All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meansfor example, electronic, photocopy, recordingwithout the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the King James Version of the Bible.
Scripture quotations labeled NIV are from the Holy Bible, New International Version. NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com. The NIV and New International Version are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.
Scripture quotations labeled NKJV are from the New King James Version. Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations labeled NRSV are from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations labeled TLB are from The Living Bible, copyright 1971. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Contents
Cover
Half Title Page
Other Books by John Mason
Title Page
Copyright Page
PART 1: LOOKING INWARD
Passion Is the Spark for Your Fuse
The Person with Imagination Is Never Alone and Never Finished
Dont Build a Case against Yourself
Go Out on a LimbThats Where the Fruit Is
Invest in Yourself
People Say They Want Riches When What They Need Is Fulfillment of a Purpose
If Youre Not Failing, Youre Not Growing
What You See Depends Mainly on What You Look For
If You Dont Do It, You Dont Really Believe It
Get Up One More Time Than Youve Fallen Down
There Is No Future in the Past
Procrastination Is the Fertilizer That Makes Difficulties Grow
Continually Frustrate Tradition with Your Creativity and Imagination
Only Hungry Minds Can Grow
Do What Others Say Cant Be Done
Keep Your TemperNobody Else Wants It
Change, but Dont Stop
Never Surrender Your Dream to Noisy Negatives
All People Are Born Originals; Most Die as Copies
From This Page You Can Go Anywhere You Want To
Youre Created for Connection
Failure Is Waiting on the Path of Least Persistence
The Skys Not the Limit
What Good Is Aim If You Dont Know When to Pull the Trigger?
When Others Throw Bricks at You, Turn Them into Stepping-Stones
Theres No Such Thing as a Self-Made Person
Dont Measure Yourself with Anothers Coat
Invest in Others
You Dont Learn Anything While Youre Talking
Dont Let Things Stick to You
Be the First to Forgive
Pick a Problem Bigger Than You
Do Today What You Want to Postpone until Tomorrow
Your Best Friends Are Those Who Bring Out the Best in You
Always Say Less Than You Know
Broken Promises Cause the Worlds Greatest Accidents
You Cant Get Ahead When Youre Trying to Get Even
The Most Natural Thing to Do When You Get Knocked Down Is to Get Back Up
PART 3: LOOKING UPWARD
You Can Never Trust God Too Much
Destiny Delayed Is the Devils Delight
There Are No Unimportant People
Few Dreams Come True by Themselves; the Test of a Person Lies in Action
In the Race for Excellence, There Is No Finish Line
Is God Finished with You Yet?
Once Youve Found a Better Way, Make That Way Better
The Doors of Opportunity Are Marked Push
Count Gods Blessings, Dont Discount Them
Be Easily Satisfied with the Very Best
If God Is Your Father, Please Call Home
The Worst Liars in the World Are Your Own Fears
Dont Postpone Joy
God Will Use You Right Where You Are Today
Do You Count Your Blessings, or Do You Think Your Blessings Dont Count?
Never Let Yesterday Use Up Too Much of Today
About the Author
Back Ads
Back Cover
Part One: Looking Inward
Passion Is the Spark for Your Fuse
G od put inside every person the potential to be passionate. One person with passion makes a greater impact than the passive force of ninety-nine who have only interest. Too many people have only interest in their destiny. The book of Ecclesiastes says, Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might (9:10). The atmosphere of your life changes dramatically when you add enthusiasm.
Everyone loves something. Were shaped and motivated by what we love. Ignore what you are passionate about and you ignore one of the greatest potentials God has put inside you. What gets your heart racing? What are you hungry to learn and know more about? What do you daydream about doing? What captures your heart and your attention?
My friend Neil Eskelin shares the following story from his outstanding book Yes Yes Living in a No No World :
I was attending an awards banquet of the Chase National Life Insurance Company. The speaker was the famed author of Think and Grow Rich , Napoleon Hill.
When Hill was introduced it was obvious his age had caught up with him. We all wondered if the octogenarian would be physically able to give the speech. (He passed away not long after this event.)
Napoleon Hill slowly walked to the podium, placed both of his hands on the sides of it, looked out at the audience and announced, Ladies and gentlemen, I have given this speech hundreds and hundreds of times in my life. But tonight I am going to deliver it the best it has ever been given. This is going to be the best speech of my life!
Wow! It was like a bolt of lightning. I watched 300 adults move to the edge of their chairs and absorb every word like a sponge.
Enthusiasm always makes others stand up and take notice. Nothing significant was ever achieved without enthusiasm. Jesus was a passionate man. He died for us because He loved His Father and us passionately.
Most winners are just ex-losers who got passionate. The worst bankruptcy in the world is the person who has lost his enthusiasm. When you add passion and emotion to belief, it becomes a conviction. Theres a big difference between a belief and a conviction. Belief agrees with the facts. Conviction brings persistent action to your belief.
Driven by passionate conviction, you can do anything you want with your lifeexcept give up on something you care about. Mike Murdock says, What generates passion and zeal in you is a clue to revealing your destiny. What you love is a clue to something you contain.
Fulfilling Gods plan is a passionate idea or it is nothing. Theres a reason were told to serve the L ORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul (Deut. 10:12). Henri Frederic Ameil reminds us, Without passion man is a mere latent force and a possibility, like the flint which awaits the shock of the iron before it can give forth its spark.