Thursday, August 2, 2012

ARE YOU DELUSIONAL? I HOPE NOT!

These One A Days are added to daily.

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

Click on http://wyrickswritings.blogspot.com to read selected Sermons from over 50 years of Rev. Wyrick's ministry.

It is far too easy to fall victim to delusions of grandeur.  People do it all the time.

       "Too big for your britches" is the way one old quote puts it.

       As if being able to extend an amount of territory or power made one the equivalent of being God.  As if saying to a number of employees "Jump" and they jumped was the equivalent of being God.  Or doing the same as a controlling husband or nagging wife organizing their  power so that it would last forever.

       Beware...time and logic and the Bible itself...say... you are the created and not the creator...and there is a point of arrogant view one should not seek or foolishly foster.

       When Spain led the world (in the 15th century), their coins reflected their national arrogance and were inscribed Ne Plus Ultra which meant "Nothing Further" - meaning that Spain was the ultimate in all the world. After the discovery of the New World, they realized that they were not the "end of the world" - they changed the inscription on their coinage to Plus Ultra - meaning "More Beyond."

       Would you like to go to prison?  And you ask that of someone and you can see them forming the thought, "What a foolish question?"...but then that is what arrogance is...a prison where the pig headed have found their trough.

       Are you a musician tooting your own horn.  And the band plays on and it is not music being made for those who are a member of such a band.

       I hope your answer was "No!"...I do not want to be a member of such a band.

       And if so you are a humble man who has repented and is redeemed.  And you are therefore not a proud man or woman who in your arrogance "As a dog has returned to your vomit, (and as) a fool repeated your folly. (Proverbs 26:11)

       There is not a one of us who has not had some problems with arrogance.  There is not a one of us who would not do well to remember the words of Augustine and more than once, "Trust the past to God’s mercy, the present to God’s love and the future to God’s providence."

       That arrogance is a disease...there is no doubt...but there is a way to deal with it...and win out over it...and not be tempted to take credit for doing so.

       A cure for arrogance is Christian confidence...that special ambience of the soul that comes from remembering those words in James 1:17 "Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above."

       "Thy will be done" facing life with that kind of attitude does not deny my talents but neither does it make them a mortal neon sign advertising them both in the night and in the day.

       It's a tight rope to walk...this pursuit of excellence without letting the love of praise mute the beauty of the pursuit...we both know that.

       What I am saying is that if I think so highly of myself I disdain my neighbor and thereby think less of him...then I am wrong...and confidence has become a sin.  Of such are all prejudices built.

       I have spent a lifetime exercising, sometimes to the extreme and that is good.  But not however if I allow myself to think that now I have complete control of my physical health...for then such thinking produces a man spiritually out of control.

       Nor if I pray so often I think to build myself a prayer Kingdom so large that now the humility of prayer is overcome by spiritual arrogance.

       Live life on my knees with my head held high...there is the beginning of Christian confidence as against the bugaboo of arrogance.

       And those prayer times...as I seek to never feel better than any other fellow man...to do so I must pray for he or she ...and every day...there is the great spiritual leveler...that gives the gift of spiritual resilience.

       How are you grading out as you read this? Does the very question poke at your pride?  The audacity of some stranger suggesting that you have some weaknesses you need to look at?

       Are you frail before criticism from a friend who would never dare to call attention to a fault...for then they would no longer be your friend?

       Christian confidence allows you to give thanks for your successes and pray for help with your failures and feel secure both times.

       Christian confidence allows you to admit guilt where it exists and thereby with humility ask for forgiveness from both man and god.  Christian confidence can live with that.

       In closing... 

       BEWARE!  THERE IS NOTHING THAT ARROGANT PRIDE DOES NOT CORRUPT AND CORRUPT THOROUGHLY.

       SO GET REAL...GET REAL WITH GOD...MAKE HIM A CONSTANT COMPANION...FOR YOU ARE UNLIKELY TO HAVE A PRIDE ATTACK IF JESUS IS WALKING BY YUR SIDE.

       The book of Daniel tells us that when King Nebuchadnezzar became swollen with pride his spirit was hardened; he was deposed from his throne; his glory was taken away from him; he went mad and ate grass like an animal. His pride

became a monster that devoured him.  Spiritual cataracts blinded him, and bloated thoughts about himself twisted his thinking into horrible shapes.  

       The text tells us that he remained in this state “until he knew that the Most High God rules the kingdom of men….”

       SO THEN THERE IT IS AS IT ALWAYS IS...WHEN THE WORDS OF GOD ARE ON YOUR LIPS THE PEACE OF GOD WILL MEET YOU IN YOUR HEART.

       IT IS THAT SIMPLE...THAT IS IT IS...UNLESS ONE IS SO PROUD THEY MAKE IT DIFFICULT.

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            QUOTES BELOW ARE FROM WYRICK'S WRITINGS...CLICK ON THE FOLLOWING TO TAKE YOU THERE... http://wyrickswritings.blogspot.com

(These are selected sermons from over 50 years of ministry and as a worldwide evangelist have been preached all over the world)

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(A new daily quote  below from Rev. Wyrick's 9th book THE SPIRITUAL ABRAHAM LINCOLN...available on amazon.com, barnes and noble and many other book sites) (read the rave reviews below)

      Quote from chapter 5 for July 26

"Abraham Lincoln would be the first President not born in one of the original thirteen states, and it would not be an easy journey.  Just getting nominated for the office had been difficult enough - it had taken three ballots before the Republican Party had a nominee.  Against all odds, this fairly obscure man from the wilderness was placed on their ticket. 

With his Presbyterian background, Lincoln might well have recalled that day in sixteenth century Scotland at the port of St. Andrews when John Knox fell to his knees on the dock and cried out, “God, give me Scotland or I die.”  That may well have been how Abe felt, “God, give me the Union or it will die.”

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            CLICK ON  www.go60.us   IT WILL TAKE YOU A NEW WEBSITE FOR SENIORS....click on "Voice" on the home page and then on the list of authors click on Neil Wyrick

Recent articles Rev. Wyrick has written for this web site are:  REFLECTIONS


·         Here Comes Summer (July 2012)

·         Spring (May 2012)

·         Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow (April 2012)

·         Wayward and Windy (April 2012)



Just remember that “the pain of discipline will cost you pennies, whereas the pain of regret will cost you millions.”

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How can we keep our faith from being a weak and fruitless thing?  How can we not be foolish little men and women groveling in the dark shadows of overeager egos. 


          Well, first we must do more than just pray.  We must believe in our own prayers.

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Anxiety out of proportion makes us become like a centipede trying to put his best foot forward.

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        It's an old joke, I went to the doctor and I said, “Doc, when I do this, it hurts.” And the doctor said, “Then don't do that.”

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        How many things have you been anxious about that were things which you knew before you got into them were probably going to create some problems for you?  And if you asked your doctor, or your minister, or common sense and your God, all of them would have said, “Don’t do that.”

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        To buy into the community of accountability we have to realize that like bikers we are divided into two categories.  Those who have fallen and those who will fall for anything. None of us are perfect.

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          Think on it this way, some philosopher of old wrote it and it endures because there is so much truth in it… every right implies a responsibility; every opportunity, an obligation; every possession, a duty

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      Some of the sermon titles posted recently


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Before you decide to purchase or not purchase his book THE SPIRITUAL ABRAHAM LINCOLN.... view his Award Winning One Man Dramatization of Lincoln (since he wrote the script for this drama it will give you an insight into what you will find in the book itself)

Available on Amazon.com in printed form and on Amazon Kindle Books. and at many other sites

TO VIEW THE LINCOLN One Man DRAMA and 3 other dramas; Ben Franklin, Martin Luther & Charles Wesley

click on the following URL

http://www.speakerneil.com/

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BELOW ARE MORE QUOTES FROM NEIL'S RECENTLY POSTED SERMONS

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A QUOTE FROM THOUGHTS POSTED ON MY OTHER BLOG WYRICK'S WRITINGS ON SUNDAY APRIL 15. ENTITILED



       Two stores faced each other across a very busy street.  Their owners were in constant competition with each other.  One day, the owner of one store put out a sign that read – If you want it, we have it!

Almost immediately the other owner put out a sign –If we don’t have it, you don’t need it!



A QUOTE FROM THOUGHTS POSTED ON MY OTHER BLOG WYRICK'S WRITINGS ON THURSDAY APRIL 13TH. ENTITILED

WHO ARE YOU?

NO…WHOSE ARE YOU?

       Who are you?  Whose are you?

You influence and are influenced according to the answer you give.     

Are you are the flavor of the month because you are determined to be like everyone else no matter what?  If so, consider being more independent in our thinking and actions...because God wants you to grow up.

It may be easier being someone's shadow but wouldn't you really rather be a sun. 



       QUOTE FROM THOUGHTS  POSTED ON WYRICK'S WRITINGS THURSDAY  APRIL 5 FROM THOUGHT ENTITLED "Who Are You?  Whose Are You?"

       This is an old quote, and a romantic one as well but, nevertheless, can anyone say of you, “I love you not because of who you are, but because of who I am when I am with you.

            QUOTE FROM THOUGHT PIECE POSTED ON WYRICK'S WRITINGS TUESDAY APRIL 3 FROM THOUGHT ENTITLED

" WHEN A NATION STRAYS TOO FAR FROM BEING MORAL IT IS WELL ON IT'S WAY TO BECOMING A MESS

        James 4:17

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

        Someone once said: “A belief is what you hold, a conviction is what holds you!”

        So what holds you, constructs you, leads you with a push when needed?

       Quotes POSTED ON WYRICK'S WRITING THURSDAY MARCH 29th THOUGHTS ENTITLED WHO ARE YOU?

NO…WHOSE ARE YOU?

        In a Peanuts cartoon strip Peppermint Patty is shown talking to Charlie Brown.

“Guess what, Chuck? It’s the first day of school and I got sent to the principal’s office.

And it’s your fault!”

Charlie Brown responds, “My fault? How could it be my fault? Why do you say everything is my fault?”

To which she declares, “You’re my friend, aren’t you, Chuck? You should have been a better influence on me.”

In the comics, it’s funny… but in real life it’s much more complicated.

       Would you like to read the entire thought piece?  Then... TO TAKE YOU TO THE WYRICK'S WRITING'S SITE

                                        click on the following


          Yes, God loves you the way you are but he loves you too much to let you stay that way.

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      Click on the URL below to WATCH NEIL IN HIS WORLD FAMOUS ONE MAN DRAMATIZATIONS OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN, BEN FRANKLIN, CHARLES WESLEY AND MARTIN LUTHER


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

       GO TO amazon.com

       QUOTES ABOUT THIS WONDERFUL INSPIRING INFORMATIVE book

       STILL RECEIVING RAVE REVIEWS 8 YEARS AFTER IT'S PUBLICATION.

       "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

        "When it comes to invoking religion in support of any of their decisions, politicians need to sit at the feet of Abraham Lincoln. Reinhold Niebuhr once called him 'America's greatest theologian.' Why so great? Because he invariably distinguished between human works and the works of the Almighty. As Wyrick says, 'He wore the mantle of humility easily: because he was more impressed with what God was doing in the world than with what he, president of the United States in the midst of an awful crisis, was doing. That is why in his last major speech he distinguished between both human causes in the Civil War and the Almighty's 'own purposes.' Lincoln would have agreed that it is better to leave God-talk out of politics than to decorate human proposals with divinity. This is a book for our American time. Through his careful study of Lincoln's career, Wyrick compels us to remember that piety belongs in politics only when piety transcends politics."

       Dr. Donald W. Shriver

       Emeritus professor at Union Theological Seminary in New York. Author of An Ethic for Enemies: Forgiveness in Politics

        "V. Neil Wyrick's fine work allows the reader to appreciate Abraham Lincoln's Christian commitment and his prophetic role in American history. Should have a wide readership."

       James H. Smylie Professor of Church History (Ret.) Union Theological Seminary, Richmond, Virginia

       "Neil Wyrick's The Spiritual Abraham Lincoln should be read by anyone attempting to understand the man who was probably the most complex person to ever hold the office of president of the United States. Dr. Wyrick is intent on demonstrating that the spirituality so often expressed in Lincoln's writings and speeches was not merely lip service to a Deity, but rather expressions of a profound faith in a real God. It was this faith that provided the wisdom, compassion, insight and sometimes steel that Lincoln would need in full measure as he led the United States through the Civil War. Dr. Wyrick's clear and unpretentious style of presentation is very much in keeping with the character ofhis subject, and in so doing, Wyrick makes his point very well that Lincoln, his beliefs, and the faith that formed them, are as relevant to a troubled America in 2004 as they were in 1863."

       Daniel Allen Butler, author of "Unsinkable"; The Full Story of the RMS Titanic, The Lusitania and The Age o f Cunard

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