Warren Martin's Journal

Permission to Succeed!

Warren Martin — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 00:24:22 +0000

Greatness: Rarely Stopped by Failure...Often by Division

Warren Martin — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 20:08:27 +0000

Greatness is rarely stinted by failure. In fact, most great people suffer far more failure than success. They just try that many more times. Baseball players almost always strike out more than they hit. Michael Jordan has missed more shots than you or I have even taken. The greatest golfers can be at the top of their game and never make a hole in one. Failure isn't that biggest obstacle that prevents you from experiencing greatness...often the greatest hurdle is DIVISION!

We understand the devestating impact division can have on a church, organization, family and even sports team. I don't even have to discuss that cause everyone would be in agreement. Division can keep the greatest players from ever winning a game and the best of families from ever experiencing love.

However, the division I am speaking of here is not the division between individuals. It is the division within ourselves. I am reminded of this type of division every year about this time as the basketball season gets going full steam. Everyone is looking in the paper and on the internet for the line scores to see who beat who. Posted with the scores is usually a few awful words that destroy the sport (but build the icon) - "Leading Scorer."

Everyone wants to see their name there. But those couple of words tell us nothing about the game of basketball. They don't tell of the rebounder that stoked the scoring fest with the quick outlet pass. They don't tell of the steal that gave the winning team the advantage in the game. They don't tell of the countless passes that moved the defense out of position to enable the score. They do very little except ruin the game and destroy greatness.

We all want to be noticed. Don't believe me...take a look on Facebook and see how many pictures you have taken of yourself. On most profiles self-pictures outnumber all other pictures put together. Now look at how many of those picture depict people with different looks, hair styles, and faces. I would wager that 99% of teenager girls have the "pouty look" picture on their profile somewhere. I would also wager that most teenage boys have the "gangster" pic up somewhere...it might just be a hand gesture or turned hat...but most of the time it is there. We want to be in. We want to be talked about. We want to be noticed. We want to be mentioned in the line score notes - Leading Scorer.

So, often we start trying to be something we are not. We destroy greatness in an attempt to be an average somebody else. I am convinced many people would rather be the star on a losing team than the sixth-man on a championship team. And that is why greatness is so rare. We are divided within ourselves. We, each of us, have greatness within our reach. We were created to be great. God created us and the Bible says, "Great are your works, Oh Lord!"

You were created to be great, but you can only be great by being YOU. Being the unique individual you were created to be that impacts the world in the way only you can.

All of us are on a team - family, work, school, sport, church - we all have a position to play. The media might not care about your position. The world might not care about your position. But I promise you this...coaches that know about basketball plan for the player that runs the floor and holds the team together, they plan for the player that takes away their opportunity for second shots, they plan for the defensive player that can ruin the tempo of the game...they don't just plan for the leading scorer.

In the same way, the Evil One plans for the great people in this world and how he can stunt their greatness...and far to often it is by tempting them to always be the leading scorer rather than the player they were created to be (and I'm not talking about basketball). I'm talking about the dad who does the everyday little things that make him great and is tempted to give them up for fame or fortune. I'm talking about the worker that quietly changes the world for the better while the CEO takes the credit and then quites her job (because she didn't get noticed) and no longer is the world being made better.

God knows greatness. God is Greatness. And God has put greatness in you! He knows what it looks like and he smiles everytime He sees it in you.

The question is are you able to accept greatness? Are you able to accept who you were created to be? Are you willing to play your part to the fullest potential? Are you willing to look for greatness in others and cheer them on? Are you willing to look behind the shot, to see the pass, the outlet, the rebound, the steal, and the coach that prepared the team?

Or are you going to be an average idiot your whole life and only see the score, live in division with yourself and never experience greatness?

You can have the leading scorers of the world...I'll take the great players that are never mentioned...and we will kick you butt everytime!!!

You Are The Master Of Your Life...But You Might Still Be A Fool

Warren Martin — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 19:06:29 +0000

Thought taken from James Allen's "As a Man Thinketh"

Wise Master or Fool the choice is yours...

YouTube Video

Author, Teacher and Quasi-Philosopher
Warren Martin, wm0023@gmail.com

--> I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Redundancy of Stupidity

Warren Martin — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 03:48:35 +0000

This week I read through the book of Judges. Again, as I am every time I read it, I was shocked by the redundancy of stupidity.

1) Israel forsakes God
2) A judge is called to lead them back.
3) They follow God all the days of the judge.
4) Judge dies.
5) New generation of Israel forsakes God.
6) Repeat.
7) Repeat Again.
8) And Again.

I read those pages and think, "How stupid can people be? When are they going to get the message?"

And to that God answers, "I don't know Warren; when are YOU going to get it?"

The problem is that every generation thinks it's more advanced than the one before. We think we have it all figured out. We don't need the same archaic rigidness and cautions our parents and grandparents adhered to.

Yet, the reality is that every generation (that is every person individually, thus the generation as a whole) begins in the same place: are you or are you not going to accept God as He is-Our Lord.

What about you? Are you relying on the teachings, traditions and faith of the generations that have come before? Maybe your even judging God on the basis of past generations.

Or are you-individually-earnestly seeking to understand who God is and who you where created to be in Him?

It is that quest that enables us to FACE Today!

Author, Teacher and Quasi-Philosopher
Warren Martin, wm0023@gmail.com

--> I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Video Post Test

Warren Martin — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 02:56:01 +0000

Testing video post.

YouTube Video

Author, Teacher and Quasi-Philosopher
Warren Martin, wm0023@gmail.com

--> I'd love to hear your thoughts!

FACE Today Facelift

Warren Martin — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 02:44:53 +0000

I'm working on some new ideas to stay connected with you! I am transitioning the FACE Today series into a multi-media platform that allows for increased user interaction. Hope you enjoy what is to come.

Author, Teacher and Quasi-Philosopher
Warren Martin, wm0023@gmail.com

--> I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Location:1st St,Lorenzo,United States

FT: Ignorance = Growth

Warren Martin — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 02:11:03 +0000

Ignorance is often what we fear most. However, the more you learn; the more you realize how much you don't know. It is this ignorance that allows us to grow as an individual. Ignorance = Growth...

FT: Expectation of the Extraordinary

Warren Martin — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 13:44:52 +0000

Sponsor FACEtoday 0011

What is your expectation for this week? Have you determined that the extraordinary isn't possible? Perhaps you need a good dose of ignorance of the impossible in order to expect the extraordinary.

FT 8/23/10 - We're All A Little Insane

Warren Martin — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 03:23:38 +0000

SPONSOR FACEtoday0010

We're all a little insane, if we don't mind being so...we might just find a measure of normality.

Be sure to catch the daily videos this week in the viewer above.

FT 8/15/10 - In Pursuit of the Goal

Warren Martin — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 04:17:08 +0000

FACEtoday0008

Are you pursuing the path you have chosen for your life, or are you in pursuit of the goal - the dreams and desires of your heart?

Be sure to catch all the daily messages this week in the viewer above (Tuesday-Friday).