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2/26/2014 1 Comment In Your Anger…. What do you do when you get mad? Do you get angry and explode on everyone and anyone in your path? Do you have triggers that send you over the edge into anger? I personally have dealt with anger that many times turned into rage. No, I am not a killer but if you pushed me, I turned into something and someone that had no filter and you surely couldn't reel me in once I erupted. My Pastor at the time, my aunt, Pastor Barbara Cameron worked with me for many years in teaching and encouraging me to do the work to be delivered from my anger. Because when I was in my anger….I most definitely fell short of the glory of God. And I knew it. Anger is a completely normal, usually healthy, human emotion. Everyone has a capacity for anger. Most of us have very normal (even healthy) flashes of anger when we witness cruelty, injustice, betrayal and other transgressions of people. God created our emotions so anger certainly has a righteous role. However, anger is so common place that we often accept is as the normal. But, practically every day we see people getting angry – in traffic, in stores, on the news, in movies, and even in our homes. We all know what anger is, and we've all felt it: whether as a fleeting annoyance or as full-fledged rage. But when it gets out of control and turns destructive, it can lead to problems—problems at work, in your personal relationships, and in the overall quality of your life. I have seen its effect in many areas of my life. Anger can make you feel as though your at the mercy of an unpredictable and powerful emotion.  So what do we do when we're in our anger? Scripture has much to say about how to control our anger. The book of James wrote (1:19) says , ". . . let everyone be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger." He isn't saying that anger is wrong. Of course, we're going to get angry; that's just part of our creation package. Essentially, James just said, "Don't be quick-tempered." The Apostle Paul told the Ephesians almost the same thing: "Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger . . ." (Ephesians 4:26). Like James, he was realistic. After all, anger is part of life; just don't let it carry you into falling short. In these passages and many others, the Bible is basically saying to lead a balanced life. Solomon wrote one of the great principles of balanced living: "He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, And he who rules his spirit, than he who captures a city." (Proverbs 16:32) As in many other scriptures, the issue is not anger, but how much it controls us. Being slow to anger is a mark of strength, mastery, and leadership. Self control (ruling your spirit) brings more leadership and success than being able to capture a city. We must learn to avoid losing our temper over all the daily things that agitate us and learn to overcome extreme bitterness in our heart that resulted from being angry, hurt or betrayed. Overcoming ungodly anger won’t happen overnight, but if we turn our emotions over to God and rely on His strength, we will find that the Lord will allow us to be in many situations where we are slighted, mistreated, or inconvenienced. This is God's way of dealing with our self-life and our temper. God's purpose in all these situations is that we learn to get out of ourselves and anger and get into the Spirit of patience and self-denying, gladly letting God have His own way in our life. ~Yolanda D. Enter Into Prayer Heavenly Father, I come to You now in the Name of my Lord and Savior Christ Jesus, life seems so unjust, so unfair and Lord I have directed anger toward others in my life or held anger inside of me. I confess that as sin and ask You to forgive me and take all the anger away. Heal any wounds that I have inflicted, through my words and actions, in others and myself. Help me to speak sweet words and healing, for I know that pleases You. Where I have shown anger toward others I confess it to you as sin. Bring Your restoration to every situation where it is needed. Please help me to dwell on the good and the positive in my life. I know that it is You who examines our hearts. Search the inner depths of my heart and expose anything that is not of You so I can be set free of it.
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 Often when we quote the scripture in Proverbs that says: “Your gifts will make room for you and bring you before great men,” we often times try to fit it into the context of spiritual gifts. It’s like we are saying that our God-given abilities and our gifts of ministry will allow us to stand in great and grand places for God’s glory. But let's take Proverbs 18:16 with a different lens of perspective. From the New Living Translation, Proverbs 18:16 says this: “Giving a gift can open doors; it gives access to important people.” Upon further review, we see this is not a Scripture about spiritual gifts, talents and abilities. This a Word from God’s about the concept and benefits of being generous. The short and sweet translation is this: Your generous, unselfish spirit and willingness to give will take you a long way. Did you know that another definition of generosity is freedom from meanness or smallness of mind or character? Generosity is a character trait that creates freedom from smallness of mind and character. To embrace all that God has for you only becomes possible when your mind is free to move in the faith of the Spirit. There is no room for confined thinking. To embrace all that God offers in His grand Kingdom requires the ability to unclench your fist and release the things that He has given you and not hold them selfishly or invest unwisely. God is looking for generous hearts not selfish hoarders. As in every Godly principle – charity brings freedom. The word “charity” is equally defined as “giving” and “love”. Giving is identified with love and includes much more than money.  2 Corinthians 9:10-12 (NLT) says, "For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you. Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous. And when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will thank God. So two good things will result from this ministry of giving—the needs of the believers in Jerusalem will be met, and they will joyfully express their thanks to God." God speaks of His Blessing as seed for a reason. Seed is a renewable resource. Once in the ground if cared for properly, it will reproduce itself. It will not only produce enough to provide for the sower but it will also yield enough to pay forward a blessing to others. God is a generous giver. The only way that this cycle will end is if the next person chooses to be selfish. God is seeking obedient servants to accomplish this task. He is looking for perpetual givers to secure the blessing cycle He has created. Poor servants sit down and wait for God to pour into their lives instead of moving forward in faith to be a blessing. Once God has identified you as a generous giving servant, He will begin to bless you in extraordinary ways. He is watching your deeds, motivations and attitude quite closely. If your trust in Him facilitates a lifestyle of benevolence, then God marks you for His abundant blessing because He knows that you in return will bless and care for His Children. Apostle Paul wrote in theNew Testament to the believers in the ancient city of Corinth, praising them for their willingness to help contribute to the work of God financially, and reminding them of the proper spirit needed when giving as unto the Lord. He didn’t give them a percentage to give. He didn’t browbeat them or threaten them about giving. Instead he reminded them of the vast benefits of generosity. In our society today many are discouraged from giving because of the overabundance of prosperity teaching and the false teacher who abuse the money and the gospel for gain. But you must understand that your giving is unto God, not to people. People are indeed the tangible recipients of your giving — and sometimes people will mishandle your kindness. Don’t let that hinder you from doing what God has commanded. Furthermore, the prosperity teaching only have it halfway right. God does want us to walk and live in abundance. But He grants us abundance only when He knows that we won’t hoard it all for ourselves. The power of our faith is that it increases when it is given away. The greatness of generosity’s seeds is that the harvest is multiplied each time it is shared. The happiest and most joyful people are those who give money and serve. I live by this principle. And I know that it is contrary to everything our culture screams at us, but look at the culture's track record: suicide, bankruptcy, divorce, murder. We aren't very happy. True joy comes from serving. Mentally, emotionally, financially and spiritually balanced people have learned the value of giving. This Intercession Tuesday I dare you to pray and ask the Holy Spirit to move your heart so that your gifts can make room for…someone else! Enter Into PrayerFather God, Your Son Jesus taught us to live and to love. He taught us how to serve one another as You served, not counting the cost but being available to all. We pray that You will give us generous hearts and spirits that willingly give of our time, talent and treasure to build up Your Kingdom here on earth. Take our feet where they need to go, give us hands that readily reach out to others, give us ears to hear the silent cries of another, eyes to see their needs and hearts to reach out to them. May we bring You to them in our own unique way. We ask this in all humility and gratitude. We "Dare You To Love" by sowing a seed into our local initiative. It will be life giving!
2/11/2014 0 Comments Throwing Shade Many of us are in a season where it seems we are working hard but the harvest from the hard work does not equate? We have planted seeds in faith, praying and hoping for growth and opportunities, but we have been unable to rest under the shade of the proverbial trees. We have yet to see the difference or significance from all of the sacrifice and seeds that have been sown. It is in times like these that we must look to the Word to receive encouragement during these shady times. Mark 4:32 says. "Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds of the air can perch in its shade." With this simple parable, Jesus offers encouragement to that small band of disciples following Him over the hills of Palestine. They would be a part of something that would grow and bless the world immensely! Jesus says there's this mustard seed, and it's a tiny speck of a seed, seeming so insignificant when it's sown. But eventually it grows into this six to ten foot plant that has these large branches that produce all this shade. Jesus is dealing with the fact that His followers may feel like this seed is very insignificant. With all that was going on in the Roman Empire, here's this little group of people gathered together. It may have felt like their seed was so insignificant. What difference could it make? What difference could it make? Do you realize every person that has trusted Jesus as Savior can trace his/her spiritual roots back to one of these people sitting in the room with Jesus on that day? It may have seemed like a little, insignificant seed, but it changed the world, literally changed the world. So it may feel like your sowing of the seed is very insignificant and what could possibly come of this? Well, an eternal harvest, for one thing, as God takes these little seeds that are sown, and He builds His kingdom. You are on the verge of producing that kind of seed. I don't care how old you are, you haven't had your best idea yet. You haven't had your most creative moment yet. You haven't produced your dream yet. I don't care if you have not gone to school, college, or if you were born in the manger. God can make you a manager, owner or President. There is greatness inside of you that is germinating and waiting to break through the soil. It is ready to live. That seed wants to become a tree, that seed wants to become a forest.  That seed is screaming, I am ready to be break free. The greatest part of you is ready to manifest. Anybody who has left you is going to miss the greatest part of you. Any job or company that did not take you or released you is going to miss the part that would have taken them to glory. They are going to miss the greatest part of your destiny, the greatest part of your creativity. There are business, companies, concepts, in you. There are books to be written, painting to be drawn, concepts to be birthed that will radically change your life. To get you to this great awakening, to get you ready for what you are about to do today, you had to experience the shade throwing of yesterday. So you can't draw back, you must confront, push through and continue to put God first if you are going to experience your harvest. People willing to put the kingdom first in their lives and willing to abide in Christ will produce much fruit, but only if it falls on good soil. Don't allow the cares of this world and the deceitfulness to "choke" us so that we cannot bear good fruit. Be encouraged - You are destined for great things, despite your small beginnings, slow beginnings, troubled beginnings, stressful beginnings. The smallest of beginnings have the possibility to grow into something that will be greater than anyone could have imagined from the outset. We have the same mustard seed of the kingdom, and the same opportunity to harvest blessings that will throw major shade! Enter into prayer today to pray in your shade! Enter Into PrayerHeavenly Father, I come to You now in the Name of my Lord and Savior Christ Jesus. The seed is the word of God.” (Luke 8:11) and Heavenly Father, I am abiding in Your Word, holding fast to Your teachings and living in accordance with them. Lord pour in Your Healing Balm of Gilead to the very center, root, or heart cause, and bring total understanding, wisdom, healing, and total restoration to abound in me. Shine Your light to every nook and cranny driving out all darkness from me, then heal and seal those areas for Your purposes, Your Sovereign will be done.  "I CAN'T DO THIS ANYMORE!" How many of us have said this when we feel hopeless and discouraged because when we look to the future — we see nothing that will bring joy or pleasure. All we see is more struggle, pain and difficulty. But there is good news. As we read the words of David in Psalm 38, we find this godly, righteous man was also at the end of himself. He was downcast and discouraged, and his struggle had drained him of all strength. Listen to his distraught cry: "I am troubled; I am bowed down greatly; I go mourning all the day long I am feeble and sore broken: I have roared by reason of the disquietness of my heart My heart panteth, my strength faileth me: as for the light of mine eyes, it also is gone from me, I as a deaf man, heard not; and I was as a dumb man that openeth not his mouth. Thus I was as a man that hearth not, and in whose mouth are no reproofs (Psalm 38:6, 8, 10, 13-14). As I read this psalm, I imagine David slumped in despair. Perhaps what troubled him most was that he could not understand why he was suddenly cast down so low. This man hungered for the Lord, pouring out his heart daily in prayer. He revered Gods word, writing psalms that exalted His glory. But now, in his depressed state, all he could do was cry, Lord, I am at the end of my rope. And I have no idea why it is happening! Like many discouraged Christians today, David tried to figure out why he felt so empty and broken in spirit. He probably relived every failure, and foolish deed in his life. Finally, David reasoned that God must have been punishing him. Let me point out here that David is not just writing about his own condition in this psalm. He is describing something that all devoted lovers of Jesus face at some point in their lifetime. He is talking about being under a spirit of discouragement! The time comes when every dedicated believer is overwhelmed by this sudden and unexpected experience. No, Christian brings it on himself, nor does the Lord send it. Such an attack usually has nothing to do with any specific sin or failing by the believer. Very simply, the spirit of discouragement is an attack of the enemy against Gods elect. Feebleness, soreness, brokenness, troubles, being deprived of peace, mourning all of these things over burdened Davids spirit. He felt dry and empty, without direction, as if he had learned nothing over the years. If you are like David, tired, discouraged, wounded and ready to scream you can't do this anymore then I have good news. You are ready for grace. When you come to the end of yourself that's when you find the beginning of God. He is waiting for you with arms wide open to love you and to refresh you with His grace. He will show you the good things God has ahead for you. When our hearts are in this lowly place, we can’t change our own hearts. But the Holy Spirit can. The Spirit of Christ will not let you be deceived. But you must dare to believe He will speak to you! You are not going to faint. You are going to come out of your trial more victorious, because your faith will have been tested and tried as gold. And you’ll see the Lord fulfill every promise he has made to you! Go to your secret closet right now, even in your discouraged state, and quiet yourself before the Lord and pray by the Holy Spirit to fight the enemy of discouragement.  Give ear to my cry, O LORD Incline yourself to my petition. Lord Jesus, I bring all my burdens and lay them at the foot of Your cross. You know all about my life and circumstances; nothing that has happened to me is unknown to You. Lord, I know your Spirit abides in me. And I know you have sent him to comfort me, strengthen me and reveal the mind of Christ to me. So, Holy Ghost, I turn to you right now in simple, childlike faith. Speak to my heart your words of comfort. I do not have any strength left. You’re going to have to lift me up and lead me to your quiet stream. I feel lost, weary, lonely, overwhelmed. You know the plans You have for me. Order my steps! I feel stuck in life between the questions "why?" and "when?" Before I give up and shut down with an "I don't care anymore" attitude, please meet me right now where my needs are. Psalm 119:32 says, My soul melts from heaviness and I ask you to strengthen me according to Your Word. Dear Lord, grace me with your clear revelation. Reveal to me your blessed assurance in a way that I could not doubt your presence and provision in my life. Change my heart, thoughts and words. If there are no doors of escape from my circumstances, teach me to endure with courage, faith, a plan of action and a sound mind. |
IntercessionPrayer is the expression of man’s dependence upon God and his confidence in Him. When God answers prayer, He magnifies His faithfulness. Prayer is releasing the energies of God and asking God to do what we cannot do. Prayer is the breathing and panting of the Spirit after God. Prayer is a soul struggle. It is the hardest work God has given His children, but it is their most important work. If you have a Archives
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