We Will Be Misunderstood, Part 3 (TMF:2340)

Friday, April 26, 2024
Peace to Live By: We Will Be Misunderstood, Part 3 (TMF:2340) - Daniel Litton
(Tap or right-click link to download two-minute feature)

       No matter what I say, there will be a person who doesn’t get it, or someone who disagrees with it. So, in light of that, I might as well just say what I want to say and cast the care on God. I might as well be free in my speech instead of attempting to please everyone. And, obviously, it’s not just what we say that can be misunderstood. But perhaps even more than what we say, we will be misunderstood at times in our actions. Probably the easiest example of this is the politician. A politician will make choices that seem to many to be incorrect or wrong. The person may be called dumb and stupid, or a traitor or going against something said in the past. What we common folk don’t realize though, is that the politician can see things we cannot see. He or she is around people we are not around. He or she has to balance out the powers that be. We usually don’t understand these things from the sidelines. And so it is with any leader, or with us, as everyday average individuals. We can make decisions, big or small, and our friends may not understand.

We Will Be Misunderstood, Part 2 (TMF:2339)

Thursday, April 25, 2024
Peace to Live By: We Will Be Misunderstood, Part 2 (TMF:2339) - Daniel Litton
(Tap or right-click link to download two-minute feature)

       That meant that no long explanation was going to perfectly cover everything that could be misunderstood either. And a person who wants you to be wrong can usually make you out to be wrong, but that’s a whole other topic altogether. It took me a while, years actually, where I felt comfortable in not being precise and thorough, trying to cover all the bases. It was just wearing me out trying to be perfect in everything I said. So, I gave it up. There was tremendous freedom in that. Once I understood that no matter how perfect I said anything, there would be people who would misunderstand it, and that I didn’t need to try to be perfect anymore, that allowed me to just say what I wanted to say and not worry about the consequences. No matter what I say, there will be a person who doesn’t get it, or someone who disagrees with it. So, in light of that, I might as well just say what I want to say and cast the care on God. I might as well be free in my speech instead of attempting to please everyone.

We Will Be Misunderstood, Part 1 (TMF:2338)

Wednesday, April 24, 2024
Peace to Live By: We Will Be Misunderstood, Part 1 (TMF:2338) - Daniel Litton
(Tap or right-click link to download two-minute feature)

       When I first started preaching, some seven years ago now, I didn’t have a firm grasp on this happiness point. I thought that whatever I said, people would just naturally get it. I thought that I wouldn’t have to explain or elaborate on anything. The thing is, people have different perspectives in how they approach the same information. One person can hear one thing, and another person can see something totally different from the same thing. That’s just the way it works. We all take our background experiences and apply them to the new information that we receive. Depending on what that background is, what one has been taught, what life experiences, either good or bad, a person has had up to that point will determine how someone processes the information. In the beginning, I didn’t understand why there were some who thought I was saying something different than I really was, or than I really meant. And I started to realize that no matter how clearly and precisely I try to present something, there may be a person or two who misunderstands. It’s not their fault, and usually it’s not my fault either. It’s just the way the world works. That meant that no long explanation was going to perfectly cover everything that could be misunderstood either. And a person who wants you to be wrong can usually make you out to be wrong, but that’s a whole other topic altogether.

Keeping Track of Past Victories, Part 3 (TMF:2337)

Tuesday, April 23, 2024
Peace to Live By: Keeping Track of Past Victories, Part 3 (TMF:2337) - Daniel Litton
(Tap or right-click link to download two-minute feature)

       It would be nice if we didn’t need these types of reassurances, if we could always live a maximum faith level. But, unfortunately, we just know that this usually isn’t the case. We need encouragement from time to time. I would have to say that this practice of keeping track of past victories has probably been one of the most beneficial things I have put into practice in my own life. It simply just bears a lot of fruit. It means that I never really have to be down. I can always go to take a gander at that list and know that, even if things aren’t happening right now, they will get better for me. I wish my mind didn’t easily forget about the good things, but unfortunately it has at times. Especially the smaller things. And your experience I’m sure he been the same. So, it is good to get those things permanently noted before they disappear in the past never to be remembered, to be lost in time, and for us to have to experience a victory all over again with no hope to encourage us.

Keeping Track of Past Victories, Part 2 (TMF:2336)

Monday, April 22, 2024
Peace to Live By: Keeping Track of Past Victories, Part 2 (TMF:2336) - Daniel Litton
(Tap or right-click link to download two-minute feature)

       We may find a week or two into it that whatever it is has worked out for us. He have gained a positive advantage in our lives. So, we make note of that and then that will always be there for us to see in the future. Even if a small victory, it is a victory that can give us encouragement at any time. Yes, this is what you are going to want to do when nothing good seems to happening for you. You are going to want to go back through your list of positive things that have happened so that you can instantly increase your happiness in the moment and give yourself hope for the future. If good things in the past happened, they can happen now or later. As a matter of fact, we can be pretty much certain that they will. It encourages us to see, “Well, God heard my prayer in the past and answered it, so he must be hearing me now and is going to answer it.” It would be nice if we didn’t need these types of reassurances, if we could always live a maximum faith level. But, unfortunately, we just know that this usually isn’t the case. We need encouragement from time to time.

Keeping Track of Past Victories, Part 1 (TMF:2335)

Friday, April 19, 2024
Peace to Live By: Keeping Track of Past Victories, Part 1 (TMF:2335) - Daniel Litton
(Tap or right-click link to download two-minute feature)

       One thing I have taught myself to do over the last several years is to keep track of victories that occur in my life. These can be prayers that God has answered, good things that have happened to me, or bad situations that have turned out for the good. Whatever you list, by doing this practice you keep those things alive. Our minds have a tendency to forget the good things but always seem to easily remember the bad things. I don’t know how many times I have gone back and looked through my list and found something good that has happened that I totally had forgotten about. Unfortunately, our minds just have a tendency for easily forgetting the good things. It is also fun to see how what we cover in our daily devotional time can manifest itself in our lives. Say we practice some new technique, or new way of thinking, that we then wait to see how it affects our lives. We may find a week or two into it that whatever it is has worked out for us. He have gained a positive advantage in our lives. So, we make note of that and then that will always be there for us to see in the future.

Violating Our Own Rules, Part 2 (TMF:2334)

Thursday, April 18, 2024
Peace to Live By: Violating Our Own Rules, Part 2 (TMF:2334) - Daniel Litton
(Tap or right-click link to download two-minute feature)

       I make sure I miss a Bible study every once in a while. I don’t want to just go every time because I feel I have to. This can also be a good way to caught up on stuff if we have fallen behind. If it is hanging out with friends, that too I have skipped in order to just spend some time with myself, doing what I just want to do. We can’t please everyone all the time, and sometimes we need to just do what we want to do. So, whatever your rules or practices are, but sure that you do not become enslaved to them. Watch those practices because while we do a lot of good things, there is nothing that says we always have to do them every time. Breaks are good for minds, and to change up the routine. Sometimes the routine even gets stale, and by skipping something, or doing something differently, we can freshen things up. This keeps us in charge of our rules instead of them being in charge of us. That, I believe, keeps us happier, and that’s what we want to make sure of, that we are happy, while we are going through the motions.

Violating Our Own Rules, Part 1 (TMF:2333)

Wednesday, April 17, 2024
Peace to Live By: Violating Our Own Rules, Part 1 (TMF:2333) - Daniel Litton
(Tap or right-click link to download two-minute feature)

       A lot of us create our own rules that we follow in our daily lives. What I mean is that we have certain routines, or practices, that we have created that aren’t necessarily mandated by Scripture but of which we do to try to keep things in order. We may read our Bibles for twenty minutes every morning after waking up. We might spend ten minutes in prayer every morning. Perhaps we go to Bible study every Wednesday night. Or we meet so and so for coffee on Saturday mornings to discuss Biblical things. So, we have these rules that we keep in order to try to follow what we perceive from Scripture that we need to follow. What I like to do, every once in a while, is violate these rules to keep them in check. I don’t want to become a robot. I don’t want to be going through the motions merely for the sake of going through the motions. So, every once in a while I might handle one devotional differently. Perhaps I’ll read something upon waking up that I normally wouldn’t read. I make sure I miss a Bible study every once in a while. I don’t want to just go every time because I feel I have to.

Nobody is Your Happiness, Part 3 (TMF:2332)

Tuesday, April 16, 2024
Peace to Live By: Nobody is Your Happiness, Part 3 (TMF:2332) - Daniel Litton
(Tap or right-click link to download two-minute feature)

       As the world changes, and people come and go, that would be unwise. This world will not carry on as it has. Things change. Even if someone has been in your life all of your life up to this point (for example, let’s say your parents), they will eventually leave. So, things aren’t always as they seem they will be. The Gospel writer John has told us that Jesus did not put his stock in any human being completely and entirely. A careful evaluation of Jesus’ life will show us that where he put his stock was in God. It was with God that he spent the majority of his close social time. It was God he was trying to please. I’m not saying we shouldn’t trust anyone; that is totally different from what I am talking about here. What I am saying is that nobody on this earth is our life. Nobody but God is the reason for our existence. That means, just like Jesus, we can only find true happiness in our relationship with God.

Nobody is Your Happiness, Part 2 (TMF:2331)

Monday, April 15, 2024
Peace to Live By: Nobody is Your Happiness, Part 2 (TMF:2331) - Daniel Litton
(Tap or right-click link to download two-minute feature)

       Indeed, we will also notice that the marriage relationship is transitory. Jesus spoke clearly about this. If that relationship doesn’t last past this life, then that would also lead to the conclusion that parental relationships do not last. In evaluating all of this, we can go roundabout back to the fact that God is the only relationship we have of which is consistently here and consistently in the next life. Yes, we may have other relationships that carry over, but how that will look is certainly unclear. None of our friends will be the reason for our existence in the next life. Understanding all of this, what does it mean? It means that in none of these relationships can we lay our foundation of happiness. As the world changes, and people come and go, that would be unwise. This world will not carry on as it has. Things change. Even if someone has been in your life all of your life up to this point (for example, let’s say your parents), they will eventually leave.