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What To Do When Stretched Out Of Your Comfort Zone.

7/29/2015

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Exo. 3:11 - But Moses said to God, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the sons of Israel out of Egypt?”

God has informed Moses that He has chosen him to lead the children of Israel out of the Egyptian bondage. Moses is stretched out of his comfort zone with this plan of God’s.
  • When Does Being Stretched Out Of Your Comfort Zone Begin?
Your stretching will begin when you doubt your abilities to accomplish the task that is before you.

Moses doubts that he was the one who could be used to help free the Israelites. He says to God, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh…?”  Moses doesn’t realize it yet, but he is the one who God has chosen and there isn't any way God will change His plan.

We probably all have been chosen by God to accomplish a task and we thought like Moses, “Who am I?”
If God chooses you, God will help you to complete the task.
  • How Does One Stop The Stretching?
If you’re being stretched out of your comfort zone try these.

          1. Stop Doubting Yourself.

The way to accomplish this is by feeding your mind positive thoughts.

You need to realize that you have been chosen by someone to complete this task. God, your boss, your close friend, your spouse or one of your children may have chosen you. The exciting thing is you have been chosen.

You want to see this as an opportunity to achieve a project that you haven’t done before.
 
         2. Start Preparing Yourself.

What can you do to prepare yourself to fulfill this project?

Are there any books you can read or is there a website you can visit? Do you know someone who has done this  type of job before that you can contact for some assistance?
  • My Construction Days
I was working construction with the Boilermakers back in the 1970’s. I was asked by a foreman,"Can you weld?" I replied, "No." I never liked giving him that answer. I needed to find someone who would be willing to teach me to weld. I was working with a crew and in this crew was a welder by the name of Jack McAvoy.

One evening while we were working I asked him, “Would you teach me how to weld?”  I grabbed a welder’s hood and within a couple of hours he had me welding. I continued to practice everyday and on the next job site I took the welder’s test and passed.

I was now a certified welder, thanks to Jack McAvoy.

Find someone you can associate with who can teach you what it is you’re trying to learn.

Obtaining knowledge will help you in times when you’re being stretched to accomplish a feat for which you don’t feel qualified.

Think on These:

You must first be a believer if you would be an achiever.

Today’s preparation determines tomorrow’s achievement.

Stay Pumped,

Gary A. Serago

Minister of God's Word

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How To Overcome A Setback And Make A Comeback

7/22/2015

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Judges 16:28-30 - Then Samson called to the LORD and said, "O Lord GOD, please remember me and please strengthen me just this time, O God, that I may at once be avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes." 29 Samson grasped the two middle pillars on which the house rested, and braced himself against them, the one with his right hand and the other with his left. 30 And Samson said, "Let me die with the Philistines!" And he bent with all his might so that the house fell on the lords and all the people who were in it. So the dead whom he killed at his death were more than those whom he killed in his life. NASU 
  • 2014 AP NFL Comeback Player Of The Year Award 
Rob Gronkowski won the 2014 Comeback Player of the Year Award. What does a person have to do in order to be a Comeback Player or comeback person in general?

You have to want to do it more than anything else in the world.

I have never met Rob or talked with him but I am sure that he wanted to play in the NFL again. He wanted this more than anything else.  

Therefore, he endured all the physical and mental pain that came with his rehabilitation of his torn ACL and MCL. Rob did play again in the NFL and was on the Super Bowl Championship team last year. 
  • What Do You Want To Overcome? 
This is the question that you have to answer. Do you have a physical injury? Do you have an addiction of any type? Do you have a financial setback? Do you have a weight problem?

Then you need to know this: "Everyone loves a comeback story." This is what they make movies about because people love to watch stories that inspire.

Comeback stories inspire others to try and overcome whatever obstacle they are facing. 
  • Samson Makes A Comeback 
In our scripture text today it is about Samson making a spiritual comeback.

He had squandered the best years of his life by being rebellious. He had a bad temper, was vengeful, and had a mean streak in him.

He loved to show off and display his great feats of strength. He had a little problem with pride. Samson's association with Delilah will bring him an extreme amount of pain and I am sure a lot of second guessing.

Has your association with someone brought you an extreme amount of pain?

Samson lost his youth, his hair, his strength, his eyes, his job, his pride and God's Spirit will depart from him. That sounds like a lot to lose in one life time but Samson managed to accomplish this.

We can learn a lesson from this situation like Samson and move forward. 
  • Lessons We Can Learn 
You associate with the wrong people and there is no telling how much trouble you will experience. Associating with the wrong people may cause you to forfeit your health, your best years of life, your finances, your real friends, your reputation, and your relationship with God.

Maybe you can relate to Samson. You have squandered your youth, your health, your finances, your reputation and your relationship with God.

Then there is only one thing for you to do.

Make A Comeback!

Samson prays to God and asks Him to remember him and give him the strength that he needs to make a comeback.

This is great advice for all of us. We need to pray to God and ask Him to strengthen us to make the "Comeback" that we need to make right now.

God answered Samson's prayer.

God will answer yours.

Think On These:

Pride hides a man's faults to himself, and magnifies them to everyone else.

It's not the body's posture, but the heart's attitude, that counts when we pray.

A little pride is a small thing to lose when compared with losing honor. 

Stay Pumped,

Gary A. Serago

Minister of God's Word

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How To Train Yourself To Overcome A Rough Day

7/15/2015

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Ps 30:5, 10-12 

5 Weeping may last for the night, But a shout of joy comes in the morning…

10 "Hear, O LORD, and be gracious to me; O LORD, be my helper." 11 You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have loosed my sackcloth and girded me with gladness, 12 That my soul may sing praise to You and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks to You forever.  NASU 

  • Prepare Yourself Mentally 
The key to overcoming any rough day is to have trained yourself mentally. You must know and believe that tomorrow is a new day and with it comes a fresh start. Training yourself mentally beforehand is very important to your success of overcoming a rough day or days.

David says, "Weeping may last for the night, BUT a shout of joy comes in the morning…"

David is writing this Psalm after he got in trouble with God for numbering the people. He knew he had done wrong and the plague had come upon him and his people because of his actions.

He also knows that joy comes in the morning.

We must train our minds to think all I have to do is make it until tomorrow because "joy" comes in the morning.  We are all 24 hours away from a joyous occasion. When I find myself in tough situations I always tell myself, "I can endure anything for 24 hours. I will get a fresh start tomorrow."

It is like a wrestler who needs to get out of bounds and get a fresh start. It is not exactly what you want to do, but sometimes it is what you have to do. 

  • Prepare Yourself To Trust In The Mercies Of God 
David said to the prophet Gad, "I am in great distress. Let us now fall into the hand of the LORD for His mercies are great, but do not let me fall into the hand of man." (2 Sam. 24:14).

God had informed David that because of his sin (numbering the people, which is the equivalent to taking a census, by doing this David was showing his faith was in the number of people and not in God, this also shows David had an issue with pride) He was going to send a plague. He names three different plagues and allows David the opportunity to choose which plague he wanted to endure.

David chose the plague of falling into God's hand because David knew God's mercies are great. You and I must absolutely positively know the mercies of God are great.

He has His eyes on us and He will not give us more than we can bear. 2 Sam. 24:16 -When the angel stretched out his hand toward Jerusalem to destroy it, the LORD relented from the calamity and said to the angel who destroyed the people, "It is enough! Now relax your hand!"  NASU

David was correct when he desired to fall into the hand of the LORD for His mercies are great. In this passage we see God putting a halt to the punishment that was being administered.

You and I will do well to trust in the mercies of God. For it will be God who will be your helper and turn your mourning into dancing. It will be God who puts a stop to the punishment that is upon you. 

  • Prepare Yourself To Sing 
David was going to sing praises to the LORD, his God and give thanks forever. Here is the best advice I can give you.

Prepare yourself to sing praises to God and give Him thanks forever. For it will be God who brings your night of weeping to a close and opens your morning with joy.

Think On These:

We learn some things from prosperity, but we learn many things from adversity.

When things get rough, remember: It is the rubbing that brings out the shine.

Your character is what you have remaining when you have lost everything you can lose.

Stay Pumped,

Gary A. Serago

Minister of God's Word

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The Best Advice I Can Give Is "Never Say This..."

7/8/2015

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Job 2:9 - Then his wife said to him, "Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die!"   NASU 
  • What Not To Say 
I am sure we have probably all received some free advice and it was worth every penny. Mrs. Job was giving her husband in the text above some of the worst advice I have ever heard. 
 
"Curse God and die!"
 
You have got to be kidding me!

I seriously don't believe you could give anyone worse advice. If you find yourself enduring some type of trials never say or do what Job's wife suggested. Cursing God or taking His name in vain is just not smart. 
  • Job's Trials Leads To Worship 
Job has suffered some of life's worse trials. He has lost all of his children. They have all been killed by the devil. The devil has attacked Job with a fury. He has lost all of his livestock. In our world today we would say, "He lost all of his finances. He is bankrupt."
 
After Job suffers through these early trials the Bible tells us what he did. In Job 1:20 -"Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head, and he fell to the ground and worshiped."   NASU
 
When we are going through life's trials do they lead us to worship? Or are we be more inclined to follow the advice of Mrs. Job and curse God and give up on our faith?
 
Job's trials led him to worship God. My suggestion to you if you're enduring trials right now is allow them to lead you to worship God. 
  • Words Of Wisdom From Job 
Job 1:21-22 - He said," Naked I came from my mother's womb,
And naked I shall return there. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away.
Blessed be the name of the LORD." 
 
22 Through all this Job did not sin nor did he blame God.  NASU
 
Is it any wonder God said, "Job was a man of integrity."
 
I remember hearing that scripture before I ever became a Christian. We came out naked and we were going to die that way.
 
This saying of Job's is one of those classic scriptures that is quoted by a lot of people who may never have even read the Bible. 
  • What Got Job Through His Trials? 
Why was Job able to pray that prayer?
 
 He was a man of integrity. His belief system was wired this way: If I receive good things from God that is okay and if I receive bad things in this life that is okay also for God is still God. 
  • How Is Your Belief System Wired? 
Some people believe that if bad things happen to them then God must be mad at them or punishing them for something they did when in fact they could be experiencing trials in life because the devil is mad at you for being a person of integrity like Job. 
  • People Of Integrity 
In life, people of integrity will suffer. When people of integrity are given free advice, like curse God and die people of integrity will never follow such ludicrous advice.
 
The best way to become a person of integrity is to allow God's Word to direct your steps.
 
Think On These:
 
People seldom improve when they have no model but themselves.
 
Each person has the chance to improve himself, but some just don't believe in taking chances.

Stay Pumped,

Gary A. Serago

Minister of God's Word

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To Read Other Pump Ups You Can Go To My Website.

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All Leaders Will Face These And Overcome Them.

7/1/2015

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John 6:15 - So Jesus, perceiving that they were intending to come and take Him by force to make Him king, withdrew again to the mountain by Himself alone. NASU 
  • An Old Saying 
There is an old saying that states, "If you want to defeat them, distract them."
 
You can be sure the plan to make Jesus an earthly king was nothing more than a "distraction" sent by the devil himself. The devil knows humans extremely well and sending distractions is something he does continuously. His plan has been working on us for thousands of years. So why would he want to change his tactics?
 
The reason he tries to distract us is he doesn't want us to accomplish our goals. 
  • He Didn't Want Jesus To Accomplish His Goal 
In our text we can see the people want to take Jesus by force and make Him an earthly king.
 
There is no doubt in my mind He would have made a great earthly king. In fact, He would have been the greatest earthly king of all time. BUT that was not His goal.
 
If He would have become an earthly king it would have been in direct opposition to the goal He set before He left heaven. 
  • He Could Have Done Good Things 
What many people don't understand is that when they are distracted they can still do some good, but they will never be able to do the things which are great.
 
Here is what I mean by that: Jesus as an earthly king could have made sure everyone had a good job. "How?" you might ask. He could have made sure that all the plants had a record producing year.
 
He could have sent the right amount of sunshine and rain on the plants each week. The corn, carrots, beets, potatoes, wheat, barley, grapes and olives would have produced in abundance.
 
He could have had the sheep and cows produce record amounts of wool, milk and offspring.
 
People throughout Israel would have been working. Foreign merchants and traders would have been constantly coming to buy and sell their goods. Do you get the picture?  They would have had Jesuscare, which I am sure would be far better than Obamacare.
 
He could have taken care of everyone's health issues. He could have blessed the water and said, "Everyone who drinks from it would be made well again."
 
Then there is this one last act that He could have done that would have made Him famous. He could have resurrected the dead and given them back to their loved ones.
 
Jesus would have been the greatest earthly king to ever have lived, BUT that was not His goal. 
  • But He Chose To Do Great Things 
Why didn't He become an earthly king? The answer is simple. He chose not to be distracted. This is exactly what being an earthly king would have been. It would have been a distraction.
 
He chose to be a Spiritual King instead of an earthly one. I hope that you have chosen Him to be your Spiritual Lord, King and Savior. This was the greatest accomplishment for Jesus and nothing was able to stop Him from reaching His goal. 
  • What Good Things Are Distracting You Today? 
You set some goals and they are ones you prayed about for a long time. You set out to accomplish these goals, but lately there are some good distractions coming before you.
 
These distractions may be beneficial to you and others, but they will never benefit anyone greatly. You have to make a choice. Do I do good things or great things? Do I let myself be distracted or stick to my goal? 
  • The Goal Of Heaven 
Many Christians start out with the goal of going to Heaven. Then the evil one enters into the picture and tries to distract them from going to Heaven and being with God for all eternity.
 
Once you start traveling on the pathway to Heaven you can be sure distractions will come your way. Theses distractions only have one purpose and that is to get you to go for good instead of great.
 
Matt. 6:33 - "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you"    NASU
 
Think On These:
 
A good leader inspires men to have a confidence in him; a great leader inspires men to have confidence in themselves.
 
Great minds have purposes; others have wishes.

Stay Pumped,

Gary A. Serago

Minister of God's Word

Share this Pump Up with others by Sharing on Your Facebook Page or Forwarding to a friend.

To Read Other Pump Ups You Can Go To My Website.

www.SeragosPumpUps.com
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