Here are some useful things to keep yourself in check:

1. Dress for success-Always Check the Dress Code
2. Do Not be late, your time is not more valuable than that of the person you are making wait for you.
3. Don’t have a friend tell someone that you are going to be late, do it yourself, by making an honest phone call
4. Don’t overstay your welcome
5. Remember that people with small minds talk about people, people with average minds talk about things, and people with great memories talk about events
6. Stand up straight and sit up straight
7. Refrain from Gossip at all costs
8. Don’t own a conversation
9. Know how to give and take a complement
10. Don’t talk about what people are eating or their weight or yours at the table
11. Don’t have your phone on the table put it on silent and put it away
12. Lend assistance, think about others
13. Leave people better than you found them

When Jesus saw his ministry drawing huge crowds, he climbed a hillside. Those who were apprenticed to him, the committed, climbed with him. Arriving at a quiet place, he sat down and taught his climbing companions. This is what he said: “You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule. “You’re blessed when you feel you’ve lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you. “You’re blessed when you’re content with just who you are—no more, no less. That’s the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can’t be bought. “You’re blessed when you’ve worked up a good appetite for God. He’s food and drink in the best meal you’ll ever eat. “You’re blessed when you care. At the moment of being ‘care-full,’ you find yourselves cared for. “You’re blessed when you get your inside world—your mind and heart—put right. Then you can see God in the outside world. “You’re blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That’s when you discover who you are and your place in God’s family. “You’re blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution. The persecution drives you even deeper into God’s kingdom. “Not only that—count yourselves blessed every time people put you down or throw you out or speak lies about you to discredit me. What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort, and they are uncomfortable. You can be glad when that happens—give a cheer, even!—for though they don’t like it, I do! And all heaven applauds. And know that you are in good company. My prophets and witnesses have always gotten into this kind of trouble.

Matthew 5:1‭-‬12

What kind of persecution is Jesus talking about?

1. It’s not mistreatment you experience because of who you are.

2. It is the mistreatment we experience because of who Jesus is.

Why would anyone treat us this way?

“If you find the godless world is hating you, remember it got its start hating me. If you lived on the world’s terms, the world would love you as one of its own. But since I picked you to live on God’s terms and no longer on the world’s terms, the world is going to hate you. “When that happens, remember this: Servants don’t get better treatment than their masters. If they beat on me, they will certainly beat on you. If they did what I told them, they will do what you tell them.

John 15:18‭-‬20

• We are behaving differently than the world does. We are going against the flow

How does this impact you and me?

“There’s trouble ahead when you live only for the approval of others, saying what flatters them, doing what indulges them. Popularity contests are not truth contests—look how many scoundrel preachers were approved by your ancestors! Your task is to be true, not popular.

Luke 6:26

You’ve been a good apprentice to me, a part of my teaching, my manner of life, direction, faith, steadiness, love, patience, troubles, sufferings—suffering along with me in all the grief I had to put up with in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra. And you also well know that God rescued me! Anyone who wants to live all out for Christ is in for a lot of trouble; there’s no getting around it. Unscrupulous con men will continue to exploit the faith. They’re as deceived as the people they lead astray. As long as they are out there, things can only get worse.

2 Timothy 3:10‭-‬13

Stay on good terms with each other, held together by love. Be ready with a meal or a bed when it’s needed. Why, some have extended hospitality to angels without ever knowing it! Regard prisoners as if you were in prison with them. Look on victims of abuse as if what happened to them had happened to you. Honor marriage, and guard the sacredness of sexual intimacy between wife and husband. God draws a firm line against casual and illicit sex.

Hebrews 13:1-4

Application

Ask yourself

1. Am I more like Jesus than I was a year ago?
2. Is there anyone closer to Jesus because of me?

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

Matthew 5:9

What does it mean to.be called children of God?

Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—

John 1:12

• It means we’ll look like our heavenly father

What is the process of peacemaking?

Abraham and Lot

Compromise, let others have the first pick

So Abram said to Lot, “Let’s not have any quarreling between you and me, or between your herders and mine, for we are close relatives. Is not the whole land before you? Let’s part company. If you go to the left, I’ll go to the right; if you go to the right, I’ll go to the left.” Lot looked around and saw that the whole plain of the Jordan toward Zoar was well watered, like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt. (This was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.) So Lot chose for himself the whole plain of the Jordan and set out toward the east. The two men parted company: Abram lived in the land of Canaan, while Lot lived among the cities of the plain and pitched his tents near Sodom.

Genesis 13:8‭-‬12

Genesis 26

• Walking away

Joseph and his brothers

Genesis 37-50

• Forgiveness

• Involving someone Else

I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. Yes, and I ask you, my true companion, help these women since they have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are in the book of life.

Philippians 4:2‭-‬3

This morning at 12 A.M I watched Hamilton when it made its debut on Disney Plus, it was fantastic ! I hope I get to go see it in December when it is scheduled to come to Los Angeles