AN OPTIMISTIC OUTLOOK

"Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life." - Proverbs 4:23

Some people always look for a reason to be unhappy. They walk into a beautiful meadow, and pass all the flowers just to find the cow manure in the corner so they can complain! In my years of ministry, I’ve seen many people just like that. But if I had the choice, I’d definitely prefer to be with people who look for the positive.

I talk with pastors all the time whose churches are resisting them for no real reason. These pastors want to do some great things but they’re just crushed because of the pessimistic spirit of their church. And even outside the church in the workforce, people would much rather be behind an optimist than someone with a negative attitude. Optimistic teams are much more productive!

Look at today’s verse: “Keep your heart…” That means we’re to keep our mind, will, and emotions pointed in a positive direction so that even when setbacks occur, we know the victory will be ours. And when we do that, we’ll experience a flow of joy in our lives.

Keep your heart; don’t lose hope; stay optimistic. The victory is already yours. So live like it!

HAVE A POSITIVE OUTLOOK ON LIFE BECAUSE THE VICTORY IS ALREADY YOURS IN JESUS CHRIST!

SIGNS OF COMING PERSECUTION(THE ANTI-CHRIST)

"Come," they say, "let us destroy them as a nation, that the name of Israel be remembered no more" (Ps 83:4).

God calls us to know the signs of the times. The final end time conflict will arise when nations of the world will come against Israel. The Bible is clear that Jesus will return to the physical place of Jerusalem to collect His bride, represented as all those who believe and trust in Jesus, the Messiah. "Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready" (Rev 19:7). "I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband" (Rev 21:2).

Israel will always be a place of conflict in the world because Satan knows that this is the place Jesus must come back to in order to collect His bride. And when Jesus does that, it will be the end of Satan's influence on the earth through anti-Christ nations. But until Jesus returns, the land of Jerusalem will be in a tug of war among the nations.

There is a growing intolerance in the world for anyone who has a belief system in absolutes. Christians will be viewed as rigid, inflexible and intolerant of other faiths. There will be a season of political moderate philosophy among many nations and individuals. This moderate philosophy will even happen among Christians, Muslims, and political groups. This will open the door to the influence of the antichrist to come against any group believing in absolutes.

A growing trend of anti-Semitism and persecution will emerge against Jews and committed Christians. Christians will be called to stand with our brothers and sisters in Israel. When this happens it will be one of the reasons Jews will believe in the Messiah.

There has been a season of peace for followers of Christ in the western, European and Asian world. But know that a season of persecution is to come. "However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name" (1 Peter 4:16-17).

Pray that you will be faithful.

WALKING WITH GOD

Can two walk together, unless they are agreed? - (Amos 3:3)

The idea when you are taking a walk with someone is to walk with that person. And in the Christian life, when we are walking with God, we should not be running ahead of Him. Nor should we be lagging behind. The idea is to walk with God.

And who sets the pace? God does. The prophet Amos asked, “Can two walk together, unless they are agreed?” (Amos 3:3). The Hebrew translation of this verse implies a meeting at a fixed place at a fixed time.

A friend of mine who is very prompt shared this saying with me, which he has been using in his family for years: “Early is on time. On time is late. And late is never acceptable.”

Can you imagine being late for an appointment with God? Every day, we have an appointment to keep with God, a time to start the day with His Word, to start the day with prayer. Every day, we have an opportunity to think of Him, to focus on Him, and to walk in harmony with Him. Are you walking in step with God today?

BEING SAVED: THE REAL TRUTH

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” ~ Matthew 7:21

I was meeting with a man one day in my office about a problem he was having in his marriage. I asked him some simple questions about his relationship with Jesus Christ, and I could tell he was clearly uncomfortable talking about spiritual matters. So I plainly asked him, “Are you a Christian?”

He shifted in his seat, thought for a while, and said, “I think I accepted Jesus when I was little, but I haven’t really thought much about Him since.” So I was able to give him some guidance, beginning by telling him what it meant to place his faith firmly in Christ.

That conversation could be repeated again and again with many people all over who identify themselves as Christians, but have never really become followers of Christ. They think walking the aisle at church camp or being baptized is what gets them in, never realizing that those who love Jesus will give Him much more than just lip service.

Maybe you resonate with that story today, having confessed Christ at one time but never really giving your life to Him. If so, it’s never too late to trust Him. Pray right now and surrender your life, trusting Jesus for the forgiveness of your sins, and enter into the joy of eternal life!

REAL FAITH IS MORE THAN JUST LIP SERVICE. TRUST CHRIST FOR THE FORGIVENESS OF YOUR SINS TODAY AND GIVE YOUR LIFE TO HIM.

THE 'PORN' GENERATION

A while ago, a Christian couple we know caught their 14 year old son viewing porn on the family computer. Their response: to spank him, adding humiliation to shame. 

Recently, a father who discovered his son viewing porn wrote a letter that has been widely circulated on the internet. This dad took the “tolerant approach” going so far as to offer his son some “safe” porn sites.  

The responses above are extreme; both are damaging. The first will drive a boy into isolation and toward a secret addiction, while the other opens the door wide to sexual sin. 

How should parents respond when they catch their children viewing porn? 

First, we need to face reality. Today’s surveys show that:

• The average age of first exposure to porn is ten. Some statistics say younger. 
• 90% of eight to 16 year olds have viewed porn online.
• 80% of 15 to 17 year olds have view hard core porn.
• Four out of five 16 year olds regularly access porn online.

Part of the problem is that many in the church are still living in the ostrich position.  Leadership doesn’t address sexual sin from the pulpit, and it’s not discussed in youth groups. We avoid it in the home; “there won’t be a problem in my house.”  

Then Junior, who’s more tech savvy than Mom and Dad, learns about porn from his peers, many who have smart phones with unrestricted internet access. Or maybe he stumbles onto the cache of his father’s porn on the family PC. With statistics showing that 50-60% of Christian men viewing porn, it’s not uncommon.

Then one day the child makes a mistake and his parents find out. If Mom and Dad are grounded in reality the chances are higher that they respond with wisdom and care. If not, a train wreck of confusion, miscommunication, and isolation is minutes away.  

Following is an approach to take when addressing porn with your family. We’ll begin with steps for preparation.  

Be proactive.

A lot of what the church does today is reactive; we wait until the building is half burned to the ground instead working to protect against a fire. Your child should hear about sex from you first, not his peers. In our pornified culture this may mean as young as age 8, depending on the maturity of the child. This doesn’t mean you need to dump the whole sex- talk truck-load on an eight year old, but at least consider the Hansel and Gretel approach of steadily feeding them a few crumbs over time. You should also discuss the dangers of porn with your children and what to do if they’re exposed to it.  

Set God’s standard for sex. 

God made sex for marriage only between one man and one woman. It’s nothing to be ashamed of; the Lord addresses it candidly throughout the Bible. Anything outside of marital sex is sin, can destroy your child’s life when he grows up, and will hurt those he loves. Discuss this plainly with him. 

Plan ahead

Long before your children are of the age where porn will be an issue, safeguards should be set in the home. This could be as radical as doing away with the TV, or not having cable. Every computer should have a porn blocking solution installed. 

When appropriate, share your story.

As your child matures, consider discussing your past struggles with lust or porn.  This will open new doors in your relationship, show your kids you’re human, and cut the lust-monster down to size when they see that God has made you an overcomer. An appropriate age for such a disclosure might be the teen years, should you decide to go through with it. 

When you discover your child has been exposed to porn (I say when because the odds are heavily stacked that it will)... 

Don’t freak out. 

You want your child to feel safe with you so they feel free to discuss anything. If you condemn or shame them, they’ll shove sex into their “never discuss with Mom and Dad” closet, increasing the risk of retreat into the secret fantasy world of porn addiction. Isolation breeds lust; it’s critical that the doors of communication are kept wide open. 

Maintain a kind, compassionate tone. 

If you need to, take some time and calm your emotions before sitting down with your child. Talking it out with your spouse can help. Pray. Don’t go at it with a full head of steam. 

Remember the goal…

…which is to help, guide, and walk with your kids in their journey through adolescence.  Many children will be confused—and terrified of what your response might be. Think of how you’d want your parents to react if you got caught viewing porn, and how a grace-centered approach would help. 

Focus on listening.

Talking too much up front can start things off on the wrong foot; especially if you’re lecture-prone. Start by asking questions. Calmly ask how they were first exposed to porn and how long it’s been going on. Ask how it makes them feel… especially if there’s shame afterwards. Ask if they’ve stimulated themselves. You want your son or daughter to feel heard and accepted; this will have the effect of releasing them from the burden of shame and fear.  Their answers may lead to more questions; play that out. You may discover that they hate what they’ve seen and are relieved to be able to open up with you, which will open the door for your input on how to deal with the problem. 

Without going into lecture-mode, remind them of the truth of God’s plan for sex.

You might point out that the actors and actresses in porn hate what they’re doing and many of them are drunk or on drugs when they’re “acting.” Help your child to see the lie behind the fantasy and discuss the fact that sin never satisfies. 

Put them at ease. 

They’ve not committed the unpardonable sin; if they were inadvertently exposed to porn they haven’t sinned at all. Re-emphasize your love for them. If they’ve been viewing porn for an extended period of time, help them to understand that Jesus died for and will forgive them; the slate will be wiped clean, along with all the guilt and shame. 

Pray with them. 

Lead your child in prayer, asking God to cleanse them of everything they’ve been exposed to. Confess sin with them. Bringing the Lord into your conversation may be one of the most poignant moments of your time together. If your child prefers, you can say the words and they can repeat them. Thank the Lord for His forgiveness immediately after confessing any sin so they get a sense of closure.  

Make an action plan with them. 

Ask your child for suggestions for an action plan so they can resist temptation in the future. This will help them take ownership for their actions and give them a sense of working with you, instead of “My parents are coming down on me.” They could also pleasantly surprise you with some ideas you hadn’t thought of. 

Here are the basics: 

1. Cut off the stumbling blocks (Matthew 5). Assuming they’ve been viewing porn on a PC or their phone, get an ap/software solution that will prevent this. If video games, movies, or a friend is the problem, take action, even if it means throwing away treasured items and/or severing a relationship. 

2. Set up a time when they will be accountable to you; perhaps once every week or two (James 5:16). Help them understand that isolation is a silent killer when it comes to lust, and this isn’t a “check up on you to see if you’ve been bad” time. Accountability is a key strategy in the battle. 

3. Pray for them daily, and encourage them to do the same. There’s a spiritual battle going on, and the enemy is sure to hit them with temptation again. I also suggest that you pray together after each of your accountability times. 

Finding out that your child is viewing porn isn’t the end of the world; God is bigger than the problem. If a parent responds with grace and truth they can nip the problem in the bud, strengthen the relationship, and model how the church should respond when someone is caught in sin. 

Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted.

Galatians 6:1

PEACE OF GOD VS. PEACE WITH GOD

"Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, do I give to you" ~ John 14:27 

 

Peace on earth--that's what everybody wants. But nobody can guarantee external peace because nobody can control other people or circumstances. Nations sign and break peace treaties with frightening regularity. Couples lament that there would be peace in their home "if only he/she would shape up." No one can guarantee peace at home or on the job site. However, we should always strive to be peacemakers. Jesus said, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God" (Matthew 5:9). Paul instructed, "If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men" (Romans 12:18).

 

 

But let's face it: Peace with others isn't always possible, because peace doesn't just depend on us. Peace on earth is what we want; peace with God is what we have; the peace of God is what we need.

 

Peace with God is something you already have (Romans 5:1). It's not something you strive for; it's something you received when you were born again. The Prince of Peace reconciled you to God by shedding His own blood.

The peace of God is something you need to appropriate daily in your inner world in the midst of the storms which rage in the external world (John 14:27). There are a lot of things that can disrupt your external world because you can't control all your circumstances and relationships. But you can control the inner world of your thoughts by allowing the peace of Christ to rule in your heart on a daily basis (Colossians 3:15). There may be chaos all around you, but God is bigger than any storm. I keep a little plaque on my desk which reminds me: "Nothing will happen to me today that God and I cannot resolve."

 

 

The peace of Christ will rule in your heart when you "let the word of Christ richly dwell within you" (Colossians 3:16). And when you turn to Him in prayer, "the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:7).

 

Prayer: Prince of Peace, rule in my heart today. Give me Your peace and make me a peacemaker in all my relationships.

LIVING FREE FROM FEAR AND SHAME

“Fear not, for you will not be ashamed; be not confounded, for you will not be disgraced;

for you will forget the shame of your youth....” ~ Isaiah 54:4

I was reading in the newspaper awhile back on my iPad and saw a wonderful testimony about a couple that eloped when they were in Bible college. They’d never spent time alone together—that wasn’t allowed at this particular school—but they’d been slipping around and getting to know each other on campus between classes.

He was 21 and she was 18 when they eloped, and they just celebrated their 50^thwedding anniversary. A reporter asked them if they had any advice for maintaining a strong marriage. So the wife said, “Live every day so as not to be afraid of tomorrow or be ashamed of yesterday.”

That’s not just good advice for marriage; it’s good for life. And when we commit our lives to Christ, we don’t have to be ashamed of yesterday or afraid of tomorrow. Our sins of the past have been completely forgotten and our future is in the hands of a Father who loves us and will work everything out for our best.

In Christ, you can live free from fear of tomorrow and shame of the past. Only in Him can you truly live for today. So instead of worrying about the past or the future, live each day in the power of the Spirit to the glory of God!

THANK GOD THAT YOU CAN LIVE FREE FROM FEAR AND SHAME BECAUSE YOUR PAST SINS ARE FORGOTTEN AND GOD WILL GUIDE YOUR FUTURE!

SMALL SLITS SINK SHIPS

He must become greater; I must become less. - John 3:30

Did you know scientists now believe a series of slits, not a giant gash, sank the Titanic? The supposedly invincible cruise liner went down in 1912 on its first voyage. Fifteen hundred people perished, making it the worst maritime disaster of its time.

Until recently, the most widely held theory was that the ship hit an iceberg, opening a huge gash in the vessel’s side. But an international team of divers and scientists has used sound waves to probe the wreckage, buried in the mud under two-and-a-half miles of water. The damage was surprisingly small. Instead of a huge gash, they found only six, relatively narrow, slits across the watertight holds.

Small slits can sink great ships. What are the small slits in your life that might have serious consequences? Is some shoring up in order? If you don’t know what exactly needs shoring up, or you do know but don’t know how—seek some help—from a friend, your pastor, or a professional counselor.

“A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for.” -Unknown
 

LOST AND FOUND

I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents (Luke 15:10).

How much do you matter to God?  Three parables in Luke 15 compare the value of a lost coin, a lost sheep and a lost son to the value God places on each human life.  In each case, these three things were highly valued and diligently sought after when lost. 

And, in each case, there was much rejoicing when found. Jesus tells us that likewise, and in much greater measure, God and His angels rejoice over even one sinner who was lost and is found.  That's the reality of how much God loves you. 

Hebrews 2:7 tells us, "God has crowned us with glory and honor."  We have the ability to live like royalty as sons and daughters of The King.  But first we must recognize that our crowns are broken because of sin, turn to Christ for forgiveness and trust Him to restore us to our royal position through the power of the cross.  Are you living up to the value God has placed on your life? 

Take your flimsy and broken crown to the the feet of Jesus Christ, repent of your sins, and let him give you a new crown of eternal glory.  And start living like royalty!

CLARITY VERSUS TRUST

Who among you fears the Lord and obeys the word of his servant? Let him who walks in the dark, who has no light, trust in the name of the Lord and rely on his God. - Isaiah 50:10

When the philosopher and professor of ethics, John Kavanaugh, went to work for three months at the “house of the dying” in Calcutta, he was seeking an answer about how to spend the rest of his life. His first morning there he met Mother Teresa. She asked, “And what can I do for you?” Kavanaugh asked her to pray for him. “What do you want me to pray for?” she inquired.

He voiced his pressing burden: “Pray that I have clarity.” Mother Teresa firmly refused!  When the bewildered Kavanaugh asked why, she said, “Clarity is the last thing you are clinging to and must let go of.”

When Kavanaugh commented that she always seemed to have the clarity he longed for, she laughed and said, “I have never had clarity; what I have always had is trust. So I will pray that you trust God.”

Are things in your life so clear that there’s no room to trust God?

“All I have seen teaches me to trust the Creator for all I have not seen. ” - Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882)

UNDER SPIRITUAL ATTACK

1 Timothy 4:1 ~ "The Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons"

 

 

A seminary student stopped by my office to tell me he was having difficulty getting to school on time. What should have been a five-minute drive lengthened to 45 minutes because a voice in his mind kept telling him to turn at intersections. Not wanting to disobey what he perceived to be the "still, small voice of God," he was treated to a tour of the city almost every morning.

 

A pastor's wife, desperately needing the comfort of the Holy Spirit and desiring His leading, passively believed that whatever entered her mind was from God. She soon found herself bound by fear and plagued by condemning thoughts.

 

These examples underscore the wisdom of John Wesley's words: "Do not hastily ascribe things to God. Do not easily suppose dreams, voices, impressions, visions or revelations to be from God. They may be from Him. They may be from nature. They may be from the devil. Therefore, do not believe every spirit, but try the spirits, whether they be from God" (Martin Wells Knapp, Impressions , Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 1984, p. 32).

 

In a survey of 1700 professing Christian teenagers, 70 percent admitted to hearing voices, like there was a subconscious self talking to them. I don't believe they are psychotic or paranoid schizophrenic. There is a battle going on for their minds. I have shared with many tormented people that they aren't going crazy but are under spiritual attack. They usually respond, "Praise the Lord, someone understands." It's freeing to know this truth, because if there is a battle going on for our minds, we can win that war.

 

Prayer: Lord, today I choose to test the spirits and assume my responsibility to think upon that which is true.

TRANSFORMING A WORKPLACE

"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind" (Rom 12:1-2).

A cab driver in the Philippines became radically saved. He was taught that he now had the power of God in his life to transform his community. Because he had not had any prior religious training to the contrary, he took a literal approach to believing what the Bible says about prayer and miracles.

He decided that the best mission field for him was the local bar in his neighborhood. So he began to visit this bar to find the most qualified sinner he could find in order to minister to him. He met the bartender and determined that he was a great prospect because he was also a gay drug addict and a pimp to 65 prostitutes. The cab driver visited the bar regularly and got to know the bartender while drinking his "usual" Coke. Eventually, the Lord used the cab driver to bring this man to Christ.

The power of God moved greatly in the bartender, and he was delivered from his homosexual lifestyle. He began to change his life and share Jesus with the prostitutes. All 65 of them became Christians, and they began meeting in the bar for Bible study.

Soon, the owner of the bar began to notice the change in these people, and he also was saved. The bar became a church, and the group started 10 cell group churches in the neighborhood. Now that is a miraculous transformation!

No matter what situation we find ourselves in, we should always remain aware that God wants to intervene. He desires a moment-by-moment relationship with us, and He wants to demonstrate His loving power to others through us. We can approach God about any situation, for there is nothing that is too small or too great for Him.*

Ask God to be a transformer in your workplace and city.!!

DO NOT GO TO CHURCH!!

 By Nomgidi Kity Nhlapo (Connect with her on Facebook)

Allow me to start by apologizing if you will be hurt by this note. I know you are alarmed by the title already. However, I mean what I say, let elaborate...

If you are busy wasting your time going to church whilst you are also busy pretending to be 'born again', think again! You cannot say you are born again whilst you are still so busy enjoying the '

fruits' of sin. Have you really repented or you are just fooling us, I mean, fooling yourself more?

They have preached about leaving sex to the married people, but, you never listen! Is your body a temple of the holly spirit or it is the temple (dwelling place) of lust. Why fool your pastor and your church members, why? You pretend to be living right, whilst you still drink and gossip at the same time! I am talking to you as well.

It is better to stay at home because you are, by far, worse than those who dont even border to come to church. You are a liar. You cannot pretend to God, repent. You may never know if this is your last chance! God does not need people who apologize, He needs people who completely let their bodies be the temple of the holly spirit. So, are you wondering why are your prayers not answered? Can you really fool God?

It is much better for people who do not want to repent to stay home! You cant keep on pretending, whilst at the same time, you do things in secret. You are happy because abazalwane ababoni! Pathetic! You need to walk righteous before God. I mean it. The lake of fire is for pretenders. These type of people are worse than the antichrist. I say this because the antichrist people are open and honest.

Simply because you tithe, you participate in church does not guarantee you righteousness. It does not guarantee you salvation. If your life was displayed in a big screen, you would be so ashamed of your very own thoughts and actions done in darkness. It is OK, you can hide these deeds of darkness, but, they are the same deeds which will assure you that you go to hell, and then continues to be thrown in a lake of fire, forever and ever.

You laugh at the people who worship God in truth and in spirit, you give them names. You cannot be clever before God. You like sin. Don't you know that sin will kill you? You think God is playing April fool? You will go to hell if you continue with these deeds. I tell you because I love you.

Sex before marriage is not pardoned by a condom. Simply because you have made an abortion, it does not mean icala liphelile. Repent, the kingdom of God is at hand. Whey the rapture happens, I can see that you will be left behind for the torment of the devil and 666.

Start living right for God. This message is for you. Repent, again I say repent. Dont be defeated by sin. Don't lie. You cant lie to people who trust you like this! You cannot lie to people without lying to yourself. Your future, containing lies is not looking bright. It may be bright for a while, only for a while.

You cant continue going to church playing God. This is real life. You will get diseases, you will get sick and you will get YOURSELF hurt. You are planting a bomb is your own mind and heart. You will cry one day, you will weep so bad because of the decisions you are making.

  Don't choose the intimate, choose the ultimate. Choose life, not pleasures of the world. Preserve your soul. Trust in God with all your heart.

Don't waste your life. Why do you want to earn the whole pleasure of the world with an expense of your very own like? You deserve much better than this shame. Your life was bought with a high price. Don't disregard what He has done on the cross for you, don't.

Live your life to please God! I love you so much to let the devil play with your mind, my brother my sister....

Repent.

SELF-CENTERED VS. GOD-CENTERED

Matthew 16:23
You are not setting your mind on God's interests, but man's

The apostle Peter is a glaring example of the struggle between self- and Christ-centered living. Only moments after Peter confessed the fundamental truth that Jesus Christ is the Messiah, the Son of the living God (Matthew 16:13-16), he found himself in league with the powers of darkness. Having just blessed Peter for his noble confession, Jesus announced to him and the other disciples the suffering and death which awaited Him at Jerusalem. "And Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, 'God forbid it, Lord! This shall never happen to You'" (verse 22).

Jesus responded: "Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God's interests, but man's" (verse 23).

Jesus' memorable rebuke seems mercilessly severe. But the fact that He identified Satan as the source of Peter's words describes precisely and appropriately the character of the advice Peter tried to give: "Save yourself at all costs. Sacrifice duty to self-interest, the cause of Christ to personal convenience." Peter's advice was satanic in principle, for Satan's primary aim is to promote self-interest as the chief end of man. Satan is called the "prince of this world" because self-interest rules the secular world. He is called the "accuser of the brethren" because he does not believe that even a child of God has a higher motive than self-service. You can almost hear him hissing, "All men are selfish at heart and have their price. Some may hold out longer than others, but in the end every man will prefer his own things to the things of God."

That's Satan's creed, and unfortunately the lives of all too many Christians validate his claims. Satan has deceived them into thinking they are serving themselves when in fact they are serving the world, the flesh, and the devil. But the Christian worldview has a different center. Jesus confronts our humanistic, self-serving grids and offers the view from the cross. Only from this center can you escape the bondage of the one whose sole intent is "to steal, and kill, and destroy" (John 10:10).

SEEING BLESSINGS IN THORNS

"To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me" (2 Cor. 12:7).   Have you ever had something in your life you wish was not there? If God gave you one wish, perhaps it would be to change that one thing. Perhaps it is the source of pain or challenge in your life. You seek God continually for relief from it, but He seems strangely silent. Paul also experienced an ongoing burden that he called a "thorn in [his] flesh." Bible scholars have speculated as to what this thorn might have been, but no one knows for sure. We do know that it was so hurtful to Paul that he asked God on three different occasions to remove it from his life: To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong (2 Cor. 12:7-10). Paul had a great calling on his life. The revelations and faith experiences that God gave him would have been too much for any man's humility. So God, in order to insure His investment in Paul's life, allowed this man a thorn in his flesh to help him maintain a humble, godly perspective. Perhaps God has given you such a thorn designed to allow you to place greater trust and reliance upon Him. Ask God to reveal to you the blessing of the thorn He has placed in your life. The bloom of a rose is beautiful, but the thorn of a rose produces only pain. Thorns hurt us yet they humble us. That is the blessing of thorns.

POWER AND AUTHORITY

"He [Jesus] called the twelve together, and gave them power and authority over all the demons" ~ Luke 9:1 

 

Jesus gave His disciples both authority and power over demons. What's the difference? Authority is the right to rule; it's a positional issue. A policeman has the right to stop traffic at an intersection because of the position of authority represented by his badge. Similarly, Jesus gave His disciples His badge to carry. They had the right to rule over the demons because of their position as followers of the One to whom all authority in heaven and on earth has been given (Matthew 28:18).

 

In contrast, power is the ability to rule. A policeman may have the authority to stop traffic, but he doesn't have the physical ability to do so. If he tries to stop traffic by his own power, he will probably get run over. However, if you move a 20-foot-square cement block into the middle of the intersection, it may not have any authority to make cars stop, but it certainly has the ability to do so!

 

No good manager would delegate responsibility to his underlings without also delegating authority to them and equipping them with the ability to get the job done. Jesus charged His disciples with the responsibility to proclaim the kingdom of God. Had He not also given them authority and power in the spirit world, the demons would have just scoffed at their feeble attempts and sent them running for cover (as they did the seven sons of Sceva in Acts 19).

 

The truth is that, while in yourself you don't have the ability to resist Satan and his demons, in Christ you do . The Israelites looked at Goliath fearfully and said, "We can't fight him." But young David looked at Goliath and said, "Who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should taunt the armies of the living God?" (1 Samuel 17:26). The army saw Goliath in relation to themselves and trembled; David saw Goliath in relation to God and triumphed. When you encounter the spiritual enemies of your soul, remember: "Be strong in the Lord [your authority], and in the strength of His might [your power]" (Ephesians 6:10).

 

Prayer: Thank You, Father, for Your authority and power. Help me view my circumstances in light of what You can do, not according to what I can't do.

GOD VERSUS MAMMON

"No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon." (Matt 6:24 NKJV)

 

The New Testament contains 2,084 verses dealing with money and finance. Sixteen of Jesus' thirty-eight parables deal with money. The reason Jesus spoke so much about money was because He was always trying to see where a person's loyalty resided. "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Matt 6:21 NKJV). He said a person could not serve two masters. Instead, he will love one but hate the other.

Many people believe money is synonymous with mammon. This is incorrect. Mammon is an Aramaic demonic spirit that was worshipped as a false god by the Philistines. Mammon desires to be worshipped, have influence, and control of peoples' lives to require love and devotion through the use of money. Money is simply the instrument by which mammon seeks to have power.

Any spirit that opposes God seeks to influence people through deception. It wants to gain loyalty and love without you knowing it has done so. The primary lie behind the spirit of mammon is that money contains power. It encourages people to place disproportionate value on money because of the power it has to influence and control others.

The symptoms of being controlled by the spirit of mammon are revealed when we allow our activities to be governed by the amount of money we have instead of God alone. It makes us believe one's provision is his/her employer, spouse, investments, or other money source. So, when we allow money to rule the choices in our lives we have yielded to the spirit of mammon. This leads to other problems as Paul writes to Timothy:

"For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs." (1 Tim 6:10)

Today, ask God if you have been influenced by the spirit of mammon. If so, renounce it and place your total trust in Christ as your source for all provision.

KEEP ON WALKING

 

 

 

Isaiah 50:10  

Who is among you that fears the LORD, that obeys the voice of His servant, that walks in darkness and has no light? Let him trust in the name of the LORD and rely on his God

 

The life led by the Spirit of God is marvelous. Sensing His presence, living victoriously, and knowing the truth are characteristics of a free person. But what if you couldn't sense His presence? What if God, for some reason, suspended His blessings? What would you do if you were faithfully following God and suddenly all external circumstances turned sour?

 

My family and I have been through two extremely dark periods in our life. There were days I wasn't sure if we were going to make it. If it wasn't for the message of Isaiah 50:10, I'm not sure we would have survived spiritually. Isaiah is asking if there is a believer, somebody who fears the Lord, walking in darkness. He is not referring to the darkness of sin or even the darkness of this world. He is talking about the darkness of uncertainty--that blanket of heaviness that settles in as though a black cloud has drifted over our very being. God has suspended His conscious blessings.

 

What is a person to do during these times? Isaiah tells us that no matter how dark it gets, we are to keep on walking. In the light we can see the next step. The path ahead is clear. We know a friend from an enemy and we can see where the obstacles are. But when darkness settles in, every natural instinct says to drop out, sit down, stop! We become fearful of the next step.

 

Isaiah says don't stop; keep on walking. Keep walking in the light of previous revelation. If it was true six months ago, it is still true. I try never to make a major decision when I am down. Rather, I wait until the cloud lifts and everything is clear and in focus again.

 

If God's ministry of darkness should envelop you, understand that God has not left you; He has only suspended His conscious presence so that your faith will not rest on feelings or be established by unique experiences or blessings. Listen to Isaiah's advice: Keep on walking. Never doubt in the darkness what God has clearly shown you in the light.

 

Prayer: Thank You, Lord, for guiding me through the darkness of my trials with the light of Your truth.

HUMANITY'S BASIC NEEDS

Philippians 4:19 ~ "My God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus"

Adam and Eve were created spiritually alive. The attributes they experienced before the Fall became glaring needs after the Fall.

 

1. Acceptance was replaced by rejection, therefore we have a need to belong. Ever since Adam and Eve's sin alienated them from God and disrupted human relationships, we have experienced a deep need to belong. Even when people come to Christ and fill their need to belong to God, they still need the acceptance of people. You will never understand the power of peer pressure in our culture until you understand the legitimate need to belong and the fear of rejection we all share.

 

2. Innocence was replaced by guilt and shame, therefore we have a need for a sense of worth. Many psychologists agree that people today generally suffer from a poor sense of worth. The secular psychologist responds by trying to stroke the human ego and psychologist responds by trying to stroke the human ego and encourage us to improve our performance. Your worth as a person is not an issue of giftedness, talent, intelligence or beauty. It's an identity issue. Your sense of personal worth comes from knowing who you are: a child of God.

 

3. Authority to rule over creation was replaced by weakness and helplessness, therefore we have a need for strength and self-control. There is no one more insecure than a controller. The fruit of the Spirit is self-control, not spouse- or child-control.

 

Only Christ can meet the most basic needs of humanity such as life, identity, acceptance, security and significance. These needs are eternal, unlike our physical needs. If we present Christ as meeting only our physical needs, we will have stiff competition from every humanistic organization.!!

YOU WERE MADE TO FLY

"Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised" (Job 1:21).

Can a caterpillar fly? If you said, "No," you would be partially correct. Actually, a caterpillar can fly, but it must have a transformation first.

The butterfly begins life as a caterpillar, a wormlike larva that spins a cocoon for itself. For weeks, the larva remains hidden within the cocoon as it undergoes metamorphosis. When it's time for the butterfly to emerge, it must struggle and fight its way out of the cocoon. We might be tempted to help this process by tearing open the cocoon - but that's the worst thing we could do. The struggle makes it strong and enables it to fly. Butterflies need adversity to become what God intended them to be. So do we.

The Book of Job is the story of a wealthy and successful community leader named Job. He was a successful and righteous businessman with huge holdings of livestock and real estate. One day Satan came before God and asked him, "Where have you come from?" Satan replied, "From roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it."

God said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job? He is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil." Notice that God pointed Job out to Satan! God gave Satan permission to put Job through a trial of adversity. Job's herds were stolen, his servants were murdered, and all of Job's children were killed by a sudden tornado.

Through his trial of adversity, he grows in strength, wisdom and faith. His entire perspective on God is transformed by his suffering. He was even accused of sin by his closest friends.

We must get beyond the immature notion that God is interested only in making us healthy, wealthy and happy. More than anything, He wants us to be like Christ. And the road to becoming like Christ often leads through the wilderness of adversity.

In order for the butterfly to fly, there must be a transformation process that is often developed through adversity.!!

THE 3 TEMPTATION AREAS

"Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil" ~ (Matt 4:1).

Jesus was led into the desert by the Spirit to be tempted by Satan! After 40 days of fasting, when Jesus was at his weakest physically, Satan came to Him. He tempted Him in 3 areas where you and I are most tempted. Why would the Father require this? Jesus needed to affirm to Satan who He was and from whom He gained His authority and provision.



1) Our Identity

“If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written:
‘He shall give His angels charge over you, ’and,‘ In their hands they shall bear you up,
Lest you dash your foot against a stone.’” Jesus said to him, “It is written again, ‘You shall not tempt the LORD your God.’”  Jesus understood His identity and refused to allow Satan to redefine Him. Do not allow Satan to define your identify from anyone or anything other than God.

2)  Our Authority

Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9 And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.” Jesus said to him, “It is written again, ‘You shall not tempt the LORD your God. Jesus’ authority was rooted in doing only what He saw the Father do. He did not use fleshly authority.

3) Our Source of Provision

And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry. 3 Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’”

Realize your identify resides in being a son or daughter of your Heavenly Father. Your authority resides in being led by the Holy Spirit. Your provision comes from your Heavenly Father.

10 LEADERSHIP LESSONS

This is a list the 10 most powerful Leadership Lessons you must learn as a Christian Leader. Here is the List:

 1) It's lonely to lead. Leadership involves tough decisions. The tougher the decision, the lonelier it is.

2) It's dangerous to succeed. I'm most concerned for those who aren't even 30 and are very gifted and successful. Sometimes God uses someone right out of youth, but usually He uses leaders who have been crushed.

3) It's hardest at home. No one ever told me this in seminary.

4) It's essential to be real. If there's one realm where phoniness is common, it's among leaders. Stay real.

5) It's painful to obey. The Lord will direct you to do some things that won't be your choice. Invariably you will give up what you want to do for the cross.

6) Brokenness and failure are necessary.

7) Attitude is more important than actions. Your family may not have told you: Some of you are hard to be around. A bad attitude overshadows good actions.

8) Integrity eclipses image. Today we highlight image, but it's what you're doing behind the scenes.

9) God's way is better than my way.

10) Christ-likeness begins and ends with humility.

SHATTERED DREAMS

Then Elimelech, Naomi's husband, died; and she was left, and her two sons. Now they took wives of the women of Moab: the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth. And they dwelt there about ten years. Then both Mahlon and Chilion also died; so the woman survived her two sons and her husband. (Ruth 1:3-5).

Naomi’s life was going well. A great husband. Two fine sons who had two wonderful wives. Then the unthinkable happened. Her husband died. A little time later both her sons die. Her and her daughter-in-laws find themselves in the midst of shattered dreams. This isn’t how life was supposed to be.

How did Naomi react to her situation? “…for it grieves me very much for your sakes that the hand of the Lord has gone out against me!" (Ruth 1:13). Ah, we see her true feelings about the situation. “How could a loving God let this happen?!”  "Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. I went out full, and the Lord has brought me home again empty. Why do you call me Naomi, since the Lord has testified against me, and the Almighty has afflicted me?" (Ruth 1:20-21).

Mara means bitter. She knew where she was. She was bitter toward this so called God of love. “How can I possibly reconcile this?!” No life insurance. No widow’s fund. “What is going to happen to me and my daughters?”

The Bible says the rain falls on the righteous and the unrighteous. Naomi and Ruth move to a community where some of her relatives lived. Ruth goes out to work in the fields to put food on the table. She just so happens to work in the field of a wealthy farmer named Boaz. When Ruth tells her this the first ray of hope penetrates her bitter heart. Even she can recognize the hand of God.

So she told her mother-in-law with whom she had worked, and said, "The man's name with whom I worked today is Boaz. Then Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, ‘Blessed be he of the Lord, who has not forsaken His kindness to the living and the dead!’" (Ruth 2:19-20).
Hebrew custom was for the next in kin to care for the widow in the family. Boaz was to be this man. He would eventually marry Ruth. She would bare a son, Obed. He would be the father of Jesse, the father of David. Jesus would come firm the same lineage.

Shattered dreams often lead to a world-impacting destiny. But getting there is often a process where we must work through honest feelings before we can see the God who redeems even the most devastating shattered dream.

THE HEART OF EVANGELISM

e•van•ge•lism, noun: the preaching or promulgation (proclaiming) of the gospel a•pol•o•get•ics, noun: the branch of theology concerned with the defense or proof of Christianity. Even in the dictionary, these two words, "evangelism" and "apologetics," are different, are not the same thing. And yet, I think that as Christians, we tend to melt the two together to be one, thinking that if we are going to “evangelize” then that means we have to have all of the answers about why God allows suffering and what going to hell means and how old the Earth is and whether King David really lived or why God does this or says that or what this or that really means. Having all the answers to those kinds of questions falls into the "apologetics" category.  They're good questions and ones that many of us wrestle with, to be sure. But do we have to have the answers to them? Too often, I think that we assume that if we're going to "proclaim the gospel" (meaning, "evangelize"), then we must. We think that to share the gospel, we have to be able to defend Scripture and pull verses up from memory for every discourse. We think that if we’re going to share the Good News, then we have to be able to do it in 60 seconds or less and start off with the question, “If you died today, where would you go?” and then explain it all in context of Revelation and the bowls and plagues and horsemen and scrolls. It’s enough to make even the boldest and bravest of Christians shrink back from the task. And yet, if we look back at those definitions, we’ll see that evangelism simply asks us to “proclaim the gospel.” It doesn’t say anything about scientific equations or archaeological digs or cosmic evidence. It doesn’t say anything about knowing Hebrew or the ability to open the Bible to the exact page you intended without looking. They're not bad questions and it certainly doesn't hurt if you have studied those kinds of hard questions and know the Hebrew and Greek of the original texts. Of course it is helpful when we're sharing the gospel to know verses and know Jesus' words and able to share those legacies of our faith with the people we're talking to. But must we know it all? Must we have it all figured out before we evangelize? A pastor once told me that if we want to evangelize, we should focus less on all academic and theological and classroom stuff, and focus instead on Jesus, plain and simple. Focus on Jesus and how his good news has affected me. Tell people about how he has changed my life and how he has shown me his love and how he’s saved me time and time again. Proclaiming the gospel can simply be us taking the time to strip down to the bare bones of our faith walk and share what we’ve experienced of Jesus, firsthand. Because then we can’t use any excuses when it comes to being inadequate or untrained. I may not have all the answers, but I can share my own story. And maybe, that’s all that it takes…#BlessingsToYou