Faith And Patience Required

Heb. 6:12 "...Be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises."

To have patience means to have fortitude, strength, courage and staying power. Patience is the ability to stay focused over a long haul, not being discouraged just because there is a time of discomfort to our flesh and soul.

The Message Bible says: "Don't drag your feet. Be like those who stay the course with committed faith and then get everything promised to them."

Have absolute trust and confidence in God's power to perform His promises and practice patient endurance, waiting in faith for the fulfillment of the Word in your life. That is how all the heroes of the faith inherited the things God had promised to them.

Consider Moses, Joshua, David, Daniel, and the other prophets. They went through a lot of struggles, but they didn't waver in their trust of God. They knew He would see them through and give them the reward of their patient service.

Friendship Wisdom

Proverbs says, "A mirror reflects a man's face, but what he is really like is shown by the kind of friends he chooses."

The simple but true fact of life is that you become like those with whom you closely associate - for good or bad. Tell me who your best friends are, and I will tell you who you are. If you run with wolves, you will learn how to howl. But, if you associate with eagles, you will learn how to soar to great heights.

Think about it; almost all of our sorrows spring out of the relationships with the wrong people. The less you associate with some people, the more your life will improve. Any time you tolerate mediocrity in others it increases your mediocrity.

A true Bulgarian proverb confirms, "If you find yourself taking two steps forward and one step backwards, invariably it's because you have mixed associations in your life."

If a loafer isn't a nuisance to you, it's a sign that you are somewhat of a loafer yourself. I have discovered that an important attribute in successful people is their impatience with negative thinking and negative acting people.

A true friend is one who is there to care. They remain your friend even if you don't deserve to have a friend. They will see you through when others think you're through.

If you were to list your greatest benefits, resources or strengths, you would find that money is one of the least important ones while some of your greatest resources are the people you know. A true friend sees beyond you to what you can be.

Invest in good relationships. The way to make a true friend is to be one. Your wealth is where your friends are. Consider what Francesco Guicciardini said: "Since there is nothing so well worth having as friends, never lose a chance to make the right ones."

As you grow, your associates will change. Some of your friends will not want you to go on. They will want you to stay where they are. Friends that don't help you climb, will want you to crawl. Your friends will stretch your vision or choke your dream. Those that don't increase you, will eventually decrease you.

Consider this: never receive counsel from unproductive people. Never discuss your problems with someone incapable of contributing to the solution, because those who never succeed themselves are always first to tell you how. Not everyone has a right to speak into your life.

Don't follow anyone who's not going anywhere. With some people you spend an evening: with others you invest it. Be careful where you stop to inquire for directions along the road of life.

Wise is the person who fortifies his life with the right friendships.

Imagine If

2 Corinthians 4:18 - While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

You were created for creativity. Your eyes look for opportunity, your ears listen for direction, your mind requires a challenge and your heart longs for God's way.

Make a daily demand on your creativity. Everything great started as somebody's daydream. All people of action are first dreamers.

The wonder of imagination is this: it has the power to light its own fire. Ability is a flame—creativity is a fire. Originality sees things with fresh vision.

First Corinthians 2:16 says, "We have the mind of Christ." Don't you know we've been given a part of His creativity too?

A genius is someone who shoots at a target no one else sees and hits it. "We are told never to cross a bridge till we come to it, but this world is owned by people who have 'crossed bridges' in their imagination far ahead of the crowd".

Many times we act, or fail to act, not because of will but because of imagination. Your dreams are an indicator of your potential greatness, and you will know it's a God-given idea because it will always come to you with the force of a revelation.

Other people may be smarter, better educated or more experienced than you, but no single person has a corner on dreams, desire or ambition.

The Bible says, "Where there is no vision the people perish" (Prov. 29:18). Not being a person of imagination causes your life to be less than it was intended to be.

A dream is one of the most exciting things there is. Your heart has eyes, which the brain knows nothing of. You are more than an empty bottle to be filled. You are a candle to be lit.

Light the fire of your imagination.

We Are Called To Stand Out, Not Blend In

A majority, many times, is a group of highly motivated snails. If a thousand people say something foolish, it's still foolish. Truth is never dependent upon consensus of opinion.

In 1 Peter 2:0, the Bible says of us Christians, ...ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.. Romans 12:2 exhorts us, And be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

One of the greatest compliments that anybody can give you is to say that you are different. We Christians live in this world, but we are aliens. We should talk differently, act differently, and perform differently. We are called to stand out.

There should be something different about you. If you don't stand out in a group, if there is not something unique or different in your life, you should re-evaluate yourself.

One way to stand head and shoulders above the crowd is to choose to do regular, ordinary things in an extraordinary and supernatural way with great enthusiasm. God has always done some of His very best work through remnants, when the circumstances appear to be stacked against them. In fact, in every battle described in the Bible, God was always on the side of the "underdog," the minority.

Majority rule is not always right. It is usually those people who don't have dreams or visions of their own who want to take a vote. People in groups tend to agree on courses of action that they as individuals know are not right.

Don't be persuaded or dissuaded by group opinion. It doesn't make any difference whether anyone else believes, you must believe. Never take direction from a crowd for your personal life. And never choose to quit just because somebody else disagrees with you.

In fact, the two worst things you can say to yourself when you get an idea are: 1) "That has never been done before," and 2) "That has been done before." Just because somebody else has gone a particular way and not succeeded does not mean that you too will fail.

Many are called but few are chosen to STAND OUT!!!

As Your Soul Prospers

"Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospers" (3 John 1:2).

Once you begin to believe it's God's will to prosper you, you can't help but wonder how He's going to do it. Is He going to put a check in the mail? Or start floating twenty dollar bills down from the trees?

No. He's going to do it by prospering your soul. He's going to plant the seeds of prosperity in your mind, will, and emotions, and as they grow, they'll produce a great financial harvest.

Go to the book of Genesis and read the story of Joseph. It's a perfect demonstration of what I'm talking about. When Joseph was sold as a slave to the Egyptians, he didn't have a dime to his name. He didn't even have his freedom. He'd been sold as a slave. But, right in the middle of his slavery, God gave Joseph such wisdom and ability that he made his owner prosper. As a result, the man put Joseph in charge of all his possessions.

Later, Joseph was put in prison. There's really not much opportunity for advancement in prison, is there? But God gave him insight that no other man in Egypt had. That insight landed him a position on Pharaoh's staff. Not as a slave but as the most honored man in the entire country next to Pharaoh himself.

He rode along in a chariot and people literally bowed down before him. During a worldwide famine, Joseph was in charge of all the food. Now that's prosperity!

How did God accomplish all that? By prospering Joseph's soul. No matter how dismal his situation became, no matter how impossible his problems, God was able to reveal the spiritual secrets that would open the door of success for him.

That's what makes God's method of prospering so exciting. It works anywhere and everywhere. It will work in the best of times as well as the worst of times. And you can be sure that it will work for you!

Live the Love Life



"But who so keeps his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. He that saith he abides in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked" (1 John 2:5-6).

There is nothing - absolutely nothing - that is more important than learning to love. In fact, how accurately you perfect the love walk will determine how much of the perfect will of God you accomplish.

That's because every other spiritual force derives its action from love. For example, the Bible teaches us that faith works by love. And answered prayer is almost an impossibility when a believer steps outside of love and refuses to forgive or is in strife with his brother.

Without love, your giving will not work. Tongues and prophecy will not work. Faith fails and knowledge is unfruitful. All the truths that you have learned from God's Word work by love. They will profit you nothing unless you live the love of God.

First Corinthians 13:4-8 paints a perfect picture of how love behaves. It's patient and kind. It's not jealous or proud. It doesn't behave rudely or selfishly and it isn't touchy. Love "bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things."

Sounds like a tall order, doesn't it? But don't despair. You are a love creature. God has re-created your spirit in the image of love. And He has sent His love Spirit to live in you and teach you how to love as He loves. You can live the love life. Begin today.

Transformed





Probably you have tried to change before and you were disappointed. That was REFORMATION; but now you have been changed. This is TRANSFORMATION.

The Bible distinguishes between changing and being changed. "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord."

You have changed because you have been changed. You are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works. "It is God Himself, that has made us what we are and given us new lives from Christ Jesus; and long ages ago He planned that we should spend these lives in helping others" (Eph. 2:10 TLB).

Being "born again" has become a popular phrase. You have heard it used many times. You have heard of it happening to others...now it has happened to you. This phrase "born again" was first pronounced by our Lord Himself. He said, "Ye must be born again" (John 3:7).

It is the only time the Lord Jesus used the imperative MUST. He didn't say you must be baptized, you must turn over a new leaf, or you must join a church. He said only..."You must be born again."

This is where life begins! You will turn over a new leaf, you will want to be baptized in water, and you will want to join a church and be in fellowship, but it begins with the new birth.

After the new birth comes GROWTH. "As new born babes, desire the sincere milk of the Word that may grow thereby" (1 Peter 2:3).

The Living Bible says, "Long to grow up unto the fullness of your salvation: cry for this as a baby cries for his milk." We grow by receiving the Word of God.

"But if anyone keeps looking steadily into God's law for free men he will not only remember it but he will do what is says, and God will greatly bless him in everything he does" (James 1:25 TLB).

The Law of Life


"For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death" (Rom. 8:2 KJV).

Have you ever heard the saying, "Everything happens for a reason"? Well, yes, that's true, everything does happen for a reason, but let me put it to you another way. Everything happens because of spiritual laws. So understand this: spiritual laws - which are the law of life and the law of death, govern everything in the earth.

The question is which law are you operating under? Is it life or death?

You see, functioning under the law of life is to follow Jesus and act on the Word of God. This releases His power through your faith in His word. In other words, your faith is released by speaking His Word and then acting on His Word.

On the contrary, operating under the law of death is to follow the flesh and function in sin. This gives Satan access to do everything he can to steal from you, kill, and destroy you.

Unfortunately, most of us are more developed in functioning under the law of death. It's easier for us to believe the death side rather than the life side. The reason for that is because of what we've been hearing all of these years. And until we have learned better, we have been talking it, speaking it, and acting like it was the way to live.

That's why we have to spend time in the Word of God and develop our faith in God's Word every day. God's Word will help you rebuke the devil and get rid of that fear. God has redeemed you from the curse of the law; so you don't have to be in slavery to fear anymore.

Now make a decision to never allow fear to dominate your life. Know that you are the redeemed of the Lord. So let the redeemed of the Lord say so. You are redeemed from the law of sin and death. You are redeemed from the hand of the enemy. You are redeemed and God has made you His son or His daughter.

So speak it out every day. Tell fear to go. It has no place in your life. Say, "I will not fear any man. I will not fear any situation, for I am a son or a daughter of God. God is with me always, in every situation and in every circumstance. I know it will be all right because the anointed One, Jesus Christ, is on my side."

Genesis 3:9 And the Lord called unto Adam, and said unto him Where art thou?
Where Are You?

It is a question asked in Genesis 3:9. Adam and Eve had just eaten some fruit from the forbidden tree and, sensing God's presence in the Garden of Eden, they hid among the trees. While they were hiding, God asked Adam a one-word question. In Hebrew that word is Ayeka? In English it means,

"Where are you?"

Where are you? It is what we ask our children when they knock over the living room lamp and hide behind the sofa with their foot sticking out. Where ARE you? Today God has allowed me the opportunity to reveal a Rhema Word Ayeka (Where Are You), Some Spiritual Principals and most importantly our faith in God to help us transcend adversity and help us answer the call of AYEKA

“Knowing How To Move Beyond Your Current Location”

“I am Not Where I am Suppose To be, But Thank God I am Not Where I Use To Be”

I really had to look at this statement, and over he last two years, The More and more I studied this Biblically Based Human Philosophy, the more I understood how the enemy works and what God expects from us as disciples’ of Christ. Let me help you understand where God took me yesterday morning on my journey to work. I encourage you to help me paint a picture of this statement in your mind, so we can get a visual, and please acknowledge when you see what God has revealed to me. When ever I am not where I am suppose to be, whether it is a physical location, a spiritual place or a set of goals for me and/or my family. This statement defines immediately that I do know the location or the end result, I might even have knowledge of the remaining time left, before my arrival, but I do know where I am suppose to be. I may not know how to get there, I may have got lost along the way or I could have even purposely strayed of the path. What ever reason, we can come up with for not being there, the question is generated……..then “Where Are You” (Ayeka)

So back to my original, yet controversial commitment to revealing the philosophical tricks that the enemy has implemented in the church doctrine, disguised as terms and verbiage we utilize everyday in a biblically based manner.

“I am Not Where I am Suppose To be, But Thank God I am Not Where I Use To Be” ……..Then Where Are You

God did not need to ask Adam where he was, it was Adam who needed to be asked; and God does not need to ask each one of us Ayeka, it is we who need to be asked. Adam stammers and says, “I realized I was naked so I hid.” And God, ever the patient parent, says, “Who told you that you were naked?” And the man says, with no shame or irony: “The woman you put at my side! She gave me of the tree and I ate!” So God asks Eve, and she responds the same way: “The serpent duped me and I ate!”

And so God has their answer to Ayeka, where are you? Adam and Eve are in that place where they justify themselves by blaming others. They are in the place where they are too ashamed and angry at being caught to take responsibility. They are in the place where they simply hope the consequences of their act will magically go away. Thank goodness we are not like them! Thank goodness they are only primitive characters from a story while we are both sophisticated and real. Thank goodness that unlike Eve and Adam, we have good reasons for breaking our moral codes. Thank goodness that we are have nothing to hide, our excuses really do justify our behavior.

Ayeka asks us, not just Adam and Eve: Where are you in your life? Are you running? Ayeka? Are you in fear? In shame? Are you oblivious or just apathetic? Are you here today? Or are you hiding, like Adam and Eve. And it’s not just God who is asking.

Ayeka? Where are you? A woman asks her husband when he comes home with another’s scent on his body.

Ayeka? Where are you? A mother asks her teenager when he says he is doing fine in school when the counselor calls to say that no assignments are done and the grades are unacceptable.

Ayeka? Where are you? A child asks a parent who never has time to talk or play or go anywhere, who is busy with everyone else except her.

Ayeka? Where are you? A man asks someone at work who has been playing fast and loose with the accounts at the office, stealing to support his out of control lifestyle.

Our ability to move beyond our current location, regain our proper direction and restart our journey is all linked to The Word Of God. Before we began to justify our errors, short comings and mistakes with Biblically Based Human Philosophy, which we are warned against in

Colossians 2:8 “Beware least any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world and not after Christ”

Let us first receive This Question From God…Ayeka “Where Are You” Many of us have failed to utilize our Power to access The Power to continue on our journey without eating of Tree, and if we do eat of the tree, that we take responsibility of our actions, and accountability for the consequences. The directions we are instruction to follow are found in the word of God…Not in man, nor the Philosophy of man., not the doctrine of this world not the ingredients or principals that make up this world.

1Corinthians 2:5-6 “That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. (6) Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought”

The Prince Of this world has filled the Church with Adams. We are becoming a place of victims. Many of us fooled and armed to the teeth with reasons why what we did was simply not our fault. We are codependent. We are recovering phobic’s. We are disadvantaged psychologically, damaged societally, abused addictively. What we will all admit to is that actions ought to have consequences. What we will all not admit to is that our actions ought to have consequences.
The question, "Where are you?" is a question we sometimes need to ask ourselves. Many today do not know where they are spiritually
(2 Corinthians 13:5). The prodigal son did not seek to return home until "he came to himself.” (Luke 15:17) It was not particularly the pig pen that caused him to return, but his memories of his father's house. Upon self-examination and reflecting on how far he had fallen, he became aware of where he was.

The enemy has created a church like culture where it is unbelievably easy to evade responsibility for anything we do. It is not that there are no real victims in the church, You will experience pain, depression, set-backs, downfalls….but I know where I am, and where I am, The Word tells me. That weeping may endure for a night but joy cometh in the morning….Weapons may be formed…BUT THEY WILL NOT PROSPER The enemy has placed so many perpetrators within the body claiming to be victims that the real victims are lost……so today I ask where are you?

2Thessalonians
Consider the importance of asking the question, "Where art thou?" There are only four states in which folks in this life may live.
1. We may live in innocence--childhood, unaccountable to God’s law--(cf. Romans 7:9).
2. We may live dead in sin--accountable to God’s law and condemned--(cf. Ephesians 2:1-2).
3. We may be alive and well, faithful in Christ, enjoying the promise of everlasting life (cf. 2 Timothy 4:6-8).
4. We may be among those who have become unfaithful and are looking toward "certain fearful expectation of judgment, and a fierceness of fire which shall devour the adversaries." (Hebrews 10:27; cf. Acts 8:22-23; 2 Peter 2:20-22). "Where art thou?"

Is it God's will that all people be saved?





1 Tim. 2:3-4 "This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth".

2 Pet. 3:9 "The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance".

To begin with, the answer to the question "Is it God's will that all people be saved?" must be "Yes," because that it what the Bible says.

To begin with, are God's desires always accomplished? No, they are not. God's desire is that people do what is right and not sin: "To do righteousness and justice is desired by the Lord rather than sacrifice," (Prov. 21:3). But people still sin in spite of God's stated desire. God commands that all people repent (Acts 17:30); but not all do. Clearly, God's will is not always done.

In theology, when examining this issue of God's will and His allowance of sin, we distinguish between what is called God's perfect will and His permissive will. In His perfect will, He desires that all refrain from sin. But in His permissive will, He allows sin to exist. In this sense, He has two wills regarding sin. He desires that sin not exist because it is contrary to His nature, yet He wills that it does by making provision for it in His sovereign plan. This does not mean that God brought sin into existence. It means that He simply permitted it by allowing the fall. He then uses it, and other sins, for His glory and purpose. Please recall the account of Joseph's brothers who sinned by selling him into slavery and then lying to their father about it. After many years when the family was reunited, Joseph said, "And as for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive" (Gen. 50:20). God meant it for good? How could that be if God is only passively allowing things to occur? Here, Joseph states that God had a purpose in their sin. Though God does not want sin, He made provision for it in His divine plan.

God can desire all be saved, but not ordain that all are by making provision in His plan for their damnation: "The Lord has made everything for its own purpose, even the wicked for the day of evil," (Prov. 16:4). God is in absolute control. He can desire one thing (that people not sin), yet ordain another (plan that sin exist in the world). Likewise, God can desire that all be saved, yet not ordain that they are.

To some this would seem to be a contradiction. But ask yourself, Is it a contradiction when the judge says to a murderer, "You shall not murder!" but, according to the law, sentences him to death? No. Though the desire and action be different, there is no contradiction at all. The judge is under obligation to keep the Law. . . and so is God. He must remain true to His revealed Law which is a reflection of His divine character. After all, God is just and must punish sin.

Effective Prayer




The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. James 5:16b

In Christian theology, the word "righteous" has two applications. First, the believer is declared righteous by God because of the believer's faith (as Abraham was in Genesis 15:6). It is a legal standing, a positional perspective. Second, the believer is expected to live righteously—that is, live a holy life that reflects his righteous standing in God's sight. This is a practical perspective. Both perspectives—position and practice—have to be considered when it comes to prayer.

Peter tells us that "the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their prayers; but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil" (1 Peter 3:12). One must know God (have standing in His sight) in order to call out to Him, and the one who has standing must not regard sin in his heart: "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear" (Psalm 66:18). But if we have confessed our sins (been cleansed of "all unrighteousness," 1 John 1:9), the "effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much." We are encouraged to pray (Hebrews 4:16), but we must pray on God's terms.

In Search Of A Miracle



We always hear how big God is, so it would be easy to think that if God is big enough, He can convince all of us to give our hearts to Him - but that's not true. He doesn't force the gospel message on anyone. He can only draw people whose eyes and hearts are open and who want to know truth.

The Pharisees and Sadducees came to Jesus and tested him by asking him to show them a sign from heaven. He replied, When evening comes, you say, 'It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,' And in the morning, 'Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.' You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times. A wicked and adulterous generation looks for a miraculous sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah.(Matt. 16:4)

They were asking Him, "Come on - just show us a sign. If you show us a sign, then we can believe You're the Son of God." They were wanting Jesus to stoop to their level and show them a logical, tangible reason to believe He was the Son of God. He had been performing miracles all around them, but they didn't want to believe those - they wanted to see their own personal miracle.

Jesus wouldn't show the Pharisees and Sadducees a sign, because He knew the wickedness in their hearts. The only sign He was going to give them was the sign of Jonah, and they all knew the story about Jonah going into the city of Nineveh and warning the people of the destruction to come if they didn't repent from their evil ways. (See Jonah 1-3.)

Jesus didn't want to convince them logically that He was the Son of God, because He didn't want their faith to be based on a miracle. He wanted their eyes to be opened and the truth to be revealed to them.

The problem is the attitude in their question. They were acting like they wanted to know Jesus only if He would show them a sign. That is how much of the world is. They will believe if they can see a sign. The very essence of that is a mocking attitude and spirit. In reality they were saying, "If You're so big and powerful, why don't You prove Yourself?"

Jesus was telling them, "With an attitude like that, you're not gonna get anything. Your eyes don't want to see. Your heart is not open to the things of God. You don't even want to know truth, so I'm not going to waste a miracle on that kind of attitude."Many people today say, "Well, if God would just show me some kind of sign, then I would believe." But if their belief in Him is based on a miracle, what are they going to believe when the excitement of the miracle is gone? Will it take another, even more amazing miracle to hold their belief?

We've got to make sure we're not looking for another sign or another reason to believe in Jesus. We must base our faith and our life on knowing that Jesus is real. Our eyes have been opened and we can see Him for who He is. If we never see another miracle for the rest of our life, we know that Jesus is alive, because He's changed our life.

GOD'S WILL FOR YOU

"Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:16

One of the most-asked questions I've heard from Christians through the years is "How can I know God's will for me?". God's answer is simple and powerful!

1. First, always be joyful. Remember who you are in Christ. Remember your eternal hope in Christ. Christians have THE REASON to be joyful. Enjoy every day God gives you and each new opportunity to enjoy Him. God gives us Joy rather than happiness. Happiness comes and goes with circumstances and moods. Joy lasts forever. Joys outlives circumstances and moods. We have the Joy of the Lord in our hearts because Christ is in us and we are in Christ. No circumstance or mood can change that.

2. Second, pray continually. That's possible because Christ is in us and we are in Christ. God is always with us. We don't have to wait until a certain time of the day to pray. He's always in us. We don't have to wait until we're in a certain place. He's always in us. We don't have to wait for others to pray. He's always in us. Christians can live a life of prayer because we are in Christ and Christ is in us. That's a permanent prayerful relationship. Always be in an attitude of prayer and dependence on God. Trust Him for everything. He's your Father. He loves to give good things to His children. And He does!

3. Third, give thanks in all circumstances. Be glad for what God's given you. See the good in what God does for you. Know that God cares for you with all His Heart and watches out for you every moment of your life. He gives you so much and wants you to be thankful. Understanding Christ in you and you in Christ is to be thankful forever!

When we live our lives in this way, God can easily and clearly point us to other areas of His will for our lives. The difficult decisions about what to do, where to go, who to marry, etc., will become clear as we understand what it means for Christ to be "in" us and us to be "in" Christ. The Will of God lives in us and guides us. Ours is to listen, obey and enjoy.

May I do Thy will always!"

The Most Unprofitable Item

The most unprofitable item ever manufactured is an excuse.

When it comes to excuses, the world is full of great inventors. Some spend half their lives telling what they are going to do, and the other half explaining why they didn't do it.

An alibi is the proof that you did do what you didn't do, so that others will think you didn't do what you did.

You can fail many times but not be a failure until you begin to blame someone else. Our own mistakes fail in their mission of helping us when we blame them on other people. When you use excuses you give up your power to change.

You treat others right when you don't blame them for anything that is really wrong with you. "Never mind whom you praise, but be careful whom you blame" (Edmond Gosse). You can fall down many times, but you won't be a failure until you say that someone else pushed you.

If you can find an excuse, don't use it. Most failures are experts at making excuses. There are always enough excuses available if you are weak enough to use them. The world simply does not have enough crutches for all the lame excuses. It's always easier to find excuses instead of time for the things we don't want to do.

So, find a way, not an excuse. There is no excuse for a human being full of excuses. One who makes a mistake, and then makes an excuse for it, is making two mistakes.

Never complain and never explain. "Admitting errors clears the score and proves you wiser than before" (Arthur Guiterman). Doing a job right is always easier than fabricating an alibi for why you didn't.

The devil eagerly waits to provide you with an excuse for every sin. Time wasted thinking up excuses and alibis would always be better spent praying, planning, preparing and working toward your goals in life

Overcoming Temptation

Realize Temptation Is From Satan... and that temptation is a tool of satan to destroy your relationship with God.

Realize That Temptation Is Not Sin... and that satan wants to discourage you into thinking you are a weak Christian because you constantly have to battle temptation. Temptation is not Sin. Sin only comes after we yield to temptation.

"But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death." James 1:14-15 (NKJV)

Crucify The Affections and Lusts Of The Flesh... We live in a very permissive society where we are continually bombarded with advertisements and philosophies that promote sensual pleasures. Our natural God given "desires" are being trained to seek that which will feel good regardless of the price. The more we feed our "uncontrolled desires" the more we want. A crucifixion of our flesh is to bring those Godly desires under control...to use them as God ordained them to be used.

"And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit."
Galatians 5:24-25 (NKJV)
Submit To God and Resist The Devil... The spiritual battle with temptation is much greater than a human can overcome alone. You need help and God is available when we totally surrender our lives to His control. Note the process... first, surrender to God. Get God's power on your side, then...resist the devil (reject his proposals). When you and God become partners there is a power that satan cannot defeat. When you surrender to God and then resist the devil, the devil has no other option than to "flee from you".

"Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you." James 4:7 (NKJV)

Abide In God... The word "abide" means to remain steadfast. It means to continue in fellowship with God in the good times...not just when we need Him to help us overcome temptation. Building a relationship with God is a daily activity...and the more we know Him, the more we feel comfortable to call upon Him in total trust in the time of trouble. God wants to be our friend as well as our deliverer.

"Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God." 1 John 3:6-9 (NKJV)


Put On The Whole Armor Of God... (Ephesians 6:10-11)
"Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints;" Ephesians 6:10-18 (NKJV)

A good warrior never enters a battle without proper gear to protect himself. The Christian warrior never goes into battle with satan without the armor that God has provided for him or her.

God's armor includes....
1. truth
2. righteousness
3. gospel
4. faith
5. salvation
6. sword of the spirit

Temptation is an everyday experience to the Christian believer. God has provided a method and the power to overcome all temptation. We are more than overcomers through Him who loves us. Take God at His word and start enjoying the Christian life as He intended. Don't allow satan to steal your joy through temptation.

Choose To Obey

We make hundreds of choices everyday. To "choose" is to select freely after considering one's options. And "making a choice" is the act of choosing.

We Must Be Like Jesus

God has given us a free will to choose between good and evil. Isaiah, prophesying concerning the coming of Jesus, said, "Curds and honey He shall eat, that He may know to refuse the evil and choose the good" (Is. 7:15).

Jesus chose good over evil. And as His disciples, we must choose good over evil

We Must Choose To Obey and Worship God

The most important thing that we choose is whether to obey God.

God said, "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways" (Is. 55:8). We must choose between the sinful ways of the world and the righteous ways of God.

To Obey God, We Must Choose to Fear Him

We must choose to fear God, hence to respect and reverence Him. If we choose to reverence God, we will obey Him. If we choose not to reverence God, we will not obey Him.

David said, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" (Ps. 111:10). And Solomon said, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction" (Pr. 1:7). Unless we choose to fear God, we will never attain to true knowledge and wisdom.

Everyone chooses to either respect or disrespect God. Have you chosen to fear God and obey Him?

To Obey God, We Must Choose to be Humble

People who fear God, humble themselves and submit to His will (1 Pet. 5:5-6).
God alone is wise (Rom. 16:27); hence, a person desiring to become wise must submit to God and acknowledge Him in all their ways. We can't lean on our own understanding -- we must lean upon God (Pr. 3:5-8).

No man will obey God, if he is not humble. Have you chosen to be humble?

To Obey God, We Must Choose to Love Him

When Jesus was asked, which is the great commandment of the law, he said, "'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself'" (Matt. 22:37-39).

Paul tells us, "Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law" (Rom. 13:8).

Joh 14:21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me:

People who FEAR, HUMBLE themselves and LOVE God: OBEY GOD!!!

A New Year With The Lord

A new year is about to unfold
With new opportunities to explore
Doors will open for new experiences
New adventures with the Lord

Remember not the former things
The things of this past year
The Lord will do new things in us
Much more than we are aware

For He will make a way for us
As we put our trust in Him
And He will guide our every step
By His presence we have within

What God has placed within our hearts
We find we’ll be able to do
If we look for the opportunities
We’ll see the door to go through

We mustn’t let anything hold us back
But rise up and take our place
And be all that God wants us to be
With a fresh touch of His grace

© By M.S.Lowndes

The True Meaning of Christmas

C is for the Christ child who was born nearly 2,000 years ago in a manger in Bethlehem.

"And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS." Luke 1:31

H is for the HOPE that Jesus brings to all who believe in Him and trust Him with their salvation.

"By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God." Romans 5:2

I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11

R is for resurrection of Jesus Christ who was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, was both man and God, died on the cross for all of our sins, and then was raised from the dead (resurrected) and is now sitting at the right hand of God in heaven.

"For he hath made him [to be] sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." 2 Corinthians 5:21

I is for Israel who God chose to bring forth the promised saviour of the world.

"Of this man's seed hath God according to [his] promise raised unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus:" Acts 13:23

S is for the salvation that Jesus offers to all who are willing to confess their sin, believe in Him, and confess their belief in Jesus with their mouth.

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16

T is for the empty tomb on Easter morning.

" He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you." Matthew 28:6,7

M is for the mercy God has shown the world by sending His only Son to suffer for our sins and bridge the gap between man and God.

"Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." Hebrews 4:16

A is for our AWESOME GOD who loves us all unconditionally.

"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." John 15:13

S is for the shining light that Jesus brought to the world!

"Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life." John 8:12

The Truth About MARRIAGE





Marriage is a sacred covenant designed and blessed by God. In marriage, God joins two persons into one.

Gen 2:18 And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.
Gen 2:24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.

Originally, marriage (and family) was created by God to reflect His image in humanity. Because of humanity's fall into sin, marriage (and family) exists to magnify the worth,
excellence, and glory of God in restoring His image in humanity through the gospel of Jesus Christ. In short, human marriage exists to preach the gospel of God. God intends every human marriage to re-present the divine marriage of God to the new, redeemed humanity (the Church, Christ's bride) through the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Eph 5:22-25 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. (23) For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. (24) Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. (25) Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

When we decide to marry someone, most often we believe we have a love for that "someone special" and they have a love for us that will last for the rest of our lives. We believe that no matter what comes our way, we can overcome it as long as we're together. That's why we promise on our wedding day before God and all of our chosen witnesses "to love, honor, and cherish each other—forsaking all others—for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, 'til death do we part". It's our way of saying that we believe we have a love for each other that will never fail—no matter what! And that our bond as a couple who loves each other will only grow deeper as we spend the rest of our lives together as husband and wife. Every human being strongly desires, covets in others, and longs for unfailing love—lavish love—focused love—radical love—love we can count on"

"Our society confuses love and lust. Unlike lust, God's kind of love is directed outward toward others, not inward toward ourselves. It is utterly unselfish. This kind of love goes against our natural inclinations. It is possible to practice this love only if God helps us set aside our own desires and instincts, so that we can give love while expecting nothing in return. Thus the more we become like Christ, the more love we will show to others."

"The problem with love is that so many people don't have a clue what it is. Love is not a feeling; it's an attitude. Basing love on emotions, as the world does, has caused immeasurable pain to countless numbers of people. It's like building a sand castle on the beach. It might look solid, but when the high tide rolls in, the sand castle isn't strong enough to hold up, and it washes away... The world gives love a staggering amount of attention... Love is presented as something to be 'fallen into' and 'fallen out of.' There is no solution given for what to do when the emotion fails you and the warm fuzzies are gone-other than bailing out and starting over with someone else. You can recognize worldly love by how unpredictable it is. The Bible offers a different kind of love. This love says I am committed to act lovingly toward this person regardless of how I feel. You'll be able to recognize biblical love: it is patient, unselfish, and loyal. It doesn't keep score; it assumes the best motives. It gives without seeking in return; it always seeks to honor God, and it endures through thick, thin, and in-between. Feelings change. Feelings don't last, but biblical love is eternal."

The Wrestling Match - Wrestling Jacob








Gen 32:24-30 And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. (25) And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him. (26) And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me. (27) And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob. (28) And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed. (29) And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there. (30) And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.

In this story we have a pattern of how God works in the lives of His people. This encounter of Jacob’s describes in a nutshell the refining process of sanctification that God uses in the lives of His followers. We want God to focus on changing our circumstances and God wants to focus on changing us. We want God to fix the superficial outward issues and he wants to address our core. We are tempted to take the easy way out. But God isn’t. God’s chief concern is always personal. How often do we ask God to intervene in our circumstances when we should ask him to intervene in our lives? He is not so much interested in changing our circumstances as he is in changing us; and He will hobble us if He has to. He will give you that limp, that constant nagging reminder of Him when we need it. We convince ourselves, “The problem’s not me; it’s the circumstances that my life is dressed in.” How many times have we prayed, “God change my finances” when our prayer should be, “God make me more dependent on you.” How many times have we prayed, “God change my spouse” when our prayer should be “God, break my pride.” How many times have we prayed, “God give me victory there” where our prayer should be “God defeat me here. Break me. Re-orient my thinking about who I am until I become who you want me to be.” Because we don’t see our real need and God does, He hinders us to help us. He puts us through changes and challenges we would never choose on our own to mold us into the people he has destined us to be. Jacob was already saved, but that was just the beginning. God saved Jacob, but He has a dream of Israel. God saved you, but He has a dream of who you will be. And if He has to hurt you to make it happen, so be it.