Archive for October, 2011
You’re Free from all Trouble!
Posted by: | CommentsIt’s not God’s will for us to live a life of bondage. Too often, we go around allowing the troubles of life to get the best of us.
The sad thing is that it’s the little things that often oppress us. If a wrongdoer makes a negative comment to us, we allow that to fester in our minds. If someone does us wrong, instead of forgiving them, we allow that wrong to create a stronghold in our minds.
When we do this, we become captive to these wrongful acts. But remember, it’s outside of God’s will that we become enslaved to the negative attacks of the enemy.
You see, Satan came to kill, steal, and destroy. But Jesus came to destroy the works of enemy. In John 10:10, Jesus says “I’ve come that you may have life, and have it more abundantly.”
This life, that Jesus speaks of, is a life full of freedom and peace. He doesn’t want you to be enslaved to your past mistakes. He doesn’t want you to be held captive to the everyday stress, frustrations, and accusations of the enemy. He wants you to live a life full of peace, wholeness, joy, and freedom.
John 8:36 says, “whom the son (Jesus) has set free, is truly free indeed.” Remember, Jesus was taken captive and chastised so that you and I can be free. You’re free from the turmoil. You’re Read More→
Just Say No to…
Posted by: | Comments- Just say no to condemnation.
- Just say no to strife.
- Just say no to bitterness.
-Just say no to envy.
- Just say no to un-forgiveness.
- Just say no to defeat.
-Just say no to turmoil.
- Just say no to anger.
- Just say no…
- Just say no to Jealousy.
- Just say no to Satan.
- Just say no to bondage.
- Just say no to captivity.
- Just say no to doubt.
- Just say no to fear.
- Just say no to failure.
- Just say no to regret.
- Just say no to toxic individuals. Just say no.
- Just say no to bad influences.
- Just say no to division and dissension.
- Just say no to worry.
- Just say no to anxiety.
- Just say no to drugs.
- Just say no to cancer.
- Just say no to hate.
- Just say no to insecurities.
- Just say no to contentment.
- Just say no to pride.
- Just say no to negative thoughts.
- Just say no to closed mindedness.
- Just say no to those defeating words, “I Cant’.”
- Just say no, say no, say no!
- Just say no to stress.
- Just say no to Read More→
Harvest Where You Didn’t Plant
Posted by: | CommentsOne great thing about our God is that not only will He cause you to reap the fruits of your own labor, but He’ll cause you to harvest where you didn’t plant. You see, many have gone before us and paved the way so that you and I can live the life of abundance that we live today.
Jesus is a great example. He paved the way when He died on the cross for our sins. We didn’t have to pay that price, yet we have the right to the tree of life!
Others have labored before hand, so that we can have the right to the lifestyle and freedom that we have. Many veterans have paid a price and fought for our country so that we can live in freedom.
Some have even sacrificed sweat, turmoil, and strife so that you and I can live the life of comfort, convenience, and ease that we live today.
Jesus says in John 4:38, “I sent you to harvest where you didn’t plant; others had already done the work, and now you will get to gather the harvest.”
My friends, the good news is that God is working behind the scenes. He’s planting seeds of greatness for your future. He’s going ahead of you making the rough places plain and making the crooked places straight.
You may not see it, but God is doing a good work in you. Because of His great favor, God will cause you to harvest seeds that you didn’t plant. He will cause you to reap the seeds that others toiled and suffered for your sake.
Make no mistake. This doesn’t give us an excuse to stop sowing seeds. This doesn’t give us a reason to get lackadaisical and stagnant. No, keep planting good Read More→
ShareHow to Know if God is Speaking to You (vs Satan Speaking to You)
Posted by: | CommentsDay in and day out, many thoughts come into our mind. And sometimes we entertain the wrong thoughts while other times, we let the most important, life giving thoughts go in one ear and out the other.
A key thing to remember, is that there are some things that God will never say to you. And on the contrary, there are somethings that Satan will never say to you.
God has given us the gift to discern His voice and the words that He speaks to us. But too often, we go around in doubt about whether it’s God speaking to us or Satan speaking to us.
When God speaks to you, it will always line up with what His Word says about you. It’s usually a thought that leads you to do what is right. A thought that builds you up. It’s often times a thought that will encourage you in bad times.
On the other hand, when Satan speaks to you it’s a thought that tempts you to go against what God’s Word says about you. It can be a thought to tempt you into sin. Or it can be a thought full of guilt, condemnation, and accusation.
In Matthew 12:22-37 is a familiar text that indirectly sheds light on how to determine whether God is speaking and working with us. In this text, Jesus heals a demon-possessed man. And the Pharisees said, “no wonder he can cast out demons. He gets his power from Satan, the prince of demons.” But Jesus replies and basically illustrates that a kingdom can’t stand if it’s divided from within. In other words, Satan’s kingdom can’t stand, if Satan is casting out Satan. His own kingdom will not survive.
Another illustration would be, if the Lakers’ own, Kobe Bryant, makes a great turn around in the fourth quarter. And as he goes in for the point, Derek Fisher, who is on the same team, comes and purposely Read More→
ShareEvery Day is an Opportunity
Posted by: | CommentsOne of the greatest things about our God, is that His mercy and compassions are new every morning. We should rejoice in the fact that every day we’re given is an opportunity to fulfill God’s assignment for our life.
Whatever you’ve put on the back-burner, don’t delay it any further. Let today be an opportunity to walk in your destiny. That dream that you’ve been wanting to pursue, today is another chance for you to go after it. That passion that you’ve been wanting to take up, go for it. That talent that you’ve been wanting to perfect, take a class and further it.
Maybe there’s a lifestyle that you’re not living. Maybe you’ve been hurt. Maybe you’ve become bitter. You might be holding onto un-forgiveness and strife. Today is a chance for you to let go of past hurts. This very day could be the chance for you to forgive a wrongdoer and walk in the love that God commands us to.
When you wake up in the morning, your prayer should be that God shows you an opportunity to love someone. Your prayer should be that His ultimate will be done in your life.
Remember, tomorrow is not granted. I truly believe that God wants us to live everyday as if it were our last. Don’t waste the precious gift of life that God has given you. Make a decision to delay no further. Let today be Read More→
ShareDogs Always Get the Bad Name (but Even They Have Hope!)
Posted by: | CommentsIt’s easy to forget how much God really wants us to prosper. And from time to time you may feel like you’re getting the short end of the bargain.
You may even feel inadequate or less than mediocre. Maybe your dreams haven’t come to pass. Maybe you’ve been diagnosed with an illness. Maybe all your friends have left and you feel like you’ve been slighted.
When you’re faced with these let downs and disappointments, it’s easy to fall prey to the voice of the enemy. He may try to convince you that you’re scum, or that no one cares. You might as well just give up. But don’t tune into the voice of the enemy, tune into what God says about you. He says that you have hope.
I’m reminded of how dogs always get a bad name. For instance, when a woman meets a bad guy, or a jerk, she’ll go back and tell her girlfriends, “he’s nothing but a dirty dog.”
Another instance would be the story of the Gentile woman in Matthew 15:21-28. This woman came to Jesus wanting Jesus to heal her demon possessed daughter. Jesus replies, “it isn’t right to take food from the children and throw it to the dogs.” But the woman Read More→
ShareHave You had Your Apple Today?
Posted by: | CommentsThere is a great saying that says, “what goes in comes out.” And we can always tell what seeds a person takes in, by the seeds they put out.
Any doctor or health consultant can tell you that what you take in has a lot to do with your health, and how you perform. If you’re taking in fatty foods and or foods high in salt or sugar, you run the risk of getting diabetes, high cholesterol, or even heart failure.
On the other hand, they’ll tell you that when you take in healthy food, you’ll feel better. You’ll be more energetic. You’ll have an over-all sense of well being.
Well the same thing goes for your spiritual being. If you’re taking in junk that isn’t good for your mind and soul, you’re going to put out what you’re taking in. If you’re taking in bad seeds, such as music that’s a bad influence, or hanging around people that are bad role models, you’ll find yourself mimicking or putting out that sort of behavior.
On the other hand, if you surround yourself around positive people and listen to positive music that’s uplifting and encouraging, then you’ll find yourself doing Read More→
ShareForget Not His Many Benefits
Posted by: | CommentsThe total opposite of thanksgiving is complaining. And we have a tendency to complain when things are not going our way. But the truth is, this is what the enemy wants you to do. He want’s you to look at what’s going wrong, rather than focus on what’s going right.
When we complain, we tend to forget the Lord’s benefits. We forget all He’s done for us. And in the interim, it causes a downward cycle of bitterness, sadness, and frustration.
But be encouraged today. Don’t look at what’s going wrong in your life, look at what’s going right. Don’t yield to the temptation of the adversary and allow him to throw you off track. No, remember all the Lord’s many benefits.
Be thankful that you’re healthy and whole. Be thankful that you’re in your right mind, and have full activity of your limbs.
His benefits are that you’re blessed going in and coming out. You’re blessed and highly favored of the Lord. He’s a God that causes you to prosper in everything that you do. He has even given you the ability to do all things through Christ which strengthens you. These are just a few of the many benefits that come with the Lord’s “package deal”.
You see, it’s likened to getting a job. When you get hired on to that job, you’re getting more than just a paycheck. You’re getting extra benefits. Some companies even offer incentive bonuses. When you get sick or have an accident, and end up in the hospital, that’s when your Read More→
ShareMake Your List and Check it Twice
Posted by: | CommentsFrom time to time, we find ourselves straying away from the fruit that God wants us to bear. Our natural human nature, at times, will cause us to bear fruit that isn’t pleasing to God.
That’s why it’s important for us to perform self assessments and make sure we’re bearing the fruit of the Spirit. Galatians 5:22-23 tells us that “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” These are the traits that the Holy Spirit within us would cause us to bear.
And again, often times we’ll find ourselves being tempted to not exercise these traits. A great exercise, would be to commit the fruit of the Spirit to memory. And throughout the day, make a mental list of times when you can practice bearing good fruit.
For instance, when you’re in rush hour traffic and you’re tempted to get impatient, take a second and double check your mental list. This is the time to exercise forbearance, or patience (long-suffering) as some translations put it. Maybe someone wants to get in ahead of you in traffic, this is a chance for you to exercise kindness and goodness.
Maybe you’re trying to meet deadlines and something doesn’t go your way. You may be tempted to get frustrated or irritated. Double check your list, my friends. This Read More→
ShareThe Innocence of a Little Child
Posted by: | CommentsWe learn many things as we mature in life. And all though it’s good to learn wisdom and gain great knowledge, there are some things that should never change. It’s just like the saying, “what you don’t know won’t hurt you.” Well, that’s what happens to many of us as we grow up in life. We learn how to be prideful. We learn how to reject and be selfish. We learn how to be rude and unkind. And in turn, these things come back to bite us.
You see, little children have the awesome ability to accept, adapt, and trust. They also have one of the greatest imaginations. And it’s also at this age that we are perhaps at our most lowly and humble state.
There is something about the innocence of a child. Most children haven’t been taught not to trust, or to be prejudice, or to hate. They have a natural ability to find the optimism, joy, and laughter in most situations.
When we become older, we learn contrary to these things. As we become older, we learn how to take life too seriously at times. It isn’t until we become more mature, that we lose our ability to dream, imagine, and trust.
And I understand that once we grow older, we develop the cares of life. When we were children we could naturally put our cares on our parents and they would fix it.
But there is something to be said about this. Just like children, we can cast all our cares on the Lord. The truth is, that we have a Heavenly Father who can fix anything. In fact, He describes us in the scriptures as being children of the most high God.
We should take a stand on Romans 8:28 which says, “all things work together for the good of them who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose in Christ Jesus.”
The good news is that we are His innocent children. We should learn to have an active imagination and believe that God can cause even our wildest dreams to Read More→
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