July 26, 2010

All Things Will Be Revealed

Romans 12:12 NLT
Be glad for all God is planning for you. Be patient in trouble, and always be prayerful.

So many single Christians are searching and waiting on God to reveal to them their spouses. They’ve spent a lot of time praying and looking for the right one; most of that time was spent praying. You think if you pray long and hard enough that it will do the trick, but after not seeing results over a long period of time, most Christians become dismayed in the process, thinking that their prayers have gone unanswered.

However long you’ve been waiting ---don’t give up hope. Whatever you do, don’t give up the faith. Trust that the person who will bless your life the most, and whom you will bless the most as well, is here on this earth.

This person doesn’t need to be invented or tailor made. Like you, he or she has gone through all the ups and downs of life and is now prepared to open his or her life to another individual; they already exist and are living their lives just as you are. There’s a verse in Daniel that lets me know that when we’re ready all things are revealed…including your mate.

Daniel 2:22 NLT
He reveals deep and mysterious things and knows what lies hidden in darkness, though he himself is surrounded by light.

It is a mystery isn’t it? To know who is the right person for you and where he or she is. But God knows, and He can and will reveal all the hidden treasures to us when we line ourselves up with His plan and purpose for our lives.

You may be thinking to yourself, "Well, why is it taking so long? What else do I have to do to prepare?" As Reverend Fran always says, “God is not keeping your blessing hostage”. Your soul mate is probably right under your nose, but you can't see him or her. Something is blocking your way—some fear, some doubt, some emotional stuff that needs to be acknowledged, surrendered, and replaced by the love of God. You may not want to believe that, but it's the truth and it cannot be denied. You still have some internal work to do, and committing to that work is the most important and exciting thing you can do on this Christian journey.

If we were left to our own devices, we’d probably screw things up by marrying the wrong person or hooking up with the first person that looks attractive or says all the right things for the moment. The only thing that will accomplish is add on more stuff that you will eventually have to work through, so commit to it now and save yourself a lot of needless pain and heartache.

Sometimes, we as Christians have a very distorted vision of what marriage should be. We forget that marriage is a partnership between two people; and that God’s children come together to strengthen each other’s weaknesses and become strong together, so that their union becomes a witness of the love of Jesus Christ.

Whether we like it or not, we are unmarried because a lot of us are not ready to build God’s Kingdom together, we want the platform laid and built for us. It doesn’t work that way. Your prayers to have a mate will continue to go unanswered and your treasures will remain hidden as long as your focus remains on YOU.

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

Scripture taken from The Message. Copyright ©1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

"Lay Your Burdens Down" by Kim Times, Edited by Reverend Fran Times-Mack for Sundie Morning Sistas ©2010. All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord! Sundie Morning Sistas is dedicated to spiritual inspiration and encouragement through the Word of God.

July 19, 2010

Lay Your Burdens Down!

Tough times are a part of life, there’s no getting around it—especially for Christian folks. We've made up in our minds and hearts to live for God through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. When we made the commitment to serve Him, we became targets for attack, and as such we should prepare ourselves for battle. But what happens if you feel as though your burdens are too heavy to carry? How can you ready yourself for battle when you're feeling depleted and exhausted? Well, our Savior has an answer for that in Matthew 11:28:

Matthew 11:28 (NIV)

²⁸"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.²⁹Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.³⁰For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

Jesus Christ lets us know that the load is not ours to carry. If you’re weighted down with the cares of this world, it’s impossible to be your best for God because your focus is always on finding ways to lessen the weight of what’s holding you down. Jesus Christ makes it very plain that the rest we need and have been searching for is in Him.

My eleven year old child said to me “I know I shouldn’t doubt God, especially when I have no reason to---It’s just fear and the devil doesn’t want me to trust the Lord.” I thought to myself "...out of the mouths of babes." Her statement rattled my senses enough to make me ask myself, "Why do we doubt God? Is it fear, frustration or lack of faith that keeps us in despair and disbelief? Why do we doubt the One who has our backs in every situation?"

Quite simply, we doubt God because we think He doesn't care enough to act and move on our behalf, but He does. He moves in mysterious ways, and that means that sometimes we can't predict HOW He will move. And this not being able to predict how God will move is the thing that causes us to be unsettled in our faith.

This is the place where our commitment is made strong, because God tells us that even though we don't know all the details, we have to lay that burden down and keep on keeping on. We have to continue being a blessing, and even more so further our conviction to bless, pray, and be in service to Him.

No matter how long you’ve been on this Christian journey, the truth is, it can be a lonely journey. But no matter what, you owe it to yourself to travel the road as a relentless, tenacious Christian soldier. When life continuously throws punches, one after another, you must remind yourself that the battle has already been won through Jesus Christ. Your problems are not too big for God, and He has already provided a way out..

Psalm 94:17-19 (The Message)
16-19 Who stood up for me against the wicked?
      Who took my side against evil workers?
   If God hadn't been there for me,
      I never would have made it.
   The minute I said, "I'm slipping, I'm falling,"
      your love, God, took hold and held me fast.
   When I was upset and beside myself,
      you calmed me down and cheered me up.

There is nothing more desolate than being lost in the anguish and despair of your own mind. To search every corner of your existence for answers, for guidance, and for hope, only to find no refuge. That is the time you must face the fact that you can no longer stay where you are. The vision of what is before you no longer serves you. You must turn the corner in the recesses of your mind, and make a leap. Leap higher to cast your eyes on a new place—a place of which only the Holy Spirit can lead you. God will lead you out of the darkness of despair and into the light where you will find your refuge in Him. Our God is, has been, and always will be our Rock. When you are slipping, falling into a hole, where there's darkness and despair all around you, place your hand in His hand. Hold it tight, for He is a sweet anchor. He'll hold you up and He'll be there for you.

Don't try to hold on to the weight of your problems. You've done all you know to do, and now it's time for you to recognize that the battle is not yours. Surrender it to Jesus. Take the weight off your shoulders and give it to him, so that you can run your race with a clear mind and a peaceful heart. There is nothing that we are dealing with today that Jesus Christ didn’t take care of long ago. Lay your burdens down and never pick them up again.

July 5, 2010

Destined to Be Single...Think Again!

I had a friend tell me that he’s destined to be single. When I heard this, I immediately asked myself, "how in the world could this person make such a negative declaration for his future." I immediately told him that when it comes to this aspect of his life, he is the master builder of his own destiny; his life will be according to his own faith. Ultimately his life will be what he desires it to be.

If you’re not a born-again Christian, odds are that God’s plan and purpose for your life is the furthest thing from your mind. Your thoughts—your activities—your behaviors and attitudes are driven by whatever you choose to feel or whatever you want to do. 1John 4:6 (The Message) says "The person who has nothing to do with God will, of course, not listen to us. This is another test for telling the Spirit of Truth from the spirit of deception." An unbeliever who has nothing to do with God will not have a heavenly view. They can only see what's before them; with very little insight or foresight. They do not walk by faith, nor are they interested in doing so. They are apt to take life as it comes.

The born-again believer must strive to live a better way. We don't take life as it comes. We learn to master the best life we can live through walking by faith. God didn't just throw us on the field and say "Win the game!" He showed us how to win through Jesus Christ. We have an example to follow. We live by a different set of blueprints than the unbelieving world.

1Corinthians 3:9-15 (The Message) says: Let each carpenter who comes on the job take care to build on the foundation! Remember, there is only one foundation, the one already laid: Jesus Christ. Take particular care in picking out your building materials. Eventually there is going to be an inspection. If you use cheap or inferior materials, you'll be found out. The inspection will be thorough and rigorous. You won't get by with a thing. If your work passes inspection, fine; if it doesn't, your part of the building will be torn out and started over."

You and I have the great privilege to build upon the foundation that Jesus Christ laid. We don't have to pour another foundation, but we most certainly have to use our best spiritual tools—tools like love, peace, joy, faith, confidence, strength, and thankfulness.

We've got a plan, and it is to build upon the foundation of Christ. We can't put a shabby building on his solid foundation. Our lives should be a thing of beauty, and we can put our lives together brick by brick—one wonderful, learning, and fulfilling experience at a time. This is how we fulfill the destiny of victory that Jesus Christ has given us.

If you've been on this Christian journey a while, then you are past the apprentice stage. You're at the master carpenter stage, where you use the very best to construct the best—not sitting around, twiddling your thumbs waiting on something great to happen. You're designing your thoughts, motives, and actions to line up with Christ. You're already planning your victory celebration. You're constantly fine tuning your blueprints through faith and right believing.

Don't get caught making negative comments about the extremely positive potential God has given you. Jesus Christ endured unspeakable pain and suffering to ensure that you would have an opportunity to make your dreams a living, breathing reality. So don't shrink to everyone else's way of constant doubt. Return to the way that works, the Godly way where you understand that your steps are ordered towards optimum results.

Jeremiah 6:16 (NLT)
So now the LORD says, "Stop right where you are! Look for the old, godly way, and walk in it. Travel its path, and you will find rest for your souls. But you reply, `No, that's not the road we want!'"

If you want a clear path to God's goodness—if you want to find rest for your souls—our Heavenly Father has given us simple instructions on what path to travel. It’s to follow Him and His ways of doing things.

But even though we know God's way is the best way, and even though we say we love Him, we set out on a completely different path. We take what seems easiest because we’re impatient, and we want instant gratification. We trust more in our own negative building material than we do in the infallible, incorruptible material of God's love. We end up traveling down the wrong path of life, refusing to do the work to get back on the right road to peace, love, and prosperity.

The decisions you make, and how you live your life is truly up to you. Where you are today is always directly linked to what you believe about yourself, and what you believe about God. Your true identity is much further than skin deep. The truth of who you are is more than saying "I’m a born again Christian." Your destiny as a child of God is about how much of the Word you believe and act on consistently.

Your destiny in Christ is more than just waking up every day, going to work, and coming home. Life begins when you stretch beyond your comfort zone to be a giving, loving, productive example of Christ. So understand that you are building your destiny with every thought....every deed...every word; therefore, you are not destined to be single unless you choose to be.

" Destined to Be Single...Think Again!" by Kim Times, Edited by Reverend Fran Times-Mack for Sundie Morning Sistas ©2010. All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord! Sundie Morning Sistas is dedicated to spiritual inspiration and encouragement through the Word of God.

June 28, 2010

Put Him To the Test

Remember Malachi 3:8, where God asked the very poignant question "Will a man rob God?" The notion that such a thing is possible is somewhat unbelievable. Heavenly Father owns everything; how could He be robbed? Well not only does the Word tell us that it is entirely possible to rob God, but some of us actually have the audacity to do it.

God is God all by Himself. There is nothing any of us can do to add or subtract from His awesomeness. If the universe ceased to exist this very moment, He would still be as magnificent as He has always been, but we need to know that He set up the universe in a particular way. He created some immutable laws that govern the way the universe operates. Those laws are different from the commandments of love that were given to keep our behaviors and attitudes in check. The immutable laws are ones that keep the universe functioning. They keep the earth rotating on its axis, and they keep us alive and breathing.

These laws, like the Law of Gravity, cannot be broken by our wills. Since the beginning of time, they have existed, for God said in John 1:1(NLT) "1In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God." You and I can't mess over something that's been around that long, but that is exactly what we try and do. We think, "Surely God knows it's a tough economy. He's just got to cut us a break!"

Well, His mercy and grace endures forever, but He'll not bend, alter, or manipulate His laws to accommodate our disobedience. The laws work beautifully and they'll work with us if we'll work with them.

Heavenly Father gives specific details of how to give, what to give, and the benefits of tithing. A couple of weeks ago I wrote about the measure of giving and how incredibly important it is to tithe out of a loving heart. God doesn't need our money, but we must understand that He set up the universe to respond to our giving. So ask yourself, "if He set up the universe to respond to MY giving, who receives the benefit?"

Well, put it to the test. Whether you give in abundance financially or you give something as small as helping a neighbor in need, the importance of that giving gesture cannot be underestimated.

Look around you. Examine the world we live in. Look at the corruption—the evil. Much of this exists and persists because of our failure to give.

Something wonderful happens when we up the dial of our hearts to giving status. This giving action is right action! It is the kind of action that places us in alignment with the spirit of Christ. Giving is just about the only thing that we can do that differentiate the believer from the rest of the world. Giving, not getting should be our trademark.

You've got money troubles? Well, there's no shortage of it in Heaven. God has told us how to tap into His overflow. He commanded that we commit ourselves to the act of giving. So, we can't expect that God will come down to our level of neglect and disobedience. We must step up to His, where abundance continuously flows.

Father God said in Malachi 3:10 (The Message), "Test me in this and see if I don't open up heaven itself to you and pour out blessings beyond your wildest dreams." My grandmother would say "Chil', the bible say don't test the spirit!" She would say this out of her tremendous respect for God and His Word. But whether or not we test God's Word is inconsequential, because His Word is fail-proof. That is what He is telling us.

Honestly, I can’t think of anyone I’d rather put all of my faith and trust in than God. If you place your trust in anything else, you'll be disappointed, because man will undoubtedly disappoint you, sometimes not on purpose, but we are human with human frailties. People will fall short, but rest assured, it’s simply impossible for God to do so. Wouldn't you rather risk everything on a sure thing, than risk nothing and lose it all anyway? Think about it.

"Put Him to The Test" written by Kim Times and Reverend Fran Times-Mack for Sundie Morning Sistas ©2010. All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord! Sundie Morning Sistas is dedicated to spiritual inspiration and encouragement through the Word of God.

June 21, 2010

Stumble, but Never Fall

My father would always say to me “When you go to sleep at night, you are the only one who has to live with the choices you’ve made.” I didn’t understand the magnitude of that statement until I faced the world alone. There were many choices of which I simply lacked the mental, emotional, and spiritual fortitude to make wisely. It’s funny, because at the time the choices seemed right to me. As I continued to move forward though, it became increasingly apparent that I had made very poor decisions—decisions that caused me tremendous pain, and in some cases, caused pain to others. Well I’m still here to talk about those poor choices, so I made it through, but the thing is—I wasted valuable time and I cheated myself out of so many good things.

As I began my Christian journey, I wondered why it was that God didn’t step in and prevent me from making such a mess of the situations I faced. Why didn't He prevent me from walking into things that I was ill-equipped to handle? Let's look at a verse in Psalms 56 to derive more inspiration and insight regarding that question.

Psalms 56:13(NKJV)
13 For You have delivered my soul from death. Have You not kept my feet from falling, That I may walk before God In the light of the living?

David said that God kept his feet from falling. So the logical question for us is: what was God preventing his feet from falling into? Was He preventing David's feet from falling into manifold dangers? Were his feet going to be falling into temptations? Or was God preventing him from falling into doubt and unbelief? The answer is "all of that and then some."

The Psalmist knew a little something about falling. He, by his own fear and lack of judgment, had thrown himself into some slippery situations. But despite his poor choices, he put himself in the hands of God through faith. He had many enemies, for he said in Psalms 56:2, "They are many that fight against me." In verse 1 of this same chapter, he said "Dear Father, show me some mercy, because these folks are crazy and driving me nuts. They are oppressing me and I'm almost overcome by them; I need your help!"

Did David make mistakes, yep! He sure did. Did he escape the consequences of those mistakes, No, but he learned how to trust God through them. You see, that's the true lesson of this verse in Psalms 56.

Like the enemies of Christ, David's enemies were watching him closely. They were waiting on him to make a mistake so they could pounce on him immediately. He said in verse 5, "They wrest my words," They took the true meaning of what he spoke and twisted it to mean something completely opposite. David endured these folks a long time. They vexed him in every way possible, and he perhaps felt like his feet were falling, but he had a sweet anchor, and so do we.

David threw himself in the hands of God with the assurance that our Heavenly Father would keep him from falling. And yes, this is exactly what you and I must do. We stumble. We make the wrong choices, but this is a part of the growing process, and God values our spiritual growth as Christians more than anything else. Through every obstacle and difficulty that we face, we need to know that He will hold us up and carry us to victory.

David believed in the goodness of God very strongly, and he didn't have the precious example of our loving savior to assist his faith the way that we do. Jesus Christ had not yet come. He had not yet made the selfless sacrifice of which you and I are privileged to know and share.

Our Lord is our mediator, for 1Timothy 2:5 (NLT) tells us that "there is only one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and people. He is the man Christ Jesus." Through Christ we are covered. We can walk with confidence as we travel through the storms of life.

At times, it will be the same for you as it was for David; there will be people on your job, people in your church, and people in your own family who will come against you so hard and so fierce that you can't help but cry out to Heavenly Father just as David did. They may talk about you, twist your words, and lay traps to try and trip you up. And sometimes, you may stumble, but you will not fall. God is with you. He will always be with you, and He will always keep your feet from falling.

"Stumble, but Never Fall" written by Kim Times and Reverend Fran Times-Mack for Sundie Morning Sistas ©2010. All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord! Sundie Morning Sistas is dedicated to spiritual inspiration and encouragement through the Word of God.

June 7, 2010

It’s Not About You

Even though most Christians know, or at least veteran, mature one’s realize, that there is a fundamental component to our Christian walk. This fundamental component is this: our most important responsibility to the Kingdom of God is to minister and help save lost souls. Albeit a well known fact, most become too distracted with their own problems or become too busy living their lives to take notice of the many opportunities we have to minister the gospel. We are easily distracted because we make ourselves the central focus.

It’s not about us. It's about the love of Jesus Christ. It's about the opportunities we use to show the world that His love is transformative, and it can impact their lives in a profound way.

Jude 1:17-21 (NLT)

¹⁷ But you, my dear friends, must remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ said. ¹⁸ They told you that in the last times there would be scoffers whose purpose in life is to satisfy their ungodly desires. ¹⁹ These people are the ones who are creating divisions among you. They follow their natural instincts because they do not have God’s Spirit in them.

²⁰ But you, dear friends, must build each other up in your most holy faith, pray in the power of the Holy Spirit,^[a] ²¹ and await the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will bring you eternal life. In this way, you will keep yourselves safe in God’s love.

We cannot be ignorant of what our purpose is. When we accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, our journey made a shift; therefore our purpose became clearer—or at least it should have. Jude 1:20(NLT) makes our purpose plain, we are to beware of those who follow their natural, worldly instincts, because those instincts are based on the enemy's spirit of divisiveness. Those who give way to this spirit do not have God's Spirit abiding within them.

We have to remember at all times that there are distractions that serve to keep our minds and hearts off the Word and off of what God would have us to do. So listen, every single time a person or a situation gets in your way, instantly remember that you have a job to do. You have an obligation to fulfill. You are to build up your brothers and sisters in the faith and pray in the power of the Holy Spirit. This is how you keep yourself safe and wrapped in God's love.

Don’t allow yourself to be fooled and tricked out of your destiny. We live in a world filled with people who know nothing about the love of Jesus Christ. They live among us as neighbors, co-workers, friends, and even family members. It's sad that they haven't yet accepted the Son of God as their personal savior, or that they don't understand His love—sad indeed. But their status should serve to remind you that you've got a lot of work cut out for yourself.

It’s not insurmountable to speak the Word of God to a unbeliever. Every time you do you are providing them a choice to leave the world behind and cling to the ways of Christ. You are helping them to embrace love, light, liberty, and life. Think of all those who prayed and helped you to come to Christ. You are obligated to do the same for someone else.

God is counting on us to be true examples of His son. Again, it is one of our most important duties as Christians to spread the Word and be witnesses of the love of Jesus Christ. So be cognizant of that always, especially when you are in the company of unbelievers.

Matthew 5:16(KJV)
16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Your light is supposed to illuminate the wonderful qualities of a loving, compassionate, trustworthy and honest individual. You are expected to exemplify qualities that stand out from anyone else, enough that people take notice of who you are.

If there's ever a time when you leave a group of folks behind, whether it’s leaving a job, or moving to another state, those you left behind ought to notice your absence. They ought to miss your light, and they should also realize that you have left them infinitely better than they were before you came. This is the mark of God's love; it's a mark you must endeavor to make.

No, it’s not about us. Remember, the obstacles, self doubt, struggle, strife, and confusion deliver a powerful message. That message is to shift your focus, not on the upheaval, but on the prize. You are given the amazing power to help transform someone's life—to make a difference. No, it's not about you, it's about who you are through him!

Many Blessings,
Kim

June 1, 2010

Give and It Shall Be Given

Luke 6:38 NLT If you give, you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full measure, pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, and running over. Whatever measure you use in giving--large or small--it will be used to measure what is given back to you."

The law of giving is for the giver and non-giver alike, however you choose to look at it. The universe will measure back to you what you give it. And if you refuse to give, the nature of your lack will be multiplied upon you as well. Many Christians have read this verse hundreds of times but don’t really think it applies to them. It’s not because you don’t understand what God is saying---you get it--- it’s the giving part that trips you up. You may think to yourself, “My light bill is due—I need to get my car fix, or I won’t have enough to pay my mortgage!” All of these points are certainly valid and definitely understandable, however, paying your tithes guarantees that you’ll have all of these things taken care of and then some.

Malachi 3:10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that [there shall] not [be room] enough [to receive it].

For years we've been preached to from televangelists and the like about the principle of giving. We've heard it so much in fact that many Christians have just tuned it out, but we cannot maintain a fruitful relationship with God without faith, and faith dictates that we give. Through our tithing God is providing us an opportunity to be like Jesus Christ...an opportunity that guarantees our increase in every aspect of life.

All too often people consume the first fruits of their labor by wanting to keep it all for themselves. Let’s set the record straight, if you’re not giving it to God, you’re certainly going to give it to the world. You'll give it to the world in one way or the other, and most times it will not be to your advantage. Something will come up that will require you to dig deeper in your pocket; and it’s not God getting back at you, it’s your seed falling on the wrong ground—bad—unproductive—unfruitful ground.

Have you ever been labeled ‘cheap’? It’s nothing wrong with being careful with how you spend your money, but when it comes to the principles of God, He has instructed us on how to give. He has instructed on the who, what, when and how of giving. Our Heavenly Father has done this because He wants us to have the very best that life has to offer, and not by the world’s standards but by His.

If you neglect your responsibility to give, it will cause you great discomfort in the end, but doing what is required of you will keep you in harmony and on the right path to success all the time. Listen, you certainly don’t want to nickel and dime your way through life, because if you do that is all you can ever hope to receive. You want to always have a full measure of blessings coming your way all the time, running over on a large scale!

God wants us to ‘get it’, He wants us to trust in Him and not focus so much of our thoughts and energy on the cares of this world. You are a child of God, you are to prosper and be in good health and if you’re not I can promise you it relates to you’re not giving.

Trust me, I understand very well how difficult it is to work hard all week, deal with the pressures from the job and then come home and there’s more sacrifices waiting for you at home; and when the paycheck comes, you feel you don’t have enough to make ends meet, let alone have enough to give 10% in tithes and offerings. But that’s just it, we can’t afford not to. If someone told you that at the end of every week, you’ll get a handsome reward if you give them 10% of your earnings, you would break your neck to make sure you give what is necessary to get that reward.

We're not talking about rewards from a flesh and blood individual. This is the Father we're talking about. Hebrews 11:6 tells us that He's a "rewarder" to those who diligently seek Him. Notice the word "diligently". This word by its very nature implies that there might be some challenges. You might struggle in your mind with this idea of tithing, but you're to overcome that and put the things of God first in your life.

Our Heavenly Father said He would do above what we could ask or think. He said emphatically that He would open up the windows of heaven and pour us out a blessing in such abundance that we wouldn’t even be able to receive it all. I don’t know about you, but I want those kinds of results in my life on a perpetual basis. Not a day goes by that I wouldn't want to receive anything less than God's abundance.

You may not think so, but there are opportunities to give that are all around us. Keep your eyes and ears tuned in to ways to be a blessing.

Giving equals receiving---it’s a universal law, just like reaping and sowing. Whatever you give, whether it’s good or bad, will come back to you. Think of it as going to work every day, week after week. You expect to get a full week’s pay for the time you put in, well this example holds true with the principle of giving. You'll get back what you put in. If you give generously, you can certainly expect to be rewarded generously.●

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

May 23,2010

Be Mindful of Your Treasure

Matthew 6:19 admonishes us to be mindful that we don't store up treasures for ourselves on earth. The material things on which we place a great value will most assuredly decay, if they are not stolen by a thief first. Instead of placing so much value in things on earth, we are instructed to keep ourselves busy storing up treasures in heaven. When I was younger, I thought to myself "how can you store up treasures in heaven when you are living on earth?" Let's talk a little bit about that.

Every person on earth has a treasure. We all have something at one time or another that we place an exceedingly high value on. This treasure is usually something we desire, but don't yet possess. In Matthew 6:19, the Lord is not denying us our treasure, but instructing us as to how to choose it.

We become so focused on making more money or satisfying the needs of our flesh that our priorities become out of sync. This type of mindset will throw a monkey wrench in God’s plan for our lives for sure. We become distracted with setting up earthly treasures, and begin to neglect the spiritual ones.

God has a solution to get us back on track and in alignment with His plan; it works every time. Matthew 6:19 says that thieves can break through and steal earthly treasures because those treasures are temporary. They don't last. You see, we can enjoy what the world has to offer, as long as we don't allow the world to lead us astray. We have to understand that nothing in the earth can fulfill us like the things of God. Trusting this one great truth will put us back on the right path.

Sometimes we don't trust that. We say that we do, but our actions don't convey our trust. We let our concern with material things and with trying to portray a certain image get in the way of our walk. We forget that our true identity is in Christ Jesus.

Matthew 6:21 (KJV)
21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Your heart is the seat of your being. Your conversation, your thoughts, your attitude and behaviors, and your actions will flow from that deep place. All these components tell the world where your treasure is. Your treasure governs every decision you make. If your decisions have not been good ones, then you'll have to face the fact that your heart was not in the right place.

Ecclesiastes 2:12,13 (NLT)
12 So I decided to compare wisdom and folly, and anyone else would come to the same conclusions I did. 13 Wisdom is of more value than foolishness, just as light is better than darkness.

Solomon said wisdom is more valuable than the foolishness of the world. The Wisdom of the Word is our treasure. If we will allow it to sink in our hearts to the point where it guides and directs our decisions, we will never be disappointed.

Earthly things pass and fade away just as sure as the sun rises and sets. We are to lay up for ourselves treasures in Heavenly places because it’s safe, secure, and well protected from the enemy. So, the deal is this: our treasures ought to please the Father, because if we please Him the rewards will be great.

He has warned us to not invest our heart in earthly things because they simply will not last. If your heart is to please this world and the people in it, you'll find out soon enough that they will pay you handsomely, but you'll lose your soul in the process. If you’re looking to receive the goodness that God has for you, then you’ll have to invest in His plan and purpose.

Remember to seek the Kingdom of God FIRST. Everything you desire can be found in Him. Focus more time and energy studying the Word of God, praying earnestly with a joyful and thankful heart, and building solid and respectful relationships that foster an attitude of spiritual admiration. It’s up to you to decide where your heart will be, and there’s no higher or better place to put it than the Kingdom of God.●

May 16,2010

How to Achieve Results

I’ve been a born-again Christian every since I was a little girl. As a mature Christian adult, I’ve always known that if I wanted to achieve anything in life or if I wanted to witness something positive, then God had to be my central focus; He has to be number one in your life. I was taught this wisdom at a very early age. I learned how to pray in a way that gets results, whether it was getting an "A" on an exam, or to pray that my mom and dad wouldn’t chastise me too harshly if I did something wrong in my younger years. Bottom line, I knew that there was a way to achieve results and that prioritizing my relationship with the Father was the most important ingredient.

I don't know about you, but it was an exhilarating experience to actually witness the results I prayed to receive. It is equally as exciting today as it was back then. When you're down in the doldrums, or you've been waiting to receive an answer to a prayer for a long time, it is easy to forget how wonderful it is to reap a harvest. I'm here to tell you that you can't afford to forget. This feeling of exuberance is a requirement for the Christian. You don't have to force yourself to feel it either. If you truly have faith, it will come naturally.

First of all, let’s be clear, nothing can keep you from receiving what you want most in this world but you. It may be a little hard to accept, but if you’re not where you want to be or you don’t have what you desire, it’s not because God is holding your blessing captive in Heaven. God requires that we demonstrate faith.

Faith is the substance of things we hope to receive. In order for it to produce results, we have to be fully persuaded that the things we want are already ours. Have you've been praying a long time to meet your soul mate? How excited are you to meet him or her? What is your level of enthusiasm?

I asked you those questions because I want you to remember that feelings of exuberance and joy are requirements for the Christian. Why? Because those feelings of joyful anticipation translate to feelings of thankfulness. A person is rarely thankful for something that they are not sure they are going to receive. Feelings of thankfulness come from having faith that God is able, willing, and sure to do what He has promised.

Philippians 4:6 (NKJV)
6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;

Philippians 4:6 gives us some really great clues about how to achieve results from prayer. It tells us first that we shouldn't be anxious for anything. We can't allow ourselves to be rocked and impatient when the timing of receipt isn't what we expect. Sometimes the cake needs to stay in the oven and bake a little longer. Blessings often come by way of people, and those who are on the path to blessing us may take a little longer to find their way than we'd like. When this happens we can't lose heart. We can't give up when we're so close to having what we desire. Be anxious for nothing! "Nothing" means "nothing". God is telling us this because as soon as we get wobbly and behave as though we have doubt in our hearts, our blessings take a u-turn. Did you know that?

When we earnestly petition the Father to receive a blessing, it is immediately on it's way to us, but doubt causes it to abruptly halt. Faith has no tolerance for ambivalence. Either we believe or we don't. Through Jesus Christ we can believe wholeheartedly. We can have unwavering assurance. God has given us access through Christ to the kind of faith that moves mountains, but you can't use it if you don't stand up to the integrity of God's Word. You can't take authority if you are not fully persuaded in what God has given you.

Philippians 4:6 goes on to admonish us by saying "in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;" So many of us gloss over this verse without careful examination. "In everything! In everything! In everything!" Do you know what that means? It means that every time your mind slips back to its old ways of doubt and insecurity, you snap it back into a Christ mindset of everything by prayer, earnest-humble specific request, and feelings of true joy and thankfulness. You don't give the devil an inch!

If you prioritize your relationship with God appropriately, then you will believe what He says in His Word. We can have the life we desire, because God has given us specific, yet simple instructions regarding how to achieve results. His way works, and that's more than enough to get excited about!●

May 2, 2010

What Are You Waiting for - Make the Leap!

It takes a real gutsy person to have the courage to make the leap to do anything challenging or down right scary. It takes even more hootspa to go after what you want...I mean to go after it with so much tenacity and vigor that even a seasoned Christian would tip their hat to you. I said that to say this: If you desire any degree of happiness, you must be relentless about achieving it.

The only way to achieve it is to take the leap of trusting God with all your heart, mind, and soul. Doing so assures beyond a shadow of doubt that you will have what you desire. So, do you have what you desire, and if you don't, why not?

If you'll be honest with yourself, you might come to the conclusion that part of the reason why you don’t have what you want is because you haven’t been ready to take the leap. To leap is to have confidence that when your feet leave the ground, you will not be in any danger of injuring yourself when you come back down.

At first, romantic love is like that. It's an emotion that feels so good to the heart, that once we experience it we want it to last forever. We make the first big jump and we think we want to take another leap, but after injuring ourselves a few times, we're afraid. Many of us are afraid and don't even realize it. You might ask yourself, "well if it feels so good to jump right in, why are so many folks having difficulty with it?" Well, to answer that question we have to go way back.

When we're an adolescent and experiencing love for the very first time, we are immature and ill-equipped to handle rejection. But hey, what do we know at that age. We just leap right in, not realizing that pulled heartstrings is the nuance of a youthful love. Things are not supposed to stay that way. We get older and as we do, we ought to gain a better handle on exactly what real love is. For many of us that doesn't happen.

We have to practice driving to get a driver's license, but no one makes us take a test for romantic love. Seldom does one question whether or not he or she is doing it correctly. So if and when we get a few bumps and bruises in the heart department, some of us become afraid. Deep down inside we are afraid of getting hurt.

God gave every born-again Christian the right to choose. Once you make up in your mind to take God at His Word – there’s no turning back. If you do turn back, you'll lose momentum. It’s like starting a race all over; and what’s the point in that. This works the same way in looking for a marital partner. If you've been hurt before, you can't afford to allow that hurt to cause you to turn back and run from love. You have to take the leap, but do so with the right kind of love.

It’s completely ok to leap forward in love, because God has given us everything we need to do so. We can take possession of what’s ours. Now I’m not talking about ‘claiming’ another individual as our own. That's immature. Some of us think that God will drop the perfect man or woman in our laps without us having to do a thing. This belief will probably get you as far as dinner and a movie—but that’s it. Beginning a long-term, committed, loving, and secure relationship with someone requires that you put romantic love in perspective.

Your motive must be to love in the right way, not to fulfill the youthful lusts of your past. As Christians we have a responsibility to put love in high gear and turn it to the agape dial.

Sometimes we have it twisted, we think that loving romantically is the principle way to love, and that the love of God is secondary. NO! Absolutely not. The reason why our adult relationships don't work out is because we didn't realize that as we grow older we are supposed to learn to love better and wiser. Our motive must switch to loving potential partners with the love of God first. Take a look at James 4:2-3 (NIV).

James 4:2-3(NIV)
You want something but don't get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.

God tells us in His Word that we don’t have what we want because we don’t ask for it; and if we have asked, it’s been with the wrong motives. Could it be possible that you’re focused on the wrong thing – you’re preoccupied with what you don’t have, rather than being thankful for what you DO have? Could it be that your motive has been to recreate a relationship built on an immature love, like the one you had when you yourself were immature?

Sometimes it’s very necessary to get real and honest with ourselves about what we really want from God, and then we have to line that up with His standard. You have to be brutally honest and ask yourself what’s holding you back? What’s gotten in your way – has it been fear? If so, replace fear with the Love of God...that’s right! How do you do that? Well the word of God teaches us that Perfect Love cast out fear. Perfect love comes from living the Word of God. So drench yourself in His love through saturating your heart and mind with His Word.

Our Loving, Heavenly Father hasn’t forgotten about you, He’s expecting your prayer to match who you are in Christ. He expects that you will trust Him to bring the right person in your life. It’s not enough to say you want to believe God; you have to act like you do. The same faith that it took for you to become a believer is the same faith that is required to marry the right person. Love is the ticket...real love...agape love. Let it saturate your heart, then make the leap!

"Signs of Self Sabotage" by Kim Times and Fran Times-Mack for Sundie Morning Sistas, copyright © 2010. All Right Reserved.

Scripture taken from The Message. Copyright 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 Biblica. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

April 25, 2010

Signs of Self Sabotage

All relationships have difficult times, and those difficult times can cause it to deepen and blossom into a thing of beauty. That's why a rough spot is never the time to throw in the towel—not at the first, second, or third sign of trouble. As a matter of fact, throwing in the towel shouldn't be an option at all. Often when commitment phobia rears its ugly head, that is exactly what we'll do. We look for reasons to sabotage a good thing, and most of the time we do it without being conscious of it. We choose the silliest thing to ignite an argument or we harp about the trivial idiosyncrasies of the other person. Whenever we begin to do this in a relationship, it's a pretty good sign that we are beginning to display self sabotaging behavior. We need to recognize it for what it is.

Self sabotage is self-defeating behavior. We can start out so well, and then all of a sudden we begin to behave erratically right out of the blue. For most human beings, there's a reason behind our actions, attitudes, and behaviors, and a good deal of the time we self-sabotage because of emotional stress. Sometimes we wig out because deep down we don't believe that we have what it takes to stay in the relationship for the long haul. Others engage defeating behaviors because of their fear of disappointment. They bring the axe down on the relationship as a way of controlling the outcome.

And then there are some folks who begin to miss the good ol' days when they were footloose and fancy-free. The idea of being without certain obligations and responsibilities looks more and more appealing to them. They abandon the relationship because they have the misguided notion that the grass is greener on the other side. Some of them experience remorse or guilt, so they will gradually leave, but do so in stages. First they'll vacate the premises emotionally, and then physically.

Whatever the reason, we need to come to grips and get it into our heads once and for all that we, every last human being, are equipped to be committed and loyal men and women. Now whether or not we use that equipment is another story, but we certainly have the ability to stay faithful to the individuals we claim to love.

I’m telling you, one of the worst things a Christian can do is doubt his or her ability to live victoriously. But it’s becoming more and more apparent that Christians are living below their privilege in marital relationships. Many times we pray for God to bring the best person into our lives and when that person shows up, we tell ourselves, “Um, maybe I’m not ready” or “This person gets on my nerves too much! I’d rather be by myself than deal with this foolishness”. This attitude does not convey the love of God in operation.

At some point, we have to make the connection between the amount of the Word that we live and the level of success we will enjoy. The two go hand and hand. God is watching how we handle things, and you have to ask yourself, How mature is it to ask Him to give us more goodies when we can't take care of the most precious goodie of all time, which is our spouses.

Jesus Christ is our benchmark in any and everything. We can't set our own standard for how to love or who to love. When asked "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?", Jesus responded in Matthew 22:37 (NIV) by saying "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'[b] 38This is the first and greatest commandment. 39And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'[c] 40All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."

Jesus Christ set the precedent for the standard of love. It is by following his example that we can resist self-sabotaging antics and have meaningful and fulfilling relationships, not just with our spouses, but with anyone.

It is for the gospel's sake that we must remain committed to one another, not our own. Being committed to our spouses is the very least that we can do. Jesus Christ said in Matthew 11:30 (KJV) " For My yoke [is] easy and My burden is light." The most expedient, advantageous, and reciprocating thing to do in all the world is to give out the love of Christ, especially to our partners.

Examine the heart of Christ in John 17. He was getting ready to endure an agony so tragically unique, that no singular person in the history of humankind has ever endured anything like it. In this passage of scripture, his crucifixion was near, and yet he didn't spend his time talking to the Father about the shortcomings of the disciples. He didn't complain about how lonely he felt when they abandoned him for their own agendas. He poured out his heart for them. Look at the pure, positive, unadulterated love that was so evident in his prayer to Holy Father:

John 17:20-23 (NIV)

²⁰"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, ²¹that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. ²²I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: ²³I in them and you in me.

The heart of God is that we be "one" with our spouses. This must be our singular purpose in our relationships--to embody this kind of love for our mates--to have the heart to serve each other and take care of each other's needs. That was the heart of Christ and it must be ours too. Then we don't have to worry about sabotaging the blessing the Lord has presented. We won't block ourselves from loving wholly and completely. We can simply enjoy the fullness of life with the confidence that we are giving out a quality Christ-kind-of-love, therefore we will most assuredly receive it back as well.

April 18,2010

Pay Attention to HIS Needs!

In the last teaching I wrote a little somethin' somethin' specifically for my single sistas in Christ, focusing on the responsibility of a woman in the marital relationship. This time, I feel it’s only appropriate to focus a bit on the men and throw a little love their way. Now I don’t begin to profess that I know how men think, but I don't believe that men and women are as far apart as Venus and Mars either. I believe there are some strengths and weaknesses of both sexes that harmoniously compliment each other very nicely. Yet and still, we have to—have to—have to break it down to the all encompassing question: What does the Word say about the matter?

Ephesians 5:23 NIV
23 For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior.

Men love this one, don't they? Ephesians 5:23(NIV) says that the husband is the HEAD, just as Christ is the head of the church. How do you like them apples. This verse describes the husband’s role very clearly and authoritatively, and its mind blowing to a whole lot of folks. You know why, because we've strayed so far away from biblical principle that we can no longer recognize it's incredible and incomparable wisdom.

The husband is the head of the wife. It's such a phenomenal concept that I had to write it again. Because you see, a whole lot of men are trying to be the head of a whole bunch of other things. Some want to be the "head" in business. Some want to be the "head" in politics. Others want to be the "head" on the streets. But you see, God set the precedent. He is telling us very concretely that if the man is not holding it down as the head of a home, he certainly can't be the head any place else. He's just frontin'. He may accomplish goals and aspirations, but until he's a husband and a good one at that, his stand is on shaky ground.

God has entrusted a man with one of the most precious things in all the earth, and that is the woman who is to be his partner for life. That’s a hefty responsibility that God has placed on a man, but He wouldn't have done it had it not been extremely integral to His plan.

What kind of man is God talking about here? He is talking about a man who carries honor and integrity, one who can anchor the foundation of a Godly home. Quite naturally, in order for the man to be the Head, he will need a strong woman right there with him. God's desire is that they stand together, back to back with holy armor, shielding each other from the fiery darts of the enemy. In other words, no matter what—they both have each other's back.

Some men quake in their boots at the very imagery of that. They don't think they have what it takes to hold a relationship together a lifetime, not realizing that they are equipped to do just that. Everything that's needed to be that strong anchor, they already have. But if he's too selfish and too unenlightened to share himself in the way that God has ordained, Sistas, trust me on this one...this is not the man for you.

A man who can't step up to the plate as brazen as the woman he digs, isn't a man who can be the head. Why do I say that? Well, let me explain. You see, you and I can talk all day about what a man is supposed to do, what we feel he should do, and what we want him to do, but none of that matters. Sistas, this is the one thing of which we must come to terms, because a strong man will not allow his direction to be dictated by anyone.

Point and case, I don't care how much you're checking out a cutie. When it comes time to put a ring on your finger and walk you down the aisle, if he's not with it, you can hang it up. None of us can make a man want to marry us. If he doesn't want to do it, it's not going to happen.

God knows this, because he created them to have this sense of authority and dominion over their fates. Holy Father did not give the woman this authority over her man; He reserved it for Himself. The husband has received a direct command from the Chief, and if that man isn't willing to comply, there isn't anything you can do.

Brothers, you have received your assignment. It's not about your need for space. It's not about your need to achieve, it's about your responsibility to pay attention to God's need for you to be the head! It's just that simple.●

"Pay Attention to HIS Needs!" by Kim Times and Fran Times-Mack for Sundie Morning Sistas, copyright © 2010. All Right Reserved.

Scripture taken from The Message. Copyright 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 Biblica. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

April 11,2010

Will You Love His Way?

You won’t find the world's advice on how to sustain a fulfilling relationship by reading this article. What you WILL find, however, is information on how to build and maintain a quality relationship by God’s standard. My prayer and goal is always to steer you in the direction of formulating your own unique and Godly tools—tools that will aid your quest to marry a compatible partner who respects and supports your stand on the Word. Sometimes we forget the vital information that will help us prepare for the presentation of our soul mates, so I endeavor to steer your mind to places that you may overlook or have forgotten. I want to do this so that when you finally meet the person of your dreams, you can step to the plate blazin!

If our minds are filled with the latest topic of a popular TV show, or if we're seeking advice from someone who doesn't know much about maintaining a Godly marriage, then we don't have what is necessary to build our faith. As Christians, we must be absolutely sold out on the great truth that the only thing that works is the Word of God. There are no ifs, ands, or buts about it.

When you’re searching for the solution on how to have a successful and lasting relationship; you should always measure it against the principles in the Word. What does God say about the purpose of a marital relationship? What steps should each of us take to ensure a sweet union with each other? If it’s predicated on the accuracy of God’s Word, then you will build a fulfilling, meaningful, and most importantly, a loyal relationship.

Genesis 2:18 (The Message)
18 God said, "It's not good for the Man to be alone; I'll make him a helper, a companion."

Do you ever wonder why God said it wasn’t good for man to be alone? There are many answers to that question, but one of those answers is very obvious. God wanted us to understand words like loyalty, union, togetherness, happiness, and joy. He knew that marriage is the greatest way to teach us the meaning of those words, so that we can better learn to love His way.

God provided Adam with a help meet—a companion—because it was never God's intention for Adam to be alone. This verse in Genesis makes it very plain that God gave us the wonderful institution of marriage to be companions. He wants a couple to work together, love one another, and to grow and build a life together.

Proverbs 31:10-12 (The Message)

^10-12 A good woman is hard to find, and worth far more than diamonds.
Her husband trusts her without reserve, and never has reason to regret it. Never spiteful, she treats him generously all her life long.

I bet you most every single Christian woman in the world knows Proverbs 31:10, but it isn't enough to know it, we have to live it. A man is generally at his best when he’s confident that he has a good woman who's got his back. Sistas, it really is our responsibility to demonstrate the qualities of loyalty and support to our future husbands. If we want those qualities reciprocated, then we have to be relentless in our own demonstration of them.

Quite a few of us complain that we're neglected in our relationships, and that we don't have a sense of true romance. We forget that our mates respond to what we put out there. If we are confident in the love we give, then our future husband has no other choice but to respond in a way that is pleasing to us and pleasing to God.

The only way to have confidence in the love we give, is to ensure that we are following God's standard. When we give out a Christ-kind-of-love, a man will move heaven and earth for his family. He'll do it because he understands with crystal clarity that a virtuous woman is a rare find; she’s the heart of the home and family.

God's love cannot fail. If there's any doubt in your heart about that, you're not as ready to partner as you think you are. Remember 1 Corinthians 13:3-7 (The Message)

Love never gives up.
Love cares more for others than for self.
Love doesn't want what it doesn't have.
Love doesn't strut,
Doesn't have a swelled head,
Doesn't force itself on others,
Isn't always "me first,"
Doesn't fly off the handle,
Doesn't keep score of the sins of others,
Doesn't revel when others grovel,
Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
Puts up with anything,
Trusts God always,
Always looks for the best,
Never looks back,
But keeps going to the end.

Be encouraged, Sistas....walk in God's love!

"Can You Love His Way" by Kim Times, Edited by Fran Times-Mack for Sundie Morning Sistas, copyright © 2010. All Right Reserved.

Scripture taken from The Message. Copyright 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

What Does Your Mirror Reveal?

What we exude to the world has everything to do with what’s going on within us. If you have joy, love, peace, and happiness on the inside, God has designed everything within the universe to respond to and reciprocate what you give it. You can never hide your true self because in relationships we attract the true reflection of who we are – inside and out. Take a look at the person that’s in your life, what do you see?

Of course, if that person has some characteristics that we don't like, then we are more apt to deny that these qualities have anything to do with us, but in fact they do. The person we attract is a mirror for both our strengths and our weaknesses. They will mirror back to you exactly what you need to see about yourself.

Yes, relationships can shine a light on the things you need to change and address. Some of us are just plain too arrogant to accept that. We would rather think that the other person doesn't know how to adequately love us, or that they are not worthy of us. We would prefer to access blame than to accept that we may not have demonstrated the love of Christ in a way that helps the situation rather than hurt it.

People come into our lives for a reason, and whatever the reason is, it presents both a challenge and an opportunity for us to leave footprints of Godliness in their hearts and minds.

We have to remember that God didn't give us just enough love to get by. We have the bountiful reality of His only begotten son abiding on the inside of us. We have an infinite reservoir of love from which to draw. We can never say that God's gift wasn't enough to pull us through. Whether or not we get through any relationship successfully is directly tied to the love of Christ we are willing to demonstrate.

If you are blessed to be in a healthy, secure and mature kind of love, then hats off to you because these are signs that real work is in progress. But always remember, whether you're in a healthy relationship or just coming out of a bad one, you have to be willing to look in the mirror honestly, without arrogance, prejudice, or shame; and be honest about your failure to live up to the standard of Christ. And yes, sometimes we have to seek the forgiveness of the other person involved before we can forgive ourselves, and we most definitely have to seek the Father's forgiveness.

Make sure the love you give reflects a God-kind of love, and when your internal radar is out of whack, be man or woman enough to admit it and address it. We're not perfect, and I'm not suggesting that we have to be in order to attract a quality person, but we certainly can't allow arrogance to rule our hearts. If you want optimum results, it will require you to pay attention to details like this.

The person who takes an interest in you may not possess all the characteristics you would like, but always be willing to seek the Lord about that. Also, think about who the person can become through the transformative power of God's love.

Most of us tend to reject change especially if it requires the discomfort of confronting our baggage, but you can't conquer what you refuse to confront. In order to reflect the image we desire we must be prepared and ready to make the necessary adjustments within. If you find it hard to swallow constructive criticism about yourself, then baggage will follow you from one relationship to the next. God desires much more than that for us.

Ephesians 1:18 NLT
18 I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the wonderful future he has promised to those he called. I want you to realize what a rich and glorious inheritance he has given to his people.

Our hearts can be flooded with the glorious light of Christ; therefore, there shouldn't be anything lackluster about us. God’s children shouldn't have dull and lifeless marriages or relationships, we have too much love inside for that. We all must learn to shower our mates with God's love, and when it feels like we're running out, the Father will re-energize us. Our focus must be on pleasing Him. When it is, nothing in this world should keep us from exemplifying true love and happiness, especially as joint-heirs of Christ.

For Christians, there is no guess work about what’s at work on the inside of us. We should know how blessed we are, not only in relationships but in everything else as well. If you continue to attract the same type of man or woman, or make the same mistakes in your relationships, stop the blame game. Don't look at the other person...look within!●

Wait a Minute…I Have Power Within

Don’t ever think for one minute that you can't shape and mold the kind of existence you desire through the power of God's love. Everything you need to make the right choices and decisions is on the inside of you. The gift of the Holy Spirit is your own personal GPS system. The indwelling Holy Spirit guides and propels you in the right direction at all times.

The sole purpose of God's gift to us is to lead us...guide us... and direct us into all truth…IF we let it. It is fail proof! There is no way that God's gift will not do what He intended it to do. So make the connection! It’s time for you to discover why you don’t have what’ve you’ve been praying for, because your breakthrough is here!!! It's not right around the corner. It's not a stone's throw away. It's here! So no more waiting and no more excuses. It's time for you to take action.

First thing to do is to make sure your internal antennas are up. You ought to be listening-in really good to what God is saying, because He's speaking to you through the spirit within. He's telling you what you should be doing to make room for your blessing. What...you didn't know that you need to do that? Well you most certainly do. So if you're expecting Mr. Right and you've been buying, cooking, and preparing for just yourself, scratch that habit.

Abundance is the name of the game. How can you expect God to bless you with a sweetie and you're still in a "single's mindset". Uh, uh, uh....got to be more careful. Faith requires that your actions and thoughts line up. If you continue to prepare for being single, then that is what you'll continue to get. Prepare to open your heart...prepare to share your space and everything else with your Mr. Wonderful and he will surely come. Stay your mind on expansion and increase. Prepare NOT for one...but for two.

The spirit will help you to do this. The spirit will help you hone your skills in the right direction. And the last thing you want to do is to miss those signals and flashing lights because you're distracted and paying attention to the wrong thing. If you're thinking about what you'll accomplish by yourself instead of thinking about what you'll build with someone else, then you haven't sufficiently raised your sights. You're saying you want one thing, but your thoughts and actions say something completely different. The fact that he or she hasn't come into your life yet is the flashing sign on the wall. It's the spirit telling you to up your game.

There is a connection that works for every Child of God in order to achieve maximum results for his or her life. Everything becomes solid when we align our actions and thoughts with the Spirit of Truth within us. You have to figure out a way to make it come together for yourself. There is not a day that goes by that you can’t take significant steps to ensure you’re walking with all power all the time, and that you are working, preparing, and expecting with believing and faith to receive what you desire.. Once you remember, "Wait a minute – I have power within!" It’ll be like parting the Red Sea to all that you desire!

What to Expect When You’re on the
Right Track

Sometimes people say that you don’t need to get married to make your life complete, and this is true. In fact, you are already complete in Jesus Christ and should be totally confident in the love of God whether you're married or not. But sharing your life with someone and finding a life long partner to grow and/or have children with is a beautiful way to leave a legacy. It is a way of securing that you're leaving the earth better than it was before you arrived, because you are leaving behind something that exemplifies wholeness, righteousness, and a Christ kind of love. The problem however, arises when a born-again Christian sacrifices the integrity of God’s Word in order to obtain love or to sustain the love he or she desires.

We will sometimes put our faith on the chopping block for the sake of feeling an emotion, and we expect that someone who doesn't care beans about our relationship with God will help us experience emotions of love genuinely. Do you see how flawed this notion is? The Word doesn’t really speak about dating because God's way is that when a Godly man is really ready to get married, he'll do it. He'll find a woman he believes is a good match. He'll put a ring on her finger and it's a done deal. So no, we'll not find scriptures that directly speak to dating, but there are several verses of scripture that will help the unmarried Christian believer along the way.

One of those scriptures is Matthew 6:33 KJV. It says, "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." “All these things” encompasses everything, including a mate. You can pray for a Godly mate, and God will without a doubt answer your prayer, but sometimes you need preparation. So don't become impatient, and accept anything. That isn't the best and God wants the best for you. You have to think it through and honestly ask yourself what will serve you better. Is it to have what you want when you want it, or to have God's best?

You can become disenchanted with the process of finding the right kind of mate if you’re continually meeting someone that doesn’t fit. That person can be compassionate, kind, and financially stable but lack entirely the capacity to love you the way that Christ loved the church. Understand that you need the love of a man or a woman who can be committed and loyal to your family a lifetime. If YOU have this capacity then surely God has a mate for you who has it as well, so don't settle.

God wants us to seek HIM! He will keep our feet from falling. He will help us to stay on the path to finding the person who will beautifully assist our growth in every way, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. It may not necessarily be someone who is as strong in the faith as we are, but that person will have a level of caring for us that really pleases the Father.

James 1:5-6 KJV
5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all [men] liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. 6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.

Always ask God if someone you've met is the right person for you, and have the courage to accept the answer. The Father will show you what you're working with. He'll answer you in a way that lets you know you're on the right track, and it's YOUR responsibility to pay attention. It's not complicated, it's simple. There are generally three things that the Father clues us in on: does the man or woman have integrity, does he or she want to get married, and does everything point in the direction of him or her choosing you as his or her spouse. When we are looking for the truth and seeking God for wisdom, He will continually confirm positive answers to these questions. And you should make sure you receive His confirmation before you settle in with your heart.

The most important thing is to remember that it matters HOW you receive the blessing of your lifetime mate. Once you have the kind of relationship that compliments your life, honor the blessing. Don’t start sacrificing your Godly principles and standards to gratify the needs of another. Hold steadfast to pleasing our Heavenly Father, because He always makes good on His promises.

God knows that one of the most difficult choices in life is partnering with someone. The last thing you want to do is play Russian Roulette with your heart. Heavenly Father knows the best person for you, and He will certainly lead you down the right path if you trust Him. Prepare your mind and heart for the opportunities that await you, but also remember to keep yourself in alignment with what you believe, which is the Word of God, and you WILL have the desires of your heart.

The Barometer for Preparation

Before you go searching for love, make sure that you are well prepared to take on the responsibility of someone’s heart. I say that because God expects Christian men and women to represent true examples of healthy, whole, and committed relationships. All of us know this, but knowing it doesn't hold a relationship together. Even those with the best intentions have ended up with relationships that have fallen apart. One of the major reasons why is because at least one of the persons involved feels they are not getting the love they deserve. If you are in this situation, particularly if you're a Christian, you must be honest and humble enough to get very real and ask yourself - Are you the problem?

It may be hard for you to believe, but most often it’s not about who you’re with, but the steps you’ve taken to ensure a successful relationship. One of the first steps in securing a healthy relationship is to know what the Word tells us. God instructs singles in 2 Corinthians 6:14 KJV - Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?

Wooo wee, that gets your goat doesn't it! That's a blockbuster straight from the kingdom and it's a warning most of us ignore. This verse in 2 Corinthians warns us to be careful about joining ourselves with unbelievers. God warns us because He knows the struggles that saved people will have if they marry folks who do not believe in Jesus Christ. Perhaps it isn't impossible to have a successful marriage with an unbeliever, but for the Christian it will not be an easy one.

If you decide to get into a relationship with an unbeliever, it is your responsibility to be an extraordinary example of Christ, because through you, that person can become born-again. But the most practical and loving thing you can do for yourself and for the other person, is to wait until the Father gives you an absolute green light to get involved. And for goodness sakes abstain from any intimacy. Do not cause them to sin and be worse off by being involved with you. Just think of the statement that makes. Here you are a Christian, and you are causing someone who doesn't know Christ to fall, all because of your selfish needs. No, No, No, this can never be.

You must remember that the Love of God should be the governing factor in all relationships. Many Christians make the mistake of being a little bit too desperate or hasty for love and ignore the advice God gave us in His Word. Then, often times when things go awry, we are quick to point the finger at the other person and shift the responsibility off of ourselves. Let's face it, it’s always less painful if we blame our own inadequacies and shortcomings on someone else, but this is a dangerous course of action. It is dangerous because it keeps us from growing into the person God wants us to be.

Whenever things do not go well in our relationships, chances are that it’s time to do an internal check on you! Whatever, whoever, and wherever we are at this very moment in time is contingent upon the kind of love we have cultivated within. God is at work on the inside of you, but you need to make sure He has plenty to work with.

And, in case you’re not sure how Christians should behave; 1Peter 3:4 NIV, says, "You should be known for the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God." Fortunately, for single people, we still have time to nurture that inner beauty and perfect our relationship with God in order to attract loving partners like magnets.

God instructs us on how to live fulfilling lives and sustain healthy relationships; it starts with obedience to His Word. Everything comes back to how you will serve the Body of Christ. It cycles back to how you will treat one of God’s children when your relationship hits a bump in the road - do you become frustrated and agitated - can God trust you with his most precious gifts? This is a barometer for preparation – you have to see your potential partner the way God views them. You must possess the strength to hold it all together, not tossed around like a leaf in the wind. Aim to be unmovable and stable, not for selfish reasons but because you understand it’s not about you, but it’s always about the faith in Jesus Christ which makes it all possible.

Don’t Let Fear Take Advantage

There is one thing that will surely defeat the believer and rob you of ever receiving anything from God and that is fear—it is the sand in the machinery of life. What do I mean by that? It gets in the way of the natural flow and direction that God purposed for your life. It is the believer’s greatest enemy. Fear is negative believing and it keeps your life going in reverse instead of moving forward. Your life is designed to flow effortlessly, but once you allow fear and negative believing to be the dominate factor, you are making a statement to heaven above and hell below that you do not trust God and have not taken Him at his word.

Proverbs 29:25 (NKJV) says "Fearing people is a dangerous trap, but to trust the LORD means safety."

We see very clearly from this verse that fear places people in bondage, Proverbs 29:25 calls it a "dangerous trap." This is what fear does, it traps. It is to the devil what love is to God. Love produces results that will build us up, fear produces results that will tear us down.

All addictions, phobias, and negative feelings have their root in fear. We know that these can be difficult things to deal with, and we have to be patient with ourselves as we learn to get over them, but get over them we must. We have to begin the work of dealing with our fear because it occupies space in our souls that should be reserved for God's love.

How does fear enter into our lives? We let it in by wrong believing. The scriptures tell us that God defined one of his servants, Job, as the finest man in all the earth. Job was married with ten children. He was one of the richest men in the bible. He had amassed great wealth and the Word bears evidence that he reverenced his relationship with God very highly, but there was also something very troubling going on with Job. He had fear. Not just a run of the mill scary thought, but the kind of fear that allows the enemy to take advantage. It was the kind of fear that so gripped his soul that he was constantly worried that something would happen. Look at Job 3:25 (NKJV)

Job 3:25 (NKJV)
25 For the thing I greatly feared has come upon me, And what I dreaded has happened to me.

The earth is proving ground for the children of God. It is our platform to constantly affirm who we are. God already knows who we are. He knows us through and through, but WE have to know ourselves and the only way we can do that is to know our purpose. We have to understand that we were created to walk in God's love, and if we are to walk in it...we have to know what it is...we have to comprehend the depths of His love for us.

Job had based his relationship with God on what God could do for him personally. It was tied to the fact that the Father lavished blessings upon him. Job wanted something and bammm!...there it was (well, maybe not that fast, but you get the picture). His soul was tied to what he wanted from God, not to who he could be through God. For his soul's sake, this dynamic had to be switched around. Job's relationship with the Father could not be based on fear, it had to be based on love in its truest sense.

Job's fear was so etched in his heart that he would make sacrifices every week. He made those sacrifices so that God wouldn't allow anything to happen to the life of which Job had grown accustomed. Job believed his children sinned on a regular basis and to cover them, he would offer sacrifices to God so that they would be protected from anything bad. The adversary knew this and because of Job's fear, the devil had legal ground to break into his life and tear it apart.

In Job 3:25, Job said the thing I feared the most has happened. This is the way fear operates. It will take the set of circumstances that we don't want and produce them. You see, anytime we allow fear into our lives, in essence it means that we doubt God’s Word. And this allows the enemy to come in and wreak havoc in our lives. The devil patrols the earth all day every day just looking and waiting for the opportunity for God’s most precious ones to slip and give him a way in. So many of us are like Job, in the sense that we endeavor to cross all our “T’s” and dot all our “I’s”, but we forget to give all our cares over to God. The Bible tells us in Romans 8:28 KJV that if we trust in God, all things will work together for good.

2 Timothy 1:7, KJV
7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

Fear is a spirit, and spirits can live in you just like sickness and disease. God gave us a spirit of power, love, and sound mind. So if He didn’t give us the spirit of fear, who do you think did? The spirit of fear comes from the enemy, and we need to make sure he gets it back. Just like it said in Job, the adversary patrols the earth to see what is going on. He knows if he can get us not to trust in the power of God’s love, then he can get us to fear.

Go back to Proverbs 29:25 (NKJV), it says "Fearing people is a dangerous trap, but to trust the LORD means safety." To trust in the Lord means safety! We have the advantage here. We don’t have to offer sacrifices to God to cover our sins like Job did for his children. The Word says we can do 3 things that will allow us to have complete victory over the opponent: #1)We should recognize that Jesus Christ was the ultimate sacrifice for us, #2) live in such a way that we honor his sacrifice, and #3) allow God to teach us how to surrender those fears to His perfect love.

You and I have the potential through Jesus Christ to walk fearless in love. Through Him we are more than conquerors in every situation. We have the victory! This is the ultimate advantage.

Defining You!

1Corinthians 3:16, 17 (The Message)

^16-17You realize, don't you, that you are the temple of God, and God himself is present in you? No one will get by with vandalizing God's temple, you can be sure of that. God's temple is sacred—and you, remember, are the temple.

If someone told you that your body holds the most precious thing in all the world, how well would you take care of it? Would you keep it clean and in order? Would you nurture it with the nourishment it needs? Would you keep it fine tuned so that when you reveal it to the world it's in flawless shape? Being a Christian means that we will do all of those things, but not so much in the physical; tiptop spiritual shape is our focus here. We have within us the most spectacular gift that has ever been given. It is the spirit of God, and because the indwelling spirit of God is so incredibly special and unique, we were designed to be a uniquely, special spiritual people.

This isn't a teaching about how to keep the body in shape, although that is very important. This is about remembering that no matter what you think you are, God defines you. He gave us a gift that is very active on the inside of us, and if we allow it the room to be at work, it will define everything that we do. You won’t have to walk around professing that you are a born again Christian everywhere you go. You won't have to hold a bible in your hand all the time. People will automatically sense that there is something special about you based on how you present yourself. Nothing speaks louder in all the world than the love of God. And it speaks the loudest when a person has chosen to let the indwelling Holy Spirit be the governing factor in his or her life.

To allow the spirit to govern our actions is a goal that we should focus on more than any other. 1 Corinthians 3:16,17 says "Don't you realize that you are the temple of God..." That is such a powerful question that most don't really understand how to answer it. They might say "Yes, I realize that God lives within me through His spirit." Some may even boast about it, but when you take a good long look at how they actually live—when you look at how they conduct themselves, you might think that they don't have a clue about what's on the inside of them. That's why it isn't enough to answer the question with words. We have to do more than just say we honor the gift...much more. We have to live it! We have to live as though we are carrying around the most precious cargo in all the world...because we are!

This is a vital thing in our walk in Christ, that we constantly remind ourselves of what is abiding within. And not only that, but that we behave in such a way as to honor the tremendous gift we've been given. Every unique ounce of your being was created to serve God and His people. All of your talents, abilities, shortcomings and weaknesses make up who and what you are. Even on those days when you look at yourself in the mirror and don't like what you see; God is right there with you. He's there on your best days, your worst days, and those in between. He could have had His spirit hovering over our heads, but that was not His intent. He purposed to place His spirit on the inside of us so that He could help us to become better than we ever thought we could be. He is operating on the inside of us so that we can have an internal guide; one that will help us become a true reflection of Christ. With the passing of every second, the gift is helping you to become the person God wants you to be.

It is God's plan that defines us, not our own. It is His love that molds us and turns our mistakes into triumphs. 1Corinthians 3:16, 17 says that "No one will get by with vandalizing God's temple," This is why we can never give up or give in, because nothing in the universe has more power than God. He is on the inside of us, causing us to win, even when we don't feel as though we are. We simply have to trust Him.

You can't do anything to define your existence more than what God has done IN you. Through Christ, you are an heir to all of His glory, His goodness and love. It is His goodness that allows you to show off who you are. Through Christ you can raise your head up high and walk with the presence of the power that has been bestowed upon you. God created you with a purpose; He created you specifically, at the perfect time and place. You are not a mistake, nor were you an accident. You are the temple of God!

Building a Strong Foundation

Jesus Christ came to make an abundant live available; therefore every person on earth is entitled to live the most life that they possibly can. Some of us will live to create incredible amounts of wealth and some of us will live rather modestly. Some of us will create large families, and some of us may have small ones. Whatever it is that we choose for ourselves, whether it's the most lavish lifestyle or the most mundane, in order for us to stay anchored in peace and happiness we must build upon the foundation that God provided through Jesus Christ.

A foundation is defined as the basis on which a thing stands, is founded, or is supported. If you'll take a good look around, you will see that many folks are busy building on shaky foundations. They spend the bulk of their time building walls around bad relationships, addictions, and lies, only for those walls to come tumbling down. Then they begin the process of rebuilding again, without taking the time to learn how to build something that will stand the test of time.

It is wasteful to keep going around in circles, making the same mistakes all the time. Too often we blame God for our troubles when it is we who refuse to learn the lessons that all spiritual people must learn. As Christians we must learn to use the tools that Christ has provided to construct our own piece of wonderful. Those tools are love, faith, hope, patience, kindness, humility, generosity, and self control.

1 Corinthians 3:10 (NIV)
10 By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it.

We do not have a choice in the matter. We were put here on this earth to build. Just like the Apostle Paul, you and I are master or expert builders. He understood that human beings create by nature. We build things because that is what we were designed to do. We think of things in our minds and then we set out to produce the thing we thought about. No matter your profession or lifestyle, you were the one who made the choice to go after what you wanted. You took the initiative because you viewed yourself as someone who possesses the ability to build a life.

This word "master" implies a high level of skill. Now, all of us don't go about constructing our lives in a masterful way, but all of us certainly have the potential to live masterfully. That is what the Apostle Paul is conveying in 1 Corinthians 3:10. He tells us that we are capable of building something so strong and sturdy that not only will it provide comfort and care for us, but for others after us as well.

Isaiah 33:6 (NLT) says,”In that day he will be your sure foundation, providing a rich store of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge. The fear of the LORD is the key to this treasure”. Anytime you want to build something solid you need to have a strong foundation to build upon. God's Word is that strong foundation and you have to honor His Word to the point that you are standing firm upon it. Some of us fear that we lack the faith to believe in His healing, so we give up on getting well. Some of us become too impatient to wait on our future husbands, so we settle for fooling around with toads. Some become too depressed and bewildered about their broken marriages, and they refuse to learn how to restore them through Christ. We do not have to give-up and give-in this way. If you truly believe that God is who He says He is, then you will begin to trust that His foundation will not let you down.

Honoring God is the key to having something that is immovable. When you construct on His promises, you don't have to be afraid that strong winds will tear your house down. You don't have to fear disappointment when you uphold His Word because His Word will never fail. With God there is strength everlasting, and nothing will stand without His strong foundation.

It is up to each of us to think the highest thoughts for ourselves that we can, and then give them over to God. When we do this, we can't think for one moment that our labor is over. No! He will then help us to become skillful. He will help us to become wise master builders, so that we stop vacillating by trying to build a little bit on His foundation, and then running back and forth to build on the world's. He will help us to see that our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, laid the proper foundation for us to follow. He's our example, the chief cornerstone for building a Godly life.

I have a friend who is in the process of building a vacation home in the Caribbean. He's passionate about this home and has taken every measure to ensure that all the details come together in the best way possible. This is his dream home for sure, so he plans to build upon a hilltop so that the house can withstand any damage during hurricane season. He is taking precautions to insure that his vacation home will be steady and strong, that it will not collapse under pressure. This is the attitude we must take regarding our own lives. We are God's valued treasures, capable of building upon what He has provided to carve out a wonderful existence. Don't waste this opportunity. Open your eyes to what He is showing you. Get busy building upon what He has provided, and know that as you do, you will not be destroyed; you will not crumble or collapse. Through the love of Christ, you will stand stronger than ever.

THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV®
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society®
Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Choose Carefully!

Making a life-altering decision can be a daunting task, because where we are today is a direct result of the choices and decisions we’ve made in the past—good or bad. Where we will be in the future is directly related to the choices and decisions we make today. Realizing this significant truth can make anyone a little nervous about their decision-making ability. And it's not so much the actual task of choosing that’s so difficult, but the fear of whether or not we will make the right choice; often that is the thing that presents the challenge.

What do I mean by that? Well, the task of making a choice is actually a good one to have. Who doesn't want the option of choosing one thing over another. But if you are perplexed about something and can’t seem to make up your mind, there's no two ways about it, you need to get some good sound advice from the Word of God.

The scriptures gives the right instruction for any and every thing in life you could ever face. Everything that pertains to life and Godliness is in the Word. But will you listen and take heed or will you have a hard head and turn away from sound advice?

Proverbs 21:5 says, “Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity, but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty.” I just love this verse because it emphatically affirms that if you want to prosper in life it requires good planning. There isn’t anyone I know who wouldn’t want to live well. We all want to drive a nice car, live in a beautiful home, and have plenty of money in the bank. People who have attained those things have planned for them, and they did so by acquiring as much knowledge about what they wanted as possible. Knowledge is power; once you know better you do better. And the right knowledge can only come from seeking God first.

If you don’t have what you want, or you’re not where you would like to be in life, you have to do an internal inspection and ask yourself why. Was it because you didn’t have the necessary tools to carve out a better existence for yourself? Well, some people would say "yes" to that, but the scriptures tell us that God has given us everything we need through Jesus Christ, therefore we can lay claim to and live an abundant life. Did you procrastinate and put off what you could have done today for the next day? This is usually what happens to folks who fear making decisions. They are afraid to make the right choice, so they put themselves in a position where they don't have to choose at all. Don't get caught up this way. Learn to lean on God....learn to expect and seek His help when you are faced with tough decisions.

I was watching an home show episode that showcased a woman who had relocated to another city. The young lady wanted to find a condo in her new location that would resemble the one she left behind; she loved it just that much. She hired a realtor and to her satisfaction was able to find the perfect place at the right price. All it took was one look. When she walked in she just loved it. The location was perfect, and it was exactly what she was looking for, but for some reason, she decided to take another look at a few more condos in the area. They were newer, and she wanted to be sure that she was making the right decision.

After viewing some of the newer condo’s, she realized that they didn’t compare to the condo she loved; however, when she went back to make an offer on the condo of her choice, it was no longer available. It was too late! She missed the opportunity to buy what she wanted. Now we know that this happens all the time to folks, but it doesn't have to happen to you. If you seek Him, God will not only help you to make a wise choice, but you can also have confidence that when something doesn't work out, it wasn't meant for you anyway. When you trust Him, you don't have to spend time regretting what you didn't get, because you know He has a better treasure tailor made to fit you.

James 1:5-6; NLT
If you need wisdom--if you want to know what God wants you to do--ask him, and he will gladly tell you. He will not resent your asking. 6; But when you ask him, be sure that you really expect him to answer, for a doubtful mind is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.

Every once in a while we are forced to make choices that can alter our lives in many ways. If we’re smart about it, we’ll do what the above scripture tells us and that’s to ask God what we should do. That's really the only way to make a careful choice. God will always answer if we will incline our ears to hear. You have to take a brief moment and assess where you've come from, where you are, and where you'd like to go. And remember life is designed to flow effortlessly through God's love; He set it up that way. He wants to see you blessed in all areas of your life. Just as you would glance at yourself in the mirror and walk away, you don’t instantly forget what you look like. Well in the same way, remember God’s promises to you. He loves you and wants you to come to Him with all the cares of this world. If you do, the path you choose will be made clear and right.

The Thief--Don’t Let Him Catch You Sleeping

John 10:10; NLT
The thief's purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give life in all its fullness.

There's not a more deceptive act than to have something stolen from you, and of course the whole point is to take it from you when you least expect to lose it. Theft normally takes place at night when you’re sleeping, when you’re away from home, or when you’re distracted. We all know that thieves are among us and we want to be protected from the unexpected. So people subscribe to all types of security systems and gadgets because they want to keep themselves safe and they want to protect their belongings. Well, security alarms is one way to protect, but spiritual alertness is a great way as well.

John 10:10 NLT tells us the thief's purpose is to steal, kill, and destroy. There's no guesswork involved. The thief is the devil and he's the Christian's greatest adversary. He watches our every move to see when he can catch us off guard. He is a spiritual enemy and we have to have spiritual weapons to deal with him.

We have to be prepared. Jesus Christ said in John 10:10 that his purpose is to give life so that we can live it to its fullest expression. Part of being able to live life so bountifully is to stay alert and lively. It is to be prepared for the harshness of life, like spiritual enemies who try to harm you when you least expect it.

1 Peter 5:8 says "Be careful! Watch out for attacks from the Devil, your great enemy. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for some victim to devour." God warns us to wake up and be watchful. We can't afford for the devil to catch us sleeping on the job. That’s just the opportunity he is looking for—to pounce on you like a roaring lion and tear your life and stability to pieces.

The state of “Being asleep” in the context of spiritual alertness, isn't so literal as putting on your jammies and going to bed. It's being so slack in your mind and heart that you forget whose you are and who you are through Jesus Christ. Sin can be a very subtle thing. Sometimes it's a gray area where we think we know what's right, but doing what's right doesn't seem to present as much fun and happiness as doing what MIGHT be wrong does. These are the times when we are inclined to be swayed to forget for a moment the consequences of wrong actions. And not only that, we might also forget the great truth that doing the right thing and pleasing God will always, always pay off in a positive way.

Don’t allow the enemy to keep poking and preying on you to the point where you let your guard down. Ephesians 6 tells us that God has given us enough armor through Christ to be fully protected. We can be alert, awake, and on the spiritual job 24/7 if we take care to put on His armor. We also need to take the time to think carefully about the decisions we make and to be sure that we are hearing God clearly. Sometimes people honestly believe that they have their eyes and ears open wide, but in fact they are looking for an excuse to do what they want to do, regardless of what God says. This is a sure way to leave the door open for the thief to come into their lives and wreak havoc.

I don’t ever want to be ungrateful for God's protection and covering, so before I start my day, I thank Him for guarding me against the thief and protecting me from any hurt, harm, or danger. Prayer and protection are two things none of us can afford to ignore.

In Ephesians 6:18, we are instructed to stay alert and be persistent in prayer not just for ourselves, but for other Christians everywhere. Make it a habit to pray for others who are not as confident in their faith to trust God for their protection as you are. The thief is very real and very cunning, and he’s on a mission to take down as many of God’s children as he can. He knows that if he can get you to doubt God, fear will creep in, and that's a perfect formula for destruction. Pray and pray a lot! God needs us to be strong, fearless, and most assuredly…alive and trusting Him!

From This Day Forward—Get it Right!

Hebrews 5:12-14, NLT

You have been Christians a long time now, and you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things a beginner must learn about the Scriptures. [fn] You are like babies who drink only milk and cannot eat solid food. 13: And a person who is living on milk isn't very far along in the Christian life and doesn't know much about doing what is right. 14: Solid food is for those who are mature, who have trained themselves to recognize the difference between right and wrong and then do what is right.

Wouldn’t you agree that if you want to live the right kind of life, you have to do the right things to make it happen? Mature Christians shouldn’t require Christianity Basics 101, not if they’ve been on this Christian journey a while. There are certain fundamental truths we should already know, such as how to repent of our sins, and understanding the principles of reaping, sowing, and harvest time.

If you're still at the place where you need to hear the fundamentals over and over again, then it's time for you to take a little mental inventory. Nothing keeps you in neutral, living a lackluster existence, more than the refusal to grow and know more than what you already know.

We have to be willing to discover and listen to new and exciting revelations from the Word of God. Being enlightened to the truth of His Word gives us spiritual intelligence, the kind that will keep us on the right track, but you have to be willing to do what is required, WHEN it is required of you. And understand that once you decide that you no longer want to live on babies’ food—once you make the decision that you are ready to live the life of a mature Christian, circumstances will change.

God knows when we are refusing to grow. It is evident in our everyday actions. If you don't pick up your bible to study during the week, if you don't have an active prayer life, if you are not witnessing the gospel and blessing the body of Christ, then your non-action is a sure indication that you are too comfortable; you are refusing to move forward. Our Heavenly Father knows our propensity to stay in neutral, and if we have a heart to please Him, He will help us change gears; sometimes in the most unorthodox way. Let me illustrate:

Recently, a Christian brother I know experienced a troubling situation. He was walking in the park when a homeless man who reeked of alcohol approached him and shouted expletives at him for no apparent reason. Before he knew it he found himself regretfully shouting back in anger. The Christian man knew better, but he was so caught off guard that he allowed himself to react in a negative way.

The more the Christian man thought about the situation, the more he realized that he had regressed to a behavior and attitude that represented the person he use to be before he found the Lord. He began to feel ashamed and embarrassed because he knew that he didn’t handle the situation in a way that exemplified the nature of a mature believer.

The next day, the Christian made up in his mind that he would no longer be inactive. He took authority! So much so, the following morning he got up, prayed, and prepared some food to take to the homeless man. He didn't know whether the man would be there, but you see...intention is a powerful thing. When you have an intention to do the right thing, when your mind and heart is on track to please God, everything will line up as it should. The Christian drove to the park and found this same homeless man. He apologized for his behavior and offered the food he brought. To his surprise the homeless man was sober and apologized for his ranting as well.

Proverbs 16:7, NLT
When the ways of people please the LORD, he makes even their enemies live at peace with them.

Now some would argue that the Christian man was justified in his behavior, but if you’re going to tap into the resources for a more abundant life, you must put forth the right action because without it, you’d just be spinning your wheels in the wrong direction. Action and movement in the right direction is what changes everything. It's a mistake to feel sorry for yourself, because condemnation will only slow you down. It doesn’t do you any good and neither does playing the blame game.

If we want deliverance, if we want to see our lives take on a new direction, then it’s time to do things differently so that we can see different and better outcomes. God’s Word demands that we not be lazy, idle, or insensible, but that we put on the mind of Christ. So get busy studying, living, and acting on the promises in the Word of God!

It’s never too late to get your life in order. Time doesn't stand still, but it does afford us the opportunity to reflect, analyze, and reprioritize so that we get ourselves back on track. We only have one time around, one life to live and get it right here on earth. Whatever is necessary, get your spiritual growth in gear; you owe it to yourself and to God.

He'll help you. He will never turn His back on you. He’s given us the greatest instruction on how to live and what to do if we find ourselves at a standstill. Do a self check and keep your heart and mind in sync with His order. There isn't anything that we have done that He can't undo, so take authority and make up in your mind that from this day forward, you'll get it right.

Don’t Become Too Comfortable Where You Are!

Proverbs 19:3, NLT
People ruin their lives by their own foolishness and then are angry at the LORD.
Proverbs 19:24, NLT
Some people are so lazy that they won't even lift a finger to feed themselves.

Proverbs 19:3 and 24 are examples of people that none of us should want to become, but a life stuck in neutral can certainly make us appear to be like the folks depicted in these verses. Maybe you are getting tired of being stagnant in your life year after year. If so, you can make the necessary changes to advance your entire existence to a new and exciting level. You may not believe that, but through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, it’s absolutely possible. You awaken each day with the notion that you can get to work on time, finish your day, and make it back home safely. Most of us have some expectation that we can go on this way, and that at the end of a week or so, everything will work out and we'll get a paycheck for our efforts. If you can believe your way to this end, why not take it up a notch?

It’s very easy to stay comfortable right where you are, and never see one iota of movement, but with the Lord's help, you can purpose in your mind to make a change in the right direction. Just as you plan to go to work every day and achieve the expected results, you can develop a similar plan to get all the other things you want out of life as well. Once you set the wheels in motion with a plan of action, decide what needs to change, and have the confidence to do what is necessary to make it happen, you'll make mediocrity a thing of the past.

We have to have a plan of action. We can't sit back and expect things to happen for us without our decisive input, but that is exactly what many of us think. We think that faith is as simple as speaking something forth, but it requires more than that. Faith requires that we put a few things in motion. Without doing this you'll lack the vision to see your plan through to its end. Without faith and action working together, you won’t get very far.

I wrote earlier that you need to "decide what needs to change". This is key, because as you know, you can't keep doing the same things and expect different results. If you want something different to occur in your life, you must DO something different. Ask the Lord to help you pinpoint what you need to tweak in order for you to move forward. If you'll ask Him, He will definitely answer.

Redundancy can become the norm, and your sense of direction and purpose can become stale. The fear of change can easily set in because you’re too comfortable with things being as they have always been. This isn't what God had in mind for us. Matthew 5:13 says that we are the salt of the earth. We are supposed to bring flavor to all those who know and love us. So we can't afford to lose sight of what masterful living is all about.

Life for us ought to be a continuous escalation of promotions and spiritual elevations, and if it's not, then it's time to embrace this notion called "change". We have to embrace it because "change" is the only way for us to stop, take a look at what we're doing, and see how we can let Christ have greater room in our lives to move. Think about it, you've probably been at your current level for quite some time now. You've probably zapped it for all it's worth. You know all the ins and outs and there's no guesswork involved. Now it's time for you to move up to a new level, one where you can really see how far your faith in the Lord can take you.

God’s way of doing things always wins, and if you have faith and trust that, you will find yourself saying "yes" more than "no", and you'll begin to creatively think of ways to show forth the love of Christ. Understand that your confidence to act upon your faith is the thing that will give you a new verve in your life. There’s very little that is remarkable about a person who wants to make a difference in the world. What’s remarkable is a person who wants to make a difference and does it! These are the folks who back their faith with action; they make it happen.

We need to get excited about what we can accomplish when we are fully persuaded in God’s desire to partner with us. He wants us to make our lives a thing of beauty. So if you're too comfortable or dissatisfied with your life as it is, don't allow these feelings of stagnation to weigh you down, allow them to propel you forward and make 2010 your year of action and results.

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

Pray for What You Want

Mark 11:23,24 NLT
23: I assure you that you can say to this mountain, `May God lift you up and throw you into the sea,' and your command will be obeyed. All that's required is that you really believe and do not doubt in your heart.

24: Listen to me! You can pray for anything, and if you believe, you will have it.

It’s truly just that simple you know! If the Word of God says it, then it must be true. Pray for what you want, leave it in God’s hands, and be patient as it comes to pass. This is the perfect formula to see your prayers answered, but what happens if lots of time goes by and you haven’t received what you prayed for? Do you shrink in your heart and mind, continuing to pray the same prayer over and over again or do you trust that God heard you the first time?

There will be days when doubt creeps in, however, you must stand firm on what you know is yours. Don’t think for one minute you are not deserving; God put desires on the inside of us to motivate and inspire our faith in Him. After all, you must activate faith in order to receive anything from God. You may say, "I don’t know how to pray and believe for what is mine.” You’re not alone. I think I can help a little in this area. Let’s first start with the simple question…what is Faith? Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of what is not seen.

Hebrews 11:6, NLT
6 So, you see, it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that there is a God and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.

Hebrews 11:6 says that we can't please God without having faith. So we can see here that faith is essential to having a good relationship with God. He delights in the fact that we depend on Him, and He wants us to always know that it is impossible for Him to fail. The first thing we ought to do is to pray about our lack or need. Then we must have faith. What kind of faith? The faith of Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ knew that God was backing him as he went about doing good. He was so dynamic and powerful that folks just wanted to be around him all the time. They knew that wherever Jesus was—that's where the action was. His faith wasn't stagnant or boring. It was lively and shaking things up a bit. This is the way our faith should be. When we activate it by moving out in action, we'll witness the same extraordinary results that Jesus did.

"How do I know I’m activating faith?” you may ask. Faith is doing your part and trusting God to handle the rest. You don't pray and then spend all your time worrying and wondering about when it's going to come to pass; you won't get anything done that way. It's just like baking biscuits. You put the right ingredients in the dough, and you just know that when you turn up the heat the dough will be activated and the biscuits will rise to perfection.

You and I have to put in the right ingredients of prayer, leave it in the oven, and then turn up the heat by living a life of love the same way that Christ did. Then, when conditions and circumstances are just right, our blessing will come through perfectly. This isn't guesswork. When you believe rightly, you'll receive the same way.

2 Corinthians 5:7, NLT
7 That is why we live by believing and not by seeing.

The world’s standard is—if you can’t touch it, feel it, see it, or hear it, then it’s not so. But you see we don’t live by what the world tells us, because God has told us otherwise. Jesus Christ said all we need is the faith of a mustard seed, and if he said it, then it must be so. That’s all the faith we need in order to see our desires come into fruition.

1 John 5:14-15, NLT
14 And we can be confident that he will listen to us whenever we ask him for anything in line with his will.
15 And if we know he is listening when we make our requests, we can be sure that he will give us what we ask for.

God's will is that we are abundantly blessed. We can ask anything in line with His will, and we can have every confidence that He hears us. We don’t ever have to worry that He is unwilling to bless us; He is dependable, trustworthy, and always willing to help us be victorious in life. So stop worrying or groaning about what you don’t have…yet! The answer to your prayers is unveiled in your believing that what God said He would do, He definitely will do. Speak life into what you want. Confess that you already know it is yours, and then thank Him daily for it. He will deliver...He always does.

Please pray this prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank you for the many blessing you have given me. Whenever I begin to doubt in my heart, I’m reminded of the wonderful promises You have made in Your Word. Thank You for forgiving me when I am weak in my mind, for I know if I only trust in You, things will always work out. In the powerful name of Jesus Christ I pray, Amen.

The Pathway to Marital Bliss

1 Corinthians 7:32–34 NLT

32 In everything you do, I want you to be free from the concerns of this life. An unmarried man can spend his time doing the Lord's work and thinking how to please him.

33 But a married man can't do that so well. He has to think about his earthly responsibilities and how to please his wife.

34 His interests are divided. In the same way, a woman who is no longer married or has never been married can be more devoted to the Lord in body and in spirit, while the married woman must be concerned about her earthly responsibilities and how to please her husband.

What is the real purpose of marriage? Marriage is a commitment between two people and a binding covenant with God. When you get married, you are making the conscious choice to take on someone’s heart. Everything that defines your spouse, their strengths and weaknesses, and especially their shortcomings, you will marry. If you decide that you are ready to get married, make that choice out of the willingness and the ability to add something to someone’s life, not out of desperation. Often times, people go into relationships with the expectation of being rescued or because of loneliness; this could only lead you into an unfulfilled marriage.

Understand this, marriage is about giving and sacrificing, sometimes when you don’t feel like it. God has provided you with the love and patience to sew seeds of love and compassion into your mate. This has to be more than your desire, you must see it as your commitment to honor God THROUGH your spouse.

I had a conversation with an old friend not long ago, who was soon to celebrate his 67^th wedding anniversary. I had to ask the obvious question: “How in the world did you and your wife do it? What is the key to a successful marriage?” He gave me a perfect, yet simple, vision of how self-sacrifice looks. He told me that every day he takes his wife out for ice cream, not because he likes it, as a matter of fact he said it irritates his throat. "I do it because I know she loves it.” Therein lies true sacrifice and commitment; love is as love does. You put the right ingredients into your marriage, you get the right results out. Few believe that, but it's God's immutable law of Giving equals Receiving. It works with a mathematical precision every single time. There is never an occurrence where we make a loving and meaningful investment into the lives of our spouses without receiving it back in manifold portion.

There will be many times in your marriage when you will have to put the needs of your spouse before your own. Keep your eyes open to the fact that this is a blessing that God has given you. I guarantee that you will have an experience in your future where you will see that God was setting you up to reap a wonderful blessing. This blessing will come from your spouse when you need it the most. Spend your time concentrating more on learning to recognize opportunities like this and less time on whatever shortcomings your mate may have.

In order to build a strong foundation for any relationship, you must be willing to see yourself as the conduit by which God can demonstrate His love to your mate. Marriage and your relationship with God is sometimes a delicate dance. As a single person, your focus was on building a relationship with Jesus Christ. Now, you must reprioritize your time with your partner. Remember, your spouse is not meant to be your everything; only God deserves and expects that place in your heart and mind. Your spouse is your mate, companion, help, lover, and friend. Once it was just you and God. He lavished all that love and caring upon you through His son, Jesus Christ. Now it's time for you to lavish it on your spouse, and to give it out as unconditionally as it was given to you. Build the marital relationship together on the solid ground of Christ. Be committed to reflect the example of Christ in your marriage. This is a sure way to the pathway to marital bliss.

Please pray this prayer:

Heavenly Father, I seek your forgiveness for not holding up my end of the bargain in my marriage. It's a true gift. I realize that, and I thank you for it. I also thank you for the awesome privilege to minister in love and in truth to my spouse. I pray that my mate will see You bigger because of the love of Jesus Christ at work within me. In the powerful name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Many Blessings,
Kim

Anyone with Ears to Hear…
Should Listen and Understand!

Matthew 13: 24-30 NLT
24 Here is another story Jesus told: "The Kingdom of Heaven is like a farmer who planted good seed in his field.
25 But that night as everyone slept, his enemy came and planted weeds among the wheat.
26 When the crop began to grow and produce grain, the weeds also grew.
27 The farmer's servants came and told him, `Sir, the field where you planted that good seed is full of weeds!'
28 " `An enemy has done it!' the farmer exclaimed. " `Shall we pull out the weeds?' they asked.
29 "He replied, `No, you'll hurt the wheat if you do.
30 Let both grow together until the harvest. Then I will tell the harvesters to sort out the weeds and burn them and to put the wheat in the barn.' "

If you have outwardly confessed your sins and believed within your heart that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, then you are the good seed (a born-again believer) he is talking about in Matthew 13:24-30. You have an inheritance that no one can ever take from you. Right now you have everything on the inside of you that you will ever need to stand strong in this tumultuous world we live in. However, we need to know that everything will not be a bowl of cherries. We have enemies that live amongst us day in and day out; demonic forces that work through people. Their job is to do everything to undermine our walk as Christians.

What is the job of the enemy? It’s to kill, steal and destroy the lights of this world (John 10:10 KJV) Who are the lights? We are, the believers, the followers of Christ.

It is an honor to be born again and filled with the Holy Spirit. It's an awestruck privilege to realize that we have been predestined, even before the foundation of the world, to be God’s sons and daughters. Our Heavenly Father chose only a selected few to be His good seeds, to carry out His plan and spread His love throughout the earth. He chose us because He knew He could count on us to get the job done. When you think about it, it’s a pretty awesome journey we’re on.

How many people do you know that haven’t accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior? How many haven't made HIM the head of their lives? Well, if they haven’t, then they’re living in total darkness and are considered the weeds of the earth according to Christ in Matthew 13:37-39 NLT.

37 "All right," he said. "I, the Son of Man, am the farmer who plants the good seed.
38 The field is the world, and the good seed represents the people of the Kingdom. The weeds are the people who belong to the evil one.
39The enemy who planted the weeds among the wheat is the Devil. The harvest is the end of the world, and the harvesters are the angels.

Just as God chose us to be his children, the devil has children too! Make no mistake about it, we all have a choice to make. We choose which side we will be on. Those who refuse to make the right choice will not live an eternity basking in the peace and care of our Father's love. Ultimately, that’s what it all boils down to…for God I live or…for the devil I will die in darkness!

It’s time out for living with a blind fold over your eyes; life is not that forgiving. You have to live in truth and live with your eyes wide open. You have to recognize that this world will eat you up and spit you out if you don't recognize who God is and what He desires in and for you.

Matthew 13: 40-43 NLT
40 "Just as the weeds are separated out and burned, so it will be at the end of the world.
41 I, the Son of Man, will send my angels, and they will remove from my Kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil,
42 and they will throw them into the furnace and burn them. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
43 Then the godly will shine like the sun in their Father's Kingdom. Anyone who is willing to hear should listen and understand!

To LISTEN and UNDERSTAND is a must! God is not playing around. He’s made it very clear that if you are not living through His Son, then you will not see His Kingdom. This is not to scare anyone; it’s to let people see the truth that accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, and living by his love is the only choice if you want eternal life. Other than that, your option is death and destruction. It’s as clear as night and day.

So open your ears wide…hear with clarity the truth…listen with intent on knowing whose you are… understand and thank God that you are the good seed—hallelujah—and not the weed!

Please pray this prayer:
Thank you oh gracious Father for saving me and forgiving me for my sins, in the wonderful name of my Lord, Jesus Christ. Thank you for writing my name in the book of life even before the foundation of this world. Because our Lord and Savior laid down his life for us, we are saved. I accept him as the Head of My life, and I thank you so very, very much for the gift of eternal life. Amen.

Many Blessings,
Kim

Recognize the help!

Philippians 4:6 NLT
6 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.

7: Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

Have you ever had a front row seat to watching someone’s life spiral out of control? It’s a slow-motion process that often cripples that person's circumstances. You think to yourself, "if only they knew Jesus Christ like I know him...if only they knew the delivering power of God's Word!" You want to pour every ounce of love and encouragement into their lives just so they can realize who they could be in Christ. You want them to know his sacrifice, that His love is everlasting and is a release from all despair.

It’s never easy to see someone go through a very turbulent time in their life, but sometimes the pain they are suffering is a very needed reminder that they have lost all sense of balance and direction.

What do you do when everything inside of you is screaming for help? Well one of the first things you do is to acknowledge that you don’t have all the answers. You might think this is a very logical thing to do, but most of us don't do it. Even those of us who have been on this Christian journey a while have developed a sense of arrogance about what we think we know. We limit God by trying to dictate to Him how and when He should help us. Instead of doing that, we should really try and recognize the help that He has already provided.

For instance, I once knew a woman who went through a very tumultuous time in her life, probably the most difficult she’d ever experienced. Her husband abandoned her and their family and left them in dire straits financially and emotionally. Her despair and lack of faith crippled her foundation to the core, so much so that she became a very negative and spiteful person. After that, everything she touched or tried to accomplish crumbled before her, leaving her with more feelings of hopelessness and doubt.

Where did God fit into this scenario? Imagine Him sitting next to her, whether she was at home, in her car, or at work. Picture our Father lamenting “So, why do you feel this way? Why wouldn’t you let Me in your world? Why wouldn’t you allow Me to provide for you and be your sufficiency? I promised that I would--if you had only given My love a try. If you had trusted in My love--you would have been so much better off. You should have put more of My love in your heart; that same love would have carried you through. You wouldn't feel so alone and hopeless. My love is everlasting. It builds you up...not tear you down. Begin to trust in me!"

There are examples of correction all around us to get our lives back on track, but sometimes we ignore them and begin to spiral more and more out of control. We have to understand that God has given us the power to shape and mold our reality through His love in the right now. Even if you do nothing but think on His love, you are ahead of the game.

It is our free will choice to let His Word shine through by governing our actions accordingly. You can't spew venom from your lips, behave vengefully, and allow resentment and anger to fester in your heart. We must put God's love in our minds, but that's just the beginning. We must make the conscious and sometimes difficult choice to live it, act on it, and speak it. We have to be willing and ready to make the necessary changes in our lives to see results, knowing that ultimately it's our choice what type of life we will live, as well as how we will live it.

Please pray this prayer:
Father in Heaven, I need your help, I can’t do this alone. Father I ask that you forgive me for my sins. Wherever I am weak, help me to be strong. Help me to have a greater understanding of your peace and love so that I can overcome my obstacles. I thank you for the strength and courage to get through the storms of my life. In the powerful name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Resist the Temptation!

1 Corinthians 10:13 NLT
The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.

What is temptation? Anything that will entice us to think, say, act or behave in a manner that is contrary to God's Word is considered a temptation. It can potentially persuade us to do something that isn't in our best interest It could be something as simple as a decadent piece of rich chocolate cake or it could be a person that we find appealing or irresistible. No matter who or what it is, temptation is all around us. This is why it’s vital to always keep your eyes open and your guard up because you never know when you’ll be staring it right in the face.

Every day we make choices. Whether or not we make the right ones is always the kicker. Trust me, the adversary---the roaring lion that he is, will do anything to lure you. He’s very subtle with his tactics. He won’t tempt you with strawberry ice cream when he knows you love chocolate…oh no! He’s kept a catalog of what makes you weak, doubtful, and fearful. He knows that keeping you bound by insecurities insures that you will remain weak and vulnerable.

God, on the other hand, helps you to resist temptation. He does that by first helping you to recognize it – isn’t He an awesome Father! God has equipped us with the supernatural ability of the indwelling Holy Spirit. It is Christ in you. When we pray to God and stay alert to His directives, we can recognize the warnings of the Holy Spirit. When danger is approaching, this magnificent gift will sound an alarm internally to let us know.

By design, Christians have certain entitlements that set us apart from others. Living a victorious life is exactly what we have been intended to do as children of God, but as 1 Corinthians 10:13 says, when it comes to temptation we are no different from anyone else. As long as we live we will encounter circumstances that can cause us to abandon what we know is right. Don't give in to those temptations. Resist them! Understand the connection between your choices and the results or consequences that follow them. Wake up and recognize when the devil is setting you up for failure.

Absolutely nothing is hidden from God. Our Father is a forgiving Dad who knows us inside and out; we are completely exposed before him. He understands we will make mistakes because He knows our every weakness, but as born-again believers we don't have to make them over and over again. We can demonstrate the same strength that Jesus Christ has. Our Lord and Savior understands our temptations and weaknesses because he faced all of the same things we do, however, He didn’t sin. He resisted, and because of him so can we.

James 1:14-15 (NLT)
Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. 15: These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death.

We have to come to our senses and realize that the end result of a mistake should be to not make it again. Our mistakes ought to teach us how to resist temptations. Don't allow temptation to grow into something that leads to destruction. Learn to trust the Holy Spirit dwelling on the inside of you, trust your keen insight to do the right thing. Know that God will show you a way out, but its up to you to recognize it when He does.

Please pray this prayer:
Heavenly Father, in the precious and powerful name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, I come before you asking for strength to be strong and courageous in every situation. Thank you for forgiving me for my sins. I know the adversary comes to steal and destroy what you have so graciously blessed, but I also know that the victory is mine if I stand strong and trust You. Help me to do that. Amen!

"Resist the Temptation" written by Kim Times, edited by Reverend Fran Times-Mack, for Sundie Morning Sistas ©2009. All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord! Sundie Morning Sistas is dedicated to spiritual inspiration and encouragement through the Word of God.

Get Ready to Inhale Matrimony and Exhale Singleness!

1 Corinthians 7:7 (NLT)
7But I wish everyone was single, just as I am. But God gives to some the gift of marriage, and to others the gift of singleness.

Being single doesn’t mean you’re alone and unhappy, it simply means that you are in a better position to focus on the Kingdom of God. When you’re single, most of the time you only have to think about You! You have complete autonomy over your life, and if you have chosen to continue that lifestyle...that’s ok too. As a matter of fact, the Apostle Paul said he wish everyone were single, just as he was. He felt that way because it’s the perfect time to worship and spend time building an even stronger relationship with our Heavenly Father.

The Apostle Paul dedicated his life to the Ministry of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and he was indeed single. Our purpose as single people is one of preparation to live, breathe, and walk the Word. God knew that if we play our cards right, as single Christian folk we will have the least amount of distractions. We can glean an even sharper vision of how we fit into His plan.

Developing and prioritizing your time with God will inevitably prepare you for marriage, because you should have already taken the necessary steps to build a solid foundation for what true commitment is. Think of it this way, if you haven’t cultivated the necessary skills to make time for God, then more than likely your devotion to your partner will take a back seat as well.

God knows when you are ready to inhale matrimony and exhale singleness, so embrace this time, because as a married person a great deal of energy and focus will be on your mate.

Let’s face it, marriage…its no joke, but if your union is blessed by God - it can be a bed of roses---it just takes work. We have to ask ourselves some hard questions sometimes and the answers may not necessarily be what we like. Questions like, what steps have I taken to prepare for a successful marriage? What are some of the habit patterns that I've developed to foster spiritual growth?

Spiritual growth is necessary in order to allow the Love of God in any committed relationship. Walking down the aisle is an easy thing to do but staying in a committed, loving marriage is where the works comes in.

Commitment takes courage and a great deal of patience. Patience to love your partner through the pain, endurance to stick it out when times get tough, and most importantly, how to love each other through the storms of life. Togetherness requires letting go of what you think love and marriage is and embrace the truth of who you can be ‘together’.

Whatever and whoever you were before you got married will sometimes remain the same. What will change will be your capacity to love bigger and greater through the obstacles and triumphs you face as a couple. The union you share with each other will be a ministry on its own.

Please pray this prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank you for preparing me while I’m single to be everything I should be in You. So that when you bless me with a mate I will be well prepared in every area of my life. Amen

"Get Ready to Inhale Matrimony and Exhale Singleness!" written by Kim Times, edited by Reverend Fran Times-Mack, for Sundie Morning Sistas ©2009. All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord! Sundie Morning Sistas is dedicated to spiritual inspiration and encouragement through the Word of God.

Are You Moving In the Right Direction?

Proverbs 3: 5-6, NLT
5: Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.
6: Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.

Making the right choice for your life can be a frightening thing, especially if you’re not sure what direction to take. When we are bombarded with so many choices, and none of them stick out as being the right one, it can feel as though our faith is failing us. Any type of emotional trauma such as the loss of a loved one, a broken relationship or even the loss of a job can cause this type of fear, the kind that makes us doubt God. We may not doubt His power, but we doubt His timing or His willingness to bless us.

Whenever we find ourselves faced with circumstances that trigger ambivalence in our faith, an absolute and complete surrender to God is required. You may be thinking, "Well if I doubt Him, how can I surrender?" This is why crossroads and challenges are so pivotal to our spiritual growth, because they press us to have faith when we don't think we can.

God understands how difficult it is for us to move in the direction of a more intimate relationship with Him when things are shaky. He knows that there will be times when trusting Him is a little scary. The thing is not to let the fear cause you to abandon your faith altogether.

We need to come clean and be honest with God. He knows all our secrets anyway. What's important is that we acknowledge that we need His help. A move in the right direction is as simple as saying "Father, I need some help down here!" God wants you to learn to completely trust Him in spite of your ambivalence and fears. This earth experience will be full of unexpected curve balls, some that completely knock you off your feet. There may be times when you don’t even know where you can go or who you can lean on for refuge. Understand this, and know it beyond any uncertainty, the Love of God is your refuge. Jesus Christ is the only remedy for the emotional and mental pressure that plagues our minds.

Don't allow your mind to go on auto-drive with the cares of this world. Make a move in the right direction by putting Jesus Christ in the driver's seat. You may not know the right choices to make. You may not know where God is taking you, but you CAN know that God holds the key. He's the glue that gels every detail of our lives together, and if you'll trust Him, He will make sure that you are always where you need to be.

I have gone through some pretty turbulent times...times when I began to doubt the strength of my faith in God. I was often angry and despondent, and felt my tribulations were too insurmountable. Answers to prayers seemed few and far between, and for a while I believed I was alone on this journey, that God had forsaken me. Oh how wrong I was. It was in the trials of my life that I found my greatest strength through Him. There was no other way to grow stronger than to stand on the edge and witness that He would not allow me to fall. There was no greater way to build those strong spiritual muscles of faith than to go through the fire and be rescued by His extraordinary love. In those dark moments I came to understand that Jesus Christ had already paid the price for my pain. He took on my burden when he laid his life on the cross. So no matter how bad it got, no matter how far I ventured off the map, the love of God was and is my compass.

We’re so used to solving problems on our own, but thank goodness we have a Heavenly Father that instructs us to completely lean on him. The truth is...life is often challenging. You will go through some pretty tough times, and you may not think your life is headed in a direction you like, but if you will trust in our loving Heavenly Father, He will make sure that you end up in the right place--that's for sure.

Pray this Prayer:

Heavenly Father, I thank you for the strength and courage to be victorious in every area of my life. I thank you for not allowing my feet to fall when I am weak. I know that if I lean and trust in You, You will never fail me nor forsake me. No matter what struggles in life I face I know that I am not alone because my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is always with me. Amen.

"Are You Moving In the Right Direction?" written by Kim Times, edited by Reverend Fran Times-Mack, for Sundie Morning Sistas ©2009. All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord! Sundie Morning Sistas is dedicated to spiritual inspiration and encouragement through the Word of God.

Your Prize Awaits You!

2 Timothy 4: 8 NLT

And now the prize awaits me-the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing.

Have you ever been so anxious for something that you almost lose your breath at the thought of it? You can’t eat or sleep. You get butterflies in your stomach from just thinking about it. Well I imagine this is how the Apostle Paul must’ve felt in this particular scripture. His excitement, anticipation and enthusiasm had everything to do with the coming of our Lord and Savior. Paul illustrates the struggles of his life and how he’d fought the good fight, how through all of his persecutions, he remained faithful and now he anxiously awaits the return of his Savior Jesus Christ. Paul labored in righteousness, and because of it he could look forward to the return of Christ. Paul makes it very clear that not only can he eagerly look forward to his appearing, but so can all of us.

Sometimes we have a different point of view about what a prize is. It may be to capture the interest of someone special, or to finally go out on that special date you’ve been praying for. Whatever it is you so desire, there is nothing on this earth that can get in the way of what is for you.

I often think about what God must be thinking in Heaven while we’re scurrying about down here on earth, trying to figure things out. I imagine Him saying "Why won’t you get it together and open your eyes to what I’ve already done for you?” "What has He done for us?" you might ask. Well that's just it. He's already given us the greatest gift that can be given. God gave us the perfect Gift of His Son, Jesus Christ.

Paul had achieved a great deal in life. He said in Philippians 3:4-6, if anyone has impressive credentials, it's me. (The Message)"You know my pedigree: a legitimate birth, circumcised on the eighth day; an Israelite from the elite tribe of Benjamin; a strict and devout adherent to God's law; a fiery defender of the purity of my religion, even to the point of persecuting the church; a meticulous observer of everything set down in God's law Book." Yet he was not looking to float through life on the strength of his heritage or accomplishments. He was in love with the spiritual delights that Christ made available. He was impressed with life in the spirit, and he eagerly awaited the crown of righteousness that the Lord would put upon him.

If our Heavenly Father would give us the perfect gift of His son, He will certainly allow our paths to cross with a special someone with whom we can minister and share life. But ministering and sharing must be our focus, just as it was Paul's.

Christ in us the hope of glory is truly the real prize. He came that we might have abundance. Because of him we can look forward to receiving every other good thing.

Trust and never doubt that what God has promised, he is sure to deliver. Your prize awaits you…but until his return, expect that you'll have someone wonderful who will wait with you.

Pray this Prayer:

Father in Heaven, thank you for my strength and courage to embrace what is before me. Prepare me oh Gracious Father for what is to come. Allow me to see what I need to see, hear what I need to hear and let go of what I need to let go of. You have already given me all that I need to be victorious in this life, and as I step out in faith, I know that my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is forever with me. He is my strength when I am weak, and through him I am made whole. In the powerful name of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, I thank You, Amen.

"Your Prize Awaits You" written by Kim Times, edited by Reverend Fran Times-Mack, for Sundie Morning Sistas ©2009. All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord! Sundie Morning Sistas is dedicated to spiritual inspiration and encouragement through the Word of God.

Scripture taken from The Message. Copyright ©1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

There Is No Greater Love

John 15:16-17 NLT

16 You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name.

17: This is my command: Love each other.

There is no greater joy or love than to have someone choose to love you. The feeling can be intoxicating, mesmerizing, and overwhelming all at the same time. Even the romantic love between a man and a woman can be a knockout punch, but I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about the extraordinary reality of falling in love with Jesus Christ. He loved us first, and you have to ask yourself "What is it about me that is so special that He would choose ME!" Because you see, He didn't choose you to do any ol' ordinary thing, but to produce lasting fruit so that whatever you desire, you can have it...by living and giving in his wonderful name. How awesome is that! I don’t know about you, but it makes me feel pretty spectacular to think that I was appointed by someone as magnificent as Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. If you’ve never given it much thought, now is the time.

Imagine if a world renowned public official or popular celebrity called you up one day and asked you to do something that no one but you could do. Now, this person could’ve chosen anyone in the entire world, but you were the only one that could get the job done; wouldn’t you feel pretty special? Well, our Lord and Savior is hands down the most influential and charismatic phenomenon ever to walk the face of this earth. After all, he healed the sick, raised the dead, and died for our sins. All he asks is that we spread the word to those who don’t know it. He wants us to tell others about his love, to be his example, and to help save souls that are lost.

Jesus Christ did the ultimate when it comes to love, because he gave his life for us. John 15:13 (KJV) says "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." There is no greater love than that. Those who don't know him intimately might ask, "how can you fall in love with someone you’ve never even seen, touched, or heard before?" They might find it hard to believe, but the great truth is that once you let his love come into your heart, you want others to experience it. His love is contagious that way. It's so much easier to love someone once you have confidence that the Lord loves you.

The beautiful truth is that the love of Jesus Christ is ours to embrace. He wants to love us every second, minute, and hour of the day. He knows that only his Love can rescue us. There are lots of songs and tons of self-help books on the shelves that claim to teach you how to love yourself. There's absolutely nothing wrong with a little self help wherever you can get it or hear it, but understand this, if you can't love the one who saved you, then you probably will not love yourself all that great either.

Those of us who are single sometimes have the toughest time opening ourselves up to the possibility of love, because there’s a part of you that knows that "vulnerability" is a layer you must unveil in order to let love in. Sometimes it’s a risk you might have to take a few times before you get it right, but it’s a risk worth taking. You know why? The Paragon of Love will be on the inside of you, that’s why. Trusting in his love is like walking up to the starting line of a race, once you’ve entered there’s no turning back. You run through valleys, high peeked mountain tops and the lowest trenches you could ever imagine just to trust that Jesus Christ won’t fail you. Honestly, there’s no greater accomplishment than to have faith in something and realize through it all, having the greatest love of all always wins!

Pray this prayer:

Heavenly Father, thank you for the greatest gift of Your Son, Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. If it wasn’t for His choice to give His life for us, I would never know how to love. Oh Gracious Father, show me how to be more unselfish, forgiving, and thoughtful in my everyday life. Allow the Holy Spirit to move on the inside of me whenever I am not being who you have called me to be. Again, I thank you for loving me so much, and for saving me through your only begotten son, Jesus Christ. Teach me how to be a worthy example of what love is, so that others who don’t know him will see him through me. In the powerful name of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, Amen.

Peace and Blessings,
Kim

"There Is No Greater Love" written by Kim Times, edited by Reverend Fran Times-Mack, for Sundie Morning Sistas ©2009. All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord! Sundie Morning Sistas is dedicated to spiritual inspiration and encouragement through the Word of God.

The Choice is Yours

I Corinthians 7:32-33 (NLT)

32 I want you to be free from the concerns of this life. An unmarried man can spend his time doing the Lord’s work and thinking how to please him.

33: But a married man has to think about his earthly responsibilities and how to please his wife.

When it comes to being single, it’s very true that there are less restrictions than there are for married folks. You can come and go as you please without considering whether or not a spouse is pleased. You don't have to deal with the hassle of someone thinking that they can tell you what you can or can't do. You don't have to be concerned about things like making sure the other person will have a good meal for dinner or helping to make sure the home you share is cozy and tidy. You can have a bowl of cereal for dinner, leave your clothes right where you take them off, and come home at whatever hour you please.

All of the things mentioned above and much, much more have to be taken into careful consideration before you decide whether or not married life is for you. If you have already thought about things like these and decided to wait a while before tying the knot...that’s ok. It’s your choice. Being single doesn’t necessarily mean you are alone; it simply means you are without a partner. But whether you are married or unmarried, don't waste the choice that God has given you. You have the opportunity to explore your freedom to live, love and express what He has placed before you.

What are some of the things He has placed before you? Well one of the most valuable gems is the precious opportunity to enjoy your consecrated time in the Lord. Don't forget to meditate in Him. Always take the time out of your day to spend quiet time with God. If you don't make time for our Heavenly Father each day, odds are that you won't make time for another person either.

There will come a day when your time is no longer your own. Marriage requires commitment and devotion. It will no longer be about you. You'll be responsible for another person’s heart. Yes, the choice to remain single right now may be yours, but make sure you enjoy your time alone by getting to know yourself and the Lord. Make the commitment everyday to put your relationship with Him as priority #1. He's always willing, ready, and waiting to talk with you.

Pray this prayer: Lord I come before You with a humble heart, realizing that although I’m single, I’m not alone. Your love comforts my heart and mind and in this very moment You know my every need, even before I do. Thank You for the strength and courage to be patient while I condition myself to receive the gift of another person as my spouse. I thank You that all my needs are taken care of in the powerful name of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, Amen!

July 2009 Week #3
Make Room for Love

When I was younger, I often imagined what my life would be like if I had everything I truly desired; a nice home, a luxury car, plenty of money in the bank, and an attractive spouse who would love me real good. All of this was my fantasy; one I truly believed could be mine if I worked hard enough to achieve it. But I soon realized that the hard work I had in mind was nothing like the effort it requires to see your dreams come true.

Oh, I truly felt I had it all figured out, but what I didn't factor in was that place within me that was insidiously driving many of my actions. It was FEAR!!! Fear that I couldn't measure up to what it took to achieve the nice home, or the fancy car. I feared that I wasn't smart or attractive enough to attract the man I had envisioned to be my husband.

I had to ask myself, where does this fear within come from? Did it come from being afraid as a child? Was I born with this debilitating emotion, or did I cultivate it over time? What I came to realize is that it doesn't matter so much where it came from as much as it matters that we recognize it and call it what it is. A spade is a spade, and anything that keeps us from being our best for God...anything that keeps us from using our talents, gifts, and abilities for His kingdom...anything that separates us from what we want most....is fear.

My fear just seemed to pop up out of nowhere, often at the most inconvenient times. As soon as I would get close to realizing my dreams or would meet someone nice, this uncomfortable feeling would encapsulate me. It was like I'd just shut down inside. From the outside, I appeared to be just dandy. And to be perfectly honest, I felt pretty good too, but I knew that I felt fine because I had escaped confronting my fear yet again. I excused everything away, and rationalized my escape from discomfort as another triumph for me. I thought I had avoided failure, but I wasn't avoiding failure. I had avoided facing the fear.

Even as a mature Christian I allowed this feeling to overwhelm me at times. And as I begin to recognize it within myself, I could recognize it in other people too. I noticed it more and more in others and I thought that perhaps it was a gift of some kind. What was really going on is that I was attracting people who made it comfortable for me to continue hiding out in the fear.

This had to change. Something had to take place within me to get rid of this ugly emotion and I needed to begin attracting folks who would help me to come clean about what had held me back for so long. So I prayed to God and ask Him to help me triumph over my emotions, to allow me the strength to tackle anything and everything that didn't bring me closer to the example of his son, Jesus Christ. And He did. He did it by opening my eyes to the truth of what I was doing.

It wasn't as though I didn't believe in the sustainability of God's love. I just didn't believe the extent to which it could be at work within me. I didn't believe that I could walk, live, and abide in God's love and that doing so would bring me victory no matter the circumstance. And since I didn't believe that, it was hard for me to believe in the positive motives of others as well. I chose to see the negative because it was easier...safer.

You can't partner with this stuff in your heart. You have to get to a place where the well of good stuff within is overflowing and spilling into your every move; where the love of God just beams from your face. Some of us would swear that we're already at this place, and I thought I was there too, but fear masquerades masterfully.

The insecurities of not attaining what you want most can obscure your view of the truth. It's a lie that we live, because we constantly look to God and say "Father, why don't I have the love of my life?" without owning up to the fact that we haven't made room in our hearts to adequately give the kind of love that we want to receive. Without getting rid of the fear, we lack capacity...and lack is not what you want people responding to. Remember love is the truth and that's what you want folks to respond to. You want to do the work of your spiritual self, and that will always require that you let go of the fear.

I once heard an orator and civil rights activist say "Fear and God do not occupy the same space". I was instantly blown away by this statement. You see truth will do that for you, it will unveil a new dimension. I liken it to a popular movie where you could choose to take a blue pill and continue to live encapsulated by a lie, or you could take a red pill and a whole new world would be unveiled for you. Well life doesn't offer a pill that does this, but it offers something infinitely better. It offers us a more glorious wonderment of accepting our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! Talk about a new reality! God's love, which is activated by the things we do through Christ, cancels out those negative things within that keep us attracting what we don't want, and keeps what we do want at bay. Yes, God's love has to be active in us. It has to be demonstrated...that's what cancels out the fear.

You see, fear takes up a huge amount of space in our consciousness. The biggest reason why letting go and surrendering it is so scary is because we don't think about how we'll replace what we've lost. 1 John 4:18 (The Message)says "17-18God is love. When we take up permanent residence in a life of love, we live in God and God lives in us. This way, love has the run of the house, becomes at home and mature in us, so that we're free of worry on Judgment Day—our standing in the world is identical with Christ's. There is no room in love for fear. Well-formed love banishes fear. Since fear is crippling, a fearful life—fear of death, fear of judgment—is one not yet fully formed in love."

This scripture tells us that "There is no room in love for fear." You don't get much plainer than that. A fearful life is one that isn't yet fully formed in love. It's a life that doesn't honor the gifts of God by being active in His love. It's a life undone...a life that isn't complete. We know that this kind of life runs counter to what God has envisioned for us, because Colossians 2:10 tells us that Jesus Christ has made us complete. Now our job is to identify and pull off the stuff that keeps us stuck, and then put on the stuff that sets us free!

The indwelling Holy Spirit will guide you to face your fears, recognize that. Don't run from it or instantly dismiss it. Think about what you are doing and how you are living in a very honest way. Let go of what keeps you tied to negativity and begin to crave more of God through Christ. Get to the place where you do everything with the intent and purpose to make more room for His love.

"Scripture taken from The Message. Copyright ©1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group."

"Make Room for Love" written by Kim Times, edited by Reverend Fran Times-Mack, for Sundie Morning Sistas ©2009. All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord! Sundie Morning Sistas is dedicated to spiritual inspiration and encouragement through the Word of God.

June 2009 Week #2
Getting to the Core of You

Did you know that every person yearns to be who they truly are deep down within? This yearning is one of those things we are born with; the Heavenly Father made us that way. Some of us feel it, but we don’t know what it is or what to do with it; we don't know how to go about tapping into our core being. It can really drive you crazy, because nothing in life seems to fulfill you, and everything you touch reminds you that something within just isn’t quite right.

Your core being is said to be the real you, the person that really wants to express itself, but feels neglected, overlooked, and pushed further down. The odd thing about it is that we are the main ones to do this to ourselves. We deny who we are because we are hesitant to accept the reality that we are a part of something much greater. In order to discover the jewel at the core of our beings and make this earth experience truly meaningful, we’ve got to dig a little deeper and do a little cleaning up.

I once told a girlfriend of mine this and she said to me, “Girl, I’ve been through just about everything a person can go through…and I’m still here. How much more deeper do I need to get?” I said to her “I feel ya’, but until you get to the place where you understand that it isn’t about what you’ve been through but why you’ve been through it, then you’ve still got a ways to go.”

Sometimes, we go through things because we are more interested in what we can acquire than what we can give. We don't have all the things society says we should have in order to be successful. So we look at our lives and feel down in the dumps, because we are not measuring up to someone else's standard. Trying to do that always ends in misery; we see that time and time again.

God wants us to always do a check up from the neck up. He wants us to self-examine, but you can't use the world's tools to do it; use His. Through Christ, God gently and lovingly guides us into self reflection. He'll send a special person our way who isn't afraid to speak the truth to our faces, or He'll allow a situation to capture our attention so that we listen more deeply within.

Colossians 3:1-2 (The Message) says, "^1-2 So if you're serious about living this new resurrection life with Christ, act like it. Pursue the things over which Christ presides. Don't shuffle along, eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things right in front of you. Look up, and be alert to what is going on around Christ—that's where the action is. See things from his perspective."

This verse is crazy, ridiculously good isn't it? The action is wherever Christ is! We have to see everything from his perspective, that includes the way we see ourselves. Through Him life can be amazing, because every day presents an opportunity to discover something new about our strength, power, and potential. Those are the treasures that rests at the core of our being. Those are the things that God is excited for us to find, but unless you do some digging, they'll go undiscovered.

Ask yourself some critical questions, and pick up on the cues and clues that God has planted all around you. You may think these few steps are not important, but you would be astonished to find out the millions of things that have gone wrong in your life simply because you refused or didn't have the guts to ask yourself the right questions. When you ask questions that reflect your readiness to hear the truth, your indwelling Holy Spirit will help you to discover what you may not have noticed or easily overlooked before.

It is very understandable to be uncomfortable with the idea of uncovering layers of the unknown. Many of us walk around day in and day out not knowing who we are, but we don't have to do this. Colossians 3:12 (The Message) says "Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience." What is it that you're looking for? How do you know you've tapped into something unique and different about who you are? The answer begins with understanding that you were handcrafted by the Master. You are chosen! Self discovery should be a spiritual journey that leads to compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Whatever or whoever we consider ourselves to be, these are the only things that will help us get to the core of who we were designed to be. They will strengthen us and allow us to continue growing in Christ.

The transformation into a new you has already begun, now comes the most challenging aspect that should be your life's work, which is to live from the inside out. Jesus Christ has given us an incredible advantage, because of his love, life, death, and resurrection, we have perfection on the inside of us. But you won't recognize just how beautiful and capable you truly are unless you know what's at the core of your existence. You've got to take an inventory and clean out all the old stuff. Do the digging and don't be afraid to go there, because of Christ, you'll love what you find.

"Getting to the Core of You" written by Kim Times, edited by Rev. Fran Times-Mack for Sundie Morning Sistas ©2009. All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord! Sundie Morning Sistas is dedicated to spiritual inspiration and encouragement through the Word of God.

January 2009 Week #3
Single Sistas, Don’t Miss Your Blessing

Let’s face it; there are millions of women out there searching for Mr. Right. And it’s not only single Christian women who are looking to marry, but its women of every religion, race, and background who are looking to snag a good man of ANY religion, race, and background. They are willing to go the distance and use any means necessary to secure a warm body.

Mainstream media is dominated with reality dating TV shows, internet dating, speed-dating…you name it. With the plethora of opportunities for partnering up, one might think that there’s no reason why any woman should be single who didn’t want to be. But if you're reading this, you are no ordinary woman; neither would you be searching for an ordinary man. You want the absolute best that God has for you, and I can't blame you. After all, we’re God's ambassadors, divinely created in His own image. We were carved from His hands and we are His masterpieces.

Now I don't profess to be an expert on the subject of being single, nor do I have all the answers for single women on how to believe God for a mate. What I do know is what works when you have prioritized your relationship with God and are diligently seeking Him in everything.

In Genesis, God created Eve to be a help-mate for Adam. They both complimented each other, as God intended that they should. Genesis 2:22 says “And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.” God lovingly presented Eve to Adam, and they became one. He made sure that neither one of them were alone. Now just imagine how God sees us, His daughters. He loves us just as much as He loved Adam and Eve. He will make certain that we aren't left out of the loop of blessings either, especially when it comes to marrying a Godly spouse.

God desires to see us married, because He designed the institution of marriage to demonstrate the relationship between Christ and the body, which is the church. The church is often called “The Bride of Christ” because of the unity that should exist between us and him. We can learn so much about the love of God through our spouses, just as He planned.

Is finding a mate going to be easy? No, it’s not. You have to be very careful about who you share your time with. It is so important to partner with a man who honors your walk with God; therefore you can't play Russian roulette with your life. It’s going to take faith and patience in Gods ability to carry out what He has promised.

Mark 11:23-24 KJV
23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.
24 I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive [them], and ye shall have [them].

Jesus Christ told us that if we say to this mountain, "be lifted up and thrown into the sea", that it will happen. But here’s the thing, you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart.

Having doubt in our hearts is where many of us fall off the wagon. None of us will own up to it. We think we’re believing and trusting God just fine. Well, I know of a few sistafriends who have made “doubting” a habit pattern, and they don’t even realize it. Let me explain:

Gail was out of the dating scene since her divorce six years ago. One of her greatest desires has been to partner with a Godly man, and in doing so she has made a pretty extensive prayer list on what she requires in her mate. He must be a Christian, educated, tall, attractive, and financially stable to name a few. Recently she was introduced to a man who, from another single woman's vantage point, seemed to be pretty close to everything she had on her list…except for one thing, He was short.

You probably heard a million stories like this; he’s too short, too tall, too skinny, too fat, too broke, and doesn’t have anything significant to bring to the table. One would argue that sistas have a right to choose not to settle for anything less than what they want. But listen, none of us are perfect. As women, we come to the table with just as much brokenness and baggage as any man. When it comes to God’s will and divine agenda for our lives, we really do have to humble ourselves and allow Him to make the presentation.

An older sista in the Lord once told me “like who like you!” I got such a kick out of that. It’s a very simplistic approach to dating, isn’t it? But things are just not that simple. God created this thing within us called “attraction”. We have preferences, and it is ok to stick by them, but this is the area where doubt creeps in the picture.

You see, odds are that you will meet someone who may be just shy of what you desire, and the attraction isn’t there. So instead of communicating with this “would be” beau, perhaps you kick him to the curb with a quickness. You shun his advances, don’t answer his calls, and avoid seeing him all together. Sistas, sometimes doing this can hinder your efforts to partner, and set you back tremendously. Why? Because it reeks of doubt, that is why.

Suppose a man lets you know that he likes you in a romantic way, and you do not feel the same. You owe it to God and to your faith to think about the possibility that you might be the only beckon of light this man may ever see? You have a responsibility to exemplify the example of Jesus Christ, to be compassionate, kind, and honest. If you immediately dismiss him, it means that you doubt the love of God in your heart; you doubt the power of God’s love to minister through you in a way that may bring him to salvation. If he rejects your witness...so be it, but you should be sure to let your light shine.

John 12:32 KJV
32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all [men] unto me.

You and I do not do the drawing. The love of Christ does the drawing. Our charge is to lift him up by witnessing the good news of his life, death, and resurrection. You should expect that people will come to you for seemingly all kinds of reasons, but never be fooled. It is the love of God in Christ that does the drawing. People cannot help but be attracted to it. So give them what they want; feed them the Word by your example of Christ.

We must always remember that God gives us opportunities to position ourselves to be blessed. Even if the man takes a liking to you and you are in no way attracted to him, he may be your opportunity to position yourself closer to the blessing of your future husband. You are obligated to tell him about your faith, and to decline his advances in a way that displays the love of God in your heart.

Not only is God looking at how you handle these kinds of situations, but the devil is looking too. If you fail to demonstrate the love of God, then you fail to demonstrate your readiness to partner. The devil loves this, because he can continue to keep your blessing at bay.

So be careful that you don’t miss your blessing just because the one who likes you isn’t the one you like, so to speak. We must always remember to allow our Heavenly Father the room to move in any given situation. Putting limitations on how God will bless you with a mate can be a red flag that you aren’t ready for one.

Trust and never doubt in Gods ability to take care of presenting you with the man that will love you and treat you like the queen you deserve to be. Whatever your prerequisites for marriage, whether it’s the man's height, weight, educational background or even racial ethnicity, allow God the room to move in your situation, and never miss an opportunity to get blessed by being a blessing. Remember, in the words of Reverend Fran, "If you limit what God will do for you, you limit what God can do in you".

Much Love,
Sista Kim

December 2008 Week #1
The Spotlight Is On You

You may not realize this, but because you profess to be a Christian, the spotlight is on you more often than you think. No matter what circumstances arise, we have an obligation to respond with the love of Christ. Although each of us may go about this a little differently, there are some very telling signs that let others know whether we have truly put on the love of Christ in our hearts. What do you do when no one is looking? When an opportunity to do a good deed is presented to you, how do you respond? The answers to these questions should always be in the forefront of every believers mind.

All of us should want to prove to God and others who we are, and how far we’ve come from who we use to be. And make no mistake about it, life insures that we are constantly confronted with situations that will bear that out. We endure and overcome challenges that will speak loudly about what we stand for as children of the Most High God. We are representatives for Him and ambassadors for Christ. The job requires that we are attentive to the task, because others are watching to see how God works through us. For instance, I know of a Christian woman who is much admired in her workplace for her faith. She has even been known on occasion to witness to co-workers, and she minces no words about what she believes when asked. Her colleagues are very respectful. They understand that she cannot participate in office activities that might go against her faith, but imagine their surprise when one day she refused to make a monetary contribution to assist a co-worker who was a friend in need.

When she was asked to contribute, she shook her head in a very disapproving way and indicated that she wanted no part in what her officemates had chosen to do. There is no doubt that she had her reasons, but she also had an obligation to handle this in a way that conveyed her love of Christ, particularly when she had always so passionately professed it. Now, we all have a right to our own opinions and the right to decide how we spend our money, but we have to be careful that we don’t overlook an opportunity to do good.

What is the Christian thing to do? That question must always be on our minds. Matthew 5:16 (KJV) says, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” As the Body of Christ, we are to be his examples. We should uphold the standard he set. That standard is a witness to unbelievers on how to live and how to show love to others. Our love for him is the brightest light in the universe. We are to let it shine so that others can see it and give God the glory. If we are well intentioned and have a heart to please Him, any opportunity to do a good deed is a chance to show forth God’s love in the earth.

There are more people who have chosen to ignore God’s way than those who have chosen to follow it. Unfortunately, there are even swarms of Christians who have not been taught how to practice and show love. Many of us continue to follow after the ways of the world! We rejoice in the Lord on Sunday, but do very little after that to prove His love. Don’t let this be said of you.

If you are one of God's disciples, others will look at your life with scrutiny. Don’t think for one moment that you don’t have what it takes to meet their expectations. You do! They are not looking for you to be perfect; they are looking for Christ. It isn’t about you, but the Christ that you allow to shine forth. We have the ability to affect change for God's Kingdom. Everyday there are people with whom we come in contact that will only see the love of God through us. We are the closest thing to heaven they will ever see on this earth. So, from the moment you rise each morning, take heart to be your best for God, and remember….the spotlight may be on you.

Peace and Blessings,
Kim

Sistas,

I read an article the other day by a seemingly intelligent, sophisticated black man. In his article, he questioned why black women found it so easy to have sex with men before getting to know them. He illustrated his experiences as examples of how black women didn't take the time to love themselves. They were more interested in the kind of car he drove and his occupation than becoming familiar with his character and his soul. Once the women felt or heard what they wanted to hear, falling into bed was relatively easy. Many questions about the single black woman plagued this gentleman, and as I continued to read the article, I couldn't help but agree with many of his points.

Often we think that promiscuous sex will help to take the sting of loneliness away, but in essence, it only prolongs the loneliness even more. It buys us a little more time to escape the emotional pain of dealing with our fears and insecurities. The road to finding the truth of who we are is one less traveled. It is often a long and sometimes agonizing journey, but travel it we must, because the alternative is an existence void of truth, purpose, and love.

The goal for most of us is universal. It is to summon a healthy and deep reservoir of unconditional love for our creator, ourselves, and others. We will never see ourselves as precious pearls worth waiting for, if we are not willing to extend that same patience to the work of our own souls.

When I was growing up, there was love from strong women of God all around me, women who taught me how to be a survivor. I was taught to be independent, and never to depend solely on one person for anything. My real-life guardian angels were preparing me to be self-sufficient in the wait. They wanted me to know how to take care of my household, so that I would not do what they shunned the most, “shacking up”.

Although a few aspects of my “self-sufficency” lessons were flawed, I am so incredibly grateful that most of them were built on a solid foundation of faith and belief in the Word of God. I made mistakes along the way, but I’m thankful that I had enough sense to see the errors of my ways and make some changes. Today, I’m single, saved, and secure. It isn’t my intention to wait year after year for Mr. Right, but to continue to condition my mind, heart, and soul so that very soon, I will begin a new chapter of my life as a devoted and Godly wife.

With every breath, I am attracting someone who equals my capacity to love. How do I know that? Because I honor my relationship with God, and I know He is faithful to reward that commitment. Celibacy is a state of mind, a state of being, a decision made to honor oneself and one’s relationship with God. It is a vow that I have made, and one that I hope all single Christians will make. Sometimes I hear the question, "Girl how in the world do you do it". Of course, there are days when I ask myself, "Lord how much longer do I have to wait", but the answer is never far from me. I would rather wait a lifetime than cast my pearls to someone undeserving.

Sex with any man other than your husband is one of the greatest tricks from hell. The act alone sets you back in ways you can't even imagine. You probably won’t realize the impact of it until you witness blessings begin to pass you by.

Even if we didn't have anyone to personally teach us how to treat ourselves, we can always learn from the experiences of others. I look forward to getting married again, sharing my life with a man who understands my worth, and I hope you do as well. I encourage you to take the time to get to know yourself and to love the person staring back at you in the mirror. Don't be another notch on someone’s belt. Before you even consider a relationship, be sure that you are well acquainted with your inner treasure. How we treat our bodies reflects the deep beliefs of how we truly view ourselves. Your body is a gift from God, a treasure, a beautiful vessel that is well worth the wait, no matter the cost.

Blessings,
KIM