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Having A Loss On Your Resume Doesn't Make You A Loser.

12/28/2022

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Philemon Vss. 10-11 - I appeal to you for my child Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my imprisonment, 11 who formerly was useless to you, but now is useful both to you and to me.     NASU
  • Dan Gable: HS and Collegiate Record 181-1 
If you follow the sport of wrestling then you will sooner or later hear the name Dan Gable. Dan won 181 matches in a row while in high school and college. He was in the finals of his senior year at Iowa State before he would experience his first loss. He lost his very last collegiate match at the 1970 NCAA tournament. As listed above he went 181-1 in his high school and collegiate career. I think you would probably agree with me then having a loss on your resume doesn't make you a loser.
 
In speaking with Dan years ago I asked him about that one loss and he said, "It was the best thing that had happened to him. I refocused after that loss and trained harder than ever before." In 1971 he will become the Pan-American Champion and the World Champion at 68 kg. In 1972 Dan would become the Olympic Champion at the same weight and he wouldn't even be scored upon. 
  • Onesimus: Has a Blemish on His Resume 
Onesimus (his name means Profitable) was a slave in the 1st century and he ran away from his owner Philemon. Running away from your owner would definitely blemish your record. While he was on the run God intervenes and has him make a connection with the Apostle Paul. Once this connection has been made he becomes a convert to Christianity and will begin to become "Profitable" as his name states.
 
Paul says to Philemon that Onesimus who was once useless to you is now useful. He has a blemish on his resume but that doesn't mean he is useless.
  • What About Us? 
What is the blemish that is on our resume? Did we lose at something? Maybe we lost more than once to the same opponent. It is time to become an "Onesimus" or in other words it is time to become "Profitable".
 
Do we need to change our thinking?

There are way too many people who have become the victim of "stinking thinking". That is when we think negative about our life and what we are going through. We start thinking "Everyone else always gets all the breaks and we never get anything to go our way".
 
One of the first things we were taught in a counseling class I took was to be on the look out for when you hear people who are complaining using the words "always and never".

The first thing you want to do is challenge them on the "Always and Never" statements. 
 
They have had something go there way in life.  So this negates the "never". They are just not seeing them now. They have allowed themselves for some reason to fall into the "poor me-isms". When things don't go our way the best thing we can do is refocus. Investigate why things didn't go our way.
 
What little adjustments do we need to make to become the victor? Identify it, correct it and move on up the ladder. We all have had blemishes on our resumes but that isn't any reason to trash the resume (your life) and not even try for what it is you desire.
 
Listen to what the Apostle Paul says to Philemon about Onesimus, "but now (he) is useful both to you and to me." 
 
It is your time to be useful now. Do we need to submit our resume or help someone submit their resume for a better life?

 
Think About These:
 
The right angle to approach a difficult problem is the "try-angle".

Giving it another try is better than an alibi. 

Stay Pumped,

Gary A. Serago
 
Minister of God's Word


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Two Interesting Facts About Jesus' Birth Place

12/21/2022

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​Luke 2:15 -16 - When the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, “Let us go straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us. So they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger."  NASU
 
I send this Pump Up out every year at this time for all my new subscribers. I have made some updates to it this year. May you have a very Merry Christmas.
  • The Meaning of Bethlehem
Most Christians probably know that Jesus was born in Bethlehem. Some have incorrectly thought He was born in Jerusalem or Nazareth, but it was Bethlehem.

What some may not know is the meaning of Bethlehem. It means "house of bread."
 
Jesus was the Bread of Life or the Bread of God that came from the "house of bread" to give spiritual life to the world. 

John 6:33 - "For the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven, and gives life to the world."  

John 6:35 - Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst.  

John 6:41 - So the Jews grumbled about him, because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” 

John 6:48 - "I am the bread of life."  

John 6:51 - "I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”  
 
Jesus was and is the Bread of Life. If you are spiritually hungry Jesus is the One who can take away all of your hunger pains. If you have been wondering - "What is my purpose in life?" Then look to Jesus for your answers. I did and have never regretted looking to Him for guidance in this life.
  • The Sheep of Bethlehem
Bethlehem was five miles from Jerusalem. The sheep which grazed on the hills of Bethlehem would one day be sacrificed in Jerusalem. 
 
The sheep were offered on the altar were special as they were sheep without a blemish.
 
When John the Baptist saw Jesus he said this about Him. 
 
John 1:29 - The next day he *saw Jesus coming to him and *said, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!

John saw Jesus as the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world and this Lamb was born in Bethlehem where a lot of other lambs were born and would sacrifice their blood. But only the blood of the Lamb of God, Jesus, could atone for the sins of mankind.  
 
I hope and pray you have allowed the blood of Jesus to wash away your sins.
  • Wishing You A Very Merry Christmas
I hope you have a very Merry Christmas and please don't forget that many years ago the Bread of Life, Jesus, and the Lamb of God, Jesus, was born in Bethlehem so that we could be fed spiritually and our sins could be atoned for by the Blood of the Lamb, which is Jesus.

What greater gift could anyone receive?
 
Truly, Jesus is the Gift that keeps on giving.


Think About  These:

The Christmas season is only as meaningful as we make it.


Keeping Christmas is good, but sharing it with others is much better

Stay Pumped,

Gary A. Serago

Minister of God's Word
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Has A Sword Pierced Your Soul?

12/14/2022

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Luke 2:34-35 - And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary His mother, "Behold, this Child is appointed for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and for a sign to be opposed —  35 and a sword will pierce even your own soul — to the end that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed."   NASU
  • Simeon's Prophecy

Jesus' teachings would cause some Israelites to fall and yet His same teachings would cause others to rise. How is this possible? It was the same teacher, teaching the same lessons and yet some would benefit from His teaching and others would fall according to Simeon's prophecy.
 
My answer says it depends on the "heart" of the hearer. Take a candle or even a crayon and some moist clay soil and lay them all on a plate in the hot sun of the Arizona desert in the middle of August. The candle or crayon will be melted while the clay will simple become hard and brittle. So what is the difference? It is the material of which the item is made. Some hearts are open to the gospel message while others become hard.
 
Some Israelites hearts were hardened with prejudice and pride. While at the same time some hearts were humble and open to Jesus' teachings.
 
What is your heart made of today? Are you open to Jesus' teaching or do you know it all?
 
  • Mary's Soul
 
Mary was hearing a mixed message. On one hand, Jesus was going to cause people to fall or stumble and on the other hand at the same time He was going to help people rise.
 
Every parent wants to believe their children are going to be used by God to help others and I am sure Mary was no different.
 
Simeon says, "…and a sword will pierce even your own soul…" What I believe this prophecy means is when Mary watches Jesus die on the cross many years from now it will feel like a sword has pierced her soul.
 
Any parent who has lost a child probably knows to some degree of the pain that Mary is going to experience. How could she not feel like a sword pierced her soul? She watched Jesus, her Son, be tortured right before her very eyes.

 
  • Christ Died For You

As we get ready to celebrate Christmas, the birth of Christ, please don't forget the reason He was born. He was born so He could die for us. He was the Light of the world. He came into this dark world and some didn't want to hear His message of light, life and hope. They wanted Him to go away.
 
He went away for three days and then He came back for all to see. I hope that you will be one of the ones that "rise" on account of Him. After all it will be better to "rise" than "fall" because of Him.
​
  • Think About These:
Prejudice is being down on something you're not up on.
 
Today's preparation determines tomorrow's achievement.


Stay Pumped,

Gary A. Serago

​Minister of God's Word
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What Would Be Your Last Words?

12/7/2022

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James 3:7-10 - For every species of beasts and birds, of reptiles and creatures of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by the human race. But no one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God; from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be this way.  NASU
 
  • A Communion Meditation 
The Elder at the communion table was giving a meditation about a man who was going to have a needed surgery. This surgery was going to leave him speechless and the doctor asked him if he had anything he'd like to say before his surgery. 
 
His meditation gave me the idea for today's Pump Up.
 
What would be your last words? 
  • Stroke Victims 
As a minister of God, I have seen numerous people who have had strokes that left them speechless. If you knew today this would be your last day of speaking audibly what words would come from your mouth?
 
James says the tongue can't be tamed. It is restless and full of deadly poison. The tongue has been used to praise God and curse men.
 
What would be your last words?
 
Would your last words give praise to God, be words of love for your family members, or would they be curse words? 
  • Former Curser 
I didn't grow up with the best vocabulary. If it were a curse word I most likely have used it, of which I am not proud.
 
My tongue wasn't used to praise God; in fact, I used God's and Jesus' name in vain.
 
Since I have given my life to Jesus Christ I have been able to change my vocabulary for the better.
 
The good news is I have tamed my tongue to some degree. 

 
I never use God or Jesus' name in vain now. It has been 47 years and when I speak of God or use Jesus' name it is always in a praiseworthy fashion as it should. 
  • Your Last Words 
If today something was going to happen where you would lose your speech, what would be your last words?
 
Choose well, my friend. ​
​
  • My Last Words
I would express my love to my wife, children, grandchildren, friends, and my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  

Think About These:

The written word can be erased, not so with the spoken word.
 
The man who has to eat his own words never asks for another serving.


Stay Pumped,

Gary A. Serago

​Minister of God's Word
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