"Set Goals For Your Life"

29, May 2017

"Set Goals For Your Life"

‘Write the vision and make it plain.’ Habakkuk 2:2 NKJV

Only when you’re clear about your personal goals, can you measure your personal growth.  Here are eight proven principles that will help you to establish the right goals for your life:

(1) Begin with prayer; otherwise the ladder you’re climbing may be leaning against the wrong wall.  ‘Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but … the Lord’s purpose … prevails’ (Proverbs 19:21 NIV).

(2) Think on paper. God told Habakkuk, ‘Write the vision and make it plain’.  Writing your goals down gives them a sense of permanency, plus it energizes you.

(3) Set deadlines. ‘The vision is yet for an appointed time' (Habakkuk 2:3 NKJV). Without a definite beginning and ending, it’s easy to procrastinate and get nowhere.

(4) List the steps you need to take. Then keep the list before you at all times; it will show you the path to follow.

(5) Prioritize the steps in order of importance.  What do you need to do first? What can you do later?  An organized plan is always better than trying to carry stuff around in your head.

(6) Take action—now.  ‘Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity' (Ephesians 5:15–16 NIV).  A mediocre plan that’s implemented always beats a brilliant plan that isn’t.

(7) Do something each day to move you forward.  For example, read systematically through the Bible in a year … call a specific number of clients every week … engage in physical activity every day.

(8) Have goals you’re willing to devote your life to. The psalmist said, ‘Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom’ (Psalm 90:12 NIV)

"Write It Down—Then Tear It Up"!

28, May 2017

"Write It Down—Then Tear It Up"!

‘Forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead.’ Philippians 3:13 NKJV

There will always be people who speak ill of you.  ‘She’ll never amount to anything … His parents were nothing, his grandparents were nothing, and he’s going to be nothing too’!  The question is:  who are you going to believe, God or your critics?

According to Scripture: ‘ Anyone … in Christ … is a new creation; old things have passed away … all things have become new’ (2 Corinthians 5:17 NKJV). God says that by His grace you’re going to prove your critics wrong, so stop listening to their negative predictions.  Stop believing the family members, schoolteachers, employers, and so-called ‘friends’ who try to put you down. Turn a deaf ear to racism and sexism.

Jesus said, ‘You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free' (John 8:32 NIV). Renew your mind daily with the truth of God’s Word (see Romans 12:1–2).  You may have been abused, misused, rejected, and neglected, but it’s time to forget those things that are behind and start reaching forward.  When God speaks a word over your life, as far as He’s concerned it has already been accomplished; it’s ‘a done deal'!  Now it’s your job to believe it, speak it, and walk in the reality of it each day. When someone says something that leaves a scar on your heart and mind, do this:

(1) Write it down on a piece of paper.

(2) Ask God to help you forgive them and to erase the scar.

(3) Tear up the paper, toss it into the trash, and ‘press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus' (Philippians 3:14 NKJV).

"Get The Mix Right"!

27, May 2017

"Get The Mix Right"!

‘It was not mixed with faith.’ Hebrews 4:2 AMPC

In order for cement to become concrete, it must be mixed with sand and water.  If you don’t get the mix right, the cement will never become concrete.  And just as your body needs good nutrition each day, your soul needs to be fed on God’s Word.  But you can’t stop there.  You must act on what you hear and read.  Faith is acting like God is telling the truth!

If you don’t act on God’s Word, it won’t do you any good.  ‘The message they heard did not benefit them, because it was not mixed with faith (with the leaning of the entire personality on God in absolute trust and confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness) by those who heard it.’

To get the results God’s Word promises, note what you must ‘mix’ in:  ‘confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness'.   Why do you go to church and sit down in a pew? Because you are confident that the pew will hold you up. The reverse is also true. You may say you believe the pew can hold you up, but if you never sit down on it, you’re not exercising faith—because you’re not acting on what you say you believe. What does it mean to ‘act’ in faith?

(1) To agree with God’s Word and refuse to say anything that contradicts it.

(2) To wait patiently, allowing God to fulfill His Word in His own way and on His own schedule.  ‘Faith is the substance of things hoped for' (Hebrews 11:1 KJV).   Note the word ‘substance’.  Your faith must be based on something substantial.  And that ‘something’ is the tried, proven, unfailing truth of God’s Word.

"Shout It From The Rooftops"!

25, May 2017

"Shout It From The Rooftops"!

‘Let the redeemed of the Lord say so.’ Psalm 107:2 NKJV

No matter how badly you have failed, God will give you another chance.

After Jonah had disobeyed God, spent three days in the belly of a whale, and been regurgitated on the shore close to where he started, the Bible says, ‘The word of the Lord came unto Jonah the second time’ (Jonah 3:1 KJV).  King David’s sins were front-page tabloid material. Yet God restored him, and he wrote: ‘He … brought me up out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay … set my feet upon a rock, and established my steps. He has put a new song in my mouth—praise to our God; many will see it and fear, and will trust in the Lord’ (Psalm 40:2–3 NKJV).

When God restores you, it doesn’t matter who’s fighting against you. When He raises you up, no one can keep you down.  If God has redeemed you—say so.  Nobody else can tell your story.  Nobody else knows what God has done for you. Nobody else knows how far you’ve come. Nobody else knows what you’ve been through. But you do—you know it was only by God’s grace that you survived.

So don’t allow the devil to steal your testimony.  It may have taken you longer than everybody else, but God has given you the victory. The devil would love to silence you.  Why? Because when you tell people what God has done for you, someone else will be set free. The Bible says, ‘Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy’..   So the word for you today is:  shout it from the rooftops!

"Spend Time Alone With God"

24, May 2017

"Spend Time Alone With God"

‘Be still, and know that I am God!’ Psalm 46:10 NLT

God can speak to you anytime, anywhere, through anybody, by dropping a thought into your mind (see 1 Corinthians 2:16).  But because that thought can be crowded out by busyness, He says, ‘Be still, and know that I am God.’

In stillness you can hear God more clearly. ‘Jesus used many … illustrations to teach the people as much as they could understand … but afterward, when He was alone with his disciples, He explained everything to them' (Mark 4:33–34 NLT). Alone with God—that’s the key.

In High Call, High Privilege, Gail MacDonald writes:  ‘Today there’s a strange logic that spiritual resource and renewal are found in constantly seeking new voices, attending more meetings … to exchange half-thought-out opinions … We fall into the trap of believing God is most pleased when we’ve maximized our information, our schedules, and our relationships.  Disengagement means silence before God … a time of heavenly discussion during which we listen more than we speak.  And silence demands solitude'.  In waiting quietly before God, your spiritual ear is trained to know His voice.

Sylvia Gunter writes: ‘I understand why David had to command his soul to be still … Being quiet is difficult … almost impossible for some of us.  But I’ve discovered that my soul and spirit have been starving for stillness for a long time, and now that I’ve given my soul a taste of stillness again it will not be satisfied unless it’s a regular part of my day'.

"How Change Happens" (Part #5)

23, May 2017

"How Change Happens" (Part #5)

‘And he was limping because of his hip.’ Genesis 32:31 NIV

The Bible says, ‘The sun rose above [Jacob] as he passed Peniel, and he was limping because of his hip'.  That’s significant, because the thigh muscle is one of the most powerful muscles in the human body. In order to get Jacob’s attention, God touched him at a point of strength.

Once our attitude becomes, ‘This is what I’m really good at; this is where I’m really strong' ... God may have to touch that very thing to get our attention. Jacob’s limp served as a lifelong reminder that he was no longer to trust in his own power, but in the power of God.  He was no longer to live in his own strength, but in God’s strength. And in so doing he became a much stronger person.

Think about it:  every time Jacob got in a mess, his first response was to turn tail and run.  Sound like a familiar pattern?  Do you do that?  So God finally said, ‘I know how to take care of that—I’ll put a limp in his walk’! And for the rest of his life Jacob would have to stand and face his problems head-on, not in his own strength but in God’s strength. How about you?  What’s the one thing you’d most like to change about your life?  Do you want God to help you?  He will—in His own way.  He will use the process of crisis, commitment, confession and cooperation. And when God does the changing, it will be permanent. You won’t have to worry about willpower and sticking with it because you’ll be cooperating with God, relaxing and trusting in Him alone. 

"How Change Happens" (Part #4)

22, May 2017

"How Change Happens" (Part #4)

‘Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, “It is because I saw God face to face.”’ Genesis 32:30 NIV

Change happens through cooperation.  God started changing Jacob the moment he admitted who he was and began to cooperate with His plan.  Jacob named the place where he wrestled with the angel ‘Peniel’, meaning ‘the face of God’.  Each of us must eventually come face to face with God, and when we do He can change us.

In essence God told Jacob, ‘Now we can get down to business.  Cooperate, and trust Me.  I’ll make the changes you want, and I’ll bless you'.  Notice: God didn’t say, ‘Try hard and use your willpower to become perfect’. That doesn’t work, and God knows it. Willpower alone doesn’t bring lasting change in our lives. It just deals with the outward circumstances.  Internal motivation brings about lasting change, and that’s what God works on.  He told Jacob, ‘Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel’ (Genesis 32:28 NIV).

Jacob would never be the same. Once you have a personal encounter with the living God, He changes you. He changed Jacob from a ‘cheater’ to a ‘prince’.

God saw his potential. He looked beyond the tough exterior of a guy who portrayed himself as hardened and worldly-wise. God saw all Jacob’s weaknesses, but He also saw beneath the surface: ‘That’s not the real you, Jacob; you’re actually an Israel—a prince.’

And the same goes for each of us: ‘We are … heirs … and joint heirs with Christ … that we may … be glorified together’ (Romans 8:16–17 NKJV).  In the words of Paul: ‘He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ’ (Philippians 1:6 NIV).  

"How Change Happens" (Part #3)

21, May 2017

"How Change Happens" (Part #3)

‘The man asked him, “What is your name?” “Jacob,” he answered.’ Genesis 32:27 NIV

Change happens through confession. When he identified himself as ‘Jacob’, which means ‘deceiver’, Jacob was acknowledging his character flaws. This is an important part of God’s process for changing us, because we never change until we honestly face and admit our faults, sins, weaknesses, and mistakes. We need to say, ‘Lord, I have a problem, I’m in a mess and I admit I made it'.  Then God can go to work.

Have you ever noticed how easy it is to make excuses?  We become experts at blaming others and saying things like, ‘It’s not my fault, you know.  It’s the environment I was brought up in—my parents are to blame’.  Or, ‘The situation I’m in at work is because of my boss’.  Why do we act and talk this way?  Because it’s hard to admit our personal faults and failings, and it can be scary to ask for help.

Why do we need to confess our faults to God?  To let Him know what’s going on?  No: He already knows that!  When we tell God we’ve sinned, it is no surprise to Him; He knew our problems all along.  We confess to Him because He wants us to say, ‘You’re right, God; I have a problem.  I’ve blown it'.  It is humbling to admit our mistakes, but once we do, God gives us access to His power to help change us for the better.  And at that point we start to become the person we’ve always wanted to be.  

The truth is: God loves you just the way you are—but He loves you too much to leave you that way.

"How Change Happens" (Part #1)

19, May 2017

"How Change Happens" (Part #1)

‘We are changed into His glorious image.’ 2 Corinthians 3:18 NLT

Change happens through crisis. God changed Jacob’s name, which means ‘deceiver’, to Israel, which means ‘a prince with God’.  And He did it through crisis. Realizing he had to go home and face the wrath of his brother Esau, whom he’d mistreated, Jacob became desperate.  That night in his tent he wrestled with the angel of the Lord.  And the change in his life didn’t come quickly or easily, because we’re told he wrestled until daybreak.  But suddenly it dawned on Jacob that he was wrestling with God, and it was a fight he couldn’t win.

Likewise, God will let you wrestle with an issue you can’t resolve, to get your attention.  He’ll bring you to the place where you must concede, ‘I can’t handle this situation.  It’s too big for me. I need God’!  If that’s where you are today, you’re on the cusp of a breakthrough. If you’re asking God to make you comfortable in the mess you’re in, forget it—it’s not going to happen.

‘As an eagle stirs up its nest … so the Lord alone led him’ (Deuteronomy 32:11–12 NKJV).  A mother eagle withholds food from her children to persuade them to leave the nest and learn to fly.  Can you imagine what they’re thinking?  ‘It’s my mother doing this to me’!  And God will do the same to you.  He’ll allow a crisis in order to get your attention. He knows you won’t change until your fear of change is surpassed by the pain you’re experiencing.  Bottom line: ‘The Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like Him as we are changed into His glorious image’.

"The Qualities of a Spiritual Leader"

18, May 2017

"The Qualities of a Spiritual Leader"

‘Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor.’ 1 Timothy 5:17 NKJV

To be a spiritual leader worth following:

(1) You must be accountable to someone. Someone who knows you well enough to pray with you, strengthen you in your vulnerable areas, and counsel you on important decisions.  Authority without accountability inevitably leads to disaster.

(2) Your personal priorities must be in order. Priorities have a way of slipping. Too many of us become successful at the cost of a broken home and failing health.  Why? Because we allowed our priorities to slip.

(3) Your walk with God must be consistent. David said, ‘Your word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against You’ (Psalm 119:11  NAS).  A disciplined daily walk with God is your best protection against sin.  If instead of spending time with God you’re spending it on things that have become more important, it should alarm you.  Pay particular attention to the word ‘treasured’.  It means to value and protect something, and let nothing threaten it. Take time to pray and read your Bible every day—and guard that time with your life.

Give God your mind every morning when it’s fresh.  And if you’re a pastor, your first calling isn’t the building project, the board, or the budget, it is ‘feed My sheep' (John 21:16 KJV).   If Saturday finds you searching for a sermon outline on the internet, make some changes.  Delegate secondary things and get back to putting first things first.  ‘Seek out from among you … men … whom we may appoint over this business; but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and … ministry of the Word' (Acts 6:3–4 NKJV).

"God Is Your Unfailing Source"

17, May 2017

"God Is Your Unfailing Source"

‘The brook dried up.’ 1 Kings 17:7 NIV

The psalmist wrote, ‘Joyful are those …whose hope is in the Lord their God.’ (Psalm 146:5 NLT)

One author writes: ‘Sometimes when there’s not enough money to make ends meet, people tell us to budget and we chuckle. We look at the situation and say, “No way.” That’s the time to trust God. Your possibilities aren’t limited by past or present circumstances. If there’s not enough money to pay legitimate expenses, 'do deligent' to pay what you can and then let go and let God. Trust God to supply your need, then look beyond your wallet. Look to your source. Claim a divine, unlimited supply.  Do your part in managing your money. Strive for financial responsibility in thoughts and actions. Ask for wisdom, and listen to God’s leadings. Then let go of your fears and your need to control. We all know money is a necessary part of living—and so does God.’

FB Meyer said: ‘The education of our faith is incomplete till we learn that God’s providence works through loss … There’s a ministry provided to us through the failure and fading of things. The dwindling brook where Elijah sat is a picture of our lives! “Some time later the brook dried up” (1 Kings 17:7 NIV) is the history of our yesterdays and the prophecy of our tomorrows. We must learn the difference between trusting in the gift and trusting in the giver. The gift may last for a season, but the giver is eternal. If the Lord had led Elijah directly to the widow at Zarephath, he’d have missed something that helped make him a better man—living by faith. Whenever our earthly resources dry up, it’s so we may learn that our hope and health are in God'.

"How To Maintain Your Peace"

16, May 2017

"How To Maintain Your Peace"

‘Search for peace, and work to maintain it.’ Psalm 34:14 NLT

You can maintain a peaceful state of mind wherever you go and whatever you do. ‘How is that possible?’ you ask.  The Bible says, ‘Search for peace, and work to maintain it’. To enjoy a life of peace, you must first recognize what’s stealing your peace. Satan uses many of the same tactics on everyone; but we each have particular issues.

For example, one person may be disturbed by having to do two or three things at a time, while another may be energized by fielding several projects at once. We’re all different, and we must learn to know ourselves.  Satan studies you carefully and knows which buttons to push.

Joyce Meyer writes : ‘I can endure things better when I’m not tired … so [Satan] waits to attack when I am worn out.  Therefore, I have learned how to pursue peace by focusing on what Satan already knows about me ... now I try not to get overly tired because I know I’m opening a door for him when I do.  It will be virtually impossible to enjoy a life of peace if you don’t study yourself, and know what your “peace stealers” are.  Keep a list of each time you get upset.  Ask yourself what caused the problem, and write it down.  Be honest with yourself or you’ll never break free'.

In the middle of life’s storms you can be anchored by God’s peace.  But He won’t just drop it into your lap; you have a part to play. You must ‘seek, inquire for … crave peace and pursue (go after) it’ (Psalm 34:14 AMPC)!   So if you’ve lost your peace today—go after it and get it back.

"Today Share Your Faith With Someone"

15, May 2017

"Today Share Your Faith With Someone"

‘A woman of Samaria came to draw water.’ John 4:7 NKJV

One day Jesus met a woman who would come to draw water from a well.  After five marriages, her trust in men was zero—and her self-esteem was into the negative!  But after her encounter with Christ, she left the well radically changed.

When it comes to sharing our faith, we learn three important lessons from her story:

(1) Jesus sees the best in everybody.  ‘The Pharisees … complained, saying, “This Man receives sinners”’ (Luke 15:2 NKJV).  And when it came to the woman at the well, they were right. She’d been through five marriages and was the talk of the town because she was living with another man. Yet she was the first person to whom Jesus introduced Himself as the Messiah. Why didn’t He do that when He called His disciples?  Or performed His first miracle? Or interviewed Nicodemus? Because Jesus doesn’t measure you by your past or your pedigree—but by your potential.

(2) Jesus changes you, then He uses you to change others. This woman was the first person to share the gospel in Samaria, and ‘many … Samaritans … believed in Him because of the word of the woman’ (John 4:39 NKJV). Out of your brokenness, God can use you to make others whole.

(3) Jesus doesn’t need you to explain Him, just to introduce Him.  He speaks for Himself. The Bible says: ‘Many more believed because of His own word …They said to the woman, “Now we believe, not because of what you said, for we ourselves have heard Him and we know that this is indeed the Christ”’ (John 4:41–42 NKJV). Today share your faith with someone.

"A Praying Mother"

14, May 2017

"A Praying Mother"

‘Mary quietly treasured these things in her heart.’ Luke 2:19 TLB

Max Lucado writes:

‘Some things only a mum can do … like powdering a baby’s bottom with one hand while holding the phone with the other … Spending the day wiping noses, laundering socks, balancing a check book, and still mean it when she thanks God for her kids. Some things only a mum can fix … like the cabinet doors her husband couldn’t, and his bruised ego when he found out she could! Broken shoelaces … broken hearts after a break up with your sweetheart.

Some things only a mum can know … like how long it takes to drive from piano lessons to football practice … how many pizzas you need for a sleepover … the number of days left in a term. The rest of us can only wonder … “Mum, what was it like when that infant’s cry first filled the room? Or the day the school bus pulled to a stop, you placed a kiss on a five-year-old’s cheek, waved goodbye and then saw the tricycle—silent and still?  How did you feel?  Did you cry?  Did you smile?”  Were you like Mary who “quietly treasured all these things in her heart”?’

A mother who loves and prays for her children is a force to be reckoned with. One day when a preacher stopped by a house and asked to speak to the mother, her little boy said, ‘You can’t see her right now, she’s praying'.  That’s because Susanna Wesley spent one hour every day praying for each of her seventeen children.  Eventually two of them, John and Charles, were used by God to bring a spiritual awakening to Britain and America when they established the Methodist Church.  Such is the influence of a praying mother. 

The Truth About Marriage (Part #3)

13, May 2017

The Truth About Marriage (Part #3)

‘The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.’ Luke 6:38 NLT

The truth about the container:  One Sunday in service, when the offering plate was passed in church, a lady didn’t put anything in.  When she complained all the way home about how poor the service was, her little boy said, ‘Mum, that proves if you don’t put anything in, you won’t get anything out'.

Marriage is like an empty container—you get out what you put in. This truth frees you to make your relationship rich and rewarding by becoming a giver rather than a taker.  Some people think the container comes filled with romance, sexual fulfilment, and being served in the style to which they’ve become accustomed. They think they can take whatever they want from a never-ending supply—instant, low maintenance, satisfaction guaranteed!

Then one day they dip in and come up empty.  Shocked, disappointed, angry, despairing and hopeless, they conclude that their partner failed, fooled or forsook them. Why else would the container be empty? Then they go looking for a new container. The truth is, it’s your responsibility to make enough deposits every day to guarantee sufficient withdrawals for a rich relationship.

Jesus said, ‘The amount you give will determine the amount you get back'.   Ask yourself what you’d like to have in the container, and how much.  Then start depositing towards it.   J. Allan Petersen said:  ‘There’s no love in marriage; love is in people, and people put it into marriage. There’s no romance in marriage; people have to infuse it into their marriages.  A couple must form the habit of giving, loving, serving, praising—keeping the box full'.

"The Truth About Marriage" (Part #1)

11, May 2017

"The Truth About Marriage" (Part #1)

‘You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.’ John 8:32 NLT

The idea of ‘the perfect marriage’ misleads and disillusions us, preparing us to walk away when fantasy clashes with reality. And it always does!  Only when you accept the truth about frail, faltering, frustrating people—and you yourself are one—can you find lasting happiness in marriage.

So for the next few days let’s look at some of the most common misconceptions about marriage. The love bug: We think if we’re in the right place, at the right time, with the right person, love will ‘bite’ us and we’ll embark on a lifetime of bliss. The trouble is, when we are worn out from taking care of kids, jobs and mortgages, the love bug flies off.  In the daily grind of dishes, nappies, sicknesses and drudgery, something has to give.

So romance vacates center stage and reality takes over.  And because we confuse romance with true love, we mistakenly think love has moved out and we need to follow it.  The truth is, love doesn’t die because romance bows to reality.  If two people who fall in love are willing to stand together in love through the challenges of life, romance can blossom again stronger and more resilient than ever.  Romance may bring us together, but unselfish love keeps us together.

The Bible says:  ‘Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude.  It does not demand its own way.  It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged.  It … rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance' (1 Corinthians 13:4–7 NLT).

"Put Away The Measuring Stick"!

10, May 2017

"Put Away The Measuring Stick"!

‘If you, Lord, kept a record of sins … who could stand?’ Psalm 130:3 NIV

We live in a results-oriented society where we’re rewarded for our performance in school, in sports, and on the job.  But God doesn’t think like that.  His thoughts and ways are far above ours (see Isaiah 55:8–9).  He’s not impressed by empty duty. ‘Obedience is far better than sacrifice.  He is much more interested in your listening to Him’ (1 Samuel 15:22 TLB).

Feelings and emotions are powerful, but they’re seldom objective.  As a Christian and a flawed human being, when you base your self-worth on your performance, the enemy has a field day.  Satan is called ‘the accuser of our brethren’ (Revelation 12:10 KJV); he wants you to run a checklist of your failures and mistakes. That way he can torment you by reminding you of all the times you loss your temper, criticize others, fail to speak up for what’s right, or let a misconception go unchecked to make yourself look better. David said if the ‘Lord, kept a record of sin … who could stand? ’

Even the most disciplined believer has areas where he or she struggles and fails. It’s why we need God’s grace and forgiveness 24/7.  ‘He knows how weak we are’ (Psalm 103:14 NLT), and He is never surprised when, despite our best intentions, we fall short.

Reimar Schultze says:  ‘God doesn’t measure us by our performance, but by our love for Jesus.  Indeed, in the Kingdom of God our love for Jesus is our performance. Everything else is secondary.  Desire to be with Him, to abide in Him, to keep in fellowship with Him, to please Him, is what our Master longs for'.  So put away your measuring stick and be glad God’s not grading you based on your performance, but on Christ’s performance.

Humble Yourself

09, May 2017

Humble Yourself

‘I …  lifted my eyes to Heaven, and my understanding returned to me.’ Daniel 4:34 NKJV

God always responds in love to a humble heart, and He always rejects a proud one. One moment King Nebuchadnezzar was boasting about having built the world’s most advanced civilization. The next moment he’d lost his mind and was crawling on all fours, eating grass like an animal.

But when he repented, God restored him to his throne. He said: ‘I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to Heaven, and my understanding returned to me … Now I … praise … the King of Heaven, all of whose works are truth, and His ways justice.  And those who walk in pride He is able to put down’ (Daniel 4:34–37 NKJV).  To fall is bad enough; but to fall and not cry out for help, or refuse to repent of your sin, is worse than the fall itself.

Maybe you’re ashamed to let anyone know you’ve fallen. Is your public image so important that you’re willing to continue on in your pitiful state?  Are you so deceived that you refuse to acknowledge you need God?  Stop being so proud!  Isn’t that what caused you to fall in the first place?

Pride is dangerous because it forces you to languish needlessly in a helpless state for days—sometimes years. The truth is, if you’d asked for help sooner you could have gotten up and gone on with your life.  But the good news is—it’s not too late to repent and acknowledge your need of God.  When Nebuchadnezzar did that, his reason and understanding returned, and he was restored to his kingdom.  And the same can happen for you.

"Change Your Thinking, Change Your Life"

08, May 2017

"Change Your Thinking, Change Your Life"

‘Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.’ Romans 12:2 NKJV

Sometimes we try to excuse our negativity by saying, ‘It was just a thought, it didn’t mean anything'.  But it does!  A wrong thought left to roam around in your mind can take root and grow into what the Bible calls a ‘stronghold’ (see 2 Corinthians 10:4). And when a thought becomes that strong, it begins to control your outlook, your attitude, and your actions.

That’s why the Bible says, ‘Be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude]' (Romans 12:2  AMPC). Remember, where the mind goes, the man follows!  We all face challenges and difficulties in life. You might allow yourself to think thoughts such as: ‘I just can’t take any more,’ or ‘If one more thing happens I’m going to go over the edge!’ or ‘If things don’t change soon—I’m giving up!’  That kind of thinking prepares you to be defeated before you even encounter a problem. There is nothing strong, powerful, enabling, or victorious in thinking you will ‘go over the edge’ or in deciding to quit. Those are losing attitudes, not winning attitudes.  Instead you should think, ‘If the attack is this great, then the blessing that lies beyond it is greater'.  Or, ‘If Satan is attacking me this hard, God must have something good in store for me!’

Become a person who is spiritually, emotionally, and mentally prepared for any challenge that crosses your path, and don’t allow yourself to be easily discouraged or defeated.  And you do that by ‘the renewing of your mind’ with God’s Word.

"Comfortable In Uncomfortable Places"

07, May 2017

"Comfortable In Uncomfortable Places"

‘He comforts us in all our troubles.’ 2 Corinthians 1:4 NLT

God can make you comfortable in some of life’s most uncomfortable places:  He can bring you through situations you think you won’t survive, or ones you feel like you’ll be stuck in forever.  He can give you peace when you’re under pressure.  Before your life is over, you’ll experience loss.  Indeed, losing some things will actually help you to appreciate the things you have.  It’s the taste of failure that makes success so sweet.  You’ll live not knowing what tomorrow holds, but knowing that God has all your tomorrows planned out. Your future isn’t in the hands of your boss, your banker, your spouse, or anybody else.  Nor is it in your own hands to control.

All your tomorrows are in God’s hands. And just because you don’t understand the path you’re on, doesn’t mean He isn’t leading you.  He promises: ‘I will lead them in paths they have not known.  I will make darkness light before them, and crooked places straight. These things I will do for them, and not forsake them' (Isaiah 42:16 NKJV).

So get to know God, because you’ll need Him.  And He will be there when everybody else has failed you.  He will be there for you in the dark places. The psalmist writes, ‘Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning' (Psalm 30:5 NKJV). However long the night, morning will come—and with it His joy.  Looking back, you’ll realize that His grace has protected you, provided for you, calmed you, comforted you, and brought you through. Times and seasons change, but not the Lord.  He’s ‘the same yesterday, today, and forever’ (Hebrews 13:8 NKJV).