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Embrace Change

There are not a lot of things that are for certain in this life, but there is one thing that will continue to happen as long as we are on this earth – change. Changes occur every day, in all things and in many ways, and if you don’t embrace the necessary changes in your own life, you will never experience the benefits that change provides. Many people are stuck in the past. They hang onto past hurts and failures that only hinder them from moving to the next level. The Apostle Paul told us to forget those things that are behind us and to press forward, look ahead, to those things that are before us.

Changes take people out of their comfort zone and some people are unwilling to take the risk of moving forward. Past hurts and failures do not define who you are today. God wants us to learn from our mistakes but not be limited in how we think and live in the future. Jesus Christ sacrificed his life so that we all can live in freedom. Freedom has its price – it will cost someone something. Many brave men and women have paid the ultimate price for the freedom Americans enjoy today and we should not take the freedom we have, either as a US citizen or as a child of God for granted.

Rear view mirrors are small for a reason. They do not over-shadow the large front windshield of our cars. Embrace change; move forward and become the individual that your heavenly Father desires for you.

How to Impress God

In order to live a successful life, the Bible tells us that we should first seek the kingdom of God and then God would add to us everything else we need. Solomon is a good example of this principle. One day God asked Solomon what could He (God) do for him. (2 Chronicles 1:7). Of all the things Solomon could have asked for, he asked for wisdom and knowledge so that he could judge over the nation of Israel. His response so touched the heart of God, that God not only gave him what he asked for, but also gave Solomon great wealth and honor.

Many Christians today are more focused on seeking ways to obtain wealth than they are with developing their relationship with Almighty God. There is nothing wrong in having wealth as long as your wealth does not control you. Money cannot save you; money cannot heal you. Only the blood of Jesus Christ brings salvation and this salvation is available to every one whether you are rich or poor, black or white, male or female, young or old. Money has its place and purpose but it has to be controlled and not be the one thing that controls people. Much can be done for the kingdom of God with money, but God is more concerned with the heart attitude of the giver. As long as God remains the center of your life, God will not withhold blessing you with the desires of your heart.

Have the heart of Solomon and make it a priority in your life that you will do what you can to serve God and His people. This kind of attitude will impress God and cause you to live under an open Heaven and you will also become a role model for others to follow.

Faith

The Bible tells us that faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1)  Let me add that faith is the knowledge in your heart that what you believe will come to pass.  Faith is not contrary to our circumstances – it is above our circumstances.  Faith takes you to a level that is not reached by everyone.  Many people choose to live in doubt and worry about what may or may not happen, but people of faith are thoroughly convinced that nothing is impossible with God.

After doing all you can do, stand on the Word of God believing that God will do what He has promised.  It takes as much energy to believe as it does to doubt.  The question becomes is your energy going to good use as it reaches up toward Heaven believing in God, or is your energy negative and taking you down into the realm of doubt, fear and unbelief?

Need an Answer?

Every one of us is either in the middle of a problem or we just came out of one, and the key to getting through our problems is to focus on the solution and not become over-whelmed by the problem itself.  Jesus showed us how to successfully do this when he fed 5,000 men with just five loaves of bread and two fish.  After instructing his disciples to divide the crowd into groups, he took the bread and the fish in his hand and he looked to Heaven before blessing the food.

Heaven is where all of our answers dwell.  Heaven is where we are to look before we do anything else.  God is our source and as Job declared ‘God, I know that you can do everything.’ Jesus commands us over and over again not to fear, only believe.  Allow your problems to drive you towards God and you will experience for yourself that nothing is impossible with Him.

Can You Hear Him?

Many people miss a blessing because they focus on the messenger and not on the message.  God can use anyone or anything to deliver His word to you, but if you have a pre-conceived idea about a person, you just may be forfeiting God’s best for you.  Jesus experienced this problem.  The Bible tells us that He could not do miracles in his hometown of Nazareth because of unbelief.  The people knew his family and watched him grow up and in their eyes Jesus was just the carpenter’s son.  They didn’t realize that the Son of God was right there in their midst and  missed out on the blessings that they could have had, if they had not become too familiar with Jesus.

Put your faith in the message and not the messenger.  Your spiritual growth will continue and become enriched as you commune with your heavenly Father, when you read His Word, and listen to the messages you hear that line up with Scripture. Keep your spiritual eyes and ears open and always be willing to recognize the truth no matter what form you find it in.

Only Believe

Most of us are either going through a tough situation or just came out of one, so we can relate to the stories in the Bible that talk about people going through painful situations, and just when they think it can't get any worse, it does. Jairus had a daughter who was at the point of death. He had heard about the miracles that Jesus was doing and the pain of losing his daughter was greater than his pride. You see, he was a high level political leader whose peers were seeking way to destroy the Son of God. After telling Jesus of his problem, news comes to him that Jesus was no longer needed because his daughter had died. Jesus tells Jairus not to fear but only believe. This was a life changing moment for Jairus. He could either believe in his circumstances or he could choose to believe in Jesus. He chose Jesus, and as a result, his daughter received her healing.

Believers have to make a choice when they are faced with difficult circumstances. We are to walk by faith and not by sight. God wants us to focus on the fact that all things are possible for those who believe. It doesn't matter how bad your situation looks right now; it may even get worse before it gets better, but the power of Almighty God is not lessen by the degree of difficulty of a problem. God can do everything! The responsibility of the Christian is to only believe. The Word of God tells us not to be anxious about anything but to pray about everything. God will not get involved if you do not involve Him. Depend on the strength of God and you will be victorious over the trials and temptations you will face in your life. Do not fear - only believe!

It's Your Choice

Every one makes many choices each day. We are choosing to either do the right thing or do whatever will satisfy a selfish desire. Most of us try to do the right thing because it is our desire to please God in everything that we do. But if you look at the world around us, the right thing is not always being done. Satan's main goal is to steal, kill and destroy those who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and he has many schemes in his arsonal to work with. Pornography, adultery, murder, lust, lying, pride and prejudice are just a few schemes used to destroy a human soul.

Wickedness is prevelant in our society today, but the Word and the will of God will never change. The Bible tells us that the wages of sin is death but the Bible also says that Jesus came to give us life and life more abundantly. If you know Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you have the power within you to not yield to the fiery darts of Satan. You have the power within you to put Satan under your feet and live victoriously. The choice is up to you.

Choose life today. Be wise to what Satan is doing. Ask God to come and live inside of your heart today. God loves you just the way you are. Don't go another day without receiving the gift that Jesus is offering. Jesus paid the price for you to have peace on this earth and eternal life. Seek him and you will find him when you seek him with all of your heart.

The Cross

As I reflect on Good Friday and Easter Sunday, I realize that the cross is where justice met mercy, and now every believer in Jesus Christ has been given a second chance.  By choosing to do the will of his Father, Jesus paid in full the sin debt that no man could have ever paid.  Without laying down his life, we would have no hope – no hope for spending eternity with our heavenly Father.  When Jesus declared ‘it is finished’ he not only accomplished everything that God required by the shedding of his blood, but he also made it possible for us to live with peace and possess the power and authority to overcome our sinful nature and not live in bondage to the enemy of our soul – Satan.

No one should live without knowing Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.  No one should face death not being certain that they will spend eternity with Almighty God.  If you are a believer, embrace your salvation.  If you are not a believer, seek the truth.  The Bible tells us that if we seek Jesus with all of our heart, we will find him.  God loves each of you so much that He gave his only begotten Son to become a ransom for all.  Jesus is a precious gift.  Draw close to him today and as you continue to walk with the Lord, your entire life will change and you will find your purpose in life.

Are You Looking For A Hero?

Have you ever wondered why the crowd that shouted 'Hosanna" as the Lord rode on the donkey into the city of Jerusalem one day would cry out 'crucify him' within a few days? They expected Jesus to deliver them from the oppression of the Roman government. They expected Jesus to set up a new government whereby they would be free. They expected that Jesus would solve all of their problems and they would have everything that they wanted. As we know, this did not happen. Jesus did not meet the expectations of the people. Jesus was not the man they thought he was so they became angry at him and turned against him. Jesus was bringing the kingdom of God to earth. Jesus was concerned about the oppression they were under as a result of their sins. Jesus came to make a way for people to have eternal life, a life beyond this natural realm.

People today are still looking for a hero. They need a hero to make them feel good. Their hero allows them to escape reality and show them how good life could be. Unfortunately, their hero will only day prove that they are just another person who has imperfections just like they do. Many people still do not believe that Jesus came to give his life so that we might live. God so loved the world that He gave us a most precious gift - His only begotten Son.

If you are looking for a hero today, look at Jesus. Jesus will never fail you. He will prove to you that He is the way, the truth and the life and no man can come to the Father except through Him. (John 14:6)

Trust in God

Trust is looking forward to getting something we don't yet have. When you trust your heavenly Father, you can wait patiently and confidently. Some people trust everyone; others trusted at one time but have since found it to be too painful because of past betrayals and now trust no one. The Word of God tells us that we are to trust the Lord completely. God has promised to hold us by our right hand and help us in our time of need. He has also promised to never leave nor forsake us. Do you have that assurance from anyone else in your life? Our family and friends are limited in what they can do for us, but God is not. People will disappoint us from time to time. They cannot always do what we would like for them to do. Promises are broken no matter how hard a person may try to keep their word but Jesus Christ is the authentic promise-keeper. No one who puts their trust in God will be disappointed.

If you want to learn how to trust, begin by trusting God. God will show you His faithfulness. He will cause you not to fear. If you are emotionally suffering from a past relationship where your trust was violated, let the love of God heal you. God's love is everlasting and unconditional. God is love.