10.  Never judge a person by the color of their skin or their neck (red).

  9.  Every day, we have the choice of being happy or sad. We must never allow  circumstances to make the choices only we should make.

  8.  Faith is the best antidote to worry. . .fear. . .and doubt.

  7.  When everyone else around you is singing the financial blues…you need to be in the P & P mode: praying and praising.

  6.  Fears flee when confidence in God’s Word shows up.

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

  5. Nothing in your life will change until you change.  Ask God to make you the instrument of change you were created to be.

  4. “We are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us…” Eph 2:10      

  3. Let your every disappointment be the fuel that ignites your future.

  2.  A person with an attitude of gratitude always sees the best and the possibilities for change in every adversity.

 # 1 Rich Thoughts Nugget you selected is:

  1.  Never take a blessing of God. . .no matter how routine. . .for granted.

At 5:38 this past Sunday morning. . .I was pondering a question. . .that demands an answer.

Do we want to succeed enough to plan our action and then act on the plan?

It’s one thing to think about what we want to do. . .and that’s good. . .just not good enough.

It’s another thing to talk/speak/confess what we want to do. . .that’s good. . .just not good enough.

It’s something else to plan what we’re thinking about. . .and that’s good. . .just not good enough.

However, what we’re thinking, speaking and planning will never become a reality until we actually act on what we’ve been thinking, speaking and planning.

Here are seven keys to guarantee your plans will succeed.

Have you ever had someone give up on you?

A teacher who felt that you would never understand Algebra II?

A spouse who felt you’d never get that better job you wanted?

An employer who got frustrated because you didn’t understand the company’s computer program and software applications?

No matter what you’ve done or not done. . .no matter how many times you’ve messed up. . .or how often you’ve lost your way. . .there is one person who will never give up on you. . .your loving Heavenly Father.  Never has. . .never will.

Here are five reasosn God will never give up on you.

10.  Everyone you meet today is dealing with something (real or imagined). Offering them an encouraging word is the GOoD thing to do.

  9.  Troubled...stressed...mad...angry.  Studies show anger kills but laughter heals. Proverbs 17:22

  8.  If anybody ever accuses you of being a dreamer. . .take it as a compliment.

  7.  I'm such a positive person...if I fall into a lake I'll come out checking my pockets for fish.  Expect good things to happen.

  6.  We don’t deserve…what we don’t pursue with a passion.

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

  5. "Two famous rules for beating anxiety:  Rule # 1:  Don't sweat the small stuff.  Rule # 2:  It's all small stuff."  Anonymous

  4. The world says one picture is worth more than a thousand words.  Not true...John 3:16 is worth more than a thousand pictures.

  3. Average should never be acceptable. Just getting by should never be okay and good enough should never be good enough. Do your best.

  2.  The strength of a person’s character and their drive to success is determined by whether or not they can finish what they started.

 # 1 Rich Thoughts Nugget you selected is:

  1.  The ability to forgive an offense is the mark of a winner and a sign of spiritual maturity.

Recently, I was watching one of my favorite John Wayne movies entitled “Big Jake.”  The Duke as he was known was my favorite movie star during my formative years.  He was always the good guy.  The one who stood for what was right. . .regardless of the consequence.

My three favorite John Wayne quotes are:

# 1       “Life is tough, but it's tougher when you're stupid.”

# 2       “Courage is being scared to death…but saddling up anyway.”

# 3       “Tomorrow is the most important thing in life. Comes into us at midnight very clean. It's perfect when it arrives and it puts itself in our hands. It hopes we've learned something from yesterday.”

John Wayne won his only Oscar in 1969 for the movie “True Grit.”  There’s a point in the movie where 14 year-old Mattie Ross says to Marshal Rooster Cogburn (John Wayne) “They tell me you are a man with true grit.”

Dictionary.com defines true grit as:

You can spot them right away. . .they will ask you what faith you are.

You can know that the person asking that question. . .doesn’t understand the difference between a denominational affiliation and the key to all the blessings and benefits of God.

A religious person will ask about your church membership or religious preference but a believer will ask you what the Lord has revealed to you lately.

There are some very simple criteria that we can use to determine what faith is and what it isn’t.

10.  Shake your fists at the devil if he attempts to harass you because you are more than a conqueror.  Romans 8:37

  9.  Give today a special purpose. Don't just allow time to pass and the day to end without your involvement in making this day count.

  8.  How do we make our children feel secure in a world that isn't?  By teaching them the Word and promises of God.

  7.  Continually praise God by telling everyone what He has done and is doing in your life. Psalm 78:4 (CEV)

  6.  Excellence is attainable while perfection is an illusion.

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

  5. Money follows vision. If you don’t have a vision, then you don’t need the money -- it’s just that simple.

  4. The Bible is without question the greatest success guide for debt-free living ever written!  Joshua 1:8            

  3. Some people want the blessings of God without the relationship or the lifestyle of a believer.  Not happening.

  2.  Begin to imagine yourself walking above and not beneath. . .as the head and not the tail.  Deuteronomy 28:13

 # 1 Rich Thoughts Nugget you selected is:

  1.  Satan never showed up in the Garden of Eden until Eve did. He is terrified when the two people come into the power of agreement.

10.  God is never disappointed in us because He already knows everything about us.  And He loves us enough to never give up on us.

  9.  Wherever we are and whatever we’re doing God expects our best.  Ps 25:12-13 TLB

  8.  Never allow excuses or circumstances to fix your current reality.

  7.  God can and will take you places and open doors of opportunity that no family tie or college degree ever can.  Get ready!!

  6.  What should you be doing today that you aren’t?  The Bible talks about NOW not later.

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

  5. No matter how you may have missed it or messed up…turn to God.  He has not given up on you or let you go and He never will.

  4. When you’re going through hell the only source of peace is through encouraging yourself in the One who can turn things around.           

  3. God will allow you to see things others won’t…but you’ve got to be looking for and expecting them.

  2.  Stop rehearsing your hurts…reliving your frustrations or talking yourself into thinking things are worse than they are.

 # 1 Rich Thoughts Nugget you selected is:

  1.  It is never God’s will for you to live in anguish hoping everything will work for good in your life.

Walking the red carpet at the Oscars, hosting your own television show or having an Emmy on your mantle doesn’t automatically mean you know what you’re talking about or that you’re an expert. . .as some in show business pretend to be.

My Daddy taught me years ago, that an expert is somebody fifteen miles out of town with a briefcase or it could be a drip under pressure.

Compassionate conversation even when it’s stained with tears doesn’t make you a competent counselor or an expert.

Jumping up and down or dancing and shouting on the set of a TV show doesn’t make someone the pinnacle of wisdom.

Have you had a bad day. . .or maybe even a bad day or two or three this past week?

Do you feel like nothing is going right?

Are things that you thought not manifesting as you had planned them?

Are other people raining on your parade or plans?

Are you taking your lack of success (financial or otherwise) personally?

Does it feel like nobody cares about what’s happening in your life?

If you get nothing else from what we’re going to say in this teaching. . .let this next sentence get deep down in your mind and in your spirit.