I sleep between 5 and 5 ½ hours most nights…if I wake up during the night which happens way too frequently… I start praying and praising the Lord which allows me to fall back asleep…and when I finally wake up…I’m very refreshed.

However, if I begin to think about the day…I become wide awake and that’s it.

The moral of this personal story is simple…beginning your day with prayer and praise will allow you to awaken refreshed, renewed and ready to go.

Proverbs 8:17 says:

“I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.”

Those who seek me early. . .find Me.

10. What you think about yourself will determine what you accomplish in life.

9. Stop seeing things the way they are and begin to see them the way they can be. . with the eye of faith.

8. Believing things will change without you changing...makes as much sense as watering artificial plants.

7. Straying from God is not a result of what’s in your bank account but rather what’s in your heart.

6. Everything you think, say or do is either moving you toward or away from your financial success. You choose the direction.

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

5. Haven’t spent one minute in twenty years worrying about who the anti-Christ is. I’m more interested in discovering who I am in Christ.

4. Never ever make a spending decision based on presumed future income.

3. The devil wants you broke because he knows it takes money to fulfill the Great Commission and nobody listens to poor people. Eccl 9:16

2. Don’t let anyone’s attitude or words distract you. . .or break your focus.

And the # 1 Rich Thoughts Nugget you selected is:

1. Praying for everyone to realize that failure is an event…it’s not who you are. If you mess up, fess up, get up & move on.

We can’t control the global monetary system and economic policies of foreign capitals.

We can’t control what happens on Wall Street but we can control what happens on our street.

We can’t control what happens in the White House but we can control what happens in our house and in our hearts.

Every day for remainder of 2013. . .we’ve got a choice to make.

John 16:33 in the Amplified Bible says:

10.  If you haven’t written down the desires of your heart…you’re not serious about their manifestation.  Habakkuk 2:2-4.

  9.  When you increase what you know…there’s no limit to where you can go.

  8.  Never spend more time listening to a critic or a cynic than you do listening to the voice of the Holy Spirit.

  7.  My determination to succeed is due to the greater One in me.

  6.  God wants you to be the head…so you will use it.  Not the tail because He doesn’t want you sitting on it.  Be about His business.

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

  5.  Like produces like.  Your attitude, speech and behavior are all directly affected by the people you associate with.  Choose wisely.

  4.  If you’re under attack…understand the enemy is paying attention to you…because he recognizes your potential for the Kingdom.

  3. You may be traveling through enemy territory but God is bringing you into a fresh place where you will LACK FOR NOTHING.

  2.  In God’s economy…your success is never at someone else’s expense.

And the # 1 Rich Thoughts Nugget you selected is:

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

Have you ever heard the saying “you’re not getting older…you’re getting better?”

It’s a beautiful thought…flattering…bound to make the recipient feel good even if they question the sincerity.

Hopefully, we are all getting better…I mean it would be tragic to think we can live a day and not improve something in our mental thought processes or the quality of life.

However, the reality is…we’re getting older and there’s nothing we can do about it.

Yes, we can get nipped, clipped, tucked…having our face drawn tighter than someone sucking on a lemon…but we’re still getting older.

Did you read or hear something today that fired you up...motivating you to do more or be more today than yesterday?

Here are seven keys to use a quote or scripture each day...to change your destiny and the destiny of those you care about.

First, make a list of seven friends or relatives.

Second, decide how you will communicate the quote, statement or scripture.

10.  If you’re comfortable where you are…you’ll never discover…where you could be.

  9.  Don’t be moved by your circumstances or the appearance of lack…only be moved by the Word of the Lord.  Ezekiel 36:29 NIRV

  8.  If God’s not first in your life…something or someone else will take His place and that’s not good for your future.

  7.  Learning is a life-long process and if you think you’ve arrived then it’s almost certain you’ve never left the station.

  6.  Your response to adversity is directly proportional to the amount of time you spend in the Word.

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

  5.  Praying for your gifts not to remain unknown, unused or useless to the kingdom of God and for doors to open beyond your imagination.

  4.  Identify the enemy…apply the Word and claim your victory.  No weapon formed against you shall prosper…it’s your heritage…you inheritance.  Isaiah 54:17

  3. God’s Word overrides…overrules…overcomes fear and overflows with blessings for those who walk by faith.

  2.  If you’re the smartest person in your circle of friends…you need some new friends.

And the # 1 Rich Thoughts Nugget you selected is:

  1.  Forgiveness gives you back control of your life.

Growing up. . .I learned it was never good to begin a letter with an apology or a sermon with something negative.

However, I want to reveal what I call “The Circle of Failure”. . .so we can get on to the remainder of this most positive, life-changing teaching.

Here are the ten points to “The Circle of Failure.”

Circumstances lead to situations producing problems spawning worry leading to stress creating anxiety followed by ineffectiveness resulting in sickness, excuses and ultimately failure.

What prompted me to think about this. . .was the number of believers I come in contact with on a daily basis who are overwhelmed by stress and pressure.  These faithful saints are so blinded by their circumstances. . .they can’t fully realize how blessed they are.

Proverbs 4:23 says:

“Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.”

According to Strong’s Concordance the Hebrew word for issues is (tote sa uff) tō·tsä·ä (H8444) is a real estate term and it means:

“borders, the parameters”

Your heart sets the borders of your life.

The outside circumstances don’t set the borders of your life; it’s what’s in your heart that sets the boundaries or determines the course of your life.

There was a time in our lives when we were so broke that if we walked by a bank, the alarms would go off.  The bankers knew we didn’t have any money in the bank so they figured we must be coming to take some out.

We were so broke that when we went to have a family photograph taken and the photographer said “cheese” my kids all rushed to stand in line to get some.

All jokes aside, there was a time when we had one nostril above some troubled financial waters. Every now and then a wave would roll over us and we would struggle for air to breathe.  But God move us to a new level and He’ll do the same thing for you.