SRL Ministries Blog Feed

CONTROL VERSUS FE

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 2:16:54 AM EST

En el matrimonio es muy importante que los cónyuges tengan una relación basada en fe, y no en el control. El control es un arma del diablo. Es el diablo quien trata de "obligarnos" a hacer las cosas. Dios nunca opera utilizando el control - inclusive cuando se trata de nuestro propio bien. Dios instituyó el libre albedrío y Él es incapaz de violarlo.

Dios mismo dijo: "Hoy te doy a elegir entre la vida y la muerte, entre el bien y el mal." (Deut. 30:15)

Cuando una persona quiere "controlar" a otra, el resultado es opresión. La persona quizás haga lo que el otro pretende, pero únicamente por temor a incomodar a la otra persona. Si hacemos algo por temor, no lo estamos haciendo por amor. Y entonces no nos sirve de nada.

Como dice en 1era Corintios 13:3, si reparto entre los pobres todo lo que poseo pero no tengo amor, de nada me sirve. En otras palabras, si lo que hiciste lo hiciste fue por obligación o intimidación o miedo, ¡no te sirve de nada!

Sin embargo, en muchas relaciones hay una de las dos partes que opera utilizando el control.

¿Y cómo podemos reconocer a una persona controladora?

Estos son los síntomas:

- es celosa, exhibe un amor posesivo

- le cuesta trabajo aceptar las decisiones del otro

- tiene expectativas irreales sobre el otro

- siempre busca un culpable en el otro cuando las cosas no salen bien

- es dominante, obstinado

- presume, alardea

- critica a los demás

- es narcisista

- se ofende si no se hace lo que ella quiere

- es vengativo si no se hace su voluntad

- inclusive buscará destruirte si eres una amenaza para su poder e influencia

¿Qué armas utiliza el controlador?

- amenazas

- alzando la voz

- violencia física, emocional o verbal

- auto-compasión - mostrarse como víctima para que sintamos pena por él y así hagamos lo que él quiere

- halagos, regalos (que no son dados libremente, sino esperando algo a cambio)

- insistencia

¿Qué motiva al controlador?

- es orgulloso - no resiste equivocarse

- es inseguro

- tiene mucho temor al rechazo

- tiene una gran necesidad de sentir poder y autoridad, y hará cualquier cosa por obtenerla

- tiene la necesidad de ser exaltado, se da a sí mismo crédito y títulos

- siente que sabe más que todos, por eso domina las conversaciones

- siente que nadie puede manejar las cosas mejor que ellos (ni siquiera Dios). Por eso, toma las cosas en sus propias manos

El controlador en realidad es una persona insegura y es esta inseguridad lo que lo lleva a querer controlar a las personas a su alrededor.

Por ejemplo, una mujer insegura va a ser celosa, controlando qué hace su marido todo el tiempo para asegurarse de que no la deje.

Por el contrario, una mujer segura no tiene necesidad de ser celosa. Establece reglas en su matrimonio para evitar la tentación, pero ella nunca le va a "caer" atrás a su marido, porque su seguridad no está basada en lo que haga o no haga el marido, sino en su fe. Ella confía en que es una mujer atractiva, confía que su esposo es un hombre fiel, confía que en Dios tiene su vida en sus manos, y que todo lo que Él permite le ayudará para bien. Y como sabemos, "de acuerdo a tu fe, será hecho" (Mateo 9:29). O sea, según lo que creamos, así será hecho en nuestras vidas.

Por lo tanto, el controlador es una persona sin fe. La inseguridad es sinónimo de falta de fe. Si pertenecemos a Dios, entonces debemos operar bajo el amor, la seguridad y la fe.

Por esto, si estás en una relación donde sientes que tu pareja está tratando de controlarte, de decidir por ti, no lo permitas. Eso no es mostrar amor. Por el contrario, el otro piensa que está haciendo lo correcto y continuará haciéndolo.

Enséñale a tu pareja que no va a conseguir las cosas mediante gritos, amenazas, o teniéndose lástima. Enséñale que para conseguir lo mejor de ti, lo tiene que hacer mediante amor, respeto, y consideración. Como lo hace Dios.

De la misma manera, tampoco debes controlar a la otra persona. No grites, amenaces o te hagas la víctima para lograr tus objetivos. Aunque los logres a corto plazo, a largo plazo no te traerá bendición. Porque llegará el día en que el otro se canse de esa situación, se rebele, o madure y se de cuenta de que está siendo manipulado.

No podemos decir que somos cristianos, que pertenecemos a Dios, y al mismo tiempo utilizar tácticas diabólicas para lograr nuestros objetivos. Si eres de Dios, aprende a tener fe en vez de controlar. Y si alguien te quiere controlar, aprende a ser libre.

Barbara Roux-Levrat es una Embajadora Sénior de SRL Ministries y dirige la Práctica de Coaching Matrimonial. Ella es una Coach Profesional certificada y también tiene un MBA de la Universidad de Edimburgo.

Desde hace casi 10 años ha estado trabajando junto a mujeres de diferentes nacionalidades y situaciones, enseñándoles a desarrollar el carácter de Dios y a brillar en cada área de sus vidas: como mujeres, esposas, madres, e hijas de Dios. Esta es la gran pasión de su vida.

Está casada desde hace 17 años con su gigante preferido y tiene dos hijos maravillosos.

Te puedes conectar con ella en LinkedIn.

WHY IS OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD CONDITIONAL IF HIS LOVE FOR US IS UNCONDITIONAL?

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 12:56:04 AM EST

If we want to be successful and unlock a lot of abundance in our lives, then it is crucial that we understand the reasons why any relationship with God is conditional even though His love for us in unconditional.

Now, is God’s love truly unconditional? Yes, absolutely. To comprehend why, we must ask ourselves why He loves us. Well, He does so because He has decided to love us. And why? For no other reason than that He created us in His image (Genesis 1:27) and that He wishes to have a relationship with us. Romans 8:38-39 reveals to us that nothing can separate us from His love, not even death or sin. The truth is that God has always loved us and always will. (Jeremiah 31:3) In fact, He demonstrated His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8) God loves us all and offers salvation to ALL without conditions of merit, performance or worth. We can simply claim our salvation’s gift by faith.

As a matter of fact, God’s love is so unconditional that He sends some blessings to us all, be we Christians or unbelievers. Matthew 5:45 confirms this important truth by showing us that God causes the sun to rise on the evil and good and that He sends rain on both the righteous and the unrighteous. In fact, we all know that this is true because there are many spiritual laws that we can activate in our lives even if we do not believe in God. “Which ones?”, you ask. Well, for example the law of sowing and reaping, the law of attraction, the law of non-attachment and happiness, and the law of giving and receiving. Millions, if not billions, of unbelievers use these spiritual laws (and many others) to unlock abundance in their lives. So, if there is one thing that we can be sure of is that God loves us all unconditionally.

Is there a book in the Bible where we can see that God’s love is unconditional? Yes, in the book of Hosea. In no other book can we better experience the unconditional love of God in action. This book showcases God’s unconditional love for us through the relationship that God's prophet, Hosea, has with Gomer, his wife. Hosea 1:2 shows us that God instructed Hosea to take for himself an adulterous wife. The name Gomer means complete and utter failure. So, God commanded Hosea to marry a woman who was a serial sinner. Yet, God told Hosea in Hosea 3:1 to show His love to Gomer even though she is loved by another and is an adulteress. God wants us to understand through Hosea that He willingly pours out His love on us despite our failures and sins.

Ephesians 2:4-5 reveals to us this important truth as well; that even when we are dead in trespasses, God loves us for it says: “But because of His great love for us, God who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions.” Hosea 3:1 and Ephesians 2:4 therefore reveal to us that although we have sinned, although we have departed from His Word, disobeyed and taken other gods, we remain the object of God’s love. The book of Hosea also reveals to us that God will do everything He can to win us with His love. Everything, but stop short of forcing us to love Him back. If this is not unconditional love, then what it is!

At this stage, we can therefore conclude that God’s love is truly unconditional. It will reach out to us while we are in sin, committing adultery, and being rebellious. Why? Because His love is unrelated to our condition, but to a choice He made long ago. As Ephesians 1:4 unveils, God chose us in Christ BEFORE the foundation of the world. As those chosen, we have become the object of His unconditional and everlasting love. In fact, God will continue to lavish His love on us, hoping that before we die physically we will reach the point where we will say: “ What more have we to do with idols?” (Hosea 14:8) Why? Because once we reach that stage, we will move from being enslaved by sin to being completely captivated by God’s love. It is at this point that we will truly want our hearts to be filled with God’s love and to entertain a deep relationship with Him. Before we give our lives to Christ, we are the recipients of God’s unconditional love, but we do not enjoy a relationship with Him. To enter into a relationship with God, we must first sincerely want to stop being spiritual adulterers. Then, we must repent of our sins and accept Jesus as our Savior and Lord.

For us to stay in a relationship with God there is a condition. Which one? That we love Christ back. And how do we show Jesus that we love Him back? By keeping His commandments as John 14:15;21 reveal to us. Which ones? The only two that He asked us to keep. First of all, we are to love the Lord our God with all our hearts, and with all our souls and with all our minds. Secondly, we must love our neighbors as ourselves. (Matthew 22:36-40) Expressed differently, what Jesus is asking us is to let God’s love flow from God to us, and then from us to others. That’s all.

How can we receive God’s love in our hearts and then let it flow to others? Well, by being willing to die to our flesh. Yes, for love to flow, we have to die to our flesh. This is basically how we show that we genuinely love Christ back. Jesus demonstrated His love for us by willingly dying for us. We demonstrate our love for Him by willingly dying to our flesh! Only once, when we give our live to Christ? No, every single day.

Unless Christ had come to die for us AND resurrected, we wouldn’t be able to know whether God truly loves us. Indeed, we would have no way to tell whether God is genuine and sincere when He says that He loves us. Think about this: what’s the greatest act of love that God could accomplish for us? Yes, dying for us. Jesus confirmed that in John 15:13: He said, “greater love has no-one than this: that someone lay down his life for his friends.” The good news is that God performed this supreme act of love through Jesus. And He showed that He is the Lord of Lords by resurrecting. Indeed, dying for us is critical, but is not sufficient. Why? Because a false god could claim that he loves us as well and that he is going to prove it to us by dying for us. Hence, we need another sign to identify the true God from the false ones. And that sign is the resurrection. It is what gives us the absolute confidence that Jesus is who He claims to be and that He truly loves us.

Does Jesus expect us to prove our love for Him in the same way that He proved His love for us? Oh, yes! After all, we could claim that we love Him when in fact we do not. So, He needs a clear sign that will enable Him to separate those who genuinely love Him from those who just profess to do so. And that sign is obedience, and it is demonstrated when we die to our flesh. It is the only way in which we can show that our love for Christ is sincere and real.

The professing Christians who claim to love Jesus, but who never die to their flesh are not true Christians. There are like husbands who tell their wives that they love them, but who keep having mistresses and spending time with them and money on them. These husbands can tell whatever they want to their wives, but their words, no matter how loving they sound, will not be believed until the wives see that: a) they stop having extra-marital affairs; b) they start to treat them with respect and honor; and c) they are prepared to love them sacrificially. Well, God will not be content with just nice words or intentions either. He will judge the sincerity of our love for Him by the sacrifices we are willing to make to preserve our relationship with Him.

Are you now wondering why people would want to die to their flesh in order to enjoy an intimate relationship with God if they can activate key spiritual laws in their lives without even believing in God? Then, let me tell you why. The answer lies in the fact that some blessings can only be enjoyed IF we have a relationship with God. Yes, that’s true. An unbeliever will be the recipient of God’s unconditional love as much as a believer, but he will not be able to rest in peace or be joyful for instance. He can have all the money, fame or power in the world that he wants, but he will not be able to durably be at peace. Why? Because peace as well as joy are part of the Fruit of the Spirit. (Galatians 5:22-23). And the Holy Spirit is only activated in us AFTER we have accepted Jesus as our Savior and Lord. Yes, it’s good to have many of the things that money can buy, but only if we have wisdom and a relationship with God. Otherwise, we will never enjoy the things that money cannot buy and that count the most: love, peace and joy to name just a few. This is why Jesus invited us in Matthew 6:33 to seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness.

What happens when we sin? Does God stop loving us? Does He put an end to the relationship that we enjoy with Him? The answer to both questions is categorically no! God never ceases loving us. His love for us is not based on our performance, but on who we are, people created in His image. Furthermore, if we have shown in the past that our love for Christ was genuine and that in some areas we did die to our flesh, then He will not unilaterally break up the relationship we have with Him. He knows that it is impossible for us not to sin, even after we have accepted Jesus as our Savior and Lord.

Let us face the truth: when we gave our lives to Jesus and promised to follow His commandments, we were full of toxic assets, i.e. wrong thought patterns, unrighteous habits, and destructive bondages to name just a few. Jesus set us free and removed the yoke of slavery that we were under. However, because we were slaves for many years (and in some cases decades), we do not know at the time of our conversion how to behave as “free” persons and, more importantly, how to love ourselves and others the way God loves us. This is why Hosea 11: 4 tells us that God first lifts the yoke of slavery from our necks and then bends down to feed us. In other words, God meets us at the level we are, and then starts to feed us (if we allow Him) with the spiritual food we need so that we know what love is all about and how we can love ourselves and others as He loves us.

Whenever we sin, we should simply repent with our heart and ask God for His forgiveness, which He will readily grant us if our repentance is genuine. Thereafter, He will help us overcome our flesh, our bad thought patterns as well as our addictions and strongholds. He stands ready to forgive us as many times as is necessary for our healing as long as we keep dying to our flesh in as many areas as we can and renewing our thoughts. His love covers a multitude of sins as 1 Peter 4:8 and James 5:20 reveal to us. And Isaiah 43:25, Jeremiah 31:34 and Hebrews 8:12 show us that God is merciful and that He remembers our sins no more when we sincerely repent. Isn’t this great? Oh yes!

What happens if a believer keeps sinning and not dying to his or her flesh in at least some areas? Then Jesus will rightly conclude that he or she does not love Him back, and that he or she is not interested in having an intimate relationship with His Father. God will be patient and long-suffering, but if this professing Christian keeps sinning, then at some point God will give him or her the desire of his or her heart and give him or her to sin. He will still love him or her; but he or she will forever not be able to rest in His presence any more.

Are you now asking yourself why our relationship with God is conditional, when His love for us is unconditional? Well, the answer is more obvious than many people think. God being love (1 John 4:8), He can only receive from us love. Why? For two main reasons. Firstly, so that love flows back and forth without impurities. We have to remember that everything God does is solidly rooted in love. He only has love motives. Any action that does not take its source in love is sinful by definition. And God cannot and will not sin. Secondly, because He loves Himself sufficiently not to be in a relationship where love is totally absent. Again, what we have to understand is that if love is not what ciments a relationship, then it is also sinful, and this prevents God from being in such a relationship. However, if there is at least a creek of love that is flowing back from our hearts, then God can be in a relationship with us. What we need to know is that a stream of water is smaller than a river, and that a creek of water is much smaller than a stream. So, the message here is that as long as there is at least a drop of love that is continously flowing back to God, then He is willing to have AND maintain a relationship with us. This makes Him very special and unique. Amen!

Serge Roux-Levrat is the Principal Ambassador of SRL Ministries and the author of numerous books and ebooks such as Spiritually Stronger In 40 Days!, Make Your Life Worth Living and A New Beginning: 4 Weeks To A Great Marriage.

Serge stayed seven years in what he calls God's detoxification clinic. During this time he studied and meditated extensively upon the Word of God, renewed his mind, received many revelations from the Holy Spirit, developed many spiritual gifts, taught Bible-Study classes in a large Christian Church and successfully passed key tests that God had asked him to take. More importantly, he learned to trust and to depend solely on God.

He is married since 1995 to Barbara, and they are the parents of two children.

I'M JUST TOO NICE - THE TRUTH ABOUT PASSIVE BEHAVIOR

Wed, 12 Jun 2013 2:14:19 AM EST

People often tell me, "My problem is that I'm just too nice! That's why I get hurt a lot." But what they perceive as a case of terminal politeness, I see as an issue of passive behavior. Don't misunderstand: most of these people truly are nice. But those who are yes people, who don' t disagree for fear of upsetting the other party, the keep-the-peace-at-all-costs people are not acting out from a place of virtue. They are, in fact, dealing with issues of fear and insecurity.

Do any of the following behaviors apply to you:

Are you concerned about how others may feel should you speak honestly to them about something you don't like about them?

Do you say "yes" when you really want to say "no" but do so out of obligation?

Are you often overlooked, taken advantage of, used, mistreated, abused or easily manipulated?

Do you have a hard time standing up for yourself if you feel you are being treated unfairly?

Does the thought of someone being angry with you or thinking unfavorably about you because you voiced opposition to their way of thinking cause you concern?

Do you believe that nice people don't get angry and if you express anger you might be labeled a B*?

While your agreeable persona may give the appearance of one who is easy-going and kind-hearted, take a closer look. More likely you will discover some insecurities that prohibit you from being truthful with others. "If I say no to them, will they wilI think I'm selfish?" "If I tell my mother I'm not coming over every Sunday for dinner, will she try to make me feel guilty?" "I'm the only Republican in my family. Others will give me a hard time if I share my opposing view about politics. And that will really embarrass me."

All of these behaviors are rooted in fear. No, not the terror-filled, heart attack-inducing, crippling horror that paralyzes people. I'm taking about worry, anxiety, concern. These are all levels and degrees of fear. And fear is directly related to how one feels about themselves. Those who are comfortable with who they are, who do not seek the approval of others nor define their worth by what others think of them are more apt to voice their feelings and opinions and let the chips fall where they may. They are fully confident that they can handle dissention and are not threatened by a good challenge. Even if the other party becomes angry with them or is vehemently opposed to their opinions and beliefs, they are comfortable maintaining their position.

Stay nice. But work on your self-esteem and confidence. Be strong. Stand up for what you believe in. Learn to say "no" when necessary. The world will go on.

Janet Pfeiffer, President and CEO of Pfeiffer Power Seminars LLC, is an internationally known motivational speaker, award-winning author and frequent guest on radio and TV. She’s appeared on CNN, Lifetime, The 700 Club, NBC News, Fox News,..., and recently on more than 90 top radio talk shows. She’s also appeared in more than 50 publications.

A consultant to corporations including AT&T, U.S. Army, U.S. Postal Service and Hoffman-LaRoche, Janet is NJ State certified in domestic violence, an instructor at a battered women’s shelter and founder of The Antidote to Anger Group. She specializes in anger management, conflict resolution and bullying. Janet's newest book, The Great Truth, is a must read.

You can follow her at Facebook or LinkedIn. You may also visit her website.

MARRIED: HAVE SEX OFTEN!

Tue, 4 Jun 2013 11:43:39 PM EST

This post is an excerpt from Serge's book, A New Beginning: 4 Weeks to a Great Marriage.

Marital sex is holy and a blessing. It is another form in which we become “one” with our spouse. God did not design sex for creation purposes only, but also for pleasure. If you doubt this, then read the Psalms and you will quickly realize that this holds true. In fact, making love does not only have oneness and intimacy benefits. Medical science has also shown that it can help relieve stress, boost our immune system, burn more calories, increase our self-esteem, improve the health of our heart, and help us sleep better.

What many Christians do not know is that the minute they got married, their bodies no longer belong ONLY to them, but also to their spouses. (1 Corinthians 7:4-5) What does this imply for you? That you should keep your body in shape and present it, as often as possible, in a way that pleases YOUR spouse, and not just yourself.

Furthermore, the Apostle Paul tells us a few scriptures further that spouses should not deprive each other of sex, except by MUTUAL consent and for A TIME, so that none of them can be tempted by Satan because of their lack of self-control. Put differently, you should not use sex as a way to manipulate or get things from your spouse. Rather, you should be actively seeking to fulfill his or her sex needs.

How often should you have sex? Well, there is no norm. Some couples make love every single day, others once a week, and still others have sex twice a day for a week and then no sex for 2 weeks. You have to find the right frequency for you and your spouse. Now, this being said, if you have sex less than once every two weeks on average, then it could be that you are suffering from a low sex drive because of stress, worry, guilt or possibly some medical reason. In case of doubt, consult your GP to find out the root cause of your problem and follow his recommendations. Know that the more sex you have, the more sex you will usually want to have.

Are you too exhausted to have sex with your spouse when you come back home from work? Then, consider meeting your spouse over lunch or during a morning or afternoon break. Or plan to come back home earlier, or to go to work later than usual, once or twice a week. Just think about this problem and find a solution so that you can have sex with your spouse as often as you both would like and make this a priority in your relationship. Lack of sexual drive and interest by one spouse frequently leads the other spouse to feel neglected, unwanted and unloved. And if this situation persists for too long, then your spouse may well yield to temptation and have an extra-marital affair, which could drive you apart irrevocably. In this case, do not think that only your spouse would be at fault, because by your actions, or lack of actions, you are one of the key factors that caused your spouse to stumble. And as Matthew 18:6 reminds us, it is not good to be one who makes others fall.

Some tips for women: Today, men are bombarded with provocative photos of women almost everywhere: on TV, in paid and free magazines, in advertisements located on the streets, airports, and train stations. Additionally, nowadays many women are literally dressed to "kill" men sexually-speaking. This is the result of the work of Satan who has decided to increase dramatically the level and intensity of sexual temptations on men (and women!) like never before. Why? Because he wants to destroy marriages.

Satan is smart and fully aware of the fact that, unlike most women, men are primarily aroused visually. So, if you are a woman, help your husband fight sexual temptations successfully by dressing attractively for him (outside the house) and sexually (inside the house). Make him lust for you! Do not worry: it is not a sin for him to lust for YOU. Once he lusts for you, you will be able to be at peace: whenever he gets visually aroused, he will be thinking about you.

So, seize every opportunity you have to make him think of your body whenever he is around with you at home. For instance, wear a blouse that hangs open when you bend over, wear high heels with some really sexy lingerie while you clean the house, flash your panties by sitting in the sofa across from him while he is watching TV, wear something sexy to go to bed and then remove it in front of him, etc. Throughout the day, give him lustful looks, dare to be flirtatious, leverage the power of touching, tempt him with a sexy perfume, send him flirty text messages and so on. Just use the power of your imagination. What matters is that you fireproof your marriage so that he is not tempted to have sex with another woman.

HOMEWORK

What are some fun, romantic and sexually-arousing things that you and your spouse used to enjoy, but that you no longer do? Think well. Go back as far as you have to, but find at least one such thing. Then, surprise your spouse by setting the stage for doing it today or, if not possible, as soon as you can over the next seven days. Do not wait much before you implement your ideas, otherwise you will never do it and forego a major blessing.

Once you have surprised your spouse, ask him or her to think of ways in which you could spice up your love life and bring passionate sex back to your marriage. Then, tell him or her that he or she has seven days to implement his or her ideas.

Thereafter, make sure that you both come up with additional ideas to fulfill your sexual desires and keep hot your sex life. Remember, it is not because you are Christians that your sex life should be boring!

For more information about A NEW BEGINNING: 4 Weeks To A Great Marriage, click here.

To read the book's endorsements, click here.

He is married since 1995 to Barbara, and they are the parents of two children.

4 KEYS TO OVERCOMING ANGER IN MARRIAGE

Wed, 29 May 2013 1:20:04 AM EST

I facilitated an anger management support group for several years. One woman began attending shortly after our first meeting. Her name was Joan. Joan's marriage of thirty plus years was in trouble. Admitting she had a bad temper, her husband recently filed for divorce. She was devastated. "I don't want to lose him," she said, fighting back the tears. "He is such a good man and I really do love him. I need to learn how to control my anger. Can you help me?"

"Control your anger?" I asked. "No. I don't teach people to control anger. I explain to them where their anger is originating (the root cause) and help them heal those issues. Once accomplished, the anger never manifests. But it's going to mean being brutally honest with who you are, what your issues are, and how poorly you have behaved. Are you prepared to do that?" "Yes," she replied. "I'm willing to do whatever I have to to save my marriage." I assured her that I would as well.

Over the next six months, Joan drove an hour and a half to attend the Antidote to Anger group. Regardless of the weather, each week she bared her soul in front of me and a room full of complete strangers. Much of what she shared was painful and sometimes even shameful to her. Yet she was never held back. Each week, she revealed more and more about her troubled past and how her pain and fear repeatedly emerged in her relationship with her husband. "It's not him, it's me", she said on more than one occasion. "He's a good husband and father. I know these issues are mine." Good, I thought. At least she's taking responsibility and not blaming him for her behavior. There's hope.

Joan quickly earned the respect of every member of the group and we were all genuinely elated when six months later she announced that she and her husband were back together. "He can't believe the changes I've made in myself! Neither can I. It's like a dream-come-true!" In spite of their recent success, Joan continued to attend our meetings faithfully each week for another year. Due to a change in circumstances, I had to terminate the group. It was hard saying goodbye to someone I had become fond of. I told her I would keep her and her family in my heart and prayers. I've thought of her often but never heard from her after that night.

So imagine my surprise when I recently presented a lecture in a church nearby and in walks Joan and her husband! Wearing a smile that lit up the room, I was greeted by a warm embrace from both of them. Her husband hugged me and thanked me for saving his marriage. "I cannot thank you enough," he stated, as he wiped a tear from his eye. "We have never been happier." "You need to thank your wife," I replied. "She did all the work and deserves all the credit."

Why is it that Joan was able to save a marriage on the brink of divorce while other couples fail miserably? There were four key elements present within Joan that are the keys for anyone making a major life transformation:

1. Motivation: Joan was highly motivated, willing to do whatever it took for as long as was necessary to resolve her personal issues and save her marriage.

2 Responsibility: she took 100% ownership in being the source of this issue She did not blame her husband or anyone else for her anger and poor choices in managing it. And she made no excuses.

3. Solution: Joan was solution-oriented. She actively sought practical suggestions and strategies to put into practice.

4. Action: Without hesitation, Joan began making the appropriate behavioral changes that improved the quality of her life and ultimately her relationship with her husband.

Joan is a perfect example of what it takes to make a marriage work. I fully expect to get an invitation to their 50th anniversary party.

You can follow her at Facebook or LinkedIn. You may also visit her website.

WHY IS THE FLOOD AN ACT OF LOVE AND NOT OF HATRED?

Wed, 22 May 2013 2:32:49 AM EST

As Genesis 6:5-6 shows us, when God saw how great man’s wickedness had become on the earth and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time, He was grieved that He had made man and His heart was filled with pain. He then decided to press the reset button.

However, before going ahead with His decision, He chose an Ambassador - Noah - and asked him to call people to repentance. Furthermore, in His love, He gave ample time for people to repent and turn to Him before the reset button would be pressed. Did God give people one day to repent? No. One week? No. One month? No. One year? No. One decade? No, He gave them 120 years! We can see here how patient and long-suffering His loving nature is.

Now, what did God do during the 120-year countdown? As 1 Peter 3:20 shows us, He waited patiently and hoped that people would turn away from their evil ways and repent. However, as no one listened to Noah’s preaching and repented, God let the rain fall as He had said He would do at the end of the countdown period, and every living creature on the face of the earth was wiped out. What we have to understand is that God had to make good on His promise to press the reset button or else He would have greatly undermined His authority and favored death over life. Make no mistake. God suffered tremendously as He pressed the reset button. As Ezekiel 18:32 reveals to us, He takes no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies spiritually.

Yet, in this tragic event God’s love was deeply present. Indeed, by stopping their wickedness from spreading more, God did to the people who lived at the time of Noah a big favor. Why? Because they will suffer on the Day of Judgment far fewer negative consequences than if He had allowed their wickedness to continue to prevail until they would have naturally died. Let’s not forget that for each sin committed, unsaved persons have to pay a wage. Thus, the more sins they commit during their lives on earth, the higher their wages will be… and thus their loads in hell. And the more loads they have in hell, the more they will suffer. For one year? Not, eternally as their soul will forever live in hell. So, we can see here that God was right to say enough was enough and to press the reset button. Otherwise, their suffering would have been truly unbearable in hell as their wickedness was so widespread and profound that it would only have worsened over time.

God therefore showed by pressing the reset button, not that He hated them, but that He loved them tremendously. What we have to realize is that sin was as prevalent and man so corrupted that wickedness was beyond the hope of changing. There is certainly a lot of evil going on in today’s world, but nothing compared to what was happening at the time of Noah. The thoughts, desires, emotions and passions of man were so sin stained, contaminated, perverted and degraded that nothing good remained in his heart. Man’s heart had reached the point of no return and the earth would have become increasingly filled with sin, and thus with extreme violence, widespread injustice, depravity, and rebellion as well as with ever-increasing suffering.

God could have given man another 500 years in which to repent, but he would not have done so. Only one thing would have happened: sin would have become even more widespread and destructive. Hence, people would have seen their wages increase considerably, and thus end up suffering even more in hell. God, being love, could not possibly let man continue to walk on the destructive road he had chosen without doing anything. Man was now completely blind to God’s light and unable to receive His love. Basically, he was already spiritually dead and had to be rescued from himself. And that is exactly what God did in His immense love and mercy by sending the flood.

Furthermore, by pressing the reset button, God also thought of the unborn, of those who would come to live on the earth. He did not want them to get born in such a dark and wick world, where their chances of accepting God’s Word would have been so slim. Hence, the flood was also an act of love towards them, and thus us. Following the flood, Noah and his family were then able to fill the earth again and man enjoyed an environment where sin, although still present, was not so predominant that the spirit of God could not touch the upcoming generations.

Had God not pressed the reset button at the time of Noah, we would either not have been born or we would now live in such an evil world that we would suffer like hell here on earth and enjoy a miserable life. We can therefore be thankful that God is love and that He stopped the accumulation of wages for the wicked who live at the time of Noah and that He also thought of us when he sent the flood. God is really a god of love, and the flood, like the sending of Jesus to the earth, is an incredible act of love from the God of gods. Amen!

He is married since 1995 to Barbara, and they are the parents of two children.

YOU CAN DO NOTHING TO MAKE GOD LOVE YOU MORE!

Wed, 8 May 2013 3:47:35 AM EST

This post is an excerpt from Serge's book, Spiritually Stronger in 40 Days!

God loves us unconditionally, which is why nothing can separate us from His love. (Romans 8:38-39) When we do works for Him, we should not do them in the hope that He will appreciate us more, but only because we love Him and want to honor Him for all that He did and keeps doing for us every single day.

Does that mean that He never gets mad at us? No, absolutely not. When we sin or behave foolishly, He hates how we behave. However, He still loves us and stands ready to welcome us back in His presence if we genuinely repent and ask for His forgiveness.

When we sin, He cannot be in our midst. We may therefore feel that He is far away or that He has forsaken us. However, this is not true at all. When we sin, we operate out of our old man who is infected with sin. God, who is pure and righteous, cannot be in the same room as our old man. Yet, He is longing to be with us again. All He is waiting for is that we open the door that WE closed by sinning, door that now separates us from Him. To do that, all we have to do is to repent. Then we are fully re-established in His presence as Sons and Daughters that we never ceased to be!

So, do not fall into the trap of trying to make God love you more. Just accept the fact that He loves you already with ALL His heart and receive His immeasurable love.

Remember, the more your heart is filled with God’s love, the more your new man will grow, and the more you will be living in God’s presence and enjoying the abundance that Christ died for you to have.

HOMEWORK

Ask yourself the following question: Am I trying to win God’s approval, to earn His love? Be honest with yourself. If the answer is yes, then make every effort to find out why you are doing so. Could it be that you are suffering from an inferiority complex or a lack of self-esteem? Perhaps few people showed you that they approved of you as you were growing up. So, in order to win their approval, you did everything possible to earn their love, but in vain. No matter what you did, it was never enough for them, never good enough for them to compliment you. So, you kept doing more in the hope that one day it be enough for them.

If this situation speaks to you, then I want you to know that what you have experienced with the human beings who crossed your path until now is not an indication of how God deals with you. The reality is that He loves you unconditionally and has completely forgiven your sins if you have accepted Jesus as your Savior and Lord. Through His death and resurrection, Jesus not only redeemed us, but also enabled us to receive flows of God’s love in our hearts in abundance again. God has extended to us the fullness of His grace and love through Jesus. We cannot obtain more grace, for we have already been delivered from the power of sin. All we can do now is to receive those continuous and abundant flows of love that God wants to give us.

People may have treated you like you were a good for nothing, or even told you that you weren’t worth anything or that you would never amount to anything, but for God you are a very important person, someone for whom He has great plans. Accept the truth that God approves of you and that His approval is not based on what you have done or could do. No, He approves of you because you have been created in His image and because you stand forgiven and totally complete before Him thanks to the work that Jesus accomplished on the cross. So, from today and for the next 40 days, I want you to repeat each morning and evening that God loves you and that He approves of you just as you are.

For more information about Spiritually Stronger in 40 Days!, click here.

To read the book's endorsements, click here.

He is married since 1995 to Barbara, and they are the parents of two children.

10 TIPS ON HOW TO ARGUE WITH AN IDIOT

Wed, 1 May 2013 5:16:25 AM EST

"Idiots" are simply people like you and I who are struggling with unresolved personal issues ranging from low self-esteem to ego, insecurity to poor impulse control and more. While it is acceptable to regard the behavior as idiotic, it is never permissible to label the individual as such.

People are inherently good but each of us at times acts out in an obnoxious or difficult manner. As you know, I do not make excuses or condone bad behavior but I do practice being understanding and non-judgmental of it.

When arguing with a person acting in an idiotic manner, here are a few tips that will be beneficial to all parties:

First assess if the situation even warrants your time and energy. If not, no response is necessary and you are free to ignore the comments.

If, in fact, you feel it is essential or you choose to engage with the other party, examine your motives for doing so. If you have any hidden agendas or your reasons are not purely honorable, refrain from interacting at that time.

Relinquish the need to be right, to be acknowledged, to be heard or to win. Most likely none of those will occur.

Practice diffusing statements. Refrain from making inflammatory comments that will fuel the argument. Remember the R/D/C Method: Refuse (to get caught up in the drama), Diffuse (using proper verbiage), Choose (alternatives to methods that have proven ineffective in the past).

Operate from a place of Spirit. Never allow ego to dictate your course of action.

State your position once. Do not repeat (unless they sincerely need clarification), explain, justify, or convince.

Be firm, fair, clear, and brief.

Acknowledge their position, feelings, beliefs and such. Be sincere. It is the first step towards gaining their respect and cooperation.

Thank them for their time and for sharing.

Know when to bow out of the discussion. Either change the topic or disengage completely (walking away is a form of disengaging.) Make a statement to inform the other party of your intention. "Nice speaking with you. I wish you the best. I have to leave now"

Remember, true personal power is the ability to be unaffected negatively by outside circumstances. Maintain your composure and dignity and always extend respect to the other party regardless of how badly they are behaving. Be the example.

You can follow her at Facebook or LinkedIn. You may also visit her website.

APPRECIATE YOUR DIFFERENCES

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 1:36:20 AM EST

This post is an excerpt from Serge's book, A New Beginning: 4 Weeks to a Great Marriage.

No, oneness does not imply sameness! Your spouse does not have to become an exact copy of yourself for the two of you to become one and enjoy a great marriage. God created your spouse with some differences on purpose. They are one of the elements that make you stronger as a couple. Thus, appreciate your spouse’s differences and what makes him (her) unique. Remember that God designed you to complement your spouse and vice-versa. So, instead of resenting his or her differences, appreciate them.

Acknowledge that different is not better or worse, but simply different. Get used to the fact that your spouse may do certain things differently than you do, think about some things differently than you do, express love differently than you do, or respond to some events differently than you do. Respect these differences: even better, actively nurture them. There are what makes you strong as a couple. Do you want the level of satisfaction in your marriage to grow further? Then, accept your differences. Just be aware that if you don’t, the quality of your relationship with your spouse will unavoidably nose dive and you will make your marriage quite hellish for nothing.

HOMEWORK

Think about the things that tend to irritate you about your spouse: his (her) silences, the way he (she) internalizes or externalizes negative situations or positive emotions, the way he (she) disciplines the children, how he (she) cleans the house, etc. Now, ask yourself why these differences bother you and why you cannot accept them. Is it because of your upbringing; your desire to appear perfect, to have a perfect house, or perfect children; or perhaps your own feelings of insecurity? Whatever the case, identify the root cause(s) and work on them so that you can finally come to a point where you can accept and respect his (her) differences.

Furthermore, repent and ask God for His forgiveness, for not having appreciated your spouse’s differences before and made your marriage less satisfying for both of you through the way you reacted to these differences. Finally, acknowledge that God made your spouse to complement you and thank Him for your husband or wife and the way he or she is.

For more information about A NEW BEGINNING: 4 Weeks To A Great Marriage, click here.

To read the book's endorsements, click here.

He is married since 1995 to Barbara, and they are the parents of two children.

GIVE EACH OTHER FREQUENT BREAKS

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 2:54:41 AM EST

This post is an excerpt from Serge's book, A New Beginning: 4 Weeks to a Great Marriage.

We should increasingly seek to become one with our spouses as time passes by. However, this does not mean that we are to spend ALL our time with them. No. As a matter of fact, this would not be healthy at all. Couples that are on top of each other all the time or that are too dependent on each other for everything, often end up fighting and arguing at some point or another, which can only weaken their marriages. Additionally, it is not uncommon for one spouse to feel imprisoned or controlled, a situation that can cause a marriage to reach a breakpoint. If, however, spouses give each other some personal space, their relationship can flourish even more. Why? Because they start to miss each other again. So, when they are back together, they tend to treat each other as they did when they were dating.

Many women need to have space and time on their own in order to thrive. Men, to a large extent, also need the same, perhaps even to a greater extent, in order to function well. They may use this personal time to think about the future, watch quietly one of their favorite programs on TV, go to the movies to watch an action film, spend an evening with their male friends or go fishing with them for instance. In fact, it does not matter what they do during these “free” timeslots as long as the underlying activities are not sinful. So, if your husband is asking you for some free time, do not take it personally; instead, give him your blessing to indulge in some activities without you. Do the same if you are a husband and your wife wants some time for herself. Overall, do not wait until your spouse is feeling trapped or suffocated to grant him or her more freedom. Accept that wanting or needing time for oneself is healthy and, in fact, good for your marriage.

HOMEWORK

Next time you are feeling particularly relaxed and happy with your spouse, ask him (her) if he (she) has enough space for himself (herself) to pursue his (her) own interests and activities. Tell him (her) that you love him (her), that you trust him (her) and that you would not find it wrong if he (she) were to spend time away from you from time to time. Then, reassure him (her) that you are not launching this discussion because you are fed up with him (her), but simply because you want him (her) to feel free to do whatever would regenerate him (her).

Throughout this discussion, focus entirely on your spouse and his (her) needs for personal space. Do not ask for time or space for yourself. Wait that your spouse suggests that you do the same. Just set together the boundaries that will regulate these times away from each other and the frequencies with which they will be scheduled. The first time he (she) spends time away from you, welcome him (her) back with a surprise: dress sexily, create a romantic atmosphere and give him (her) a great night (or morning) of sex for instance. Repeat these types of surprises each time he or she goes away without you.

For more information about A NEW BEGINNING: 4 Weeks To A Great Marriage, click here.

To read the book's endorsements, click here.

He is married since 1995 to Barbara, and they are the parents of two children.

THE VALUE OF FAMILY

Wed, 3 Apr 2013 1:29:35 AM EST

Many forces are working to change the family values. Many voices are telling us that the family is finished and out of date. They tell us that the family is irrelevant, a thing of the past.

In television series we rarely see a normal and happy family portrayed. Family values have been attacked and ridiculed by those that do not believe in biblical Godly values. The world has tried to redefine the family and its value. In order for the Christian to know what a family is for and what family values should be portrayed we need to look to the Word of God.

What does the Bible have to say about the family? Let's start at the very beginning when God made Adam and Eve. In the first book of the Bible we have the beginning of the manual concerning family.

Genesis 2:18, 24, "The Lord God said, 'It is not good for man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.' Therefore a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife."

Please notice two things: First, the family was God's idea. He instituted the family, so it will always be around because families are the building blocks of society. Second, God made Adam, put him in a perfect environment. Adam had everything he wanted and yet God said, "It is not good for man to be alone." That's true whether you're married or single. People were made to associate with other people. We need relationships. Whether you are married or single, you need some deep relationships and caring people in your life. Man was not made to be alone, so God created the family. Then He looked and said, "Now its good."

A FAMILY IS TO BE A SHELTER IN TIMES OF STORMS. We all have storms in life because sometimes life get tough. We experience the rain and the dark storms. We didn't plan these storms. In the storm, we need a place of protection and security. We need a place to call home and a family that loves us and cares for us in spite of our shortcomings and failures.

"Reverence for the Lord gives a man deep strength; his children have a place of refuge and security." (Proverbs 14:26)

Circle the words, "refuge and security". Do your children have a place of refuge and security? The Bible says that God created the family to be a shelter in storms. There are many kinds of storms that a family may face. Let's consider three of these storms.

→ Change is a storm. We go through changes in life. We have illnesses, deaths, graduations, jobs, moving to a new location. But there needs to be a place that no matter where the house is, there is a family in it that I know can be counted on for support when these changes come. We need a shelter in the storm.

→ Failure is a storm. We are not always a winner in life. Sometimes we lose. Perhaps a promotion might be turned down. Maybe we get a "F" at school or we get turned down to play on a team. Bankruptcy could be in our plate. There are many different types of storms that may come in our lives. We can handle a lot of failure in life if we can come home to hugs and encouraging words. These will help us to handle the storms in our life. Family members are fans even when you have a losing season. A family is a shelter in times of storms.

"Two are better than one. If one of them falls down, the other can help him up. But if someone is alone and falls, it's just too bad because there's no one to help him." (Ecclesiastes 4: 9-10)

→ Rejection is a storm. This is probably the most difficult storm to handle of all the storms. We dislike being rejected, put down, ridiculed or criticized. Some of the most difficult rejection in growing up was on the school playground. Sometimes kids are cruel. If you don't believe in a sin nature, just become a school teacher. Sometimes kids can be absolutely ruthless.

When we play games in life most of the goals is to get home, because when you're home you are safe. Homes were meant for safety. They are a shelter in a storm. It's safe to cry at home. That's what homes are for. They are shelter in the storm where you can let down and be consoled and comforted and cared for. When one goes through rejection a shelter is necessary. It is needful to have somebody who cares for you and will listen to you.

What is my response to this? Simply to demonstrate my love. You love your family. Demonstrate it this when they're going through a tough time. Give them a listening ear; give them two arms that will hold them; give them a hand that will pick them up when they fall down and give them words of encouragement when they are discouraged.

A FAMILY IS A LEARNING CENTER FOR LIFE. We usually think of parents teaching the children. If you are not learning from your family, you are missing great opportunities. In a family you learn basic skills for life; how to walk, talk, eat, all of life's basic skills you learn at home.

"May our sons in their youth be like plants that grow up strong." (Psalm 144:12)

The Bible compares the family to a garden. It is a place to grow people, a garden to grow people in. Ephesians 6:4, "Fathers don't exasperate your children; instead bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord". A family should have training and instruction. Some have said that the bottom line in training your child is knowing which end to pat and knowing when to pat it. When you are traiing your children you want to take them through three stages; from parent control to self control to God's control.

Luke 2:52, "And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man". Jesus grew in four ways:

wisdom - intellectual growth
stature - physical growth
favor with God - spiritual growth
favor with man - social growth.

The same goal must be for your family. Each should grow intellectually, spiritually, socially and physically. Our homes should be learning centers for the entire family. In our home, we should learn how to use the building blocks of relationships, character and values. Isaiah 38:19, "One generation makes known your faithfulness to the next."

Relationships - Family members need to learn how to relate to each other. We can do this by learning to respect each other, by making allowances for the differences in our lives.

Character - Someone said that character is what you are when no one is around. Many families are Christian on Sunday and critics the rest of the week. What do I mean by that? We love and embrace one another on Sunday, but the rest of the week critize and cut each other down. On Sunday we show ourselves as a loving family and the rest of the week we portray something else.

Values - Think of all the things we learn at home: about work, sex, time, money, play, God, other people. We learn what is really important to us -- our values reveal what is truly important to us.

Your family is a relay of values. It is like a relay race. You are passing the baton onto your children and they will pass the baton onto the next generation and so on. Your family is simply one link in a long chain throughout time, linking the families before you to the families that come after you. The question is, what are you passing onto your children?

Have you ever heard, "I'm not going to impose my spiritual values on my kids. I'm going to let them decide for themselves". Baloney! The foolishness of that is that it implies that God is an option. God is not and should not be an option! If you're not teaching your family about God you are making a major mistake that has eternal implications. It's not a matter of just letting them decide. The Bible says that if you are a parent that is part of your job description - teaching values.

Deuteronomy 6:6-7, "These commandments impress them upon your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up".

Why don't most families do this anymore? Because we spend much time watching idle stuff on the television. The average child watches television about 1'000 hours a year. If they attend church every Sunday for 2 hours, they will have 96 - 100 hours of Bible teaching a year. Where are many kids getting their values - television or God's Word? It is very important that we take care in where and how our children get their values. We need to evaluate our values in the light of God's Word and ask ourselves: what kind of values am I teaching my children and family? Am I showing my family how to develop godly values?

A FAMILY IS A PLACE TO PLAY. The home should be a place for family fun, a haven for happiness and a place to have a good time. Home is the place that we kick back, relax and take it easy with the family. Many homes get this second point about a learning center and the father thinks that the learning center is a boot camp and he is the drill sergeant.

"...may her breasts satisfy you always, may you ever be captivated by her love." (Proverbs 5:19)

You have seen these bumper stickers: "The family that prays together stays together." This one can be added to it: "A family that plays together stays together." Families need to create times to have fun with the children too. They will have memories that will be cherished for years to come. There is a need to celebrate our families. Children are a gift.

"Children are a heritage from the Lord, children a reward from Him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are sons born in one's youth." (Psalm 127:3-5)

THE FAMILY SHOULD BE A LAUNCHING PAD FOR MINISTRY. You may have never thought of your family as being a ministry team together. There is nothing more exciting than having a family that ministers as a team.

"You know that the household of Stephanas were the first converts in Achaia, and they have devoted themselves to the service of the saints." (1 Corinthians 16:15)

What a great goal to have a ministry team, to see our family as a launching pad for the Kingdom of God. How do you do it? By helping and serving other believers. The ultimate basis for joy and harmony in the family is Acts 16:34; "...He was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God - he and his whole family." When your whole family knows the Lord, loves the Lord and serves the Lord, it is a unifying factor and it brings great joy.

Joy comes when our family believes in Jesus. There is nothing like the thrill to me personally of sitting in church and seeing them sing to the Lord and singing praises to Jesus Christ. My number one task as a father is to do the best I can to make sure my children grow up loving Jesus Christ. That is so important. If you have some in your family that don't know Jesus as Lord you should be praying constantly for them. It is so important to me as a father to know that my family will be eternally in heaven with me.

Pastor Bill Lobbs was an ordianed minister affiliated with the Assembly of God organization. His theological background was coupled with over 35 years of pastoral care and counselling services. His sermons are designed to inform the mind, stir the emotions and challenge the will, resulting in spiritual growth and maturity to those who digest the content.

We would like to give special thanks to Pastor Bill Lobbs' wife, Lois Lobbs, for having quickly, kindly and generously authorized us to post this article on our website. May God continue to bless her with His love, joy, peace and abundance.

For more infomation about Pastor Bill Lobbs or to read his many other great sermons and messages, we invite you to visit the website that his wife animates: Nuggets of Truth.

FEAR AND LOVE CANNOT LIVE UNDER THE SAME ROOF!

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 4:48:13 AM EST

Psalm 34:4 contains a beautiful, powerful and encouraging message for us all. It says: “I sought the Lord, and He answered me;  He delivered me from all my fears.” Why is David’s experience true? Because as 1 John 4:8 reveals to us, God is love. And what does love do? Yes, it casts out all fears as 1 John 4:18 confirms to us.

Do you realize what God is telling us right now? That unless we receive His love, we won’t be delivered from our fears. We have to realize that love is a force more powerful than any other forces. Love overpowers fear, and cannot live under the same roof as fear for there is no fear in love.

→ Now, the question is: how do we receive God’s love? Well, it is much easier than we often think. Indeed, Jesus told us the secret in Matthew 7:7, which says; “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.”

So, if you want to receive God’s love in your heart, then you simply have to ask for it, to seek it and to knock at God’s door. "And how do I do that?", you ask. Well, by meditating on God’s Word. Look up in the Bible all the scriptures that talk about the love of God. Learn what true love is, what it does and what it implies. Stand on God’s promises that show that He loves YOU. And when you are confident that God loves you with a love that is unconditional, giving, forgiving and eternal, then go into prayers. I can assure you that your fears will then disappear.

The main reason countless Christians don’t get their prayers answered is because they are praying out of fear, because their hearts are empty of love. But God doesn’t respond to fear; He responds to faith. Needless to say, we cannot trust God and have faith unless we know that He truly loves us. So, before we go and pray to God, we have to cast our fears with His love. Then, and only then, will our prayers move mountains.

→ Isn't it true that when we are afraid, we often seek everyone but God? That we do everything, but fill our hearts with God’s love? We become overwhelmed with a fear and worry so much that we keep thinking about it in our minds instead of going to God in order to receive more of His love. However, when we let God’s love penetrate deeply into our hearts and fill them, our faith gets strengthened, our fears disappear, and our prayers become powerful.

I therefore invite you to seek God and His love constantly, without ceasing. You will then be delivered from ALL your fears. As you are delivered from your fears, you will increasingly be able to enjoy the great life that Christ died to give you. (John 10:10) Yes, by not fearing, you will open new taps of abundance in your lives. You will no longer let Satan steal God’s blessings from you and increasingly become the great person that God created you to be.

So, next time you start to worry, immediately run to God in order to fill your heart with His love. He will receive you with His arms wide open. Remember, He loves you so much that He sent His only son to die for you. In fact, no one will ever love you like God does: with a perfect love.

If a fear is currently overwhelming you, then it shows you that your heart is somewhat low on God’s love. Rather than focusing on the fear, seek God and spend time in His presence by meditating on His Word and standing on His promises. Your heart will then become slowly, but surely, filled with God’s love again, and your fear will supernaturally disappear.

Remember, God loves you. There is no fear in love. God knows your needs. He will provide ALL your needs according to His glorious riches. (Philippians 4:19) He will never forsake you. He will ensure that you go through your trials successfully. He will provide an escape route for every temptation you will experience. He will give you the desires of your hearts. He will lovingly and gently discipline you so that you can uproot more sins from your life. He has plans for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you. (Jeremiah 29:11) This is love. This is God. He is nothing, but love. Come to Him right now so that you can have your heart refilled with His love. Remember, the ones who fear have not been perfected in love. So, come to Him today through Jesus to be perfected in love. Come to bask in His love and to uproot your fears from your mind.

In Jesus' migthy name, Amen!

He is married since 1995 to Barbara, and they are the parents of two children.

HOW TO GET OUT OF SELF-INFLICTED IMPRISONMENT

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 12:57:46 AM EST

Lately, I have come across people who are captives. They are bound in self-inflicted prisons. What do I mean by that? Let me give you some examples:

A woman comes to church and feels like she is invisible and no one talks to her. She feels like she is not valuable and that no one even cares if she lives or dies. In reality, she isolates herself from others emotionally and this creates a bubble around her. She comes to church with a chip on her shoulders thinking that people don’t care or that no one likes her. She doesn’t talk to people and just sits alone with her thoughts. It puts a barrier between people and her. People come up to her to say, “Hi” and ask, “How are you doing?” but she turns her head and looks away and replies, “I am fine.” They try to continue the conversation but she doesn’t respond. In her mind, the way that she is thinking is truth. But she believes a lie. Her very own words to herself put her in a prison and she doesn’t even know it. The crazy thing is that her prison door is not locked, it is always open. She could walk out of this prison at any time if she would just look up and see there is way out.

A man comes to church and is on the Worship Team. There are younger people on the adult team. The Worship Leader allows youth on the team to help them learn and grow. Some of the youth have pride in their hearts. They feel they are well capable of being on the team and could even lead the worship if given the chance. But the man only sees the pride the youth have in their hearts. He gets angry and decides to leave the church service after the Worship Team finishes the praise and worship during the Sunday service. He is tormented by his own anger over the youth’s prideful heart. His anger, and lack of mercy and grace for others, cause him to miss out on a sermon about the very thing he was struggling with… anger.

Stories like these happen over and over again in our world. We can see things the wrong way or think people are thinking bad thoughts about us and this stifles or handicaps our relationships. We can’t afford to allow people to be our handicap. The truth is we could be set free from this captivity.

STEPS TO BE FREE FROM OURSELVES

There is hope to be set free from our captivity. We have to understand that the enemy is working overtime to defeat us. He never gives up. He will try anything and everything to bring us down and to take us out. We have to be wise to his schemes.

1. REMIND YOURSELF OF WHO YOU ARE IN CHRIST

In the case of the woman thinking no one liked her, she forgot who she was in Christ. She was looking to people for acceptance and yet rejecting the very thing she was craving by pushing people away with her isolation bubble.

We can’t rely on people to make us feel accepted. People will come and go. They will disappoint us and let us down. The only one who will never reject us is Christ. He has His eye on you and loves you unconditionally. You never have to “perform” to win His love. You just have to be yourself; faults and all.

“In this the love of God was made manifest (displayed) where we are concerned: in that God sent His Son, the only begotten or unique [Son], into the world so that we might live through Him. In this is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation (the atoning sacrifice) for our sins.” (1 John 4:9-10 - Amplified Bible)

We are deeply loved by God. There is nothing we have done or nothing we will do that will stop His love for us. Also, we are fresh and new. Your past is gone.

“Therefore if any person is [ingrafted] in Christ (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old [previous moral and spiritual condition] has passed away. Behold, the fresh and new has come!” (2 Corinthians 4:17 - Amplified Bible)

Not only are we deeply loved and our past is forgiven and gone, but we are dearly prized and valuable.

“For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life.” (John 3:16 - Amplified Bible)

We are loved and dearly prized, each one of us. God loved us so much that He gave His only Son to us. This is a gift from God. Jesus was given to us even before we were born, so that ultimately, if we believe in Christ, we will not perish, but be with God forever. This is love. This is God’s love for you!

We need to remind ourselves of these awesome facts often.

2. DON'T LISTEN TO LIES

So many times people have come to me and share how they “think” about a given situation only to find out what they were thinking was not true. We have to recognize a lie in our mind. Anything that is contrary to the Word of God and what it says about us is a lie.

Thoughts will come into your mind that are contrary to what the Bible states, but cast down those imaginations and stand on God’s Word of who you are.

“Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;” (2 Corinthians 10:5 -KJV)

I struggle with this from time to time too. We are human. It is natural to listen to your own thoughts. But we have to recognize a truth from a lie.

→ You can speak lies to yourself

We can tell ourselves the worst will happen and inevitably it will because of our negative attitude. We can lie to ourselves about how good we are and how bad our neighbor is. We can listen to ourselves instead of God’s Word and make bad choices for our lives. We can sabotage our future.

“The heart is deceitful above all things, and it is exceedingly perverse and corrupt and severely, mortally sick! Who can know it [perceive, understand, be acquainted with his own heart and mind]?” (Jeremiah 17:9 - Amplified Bible)

“For from within, [that is] out of the hearts of men, come base and wicked thoughts, sexual immorality, stealing, murder, adultery, coveting (a greedy desire to have more wealth), dangerous and destructive wickedness, deceit; unrestrained (indecent) conduct; and evil eye (envy), slander (evil speaking, malicious misrepresentation, abusiveness), pride (the sin of an uplifted heart against God and man), foolishness (folly, lack of sense, recklessness, thoughtlessness). All these evil [purposes and desires] come from within, and they make the man unclean and render him unhallowed.” (Mark 7:21-23 - Amplified Bible)

“Strip yourselves of your former nature [put off and discard your old un-renewed self] which characterized your previous manner of life and becomes corrupt through lusts and desires that spring from delusion; And be constantly renewed in the spirit of your mind [having a fresh mental and spiritual attitude], And put on the new nature (the regenerate self) created in God’s image, [Godlike] in true righteousness and holiness. Therefore, rejecting all falsity and being done now with it, let everyone express the truth with his neighbor, for we are all parts of one body and members one of another.” (Ephesians 4:22-25 - Amplified Bible)

“…rejecting all falsity and being done now with it,” is what we have to do when we recognize a lie we believe about our self. If it does not line up with what the word of God says you are, reject it immediately, even when you’ve been in the habit of saying it to yourself over and over again. The only one who can stop lying to you about yourself is you!

It’s hard to know the difference between a lie about yourself and something that’s possibly true, that you can change. Yet, there’s a harshness the Devil uses that is usually direct and painful. Thoughts that bring doom and gloom, that bring no hope, are the key to knowing a lie.

When negative thoughts come into your mind, if you dwell on them for any length of time, they begin to take root in your heart. They start becoming your paradigm, or how you look at life. This is when it becomes unhealthy. As you dwell on how bad you are, you’ll begin to believe it and start to act or react out of that unhealthy outlook.

Be careful what you say out loud or even to yourself. It is easy to say things you regret, or speak out negative words. Remember our words have power and listening to the lies you tell yourself will bring death. Choose life with your words and thoughts.

Why do we feel the way we feel? Perhaps it is because we talk the way we talk!

“Foolish talk will get you into a lot of trouble. Saying foolish things is like setting a trap to destroy yourself.” (Proverbs 18:6-7 - CEV)

→ The enemy will speak lies to you

Satan wants to destroy us all. What better way than to use ourselves against us? He will speak lies to you about yourself to get you to self-destruct. He will make you think thoughts that will self-inflict imprisonment upon you. He will speak lies to you about your future. He will speak lies about anything and everything concerning us. Here are a few verses that show his character.

“…he (the Devil) was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a falsehood, he speaks what is natural to him, for he is a liar [himself] and the father of lies and of all that is false.” (John 8:44 - Amplified Bible)

“…of all that is false.” That’s the Devil’s character. He constantly tells us falsehoods about ourselves. If we are not careful, we will listen to those lies and act upon them. The enemy will fill your mind with feelings of worthlessness about yourself to destroy you. He’ll fill your mind with negative thoughts about you, your family and friends, and everything else you come in contact with. Thoughts like, “No one cares about me!” “I am invisible.” Or, as in the case of the man with anger issues, the Devil will fill your mind with thoughts like, “How stupid to stay here on the Worship Team with someone on it who is prideful?” (That statement in itself is pride). “I might as well quit the team and the church as no one sees it but me.” “Everyone else comes and goes as they wish so why can’t I?”

Please, if this is you, STOP listening to false information. It’s not true. God has a hope and a future for you. Have some mercy and grace for yourself and for others. No one is perfect. No one, not even you!

3. UNDERSTAND WHO GOD IS IN YOUR LIFE!

Now that we have looked at how to get out of the self-inflicted prison, I encourage you to take the first step and stop looking at yourself and what you can or can’t do and start looking at God and what He can do and who He is in your life.

El Shaddai (Lord God Almighty)
El Elyon (The Most High God)
Adonai (Lord, Master)
Yahweh (Lord, Jehovah)
Jehovah Nissi (The Lord My Banner)
Jehovah-Raah (The Lord My Shepherd)
Jehovah Rapha (The Lord That Heals)
Jehovah Shammah (The Lord Is There)
Jehovah Tsidkenu (The Lord Our Righteousness)
Jehovah Mekoddishkem (The Lord Who Sanctifies You)
El Olam (The Everlasting God)
Elohim (God)
Qanna (Jealous)
Jehovah Jireh (The Lord Will Provide)
Jehovah Shalom (The Lord Is Peace)
Jehovah Sabaoth (The Lord of Hosts)

We sing worship songs about the character of God; “All together lovely,” “Strong Tower,” “Jesus, Lover of my soul,” “Blessed be Your name.” But do we really listen to what we are singing? Do we allow those words to sink in and know who God is? Do we believe what we sing?

Take the time to spend some time alone with God: this is how you get to know Him intimately. Listen to His heart beat. Fall in love with Him.

Realize you are never alone and that your King is always with you. Run into His arms when you feel lonely or invisible.

Tell Him how you are feeling when you become angry. Anger is not a sin, it is what we do with that anger that can become a sin.

Commit your life daily to please the Lord in your thoughts and actions.

Look beyond yourself and minister to others in spite of their weaknesses.

And above all, have the strength and courage to walk out of your prison(s) once and for all! Don’t be a victim of self-Inflicted imprisonment any longer!

Kris Belfils is a dynamic speaker, singer/songwriter, author, worship leader, and pastor at Hope Fellowship. She has dedicated her life to help others be transformed by the power of Christ. She weaves scripture, life's experience, and her sense of humor to bring the Word of God alive. Kris speaks and ministers all over the world at conferences, conventions, retreats, camps, church services, and on the radio, and television.

Her most recent book, "Revive, Rebuild, and Restore" was released in september 2011.

We invite you to visit her website.

BEWARE: NOT ALL CHRISTIANS WILL GO TO HEAVEN!

Wed, 13 Mar 2013 5:49:06 AM EST

This post is an excerpt from Spiritually Stronger in 40 Days!

This saddens me greatly, but not all those who call themselves Christians will join our Lord Jesus in Heaven. Why? Because their hearts were divided all along, and this was reflected in their attitude towards sin while they were alive.

They knew that some of the things they were doing were sinful, but they kept doing them anyway. This attitude revealed an unwillingness to do their best not to sin. Yes, God knows that we cannot not sin while we are on earth. However, this does not mean that He gives us a license to sin. No. We are supposed to work on our progressive sanctification with all our hearts and minds, and with passion, determination and perseverance. This is the attitude that pleases God and that shows that we earnestly seek to obey His commands.

Let us be totally clear here: the Christians who keep doubting, lying, gossiping, stealing, fornicating, behaving in a sexually immoral way, worshipping other gods, and so on, will NOT enter the gates of heaven without genuine repentance.

God is loving, slow to anger and forgiving. So, He gives us ample time to repent and take our sanctification seriously. However, if we keep ignoring His warnings over a long period of time (which can stretch from just a few weeks to several decades) then He can only conclude that we do not want to spend time with Him in heaven. Why? Because when we know that each sin we commit separates us a little bit more from God (but not from His love), we will do our best not to sin if we truly love Him so that we can already experience His presence in our lives while we are on earth.

What we must know is that with the help of the Holy Spirit, there is no sin that we cannot untangle ourselves from. This fact should encourage us to take our progressive sanctification very seriously, and to work on one sinful area after another. By following this step-by-step approach, we will automatically sin less and come to experience God more for our own benefit.

Do not sentence yourself to hell: take your progressive sanctification seriously - stop playing with fire and taking unnecessary risks for you never know when your last day will arrive.

HOMEWORK

I know that you came to Jesus for the right reason, because you wanted your heart to be filled with love, because you wanted to exchange a life filled with guilt, bitterness, unhappiness, loneliness, worry, sickness and the like, for one filled with an abundance of joy, peace, happiness and health. So, let the faith that brought you to Jesus manifest in your life with all its power by becoming one of His disciples. Commit to submitting to Jesus, to following Him and to doing whatever He commands you to do. Remember that a good standing in your church will not save you if your so-called faith does not produce Godly fruits in your life.

You cannot be in Christ and live in the old you at the same time. You cannot want to have the blessings that go with your salvation, yet not follow the prescriptions that God has enacted! Why? Because if you do not take the medicine for your sickness, you will not be healed: your heart will still be infected with sin when God examines it on the Day of Judgment. And being sick, He will have no other choice than to quarantine you in hell forever. Is that what you really want? I am sure not. So, commit to becoming a great disciple of Jesus. Ready to make that commitment? Then write Him a letter right now in which you detail your commitment and what it entails for you. Then, keep it in a safe place and read it every week, for example on Sundays. As times passes by, check how you are doing, and if necessary take whatever corrective action is required to keep your part of the covenant.

He is married since 1995 to Barbara, and they are the parents of two children.

DON'T DEPEND ON YOUR SPOUSE FOR YOUR HAPPINESS

Wed, 6 Mar 2013 4:15:35 AM EST

This post is an excerpt from Serge's book, A New Beginning: 4 Weeks to a Great Marriage.

Your spouse cannot make you happy, nor has he or she been commissioned by God to make you happy! True happiness can only be found from within yourself. How? By activating the power, the Fruit and the gifts of the Holy Spirit who lives in you. He is your unique source of your true joy and peace. The more you deny yourself, learn from Him, let Him penetrate deeper in your heart, take your cross, and obey Him, the happier and more lively you will be.

Apart from the Holy Spirit, nothing can give you enduring happiness, not even money, friends or possessions. You will lose all these things at one point or another. They can only bring you short-lived happiness. However, the Holy Spirit will live forever. So, if He lives in you and you in Him, you will conquer everything, even physical death. By having been activated in you, the Holy Spirit gives you the assurance of your salvation. He also makes sure that you are occupied with worthy tasks so that you can overcome the world too, defeat Satan and bring people to Christ. In short, He will help you be a hero of the faith, a soldier of peace, a love agent and more than a conqueror. The more you rely on Him, the stronger and happier you will be. And the less you depend on Him, the weaker and less joyful you will become.

Whatever your desires, whatever you expect from life, seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, then all the things you want will be GIVEN to you. (Matthew 6:33) Did you read well this last sentence? Let me rub an important point again: you won’t have to fight for the things that you desire; the Lord will give them to YOU. Wow, could you get a better deal? So, stop focusing on your spouse and expecting him or her to make you happy. Do not lean on him or her and let your happiness depends on the actions of your spouse. Otherwise, you will routinely experience highs to lows, and rapidly feel empty and miserable. Worse, as time passes by, you will think that your situation is becoming hopeless and that the love that used to exist between you and your spouse has forever gone. As a result, you will either attempt to carry a cross that God has not asked you to take on you or think of divorcing your spouse. Either way, you enter into a downward spiral that will only bring you and your family destruction.

Rather than trying to change your spouse so that he acts in a way that you feel will bring your happiness dose or blame him or her for your own unhappiness, let the Holy Spirit change YOU more. Get it once and for all: no human being can make you happy, only the Holy Spirit can! Step out of your bondage of living your life mostly through your spouse. Rather than clinging on him or her, rest on the Holy Spirit and do all that He tells you to do.

HOMEWORK

Have you now realized that your happiness depends on how you meet your spiritual needs? If you search for love in the arms of another person than Christ or worse in material possessions, then you will always cry inside, feel empty and unsatisfied. Have you also become aware of the fact that your spouse cannot continually behave in a way that makes you happy even if he or she tries his or her best. Why are you trying to turn him or her into a slave, whose main purpose is to make you happy? Are you so selfish as to prevent him or her from having a life of his or her own and accomplishing the plan that God has for his or her life?

Examine now your life to see if you do not have a tendency to cling on your spouse (or other people) for your happiness? If you do, then release them and commit to spending more time each day in the presence of Jesus by reading your Bible, meditating on it, obeying it and living it. Refuse to let your happiness depend on the actions, words or moods of your spouse. Decide today that you will be happy no matter what your spouse does and that you will be content with what you currently have. As Philippians 4:19 beautifully reminds us, “ God (and not your spouse) will meet ALL your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” If your relationship with Jesus is not what it should be, then fix it asap. Otherwise, you won’t be able to find happiness.

For more information about A NEW BEGINNING: 4 Weeks To A Great Marriage, click here.

To read the book's endorsements, click here.

He is married since 1995 to Barbara, and they are the parents of two children.

CULTIVATING A THANKFUL HEART

Tue, 26 Feb 2013 11:28:12 PM EST

There are several steps in cultivating a thankful heart. Before we look at those steps, let's look at the word: “Cultivate” for a minute.

The word “cultivate” from the Dictionary means:

1. Prepare and use (land) for crops or gardening.

Break up (soil) in preparation for sowing or planting.

Raise or grow (plants), esp. on a large scale for commercial purposes.

Biology; grow or maintain (living cells or tissue) in culture.

2. Try to acquire or develop (a quality, sentiment, or skill): he cultivated an air of indifference.

Try to win the friendship or favor of (someone): it helps if you go out of your way to cultivate the local people.

Apply oneself to improving or developing (one's mind or manners).

World English Dictionary

To till and prepare (land or soil) for the growth of crops

To plant, tend, harvest, or improve (plants) by labour and skill

To break up (land or soil) with a cultivator or hoe

To improve or foster (the mind, body, etc) as by study, education, or labour

To give special attention to: to cultivate a friendship ; to cultivate a hobby

To give or bring culture to (a person, society, etc); civilize

This shows us that we need to be constantly tilling and working our hearts to grow thankfulness. It doesn’t come naturally. We really are born selfish. We have to teach ourselves to share and be nice to others. To cultivate a thankful heart takes work, yet it should spring from deep within when it comes to being thankful for all God has done in our lives.

STEPS TO CULTIVATE A THANKFUL HEART

1. WE HAVE TO FOCUS ON THE GOOD AND NOT THE BAD

Far too often we humans only see the bad in our life. We have to open our eyes to the bigger picture. God has blessed us with many blessings. Even for the fact of you breathing is enough to be thankful for. Still there’s more! Take a look in your life. Refuse to look at all the bad. Take inventory of all the blessings and good. I know you can do this. Remind yourself of all the good: Family, home, food, vehicle, health, relationships, freedom, and so much more are reasons to be thankful.

“They knew God but did not praise and thank him for being God. Instead, their thoughts

were pointless, and their misguided minds were plunged into darkness.” (Romans 1:21 - GW)

We have to praise and thank God for being who He is. It keeps our focus on the good and not the bad. This verse expresses that they didn’t praise and thank God but that their thoughts were pointless, misguided and plunged into darkness.

There is much good in your life if you would just choose to see it!

2. WE HAVE TO LEARN TO PRAISE GOD IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STORM!

It is easy to be thankful when all is well in your world. Praise comes easily when you are on a spiritual high. It is when we walk in the middle of a storm, or a valley that our true character comes out.

Being thankful to God even when things are not so good shows a sign of maturity. We as adults know life has its ups and downs. We also know seasons change. Learn to be thankful in the winter as well as the summer season of your life.

“To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1 - NKJV)

Being thankful is not denying the circumstance, it is trusting God in the middle of the battle knowing He is with you and is always victorious!

3. WE HAVE TO LOOK FOR WAYS TO HELP OR BLESS OTHERS

Getting our focus off of ourselves and onto others is one of the best ways I have found to help me to be thankful. We can get so self-absorbed we can’t even see our neighbor is hurting. Helping others forces us to look away from ourselves. It immediately shows us we don’t have it so bad, as others may have a harder struggle then we do.

Being self-absorbed shows immaturity. We are not being like Jesus, who gave His very life for us. What if Jesus was self-absorbed, where would we be right now? Lost!

“Finally, everyone must live in harmony, be sympathetic, love each other, have compassion, and be humble.” (1 Peter 3:8 - GW)

“And now I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” (John 13:34 - GNB)

4. WE HAVE TO OPEN OUR HEARTS TO RECEIVE FROM GOD

When was the last time you allowed yourself to receive something from God? Why do we toil and struggle to figure things out on our own? Maybe it is because we feel we are not worthy? Maybe its human reasoning? Maybe it is pride?

It takes faith to receive this verse as truth! If you receive this verse, you have to receive the entire Bible and all that it says about you. God loves you with an everlasting love. You are deeply cherished.

The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.” (Jeremiah 31:3)

Knowing we are deeply loved brings thankfulness. 24/7, 365 days a year is how much you are cherished and loved. God chose to create you! He chose to breath life into you! You are His favorite. Makes me giggle inside to think about that! It brings a sense of belonging and purpose. It brings a heart of thankfulness.

5. WE HAVE TO CULTIVATE A THANKFUL HEART!

There is always something in your life to be thankful for. Choose to focus on the good. Choose to praise and thank God even when the storms come.

Helping people and being compassionate is being like Jesus, and opening our hearts to receive from God daily will help us to grow in Christ and spread His love to others.

Being thankful is the only way to live. God has done so much for each of us. Let’s quickly give Him the thanks and praise He deserves.

Her most recent book, "Revive, Rebuild, and Restore" was released in september 2011.

We invite you to visit her website.

MARRIED? CHOOSE YOUR BATTLES WISELY!

Wed, 20 Feb 2013 6:47:29 AM EST

This post is an excerpt from Serge's book, A New Beginning: 4 Weeks to a Great Marriage.

As conflicts and arguments are inevitable in a marriage, the opportunities to fight are numerous. Yet, not all battles are worth fighting for.

First of all, our godly love for our spouses should cover a multitude of their sins. (1 Peter 4:8) What this basically means is that we should consciously choose not to make a mountain out of what is often a molehill and simply let go of most offenses. Many times, we magnify the sins that our spouses have committed against us and take offense where we should not have.

Secondly, we must realize that the attacks that we are under come in reality, not from our spouses, but from Satan who seeks to destroy our marriages. He wants us to fight and argue over every single sin committed against us by our spouses so that our marriages become hellish. Because of their sinful nature, our spouses will often not act the way they should or the way we would like. However, it does not give us the right to confront them over every single misstep they make. God’s grace and forgiveness should abound in our marriages. Additionally, as Matthew 7:3-5 advises us, before looking at the speck of sawdust in our spouse’s eye, we should take the plank out of our own eye. Furthermore, before we go into a battle, we should carefully weight the pros and cons of doing so, and ask ourselves if it is really worth risking losing our peace and the harmony we currently enjoy with our spouse for what is probably a minor issue.

Christ should be our model and reference here as in every other interpersonal issues. What the Bible shows us is that He rarely took offense or went into battles with His disciples or the people He came across during trips. He chose His battles wisely and only “fought” with those who assumed spiritual leadership positions in a destructive way. And what did He fight for? For more justice for and acts of love towards the oppressed, the poor, the sick, and the lost. In all the other cases, He rightfully judged that it was not worthy of entering into battles or arguing over irrelevant matters. He also knew that those who love a quarrel love sin and that it is to a man’s honor to avoid strife as Proverbs 17:19 and Proverbs 20:3 reveal to us.

Finally, we need to remember that they are always two sides to every issue. We may well feel that we are right, but we should acknowledge that our spouse’s point of view might be as valid as ours, and argue our case directly with Jesus Christ and to let Him settle the case, waiting patiently for His answer. This is in fact the most productive way to handle arguments for which no agreements can be reached between the spouses.

Words of caution: Wives are to submit to their husbands. So, if a decision cannot be jointly agreed upon by the spouses and the solution proposed by the husband does not contradict a teaching of the Bible, then the wife should, in love, follow the leadership of her husband. She should not use nagging, deceptive or manipulative strategies to get her solution accepted. Rather, in faith, she should trust God that everything will come out for her own good or that of her family and submit to her husband, an action that will be pleasing to God.

HOMEWORK

Examine the recent battles that you went into and determine the reasons that led you to do so. Was it to defend your pride, to have the last word, to retaliate and take revenge, to affirm your control over your spouse? Then examine your trigger points, what pushed you to enter into an unnecessary battle. Based on your findings, decide on what you can do to avoid going into unnecessary battles in the future. Additionally, ask God to help you become more loving towards your spouse, remove sources of pride, and increase your control over your negative emotions. Finally, deliberately seek to please your spouse more from now on.

For more information about A NEW BEGINNING: 4 Weeks To A Great Marriage, click here.

To read the book's endorsements, click here.

He is married since 1995 to Barbara, and they are the parents of two children.

GRACE IS A GREASY ARROW

Wed, 13 Feb 2013 1:13:41 AM EST

Today, people, especially Christians, are not quick to give grace to people. Far too often we judge and criticize others after making a quick judgement of their actions. We even assume they are a certain way, or did a certain thing, and put them in a “I don’t agree with their lifestyle or choices” category. We label them “sinners” and cast judgement that they are guilty, or even worse, talk behind their back to others what we think about them. The very thing we accuse them of - sin - is the very thing we do when we judge people and don’t offer them mercy and grace. We throw daggers or arrows of judgement so quick, we don’t even think of our actions being wrong. Often it is a life-style of judging others. It is who we are, or who we have become. This should not be.

I believe there is something within us that we don’t want to look bad compared to other people so we are quick to criticize and judge someone who has messed up or has done something wrong. This should not be.

Have you ever been on the receiving end of judgement? I remember being in court over a traffic ticket. Thinking I would be given mercy and grace, but instead I was judged guilty and had to pay the fine. Even after trying to state my case when they asked me to do so, the verdict was guilty. I hated being in the court room. I have only been there a few times in my life and really don’t care to be again. My fate was out of my hands. Being judged is not a fun place to be, in fact it can be very painful.

Maybe you are one who has a hard time receiving God’s grace? You have done wrong and have not forgiven yourself. No one deserves God’s grace. Grace is really God’s love extended to you in spite of what you have done, who you are, or what you will become. There is something about the grace of God that penetrates the heart immediately. Personally, I have experienced God’s grace quicker then any human was willing to offer it to me. It comes right down to receiving the grace of God and walking away from doing what doesn’t please Him.

You will find trying to please people is futile. There will always be someone who doesn’t like you or what you are doing. There will always be a person ready to tell you what you have done wrong in their eyes. The bottom line, we live to please God and not man.

God is the Master archer. He puts grace on the arrow of love to give to people that penetrates the heart immediately. Not greasy grace, but a greasy arrow to quickly hit the heart of those who need it. We all need grace from God.

“Give ear, O LORD, to my prayer; listen to my plea for grace.” (Psalm 86:6 - ESV)

“Be gracious to me, O LORD! See my affliction from those who hate me, O you who lift me up from the gates of death, that I may recount all your praises, that in the gates of the daughter of Zion I may rejoice in your salvation. The nations have sunk in the pit that they made; in the net that they hid, their own foot has been caught.” (Psalm 9:13 - 15 ESV)

Here we see how King David cried out to God to be gracious because his enemy has set traps of judgement and wanted him dead. God is the ultimate judge, not man. He is the one who is just and righteous, not man. This verse indicates the very net placed to snare David, his enemies were caught in. We have to remember when we judge, we will be judged, and with the same measure we will be judged by God.

“Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.” (Luke 6:37 - 38 NKJV)

If you have been a Christian for any length of time, I am sure you have heard those verses before. We have to remind ourselves Who is the ultimate judge and release people from the judgement we place on them.

There is a difference between the grace God gives and the grace the world gives. The world looks at grace as “charm” or “elegance” (Dictionary). But the grace God offers is far different. God’s grace is His unmerited (not deserved) favor He gives to us. To take the word “grace” to the original Hebrew it means “to bend or stoop in kindness, merciful, or to have mercy, have pity upon, or make supplication ”

We should be sentenced to Hell and eternal damnation, but instead, God extended His grace to us and showed mercy by sending His Son to die on the cross. When we believe and ask Jesus in our heart as Lord and Savior, we will spend eternity with Him when we die. In other words, we are saved from burning in hell. That is where the expression comes; “Saved by grace.” His grace saves us not only from hell, but from so many stupid things we have done in our lives. He offers forgiveness as far as the East is from the west.

“As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.” (Psalm 103:12 - NKJV)

Have you heard the expression; “There’s an app for that?” This is referring to any application you would like to do on your Smartphone, tablet, or Computor. I would like to extend that saying to what ever you have done, “There is grace for that.” Grace hits the mark every time. If you have robbed a bank; “There is grace for that!” If you have committed adultery; “There is grace for that!” If you have stolen or did a crime; “There is grace for that!” Not to abuse God’s grace and commit all these things and more knowing “There is grace for that!” But to turn from and stop doing what doesn’t please God. Give yourself freedom from the bondage of the wrong you have done and receive God’s grace even when you don’t think you deserve it. God’s grace hits the mark every time. His grace is a greasy arrow. It penetrates the hardest of hearts.

I would like to sum up the title of this message with a great story from the Bible. There are three different accounts of this story in the New Testament and all had to do with an Alabaster flask of costly spikenard oil.

Anointing of Jesus

Mark 14:3 - 9 talks about Jesus being in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper for dinner. A woman with an alabaster flask of costly oil of Spikenard came and broke the flask and poured it on Jesus’ head and anointed Jesus with the costly perfume. There were some seated there who became indignant and wanted to know why it was wasted because they could have sold it for 300 denarii and given money to the poor. They criticized her sharply. Jesus stood up for her and said to “Leave her alone.” and said, “Why do you trouble her? She has done a good thing for me.” The poor you will always have but me you will not always have. She anointed me for burial.” “Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.” (Mark 14:9)

John 12:1 - 8 is similar to Mark’s account as it took place in Bethany, but this time Lazarus was there and so was Martha and Mary. Mary is the one who took the pound of Spikenard and anointed Jesus’ feet and wiped with her hair. One of the Disciples, Judas, asked why not sell the oil for 300 denarii and give the money to the poor. Judas didn’t care about the poor. He was in charge of the cash box and would take what was put in it for himself. He was critical of such a loving gesture by Mary, and yet he did worse things in secret. Again, Jesus stood up for her and said to leave her alone as she has kept this for my burial. The poor you will always have, but you will not always have me.

Luke 7:36 - 50 in this account of Jesus being anointed before burial, he had dinner at a Pharisee’s house (some scholars indicate Simon the leper was a Pharisee). A “sinful woman” came and broke open the alabaster flask of spikenard and stood behind Jesus weeping and anointed his feet and wiped them with her hair and tears. She kissed his feet often. A Pharisee spoke to himself that if this man was a prophet he would know what kind of woman was touching him. She was a sinner. Jesus, knowing what was in Simon’s heart spoke to him a parable of two debtors. One owed 500 denarii and the other owed 50 denarii. Both were forgiven of their debt and Jesus asked Simon which one loved more? Simon answered the one who was forgiven more and he answered correctly. Jesus shared to Simon that He entered his house and Simon didn’t offer any water to wash his feet, but the woman washed His feet with her tears. Simon didn’t offer any kiss to Jesus, but she has not ceased to kiss my feet since the time they came in. You didn’t anoint my head with oil, but the woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil. Jesus said, “Her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little” (Luke 7:47). Then He forgave her sins and those who sat at the table with Him became critical saying, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”

Grace hits the target!

All three accounts show the grace of God in action to this woman.

1. She was granted favor

She gave Jesus her all. Something so extravagant as this costly perfumed oil must have taken many years to save up to buy. Who knows, it might have come by the very sinful deeds she was accused of in the account in Luke 7. But, she gave it willingly to pour out her love on the very one who forgave her of all the wrong she had done. He didn’t judge her, only grace was given. This grace pierced the barriers of bondage and judgement of those in the room with them.

Jesus gave her His favor. His attention was on her. He gave her His love. No one else in the room caught Jesus’ attention like this woman did.

2. Criticized for extravagance

Being critical of others blocks God’s grace, but humility and love for Jesus

gives an open target for grace to hit! ~ Pastor Kris Belfils

Being critical of others pushes you away from God. Give grace to

people and see how close to God you become! ~ Pastor Kris Belfils

People criticize extravagance. She was criticized for this extravagant gesture on her part by religious people. In the Prodigal Son he was criticized for all the extravagance given to him when he came back home. The criticism came from his own brother. A member of his own family was extremely harsh in judgement towards him. Often today people are criticized for their love for God and how they express it, and usually the criticism comes from a member of their own church. People are criticized for what they do for God, especially if it goes against the traditions of their denomination. Why is it that we get criticized the most from fellow Christians?

3. Jesus was her advocate

Jesus stood up for her in the middle of the criticism she was receiving. He put a stop to their accusations. He said to leave her alone. He asked why they troubled her because what she did was a good thing. What man thinks is bad, often God approves as good!

Jesus is a friend to sinners. He doesn’t cast a judgmental glance at those who need to be forgiven. Quit the opposite. Jesus is drawn to sinners. It is the sick who need a doctor, not the healthy. Jesus came for a sick and dying world. He came for you and me. If we ever think we don’t need Jesus in our lives, we will be like a Pharisee with self-righteousness in our hearts. We will be deceived. We all need a Savior. We all need an advocate to stand up for us because if we would stand up for ourselves we would fall short and be lacking.

4. She was forgiven

“Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.” (Luke 7:47 - NKJV)

I remember when my oldest daughter was around two or three years old. We were driving in the car and she looked at me and asked what it meant to have Jesus in her heart. I explained that we all do bad things and we need to ask Jesus in our hearts to live there and to forgive all the bad things we have done. She proceeded to pray, with her eyes closed and her hands folded, “Jesus please come into my heart to live!” and then at the very end she said, “... and the bad things.” It was a precious moment for me as her mom, and for her because that is when her new life began with Jesus living inside of her.

What bad things have you done in your life? Have you been forgiven much? Then love extravagantly your Savior and live your life to please Him.

5. Honor

She was remembered throughout the ages for what she did that day for Jesus.

“Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.” (Mark 14:9 - NKJV)

I know she didn’t anoint Jesus for honor. She did it out of love, yet the very thing she was criticized for was the very thing which made her famous. She was humble and broken. No pride was in her. She just had a need to pour her love on Jesus.

God honors what we do for Him. He knows our heart and our intent. He also knows where we have been and what we have done. Allow God’s greasy arrow of grace to hit the target of your need. It never misses.

Her most recent book, "Revive, Rebuild, and Restore" was released in september 2011.

We invite you to visit her website.

HOW GOD USES OUR PAIN

Wed, 6 Feb 2013 6:01:52 AM EST

It only requires a visit to the local pharmacy to remind us that we live in a pain conscious society. Display shelves are filled with a wide variety of products that promise to relieve or reduce the pains in our body from our head to our feet. Prescription drugs for alleviating pain has now become a multi-billion dollar industry and still growing.

Pain is included with the package of life.

Our human nature automatically shies away from physical stress, mental anguish and emotional conflict brought on by pain. We would like to be isolated and insulated from it all, but that isn't the way life works. Experiencing physical, mental and emotional pain has become a part of everyday life. As a matter of fact, it is part of the normal human experience around the world. No one is exempted. It's a part of being human, and as long as we're in this earthy body, each of us will have to deal with the problem of pain coming into our life. Pain comes included with the package of life.

When we bump our heads, cut ourselves, sprain our ankle, or suffer some other kind of injury of this nature, we experience a pain that is of a short duration. We don't get overly concerned with this kind of pain because we know it will eventually go away with time. But sometimes we encounter pain that we don't know its source. It can be physical or emotional pain. With this kind of pain, we do get concerned. When pain of this type comes into our life, there are two things important for us to understand about it that will help us in dealing with it.

Sometimes the source of pain is unknown

(a) Pain comes as a warning signal telling us that something is definitely wrong in our life. It's a symptom alerting us to what could be a serious problem. It's calling our attention to it so we can take measures to do something about it.

(b) When pain comes, oft times God will use it as a means to work his purposes into our life. Sometimes, God takes something that is bad (such as pain) and turns it around and uses it for our good.

Here are four ways that God uses our pain to work good into our life.

1. GOD USES PAIN TO GOAD US.

Pain will spur us into action quicker than anything else will. Making a dental appointment is a good example of this. Many people have a fear of going to the dentist so they put off going as long as they can. But when their toothache pain gets greater than their fear, then they move into action and go to the dentist.

"Sometimes it takes a painful experience to make us change." (Proverbs 20: 30, GNV)

Pain will force us to make changes, even when we don't want to change. Pain brings us to the place where we're ready to change. The prodigal son of Luke 15: 14 -18 (GN) is an example of this. The prodigal son had "spent everything he had....and was hungry....at last he came to his senses and said..."I'll get up and go to my father..." The pains of hunger finally goaded him into action. God works even in our pains to stir us up, to motivate us to make the necessary changes in our life. The truth is, we'd rarely make changes if we didn't have any pain in our life.

2. GOD USES OUR PAIN TO GUIDE US.

A bit is used in a horses mouth to turn them. God takes our (bit) of pain and uses it to turn us in different directions.

Psalms 119:71-72 (LB), says,"...It was the best thing that could have happened to me, for it taught me to pay attention to your laws."

God whispers to us in our pleasure, but he shouts to us in our pain.

A bit in the mouth of a horse is used to get their attention. Pain coming into our life is used of God to get our attention. Someone has said, "God whispers to us in our pleasure, but he shouts to us in our pain." He is saying, "I want your attention." It doesn't always take a lot of pain to get our attention. Just as a little rudder can turn a big ship--sometimes just a little pain in our life can lead us into a new direction.

Do you remember the story of Joseph in the Bible? The first chapters of his life are one painful experience after another. Everything that could go wrong did go wrong. He's ignored, rejected and sold into slavery by his brothers. He's falsely accused, thrown into prison and almost forgotten there. But if you read the end of his story, you realize that God was working in all of these painful experiences to prepare Joseph to fulfill God's plan for his life. Joseph ends up being second in command in Egypt, saving not only Egypt, but Israel also.

All along in Joseph's life, God was goading and guiding him for greatness. This greatness didn't come without pain. If Joseph had never gone to the pit, he would never have come to the palace.

3. GOD USES OUR PAIN TO GAUGE US.

Pain is one of the measuring tools God uses to help us see what we're like on the inside. It's been said that people are like tea bags; you don't know what's in them until you drop them in hot water. We don't really know what's inside of us until we're faced the test of pain.

The bible often compares pain to a refining fire. Fire is used to refine gold and silver. As the gold and silver are heated, they begin to melt and all the impurities rise to the surface where they can be scooped off. God uses the pain that comes into our life to bring out the impurities that perhaps we weren't aware was there. Isaiah 48: 10 (NIV), "I have tested you in the furnace of affliction." Pain is sometimes a test. It exposes the real us. It reveals what we are on the inside. Do you know why this is so? It's because it's impossible to maintain an image when you're in pain. James 1: 2-3, (The Message) "...tests and challenges come at you from all sides (and) you know that under pressure your faith life is forces into the open and shows its true colors." Testing reveals what we're like on the inside so we can do something about it. Deuteronomy 8:2 NLT) "Remember how the Lord your God led you through the wilderness for forty years, humbling you and testing you to prove your character and to find out whether or not you would really obey his commandments."

4. GOD USES OUR PAIN TO GROW US.

It's possible for us to grow spiritually and emotionally when everything is going great and life is fantastic, but - it's a fact that we grow far deeper and greater, not on the mountaintop but in the valley in the face of stress and pressure coming into our life. Someone has said, "Pain is the high cost of growth."

James 1:4 LB says; "For when the way is rough, your patience has a chance to grow. So let it grow and don't try to squirm out of your problems....then you will be ready for anything, strong in character, full and complete."

Apostle Paul says it like this in I Corinthians 1:9 as he was talking about the pain he had experienced. "This happened... so we might learn to trust, not in ourselves, but in God." You see, we really don't know that Jesus Christ is all we need until Jesus Christ is all we have got.

→ If you are experiencing hurt and pain in your life today, ask yourself these questions.

Father, are you using this to goad me, to motivate me into action, to start doing something I ought to be doing?

Father, are you using this to guide me, to point me in a new direction?

Father, are you using this to gauge me, to help me to measure myself and see what I'm really like on the inside and to let me know where I need to make changes?

Father, are you using this to grow me, to bring maturity and commitment into my life, so that I reflect the character of Jesus Christ?

God's answer to all these questions will be a resounding, yes. God has dedicated himself to work for the good of the believer in everything life brings, (and that includes pain.)

"But we know that for those who love him, for those called in agreement with his purpose, God makes all things work together for good." (Romans 8:28)

For more infomation about Pastor Bill Lobbs or to read his many other great sermons and messages, we invite you to visit the website that his wife animates: Nuggets of Truth.

REVIVAL OF THE SPIRIT

Wed, 30 Jan 2013 1:24:04 AM EST

“But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.” (Romans 8:11 - NKJV)

The same spirit that raised Jesus from the grave dwells in, i.e lives in us. When you think about that, wow, it brings a whole new look at intimacy with God. I will do everything possible to have and keep a close relationship with God. My relationship with Him is a precious thing: it is my life!

Our thinking can produce life or death. I was writing in my journal the other day and here is what I wrote: “I sense a revival in my spirit, a turning from thinking dead thoughts to thoughts that produce life. Breathe new life into every area of me, Lord. Create and resurrect new thinking in my spirit. I throw away all the old thinking that only brought death. I decree new life! I decree hope and your promises! You are my Resurrection power. The same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead dwells in me!”

Keeping and maintaining a close relationship with God will change our way of thinking.

We can bring death in our life by thinking thoughts that produce death. Our actions can bring death, not only to us, but to our friends and family, church body, co-workers, and more. Let me give you an example: gossip and misunderstandings.

We can “perceive” something was said by someone, or something was done by someone, and believe it to be true. Once we believe the lie as truth, we act upon it and might even gossip to other people about what we thought was said. Then, the person we gossiped to tells someone else, and in turn they tell someone else. It can go around a church like wild fire and hurt someone’s reputation in just a short amount of time. This blocks the Holy Spirit from moving in hearts. This also blocks any leader from ministering to people within the church if the church is believing a lie about them as a leader.

We need God to revive our spirits so we don’t look through the tainted glasses of gossip and misunderstanding. Always go to the source and find out if the information that was said is true. Better yet, don’t even believe for a minute the gossip in the first place.

Gossip will prevent revival from coming in your life and in the body of Christ. God hates sin, and gossip is sin! Remember that sin separates us from God. We need to be a people who are quick to repent and to make things right with those we hurt. We can’t go around causing hurts and cuts in other people’s lives and not expect any consequences to happen in our own life. Remember how we judge will be measured back to us.

“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.” (Matthew 7:1 - 2 - NKJV)

I like how the Amplified Bible states these verses: “Do NOT judge and criticize and condemn others, so that you may not be judged and criticized and condemned yourselves. For just as you judge and criticize and condemn others, you will be judged and criticized and condemned, and in accordance with the measure you [use to] deal out to others, it will be dealt out again to you.

Think about what you have been talking to others about lately. Has it been edifying to your spirit and to those that are listening? What have you been watching on the television or movies? What have you been listening to on the radio? Personally, I am very protective of what I watch and listen to as I know it can affect me in a positive or negative way.

If you are longing to be revived but keep feeding your spirit with things that don’t edify you, it will eventually dry up your spirit and you will become indifferent to the things of God. You won’t become revived, quit the opposite, your spirit will start to die.

Allow God to revive your spirit and your love for Him will grow more and more. Revival of our spirit will affect all areas of our life!

It is easy to get caught in the mundane of life. We lose our first love of God and start going through the motions instead of living life abundantly (John 10:10), especially if you have been a Christian for many years. Remember this can be a trap of the enemy to prevent you from becoming all God created you to be. Don’t settle for less than what God’s Word promises. Get a promise book out and read the topics that concern you. Allow God’s Word to penetrate your spirit and sink in until you start believing it.

When you see a person who is dying and people are trying to resuscitate them, their body is lifeless. But when that person is resuscitated they start to move. They start to talk, they start to possibly get up and walk. This is what happens with our spirit. God is trying to resuscitate us. He knows what we need to come alive again. Don’t settle for the “should of” and “Could of.” I should of written that book I was thinking about! I could of made something of my life but I became discouraged, or just was lazy. I should of married that person I fell in love with. I could of shown more love to my family and children. I should have applied for that job I’ve always wanted. I could of started my own business but I was too afraid.

Become alive and live your life! You are the only person who can enjoy your life. No one else can enjoy it, only you. Stop blaming circumstances or people for what you lack. Allow your spirit to be revived and watch how your entire life will change. It doesn’t matter how old or young you are. God created you! Therefore you have a purpose on this earth. Plan to fulfill that purpose!

“But there is a spirit in man, And the breath of the Almighty gives him understanding.” (Job 32:8 - NKJV)

The word spirit in this verse means: “Wind, breath, life, anger, air, blast, courage, mind, to blow, breathe, to smell, touch, make of quick understanding (the primative root).”

Often our spirit has a lack of courage and is fearful to deal with things that are troubling to us. We might not even see areas in us that need change. It is like the “elephant in the living room” syndrome. Everyone else can see it but we can’t. Either we are choosing to ignore it or we are in denial.

The Elephant In Your Living Room

I took my daughters to school and both of them didn't want to go. It was Monday, and Monday is the hardest day of the week after having two days off for the weekend. My daughters have always wanted to be with my husband and I instead of going. I can understand as I was the same way when I was younger. I would rather do anything instead of going to school. As I was saying, “Good bye” to them, I spoke out, “Be brave, and be strong and courageous!” I started to think about those words and what I was going through in my own life. Recently I have been facing my fears and walking through things I have avoided for years. God has been telling me to be “strong and courageous” (Joshua 1:6) as I face my giants and obstacles that come my way to get to the Promised Land. Fear of the unknown, fear of my past, fear of man, fear of failure, and even the fear that I missed the Promised Land altogether.

Being courageous is not an easy thing to do, especially when it has been marks of your character to run and bolt under pressure. The word courageous means: possessing or displaying courage; able to face and deal with danger or fear without flinching.

The word courage means: “The quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, danger, pain, etc, without fear, and with self-possession, confidence, resolution; bravery.”

There are times when I do feel courageous and I face my fears, other times I shrink back and find a place of refuge. I believe God knows and sees this. He knows when I am weak or vulnerable. I also believe God will bring about encouragement somehow. It might be a passage of scripture you read that blesses you and gives you strength to continue. It might be a friend or loved one saying or doing something for you. It might be the Holy Spirit speaking to your heart in such a way that you realize you can keep going under fire.

There are several elements to courage that are always there. Courage is part of our spirit. When we follow through with what we need to do, even though we don't want to do it, we will see all these elements come to pass.

ELEMENTS TO COURAGE

1. COURAGE TAKES BOLDNESS - FACE YOUR FEARS

Fear, in it self, can rule us and paralyze us if we let it. Fear of the unknown is overwhelming if we allow the thoughts to take over our minds. One thing I have found to combat fear in my life is to remind myself of God's faithfulness. I remember situations in my past that God has brought me through and I tell myself that He will bring me through this too.

We must remember that retreating from our fears only brings weakness. It also multiplies the fear in our minds and it becomes even bigger than reality. I know as I have done it in my life. Then, instead of facing something small and manageable, we face a puffed up illusion of the fear. This can only bring torment and pain. This is the enemies work. We have to recognize it for what it is. God is not a God of fear. He is a God of courage. So, if you face any fears in your life, realize God wants you to have courage. Pray and ask God what you should do. Should you confront the fear? Should you wait? Should you just let the fear go and trust God for the outcome?

This week I have had to look at some “scary” fears in my life. As I looked at them, I let them overwhelm me and I began to retreat and want to give up. Courage was not in me at all. This is rather hard to tell you as I have a fear of people thinking I am not a strong woman of God, or weak in the face of fear. But as I started to retreat, I turned around and looked at the fear. It became even bigger to me. I stopped and walked right up to it and saw it finally for what it was; fiction. Fear is fiction, at least the fear I was facing. It was not reality. I had allowed the fear of man, and fear of my past, to paralyze and prevent me from moving on with my life, and with ministry.

One of my fears is not measuring up to other people. I have always felt “less than” others. This fear has blown up so big in my life. I was shocked at the size I had allowed it to get. My insecurities and weaknesses were so huge in my mind that they seemed insurmountable. But the only way I will overcome them is to face them and push myself towards them. I am determined to not be in bondage to my fears. We all have them; it is how we deal with them that really determine what we will do in life. So I have made a determination in my heart to walk towards my fears instead of retreating or finding a place to hide.

A close friend pointed out some of my fears to me. It was like the big “elephant in the living room” syndrome. Everyone sees you have a big elephant in your living room, as matter of fact it is taking up all the extra space for anyone to sit down and fellowship with you. Yet, you have no clue that the elephant is there. I can imagine a comedy skit of a big elephant in the living room and people are sitting down on the couches or chairs trying to drink a cup of coffee and fellowship with you, but the elephant is so big that it is sitting in everyone's lap. Still you don't even acknowledge it being there and you try to strike up a conversation with people. Everyone else sees the elephant and knows what needs to be done, but you are totally ignoring the obvious.

It takes courage to face our elephants.

2. COURAGE KNOWS GOD IS ALWAYS THERE - REALIZE YOU ARE NOT ALONE!

Often times we think we have to face our fears alone. That makes our fears even worse. We think we are the only one there to figure out what to do. We have to realize we are never alone, we always have God there. He is constantly speaking to our heart words of help, direction, encouragement, and peace. We just have to tune our spiritual ears into His frequency.

Scripture says in 1Samuel 12:22, “For the LORD will not forsake his people for his great name's sake: because it hath pleased the LORD to make you his people.”

Hebrews 13:5- 6 says, “Your life should be free from the love of money. Be satisfied with what you have, for He Himself has said, I will never leave you or forsake you. Therefore, we may boldly say: The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?”

God's love can envelop us to overcome our fears. He is not expecting you to be strong and courageous without him. Our loving Lord will shower us with the confidence of His love to walk and face what we need to face. In His love we are transformed and changed. We see things from a different perspective. The perspective is from His loving arms looking out to the situation. Everything seems smaller and easily attainable and manageable from His arms.

Let us remember that perfect love drives out fear.

1 John 4:18 states, “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.” God's love for us is perfect. His love drives our fear away if we receive it. We know fear is not of God strictly because fear torments us. God is a God of love, not torment.

There is no room in love for fear. Well-formed love banishes fear. Since fear is crippling, a fearful life--fear of death, fear of judgment--is one not yet fully formed in love.

God is calling his people to be strong under fire. So many times we want the easy road out. We would rather find a more comfortable path to take in life then to walk through a rough trial. But if we walk through what is in front of us we will be stronger for it. We will receive a wonderful reward for endurance.

Joshua 1:6a “Be strong and courageous…”

3. COURAGE TAKES RISKS - STEP OUT BEYOND WHAT YOU KNOW

Usually when you have to confront something, it takes an element of risk into the unknown. Joshua visited the Promised Land earlier under Moses leadership, and knew what was in the land he had to confront. Did he know how they were going to overcome the giants? No! But he did know God was with him and He was willing to face what was ahead in the security of knowing God was for him, and not against him.

The element of risk is challenging. What is your character? Do you cringe at the thought of risking something? If there is risk involved, it does mean you will have to let go of something to reach for something new.

The definition of the word, “risk” is, “the exposure to the chance of injury or loss,” so there will be a loss of some sort. The loss here is the loss of fear! It is worth the risk of stepping out in courage to confront fear. The more and more we step out and confront the fear, the easier and less threatening it becomes in our lives. The risk to the exposure of injury is always a threat. That is why we retreat when we see fear. We don't want to get hurt. Our flesh will scream at us and yell, STOP AND TURN AROUND,” while our head and our heart is saying, “KEEP PRESSING FORWARD!” We really don't have a choice when it comes to living life and enduring from day to day. If we stop, we will digress or self-destruct. There is nothing healthy about that. No, the only choice we have is to keep going and to press in to any fear and meet it head on to over come it.

4. COURAGE TAKES RESILIENCE - ENDURING WHEN YOU WANT TO GIVE UP

Resilience is “the power or ability to return to the original form or position after being bent, compressed, or stretched; elasticity. It is the ability to recover from illness, depression, adversity, or the like; buoyancy.”

Courage takes resilience. It is a knowing that as you are walking in the face of your fears, you will be ok. It is continuing to move forward even though you see potential hazards around you. Remember that God is always with us,

Isaiah 42:3 “He will not break a bruised reed, and He will not put out a smoldering wick; He will faithfully bring justice.” God will not allow you to be bent to the place of breaking. He is with you and has His eye on you constantly. That's His character. He knows what you can endure, which is more than what you think you can endure. Resilience is good as it brings healthy growth.

I heard about an environment scientists were trying to create in the desert. They created a dome structure that would grow all sorts of plants and trees. They would plant all types of wildlife. But as the trees would grow, they started to bend back towards the ground. The scientists were baffled over this. They gave the trees proper care, nourishment, and sunlight, but they still would grow straight for awhile, and then bend towards the ground. Finally one of the scientists realized there was no wind. The trees needed wind to face resistance to make them grow strong under pressure.

This is exactly what happens with us. We need the winds of adversity to make us grow under pressure. If we never faced anything that was challenging, we would never know what it was like to overcome.

“Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.” (James 1:12)

I want to be one who bounces back under pressure. I want to find myself strong after facing my fears.

5. COURAGE TAKES ACTION - STEP OUT, MAKE A MOVE!

Faith takes action. It is one thing to believe God will bring you to your promised land, and it is another to never step one foot towards that promise.

We cannot expect to advance and take the land if we stay in one place. God is waiting for you to step out. The fear of stepping in the wrong direction is bondage.

If you never step, you will never obtain.

I believe if you step in the wrong direction, God will lovingly correct you if your heart is to do His will and to please Him.

Stand in the confidence of Who's you are. Step out in faith believing God will move after you move. Just like the Priests who had to step into the water with the Ark of the Covenant, once they took a step, the waters began to part. Before they took the step, the waters never moved (Joshua 3).

“So don't throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you need endurance, so that after you have done God's will, you may receive what was promised. For in yet a very little while, the coming One will come and not delay. But My righteous one will live by faith; and if he draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him. But we are not those who draw back and are destroyed, but those who have faith and obtain life.” Hebrews 10:35 - 39 (HCSB)

TAKE A STEP TOWARDS YOUR FEARS

Retreating is the opposite of taking a step forward towards your fears. Let’s take a step forward in getting rid of the elephant in our living room and riviving our spirit!

What does a step forward look like?

It can come in the form of casting down imaginations that try and exalt themselves above the knowledge of God in your heart (2 Cor. 10:5).

It is bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.

Another form of stepping towards your fears can be doing the exact opposite of what your flesh tells you.

If you are afraid of men and what they think of you, then you need to function and walk where you think people are having a problem with you, and love them unconditionally.

How about facing the very person that hurt you in your past and give them forgiveness? I have done this in my past and it has freed me from tons of bondage fear brought.

One of the biggest things we can do is confront the enemy and cast him down. We have let him have a stronghold for too long and it's time for us to take our authority and command him to leave us.

Courage is a wonderful character trait if we let it be complete in us. Courage is nothing if we don't act upon it. It takes boldness to face our fears. We can never overcome anything in our life if we don't confront it and look at it for what it is.

Why allow the elephant to live in your living room any longer? It doesn’t belong there in the first place. Fiction will puff itself up and that is exactly what fear does. Remember you are not alone. God always sees and is constantly watching over you. You can walk through this with confidence.

Don't get discouraged at what you see, but be encouraged as you step into the unknown.

If we want to experience more of God we have to step where we haven't been before.

Be resilient! Endure even when you want to stop, or retreat.

I am sure you can think of some action you need to take to move towards your fears with courage. Ask God to show you what you need to do. Be brave! Don't be afraid. Allow your spirit to be revived as you step out in courage to conquer what you finally need to conquer in your life. Take your promise land. Will the land come to you? No, land doesn’t walk! You have to take the steps to obtain it.

As courage is being developed in your spirit it brings revival. Your spirit is renewed and you can finally conquer what has been tormenting you for all these years. Take care of your spirit. It is who you are.

Her most recent book, "Revive, Rebuild, and Restore" was released in september 2011.

We invite you to visit her website.

DO YOU REALLY WANT TO UNLOCK MORE ABUNDANCE IN YOUR LIFE?

Wed, 23 Jan 2013 1:40:31 AM EST

In John 5:1-10, we are told the story of a man who had been crippled for 38 years and who spent all his days lying on a mat by a special pool. He knew that whoever entered first in this pool at appointed times would be cured of whatever disease they were afflicted with. Yet, he never made it during 38 years. When Jesus saw him, did He pity him? No. He asked him: “do you want to become well [are you really in earnest about getting well]?” Jesus knew what he was really suffering from and what could set him free.

What is interesting is how the man answered the question of Jesus: he went into all sorts of excuses and in a self-pity mode: “I have no-one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.” After having heard his response, Jesus simply told him to get up, pick up his sleeping pad and walk!

What key message did Jesus send him, and through him to us?
That we should not just lie doing nothing, fall into the trap of self-pity and adopt an excuse mode. Rather, Jesus was telling him (and us) to do something about our conditions if we do not like them. Being crippled was not in Jesus’ eyes an excuse for not being able to enter the pool at the appointed times. After all, the man could have found a person to help him into the pool. What Jesus was telling him was to adopt a new mindset if he wanted to get well and enjoy a higher level of abundance.

How many people adopt a similar attitude to that of the crippled man of the story?
Too many unfortunately. They prefer to list all their excuses, fall into self-pity and blame others for their situation rather than to do something about it. We should not be mad at God if we are unhappy or living in prisons. No matter our conditions or the circumstances that affect us, we can do something about them. Making a simple change in our mindset, such as letting go of the past or forgiving the people who have hurt us can ignite miracles in our lives. We should not be passive, but proactive. We must stand up on the inside and be serious about wanting to get well.

Time passes by quickly. We should therefore not stagnate in our current pot, being enchained by excuses and feeling sorry for ourselves. Sometimes, we must move to another pot by passing the “no-longer-feeling-sorry-for-ourselves” test. What we must remember is that WE determine the amount of time that we remain in a pot: we can spend 3 years, or 38 years, like the crippled man. As unbelievable as it sounds… it’s our choice.

He is married since 1995 to Barbara, and they are the parents of two children.

IS GOD ALWAYS READY TO WELCOME US BACK?

Wed, 16 Jan 2013 7:54:03 AM EST

This is a question that many people, including countless Christians, ask themselves. Basically, they are not sure whether God will take them back if they backslide. This is because Satan, our enemy, makes them feel guilty and worthless in the eyes of God whenever they sin.

However, what the Bible shows us is that once we have given our hearts to Jesus and thus become new creatures, God will never give us up. He loves us unconditionally and is always ready to forgive us. In fact, He wants us to come back to Him as soon as we have become conscious of our sins. Why? Because He knows that we cannot find anywhere else the solution to our problems as well as peace. Make no mistake: only God can fill our hearts with true love, heal our wounds and give us the strengths we need to overcome our sinful nature.

God is all-knowing and as such He is fully aware of the fact that it is impossible for us not to sin while we are on earth, even after we have accepted Jesus as our Savior and Lord. The Apostle Paul explicitly confirmed this when he said in Romans 7:18-19; “I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do – this I keep on doing.”

Contrary to what some people teach, God does not hold our sins over our heads and is not out to catch us in sin. He is not looking for any little misstep in order to punish us. He is definitely not the “beast” that some religious persons want us to believe He is. He is love. (1 John 4:8) And as such He is just, fair, patient and righteous. Yes, He prefers obedience rather than sacrifice. However, He does not measure our worth by the number of sins we commit, but by the blood His son shed to redeem us. He did not send Jesus into the world to condemn it, but to save it through Him. (John 3:17) He loves us because we have been (re)created in His image when we got born again.

God can make the difference between a person who willfully keeps sinning, and one who genuinely desires to do good, but who deceptively yield to temptation from time to time. Surprising as it may seem, God’s love for us is just as strong after we sin as it was before. When He looks at us, He does not see our sinful nature, but our new creature: the one that is made in His image. And He is proud of what He sees, of us and of our spiritual growth. If anything, He longs to have a deeper loving relationship with us as we work on our progressive sanctification. The more we sanctify ourselves, the more we come to understand who He is, what love is, what He saved us from, and what His plans for our lives are, and the more we love Him back.

Do not let Satan separate you from your Father in Heaven. God rejoices whenever we come back to Him with a repentant heart. It gives Him much joy. It lets Him know that we truly love Him and desire to be with Him. We definitely bring joy to Him whenever we go back to Him. As you will find out by yourself, He will be waiting for you with a smile and wide-open loving arms.

Brothers and sisters, it does not matter how many times you sin, God will always be ready to receive you. You do not have to fear Him. He will not punish you, but help you untangle yourself from the sins that you keep committing. Know that thanks to the work that Jesus did on the cross, He has already forgiven you for anything you have done in the past or will do in the future. And do not misinterpret this statement: it is not a license to sin. A true believer is one who sins less and less as time passes by; i.e. one who collaborates with the Holy Spirit in order to conquer as many sins as possible before His physical death. If you are one of those, you have nothing to fear at all. All you have to do is to repent and accept God’s forgiveness so that you can be fully established again in your status as a son or daughter of God.

Are you heavily laden by your sins or a guilty conscience? Then do not wait further: go back to God immediately, confess your sins and accept His forgiveness. Then, work with the Holy Spirit from now on so that you can conquer your sins.

And remember: there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ. So, do not let Satan or anyone else make you feel guilty. Just grow in faith and mature by renewing your mind and successfully going through trials with the Holy Spirit. Next time you fall, remember that your Father in Heaven is merciful and ready again to welcome you back. While you will still be at a distance, God will see you and have compassion for you, and will run toward you. (see Luke 15:20) He loves you dearly and will never forsake you. You are worth a lot to Him.

He is married since 1995 to Barbara, and they are the parents of two children.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN THAT WE ARE MADE IN THE IMAGE OF GOD?

Wed, 9 Jan 2013 5:18:15 AM EST

In Genesis 1:26, we read: “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”

We, human beings, are the only creatures who have been made in the image of our creator. And how have we been formed? Genesis 2:7 gives us the answer: “The Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.” What this means is that God, the potter, the all-powerful creator, has given us a body and a spirit. And it is the spirit that gives us (eternal) life, not our body. Indeed, our body will become dust again one day (when we die physically) as Genesis 3:19 and Ecclesiastes 12:7 confirm to us.

We therefore do not resemble God because of our mortal bodies, but because of His spirit that was breathed into us. It is what makes us special and what gives us access to supernatural powers and gifts when it is activated in us. Now, what is the overarching goal of these Holy powers and gifts? To turn us into the image and likeness of God! In other words, when the Holy Spirit is fully activated in us (and thus making us alive spiritually), which happens when we get born again, we can become “like” God if we let it transform us. Furthermore, as God is love (1 John 4:8), we can also become love, or ambassadors of love. Finally, as Jesus won the victory over Satan, we can also become victorious over Satan and overcome darkness as well as sin if God’s Spirit is leading us.

→ In conclusion, we are ALL (re)made in the image of God when we are born again. We have then full access to the powers and gifts of the Holy Spirit and can (and should) use them to spread love all over the earth. The more we let the Holy Spirit lead us, the more we acquire the loving attributes of God and can do wonders. In fact, as Jesus Himself told us, we can do even greater works than Him if we learn to unlock the full powers and gifts that the Holy Spirit confers to each one of us on our new birth.

With a fully activated Spirit in us, we can do all but one thing: to become “God.” Make no mistake: God has built us in such a way that we can become “like” Him, but not He himself. Yes, no one (not even Satan who enjoys great spiritual powers) will ever be able to take God’s place and rule over the full universe. Hence, love will always have the last word. And this is a great thing, for this fact alone gives us much peace, joy and comfort.

When all is said, the gospel is really great news. It shows us that even though we messed up in the Garden of Eden and became slaves of sin, God sent Jesus to redeem us. And the good news does not stop here. Why? Because when God redeems us, He immediately starts through His Spirit to restore us to the original image of Him that we used to conform to. In so doing, He creates a new “us” that is formed in His likeness and that can be like Him in righteousness, holiness and love. (See Ephesians 4:24) This is achieved by the activation in us of God’s spirit.

→ Are you born again? Then, know that you have been made in the image and likeness of God again. As you work on your (progressive) sanctification you can display all the qualities of God and of true love. (see 1 Corinthians 13:4-7) As you do so, you will be more and more victorious and enjoy the abundant life that Christ died to give you. (John 10:10) In short, your live will be filled with love, joy, peace, contentment, self-control, happiness, significance and meaning. This is the life that all human beings want to have, and it can be yours if you let the Holy Spirit help you go through the sanctification process.

→ If you have not yet repented of your sins and accepted Jesus in your life, then I invite you to do so as soon as possible so that you cannot just dream about the life you want to have, but actually live it. Are you ready to make Jesus Lord over your life? Then pray from your heart this prayer aloud:

"Lord Jesus, I believe You died for me and that you are alive and listening to me now. I repent of my sins and ask Your forgiveness. From this moment on, I decide to live for You and no longer for myself, to do Your will and not mine. I commit to loving you and to keeping your commandments. I beg you to make me the kind of person You want me to be. Show me the way to the Father. And fill me with the Holy Spirit, Who will teach me how to live for You and how to tell the world You are my Savior and Lord. I love You, Jesus. Amen!"

He is married since 1995 to Barbara, and they are the parents of two children.

LOVE THAT LASTS A LIFETIME!

Sat, 29 Dec 2012 10:05:11 AM EST

Why does love in our lives go from exciting to exhaustion to expired - the same love for the same person? What causes that to happen?

This message is about how to develop a kind of love that lasts for a lifetime; in your marriage, with your kids, with your parents, with friendships and with other believers.

That is the kind of love I want and I think the kind of love you want too: a love that lasts longer than a 200-page romance novel or a 2-hour romantic movie love story. There are two simple things we need to do first in order to begin the process of keeping love alive for a lifetime. Ask yourself these two profound questions.

What is love?

How does love act?

→ WHAT IS LOVE? If you think about it, love is the most misunderstood and overused word in the English language. We use the word love to describe our feelings toward many things.

I love my car.

I love my house

I love my dog.

I love pizza

I love God.

I love my mate.

So we use the word love for everything. What does the word really mean? If we're going to learn to love for a lifetime we've got to understand what the word is all about. It's difficult to give or receive love when one doesn't understand what love is.

Two popular misconceptions about love that are confusing and misunderstood are: 1) Love is only a feeling and 2) Love is uncontrolable. The truth is that love produces feelings, some very powerful ones, but love is more than a feeling. And love is not uncontrollable. In fact, the Bible teaches the opposite: that love is controllable. In John 15:12, Jesus commanded that we love others. His words indicate that we do have control over who we love or don’t love. God says several things about love that helps us to understand what love really is.

God says love is a choice. We read in Colossians 3:10-14, “And have put on the new man which is renewed in knowledge, after the image of him that created him: As believers we are told to put on the new man. Verse 14 says to “put on love which is the bond of perfection.” So love binds all these virtues together. Galatians 5: 22-23 tells us what we are to put on; "love joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance". Note the words “put on”. Just as you have a choice as to what you want to put on to wear each morning with your natural garments, so you also have a choice as to what attitude you will put on each day. The Bible says, “to put on love” because love is a choice. Love is something you can choose to have or put on.

If love were a feeling, or just an accident, God couldn't command it to us. God commands an action in our lives. Love is a matter of conduct. It is how one acts. I John 3:18, "Let us not love with words or tongues, but with actions and truth." It's how we act toward another person that portrays our love.

Love is more than words. It is more than feelings. Unlike us, the Greeks had four words to differentiate different types of love:

1. Storge, which means natural affection

2. Phileo, which means emotional affection or friendship.

3. Eros, which means sexual attraction.

4. Agape, which means unconditional, giving, sacrificial love.

When the Bible speaks of God's love for us and the kind of love we are to have for Him and for other people, the word is always agape. It is a commitment to act.

To often we love with words or tongue, but not with actions. You can talk until you're blue in the face, but your heart will always be read in your actions.

→ The real question is, "HOW IS LOVE SUPPOSED TO ACT? And who gets to tell us how it's supposed to act?" There are many voices trying to tell us how love is supposed to act. Secular society has there definition for love. Hollywood with all its lust has another definition as does the media tabloids. Our culture portrays another means of defining love which includes sources sometimes foreign to God’s Word. For the Christian, the Bible is the source we go to for instruction on how love acts.

1 Corinthians 13 is the Biblical definition of how love acts. It gives us a list of the actions or love. "Love is patient, kind, isn't jealous, doesn't brag, is not arrogant, doesn't act unbecomingly and is not provoked."

I want to take a portion of this list and use it to evaluate how healthy our relationships are in marriage, with parents, with our children and with our friends

Love is patient tells me that love is alive when it has patience. You spell patience "t-i-m-e."

Love is dying when hurried or rushed.

Love is dead when it cannot wait.

"Be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other's faults because of your love" Ephesians 4:2. Patience means I make allowances for the faults of another person. Patience means I take the time to wait for someone else to change. Patience means I wait for somebody to recover. We find strength and motivation to be patient with other people in God's patience with us. God is so patient with us. We make the same mistakes again and again and He patiently forgives again and again. That's patience!

Love is kind tells me that love is alive when it cares. Love is dying when it forgets. Love is dead when it ignores. "Love is kind." The word "kind" is a word we use often, but what does "kind" mean? Kindness means the ability to care for each other in the practical details of everyday live. Love knows how to adapt. Kindness means that I have to adapt to meet the practical needs of another person.

Colossians 3:12, "Therefore as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourself with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience". Notice the word clothe. I remind you that the Greek word literally means put on. When you wake up in the morning and decide what to wear, you should ask yourself, "What kind of attitude am I going to wear today?" Paul says that kindness is a choice. It's something you can choose to put on everyday. Kindness is love in action. Kindness is something you do. It's a practical expression of love. It's visible and active, not just emotional.

Ephesians 4:22, "Be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God has forgiven you." If I'm going to be kind to another person, I have to have a tender heart towards them. Have you noticed how easy it is to lose compassion for people who are closest to you, people that you live with? Kindness means I take time to forgive. God says it's kind to "forgive one another, just as God has forgiven you."

The only way I can have a relationship of love with God is because He's willing to forgive me. The only way we can have relationships with each other is being kind enough to forgive each other. You're thinking, they don't deserve forgiveness. Of course they don't. Neither do you. No one deserves forgiveness. That's why it's kind to forgive.

"Love does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud." This tells me that love is alive when it is secure. Love is dying when it starts doubting. Love is dead when it stops trusting. Behind these three words - envy, boast, proud - you can write, "That equals insecurity." If you take any relationship and you add just a little bit of insecurity, you can make it very unhealthy. You might ask yourself, "What am I doing to add insecurity to the relationship? What am I doing to add insecurity with a child? What am I doing to add insecurity with a parent - an older parent that perhaps you haven't called for three or four years?

What a difference it might make for you to say to somebody today, "No matter what happens, no matter how ill you become, no matter what we have to go through in life, no matter what struggles or difficulties, no matter what happens, I love you.

"Love is not rude, it is not self seeking, it is not easily angered, and it keeps no record of wrong." This tells me that love is alive when it's giving. Love is dying when it's exchanging. Love is dead when it's taking. To love is to put yourself in a vulnerable position. C. S. Lewis states, “To love at all is to be vulnerable.” The only place outside of heaven that you can be safe from all the dangers of love is hell. Love is dangerous but it's worth the risk not to harden our heart and live an empty life.

"Love always protects, always trust, always hopes, and always perseveres." This tells me that love is alive when it acts its way into a feeling. Love is dying when it feels but does not act. Love is dead when it feels its way into an action. Have you discovered the amazing truth that your actions tremendously impact your feelings? It's easier to act your way into a feeling than to feel your way into an action. By the way you act you can change the way you feel. That's one of the most exciting discoveries of life.

Conclusion: How do you keep a love alive for a lifetime? Don't take it for granted. Keep doing the things we have talked about - kindness, caring, patience, time and actions, not just feelings.

For more infomation about Pastor Bill Lobbs or to read his many other great sermons and messages, we invite you to visit the website that his wife animates: Nuggets of Truth.

HATE YOURSELF AND LOVE YOURSELF AT THE SAME TIME!

Wed, 19 Dec 2012 2:26:38 AM EST

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation;
the old has gone, the new has come!" (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Let me know ask you a critical question, a question that can change your life forever, that can set you free from key strongholds: Do you HATE yourself? Great, because you should hate your old self. He is a dying creature from beneath who enjoys crawling in the dirt with other lowly creatures. I hate the old Serge. He is selfish, arrogant, irritable and impatient. Each day, I strive to crucify him and to kill him so that he won't lead me to a miserable life. I give him as little food as I can in order to weaken him as much as possible. I encourage you to do the same. Hate your old self with all your heart and weaken him more each day.

Now, do you also LOVE yourself? Then, great because you should love your new self. He is from above. Everything valuable that you have – like life, love, peace, joy, and wisdom - are in your new self. When God sees you, He does not see your old self, but your new self. And I can assure you that He loves what He sees. So, love your new self with all your heart. Give him the food that he needs to become the champion that he can be. Drink of the Holy Spirit each day so that he is always full of the love of God.

It's our mission at SRL Ministries to equip you to go into the world and turn its darkness into light. We work hard to help you be a better light in the church that you are planting in. We love you and believe in you. Know that when you gave your life to Christ, the Holy Spirit got activated in you and you became a new creature. In the process, you gained greater discernment of right and wrong. You can now understand and see things that you could not before. Your attitudes can increasingly mirror those of Christ. Your choices can become clearer. You can now rely on the Holy Spirit to power you to victory when you are weak. As a result, you will enjoy life more.

Believe that you have everything that you need in your new self to become a champion, a great Ambassador of Christ, as the Bible tells us. Let your attitudes reflect your strong faith and you will overcome any obstacles that Satan put on your paths.

Yes, you can defeat Satan and sin. You have within you the seeds of a champion. Yes, you can be and have all that the Bible promises you. And yes, a life with Christ is a lot more exciting and fulfilling than a life with Satan.

He is married since 1995 to Barbara, and they are the parents of two children.

THE EXCHANGE THAT CAN CHANGE YOUR LIFE FOREVER

Wed, 12 Dec 2012 2:54:15 AM EST

Get ready for a beautiful and incredible exchange. Sit comfortably and hear what God is telling you now:

Give me your pain.

Give me your sins.

Give me your fears.

Give me your guilt.

Give me your failures.

Give me your feelings of inferiority.

Give me your losing attitudes.

Give me your stress

Give me your worries

Give me everything that makes you feel bad.

And in exchange, I will give you My love.

Isn’t it an incredible exchange? God already proposed us this exchange thousands of years ago: “Cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you”, Psalm 55:22. Jesus told us the same in Matthew 11:28-30: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

When we take the yoke of love upon us, we become light, we can find peace and rest, two key ingredients without which we cannot enjoy an abundant life. When we receive God’s love in our hearts, we also receive joy, strength, peace, blessings, gifts (of the Holy Spirit), wisdom, patience, and a new vision for your life to mention just a few! It literally transforms us for the better.

Would you like to make this beautiful exchange? I hope so, because now is a time of new beginnings for you. The time to get rid of your burden of unforgiveness, of bitterness, of self-defeated attitudes, of insecurity, of guilt and condemnation. The time to offload the extra baggage that you carry with you from your past. Are your now ready to make the exchange? Then say aloud the following sentences. Needless to say, you must firmly want to do it from the bottom of your heart and believe in what you are saying. Otherwise, you will not be releasing any power whatsoever.

"Dear God, thank you for loving me even before I was conceived by my parents, and for determining the exact time of my birth and where I would live. Thank you for the tough times I went through. Please take away all the pain that I have suffered on this earth. And fill my heart with your love and joy. Show me the plan that you have for my life.

Give me each day what I need for the day. Help me renew each day my mind so that I can receive more of your love. Yes, I confess today that what I need most is your love. Fill me now and tomorrow and forever with your love.

I am blessed, I am strong, I am talented, I am healthy. A great future awaits me, everything I do prospers!

In Jesus’ name, Amen."

He is married since 1995 to Barbara, and they are the parents of two children.

ARE YOU DESPERATE ENOUGH TO RECEIVE YOUR SIGHT?

Wed, 5 Dec 2012 2:56:58 AM EST

It's time we let go of the things that "blind" us and see clearly our purpose in life!

ARE YOU BLIND?

I was in the airport coming home from a Women’s conference in Oregon I spoke at, and noticed a blind man sitting across from me. He was content to just sit and wait for his plane to come. He had a walking cane folded up in his hands and I knew he needed it to help him walk and not bump into things. When it was time for those to board who needed assistance, someone came and took him by the arm and directed him to where he needed to go. He was solely relying on the other person to take him to the right plane. He put his trust in that person. His blindness prevented him from seeing for himself the steps he needed to take to get into the right line to board the right plane. I don’t know if he was born with blindness, but he seemed very content in it. I am sure if someone came to him and said, “I can take your blindness away,” he would quickly reply, “Please, I want to see!”

Jesus healed so many people, including those who were blind. He had compassion on them and healed them. Blind people long to be healed, and are persistent in asking for their healing.

Here are a few examples from the Bible of the blind being healed:

Two Blind Men Receive Their Sight

“Now as they went out of Jericho, a great multitude followed Him. And behold, two blind men sitting by the road, when they heard that Jesus was passing by, cried out, saying, “Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!” Then the multitude warned them that they should be quiet; but they cried out all the more, saying, “Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!” So Jesus stood still and called them, and said, “What do you want Me to do for you?” They said to Him, “Lord, that our eyes may be opened.” So Jesus had compassion and touched their eyes. And immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed Him.” (Matthew 20:29-34 / NKJV)

Jesus Heals Blind Bartimaeus

“Now they came to Jericho. As He went out of Jericho with His disciples and a great multitude, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the road begging. And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Then many warned him to be quiet; but he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be called. Then they called the blind man, saying to him, “Be of good cheer. Rise, He is calling you.” And throwing aside his garment, he rose and came to Jesus. So Jesus answered and said to him, “What do you want Me to do for you?” The blind man said to Him, “Rabboni, that I may receive my sight.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus on the road.” (Mark 10:46-52 / NKJV)

DESPERATION

In both of these stories the blind were desperate. We know this because they “cried out all the more” when they were told to be quiet. Bartimaeus was tired of living in darkness. Those who were trying to keep him quiet didn’t understand his darkness. They didn’t live for years without sight. They couldn’t relate to his cry. Bartimaeus was tired of having to rely on other people to help him get around. He was sick and tired of being sick and tired. No one would have talked him out of his healing on that day. From deep within he called out to Jesus to have mercy. He must have heard about all the healings taking place throughout the region, wishing it would be him someday. He was desperate for change and with desperation comes urgency. He could not take one more day in darkness. Bartimaeus cast away his garment before he came to Jesus to be healed. His garment brought comfort. It was his security and warmth. It covered him and protected him, yet he cast it away to come to Jesus.

He was tired of functioning in the darkness and cast away what was dear to him to be touched and healed by the Master. He was desperate. He didn’t care what it took to get to Jesus; he was determined not to have anything prevent him from coming. He didn’t want any hindrance in his way, only a touch from Jesus could cure his desperation.

Desperation can be a good thing if it is directed correctly. In Bartimaeus’ case his desperation drove him to the Master. It made him ignore the “Nay Sayers” and cry out all the more for change in his life. I’m sure he chose to ignore what he might have been thinking in his mind at the time, “You have always been blind, what makes you think you will see?” Desperation brings us to the end of ourselves. It is there we realize we are tired of where we are, and decide to do something about it. Desperation brings change!

Desperation is more then wanting something different, it is a mindset change that forces you to action. You have gone past accepting what is going on. You have unrest. You are frustrated. You have tried and exhausted everything you can do, and have come to the conclusion if God doesn’t intervene there is no hope.

→ How desperation affected Bartimaeus:

Made him realize Jesus was the answer.

Made him ignore those who told him to stay quiet.

Made him ignore what he might have thought about his condition (Hopeless).

Made him come to the end of himself.

Made him cry out to Jesus!

Made him let go of his comfort or what he knew.

Made him receive his healing, and he was never the same again.

BLINDNESS

Being blind forces you to rely on someone else to show you where you are going. Blindness makes you stumble in the dark. You cannot see the beauty around you. You never experience the freedom of running. A blind person tends to stay where it is safe.

Please understand if you know someone who is blind, I am not picking on them, but this disability is prevalent in our spiritual lives. We can be blind to the attacks of the enemy. Blind to what God is trying to show us. Blindness will block us from seeing the needs of others, and it only allows us to know our own darkness and misery.

It takes a tough person to expand outside of their blindness and function in the every day life. When I see a blind person walking down the road by themselves, I am amazed at their lack of fear of getting lost or being hit by a car.

In the natural, we see people all the time who are blind and have not been healed, but spiritually there should never be blindness because of Christ. Jesus came to give sight to the blind. He came to heal those who live in darkness. He came to set the captive free.

“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed and qualified me to preach the Gospel of good tidings to the meek, the poor, and afflicted; He has sent me to bind up and heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the [physical and spiritual] captives and the opening of the prison and of the eyes to those who are bound.” (Isaiah 61:1 / Amplified Bible)

“To open the eyes of the blind, to bring out prisoners from the dungeon, and those who sit in darkness from the prison.” (Isaiah 41:7 / Amplified Bible)

I’ve noticed that darkness and prison go together. We can be blind and sit in our prison cell all lonely and full of self-pity. What will it take for you to want vision more than your blindness, or light more than your darkness?

SPIRITUAL BLINDNESS DOES NOT HAVE TO BE PERMANENT!

Do you feel you can’t see what God has for you? Have you been searching for something more in your life and end up bumping into things that get you no where? Maybe you keep struggling over the same sin over and over again and can’t see your way out of it. You might feel lonely or empty and can’t find what it is that will fill the void in your heart. Jesus came to heal you of your blindness. Spiritual blindness is not permanent! There is a cure.

Just like the blind man, who was blind from birth, and knows nothing else but darkness, you might not realize you are blind. God has so much for each of us to experience in Him. He longs for us to draw close to Him so that He can whisper in our ear more about Who He is! He wants us to see the truth and to stop listening to the lies we have been hearing.

God’s desire is to free you from your blindness. It was never His intent for you to live in darkness. He wants you to see clearly what His word says to you. God wants you to awaken to new things awaiting you.

Just like any blind person who has been given sight, they are looking at things they have never seen before. They are experiencing life differently then in their past. A whole new world has been open to them with vibrant colors and endless things to look at. They get to experience for the first time seeing a loved one. All their life they have heard their loved one’s voice, and may have touched their face to try and feel what they looked like, but to gaze for the first time in their eyes has to be breathtaking.

Having your sight will let you see things before you come to it. Spiritual sight will give you insight into what God wants for your life. You will see it in God’s word, or see it in a dream or vision God gives you. Ask God to give you spiritual eyes to see.

Sometimes our blindness will block our view of how we are functioning in life.

We can’t see any bad behaviors we are doing because we are blind to it.

We might not be able to recognize we are going down the wrong road in life.

Blindness may be an unteachable heart. You might think your knowledge is enough and no one can teach you anything, but this is blindness. We should always be teachable.

WHAT "BLINDS" YOU?

Fears,

Doubts,

Offenses,

Desires,

Past mistakes,

Relationships,

Knowledge,

Pride/Arrogance,

Self-righteous,

Laziness,

Self-pity,

Pre-conceived ideas,

The question is: “DO YOU WANT HEALING FOR YOUR SPIRITUAL BLINDNESS?”

You can choose to stay in your darkness or you can choose to retrieve your sight. Bartimaeus’ choice brought a miraculous healing in his life that forever changed him.

Do you want to be healed of your blindness? Don’t let your comfort of where you are keep you from becoming who God wants you to be. Cast your garment (your comforts) away and run to your Savor who is waiting for you to come. Ask Him to set you free from your darkness. He will meet you as you run to Him.

Jesus is just waiting for you to want to be healed.

You can choose to stay in your darkness or you can choose to receive your sight. Turn your eyes upon Jesus and look full in His wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.

How can we turn our eyes upon Jesus if we are blind and can’t see? Allow God to bring His healing touch to your soul and activate your spiritual eyes to see. We should have eyes for only Jesus and not get distracted by the things of this world. Keep your new gaze on Jesus always and He will help you walk from day to day.

“You have to decide which is harder to live with: the fear of stepping out beyond what you know to fulfill a God-given dream, or the pain of regret for not even trying and wondering what could have been?

It's time we let go of the things that "blind" us and see clearly our purpose in life!

Let go of being busy.

Let go of any preconceived idea of what you think should happen.

Ask God to open your eyes to the new He has for you.

Don’t be blinded by fears, doubts, wants, or preconceived ideas.

Ask God to reveal His truth in every situation. Ask for His perspective. He will give it to you.

God will open your eyes to see a whole new world if you are desperate enough!

Her most recent book, "Revive, Rebuild, and Restore" was released in september 2011.

We invite you to visit her website.

HOW TO DEAL WITH EMOTIONAL SICKNESS

Wed, 28 Nov 2012 8:53:51 AM EST

If we allow our emotions to take over our lives we will be living in emotional sickness. Living in any kind of sickness for too long takes a toll on our bodies. Just like the physical manifestations that take place when we are sick, we can experience physical and spiritual manifestations when we are emotionally sick. Emotional sickness can manifest in so many different ways. Do you find you are always asking for forgiveness because of hurting people’s feelings? How about isolating yourself because you think no one likes or loves you. Do you get mad easily over things that really are insignificant? Are people stepping back from you and giving you a wide birth? Do you always think about yourself and how things affect you? These all can be signs of emotional sickness.

HOW TO DEAL WITH EMOTIONAL SICKNESS

1. LEARN TO CRY OUT ALL YOUR FRUSTRATION TO GOD

We have to remember that God is bigger than anything we are going through. God is big enough to vent or cry out our frustrations. This is very healthy.

David cried out to God many times about what was going on in his life. Here are just a few verses expressing His cries:

“LORD, how they have increased who trouble me! Many are they who rise up against me. Many are they who say of me, ‘There is no help for him in God.’” (Psalm 3:1 – 2 / NKJV)

“How long, O you sons of men, will you turn my glory to shame? How long will you love worthlessness and seek falsehood? But know that the LORD has set apart for Himself him who is godly; the LORD will hear when I call to Him.” (Psalm 4:2 – 3 / NKJV)

“Give ear to my words, O LORD, consider my meditation. Give heed to the voice of my cry, my King and my God, for to You I will pray. My voice You shall hear in the morning, O LORD, in the morning I will direct it to You, and I will look up.” (Psalm 5:1 – 3 / NKJV)

“O LORD, do not rebuke me in Your anger, nor chasten me in Your hot displeasure. Have mercy on me, O LORD, for I am weak; O LORD, heal me, for my bones are troubled. My soul also is greatly troubled; but You, O LORD—how long? Return, O LORD, deliver me! Oh, save me for Your mercies’ sake! For in death there is no remembrance of You; in the grave who will give You thanks? I am weary with my groaning; all night I make my bed swim; I drench my couch with my tears. My eye wastes away because of grief; it grows old because of all my enemies.” ( Psalm 6:1 – 7 / NKJV)

David cried out to God often and found comfort in doing so. Another example is Moses. He cried out to God often and even changed the Lord’s mind. Moses cried out to God concerning the plagues in Egypt:

“Then Moses and Aaron went out from Pharaoh. And Moses cried out to the LORD concerning the frogs which He had brought against Pharaoh. So the LORD did according to the word of Moses. And the frogs died out of the houses, out of the courtyards, and out of the fields.” (Exodus 8:12 – 13 / NKJV)

“And the people thirsted there for water, and the people complained against Moses, and said, ‘Why is it you have brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?’ So Moses cried out to the LORD, saying, ‘What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me!’” (Exodus 17:3 – 4 / NKJV)

Moses was not afraid to share what was on his mind to God.

“And the LORD said to Moses, ‘Go, get down! For your people whom you brought out of the land of Egypt have corrupted themselves. They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them. They have made themselves a molded calf, and worshiped it and sacrificed to it, and said, “This is your god, O Israel, that brought you out of the land of Egypt!’ And the LORD said to Moses, ‘I have seen this people, and indeed it is a stiff-necked people! Now therefore let Me alone, that My wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them. And I will make of you a great nation.’ Then Moses pleaded with the LORD his God, and said: ‘LORD why does Your wrath burn hot against Your people whom You have brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? Why should the Egyptians speak, and say, ‘He brought them out to harm them, to kill them in mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth?’ Turn from Your fierce wrath, and relent from this harm to Your people. Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, Your servants, to whom said to them, I will multiply your descendants as the stars of heaven; and all this land that I have spoken of I give to your descendants, and they shall inherit it forever.’ So the LORD relented from the harm which He said He would do to His people.” (Exodus 32:7 – 14 / NKJV)

2. LEARN TO MANAGE YOUR EMOTIONS

When we are feeling a strong emotion, especially if it is anger or fear, we need to learn how to manage it. Emotions are not good or bad, they just are. God created us as emotional beings. So to try and “control” our emotions, or totally get rid of them is impossible. It just won’t happen. But if we learn to manage them we will have a better life. We need to learn to vent our emotions properly.

Don’t be easily affected by your emotions. If you are in the middle of a situation and need to make a decision, allow time to think before you act. If you make a decision, allow more time to pass and see if that decision settles in your spirit. If you are uneasy still about it chances are it is the wrong decision. If it settles in your spirit and you have prayed about it and sense God’s peace, then walk in that decision.

We all are human and we all have emotions. Men and women a like have the same emotions. Both men and women experience emotional pain and frustration. It is how we handle our emotions that seems to separate men from women. As a general rule; women have a tendency to vent their emotions outwardly and men keep them inward. Yet there are exceptions to every case. Still both men and women have emotions and have to deal with them. I admire my husband as he is even tempered and very seldom shows any negative emotions. But, on the other hand, it is often hard to know if he is happy with something too. Because I have been married to him since 1985, I know him pretty well. I know when he is mad or happy by just watching his body language. I appreciate how he handles things when he is frustrated. Most of the time the average person wouldn’t even know he is frustrated.

Scripture tells us to guard our hearts because out of it flow life itself.

“Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard, for out of it flow the springs of life.” (Proverbs 4:23 / Amplified Bible)

If we don’t manage our emotions they can make us unclean. We can lash out in anger or jealously and say or do things that will leave a lasting impression on people.

It will make our lives unclean and take the purity of God’s righteousness away. If this becomes our life style we are headed for destruction. We are also living our lives blindly and leading people astray.

“When He had called the multitude to Himself, He said to them, ‘Hear and understand: Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth this defiles a man.’ Then His disciples came and said to Him, ‘Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heart this saying?’ But He answered and said, ‘Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch.’ Then Peter answered and said to Him, ‘Explain this parable to us.’ So Jesus said, ‘Are you also still without understanding? Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated? But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man.’” (Matthew 15:10 - 20 / NKJV)

Jesus was talking about their traditions compared to what was in their heart. The Pharisees were more interested on the outward traditions and Jesus was more concerned about their hearts.

“... Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth this defiles a man.” The things we say and do can make us unclean. It shows what is really in our heart and emotions. It shows people what we are made of. Handling our emotions and stopping angry words or actions from coming out is a true sign that you are managing them. Don’t let your emotions get the best of you. Conquer them before they conquer you!

3. LEARN TO LIVE YOUR LIFE ACCORDING TO THE WORD OF GOD AND NOT YOUR FEELINGS

If we look at the verses after Psalm 3:1 – 2 we can see how David stood on God’s word and didn’t allow his emotions to take over:

“But You, O LORD, are a shield for me, my glory and the One who lifts up my head. I cried to the LORD with my voice, and He heard me from His holy hill. I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the LORD sustained me. I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people who have set themselves against me all around.” (Psalms 3:3 – 6 / NKJV)

He reminded himself of who God is and what he can do. David encouraged himself in the Lord all by remember what God has done. This is where the Word of God can help us. Getting into the Word and finding appropriate scriptures to help us with any emotional situation is standing on solid ground.

4. LEARN TO TRUST IN THE LORD FOR EVERYTHING

God is trustworthy. He has proven time and again His promises are true. He has shown throughout Biblical history His character and integrity. If God says it in His Word, believe it. There are so many scriptures in the book of Psalms alone that express how we can trust God. By trusting God, we learn to not be ruled by our emotions. It is a knowing in your heart that God is in control, and He will get you through any given situation.

Here are just a few verses on trust:

“But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You, let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them; let those also who love Your name be joyful in You. For you will bless the righteous, with favor You will surround him as with a shield.” (Psalm 5:11 - 12 / NKJV)

“O LORD my God, in You I put my trust; save me from all those who persecute me; and deliver me, lest they tear me like a lion, rending me in pieces, while there is none to deliver.” (Psalm 7:1 – 2 / NKJV)

“The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed, A refuge in times of trouble. And those who know Your name will put their trust in You, For You, LORD, have not forsaken those who seek You.” (Psalm 9:9 – 10 / NKJV)

We seek Him and He never forsakes us. This is a promise! You can look all through the book of Psalm and find verse after verse about trusting in God. If you have trouble trusting God, I encourage you to look and study the Word of God for yourself and find out what it says about trusting God.

The more we trust God, the more we won’t be swayed by negative thoughts in our minds. Thoughts will turn into strong emotions, and strong emotions will make us act.

What thoughts are filling your mind right now? If you have been “feeling” the need to act impulsively it is a sign that you are allowing your emotions to overtake you. It is a true symptom of emotional sickness.

Getting rid of emotional sickness is part of revival because it frees us from the bondage our emotions can shackle us with.

5. LEARN TO APPLY WISDOM TO YOUR EMOTIONS

Far too often we let our emotions run wild and act upon them when we should apply God’s wisdom to every emotional situation. Look at it from a practical perspective. Talk to yourself and ask why you are feeling the way you do. Chances are wisdom will bring a new light on your circumstance and allow you to control how you are feeling.

Feelings or emotions are not good or bad, they just are. They come and go and are unreliable. We can feel a certain way one day and then feel totally different the next.

Applying wisdom to our feelings will bring stability and balance in our life. Emotions such as anger, love, disappointment, sadness, happiness, and much more are controllable by applying God’s word and looking at yourself, or how you feel.

Here are a few verses on anger:

“A person who has a hot temper will pay for it. If you rescue him, you will have to do it over and over.” (Proverbs 19:19 / GWT)

“He who is slow to wrath has great understanding, but he who is impulsive exalts folly.” (Proverbs 14:29 / NKJV)

“Understand [this], my beloved brethren. Let every man be quick to hear [a ready listener], slow to speak, slow to take offense and to get angry.” (James 1:19 / AMP)

“Fools have short fuses and explode all too quickly; the prudent quietly shrug off insults.” (Proverbs 12:16 / MSG)

If you get angry often it is a sign you are allowing your emotions to control you. Applying wisdom to how you feel will help curb your anger and make for a happier and peaceful life.

Emotions can prevent us from experiencing all that God wants to give us.

Allow God to revive your emotions by healing your emotional sickness. Give God back control of the driver seat of your life and sit in the passenger seat and enjoy the scenery. Get ready for an adventurous ride of your life as God brings revival to your emotions!

Her most recent book, "Revive, Rebuild, and Restore" was released in september 2011.

We invite you to visit her website.

HOW TO HANDLE DISAPPOINTMENTS

Wed, 21 Nov 2012 2:35:40 AM EST

“We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.” (Martin Luther King Jr.)

“Disappointments are to the soul what a thunderstorm is to the air.” (Friedrich Schiller)

“Our best successes often come after our greatest disappointments.” (Henry Ward Beecher)

“Our real blessings often appear to us in the shape of pains, losses and disappointments; but let us have patience and we soon shall see them in their proper figures.” (Joseph Addison)

Disappointments happen to us everyday. We put our expectations into something or someone, and when those expectations are not fulfilled, we become disappointed. Sport teams experience disappointments all the time. One team wins, and the other loses. Put simply, disappointment is the feeling of dissatisfaction that follows the failure of expectations or hopes to manifest. (Wikipedia.com)

DISAPPOINTMENTS = EXPECTATIONS NOT BEING MET

Disappointments have the same flavor as regrets. The difference is that regrets usually have to do with the choices we make, while disappointments have to do with the outcome of what we put our expectations in. It usually means we didn’t get what we wanted or hoped for.

REACTING IN OUR FLESH

The word “flesh” refers to self-nature or human nature or self-effort. To walk after the flesh is to do our own desires, usually it is the easy way out or it pleases us in an ungodly way. Joyce Meyer states in “Living Beyond Your Feelings,” that “The nature of the flesh is to want what it thinks it cannot have, but once it has what it thought it wanted, the craving starts all over again. The one word that the flesh screams the loudest about is more, and no matter how much it has, it is still never satisfied.” This reminds me of an older movie called, “Little Shop Of Horrors.” In it, Seymour has a plant that needs to be fed all the time. When he feeds it, the plant gets bigger and bigger and is never satisfied. It eventually takes over his home. This is exactly what happens when we feed our flesh instead of our spirit. The flesh is never satisfied and the more you feed it the bigger, and more demanding it becomes.

It is natural to react to disappointments in our flesh. We might hold a grudge against someone who has let us down or who has hurt us. Holding a grudge has a downward spiral attached to it. Holding a grudge is unforgiveness and that is a sin.

HOW WE USUALLY HANDLE DISAPPOINTMENTS

a. We put up walls.

This happens often. We put up walls and don’t talk to someone or even totally close off all communication. I know because I have done this. It feels “right” at the time and it gives us a sense of control. We felt out of control when the disappointment came. There might not have been any thing we could have done to fix or change the outcome. It is a huge frustration to live with an outcome you didn’t have in your plans. It is very hard to live with circumstances someone else chose for you.

b. We get mad at God

It is easy to get mad at God thinking He could have prevented what happened. Reality is God had nothing to do with it. People are given freewill and they make choices all the time. Their choices might not line up with your choices or what you planned. Often authority figures over our life can make a choice that affects us. Our hands are tied as to the outcome. We can easily blame God, quit our job, or distance ourselves from this person. All of these choices are not good choices.

c. We get mad at ourselves

Handling disappointments is a process. Don’t get mad at your self if you are not over it quickly. It takes time to heal and to regroup after a disappointment. Give yourself permission to relax and allow God to heal you, and learn to worship in the middle of the Disappointment.

d. We become emotional or get depressed

Often it is natural to cry or be upset when something happens that has hurt you. There is a grieving process whenever there is a loss of any kind. There are 5 stages of grief when a loved one dies that can be applied to what we experience after a disappointment:

HOW WE SHOULD HANDLE DISAPPOINTMENTS

It is what we do; our actions or reactions, that determine our character. Often disappointments shape our character. It is in these times we need to quickly seek God to help us heal and to learn from them. Know that disappointments can help you grow. They make you stronger for your future. We can try and fight having disappointments but really it is futile because we can never control people or circumstances. This is not what God wants from us; a bunch of controlling, manipulating people.

Here are a few things I have personally learned when it comes to dealing with and handling disappointments, and I pray they help you:

1. Run to God

Running to God, and venting your frustrations about your disappointments, is the very first things you should do after being disappointed. Telling Him how you feel is the best way to get it out. Stuffing your feelings inside of you only brings turmoil. God knows and sees everything. He was there when it happened. He wants us to run to Him with our disappointments as 1 Peter 5:7 confirms to us: “Cast all your anxiety on him because He cares for you.”

God hears our cry. Crying out to God is a form of running to Him. Here are just a few verses in the Bible about crying out to God:

“In my distress I called upon the Lord, And cried out to my God; He heard my voice from His temple, And my cry entered His ears.” (2 Sam. 22:7 / NKJV)

“In my distress I called upon the Lord, And cried out to my God; He heard my voice from His temple, And my cry came before Him, even to His ears.” (Psalm 18:6 / NKJV)

“O Lord my God, I cried out to You, And You healed me.” (Psalm 30:2 / NKJV)

“I will cry out to God Most High, To God who performs all things for me.” (Psalm 57:2 / NKJV)

“Hear my cry, O God; Attend to my prayer.” (Psalm 61:1 / NKJV)

“I cried out to God with my voice - To God with my voice; and He gave ear to me.” (Psalm 77:1 / NKJV)

God hears our cry and our humble plea moves His heart to action. Just the act of crying out to God brings healing, but to know God will move on our behalf brings security.

2. Worship

Worship in the middle of the disappointment. Worshipping God takes our attention off our circumstances and ourselves, and places our gaze, our focus on our Creator. Worship frees our spirit of the cares of this world. It puts life in perspective. Worship also helps us to place our trust in God in the middle of the disappointments.

Worshipping God reminds us of how good He really is. It helps build our faith to arise in us to overcome the disappointment.

“His name shall endure forever; His name shall continue as long as the sun. And men shall be blessed in Him; All nations shall call Him blessed. Blessed be the LORD God, the God of Israel, Who only does wondrous things! And blessed be His glorious name forever! And let the whole earth be filled with His glory. Amen and Amen!” (Isaiah 52:17–19)

God only does wondrous things! He will do wonderful things in your life as you place your cares upon Him. Don’t try to figure it out on your own. There are many things we can’t fix or change, but God has a plan. Even if it is teaching us to endure in the middle of the process of handling disappointments, we will come out the other side better for it and with much reward.

“Blessed be the Lord, Because He has heard the voice of my supplications! The Lord is my strength and my shield; My heart trusted in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart greatly rejoices, and with my song I will praise Him.” (Psalm 28:6–7 / NKJV)

Remind yourself of God’s faithfulness.

“Why are you down in the dumps, dear soul? Why are you crying the blues? Fix my eyes on God - soon I’ll be praising again. He puts a smile on my face. He’s my God.” (Psalm 42:5)

3. Forgive

Release the person in your heart. Forgiveness takes away the power the other person continues to wield in your life, and it gives it back to you. Realize no body is perfect. If you are having trouble letting go of a grudge or to give forgiveness, talk to someone you trust, who will give you wise, Godly, and compassionate advice.

Forgiving is a process, at least it has been in my life. I would go through the stages of grief and then come to a place in my heart I was willing to forgive. Then I would even pray and might say it out loud; “I forgive _______ !” Then, something else would come up that would re-open the wound, and all the forgiveness I gave that person went out the window! I would have to come to the place in my heart to be willing to forgive again and then release them. Sometimes this happened over and over again. I knew the verses in the bible about forgiving seventy times seven (Matthew 18:22). I knew if I didn’t forgive my sins would not be forgiven (Matthew 6:12). These are things that motivated me to forgive, but the actual act of forgiving always seemed to take time. I finally gave myself permission that it was okay if I wasn’t at the place of forgiveness with them, knowing that was my ultimate goal.

Wounds take time to heal. Allow yourself the time it takes to be made whole again.

Jesus is my hero. He went to the cross knowing what was in the hearts of people, and even forgave them in the middle of the act of being crucified. My spirit wants to be able to do that, but my flesh wins out more than not.

Some people don’t struggle with forgiving others. They look like they just shrug it off and have no issue, but deep down inside a wound was created and only God and time will bring true healing.

I came across a post on Facebook the other day that I think will help us all in the process of forgiving others who have disappointed or mistreated us. The post was from the “Called Magazine” and they stated: “TODAY'S CHALLENGE: Give someone who mistreated you a kind word (genuine compliment/encouragement) or a thoughtful gift. -- CAN YOU DO IT?” This challenged me to reach out in the direction of someone who hurt me and say a kind word to them. It was a step in the right direction. Baby steps are better than not stepping forward at all, and even better than stepping backward deeper into unforgiveness and become bitter and resentful.

4. Break walls down

It is natural to harden our hearts to life, let alone to people. You might have tried and tried to do something and was disappointed every singly time. Putting up walls and isolating yourself is not the answer. It only makes your turmoil worse.

Life has been given to us to enjoy, not to resent. God has blessed us with many blessings if we would just look for them. We have to break down any walls we have built up, or possibly want to build up, or we will dry up and never have a healthy life.

Have you ever been dehydrated? I have. Your body will tell you it is drying up by how you are feeling and the symptoms you are experiencing. When someone is dehydrated they experience:

For a 2% body fluid loss:

Thirst
Loss of Appetite
Dry Skin
Skin Flushing
Dark Colored Urine
Dry Mouth
Fatigue or Weakness
Chills
Head Rushes

For a 5% body fluid loss:

Increased heart rate
Increased respiration
Decreased sweating
Decreased urination
Increased body temperature
Extreme fatigue
Muscle cramps
Headaches
Nausea
Tingling of the limbs

For a 10% body fluid loss (Emergency help is needed immediately)

Muscle spasms
Vomiting
Racing pulse
Shriveled skin
Dim vision
Painful urination
Confusion
Difficulty breathing
Seizures
Chest and Abdominal pain
Unconsciousness

I think you get the point. What happens in the natural is similar to the spiritual. We have to keep ourselves spiritually hydrated, which includes breaking down the walls of isolation and anger.

5. Be positive

Refuse to allow negativity to become a part of you after you have been disappointed. It is so easy to speak negative words about the situation, people, or life in general after being disappointed. Being negative about your circumstances never brings healing. Instead, ask God to help you look at the situation through His eyes and from His perspective. Look to see what you can learn from it. Have a positive attitude that life will change in due time. Know that what you are going through is just a little bump on the road compared to the bigger picture of eternity.

I am sure you have heard the saying, “ You can either get better or bitter.” This is so true. Be determined to get better and to focus on the positive aspects of your life. They are blessings in disguise. We forget the good when we are faced with some bad news. Learn to encourage yourself in the Lord like David did.

“Hear, O LORD, and have mercy on me; LORD, be my helper!” You have turned for me my mo9urning into dancing; You have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness, to the end that my glory may sing praise to You and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks to You forever.” (Psalm 30:10-12 / NKJV)

6. Don’t try to get even

Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t speak evil against them.

“See that none of you repays another with evil for evil, but always aim to show kindness and seek to do good to one another and to everybody.” (1 Thess 5:15 / Amplified Bible)

This is very hard to do I know. If you have spoken evil about someone you have been disappointed and hurt by, ask God to forgive you and to wipe away the words you have said. Be determined to stop yourself when you start to speak evil against someone.

7. Walk on

Get to a place where you love people and are not devastated when they let you down. Acknowledge that life will have challenges, but be determined to keep going, especially in the middle of a challenge.

Move on and keep moving forward in your life. Disappointments do not determine your future if you have the right perspective and determination.

Walking on doesn’t mean you trust the person who disappointed you. It does mean, however, that you are willing to move past it. If you decide to give up, the enemy wins, and what is life if you choose to give up? Nothing!

Know that there is life after disappointments and that God can make beauty from ashes!

“To console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.” (Isaiah 61:3 / NKJV)

Your sister in Christ,

Pastor Kris Belfils

Her most recent book, "Revive, Rebuild, and Restore" was released in september 2011.

We invite you to visit her website.

PRINCIPLES OF PEACE OF MIND

Wed, 14 Nov 2012 2:06:12 AM EST

We live in a very tense, uptight world. This has been called the “age of anxiety”; a major cause of heart attacks and high blood pressure is tension and stress. Most tension in our lives is the result of unresolved issues. Moses was a man who learned how to resolve the basic issues of life and as a result became a prime example of how to enjoy peace of mind.

Because he made the right decisions and settled what is important in life, he was able to live with himself and assume a tremendous responsibility, and yet remain calm under pressure. He knew how to enjoy peace of mind.

Yet, if anybody had a right to be uptight, it was Moses.

He had the responsibility of leading two million of Israelites out of the land of Egypt, across the desert and into a new country called Israel, the Promised Land.

But for nearly the entire time the people complained, argued and fought.

But Moses displayed an attitude of quiet confidence of inner tranquility and peace of mind.

Why was Moses able to have peace of mind? Because Moses was a man of great principles. Every decision he made was based on fundamental principles of life. He did not live by his feelings; instead he based his life on God’s principles for living.

Moses came to grip with four fundamental issues of life that each of us must eventually face. If you can learn to settle these issues in your mind. You’ll learn what it means to have real peace of mind. We read in Hebrews 11 that Moses dealt with four questions. In every one of these crucial issues, Moses responded in the right way. These were decisions that determined his destiny.

THE FIRST THING THAT MOSES DEALT WITH IS THE ISSUE OF IDENTITY.

He settled the issue of “Who Am I”. Moses, when he grew up refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. Understand the conflict: Moses was actually a Jew, but Pharaoh’s daughter raised him as an Egyptian.

At the age of 40, he was groomed to be the second in command in Egypt, so he had to make a choice. Moses had an identity crisis: Who Am I? Am I a Jew or am I an Egyptian? Am I going to live with a bunch of slaves, or am I going to stay here and live in luxury in the palace?

Everyone of us must come to grips with this issue of identity. We all have a deep need to accept who we are. Moses decided to quit pretending. He accepted his true identity. It is a liberating experience when you relax quit trying to be somebody you are not. The foundation for peace of mind is: Don’t try to be someone you’re not. Relax and be yourself. God made you. He loves you just the way you are.

How would we remember Moses today if he had stayed in Pharaoh’s court? Maybe as an Egyptian mummy in some museum. There is a direct correlation between identity and influence. Did you know there is a direct correlation between identity and influence. Moses has eternal influence because he knew his identity. He knew who and whose he was.

THE SECOND ISSUE THAT MOSES DEALT WITH WAS THE MATTER OF PERSONL RESPONSIBILITY

He settled the issue of “what do I really want to be”? The Bible said Moses chose to be mistreated with the rest of God’s people rather to enjoy the sinful pleasures of Pharaoh’s palace. Notice that Moses made this decision “after he had grown up” (Hebrews 11:24). It’s a mark of maturity when you settle the issue of personal responsibility.

We live in a culture that loves to blame others and not accept personal responsibility. Moses didn’t blame anyone for his own life and decided to make his life count.

It is true there are many things on your life and my life in which we have no control, but there is one thing we have absolute control over and that is our response toward life. You can choose to respond toward life in a negative critical manner or in a positive manner of faith in God and His Word.

No one can ruin your life, but you. The devil can’t because he doesn’t have enough power. God won’t because He love you. No one can take away your attitude unless you give it away or allow it to happen. When you assume responsibility for your own attitude, then you can start enjoying peace of mind.

THE THIRD ISSUE MOSES FACED WAS PRIORITIES

He settled the issue of “what is really important in life.” Moses had what most people spend their entire life trying to get: power, pleasure and possessions. God asked him to do something more important, so he did it. It became a matter of priority in his life. Purpose determines priorities. Moses was convinced that his most important assignment was being God’s instrument. He could have had power. He could have had myriads of possessions along with much pleasure, but he chose what was the most important as Hebrews 11:24-26 shows us:

“By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. He chose to be ill-treated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward.”

THE FINAL ISSUE MOSES DEALT WITH WAS THE MATTER OF DIFFICULTY

He settled the issue of “How am I going to live?” We can sum up Moses life in two words: he endured. It is a fact of life. There is no gain without pain. There is not advancement without adversity. There can be no progress without problems.

Moses made a success of his life because he endured under stress and pressures. The key to his peace of mind was that he knew difficulty comes into every life and he knew how to respond to them correctly.

SUMMARY

→ How have you dealt with the issue of identity? Have you asked yourself this question: “Who am I? What is my purpose in this life?" Or are you drifting through life without a purpose? It may not be lime-lights, but everyone of us have a need to determine to live with a purpose and be settled to know – this is me and this is the reason I am living. The apostle Paul gave us good advice on this issue in 2 Corinthians 10:12; “ We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who command themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise.”Just be yourself and pursue the purpose God intended for you and you alone.

How about the issue called personal responsibility? Are you ready to take on the difficulties that responsibility may place on you? Assuming responsibility in this life causes one to mature and grow and become strong in the Lord. Jesus talks about this in the Beatitudes (see Matthew 5:3-12 and Luke 6:20-22). Much of His sermon has to do with how we respond to issues of life.

→ Are you willing to endure through the tough seasons of your life? Are you willing to accept the difficulty and respond to them correctly? Those who go through life’s difficulties with peace of mind have learned to do what Peter tells us in 1 Peter 5:7; “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares about you.”

Jesus warns his disciples concerning the difficult areas of life. He knew that storms would come. Matthew 6:25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?” Jesus was inferring that we shouldn’t fret and worry because He will care for His children through every difficult time; “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Matthew 6:34)

Moses had a successful life because he chose to deal with the critical issues of life correctly. His mind was focused on what was important. It was a matter of choice in every circumstance. He gave to us principles for a peaceful mind.

For more infomation about Pastor Bill Lobbs or to read his many other great sermons and messages, we invite you to visit the website that his wife animates: Nuggets of Truth.

HOW GOD BUILDS OUR FAITH

Wed, 7 Nov 2012 2:10:03 AM EST

"While He was saying this, a ruler came and knelt before Him and said, ‘My daughter just died. But come and put your hand on her, and she will live.’" (Matthew 9:18)

I want to begin this post by asking you a question. "What are you expecting God to do in your life?" As you may know, there is a law that God has established in His Word: the Law of Expectation. It shows us that:

We tend to see what we expect to see

We tend to hear what we expect to hear

We tend to feel the way we expect to feel

We inevitably accomplish what we expect that we're going to accomplish. You see this is the law of faith, and God says that you and I get to choose how much He is able to work in our lives. Matthew 9:29, "According to your faith will it be done to you."

As a matter of fact, Hebrews 11:6 tells us that faith is so vital, crucial and important to our Christian life, that without it, it is impossible for us to please God. The disciples of Jesus understood how crucial and vital this thing called faith was, so they came to Jesus in Luke 17:5 and said, "Lord, increase our faith."

If I were to ask you on a personal level, "How many of you want to have more faith?" Probably everyone of you would answer, "Yes, Pastor, I would like to have an increase in my faith." So here's the question that just naturally comes out at this point: how does God build our faith?

Well, God builds our faith by testing us - trying us. You see faith is like a muscle. It is stretched. It is pulled. Just as muscles develop when you test them against weights, so faith only develops when it is tested - when it is stretched and pulled.

This is what James is talking about in James 1:3 when he said, "the testing of your faith develops perseverance so that you may be mature and complete." James is saying, "God tests your faith." Now here's a fact of life you can depend on. All this week your faith is going to be tested. Every day this week you're going to have faith building opportunities. The problem is some won't recognize them when they come.

I want to give you four ways God tests our faith so that you can be aware of these faith building tests when they come into your life. These are very common things and God tests each one of us in each of the following ways. Why? Because God wants you and I to grow in our faith.

I. GOD TESTS OUR FAITH THROUGH DIFFICULTIES

By difficulties I mean trials, problems, pressure and circumstances. In 1 Peter 1:6-7, Peter says it like this; "For a little while you have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory, and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed." I want to remind you that nothing ever happens by accident in the life of a Christian. The Scripture teaches that everything is Father filtered. I'm not saying that God plans it all, but I am saying that nothing comes into your life without God knowing about it. God uses everything that comes into our lives as part of His great plan to fulfill His purpose in our life.

Sometimes, as in Jonah's case, God allows a custom made problem to swallow us up to get our attention and to get us headed in the direction He wants us to go. In the midst of problems that swallow us up there is nothing or no one else we can look to but the Lord for help, and that's exactly where He wants you and I to come. Yes, God uses difficulties to test and build our faith. Isaiah 48:10, "I have refined you, but not as silver, I have tested you in the furnace of affliction."

Now, pay attention: when the heat is on in your life, it's a test. You may be feeling the heat of things that have happened this past week. You may be under pressure. It's a test. It's a test to build your faith.

The Bible frequently compares our problems and difficulties to a furnace of a refiner who heats it up so high that the gold and silver will melt and all the impurities are burned away. I heard of an old Silver Smith that was asked this question. "How do you know when the impurities are burned away?" He replied, "When I can see my reflection in the silver." When God can see His reflection in you and me, He knows that the impurities have all been burned away.

Now here's a question: Understanding that God uses difficulties to build our faith; How are we suppose to respond to difficulties? When problems come, what should be our proper response? Listen again to James 1:2-3, Consider it pure joy whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know the testing of your faith develops perseverance." Here is what James is saying in a very practical way. When you and I have problems, he said we are to relax, rejoice, and praise God. Why did he say that? Because God is with us, because God has a plan, because God has a purpose and because God will help us through any difficulty we are facing.

Here's a truth to remember: If you and I want to really learn to live by faith, we have to learn to rejoice continually even in the face of difficulties. It's not a matter of feeling. It's a matter of faith.

Some of you are probably saying, "I ought to have a lot of joy because I'm going through a lot of difficulties." Let's do a little self evaluation. How quickly do you praise God when things go wrong?

• Never

• Sometimes

• Always

The Bible says, "Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice." This won't be hard for a Christian to do if we understand that God uses the difficulties of our life as building blocks to a stronger faith in our Christian walk.

II. GOD TESTS OUR FAITH THROUGH DEMANDS

Did you know that in the New Testament alone there are over 1'000 commands for a believer to obey?

Some of these commands may seem unreasonable

Some of these commands may seem inconvenient

Some of these commands may seem impossible

But the truth is that everyone of them are there for our good and they are there to test our faith. You see, what God does in these commands is to bring us face to face with the issue of who are we going to believe. Are we going to believe what He says to do or are we going to do what we think is right? Everytime God gives a command in the Bible, it is a demand that He places on our life and it's a test.

An Old Testament example of this is Israel coming out of Egypt and going to the promise land, and God providing manna for them. In Exodus 16 God had said, "I'm going to rain down manna everyday. You can pick up just enough for that day, but don't save any for tomorrow because I want you to learn to depend on me for your daily bread. I want you to learn to live expectantly." (paraphrased) The people were to go out each day and gather enough manna for that day. In that way, God was testing them to see whether or not they would follow His instructions. You see, that is what God is doing in our life with the demands He makes on us in His Word. He is testing us to see whether we're going to follow His instructions or not.

Often in His demands, God asks us to do things that to us may seem impossible. I think about Abraham at 75 years of age. God came to him and said, "Abraham, fold up your tent and let's go somewhere." "Well where am I going Lord? How will I know that I've arrived at the place you want me to go?  The Lord answers, "I'll tell you when you get there."

Would you go at 75 years of age? Abraham stepped out in faith. Hebrews 11:8, "By faith Abraham obeyed and went."

God came to Noah one day and said, "Noah, I've got a demand on you. I want you to build an ark." Remember, we read this story historically. But when God came to Noah, Noah was living in the middle of a desert. The Bible says up to that time it had never rained. Now think about it. Would you build a boat in the middle of the desert if God told you to do it? The Bible said, By faith Noah built an ark. Let me tell you one more time. God tests our faith through difficulties and God tests our faith through demands that He makes on our lives.

Here's another truth to remember: If you and I want to learn to live by faith, not only do we have to learn to rejoice continually, but it also means we have to learn to obey immediately.

When God tells us to do something, we need to do it whether we understand or not - whether it makes sense or not, because you see, it's a test of faith.

Again, I want us to evaluate ourselves. How quickly do we do what God tells us to do?

When it's convenient?

Do you struggle with it and then do it?

Do you just do it when God speaks?

III. GOD TESTS OUR FAITH THROUGH DELAYS

If every prayer was immediately answered, if every need was automatically me, if every problem was instantly solved; we wouldn't need faith and we wouldn't be stretched. A third way God test our faith is through this thing of delay. In our human nature we don't like to wait. We don't like lines. We don't like traffic jams. We don't like to wait in doctor's offices. We just don't like to wait. But the truth is, a large part of our lives is spent waiting and God uses those delays in our lives to test our faith. A good example of this in the Bible again is the children of Israel. They came out of Egypt. They could have gone into the promise land in a matter of weeks, but it took them 40 years to go that short distance. Why did it take them so long?

Deuteronomy 8:2 tells us why. Listen to this. "God led you all the way in the desert these 40 years... to test you in order to know what was in your heart..."(NIV). Israel kept failing the test and every time they failed God would tell them, "Ok, take another lap around." What should have taken two or three weeks took 40 years. That first generation of Israelites never did understand that in those delays in their wilderness journeys God was testing them. As a matter of fact, there were seven tests that Israel was faced with and they blew every one of them.

What is it that you've been waiting for God to do in you life that He hasn't done? Do you find yourself asking the "when" questions?

When is my marriage going to turn around?

When am I going to meet that right person?

When am I going to get well?

How long is it going to be before I have a baby?

How long is it going to be before I find the right job?

What's God doing in this waiting stage of your life? He's testing your faith and He's using the instrument of delay to do it. Isaiah 64:4, says, "God acts on the behalf of those who wait for Him" (NIV). This verse teaches us that it pays to wait. The truth is, while you are waiting - God is working. It may be behind the scene and you don't see it - you don't feel it and you can't figure it out. But God says, "I'm testing your faith so I can build your faith. I'm working while you're waiting.  Psalms 37:34, "Wait for the Lord and keep His ways and He will exalt you to inherit the land."

Just because God can do things instantaneously doesn't mean He's bound to do these kinds of things in your life all the time. He's not always going to give you a quick answer to every problem. You know why? It's because He wants you to grow in faith. He want to build your faith.

Let's evaluate ourselves again to see how well we're doing. How well do you wait?

Do you give up after a few days or months?

Do you grumble and complain while you wait?

Do you keep on believing during the waiting season?

Do you live expectantly?

Remember, God wants to build your faith and He does that by testing you and I. He test our faith with difficulties, with demands and with delays. If we want to really learn to live by faith, we've got to learn to rejoice continually, obey immediately, and wait patiently.

IV. GOD TESTS OUR FAITH WITH MONEY

God uses money as a test of our faith and for a lot of people, finances are the greatest test of all. Some people have no idea that God is testing them with what they have. Luke 6:11, Jesus said, "If you haven't been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with riches?" (NIV). Jesus is speaking a truth that is taught all through the Scriptures; that there is a definite direct relationship between how one handles money and the spiritual depth of ones life. He said if you're unfaithful in handling material wealth, He'll not trust you with spiritual wealth. Money is a test. The fact is, what you do with your money determines how much God can bless your life. That principle is taught throughout all of Scriptures.

Listen, everytime you sit down and you write out a check for your tithes (10% of income) knowing it could be used to pay another bill - is that a test of faith? Absolutely! When you willingly choose to give to the Lord, knowing that you could take that same amount of money and use it somewhere else --It's a test of your faith.

Just like He uses difficulties - demands - and delays, God uses dollars to test our faith. I Chronicles 29 in the Old Testament tells the story of how David and the people raised money to build the temple. They raised in today's currency about 400 million dollars. It was the largest and most successful building campaign in history. God had said that He wanted David to raise money to build His house and the people responded with sacrificial giving.

Read what David said after they had given the offering. I Chronicle 29 beginning at verse 14. "Who am I and who are my people that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you God and we've only given you what comes from your hands, O Lord our God. For all this abundance we have provided for building you a temple for your holy name. It comes from your hand and all of this belongs to you. I know my God that you test the heart and are pleased with integrity. All these things I have given willingly and with honest intent, and now I have seen with joy how willingly your people who are here have given to you." (NIV)

David said that through their sacrificial giving that not only was it a test of their love, but it was also a test of the integrity of their heart. God doesn't manipulate us to give and God doesn't try to get us to give because of guilt. God want us to give because we know it's the right thing to do. God want us to be a cheerful giver.

Question! As a child of God, is there anything of value that you have that you can't give to God? Let's evaluate again.

What kind of faith does your giving reveal?

Would God say that you really trust Him or that you've been afraid to take Him at His Word?

CONCLUSION

Some of you are being tested in one of these four areas. God is trying to build your faith. It might be a testing in:

1. Difficulties - If it is, let your prayer be, "Heavenly Father help me to rejoice in testing. I know that You have everything under control. I know that you have a purpose to be worked out in all this for my life. I know that you will give me the power to see it through. I am going to rejoice in the midst of it all.

2. Demands - What is it that you know God has told you to do but you keep putting it off? It's not a matter of not knowing what to do. You know what to do, but you're just not doing it. Maybe it's...spending more time in the Word and in prayer. Or being baptized in water as the Scripture has commanded. Or starting a consistent tithing. It might be that God wants you to forgive someone. Perhaps God is speaking to you to build and strengthen your marriage. It could be any a number of things, but you know it's right and you ought to be doing it. Listen, He's testing your faith by the instruction He has given to you to see if you're going to obey Him or not. Let your prayer be, "Lord, I want to be a doer of the Word and not just a hearer. Help me to follow through immediately on what you have asked me to do."

3. Delay - What is it you have been expecting God to do in your life that He hasn't done yet? Don't give up. The delay could be a test of your faith. Hebrews 6:12 says, "With faith and patience we'll inherit the promises of God." In delays God is not saying no but grow. God uses delays to build your faith. Let your prayer be, "Lord, help me to learn to wait."

4. or Wealth - To God, our attitude toward money is a serious issue. Why? Because there is no area in our life that is untouched by money. Therefore, money has a way of impacting everything about us. What we do with money says a lot about what we consider important and where our values are. Is God testing you in the area of money? Are you passing the test? Are you wise in the way you handle the finances? Are you giving back to God the tithes and offerings that belong to Him? Let your prayer be, "Lord, teach me to be a good steward of what you have blessed me with. Help me to commit to you the material part of my life, for in so doing it will help me to commit all other parts of my life to you."

God builds our faith by putting us in a position where it can be stretched and tested. Expect it. It's part of His growing program for us. Enjoy it. It's good for us. Endure it. Its benefits are worth it.

For more infomation about Pastor Bill Lobbs or to read his many other great sermons and messages, we invite you to visit the website that his wife animates: Nuggets of Truth.

IS IT TRUE THAT SUFFERING IS A MATTER OF PERSPECTIVE AND FAITH?

Sat, 3 Nov 2012 10:38:00 AM EST

Whether we are rich or poor, young or old, married or single, famous or unknown, erudite or non-educated, a Christian or an unbeliever, we all suffer in our flesh during our life here on earth. We all lose dear ones and many of us experience other traumatic events. Some people get betrayed by their best friends. Others go through the pain of a divorce. Still others are unfairly imprisoned. In all these situations and many others, pain and suffering is knocking at our door.

Not surprisingly, some people react in a positive way and others in a negative manner when such events enter into their life. Some look at their situation with a half-full glass mentality, always looking for the opportunity in the difficulty. Others are overwhelmed by their half-empty glass mentality, only seeing the negative and the difficulty. Needless to say, they end up suffering a lot more than the previous group who see life with bright glasses.

→ However, there is another group that finds the strength to overcome their sadness, pain or suffering with grace and joy. This group is constituted of all the “true” Christians. Members of this group are able to exercise their faith muscles and trust that everything will ultimately work out for their good. They know that God will not test them beyond what they can cope with. They also acknowledge that they must trust in the Lord with all their heart and not lean on their (limited) understanding. (Proverbs 3:5) They are thankful to the Lord for everything that happens in their lives, whether good or bad when seen from their own eyes. They realize that what they view as bad today could in fact be the best thing that ever happened to them; they just rest on the Lord and trust him fully.

What happens to the members of this group? The more adversity they overcome with joy, the less they feel the pain and suffering that comes with it. In other words, the joy that they experience in their spirit overcomes the pain that they feel in their flesh. And when they are weak in their spirit, they immediately go to Jesus who refills them with His spirit and gives them joy and strength, (see Nehemiah 8:10).

What we must remember is that pain and suffering often bring people to Jesus and therefore give joy to our Lord. We too should also rejoice when this happens as heaven is welcoming new members. As we have seen, God left us here on earth to save people from being quarantined permanently in hell, not from bodily death or loss of money, friends, or riches. When the kingdom of heaven grows in membership, we must also rejoice and not let our flesh focus us solely on the pain that it feels.

The more we have faith, rest in the presence of Jesus, and are filled with the Holy Spirit, the less we will experience the pain that our flesh feels and the more we will focus on the joy that Jesus is experiencing as His kingdom grows. Did you know that the more a Christian can overcome the suffering that his flesh inevitably feels at times, the more he can be used to show people the way to heaven! Like obedience, the amount of “suffering” in the flesh that we can cope with indicates the real level of faith that we have and therefore how strongly and powerfully Jesus can use us to save people.

Let’s become people who can increasingly suffer in the flesh for the good of the kingdom of heaven. Here again, Jesus is our example. As He prepared to be betrayed by Judas, arrested and crucified, Matthew 26:38 shows us that He was “overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death.” He knew how much He was going to have to suffer in the flesh in order to accomplish the reconciliation and salvation plan of His father. He therefore prayed to His Father that this “cup” (or mission) be taken away from Him if possible.

However, before concluding his prayer, Jesus said, “yet, not as I will, but as you [my Father] will.” (Matthew 26:39) And He did not pray this prayer once, but three times. It shows how overwhelmed He was! Yet, He went on to complete the task He had been given. How could He do this? Simply because He was filled with the Holy Spirit who strengthened Him and helped Him (re)focus, not on the fleshly pain he would soon feel, but on the joy that His Father would experience after accomplishing the mission He was sent for. Step by step, we can overcome increasing amounts of pain and suffering in the flesh too and bring joy to Jesus and renewed hope to the unsaved.

Joseph is another man who successfully accomplished the plan that God had for his life: he victoriously crossed the finishing line. Yet, he had to overcome great adversity and suffering in the flesh. He was hated by his brothers who planned to kill him and who finally sold him as a slave. He then saw his fortune improve as he became the attendant of Potiphar, an official of Pharaoh and the captain of his Guard.

However, the good times did not last: a new spiritual growth test came his way, which resulted in him being unfairly imprisoned following his refusal to sleep with the wife of his master. While in prison, he met two officials who had lost favor with Pharaoh. He interpreted dreams for them and asked one of them to remember him when Pharaoh would restore him to his previous position. Nonetheless, he did not, and Joseph spent another two years in jail before being asked to interpret Pharaoh’s own dream and being put in charge of Egypt (second only to Pharaoh!).

Although Joseph undoubtedly suffered in the flesh (following rejection, betrayal, unfair accusation, imprisonment, and disappointment), he always looked at the situations with bright – not dark - glasses and exercised his faith muscles. This enabled him to experience the presence of God in his life and find favor in His eyes. Without knowing the full details, he acknowledged that God was preparing him for a key mission: to be a source of blessing to God’s people and many other nations in the process.

He is married since 1995 to Barbara, and they are the parents of two children.

WHAT CAN IMPEDE OUR LIGHT FROM SHINING?

Wed, 24 Oct 2012 2:29:51 AM EST

Five main things. Firstly, a lack of faith. The Bible says that "without faith, it is impossible to please God."

Secondly, disobedience (i.e. not doing His will or doing it our way). Being obedient to God means that we will often need to venture outside of our comfort zone. If we fully trust Jesus, then we will successfully be able to do that, and grow in stature and privileges as a result. If we don’t, fear will paralyze us and our light will slowly lose its shine and its effectiveness.

Thirdly, haughtiness. For an ambassador of Jesus, no task is too small or too low. Jesus showed us in the Last Supper episode that we must be prepared to perform the task of a lowly servant if we want to be successful in our ambassadorial role. (John 13:14) We may have an honorable title, but what matters is not our title, but what we do. Miracles can happen in the smallest or lowest tasks that Jesus asked us to perform on his behalf!

Fourthly, hatefulness. As ambassadors, we must love our enemies. Why? Because it is precisely for them that Jesus died. He wants us not to repay evil by evil, but to conquer them through the only weapon that can win their heart: love.

Finally and ironically, success. When we go from success to success in our ambassadorial role, we may be tempted to take all the credit for ourselves rather than glorify God through our humbleness, gratitude and acknowledgement of the fact that it is He who masterminded everything behind our success. If we are honest with ourselves, all we did is to let Him use us; it is He who developed us, who trained us, who channeled His power through us. Without Him, we are nothing, and cannot do much. Let’s never make the mistake of putting Jesus behind us; otherwise, the Holy Spirit will cease to work through us, rendering us powerless as ambassadors.

→ Do we have to be perfect to be ambassadors of Jesus? Of course not. The foundations of our success as ambassadors lie in God’s grace, the godly character we develop as we mature and the real-life testimonies we can share. Jesus can use anybody (regardless of educational level attained, natural abilities or infirmities, nationality, gender, etc.) and transform him or her into a powerful light if he/she is willing to be led by the Holy Spirit.

What we need to know is that God has left us in this world with a clear purpose (to be a light) and a personalized development plan. We should never doubt that. Fulfilling His plan for our lives must become one of our highest priorities. This is actually not complicated or out of our reach if we allow the Holy Spirit to transform us. His job is to mold us, just like a potter transforms soft clay into a clean and strong vase (2 Corinthians 4:6-7) and to equip and empower us. (Ephesians 4:11-13) Our role is to be faithful, obedient, willing, and ready to serve and use our gifts as needed. (Romans 12:6)

He is married since 1995 to Barbara, and they are the parents of two children.

LIVING FROM THE PROMISES OF GOD

Wed, 17 Oct 2012 2:40:18 AM EST

Whenever we find ourselves facing a problem, others will often encourage us to "put our trust in God!" Have you ever found yourself asking these question?

How can I be sure I'm trusting God?

Is God trustworthy? (Can I really trust Him?)
How can I learn to trust Him more?
What has He promised concerning my problem?
How can I receive all that God has promised me?

In this Bible lesson, you will discover the answers to all these questions. You will learn about the wonderful plans God has for your life. You will study the wonderful promises He has given you through Jesus Christ. In addition, you will learn how to trust Him to bring them to pass in your life.

When we face a problem in life, God responds always with a promise. Do not allow the teachings of men, the experiences of others, your own impossible situation, or your own reasoning to cause you to doubt God's promises. I encourage you to become like God's people in Acts 17:11. They searched the Scripture daily to make sure that what they were being taught was true. Allow the Holy Spirit to be your teacher and guide and He will lead you to the truth that will set you free.

GOD WANTS YOU TO LIVE A LIFE OF VICTORY
As you read the Word of God, you will discover that the Bible is full of people just like you who faced trials. Here is a list of just some of them:

Abraham, Sarah, Joseph, David, Caleb, Joshua, King Jehoshaphat
the lady with the issue of blood (Matt. 18:26)
a blind man (Mark 8:22-26)
a crippled woman (Luke 10:17)
and many others who faced difficult circumstances and many times impossible situations.

However, each of them put their trust in a promise of God and every one of them came through their trial victoriously.

God has revealed His plan for us in His Word. John 10:10 says, "The thief comes only in order that he may steal, and may kill, and may destroy. I came that they might have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows") (AMP)

What does it mean to have life in abundance? The original Greek word translated "abundance" in this scripture is perissos which means: super abundantly (in quantity), exceeding abundantly above, superior (in quality), beyond measure.

Ephesians 3:20 is the only other verse of Scripture in which the Greek word perissos is used. Here again it describes the abundant life that Jesus came to give you and I. "Now to Him who, by (inconsequence of) the (action of His) that is at work within us, is able to (carry out His purpose and do) super abundantly, far over and above all that we (dare) ask or think - infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes or dreams" (AMP)

What are your highest prayers, hopes and dreams? Take a moment and write down the desires of your heart. Think about this. Whatever you wrote down, God wants more for you than that.

Jesus came so that you can have life that's super-abundant in quantity, superior in quality and exceeding abundantly above and beyond measure. Deut. 28: 1-3 clearly reveals that God wants His people to be blessed in every area of their life.

Ephesians 3:20 tells us that God is able to carry out His purpose for you far over and above your highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes or dreams. He wants you to live a victorious Christian life by experiencing victory in every situation.

John 10:10 contrasts what the devil wants to do for you and what God wants to do for you.

→ God's will for you includes:

	VICTORY (1 Corinthians 15:57)	JOY (John 17:13)
	PEACE (John 14:27)	ABUNDANCE (2 Corinthians 9:6-11)
	HEALTH (Proverbs 4:20-22)	SUCCESS (Joshua 1:8)
	LOVE (2 Timothy 1:7)	SPIRITUAL GROWTH (Colossians 1:9-12)
	PROTECTION (Psalm 91)

→ The devil’s desire for you includes:

	Defeat (1 Peter 5:8)	Failure (John 10:10)
	Worry-fear (2 Timothy 1:7)	Jealousy (James 3:14-15)
	Bondage (Ephesians 2:1-2)	Sickness (Luke 13:10-16, Acts 10:36)
	Poverty (Proverbs 10:15 & 1 Peter 5:8)	Discouragement (Psalm 42:9-11)

1 John 33:8 teaches us that Jesus has destroyed all the works of the devil. Jesus has redeemed us from each one of the characteristics of the devil. Jeremiah 19:11 describes the plan God has for His people. "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future" (NIV).

James 1: 12-13, 16-17 states, "Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial...when tempted no one should say, God is tempting me, for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He tempt anyone. Don't be deceived, my dear brothers, every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows" (NIV)

What warning does God's Word give us in verse 16?  According to verse 17, what truth should you believe about your Heavenly Father? John 1:16-17 warns us not to be deceived into believing anything contrary to this truth from God's Word.

Psalm 35:27 tells us what God desires for His people: Let those who favor my righteous cause and have pleasure in my uprightness shout for joy and be glad, and say continually, let the Lord be magnified, who takes pleasure in the prosperity of His servant" (AMP).

The word prosper in Jeremiah 28:11 and the word prosperity in Psalm 35:27 are derivatives of the Hebrew word shalom. Shalom means: safe, well, happy, friendly, health, prosperity, peace. According to this definition then, what does God mean when He says in Jeremiah 29:11 that His plan is to prosper you?

Matthew 7:11 states, If you then, evil as you are, know how to give good and advantageous gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven (perfect as He is) give good and advantageous things to those who keep on asking Him?" (AMP).

Just think about all that you want for your own children. Matthew 7:11 clearly reveals that God wants that and more for His children.

In 3 John 2 we are told again what God wants for His children. "Beloved I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health even as thy soul prospers" (KJV).

CONCLUSION
God has given us great and precious promises so we can experience the abundant lifestyle He has planned for us.

Read 2 Peter 1:3-4, "His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness. Through these He has given us His very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in His divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires" (NIV).

God has given to you everything you need to live a victorious Christian life through knowledge of Jesus who is the Word of God (John 1:1, 14). God's Word contains hundreds of promises. If you want to receive all He has planned for you, don't neglect or reject any of them.

When you experience trials and troubles, you can find the answers you need in God's Word. God has given you many promises that offer hope in every situation. Although His will for you is abundant life and His plan is to prosper you, there will be times when you will go through trials or experience trying circumstances. When you face these situations look to God's Word for your answers to the problems.

The following Scriptures tell us what attitudes and actions can keep us from receiving answers to our prayers.

James 1:6-7
James 4:2-3
Psalm 66:18
Mark 11:25
1 Peter 3:7

We must keep our heart pure before God to have confidence before Him in prayer. 1 John 3:21 says that if your heart doesn't condemn you, you can have confidence that God will answer your prayer.

The Bible says in James 5:16, The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available (dynamic in its working") (AMP). God's promises of success in life and answered prayer belong to you as His child. You can claim them to be true in your life.

According to 2 Corinthians 1:20 ALL of these promises find their "yes" answer in Christ Jesus, therefore you can confidently respond to God's promises by saying, "Amen, so be it in my life."

For more infomation about Pastor Bill Lobbs or to read his many other great sermons and messages, we invite you to visit the website that his wife animates: Nuggets of Truth.

IS GOD ANGRY WITH BELIEVERS?

Wed, 10 Oct 2012 2:44:57 AM EST

Many Christians do not know whether God is a god of judgment or a god of love. Whenever they read the Old Testament, they predominantly get the impression that God is angry with people and ready to punish sinners, and even to kill them. However, when they meditate on the New Testament, their impression changes: they primarily see a merciful, loving and forgiving God who sent His only son to pay for the sins of men. As a result, they wonder whether God is angry with them, loving towards them or perhaps a little bit of both. Let us therefore address the issue of whether God is angry with believers or loving towards them.

Well, the truth of the matter is that He is both angry and loving: angry with the wicked as Psalm 7:11 reveals to us and loving as He is love. (1 John 4:8) Some Christians believe that Jesus is more loving than His Father, but this view does not hold true when we study the Bible. In fact, Jesus is not more loving than God and God is not more judging than Jesus. Who warms the most about judgment in the New Testament? Jesus. (see Matthew 7:13-29; 24:45 and 25:46 as well as Luke 21:20-28 for instance) God, on the other hand, presents himself to Moses in the Old Testament as a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. (Exodus 34:6)

We can therefore see that God the Father and Jesus the son share the same (righteous) anger and unconditional love. They are both angry at sin, and rightly so. Jesus was angry at the way the Jewish religious leaders had commercialized worship at God’s temple. And He was angry at the teachers of the Law and Pharisees for being full of hypocrisy and wickedness on the inside while appearing righteous on the outside. (Matthew 23:23-34)

→ The question we should therefore be asking ourselves now is this one: who are God and Jesus angry with? Sinners, believers or both? To answer this question we must analyze what happened when Jesus died on the cross. Isaiah 53:4-8; 10-1 and Romans 3:24-25 show us that ALL of God’s anger, judgment and wrath was placed upon Jesus. And minutes before He died, Jesus said, “It is finished.” (John 19:30) Jesus paid the price to redeem us. We should have paid the wages of our sins. However, in His immense love for us, God decided to take the consequences of our sins upon His son who willingly accepted to be the sacrificial lamb. As God put ALL the past, present and future consequences of our sins on Jesus, there is no more wages to be paid. In short, Jesus’ death atoned for all the sins of mankind, and thus for yours and mine. Consequently, God is no longer angry with us if we are in Christ and Him in us. (Isaiah 12:1-3)

As Hebrews 8:12 confirms to us, God forgives our wickedness when we make Jesus our Lord and Savior and remember our sins no more. Put differently, our sins are not charged upon us anymore since Jesus took them upon Himself when He died.

DOES THAT MEAN WE HAVE A FREE LICENSE TO SIN? Of course not. If we genuinely understood why Jesus had to die and how sin separates us from God (and therefore true love), we will desire nothing less than to sin less and less with time. In other words, we will earnestly work with the Holy Spirit on our progressive sanctification. We will keep renewing our minds and developing the Fruit of the Spirit in our lives in order to become increasingly less deceived by the enemy. Our faith will produce good works and we will change more and more (for the better) with the passage of time. These good works and changes will prove that our faith is real and not fake or dead. Furthermore, whenever we become conscious of the fact that we have sinned, we will immediately repent and ask the Holy Spirit to help us overcome our sinful habits. In short, if we have truly given our hearts to Jesus, we can rest assured that neither He nor His Father in Heaven is angry with us anymore.

When God sees us, He sees His son. He sees an overcomer, a winner, an achiever and a conqueror. Yes, He knows that although we have made Jesus our Lord, we still sin. However, in His love for us, He does everything possible to help us sin less. How? Through the Holy Spirit whom He activated in every believer. The main roles of the Holy Spirit are to comfort us and to help us renew our minds and develop the qualities that we need to become a winner every single day.

→ If you believe that God will punish you if you sin, then you need to uproot from your mind this wrong thought. GOD WILL NOT PUNISH YOU BECAUSE JESUS CARRIED YOUR SINS ON THE CROSS. Yes, Jesus paid the price already, so God will not make you pay it again. What God will do is to help you sin less and less, or put differently, to help you become freer as time goes by. And to achieve this goal He will discipline you from time to time. However, He will NEVER punish you.

There is a big difference between punishing and disciplining someone. When you punish someone, you basically subject them to some pain or deprive them of some freedom as a penalty for some offense. Punishment rarely helps us overcome our sinful habits: it just tells us that we committed an offense. Discipline on the other hand lovingly teaches us how to act righteously. It ultimately enables us to enjoy the abundant life that Jesus died to give us. (John 10:10)

Is discipline always pleasant and without suffering? No. Few of us like to be disciplined. Our flesh normally rebels against discipline. However, once we reap the fruits of the discipline, we come to appreciate the new level of abundance and freedom that we now enjoy and are glad that someone cared enough about us to discipline us.

The most common results of discipline include: more love and trust for the one who disciplined us, more joy, more peace, increased ability to view mistakes as opportunities to learn and more self-confidence. On the other hand, the common results of punishment are: more hatred and resentment towards the punisher, increased feelings of revenge and rebellion and reduced self-esteem.

Make no mistake: God disciplines those He loves. (Proverbs 3:12 and Hebrews 12:6) He will either use our circumstances or engineer situations that will help us become holier and freer. As believers, we can have peace knowing that

ALL things work together for good to those who love God (Romans 8:28)

God will not let us be tested BEYOND what we can bear (1 Corinthians 10:13)

We can do EVERYTHING in Christ who strengthens us (Philippians 4:13)

No discipline is pleasant at the time. However, once it has done its work in us, it ALWAYS produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who went through it until the very end. (Hebrews 12: 11)

So, next time you find yourself in a trial or dead-end, know that God did not punish you, but that He will use it to discipline you so that you can enjoy more of His goodness in your life. Do not think that He is angry with you or that He has stopped loving you or that He has forsaken you. No, He disciplines you because He loves you. Yes, you may have to endure some suffering. Yes, the discipline will be painful at times. And yes, you may feel that God has forsaken you. However, exercise your faith muscles and persevere. The truth is that God loves you. He is not punishing you. He is not angry with us. He just treats you as His son or daughter. (Hebrews 12:7-8) And because He treats you as His son or daughter, He disciplines you from time to time. He disciplines you for your own good, so that He can bless you with more of His abundance and entrust you with more of His riches.

* * * * *

Never, ever, believe that God is mad at you or angry with you if you have sincerely made Jesus your Lord and Savior for you have been redeemed and God has turned His anger away from you. He doesn’t remember your sins anymore and your life is hidden with Christ. For Him you are a completely new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17) who has been perfected in Christ. As you go through trials, draw closer to God, be grateful to Him for the opportunity to get purified from the toxins that poison your heart and mind, and work with the Holy Spirit on your sanctification and renewal of our mind. They will help you turn your trials into doorways to more abundance.

PS: I now hear you asking, “who is God’s anger directed to now that I gave my life to Christ?” To those who have decided to reject Christ and his salvation offer: i.e. to those who insist on paying personally the wages of sin. (John 3:36)

He is married since 1995 to Barbara, and they are the parents of two children.

IS THIS REALLY GOD'S WILL FOR MY LIFE?

Wed, 3 Oct 2012 1:51:59 AM EST

As a believer I have learned that whenever I trip over troubles and trials or stumble over sufferings of any kind it is usually the case that I am struggling over some part of God's plan for my life. Deep down I know that what I'm confronting is good for my spiritual growth or God would not have allowed it but UI resist it anyway. My human nature automatically shies away from any voluntary participation in physical pain, mental anguish or emotional conflict. I instinctively long to be insulated from hurts, shielded from tragedies or sheltered from misfortunes.

But the truth is all of us have unforeseen problems pop up in our lives and some of them can seem pretty hopeless and overwhelming when we're in the midst of them. Though God hasn't revealed everything we would like to know on the subject of problems, He does have reasons for allowing troubles to come into our lives. Many people think that when they go through problems, it is because God is mad at them or perhaps because He has abandoned them. They think, "I must be out of God's will or these things wouldn't be happening to me." That kind of reasoning is often wrong. Many times your problems are exactly God's will for your life for if God allows them they come with a divine purpose. 1 Peter 4:12-13 (the message), "Friends, when life really gets difficult don't jump to the conclusion that God isn't on the job. Instead be glad that you are in the thick of what Christ experienced. This is the spiritual and refining process with glory just around the corner."

Sometimes it is within God's will that we experience problems. We may not understand His reasons for them as we are working our way through them, but we do afterwards and it was always for our good.

Romans 8:28, "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose." In this message I want to share with you the story of Joseph one of God's people who had a real encounter with some serious problems that unexpectedly invaded his life. Problems that came as a complete surprise to him. I you have ever despaired because life didn't make sense or everything seemed to be going against you - then this story is for you.

If we can learn to do what Joseph did in his trying times then when we are facing our problems we can reap the same benefits that he did. The story is found in the book of Genesis. It starts in chapter 37 and ends in chapter 50. We'll begin in Genesis 37:1-11 with a description of a troubled family.

I. A TROUBLED FAMILY

I need to draw your attention to a few details in Jacob's life to see what made Jacob's family the dysfunctional family as described in verses 1 through 11 of Genesis 37.

Jacob had deceived his father Isaac by pretending to be Esau to get the first born blessing and had to flee for his life. He went to live with Uncle Laban and fell in love with Rachel, Laban's youngest daughter, and worked seven years to obtain her as wife. Jacob was deceived on the wedding night as Laban substituted Leah (the oldest daughter) in place or Rachel. Jacob worked another seven years for Rachel and ended up with two wives instead of one.

Genesis chapter 30 gives us an insight into the domestic problems that begin to develop because of plurality of wives. There was tremendous rivalry between the two wives. They verbally fought and argued to compete for Jacob's attention. Sometimes they bartered in order to decide who was going to share his bed for the night.

If that wasn't trouble enough - when Rachel had trouble bearing children according to the custom of the day Rachel gave Jacob her handmaid Behah as a third wife to bear children in her place. Leah - not to be outdone did the same with Zilpah her handmaiden and the race to produce children was on. The result was that Jacob ended up with four quarreling wives and all the ingredients for what we would call today - a dis-functional family.

II. JOSEPH THE DREAMER

As we pick up the story in verses 1 through 11 we see that: Jacob the father is the classic example of the passive pre-occupied father. He is much too busy making a living and coping with the squabbles of his four wives to deal effectively with the wrongs that occurred in the lives of the boys.

Joseph was the eleventh son born to Jacob and the first son born to

Rachel which was Jacob's wife of first choice. It seems that Joseph was Jacob's favorite son of all the boys. Now whether Joseph was that special or not or just made to feel that way one thing was certain. Joseph did not suffer from low self esteem. In fact, he had a dream in which he saw his brothers someday bowing to him and becoming his servants. (See verses 5-8). This dream did not go over very well at the breakfast table. You can imagine how much the brothers appreciated this dream revelation of Joseph. It was already bad enough to them that Dad favored Joseph, but this dream put the icing on the cake - but that dream wasn't the end of it yet.

Joseph dreamed another dream . In this one not only the eleven stars bowed down to him, but also the sun and the moon did too. Now - how many brothers did Joseph have? That's right - eleven. It didn't take dad long to figure out who the sun and moon represented in the dream. This time not only the brothers got angry but dad got a little hot under the collar too.

Don't miss this spiritual truth in what was happening to Joseph. Though Joseph didn't understand what was happening and though his brothers at this point scoffed at his dreams and though Jacob didn't know what to think - God was playing out the opening scene in a drama that would be a part of Joseph's life for the next 23 years.

Though God was busy during those years silently leading, guiding and molding Joseph's life and working out a plan to bless Joseph beyond his wildest dreams, from Joseph's perspective it wouldn't appear that way. From all he was encountering at times it would have been easy to think that God and the world was against him. The scripture again and again states that in the midst of it all -

God was with Joseph.

Truth to Consider: One of the great lessons to learn from the life of Joseph is this; it is not always possible to know or understand what God is doing in your life at the moment. In fact it may seem like God is not there at all. Sometimes it takes time for God's plans to be seen. Twenty three years into the fu: 1-20ture and Joseph would recall the dreaming of those dreams and all that happened at home with his brothers. Then - it would all make sense to him.

I want us to see three scenes in Joseph's life that reveals how God directed things to cause them to bring Joseph from a pit to a prison to a palace. There were three scenes demanding different roles that were played out to perfection by Joseph that won for him heavens highest award to man which is God's approving "Well done thou good and faithful servant."

III. A PIT EXPERIENCE (Genesis 37:12-28)

Resentment will always work its way to the surface eventually if it isn't dealt with. In the case of the brothers, resentment for Joseph continued to grow until it developed into a full blown murder plot. When Joseph showed at the brother's camp at least one of them said, "Why don't we just kill him?" And that's what would have happened too if one of the brothers hadn't spoken up and said, "Look, I'm not crazy about him either, but let's not kill him let's just throw him in that big old pit over there."

After they threw him in the pit they sat down to have a little celebration before going back home. Along came a trading caravan passing by on its way to Egypt. One brother said, "Why don't we sell little brother to them that way we will still be rid of him. We won't be guilty of killing him and we can make some money on the deal." Now the brothers may have thought that was the end of Joseph, but the story of Joseph is just getting started. The bible says, "The Lord was with Joseph."

So even though some bad things were happening to Joseph, God was still watching out for him. The caravan was going to Egypt so that's where Joseph wound up and was sold as a slave to a fellow named Potiphar, a captain in Pharaoh's army. Joseph became a slave in Polisher's house.

IV. A PRISON EXPERIENCE (Genesis 39:1-20)

There is an interesting thing abbot people seen it happen so many times. A bad thing can happen in one person's life and it can wipe them out. They become bitter, angry and sometimes resentful. They resign themselves to the fact that they will never recover from it. The bad thing can happen to another person and it is handled completely different. For them it may be a set back but it's not a defeat. They may be way behind but the game is not over yet.

The first person focuses on what is lost. The second person focuses on what still remains. I think Joseph was this second type of person He understood that you bring who you are into everything you do and into everything that life brings to you. You see regardless of what had happened Joseph was still Joseph and he saw himself as a person of character and integrity.

Potiphar began to notice this about Joseph too. Everything that Joseph did around the place was done well. The crops were doing well. The house was in better shape. The whole staff was running more smoothly. Potiphar knew a good man when he saw one and it wasn't long until Joseph was made head overseer of the entire household.

Now everything should have gone very well for Joseph in Potiphar's household but the bible says Joseph was handsomely good looking. Now that is not a bad thing unless you're working for someone whose wife was like Mrs. Potiphar or better known as Mrs. Pot of Fire. She began to pursue Joseph with seduction in mind. Joseph managed to escape until one day he made a tactical error. He let himself be alone with her in the house. She grabbed him and he managed to escape, but she held on to his coat and he left it as he fled. In anger she charged him with assaulting her and produced his coat as evidence. As a result, Potiphar had Joseph thrown into prison when he believed her lie about Joseph.

In prison it didn't take the custodian long to recognize quality and character when he saw it. So after awhile Joseph is promoted in prison. He became the jailers right hand man and Joseph ends up being the chief overseer of all the prisoners.

Before concluding with scene 3 let me point out that in prison Joseph interpreted dreams of Pharaoh's butler and baker who had made Pharaoh's angry at them and placed them both in prison.

V. A PALACE EXPERIENCE (Genesis 41:1-57)

A change of scenes from the prison to the palace. Picture this scene in the palace. Pharaoh comes downstairs for his morning coffee. He looks awful - eyes bloodshot and he tells Mrs. Pharaoh that he hardly slept again last night. He has had more dreams. They have been unusual dreams - extremely weird dreams and he can't decipher their meaning. Pharaoh has had enough of these dreams so he calls together all the wise people of his court and tells them the dream and asks if anyone can explain it. Dead silence greets him, however, the butler remembered Joseph in prison and tells the King about him.

So the ruler of Egypt sent for who -that's right - our man Joseph who was still in prison. .Pharaoh says, "So you are good at interpreting dreams. Well, I've got a doosy for you." Pharaoh told Joseph the dream and Joseph interpreted it for him.. There is going to be a famine in the land.. Joseph, gave Pharaoh a good plan on how to handle the famine. Pharaoh was impressed with Joseph's plan. He too knew a good man when he saw one. As a reward, Pharaoh made Joseph second in command over all of Egypt.

Now the story of Joseph would be great if it ended right here, but there is one or two loose ends that need to be tied up. For one thing the famine did come as Joseph predicted and the famine struck even those in Canaan where Joseph's brothers and father lived. To make a long story short, his brothers had to go down to Egypt for bread. When they got there guess who they had to deal with and bow to? Right, their long lost brother, Joseph. Now Joseph has grown up and he has an Egyptian name, an Egyptian wife and Egyptian clothes He also speaks Egyptian fluently. They did not recognize him. After hiding his identity from them for awhile and playing a couple of tricks on them he finally reveals his identity. He quiets their fears by forgiving them and he sends for his father and the rest of the family. Pharaoh gives Joseph's family the best of the farmland in Egypt. That's a quick survey of the story of Joseph.

VI. CONCLUSION

There are many things that you and I could learn from the story of Joseph, but I just want to mention a few of them.

Joseph could have surrendered to self pity, but he didn't.

Self pity is an ever present temptation to those who are going through an emotionally shattering experience.

Self pity has been around since the beginning of time and it has never benefited anyone. It will never do anyone any good.

Self pity does not generate self respect. It wipes it out!

Self pity is demoralizing. It opens the door for depression. It mars relationships with others and it steps up your progress to being a healthy and mature individual.

→ Ask yourself if self pity has ever done anything good for you? Has it ever changed what has happened? NEVER!. Has it ever made good come out of bad? NEVER! Has it ever made you feel better? NEVER! Has it ever made you feel loved? NEVER! Has it ever built up your self respect? NEVER! Has it ever enabled you to achieve your goals in life? NEVER! Has it ever brought you closer to others? NEVER! Has it ever made you more loved by others? NEVER!

If you want to be filled with gloom, taken over by sadness, without friends, physically ill, problem beaten or terribly depressed then go ahead and pity yourself. Or you can do what Joseph did, refuse to bow to it.

Joseph could have let the bad memories of the past plaque him on his journey from his home to Pharaoh's palace, but he didn't. He had a number of bad memories to recall as we just discovered in his story. Many people today live plagued by the past. In the most extreme cases people sit in mental hospitals and constantly relive the tragic events of yesterday. They are trapped by the things that have happened or words that have been said to them by others. Not Joseph. Like Apostle Paul he developed divine amnesia to the past and its problems and hurts.

Philippians 3: 13-14, "One thing I do, forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead. I press on toward the goal..."

Joseph chose to live his life free from resentment, bitterness and revenge. The past was past - gone - finished - ended - and forever.

→ Remember life is not always fair, but God is! Our expectations as believers so often require that things always seem fair - especially where God is involved. When things aren't fair or don't seem fair to our advantage and God doesn't seem to intervene to stop them, we call God's character into question. Doesn't He care? If he is all powerful then why doesn't He stop this? Is He there or does He even exist?

Do these questions sound familiar. They do to me. If you have or if you are even now asking them let me lift up three truths about God we need to know.

God doesn't always intervene in our lives when things aren't fair. We may not like it or understand it, but is it is the truth.

God doesn't always stop others from doing evil to us. Could He? Yes! Then why doesn't He? That is what we question.

God will always work these things out for our ultimate good in the long run if we continue to trust Him. This is God's answer and solution to the first two statements.

→ Remember that it is the struggle that makes a person strong. It is the hardships that make a person an overcomer. It is the obstacles that provides a person opportunities to excel. Tough times come not to punish us but to perfect us. These tough times come not to make us miserable, but to mature us.

God's main goal for us is not to make us comfortable, but to conform us into the image of Christ. God is more concerned about our character than about our comfort.

For more infomation about Pastor Bill Lobbs or to read his many other great sermons and messages, we invite you to visit the website that his wife animates: Nuggets of Truth.

DELAYS - SOMETIMES GOD'S PLAN

Wed, 26 Sep 2012 2:39:39 AM EST

Have you ever had a God inspired dream that didn’t happen as quickly as you thought it should? Yes, you had worked at it, but it seemed that many obstacles came against you. Finally, you gave up in despair. The dream lay dormant. I have always found the following quip to be an encouraging thought. Don’t give up!

Between failure and success the point is so fine,
We sometimes do not know when they touch the line.
Just when the pearl was waiting one more plunge,
How many a struggler has thrown up the sponge.
Then take this honey from the bitterest cup,
There is no failure except in giving up.

God had inspired a dream of the Promise Land in the heart of the Israelite people. They dreamed of a land that overflowed with milk and honey. A land of freedom; a land where they could be free from the whips of the evil taskmasters of Egypt. Scholars say that the journey to the promise land was only a one-to-two week journey. However it took the children of Israel 40 years to get there.

Exodus 13: 17, "And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God led them not through the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, Lest peradventure the people repent when they see war, and they return to Egypt:"

We find in this scripture that God did not take the short route. When God wants to take you somewhere He may take you on the long path instead of a shortcut. Someone might ask, why did God take the long way which caused a delay in taking the children of Israel into the promise land? This delay was designed by God for a particular reason. Let's look at three ways God uses delays in our lives.

→ God uses delays to prepare us. The Israelites were a slave people and they weren't prepared for war, and God knew if they went to war they wouldn't be able to handle it. Every dream has its difficulties. God uses delays to get us ready for those difficult times that we are going to face during the course of our journey. These delays are designed to strengthen our faith and make us stronger.

→ God uses delays to test us. Deut. 8:2, "God led you through the wilderness for forty years... testing you to find out how you would respond and if you would obey Him." God uses delays to test how we will respond under pressure and to test our loyalty and obedience to Him.

→ God uses delays to train us because sometimes it takes longer to get Egypt out of us than it does to get us out of Egypt. The culture and habits of Egypt was engrained in the hearts and minds of the Israelite people. God could bring them out of Egypt in one night but it would take years to get Egypt out of them. When you and I got saved we had habits and thought patterns that were of this world. When we got saved those thought patterns and habits came with us. God uses the delays to break those habits and thought patterns and train you in His way of thinking and doing things. The best thing to do when you are in God's waiting room is be patient and let God do His work in your life.

I want you to notice that it was God that was leading them to where they were going. Sometimes God will lead you through the wilderness. But I believe that your response determines how long you stay in the wilderness.

Your test of maturity is how well you handle the delays in your life.

Sadly, the children of Israel flunked this test. They never made it through the delay. Only two Israelites who left Egypt actually got to go into the Promised Land. A whole generation had to die in the desert. The next generation got to go in. Only two of the first generation -- Joshua and Caleb -- got to go in. Why? Because they trusted God to take them

When you're going through the delays in your life, there are four things that you don't want to do. If you do these four things it will prolong the delay.

1. DON'T FEAR

This is the first mistake the Israelites made. There are a lot of reasons for the delays that happen in your life but this one is your own fault. God says don't be afraid. They were afraid to go forward at the Red Sea. And they were afraid to enter the Promise land because of the walled cities and the giants. They said `We are afraid... The people there are stronger and taller than we are and the cities are walled cities." They had enough faith to move out of Egypt but they didn't have enough faith to move into the Promised Land. They were afraid.

The problem with fear is that it keeps you in the wilderness; in the desert and barren stages of life. It prolongs the delay. Fear and faith cannot live together in the same house. Many of your dreams have never been fulfilled, not because of God, but because of you. Because you wouldn't be stepping out in faith. God says, “Don't fear.” Fear causes the delays in your life and keeps you from moving ahead. The antidote to fear is to focus on God's presence.

Exodus 13:18, "But God led the people about, through the way of the wilderness of the Red sea: and the children of Israel went up harnessed out of the land of Egypt."

Exodus 13:21-22, "And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night: He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people."

Realize that God is with you. When you're afraid to go after the dream God has given you, you need to focus on God's presence. He says, "I will always be with you." There will never be a time in your life when God is not with you. He's with you now, He always has been and He always will be. He's with you on your good days and your bad days. He's with you when you feel it and He's with you when you don't feel it. God says: "I will always be with you."

Someone once said there are 365 "fear nots" in the Bible. If that is true, then that's one for every day of the year. God is saying, no matter what you're facing do not be afraid. "Fear not, for I am with you." Not because of positive thinking or motivational tapes or pulling yourself up by the psychological bootstraps. You'll never face any situation in life that God isn't facing it with you. We tend to forget that, and when we do we start being afraid. Don't fear but focus on God's presence -- He's with you all the time.

Some of you are in the delay phase right now. You've been praying about something and it hasn't happened yet. You start to think that God has forgotten you. God has not forgotten you. He knows what you're going through. It is a delay by design. God wants to build your character and He wants you to learn to trust in Him. You can count on Him for His help. Don't fear.

2. DON'T FRET

Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.

Psalms 37:7-8, Wait and trust the LORD. Don't be upset when others get rich or when someone else's plans succeed. Don't get angry. Don't be upset; it only leads to trouble (NCV) .

To fret means to worry. Don't get worried. Don't get uptight. We do that when we get into delays. We worry, get uptight, get stressed out. Worry will give you something to do, but worry will only cause strength to drain from you.

When you worry you bind the hands that can help you. God responds to faith not fear. Learn to trust God in the delays you face. After all it is God that is leading you.

God says don't fret, don't worry, don't get uptight about it. When we really grumble is when we're waiting for God to act. We get in a hurry. Prov. 19:2 "And he sins who hastens with his feet." When we try to take matters into our own hands we get in trouble. We try to help God out. It's frustrating to be in a hurry and God isn't. God is never in a hurry. The Bible says with Him, a day is like a thousand years and a thousand years like a day. He's larger than time. One of the most useless things to try to do is to speed up God.

When you get impatient you start trying to work it out yourself. You get a dream from God, make the decision to go for it, and then when the delay comes and it's not fast enough for you, you start trying to figure out ways of doing God's dream on your own. You start trying to force the issue.

Abraham did this. God said He was going to give him a son. At 75 Abraham still didn't have one. Sarah was incapable of conceiving. He decided to have a child by Hagar, Sarah's hand maiden. Hagar gets pregnant and bears a son. They name him Ishmael. Abraham thought he had the miracle child in Ishmael. God said that Ishmael was not the miracle. That was just a normal conception. He wasn't the baby God said would be the miracle baby. God blessed Ishmael anyway and he also became the father of a great nation. He's the father of all the Arabs.

But God said there would be another child. Later Abraham had Isaac through Sarah who was way up in years and although she had never been able to have a child, at a grandmother's age she had a baby. Isaac became the father of the Jewish nation.

Don't fret, but trust God's timing. Psalm 37:7-8, "Rest in the Lord, wait patiently for Him to act. Don't fret and worry. It only leads to harm."

Resting in God is an act of faith to trust God's timing. It means you're waiting on God. One time, Jesus and the disciples were in a boat and Jesus fell asleep. A big storm came up and the disciples freaked out. Jesus is in the corner of the boat sleeping. They wake Jesus up, “Why are you sleeping?” "Do you think God is going to let the boat sink with Me in it?", Jesus basically replied. Jesus, by His sleeping, was saying, I can trust God even in the middle of a storm. I don't have to worry about it.

When we get into a storm, we lay awake all night. And we fret about it. The very fact that we're laying awake at night means we're not living by faith. We can't get any sleep because we don't really trust God to work it out. God says, "Don't fear, don't fret. Remember I'm always with you and trust My timing."

The verse says "Wait patiently for Him to act." When you wait impatiently it doesn't make waiting any better. All being impatient does is make you miserable.

"Don't fret and worry. It only leads to harm." Worry doesn't work. It just makes you miserable. So stop worrying and start trusting God's timing.

Eccl. 3:11, "God has set the right time for everything." God's timing is perfect.

3. DON'T FAINT

When you go through the delays in life, don't faint. Don't get discouraged. Don't lose heart. Don't give up. This is the third thing the Israelites did and it kept them out of the promised land. Numbers 14 "All the Israelites grumbled against Moses... `If only we had died in Egypt! ... We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt." They gave up on their dream. They caved in. They had been in slavery 400 years but now because they are having a little bit of delay they want to go back to Egypt. "If only" and "go back" are phrases that are telltale signs you're discouraged -- that you're fainting, losing heart.

Numbers 14: 1-4, "And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night. And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness! And wherefore hath the LORD brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? were it not better for us to return into Egypt? And they said one to another, Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt.

If only -- means we start to second-guess ourselves. When we get a dream from God, make the decision to go for it and if it doesn't come immediately we start second-guessing ourselves -- "Maybe I didn't really hear from God. Maybe I just made this up. Maybe God is not listening and He doesn't care. If only I'd done something different. If only I'd done this or that..." We second-guess ourselves.

And then we say: "Let's go back to Egypt." When we go through delays in our lives we tend to idealize the past. We talk about the good old days -- which really weren't that good. The only thing good about them is they are over. The grass isn't greener on this or that side of the fence -- it's greener where you water it! The good old days always look better in hindsight than they really were. We get into a project, start having a delay, and then want to give up. The Israelites had been in slavery in Egypt.

Some people would rather live in slavery than face the fear of freedom. They are not willing to push through and work on the problem until they get it right. They want to go back, give up. They settle for mediocrity in life. Don't settle for less than God's best for your life. If that means going through a tunnel of conflict, take the tunnel. In the middle of the tunnel it's dark and you want to run back to the light. But you've got to keep going and you'll come out in the light on the other side.

Instead of fainting -- be persistent and pray.

Galatians 6:9, "Let us never grow tired of doing what's right, for if we do not faint, we'll reap a harvest at the right time." This is the law of the harvest: In life, you will reap whatever you sow. What you plant you will harvest. If you sow criticism, you will reap a lot of criticism in your life. If you sow love, you will reap love back in your life. If you sow generosity, you will reap back generosity. It's one of the laws of the universe. We'll always reap more than we sow. If I plant one kernel of corn, do I get on kernel back? No, I get a whole stalk with thousands on it. You always reap more than you sow. But in the Law of the Harvest there is always a delay between sowing and reaping. There's always a season. You plant in one season and you reap in another. There is a delay in between. God wants to see if you're going to keep cultivating, planting, sowing -- see if you really mean business. If God sees consistency in your life then the harvest comes. It will not come immediately because it proves nothing if He does it immediately. No delay, no character development, no stretching your faith.

Jesus said that about 2000 years earlier. Luke 18:1; "You need to pray continually and not lose heart." You have two options in life, pray and not loose heart or faint and loose heart. You will always be doing one or the other. If you pray continually you will not lose heart, you won't be discouraged. If you don't pray continually, you will lose heart. You will faint. You will get discouraged by the problems you're facing in your life. You've got to keep on praying.

What do I pray during the delay phases of life? Pray "Help me hold on and not give up." The Bible says, "They that wait upon the Lord, shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings, as eagles. They shall run and not be weary. They shall walk and not faint." They won't give up. They'll keep on keeping on.

4. DON'T FORGET

Psalms 103: " Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's."

During the delay, time causes us to forget many things. When there is a delay, we tend to forget our dream. We tend to forget what God had done in our life. We tend to forget God's goodness to us in the past. We tend to forget that God is with us. We tend to forget God's power. We tend to forget how important it is that we stay in God's strength and we start focusing on all our problems than on what He has done for us. The Bible says, Don't forget.

Psalms 106: 7-13, "Our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt; they remembered not the multitude of thy mercies; but provoked him at the sea, even at the Red sea. Nevertheless he saved them for his name's sake, that he might make his mighty power to be known. He rebuked the Red sea also, and it was dried up: so he led them through the depths, as through the wilderness. And he saved them from the hand of him that hated them, and redeemed them from the hand of the enemy. And the waters covered their enemies: there was not one of them left. Then believed they his words; they sang his praise. They soon forgot his works; they waited not for his counsel:"

This was the fourth mistake that the Israelites made out in the wilderness. Ps. 106 tells us "They forgot the many times God showed them his love, and they rebelled at the Red Sea. But He saved them as He promised. But they quickly forgot again! They wouldn't wait for God to act."

This says many times. It's unbelievable how short their memory was. In Egypt, God does ten plagues and the children of Israel forget it because a couple days later they're at the Red Sea and saying "We're all going to die!" They've forgotten just what God's done. God does a miracle and opens the Red Sea. They walk through to the other side and immediately forget that miracle. "We're going to die of thirst!" God provides water miraculously. They forget that and complain, "We're going to die -- no food!" They were always forgetting.

But we should not be too quick to judge them because we do the exact same thing. When a delay occurs in our lives we start acting like God's never done anything for us. Has God done things for you in the past? Sure He has. You can count on Him to do it tomorrow, or the next day... When you act like, "God's not going to bail me out of this one!" you're forgetting all the other times He's bailed you out. Some of the times you didn't even know about it but He did.

What have you been forgetting about God, how He's helped you so many times?

The consequences of forgetting the Bible says is "...they would not wait." Instead of forgetting you need to remember God's promises. There are over 7000 of them in the Bible. God's promises are always greater than the problems you're facing. Ps. 103 "I will bless the Lord and not forget the great things He does for me." You ask, Why isn't God fulfilling the promise in my life? He's waiting on you. You think you're waiting on God? He's waiting on you to learn to not fear, not fret, not faint, not forget. He wants you to learn that before He brings the solution He has some things He wants you to develop first; some growth patterns He wants you to put into your life. God's never in a hurry. He can do things immediately, but He's working on a larger agenda. The delays that come in your life do not destroy God's purpose. They fulfill God's purpose in your life. They make you a better person.

God will make a way where there seems to be no way if we will just learn to wait.

Hab. 2:3 "These things won't happen right away. Slowly, steadily, surely, the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. If it seems slow, do not despair, for these things will surely come to pass. Just be patient! They will not be overdue a single day!"

The things you have been waiting for in your life, God will bring to fulfillment if you do not faint, do not fret, do not fear, do not forget.

For more infomation about Pastor Bill Lobbs or to read his many other great sermons and messages, we invite you to visit the website that his wife animates: Nuggets of Truth.

PASTORING YOUR SHEEP BY PROTECTING THEM FROM DECEPTION

Wed, 19 Sep 2012 1:13:55 AM EST

Protecting our flock includes many responsibilities, one of the greatest of these being protecting our sheep from deception. Deception by its very nature is enticing. It causes something to appear good, when in reality it is not. However beautiful and innocent it may appear, it is a fatal enemy and our sheep must be protected.

There is no replacement for understanding the Bible. Having a solid foundation in the true gospel based on God’s Word is crucial. However there are many lost sheep that do not understand the Bible and therefore who have fallen prey to deception. I myself wanted a relationship with Christ and thought I was choosing Christianity when I became a Mormon. Instead I was immersed into the cult of Mormonism. Mormons appear Christians yet they themselves are blind and cannot understand the gospel of Grace. They place heavy burdens of works on their members.

Unfortunately this education on deception is missing in many churches. The fear of being unpopular and possibly offending someone has taken precedence and has allowed deception to foster and grow. So the truth that we know becomes watered down until it is ineffective. Accepting ALL faiths becomes the new way as true Christianity takes the back seat.

→ When we know a truth or something critical it becomes our responsibility to share it with others. If you know that there is a nearby cliff around the corner where one will surely fall to his death and yet you fail to post a sign or to tell others of the impending danger, you become an accomplice to their death.

In the same way, a good shepherd knows the safest routes and is willing to put his own life in danger in order to protect his flock. Our good shepherd, Jesus Christ, gives clear guidelines in order to avoid Satan’s traps and laid down His life for us. Well-cared-for sheep know the differences between a good shepherd and one that is only after building up his own church or religious movement; in other words the difference between truth and deception.

“For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.” (2 Peter 1:5-9)

You see, like the Pharisees who claimed to be shepherds of God’s flock, there are many false prophets, false leaders and false religions nowadays. Many are hypocrites who do not practice what they preach, but some (and they are the most dangerous) practice what they preach, yet their message is based on a perverted version of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

“You are being fooled by those who deliberately twist the truth concerning Christ.” (Galatians 1:7)

“For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough.” (2 Corinthians 11:4)

→ In John chapter 9 Jesus heals a man born blind. The Pharisees claimed to be shepherds of God's people and yet had just excommunicated this man that was born blind. These “shepherds” thought they had all the answers. They thought they could see. Jesus says to them in John 9:40-41: “If you were blind, you wouldn’t be guilty. But you remain guilty because you claim you can see.”

Jesus pointed out that the Pharisees had just excommunicated one of God’s true sheep, one that was seeking Him with his heart. They were offended that Jesus spoke of their own blindness. They could not see that Jesus was the true shepherd and was standing before them fulfilling the very prophecy they had professed to know. They were hard-hearted and filled with bitterness. They had a heart prepared for murder. They were standing there with their hands full of stones ready to kill Jesus, and yet He was the one who had opened the eyes of the blind man.

These Pharisees understood the role of a shepherd and yet they were hypocrites that did not practice what they preached. As pastors, leaders and followers of Christ we must search out everything, walk the talk, and teach others the truths of God's Kingdom so that they will not be blinded to such deception.

The Pharisees threw the man Jesus had healed out of the synagogue—they threw him out of the church. They excommunicated him. Why? He was professing that Jesus was a prophet, and the Pharisees wanted to label Jesus as a sinner. The Pharisees are not the only ones that would like to portray Jesus as a mere man, and thus as a sinner like all of us. The Mormon Church also claims that God was once a man like us, a sinner. “As man is, God once was; as God is, man may be,” said LDS Apostle James E. Talmage. Make no mistake, God was never a man like us; He is without sin and always has been. (2 Corinthians 5:21)

This is only one of the many false teachings happening within the Mormon Church. As good shepherds, we must lead these sheep out of their captivity or they will starve to death and misery on lack of exposure to the true gospel and God’s love and grace.

→ The Lord Jesus Christ opened the eyes of one who was born blind. Jesus had anointed the man’s eyes, and then told him to go and wash; he did as instructed and he immediately retrieved his eyesight. He had to wash. Unless our eyes are washed by God’s Word and we become regenerated (born again), we cannot see nor comprehend clearly the Kingdom of God and Heaven.

As Pastors, Leaders, Teachers or Followers of Christ let us work together to make sure that EVERYONE is exposed to the Truth and has spiritual eyes that can see. Let us also invite people to test our teachings with the Holy Spirit so that He can confirm to them the truths we share with them. They will then be set free and walk on the path that leads to real love, joy and peace.

La Vonne Earl is a Christian Life Coach and NLP Practitioner. She is capable of providing a variety of counseling life coaching services that deals for instance with: Grief, depression, anxiety and stress; controlling our thoughts; addiction; self-image & identity; recognizing God's voice in one's life; and infidelity recovery.

She is the author of "Loved Into The Light", which is a powerful emotional appeal to Mormons, ex-Mormons, and Christians of all faiths to take a close and careful look at the religious system they worship in. You can follow her at: Facebook or LinkedIn. You may also visit her website or book page.

LIFE IS IN THE LIGHT

Wed, 19 Sep 2012 1:05:00 AM EST

Ever get a glass splinter in your finger? You can feel it - it even altars how you use your hand -but you can't see it. In fact, sometimes you have just a general idea of where it is. Not until you hold your finger under a lamp and let the light glint off of the shard will you really see what is there. Only then can you gently remove it with a pair of tweezers. The spot may be sore for a while, but the relief is immediate.

How about those little splinters hidden in your soul? You know: the ones that cause you to react abrasively or avoid certain activities or people? Tiny shards that alter what you do or how you live. You can feel them, but can’t quite see them. You know they’re there, but aren’t always sure how or when you picked them up.

Ignoring these hidden irritants lasts but a while and trying to dig them out causes yet more pain.

Only one solution will work: Light.

In sitting still before our Creator – in prayer, in the Word, in worship, in quietness – His light reveals secrets of the soul.

I have meditated on Psalm 43:3-4 dozens of times in the last eight or ten years: “Oh send out Your light and Your truth, let them lead me. Let them bring me to Your holy hill and to Your dwelling…”

As I cried out, “Father, shine Your light; Holy Spirit reveal Your truth,” unexpected deception was exposed, unknown heartaches uncovered, and un-confessed sin revealed within my soul. Some closer to the surface than I realized; some buried so deep that I could have never found them on my own.

Gently, perfectly, He removed each one as I held still.

Facing our dark corners and hidden secrets is not easy, but until we do, we are destined to live out of the fruit of our darkness.

In contrast, daylight brings us to a point of decision where we can no longer make excuses or justify our choice to continue in error. Light exposes for the express purpose of freedom and healing.

Now, we would never think of leaving a glass shard in our finger once we discover it. But how often we fight exposing the hurts or sin deep within.

One of the most devastating lies Satan tells us is that God will reject us if we come into the light – if our fear, sin, shame, or pain are exposed.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

Jesus encouraged His disciples to walk in the light so that darkness would not overtake them (John 12:35).

In John 8:12 Jesus proclaimed, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."

Proverbs 16:15 says, “In the light of the king’s face is life, and his favor is like a cloud with spring rain.”

In Romans 13:12, Paul exhorted the Roman believers with these words: “…let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.”

→ Darkness overtakes to do harm; Light offers the gift of life.

→ Darkness leaves you dry and weary; Light releases refreshing spring rain.

→ Darkness holds in bondage; Light exposes to bring freedom and healing.

→ Darkness weakens to death; Light protects as a heavenly armor.

If ever there were direct opposites, this would be it. And if ever you are longing for relief, run into God’s presence. His light always brings life. Amazing – yes – but forever true.

“I have come as Light into the world so that everyone who believes in Me will not remain in darkness.” (John 12:46)

* * *

“…you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” (I Peter 2:9)

* * *

“...once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light! For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true.” (Ephesians 5:8-9)

Amy Layne Litzelman writes, sings, and teaches biblical truths from a clean, simple, yet profound perspective. More than anything else, she longs to know her creator-God and emit His fragrant life. This desire led her to parner in a worship, discipleship, and teaching minitry for over eight years.

She has written over 70 songs, recorded four CDs, and traveled to teach and lead worship across the US and in the Philippines. Amy released her first book, This Beloved Road: A journey of Revelation and Worship in January 2011. She continues to write music, as well as private journaling, letters of encouragement to Filipino pastors and churches, and a blog.

Amy and her husband, Matt, currently live in Jackson, WY, and have two adult sons. You can follow her at: Facebook, LinkedIn, at her blog or at Goodreads. You may also visit her website or Book page.

THAT'S ALL RIGHT

Wed, 19 Sep 2012 12:56:38 AM EST

She was only nineteen, a college sophomore, when she started her own sorority. Disillusioned with the superficial behaviors and attitudes of those already on campus, she wanted one that was all-inclusive of every interested female and one devoted to serving the community. Together with a hand-select group of friends, she chartered a unique service-oriented group of sisters. Girls from every corner of this prestigious university arrived to pledge. When two friends applied together, she was eager to welcome both. However, her cofounders had other ideas. The first girl was welcomed with open arms. Her friend, a bubbly, intelligent but severely overweight young woman was denied. The founder was enraged! She reminded her sisters that this was not the premise under which this sorority had been founded. But her voice went unheard. Heartbroken, the bubbly friend retreated into obscurity.

The following year, "Founder" took the position of president of the sisterhood with one objective in mind. She searched for "Bubbly" and begged her to re pledge. But "B" was adamant: "I can't. I was totally humiliated and embarrassed. I never want to see any of those girls again." Founder begged and apologized. Not one to take "no" for an answer, she persisted until "B" acquiesced. Once onboard, it didn't take the others long to warm up to "B". She proved herself to be one of the hardest working and most loved members of the chapter. End of sweet college story.

Years passed and Founder, out with some friends one evening, was approached by an attractive woman. "Hi, Founder", she said. A look of uncertainty revealed that "F" did not recognize the woman. "It's me, Bubbly", she explained. "Oh, my God," "F" proclaimed! "I'm so sorry. I didn't recognize you." "That's probably because I've lost over a hundred pounds. I wanted you know that you totally changed my life. I will never forget your kindness. It's because of you, I went on to have a wonderful career, married a fantastic man, and have two beautiful children." They hugged each other tightly as tears rolled down their cheeks. After a few minutes, each continued their respective activities. End of heartwarming young adult story.

Fast forward fifteen years. Founder, now a mother with children of her own, moves to a new location. It's always unsettling to change doctors and find qualified medical care for your children but it is absolutely imperative to find someone you can trust implicitly. Needing a physical for her oldest before he could play football, she made an appointment at a local pediatricians office. As the doctor opened the door to the examination room and looked up from her child's chart, both mom and doctor gasped as they realized who would be caring for the medical well-being of her child - Bubbly. Serendipitous ending to a mid-life story of Divine providence

In every situation in life, we are given the opportunity to do what others want us to do or to do what is right. Always opt to take the moral high ground - do what is right. The rewards are greater.

I can validate the authenticity of this story. "Founder" is my daughter.

But there is yet another unusual twist. Read the epilogue to this story to discover it.

You can follow her at Facebook or LinkedIn. You may also visit her website.

IS IT BIBLICAL FOR WOMEN TO LEAD A CHURCH?

Wed, 12 Sep 2012 2:17:31 AM EST

Many conservative Christians quote 1 Timothy 2:12-13 to justify their views that women should not be allowed to be pastors or preachers. Others take as an example the many women who assumed key leadership roles in the Old Testament – such as Miriam, a Prophetess who helped lead Israel (Exodus 15:20 and Micah 6:4); Deborah who led and served as judge over Israel (Judges 4:4-16) and Huldah who advised top leaders on how to interpret the book of the Law (2 Kings 22:14-20) – to back up their claims that women should be allowed to assume senior pastoral jobs and thus preach to both men and women. Who is right and who is wrong?

To shed some light on this important issue that unnecessarily risks dividing the body of Christ, we must go back to the book of Genesis. Why? Because it is in this very book that God defined the role of both men and women following the fall of Adam and Eve.

What did God tell Eve after the fall took place? He told her in Genesis 3:16 that He would greatly increase her pains in childbearing, and reminded her that her desire would be for her husband, but that he would rule over her. To desire something is to wish to have it or to crave for it. God could not make it clearer that following the fall there would be some conflicts between the two sexes. Why? To find out the reason for this conflict, we must uncover the nature of the sins that led to the fall.

As Paul rightly pointed out in 1 Timothy 2:14, Adam was not the one deceived, but Eve: “it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner.” God had given Eve a leader and protector: Adam. However, when Satan deceitfully attacked her, she did not turn to her “leader and protector” and ask him if it would really be okay for her to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil as Satan was unscrupulously telling her. She probably felt that she was “mature” enough to decide by herself. Not seeing who was really tempting her and, above all, what was at stake (spiritual life or death), she did not resist Satan and he won a major battle on that day. To win the war, all Satan now needed was for Adam to eat also a piece of the forbidden fruit. Being smart, Satan did not dare to fight with Adam directly. He probably knew that he stood no chance to win with a frontal attack. He therefore decided to get at Adam through Eve. As we know from the Bible, he succeeded in his endeavor and sin entered into the human race.

→ Until Adam ate part of the forbidden fruit, sin had not yet entered into the human race. Adam was not deceived like Eve was. He knew perfectly well that eating even the smallest portion of that forbidden fruit would sentence him as well as all his descendants to spiritual death. Yet, he still sinned. What led him to do so? His unwillingness to stand up and be the leader that God expected him to be. The Bible does not explicitly tell us this, but I am sure that Eve kept “harassing” him until he finally gave up and ate of the forbidden fruit. Adam should have been an example for Eve and not surrender even if she came a thousand times to him with an invitation to eat a portion of that forbidden fruit. What Adam basically failed to do is to assume his leadership role and to keep saying "no" even if he felt increasingly pressured to say "yes". As the leader, he should also not have let his emotions or feelings for Eve cloud his common sense. All leaders find themselves in such high-pressure, high-stake situations. What Adam forgot is that if God made Him the leader, He also gave him the ability and means to handle successfully these types of situations. It is easy for us to criticize Adam, but I must admit that had I been in his shoes, I would no doubt have capitulated after some time had passed by. This is also the reason why I ask God every single day to strengthen me so that I can assume my spiritual leadership responsibilities successfully and to forgive me whenever I fail to act as a leader.

→ What about Eve, what sin did she actually commit? Well, she basically failed to “submit” to Adam’s leadership and double-check with him whether eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil was truly without negative consequences as Satan was implying.

→ What did God do following the fall? He immediately told Adam and Eve implicitly that he would send His son to die for them so that they could save themselves if they wanted to. However, that is not all, far from it. God also knew that women could forever be treated as second-class citizens if they had no chance to reverse the stigma of the fall that now rested on them (remember, Eve was the one deceived). He therefore decided to give them a critical role in his overall salvation plan, one that only they could fulfill and that would enable them to release themselves from the stigma of having played a major role in the fall of the human race.

→ What important role did God assign to women? Childbearing. God told Eve (and through Eve to all women) that women would be saved (i.e. be able to remove their stigma) through childbearing if they continued in… FAITH, LOVE and HOLINESS with SELF-CONTROL. (see Genesis 3:15 and 1 Timothy 2:15) In short, women have to raise Godly children (i.e. children through whom others would get to know Christ and be saved).

We see here that God is truly a good God since the honor and privilege to raise godly children (or Holy seeds) primarily fell on women. It is their contribution – and what a contribution - to making the earth a place where love reigns again. Needless to day, since the Fall of Man, God has brought forth countless kings, prophets, pastors, preachers, evangelists and even His son through holy women.

→ Can you imagine how women would have been regarded and treated if the childbearing role had been given to men? They would have been regarded as inferior to men, treated as dirt and subjected to terrible abuses. However, God is a loving and forgiving god. So, He gave women the only honorable role that could help them be regarded as full partners again and regain their dignity and importance: that of giving birth to godly seeds.

Of course, some religious denominations have unfortunately misunderstood the intention of God and misinterpreted key scriptures for centuries with the deplorable result that millions of women have been ill-treated by men and societies until a few decades ago. Consequently, they have been unjustly denied basic rights for unacceptable periods of time. For instance, women only gained the right to vote in France in 1945, in Italy in 1946, in Belgium in 1948 and in Switzerland in 1971. And even today, men no more qualified or experienced than women who exceed expectations are promoted up the corporate ladder ahead of them or earning more money for the same responsibilities. However, these injustices should not be taken as an excuse by feminists in order for women not to submit spiritually to their husbands.

→ What about men, how can they be released from the stigma that also fell on Adam when he sinned? Well, God being a good god, He also devised a release plan for them and reserved for them a role that would help them regain their standing in the eyes of both God and women. What is this role? Put simply, to assume the spiritual leadership role that Adam failed to exercise. That is why men are to be the spiritual leaders of their families. However, this role in no way assumes the superiority of men over women. It is just a role and THE role that God assigned to men following the fall of Adam.

* * * * *

AS WE CAN SEE, MEN AND WOMEN HAVE BEEN GIVEN DIFFERENT ROLES BY GOD, BUT THEIR ROLES REFLECT THE NATURE OF THE SIN ORIGINALLY COMMITTED BY ADAM AND EVE. Furthermore, men and women are to operate as one, spiritually speaking, in the same way that God is the Head of Christ, yet the two are one spiritually. This is why the Bible says that once they are married, the spouses become one flesh: i.e. they are united by the love of Christ that reigns in their hearts as sealed by the Holy spirit.

→ If men have been commanded by God to be the spiritual leaders, can women then become pastors and therefore preach to men? Yes, absolutely. Women can even assume senior pastoral roles. We should not forget that women receive spiritual gifts as men do. The Apostle Peter revealed to us for instance that women would prophesy (Acts 2:17-18) and Paul even gave guidelines for women who prophesied (1 Corinthians 11:5). Furthermore, many women assumed key roles in the New Testament Church. Priscilla, Euodia and Syntyche for example are all described as Paul’s co-workers and instructed both men and women on spiritual matters. (see Acts 18:26, Romans 16:3 and Philippians 4:2-3).

→ If women are appointed as pastors and senior pastors, how can men then assume the spiritual leadership role that God assigned to them? By making sure that the overall spiritual leadership role is assumed by a man, one whose heart belongs to Christ. In other words, a woman should not assume the overall leadership of a denomination or of its executive committee. Some denominations oversee over 1’000 churches, each church being led by a senior pastor who is in turn supported by a number of pastors, that number being more or less large depending on the size of the church the senior pastor has to shepherd. Usually, the senior pastors are grouped regionally and report to a regional leader. Finally, these regional leaders normally report to the overall spiritual leader of the denomination. Well, it is this last role that should only be given to men. All the others can be attributed to women.

Once again, this role / nomination limitation does not imply that women are inferior to men. Not at all. Furthermore, it has nothing to do with the culture in which we live: it is simply the direct result of the Fall of Man and the nature of the sins that Adam and Eve committed. Needless to day, not respecting the different roles that God ascribed to men and women constitutes an act of rebellion and will ultimately lead the denomination that commits such a sin to misery and self-destruction unless it repents.

* * * * *

→ Genesis 3:16 warns us that (some) women will want to control and spiritually lead men. What this basically means is that Satan will use some women to try and prevent men from assuming their spiritual leadership role. Satan does not want men to be released from the stigma that fell on Adam when he first sinned. He wants men to be dominated by women so that he can reign as he wishes. Men should therefore lovingly resist any attempt made by women to take the overall spiritual leadership of a denomination (or of the family) in the same way that Adam should have resisted Eve’s plea to eat of the forbidden fruit.

By the same token, women should firmly resist any attempt by men to develop the means to procreate and give birth. Satan is currently urging some women to undergo sex-swap surgery in order to give birth as men. Worldwide, between 4 and 10 such transgender women have already given birth as men. This trend can only accelerate over time unless we stand firm against it and emphasize again the role ascribed to both men and women by God.

Make no mistake: the world will not be able to defy God’s commands for long without cursing itself and inflicting upon itself severe punishment. God is patient, but His patience has limits and at one point He will let the negative consequences of the sinful seeds, that unbelieving (or professing Christians) leaders plant, give the harvest that they are supposed to generate: chaos, misery, cruelty and suffering.

He is married since 1995 to Barbara, and they are the parents of two children.

WHO SHOULD WE HONOR FIRST WITH OUR ABUNDANCE?

Wed, 5 Sep 2012 2:23:49 AM EST

The answer to this question is straightforward: God. He should be the first recipient of our abundance outflows. Under the old covenant, the Israelites honored God by giving firstlings and tithes to the Levites (i.e. the priests of God at the time). Firstlings and tithing were done up to the days of Jesus, as Luke 2:23 and Matthew 23:23 confirm to us. However, with the advent of the new covenant and the ensuing change of priesthood that it entailed, the obligation to give firstlings and tithes ceased to exist. (Hebrews 7:12)

Nevertheless, the general principle that underlined the Old Covenant law should still be at work in our lives: i.e. that of honoring God first with the abundance we enjoy. (see Proverbs 3:9-10) Why? Because honoring God is a timeless principle that we must espouse; tithing and firstlings were simply the standards that applied under the Old Covenant.

If the Old Testament Law no longer sets the standards for honoring God, who does? The Pope? The Church? Our Pastor? Our parents? Us? No. The Holy Spirit. It is He who tells each one of us the standards that He wants us to live by. This necessarily means that there is no longer one universal standard that applies to everyone, but many.

What we know for sure is that God has set for each one of us a goal that we must all seek to attain while we are living on earth. What is this goal? To use 100 percent of the abundance that we enjoy for the growth of the kingdom of heaven. Under the Old Testament, the Israelites invested only 10 percent in the kingdom of God and kept the remaining 90 percent mostly for themselves. However, under the New Testament, 100 percent of what we have oversight over (e.g. our time and wealth) should be directly or indirectly invested in the growth of the kingdom of heaven! At first sight, it looks like we got a pretty bad deal with the coming into force of the New Covenant. However, this is not true at all. In fact, God did us a big favor. Why? Because we can now store for ourselves a lot more treasures in heaven than the Israelites could.

→ A word of caution: please do not interpret the new standard to mean that God wants you to sell everything you possess and to give it all to the church or to the poor. This would be completely wrong, unless, of course, the Holy Spirit is personally asking that of YOU. What God wants is that:

Your heart is 100 percent in love with Him (because “where our treasure is (what you love the most or fear the most losing), there our heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:21)

You are 100 percent obedient to the voice (and instructions) of the Holy Spirit.

You are a “light” (or an ambassador of Jesus Christ) 100 percent of the time so that you can reveal in concrete ways the kingdom of God to all the “neighbors” that you interact with each day.

Can we realistically adhere strictly to these new standards? No. I am personally not yet there. However, what matters is not that I am not perfect yet, but that I am relentlessly striving to climb the 100 percent ladders with the help of the Holy Spirit; i.e. that I am constantly working on my progressive sanctification.

I must also emphasize here that God wants us to give, not out of an obligation, out of fear, or grudgingly, but out of sincere love for Him and for what Christ did for us. (2 Corinthians 8:8-9) The Apostle Paul is also clearly telling us in 2 Corinthians 8:12-14 not to impoverish ourselves to enrich others, yet to be willing to make sacrifices in order to help one another.

What God is basically asking of us is to use our (or rather His) abundance to bless our neighbors. And to do that, we must definitively spend some of our abundance on ourselves... but not all of it! This is why Jesus warned us against selfishness, greed, and hoarding. Unless the Holy Spirit is the force that drives us, we will want to keep the greater part of our abundance for ourselves. In doing so, we would only be cursing ourselves, as we would forgo great opportunities to become rich in God's eyes, rather than in the eyes of men!

IMPORTANT: If you are not sure what the Holy Spirit is telling you to do with your wealth, then you should at least seek to live by the old standard and give 10 percent of their gross earnings to God. This will create greater accountability than if you set no goal at all. Whenever we do not know what we should do under the New Covenant, then we should always go back to the standards that applied under the Old Testament. They are often the minimum that we should voluntarily aim at under the New Covenant.

May the abundance God gives you be a blessing to you and not a curse.

In Jesus’ name, Amen!

He is married since 1995 to Barbara, and they are the parents of two children.

HOW CAN WE EXPERIENCE GOD'S PRESENCE IN OUR LIVES MORE?

Wed, 22 Aug 2012 5:22:26 AM EST

How can we experience God’s presence in our lives more? This is a question that many believers often ask themselves. Why? Because for long periods of time, it seems that God is not present in their lives. They feel abandoned or even rejected in some cases. They then start to believe that God has ceased loving them and that their salvation is no longer assured.

If this is your case, then know that God will never stop loving you, that nothing can separate you from His love (Romans 8:39), and that only YOU can decide to forgo your ticket to heaven. The only things that God gives and takes are His presence and blessings; not our passport to heaven. The only way we can lose it is if we do not personally renew its validity. Are you now wondering how our passports can become invalid? Very simply: by our continuing to sin and not repenting, which only happens if… we do not have the fear of the Lord!

To continually experience God’ s manifested presence in our lives, we must therefore:

Incessently and earnestly seek His presence. (see Deuteronomy 4:29) And to do that we must not let our heart be contaminated by sin, lust or sinful desires;

Be grateful to God for everything that happens to us;

Have righteous thoughts and earnestly seek to detoxify our mind of all the bad thoughts that we used to have before we accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior;

Remain steadfast in faith and exercise our faith muscles no matter what we are going through;

Continuously enjoy the fellowship of the Holy Spirit as He will guide us into all truth (John 16:13); and

Never cease to grow spiritually; if we stagnate, we are at high risk of experiencing a withdrawal of the presence of God in our lives.

To remain mindful of the presence of God in our lives, it is also good practice to pray, meditate on God’s Word, worship, and continually remind ourselves of the reality of God’s presence in this world. We should do this daily. God is present all around us. The question is: how often are we aware of it?

Unless we devote a time each day for coming into the presence of God, we can easily lose this awareness, especially when we are being blessed and prosperous. We must build into our day-to-day schedule time alone with God. We do not have to spend one hour each day: ten minutes may do. At certain times, we will need to spend a lot more than one hour, but the key is to connect with God each day.

Prayers are a great way to share the burdens of life with God. Every time we pray or mediate on biblical scriptures, we become “lighter,” stronger, and better able to overcome life's adversities.

Without resting in the presence of God daily, we risk suffering from spiritual dehydration. As a result, we will run low on spiritual energy, strength, and stamina, and easily lose our peace and self-control. We are then easy preys for Satan who seeks our destruction.

He is married since 1995 to Barbara, and they are the parents of two children.

WHY SHOULD WE FEAR GOD?

Wed, 15 Aug 2012 1:35:55 AM EST

Many people do not understand why they should fear the Lord if He is a loving God. To shed some light on this critical issue, let’s imagine that we are on a plane heading to our favorite vacation destination. Everything seems to be going well and we are enjoying the in-flight entertainment program. However, the plane is suddenly hit by an unexpected thunderstorm that forces the pilot to land urgently in a desert that seems to stretch for miles. Worst of all, it could take several days, if not weeks, before any search crews reach us due to the unfavorable weather conditions in the area. Now, what should we fear the most?

The coldness of the nights? The extreme heat of the days? The nocturnal animals looking for easy preys? Starvation? The frequent desert dust storms? No. Our first priority should be to overcome dehydration. Why? Because it rapidly causes us to make lousy decisions and respond improperly to our environment. When we are dehydrated, we become weaker, less able to think rationally, and thus more at risk of dying from any of the other life-threatening factors. However, by fearing dehydration and taking care of that first, we will be stronger and better equipped to take care of the rest. In other words, unless we fear dehydration, we won’t take the crucial first step that has the power to save us.

Well, we may not be lost in a desert right now, but we are certainly in a similar situation. The world is like a vast desert, with many traps and pitfalls. Did you know that the fear of the Lord is a fountain of life that turns us away from the snares (or traps) of death (Proverbs 14:27) and that it adds length to our life? (Proverbs 10:27) When we have the fear of the Lord, we won’t be spiritually “dehydrated” and have our ability to make the right choices diminished. On the contrary, we will see everything more clearly than ever and have the strength to follow through with our resolutions.

Fearing the Lord should really be our first priority in this world. Jesus tells us why in Matthew 10:28: “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” Unless we fear God, we stand little chance of finding the right path to salvation and abundance.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and knowledge. (Proverbs 1:7; 9:10; 15:33) Just the beginning; it does not guarantee that we will be saved. This is exactly the same as the fear of dehydration being only the beginning of our survival in the desert; it does not guarantee that we will actually survive and overcome the other risk factors. However, it maximizes our chances of success. No other track can do this. We may think otherwise, but we are just deceiving ourselves. To secure the ultimate victory - to have an eternal and abundant life - we must ensure that we continue to travel on the right track. How? By remaining in the fear of the Lord.

→ Where does that lead us? To the realization that fearing God is a matter of priority, not of being afraid that He will hurt us, harm us, condemn us, reject us, punish us or abandon us if we do not fear Him. He loves us, He has a good plan for us, He will not forsake us and is doing everything possible to save us from the destruction path that we have chosen to follow. He knows that we are sick, has developed the only treatment that can heal us, and has made it available to us at no cost. However, as the old saying goes, “you can take a horse to a water pond, but you cannot force it to drink;” we must want to have the treatment administered to us if we want to be saved from destruction.

In this world, we should not fear the unknown, loneliness, poverty, change, intimacy, rejection, mockery, attacks, unemployment, losing our spouse, or physical death. These fears can only make us live a miserable life. They are destructive, as they focus our attention on the wrong thing. In fact, devoting too much attention to them will only help them materialize as per the law of harvest which states that we reap what we sow.

Our fears can only blind us to the real tragedy that awaits us if we do not switch lanes: that we will eternally live separated from God. To find out how we can (re)join His kingdom, who we really are in Christ, what the purpose of our life is, and where we are going to, we must have the fear of the Lord. Once we have this healthy fear and the assurance of our salvation, we will be able to successfully overcome all other fears if we continue to be obedient to God’s instructions.

Yes, the fear of the Lord casts out all other fears, because it opens our eyes and ears to the spiritual truths that govern the world. This is why it is the beginning of wisdom. Without it, we cannot see the world properly and where we are heading to; it is then no wonder that we fall into pits or habits of destruction.

He is married since 1995 to Barbara, and they are the parents of two children.

GROW IN CHRIST

Wed, 8 Aug 2012 2:41:04 AM EST

If I were to ask you what God’s perfect will is for your life, what would be your answer? Monks have lived solitary lives to find out this answer. Theologians have searched and searched to find this answer. Have you ever wondered what God’s perfect will is for your life? I’m here to give you that answer! It is not complex or unattainable, but very simple.

God’s perfect will for your life is that He wants you to grow in Him. He wants you to be a flourishing plant that gives off much fruit and fragrance.

“But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.” (2 Peter 3:18; ASV)

The word “grow” is also translated: “enlarge, increase, become greater.” (Dictionary.com) This is what Christ wants for our lives. He wants us to grow, increase, enlarge, and become greater in our love for and knowledge of Him. Not for knowledge sake, but to have the tools to become a mature Christian. He also wants to increase and bless us.

“May the Lord give you increase more and more. You and your children.” (Psalm 115:14-15; NKJV)

“I pray that the LORD will let your family and your descendants always grow strong.” (CEV)

There are some things we need to know that will help us grow straight and strong. One thing we need to remember is that it is natural to grow and increase.

Jesus grew and increased with God and man.

“And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man..” (Luke 2:52; KJV)

IT IS NATURAL TO INCREASE…

Karissa, my youngest daughter, is growing up to be a lovely young lady and in time will become a beautiful woman of God. She is increasing. If we could take the time to watch a movie of her life we would see her as a baby in diapers and eventually toddling around on all fours. We would see pictures of when she started to walk, with her shoes untied, and hear her learn to talk, and grow into a young child. She would have school photos and vacation pictures showing the many stages through elementary school and through junior high and high school. She might go to college or grad school and find a wonderful job, maybe get married and have a family of her own.

It is natural to grow. It is healthy. It is not something Karissa tries hard to do, it just comes naturally.

But... what if she was still in diapers and toddling around on all fours at the age of 12? What if she still had her shoes untied and couldn’t talk like a twelve year old? We would think something was wrong. We would see that she was not growing correctly. It wouldn’t be natural to see Karissa sucking her thumb at the age of 30 or 40 would it? No, we see her increasing and growing in wisdom and stature, and in favor.

Let's look at Luke 2:52 again:

“And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.” The word “Increased” is translated in the Greek as: “to drive forward, to advance (in amount, to grow; in time, to be well along): - increase, proceed, profit. So to increase you are moving forward and advancing physically, spiritually, emotionally, all other areas in life. It literally means you are profiting by God’s mighty hand. He is bringing the increase in your life.

Think for a moment at what God has given you. Think of how He has changed you from last year to this year. Think of all the changes you’ve gone through physically at the age you are now.

“And may the Lord make you to increase and excel and overflow in love for one another and for all people, just as we also do for you,” (1 Thessalonians 3:12, AMP)

This verse is asking the Lord to increase and excel and overflow in love for one another. His kindness will help us grow in the areas we need the most.

→ You might say; “Pastor Kris, how do I grow? How do I increase? How do I know I Am growing?” The Lord is kind and is always watching out for us. His kindness brings growth in our life. You are growing if you stay close to Jesus.

“Let the wonderful kindness and the understanding that come from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ help you to keep on growing. Praise Jesus now and forever! Amen.” (2 Peter 3:18)

It is the wonderful kindness and understanding of Jesus that helps us to grow. God knows what we need as individuals to bring about growth. He is constantly watching for weeds that might grow around the plant to make sure they are weeded out.

I like how the author from “A Friend’s Heart” wrote about character and growth: “Character is developed over time. It is an accumulation of choices. It’s like planting a garden. You decide what to put into it. You can plant seeds of patience, peace, love, and joy. You can tend the garden of your heart, uprooting the weeds of envy, anger, and fear. Whatever you cultivate will bear fruit. Whatever you weed out will make room for better things to grow. Character needs to be cultivated not only when the sun shines, but also in the rain. In all seasons, God is there to help you make the choices that build strong character; God is there to give you the strength to do your best no matter what the circumstances.”

→ IN THE PROCESS OF GROWTH:

1. BE AWARE OF THE FOLLOWING GROWTH BLOCKERS

a. Comparing yourself to others – Every plant grows at their own pace, that’s what makes it unique. You might think, “I should be further along than I am.” We don’t know the plan for our lives, only God does. Allow yourself to grow at the pace you are growing and not at someone else's pace. Give yourself permission to relax and enjoy where you are in your growth. God will bring you through to be that wonderful creation He created.

b. Sin – this will stunt your growth and allow weeds (sin) to grow. When weeds grow they take away the nourishment from the soil around the flourishing plant and rob it of life. It literally chokes the life out of a plant. This is what sin does in our lives. It chokes any growth and dries up any nutrients, and leaves only dried up, brittle pieces that only God can restore.

c. Hanging around the wrong people – They will cause weeds to grow. The wrong people will influence you and stop you from growing. They will distract you from what God has called you to do. They will take away your destiny and stunt your growth. Hanging around with the wrong people, ungodly people, will change you to be more like them. If you want to be more like Jesus, you have to be strong in the people you choose to be close to you. You might think, “I can be a good influence on them!” But, if you are weak in character, and worried about what others think of you, you will be influenced by them instead. Be strong and cut off wrong relationships.

2. KEEP YOUR SOIL HEALTHY

a. Forgive others quickly – unforgiveness will block growth! The more you think about what others have done to you, the more it grows in you like a weed. If you want to grow, you must forgive others.

b. Give Love often "But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ.” (Eph 4:15; KJV) Learn to love people right where they are in their growth. Love always builds people up, it never tears down. Anger always tears down and nothing good comes from being angry. It only puts people in bondage, including yourself.

c. Remain teachable – Remember that you don’t know everything, nor have you experienced everything. If you think and act like you know everything people will think you are arrogant and not want to be around you. Being teachable will allow you to learn and experience more in life. Being teachable will open the door for more. More of God’s favor! More opportunities! More open doors.

3. ALLOW GROWTH TO HAPPEN

a. Let go of the past and reach for the future - Holding onto our past never brings growth, only torment. Your past is just that; “past!” Your past does not dictate your future. All God to heal your past and prepare you for your future all at the same time during the present.

b. Let God pull the weeds out – weeds are gathered and burned and that is what happens to the sin in our lives when we ask forgiveness. Christ’s blood takes it all away. It can be a painful process, but well worth it as time goes by. Getting rid of the “junk” in our life will make room for new growth. Too much clutter will prevent growth. If God is pricking your heart to get rid of some “garbage” you have been holding onto like sin, un-forgiveness, past regrets, shame, pain and hurt from people, allow Him to rake all the weeds out to clear up the good soil for new growth! It is well worth any pain the process might bring.

4. FEED YOUR SPIRITUAL BODY

We need to take care of ourselves.

a. Power Bars/Protein drinks – Body builders want to increase their muscle strength and growth. Muscles are made of protein and they need extra protein to grow bigger. A spiritual protein drink is spending time in prayer and Bible study. This will increase your spiritual muscle strength.

b. Eat right – Watch what you put into your spiritual body. Watch what you listen to, what you watch on TV, what you hear in conversations, and anything that will go into your body. Remember “Garbage in - Garbage out!” It is the same spiritually.

c. Get plenty of rest – Spend time resting in the Lord. Spend time fellowshipping with other Christians. Don’t get caught up in perfectionism, just relax and be. “Be still and know that I am God…” Be yourself and enjoy who you are. God did not create junk when He created you. He created potential and you have value.

d. Exercise often – Spend time worshipping the Lord. Listen to Praise and Worship music on a regular basis. The words will penetrate your spirit and you will benefit from it greatly. This allows your mind to focus on God and Who He is, and not your problems.

→ HOW TO BEAR FRUITS

2 Peter gives us insight into what we are to add to our faith to bring fruitfulness from our growth.

“But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren (useless) nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (2 Peter 1:5-8; NKJV)

Add to Faith:

1. Virtue → 2. Knowledge → 3. Self-control → 4. Perseverance → 5. Godliness → 6. Brotherly kindness → 7. Love

It is not enough to just have faith to grow in Christ. Virtue means: “Moral excellence; goodness; righteousness” (Dictionary.com) and a synonym is integrity. To produce good fruit in your life, be a person of virtue and add to virtue “knowledge” of who God is and what His word says. Follow it. Obey it. Ask God for wisdom to live your life right and to make good choices in all that you do.

Add to knowledge; Self-control. We can have all the wisdom and virtue but if we lack self-control, it is all for nothing. Being able to control your desires and what you say or feel is important. Overindulging in anything is not good. We have to have self-control in what we eat, drink, how we talk to others, what we buy and how we spend our money. If we don’t, we will end up being morbidly obese, a drunkard, a person with no friends because of freely talking smack to others, and being in great debt with no money to pay our bills. Self-control takes discipline. It is dying to our flesh and walking in the Spirit of God.

Add to self-control; perseverance. If we can’t persevere in life, we will never experience the reward of endurance. We will bolt at any that looks hard or uncomfortable. We need to add to perseverance; godliness. Some synonyms of godliness are: “Holy, righteous, good” (Dictionary.com) Seriously, just focus on being like Jesus. We are all imperfect people. But striving to me more like Christ is the best role model and example there is. Don’t be a hypocrite and act godly but in your heart, and when you are by yourself, you do what you please. Pursue good things.

To godliness add; brotherly kindness. It is easy to pursue being good and lack in kindness to others. God loved the world (people) so much that He gave His only Son to save the world (John 3:16). If God put people as a high priority, we should too. Be kind to others, even when they are being mean to you. God sees your heart and their heart all at the same time. Kindness goes a long way over being mean and harsh with people. Stay at peace with people and show kindness. Treat others as you would like to be treated, and add to kindness; love. This is what the world will know us by; love. They will know we are Christians by our love. Loving people will give you a more peace-filled life. You will not be in strife. Allow the love God has loved you with to pour out and love others. You will grow and be fruitful if you add all these wonderful character traits to you life.

Let us be a people who take care of ourselves, who show love towards one another, and strive to live a godly life. Allow yourself to grow in Christ. Let him mature your character, even if it is painful. This is God’s perfect will for your life; To Grow In Christ!

From one growing plant to another,

Pastor Kris Belfils

Kris Belfils is a dynamic speaker, singer/songwriter, author, worship leader, and pastor. She has dedicated her life to help others be transformed by the power of Christ. She weaves scripture, life's experience, and her sense of humor to bring the Word of God alive. Kris speaks and ministers all over the world at conferences, conventions, retreats, camps, church services, and on the radio, and television.

Her most recent book, "Revive, Rebuild, and Restore" was released in september 2011.

We invite you to visit her website.

WILL CHRISTIANS WHO COMMIT SUICIDE GO TO HEAVEN?

Wed, 1 Aug 2012 3:03:49 AM EST

As the number of suicide increases dramatically in the developed countries, both in the traditional sense, as well as in assisted suicide, many Christians are wondering what happens to believers who take their lives. As always, theologians are divided on this key question. However, if we look at it from the only angle we can – that of love and hope – we will find out that the answer is much more obvious than we think.

Before we move deep into the subject, let’s start by defining what we should understand when we say that a person committed suicide. For the purpose of this post, a person who commits suicide shall be one who intentionally or knowingly kills himself in a premeditated way. Excluded from our definition are therefore the persons who kill themselves accidentally by taking an unnecessary risk (for example, speeding on a motor way). These Christians sinned by testing the Lord, but will be saved and go to Heaven without the shadow of a doubt. There is thus no point in discussing these cases further.

However, what about all those who intentionally kill themselves, will they go to Heaven? Well, let’s examine carefully what these persons have done. They basically committed a major sin by violating the sixth commandment: you shall not murder (this includes yourself).

Thus, it is clear that they have committed a sin. Now let's ask a second question: have they committed an unpardonable sin? Although we may be tempted to say yes, the Bible says there is only one unpardonable sin, which is "blasphemy against the Holy Spirit" or, to put it differently, continual rejection of God. Does the blood Jesus shed on the cross cover the rebellious act of suicide? Yes. Jesus died for ALL our sins: the past, present and future ones. Does it matter that the person who commits suicide cannot confess his sin and repent? Actually, no! Why? Because we are not saved by repenting, but by faith: i.e. by believing in Christ and what He has done for us. (Ephesians 2:8 and John 1:12-13)

If we had to confess ALL of our sins in order to go to Heaven, then no one would. Indeed, who is so spiritually aware that he or she knows ALL the sins he or she commits every day? The truth is that Christ’s death is a once-for-all remedy for our sinful condition. It cleanses us from ALL sins. This is what God’s grace and forgiveness is all about, and why it is so wonderful and powerful. What many Christians fail to comprehend is that repentance is a fruit of our salvation, not the cause of our salvation!

Can we then conclude that those Christians who commit suicide go to Heaven? No, we cannot jump to this conclusion yet. Of course, John 10:27-28 says: " My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand.” Some of you will say this means that once we are saved, we are forever saved. I must admit that you have a point. However, what does this scripture really reveal to us? That “true” believers listen to Jesus’ voice, that He knows them and that they follow Him. It also confirms that Jesus gives eternal life to those believers and that no one can snatch them out of His hand. The question that we must therefore address at this stage is the following one: what does it mean to listen to Jesus' voice and to follow Him? Well, it signifies that we follow His example, and in particular that we obey, in love, His commands and submit to His will as He obeyed His Father’s commands and submitted to His Father’s will.

Can you imagine for even one second that the will of Jesus is for some Christians to take their lives and be overcome by Satan? Of course not! Many of the heroes of the faith mentioned in Hebrews 11 struggled with depression or went through terrible trials and times of suffering. Take for example Elijah: at one point, he prayed and even begged God to let him die as he felt that nothing he did mattered or made a difference. (1 Kings 19:4) Did God grant his wish? No. He spoke to him and reminded him that he was not alone and that He knew and appreciated fully the works and deeds he had done. God then gave him the strength to continue to do what he had been called to do. (1 Kings 19:5-18)

What about Job? Did not he think of giving everything up and dying? Definitely yes. And to be honest, I can understand how he was feeling at that point because he had lost almost everything: his children, wealth and health. I do not know of any other believer who has gone through such a trial since. Did he go on to carry his plan and kill himself? No. He understood that God had placed him on earth for a larger goal than to amass wealth and raise a family. He realized that he was to be a light, an example of courage and faith under intense adversity. Yes, he went through a time of darkness, but he recovered. He came to understand that he could no longer continue on his own strength and that it was time to call upon God for help. And God did not forsake him: He came to his rescue. In the end, Job excellently passed his test of faith and God blessed him abundantly, giving him double for his trouble.

Let’s now ask ourselves the following critical question: what made it possible for Job to successfully go through his tough trials? It was his attitude of faith. Rather than becoming mad at God for what was happening to him and turning away from God, he increasingly sought God and direction from Him. At the core, faith is nothing more than just TRUSTING that God knows what He's doing and that everything He allows in our lives has a great purpose. This is the attitude that we all need to espouse when we go through trials. Jesus did it as well, and so should we.

Needless to say, I could also have taken as an example the lives of Moses (Numbers 11:14-15), King David (Psalm 13:2-4) or the prophet Jeremiah (Jeremiah 20:14-18). They all reached such low points in their lives that they preferred to die rather than continue living and carrying the plan of God for their lives. However, they all recovered and crossed the finishing lines as victors. Why? Because they understood that they serve as examples to others. Collectively, they show us that it is possible to overcome evil and successfully go through difficult trials, and face great suffering and injustice. They believed in the goodness and love of God, even while traversing great pain. This enabled them to regain strength and joy.

Just as Christ suffered for us, so too must we be prepared to suffer for the sake of others and be godly examples for them. Though we may get discouraged and depressed at times – and we wouldn’t be human if we didn’t – we can overcome any trial on this earth if we remain steadfast in our trust on the goodness and love of God. Let’s never forget that we can do everything – and everything here really means everything – in Christ who strengthens us. (Philippians 4:13) Once we are saved, we are not supposed to conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but to be transformed through new ways of thinking. Then we will be able to experience that God's will for our lives is good, pleasing and perfect! (Romans 12:2)

Let’s never forget that God is all about love, life, vitality, passion, endurance, surrender, kindness, grace, mercy, patience, forgiveness, perseverance and hope. Death is not part of God’s world and certainly not His will for us. As Ezekiel 18:32 reveals to us, He takes no pleasure whatsoever in the death of anyone. What He wants is that we turn back from our evil ways and thoughts so that we may forever live.

Do not let Satan deceive you: committing suicide is contrary to the will of God and no true believer would carry it out. Those who do carry it out are only professing Christians who have never really let God’s love penetrate into their hearts and change them. The sad truth is that they have never been saved. To those professing Christians who kill themselves, Jesus will tell them plainly: “I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers.” (see Matthew 7:21-23 or Luke 13:23-27)

→ Where have we arrived at? To the conclusion that killing oneself is not something that a true believer would do unless it was a command emanating directly from God Himself. However, let’s face the truth: the likelihood that God would ask this from any of us is quasi nil for it has never happened until now, and He defines himself as LIFE. Yes, unbelievers can interpret some death circumstances as suicidal actions, but they are not. As example of such a case would be when we continue to preach the gospel in a country or city even though we know we might be persecuted and killed. In some countries, some true believers are dying a martyr’s death, but it has nothing to do with taking one's life. Quite the opposite, it has to do with giving one's life. It is not an act of violence, but an act of love. By dying in such a way, they have not been overcome by evil; it is evil that has been overcome by love. Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt of love to one another. (Romans 13:8)

Our days are numbered by God and He has a plan for each one of us. (Psalm 139:6 and Jeremiah 29:11) By committing suicide we become our own masters. God is no longer our master. When the suffering increases, when you start to feel depressed or discouraged, call upon God: never think of killing yourself. Every time you die to impatience, selfishness, revenge, self-pity, desperation, loss of hope, injustice, or hatred, you get blessed. Have no fear and live fully the life that God has planned for you. Choose life, not death, and you will surely live forever. Even if the pattern of this world (e.g. the promoters of Euthanasia) would have us believe otherwise.

Love is the fulfillment of the law. It may require that we die in the battle to serve as an example to others, but it will never ask of us that we take our lives. It may require that we give our life, but never that we take it.

He is married since 1995 to Barbara, and they are the parents of two children.

PEACE ROBBERS

Wed, 25 Jul 2012 3:55:30 AM EST

It is hard to find peace in this chaotic world. So many things are pressing for our attention, time, and sanity. Once we have peace, we have to guard our peace at all cost. There are “Peace Robbers” out there that will steal our peace away from us if we let them.

1. BEING BUSY

Being busy is the biggest tool the enemy uses to rob us of our peace. Business makes you think you are doing well. Often being busy is where you wrap your identity in. Have you ever answered someone’s question; “How are you doing?” with “Keeping busy!” It is easy to fall into the trap of business. After all, we are usually productive and have good motives. Yet, being busy keeps us distracted from the true purpose for our life. God cannot bring you to your destiny if you are too busy with insignificant things, which you have chosen, to take up your time.

Not all the business is wrong or bad. We have to decipher between the pressing and the important. There is a difference. Most of the time the “pressing” wins out. We add so many extra things on our plate that we can’t even finish eating what was there before. Have you heard the expression: “Your eyes are bigger then your stomach?” This is a statement to show you want more then you can handle. Our stomach is only so big, but our eyes see more “good things” and grab it and place it on our plates thinking we can eat it all.

“Simple active work and spiritual activity are not the same thing. Active work can actually be the counterfeit of spiritual activity.” (Oswald Chambers, Utmost for his highest)

Being busy makes one look like they are accomplishing a lot, but in reality their spiritual life suffers. Even if what you are doing is for God, it is still “simple active work” compared to where your relationship is with God and cultivating that relationship. Spending time with Jesus, the Prince of Peace, allows us to be more like Him and His peace fills our hearts. It is imperative to grow in Christ. If we are too busy doing vague, thoughtless and foolish things, our relationship with God suffers.

“Look carefully then how you walk! Live purposefully and worthily and accurately, not as the unwise and witless, but as wise [sensible, intelligent people]. Making the very most of the time [buying up each opportunity], because the days are evil. Therefore do not be vague and thoughtless and foolish, but understanding and firmly grasping what the will of the Lord is.” (Ephesians 5:14-17 Amplified Bible)

Do you find yourself tired all the time and never seem to get enough sleep. If you have ruled out anything physically wrong with you, chances are it is because of being busy. Seriously, if you can’t “Be still and know that He is God (Psalm 46:10),” something is very wrong in your life.

You might be afraid to be still. Maybe there are issues in your heart you are afraid to look at or address. Maybe God is pricking your heart about something and if you slow down, you will have to look at them. Ask yourself; “Am I peaceful?” In other words, if these things are robbing you of your peace, then by all means address them and deal with them and stop ignoring the Elephant in your living room! You are wasting time by running into business to escape dealing with these tuff issues. You will be free and find your peace the moment you decide to stop running and start dealing. The enemy uses this weapon against people every second of the day. The sad thing is people think they are “okay” or “have a handle on it” when in reality they are drowning in their business that will eventually kill them. Let go of being busy and grab ahold of God’s joyful peace.

If you are afraid of all your business being taken away, and it brings pain in your heart, this is a sign your identity is wrapped up in what you do, instead of who you are in Christ. I know first hand how this feels. I always wanted to be busy in ministry. I couldn’t bear the thought of leaving a church without another position lined up for me to walk in. The busier I was, the more important I was feeling. I didn’t realize I was placing what I did before my relationship with God. It became my idol. Yes, ministry became my idol. You see even the good can become bad if it is placed wrong on our priority list.

Remember that everything is the Lord’s. The earth, and all that is in it is the Lord’s (1 Corinthians 10:26). The heavens, and the earth were made by the Lord (Psalm 115:15). Who are we to get wrapped up in the things of this earth to the point it takes our peace away? It all belongs to the Lord. We are just passing through. We are renters and eventually we will be moving out and moving into our mansion in heaven when God calls us home. Hold on loosely to the things of this world.

“A life devoted to things is a dead life, a stump; a God-shaped life is a flourishing tree.” (Proverbs 11:28)

Being busy is a peace robber. Recognize it and make some changes in your life to let go of the things that really don’t matter, and to hold on to the truly important. Your family, friends, and even yourself, will be happy you did. Don’t settle for the “good” when you can have the best! It’s okay to say; “no” to protect your peace.

“Humans are satisfied with whatever looks good; GOD probes for what is good.” (Proverbs 16:3)

2. WALKING IN THE FLESH

a. Emotions - Our emotions can rob us of our peace. We can get ourselves all worked up over something or someone to the point we have no peace. Constantly thinking about, or even obsessing about something is not healthy. Having healthy emotions should be our goal. Allowing God to help us manage our emotions and applying His wisdom to them will help bring peace back in our life.

“A miserable heart means a miserable life; a cheerful heart fills the day with song.” (Proverbs 15:15)

“A peaceful heart leads to a healthy body; jealousy is like cancer in the bones.” (Proverbs 14:30 NLT)

Jealousy is like a cancer. Thinking, dwelling, and wanting what someone else has is a sin. It will corrupt your life and rob you of any peace. Jealousy is the opposite and an antonym of contentment. Contentment brings peace. Jealousy brings stress and strife. When someone is jealous, soon their actions will show it and others will see it. How you talk, and interact with others will be affected too. This is letting our emotions runaway with how we feel. It is walking in the flesh. I like how the Message Bible states that verse.

“A sound mind makes for a robust body, but runaway emotions corrode the bones.” (Proverbs 14:30)

Emotions are fickle. They come and go and often we can’t rely on them. Emotions are not good or bad, they just are. That is why we need a proper perspective on them. God gave us our emotions to enjoy and experience life. Jesus showed and experienced human emotions by weeping when Lazarus died, or by getting angry when in the temple and people were using it for exchanging money and buying and selling things. So to say emotions are wrong or bad, is not truth. But to rely on and express negative emotions to the point of hurting or affecting others is a battle of self-control. It is what we do with our emotions that affect our peace.

“Slowness to anger makes for deep understanding; a quick-tempered person stockpiles stupidity.” (Proverbs 14:29)

There are many emotions that rob us of our peace. The crime of uncontrolled anger vented towards someone or something is an instant peace robber. Believe it or not Self-pity is an emotion too and can rob us of our peace. Feeling sorry for yourself is trying to move forward by digging a whole underneath you. You will never go anywhere and end up in a big pit.

b. Constantly being negative, critical or judgmental - Being critical often is an outward manifestation of an inward lack. We are feeling bad about ourselves or have low self-esteem and hate seeing others succeeding. Being judgmental is a sin. Pride is involved with judging others. Thinking you are better or could do better then they are doing.

It might just be that you don’t like a person and are critical of them and what they do or say. This peace robber happens all the time. The more you talk about another person, the more you condemn yourself. In reality we don’t see it that way, but we live in unrest and constant turmoil and don’t know why. When we judge others it will come back on us.

“Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged. And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own? How can you think of saying to your friend, ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.” (Matthew 7:1-5 NLT)

Being a critical, negative, judgmental person will isolate you from others because they won’t want to be with you. They are afraid they will be the next topic of your gossip. Keep a guard on your tongue; this will keep a guard on your peace. Stop seeing the negative in life and in others. Negative people never reach their full potential. Critical people never enjoy life. Judgmental people will be judged with the same measure of judgment they give out. All of these people are robbed of their peace.

3. EXPECTATIONS

a. Expectations we put on people - Putting high expectations on others is a bondage builder. It puts people in bondage. They will never measure up to your standards and will fail in your eyes often. Yes, it is good to want the best for others, but not at the expense of someone always trying to please you. The only expectation we should have is in God and what He will do.

“My soul, wait silently for God alone, For my expectation is from Him. (Psalm 62:5 NKJV)

Notice this verse states; “For my expectation is from Him.” We long for God to move. We have expectancy and it actually comes from God to us. He wants us to put our expectations in Him alone.

“All eyes are on you, expectant; you give them their meals on time.” (Psalm 145:15)

Are your expectations on God or man? When high expectations are placed on people and they are not met, stress comes to all parties, including ourselves. We can expect our friends, or our spouse, or our family to meet our needs. When they don’t, we get frustrated with them. It is not their job to meet our needs. Let people be themselves. God is the one who is more then enough for what we need.

Let go of high expectations you place on others so they can have peace and you can too.

b. Expectations we put on ourselves - This is not easy to stop doing. We all expect more out of ourselves then we do others, especially if we are perfectionists. A perfectionist always feels they are never good enough, or that they never measure up. Their self-esteem is very low and they always feel there is something wrong with them. How do I know this? Because I have walked in those shoes a good portion of my life.

A perfectionist seldom has peace. Why would they after placing too high of expectations on themselves? They make goals and once they obtain them, they either feel it wasn’t done right, or they could have done a better job. Often times they reach a goal and never enjoy the reward because they placed higher expectations on themselves. Higher and higher the measuring rod goes for them to reach and they never really reach it because they push it higher. Give yourself a break. No one can live like that. Not only is there no peace in their lives, but no peace in their family, work, and anything they are connected with.

Let go of to high expectations on yourself. Allow God’s peace to flood your heart that you are acceptable just the way you are. It is okay to be yourself and being yourself brings peace and freedom.

4. UNHEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS

If you fight low self-esteem, being a perfectionist, or feelings of inadequacy, chances are you pick unhealthy relationships with people that are not good for you. If it is not wrong people, then your relationships are extremely tense because of putting too high of expectations or expecting others to fulfill your needs. Co-dependency or emotional dependency comes when you are looking to others to meet your needs in stead of God. We can even be co-dependent on our friends or spouse. If you are placing people higher then God and your relationship with Him, chances are you are emotionally or co-dependent on them. This subject could stand alone in a book, but we don’t have time here. Mainly, I wanted to get your attention that unhealthy relationships can rob us of our peace, our time, our relationship with Christ, and so much more.

Hanging around the wrong crowd automatically puts you in unhealthy relationships. Their morals and standards might not be Biblical. They might not have any morals at all. We become who we hang around, so choose your friends wisely. Don’t allow your peace to be stolen by making a bad choice in a relationship. Ask God if you are questioning if you have unhealthy relationships, He will show you.

5. FEAR

a. Fear of the unknown - Always worrying about tomorrow, or what is going to happen will put you in bondage and take away your peace. Remember the Prince of Peace holds your tomorrows. He knows what tomorrow will bring so it makes sense to rely on God every day. The good thing is that if you are a believer, we can rejoice that God is by our side. He is the One who fights our battles when we lean on Him. Remember that God loves you unconditionally. His love is perfect.

Perfect love cast out all fear, and this is the love God has for you.

“No fear exists where his love is. Rather, perfect love gets rid of fear, because fear involves punishment. The person who lives in fear doesn't have perfect love.” (1 John 4:18)

If you live your life in fear of the unknown you will never have peace in your life.

b. Fear of man - Always fearing what people think or what they are going to do is bondage. It prevents you from being free to live your life. You will never please everybody. I have come to this harsh reality. For years I tried to make people happy. I was a Worship Pastor for many years and tried to do the songs or hymns everybody wanted, but I still heard complaints. I finally got to the point I would pick songs that the Holy Spirit told me to bring into the congregation. Then, when someone had an issue with a song, I just told them to take it up with the Holy Spirit. Soon, people stopped gripping about what kind of worship I would lead.

I also was afraid of what people thought of me. I could never be “myself” thinking people wouldn’t like me. But trying to be someone I wasn’t put me in turmoil. Christ died for our freedom, this includes being free to be ourselves. There will always be people who will disagree with you and think bad thoughts about you. Like me, you need to get over yourself and over this issue. It will rob you of your peace and put you in a trap your entire life. Then you will look back on your life and wished you lived differently. Now is the time to recognize you have the fear of man and what they think, and to release it to God and allow Him to heal you of any insecurities and events in your past, so you can truly live your life to the fullest being free to be yourself.

c. Fear of failure - Always being afraid of making a mistake is torment. No one is perfect, even a perfectionist. Failure is only failure if you stop and give up. How many inventors, scientists, entertainers, and public figures, who kept going even after failing time after time, till one day they found the answer? There are many. Don’t give up, you could be one step from your breakthrough. Don’t be afraid to fail. Just get back up and dust yourself off, and try again.

There is a story about a man who was walking across the street and tripped and fell down. The next day one of his friends walked by and saw him. They asked, “Are you okay?” He said, “I tripped and fell down yesterday.” His friend asked, “Are you hurt?” “Do you have any broken bones or internal injuries that prevents you from getting up?” The man said, “No.” “You don’t understand, I fell down and I can’t get up.”

This would never happen in real life. If you tripped and fell on the ground, you would quickly get back up and look back to see what made you trip and fall. Far too often people fail and think they can’t go on. Even before they attempt to do something new, they give up because they don’t want to fail. They are afraid they will look bad in front of people. This will rob you of your daily peace. “If only’s,” and “should of’s” will haunt you for the rest of your life. Let’s be a people who are not afraid to try something new. The worse thing that can happen is it didn’t work for that attempt. Tomorrow is a new day, and with God on your side, all things are possible.

“But Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." (Matthew 19:26 ESV)

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13 NKJV)

6. SELF ACCEPTANCE

a. How do you see yourself? - I have notice often that most people really don’t like themselves. If we don’t get along with ourselves, we won’t get along with other people. When we reject ourselves, it may seem to us that others reject us as well. Relationships are a large part of our lives. How we feel about ourselves is a determining factor in our success in life and in relationships.

Our self-image is the inner picture we carry of ourselves. If what we see is not healthy and does not line up with Scripture, we will suffer from fear, insecurity and various types of misconceptions about ourselves.

People who are insecure about themselves suffer in their mind and emotions, as well as in their social and spiritual lives. I know as I have talked to many and have seen what their insecurities have done in their life. Also, I know as I myself have suffered in this area. Studying the Word of God and receiving His unconditional love and acceptance will bring healing to our life.

b. God approves of you - God never intended for us to feel bad about ourselves. He wants us to know ourselves well and have self-acceptance. God approves of you, shouldn’t you approve of yourself?

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew and approved of you [as My chosen instrument]…” (Jeremiah 1:5 Amplified Bible)

“For as he thinks in his heart, so is he…” (Proverbs 23:7)

What do you think about yourself? Where ever you go, there you are. You can leave the presence of friends, family, co-workers, but you can never leave yourself. When you go to bed, there you are with yourself. When you wake up in the morning, guess who is right there? You are! Do you like yourself? Start today accepting yourself. You cannot get away from who you are. If you struggle in liking yourself, ask God for help, after all He created you.

“And God saw everything that He had made, and behold, it was very good (suitable, pleasant) and He approved it completely. And there was evening and there was morning, and a sixth day.” (Genesis 1:31)

Rejecting ourselves does not change us, it actually multiplies our problems. Acceptance causes us to face reality and then begin to deal with it. We cannot deal with anything as long as we are refusing to accept it or denying its reality.

Webster’s II New College Dictionary defines accept in part as: 1. To receive (something offered), especially willingly. 2. To admit to a group or place. 3. a. To consider as usual, proper, or right. b. To consider as true.

Notice from this definition that acceptance involves the will. If we apply this definition to self-acceptance, we see that we can choose or not choose to accept our self. God is offering us the opportunity to accept our self as we are, but we have a free will and can refuse to do so if we so choose. We also see from this definition that when something is accepted, it is viewed as usual, proper or right.

People who reject themselves do so because they cannot see themselves as proper or right. They only see their flaws and weaknesses, not their beauty and strength. This is an unbalanced attitude, one that was probably instilled by authority figures in the past who majored on what was weak and wrong rather than on what was strong and right.

The word acceptance from the same dictionary is defined in part as “approval” and “agreement.” If we are having problems accepting ourselves as we are, we need to get into agreement with God that what He created is good – and that includes us.

“Do two walk together except they make an appointment and have agreed? (Amos 3:3)

To walk with God, we must agree with God. He says He loves us and accepts us; therefore, if we agree with Him, we can no longer hate and reject ourselves. Self-Acceptance will bring peace, self-rejection will rob your peace from you.

7. NOT GIVING GOD CONTROL

Many people struggle with this issue. They fight over having control of their life. Trying to make things happen or not happen in their own strength, and then get frustrated when things don’t go the way they want them too.

Not giving God control is a peace robber. If you have asked Jesus in your heart as Lord and Savior, that means you have made Him Lord of your life. Being Lord, means He has full reign in all areas.

Written from my journal July 12th, 2012: “There is a place in my love walk with God, a deep desire to please Him in every area of my life. I have to be pro-active and guard it. This love I have for God compels me to give you control. You see everything and know all. There is nothing I can hide from you, nor do I even want to. Having an open relationship for you to show me areas I need to lay down or change is what this Christian walk is all about. Why would I ever want to hide or prevent you to have total freedom in my life? This relationship is not like any other earthly one. My relationship with You is so precious and tender and stable. The fact that you would never leave me no matter what I do is truth that this relationship transcends all other relationships. I never want to allow my flesh or self-will to hurt my relationship with you, my loving God. I want to get to the point it grieves my spirit if ever I demand my way by not giving control.”

Giving God control doesn’t mean He will change you into something you don’t want to be, or do something you don’t want to do. Giving God control is saying, “Not my will, but yours be done.” Self-will is a peace robber when it comes to giving God control. It is not worth the struggle. To be truthful, the moment you give God control, you will find peace. You will say to yourself, “Why didn’t I do that a long time ago?”

Guarding your peace at all cost is vital to your Christian walk, and a healthy lifestyle. Don’t allow these “Peace Robbers” to take away your peace. Be vigilant. Be alert! Be pro-active in who you are. Yielding to God’s correction and love is the only way for a peaceful life.

Her most recent book, "Revive, Rebuild, and Restore" was released in september 2011.

We invite you to visit her website.

LIGHT EXPOSURE

Wed, 18 Jul 2012 1:03:23 AM EST

"And the Light shines on in the darkness, for the darkness has never overpowered it..." John 1:5, AMP

* * * * *

It may have only been a piece of candy, but it stands forever in my memory as the first thing I stole. And even though I was just four, somehow I knew to hide it from Mom.

When I tried to hide myself in the floorboard of the car, however, she became suspicious. Moments later I was marching back into Ben Franklin's to apologize and give back my treasure.

It seems like a funny, childhood story but I wonder:

How do we know at such a young age to hide our sin?

Although I grew up in a Christian home, I doubt that I had any concept of the word sin at this point. Clearly I knew I had done something wrong, though. I didn't want to get caught - or lose the candy hidden in the dark clutches of my little hand.

What about you? Do you remember those times of blaming a little brother or sister for leaving the wet towel on the bathroom floor when it was most definitely your towel? Or how about running through the house yelling, "He hit me!" when you had poked him first? We all have our childhood stories.

But then we grew up and were soon stuffing bigger secrets into darker corners as they no longer fit into our tightly clinched fists. Instead, we carried lies within the closets of our mind; attitudes and opinions behind a smile or a joke. Habits were lived out in the secrecy of our car or behind the building. Practices we didn't want anyone to see.

It's interesting that the first recorded words God spoke at the creation of our universe were "Let there be light." He separated darkness from light and created the first day.

Fast forward about 4000 years to John the Baptist and another Light coming to the world: "John himself was not the light; he was simply a witness to tell about the light. The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world." John 1:8-9

Again light was to shine upon the earth, but this time through the life of Jesus. This Light would expose the darkness in the hearts of men. Jesus did not come to the world to judge us, but to save us. Yet many reject Him and hate His Light for fear that their sin will be exposed.

I've been there. You have too. You don't want to get caught. You don't want to admit what you've done. You want to hide it just a little longer so you don't have to deal with it.

But here's an important piece of the picture:

Light shines to make all things visible. Sin - yes. But also the lie, the snare, the scheme that drew you into the sin. Light exposes your enemy.

When you step forward, into the light of Jesus, you step into truth. Yes, your dark secrets and dirty laundry will be exposed. But so will the lies that got you there and the traps you fell into while stumbling around in the dark. Mindsets that have led you down dead-end roads will also be revealed.

Light is not meant to shame you, but to free you. As the Savior of the world, Jesus' light brings the healing balm of love, not guilt.

What traps have been set against you? Do you want to see how you have been lied to by the deceiver of this world? Do you want to be free?

Truth is not always easy, but it always leads to joy. Light unveils the love that is your destiny and your Friend. This is amazing news!

"...So live as people of light! For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true." Ephesians 5:8-9, NLT

* * * * *

"O send out Your light and Your truth; let them bring me to Your holy hill and to Your dwelling. Then I will go to the altar of God, to God, my exceeding joy..." Psalm 43:3-4

WHAT DIFFERENCES EXIST BETWEEN CHRISTIANS AND THOSE WHO RELY ON THE POWER OF POSITIVE THINKING?

Wed, 11 Jul 2012 3:40:12 AM EST

Let's compare the differences to be found between a non-Christian who practices positive thinking and a true Christian. On one hand, there is no doubt that a non-Christian can be very successful, in the sense that he can unlock a lot of his potential and amass great wealth. On the other hand, however, he will experience many downsides:

His abundance will consist mostly of wealth or possessions, having severely neglected other areas of his life.

His achievements will be based mostly upon his own strengths, as he cannot receive any help from the Holy Spirit, who is activated only for Christians. As a result, he will sooner or later find himself feeling exhausted, both physically and mentally.

Something will take precedence in his life, and he will depend on this for his joy and peace. Thus, if money is his god, he will feel good when the stock market is up, and terrible when the stock market is down. In fact, over time his riches will become more a source of anguish than a source of joy.

Greed will tend to take control of him. No matter how much he has, he will rarely feel that he has accumulated enough. He will always find somebody who has more money, power, or recognition than him, and this will frustrate him. He will be at risk of living to work instead of working to live.

He may be driven by the thirst to gain the approval and/or respect of key people, just to find out that he will never get it no matter the level of wealth or fame attained.

Last, but not least, he will not be saved, as salvation is not based on the level of prosperity that one reaches or the level of good works one does, but solely on one’s faith in Jesus Christ.

What about a true Christian? He will only have advantages:

The love of God will invade his heart and penetrate each one of his cells. As he keeps receiving this love, it will soon start to overflow and reach others. He will then be thirsty for more love from Jesus, ensuring that a great inflow and outflow cycle is triggered in his life.

Because the Holy Spirit has been activated in him, he can enjoy peace and joy at all times. Thus, even in the midst of an economic crisis he will be able to have inner peace, and not be anxious. A positive side effect of this inner peace is better health.

He will not depend on the abundance he has to feel loved, joyful and peaceful.

He will be able to unload his burdens and worries onto Jesus everyday, which will make his time on earth light and joyful.

He knows that God has a great plan for him. This gives him a true sense of mission and purpose. Additionally, he knows that there is no adversity he will ever face that God hasn’t given him a solution to in his Word.

He understands that his life does not consist of the abundance of his possessions, but that God alone is the source of life. Consequently, he will not spend his life chasing after riches.

To sum up, we could use the recipes of this world to "succeed.” However, we would not live in abundance. Many people believe that the Bible is just a book of “dos and don’ts” and that one has more to lose than to gain by surrendering oneself to Jesus. However, the exact opposite is true. We become new creatures, and step by step, Jesus removes all the chains that keep us in captivity. We become freer, not less, when Jesus is our Lord!

He is married since 1995 to Barbara, and they are the parents of two children.

EMBRACING THE SEASON

Wed, 4 Jul 2012 1:40:10 AM EST

Nature teaches us so many valuable lessons. It’s no wonder that God often chooses the mountains or wilderness as a training ground. I walk most every day and rarely do I come home empty-handed. Sometimes I collect thoughts that later become songs or journal entries. Other days I gather pebbles, twigs, or flowers as souvenirs to remind me years later of truths learned in His presence.

It’s interesting, really. Even those of us who anticipate change, who get excited to see what’s coming around the corner, have a tendency to hold on to the past to some degree. Collecting treasures as we travel through life is healthy. It’s when we get out of step with the seasons that we get in trouble. I recently experienced a perfect example of this while gardening.

I have an incurable love of flower gardens. I can’t wait to see tulips peeking through the snow or ants toiling to help peonies open their buds. My favorite intoxication comes while standing near a lilac bush in full bloom and just a glimpse of Forget-me-nots hiding under sagebrush takes my breath.

Unfortunately, my love for flowers sometimes pushes away better judgment. Almost every fall I talk myself out of cleaning the beds, believing that the sight of dead flowers poking up through the snow will remind me that new life is sure to come. It does give a measure of joy but mostly makes for a more difficult job in the spring.

A few days ago I finally pruned back last year’s leftovers from my rapidly growing plants. As I labored on my knees, two details struck me. First, there was no way to get all of the dead branches and leaves out of my thriving plants. No matter how hard I tried, some brown stalks remained. Second, I damaged the new growth in my efforts to clean out what should have been pruned months before. In holding onto the pleasure of last summer, I failed to recognize the beauty and purpose of a clean flower bed hiding beneath the snow.

Isn’t that the way with life? Each season holds its purpose. Some flourish with growth. Others are meant for rest. When we try to overlap the two we often steal from the past and damage what’s to come.

I’ve been blessed to be involved in fruitful ministry where I felt and saw the pleasure of my Father in my labors. But at times I’ve held on to successes of the past when the Spirit was leading in a new direction. As a result, fragments of my heart longed for what had been instead of resting and preparing for what was to come.

Then, when the Holy Spirit led me on to new assignments, I had to cut out distractions that now impeded fresh growth. At times I held too tightly to friends when God wanted to take them in another direction to build new relationships and fulfill destinies. Music that ministered in the last season but wasn’t for today filled my mind when the Spirit wanted to give new songs. Activities that had resonated with God’s presence yesterday now seemed hollow. Sadly, I had allowed remnants of the last season to stay too long so that new growth was now damaged while pruning them out.

“For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven.” What an essential truth. We don’t despise yesterday if we embrace tomorrow. We are simply honoring what God desires for each individual season. In this way we honor Him.

Do you recognize the season you are in?

What treasures have you collected from seasons past?

How do you keep in step with the Holy Spirit?

PERSEVERING IS YOUR ONLY OPTION!

Wed, 13 Jun 2012 4:08:50 AM EST

Can we succeed in life if we cannot overcome adversity? No. This is why we will have to take some perseverance tests during our lives. However, as James 1:2-3 exhorts us, we should consider it pure joy when we face trials of any kind, because the testing of our faith will develop perseverance; and perseverance will produce maturity and completeness.

To enjoy a high level of abundance in our lives, we must be able to face opposition with confidence and without worrying or becoming anxious. Life will inevitably throw punches at us. What we must do is not become intimidated, fearful or paralyzed, but instead become counter-punchers. Regardless of the situation we face, no matter how strong and powerful our “opponent” is, we must strike the last punch. Do I mean here that we should always have the last word or take revenge? Absolutely not! By striking a punch, I mean that we should keep exercising our faith muscles, retain our peace and composure, and adopt the attitudes of a conqueror. The worst that we could do is to become weak in our mind. Why? Because if we lose the battle in our mind, we will automatically be defeated as we have already seen.

Until we can pass the perseverance tests that come with our pot, we won’t really be ready to move to a new pot and enjoy a new level of abundance. We could try, but we will quickly be overwhelmed. Would a novice boxer fight with the world champion of his weight-division? Realistically, no. This is the same thing for us. Moving to a new pot is like going into the ring and fighting against a new champion. We must be prepared before we do so, and allow time to do its work in us.

→ What we must realize while we are in the midst of adversity is that our situation can change overnight, when we least expect it. Too often, people give up the mental fight when they are so close to the victory, to reaching the top of the mountain, to crossing the finishing line. The Bible’s story of Joseph illustrates this reality wonderfully. He went from being poor and forgotten in prison, to being second only to Pharaoh…overnight! He reported directly to Pharaoh and was put in charge of the destiny of Egypt. All the adversity and the hardships that he had gone through for years had prepared him for the challenges that waited him in this key position. God basically used adversity to refine his character, to mature him, to teach him to depend solely on Him and to prepare him to carry out the grandiose plan He had for his life.

→ How many of us would say yes when asked if we would like to take a similar high profile position to the one Joseph assumed? Many! However, how many would still say yes if told that they would have to go through the hardships that Joseph had to? Very few! Too many people want to win the trophy without sacrificing their comfort. When adversity enters our lives, we should rejoice as Paul says in Romans 5:3-4: “Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.” A life filled with easiness and instant gratification is anything but a blessed life. It does not lead to abundance, but to captivity and misery.

→ The fact is that it does not matter how confident, focused, engaged and courageous we are if we have no mental toughness and patience. To be victorious, we must stand up on the inside using our mental toughness. We must never give up, but continue to fight the good fight of faith. The adversity we are going through could last longer than expected. It is precisely at such times that perseverance will be decisive.

In the world of sports, mental toughness is often what makes the difference between winning and losing. The resilience of marathon runners, for example, is tested in the last 10 kilometers, not in the first 32 kilometers! Many runners reach their stamina limits at this point, and the winner is almost always the one who can keep running at the same pace (or even accelerate) to finish the race: the “real” battle is in the mind. It is exactly the same for us. The perseverance test is first won in the mind, nowhere else! History is full of examples:

Winston Churchill was defeated in every election for public office that he stood for until he became Prime Minister at an advanced age;

Henry Ford went broke 5 times before he finally succeeded;

A newspaper editor fired Walt Disney because he lacked imagination and had no good ideas; moreover, he went bankrupt several times before he went on to build his company;

Van Gogh sold only one painting during his lifetime;

Crime novelist John Creasey apparently got 753 rejection slips before he published over 560 books;

John Milton wrote “Paradise Lost” 16 years after having lost his eyesight;

Sigmund Freud’s ideas were rejected when he first presented them to the European scientific community of the time.

Confucius said, “Our greatest glory is not in never falling but in rising every time we fall.” It takes resilience and perseverance to do that. As Washington Irving put it, we can either be tamed and subdued by misfortunes or (rise) above them; the choice is ours.

He is married since 1995 to Barbara, and they are the parents of two children.

THE CHRISTIAN ADVANTAGE TO TRIUMPHING OVER FEAR

Wed, 6 Jun 2012 2:01:19 AM EST

There is a group of people who have an advantage over others when it comes to winning the battle between faith and fear: true Christians. Why? Because a true Christian is one who lives by faith. Many people claim to be Christians, but few genuinely live by faith.

→ What do true Christians base their faith on?

They know in their heart that God has a good plan for them: “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11)

They are aware of the fact that they receive from God through faith and from Satan through fear, and that they choose every single day from whom they receive.

They understand that God is all about new beginnings; “Therefore, if any person is in Christ he is a new creation; the old has passed away. Behold, the fresh and new has come!” (2 Corinthians 5:17) What this scripture tells us is that each day, we can form new habits, and that God’s mercy is new everyday. Hence, if we have sinned, we only have to admit our sin, repent, and enjoy the grace of God who gives us a fresh new start.

They are wise, and acknowledge that they will not go through life without times of adversity and that they are strongly encouraged to persevere until they have crossed the finishing line (which is assured if they do not quit): “And let us not lose heart and grow weary and faint in acting nobly and doing right, for in due time and at the appointed season we shall reap, if we do not loosen and relax our courage and faint.” (Galatians 6:9)

More importantly, they also know that God will never test them beyond their capacity to bear things: “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13) It is critical that we understand this scripture well. What Paul is telling Christians here is that God will provide a way out when adversity strikes them, and that the way out will not consist of God removing the adversity or the circumstances so that they do not have to face it anymore. No, Paul is telling them that the way out is to go “through” the adversity. In other words, the real deliverance happens when we conquer things, not when we run away from them! A true Christian should know that there is no fear he will ever face that God has not given him the victory over!

Finally, true Christians recognize that they are not going to the battle alone, and that they can leverage the power of the fruit of the Holy Spirit to win: “But the fruit of the [Holy] spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22) Thus, although they suffer in the flesh, they know that they will have victory if they do not quit exercising their faith muscles. This gives them an incredible strength and resilience. Faith is what ultimately keeps us from worrying, dreading the future, or losing our inner peace.

In summary, the only way a Christian can become fearful is if he starts doubting the Word of God. Very often, what has happened is that he has reached a point where he now doubts the love of God. Not believing in his heart that God loves him or doubting that God can love him - a sinner -, he lets fear-filled words and images enter his mind and quickly falls into the trap of speaking doubtful words.

It is then only a question of time before negative meditation (worrying and anxiety) becomes a habit. He then reaps the fruits: physical ailments, discouragement, despair, etc. All this does nothing but reinforce the feeling that God does not love him, or that He has forsaken him. At this point, he starts doubting God’s love even more. However, as Matthew 6:26-28 shows us, if God takes care of the birds, if He clothes the lilies, He can and will take care of us. When fear is about to enter our mind, we must spend time studying the Word of God, speak faith-filled words to ourselves, and starve any doubt about God’s love.

Do you know how many times God instructs us in the Bible to fear not? Over 300 times! Isn’t He trying to make a point here? That we should not tremble, worry, be afraid, shake, panic, run away, dread the future or what could happen if A, B or C materializes, but exercise our faith muscles, and rest in His joy which is our strength! As Franklin Roosevelt once said, “the only thing we have to fear is fear itself; nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror, which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance.” To be victorious and lead a life of abundance, we must, through faith, overcome our fears and uproot any feelings of fear that reside in our mind. We will all experience a physical death. However, we do not have to experience a spiritual death. Instead of fearing the world (and men), we should reverentially fear God, the only one who can give us eternal life.

Do not make the mistake of believing that God speaks to us through fear. Because He does not. Only Satan uses fear to water down our faith, gain access to our thoughts and control us. Conclusion: when we entertain thoughts of fear, we invite Satan in person – the life destroyer – to invade our mind! Do we really want this?

He is married since 1995 to Barbara, and they are the parents of two children.

RESPECT YOUR HUSBAND UNCONDITIONALLY

Wed, 30 May 2012 2:23:22 AM EST

Do you know what is the number one complaint that husbands make? Well, they overwhelmingly complain that their wives do not respect them enough as Ephesians 5:33 commands them to do.

Why are so many men feeling that their wives do not respect them any longer? Although there are several reasons, one stands out: very often, wives simply feel that their husbands no longer deserve their respect. We cannot blame them for this. After all, in many cases, they had given their husbands the best love and respect that they were capable of, but hardly received anything in return from them. Hence, their emotional, physical, affectionate, and relational needs remained mostly unmet. This is not without consequences. This often opens a door for the Devil who will push wives to try and control their husbands as Genesis 3:16 warns us. Of course, most husbands won’t like this and they will overtly or secretly resist. As you can imagine, these power struggles will bring nothing positive for the marriage and each spouse.

→ Now the question is: can the situation be turned around, and if yes, how? In Christ, there are no hopeless situations. So, a wife can take steps to restore the greatness of her marriage. How? By dying to her flesh and choosing to respect her husband unconditionally. Respect is first and foremost a decision that we make in our hearts, for out of the abundance of your hearts, our mouths speak. (Matthew 12:34) By electing to respect her husband even if he does not love her as he should, a wife shows that she loves Christ (John 14:15) and will open for herself and her family taps of abundance.

So, honor your husband, not because he deserves it, but because it is a command of God. Let your husband know that he is your hero, and the most important person in your life after Jesus Christ. Pay particular attention to him, find qualities that you can admire in him, get interested in some of his hobbies, ask his opinion, listen to him, speak lovingly of him in front of your family, kids and friends, meet his eye needs (e.g. dress up sexily in the bedroom and attractively everywhere else) and hold him in high regards. Finally, be aware of your body language; it can easily communicate disrespect.

As you progressively respect your husband more and more, you will find out that he will be more willing and able to give you the love, affection and attention that you need to operate at your best. Your marriage will then reach new heights and blossom even more.

→ Assignment
Respect is both an attitude and an action. So, starting today, commit to respect your husband in your heart and mind, as well as in words and deeds. Identify three areas for which you are currently not respecting your husband and determine what you can do to reverse the situation. Be as precise as you can as to the steps you need to do to show him your respect. As you elaborate your action steps, do not limit yourself for you can do all things through Christ who will strengthen you. (Philippians 4:13)

He is married since 1995 to Barbara, and they are the parents of two children.

PURGE YOUR SILENT KILLERS OR YOU'LL KNOW SICKNESS AND MISERY

Wed, 23 May 2012 1:42:43 AM EST

Our thoughts have a powerful effect on our bodies. This is why it is important to monitor our self-talks, i.e. what we say to ourselves mentally. Our minds translate everything we say to ourselves into images or symbols. What we are not always aware of is that to each image or symbol is attached an emotion that either releases energy into our body or drains it out. In other words, our thoughts physiologically alter our energy level. So, when I say to myself that I will fall sick, what I effectively do is lower the level of energy that my body can use to fight a sickness. The more powerfully I focus on negative topics in my mind, the more I deplete my body’s energy, and the higher the likelihood that I fall sick.

Our negative self-talk thoughts then create the conditions that will help the body turn into reality that which we have been telling ourselves. And the weaker our bodies become, the more we will believe that we are falling sick; i.e. we have found some evidence that reinforces our belief. It is then only a question of time before sickness becomes reality in our body. What we have seen here is true for any other negative thought we have. This is why it is critical not to have such self-defeating thoughts as:

I’ll never be able to do this,
I am not attractive, I’ll never have a great body,
I’ll always have a weak immune system or be sick,
I’ll catch the flu, cancer, or the Alzheimer’s disease,
My husband will cheat on me,
I’ll never have the house of my dreams,
I’ll never have an inspiring and fulfilling job,
I’ll never have enough to sustain my family,
I’ll never be a winner,
People will never respect me or always abuse me.

Is there any scientific proof of this thought-energy phenomenon? Actually there is. Scientists and neurologists have known for quite some time now that when we have a thought, a chemical reaction occurs in our body. This reaction leads to the creation of neuropeptides, which have been found in many parts of our body, including the stomach, kidneys, and liver. Experiments with biofeedback instruments such as Galvanic skin response (GSR), have shown that our thought life (mental activity) reaches into the extremities of our bodies. In her book, “Your body believes every word you say”, Barbara Hoberman Levine cites an interesting quote of Burl Payne’s, a renowned physicist and psychologist:

“With sensitive EMG instruments, we can show that muscles are activated when we think about anything involving action or emotion, even though there may be no visible movement. Although we do not know how thoughts are generated in the brain, it seems clear that once present, thoughts are amplified by the brain and turned into actions. Every thought we think influences millions of atoms, molecules and cells throughout the body. Besides this straightforward effect on the physical body, we know from general principles of physics that any acceleration of electrons produces some electromagnetic radiation.”

The sooner we purge our negative self-talk thoughts from our mind, the better. If we keep thinking about fat (or fat-related topics) all day long, it will be hard for us to lose fat and become slim. In order to be victorious, we will have to eliminate all fat-related thoughts from our minds, and focus our minds on images of people who are slim, who enjoy eating healthy foods, who are successful at losing weight, who can wear trousers or dresses of the size we want, and so on. What this means is that although we may currently be over-weight, we have to stop thinking that we are over-weight; we have to see ourselves as we want to become. If we discipline our thoughts in such a way then we will be releasing throughout our body the energy that it needs to undertake the transformation required. If we keep controlling our thought long enough, we will ultimately become what we believe we are.

→ The lesson for us all is that the best way to change our body is to renew our thoughts and ensure that they are in harmony with what we want to become. As long as we think of images of weak (unfit, unhealthy, or fat) persons in our mind, we will never be able to become fit, healthy, or slim. Always remember that all change originates with a thought. Are you often sick lately? If yes, could it be that you never stop thinking about sickness? If so, then all you may have to do is to start telling yourself that you are healthy, as well as thinking and acting like a healthy person. Needless to say, there are times when we all fall sick. What should we be doing then? Telling ourselves that we will quickly be healthy again. This will send the right energy waves to our body, and accelerate the healing process.

Every time we catch ourselves using negative and energy-draining thoughts, we must quickly discipline ourselves, and substitute them with the opposite. We will then be on the road to enjoying abundant health. We must therefore constantly monitor our thoughts and self-talks, and ensure that we only formulate positive ones.

He is married since 1995 to Barbara, and they are the parents of two children.

THE SILENT ASSASSIN

Wed, 23 May 2012 1:29:13 AM EST

I read advice columns. I sometimes find valuable information that benefits me or I can pass along to others. At times I shake my head in awe at the nonsensical issues people seek advice about, like the biggest debate ever in Dear Abby’s history: which is the correct way to hang a roll of toilet paper - paper across the top or underneath? Really? This is what people are concerned with?

Other times, the stories are tragic and my heart aches for those struggling. Then I read stuff that baffles my mind: people complaining over the most inane issues and fabricating problems where none needed to exist. Consider the following: a “military mom”, whose sons and husband served in the Marines, is livid her daughter is seriously dating a physician with no military background. She complains to that although he is nice and respectful to all and her daughter is very happy with him, they refuse to accept him into the family based solely on that one condition.

“Why should this young man get to go to school until his late 20s, get a job right away, and live a totally comfortable and entitled life while other young men leave their families and never come home?” The hair on the back of my neck stood up. (Let me mention here: one of her sons made the ultimate sacrifice for his country.) She accuses the boyfriend of “throwing our family’s sacrifice in our face by living in the lap of luxury” and cannot imagine having him as her son-in-law.

Clearly this mom has not healed from the tragic loss of her child and seeing the boyfriend may be triggering her pain. However, she exacerbates matters by making outrageous assumptions and accusations against him: he “lives a totally comfortable and entitled life” while “living in the lap of luxury.” These statements are arrogant and judgmental. Anyone less than a member of the military is considered unsuitable as a future family member. Her closed mind and heart prohibit her from recognizing his attributes and valuable contributions he’s making to society. Her expectations that he conform to her idealisms are disrespectful and hateful and are responsible for her anger and bitterness.

While many fail to see themselves as bigots, their behavior suggests otherwise. Prejudice comes in all sizes and shapes much less recognizable than the more obvious ones such as skin color, sexual orientation and nationality. Any form of bigotry creates a breakdown in families and society, leading to anger, resentment, hatred and bitterness. It robs us of fully appreciating the uniqueness and beauty of those in our company.

Until we recognized and addressed each, prejudice lives like an assassin among us, killing any opportunity for acceptance, appreciation and unity and putting each of us at risk. Where are the hidden assassins in your heart? Ferret them out so all may be embraced in your life.

You can follow her at Facebook or LinkedIn. You may also visit her website.

USE YOUR SEEDS OR YOU WILL LOSE THEM ALL!

Wed, 16 May 2012 1:49:53 AM EST

In Matthew 13, Jesus tells the parable of the sower to the large crowds that had come to listen to him. What He told them can be found in Matthew 13:12: “Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.” We all have good seeds to plant, so what is this scripture telling us? It basically reveals to us that if we use (i.e. plant) our seeds, we shall reap abundance.

This is certainly also true in the natural world. If a farmer would only get back one seed from each seed that he plants, then he would not continue sowing seeds as he would be spending his time in utter futility. With just one apple seed, for example, a farmer can expect a harvest of more than 100 apples each year. As the law of harvest applies everywhere, what is true in the natural world is also true in all the aspects of life. Reaping more than we sow is essential, otherwise no one would activate the law of harvest. Thus, we can reasonably expect someone who keeps planting his seeds to be blessed abundantly over time.

→ Let’s now address the warning part of the scripture. If we all have seeds to plant, how can we then find someone who hasn’t any? The answer is not as difficult as we could imagine. We all know people who tell us day after day that they have no talents, that their dreams will never come to pass, that they will never get the job they hope for, that they wished that they were like someone else. Do you see what’s happening? They are not planting good seeds, but bad ones. Where are those seeds coming from? From their thoughts! They basically “engineered” them. Guess what? The law of harvest gets in motion and produces in their lives truckloads of bad fruits.

Moreover, the more truckloads that are delivered to them, the less they can find their good seeds. It is as if they are trying to find a needle in a haystack. As a result, it is almost impossible for them to nurture their good seeds. In essence, it is as if they had been taken away from them. They focused so much on what they did not have that they received scarcity, poverty, and misery instead of abundance. We should therefore be quick to take hold of such negative thoughts and to throw them as far away from our minds as possible.

→ The parable of the talents also confirms that whatever we have will be taken away from us if we do not use it. In this parable, Jesus tells the story of three servants whose master must go on a journey and who entrusts them with his property while he is away. He gave each of his servants talents according to their abilities. When he came back he asked each of them what they had done with their talents. One of the servants had received 5 talents and reported that he now had 10 talents. The second, who had received 2 talents, told his master that he had gained 2 new talents. The third servant, who had received only one talent, informed his master that he only managed to keep his talent; i.e. he did not gain any additional talent.

What did the master do in the parable? He first congratulated those who had managed to double the amount of talents that they had received, and then vehemently condemned the one who had hidden his talent and done nothing with it. Next, he took the only talent that the third servant had and gave it to the one who had 10 talents.

Jesus used the parable to stress once again in Matthew 25:29 that, “for everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.” What this parable is trying to teach us is that we must make the best use of our talents and not fall into the trap of comparing ourselves with others. The servant who received only one talent must have said to himself: “What can I do with just one talent? Not much! If I had two or five, I would have a lot of options. But with one, my choices are limited. Why bother? It’s not worth the effort. What difference will it make if I use my talent or not?” When we have such an attitude, then we cannot move towards abundance. We will reap only misery and bitterness.

→ The truth is that it doesn’t matter how many talents we have. All we need is one talent to get onto the abundance train. When we seek to fructify this one talent, we also find joy and fulfillment. We must see our potential, not our limitations. Christians should remember that they are not alone in the potential-unlocking process. They can multiply the impact of one talent manifoldly if they leverage the power of the Holy Spirit. Indeed, He can strengthen, guide and coach them, revealing to them what they can do with the one talent they have and give them the keys to unlock their full potential. However, what we should remember is that it is not that important how many talents we have. What matters is that we use them by activating the law of harvest in our lives.

He is married since 1995 to Barbara, and they are the parents of two children.

SOWING YOUR WAY TO SUCCESS

Wed, 9 May 2012 2:27:16 AM EST

In today's world, the working mantra seems to be "work your way to success" – or: "you can make it if you really want to." Unfortunately, for the vast majority of people on this earth this is not true: There are countless people who work like crazy, sometimes even more than one job, but don’t seem to be able to progress in life.

Unfortunately, this mantra (a mantra is a worldly thought or a word which is being accepted by many and repeated often) of life-long hard work has also infected parts of the body of Christ. If you ask around, many Christians are likely to answer: „What do I do for my living? Working, of course!“ or „How do I support my family? With my two jobs - and my wife is working, too! Don’t you know that things are expensive nowadays?“

Now, are we to follow the world’s mantra of „hard work to earn a living“ in order to make it? We know that many people in this world work extremely hard to make their living. Wouldn’t it be sad if this mantra was the only solution for us Christians?

Is working hard and long to earn your money the only way to prosper your family these days? How would we differentiate from the world? Are we Christians to follow the processes and approaches of the world to be successful? No.

It’s very simple: If we don’t do things differently than the world, how could Christians expect to be treated from God differently than the world in this matter? We can’t expect to be treated preferentially if we don’t do things differently.

The big differentiator

What do we need to do differently in order to be treated differently from God?

Let’s read these key verses in Deuteronomy chapter 28 and check carefully whether these hard-working people are able to enjoy the fruits of their labor:

Deuteronomy 28:15 -19 “However, if you do not obey the Lord your God and do not carefully follow all his commands and decrees I am giving you today, all these curses will come upon you and overtake you. You will be cursed in the city and cursed in the country. Your basket and your kneading trough will be cursed. The fruit of your womb will be cursed, and the crops of your land, and the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks. You will be cursed when you come in and cursed when you go out.”

Deuteronomy 28:38 -45 “You will sow much seed in the field but you will harvest little, because locusts will devour it. You will plant vineyards and cultivate them but you will not drink the wine or gather the grapes, because worms will eat them. You will have olive trees throughout your country but you will not use the oil, because the olives will drop off. You will have sons and daughters but you will not keep them, because they will go into captivity. Swarms of locusts will take over all your trees and the crops of your land. The alien who lives among you will rise above you higher and higher, but you will sink lower and lower. He will lend to you, but you will not lend to him. He will be the head, but you will be the tail. All these curses will come upon you. They will pursue you and overtake you until you are destroyed, because you did not obey the Lord your God and observe the commands and decrees he gave you.”

Awful, awful, and awful! This is a picture of someone who works hard all day, tries to provide for his family, to raise his children, he cares for his job and he works day and night – but it never seems to produce the intended harvest. This person works like crazy but doesn't see the fruit of his labor; just the opposite, he is plagued by problems. Does this description sound a bit like your life? Do you sympathize with this person, remembering your own life experience? Do you know these „mad days“ all too well where things just go wrong, even if you are a hard working Christian?

What blessed people do

Let’s have a close look what differentiates blessed people from unlucky people:

Deuteronomy 28:1-6 “If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully follow all his commands that I give you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth. All these blessings will come upon you and accompany you if you obey the Lord your God. You will be blessed in the city and blessed in the country. The fruit of your womb will be blessed, and the crops of your land and the young of your livestock – the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks. Your basket and your kneading trough will be blessed. You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out.”

Another very important scripture confirms that a very different approach is required:

Psalm 1:1-6 “Blessed is the man who does not walked in the counsel of the wicked, or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers. Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.”

As we have read in these verses, the man who is blessed is the one who follows God's law. And if we want to follow God's law, we need to know what it says in this regard. According to God's law, what is the key to living in financial abundance?

Working is the world’s mantra – but giving is God’s solution

It seems to be very illogical: Why should giving help me to succeed in life? Some say: “I want to receive something, so giving seems to be very counterproductive!” That’s true. But this kind of worldly logic doesn’t help here at all: We already discovered that the world’s logic of “hard work” does not pay off for the majority of people who apply this year after year - until retirement. We saw that our traditional approach does not pay the returns that have been promised.

Therefore a new approach is needed that really works, and this is it:

Sow your way to success. Listen to God’s instructions when to give (timing), where to give (place), to whom to give (to an individual or to a church). Don’t follow your own thinking such as prioritizing the poor or those that cry out the loudest: follow God‘s instructions, even if this sounds surprising to your current thinking!

Consider life from this perspective: If your life is not blessed as described in Deuteronomy 28 („these blessings shall come on you and will overtake you“) and as described in Psalm 1 (“all which he does shall be blessed”), then something needs to change on our end. God cannot fail – therefore it‘s me who needs to think differently and act differently. I need to change – God is not the problem. Therefore, if you hear from God to do things which at first sight (based on your worldly experiences) seem “out of the box” or “we have never done it this way,” then rejoice, because the answer is on the way!

If you start applying HIS thoughts and HIS process and HIS actions, this will produce HIS harvest that is overwhelming. Start to listen very carefully to HIS solutions and apply HIS approaches, and in a few years you will not recognize your own life any more! You will ask your friend: “I never thought that such an increase was possible in my own life! Is this really true? I am extremely blessed wherever I go and whatever I do! God made my life incredibly successful!”

Let’s start a journey to discover God’s approach in this area – which is very different to the world’s approach. Let’s learn what God has to say and apply and implement these precious findings immediately to enable supernatural, overwhelming and live-changing outcomes in our own lives.

If you would like to learn more, why not order the German book “Wohlstand mit Gottes Hilfe” from author David D. Davis, which is available from www.amazon.de or www.buch.ch. Alternatively it can be ordered in every bookstore.

STRIVE TO REST

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 2:11:30 AM EST

“Let us therefore be zealous and exert ourselves and strive diligently to enter that rest [of God, to know and experience it for ourselves], that no one may fall or perish by the same kind of unbelief and disobedience [into which those in the wilderness fell].” (Hebrews 4:11, AMP)

Resting is a very interesting concept. You could probably ask a hundred people what it looks like to them and get a hundred unique answers. At different points in my life I might have pictured reading a good book while the kids were asleep, a week at the beach, or waking up refreshed. Others would say, “A day off of work,” or “The feeling after a project is finished.” All of these would fit into the definition of rest, in both the English dictionary and in the Bible.

Our human bodies need consistent blocks of time to recuperate after a day or season of activity. When Jesus walked the earth, He regularly took time away from serving the crowds and urged His disciples to do the same. This anapauō type of rest is a ceasing from labor in order to recover and regain our strength.

There is a rest, however, which far surpasses a physical recuperation. Katapausis (pronounced kä-tä'-pau-sēs) does not depend on our level of activity, remaining constant even when the body is exhausted. This rest does not hinge on governmental peace or if we live in abundance or lack. Katapausis is a resting place during the greatest storm; a peace unshakable.

I recognized glimpses of it as I read the words of Katie Davis in her book Kisses From Katie this week. In the midst of thousands of starving, hurting people in Uganda, this young lady strives to look past the vastness of the task, beyond the impossibilities that surround her, and into the truth of Who Jesus is. She walks out one day at a time, obeying His leading while trusting in and relying on His goodness, His strength, His wisdom, and power. And at the end of each day, she looks back to see all of the mighty things He has done and knows joy beyond understanding.

As the world seems to be going faster and faster and the trials and tribulations increase with each passing year, having a higher level of rest available to us is of irreplaceable value. Yet, it does not come without cost. The author of Hebrews urges us to strive diligently to enter this rest. What does that mean? How do we strive to rest?

• First, one of our highest priorities should be to have a soft heart before God.

“Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts, as [happened] in the rebellion [of Israel]…” (Hebrews 3:7-8a)

A soft heart is an open heart. A soft heart is vulnerable and honest, allowing God to show us the truth about Himself, ourselves, and our circumstances. It is often painful, but only in this place can we avoid devastating lies and snares of our enemy and walk in the joy and freedom God desires for us.

On the other hand, if we push certain sins and issues back in the corner in an effort to not deal with them or keep them hidden, our hearts will become more and more hardened and deceived by sin. We will begin to think we know how best to live out our lives. This pride and rebellion will separate us from the One Who is our only hope of freedom.

• Second, we must obey what the Father tells us through His Word and by His Spirit.

“So God’s rest is there for people to enter, but those who first heard this good news failed to enter because they disobeyed God.” (Hebrews 4:6)

Obedience is the litmus test of humility. A step of obedience reveals that our heart has not completely hardened against God and opens us up to see the loving sovereignty of our Maker. In obedience we come to understand that God knows all things and moves in perfect wisdom, power, and love.

I John 3:24 tells us that those who obey God’s commandments remain in fellowship with Him. I love the picture the Amplified Bible paints: “They let Christ be a home to them and they are the home of Christ.” In this close communion, katapausis can be found.

• Third, we must come to a place of absolute trust in God alone.

“For only we who believe can enter his rest…” (Hebrews 4:3a)

God does not ask us to have blind faith. He constantly shows Himself to be perfectly wise and powerful. Although the Israelites left slavery in Egypt with many great signs and wonders, they failed to enter into the rest God desired for them because they did not come to a place of trust. When difficult circumstances arose, they quickly fell back on their own understanding instead of placing their faith in the faithfulness of their Savior. They believed in their weakness more than they believed in the power and goodness of God.

We are faced with the same dilemma today. To enter into the fortress and hiding place of peace, we must choose to look beyond physical circumstances to the truth of Who God is. We must choose to rely upon His goodness, wisdom, and power when all of the facts around us yell out that failure is imminent. We must choose to put our faith in God over the cries of our emotions or weaknesses.

This choosing may start out as a gritting of the teeth and a holding on with all we have, but as our God reveals His faithfulness over and over again, we learn to lean back into Him and truly rest.

Now, before we get too overwhelmed at what we must strive to do, read further in Hebrews 4. Our Father does not leave us to work these things out on our own.

→ First, He gives us His Word – alive and full of power, sharper than any two-edged sword – to expose, analyze, and judge the very thoughts and purposes of our heart. We don’t have to wonder what is right or wrong. When we read the Word of God in humility and hunger, the Word itself will penetrate into our hearts and reveal within us what must remain and what must be changed.

→ Second, God gave us His Son, Jesus, Who has shared in all of our weaknesses and assaults to temptation, and so understands what we are walking through. Because He walked in perfect relationship with the Father and without sin, He is able to give us mercy in our failures and grace to help with every need. And, He beckons us to come fearlessly, confidently, and boldly to His throne.

“Striving to rest” seems like an oxymoron. But as we lay aside our pride and live before our God with a soft heart, as we exchange our sin and rebellion for His plans and purposes, as we believe that He loves us perfectly and can be trusted explicitly even in the things we don’t understand, we find a place of rest that no one can take away. A rest that cannot be shaken.

It was in this rest that Paul was able to write letters full of hope and thanksgiving even while sitting in prison. It was to this rest that David returned in Psalm 55:23 after wrestling with his fears. It is into this rest that our Father calls us today. Amazing. Be zealous to enter in.

* * * * *

How have you experienced katapausis? What do you do to remain in His rest?

CAN WE LOSE OUR ABUNDANCE DURING A TESTING TIME?

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 3:35:03 AM EST

Did you answer yes to the title question? Why? Is your Father in Heaven surrounded by less abundance while you go through a trial? No. Do you lose your adopted son or daughter-ship status when you navigate in rough seas? No. Does God love you less when you face tough challenges? No. So, why did you answer yes to my question then? The simple truth is that the devil can seek to steal everything from you (like he tried to with Job), but if you resist him by flexing your faith muscles, he cannot win.

If you have been born again, you are a child of God. As such you are rich beyond measure and can enjoy the abundant life that Jesus died for you to have. God has already given you a “Promised Land;” a land that lacks nothing and where everything exists in abundance. Yes, God’s plan for your life may require that you appear poor in the eyes of the world. However, do not make the mistakes of seeing yourself as a poor person, because you are wealthy beyond imagination.

→ Don't believe me? Then think about this: was Jesus poor or rich, living in abundance or in scarcity? Before you answer, let me give you a clue. Imagine that the world’s richest person decided to live one year with the poorest tribe on earth. And, in order to experience firsthand what they have to go through each day, he decides to take no money, no credit card, and no mobile phone with him. Put differently, he leaves all his material wealth to a steward to manage it. Now, while our richest man is in the “land” of poverty, is he rich or poor? Well, for the tribe he currently lives with, he is probably poor, as they do not know how wealthy he really is. But for the rest of the world, he is still the richest man on earth.

Now, let me ask you again: was Jesus rich or poor while He was on earth? If you answered poor, then you do not really know Him. He has done exactly what the rich man did in my example. He lived not one year on earth, but thirty-three, and coming to the earth did not change His abundance status: as the Son of God, He was rich, before, during, and after His stay on earth. His abundance remained constant.

→ Do you realize what this means for you and I? That we are surrounded with abundance the minute we accept Jesus as our Savior and Lord. Our challenge is first to see our abundance land and then to take possession of it; in order to do that, we must just activate the key abundance success factors and nullify the key abundance destruction factors that operate in our lives. Then abundance will start flowing into our lives here on earth. Transfers of abundance will be made from God’s personal account in heaven to ours here on earth. In time, these transfers will impact all areas of our lives and fill us with love, joy, and peace.

No matter what your bank account on earth says, you should see yourself as being rich, not poor. From now on, speak words of abundance only. Don't say: “We don't have enough money to buy that now"; say: "Lord, if you want me to have this car, you will open up the door. If you don't, it is because it would not have been a blessing for us." Don't overly focus on your problems, but spend more time on identifying and capturing the opportunity that each situation brings.

Think positive. Think how proud Jesus is that you - His ambassador on earth - is unaffected by the ups or downs that you experience in your earthly material abundance. Thank God for His love, and let it flow through you to others. Jesus needs to be able to count on you. After all, “the harvest is plentiful, but the workers (the true Christians) are few.” (Matthew 9:37)

Satan is currently having too good a time on earth. He is winning souls by the millions. We need to stop him from stealing people from the kingdom of heaven and destroying their lives in the process. If this post has touched you, then move into action. Support a ministry such as ours and aim to become a brighter light each day. Your life will then take on a new meaning and really be worth living!

Serge Roux-Levrat is the Principal Ambassador of SRL Ministries and the author of numerous books and ebooks such as Make Your Life Worth Living and How To Enjoy An Abundant Health.

He is married since 1995 to Barbara, and they are the parents of two children.

WHEN WE ARE ONE STEP AWAY FROM FALLING PERMANENTLY!

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 2:33:47 AM EST

We can learn a lot by studying the life of Peter and Judas. Both were chosen by Jesus to be His disciples. Both started well and displayed the kind of faith that pleases God. Both heard the teaching of Jesus and spent considerable amounts of time with Him. And both committed major sins. Yet, one went on to accomplish great things for Jesus while the other ended up joining the ranks of hell.

Like Peter, Judas was a promising talent and possessed many great qualities. Additionally, he went on apostolic missions like the other disciples and accomplished great miracles while preaching the gospel. (Luke 9:1-6) However, he did not let the Word of God and Jesus’ teaching (e.g. Matthew 6:19-21; 6:24) penetrate into his heart and heal him of the greed seed that was destroying him from the inside. And this is what ultimately caused his downfall.

Jesus loved Judas as much as He loved the other disciples. In fact, Jesus went so far as to do everything possible so that Judas would not have to point him out when the armed crowd of the High Priest came to arrest Him. It should have been very easy for the arresters to know who Jesus was. But Judas still carried out his betrayal act. (Matthew 26:47-49) He did not recognize that Jesus was seeking to lower the barriers to his future potential salvation.

Once he realized what he had done (i.e. betrayed an innocent person), he became remorseful and brought back the money, but never showed any signs of true repentance. Worse, he then succumbed to his emotions, and instead of going to God and heartily ask for His forgiveness, he went out and hanged himself (Matthew 27:3-5), thereby forfeiting his chances to be saved. This is why Acts 1:15 says that he went to his own place; he let his emotions and remorse drive him to hell.

All Judas basically did was to repent to himself, but not to God. However, had he waited for only three small days, then he would have seen Jesus alive again and surely found it much easier to repent and weep as Peter did. I have absolutely no doubt that Jesus would have forgiven him and entrusted him with as great a mission as Peter received.

→ What is the story of Judas telling us? That we can start off well, do many great things for Jesus and even accomplish many of the steps that He is asking us to take, yet end up in hell if we do not guard our heart or let pride, guilt and condemnation prevent us from repenting!

Serge stayed seven years in what he calls God's detoxification clinic. During this time he studied and medidated extensively upon the Word of God, renewed his mind, received many revelations from the Holy Spirit, developed many spiritual gifts, taught Bible-Study classes in a large Christian Church and successfully passed key tests that God had asked him to take. More importantly, he learned to trust and to depend solely on God.

He is married since 1995 to Barbara, and they are the parents of two children.

HOW THE WORLD TRICKS US INTO INGRATITUDE

Wed, 4 Apr 2012 1:07:20 AM EST

From a very early age, we are encouraged or forced to compare ourselves with others; at school, in sport activities, and at work, to mention just a few examples. This practice is supposed to help us develop and learn from others. However, if we are not careful, we can quickly come to see only what we do not have or what we are not good at. Without noticing it, we start to wish that we were somebody else in order to enjoy their riches, talents, power, or popularity.

→ What happens next? We depreciate ourselves and only see the bad in ourselves; our weaknesses, our failures, and our fears. We are then unable to be grateful for what we possess or have achieved. Worse, as we keep comparing ourselves, we keep adding things to our “wish” list. We then feel miserable and cannot enjoy our present life. We are therefore unable to be grateful; worse we cultivate ingratitude. And the more we cultivate it, the more we depreciate ourselves. In the end we have the opposite of an abundant life. We can waste years in a state of ingratitude.

The world is not without tricks when it comes to deceiving us. It tells us that we are smart when we criticize, express our differing opinions, see 10 reasons why an initiative may not bear the expected fruits, and so on. The message it sends is that you are “dumb” if you cannot see the fallacy of an argument, when and where others are wrong in their thinking. Where does this attitude usually lead us? To see only problems or what is wrong, not what is perfect. Guess what? The more we focus on identifying problems, the more problems jump to our eyes. In the end, we live in a world full of problems, and run from problem to problem.

→ Result? We spend hours trying to solve problems and have no peace until all our problems are solved. As we know, when one problem is solved, another one quickly appears on our radar. It is a never-ending process. In the meantime, we do not enjoy life! We have therefore to be careful not to be just smart, but smart and wise.

How many executives spend hours solving problems for their company and not appreciating the people who work for them and/or their own family? They have a great spouse, but spend no quality time with him or her. Various statistics show that the higher an executive is on the corporate ladder, the less he spends quality time with and makes love to his spouse. It is therefore not surprising that many spouses of top executives feel unhappy, unappreciated, unloved, or depressed.

To “survive,” they seek substitutes that will give them the appreciation and love that they need. For some, the substitute becomes the children or involvement in a charitable cause. For others, it is the taking of a lover, or the adoption of a harmful habit. The advertising industry is very skilled at deceiving us into believing that “products” such as clothes, a watch, a bag, a car, or food can meet our basic need to feel loved and appreciated. However, all these sources of love are counterfeit; they work for a little while, but quickly leave us feeling empty! The sooner we realize this, the quicker we will go to the real source of love - God - through Jesus and have an abundant life.

→ Can money make us more grateful? Last, but not least, the world wants us to believe that money is the answer to discontentment. It tells us that money may not be able to give us love, but that it can buy us happiness and contentment. Well, if this was true, why is depression and divorce the number one illnesses in rich countries? Today, the people who live in the developed countries are the least grateful in the world. They have everything, but not an abundant life.

They are living proof that money or riches cannot make us happy. In fact, happiness is the result of a decision: the decision to be grateful for what we have. Christians should always have in mind Hebrews 13:5: “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” Our most important treasure is not our wealth or possession, but our relationship with God through Jesus!

He is married since 1995 to Barbara, and they are the parents of two children.

WHEN YOU PRAY

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 3:30:07 AM EST

If you could paint a picture or take a photograph to capture what prayer means to you, what would it look like?

* * * * *

The first thing that comes to my mind is a young girl, head back, arms lifted high, standing in a field of grass. Storm clouds fill the sky around her, but a peaceful, gentle smile shines through her eyes as she gazes upward in loving trust.

I haven’t always thought of prayer in this way; there have been many seasons and postures of prayer in my own life. Communion with God has taken on new and deeper levels of meaning as I have matured in Christ - as I have become freer to walk with Him as He desires – and I look forward to it expanding yet more.

Many books have been written on prayer, exploring various types of intercession and meditation, purposes and positions of entreating our Father. As I was reading in Matthew 6 this morning, however, I was struck again by the depth, yet simplicity, of Jesus’ teaching on the topic.

First, “When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them…” (Matthew 6:5)

Does this mean we should do away with all public prayers? Is it wrong to pray aloud in church or to protest events with prayer rallies? No. As was very common with Jesus, He was addressing the condition of the heart. He was specifically pointing out those who pray with the underlining goal of being seen.

Pride can be a subtle issue. It slips in when and where we least expect it. We may think, “We’re praying, after all. Isn’t that enough?” But our Creator is looking for humble and contrite hearts. Humility reveals an accurate understanding of God’s authority and wisdom. Humility places its expectation on the One Who is above all things, not in our own limited resources. Humility does not take away from the inheritance we have in Christ, but rather intensifies it as it positions us to be used by God.

On the other hand, when we pray just to be seen by others, we shift the focus to ourselves. In this place, we have lost sight of the exceeding privilege we have of agreeing with God. Jesus warned that those who pray from a position of pride receive only the temporary reward of the attention of others. No other reward will be granted them from heaven.

He then encouraged His listeners to go into a private place, close the door, and pray to the Father Who is in secret. “Then your Father, Who sees everything, will reward you” (Matthew 6:6). Our Father is not a hard-hearted master; He loves to reward His children. But He knows that pride brings death into our lives, and He will not reward us for something that dishonors Him and kills us.

Instead, He has a plan to bring Life. Sooner or later, as our communion with God goes deeper in the secret place, it will begin to flow out from under the door of our prayer closet and into the streets, even as the River of God flows out from under the temple door (Ezekiel 47:1-12). But by then it will no longer be about us, but simply a pouring out of God through us.

Second, “When you pray, don’t babble on and on as people of other religions do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again” (Matthew 6:7).

Sometimes I think we get the idea that we have the answer and just need to talk God into it. That we see something He doesn’t see, or have a compassion that He doesn’t feel. How very blind we are when in this place. God’s mercy and loving-kindness far exceeds our own. His wisdom and power cannot be measured or overcome. He is far above and beyond all things in love, purpose, and fortitude. For us to think that our many words are what have caused God to pay attention is, again, a sign of pride and a shallow understanding of our Creator.

Verse 8 of Matthew 6 speaks volumes: “…your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask Him!” And later, in verse 30, “And if God cares so wonderfully for the wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, He will certainly care for you.”

So, why do we pray? Why do we ask? Relationship. Both to build it, and to increase it.

That is why I picture the young girl as I described earlier in this post. She is in relationship with the One she is focused on. There may be storm clouds around her, but she is in perfect peace as she trusts in and relies on and agrees with her Maker. Her prayers become the sweet fragrance of worship. Her petitions, the echoes of His heart. Her thanksgiving rises even before circumstances change because she knows He is doing much more than she could ever see or imagine – and all of it perfectly.

When you pray, remember, you are communing with the One Who knows you and loves you more than you can imagine. He knows the intimate details of what happened yesterday and what will happen tomorrow. He loves to share His plans and to hear your voice agreeing with Him, to bring His Kingdom on earth. This One sees what is in secret, even the secret places of our heart. May He find in us a heart being conformed to His.

SECOND BEST

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 3:12:41 AM EST

I’m not a competitive person. While I’ve competed in 5 & 10K races and half and full marathons, the order in which I crossed the finish line was immaterial to me. I cared only about completing the race. I know others are far more accomplished and serious race walkers than I am. I only wanted to prove to myself I could do it.

I’ve never felt the need to be better than anyone else but I have always felt the need to be better than myself. I believe if I am not growing and improving each day, I am not fully alive; I’m cheating myself. I need to be conscious of always being my personal best. (For the record, I’m not always.)

I have nothing against those who like competition. A good challenge can drive people to accomplish amazing goals: to push themselves beyond their current abilities, overcome enormous obstacles and realize their dreams. For some, however, the need to be the best is rooted in self-esteem. To “settle” for second best is a reflection of their worth, rather than ability. I remember many years ago watching the Olympics. Figure skating was one of my favorite sports and upon completion of the competition, a reporter interviewed the young American who captured second place. “Are you disappointed you didn’t win the gold?” he asked. “Are you kidding!” she exclaimed. “I’m thrilled to have won the silver medal!” I loved her attitude: she was truly proud of her accomplishment even if there was someone who achieved more.

As American Idol enters its 11th season as one of the top rated TV shows on the air, many of us would be hard pressed to recite all 10 previous winners of the coveted title. So many have fallen from the public eye shortly after reaching idol status. However, some who ranked lower went on to achieve even greater success: Jennifer Hudson, Katherine McPhee (star of “Smash”), Chris Daughtry (hit after hit). Sometimes, being number one is not as prestigious as it appears.

Does it feel great to be acknowledged as the best of the best? Of course. I’ve won first place in several writing competitions for my children’s books and blue ribbons for my nature photography. I’ve even won gold medals in race walking. But the trophy was never the reason I entered those contests. It was to push myself to face new challenges and to be more.

When I place second I am reminded of Ticonderoga pencils. At the beginning of each school year, our teachers would send home a list of supplies each student needed: composition notebook, ruler, and three Ticonderoga #2 pencils - number 2, never #1. Sometimes being second is better.

If my personal best is worthy only of silver, I’m ok with that. I’ve earned it. Remember, one man’s silver can be worth its weight in gold.

You can follow her at Facebook or LinkedIn. You may also visit her website.

THE TRUTH ABOUT NEGATIVITY

Wed, 21 Mar 2012 12:58:16 AM EST

I love you too much to NOT speak the truth!” This is what I said to a friend in a text. I was getting frustrated with her because everything she said, or texted me was complaining about something or someone. I tried to encourage her and show the good or positive side to what we were talking about. Finally, out of my own frustration, I texted how negative and complaining she has been. I encouraged her to try and speak positive words out of her mouth for the rest of the day. She agreed she had a problem at the time, but continued to do the same behavior every time I was with her.

Have you ever been around someone who always seems negative? Maybe you are one who looks at the glass half empty instead of half full. Why is that? Human nature? What can we do to change our perspective on life and our day-to-day interactions with others?

It is hard to stop being critical when we might have done it a good portion of our life.

Take a look at your life and see where you started to be negative. Why are you that way? Maybe you have become selfish and cynical because of things that have happened to you? Maybe you were a victim of a terrible incident. Maybe you were exposed to a horrible upbringing and you only see through negative glasses.

It doesn’t really matter what happened to you, or why you speak negative words. What matters is the reality of what your negativity does to you, your future, and others.

We have to be accountable and responsible for what we say to others and even what we think. In the Old Testament sin wasn’t a sin until you did the “act.” In the New Testament sin is something you can think:

Lust... “But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” (Matthew 5:28)

Jesus said those words. It is something we all need to be aware of and control our thought life.

Taking this concept further we can commit sin just by thinking about it. But, our words that come out of us defile us and prevent God from moving in our lives.

What comes out of a man... “Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man.” (Matthew 15:11)

Choose your words wisely! You could be the “downer” at a service and block the Holy Spirit from moving just by your mindset and how you respond to others. This is sobering!

I have come to a church service and was preparing my heart and spirit for ministry when, as I was walking on the platform to lead worship, someone came up to me and stated a few negative comments. First I was so frustrated they did so right before I was to minister, and second, it left a bad taste in my mouth, not only towards the person, but what they said. It took a few minutes for me to regroup my thoughts before I started leading worship.

Truth About Negativity

→ 1. What negative words do to you

“Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” (Proverbs 18:21)

You are killing yourself, and others with the negative words you speak. It’s like throwing daggers at yourself and people when you speak down or condescending words to yourself or others.

Have you ever heard the expression, “You are going to eat your words someday?” This is what happens when we speak death from our mouth. We eat its fruit by the reaction we receive from others, and by judging others, those judgments come back on us.

Why would we put something in our mouth that would cause such a terrible response? Why would we allow deadly poisonous words to even touch our tongue?

I think it is because we really don’t comprehend the severity of how our words can affect us! We think we can say anything and there is no harsh consequences compared to acting badly. Trust me, words have power!

“For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” (Matthew 12:37)

It is really up to you if you are going to be justified or condemned. I would rather be justified any day then condemned.

Imagine a big courtroom scene and the jury is seated in their place. The judge is in their place, and a big audience is in their place. Then the Judge looks over the case and all that you said, the very reason you are on trial, and is ready for their verdict... What will the judge decide on your behalf concerning your words? Justified! or Condemned!

Watch what you are saying and the content of your words.

Out of the mouth the heart speaks... “Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” (Matthew 12:34)

The resource, what you have been saving and putting in your heart, will come out...

“A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things.” (Matthew 12:34)

If you have a lot of bitterness, it will spew forth. If you have a lot of love, that also will come out.

I can spend just a few minutes with someone and know instantly where their heart is by the words they say. Let’s be someone who watches our words and the content of our hearts.

If you constantly speak negative about yourself, life, or others, you will NEVER attain the destiny God has for you. Speak forth life-giving words about yourself and others. Build the Kingdom of God up instead of tearing it down!

You are what you eat. If you are consuming worldly advise, music, television, movies, or anything that doesn’t help you grow in Christ, you will not grow. You will be malnourished spiritually. You will be walking around with a negative outlook on life and others. Don’t seek worldly wisdom, but seek Godly wisdom.

→ 2. What negative words do to others

When we complain it makes others miserable. If there is a party and everyone is having a great time, but one person is complaining and being negative about everything, they are considered being a “Party Pooper.” Everyone around them sees and hears their words and it brings others down with them.

The more you are a “complainer” and speak negativity, the more you will be a loner. People will AVOID you. They will not call. They will stop encouraging you because when they try to encourage you, you just shoot their positive words down with complaints and negative talk. Then you wonder why people do not want to be with you.

Think about your life. Are you a complainer or an encourager to others? How about to yourself?

“You are snared by the words of your mouth; You are taken by the words of your mouth.” (Proverbs 6:2)

The Tongue... “My friends, we should not all try to become teachers. In fact, teachers will be judged more strictly than others. All of us do many wrong things. But if you can control your tongue, you are mature and able to control your whole body. By putting a bit into the mouth of a horse, we can turn the horse in different directions. It takes strong winds to move a large sailing ship, but the captain uses only a small rudder to make it go in any direction. Our tongues are small too, and yet they brag about big things. It takes only a spark to start a forest fire! The tongue is like a spark. It is an evil power that dirties the rest of the body and sets a person's entire life on fire with flames that come from hell itself. All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and sea creatures can be tamed and have been tamed. But our tongues get out of control. They are restless and evil, and always spreading deadly poison. My dear friends, with our tongues we speak both praises and curses. We praise our Lord and Father, and we curse people who were created to be like God, and this isn't right. Can clean water and dirty water both flow from the same spring? Can a fig tree produce olives or a grapevine produce figs? Does fresh water come from a well full of salt water?” (James 3:1-12)

Let’s read verses 9 and 10 again: “My dear friends, with our tongues we speak both praises and curses. We praise our Lord and Father, and we curse people who were created to be like God, and this isn’t right.”

We think it’s okay to complain and then encourage someone. This cannot be as clean water and dirty water cannot flow from the same spout! Try to give people the benefit of the doubt. When talking to people, try to find one positive true thing about them and tell them. This is building up people and God’s Kingdom. It doesn’t take much effort to say negative things, but it takes more effort to speak encouragement.

I would rather build people up than bring them down! We tie up God’s hands to work in our life when we complain or speak badly about something or someone. Anyone can complain. Anyone can look and find the bad. Don’t be that way, rise to a higher level for God’s glory and for a better life.

Put downs: When we put down someone, it only makes us look bad. Usually a putdown is a sign of that person being insecure. The reason is because they feel bad about themselves and have to elevate themselves by putting down others. This is immaturity and shows a lack of respect for others.

Our negative talk will repel people away from us!

→ 3. What negative words do to our future

“Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” (Proverbs 18:21)

Life and death are in the power of the tongue. Choose life! We can prevent our destinies from happening all because we speak death into it with our negative words.

“I will never learn how to do this!”, “I might as well give up because I can’t do it!”, “Who do I think I am for even attempting to try this?”, “I will always be sick!”, I will always be like this!”

We have to remember what is inside of us will come out with our words.

“A good man out of the good treasure of his hart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasures of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.” (Luke 6:45)

What is feeding you lately? Books? TV? People who don’t know Christ? I believe if we take a look at what we have been feeding on emotionally and spiritually, we will understand why what comes out of our mouth might not be helping our present or future.

I want to bring forth good not evil. I want to bless my future with my thoughts, words, and actions. Feed yourself with good things. The Bible, Christian music, fellowshipping with other Christians, prayer, family, etc.

Remember; garbage in = garbage out.

Your words will only reflect what you have been thinking and dwelling on.

“Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy - meditate on these things.” (Philippians 4:8)

Meditate, or think about the good! It is easy to look and find the bad. Be determined to seek out the good.

Our future is determined by what we say and do today. Have you been blessing your future or cursing it? It’s YOUR FUTURE and no one else's. No one else will live your life, only you!

Seriously, if you find yourself down and depressed, what have you been feeding your mind and thoughts? What have you been dwelling on? The Negative? Take the time to listen to your words. Be determined to correct this bad behavior in your life before it overtakes you and sabotages your future.

So what are you going to do about it? Don’t say, “Well it’s how I have always been and I can never change!” That is the easy, lazy, coward way out of NOT dealing with the truth you just heard. No, instead, say, “I will overcome myself and how I talk to myself and others!” Ask God to show you immediately when you speak poorly about yourself and others.

Her most recent book, "Revive, Rebuild, and Restore" was released in september 2011.

We invite you to visit her website.

OVERCOMING GUILT

Wed, 14 Mar 2012 12:58:57 AM EST

What is guilt? It is an uneasiness of conscience, which makes us feel bad or even dislike ourselves. When not ignored, dismissed, or suppressed, guilt often pushes us to ask for forgiveness. As such, it is a healthy mechanism that helps purge away key toxins from our conscience.

However, when feelings of guilt linger in our mind, we slow down the renewing of the mind process. Why? Because we become bitter, suffer from guilt complexes, fret and agonize continually over our feelings of guilt, not feel worthy or berate ourselves. Many people punish themselves simply because they are not as understanding about their own mistakes, flaws, or misdeeds as they would be about anyone else's.

This type of guilt often happens when people hold themselves more accountable than they would anyone else. What we must understand is that this self-inflicted guilt can produce significant damage to our mind. Some people feel guilty about something they did that was not wrong at all. People may inflict feelings of guilt on us by pointing out our mistakes or wrongs, and turning them into character flaws. Christians are not immune either from the consequences of unhealthy feelings of guilt: they may become unsure about their eternal destiny.

Thus, instead of being healthy - and bringing us to complete forgiveness - guilt can rapidly become destructive if we let it linger in our minds. It can drive us to breakdown, depression or even suicide, make us ill, unable to relate to others, and lead us to have a miserable life.

→ What we have basically seen is that there are two types of guilt: true guilt and false guilt. We experience the false guilt when we feel guilty for something that we did not do, or for something that we were not responsible for. In all other cases, the guilt is usually real; i.e. we know deep down that we really are guilty. As Mary Whelchel describes it: “True guilt is specific. You know why you’re feeling guilty and what you’re supposed to do about it. False guilt is a vague cloudy feeling, one that’s tough to nail down. It says, “I’m not right. I’m not what I should be.” Very often, we wish that we could travel back and undo what we did, or erase the pain that we caused. However, this is often not possible as we all know. What do we normally do then? We attempt to pay a price that we often cannot. And this imprisons us.

To find the way out, we must realize that someone has already paid the price for us. Who? Jesus. As Isaiah 53:4-6 shows us: “Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own ways, and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” Jesus has already paid in full what we owe; we can therefore be free from any feelings of lingering guilt.

→ In Jesus, we have a complete and unlimited guarantee that covers all our iniquities. It can purge our conscience from all the bad things that we have done and our "dead works"; i.e. the works that we do to earn or maintain our salvation and that lead to death. (see Hebrews 6:1 and 9:14) There is therefore no need for us to struggle for months, years, or decades in an attempt to pay for something that is covered by the guarantee Jesus died for us to enjoy. When we buy a brand new television from our favorite shop, would we try to fix it if it were to breakdown when the guarantee is still valid? Of course not. It would bring us a lot of peace to exhibit the same behavior when guilt is ravaging through us: i.e. to make use of our spiritual guarantee. To do so, we must acknowledge our wrongdoing and confess it. We can then ask for forgiveness, make a repayment (if we can), and then let the matter go. Thereafter, we must stop all the self-punishment activities that we undertook until now and turn away from the things we did. Finally, we should stop trying to earn a salvation that can only be secured through faith!

The sooner we do this, the quicker we will be able to stop condemning ourselves, to renew our minds, to learn from our mistakes, to make appropriate amends and to move on. We only have to ask once for forgiveness - if we are sincere! Many of us are quick to condemn or belittle ourselves just because we did one little wrong thing, overlooking the many great things we did before. We must stop being our own worst enemies and accept the fact that God loves us unconditionally. If we do not believe this truth, then we will try in vain to win His love. And guess what will happen: when we fall short of His expectations, guilt and condemnation will devour us.

→ I would now like to draw your attention to a group of people who can be more prone to guilt than others: those who are judgmental. Experience shows that the more we tend to judge others, the more we will judge ourselves. Consequently, the more we will experience guilt. Why? Because judgment means that we have found someone guilty! However, the Bible commands us not to judge others. We should avoid feeling morally superior to others or holding others or ourselves to higher standards. We will then find it easier not to judge.

Overcoming the destructive aspects of guilt is possible if we accept God’s forgiveness, make use of our guilt removal guarantee, and forgive ourselves.

He is married since 1995 to Barbara, and they are the parents of two children.

DEMOLISHING OLD MINDSETS, PUTTING ON THE NEW ( PART II / II )

Wed, 7 Mar 2012 4:13:59 AM EST

How do we put on the new mindset?

→ 1. Open your mind and heart to new things.

God is doing new things!

“Watch for the new thing I am going to do. It is happening already - you can see it now! I will make a road through the wilderness and give you streams of water there.” (Isaiah 43:19)

God is a God of the new. Yes, we need to remember history and what has made us who we are today, but to progress, we have to be open to the new God is doing.

Change is the new. In other words, if you change something, it is different then what was there before. It is new. A new concept, or a new way of thinking has to come by changing what we thought before.

Don’t hate change

If you hate change, you will become stagnate or complacent. We should always be growing in Christ. We shouldn’t be in the place with God now as we were last year. We should be climbing new heights! We should be ascending to deeper places with God. We should be more like Him daily. If your spiritual life hasn’t changed in years, it is a sign you have lost your first love and become complacent. Then you have to ask yourself, “Am I hungry for God, and the things of God?” If your answer is no, then you desperately need change in your life. Chances are you have closed off your heart and mind to new things.

“No one patches up an old coat with a piece of new cloth, for the new patch will shrink and make an even bigger hole in the coat. Nor does anyone pour new wine into used wineskins, for the skins will burst, the wine will pour out, and the skins will be ruined. Instead, new wine is poured into fresh wineskins, and both will keep in good condition.” (Matthew 9:16-17)

Allow the Holy Spirit to change you. Crave the things of God. Ask God for the “new” He has for you. Open your heart to more of His presence and more of His love. His love changes you. You can never be the same after you have experienced God’s love.

Get rid of the old or fleshly wineskins and replace them with a pliable soft heart. Ask God to open your spiritual eyes and see all the new He is doing. Seriously, if you don’t, you will spiritually die. You will have no new life in you. You will be rotting and spiritually stagnate and become a stench to everyone. Do you want this?

→ 2. Yield to the promptings of correction from the Holy Spirit.

Correction is not fun. Correction says that your actions or way of thinking is wrong and you need to change. Correction shows God’s love as He prompts you to see the sin or the old mindsets in you and gently brings change if you are willing. We can fight God’s correction. I don’t advise you to do that though. Remember God has infinite wisdom, and we don’t.

What seems to not make sense to us, like asking someone for forgiveness even when you thought you didn’t do anything wrong, is truly God’s kingdom on earth being manifested. Trust the Holy Spirit and His promptings. Don’t fight correction. We have to be broken so we will think differently and live differently.

“Poverty and shame will come to him who disdains correction, But he who regards a rebuke will be honored.” (Proverbs 13:18)

“He who spares his rod hates his son, but he who loves him disciplines him promptly.” (Proverbs 13:24)

God always corrects those He loves. Don’t think you have arrived and will never be corrected again. From the oldest to the youngest, we all need to be corrected from time to time.

In God’s correction comes a new way of looking at things, and a new way of thinking. Our job is to yield under God's correction. You will soon see how circumstances or trails you go through turn out to be God’s discipline or correction. Not all are, but God will use them to help you look at the new. There are tons of scriptures that talk about God’s correction. Look some up and see what God tells you through them.

→ 3. Look for the New!

The new can be right in front of you and you don’t even know it. It can be so obvious and yet eluding all at the same time.

Be alert! Be fierce! Look around you and see what God is doing. Pray and ask God what new things He wants you to see and do.

Be open to the unexpected. Don’t put God in a box. He is constantly talking to His people and doing new things. Be eager to dig and find new things.

“Forget what happened long ago! Don’t think about the past. I am creating something new. There it is! Do you see it? I have put roads in the deserts, streams in thirsty lands.” (Isaiah 43:18-19)

Do you see it? Anticipate that God is bringing new ways, new days, new life into every circumstance. Sometimes circumstances scream “There has to be a new way!” A new circumstance, that you have never walked through before, calls for finding out how to deal with and overcome it. You are forced to look for the new.

2 Samuel 6 describes bringing the Ark of the Covenant back to the City of David from Obed-Edom’s home. This was a new circumstance.

Previously David tried to move the Ark of the Covenant from Abinadab’s house but Uzzah died for trying to stabilize the Ark when the oxen stumbled.

David was afraid and placed the Ark of the Covenant in Obed-Edom’s home. News spread that Obed-Edom’s home was being blessed and David longed to bring the Ark back to Israel. So he set out to try again, only this time he changed things up.

As they were bringing the Ark into the City of David, David danced before the LORD with all his might; and David was wearing a linen ephod. He was bringing in the Ark in a new way, and with much joy.

Michal, Saul’s daughter, was in the palace and looked through a window and saw King David leaping and whirling before the LORD; and she despised him in her heart.

As David worshipped and rejoiced that the presence of God was coming back to the City of David, Michal, who was not participating in the worship, but observed it all from a distance, despised it all in her heart.

She rejected the new way of worship. She was critical of how David was dressed, and how he acted. This is so true for today and looking for the new. People can be critical of a new way of worshipping God or how people are responding as the presence of God is being manifested. Worshipping from a far and not participating and experiencing the new along with others, will make you critical. You can’t see it from their point of view as you are totally in a different place and see it from a different perspective.

We have to change our perspective in order to experience the presence of God in a new way. This leads us to my next point.

→ 4. Don’t worry about getting your hair messed up!

“Then David returned to bless his household. And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, “How glorious was the king of Israel today, uncovering himself today in the eyes of the maids of his servants, as one of the base fellows shamelessly uncovers himself! So David said to Michal, ‘It was before the LORD, who chose me instead of your father and all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of the LORD, over Israel. Therefore I will play music before the LORD. And I will be even more undignified than this, and will be humble in my own sight. But as for the maid servants of whom you have spoken, by them I will be held in honor.’ Therefore Michal, the daughter of Saul, had no children to the day of her death.” (2 Samuel 6:20-23)

“...And I will be even more undignified than this...” We need to learn to lose our dignity for His deity! If we get caught up in what people think we will be in bondage to man. If we care about what God thinks, we will be free to experience new things.

Sometimes putting on a new mindset will mess our hair. What I mean is; it might make you lose your dignity. It might force you to re-evaluate why have you done what you have done, and for what reason.

Tradition can set our mind in such a mode that makes it hard or difficult to even see the new. Once you have seen the new, your traditional mindset will fight you and express, “It hasn’t been done this way before!”

I am sure you have heard the definition of insanity: “Doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.” We will never overcome or have a breakthrough if we keep doing the same thing over and over. We have to change direction. If we don’t, we will become stagnate and complacent.

→ 5. Wear the New Mindset well; be Strong and Courageous!

Walk in the authority of God as you wear your new mindset. What I mean is don’t be afraid or timid as God reveals new things to you. Share them. Take action. Be bold in your faith as He reveals more of who He is and what He is doing.

2 Chronicles 32 talks about how king Sennacherib of Assyria came and entered Judah and camped against the fortified cities thinking to win them over to himself. Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib had come and his purpose was to make war against Jerusalem. He consulted with his leaders and commanders to stop the water from the springs which were outside the city; and they helped him. He strengthened himself and built up the walls that were broken, and built up another wall. He repaired the landfill in the City of David and made weapons and shields in abundance. He set military captains over the people, gathered them together to him in the open square of the city gate, and gave them encouragement:

“‘Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid nor dismayed before the king of Assyria, nor before all the multitude that is with him; for there are more with us than with him. With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the LORD our God, to help us and to fight our battles.’ And the people were strengthened by the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.” (2 Chronicles 32:7-8)

This was a new situation for Hezekiah and the people of Judah. The enemy put up every hindrance. They even sent messages to try and scare the people and their faith.

“Then the LORD sent an angel who cut down every mighty man of valor, leader, and captain in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned shamefaced to his own land. And when he had gone into the temple of his god, some of his own offspring struck him down with the sword there.” (2 Chronicles 32:21)

God will send his breakthrough in your life this year!

This is a year of walking in our authority in God and believing for great things.

I believe that every hindrance the enemy is trying to make will be lifted from you and I break the power of delays in your life.

This is a year of victory over the enemy! Walk in the new mindset God has available for you. Break the mental bondage and walk in God’s freedom to be who you were created to be in Jesus mighty name!

Her most recent book, "Revive, Rebuild, and Restore" was released in september 2011.

We invite you to visit her website.

DEMOLISHING OLD MINDSETS, PUTTING ON THE NEW ( PART I / II )

Wed, 29 Feb 2012 1:20:45 AM EST

God has been speaking to me lately about old mindsets. How we view things in life from religion, to practical living, can and will affect our destiny. The choices we make today will affect our tomorrow.

God is doing new things in all areas of life. I see it! He is bringing in change into church services, and even His relationship with us, as individual believers. I have made up my mind to embrace the “New” that God is doing.

Examples of new mindsets:

Recently I went to Africa for a three-week ministry trip. This was my third time going to Nigeria. During this trip God changed me from the inside out. He started to show the real me He created me to be. I awakened and walked in this newness as I ministered from church to church and event to event in Africa. The favor of God went before me everywhere I went. Nothing that I did, but all God’s doing. My view and how I was used in ministry SHIFTED and the authority of Christ saturated my entire core. I saw myself through God’s eyes, and better then that, I walked and functioned in what I saw. Coming home from Africa this time around was a whole new experience. I felt I couldn’t put on the old coat or “Hat” I use to wear. I was different and had to function differently.

Another example of having a new mindset was dealing with computer issues on my old laptop and buying a new laptop, which brought on even more new issues. I wanted to make some DVDs of some of my products I have available on my web site. Someone had bought a copy of each DVD I sell before I left for Africa. I contacted them asking them to kindly allow me to send them after I came back from Africa. When I arrived back from Africa my old laptop’s hard drive was totally full. It has been for a while and I have been deleting files off of it for several months to allow me to still use it properly. Also, I have been using an external hard drive but found it cumbersome and slow when I pulled files off of it to work on. I was blessed in so many ways while I was in Africa, including financially, and had enough money to buy a new laptop with a bigger hard drive and faster processor. After formatting my new laptop I was ready to work on the videos from my web site and also work on videos recorded in Africa. But, I found out the software had changed from my previous laptop version to the new, and the format my videos were in would not work with the iDVD software to create the DVDs I needed to send. Through a process of a week and pulling my hair out, I started to see things differently. I had a new mindset to create the DVDs a different way. God used the whole process to make me see there is a different way of looking at it and a different way of doing it.

I was having lunch with a few of my friends. We were all talking about our frustrations with how people view things. I spoke up and said, “The Old Mindset will say, ‘Just blab it and grab it.’” (There was a Christian movement in the 70’s and early 80’s called, “Positive Confession.”) This statement comes from much abuse and people making fun of the movement. The bottom line of that movement was if you didn’t have enough faith, it was your fault for not confessing and believing something would happen. I believe the whole movement was based on the wrong foundation. It should have been based on what God can do and not on what we confessed. So, the Old Mindset would say, “Blab it and grab it!” But the new mindset will set it’s focus on God and what He can do by saying, “I believe and decree that God will move this mountain!” or “In Jesus Name, I call forth this body to line up with a healthy body and be healed!” The difference is our mindset.

Old Mindsets will say, “This is how we did it in the past and we have to do it this way now.”

New Mindsets will “Forget what happened in the past, and do not dwell on events from long ago...” (Isaiah 43:18 GWT) It goes on to say, “I am going to do something new. It is already happening. Don’t you recognize it?” This verse tells us to forget what happened in the past.

Forget how things were done.

Forget any stigma connected with it. Embrace, and let it become a part of you, the new!

How do we demolish the old mindsets?

→ 1. Close your mind off from what you think should happen.

If we are too focused on what has happened before and expecting the same thing to happen, we will miss the new God has for us. We might have a pre-conceived idea of how God works, but really, God works in mysterious ways. His ways are not our ways. We have to be open to new things.

Okay lets look at the new mindset verse again:

Roads in the deserts and streams in thirsty lands. In the natural, the desert is a wasteland. There are usually no streams, and hardly any roads. But this verse wants us to open our minds and thoughts to something that is not natural. Streams in the desert are opposites. They are two extreme things. Yet, This is what God is doing in our lives, ministry, finances, family, and much more.

We can limit God just by having an old mindset.

I was given a plaque/picture for Christmas from a close friend. It is beautiful. It has a Zebra background (I collect Zebra items) and looked very African. There was a verse written on it that says: “I can do all things through Christ Who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13)

It was a reminder of what God has placed in my heart and the vision He has given me. Christ is Whom I do all things through, and He gives me strength to accomplish what He has placed in my heart. My old mindset would have said, “Well, this is what I know, and I guess I will keep doing what I have been doing.”

God wanted me to close my mind and thoughts on the old way of thinking, so I could put on the new mindset to pursue the new. We have to abolish the old way of thinking. God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, yet He never does the same miracle the same way He did it before. There is always a new way.

When the new way is coming forth, and you think it might not be of God, take a second look and ask God if it is from Him or not. He will show you if you are truly open to His answer.

Check and see if you have closed off the new way of looking at things.

Don’t be caught up in how things were, or how you think things should be. Get caught up in God and sensitive to His leading. Then, you won’t miss out on the new God is bringing.

→ 2. Relax if things don’t go according to plan.

Sometimes things don’t go according to plan. Often times this is God trying to show you there is a better or different way of doing things.

We can get all stressed and frustrated over trying to accomplish something and find out the way to accomplish it, or even if you should accomplish it, didn’t work. God sees the whole picture, we don’t.

Our finite minds will think something should go a certain way, but God’s infinite wisdom knows all and has a plan. God has used the most foolish things to confound the wise. Be willing to let go of your way of thinking in order to receive new revelation and insight in a situation.

I have seen people get all upset just because things don’t go according to what they thought should happen. Then, out of their frustration, they criticize what IS happening and not only miss out on what God is doing, they also cause strife and division in the body of Christ. Usually these people are very verbal with their criticisms. They are thinking they are “right,” when in reality they are totally wrong, and missing it.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)

Our own understanding can often deceive us. What we “think” should happen. What we “reason” to happen. Yes, facts are facts, and if you are basing your understanding on that alone, you are limiting God. You see, God is a God of miracles. A place where facts alone cannot explain. If we take the God-factor out of an equation, we will end up with less then what could really happen.

→ 3. Listen to God’s voice in everything you do, and everywhere you go.

“Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for GOD’S voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he’s the one who will keep you on track.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)

“Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go...” If we are constantly listening to Gods voice and direction, the new mindset will automatically be put on you. You won’t be surprised at the direction God is taking you. In fact, you will be so consumed in what God is doing you won’t be distracted by the old mindset.

Listening to God’s constant voice demolishes old mindsets.

→ 4. Don’t fight change.

I am one who enjoys change. Actually, anything new I totally love. A new home, a new car, new clothes, new job, all of that is enjoyable to me. I rearrange my living room and my office at church often. When things seem to get stale, I have to change it. It fuels me.

Staleness can cause you to become complacent. We get comfortable in our pursuit of God and what we do for Him. Don't confuse contentment with complacency. Contentment and complacency are two different things.

Contentment: “a state of happiness and satisfaction” (Oxford American Dictionary)

Complacency: “self-satisfaction especially when accompanied by unawareness of actual dangers or deficiencies; a feeling of being satisfied with how things are and not wanting to try to make them better (Webster).”

We should all be content, yet, most people get confused and actually get complacent instead.

Complacency is “Self-satisfaction,” it is inward-satisfaction. We get satisfied with our own efforts and stop pursuing God.

I have seen older people with the mindset, “I already did my time, now I can just relax!” This is an old mindset. As long as there is breath in you, pursue God and what He wants you to do in this life! Don’t allow inward-satisfaction to take the place of contentment.

Complacency shuts your eyes to what the new God is doing. Complacency turns a blind eye to injustice. Complacency is extremely selfish. This is opposite of God’s character. God always gives his time and love to others. He never sleeps. He is older then time itself. If we want to be more like Him, then we have to up-root complacency from our lives. Don’t entertain thoughts of giving up, or retiring from God’s call.

I know of a wonderful lady who was the piano player of a church I was the Worship Pastor at. She was 65 years old but loved the contemporary Christian praise and worship. It fueled her. She couldn’t wait for me to place a new song in front of her so she could learn it. I have seen other piano players her same age fight me when I would pic a new song for them to learn. In fact, they couldn’t even play it as they had the old way of playing in their minds and it prevented them from even trying to play the piano in a new way. The lady who was open to change had a huge impact on the members of the worship team and they loved her dearly. She spoke into their lives often and they were eager to hear what she had to say. The lady who was not open to change, was often critical in most areas of life, and the worship team members literally hated it when she would be scheduled to play the piano. She didn’t speak into the lives of anyone, and often would be the first one to leave a practice. Tell me, which one would you rather be?

I was reading a book, “Charged To Change,” by Pastor Abba Godwin (Abuja, Nigeria, Word Alive Revival Ministries). He states, “Tradition is a pothole on the highway of acceleration.” I believe it.

Doing things the same way, and not looking for the new God is doing, will prevent you from arriving at your destiny.

In Nigeria, the streets and roads are so bad. They have huge potholes, and sometimes the paved street is broken and gone all together. This is such an eye opener as to how tradition and religious mindsets can detour us from our prophetic destinations.

→ 5. Don’t stop believing.

The enemy wants you to give up on the dream God has placed in side of you. You might have been waiting for this dream to come to pass twenty or more years ago. I am sure the dream is bigger then you. If it is, that is a true sign that it is from God. If it was the size of something you could fulfill on your own, then God wouldn’t get the glory, you would.

Don’t allow setback or hardship to prevent you from believing the God-given dream will be fulfilled. God has His timeframe. He knows everything. Again, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths” (Prov. 3:5 - 6). This is a promise.

Bring the dream before God in prayer. Remind Him (although He always remembers) and remind yourself of the dream. Pour your heart out to God and express your desire and His dream He has placed in your heart. Ask Him for the grace to finish the race to see the fulfillment of that dream. Remind yourself, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13).

Stir up faith in your spirit. Let faith arise in your heart again. Look back and remind yourself of all the things God has done in your life. He is faithful! Don’t allow the tool the devil uses; “Discouragement” to become a part of you. Shake it off and press onward! God has big plans for you.

Her most recent book, "Revive, Rebuild, and Restore" was released in september 2011.

We invite you to visit her website.

LOVING PEOPLE INTO TRANSFORMATION

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 12:20:54 AM EST

Every person on this earth wants to be loved and accepted. We want to know we are valuable and cherished. Even the hardest of hearts has a weak spot... Love.

Songwriters have written songs like; “Love is all you need,” or “Love will keep us together.” How about; “I’m all out of love, and so lost without you.”

Let’s remind ourselves of the One Who has loved us first and the most:

“For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

God loved us, so He gave... He gave up the very person He cherished the most, Jesus Christ, because God had to save the world from utter damnation. This is extravagant love. Our minds have a hard time wrapping itself around the thought of this. But God loved people enough to send His only Son to save us from spending eternity in Hell. This is powerful love!

We, as the World, need this transforming love in us and we need to show this love to others. We need to cherish people like God does. We need to love people into transformation.

1. Love conquers all. Love covers all

1 Corinthians 13:1 - 13 states if we don’t have love we have nothing. Love takes its time. It is not in a hurry. It comes with no expectations. It just is.

Let’s look at 1 Corinthians 13 together and discuss what it is actually saying:

“²What if I could speak all languages of humans and of angels? If I did not love others, I would be nothing more than a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.

- Having the highest intellect or ability to speak languages known and unknown doesn’t mean a thing if you have no love.

- People are more important than boasting about our abilities and knowledge.

- What good is having the ability of speaking to any nation if you have no love for that nation?

- Noisy gong or a clanging cymbal makes a lot of noise but really has no other use.

“²What if I could prophesy and understand all secrets and all knowledge? And what if I had faith that moved mountains? I would be nothing, unless I loved others.”

-I have seen people “prophecy” in a very judgmental, critical tone and think it is okay, but there was no love in it, not even tough love.

-We can have all wisdom, knowledge, and understanding and live a very lonely life, all because we choose to be selfish and not love others.

-God knows what motivates us to do things. If you are ministering or confronting people and there is no love, it will come across as harsh, stale, and mean.

-If you are correcting your children when they have done something wrong, but don’t have love, you are in the wrong. It will scar their lives forever.

“³What if I gave away all that I owned and let myself be burned alive? I would gain nothing, unless I loved others.”

-What if we gave all that we owned to the poor, but our motive was not backed with love? It is all worthless. We wouldn’t gain a thing, and really either would the person you gave everything too because you would have spoiled them and they would expect more and more. [Matthew Henery Commentary: “If we give away all we have, while we withhold the heart from God, it will not profit. Nor even the most painful sufferings. How are those deluded who look for acceptance and reward for their good works, which are as scanty and defective as they are corrupt and selfish!”]

-When you think about it, being selfish is the opposite of love. If you find yourself thinking about yourself and wanting things your way, this is not love.

“⁴Love is kind and patient, never jealous, boastful, proud, or ⁵rude. Love isn't selfish or quick tempered. It doesn't keep a record of wrongs that others do. ⁶Love rejoices in the truth, but not in evil. 7Love is always supportive, loyal, hopeful, and trusting.”

-Kind and patient, never jealous, boastful, proud, or rude: Can you place your love for others in these categories?

-Taking the time with others when they need your help is showing love.

-When you are waiting for someone to do something you want them to do, do you wait patiently?

-Do you show kindness and speak kind words, even when it is to your enemy?

-Do you get jealous when someone you love succeeds or do you rejoice with them?

-Do you remember the wrong people have done to you and bring it up to them?

-We need to rejoice in truth and not in evil. Don’t be happy when evil prevails. Fight for justice for yourself and for others.

-Do you remain calm when someone is angry, or do you get angry yourself, which complicates matters worse?

-The New Testament word for ‘love’ is ‘agape’. It is not the natural love for a friend or a relative. It is the kind of love that God shows to people. We do not deserve it and we can never earn it. So, when we know God’s love, we should show that same love to other people. (www.easyenglish.info Bible Commentary).

“⁸Love never fails! Everyone who prophesies will stop, and unknown languages will no longer be spoken. All that we know will be forgotten. ⁹We don't know everything, and our prophecies are not complete. ¹⁰But what is perfect will someday appear, and what isn't perfect will then disappear.”

-Prophesies, and unknown languages are gifts from God for us today, but this scripture lets us see the importance compared to having love for others. There is no comparison. These gifts are important, but loving others is even more important. It doesn’t matter if you have these gifts yet never show love to others. Love is God, and God is love. It is the very essence of God. The gifts are just that; gifts from God.

-All these things will pass away, and all that is not perfect will pass away, but love will never fail!

“¹¹When we were children, we thought and reasoned as children do. But when we grew up, we quit our childish ways. ¹²Now all we can see of God is like a cloudy picture in a mirror. Later we will see him face to face. We don't know everything, but then we will, just as God completely understands us.”

-Don’t think like a child any longer. Put away childish ways of being selfish and arrogant.

-Even in our pursuit of love on this earth, it really is a cloudy picture we have right now. Some sweet day we will see God face to face. We will see Him as He is. Then we will understand God’s love completely.

“¹³For now there are faith, hope, and love. But of these three, the greatest is love.”

-Verse 13: faith, hope and love seem to have been a well-known group of qualities. Paul speaks about them in other letters. For example, in 1 Thessalonians 1:3 and Colossians 1:4-5. These three words explain the whole of the Christian life in this world. Christians have ‘faith’ that God will forgive them because of Christ’s sacrifice. They have ‘hope’ for the future, because of Christ’s resurrection. They live a life of faith and hope among Christian brothers and sisters whom they ‘love’. Of these three, only love will remain into eternity. Faith will no longer be necessary. Hope will become knowledge. Love is the greatest, because God himself is love (1 John 4:8). A friendship with him will never end, but it will continue into eternity. (www.easyenglish.info Bible Commentary).

If you are struggling to love people, take a look at your relationship with God. Do you really know Him? Chances are you don’t because God is love! He loved the world so He gave.... If we want to be more like Jesus, we have to embrace people and love them with the love He had given us. If not, we will just be noisy clanging gongs and live a miserable life.

Now after reading 1 Cor. 13 and studying it together, turn this passage of scripture around and see this is how God is towards us. Substitute the word Love for God in verses 4 - 8 and it will read like this: ⁴Love God is kind and God is patient, God is never jealous, boastful, proud, or ⁵rude. Love God isn't selfish or quick tempered. It God doesn't keep a record of wrongs that others we do. ⁶Love God rejoices in the truth, but not in evil. ⁷Love God is always supportive, loyal, hopeful, and trusting. Love God never fails...”

2. Love sees the other person through God’s eyes

Even if that person is rejecting you or behaving badly, the love of God in you helps you to continue in a relationship with them. You are praying and believing God will change their hearts and outlook. You know that the same Holy Spirit Who works on your heart is working on theirs. God pursues us constantly. He doesn’t force us to love Him or even like Him. Yet He relentlessly pursues us. We are valuable to Him. He never gives up on us.

“I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love, with unfailing love I have drawn you to myself.” (Jeremiah 31:1)

God is constantly pursuing us. He draws us with His love. His love is everlasting, and never-changing.

How did Jesus forgive the very ones who were crucifying Him? With Godly love. It wasn’t human love that held him to the cross. It was the love of the Father that gave him strength to fulfill the redemptive plan to save this world.

We are ignorant to the fullness of God’s love He has for us. Yet, we can taste a little of His love on earth by opening up ourselves and receiving His love. Often times we reject God’s love thinking, “We are not good enough” or “He could never love me after what I have done.” These are just excuses for not receiving His love. His love is unconditional. It doesn’t have attachments connected to it.

God just puts His love out for us to receive it again and again. Eventually, through circumstances and finding the right pieces to the puzzle, we see how much God loves us and we start receiving His love in our hearts. When we finally receive His love it fills us to the point we even wonder why we fought it in the first place.

God’s love is contagious. People will sense and see something different about you. You are walking in God’s love, which is not of this world, and the people will be drawn to you. Not because of anything you have done, but because of the Love of God in you.

Ministering to people, without having love in your heart for them will not have the abundant fruit you are looking for. We, as ministers, have to be full of God’s love, and out of the overflow we will minister successfully to others.

3. Don’t Fake The Front

People know if you are fake or genuine. We can’t “Fake The Front” and still be productive in the Kingdom of God. Faking the front is when you pretend you love someone and act like everything is okay when it is not.

God sees your heart and He knows you are not being genuine. Ask God to teach you to love with the love He has given you.

“He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” (1 John 4:8)

“Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” (1 John 4:11)

We can love others with Godly, Agape love. This is genuine love that will never fail.

4. The love of God in you will open doors of opportunity

Once you start loving people with the genuine love of God, you will see open doors before you. Why? Because God’s favor goes before you. You are oozing with God’s love and it can’t help but minister to others.

People will want what you have. They will see you are different from other people. You will get promoted at work over others that are more qualified, all because you finally have received God’s love and show it to others.

God opens these doors because you are His hand extended. You have been transformed by His love and now can be trusted with greater things.

Your demeanor changes. Your countenance changes. You are more pleasant to be around. You value people more. You show appreciation towards your work and the things you do at your job all because the love of God is flowing in you.

5. Love people as you minister to them

This has been taught and instilled in me from a precious lady, “Connie Hise.” She has shown genuine love for others and the Love of God flows out of her as she ministers.

I have seen this in my own ministry. People won’t care what you have to say until they see you care. It would only be a clanging gong if I ministered out of head knowledge and not a heart of love.

People take time to change. There is a process for healing. There is a process for understanding. There is a process to changing. All people have a higher level of potential they can climb to, but the very thing that is blocking their accent could be the lack of feeling loved or cherished.

Love people as they are transforming to be more like Jesus. There will be hard times, times you will want to give up on them, but don’t give up. You might even be misunderstood, but it is all worth seeing someone receive the love of God which will empower their lives.

Her most recent book, "Revive, Rebuild, and Restore" was released in september 2011.

We invite you to visit her website.

GO AHEAD - RECEIVE IT!

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 2:53:06 AM EST

It was another crisp, clear day yesterday, here in Jackson Hole.

Snow-covered mountains swam in skies of cerulean. Brilliant, balmy sunshine beckoned even the laziest of us away from the fireplace and into subzero temperatures to soak up a bit of its energy. So, after numerous chores and duties, I found myself crunching down the bike path, praying under my breath as I studied the horizon.

I knew I would be coming into town to do some writing, but wasn’t sure yet of the topic or direction. As I walked, I asked, “Father, what do You want me to write about?” And in that perfect, priceless way that He does, He whispered back, “Me.”

I couldn’t help myself: I giggled. I just can’t get over it. How can this all-powerful, Almighty One be, at the same time, so gentle and humorous? And how could He be so specific and yet so not specific? ~smile~

Consequently, there I sat in my favorite coffee shop, wondering which one of His many attributes I should write about. I opened my bible and landed on page 1212. As I scanned the very familiar page, I was drawn to a verse that I’ve been led to many, many times over the years – John 3:33.

"Whoever receives His testimony has set his seal of approval to this: God is true. [That man has definitely certified, acknowledged, declared once and for all, and is himself assured that it is divine truth that God cannot lie.]”

Although this particular verse may not be one that jumps up and melts your heart, I believe it is like a hinge on a door. It holds a truth on which much, if not all, of our future depends. John 3:33 is one of those pivotal points in our destiny.

John the Baptist is speaking here to some of his disciples. It comes near the end of a conversation when they had come to John, concerned that so many were now following Jesus instead of him. Very quickly John clarifies, again, that he is not the Messiah but only a messenger called to prepare the way for Jesus. He then gives some very important insight into our own heart posture for following Christ.

First, John says, “Whoever receives His (Jesus’) testimony…”

You know, most of us live in a world where we’ve lost touch with the force of what receiving really means. We are given gifts from friends and family, but put them in a closet to gather dust. We buy food that spoils in the fridge before we have time to eat it. We acknowledge the opinions and beliefs of others without ever taking the time to truly dig to the bottom of the matter and form our own foundation of belief.

Contrast this half-heartedness to the Greek meaning of lambanō, translated in John 3:33 as receives: “to take with the hand, lay hold of in order to use it; to take in order to carry away; to take to one's self, to make one's own; that which when taken is not let go, to seize, to lay hold of, apprehend; take possession of, i.e. to appropriate to one's self; reach after, strive to obtain.”

This receiving of Jesus’ testimony that John speaks of is not an indifferent reaction. When we receive the words and teachings of Jesus, we grab a hold of them and make them our very own. We tear open the outside packaging and make sure we inspect every sheet of tissue paper so we don’t miss any piece or part. We hold it in our hands, slowly turning it over and around to inspect each detail. We keep this gift with us at all times, allowing it to alter who we are and what we do. We continually draw from its Life while offering it to others. We do this until we cannot imagine not doing it. This is receiving the testimony of Jesus.

When we take these conscious, fixed, continual steps of receiving, the second half of John 3:33 tells us the result: We set our seal of approval to this: God is true. Or as the Amplified Bible states it, we acknowledge, declare, and are assured that “God cannot lie.”

Literally, the Greek word alēthēs here means that we know without wavering, God is “loving the truth, speaking the truth, truthful.”

Yes, I know we say that God would never lie, but imagine what you would look like and act like if you believed to your very core every one of the thousands of promises and statements of God to be true. Imagine what the Body of Christ would look like. Talk about peace. Talk about humility and love and joy. If we believed that all God has spoken is true, nothing could shake us. Nothing could cause us to waver. Nothing would be worth holding onto when He asked it from us. Nothing. We would agree with His desires and plans implicitly, even if it hurt, because we knew His truth of love and faithfulness would not fail under even the gravest of circumstances.

We would believe that to live is Christ, and to die is gain (Philippians 1:21).

How do we get to this unshakable place of rest that the writer of Hebrews exhorts us to zealously pursue (Hebrews 4:11)? Receive. Receive the testimony of Jesus. Go back and read His words. Open them up, piece by piece. And don’t just read the words, but let the Spirit read them to you. Let Him shine holy, heavenly Light on them to give you understanding. Then hold that understanding close; close enough to burn into your heart.

I find myself smiling, again, as I realize this process of receiving is a bit like my Father’s answer to me yesterday as I walked: so specific and yet so not specific. That’s ok. He knows how vast He is. Just take a step up to the door and He will meet you and do all that you can’t.

Believe me, it’s worth it!

IS FAITH THE OPPOSITE OF DOUBT?

Wed, 8 Feb 2012 3:01:55 AM EST

Is faith the opposite of doubt? No, because faith is the “substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1) The opposite of doubt is certainty, and certainty does not go with faith. Indeed, once we are certain of a thing, then there is no place for faith. This is why Jesus said in John 20:29; “Because you have seen me, you have believed; but blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” In fact, we start to have faith when we have 50.1 percent more belief than doubt.

→ Doubt is a tool whose purpose is to help us move beyond the 50 percent mark and towards the maximum score of 100 percent, at which point we have complete assurance and certainty. In doing so, we will have taken huge leaps of faith. What we see is that faith is believing, despite having doubt or incomplete information! Now, we must be aware that God wants us to gain an absolute certainty about the following three critical areas as soon as possible:

His existence,
His unfailing and unconditional love for us, and
Our salvation, once we have accepted Jesus as our Savior.

A Christian should ask, seek, and knock as much as he needs to gain an absolute certainty that God exists, that He loves him, and that Jesus died (and resurrected) for him to have an eternal and abundant life. These are the three pillars that enable Christians to assume fuly their role in the kingdom of God. If there are cracks in one of these pillars, then God knows that we will be handicapped and unable to fulfill our mission.

Experience shows that the second pillar of love is regrettably often missing in Christians. For a number of reasons, they doubt that God loves them. They are then not living in victory and make only a few development steps: in other words, the great plan that God had for them is then mostly unrealized. Thus, it is no wonder that they feel unfulfilled and in a constant need to seek love substitutes. They are saved, but operate at a fraction of their God-given potential. If this is your case, then I urge you to believe that God loves you dearly and unconditionally. Know that nothing, not even sin, can separate you from His love. (Romans 8:38-39) As you become spiritually more mature and experience first hand God's love, you will come to the point when no longer doubt that God loves you. And this will change you from the inside out. A new you will surface out and you will be filled with joy and peace!

→ Doesn’t the Word of God say it is impossible to please Him without faith? Yes. Hebrews 11:6 could not be clearer on this important topic: “without faith it is impossible to please God.” Will I then be able to please God if I have complete assurance on the three pillars? Oh yes. To obey God and do His will, we will definitively need to have faith. It is faith that will enable us to overcome our fears and do whatever God is asking us to do. The Bible shows us unequivocally that we will go during our Christian life through tests, trials, and tribulations. We will therefore have many opportunities to please God.

The traditional church told believers for centuries (and even today unfortunately) that there is no place for doubt in the life of a believer; that it is bad, evil, and even sinful to do so. As always, the theologians who advocate(ed) this doctrine are not entirely wrong. However, they are not fully right either. The truth is that faith and doubt work together, and that doubt can either pull us in the right direction or leave us in a state of unbelief. Once again, we must make a choice. Either we ask, seek, and knock and move beyond the 50 percent threshold, or remain in defeat. What is sure is that at some point, we must pass this threshold and enter into the world of faith. Otherwise, we will not reach our abundance land.

→ The faith process: Moving from doubt to faith and then from faith to certainty is called the faith process, and applies to every aspect of our Christian lives. If I am sick and believe with faith that God can heal me (even though I do not know how), then God will be able to act and take the actions needed to start the healing process.

As I recognize the signs that indicate that the healing process has started, then my faith will naturally increase. When the healing process is completed and I am no longer sick, I will now gain the knowledge and assurance that God can heal me. This will enable me to move more rapidly beyond the 50 percent threshold next time I fall sick or pass other testing times.

The more I successfully go through this faith process, the more faith I will be able to have, and the more “mountains” I will be able to move.

There will NEVER be a time on this earth when we no longer need to exercise our faith muscles. We must remember that when we have conquered the trials and tribulations that come with our pots, God will ensure that we move to other pots that will test again our faith. He knows too well that if we stop exercising our faith muscles, we can lose everything, including our salvation. All we have to do when we are in doubt is to ask, seek and knock. We will then receive the truth, and the truth will set us free!

Serge Roux-Levrat is the Principal Ambassador of SRL Ministries and the author of numerous books and ebooks such as Make Your Life Worth Living and How To Enjoy An Abundant Health.

He is married since 1995 to Barbara, and they are the parents of two children.

CLOSING ALL BACK DOORS

Wed, 1 Feb 2012 2:28:50 AM EST

This crucial step is obvious, but often neglected. However, if we detoxify our mind, yet let negative thoughts come into our mind through back doors, then we are working in vain. At the very least, we unnecessarily slow down the mind detoxification process. It is therefore crucial that we “consume” only the right water (and food) for our minds.

We are constantly bombarded by images, words, and thoughts that are anything but good for our minds. Thus, if we do not consciously decide to overlook and ignore them, then we will quickly come to entertain wrong thoughts and (re)inject toxins into our mind. It is therefore crucial that we pay attention to what we devour with our eyes and ears. What we ingest through these sensory organs influences substantially what we think and how we think. We can’t be passive here and expect to win the mind detoxification process. What does this mean in practical terms? That we must be careful of the kind of music that we listen to, of the kind of TV shows that we watch, of the kind of magazines that we read, of the internet sites that we visit, and of the kind of persons we spend our time with.

→ Make no mistakes: Satan is out there ready to design and implement strategies geared to taking control of your mind. The whole advertising industry has only one goal in mind: to help their clients take control of our thought life without us realizing it. They know that if they repeatedly feed our minds with carefully prepared messages, words, and images, it is only a question of time before we develop the kind of thoughts that they want us to have. They know that the “thought→ feeling/emotion → action” cycle will come into motion, and that there is then a high probability that we will end up buying the product or services of their clients. Their only real challenge therefore is to win our minds. Well, the good news is that we can thwart their plans by refusing to drink the water (the messages) that they freely give us. As Joe Paterno said, “Publicity is like poison; it doesn’t hurt unless you swallow it.”

Many people believe that they are free to choose whichever products and services they buy, but this is not true. Because they have already “drunk” the free messages prepared by the advertisers, they have handed over to them the key to their minds and thought lives a long time ago. The battle was won well before the purchase took place.

The plastic surgery industry knows very well too that if they can make a man or woman buy one service from them, there is a high likelihood that they will come back and ask for more. Now, to make people buy this first service, they will strive to feed them with messages that trigger a need for wanting to be more beautiful, or to remain “young” forever. They will also ensure that youth becomes an idol in the world. They will therefore have special messages prepared for women that suggest that unless they enlarge their breast, eliminate their wrinkles, remove the fat tissues of their tummy, butt or thighs, and so on - they will lose their spouses. For men, they will prepare messages that inform them that they too can lose their spouses if they do not enlarge or lengthen their penis, have an impressive chest, etc. The underlying message is that you cannot satisfy your spouse otherwise.

Of course, all these messages are pure lies. However, as the world turns beauty queens (who are reworked from top to bottom) into idols, many people are slowly but surely coming to believe these lies. Many will then make the first step and get plastic surgery done. Will they become happier after this first operation? Not really. Instead of happiness, they will quickly get more worry and anxiousness, which will trigger a need for more plastic surgery. They firmly believed that they controlled their actions, but this was not true at all. The battle was lost a long time ago; when they drank the messages prepared by the advertisers.

→ Have you ever done the drop-in-a-glass-of-water experiment with your children? To carry out this experiment, you need a glass full of water and a bottle of strawberry syrup for instance. You then let one drop of syrup at a time fall into the glass. After each drop, you shake the glass of water. What this experience shows is that it is impossible for children to detect visibly the presence of syrup in the water for quite some time. However, suddenly the liquid turns red after a new drop is made. At this point, the water can no longer “hide” the color of the drops that have been injected. The drops have won and imposed their color into the water.

Amazingly, the same phenomenon happens with our minds. It can absorb many “bad” images and messages that come from the world, but at one point, a final drop of dead water will overcome our minds and trigger bad thoughts, which will become visible in our outer life. The world wants us to be passive and believe that we can drink its dead water and still maintain control over our thought lives. However, what it does not tell us is that when that final drop comes, it will have defeated us and taken control of our mind.

→ What we must also be aware of is that there are times when we are tempted to surrender our minds more than others. For example, during times of general adversity, or when we are facing tough personal or professional challenges. When difficulties enter into our lives, many of us launch such a harmful assault on our minds that we have anything but positive thoughts. We let negativity take the better of us and our thought lives. Quickly, we find ourselves discouraged, frustrated, attending a self-pity party, procrastinating, and/or ready to stop exercising our faith muscles. Can we then be victorious? No. What we have to remember is that difficult times have a purpose: to strengthen our faith muscles and to enable us to exercise our choice regarding the thoughts we have. When negative thoughts assail us, we shouldn’t succumb to the underlying fear that gave birth to these thoughts, but exercise our faith muscles. We should strive to see the opportunity in the difficulty, and realize that we have a lot to win if we do not quit.

→ If we want to succeed in detoxifying our minds, we will need to leverage two great tools: discipline and self-control. We may have consciously, or more likely, unconsciously fed our mind with toxins for 10, 20, or even 30 years. Thus, we have to be honest with ourselves and not expect things to change overnight. The truckload of toxins that invaded our mind didn’t come in one day, so it may take some time before our physical eyes can see the victory in our outer life.

However, if we continue to go through the detoxification process and are increasingly able to take control of our thoughts at all times, then the victory will come. We cannot doubt this; otherwise, we are already defeated. We must get up each day expecting great things to happen to us, prepared to exercise our faith muscles, focused on higher things, and ready to maximize our inflow and outflow of living water. If we do so, we may kneel down, but we cannot be defeated. The “drop-in-a-glass-of-water” phenomenon will now work for us: at one point, a drop of living water will be enough for us to have more righteous thoughts than unrighteous ones.

I strongly encourage you to renew your mind often by praying, meditating on the Word of God and so on. I assure you that your life will be radically transformed if you follow this advice. Although it will take time for people to see the new you, your inner life will be recreated and give birth to new fruits in your outer life in due time. You cannot lose by renewing your mind; you can only win. Enjoy the process; persevere until you have the ultimate victory over Satan, the creator of the dead water. Do not quit in the middle. Remember that a victory is won one step at a time.

He is married since 1995 to Barbara, and they are the parents of two children.

NO MERE MAN

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 3:32:56 AM EST

What is the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the name Jesus?

Having just come out of the Christmas season, maybe you think of His birth surrounded by shepherds, angels, and the smells of a stable? Maybe you think of His painful death upon a Roman cross? Or a resurrection that shocked even His closest friends?

When you hear the name of Jesus, do you recall one of the well-known stories of His life on earth? When He spoke to the waves and calmed the storm? When He called Lazarus forth from the tomb or rode upon a donkey to the crowds shouting “Hosanna!”

Maybe this name reminds you that your sins are eternally forgiven and your life is wholly redeemed. Has He healed you or set you free from an addiction? Has He spoken words into your heart that have left you forever changed? Is He the One Who gives you hope to get up each morning?

So many things can come to our minds; the list seems almost endless. Yet I want to encourage you that this list should never be put on a back shelf or become stagnant, but rather should continue to grow longer each day as we continue to grow in awe and wonder of this One, Jesus.

I grew up in a Christian home and have read the Bible more years of my life than not, but I still come across verses that take my breath with each reading; verses that cause all other thoughts to fall from my mind as I am again captured by living, breathing words. As I read and re-read them, up and down, back and forth, I try to soak in every drop of their residue. I underline and circle and highlight as they take on meaning beyond what I am able to express. Then I lean back and release a long sigh, once again in love with the Author of such a Book.

I woke in the night last week and went up to my prayer room. I had barely started reading in Colossians when I found myself captivated again. So much was packed into just a few verses. I’d like to share them with you, maybe to add to your list.

“Now He is the exact likeness of the unseen God [the visible representation of the invisible].’ (1:15)

“He is the Firstborn of all creation.” (1:15)

“For it was in Him that all things were created, in heaven and on earth, things seen and things unseen, whether thrones, dominions, rulers, or authorities;” (1:16)

“All thing were created and exist through Him [by His service, intervention] and in and for Him.” (1:16)

“He Himself existed before all things...” (1:17)

“…and in Him all things consist (cohere, are held together).” (1:17)

“He is also the Head of [His] body, the church; seeing He is the Beginning, the Firstborn from among the dead, so that He alone in everything and in every respect might occupy the chief place…” (1:18)

“It pleased the Father that all the divine fullness (the sum total of the divine perfection, powers, and attributes) should dwell in Him permanently.” (1:19)

“And God purposed that through (by the service, the intervention of) Him [the Son] all things should be completely reconciled back to Himself, whether on earth or in heaven…” (1:20)

“…through Him, [the Father] made peace by means of the blood of the cross.” (1:20)

“In Him all the treasures of [divine] wisdom (comprehensive insight into the ways and purposes of God) and [all the riches of spiritual] knowledge and enlightenment are stored up and lie hidden.” (2:3)

“For in Him the whole fullness of the Deity (the Godhead) continues to dwell in bodily form [giving complete expression of the divine nature].” (2:9

This One, Jesus, might have walked the earth in a man’s body, but He was no mere man. He carried within Himself the fullness of the Father’s love, wisdom, and power that we might know the mysteries of the Kingdom of God.

I encourage you to meditate on these verses. Ask the Holy Spirit to fill you with wisdom and understanding into the deep treasures they hold. May we be full of the Hope Who is our Salvation – the River of Living Water for all who are thirsty.

FIGHTING TEMPTATION

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 1:43:07 AM EST

This post is an excerpt from the book, You Can Have A Happy Family

If you struggle with sexual temptation, be encouraged that God will never leave you to struggle in your temptations. He will always provide a way out, as 1 Corinthians 10:13 says, "No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it."

The Holy Spirit reminds us and helps us turn away from temptations, and helps us put to death those temptations. (Romans 8:13) But if we don’t take His way out and don’t rely on God to help us, we will reap the consequences.

→ One man I surveyed said he wished he would have been more holy in his approach to sexual temptation. He expressed, “While not what I would consider diving into sin, ‘flirting’ with temptation makes withdrawals from my emotional connection with my wife.” Even though it was only in thought and never led to action, it still caused him to detach emotionally from his wife. This is how powerful this stronghold is. It pulls our hearts away from our spouses and God.

If you have a weakness in this area, whenever temptation arises, start thinking of your spouse right away. Think about what attracts you to them instead, and feed yourself those right thoughts. Remember, whatever you feed your mind will affect your actions. Replace wrong thoughts with right thoughts and think of your spouse sexually. It keeps your attraction fixated solely on your spouse, as God commanded it to be.

→ One man said one of the ways he contributes to the success of his marriage is that he tries to think about his wife all day. One woman said one of the reasons her marriage has been successful for ten years now is that their physical attraction is still strong. “We keep that part of our marriage very healthy,” she said.

This is how God created us, to enjoy each other and to keep that special gift between husband and wife alone.

"Drink water from your own cistern, running water from your own well. Should your springs overflow in the streets, your streams of water in the public squares? Let them be yours alone, never to be shared with strangers." (Proverbs 5:15-17)

Think about when a body of water overflows and goes where it’s not intended. I have never seen a flood that didn’t leave behind a mess or a disaster. This is how it is when we pour ourselves where we are not supposed to be. It undoubtedly creates a mess.

"May your fountain be blessed, and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth. A loving doe, a graceful deer—may her breasts satisfy you always, may you ever be captivated by her love. Why be captivated, my son, by an adulteress? Why embrace the bosom of another man’s wife?" (Proverbs 5:18-20)

I love how God used a fountain as the metaphor for this verse. A fountain is always beautiful and never overflows, but continually flows in a secured space. There are continual blessings and continuous joy and excitement found only within a marriage where their hearts and minds are only devoted to each other. This is why it’s important to guard our hearts and minds against adultery.

→ One man told me he refuses to go to lunch alone or ride in a car alone with any female co-workers. He also tells his co-workers not to email him pictures of other women when they pass them around the office. He knows this is where it starts. He knows he has to guard his mind against what others may think harmless because that is how Satan gets his foot in the door. It’s when we allow him to inch his way in a little here and a little there that he gains a stronghold on us. Then, when we get into a dangerous situation we wonder how we ever got into that mess.

"…Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth? That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you. ‘A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough.’" (Galatians 5:7-9)

If you’ve already fallen victim to a stronghold and fallen into sin, you are never too far from God’s healing hand. Just turn to Him and turn away from the sin and ask God to set you free.

Psalm 119:45 says, “I will walk about in freedom, for I have sought out your precepts.” In the Bible look up and study every verse that has to do with adultery, lust, and holiness. Write them down, study them, and speak them out loud daily.

It’s also important to stand against the tempting thoughts Satan will use as bait. Stand up against him at the start and meditate on God’s Word. When a tempting thought comes into your head, purposely change your thought to what God says. The Bible tells us to flee from thinking about it, but it doesn’t say not to have the thought.

Having the thought is not a sin. What you do with the thought will determine whether you remain in God’s will or fall to Satan’s temptation. For years, I didn’t know I could control my thoughts by not thinking on whatever popped into my head. I didn’t know Satan could feed me thoughts. However, I’ve learned I don’t have to allow those thoughts to take root in me.

"For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." (2 Corinthians 10:3-5)

As we continue to stand against tempting thoughts, eventually they will no longer be a threat. And as Satan sees he has no hold on us and no authority over us, he will flee. James 4:7 explains, “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” Submit your mind to God and trust in His strength because you can’t do it without His help.

→ We’re not perfect. God will always make a way out when we fall. There may be consequences for what we’ve done, but God is able to work them out for the good of our families IF we turn to Him. Psalm 103:10 says that God does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. Verse 14 says that God knows how we were formed. He remembers we are dust. This means God knows we are going to make mistakes. It’s in our sinful nature.

God can take the consequences that come from the wrong choices we make and use those to teach us. When we allow God to teach us through our consequences, we learn and grow from our mistakes. God uses the consequences to open our eyes and lead us to where we need to be. Like I said earlier, in my marriage, God used my consequences to open my eyes to see I was searching in the wrong direction. It was not where I wanted to go.

I praise God He was imploring me to turn to Him instead of abandoning me in my mess. I know I deserved more consequences than I received. I praise God I didn’t turn away from His warnings because I know I would be in a heap of a mess today. Instead, I am set free from sin and have a transformed family.

It’s always best for us to listen to God in the first place, but there’s always forgiveness and restoration for the heart that turns away from sin and turns toward God.

"Some became fools through their rebellious ways and suffered affliction because of their iniquities. They loathed all food and drew near the gates of death. Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress. He sent forth his word and healed them; he rescued them from the grave. Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men." (Psalm 107:17-21)

God’s plan is for you, your family, and all those who are affected by adultery, to be healed from it. Don’t let Satan condemn you for what you’ve done. Remind him, and yourself, that you have been forgiven and God is healing your family. Satan loves to lead us to sin and then condemn us once we fall into it. But we don’t have to accept it.

"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." (Romans 8:1)

Amanda Beth, is a wife of fifteen years and mother of four children, ages two to ten. She has experienced a transformation in her life and marriage since she surrendered her heart to Christ ten years ago. She now passionately desires to help other individuals and families find healing in Christ. Her teachings on marriage and spiritual growth can be found on her website and her blog.

Amanda is the author of You Can Have a Happy Family. In this book, she takes us through her personal testimony and reveals the steps God taught her that freed her from insecurity, strife, distrust, resentment, and chaos in her marriage. It is a guide to a TOTAL FAMILY MAKEOVER, and is available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble and on her website.

You can't perfect your family. Your spouse can't perfect it either, but God CAN!

ONLY FUNNY IN THE SUNDAY'S

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 1:27:56 AM EST

I love reading the Sunday funnies. One of my favorites is For Better or Worse by Lynn Johnston. In a recent comic, the young child, Mike, was having a bad day. Trying to construct a building out of Lego-type pieces, gravity was working against him as the entire structure collapsed. In a fit of frustration, he kicked the remaining pieces while simultaneously letting out a few choice juvenile words accompanied by a blood-curdling “Aagh!!!” Mom promptly grabbed him by the arm and directed him to go to bed. As she turned to leave, he whispered a tearful request, “Mom, aren’t you going to kiss me goodnight?” “Mike”, she replied, “when you act like that, I just don’t feel like kissing you at all!” He hung his head in shame as he murmured, “But Mom, that’s when I need it the most.”

Mike is just a kid and apparently hadn’t learned how to manage his feelings appropriately. Like most children when upset, rather than verbally express how he felt, he lashed out physically in defeat. A loving parent would take the time to explain to their child the proper way to deal with life’s challenges in a less aggressive and destructive way. Patience, repetition, understanding and gentle guidance would ensure the child learns the necessary lessons while feeling loved and valued at the same time. Typical behavior expected of a child, most adults are sympathetic to their plight and patient as they learn and grow.

But at some unspecified age, adults become non tolerant of such outrageous behavior. There is an unspoken expectation that adults should know how to behave properly when upset. Witnessing an adult throwing a hissy fit typically does not evoke compassion in those observing the shocking behavior. Even less obvious behaviors leave the average individual feeling annoyed, upset, angry and repulsed. Like Mike’s mom, they respond by pulling away rather than moving towards. “Get over it!” and “Deal with it!” only add to the other’s distress as they experience feelings of abandonment, rejection and insignificance.

I will be facing my “Mike” in a few short days. I would be grateful if their bad behavior was limited to kicking over a few wooden blocks but sadly theirs takes hissy fits to a whole new level. I understand this individual is deeply unhappy and may feel hopeless in their current situation as well. Does that condone their bad behavior? Not at all. But when people are hurting, they need understanding; when they are frightened, reassurance; lonely – companionship. The way to neutralize a negative (feeling or behavior) is with the opposite: a positive. At the times they most push us away, we need to move even closer.

I am by nature and choice a compassionate and patient person. But in all honesty, it will take every ounce of my strength and empathy to give this person the love and understanding they so crave, and so rightfully deserve. To walk away in their time of pain only escalates their suffering. I wouldn’t abandon someone who was injured and bleeding. I would address their wound the best I could. Neither can I abandon my injured “Mike”. It’s now he needs my love and support the most. Keep me in your prayers.

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A YEAR UNLIKE ANY OTHER

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 3:32:54 AM EST

I’m not much for New Year’s resolutions; I don’t make them at all. People have good intentions and initially put forth a valiant effort. But we all know as January progresses enthusiasm wanes and efforts diminish. By February, most are chastising themselves for being failures and vowing to be more persistent next year.

I do believe there is value in setting and accomplishing goals: getting into shape, getting out of debt, spending more time with family, returning to school to further one’s education. All can enrich lives, improve health and strengthen relationships. But all are meaningless…unless we first pursue the single most important objective: to create and live in peace and harmony with one another.

I can hear some of you saying, “That would be nice, Janet, but it’s totally unrealistic in today’s world.” Well, my friend, I respectfully disagree. While I may not be able to facilitate world peace, I certainly have the ability to create it within myself and to be an instrument of peace to all whom I encounter. Everything done in anger can be accomplished in peace: conflicts can be resolved calmly; truth can be spoken with words of kindness; relationships can be strengthened by infusing thoughtful behaviors. The Way of Peace requires far less effort and has zero harmful consequences.

However there are things one must do in order to accomplish this:

Relinquish the need to control others and what is occurring around us (admit it – we all do it - we want things our way).

Reduce expectations placed on others, ourselves and the world. Unfulfilled expectations lead to disappointment and anger. Accept that which we have no ability or right to dominate.

Eliminate the need to be right at the expense of another’s “wrongness”. Accept that there are differences and each person’s needs or perceptions are valid.

Be more accepting of who people are. Allow each to journey through life in their own time and way. Appreciate them with all their imperfections. Treat them with compassion, patience and concern.

Know that everything that happens in life is a necessary part of one’s journey and absolutely essential for their personal and spiritual growth. This removes resentment, anger, bitterness and jealousy.

While you are contemplating what New Year’s resolutions you will embark upon in 2012, consider first that which is most significant: resolve to be a living example of peace.

Some say when you have your health you have everything but I know healthy people who are miserable. I believe when you have inner peace you have all you’ll ever need. It is possible. I’ve done it. So can you.

“We cannot be a world at peace until we are first a people of peace.”

You can follow her at Facebook or LinkedIn. You may also visit her website.

NOT FEELING LOVED BY GOD?

Wed, 4 Jan 2012 2:54:35 AM EST

Some people feel that God cannot love them. Many feel this because they were born in a family where they were not loved. Maybe they have been verbally, physically, or sexually abused by one or both of their parents, had a father or mother who constantly put them down, experienced parents who never spent quality time with them, or who never told them that they were loved. As a result, they feel that no one really loves them, not even God. For others, nothing seriously dramatic or traumatic has happened to them, but they nevertheless feel that God does not love them for tons of different reasons (e.g. prayers that are left unanswered, unfairness of life, etc.).

Whatever the root cause, most people come to the conclusion that God cannot love them because if He did, then their lives would be very different and He would have long since intervened in their lives to change its course. When we are confronted with such feelings, it is important that we realize that we may strongly feel something (e.g. not being loved by God) that is not true at all. Indeed, feelings are known for deceiving us, for giving us the illusion of a reality that is simply not there.

How many actresses feel ugly even though they are gorgeous and admired by millions of people?

How many people feel poor even though they are rich? How many teenage girls nowadays feel overweight when, in fact, they are underweight?

How many people felt that a person was honest with them when in fact they were being lied to?

How many people feel hopeless when they can have a great future with Jesus?

What these examples show us is that our feelings (or emotions) can be very deceptive and produce a distorted and inaccurate picture of reality. Conclusion: no matter how strongly we feel something, unless our feelings are aligned with the underlying facts, we are at great risk of being deceived if we do not take control of our feelings. Just as it is wrong to ignore our feelings or emotions, it is also wrong to ignore the facts of reality. We cannot dwell so much on our feelings that we lose sight of reality and do not check whether our feelings are supported by real facts. When our feelings or emotions do not agree with the facts, we must take control of them and discipline them.

Whether we feel loved or not by God does not change the underlying fact that God LOVES us. Accepting this reality should not be based on feelings, but on a choice that we make. In God’s world, giving or receiving love is first a choice, then an emotion. In fact, the more we get to know Him, the more our love for Him grows. And the less we receive His love, the more we try to find it in things or people who will never be able to satisfy our thirst for “unconditional” love. The fact is that God has chosen to love us; He was not forced to do so. He decided to love us when He created us and showed it when He sent His only son to die for us so that we could have an eternal and abundant life.

The Bible clearly shows us that love is a command, and as such we can either obey or disobey it. In Matthew 22:35-40, we hear the story of a Pharisee who was an expert in the law and who asked Jesus what was the greatest commandment. Jesus replied that the first and greatest commandment was to love the Lord our God with all our heart and with all our soul and with our entire mind. He went on to add that the second was to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. He then concluded by saying that the whole law could be summarized by these two commandments. What this critical passage reveals to us is that unconditional love (i.e. agape love) is not an emotion or feeling, but a choice: the choice to obey or disobey God’s commandments.

→ As loving God is a choice, so is receiving God’s love. We must all personally decide whether we accept God’s love or reject it. God will not hold a gun to our head and force us to receive His love. He leaves it to us to decide. Without choice, there is no true love. If I base my love for God on my feelings or emotions, then I will experience highs and lows in my life. However, this is not the type of love that God wants from us; it would be a conditional and roller-coaster love, not an unreserved and assured one! Our love for God should not blossom when things are going well and nose-dive when we navigate in rough seas.

The truth is that the more storms we have in our lives, the more we need God’s love to overcome them. Otherwise, we will fall prey to worry, anger, pain, fear, depression, discouragement, and so on. Our feelings and emotions change. We change. People change. Our circumstances change. The world changes. However, God’s love for us never changes. It may be hard for us to understand this, but God loves murderers as much as He loves the most devout of saints. Why is this possible? Because we are all sick and suffering from the same disease. It is just that for some people, the sickness has not progressed as much as for others.

What we must realize is that when we do not feel loved by God, it is very often due to the fact that we do not spend enough time with Him. The bible teaches us that we cannot have two masters: “Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” (Luke 16:13) In this scripture money means more than just coins and notes; it also refers to worldly things. Would I show true love if I said to my wife that I love her 360 days a year and that the remaining days I love 20 other women? Will I feel loved if my wife spent all her time either at work or with our children?

→ Even if we have accepted God’s love, we will experience days when we feel His love less than others. This is natural. However, when this happens, instead of launching a self-pity party or feeling unlovable, we must just spend time with Him. How? By praying, studying His word, being grateful for the things He has already done in our lives, and by giving more room to the Holy Spirit in our heart. Let’s never forget that the fruit of the Spirit includes love! Success in our love walk with God rests on spending quality time with Him; the more we do so, the more our love for Him will grow. Additionally, let’s always remember that “we love because He first loved us.” (1 John 4:19)

→ Let’s not fall into the trap of defining love as the world does. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 is a good guide of what love is and is not: “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, and it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres.”

→ If having love, hope, and faith is important, 1 Corinthians 13:13 makes it very clear that love is the greatest of the three. Accepting God’s unconditional love is crucial to our well-being as people and Christians. It is what makes our lives worth living. Love is what energizes and motivates us to go through life and see our glass as half-full and not half-empty. Too many people are searching for love in the wrong places when only God can quench their thirst for love. This is why millions of people end up feeling frustrated, disappointed, lonely, or worn out. Furthermore, without receiving God’s love, we will not really be able to love others; indeed, we cannot give away what we do not have. Our first desire should therefore be to fill our hearts with the unconditional love of God until it flows through us to others. We do not have to do anything to earn the love of God; He loves us as we are. Now, the question is: can you accept this simple fact and act accordingly?

He is married since 1995 to Barbara, and they are the parents of two children.

BECOMING FILLED WITH GOD'S LOVE

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 3:58:48 AM EST

Let me ask you a critical question: Do you really want your life to change for the better? Then, let the unconditional love of God invade your heart. When we receive the love of God in our hearts, we can no longer remain the same person. Why? Because we become a new creature, with a new positive self-image, and with a new identity, new strengths and new gifts. So, if you want your life to change for the better, then, today is the day to throw the resistance that you built up over the years off and to let the love of God come into your heart.

To activate the transformation process, all God needs from you is a little yes, that you open a little crack in your defense mechanism. So, open yourself up to God. Do not fear anything, for He knows already everything there is to know about you: the good, the bad and the ugly.

And you know what? He has already forgiven you for the sins you have ever committed and for the ones you will ever commit. You have been reconciled to God by the death of Jesus. Jesus paid in full the price to redeem you. So, you can open the tap of God’s love anytime you want if you have accepted Jesus as your Savior and Lord.

I therefore invite you now to surrender to God’s love and to let it become a fountain of healing and life within you. Take a deep breath and say:

Yes, I want to receive your love God,
Yes, I welcome you Jesus as my Savior and Lord,
Yes, I want love to govern my life from now on.

Do you start to feel how God’s love is heating your heart and healing some of your past wounds? If so, open your heart more widely to God. Do not have any fear, He will not hurt you. Just experience from wherever you are now the power of God’s love. There is absolutely no limit to what His love can do for you now and tomorrow and the day after. It can:

Heal your past hurts
Remove your feelings of guilt or inadequacy
Overcome the fears that control you
Breakdown the strongholds that prevent you from operating at your best.

How will you know when your heart has been filled with the love of God? When you feel loved by God, you will no longer need to prove yourself to the world to earn people's acceptance, to criticize everybody to feel good, to win every argument to feel on top of the world, to sell yourself cheap to get a night of casual sex, etc. And:

You won’t be irritable,
You will be more patient,
You will be more forgiving,
You will no longer envy people for their success, fame, money or luxury,
You will be more merciful,
It will no longer be just about YOU, YOU, and YOU,
You will be a nicer person to be around with,
You will be making others feel great,
You won’t have any fear any more,
You will be filled with joy no matter the circumstances that surround you,
You will feel rich regardless of the amount of money you have in the bank,
You will trust God more and start obeying Him without arguing,
You will even be able to love people who have hurt you,
And you will want to spend more time in the presence of God.

If you are not experiencing these blessings yet, then do not feel bad about it. It just tells you that you need to receive more of God's love. Well, I now hear some of you thinking: “how can I receive more of God's love?” Very easily:

Stop complaining, having negative thoughts (about yourself, life, etc.) or holding self-pity parties. Instead thank God for everything that happens to you… yes, everything. And replace every negative thought with a super positive one. For example, if you receive a thought in your head that says you are a good for nothing, then immediately say that you are an amazing person, God’s own work of art, and God’s favorite child. Also tell yourself that everything that you do or touch will prosper. This is exactly what God has said about you thousands of years ago. Remember, to receive, you must first give. So, if you want more love, then give love to others. If you want more money, then share some of your abundance with others. If you want others to respect you, then respect others and yourself!

Meditate daily upon the Word of God to learn more about who you are in Christ.

Ask God to meet your needs. However, please do not ask only for big things that will take years to fix (like your marriage, your character, or your finances). One of the secrets to receiving God’s love is to ask Him for both big and small things. This helps us project ourselves in the future while being content in the present time zone. So, ask God everyday that He gives you what you need to go through the day victoriously. When you see that God answers your prayers and requests, you will feel loved and cared for. It will give you the strength and patience to wait for the bigger things that you asked for.

Repent whenever you become conscious of the fact that you have sinned so that your sense of guilt will not blind you to God’s love.

Love yourself. Believe in yourself. Celebrate your uniqueness. Be your best friend, not your worst enemy. You can’t hate yourself and believe that you will enjoy an abundant life. It does not work like that. Remember that our words have creative power as Proverbs 18:21 shows us. Speak positively about yourself. Say that your are blessed, that your are talented, that you are healthy, that you have a great personality, that you are special, that you are confident, that you can do everything in Christ who strengthens you, that you are a winner, and so on. Stop being against yourself. You will never be more handsome or gorgeous than when you love yourself fully. Stop focusing on your faults or comparing yourself to others. This will only make you feel inferior and bring you condemnation. Instead, see yourself as you would like to be. Proclaim the “new” you each day and soon you will be exactly that person.

Fellowship with others and let God’s love flow through you to them. To grow in love, we must share God’s love with others. In fact, the more we love Jesus, the more we will love others. Why? Because we will see them through eyes of love. It will enable us to see the truth: that they are sick and hurting and that only love can save them from their destructive paths. Do not just speak about love, demonstrate it through actions. As 1 Corinthians 13 says, love is tangible, practical and personal. When people feel loved, they feel accepted. And when they feel accepted, their self-esteem shoots up. And when that happens, they now have the fertile ground to grow and become great lights. Satan can no longer lead them to destruction and misery.

If you would like to go deeper into this subject, I suggest you get a copy of the ebook I released earlier this year: Love Transforms Everything. It's available at Amazon for less than USD 4.

In it, you will discover that God wants to make an exchange with you. He will tell you to give Him your pain, your fears, your guilt, your feelings of inferiority, your losing attitudes, your sins, etc., and in exchange He will give you His love. I hope you will want to make that exchange, because with His love you will also receive joy, strength, peace, wisdom, patience, a new vision of victory, and many other blessings!

WHY WOULD ANYBODY CHOOSE HELL OVER HEAVEN?

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 4:24:41 AM EST

Well, the main reason why people will find themselves in hell is because they did not accept God’s salvation plan while they were (physically) alive. “Why would they do such a foolish thing?,” I hear you ask. For many reasons. Some may never have accepted the fact that they were sick and in need of treatment. Others will have acknowledged God’s existence during their life, but refused to accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior, believing that they have done nothing “wrong” to deserve to go to hell. Still others will have been prevented by their pride from accepting God’s salvation plan. Finally, some will have given themselves completely to false gods, believing that there is no life after physical death. Starting from a false assumption (that our time is limited, not eternal), they will have done everything possible to worship their earthly gods: money, recognition, social standing, beauty, laziness, selfishness, anger, self-pity, etc. They would never have stopped to think seriously about their life after physical death. Those who would not have made a conscious choice during their earthly life will in effect have elected to take residence in hell. Indeed, to go to heaven, we must specifically choose this destination; we cannot arrive there by chance or mistake.

Whatever the case, those who end up in hell are those who will have, implicitly or explicitly, knowingly or unknowingly, insisted on being personally judged by God instead of exercising their option to have Jesus stand trial in their place. They will be judged based on God’s Word and Law. (see John 12:48 and Romans 2:10) Having inherited sin at birth and never accepted God’s treatment for their disease, they can only be found sick upon God's meticulous examination. We can already guess what He will see when He scans their lives: that their cancerous cells have multiplied throughout their body, mind, and soul. At this point, He will have no choice but to separate them from those who have accepted His treatment.

Hell is a special home that was originally reserved for Satan and his angels (Matthew 25:41) as they refused to repent and turn away from their rebellion. In order to save the inhabitants of heaven from being contaminated by sin, God built a special home that would forever prevent sin from entering heaven: hell was born. What we can see here is that the creation of Hell is an act of love that emanates from a good God, not from a bad God.

Haven’t we repeatedly done more or less the same: quarantined people when a contagious and deadly disease threatened the human race? Yes, we did it with the Plague, a disease that wiped out an estimated 30% of Europe's population and a significant percentage of Asia's population, when Syphilis invaded northern Europe around 1490, when the yellow fever appeared in Spain at the beginning of the 19th century, when the Asiatic cholera showed up around 1830, and more recently with the advent of the swine (H1N1) flu.

What main objective are we pursuing when we quarantine people? To contain the spread of a disease that is considered dangerous for humanity. Well the only difference that exists between our human-made quarantines and that of God, is the amount of time we spend in isolation. In our case, the quarantine period is always temporary. In the case of hell, the quarantine period is always permanent. This difference is due to the nature of our souls: whereas our bodies are mortal, our souls are immortal. Thus, since sin lives in our souls, and our souls are eternal, hell is an eternal destination. Indeed, unless we have been treated for our disease, sin does not by itself disappear from our lives. On the contrary, it relentlessly spreads throughout our hearts, minds, and souls; it never ebbs away.

→ Are we sentenced to hell because we are fundamentally “bad” and must be punished? No. God knows too well that we are sick and that our disease will manifest itself in our life if left untreated. We go to hell if we choose not to receive His treatment. On the judgment day, God will only check whether sin is present in our lives, or whether it has been washed away by Jesus' blood. If sin is detected, God will have to quarantine us.

The critical underlying issue is not one of punishment, but of preservation of life and love. The worse thing that we can do is to deceive ourselves and believe that sin is not present in our lives, because it is. Those that still doubt should read Ecclesiastes 7:20, which is crystal clear on this issue: “there is not a righteous man on earth who does what is right and never sins.”

God gave us His Word and Law so that we can become conscious of the presence of sin in our life, and what it means for us. The law was not created to “punish” us, but to bring us to:

the realization that we are sick,
the understanding that if we do nothing about it we will eternally have to be quarantined and thus live forever separated from God.

The fear of the Lord – i.e. the fear that we will forever live separated from LOVE (because God is love) - is the only state of mind that can save us from destruction and ourselves. Without this fear, we will not search for the treatment for our disease!

THE PRINCIPLES THAT LEAD TO FINANCIAL ABUNDANCE

Wed, 7 Dec 2011 1:15:50 AM EST

What are the principles found in the Bible that we need to follow do in order to prosper financially?

→ Number 1: We should not make money our God. When does it actually become a god for us? When we put all our efforts into becoming rich. When our work is our priority over our spouses, our children and our relationship with God. This is why Proverbs 23:4-5 tells us not to wear ourselves out to get rich because it is not worth it. The pursuit of wealth is not evil, but when it becomes our No 1 priority in life, then we go through the door that leads to evil.

Additionally, money is our god when we put our trust in it. Proverbs 11:28 says, “Whoever trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will thrive like a green leaf.” You see, we will thrive and have an abundant life only IF we trust in the Trinity (God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit). When we trust in God and are obedient to Him, we will prosper greatly. And the great news is that we will lead in the process abundant lives, full of joy, peace and happiness. How many millionaires or billionaires can say that? Very few of them. Most of them live miserable lives, get divorced or are depressed; many even commit suicide. Most die with a hard heart because they suffered from a lack of true love. They have many people around them, but few real friends. On the outside they often appear successful and happy, but in the inside they are sick and dying.

→ Number 2. We must be obedient and acknowledge God in all our ways. Then He will make our paths straight as Proverbs 3:5-6 confirms to us. What this means is that if we recognize God's authority in EVERYTHING that we do, we will encounter fewer problems, fewer setbacks, fewer disappointments. Our paths will be straight. The more we trust God to be our provider, the more we will be able to remove ourselves from the urgent, but not important, issues that enslave us. We will then have more time for what can make a real difference in our lives. As Christians, we do not exist mostly to achieve results or to make money, but to serve a higher purpose: saving humanity from self-destruction. Then, all the perishable things that we want (and money is one) will be given to us. Everything belongs to God. He can give us more in one single day than what we can amass in our entire life by wearing ourselves out. We have to be smart and work for the king that loves us and that wants to bless us, not for Satan who ultimately wants to steal from us and to destroy us.

→ Number 3: We must be persons of excellence and diligence. Proverbs 22:29 shows us that a diligent man will stand before kings. This means that if we are diligent, we will be rich and influential. Now, what does being diligent mean? It means that we show care and conscientiousness in our work and duties. It means that we do the best job we can for our customers, that we sell them great value for money products or services, that they can count on us if something goes wrong, that we anticipate their needs, that we keep our promises, that we go the extra mile, and so on. Proverbs 27:23 says: "Be sure you know the condition of your flocks, give careful attention to your herds". It invites us to know well our employees, our customers and our suppliers; in short, all our stakeholders. Proverbs 21:5 says: “The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty.” Again, what does this mean? It means that a diligent person grows his or her wealth over a number of years, that he plans carefully and thinks well before he acts. He does not seek wealth by adopting unlawful practices or by taking short-cuts. He builds his business for the long term. So, he cares about his brand name and reputation.

Are you a business owner? Then, if you are excellent in your work, you won't even need to spend a lot of money in advertising because your customers will become your best marketing tools through their words of mouth. Several studies have shown that the average person is connected to more than 100 persons, which means that every customer you have is a doorway to 100 more customers! So, if you know how to get your customers talk about your business to their acquaintances, then you will have access to a massive network that you can tap into to generate new sales.

→ Number 4: We must be honest. No business can run indefinitely if it is based on corrupt or dishonest practices. We all know that, so I will just mention two things here: a) honesty should be the foundation of everything we do, including our advertising: we should not make misleading or inflated claims; and b) If we are dishonest with the little we have, then we will not be trusted with more.

→ Number 5: We must be fair. As Deuteronomy 25:13-16 commands us, we are not supposed to be unfair or unjust. We are to treat everybody the same, with the same love, care and attention. We should not be “nice” just to those who are rich or powerful. Because if we do so, we will come to poverty as Proverbs 22:16 shows us.

→ Number 6: We must be prudent. Being prudent means that we get our cash inflows and outflows in order so that we are not spending more than we are earning. It means that we do not change our car every couple of years or hurry up to get the latest iphone. It also means that we borrow prudently, if at all. Borrowing is not something forbidden for Christians, but the Bible makes it clear that the borrower is a slave to the lender (Proverbs 22:7) and that we should be lenders rather than borrowers (Deuteronomy 15:6, 28:12 or Matthew 5:42). Being in debt is not a sin per se, but it can spiral out of control very quickly. In fact, we cannot find one single case in the entire Bible where God provided to His people through a loan. It’s very telling, isn’t it?

→ Number 7: We must be shrewd. Being shrewd means that we are astute, creative, and resourceful. It also means that we use our businesses for the glory of our Lord. Oftentimes, we do not have to preach to people to win them for Christ. We just need to be real Christians, to demonstrate our faith by living our faith, and to let who we are speak for what we believe. When people see that we live by faith and not by fear, that our marriages, our kids, and our business are going from victory to victory, year after year, they will naturally want to know what’s our secret. They will then be ready to hear the good news of Jesus Christ. Let me tell you here that Jesus invites us in Luke 16:9 to use our worldly wealth to gain friends for ourselves. As His ambassadors, our main mission here is to be lights and channels of God’s love. If we are, then we should not worry, God will take care of our finances.

Being shrewd also means that we can see the opportunity when others only see the difficulty. In other words, when the going gets tough, the tough get going!

→ Number 8: We must be great stewards. Are you savers, givers, spenders or self-spoilers, meaning that you spend most of your money (or worse someone else money) on yourselves. Well, to be great stewards, we need to be all of these at the same time! Firstly, we need to give 10% of our money to the Body Of Christ plus offerings on top of it. Paying our tithe only shows that we are obedient, which is great. However, God wants to see where we invest the other 90% that He leaves for us to manage: in His kingdom or in that of Satan. Now, the more we plant in God’s kingdom, the more we shall receive. This is confirmed by 2 Corinthians 9:6. What matters is not the absolute amount we give, but the percentage of our wealth that we invest in the kingdom of God. You see, we can reap an abundant harvest from a small nominal seed if it represents a significant proportion of our wealth!

Being great stewards also means that we save about 10% of what we earn. In fact, if we follow the 10/10/10 principles (10% in tithe, 10% for offerings, 10% for savings), then we will increasingly live in financial abundance as times passes by. Not able to start with 10%? Then begin with 3% if that’s the maximum that you can do for the time being and increase that percentage as soon as you can. What is key is that you continuously plant as many financial seeds as you can.

Some words of caution: Many Christians pay their tithes and saved their 10%, but do not plant seeds through freewill offerings. However, without planting seeds, they won’t get an extra harvest.

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We love you and want to give you now an opportunity to start changing your future. We will reveal shortly a link where you can plant a financial seed in SRL Ministries. We will invest your seed in one of our ministries. Just know that if you do not plant a seed now, then you will be missing a big opportunity to activate a financial miracle in your life. Our faith muscles are developed by hearing the Word of God and going through trials. However, financial blessings are activated by planting seeds and nurturing them.

In 1 Kings 17:8-16, we hear the story of a widow that needed a big miracle to happen in her life. God knew that. He had compassion for her… but he was waiting for her to demonstrate her faith by planting a seed before moving in. She basically had to make Elisha a cake even though she had little to eat herself. However, by making the cake and giving it to Elisha, she planted a big seed… And God moved in. As a result, she was able to feed herself and her family for days.

Isn’t our God a god of more than enough? Oh yes, and He wants to bless you, but you have to kick start the harvest production process. Elisha was not greedy. He knew that God was not moved by needs (otherwise He would long have ensured that her needs had been met), but by faith. He simply gave her an opportunity to demonstrate her faith by planting a seed. And that’s exactly what we are doing now for you. God wants to bless you beyond what you imagine in your boldest dream. However, it’s going to take some faith actions from you. Do not waste more time: plant your seed now by clicking on the following link: "Yes, I want to plant a financial seed now."

You planted a seed? Then, we are proud of you: in due season you shall reap a harvest if you keep watering your seed with your faith. Now, be aware that Satan did not like that you planted a financial seed. So do not be surprised if things seem to go worse for a while. He may launch an attack on you and try to convince you that you were dumb to plant a seed. He will want you to doubt that you will ever get a return on your seed. Just keep your faith muscles flexed during the attack. Do not listen to Him. The storm will subside. When it does, you will see that He was a liar and trying to steal your blessing as John 10:10 shows us. Do not doubt: God will not fail you. If you pass the attack test, you might even receive double what you would have normally received. Yes, God may give you double for your trouble as He did for Job!

He is married since 1995 to Barbara, and they are the parents of two children.

GOD CAN BLESS US EVEN DURING A CRISIS!

Wed, 30 Nov 2011 2:42:08 AM EST

Can God truly bless us during a crisis? Yes, absolutely. We cannot doubt that. In Luke 1:37 we read: “For nothing is impossible with God.” And Romans 8:28 tells us that “in ALL things God works for the good of those who love Him.” So, if God allows a crisis to hit us, it is because it will ultimately turn out to be a blessing to us.

→ Let us look at an example of this in the Bible. We know that the Israelites had to cross a desert in order to reach their Promised Land after they crossed the red sea. This was a major crisis, and it lasted quite a long time in the end: 40 years to be exact instead of the planned 11 days. However, did they lack anything during all this time? No! Even in the middle of the dessert, where nothing grows, where there's no water, where the heat of the sun is so strong that it will burn you and the nights are so cold, that you can freeze to death, God ensured that they had warmth at night, shade during the day, water in abundance, a delicious meal called manna and even meat to eat! Do you know what this means for you and me? That even if we have to go through a period of scarcity in the years to come we will have everything we need. We may not have luxury items, but everything that we need we will have and even more! Yes, God will give us seeds that we can plant to prepare a harvest when the new season of abundance comes!

→ Let's look at another crisis in the Bible. It was a crisis much bigger than the one Greece is facing today, because many people in Greece don't have a job, but the Israelites had no food to eat. There was a famine throughout the land, and the Israelites and many other people were facing death! And what happened? God had devised the solution years before the famine even started! Joseph, His faithful servant, was brought to Egypt as a slave. He was then even imprisoned for a crime that he had not committed. Yet, at the right time, God catapulted him to Vice President of Egypt. Why? So that people would know how the manage the 7 abundant years that would precede the 7 terrible years of famine that were coming. Thanks to the caring hand of God and the faithfulness of Joseph, the Israelites were not only saved but started to prosper so much after the famine that they grew from a group of about 70 people to a great nation of several million people! Isn’t our God a great loving god?

For us the lesson is this: when faced with a crisis, we have to trust God 100%. Our job is not to complain, or get mad at God, or feel sorry for ourselves, or go crazy, or become desperate, or lose our faith. No! Our job is to keep our faith stronger than ever, to be content with what we have, to continue to walk in obedience and have an attitude of faith, gratitude and perseverance and to plant seeds with our time and money. Then, we will successfully go through any crisis that hits our lives.

What we must remember is that a crisis is always a blessing (or more exactly a series of blessings) in disguise. Why? Because it is often during a crisis that our character get strengthened, that we eliminate bad habits, that we let go of some destructive items of our past, that we use our creative capabilities, and that we come closer to God. To shorten our time in the “desert”, all we have to do is to be careful with our attitudes. Indeed, if we do not have the right attitudes, then we will spend much more time in the desert than necessary, and we can only blame ourselves for this curse.

The bare truth is that God can bless us in ALL situations. When it seems that we are being punished, it is not Him who is punishing us, but we. The curse that we operate under is the fruit of the (wrong) choices that we made. God has told us what we need to do to be blessed: to put Him first and to honor Him in ALL our ways. If we follow His commands, we will always have what we need and even more. However, if we decide to follow our own commands, then we will often come to lack such precious things such as peace, joy and love, and receive large trucks of boxes of loneliness, fear, frustrations, depression, and sickness to mention just a few.

The way a crisis impacts us depends entirely upon us, on how we react to it. We can see only the problems it generates or the opportunities that it creates as well. It is up to us what we see and choose to focus on. The next time you go through a crisis, remember that it is a blessing in disguise. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you find it. Once you have, thank God for He has just taken you to a new level of abundance!

He is married since 1995 to Barbara, and they are the parents of two children.