An Enemy Called Average

by John Mason

Mediocrity is a region bound on the north by compromise, on the south by indecision, on the east by past thinking, and on the west by a lack of vision.

Each of us has been given a certain mixture of abilities and opportunities that make us unique. No mixture is insignificant. Those matchless qualities that God has placed

within all of us cause us to yearn to be above average and extraordinary.

Nugget - a valuable idea or fact of information Nugget style writing is inspirational - elements it pieces of things that feel interesting and inspires you but not sufficient on its own. Something not is small that is built into the book. The book doesn’t really follow any story line but it’s written in a nugget style with pieces of valuable ideas or facts of information - each nugget in itself is insufficient on it’s own as basis of a book. It’s like devotional style writing. It’s about 130 pages - two days read focusing on how to live a godly fulfilling life of greatness like God wants you to. It’s based on biblical precepts.

In Genesis

3:9, God asks Adam, “Where are you?” He is still asking that question of each of us today. Where are we in regard to God’s plan for our lives? Where are we concerning the gifts and talents He has given us?

choose to be a person who is on the offensive, not the defensive.

Decide to be on the offensive, to take the initiative. Lukewarm, indecisive people are never secure regardless of their wealth, education, or position.

“Taking the offensive” starts by making an inward decision that inspires an outward action.

When you choose to act on the offensive, keep all your conflicts impersonal. Fight the issue, not the person. Speak

If you aren’t sure which way to go, pray and move toward the situation in faith.

“Should we pray or should we row?” His wise companion responded, “Let’s do both!” That’s taking the offensive!

“God has put me together a certain way, on purpose for a purpose.” Forgotten or neglected in many people’s lives are the gifts God has placed within them. It’s amazing how people can devote their entire lives to fields of endeavor or to professions that have nothing to do with their inborn talents. In fact, many spend their lifetimes trying to change who God has made them. They ignore their God-given composition while constantly seeking to

change their natural makeup. Instead, each of us should recognize our innate gifts, talents, and strengths and do everything in our power to build on them.

“irrevocable.”

Gifts and talents are really God’s deposits in our personal accounts, but we determine the interest on them. The greater the amount of interest and attention we give to them, the greater their value becomes. God’s

gifts are not loans; they are always deposits. As such, they are never used up or depleted. In fact, the more they are used, the greater, stronger, and more valuable they become. When they are put to good use, they provide information, insight, and results that cannot be accomplished in any other way or from any other source. The Bible tells us this encouraging news, “God has given each of us the ability to do certain things well” (Rom. 12:6 TLB).

https://i0.wp.com/www.freeshapetest.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Shape-Assessment-words-1024x259.png?resize=644%2C163&ssl=1 SHAPE finding your purpose Spiritual gifts Heart Abilities Personality Experiences

Never underestimate the purpose of the gifts within you. Gifts and talents are given to us not only so that we can fulfill to the fullest the call in our own lives, but also so that we can affect the souls who are attached to those gifts. There are people whose lives are waiting to be affected by

what God has placed within you. So evaluate yourself. Define and refine your gifts, talents, and strengths. Choose today to look for opportunities to exercise your unique, God-endowed, God-ordained gifts and calling.

Persistent people begin their success where most others quit. Here’s a simple key to success in any area of your life: be known as a person of persistence and endurance. One person with commitment, persistence, and endurance will accomplish more than a thousand people with interest alone.

1). The more diligently we work, the harder it is to quit. Persistence is a habit—so is quitting.

Remember this: it’s not what you have, it’s what you do with what you have that makes all the difference. Many people eagerly begin “the good fight of faith,” but they forget to add patience, persistence, and endurance to their enthusiasm. Josh Billings said, “Consider the postage stamp. Its usefulness consists of the ability to stick to something until it gets there.”

“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord” (15:58 NKJV).

Many times our dreams and plans appear to be faltering. We are tempted to give up and quit trying. Instead, let’s continue to water and fertilize those dreams and plans, nurturing the seeds of the vision God has placed within us.

We know that if we do not quit, if we display perseverance and endurance, we will also reap a harvest (Gal. 6:9). Charles Haddon Spurgeon said, “By perseverance the snail reached the ark.” Let’s be like that snail.

What is my favorite Scripture for my family, my career, and for myself?

What is my most prevailing thought?

Does my reach exceed my grasp?

What is one thing I can do for someone who has no opportunity to repay me?

Give your best time to your most challenging situation.

“So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom” (Ps. 90:12 KJV).

Remember that the future arrives an hour at a time. Gain control of your time, and you will gain control of your life.

Hope built on a lie is always the beginning of loss. Never attempt to build anything on a foundation of lies and half-truths. It will not stand. Never expect God to bless a lie.

Indecision is deadly.

double minded man is unstable in all his ways” (James 1:8 KJV).

The Bible says to let the peace of God rule in our hearts (Col. 3:15).

“No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:62 NKJV).

Failure is waiting around the corner for those who live off of yesterday’s successes and failures.

To fulfill your calling in Christ, you must first forget past failures and mistakes.

Ecclesiastes

11:4 says, “If you wait for perfect conditions, you will never get anything done.”

The first step to overcoming procrastination is to eliminate all excuses for not ...

The second step is to be less busy! Everyone is always on the move. People are moving forward, backward, and sometimes nowhere at all as though they are on a treadmill. The mistake most people make is thinking that the main goal of life is to stay busy. Such thinking is a trap. What is important is not whether you are busy, b...

As Edmund Burke said, “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”

The longer we take to act on God’s direction, the more unclear it becomes. So take action…now.

Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of

Quitting is a decision we make that can keep us from reaching God’s goals in our lives.

word “enthusiasm” comes from the Greek word entheous, which means “God within” or “full of God.”

joy of the Lord is our strength (Neh. 8:10).

The Lord said to him, ‘Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.’ (Ex. 4:10-12)

Faith is like a toothbrush: Everyone should have it and use it every day, but we shouldn’t use someone else’s. Decide for yourself. Learn for yourself. Answer for yourself.