In the midst of mental turmoil and apparent failure, despair sets into people leading them to a state of depression and resignation. Dreams are written off as once fired up individuals succumb to external pressures and lose hope. The very thought of that dream brings pain into their hearts, and the default set up takes over; bury the dream. This is the separating time between winners and losers. Winners never quit. Losers accept defeat and bury their God given dreams. The moments of inspiration are quickly forgotten and only the ugly face of apparent failure consumes the mind. Never forget in the dark what God told you in the light. Set your eyes upon the promise and you will walk on the stormy seas.
The way we see the future is limited. God never fails. The “you” that he knows is a successful you. He wants you to see yourself in the same way. Look at what God had to say about Gideon in Judges 6:12, “And the angel of Jehovah appeared unto him, and said unto him, Jehovah is with thee, thou mighty man of valor.” Gideon had a different perspective of himself. In the 15th verse, “Oh, Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my family is the poorest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house.” The rest of the story shows that God had the accurate knowledge of who Gideon was.
I don’t know what happened to your dream. There are many different battles and circumstances that lead to death. Death however exists in the natural realm. In God’s realm there is no death. In Luke 7:14, 15 we read, “And having approached, He took hold of the open coffin. Then the ones carrying [it] stood still, and He said, "Young man, I say to you, get up!" And the dead [man] sat up and began to speak! And He gave him to his mother.” To everyone else, it was finished. The boy was gone. In God’s eyes it was different. There was still hope and the young man was raised.
In Luke 8:52-55 it says, “And all were weeping, and bewailing her: but he said, Weep not; for she is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn, knowing that she was dead. But he, taking her by the hand, called, saying, Maiden, arise. And her spirit returned, and she rose up immediately: and he commanded that something be given her to eat.” That dream you think is dead is only sleeping. Call it to life by faith. Notice that Jesus commanded that something be given her to eat. When you have called your dream to life, give it something to eat. In the realm of the spirit, there is spiritual food. That food is the word of God. Everything has the capacity to hear the word of God. Speak the word into your life and your dream.
Joseph is the classic example of a dreamer who went through thick and thin but never lost grip of his dream. His brothers sold him into slavery; he became a servant in the house of Pharaoh, was wrongfully accused, went into prison yet never lost the dream. I don’t know what went on in his mind but he kept his honor for God and eventually he became the second in command in Egypt only after Pharaoh. If God gave you the dream it can never die. Only you can decide not to live up to your potential and let it die. Remember that God does not see potential in you. He sees you having already done what you are supposed to. Potential is the power to do; resting energy. God has seen you do it in the future already. “His Spirit has (notice the past tense) quickened your mortal bodies...”
In Ezekiel 37:1-3 it says, “The hand of Jehovah was upon me, and he brought me out in the Spirit of Jehovah, and set me down in the midst of the valley; and it was full of bones. And he caused me to pass by them round about: and, behold, there were very many in the open valley; and, lo, they were very dry. And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord Jehovah, thou knowest.” The valley is the place of conflict. The bones were probably the victims of many different battles that had died a long time back (for they were very dry). We read in that scripture that as the man of God prophesied the word of God, they became living beings again. Prophesy over your dream. Continue to prophesy and never give up.
Affirmation: Thus saith the Lord Jehovah unto these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live. And I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live; and ye shall know that I am Jehovah.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Monday, March 17, 2008
What Are You Eating?
Anything that enters the subconscious mind is stored forever. The only problem is that we have a problem recalling what we have stored in our minds, but we never really lose what we have taken in. The mind is always feeding. It may be mind “food” that you consciously choose or things that you don’t even realize are becoming a part of you. In view of this knowledge, it is absolutely imperative that we consider what we feed our minds on at all times if we are going to become the sort of people we desire to be. If you are expecting a breakthrough in any area you better make sure you take in the appropriate food for the mind and not food that will be counter productive to your desires.
It is said that you are the average of the people you spend time with. 1 Corinthians 15:33 says, “Stop being led astray [fig., being deceived]: "Evil associations corrupt good habits [or, morals]" [i.e. a quote from the Grecian philosopher Menander].” –ALT. The New King James version says, “Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.” The constant association with a group of people makes you either rise or stoop to their level. It is profitable and worth the while to associate with people who have the characteristics that you are trying to mould in your own life. Associate with people who build you up, that are positive instead of talking you down all the time with their negativity to the world as a whole and to you as an individual.
Television takes up most of the time for a lot of people. Upon arrival from work, husbands and wives find themselves glued to the box of pictures taken away into the world of other people’s imaginations. They hardly have time to fellowship with each other or with the children as they exalt the fictional lives of their favorite soap stars. In the day to day running of their lives, they begin to manage themselves using a soap star’s conquests as a personal template. When things don’t quite work out as they did in the soap they get depressed. What they do not realize is that there is a script for the soap, and the outcome is predetermined. In real life, things are real! The idea is not to cut out all TV, but to watch in moderation without being the TV addict that appears to be a zombie in front of the box.
Books that you read will either build you or break you. Too many people find pleasure in reading material that will either fill them with fear or pervert their minds. They think it is just entertainment, just like watching pornography. “Life is too spiritual”, as one preacher loves to say. Have you ever stopped to think whether the creativity you are reading or watching emanates from the Holy Spirit or another spirit that is not of God? 2 Timothy 1:7 says, “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear (timidity); but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind (discipline/self control)”. We need to exercise that self discipline and control ourselves even when no one is watching. Those that love horror are often timid and perennial victims of fear. Fear is a spirit, and the door to that spirit is opened by exposure to such horrific scenes that are imprinted into the subconscious.
The news is often filled with negativity and disappointments. They say bad news is the best news. Every day people buy the press to feed their minds with the negativity of the day. I am not against people knowing what is happening around them, but I can often tell those who rely on the news for all their actions and feelings. We know the truth in Christ. The things that happen around us do not determine who we are. “I’m not moved by what I hear. I’m not moved by what I see. I am moved by what I believe. My God will make a way for me in the wilderness”, said someone who knows who he is.
Make a decision to feed your mind with the right material. Read positive books and magazines. Choose to watch movies that bless your spirit. Develop a desire for knowledge. “Also, that the soul be without knowledge is not good; And he that hasteth with his feet sinneth.”- Proverbs 19:2. Also Proverbs 23:23 says, “Buy the truth, and sell it not; Yea, wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.” If you are believing for a breakthrough in a certain area of your life, read the material that will build your faith for that breakthrough. Search the bible for scripture that is appropriate for the things you want in your life. Get on a bible reading program. Read a chapter or Proverbs every morning and Psalms every evening.
Affirmation: I feed my mind with positive material. I have the mind of Christ. I am the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus!
It is said that you are the average of the people you spend time with. 1 Corinthians 15:33 says, “Stop being led astray [fig., being deceived]: "Evil associations corrupt good habits [or, morals]" [i.e. a quote from the Grecian philosopher Menander].” –ALT. The New King James version says, “Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.” The constant association with a group of people makes you either rise or stoop to their level. It is profitable and worth the while to associate with people who have the characteristics that you are trying to mould in your own life. Associate with people who build you up, that are positive instead of talking you down all the time with their negativity to the world as a whole and to you as an individual.
Television takes up most of the time for a lot of people. Upon arrival from work, husbands and wives find themselves glued to the box of pictures taken away into the world of other people’s imaginations. They hardly have time to fellowship with each other or with the children as they exalt the fictional lives of their favorite soap stars. In the day to day running of their lives, they begin to manage themselves using a soap star’s conquests as a personal template. When things don’t quite work out as they did in the soap they get depressed. What they do not realize is that there is a script for the soap, and the outcome is predetermined. In real life, things are real! The idea is not to cut out all TV, but to watch in moderation without being the TV addict that appears to be a zombie in front of the box.
Books that you read will either build you or break you. Too many people find pleasure in reading material that will either fill them with fear or pervert their minds. They think it is just entertainment, just like watching pornography. “Life is too spiritual”, as one preacher loves to say. Have you ever stopped to think whether the creativity you are reading or watching emanates from the Holy Spirit or another spirit that is not of God? 2 Timothy 1:7 says, “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear (timidity); but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind (discipline/self control)”. We need to exercise that self discipline and control ourselves even when no one is watching. Those that love horror are often timid and perennial victims of fear. Fear is a spirit, and the door to that spirit is opened by exposure to such horrific scenes that are imprinted into the subconscious.
The news is often filled with negativity and disappointments. They say bad news is the best news. Every day people buy the press to feed their minds with the negativity of the day. I am not against people knowing what is happening around them, but I can often tell those who rely on the news for all their actions and feelings. We know the truth in Christ. The things that happen around us do not determine who we are. “I’m not moved by what I hear. I’m not moved by what I see. I am moved by what I believe. My God will make a way for me in the wilderness”, said someone who knows who he is.
Make a decision to feed your mind with the right material. Read positive books and magazines. Choose to watch movies that bless your spirit. Develop a desire for knowledge. “Also, that the soul be without knowledge is not good; And he that hasteth with his feet sinneth.”- Proverbs 19:2. Also Proverbs 23:23 says, “Buy the truth, and sell it not; Yea, wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.” If you are believing for a breakthrough in a certain area of your life, read the material that will build your faith for that breakthrough. Search the bible for scripture that is appropriate for the things you want in your life. Get on a bible reading program. Read a chapter or Proverbs every morning and Psalms every evening.
Affirmation: I feed my mind with positive material. I have the mind of Christ. I am the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus!
Monday, March 10, 2008
What Do You Need?
In our quest for wealth and riches, we often find ourselves spending so much energy, time and emotions at the expense of the things that are truly important in life. Children grow up without the knowledge of how it feels to play with their fathers. They have no idea what it is to have their father talk to them or even hug them. Today, even mothers go abroad leaving their children with care givers that are not their biological parents all for the sake of money. I believe that it is important to provide for families, but what is it really that we need?
In the book of Matthew 6:33, Jesus said, "But be seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these [things] will be added to you.*” A lot of times we quote this scripture but we don’t quite understand what it says. A plant that is in the business of brewing fermented products like the Zimbabwean traditional brew is essentially there to produce the brew. However, a by-product from the fermentation process is carbon dioxide. So the company can take advantage of the by-product and get to sell it to increase profit. The by-product is not the reason why they are in business. It is the same thing with seeking the Kingdom of God. The reason is not so that we can get the other things that will be added. Too many people come to the church because they have their eyes set on by-products. They decide to be Christians so that they can be rich, have nice clothes and fancy food to indulge their gluttonous spirits in. Seeking the Kingdom first means seeking the Kingdom first!
Once we are in Christ, the bible tells us that all things are ours. I don’t know about you but that makes me want to shout “Hallelujah”! The passage of scripture from Matthew 6:24-34 blesses me all the time. Money is very important. Realize though that it is a very good servant but a terrible master. Someone says it’s just like fire. Material things are great to have. The amazing thing is we have it all in Christ. In Romans 8:32 Paul wrote, “The [One] who indeed did not spare His own Son, _but_ [who] handed Him over on behalf of us all, how will He not also with Him graciously give to us all [things]?” The Wesley commentary says, “He spared not his own Son; therefore he will freely give us all things. He delivered him up for us all; therefore, none can lay anything to our charge. Freely - For all that follows justification is a free gift also. All things - Needful or profitable for us.”
I believe that all things belong to God for He created all things. In the first chapter of the gospel of John we learn that all things were created by Him (The Word = God = Jesus). Do you realize that when you receive Jesus as Lord you become this mysterious creature? You become the new creation. I am running out of words to explain what you become. Colossians 2:9-10 says, “Because in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead [or, Deity] bodily, and you* have been made full [or, have been completed] in Him, who is the Head of every rule and authority,” Earlier on in verse 3 he writes, “(Christ) in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom (Greek: Sophia = insight into reality) and knowledge (Greek: Gnosis = scientific knowledge). What do you need given you have the fullness of the Godhead and the treasures of sophia and gnosis?
“Now if children, also heirs-heirs on the one hand of God, joint-heirs on the other hand with Christ, since we suffer together, so that we shall also be glorified together.” – Romans 8:17. A joint-heir is one who is a joint possessor with another. We own the world! What belongs to Christ belongs to us and Christ owns all things! Hallelujah! What then shall I be in need of? The psalmist says, “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want!” Look at the boldness Paul had in the letter to the Philippians in chapter 4:19 – “Now my God will fully supply all your* need according to His riches [fig., abundance] in glory in Christ Jesus!” That’s a brother who understands who his God is. We all need to get there.
In response to Martha in Luke 10:40, 41, Jesus said, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and disquieted about many [things], but of one [thing] there is need. But Mary chose the good part, which will not be taken away from her." Are you concerned about the things that will not be taken from you or are you anxious and disquieted (troubled, disturbed) about many things that are not really the good part? Reflect upon this question and decide where you are standing.
Affirmation: My God is able to supply all my needs through His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. I have all I need in Christ Jesus. I am a joint-heir with Christ!
In the book of Matthew 6:33, Jesus said, "But be seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these [things] will be added to you.*” A lot of times we quote this scripture but we don’t quite understand what it says. A plant that is in the business of brewing fermented products like the Zimbabwean traditional brew is essentially there to produce the brew. However, a by-product from the fermentation process is carbon dioxide. So the company can take advantage of the by-product and get to sell it to increase profit. The by-product is not the reason why they are in business. It is the same thing with seeking the Kingdom of God. The reason is not so that we can get the other things that will be added. Too many people come to the church because they have their eyes set on by-products. They decide to be Christians so that they can be rich, have nice clothes and fancy food to indulge their gluttonous spirits in. Seeking the Kingdom first means seeking the Kingdom first!
Once we are in Christ, the bible tells us that all things are ours. I don’t know about you but that makes me want to shout “Hallelujah”! The passage of scripture from Matthew 6:24-34 blesses me all the time. Money is very important. Realize though that it is a very good servant but a terrible master. Someone says it’s just like fire. Material things are great to have. The amazing thing is we have it all in Christ. In Romans 8:32 Paul wrote, “The [One] who indeed did not spare His own Son, _but_ [who] handed Him over on behalf of us all, how will He not also with Him graciously give to us all [things]?” The Wesley commentary says, “He spared not his own Son; therefore he will freely give us all things. He delivered him up for us all; therefore, none can lay anything to our charge. Freely - For all that follows justification is a free gift also. All things - Needful or profitable for us.”
I believe that all things belong to God for He created all things. In the first chapter of the gospel of John we learn that all things were created by Him (The Word = God = Jesus). Do you realize that when you receive Jesus as Lord you become this mysterious creature? You become the new creation. I am running out of words to explain what you become. Colossians 2:9-10 says, “Because in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead [or, Deity] bodily, and you* have been made full [or, have been completed] in Him, who is the Head of every rule and authority,” Earlier on in verse 3 he writes, “(Christ) in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom (Greek: Sophia = insight into reality) and knowledge (Greek: Gnosis = scientific knowledge). What do you need given you have the fullness of the Godhead and the treasures of sophia and gnosis?
“Now if children, also heirs-heirs on the one hand of God, joint-heirs on the other hand with Christ, since we suffer together, so that we shall also be glorified together.” – Romans 8:17. A joint-heir is one who is a joint possessor with another. We own the world! What belongs to Christ belongs to us and Christ owns all things! Hallelujah! What then shall I be in need of? The psalmist says, “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want!” Look at the boldness Paul had in the letter to the Philippians in chapter 4:19 – “Now my God will fully supply all your* need according to His riches [fig., abundance] in glory in Christ Jesus!” That’s a brother who understands who his God is. We all need to get there.
In response to Martha in Luke 10:40, 41, Jesus said, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and disquieted about many [things], but of one [thing] there is need. But Mary chose the good part, which will not be taken away from her." Are you concerned about the things that will not be taken from you or are you anxious and disquieted (troubled, disturbed) about many things that are not really the good part? Reflect upon this question and decide where you are standing.
Affirmation: My God is able to supply all my needs through His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. I have all I need in Christ Jesus. I am a joint-heir with Christ!
Monday, March 3, 2008
Who's Running The Show?
Maturity comes with the acceptance of responsibility. Babies are constantly expecting someone to make things happen for them. They look up to their parents for food, clothing, education and all other necessities. The younger the person, the more they rely on others to cater to their needs. This is true in physical growth, and it is also true in mental and spiritual growth. There are sixty year old people whose maturity is just like an eighteen year old. They refuse to take up responsibility for their own lives and often find someone to blame for their failures. They just do not realize it is their responsibility to make the choices that will shape their future.
Life essentially is the result of a series of choices a person makes. We choose the career path to take. We choose to stay in that career. We choose the partners to get married to (or not to get married). We choose the words to speak to those around us. We choose what to believe and what not to believe. We choose to accept Jesus as Lord or to reject His gift of salvation. It is all up to us. God made us volitional beings so that we could freely exercise the freedom to make choices because it is only with that freedom that those who truly love God will choose Him.
Any progress that you will make starts with you realizing you are responsible. You need to take 100% responsibility of the things you expect to see or get out of life. Blaming people around you will not make things any better. It is a sure way to keep things on the deterioration path. Some find themselves blaming it on their race, country of origin, gender, qualification (or lack of it) or any other thing that they can’t change. They have a victim mentality that thwarts their self esteem leaving them just as grasshoppers in their own eyes. The spies that came back with the report of the Promised Land in the bible said “…we were as grasshopper in our own eyes and so were we in theirs.” Low self esteem makes you small in the eyes of the world. It’s like walking around with a low price tag on the forehead.
In the parable of the talents in Matthew 25:24, 25; the servant with the one talent said, “Lord, I knew you that you are a harsh man, reaping where you did not sow and gathering from where you did not scatter. And having been frightened, having gone away, I hid your talent in the ground. Look! You have [what is] yours! “ The servant was just plain lazy and he blamed the master for his inability to deliver results. People like this talk a lot. This particular servant spoke seven times more than the other servants. The other servants still made profits even though the master was the same.
In chemistry, there are ingredients that are called rate limiting factors. They determine the rate at which a chemical reaction will take place. Without them, the reaction can be very sluggish and non productive, but once they are added, the reaction can be hundreds of times faster. An individual who takes responsibility of his or her own life becomes the rate limiting factor in his or her life. Taking responsibility creates a drive in you to find solutions. As long as you are expecting someone else to do things for you, you will not develop that drive. You will blame the economic situation, the rain, the environment, evil spirits, the dog and everything else except you. You will never grow.
Affirmation: I am responsible for my life. I make the choices that shape my life. I choose to carry my cross and follow Jesus.
Life essentially is the result of a series of choices a person makes. We choose the career path to take. We choose to stay in that career. We choose the partners to get married to (or not to get married). We choose the words to speak to those around us. We choose what to believe and what not to believe. We choose to accept Jesus as Lord or to reject His gift of salvation. It is all up to us. God made us volitional beings so that we could freely exercise the freedom to make choices because it is only with that freedom that those who truly love God will choose Him.
Any progress that you will make starts with you realizing you are responsible. You need to take 100% responsibility of the things you expect to see or get out of life. Blaming people around you will not make things any better. It is a sure way to keep things on the deterioration path. Some find themselves blaming it on their race, country of origin, gender, qualification (or lack of it) or any other thing that they can’t change. They have a victim mentality that thwarts their self esteem leaving them just as grasshoppers in their own eyes. The spies that came back with the report of the Promised Land in the bible said “…we were as grasshopper in our own eyes and so were we in theirs.” Low self esteem makes you small in the eyes of the world. It’s like walking around with a low price tag on the forehead.
In the parable of the talents in Matthew 25:24, 25; the servant with the one talent said, “Lord, I knew you that you are a harsh man, reaping where you did not sow and gathering from where you did not scatter. And having been frightened, having gone away, I hid your talent in the ground. Look! You have [what is] yours! “ The servant was just plain lazy and he blamed the master for his inability to deliver results. People like this talk a lot. This particular servant spoke seven times more than the other servants. The other servants still made profits even though the master was the same.
In chemistry, there are ingredients that are called rate limiting factors. They determine the rate at which a chemical reaction will take place. Without them, the reaction can be very sluggish and non productive, but once they are added, the reaction can be hundreds of times faster. An individual who takes responsibility of his or her own life becomes the rate limiting factor in his or her life. Taking responsibility creates a drive in you to find solutions. As long as you are expecting someone else to do things for you, you will not develop that drive. You will blame the economic situation, the rain, the environment, evil spirits, the dog and everything else except you. You will never grow.
Affirmation: I am responsible for my life. I make the choices that shape my life. I choose to carry my cross and follow Jesus.
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