TGIF

Morning and Evening by Charles Spurgeon

Morning
"Help, Lord." Psalm 12:1

The prayer itself is remarkable, for it is short, but seasonable, sententious, and suggestive. David mourned the fewness of faithful men, and therefore lifted up his heart in supplication--when the creature failed, he flew to the Creator. He evidently felt his own weakness, or he would not have cried for help; but at the same time he intended honestly to exert himself for the cause of truth, for the word "help" is inapplicable where we ourselves do nothing. There is much of directness, clearness of perception, and distinctness of utterance in this petition of two words; much more, indeed, than in the long rambling outpourings of certain professors. The Psalmist runs straight-forward to his God, with a well-considered prayer; he knows what he is seeking, and where to seek it. Lord, teach us to pray in the same blessed manner.

The occasions for the use of this prayer are frequent. In providential afflictions how suitable it is for tried believers who find all helpers failing them. Students, in doctrinal difficulties, may often obtain aid by lifting up this cry of "Help, Lord," to the Holy Spirit, the great Teacher. Spiritual warriors in inward conflicts may send to the throne for reinforcements, and this will be a model for their request. Workers in heavenly labour may thus obtain grace in time of need. Seeking sinners, in doubts and alarms, may offer up the same weighty supplication; in fact, in all these cases, times, and places, this will serve the turn of needy souls. "Help, Lord," will suit us living and dying, suffering or labouring, rejoicing or sorrowing. In him our help is found, let us not be slack to cry to him.

The answer to the prayer is certain, if it be sincerely offered through Jesus. The Lord's character assures us that he will not leave his people; his relationship as Father and Husband guarantee us his aid; his gift of Jesus is a pledge of every good thing; and his sure promise stands, "Fear not, I will help thee."

Evening
"Then Israel sang this song, Spring up, O well; sing ye unto it." Numbers 21:17

Famous was the well of Beer in the wilderness, because it was the subject of a promise: "That is the well whereof the Lord spake unto Moses, Gather the people together, and I will give them water." The people needed water, and it was promised by their gracious God. We need fresh supplies of heavenly grace, and in the covenant the Lord has pledged himself to give all we require. The well next became the cause of a song. Before the water gushed forth, cheerful faith prompted the people to sing; and as they saw the crystal fount bubbling up, the music grew yet more joyous. In like manner, we who believe the promise of God should rejoice in the prospect of divine revivals in our souls, and as we experience them our holy joy should overflow. Are we thirsting? Let us not murmur, but sing. Spiritual thirst is bitter to bear, but we need not bear it--the promise indicates a well; let us be of good heart, and look for it. Moreover, the well was the centre of prayer. "Spring up, O well." What God has engaged to give, we must enquire after, or we manifest that we have neither desire nor faith. This evening let us ask that the Scripture we have read, and our devotional exercises, may not be an empty formality, but a channel of grace to our souls. O that God the Holy Spirit would work in us with all his mighty power, filling us with all the fulness of God. Lastly, the well was the object of effort. "The nobles of the people digged it with their staves." The Lord would have us active in obtaining grace. Our staves are ill adapted for digging in the sand, but we must use them to the utmost of our ability. Prayer must not be neglected; the assembling of ourselves together must not be forsaken; ordinances must not be slighted. The Lord will give us his peace most plenteously, but not in a way of idleness. Let us, then, bestir ourselves to seek him in whom are all our fresh springs.

How to Stop Comparing Yourself with Others in Life

Do you often compare yourself with others?
Do you complain that your house is not as big as your friend’s?
Do you grumble that your colleague’s car is flashier than yours?

Are you whining that your neighbor’s family is happier?
Are you querying why others make so much money compared to you?
Do you dissatisfied with your social status in relation to your associates?

Many people engage in this common harmful habit every day.
This distasteful practice will create negativity in you.
It will affect how you relate with others and make you quite disagreeable.

What, then, should you do?
How can you stop comparing yourself with others in life?

If you have considered stopping this unhelpful habit,
the following three tips will surely come in handy.

If You Must Win, Don’t Compare Yourself with Others

It’s important to understand this.
And imprint it consciously in your mind.

You might have worked hard; you may have put in loads of effort; you could have done everything you could positively do…
Yet, there will always be somebody better than you.
There will always be those who have more than you.

Realize this reality.
It will help you tremendously.

So, what if you just bought a bigger, better, more powerful car than your neighbor?
Sooner or later, you’ll find someone with a more luxurious car.
It’s therefore worthless to compare yourself with others endlessly.

Compare Yourself with Yourself if Necessary

You don’t have to compare yourself with others.
Instead, let the comparison be between yourself and yourself.

Sit back comfortably.
Take several deep breaths.
And relax.

Consider your progress in life.
Evaluate your growth in different areas.
Identify your achievements.

Determine how close you are to other goals.
And what you need to do to reach them.
This will make you kinder to yourself.
You’ll appreciate yourself and your efforts more.

You’ll be thankful to see the hurdles you’ve passed on the way to success.
You’ll feel awesome about yourself.
You’ll see no reason to depreciate others.

You might find the following exercise useful.
It’s something you can do every weekend.

Take some time and write out your achievements
Note how close you’re to your goals in life.

What more steps will bring you nearer to them?
What lessons have you learned?
How can you make such insights useful in your life?

Learn to be Kind

Have you ever imagined this?
Your thoughts about ourself will reflect in your behavior toward others.

Do you judge or criticize yourself frequently?
Then, you’ll most likely do that to others often.

The other interesting fact is this.
Make the effort to be kind and helpful to others.
Being kinder to yourself will, therefore, be easier.

Focus on what’s positive in you.
Concentrate on the positive in others.
Look out for what’s good in life.
This will soon help you stop comparing yourself with others.
And your life will become happier and more contented.

Giants of our time......

What is “The Greater Fool Theory”?

The greater fool theory argues that:

1. The reason rotten meat sells is that fools must come to the market daily.

2. In trade, prices go up because people (fools) are able to sell overpriced securities to a greater fool whether or not they are overvalued – until there are no fools left.

3. The theory implies that (fools) investors are most likely to ignore valuations, earnings reports and all other data as well as the fundamentals that involve understanding and company ownership when investing in an asset.

In a nutshell, Ponzi is the base of the Greater Fool Theory.