Merry Christmas Everybody! Enjoy

Forgive them, and let it go…FORGIVE WHATEVER GRIEVANCE YOU MAY HAVE…COLOSSIANS 3:13 NIV

…FORGIVE WHATEVER GRIEVANCE YOU MAY HAVE…COLOSSIANS 3:13 NIV
We talk about grudges the way we talk about babies. You can hold a grudge, carry a grudge bear a grudge, or nurse a grudge. The trouble is, when you nurse something you feed it, make it grow and pretty soon it’s full grown. Are you carrying a grudge? Why? It doesn’t make sense. Why would you pick up something each day that weight you down and carry it around with you? But they hurt m.’ Yes, but by carrying a grudge you enable them to keep hurting you. Don’t do that do that to yourself! We know we’re supposed to forgive other people, but sometimes forgiving feels like we are giving up something. One of Lincoln’s stories we about a man on his sickbed who had been told by the doctor that he didn’t have much time to live. He summoned an old friend named Brown with whom he’d quarreled bitterly. They didn’t spoken for years. The man talked of how he was going to die soon of how their petty differences looked in the face of death, and asked if they might be reconciled. The scene moved everyone in the room to tear. Brown clasped the dying man’s hands, embraced him, and turned to walk out of room, a shattered man. Suddenly the man. Suddenly the man on the sickbed, having one final thought, raised himself up on one elbow and spoke for the last time: ‘But see here, Brown; If I recover, the old grudge still stands. ’This story make us smile and think, ‘How foolish! But if you are carrying grudge, are you any different.

SHE TOLD HIM: "KISS ME OR I KILL YOU" PSALM 34:11-18, JOHN 14:18.

A 92-YEAR-OLD woman from Florida, USA, was arrested after she fired a handgun into her neighbour's house when he refused to give her a kiss.

Helen Staudinger told Marion County sheriff's deputies that she had walked next door to speak with her neighbor, 53-years-old Dwight Better, who she said had asked her to leave. She insisted she would not leave until he had given her a kiss. After a brief argument, she got a .380 semi-automatic handgun from her home and fired several shots into Mr. Bettner's home. One of the bullets flew into Mr. Bettner's bedroom, where he was hit with flying glass. The man told the police that Ms Staudinger, a widow, had expressed a fondness for him since he moved to the neighbourhood six months earlier. "I told her I'm in a relatinship," Mr. Bettner said. " She has this idea I'm supposed to be her man. " Ms. Staudinger was charged with aggravated assult and shooting into an occupied dwelling. Oh what a world of loneliness! All she wanted from this man, who is 39 years younger than her, was just a kiss or she would offer him the gift of death! But did this woman know that many married couples are still lonely despite marriage? Psalm 34:18 says: ' The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart..."HE IS NEAR! That means that there are season when everyone goes through a "loneliness school" that only Jehovah God can graduate you from! Yes, it is not good to be alone, but the cure for loneliness is not a kiss or a gun! It is not even marriage because someday, everyone will be a widow or widower! In fact, someone said: "If you are afriad of loneliness, do not marry." Indeed, only God can fill the vacuum of loneliness and not any man or woman! Sometimes, marriage is like a hot bath. Once you get used to it, it is not so hot. So, set your focus on the Healer of the broken hearted and get yourself busy for God and for man! Peace!

When you lose what you love...WHEN THEY WALK THROUGH THE VALLEY OF WEEPING…THEY WILL CONTINUE TO GROW STRONGER. PSALM 84:6-7 NLT

When you lose what you love you go through 5 stages: (1) Denial – ‘No, it can’t be happening.’ (2) Anger – ‘God, why are You permitting this?’ (3) Bargaining – ‘Please make it go away.’ (4) Depression – Silence and withdrawal. (5) Acceptance – ‘Not my will but Thine be done.’ Whether it’s the loss of a child, a marriage, a job, your health, etc. when you turn to God He’ll give you the grace to embrace it, grieve it, express it, release it, and go on to become stronger. Sometimes we seek quick relief by releasing it before we’ve gone through these stages. That’s because we fear the process. We’ve been taught that any show of emotion is a show of weakness, so we stuff it. But we only stuff it into our emotional garbage can, then spend all our time and energy sitting on the lid, trying to keep the contents from spilling out. ‘You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free’ (John 8:32 NKJV). It’s knowing and embracing the truth, including its painful aspects, that sets you free. You must be willing to forgive. But until you come to grips with the enormity of your loss, including any injustice of what was done to you, you are not ready to forgive. When you rush to forgive, you forgive only in part and you’re released only in part. Are you running from pain today? Are you trading it in prematurely for some other feeling? That’s not God’s way. Jesus said, ‘You will weep and mourn…but [eventually] your grief will turn to joy…and no one will take [it] away’ (John 16:20-22 NIV).

A famous singer...‘ENCOURAGE ONE ANOTHER AND BUILD EACH OTHER UP.’ 1 THESSALONIANS 5:11 NIV

A famous singer was to perform at the Grand Opera House. The concert hall was packed. Suddenly the house manager announced, ‘Ladies and gentlemen I regret that due to illness our special guest will be unable to perform this evening. But we’ve found another singer, an equally great talent, so would you please give her a warm welcome.’ The crowd groaned so loudly that nobody even heard the singer’s name. You could feel the disappointment everywhere. The stand-in singer gave it everything she had but when it was over all she got was brief scattered applause followed by uncomfortable silence. Suddenly in the balcony a child stood up and shouted, ‘Mommy, I think you’re wonderful!’ Realising what had happened, the crowd jumped to their feet and gave her a standing ovation that lasted for several minutes. There are people in your life today who are bleeding emotionally, crumbling under the load they silently carry, who never hear the words, ‘I think you’re wonderful.’ Why? (a) Because we never learned how to say them. But we can learn; it’s not too late! (b) We don’t think they need to hear them because they seem so strong. Paul writes, ‘There was no rest for us…Battles on the outside and fear on the inside. But God, who encourages those who are discouraged, encouraged us by the arrival of Titus. His presence was a joy…so was the news he brought’ (See 2 Corinthians 7:5-8 NLT). Even the Apostle Paul needed encouragement! So God sends in Titus. ‘His presence was a joy…so was the news he brought.’ God needs more encouragers like Titus. Today you can be one of them!

Accepting yourself..‘Love others as much as you love yourself.’ Matthew 22:39 CEV ‘Love others as much as you love yourself.’ Matthew 22:39 CEV

Only by loving yourself in a healthy way, can you love others the way God intended. When you don’t love yourself you live with insecurity, and you keep looking to others for approval. When you don’t get it, your self-worth shrivels.

As a result, you live far beneath your potential. You are the only person you can’t get away from, so unless you learn to accept yourself, you’ll be miserable. Stop and think about the last time you were around somebody you didn’t enjoy being with; how did it feel? Whether good or bad, you project onto others the thoughts and feelings you have about yourself. So if you want people to think well of you, have a good opinion of yourself; one that’s based on God’s Word and nurtured by the right relationships. No question, the Bible cautions us about having an over inflated opinion of ourselves. But don’t go to the other extreme! Living with continual self-rejection is an open invitation to Satan, who is always ‘sneaking around to find someone to attack’ (1 Peter 5:8 CEV).
Don’t play into his hands! Paul writes: ‘Nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature’ (Romans 7:18 NIV). That means the good qualities you do possess, are evidence that God is at work in your life. So be sure to acknowledge them. The Bible says, ‘We have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God, and not of us’ (2 Corinthians 4:7). Instead of focusing on your flaws and feeling bad about yourself, recognise the ‘treasure’ of God’s presence, power, and potential that lives within you, and build on it.

In the Intensive Care waiting room...1 Corinthians 13:2 NI

‘If I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.’ 1 Corinthians 13:2 NIV

We keep saying that relationships are more important to us than anything else, but our actions don’t show it. We constantly short-change our friends and loved ones for the sake of money, or ‘getting ahead.’ Relationships are like flowers; if you don’t nurture and protect them, they die. That’s why Paul writes: ‘Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit…look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others’ (Philippians 2:3-4 NIV). Sometimes it takes heartache and crisis to remind us how irreplaceable the people in our lives are. One author writes: ‘I have spent long hours in the Intensive Care waiting room watching anguished people, listening to urgent questions: “Will my husband make it?” “Will my child walk again?” “How do you live without your companion of 30 years?” The Intensive Care waiting room is different from any other place in the world. And the people who wait are different. They can’t do enough for each other. No one is rude. The distinctions of race and class melt away. The garbage man loves his wife as much as the university professor loves his, and everyone understands this. Each person pulls for everyone else. In the Intensive Care waiting room the world changes. Vanity and pretence vanish. The universe is focused on the doctor’s next report. If only it will show improvement. Everyone knows that loving someone else is what life is all about. Could we learn to love like that, if we realised that every day of life, is like a day in the Intensive Care waiting room?’

A lot of us grew up believing there’s a Mr. Right...

                     ‘LET HIM HAVE ALL YOUR WORRIES AND CARES.’ 1 PETER 5:7 TLB

A lot of us grew up believing there’s a Mr. Right out there who can ride in on a white horse with no troubles of his own and make everything wonderful for us. The truth is Mr. Right is probably looking for somebody to answer his own ‘help wanted’ ad. Do you really think someone is going to come looking for the kind of weight your problems would lay on them? Even if they are willing (and most are not), are they able? Men are not God. Only the Lord can restore what you’ve lost and make your life what it ought to be. So start talking to the right person – God! Things will begin to improve when you stop looking for Mr. Right to be the antibiotic to all of life’s infections and the answer to all of life’s questions. Only God can heal what you’ve been trying to cure, or demand emotionally from others. He alone can ride into your situation on the wings of hope and put things together. One touch of His hand can bring you peace, even in the midst of the most tragic events that seem meaningless. Yes, He’s the One who can relieve your pain and bring order to your chaotic world. The question is, will you let Him? We become so self-reliant that we’re no longer God-reliant; we don’t seek God so we end up ‘playing God.’ Don’t do that any more! Reach for Him today and let Him help you: ‘Let [God] have all your worries and cares, for he is always thinking about you and watching everything that concerns you.’

Get more sleep...‘He gives His beloved sleep.’ Psalm 127:2 NKJV

Illness, stress, family problems, job demands, etc., rob us of sleep. And when we constantly run on low battery power it shows up in our attitudes, our relationships and our performance. The Bible says: 1) ‘It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows; for so He gives His beloved sleep.’ 2) ‘I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; for You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety’ (Psalm 4:8 NKJV). 3) ‘When you lie down, you will not be afraid; yes, you will lie down and your sleep will be sweet’ (Proverbs 3:24 NKJV). Sleep is an act of trust: when you go to sleep the world is in God’s hands, not yours. And it will get along very well, even if you’re not awake to control things. When you awaken tomorrow morning, just like God giving Israel fresh manna, He will give you the grace needed. Jeremiah said, ‘After this I awoke and looked around, and my sleep was sweet to me’ (Jeremiah 31:26 NKJV). Ever tried to pray when you were suffering from sleep deficit? It’s hard to do. Before Elijah was able to spend prolonged time in prayer the angel of the Lord made him take not one, but two long naps. Contrast that with the disciples in Gethsemane who couldn’t pray because they kept falling asleep. Know what? It’s hard to think, feel and act like Jesus when you lack sleep. That’s why ‘He gives His beloved sleep.’ Maybe the most spiritual thing you could do is get to bed earlier and wake up refreshed so you’re ready to fulfil God’s purposes for your day.

The way up when life get you down...( 1 )..JAMES 5:17 NIV

There are times in life when we all feel down. But God's Word shows us the way to get back up. Look at Elijah, who 'was just like us.' How come he got so far down? 1) It happened on the heels of a great victory. He didn't start out in the doldrums, and he didn't fall into sin. No, he'd just called down fire from heaven and slain 450 false prophets (1 Kings 18:22-39). But that's hard work! So he went from exhilaration to exhaustion. Weary, defences down and vulnerability up, he fell into a natural depression because fatigue strips us of our courage. 2) Fear caused him to lose perspective. The man of God who'd just faced down an evil multitude, ended up running from one woman, Jezebel (1 Kings 19). Fear made him forget God's power; it skewed his perspective and left him feeling suicidal. Exhaustion coupled with fear is a dangerous combination. It invites hopeless, wrong thinking, and creates the illusion that your options are gone. 3) He became isolated. Elijah left his servant at Beersheba and journeyed into the wilderness alone (1 Kings 19:3-4). When you most need support, anxiety, a sense of inadequacy and fear of failure, will push you into isolation. At that point you're in the worst possible company; your own. Elijah thought, 'I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me' (vs10, 14 NIV). Translated: 'It's bad and I can't see it getting better!' When you're down, it isn't the time to isolate. That's when you need to reach for God and the people who love you, who can help you back up.

When you are on Overload...( 3 )...‘Don’t get worked up.’ Matthew 6:34 TM

Everything that can go wrong has! Your teenager pierced his nose, the dog threw up on the carpet, the toilet's overflowing, and the car's leaking fluid. No wonder you're stressed! When life gets overwhelming remember: (1) God's still looking out for you. When things look bad, remind yourself that God's bigger than your problem: 'Don't get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.' (2) Don't think about quitting! Every time you reach the breaking point it's a test. You have before you a series of choices that will add up to either quitting or persevering through to victory. Paul was flogged, thrown in jail, shipwrecked and run out of town, but he refused to give in to circumstances and in the end he was able to say, 'I have fought the good fight…finished the race, and… remained faithful' (2 Timothy 4:7 NLT). (3) If it doesn't have your name on it, don't pick it up! Stress comes from micro-managing others and assuming responsibilities that aren't yours. Establish healthy boundaries. If you're not sure what's appropriate, ask God to show you how much to get involved in the lives of friends and family. (4) Your breaking point can be the start of a breakthrough. Ever heard the expression 'hitting the wall'? Runners use it when they're exhausted and feel like giving up. But seasoned athletes know if they push through the pain they'll get their second wind and experience a 'runner's high' that'll carry them over the finish line. So keep going; by God's grace you'll make it!

When you are on Overload...( 2 )..‘‘I’m awake all night.’ Psalm 77:4 TM

You can't escape stress, but you can learn to cope with it by taking control of your life in small but important ways. Here are two: (1) Think about someone other than yourself. David was so frazzled that he was awake all night. Ever been there? That's when you need to 'Let…praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down' (Philippians 4:6 TM). Elijah was depressed and suicidal when God showed him how to help himself. How? By leaving the cave he was hiding in, and going out and ministering to others. Focusing on something other than yourself gives you perspective. Paul says, the 'God of all healing counsel…comes alongside…when we go through hard times…and…brings us alongside someone else…going through hard times so…we can be there for that person…as God was there for us' (2 Corinthians 1:3-4 TM). Do you need help? Reach out to others. It's in 'connecting' that we are made whole! (2) Don't get bitter. Life is 10 percent what happens to you and 90 percent how you respond to it. Archbishop Fulton Sheen said, 'Nothing creates more deep-seated anxiety, than the false assumption that life should be free from anxieties.' When somebody you trust betrays or disappoints you or you're struggling financially after tithing faithfully for years, it's easy to feel hard-done-by. But 'Don't…become bitter' (Hebrews 12:15 CEV); it destroys relationships and cuts you off from God's presence. The answer is learning to 'thank God no matter what happens. This is the way God wants you…to live' (1 Thessalonians 5:18 TM).

When you are on Overload...( 1 )...‘When I was…beside myself, you calmed me down.’ Psalm 94:19 'When I was…beside myself, you calmed me down.' Psalm 94:19 TM

Before a violin can produce music, stress must be put on the strings. But pull them too tightly and they'll snap. The same is true of you. Enough stress gets the juices flowing and helps you do what needs to be done, but beyond that you snap. Someone quipped, 'You know you're on overload when you've no time to cook a TV dinner, the cat's on tranquilisers, and family reunions have to be mediated by law enforcement!' Seriously, before it gets to that point, do two things: (1) Ask for help: During Hurricane Katrina eight dolphins were swept out of their aquarium into the sea, but because they stuck together they were rescued. If one had tried to go it alone he'd have perished. When you're alone too much you lose perspective. If the enemy can isolate you, he can influence you. God designed His family to stay connected. Or as Paul says, 'So that all the members care for each other' (1 Corinthians 12:25 NLT). (2) Get real with God: Under stress the surge of negative emotions can be overwhelming, and unless you unburden your soul before God you'll explode at the wrong people. The Psalmist addresses this: 'Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you' (Psalm 55:22 NIV). 'Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us' (Psalm 62:8 NKJV). It's no mere coincidence that many of the Psalms start out with the Psalmist crying out to God for help, and end up with him rejoicing because he vented his pent-up frustrations.

How to handle temptation...'...SUBMIT TO GO. RESIST THE DEVIL...'JAMES 4:7 NKJV

When it comes to emptation, remember these seven things: 1) Never say 'never.' You never become so spiritual that you're immune. 'No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be abble to bear it' ( 1 corinthians 10:13 NKJV). 2) Realise you can stumble on the last lap. Because you haven't blown it yet, doesn't mean you can't. satan is a master of timing, and he's in no particular hurry. 3) Acknowledge your basic drives. St Augustine said, 'There is nothing more powerful in bringing down the spirit of a man the caresses of a woman. ' Your flesh is powerful; once indulged it will always want more. 4) Understand that you are responsible. Sin is a choice. When you chose to abuse God's grace you pay the price, either now or later. 'Do not be deceived...whatever a man sows,that he will also reap' (Galatians 6:7 NKJV). 5) You're not a helpless pawn. You may not be to change what happened yesterday, but your choice,

‘REMEMBER YE NOT THE FORMER THINGS, NEITHER CONSIDER THE THINGS OF OLD. BEHOLD, I DO A NEW THING.’ ISAIAH 43:18-19

Realise that it’s not God who’s bringing up your past! His Word says, ‘I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions…and remembers your sins no more’ (Isaiah 43:25 NIV). If satan is dragging up your past – it’s because he has nothing new to attack you with. All he can do is resurrect old memories and rearrange old pictures in an attempt to discourage you. Don’t let him! Focusing on tomorrow will help you move away from today. God’s Word says: ‘Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way’ (NIV). God is going to make a way for you! As surely as Pharaoh and Herod tried to wipe out every baby boy in order to get at Moses and Jesus, so satan will do whatever it takes to keep you from reaching your destiny. The battle is always over your future! No matter what your past is like your future is worth fighting for – so rise up and fight! ‘Where do I begin?’ you ask. Talk to God: ask Him to show you a ministry that can come from the misery you’re going through right now. He can bring healing to others through the pain you’re experiencing. So examine the things you’re going through, then ask Him what you’re being qualified for. It’s the broken, who become masters at mending! Start looking at ‘the joy set before you’ (Hebrews 12:2 NIV) and you’ll be able to endure the present circumstances!

Double up. Bring in reinforcements!

‘If two of you…agree about anything.’ Matthew 18:19 NIV Sometimes you need somebody to agree with you in prayer; somebody who knows how to stand on God’s Word and intercede with Him for your finances, your children, your marriage, etc. James had just been executed and Herod was planning to kill Peter in the morning. Now, you’d think Peter would have been up all night praying, but he wasn’t. The Bible says he was sleeping (Acts 12:6). Where did he get that kind of faith? The Bible says: ‘The church was earnestly praying to God for him’ (Acts 12:5 NIV). Any time you can sleep in the face of danger and experience grace in the midst of chaos, it’s one of two things: 1) You know God well, you’re standing on His promises and you’ve handed the situation over to Him. 2) Somebody is praying for you, somebody with ‘clout’ in the heavenly realm. Notice, the church didn’t say, ‘If Peter was in God’s will, he wouldn’t be in this mess right now,’ or ‘Since Peter’s in jail, who’s going to preach for us next Sunday?’ No, while they were praying in faith for a breakthrough, God was at work on the other side of the city dispatching an angel to set Peter free. That’s how prayer works. John Wesley said, ‘We can do great things when we pray; but we can do nothing great until we pray!’ Do you feel like your prayers aren’t getting the job done? Double up. Bring in reinforcements! Find somebody who’ll agree with you, for Jesus said, ‘If two of you…agree about anything…it will be done for you.’

‘Don’t get worked up.’ Matthew 6:34 TM

Everything that can go wrong has! Your teenager pierced his nose, the dog threw up on the carpet, the toilet’s overflowing, and the car’s leaking fluid. No wonder you’re stressed! When life gets overwhelming remember: (1) God’s still looking out for you. When things look bad, remind yourself that God’s bigger than your problem: ‘Don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.’ (2) Don’t think about quitting! Every time you reach the breaking point it’s a test. You have before you a series of choices that will add up to either quitting or persevering through to victory. Paul was flogged, thrown in jail, shipwrecked and run out of town, but he refused to give in to circumstances and in the end he was able to say, ‘I have fought the good fight…finished the race, and… remained faithful’ (2 Timothy 4:7 NLT). (3) If it doesn’t have your name on it, don’t pick it up! Stress comes from micro-managing others and assuming responsibilities that aren’t yours. Establish healthy boundaries. If you’re not sure what’s appropriate, ask God to show you how much to get involved in the lives of friends and family. (4) Your breaking point can be the start of a breakthrough. Ever heard the expression ‘hitting the wall’? Runners use it when they’re exhausted and feel like giving up. But seasoned athletes know if they push through the pain they’ll get their second wind and experience a ‘runner’s high’ that’ll carry them over the finish line. So keep going; by God’s grace you’ll make it! 

A ‘yes’ face!

‘LOVE…IS NOT IRRITABLE OR TOUCHY…’ 1 CORINTHIANS 13:4-5 TLB 

Chuck Swindoll writes, ‘The most significant decision I make each day is my choice of an attitude. When my attitudes are right there’s no barrier too high, no valley too deep, no dream too extreme, no challenge too great for me.’ If you believe that you will take charge of your emotions, begin to focus on what’s good, and reject anything that makes you a petty, bitter person. And your face will say ‘Yes.’ One day President Thomas Jefferson and a group of companions were travelling across the country on horseback. They came to a river that had overflowed its banks because of a recent downpour. The river had washed away the bridge so each rider was forced to cross it on horseback, fighting for his life against the currents. This caused a traveller who was not part of the group to step aside and watch. After several riders had plunged in and made it to the other side, the stranger asked if President Jefferson would carry him across. The President agreed without hesitation. So the man climbed on and the two of them made it safely to the other side. As the stranger slid off the horse onto dry ground, one of Jefferson’s companions asked, ‘Why did you select the President?’ The man was shocked and admitted he’d no idea that it was the President who’d helped him. ‘All I know,’ he said, ‘is that on some of your faces was written the answer “no,” and on some was written the answer “yes.” His was a “yes’ face.” A good attitude has a ‘yes’ face. Try to remember that today!

Shout ‘wonderful’

‘LOVE…ALWAYS HOPES, ALWAYS PERSEVERES…NEVER FAILS…’ 1 CORINTHIANS 13:6-8 NIV

When you meet someone who needs encouragement, give it to them! Why? Because more people die of broken hearts than swelled heads. And that’s true whether they live in a mansion or a mud hut. The story is told of a little boy who wanted to play darts with his father. He said, ‘Come on, Dad, let’s play darts. I’ll throw, and you shout “wonderful!’’ You may smile, but we tend to become what the most important people in our lives think of us. So think the best, believe the best, and express the best toward them – for your words are helping to shape their destiny. And remember, change happens by inches, not miles! You didn’t get there overnight and they won’t either. Even when change seems simple, it’s rarely ever easy. The only way we can break old habits is to form new ones – and that takes time and practice – lots of it! You can’t tell people something just once and expect them to get it. No, they need to hear it over and over before they can make the adjustment. And how you tell them, the look in your eyes and the tone of your voice, can determine whether they freeze in fear or soar above the obstacles. It can also determine the coping skills they hand down to their children. So this is no small matter. Be persistent! Never give up trying to help them improve. Express gratitude for every step of progress they make. Flying off the handle doesn’t help them; or you. The way to get lasting results is through patience and love. Remember, ‘Love…always hopes, always perseveres… never fails…’

Family matters (2)

‘…BEARING WITH ONE ANOTHER IN LOVE…KEEP THE UNITY OF THE SPIRIT…’ EPHESIANS 4:2-3 NKJ 

Nearing the end of his life, when he should have been preparing to bless his sons Simeon and Levi, Jacob told them: ‘ ”I…curse…you because of your…anger…“ ’ (Genesis 49:7 CEV). But their behaviour should have been no surprise; after all, the apple never falls far from the tree! The fact is, Jacob had already shaped them by his own example when he deceived his father (see Genesis 27) and his father-in-law (see Genesis 30), and his mother facilitated the deception. Behavioural patterns are passed from generation to generation, and ‘ “…a house divided against itself will fall” ’ (Luke 11:17 NIV). Mum, Dad, your actions and attitudes will either bless or blight your children. So ‘Teach [them]…the right path…’ (Proverbs 22:6 TLB). Otherwise they’ll inherit more than just your eye colour, they’ll end up with your emotional disposition and volatility! Don’t involve your children in your marital disputes. Solomon warned, ‘…anger rests in the bosom of fools’ (Ecclesiastes 7:9 NKJ). Your kids are an easy target for your misdirected rage. Even when your emotional outbursts aren’t aimed toward them, they still suffer the effects. For example, your boss reprimands you at work, and because you can’t retaliate you come home like a bear with a headache and make everybody walk on eggshells. Even if that’s what you experienced growing up, you’re not a child any more. Lower the decibel level! Don’t let your anger run amok. David prayed, ‘…watch over…my lips. Let not my heart be drawn to…evil…’ (Psalm 141:3-4 NIV). And James says, ‘Submit…to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you’ (James 4:7 NKJ). That’s the only way you’ll ever change the steps in your family dance.

Family matters (1)

‘…BEARING WITH ONE ANOTHER IN LOVE…KEEP THE UNITY OF THE SPIRIT…’ EPHESIANS 4:2-3 NKJ

When it’s easier to talk to outsiders than it is to your own family, something’s wrong. Your family should be a support system – a safety net to catch you when you fall. We like to visualise ‘family’ as a hard-working dad, a stay-at-home mum, two children, a dog, and a house with a fence. But for many people family means money problems, troubled kids and warring spouses. That’s why Paul writes: ‘…walk…with…longsuffering, bearing with one another in love…keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.’ (Ephesians 4:1-3 NKJ). It takes a big dose of grace to make it all work! So start praying for your kids, instead of just setting boundaries that create distance between you when you don’t see eye to eye. You won’t always agree, but you must learn to respect each other. When God said, ‘Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it’ (Proverbs 22:6 NIV), He didn’t say what qualifies as ‘old,’ or when your investment would start paying off. Every family has its ups and downs. And every family tree produces a few nuts! In fact, sometimes the best part is underground! But if you bail out when things get tough you would miss the rewards you’d have gotten by hanging on. Often the child that blesses you most is the one who didn’t reflect your views, married someone you didn’t like, and doesn’t invite you over to dinner! In the long run none of that matters because your family is a life-long investment. What’s important is to love and support one another unconditionally right now.

SHE “MARRIED” HERSELF WITHOUT A HUSBAND - 4

BASIC SCRIPTURES: JOHN 3:16;ISAIAH 19: 1-17 

It was Albert Camus who wrote: In the dept of winter I finally learned that there was in me an invincible summer. And then, Oswald Avery penned: “Whenever you fall pick something up.”  That means that in any condition you find yourself in life, make the best of it instead of crying, whining, blaming others or yourself, pitying yourself, or indulging in thought of secret anger against God! Oh, Thank God For Last Wednesday’s Message’s Reminder That Imperfect You (And Not The Perfect Angels) Is The Battle-axe Of The Creator Of The Universe! Listen to this: God knows that a blunt battle – axe will be a disgrace to Him on the day of battle, so some battles that you are going through are from God, who is sharpening His Battle – axe (you)! WOB’T YOU ALLOW GOD TO SHARPEN HIS BATTLE AXE (YOU)? Did He not tell Isaiah that     he (Isaiah) was a polished shaft hidden in Jehovah’s quiver (a bag containing arrows)? – Isaiah 49:2. That means that Isaiah and by implication, you and I,

 Are DIVINE ARROWS AGAINST THE POWERS OF DARKNESS! You are a

POISONOUS ARROW, a DEADLY BOMB, and a DIVINE PENCIL against demonic foes of your God! But how does GOD POLISH His arrows? Is it not through the grinding stone of trials? Oh, refuse to pity yourself! Refuse to envy others! Even in your winter, there is an invincible summer within you! Do you know that Satan has given many BATTLE –AXES OF GOD (Believers) another type of axe to fight God? Yes, they accuse God of being too slow or of being a respecter of persons! Resist the devil and always remember that “THE GREATEST EXPERIENCE IS TO MEET YOURSELF AND FALL IN LOVE WITH YOURSELF DAILY! Start today as you waste every waster of your destiny today

SHE “MARRIED” HERSELF WITHOUT A HUSBAND - 3

BASIC SCRIPTURES: PSALM 139:14;ISAIAH 49: 13-26
    
 Welcome to another hour with Jehovah, the LOVER of your soul who has your picture graven (tattooed) IN HIS HANDS – (vs. 16 of today’s 2nd scripture). On your next birthday, buy yourself a card addressed: “FROM ME TO ME,” treat yourself to a great dinner, go shopping and buy a good birthday gift for yourself, then sing a “happy birthday song” to yourself. The reason is simple. You Must Be Your Number One Fan In This Wicked World! Agape Love (Unconditional Love) Is Not For You To Love The World Alone! It Must Start With You Loving Yourself Just As You Are (without conditions)! Don’t Wait For Others To Take The Driver’s Seat Of Your Life And Don’t Let Your Joy Depend On Others! You Must Fall In Love With Yourself Again And Believe In Yourself Unconditionally No Matter What! Do you know that husbands and wives die? So, even this message is also for the happily married because one day if Jesus tarries, you will be a widow or widower! Do you that your best friend today can become your worst friend (a cruel, wicked and inhuman person) tomorrow? Oh, Don’t Place Your Happiness In The Hands Of Others! Don’t die because someone walked out of your life! Don’t envy others because of what you think you lack. Truth is that NOBODY ON PLANET EARTH IS 100% COMPLETE THOSE THAT YOU ENVY ARE ALSO ENVYING SOMEONE ELSE! So, break out of the envy circle and accept yourself for who you are, for where you are and for what you have and don’t ever forget: “The Greatest Experience Is To Meet Yourself And Fall In Love With Yourself Daily, Over And Over Again! Will you plan your solo-wedding soon? Invite me! Start today!

SHE “MARRIED” HERSELF WITHOUT A HUSBAND - 2

BASIC SCRIPTURES: JOHN 3:16,  JEREMIAH 51:17-23

Re – collect the devotional story of yesterday – Chen Ching, 45, the Taiwanese doctor who celebrated her own wedding without a husband. Yesterday’s devotional write-up ended thus: “The devil wants you to hate yourself because he knows that you cannot express the love of the Father to the outside world if you have not received the love of the Father into your inside world (your heart and life).” The Holy Ghost wants to use today’s devotional to reveal more of the operations of Satan against your devotional to reveal more of the operations of Satan against your decoration this year! Hear this: Satan wants you to hate yourself because He knows that you cannot preach the gospel of the love Christ if you do not know that love.He knows that his time is short and he will do all he can to stop this world from partaking of the sacrificial love of your father, God. He knows that God has no one to use but you (you are the temple of the Holy Ghost). He knows that God has no hands but your hands! He knows that God has no voice but your voice. He knows that God has no money for the gospel but your money. Oh, the old stupid devil knows that you are the BATTLE AXE OF JEHOVAH NISSI and he will do all he can to make you feel inferior, forgotten or forsaken. How can GOD’S BATTLE – AXE be weeping and “eating” depression daily? SATAN knows that you will break down his kingdom if he does not break you down fast! He knows that if you can spend your life hating yourself, comparing yourself to others or complaining all day, then you will not have time to think of souls who are dropping into hell every second. That is why you must accept yourself for who you are, for where you are and for what you have and don’t ever forget: The Greatest Experience Is To Meet Yourself And Fall In Love With Yourself Daily Again And Again! Start today!.

SHE “MARRIED” HERSELF WITHOUT A HUSBAND - 1

BASIC SCRIPTURES:  JOHN 3:16,1 JOHN 3:1-9

A Popular Taiwanese psychiatrist had a splendid wedding for herself early this year without a husband. Chen Ching, 45, who has published a number of books, said that she spent two months preparing for her wedding in full traditional Taiwanese style. It included sending invitations to friends and relatives for her wedding reception, lighting firecrackers and giving out her wedding cake. Sounds funny, but that’s the uncovered secret of Achievers! They always remember that: THE GREATEST EXPERIENCE IS TO MEET YOURSELF AND FALL IN LOVE WITH YOURSELF!  Chen Ching is not the only woman to have fallen in love with, and married herself. It’s a common practice in Taiwan. In November last year, a Taipei office worker held her own-wedding after thinking that it was time to get married although she had not found “Mr. Right”. The emphasis today is not on the “marriage ceremonies” of these women, but on their mindset of BELIEVING IN THEMSELVES! What the Holy Ghost is saying to a user of today’s devotional is: No matter what is happening to or around you, always remember that you are the expressed image of God and that you are not inferior to anybody. Don’t allow circumstances or daily events to re-define who you are! You are not a failure even if you have failed in the past! Failure was only an event in your life, family or ministry! It is not you! “No life is so hard that you can’t make it easier by the way you take it” (Ellen Glasgow). And “we are never more discontented with others than when we are never more discontented with others than when we are discontented with ourselves” (Henri Frederic Arnier). Do you know that John 3:16 would still have been written a million times even if it was only you in the whole wide world? Yes, God would still have sent His only begotten son to die for only you! You are that important to God! That is why you must NEVER hate or pity yourself. It’s an insult to God because today’s 2^nd scripture vs. 1 says behold what manner of love the Father has shown to you. The devil wants you to hate yourself because he knows that you cannot express the love of the Father to the outside world if you have not received the love of the Father into your inside world (your heart and life). Resist him as you pray now! To Be Continued Tomorrow).

HEAR THE SONG BEFORE THE MUSIC ENDS! (2)

Welcome to another devotional hour! Share with me the poem below:

Do you run through each day on the fly? When you ask, “How are you?” Do you hear the reply? When the day is done, do you lie in your bed with the next hundred chores running through your head? You’d better slow down; don’t dance so fast, Time is short, The music won’t last.

Ever told your child ‘We will do tomorrow’ And in your haste, not see his sorrow? Ever lost touch; let a good friendship die, because you didn’t call just to say Hi’? You’d better show down; Don’t dance so fast, Time is short, the music won’t last.

When you run so fast to get somewhere, You miss half the fun of getting there. When you worry and hurry through your day, it is like an unopened gift- Thrown away.

Always remember that “we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.( 1Tim 6:7) Life is not a race. Take it slower. Hear the music before the song is over!

If you were going to die soon and had only one phone call you could make, who would you call and what would you say? If you had one more thing to do, what would that be? And, why are you waiting? Do them today!

HEAR THE SONG BEFORE THE MUSIC ENDS!(1)

Many times we go through life as if it was a race and do not take the time to enjoy today. Most people can play a good music without hearing the song! We should not waste the present by waiting for the future to come before we start enjoying and getting the best out of our life. I knew a man who was saving money for future pleasure and was treking instead of driving a car. It was after he died that his wealth was discovered! After his burial, the first thing his son bought was a car! The Bible says we should not think about tomorrow because tomorrow will take care of itself, rather we should appreciate our time together.
One day, I thought about all those women on the Titanic ship who refused some delicacies at dinner that fateful night in an effort to cut back. Had they known they would die, probably, they might have enjoyed every bit of their money in that ship! From then on, I’ve tried to be a little more flexible.

Life has a way of accelerating as we get old; the days get shorter, and the list of promises to ourselves gets longer. One morning, we awaken, and all we have to show for our lives is a litany of “I’m going to,” “I plan to” and “Someday when things are settled down a bit….”, etc. Now, go on and have a nice day. Do something you WANT to, not something on your SHOULD DO list. If you were going to die soon and had only one phone call you could make, who would you call and what would you say? If you had one more thing to do, what would that be? And, why are you waiting? Do them this week! Yea, do them today!

Therefore I say unto you, What things so ever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. (Mark 11:24).

It is the Father’s delight to answer your prayers; it’s His good pleasure to give you the wonderful treasures of His Kingdom (Luke 12:32). Therefore, never doubt His willingness to answer you speedily when you pray. The Bible lets us know that He has ordained you to receive answers to prayers (John 15:16).

Jesus said, when you pray, believe that you receive, and you shall have! It’s that simple: Pray, believe and receive. The challenge some Christians have is that they don’t know how to receive. The word “receive” in Greek is “lambano” and it’s an active word. It means to take a hold of something; to seize it and make it yours! Thus when you pray with your spirit, take a hold of that which you’ve asked for! Seize it and make it yours! God wants your joy to be full. Therefore, go ahead and make your request known to Him, and then take possession of that which you have asked for.

Jesus made it clear that it’s the Father’s desire for you to boldly and confidently talk directly to Him in prayer, and receive answers: “And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full” (John 16:23 -24).

Thanks be unto God, this is that set time! We’ve come into “that day” that Jesus was referring to. If you’re born again, you have the privilege of being able to pray receive the answers to your prayer instantly. There’s no need to look for someone to pray to God for you; there’s no need to cry and keep reminding God of your troubles: just ask, believe and receive!

Bloom Where You Are Planted

Bloom where you are planted. If you are faithful in the little, you will be trusted with much. Don't despise the days of small beginnings. It is from there that as you take one step at a time, obedient to the Lord's guiding, you will walk securely in the center of the Lord's will for your life, coming into the fullness that He has for you.

There is no better place than in the center of God's will. It is through the trials along the way that you learn the valuable lessons you will need for fulfilling God's call on your life. Remember Joseph and David both had leadership calls on their lives. But in order for for them to be ready to step into those positions, they had to endure may trials and much hard work.

Life lessons were learned, trust was built in the Lord, and integrity was developed and maintained. I encourage you wherever you are in your walk with the Lord to rejoice always, to pray without ceasing and to give thanks in all circumstances (1 Thess. 5:16-18). For where there is thanksgiving and gratitude, there is hope and endurance. God bless!

Doing good’ DO NOT WITHHOLD GOOD…PROVERB 3:27NKJV

Dan Clark recalls when he was a teenager, he and his father once stood in line to buy tickets for the circus. They noticed a poor family immediately in front of them. The parents were holding hands. They had eight children, all probably under the age of twelve. He could tell that the circus was going to be a new adventure for them. The attendant asked how many tickets they wanted. The man proudly responded, ‘Td like to buy eight children’s tickets and two adult tickets.’ When the attendant quoted the price, the man’s wife let go of his hand and her head drooped. The man leaned a little closer and asked, ‘How much did you say? The attendant quoted the price again. The man obviously didn’t have money. He looked crushed. Clark says his father watched all this, put his hand in his pocket, pulled out a twenty pound note and dropped it on the ground. His father then reached down, picked up the note, tapped the man on the shoulder and said, ‘Excuse me, I think this must be yours. ‘The man knew exactly what was going on. He looked straight into Clark’s father’s eyes, took his hand, shook it, and with a tear streaming down his cheek, replied, ‘Thank you, thank you, sir. This really means a lot to me and my family. ‘Clark and his father went back to their car and drove home. They didn’t have enough money to go to the circus that night, but it didn’t matter. They’d blessed a whole family, and it was something neither family would ever forget. That’s called doing good.’

WHAT IF YOUR HEART STOPS NOW?

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What a dependable little organ is the human heart! Everyday, including Sundays and holidays,this little engine keeps on pumping nonstop.And it continues even while we sleep.

The heart never complains about the weather and never asks for a vacation.It works best when treated well,but continues to serve even when working conditions
are stressful.

How much we need the heart!If one eye is blind,we can still see with the other.If one ear is deaf, we can hear with the other. If we lose a leg,we can still walk with a crutch. But we only have one Heart.

WHILE WE LIVE
Our "pumping machine is about the size of one's fist and weighs just a little more than half a pound.It beats about 70 times a minute, 4200 times an hour, 100,800 times a day,and 32,792,000 times a year. The heart of a 70 year old person has beaten over 2.5 billion times. The heart generates enough energy in 50 years to lift a battleship out of the water. In the average lifetime,it pumps enough blood to fill 3.3 super tankers!

According to one encyclopedia, the heart pumps blood through about 12,000 miles of blood vessels in the human body. That is about the distance from Pinson,Alabama to Idumuje Ugboko, Delta, or half way around the world.

Although this organ, which keeps our blood constantly circulating, can be weakened by disease and abuse, it generally gives excellent,ceaseless service for many years before it finally stop. When that happens...we die

WHEN WE DIE
This brings us to a very but important question:If your heart should stop five minutes from now, would you go to heaven or hell?
I hope you can say the following with assurance: "Yes I know that when I die I will go to Heaven. I have turned to God in repentance,and received Jesus Christ as my personal Saviour.I have put my trust in His precious blood shed on Calvary’s cross to atone for my sins. In doing so I have received the gift of God, which is eternal life. So I know I will go to heaven when I die."
But maybe all you can say is this: "No, I do not know where I will go after my heart stops, but I would really like to know for sure." If this is the case, read on.
The Bible tells us that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23)
The word "all" includes you and me. In fact it includes everybody. But the Bible also says that “Christ died for our sins" -yours as well as mine (1 Corinthians 15:3).

WHAT TO DO
To receive God's free gift of salvation, the Bible says we must trust Jesus as our personal Saviour: "As many as received Him, to them he gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name" (John 1:12).
Here's how to receive Jesus Christ as your Saviour: Ask Him to come into your life, to take away your sins, and to help you live for him? Do this now, and should your heart stop in five minutes, you will know where you will spend eternity-in heaven!
Run for your life, Jesus Christ is coming soon, delay is very dangerous; commit your soul into his hands before it is too late.

Giving the New Year a Kick-Start

Isaiah 42:9 Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things i declare, before they spring forth i tell you of them."

Here we are once again - at the beginning of a New Year - a time for reevaluation and a season of new beginnings.

How many times in life have we started a new year without realizing the goals we had set before us or even taken the time to evaluate why those goals weren't made? We cannot live on yesterday's blessings nor should we dwell on yesterday's failures and disappointments.

This is a time to forget the past and move forward into the present and the future. Many people all over the world are in the process of making New Year's resolutions, of which many of them will never come to pass.

For us as Bible believing Christians this is an opportunity to look back over the past year to see if we were able to make all of the desired changes we set out to do.

* The beginning of a New Year can be a season of new beginnings for us.

* "It's a time to look ahead with a sense of anicipation and excitement towards the new things God wants to do in our lives.

* It is a season of setting new goals and putting into effect those things needed to realize our goals.

* It is a season to forgetting the past failures and strive towards new opportunities.

God desire that we be filled with a sense of newness and fresness of what He desire and wants to do in our lives. He desires greatly for us to be filled with a renewed sense of purpose and destiny. This is what is really needed before we can give ourselves a good kick start.

The beautiful thing about being a Christian and knowing the Lord is that we don't have to live our lives in guilt and condemnation for our failures and un-achieved goals. We get to wipe the slate clean and start over. God doesn't hold our past against us as long as we sincerely repent and continually press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Any attempt to dwell on the past, would be granting our present lives. We are a new creation in Christ every day of our lives.

We can experience newness if we stay with God and do His will. Newness comes by letting go of the past, by hungering and thirsting for it and by allowing God to renew our spirit.

We can kick start our new year: by relying on the Holy Spirit to help and equip us. Build on past successes and learn from past failures. We should have a great expectation in our hearts that new things and new seasons are going to break forth in our lives because this is God's desire towards us. It's just a matter of us agreeing with God's will and purpose for our lives.

Philippians 1:6 He who has already been doing a good work in you is going to keep on doing it until Jesus returns