​Prov. 24:17-18 - "Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, And do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles; Or the LORD will see it and be displeased, And turn His anger away from him." NASU

            When You Just Want To Scream "Yeah"

If you are a leader or successful in any area of life you made enemies along the way. Some times in life you didn't do anything. There are some people in life that will be your enemy and have flimsy excuses for a reason why they are against you.

One of the hardest things in life we will ever accomplish is not rejoicing when our enemy falls. When we want to scream "Yeah" the LORD says, don't do it.

            You Have A Visual Of That Person

When you read the scripture above a visual of that person came to your mind. When they fell you may have said to yourself, "Good, they got what they deserved."  You were glad they were receiving some type of punishment.

            How Are We Supposed To Respond?

We are not to be glad or happy. We are not to be jumping up and down with joy. You may be thinking, “Serago, you have got to be kidding me. You don't know what was said about me or done to me by him/her” You would be correct, I don’t know what was said or done, but God knows and that is why he/she has fallen.

God is dealing out the correct judgment, at the correct time, and He doesn't need us gloating about it.

Well, I guess you're right this is very hard.

So how am I to behave in this situation?

You are to realize that God is in control and that He is watching over you. He will judge those who mistreat us. He is the judge and we aren't. Let Him do what He is supposed to do.
 
           Joseph Is To Be Our Example

Also, it might help to remember what happened to Joseph in the book of Genesis.
 
His brothers sold him into slavery and then lied to their father about what had happened to him. I am always amazed at Joseph's faith when he makes this statement to them in Gen. 50:20 - "As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.
 
Your enemies may be just like Joseph's brothers. What they have said about you and have done to you may have been done with evil intent, but God can use it for good. He did in Joseph's situation and may be doing the same in yours.

Give God time to work like Joseph did. Joseph had to wait for 13 years while God was working His plan.

            What Took God So Long Before He Acted?

It is my opinion He was giving the brothers time to repent which they never did and God could be giving your enemies time to repent and avoid being punished which they may never do.
 
When the ones don't repent within God's time schedule judgment will be passed down upon them. God's judgment will always be just and always on time.
 
The penalty will always fit the crime.

Think On This:

We always want judgment to come upon our enemies immediately, and we want our judgment to be delayed as long as possible.

Stay Pumped,

Gary A. Serago

Minister of God's Word

Prov. 15:31-32 - He whose ear listens to the life-giving reproof will dwell among the wise. He who neglects discipline despises himself, but he who listens to reproof acquires understand-ing. NASB

•     Ears That Listen

If you are one that is able to listen to someone else giving you correct advice you will be blessed. If your ears are able to listen to the life-giving reproof from others you will prosper. The item we need are ears that will listen to others when they share correct information with us.

•     How Many Times Have We Said,

As I sit here and write this Pump Up I am smiling, but when I was going through life looking back on another mistake I made because I would not listen I wasn't laughing. I wasn't even smiling. I was asking myself, "Why didn't you listen?"

The answer is right there in Proverbs because I didn't have ears that would listen. I thought I knew what was best. The one thing I find amazing is the times I didn't listen and I was correct I can't remember those situations as easily as I remember the ones where I didn't listen and was wrong.

• Reminds Me Of The "How To Be Successful Story"

A young college student was sitting in the 5,000 member congregation. He was going to graduate from the local seminary that year. He asked the preacher after service if he could meet with him for 5 minutes. The preacher told him to stop by the office tomorrow morning at 9 am.

The young man was there promptly. As he sat in the preacher's office he explained that he would be graduating in the spring and wanted to have a successful ministry like his and was there any advice he could give him.
 
The preacher told him why sure. "I can tell you how to have a successful ministry in three words."

The young student said, "Are you kidding me?" The preacher said, "Not at all. Are you ready to write them down?"

"Yes." he replied.
 
"Make Right Decisions." the preacher said.

As the young student wrote down those three words he asked, "How will I know if I'm making the right decisions?"

"I can answer your question with one word. Experience!" said the preacher.

With a pondered look on his face he asked, "And how do I get this experience?"

With a big smile on the preacher's face he said, "By Making Wrong Decisions."

There my friends is how to be successful. You will make decisions in life and not all of them are going to be the right ones. You just have to learn from your mistakes. Make the necessary adjustments, make another decision, and continue to move forward.

•  The Choice Is Yours

You can either listen to others when they give you correct advice and be successful as Proverbs states or don't listen to others and learn from your own mistakes.
Hopefully, your mistakes will not be too costly, you will be able to rebound, and move forward becoming successful.
 
The choice really is yours.

Think On These:

The biggest fool of all is the one who refuses to learn from his mistakes.
 
Making mistakes isn't stupid, disregarding them is.
 
A mistake is proof that someone was at least trying to accomplish something.

Stay Pumped,

Gary A. Serago

Minister of God's Word

Rom. 13:7 - Render to all what is due them: tax to whom tax is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor. NASU

I first wrote this Pump Up in 2013. For some reason it has been on my heart to share this story about Rufus Griffith again.
​

• The Year Was 1984

It is only right for me to share this story with you. I will then be able to give honor to whom honor is due according to the scriptures.

In 1984, I was a Minister for a church in Glen Burnie, MD. One of my goals was to purchase property so that the Lord's Church would be able to expand and reach deeper into helping the local community.

One of our members told me about a farmer by the name of, Rufus Griffith, and that he was interested in selling some of his farmland. I drove to Rufus' farm and met with him and discussed purchasing 24 of his 30 acres. 

• Purchasing 24 Acres of Land

I shook Rufus' hand and told him we were interested but it would have to go to a congregational vote.

He said, "The property is yours until you tell me differently."  We did have the congregational meeting and the vote was 58 in favor and 2 opposed to purchasing the land. 

• Meeting At The Attorney's Office

Rufus went to his attorney and told him about our deal and that he would be selling the property to us for $10,000/ acre.

The attorney immediately told him that he was not selling the property for enough money and that he could get Rufus $15,000/ acre. Rufus told him, "I shook the boy's hand." (He always called me the boy, when referencing me to someone. I have no clue why, but it really didn't matter. We were friends and he could call me whatever he wanted.)

His attorney told him, Rufus a handshake is not a legally binding contract in the state of MD and Rufus stood up and looked him in the eye and said, "It is with me. The boy and I have a deal. Now draw up the necessary papers." Then he walked out of the attorney's office. If you knew Rufus you know I toned down the language of what he really said to his attorney.

You know the attorney was correct when he said, "You are not selling the property for enough money." There is no doubt in my mind he could have sold it for $15K/ acre and that would have made him another $120,000 but he didn't.

• Rufus A Man Of His Word

Rufus was a man of his word. He honored his word even though he knew he could get out of that handshake deal according to his attorney.

But you see Rufus was a man of his word and in his day as he grew up a handshake was better than a signed piece of paper. His word was his bond.

A few years later when I did Rufus' funeral I told this story about him. You see God says, "To give honor to whom honor is due." He also says in Prov. 27:2 - Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; A stranger, and not your own lips. NASU
 
Who do you know today that you should give honor to whom honor is due or one that you should praise?

Well, then what are you waiting for? Go and give the honor or praise to the one who deserves it.

• Think About These:

It pays more than it costs to be honest.
 
Common honesty should be more common.

Our Country was in better condition when there were more whittlers and fewer chiselers.

Stay Pumped,

Gary A. Serago

Minister of God's Word

I Timothy 6:8-9 - "If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content. But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction." NASU
​

• 12 Children or $1 Million

I heard John Ortberg speak once and he asked this question. Who is more content, a man with 12 children or a man with a million dollars? He said the man with the 12 children because he doesn't want anymore. While on the other hand, the man with a million dollars would love to have another million dollars.

So let me ask a question. Are we more like the man with 12 children or the man with one million dollars?

Are we content or do we always want more?

We all know this can be a vicious cycle when we always want more. So what can we do to get out of this trap?

• Take Charge Of How You Think

The apostle Paul tells Timothy all he has to have is food and clothing and he will be content. How can he be so sure? Paul knows he can control his behavior by the way he thinks.

I read a book some years ago and the Dr. was saying you should start now to cut back on your salt intake because if you have a heart attack the doctor will tell you you must NOT use salt. Once humans hear we must NOT do something we want to do it all the more.

So the key to being content is to tell ourselves we are happy right now with everything we have and we don’t need anything else. We will want to repeat this over and over again.

• Take Charge Of What You Read & Watch

It is hard to be content in the USA. TV commercials, radio advertisements, and magazines constantly bombard us.

What do they all say?

If we don't have their product there is something wrong with us. We just aren't all we could be without the item they are selling.
 
It is their product that is going to make us happy or content.

Things are not going to make us happy or content.

Happiness and contentment come when we are satisfied with what we already have acquired.
 
What we need is to train ourselves in advance with what is known as "positive self-talk."

It is what the athletes use before their events.

We must listen to what we are saying to ourselves.

If we believe the commercials or advertisements we must have their product before we can be happy or content then we are going to sacrifice our peace and contentment without their product.

If we buy the product we will only have temporary contentment until the next article appears telling us we really need this new item to be content.

We must learn to say NO to our desires.

• Real Contentment Comes From The Lord

Real peace, happiness, and contentment come from the Lord. The Apostle Paul said all he had to have was some food and clothing and he was content.

In Philippians 4:11 Paul says, “Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be a content in whatever circumstances I am.”

How did Paul learn to be content? By telling himself he had all that he needed and if he needed more God would supply it.

In Heb.13:5 God’s word says, “Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, “I WILL NEVER DESERT YOU, NOR WILL I EVER FORSAKE YOU,”

We can be content BECAUSE God watches over us and He will NEVER desert or forsake us. If we really need something, ask God for it; and if God believes we need it, He will provide it.

How cool is that?

Think About This: 

Plenty of people miss their share of happiness, not because they never found it, but because they didn't stop to enjoy it. - William Feather

Stay Pumped,

Gary A. Serago
Minister of God's
 
FYI:  I have been teaching on Wednesday nights at Fairway Christian Church. The lessons have been about lesser known Apostles, Overcoming Suffering, and Matthew 24 about the destruction of Jerusalem, and Jesus' 2nd Coming. I am attaching a link for anyone interested in watching the lessons I have taught the last few months.    

https://vimeopro.com/user45356398/wednesday-night-bible-studies
 
Also, these lessons are "Live Streamed" on Wednesday evenings at 6 pm (EST). I would love for you to join us.

Gary A. Serago

Minister of God's Word
​

Rom. 12:2 - And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. NASU

• Where Your Money Goes Your Heart Is Already There.

Jesus said it another way in Matt. 6:21 - For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 

It isn’t real hard to determine what a person loves. All you have to do is observe what they purchase.  Our money can be spent on good things as well as bad.

I grew up in a house where only my dad worked. What did he purchase with his money? He purchased a house for his family to live in, he bought a car to drive him to work, he bought groceries to feed his family, he bought clothes for his family to wear, and he paid all the utility bills. He even planted a large garden, and tended it when he came home from work.

You might ask, “Why would he do this?” The question can be answered fairly easily. He loved his family, and provided for them. This is what is known as “expressed love”. The items that he purchased or raised in the garden expressed his love for his family.

What are your purchased items expressing love for? Are they expressing love for God, yourself or others?

• Where Is Your Money Going?

All a person has to do is look at their credit card statement, and they can see what they are loving.
 
If you don't believe you are being watched just Google search some item like you're interested in buying it, and see how fast it takes for your FB page to display advertisements for the same item you Google searched.

• If God Were Going To Send You Advertisements

Would they be advertisements for places to go with your family?

Would they be advertisements for yourself and your own pleasures?

Would they be advertisements for spiritual items?

All you have to do is follow the Word of God. Paul said, “…but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is,…”

Renew your mind!
 
Do an inventory check of all the items you have been purchasing, and decide today that you are going to make the necessary changes in your life if they don't help you grow spiritually.

I came across and acrostic years ago for JOY. It stood for Jesus first, Others second and Yourself last.

Think About These:

A Paradox of Life: When young, you spend your health to gain wealth, and when old you spend your wealth to get health.

People are funny. They spend money they don’t have, to buy things they don’t need, to impress people they don’t like.

Stay Pumped,
 
FYI:  I have been teaching on Wednesday nights at Fairway Christian Church. The lessons have been about lesser known Apostles, Overcoming Suffering, and Matthew 24 about the destruction of Jerusalem, and Jesus' 2nd Coming. I am attaching a link for anyone interested in watching the lessons I have taught the last few months.    

https://vimeopro.com/user45356398/wednesday-night-bible-studies
 
Also, these lessons are "Live Streamed" on Wednesday evenings at 6 pm (EST). I would love for you to join us.

Gary A. Serago

Minister of God's Word

Go To  www.SeragosPumpUps.com