Welcome to the Principles in Practice!

Over the years we have collected articles that have benefited others in placing the principles we teach in practice in their daily lives. 

NOTE:  All articles © copyright 1997-2007 by Christian Stewardship Ministries. Any portion of the Principles in Practice articles may be downloaded, quoted or reproduced without further permission, provided excerpts are in context, by adding the following credit line: "Reprinted from Christian Stewardship Ministries' Principles in Practice, Fairfax, Virginia," and furnishing a copy to: CSM, 10523 Main Street, Fairfax, Virginia 22030 Phone: (703) 591-5000.

Making Yourself Accountable

Throughout the Scriptures, God calls us to account for our actions, our obedience to Him. I want to share with you one system for developing personal accountability that men and women across our country are accepting and adopting enthusiastically.  [go to article]

How to Have a Good Attitude

Have you ever considered the liabilities associated with having a bad attitude? A bad attitude limits your potential--you simply cannot achieve as much with a bad attitude dragging you down. A poor attitude can harm your health and your relationships while robbing you of enjoyment in life.  [go to article]

Coming Under Authority

Some Christians think that every believer must come under the authority of another Christian at all times--that anyone who is not following someone else's direction is "out on his own" or "not subject to authority." Others feel very uncomfortable with someone else telling them what to do, other than God Himself. They believe Christians are to be "free of the law" and "subject to grace."   [go to article]

Building Your Confidence

Do you lack confidence in yourself? Do you doubt your ability to do the things you want to do, or feel that you should do, or that you believe God wants you to do?  [go to article]

Developing Attention to Detail

Do you have difficulty translating your ideas into practice? The world often seems to be full of big thinkers. These visionaries dream big dreams and try to motivate people to achieve those dreams. But how many people actually translate those big dreams into reality? Not all that many, right? Far too often our dreams and aspirations never bear fruit. Do you know why?   [go to article]

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Are You Cut Out to Be a Discipler? Part 1

Words related to disciple, in the Christian context, include adherent, apostle, believer, convert, follower and pupil. The opposite of a disciple is a master or teacher. So a disciple is someone who looks to another for leadership. And a Christian disciple is one who looks to Jesus Christ.   [go to article]

Are You Cut Out to Be a Discipler? Part 2

Discipling is the process of helping new Christians toward a more mature walk with the Lord. In the December Glad Tithings we reviewed several ways to disciple new believers including teaching, witnessing, serving as an example and setting up an accountability process. Now we are ready to look a specific practices that new disciples need to incorporate into their daily lives to promote their spiritual growth. [go to article]

Overcoming Discontent

Are you discontent? Dissatisfied or unhappy? Or rather, are you fulfilled? To be fulfilled is to be content.  [go to article]

Good Decision Making

From time to time we are all haunted by the prospect of making the wrong decision. You can avoid making a bad decision. And you can know that you have made the best possible decision. Here's how.  [go to article]

How to Make a Good First Impression

Do you know how to make a good first impression? Have you ever looked back on a first meeting and wished you had handled it differently?   [go to article]

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Joyful Suffering

Do you believe God has a plan for your life--a plan that contains every little detail? I do. In fact, my entire ministry is based on that premise.   [go to article]

The Law and God's Law

Should we obey THE law or GOD'S law? Jesus gave us the answer himself when he told his disciples to render unto Caesar what was Caesar's, and to render unto God what was God's. In that case He was responding to a Pharisee's attempt to get Him into trouble with the Roman authorities by raising the politically sensitive question of taxation.   [go to article]

Improving Our Leisure Time

Is leisure time important? Definitely. God gives it a high priority, and so should we.  [go to article]

How to Relinquish Your Rights to God

Do you want real freedom in some area of your life? Then let go of it.
Relinquishment--yielding your rights to God--is a mind boggling concept. But I have learned that when I relinquish something, God either returns it or He gives me something better.  [go to article]

Becoming Reliable

When was the last time you told someone you would do something, but then did not do it? Or you did it so poorly that everyone would have been better off if you had said "No" to begin with?  [go to article]

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The Value of Routines

The old military rule "divide and conquer" applies to time management as well. Paradoxically, establishing routines--segmenting our days--produces greater freedom and flexibility than just taking life as it comes. Routines give us control over our time and our lives.  [go to article]

Just Say No!

We often talk about overcommitment (or entanglement), but what is it exactly? A simple definition might be the inability or unwillingness to say no when we should. So why would anyone get overcommitted when all he needs to do is say "No!" at the right times?  [go to article]

Self-Discipline; The Path to Freedom

Self-discipline is not a popular subject. It has all the appeal of doing budgets or schedules or anything else we've procrastinated on. We just cannot think about these things without experiencing anxiety. Self-discipline is not a fun topic. And yet, it is the path to freedom. We can never be the person God wants us to be without it.   [go to article]

Stress Management

Stress--unavoidable and undesirable? Not necessarily. [go to article]

Trusting God

Do you trust God? Of course! Anyone who is a born-again Christian trusts God. Still, do we trust Him as much as we are capable of? As much as He wants us to? As much as we want to be able to?  [go to article]

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Let Your "YES" Be "Yes"

When was the last time you told someone you would do something, and then not done it? Or you did it so poorly that you would both have been better off if you had said "no" to begin with?  [go to article]

Finding a Job

Contrary to what I've been reading, what I see is more and more people out of a job. As the economy worsens, more and more people now need, or fear they will soon need, a new job. If you find yourself in the job market, remember that God has planned a particular job for you. He designed it for you before the beginning of time. Your part is to listen and obey to find that job.  [go to article]