One Thing

"One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple." - Psalm 27:4

One thing, when it is the right thing, can make all the difference in the world... and beyond!

What things in your life need to change for you to reach those around you in the most effective manner?

Stop. There are past activities that will hurt or hinder your future efforts. What one past practice do you know that you need to forget, put behind you, and/or stop doing?

Start. To be truly successful, there are critical activities that must be incorporated into your life. What one thing must you start doing or other efforts will be rendered inconsequential?

More. consider the things you've done that get good results in ministry and service. What must you do more of so that you "press toward the mark" with excellence?

Less. "Good" often pushes out the "best." One definition of failure is succeeding at something you were never called to accomplish in the first place. What "good thing" in your life must you modify or do less of so that you can pursue the very best?

In the next five years, what's the one thing you must accomplish or anything else you do will be insignificant in comparison? In the next year? In the next month? In the next week?

Run!

Prayer

"We tread altogether too gingerly on the great and precious promises of God, and too often we ignore them wholly. The promise is the ground on which faith stands in asking of God. This is the one basis of prayer. We limit God's ability. We measure God's ability and willingness to answer prayer by the standards of men."

"There is not the least doubt that much of our praying fails for lack of persistency. It is without the fire and strength of perseverance. Persistence is of the essence of true praying. It may not be always called into exercise, but it must be there as a reserve force. Jesus taught that perseverance is the essential element of prayer. Men must be in earnest when they kneel at the footstool of God. Too often we get faint-hearted and quit praying at the point we ought to begin. We let go at the very point where we should hold on strongest. Our prayers are weak because they are not impassioned by an unfailing and resistless will."

~ E. M. Bounds