For many of us, our focus in life is too often horizontal, not vertical. What I mean is; we’re people-focused not God-focused. We work very hard to please the people in our life; trying to earn their approval for various reasons. And some of those reasons aren’t wrong, because they’re motivated by a real love and compassion for our fellow human beings.

We want to influence them for the right reasons, to greatly benefit their life and protect them from a destiny of destruction. Of course, other reasons may be more selfish and hypocritical, like wanting to get a promotion or a raise on the job or wanting something they have that we don’t have.

Both ways are people-focused, which I call a “horizontal lifestyle” because the focus is on people and ourselves instead of God and a “vertical lifestyle”.

I agree we need both lifestyles, but one should flow out of the other and be a direct result of the other… not two separate lifestyles. When our lives are vertical, (focused on knowing and loving God) the natural by-product of that lifestyle would be caring for others with a pure heart, not with faulty motives.

Even as Christians we’re living most of our life horizontally. Yes, we share the gospel with more people today than before, but what we’re presenting isn’t life changing. We’re reproducing ourselves instead of reproducing Jesus!

As Christians, we’re called to re-present Jesus here on earth, but that’s only possible if we are filled inside with Him (living vertically). God can’t work through us what he hasn’t worked in us. If our life isn’t vertical enough, isn’t God-focused, we can only give to others what’s inside of us (which quickly runs out).

How can we turn this around and be more vertical than horizontal? Remember that we become more pure-hearted and effective in our horizontal life when we focus on our vertical life. Here are some very practical, life-changing steps.

1.     Pray at least once a day, asking God to give you a pure heart, having right motives. (Matthew 5:8). That prayer lines up with God’s will for you and will be answered.

2.     Make it your business to worship the Lord three times a day. It doesn’t have to be more than three minutes, but it releases what God placed in you…love and adoration for Him. Releasing that through worship strengthens your spirit-man. As your spirit goes, so goes your whole life!

3.     Remind yourself daily (bring back to your conscious mind) how God has delivered you and where He has taken you. Remembering how God’s miracles have changed your life and destiny will immensely help you become vertical almost immediately. I’m sure, like me, Jesus has delivered you many times since He came into your life as your Lord and Savior. Bring to mind your latest life-changing breakthrough.

4.     Next, share that event with one person every day. Develop the habit pattern of sharing your testimony with one person a day.

5.     Refuse to allow yourself to be offended! When someone offends you, and they will, choose to deal with it immediately. Don’t stuff it down in your heart.

These few steps will keep you vertical and not only horizontal. I assure you; when you live a vertical lifestyle you will have a very successful horizontal life!

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Thanks for taking the time to read our blog. If this is your first time; welcome to our blog family. If our articles have been a blessing to you, please share them with others. Your thoughts and opinions are important to us; we always welcome your feedback.

 Also, be sure to watch our TV show every Monday night at 8:30 on WRXY. If it’s not in your area you can always catch it on our web site: StopHurtingStartHealing.com 

In comparison to the size of the windshield of our car, the rear view mirrors are very small…of course the reason for that is obvious. We can’t drive safely unless we spend more time looking at the road in front and not behind us if the goal is to reach our destination without having an accident!

Yet, we still need a rearview mirror for a number of reasons. It shows us where we came from and that we’re not there anymore. It also shows us if anything dangerous is coming up behind us, so we can avoid getting hit. But, our main focus should be looking ahead through that huge windshield.

I’m using this as an analogy of the impact our past has on our present because I believe not recognizing this truth keeps us living in the past. Although small; rear view mirrors reveal things we left in our past, so we can avoid them now and in the future. Our rearview mirror keeps us on a steadfast course to fulfill our God-given destiny.

What person would think of driving without a rear view mirror? But in life we often choose to ignore the “rearview, repeating the same mistakes…not even aware of how the past is still affecting us. Especially as Christians we bought into the paradigm of, “I’m a Christian now so that’s in the past. I don’t go there anymore.” Sure, these things happened in the past, but guess what….if they’re constantly showing up in our life style they’re still in the present!

On the other hand; some people live their whole life focused on the past. That’s all they talk about, think about and complain about. Because their review mirror is bigger than their front windshield, they’re consumed with the past and they miss God’s destiny that lies in front of them.

When we drive, we only look through our rear view mirror when changing lanes, making a turn, or when starting a journey. The same should be true in life. When starting on our new journey with Jesus, our past should be behind us not a passenger in the front seat.

How often do we have to wait to change lanes or turn because we saw another car fast approaching us when we checked our rear view mirror? We knew we had to deal with that issue first before we could safely move on. I’m sure that failing to check the rear view mirror is the cause of so many accidents… and some of them are fatal.

So let’s evaluate our life by looking in the rear view mirror, making sure we’re not doing the same things or making the same foolish decisions. If we try to avoid facing our past we give it power to overtake our future.

Remember, keep your rear view mirror small, but check it from time to time. See if old habits, speech patterns or attitudes and perceptions have crept back into your life. Make needed adjustments before going forward with your life changes.

Next, make sure that your front windshield is big enough! Keep God’s vision and dreams clearly before you as the major focus in your life. Yes, check that rear view mirror, but make sure your eyes are on the road in front of you. You’ll never reach a place you cannot see.

Thanks for taking the time to read our blog. If this is your first time; welcome to our blog family. If our articles have been a blessing to you, please share them with others. Your thoughts and opinions are important to us; we always welcome your feedback.

Also, be sure to watch our TV show every Monday night at 8:30 on WRXY. If it’s not in your area you can always catch it on our web site: StopHurtingStartHealing.com 

When we decide that we want to live a healthy life, the first thing we examine is our eating habits. And of course we start with the most important meal, breakfast!

Everyone knows that if we start the day off right, most often than not it will also end right. Therefore, what we eat for breakfast needs to come under close scrutiny. If we want to see an improvement, we begin to make quality decisions by eliminating certain foods to achieve our desired goal.

This same principle applies to living a healthy spiritual life as well. We must choose to let go of any spiritual “junk food” such as: anger, resentment, hatred, retaliation, etc. all of which are byproducts of having un-forgiveness in our life.

Too many of us enjoy a steady diet of un-forgiveness for breakfast every day, but we MUST change our old diet and adopt a new one…. starting with breakfast (which means to break ourfast from the night before).

Imagine the spiritual effects of starting every day with an unhealthy breakfast of un-forgiveness? It’s like putting a little poison in our natural food for breakfast every day! The toxins ultimately build up, destroy our physical health and lead to sickness and an early death.

Well, the same is true in the spiritual sense. If we continuously feed on the poison of un-forgiveness, it distorts our perception of God, others, ourselves and even our view of our circumstances.

Athletic champions are empowered by a passion for success and they’re willing to make the tough choices it takes to fulfill their goals. They don’t just talk the talk…. they also walk the walk!

These champions diligently watch what they eat, refusing to defile themselves by indulging in the pleasantries and the “junk food” of life. They’re focused on staying healthy so they can accomplish their goals.

Certainly, as champions of the faith, we need to do the same thing by passionately desiring to be successful in our Christian walk. Our passion gives us the determination to eliminate un-forgiveness from our diet. Every day should start with an attitude of forgiveness, because forgiveness will fortify our spirit and make us “un-offendable.”

Forgiveness means to decide ahead of time (for/before time) to give mercy to those who have stepped on our toes. It’s not meant to be a last minute struggle to make the decision to forgive or not forgive.

To the champions of the faith; forgiveness is a lifestyle, their daily breakfast….a great way to start off the day!

Here’s some ways to eat the breakfast of champions.

1.  Guard against those who want to fill your heart with gossip.  Don’t be someone else’s garbage bin; tell them to take their garbage to Jesus, not you.
2.  Guard your own lips; don’t let poison spew out of them.
3. Resolve conflicts with others right away. Don’t allow your heart to get bitter. Choose to have an un-offendable heart.
4. Every conflict won’t get resolved right away, so don’t hold things in your heart if issues don’t get settled immediately. Instead, pray for the people who hurt you and your heart will stay soft towards God and them.
5.  Finally, have the right perception of what you’re going through. Recognize that God’s working things out in your life. Ask Him what He wants you to see or do in the situation.

Remember…..you are God’s champion, so make sure you eat a “champion of the faith” breakfast daily!

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Thanks for taking the time to read our blog. If this is your first time; welcome to our blog family. If our articles have been a blessing to you, please share them with others. Your thoughts and opinions are important to us; we always welcome your feedback. 

Also, be sure to watch our TV show every Monday night at 8:30 on WRXY. If it’s not in your area you can always catch it on our web site: StopHurtingStartHealing.com 

All of us, in some way or another are still influenced by our past. What I mean by “our past” is how we were raised. Today our lives are still impacted by our parent’s weaknesses and strengths; the culture we were raised in; our past memories; the belief systems we were taught, etc. Of course some of those influences were positive and will remain so in the future. On the other hand, others were destructive and have already sabotaged relationships, finances, lifestyles and especially our walk with God!

Understanding this fundamental truth equips us to begin breaking out of the boundaries set by these past influences, because these things keep us from experiencing the kind of success God created us for.

The bible has a lot to say about these things. It teaches us in Exodus 34:7 that the iniquities of our fathers are carried down from generation to generation, even up to the fourth generation. Have you ever said, "I never want to be like my father or mother” because of their destructive habit patterns? But, have you wound up doing or saying the same things? Do you realize you probably think, cook, keep house, work, act, believe and relate to others the same way your parents did?

Two things stand out to me from my childhood that show me the need to go back… in order for me to go forward.

1.  I became a workaholic and that didn’t change, even after I was born-again.  I desired to keep every family member involved in the work of the ministry because it seemed natural that family life and work life were tied together.  It was implanted in me as a child, along with many other faulty beliefs. It became my DNA, affecting me after I accepted Jesus as Lord. 

2.  My mother was a great woman, but she was an absolute perfectionist, which instilled a performance mentality in me. She showed me great love when I performed in ways that pleased her (she thought she was helping me by controlling me to please her) but withheld love when I didn't perform correctly.

Because of this I became not only a workaholic, but one who worked hard for approval and acceptance.  I was a performance-oriented, driven person! You can imagine the trouble that caused in every area of my life…including my family and my marriage.

The truth is, when I gave my life to Jesus I still lived under the same influences and with the same problems as I had before I became a Believer. Unfortunately, I was taught early in my Christian walk that if I wanted to move forward I should never look back.

Well, all of us have similar stories (if we’re honest). We need to break that religious tradition by having the courage to look back and honestly examine our family and cultural upbringing. Our emotional healing and future success as children of God depend on it.

We have to go back…. before we go forward and here's how to do that:

1.  Get out of denial and break the religious myth that after we’re saved, we don’t have to deal with our past. 2 Corinthians 5:17 is talking about our spirit, not our soul.

2.  Don’t deny your feelings; listen to them because they reveal where and who you are on the inside.

3.  Break ties to your family culture. Remember, you’re in God’s family now, so adopt His culture.  Jesus told us if we don’t love Him more than our mothers and fathers; we aren’t one of His.

4.  As the Holy Spirit reveals past things, crucify them by repenting and denying them access to your life again.

5.  And finally; embrace your new family’s culture and beliefs. YOU CAN'T GO FORWARD…. UNTIL YOU FIRST GO BACK!

Thanks for taking the time to read our blog. If this is your first time; welcome to our blog family. If our articles have been a blessing to you, please share them with others. Your thoughts and opinions are important to us; we always welcome your feedback.

Also, be sure to watch our TV show every Monday night at 8:30 on WRXY. If it's not in your area you can always catch it on our web site: StopHurtingStartHealing.com 

"People don’t care how much you know… until they know how much you care!" I believe that these words of wisdom are so true.

We often hear people’s frustration because the important people in their life don’t listen or receive instruction from them. It can be parents with their children, teachers and their students, or sometimes it’s the boss and his employees. Whatever the situation; the bottom line is thatpeople won’t take our advice if they don’t feel genuinely loved or cared for by us.

If we think about it, how do WE ourselves often react when others correct or teach us?  We walk away feeling like they were trying to show us how much smarter they are. Or we sense that they’re looking down on us, judging or controlling us and trying to make us feel that they're the better person. If that is our perception, we won’t believe they truly care and we won’t listen to them. 

Now, in all fairness, many times that's just not the case. The other person may really care and want to help us, but because of the disconnection between us, it seems like they don’t really care about us or our circumstances. We end up shutting out their words from the very beginning of their conversation.

Since people are only interested in what we know if they believe we genuinely care about them, here are some things to show them that you care:

1.  Start your conversation with a question about their life and circumstance instead of immediately giving them all your wisdom and advice. Find out what’s on their heart and what they are going through. Be a good listener before unloading the wealth of your opinion! We must earn the right to speak into a person’s life before we can be effective.

2.  Don’t just listen; be a good listener. Make eye contact, responding with caring facial expressions and concerned looks, because your body language reflects your care and concern for their well-being. In fact, many times your body language speaks louder than your words and if they contradict each other, the other person will immediately pick up on that.

3.  Avoid distractions and interruptions such as texting, phone calls, doodling, etc. during your communication time. These things send a wrong message and will literally cause the person to shut down to whatever you have to say before you even say it.

Prepare to avoid these distractions ahead of time by turning your phone off and putting it out of sight. Let everyone know you’re unavailable during your time with that person. Avoid sitting next to a window that looks on a busy area, so you and the other person can stay focused on your discussion.

4. Put aside enough time so they won’t feel rushed, or they’ll immediately shut down to what you have to say. It takes time to be a good listener and also be able to express your thoughts. However, there should be a time limit, so be truthful and up front about how much time you have available. You can always agree to another meeting with them to show that you really care and are willing to see their issue through to its conclusion.

It takes time, energy and commitment to genuinely care for someone else, whether it’s a child, a spouse or a friend. Remember, what matters most is that we really care about one another. And ….. this matters most to God! Ephesians 4:32a, “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted,….”

With the end of this age drawing near and the second coming of Jesus at hand, we are all experiencing an increase in spiritual warfare. The battleground of this war is played out in our mind, so our archenemy Satan’s weapon of choice is to try to give us evil thoughts and wicked imaginations. He uses circumstances to stir up thoughts and feelings such as fear, despair, anger, jealousy and depression, to just name a few.

The devil’s goal is to tempt you to react impulsively to the thoughts and imaginations he places in your mind. That's the crux of spiritual warfare, but most are clueless to his tactics and strategies, believing they themselves have originated those thoughts and feelings. And if they continue to dwell on these damaging thoughts instead of rejecting them and casting them out of their mind, they’ll fall victim to their suggestions and influence.

Know who the real enemy is in your life so you can fulfill the great destiny God created you for. Here are some of the strategies Satan uses against us:

1. He makes us believe God is against us. He deceives us into thinking that God is holding us back and is against us. If you buy Satan’s lie, it takes the focus off him and he can operate covertly in your life. God created you for success and He would never undermine His own plan for you. Ephesians 2:10, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”

2. Satan tempts us to think poorly of ourselves. Inferiority and low self-esteem keep more people away from a successful life than anything else. Satan knows we can't live any greater than how we think about ourselves. So, if he convinces us we’re not worth as much as everyone else around us, we stop believing for things to get any better. Every dream or vision of success we had will be killed. So many of us have quit expecting anything better for our marriage, finances, physical condition or even our walk with God. In fact, we often expect worse things because we don’t recognize the effects of our negative thoughts, believing they are true. The reality is; the devil is a liar and a thief. He planted those negative thoughts in our minds so we’ll sabotage our own success.
 
Not knowing who our enemy is and how he works puts us at a disadvantage. Here are some ways that disadvantage works against us is:

1. We see each other as our enemy, not Satan. Yes, he uses people to hurt us, come against us and be stumbling blocks, but it is all part of his covert operations. He is the one who is our real opponent. 1 Peter 5:8 says, "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.”  

2. We have a wrong perception of our circumstance. Satan is the master of creating circumstances that substantiate the thoughts he placed in our mind. But, all circumstances are temporary and changeable. Temporary, because their assignment is limited and will change…once we change our mind about them. Don't let your circumstances change you. Instead, change your circumstances by bringing your thoughts into agreement with God’s plan for your life, not in agreement with the negative circumstance. Speak God’s words instead of the words those circumstances want you to speak.

Knowing your real enemy will dramatically improve your life. Hope and joy will be restored almost immediately and a righteous anger will rise up, giving you a desire to set others free from Satan’s deceptions. Let’s join together and fight the real enemy…. not each other.

Thanks for taking the time to read our blog. If this is your first time; welcome to our blog family. If our articles have been a blessing to you, please share them with others. Your thoughts and opinions are important to us; we always welcome your feedback and we will send a gift to those who respond.

Also, be sure to watch our TV show every Monday night at 8:30 on WRXY, or if it's not in your area you can always catch it on our web site:  www.StopHurtingStartHealing.com

Do the problems you face seem bigger than life....even bigger than God Himself? Well, I am here to tell you that they aren’t! God is infinitely bigger than any problem you have, or ever will have. The question you need to ask is, which is bigger, your God or your mountain?

Unfortunately, too many of us would answer that our mountain is bigger. Our mountains reveal how small and incapable we are to move them out of the way, but they offer an incredible opportunity to discover how great and awesome God really is. Recognize today that your mountain can actually be a blessing in disguise! 

1. The first step to overcome your mountain is to get a fresh revelation of God. Isaiah needed this fresh revelation when he faced his mountain. He faced a leadership crisis in his life and in the nation at the death of King Uzziah. Isaiah 6:1 “ In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple.” His discouragement and hopelessness evaporated when God gave him a vision of His greatness, literally changing the prophet’s life forever. He now had revelation that, what was impossible for him to overcome, the God he served could overcome. 

2. Understand that God is great and your problem is no match for Him. Get alone with God, with the intention of seeking Him to download a strategy to overcome the mountain you face. Remember the advice that the Lord’s brother gives us in James 1:5, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” Keep a pen and paper with you to write down the best four or five possible solutions. Believe that the word God gives you is His strategy to remove your mountain. His promises are true and when applied; they release His power against your mountain. 

3. With humility, prayer and openness to the Holy Spirit; step out in faith to act on one of those solutions.  Trust God to close some doors and to open others, unveiling even more possibilities. 

4. Connect with people who are solution-oriented, not with people who just sympathize with you and your problems.  There aren’t too many visionaries in the world today who see the end from the beginning! Be careful to guard your heart from adopting a victim mentality.  

In conclusion, no matter what problems you face, relational, marital, financial, emotional, vocational; you’ll find a solution if you have a revelation of how big God truly is. God loves to work with people who know they need His strength. The Lord told the Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 12:9a, “And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” 

Don’t let yourself be overwhelmed and defeated in life; move your mountain.....you can you know!

I know so many people who are very easily offended. The slightest controversy throws them into a tail spin, ruins their day and separates them from those who have offended them. Sadly, many times the person that offended them wasn’t aware they did, so eventually the offense spreads to them as well.Constantly offended people are not very happy because life is difficult for them. They become contagious to others...... in other words, the offense goes viral! Haven’t you noticed that a spirit of offense is prevailing in our society today?  

Here are a few steps to follow if you find yourself being offended easily:

1. Offenses will surely come because we’re created to have relationships, but we need to see where they originate. The bible clearly says our enemies are never people....demon spirits influence them to offend us.

If we don’t remember that truth daily, we’ll always fall victim to the spirit of offense.
People who walk around offended all the time are hard to please, are very critical and judgmental and they’re difficult to be around. Their hearts have become hardened because the river of God’s love, meant to flow through them, has dried up.

2. Walk in forgiveness. I mean pre-determine to forgive, since offenses will come. Don’t wait until after the offense, to decide whether to forgive them or not. No, you have to already pre-determine to forgive those who offended you before they actually do. Therefore, praise God.....you’re becoming an un-offendable person!

3. Be constantly filled with the Holy Spirit. Zechariah 4:6b, “Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ Says the LORD of hosts.” Only through Him do we have the power to be un-offendable and He’ll remind us daily who the real enemy is. He will also remind us that we are Christ’s ambassador here on earth.... re-presenting Him through His love flowing through us.

The Holy Spirit also reminds us how valuable the person who offended us is to God and therefore valuable to us as well. Without the Holy Spirit living in us, we will be offended all of the time! Yes, it’s not only possible to live this un-offendable life; it is God’s will that we do. Ephesians.4:26,27 says, “Be angry, and do not sin, do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil.”

4. Don’t give any room for the devil in your heart and mind. He will take advantage of you, making you over-sensitive to everyone’s remarks. Guard against being feeling-led and not spirit-led. Satan wants you to live your Christian life from your soul and not your born-again spirit and renewed mind. Staying in God’s word and checking to make sure your love tank isn’t running low, will help you see things God’s way (not how the devil wants you to see them).

Remember, offenses will come, but you don’t have to get offended. Join me and let’s choose to live an un-offendedable life, putting the spirit of offense under our feet. Let’s never forget that the One who lives in us is greater than he that is in this world!

So many of us are at a crossroad in our life; not knowing what decisions to make. We’re struggling with choices like; should I marry him or not; where should I invest my life savings or should I invest at all; should I move or stay where I am; do I retire now and risk not having enough or do I continue working; will a divorce end this pain or do I stick it out and hope for change; etc. Making the right decision is crucial, but the wrong decisions on critical issues can set our life back many years and even cause us to miss our God-given destiny.

The gift of discernment is one of the greatest (and most-often overlooked and under-used) gifts from God. Every human has natural discernment, based on their accumulation of experience and knowledge, to help make right decisions. Unfortunately, natural discernment is “hit and miss and” and often fails.

God will never fail!  That’s why I’m talking about supernatural discernment, His wisdom, given through the Holy Spirit, to make the right decision in any situation. The right decision fulfills His destiny of joy, peace and prosperity for us (not failure, depression or hopelessness).

How do I get God’s discernment…how does it work?

1. Simply ask for the Holy Spirit  (Luke 11:13).  He is the source of every spiritual (supernatural) gift. Remember, it’s a gift. It’s not earned as a reward because we’ve been a good Christian for years. It’s for anyone who accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior and who is Spirit-filled. If this doesn’t describe you; take the time to make that decision. It has nothing to do with your successes or failures; God desires to bless you just as you are. But, you have to make the choice to receive this great gift that will literally save your life!

Here is how it works:

2. The Holy Spirit gives insight into the choices confronting you. For instance, in choosing to divorce or not, the Holy Spirit supernaturally reveals God’s mind concerning that potentially devastating decision. He also reveals who is influencing you to make that decision.

If a friend or family member is speaking into your heart, the Holy Spirit reveals what is influencing them. Three sources influence decisions… a human source; a demonic source or a God source. If we can’t detect what is influencing us, we can easily make the wrong decision, end up devastating our life and hindering our God-given destiny.

Too often we’ve forged ahead with bad decisions, regret them today and are suffering their consequences. Don’t live with just natural discernment when you can have God’s gift of discernment!  Matthew 7:7, “ Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.”

The Holy Spirit is available to you so……Don’t dare make another decision without God's help!

We often confuse the business of “doing” things in life with “making progress” in life. The children of Israel come to mind as a good example of this, wandering about in the desert for forty years, but never reaching their destination. According to experts, their trip from Egypt to the Promised Land could have been accomplished in 11 days. They certainly had a lot of movement… but very little progress!

Here are some examples of how we confuse movement with true change and personal growth:

• Christian Maturity: People are convinced that because they do things for the Lord, they are spiritually mature. They say things like, “I go to church three times a week, I’m part of the choir and in my spare time I even pray for the sick.” Those are all good things to do, but spiritual growth is best measured by whether or not we act like the Lord: if we are Christ-like. The fruit of the Spirit we exhibit is the tool to measure true godliness. In describing this deception, 2 Timothy 3:5&7 says, “ Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.”  Paul tells Timothy that “religion” doesn’t assure someone has godliness, or they understand the power of God or that they are mature Christians.

• We talk it but don’t walk it: We are deceived if we believe we have changed by the movement of our mouths, not our feet, because talking change doesn’t mean that we are changed! I previously wrote a blog titled, “Change Is Not Change Until It Has Changed”. Some people are convinced they have turned the corner because they talk as though they have changed. In reality they are like the children of Israel; just going around in circles. You see this in marriages; a promise to change is made, but you never see any progress in their relationship with each other. We also see this pattern (movement without progress) in dead beat employees, or substance abusers promising to change. In the parable in Matthew 21:28-31, Jesus compares two sons. One did not fulfill the promise he made to the father. The other one was not willing at first, but changed his mind and actually did the work his father asked him. Jesus said that assuredly, the one who did the work was the one who did his father’s will.   

What are we to do? It is frustrating when we realize we haven’t made any progress. But, here are a few things to help us come out of the deception that motion alone means progress:

1. Clarify your goals. Too often we have double vision concerning the destination of our life’s journey.  We will never hit a target if we have double vision. James 1: 7&8 tells us a double-minded man is unstable in all his ways and won’t receive anything from God.

2.  Don’t take short cuts. We all like the path of least resistance, but the easy way and the shortest way is often the wrong way. People offer us ways to get rich quick, a simple way to make our marriage work, lose weight without changing our eating habits, etc. But they never work!

3. Don’t try to save your life. It’s impossible to avoid making the personal sacrifices necessary for true progress to take place in our lives. We must carry our cross daily and deny our fleshly desires to walk the road of progress. The faster we accept the truth that progress requires sacrifice, the faster we will make true progress. There is no progress without a cross.

Conclusion. Let’s stop wandering around our mountains, substituting movement for progress. It is Satan’s great deception, so let’s wake up and stop comparing ourselves to the world’s measure of progress. But instead, let’s measure our progress according to God’s word.

It seems like almost every day we face an unexpected event. Of course some events are more serious than others, but these unexpected happenings either make or break our day. But, if we think about it, many unexpected things could have been avoided if we took God’s spiritual law of sowing and reaping seriously. Galatians 6:7 says, “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.”  What you sow today determines what you reap tomorrow.

In Matthew 13:24-30, there is a parable about tares and wheat.  While the farmer slept, an enemy sowed tares in the midst of the wheat, so at harvest time he was shocked to see tares, but the parable is meant to show that because he fell asleep and didn’t pay attention, the tares were able to be sown.

Although this parable is in the context of an agricultural society, it is also true for us. We are “sleeping” when we don’t watch the seeds (words) we sow. Proverbs 18:20 says words produce fruit: “A man’s stomach shall be satisfied from the fruit of his mouth; from the produce of his lips he shall be filled.” So the bad harvest (words that are like tares) is expected, not unexpected.

Your life right now is the sum total of all your words about yourself and your destiny. Take inventory of the words you release into the atmosphere. Words from your heart and out of your mouth release life or death over your destiny, as it says in Proverbs 18:21, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.”

Unexpected events can be avoided in the future by disciplining your tongue. Release today what you want to see happening in the future, because what you sow today, you will reap tomorrow.

Now.... what about the truly unexpected events in your life that you are not responsible for? Here are a few points to consider when dealing with them:

1. God Is Sovereign. Not every problem will be removed, but can be used for your good. God’s desire is not to kill you or let Satan kill you. He is in the character-building business: building the character of Christ in you. Trust His sovereignty because He loves you and ultimately controls your destiny. Romans 8:28,” And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. “

2. Know When To Resist. If what you are going through is outside of the will (word) of God, if it is contrary to His purposes for your life and has Satan’s fingerprints all over it..... you MUST resist!  If you are not sure and fear you will miss God, trust the Holy Spirit to show you for sure in the Word. James 4:7, “Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. “

3. Trust In God. In the parable of  the wheat and tares, the tares were allowed to grow until harvest season, when they would be separated from the wheat. Some unexpected things cannot be changed, like a lost loved-one or if something important is taken away from you. In those cases we can only trust in God and let Him use it for our good. Proverbs 3:5, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding;”

4. Thank God In All Things. 1 Thessalonians 5:18b, “in everything give thanks”. Notice it says to thank God IN everything, not FOR everything. God is there with you even in the unexpected, and if God is with you.... no weapon formed against you will prosper!

Conclusion. Unexpected things will always occur; they are part of life itself. But, they do not have to stop God’s destiny from being fulfilled, if we handle the unexpected correctly.

Most Americans today live a life governed by cycles of personal crises; a phenomena I call "living in crisis mode." The definition of the word "crisis" is: a problem, situation, or condition, that's beyond your control or your ability to change.

A crisis comes in all shapes and forms such as receiving a discouraging doctor's report or a spouse telling you they don't love you anymore because they found someone else. It could be losing your life's investment or a foreclosing on your house or a loved one passing away.  These challenges and many more bring us into crisis mode, but the problem is that we can get used to living that way: conditioned to accept boundaries created by these on-going crises. When we are in crisis mode, survival becomes our only goal.... not complete deliverance, freedom, and victory. Or if some of us have a victim mentality, we can even enjoy living like this, because it gives us much-needed attention and affirmation.

How can our crisis become a turning point? Let's formulate some principles and look at how the woman with the issue of blood (found in Mark 5:25-34) turned her crisis around.

1. Become sick and tired of being sick and tired. After spending all her money on doctors for twelve years, she finally got to that point. For some of us it took longer and many still aren't there yet; they're still trying to manage their crisis. It's like going to "pain management" clinics for the rest of your life instead of finally getting rid of all the pain. You have to get to the point of being sick and tired of being sick and tired. Are you there yet?

2. Believe the good news. Remember what it says in Romans 10:17, "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God." This woman heard about all that Jesus had done. You can't let God turn your crisis around without having faith in His Word. Study the Word and take notes on the sermons you hear at church. Bury God's Word in your heart, so you'll believe and will also have faith, (two different things). Faith involves:  action- acting out God's word and communication- declaring what you heard over your circumstance. As she crawled behind Him to touch His garment, she said in verse 28, "If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well."

3. Make the right choice. She chose to no longer manage her crisis. She abandoned her own efforts completely and cried out to God! Your life today is the sum total of all your choices. Today you can make the right choice.

4. Express your desperation. Desperate people won't let public opinion keep them away from their miracle. In the Bible we read that blind Bartimaeus cried out to the Lord with a loud voice, Jairus the ruler of the synagogue forced himself to get to Jesus in the midst of a large crowd, and of course we just looked at the bold actions of the woman with the issue of blood. These desperate people did everything to get Jesus' attention, and He responded to them in a positive way.  Although Jesus was in the midst of the multitude, only blind Bartimaeus, the woman with issue of blood, and Jairus received a turn around, so God's presence alone isn't enough. How you express your desperation is individual and personal. There is no formula to it.....but it must be done!   

CONCLUSION: Are you tired yet of living in crisis? If you are, you too can turn your crisis into a turn around. God's waiting for you, so don't just wait for Him. The good news is that your crisis can be your turning point; you can make a major change for the better. The devil is more afraid of the dream (seed) you're carrying than he is of you. He wants you to live in crisis mode, so make up your mind today. Say, "This is my day for a turning point!

You’re here to become the best version of you…. not somebody else! Who wants to be a cheap copy of a great original? When God created you, He threw away the mold and nobody in this world is exactly like you. As it says in Genesis.1:26, you were made "in the likeness and image of God.” Likeness refers to your spirit and image refers to your body. All human beings are God's highest order of creation, yet God individually hand crafted each one of us (as Psalm 139 tells us). No one on this earth has your fingerprints, your personality or your abilities.
 
The following are some keys to become “the best you”:

1. Identify with Jesus. Too often we identify with the wrong people, comparing ourselves with what our current culture tells us is the most popular and accepted type of person. The fashion world and Hollywood set the standard of what’s in and what’s out, what we should look like and shouldn't look like. But our identity must be in Jesus, our Creator and role model of what He created us to be. Ephesians 2:10 &5:2 tells us to imitate Jesus and know we have a pre-planned destiny. He set the plumb line for us and we can identify with Him by renewing our mind through His word.

2. Refuse to compare yourself with others. Everyone has a call; with different gifts and talents. Stop making idols of people by copying them and living outside of your call because you can do what others can’t. Don’t fall into Satan’s trap, becoming a copycat and missing out on your God-given destiny.

3. Celebrate who God made you to be. Thank God for how uniquely He made you. You’ll embrace yourself as God’s special creation and will value your gifts instead of complaining that you don’t have the same gifts as other people have. Celebrate yourself as God's “one of a kind” creation, made to His exact specifications, and you will have greater self-confidence and boldness. You'll fulfill His plans and purposes for your life.
 
4. Refuse to allow people to compare you with somebody else. People suffer from a poor self-image and low self-esteem because they were compared to others. Growing up I was always compared to other children. My report card and other achievements were always compared to the other children’s. I was asked, “Why don't you do things or get grades like so and so?” For many years I had low self-esteem because I compared myself with others and came up short.

Parents do it, mates do it, employers do it and even friends do it, but we can refuse to listen! Politely say, “If God wanted me to be like them; He would have made me to be them. But God wanted me to be me; so He made me.” Be bold about your personhood. That doesn't mean you can't improve, but improvement is about being a better you, not a better somebody else.

Practice these few keys every day, value your life and you'll find that people will start valuing you as well. To change the way people see you…. change the way you see yourself.

I have observed over the years that when people ask us to do a favor for them, most of us find that it's a lot easier to say yes than it is to say no.
 
One reason that it is so hard for us to say no is because we are always looking for approval and acceptance from each other. Let’s face it; everyone on the face of the earth wants to feel accepted and approved.
 
We don't really recognize how important we are to God or understand the value that He's identified in us.  And because of our blindness to God's love and our personal insecurities we have a natural tendency to look for people’s approval rather than for God's approval.
 
We have all heard the term “being a man pleaser”. That’s what happens when we repeatedly find ourselves saying yes even though we really don't believe in our heart that we should be saying yes. We are just more comfortable saying yes than we are saying no. Sometimes our motive is that we want people to feel that they owe us and we need to control and manipulate them.
 
One of the results of constantly saying yes (when we know that we can’t or don’t want to do something), is that we end up not fulfilling our word. We find ourselves falling short and letting people down…. in other words we show a lack of integrity.  Lack of integrity becomes part of our legacy, but that’s the last thing we want to see happen!
 
Unfortunately the body Christ today is known for its lack of integrity. When you talk to people about their experiences with Christians doing work for them or with some Christian that they were close to at one time, you always hear a common thread. They complain that there is no integrity in the body of Christ. I believe that's because we have never learned to say, no.
 
I don't mean saying no just for the sake of offending or hurting people. I am talking about saying no when we know in our spirit that it is right.  I’m talking about saying no when we know it’s what God wants us to do….pleasing Him rather than trying to be a people pleaser.
 
We need the Holy Spirit to help us to discern when to say yes and when to say no. It is easy to operate in human compassion and try to please everybody, but yet it's not God's will and intent that we do that. Let’s learn how to respond by being led by the Holy Spirit and not by just our feelings and emotions.
 
Let’s learn how to say no for the right reason so that we can actually bless other people, teaching them to trust in God and not man.  God wants to be the one to fulfill their needs and He is the one who should decide how He wants to do that.
 
Learn to say no when you are being led by the Holy Spirit, and when you do say yes make sure that it's for the right reasons and motives and that in the in the end it will honor God. When you do agree to do something, make sure that you do whatever it takes to keep your word!  Let’s once again restore integrity in the body of Christ. Learn how to say, “No.”