WHY BE GOOD?

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          There are over 900 stories and commentaries on this blog that began Nov 24, 2009. It is added to daily.

          To Visit neil's other blog Wyrick's Writings click on the following

                     http://wyrickswritings.blogspot.com

ARE YOU AS CLOSE TO GOD AS YOU WANT TO BE?

(posted today Tuesday Jan 30th)

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When the Master of Abbotsford, Sir Walter Scott, lay dying, he called for his son-in-law and biographer, Lockhart, and said to him, "Lockhart, my dear sir, be a' good man. Be virtuous, be religious, be a good man. Nothing else will give you any comfort when you come to lie here."

 Romans 6:10-11

For in that he died, he died unto sin once,

but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. 

Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin,

but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

James 4:17

To him therefore who knows to do good, and doesn’t do it, to him it is sin.

Tocqueville, a French political thinker who lived over a hundred years ago, visited America, and upon his return home he wrote: “I sought for the greatness of America in her harbors and rivers and fertile fields, and her mines and commerce.  It was not there.  Not until I went into the churches and heard her pulpits flame with righteousness did I understand the greatness of her power.

America is great because she is good; and if America ever ceases to be good, America will cease to be great."

And therein lies part of the problem in today's America.  Ask many Americans today what is good or bad, right or wrong and you will receive convoluted answers.  For they will give you not what the Bible teaches us is right and wrong, but what they have decided on their own is right and what is wrong. 

A moral man used to be held in esteem.  Too often today he thought naïve and may face ridicule.  Take what will make you rich or happy and the devil take the hindmost has become cry of the land.

It used to be considered praise to be called good, but somewhere along the line goodness got a bad reputation.  To be called a goody two shoes because you won’t do something considered wrong or immoral has become belittling and an insult.  

Moral absolutes seem to have gone the way of the horse and buggy. 

       And, oh, that there were more in this old world like Frances Havergal, the song writer, who lived and moved in the Word of God.  His Word was her constant companion.  Indeed, on the last day of her life on earth, she asked a friend to read to her the 42nd chapter of Isaiah. 

When the friend read the sixth verse - “I, the Lord have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee,” Miss Havergal stopped her and whispered, “Called—held—kept.  I can go home on that!”

And she took her last breath and did go to her heavenly home on that. 

++++++++++++++++++++++++

            TO WATCH NEIL WYRICK IN HIS ONE MAN DRAMAS (Presented to millions all around the world) (Ben Franiklin, Martin Luther, Charles Wesley and Abraham Lincoln (this Lincoln film takes 11 seconds to download but is worth the wait)

        CLICK ON THE FOLLOWING

http://www.speakerneil.com/

 

                                    To Order and Read Neil's 9th book THE SPIRITUAL ABRAHAM LINCOLN

 

                                    GO TO amazon.com

and get it for $2 "from author" which is less than used book prices you will see!!!
 

QUOTES ABOUT THIS WONDERFUL INSPIRING INFORMATIVE book

"Positive, powerful utterances...skillfully enhancing our understanding and appreciation of Lincoln while revealing the Divine source of his strength."

Lt. Colonel C.A. Olsen (Ret.) Asbury College (Professor Ret.)

 "The Spiritual Abraham Lincoln is an extremely well written book that investigates what might be termed the spiritual side of President Lincoln. It's both scholarly and very readable. I came away impressed at Mr. Wyrick's portrayal of the President and with an altered and enlarged vision of the man:'

 

William Hoffman, Award winning fiction writer; author of Blood and Guile, and Wild Thorn

"Wyrick has authored a wonderful examination of the spirituality of one of American history's most devoutly religious leaders...a pleasant and readable book that has a rich depth of information."

   Maynard Pittendreigh Presbyterian minister

WHAT WERE THE BEST DAYS IN YOUR LIFE AND WHY? (Or moments)

            IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEND THIS BLOG TO A FRIEND GO TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS BLOG AND CLICK ON THE ENVELOPE.

          There are over 900 stories and commentaries on this blog that began Nov 24, 2009. It is added to daily.

          To Visit neil's other blog Wyrick's Writings click on the following

                     http://wyrickswritings.blogspot.com

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To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven: A time to weep, a time to laugh, a time to mourn, and a time to dance.
Ecclesiastes 3:1,4.

       You cried.  And those gathered ‘round you were delighted.  If you had been older you would have known this wasn’t the usual reaction to someone crying. 

       But this was the day of your birth and you were crying out to the world, “Hey, it’s me!  There’s never been anyone like me before and there’ll never  be anyone like me again.!”

       You didn’t know it…

But when you smiled it would be your own unique way of doing it.

       And when you frowned everyone would recognize it for what it was…but that too would be a distinct representation of you.

       And as you  grew older, you would give more than you took or take more than you gave.

       You would be compassionate or cruel, sober or a cut up and you would have a belief system that would govern your actions and the world would be a different place because of those actions.

       What were the best days if your life and why

Asking the question so we can fine tune the answers.

The best days of your life.  The day you were born and the day you realized what you were born for.

       Or the day you finally do discover what you were born for. 

       An old man had a question he asked over and over again of everyone he met.

       "What have you done that you believe in and you are proud of?"
       Not what do you do for a living but rather what do you do that makes LIFE WORTH LIVING?

       There is a story involving Yogi Berra, the well-known catcher for the New York Yankees, and Hank Aaron, who at that time was the chief power hitter for the Milwaukee Braves. The teams were playng in the World Series, and as usual Yogi was keeping up his ceaseless chatter, intended to pep up his teammates on the one hand, and distract the Milwaukee batters on the other.

       As Aaron came to the plate, Yogi tried to distract him by saying, "Henry, you’re holding the bat wrong. You’re supposed to hold it so you can read the trademark."

       Aaron didn’t say anything, but when the next pitch came he hit it into the left-field bleachers. After rounding the bases and tagging up at home plate, Aaron looked at Yogi Berra and said, "I didn’t come up here to read

       Daily, as you come to bat in the game of life…what are you coming to bat for?  Who and what are you aiming to score runs for?  Good or evil.   A good and sacred purpose or no purpose at all….or a no good purpose.

       Search and pray.  Pray and search. And remember much of which reflects back to where you live is determined as to where you have placed the mirror.

++++++++++++++++++++++++

            TO WATCH NEIL WYRICK IN HIS ONE MAN DRAMAS (Presented to millions all around the world) (Ben Franiklin, Martin Luther, Charles Wesley and Abraham Lincoln (this Lincoln film takes 11 seconds to download but is worth the wait)

        CLICK ON THE FOLLOWING

http://www.speakerneil.com/

                                    To Order and Read Neil's 9th book THE SPIRITUAL ABRAHAM LINCOLN

                                    GO TO amazon.com

 And get it for $2 "from author" which is less than used book prices you will see!!!

QUOTES ABOUT THIS WONDERFUL INSPIRING INFORMATIVE book

 "Positive, powerful utterances...skillfully enhancing our understanding and appreciation of Lincoln while revealing the Divine source of his strength."

Lt. Colonel C.A. Olsen (Ret.) Asbury College (Professor Ret.)

 "The Spiritual Abraham Lincoln is an extremely well written book that investigates what might be termed the spiritual side of President Lincoln. It's both scholarly and very readable. I came away impressed at Mr. Wyrick's portrayal of the President and with an altered and enlarged vision of the man:'

William Hoffman, Award winning fiction writer; author of Blood and Guile, and Wild Thorn

"Wyrick has authored a wonderful examination of the spirituality of one of American history's most devoutly religious leaders...a pleasant and readable book that has a rich depth of information."

   Maynard Pittendreigh Presbyterian minister

SOME SURE FIRE IDEAS ON HOW TO INCREASE YOUR PEACE OF MIND.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEND THIS BLOG TO A FRIEND GO TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS BLOG AND CLICK ON THE ENVELOPE.

          There are over 900 stories and commentaries on this blog that began Nov 24, 2009. It is added to daily.

          To Visit neil's other blog Wyrick's Writings click on the following

                     http://wyrickswritings.blogspot.com

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Duke University did a study and found that the following make exceptional contributions to having "Peace of Mind."

1.  Don't nurse a grudge unless you want a nursery filled with mean and angry crying thoughts.

2.  Don't as you wake up in the morning start inviting old mistakes and failures to be with you for the rest of the day

3.  Don't beat your head bloody trying to change things you know can't be changed.

4.  When you emotionally overstressed go out and be with people and the world.  It may be the last thing you want to do but it is the first thing you ought to do.  Otherwise you become a recluse whose negative thoughts just feed on themselves.  Pure and simple, accept the fact that no one gets through life without some raw deals.

5.  Cultivate some old-fashioned virtues- love, humor, compassion and loyalty (Duke doesn't say that these truths can be found all over the New Testament)

7.  Have big dreams but don't make them so big you have no chance to achieve them.  By so doing you can build too wide a gap between self-expectations and your ability to achieve them.  When I ran track I set as my goal to run each faster than last time but not as fast as the top runner on the team.  He was just too fast.

8. Find yourself something bigger than yourself to believe in.  Self-centered egotistical people score lowest in any test for measuring happiness.

 Have you heard about the newest gadget to insure peace and quiet at home?  It is called a phone-less cord.

 And then there is the couple who, back in the 1980’s, made an extensive study to find the safest place in the world to live, and then moved to the Falkland Islands just before they were invaded.

They should, however, not have been surprised for peace is not found in gadgets or particular geographical locations.  Real peace is only found inside of each of us:

in souls filled with the Holy Spirit

in lives guided by God’s commandments

in an ongoing communication with the One who set this old world in motion

in living the kind of lives that allow us not be at constant war with ourselves.

       Yet mankind continues to pursue the silly rather than the sagacious.  Indeed, one man recently commented, "My therapist told me the way to achieve true inner peace is to finish what I start.  So far today, I have finished two bags of potato

chips and most of a large, luscious chocolate cake.  I feel better already."

At first you laugh.  And then you think this is no laughing matter for this kind of philosophy really is alive and well in far too many lives. 

       Remember those words describing the birth of Christ, "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders.  And He will be called, Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." (Isaiah 9 - NIV)

And what a prince from heaven He was; Christ our Savior King, giving us a peace-filled commandment to "love on another" and telling us to forgive each other and be a light undo the world. 

For certainly there is more peace to be found this way than in a life that hates and constantly seeks vindictiveness and vengeance.

       There is something peacefully powerful about waking up in the morning and having one of the first thoughts to cross your mind the message this Jesus brought us.

        How much God loves us and how, if we have given ourselves completely to him, we are never alone.

That's when that peace that passeth understanding takes up permanent residence inside of you and you are never the same again.

++++++++++++++++++++++++

            TO WATCH NEIL WYRICK IN HIS ONE MAN DRAMAS (Presented to millions all around the world) (Ben Franiklin, Martin Luther, Charles Wesley and Abraham Lincoln (this Lincoln film takes 11 seconds to download but is worth the wait)

        CLICK ON THE FOLLOWING

http://www.speakerneil.com/

                                    To Order and Read Neil's 9th book THE SPIRITUAL ABRAHAM LINCOLN

                                    GO TO amazon.com

 and get a brand new coopy for $2 "from author" which is less than used book prices you will see!!!

QUOTES ABOUT THIS WONDERFUL INSPIRING INFORMATIVE book

"Positive, powerful utterances...skillfully enhancing our understanding and appreciation of Lincoln while revealing the Divine source of his strength."

Lt. Colonel C.A. Olsen (Ret.) Asbury College (Professor Ret.)
 

 "The Spiritual Abraham Lincoln is an extremely well written book that investigates what might be termed the spiritual side of President Lincoln. It's both scholarly and very readable. I came away impressed at Mr. Wyrick's portrayal of the President and with an altered and enlarged vision of the man:'

William Hoffman, Award winning fiction writer; author of Blood and Guile, and Wild Thorn

"Wyrick has authored a wonderful examination of the spirituality of one of American history's most devoutly religious leaders...a pleasant and readable book that has a rich depth of information."

   Maynard Pittendreigh Presbyterian minister

WHAT WOULD YOU SAY ON YOUR LAST TELEPHONE CALL?

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEND THIS BLOG TO A FRIEND GO TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS BLOG AND CLICK ON THE ENVELOPE.

          There are over 900 stories and commentaries on this blog that began Nov 24, 2009. It is added to daily.

          To Visit neil's other blog Wyrick's Writings click on the following

                     http://wyrickswritings.blogspot.com

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If the world discovered that there were only five minutes left to say all everyone wanted to say, every telephone would be occupied by people calling other people to stammer that they love them.

       Why wait until the last five minutes?

Many years ago at a Bible study, one in our group gave me a beautiful quote, “God loves us as we are, but He loves us too much to want us to stay that way.”  

One day a man excusing his actions said to me, “When I get mad, it’s over in 30 seconds.”

I replied, “So is an atomic bomb, but look at the damage it does.”

So then, are you willing for the next 40 days to practice damage control?  Flood your being with love?  Complete, and uncompromising?

        Nothing negative poking its peaks above the surface of your sea of love?  Looking out and seeing nothing but an ocean of love?  Aboard your ark named Conscience sailing serenely, practicing in a new way an old admonition?

       So...that neighbor you cannot stand, that co-worker who drives you up the wall...start treating them as if you do like them...that's right...treat them in a manner you don't believe they deserve...and if you do...do you know what will happen...it will change your relationship...the first person it will change will be you because you won't be carrying around the burden of anger toward them you have been carrying...and that will be good for your  insides...and then...ere now and then...your  kindness toward that other individual can sometimes change them in their response to you...so try it...you have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

++++++++++++++++++++++++

 

            TO WATCH NEIL WYRICK IN HIS ONE MAN DRAMAS (Presented to millions all around the world) (Ben Franiklin, Martin Luther, Charles Wesley and Abraham Lincoln (this Lincoln film takes 11 seconds to download but is worth the wait)

        CLICK ON THE FOLLOWING

http://www.speakerneil.com/

                                    To Order and Read Neil's 9th book THE SPIRITUAL ABRAHAM LINCOLN

                                    GO TO amazon.com

Then go to New book...and get it for $2 "from author" which is less than used book prices you will see!!!

 

QUOTES ABOUT THIS WONDERFUL INSPIRING INFORMATIVE book

"Positive, powerful utterances...skillfully enhancing our understanding and appreciation of Lincoln while revealing the Divine source of his strength."

Lt. Colonel C.A. Olsen (Ret.) Asbury College (Professor Ret.)

 "The Spiritual Abraham Lincoln is an extremely well written book that investigates what might be termed the spiritual side of President Lincoln. It's both scholarly and very readable. I came away impressed at Mr. Wyrick's portrayal of the President and with an altered and enlarged vision of the man:'

William Hoffman, Award winning fiction writer; author of Blood and Guile, and Wild Thorn

"Wyrick has authored a wonderful examination of the spirituality of one of American history's most devoutly religious leaders...a pleasant and readable book that has a rich depth of information."

   Maynard Pittendreigh Presbyterian minister

WHO WINS IF YOU DO NOTHING BUT BATTLE LIFE?

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEND THIS BLOG TO A FRIEND GO TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS BLOG AND CLICK ON THE ENVELOPE.

          There are over 900 stories and commentaries on this blog that began Nov 24, 2009. It is added to daily.

          To Visit neil's other blog Wyrick's Writings click on the following

                     http://wyrickswritings.blogspot.com

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Luke 6:47-49 - "Everyone who comes to Me, and hears My words, and acts upon them, I will show you whom he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid a foundation upon the rock; and when a flood rose, the torrent burst against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. "But the one who has heard, and has not acted accordingly, is like a man who built a house upon the ground without any foundation; and the torrent burst against it and immediately it collapsed, and the ruin of that house was great."

       Two boys were talking together when the younger asked, "Wouldn't you hate to wear glasses?" "No," answered the other, "not if I had my grandmother's kind. They make her see just how to mend broken things, and help her find lots of nice things to do on rainy days.

       She sees when folks are tired or sorry, and what'll make them feel better. And she always sees what you meant to do, even if you haven't got things quite right. I asked her one day how she could see that way all the time, and she said it was the way she had learned to look at things as she grew older, so I just know it's her spectacles that does it."

      There are indeed people who when you say “Good morning” to them, basically meet you with an attitude that growls, “What do you mean by that remark?”  Others meet the day with such a lively, positive response they make you smile just remembering them.

        And perhaps you think; dear Lord, what can I do to make people who are out of love with life find more joy in it?  How can I help them to give up their own private rain cloud for a sunshine-faith that works? 

The answer, of course, begins with you and me.  Smiling at the world around us more often than frowning.  Radiating the positive rather than shading everything with a negative.  Remembering that we are Christian examples to our non-Christian brethren and that they are not deaf, dumb or blind.  What we are is what they get and if it is not Christian we have damaged our faith in a way that should make us weep.  

       Have you ever wondered how any intelligent individual could behave in such a manner he actually drives away the very people he wants and needs?  How can anyone smart sometimes act so dumb? 

Well, actually it is surprisingly simple.  Psychologists tell us that intelligence isn’t everything we think it’s cracked up to be.  It actually influences only 20% of our decisions.  The rest of our actions fall heir to our emotional responses.  Or, let’s put it this way; when we allow a gut-feeling to take over when a God-commandment would be better, we are only asking for trouble. 

++++++++++++++++++++++++

             TO WATCH NEIL WYRICK IN HIS ONE MAN DRAMAS (Presented to millions all around the world) (Ben Franiklin, Martin Luther, Charles Wesley and Abraham Lincoln (this Lincoln film takes 11 seconds to download but is worth the wait)

        CLICK ON THE FOLLOWING

http://www.speakerneil.com/

                                     To Order and Read Neil's 9th book THE SPIRITUAL ABRAHAM LINCOLN

                                    GO TO amazon.com

 Then go to New book...and get it for $2 "from author" which is less than used book prices you will see!!!

 QUOTES ABOUT THIS WONDERFUL INSPIRING INFORMATIVE book

"Positive, powerful utterances...skillfully enhancing our understanding and appreciation of Lincoln while revealing the Divine source of his strength."

Lt. Colonel C.A. Olsen (Ret.) Asbury College (Professor Ret.)

 "The Spiritual Abraham Lincoln is an extremely well written book that investigates what might be termed the spiritual side of President Lincoln. It's both scholarly and very readable. I came away impressed at Mr. Wyrick's portrayal of the President and with an altered and enlarged vision of the man:'

William Hoffman, Award winning fiction writer; author of Blood and Guile, and Wild Thorn

"Wyrick has authored a wonderful examination of the spirituality of one of American history's most devoutly religious leaders...a pleasant and readable book that has a rich depth of information."

   Maynard Pittendreigh Presbyterian minister

SUPER STRENGTH FOR SUPER NEEDS

            IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEND THIS BLOG TO A FRIEND GO TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS BLOG AND CLICK ON THE ENVELOPE.

          There are over 900 stories and commentaries on this blog that began Nov 24, 2009. It is added to daily.

          To Visit neil's other blog Wyrick's Writings click on the following

                     http://wyrickswritings.blogspot.com

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A man once said to me, “The world has so many problems that if Moses came down from Mt. Sinai today, the two tablets he’d be carrying would be aspirin.”  It was a clever comment, but beyond that, it ignores the fact that life today is no worse than in centuries past.

       Different - but no worse.

       If you have doubts, ask Job to comment on some of the problems he had to surmount.  Or Paul.  Or Daniel about his tenure in the lions den.  Admittedly expressway traffic is terrible, but have you ever tried to ride on an un-air-conditioned, smelly camel?

       I have (on a trip to th holy land), and take my word for it, our mode of travel is certainly faster and more comfortable.  Indeed, try filling Moses shoes and wandering in the wilderness for 40 years.

       Stress has never had any respect for the calendar and readily keeps knocking at the door of millions of lives, no matter what the century.  The stress of keeping a job, being a proper parent, a mate worthy of the title husband or wife, a decent Christian.  We always want to do better, be better.  

         SO Whether it is only a temporary annoyance, such as being honked at when the traffic light just changed because we haven’t moved quickly enough to suit the impatient driver behind us; or dealing with a personal enemy who refuses to be a friend; or sickness comes to call or sorrow or clouds that do not always have silver linings - whatever the need, the Master Physician is never far away. 

       “Dear Jesus,” we pray, “pick me up and carry me awhile so I can rest a bit.”  And if you say it, and really mean it, He does just that.  Wonderfully scary, isn’t it?  All that power and peace available, if we but ask for Him to take charge of our lives.

       Notice I did not say the pain in your stomach or some problem you have will always go away.  Or that patella persuasion, the act of going to your knees, immediately gives you a superman soul.  No – but it does give you strength to bear what you have been called to bear. 

When you become a Christian are all your problems solved, with a guarantee that no new ones will appear?   If you follow Jesus will your paycheck double, your teenager become a shining example of perfection, your car never conk out in the middle of traffic?  No, I cannot promise that any of these things will happen, even if you are totally committed.  Not by a long shot.  But as a Christian, will you be better able to handle them?  Beyond the shadow of a doubt!

       By way of example: several years ago my doctor called and informed me I had a basal cell cancer on my nose that needed to be surgically removed.  I said, “Thanks for the good news.”

        There was only silence on the other end of the line so I explained, “Doctor, you just said it was a basal cell which does not metastasize and grows very slowly.  Therefore, yes, the bad news is I have a cancer.  The good news is that when it’s gone, it’s most likely gone for good, and it could have been a lot worse.

 When I had my right kidney removed, and several years later recovered from a paralyzed left arm after a hang gliding accident, that took a little more doing, but we, God and I, were up to it.

       Am I a spiritual Pollyanna?  Probably.  Am I God’s fool?  Definitely.  Am I alone when burdens come?  Never! You see, I’ve sat at the foot of the Master Teacher and paid close attention to the lessons He has to share. I have been comforted by the words, “……I have come that they (you) might have life, and that they (you) might have it more abundantly.”  (John 10:10) 

++++++++++++++++++++++++

            TO WATCH NEIL WYRICK IN HIS ONE MAN DRAMAS (Presented to millions all around the world) (Ben Franiklin, Martin Luther, Charles Wesley and Abraham Lincoln (this Lincoln film takes 11 seconds to download but is worth the wait)

        CLICK ON THE FOLLOWING

http://www.speakerneil.com/

                                    To Order and Read Neil's 9th book THE SPIRITUAL ABRAHAM LINCOLN

                                    GO TO amazon.com

Then go to New book...and get it for $2 "from author" which is less than used book prices you will see!!!

QUOTES ABOUT THIS WONDERFUL INSPIRING INFORMATIVE book

 "Positive, powerful utterances...skillfully enhancing our understanding and appreciation of Lincoln while revealing the Divine source of his strength."

Lt. Colonel C.A. Olsen (Ret.) Asbury College (Professor Ret.)

 "The Spiritual Abraham Lincoln is an extremely well written book that investigates what might be termed the spiritual side of President Lincoln. It's both scholarly and very readable. I came away impressed at Mr. Wyrick's portrayal of the President and with an altered and enlarged vision of the man:'

William Hoffman, Award winning fiction writer; author of Blood and Guile, and Wild Thorn

"Wyrick has authored a wonderful examination of the spirituality of one of American history's most devoutly religious leaders...a pleasant and readable book that has a rich depth of information."

   Maynard Pittendreigh Presbyterian minister