Saluki downTime October 30, 2023

Saluki downTime October 30, 2023

Intentness

Set a realistic goal. Concentrate on its achievement by resisting all temptations and being determined and persistent

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Intentness is the ability to resist temptations and to avoid rabbit trails of distractions.

What do you want to accomplish?

Who do you want to be?

How good do you want to be?

How successful do you want to be?

Intentness is the quality that won't allow us to quit, even when our goal is going to take awhile to accomplish.

Who has a story of a goal that took forever to accomplish or you are in the middle of the long journey waiting to get there?

We as humans want immediate gratification. Fast Food - Cell phones - Social Media.

What else do we have that gives us immediate gratification?

People are impatient - Intentness is patience with action.

Setting Goals or Goals versus dreams.

When goals are set unrealistically high, it soon becomes apparent that they are not going to be met.

Without being intentional we sometimes want to change the goal because it's too hard or is taking too long. Instead, think about changing the method, not the goal.

Anyone have an example of being stuck in traffic for a long time? How many of you just said forget it and went back home? Or who found a different route to get to where you were going?

Math Process - They start with small problems. They start with easy problems. Small steps to get to the large and difficult problems. Math has a base. This is an example of being intent. You can't start with Chemistry or Calculus. You have to start with addition and subtraction.

This is the same in life. Small steps in life of being intent will lead to larger things in life.

We must not dread adversity. Life takes time. Be intent with how you handle adversity.

Extending our capabilities to their limits requires us to realistically reevaluate our potential.

What event in your life has made you stronger?

She though, "If I can just touch his robe, I will be healed" 

Matthew 9:21

Life will throw us curve balls - you have to trust yourself. Sometimes the pitcher is bad and the curveball will hit you. Sometimes you miss it completely but Sometimes you hang in there - stay back and make solid contact.

Levitical law made life for a woman very difficult. Especially one that was on her period. During this time she was considered unclean. Anyone who touched her would be unclean and anything she touched was also considered unclean.

This woman's discharge had continued for 12 years. If she was married she would have had to get a divorce. She has no friends and even worse she had no human contact for those 12 years.

She tried everything she could to "fix" this problem. Nothing worked. No doctor, no nothing. However she never gave up. She heard Jesus was coming to town and was intent with her actions.

She had a few obstacles in her way. Remember she was unclean. She couldn't be in public. She was weak and anemic. There was no way she had enough strength to force her way through the crowd. But she was intent.

She crawled. She got down on all fours and crawled.

She thought. If I can just touch the edge of his robe, I will be healed.

She probably wanted to touch his ankle or even grab his robe but missed. She was only able to touch his robe.

Jesus said "who touched me?"

Peter said someone just bumped you. It's ok Jesus just keep moving. Like a bodyguard. Jesus said no, someone touched me on purpose.

47 Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at his feet. In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched him and how she had been instantly healed. 48 Then he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.” 

Luke 8:47-48

She had determination, persistence, tenacity, and resolve all rolled up into one word that applied to be faith. She was intent.

How do you deal with people and events that keep you from accomplishing your main purpose?

Do you need to change the way you react to distractions?

Describe a time when you successfully pushed through distractions and difficulties to reach your goal.

I commit myself to be focused on the main objective of teaching excellence and to avoid anything less important that would keep me from reaching my greatest potential.

Saluki downtime October 23, 2023

Saluki downtime October 23, 2023

If you had to fight one, which would you?

Hippo or a polar bear

Initiative - cultivate the ability to make decisions and think along.

Why people don't take initiative.

1. fear

2. other people

3. not my job

When you do you have an Opportunity to serve take the initiative. 

Initiative is having the courage to make decisions and take action.

People who take initiative act with self control.

Do Without fear of failure.

We will never be a success or reach our full potential if we allow fear of failure to creep in.

Learn from failure.

When I look back, it seems to me, 

all the grief that had to be,

 left me when the pain was over, 

stronger than I was before.

The team that makes the most mistakes will probably outscore the other one.

Doers make mistakes.

We must not fail to act when action is needed.

Learn from other people's mistakes - don't be conservative.

Mistakes made while expanding boundaries are what I wanted in practice says John Wooden.

He harnessed fear.

He prayed more fervently and he was in such agony 

of spirit that his sweat fell to the ground like great drops of blood -

 Luke 22:44

Fear, anxiousness, nervous, or other intense feelings - How we handle these emotions usually defines whether we become a hero or a coward.

Fear, Angst, and apprehension can even make a person sweat blood. Jesus knew this.

How did Jesus prepare for the suffering? He fortified himself with prayer.

He went on a little farther and fell face down on the ground, praying, "My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. 

Yet I want your will not mine."

Matthew 26:39 

In the flesh, Jesus didn't want to go through the suffering; but in his heart he wanted to do the father's will more than his own.

Questions for Answers: 

When was the last time that you attempted something new and it didn't work out?

How did failure affect you?

Describe an event in your life when fear was present, but you did what you needed to do anyway.

Saluki downTime October 16, 2023

Saluki downTime October 16, 2023

Alertness

Be observing constantly. Stay open minded. Be eager to learn and improve

Ok let's get honest about our driving.

1. Who will admit they are a bad driver?

2. Who will admit that someone in this room is a bad driver?

Why are you or they a bad driver?

Alertness - How can we stay alert?

Observing what is doing on around us.

Who knows much about horses? Why do they put those blinders on horses?

Distractions around us keep us from being alert.

Abraham Lincoln said that he had never met a person that he didn't learn something from.

He was always observing. That is how we learn. Being alert regarding our surroundings is how we learn.

Who likes haunted houses. Does anyone in here not get scared at haunted houses? Why?

 By being alert. What is happening. What already happened and why is going to happen. Being alert keeps you from being scared. When you let your guard down is when you a sense of reality.

Think about all the things you have missed because you weren't alert.

Some people are why people. Most why people are also alert people.

Learning from others, taking the blinders off, and being aware of your surroundings are all ways to grow in life. It takes being alert

Are you honest with yourself with where you stand on these?

We cannot say to ourself its my way. Or do you. Or create our own truth. We have to have set standard.

That would be playing God. There is an absolute truth and absolute sin. We can find that in the bible.

So let's not sleepwalk through life like those others.

 Let's keep our eyes open and be smart. 

1 Thessalonians 5:6

Who has been in a sin cycle? - A period of time where you just couldn't not do something. Gave into temptation over and over and felt like you couldn't stop.

The Israelites weren't always alert. There was a time when they closed their minds to God and rode into a cycle.

Someone in a sin cycle endures the consequences of the sin, repents of the sin, enjoys life for a while, forgets about God, sins again, endures, repents, enjoys, forgets, sins some more, and again and again. Same cycle.

God called upon Gideon when the Isrealites chose not to be alert.

Gideon story includes

-tearing down of an idol

-two test involving a fleece

-selection of an army

-a battle

Gideon was asked to get some men to go into this battle. Gideon chose 32,000 men. god decided that was too many because they wouldn't need God.

Gideon told anyone who was scared to GO HOME.

10,000 were left.

God told Gideon to take the men to the river and watch them drink. Anyone who just drank straight from water like dogs without looking around were asked to go home.

God chose men who remained alert at all times.

How many men were left of the 10,000 you think? 3 percent! 300

Keep a cool head - Stay alert. The Devil is poised to pounce, and would like nothing better than to catch you napping.

 - 1 peter 5:8 the message

Satan is the father of lies. - You have to be alert.

Sin also keeps us from being alert to God's voice.

When we pray and don't hear from God. It could be two things.

1. We aren't alert

2. Sin is clouding our hearing.

If you have been in a sin cycle the first step is to stop and repent and ask Jesus for foregiveness. Then be alert. Stay alert. Remain watchful and filter everything through Jesus and his Holy Word.

Are you riding a sin cycle?

What sins do you need to repent of?

When was the last time you were aware of God's direction in your life.

Being alert is key. Knowing what door is open and what door is closed. Then knowing what door you have to open and what door you have to close. Or sometimes you have to run as hard as you can and shoulder the door down. Or slam the door shut.

Knowing God and knowing his plan for your life starts with being ALERT.

Pray continually is a verse that I think of when I think of being alert.

- 1 thessalonians 5:17

Saluki downTime - October 9, 2023

Self Control - Practice self discipline and keep emotions under control. Good judgment and common sense are essential.

If you had to get rid of 1 of these three things what would it be?

Phone - Internet - Drivers License

Self - Control - What is the definition?

Self-Control is the ability to discipline ourselves and keep our emotions and actions under control.

To become our best we have to have good judgment and common sense.

When our emotions dominate our actions we make mistakes.

What is a time you have let your emotions dominate your actions?

Hitting a golf ball - any golfers in here?

When you hit a golf ball with emotion you will hit it to the right and to the left. It may go far or it may not hit it at all.

Have you ever seen Happy Gilmore? Why was he playing?

He had to control his emotions to actually win the money.

Lack of self control hinders individual achievement.

How has lack of self control affected your goals?

Lack of self control inhibits team accomplishments.

How has lack of self control hindered what your team could accomplish?.

Why is there discipline in sports? Or why should there be?

We do it to help, to prevent, to correct, and to improve. NOT TO PUNISH

Knowing God leads to self control. Self control leads to patient endurance, and patient endurance leads to godliness. 

(2 Peter 5:6)

Jay Carty said - "Coach Wooden would have been proud of Joseph. The lad had class and self control. The cream always rises to the top, and Joseph was pure cream."

Story of Joseph - handsome - smart - moved up in Potiphar's house. Boss's wife started flirting with him. She was bored and wanted a boy toy. So she invited Joseph into her bedroom.

Joseph was surely tempted because he was also attractive. But he exercised self control to 1. Respect his boss 2. stay pure.

End of the story is that she kept on and on with Joseph and he kept saying no and no and no. She decided to trash him saying Joseph tried to rape her and even had a his coat as he ran from her after she grabbed him.

Instead of killing Joseph, Potiphar threw him in Jail.

Joseph had self control. He didn't let sexual inducement overcome him.

Joseph never allowed his judgment to be clouded or his common sense to be compromised.

Instead he let the cream rise to the top. Joseph was awarded by practicing Self Control.

13 No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.

 - 1 Corinthians 10:13

Be a mirror that reflects God's glory. Sin clouds our mirror.

How many of you have dirty mirrors? How does it make you look?

We have all sinned by coming short of God's standard. This means that sin has already decreased our potential.

We can't be what we could have been but we can start today using self control to be all that God has called us to be.

Achievement takes self control to overcome temptation and prevent further diminishment of our capacity to reflect God's glory.

If you know Jesus - He is proud of you and you'll spend eternity in Heaven.

Live with self control and don't sin. Why? So that you can reflect God's glory each and every day to the MAX.

1. What areas of your life present the greatest difficulty in gaining and maintaining self control?

2. Describe two or three encounters in which you have seen emotions hinder clear thinking?

25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 

- 1 Corinthians 9:25

How will you practice self control this week?

Saluki downTime October 2, 2023

Saluki downTime - 

October 2, 2023

Loyalty

What is your favorite Ice Cream

Loyalty definition -

To yourself and to all those depending upon you. Keep your self respect.

Who can determine your loyalty?

Words to describe loyalty. - devotion, duty, faithfulness, commitment.

What can you be loyal to?

Loyalty is the foundational quality that gets us through hard times.

Will you compromise your loyalty when temptation is great? Or will we remain loyal to our beliefs and core values?

No individual or team will become great without loyalty.

Loyalty is the force that forges individuals into a team.

It's the component that moves teams toward greater achievements.

There is something wrong when your loyalty is always available to the highest bidder.

2 Thessalonians 2:15 - So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by our spoken word or by our letter. 

John 15:13 - 13 Greater alove hath no man than this, that a man lay down his blife for his cfriends. 

Share story - 1 Chronicles 11:10-12, 37

David was so loyal to his men and his men were so loyal to him that they made him their king.

2 Samuel 11:11

David - Bathsheba - Uriah story of Uriah not

What about keeping your word? Where does loyalty come into play?

God wants us to be passionately loyal and to his team of believers.

How can you be loyal to other believers?

Can you think of a time when being loyal was costly?

Can you think of a time when you counted on someone and they let you down?

How does God respond in regards to forgiveness when it comes to letting someone down?

How does God respond to our sin?