SAM HONIBALL BLOG

2011 YOUR ELEVATOR YEAR

2011-02-14T10:45:00.005+02:00

The Bible teaches two very important truths about your destiny. THE FIRST ONE IS GOD’S DESTINY FOR MY LIFE IS GOOD. A lot of times people think their destiny is bad, it’s negative, it’s bitter. But the Bible says in JEREMIAH 29:11 “FOR I KNOW THE PLANS I HAVE FOR YOU, DECLARES THE LORD. PLANS TO PROSPER YOU AND NOT HARM YOU. PLANS TO GIVE YOU HOPE AND A FUTURE.” He says my plan, my destiny for your life is a good plan.

Secondly God says YOUR DESTINY IS YOUR CHOICE. Look at this verse, DEUTERONOMY 30:15-19 “I SET BEFORE YOU TODAY LIFE AND PROSPERITY, OR DEATH AND DESTRUCTION… IF YOU LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD AND YOU WALK IN HIS WAYS, AND YOU KEEP HIS COMMANDS, THEN YOU'LL LIVE AND YOU'LL INCREASE, AND THE LORD YOUR GOD WILL BLESS YOU IN THE LAND THAT YOU ARE ENTERING TO POSSESS.”

If you want to possess your destiny you’re going to have to do THREE THINGS. They’re all in this very important chapter called Joshua chapter 1.

1. PREPARE A PLAN

That’s it. He said you’ve got to prepare a plan. The future belongs to the person who plans for it and who prepares for it. First, YOU’RE NEVER GOING TO POSSESS YOUR FUTURE IF YOU’RE STUCK IN THE PAST. You’re never going to prepare and possess your destiny if you’re always looking backwards. The first thing God has to say to Joshua is MOSES IS DEAD. WHAT DO YOU NEED TO BURY IN YOUR LIFE? WHAT DO YOU NEED TO LET GO OF? PSALM 20:4 “MAY HE [GOD] GIVE YOU THE DESIRE OF YOUR HEART AND MAKE ALL YOUR PLANS SUCCEED.”

God says I want to give you the desire of your heart. I want to make your plans succeed. Here’s the problem: God can’t make your plans succeed if you’ve never made any.

2. I MUST BUILD MY LIFE COMPLETELY ON GOD’S WORD

This is the second promise of success. God says if you’re going to be successful in the destiny I’ve planned for you, you’ve got to get into the Word and not just study it. Notice what he says here in JOSHUA 1:7-8 “BUT BE CAREFUL TO OBEY ALL THE LAW MY SERVANT MOSES GAVE YOU; DO NOT TURN FROM IT TO THE RIGHT OR TO THE LEFT, THAT YOU MAY BE SUCCESSFUL WHEREVER YOU GO. STUDY THIS BOOK OF THE LAW CONTINUALLY; MEDITATE ON IT DAY AND NIGHT, SO THAT YOU MAY BE CAREFUL TO DO EVERYTHING WRITTEN IN IT. THEN YOU WILL BE PROSPEROUS AND SUCCESSFUL.” THE SCRIPTURE IS THE KEY TO SUCCESS. It’s all right here. God’s will is in God’s Word. You want to know God’s will for your life? God’s will is in God’s Word.

3. TO POSSESS MY DESTINY I MUST COURAGEOUSLY STEP OUT IN FAITH

It’s interesting that three times in this chapter, Joshua 1, they’re getting ready to go in the Promised Land. They’re going to cross the Jordan River. Three times God says this phrase “BE STRONG AND COURAGEOUS…BE STRONG AND COURAGEOUS… BE STRONG AND COURAGEOUS…” God says it to him in verse 6 and in verse 7 and in verse 9.

JOSHUA 1:9 “JOSHUA, HAVE I NOT COMMANDED YOU TO DO THIS? SO BE STRONG AND COURAGEOUS. DO NOT BE AFRAID OR DISCOURAGED, FOR THE LORD YOUR GOD WILL BE WITH YOU WHEREVER YOU GO.”

NOTICE THE WORDS “AFRAID,” AND “DISCOURAGED,” YOU NEED TO BE AWARE THAT THOSE ARE THE TWO ENEMIES THAT ARE GOING TO KEEP YOU FROM FULFILLING YOUR DESTINY. They’re the two things that will cause you to miss your destiny – fear and discouragement. Why? Because fear keeps you from starting and discouragement keeps you from finishing. THE FIRST STEP IS ALWAYS THE SCARIEST.

Let me ask you a very personal question. WHAT’S YOUR JORDAN RIVER? WHAT’S THE BIG THING YOU’VE GOT TO CROSS, THAT BIG BARRIER, THAT BIG HURDLE, THAT YOU’VE GOT TO GET TO IN ORDER TO REACH YOUR DESTINY?

Nobody remembers the guys who said it can’t be done! Only Joshua and Caleb came back and said God is with us, God’s promised, he’s told us to do it. Let’s go after our destiny.

APPLY THESE THREE PRINCIPLES IN YOUR LIFE AND 2011 WILL BE YOUR ELEVATOR YEAR WHERE YOU GO TO THE NEXT LEVEL IN FULFILLING YOUR PURPOSE AND DESTINY!

WHAT MAKES YOU A SUCCESS?

2010-11-22T09:22:00.003+02:00

DO YOU BELIEVE THAT JESUS IS INTERESTED IN YOUR SUCCESS?

JESUS IS INFINITELY interested in your TOTAL WELL-BEING – In your family, career, marriage, ministry, fulfillment in life, and so the list just keeps on and on! Some think He has got the whole universe to run and is not interested in their miniscule problems and concerns. Remember IF IT BOTHERS YOU IT BOTHERS HIM!

DO YOU KNOW HOW IMPORTANT YOU ARE TO JESUS? He knows you perfectly, and yet accepts and loves you perfectly. That is truly undeserved favor from Jesus. Jesus' undeserved favor will protect, provide, prosper, deliver and bring restoration to you. PSALMS 35:27 “LET THE LORD BE MAGNIFIED, WHO HAS PLEASURE IN THE PROSPERITY OF HIS SERVANT.”

GOD'S UNMERITED FAVOR IS NOT A SUBJECT, IT'S A PERSON AND HIS NAME IS JESUS. The more you increase in the knowledge of our loving Savior Jesus Christ and His finished work at the cross, the more GOD'S UNMERITED FAVOR will manifest itself in your life. It will cause you to enjoy SUCCESS beyond your natural ability, intelligence and qualifications.

The worlds definition of success is based on what you have accomplished and accumulated but GOD'S DEFINITION is completely contrary to that.

DEFINITION: SUCCESS IS NOT WHAT YOU HAVE BUT RATHER WHO YOU HAVE. It's the presence of the Lord in your life that makes you a success. We need to stop pursuing things and start pursuing God – that is the only thing that you need for every success in your life.

CAN YOU IMAGINE A WORSE PLACE than JOSEPH – completely naked, no bank accounts, no qualifications, no family, no connections – BUT he had God. That can give someone HOPE today, your situation might be as bad as it can get – BUT if GOD is WITH YOU and you believe in His POWER and PRESENCE in your life you are already a SUCCESS!

Joseph knew the source of his success, favor and blessing was not his employer but the Lord himself and he was not willing to compromise that. DON'T EVALUATE GOD'S PRESENCE AND FAVOR ON YOUR CIRCUMSTACES Joseph refuses her advances and she maliciously accuses him of trying to rape her.

Joseph goes to jail but keeps his focus on the Lord and not his circumstances – JUST LISTEN TO HIS DELIVERANCE:

GEN 39:21-23 BUT THE LORD WAS WITH JOSEPH AND SHOWED HIM MERCY, AND HE GAVE HIM FAVOR IN THE SIGHT OF THE KEEPER OF THE PRISON. ²² AND THE KEEPER OF THE PRISON COMMITTED TO JOSEPH’S HAND ALL THE PRISONERS WHO WERE IN THE PRISON; WHATEVER THEY DID THERE, IT WAS HIS DOING. ²³ THE KEEPER OF THE PRISON DID NOT LOOK INTO ANYTHING THAT WAS UNDER JOSEPH’S AUTHORITY, BECAUSE THE LORD WAS WITH HIM; AND WHATEVER HE DID, THE LORD MADE IT PROSPER.

YOUR LOWEST POINTS ARE LAUNCHING PADS TO GOD'S GREATEST PROMOTION:

Let's rewind the tape and watch GOD'S FINGERPRINTS:

If Joseph was not betrayed by his brothers, he would not have been a slave.
If he had not been sold as a slave, he would not have been in Potiphar's house,
If he was not in Potiphar's house he would not have landed up in an Egyptian prison to lay out the dreams of Pharaoh's officers.
If he did not interpret their dreams he could not interpret Pharaoh's dreams two years later.
If he had not interpreted Pharaoh's dreams he would not have been promoted to become the Prime Minister of the whole of Egypt.

THE SAME LORD THAT WAS WITH JOSEPH IS WITH YOU RIGHT NOW! YOU CANNOT FAIL! YOU CAN HAVE SUCCESS BEYOND YOUR PRESENT CIRCUMSTANCE.

PRACTICE JESUS' PRESENCE BY THANKING AND APPRECIATING HIM – One of the best ways to practice His Presence is to thank Him all the time for everything – there is no limit. Even when you have problems thank Him because He is bigger than any problem, WHAT YOU APPRECIATE APPRECIATES IN VALUE IN YOUR LIFE.

God wants you to succeed and with His presence you can. His grace and favor will swing open doors of opportunity and position you for blessing even if you lack the qualifications.

FALLING FROM GRACE

2010-11-15T15:05:00.001+02:00

GAL. 5:4b ..., YOU WHO ATTEMPT TO BE JUSTIFIED BY LAW; YOU HAVE FALLEN FROM GRACE. ANY LEGAL SYSTEM PUTS YOU UNDER BONDAGE, and you have to follow it meticulously. Getting a TICKET FOR SPEEDING is an illustration. IT WILL CORRECT YOUR FUTURE BEHAVIOR. You become bound to obey. It hurts to have to pay a fine, and we don't want to hurt. It is an example of legalism that we all understand.

THIS IS WHAT IT MEANS TO FALL FROM GRACE: YOU ARE SAVED BY FAITH, THEN YOU DROP DOWN TO A LAW LEVEL TO LIVE.

We are not to live by law at all. THE LAW PRINCIPLE IS NOT THE RULE FOR CHRISTIAN LIVING. Paul is saying that since we have been saved by grace we are to continue on in this way of living. GRACE SUPPLIES THE INDWELLING AND FILLING OF THE SPIRIT TO ENABLE US TO LIVE ON A HIGHER PLANE THAN LAW DEMANDED.

WE CAN USE THE TEN COMMANDMENTS AS A LAW OF LIFE, BUT WE ARE CALLED TO A HIGHER LEVEL TO LIVE. THAT LEVEL IS WHERE THERE IS LIBERTY IN CHRIST. I have a liberty in Jesus Christ, and that liberty is not a rule, but a principle. It is that I am to please Him. MY CONDUCT SHOULD BE TO PLEASE JESUS CHRIST -- not to please you, not to please any organization, but only to please Him. That is the liberty that we have in the Lord Jesus Christ. "AND DO NOT BE ENTANGLED AGAIN WITH A YOKE OF BONDAGE."

CIRCUMCISION WAS THE BADGE OF THE LAW. A badge indicates to what organization or lodge you belong. Paul says that if you so much as put on the BADGE OF THE LAW, which is circumcision, THEN CHRIST DOES NOT PROFIT YOU ANYTHING. Now notice carefully what Paul is saying. IF YOU TRUST CHRIST PLUS SOMETHING ELSE YOU ARE NOT SAVED. If you go so far as to be circumcised, which is only the badge of the Law, or if you go through some other experience and rest your salvation on that, "CHRIST SHALL PROFIT YOU NOTHING."

There are three methods of trying to live the Christian life -- two of them will not work. One is a LIFE OF LEGALISM, which Paul has been discussing. The other is the LIFE OF LICENSE, which Paul discussed in Romans 6: AFTER WE ARE SAVED BY GRACE, CAN WE LIVE IN SIN? Paul's answer is, "GOD FORBID." You can't live in sin and be a Christian. Now you may fall into sin, but you will get out of it. The Christian life is neither the life of LEGALISM nor the life of LICENSE. The third method of living the Christian life is THE LIFE OF LIBERTY. IT IS GRACE, NOT LAW, THAT FREES US FROM DOING WRONG AND ALLOWS US TO DO RIGHT. Grace does not set us free to sin, but it sets us free from sin. You see, the believer should desire to please God, not because he must please Him like a slave, but because he is a son and he wills to please his Father

GAL 5:16 I SAY THEN: WALK IN THE SPIRIT, AND YOU SHALL NOT FULFILL THE LUST OF THE FLESH. The verb is literally translated, “KEEP ON WALKING.” As a believer walks through life he should depend on the indwelling Holy Spirit for guidance and power. But the Spirit does not operate automatically in a believer’s heart. He waits to be depended on. When a Christian does yield to the Spirit’s control, the promise is that he will not in anywise gratify the desires of the sinful nature.

LET US NOT BE LIKE AN EAGLE SCRATCHING IN THE DIRT WITH THE CHICKENS WHILE WE ARE CALLED TO SOAR IN THE HEAVENS.

HOW 2 PRAY 4 THE IMPOSSIBLE

2010-08-14T11:50:00.004+02:00

PRAYER MOVES THE HAND THAT MOVES THE WORLD. We read in MATTHEW 19:26b JESUS SAID UNTO THEM,... WITH MEN THIS IS IMPOSSIBLE; BUT WITH GOD ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE. So there must be a way that WE CAN LEARN TO PRAY FOR THE IMPOSSIBLE

One of the MAJOR THEMES which emerges from the book of Nehemiah is PRAYER. The book opens and closes with prayer. There are 12 PRAYERS recorded in the book of Nehemiah. Nehemiah realized THERE ARE MANY THINGS YOU CAN DO AFTER YOU PRAY, BUT THERE IS NOTHING YOU CAN DO UNTIL YOU PRAY!

IF WE TOOK 1% OF THE ENERGY WE PUT INTO TRYING TO MAKE THINGS HAPPEN AND INVESTED THAT INTO PRAYER, WE WOULD SEE AN EXPONENTIAL INCREASE IN BLESSINGS!

Nehemiah is a book about building a work for God, and BEHIND EVERY GREAT WORK OF GOD THERE IS SOMEWHERE A KNEELING FIGURE. All of heaven's power becomes focused on the work of God when the people of God are willing to WEEP, PRAY, AND FAST for that which is truly important in this life.

The Jews were being held in captivity by Artaxerxes, the Babylonian King, and their release seemed impossible. And the destruction of Jerusalem also seemed to be a situation far beyond comprehension, and rebuilding it and its walls even less likely. But GOD DOES HIS BEST WORK, IN IMPOSSIBLE CIRCUMSTANCES! ...we serve the God of the impossible!

Nehemiah was the cup-bearer, just an ordinary guy with a regular testimony for the Lord...and it was just your average day when he heard about the rebuilding of the temple, and of the need to do the same with the walls which once surrounded the city, which now stood in heaps. The gates were burned with fire. The people there were discouraged and devastated in poverty. It broke Nehemiah's heart. He began to weep and pray and fast over it.

Nehemiah hears about this impossible situation. He is down but not out. Depressed but not defeated. He has a faith outlook. God's people are not helpless in the face of problems. We do not have to sit idly by and just accept whatever life deals our way. A good Christian sees an opportunity in every difficulty! But every miracle God ever performed started out with a problem. Jesus didn't do miracles to make good things better. He did miracles to make bad things good. He righted wrongs and fixed broken things. Problems are opportunities for God to show Himself strong.

Nehemiah's REACTION was weeping and dejection...like any of us humans. But fasting and prayer was his COUNTERACTION. God's people have a powerful tool at our disposal. It is a most powerful counteraction. It is the mighty weapon of prayer. We read in 2 CORINTHIANS 10:4 FOR THE WEAPONS OF OUR WARFARE ARE NOT CARNAL, BUT MIGHTY THROUGH GOD TO THE PULLING DOWN OF STRONG HOLDS;

THERE'S 2 TIMES TO PRAY AND GET INTO THE WORD: WHEN YOU FEEL LIKE IT AND WHEN YOU DON'T. JOSHUA 1:8 READS, THIS BOOK OF THE LAW SHALL NOT DEPART OUT OF THY MOUTH; BUT THOU SHALT MEDITATE THEREIN DAY AND NIGHT, THAT THOU MAYEST OBSERVE TO DO ACCORDING TO ALL THAT IS WRITTEN THEREIN: FOR THEN THOU SHALT MAKE THY WAY PROSPEROUS, AND THEN THOU SHALT HAVE GOOD SUCCESS.

When is the last time you prayed because you were brokenhearted and hurting? When is the last time you were burdened about someone's soul so much that you wept and prayed for them? When is the last time you bore the burden of a fellow Christian and took their request on your back so much that you helped carry that burden...and you carried it to God in prayer, believing you could 'pray it thru' for them? I'm talking about heartfelt concern.

"WE PRAY WITHOUT CRYING, WE GIVE WITHOUT SACRIFICING, WE LIVE WITHOUT FASTING...IS IT ANY WONDER THAT WE SOW WITHOUT REAPING?!" We are a dry eyed church in a hell bent world. "OUR EYES ARE DRY, OUR FAITH IS OLD, OUR HEART IS HARD, OUR PRAYERS ARE COLD."

Nehemiah never could have rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem until he wept over the ruins. THE BURDEN LED TO THE PRAYER THAT LED TO THE MIRACLE! YOU CANNOT HEAL WHAT YOU DO NOT FEEL. Tears are a language God understands. He is moved by what we are moved by. Not talking about the crocodile tears we can work up, but the genuine heartfelt burden that leads us to weep.

Nehemiah knew it was sin that led to the destruction of Jerusalem and her walls. And IT WOULD DO NO GOOD TO WEEP OVER THE RUINS IF HE WAS NOT WILLING TO REPENT OF THE SIN WHICH LED TO THOSE RUINS.

PSALM 66:18 says, IF I REGARD INIQUITY IN MY HEART, THE LORD WILL NOT HEAR ME: Is your life lying in ruins? Is sin to blame? Don't just cry over your plight. Make it right! God will give you back more for your repentance than you lost thru your sin!

If you have something impossible to pray about today and you need God to move in a BIG way. If you have a miracle need, always remember: MATTHEW 19:26b BUT JESUS ... SAID UNTO THEM, WITH MEN THIS IS IMPOSSIBLE; BUT WITH GOD ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE

DEMONS, DRAGONS AND DALMATION CHRISTIANS

2010-05-18T07:55:00.001+02:00

Let’s start off with three questions: Do demons exist? Do dragons exist? And what is a Dalmatian Christian?

In Deuteronomy 18:9-13 we read the account of the Israelites about to enter the Promised Land and God gives them very important advice for their survival.

If you want to enter your promised land and survive, there are three things you ought to know:

1. There are some things that are abominations to God. They are disgusting and hateful to Him.

2. Stay away from all occult practices, programs and movies. (E.g. reading Horoscopes, watching programs like Crossing Over and movies like Harry Potter)

3. If you don’t stay away from these practices you become full of spots and blemishes that are visible to the spiritual world. You get God against you. You loose spiritual power and satan and his demons can see you are a Dalmation Christian. Deuteronomy 18:13 (KJV) says: “You shall be perfect (without spot or blemish) with the Lord thy God.

In spite of God’s express command, the people of Canaan, especially the Philistines, were a constant snare and stumbling block to the Israelites, on account of their divinations and superstitious practices. Today with the present worldview and the media focus on the dark side it has also become a constant snare and stumbling block to many Christians.

WHERE DO DEMONS COME FROM?

Demons were angels who left their service of God during a rebellion in Heaven led by Satan. We read in,

Revelation 12:7-9 (NIV) And there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. 8 but he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. 9 the great dragon was hurled down – that ancient serpent called the devil, or satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.

Like angels, demons are spiritual beings. Jesus referred to them often as “evil spirits.” Demons serve Satan’s purposes, opposing the work and will of God in the world. They are powerful beings who can and do impact our lives. How?

· They inflict disease and physical suffering. Matthew 17:14-18 (niv)

· They cause mental torment.

· They incite to war, violence, and cruelty.

· They are the power behind false religions.

· They tempt and seduce believers to forsake the service of God.

Every person, Christian and non-Christian, is influenced by the demons in the world. The influence that they have over a person’s life ranges from the ordinary temptations at one end of the scale to near total control at the other end. Demons work on us to cause fear, doubt, despair, lust, greed, and hatred all the time. They attempt to skew our perception of reality and the work of God.

What we need to know is this: when a person is filled with the Holy Spirit of God the ability of demons to influence his life is curtailed. That is the point of the armor of God passage of EPHESIANS 6. As we put on Christ, His truth, His righteousness, His peace, and live in His presence... demons are defeated at every level in our lives! If we choose to live disobediently in willful sin, we create gaps in our defense becoming vulnerable to increasing levels of demonic influence. That is why the Word warns us, EPHESIANS 4:27 (NIV) “DO NOT GIVE THE DEVIL A FOOTHOLD.” We need to learn how to exercise the spiritual authority that belongs to us in Christ Jesus.

Demons know when YOU KNOW who you are in Christ and when you are full of the power of the Holy Spirit and they know when you’re not! (See Acts 19:13-18)

WE HAVE 3 GREAT WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION AGAINST SATAN:

Hebrews 3:1b (NKJV) Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our Confession, Christ Jesus,

· CONFESSING GODS WORD:

1. I am the righteousness of God – 2 Cor 5:21

2. Jesus’ blood covers my household – Ex 12:13, Acts 16:31.

3. No weapon formed aginst me shall prosper – Is 54:17

4. I can do all things through Christ – Phil 4:13

5. The weapons of my warfare is not carnal but mighty in God – 2 Cor 10:4

Revelation 12:11 And they overcame him by the blood of the lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.

· THE WORD OF OUR TESTIMONY

· THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB

Let’s keep ourselves free from spots and blemishes. This is the way to do it:

James 4:7-8a (NIV) Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come near to God and he will come near to you.

NO! AN ANOINTED WORD

2010-04-09T02:05:00.003+02:00

MATT 5:37 (GNT) JUST SAY ‘YES’ OR ‘NO’—ANYTHING ELSE YOU SAY COMES FROM THE EVIL ONEN HOW TO SAY NO!

Because of TOXIC THOUGHTS, often with their roots in childhood, we have this DISEASE TO PLEASE. We have PEOPLE PLEASING HABITS that often end up in APPROVAL ADDICTION. If you go down that road you soon realise there is A PRICE TO BEING NICE!

If we have this disease to please we want to avoid conflict at all costs. It is time the church of Jesus Christ rediscovered this very important, priceless word, this little or very powerful word.

Let as look at three places where we need to learn to say a strong NO!:

Denying satan (SAY NO TO A WANDERING MIND)
Denying others (SAY NO TO YOUR CHILDREN)
Denying self (SAY NO TO THE FLESH)

1. SAY NO! TO A WANDERING MIND

KING DAVID IS A PRIME EXAMPLE of someone that did not say no to a wandering mind and was later deeply grieved because he had not. The woman in this case cannot be blamed.

First of all David should have been out leading his men in the battle, instead of staying at home.

2 SAMUEL 11:1 (NKJV) IT HAPPENED IN THE SPRING OF THE YEAR, AT THE TIME WHEN KINGS GO OUT TO BATTLE, THAT DAVID SENT JOAB AND HIS SERVANTS WITH HIM, AND ALL ISRAEL; AND THEY DESTROYED THE PEOPLE OF AMMON AND BESIEGED RABBAH. BUT DAVID REMAINED AT JERUSALEM.

Secondly he should not have had so much idle time on his hands. Idle time almost always lead to devil time.

When he saw Batsheba bathing on the roof he should have yelled: NO mind! NO! but instead he let his mind wander and sent for her to come and visit him. As king he misused his authority to gratify his own flesh. To cover up the first sin he committed another – murder. He had her husband killed.

2. SAY NO! TO YOUR CHILDREN

Another area where people do not say NO often enough is to their children. Many great men throughout history have lost their anointing and sometimes their ministries because they did not raise their children according to biblical principles. One of those is found in the books of Samuel,

1 SAMUEL 2:12 (NKJV)NOW THE SONS OF ELI WERE CORRUPT; THEY DID NOT KNOW THE LORD.

Eli’s sons did not know God. Why not? Why did Eli not teach and train them up in the ways of the Lord? Why did he let them do whatever he wanted? He never learned to say NO to them.

3. SAY NO! TO THE FLESH

Our biblical example when it comes to saying no to the flesh is Samson in Judges chapter 16.

Samson was mightily used of God. When the anointing came on him, he had strength no one else had. He could easily beat the Philistines. He was so strong he could do anything he wanted to do. He was respected by everyone and feared by the Philistines.

He had a big problem, however. He could not say NO to the flesh. He liked beautiful women and he preferred pagan women. He could have had any girl he wanted among the Israelites but he wanted a foreign girl.

Samson could not say NO to the flesh and woke up one morning with his eyes poked out. He spent the rest of his life like a donkey grinding meal. Even though his death was a final triumph, his life was shortened and his work for the Lord defeated.

DID YOU KNOW THERE ARE DELILAHS ALL AROUND US. They want explanations for your NO so that the can trick you by your own words. They search for a crack in your words in order for your NO to become a yes.

Success is not built on how many times you say yes. Usually success is built on how many times you say A STRONG NO – AND STICK TO IT. A weak NO can so easily be turned into a YES.

Imagine we ALL … LEARNED TO SAY NO WITHOUT FEELING GUILTY. Your world and mine would look so much different. So let’s do it today, this week and in the weeks to come and we will all have so much more PEACE AND JOY!

LET US CLOSE WITH JAMES 5:12B (NKJV) BUT LET YOUR “YES” BE “YES,” AND YOUR “NO,” “NO,” LEST YOU FALL INTO JUDGMENT.

THE PASSION II

2010-03-23T17:01:00.002+02:00

JOHN 3:16 “FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON THAT WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM SHOULD NOT PERISH BUT HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE.”

That’s the most famous verse in the Bible. It’s often called the GOSPEL IN A NUTSHELL or CHRISTIANITY SUMMARIZED.

If you were only going to memorize one verse in the entire Bible this would be the one I would recommend – John 3:16 – because it is the gospel – the Good News – summarized. In fact, you can even see the word “gospel” spelled out. Notice the letters “God’s … only …Son…perished… eternal… life “– which spells “gospel.”

This verse explains why God created you, put you on this earth, why Jesus Christ died for you, and how you can have a ticket to heaven. It’s all there.

I want you to notice first of all there are 25 WORDS in this verse – John 3:16. The MIDDLE WORD, THE THIRTEENTH WORD IS THE WORD “SON” talking about Jesus Christ. The FIRST HALF of the verse is ALL ABOUT GOD. “For God so love the word that He gave His only begotten.” Then there’s “Son” in the middle. And the LAST TWELVE WORDS ARE ALL ABOUT MAN. “That whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” That in itself is a picture. Jesus Christ came from heaven to earth to be the bridge between God and man so we could know what God is like.

You need to realize how much God loves you. It all starts with you understanding how amazingly extravagantly God loves you. A lot of people think God is mad at them. GOD IS NOT MAD AT YOU. HE’S MAD ABOUT YOU.

“God is love.” It doesn’t say He has love. It says He is love. It is His nature. It is His essence. “God is love.” The Bible says that He created everything to be objects of His love, including you.

“FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD”. His love is extravagant. It is lavish. It is beyond comprehension. In fact, you will never, ever be able to understand fully how much God loves you because you don’t have the brain capacity. It’d be like an ant trying to understand the Internet.

When Jesus Christ was nailed to the cross with His arms outstretched He was saying to you, “I love you this much! I love you this much! So much it hurts.” Even if you were the only person who had ever lived on earth, Jesus Christ still would have come to earth and died for you. That’s how much He loves you.

Notice – this is very, very important. It’s not what you do that gets you into heaven. It’s what Jesus Christ already did. That’s the only way. It’s not what you do. It’s what Jesus Christ already did.

Let me give you a little quick history in world religions. You can summarize them all in one word – DO. They just have different items on their to do lists. The difference between religion and Jesus Christ and what He said is this: It’s nothing you do. It’s already been done.

Here’s the problem. A lot of people know about Jesus, but they don’t know Him. Many people are going to miss heaven by A FEW MILLIMETRES because they got it in their head but they don’t have it in their heart. They now about Him. They believe He’s the Son of God. But they don’t trust Him with their lives. Jesus died for you so you could have a relationship with Him. God made you for a purpose and the number one part of that purpose is to get to know and love and trust God.

In the movie The Passion of the Christ one of the most graphic scenes is when Pilate, the governor of Judea, walks out in front of an entire mob and he asks the single most important question in history. He asks, “What will you do with Jesus?”

I’m asking you that question right now. What will you do with Jesus? It is the most important question you will ever be asked in your life. It not only determines the rest of your life but where you’ll spend eternity: What will you do with Jesus?

PSALM 34:8 (MES) “OPEN YOUR EYES AND SEE HOW GOOD GOD IS.”

THE PASSION I

2010-03-18T08:28:00.002+02:00

JOHN 14:6 "I AM THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE. NO ONE CAN GET TO GOD THE FATHER EXCEPT BY MEANS OF ME."

How is it something could happen 2010 years ago, approximately, and still have an effect today? What does it mean? A lot of people say, "I believe in the resurrection. I just don't understand it." George Gallup did a pole and said that even 84% of the people who never go to church, believe that Jesus rose from the dead. It's an historical fact. It wasn't done in secret. The whole city of Jerusalem knew about it and eventually the whole Roman Empire. It was news. If CNN had been there, they would have had it live. There are at least 15 historical references to Jesus meeting people, touching people, talking with people. One time He cooked breakfast for some people. One time He talked to about 500 people after He had risen from the dead. A lot of people saw Him.

Even if you don't believe Jesus Christ is who He said He was, you still use Him as a reference point. Every time you write a check, every time you date a contract, every time you put down an appointment in your little blue book what's the reference point? 2010 years from what? Jesus came to earth. God came to earth in the form of a man so we could know what God is like. His name was Jesus Christ. He split all of history into A.D. and B.C. Every time you write a date, Jesus is the reference point.

Because Jesus did rise, He is who He said He was, He has the power He said He had and He kept the promises that He made.

The number one complaint from people today is "My life is out of control."

"I feel powerless change the situation...

I feel powerless to break a bad habit...

I feel powerless to save a relationship...

I feel powerless to get out of debt...

I feel powerless to manage my time and my schedule."

What you need is a power greater than yourself. You were never meant to live this life just on your own power. God wants to have a relationship with you. EPHESIANS 1:20 (LB) "HOW INCREDIBLY GREAT IS HIS POWER TO HELP THOSE WHO BELIEVE HIM, THE SAME MIGHTY POWER THAT RAISED CHRIST FROM THE DEAD." The same power than enabled Jesus to rise from death will help you rise above your problems.

Why does the resurrection matter? Because my past can be forgiven, my present can be managed, and my future can be secured.

God wants to say to you today, "You matter to Me. I understand everything about your life. I know you. I made you, you matter to Me. I want to have a relationship to you. I sent My Son to die for you. I want you to get to know Me."

DIVINE HEALING is 4U!

2010-03-16T09:26:00.002+02:00

MARK 16:17-18 AND THESE SIGNS SHALL FOLLOW THEM THAT BELIEVE; …; 18…; THEY SHALL LAY HANDS ON THE SICK, AND THEY SHALL RECOVER.

THE ABC’S OF A DIVINE HEALING MINISTRY

A – AVAILABILITY

2 CHRON 16:9 FOR THE EYES OF THE LORD RUN TO AND FRO THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE EARTH, TO SHEW HIMSELF STRONG IN THE BEHALF OF THEM WHOSE HEART IS PERFECT TOWARD HIM.

JAMES 4:17 THEREFORE TO HIM THAT KNOWETH TO DO GOOD AND DOETH IT NOT, TO HIM IT IS SIN.

B – BOLD BELIEVING

PROV 28:1 THE WICKED FLEE WHEN NO MAN PURSUETH: BUT THE RIGHTEOUS ARE BOLD AS A LION.

EPH 3:11B-12 …CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD: IN WHOM WE HAVE BOLDNESS AND ACCESS WITH CONFIDENCE BY THE FAITH OF HIM.

C – COMPASSION

MATT 14:14 AND JESUS WENT FORTH, AND SAW A GREAT MULTITUDE, AND WAS MOVED WITH COMPASSION TOWARD THEM, AND HE HEALED THEIR SICK.

MATT 20:34 SO JESUS HAD COMPASSION ON THEM, AND TOUCHED THEIR EYES: AND IMMEDIATELY THEIR EYES RECEIVED SIGHT, AND THEY FOLLOWED HIM.

HEALING 101

GET TENACIOUS AND GET FED UP WITH THE WORKS OF THE DEVIL. Understand that all sickness, torment, pain, etc. is from the devil and is illegal when you encounter it because of Christ in you. JOHN 10:10 (ESV) THE THIEF COMES ONLY TO STEAL AND KILL AND DESTROY. I CAME THAT THEY MAY HAVE LIFE AND HAVE IT ABUNDANTLY. The Word says that the devil came to steal, kill, and destroy, and that Jesus came to give abundant life. WE ARE THE DISPENSERS OF THAT ABUNDANT LIFE IF WE WILL CHOOSE TO BE!
NEVER TELL SOMEONE THAT GOD MIGHT BE TRYING TO TEACH THEM A LESSON IN THEIR SUFFERING. Jesus NEVER did this. Think about it like this: If you had a child, would you throw them onto a highway to teach them not to play in traffic? Of course not. So why would a good God give someone cancer to teach them to be humble? You can’t give someone something you don’t have. There is no cancer or sickness or pain or torment or suffering in heaven. How can God give us something He does not have?
GOD IS GOOD AND IN A GOOD MOOD, ALL THE TIME. Emphasize this to the person receiving prayer. GOD = GOOD. DEVIL = BAD. LET’S NOT GET CONFUSED HERE.
DON’T ASK GOD IF IT’S HIS WILL TO HEAL SOMEONE. One of His names is JEHOVAH-ROPHE, the God who heals you. It’s His name, it’s His nature, it’s His will. Jesus healed everybody
ACTS 10:38 (ESV) HOW GOD ANOINTED JESUS OF NAZARETH WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT AND WITH POWER. HE WENT ABOUT DOING GOOD AND HEALING ALL WHO WERE OPPRESSED BY THE DEVIL, FOR GOD WAS WITH HIM.
We get to partner with Him to release what He already loves to do!
DON’T ASK HIM TO HEAL THE PERSON…He told you to do it! How awesome is our God?!
MATT 10:8 (ESV) HEAL THE SICK, RAISE THE DEAD, CLEANSE LEPERS, CAST OUT DEMONS. YOU RECEIVED WITHOUT PAYING; GIVE WITHOUT PAY.
COMMAND THE SICKNESS OR PAIN TO LEAVE IN JESUS’ NAME AND CONTINUE TO DO SO UNTIL IT DOES. DO NOT BACK DOWN! The devil is very patient and is much more willing to stick it out in a fight with us if he knows that we’ll give up before he does.
RELEASE THE PRESENCE OF GOD AND HIS GOODNESS INTO THE PERSON’S BODY. (i.e. “I command all sickness/pain to leave this body in Jesus’ name and in it’s place I release the goodness of God and His Kingdom.”)
ASK THE PERSON AFTER YOU TELL THE SICKNESS OR PAIN TO LEAVE HOW THEY ARE FEELING. I usually ask, “On a scale from 1-10, if 10 is 100% better, how are you feeling now?”
ALWAYS THANK GOD FOR WHAT HE HAS BEGUN TO DO, even if the person is only feeling a little better. Thankfulness releases more of God’s presence into the situation and in most cases will unlock further breakthrough. Pray again after verbally thanking God for what He has started and that He never left anybody half-way healed.
NEVER BLAME THE PERSON FOR NOT HAVING ENOUGH FAITH TO BE HEALED IF NOTHING HAPPENS. Lazarus didn’t have any faith to be healed—Jesus had enough faith for Him, so should we! Jesus always acknowledged faith in the other person but it was NEVER necessary. Jesus knew who He was–a man who was not under the curse of sin (just like us because of His blood) who was in right relationship with the Father (just like us because of Jesus).
HAVE FUN! God is good and loves when His children believe His Word! WE NEED TO STOP READING WHAT WE BELIEVE IN THE BIBLE AND START BELIEVING WHAT WE READ! ”BELIEVERS WILL LAY HANDS ON THE SICK AND THEY…SHALL RECOVER!” It’s His reputation on the line…not yours. So start laying hands on people and destroy the works of the evil. (knock the devil out of them!)

BE A DOER OF THE WORD. READ THE SCRIPTURE AND START HEALING THE PEOPLE YOU GET IN CONTACT WITH. HAVE FUN! God is good and loves when His children believe His Word!

PASSION 4 GOD

2010-03-02T16:30:00.003+02:00

One day a man walks up to Jesus and he says, "LORD, WHAT’S THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IN THE BIBLE?" Jesus said, "I want you to love God with all your heart and soul and mind and strength. Nothing matters more than that. That’s the number one thing in life. I want you to love Me passionately." NOTHING ELSE MATTERS IN LIFE IF YOU DON’T LOVE GOD PASSIONATELY. God doesn’t want you to love Him half-heartedly. He wants you to love Him with all your heart and all your soul and all your mind and all your strength. I love the paraphrase of that verse, Mark 12:30, from The Message "Jesus said, ’LOVE THE LORD GOD WITH ALL YOUR PASSION AND PRAYER AND INTELLIGENCE AND ENERGY." The word "passion". in Greek, is the word "heart." God is saying I want you to PUT SOME ENERGY, PUT SOME EMOTION INTO YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH ME. Don’t be a wimp about your relationship with Me. Don’t be half-hearted. Give it all you’ve got. Jesus is saying, "If you’re going to follow Me, you’ve got to do it with passion. I want you to live passionately."

The CREATIVE FORCE BEHIND ALL great art, all great drama, all great music, all great architecture, all great writing is passion. Nothing great is ever accomplished in life without passion. Passion makes the impossible possible. Passion gives you a reason to get up in the morning and go, "I’m going to do something with my life today." Without passion life becomes boring. It becomes monotonous. God created you with the emotions to have passion in your life and He wants you to live a passionate life.

Here’s the amazing thing. It’s ok to be passionate about anything except God. That is not politically correct -- to be passionate about God. When I jump up and dance around and wave my hands in the air at a game people go, "HE’S A REAL FAN!" If I do that in church people say, "HE’S A FANATIC! He’s a nut case." You don’t want to get too emotional about your faith.

SO HOW DO I DO IT? HOW DO I PLUG INTO GOD? How do I have this living, vital, daily relationship with God that keeps my spirit nourished? The starting point is to remember how God feels about you. You know it but you forget it. Did you know that God is hopelessly in love with you? The reason that you’re not passionate about God is you have forgotten how passionate God is about you. EXODUS 31:14 "YOU MUST WORSHIP ONLY THE LORD, FOR HE IS A GOD WHO IS PASSIONATE ABOUT HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH YOU." Did you know that? Did you know that God is passionate about you? He made you to love you. You were created as an object of His love. The more you understand how God is passionate about you, the more passionate you’re going to get about God. When you forget how much God loves you, you start blowing Him off and going, "Forget it! I’ve got other things. There’s a good movie on TV tonight."

How do we know that God is passionate about us? The proof is the cross. Jesus stretched out His hands and they nailed Him to the cross and He was in essence saying, "I’d rather die than live without you. That’s how passionate I am about My creation. I made you. I love you. And I’d rather die than live without you."

In fact, the suffering of Jesus on the cross - His Passion. What is a passion play? It is drama that depicts the suffering of Jesus Christ. Jesus never wanted us to forget what He did for us on the cross. So He gave us the symbol of communion. He said, "When you take communion I want you to remember My passion. I WANT YOU TO REMEMBER HOW PASSIONATE I AM ABOUT YOU."

SHARE THE GOOD NEWS

2010-02-22T11:33:00.004+02:00

ACTS 20:24 (NCV) “THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS THAT I COMPLETE MY MISSION, THE WORK THAT THE LORD JESUS GAVE ME TO TELL PEOPLE THE GOOD NEWS ABOUT GOD’S GRACE.”

That’s your mission. Somebody told you. You’ve got to tell other people. We’re to pass it on. There’s a word for this. It’s the word “EVANGELISM.” Evangelism is just the Greek word for “GOOD NEWS.” So we’re to share the good news. We are to pass on to others what we have heard.

You don’t have to defend God. You don’t have to be a salesman for God. He says, “I WANT YOU TO BE MY WITNESS.” What’s a witness do? All they do is say, “THIS IS WHAT I SAW... THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED TO ME…” IT’S SHARING WITH OTHERS WHAT GOD HAS DONE IN YOUR LIFE.

Tell your friends. Tell your relatives. Tell your neighbors. Tell anybody who crosses your path. Tell your co-workers. Tell the paper delivery boy. Tell the guy who fills your car with petrol. Tell the clerk, the person at the supermarket.

THERE ARE ONLY TWO THINGS YOU CANNOT DO IN HEAVEN. ONE OF THEM IS SIN BECAUSE THERE’S NO SIN IN HEAVEN. AND THE OTHER IS TELL UNBELIEVERS THE GOOD NEWS. WHICH OF THOSE TWO THINGS DO YOU THINK GOD LEAVES YOU HERE ON EARTH TO DO?

If I had the cure for AIDS or cancer I would be in the streets shouting it. It would be criminal to know the solution and not tell other people. But I know something even more important – how to have the purpose of life here on earth and how to have eternal life in heaven. There’s nothing more important than that. You know it, too. It’s our duty to pass it on.

IF YOU WANT GOD’S BLESSING ON YOUR LIFE YOU HAVE TO CARE ABOUT WHAT GOD CARES ABOUT MOST. PEOPLE. He died for people. The people who live next to you, the people you work with, the people you go to school with. Those relatives who are irritating you. He died for those people.

Do you want to know how much God cares about your neighbors? Look at the cross. Jesus with His hands outstretched and nailed to the cross says, “I love your neighbors this much. I love the people you work with this much. I love the relatives, the neighbors, the friends, I love all those around you who don’t know Me yet this much.” We must care because God cares. That’s why we’re still here on earth – to tell others.

The church that doesn’t want to grow is basically saying to the world, You can go to hell. When you keep your mouth shut and you don’t tell the people around you the good news you’re basically saying, You can go to hell.

MARK 16:15 (NCV) “JESUS SAID TO HIS FOLLOWERS, ‘GO EVERYWHERE IN THE WORLD, AND TELL THE GOOD NEWS TO EVERYONE.’” Jesus said, “Follow Me and I’ll teach you how to fish for people. ”IF YOU’RE NOT FISHIN’ YOU’RE NOT FOLLOWING.

IS ANYBODY GOING TO BE IN HEAVEN BECAUSE OF YOU? When you get there is somebody going to say to you, “Thank you!

You have FOUR POSSIBLE RESPONSES. You can say like Moses, “WHO ME?” Or you can say like Jonah, “NOT ME!” Or you can say like Habakkuk “WHY ME?” Or you can say like Isaiah, “SEND ME.” There is no greater thrill than this.

I DARE YOU TO SAY IT TODAY “GOD, USE ME. ANYWAY YOU WANT TO – USE ME. ANY PLACE, ANY TIME.” BECAUSE LITTLE BECOMES MUCH WHEN WE PLACE IT IN THE MASTER’S HAND

SERVANTHOOD

2010-02-16T07:45:00.002+02:00

In life it doesn’t really matter how long you live. What matters is how you live. IT’S NOT THE DURATION OF YOUR LIFE THAT MATTERS. IT’S THE DONATION OF YOUR LIFE.

Not every Christian is a pastor. But every Christian is a minister. You were called to serve God and that is called your ministry. Any time you use your gifts, your talents, your abilities to help somebody else in the name of Jesus that’s your ministry.

You don’t find your self-esteem through STATUS. Because you’re always going to find somebody who’s a little bit higher on the pole than you are. You don’t find your self-esteem in your SALARY because you can always find somebody making a little bit more money than you are. You don’t find your self-esteem in SUCCESS because you can always find somebody who’s achieved a little bit more than you have. You don’t even find your self-esteem through SEX. THE BIBLE SAYS YOU FIND IT IN SERVICE, IN SERVING. Jesus said it like this, Loose your life to find it. You give your life away and that’s where you find meaning and significance. It’s in serving we find our significance. The greatest thrill of all in life is being used by God. God wants you to serve Him like Jesus did, with the attitude of Christ.

WE GET SO BUSY TAKING CARE OF THINGS WE DON’T HAVE TIME TO TAKE CARE OF PEOPLE. You’ve got to decide in life, are you going to live for greed? or are you going to live for God? You can’t do both.

What you do in eternity is determined by how faithful you were in serving Him after you were saved by the grace of God. The Bible says this in MATTHEW 25:21 (NIV) “WELL DONE GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANT. YOU’VE BEEN FAITHFUL WITH A FEW THINGS SO I WILL PUT YOU IN CHARGE OF MANY THINGS. COME AND SHARE YOUR MASTER’S HAPPINESS.”

IS GOD GOING TO BE ABLE TO SAY THAT ABOUT YOU ONE DAY?

BECOME LIKE CHRIST

2010-02-09T08:50:00.002+02:00

God’s plan has always been to make you like Jesus Christ. Once you’re in God’s family He wants you to take on the family likeness. He wants you to become like His Son – like Father, like son.

He wants you to see things and feel things and think of things the way He does and act the way He would. So God wants you to grow up.
EPHESIANS 4:15 (MSG) “GOD WANTS US TO GROW UP LIKE CHRIST IN EVERYTHING.” Babies are cute. But if a baby never grew up that would be a terrible, terrible tragedy. And it’s a terrible tragedy when you don’t grow up spiritually. What does it mean to grow up spiritually? What does it mean to be spiritually mature? It says like Christ in everything. If you want to know what God wants you to look like, to be like, to act like and to feel like its Jesus Christ. That is the picture of spiritual maturity.

This doesn’t just happen overnight. It’s a process. It takes your entire life. This process is called DISCIPLESHIP. Discipleship is simply the process of becoming like Christ. And as you become like Christ you become what the Bible calls holy. Holiness just means being like Jesus.

How does God do it? How does God help me to grow up spiritually? He uses lots of ways. One way He uses is the BIBLE. You’re transformed by truth. The more you get truth into your mind and heart the more you’re going to be changed. So you need to read and study and memorize this book. You need to apply it in your life. The more you get into this book the more you’re going to grow and be like Jesus Christ. That’s one way.

Another way God makes you like Christ is through PEOPLE. You can’t grow to maturity on your own. We need each other. That’s why you need a Homecell.

Your greatest testimony as a believer is HOW YOU HANDLE HURT. Do you get up tight and bitter and angry just like everybody else does? Or do you respond to hurt the way Jesus did? God is giving you a test.

YOU ARE MOST LIKE CHRIST WHEN YOU SUFFER HURT IN ORDER TO SAVE OTHERS.

I don’t know what you’re going through right now. But I do know how God wants you to respond regardless of what it is. Let’s close with this verse: PHILIPPIANS 2:5 (NIV) “YOUR ATTITUDE SHOULD BE THE SAME AS THAT OF CHRIST JESUS.” That’s it. God wants you to become like Christ.

LOVE YOUR SPIRITUAL FAMILY

2010-02-01T09:47:00.003+02:00

EPHESIANS 1:5 (NLT) SAYS “HIS UNCHANGING PLAN HAS ALWAYS BEEN TO ADOPT US INTO HIS OWN FAMILY BY BRINGING US TO HIMSELF THROUGH JESUS CHRIST.”
That to me is one of the most amazing verses in the Bible. That God would want me to be a part of His family. And that He would create me just to keep me with Him for all of eternity. In the entire Bible this is the story of God building a family.

The fact is your spiritual family is going to outlast your physical family. Your physical family is only going to last here on earth. In fact, a lot of families don’t even last that long. They’re separated by divorce and death and all kinds of things. But your spiritual family is actually more important that your physical family because you’re going to be spending forever – forever and ever and ever – with your spiritual family. And God wants you to learn how to love your spiritual family.

The Bible says the church is a family. It is your spiritual family on earth. The church is going to go on forever.
CHURCH IS NOT SOMETHING YOU GO TO. CHURCH IS A FAMILY YOU BELONG TO.
1 TIMOTHY 3:14-15 (NCV) SAYS, “I’M WRITING SO THAT YOU’LL KNOW HOW TO LIVE IN THE FAMILY OF GOD. THAT FAMILY IS THE CHURCH.”

You get people who say, “I’m a Christian but I just don’t want to belong to any particular church.” That’s dumb. It’s like saying, “I want to play tuba but not be in any orchestra.” You’re going to be pretty bad sounding if you do that. “I want to be a bee without a hive.” The Bible has a word for Christians who do not have a local church family. You’re an orphan.

The Bible calls the church, “the bride of Christ.” How about if I were to say to some of you guys, “I like you. I just can’t stand your wife.” You’d be offended. And Jesus is too. Because the body of Christ – the church – is what He died for. So God says I want you to belong and be a member of My family.

How do you know if you’re on God’s family? Here’s the test. 1 JOHN 3:10 “ANYONE WHO DOES NOT LOVE OTHER CHRISTIANS DOES NOT BELONG TO GOD.” That’s pretty clear.

God has given us one condition. It’s this verse,
GAL 3:36 (NLT) “YOU ARE ALL CHILDREN OF GOD THROUGH FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST.” That’s how you get into the family. You put your faith in Jesus Christ. You can do that right now.

SEE GOD SMILE

2010-01-25T07:42:00.001+02:00

MATTHEW 22:37-38 (NIV) “LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD… THIS IS THE FIRST AND GREATEST COMMANDMENT.” God says if you don’t get anything else here’s what you’re supposed to do in life. You’re supposed to learn to love Me back because I made you to love you and I know you and I want you to know and love Me back. There’s a word for this. It’s the word “worship.” Worship is knowing and loving God back.

MARK 12:30 (NCV) “LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND ALL YOUR SOUL, ALL YOUR MIND AND ALL YOUR STRENGTH.”
God wants me to love Him three ways:
First, God wants me to love Him PASSIONATELY. He says “With all your heart and with all your soul.” I want you to love Me passionately. Because He passionately loves you.
Second, God wants me to love Him THOUGHTFULLY. It says “love Him with your mind.” In other words, He wants you to think through.
Third, God wants me to love Him PRACTICALLY. “Love Me with all your strength.” Your abilities.

The truth is that even though God created the entire world in the universe and He created you, there are three things God does not have unless you give them to Him. He doesn’t have your AFFECTION unless you give it to Him. That’s loving God with your heart and your soul. He doesn’t have your ATTENTION unless you give it to Him. That’s loving God with your mind. And God doesn’t have your ABILITY unless you give it to Him. That’s loving God with your strength.

The greatest way to express affection to God is by giving your life to Him, by yielding yourself to Him. YOU CAN GIVE WITHOUT LOVING. BUT YOU CANNOT LOVE WITHOUT GIVING. You have to give. ROMANS 6:13 (NLT) “GIVE YOURSELF COMPLETELY TO GOD SINCE YOU’VE BEEN GIVEN NEW LIFE.”

The most important thing you can know in life is that God loves you. And the most important thing you can do in life is love Him back. So when you get up every morning before you get out of bed sit on the edge of your bed and say something like this, I want to know You a little bit better and I want to love You a little bit more.” If you do that, at the end of your day no matter how bad the day has gone, that day was a success.

I challenge you to make as the number one goal of your life before everything else getting to know and love God because that brings Him pleasure. Make as your goal what Paul said. 2 COR 5:9 (NIV) “SO WE MAKE IT OUR GOAL TO PLEASE HIM.”

WHY AM I ALIVE?

2010-01-22T07:00:00.001+02:00

“WHY WAS I BORN? WAS IT ONLY TO HAVE TROUBLE AND SORROW AND TO END MY LIFE IN DISGRACE?” JEREMIAH 20:18 (TEV)

Jeremiah was having a bad day here. I’m sure you’ve had days like this when you go, “Why am I alive? My life is a mess! All I have is problems, difficulties, trials, tribulations. Is this what I’m here on earth for? Just to have problems?”

If you are alive, your heart is beating and you are breathing, God has a purpose for your life. He has never made anything without a purpose.

In World War II there were some prisoners in a Nazi concentration camp in Hungary. They worked in a factory that processed human sewage. One day the Allies came along and blew up that factory which left the prisoners with nothing to do. So the guards had the prisoners take the rubble of that factory and move it to a nearby field just for work. The next day they reversed it and had them take the rubble and move it back to the original site. They did this over and over and over. No meaning to it. No purpose. Just work without meaning. A strange thing began to happen. The prisoners began to go crazy. They lost hope and many lost their minds. They began to throw themselves in front of the guards in order to be shot, committing suicide because death was more preferable than living life without meaning.

YOU HAVE TO HAVE MEANING AND PURPOSE IN YOUR LIFE TO HAVE HOPE AND YOU HAVE TO HAVE HOPE TO COPE.

You’re not going to find the answer to the purpose of life anywhere but in one of two places – ONE, TALK TO THE CREATOR, AND TWO, READ THE OWNER’S MANUAL. You were made by God and you were made for God. Until you understand that the meaning of your life will not make sense. That’s what it’s all about.

“KNOWING GOD RESULTS IN EVERY OTHER KIND OF UNDERSTANDING.” PROVERBS 9:10b (LB)

LIFE’S TOO PRECIOUS TO WASTE

2010-01-15T15:59:00.002+02:00

EPHESIANS 5:15-17 (NLT) “BE CAREFUL HOW YOU LIVE NOT AS FOOLS BUT AS THOSE WHO ARE WISE. MAKE THE MOST OF EVERY OPPORTUNITY FOR DOING GOOD IN THESE EVIL DAYS. DON’T ACT THOUGHTLESSLY BUT TRY TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE LORD WANTS YOU TO DO.”

The opposite of careful is careless. God says don’t be careless about your life. Don’t just breeze through life. Don’t just drift through life. Don’t just go through life going, “I don’t know what I’m supposed to be doing.” Be thoughtful. Be wise. Know what God wants you to do. It says, “Make the most of every opportunity.”

And then it says, “Try to understand what the Lord wants you to do.” How many of you would say, “I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT THE LORD WANTS ME TO DO WITH MY LIFE?”

Here’s an amazing little secret. WHEN YOU DO PUT GOD FIRST IN YOUR LIFE HE TAKES CARE OF EVERYTHING ELSE. The work, the relationships, the finances, the health – all those others. In fact He’s promised over and over again in the Bible. He says, “You put Me first. You make My will the goal of your life. You’re going to fulfill My purposes for your life and I will bless you out of your socks. I will take care of you in ways that you do not even know about.” PROVERBS 3:6 (LB) “IN EVERYTHING YOU DO, PUT GOD FIRST AND HE WILL DIRECT YOU AND CROWN YOUR EFFORTS WITH SUCCESS.”

If one person is going to be in heaven because of you, you cannot consider your life a failure. You’ve done the most significant thing you can do. Help somebody determine their eternal destiny.

2 COR 6:1 (MSG) “WE BEG YOU, PLEASE DON’T SQUANDER ONE BIT OF THIS MARVELOUS LIFE THAT GOD HAS GIVEN US.”

NOTHING IS MORE IMPORTANT THAT YOU KNOWING GOD’S PURPOSES FOR YOUR LIFE.

GODLY GOAL SETTING

2010-01-11T00:52:00.002+02:00

DO YOU HAVE A CLEAR SET OF GOALS WITH A WRITTEN PLAN FOR THEIR ACHIEVEMENT?

YOU BECOME A CREATOR WHEN YOU START WRITING GOALS. With goals we create the future in advance, we create our destiny and we shape our lives.

DESIRE IN LATIN MEANS “OF THE FATHER.” That means the thought process regarding my desire is given me from above and with that comes the ability to achieve it.

GOALS MUST BE INSPIRING ENOUGH to create a motion and drive on the inside of us that makes us want to jump out of bed every morning. THIS IS THE POWER OF GOAL SETTING.

Thoughts are things. WHATEVER WE FOCUS ON CONSISTENTLY WE EXPERIENCE IN OUR LIFE. What you focus on you will feel, it becomes real to you. As you think you create or manifest. You have to have a consistent focus on your goals. (PROV 23:7 AS HE THINKS IN HIS HEART SO IS HE.)

GOALS GIVE US PURPOSE AND DIRECTION
1 CORINTHIANS 9:26 I RUN STRAIGHT TO THE GOAL WITH PURPOSE IN EVERY STEP. I AM NOT LIKE A BOXER WHO MISSES HIS PUNCHES.

Instead of guiding the Israelites along the direct route from Egypt to the Promised Land, he took them by a longer route to avoid fighting with the Philistines. If God does not lead you along the shortest path to your goal, don’t complain or resist. Follow him willingly, and trust him to lead you safely around unseen obstacles. He can see the end of your journey from the beginning, and he knows the safest and best route. EXODUS 13:17 WHEN PHARAOH FINALLY LET THE PEOPLE GO, GOD DID NOT LEAD THEM ON THE ROAD THAT RUNS THROUGH PHILISTINE TERRITORY, EVEN THOUGH THAT WAS THE SHORTEST WAY FROM EGYPT TO THE PROMISED LAND. GOD SAID, “IF THE PEOPLE ARE FACED WITH A BATTLE, THEY MIGHT CHANGE THEIR MINDS AND RETURN TO EGYPT.”

God’s ultimate goal for us is to make us like Christ (1 John 3:2). As we become more and more like him, we discover our true selves, the persons we were created to be. How can we be conformed to his likeness? By reading and heeding his Word, by studying his life on earth through the Gospels, by being filled with his Spirit, and by doing his work in the world.

10 STEPS TO TURN DREAMS INTO GOALS:

1. REALISE GOD WANTS YOU TO WRITE DOWN YOUR GOALS, DREAMS, VISION (HAB. 2:2)
2. KNOW WHAT YOU WANT
3. KNOW WHEN YOU WANT IT
4. LIST THE REWARDS / CONSEQUENCES OF REACHING / NOT REACHING YOUR GOAL
5. IDENTIFY MAJOR OBSTACLES THAT COULD KEEP YOU FROM ATTAINING YOUR GOALS
6. DETERMINE SKILLS YOU NEED TO ACQUIRE TO REACH YOUR GOALS
7. IDENTIFY LIKEMINDED PEOPLE, GROUPS AND ORGANIZATIONS THAT CAN CONTRIBUTE TO YOUR SUCCESS
8. VISUALISE YOUR GOALS
9. PREPARE AN ACTION PLAN
10. PUT YOUR GOALS WHERE YOU CAN SEE THEM DAILY

SUCCESS COMES FROM TAKING THESE INITIAL STEPS AND FOLLOWING THROUGH WITH THE ACTIONS SO THAT AT THE END YOU CAN REAP THE REWARDS. LIVE WITH PASSION!

LET US CLOSE WITH THIS PROMISE FROM GOD:
PSALM 37:4 DELIGHT YOURSELF IN THE LORD, AND HE WILL GIVE YOU THE DESIRES OF YOUR HEART

THE ART OF A GREAT START

2010-01-01T15:40:00.003+02:00

As any good athlete will tell you: “The way you start your race is very important.” In the same way, it is also very important how we start this New Year.

Let’s have a look at what God says in EXODUS 40:2 (AMP) ON THE FIRST DAY OF THE FIRST MONTH YOU SHALL SET UP THE TABERNACLE OF THE TENT OF MEETING [OF GOD WITH YOU].

We know that the Old Testament is a shadow and a type of what was to come in the New Testament. The plan given to Moses on the mountain established the way for the Israelites to approach God and hear His voice and also the way we should do it.

The three parts of the tabernacle depicts the body, soul and spirit of man: THE BODY corresponds to the OUTER COURT where we receive sense knowledge. It was illuminated by natural light. THE SOUL corresponds to the HOLY PLACE where the Spirit reveals truth to our mind. It was illuminated by oil in a lamp stand. THE SPIRIT corresponds to the HOLY OF HOLIES where we receive direct revelation within our hearts. It was illuminated by God’s Presence (Shekinah Glory). Therefore God speaks to us on three levels.

We also know that each piece of furniture has a specific meaning for us today. Look at the following checklist to see if your tabernacle is set up correctly for the New Year:
· ALTAR — I AM A LIVING SACRIFICE.
· LAVER — I HAVE WASHED MYSELF BY APPLYING THE WORD.
· SHOWBREAD — MY WILL IS GROUND FINE BEFORE GOD.
· GOLDEN LAMPSTAND — GOD ILLUMINATES MY MIND, GRANTING ME REVELATION.
· INCENSE— MY CONTINUAL OFFERING OF THANKSGIVING AND WORSHIP TO GOD BRINGS SELF AND EMOTIONS UNDER.
· ARK— I HAVE LEARNED TO WALK INTO HIS IMMEDIATE PRESENCE IN SILENCE AND RECEIVE HIS WORDS SPOKEN INTO MY HEART.

To be sure you make a good S-T-A-R-T and have a great year, look at the acronym and make sure you have them all in place:
S et up a tabernacle
T he art of worship
A great love for the Word
R ight confessions
T ime management

If you diligently apply these principles on a daily basis, you will not only master THE ART OF A GREAT START, but at the end of 2010 you will hear these words:
"THIS IS MY MUCH LOVED SON (DAUGHTER), IN WHOM I AM WELL PLEASED" (MATTHEW 25:21)

CHRISTMAS IS A TIME OF RECONCILIATION!

2009-12-25T10:43:00.002+02:00

The good news at Christmas is that God didn’t merely attempt to reconcile with us; He actually accomplished it. And in God’s case, He was the one offended and He was the one who initiated forgiveness.

You are adopted into his family. FOR GOD, THIS IS BOTH A LEGALLY BINDING ARRANGEMENT AS WELL AS AN EMOTIONAL AND SPIRITUAL BOND. THIS MEANS BY FAITH:

YOU ENJOY ALL OF THE RIGHTS OF GOD’S FAMILY—such as unconditional love, absolute forgiveness, and permanent security.
YOU ARE HEIR TO HIS KINGDOM—heaven.
YOUR OLD LIFE IS COMPLETELY WIPED OUT. All of your past is as if it never happened.
YOU ARE NOW PROTECTED BY GOD’S FAMILY NAME. No one can remove you from His family . . . not even yourself.
By faith, you have peace with God which gives you the peace of God in your heart.

He is saying that you’ve got two choices in life: YOU CAN PRAY OR YOU CAN PANIC. Those are your choices. In every circumstance, YOU CAN WORSHIP OR YOU CAN WORRY. Worry has never solved a single one of your problems. It’s worthless. Prayer can change things, and the first thing prayer will change is you.

So let me ask you a very frank question: Who do you need to restore a broken relationship with? Peace on Earth, good will toward men. You may say, “I can’t do it.” You know what? You’re right. That’s why you need Jesus. In order to let it go, you’re going to have to let Jesus Christ fill you with His love so that you can love them the way He does. He will fill you with His forgiveness. Once you know you are truly forgiven, you don’t have a problem forgiving other people. In fact, the worse it gets, the more grace God provides.

ARE YOU READY TO OPEN GOD’S GIFT TO YOU? HE SENT JESUS, SO YOU COULD HAVE A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR CREATOR.

CHRISTMAS IS A TIME OF SALVATION!

2009-12-24T05:05:00.001+02:00

You can live life at one of three levels. The SURVIVAL level, the SUCCESS level, or the highest level—the SIGNIFICANCE level. Significance comes from knowing God, knowing His purpose for your life, and then doing it. The two greatest days in a person's life are the day he was born and the day he finds out why he was born.

The first step to living a life of Significance is to receive Christ as your Savior. What would it take to convince you that you need to be saved? What would motivate you?

As your substitute, here is what Jesus did for you:

JESUS TOOK ALL OF YOUR SIN—PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE; AND HE MADE YOUR SIN HIS SIN.
2 Corinthians 5:21 (NIV) God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.

Not only did He take your sin on Himself; He took your punishment, too.

HE WAS PUNISHED AND SUFFERED IN OUR PLACE.
Isaiah 53:5 (NIV) 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.

So Jesus took our sin, and he took our punishment. He did it once and for all. There is nothing we need to do to add to it, and there is nothing we can do that will ever take it away either.

HIS PAYMENT IS FINAL AND COMPLETE.
Hebrews 9:28 ((NIV) So Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and He will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for Him.

Through Christ’s death, the righteous demands of God have been met. He made a legal transaction in which Christ dealt with the sin problem for the human race.

The Bible says in, Ephesians 1:7-8 (NIV) In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace that He lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.

Lavish means to expend or give in great amounts—without limitation. God’s grace is a river of mercy that never runs dry. And there is no sin it will not cover. God’s grace washes your sin away, and it never stops flowing.

CHRISTMAS IS A TIME OF CELEBRATION!

2009-12-15T21:27:00.002+02:00

LUKE 2:10 (NIV) BUT THE ANGEL SAID TO THEM, "DO NOT BE AFRAID. I BRING YOU GOOD NEWS OF GREAT JOY THAT WILL BE FOR ALL THE PEOPLE.
Notice what the angel said:
· “I bring you good news…”
· This news will bring you “great joy”
· And this news is for all the people, not just some of them.
God did not just visit us; He was born as we are. God became a man—a man named Jesus. May I ask you this, do you adore this man? Do you regard with the utmost love, respect and honor this man who is God’s gift of love to you?
Do you know that you can never do enough to make Him love you more and you can never do anything which will make Him love you less?
I don’t know what you are living with today. Perhaps Christmas is not a time of celebration for you. It might even be a time you dread, and you are just waiting for December 25th to get over with.
God says, “I’m going to give you hope.” If you’re mistreated or lonely this Christmas, you need to turn to Jesus Christ and sense His relationship in your heart. He not only loves you; He is not only with you; but the Bible says He is for you as well.
Jesus came to save us, not to scare us. That’s why the very first words of the angel were: “Do not be afraid.” Did you know that quite often those are the first words God says to people in the Bible? “DO NOT BE AFRAID.” Did you know THERE ARE 365 “FEAR NOTS” IN THE BIBLE? THAT’S ONE FOR EVERY DAY OF THE YEAR. God is saying, “You don’t need to be afraid.” That’s good news. And that’s why we celebrate at Christmas.

RECYCLING PAIN

2009-12-07T13:48:00.001+02:00

God wants to recycle the pain in your life for the benefit of others. People are not helped by our strengths; they are helped when we are honest about our weaknesses.

The blessing of pain is that it gets our attention and lets us know something is seriously wrong. Do you remember the story of Jonah being swallowed by the fish? Jonah was going one way and God said: I want you to go the other way. At The bottom of the sea Jonah finally said, “When I had lost all hope, I turned my thoughts once more to the Lord.” A great verse to show that God uses pain to get our attention.

You will never know that God is all you need until God is all you’ve got. When it’s all falling apart and you’ve lost it all, that’s when you can see clearly the only One who is remaining beside you.

Without problems you will never learn that God is the only real problem solver. God uses pain to teach you to depend on Him, The truth is some things we only learn through pain.

Pain actually makes you humble, sympathetic and sensitive to others’ needs. It prepares you to serve. When we turn to God for healing from our source of pain He comforts us and gives us the help we need,

If you are honest and open about your hurts God can use and recycle the pain in your life to help others. Who better to help a person in distress than someone who has struggled with and overcame a problem?

The moment you step across the line and become a believer, you become a missionary. You become part of God’s great plan of reaching out to hurting lost people. Do you realize there are only two things that we can’t do in heaven? To Sin and to share the Good News with people who never heard it. Which of those do you think is the reason God is leaving you on earth? Obvious isn’t it?

There are people who need to hear your story. Simply tell people what happened to you, it is the most powerful kind of story. God wants to use you. Share your story. There is no greater accomplishment in life than helping someone find the assurance of heaven.

MAINTAINING MOMENTUM

2009-12-01T17:00:00.002+02:00

This time of year it’s good to do an annual checkup. This inventory is like spring cleaning. You take some time off, go away for a day and do an annual checkup. You look at your life and see what is in order and what not and then do some deep cleaning. Here are some things to review:
o YOUR RELATIONSHIPS
o YOUR PRIORITIES
o YOUR ATTITUDE
o YOUR INTEGRITY
o YOUR MIND
o YOUR BODY
o YOUR FAMILY
o YOUR CHURCH

To maintain momentum the next step that follows evaluation is meditation. Meditation may be a new concept but it isn’t hard at all. Here are two simple keys to get you started on meditation.

THE HOW-TO OF MEDITATION:
REVERSE WORRY – If you know how to worry you know how to meditate. Worry is just negative meditation – you take a negative thought and you think about it over and over. When you meditate – take a positive thought (often a verse of the Bible) and think about it over and over.

LISTENING – Meditation is a form of listening to God for His answers and directions. It’s a time for slowing down long enough to hear God. Busyness is often the thing that stifles a life of recovery and growth. Meditative listening is the secret of spiritual strength.

MEMORIZATION – Having God’s Word in your heart is a powerful deterrent to sin, PSALM 119:11 (NKJV) Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against you. How do you store God’s Word in your heart? You memorize scripture. God’s Word is the owners manual for life. Your life will become a lot easier if you follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

The last step to take to maintain momentum is prayer. Prayer is the way of plugging in to God’s power!
PRAY ABOUT ANYTHING – Many people don’t realize you can pray about any need in our life; most certainly about the struggles in our life.
THE HOW-TO OF PRAYER – Jesus tells us how we should pray in the Lord’s Prayer. This is a model of how we should pray, not what we should pray.

When you put these three habits into practice – evaluation, meditation and prayer – you are choosing a fruitful life, health and prosperity. These habits will maintain the momentum and you will be able to say with Paul in, PHILIPPIANS 4:13 (NKJV) I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

FORGIVENESS

2009-11-23T14:46:00.002+02:00

Matthew 5:7 says “Happy are those who are merciful to others,” Everyone have experienced broken relationships. In our pain and our woundedness we can build walls to keep the pain out, to keep ourselves from being hurt again. When we do that we end up locking ourselves in a prison and locking other people out. To rebuild relationships you have to tear down the walls.

The choice that you and I are going to have to make is this:
To evaluate all of my relationships, offer forgiveness to those who have hurt me, and make amends for harm that I have done to others, except when to do so would harm them or others.

Matthew 6:14-15 “For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sin, your Father will not forgive you.”
C. S. Lewis said, “To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable, because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you.”
So how do you become a forgiver? How do you let go of the layers and layers and layers of resentment and bitterness and anger that sometimes sit in our soul? There are two ways that I know and neither of them is very easy.

The first is to nail it to the Cross.
Take the wound, take the unforgiveness, take the bitterness and you nail it figuratively to the cross of Jesus Christ, the one who paid your debt, the one who made the unpayable debt finally settled and forgiven. Because he paid for my debt I can take whatever debt you owe me and I can take that debt that you owe me and I can nail it to his cross.

The second step: start right now, start today. You and I begin with a grateful heart. “God, I tell you again how grateful I am for the love you have given me. For the way you have poured your mercy out. For the fact that you took a debt that I couldn’t pay you. I thank you. Because of that I am willing to forgive.”

Take a minute of quietness a piece of paper and write on there the name or names of the unforgiven in your life. And please don’t try to tell me that there’s no one. I don’t believe you. You can be in denial if you want to. That’s between you and God.

Let us pray,
Jesus, thank you for going into the depths of my soul and seeing what is there and not being frightened away. Thank you for your mercy. Now God, help us today in this moment, to release that guy, that woman, those people. True, they don’t deserve it. But remind us again of the debt that we could not pay and how Jesus paid it for us.
This week may we experience the true freedom that comes from nailing to your cross the wound, the unforgiveness, the bitterness. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen

Don’t forget to destroy and throw away your paper.

TRANSFORMATION

2009-11-16T14:24:00.003+02:00

You remember that when God and Jacob are wrestling, the Bible says that God dislocated Jacob’s hip. He pulled it out of the socket.
Bible says this, Genesis 32:31 (NLT) “The sun rose as Jacob left Peniel and he was limping because of his hip.” After you have had a genuine encounter with God, you’re going to have a limp. What is the significance of this limp? Three things:
ONE, for his entire life Jacob had run from conflict. He’d run from his brother. He’d run from his dad. He’d run from his wife. He had run from his father-in-law. He’d run from God.
God said, “We’ll fix that. No more running. I’m just going to touch your hip so you will limp the rest of your life. You’ll never solve a problem by running from it.” SECOND, it was a daily reminder to trust God. He touched him on his thigh. You know what your thigh muscle is? It is the strongest muscle in your body. It’s the biggest muscle. God touched Jacob at the point of his greatest strength. He said, You’re no longer going to rely on self-strength any more. You’re going to rely on Me.
THE THIRD meaning of it, when he walked with a limp, is that Jacob emerged both stronger and weaker. He was weaker because he couldn’t walk on his own power any more. And he was stronger because God said you’re going to walk in my power. You’ll never walk the same again. You’ve got a new identity.
God’s champions, the men and women that God has always used greatest in life have always walked with a limp. There may be an emotional limp, a physical limp, a mental limp, a relational limp. But there’s going to be something in your life that keeps you remembering it’s about God not about you.
Paul said it like this: “To keep me from becoming conceited I was given a thorn in the flesh [a limp] to torment me. Three times I pleaded with God to take it away from me. But he said, ‘My grace is sufficient for you. My power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore, I boast about my weaknesses so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”

FREEDOM TO REACH YOUR FULL POTENTIAL

2009-11-09T05:48:00.002+02:00

The Bible says this, John 11:43-44, “Jesus cried with a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come forth!’ And he who had died came out bound hand and foot [picture that] with grave clothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, ‘Loose him, and let him go.’” It says he was bound hand and foot with grave clothes and his face was covered with a cloth.
There’s significance there. That means that nothing that binds you up and keeps you from fullness of life, nothing that trips you up as you try to follow Jesus, nothing that covers you up and keeps you hidden from the rest of the world – none of that can withstand the life-giving power of Jesus Christ.
When you gave your life to Christ, the Bible says he brought you from death into life. It’s just like Lazarus – you were brought from death into life. But there are still things in your life that keep you from fulfillment in your life. Jesus said I came to give you fullness of life. But there are things that bind us up, that hold us back, that restrict us, that keep us from finding or reaching our full potential in life.
There are things that still trip us up as we try to follow Jesus – old ways of thinking, old behavior patterns, addictions, things that trip us up as we go along. There are still masks that we try to hide behind because we don’t want people to see the real me. Jesus says I want to set you free from all of this stuff. It’s not just enough that I’m bringing you from death into life, but I want to bring you into freedom. And he does it through his people.
Look at that text in John 11. Look toward the end, “Jesus said to them…” Who are the “them”? “Them” are the disciples, his followers. Jesus said to his followers, you loosen him and you let him go. Jesus does it through his people. That’s why small group life is so important. That’s why it’s so important for all of us to be in relationship with other followers of Christ.

BLESSED ARE THE MEEK

2009-11-02T17:39:00.001+02:00

Jesus said, “Blessed are the meek.” If you are a follower of Jesus Christ, meekness is not optional. In the original language of the Bible the word for meek is PRAEIS, which has different levels of meaning. On the surface it can mean mild or humble. The stereotype of what people think Christians are like – mild and humble, kind of weak, kind of spineless, kind of wimpy, they wear a lot of polyester, they say “Praise the Lord.” It fits the stereotype.

But there’s deeper meaning to this word and it’s the one I really want you to get. In the Greek, the word was often used to describe animals whose naturally wild spirit had to be broken by a trainer. Why did that spirit have to be broken by a trainer? So they could become useful.
So if you imagine in your mind a stallion, an incredible horse that can run like the wind, that can pull plows through a field. That’s not a picture of weakness. But a tamed stallion, that’s the image that he’s representing.

MEEK IS STRENGTH UNDER CONTROL. That’s the tame stallion. Strength under control. Being meek is simply more than just being nice. It’s actually courage under fire. It’s strength. It’s conviction but with a gentle spirit that comes from God’s infusion in your life. It doesn’t come from your own spirit. The spirit of meekness is actually the spirit of Jesus.

“JESUS WHO SUFFERED FOR YOU IS YOUR EXAMPLE. FOLLOW IN HIS STEPS. HE NEVER SINNED AND HE NEVER DECEIVED ANYONE. HE DID NOT RETALIATE WHEN HE WAS INSULTED. WHEN HE SUFFERED, HE DID NOT THREATEN TO GET EVEN. HE LEFT HIS CASE IN THE HANDS OF GOD WHO ALWAYS JUDGES FAIRLY.” 1 PETER 2:21-23 (NLT)

THE JOURNEY TO A HEALTHY, HAPPY, WHOLE LIFE

2009-10-27T10:05:00.001+02:00

We all have broken areas in our life. We carry around grief and pain that can be devastating. If we carry hurt long enough we identify with it and become a victim. To escape pain we use alcohol or drugs or we try to control those around us with anger.

As we proceed on the road to recovery we will come face-to-face with truths about ourselves that we have been trying to hide all along.

CS Lewis said: “God whispers to us in our pleasures… but shouts in our pain.” Pain is God’s megaphone to let us know something is seriously wrong and needs our urgent attention:
- What pain has God been using as a megaphone in your life to alert you to your need for help?
- Who or what have you blamed for your problems – either partially or completely?
- What pain have you been denying?
- In what areas do you feel stuck in the pain of your past – powerless to change?
- What area(s) in your life are you now ready to allow God to start helping you?
- What are you still afraid to turn over to God?
- How are your feelings for your earthly father and heavenly Father alike? How do they differ?

Believe it or not, things work better when they are plugged in. This applies to toasters, vacuum cleaners, coffeemakers and to us as well.

To get rid of the pain we need to choose to plug into God’s power and that means more than just believing, it means you need to make a choice.

The choice to plug in to God’s power is where your help lies.

2 Timothy 1:7 (NLT) For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.

THE JOURNEY TO A HEALTHY, HAPPY, WHOLE LIFE is not easy. This journey is not one to be traveled alone. But as you focus your attention on GOD’S LOVE and HIS ABILITY to help you, total healing is possible!

FREEDOM FROM HURTS, HABITS AND HANG-UPS

2009-10-21T07:55:00.004+02:00

Since the beginning of time men and women have searched for true happiness – usually in all the wrong places, doing all the wrong things.

Jesus gives us eight keys to happiness in the sermon of the mount. Let’s have a look at the first one, Matthew 5:3 (AMP) Blessed (happy, to be envied, and spiritually prosperous—with life-joy and satisfaction in God’s favor and salvation, regardless of their outward conditions) are the poor in spirit (the humble, who rate themselves insignificant), for theirs is the kingdom of heaven!

Do you ever do any of the following things?
o Do you ever stay up late when you know you need sleep?
o Do you ever eat or drink more calories than your body needs?
o Do you ever feel you need to exercise but don’t?
o Do you ever know the right thing to do but don’t do it?
o Do you ever know something is wrong but do it anyway?
o Have you ever known you should be unselfish but were selfish instead?
o Have you ever tried to control somebody and found them uncontrollable?

Admitting the truth that we are spiritually poor – or powerless to control our tendency to do wrong – leads us to happiness and to the cure we so desperately need.

The cause of our problems is our sin nature! The Bible tells us that this sin nature gets us into all kinds of problems, Proverbs 14:12 (NKJV) There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.

The cure for our problems come in a strange form: it comes through admitting weakness and through a humble heart.

The Bible says by admitting weakness I actually find strength, 2 Corinthians 12:10b (Message) … I just let Christ take over! and so the weaker I get, the stronger I become. This in not a popular idea in our self-sufficient society but the Bible says, knowing that you are spiritually poor, will make you happy.

The second part of our cure is having a humble heart. God cannot work change in us if our hearts are filled with pride. James 4:6 (NKJV) But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: “God resists (opposes) the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

God’s grace has the power to heal us, enabling us to change. Our pride continues to insist that we can do it alone. Some of us may still be thinking “I can do this on my own” No you can’t.

What needs changing in your life? What hurt or habit or hang-up have you been trying to ignore?

THE POWER OF CONFESSION

2009-10-13T21:11:00.004+02:00

Effective confession is like firing a gun. A gun that fires blanks sound the same as one that fires real bullets. If you have a snake in your garden you can fire blanks at it all you want and it will never kill the thing. However one real bullet will take care of the slimy creature in no time.

That is one reason why so many Christians get frustrated with this confession thing – They are firing blanks and get no results.
Again and again when God wanted to create something we get the phrase “And God said”. Last week we heard “The worlds were framed by the words of God”. So words are creative and powerful but they must be based on an underlying faith. (Rom 10:10)

Consider the order, with your heart you believe, then with your mouth you confess. If confession is the gun, words based on an already present inner reality are the bullets and the gunpowder that propels those bullets is the substance of faith.

So before shooting off your mouth load the gun with bullets (a clear inner image), fill the image with faith (gunpowder) and pull the trigger through the exercise of confession.

IF YOU EVER WANT TO START SEEING WHAT YOU SAY, YOU’RE GOING TO HAVE TO LEARN TO CREATE IT IN YOUR HEART FIRST

Meditating the Word of God builds a clear image in your heart of the thing for which you are believing.

Clearly there is a heart-mouth connection, they work as a team. So don’t ever move into confession until you’ve established belief in the heart.

HELP! MY FAITH IS OUT-OF-ORDER

2009-10-08T12:26:00.002+02:00

Why are there so many faith failures and frustrated Christians? Because over the years there has been a lot of good teaching on faith but very little on God’s prescribed order for using faith.

Everything you see around you is the result of faith filled words. Think of God’s words as spiritual seeds that have the ability to produce physical things like trees, plants, planets and money. That is why the Bible is such an enormously powerful thing. It contains from cover to cover God’s faith-filled words empowered to produce whatever you need in your life.

When you pick up your Bible you hold in your hand the seeds to produce finances, salvation of loved ones, healing, restoration of a marriage, a sound mind or anything else you could possible need. Many are too lazy to pick up the Bible.

A farmer’s seed does him no good as long as it lies dormant in the sack. But when he plants it he gets a harvest.

THE SEEDS OF PROVISION IN GOD’S WORD WILL NEVER PRODUCE FOR YOU AS LONG AS YOUR BIBLE GATHERS DUST ON THE SHELF.

But what if I don’t know how to plant the seed of God’s Word? The key to planting that seed in your heart, where it can do some good is MEDITATION. (Joshua 1:8)

IF YOU MEDITATE YOU’LL EXPERIENCE MORE POWER, MORE ANSWERED PRAYER, MORE REVELATION… MORE EVERYTHING
The most precious reward of all is greater intimacy with your HEAVENLY FATHER.

THE SECRETS OF LASTING LOVE

2009-09-23T13:46:00.002+02:00

ISAIAH 54:8 (TEV) “I WILL SHOW YOU MY LOVE FOREVER,’ SO SAYS THE LORD WHO SAVES YOU.”

The foundation for a stable life, no matter what you go through in life, is the unchanging love of God. I know that a lot of things will change in my life. But one thing I know will never change is that God will never stop loving me.

If you’re going to build a love that lasts a lifetime you have to figure out how to overcome the Deadly D’s. Every relationship whether it’s a friendships or a marriage goes through the Deadly D’s – Difficulties, Disagreements, Differences, Discord, Disappointment, Defeat, Dead-ends, Depression, Delay, Doubt, Distance, Death, Debt, Demands, Difficulties.

Those are not easy things to overcome. But those who survived the deadly D’s overcame the big D – Divorce.

How do you have a love that lasts a lifetime? There’s some things that you must never do if you’re going to build a love that lasts a lifetime.
We’re in 1 Corinthians 13, It says this in verse 7 “LOVE NEVER STOPS BEING PATIENT, NEVER STOPS BELIEVING, NEVER STOPS HOPING, NEVER GIVES UP.” These are the habits of a lifetime of loving.

The real secret to learning a lasting love is LETTING GOD’S LOVE FLOW THROUGH YOU. The Bible says “YOUR ATTITUDE SHOULD BE THE SAME AS THAT OF CHRIST JESUS.”

This is the secret of lasting love. It takes Christ’s love in you. Human love wears out. That’s why we’ve got those divorce statistics. But Christ’s love is eternal. Before you can offer it to others you’ve got to get it in you.

This is the day you’re going to say I’m going to become a great lover and I’m going to start by getting God’s love in my life. I’m going to open my life to Jesus Christ and let him fill me with his love in ways that I can’t love.

LOVE IS NOT EASILY ANGERED

2009-09-17T10:17:00.001+02:00

A lot of people think anger is always a sin. Not necessarily. Sometimes anger is the most appropriate response. Actually anger is a capacity given to you by God. God gets angry. There’s some times that you should get angry.

Let me give you little facts about anger that you may not know. For instance, the average woman loses her temper three times a week while the average man loses his temper about six times a week. Women get more often angry at people while men more often get angry at things. Machines and stuff like that, that break down. Single adults express anger twice as often as married adults. Men are far more physical in their anger than women. You are more likely to express anger at home than anywhere else.

“I ALWAYS LOSE WHEN I LOSE MY TEMPER!” What do you lose? You lose your reputation. You can lose the respect of others. You can lose your job. You can lose a sale. You can lose the love of your family. You could lose your health. It doesn’t matter how well you eat. You may eat a perfect, organic, one hundred percent natural diet and if you’re carrying anger around you’re still going to get sick. IT’S NOT SO MUCH WHAT YOU EAT, IT’S WHAT EATS YOU.

How does God help me with my bad habit of anger? He goes straight to the heart of the problem. The Bible says this, in MATTHEW 12:34 (NLT) “WHATEVER IS IN YOUR HEART DETERMINES WHAT YOU WILL SAY.”
You see the problem is not my tongue, it’s my heart. My mouth just betrays what I’m really like inside. Friends, what you need is a heart transplant. You need a new heart. David says this in PSALM 51 “CREATE IN ME A CLEAN HEART, O GOD.” That’s what you need to say today: God I need a clean heart. I need a heart transplant.

Jesus can replace a hurting heart and all that pain with a sense of his love.
EZEKIEL 36:26 (MES) says “I’LL GIVE YOU A NEW HEART, PUT A NEW SPIRIT IN YOU. I’LL REMOVE THE STONE HEART FROM YOUR BODY AND REPLACE IT WITH A HEART THAT’S GOD-WILLED, NOT SELF-WILLED.”

LOVE LETS IT GO

2009-09-09T12:26:00.002+02:00

One verse in the Bible, 1 Corinthians 13:5 tells us the ways that love deals with difficult people. It says “LOVE IS NOT RUDE. LOVE DOES NOT DEMAND ITS OWN WAY. LOVE IS NOT IRRITABLE, AND LOVE KEEPS NO RECORD OF WHEN IT HAS BEEN WRONGED.”
One of the ways that God builds your love is he tests it by putting you around unlovely people.
WHAT FORM OF RUDENESS IRRITATES YOU THE MOST? Here are some examples:
o People who call you and then say, “Who is this?” Before they identify themselves.
o People who hoot in traffic jams that are going no where.
o People who light their cigarette then hold it towards you instead of smoking.
o People who cheat at the ten-item grocery express line.
o People who come from the opposite direction and steal the parking spot you’ve been patiently waiting for.
How do you respond in love to difficult people?
The number one form of rudeness in our society today is INTERRUPTING PEOPLE. Not listening. It is rude to not listen. It is rude to not let somebody finish their sentence.
Look what the Bible says about this – PROVERBS 18:13 (MSG) “ANSWERING BEFORE LISTENING IS BOTH STUPID AND RUDE.” Love listens and love is tactful. There’s a little equation I learned:
RIGHT + RUDE = WRONG.
It doesn’t matter if you’re right. If you’re rude about it nobody’s going to care what you have to say. They’re immediately going to get defensive. So you do it in a gentle and a loving way. Not in a harsh or a cruel way.
PROVERBS 15:4 (NLT) “GENTLE WORDS BRING LIFE AND HEALTH. A DECEITFUL TONGUE CRUSHES THE SPIRIT.” I love the way it says this in the MESSAGE PARAPHRASE. It says “KIND WORDS HEAL AND HELP. BUT CUTTING WORDS WOUND AND MAIM.”
When people hurt us we have two natural tendencies. REMEMBER IT AND RETALIATE. What do you do? You don’t talk to other people. You talk to God and then you talk to that person.
The Bible says MARK 11:25 (AMP) “WHENEVER YOU STAND PRAYING, IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING AGAINST ANYONE, FORGIVE HIM AND LET IT DROP. LEAVE IT. LET IT GO. IN ORDER THAT YOUR FATHER WHO IS IN HEAVEN MAY ALSO FORGIVE YOU YOUR OWN FAILINGS AND SHORTCOMINGS AND LET THEM DROP.”
Just ignore it. Let it go. But you can’t ignore it until first you face it and forgive it. Then you can ignore it. And you let it go. Love lets it go.
JOB 18:4 (TEV) says “YOU ARE ONLY HURTING YOURSELF WITH YOUR ANGER.”
1 CORINTHIANS 13:5 “LOVE DOESN’T KEEP A RECORD OF WRONGS.”
I don’t know who you need to forgive but I do know today’s the day. I want you to think of the people who’ve hurt you in your life and I want you to let them off the hook. Love lets it go. Love forgives.

LOVING WITH YOUR WORDS

2009-09-02T14:05:00.002+02:00

EPHESIANS 4:29 SAYS “DO NOT LET ANY UNWHOLESOME TALK COME OUT OF YOUR MOUTHS, BUT ONLY WHAT IS HELPFUL FOR BUILDING OTHERS UP ACCORDING TO THEIR NEEDS.”

Are my words building? Are they building other people up according to their needs? Words can build or they can tear down. Words can build a marriage relationship or tear down a marriage relationship. Words can build a child’s self esteem or tear down a child’s self esteem. Words can build a relationship with a co-worker that you’re trying to share Christ with. Or they can tear that down. We have to stop and think: is this going to build up or is this going to tear down? Is this what the other person needs from me or is it just what I feel like giving right now?

This verse also talks about don’t let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths. When you think about unwholesome talk the first thing you might think of is swear words. And obviously words that demean another person is going to be unhelpful, it’s not going to be a healthy conversation. But that’s not all. There are words that we use that just aren’t helpful. In fact you can take almost any word and begin to use it in a conversation in a relationship as a trigger word that’s just not helpful.

A favorite word sometimes used in a conversation when it’s not going the way that you want, when it’s getting a little frustrating is the word “FINE!” You know what that’s saying. That’s saying I’m cutting off conversation. That’s it. I don’t want to hear any more. Have it your way. We all have different ways of saying things that are not helpful.

One of the ways to get past that is to begin to tell people, this is what I struggle with. There’s something about saying to other people “Here’s one of my trigger words. Here’s what I struggle with.” That helps you to start to get past it. Or at least to smile in the midst of it as it’s going on.

A HELPFUL ACROSTIC to remember BEFORE I SPEAK.

T – H – I – N – K.
T – is it TRUTHFUL? Before you say something is it truthful?
H – is it HELPFUL? Or is it going to harm?
I – is it INSPIRATIONAL? Is it going to build up or tear down?
N – is it NECESSARY? This is that thing of talking too much.
K – is it KIND? Love is kind.

So THINK. Think before you speak. Reflect before you react. There’s great power in that. Even if you don’t remember this acrostic, just trying to remember the acrostic before you say something is going to make a big difference.

LOVING LIKE JESUS LOVES ME

2009-08-27T09:56:00.002+02:00

Jesus Christ accepts you completely. He loves you and accepts you. That doesn’t mean he approves of everything you do. No, he doesn’t do that. But he accepts you.
You can accept someone without approving of what they do. A good example is one day Jesus was walking down the street and some religious leaders who were trying to trap Jesus caught this woman in the act of adultery. It’s interesting they didn’t catch the guy. But it says they caught the woman in the act of adultery. They bring her before Jesus and throw her down before Jesus. This woman was caught cheating on her husband. What are you going to do about it, Jesus?
You know this famous story. Jesus looks at all of the accusers and says, “Ok, anybody who has never sinned, you get to throw the first stone.” And of course they all start going away.
What is Jesus doing here? He’s giving acceptance, not approval. He didn’t approve of what she was doing. The first thing that Jesus did was he defended her dignity. He said, I’m not going to let anybody treat a woman like that. I don’t care what she’s done. They all leave. He defends her dignity.
Then in the private one on one moment after everybody’s gone in a personal moment with Jesus, he looks at this woman and says, “Where are your attackers?” And she says, “They’re all gone, Lord.” He says, “Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more.”
That’s it? That’s all he’s going to say? He says I don’t condemn you either just don’t do it any more.
JOHN 3:17 (NLT) GOD DID NOT SEND HIS SON INTO THE WORLD TO CONDEMN IT, BUT TO SAVE IT.
You know what I’ve discovered? You don’t have to make people feel guilty. That’s why it’s a waste any time trying to make people feel guilty. Why? Because we already do. I don’t measure up to my own standards, much less God’s.
So when you come to Jesus with all your sins and your mistakes and your faults and your failures he doesn’t go, You’re right. No, he defends your dignity and then he says, “You know better than that. You’re better than that. Don’t do that any more.” That’s it. LOVE DOESN’T RUB IT IN, LOVE RUBS IT OUT.
YOU NEED TO MAKE JESUS CHRIST THE MOST IMPORTANT PERSON IN YOUR LIFE AND START FILLING YOUR MIND WITH WHAT HE SAYS. That is the starting point for love. You can’t love others until you know how much God loves you.
EPHESIANS 3:18 (NLT) “MAY YOU HAVE THE POWER TO UNDERSTAND, AS ALL GOD’S PEOPLE SHOULD, HOW WIDE, HOW LONG, HOW HIGH, AND HOW DEEP GOD’S LOVE REALLY IS.”

LOVE MATTERS MOST

2009-08-21T09:21:00.001+02:00

MATT. 22:36-39 (LB) “WHICH IS THE MOST IMPORTANT COMMAND?” JESUS REPLIED, “LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, SOUL, AND MIND. ‘THIS IS THE FIRST AND GREATEST COMMANDMENT. THE SECOND MOST IMPORTANT IS SIMILAR: ‘LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS MUCH AS YOU LOVE YOURSELF.”

I hate to tell you this but the truth is one day all your trophies are going to be trashed. Given enough time somebody’s going to throw them away. That bowling trophy! That merit badge! That report card! That certificate of accomplishment! That gold watch that you got for retirement! Nobody’s going to remember those things. I doubt that you have any of the awards that your grandparents got.

When people are dying they don’t want things around them. What they want is people. They want the people that they love and they want to love those people.

The truth is everybody – every one of us – will eventually learn the basic truth of life that life is about relationships not accomplishments. Everybody’s going to eventually learn it on their deathbed. When you’re dying you’re going to want people around you who love you, not things. So we’re all going to figure that out.

My prayer for you is this: I want you to learn that today. Not when you die. I want you to learn that what matters right now are relationships. What matters is do I love God with all my heart? And do I love everybody else? Because that’s why God put me on earth for these eighty or so years.

In fact, the Bible says life without love is worthless. It is a wasted life. The Bible says this:
1 COR. 13:3 (MSG) “NO MATTER WHAT I SAY OR WHAT I BELIEVE OR WHAT I DO, I’M BANKRUPT WITHOUT LOVE.”

IT IS ALL ABOUT LOVE

2009-08-14T10:13:00.002+02:00

Why didn’t God just create you to take you to heaven? Have you ever thought about that? Why does he let you spend sixty, seventy, eighty, ninety years here on a broken world where there is sin, suffering, sorrow, sadness, problems, pressures, stress?
LIFE IS ALL ABOUT LEARNING HOW TO LOVE.
In fact, one day Jesus was walking down the street and a guy came up to him and he said, Lord what is the most important command in the Bible. Jesus said, I can summarize the entire Bible for you in two sentences. If you get these two things you get it. You get what life is all about.
It’s called the GREAT COMMANDMENT. We’ve looked at it many times. JESUS SAID, MARK 12:30-31 (LB) “LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND ALL YOUR SOUL, AND ALL YOUR MIND AND ALL YOUR STRENGTH. AND LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF. THERE ARE NO COMMANDS MORE IMPORTANT THAN THESE.”
Learn to love God with all your heart and, by the way, learn to love everybody else. He said if you get those two things, you’ve got it. You understand what I put you on this planet to do. Life is all about learning to love. Everything else is excess. Everything else is secondary. Make love your highest aim. He says I want you first of all to learn to love me – God. Then I want you to learn to love everybody else. Once you’ve done that now you’re ready to come to heaven.
One day you’re going to stand before God and he’s going to say, “Did you learn to love me? That’s why I sent Jesus Christ so you could learn to love me. And did you learn, by the way, to love other people? Because life is all about love.
Love God with all your heart and love your neighbor as yourself. That’s what it’s all about.
In fact, the Bible says this,
1 CORINTHIANS 16:14 “EVERYTHING YOU DO MUST BE DONE WITH LOVE.”

WHY GO TO CHURCH?

2009-07-16T15:22:00.002+02:00

Today there is an EPIDEMIC OF LONELINESS in our society. Four out of ten people experience intense loneliness.“Everywhere you look, there are signs that PEOPLE ARE HUNGERING FOR FELLOWSHIP, community, and a sense of family. Beer commercials don’t sale beer, they sell fellowship. No one is ever portrayed drinking alone. Always in the context of enjoying each other’s company. People long to be connected.
There are many ANALOGIES for a CHRISTIAN DISCONNECTED FROM A CHURCH: a RUGBY/SOCCER PLAYER without a TEAM; a SOLDIER without a PLATOON; a VIOLIN PLAYER without an ORCHESTRA; a SHEEP without a FLOCK. But the most understandable and biblical picture is that of a CHILD WITHOUT A FAMILY. That FAMILY IS THE CHURCH. God does not want his children growing up in isolation from each other, so he created a spiritual family on earth for us. A CHRISTIAN WITHOUT A CHURCH FAMILY IS AN ORPHAN.
THE CHURCH PROVIDES PEOPLE WITH THINGS THEY CANNOT FIND ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE WORLD.
So next time you go to church say with David: “MY HEART LEAPED FOR JOY, WHEN THEY SAID TO ME, LET US GO INTO THE HOUSE OF THE LORD.” PSALMS 122:1 (Message)
It’s so important to invite people to church if we keep the following STATISTICS in mind:
· 82% OF THE UNCHURCHED ARE AT LEAST SOMEWHAT LIKELY TO ATTEND CHURCH IF INVITED BY A TRUSTED FRIEND OR RELATIVE.
· ONLY 2 % OF CHURCH-GOING PEOPLE INVITE SOMEONE TO CHURCH IN A GIVEN YEAR. 98 % OF CHURCH-GOERS NEVER EXTEND AN INVITATION IN A GIVEN YEAR.
· 50 % OF THE CURRENT POPULATION WOULD BE CANDIDATES FOR A BACK TO CHURCH CAMPAIGN.

Make a decision today to be a part of those that invite people to church! Let’s close with the wise words of Daniel: “THEY THAT ARE WISE SHALL SHINE LIKE THE BRIGHTNESS OF THE FIRMAMENT (SKY); AND THOSE THAT TURN MANY TO RIGHTEOUSNESS WILL SHINE LIKE THE STARS FOREVER. (DANIEL 12:3)

LEARNING TO BE CONTENT

2009-07-07T16:21:00.002+02:00

The Living Bible says "IT'S FOOLISH TO THINK WEALTH BRINGS HAPPINESS!"
Things can bring happiness for a while. But the thrill doesn't last. The excitement wears off. When you get something and open the package you think, Wow, this is great. But after a while it's not so great any more. You're bored with that piece of art or that furniture or that car. Why? WHY DON'T THINGS KEEP YOU PERMANENTLY HAPPY? BECAUSE THINGS DON'T CHANGE. HUMAN BEINGS LIKE CHANGE. If things don't change we get bored with them.
That's why we have a thing called fashion or style. Because things don't change we get bored with them and we have to have something new. Pretty soon you have to redecorate, or remodel or repair or replace or at least rearrange it. Things don't give permanent happiness. I wonder how many of you are still thrilled about the Christmas gift you got last Christmas. You don't even remember what you got last Christmas! Things do not bring lasting happiness. It's a temporary thrill. And coveting is the number one reason for disastifaction in our world.
WHAT IS THE ANTIDOTE TO COVETING?
The antidote to coveting is contentment. Paul says, "I'VE LEARNED THE SECRET OF BEING CONTENT WHETHER LIVING IN PLENTY OR IN WANT."
One of the greatest lessons you can learn, LEARN TO ADMIRE WITHOUT HAVING TO ACQUIRE. I don't have to own everything to enjoy it. If the only things you enjoy are the things you own, you're going to be miserable a lot of your life. You can't own everything.
Happiness does not come from possessions, it comes from knowing your purpose in life. Why in the world did God make me and why am I here. What does he want to do with my life? Where am I going when I die?
What are you living for? Just trying to get more? It's not a good enough goal. I'd suggest you reexamine your priorities.
What am I living for? What's going to happen when I die? All that wealth will do me no good at all. What I did with it here on earth will do me some good if I use it in the right way.
I WANT TO CHALLENGE YOU TO CHALLENGE THE MYTH OF HAVING MORE WILL MAKE ME MORE HAPPY.

TELLING THE TRUTH

2009-06-29T16:51:00.003+02:00

Dr. Leonard Keeler, inventor of the lie detector machine, has tested 25,000 individuals and came to the conclusion that human beings are basically deceptive. No kidding? How can we be honest in a dishonest world? How do I tell the truth? We first have to look at why people lie.

WHY DO WE LIE?
The Type of Lie / The Motive
The cruel lie - You tell it to get revenge.
The cowardly lie - You tell to escape consequences
The conceited lie - You tell it to impress
The calculated lie - You tell it to manipulate other people
The convenient lie - You tell it because it takes effort to tell the truth

Jesus is saying the real problem is not my mouth but my heart. What's coming out of my mouth, these lies, are really an indication of what's inside of me. It's not what comes out that matters it's what's inside of me.
Matthew 15:19 "For out of the heart comes evil thoughts, murder, adultery, fornication, lying and slander."

Jesus said that what's in your heart is what's going to come out of your mouth. So the heart of the issue is the issue of the heart -- if my heart is filled with resentment then I'm going to find myself telling lies. If my heart is filled with fear and worry then I'm going to find myself telling cowardly lies. If my heart is filled with insecurity then I will find myself easily telling conceited lies. If my heart is filled with selfishness I will end up telling calculated lies to get what I want. If my heart is filled with laziness I will find myself telling convenient lies.

SO WHAT'S THE SOLUTION? The only way to stop lying, if you want to be a person of integrity, is to get a new heart. Jesus specializes in heart transplants.

God says, if you want to live a long life, a life of joy, peace and not guilt He says keep from speaking evil and telling lies.
"Would you like to enjoy life? Do you want long life and happiness? Then keep from speaking evil and from telling lies." Ps. 34:12-13 (GN)

PROSPERING WITH INTEGRITY

2009-06-25T10:22:00.003+02:00

Six men in Walmer, Port Elizabeth pulled off a daring robbery by ramming their bakkie into a bank on Monday, 15 June 2009.

At 3.45pm a red bakkie crashed through the window of an FNB bank, six men armed with pistols jumped out of the back, threatened the cashiers and demanded cash.

Having stolen an undisclosed amount of money, the men jumped back into the bakkie, reversed out of the bank and drove off. No one was injured and no arrests had been made.

Most of us would frown upon an incident like the one mentioned above and on the eighth commandmend that says: You shall not steal. It's however amazing the number of ways that we can steal. In the dictionary the word for stealing has 138 synonyms.

Let’s look at just six ways that we can steal:
1. Deceiving customers by overcharging.
2. Defrauding employers by taking supplies home.
3. Delaying payments.
4. Defaulting on loans. What in your garage or on your bookshelf do you need to return to somebody?
5. Defrauding or deceiving the Government by tax evasion.
6. Defrauding the Lord by withholding tithes and offerings

Many think nobody will ever find out." Wrong! The most important person knows.
That's God. He's the one you're going to have to give an account to, not anybody else.
JOB 34:21-22 (LB) "God carefully watches the goings on of all mankind, He sees them all. No darkness is thick enough to hide evil men from His eyes."
The Bible says in the book of Revelation, "no dishonest person will be allowed into heaven”

Pray this prayer to get you started on the road of integrity:
"CHRIST, I WANT TO FOLLOW YOU AS BEST I KNOW HOW. FROM THIS DAY FORWARD I WANT TO BEGIN LIVING A LIFE OF INTEGRITY. I WILL MAKE RESTITUTION WHERE NEEDED. I WILL BEGIN TO PAY THE WHOLE TITHE TO GOD AND I'LL BEGIN TO MAKE A HONEST LIVING.

AFFAIR-PROOF YOUR MARRIAGE

2009-06-15T13:18:00.004+02:00

Nothing destroys a family faster than adultery. God says I've given you a drive called sex. Properly controlled and expressed within a marriage it's beautiful and fantastic.
But outside of marriage it is destructive and detrimental to your health as a human being, emotionally, spiritually, in every way.
The following things can cause affairs in a marriage:
1. Unmet Needs
2. Unfulfilled Expectations
3. Unresolved Conflict
4. Undeveloped Self-Worth

Dr. Willard Harley, in his book His Needs, Her Needs. Has identified what he thinks are the top 5 needs of most men and the top 5 needs of most women. See if you see any similarities between these two lists:
THE TOP FIVE NEEDS OF MOST MEN ARE:
1. Sexual Fulfillment
2. Recreational Companionship
3. An Attractive Spouse
4. Domestic Support
5. Admiration
THE TOP FIVE NEEDS OF MOST WOMEN ARE:
1. Affection
2. Conversation
3. Honesty And Openness
4. Financial Support
5. Family Commitment
Did you see any similarities between those two lists? No wonder we have so much trouble adjusting in marriage.

The goal you have in your marriage is to be best friends. "It's real easy to leave your spouse. It's not easy to leave your best friend."
How do you build a friendship? TIME, TIME, TIME!
You cannot be best friends with someone you don't spend time with, that you don't see very often, that you don't talk and tell your heart to.

Most affairs occur between close personal friends, co workers or family members.
Some do’s and don’ts:
1. Don't let a member of the opposite sex tell you his or her marriage problems
2. Women do not go fishing for compliments.
3. Avoid a prolonged stare
4. Take special precaution on business trips.
5. Choose your friends carefully

God thought up sex. It's His idea. In marriage it is wonderful and fantastic and a beautiful expression of Christ's love for the church. But used improperly it destroys marriages, damages families and lives, damages self esteem, creates misery and guilt, shame and regret, depression, not to mention all the kinds of communicable diseases that are out there today.

HEBREWS 13:5 "HUSBANDS AND WIVES BE FAITHFUL TO EACH OTHER. GOD WILL JUDGE THOSE WHO ARE IMMORAL AND COMMIT ADULTERY."

So let us make up our mind today to play by God’s rules, otherwise we and many others may get hurt!

LET THERE BE LIFE

2009-06-10T08:17:00.002+02:00

Exodus 20:13 is very simple, just four words:
"YOU SHALL NOT MURDER."
Probably your urge to murder doesn't happen very often, except when you're on the highway. So not a whole lot of you need this message -- you think.
- By the time the average child has hit 6th grade they have already witnessed over 8,000 murders on television.
- They have watched over 100,000 acts of violence on television.
- We live in a violent society. Every 22 minutes in somebody is stabbed, shot or beaten or strangled to death.
- More kids die from violence than they do from illness.

More kids are killed by suicide that by traffic. People say, "It's my life and I have a right to live it and to take it." God says, "No, you don't. I gave you your life and only I have the right to take it away."

The facts of abortion in America are shocking and we’re catching up fast:
- 26% of all pregnancies now end in abortion, one out of four;
- 30 million have been killed through abortion, that's more than all of the wars put together.
- Every year between 400-500 aborted babies live after they are aborted – they continue to live!
- 97% of abortions are not because of rape or incest or not because the life of the mother is threatened, which would be a legitimate issue, but simply because the mother said it's inconvenient. "I chose not to have it because it's not in my lifestyle at this time."

JESUS SAID THAT ANGER IS AT THE HEART OF THIS COMMANDMENT:
MATT 5:22 WHEN WE ARE ANGRY WITH ANOTHER WE ARE SAYING, ”YOU ARE MY PROBLEM. IF YOU WERE NOT HERE I WOULDN’T HAVE THIS PROBLEM.
JESUS SAYS THIS IS MURDER BEGUN. WHO HAS NOT BEEN GUILTY OF BREAKING THIS COMMANDMENT?

HOW TO LIVE LONG

2009-06-04T11:06:00.002+02:00

"HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER, SO THAT YOU MAY LIVE LONG IN THE LAND." (Exodus 20:12)
It's no secret that families are fragmenting at an alarming rate. The average marriage last 7 1/2 years. Sixty percent of all second marriages fail. Every thirty seconds there is a divorce.
There is no time limit or age limit on this. It just says honor your father and mother. Even if you may be 80 years old and your parent 100, you are supposed to honor your father and mother.

The Bible says that the way you treat your older, elderly parents is the demonstration of your true faith, of whether you're really a Christian or not.
I TIMOTHY 5:8 (LB) "ANYONE WHO WON'T CARE FOR HIS OWN RELATIVES WHEN THEY NEED HELP, ESPECIALLY HIS OWN FAMILY, HAS NO RIGHT TO SAY HE IS A CHRISTIAN. SUCH A PERSON IS WORSE THAT THE HEATHEN."
Is it not significant that when Jesus Christ died on the cross, dying for the sin of the world, one of the things that He did not forget was to care for His aged mother after He was gone.
Hanging on the cross, dying in pain, one of the seven last things He said looking down at John the disciple, "Take care of My mother."

The truth is many of you are still carrying unfinished business with parents. You're still reacting to your parents.
Chances are you're venting that anger on your husband or wife or kids or friends because you've never resolved it with them. If you're still angry with a parent years later, you're still letting them control your life. It takes a courageous decision to make peace with your parents but you must release that anger.

GOD SEES AND UNDERSTANDS YOUR PAIN. I invite you to ask God to help you. In your hearts say, "God help me let go of the hurt and the bitterness. Help me to forgive. Help me to begin to accept, appreciate and affirm the good parts in my parents. Thank you Heavenly FATHER THAT YOU LOVED ME UNCONDITIONALLY AND YOU MADE ME FOR A PURPOSE AND YOU WILL NEVER REJECT ME.

WORKAHOLICS

2009-05-25T18:18:00.003+02:00

Do you ever find yourself as fatigued on Monday morning as you were on Friday afternoon?
Do you ever bring home work in a briefcase and used the weekend to catch up on work you haven't got done?
Do you ever get tired just thinking of what you've got to do?
Do you ever feel guilty when you relax?
If you answer yes to one or more of the above questions, chances are good that you may be a Workaholic.

It's interesting to me that God has more to say about taking a day off than He does about either murder or adultery. The fourth is the longest of the Ten Commandments. It's as if He's saying, "I want you to take this serious, this is not a suggestion.
I am commanding you to take a day off every week. It's the antidote to burnout, the prevention against the stress-filled world we live in.
PROVERBS 14:30 (LB) "A RELAXED ATTITUDE LENGTHENS A MAN'S LIFE."

When you don't follow God's principles, if Christ is not the center of your life, the manager, calling the shots one of the clearest signs that your priorities are out of order, is that you are CHRONICALLY FATIGUED. I'm not talking about a physical ailment but an emotionally, physically fatigue all the time. You're out of balance.

What do I do when I'm that way? You come to Jesus Christ. Ask Him to help you. Say, take all of these parts of my life that are loading me down and help me to sort out what's really important. Become the manager of my life. Jesus said, "I will give you rest."
MATTHEW 11:28-29 (PH) "COME TO ME, ALL YOU WHO ARE WEARY AND OVER-BURDENED, AND I WILL GIVE YOU REST! FOR MY YOKE IS EASY AND MY BURDEN IS LIGHT

TAKE GOD SERIOUSLY

2009-05-21T14:14:00.003+02:00

FORGERY IS WHEN YOU USE SOMEBODY ELSE'S NAME TO GET WHAT YOU WANT. There are a lot of spiritual forgers in the world who misuse God's name by saying, "God told me..." and you're supposed to say, "It must be true then". It may not be.

We take God's name in vain when we claim to be committed to Him but we don't back it up with our life style. A guy says "I love the Lord, He's number one in my life!" Are you involved in any kind of ministry? "No" Are you meeting with Him every day, reading the Bible, daily quiet time? No. Tithing? No. What does He mean to you then? Just words. ISAIAH 29:13 says "THESE PEOPLE WORSHIP ME WITH THEIR LIPS BUT THEIR HEARTS ARE FAR FROM ME."

Our lifestyle can misuse the name of God. If you call yourself a believer act like one. If you're going to call yourself a Christian don't drag Christ's name through the gutter by your lifestyle. Your walk needs to match your talk. If you're a believer you represent God. II TIMOTHY 2:19 says "A PERSON WHO CALLS HIMSELF A CHRISTIAN SHOULD NOT BE DOING THINGS THAT ARE WRONG."

Begin to practice controlling what you allow in your mind. There are just some things you just don't listen to, go see, or read, because you know it's going into your mind. YOU REMEMBER THAT HE IS WITH YOU AT ALL TIMES, YOU PRACTICE HIS PRESENCE.

If you'd recognize and realize that you're never without God presence you'd be a lot more disciplined in your speech, because He hears it all. ASK HIM TO HELP YOU AND HE WILL.

SUPERGLUE FAMILIES

2009-05-14T12:05:00.003+02:00

In South Africa we are all well aware of the BIG FIVE when it comes to animals, but when it comes to family values, God have His BIG TEN. In Deuteronomy 6:6-7 He says two things about them: REMEMBER them and TEACH them to your children. They are not the ten suggestions; they are the Ten Commandments. They're not optional. God says, you do these things and things will go fine in your life. If you don't do them, you're going to really mess up.

In Proverbs 3:6 (LB), we read, “In everything you do, put God first and He will direct you and crown your efforts with success. “ This brings us to the question: “How do I put God first in my everyday life? Let us look at the acrostic F – I – R – S – T to give us five ways to put God first in our life and in our family:
F - FINANCES
Put God first in your finances. Proverbs 3:9-10 says "Honor the Lord by giving Him the first part of all your income, and He will fill your barns to overflow." God says give Me the first part back and I'll bless all the rest.
I - INTERESTS
If God's really going to be number one, you put Him first in your interests. That means in my fun times, my play times, my amusements, recreation, hobbies, pass times. I Corinthians 10:31 says "Whatever you do, do it all for God's glory."
R - RELATIONSHIPS
If you want God first in your life you're going to have to choose your friends carefully. Proverbs 27:19 says "What a man is really like is shown by the kind of friends he chooses." Why is that? What does who my friends are have to do with God being first in my life? Because you become like the people you spend the most time with.
S - SCHEDULE
Put God first in your schedule, in your time. "Make the most of your time, grasp firmly what you know to be the will of God." How do I put God first in my schedule? I ask Him to help me use my time wisely.
T - TROUBLES
When you face unexpected problems and pressures, when you have a crisis, who do you turn to? God says, "Turn to Me first when you've got a problem."

This brings up an interesting point. How do you know when God's first in your life? You stop worrying. Worry is the warning light that God is not first in my life at this particular moment.

If you want to build a successful life and a strong family you've got to have the right foundation. You've got to put God first.

THE COST OF CHILDREN

2009-05-04T18:00:00.003+02:00

I recently came across the following calculation that a Government made of the cost of raising a child from birth to 18 years of age. Directly translated to our Rand currency it came to R 160 140-00! That doesn't even touch College or University tuition. For those with kids, that figure leads to wild fantasies about all the money we could have banked if not for (insert your child's name here). For others, that number might confirm the decision to remain childless. But R160 140-00 isn't so bad if you break it down. It translates into R8 896-66 a year, R741-38 a month, or R171-08 a week. That's a mere R24-44 a day! Just over a Rand an hour.
Still, you might think the best financial advice says not to have children if you want to be "rich". It is just the opposite. What do your get for your R160 140-00?
o Naming rights. First, middle, and last!
o Glimpses of God every day.
o Giggles under the covers every night.
o Butterfly kisses and Velcro hugs.
o Endless wonder over rocks, ants, clouds, and warm cookies.
o A hand to hold - usually covered with jam.
o A partner for blowing bubbles, flying kites, building sandcastles, and skipping down the sidewalk in the pouring rain.
o Someone to laugh yourself silly with no matter what the boss said or how your day at work was.
o More love than your heart can ever hold.

ENJOY YOUR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN!!!

Obviously without our wonderful wives there would be no children. So husbands, with “Mothers Day” coming up, let us love our wives, praise them, cherish them and make this “Mothers Day” the best she has ever had!

FUTURE PHOBIA

2009-04-28T10:08:00.003+02:00

A lot of people spend their lives in fear (false evidence appearing real) and worry. No-one can enjoy today while worrying about tomorrow.

David is not worried when he concludes the 23rd Psalm with these words: “Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

Where does one get this kind of confidence? As a believer there are three reasons why you don’t need to fear the future:
· Because God is good and He is Watching over me.
· Because God's grace is Working in me.
· Because heaven is Waiting for me.

Even when bad things happen to us, God will insure that good will come out of it. Romans 8:28, "We know that all that happens to us is working for our good! IF we love God and are fitting into his plans."

Psalm 23 can be summarized as follow:
Jesus is all you need. The Good Shepherd provides: Protection, Provision, Peace, Providence, His Presence (companionship) and Paradise. That wraps it all up!

With this in mind, let’s get rid of all “Future Phobia” and start enjoying life today!

BLESSED BY THE BIBLE

2009-04-21T09:34:00.003+02:00

If the Bible is a book of blessing, if it promises comfort, strength, hope, wisdom, joy, power, and purpose; why do so few Christians experience it?

The main reasons for this is that because of wrong attitudes and sin in our lives the seed of the Word does not get into the good soil of our hearts and therefore we do not become doers of the Word.

Every businessman ought to memorize Joshua 1:8. If you'll do one thing God promises to bless you with success. And that promise is IF you meditate on His word.

I found the following acronym among the writings of Rick Warren and it can be a great help if you apply it while you read your Bible: (S-P-A-C-E-P-E-T-S)
S - IS THERE A SIN TO CONFESS?
P - IS THERE A PROMISE TO CLAIM? Look for promises, there are over 7000 promises in the word of God.
A - IS THERE AN ATTITUDE TO CHANGE?
C - IS THERE A COMMAND TO OBEY?
E - IS THERE AN EXAMPLE TO FOLLOW?
P - IS THERE A PRAYER TO PRAY? There are lots of prayers in the Bible. You can take those prayers and pray them for yourself and for others. You can know they'll be answered because they're in the Word of God.
E - IS THERE AN ERROR TO AVOID?
T - IS THERE A TRUTH TO BELIEVE? Is there something I just need to believe God for?
S - IS THERE SOMETHING TO THANK GOD FOR?

The most important and neglected part of Bible reading is to act on it, to live it, to practice it. James says in verse 22 of the first chapter of his book: "Do not merely listen to what the word says and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says."
How are you doing on this score? Do you know more spiritual truth than you are putting into practice right now?

In closing, let me encourage you with the following words from the lips of Jesus: John 15:7 "If you abide in Me and My word abides in you, you can ask whatever you will and it will be done for you." The word of God in our heart is a condition for answered prayer. Take this challenge and be BLESSED BY THE BIBLE.

TURNING PROBLEMS INTO PROFIT

2009-04-16T12:55:00.004+02:00

In the University of Christian life, Problems 101 is a required, compulsory course we all must take to qualify. One thing about problems, they are of a wide variety, they come in all shapes and sizes. Problems are a fact of life, if you don’t have any, check your pulse!

Jesus said: “In the world you will have tribulation”, Peter said: “Don’t be surprised when you have problems” but James surprises when he says: “Consider it pure joy, brothers and sisters, whenever trouble comes your way (or you face trails of many kinds…).

The reason James can so boldly make the statement, to consider it pure joy when we encounter problems, is because he knows that problems have purpose. He knows that pain can be productive, pressure can produce and suffering can accomplish much.

Christians are a lot like tea bags. You don't know what's inside of them until you drop them in hot water. So the first thing trails do is to test our faith. Secondly our patience is developed and lastly our character is built.

Now that we know that trouble will come our way and be beneficial to us, what steps can we take to benefit from every negative situation in our life?

The first thing we must do when we run into a problems is to Rejoice! No, this is not a typing error. To James’ remark: “Consider it pure joy, brothers and sisters, whenever trouble comes your way (or you face trails of many kinds…) can be added, I Thessalonians 5:18 which reads, "In everything give thanks for this is the will of God concerning you in Christ Jesus." We don't rejoice for the problem, we rejoice in the problem. Thank God because He can even take the bad in our lives and turn it around and bring good out of it.

Secondly put in a Request, in prayer, toward your heavenly Father. Pray for wisdom. James 1:5 says: “If you need wisdom—if you want to know what God wants you to do—ask Him, and He will gladly tell you. He will not resent your asking.” Wisdom is seeing life from God's point of view. Pray for wisdom to understand the problem.

Lastly Relax. Trust God to know what's best for your life. Co-operate with His purpose so you don't short circuit the process. That's what's called faith. James 1:6 says, “But when you ask Him, be sure that you really expect Him to answer, for a doubtful mind is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. Relax. Hand your problems over to God and let Him work it out.

If we R-R-Roar at our problems by diligently applying the three R’s, namely Rejoicing, Requesting and Relaxing our faith will be tested, our patience developed and our character built. Let us become mature Christians that turn Problems into Profit!

THE HEARTBEAT OF THE BIBLE

2009-04-14T08:44:00.001+02:00

THE GOSPEL IN MINIATURE:
John 3:16 can be called “the heart of the Bible"

“God”… …The greatest Lover
“So loved”… …The greatest degree
“The world”… …The greatest number
“That He gave”… …The greatest act
“His only Son”... …The greatest Gift
“That everyone”… …The greatest invitation
“Who believes”… …The greatest simplicity
“In Him”… …The greatest Person
“Will not perish”… …The greatest deliverance
“But”… …The greatest difference
“Have”… …The greatest certainty
“Eternal Life”… …The greatest possession