Did you hear the story of the woman driving through a snowstorm just outside of Denver? She was completely lost and struggling under the hazardous weather conditions. She was relieved when she happened upon a snowplow. Since she was lost she decided to follow the truck and kept as close to the machine as she could while it removed snow from the road. At times the blowing snow almost cut off her view, but she kept following it.
After some time, the snowplow stopped and the driver got out and came back to her car. "Lady, where are you going?" he asked.
"I’m on my way to Denver." she replied.
The truck driver replied, "Well, you’ll never get there following me! I’m plowing a parking lot!"
Before we let others lead us, it would be helpful to know their direction.
Unfortunately, most people blindly follow the faceless voices on TV, in magazines, and in books that say if you just have enough money, enough stuff, enough power, enough prestige-then you’ll be happy.
Under that illusion people spend their whole lives thinking you must have it all and find themselves trapped. But God has a much different plan for your live. Watch this video and find freedom. Please share with your friends!
WHO OR WHAT ARE YOU FOLLOWING? CHOOSE YE THIS DAY WHO YOU WILL SERVE. WILL IT BE GOD OR MAN?
Monday, March 29, 2010
Saturday, March 27, 2010
OBSTACLES, STUMBLINGS BLOCKS, HINDERANCES WHATEVER THEY MAY BE DON'T LET THEM STOP YOU
Dr. Barry Cook says: Do not let circumstances determine your attitudes & actions. If you sit back and allow life to keep pushing you around, you will always remain a victim. Never accept your present, temporary situations as future, permanent situations. In times of adversity, you do not have an obstacle to deal with, you have a choice to ...make. Remember, attitude is altitude! (Phil. 4:13)
Linda Carson says:
We build alot of dreams in our minds. We talk a lot of what we NEED to do, WANT to be, WHERE we want to go.Then life happens! OK!? Stuff happens! Stop allowing STUFF, people from the past/present crush UR visions/dreams..You can either use them as stepping stones OR you can sit idle like a needle on a broken record. It...'s in your mind, you've spoken it, now just let it happen without ANY reservation..
Marcus L Harris says: It is very well possible to defeat the "crabs" in the barrel who strive to keep you down. Keep your focus, remember where you're headed, and keep doing those things that have gotten you this far in life. Surround yourself with positive, encouraging people who will challenge you and cheer you on as you go! Don't be pinched and clawed by the crabs. You're a winner, so keep climbing up until you reach the top!
LORD, LET US MEDITATE ON THESE THREE PARAGRAPHS FOR THEY ARE VERY SIGNIFICANT! THESE WORDS ARE SO SPECIFIC. NOT LETTING NOTHING STOP US. LIKE THE FATHER IS TELLING US, HE SEES THE PRESSURES THAT ARE COMING AGAINST US AS BELIEVERS, BUT HE IS TELLING US TO PUSH FORWARD ANYWAY!
To read further encouragement you can look those friends up on facebook for inspiration. Also become a fan of the page called God Speaks. Remember God does Speaks IF we'd just take the time to listen. Be blessed Saints!
Linda Carson says:
We build alot of dreams in our minds. We talk a lot of what we NEED to do, WANT to be, WHERE we want to go.Then life happens! OK!? Stuff happens! Stop allowing STUFF, people from the past/present crush UR visions/dreams..You can either use them as stepping stones OR you can sit idle like a needle on a broken record. It...'s in your mind, you've spoken it, now just let it happen without ANY reservation..
Marcus L Harris says: It is very well possible to defeat the "crabs" in the barrel who strive to keep you down. Keep your focus, remember where you're headed, and keep doing those things that have gotten you this far in life. Surround yourself with positive, encouraging people who will challenge you and cheer you on as you go! Don't be pinched and clawed by the crabs. You're a winner, so keep climbing up until you reach the top!
LORD, LET US MEDITATE ON THESE THREE PARAGRAPHS FOR THEY ARE VERY SIGNIFICANT! THESE WORDS ARE SO SPECIFIC. NOT LETTING NOTHING STOP US. LIKE THE FATHER IS TELLING US, HE SEES THE PRESSURES THAT ARE COMING AGAINST US AS BELIEVERS, BUT HE IS TELLING US TO PUSH FORWARD ANYWAY!
To read further encouragement you can look those friends up on facebook for inspiration. Also become a fan of the page called God Speaks. Remember God does Speaks IF we'd just take the time to listen. Be blessed Saints!
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
IT CAN WORK IN YOUR LIFE
Maybe you're saying, "That sounds great, but you don't know my circumstances. Right now I'm defeated by the problems I'm experiencing. I'm having some hard times." If you are feeling defeated by your circumstances, let me suggest an antidote for you. Read your Bible to find a specific promise from God, and then start claiming that promise. Start expecting God to act, and you will find that God's promise will inject new hope into a hopeless situation. Real success often begins at the point of failure.
I know a married couple who have had a severely damaged relationship, one that looked irreparable. But they sensed God saying to them, "I want you to stay together. Don't give up. " Without any outward evidence they took on the same attitude that Peter did in his situation. They said, "Lord, we've worked on this marriage a long time, without improvement, but because you say so, we'll keep at it." Today they have a fulfilling marriage and dynamic ministry together.
Look at the results when the disciples did what Jesus told them to do. "They caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break: (Luke %:6). God blessed them with more than they could handle. That is always the case when you appropriate God's presence, cooperate with God's plan, and anticipate God's promised- you will be blessed with more than you can handle. In fact, verse 7 points out that the disciples had to share the results with fishermen in another boat in order to keep from sinking. That's a great way to live!
The point is this: God not only wants to bless your life, but he wants to bless you so much that you have to share your blessing with others in order to keep yourself from sinking. He not only want to bless you, but wants to bless other people through you-people whose nets are empty. God blessed the disciples with more than they could use for themselves.
The miracle so astounded Peter that he cried out, "Lord, I don't deserve this! I'm a sinner. This is too good for me."
Jesus then said to Peter, "Don't be afraid, from now on you will catch men" (v.10). So the disciples beached their boats and left everything to follow Jesus.
The incident became a turning point in Peter's life and in the lives of the other disciples.
Think about what happened when the fishing part go to land. The disciples left their greatest catch ever sitting right there on the shore and went after Jesus! They realized that if Jesus could perform a miracle like that, he could do anything he wanted to. the disciples knew that as long as they followed him, their needs would be more than satisfied. Christ would take care of them not matter what happened. They wanted a relationship with him that was more than a one-time miracle. Then Christ invited them to become part of the greatest task in the world: "I'm going to make you fishers of men. You are going to share my Good News with other people."
I know a married couple who have had a severely damaged relationship, one that looked irreparable. But they sensed God saying to them, "I want you to stay together. Don't give up. " Without any outward evidence they took on the same attitude that Peter did in his situation. They said, "Lord, we've worked on this marriage a long time, without improvement, but because you say so, we'll keep at it." Today they have a fulfilling marriage and dynamic ministry together.
Look at the results when the disciples did what Jesus told them to do. "They caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break: (Luke %:6). God blessed them with more than they could handle. That is always the case when you appropriate God's presence, cooperate with God's plan, and anticipate God's promised- you will be blessed with more than you can handle. In fact, verse 7 points out that the disciples had to share the results with fishermen in another boat in order to keep from sinking. That's a great way to live!
The point is this: God not only wants to bless your life, but he wants to bless you so much that you have to share your blessing with others in order to keep yourself from sinking. He not only want to bless you, but wants to bless other people through you-people whose nets are empty. God blessed the disciples with more than they could use for themselves.
The miracle so astounded Peter that he cried out, "Lord, I don't deserve this! I'm a sinner. This is too good for me."
Jesus then said to Peter, "Don't be afraid, from now on you will catch men" (v.10). So the disciples beached their boats and left everything to follow Jesus.
The incident became a turning point in Peter's life and in the lives of the other disciples.
Think about what happened when the fishing part go to land. The disciples left their greatest catch ever sitting right there on the shore and went after Jesus! They realized that if Jesus could perform a miracle like that, he could do anything he wanted to. the disciples knew that as long as they followed him, their needs would be more than satisfied. Christ would take care of them not matter what happened. They wanted a relationship with him that was more than a one-time miracle. Then Christ invited them to become part of the greatest task in the world: "I'm going to make you fishers of men. You are going to share my Good News with other people."
Saturday, March 20, 2010
ANTICIPATE GOD'S PROMISES
The third principle is found in Luke 5:5: "Because you say so." To rebound from failure, you must anticipate God's promises in your life. In the second fishing attempt God's promises in your life. In the second fishing attempt, the disciples were acting on the basis of God's promise to them. They went fishing again because they believed God would provide the fish. Now, Jesus didn't specifically say, "Peter, if you go fishing with me, I promise you'll make a big catch." He didn't need to say that, because Peter realized that when Jesus told him to go fishing and also got into the boat and also told him exactly where to put down the net, it wasn't going to come up empty! Peter expected God to act. He expected God to keep his promise. Peter wasn't depending on his own fishing ability, so he wasn't afraid of failure, he believed in the promises of God.
When you get God's presence in your boat, and when you get God's plan in your head, and when you get God's promises in your heart, you cannot fail. Start expecting some wonderful results.
When you get God's presence in your boat, and when you get God's plan in your head, and when you get God's promises in your heart, you cannot fail. Start expecting some wonderful results.
Friday, March 19, 2010
PRINCIPAL 2: COOPERATE WITH GOD'S PLAN
COOPERATE WITH GOD'S PLAN
The second principle is found in Luke 5:4. The second time the disciples went fishing, they fished under the direction of Christ, obediently following his instructions. We must not appropriate God's presence in our lives, but also cooperate with God's plan in our lives. Jesus told the disciples where to fish, when to fish, and how to fish. When God is guiding your life, you cannot fail. As the late gospel singer Ethel Waters used to say, "God doesn't sponsor flops."
Peter's reaction to Christ's guidance was beautiful. First, he didn't argue. He didn't say, "Wait a minute, Jesus! I'm the premier professional fisherman on this lake. I own the record. Who are you to tell me how to fish?" He didn't ask, "Lord, are you sure?" He didn't ask any questions, and he also didn't hesitate. Peter might have been thinking that if he didn't catch anything at night, the he certainly wasn't going to catch anything in the middle of the day when the sun was glaring down on the water. But Peter didn't ask any questions; HE JUST OBEYED.
He also didn't listen to his feelings. I'm sure he was dog-tired from working all night, but he didn't ask, "What's the use? Why should I keep on going?" Peter's attitude was perfect. He was eager to cooperate with God's plan.
Why do you think Jesus said to Peter, "Launch out into the deep"? I think it was because it's in the deep water that the BIG FISH ARE LOCATED. You only catch minnows in shallow water. Most people live on a superficial level. There's little depth to their lives edge, never getting out into deeper water. They think, "If I get out into the deep water, there might be some waves. They might rock my boat, and it might overturn. So I'll just stay back here where it's save and comfortable and fiddle around."
When God works in your life, it always involves risks, because God wants you to live by faith. Many Christians barely get their feet wet because they're afraid of getting in over their heads. They think, "If I really get serious about my commitment to the Lord, he may make me a fanatic. My family might get really upset. what will my friends think?" So they're content to live in the shallows of life-and they miss out on so much.
god's plan for your life is a good plan, one that will work for your benefit. God says, "Let me get into your boat. Let my presence be with you wherever you go-in your business, in your family, n your marriage, in every area. Let me direct you. Cooperate with the plan."
The second principle is found in Luke 5:4. The second time the disciples went fishing, they fished under the direction of Christ, obediently following his instructions. We must not appropriate God's presence in our lives, but also cooperate with God's plan in our lives. Jesus told the disciples where to fish, when to fish, and how to fish. When God is guiding your life, you cannot fail. As the late gospel singer Ethel Waters used to say, "God doesn't sponsor flops."
Peter's reaction to Christ's guidance was beautiful. First, he didn't argue. He didn't say, "Wait a minute, Jesus! I'm the premier professional fisherman on this lake. I own the record. Who are you to tell me how to fish?" He didn't ask, "Lord, are you sure?" He didn't ask any questions, and he also didn't hesitate. Peter might have been thinking that if he didn't catch anything at night, the he certainly wasn't going to catch anything in the middle of the day when the sun was glaring down on the water. But Peter didn't ask any questions; HE JUST OBEYED.
He also didn't listen to his feelings. I'm sure he was dog-tired from working all night, but he didn't ask, "What's the use? Why should I keep on going?" Peter's attitude was perfect. He was eager to cooperate with God's plan.
Why do you think Jesus said to Peter, "Launch out into the deep"? I think it was because it's in the deep water that the BIG FISH ARE LOCATED. You only catch minnows in shallow water. Most people live on a superficial level. There's little depth to their lives edge, never getting out into deeper water. They think, "If I get out into the deep water, there might be some waves. They might rock my boat, and it might overturn. So I'll just stay back here where it's save and comfortable and fiddle around."
When God works in your life, it always involves risks, because God wants you to live by faith. Many Christians barely get their feet wet because they're afraid of getting in over their heads. They think, "If I really get serious about my commitment to the Lord, he may make me a fanatic. My family might get really upset. what will my friends think?" So they're content to live in the shallows of life-and they miss out on so much.
god's plan for your life is a good plan, one that will work for your benefit. God says, "Let me get into your boat. Let my presence be with you wherever you go-in your business, in your family, n your marriage, in every area. Let me direct you. Cooperate with the plan."
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
PRINCIPAL 1: APPROPRIATE GOD'S PRESENCE IN YOUR LIFE
Three principles that will give you success:
1. APPROPRIATE GOD'S PRESENCE IN YOUR LIFE
2. COOPERATE WITH GOD'S PLAN
3. ANTICIPATE GOD'S PROMISE
PRINCIPAL 1: APPROPRIATE GOD'S PRESENCE IN YOUR LIFE
A clue to the first principle of success is found in Luke 5:3 Jesus was in the boat with the disciples. Christ's presence made a big difference! This time the disciples weren't fishing by themselves; God was with them. The first principle for successful living is this: YOU MUST APPROPRIATE GOD'S PRESENCE IN YOU LIFE. In other words, you have to get Jesus into your boat. That's the starting point. Nothing has greater influence on your personal success than whether or not you are living with Christ in you life. For Peter, his boat represented his livelihood. When you're a fisherman, that boat is your business! It's significant that Peter made his boat available for Jesus to use. Christ used Peter's business as a platform for ministry.
Does God have access to your job? Is your business available for him to use at any time? Is he able to minister to people through your Job? Too often we try to separate the secular and the spiritual; we have our Christian life nicely partitioned off from our career. But this prevents God from blessing your business or job. And the truth is, God will bless anything you give him. If you give him all your life, he will bless all of it. But if you give him just a part of it, he will bless just that one part.
A friend told me that as the president of his corporation he invites God to every board meeting. He reports that as a result, the board members make fewer mistakes and have more peace of mind about difficult decisions.
There is something about having Jesus in your boat that eliminates the fear of failure and reduces your worries about the results. When Peter made Christ his fishing partner, the results were incredible: he caught more fish than he had ever caught on him own. Don't miss the sequence, though. First, Jesus took the boat and preached from it to reach people. THEN, after Christ had used the boat for his own purposes, God took care of Peter's need.
GOD PROMISED US THAT IF WE "SEEK...FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD, AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS FIRST,...THEN ALL THESE OTHER THINGS WILL BE ADDED UNTO US. MATTHEW 6:33 KJV Does this mean that if I give my whole life to Christ, putting him first in EVERY AREA, then he will bless it all? Yes, that is God's promise to you.
Stay tuned for the 2nd principal to have the success God wants us to have.
(¯`v´¯)
`*.¸♥ .*
¸.*`.¸¸ . ✶*¨*. ¸ .✫*¨*♥ .¸¸.✶*¨`*✶♥
(. . ✫Christ’s Love & Stay Blessed*♥ *♥*...Artwork by Jessy Laguma
`.¸¸ . ✶*¨*♥ . ¸ .✫*¨*.¸¸.✶
1. APPROPRIATE GOD'S PRESENCE IN YOUR LIFE
2. COOPERATE WITH GOD'S PLAN
3. ANTICIPATE GOD'S PROMISE
PRINCIPAL 1: APPROPRIATE GOD'S PRESENCE IN YOUR LIFE
A clue to the first principle of success is found in Luke 5:3 Jesus was in the boat with the disciples. Christ's presence made a big difference! This time the disciples weren't fishing by themselves; God was with them. The first principle for successful living is this: YOU MUST APPROPRIATE GOD'S PRESENCE IN YOU LIFE. In other words, you have to get Jesus into your boat. That's the starting point. Nothing has greater influence on your personal success than whether or not you are living with Christ in you life. For Peter, his boat represented his livelihood. When you're a fisherman, that boat is your business! It's significant that Peter made his boat available for Jesus to use. Christ used Peter's business as a platform for ministry.
Does God have access to your job? Is your business available for him to use at any time? Is he able to minister to people through your Job? Too often we try to separate the secular and the spiritual; we have our Christian life nicely partitioned off from our career. But this prevents God from blessing your business or job. And the truth is, God will bless anything you give him. If you give him all your life, he will bless all of it. But if you give him just a part of it, he will bless just that one part.
A friend told me that as the president of his corporation he invites God to every board meeting. He reports that as a result, the board members make fewer mistakes and have more peace of mind about difficult decisions.
There is something about having Jesus in your boat that eliminates the fear of failure and reduces your worries about the results. When Peter made Christ his fishing partner, the results were incredible: he caught more fish than he had ever caught on him own. Don't miss the sequence, though. First, Jesus took the boat and preached from it to reach people. THEN, after Christ had used the boat for his own purposes, God took care of Peter's need.
GOD PROMISED US THAT IF WE "SEEK...FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD, AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS FIRST,...THEN ALL THESE OTHER THINGS WILL BE ADDED UNTO US. MATTHEW 6:33 KJV Does this mean that if I give my whole life to Christ, putting him first in EVERY AREA, then he will bless it all? Yes, that is God's promise to you.
Stay tuned for the 2nd principal to have the success God wants us to have.
(¯`v´¯)
`*.¸♥ .*
¸.*`.¸¸ . ✶*¨*. ¸ .✫*¨*♥ .¸¸.✶*¨`*✶♥
(. . ✫Christ’s Love & Stay Blessed*♥ *♥*...Artwork by Jessy Laguma
`.¸¸ . ✶*¨*♥ . ¸ .✫*¨*.¸¸.✶
Friday, March 12, 2010
HOW CAN I REBOUND FROM FAILURE?
We all make mistakes, and sometimes they are pretty bad. But a failure can become a stepping-stone to success. An incident from Peter's life (Luke 5:1-11) illustrates this wonderful truth. One time Peter and his friends had been out fishing all night, but they had caught nothing. This was probably unusual, since Peter was a professional fisherman. He was definitely not a novice. He probably had the best nets, owned a good boat, and knew exactly where to catch the most fish. He had worked all night, as his income depended on a good catch. Still, Peter came up short. Even superstars strike out sometimes.
The next day, the fisherman were washing their nets on the seashore, feeling very tired and discouraged. At that moment Jesus came along and said, "Peter, I'd like to use your boat as a platform for a speech." So Peter let Jesus into his boat, and they launched out a little way from the shore. There Jesus could speak from the boat to the crowd standing on the shore.
After finishing his message, Jesus said to the fishermen, "Now let's go fishing. Launch out into the deep water, and let down the nets for a catch."
Peter replied, "Master, we worked hard all night and haven't caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets." When the disciples obeyed, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break.
WHEN OUR BEST IS NOT ENOUGH
What does this story teach us about failure? Jesus never performed a miracle without a purpose. He always used his miracles to illustrate principles. This incident teaches us what to do WHEN OUR BEST IS NOT ENOUGH.
Sometimes we give something our best shot but still come up ten feet short. We study diligently for a test and only get a "C" or we work hard to make our marriage better but still don't see any progress. Life can be tough at times, and it's tempting to give up. We fell like saying, "what is the use? I just set myself up for more failure. Can anything make a difference?"
The interesting part of the Bible story is comparison between the two catches. The disciples had worked all night and caught nothing, but later they went out again for ten minutes and caught more than they ever had before. It was the same lake, the same people fishing. So what made the difference?
There are actually three difference between the two fishing expeditions, and these differences give us principles to follow when our best attempts end in failure. I believe any person who apples these principles will be genuine success in life. God intended them to be easy to understand, so that everybody could get on on the benefit.
But first you must realize that God is interested in your success; he's not interested in seeing you fail. Suppose my daughter Amy said to me one day, "Dad, I am a total failure in life. Everything I touch falls apart. My problems are insurmountable. I can never do anything right. I am a total failure and I'll never change."
Would I reply, "Oh, I'm so happy you told me that! That makes me feel so good inside"? Of Course not. As a father, I want my children to be successful, to be the best they can be. Likewise, your heavenly Father wants you to be successful in life-in your personal life, your family, your spiritual growth, and all your relationships. There are three principals drawn from God's word that can help you achieve this this. Stay tuned for the three principals that will give you this success that God desires you to have.
THREE PRINCIPALS THAT WILL GIVE YOU THE SUCCESS THAT GOD DESIRES YOU TO HAVE:
1. ANTICIPATE GOD'S PROMISES
2. IT CAN WORK IN YOUR LIFE
3. TRY IT AGAIN WITH CHRIST
The next day, the fisherman were washing their nets on the seashore, feeling very tired and discouraged. At that moment Jesus came along and said, "Peter, I'd like to use your boat as a platform for a speech." So Peter let Jesus into his boat, and they launched out a little way from the shore. There Jesus could speak from the boat to the crowd standing on the shore.
After finishing his message, Jesus said to the fishermen, "Now let's go fishing. Launch out into the deep water, and let down the nets for a catch."
Peter replied, "Master, we worked hard all night and haven't caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets." When the disciples obeyed, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break.
WHEN OUR BEST IS NOT ENOUGH
What does this story teach us about failure? Jesus never performed a miracle without a purpose. He always used his miracles to illustrate principles. This incident teaches us what to do WHEN OUR BEST IS NOT ENOUGH.
Sometimes we give something our best shot but still come up ten feet short. We study diligently for a test and only get a "C" or we work hard to make our marriage better but still don't see any progress. Life can be tough at times, and it's tempting to give up. We fell like saying, "what is the use? I just set myself up for more failure. Can anything make a difference?"
The interesting part of the Bible story is comparison between the two catches. The disciples had worked all night and caught nothing, but later they went out again for ten minutes and caught more than they ever had before. It was the same lake, the same people fishing. So what made the difference?
There are actually three difference between the two fishing expeditions, and these differences give us principles to follow when our best attempts end in failure. I believe any person who apples these principles will be genuine success in life. God intended them to be easy to understand, so that everybody could get on on the benefit.
But first you must realize that God is interested in your success; he's not interested in seeing you fail. Suppose my daughter Amy said to me one day, "Dad, I am a total failure in life. Everything I touch falls apart. My problems are insurmountable. I can never do anything right. I am a total failure and I'll never change."
Would I reply, "Oh, I'm so happy you told me that! That makes me feel so good inside"? Of Course not. As a father, I want my children to be successful, to be the best they can be. Likewise, your heavenly Father wants you to be successful in life-in your personal life, your family, your spiritual growth, and all your relationships. There are three principals drawn from God's word that can help you achieve this this. Stay tuned for the three principals that will give you this success that God desires you to have.
THREE PRINCIPALS THAT WILL GIVE YOU THE SUCCESS THAT GOD DESIRES YOU TO HAVE:
1. ANTICIPATE GOD'S PROMISES
2. IT CAN WORK IN YOUR LIFE
3. TRY IT AGAIN WITH CHRIST
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