​Love you all, praying for you. 
 
I just love God’s Word.  It reveals excellence.  Have you ever heard a quote and noticed something…  It’s not true!  Or it leads you in a direction, that is unwise?  It suggests a false conclusion, and if you are not careful, it could plant something within you that could harm you?   Someone once said, “If a cluttered desk reveals a cluttered mind, what does an empty desk reveal?”  Clever play on words, just misleading, not a quote to base your life on.  That is not something to aspire to, a cluttered desk, or a cluttered mind.  And no, an empty desk does not reveal an empty mind, but a sound one...  One that understands the difference between the wise, and the sluggard, the effective, and the ineffective, the efficient and the unproductive.  When I was young, I had access to an executive who had international responsibility.  He was highly effective, in demand as a public speaker, and mentor – because His life demonstrated excellence in everything He did.  I noticed something when entering his office suite at the company’s headquarters.  What I noticed immediately was that His office and that of his secretary was spotless, at all times, whether they were there or not.  His large mahogany desk was clutter-free, and so was hers.  The only thing on it – if they were in their office, was the project they were working on.  And after hours when no one was there – it looked like an office furniture showroom.  He only worked on what was in front of him, finished it, put it away, and then took out his sole focus next.  One of the most effective and well-respected individuals I knew.  This was just an observation, but confirmed through a conversation I had one time with his long-time executive assistant, who explained to me what He did, and why, and that He expected the same from her.  It was one of the lessons God used in my life to teach me.  Today, if you come to my office, you’ll see nothing on my desk, but my laptop, and Bose Speaker…  It’s ready for the next thing God tells me to do.  Someone said, “Cleanliness is next to godliness.”  That’s not in the Bible, but may be true.  God’s word does say, He is a God of order, and He has ordained order for things.  Have you ever taken a vacation in the mountains or the dessert, and come across a big hammer, or a huge coffee mug that said “The Big Guy” on it? From God just leaving his tools laying around – from creating the world?  Never.   If you drive east of Columbus – in the middle of nowhere, you will see an office building reaching into the sky.  Five or more stories if I remember, in the exact replica of a Longaberger Basket – five stories of office building with windows inserted within the weave with the handle stretching above it as high as the building itself is tall.  It gets your attention, unique, kinda weird.  It’s what I would imagine the size of God’s tools would be… if He left one laying around – but I’ve never seen one.  God always cleans up after himself.  It’s part of the character of excellence.  Your room, your house, your car, your office, reflect your life.  Rarely do people live in chaos in one area, but faithfulness and excellence in the rest.  It’s hard to rise above your Achilles heel.  It’s always revealing.  What’s the secret to an ordered life?  Daily, just a few minutes, finish this thing completely - before going onto the next thing.   Put it away, before you do anything else, it only takes a minute, but a habit.  Why bother?  Because what God has entrusted you with, reflects Him, and reflects you.   Why can’t people rise above that Achilles heel in their life?  Because they believe it doesn’t matter, when it really does.  If you don’t value something, you won’t do it.  God says the wise man treasures his possessions.  That doesn’t mean the wise are materialistic, it just means they’re faithful.  They know who the owner is, and they want to honor Him.  Praying that you will be faithful, and make whatever daily changes are necessary.  “Habits prevail where motivation fails.”  Not in the Bible, but very true.  If you have the habits of excellence, you are free to pursue what God has for you today, uncluttered, unhindered, unrestricted.  Just faithful!
 
Love you all,
dad 

​Love you all, praying for you,

I just love God’s Word.  It’s God speaking to you.  God speaks to you in multiple ways.  First, that still small voice.  He spoke to Abraham, before the Bible was even written.  He speaks to you the same way, by His Holy Spirit – that’s why if you have been saved – eternally changed, He wants you to be filled with His Spirit – the first step of obedience, the followers of Christ were tested with.  It’s what gave them power to be witnesses, to live a life devoted to Jesus Christ.  The second way He speaks is His Word – He said it’s living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, dividing between soul and spirit, even the motives and intents of the heart…  The third way He speaks, is through Godly counsel, obeyers who know truth, who have gained God’s wisdom rather than what the world thinks is wisdom, who have learned to obey, and have walked in the fruit of it.  That’s why God says to gain victory – seek counsel.  God speaks through other people, even those who don’t believe, He can speak through situations or circumstance, he can even speak through a donkey if He chooses.  Most people aren’t looking for His next word to them, so they often miss it.  He’s always speaking… for those who have ears to hear.  So if He speaks in multiple ways.  What does God tell you?  Two Things.  What He wants you to do today, and what He wants you to do every day.  Well what about just reading the Bible to know how to treat people? That’s what He wants you to do every day… read His Word – so you gain wisdom, but so you know his heart and his love for you, and others.  So you can treat them like He loves them.  So which is most important?  What He tells you to do every day.  The habits He has chosen for you.  It what helps you become more and more capable to do what He tells you to do today.  If you don’t know what He said to do every day, you’re unlikely to do what He told you today.  And until you do what He told you to do every day, he has to withhold some assignments for you… you’re not ready yet, you’re too carnally minded, or selfish, or doubtful or fearful…  What He tells you to do every day, grows you in the image of His son Jesus – so you have the mind of Christ, the wisdom of God, the testimony that overcomes, and the sure hope of His promise.  It’s what prepares you for what He wants to tell you to do today.  Praying that PiVAT is your priority – it’s where you write down what He wants you to do daily, and what He has assigned for you today.  Praying that PRISM is your priority – so you know the mind of Christ, and the wisdom of God, His love for you, and others, and the hope of His promise.  And praying that today in your M: Meditate on the Word – for your PRISM time, that The Holy Spirit will lead you to review the PRISM Topic – Habits.  Some truth that even the world understands, and complete truth from God’s Word about the value of habits – those things He tells you to do every day.  So you can gain the character and skills, so you are ready to do - what He is waiting to assign you.  That thing for today – that you are finally ready for!
 
Love you all,
dad   

Love you all, praying for you,

I just love God’s Word.  It tells of the God who saves.  The greatest Salvation is what Jesus bought for you.  His death for your sins, so you through faith can be eternally saved from outer darkness forever, to eternity with God in heaven.   But once your faith in Christ secures this Salvation forever, God also brings you Salvation right here on earth.  His Salvation down here – is also every time God delivers or rescues you from something beyond your control, greater than your strength, wisdom, or understanding.  Anytime God saves you from something bigger than you… He is showing you His Salvation.  And He shows it day after day!  Why?  Because He is the God who saves!   Is that awesome or what?   Every time He comes to your aid, that is His salvation, His deliverance.  It’s Him rescuing you when you call.  God mentions salvation one-hundred and sixty four times, in one hundred and fifty eight verses.  Genesis 49:18 – I have waited for your salvation, O LORD.  So wait, be patient, it's coming!  Exodus 14:13 – And Moses said to the people, Do not fear, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD which He will show you today.  For the Egyptians you see today, you will never see again.  Sometimes we just need to stand still, stop striving, worrying, or trying to work things out on our own.  And let Him do what He does best – the God stuff – He saves.  That’s just what He does – because it’s who He is.  What are you trying to save in your life right now?  Would you be better off to leave the saving to Him?  Is there anything you need to let go of?  Is there anything you need to stand still and see Him do?  Is there anything you need to trust Him for, instead of try more?  Praying that you will do everything God tells you to do, and when you’ve done all – to stand.  And when He saves you – which He promised He will, He has always done, and will do for the rest of your life, when He does it again...  Praying that you will thank Him for it, and praise Him for it.  Praying that you will give your testimony – as an offering of praise, and a weapon to overcome with.  One great thing about testimonies – they have no shelf life.  They work as good the tenth time as the first time.  His Salvation will reach you today.  If you stand still and see what God will do...  If you do the first step that He told you, and let Him do the rest.  He will show you His Salvation day after day!  Praying that you will see His Salvation, and when He does, as He always does – you will praise Him for it, and remember it.  So you can tell of His salvation again, though you know not it’s measure.  He has more coming!  He’s just faithful like that…
 
Love you all,
dad

​Love you all, praying for you,
 
If there was one thing that I would pray for you, and I could only pray one.  It would be… that you would do PiVAT before dinner every night, for the rest of your life.   You mean you wouldn’t pray that we would read God’s Word – that would change our life?  No… Because if you don’t do PiVAT before dinner, you won’t know His plans for you – His best, at the time of his choosing… You’d be so busy with your plans, that you wouldn’t have time to read His Word anyway...  PiVAT before dinner – it’s that daily conversation with your Father in Heaven – where you ask Him His plans for you for tomorrow.  It’s prophetic practice, it’s hearing and obeying practice, it’s learning to hear His voice practice - with confirmation within 24 hours.  He’s a good, good father, if you ask him for bread for tomorrow (and His plans are your daily bread, as much as His Word is), He won’t give it to you next week, it would be old by then.  He will answer that prayer for tomorrow, you will grow to hear His voice.  You will grow to know His heart for you.  You will see the miracles that He can do, that He wants to do in your life – today, and tomorrow.  You will grow in your testimony – it’s what He gives you to overcome with.  You will grow in your trust in Him, in your hope and faith.  You will see what He can do, His power, His favor, His strength, and His promise.  If you know each day, and walk in His plans for you - you will live a live worthy of the calling you have received.  He loves the conversation every night before dinner.  It’s how you put Him first, it’s how you hear and obey, it’s how you know that you are walking in His plans for you – in the way chosen for you, the way that is best for you.  And His way is always better than yours, as the heavens are higher than the earth.  Praying that PiVAT before dinner will be the priority of your every day.  So your life is forever changed, so His Word (that will change your life) becomes your priority, at the exact times each day that He has assigned for it.  That you will know and write down the testimonies that He gives, that you overcome with.    
 
Love you all,
dad

​Love you all, praying for you,
 
I just love God’s Word.  It gives little reminders that are a big deal.  Hebrews 4:1 – Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it.  For we also have had the good news preached to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard did not combine it with faith.  Now we who have believed enter that rest, just as God has said.  Who did God swear would never enter his rest – those who disobeyed, and fell in the wilderness.  Verse 19 - So we see that they were not able to enter, because of their unbelief.  But we who believe – enter that rest.  The promise still stands.  We can enter His rest.  A Sabbath Rest – not just for the Sabbath Day, but every day of the week.  A new way of operating – of living your life – in His Sabbath Rest.   Those who disobey don’t, those who obey, do.  Those who don’t believe, don’t.  Those who believe – do.  So how do you be careful that no-one falls short of entering that rest.  #1 Obey – know His plans and do what He tells you.  #2  Read His Word – and put it into practice.  Believe His Promise – Believe His prophets.  Trust that He will lead you – and go where He leads.  #3 Exhort One Other Daily – it’s how you overcome.   Practice obeying.  Start with PiVAT every day – to get His plans, Start with PRISM - you’ll hear His voice.  Invite someone for a Daily Call – and your obedience will grow, your testimony will grow, and your belief will grow.  Only obeying protects you from disobeying, only reading and speaking and believing protects you from unbelief.  Do it!  So you don’t fall short, so you enter His Rest – just like He promised.  His promise still stands. 
 
Love you all,
dad

Love you all, praying for you,
 
I just love God’s Word – it tells the truth, whether comfortable or not.  It tells you things that apply mostly to you, but also to others.  Have you ever noticed that the most touchy thing about people – is their kids?  You can say a lot of things, but don’t say anything about how they handle their kids, that’s usually a ‘don’t go there’ subject, unless you want them to be highly offended.  Have you noticed that some parents don’t train their kids?  Now, have you ever noticed that statement is actually not true? The opposite is true.  They have trained them – they’ve trained them well.  Every parent trains their children.  It’s not that the parents never trained their kids to obey… they have trained them not to obey.  The child is doing what they were trained to do.  Some parents train their kids to obey after they count to three.   “One,” “Two,”  (Two and a half), the kid will not obey when the parent instructs them.  They will obey only when the parent counts to three.  That’s how they have been trained.  Some parents train their kids to obey at the moment they are about to totally lose it!  That’s when the child has been trained, it’s time to obey!  They will not obey before they see Mom and Dad about to lose a gasket, and then they will obey.  Some parents train their children to obey – after they sit in a chair.  They will not obey until after they sit in a chair, not when the parent instructs or requests something of them, only after they sit in a chair, or spend time in a corner, or in a time out.  It’s how they’ve been trained.  Proverbs 23:12 - Apply your heart to instruction and your ears to words of knowledge.  (Wow what a secret, God just revealed).   Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you punish him with the rod, he will not die.  Punish him with the rod and save his soul from death.  This isn’t about behavior modification, this is about the soul of the child, but it’s really about - the soul of you.  God is not a bad parent, be warned.  He will train you to obey, because He loves you and wants what’s best for you!  Do you obey the still small voice, of your Father?  Or His two-by-four?  Have you learned to apply your heart to instruction, and your ear to His next word of knowledge?  Will you obey His still small voice?  Or do you require His rod of correction – before you obey?  Do you know what makes it so hard to obey?  Not looking to.  Not looking to hear His voice, or His commands, not seeking His will or His plans.  You just do your thing, and you’re so busy doing what you want to do, or saying whatever comes into your mind – which immediately comes out of your mouth.  If you aren’t expecting His instruction, if you’re not looking for it, so you can follow it… you probably won’t notice that still small voice.  God wants to lead you with His still, small voice, He wants to lead you even with just a glance.  Those who are looking for His voice – listening for His next Word, His next instruction -  are the ones who obey the quickest.  They have the best conversations with Him, they aren’t worried about the rod of correction, they are pursuing His best plan in His best way and His best time.  They are walking in the joy of their relationship with Him.  They are so attentive to hear His voice, they hear it always, and follow wherever He leads.  Their mouth says what He says, their heart is wise, they speak what is right.  His voice is very clear – because they have removed the noise and other voices.  His voice is clear, because they look for it, they’re listening.  Praying that you will seek God for PiVAT Weekly for this week, and PiVAT before dinner each day, and PRISM time in His Word.    It’s how you look for His next instruction, it’s how you recognize what He would say, it’s how you tune your ear to His Voice.  Praying that you will never suffer from the rod of correction, because your conversation with Him is ongoing, overflowing, full of blessing and all of His Good for you!  Praying that you will respond to that still small voice – because you’re looking for it – and then - that you will train your children to obey like you do…
 
Love you all,
dad

Love you all, praying for you,
 
I just love God’s Word.  It tells you who God is, what God did, how much He loves you, and what God gives.  He is the God of truth, He gives clarity, wisdom, understanding, soundness of mind… safe, sane, (not disordered or confused), entire, whole, healthy, unbroken, not shaky, overcoming.  Able to think, process and reason accurately and clearly, not susceptible to confusion or delusion, self-controlled, clear-minded, stable, understanding and comprehending, readily perceiving.  That’s what God has for you!  2 Timothy 1:7 – For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but (a Spirit of) power, love and a sound mind.  2 Corinthians 2:16 – For who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?  But we have the mind of Christ.  Philippians 2:5 – Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus: (humility) though he was God, he did not think of equality with God something to cling to, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in human likeness.   James 1:21 – Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and humbly receive the word planted in you which will save you. (His Word is what saves and strengthens your mind, if you are humble and disciplined enough to fill your mind with it. Ephesians 4:29 – Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. (Starting with you).  I Peter 1:13 – Therefore, prepare your minds for action.  Be sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace given you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.  Philippians 4:6 – Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.  Romans 12:2 – Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing, and perfect will.  Isaiah 26:3 – You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on you, because He trusts in you.  That word stayed means to lean upon, to be fixed on, to hold fast to.  Matthew 22:37 – Jesus said unto him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.”   Mark 5:15 – When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons, sitting there, clothed and in his right mind…  Luke 12:29 – But as for you, do not seek and strive after what you will eat or what you will drink…do not have an anxious and unsettled mind.  Acts 17:11 – Now the Bereans were more noble than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with readiness of mind, and searched the Scriptures daily, to find out whether these things were true.  Ephesians 4:17 – So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds… Eph 4:22-24 – You should put aside your old way of life with all its bad habits, and instead, let the Holy Spirit renew your mind (the attitude and thoughts of your mind). Put on your new nature, created to be like God, truly righteous and holy.  Philippians 1:27 – Only let your conversation be worthy of the gospel of Christ… What comes out of your mouth affects your mind. What your mouth puts in to it – affects your mind.  God has not given you a spirit of fear, but of love, and a sound mind.  You keep a sound mind, by filling it with God’s Word, by letting the Holy Spirit – renew it.  You put away your old way of thinking and talking, and only speak those words of life – the mind of Christ.  Praying that you will soak in the Word – that will establish your mind.  That you will be sound of spirit, mind and body.  So you will see and perceive clearly, act wisely, and grow strong in your faith – fully prepared and ready for every good work that God leads you in.    
 
Love you all,
dad

​Love you all, praying for you,
 
I just love God’s Word.  It tells you what you have been given.  It tells you what you could have.  Praying that you will review the PRISM Topic – What God Gives.  Here is an uncomfortable truth.  Just because you’ve been given something, doesn’t mean you have it.  Just because the present is under the tree, doesn’t mean it’s what you have.  It’s yours, but if you don’t open it, you don’t have it.  It’s just sitting there, like people who forfeit the grace that could be theirs.  God said He gives an instructed tongue to sustain the weary.  But just because He has given you an instructed tongue, doesn’t mean your tongue is instructed, or that you are sustaining the weary with it… and the first weary He wants you to sustain is you.  God tells us to put on the whole armor of God, so you may be able to withstand the darts (the arrows) of the devil.  But have you noticed that some people look like a pin cushion?  The have lumps on their head, and bruises all over, from getting pelted with the rocks and bricks and the arrows the devil throws.  They are a pin cushion, because their armor is collecting dust in their closet, not repelling the attacks of the enemy.  This is what God says.  2 Timothy 1:7 – For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but (a Spirit of) power, love and a sound mind.  Just because God has given you a sound mind, doesn’t mean your mind is sound.  Some people walk in a spirit that the devil gives, a spirt of fear, rather than the Spirit that God gives.  Is that you?  Is your tongue instructed to sustain the weary, is your armor on?  Or are you getting pelted?  Is your mind sound?  Only if you fill it with God’s Word, by the Spirit of power and love.  Sound – Entire, unbroken, not shaky, split or defective – as sound timber.  Undecayed, whole, perfect, not defective – as sound fruit.  Not broken or decayed; not defective; as a sound ship.  Whole; entire, unhurt – as a sound body, Heathy, not diseased.  Founded in truth, firm, strong, valid, solid, that cannot be overthrown or refuted, as sound reasoning, a sound argument, sound doctrine, sound principles.  Your mind is sound, or unsound.  You are established on the Rock of Gods truth, or you are tossed by every wind, like the waves of the sea.  Praying that your mind will be sound, because you fill it with God’s Word.  Praying that you will do PRISM every day, praying that you will M: Meditate on the Word, that PRISM Topic – that God told you to take with you today.  If nothing else to sustain yourself, and then sustain the weary… Praying that you will review the PRISM Topic – Fear Not, Do Not Fret, Discernment, and Speak Life.  And praying that you will take seasons of extra PRISM time - where you overdose on R: Read the Word -  Like the Book of I or II Timothy, Titus, or Proverbs.  Ephesians 6:13 – Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.  (Notice what God says - do it now, so you’ll be prepared then).  Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.  In addition to this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.  Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.  And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.  With this in mind, be alert and always keep praying for all the Lord’s people.  With this in mind… that’s how you get and keep a sound mind.  Think on these things.  Finally brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think on these things.  Your mind is sound – when your words are sound.  Your words are sound when they are God’s Words.  Praying that you will not look like a pin cushion, but the overcomer God created you to be.  Praying that you’ll prepare now, so you’ll be ready when you need it.  Praying that if you have to. You’ll overdose on God’s Word 3 times a day and constantly. #1 PRISM – those five things you can do in God’s Word, #2 M: Meditate on the Word – take your PRISM topic with you, and #3– take extra time at night – instead of that TV show, and read the book of Ephesians, or Philippians, or whatever God tells you.  Praying that you’ll never leave any gift unopened.  Praying that what God has given you – will be yours, because you open it, and use it, and love it, so you never lose it.  Praying that your mind will be sound – because your words are sound.  Praying that His Word – is always your words you fill your mind with.  So you can withstand every dart, so you are firm, established, unshakable, immovable, overcoming always.    
 
Love you all,
dad

Love you all, praying for you,
 
I just love God’s Word.  It tells of patterns that work!  Do you take time every day before dinner to do PiVAT for tomorrow?  Do you invest those five minutes with God to get His plans for you?  Or have you fallen off a little… You don’t have to… but it is so worth it.  It doesn’t take long, and it keeps you focused on what God wants for you.  So you don’t get stuck with what you want, or really… what the enemy wants for you… missing out on God’s best.    PiVAT is four questions to get God’s plans for you.   The secret is – these are not questions to answer, they are questions to ask.  Ask God, He will tell you – He promised.  Why do PiVAT before dinner?  #1 To Get God’s plan for you for tomorrow.  So you can hit the ground running!  #2  So you can pray with your spouse before bed – the exact thing that you both need most from God, and the number one thing He’s telling you to do.  If you pray for each other – you’ll get God’s counsel, the Godly counsel of your number one counselor (other than the Holy Spirit), your spouse.  Plus, you’ll be far more likely to complete what He told you, and notice when He gives you what you need most.  Why do PiVAT before dinner?  #3  So you can be reminded of what He told you to do today – so you can finish strong, so you leave nothing on the table that He told you to do.  You don’t have time to do tomorrow what He told you to do today, and you don’t have time to do tomorrow anything He didn’t tell you to do.  Leave that for others – you do what He told you!  Why do PiVAT before dinner?  #4 So God can give you counsel in the night season.  When your mind is at rest, your spirit is open to His influence and guidance.  He gives counsel in the night season, He speaks to your heart so it can instruct you…  This is spirit, not mind.  It’s how He confirms what He has for you, or can tweak what you heard, so you hear him more completely.  He is faithful.  If you ask Him for His plans for you for tomorrow, He won’t tell you next week!  He said He will never give you a stone if you ask for a piece of bread.  Part of your daily bread is the plans He has for you today.  Just like part of your daily bread is His Word for you today.  PiVAT and PRISM are what help you offer your life as a living sacrifice, and be transformed by the renewing of your mind so you can prove what his good and acceptable, and complete will is for you.  Praying that you’ll never neglect PiVAT before dinner each day – the difference between your plans and God’s plans for you is the difference between your way and God’s way.  His is way better – like heavens are above earth.  He has good for you and He wants you to walk in it.  He’ll go first, He’ll walk with you in it, and give you all the power you need – it’s called grace. 

Love you all,
dad

Love you all, praying for you. 
 
What does God say about work?  Quite a lot.  Work is critically important.  God worked, He is working still – "My Father is always at work."  Work is part of the character and nature of God, it is what he designed for us.  God put Adam in the garden of Eden to work it.  One pastor noted, “God gave him a job before He gave him a wife.”  Work is intrinsic to life, sin didn’t cause work, it just made work more difficult.  Work was always God’s plan.  Work is what builds.  You can’t build anything without work.  Work has two parts.  What you do, and how you do it.  Some people don’t work very hard, so they don’t have much, or build much.  Other people work really hard, at the wrong thing – something God never told them to do…  God warned, “What does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his own soul.  Work has an important place in life, and rest is just as important.  You work far more than you rest, 6:1 – but rest is what God designed to strengthen you.  It’s critical, not just for quality of life, but quality of relationships as well as it helps you work more effectively.  Those who understand work – build their life well, those who don’t - do not.  The most important part of work is what you do (discernment), and the most important part of that is who decides.  That’s why PIVAT is so important – giving up your plans – for His.  Know what God wants you to do (today, and every day), and your life will be full of meaning and purpose and progress… His purpose for you,.  It’s how He can fulfill it.  Then next most important part of work is the how - incisive… measuring not cutting, understanding, not just effort.  “Having the quality of cutting or separating the superficial part of anything.”  Measure twice, cut once.   It’s important to know God’s plan, what you were created to do, so you can do it with excellence, and do it with joy.  Not all work is fun, some things are just necessary - and timing is everything.  Work now, play later.  Play now, rest now, and you’ll never get around to working.  That’s why God says if a man will not work, neither should he eat.  Work - if you do it with God’s perspective, it can be an enjoyable thing, even when every part of it is not always enjoyable.  Start early, do the hardest thing first, but first know what God is calling you to do.  Hard work doesn’t help you without smart work.  Some people work on things that bring little result, and then, don’t have the energy or time left to work on what brings the most benefit.  Better to work at fixing the hole in the bottom of the boat, than to work at rearranging the deck furniture.  Some work brings result, other work just takes energy.  God’s wisdom is what you need – to distinguish between the two.  How quickly do you get to work?  You only make money if paint is going on the wall), not when you’re walking around thinking about where you’re going to start - do that the night before.  Be early – and you’ll have half your work already done, by the time others get around to getting started. Does your work reflect the priorities and the diligence of God? If you don’t know His plans for you – you’re working for nothing.  God says all hard work brings a profit, make sure you’re working on what He wants you to, and you know when He wants you to start, and finish today.   If you don’t know what He has for you today, and what is not for today – (but tomorrow, next week, or maybe never… Your work will be tiresome but not fruitful.  The most important thing about work is what God has for you.  PiVAT is critically important.  Then the next important thing is diligence.  When is He telling you to do it, and get to it!  Start early is better than staying late.  Some people work late, because they start late.  That’s not working hard, it’s just working when you should already be doing other equally important things.  Like investing in your marriage and your children.  Praying that you will know what God wants you to do, so your work makes a difference.  Praying that you will know His Word – which tells how to work most effectively, with wisdom and diligence.  Praying that you will know when to work, and when to stop working, so you can work on other things in life, that are every bit as important, and that help you work more effectively. Praying that you will love to work, that God will give you a job you love, that not everybody can do, that you would do even if you didn’t get paid, that pays enough to meet your needs, and a little extra to give hilariously.  And Praying that you will love your job, (this job) until God gives you that job that you love.  Praying that your work, will reflect your love and appreciation for Him.  Work is worship – if you work as unto the LORD.  Whatever you do,(that means not whatever you want to do, whatever God has given for you to do…  Do it with all your might, working for the LORD, not for men, knowing that (it is) from the LORD you will receive the reward of the inheritance, it is the LORD, Christ whom you serve.  That’s why you don’t work for money either, if you only work for money – you’ll judge work by the money.  God’s provision isn’t limited to your paycheck.  Do what you love to do, and you’ll make more over time, you’ll be diligent and resourceful in it.  And don’t refuse to work, just because the pay isn’t what you hoped.  You can work for free, or a dollar an hour – if God is telling you to do it, work for Him, and He’ll make sure you get paid.  If you don’t have a job right now, work for free, help serve someone else, but work…  That’s what God created you to do.  Praying that your work, will be a worship unto the LORD, that He will direct your work, both what and when, that you’ll ask Him, and that you will fully do what He told you to do – when it’s time… so you can do the next thing He has for you when your work day is over.  So you can invest in other things that will last for a lifetime, and last for eternity. Praying that you will work for Him, what He said and when, that you will do it with joy – the joy that comes from obedience, the joy that comes from Him.
 
Love you all,
dad