Saturday, October 10, 2009
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Monday, August 17, 2009
Sunday, July 19, 2009
What Is The Will Of God?
In order to establish firmly one’s faith, it is important, first
and foremost, to determine whether what you are asking
for has been promised by God. To be sure of this point, the
first thing to do is search the scriptures to learn God’s will,
(Ephesians 5:17, II Timothy 3:14-17).
The Bible is literally full of promises. If you need anything,
simply study the Bible to see if it is promised. If it is, you
can then go to God in faith, knowing that He will NOT
break His promises to you. Remember, He promises to
supply every need if you will seek the Kingdom of God
and His righteousness first, which means doing that which
is right, (Matthew 6:33).
God promises that He will provide our every material
need. He is our Father. What parent wants to lie to their
children? Our God is the perfect Father, and we can take
His word and rely upon Him when we claim His promises,
(Luke 11:8-13).
Why People Lack Faith
Most people in this world today completely lack confidence
in God, even though they say they believe in Him. They
may even pray to Him, but they have no feeling or conviction
they will receive answers to their prayers. Many others
have a tendency to wait to exercise faith until they can
work up a certain positive feeling so they can believe they
will receive an answer. That, however, is not faith.
Emotional and physical reassurance have nothing to do with
faith. Simply waiting for a warm sensation or a sign from
God is not having faith.
Real faith, living faith, which comes by God’s holy spirit
working in your mind, is a simple matter of looking up
what is said in the Bible, reading God’s promises, and then
confidently asking God for those promises to be granted...
asking Him with the total assurance that your petition will
be answered.
This assurance and confidence can be hampered by our
physical surroundings. Circumstances or situations that
look impossible, that cause us to worry, can damage
our faith.
When such situations arise, think about the example of
the Apostle Peter when he walked on water (Matthew
14:27–33). In this well-known story, Peter asked Christ,
“Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the
water" (Matthew 14:28, NKJ).
When Christ did command Peter to approach Him on the
water, Peter did so in faith. Indeed, Peter did walk on the
water -- an impossible feat in our physical world. However,
after starting out in faith, Peter allowed the winds and the
stormy seas around him to cause him to doubt, and thus he
began to sink.
Christ’s question to Peter was: “O you of LITTLE faith,
why did you doubt?” (Matthew 14:31, NKJ). The problem
for Peter, of course, was exactly what Christ said. Peter’s
faith was small. Peter did not have the strong faith needed
to sustain him. The faith he had was temporary, fleeting;
and his lack of faith ultimately caused him to fail.
The important lesson for us in such circumstances is that
we, too, must ask: “Why am I doubting? Is my faith small,
as Peter's was?”
What is the point, after all, of asking God, the All-Powerful
Being and Spiritual Father, the Creator of All Things, to
answer our prayers if we believe the physical circumstances
that look so bleak cannot be overcome by Him?
Remember, if you ask according to the promises that are
given in the Bible, He will not deny you. Sometimes,
however, those promises will not be fulfilled, necessarily,
in the manner or method we would expect.
God’s Gift To You!
It is important to remember that faith is a GIFT given to us by
GOD . Many professing Christians believe the rewards we
receive and the blessings God gives are from Him, but the faith
required to receive such things comes from us. That is wrong.
The truth is, we must trust God because the faith we need
comes from Him (Ephesians 2:8). Faith is not simply
believing in Jesus Christ. Real faith comes from the same
source of power that Christ used to perform miracles.
As mentioned earlier, God the Father worked miracles
through Christ by the power of His holy spirit. It is God’s
holy spirit working in us that provides the faith we
humans simply lack.
You can receive this faith by drawing close to God. This is
done by first surrendering your will to Him and learning
what His will is for you, then by replacing your desire to do
things your own way with a desire to follow Him.
Then, you must spend time praying, communicating with
God. If you do not know how to pray, find out. It is through
prayer that we begin to know God more intimately, and it is
through the process of prayer that one can build confidence
in God.
Finally, search the Bible for the many promises it contains,
looking to see whether what you are asking for is promised
there (is according to God’s will). If it is, and if you are
practicing obedience to God, then you can, through faith,
have confidence God will answer your prayer.
In order to establish firmly one’s faith, it is important, first
and foremost, to determine whether what you are asking
for has been promised by God. To be sure of this point, the
first thing to do is search the scriptures to learn God’s will,
(Ephesians 5:17, II Timothy 3:14-17).
The Bible is literally full of promises. If you need anything,
simply study the Bible to see if it is promised. If it is, you
can then go to God in faith, knowing that He will NOT
break His promises to you. Remember, He promises to
supply every need if you will seek the Kingdom of God
and His righteousness first, which means doing that which
is right, (Matthew 6:33).
God promises that He will provide our every material
need. He is our Father. What parent wants to lie to their
children? Our God is the perfect Father, and we can take
His word and rely upon Him when we claim His promises,
(Luke 11:8-13).
Why People Lack Faith
Most people in this world today completely lack confidence
in God, even though they say they believe in Him. They
may even pray to Him, but they have no feeling or conviction
they will receive answers to their prayers. Many others
have a tendency to wait to exercise faith until they can
work up a certain positive feeling so they can believe they
will receive an answer. That, however, is not faith.
Emotional and physical reassurance have nothing to do with
faith. Simply waiting for a warm sensation or a sign from
God is not having faith.
Real faith, living faith, which comes by God’s holy spirit
working in your mind, is a simple matter of looking up
what is said in the Bible, reading God’s promises, and then
confidently asking God for those promises to be granted...
asking Him with the total assurance that your petition will
be answered.
This assurance and confidence can be hampered by our
physical surroundings. Circumstances or situations that
look impossible, that cause us to worry, can damage
our faith.
When such situations arise, think about the example of
the Apostle Peter when he walked on water (Matthew
14:27–33). In this well-known story, Peter asked Christ,
“Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the
water" (Matthew 14:28, NKJ).
When Christ did command Peter to approach Him on the
water, Peter did so in faith. Indeed, Peter did walk on the
water -- an impossible feat in our physical world. However,
after starting out in faith, Peter allowed the winds and the
stormy seas around him to cause him to doubt, and thus he
began to sink.
Christ’s question to Peter was: “O you of LITTLE faith,
why did you doubt?” (Matthew 14:31, NKJ). The problem
for Peter, of course, was exactly what Christ said. Peter’s
faith was small. Peter did not have the strong faith needed
to sustain him. The faith he had was temporary, fleeting;
and his lack of faith ultimately caused him to fail.
The important lesson for us in such circumstances is that
we, too, must ask: “Why am I doubting? Is my faith small,
as Peter's was?”
What is the point, after all, of asking God, the All-Powerful
Being and Spiritual Father, the Creator of All Things, to
answer our prayers if we believe the physical circumstances
that look so bleak cannot be overcome by Him?
Remember, if you ask according to the promises that are
given in the Bible, He will not deny you. Sometimes,
however, those promises will not be fulfilled, necessarily,
in the manner or method we would expect.
God’s Gift To You!
It is important to remember that faith is a GIFT given to us by
GOD . Many professing Christians believe the rewards we
receive and the blessings God gives are from Him, but the faith
required to receive such things comes from us. That is wrong.
The truth is, we must trust God because the faith we need
comes from Him (Ephesians 2:8). Faith is not simply
believing in Jesus Christ. Real faith comes from the same
source of power that Christ used to perform miracles.
As mentioned earlier, God the Father worked miracles
through Christ by the power of His holy spirit. It is God’s
holy spirit working in us that provides the faith we
humans simply lack.
You can receive this faith by drawing close to God. This is
done by first surrendering your will to Him and learning
what His will is for you, then by replacing your desire to do
things your own way with a desire to follow Him.
Then, you must spend time praying, communicating with
God. If you do not know how to pray, find out. It is through
prayer that we begin to know God more intimately, and it is
through the process of prayer that one can build confidence
in God.
Finally, search the Bible for the many promises it contains,
looking to see whether what you are asking for is promised
there (is according to God’s will). If it is, and if you are
practicing obedience to God, then you can, through faith,
have confidence God will answer your prayer.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Seven Keys to Answered Prayer
Wouldn’t you love to know exactly how to pray so that all your needs are met? So often we pray, hoping that God will hear us on time and come through with the miracle we need so desperately.
Everyone has been given the measure of faith (Rom. 12: 3), and all you need is faith the size of a mustard seed! (Mat. 17: 20) Nevertheless, prayers often don’t seem to get answered. So, how can you really know that you have prayed correctly and that God has heard you?
The seven main keys to answered prayer are:
· Clarity (Mark 10: 51)
First and foremost you need to be clear about what your need is. Do you need a healing in your body now? Are you praying for a miracle for a loved one? Or do you need the Lord’s direction on how to pursue your dream? Although God knows your need before you ask, He does want you to be specific in your petition.
Like with blind Bartimaeus, the Lord wants to hear exactly what you are believing for. Do you have faith for a small portion of your needs or for a life-changing miracle?
· Courage (Josh. 1: 9)
It takes courage to keep your faith in the midst of circumstances that are trying to overwhelm and discourage you! When Joshua was in a strange land, even though it was the land God had promised him, he was faced with many powerful enemies. In the natural it was impossible to overcome the obstacles, but He was encouraged to:
“Be strong and of good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee withersoever thou goest.”
Fear stifles faith. The Word will keep reinforcing it until you are fully persuaded that the Lord goes with you through all your trials!
· Persistence (Heb. 11: 6)
“He is the rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.”
To be diligent means to earnestly, full heartedly, and conscientiously pursue a goal until it is completed. Be persistent in reminding the Lord that you believe that His Promises are for you and that you expect His blessings regardless of the circumstances you are going through. Keep on keeping on!
· Vigilance (1 Pet. 5: 7 - 9)
Be vigilant because the devil will always try to turn your faith into fear. Recognize his tactics and resist him steadfastly in the faith by casting all you cares on God, who cares for you.
· Gratitude (Phil. 4: 6)
Be thankful to God for all His wondrous works. It is especially powerful to give Him praise and thanks for the answer to your prayers. It confirms your faith in God’s faithfulness to perform His Promises.
· Patience (Jas. 1: 3)
“The trying of your faith worketh patience.” The longer it takes to get your prayer answered, the more your steadfast patience will be rewarded!
· Confidence (Phil. 1: 6)
“Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.”
Put your trust fully in the fact that God can and will do everything He promises in His Word.
“If we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.“ (1 John 5: 15)
Wouldn’t you love to know exactly how to pray so that all your needs are met? So often we pray, hoping that God will hear us on time and come through with the miracle we need so desperately.
Everyone has been given the measure of faith (Rom. 12: 3), and all you need is faith the size of a mustard seed! (Mat. 17: 20) Nevertheless, prayers often don’t seem to get answered. So, how can you really know that you have prayed correctly and that God has heard you?
The seven main keys to answered prayer are:
· Clarity (Mark 10: 51)
First and foremost you need to be clear about what your need is. Do you need a healing in your body now? Are you praying for a miracle for a loved one? Or do you need the Lord’s direction on how to pursue your dream? Although God knows your need before you ask, He does want you to be specific in your petition.
Like with blind Bartimaeus, the Lord wants to hear exactly what you are believing for. Do you have faith for a small portion of your needs or for a life-changing miracle?
· Courage (Josh. 1: 9)
It takes courage to keep your faith in the midst of circumstances that are trying to overwhelm and discourage you! When Joshua was in a strange land, even though it was the land God had promised him, he was faced with many powerful enemies. In the natural it was impossible to overcome the obstacles, but He was encouraged to:
“Be strong and of good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee withersoever thou goest.”
Fear stifles faith. The Word will keep reinforcing it until you are fully persuaded that the Lord goes with you through all your trials!
· Persistence (Heb. 11: 6)
“He is the rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.”
To be diligent means to earnestly, full heartedly, and conscientiously pursue a goal until it is completed. Be persistent in reminding the Lord that you believe that His Promises are for you and that you expect His blessings regardless of the circumstances you are going through. Keep on keeping on!
· Vigilance (1 Pet. 5: 7 - 9)
Be vigilant because the devil will always try to turn your faith into fear. Recognize his tactics and resist him steadfastly in the faith by casting all you cares on God, who cares for you.
· Gratitude (Phil. 4: 6)
Be thankful to God for all His wondrous works. It is especially powerful to give Him praise and thanks for the answer to your prayers. It confirms your faith in God’s faithfulness to perform His Promises.
· Patience (Jas. 1: 3)
“The trying of your faith worketh patience.” The longer it takes to get your prayer answered, the more your steadfast patience will be rewarded!
· Confidence (Phil. 1: 6)
“Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.”
Put your trust fully in the fact that God can and will do everything He promises in His Word.
“If we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.“ (1 John 5: 15)
Once an Adult twice a Child
Introduction:
We are at this time going to examine the cycle of life and how it affects all living beings.
Once a man, twice a child,” is a proverb. It’s not a Biblical one but a good one. Proverbs are brief sayings that distill wisdom into memorable words. We value proverbs because they illuminate the human experience. This proverb points out what we frequently see.
A child is born and is dependent upon someone else for everything necessary to sustain life. As the child grows and matures he or she is able to care for themselves and becomes fully functional as they progress and grow into adult hood, but all too often the adult reverts to childlike attitudes, actions and ability to function independently. This is caused by natural aging, an ill health condition such as a Stroke, Heart Attack, Parkinsons, Alchemizes disease. Many times it is a combination of ill health and natural ageing which compounds the effects. It is common to hear it said that someone is “in their second childhood” because of the way they act;
having to be told when, where and how to go, when and what to wear and eat, when to take medications, when to go to bed and when to get out of bed, many times having to wait for assistance with those activities and others such as; eating, grooming, bathing, toileting, getting up and down. After a child matures and starts to function as a young adult and enjoy life the thought never enters their mind that one day they will be dependent on others to help them with everything again. The only way to bypass this phase of life is that you die young.
Jesus referred to the cycle of life when He made His prediction of Peter’s death that would Glorify Him It is stated in (St. John21 :18) and it says: “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.” When Peter was young he could have avoided this but in his old age he had no choice but to yield. That is true of all living beings.
If you have a relative or friend that is going through their second childhood you must first learn to be patient with them because they are not as quick moving as they once were and you will need to move slowly with them. They will not remember things you tell them or explain to them and many times will again request the same info that you just gave them. Finally you must learn to be considerate of their situation. Many times they will say harsh things to you and seem ungrateful for your help and will many times lash out at you. You must consider their situation and realize that they are not in control. The natural ageing affects or the illness is controlling them and causing them to act in ways or say things that they would never do or say were they in a normal state of mind and health. Realizing it is not them you must learn to ignore those outburst and not retaliate them. Helping one through the second childhood is usually more difficult than the first phase. There is however a humorous side if one is suffering from a loss in hearing or clarification. They will repeat many things they thought you said that will be totally different from what was said. It will sound similar but is so far off that it is downright funny. I had that problem and it got to the place that my grand kids would say something and ask me what they said and be ready for the laugh and I would laugh with them.
Conclusion
This short book was written as a result of experience and some extensive research to understand what was happening to me. I was 59, healthy and Jubilant when I was suddenly and unexpectedly hit by a major stroke. I never thought anything like this would happen to me. I had not been in a hospital as a patient for 40 years. I thought that other people got ill but not me. All of a sudden I had to accept the reality of having been hit by a serious illness that would change my life. I had been use to doing everything for myself and taking care of all of my financial affairs. The stroke affected some of my mental functions but I maintained my mobility and the use of my hands. I did however find that I did not see and hear as well as I had in the past. I lost my depth and motion perception. As a result of this my driving ability was severely affected. I had to accept the fact that I should no longer drive and I would be dependent on my wife to do the driving. In past years I had made my living as a traveling Co. representative that drove an average of 30,000 miles a year. My memory, comprehension of new material and my concentration was also heavily affected. Again I” had to accept the fact that my wife would be handling all of the household business matters.(What a scary thought) It was a learning process for her and an adaptive one for me. So far we have both survived. At this point I want to thank God for a dedicated Godly wife of 40 years As she stood beside my bed She said to me some of the most encouraging words I had ever heard. Her words were; “Honey you have taken care of me and the kids for 40 years We will now take care of you with the help of the Lord. After about 3 years my son stepped in and moved both of us into his house in Las Vegas that was much too large for him. This was done so that he could help his mom care for me until I was well. After 5 month with him I was hit with a second major stroke that partially paralyzed my left side. After discharge from the hospital I was admitted to a rehabilitation center to help restore my mobility and hand use. functions. As I write this I visit the center once weekly for outpatient therapy. This writing was done with one hand because the left fingers are not functional enough to press asdf. It has been hard for me to accept the constant help of others to do simple things like buttoning my right shirt sleeve, tying my shoe and washing my back in the shower. At the age of 63 I can see many of the second childhood signs creeping up on me. . My wife and son has been most helpful and supportive and I am learning to accept it. Many times for older seniors they do not realize that this is happening to them so family and friends must realize what is happening and put forth extra effort to help their loved ones through this final phase of the life cycle. I see a definite benefit in all this because God is molding me into what He wants me to ultimately be. I will be better than what I was and able to serve Him better and He will be Glorified through it all. I have grown stronger in my faith and have become better and not bitter. I hope that this short writing has been a blessing to you and was well worth the time you spent reading it.
Rev. eorgeryor Th.M.
Trinityman@cox.net
Author Resource:- http://www.revgeorge.myeweb.net
Introduction:
We are at this time going to examine the cycle of life and how it affects all living beings.
Once a man, twice a child,” is a proverb. It’s not a Biblical one but a good one. Proverbs are brief sayings that distill wisdom into memorable words. We value proverbs because they illuminate the human experience. This proverb points out what we frequently see.
A child is born and is dependent upon someone else for everything necessary to sustain life. As the child grows and matures he or she is able to care for themselves and becomes fully functional as they progress and grow into adult hood, but all too often the adult reverts to childlike attitudes, actions and ability to function independently. This is caused by natural aging, an ill health condition such as a Stroke, Heart Attack, Parkinsons, Alchemizes disease. Many times it is a combination of ill health and natural ageing which compounds the effects. It is common to hear it said that someone is “in their second childhood” because of the way they act;
having to be told when, where and how to go, when and what to wear and eat, when to take medications, when to go to bed and when to get out of bed, many times having to wait for assistance with those activities and others such as; eating, grooming, bathing, toileting, getting up and down. After a child matures and starts to function as a young adult and enjoy life the thought never enters their mind that one day they will be dependent on others to help them with everything again. The only way to bypass this phase of life is that you die young.
Jesus referred to the cycle of life when He made His prediction of Peter’s death that would Glorify Him It is stated in (St. John21 :18) and it says: “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.” When Peter was young he could have avoided this but in his old age he had no choice but to yield. That is true of all living beings.
If you have a relative or friend that is going through their second childhood you must first learn to be patient with them because they are not as quick moving as they once were and you will need to move slowly with them. They will not remember things you tell them or explain to them and many times will again request the same info that you just gave them. Finally you must learn to be considerate of their situation. Many times they will say harsh things to you and seem ungrateful for your help and will many times lash out at you. You must consider their situation and realize that they are not in control. The natural ageing affects or the illness is controlling them and causing them to act in ways or say things that they would never do or say were they in a normal state of mind and health. Realizing it is not them you must learn to ignore those outburst and not retaliate them. Helping one through the second childhood is usually more difficult than the first phase. There is however a humorous side if one is suffering from a loss in hearing or clarification. They will repeat many things they thought you said that will be totally different from what was said. It will sound similar but is so far off that it is downright funny. I had that problem and it got to the place that my grand kids would say something and ask me what they said and be ready for the laugh and I would laugh with them.
Conclusion
This short book was written as a result of experience and some extensive research to understand what was happening to me. I was 59, healthy and Jubilant when I was suddenly and unexpectedly hit by a major stroke. I never thought anything like this would happen to me. I had not been in a hospital as a patient for 40 years. I thought that other people got ill but not me. All of a sudden I had to accept the reality of having been hit by a serious illness that would change my life. I had been use to doing everything for myself and taking care of all of my financial affairs. The stroke affected some of my mental functions but I maintained my mobility and the use of my hands. I did however find that I did not see and hear as well as I had in the past. I lost my depth and motion perception. As a result of this my driving ability was severely affected. I had to accept the fact that I should no longer drive and I would be dependent on my wife to do the driving. In past years I had made my living as a traveling Co. representative that drove an average of 30,000 miles a year. My memory, comprehension of new material and my concentration was also heavily affected. Again I” had to accept the fact that my wife would be handling all of the household business matters.(What a scary thought) It was a learning process for her and an adaptive one for me. So far we have both survived. At this point I want to thank God for a dedicated Godly wife of 40 years As she stood beside my bed She said to me some of the most encouraging words I had ever heard. Her words were; “Honey you have taken care of me and the kids for 40 years We will now take care of you with the help of the Lord. After about 3 years my son stepped in and moved both of us into his house in Las Vegas that was much too large for him. This was done so that he could help his mom care for me until I was well. After 5 month with him I was hit with a second major stroke that partially paralyzed my left side. After discharge from the hospital I was admitted to a rehabilitation center to help restore my mobility and hand use. functions. As I write this I visit the center once weekly for outpatient therapy. This writing was done with one hand because the left fingers are not functional enough to press asdf. It has been hard for me to accept the constant help of others to do simple things like buttoning my right shirt sleeve, tying my shoe and washing my back in the shower. At the age of 63 I can see many of the second childhood signs creeping up on me. . My wife and son has been most helpful and supportive and I am learning to accept it. Many times for older seniors they do not realize that this is happening to them so family and friends must realize what is happening and put forth extra effort to help their loved ones through this final phase of the life cycle. I see a definite benefit in all this because God is molding me into what He wants me to ultimately be. I will be better than what I was and able to serve Him better and He will be Glorified through it all. I have grown stronger in my faith and have become better and not bitter. I hope that this short writing has been a blessing to you and was well worth the time you spent reading it.
Rev. eorgeryor Th.M.
Trinityman@cox.net
Author Resource:- http://www.revgeorge.myeweb.net
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