My Book Report (Chapter 10): Every Day A Friday

Chapter 10

How should I open up this chapter of My Book Report? Oh, I know! I'll ask God to bless you and allow you to see those very words of blessing.

Father and God, thank you for all the millions of readers that will take in these words. I thank you Lord for their lives. I thank you my God that they were born. I thank you for what you will do in their lives.  Thank you for their eyes, their ears, their hearts, their minds, their hands and their feet. I thank you for all of this as I ask you to bless all of them. May these words not escape their eyes, and may they not allow these words to escape the eyes of their families, friends, and co-workers. Thank you my God for hearing my words and moving in me to bless them, in Jesus name. Amen

That's a blessed opening, and now I want to share with all your precious hearts what I learned from chapter ten of Joel Osteen's "Every Day A Friday." Chapter ten is titled "You Can Have the Last Laugh." The title is intriguing. Isn't it?! Right off the back, the title makes me think of not so nice things. People getting revenge on others. Witnessing people scheming and plotting to repay back people evil for the evil they have done to them. Even a saying I have heard a few times. "You want to get back at someone, become rich." I don't think money may be an answer of retaliation as it may very well cause others to hate you, and envy you even more. That may seem well and good with others, but not with me. I'm not here to rub anything in any one's face, but I am here to show that a life lived to honor God, will result in God honoring you despite those who look to bring you down, and according to God's Word, God will make it that your critics (those who want you to fail) will see how blessed YOU ARE. Amen.

In reading chapter ten Joel took me on a journey throughout the Bible. I went to the books of Deuteronomy, Romans, 1 Samuel, Psalm, Proverbs, and Genesis. It was amazing. A thrill ride that doesn't leave you dizzy but with the treasury of your heart overflowing and spilling over. Amen. Joel goes on to advise us that although in life we may very well encounter dealings with critics, naysayers, backbiters, backstabbers, those who are jealous and who say we'll never make it, we who believe and receive God through Christ Jesus can be assured that God will give those individuals a clear view of our table of blessing. Joel goes on to say, that God will make sure those individuals will see us promoted, honored, and accomplished. 

The above words are summed up from these Two Verses, and they are evident blessings that are direct results of someone who trusts, believes and lives out these Two Verses. 

As I read chapter ten, it had me reflecting on one key moment in my walk with the Lord. Very early in my walk, the Lord asked me to leave a position I had great comfort and influence in. Three years exactly at a particular company, and in the last year of those three years, things really started to go well for me. I had peace with my bosses, my co-workers and I truly enjoyed my work. 

Although leaving seemed absolutely crazy as I received good pay, had great benefits and seniority, the Lord said this to me repeatedly, "If you don't leave, you'll miss out on the blessing I have for you." Even others in the Lord and those close to me said I was wrong to leave and that wasn't what God said to me. 

Sometimes, it could take years for someone to come up to you and congratulate you, but the Word of God says, "..let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up." (Galatians 6:9 NLT). 

My takeaway: 

For me in my life and the clear and concise way the Lord has spoken to me translates into this: Although it'll probably be some time before others can see the good work God is doing in my life, it may very well be the Lord building me up, and as I grow in the Lord, in due time what He first said to me will finally be made known to everyone else. Amen.

God is a promise keeper. It may not happen the way we want or expect, but be assured and at peace that it WILL happen. Amen.

As always...YOU ARE LOVED.

My Book Report (Chapter 6): Every Day A Friday

Chapter Six
“An Attitude of Gratitude is not a catchy slogan. It's an untapped resource.” – F. Lugo

I am amazed! I repeat I am amazed! How amazing it is to receive such wonderful blessings from words in a book. Words on a screen. Words delivered through a social networking site. Words from someone who cares. When these words are filled with goodness. When these words are uplifting, and never aimed to bring you down, I write to you all, be amazed! And thank God!


Chapter six from those words above you can probably put together in your amazing mind that it's a chapter that will have you thankful and amazed. By the way did you know one of my favorite words in the English dictionary is Awesome! Why do I let you know that? Because the word amazing is AWESOME!


"The Right Perspective" would be an awesome way to describe chapter six. In fact, that's the title of chapter 6: "The Right Perspective." Throughout this chapter there is one underlining truth that is amazingly awesome. We are so blessed, the mere fact that all of us at some point or another think we aren't blessed is staggering. Therefore, let me take the initiative and let you in on a little secret. I have often thought I wasn't as blessed as I should have. Are you in shock? I hope you are, because chances are high, you too, have thought, felt and expressed in your life more than once that you were not blessed. Maybe you didn't use those exact words, but maybe these sound more familiar,"Nothing good ever happens to me," or better yet, "Why me?"


Here's a little snippet of something Joel mentioned, shedding light on The Right Perspective to have in his book Every Day A Friday. "I read recently that more than a million people die every single week. Think about it. You made it another week! You're better off than a million people. You can thank God you're alive."  (Here) is where you can find some sobering statistics.  


Joel goes on to share this as well, "The article also said that if you have a roof over your head, you are better off than 75 percent of the world's population. And if you have fifteen dollars to your name, you are in the top 8 percent of the world's wealthiest people- fifteen dollars!"


How's that for the right perspective? There is so much to be thankful for, and as Joel shared a great exercise to gain the right perspective, I share it all with you. Make a list of everything God has blessed you with, and by the end of it, you'll have gained The Right Perspective.


Here's a bit of direction for you when writing your list. Joel mentions a man who complained he had 'no good shoes,' then he met a man without feet. In that very moment and from then on, that man had The Right Perspective.



My Takeaway:

The Right Perspective comes from the heart that praises and thanks God. The more I praise God the less I see room to complain. If I develop a spirit of continual thanks and praise to God while meditating on His goodness, I wont have time to focus on what's wrong or to complain about what I don't have or what I can't do, because I'll be to grateful to God for what I DO have and what I CAN do. Just as King David wrote, and knew the secret to The Right Perspective, I share this secret with you. "I WILL bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth." (Psalm 34:1 AMP) and apparently the apostle Paul knew this secret as well, as he wrote, 'give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.' (1 Thessalonians 5:18 NIV)




Beloved, I leave you with these words. They are my words to God as soon as I finished reading chapter six and reflecting on His goodness in my life.

Father, I want to apologize for not appreciating everything I have been blessed with as if it were the first time I received it. Thank you for your friendly reminders. Thank you for personalities like Joel Osteen. Thank you that the smiling saints belonging to your kingdom have been here on earth gracing us with their demeanor and amazing perspective. Help me to always have The Right Perspective. Amazed by You, my God!