The Work Begins!

June 2

Read Ezra 3 -- 5

Highlights In Today's Reading:

The work begins! Check their priorities -- the altar is rebuilt and then burnt offerings (3:2-3). The foundation is finished (3:10-13) and enemies slander and complain to Darius the king (5:8).

Zerubbabel and the returning Jews left the luxuries of Persia for the hardships of Jerusalem. What once had been the glorious promised land was now a heap of rubble. Houses needed to be rebuilt and the fields had not been plowed for over half a century. But spiritual needs must come first.

It may have seemed "reasonable," humanly speaking, to first build their own houses. Instead, they chose to build the Altar of the God of Israel, to offer burnt offerings thereon, as it is written in the Law of Moses (3:2). This act of faith took place about four months after the Israelites had left Babylon. The Feast of Trumpets was celebrated as required (Lev. 23:24; Ezra 3:6), and 14 days later the Feast of Tabernacles (Lev. 23:34; Ezra 3:4).

This was followed by the difficult task of laying the foundation of the Temple. After the builders laid the foundation (3:10) they sang together by course in praising and giving thanks unto the Lord (3:11). After the foundation of the Temple was laid, the priests, the trumpeters, and the Levites began praising the Lord and giving thanks.

At first the Israelites set aside self-interests until they had restored true worship; but then, as weeks became months the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building. . . . and made them to cease by force and power (4:4,23).
As the people began building their own homes, the construction of the Temple ceased for about 14 years. But, once the Word and authority of God were recognized, the people again began to build the House of God (5:2). Fourteen years before, the hostile crowd made them to cease (4:23). But this time they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah (6:14). Listening to the Word of God by Haggai and Zechariah, they builded, and finished it (the Temple), according to the Commandment of the God of Israel (6:14).

Deciding to "serve the Lord" by no means guarantees a life free from problems. To the contrary! Satan will use his power to convince us that we cannot -- at least now -- finish the task we have set out to accomplish.
However, the Word of God is the source of strength by which His children cannot by force be defeated. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds (II Cor. 10:4).
Thought for Today:

Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. . . . Above all. . . . take . . . the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God: Praying always . . . with all perseverance and supplication (Eph. 6:11,16-18).

Christ Revealed:

Through the great (huge) stones used in building the Temple of God (Ezra 5:8). Jesus Christ is the Stone which the builders refused (rejected) and He has become the Head Stone of the Corner (Cornerstone) of our faith (Ps. 118:22; Matt. 21:42).

Word Studies:

3:3 his bases = its original foundation; 3:8 set forward oversee; 3:11 by course = by the assigned divisions of priests; 4:4 weakened the hands of = discouraged and frightened; 5:10 certify = inform.

Prayer Needs:

Pray for English International Shortwave Broadcasts sponsored by Franklin Lancaster and Nancy Golpe • Radio Sri Lanka Broadcasts sponsored by Nancy Golpe • Bible Pathway Media Producer: Rick Hash • Government Official: Rep. Michael Rogers (MI) • Country: Niger (10 million) in west-central Africa • Major languages: French and Hausa • Christian evangelism is limited • 89% Muslim; 10% animist; .4% Christian • Prayer Suggestion: Give thanks for the privilege of assembling with other Christians each week (Heb. 10:25).

Optional Reading: II Corinthians 4
Memory Verse for the Week: Matthew 6:31

Why Did Jesus Come? By Greg Laurie

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind. . . ."

— Luke 4:18

No doctor can heal a broken heart. He or she may be able to treat other ailments you might have. But no physician can get to the source of a broken heart—and a broken heart is a very real thing when you have experienced one.

Your heart may be broken right now. Maybe it is from the loss of a loved one or from a lost romance. Perhaps it is broken because of constant failure. Maybe your children have let you down. Maybe your parents have let you down. Maybe your husband or wife has let you down.

Jesus came to heal the brokenhearted, and only He can heal a broken heart. So if you have a broken heart today, let Him heal it.

Jesus also came to bring deliverance to the captives. The Bible teaches that before we became believers, we were spiritual prisoners-of-war who were held captive by the devil, the god of this world (see 2 Timothy 2:26).

Jesus came to free us. He can unlock the door, but we must walk through it. Let Him set you free.

He came to bring recovery of sight to the blind. Before we were Christians, we were spiritually blind (see 2 Corinthians 4:3–4). Jesus wants to open your eyes to what is true. Let Him.

Are you brokenhearted? Are you under the power of some sin? The same Jesus who walked this earth, died on a cross, and rose from the dead loves you. And He came to set you free.

Copyright © 2009 by Harvest Ministries. All rights reserved.

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Bible text from the New King James Version is not to be reproduced in copies or otherwise by any means except as permitted in writing by Thomas Nelson, Inc., Attn: Bible Rights and Permissions, P.O. Box 141000, Nashville, TN 37214-1000

Original Blog Post: http://www.harvest.org/devotional/archive/devotion.html?date=2009-06-02

THE TRUE MEANING OF TURN THE OTHER CHEEK

THE TRUE MEANING OF TURN THE OTHER CHEEK

Both the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Mahatma Gandhi said Jesus' Sermon on the Mount provided the foundation for their political protests. Yet the Sermon on the Mount seems to recommend passive acceptance of injustice and oppression. According to Matthew 5:39-41, Jesus says:

If any one strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also.

If anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give him your cloak as well.

If any one forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile.

For much of Christian history, people have heard these verses as affirming political acquiescence, not active resistance. Yet King and Gandhi interpreted Jesus as justifying political action. Which interpretation was right? Recent Jesus scholarship suggests these verses are creative non-violent strategies of protesting oppression. Such is the persuasive argument of New Testament scholar Walter Wink.

In his books "Engaging the Powers" and "The Powers That Be," Wink argues that Jesus rejected two common ways of responding to injustice: violent resistance and passive acceptance. Instead, Jesus advocated a "third way," an assertive but non-violent form of protest.

The key to understanding Wink's argument is rigorous attention to the social customs of the Jewish homeland in the first century and what these sayings would have meant in that context.

To illustrate with the saying about turning the other cheek: it specifies that the person has been struck on the right cheek. How can you be struck on the right cheek? As Wink emphasizes, you have to act this out in order to get the point: you can be struck on the right cheek only by an overhand blow with the left hand, or with a backhand blow from the right hand. (Try it).

But in that world, people did not use the left hand to strike people. It was reserved for "unseemly" uses. Thus, being struck on the right cheek meant that one had been backhanded with the right hand. Given the social customs of the day, a backhand blow was the way a superior hit an inferior, whereas one fought social equals with fists.

This means the saying presupposes a setting in which a superior is beating a peasant. What should the peasant do? "Turn the other cheek." What would be the effect? The only way the superior could continue the beating would be with an overhand blow with the fist--which would have meant treating the peasant as an equal.

Perhaps the beating would not have been stopped by this. But for the superior, it would at the very least have been disconcerting: he could continue the beating only by treating the peasant as a social peer. As Wink puts it, the peasant was in effect saying, "I am your equal. I refuse to be humiliated anymore." That is not all. The sayings about "going the second mile" and "giving your cloak to one who sues you for your coat" make a similar point: they suggest creative non-violent ways of protesting oppression.

Roman law permitted soldiers to force civilians to carry their gear for one mile, but because of abuses stringently prohibited more than one mile. If they ask you to do that, Jesus says, go ahead; but then carry their gear a second mile. Put them in a disconcerting situation: either they risk getting in trouble, or they will have to wrestle their gear back from you.

Under civil law, a coat could be confiscated for non-payment of debt. For the poor, the coat often also served as a blanket at night. In that world, the only other garment typically worn by a peasant was an inner garment, a cloak. So if they take your coat, Jesus says, give them your cloak as well. "Strip naked," as Wink puts it. Show them what the system is doing to you. Moreover, in that world, nakedness shamed the person who observed it. Thus, these sayings from the Sermon on the Mount, these seemingly mild sayings, are actually potent ways of confounding and exposing injustice.

King and Gandhi may not have been aware of the finer points of modern Biblical scholarship, but they were no doubt clear that Jesus was counseling a radical new way of empowering the underclass.

And so, those little verses from the Gospel of Matthew are the foundation upon which King and Gandhi built their world-moving campaigns for social justice.

A CHANCE TO LIVE

A CHANCE TO LIVE

By Ed Mitchell

Your choice to donate was so right.
 Written to honor the unknown family from Arizona who in December 2000 donated the gift of life in a time of grief -upon the death of a child.


My first kidney transplant was in July 1991 and ended in just 3 months. After serious infections a donated kidney showed signs of failure, its removal was inevitable to save my life. As signs of rejection occurred it brought all kinds of actions by my transplant team. Next as I slip into a coma my family was given little hope I would live. God would intervene and use the skills provided by the team to bring back my life and avoid death at the age of 37. At one point, I was given no hope of survival, but I did, despite all odds. Although all this happened it was still the best course of action because it allowed me an opportunity to prevent the dreaded alternative of dialysis 3 times a week. During those months, I learned that an organ transplant is a treatment and not a cure and comes with many pitfalls.


After 10 years on dialysis a true miracle occurred when on December 6, 2000. I received a call from the transplant team that a possible match was available. Transplantation is so unlike other surgery or hospital stays. First the long awaited call comes without warning telling me that a kidney is available. In moments, by my acceptance I implied my willingness to do everything possible to keep as healthy as possible in preparation for the major operation the following day. Also I knew this time by my acceptance that it would bring daily activities, sinceas I would have to constantly be diligent to follow my doctor's advice and follow endless preventative measures to insure that "Nick", my donated kidney would work long and give me a more productive life.
Please know that I will always remember my donor's sacrifice and my donor family's special love, and that while I am not keeping your child alive, by your choice I am keeping your gift of life, the kidney alive. Please know that it is a most humbling experience to get a donation from an unanticipated death of a child, your most precious possession. I knew it took all of your own inward courage to donate while still grieving and to give to me a stranger the gift of life.
By making the choice to accept the kidney I have learned in time to deal with the sometimes-overwhelming feelings and found the inward strength needed to conquer those feelings. In part that has happened due to your love, which has helped me, deal with all the feelings that come from just being so grateful to receive this kidney and end my many years of weekly dialysis.
Since 2000 Nick has worked great and while I have often faced additional problems over the years I have been able to start working again. I have also discovered that what is most important is that I continue to know where my true confidence and strength lies and that it's not within myself but in my strong belief and faith in God that has helped me to a greater understanding of situations, and to get through whatever happens in my life's journey as well as my final destination.
I close with my prayer for you, and all organ donors that you too will also find a joy and peace from God by knowing you made the right choice when you gave the gift of life.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ed Mitchell, 53 divorced and lives in Orlando, Florida. He enjoys swimming, camping, and RV. He is an Eagle and Moose and active in church and the transplant community having received 2 kidney transplants.



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Maintaining Honesty and Integrity by Jim Rohn

Maintaining Honesty and Integrity by Jim Rohn (excerpted from Cultivating an Unshakable Character)

For a leader, honesty and integrity are absolutely essential to survival. A lot of business people don't realize how closely they're being watched by their subordinates. Remember when you were a kid in grammar school, how you used to sit there staring at your teacher all day? By the end of the school year, you could do a perfect imitation of all your teacher's mannerisms. You were aware of the slightest nuances in your teacher's voice - all the little clues that distinguished levels of meaning that told you the difference between bluff and "now I mean business".
And you were able to do that after eight or nine months of observation. Suppose you had five or 10 years. Do you think there would have been anything about your teacher you didn't know?
Now fast forward and use that analogy as a manager. Do you think there's anything your people don't know about you right this minute? If you haven't been totally aboveboard and honest with them, do you really think you've gotten away with it? Not too likely. But if you've been led to believe that you've gotten away with it, there might be a good probability that people are afraid of you, and that's a problem in its own right.
But there is another side of this coin. In any organization, people want to believe in their leaders. If you give them reason to trust you, they're not going to go looking for reasons to think otherwise, and they'll be just as perceptive about your positive qualities as they are about the negative ones.
A situation that happened some years ago at a company in the Midwest illustrates this perfectly. The wife of a new employee experienced complications in the delivery of a baby. There was a medical bill of more than $10,000, and the health insurance company didn't want to cover it. The employee hadn't been on the payroll long enough, the pregnancy was a preexisting condition, etc,etc,..
In any case, the employee was desperate. He approached the company CEO and asked him to talk to the insurance people. The CEO agreed, and the next thing the employee knew, the bill was gone and the charges were rescinded.
Then he told some colleagues about the way the CEO had so readily used his influence with the insurance company, they just shook their heads and smiled. The CEO had paid the bill out of his own pocket, and everybody knew it, no matter how quietly it had been done.
Now an act of dishonesty can't be hidden either, and it will instantly undermine the authority of a leader. But an act of integrity and kindness like the example above is just as obvious to all concerned. When you're in a leadership position, you have the choice of how you will be seen, but you will be seen one way or the other, make no mistake about it.
One of the most challenging areas of leadership is your family. Leadership of a family demands even higher standards of honesty and integrity, and the stakes are higher too. You can replace disgruntled employees and start over. You can even get a new job for yourself, if it comes to that. But your family can't be shuffled like a deck of cards. If you haven't noticed, kids are great moral philosophers, especially as they get into adolescence. They're determined to discover and expose any kind of hypocrisy, phoniness, or lack of integrity on the part of authority figures, and if we're parents, that means us. It's frightening how unforgiving kids can be about this, but it really isn't a conscious decision on their part; it's just a necessary phase of growing up.
They're testing everything, especially their parents.
As a person of integrity yourself, you'll find it easy to teach integrity to your kids, and they in turn will find it easy to accept you as a teacher. This is a great opportunity and also a supreme responsibility, because kids simply must be taught to tell the truth: to mean what they say and to say what they mean.
Praise is one of the world's most effective teaching and leadership tools. Criticism and blame, even if deserved, are counterproductive unless all other approaches have failed.
Now for the other side of the equation, we all know people who have gotten ahead as a result of dishonest or unethical behavior. When you're a kid, you might naively think that never happens, but when you get older, you realize that it does. Then you think you've really wised up. But that's not the real end of it. When you get older, you see the long-term consequences of dishonest gain, and you realize that in the end it doesn't pay.
“Hope of dishonest gain is the beginning of loss.’ I don't think that old saying refers to loss of money. I think it actually means loss of self-respect. You can have all the material things in the world, but if you've lost respect for yourself, what do you really have? The only way to ever attain success and enjoy it is to achieve it honestly with pride in what you've done.
This isn't just a sermon, it's very practical advice. Not only can you take it to heart - you can take it to the bank.
To Your Success,
Jim Rohn

Perfect for a new graduate, Jim Rohn's Cultivating an Unshakable Character provides an inspirational look at the 12 pillars of character, the inner resources that support and sustain you on your journey through life. It's now available at great savings as part of our special graduation gifts offer. For complete details, go to http://graduation.jimrohn.com

Social Networking & G.P.T. & Home Based Business OR MLM STOP THE MADNESS! (Part 1)

Social Networking and G.P.T and Home Based Business OR MLM STOP THE MADNESS!

How many people can be out their branding themselves? What will be the next Social Networking Buzz and how soon will it fade away? How much do I REALLY have to spend and who is REALLY making the Money? These are the questions I will answer and a lot more as I reveal the truth behind the “New Way” of building a network marketing business and Social Network websites and the internet as a whole. Network Marketing is a relationship business and the “old School” techniques are NOT dead, they are simply being done a new way with new marketing tools such as the Internet.

Let me make this clear, the Internet is a GREAT way to build your business and social media websites are awesome, however these are just tools and not a means to an end and are NOT need to start a real network marketing home based business. Network Marketing has been around WAY before the Internet, how do you think the Mega Companies became so successful with out it? The same way the REAL network marketing Companies are doing it now… Online and Offline… New and Old.

There are businesses out their creating “systems” that are doing very well, however they are all going to be short lived and many will loose out and not make true time freedom wealth. These are the business system that gives Network Marketing a bad name.

Here is what is happening:

There are self proclaimed Social Network Marketing “Gurus” Popping up EVERYWHERE, how many guru’s can there be?

They ALL are selling products teaching you business skills, yes a lot of these skill are great information and rooted from the “Old School” such wisdom from Business Skill Giants like Dale Carnegie, Napoleon Hill, Jim Rohn and Zig Ziglar to name a few. As Robert Kiyosaki would say, “It’s NOT money that makes you Rich, its Business Skills” However, what is really going on is these companies selling these products which are just DVD, EBooks, CDs and online videos are being sold to network marketers who are “struggling” for people to join their business.

OK so what is wrong with that?

Nothing expect that these guru’s are telling these network marketers that they will show them how to get thousands of leads for their business, however what they are NOT telling them is the business they are talking about is their business selling these “How to” products, NOT their business. What they do is downplay these network marketers own business by calling them “Primary” business, now if you have a “primary” business it only means you have a secondary, however the FACT is you cannot build two NM businesses, there is a HUGE conflict of interest and since their business “looks” easier and the initial investment is less, everyone is going to focus on the so called “secondary” business which is their business, that is as far as their “Genius” business system goes, if you want to call deceiving people genius!

What they are NOT telling You.

They are NOT telling you how much you need to invest in advertising to generate these thousand of leads and even if they have some great “on a budget” tips and tricks to get all the Google and blog hits its going to cost over $500 a month and a lot of blogging to accomplish this no matter how you look at it; a huge investment and a huge learning curve and a lot of time.

They are also NOT telling you that there will be thousands of people just like you in which they have to compete with and they all will have the same cookie cutter websites and all be NM Gurus. Oh yes they will show you how to “brand” yourself by creating some video of yourself telling struggling network marketers lies, telling them what they want to hear not what they need to hear. Most network marketers fail because they do not follow their upline system or the system they are in is the problem or they are told that they will make money instantly; well these Guys are telling you the same thing. The real NM Companies don’t do this and most people quit because they do not want to put in the work.

Let me explain one type of trick they are using I like to call the “I was in that business” trick.

They use internet keywords of other Network Marketing Company names to attract these network marketers Most of these companies they use are VERY successful reputable companies that are in the health and wellness industry which are selling consumable products that create real residual time freedom income and they make these websites say that they were also in your business and failed miserably because they did not have a system like they have now. They will say things like OH I had to Cold call these people and get rejected and how I had to sell products and beg people to join my business and so on.

They are Lying, because if you change their link and replace your company name with another company name, it will say the same thing about how they where in another company. I have done this one time with over 10 company’s names and again and again their web page talked about how they where in Company ABC… how many companies can you be in? Really give me a break! I am tempted to put an example in this message however I refuse to name any of these businesses; I am not looking to point out any of these Guys for two reasons.

1. It is very clear who these so called gurus are, as you know they spend thousands and make their team members spend thousands to get top Google rankings, so they are everywhere and they brag about it to and show you!
2. If I mention a company then I will just get a bunch of comments from these Guys defending their business system, this way if they do comment, I can tell them I never mentioned your business… I guess you know who you are.

So you may be thinking again, so what is wrong with all this, the idea is to make money and it is CLEAR that these guys are making money. Well if you want to make money lying to people then go ahead and if you want to make non residual money that is depended on lies from the top, then have fun and see how long the ride will last.

Speaking of lying, here is another thing they do and that is showing you how much they are making. I call this the “look at my checks” trick. They got handfuls of checks or they show you their PayPal accounts with huge totals, the funny thing is these pictures are mostly from their guru at the top, think about this for a moment. Let’s say you join one of these systems how in the world will you instantly have ALL these checks to flash and show people on your webpage? THINK about it! Of course you will not so you have to lie again and again.

No harm in that you might think, if that is how you ride, then go join them.

I have been emailed a thousand times by these Guys in all shapes and sizes. I just put up a YouTube video up and no sooner than 10 minutes I get one of these guru’s telling me in a comment how they can show me how to get thousands of hits to my YouTube site. WOW that is cool, however again they are NOT talking about the video or my YouTube channel I just posted about my business.

So what do we have to offer?

We have to offer one thing and that is The Truth… take it or leave it. Here is how our Fast Track To 20K business system works.

1. We are part of a Company that has broken ALL Growth Records in its industry that sells recession-proof consumable products that people love and order month after month year after year.
2. Our business system requires No Selling of products, no time and money wasted on advertising or marketing because our system combines all of this for each team member and everyone works together.
3. You will never have to invest no more than $8.33 a day in your business and you will learn true time after time tested “old School” business skills that have NEVER failed for any business model including network marketing.
4. You will create REAL relationships between you and your Sponsor that goes beyond automated “no reply” emails and cookie cutter websites.
5. You will be accountable to your Goals and Dreams because of our unique contractual agreement which holds both you and your Sponsor accountable to both of your Goals and Dreams and you will be working with people of integrity, who are honest, teachable and know how to follow instructions which DO NOT include blogging, social media sites or spending thousands on generating Google hits. You will be learn real business skills that will change the way you see business and money, you will learn how the wealthy make money and how they keep it for a lifetime.
6. You will NOT be begging people to join your business, instead you will be offering positions to people you pick for REAL growing positions in your business. NO cold calling as well, you will be in contact with people who are waiting for you to call them and are looking to fulfill their Goals and Dreams within their lifetime and their children’s lifetime for decades to come.

Friends Can Drag You Down

What I want to share with you here has a lot to do with your friends. Please keep reading!

If you live in a home, I'm certain you have an idea what the houses are going for in your neighborhood. Depending on how long you have been living in your home, you might even know how much your house has appreciated over the years.

Although sometimes, depending on the location or the economy, your house may depreciate. If that's the case, you need to move. Find yourself a better neighborhood.

I am sure you have heard that your network determines your net worth? Now, my question to you is how is your net worth? Okay, let's get back to the real estate concept.

How do you think appraisers come up with the value of a home? Most likely they research your area to find out what prices houses have been selling for. Based on their findings, they put a price tag on yours.

Of course, there are other factors to it. The condition of your home is one of them. But I guarantee you that what other houses around the block are selling for have a huge factor. Basically, the value of your home is directly related to the value of the homes within the area.

Consider your friends. Just like your home, your value is directly related to the value of your friends. So, if you have a bunch of friends who are struggling and making low income, it will have a direct reflection on your personal value. It's all about your network!

Like the old adage says, “Tell me who you hang out with and I’ll tell who you are.” Well, in this case, it’s “I’ll tell you what you have.” Take a moment to let this sink in. You may agree or disagree. But it’s really true! There’s a good reason why birds of a feather flock together.

The rule of thumb is to always surround yourself with people who will help increase your net worth–your value. Does that make sense? It should.

Let’s see, take a good inventory of your friends. How productive are they? Do they have a great monthly income? Do they spend their money foolishly? Do they invest in personal development? Do they talk about negative and petty things? Do they have mentors? Do they have a solid plan for the future? Are they focused and committed?

I can go on and on with those questions. But my point is very simple. Do not surround yourself with people who will depreciate your value. Make a mental note of this: You become who you hang with.

The reality is, even your language will change depending on the friends you spend time with. Personally, I start using certain words in my conversations based on who I spend my days with. You might think that you are not easily influenced. But no man or woman is exempt from falling under the influence of another.

Listen, I don’t know you. Well, maybe I do. But whether I do or not, your entire life and situation at the moment is a direct reflection of the people whom you surround yourself with. Period. If you want more or a better life, eliminate your present cabinet. Act as if there’s a new president in office.

I really do hope that I’m making sense to you. Many years ago, I had some friends who were up to no good. At the time, I didn’t know it. I’m sure you might not be aware of it either. But, over time, as I began to change my mindset and have better focus on exactly where I want to be in the future, my network automatically began to shift.

That’s amazing! Some of the people who were my friends slowly began to evaporate from my life. And you know what? It wasn’t my doing. I didn’t wake up one day and say, No. Somehow, we just lost touch. Even when we meet, the conversation is always short. Why? Again, it’s not intentional. We simply don’t have too much in common anymore.

That’s not to say because I have achieved some level of success, I’m dumping my friends. Of course not. Many of the people I knew long ago are still friends. But you can bet they, too, are moving upward. They are progressing just like I am. Everything on this earth is either contracting or expanding. I want to expand! Don’t you?

By the way, I do try very hard to bring friends with me where I’m heading. But many refuse. And I find no need to drag myself down with them while trying to save them. I hope you feel the same way, too.

My advice to you is to never let friends drag you down and depreciate your value. Lovingly zap them out of your life. Simply put, love them, be there if they need you, but guard your mind diligently so that they don’t depreciate your value.

Finally, if the quality of your life is not appreciating, it’s depreciating. Maybe your neighborhood is going down. I am talking about your friends and environment. Then you need to move! Find yourself a better and more valuable neighborhood.

To your success,
Rene Godefroy


Original Post at http://villagehero.com/blog/friends-can-drag-you-down