ITS TIME TO ADJUST YOUR VALUES!

“I have also learned why people work so hard to succeed: it is because they envy the things their neighbors have.” (Ecclesiastes 4:4 GNT)

We can come up with many excuses for overworking. Sometimes we blame it on providing for our family. Other times we insist our work is so important that to slow down would be negligent. 

But usually, it’s a values problem. We start valuing the wrong things. Specifically, we value the acquisition of stuff above all else.

The Bible says, “I have also learned why people work so hard to succeed: it is because they envy the things their neighbors have” (Ecclesiastes 4:4 GNT).

God says we have two options: We can either spend all of our time keeping up with the Joneses, or we can forget them and reduce our stress level. But we can’t have both.

That’s how this becomes a question of values. Do you want more stuff, or do you want less stress and more time with your family? The choice is yours. 

When is enough, enough? You can win the rat race, but you’re still a rat!

Jesus said it like this: “What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?” (Mark 8:36 NIV) To put it in modern language, “What good is it for a man to become president of his company but lose his kids or his wife?”

The simple answer? It’s not good at all.

Your work and your worth are two different things. Many of you grew up being told you’re worthless, and you’re out in the workplace trying to prove everyone wrong. In the back of your mind, you’re telling yourself, “I’m going to show them. I’m going to prove them wrong.” You work harder and harder, but no matter how hard you work, it’s never enough. Just about the time you start to relax, you hear a haunting voice telling you, “Keep pedaling. 

Somebody’s catching up!” You need to get rid of the voice. It’s feeding you a lie.

As a pastor, I’ve been by many bedsides as people died. I’ve seen many people take their last breath, sometimes at a hospital, sometimes in a home, and sometimes at the scene of an accident. Among all of the people I’ve watched die in my life, I’ve never heard anyone say with their dying breath, “I wish I’d spent more time at the office.” 

Not one. 

Don’t you think it’s time to adjust your values? Don’t be a rat. Jump out of the race.

Action Points

• How have you seen overwork affect your family?
• When you’ve struggled with overwork in your life, what have been the primary causes?
• In what ways do you sometimes equate your work with your worth?

 
 Credit:Rick Warren 

Why do I need Jesus To Take Control of my Emotion?

“To be controlled by human nature results in death; to be controlled by the Spirit results in life and peace. Those who obey their human nature cannot please God.” (Romans 8:6, 8 TEV) Learning to manage your emotions is the key to peace of mind. I want to share with you four important reasons from God’s Word why you need to learn to deal with what you feel. 1.You need to learn to manage your emotions because they are often unreliable.   Your gut is often wrong. Your intuition is often flawed. Your emotions often lead you down a blind alley. You can’t depend on everything you feel! Proverbs 14:12 says, “There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death” (NIV). You don’t have to accept everything you feel, because not everything you feel is right or authentic or will lead you in the right direction.   2.You need to learn to manage your emotions because you don’t want to be manipulated.   If you don’t control your emotions, they will control you, and you will be manipulated by your moods. And, if you’re always guided by your feelings, other people are going to take advantage of you. Worst of all, Satan’s favorite tool is negative emotions. He will use fear, resentment, and worry to wreak havoc in your life. The Bible says in 1 Peter 5:8, “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”  3.You need to learn to manage your emotions because you want to please God.  God cannot rule your life if emotions rule your life. If you make your decisions based on how you feel, then you’ve made your feelings god, and then God can’t be God in your life. Romans 8:6 and 8 says, “To be controlled by human nature results in death; to be controlled by the Spirit results in life and peace. Those who obey their human nature cannot please God” (TEV).  4.You need to learn to manage your emotions because you want to succeed in life.   Study after study has shown that your emotional quotient is far more important than your IQ when it comes to success. How many people do you know who ruined their reputation because of something said in anger? Or missed a job opportunity because of their lack of self-control? The Bible says in Proverbs 5:23, “[People] get lost and die because of their foolishness and lack of self-control” (CEV). When you give your heart to Jesus, that includes your emotions. So when you say, “I gave my heart to Jesus,” you gave your emotions to him to be managed by him. Jesus wants to be Lord of how you feel, not just what you think and do. He wants to be Lord of your emotions. “From now on, then, you must live the rest of your earthly lives controlled by God’s will and not by human desires” (1 Peter 4:2 TEV).  Action Points Do you base your decisions on your feelings? How do you know if a “feeling” is right or wrong? Why do you think it’s important to learn to listen to the Holy Spirit? How do you do that? What about your emotions do you need to surrender to God today? Credit:Daily Hope with Rick Warren

ATTRIBUTES OF GOD'S MERCY

Well,many people describe Him as Omni-potent,Omni-Science,The All-Sufficient One,Great and Mighty King.

Sometimes I just wish that I could describe my Heavenly Father in that way that seems so right to me.I can't describe Him,He is just too Awesome to be described.The Bible says we are engraved on the Palms of His hands(Isaiah 49:16),if i am engraved on the Palms of this Magnificent GOD who sent his Son(Jesus) to come and die for the remission of my sins,your sins and the whole world generally,then who am I not to acknowledge His greatness."I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty."(Revelations 1:8) That's my Father!

Firstly,I want to use this opportunity to invite all and sundry to the wonderful light of Jesus.

You may say,why is it so sweet in those Christians mouth,why are they so happy with the very thought of Jesus passing through their minds,their souls and their bodies.Well,there is an answer to that question,when you come to to the light of knowing him and reading His Word Daily.It's there.

You might have at one time decided to give up on following Jesus,acknowledging him for who he is and what he has done or you might have decided to take the shortcut >>Professing Jesus as your Saviour and dabbling into sin to save your face from friends who dont believe in your belief.

It's all good but it has an end.

The truth is that we would one day leave this earth and face Eternity and Judgement.

The good thing there is that Jesus opens his hands wide to receive you anytime,any day,any hour.It all dawns on you to accept him before its too late.There is time for everything.

Remember,He is waiting but it is only for a limited time,He will soon be back to take his beloved ones,those who confesses and believes in Him and follows his Precepts and Will till the end.Hurry before it gets late.

Note:You don't have to be out rightly righteous in your own eyes before you accept Him,He accepts Everybody.

God Bless You.

12 Things To Thank God For!

One of the most important things we must do when we suffer is to give thanks. I don’t say this lightly and I know many believers who have endured unimaginable pain and tragedy.  Giving thanks in the midst of agony and affliction is certainly not easy to do.  Yet Ephesians 5:20 tells us we should give thanks “always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” and 1 Thess 5:18 says to “give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” Giving thanks helps us focus on God in our affliction, steers us away from complaining, strengthens our faith, and brings glory to Jesus. There are many things we can give thanks for when we suffer, but here are 12 that I try to remember: 1.That God is sovereign and in complete control of the intensity and the duration of your affliction. 2.That God’s love and mercies never cease. 3.That Jesus will never leave nor forsake you. Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Heb 13:5 4. That God is with you in your affliction. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. Is 43:2 5. That God hears your every prayer. 6. That God is using this affliction to make you like Christ. And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. Romans 8:28–29 7. That this affliction is momentary and light compared to the eternal reward it is producing. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison… 2 Cor 4:17 8. That Jesus is your sympathetic High Priest who intercedes for you constantly. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Heb 4:15 Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. Heb 7:25 9. That God is near you in your pain. 10. That Jesus is your refuge, strength, and strong tower you can run to. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Ps 46:1, ESV The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe. Pr 18:10 11. That God has saved you, washed away your sins, and adopted you as his own child. Blessed are those whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Rom 4:7 12. That someday Jesus will wipe away every tear from your eyes and you will see his glorious face. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away. Rev 21:4 Credit:Mark Altrogge

The Principle of Having In Abundance

Hello there,There is a principle of seed time and harvest in the bible(Gen 8:22),which clearly depicts the story of a farmer who goes to his farm,digs up the soil and plants a seed he hopes to germinate and be fruitful.There is a specified time for that plant to grow (with proper care i.e watering) and there also comes the harvest period.These phases are bound to happen in our lives.This applies to our giving to God,as you give to God (Mal 3:10),you should also expect to be given in good measures,pressed down and shaken together and running over.Amen

Please read this great excerpt from Rick Warren that would inspire your giving attitude.Happy Reading.

“Wise people live in wealth and luxury, but stupid people spend their money as fast as they get it.” (Proverbs 21:20 GNT) As a pastor for nearly 40 years, I can tell you that the number one reason couples get a divorce isn’t adultery. It isn’t abuse. It’s debt! At one time, 54 percent of the divorces in the U.S. were related to financial pressures. That shouldn’t surprise us. The Bible makes it clear that it’s just plain foolishness not to manage your money well. And foolishness never ends well. Proverbs 21:20 says, “Wise people live in wealth and luxury, but stupid people spend their money as fast as they get it” (GNT). So often our culture convinces us to buy now and pay later. The average American puts $1,300 on his credit card for every $1,000 he makes. That leads straight to debt, and God calls that stupid! Friend, no one just drifts into debt — or out of it, either. Deciding to build your financial future on the commitment to be responsible starts with intentionality. After you’ve made that important commitment, you need a plan to get there. My parents taught me the 10-10-80 principle when I was a child. It’s a great way to become intentional about your financial decisions. Give 10 percent back to God. God blesses whatever you put him first in. Keep 10 percent for yourself. Commit to saving money every time you make money. Live on 80 percent. Only fools spend everything they get. Like it or not, God uses money to test you. He is testing your responsibility. When he looks at your financial decisions in Heaven, God’s going to say, “Were you responsible with what I gave you on Earth?” How will you answer that question? Give 10 percent of what you make back to God. Save 10 percent. Live on the rest. Action Points What’s your biggest temptation when it comes to managing your finances responsibly? Do you find it harder to give 10 percent of your income to God or to save it? Who do you know that needs to hear this message about God’s view of financial responsibility? What can you do to help that person understand the message?

Defeat Can Be An Advantage To Us

Dear readers,I want you to understand that there is a difference between failing and being defeated.There was a teaching on the benefits of failing here,It is therefore good that we also get to know the advantages derived from being defeated. Happy Reading.(Culled:Christian quotes)

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1.EXPERIENCE AS A TEACHER

No textbook or teacher can teach us like experience. I have learned more from my mistakes than I ever did by doing it a thousand times the right way. Experience really is the best teacher. You can warn someone you are trying to help by telling them about your own experience, but most (like me at times) will ignore your warnings and end up learning for themselves; the hard way! And that’s okay. Try seeing defeat from the vantage point of learning from it. This might help us avoid repeating the same mistake twice.

2.LEARNING HOW NOT TO DO IT

I hear it took Thomas Edison over 1,000 times before the lightbulb ever worked and when asked about his many failures, Mr. Edison saw it as 1,000 ways not to do it. He took these defeats and piled them upon his daily experiences and used those many defeats to bring about one of the greatest inventions of his time. Mr. Edison was told by his teachers “you’re too stupid to learn anything” but they forgot about the teacher of experience. Thomas Edison’s perseverance paid off as he made ever defeat one step closer to success.

3.TRUSTING GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY

What we might see as defeat, God might see as gain. Paul wrote “I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 20:24) so in turning his life over to God he wrote to the church at Rome; “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered” (Rom 8:36). He never pondered judgment or exacting revenge on those who beat him, imprisoned him, and sought his life. He trusted God’s sovereignty and so wrote, “Repay no one evil for evil” (Rom 12:17) and “never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord” (Rom 12:19).

CONCLUSION
Hall of Fame college basketball coach John Wooden once said that winners make the most errors. Maybe that’s because they try so many attempts. The truest defeat is not even trying because then, you’ve lost before you ever tried.

Reasons Why Our Response Should Come With Grace

“A fool expresses all his emotions, but a wise person controls them.” (Proverbs 29:11 GW)

You can’t control much of what happens to you in life. Like I mentioned a few days ago in these devotionals, you can’t control who your parents are, where you were born, and a variety of other factors that have a significant influence on your life.

But you can choose how you react to what life throws your way. You can get angry or stressed out or shrink into depression when slights come at you — or you can respond gracefully.

The choice is always yours. The Bible says, “A fool expresses all his emotions, but a wise person controls them” (Proverbs 29:11 GW). To live responsibly, we must put our minds in gear before we put our mouths in gear. We must think before we act.

When others cause pain in our lives, we often respond by trying to get even. Ironically, in our effort to “get even” with a person who has wronged us, we do get even. We sink to the other person’s level.

God calls us to a much greater response: forgiveness.

When you’re mistreated, the proper reaction isn’t to blow up or clam up. Both are irresponsible. Instead God calls us to respond to slights with calmness, love, and truth.

Here’s the bottom line: Trust God to settle the score. He has much better resources to do that,than you do.

Action Points

• What strategies can you use when you’re hurt so you don’t react without thinking?
• Why is learning to control your reactions an issue of faith?
• How can other people in your life hold you accountable as you learn to more responsibly control your reactions?

Credit:Daily Hope With Rick Warren

5 INSPIRING QUOTES ABOUT HEAVEN

The Bible talks a lot about heaven, and as believers, it’s a place that we all dream about and look forward to. Christians throughout the centuries have written about heaven – that glorious place where God lives and where one day we will join Him.

Please see some of the wonderful Quotes about Heaven Below:

1.The way you store up treasure in heaven is by investing in getting people there.

Rick Warren

2.Life, if properly viewed in any aspect, is great, but mainly great when viewed in its relation to the world to come.

Albert Barnes

3. I have all that I need here and heaven hereafter! How much richer could anybody want to be?

Lester Roloff

4.The Lord looks down from heaven on the children of man, to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God.

Psalm 14:2

5.There are no crown-wearers in heaven who were not cross-bearers here below.

Charles Spurgeon

I hope that this collection of verses and quotes have inspired you to look towards the eternal future. Our job as Christians is to bring a little bit of heaven to earth, so that when it’s time for us to go home, we take others with us, so that we can all be together with our Lord in Heaven.Amen

Credit:Christian Quotes

What Are You Filling Your Brain With?

“A wise person is hungry for knowledge, while the fool feeds on trash.” (Proverbs 15:14 NLT, second edition) Our minds control everything else about us. Our thoughts influence our feelings. Our feelings impact our actions. What you think matters, because everything starts in the mind. To be a responsible person, you have to control your thoughts. But let me relieve you of a little false guilt: You’re not responsible for every stray thought that passes through your mind. Stray thoughts enter our minds for a variety of reasons — conversations you hear by accident, things you see, stuff the devil puts in your mind, etc. You’re responsible for how you deal with those stray thoughts. Martin Luther said it like this: “You can’t keep the birds from flying over your head, but you can keep them from building a nest in your hair.” God will hold you accountable for what you allow to enter your mind. I’m amazed by what some people watch — not to mention what they let their children watch. Many true followers of Jesus spend their time watching trashy TV and listening to trashy radio. They pay good money to see deviant behavior as entertainment. People watching such shows have told me, “When I go see those kinds of things, it just doesn’t phase me. It doesn’t bother me. It doesn’t affect me.” But that’s just not true! Scientists have done study after study that says you never really forget any scene you see. Even if you don’t consciously recall the scene, that idea will come right back to your mind — in living color — when something else stimulates the thought. In other words, “Garbage in, garbage out.” What you put into your mind will inevitably bear fruit in your behavior and beliefs. In fact, when trashy entertainment doesn’t bother you anymore, it’s a warning light that you’ve already passed the threshold. One of Satan’s greatest tricks for attracting you to sinful lifestyles is comedy. That’s why on television or in movies, deviant behavior always starts in a comedic situation. If Satan can get you laughing at something that is sinful, you’ve already lost the battle. Sin isn’t funny. Sin put Jesus on the cross. What are you filling your brain with? Action Points ·         Which form of media tempts you the most? ·         Who can hold you accountable for what you watch and listen to? ·         What are some practical ways you can help teach your children these principles? Credit:Daily Hope With Rick Warren

4 POTENT POWERS OF LOVE

“Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.”

– Mother Teresa

Hello dear readers,Please see some ways we can express love to others that will yield great results not only for us but for Christ too.

Giving in Love

Jesus put it simply beautifully when He said “give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you” (Luke 6:38), showing that when you give, you are actually receiving more than you gave in the first place. This is exactly what Solomon meant when he wrote “whoever is generous to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will repay him for his deed” (Prov. 19:17). We don’t give to the poor to be repaid because this is not really giving; it’s a loan. We give to the poor because it’s the right thing to do. Your blessings might not come in the form of money, but blessings can come in a hundred different non-monetary ways, not to say that it cannot also benefit you financially.

Speaking in Love

Whatever you say to someone has one of two effects: It either tears down or builds up. Paul was all about building up the body of Christ, the church. It’s such a small thing to say “thank you” or “you’re doing a great job” to someone, but what a great impact that might leave. Little things can mean a lot to someone who has little or hears little good in their life. We should always be “speaking the truth in love” (Eph. 4:15), even if the truth hurts. There is a lot of wisdom in knowing “faithful are the wounds of a friend; profuse are the kisses of an enemy” (Prov. 27:6). Even I must sometimes be wounded in order to heal. My mentor tells me the truth, which shows me he loves me. Truth-telling is an expression of love. The truth sets people free, or it makes them really mad.

Serving in Love

Paul said the motivation of what we do and say must be done in love, and so it is “through love [we] serve one another” (Gal. 5:13). Consider the humility of the great Apostle Paul, who humbly wrote, “I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them” (1 Cor. 9:19). How does Jesus define love? He says, “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). It is so rare to find someone dying for a good person (Rom. 5:7) but for an enemy and wicked person (Rom 5:8, 10). Saying you love someone is one thing, but doing something that shows it makes it real.

Living in Love

Did Jesus believe that people might be drawn to Him by our good works? Jesus said, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matt. 5:16). This includes the imperative to “keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation” (1 Pet. 2:12). Love is a verb; it is what you do more than what you say. If your words don’t match your actions, then it’s just a lot of useless noise to God (1 Cor. 13:1).

Conclusion

Mother Teresa is exactly right in saying “not all of us can do great things, but we can do small things with great love,” and that includes giving in love, speaking in love, serving in love, and doing works as a result of our love, thankfulness, and devotion to the Creator of love: God!

Credit:Pastor Jack Wellman

LOVE THOSE WHO OPPOSE YOU!

“Love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, offer the other cheek also. If someone demands your coat, offer your shirt also.” (Luke 6:27b-29 NLT, second edition)

When you’re persecuted, harassed, and face opposition, you need to respond with a blessing.

Jesus says in Luke 6:27-29, “Love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, offer the other cheek also. If someone demands your coat, offer your shirt also” (NLT, second edition).

Who does that?! Not many people, actually. It’s what sets Christians apart, because it’s not a natural or popular or easy response.

It takes a lot of courage to do those things! Any fool can fight back. Any wimp can retaliate. Any idiot can say something mean back. Even parrots can be taught to curse.

God wants you to love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who hurt you, and turn the other cheek. Is that easy? No. You can only do it by being filled with God’s love. And, it is the most powerful form of witness.

In the movie The Butler, they show the Freedom Riders, who fought racism in the South during the Civil Rights Movement, train people how to not retaliate when they’re hit, spit on, cursed, pushed, or when people throw food at them. It’s a very powerful scene of taking a nonviolent stance.

As I watched that scene, tears started coming down my face. I thought, “I want to be that kind of person for Jesus. I want to be that brave. I want to have a heart of courage that won’t cave in to what’s wrong, no matter what they throw at me. And I want to respond with love.”

When you refuse to retaliate and instead respond in love at work or with somebody who doesn’t like you, God will be pleased. And, you’re going to be blessed.

“God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers. Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven” (Matthew 5:10-12a).

Jesus paid a price for you. He says there’s a price to be paid for following him. Popularity on Earth is not part of the guarantee of being a Christian, but your reward in Heaven is a guarantee.

Action Points

·         What is your faith costing you?

·     How are you willing to suffer for Jesus Christ? How does your answer affect the way you handle insults or disapproval?

·         Why is responding in love and not retaliation the most powerful form of witness for Christ?

Credit:Daily Hope with Rick Warren