The "A" List

If you are looking for the posts about

God's Amazing Blessing Announcement—I'm moving!

here's the link to the first Part: 

http://createapositiveday.blogspot.com/2015/05/announcement-part-1-im-moving.html

Then follow the arrows at the bottom of each post to the next Part.

There are 10 parts in all.

I recommend that you read each part, there are amazing details—

and God took care of each and every one! 

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This post is the continuation of my study of Philemon.  

Once he was unprofitable to you, but now he is indeed profitable to you as well as to me. Philemon 1:11 (AMP)

Onesimus, the name means "profit, to help". Yet, at one point, Onesimus was unprofitable, useless. Actions to have consequences and can change a reputation very quickly. We aren't sure exactly what Onesimus did, but one thing we do know is that he was NOT where he belonged, in Colossea working for Philemon. 

Unprofitable. Think for a moment, of having that label. Unprofitable.

What makes one, "unprofitable"?

What makes one "profitable"?

The "A" List: An attitude, an action, amount of effort, attention to details, attentiveness to the task at hand, applying aptitude, and the aftereffect. 

Something changed in Onesimus from the time he left Philemon and the time Paul is writing. And that change, had an impact in Onesimus' life and it was evident. That change was the acceptance of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Christians SHOULD act and work differently and it should be a substantial difference—as we are not just working for employers, rather we are working for God Almighty! 

If my heart is permeated with a deep sense of reverence for God (Acts 9:31 MSG), then the "A" list: my attitude, actions, amount of effort, attention to details, attentiveness to the task at hand, applying aptitude, and the aftereffect—should all be a reflection of God and His highest standards.

Not Succumb to the Lower Standards

This year, I'm sharing my "Treasures" of my study of my "Ponder the Morsels" book. I've picked 31 Psalms to study throughout 2013. Today I studied Psalm 11. Here is what I learned.

When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do?” Psalm 11:3 (NIV)

When the foundations [a stable society] collapse, what can ·good [righteous] people do?” Psalm 11:3 (EXB)

If the foundations be destroyed - These are still to be regarded as the words of the psalmist's advisers; or as an argument why he should make his escape. The word "foundations," here, refers to those things on which society rests, or by which social order is sustained - the great principles of truth and righteousness that uphold society, as the foundations on which an edifice rests uphold the building. The reference is to a destruction of those things in a community, when truth is no longer respected; when justice is no longer practiced; when fraud and violence have taken the place of honesty and honor; when error prevails; when a character for integrity and virtue affords no longer any security. This is supposed to be the case in the circumstances referred to in the psalm, when there was no respect paid to truth and justice, and when the righteous, therefore, could find no security. It is under these circumstances the advice is given Psalm 11:1, that the righteous should seek safety in flight. Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The other day I was watching football on TV. I enjoy watching the games, however, I do not enjoy the commercials for the TV shows and movies. Why don’t I like seeing the ads for new shows? Because each new show and movie is simply violence, lying, cheating, stealing, etc. Hollywood seems to think that the further from morals, such as truth, integrity, respect, the shows become the more we like them. There is some truth in that, for those lack morals, do enjoy watching those shows. 

The more we watch shows missing the principles of truth, honesty, respect the more we become desensitized to the violence, gore and lack of morals. The more death we watch on TV or in movies, it desensitized us to what death really is. 

As society as a whole moves farther away from God and His standards, the more the righteous need to get closer to God. Just because “everyone” is doing it (ignoring God and His standards) does not make it right or acceptable. 

To create a positive day, I need to focus my attention on God’s standards and not succumb to the lower standards the World tries to promote as good.