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Hub You - Sins of the Mind or Spirit
Are You Struggling To Hit Your Revenue Targets For High-Value Services? , and whoever humbles himself will be exalted." (Matthew 23:12) (Luke 14:11)John Corr answers your top five questions on how to focus your investment in strategic account management when pursuing complex high-value engagements.“I can guarantee that your investment in time in reading the answers to the following key questions will help you deliver an immediate performance improvement in your strategic account management. Bottom-line you will enjoy greater revenues sooner than you thought possible with a great deal less effort JMy very best wishes for your future success and prosperity” John.Q#1: What's the biggest mistake in strategic account management? (And how can we avoid it?).Q#2: What's the one thing we should do first when it comes to strategic account management?Q#3: What have you done differently that has resulted in success?Q#4: Give us 5 quick tips about strategic account management?Q#5: What's the easiest thing I can do right now to see results in my strategic account management?#1 What's the biggest mistake in strategic account management?Put simply, the biggest mistake I see is too much emphasis on the attributes and capabilities of specific individuals at the expense of not having a powerful and straightforward sales process and model. The most effective strategy for increasing your overall revenues boils down to systematizing the decision making, priority setting and behaviour of high performers across the bulk of your sales organization.Clearly having high-performing sales people and motivating them is an asset to any organization, they are going to deliver for you come what may (perhaps you have a bigger issue keeping these “rainmakers” than improving their performance. Let's be frank, the performance improvements in you Paul: "What do you have that God hasn’t given you? And if everything you have is from God, why boast as though it were not a gift?" (1 Corinthians 4:7 NLT) The apostle encourages humility rather than pride: "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves." (Philippians 2:3) Also Paul warns us against becoming conceited: "Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited." (Romans 12:16) And James quoting Proverbs 3:34: "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." (James 4:6) Rage Another iniquity of the mind is rage. Paul reminds us not to indulge in this error in three passages. In Galatians, he says that fits of rage are acts of the sinful nature. Those who act that way will not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:19-21) And twice Paul tells us to, "Get rid of rage." (Ephesians 4:31) (Colossians 3:8) Selfish Ambition Ambition in our culture is a highly admired virtue. We associate it with hard work and contrast it with laziness and sloth. But we are put on notice that ambition must not degenerate into what biblical writers call "selfish ambition." That strikes many of us as a strange concept. Selfish ambition seems to be a natural, even a reasonable way of looking at life. After all, didn't we earn the money. Why shouldn't we spend our earnings as we please? God, however, demands a higher standard. He does not tolerate selfishness in any form. We are reminded to keep our perspective. Jesus graphically illustrates God's disgust with stingy people in the Parable of the Rich Fool. A rich man's land yielded a good harvest. So good, he didn't even have room to store all his grain. To solve his problem, he decided to tear down his barns and build larger ones to hold his grain. After that, he thought he could take life easy -- eat, drink, and enjoy himself. But God said: You fool, tonight you will die. Who will get all that you have hoarded for yourself? That is what happens to those who selfishly keep everything for themselves. The wise share their riches with God. (Luke 12:16-21) Paul lists selfish ambition as another act of Business Email When Talking To International Companies Is Important Whatever is constantly on your mind is what you become. To put it another way, you are what you think. Want to become a saint? Then read, study, and take to heart -- the New Testament. Want to become a moral degenerate? Then read, study, and take to heart -- pornography. We can't help it. That's the way we are made. Whoever we associate with, whatever we read, whatever we watch on television, whatever we allow our minds to dwell on, becomes, in time, our character and our destiny.When it comes to your business email address, you want to make sure that everything that your write or say on company time is appropriate. Today, emails can be traced and many companies have a person read all out going and incoming mail to make sure those trade secrets doesn’t go on as well as other inappropriate emailing.As for where people can get your email address, it should be on your card. If you have noticed that you get a lot of people giving out your email address, you can always take it off your business card; however, it is one of the most effect ways to make your first connection with a business or such.When writing a business email, you should format it like a normal business later. You will put the person’s name, title, department, and company address first. Follow that by giving the date and then begin the letter or email.If you are sending an informal email between co-workers, you can write it like you would if you were talking to a friend. There is business appropriate behavior that you should follow when you are sending an email. Don’t use slang or any IM words like TTYL (talk to you later) cause many of the people who are on the Internet will have no idea about what you are talking about. You should make sure that everything is spelled correctly as well.Business email when talking to international companies is important. First, you don’t want to say anything to them that will offend anyone. You want to make general notations in an email. They shouldn’t be long at all. You shouldn’t state specifics either. You have no idea who is going to read your emails. You want to make sure that certain information doesn’t get in the hands of those whom you don’t want it to. If you need to state spe Paul understood this principle. "Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things." (Philippians 4:8) On the other hand, he cautions us: "Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?" (2 Corinthians 6:14) And finally he gives us this straightforward warning: "Bad company corrupts good character." (1 Corinthians 15:33) Here is what we must reject: anger, arrogance, bitterness, cowardice, deceit, envy, evil thoughts, folly or foolishness, greed, hate, hypocrisy, jealousy, lust, pride, rage, selfish ambition, and worry. If we give anyone of these sins of the mind or spirit, free reign, it will destroy us. Let's briefly examine what Jesus and his disciples had to say on each of these sins. Anger We are to control our anger; we must not allow our anger to control us. Jesus put it this way: Anyone who is angry with his brother is subject to judgment. Anyone who says, "You fool!" is in danger of the fire of hell. (Matthew 5:22) Paul cautions us: "In your anger do not sin: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold." (Ephesians 4:26-27) Again Paul says: Get rid of anger. (Ephesians 4:31) And James advises us: "Be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires." (James 1:19-20) Arrogance Jesus condemned arrogance in his repeated statement: "Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted." (Matthew 23:12) (Luke 14:11) (Luke 18:14) Jesus also addressed arrogance in the Gospel of Mark: Arrogance makes a man unclean. (Mark 7:21-23) Bitterness Paul and the writer of Hebrews both speak of bitterness. Paul simply says to get rid of all bitterness. (Ephesians 4:31) In Hebrews we read: "See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many." (Hebrews 12:15) Cowardice Cowardice is the sin opposite of the virtue courage. Jesus denounced cowards saying they will go to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. That will be their second death. (Revelation 21:8) Deceit Deceit is another one of those sins that makes a man unclean. (Mark 7:21-23) Ananias and Sapphira kept part of the money they received for selling their property. They presented the rest of the proceeds from the sale and placed it "at the apostles feet." Apparently, they claimed their donation was the entire amount received from the sale. Both died on the spot for their deception. (Acts 5:1-10) Paul condemned Elymas, the sorcerer, for being "full of all kinds of deceit and trickery." (Acts 13:10) Peter urges us: Rid yourselves of all deceit. (1 Peter 2:1) Also: "Whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech." (1 Peter 3:10) And John says: Nothing impure will ever enter heaven, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful. (Revelation 21:27) Envy Jesus, Paul, James, and Peter all warn us against envy. Jesus: Envy makes a man unclean. (Mark 7:21-23) Paul: Envy is an act of the sinful nature. Those who envy do not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:19-21) Again Paul: "Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other." (Galatians 5:26) James: Bitter envy and selfish ambition is earthly, unspiritual, and of the devil. (James 3:14-15) And Peter: Rid yourselves of all envy. (1 Peter 2:1) Evil Thoughts Jesus tells us that evil thoughts are another one of those things which make a man unclean. (Matthew 15:18-19) And he provides us with this clear insight: "For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.... the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him." (Matthew 12:34-35) Paul in a similar vein, says: "Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming." (Colossians 3:5-6) Folly Jesus rebuked folly. He tells us it is yet another of those sins of the spirit which make a man unclean. (Mark 7:21-23) Greed Then there is greed. Jesus condemned the teachers of the law for taking advantage of widows: "They devour widows' houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. Such men will be punished most severely." (Mark 12:40) Likewise, he denounced the Pharisees for being full of greed and wickedness. (Luke 11:39) Then he warns us: "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions." (Luke 12:15) Paul says plainly: The greedy do not inherit the kingdom of God. (1 Corinthians 6:10) Paul continues to caution us against greed. See Colossians 3:5, 1 Timothy 6:6-10, Ephesians 5:3 and 5:5. And the writer of Hebrews puts it simply: "Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have." (Hebrews 13:5) Hatred Closely related to anger is hatred. Paul puts us on notice: Hatred is an act of the sinful nature. Those who hate will not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:19-21) John compares hatred to darkness. "Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in the darkness." (1 John 2:9) And he repeats his injunction: "Whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness; he does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded him." (1 John 2:11) Hypocrisy If we go by the number of times Jesus condemned a particular sin, he must have despised hypocrisy more than any other sin. Perhaps he saw more hypocrisy than anything else. We know it's an easy enough trap to fall into. Hence we have numerous warnings. Jesus tells us not to criticize others when our habits are worse than theirs. (Matthew 7:3-4) We are not to give to the needy, pray, or fast to impress other people. (Matthew 6:2, 6:5, 6:16) And Jesus repeatedly condemns the teachers of the law and the Pharisees for their hypocrisy. (Matthew 23:13, 15, 23, 25, 27, and 29) Notice the colorful imaginary and biting humor Jesus employs in ridicule of the Jewish religious leaders. "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men's bones and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness." (Matthew 23:27-28) And: "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence." (Matthew 23:25) Paul and Peter also denounced hypocrisy. See Romans 2:1, 2:21-23 and 1 Peter 2:1. Jealousy Paul criticized the Corinthian church because of their jealousy and quarreling. They were, he said, acting like "mere men." (1 Corinthians 3:3) Jealousy is still another act of the sinful nature. Paul warns that those who act that way will not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:19-21) Lust Lust is another sin of the mind or spirit. We reviewed Jesus' quote on the topic when we addressed the sin of adultery. "Anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart." (Matthew 5:28) Paul adds his own warning: "Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming." (Colossians 3:5-6) And he commands us to control our bodies and not to give in to lust like pagans who know nothing of God. (1 Thessalonians 4:4-5) Malice Malice is a desire to harm others. Jesus included it in his list of sins which make a man unclean. (Mark 7:21-23) Both Paul and Peter tell us to avoid this sin. (Ephesians 4:31) (Colossians 3:8) (1 Peter 2:1) Pride Pride is an overestimation of oneself. For many of us, this is the strongest temptation we face. Ironically, the more we have of it, the more we notice it in other people. The writer of Proverbs, Jesus, Paul, and James all warn us against yielding to this deadly sin. "Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall." (Proverbs 16:18) Jesus: "Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted." (Matthew 23:12) (Luke 14:11) Paul: "What do you have that God hasn’t given you? And if everything you have is from God, why boast as though it were not a gift?" (1 Corinthians 4:7 NLT) The apostle encourages humility rather than pride: "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves." (Philippians 2:3) Also Paul warns us against becoming conceited: "Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited." (Romans 12:16) And James quoting Proverbs 3:34: "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." (James 4:6) Rage Another iniquity of the mind is rage. Paul reminds us not to indulge in this error in three passages. In Galatians, he says that fits of rage are acts of the sinful nature. Those who act that way will not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:19-21) And twice Paul tells us to, "Get rid of rage." (Ephesians 4:31) (Colossians 3:8) Selfish Ambition Ambition in our culture is a highly admired virtue. We associate it with hard work and contrast it with laziness and sloth. But we are put on notice that ambition must not degenerate into what biblical writers call "selfish ambition." That strikes many of us as a strange concept. Selfish ambition seems to be a natural, even a reasonable way of looking at life. After all, didn't we earn the money. Why shouldn't we spend our earnings as we please? God, however, demands a higher standard. He does not tolerate selfishness in any form. We are reminded to keep our perspective. Jesus graphically illustrates God's disgust with stingy people in the Parable of the Rich Fool. A rich man's land yielded a good harvest. So good, he didn't even have room to store all his grain. To solve his problem, he decided to tear down his barns and build larger ones to hold his grain. After that, he thought he could take life easy -- eat, drink, and enjoy himself. But God said: You fool, tonight you will die. Who will get all that you have hoarded for yourself? That is what happens to those who selfishly keep everything for themselves. The wise share their riches with God. (Luke 12:16-21) Paul lists selfish ambition as another act of Affiliate Marketing - The Importance Of Good Customer Service (Part 1) ssed arrogance in the Gospel of Mark: Arrogance makes a man unclean. (Mark 7:21-23)You have heard from many people that one of the advantages of doing affiliate marketing is that you do not have to worry about customer support. While it can be true that you do not have to worry support but you will still need to give good customer service. The most important tip is to always give good customer service because it is your business and they are your customers.If you always think in term of good customer service, you will stand out from the rest of the affiliates. The average affiliates will look at the products first, preferably those that offers high commissions. After they have found their affiliate products, they will just throw up a website, put lots of links inside and attract the traffic. Then they will wonder how come they did not make many sales.The reason is because you focus too much on the product instead on the people. When you care about your list and you always give value to them, your list will soon trust you as someone who really wants to help them. This will almost assured that you will have satisfied customers, buyers who will praises you, repeat buyers and buyers who recommend his friends to join your list because you are willing to go the extra mile to help your customers.This can be illustrated by using this one good example. For example, you are going to a store to do some shopping. One of the sales man approaches you and all the things that he speaks and do is to sell you something. His only intention is to sell you something and if you do not want to buy, he will be more aggressively trying to persuade why you must buy. Most of the people will not like it because they do not like being pushed by someone to buy the products. Bitterness Paul and the writer of Hebrews both speak of bitterness. Paul simply says to get rid of all bitterness. (Ephesians 4:31) In Hebrews we read: "See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many." (Hebrews 12:15) Cowardice Cowardice is the sin opposite of the virtue courage. Jesus denounced cowards saying they will go to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. That will be their second death. (Revelation 21:8) Deceit Deceit is another one of those sins that makes a man unclean. (Mark 7:21-23) Ananias and Sapphira kept part of the money they received for selling their property. They presented the rest of the proceeds from the sale and placed it "at the apostles feet." Apparently, they claimed their donation was the entire amount received from the sale. Both died on the spot for their deception. (Acts 5:1-10) Paul condemned Elymas, the sorcerer, for being "full of all kinds of deceit and trickery." (Acts 13:10) Peter urges us: Rid yourselves of all deceit. (1 Peter 2:1) Also: "Whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech." (1 Peter 3:10) And John says: Nothing impure will ever enter heaven, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful. (Revelation 21:27) Envy Jesus, Paul, James, and Peter all warn us against envy. Jesus: Envy makes a man unclean. (Mark 7:21-23) Paul: Envy is an act of the sinful nature. Those who envy do not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:19-21) Again Paul: "Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other." (Galatians 5:26) James: Bitter envy and selfish ambition is earthly, unspiritual, and of the devil. (James 3:14-15) And Peter: Rid yourselves of all envy. (1 Peter 2:1) Evil Thoughts Jesus tells us that evil thoughts are another one of those things which make a man unclean. (Matthew 15:18-19) And he provides us with this clear insight: "For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.... the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him." (Matthew 12:34-35) Paul in a similar vein, says: "Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming." (Colossians 3:5-6) Folly Jesus rebuked folly. He tells us it is yet another of those sins of the spirit which make a man unclean. (Mark 7:21-23) Greed Then there is greed. Jesus condemned the teachers of the law for taking advantage of widows: "They devour widows' houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. Such men will be punished most severely." (Mark 12:40) Likewise, he denounced the Pharisees for being full of greed and wickedness. (Luke 11:39) Then he warns us: "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions." (Luke 12:15) Paul says plainly: The greedy do not inherit the kingdom of God. (1 Corinthians 6:10) Paul continues to caution us against greed. See Colossians 3:5, 1 Timothy 6:6-10, Ephesians 5:3 and 5:5. And the writer of Hebrews puts it simply: "Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have." (Hebrews 13:5) Hatred Closely related to anger is hatred. Paul puts us on notice: Hatred is an act of the sinful nature. Those who hate will not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:19-21) John compares hatred to darkness. "Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in the darkness." (1 John 2:9) And he repeats his injunction: "Whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness; he does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded him." (1 John 2:11) Hypocrisy If we go by the number of times Jesus condemned a particular sin, he must have despised hypocrisy more than any other sin. Perhaps he saw more hypocrisy than anything else. We know it's an easy enough trap to fall into. Hence we have numerous warnings. Jesus tells us not to criticize others when our habits are worse than theirs. (Matthew 7:3-4) We are not to give to the needy, pray, or fast to impress other people. (Matthew 6:2, 6:5, 6:16) And Jesus repeatedly condemns the teachers of the law and the Pharisees for their hypocrisy. (Matthew 23:13, 15, 23, 25, 27, and 29) Notice the colorful imaginary and biting humor Jesus employs in ridicule of the Jewish religious leaders. "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men's bones and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness." (Matthew 23:27-28) And: "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence." (Matthew 23:25) Paul and Peter also denounced hypocrisy. See Romans 2:1, 2:21-23 and 1 Peter 2:1. Jealousy Paul criticized the Corinthian church because of their jealousy and quarreling. They were, he said, acting like "mere men." (1 Corinthians 3:3) Jealousy is still another act of the sinful nature. Paul warns that those who act that way will not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:19-21) Lust Lust is another sin of the mind or spirit. We reviewed Jesus' quote on the topic when we addressed the sin of adultery. "Anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart." (Matthew 5:28) Paul adds his own warning: "Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming." (Colossians 3:5-6) And he commands us to control our bodies and not to give in to lust like pagans who know nothing of God. (1 Thessalonians 4:4-5) Malice Malice is a desire to harm others. Jesus included it in his list of sins which make a man unclean. (Mark 7:21-23) Both Paul and Peter tell us to avoid this sin. (Ephesians 4:31) (Colossians 3:8) (1 Peter 2:1) Pride Pride is an overestimation of oneself. For many of us, this is the strongest temptation we face. Ironically, the more we have of it, the more we notice it in other people. The writer of Proverbs, Jesus, Paul, and James all warn us against yielding to this deadly sin. "Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall." (Proverbs 16:18) Jesus: "Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted." (Matthew 23:12) (Luke 14:11) Paul: "What do you have that God hasn’t given you? And if everything you have is from God, why boast as though it were not a gift?" (1 Corinthians 4:7 NLT) The apostle encourages humility rather than pride: "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves." (Philippians 2:3) Also Paul warns us against becoming conceited: "Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited." (Romans 12:16) And James quoting Proverbs 3:34: "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." (James 4:6) Rage Another iniquity of the mind is rage. Paul reminds us not to indulge in this error in three passages. In Galatians, he says that fits of rage are acts of the sinful nature. Those who act that way will not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:19-21) And twice Paul tells us to, "Get rid of rage." (Ephesians 4:31) (Colossians 3:8) Selfish Ambition Ambition in our culture is a highly admired virtue. We associate it with hard work and contrast it with laziness and sloth. But we are put on notice that ambition must not degenerate into what biblical writers call "selfish ambition." That strikes many of us as a strange concept. Selfish ambition seems to be a natural, even a reasonable way of looking at life. After all, didn't we earn the money. Why shouldn't we spend our earnings as we please? God, however, demands a higher standard. He does not tolerate selfishness in any form. We are reminded to keep our perspective. Jesus graphically illustrates God's disgust with stingy people in the Parable of the Rich Fool. A rich man's land yielded a good harvest. So good, he didn't even have room to store all his grain. To solve his problem, he decided to tear down his barns and build larger ones to hold his grain. After that, he thought he could take life easy -- eat, drink, and enjoy himself. But God said: You fool, tonight you will die. Who will get all that you have hoarded for yourself? That is what happens to those who selfishly keep everything for themselves. The wise share their riches with God. (Luke 12:16-21) Paul lists selfish ambition as another act of Debt Levels In The Uk At The Moment Are At All-Time High Levels th, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming." (Colossians 3:5-6)Debt levels in the UK at the moment are at all-time high levels, with many people having secured loans, electrical goods, cars & furniture purchased on long term finance deals and credit cards. Whilst most people are usually able to cope with what they have taken out, there are a growing number of people who are struggling to keep up with their repayments or even keep up with remembering how much they pay, to whom and when!One way of dealing with this would be to consolidate all of the debt into your mortgage, although this isn’t feasible for a large number of people who are tied in to their mortgage product for a set length of time.For people in this situation it may be prudent for them to consider a secured loan. This would give them one payment a month as opposed to many and it would usually have the additional benefit of being lower than what they are currently paying as the interest rate on a secured loan would generally be lower than that on Unsecured debt. This is because it is lower risk for the lender as they have the knowledge that you have put your property up as a guarantee of payment. People must of course be aware that should they fail to keep up repayments on a debt secured against their property then there home may be at risk.The Secured Loan market is growing quickly, with more and more lenders appearing on the market, and whilst this is obviously good news for anyone wishing to take one out, it can also appear very daunting when faced with the countless options. It is advisable that anyone wishing to take Secured Loan should do some research to ensure that they have the best deal possible, the internet Folly Jesus rebuked folly. He tells us it is yet another of those sins of the spirit which make a man unclean. (Mark 7:21-23) Greed Then there is greed. Jesus condemned the teachers of the law for taking advantage of widows: "They devour widows' houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. Such men will be punished most severely." (Mark 12:40) Likewise, he denounced the Pharisees for being full of greed and wickedness. (Luke 11:39) Then he warns us: "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions." (Luke 12:15) Paul says plainly: The greedy do not inherit the kingdom of God. (1 Corinthians 6:10) Paul continues to caution us against greed. See Colossians 3:5, 1 Timothy 6:6-10, Ephesians 5:3 and 5:5. And the writer of Hebrews puts it simply: "Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have." (Hebrews 13:5) Hatred Closely related to anger is hatred. Paul puts us on notice: Hatred is an act of the sinful nature. Those who hate will not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:19-21) John compares hatred to darkness. "Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in the darkness." (1 John 2:9) And he repeats his injunction: "Whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness; he does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded him." (1 John 2:11) Hypocrisy If we go by the number of times Jesus condemned a particular sin, he must have despised hypocrisy more than any other sin. Perhaps he saw more hypocrisy than anything else. We know it's an easy enough trap to fall into. Hence we have numerous warnings. Jesus tells us not to criticize others when our habits are worse than theirs. (Matthew 7:3-4) We are not to give to the needy, pray, or fast to impress other people. (Matthew 6:2, 6:5, 6:16) And Jesus repeatedly condemns the teachers of the law and the Pharisees for their hypocrisy. (Matthew 23:13, 15, 23, 25, 27, and 29) Notice the colorful imaginary and biting humor Jesus employs in ridicule of the Jewish religious leaders. "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men's bones and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness." (Matthew 23:27-28) And: "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence." (Matthew 23:25) Paul and Peter also denounced hypocrisy. See Romans 2:1, 2:21-23 and 1 Peter 2:1. Jealousy Paul criticized the Corinthian church because of their jealousy and quarreling. They were, he said, acting like "mere men." (1 Corinthians 3:3) Jealousy is still another act of the sinful nature. Paul warns that those who act that way will not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:19-21) Lust Lust is another sin of the mind or spirit. We reviewed Jesus' quote on the topic when we addressed the sin of adultery. "Anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart." (Matthew 5:28) Paul adds his own warning: "Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming." (Colossians 3:5-6) And he commands us to control our bodies and not to give in to lust like pagans who know nothing of God. (1 Thessalonians 4:4-5) Malice Malice is a desire to harm others. Jesus included it in his list of sins which make a man unclean. (Mark 7:21-23) Both Paul and Peter tell us to avoid this sin. (Ephesians 4:31) (Colossians 3:8) (1 Peter 2:1) Pride Pride is an overestimation of oneself. For many of us, this is the strongest temptation we face. Ironically, the more we have of it, the more we notice it in other people. The writer of Proverbs, Jesus, Paul, and James all warn us against yielding to this deadly sin. "Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall." (Proverbs 16:18) Jesus: "Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted." (Matthew 23:12) (Luke 14:11) Paul: "What do you have that God hasn’t given you? And if everything you have is from God, why boast as though it were not a gift?" (1 Corinthians 4:7 NLT) The apostle encourages humility rather than pride: "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves." (Philippians 2:3) Also Paul warns us against becoming conceited: "Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited." (Romans 12:16) And James quoting Proverbs 3:34: "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." (James 4:6) Rage Another iniquity of the mind is rage. Paul reminds us not to indulge in this error in three passages. In Galatians, he says that fits of rage are acts of the sinful nature. Those who act that way will not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:19-21) And twice Paul tells us to, "Get rid of rage." (Ephesians 4:31) (Colossians 3:8) Selfish Ambition Ambition in our culture is a highly admired virtue. We associate it with hard work and contrast it with laziness and sloth. But we are put on notice that ambition must not degenerate into what biblical writers call "selfish ambition." That strikes many of us as a strange concept. Selfish ambition seems to be a natural, even a reasonable way of looking at life. After all, didn't we earn the money. Why shouldn't we spend our earnings as we please? God, however, demands a higher standard. He does not tolerate selfishness in any form. We are reminded to keep our perspective. Jesus graphically illustrates God's disgust with stingy people in the Parable of the Rich Fool. A rich man's land yielded a good harvest. So good, he didn't even have room to store all his grain. To solve his problem, he decided to tear down his barns and build larger ones to hold his grain. After that, he thought he could take life easy -- eat, drink, and enjoy himself. But God said: You fool, tonight you will die. Who will get all that you have hoarded for yourself? That is what happens to those who selfishly keep everything for themselves. The wise share their riches with God. (Luke 12:16-21) Paul lists selfish ambition as another act of For A New Real Estate Investor The Idea Of Investing In Foreclosures Can Look Temptingly Attractive the colorful imaginary and biting humor Jesus employs in ridicule of the Jewish religious leaders. "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men's bones and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness." (Matthew 23:27-28)You might be looking for "How to make a zillion dollars in 3 months", well, you won't find that here but if you want some practical tips, you came to the right place. Read on ...To the newbie real estate investor, foreclosures can look temptingly attractive. Who wouldn't want to make a quick profit of 50% or more? But whether a foreclosure deal is really sugar or merely sweet-tasting arsenic depends on a list of complex factors.Foreclosure is an officially permitted process in which a mortgage holder repossess a property due to failure to pay on a loan. Some states in the U.S. allow 'strict' foreclosure — the borrower has a definite time in which to bring the debt up to date, after this, the title reverts back to the lending institution.You want to stay out of any legal processes going on concerning a property. Don’t get tempted to jump in and help the current owner in hopes of partial or whole ownership, this is suicidal. Pick another great deal. Never fall in love with a property. You have to maintain a business-like demeanor in all your dealings.Be sure you understand that in many foreclosure proceedings, a borrower might have the 'right of redemption'. This legal claim will let them have a particular amount of time in which to 'cure the loan'. That is, they are allowed to make back payments, shore up credit, etc., and then they are allowed to reclaim property title to, and the possession of, the property. Beware!As soon as the foreclosure procedure is complete, or at minimum unavoidable, you may initiate an action plan to obtain the real estate. Watch for transactions in which, at least, a Notice of Default has been given out.Public sales on foreclosed possessions are common but can be And: "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence." (Matthew 23:25) Paul and Peter also denounced hypocrisy. See Romans 2:1, 2:21-23 and 1 Peter 2:1. Jealousy Paul criticized the Corinthian church because of their jealousy and quarreling. They were, he said, acting like "mere men." (1 Corinthians 3:3) Jealousy is still another act of the sinful nature. Paul warns that those who act that way will not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:19-21) Lust Lust is another sin of the mind or spirit. We reviewed Jesus' quote on the topic when we addressed the sin of adultery. "Anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart." (Matthew 5:28) Paul adds his own warning: "Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming." (Colossians 3:5-6) And he commands us to control our bodies and not to give in to lust like pagans who know nothing of God. (1 Thessalonians 4:4-5) Malice Malice is a desire to harm others. Jesus included it in his list of sins which make a man unclean. (Mark 7:21-23) Both Paul and Peter tell us to avoid this sin. (Ephesians 4:31) (Colossians 3:8) (1 Peter 2:1) Pride Pride is an overestimation of oneself. For many of us, this is the strongest temptation we face. Ironically, the more we have of it, the more we notice it in other people. The writer of Proverbs, Jesus, Paul, and James all warn us against yielding to this deadly sin. "Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall." (Proverbs 16:18) Jesus: "Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted." (Matthew 23:12) (Luke 14:11) Paul: "What do you have that God hasn’t given you? And if everything you have is from God, why boast as though it were not a gift?" (1 Corinthians 4:7 NLT) The apostle encourages humility rather than pride: "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves." (Philippians 2:3) Also Paul warns us against becoming conceited: "Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited." (Romans 12:16) And James quoting Proverbs 3:34: "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." (James 4:6) Rage Another iniquity of the mind is rage. Paul reminds us not to indulge in this error in three passages. In Galatians, he says that fits of rage are acts of the sinful nature. Those who act that way will not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:19-21) And twice Paul tells us to, "Get rid of rage." (Ephesians 4:31) (Colossians 3:8) Selfish Ambition Ambition in our culture is a highly admired virtue. We associate it with hard work and contrast it with laziness and sloth. But we are put on notice that ambition must not degenerate into what biblical writers call "selfish ambition." That strikes many of us as a strange concept. Selfish ambition seems to be a natural, even a reasonable way of looking at life. After all, didn't we earn the money. Why shouldn't we spend our earnings as we please? God, however, demands a higher standard. He does not tolerate selfishness in any form. We are reminded to keep our perspective. Jesus graphically illustrates God's disgust with stingy people in the Parable of the Rich Fool. A rich man's land yielded a good harvest. So good, he didn't even have room to store all his grain. To solve his problem, he decided to tear down his barns and build larger ones to hold his grain. After that, he thought he could take life easy -- eat, drink, and enjoy himself. But God said: You fool, tonight you will die. Who will get all that you have hoarded for yourself? That is what happens to those who selfishly keep everything for themselves. The wise share their riches with God. (Luke 12:16-21) Paul lists selfish ambition as another act of Do Not Make This Mistake , and whoever humbles himself will be exalted." (Matthew 23:12) (Luke 14:11)Home foreclosures are at an all time high and people are losing their homes. Our country is in a huge real estate boom yet people are being kicked out of their home because they can’t afford the payments. Why? There are several reasons why foreclosures are high even in an excellent real estate market. If you are planning on selling your home, buying a new home or refinancing your home you need to pay close attention.People are qualifying for more home on less income and less down payment. A couple of decades ago a new homebuyer would need a five percent down payment in order to buy a home. This same homebuyer would need to earn four times the monthly payment. So the numbers on a $200,000 house are as follows. Down payment of at least $10,000 and a yearly income of around $80,000. Today the same home could be bought for $0 down and a yearly income of $55,000. Do you see the problem? If a homebuyer doesn’t have to put anything down for a home they have no reason to try to keep it. Add the fact that the slightest hardship or over indulgence will put the homeowner behind in payments. If you want to save yourself the headaches buy a home you can afford. Make sure you can put at least 5% down and make sure that your payment is not too large. Use this simple calculation: Payment X 4 < Income. Your payment times 4 is less than your monthly income.The other rule you must follow is making sure your real estate appraisal is accurate. Unfortunately people get caught up in the emotion of finding their home and forget that it is a large purchase. If your home is worth only $180,000 yet you pay $200,000 you are asking for disaster. Your bank will do their own appraisal but sometimes this appraisal could be way off. Wh Paul: "What do you have that God hasn’t given you? And if everything you have is from God, why boast as though it were not a gift?" (1 Corinthians 4:7 NLT) The apostle encourages humility rather than pride: "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves." (Philippians 2:3) Also Paul warns us against becoming conceited: "Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited." (Romans 12:16) And James quoting Proverbs 3:34: "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." (James 4:6) Rage Another iniquity of the mind is rage. Paul reminds us not to indulge in this error in three passages. In Galatians, he says that fits of rage are acts of the sinful nature. Those who act that way will not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:19-21) And twice Paul tells us to, "Get rid of rage." (Ephesians 4:31) (Colossians 3:8) Selfish Ambition Ambition in our culture is a highly admired virtue. We associate it with hard work and contrast it with laziness and sloth. But we are put on notice that ambition must not degenerate into what biblical writers call "selfish ambition." That strikes many of us as a strange concept. Selfish ambition seems to be a natural, even a reasonable way of looking at life. After all, didn't we earn the money. Why shouldn't we spend our earnings as we please? God, however, demands a higher standard. He does not tolerate selfishness in any form. We are reminded to keep our perspective. Jesus graphically illustrates God's disgust with stingy people in the Parable of the Rich Fool. A rich man's land yielded a good harvest. So good, he didn't even have room to store all his grain. To solve his problem, he decided to tear down his barns and build larger ones to hold his grain. After that, he thought he could take life easy -- eat, drink, and enjoy himself. But God said: You fool, tonight you will die. Who will get all that you have hoarded for yourself? That is what happens to those who selfishly keep everything for themselves. The wise share their riches with God. (Luke 12:16-21) Paul lists selfish ambition as another act of the sinful nature. Those who act that way, he says, will not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:19-21) In Philippians he writes: "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves." (Philippians 2:3) And James adds his own warning: Bitter envy and selfish ambition are earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. (James 3:14-16) Worry Some people seem to be natural born worriers while others don't seem to be bothered by anything. So what? The problem with worrying is that it betrays a lack of faith in God. Both Jesus and Paul caution us against worrying. In the Parable of the Sower, Jesus tells us that the seed which fell among thorns stands for those who hear the gospel, but over time they are choked by life's worries, riches, and pleasures, and do not mature. (Matthew 13:22) (Luke 8:14) Jesus says in another passage: "Do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?" (Matthew 6:25) (Luke 12:22) Then he follows that with this penetrating question: "Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life ?" (Matthew 6:27) (Luke 12:25) And Paul offers us this guidance: "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:6-7) The biblical prohibitions on sins of the mind or spirit can be summed up in one simple bit of advice: Be careful what you think, for that is what you become. Question to Consider: Are the people you associate with, the books you read, and the entertainment you enjoy building up your character, or tearing it down? "Question: Why are we Masters of our Fate, the captains of our souls? Because we have the power to control our thoughts, our attitudes. That is why many people live in the withering negative world. That is why many people live in the Positive Faith world. And you don't have to be a poet or a philosopher to know which is best." Alfred A. Montapert (1906 - ) American author Note: All Scripture References are taken from the New International Version unless otherwise stated. NLT - New Living Translation
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