There is a story about a young boy who had a bad temper. One day, to help the son learn a lesson, his father gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his temper or lashed out with his words, he would have to hammer a nail into their beautiful white picket fence. The very first day, the young boy drove eight nails into the fence. Over the next few weeks, however, as the boy learned to control his anger, the number of nails he had to hammer into the fence drastically decreased each day. Finally, the day came when the boy didn't lose his temper at all. He was so proud of himself and told his father about his accomplishment. The father put his arm around his son, walked him out to the fence, and told the boy to now remove one nail for each day that he didn't lose his temper. Quite a while passed when finally the young boy was able to remove that last nail. As soon as he finished, the boy ran to tell his father.
The father hugged his son and said, "You have done so well at keeping your temper in check and I'm proud of you, but I want you to see something."
The father took the young boy by the hand and walked over to the fence.
"See all these holes in our beautiful fence?" the father asked.
The little boy nodded his head.
"That fence will never be the same," the father said. "When you say things in anger, those words leave scars on the hearts of others just like the nails leave holes in our fence. You can pull the nails out, but the marks are deep and permanent. The same goes for your words. It doesn't matter how many times you say you're sorry, you can't take those words back, and the scars are still there."
The boy's face fell low as he realized the impact of his words. The father, seeing that his son had learned such a valuable lesson, walked to their nearby shed and pulled out some new fence posts. "Let's build a new fence together, Son." The boy lifted his head with a huge smile. "And we won't put holes it!" he said. "And we won't put holes in it," the father echoed.
Today, the question is: Do you realize the weight of your words? Are you making holes in the hearts of others? Or, are you carefully choosing your words and allowing them to bring life to the people around you? Scripture says that, "Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing" (Proverbs 12:18). Be wise today and let your words bring healing everywhere you go.
About Me
- Nextstep
- I talk about hot topics on love, give relationship and dating advice, and discuss topics on life. You might also get a peek into all the crazy, wild, and exciting things happening in life.
Saturday 20 October 2012
Stretch and Increase!
Have you ever thought about the relationship between stretching and increase? Really, they go hand in hand. If you want to see increase in your life, you have to enlarge yourself. You have to stretch yourself so you can be prepared to receive more and give more. If you want to stretch, you have to take a step of faith and be obedient to what God has placed in your heart.
What are you doing to stretch yourself? You can't just sit back and wait for something to happen. You have so much to offer this world. There's more inside of you than you think!
There's a story about a woman who was newly divorced, almost penniless, afraid of public places, and trying to raise two teenage sons. Through several tragedies in her life, she developed severe agoraphobia and was afraid to even leave her house. She had to make a living, so she searched her heart for ways to support herself and her two sons.
She loved to cook, and all she knew to do for income was to make sandwiches and other simple foods. She found a few customers, but because she was so uncomfortable leaving the house, her two sons had to deliver the sandwiches. Her little home business quickly grew beyond the size of her kitchen, and she now faced a decision. Would she stand still and stop growing, or would she confront her fears and step outside her comfort zone and stretch herself? Though fear constantly harassed her, she recognized that cooking was the seed she had in her hand. As she sat in her house, she could imagine her business growing, and she began to see success. She made the decision to step out and learn and grow. First, she decided to confront the agoraphobia that imprisoned her. Reaching deep inside herself, she was able to take a job as a chef at a local hotel.
Her seeds began to spring forth, and once again, she experienced tremendous success. She was learning step by step that the gifts inside of her were seeds of greatness. A few years later, she opened her own restaurant, The Lady and Sons, right in the heart of Savannah, Georgia. The restaurant's reputation quickly spread and received national recognition.
Paula Deen's restaurant was such a success that she eventually landed her own television show, published cookbooks, and even had a role on the silver screen. Today she is one of America's most beloved television chefs, and it all started when she realized that the power that dwelt inside of her was greater than the fear that held her back.
Oftentimes, people stay where they are in life simply because of fear. Don't let that be you! Be willing to step out of your comfort zone. Be willing to stretch. Prepare yourself for increase because God has so much more in store for you!
"Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes." (Isaiah 54:2, NIV)
What are you doing to stretch yourself? You can't just sit back and wait for something to happen. You have so much to offer this world. There's more inside of you than you think!
There's a story about a woman who was newly divorced, almost penniless, afraid of public places, and trying to raise two teenage sons. Through several tragedies in her life, she developed severe agoraphobia and was afraid to even leave her house. She had to make a living, so she searched her heart for ways to support herself and her two sons.
She loved to cook, and all she knew to do for income was to make sandwiches and other simple foods. She found a few customers, but because she was so uncomfortable leaving the house, her two sons had to deliver the sandwiches. Her little home business quickly grew beyond the size of her kitchen, and she now faced a decision. Would she stand still and stop growing, or would she confront her fears and step outside her comfort zone and stretch herself? Though fear constantly harassed her, she recognized that cooking was the seed she had in her hand. As she sat in her house, she could imagine her business growing, and she began to see success. She made the decision to step out and learn and grow. First, she decided to confront the agoraphobia that imprisoned her. Reaching deep inside herself, she was able to take a job as a chef at a local hotel.
Her seeds began to spring forth, and once again, she experienced tremendous success. She was learning step by step that the gifts inside of her were seeds of greatness. A few years later, she opened her own restaurant, The Lady and Sons, right in the heart of Savannah, Georgia. The restaurant's reputation quickly spread and received national recognition.
Paula Deen's restaurant was such a success that she eventually landed her own television show, published cookbooks, and even had a role on the silver screen. Today she is one of America's most beloved television chefs, and it all started when she realized that the power that dwelt inside of her was greater than the fear that held her back.
Oftentimes, people stay where they are in life simply because of fear. Don't let that be you! Be willing to step out of your comfort zone. Be willing to stretch. Prepare yourself for increase because God has so much more in store for you!
"Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes." (Isaiah 54:2, NIV)
Friday 19 October 2012
God Uses The Storm!
God will not allow a trial to come into your life unless He has a purpose! He doesn't send the storms, but He uses them...
Every Moment Has A Meaning...
Every moment has meaning... Even a seemingly insignificant line in a book can push the whole story forward...
You Can Only Be You!
You can't force someone to feel any certain way about u... You can only be u & the right ones will love u for it...
Reinvent Yourself!
You don't have to settle for where you've been or even WHO you've been. At any moment, u can reinvent yourself...
It's Just Temporary!
God put this truth strong in my spirit and I want to encourage you today that what you are going through right now is temporary. II Corinthians 4:16-18 exhorts us to look not at the things that are seen—your problems and circumstances—because they are temporary. Instead fix your eyes on what is unseen—God and His faithful promises—because they are eternal. The Message Bible elaborates on this thought and says that God has good times coming for you. I love that!
It's just temporary and good times are coming! In fact, I have decided that I am going to celebrate the goodness of God and expect great things this year. This is not a time to give up on yourself or your dreams. God said, "Forget the former things and do not dwell on the past because I am doing a new thing. Do you not perceive it?" (Isaiah 43:18-19) Don't allow circumstances to blind you from seeing the great things that God is doing and wants to do in your life.
Say "Yes!" to God today. "Father God, I do perceive that you are doing a new thing in my life. I am not going to allow a moment to become a lifetime. This is temporary and I am coming out with total victory and restoration!"
Keep Dreaming...
We all have dreams and desires and that makes me think of Joseph in the Bible. God gave him dreams as a teen, but they didn't come to pass overnight. In fact, he faced a lot of adversity on the way to seeing his dreams fulfilled—rejection, abandonment, injustice, and imprisonment. The amazing thing is that Joseph kept faithful to God and he kept dreaming. And God in His mercy and loving care, brought Joseph from the pit, through prison, and into the palace where his dreams were completely fulfilled. Wow! That's a picture of what God wants to do for you. So don't give up if you are facing adversity today. Be encouraged and keep dreaming! You are made for victory!
Be Willing to Change...
| If anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things. Philippians 4:8 |
| If you're not moving closer to your dream, you may not be tenacious enough in your pursuit of it. And the key to greater tenacity is not necessarily working harder at the same things, but being willing to change. Change what? 1)Your thinking. Are you convinced you can't succeed? Do you describe yourself and what you're doing in negative terms? Are you afraid to get started because conditions aren't favourable? Do you stop trying to move forward when you don't have the resources you need? If so, you need to change your mindset, to break the cycle of negative thinking. 2) Your perspective. Do you have a short-term mindset? Are you expecting success in days, weeks, or months? The greater your assignment, the longer it's likely to take. So recalibrate your expectations and create a more reasonable timetable for yourself; otherwise, you'll live in frustration and defeat. That's not God's will for you. Paul's desire was '...that I may finish my race with joy...' (Acts 20:24 NKJV). God wants you to experience joy in the pursuit of your goal. 3) Your ways. How are things going in your personal life and in your home life? Are you ready to deal with the habits and hang-ups that stand between you and success? What can you do today that will bring you closer to your dream-no matter how small the progress? Author and publisher Robert Collier says, 'Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out.' |
You're Equipped for a Purpose (2)
| God...will fulfil his purpose for me. Psalm 57:2 |
| The Bible is full of people who used their talents to bless others: musicians, masons, seamstresses, ship-builders, teachers, farmers, fishermen, authors, architects, artists, administrators, etc. God gives 'each of us the ability to do certain things well...' (Romans 12:6 TLB). Yet much of what He gives us goes unrecognised and unused. Mac Anderson says: 'Making a living isn't the same as making a life. You can't fake passion; it's the fuel that drives any dream and makes you happy to be alive...The first step is to know what you love. We all have unique talents and interests, and one of life's greatest challenges is to match [them] with career opportunities that bring out the best in us. Sometimes we only find it through trial and error-but it's worth the effort. James Audubon (1785-1851) changed locations, partners and businesses, yet failed and became bankrupt. Not until he understood he must change did he have any shot at success. He loved the outdoors and was an excellent hunter and artist. He travelled the country observing and drawing birds, and earned a place as one of the greatest wildlife artists ever. More importantly, the work made him happy and provided the peace of mind he'd sought all his life.' The Psalmist says, 'I cry out to God...who will fulfil his purpose for me.' Pray and ask for God's direction. Begin to list your strengths and weaknesses. Get feedback from people who will be honest with you. Once you find your God-given purpose, build your life around it, and '...do it all for the glory of God' (1Corinthians 10:31 NIV). |
You're Equipped for a Purpose (1)
| We are...created...to do good works. Ephesians 2:10 |
| God uses people like you, regular folk with work and family responsibilities, mortgages and busy lives. The Bible says, 'we are...created...to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.' Note the word 'prepared.' It's the same word that's used for making sure a team has the training and equipment it needs to win. The truth is, we are ...'God's instruments to do his work'... (1Peter 2:9 TM). When do you know the true value of an instrument? When it's in the hands of a master! So put your life into the Master's hands and watch what He does with it. He 'saved us...not because of anything we did... but because of God's purpose...before time began' (2 Timothy 1:9 NCV). And He 'has given each of [us] a gift from his great variety...to serve one another' (1Peter 4:10 NLT); 'gifts...to equip God's people to do his work and build up the church' (Ephesians 4:11-12 NLT). Do you still think your life doesn't count for much? Jesus said, 'Go and make followers of all people in the world...Teach them to obey everything that I have taught you, and I will be with you always' (Matthew 28:19-20 NCV). You're not just another face in the crowd; your life has value and purpose, even on those days when you feel totally inadequate. So, 'Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart...since...you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward' (Colossians 3:23-24 NIV). Can you think of any greater incentive than that moment when you stand in His presence and hear, 'Well done,' for giving it your best shot? |
Keep Trying...
...Well done, good and faithful servant... Matthew 25:23
In Discipleship Journal Paul Thigpen writes: 'I remember coming home one afternoon to discover that the kitchen I had worked so hard to clean only a few hours before, was now a terrible wreck. My young daughter had obviously been busy 'cooking' and the ingredients were scattered, along with dirty bowls and utensils, across the counters and floor. I was not happy with the situation. Then, as I looked a little more closely at the mess I spied a tiny note on the table, clumsily written and smeared with chocolatey fingerprints. The message was short-'I'm makin somethin 4 you, dad'-and it was signed, 'your angel.' In the midst of that disarray, and despite my irritation, joy suddenly sprang up in my heart, sweet and pure. My attention had been redirected from the problem to the little girl I loved. As I encountered her in that brief note, I delighted in her. With her simple goodness in focus, I could take pleasure in seeing her hand at work in the situation that seemed otherwise disastrous.' In the parable of the talents, Jesus pointed out that the two servants who invested and multiplied what had been entrusted to them received the Master's highest commendation: 'Well done, good and faithful servant.' On the other hand, the servant who buried his gifts rather than risk and lose, received the Master's harshest condemnation: '...You wicked and lazy servant...' (v. 26 NKJV). Commendation or condemnation: which will you receive? God doesn't say, 'If you can't do it right, don't do it at all.' No, He's pleased when you try, make mistakes, learn from them and grow. So keep trying!
Missing the Point...
Once upon a time a very strong woodcutter asked for a job in a timber merchant, and he got it. The pay was really good and so were the work conditions. For that reason,the woodcutter was determined to do his best.
His boss gave him an axe and showed him the area where he was supposed to work. The first day, the woodcutter brought 25 trees.
“Congratulations,” the boss said. “Go on that way!” Very motivated by the boss’ words, the woodcutter tried harder the next day,but he only could bring 15 trees. The third day he try even harder, but he only could bring 10 trees. Day after day he was bringing less and less trees.
“I must be losing my strength”, the woodcutter thought. He went to the boss and apologized, saying that he could not understand what was going on.
“When was the last time you sharpened your axe?” the boss asked. “Sharpen? I had no time to sharpen my axe. I have been very busy trying to cut trees.”
Our lives are like that. We sometimes get so busy that we don’t take time to sharpen the axe.In today’s world, it seems that everyone is busier than ever, but less happy than ever. Why is that? Could it be that we have forgotten how to stay sharp?
There’s nothing wrong with activity and hard work. But we need not get so busy that we neglect the truly important things in life. We all need time to relax, to think and meditate, to learn and grow.
If we don’t take time to sharpen the axe, we will become dull and lose our effectiveness. So start today. Think about the ways by which you could live your life more effectively and add more value to it.
CLUB 99...
Some time ago, there lived a King. This king should have been contented with his life, given all the riches and luxuries he had. However, this was not the case! The King always found himself wondering why he just never seemed content with his life. Sure, he had the attention of everyone wherever he went, attended fancy dinners and parties, but somehow, he still felt something was lacking and he couldn't put his finger on it.
One day, the King had woken up earlier than usual to stroll around his palace. He entered his huge living room and came to a stop when he heard someone happily singing away... following this singing... he saw that one of the servants was singing and had a very contented look on his face. This fascinated the King and he summoned this man to his chambers. The man entered the King's chambers as ordered. The King asked why he was so happy? To this the man replied: "Your Majesty, I am nothing but a servant, but I make enough of a living to keep my wife and children happy. We don't need too much, a roof over our heads and warm food to fill our tummy. My wife and children are my inspiration, they are content with whatever little I bring home. I am happy because my family is happy." ………………
Hearing this, the King dismissed the servant and summoned his Personal Assistant to his chambers. The King related his personal anguish about his feelings and then related the story of the servant to his Personal Assistant, hoping that somehow, he will be able to come up with some reasoning that here was a King who could have anything he wished for at a snap of his fingers and yet was not contented, whereas, his servant, having so little was extremely contented.
The Personal Assistant listened attentively and came to a conclusion. He said, "Your Majesty, I believe that the servant has not been made part of The 99 Club." "The 99 Club? And what exactly is that?" the King inquired. To which the Assistant replied, "Your Majesty, to truly know what The 99 Club is, you will have to do the following... place 99 Gold coins in a bag and leave it at this servant's doorstep, you will then understand what The 99 Club is."
That very same evening, the King arranged for 99 Gold coins to be placed in a bag at the servant's doorstep. Although he was slightly hesitant and he thought he should have put 100 Gold coins into the bag, but since his assistant had advised him to put 99 that is what he did.
The servant was just stepping out of his house when he saw a bag at his doorstep. Wondering about its contents, he took it into his house and opened the bag. When he opened the bag, he let out a great big shout of joy...Gold Coins... so many of them. He could hardly believe it. He called his wife to show her the coins. He then took the bag to a table and emptied it out and began to count the coins. Doing so, he realized that there were 99 coins and he thought it was an odd number so he counted again, and again and again only to come to the same conclusion.. . 99 Gold Coins. He began to wonder, what could have happened to that last 1 coin? For no one would leave 99 coins.
He began to search his entire house, looked around his backyard for hours, not wanting to lose out on that one coin. Finally, exhausted, he decided that he was going to have to work harder than ever to make up for that 1 Gold coin to make his entire collection an even 100 Gold Coins. He got up the next morning, in an extremely horrible mood, shouting at the children and his wife for his delay, not realizing that he had spent most of the night conjuring ways of working hard so that he had enough money to buy himself that gold coin.
He went to work as usual - but not in his usual best mood, singing happily - as he grumpily did his daily errands. Seeing the man's attitude change so drastically, the King was puzzled. He promptly summoned his assistant to his chambers. The King related his thoughts about the servant and once again, his assistant listened. The King could not believe that the servant who until yesterday had been singing away and was happy and content with his life had taken a sudden change of attitude, even though he should have been happier after receiving the gold coins.
To this the assistant replied "Ah! But your Majesty, the servant has now officially joined The 99 Club." He explained: "The 99 Club is just a name given to those people who have everything but yet are never contented, therefore they are always working hard and striving for that extra 1 to round it out to 100! We have so much to be thankful for and we can live with very little in our lives, but the minute we are given something bigger and better, we want even more!
THE PERFECT GIRL...
A friend asked a gentleman how it is that he never married.
Replied the gentleman, "Well, I guess I just never met the right woman... I guess I've been looking for the perfect girl."
"Oh, come on now," said the friend, "Surely you have met at least one girl that you wanted to marry."
"Yes, there was one girl... once. I guess she was the one perfect girl... the only perfect girl I really ever met. She was just the right everything... I really mean that she was the perfect girl for me."
"Well, why didn't you marry her," asked the friend.
"She was looking for the perfect man," he said.
The Truth About the Truth (2)
...You desire truth in the inward parts... Psalm 51:6
If we're brutally honest, we'd have to admit that sometimes the truth seems inadequate to do what we need done. We want our bosses to like us, so we flatter. We want our friends to admire us, so we exaggerate. We want people to respect us, so we live in houses we can't afford and charge bills we can't pay. Ananias and Sapphira sold a piece of property and gave a portion of the money to the church. But they lied, claiming the land sold for the amount of money they gave (Acts 5). Their sin was not in holding back some money for themselves; it was in misrepresenting the truth. And their deceit resulted in their deaths. You say, 'I'm glad God doesn't strike people dead today for lying.' Don't be so sure. Lying results in the death of: 1) A marriage. Falsehoods are termites in the trunk of the family tree. 2) A conscience. The tragedy of the second lie is that it's always easier to tell than the first. 3) A career. Just ask the employee who got fired for embezzlement. 4) Faith. Think: How can God use us if we won't tell the truth? Every American football team has a player assigned to carry the play from the coach to the huddle. But what if the player doesn't tell the truth? What if the coach calls for a pass but the player says the coach calls for a run? The coach won't call on him very long. God says if you are honest in small things He will trust you with greater things (Matthew 25:21). So, can God trust you?
The Truth About the Truth (1)
...You desire truth in the inward parts... Psalm 51:6
According to Psychology Today, more people say they have cheated on their marriage partners than on their income tax returns or expense accounts. Nearly half say that if they scratched another car in the parking lot they would drive away without leaving a note, although 89 percent agree that it would be wrong. Perhaps the question shouldn't be, 'Why does God demand such honesty of us?', but rather, 'Why do we tolerate such dishonesty?' Jeremiah weighs in: 'The heart is deceitful above all things...' (Jeremiah 17:9 NIV). For many of us, our credo is, 'You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you squirm.' At the age of three, when Mum asked, 'Did you hit your little brother?' we knew that honesty had its consequences. So we learned to say, 'Uhhhh, well, it's not really lying.' We learned to cover things up. 'Did I hit my baby brother? That all depends on how you interpret the word hit. I mean, sure, I made contact with him, but would a jury consider it a hit? Everything is relative, you know.' We say, 'Did I hit my baby brother? Yes, Mom, I did. But it's not my fault. Had I been born with nonaggressive chromosomes and had you not permitted me to watch television, it would never have happened. So I can say I hit my brother, but the fault isn't mine. I'm a victim of nurture and nature.' We smile, but the Psalmist said, 'You desire truth in the inward parts, and in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom.' And that's the truth about the truth.
Are You Fulfilled? (3)
I delight to do Your will, O my God... Psalm 40:8
To keep your dream alive and find fulfilment in the pursuit of it, you must allow yourself to keep dreaming. God gave Joseph two dreams: in the first, other sheaves of wheat bowed down to his; in the second, other stars bowed down to his. Note, he dreamed progressively higher, from sheaves to stars. Most creative people intuitively understand the importance of dreaming as a process for inspiration, motivation and fulfilment. George Lucas, creator and producer of the movie Star Wars, says that one thing that kept him and his colleagues going during the difficult times was this: 'We were always dreaming of how it was going to be.' If you are not a naturally creative person, then you have to learn how to keep dreaming. And if you can do it with a sense of humour, that doesn't hurt. There's a story about a student riding a bicycle on a college campus. On his tee shirt was the message: 'I am going to be a doctor.' On the bike was a sign that also had a message: 'I am going to be a Mercedes.' That's somebody who had learned to keep dreaming! Andrew Carnegie, who was a Christian philanthropist during the early 1900s, said, 'If you want to be happy, set a goal that commands your thoughts, liberates your energy, and inspires your hopes.' In other words-keep your dream alive and it will keep you alive. When David said, 'I delight to do Your will, O my God,' he simply meant you'll find your highest fulfilment in doing what God put you on this earth to do.
Are You Fulfilled? (2)
Do not throw away your confidence; it will be...rewarded. Hebrews 10:35
Consultant Dan Sullivan talks about the difference between our 'ideals' and our 'actuals.' He says, 'The ideal is a picture we create of future desirable events and situations that enables us to move forward in time. The ideal does not actually exist outside our minds, nor is it achievable.' Why? Because it depends on everything being perfect. Life is, at best, messy. It's filled with surprises-both good and bad. If you need the ideal picture of your dream to come into being in order to feel fulfilled, you will never be fulfilled. That doesn't mean you should cast aside your ideal vision. It is useful for helping you to establish goals, find internal motivation, and strive for excellence. However, you also need to temper it. Where idealistic dreams expect to be realised immediately, realistic dreams make you appreciate the time it takes for them to become a reality. Where idealistic dreams do not tolerate anything less than perfection, realistic dreams leave room for you to be human and imperfect. Where idealistic dreams set you up for disappointment, realistic dreams set you up for success. The man who never made a mistake, never made anything. Indeed, the man who never made a mistake probably gets his salary from the one who does. The reason God doesn't whitewash His heroes in the Bible is to let you know that in spite of your flaws, He can use you to accomplish great things. You say, 'But am I not supposed to work on my weaknesses?' Yes, but you'll only succeed in what you're called to do by working from your God-given strengths.
Are You Fulfilled? (1)
In due season he will honour you with every blessing. Psalm 37:34
There is usually a huge gap between the birth of a dream and the achievement of that dream. The question you have to ask yourself is whether it will be a fulfillment gap or a frustration gap. If it's a frustration gap you'll be miserable most of the days you're in it. And every day that you're frustrated instead of fulfilled, you lessen the odds that you'll be able to keep moving forward toward your dream. Author Seth Godin calls this gap between when you set out to do something and when you actually start to see significant results, 'the dip.' The dip represents the adversity you must face, the learning curve you must go through, and the hard work you must be willing to invest between conception and realisation. If the dip you are in seems to be a road without end, here are some Scriptures you need to stand on: 'Don't be impatient for the Lord to act! Keep travelling steadily along his pathway and in due season he will honour you with every blessing.' 'Do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised' (Hebrews 10:35-36 NIV). 'So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal' (2 Corinthians 4:18 NIV). God has promised you more than just the fulfilment of your dream; He has promised joy in each step you take toward it.
I Met the Master Face to Face...
...We have seen his glory... John 1:14
The Bible says: 'The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came...full of grace and truth.' To know the Lord Jesus Christ personally is to love Him, to love Him is to serve Him, and to serve Him is to experience life's highest joy and fulfilment. An unknown author wrote the following poem about Jesus. If you know Him as your Lord and Saviour it will resonate in your heart. If you don't, it's our prayer you will want to accept Him today as your Lord and Saviour: 'I walked life's way with an easy tread, had followed where comforts and pleasures led; until one day in a quiet place, I met the Master face to face. With station and rank and wealth for my goal, much thought for my body but none for my soul; I entered to win in life's mad race, when I met the Master face to face. I met Him, and knew Him, and blushed to see that His eyes full of sorrow were fixed on me. And I faltered and fell at His feet that day, while my castles melted and vanished away. Melted and vanished, and in their place, naught else did I see but the Master's face; And I cried aloud, "O, make me meet, to follow the steps of Thy wounded feet." My thought is now for the souls of men; I have lost my life to find it again; e'er since one day in a quiet place, I met the Master face to face.'
Stop Worrying About It!
Do not worry... Matthew 6:31
If you let them, two things will rob you of your peace of mind: 1) The past. We all make mistakes-even the folks you admire and think never make mistakes. The Bible says, 'For every man shall bear his own burden' (Galatians 6:5 KJV). We all struggle in certain areas. We all say and do things we wish we hadn't said or done. 'So what can I do?' you ask. Ask God to forgive you, then trust Him to make it work out all right. He can do that. He can help you clean up your mistakes and grow stronger through them. For example, when you say something you shouldn't, instead of obsessing about whether or not you offended somebody, ask the Lord to let them know your heart was right even though you put your foot in your mouth. Trust God to work on them and give you favour. That way you don't have to spend the next several days feeling anxious, or cringe when you meet them. 2) The future. God won't meet tomorrow's needs until tomorrow comes. So when you are having an attack of the 'what if's,' stop and consider these words from the lips of Jesus: 'Therefore do not worry, saying, what shall we eat? or What shall we drink? or What shall we wear? For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you' (Matthew 6:31-33 NKJV). Victor Hugo said, 'When you have accomplished your daily task, go to sleep in peace; God is awake!'
You Can Defeat Satan!
Satan is a force you'll contend with every day. And he's a master at reinventing himself. The Bible says he can morph 'into an angel of light' (2 Corinthians 11:14 NKJV). And while his approach may be appealing, his intent is always to '...steal and kill and destroy...' (John 10:10 NIV). Destroy what? Your peace of mind, your destiny, your relationships, etc. How can you defeat him? In two ways: 1) Don't fear him. 'The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil...' (Psalm 121:7 KJV). Thirty-one times in the New Testament we read that as believers we are 'in Christ.' So to get at you, satan must first go through Him! 2) Don't give him access. 'Nor give place to the devil.' Satan has no place in your life unless you open the door and give him one. And when Christ is enthroned in your heart, there's no room for the devil. But it's not enough to have a clean heart, you must have a spirit-filled heart. Jesus said: 'When an evil spirit leaves a person, it goes into the desert, seeking rest but finding none. Then it says, I will return to the person I came from. So it returns and finds its former home empty, swept, and in order. Then the spirit finds seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they all enter the person and live there. And so that person is worse off than before' (Matthew 12:43-45 NLT). The best way to break bad habits is to replace them with good ones. The best way to defeat satan is to make Jesus Lord of your life.
Stretch and Increase!
Have you ever thought about the relationship between stretching and increase? Really, they go hand in hand. If you want to see increase in your life, you have to enlarge yourself. You have to stretch yourself so you can be prepared to receive more and give more. If you want to stretch, you have to take a step of faith and be obedient to what God has placed in your heart.
What are you doing to stretch yourself? You can't just sit back and wait for something to happen. You have so much to offer this world. There's more inside of you than you think!
There's a story about a woman who was newly divorced, almost penniless, afraid of public places, and trying to raise two teenage sons. Through several tragedies in her life, she developed severe agoraphobia and was afraid to even leave her house. She had to make a living, so she searched her heart for ways to support herself and her two sons.
She loved to cook, and all she knew to do for income was to make sandwiches and other simple foods. She found a few customers, but because she was so uncomfortable leaving the house, her two sons had to deliver the sandwiches. Her little home business quickly grew beyond the size of her kitchen, and she now faced a decision. Would she stand still and stop growing, or would she confront her fears and step outside her comfort zone and stretch herself? Though fear constantly harassed her, she recognized that cooking was the seed she had in her hand. As she sat in her house, she could imagine her business growing, and she began to see success. She made the decision to step out and learn and grow. First, she decided to confront the agoraphobia that imprisoned her. Reaching deep inside herself, she was able to take a job as a chef at a local hotel.
Her seeds began to spring forth, and once again, she experienced tremendous success. She was learning step by step that the gifts inside of her were seeds of greatness. A few years later, she opened her own restaurant, The Lady and Sons, right in the heart of Savannah, Georgia. The restaurant's reputation quickly spread and received national recognition.
Paula Deen's restaurant was such a success that she eventually landed her own television show, published cookbooks, and even had a role on the silver screen. Today she is one of America's most beloved television chefs, and it all started when she realized that the power that dwelt inside of her was greater than the fear that held her back.
Oftentimes, people stay where they are in life simply because of fear. Don't let that be you! Be willing to step out of your comfort zone. Be willing to stretch. Prepare yourself for increase because God has so much more in store for you!
"Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes." (Isaiah 54:2, NIV)
What are you doing to stretch yourself? You can't just sit back and wait for something to happen. You have so much to offer this world. There's more inside of you than you think!
There's a story about a woman who was newly divorced, almost penniless, afraid of public places, and trying to raise two teenage sons. Through several tragedies in her life, she developed severe agoraphobia and was afraid to even leave her house. She had to make a living, so she searched her heart for ways to support herself and her two sons.
She loved to cook, and all she knew to do for income was to make sandwiches and other simple foods. She found a few customers, but because she was so uncomfortable leaving the house, her two sons had to deliver the sandwiches. Her little home business quickly grew beyond the size of her kitchen, and she now faced a decision. Would she stand still and stop growing, or would she confront her fears and step outside her comfort zone and stretch herself? Though fear constantly harassed her, she recognized that cooking was the seed she had in her hand. As she sat in her house, she could imagine her business growing, and she began to see success. She made the decision to step out and learn and grow. First, she decided to confront the agoraphobia that imprisoned her. Reaching deep inside herself, she was able to take a job as a chef at a local hotel.
Her seeds began to spring forth, and once again, she experienced tremendous success. She was learning step by step that the gifts inside of her were seeds of greatness. A few years later, she opened her own restaurant, The Lady and Sons, right in the heart of Savannah, Georgia. The restaurant's reputation quickly spread and received national recognition.
Paula Deen's restaurant was such a success that she eventually landed her own television show, published cookbooks, and even had a role on the silver screen. Today she is one of America's most beloved television chefs, and it all started when she realized that the power that dwelt inside of her was greater than the fear that held her back.
Oftentimes, people stay where they are in life simply because of fear. Don't let that be you! Be willing to step out of your comfort zone. Be willing to stretch. Prepare yourself for increase because God has so much more in store for you!
"Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes." (Isaiah 54:2, NIV)
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