you and other partners of this ministry.
 
I firmly believe that Exodus 40:2 is meant to open a door of abundance for you in 2015.  That’s why I am sending you this email.  Please let us have your specific prayer requests. (See Philippians 4:6).
 
Even though I may not be with you personally. . .God very clearly and directly told me how I was to build a tabernacle of prayer for you on New Year’s Day.

10.  It’s never too late to turn the dreams of your past into the reality of your future…if you believe and act on them.

  9.  If life is a football game.  God is the team owner.  Jesus is the General Manager.  The Holy Spirit is the coach and the Bible is your playbook.

  8.  If you’re afraid of what’s going to happen…you’re not listening to the One who makes things happen.

  7.  Where you start in life is not of your choosing…but where you finish is.

  6.  What you believe on the inside…will determine what you achieve on the outside.

Here are the Top 5 Rich Thoughts Nuggets of the week.

  5.  A problem is an opportunity to rise above average.

  4.  Today…ask God for His direction on unclaimed wealth, unknown ideas and unused potential.          

  3.  Never be moved by what others think or say…only by what God directs you to accomplish.

  2.  It’s not what you know but what you do with what you know that makes you somebody successful.

 # 1 Rich Thoughts Nugget you selected is:

  1.  A foolish man wastes money…an ordinary man spends money…an intelligent man invests money and a wise Godly man sows money.

Have you ever met someone who was educated beyond their intelligence?  People who think they know more than others. . .or they always have the right answer, no matter what.

I’ve met my share of Christians who feel they’re more spiritually mature. . .advanced beyond ordinary Christians. 

Recently, I had a brief conversation with someone who said. . .”I heard you talking about focus but you need to know that word is not in the King James Bible.

I must admit my first mental response was less than spiritual. . .as I’m not amused by pride and conceit.

I regained my spiritual focus. . .and shared that the word focus is in the Amplified (1);  God’s Word Translation (28); Message Bible (28) and the New Living Translation (4).

Your loving Heavenly Father is ready do a new thing in your life in 2015.

Isaiah 43:19 in the Message Bible says:

“Be alert, be present. I’m about to do something brand-new. It’s bursting out! Don’t you see it? There it is! I’m making a road through the desert, rivers in the badlands.”

That ought to make you shout HALLELUJAH!!

In order for God to do a new thing in our lives. . .we must be willing to let go of the past.

Good morning and welcome to Rich Thoughts for Breakfast on this glorious Christmas Day….December 25, 2014.

I’m joined this morning by my fine wife Bev….of 42 years….9 months….21 days.

Do you know if you’re receiving that gift this Christmas that you hinted about. . .the one gift you’re believing for?  Perhaps, it’s that one gift you bought yourself.

I was going to wait until the end of the call to share what I know is my favorite Christmas gift this year.

No, it’s not an Audi A8 thought that would be a HUGE BLESSING.  It’s not a trip to Bora Bora though I would LOVE that.  It’s not a cruise for our 43^rd wedding anniversary on March 4^th thought that we be FABULOUS.

It’s not even more time with our daughters who live in Los Angeles or our sons our grand sugars who live in Fort Worth. . .though that would be priceless.

Something to think about this Christmas...from someone named Anonymous.

If I decorate my house perfectly with plaid bows, strands of twinkling lights and shiny balls, but do not show love to my family, I'm just another decorator.

If I slave away in the kitchen, baking dozens of Christmas cookies, preparing gourmet meals and arranging a beautifully adorned table at mealtime, but do not show love to my family, I'm just another cook.

If I work at the soup kitchen, carol in the nursing home and give all that I have to charity, but do not show love to my family, it profits me nothing.