Living the Good Life: Is Your House in Order?
Filed under: Biblical Teachings, Family Life, Godly Principles, Marriage, Our children, Relationships
Current Mood:
Blessed
We think we have it all together. We’ve got a nice car, a nice house but our kids are off the chain. Or maybe you’ve got a job that pays more than you ever thought you’d make in a lifetime, but you and your spouse aren’t speaking. One of the most important biblical principles is Godly relationships. In Godly relationships, order manifests. We must build our relationship with God first to obtain order in our households.
What many Christians struggle with is order. You can have the best job in the world, but if your relationship with God is not right, then you may be lacking peace in your life. At times we wonder why things aren’t working out the way we planned. Realize that we don’t have control over anything, but that God controls everything. When your relationship with God is out of order, your entire house falls out of order.
For example, your child may be struggling in school. He or she may have some discipline issues and you’re wondering why. You think to yourself, ‘I work hard every day to provide for my children and this is how they thank me!’ But you don’t set any time out for the Lord. You’re too busy with work and after school activities and board meetings, when the reason your life is so chaotic is because you’re not setting aside any time for God.
It really is a simple concept to understand. Think of it this way, when we place so much focus on our careers and making money, we’re essentially saying to God that money is more important than Him. Money rules us instead of God. The same can be said for relationships when we place more importance on people than Him. We walk around with our fancy cars and big houses boasting about how much we make. We always have to wear the newest fashions and spend ridiculous amounts of money on frivolous things. And we wonder why our children are off the chain and our marriages are failing. We are killing ourselves with vices of the world as Philippians 3:19 shows – “Their future is eternal destruction. Their god is their appetite, they brag about shameful things, and all they think about is this life here on earth.”
The truth is, God desires that we place no one and nothing above Him. When we can break away from the strongholds of worldly things and truly submit ourselves to God, our lives come into true order. Our house comes into order. Our marriages are healed. Our children are focused in school as well as home. We must build a foundation with God and His Word to establish order, as taught in Luke 6:47-48,
“I will show you what it’s like when someone comes to me, listens to my teaching, and then obeys me. It is like a person who builds a house on a strong foundation laid upon the underlying rock. When the floodwaters rise and break against the house, it stands firm because it is well built.”
Building and maintaining a relationship with God and placing God first creates order in our marriages, our families, our houses and our lives. God desires for us to prosper, but without placing Him first, we will never achieve our full potential. Our existence is meant to glorify Him and spread His Word. We can’t effectively do these things if our house is not in order. And if our house is out of order, maybe we should examine our relationship with Christ.
Is your house in order?
The Ultimate Test
Current Mood: Blessed & 
Faith-filled
One thing I’ve learned through my faith walk is that the closer we get to God, the more testing we must endure. And those tests become more and more strategic. To be a true Christian is to know God and to have relationship with Him. The closer we get to God, the more we learn that His ways, truly are not our ways.
The most recent stage in my faith walk has taken me on a journey from Virginia to California. I’ve made the ultimate statement to God, showing Him that I truly trust Him in every area of my life. I left a stable job, supportive family and great friends to move to an unknown land, upon God’s command and relying solely on Him.
The past three months have been full of excitement and difficulties. I learned and explored many new things and my relationship with God has grown stronger than it’s ever been. But this has been a true test of my faith – as I haven’t worked since relocating to California. God has not released my assignment in the natural to me yet. Though He has spoken life into my spirit on using the gift of writing to reach His people. And even though I have not found a job in the entire three months I have lived here, God has still provided for me, while allowing me to use my gift of writing to reach others. For me, Psalm 31:14-15 says it best:
“But I am trusting you, O Lord, saying, “You are my God!” My future is in your hands.”
I know that the Lord is the Author and the Finisher of my faith. I know God as a provider. And I know that He rewards His faithful servants. And I completely and totally trust Him because of that. So why would I stop believing in Him now when the going gets tough?
When you are going through a season of testing it is vital to pray without ceasing. Contrary to popular belief, God wants us to remind Him of what He has promised us. The book of Luke shows us that it is right to pray continuously: “One day soon afterward Jesus went to a mountain to pray, and he prayed to God all night.” Spend quality time with God. Pray more than once or twice a day. Be consistent. When you feel beat down and weary, pray. That is when God hears you the loudest. There’s nothing the Devil hates more than a Christian who continues to pray in spite of their situation. When you pray without ceasing, you are telling the Devil, “God has my back, so back off!” And our Father loves nothing more than when His children stand up for Him. When we stand up for our Lord, our Lord stands up for us.
It is important to pray continuously, but we must also know how to pray. When we come to the throne, we should always pray, “In the name of Jesus,” because Jesus is our Intercessor to God. Jesus is the One who is forgiving and asks God to forgive us. Pray with the power of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit provides protection and when we use that power, we are in essence, protecting ourselves while we pray. Address God as our Father, “Our Father in heaven,” as shown in Matthew 6:9. The Word teaches us the Lord’s Prayer, beginning with, “Our Father, who art in heaven…”
The most important part of prayer is recognizing that whatever we pray for, God answers it immediately. It is then our job to believe without doubt of exactly what shall come to pass. This is taught in Matthew 21:21-22:
“Then Jesus told them, ‘I assure you, if you have faith and don’t doubt, you can do things like this and much more. You can even say to this mountain, ‘May God lift you up and throw you into the sea,’ and it will happen. If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”
So it is simple. Pray, release God to answer your prayer and have faith. Because we all know that faith without works is dead. I know that God’s assignment for me in San Diego is greater than anything I could have ever imagined. And I also know that God is a provider and He never starts anything without finishing it. I look forward to the promises that God has for my life through prayer, and you should too. Pray expectantly through every trial and test you may have in life because the outcome is always great.
“When Job prayed for his friends, the Lord restored his fortunes. In fact, the Lord gave him twice as much as before!” – Job 42:10
The Courage to Follow Him
Current Mood: Anointed
It was August, 2009. I was in a relationship I thought would last forever. We made a connection. A deeper than deep connection. I gave myself to him. He accepted a job four states away, but assured me things wouldn’t change. Of course they did. He hurt me in a way that I cannot even begin to describe. I started to slide into an abyss of depression.
About a month later, God spoke into my spirit that I should move to San Diego. I thought He was crazy. I’d never lived anywhere outside of Virginia, let alone away from my family. The furthest West I had been was Chicago! Well I began to pray, and pray, and really pray. And God cemented in my spirit that this would be my destiny. I knew that my life was about to change forever. Sure, I went to church before and I read the Word. But I wasn’t truly LIVING it. My former life was going to be just that, former.
One of my favorite scriptures to this day is Romans 12:2, “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect his will really is.” The transformation began. I believed who God said I really was and started LIVING that way. I tapped into my true passion of writing in a way I never had before. I immersed myself in the Word and took my writing to the next level on my job and in my personal life. I received the revelation from God that writing would be my destiny, and this would play out in San Diego.
I remember on Watch Night 2009, our church’s theme for 2010 was revealed: 2010 The Year of Expectation. I spoke into the atmosphere that I would move to San Diego in 2010. James 3:10 says, “And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth.” I clearly chose to bless myself. I lived 2010 with the faith that God would follow through with His promises. But sometimes God requires us to take the first step.
Fast forward to September 2010. God knew it was time to put His plan into action. I had been applying for jobs in San Diego, but not getting any bites. But that didn’t make a difference, when God moves, He moves. He revealed that I would be moving to San Diego in October. I was excited, I guess because I didn’t fully believe it yet. It was 2 weeks before Halloween and God said it was time. Not in the way I had expected Him to speak, though. Through different conversations with other Christians and of course the Word He confirmed that I would in fact be moving before the month was finished. I remember that Sunday night, I drove down to the beach and poured my heart out to God. I was scared and confused and sad. But God knows the plans He has for us, and He directed me to this scripture: “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything,” Philippians 4:6. This was all the confirmation I needed.
Now I’m here in San Diego and I must say that God has shown off. I’ve made some excellent contacts, have an awesome place to lay my head and am on the brink of something huge in terms of employment. I know that He has so much in store for me and it is all because I trust Him infinitely and my faith is ONLY in Him. I’m thankful that God saw in me a great purpose, and that He turned my life around in spite of me.
The Great Deception: Are There Really Several Paths to God?
Filed under: Biblical Teachings, Godly Principles, Holiness & Sanctification, What Does the Bible Say About That?
Current Mood: Anointed
“Sheila will give you the last dime in her pocket,” she told me. And she’s so sweet, she such a good person. But Sheila doesn’t believe in God. So where does that leave her when Judgment Day comes? Right here on earth while those Christians who believe in God and submit to His authority will join Him in Heaven. Sheila represents those people who aren’t members of the Body of Christ. It saddens me to think that so many “good people” won’t get to enjoy eternity with the Almighty because they were just that – good people.
There is an alarming misconception that multiple paths exist in which people can take to get to God. Many feel that it is not necessary to attend or have church membership to reach God. Quite contrary, it is absolutely necessary to sit under Bible-based leadership for interpretation of the Word of God. Romans 10: 17 reads: “Yet faith comes from listening to this message of Good News – the Good News about Christ.” Understanding comes from hearing the word and this cannot be done effectively without interpretation. Others feel that reading the Word of God is not required to get to Him. This could not be farther from the truth because His Word provides us with directions on how to live and seek Him as is referenced in Exodus 34:27, “And the Lord said to Moses, ‘Write down all these instructions, for they represent the terms of my covenant with you and with Israel.’”
The world presents different religions that attempt to show a path to eternal life. For example, the Islamic faith teaches that to reach “paradise” one must believe in Allah, that Allah has no son and that his messenger, Muhammad revealed the holy book – the Quran to God. This principle does not align with Christianity because God created the Bible as instruction for mankind to follow, not the other way around as the Islamic faith suggests. Also, Christianity recognizes the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit – the Trinity as shown in Luke 3:21-22, “One day when the crowds were being baptized, Jesus (the Son) himself was baptized. As he was praying, the heavens opened, and the Holy Spirit descended on him in the form of a dove. And a voice from heaven (God) said, ‘You are my beloved Son, and I am fully pleased with you.’” In Judaism, it is believed that the way to God is through the holy book, the Torah and the Bible. This counters what is taught in Christianity as the Bible is the ONLY teaching of God; this is the sole way to reach God.
There is only one path to reaching God – this is through the belief of the One ruler – God Himself. We must accept Christ for who He is as is referenced in Romans 1:17, “This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, ‘It is through faith that a righteous person has life.’” Also referenced is the way to God through the Bible – the one true teaching.
“For if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved. As the Scriptures tell us, ‘Anyone who believes in him will not be disappointed.’” - Romans 10:9-11
For those who choose not to follow the one, direct path to God there is an alternative: death.
“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.” – Romans 6:23
Don’t get caught up in following the crowd. Learn the Word for yourself. That in turn will lead to ultimate understanding of the one, true path to God. Accept the Lord fully with all your heart – choose life over death.
What’s More Important?
Filed under: Biblical Teachings, Godly Principles, Single & Saved
Current Mood: Faith-filled
Recently, I found myself in a situation that was totally new and different from anything I have encountered. Being a Christian isn’t always easy, but it’s something I’ve dedicated my life to doing. Who knew something as simple as a “religious status” on a Facebook page would deter someone from dating me?
About a month ago I attended a friend’s birthday party where I met a guy. It’s been a little over a year since my last relationship and I have been in prayer since. I’ve prayed to work on myself and prayed to attract the “right” man. And it seemed to be working. I’ve learned a lot about myself and changed a lot of things in the process. So this guy and I had great conversation. Amazing conversation. He’s extremely intelligent. He holds a masters in English. He was a professor of English at ODU. And he’s only 28. It seems rare nowadays to meet someone who’s so gifted and truly a gentleman. But I didn’t pursue it.
So the next day he asks my friend if he could have my number. Sitting under the leadership of Bishop Kim Brown I’ve learned a lot about living single and holy. And I did not give him my number. We needed to get together in a group setting again before that happened. So we became Facebook friends.
Well low and behold a few days later my friend informs me that he says we’re incompatible. I asked what happened. She explains that he questioned my religious status on my Facebook page (for the record it reads: The Lord is my strength, my redeemer, my everything). Once he saw that – he backed down. And I came to find out that he’s an atheist. ” Wow,” you’re saying. I said the same thing. Yes, there are intelligent people out there who want nothing to do with God.
I was little taken aback by his abrupt “non-interest,” but I knew there was no contest. I had never experienced rejection because of my relationship with God. This experience opened my eyes and also made me realize how strong my relationship with God is. It is so strong that I’m not willing to sacrifice my relationship with God over a man just because I want to be with someone. One of the main things that many Christian singles fail to realize is that you will never meet “the one” until you build a solid foundation with God. And you will not be able to see the “pretenders” without a strong relationship with God.
“Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect his will really is.” – Romans 12:2
Display your love for God and don’t be ashamed of the Gospel. You will reap the benefits of your patience.
“So don’t get tired of doing what is good. Don’t get discouraged and give up, for we will reap a harvest of blessing at the appropriate time.” – Galatians 5:9
Hurt Feelings
Current Mood:
Triumphant
The definition of hurt: to suffer pain or grief, to cause damage or distress. Why are so many Christians hurting? The real question is, why are we walking around, pretending that things are great – when things couldn’t be any more awful? The problem is, as Christians, we have the misconception that if we are feeling any emotion other than joy, it’s not right. Things happen in life in which we have no control; and no one said being saved would save us from life and all of its trials and obstacles.
We cannot fall into the trap of thinking that we are not “allowed” to be hurt or depressed when things don’t work out the way in which we want. Maybe we suffered a bad break up from a relationship. Maybe we didn’t get the promotion for that job we really wanted. Maybe we lost our job. Maybe we lost a loved one. And it’s ok to feel pain, grief or distress in any of these situations because we are human. Did Job not feel hurt when the Lord took away his family and literally his entire life and everything he worked for? The Bible shows us that it is ok to feel depressed:
“And now my heart is broken. Depression haunts my days. My weary nights are filled with pain as though something were relentlessly gnawing at my bones. With a strong hand, God grabs my garment. He grips me by the collar of my tunic. He has thrown me into the mud. I have become as dust and ashes.” – Job 30:16-19
But life must go on. If we are living, this means God has a destiny on our lives that must be fulfilled. This fact alone can work on those feelings of hurt and begin to massage all of the emotional pain away. Remember that God is always with us. All of the time, everyday. When we begin to reflect on God and meditate on our purpose in life, God can heal any hurt we may have. It all boils down to staying faithful and fully trusting in Him. Pray without ceasing.
“When Job prayed for his friends, the Lord restored his fortunes. In fact, the Lord gave him twice as much as before!” – Job 42:10
Does God not restore Job to even greater prosperity than he could have ever thought or dreamed in the end?
“So the Lord blessed Job in the second half of his life even more than in the beginning.” – Job 42:12.
As Christians, we must remember than in Him, all things are possible. Feelings of hurt and rejection are part of being human. But when we turn our hearts to God, He heals us. He hears our prayers and He answers them. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
In Memoriam: Paying Homage to God
Current Mood:
Cool
What does it feel like to truly be in love with God? I mean completely and totally head over heels in love with Him? When God takes us through trials and what we sometimes may think as “deal breakers”, it’s always for a reason.
It’s amazing how things seem to turn around once we make God number One in our lives. I’m not talking about just going to church on Sundays and bible study on Wednesdays. I mean, when we say “You know what, my life is going to be about God every day.” Being saved is a lifestyle and there are certain things that come with living a lifestyle that is acceptable to God. As Christians, we automatically think of getting into the Word and paying our tithes; and yes, these two elements are quite important. But we tend to leave out the element of memorializing God.
God sent His only son, Jesus Christ down to die for all of mankind’s sins. In reality, Jesus Himself is a memorial to God. True, it was His destiny to fulfill the prophecy, but Jesus gave Himself completely and totally to “Dad” as the ultimate sacrifice.
How can we as mere mortals build a memorial to God?
Think about a time when the Lord really brought you through something. Now isn’t it just awesome to see how you are still living, probably even better than before! Let’s look at Samuel for example. In the first book of Samuel, the Bible explains how Samuel worked tirelessly to bring the Israelites back into God’s good graces. The Philistines were on the verge of attack and it was touch and go on how the Israelites would fare in battle as they had turned away from the Lord, worshipping the images of Baal and Ashtoreth. Samuel persuaded the Israelites to turn away from these idols and worship the Lord. They did so and as a reward, God led the Israelites to victory against the Philistines. The aftermath is explained in 1 Samuel 7:12:
“Samuel then took a large stone and placed it between the towns of Mizpah and Jeshanah. He named it Ebenezer – “the stone of help” – for he said, ‘Up to this point the Lord has helped us!’”
Like Samuel, we too can build a memorial to God as a sign of reverence and worship for bringing us through a situation. It may be dedicating a room in our home to God, a room of mediation and reflection on Him. This room would be a room where total focus and silence reign; a sign to God that we are recognizing who He is and thus, have built this memorial to Him.
A memorial is so significant because not only does it show God that we know who He is, but it is also a constant reminder to us of the significance He has in our everyday lives. So take time out to show God how much you love Him and build a memorial, allowing it to be a constant reminder of His power and awesomeness. Make your “memorial day” everyday.
About the Author
Name: Kimetha, aka "Kimetha"
Email:
Web Site: http://www.seeds4life.org
Bio: Kimetha is a 2005 graduate of Christopher Newport University in Newport News, VA. She holds her undergraduate degree in Communications with a minor in French. She currently works in the marketing department as the marketing assistant with For Rent Media Solutions, a division of Dominion Enterprises in downtown Norfolk, VA. Kimetha was raised in Herndon, VA where she attended Herndon High School. She is the oldest of four girls and embraces her role as the eldest child and role model. She has a passion for writing, which is displayed in her projects with For Rent in blog, article and search engine writing. Kimetha enjoys reading, traveling and spending time with friends and family. Kimetha currently resides in Portsmouth, VA where she is working towards the next phase in her life. To God be the glory.
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