The No. 1 Career Mistake Capable People Make

Republished with permission from  Greg McKeown, New York Times Bestselling Author.

I recently reviewed a resume for a colleague who was trying to define a clearer career strategy. She has terrific experience. And yet, as I looked through it I could see the problem she was concerned about: she had done so many good things in so many different fields it was hard to know what was distinctive about her.

As we talked it became clear the resume was only the symptom of a deeper issue. In an attempt to be useful and adaptable she has said yes to too many good projects and opportunities. She has ended up feeling overworked  and  underutilized. It is easy to see how people end up in her situation:

Step 1:  Capable people are driven to achieve.

Step 2:  Other people see they are capable and give them assignments.

Step 3:  Capable people gain a reputation as “go to” people. They become “good old [insert name] who is always there when you need him.” There is  lots  right with this, unless or until…

Step 4:  Capable people  end up doing lots of projects well but are distracted from what would otherwise be their  highest point of contribution  which I define as the intersection of talent, passion and market  (see more on this in the  Harvard Business Review  article  The Disciplined Pursuit of Less). Then, both the company and the employee lose out.

When this happens, some of the responsibility lies with out-of-touch managers who are too busy or distracted to notice the very best use of their people. But some of the responsibility lies with us. Perhaps we need to be more deliberate and discerning in navigating our own careers.

In the conversation above, we spent some time to identify my colleague’s  Highest Point of Contribution  and develop a plan of action for a more focused career strategy.

We followed a simple process similar to one I write about here:  If You Don’t Design Your Career, Someone Else Will. My friend is not alone. Indeed, in coaching and teaching managers and executives around the world it strikes me that failure to be conscientious about this represents the #1 mistake, in frequency, I see capable people make in their careers.

Using a camping metaphor, capable people often add additional poles of the same height to their career tent. We end up with 10, 20 or 30 poles of the same height, somehow hoping the tent will go higher. I don’t just mean higher on the career ladder either. I mean higher in terms of our ability to contribute.

The slightly painful truth is, at any one time there is only one piece of real estate we can “own” in another person’s mind. People can’t think of us as a project manager, professor, attorney, insurance agent, editor and entrepreneur all at exactly the same time. They may all be true about us but people can only think of us as one thing  first. At any one time there is only one phrase that can follow our name. Might we be better served by asking, at least occasionally, whether the various projects we have add up to a longer pole?

I saw this illustrated some time ago in one of the more distinctive resumes I have seen. It belonged to a Stanford Law School Professor [there it is: the single phrase that follows his name, the longest pole in his career tent]. His resume was clean and concise. For each entry there was one impressive title/role/school and a succinct description of what he had achieved. Each sentence seemed to say more than ten typical bullet points in many resumes I have seen. When he was at university he had been the student body president, under “teaching” he was teacher of the year and so on.

Being able to do many things is important in  many  jobs today. Broad understanding also is a  must. But developing greater discernment about what is distinctive about us can be a great advantage. Instead of simply doing more things we need to find, at every phase in our careers, our  highest point of contribution.

I look forward to your thoughts below and  @gregorymckeown.

Greg McKeown is the author of the New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller “Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less.” He is among the most popular bloggers for the Harvard Business Review.

He is an accomplished public speaker. He regularly speaks to business communities, giving dozens of speeches per year. He has spoken at companies including Apple, Facebook, Google, LinkedIn, Pixar, Salesforce.com, and Twitter and organizations including SXSW, Stanford University and the World Economic Forum. He speaks about innovation, focus, leadership, discipline, simplicity, execution and of course the power living and leading as an Essentialist.

Greg has recently taken the best insights from his book “Essentialism” and combined the best exercises from his popular course, “Designing Life, Essentially” at Stanford University into a life-changing, one-day workshop.

6 Toxic Behaviors That Push People Away: How To Recognize Them In Yourself and Change Them

Sin - exceedingly sinful

In my line of work, I hear from hundreds of people a month, and connect with professionals in a more public, open way than ever before. Through this experience, I’ve seen scores of toxic behaviors that push people away (including me). And I’ve witnessed the damage these behaviors cause – to relationships, professional success, and to the well-being of both the individual behaving negatively, and to everyone around him or her.

Let’s be real – we’ve all acted in toxic, damaging ways at one time or another (none of us are immune to it), but many people are more evolved, balanced, and aware, and it happens only rarely in their lives.

Whether your toxic behavior is a common occurrence, or once in a blue moon, it’s critical for your happiness and success that you are able to recognize when you’re behaving badly, and shift it when it emerges.

The 6 most toxic behaviors I see every day are:

Taking everything personally

In the powerful little book  The Four Agreements, don Miguel Ruiz talks about the importance of taking nothing personally. I teach this in my  coaching programs  and my book  Breakdown, Breakthrough  as well, and there is so much pushback. “Really, Kathy – don’t take  anything  personally?”

People are toxic to be around when they believe that everything that happens in life is a direct assault on them or is in some way all about them. The reality is that what people say and do to you is much more about them, than you. People’s reactions to you are about their filters, and their perspectives, wounds and experiences. Whether people think you’re amazing, or believe you’re the worst, again, it’s more about them. I’m not saying we should be narcissists and ignore all feedback. I am saying that so much hurt, disappointment and sadness in our lives comes from our taking things personally when it’s far more productive and healthy to let go of others’ good or bad opinion of you, and to operate with your own heart, intuition and wisdom as your guide. So yes – don’t take anything personally.

Obsessing about negative thoughts

It’s very hard to be around people who can’t or won’t let go of negativity – when they dwell on and speak incessantly about the terrible things that could happen and have happened, the slights they’ve suffered, and the unfairness of life. These people stubbornly refuse to see the positive side of life and the positive lessons from what’s transpiring. Pessimism is one thing – but remaining perpetually locked in negative thoughts is another. Only seeing the negative, and operating from a view that everything is negative and against you, is a skewed way of thinking and living, and  you can change that.

Treating yourself like a victim

Another toxic behavior is non-stop complaining that fuels your sense of victimization. Believing you’re a victim, that you have no power to exert and no influence on the direction of your life, is a toxic stance that keeps you stuck and small. Working as a therapist with people who’ve suffered terrible trauma in their lives but found the courage to turn it all around, I know that we have access to far more power, authority, and influence over our lives than we initially believe. When you stop whining, and refuse to see yourself as a hapless victim of fate, chance or discrimination, then you’ll find that you are more powerful than you realized, but only if you choose to accept that reality.

Cruelty – lacking in empathy or putting yourself in others shoes

One of the most toxic and damaging behaviors – cruelty – stems from a total lack of empathy, concern or compassion for others. We see it every day online and in the media – people being devastatingly cruel and destructive to others just because they can. They tear people down online but in a cowardly way, using their anonymity as a weapon. Cruelty, backstabbing, and ripping someone to shreds is toxic, and it hurts you as well as your target. I had a powerful learning experience about this a few years ago. I came into the house one day in a nasty mood, and shared a mean, sniping comment to my husband about the way a neighbor was parenting her child through one of his problem phases. In less than 24 hours, that very same issue the parent was dealing with came home to roost in my house, with my child. It was as if the Universe sent me the message that, “Ah, if you want to be cruel and demeaning about someone, we’ll give you the same experience you’ve judged so negatively, so you can learn some compassion.” And I did.

If you find yourself backstabbing and tearing someone else down, stop in your tracks. Dig deep and find compassion in your heart, and realize that we’re all the same.

Excessive reactivity

An inability to manage your emotions is toxic to everyone around you. We all know these people – men and women who explode over the smallest hiccup or problem. Yelling at the bank teller for the long line, screaming at your assistant for the power point error he made, or losing it with your child for spilling milk on the floor. If you find that you’re overly reactive, losing it at every turn, you need some outside assistance to help you gain control over your emotions and understand what’s at the root of your emotionality. There’s more to it that appears on the surface. An outside perspective – and a new kind of support – is critical.

Needing constant validation

Finally, people who constantly strive for validation and self-esteem by obsessing about achieving outward measures of success, are exhausting to be around. Those men and women who get caught up in the need to prove their worth over and over, and constantly want to “win” over their colleagues or peers, are toxic and draining.

Overly-attaching to how things have to look and be, and to achieving certain milestones and accomplishments rather than going with life in a more flexible, easy manner, can wear you out and bring everyone else around you down . There is a bigger picture to your life, and it’s not about what you achieve or fail at today. It’s about the journey, the process, the path – what you’re learning and applying, how you’re helping others, and the growing process you allow yourself to engage in.

Stop stressing over the particular outcomes like, “I need that promotion now!” or “My house has to be bigger and more beautiful than my neighbor’s.” Your desperate need to prove your success and build your self-esteem through outer measures of success is (sadly) apparent to everyone but you, and it’s pushing away the very happiness outcomes you’re longing for.

To build a happier, more rewarding career,  work with me, join my  The Amazing Career Project  video training, and watch my TEDx Talk “Time to Brave Up.”  

Original Post Link  https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/20140620200646-17850276-6-toxic-behaviors-that-push-people-away-how-to-recognize-them-in-yourself-and-change-them/

Republished with permission from Kathy Caprino,

Kathy Caprino, M.A. is a women’s career and personal growth coach, writer, speaker and leadership developer dedicated to the advancement of women worldwide. A former corporate VP and trained family therapist, Kathy offers career and leadership consulting and personal development training programs, keynotes, her Amazing Career Project online course, the Amazing Career Coach Certification program, and workshops that help women “brave up” to dig deep, discover their true self, and illuminate the world with it.  

Founder/President of Ellia Communications — a premier women’s coaching firm — and the co-Founder of the Best Work/Best Life weekly podcast, Kathy is a seasoned coach and sought-after speaker as well as Forbes Leadership, Huffington Post and LinkedIn contributor and a top media source on career and leadership issues. She’s appeared in hundreds of leading publications (including Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Chicago Tribune, Business Week, Forbes, More Magazine, SELF, etc.) and on national TV and radio.  

Ellia Communications offers a wide range of programs, workshops, classes and resources designed to help women break through to the highest level of success, happiness, and reward. Visit http://kathycaprino.com and http://www.amazingcareerproject.com for more.  

Kathy’s book Breakdown Breakthrough, based on her national research study, explores the top 12 crises working women face today, and offers inspiring stories of women’s career transformation, and a 3-step holistic model for overcoming these challenges.

Will God Forgive Me?

One night in a church service a young woman felt the tug of God at her heart. She responded to God’s call and accepted Jesus as her Lord and Saviour. The young woman had a very rough past, involving alcohol, drugs, and prostitution. But, the change in her was evident.

As time went on she became a faithful member of the church. She eventually became involved in the ministry, teaching young children. It was not very long until this faithful young woman had caught the eye and heart of the pastor’s son. The relationship grew and they began to make wedding plans. This is when the problems began.

You see, about one half of the church did not think that a woman with a past such as hers was suitable for a pastor’s son. The church began to argue and fight about the matter. So they decided to have a meeting. As the people made their arguments and tensions increased, the meeting was getting completely out of hand. The young woman became very upset about all the things being brought up about her past. As she began to cry the pastor’s son stood to speak. He could not bear the pain it was causing his wife to be.

He began to speak and his statement was this:

“My fiancee’s past is not what is on trial here. What you are questioning is the ability of the blood of Jesus to wash away sin. Today you have put the blood of Jesus on trial. So, does it wash away sin or not?”

The whole church began to weep as they realised that they had been slandering the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Too often, even as Christians, we bring up the past and use it as a weapon against our brothers and sisters. Forgiveness is the very foundation of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. If the blood of Jesus does not cleanse the other person completely then it cannot cleanse us completely.

If that is the case, then we are all in a lot of trouble. What can wash away my sins? Nothing but the blood of Jesus!

End of case.

“Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee, he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.” Psalm 55:23

God does not simply overlook our sin and say, “You’re forgiven.” God sees our sin but is ready to forgive us because Jesus fully took our sin on Himself and paid for our sin by his death on the cross.

 

Who is Jesus to You?

Life Or Death — It’s Your Choice

Who is Jesus? It is a continually recurring question and there are numerous answers to that question. Even during his life on earth, Jesus Christ’s very presence was a point of remarkable debate.  Some refereed to Jesus as  Emmanuel, from the Hebrew name עִמָּנ×-ּאֵל (‘Immanu’el) meaning “God is with us”, others said he was demon possessed. Some said Jesus was a good teacher, and others called him a liar. Some said he was amazing, and others labeled him insane and a false Christ.  Jesus was also applauded as a prophet, and others dismissed him as a babbling blasphemer.

Today, not much has changed. Cults, politicians and even ministers and professors in religious schools still deny the deity of Jesus Christ, His virgin birth, the reconciliation of God and man through Christ’s death on the cross for our sins and his physical resurrection from the grave.

But Who Do You Say I Am – Jesus Christ

Jesus asked this question 2,000 years ago. However, today it is the most critical question you will ever answer.  Virtually all modern scholars of antiquity have concluded  that Jesus existed historically and the Bible is filled with many titles used to refer to Jesus, over 700 names to be precise. Here’s just some of those names, titles, and verses:

  1. Almighty One  –  “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” Revelations. 1:8
  2. Alpha and Omega – “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.” Revelations. 22:13
  3. Advocate – “My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father – Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.” 1 John 2:1
  4. Author and Perfecter of Our Faith – “Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews. 12:2
  5. Authority – “Jesus said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” Matthew. 28:18
  6. Bread of Life – “Then Jesus declared, ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.’” John 6:35
  7. Beloved Son of God – “And behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” Matthew. 3:17
  8. Bridegroom – “And Jesus said to them, “Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.” Matthew. 9:15
  9. Christ –  The title Christ used in the English language is from the Greek ÃŽ§ÃÃŽ¹ÃÆ’Ï”žÃÅ’Ï”š (Khristos), via the Latin Christus. It means “anointed one”.
  10. Chief Cornerstone  –  Jesus is the cornerstone of the building which is His church. He cements together Jew and Gentile, male and female, all saints from all ages and places into one structure built on faith in Him which is shared by all. Ephesians 2:20
  11. Deliverer – “And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.” 1 Thessalonians.1:10
  12. Emmanuel –  “They shall call his name Emmanuel” provides the name Emmanuel (meaning God is with us). Emmanuel, which is taken from Isaiah 7:14, where it refers to another child born during the reign of Ahaz, does not appear elsewhere in the New Testament.
  13. Faithful and True – “I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war.” Revelations.19:11
  14. Firstborn over all creation  – “Not the first thing God created, as some incorrectly claim, because verse 16 says all things were created through and for Christ. Rather, the meaning is that Christ occupies the rank and pre-eminence of the first-born over all things, that He sustains the most exalted rank in the universe; He is pre-eminent above all others; He is at the head of all things.” Colossians 1:15
  15. Good Shepherd – “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” John 10:11
  16. Glory of God  – In the words of Hebrews 1:3, we are told Jesus is “the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature.”
  17. Great High Priest – “Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.” Hebrews. 4:14
  18. Head of the Church – “And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church.” Ephesians. 1:22
  19. High Priest    – The Jewish high priest entered the Temple once a year to make atonement for the sins of the people. The Lord Jesus performed that function for His people once for all at the cross. Hebrews 2:17
  20. Holy Servant – “”¦and grant that Your bond-servants may speak Your word with all confidence, while You extend Your hand to heal, and signs and wonders take place through the name of Your holy servant Jesus.” Acts 4:29-30
  21. I Am – “Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” John 8:58
  22. Indescribable Gift – “Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift.” 2  Cor. 9:15
  23. Judge – “”¦he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead.” Acts 10:42
  24. King of Kings – “These will wage war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those who are with Him are the called and chosen and faithful.” Revelations. 17:14
  25. Lamb of God    – God’s Law called for the sacrifice of a spotless, unblemished Lamb as an atonement for sin. Jesus became that Lamb led meekly to the slaughter, showing His patience in His sufferings and His readiness to die for His own. John 1:29
  26. Light of the World – “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12
  27. Lion of the Tribe of Judah – “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.” Revelations. 5:5
  28. Lord – Early Christians viewed Jesus as “the Lord” and the Greek word Kyrios (ÃŽºÃÃÃŽ¹ÃŽ¿Ã”š) which may mean God, lord or master appears over 700 times in the New Testament, referring to him.
  29. Lord of All – “For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians. 2:9-11
  30. Mediator  – A mediator is one who goes between two parties to reconcile them. Christ is the one and only Mediator who reconciles men and God. Praying to Mary or the saints is idolatry because it bypasses this most important role of Christ and ascribes the role of Mediator to another. 1 Timothy 2:5
  31. Messiah – “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ).” John 1:41
  32. Mighty One – “Then you will know that I, the Lord, am your Savior, your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.” Isaiah. 60:16
  33. One Who Sets Free – “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”  John 8:36
  34. Our Hope – “”¦Christ Jesus our hope.” 1 Timothy. 1:1
  35. Peace – “For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility,” Ephesians. 2:14
  36. Prophet – “And Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household.” Mark 6:4
  37. Redeemer – “And as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last He will take His stand on the earth.” Job 19:25
  38. Resurrection and Life  – Embodied within Jesus is the means to resurrect sinners to eternal life, just as He was resurrected from the grave. Our sin is buried with Him and we are resurrected to walk in newness of life. John 11:25
  39. Risen Lord – “”¦that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.” 1 Corinthians. 15:3-4
  40. Rock    – As life-giving water flowed from the rock Moses struck in the wilderness, Jesus is the Rock from which flow the living waters of eternal life. He is the Rock upon whom we build our spiritual houses, so that no storm can shake them. 1 Corinthians 10:4
  41. Sacrifice for Our Sins – “This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” 1 John 4:10
  42. Savior – “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” Luke 2:11
  43. Son of Man – “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” Luke 19:10.  The term Son of man appears many times in all four gospels, e.g. 30 times in Matthew. However, unlike the title Son of God.
  44. Son of the Most High – “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David.” Luke 1:32
  45. Supreme Creator Over All – “By Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities, all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.”¦” 1 Corinthians. 1:16-17
  46. Resurrection and the Life – “Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die.” John 11:25
  47. The Door – “I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.” John 10:9
  48. The Way – “Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6
  49. The Word – “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” John 1:1
  50. True Vine – “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.” John 15:1
  51. Truth – “And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:32
  52. Victorious One – “To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne.” Revelations. 3:21
  53. Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace –“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah. 9:6
  54. Head of the Church  – Jesus Christ is the only supreme, sovereign ruler of the Church—those for whom He died and who have placed their faith in Him alone for salvation.  Ephesians 1:22; 4:15; 5:23
  55. Holy One  –  Christ is holy, both in his divine and human nature, and the fountain of holiness to His people. By His death, we are made holy and pure before God. Acts 3:14; Psalm 16:10
  56. Judge  – The Lord Jesus was appointed by God to judge the world and to dispense the rewards of eternity. Acts 10:42; 2 Timothy 4:8
  57. King of kings and Lord of lords  –    Jesus has dominion over all authority on the earth, over all kings and rulers, and none can prevent Him from accomplishing His purposes. He directs them as He pleases. 1 Timothy 6:15; Revelation 19:16
  58. Light of the World – Jesus came into a world darkened by sin and shed the light of life and truth through His work and His words. Those who trust in Him have their eyes opened by Him and walk in the light.  John 8:12
  59. Prince of peace  – Jesus came not to bring peace to the world as in the absence of war, but peace between God and man who were separated by sin. He died to reconcile sinners to a holy God. Isaiah 9:6
  60. Savior  – He saves His people by dying to redeem them, by giving the Holy Spirit to renew them by His power, by enabling them to overcome their spiritual enemies, by sustaining them in trials and in death, and by raising them up at the last day. Matthew 1:21; Luke 2:11
  61. Son of God  – Jesus is the “only begotten of the Father” (John 1:14). Used 42 times in the New Testament, “Son of God” affirms the deity of Christ. Luke 1:35; John 1:49
  62. Son of man: (John 5:27) – The phrase “Son of Man” emphasizes the humanity of Christ which exists alongside His divinity. It is also a messianic title (Daniel 7:13-14; Mark 14:63).
  63. Word  – The Word is the second Person of the triune God, who said it and it was done, who spoke all things out of nothing in the first creation, who was in the beginning with God the Father, and was God, and by whom all things were created.  John 1:1; 1 John 5:7-8
  64. Word of God  – This is the name given to Christ that is unknown to all but Himself. It denotes the mystery of His divine person. Revelation 19:12-13
  65. Word of Life  – Jesus not only spoke words that lead to eternal life, but according to this verse He is the very words of life, referring to the eternal life of joy and fulfillment which He provides.
  66. His position in the trinity  1 John 1:1
    Alpha and Omega  – Jesus declared Himself to be the beginning and end of all things, a reference to no one but the true God. This statement of eternality could apply only to God. Revelation 1:8; 22:13
  67. Emmanuel  – Literally “God with us.” Both Isaiah and Matthew affirm that the Christ who would be born in Bethlehem would be God Himself who came to earth in the form of a man to live among His people. Isaiah 9:6; Matthew 1:23
  68. I Am    – When Jesus ascribed to Himself this title, the Jews tried to stone Him for blasphemy. They understood that He was declaring Himself to be the eternal God, the unchanging Yahweh of the Old Testament. John 8:58, with Exodus 3:14
  69. Lord of All  – Jesus is the sovereign ruler over the whole world and all things in it, of all the nations of the world, and particularly of the people of God’s choosing, Gentiles as well as Jews. Acts 10:36
  70. True God  – This is a direct assertion that Jesus, being the true God, is not only divine, but is the Divine. Since the Bible teaches there is only one God, this can only be describing His nature as part of the triune God. 1 John 5:20
  71. True Vine    – The True Vine supplies all that the branches (believers) need to produce the fruit of the Spirit— the living water of salvation and nourishment from the Word. John 15:1
  72. Way, Truth, Life  – Jesus is the only path to God, the only Truth in a world of lies, and the only true source of eternal life. He embodies all three in both a temporal and an eternal sense. John 14:6

Who is Jesus to you?  How would you answer it? Can you answer it correctly? On the surface, it seems a simple question of identification. But God cares immensely how you answer it because your eternity is at stake.  God loved you enough to get Jesus involved. Think about this: All of us would be lost except for the fact that the God of justice is also a God of love. Who is Jesus to you?

10 Amazing Street Art Depictions of Jesus

Christ came to break down every wall of partition and recognised no distinction of nationality or rank or creed. He came to show that His gift of mercy and love is as unconfined as the air, the light, or the showers of rain that refresh the earth.

The life of Christ established a religion in which there is no caste, a religion by which Jew and Gentile, free and bond, are linked in a common brotherhood, equal before God.

No question of policy influenced His movements. He made no difference between neighbours and strangers, friends and enemies. That which appealed to His heart was a soul thirsting for the waters of life.  He passed by no human being as worthless, but sought to apply the healing remedy to every soul. In whatever company He found Himself, He presented a lesson appropriate to the time and the circumstances. Every neglect or insult shown by men to their fellow men only made Him more conscious of their need of His divine-human sympathy.

Christ sought to inspire with hope the roughest and most unpromising, setting before them the assurance that they might become blameless and harmless, attaining such a character as would make them manifest as the children of God.  Often He met those who had drifted under Satan’s control, and who had no power to break from his snare. To such a one, discouraged, sick, tempted, fallen, Jesus would speak words of tenderest pity, words that were needed and could be understood. Others He met who were fighting a hand-to-hand battle with the adversary of souls. These He encouraged to persevere, assuring them that they would win; for angels of God were on their side, and would give them the victory.

At the table of the publicans He sat as an honored guest, by His sympathy and social kindliness showing that He recognized the dignity of humanity; and men longed to become worthy of His confidence. Upon their thirsty hearts His words fell with blessed, life-giving power. New impulses were awakened, and to these outcasts of society there opened the possibility of a new life.

Graffiti of Jesus Christ with crown of thorns
Graffiti of Jesus Christ with crown of thorns
Graffiti of Jesus Christ with crown of thorns
Graffiti of Jesus Christ with crown of thorns
Graffiti of Jesus Christ with crown of thorns
Graffiti of Jesus Christ with crown of thorns
Graffiti of Jesus Christ with crown of thorns
Graffiti of Jesus Christ with crown of thorns
Graffiti of Jesus Christ with crown of thorns
Graffiti of Jesus Christ with crown of thorns
Graffiti of Jesus Christ with crown of thorns
Graffiti of Jesus Christ with crown of thorns
Graffiti of Jesus Christ with crown of thorns
Graffiti of Jesus Christ with crown of thorns
Picture of Jesus #art by Krishi Anne
Picture of Jesus #art by Krishi Anne
Graffiti of Jesus Christ with crown of thorns
Graffiti of Jesus Christ with crown of thorns
Graffiti of Jesus Christ with crown of thorns
Graffiti of Jesus Christ with crown of thorns

Jesus

ORLANDO, Fla. — Sight & Sound Theatres has brought epic Bible stories to life with their productions over the past 40 years and now for the first time they will present the powerful story of “Jesus” at their Lancaster, Pennsylvania stage.

Sight & Sound Brand Manager Dean Sell spoke to The Christian Post at Proclaim 17, NRB’s International Christian Media Convention last week where he exclusively revealed to The Christian Post that the show would be coming to Lancaster next year for the first time in the theatre company’s history.

“The brand-new epic show coming to the Lancaster theatre in 2018 is going to be ‘Jesus,'” he whispered, as the news hadn’t yet been shared with anyone outside of the company.

“It’s going to be a really unique take on the story, and the focus really is on it being a story of rescue and love that rescues,” he said. “[It will highlight] learning to understand the character of who He was through getting to know the characters around Him  — understanding who people were before they had an encounter with Him [Jesus] and who they became afterwards.”

“Jesus” coming to Lancaster theatres in 2018 is not the only big news for Sight & Sound. On May 2, one of their popular musical dramas will be featured on the silver screen in movie theaters nationwide for a special one-night presentation of “JONAH: On Stage!”

“Jonah” will reach 604 screens from Honolulu, Hawaii, to New York and everywhere in between.

“As a creative company we’re always looking for ways to continue to do what we’re called to do, which is to bring stories to life,” Sell told CP. “As we continue to grow and our theatre seats continue to be filled, we keep asking ourselves the question, ‘How do we reach more people if our theatres are full?’ We also recognize that there are a lot of people who love the Sight & Sound experience but can’t always make it to Lancaster or Branson.”

For more than four decades, Sight & Sound has provided biblically-based entertainment for over 22 million people at their Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and Branson, Missouri, performance theatres. In the past 10 years, the company started filming their live shows and making DVDs, but Sell believes God was preparing them for something more.

“God works in mysterious ways. As we look back, we see that he was preparing us for this next step in our journey. When the opportunity presented itself we felt, ‘Man, this feels like a really natural next step for us,'” he said.

Sell wanted to assure people that the live experience of their productions and the theatrical premiere are two different experiences, both great in their own right.

“The Sight & Sound experience is really unique. Big Bible stories coming to life in a way that you can’t experience anywhere else. It’s on a panoramic stage that surrounds the audience on three sides and there’s action happening. Not just on the stage but out onto the audience with live animals. So, when you’re sitting in the theatre, there is nothing like it,” he explained.

“However, when you are watching it on the screen it does really feel like you were there and it’s a different kind of experience — you get the intimate experience of seeing the actors up close and you wouldn’t be able to have that if you’re sitting live in a theatre.”

When asked what he wants people to take away from the theatrical experience of “Jonah,” Sell said: “We hope that this will be a really nice night out for families. That they would have a shared experience through Bible stories. We believe that there is something for everyone in [“Jonah”] and our hope is that it would be a universally appealing. It’s relevant, it’s meaningful no matter your experience in the past or where you’re at in your journey.”

For tickets and more information, click here.

 

Accounting is the Only Profession Practised on the Earth and in Heaven

Accounting is the only Profession practised on earth and in heaven.

“You have to account for all your actions on earth and account for same in heaven”.

Accounting

Now look at this *BALANCE SHEET Of LIFE.*

  1. Birth is your *Opening Stock.*
  2. What comes to you is *Credit.*
  3. What goes from you is *Debit.*
  4. Your ideas are your *Assets.*
  5. Your bad habits are your *Liabilities.*
  6. Your character is your *Capital.*
  7. Your happiness is your *Profit.*
  8. Your sorrow is your *Loss.*
    Your knowledge is your *Investment.*
  9. Your age is your *Depreciation.*
  10. Death is your *Closing Stock.*
  11. And finally:
  12. GOD IS YOUR AUDITOR

Always endeavor to have a perfect Balance Sheet because your AUDITOR will come back sooner than later.

Please share with all your friends and Keep your books correctly.

 

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