That Good Part: A Condensed Guide for Natural and Spiritual Growth

By Steve Prouty

Concise, practical, Biblical solutions designed for one page a day reading.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Jan 31, 2017
• ISBN: 9781483593531

Book preview

© Steve Prouty 2017

Print ISBN: 978-1-48359-352-4

eBook ISBN: 978-148359-353-1

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Contents

Leaders

Marriage

Mentor

Drive

Compatibility

Success

Words

The Law

Parents

Leadership Training

"And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha; thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful; and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her."

Luke 10:41, 42

In 1986, my friend and sponsor handed me a World Wide Dreambuilders tape and book list and said, get all these tapes and listen to them and get all these books and read them. I did. I still do every day.

In 1996, I joined the Reading Program in the Ken and Diane Cox Organization. We read books from the book list and give an audible summary report on each 10 pages each day with every book. I have continued this with great pleasure every day since I first began. The book you are holding represents the exact words I used for every report each day.

My resources are from The Holy Bible (KJV) and the World Wide Dreambuilders book list. All the book reports are given by inspiration of God.

That’s the how, here’s the why:

….and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? Now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?

I Corinthians 4:7

…. freely ye have received, freely give.

Matthew 10:8

Herein is my father glorified, that ye bear much fruit

John 15:8

Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain

John 15:16

Wherefore, my brethren… we should bring forth fruit unto God

Romans 7:4

Every Page in this book was written in this manner, one page per day, for the purpose of audio edification, it just made sense to make it a book. This book should be read a page a day. Once in the morning and re-read at night. This way, the principles and message on each page have time to sink deeper into the mind and watered with thought. As thinking is then stimulated by this process, the light of action takes place, bringing forth fruit, which benefits you and the others within your sphere of influence. This is how change takes place. This material is for individuals who want to improve in many areas of life. It takes concentration, patience, and a desire to excel. Results can come as suddenly or as slowly as the growth of any seed. Results come as you surrender to the process.

The purpose of these writings is for a reminder of things you already know, encouragement through difficult times, edification, exhortation, and comfort. The words are easy to understand and came by revelation, knowledge, and the scriptures, and are profitable for warning or correction and for instruction. It is my sincere hope that as you read, you fear, and trust in the Lord.

I was born April 25th, 1950. God breathed into my nostrils the breath of life and I became a living soul.

I was born again around 1972. I am a new creature in Christ, old things are passed away, behold, all things are become new.

I have born the image of the earthy, I shall also bear the image of the heavenly, That good part.

Each book I have read and summarized is that good part as I have perceived it. That good part is what Jesus died for in order for us to have eternal life. This world offers us a different version of the good part which gives us only temporary satisfaction. The sweet center of a watermelon, your favorite part of a story, is only good part-time. It is my earnest desire and hope that reading That Good Part will make it easier to bring God into your thoughts, and draw you closer to Him in fellowship each day.

Eminently practical advice. This book will affirm, guide, direct, and influence those who study these book reports. If you read this book the way Steve describes, it will impact your life in many areas

-Dr. Kenneth Cox

Steve Prouty’s book, That Good Part is filled with real life solutions along with the great insight to the marriage relationship. This easy to read book will give you practical as well as spiritual answers for every married couple. Great job Steve, I know this book will provide ongoing wisdom for many couples.

-Bro. Paul E Tsika, Restoration Ranch

"Steve Prouty has been a loyal reader for longer than I’ve been in the business. Steve has shown dedication to reporting daily since 1996; 20 years! Who else can say that? I have learned even more through Steve’s interpretation of the books than I did through my own reading. Why? Steve absorbed so much information through his years of reading that his reports just flow with ease. They do so because of the time and effort he puts into them. I download each report daily so that I can go back and listen to them later, either as a pick-me-up or as a reminder lesson. More than relating to what’s in the book, he tells a story with a tone and inflection that you would think came from a professional reader.

–Robert Sottosanti, Independent Business Owner in the Cox Organization

Can you be relied upon no matter what? Do you practice what you preach and tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth? If not, fix it. No matter what, do what’s right. It takes time and practice to be trustworthy. How’s the altitude of your attitude with others? If it’s not so good, do something about it. Do others know you appreciate them? Make sure, tell them. When it hits the fan, did you learn something, something good? Some people get it, some people don’t. Hitler said, Lucky for leaders, men don’t think. There’s a lesson in what happens, if you think about it, if you think right, good comes to you. If at first you don’t understand something, act on what you do understand. This is still good advice, when life hands you a lemon, make lemonade. Do your best each time. Just try and try again, work at it till it’s a habit. You know, sometimes you just don’t know what you don’t know. Other times you may think you know something but you don’t know as you ought to know. The school of hard knocks will wipe the look off of a young man’s arrogant face and often replace it with colors of black and blue. What a shame, if he flunks and has to repeat the course, but if you can accept it, all things work together for good, and it’ll make your face shine, isn’t that just what we all need? That’s just what wisdom does in you.

Selah means pause and think. How often do you do it? Have you learned something? Write it down. The weakest ink is better than the strongest memory. Just as the moon reflects the sun’s light on earth at night, so can your experiences be reflected upon to give help and light to others in their need? For many years I practiced having a meeting before the meeting because at my church we each had a part in the meeting. In my meeting, with God, before the meeting, I boiled down all of my thoughts so I could stand, be brief, and be seated, much the same as in a business meeting. In the business meeting before the meeting, first talk to the movers and shakers to give them a heads-up, otherwise their influence on the others might not be so good. The purpose then is to smooth out the difficulties and spread your influence as good leaders do. The meeting before the meeting is a time to answer your questions, narrow things down to issues or individuals, and get insight or information to help you avoid pitfalls, bring other leaders up to date, and determine what issues need to be decided on at the main meeting. The bottom line is a meeting before the meeting is when the dust settles so you can see clearly and be prepared. If you can’t do this beforehand, don’t go, but if you go, don’t be anxious to speak up because you may just be kicking up dust.

Going all out, doing whatever it takes is not entirely the right approach. If others are involved then make it duplicable, have form and structure. Without order is chaos. Teach this to the hearers and doers and you’ll sow good seed into good ground. Be sure to pre-play in your mind desired results. You’re more likely to realize it if you see it first mentally. Relationships are more important than strictly following by the book the letter of law killeth but the spirit giveth life. How sad it is to be so busy that you do not hear or perceive the words of instruction to you which also would benefit another. If in your ambition you use others as a stepping stone to move you up, by a landslide of bad decisions, you will be brought down as they watch. Do what you know is right long enough and others will seek you out for advice. How happy you will be when you freely give. A rising tide lifts all ships. It’s been said, united we stand, divided we fall. Are you uniting? Or dividing? Or maybe both? Following the herd-thinking is not always right. Being gung-ho doesn’t always make you look good or right, but preserving the peace does good for everyone. Go out to find friends-you may not find any; go out to be a friend—you will find many. Strive to do both. Accept people’s differences, care about their feelings, lift others with words, and laugh with others at yourself. You’re not alone so continue to try. It’s entertaining to angels though others may sigh.

In elementary school, on the report card, many of us saw this, works well with others, N= needs improvement, or S= satisfactory. How well did you do? Have you improved? We all need someone’s help to get better. Look at it this way, or to look at it another way but whatever way you see things, make certain you see things from other’s point of view. We all take turns in the hot-seat but if you would be so kind, put others in the spotlight if they’ve earned it. Speaking of which, I put in the spotlight my favorite author who freely gives permission to quote his intellectual property anytime, anyplace, and anywhere without fear, thank you my Almighty God! Ponder the path of thy feet without distraction. Do you personally need to slow down or speed up? What you chose to do at any given moment will be the result of the momentum of your habits. Have presence of mind during decision making because it re-makes you. I’d rather see a sermon than hear one any day. People will know that person better and receive instruction. We’re all in a continual state of change due to our choices. Stay in the light, we don’t want to become something frightening to others. You might look this way and that way first but if you’re not doing your best, you will know it. If you’re unhappy because I did or said something wrong, I am sorry. But if you’re unhappy because I have told you the truth, look at it this way, pain now for gain later. This too shall pass. When you stand for what’s right and you don’t believe everything you hear, you can say, I might be out argued but I’m not convinced then you will be right, now, and always.

Take some time now to think on some choices you’ve made that have changed your life and even put you on a course: career choices. Some choices we’ve made were very good, some very, very bad. Either way we pay dearly. Well, let’s grin and bear it and prepare to make more informed choices shall we? Prepare for battle. Staying prepared is half of it. This requires thinking ahead of time, so think ahead, and prepare because when difficult choices come upon us, it’s too late to prepare. If you witness someone with a complaining mindset, point it out to them and ask questions that will get them to answer with common sense and insight. This is the way of positive influence, especially if they have none in their life yet. A good influence is also needed by high profile influencer’s and all this is something to be passed on to others. So, pass it on and don’t return it? Not a chance, this is an investment, you want to see a return on your investment. You don’t want it to be taken for granted. What a waste of time. You want to see your investment of influence, your loan, like a bank loan, bring improvement in others. After all, you value yourself first and then add value to others who will in turn multiply the same to others and so on, right? If others take your loan and hide it, find someone else. You can’t force anybody to do anything. So look for the lookers, those who hunger and thirst for help. They shall be filled.

Sometimes in life you just have to get out of your own way. If you’re not moving on like you think you should it may be because you’re fine, just fine or somebody hurt you, or you’re just stubborn, or just plain lazy, or, come on, you know what we’re talking about and where this is going. Get out of your own way. You’re the key, think about it; you want to move up, are you going to stop you? Nobody else can. Maybe it’s time to make a move. When I was a teenager; I packed a duffel bag and moved to Hawaii. I didn’t know anybody there; I only had $35 after I arrived, whew! What are you willing to leave behind