Directions To Heaven

JESUS of Nazareth According to the Gospel of Luke (Full Lenght)

2010-04-10T10:40:00.000-07:00

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1571898582510354002#

Made in the 70's now translated into over 800 languages and seen by over 4.7 billion people, it remains the best feature film about the life of Christ. The account is taken entirely from the Gospel of Luke and each scene was carefully reviewed by Biblical scholars for authenticity. I pray that His messages bless your heart : )

How to Have Overcoming Faith by Mediating on God's Word

2010-01-26T13:24:00.000-08:00

By Philip C Jones

How to have overcoming faith by meditating on God's Word? Let's begin. "For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith" (Mark 11:23 KJV).

This is an awesome promise. Jesus Christ is saying you can say things and they will come to pass if you believe it in your heart and not doubt. But to act on this scripture with great faith you would want to meditate on this scripture for your faith in it to grow. So, if you meditated on this scripture properly, then eventually faith would come to your heart and you would believe that what you would say would come to pass. Let's use this scripture verse as an example of how to meditate God's Word properly to receive revelation knowledge to have great faith in a scripture. You would read not just this scripture, but you would read the entire chapter 11 over and over again. You would ask God the Father in Jesus' name to give you revelation knowledge of this chapter as well as the promise scripture Mark 11:23. You would also pray in tongues over this chapter. Let's continue learning how to have overcoming faith by meditating on God's Word.

So, this is how you meditate scriptures in the Bible to receive revelation knowledge for your faith to develop in God's Word, especially His promises. Also, as you meditate in a chapter, psalm or proverb, God can reveal to you the subject(s) and objective(s) of each chapter,psalm or proverb. This greatly enhances your knowledge of the Bible and your faith in God's Word.

Don't believe in praying in tongues? You need to read Acts 2:4;10:44-47, Romans 8:26-27, 1 Corinthians 14:18 and Jude 20-21.

By taking an entire chapter and meditating it you allow the Holy Spirit to give you the overall revelation picture of of the passage. Then you can single out one scripture and have a better understanding of it as it relates to the other scriptures in the chapter, psalm or proverb. And of course your faith will grow in the scripture promise you have selected.

Use this successful meditation process throughout the Bible, taking a chapter, psalm (psalm 119 is very long, so break it down into passage segments) or proverb and meditate on them so revelation and faith will manifest. Then act on God's Word and speak God's Word with bold faith and see your faith bring substance to what you hoped to come to pass. What happens when you speak God's Word in faith? God's Word is like a fire and will burn up the destructive thorns in your heart that would strangle the success productivity of God's Word in your life. God's Word is like a hammer and when spoken in faith will crack and demolish any rock of defeat or lack in your heart. God's Word spoken in faith will paint and create a victorious fruit bearing Christ-like image in you that is well pleasing to God.

"Is not my word like a fire? saith the Lord; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces" (Jeremiah 23:29 KJV)?

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Philip C Jones writes online Christian articles to teach Christians how to live by faith and live holy fruit bearing lives.

This article may be reprinted or used freely, but it must be in its entirety including the resource box.

New bishop of Austin appointed

2010-01-26T13:14:00.000-08:00

Austin's Catholic Diocese has a new bishop.

Christian Prayer - How is Your Prayer Life?

2010-01-25T10:18:00.000-08:00

By Robert Baines

Christian prayer is a reference to a believer communicating with God, often by speaking or thinking. It is essential to Christian growth. The following are my suggestions regarding Christian prayer:

1. Understand times and types of prayer

- Morning. In the morning is a good time to thank the Lord for letting you make it through the night. It is my longest and devotional prayer. I use the ACTS formula that we will discuss below.

- Meals. Before every meal you ought to tell the Lord "thank You" and ask Him to bless the food that you are about to eat. A long, head bowed, and eye closed prayer is not necessary, especially, if I am hungry (smile).

- Bed. Before you retire for the evening, you ought to tell the Lord "thank You" for another day. I often pray a shorter version of the ACTS formula that we will discuss below. I like to get on my knees, bow my head, and close my eyes, in total submission to God.

- Worship. In the worship service, you should pray silently, while others are leading you in prayer. In some churches, people are asked to pray out loud and all together. And sometimes they read a prayer together.

- Trouble. In the times of trouble, we tend to move past "saying prayers" to actually "praying." Thank God, God is able to hear us all at the same time and work things out for our good.

- Special. When special decisions need to be made or you simply feel like praying, pray. When someone asks you to pray for them, pray.

2. Use A.C.T.S.

- Adoration. Christian prayer should express to God that you are aware that He is the creator and sustainer of the whole universe. Acknowledge that it has been the Lord who has brought you this far and not yourself.

- Confession. Tell God that you have sinned. Name some of those that come to mind. Tell Him that you are sorry. Ask Him to forgive you because of Jesus' suffering for your pardon.

- Thanksgiving. Tell God "thank You" for the many blessings that He has showered in your life. Thank Him for food, clothing, and shelter. Thank Him for life, health, and strength. Tell Him "thank You" for keeping mean people from snuffing your life away.

- Supplication. Ask God to supply the needs of others. This is intercessory prayer. Make sure you ask God to bless your Pastor and church. Ask God to bless your family and loved ones. Even ask God to bless and have His way with those who cause stress in your life.

And then ask God to meet your needs. Ask Him to fix what is broke and smooth out the rough places. But most of all, ask God to have His way in your life. When God has His way, He will always do what is best for His people.

I often pray using the ATCS model. I put adoration and thanksgiving close and then follow with confession and supplication. There are times when after I finish adoring God, thanking Him, and confessing to Him that I am almost ashamed to ask Him for anything else.

In summary, understand that there are times and types of prayers. The acronym ACTS is a nice guide in praying.

Dr. Robert E. Baines, Jr. uses his doctorate of ministry degree and twenty years of pastoral experience to provide quality and helpful Christian living information to 1,000's of visitors a month. Make sure you secure your free copy of his ebooklet, "How to Encourage Yourself: 21 Practical Tips," and sign up for his newsletter that features great articles, helpful devotionals, and Bible based teaching notes at http://www.RobertBaines.com.

How To Pray Article Series: Frequently Asked Questions About The Rosary, Novenas, And Fasting

2010-01-24T07:11:00.002-08:00

In learning how to pray, we come across popular topics such as the rosary, novenas, and fasting. There are numerous questions about these three topics, and below are some of the frequently asked questions and their answers.

• In praying the rosary, when going to the next set of mysteries, do you have to repeat the 3 Hail Marys and 1 Our Father?

No, you don’t have to repeat the 3 Hail Marys and 1 Our Father. Just go back to the first decade, the first set of 10 beads, and start the new set of mysteries.

• In praying the novena, do I always have to pray in the same time or place?

No, you don’t have to pray in the same time or place. You can pray the novena anytime and anywhere. However, there are some novenas that are usually prayed in the church, an example is the novena to the Mother of Perpetual Help, which is prayed every Wednesday, before or after mass
Always read the instructions on how to pray a specific novena. Some novenas have a specified time while some are at a specific day.

• Does the length of time in fasting matter?

For me, I don’t think the length of time for fasting matters. Fasting is about the condition of the heart and your motive on why you are fasting.

You should start slow if it is your first time to fast. Start with a meal a day then gradually progress to a day in a week to a week in a month. Let your body be used to the condition first. You can compare it to physical exercise where in you cannot immediately use the treadmill for an hour if it’s your first time. With fasting, you have to build up your spiritual muscles first so that you will be prepared to fast for longer periods of time later.

• Is it ok to drink water while fasting?

You can take water, you can even take juice especially when you plan on fasting for several days since this will be your source of energy. If you plan to fast for several days, it is best to consult your doctor first.

According to Dr. Bill Bright, “water-only fasts that last for more than several days need to be undertaken with complete rest and under medical supervision because of the extreme danger of over-toxification, breakdown of vital body tissues, and loss of electrolytes”.

• Do I have to spend my whole time of fasting in prayer?

Fasting is a time to communicate intimately with God so the more time you spend with Him in fellowship, worship, and adoration, and the more you read and meditate upon His Word, the more effective and meaningful your fast will be. It’s up to you to arrange your schedule according to where you plan to spend your fasting.

By: Babes TanMagkalas

Have you been praying for something for a very long time and still your prayer hasn't been granted? Go to www.how-to-pray-effectively.com and learn how to pray & develop a close relationship with God. Please also visit my blog for the answers to your biggest questions about prayer.

God Listens to Unworthy People!

2010-01-24T07:11:00.001-08:00

By Timothy O. Smith

As Christians we want to be perfect, make no mistakes, and certainly not sin. It breaks our heart even the idea of such failure. There are those times unfortunately when we do fall, we sin. Thank God scripture says we have an advocate with the Father. "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us of all unrighteousness." If we love Jesus we are not trying to get away with sin, rather we want to get away from sin. It is precisely because of that love we beat ourselves up so much over our failures. Sometimes it is just hard to forgive myself, to cut myself some slack. I am not in anyway trying to excuse the failure but at the same time I can not continue to remind myself of past failures, live in the pain of that past failure when God has already forgotten it. If I confessed it God has forgotten it and I should do the same.

I went for a walk one morning to pray. I often walk when I pray. The day before I had sinned, I failed my King, but as I went to pray little did I know the lesson and the victory that was about to be mine. As I walked, I had not gotten very far before this thought came to me. God is not going to hear you because you are unworthy. You know what you did yesterday. I then did something that I did not normally do in response to those kind of thoughts. I actually said this out loud, You are right I am unworthy to be heard but you are not telling me the whole story. He is not listening to me because I am worthy to be heard, He is listening to me because He wants to! If God wants to listen to unworthy people that is His business! You know what? That little voice has left and has never returned and it has been years now since this happened. PRAISE THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST!

My response to those kind of thoughts in the past would have been much different. I probably would have agreed that I was unworthy and lived in the pain of that thought for days, and weeks, months even. Enough time would have had to pass so the memory of the failure began to be forgotten by me. That is a recipe for a long, fruitless, painful life. My response that particular morning was different. That is all it took. A different response based on the word of God and not based on my own assessment of myself.

My encouragement to you is this. If there is sin in your life confess it, deal with it now. Then determine as an act of your will that you are simply not going to keep rehearsing the memory of it against yourself anymore. Righteousness is ours as a gift because of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. God is the One who establishes my status before Him, not me! We need to just enter into what He has declared is already ours.

Bottom line is this; God listens to me because He loves me and that love was not initiated by my worth. It is initiated from somewhere deep in His own heart and His love for me was there even before I was born. So the next time a little voice whispers to you that you are unworthy to be heard. Say it out loud. God listens to me because He wants to, and if He wants to listen to unworthy people that is His business. Amen!

Article written by Timothy O. Smith at www.limitlessreality.blogspot.com
If you long for a deeper Christian life and greater spiritual maturity, click on the link to discover unique insights gained from a personal journey that will help you on your journey into the grace God.

Sadness, Anger, and the Almighty God

2010-01-21T21:06:00.000-08:00

By Steve Wickham

Those who sow in tears
will reap with songs of joy.
~Psalm 126:5 (NIV).

Some people search high and low for the purist knowledge of the heart of God--to experience it personally. They're the most fervent seekers. And every true believer wants this, surely. They want the outcome. So, why do we miss out?

God wants us to feel as he feels. Yet, we struggle with that on all sorts of levels. One of the most obvious levels we struggle with it is in our sinful pride. (It's enough to illustrate.) We can't even get off the batter's plate and on our way to first base because we can't genuinely feel how God feels for his world and his people--his perfect holiness excludes us from entering in; in that state.

Getting further down into the problem there's a more acute issue we all must face. That is our own primary emotions. These are the very things we've skilfully learned to repress. We'd swap sadness for anger any day of the week, unless that is, if sadness was forced upon us. Yet, the pure primary emotion i.e. sadness is a necessary pre-requisite to truly entering God's Presence.

Enter the miracle. Anyone who's experienced genuinely raw sadness--with the Presence of God--has already experienced the wonderfully calming emotion necessary for healing. The lesson we learn is such transparency before God finds his all-encompassing embrace; even in repudiating sadness God's Presence is a majestically captivating thing. This is the first and most important hint in feeling as God feels--to connect with him.

This sadness is not self-pity. This sadness is a one hundred percent "accepting" sorrow poured out as a sacrifice to God. This is surely the experience of the psalmist, sowing in tears, yet reaping joy!

The trouble is we reject sadness because it pains us. The prize that we get, however, is an angry heart--the caustic secondary emotion. We swap something holy for something evil because it requires a lot of courage from us to handle the holy thing. We flinch at it by default.

Sadness is holy. It goes with God. It's real to life as God is real to life.

Anger interrupts the sadness; it forces and cajoles the sadness, abusing it, pushing it ever away. Anger is sickened to the back teeth by sadness. Anger gives us the feeling we're in control--able to take charge--when in fact it's a base weakness because anger's actually a very difficult thing to control. Who amongst us has ever harnessed their anger on a consistent basis?

Yet, sadness--true pure sadness that's experienced with God--is healing. To feel sadness at will (and when it's with God it's suddenly a highly desirable thing) is a self-mastery at the highest emotional and spiritual percentile; Mensa-level spiritual intelligence quotient.

Tears sown in pure sadness have a holy and necessary surrender about them. Surrender is crucial. It's another pre-requisite in experiencing God's Presence.

And yet, we have another challenge. This time it's one that the world casts at us. To feel this pure sadness in the face of a macho, mocking world requires a moral courage of the finest order; a true faith where God truly resides on the pedestal of the heart.

Strangely these days we don't just find machoism in men; it is women too who'll bark, 'Toughen up, Princess!' No wonder these so-called 'tough people' have anger management problems. What toughen-up-princess-person would have the strength to face such opposition? No, they'll be much happier found safely tucked away in their "tough" click groups thank you very much!

The trouble for "tough" people, in the midst of people experiencing pure sadness, is they're all of a sudden forced to face up to their own emotions--their own indelible sadness's that haunt--the truths that are always being denied. With that discomfort comes the easier, safer option to scowl-down the person having the pure sadness and call them a "princess." But who's the real princess? Their anger has the better of them and this creates a world of serious problems that I shan't go into here.

So, what's all this got to do with feeling the heart of God? Now we get to the point.

If we can feel our own genuine sadness's with God, then perhaps we'll also feel the gentle tug of the Almighty regarding the plight of other people and their genuine sadness's; individuals, situations and the world at large. When the penny drops--even for a moment--God's light blinds us and the outcome is the rampant mobbing of tears and a blubbering empathy unfolds. That's got to be the heart of God; feeling as he does; an antecedent for motivated action; faith producing good works. And this place doesn't have limits. There are unlimited sadness's that God seeks to share with us. We are, after all, his only instruments for the time being. And to this we add, the heart of God is infinite.

We intercede for our family, friends and neighbours, co-workers, and people in war-torn and natural disaster areas. We have authentic tears of sadness for the plight they're in. It's an overwhelming and true burden for others we need.

(I have to admit that it is a struggle to genuinely and authentically intercede like this, continually. The heart of God is a sacred place only those with holy hearts--in the moment--can enter. All too often, I say sadly, my heart's not holy enough--not urgent enough for the needs of others. But now I have a model that he's given me!)

It's a gross world we live in, ripping itself apart in fits of anger. But, there's also an opposite reality of the people of God; the peacemakers, the empathisers, champions and advocates--assisting those poor of spirit. These too are saddened to their own spiritual deaths at the prideful fear of those wilfully out-of-control, wreaking havoc, and destroying lives--including their own.

Sadness, anger and the Almighty: anger, the erroneous default; sadness, the key that unlocks the door. But sadness is only the start; but a healing start at that! Once there we go on to intercede from the very heart of the Almighty.

Steve Wickham is a Registered Safety Practitioner (BSc, MSIA, RSP) and a qualified, unordained Christian minister (GradDipBib&Min). His blogs are at: http://tribework.blogspot.com and http://inspiringbetterlife.blogspot.com.

How Do You "Light Up Your World?"

2010-01-21T20:20:00.000-08:00

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus talks about the eye being the lamp of the body. A strict reading of this scripture shows that he's talking about generosity, selfishness, and what we truly hold dear...material possessions and money, or God.

But what if we put this in the context of our outlook on life, on what we allow to shine through us, in what we show the world we regard as important through our attitudes and thoughts?

A friend on Facebook posted this as a status update: "If your "Eye" (your outlook on life, your whole way of looking at things) is generous, then your whole personality will be illuminated or lit up."

If we could just internalize this one thought, the influence we could have on our world would be tremendous!

Long line in the grocery store? No worries. Our spirits are generous and we shine a light of peace to those around us. No more huffing and snarling as we wait our turn.
The customer service representative is snarky and a little rude? We don't immediately jump on him in like response. We engage him in a little conversation as he works on our problem and find out he's been manning the phones on a double shift and is tired. We bless him with our encouragement and thank him for his time.
The driver up ahead is poking along at 20 miles per hour and you can't get around the car. You breathe in the peace of God and realize, once you do have the opportunity to pass, that it's an elderly woman doing the best she can. You breathe a prayer for her because soon, that's going to be you.
You feel the compulsion to correct your husband or wife yet again on a behavior that drives you nuts. Step back and look at it...is it really that important? I look at my husband's socks on the floor as a blessing. He is still with me. One day, I'm going to miss those socks.

Let me encourage each of you to let your "eye" reflect an inner peace and love of God to everyone you come into contact with. It was this very love that changed a world 2,000 years ago.

It is a love that can change our world today.

"I am giving you a new command: that you keep on loving each other. In the same way that I have loved you, you are also to keep on loving each other. Everyone will know that you are my talmidim (disciples) by the fact that you have love for each other." (John 13:34-35 The Complete Jewish Bible)

Hanne Moon is the owner of Thru His Grace Writing & Editing Services, LLC. She provides proofreading and editing services, ebook creation, layout and design, and ghostwriting. You can see other examples of her writing at Faithwriters at http://faithwriters.com/member-profile.php?id=32128

Evangelist Oral Roberts Dies at 91

2009-12-29T19:47:00.001-08:00

A spokesman for Oral Roberts says the evangelist who rose from tent revivals to found a multimillion-dollar organization and an Oklahoma university bearing his name has died. He was 91.

How Do We Pray?

2009-11-04T10:54:00.000-08:00

By Caroline Martin

When I was a little girl I prayed for a fairy. I got right down on my skinny, scuffed up knees, squeezing my eyes shut, clasping my hands, and I would plead "Dear God, please, please may I have a fairy?" I had the feeling, at the beginning of each day, of something wonderful about to happen.

I rose very early, before the rest of my family, and after my fairy prayer, sometimes still in my nightgown, I would walk through the woods behind my house, or around the block, hoping to find a small creature who might need me. I had many invisible animals called "those animals" who followed me everywhere. I prayed for them to become real, I prayed to find lost or lonely toads, or birds, or rabbits, so that I could care for and companion with them. My prayers came straight from my child heart, as sincere as can be, filled with expectation.

As I have grown and matured my prayers have taken many shapes and forms. Venturing from spiritual path to path, searching scripture and metaphysical literature,practicing energy work, delving into the study of angels, I have gradually moved to a place of peace, and still hold a childlike sense of wonder, with God, Spirit closer to me than my breathing. How did I do this? Where am I now?

What I have found is that prayer, for me, is not about asking. It is about listening.Through a consistent practice of reflection, contemplation, and meditation I have changed completely my method of prayer. I consciously listen for the "still small voice"within my own being. And oh, the response! The songs I write come from this listening, the joy I feel, the smile in my whole being! There is a tangible presence, a leading, a loving that permeates me and, as long a I come back to it over and over,stays with me through my days.

Certainly I know what it is to struggle, to have deep sorrows, disappointments and loss.Who of us in this world does not experience these in a degree? But I know, now, there is a way through what appears to be a dark and stormy time. These words from a song I wrote reflect how I navigate the waves..

"Teach me how to love,
Show me which way to go,
Help me learn to listen,
So Thy thoughts are all that I know."

I open my heart with the same sincerity I had as a child on my knees, and I wait with the same expectation. The difference is that I am not asking for something outside of me to come into my experience. I am waiting to behold what will be revealed from the quiet of my soul. It may come as a whisper, a feeling, a nudge, a song.

"Oh sweet Soul, awaken me,
Let me know myself as Thee,
Shining bright in all I see,
Singing through eternity."

I study, diligently, writings from The Infinite Way, by Joel Goldsmith. It has become my way home. And I listen and listen some more. Even in the midst of my busiest day I step aside to listen. I still rise early, and venture into the woods near my home to wait with wonder what will unfold. And that little girl in me skips ahead and sings, grabs fistfuls of wildflowers and watches all the fairies smiling...

My newest song is "I Am Here". It came straight from God. You may listen to it, and others on my website http://dustydogcreations.com

"I Am Here" is on the stargirls cards page.
And I'd love to hear how you pray.
In our waking and listening, Caroline

Why Did Jesus Come?

2009-11-02T07:46:00.000-08:00

By Onyekachukwu Ukeje

John 10:10 says that Christ came to give us life and life to the full. What is this life? It is the life that can be lived only through the righteousness which God gives. It is righteousness that is by faith. In Romans 1:16-17 Paul the apostle said, 'I am not ashamed of gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jews, then for the Gentile. For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith."'- (NIV).

It is the life that God has and lives, it is called eternal life. Remember that in Genesis 2:16-17 God told Adam, the first man, not to eat of tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. That the day he did he would surely die. We recall Adam did and died, and yet he was physically alive. It was this life of God that left him. The same way today, many are physically alive but spiritually they are dead. That is why they are bound by sin and Satan, and they are looking for a way out. That is why Jesus came to die for us, that we may have that life again, that we may be free. That's what it means to be born again.

In John 3:14-16 Jesus made it clear to Nicodemus that He would have to die a shameful death for those who believe in Him to have eternal life, 'Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life. For God so loved world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.' -- (NIV). It was out of love that Christ came. Jesus is the Christ. It was love that compelled Him to the cross because we were legitimately condemned. But he decided to die in our place so that we may not be eternally lost but rather that we may have a full life in Him, in God.

And now He has purchased this life for us. By our own righteousness we could not and cannot attain this salvation. That is why God says it is by faith. Adam the first man did not have this life by works and when he lost it and all mankind with him nobody could gain it by his works. No one could qualify for this gift. Our only qualification is by faith in Christ Jesus.

If you shall confess with your mouth Jesus Christ as Lord believing in your heart that God raised Him from the dead you will be saved, Romans 10:9. "For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved." -- Romans 10:10(NIV). God raised him from the dead that you truly may have life in Him forever.

If you want to receive Jesus Christ and be saved from sin, destruction and all the works of Satan pray this prayer with your whole heart: Lord Jesus, I thank You for letting me hear Your word for salvation. I acknowledge and confess my sins to You. God I thank you for raising Jesus from the dead that I might have eternal life. Forgive me. Lord Jesus I welcome you into my heart this day. I confess You as my Lord and Savior. Thank You for your mercy on me. Thank You for saving me today from sin, from destruction and from all works of Satan. I am now a child of God. Thank You Lord Jesus.

LOVE NOTE

If you have prayed that prayer from the bottom of your heart here are some things you are do to grow in God.

1. Endeavor to read your bible and pray to God every day in the name of Jesus. This God requires of us to be successful and prosperous -Joshua 1:8. 2. Worship and fellowship with other believers in a bible believing church or assembly -- Hebrews 10:25, and 3. As you have the opportunity tell others about the good news of this new life and if they are willing lead them to Jesus Christ.

Go ahead and enjoy your life in Christ now that you are a new creature in Him -- 2 Corinthians 5:17.

Onyekachukwu Ukeje is an itinerant preacher based in Enugu, Nigeria. For more articles and ebook(s) by this writer please visit http://www.faithwriters.com, and http://www.onyekachukwuukeje.com/home/ebook.htm

Jesus' Sacrifice

2009-11-01T16:09:00.000-08:00

By Wayne Arthur Alexander

From a historical perspective, I suppose we would regard as the most notorious of criminals - the greatest sinner of them all - to be someone like Hitler or Stalin from modern-day history or Nero from ancient Roman history. It may then come as a shock to realize that the most notorious criminal as well as the greatest sinner of all time was actually Jesus of Nazareth. Sound appalling? Stunned to hear such an accusation? Nevertheless, it's true. God never turned his back on Jesus. At the cross, however, sin took precedence and for a few hours on a Friday afternoon God turned away from his Son (Habakkuk 1:13). From the standpoint of salvation, Jesus, for a moment in time, was the worst person that ever lived.

To the Jews, Jesus' sin consisted of what was to them the brazen, uncensored claim that he was the Son of God, something no Jew would ever claim to be and live to tell others! To the Romans, Jesus was simply a man detested by his own people. The Jews wanted him dead and offered him in the place of a robber and murderer named Barabbas. This first act of sin-transference initiated a chain reaction wherein all sin was determinedly placed on the head of Jesus. He became retribution for the sin of man for all time. The burden of this indictment and the separation it caused was so great that Jesus screamed out to the heavens, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"

Jesus' internal conflict at the cross accounts for his struggle in the Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus, the righteous one, is about to become Jesus, the most evil person that ever lived. Because he is marked by sin, Jesus must face a temporary dissolution from his Father. There is no way any of us can fathom the intensity of this moment for one who was as incredibly close to God as Jesus was. The Father must now turn his face away from the Son, the one who has experienced the Father's generous love and adoration for over thirty years. One cannot help but be deeply touched by the terrible anguish Jesus suffered. Imagine being the apple of your father's adoring eye and in a blink of that same eye you are in the throws of despair, rejected because of sins you never committed! This is what Jesus knows will happen to him and none, least of all his apostles, is close enough to God to comprehend the magnitude of his suffering. Gethsemane says it all (Matthew 26:36-46).

Reading the gospels, we learn that Jesus is the legitimate Son of God, but on the cross, he was, for a brief moment in time, the rogue Son of God. Jesus was illegitimatized in order to legitimize sonship status for all those that would one day seek reconciliation with God. Do not let such vigorous and descriptive language intimidate you. Instead, receive its full impact, as together we comprehend that moment in history when God disowned his Son, but would later reclaim him. This is the power of God! He can dismiss what is his and then reclaim it forever! Jesus' illegitimacy was only temporary, but so significant was his death in God's plan to save fallen man that Isaiah 53:10 in prophesying of this event states "Yet it was the Lord's will to crush him and cause him to suffer" (NIV).

In one fell swoop the righteousness of Jesus - before the cross - became the righteousness of future believers - after the cross - as well as vindicating faithful believers from past generations. Our legitimacy as sons of God was established at the cross. Jesus' legitimacy was reinstated after his death, for now the price had been paid in full for the sins of man. Jesus' resurrection from the dead is a permanent witness testifying to his sovereign place in eternity as the Christ (Romans 1:4). Thus, Christ's sonship is permanent and can never be taken away:

• At the cross, Jesus is the sinner; at his resurrection, Jesus is the Righteous One!
• At the cross, Jesus is a man; at his resurrection, Jesus is the Christ!
• At the cross, Jesus is the rejected teacher of the Jews; at his resurrection, Jesus is the accepted Teacher of all who will seek his wisdom!
• At the cross, Jesus is the pretentious son of God - a liar; at his resurrection, Jesus is the established and vindicated true Son of God!
• At the cross, Jesus is a soldier; at his resurrection, Jesus is the great Conqueror!
• At the cross, Jesus is the lamb of sacrifice; at his resurrection, Jesus is the Lamb that brings life!
• Before the cross, Jesus rode a donkey's colt into Jerusalem; after the tomb, Jesus rides a great white steed before all the nations of the earth!

We need to observe with great care the planning that went into the life, death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. (As well, there is no shortfall of planning concerning his magnificent return into the earth). In Christ, all things are redefined in accordance with their true meaning. In view of such a lofty design, we need to see that the shallowness of our commitment to God along with our relentless pursuit of false religious works has placed us off guard. We are not ready for Christ's return! Have we forgotten that eternal life promises nothing for those who call on God yet remain immersed in the material contraband of this life? Do we not know that in order to truly know Christ we must totally rid ourselves of all worldliness, that we must be as Christ in order to be legitimate sons of God? Have we yet to learn that the act of Christ to save humankind is legitimized only in the believer's commitment to be as Jesus was?

We are crucified with Christ (Galatians 2:20). We died too.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Wayne_Arthur_Alexander

The Spiritual Return of Jesus

2009-10-31T19:32:00.000-07:00

By George Johnston

"Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: and then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory." --Matthew 24:29-30

In his book The Second Coming of Christ, Paramahansa Yogananda interprets the return of Jesus in the above passage as Jesus appearing to individuals in a spiritual form, not in a physical body (Volume II, pp. 1312-1314). However, he does not refer to this as "the Second Coming of Christ". Yogananda sees the Second Coming of Christ as the awakening of each individual soul, in the course of its spiritual development, to unity with the Christ Consciousness - God as the omnipresent, guiding intelligence in creation. First, one experiences the Christ Consciousness; then one can merge with it. Thereafter, the soul is able to ascend to oneness with God as the Supreme Being, the ultimate Source of all that ever was and will be.

In commenting on Matthew 24, Yogananda says that, immediately after great tribulations and upheavals in nature, even greater troubles will ensue: the sun and moon will be darkened, great "falling stars" of meteors will enter the earth's atmosphere, and the many seas will be roiling with upheavals and tidal waves. Then those who become sufficiently developed spiritually will be able to "see the embodied Christ Consciousness (Jesus) coming out of the ethereal clouds of the darkness of closed eyes into the Christ light of the spiritual eye, his form radiant with luminous heavenly power and great glory."

The spiritual eye is the sixth chakra - the astral organ of spiritual sight. By deep, devotional meditation, with the eyes turned upward and one's concentration focused at the midpoint between the eyebrows, it is possible to see the light of the spiritual eye. Yogananda speaks of this wondrous light in his writings. He says that being born again (being born in Spirit) means seeing the Christ light of the spiritual eye, entering through it into Christ Consciousness, and finally, by further development, merging into Cosmic Consciousness. This is the kingdom of God - the blissful state of oneness with God as the Supreme Being, the Source of all beings and all creation.

As in the above prophecy of Jesus, many of the prophecies that have been received in our times speak of enormous changes coming to our earth and solar system, with the earth being enveloped in darkness for several days. Some of them explain that these changes are part of a long-awaited process for the purification and regeneration of the earth and its life forms and for beneficial changes in our galaxy. They speak of opportunities for spiritual growth, which already are all around us. They advise us that, in order to take advantage of these opportunities and cope with what is coming, we need to open our hearts and minds. They tell us we should make every effort to participate in the spiritual transformation that is taking place ... that God and divine beings are there to help us every step of the way.

In Messages from Jesus, by Mary Ann Johnston, Jesus spoke to the author about his return. Among other things, he said that, although many like her had already experienced his return, when he would return for all mankind, "all shall know." He told her that he would come "in Christ Consciousness, for all people everywhere, with the glory of the heavens and earth", and "the highest heavens and all of nature rejoicing." (Third Edition, 2009, pp. 46-47)

George Johnston lives in the Clear Light Community at Song of the Morning Retreat with his wife, Mary Ann, who authored Sustained by Faith & Messages from Jesus. As a team they work to spread the messages of Jesus, Paramahansa Yogananda, and other great beings. George graduated in 1956 from Yale University, with an honors major in philosophy, and has taught the spiritual principles of yoga and led meditations since 1962.

See website to find out more about George & Mary Ann's spiritual writings:
http://www.maryann-george.com

Why Did John the Baptist Say He Was a Voice Crying in the Wilderness?

2009-10-15T16:21:00.001-07:00

By Carey Kinsolving

"John the Baptist said he was a crying voice because he was a Baptist," says Kaylin, 11.

I wonder if Kaylin's assertion should be considered for a vote at the national convention of the Southern Baptists.

"John did not want them to think he was Jesus," said Morgan, 9. "Jesus was his cousin."

When
the religious leaders asked John, "Who are you?" he could have said,
"I'm not the Messiah, but he's my cousin." John and Jesus were probably
cousins. The Bible says John's mother and Mary were relatives (Luke
1:36). John resisted the temptation to call attention to himself.

"John
was trying to say to the Jews, I am just a person coming to tell about
Jesus," says Jessica, 8. "I am no one important. I cannot save you from
your evil ways. Only Jesus can. I have been chosen by God to come and
speak to you."

Humility is what we can learn from John the
Baptist. In a sermon, Pastor Jerry Hoffman made several interesting
observations about the questioning of John the Baptist as it relates to
us. Hardly a day goes by when we aren't asked in one way or another,
"Who are you?"

We often identify ourselves in terms of our job,
profession or family relations. Not John. He gives all honor to the
Lord Jesus. He knew the buzz from Jerusalem was that he might be the
Messiah. "I am not the Christ," he said.

Next, they wanted to
know if John was Elijah. In the last two verses of the last book in the
Old Testament, God promises to send Elijah "before the coming of the
great and dreadful day of the Lord" (Malachi 4:5).

About John the
Baptist, Jesus said, "And if you are willing to receive it, he is
Elijah who is to come" (Matthew 11:14). In other words, John the
Baptist came in the spirit of Elijah. Through his prophetic message and
miracles, God sent Elijah to turn the nation of Israel and its leaders
back to the Lord. Similarly, God sent John the Baptist to announce the
Messiah's coming to Israel and the impending judgment if they failed to
receive him.

By 70 A.D., Jerusalem lay in ruins. Although Jewish
Apostles and converts started the early church in Jerusalem, they soon
found themselves persecuted by their countrymen. Like John the Baptist,
Jesus warned of coming judgment. As Jesus accurately predicted, the
temple and Jerusalem were destroyed within a generation (Matthew 24).

To
summarize John's ministry, Hoffman writes: "Christ is the Word of God.
We are simply the instruments (voices) through which the Word flows to
the world. John the Baptist, more than any other individual who walked
this earth since his time, had the right to heap accolades upon himself.

"He
was related to the Lord, he was the fulfillment of Old Testament
prophecy, and he had a band of disciples who followed his teaching.
Yet, the cry of his heart and voice was 'Make straight the way of the
Lord.' In other words, it's not about me, the King is coming, prepare
your hearts to receive Him. Remove all of the obstacles in your life
that would prevent him from coming to you."

Think about this:
True ministry points others to Jesus Christ, not to ourselves. Memorize
this truth: "I am 'the voice of one crying in the wilderness: "Make
straight the way of the Lord"'" (John 1:23). Ask this question: Is your
voice pointing people to Jesus Christ?

Carey
Kinsolving is a syndicated columnist, producer, author, speaker and
website developer. To see more material like this, visit http://www.KidsTalkAboutGod.org.
The Kids Talk About God website contains free, online content for
children and families. See Carey's Kid TV Interviews. Hear a book talk.
Print free lessons from the "Kids Color Me Bible" and make your own
book. Let an 11-year-old girl take you on a trip around the world in
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illustrated by child artists. Receive a complimentary, weekly e-mail
subscription to our Devotional Bible Lessons.

Bible quotations in this Bible lesson are from the New King James Version.

Christian, Why Do You Do What You Do?

2009-09-30T10:44:00.001-07:00

By John Roach

Christians are called to live godly, holy lives. That
is the mandate from our Lord. Pretty simple, right? Yet all too often,
we lose sight of why we do what we do. I know I have/do. Why do we do
the things we do, regardless of what it is we do, what is the motive?

I
would expect the things we do are as varied as we are. Yet the motive
behind it should be the same. I doubt, however, that it is. The Gospel
is simple. Jesus lived a sinless life, died on a cross to pay the
penalty for our sins, and rose from the dead to defeat Death and Satan.
We are saved by faith in His substitutionary death on our behalf. With
this marvelous gift, you'd think we would "get it." (But we don't.)

As
I said, the motives that Christians have for what we do are as varied
as we are, but it shouldn't be the case. Some people do things for
Jesus to earn their place in heaven. Others do so out of guilt. Others
try to merit rewards. Others to please men. Yet none of these please
God. As it is written: "Be careful not to do your 'acts of
righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have
no reward from your Father in heaven. "So when you give to the needy,
do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the
synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the
truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to
the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is
doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees
what is done in secret, will reward you." (Matthew 6:1-4 NIV) Those who
do things to be seen by men have received their reward on earth. They
shouldn't expect anything further.

What then should be our
motivation? Gratitude. We should live to please God. That alone should
be the reason why we do what we do. Paul tells us, "Finally, brothers,
we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you
are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this
more and more." (I Thessalonians 4:1 NIV) Whatever we do should be done
out of pleasing God. Doing whatever He has called us to. Doing it out a
heartfelt gratitude for what He did for us.

When we have a right
understanding of the Cross, we will have the right motivation. Anything
else has its reward only on the earth.

Amen.

John
Roach is an Evangelical Christian. An Elder-at-Large with The Potter's
House, John is an author of Christian discipleship books, and is a PhD
candidate in Theology at Trinity College and Seminary.

http://dustyscribe.com/index.html

How to Meditate on God: The Lifeline of Every Christian

2009-08-11T08:45:00.000-07:00

By: Rhonda Jones

Meditation has gotten a bad rap. For decades Christians have been led to believe that meditation it is unscriptural or ungodly. I have talked to many believers who thought that if they become still and focused on their breathing or tried to quiet their minds that they were sure to be invaded by unclean spirits. But this could be farther from the truth. First of all, where did our very breathe come from? Just read Genesis 1 and it says that God breathed life into Adam's body. When my grandson was born 2 years ago, it took almost 5 minutes for him to start breathing. We were all praying in the background for God to fill his lungs with life.

Secondly, it is only through a renewing and weeding our mind of deceptive and negative thinking, faulty mindsets, and incessant thoughts that God's word and as well as his voice can get through. If the cup it filled to the stop with mental garbage there not much room for anything else. If we want to embrace more of God's truth we need to do some mental gardening and one of the best methods is through meditation.

Meditation is a tool used to quiet our minds. It means to ponder, pray, contemplate, and ruminate. Christian meditation is when we fill that quiet mind with God. There are many forms of meditation just like there are many types of music, it's just as important for believers to discern one kind from the other.

Scriptures tell us that when we abide with Christ, he abides with us, and without his living and guiding spirit, we can do nothing. (St. John 15) One form of meditating on the Lord is to abide with him; to sit at his feet and to wait in his presence, just like the child who sits in his mother or father’s lap to be comforted.

This can be accomplished by carving out time each day to just sit quietly before the Lord where you are free from distractions. The ocean or secluded areas of nature are great places to meditate, but a quiet area in your home works just as well.

Initially, meditating on the Lord by abiding may be difficult because your mind will tend to be restless and wander profusely; but with consistency you’ll gain more and more control over your thoughts. Many meditators select a scriptural passage or word to focus on and anchor their attention, often called a mantra.

Your mantra or sacred words can be “the Lord is my Shepard,” “I walk by faith,” “the joy of the Lord is my strength”, “I cast my cares upon the Lord,” or “Peace be Still.” The late John Main, one of the most influential spiritual teachers in the Christian meditation tradition encourages believers to use the mantra, “Maranatha” that means, “Come Lord Jesus.” This mantra is suggested because of its relevance in scriptures and its lack of an emotional or mental references, which inhibits our minds from creating a mental attachment to the word.

You can also select a whole scripture or just one word, like “Jesus” or “Jehovah” to meditate on. Meditate in silence or record music to play in the background. It’s best to time the music or use a timer so that you’re not worried about being late for work or missing an appointment. As you meditate, become fully present by paying attention to your breathing or your sacred word. You can silently repeat your mantra in alignment with your breathing or anytime your mind begins to wander off. You can also create a mental picture in your mind to focus on like a cross or God's light filling your heart. As you practice being still and calming your thoughts, you’ll sense a greater feeling of God’s presence and a greater sensitivity to hearing his voice.

As a result of consistent meditation you will also begin to sense the yearnings of the Holy Spirit as he drops words or impressions on your heart. One time during a meditation I had a vision of me and all my family members standing in a circle and sharing our desires for the coming year. Several days later I shared my vision and we set aside a time to dedicated the New Year to the Lord and touch and agree on our heart’s desires in prayer. As you practice this form of meditation, you’ll find old weights and worries seem to disappear. No evil thing can stand in God’s presence.

The great thing about meditating on God is that anyone can do it. The more you spend time with God the more you will want to spend time with God. It is like a drink of cold water on a hot muggy day.

Rhonda Jones is the author of 22 Christian meditation and affirmation Cds. Get Free Daily Meditations at http://www.thechristianmeditator.com. Need to lose weight, get recommendations at http://www.shedthosepounds.com.

Mercy - The Woman Caught in Adultery

2009-08-06T09:44:00.001-07:00

By Ruth Grigg

I would like to share with you an incident from the
New Testament, where Jesus extended grace and mercy to a woman caught
in adultery, when others around her wanted to judge her, stone her,
condemn her. This woman could be me or you or anybody who has sinned.

This
woman was brought to Jesus by the Jewish leaders, dragged before him,
so they could trap him. She was to be judged by their religious
standards.

Others judge us by their standards, by religious laws
or principals, by culture and tradition. Jesus looks at us with
different eyes. People wanted to stone this woman to death, to pour
judgement - to make her look bad and themselves look good. They showed
no care or mercy for the woman involved. She did not matter - not to
them. They put the law above mercy, but Jesus said he desires mercy,
not sacrifice (Matthew 9:13). They did not care what circumstances led
her to this or why. She too was aware that she was a sinner. She knew
where she stood. Although she did not matter to these people, she meant
a great deal to Jesus. He knew her story. He could read her heart. He
spent his time with the outcasts of society - the unrighteous, the tax
collectors, the prostitutes, because these people mattered to Jesus.

When
questioned about what to do, to stone her or not? Jesus replied
(eventually) "let him who has never sinned cast the first stone" (verse
7). He extended GRACE to her. Grace is undeserved mercy and
forgiveness, kindness and generosity. Grace accepts us where we are
now, acknowledges our weakness and sin and offers mercy and forgiveness
in the place of punishment we deserve. Grace releases us from justice
and judgement. He, our God and Father is gracious and compassion,
ABOUNDING in mercy (Psalms 145:8). It's because of His compassion that
he offers us grace! He turns justice to mercy, and mercy to grace and
compassion. And He pours that over us when we come to him and ask for
forgiveness!

But people wanted to judge her and condemn her.
Jesus said in Matthew 7:5, that we are not to be hypocrites! We are to
take the log out of our own eye first before we take the speck out of
our brothers! We may have huge logs in our own eyes/hearts and they
have blinded us so we can not see our own failings. We may accuse
others but fail to see ourselves as we are. 'Logs', if unconfessed,
causes spiritual blindness, and causes us to have callous hearts - that
are unyielding, judgemental, unforgiving, selfish, ungracious. Is this
the kind of heart we want? Is this what God sees when he looks at us?

Thank
God He is merciful. Thank God He is the one who takes away the heart of
stone and gives us a heart of flesh (Ezekiel 36:26). We may try to hide
in the darkness but his light WILL shine on our lives, our thoughts,
our deeds and actions. (1 John 1:5-7). Thank God that through
repentance and confession we are made new. He opens the eyes of our
hearts and gives us understanding (Ephesians 1:18). He gives us eyes to
see ourselves as we truly are, then he shows us a way out of the
darkness into the light and truth. The people in the crowd, ready to
throw stones and to judge the woman, had a revelation of their own
hearts that day. They saw for the first time their own hearts were
sinful, therefore they were not in a place to judge. They had to put
the stones down. The only one left standing there was Jesus, who could
throw a stone, if he wanted too. He was the only one had the right to
judge her, to condemn her or to stone her. But that was not the reason
he came. The reason he came was not to judge and condemn the world, but
to be it's Saviour (John 3:16-17). He said, "Where are your accusers?
Is there no one left to condemn you? I do not condemn you either... go
and sin no more." He came to bind up the broken hearted! He came to
proclaim freedom for the captives! He came to release the prisoners and
release us from darkness! (Isaiah 61:2)

Some of us have said and
done things that you are really ashamed of. Some of us have felt really
condemned and judged by others. Some of us have condemned ourselves.
Some of us have been accused and condemned by Satan, who has constantly
whispered lying thoughts in your ears and mind, telling you that you
are bad, no good to society etc. Some of us have felt condemned because
of things that have happened to us - may be you have been abused,
raped, or forced into prostitution, or forced to steel and lie, so you
have felt ashamed, dirty and naked.

Some of us, for the first
time, have felt a real sense of conviction, of knowing that we have
sinned and need God's forgiveness and mercy. This is the work of the
Holy Spirit convicting us of sin. We have all sinned and fallen short
of the glory of God (Rom 3:23). It is the work of the Holy Spirit to
convict of sin, not man. If this is happening to you, then the Holy
Spirit is calling you to 'come' and confess your sins and turn from
them - then to go and sin no more.

To those who have felt
condemned and ashamed by things that have happened to us, and convicted
of sin, Jesus says, I DO NOT CONDEMN YOU..... BE RELEASED. He knows
your story and he reads your heart. He offers forgiveness, cleansing
and healing. He offers reconciliation. He offers peace. He offers
release. He offers freedom. He offers grace.

He offers CLEANSING
from all our sins - our actions, words, and deeds. He offers release
and cleansing. He offers cleaning from accusing words and curses and
condemnation put on us or spoken over us. He offers cleansing from self
condemnation. He offers cleansing from the enemy's accusations through
our conscious thoughts, and sub-conscious thoughts and dreams. He
offers cleansing from self-hate and self-harm. He offers cleansing from
the pain and sin committed against you. He offers cleansing from the
past and cleansing in the present. He washes us thoroughly and
completely and heals us when we COME to him and ASK him. We need to
COME. Anyone CAN COME. Anyone who comes to Him, He will NEVER turn away
(John 6:37).

He takes us through the CLEANSING RIVERS and then
the HEALING RIVERS.* Those of us who have been wronged, sinned against,
need to release forgiveness to those who have hurt us. By releasing
them, it releases us from pain and torment, and it releases the Holy
Spirit to come and work his cleansing and healing within us.

I would like to share a vision that I had, which is relevant to cleansing and healing rivers.

I
saw a river and God asked me to put my feet in it. As I put my feet in
the river joy started to rise right up through my feet and over me!

Then this rapid torrent of a river came down stream, over my feet,
and I was right in it. The river, He said, came directly from his
throne. A scripture came to me: "There is a river whose streams make
glad the city of God." (Ps 46:4)

He showed me other rivers. He
showed me a deep and dangerous river that I will have to walk through,
I may even go 'under' but He will be guiding me through and bring me
out. Then he showed me a cleansing river, where sin, pain and sickness
is cleansed and released. I need to enter the cleansing river before I
could go through the healing river. He showed me healing rivers, where
I am restored, healed, strengthened and renewed. He showed me a quiet,
almost still river where I receive peace (Psalm 23). He said I will
take you through many rivers and the Holy Spirit will guide me along.

He
showed took me back to the rapid torrent, and he said, 'jump in the
river of joy!' Others were jumping in also. There were shouts of joy
and praise. He called us to "Come, come into the river".

He said,
"you will take this river with you - it will proceed you and follow
you." "Call my people to come into the river. The enemy cannot touch
you in the river - he won't get in!" He showed me that Jesus walks in
the river with us.

He spoke to me and said, that in the river
there is liberty, freedom, there is joy unspeakable, abundance life,
peace, grace and truth. Let the rivers flow into the land. He said,
"Call my people to soak in the river! The river is released."

If
you need God to touch you, all you need to do is call out to him, and
tell him what is on your heart and mind in your own way, using your own
words. He will hear you and answer you. If you want the Lord to forgive
you, you just need to ask. If you feel or have been condemned and
judged, release forgiveness to others then you will be released. The
Lord wants to give you grace and mercy and the fullness of His love.
Ask Him and he will hear you. Draw near to Him and he will draw near to
you.

Prayer

"Father I pray for anyone who has been judged,
condemned or accused and has felt dirty, sinful, unaccepted and is
seeking you now. I pray you will show them your great mercy and love
and that as they call on you now, you will hear their cry and you will
answer them, and that you will pour out your love, your passion on them
and heal their hearts. I pray they will know you as Lord and Saviour,
healer and King, and I pray you will release them from all curses, all
condemnation, all judgment, all fear and all sin as they come close to
you. In Jesus name, Amen.

If you have prayed this prayer, I
strongly recommend that you seek out a Christian church and Christian
people for further guidance and counsel, so that you may begin your
journey with the Lord.

Please visit http://www.releasingwords.com for further teaching and prayers.

Christian Youth - God Has a Bright Future For You

2009-08-06T08:19:00.001-07:00

By Robert Moment

We live in a confusing and changing world. With so
much discord and unhappiness swirling around it can sometimes feel
impossible to lead a truly Christian life. When our political and
social leaders are making great missteps and failing to succeed as
being an example of good Christian living, it is easy to get
discouraged. Despair not though, as a Christian you need not look to
those around you to feel God's love or for a good example. Know that
your heavenly father wants only the best for you as a Christian youth,
and that He provides you with all that you will ever need to succeed.

"For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord.

They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a

future and a hope."

-- Jeremiah 29:11

The times that Jesus Christ lived in were
no less tumultuous than the times we live in now. Through his actions
and great love for man, God showed the people of that time what it
meant to be a Christian. God sacrificed his only begotten son, so that
we would be able to love one another as God loves us and that we would
fulfill his wishes by leading a good Christian life. The Christian
youth of today is blessed with the opportunity to live in a time that
you can do so much good in sharing God's word. Know that you are
blessed and have the power to help others by setting a good example of
Christian living.

"I can do all things through him who strengthens me."

-- Philippians 4:13

Living your life as a good Christian
means accepting others even though they may be different. The Christian
youth of today can make a radical and lasting difference in the world
by living their lives as God would want; by leading by example and by
demonstrating that a good Christian life is a full one. Family, friends
and God's word are the greatest gifts that one can ever share and are
all the rewards that come from Christian living. We are so blessed to
have God's great love in our lives. How better to honor that love than
to share it with others who may be living in darkness?

"Be strong and bold; have no fear or dread of them, because it is the Lord

your God who goes with you; he will not fail you or forsake you."

--Deuteronomy 31:6

Armed with the great love of God, there is
no obstacle that you cannot overcome. Being a Christian offers you so
many opportunities to share God's word and God's love. Don't be afraid
to be overjoyed at the great gift you have as a Christian youth. Know
that, no matter what trial you are facing, God's love will see you
through. Stick to your beliefs, and live your life as God has commanded
and you will reap the rewards of a good Christian life. Even in your
darkest hour your great faith and Christian living will light your soul
and fill you with a great peace, knowing that you are never alone.

"The Lord will guide you continually."

-- Isaiah 58:11

Robert
Moment is an innovative forward-thinking Christian business and
marketing coach, speaker and author of God Will Always Be There For
You. Robert is passionate about empowering individuals on how to
experience God's love, power, joy, peace and prosperity. Visit http://www.ChristianInspirational.org and sign-up for the FREE Christian Living e-course. Follow me on Twitter http://www.twitter.com/ChristiansFaith

Faith As a Seed

2009-08-06T07:35:00.001-07:00

By Ann Musico

Faith is most often referred to as a seed and for
good reason. As I began studying about nutritional seeds, I learned
some interesting and very faith-building truths that apply to both
types of seed.

The term "seed" refers to anything that can be
sown. I don't know about you, but when I hear the phrase 'sowing seeds'
I immediately picture a farmer moving down neat rows of tilled soil and
methodically planting. Spiritually, that phrase tends most often to
refer to financial seed. However, just as there are many different
types of plant seeds, there are also many types of spiritual seed as
well.

I learned that there are three basic parts to seeds in the
natural: an embryo, a supply of nutrients for that particular seed and
a seed coat. The embryo is the immature plant that needs the proper
conditions in which to develop into maturity. The nutrients vary
depending on the type of plant to be grown. The seed coat protects the
seed until it arrives at the right time and place for it to be sown.

I
found the similarities between faith and natural seed to be remarkable.
Our faith is immature and in its embryonic stage until it is sown. It
must arrive in the right place for sowing and have the necessary
conditions. Natural seeds need to be sown in fertile, mineral rich soil
and receive water and sunlight in order to grow. Spiritual seeds need
the soil of a receptive heart, cultivated with the "nutrients" of
worship, praise and prayer, the water of the Word and Son-light in
order to grow.

Seeds - both spiritual and natural - are living
food! They contain life within them that will be released under the
right conditions. I soak my quinoa overnight before I cook it. Quinoa
is a seed-like grain. When I look at the little seeds the next morning,
they have begun to sprout! The life contained within them is activated
and released by soaking them in water. In very much the same way, when
we want to develop our faith in a particular area, we must "soak" it in
the water of the Word!

Just as each seed contains the specific
nutrition it needs within itself, spiritual seed has its own specific
nutrients. For instance, if you are trying to develop seeds of faith
for salvation, you must speak and meditate on salvation scriptures; if
seeds for healing, then healing scriptures; if prosperity, then
prosperity scriptures. The water of the Word is the catalyst that
activates and releases our faith to grow and develop into maturity. It
can then be sown and produce a harvest.

Seeds are spiritual and
nutritional powerhouses. Seed faith is the substance of everything!
Hebrews 11:1 tells us faith is "THE" substance of things hoped for, the
evidence of things not seen. Nutritionally, seeds are highly
nutritious, compact superfoods in themselves. Within each tiny kernel
are vitamins, minerals, fiber, essential oils, phytonutrients and
antioxidants. It's amazing to realize that each tiny chia, flax,
sesame, sunflower or pumpkin seed contains within it, not only the
plant in its embryonic stage but all those nutrients as well, but it
does.

It's just as awe-inspiring to realize that God has placed
in each one of us a kernel of His own faith (Romans 12:3). It is
protected until there are favorable conditions for it to be sown.
Physical seeds are sown by planting them in soil. Spiritual seed is
sown by speaking it. Jesus tells us in scripture that if we have faith
as a seed, we would 'say.' We speak the Word to sow it in the soil of
our hearts because faith comes by hearing the Word. Once it is sown in
a receptive heart, warmed by the light of God's Son and watered with
the Word, all the spiritual vitamins and minerals it absorbed from the
soil sprout to life. Just as an apple seed produces an apple tree,
faith seed produces the specific harvest it is sown for. Healing seed
produces healing. Peace seed produces peace. Wisdom seed produces
wisdom.

God's Word tells us not to despise the day of small
beginnings, and I believe that applies to our faith as well. While
today your faith in a particular area may be small, all faith begins
that way! You must water it and give it the proper conditions in order
for it to grow, develop, mature and produce. And it will. God promises
us that while the earth remains, seed, time and harvest will not cease.
And He cannot lie.

If you think you have no seed to sow, consider
these: thoughts, words, money, kindness, love, respect, faith, honesty,
peace, discipline, integrity, prayer, patience, encouragement,
compassion, understanding, generosity, excellence, grace, mercy,
forgiveness, joy, obedience, ideas, expectation, dreams, gratitude,
liberty, praise, worship, consistency, talents/gifts, sincerity, a
smile, truth, faithfulness, loyalty, action, perseverance, tenacity.

As
you consider your seed, think about this: anyone can easily count the
number of seeds contained in an apple. Only God knows the number of
apples contained in just one seed! The same is true of your spiritual
seed.

Speak and sow your seed today. Water it, allow the light
Jesus provides to warm it and give it time. Before you know it, it will
sprout! It will not fail - it cannot.

Ann
Musico is a certified Biblical health coach and independent nutritional
consultant. She has developed a "3-D Living Program" to assist her
coaching clients in achieving vibrant health and wholeness - spirit,
soul and body. Visit her website at http://www.threedimensionalvitality.com
to learn more about the "3-D Living Program" as well as the coaching
packages she offers. Subscribe for her free monthly newsletter and
weekly email messages. Health is more than just the absence of illness.
Let Ann show you how to create a life of passion and purpose, wholeness
and harmony.

Making Disciples Like Jesus Did

2009-08-03T06:26:00.000-07:00

By Paul Schlieker

Disciple-making requires time. When my daughters Carey and Crystal attended Asbury College in Wilmore, Kentucky, I occasionally visited them. While at Asbury, I loved to browse through the college library. One day, I stumbled onto a book entitled, Why Jesus Never Wrote a Book. The book was actually a series of sermons that an old time preacher compiled in the 1800's. The first chapter was a sermon called, "Why Jesus Never Wrote a Book." The chapter began, "Throughout history, almost every religious leader wrote a book, so why didn't Jesus?" The preacher's answer; "Because relationships change people, not books." His point was that if you want to fill someone's head, give him a book; if you want to change someone's heart, make him your friend.

"Jesus" was God's method to change the 12 apostles -- and he didn't give them a book -- he gave them himself. Jesus created a small group environment that gave his disciples a natural sense of belonging, care and accountability.

In his book, "What Wives' Wish their Husbands Knew about Women", Dr. James Dobson says, "The reason the average woman would rather be beautiful than smart, is that she knows that the average man can see better than he can think." The truth is, we all see better than we think. Jesus knew that and that's why he wanted his followers to be with him in a variety of life settings.

Use your imagination. What lessons did his disciples learn when they saw Jesus let sinful people touch him? Or hold children on his lap? Or weep at Lazarus' tomb? Or rebuke the Pharisees? Or get alone to pray? Or wash their feet in the upper room?

The idea of making life the classroom is the way Jesus prepared the twelve apostles. Who are you discipling? Do you spend time together in a variety of life settings? People can see better than they can think.

Paul Schlieker disciples internationals and business professionals. He attends Christ Community Church in Omaha, Nebraska. Professionally, Paul is an agent with Prudential. He and his wife, Peggy have written several easy to use discipleship tools and Bible studies that train believers, introduce Christianity to seekers, and ground believers in Biblical fundamentals. Learn more about these resources and subscribe to a free monthly newsletter at http://www.christianbiblebasics.com/

Communicating With God - The 5 Most Common Barriers to Hearing God

2009-08-03T06:18:00.000-07:00

By Genie Goodwin

I work with people who love God, want His plan for their lives and are actively trying to walk with Him.

When confusion swirls through their life, challenges push them to the wall, and they feel as though He's deserted them, them come to me.

As a Christian Life Coach I ask, "What is God telling you?" or the variation, "Have you asked God about it?" Undoubtedly I hear, "Yes, I've asked God."

To which I reply, "What did He say?" I usually get a blank stare and some stuttering variation of "I don't know." As they look at me as if I was crazy.

Can you really communicate with God?

Yes. It's not hard to hear God. He's speaking to you daily. Because you are His greatest treasure, He's committed to help you fulfill your life purpose- what He created you do to here. And He paid for it with the life of His Son, He can't be much more committed than that!

I've found there are 5 Common Barriers to Hearing God.

Barrier 1. Never listening for His answer.

Many people treat their time talking to God like a wish list. They unload their wishes on Him in a long litany of begging and pleading. Then walk away without listening for His reply. That's just rude. Prayer is not a monologue, it's a dialog. Talk to Him about your life and LISTEN FOR HIS ANSWERS.

It's easy, just get quiet for a minute, expecting Him to answer you. That one step alone will transform your prayer time into an amazing journey of intimacy with the One who loves you more than you can comprehend.

Barrier 2. Not wanting to hear His answer.

Often people are afraid that God's answer will be something they don't want, some horrible thing they must do or give up. As if God wants bad, ugly things for you! Do you know better than God what will bring true fulfillment?

Stop trying to be your own god and run your own life by your own plans... He knows better than you do! And He only wants good for you! Trust Him.

Barrier 3. Not knowing Him.

If you don't know Him, you don't recognizing His voice. If you don't know me, you won't recognize my voice either! When you don't know how He talks, you might be waiting for a big booming voice to part the clouds and thunder out directions! That's not how He talks!
Take some time to get to know Him and how He talks.

Barrier 4. Your own head.

When you are looking for answers you come up with your own. You spend hours and hours thinking about how to fix your problems. The problem with that is God's not in your head and not in those plans! He dwells in your heart, in your heart is where He'll lead and guide you.

Learn to get out of your head and listen to your heart. (That's where He talks!)

Barrier 5. Sin.

I know you were waiting for this one, but it's not what you think.

Sin doesn't stop God from talking to you. After all, we are all sinners; Jesus is the only one to live a sinless life. So, sin couldn't stop God from talking to you or He wouldn't have talked to anyone in the history of the world. It's your focus on sin and your assumption He can't hear you that stops God in your life. There is no sin too big for Him to take care of, to forgive, to get you through. When you focus on your sin you won't go to Him for your deliverance or answer, you can't hear Him if you don't go to Him.

Refocus on Him, He's talking to you today... are you listening? Blow past these common barriers and let God lead you into His magnificent plan for your life.

If you'd like more help, I invite you to get the FREE Seminar: Your Life on Purpose

For more questions or personalized help, schedule your private life coaching session, e-mail me at: genie@geniegoodwin.com

Saint Maria Goretti - Crimson Rose Of Jesus

2009-08-03T06:14:00.000-07:00

The little White and Crimson Rose of Jesus The name of Maria Goretti has a special place for me. I would judge that most everyone in my generation has grown up having heard the story of the little crimson and white Rose of Jesus, St. Maria Goretti.

Her story inspires such emotions in us, such a desire to bring ourselves to Jesus and His Mother Mary as pure buds, ready to flower into whatever vocation They desire for us, whether it be religious, lay people or as in the case of little Maria, Saints who gave their lives as martyrs rather than stain their immortal souls by committing a sin. And in that way, Saints like Maria Goretti become role models for young people in these modern times. We know the story of Maria Goretti with surface knowledge.

She is famous for what she obviously did, die rather than allow her relationship with Jesus to be compromised by giving into a sexual temptation. This is the obvious cause for her Sainthood, much as St. Maxmilian Kolbe's obvious reasoning for Sainthood was taking the place of a fellow prisoner in the death cells of Auschwitz during the Second World War. But these are only the apparent.

There is so much more to each life which calls for us to venerate them as special servants of God, true role models. We have written about St. Maxmilian Kolbe in two different books, trying to tell the story of this powerful man in the Church.

There were two other virtues of St. Maria Goretti which are so subtle, they get lost in the shadow of giving her life. One of them was selflessness. She cared more about her eternal soul than her bodily safety. And possibly even more than that, she cared about the soul of her attacker more than her own life.

As we get into the woeful story of her life and death, we can't help but realize that part of the reason for her determination not to give into Alessandro Serenelli was for his salvation.

Maria Goretti was a good little girl, a pure little girl. At eleven years old, she had such a love relationship with Jesus that she would rather die than allow her chastity to be compromised, rather die than take a chance on breaking relationship with Jesus. But how can that be? How could she possibly understand what path her Yes to Jesus would take her down? We're not talking about St. Agnes or St. Cecilia or Saints of the early Church who gave up their lives for Jesus.

This was the Twentieth Century. She was a product of that century. Where have we gone, how low have we become, that our young people can't possibly understand how a girl from their own century could sacrifice her life for her morals? Girls as young as eleven, are "sexually active," have become pregnant, have had abortions often with help of their own mothers, in many instances, and those who did not die on the abortionist's table, have died of AIDS in many instances.

We're at a time in our society when there are virtually no morals being taught or practiced either in the classrooms of our schools, in the pulpits of our churches, or in the homes by the parents of these children.

Our schools are giving children condoms and parents are putting girls on the birth control pill. We're being taught safe sex in an effort to avoid the spread of dangerous diseases and to keep the world population down.

Last on the list of priorities is the prevention of the spread of moral decay of a civilization, which in its final analysis will be much more deadly than any physical disease our children may contract. Maria Goretti is definitely a contradiction in terms. She is surely a paradox. She could not possibly exist in the last decade of the Twentieth Century, the end of the second millennium, and yet she is a product of our century.

Either she is completely out of sync, or we are condemned for the apathy we portray to our children by our behavior. Either Maria Goretti is wrong or we're wrong. Is it possible that we could be wrong?

But we're getting way ahead of ourselves. To begin at the beginning of this short, but brilliant life in the Lord, we have to go to the far north and east of Italy, to the Marches, the harsh area around Ancona and the Adriatic Sea. For those of us who visit the Holy House of Loreto, it seems a most pleasant place to be.

The month we usually choose, July, is not yet hot. The warm breezes off the Adriatic make it a most desirable time to visit our Lady of the Holy House there. But that's July in Loreto. Not too far away in Corinaldo, where our little Saint was born, things are not quite the same.

The winters are brutal. The howling winds coming off the Adriatic Sea pound against the rock-hard land, making it next to impossible to do any work on the farms. If this is not enough, the Spring and Fall bring hard rain and flooding, ruining any small amount of crops which could be planted. No matter how hard the farmers tried, this was not a good place to make a living. For the parents of Maria Goretti, Luigi Goretti and Assunta Carlini, it was home. They had lived here all their lives, as had their parents before them and their parents before them. But that didn't make their lives any more bearable. It was just consistent.

And this is where our little Saint was born on October 16, 1890. She was the second living child of the Goretti family, the first boy having died as an infant. She had an older brother, Angelo, and would have more brothers and sisters as time went on. When we wrote of the Little Flower of Lisieux, St. Thérèse, we said Saints beget Saints. Maria's mother in particular, Assunta, was a saintly woman. She had no formal education, but she was taught powerfully by her Church and given, we believe, infused knowledge by the Holy Spirit.

This love for God and her Church was passed on to her children, especially little Maria. She was baptized the day after her birth. Assunta did not want to have her child carry the stain of Original Sin any longer than necessary. Under the tutelage of Assunta and Luigi, Maria grew up a very selfless, giving girl. She cared more about pleasing others than for her own comfort. Little things had great meaning to Maria.

Perhaps because the family had always been and would always be financially very poor, she had no great need for possessions. They were not available to the family; Maria didn't think about them. Instead, she tried to do whatever she could to make her family's life more pleasant. She was a very normal girl, enjoying games and running through the fields. But her mother noted a strong spirituality in her from an early age. It never left her; it just became more intense. Little Maria and her family lived a happy life in Corinaldo, but they were always on the edge. The land was too small and difficult to farm. Luigi did the best he could, but it was not good enough. He insisted that he could not take care of his family in the proper manner under these conditions. He argued they would have a better chance in some far-off land, perhaps the big city, Rome. The grass was always greener somewhere else. Besides, anything was better than they had.

Assunta, on the other hand, was determined to not leave the place of her birth and that of her children, especially for a decadent place like Rome. But Luigi was resolved to give his family a better life. To make his case stronger, their very close friends and neighbors, Domenico and his sister Teresa Cimarelli, were planning to leave also. This gave Luigi courage to convince Assunta that they and their children should leave Corinaldo and head towards Rome.

The lure of the big city always attracted the people from the farms. But it had not helped those who left in most instances. Although there was work, very often there was no life. The wages were just above slave labor; the living conditions were impossible; the whole family had to work in different factories. The work of St. Don Bosco in the slums of Torino in the last fifty years of the Nineteenth Century had been proof positive that there were no streets lined with gold in the big cities, only heartbreak and very often the breakup of families.

Reference "Holy Innocence"

By: Bob and Penny Lord

Bob and Penny Lord are renowned Catholic authors and television hosts on EWTN, Global Catholic television. They are prolific writers about the Catholic faith, especially the Saints. Their website is www.bobandpennylord.com

Bible Stories Through Children's Eyes

2009-07-30T06:35:00.001-07:00

By: Aleena Denison

Sometimes I find it a challenge to teach kids biblical facts in a way that is easy for them to understand; a way that won't get confused or jumbled or mixed with all of the other things that they're trying to learn about the world in which they live. However, it's always fun to hear kids' responses to what you've taught them. Sometimes you want to laugh at their interpretations, especially when they're so very serious, and I've found that it's a good idea to keep a notebook of their innocently jumbled definitions:

"Adam and Eve had a son, Cain, who hated his brother as long as he was Abel. Pretty soon all of the early people died off, except for Methuselah, who lived to be like a million or something."

"Samson slayed his enemies by pulling down the pillows of the temple."

"One of Jacob's sons, Joseph, gave refuse to the Israelites."

"Moses died before he ever reached Canada."

"The greatest miracle in the Bible is when Joshua told his son to stand still and he obeyed him."

"In the gospel of Luke, they named Jesus Enamel."

"Jesus gave the golden rule which says, 'do one to others before they do one to you.'"

"Jesus' followers were called the 12 decibels."

"Jesus had many arguments with sinners like the Pharisees and the Republicans."

"The worst of the disciples was Judas Asparagus, and he was so bad they named a terrible vegetable after him."

"Jesus healed many leopards and preached to some Germans on a mount."

"David was a Hebrew king skilled at playing the liar."

"Moses led the Hebrews to the Red Sea, where they made unleavened bread, which is bread without any ingredients."

Anyone who works with kids could probably add many more definitions and opinions like these to the list, and although at times it's hard for children to understand the full meaning of some Bible stories, there is one thing that they should understand without confusion-- the way of salvation through the shed blood of Jesus Christ. When they truly understand what the Bible is all about, they'll be so excited to share with others! Imagine, a child's enthusiasm combined with an understanding of the truth of God's Word! Now that is hard to resist!

But the question is: How does one help children understand the message of the Bible? Is there anything specific that can be done? Since much of the curriculum for teaching children the Bible is presented in intriguing story form, why not try telling the Bible stories in order from beginning to end, with one overall theme? If children can be taught how that Jesus was promised from the time of Adam, and how He fulfilled (and will fulfill) everything that was promised to Adam, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, etc., they will begin to understand the history and purpose of their world, and even their own lives.

One young girl shared a book about the Bible's message (from creation to Christ) with a friend who came to spend the night. By the following morning, the friend had believed in Jesus as her Savior. If this young girl didn't understand the Gospel or its importance, she would have had no interest in sharing it, or if she had, it would have been even more confusing to her friend. Take the challenge of making sure kids around you understand exactly what the Gospel is, and how to share it with others.

Aleena Denison has a heart for seeing the message of the Bible presented in a clear way,and is dedicated to sharing Jesus with the lost and helping believers see their responsibilities in evangelism, discipleship, and Bible study. For more information and free downloads, see http://www.goodseed.com

2009-07-30T05:37:00.001-07:00

John 11:25: Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies;

Signs of True Christian Conversion & the Power of God

2009-07-26T11:57:00.001-07:00

By Steve Wickham

True salvation inevitably brings with it some level
of true repentance toward a transformed mind, goals, and manifest
behaviours. We not only think differently, we start to act differently
too, as we seek to live in a more morally-accountable way.

True
repentance is not always connected with true (or new) salvation. Anyone
can truly repent. All it seems is required (to draw on God's power and
grace) is sufficient humility in response to the exposed truth, which
engenders deep reflection at the heart level, toward a turning from
one's old ways to the new.

I said to someone only recently, I
have more problems at sin than most. This is because I see myself from
my own God-revealed state--though not condemning--a resultant
bliss-filled benefactor of his rich portions of grace. I currently have
two known areas of self-acknowledged sin (which to some might be that
minor they'd hardly warrant reflection--but to me, a child of a holy
God, these are to be worked on until completion i.e. eradication by
God's grace one moment at a time).

I read recently a beautifully
incisive description of what true repentance is, and this explains in
part why it's so hard. It describes repentance as being beyond simple
regret, and that for us is easy to explain. Regret is sorrow over an act whereas repentance is sorrow because of an act; two quite divergent responses on the moral plane.[1]

Repentance,
furthermore, is split into two forms. And this is the key to uncovering
why at times, when we're frustrated by ongoing sin, we don't become
delivered from it.

Repentance is engaged by sorrow rooted in us hurting relationships
by our acts and omissions, not the least of which our relationship with
God. It starts viscerally--from deep within. It's manifest sorrow for
the hurt caused to another, even to God directly.

The power of
true repentance toward a transformed mind, heart and hence, behaviour,
is the resurrection power of the risen Lord Jesus Christ.

When we
truly repent at the heart level (reaching the deep emotions because we
begin to comprehend the impact of our behaviour on relationships) and
not simply leave it at the intellectual level of the act itself, the
power of God's Spirit sweeps powerfully through us, giving us
confidence and poise to do the thing he wishes us to do, one day at a
time.

We hence become intrinsically motivated to make our
relationships right; to restore the virtuous balance. We're prepared to
pay whatever restitution is required.

And this is why the Lord's
discipline in the form of resonant life consequences is so critically
important; though we like it not! The consequences force us to decide.
Do we submit in humility or reject the rebuke in pride (our default is,
of course, the latter).

Consequences and restitution also
propound the lesson, helping us truly learn so we don't make the same
mistakes again or as much.

The sign of true conversion, the witness of the 'circumcised heart' then, is the willing and almost enthusiastic response to all
life rebukes, in an honourable and dignified way, and not from excess
guilt or shame. (God's got no interest in us feeling excessively guilty
or shame-ridden; that's the lot of the enemy.)

This is the
resonant echo of the risen Christ in us as we bear our respective
crosses over the whole lifespan. For repentance is as much a part of
the Christian's journey as any other part, and possibly more. It's
uniquely inherent in the Christian walk.

And this is the best
sign of true conversion; does resurrection life flow through the person
in these circumstances or not? That's got to be the test question.

Whether
the person's been Christian 80 minutes or 80 years, the same fact
remains. Can they call upon the power and grace of God to truly repent
unto life eternal?

[1] Gary & Anne Marie Ezzo, Let the Children Come, Along the Virtuous Way: Growing Kids God's Way (Happy Valley, South Australia: Growing Families Australia, 2002), p. 205, 210.

Steve
Wickham is a Registered Safety Practitioner (BSc, MSIA, RSP) and a
qualified, unordained Christian minister (GradDipBib&Min).

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steve_Wickham

Prayer - Who Shall We Pray For?

2009-07-21T07:17:00.001-07:00

By Jan Tincher

The abducted or the abductor?

The Spirit of God is in us all.

When we get nervous and upset, anxious and afraid, filled with hate and losing the feeling of love, who shall we pray for?

When
we know that something bad has happened and our stomach gets tight, our
feelings are close to the surface, and we are fast losing hope, who
shall we pray for?

When something is not going our way and we are raising our voices against injustice, who shall we pray for?

Who
should we pray for? We should pray for ourselves. How? May the words in
my mouth and the feelings in my heart be acceptable to You, Oh Lord.
Then act accordingly.

People react differently. If you are feeling the love of God in you, you act and react divinely.

If
someone who didn't know you saw what you were going through, even as a
bystander, who would they tend to pray for? You. Because in those
times, you've lost sight of God.

The Spirit of God is in us all.

ASSUME
that God is taking care of the world, because -- and get this straight
-- He is. None of our anxiety, hatred, or hopelessness is going to
change that. Change what you can -- change how YOU feel.

FEEL the love of God when you are facing difficulties. Let Him heal YOU.

Does
that sound selfish? If we have bitterness in our heart, how can we take
care of others? If we have hatred in our hearts, well, how can we help
with hatred? Is that God's way? I don't think so. If we have LOVE, we
are spreading what? LOVE! And doesn't that feel grand?

God is
taking care of the world -- why should we get nervous or upset, anxious
or afraid, filled with hatred or lose the feeling of love?

God is
taking care of the world -- why should our stomach get tight, our
feelings be close to the surface, and we be fast losing hope?

God
is taking care of the world -- why, when something is not going our
way, should we be raising our voices against injustice? It would be
like raising our voice against God. That isn't the path we have sought,
is it?

Do not we trust God to make everything all right? And when we feel that trust, don't things actually turn around?

Everyone
has their own path to walk. Let them walk it. Let them walk it with
your prayers as you take care of yourself. God and the Angels will take
care everyone else. Know that in place of sending your anxiety,
bitterness, or hatred to the situation, you have now decided to send
the Angels.

When the situation is over, ask the person you have
prayed for if they felt the flutter of little wings. Know that God is
everywhere. His messengers, the Angels, are with us always.

Do you want to meet your Angels? Jan Tincher, Angel Writer and award winning author, has a web site http://www.angelsarewithus.com and has been writing about Angels for over nine years. You can read some of her articles here: http://www.angelsarewithus.com/articles1.htm Jan helps you bridge the gap between you and your Angels. This will definitely change your life.

Words Are Powerful - But Only God Places the Power Behind Words

2009-07-16T09:38:00.001-07:00

By Mia Stubbs

Shared Thoughts!

In God's word it states that there is life or death in the power of the tongue, but it is our Father that puts power behind the words! Just as He watches over His Children, He also watches over words that are spoken against us! He has given us a wonderful text for our mental comfort, a cushioned pillow text to sleep on "No Weapon Formed Against Us Shall Prosper, Every Tongue That Rise Against Us, We Shall Condemn"!

The true purpose of "No weapon formed shall prosper" is to protect the mind of the person being targeted by the enemy, whether it is the enemy gossiping, manipulating, using false insinuations to the mind, or the enemy using an individual while in casual conversation to tear down the spirit of another. The main tool as stated previously in this book is that the enemy uses gossip to destroy the mind of mankind. The enemy loves to try to bully God's beautiful children, and the main way is through gossip of the mind.

From the beginning of time, the enemy has tried to use gossip of the mind, manipulation and insinuations of the mind to removed God's children off the path designed by God. This fact is evident when he cunningly convinced one third of the angels to turn against God in Heaven. It was even more evident when he deceived and convinced Eve that disobedience to God would be more profitable to her, then obedience to God.

The powerful phrase, "No weapon formed against you, shall prosper," has been given as the answer key for mankind to walk in victory physically, spiritually and mentally. This powerful phrase is designed to be the cushioned pillow of peace, to sleep at night. It is the mental medicine of the mind, body and soul.

The enemy has unfortunately tried to convince mankind that there is no power in speaking with authority God's words for us, "No weapon formed against you shall prosper." The tactic he used, was to have mankind feel as though such powerful words stated in the Bible, given by God, Our Creator, were made simply for those in the Bible at that time, and that any passage stated in God's word, holds no weight of power now. This is another deception of the enemy, to try to handicap God's children, so that we will feel that there is no hope. This is his way of being a bully to the mind. This is the very reason why God created this verse, so that we would have a weapon to fight back against the enemy, to protect our mind.

How many times in conversation, have you been sharing with someone something great in life you would like to do? Some healing you would like to receive; and somewhere in the conversation, the enemy has used that person to tell you that your desired plans will not work, or your healing may not come, or will not come. Recognize that is the spirit of the enemy using that individual without them even knowing it. God has promised in His word, that He has already conquered the world, and all that we need to be victorious, through His blood. So all things are attainable in Him, wisdom, knowledge, healing, our desires, whatever we seek to allow us to progress forward, has already been conquered through Him.

So words only have power, when our Father puts the power behind it! This is great comfort for all!

God Is Love,
Mia Stubbs

Author Mia F. Stubbs shares her experience of gossip, and how it affected her life. She shares how gossip is a disease that most overlook. Her personal experience with gossip has given her the gift of sharing to many, her expressions of thoughts in writing. She points out how most people do not communicate what they feel verbally due to their inner silence. Through sharing her personal life experiences of gossip, it will result in being a warning or a comfort to another. She shares how a lot of the times, people do not share their pain with others, due to their feelings of being embarrassed, feelings that no one would understand, or the feelings of being judged. Not sharing your experiences can prevent the growth of another. In writing "Stop the Gossiping" book, it has been the bandages for her open wounds inflicted by others through gossip! Her openness in her book about gossip has opened a pathway of healing that has been long overdue and has given her the victory over her inner silence!!!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mia_Stubbs

God is Waiting For You With Open Arms

2009-07-16T09:36:00.001-07:00

By Jan Tincher

God is waiting for you with open arms. If He hasn't
appeared in your life as much as you would like, it could be because of
one of three reasons.

You might have a misunderstanding of the will of God.
You might have a tendency toward self-denial.
You might have a victim consciousness.

For
instance, many people practice blind acceptance of their circumstances
because they feel it is God's will. They may use the excuse that karmic
debts are being repaid and that there is no escape from the conditions.
How long do you think retribution continues? Any action producing
adverse circumstances can be neutralized by right action. If you
produce right action, then Karma, the Law of Cause and Effect, is
neutralized.

Knowing this, why let it continue? Why not make
amends and get on with your life the way you want it? God is waiting
for you with open arms.

Each individual controls his or her own
destiny, and to blame your difficulties on God's retribution is a
travesty. God IS love. Errors can be transformed into freedom from the
negative effect through the same law, and the transformation is
essentially immediate. Why not make amends, and get on with your life
the way you want it? Again, God is waiting for you with open arms.

Go
into life knowing what you want and capture all the happiness and joy
you can handle. Forget the past with its self-imposed limitations.
People do not have to 'bear' anything, and life is magnificent for
those who escape from the unwanted situations of their own
construction. Why not make amends, and get on with your life the way
you want it? Again, God is waiting for you with open arms.

Spirit
only works through like mind of one accord. God's mind is never of
helplessness, remorse, unhappiness, hatred or inadequacy. If you raise
your mind to God's you can conquer all your old feelings and start
feeling the power.

Thanks for reading.

Overcoming Selfishness

2009-07-13T05:03:00.001-07:00

By Theo Stringer

How often have we judged people, conditions, or
events based upon what we know about them? On the other hand how much
do we really know about the people we meet, the things we see, the
events and circumstances of life? If we are really honest with
ourselves we would have to admit that we don't know nearly as much as
we want people to think we do.

If truth be told the more we live or interact with our closest
relatives and friends, the more we realize that we don't know them like
we thought we did. An even frightening reality is; "the longer we live the more we find out about ourselves."

Thus having judged people, and situations based upon what we
thought we knew about them and later found we were all wrong, can we
honestly evaluate anything based on what we know about them? How can we
judge fairly when we are so limited in our knowledge and understanding?
The answer is that we can't.

In order for us deal with people or circumstances objectively and
appropriately, we must have precise knowledge about them. Ah, but you
may say that is impossible for anyone, and I say that you are right.
However what things that are impossible with men are possible with God.
Only He is infinite in wisdom and knowledge.

The apostle Paul wrote; "To live is Christ," and thus we do all
things through Him. This means that our lives are lived in union with
Jesus in total dependency upon Him. Therefore as we abide Him and He
lives in us, we are able to rightly deal with life and all its
circumstances, as well as interact with people through Him.

If that is so; "why do so many believers struggle to live the Christian life even with Jesus living within them?"
The answer is clear. Jesus said; "Abide in Me, and I in you. As the
branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine,
neither can you, unless you abide in Me" (John 15:4). We were created
to live in union with Christ just as the branch lives in union with the
vine. This means that Christ is the center of our lives. Thus all things are of Him, through Him, and to Him, and not us.

However when we are self-centered (walking after the flesh),
we will become unproductive and discontent in life. Consequently by
operating independently of Christ who is the source of our
fruitfulness, by default leaves us barren.

Jesus is our contentment, not people, conditions or things. Jesus
plus nothing is our all. As we abide in Him, He satisfies us
independently of people or circumstances. Jesus said in Matthew
11:28-30 from the Message Bible; "Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out
on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life.
I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with
me-watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay
anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll
learn to live freely and lightly."

As simple as this may sound; "When we are not trusting in Jesus we are trusting in ourselves, and thus to trust in ourselves is to be selfish." So as long as we trust in ourselves we will never enjoy rest because it can only be experience when Jesus is our center.

Selfishness has been the dilemma of mankind since the fall. Yet few of us (saints or sinners) would dare to admit that we are selfish. Yet all the while we see ourselves as God in the center of our universe, i.e. (in control of our own lives),
and thus we view and deal with life from that standpoint. This is the
reason for much of our frustration with people, circumstances, or
events when they don't agree with our point of view.

It is from this limited standpoint that we worry when it seems like
there is not enough money. It is from this same center that we are
easily offended as well as despise those who don't see life the way we
do, when in reality God (who is love) is the core of our new life. What's more, from this center we perform all types of religious activities, i.e. praise, give, worship, fast and pray, and go to church etc. to get God to bless us.

Dear friend we are (already) blessed because Christ
is the center of our being; "for in Him we live, move and have our
being." In Ephesians 1:3 Paul writes; "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ." This is what is, and not what will be after we have "did this or did that."
Jesus is our sufficiency right now! Thus as we abide in Him, the Holy
Spirit lead us in all the activities and circumstances of life - "to live is Christ."

Overcoming Selfishness
By: Theo Stringer

Theory
Stringer is the Pastor of the Community House of Prayer, and president
and founder of Cherubim Communications. He is the author of 4 books
that are designed to help ordinary people experience the abundant life.
Find out more about how you can get your Christian manuscript
published, as well as read the many articles available at: http://cherubimcommunications.com

Jesus Christ, The Savior of the World - The 5S's of Jesus Christ

2009-06-29T06:28:00.000-07:00

By Tumwesigye Wycliffe

Jesus Christ left all His glory in heaven and came down on earth to die for the sins of the human race. He willingly laid down His life to redeem us from both the consequences and penalty of sin. People of all races and ages can find new life in Him if they chose too. For God so loved the world that He gave His own son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16). Below are the 5S's of Jesus Christ

Search- Jesus searches every sinner where he/she is on the face of the earth. He uses different means including: His word, the Holy Spirit, circumstances around us, dreams and many more so that every individual will not have an excuse for not hearing from God.

Save- Jesus saves every one who accepts Him after being found. The saving grace of Jesus is such that none of the human race will perish but have everlasting life. He saves us from both the consequences of sin such as sicknesses, poverty and misery as well as the penalty of sin, which are death and the everlasting suffering in hell. Because He formed you, He is able to transform you.

Sustain- Jesus is the creator and provider of all our needs. If he feeds the birds and wild animals which are of less importance, what about you who is made in His likeness and was given the ability to look after the rest of the creatures? He tells us not to worry about what to eat or feed on but to pray and put our trust in Him because He cares for us.

Satisfy- Jesus Christ provides the peace and satisfaction that cannot be got from anything else in this world. Believing in Him gives everlasting joy and comfort despite the hardships that may be prevailing in our environment. He fills up the vacuum in every heart that usually yearns for more and grants satisfaction in all situations.

Send- Jesus does not only save you to remain in the comfort of your home but to go and tell others about what he has done for you. This sharing will bring medicine to the many who are undergoing many forms of suffering resulting from sin and this will give you credit before God hence rewards.

The author is an education officer, Science teacher, Evangelist and businessman. If you would like to learn more from him feel free to follow the links below:

http://godandsciencerelated.blogspot.com/
http://makeenoughmoneyfromhome.blogspot.com/

Christ Didn't Have to Grab Me by the Throat to Make Me Know He is the Word

2009-06-29T06:25:00.000-07:00

By Cheryl G Burke

When you are filled with insight and you know all the answers to the world's problems, do you find it hard not to shout it from the rooftops? If this describes your everyday life, perhaps you would consider taking a look at the example Jesus set for any Avatar who would follow in His steps.

When you look at the life of Christ as noted in the Canonized group of books, called the Bible, you will find that the man who was and is God, chose not to cram down the throats of the many, His knowledge. So much so, that it seems as though many of His followers of today, believe they are the only ones who know the righteous way of delivering this message!

When you sit in a group of believers, are you ofttimes reminded that there are only a very limited number of people who will be joining Christ after they leave this world? Are you aware that those same people who are professing these words, believe they are some of the very limited number and that another denomination down the street is almost all destined for Hell?

Ever wonder how you got so lucky as to be in this group of eclectic followers who most often give God credit for calling to them, yet must take credit for their own obedience to procure such a position?

What if God has given the call to any who will obey? What if He has said He desires that none should perish? What if He says all we have to do is believe that Christ is the Son of God and that He came to show us the Way? Would that be enough for the group to comprehend that only He can know who will be saved?

I wonder what it would be like to have Him grab me by the throat to squelch the judgment I am so willing to share with others about who and how they are to be saved?

I truly hope I can sit in quiet instruction from my Lord, in the depths of my being and hear Him say, "Well done thou good and faithful child", this because I listened and comprehended the fact that He does not need me to reach a lost land, He is God, He can make worshipers out of the rocks, why should I think I have any more right to Gods blessings than any other.

As a matter of fact, I don't have any more of a right than any other, nor does anyone else! Peace, love and hope are offered for all, the beauty is, at any given moment we can open the channel of this Almighty love, be filled with the greatness of its being, and know peace beyond comprehension. Simply by asking, He freely gives His blessing to any!

Cheryl G Burke

http://cherylgburke.com

Spirit of God - If Inside of Us, Where Does it Reside?

2009-06-29T06:23:00.000-07:00

By Cindy L. Herb

If you believe that God encompasses everything, is it not true that His spirit also resides within you? It has to be somewhere in us, but where does the spirit reside within?

Charles Crooks is a shaman and healer/teacher. In his teaching he asks, "What is the component of breath that we find so valuable to ourselves?"

The vital life force is a concept often discussed and many times portrayed in various forms in movies. Do you suppose your breath contains this force? Could the vital life force include the spirit of God, whose light encompasses all?

When you are born, until you take your first breath, you are lifeless. Without that breath, there would only be an unresponsive, physical body. This is why breathing is induced by some means immediately after birth if you do not begin to breathe on your own. It may be as simple as cutting the umbilical cord or slapping you on the butt. Since every human consists of both a physical body and God's light, it is easy to conclude that the breath contains not only yourself and character, but also the light of God within.'

Words of John 4:24 (KJV) give solid evidence to support this fact: "God is a Spirit." The original Greek word for "spirit," used in this verse, is pneuma, which literally means "breath" or "current of air." Since the breath is life, you can deduce that life is a component of your breath. However, how does one define life? The dictionary's definition of life is "existence" or vitality." But, what exactly gives you vitality or brings you into existence?

Charles asserts that the breath consists of multiple components. Most everyone would agree that one of these components is the various gases required to allow the body to function on a physical level. But could there also be a spiritual component?

We have already established that God is everywhere, including living within you. We have determined that breath contains life, and that without breath, there is only a physical body. Therefore, does it not stand by reason that God may live within your breath, giving you your existence?

Copyright Statement: This article was written by Cindy L. Herb and may be reproduced on any related website provided the text is not changed in any form and this copyright statement is displayed unedited in its entirety at the foot of the article and you use the exact same HTML code to ensure a clickable link back to the author's site. Further articles are also available. Contact the author for more information. Copyright 2009 Cindy L. Herb, http://www.cherbchronicles.com. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.

About the Author: Cindy L. Herb, author of Awakening the Spirit: The Open Wide Like a Floozy Chronicles, specializes in Mind, Body, and Spirit healing, and Physical/Sexual Abuse Recovery. As an inspirational speaker, Cindy L. Herb offers others an alternative approach to healing from any trauma, allowing people to view life's tribulations as an opportunity for spiritual growth. http://www.cherbchronicles.com. To download your FREE report, Some Helpful Steps to Healing, please visit the author's website.

Lean in - You Are Being Called to an Abundant Life

2009-06-24T10:37:00.000-07:00

By Mark Arens

Let's dive right into the Word and start with
Jeremiah 1:5 where God says: "I knew you before I formed you in your
mother's womb. Before you were born I set you apart."

Let's think about these words for just a moment . . . Before you were born, I set you apart!

I'd
like everyone to hold out their hands in front of your face. Notice how
your thumb is set apart from your fingers! Now look at your thumbprint,
and know that you are the only one in history, the only one out of 6
billion people alive today who has ever had your thumbprint. Even if
you were an identical twin, you would have a different thumbprint.
Truly your thumbs are just one example of your uniqueness and a
reminder that you have been set apart.

God himself says you are
set apart. When we study the words, "set apart" we see synonyms such as
unique, one-of-a-kind, special, rare, precious, and holy.

Notice
that being set apart does not mean weird or strange. Nor does it mean
that you are an outcast. I want you to be assured that whenever the
Bible speaks of being set apart, it is always with a higher calling in
mind. It is a call to be holy.

So what does it mean to be holy?
The Bible often refers to God's people as saints. The word saint comes
from the Greek word hagios, which can also be translated as "holy."
When we say that God is holy, it describes the fact that God is
completely different than all of his creation. It describes how he is
truly set apart. When that same word is used to describe his followers,
it means that we have made a choice to follow God.

Now let's see more of what God chooses for you and I by looking at Genesis 1:26.

Genesis
1:26-30 "Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness,
and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air,
over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that
move along the ground." So God created man in his own image, in the
image of God he created him; male and female he created them. God
blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number;
fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the
birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the
ground." Then God said, "I give you every seed-bearing plant on the
face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it.
They will be yours for food. And to all the beasts of the earth and all
the birds of the air and all the creatures that move on the
ground-everything that has the breath of life in it-I give every green
plant for food." And it was so.

This passage is full of so many
truths about how God set us apart from all other creation. He told us
to have dominion over every living thing on earth. We are not called to
live based on our natural instincts like animals, but rather we are set
apart and made in God's image. As such, we are called to live a higher
life - we are called to use our God given mind, talents and dreams in a
way that is pleasing to God.

Mark
Arens reveals simple tools and ideas to empower your family to live an
abundant life. You have been called to be set apart. Learn more by
following Mark's blog: http://www.thumbpeople.com/blog/mark.html or http://www.thumbpeople.com/abundant

Worship Leading - A Way to Lead True Worship

2009-06-24T08:15:00.001-07:00

By Dave J Brown

In a prior article on worship leading I have talked
about the praise section of church worship, so now I would like to turn
my attention to my favorite part of worship leading, the worship part
of the service. This to me is where the "rubber hits the road," because
this is the time I adore most, getting up and private and private with
the Lord.

Of course, you can worship anywhere, any time, without
singing or music, but that is not the point here. I want to look at the
kinds of songs you can use when worship leading this part of the
meeting. As an element of my worship leading coaching manual, I teach
on the kinds of songs, and where you should be going with the tone of
the service at about that point. I have tons of really useful material
which you can access in the worship leading coaching course, but here's
a little scattering simply to get you thinking...

Worship: My
favorite part of worship is the deep stuff, the quiet stuff, the times
of intimacy with God. And as the track claims, let's get back to the
guts of worship : it's all about You, Jesus! Concerning worship I would
make the following suggestions:

a) It does not need to be soft:
It may be quiet and intimate, or a power ballad! Occasionally you can
lead worship to a crescendo, while at other times you can be gentle and
intimate. For suggestions of how to do this, see the chapters on style
and modulation. Consider the flow of the Spirit, feel it and follow the
premiere of the Spirit. That way you can really have an anointed
worship time.

b ) Let the tracks progress : Personal song:
starting with private songs ( those which use the pronouns I, me) and
lead your worship service to songs that focus only on the Lord. Songs
with I/Me in them are not only private but allow the people to reply to
the Lord and open their hearts to Him. This should lead on to the
ultimate goal of deep worship. You should be planning to flow from one
song to the subsequent easily, as you delicately lead people into a
deep experience with the Lord.

c ) Let the songs progress : High
Worship or Praise : These are worship leading times when you forget
you, the person, or I/Me, and turn towards or concentrate only on the
Lord. Many hymns are superb for this. Sadly , there are few modern
worship songs that are like this. Some older ones which illustrate the
sort of song I am talking about are "Turn Your Eyes On Jesus", "Holy
Ground", "Hallelujah" and "He is Lord". Michael W. Smith's handsome
worship hymn "Agnus Dei" is a great song for high praise.

4. Open
or Free Worship : For some this is terribly frightful, while for others
completely natural. This happens when folks start to praise God in
their own way, without structure or (and note this ) direction for the
front. God, being a creative God, adores it when we present to Him a
spontaneous song from the heart, just as we parents love to hear the
tunes our kids make up.

This style of worship leading isn't
everyone's cup of tea, and neither is it for every church, but the Lord
may do do this one day and surprise you! Let's be open, but not force
it. Through the years I have seen some sensational examples of Open
worship, and some remarkable abuses of it. I have devoted a complete
chapter to this area later in the book.

Finally, Iif you really
need to explore the art of worship leading, please consider obtaining
my worship leading coaching manual. I guarantee it will transform your
worship leading experience and help you progress to become the worship
leader you long to be!

For Fantastic Worship Leading Training Compiled Especially for Worship Leaders visit Amazing Worship Leading Training Resources.

This Love of God is More Than a Liking Love - The Love of God is a Loving Love and it is Unique!

2009-06-24T08:13:00.001-07:00

By Sandy Shaw

John, in his first letter, is writing about the love
of God, but he does this after he has written that God is light. How
can you be afraid of someone you love?

As soon as John mentions all this he moves right on to the day of judgement.

One
day, every one will stand before God and appear before Almighty God,
whether they want to or not - whether or not they think it is a good
thing - whether or not they believe it.

When the Love of God is
flowing in a person's life, then even on the day of judgement, there
will be a confidence before God. We are delivered from the fear of
judgment.

We need not fear punishment because Jesus Christ has dealt with that on the Cross.

In verse 19 of Chapter 4, John writes that we love because He first loved us - (no Him) - it is plural.

And,
in verse 20, John is so practical, and so down to earth, as right in
the middle of this love passage, he refers to people being a liar.

Before
us stands the image of God - someone created in the image of God - for
us to love - so love casts out hatred as well as fear.

In one sense we prove our love in annoying places, where we come into contact with people, and sometimes unlikeable people.

Think again of that band of disciples chosen and called by Jesus, and later on men like Paul and Barnabas and Silas.

Our
love is tested, not simply by our words or praying, or even letters,
but in the reality of the situations we come across every day.

God's love is not a liking love. The love of God is a loving love, and it is unique.

Love is not bothered about whether it likes the person. It goes on loving.

Now,
only the Christian can understand this. When we travel from verse 7 to
verse 21, it is as if we have travelled the full circle.

He loves
us - we receive that love - His love flows from us - even to those who
offend us - or irritate us - or repel or reject us. This is the love of
God. This is the love of Christ.

When He was crucified, Jesus
demonstrated the reality and agony of this quality of love which is
different from any other type of love.

The Christian who is
committed to Jesus Christ will go on loving, and that is why we open
our life to Jesus and His Love, so that we can open our heart to our
brother and go on serving - even when people repel or reject or
persecute us.

Sandy Shaw

Sandy
Shaw is Pastor of Nairn Christian Fellowship, Chaplain at Inverness
Prison, and Nairn Academy, and serves on The Children's Panel in
Scotland, and has travelled extensively over these past years teaching,
speaking, in America, Canada, South Africa, Australia, making 12 visits
to Israel conducting Tours and Pilgrimages, and most recently in Uganda
and Kenya, ministering at Pastors and Leaders Seminars, in the poor
areas surrounding Kampala, Nairobi, Mombasa and Kisumu.

He broadcasts regularly on WSHO radio out of New Orleans, and writes a weekly commentary at http://www.studylight.org entitled "Word from Scotland" on various biblical themes, as well as a weekly newspaper column.

His M.A. and B.D. degrees are from The University of Edinburgh, and he
continues to run and exercise regularly to maintain a level of physical
fitness.

Sandy Shaw
sandyshaw63@yahoo.com

Baptisms

2009-06-24T08:06:00.001-07:00

Scripture speaks of three baptisms: water baptism, spirit baptism and fire baptism (Matthew 3:11). We know about water baptism because the church has universally adopted it as the entrance ceremony for church membership. We are not concerned here about the mode of baptism -- sprinkling, pouring or immersion, or the candidates for baptism -- infants or adults.

John knew about the other baptisms and said to the crowds that followed him, "I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire " (Matthew 3:11). The candidates for these baptisms are not specified. The reason that this is important is that Apollos knew only the baptism of John -- water baptism, and lacked the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Fire baptism is for unbelievers not believers, and further discussion of it will take us too far afield at this point.

Contrary to Pentecostal belief, the baptism of the Holy Spirit is not about speaking in tongues, but is about being radically changed by the Holy Spirit. The Greek word baptizo literally means to dip or dye, as in the dyeing or bleaching of cloth. Unfortunately, the passion to defend immersion as the only legitimate baptismal mode has shifted the attention of well-meaning scholars from the purpose of baptism -- dyeing, to the process -- dipping. People have latched onto the meaning of the process of baptizo -- to dip, and ignored the purpose -- to dye, to change the character (color) of a thing.

If there is only one word that means both dip and dye, and I tell you that I have dipped/dyed my shirt a different color, which meaning is the most natural? Obviously, dye. The process may involve dipping, but the purpose of dyeing material is to permanently change the color or character of the cloth. The process is important, and there are many possible dyeing processes. However, the purpose of dyeing is essential to the process. Purpose is always primary to procedure for God. God is not bound by a particular procedure. Because the ceremony (procedure) of baptism does not itself cause the requisite change of character, we know that God is not limited to dipping, pouring or sprinkling. God's greater concern is the end product, His purpose for changing people in the first place, which is a change of character, a change of heart.

God has always been out to change the character of His people, to dye them, if you will, in various stages (covenant administrations) or baptisms, to bring them ultimately "to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ " (Ephesians 4:13). In history there have been many biblical covenants or administrations, but God has always been working to produce only one change of heart, one baptism (Ephesians 4:5).

The fact that God's eternal covenant -- Adam's covenant, Noah's covenant, Abraham's covenant, Moses' covenant, David's covenant -- has now come to Christians through Jesus Christ is shown in Galatians 3:14, "That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. " God's covenant, given to Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, David and others has, through Jesus Christ, been given to the Gentiles -- to us.

How has it been given? Always by the power of the Holy Spirit. How has it been received? Always by faith in Christ, the Messiah. The Holy Spirit falls upon His people, brings them to faith through a change of heart, thus fulfilling God's covenant, so that they may fulfill God's covenant by faith in Christ.

The real issue of baptism is not sprinkling, pouring, or immersion -- but being permanently changed (dyed) by the power of the Holy Spirit. Surely, God is more concerned about purpose than process. And even when the process plays a role, we know that God's power is not mediated by the ceremony of baptism, however it is done! The power is not in the ceremony, but in God's Word. Nor is the result some outward affect, but a changed heart, a changed life, a changed perspective in the lives of individuals.

Surely, God can bring about the requisite change of heart, whether people are sprinkled, poured, immersed or none of the above. The real concern of baptism is the dyeing, the bleaching, the purification, the changing of one's character, the rebirth, the regeneration, the new life. God is always after this one thing -- a new heart through baptism in the Holy Spirit!

And in Acts 18 Paul identified that Apollos had been missing this one thing. In spite of the fact that Apollos had been nurtured by and educated in the essentials of Christianity, and had been teaching and preaching about Jesus in a correct and accurate way, he was for a time still missing the central element of faithfulness -- a changed heart or baptism by the Holy Spirit. Then under the tutelage of Aquila and Priscilla he was born again in Christ. He underwent a radical change, though he had known about and had even taught about Jesus Christ for some time.

It is not that Aquila and Priscilla somehow caused the baptism of the Spirit to fall upon Apollos. We don't control or direct the Holy Spirit. Probably what happened was that Aquila and Priscilla were able to show Apollos that something was missing in his confession. Then through prayer and submission to Jesus Christ, Apollos was subsequently converted or regenerated. And Apollos, being teachable, came to understand that though he had known all about Christianity, he had not been fundamentally changed by that knowledge prior to his regeneration.

Prior to his baptism in the Spirit he had been lost in the foolishness of the world though he had been a teacher of Christianity. He had no doubt excelled in the Greek academy. No doubt he had been a fine scholar, had an exemplary character, and had tried to incorporate what he knew about Jesus Christ into his Greek worldview. He was even able to teach and preach about how Christ fit into his understanding of the world. But Paul saw through it. Paul saw that Apollos' application of worldly knowledge to Jesus Christ produced only foolishness that sounded Christian.

In verse 4 Paul said that he had applied all these things to himself and to Apollos for the benefit of the church, so that we "may learn not to go beyond what is written " (v. 4) in the Scriptures, that none of us may be "puffed up, " to keep us from being in favor of one Christian's view of things over another's. Apollos had gone beyond Scripture by incorporating Greek philosophy (worldly wisdom) into his understanding of Christianity. Paul's minor point was that by doing so Apollos had turned Christianity into worldly foolishness.

His major point was that Apollos had recovered from this error and was now in a position -- precisely because of his recovery -- to serve as a genuine teacher and preacher of real Christianity, not the worldly imitation. Paul knew that Apollos was the right man for Corinth because he had undergone this kind of conversion.

By: Phillip Ross

For over 25 years Phillip A. Ross has been leading churches and writing many Christian books. He founded www.Pilgrim-Platform.org
in 1998, which documents the church's fall from historic Christianity.
He published a exposition First Corinthians In 2008 that demonstrates
the Apostle Paul's opposition to worldly Christianity. Ross's book,
Arsy Varsy—Reclaiming the Gospel in First Corinthians, shows how Paul
turned the world upside down.

Your Words Are Producing Your Life

2009-06-23T07:10:00.001-07:00

By Franklin Broomfield

The Bible has a lot to say about your mouth. God has
connected your mouth to every area of your life. Your words are
producing your life. People need to understand the power of their
words. The power God has given their words. God gave you a mouth and
told man to subdue the earth. How was man going to subdue the earth?
Just like God by the words of his mouth. God made you in his image and
in his likeness so your words have to have power. How could God make
you in his image and in his likeness and your words not have power?
Just as God created the world with his words you create the life you
want with your words. God created this world by releasing his faith in
words. And you speak things in your life by releasing your faith in
words.

Look at Joshua 1:8 God said by meditating in his word, by
keeping his word in your mouth you would make your way prosperous. By
God's word in your mouth you will prosper. Because understand this
God's word is creative. And whether his word comes out of his mouth or
yours it still will accomplish (Isaiah 55:11). You are made in God's
likeness so by you releasing your faith in God's word by the words of
your mouth you create. When you believe God's word you will speak it (2
Corinthians 4:13). And when you believe God's word and speak it you
will have what you say (Mark 11:23).

But to get that faith you
are going to have to spend time in the word. Because faith cometh by
hearing that's why God told Joshua to meditate in his word day and
night. That was God's way of telling him how to get faith for the
things God was going to work through him. God can only work through you
as much as you can believe for. And time in the word raises your
confidence in God and his word. Therefore you are able to believe for
more so God can work more through you.

But it all starts with
your faith. Faith in God, faith in God's word, faith in the power God
has given your words. God word is incorruptible seed. And seed has to
be planted. That's where meditation comes in. The more you meditate on
the word of God the more that seed is planted and watered (1
Corinthians 3:6-9). And when seed is planted and watered it will
produce. That word has to take root in your heart. And when that word
takes root in your heart the watering of the word will bring it forth
into your life.

So just as God's word was creative in the
beginning it is still creative. In the beginning God said what He
wanted to be. And now it's time you open your mouth and speak what you
want to be. God put you on this earth and gave you power and authority.
He told man to subdue the earth and he was to do just that by the words
of his mouth. You exercise authority with your mouth and he put all the
works of his hands under your authority (Psalms 8:6)

So let the
redeemed of the Lord say so. You have some say about what goes on in
your life. You can decree a thing and it shall be established. You
don't have to let the circumstances dictate to you what will be you can
decree what will be. Stop letting life rule you and you start ruling
it. Like God told man in the beginning you subdue the earth. So by your
words create the life you want. Your life is up to you either you will
rule as God intended by putting his word in your mouth or you will
speak the circumstances and let them rule you.

Go to http://broomy-truth.blogspot.com/

Left Behind.

2009-06-15T09:06:00.001-07:00

Left Behind.

The movie Left Behind is on Google Video. Check it out.

Seeking the Kingdom of God

2009-06-07T10:30:00.001-07:00

By Jordan Austin

Do you want to ponder an amazing thought? Just think
about this. . . even when we aren't faithful, God is. He loves us that
much. He is continually seeking a relationship with us no matter our
present circumstances. He loves us unconditionally, without failing. He
does not judge us; He does not condemn us. He just continues to pour
out His love to us. How many of us can honestly say that we have
another relationship that is even slightly comparable to this? I can't.
And yet, when I need Him the most, I have a tendency to push Him away.

How
does God do it? How can he love us so much? To this I could not even
conjecture an answer. But, what I do know is that when I turn my life
over to Him- no matter what is happening in my life- things began to
change. Is it always the changes for which I specifically ask? No. Do I
always get what I want? Not even close. However, do things always turn
out even better than I could have imagined? Absolutely.

I have
made a new commitment to Jesus. Throughout the day, I tell Him how I am
doing, how I am feeling- just basically what's going on with me. If
nothing else, it's always comforting to know that someone is listening
who really cares about me.

There are many times in my life I
place my dependence on worldly things instead of placing my dependence
upon God. But, when I do place my dependence entirely upon Him,
wonderful changes really do take place.

I know that God's wish
for me above anything is that I live a life that is happy, joyous, and
free. The only way I am able to do that is to keep Him at the center of
it. I need to stop feeling sorry for myself; stop dwelling on the past.
I need to live each day to the best of my ability realizing that it is
a gift from God. And the greatest gift I can be to Him is to have my
life be a testimony to His power, strength, and never-ending love.

Sure,
I get caught up in the hum-drum of life; I would be a liar if I said I
didn't. However, when these times come (as they sometimes do), I need
to just stop for a moment and look at all for which I truly can be
grateful.

I believe that God is not through with me yet. In fact,
I believe that He has just begun to work miracles in my life by doing
things through me that I could never have possibly done by myself. I
want to share this with others, because I know God can work miracles in
your life, too. All you have to do is trust. Trust in God and honestly
seek a relationship with Him and His son, Jesus. And if you get down
and wonder if it's all really worth it, just remember- the best is yet
to come.

http://www.outskirtspress.com/secondchances

Are You Really There God?

2009-06-07T10:27:00.001-07:00

By Merry C. Battles

Are you deep inside of me and all around me? Have you
not created everything I see and all of the unseen? Are your miracles
of life everywhere present? Is your hope of eternal life possible for
me? Do you love me like your child? Is it time for me to grow up?

Grow
into the mystery of life itself...the understanding of our
oneness...the possibility of me hearing Your whispers and being the
love that You are? Is it time to mature, to take my place as
representative of You on this Earth...to fulfill my divine mission...to
express the love I feel in my heart? Is it time to take my wings, soar
like the eagle, to be fearless? Is it time to step up to the situations
facing me every day with grace, acceptance, and understanding...to look
at my trials as being your mighty will in action...to accept whatever
comes to me in the appearance of good or evil? Your will works through
every human, animal, plant, and mineral.

There is the possibility
that truly, all is love. All appearances are You in action. All is
within your allegiance. All is the One Power acting for the benefit of
all. Could this be the hidden truth? Even in the Bible it is stated,
"God creates the good and the evil. He creates the light and the
darkness." (Ezekiel 32: 8)

Matter has become the duality, the
seeming separation of all life forms. This separation is an illusion.
As Yogananda said, "Maya is illusion - the measurer...the magical power
in creation by which limitations and divisions are apparently present
in the immeasurable and inseparable."

Look at the innocence of a
child and remember who you are. In the stillness of your room, recall
the truth. "Be still and know that the I AM of me is the I AM of you."
The I AM denotes God's life in you and me. Remember?

Passage from "Christmas Meditations on the Twelve Holy Days December 26-January 6"

By Merry C. Battles

Merry
C. Battles has worked in the healing arts since 1977. She has practiced
the art of massage, Jin Shin Jyutsu (an ancient form of Japanese
Acupressure), CranioSacral Therapy, Reiki, and foot reflexology. Merry
is the author and illustrator of Christmas Meditations on the Twelve Holy Days December 26-January 6
Merry's book is a compilation of her 26 year meditation journey with
the twelve holy days. Her book can be used all year as we travel
through each sign of the Zodiac.

Merry has been a student of the
ancient mysteries for as many years. Her greatest joy in life, along
with her grandchildren, is to learn about the spiritual. This is
reflected in all of her work.

http://merrybattles.com/
http://walkingthespiritualpath.com/

What is God Like?

2009-06-07T04:48:00.001-07:00

By Tom Dennis

Good question; one that has been discussed for as
long as time has existed. What do you think? If I had never heard of
God and I asked you to describe God to me, what words would you use?
Judgmental? Distant? Unimportant? Sweet and caring? Maybe you are one
of the lucky (and rare) ones who would use words like ruler but friend,
strong but loving, distant but at the same time close. For too much of
my life I would have used the judgment words. Then I got to know Jesus
and discovered that God wasn't at all like I thought he was.

A
follower of Jesus once asked him, "Lord, show us the Father..." Jesus
replied to him that "Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father." Find
this conversation in the Bible at John chapter 14 verses 8-14. Jesus
was saying that he, himself is God and that if you get to know him, you
will find out what God the Father is really like.

As I have read
the stories about Jesus from the Bible, I have developed a much
different picture of God than I once had. I now think of God as very
patient, forgiving, more loving than I could ever even totally
understand. I also am beginning to get a grasp for how infinitely smart
and wise God is. Oh, is God judgmental? Someday, the Bible tells us, we
will have to stand before him and answer for how we lived our lives.
Have you lived your life perfectly? I know I haven't. Far from it. Even
Mother Teresa claimed to be terribly self-centered in comparison to a
holy and perfect God. Is God judgmental, though? No, not at all. How
great is that? God offers forgiveness for our guilt and perfect
acceptance for any and all who will simply accept that forgiveness. God
continually offers, offers, and offers. God continually gives, gives,
and gives. All he asks is that we'll accept what he has to offer.

What
does he offer? We'll be talking more about that in coming blogs. Want a
preview? Read the book of John in the Bible. You'll find there a wealth
of what God offers.

Tom
is a seminary graduate and former missionary in western Europe. He now
works in business to pay the bills, but his real love is telling people
about Jesus. Check out Tom's blog at http://www.livinginthekingdomnow.com

Don't Let The Fiery Trial That is Coming to Your Life Surprise You!

2009-06-07T04:35:00.001-07:00

By Matthew Robert Payne

The Father has got many methods to bring out our
fruit and how to mature us for greater things and greater
responsibilities in the Kingdom. Here is one of them...

OUR TEXT:

1 Peter 4:12-13 (New King James Version)

12
- Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is
to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; 13 - but
rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings, that
when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.

Now
when Peter says beloved he is meaning saints of God who are precious to
Him and that includes us. A fiery trial is something that I have been
living in for three years now.

For three years I have been waking
up chronically depressed because of too much sleep and yet I can't get
out of bed as I am just too tired. The doctors don't know how to fix
it, but it seriously hampers my life. I have fought it by staying up
all night twice a week and having fun.

Of late I have been having more of the presence of the Lord life when I get up and this has put the depression at bay.

Trials
are to make us stronger. Fiery trials you might say are more serious
and hurt much more than just a day to day trial. We have to be
conformed to Christs image, so how can we get to that place without
suffering like He did as he cried most nights because of all the
hurting on the earth that He couldn't reach. Isaiah 53 says that Jesus
was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.

There is
something like partaking of Christ's sufferings that makes you get so
much closer to the Lord Jesus. When you weep like him over the lost and
how many people are going to hell, and you can't warn them all, you
draw closer to Jesus in the process.

Some people in my life have
been saying that my face is a bit shiny and what they are seeing is a
touch of the Glory of the Lord on my face. You see the more you cry,
the more you weep over the things that made Jesus weep, the closer you
com to the heart of God and the more of his anointing he drops on your
life. The more you are anointed, the more the trials come to make you
press in further in your relationship with Jesus and the Father

If
you have prayed to be refined by the Lord or you have prayed with all
your heart to be used in the Kingdom in a big way, well don't be
shocked when a fiery trial comes into your life.

God allows trials for two major reasons:

1. So that as you experience your fruits of the Spirit will grow as well as your faith.

2.
So he can prove that talk is not cheap when it comes to you. Many
people want to be used and have a big ministry and a huge anointing and
they say all this to the Lord and then mid way through the first trial
they are getting upset with the Lord and begging for it to stop. These
are the people that give up on their dreams as they cannot deal with
the Refiners Fire in their life.

So readers if you want to do big
things for God and you are having a very hard trial, let me encourage
you to keep praising God and push though. I am proud of you.

And
readers who want to do big things and have read this, as sure as I am
about my own Salvation, let me say God is going to test you in some
hard trials.

Be Blessed

Matthew Robert Payne

If
you would like a personal prophecy (A personal message off God) please
write to one of our gifted team members with your request to http://www.personal-prophecy-free.net

Readers in Sydney, Australia:

If
you would like a team of us come to your church and do an extensive
workshop in the prophetic/ an impartation of the gifts and us oversee 9
days of practical experience as you practice your new gifts in the
marketplace? Click the following link for more information. http://www.personal-prophecy-free.net/prophetic-evangelism.htm

Faith at Work

2009-06-04T07:31:00.001-07:00

By Angela Mwema

In the Bible, there is a famous story of the woman
with an issue of blood. This lady had suffered for twelve years and had
spent all that she had searching for a cure. I am sure she was very
weak and frail due to losing blood for all that time. When she came to
Jesus, all she wanted is to touch the hem of his garment. She did not
even want Jesus to know what she was about to do. She made her way
through the crowds to where he was. This must have been very tiring and
cumbersome for her considering how frail and weak she was.

She
refused to give up for she knew where her miracle was. She believed
with all of her mind that touching his garment would make her whole.
She did exactly that and immediately, the blood ceased to flow. Jesus
felt the power leaving him and looked around to find out who had
touched him. He even asked around although am sure he knew who had
touched him. The lady, greatly afraid explained to the Master what she
had just done.

As the crowd was jostling and pushing to have a
glimpse of Jesus, some may have touched him. But this touch was
different. This was a faith touch. As a result there was a result. This
woman was healed for she had faith that she would if only she touched
him.

Today, what do you want God to do for you? Do you have faith
to believe that he can do it if only you believe? Do you doubt God? If
you do, don't even bother asking anything from him for you will not
receive anything. Put your faith at work today and he will make it
happen for you. He said if you can only have faith as small as a
mustard seed, you can say to this mountain move and it will relocate to
wherever you want. Speak to that mountain in your life through faith
and it shall move. It can be any situation, nothing is impossible for
God. If you lack faith, ask for it in Jesus name and he shall give you.

Angela
Mwema is a messenger to the world with the true and living word of God.
Please visit her site for more spiritual nourishment. http://angiepages.com/tag/faith-put-to-test/

Psalm 1 - Why and How to Memorize Scripture

2009-06-04T06:27:00.001-07:00

By J Koos Vanderspek

Psalm 1 reveals that the secret to success is to fill
our thoughts with Scripture and to make them continually the focus of
our imagination and meditations. Here is what it says:

Blessed is the man who
walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of
sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; but his delight is in
the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night. He
shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth
its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever
he does shall prosper.

Meditating follows repentance

Unfortunately,
it is easy to misunderstand this teaching and to hope for the benefits
and promises of Psalm 1 by meditating on God's word without first
turning away from sin. However, eliminating sin comes first according
to the psalmist. For those in fellowship with Christ, this may mean a
simple confession of sins and a request for forgiveness, even as Jesus
taught us to pray, "Forgive us our sins." For others who have
become enslaved to sin, whether or not they are Christians, a more
intensive solution must be implemented. Merely patching Bible
meditation into such a life will not be sufficient. Effective
meditation and fellowship with God can only come about after we have
decisively turned away from sinful behavior and begun walking in the
Spirit. Doing this is a precondition to delighting in the Word of the Lord.

Habitual,
life dominating, indwelling sin need not enslave Christians and part of
a game plan that sets one free involves a deep immersion in God's word.
However, such immersion does not exercise power in the life of one who
is unwilling to crucify his flesh and dedicate his members (faculties)
to righteousness, as Paul clearly teaches in Romans 6-8. Such a one
will be drinking clean water from one cup and deadly poison from
another. If you are unclear on this issue or expect study and
meditation on God's Word to automatically overcome indwelling sin, I
suggest that you consider another article that I have written on this
specific subject.

Meditating is not the same as studying.

Clearly,
the study of God's Word is a useful and necessary exercise. Done with
the proper spiritual motivations, it teaches us sound doctrine and
makes us wise to salvation. However, the Scriptures themselves tell us
that studying is an incomplete and somewhat dangerous activity. The
Scribes and Pharisees in Jesus' day were the ones least likely to
follow him. This is because studying is essentially an intellectual
activity. By engaging the mind we learn, but learning can easily become
a deadening exercise. Disconnected from an obedient heart, studying
Scripture produces negative outcomes, such as religiosity, pride and
rebellion. As Paul wrote, the letter kills. Clearly, the
generous promises of Psalm 1 are directed specifically to those who
meditate upon the Word, rather than to those who merely study.

Meditating is not the same as reading or hearing.

There
is a similar problem with simply reading Scripture. For most of us,
reading God's word is an integral part of our devotional activity. For
those without literacy or who do not have the availability of
Scripture, which is the norm in human experience, hearing is equivalent
to reading. Both hearing and reading may involve dedication and energy
but need not produce a righteous response. In fact, Jesus specifically
condemned those who hear, yet refuse to obey. For that reason, merely
reading through the Bible on a regular basis or exposing oneself to
even the finest Bible teaching does not guarantee a beneficial result.

Inevitably,
those who continue in sin while maintaining or increasing their
knowledge of truth develop hypocrisy, spiritual stagnation and hardened
hearts. We must avoid absorbing truth without letting it affect how we
actually live. The apostle James described this as being double minded. In contrast, meditating is by its very nature designed to permeate every part of our lives.

Memorization is the key

Clearly
then, Psalm 1 is not referring to simple studying, reading or hearing
the Word of the Lord. In fact, many have taken those roads without
success. Something much more powerful is going on in the life of one
who is meditating on God's word. Yet, how exactly should this be done?
To me, first and foremost, meditation as described by the Psalmist
results from memorizing Scripture. This somewhat neglected activity was
presented very early on through Moses when he said, "You shall
therefore impress these words of mine on your heart and on your soul;
and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as
frontals on your forehead. You shall teach them to your children,
speaking of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way,
when you lie down, and when you rise up." (Deuteronomy 11:18,19)

Joshua condensed this with the related teachings of Moses in a way that undoubtedly laid the foundation for Psalm 1, This
Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall
meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to
all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous,
and then you will have good success. (Joshua 1:8)

Although
studying, reading and hearing the Word of the Lord can profit, such
activities do not fully engage the heart. It is only as we meditate on
the Word of the Lord to the degree described by Moses that it exercises
full impact on our innermost being. Until we have memorized a passage
of Scripture, it remains fleeting and subject to distortion. We are apt
to be as those who look in a mirror and then quickly forget the image
we have seen. On the other hand, once Scripture is firmly committed to
our memory, we can draw upon it or the Holy Spirit can bring it to our
remembrance as He desires.

When we meditate, we are mixing a
knowledge of that which has great spiritual power with all the other
parts of our mental arsenal while being led by the creator of the
Universe and the author of the life giving text. Application takes
place as the mighty and powerful Word of God does its cleansing and
strengthening work guided by the Holy Spirit.

The way our minds work

Our
minds are certainly the most complex and wondrous parts of our being.
With one part of our mind we direct functions like breathing and heart
rates. We have barely any control over this subconscious activity and
it works in ways we can only imagine. On the other hand, we do attempt
to control other parts of our mind, directing it to work, study or
concentrate on what we are doing. Between these two extremes is where
most of our inner lives take place. Our minds have an incredible
ability to take us into all kinds of areas, some of which we control
and some of which seem to have a life of their own. This is the area of
our imagination, our dream lives, recurring thoughts and obsessions.
This is where we really live.

It is this part of our minds that
we need to bring under the control of our God and Creator. We fool
ourselves if we think we can control it ourselves. Inevitably, left to
our own devices, our thoughts will wander into sins such as worrying,
pride, bitterness, lust or greed. Eventually, as we turn this "member,"
as the Bible calls this and all of functions, over to one of these
sins, we become a slave to that sin. The only true freedom from such
inner slavery is through the freeing action of becoming a slave to God
and to righteousness. As Bob Dylan sang, "you gotta serve somebody."
Being free in an abstract sense is not an option.

We have a responsibility to make our inner default meditation focused on things above, not on things of the earth. Some
may argue that this advice is unreasonable and that we have no choice
but to dwell on a variety of important items like our health, business,
sports, family, or politics. Others see no escape from constantly
dwelling on sinful thoughts or being "scatter brained." However, only
of the one who marinates his mind in God's Word is it said that whatever he does will prosper. Or as Jesus taught, He who loses his life will find it. Keeping
our inner focus on godly thoughts is the way to succeed in every other
part of life. Confusion on this issue comes from a refusal to accept
that everything that is in us, our hearts, minds and souls, were
designed specifically to be drawn in deeply and primarily by the
flawless Word of God. It is sad that even among those who claim to know
God there are so many who choose not to do this.

The Bible describes this process as bringing our thoughts into captivity to the obedience of Christ.
This inner life we all live is the music that the rest of our lives
dances to. The very best music for this purpose is Scripture. If we
impress Scripture into our thoughts and make it our constant default
meditation, then we will be living in the Spirit and abiding in Christ. Jesus uses a similar word picture as that found in Psalm 1, when He says that abiding in this way makes us like living branches drawing our sustenance from Him.

The importance of transforming our minds

This
explains why Jesus directed His teaching towards the inner movements of
the mind and our thought lives. He taught us not to lust, not to worry,
not to be greedy, to be humble, to love others, to forgive and to
pursue righteousness. Obedience in all these areas is not achieved by
outward action. It requires action of the heart. There is no other way
to conform to His will than to be inwardly and actively considering and
applying the truths that he has set before us. Further, Scripture is
exactly suited to provide nourishment for our inner lives so that we
can achieve these results. Nothing else is comparable.

This is why David could write in Psalm 19: The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul; The
testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple; The statutes of
the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart, The commandment of the LORD is
pure, enlightening the eyes. Committing ourselves to God's Word
helps us in reflexively guarding our hearts against thoughts, ideas and
images that are harmful and oppose truth. We have long passed the point
where we can expect our cultural gatekeepers to filter out the bad
stuff. As a result, we have little choice but to give up popular
entertainment and even popular news, which is mostly aimed at
generating market share rather than informing us. By turning and
keeping our focus on the truths in God's Word, we are inviting full
fellowship with God. We become trees that are firmly planted right next
to the water so that we have no fear of failure, wilting, or becoming
fruitless.

Meditation on God's word is the best use of our thought life.

Understanding
this, we must diligently direct our thought lives so that they become
pleasing to God and function as they were designed to do. Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be pleasing in your sight O Lord, my strength and my redeemer. It
was for this purpose that God designed our incredibly complex and
active thought lives. We are to use these abilities to create,
collaborate, imagine and understand. Such functions are fully engaged
when we meditate on His Word and surpass anything we accomplish through
our physical bodies. It is only our inner life and the faculties of the
heart that will survive our body. Should we find ourselves old or
disabled, we can hope that our minds will still be working and fully
stored up with God's Word. Our goal should be to be filled with all the fullness of God, so that we are always ready to shed these fragile mortal frames.

We
also know that our inner lives are intensely private so that no one
other than God can know what we are thinking at any time. Only He
searches our hearts. He has a keen interest in the inner lives of those
who are his children. In a very mysterious sense, God designed the
inner workings of our reason, emotions and imagination so that they can
function in a way that He is eager to participate in. We should not be
ashamed to have our inner lives transparently open for Him or anyone
else to see. This is done by diligently bringing our hearts into
intimate fellowship with Him and by meditating on the Word He has
provided for this purpose. As a practical matter, then, we must be sure
to not use our thoughts to sinful ends.

It is only in Christ that
this can be achieved. Unless He has set us free, we will remain in the
grasp of sin with no hope of deliverance. However, having been set
free, we must put to death our bad habits and not fall into bondage
again. Runaway sinful thoughts are a sure way to slip into a bondage
that can seem inescapable. It is by presenting our members, especially
our thought lives, as slaves to righteousness that we accomplish this.
There may be a variety of ways to go about this. However, it is clearly
God's will that meditating on Scripture is a primary means to this end.

Enhancing memory is now a growth Industry

An
entire industry has sprung up in recent years to assist those getting
older, primarily baby boomers, promising to enhance memory skills. This
is based on the observation and belief that one's ability to memorize
can be strengthened. Along that line some take up mindless exercises
including the game of Sodoku solely for this purpose. There are also
competitions held to determine the champion with the best memory, which
involves memorizing random, useless things like the card sequences in a
shuffled deck of cards.

Christians should take up the challenge
of memorizing Scripture, not primarily because it will enhance our mind
functions, but because it grafts new living power into their lives. The
Word of the Lord is called the sword of the Spirit and is used by Him to strike corrupting sin from our lives. It can do this because it is living and powerful, sharper than any two edged sword. The impact of implanting this living agent into our inner lives is incalculable and continually beneficial.

How it worked for me.

Let
me tell you about my experiences with this. Most of my life, I have had
poor memory skills. I have trouble remembering names and phone numbers.
In a connected world this is usually not a problem. I am in the tax
business and when I first started, I knew those who could easily recite
relevant tax codes and regulations, walk over to a wall of books and
pull down the right volume to refer to. Fortunately, the volumes have
vanished and nimble computer searches have replaced them. The same can
be done with Scripture. Merely Googling a key phrase will quickly lead
you to any scriptural passage you seek.

Recently, I acquired a
"GoBible," which is a small audio Bible that can be dialed into any
verse. At about the same time, I committed to working out on a
treadmill for about half an hour every other day. I determined to
combine the time spent on the treadmill with systematically listening
my way through the Bible. This worked out great and is a practice that
I still continue to great profit. At one point it struck me that I
could use my GoBible as a way to memorize Scripture. Some, such as my
wife, can readily memorize things that are written. She can somehow
"photograph" it and then visualize it later. My mind does not work that
way. Phrases and words get all mixed up when I try. As a result, the
cumulative number of Scriptures committed to my memory was pathetically
small.

Philippians 4: 4-9 is the passage that I first chose to
memorize. Included here is the teaching that prompted me to this action
in the first place. Finally, brethren, whatever things are true,
whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things
are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good
report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything
praiseworthy-meditate on these things. I started out just listening
to these verses over and over. Then I painstakingly memorized each
verse by backing up and replaying the audio until my recollection
matched word for word what I was hearing. To my amazement this worked
great even though it was very time-consuming. Listening to the rhythm
of the words and sentence patterns made it possible for me to commit a
passage to memory and to eventually keep it there indefinitely.

Discovering
this new ability, I set a goal of committing to memory other passages
and eventually selecting one favorite part, large or small, out of
every book in the New Testament. Narrowing down which ones to memorize
was a great exercise by itself. I am more than half done with this and
am making steady progress. Along the way, I took a detour and started
adding certain passages from the Psalms as well. Granted, this is not
remarkable. Many are way beyond anywhere that I will ever be because
they have done it much longer. For example, when Billy Graham and Grady
Wilson were preparing for their ministry both memorized the entire
Gospel of John so that they could recite every other verse to each
other starting at any point.

Choosing the New King James Version.

It
was really no contest for me as to which version to use when
memorizing. The New King James Version is the most current update to
the venerable King James Authorized Version. If you want to read about
how the original translation came into being, I recommend Adam
Nicolson's book called God's Secretaries. Here we learn that a
primary task given to the 17th century translators was to make sure
that the final translation sounded great when read publicly. Since
those selected to do the work were all accomplished linguists, getting
the meaning right was not the main issue. Further, unlike modern
translators, they were not distracted by textual criticism, using the
traditional original language texts that were widely accepted at the
time.

When the translation committee for a particular section of
scripture would meet, each member had already thoroughly digested the
passage beforehand. Everyone involved was thoroughly skilled in the use
of Elizabethan English, the most splendid and evocative English ever
used before or since. Taking turns, they would recite their finished
product before the committee. Then, together, they would deliberate
until they had hashed out the very best sounding translation by
incorporating the most accurate and pleasing English possible. That is
why no rough drafts survive. No one bothered writing it down until it
had been decided upon orally.

As T.S. Eliot, who was among the
version's many admirers put it, the KJV has "auditory imagination...a
feeling for syllable and rhythm, which penetrates far below the
conscious levels of thought and feeling, invigorating every word."
Modern versions which start from scratch cannot hold a candle to the
vocabulary and phrasing of the majestic Authorized Version which is
widely recognized as the greatest literary document every written. The
NKJV, built upon the original masterpiece, is certainly the most
beautiful and fluid modern English version available for use when
memorizing.

Nevertheless, I have stepped away from the NKJV at
times. Sometimes I prefer to revert to scripture song versions, when I
am familiar with them, such as Psalm 23. These add another dimension to
the text and help with recall. Also, the NKJV is sometimes not clear
when the underlying original language is not easy to decipher. In those
cases, I dig around until I come up with a version that makes better
sense. An example of this is Psalm 16:5.

What to memorize

There are a variety of ways that you can pick verses to memorize and, fortunately, there are no wrong choices! All scripture is profitable.
I am drawn to verses and passages that speak directly to my heart.
These will not be the same ones that will speak to you. I also have
determined to learn verses in context, so that they encompass a
complete thought found in a passage. Some of these passages have long
been very familiar to me but had never been fully impressed upon my
mind. Here is an example. Galatians 5:22 lists the fruit of the Spirit.
Although I could always name some of these, I could never recall them
all from memory. Now, I am able to recite these along with verses 23
and 24, which complete Paul's thought on this subject.

The effect on my life

The
affect on my life of taking up the practice of memorizing Scripture has
been profound. Like many men deep in their fifties, my nights include
periods of wakefulness. In the past, this time was either wasted or
misused. A thought life that is not filled with Scripture is one that
is easily distracted and prone to sin. Anxiousness, lust and other sins
of the mind must be constantly guarded against. On the other hand, I
now draw from my small but growing library of memorized passages.
Reciting and meditating on these Scriptures is invigorating and
fundamentally transformational.

Beyond that, I find that I
continue the same practice during the day. Whether in the shower or
driving my car, my "alone time" is used either to brush up on or learn
new passages. For example, while planning a recent five-hour drive to
work with a particular client, I determined to use this time to
memorize I Corinthians 13. With the help of my trusty GoBible I
accomplished this by the time I had completed the round trip. After
quite a few rehearsals since, the great "love chapter" is now pressed
into my heart so that my recollection is becoming automatic and precise.

Now,
I can identify with David as he lay on his bed or woke up in the
morning meditating on God's Word. The instruction in Deuteronomy makes
perfect sense to me as does the love and devotion for the Word
expressed in passages like Psalms 119 and 19. Moreover, I find an
increasing dislike for popular entertainment and "news", whether radio
or TV. Like with other exercises, I have found that memorizing
Scripture is something that becomes easier with practice. Sometimes I
do not even need my GoBible! It may be that God has given to each of
His children a specialized capacity to obey Him in this regard. I urge
you to identify an approach that works best for you and to commit
yourself to a practice that guarantees success.

Note: To see a list of Scripture that I am memorizing go to: http://memorizedscriptures.blogspot.com/2009/04/scriptures-i-am-memorizing-now.html

In the Kingdom of God We Have No Rights, But We Can Give Thanks That God Has Called Us to Serve

2009-06-04T06:24:00.001-07:00

By Sandy Shaw

We hear a lot about 'our rights' but not too much
regarding our responsibilities. We have the decisions of The European
Court of Human Rights but is there a similar Court dealing with Human
Responsibilities?

In Luke Chapter 17, after warning us about
causing people to stumble and sin, Jesus then goes on to speak about
forgiveness - about forgiving people - "when those around us ask for
forgiveness, forgive them."

Then Jesus speaks about 'faith'.
Don't ask for more faith - use the faith you have - let it grow and
develop and mature and become strong. Faith is like a muscle - the more
it is used the stronger it becomes.

Now, Jesus says - Suppose one
of you had a servant, and the servant has been ploughing or looking
after the sheep, when the servant comes in, will you say to your
servant - 'Now, you just sit down and eat'?

Much of our Christian
work is either ploughing or shepherding. We are either breaking up
ground in which the seed of The Word of God is being sown and planted,
or we are dealing with the problems of the sheep.

When the
servant comes in, he has more work to do. He now has to prepare the
master's meal, and later on, when his duties are finished and
completed, he can sit down himself and eat.

Does the master offer
a special vote of thanks to the servant just because he did what he was
commanded to do? NO. Then Jesus adds - so you also - when you have done
everything you were told to do - just say - "We are unworthy servants -
we have only done our duty."

Jesus is challenging us in these
words - these are searching words - which can shake us in so many ways.
What is Jesus saying to us? Jesus is teaching disciples of all ages not
to look for thanks and praise for simply doing their duty.

When
we do things in Jesus Name, yes, it can be encouraging to receive a
word of thanks, but we are NOT to look for it. And, we are not to
become disappointed or depressed when the thanks does NOT come. But, it
is good to express thanks. Thank people for what they do - what they
say - how they minister.

When you have finished your first task,
there is another waiting for you. Jesus Christ is preparing these men
for service - for work and ministry in the Kingdom - and there was
going to be lots of it - and there is still is.

Jesus is teaching
us here - that we have no rights! We hear people speak about their
rights. None of us here has rights, except to serve with devotion and
duty and faithfulness, because we love our Saviour and Lord, Jesus
Christ.

We never hear Jesus speaking about His rights. He laid all that aside. He laid aside position - glory - everything.

We
are not doing God a favour when we serve in some way in The Church of
Jesus Christ. When we are given the opportunity to serve God, we should
be grateful - "Thank You Father that YOU have called us to serve YOU
and to do this work. Thank You Jesus that we can minister in this way.
We praise YOU for this."

Sandy Shaw

His
M.A. and B.D. degrees are from The University of Edinburgh, and he
continues to run and exercise regularly to maintain a level of physical
fitness.

Sandy Shaw
sandyshaw63@yahoo.com

Pope Praises Mideast Christians for Persevering

2009-05-31T19:18:00.000-07:00

Pope Benedict XVI praised Sunday the courage of Middle East Christians who cling to their faith despite war and adversity, addressing a crowd at a stadium where he celebrated the first open-air Mass of his Holy Land pilgrimage.

God Will Never Give Up on You

2009-05-26T12:27:00.001-07:00

By Robert Moment

God has provided each of us with spiritual gifts and
graced us all with the ability to love and forgive ourselves and
others. The problems we have stem from our own inability to use these
gifts and our unwillingness to give in to the love and forgiveness in
order to make our lives whole. It's a part of our human nature to be
suspicious and give up on ourselves because we are afraid that others
have given up on us. Or if they haven't given up on us yet, they just
might give up on us in the future.

After all, we think, we don't
have the patience to endlessly forgive and love everyone, so how can we
depend on others to do the same for us? We all remember someone in our
lives who let us down so often that we gave up on them in disgust.
Perhaps it was someone who lied to us so often that we no longer
believed them when they made a promise. Or a loved one who swore he or
she would change, but we no longer thought it was possible because
they'd failed so many times before. When we've been lied to, cheated on
or let down by others, it destroys our ability to believe in others. By
the same token, it destroys our ability to believe that anyone could
ever possibly believe completely and without reservation in us.

But
God is different. We don't have to prove ourselves to him. No matter
how many times we fail or fall short of the goal, He will forgive us
and love us. He is our comfort and strength. We need never go it alone,
for the presence and love of God is our constant companion and doesn't
depend upon our own actions or whether we've "proven" ourselves
trustworthy or "good enough." In God's eyes, we will always be Loved.

"The Lord protects the simple; when I was brought low, he saved me."

Psalm 116:6

That
eternal love of God, based not on what we do or don't do, is one of the
most precious gifts in the universe. Just imagine - God's love is
unconditional. That means that no matter how many lies you tell, no
matter how many times you let Him down or break a promise to Him, God
will never give up on you! This should give you amazing strength and
confidence. You are loved! You will always be loved - and nothing will
ever change that love!

Remember Christ's last words to His
disciples, all hard working, simple men who made many mistakes while
trying to follow in his footsteps. When He appeared to His disciples
after the crucifixion, He reminded them that they had much work to do
in God's name, but they were frightened and confused. But He wasn't
disappointed in them and He didn't desert them. Before going to His
father in heaven, he reminded them of the most important thing that we
must all keep in mind to keep us strong in our faith,

"Remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

Matthew 28:20

With
God always with you, even to the end of time, it becomes easier to
believe in ourselves and in others. After all, if the Lord will never
give up on us, who are we to give up on ourselves? Know, then, that
with God, you can be successful in all that matters.

Robert
Moment is an innovative forward-thinking Christian business and
marketing coach, speaker and author of new published book, God Will
Always Be There For You. Robert is passionate about empowering
individuals on how to experience God's love, power, joy , peace, and
prosperity. Visit http://www.ChristianInspirational.org and sign-up for the FREE Christian Living e-course.

Audio Bible Ministry Demonstrates Digital Discipleship

2009-05-23T11:10:00.001-07:00

By: Jon Wilke

Faith Comes By Hearing, the world’s foremost Audio Bible ministry, is
joining with other global ministries to support Internet Evangelism
Day, a campaign to encourage believers to share the Gospel through the
Internet.

“These days, when people are looking for answers about life, the
Internet is the first place many search,” said Tony Whittaker, Internet
Evangelism Day founder and organizer.

“Ministries need to be ready to help answer those questions with their
biblical resources,” said Troy Carl, Faith Comes By Hearing’s national
director. “We have to meet people where they are and bring them the
Gospel message.”

“Faith Comes By Hearing offers many ways to get engaged in online Bible listening and then reach out to others,” Carl said.

Audio Bible Downloads

For starters, visitors to FaithComesByHearing.com can download an entire Audio Drama New Testament in more than 350 languages.

People can also reach others with the Bible in audio through a
revolutionary online Bible distribution application, called the Audio
Bible Ambassador.

“This revolutionary application is interactive,” said Carl. “People can
sponsor other languages, track how many people they’ve reached with the
Bible and even see a world map of where those people are.”

Online Bible Streaming

Also, FaithComesByHearing.com currently offers free online Bible
listening in 10 languages. In only three clicks, users can start
listening to the Word of God in one of the world’s major languages.

All 359 of Faith Comes By Hearing’s Audio New Testaments are being
processed for this new Bible listening program and will soon be
available.

Global Online Bible Outreach

In addition, Faith Comes By Hearing has an impressive global outreach,
providing Audio Bible downloads to people around the world. Through
hundreds of internationally-based websites, Faith Comes By Hearing
offers free downloads of the Audio Bible.

Other FaithComesByHearing.com Features

• Free Audio Bible podcasts from Psalms and Proverbs, the New Testament or the KIDZ Bible

• Stirring stories and testimonies from the field

• Compelling videos about how God’s Word in audio is impacting the world

• “ShareThis” link, which allows users to post their favorite content to their social network sites

• “Link To Us” page, featuring free Audio Bible widgets for bloggers and webmasters

Online Outreach and Internet Evangelism Day

“Every believer with a computer and access to the Internet can easily
share their faith using God’s Word,” said Carl. “Internet Evangelism
Day is a rallying call to encourage and unite believers to use
technology and introduce people to Christ.”

“So, who can you reach out to today?” asked Carl. “What are you waiting for?”

Jon Wilke is the auther of this article. Faith Comes By Hearing offers
the world’s largest catalog of Audio Bibles to individuals and nations
who hunger to hear. Find more information about Audio Bibles visit – http://www.faithcomesbyhearing.com

Trust God - He Will Lift You Up

2009-05-20T10:49:00.001-07:00

By Cindy Biggar

There is no better word than God's Word, and when we
praise Him and lift Him up, He lifts us up too!!! The Bible says, " If
God is for us, who can be against us?" When troubles come and there
seems no help the Psalmist declares in Psalm 3:3 "But Thou O Lord, art
a shield for me; my glory and the lifter of my head." He is our shield
that blocks the fiery darts of the enemy. He is the lifter of our head,
the one Who lifts our forlorn faces up to His, looks into our eyes and
reassuringly says "everything is going to be OK, because I am with you
and I will never leave you nor forsake you." And in Psalm 46:1 "God is
our refuge and our strength, a VERY present help in trouble." He is on
the job 24/7. He doesn't leave us when times get tough. When no one
else understands, and we can't even explain how we feel, God is there,
always understanding, always ready to hold us, to carry us and to see
us through! His peace passes all of our understanding. His loving
kindness never ends, and His mercy endures forever!!! What a mighty God
we serve!!!

Though we have troubles and the enemy is around us on
every side, God does not leave us. He diligently watches over us. His
hand is always ready to save those who cry out to Him. There are times
when we get discouraged and think that God has left us, but He hasn't.
He never leaves us. All we need to do is call upon the name of the Lord
and He will save us.

The Psalmist declared in Psalm 91 that
"though a thousand may fall at our side and ten thousand at our right
hand, it will not come near us" and that He will give His angels charge
over us to keep us in all our ways; they will bear us up in their hands
so we won't even stump our toe on a rock!

God cares about you! He
wants to bless you. He wants to take care of your every need. Just ask
Him. Jesus declared that many times we do not have what we need simply
because we did not ask. So ask, and believe and then you will receive.

"Trust
in the Lord with all your heart and lean not to your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths." Psalm
3:5

If you will only trust God and not rely on your own knowledge and
limited understanding, and then acknowledge Him by talking to Him,
spending time with Him, and including Him in your daily affairs, THEN
He will then give you the direction that you need and guide you in the
way that you need to go.

So trust Him. He will lift you up!

In
order to live a successful life here on this earth, we must trust in
God. Trusting in God is not always easy. Doubts, fear and worry get in
the way. Cindy Biggar, author, songwriter and lead singer for Christian
band Serving6, stresses how important it is to Have Faith. Then we can overcome the cares of this world and live out the life God intended for us. Get more insight on learning how to Trust in God and how to overcome doubts, fears and anxiety on Cindy's Blog.

De-Stress Yourself With Prayer

2009-05-18T03:38:00.001-07:00

By Elizabeth Stanfill

Miracles Follow Faith

When we have trials and
tribulation we tend to turn to God. It is a better solution to have a
close relationship with the Lord, whether troubled or not, so that our
faith will remain with us throughout our difficulties. Maybe Heavenly
Father gives us troubles so that we may turn to him and become closer
to him.

This hub is intended to help give suggestions on how we
can Destress through prayer. What does it mean to Destress? It means to
change our stressful habits of doubt, fear, and worry into successful
habits of certainty, confidence, hope, and faith in God, others and
ourselves. These particular habits I speak of are our thoughts. More
often than not, when we have crisis, we tend to habitually think the
worst is going to happen rather than having faith that everything will
be fine, because it always is.

With that said, please allow me to outline some suggestions on How to Destress Yourself with prayer.

1.
Pray often. Preferably morning, noon, and night. This practice will
bring us closer to the Lord, which will increase our faith in Him, in
His Only Begotten, Jesus Christ, and in our life.

2. Be grateful.
When we thank Heavenly Father for the good things in our life and for
the good things that have recently happened to us it helps us focus on
an attitude of gratitude and the good in life. What is good is from God.

3.
Ask the Lord. When we ask the Lord for the things we are in need of we
are showing our faith in Him and that he will provide for us. He knows
what we have need of and it is only necessary to ask in faith.

4.
Declare, Thy will be done. When we say this to God we are expressing
our willingness and our intention to obey His command even if it is not
what we want.

5. Pray for God to bless specific people who are in
need. When we do this we are serving one another by praying for the
well fair of our brothers and sisters here on earth.

6. Pray for
forgiveness. Ask Him to forgive you for the things that you have done
that are not of his design. As the Apostles of old exhorted us to
Repent, we must repent continuously.

7. Pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Always pray in Jesus' name. This shows faith in Him and ends the prayer in faith.

These
are a few suggestions that, if practiced, will bring us closer to the
Lord, which in turn will create us to have more faith in Him and in our
lives. When we have faith we are De-stressed.

When we are close
to Heavenly Father we are more able to hear that still small voice of
inspiration. In addition to prayer, feast on the words of Christ, in
the scriptures, serve one another, and trust in God.

With these practices, I promise, you will have comfort and joy.

Elizabeth
Stanfill, Managing Director of Destress Yourself, is an authority and
expert in Critical Incident Stress Management, General Stress
Management, and Overcoming Burnout. She specializes in teaching
individuals to discover the stressful habits that are holding them back
in life and changing these habits into successful practices that create
explosive jumps in personal and professional performance. For more free
information about Destressing Yourself please sign up for our free
Destress Yourself Newsletter and receive free admission to our monthly
Destress Yourself teleclass. http://destressyourself.com/

7 Things a Psychic Won't Tell You

2009-05-18T03:35:00.001-07:00

By Sheldon Carlough

1) How your soul is placed in jeopardy and your divine plan undermined by readings.

2) How you are used by psychics for the benefit of their own ego gratification and showmanship.

3) How psychic's unhappiness, hatred, and anger towards God and humanity are expressed in dire predictions.

4) How psychics & mediums are an instrument of the culture of death.

5) Only you with your higher mental body can know your divine plan.

6) How psychics steal your energy to use against others.

7) How you unwittingly set back the progress of society by giving your energy to psychics, mediums, and the astral realm.

Today
probably more than ever, people are turning to psychics and mediums to
guide them through times that are filled with fear, doubt, and a sense
of hopelessness. People are seeking a glimmer, a morsel of good news,
hoping that they will be told something positive. Today people need
hope and trust but they don't know where to turn to. It's been decades
since we've had leaders we could count on and trust. Betrayal from the
government, financial gurus, and corporations are the norm. With all of
that, people are losing their faith in God with feelings of injustice
prevailing as they wonder what will happen to them next. Fear is a
terrible thing!

Unfortunately most people don't realize what they
are bargaining for as they enlist the assistance of psychics, mediums,
and the astral world.

Your soul is placed in jeopardy because
when you visit a psychic you are relinquishing your own will to that of
another. How can another person know for certain what God's plan is for
you? Your soul then becomes vulnerable to suggestions by the psychic
that may never be a part of your holy work.

Psychics love to be
looked upon as all powerful and knowing as though they have something
over everyone else. Many are part of the ever increasing entertainment
industry as people love to be dazzled by supernatural phenomenon as
though they were at a magic show. This certainly strokes their ego and
makes them feel important.

You have no idea what you are walking
into when you sit with a psychic for a reading. That person could be
having a terrible day and God forbid tied into some very negative
astral energies. Some have a hatred and anger towards God for any
number of reasons. Therefore they enjoy as revenge against God
predicting calamities, doom, gloom, and dire future. Not only is this
sensationalism which promotes their business but it also creates a
state of fear around the globe.

Many psychics and mediums who
contact spirits that have passed over are dealing in a culture of death
not life. Just because someone has passed over does not mean that they
have suddenly acquired some great knowledge or illumination. If they
had they would be in higher octaves of light seeking to bless life with
the heavenly hosts and not dwelling in the darkness of the astral
plane. It's pure pollution. Besides, are there not terrible people who
have died who were an abomination as human beings on the other side.
Would you want to be receiving advice and counsel from these evil
spirits, some who are soulless for their defiance towards God?

Your
desire to know things about yourself especially about what your divine
plan can't come from some psychic or medium. This knowledge comes from
having an attunement to your own higher self. Something that with a
little work is easily accessible so that your life can be progressive
and enriched according to God's plan for you!

You may find some
psychics that give good practical advice but so can anyone. You do not
need to pay for it as though you aren't worthy enough to be blessed
with good associations. The danger lies in coming in contact with
someone who could be negative, jealous of your spiritual light, or
someone who is seeking that revenge against God by giving bad advice or
the wrong advice. It would be like asking someone for directions and
they purposely give you the wrong ones.

When you visit a psychic
or participate in seances with mediums you are anteing up with your own
spiritual energy whether you like it or not. These people use your
energy to turn over to the dead so they can operate. They have to get
it somewhere. So while you think your being entertained you have just
been pick pocketed by these spirits which often times leaves you
feeling washed out and a sense of dissatisfaction. When you visit
psychics/mediums you give them your attention most times in a
heightened state as you await with abated breath what might happen,
only to have your energy taken from you. Whatever you place your
attention on is where your energy goes. You wouldn't expect a fund
manager to place your funds into an risky or illegal investment. Do you
know what that psychic/medium is doing with your energy?

When you
turn your energy over to others and especially the dead, it is a
setback for society. God only allots so much energy per day for each of
us. How you use it depends on the future of this planet. When a people
constantly feel depressed, hopeless, with doom and gloom, it drags the
energy of the planet down creating almost a self fulfilling prophecy of
dire predictions. Instead you should all be rising everyday with the
energy of hope, optimism, and good will. This is not some Pollyanna
consciousness but a proactive way of creating the life that is possible
in this world with the potential of turning things around. The messes
we have today are man made. God gave us free will to do what we will.
How about creating a world where there is no hatred, anger, war,
sickness, and hopelessness. It starts with you visualizing that there
can be a society that is and will be better than the one we have today.

Sheldon's
company provides information and products on the Healing, Education,
and Enlightenment of the Soul. You can blog on these topics at http://www.triumphantsoul.com

Visit our social community where you can join discussions on a variety of topics relating to the soul at http://www.thetriumphantsoul.com

Bible Stories - Jeremiah Speaks to the King

2009-05-18T03:34:00.001-07:00

By Julia Shipley

One day God spoke to Jeremiah and said, "Jeremiah,
take a roll of a book and write in it all the words that I have spoken
to you. Perhaps when the people hear again of the evil that must come
upon them unless they turn from their sins, they will be sorry and I
may forgive them."

Jeremiah called a man named Baruch to help
him. He dictated to him the words of the Lord, and Baruch wrote them
down in ink in a great scroll. It took him a long time to do this, for
it was all written by hand. When it was all finished, Jeremiah sent
Baruch to the temple to read it to the people who gathered there. Some
listened and feared. Finally some men asked if it could be read before
the king.

The king was sitting in his palace. Some of his
servants were sitting with him as the message from the scroll was read
to him. The scribe read about the judgements that would come upon them
if they did not repent and turn to the Lord. He has only read a little
bit of it when the king snatched it out of his hand, cut it into pieces
with his penknife and threw it into the fire that was burning on the
hearth.

He repeated this until the whole scroll was burned up.
Three of his servants begged him not to burn it, but he would not
listen to them. When his father good King Josiah, had heard the Word of
God for the first time, he tore his clothing with fear and sorrow. But
his son did not fear God and neither did his servants. None of them
were fearful as the copy of God's Word was burned.

Perhaps the
king thought that by destroying this copy, he could keep it from coming
to pass: but God watched over His Word. The king tried to take Jeremiah
and Baruch prisoners, but the Lord hid them. Then the word of the Lord
came again to Jeremiah, "Take another roll and write again all the
words that were in the first roll. And say to the king, "All this
punishment and more shall come upon you." So they wrote the scroll
again and many other words to it.

Julia
Shipley is a committed Christian worshiping and serving in her local
church. She has a heart for the young children and the youth believing
the word of God is the final authority. Proverbs 22:6 tells us to
"Train a child in the way that they should go: And when they are old
they will not depart from it."

I believe that we should be
teaching our children about the Word of the Lord. It is foundational
for life. For information regarding Sunday school lessons and other Bible stories

Life Lessons From the Bible - New Insights on Joseph

2009-05-14T11:22:00.001-07:00

By Vauna Byrd

This week I was reading in the Bible, the story of
Joseph of Egypt-a story I've read many times, but I had some new
insights this week. Most everyone knows the basics...his father Jacob
loved Joseph so much that his brothers were jealous of him. So they
sold him to some travelers and told their father he had been killed by
a wild beast.

Now, the only thing Joseph ever really did to bring
his fate upon himself was to be so well trusted and beloved. But at a
tender age he was taken from his family to become basically a slave.
But what I realized is that the Lord had a greater plan for Joseph.
Here he had these terrible things happen to him through no fault of his
own that were the Lord's means of bringing about his greater purposes.

Joseph
ended up in Egypt as a servant to Potiphar, captain of Pharaoh's guard.
There he became trusted and loved as well. Potiphar made Joseph
overseer of his household. He was given access to every thing that
Potiphar had... except one, his wife. Well, Potiphar's wife ended up
with her eye on Joseph. But, Joseph, being true and faithful as he was,
wasn't about to be seduced. But the wife of Potiphar took this
personally and accused him of trying to seduce her.

Here is
another of life's lessons in this. One thing I've learned is that
frequently those who scream the loudest about things tend to be guilty
of exactly those things themselves.
So Joseph ended up in prison for this. But it was as a result of
his time in prison that Joseph ended up being Pharaoh's right hand man.
Through interpreting the dreams of others in the prison, he was sent
for when the Pharaoh had a dream that no one else could interpret.

So
how crappy would that be, to be sold to strangers as a young man, then
get thrown in prison for doing what's right! But it's important to see
that these were God's steps to put Joseph in the right place at the
right time.

So here's lesson #1 I took from this reading: When we
have adversity in our lives, look to God to see how He is blessing our
lives instead of feel like he must be punishing us or is not mindful of
us. How many times in life have you seen someone lose a job, which
feels devastating, but that ending up being the road to a better job
that either pays better or they enjoy more, or it moves them to a new
location that ends up being just the right place for them? There are a
lot more examples of this. If you look for them in your life you will
see them.

Lesson #2 has to do with the dreams Joseph interpreted
for Pharaoh. The first was that seven healthy and fat kine (cattle)
were devoured by seven ill favored and lean-fleshed kine. In the
second, seven thin and wind blasted ears of corn devoured seven full
and good ears. Joseph interpreted this as seven years of plenty
followed by seven years of drought. So during the seven years of plenty
Egypt, under Joseph's direction, gathered and stored food. Then during
the seven years of want, those in Egypt had enough to eat and also had
enough to sell it to those in surrounding areas. So what lesson is
there for us in this?

Well, how different would the economy be if
during the recent time of plenty our country would have built more
savings and bought less fancy stuff? People borrowed from the future
and the future fell through on them. My religious leaders have given
the counsel throughout my entire life to spend less than we make and to
save for a rainy day. Unfortunately, most people have not heeded that
counsel and I believe the Lord finally said, "Enough!" The good news is
that God is a loving father who does not wish to punish his children
but he also can't save us from the consequences of our choices.

Now,
I'm not by any means saying that everyone who is suffering financially
deserves it. But this is an opportunity for us to learn to save more
and spend less. And the true test will be when the economy picks up and
is booming again. Will we still spend less and save more? Or will we
begin to borrow from the future again?

And I'll just touch on the
last lesson Joseph has to offer us. This one's more obvious and wasn't
new to me this week but it's important. Take a look at how quickly he
forgave his brothers when they came to Egypt to buy grain to keep their
family from starving. Let's all try to forgive a little more and be
less likely to harbor resentment.

I realized I had a lot to learn
from Joseph of old. I can look more for the blessings in my adversity
and see it as an opportunity for growth and change. I can save for a
rainy day instead of borrowing from an uncertain future. And I can
forgive more and resent less. God blessed and prospered Joseph and I'm
certain that he had a peace in his life and in his heart that few
experience. I believe that God will bless and prosper us and give us
more peace in our hearts as we follow his example.

Vauna
Byrd is a successful Life Coach, Business Mentor, Student of Personal
Development, Entrepreneur, and stay at home Mother with 7 children. To
find out what program has helped her reach her potential and achieve
emotional freedom, visit her website http://www.empower2attract.com
Be sure to subscribe to her daily motivational & inspirational
email message and/or submit an inspirational or success story to her
blog http://empower2attract.blogspot.com

Learning How to Pray

2009-05-14T11:15:00.001-07:00

By Robert R Fenn

One day the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to
pray. Most of what I have learned and continue to learn is from his
teachings. I am so glad to share this with you.

Learning How to Pray

Stop using prayer for self promotion

When
you pray (especially in public), don't turn that into a Hollywood
production. Most corporate prayers turn into a regular show for others
people to praise you for a good performance. How many times we are
tempted to please those around us, especially when we pray in public.
If that is all you are expecting out of prayer, you certainly got it.
Focus on God when you pray

Pray in private

On the other
hand, when you pray in private (all alone by yourself and God) you do
not have an audience to perform. God is the only one present and he is
not that easily fooled by your actions or words! You just cannot
pretend before God to be some one else. It is always easier to pretend
to be someone else (a hypocrite) in front of others. When you are alone
with you will sense his presence and love. God sees you in all your
sinfulness and shame, yet he loves you and wants to hear from you, talk
to you, and help you. God can help only when you pray to your Father in
private in all sincerity and truth. God is interested in your prayer
and worship when you do it in spirit and truth. Try this and you will
begin to love God.

Don't use unnecessary words

Most
religions use scripts and mantras to say repeatedly. They think that
when you repeat their words repeatedly God will hear them. Some of the
religions including Christianity use formulas, programs, and techniques
in prayer to get answers to prayer. Words do not get anywhere with God
unless the heart is in the right place before God. God knows even
before you utter a word what you need. So in short, what I am saying is
not to have a script for prayer. Do you go to your boss, father,
mother, or friend talk out of a script? Be natural but sincere and
honest with God in prayer.

Acknowledge that God exist and is Holy

Our
Father is in heaven that is his throne; the earth is his footstool
where we are! Always remember that. He created everything and for him
all these things exist. You are a created being. We need to be aware
and say that He created us for his pleasure. We should be pleasing in
His sight.

We need to remember that God is awesome and fearful.
He is holy. Only through the blood of Jesus as cleansed and made holy
can we approach the throne of grace, yet with fear and trembling. Those
days, when we prayed we knelt down in holy reverence.

The body
posture did something to our inward attitude. When you sit casually,
you are causal. When you pray like that you may lose the sense of
reverence and fear for God. If you have nothing against kneeling or
even prostrating before God, all alone, no one watching, please try and
you will feel it. Remember we cannot fool God with kneeling when you
are heart is not right with him. Confess your sins to him.

Pray along with God' will

When
God created us, He had a purpose and will. When man disobeyed, did not
fulfill God's purpose. Jesus on the cross and resurrection made it
possible for us to now try to fulfill His purpose. Heaven does God's
will. Pray that the earth does just as well. Therefore we pray like
that the more we would be conscious that the earth still in imperfect
because of sin. However, it is not hopeless nor a lost cause, we still
have hope that God will be done ultimately. Let us pray to that end.

Acknowledge your total dependence on God

We
are grateful for jobs, work, business we have. Through which we provide
for our family. Yet, the real source of our provision is in the God we
worship. He gives us the strength and means to earn our way. He still
is and always will be our provider. Give us this day our daily bread,
echoes the thought that we should also not worry about tomorrow
especially in the global economic crisis of 2009.

Give us our
daily bread today, emphasis two facts, one daily and other today.
Forget tomorrow. The Israelites in the wilderness, has their manna
everyday from heaven, They are not to gather and store up for tomorrow.
If they did, it will be full of worms, except for the Sabbath day.

In
our relation ship to God we should depend and trust him, for our
everyday needs on a daily basis. Income from our work will come and go!
Faithfulness of our great God remains the same. Great is his
faithfulness

Pray for others and forgive them

We ought to
pray for others. When you pray for others, there is a blessing.
Forgiving others' sins is a proof of our love for our neighbor. We do
not understand the truth behind this teaching. We sometimes take it
lightly and keep harboring hatred, vengeance, and animosity towards our
brothers and sisters. People have talked ill of us of offended or
insulted us, or may have even hurt us in the past.

We ought to
forgive if God is to forgive our sins. There is no way around this
truth. IT is not easy in the beginning, but you will find it easier as
you grow in the grace of forgiveness.

Depend on God to help you in temptations

Temptations
will be come. As long as Satan still around, he is powerless now that
our Lord has resurrected, and all power I given to him under heaven and
earth.

What is temptation and what is evil. Temptation is to
bring our attention to some thing that attracts us. Our eyes, body, and
pride are the focus. God never tempts us. Satan or our own flesh does.
If you yield to temptation, then it becomes sin. Temptation itself if
not sin, it is giving in that leads to sin. Therefore, we ought to pray
that God can move tempting situations away for us.

God is the
only one who has the power to deliver us from evil. Leading to
Temptation and delivering from evil are together. Deliverance from evil
is the strength to resist. God will grant us this on a daily basis when
we include that in our prayer life.

For God alone belongs KINGDOM, POWER and GLORY for ever

The
very reason we pray to God is that he is the source of all power and
glory and all Kingdoms belong to him. He will raise one bring down
another. There is power given to men that is not from God. He
rightfully deserves our worship with attributes of kingdom, power, and
glory. Let us praise him every day in our prayer life joining the
angels and elders in Heaven saying, Holy, Holy is the Lord God of
Hosts. Heaven and earth are full of thy Glory.

In His Everlasting Love

Robert Fenn

Robert Fenn is a pastor, preacher, mentor and bible teacher for over 40 years.

His writings reflect his personal daily walk, struggles, victories and
failures. He loves to share God's unfailing love, protection and
guidance to others throughout his life.
http://knowinganddoingthewillofgod.com/
Knowing and Doing the Will of God
A practical look into finding God's will.
http://learninghowtopray.com/
A practical look into finding how to learn to pray

Focus on God

2009-05-14T07:26:00.001-07:00

By Terry Weber

When I get in my car to drive to the store, I
immediately focus my attention on what I'm doing...I'd better because
if I don't we both know what can happen!

When I get on my
high-speed catamaran sailboat or my even faster sailing iceboat, I just
naturally focus my attention on precisely what I'm doing and what's
going on around me because I want the voyage to include both top
quality enjoyment and personal survival.

When I used to fly a
Piper Cub or Cessna 150 light airplane or a hang-glider as a student
pilot, if I didn't focus my attention strictly on what I was doing and
what was going on around me, I was in serious trouble - to say the
least.

What I needed in all of those activities was a clear
vision of what I was doing and what was going on in the world
immediately around me. I needed to see clearly and keep my attention
alert and centered.

As Christians, in these times of financial
struggle, recession, political upheaval and the other problems in the
world around us, we need to be aware of all of those situations.

But, even more important, we must constantly remind ourselves to avoid worry about them because we know God is in control.

Finally,
we need to be wary and careful and prudent and keep a tight rein on our
emotions and, at the same time, be sure our faith is immovably -
focused on God.

http://www.originalsbyweber.com
52.7-12

Terry
Weber is a retired advertising/direct mail sales letter copywriter and
inventor of several useful items. Terry and his wife Doris are Habitat
For Humanity, RV Care-A- Vanners who, for the past eight years have
volunteered to help build more than 39 houses all over the USA. They
travel to and from the 2-week long builds in their RV. The money they
make on their http://www.originalsbyweber.com website helps them pay their expenses to and from those volunteer Habitat builds.

P.S.
Due to the high cost of gasoline and some recent health problems we can
no longer drive the RV to Habitat builds. The RV is parked until
gasoline prices come down and health improves.

The Lord is Our Commanding Officer

2009-05-14T07:25:00.001-07:00

By Niti Charlton

Dear friends, I greet you with the love of Jesus and
thank you so much for choosing to read this article. I believe the Lord
actually asked me to pass on the revelation that He graciously provided
into 2 Tim 2: 3-4.

Let us observe what this scripture says:

"Join
with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one
serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs; rather, they
try to please their commanding officer."

Paul then asks the
believers to reflect on the above statements, so that the Lord could
give them insight into it - truly amazing!! What is the insight that
Paul is talking about?

Imagine a scene from a regular training
camp of Royal Marine Commandos. The Royal Marines are amphibious
infantry who specialize in Arctic and mountain warfare but are capable
of fighting on any terrain.

To achieve battle fitness, the
recruits go through 15 weeks of close-quarter combat: "Punches,
strikes, kicks and locks; scale walls or clamber through sewers, 5am
runs, drill, monkey bars, relentless circuits of pull-ups, push-ups and
squats" followed by an "assault" course with a death slide, scaling a
6ft wall, and then rope challenges with names like "the chasm", the
four "commando tests", including the 30-miler -- an eight-hour
speed-march across Dartmoor carrying a 30lb pack -- totally 32 weeks of
blood, sweat and mud -- also known as training.

During this time, they learn some very important lessons:

We're
showing them how the brain can beat the body. It's about controlling
their movement even when they are fatigued - and when they are out on
operations, that could make a life-or-death difference."

Achieving
battle fitness means learning how to continue to run, climb and crawl
even when you've got an injury - blisters, scrapes, bruises, pulled
calf muscles, a ruptured bicep tendon and a dislocated finger - a
notion not encouraged by those who train sportsmen and women.

No motivation is required: follow instructions, or risk a "beasting" (a humiliating dressing-down).

By the time I'm crawling through the final waterlogged tunnels, my
hands are numb with cold. It's then that I realize - it's all about
telling yourself to just keep going.

"It's about self-belief," Terrill says. "I had a mindset that I couldn't deal with pain, but progressively they changed that."

But it is the emphasis on mental preparation that is most impressive - and vital in a war zone.

The attrition rate is as high as 50% on these trainings but those who go through the ordeal come out with some amazing feedback:

Terrifying
and fantastic, learnt an extraordinary sense of can-do, gained shape
and definition and a bigger engine, learnt how to be mentally tough,
was integrated into the four-part ethos of courage, determination,
unselfishness and cheerfulness in the face of adversity and best of
all, enjoyed ourselves!

As I dwelt on the cheerful spirit of
these recruits who were willing to wake up as early as 5am and go
through vigorous exercises for mental and physical training, I felt a
sense of relief!

I recounted how the Lord had put me through much
spiritual training to discipline me in godliness. I used to be
controlled by my temper rather than be able to control it. I had
trouble being kind to people I disliked. I could not digest it if
someone spoke ill of me...I had been so helpless to change all my bad
habits...I know better now, having experienced divine grace and been
altered altogether by my precious Lord.

How I owe all my peace to
Him, how glad my heart is in silent contemplation of His precious Word,
how cheerful my disposition to help even my enemies. The Lord
transforms you even when you are just waiting on Him...it happens so
miraculously -- you feel better each day as you enjoy His golden love
for you! This has been my experience and all this came so easily!!
There was no toil involved, the precious Holy Spirit brought about this
transformation while I was going about my life. It has been so much fun
being trained by the Lord!

As children of our GOD, we are so
lucky to be endowed with such a loving Master. He is so merciful and so
quick to forgive. He delights in us and calls us the Apple of His Eye!
What a splendid GOD we serve...to top it all, the rewards are so great
compared to the measly benefits of a combat force:

I have the joy
of being with Him forever, I can be satisfied and content all the rest
of the days of my life, I can sing His praises whenever I want to, I
can delight in His love and send Him my loving greetings for doing so
many things for me! I am so blessed and so are all of us who desire Him
and Him alone! He wants us to look to Him as our commanding officer who
knows that the commands He gives us will benefit us forever!

"For
physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all
things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to
come." - 1 Tim 4:8

There have been times when I found the
commands a little hard to carry out and then I would receive power from
above so I could continue my worship uninterrupted. Those were the
times when I have been refreshed by a divine encounter or insight into
the mind of GOD. I have had the pleasure of a better ME at the end of
it! In short, the pain was just weakness leaving me... GOD's power was
being made perfect in my weakness.

"For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all." - 2 Cor 4:17

GOD
always gives us the strength and the grace to pull through. At the end,
we shall be invited into the Kingdom where the joy never ends and all
is made perfect! Isn't that a target worth working towards? Yes! We are
going to walk into TOTAL victory with a great sense of exhilaration,
because the Lord, our commanding officer is faithful. Hurray!!!

Therefore
you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord
Jesus Christ to be revealed. He will also keep you firm to the end, so
that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is
faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ
our Lord. - 1 Cor 1: 7-9

Thank you Holy Father for the many
blessings you have given us -- even when we are not worthy to receive
any of them. You expect so very little from us compared to the price
ordinary mortals are willing to pay -- even for trivial benefits. How
much more should we be thankful and bless your Name, for you are full
of mercy, truly compassionate, forgiving beyond measure, filled with
love -- we wish to revere you like you truly deserve to be
revered...you are our commanding officer, your words are all important
to us!

Your commands give us life, they train us to walk on
stormy seas, when the enemy attacks, you are there to protect us from
danger, your all encompassing love is all we need for the rest of our
lives...we thank you and lift up your Name for ever!! We bless you and
commit our lives to serving you with a determined heart and joyful
gladness. Hallelujah!

In Jesus Name. Amen.

All italicized text is taken from the web link Fighting-fit by Susie Rushton

7 Cures to Religious Intolerance

2009-05-14T07:24:00.001-07:00

By James LeGrand

Many of us hold our spiritual and religious values
very deeply in our hearts. Yet, we often have difficulty expressing
them to those that may follow a different religious or spiritual path
than our own. As a country, we are a melting pot of cultures, religions
and beliefs. However, we continue to focus so much on our differences
that we lose sight of where our values are the same. Every major
religion in the world has the same set of core beliefs. Instead of
those, we focus on the names, dates and territorial issues we may never
agree on. The following are 7 areas of spiritual focus in your religion
that supersedes religious intolerance, if you allow them to.

Oneness

God, Allah, Buddha, Krishna, Tao, Jehovah, Super Conscious; the
names of this great spiritual energy varies greatly. However, they all
point to the same incredible, loving, creative and guiding energy. It
is that spiritual source that we agree created all of us. Just as we
put a part of ourselves into anything that we create, there is a
spiritual center within all of us that connects us to one another and
our creator. We are all one.

We share the same values of honesty,
integrity, unconditional love, support of our neighbor, and respect for
one another. We also share the same goals in life; peace of mind,
happiness and prosperity for ourselves and loved ones, and the desire
to be loved by others the way that great spiritual energy loves us.
When we experience thoughts rooted in difference or separation,
remember that we are all created and a part of one spiritual being.

Connection

Prayer and meditation allow us to connect to that great spiritual
energy. Both allow us to give thanks, ask for assistance and blessings,
and to dwell in healing energy. One is no better than the other because
they are truly both the same. While they are expressed differently,
they bring you to the same state of connection. It's not about what's
right. It's about what's right for you.

Whether you stand, sit,
kneel, sing, chant, or beat a drum, connection to that great spiritual
source is the goal. Just as you would like others to respect your
method of connection, remember to respect the methods others choose.
Their method is as important to them as yours is to you. All should be
respected, especially in light of what they all accomplish.

Acceptance

Disagreement and acceptance are two very different things. It is
possible to not agree with a particular belief, AND to accept it as
valid for others if that's what they choose. The various religions all
teach a form of non-judgment. Yet, we all continue to engage in
judging. It's almost as if we believe that when we accept another
religion or spiritual practice as legitimate that it somehow diminishes
our own. Nothing can be further from the truth.

It takes a person
truly rooted in spirituality and their chosen faith to confidently
accept another faith as legitimate while disagreeing with it for their
life's purpose. If you find yourself unable to truthfully be accepting
and respectful of those that differ with you, then you are not yet
rooted enough in the practices and beliefs your own faith teaches. Go
back to connection. An infinite being has infinite pathways leading to
it. Understand that the only limits that exist are within our own
perception. Find strength through the beliefs and practices of your
faith, and then accept and respect the beliefs and practices of others.

Forgiveness

It's important to free yourself from past hurts, outdated beliefs,
and unpleasant experiences in order to boldly move into your future.
Instead, most of us hold on to those things. The net effect is that we
project our past into our future and are surprised when we go through
the same types of experiences and relationships over and over again.
It's time to let go.

First, forgive others. Everyone is just like
you; they are doing the best they can with what they have. They can
justify every action they take or do not take, just as you can. They
have a perspective they trust that guides them, just as you do. When
you see things from that perspective, it's a little easier to let go of
what occurred. Next, forgive yourself. You did the best you could with
what you had. Today, you stand stronger from the lessons you learned
from your experiences and relationships. Hold on to the lessons and let
go of any shame or guilt you feel, as it only serves to hold you back.
Lastly, trust in your spiritual source. It has guided you to past
experiences for a reason that benefits and empowers you, and it will
guide you to new levels of understanding, relationships and experiences
in the future.

Gratitude

Every decision, experience and relationship you've ever had led you
to this point right here today. That's good news because it means that
you have the power to change the direction of your life anytime you are
ready to do so. Be thankful for that ability. Be thankful for who you
became and everything that's helped you to get here. Be thankful for
the choices you have yet to make.

Also, be thankful for the
differences that exist between people and faith-based systems. They've
served to provide you different perspectives that helped you to
understand your perspective even better. They've helped to expand and
shape your world-view. You've become broader and deeper because of
them. Be thankful for the differences. Appreciate and accept that they
exist. Respect them, while forming your own beliefs. Then, connect
through prayer or meditation and give thanks.

Love

When we are truly connected to our spiritual source, we can sense
and feel universal unconditional love. While it exists everywhere, in
those moments of true connection, it can feel like it is all there for
just us. Just as you love your children unconditionally, you too are
loved unconditionally.

Secretly, we want everyone to love us the
way that great spiritual energy loves us. Yet, we aren't willing
ourselves to love others in this way. We get so caught up on the
differences that we lose our connection to that spiritual energy, and
thus, one another. When all you can see are the differences, you aren't
being loving. When all you can see is how you are the same, you can't
stop loving. Every religion teaches love as a constant practice. Get
back to your fundamentals. Don't just love those that believe as you
do. Love those that are completely different. Through spiritual energy,
you are just a different perspective of the same thing. It's time to
get back to love.

Open Mindedness

The more you learn about something, the less you fear it. Rather
than sticking to the learning materials of just your chosen faith,
explore the materials of one that you disagree with. You may quickly
find that the values system is very similar if not exactly the same.
What may differ are the social norms around names, dates and real
estate.

Keep an open mind. Don't be afraid to learn more. It will
help you to understand another's perspective a little better to find
the areas where you are the same. It is this mindset that also allows
you to delve deeper into your own spiritual practices. You may find new
levels of understanding and belief by being able to understand new
concepts and philosophies from others.

In summary, the fighting
and bickering that we do over our differences takes us further away
from the religion we think we are protecting. Use these 7 areas of
spiritual consistency as a bridge to other systems, people, and
philosophies. You don't have to agree. If you truly believe what you
say you believe though, then you do have to accept, appreciate and love
those with differences anyway. There is no room for religious
intolerance.

James LeGrand is an Author, Life Strategist, and the publisher of http://www.SpiritualIndividual.com,
a free weekly newsletter that presents solutions to life's issues
through the lens of self-help, wisdom, philosophy and spirituality. He
is the author of an Amazon.com best seller in Religion and Spirituality
titled Evolve,
and an Expert Author with Ezine Articles.com & SelfGrowth.com.
James LeGrand is also a Radio Personality, and a Sifu in Shaolin
Kungfu, which has been known for centuries as a pathway to spiritual
enlightenment.

The Ten Commandments

2009-05-02T11:32:00.001-07:00

Waiting on God

2009-05-02T07:30:00.001-07:00

By Angela Mwema

When Abraham got the promise of being a father to
many nations, it did not happen immediately. This followed many years
of waiting. One day, his wife Sarah asked him to sleep with her maid
servant so as they could have children through her. Abraham agreed and
as a result Ishmael came to the world, son of Hagar. This followed a
lot of jealousy and sorrow in the family. Sarah and Hagar were always
fighting as the relationship had now changed. Genesis 16.

Abraham
had already received the promise from God and thought that he could
help him in fulfilling it. He had waited on God for long and his
biological clock was also ticking away. Looking at things plainly, any
person would have applauded him for what he had done. It was even a
miracle he was able to sire a son for he was very advanced in age.

Waiting
on God means that we do not look at circumstances around. Things around
us may say otherwise but if the almighty said he will do it, he will.
He is trustworthy and never goes against his word. All you need is a
little faith and patience. Helping God carry out the promises in our
lives makes us stay in the wilderness longer as the ideas we had
backfire on us. When we have tried all that we could and given up, we
go back to the drawing board and start all over again. We can save
ourselves a lot of pain if we learn to wait on God no matter what.

Angela
Mwema is a messenger to the world with the true and living word of God.
Please visit her site for more spiritual nourishment. http://angiepages.com/tag/faith-put-to-test/

Healing by faith today

2009-04-29T08:09:00.001-07:00

Author: Mark Replogle

Jesus has shown us how you choose to be healed is just as good as another person’s chosen method. The Bible says so.

But you already knew this, right?

No?! Ok....here is what I mean. Mark 5:21-43 tells that one woman was miraculously healed because of her touching the hem of Jesus’ cloak. While another woman was raised from the dead by Jesus’ touching her hand and commanding her to get up.

The first woman chose how to be healed by Jesus and didn’t even ask Him. She took her healing and felt His power go through her body (verses 28, 29).

The second woman had her father ask Jesus to heal her of her sickness. Obviously this took place before the daughter died.

POINT: You can choose how you want God to heal you.

TAKE ACTION: I can’t heal you but I do know a person who is still alive and has experienced supernatural healing. Let me encourage you to read his e-book. Apply what he has learned to your own life situation.

After you get healed — please email me to share your testimony.

Go now to: http://www.kingofprayer.com/healing.php

1) Read his book

2) Apply his ideas and scripture in your life

Mr. Replogle is the author of numerous books and articles on faith, prayer,
and politics. He is a licensed Californi attorney specializing in
personal bankruptcy, and veterans benefits law.
He served 14 years in the United States Marine Corps. His last tour was
with the general's legal staff in Hawaii (Marine Forces Pacific, Staff
Judge Advocate).

http://www.kingofprayer.com

God Meets Us in the Most Banal Ways

2009-04-29T07:30:00.001-07:00

By Steve Wickham

Riding a bicycle is not only good exercise, an excuse
to enjoy God's green earth, and good for the environment; it's also a
way to be touched by God... let me continue.

As I rode
one Saturday morning recently, having barely warmed up, I noticed as we
occasionally do, a wheelie bin with its contents strewn over the
roadway--it was mainly a mix of magazines, junk mail, old cartons, but
with some perishable waste. Someone had had some 'fun' messing up
someone's day!

Something within me, which nowadays I associate as
the Spirit of God, caused me to get off my bike and do something to
neaten up the roadway; call it my 'good deed for the day.'

As I
commenced this little 'recovery' project I noticed across the road, two
little girls (each around 5-6 years of age) who'd noticed what I was
doing and wanted in.

I barely had time to consider this when
they'd already charged across the road (without looking out for
traffic) toward me. Being rather conscious of stranger-danger, apart
from seeing them take a risk like crossing the road without looking,
left me feeling cautious and distracted. I greeted them and gave them a
gentle lesson on the "whys" of looking before crossing the road.[1]

The
next thing that grabbed me was the fact they were so willing to
help. Even when I said it was safer for them not to help because it
entailed crossing the road, they were still keen and came up with an
innovative suggestion all their own... 'You give us the rubbish and
we'll put it in the bin for you,' was their idea. I agreed so as to
encourage their altruism.

As we worked together to clean the mess up we worked as a team, and they even warned me
to watch out for cars and trucks passing by! After we finished,
prompted again by the stranger-danger voice within me, I ascertained
where these girls lived and kindly introduced myself to the parent
there as the 'stranger' the girls might later refer to me as.

As
I continued on my morning ride I reflected. All I did was obey the
Voice within me. I think now of the amount of times I'm hardly aware of
the Voice or times when I choose not to obey--I'm a little hard of
hearing at times.

In this, God showed me so saliently how he
could 1) use me positively, and 2) how the most ugly jobs and
experiences can turn out beautifully. He also showed me to back my
instincts with these little girls and allow them to help me--they showed me how to be generous-hearted. The legalist 'me' would have seen their suggestions of help negatively.

Additionally,
God's Spirit filled me again to overflowing as I reflected; I'm so
thankful that he gives me these leadings and experiences.

[1]
A key to unlocking the heart of a child toward behavioural obedience is
to explain the "whys" in ways they can identify with. I asked them what
could happen if they were hit by a car i.e. they could be killed, and
how their Mum and Dad would feel about that--how their parents would be
upset. Then I said I'd also be upset to see this happen too; all the
while maintaining (and watching for) eye contact and attention. This is
something that was reinforced for me during a recent session of a Growing Families Australia course. More information, www.gfi.org.au

Steve
Wickham is a safety and health professional (BSc, MSIA, RSP) and a
qualified lay Christian minister (GradDipDiv). His passion in vocation
is facilitation and coaching; encouraging people to soar to a higher
value of their potential. Steve's key passion is work / life balance
and re-creating value for living, and an exploration of the person
within us.

Woman Sees Jesus in Her Cheese Toast

2009-04-25T12:46:00.001-07:00

A woman in Inman, South Carolina says she just wanted a piece of cheese toast but, she received an image of Jesus in her latenight snack.

Becoming Born Again: What Exactly Is The Process?

2009-04-25T12:10:00.001-07:00

There are three distinctly different levels of salvation of which becoming 'Born Again' is the first!

Becoming born again means you have your spirit regenerated or recreated by the power of Almighty God. It means having your very nature changed from mere human to incorporate the divine!

The following verses from the Bible help substantiate the concept of men sharing in God's divinity.

"I, the Most High God, say that all of you are gods and also my own children." (Psalms 82:6)

"Jesus replied: In your Scriptures doesn't God say, "You are gods"? (John 10:34). (CEV)

The purpose of becoming 'Born Again' is to regain something that was lost to the Human Race in the beginning of time.

Man was originally made in the image and likeness of God and connected to God through his spirit but when Adam sinned against his Creator the result was disconnection from God and a loss of identity.

This disconnection is called spiritual death, which is a separation from the life of God and a corruption of the nature of God.

Now, because of God's unchanging love for His children He created a way for us to be once more reconnected to Him and receive His divine nature. This happens through the process of becoming 'Born again.'

How exactly is a person 'Born Again'?

It happens like this. First, you hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

What is the Gospel?

It's the good news that even though you were born spiritually separated from God and on your way to becoming permanently separated from Him in Hell, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, took the judgment of Adam's sin upon Himself and died in the place of every human being. He then rose from the dead three days later so that we could receive His righteousness in place of our guilt and be reconciled and reconnected to God, thus receiving His divine nature in order to live with Him forever in Paradise.

That's the Gospel in a nutshell!

You hear it and when you do, God grants you the grace to receive it! You receive the message and it becomes a Seed planted in your spirit.

That Seed is the word you heard.

This Word-Seed contains the very nature of God because God and His Word are one; they cannot be separated. They are identical in nature. The bible says, "...The word was God." (John 1:1)

Now, because the nature of God is inherent in His Word this means that His Word shares in His omnipotence; in other words, the Word of God has the power to create something out of nothing. This is confirmed in the first chapter of Genesis when God was present and the Holy Spirit was moving upon the face of the waters but nothing happened until God spoke! The divine power inherent in God's Word created everything we see.

So, the nature of God in the form of a Seed is planted in your spirit!

Now, God gives you the faith to act upon that Seed.

You act in faith by confessing out of your mouth the very thing He promised to do, believing He will do it, while you totally submit to His will!

This is the application of your faith! Your confession (prayer) might go like this:

Prayer of Salvation:

Lord Jesus, you said in Revelation 3:20 that you're standing outside the door of my heart, my life, and knocking for me to let you in. I now make a decision to open the door of my heart, my life and let you in. Please come in Lord Jesus and take complete control, forgive me and cleanse me from my sin and make me a child of God! I am sorry for every sin that I have ever committed. I believe in you and accept you alone as my Lord and Savior! Amen!

When you say these words from your heart totally believing they are true, it acts as a catalyst, germinating the Word-Seed or God-Seed if you will, releasing the life of God within you.

This process is such that the faith you apply acts on the God-Seed cracking it open, allowing the life of God to flow out into your spirit. The same thing happens when you plant a grain of corn into the ground. The heat and moisture of the earth creates an environment that causes the corn seed to burst open releasing the life of the corn within and you have a brand new creation - A corn plant

In this case your spirit is the earth and your faith and words are the heat and moisture, which creates the environment for the God-Seed to crack open releasing the life of God within you.

As this new life flows out, it completely pervades and engulfs your spirit transforming it. Where there was death there's now life. Where there was old, now there's new. "...When this has taken place, then that which was said in the Writings will come true, Death is overcome by life," 1Cor 15:54. (BBE)

"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new," 2Co 5:17.

Your old spirit ceases to exist and your new spirit lives! You have become a new creation!

Now, the life of God is synonymous with the nature of God, so as His life flows into you His nature is released. Receiving the life of God therefore, is the same as receiving the nature of God!

So, you now have a new nature. "...He has given to us the greatest and precious promises, that through these ye may become partakers of [the] divine nature," 2 Pet 1:4 (Darby Translation)

The nature of God is Holiness, which means to be unique, other than everything else, sanctified, consecrated and set a part as extremely special. This is what God is and this is what you have become when you share in His nature.

You have become a different type of human being; one of God's new creation!

You are unique, different, changed from natural to spiritual, from death to life... You are Born Again!

Now, here's the key to this whole experience, if you miss this, YOU MISS EVERYTHING!

The catalyst that activates the power of God to work in you to bring to pass this miracle is faith but the Bible says faith without works is dead. (James 2:20) So what are the works, which accompanies this faith to make it alive?

In one word, it is REPENTANCE!

If you repeat that prayer of salvation above without giving up something there's no power released... They're just empty words.

You must surrender something in order to receive this precious gift from God. This doesn't mean that you earn or buy your salvation - You cannot - but the concept is this: If your hands are already filled with something then you cannot grasp anything else can you? Even if that new thing is absolutely free you've still got to let go of whatever's in your hands before you can grasp what's being offered to you.

This is what repentance is; it is a letting go of one thing to receive something else or a turning away from one thing to embrace something new.

In my case 20 years ago it was a belief in reincarnation, my belief in reincarnation was my spiritual support, it was the thing that gave me a sense of security, order and structure in my life.

So, when the Gospel of Jesus Christ was explained to me and the truth of it dawned on me, I found myself having a decision to make. Was I going to continue holding on to what I felt comfortable with or was I going to let go of that false doctrine and embrace the truth?

This is what every one of us MUST face sooner or later. Whenever we're presented with the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ we must choose whether we're going to let go of whatever we're holding on to for spiritual support and fully embrace Jesus Christ or continue in the same direction we're going, holding on to whatever spiritual crutch we're holding on to.

So, to sum this up, the power of God to effect miraculous change is activated only when we act in faith and acting in faith to receive salvation means turning your back on whatever you've been holding on to for spiritual support and embracing Jesus Christ Himself as your total means of salvation. This, my friends is what activates the power of God and causes a person to become 'Born Again.'

As I said at the beginning, this is only the first level in a three-phased process but certainly the most important for it provides the foundation upon which the entire Christian experience is built.

This is why Jesus said, "You must be born again." (John 3:7).

By: Everest John Alexander

Everest John Alexander is a Minister/Author/Entrepreneur in public
ministry for over 17 years, Pastoring for 4 years. He's married to his
best friend, Loraine and together they have two children, Andrew and
Jade. His first book is called, "Understanding The 3 Levels of
Salvation: Spirit, Soul & Body". You can listen to his Voice Blog,
read his Articles and download his free Ebooks at: www.Kingdomlearning.com

Responding To Atheists: The God I Know

2009-04-25T11:16:00.001-07:00

In my travels through Cyberspace I've had the opportunity to engage in fervent discussion with several fellow travelers of the, shall we say Atheistic persuasion. And the one thing most of them seem to have in common is an arrogant disdain for anything Christian.

Why is that I wonder?

I am a Christian. Have been for 20 years actually August 11th 2008 was my 20th anniversary of receiving Jesus Christ as my personal Lord and Savior. It happened in my living room on a Thursday evening surrounded by my wife and three other really great friends, but that's another story, for another time.

I recently wrote an article and published it online, it's entitled, "Speaking in Tongues: The Baptism of the Holy Spirit Pt 2" and is the second part to an article written to help Christians who may want to experience Holy Spirit baptism and begin speaking in tongues, but don't know how to go about it.

This article has spawned close to 100 comments so far, a lot of which were written by my fellow Atheist Cyber-pilgrims.

Why do Atheists feel they have to respond to everything Christian on the web? That's the question needling me in the back of my head for a while now.

I wasn't thinking about it consciously but this morning as I began waking up these thoughts were swimming around my mind and I decided to put pen to paper or more accurately, finger to keyboard and share my thoughts with the Cyber-community and especially with my God-denying comrades.

So, here in my own words is a little bit of info about the God I know; the God with whom I have been sharing a personal and intimate relationship for the past 20 years.

You cannot prove God exists!!!

I've heard that famous Atheistic challenge spewed more than once.

The thing is, I don't feel the need to prove anything to anyone. Believe what you want, that's your funeral.

However, for the record, I don't just believe God exists, I know He does! He's my friend, we have a relationship.

I've been walking and talking with Him for 20 years. If I were to stand here and tell you I only believe but I'm not totally sure He's real I'd be a crazy man.

Whom have I been speaking with every day for 20 years of my life? Whom have I been having daily conversations with ever since I was first introduced to Him on Thursday August 11th 1988 at about 4:30PM in my living room?

I know exactly who He is, He is the Lord Jesus Christ, God Almighty, Creator of Heaven and Earth! He is the Holy Spirit who lives inside me imparting eternal life moment by moment, He's God the Father who shows me daily what a real father is supposed to be like.

There's one other thing I find consistent with most Atheists. For the most part they seem to be highly educated and intelligent people. They can carry their own in almost any conversation and debate the issues with relevant points of reference.

I like that.

What I don't like is when they assume that Born Again Christians are by definition mindless religious drones that have all been lobotomized and need to be viewed with patronizing scorn and treated with veiled contempt.

That rankles me - Especially when the Christian world-view is infinitely more sensible than the Atheistic.

It's interesting to me that most of the Atheists I've spoken with seem to think there's something inherently foolish in one believing in and worshipping God and believing in the Bible and the Lord Jesus Christ when many of earth's foremost scholars share these very beliefs.

For instance, when asked the question: "Do you accept the historical Jesus?"

Here's what one noted scientist answered:

"Unquestionably! No one can read the Gospels without feeling the actual presence of Jesus. His personality pulsates in every word. No myth is filled with such life."

This same scientist further stated:

"In view of such harmony in the cosmos which I, with my limited human mind, am able to recognize, there are yet people who say there is no God. But what really makes me angry is that they quote me for the support of such views."

Who was this scientist?

You may have heard of him, he was awarded the 1921 Nobel Prize in Physics for his contributions to Quantum Theory and for his discovery of the law of the photoelectric effect.

He is one of the founders of modern physics and the author of the Theory of Relativity. In December 2000 he was named "the personality of the second millennium."

His name is Albert Einstein; arguably the smartest man that ever lived, after King Solomon and Jesus, of course.

My Atheist friend, the next time you're tempted to call a Christian by some derogatory name, make a snide remark about his faith or insinuate that he or she is not playing with a full deck, I advise you to think carefully before speaking.

There's a saying that goes, "It is better to remain silent and thought a fool than to speak up and remove all doubt."

"Atheism is so senseless. When I look at the solar system, I see the earth at the right distance from the sun to receive the proper amounts of heat and light. This did not happen by chance"

"This most beautiful system of the sun, planets, and comets, could only proceed from the counsel and dominion of an intelligent and powerful Being. This Being governs all things, not as the soul of the world, but as Lord over all; and on account of His dominion He is wont to be called Lord God."

This is the God I know, the same One who wakes me up every morning, the very One who protects me when I don't even realize I need protecting. He's also the same God with whom I get angry at times when I think He's being unfair or moving too slow to bring me something I desperately want.

He's the same God who sees me with all my human weaknesses and inconsistencies and loves me in spite of it all, He's the One who respects me even when I don't think I deserve respect, who always lifts me up and encourages me especially when I don't feel like going on.

This is the God I know.

This is the same God who died for you and I so that each of us might have a chance at redemption.

This God is real and has a plan for each of our lives, one that if followed will reap for us both temporal and eternal benefits.

This is the God I know.

By the way; that entire quote above from the words, "Atheism is so senseless" to "He is wont to be called Lord God" aren't my words.

Those words were actually spoken by Sir Isaac Newton.

In case you don't know who he is, let me introduce you.

Sir Isaac Newton was an English physicist, mathematician, astronomer, natural philosopher, alchemist and theologian. He's the founder of Classical Physics and Infinitesimal Calculus.

His "Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica" published in 1687, is said to be the greatest single work in the history of science. In this work, Newton described universal gravitation and the three laws of motion, laying the groundwork for classical mechanics, which dominated the scientific view of the physical universe for the next three centuries and is the basis for all modern engineering.

He's the one who said, "Atheism is senseless!"

What do you think about that? Is Sir Isaac Newton a mindless drone who can't think for himself and needs religion to comfort his feeble mind? What say you?

Call me stupid for being a Christian and believing the Bible but if I were you my Atheist friend, I would pay attention to who's agreeing with Christians, before I open my mouth.

By: Everest John Alexander

Seek Safe Haven Under God's Umbrella

2009-04-25T08:03:00.001-07:00

By Jean Dewitt

According to Psalm 91:9 (NLT), "If you make the LORD
your refuge, if you make the Most High your shelter, no evil will come
near your dwelling."

What happens when you're caught out in the
rain? You run for shelter, right? That's the natural instinct when
we're about to be pelleted! So why don't we RUN to God's Word when
we're being pelleted by life? Why don't we sprint with great spring in
our step, leaping with expectation as to what he will do on our behalf?

What's
your response when you face a challenge? Do you worry about it? Do you
complain about it to anyone that will listen? Do you cry? Do you fret?
What pattern or habitual response do you have to those raindrops that
fall upon you?

I believe this is a key question that leads to a
key thought. What if you were to run to the Word of God, find a verse
that brings peace to your mind about that challenge and spend a moment
praying about it? It would not only give your mind a detour--it would
bring your mind to a safe haven. The Most High would become a shelter
on that issue!

Bad thoughts (thoughts contrary to God's blessing
thoughts) can't conquer you if you RUN to God to find shelter. Yes, if
you counter attack bad thoughts with good thoughts you're sure to turn
in the right direction. After all, "faith comes by hearing God's Word."
So the faith that you'll receive in those moments will be your umbrella!

Don't
forget, further down in Psalm 91:14 (NLT) the LORD says, "...I will
rescue those who love me. I will protect those who trust in my name.
When they call on me, I will answer. I will be with them in trouble. I
will rescue them..."

So you see, he actually guarantees you that
he'll respond to you when you run to him for the answer versus leaning
on your own understanding regarding the problem. His protection,
direction, and favor will be poured out to you liberally, and that is a
rainfall that you won't need an umbrella for!

At http://gloryjean.com
you'll find inspiration to help you find "your place" in this life. I
believe in the power of words. They have the ability to frame your
world and fashion your thoughts! So the poems, essays, articles, and
eBooks found on my site can cause you to think, dream, explore, expand,
envision, and create.

Thriving During Tough Times - Keeping the Faith

2009-04-25T07:57:00.001-07:00

By Jon L Iveson

When we are in the midst of the storm, it is
sometimes hard to maintain high levels of faith in the ultimate outcome
of our situation. But this is precisely the time to cultivate our
faith and persist. Faith will allow us to find peace in the storm and
find the next right action for our situation.

Courage is often
defined as action in the face of fear and doubt. We must have the
courage during the storm to cultivate our faith even when it seems
lacking. This cultivated faith will then allow us to take positive
action when we are in the middle of the storm. This faith will not
only serve us well during these prolonged tough times but it will also
serve us well at all times in the future.

When you lack faith
during the challenges of these tough times, consider the following
examples and then take the three specific actions below to cultivate
your faith to overcome any of your challenges!

Examples:

When
Thomas Edison invented the light bulb, it took over 2,000 experiments
to get it right. When a reporter asked how it felt to fail so many
times, he said "I never failed once. I invented the light bulb. It
just happened to be a 2,000 step process."
Richard Bach
completed just one year of college, spent just twenty months as an Air
Force jet fighter pilot before resigning, and worked as an editor of an
aviation magazine as it went bankrupt. Life simply became one failure
after another. When he wrote Jonathon Livingston Seagull, he couldn't
think of an ending. The manuscript went unfinished for eight years
before he finally came up with an ending. It was then rejected by 18
publishers. When it was finally published, it sold more than 7 million
copies and made Richard Bach an internationally known and respected
author.
A young Canadian named Terry Fox had his cancer
ridden leg amputated yet vowed to run on one leg from coast to coast
through Canada to raise $1 million for cancer research. Although he
was forced to quit halfway through the attempt because the cancer had
spread to his lungs, he did raise the funds and his foundation has gone
on to raise ten of millions of dollars for cancer research.
Victor
Frankl survived a longtime capture in Nazi concentration camps even
after suffering the loss of his father, mother, brother, and wife in
those same concentration camps. He lost his loved ones, every
possession and suffered from hunger, cold, and brutality. Yet, he kept
his faith, survived, and made a significant impact in this world.
Admiral
Jim Stockdale survived an eight-year imprisonment during the Vietnam
War in which he was tortured over twenty times. He went on to say
about the experience, "I never lost faith in the end of the story. I
never doubted not only that I would get out, but also that I would
prevail in the end and turn the experience into the defining event of
my life, which, in retrospect, I would not trade." Jim Collins coined
the Stockdale Paradox on the basis of Admiral Jim Stockdale's
experience. The Stockdale Paradox is to "Retain faith that you will
prevail in the end, regardless of the difficulties AND, at the same
time, confront the most brutal facts of your current reality, wherever
they might be."

Cultivating Your Faith:

1. Remember that the only people who don't have any problems are dead!
Consider that to give your situation perspective and begin creating an
attitude and mindset to address all problems with true appreciation for
the life you have been given to live (to its fullest).

2. All problems are just misdirected energy.
The problems of a down economy are just different than the problems of
a booming economy. They are all problems of misdirected energy. We
are all suffering from the general misdirected energy of greed and
entitlement right now but these problems can be overcome. Ask yourself
how can I re-direct the energy of my situation to create solutions,
peace, and abundance? Then, take action to move the energy around you
in that direction.

3. Become an inverse paranoid!
This is Principle #6 of Jack Canfield's Success Principles and it means
to believe that the universe is working to enrich, empower, and advance
your causes. If you need help thinking like an inverse paranoid,
consider the following biblical verse:

"IF GOD BE FOR US WHO CAN BE AGAINST US?" ROMANS 8:31

Ask
yourself if you are aligning your thoughts and actions with your higher
power. If you are, you should immediately find peace and be motivated
by right action. If not, re-align your thoughts and deeds to gain
peace during your storm and begin looking for the ways that the
universe is conspiring in your favor!

Ask yourself, how can I
use this experience to my advantage? Then, take action. If that
action does not lead to your expected outcomes, learn from it and know
that God has something better in store for you.

About the Author:

Jon
L. Iveson, Ph.D., The Champion's Coach, is a Gazelles Certified Coach
who helps individuals and companies produce champion results and build
champion relationships. Access Jon's FREE 21-page e-Book on "The 8
Steps to Thriving during Tough Times" and other valuable resources at http://www.ThrivingduringToughTimesToday.com

Proverbs 31 Women Have No Thorns

2009-04-25T07:47:00.001-07:00

By Kathryn Lang

Becoming a Proverbs 31 woman means that I have to
find a way to get it better than Paul got it. Sure, he may have written
a large portion of the bible. Paul may have spread the news of Jesus
Christ all over the known world. But Paul couldn't handle something as
simple as a splinter the way the Proverbs 31 woman handled it.

Paul
talks about a thorn in his side and scholars have debated over what it
might be for years - probably even since he first wrote it. Tonight I
think I uncovered what it was. It was a thorn ;). It was an irritant
that if left alone would just fester, get infected and cause more
trouble than should be possible.

The Proverbs 31 woman had no
thorns or if she did she simply removed them and then cleansed the area
where the thorns were located. It seems rather obvious that Paul either
left the thorn alone and tried to ignore it or else he simply kept
getting back into the same sticker bush time and again.

I faced
my thorn tonight. It was just a minor irritant, but I can see how it
could get bigger if left to its own devices. The idea of it being a
thorn didn't even cross my mind until I was recounting the evening to a
good friend.

After I said the words "it's just a thorn" I began
to think about how my son's splinter got infected because he left it
alone and now he's having trouble bending his thumb. At the same time
his brother let us pull the thorn out of his hand that he had gotten
and then that brother just washed the spot and it's fine.

Ways the Proverbs 31 Woman Stays Thorn Free

•
Being a Proverbs 31 woman means rising before sunrise which give you
plenty of time to spend with God. Time with God means it is easier to
hear directions and avoid the thorns in the first place.

• The
Proverbs 31 woman was always busy doing something for God. Spending
time doing the things that are suppose to be done means there is no
time to do the things that shouldn't be done (which is where you will
find the thorns most of the time anyway).

• It takes wisdom and
understanding to know how to deal with thorns and the Proverbs 31 woman
has more than enough of that to go around.

Avoiding thorns is not
always possible, but the Proverbs 31 woman is proof that with the right
words and the right understanding it is possible to get rid of any
thorns that you do encounter and live thorn free.

Kathryn Lang is a freelance writer working for several companies around the globe. You can view some of her links at http://www.kathrynlang.com. She also has a website with tips, stories and suggestions for living a Proverbs 31 life at http://www.proverbs31life.com

God's Power in Us

2009-04-25T07:45:00.001-07:00

By Angela Mwema

When we pass through trials and tribulations, most of
the times, we wonder if God is still with us. During this period, it is
very easy to get out of the will of God. When we have demonic attacks
in our lives, most of the times, we panic. We think about God or seek
him as the last option. Let me give you an example. You are a parent of
a one month old baby.

This is your first baby. In the middle of
the night, she develops a fever and has difficulty breathing. What do
you do? Do you pick up the Bible and start looking for verses that
declare that by the stripes of Jesus we are healed or do you pick up
the phone to dial 911 for an ambulance?

I know that most of us
would pick up the phone and much later start praying and declaring the
word of God in the situation. This is not how it ought to be. As
Christians we have God's power in us by the fact that Jesus Christ
lives in us. We have power over the devil. Why let him come and triumph
over your life. Why let him still your joy while with just one word you
can drive him away.

When you start trusting the word of God in
your life, you realize that situations and issues don't rule you but
you have power over them. Just have more faith and you will be
astonished at what you can do in the name of Jesus. As a Christian, you
have power over death. There is nothing that should put you down as
long as your walk with God is pure.

Angela
Mwema is a messenger to the world with the true and living word of God.
Please visit her site for more spiritual nourishment.

http://angiepages.com/tag/god-working-in-me-for-me/

Faith, Hope, Love, and Peace - Gain More Faith and Peace in Christ Jesus

2009-04-23T09:04:00.001-07:00

By April Fitzgerald

What is the definition of faith, and why should we
have faith. "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the
evidence of things not seen" - Hebrews 11:1. We have faith in God when
we put our life in the Lord's Hands, and realize He is in control. No
matter what or how bad the circumstance is, we must remember to put our
trust in God knowing that He is going to work things out for the best.
We should have faith in God because He is God.

Ultimately, this
world we live in can be very harsh and cruel. But, there is a certain
peace and joy when we don't worry about anything and lean on Jesus.
Jesus loves you and wants you to be dependent upon Him. Jesus Christ
is MUCH BIGGER than any situation or problem that may seem unbearable.
Remember, God will never put more on you than you can bear.

So,
you may say to yourself, "Well, every time I try to trust God, doubt
always creep in." The Lord says that all one needs is the faith of the
size of a mustard seed. "So Jesus said to them, 'Because of your
unbelief, for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard
seed, you will say to this mountain, move from here to there, and it
will move; and nothing will be impossible for you' " - Matthew 17:20.
All you need is a little bit of faith to conquer a situation. Also,
praying and fasting will help your situation even more.

Having
faith is more than just sitting around waiting on God to move a
problem. We have to make moves when we are burdened down with things.
This simply means that we have faith, but are not going to be lazy, but
instead, trust in the Lord that He will lead us in the right
direction. The Bible states, "But do you want to know...that faith
without works is dead?" - James 2:20. Faith is realizing that God will
lead you in the right direction. You know you can't sit around waiting
on the Lord, but you trust in Him to guide every aspect of your life.
Remember, sometimes we can only see a piece of the picture, but God
sees the whole picture.

So, be confident and assured that the
Lord Jesus knows what He is doing. Put your life in His hands, and let
Him lead you. Keep your faith and don't lose heart; there will be the
GREAT REWARD OF ETERNAL LIFE waiting for you. Never lose hope in Jesus
Christ, but realize His love and peace sustain all.

My name is April Fitzgerald. I'm a loving mother, wife, and entrepreneur. My goal is to spread knowledge of Jesus Christ.

Also, visit my site at the following link: http://www.scentbyGod.com

Get Closer to God by Realizing That You Are Deserving

2009-04-12T06:42:00.001-07:00

By Dr. Robert Henry Schwenk

Sometimes our parents teach us that we are not
deserving. In the raising of children the word "No" is heard usually
far more often than the word "Yes." This may be a natural consequence
of raising a child and trying to teach the child what is right and what
is wrong. But over time the "Nos" add up to such a great discrepancy
against the "Yeses" that a child may develop low self-esteem. When one
has low self-esteem one does not feel deserving.

This is a
general non-deserving feeling. With the "Nos" echoing in our head
everything we turned our desire upon, the first thing that came to mind
consciously or unconsciously was a denial of that desire. This desire
or holding off or away came to feel like it was God holding us off or
away.

And then some of us were in churches that told us that we
were unworthy of God's love. We were to gain God's love by believing a
certain way and or living a certain way. If we did not do this, we were
outside of God's love. Being outside of God's love we felt as if we
were un-deserving. Obviously, this did not engender a close feeling
with God.

You've got to come to realize that you are accepted by
God. And part of acceptance means that you are loved by God. And when
you are loved by God as a daughter or son, then all that God has is
yours as well. And if you are loved by God as a daughter or son you are
deserving. It cannot be any other way. You must decide to believe this.
This decision to believe is an action step that you can and must take.
You need to take back control of how you feel about yourself.

When you feel you are deserving, and you are, you will feel a closeness to God returning.

What
can you do to demonstrate to yourself and that you are deserving? This
is working from the inside out. When you truly feel you are deserving
on the inside, what would you do on the outside to demonstrate that to
yourself? Certainly you can treat yourself to a special food. But don't
overdo that and come to feel bad about yourself another way. How about
helping another person whom you know feels undeserving? Wouldn't that
be a way to reinforce and demonstrate to yourself how deserving you are?
How about volunteering some time at a place where needy folks gathered?
You are honoring other persons as deserving though they are down on
their luck - - and this shows honor to yourself. Think about what you
can do to honor the deservedness you find within yourself. Do it today.
Do it now.

Dr.
Robert Henry Schwenk (Dr. Bob) is a retired clergy person who spent
more than 38 years in full time service. His has been a lifelong quest
to discover what makes individuals tick. He holds the Doctor of
Ministry degree (D.Min.) from United Theological Seminary in Dayton,
Ohio. His newest booklet "You Deserve To. . " is at https://www.createspace.com/3372045.
Most of us grow up feeling undeserving--as if nothing we truly desire
we have any right to. But we can break this habit and find ourselves
believing that we deserve every legitimate thing or person in our
lives. That we even deserve to be happy. You Deserve To . . . helps you
discover ways to change you life for the better in this instant and for
all your days.

What is God's Will For Us?

2009-03-27T07:03:00.001-07:00

By: John Park

The bible is a great book, it's God's word. It's full of instructions
for us. It has promises that God gives us. Each promise has a
stipulation attached to it. God will keep His promise provided we do
our part. What we need to do is find out what we are doing wrong and
correct our wrongs. In this way we can get closer to God by purifying
ourselves.

We need to find out what God's will is for us. It will bring about our
true identity. As long as we live outside of His will, we will always
be living in our false self, the way of the world and we will be
walking in darkness. Living God's will that He has set forth for us,
will get us home, where we belong. God sent His blessed Son Jesus to
show us the way, the truth and life. No one wants death, but what about
dying twice? We all know that the flesh is going to die sometime, it's
inevitable. The second death which God talks about is a spiritual death
that lasts for eternity.

Spiritual death is to be disconnected from God forever. Revelation
20:13 - 15, And the sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and
hell gave up their dead that were in them; and they were judged every
one according to their works. And hell and death were cast into the
pool of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found
written in the book of life, was cast into the pool of fire. Revelation
21:8, But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and
murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all
liars, they shall have their portion in the pool burning with fire and
brimstone, which is the second death.

There will be no world to live in like the one we live in now. We have
free will in this world to live our life the way WE WANT to live it.
Here is where we decide where we want to live after death of the flesh.
It's pretty simple, he who chooses God will have life, those that chose
the world will have death. Nothing complicated about that. Some do
accept Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and continue to live a
worldly life, not fulfilling the laws of righteousness and proving the
promises of God. Also, it would be a shame if Jesus' life, death and
resurrection happened in vain for any one of us. We can't live on both
sides of the fence at the same time, although many try and even
convince themselves that it's ok. Read the parable of the sower -
Matthew 13:18-23.

People have a tendency to become relaxed in their walk with the Lord.
In order to reach the place where God's will becomes ours, we need to
first follow Jesus. Jesus says in John 14:6 ' I am the Way, the Truth
and the Life. No one can come to the Father except through me.' Jesus
will show us and teach us what we need to do step by step. No one, not
any man can lead you to God. Jesus tells us to pick up our cross and
follow Him. He also tells us to renounce ourself, which means to give
up our life, the worldly life - Luke 9:23.

In John 8:12 Jesus says, ' I am the Light of the world; anyone who
follows me will not be walking in the dark; he will have the Light of
Life.' Jesus tells us to pick up our cross daily. That is so that we
can nail our flesh to it. As Paul writes in Galatians 5:24,' You cannot
belong to Christ Jesus unless you crucify all self-indulgent passions
and desires.' So why is it that so many people hear but refuse to
listen? Read what Jesus says in Revelation 3:18-21,' I warn you, buy
from me the gold that has been tested in the fire to make you really
rich, and white robes to clothe you and cover your shameful nakedness,
and eye ointment to put on your eyes so that you are able to see. I am
the one who reproves and disciplines all those He loves: so repent in
real earnest.

Look, I am standing at the door, knocking. If one of you hears Me
calling and opens the door, I will come in to share his meal, side by
side with him. Those who prove victorious I will allow to share My
throne, just as I was victorious Myself, and took my place with my
Father on His throne.' There are many scriptures in the bible where
Jesus mentions what it takes to be a disciple of His, Read Them! Jesus
has white robes that have been washed in His precious life giving blood
for us to put on, but first we need to purify ourselves from sin so
that we don't stain the white robes. We need to overcome the flesh and
let Jesus circumcise our flesh of all that is corupt. Then we can go to
the Father as a child, immature spiritually and ready to be taught and
receive spiritual things that will make us grow to mature spiritual
adults and become one with God. Don't die with sin, overcome by letting
Jesus show you the way. Don't enter heaven through the back door naked
and in shame. Pray hard, be patient and show Jesus how strong your
desire is and your willingness to want to overcome and please God.

May God Bless You All

About the Author:

I've been a glazier for about 29 years. I enjoy writing articles like
these. This web site was set up by the grace of God.
http://www.itrustgodonly.com You can also read or submit articles to
http://www.articlereleases.com

Mormon Messages: Why Mormons Build Temples

2009-03-21T11:39:00.001-07:00

Throughout history, the Lord has commanded His people to build temples. Temples are literally houses of the Lord. They are holy places of worship where individuals make sacred promises with God.

About Online Prayer Services

2009-03-11T09:36:00.000-07:00

It has been said that even a simple prayer can end a war and love can be more than "just a feeling" because of prayers. We'll that's exactly why we adore the art of praying so much. Plus, the fact that it's free to feel and think and thus, a prayer is free as one only needs these two to be able to communicate intimately and ask for help from God makes the task sound more important than anything else. After praying, one miraculously feels relieved -- relieved that someone is actually guiding him and that he's not facing his personal struggles alone.

We all need to remember to count our blessings, and we can do so by praying regularly – well, that is, reciting inspirational prayers. But remember that your inspirational prayer doesn't necessarily need to be as poetic as the prayers from Gospels and Psalms are, so as it can be heard by God. It can be your personal musings about love and life. Even a simple two-word 'thank you' will do.

Another prayer that's definitely close to our hearts is the communion prayer. Christ is our passover -- He was offered, and we share in him as his unique spiritual body. The supper is a covenant meal in which we remember his atonement while eating of the sacrificial Lamb symbolically.

But this space isn't enough to define the very essence of praying. To understand prayers more, you may want to drop by Biblegateway.com. This site is probably the biggest online christian services site on the internet, as it not only serves as a home to 100 versions of the bible (in 50 languages, mind you), but it also has a blog that organizes weekly reading and praying plans. Currently, they have a Lent reading plan that covers all four Gospels in 40 days.

By: Enelra Myers

www.onlineprayerservices.com/

Crystal Cathedral- PIPE ORGAN SOLO! Paul Jacobs

2009-03-05T05:42:00.000-08:00

2009-03-05T05:21:00.001-08:00

May the Lord keep you in His hand And never close His fist too tight.

– An Irish Blessing

Walking with God - Psalms 1

2009-03-04T04:00:00.000-08:00

A devotional thought addressing the blessed life of Psalms 1

Living the Proverbs 31 Life - Proverbs 31-16

2009-03-03T07:23:00.001-08:00

By Patricia Samuels

Proverbs 31:16 She considers a [new] field before she buys or accepts it [expanding prudently and not courting neglect of her present duties by assuming other duties]; with her savings [of time and strength] she plants fruitful vines in her vineyard.

The Proverbs 31 Woman is a good businesswoman and also a good steward of what God has given her. The operative word in this verse is "considers." She doesn't just run out and buy property on a whim. She "considers" a new field before buying it. Too many people go through life without thinking. Now, some of us, on the other hand, spend too much time thinking. Without yielding to the Holy Spirit, I would likely think myself right out of a blessing by over-analyzing it. Following the Holy Spirit's leading is key.

Remember, the whole Proverbs 31 passage is an illustration of godly wisdom. To have God's wisdom, you have to understand God and his Word. This understanding comes through relationship with God's spirit, the Holy Spirit. The more you yield to the Holy Spirit, the more you'll understand God. You will hear him say, "Buy," or "Don't buy." You will hear him say, "No, this will interfere with your present duties," or "Yes, this will work fine with what you're already doing." Your listening to the Holy Spirit will save you time and strength and cause your life to be fruitful, mentally, physically, and spiritually.

Again, don't feel that you have to take the text too literally. If you don't desire to purchase property or plant vineyards, you don't have to. Just know that you could if you wanted to. Of course, you do have to catch the spirit of the text, in that you take a moment to think (consider) before acting and never forget to rely on the wisdom of God.

Be blessed. I'll see you in the next article.

Min. Patricia D. Samuels, MA is the founder of Patricia Samuels Ministries, Inc., an international ministry focusing upon the upbuilding of the Body of Christ, especially women in the Body of Christ.

Patricia Samuels Ministries stands behind the belief that everyone can live a wonderful, victorious life if they follow the principles found in the Word of God. The ministry's motto is "Success...by The Book! Victorious Christian Living." Anyone tired of losing in life and/or anyone seeking new strategies to win in life will benefit greatly from this ministry!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Patricia_Samuels

Walk with God

2009-03-03T07:18:00.000-08:00

By: Wavethe Hugh

Christians say that Jesus is the only way to God because Jesus Himself said He was the only way to God. It is Jesus' claim, not our invention. No religion other than Christianity teaches salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, in the person and work of Christ alone.

Every person is separated from God by their sin and in need of forgiveness. Because God is just as well as loving, we cannot cross this gulf and have a relationship with Him
unless the penalty for our sin is paid--eternal death. If God did not judge our sin, He would no longer be just.

Fortunately, because of His love for us, God sent Jesus to die in our place to pay the death penalty we deserve for our sin. Jesus chose to do this because He loves us, and was the only one able to do this because He is fully God (He had to be infinite to pay the penalty for more than one person) and He is fully man (He had to be a sinless human to pay the penalty for a sinful human). We can receive forgiveness and eternal life only through Jesus because only He has taken away our sin and bridged the gulf between us and God. It took His death to pay the penalty for our sin.

Because of His love for us and His glory, God sent Jesus to die in the place of those who would come to believe in Him, thus paying the penalty for their sins. Jesus is the only source of salvation and forgiveness because only He has taken away sins and bridged the gulf between humans and God. It took His death to pay the penalty for our sins.

People must hear the gospel to be saved and God has a wonderful rescue mission of gathering His elect. We can be a big part of this rescue mission because He brings them to Himself through faith in the gospel, not apart from the gospel.

Let these truths motivate you to become involved in world missions. The world is perishing, and it needs to hear the gospel to be rescued. Go and tell them, or else get involved in supporting and praying for those who are going to tell them. We should either be a goer or a sender, but we should certainly not be indifferent.

Get focused on what God has placed in your heart, and reduce or eliminate distractions that comes to divert you away from your divine calling or destiny. Dr. Leonard Cheeseborough's books can assist you in your walk with God.

In Breaking Away From A Religious, Spirit Dr. Leonard Cheeseborough teaches you all about how religious spirits and how they can come into our lives and use people for satanic causes.

http://www.ridethewavesusa.com is designed to encourage the reader to totally depend on the Spirit of God when doing the work of an evangelist. The Ministry of Jesus Coloring Book is designed to introduce young Christian about Jesus' healing and deliverance Ministry from the book of Luke.

What is Faith?

2009-02-26T12:50:00.000-08:00

By Steven Coffman

Webster's dictionary says; Firm belief in something for which there is no proof. The bible says; "It is the confident assurance that what we hope for is going to happen. It is the evidence of things we cannot yet see." (Hebrews 11:1, NLT).

Christian faith is not based purely on evidence, but it is definitely supported by evidence. It was by faith that Noah built the Ark. It was by faith that Abraham left his home a moved to another land. It was by faith that Sarah had a child, even though she was old and barren. It was by faith that Moses challenged the Pharaoh and led his people to the Promised Land.

We all face disappointments and setbacks. Life is full of things that try to push us down. Maybe you got bad news concerning your health. Maybe a close relationship ended. Maybe you lost your job. Maybe your stock plummeted. These are what most consider major setbacks. When we are faced with major setbacks, many times we are so stunned by them we lose our enthusiasm for doing anything about it. But if we are going to truly receive God's best, we must bounce-back mentality. When you get knocked down, you never stay down. You get back up again. When the setbacks come you have to shake them off, knowing whatever the enemy meant for your harm God is going to turn around and use for your good.

"So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold..." (I Peter 1:6-7, NLT).

God wants His people to constantly increase, so they can live as an example of His goodness. But, in order to partake of everything He has in store, we have to open our hearts to what He wants to do in our lives. We need to mentally have a vision for increase. If you are not expecting favor, or if you just get satisfied with where you are, then you will truly live below your blessings that you could receive. But if you will have faith and a vision for increase, you will see opportunities, favor, and increase in your life.

Jesus once said to His disciples; "Have faith in God. I assure you that you that you can say to this mountain, 'May god lift you up and throw you into the sea,' and your command will be obeyed. All that's required is that you really believe and do not doubt in your heart. Listen to me! You can pray for anything, and if you believe, you will have it." (Mark 11:22-24, NLT).

When you truly believe and put God first, when you obey His commands, you open the door for His favor and you have the advantage for success! Even if you loose your job, God never closes one door without opening another! Even if someone may have wronged you and it looks like they have the upper hand, even if it looks like things are never going to change, you need to keep reminding yourself, "I have an advantage. God is the one that is truly in control of my destiny. Through my Christian faith in God, I know that He is fighting my battles for me!

Family-eStore will try to provide you with articles of interest to a Christian and patriotic way of life. The articles are written by Steven Coffman (Owner) of Family-eStore.com, (National Essay Contest) winner 1969.

I am a person with strong Christian and patriotic beliefs. Tenacity, faith, and a belief in God, Country and Family are key components to success in life.

The Christian articles are only intended to bring you closer in your relationship to our Father in heaven.

The Patriotic articles are only intended to show pride and patriotism to our "Land of the free and home of the brave", (The United States of America).

I hope that you enjoy and are enlightened by them.

We donate 10% all sales to charity.

Daily Devotional

2009-02-22T09:03:00.000-08:00

By Joey Papa

It is so important to remind ourselves daily of the truth of God. There is so much in this life that clouds our understanding and perception of God's love and kindness. Many Christians go throughout their daily life and never wrestle for the truth of God which produces freedom and spiritual understanding. Paul encourages believes to stir themselves up in the Spirit, to ask God for the spirit of wisdom and revelation and to make it our aim to know Him in the knowledge of His love. This is why it is so important to connect with a daily devotional.

When seeking out a daily devotional, look for something that will both encourage and challenge your faith. Just like you go to the gym to stretch your physical abilities and therefore increasing muscle tone and strength, in the same way your devotions need to challenge and stretch you. Don't just settle for a simple inspirational word, but find a devotional that will cause you to think, to contemplate and ultimately pray.

A daily devotional should be used as a spring board into your prayer and bible study, not a substitute. The only way to actually grow in the truth and spirit of God is to seek Him out of a place of hunger and thirst. Jesus said multiple times that those who continue to seek the Father, will find him; those who hunger and thirst for righteousness will be filled. It's in that place of secrecy and intimacy where our hearts connect with His and we are fulfilled.

If you're looking for a great daily devotional that will encourage, challenge and inspire your faith check out http://www.contemplativedialogue.blogspot.com This blog has a daily post that is intended to spur believers on in their pursuit of the Holy.

Joey Papa is a full-time freelance writer in Tampa, FL with a passion to encourage the body of Christ. Check out his daily devotional blog at http://www.contemplativedialogue.blogspot.com

How to Fight the Good Fight of Faith

2009-02-20T09:23:00.001-08:00

By Raymond Edeh

Spirituality is profitable in all things you do as a child of God. It means you cannot have the good and profitable things of life without being spiritually well. You are not permitted to lack any good thing if you are truly a child of God. Faith is the master key to a world of victory.

Until you miss the word with faith the word remains impotent - it can't produce the desired result. You need to present your case before God - you need to pray. Ask God to prove his word in your life. In addition, you have to face the situation and address it squarely. Speak to the issue. Why must you speak to the issue? God has heard you because you have prayed but the issue has not heard you. You need to pray to God but you also need to speak to the issue.

It is the seal of faith that ushers you into the spiritual realm of miracles, signs and wonders. It is the seal of faith that releases a destiny that has been tied down by the devil. The fight of faith is the only way you can recover all things that you have lost.

God, your father, has provided everything you need as a child of God but you need to fight for them in order to take delivery of them. This sounds like a paradox yet it is true. You need faith to stop the opposition and gain access to your possession. So, without faith you have no future. The fight of faith is the only guarantee to possessing your possession. You will not gain access to your assets in divine redemption if you don't engage the weapon of faith.

Every child of God is entitled to the inheritance of the Father but you, a child of God, need faith in order to lay hold on the inheritance. Faith is a living force drawn from the living word of God to produce living proofs. Faith is a spiritual force; it is not a psychological or philosophical force.

Faith comes from the word of God. So, you have to study the word so that when the enemy comes you will show him the word and he will not stand the authority of the word of God.

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Communicating With God - Desperately Wanting to Hear God's Voice

2009-02-20T08:19:00.000-08:00

By Robert Pedersen

There's something that we all tend to experience in our search for God - and that is a desperation to hear God's voice. I felt the same way for a while. When I finally gave up and stopped all religious activities I was still desperate to hear God's voice.

During that time a friend told me that communicating with God is not the same for everyone. Some people actually hear an audible voice and some it's more like thoughts coming into their mind. I wanted to hear the audible voice - and I think most people want that. However - that may not be the way that God communicates with you.

As it turns out that's not the way God communicates with me. Instead, I receive these inspirations - a flood of thoughts - it really is quite amazing - and I don't have to wonder if it's God because they're thoughts I've never had and couldn't conjure up if I wanted to!

This method is so amazing because you can get a lot in a short amount of time! A audible conversation would take so much longer!

The reason I'm telling you this is - God may communicate with you in a way that's different than you're wanting or expecting. Don't create limits with your expectations - difficult I know, but doable.

The other thing is that when we're desperately wanting something we somehow push it away. It's like asking without faith. Jesus said to ask believing - if you really believe you will receive the thing you ask for - you won't worry about it, doubt or wonder when it's going to show up. You will have this quiet confidence that it will be arriving shortly and rest in that faith.

We also convince ourselves that communicating with God is difficult and that we're going to have to do some special stuff to accomplish that.

Scripture teaches that we are created in God's image. What that now means to me after a lot of thoughtful meditation is this - You and I are individual manifestations of God. We are not all of God but we are an aspect of God. God Stuff if you will. Therefore we are actually one with God - which is what Jesus prayed we would be in John 17. The fulfillment of Jesus's prayer is each individuals realization of their own oneness with God. It's not some change that occurs at some point in time. It is what we are NOW - mostly we're just unaware of this fact.

This probably sounds a little far out especially if you are a fundamental type Christian. I'm just offering it to you and I'd ask you to sit quietly with these thoughts for a while and just meditate on them. Notice how you feel in your body. Notice the thoughts that come up. There could be a lot of stuff - just notice it and find out if it's coming from fear or faith.

If it's of fear you can safely discard it - There's nothing to fear. Jesus was very clear on that - "Fear not little flock for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom" Yet fear is what most "Christianity" uses to keep us doing the stuff we're supposed to do.

What all this means is that it is impossible to be disconnected from God. We may be unaware of our connection - and it's easy to get there. But it's not that hard to get back either - once you realize who you really are.

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