Showing posts with label Wisdom. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Wisdom. Show all posts

The Best Way To Experience Results From God

People ask Christians to pray for them when tragedy, fear, trauma and other challenges strike. They have not given God the time of day (and we remember when we hadn't) and they desperately want something for nothing. 

We have mercy on them because the Love of God is shed abroad in our hearts. We also remember how it felt to be in that selfish and fearful frame of mind. We remember when we wanted something for nothing. 

While Our Father will listen to and sometimes honor our requests on their behalf, the best and most effective way to experience results from God is through building a personal relationship with him through Jesus Christ. 

It is faith that moves God, not desperation, piggy-backing on others prayers and attempted exploitation. That sounds brutal but the truth can be brutal. 

The Word is also quick, powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword. It is piercing even to the dividing asunder of the soul and the spirit and of the joints and marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12) That is brutal. The Word tells us the truth about the human condition. 

The Word also shares that what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his soul. What does it profit a person to always receive answers to prayers prayed on their behalf when they don't know God for themselves? Their end is coming, maybe sooner than they think, and their end is perdition.

We should also pray that Our Father sends his Holy Spirit to bear upon them so that they come into the knowledge of the truth. Let us also pray that God gives them a hunger and thirst for righteousness that they might live in the Resurrection of Life. 

Our prayers should also include the request that The Father of Lights will open up an opportunity for us to share Jesus Christ with them.



Do You Understand Your Worth?

You are worth a lot to God. Do you know how much?

Do you see the value in yourself that God sees?

How can you be in relationships with people who don't when you have a choice?

There needs to be a transformation so that you can see you how you really are in the Kingdom of God.

Romans 12:2

Psalm 119:105

You mean SO much to Our Father. You don't deserve inferiority or mediocrity. Nothing like that is worthy of you. Get it right and see yourself like God sees you! You can learn. He's given you his Word to teach and elevate you.

Take the journey upwards now. Step on the elevator of God and be uplifted to the heights of understanding where he intends for you to be. You mean something to God, more than you've ever known before.

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Image Credit: Google

Don't Wait To Enjoy God's Blessings

Have you ever thought to yourself that if only a certain blessing had come back at the time when you really needed it, it would have been better? Do you sometimes choose to put the use of a blessing on hold until what you feel would be a better time to enjoy it? Ever tried to wait and collect the blessings that you feel go together before you take pleasure in and use them?

I've thought like that. It seems that many things in my life did not happen when I wanted them to. When I feel that I really wanted and needed some things, the acquiring of them eluded me during what I feel were the desired times. They say that God may not come when you want him to but he's always right on time. I have to say that my years of experience with him has proven that, despite what I may feel at times of sadness and distress.

Though I can't say that I've gotten all that I've wanted, yet, or that all has happened when I felt that it most needed to, God has greatly blessed me in many ways. Those blessings came exactly when they should have, because God makes no mistakes and his plans are always perfect. This is what the Word, the Holy Bible, tells us and this is what I choose to believe.

I was standing at the coffeepot thinking about something or another that I was considering putting on hold, or feeling that I had to wait for something else to occur before I could enjoy it. Then I thought "No! God's blessings don't come to be saved. They don't appear to be stored up. They don't happen to be banked. They happen to be utilized and enjoyed as they manifest." 

God is not in the storage business. He's in the immediate-use business, the acquire-it-as-you-need-it business, the demand-and-supply business. Be inspired to live fully each day, draining out each blessing as God sends them your way. Allow each blessing from God to fully bless you, immediately. 

Our blessings are not meant to be stored up and released according to our limited, finite ways of thinking. We are to allow each blessing to flow out immediately and permeate our lives.  From us to others, our blessings are to flow out like rivers of living waters each time that we receive them. 









Giving Is A Choice In Freedom

The practice of tithing was under the Law of Moses. Christians today don't have to fearfully practice it because we don't have to do anything to be accepted by God after we accept his Son Jesus as our Savior. The tithing principle, however, is a good guideline for those who need structure in giving. 

While tithing required 10%, the scriptures teach that it is good to give more than that when we feel free to do so. However freely we give it will be freely given back to us (Matthew 7:2). This is a statement on how much we can expect back, not on how much we need to give. 

Today, it's not about tithing. It's about giving abundantly to others out of our own feeling of abundance. It's giving in freedom. The type and amount of that free-spirited giving varies from Christian to Christian. Our Father wants us to give from the heart, in the amounts and the frequency that we feel comfortable to do. Give how, when, in what way, in what amount and to where you are inspired to give.

If anyone attempts to make us feel ashamed because of our monetary giving or the lack of, their spirit is not of God. If you are not giving today but would like to, don't despair. God sees your heart and he will surely help you to get to your goal. He works with us, not against us. He does not push us, he understands us. Giving is a choice in freedom. Be comfortable and at rest in your freedom in Christ Jesus.



Prayer Can Give Us Intelligence

Consider this. Some unwanted events happen in life because we neglect to do things a certain way. Often, we don't understand what we are supposed to do. Sometimes we do know our roles but in ignorance or self-centeredness we choose not to fulfil them. Prayer can heal all of that.

  • Prayer is submission to God. 
  • Prayer can help us to allow God to help us do what we stubbornly don't want to do. 
  • Prayer is an avenue in which God's Word can be illuminated and brought to life in us.
  • Prayer can give us intelligence where we did not realize we were ignorant. 
  • Prayer is hope when we feel hopeless. 

God has provided a way for us to receive the benefits of prayer, even when we don't feel like doing it. It is through asking His Holy Spirit to pray for us when we can't find the words. It's not a crutch. It's a real source of supernatural help when we can't do it ourselves. 

The Holy Spirit is faithful. He will utter words for us that we don't know how to say. He will talk to Our Father for us until we can form the words again for ourselves. In this way, we don't have to miss our prayer time with God, even though we may be tired and weary.



Forgiveness Gives Us Power

It feels better to forgive than to be angry, frustrated and resentful. We who love God forgive because we can, not because we have to. Because of Our Lord and Savior's sacrifice, we can choose the power of the Holy Spirit in our everyday interactions. Forgiving is a powerful tool of the Holy Spirit and that power can be felt! 

They say that unforgiveness hurts us the most, but that truth is not enough for us to claim the power to forgive. We are used to hurting ourselves in subtle and non-subtle, covert and overt ways. Our society promotes and applauds it. The power to forgive at every turn comes through the fact that Jesus Christ has provided a way out for us.

~ Worry is the root of all unforgiveness. ~  

We don't have to bear the burden of unforgiveness as the only solution to hurts, afflictions and the wicked intentions of others. Forgiveness is the answer to the pain of worry, which is the root of all unforgiveness. We have an answer. That answer is that God truly knows, sees and hears all and it is going to be ok. 

~ Unforgiveness is seeking an answer to fix what we can never fix through our flesh. ~

We don't have to find an answer to what has happened to us. Forgiveness removes the burden from the shoulders of our minds to have to fix things. That is what unforgiveness is, seeking an answer to fix what we can never fix through our flesh.

Forgiveness gives us the power to rest and to move on, in a Godly direction, to other things.    



Let The Old Man Die

Let's be obedient to God to our hurt. To the hurt of our flesh. Jesus was obedient to God to his hurt. What he endured for us was hurtful to the human part of him, as well as to the spiritual, divine part. His flesh shrunk from what he had to do. He came here to do it but he experienced dread, just like we do. 

He was so distressed that he asked his Father three times if it could be done some other way. Like the obedient Son that he is, he ended his supplication with Nevertheless, not my will but thy will be done. 

We are not even being asked to allow our bodies to be abused, scourged and nailed to a cross. We're only being asked to allow our old man to die. Daily.

Ephesians 4:22-24

Romans 6:6-12

II Corinthians 5:17-19

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It's All About God The Father

Jesus always pointed to his Father. He never uplifted himself. He only firmly and confidently stated who he is. His words and actions always directed us to God. Our Christian lives are hid in GOD through Christ. It was The Holy Spirit of God who raised Jesus from the dead, not Jesus himself. It's all about God The Father and his provision to restore us to himself through giving us the sacrifice of his only begotten Son. 

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Spiritual Growth Not Fleshly Control

As I've grown to the level that I am at in the Lord, I've come to understand that we shouldn't be striving to stop "sinning". As Christians continue to harp on that, I feel that there is something wrong and that they are making Jesus' blood to none effect. I know it's hard for some to not focus on working to stop sinning because of sinful habits. How terrorized, sinful and hopeless we feel when it comes to sinful habits that we can't seem to break. 

The Bible teaches us that we are only to focus upon:

  • eating and drinking the Word everyday, 
  • taking time to acknowledge and appreciate Jesus' sacrifice, 
  • worshipping God, 
  • and obeying the prompting of the Holy Spirit.
The result of these efforts is: 

our thoughts, words and deeds will become regulated to God's kingdom. 

This is what we want and what God wants for us. We'll become knowledgeable and wise on how God wants us to think, speak and behave. The most important effect through focusing on spiritual builders is that we'll lose the desire for anything that is not of him. We steadily become who God has ordained us to be and we don't even have to work to stop sinning. Isn't that amazing?

The Bible plainly teaches us that focusing upon the flesh profits us nothing. Trying to accomplish righteousness and holiness through carnally-minded efforts profits us nothing. Focusing upon spiritual efforts transforms and renews us everyday and stores up riches for us in Heaven. The riches that we each store up in Heaven are not just there to look pretty. We will be able to use them in the New Heaven and the New Earth.                                                               

We have to be faithful with reading the Bible, appreciating Jesus, praying, talking with God and obedience to the Holy Spirit. This is because our flesh or carnal mind is not changed in this world. It is only suppressed, crucified and brought under each day as we choose to live our lives through spiritual pursuits. Our flesh and its affections, passions and desires are always with us in this life. The flesh and the carnal way of thinking are not converted. It is our spirits that are converted or brought to life. We are choosing every day to walk in our reborn spirits through the help of The Holy Spirit that lives in us. These two facts are why we struggle so much. Romans 8 tells us what to expect and how to think about it so that we will not neglect our spiritual growth. It is easy to rely upon the flesh because we were born into it. Only through choosing to function in our reborn spirits with the help of The Holy Spirit can we daily defeat the carnally-minded flesh.

Remember that Jesus' blood paid it all. Don't be deceived into striving for things that will leave you lacking at the end time. Be attentive to spiritual things and your control over your physical life will follow. You'll experience the righteousness and holiness that has come to us through Jesus' sacrifice. You'll begin to live the change that can only come through a growing, personal relationship with Our Father.



Walking In The Reborn Spirit


Galatians 5:17 tells us that the flesh fights against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh. This is because our flesh is not reborn when we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior. Our spirits are reborn. The fleshly attitudes in us are against God and will never be subjected to him. The fleshly way is against God and the flesh can never be subjected to God's way, love or law. (Romans 8:7) I know that when I am disappointed in God, unhappy with him and not appreciating and respecting him, I am walking in my flesh. 

My reborn spirit loves God with a perfect love. The more that I walk in the spiritual life, or in the spirit, the more that I am happy and satisfied with God. This knowledge and revelation helps me to quickly get back into my reborn spirit side of my being, with the help of the Holy Spirit, when my thoughts and feelings are not helpful or fair. It is difficult to resist the fleshly way of thinking because we are born into it. We always need the help of God's Spirit in us to get back into our reborn spirit's way of functioning.

While on this earth, we as Christians have our reborn spirits and we still live in bodies that function by fleshly control. The best that we can do with our flesh is to crucify and bring it under.  (Galatians 5:24, I Corinthians 9:27)  Doing that with that same flesh, however, does not have lasting effects. The flesh, any way that you cut and dry it, profits us nothing. That's why we fall back into our detrimental habits and destructive ways when we try to make ourselves do better.

Romans 8:13 shares that through the spirit man we do mortify the deeds of the fleshly man. This profound knowledge helps me to know that I am not bad or wrong when I suffer through my fleshly attitudes and habits, because my fleshly influence does not go away or die in this life. My reborn spirit man is real and I need to use it like God means for me to. I must always remember that I have a reborn spirit and that I must spend quality time building it up. I must use the spiritual strength that comes from God to quickly get back into my reborn spirit when the flesh directs my thoughts.



A Little Leaven Leavens The Whole Person

Evil spirits always want to entice us with what we should not have but it's rarely in the form of an outright transgression. It's usually something on the thin line between what is acceptable and what is not, something that our flesh can slip past our reborn spirits. 

Paul, in Galatians 5:7-8, says, "You were doing well in your faith." He then asks, "Who persuaded you to not continue in the truth? It was not God the Father who called you to follow his Son Jesus." He goes on to share that he believes that through the Lord they will understand and remember the truth about the leaven of lies and seduction. 

We may think that little, questionable indulgences are not that bad but a little leaven will eventually leaven the whole attitude and direction of the person. It will cripple our walks in Christ. (Galatians 5:9) Succumbing to those minor fleshly desires will wreak havoc in our spiritual lives over time. 

Temptation and enticement to subtle, ungodly things are not insignificant. Evil spirits are not out to play with us. They are out to destroy us in as many ways and from as many directions as they can. The more that we brush off accepting small allurements and discount receiving little inducements the more destruction that rulers of the darkness of this world can do. Just as we eat and drink the Word of God everyday, they eat and drink plans for our destruction every day.  

When we work with God as he shows us the little issues, we allow our spiritual eyes to be opened so that we can see what the enemy is doing. We can perceive evil influence and control in our lives. We can obtain the answers that we need and information on directions to take regarding issues in our lives. Leavening takes over. That's what it's designed to do. Depending on what the leaven is, it can also be beneficial.

Adding the leaven of the Word by reading and studying it everyday will transform us. The Holy Word is living, like leaven, and will cause us to become more like Christ and draw closer to God. We don't have to be overcome by all of the Christian practices and traditions that we are judged for not being able to keep. When we focus upon putting the Word inside of us, we will please God and grow in him. A little leaven leavens the whole person, for bad or for good.



How To Resist The Devil

 

This Christian declaration was written by someone I know online. I told her that I would add the floral illustrations and the 2 font styles free of charge, because I was so blessed by it. If you want me to send you the file so that you can print it out, let me know.

Those who love God through his son Jesus Christ know that the devil and his evil workers can be resisted daily, hourly, minute by minute, and then they have to do what? FLEE!

God bless! Happy Thursday!

From Emotional To Equipped

Sincere Christians learn not to build their faith on passion, enthusiasm, excitement, dancing and shouting. Why? Because these emotions are not lasting. They are of the flesh, which does not become converted when we are born again. These emotions will let us down every time and cannot stand against the onslaught of demonic assault. 

Emotional displays have no lasting value, neither do they store up riches in heaven. So, once we shout, once we feel some passion, once we experience a touch of euphoria, we have our reward. It's in the flesh and it's fleeting. It's based on how we feel and emotional excitement. While an intense, outward display of worship, praise and appreciation is sometimes needed, there is no foundation in it.

There can be necessary healing and deliverance in emotional outbursts and praises. I needed them very much after a lifetime of oppression and depression. Often, new Christians and Christians who have not grown need to have those initial releases to move forward. There is a point, however, that as we grow in God we move past the need to be so outwardly explosive in worship. We can still relate to and appreciate others who are at that point of Christian growth, but the majority of our power begins to be built up inside.

This emotional power that turns inward becomes concentrated in the heart, the mind and the spirit. Inwardly is where the true battlegrounds against the devil exist. When we begin to understand this truth, we are no longer compelled to expend precious energy in outward displays. We realize that outward expenditure is based in the flesh and leaves us nothing to rely on when we are in the trenches of spiritual battle. A built up mind, heart and spirit can work with God's mighty weapons of warfare as we become less emotional and more equipped. 

These thoughts came to me after listening to this message by Dr. Dale C. Bronner, pastor of Word of Faith Family Worship Cathedral. He is such a good speaker, knowledgeable, quietly powerful, succinct and anointed. I'm sure you'll be blessed by this message.

Dr. Dale C. Bronner is a bishop, church planter, author, conference speaker and leadership trainer. He is the founder and senior pastor of Word of Faith Family Worship Cathedral. He was consecrated as Bishop by the International Communion of Charismatic Churches. Bishop Bronner resides in Atlanta, GA, with his wife, Nina, Pastor of Worship and Arts at WOF. He is the father of five and grandfather of eight.

Bishop Dale C. Bronner On Wise Planning And Common Sense

Bishop Dale C. Bronner, based in Atlanta at Word of Faith Family Worship Cathedral (WOFFamily), is such an effective speaker, preacher and teacher. I receive much encouragement and knowledge through his messages.

Listen to his message on wise planning, common sense and keeping abreast of the facts. Learn about adaptability and the willingness to be flexible. I thank Jesus Christ and Bishop Bronner for this message from God!

His points are:

♦ Seek God first.

♦ Learn from mistakes.

♦ Seek to understand before giving input.

♦ Imagine the consequences before making a move.

♦ Exercise good judgement to live respectfully and peaceably in society.

♦ Respect by looking back.

♦ Remember why I started building my enterprise, plan, project, dream.

♦ Remember those who may have sacrificed for me.

♦ Remember any heroes I may have.

♦ Remember God.

♦ Remember who I am.

♦ Remember what never changes, principles, communication, etc.



Healthy Faith Versus Foolish Faith

Many dangers that we fear today are justified. To move forward with plans that include these dangers, when we don't have to and when we know they exist, is foolish. It's misguided faith that is not faith at all, but a type of tempting God. We know that Our Father will help us when we make mistakes. Being resistant and disobedient to warnings is very different.

Faith in God's deliverance doesn't mean we should take any kind of risk and expect him to save us or repair the situation. If I feel that God is leading me, confirming my plans and opening doors, despite my anxieties and the obvious dangers, then it would be ok to move forward with the challenging goal. That would mean that He has a plan for my plan.

From Religion/Tempting God at encyclopedia.com:

It is tempting God for anyone to expect miraculous protection while neglecting the immediate and obvious ways of protecting oneself that divine providence has already provided. 

It also says that tempting God is when we don't heed and regard warnings and what we know in order to prevent and avoid misadventure. 

We can choose to trust God about anything that we want to do. It is personal and relative. However, before moving forward with questionable goals that can be alarming, we should ask ourselves,

  • is this a wise choice or is this just foolishness rooted in a rebellious desire to have our way?
  • Is our determination rooted in the fear that we won't obtain, in any other way, what we want?
  • Is our plan and the determination to enforce it a sign that we don't trust God?


When we make an unwise choice that we could have avoided, we end up blaming God when he doesn't prevent the negative results of our foolish actions. Our relationship with Our Heavenly Father is then damaged because of our unhappiness as a result of our presumptuous decisions.

Sometimes, we also bring upon ourselves the fears that are related to what we know we should not do, without a direct impression from God. That's why we end up kicking ourselves and paying heavy prices. We end up berating ourselves with inner statements like,

  • You knew this could happen, so why did you do it?
  • Why didn't you listen to your instincts?
  • Why didn't you listen to the reborn spirit within?
  • Why didn't you sincerely check with God first?
  • Why didn't you listen diligently for God's prompting one way or another?

If a goal that you have could be questionable, presumptuous, foolish or just plain dangerous in any way, stop and consider the wisdom of it, any fears that may be clear warnings and if your trust level in God is high enough regarding the fulfillment your desire.



More Power Scriptures Added

I've added more Power Scriptures to that page. The link is in the navigation menu. They are scriptures that I have memorized and that give me power for living each day. The wonderful thing about memorizing scriptures is that they do spring up and quote themselves in our spirits at all of the most-needed and appropriate times. Start your memory program today. There are guidelines at the Power Scriptures page. Here is a recent post that can help: How To Memorize Scriptures.


We Can Do It!

God helps us to extend beyond our limitations.

I think all of us are in denial of our physical and other conditions and limitations sometimes, especially as we age. God can help us consolidate the practical truth with the can-do living that we love to cultivate. God also gives us a chance everyday to extend beyond our limitations. There is an important point that we must remember as we reach up to achieve and realize our hopes and dreams.

We must be careful with whom we share our aspirations and not cast our pearls before swine. We must be careful to not allow others to trample upon our precious plans and pursuits. We want to be encouraged by those who support us and believe that we can do what we determine to do, in Christ Jesus.

God expects us to extend ourselves in order to manifest his blessings.
God's Word tells us that The things which are impossible with men are possible with God (Luke 18:27) and All things are possible to him who believes (Mark 9:23). 

These and other similar scriptures refer to ALL THINGS, not a few things, not some things, not certain things in specific circumstances, not things for some people, but ALL THINGS. If we can believe, then a way will be shown unto us by God's Holy Spirit. We have our parts, however, that we must play and procedures that we must do to realize what God has already secured for us. God expects us to extend ourselves in one way or another to embrace and manifest his blessings.

I am learning to remind myself of the truth every day, that despite aging and regrets over so much time that has passed, I can do more than I've ever done. I confirm it. I declare it. I pray it everyday.

I thank my Heavenly Father for broadening my scope and widening my horizon, for giving me a seeing eye and a hearing ear, for helping me to stay on the straight and narrow path that leads to life, for helping me to not look to the right hand nor the left and for helping me to keep my eye single so that my whole body will be full of light.

Be encouraged through the truth of

Matthew 21:21 and 17:20.

I pray for you that your way will grow brighter every day!


 

Tithing With Wisdom & Faith

Are you tithing out of desperate need?
I believe giving 10% of all funds that we receive is a good point from which to start tithing. We can always give more or less. Additional offerings can also be given. I don't believe that tithing should be done if a Christian has only enough money or less to pay the bills. To be faithful, some Christians give part of their bill money in tithes, believing for an immediate return from God. When God does not make it up by bill time, the person is in a worse situation than before.  Oftentimes, they have given into ministries where the ministers and staff are doing much better economically than they are.
 
I am not begrudging ministers for prospering. The Bible teaches that we should not muzzle the mouth of the oxen. (I Corinthians 9:9) I am asking you to examine your faith if you've been struggling to tithe or give because you observe the recipients prospering, but you do not do any better financially.

I know many Christians believe that in order for our financial status to grow we have to give out of our lack. They often use the widow's mite Biblical story as an example. (Luke 21:1-4) I agree to a certain extent. I like tithing and giving into God's work. I think, however, that people who are struggling financially are often coerced to give and they do it because they need an immediate return. Their intention is sincere, but they can't afford to give and wait on a return that may not come until who knows when. It may come tomorrow but often it does not.
 
If a Christian has a spouse and family and is tithing and giving significant portions of their finances away when they are barely making ends meet, it is poor money management. If God instructs a person to do it though, he/she should follow the lead of the Holy Spirit. The question is whether or not the Spirit is truly leading. We all make decisions and choose to believe that God is leading us when he is not. He did not put us into the situation and it was never his desire for us to suffer like we did. We were misguided in our desire to be faithful.
Is your tithing equal to poor money management?
More people than ever are in precarious financial situations today and our economy has been crippled for some time. Tithing and giving should be tailored to each individual who desires to do it. I do believe that the widow's mite example can inspire faith in a clear mind and a pure heart. I once gave 5 cents in offering, all that I had but I was not thinking about that Bible story.
 
I was visiting a cramped, bedraggled, storefront church and felt the desire to give it, but then drew back in my spirit. It was all that I had and I was putting a penny a day into the Lion's Club bubblegum machine to get 3 little square pieces of gum. This was my daily encouragement as I went to the library to use the computer to search for work. If I gave these 5 pennies, I wouldn't have that little bubblegum encouragement anymore.
 
For some reason, my desire to give was stronger so I placed the coppers into the offering basket. The youth who was helping gawked at my 5 pennies and my face felt hot with shame and embarrassment at my paltry offering. If it had been an adult who gawked, I would not have cared. It was something about that youth  not understanding that made me feel like I was being a poor example. I so wanted to explain to him but I just dropped my head in humbleness.
Are you tithing because you need an immediate return?
The next day a stranger with a black dog that I met gave me $50 for no reason other than that we started talking in the park. I only needed $6 to get where I needed to go, but had not even thought about that impending trip when I gave the pennies the day before. I gave all that I had, like the widow did. Note that my return was 1000 times what I gave. Wasn't that magnificent! The 5 pennies could not pay any bills and I had no dependents so I did not hurt anything or anyone by giving all that I had. It was a personal sacrifice that God honored.
 
The return was swift, coming the very next day! It was showered on me, pressed down, shaken together and running over. I have given up 15 pieces of gum and I was then able to buy all of the Chiclets that I wanted and more. I was so grateful that I made that $50 last me for weeks. Most importantly, I was able to travel to where I needed to go so that I could accept help to begin rebuilding my life. It was weeks before I connected my church donation with that astounding blessing.

If you want to tithe but you are struggling financially, maybe you should consider this. Pray to God to help you get your finances in order so that you can begin to tithe. If you have dependents and you barely have food, your lights are about to be turned off for the nth time and your rent or mortgage is behind, consider this. If you give a large sum of your funds in tithes, assuming that God will make up the difference by the time the bills are due or by the time dinnertime arrives, you and your family just may suffer more than you already are.
 
Assuming and presumption are types of faith but they don't produce faith-filled results. God wants us to develop and practice good money-management skills. If you take money and give it away, to ministries or to anyone, and your dependents suffer more than they are suffering now, what type of witness for God is that? What type of example would you be to your children, your spouse? How would you be representing the Kingdom of God?
Do you need your tithes to pay off by a certain date?
How can I sacrifice if I don't give what I can't afford to give, you ask? Well, tithing is always a sacrifice whether we are financially sound or not. When we are financially stable, the tithe could be used for something else, so it is a sacrifice to be obedient. A greater sacrifice is when we give above and beyond our tithes, when we occasionally give away money that we were going to use on ourselves. Work with God and get to the point financially where you can tithe regularly, then start to give above that and watch your cup overflow!
Is your tithing equal to gambling?
You do what you feel is best according to your relationship with God. If you feel that you can release some funds, just not 10% at this time, do that. Just remember that to give money for God's work while expecting a needed return by a certain time is unwise. Some may call it give and name it/claim it. Some may call it great faith. It can, on the other hand, be gambling and that is not something that our Heavenly Father wants us to be involved with.
 
He wants us to give from a pure heart. To do that, we have to give not needing an immediate return. The Bible tells us that we will receive when we give but we should give being happy if we never, ever receive a return. It's best to be in a position to kiss the tithes goodbye and forget about them, in Jesus' name. 



Finding Romance, Love And A Christian Spouse

We should always pray and expect God's confirmation when we feel we have met the one.

I recently saw a video that someone shared at an online group, where a young Christian woman was advocating that we don't have to wait on God for a mate. She said that this principle was a part of Christiandom, or some contrived word like that. She felt that too many Christians sit around waiting for God to give them a marriage partner, when they can pick the person themselves. I feel that it is a combination of both. We should make an effort to be active and put ourselves out there to meet people.  Along with that, we should pray and expect God's confirmation when we feel we have met the one.
Moderation and merging of both searching and waiting for Christian love is important.
I think that to put all of the responsibility on ourselves to choose a holy person to marry is foolish and dangerous. However, I think to wait indefinitely on God to drop the person into our laps, while doing nothing to be friendly and attractive, is also foolish and self-defeating. Both attitudes are needed, but a moderation of both, a merging of them.
Don't go by feelings, which got you into romantic trouble before.
Dating around to feel our way to finding someone with whom we click got us into trouble before. Going by our feelings got us into trouble before. Depending upon our own devices is the reason that we are alone today. Being led of the flesh is the reason that we have so much baggage today, so that the Holy Spirit can barely get our attention.
We Christian woman have to learn how to submit to a man after God's own heart.
My point is that Christians lean too far to the right or the left about everything. The Bible plainly says to not lean to the right hand nor the left, keep our feet from evil. (Proverbs 4:27) The order of the relationship and marriage has to be established by God, in the beginning, for the union to be successful and righteous. This is even more so in today's world, where for generations women have had to assume the authority of men. This is because men have become so slack and lax in being men and heading the families as God desires. We, as Christian women, don't have any idea how to submit to a holy and righteous Christian man. Most of us have only known strong, overbearing women and weak men. We don't have healthy examples of the order in the Christian marriage.
God will confirm in the heart of the woman that indeed that man is the one.
So, to establish the relationship on Holy ground or a powerful foundation, we have to be able to submit in the beginning. In that regard, I believe in the way that many other Christians believe, that God will confirm with the man that yes indeed he has found a wonderful Godly woman who would be a faithful, holy and diligent wife to him.  The man will then show his interest in her and she will return that interest. Most important though, not the man, but God, will confirm in the heart and spirit of the woman that indeed, that man is the one.
God never changes and his order is supreme.
Basically, God will tell the man and the man will tell the woman, and God will confirm to the woman. It may sound old-fashioned and distasteful to some, but no matter what the variation is, you will find this holy process in all of the great, true, authentic and enduring Christian marriages. God never changes and his order is supreme.

The sad thing is that most of the time we operate in the flesh when it comes to romance and marriage. There is another, more excellent way, to work with God to put the flesh under. As reborn spirits, we possess the power to crucify the flesh that seduces and misleads us. We can learn a new way of experiencing romantic love. That infallible way is God's holy way.


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You Are Here: Tired Of Praying & Weary III

Guilt is debilitating and useless, and comes from the influence of the devil.
 I know how it is to weep your heart out because of distress over a circumstance. I know how it feels to be overcome by struggle, fear or tragedy. Breaking down in tears is a relief, but it is also horrifying and exhausting. We often feel guilty for being human, though we ARE human. God acknowledges this by coming in human flesh to experience what only humans can, and dying for our human frailties.

When we feel tired of praying and believing in prayer, guilt tries to set in. We feel like we should be able to do better, fix things, make something work out, not grieve, not feel trauma, not feel bad. Guilt is debilitating and useless, and comes from the influence of the devil. If we are ever guilty of anything at all, there is always the answer of accepting a washing that makes us whiter than snow, through what Jesus did.

There is no level of black guilt that cannot be covered by Jesus' sacrifice for us. All we need to do is ask to realize what is already there for us. Feeling overcome and tired, and not feeling like praying anymore is nothing to feel guilty about. It is human. God knows that we are human. He created us.

After we have accepted how we feel, and have called upon the Holy Spirit to pray for us (see You Are Here: Tired Of Praying & Weary) , we should as devoted, growing Christians, desire to get our prayer life back on track. Sometimes it helps to change up how we pray, the words and scriptures that we use, the times of day, the subjects, etc. At the same time, we should continue to thank God for specific things that we have asked for. Don't keep asking, begging and pleading with God for the same thing. You ask him once and you have it. You ask according to his will and it is done. Plain and simple. I John 5:14-15 says If we ask anything according to his will, we know we have the petitions that we desire of him.

Sometimes it helps to change up how we pray, the words and scriptures that we use, the times of day, the subjects, etc.

The next step is to crush the fear that things will not work out, that nothing will ever change, that we will never be happy. When the desire to beg and plead for that same thing tries to rule you again, stop the thought and thank God for the answer. Thank him that it has been done, according to his will. Our faith in his will is what puts us in a position to receive his answers to our prayers.

Now move on and petition or ask God for the next thing, leaving it at the Cross. From then on, thank him for it until you recognize an answer,