You Can Be What You Want To Be

There is inside you all of the potential
to be whatever you want to be...
all of the energy to do whatever
you want to do.
Imagine yourself as you would like to be,
doing what you want to do,
and each day, take one step towards
your dream.
And though at times it may seem too
difficult to continue,
hold on to your dream.
One morning you will awake to find
that you are the person you dreamed of...
doing what you wanted to do...
simply because you had the courage
to believe in your potential
and to hold on to your dream.
 

~Donna Levine~

Psalm 133:7

"He lifts the poor from the dust and the needy from the garbage dump." Psalm 133:7

All these things the Lord does through angels and these angels that I am talking about are not the one we expect as we read from the bible the account of angels with wings and some with three heads.

These angels that God uses for this task of lifting the poor and the needy are earthly human being.

Unlike many of us these angels are not just regular human beings, only one thing make them extraordinary and that thing is their willingness to partner with God in delivery a miracle to a soul in need.


Our God is a miracle working God and He is always looking for willing soul in which to deliver a miracle to someone through. At the end of every miracle there is a delivery agent!

if you have ever experienced a miracle before, take time to track back through the steps of what happened and you will find that there was a delivery man or woman involved in the manifestation of your miracle experience.

Someone opened His\Her heart and said to the Lord "use me today to become an answer to someone's prayer out there" and seeing their willingness to serve God answered that particular prayer you have been asking for so long.

It was because someone chooses to halt their needs and desire yours where meet.

For the Israelites to receive a miracle of being freed from 400 years of slavery God used Moses for a job that God Himself would have completed in one day all because Moses Had a willing and faithful heart.

For Saul to defeat the Philistines God used a small shepherd boy David who had a heart of a lion and said to God "Send me to do your will", God uses ordinary people to become extraordinary if only they are willing to let Him use them!

Today a Child on the street has been cry out to God for help and God has been searching all over to and fro looking for souls that are will to partner with Him in a miracle delivery.

It time we stop living selfishly and start to serve others, for Jesus came and served us by giving up His life so we can live and have life of abundance.

Sometimes our need should have to wait for others need to be fulfilled.
It is time to open up our hearts in selfless sacrifice and just allow God to us powerfully in becoming someone's unexplainable miracle.

God wants to "lifts the poor from the dust and the needy from the garbage dump." Psalm 133:7 and He is looking to those who are blessed and have "Freely received" to start to "Freely give".

Let us make it our priority to make someone else's day that small kindness your planning to show someone can help them forget all the 10 years of suffering they have gone through, just one day of smiling back at someone [be a stranger or family or friend] can restore hope in that person’s heart.

Even a smile expressed out of love can be a miracle to some of the people out there who are feeling reject and unwanted. Become someone's miracle today!

God is not finished with you yet

“The boy appeared to be dead. A murmur ran through the crowd as people said, “He’s dead” But Jesus took him by the hand and helped him to his feet and he stood up” Mark 9:26b-27

In what type of a situation do you find yourself in today? Do you maybe find yourself in a situation where those around you are telling you that all is finished with you? Are the people around you already judging you dead concerning whatever mess you find yourself in?

Have you been ridiculed and dragged down by people’s words that you will never amount to anything in life? Do not be dismayed my friend, you do not have to get people’s approval to start believing in yourself.

You may appear to be dead right now from the outside, that people can see, but they are missing the only place that counts; your inside, you are more alive on the inside than you or anyone could imagine.

When God breathed Life into you He didn’t breathe a Spirit of failure. The one who breathed life into you is omnipotent, He is extraordinary and from Him only the extraordinary are produced.

When God created you He gave you a command that would shape your whole existence. He said “Fill the earth and govern it” Genesis 1:28b. He didn’t command this the other way round. In you God created someone who would govern, that means He gave you the potential to be great.

You need to start seeing yourself through God’s eyes and not through human eyes. The reason that today you feel so worthless is because you might be “seeing merely from a human point of view,[and] not from God’s [view]” Mark 8:33b.

Yes seeing yourself survive that situation you are in and becoming what you are meant to be “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But not with God. Everything is possible with God.” [Mark 10:27]

Today you might be in a wall of murmur from those around you or even you helping the murmuring along, but you do not have to go on like that! Reach out your hand and let Jesus take you by the hand and help you on your feet so that you can stand up to life again.

God said “I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born I set you apart" [Jeremiah 1:5] “For I know the plans I have for you…they are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope” [Jeremiah 29:11]

Your whole life it’s a plan from God and nothing that He plans can leave the earth without fulfilling that which He has set it apart to complete.

No matter how dead people say you are, you are alive more than you or they can imagine you were “Set apart” by God for a purpose and “He will never leave you nor forsake you” until you have achieved that which you were “Set apart” to achieve; which is only greatness; from God only extraordinary things are produced!

Going Through

We will all go through situations in life. Many times, we think the phrase: "I'm going through something" is bad news, but if we view it properly, we realize GOING THROUGH is good: It means we are not stuck!! We may be facing difficulties, but at least we are moving forward.

Remember Isaiah 43:2: When you pass through the waters, I will be with you, and through the rivers,they will not overwhelm you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned or scorched, not will the flame kindle upon you."

God's word is Clear: We will go through things. We will face adversities in our lives. That is not bad news. To me it is good news. We grow stronger in our faith. Smile, face your fears and enjoy your challenges.



A message from a really good friend. Thanks Ria!

The Shield of Faith

Text: Ephesians 6:16.

Introduction:

We are well acquainted with the Christian's armor as given in Ephesians 6. For successful warfare we must put on the whole armor of God, because". . we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places."

I want to call your attention to one piece of the armor carried by the Christian-the shield of faith. The shield that Paul had in mind here is not the small, round buckler, but the oblong, door-like shield, measuring 4' x 2 ', curved to the shape of the body and carried by the Greek and Roman soldiers. When joined together, these large shields formed a wall behind which a body of troops could hide themselves from the rain of the enemy's missiles.

These military shields were made of wood, covered on the out- side with thick leather, which not only deadened the shock of the missile, but protected the frame of the shield from the fire-tipped darts used in the artillery of the ancients.

So, faith is the shield of the Christian soldier, defending him from the fierce attacks of the foe from within and without. The shield of faith is able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. This shield cannot be pierced or destroyed by the fiercest fires of hatred or malice. The arrows of the evil one, though flaming with cruelty, are stopped by the shield and extinguished.

By the help of the Lord, I want to strengthen your faith. I want you to go from this building feeling stronger in faith than when you entered.

There are so many things which work to destroy our faith in God. The skepticism and the doubts voiced by an unbelieving world are often used by Satan to shake the faith of the best of God's people.
Again, the unfaithful lives of Christians are often used by the Devil to wreck faith. Therefore, we need to know some very simple but fundamental things about faith and what it can do for us.

I. WHAT IS FAITH?

Simply defined, faith is belief and trust. It is believing God and trusting God. Both elements must be present to make faith.

It was a good answer that was once given by a poor woman to a minister who asked her, "What is faith?" She replied, "I'm ignorant, and I cannot answer well, but I think it is taking God at His Word."
Faith is the foundation of all Christian graces. Dr. Arthur Pink says, "The beginning of faith is faith in the beginning." The Word tells us, "Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the Word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear."

There is no true faith that does not begin at recognition of God as Creator. We must believe that before we can believe anything else.

After the acceptance of God, we must accept the way for coming to God. This is the blood-sprinkled way. No one can come to God except through Jesus Christ. This must be accepted by faith.

After salvation, it is necessary that we walk and work by faith. Someone may be asking even now, "How can I get faith, and how can my faith be increased?" This answer is given us in Romans 10:17, "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." The beginning, progress and strength of faith are by hearing. God gives faith, but it is by the Word as the instrument.

If we are to have faith, we must hear and believe His Word. It is not hearing the enticing words of man's wisdom, but the Word of God which will increase faith. And how must we hear it? We must hear it as the Word of God. Believe the Word, read the Word, hear the Word is the way for faith to increase. Read His precious promises and rest upon them. There is no other way to get faith but this way.

II. WHAT FAITH DOES NOT DO

There are disappointed and disillusioned Christians all about us because they misinterpreted the working of faith.

As an example, I heard a man say not too long ago, "Since I became a Christian, it seems that everything has gone wrong. We have had sickness and suffering. I have lost my job. We have had much trouble, but through it all God has been good and has helped us."

Notice some things that faith does not do:

A. Does not shield from physical suffering. 2 Cor.11:24-27.

B. Does not shield from loss of earthly possessions. I firmly believe that God does bless those who believe in Him and are honest with Him. I have seen this proven many times. But we do not put our faith in Christ and serve Him simply so that we can prosper in a material way.

Some Christians seem to think that because they believe in God and Christ that they must prosper greatly; and if they lose their earthly possessions, they become rebellious and feel that God has failed. We can find the records of many great Christians who were stripped of every possession; for in it all, God had a definite purpose.

C. Does not guarantee ease. Turn to Hebrews 11, that great chapter of faith, and you will see that those whose names grace God's honor roll suffered much.

Moses, chosen of God, turned from the ease and luxury of Egypt, "choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season."
See--Heb. 11:36-38. How did they do this? Through faith in God.

D. Does not shield from grief. We will have grief in life, for death is all about us. Our loved ones will be separated from us. God does not promise anything else, for saints and sinners come to die. He does not say that we can simply have faith and live on in this life. Or that we can have faith and sustain the lives of others.

These are some things that faith does not do. Now, may we turn to the positive side of the matter.

III. WHAT FAITH DOES

A. Faith saves. (Eph. 2:8,9)
Salvation is not by works; it is not by doing, but it is by believing. God has put salvation in such a place that it can be reached by all men.

B. Faith justifies (Rom. 5:1)
When we are justified, we are made right in the sight of God.

C. Faith stabilizes.
In the same passage, Ephesians 6, the apostle speaks again and again of standing, being steadfast in our warfare. It is faith that makes us steadfast when the battle is raging hot. It is faith that gives us the courage to stand when the flesh desires to run.

Compare I Corinthians 16:13; Psalm 125:1 The shield will be sufficient to quench the fiery darts of the wicked one.

D. Faith strengthens. (Phil. 4:13). When we have faith in God, no task is too hard. God has the power for our lives, if we will tie on to Him. In ourselves we can do nothing; through Him we can do all things.

E. Faith sings. When I mentioned a moment ago the many hardships that Christians can expect in this life, I did not exaggerate one bit. That is the common portion of man. But I want to emphasize this: though we have physical suffering, loss of possessions, hardships and grief, we can have a song in our hearts in the midst of the darkest night. It was faith that made Paul sing at the midnight hour. They were not singing because they feared the darkness or the hand of the Roman government. They sang because their hearts were full of faith and they knew that God was with them. Take this motto for your life: "Rejoice evermore." Rest on the promises. Rejoice in the Lord.

6. Faith sends us out. It is faith that makes us messengers and witnesses for Christ. What God has done for us, He can do for others. The same Christ who saved me can save any lost one who will come in repentance and faith to Him.

I have faith in the willingness of Christ to save anyone who will receive Him as Saviour. Whether that person be in the heart of Africa or in our own city, His promise is, ". . him that cometh unto me, I will in no wise cast out."

We can have faith in the power of Christ to save to the utter-most. "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek."

In Hebrews 7:25, we read, "Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. "It is a joy to preach the unsearchable riches of Christ and to know that He is able to save. I would not want to preach if there were a doubt in my mind regarding His power.

Therefore, it is my faith in the blessed Saviour which sends me into the field to preach and witness. "Above all, taking the shield of faith Friend without Christ, His promises are true. He will save you now, if you will only believe. Not a fiery dart of the wicked has ever pierced the shield of faith. No one has ever been lost who has stood behind that shield. It is yours today for the taking.


Sermon by Dr. Lee Roberson
Chancellor, TennesseeTemple University
Pastor Emeritus, Highland Park BaptistChurch
Chattanooga, TN

Don't fear

Tell your heart that the fear of suffering is worse than the suffering itself, and that no heart has ever suffered when it goes in search of its dreams, because every second of the search is a second encountered with God and with eternity.

We must dicipline ourselves to see the achievements and not the failures. Stay close to God and He will show you the success you will be if you don't lose faith in God.

read John 14:12

 

High Aces or Jokers

We all take a gamble in many different ways on an almost daily basis.

Whether it is when we use the milk that has only ‘just’ expired or when we  push our luck with others, gambling with our longevity…

Lots of people go every week and buy Lotto tickets with the hopes that this week will be the big one even though the odds are that they are more likely to be struck by lightning (possibly twice) than actually winning.

These are all semi harmless forms of gambling that are generally not too damaging for the person involved and can be said creates excitement which in moderation can be good for a persons psyche.
But there is the Ugly side to Gambling that have people forsaking everything (even selling their homes) just for that adrenaline rush that the possibility of winning BIG can give them. Whether they are up or down, it doesnt matter. It is merely the act of taking a chance with big possibilities that does it for them.

• But what do you do if you know someone who goes almost every second day to the local casino?
• What do you do when you see how they have stopped their usual daily routine in return for a nocturnal casino dwelling one?
• What do you do when you learn that this person spends in excess of R5 000.00 per month on gambling?
• What do you do when you see someone sell all their worldly possessions to support this habit?
• What do you do when you are probably the only person around that sees this happening?
• What do you do when they mask their addiction under the guise of ‘working’ and ‘financial trouble’?
• What do you do with information of such a travesty but unable to tell anyone else because the truth is too ugly, and no one wants to believe the truth?

The reality is that there is nothing that can be done. You have to wait for them to hit rock bottom first. You have to wait for them to come to you and ask for help. Because any help given or offered before will be seen as interfering and create further hostility of which there is currently far too much.

Myths & Facts about Gambling Addiction and Problem Gambling

MYTH: You have to gamble every day to be a problem gambler.
FACT: A problem gambler may gamble frequently or infrequently. Gambling is a problem if it causes problems.

MYTH: Problem gambling is not really a problem if the gambler can afford it.
FACT: Problems caused by excessive gambling are not just financial. Too much time spent on gambling can lead to relationship breakdown and loss of important friendships.

MYTH: Partners of problem gamblers often drive problem gamblers to gamble.
FACT: Problem gamblers often rationalize their behavior. Blaming others is one way to avoid taking responsibility for their actions, including what is needed to overcome the problem.

MYTH: If a problem gambler builds up a debt, you should help them take care of it.
FACT: Quick fix solutions may appear to be the right thing to do. However, bailing the gambler out of debt may actually make matters worse by enabling gambling problems to continue.
 

In the meantime my heart breaks for you. I wish you weren’t such an opinionated hostile creature. We would try working through this with you. But alas, you are a grown-up man and you need to live with the choices you make. Right or wrong.

When the time is right. We will be here for you, you only need to ask.

P.S. If you know someone that needs help or need advice regarding gambling give these guys a call.
 
National Gambling Board : 0800 006 008

Marriage

When I got home that night as my wife served dinner, I held her hand and said, I've got something to tell you.

She sat down and ate quietly. Again I observed the hurt in her eyes.

Suddenly I didn't know how to open my mouth. But I had to let her know what I was thinking. I want a divorce. I raised the topic calmly.

She didn't seem to be annoyed by my words, instead she asked me softly, Why?

I avoided her question. This made her angry. She threw away the chopsticks and shouted at me, you are not a man!

That night, we didn't talk to each other. She was weeping. I knew she wanted to find out what had happened to our marriage. But I could hardly give her a satisfactory answer; she had lost my heart to Jane.

I didn't love her anymore. I just pitied her!

With a deep sense of guilt, I drafted a divorce agreement which stated that she could own our house, our car, and 30% stake of my company. She glanced at it and then tore it into pieces.

The woman who had spent ten years of her life with me had become a stranger. I felt sorry for her wasted time, resources and energy but I could not take back what I had said for I loved Jane so dearly. Finally she cried loudly in front of me, which was what I had expected to see.

To me her cry was actually a kind of release.

The idea of divorce which had obsessed me for several weeks seemed to be firmer and clearer now.
The next day, I came back home very late and found her writing something at the table.

I didn't have supper but went straight to sleep and fell asleep very fast because I was tired after an eventful day with Jane.

When I woke up, she was still there at the table writing. I just did not care so I turned over and was asleep again. In the morning she presented her divorce conditions: she didn't want anything from me, but needed a month's notice before the divorce. She requested that in that one month we both struggle to live as normal a life as possible. Her reasons were simple:

Our son had his exams in a month's time and she didn't want to disrupt him with our broken marriage.
This was agreeable to me.

But she had something more, she asked me to recall how I had carried her into out bridal room on our
wedding day. She requested that every day for the month's duration I carry her out of our bedroom to the front door ever morning.

I thought she was going crazy.

Just to make our last days together bearable I accepted her odd request.

I told Jane about my wife's divorce conditions. . She laughed loudly and thought it was absurd. No matter what tricks she applies, she has to face the divorce, she said scornfully.

My wife and I hadn't had any body contact since my divorce intention was explicitly expressed. So when I carried her out on the first day, we both appeared clumsy. Our son clapped behind us, daddy is holding mommy in his arms. His words brought me a sense of pain. From the bedroom to the sitting room, then to the door, I walked over ten meters with her in my arms. She closed her eyes and said softly; don't tell our son about the divorce. I nodded, feeling somewhat upset.I put her down outside the door. She went to wait for the bus to work. I drove alone to the office.

On the second day, both of us acted much more easily. She leaned on my chest. I could smell the fragrance of her blouse. I realized that I hadn't looked at this woman carefully for a long time. I realized she was not young any more. There were fine wrinkles on her face, her hair was graying! Our marriage had taken its toll on her. For a minute I wondered what I had done to her.

On the fourth day, when I lifted her up, I felt a sense of intimacy returning. This was the woman who had given ten years of her life to me.

On the fifth and sixth day, I realized that our sense of intimacy was growing again.
I didn't tell Jane about this.

It became easier to carry her as the month slipped by. Perhaps the everyday workout made me stronger.

She was choosing what to wear one morning. She tried on quite a few dresses but could not find a suitable one. Then she sighed, all my dresses have grown bigger. I suddenly realized that she had grown so thin, that was the reason why I could carry her more easily.

Suddenly it hit me... she had buried so much pain and bitterness in her heart. Subconsciously I reached out and touched her head. Our son came in at the moment and said, Dad, it's time to carry mom out. To him, seeing his father carrying his mother out had become an essential part of his life. My wife gestured to our son to come closer and hugged him tightly. I turned my face away because I was afraid I might change my mind at this last minute. I then held her in my arms, walking from the bedroom, through the sitting room, to the hallway. Her hand surrounded my neck softly and naturally. I held her body tightly; it was just like our wedding day. But her much lighter weight made me sad.
On the last day, when I held her in my arms I could hardly move a step. Our son had gone to school.
I held her tightly and said, I hadn't noticed that our life lacked intimacy.

I drove to office.... jumped out of the car swiftly without locking the door. I was afraid any delay would make me change my mind ...I walked upstairs.

Jane opened the door and I said to her, Sorry, Jane, I do not want the divorce anymore. She looked at me, astonished, and then touched my forehead. Do you have a fever? She said. I moved her hand off my head. Sorry, Jane, I said, I won't divorce. My marriage life was boring probably because she and I didn't value the details of our lives, not because we didn't love each other anymore. Now I realize that since I carried her into my home on our wedding day I am supposed to hold her until death do us apart.

Jane seemed to suddenly wake up. She gave me a loud slap and then slammed the door and burst into tears. I walked downstairs and drove away.

At the floral shop on the way, I ordered a bouquet of flowers for my wife. The salesgirl asked me what to write on the card. I smiled and wrote, I'll carry you out every morning until death do us apart. That evening I arrived home, flowers in my hands, a smile on my face, I run up stairs, only to find my wife in the bed - dead.

My wife had been fighting CANCER for months and I was so busy with Jane to even notice. She knew that she would die soon and she wanted to save me from whatever negative reaction from our son, in case we push thru with the divorce. At least, in the eyes of our son--- I'm a loving husband....

The small details of your lives are what really matter in a relationship. It is not the mansion, the car, property, the money in the bank. These create an environment conducive for happiness but cannot give happiness in themselves. So find time to be your spouse's friend and do those little things for each other that build intimacy.

Do have a real happy marriage!

If you don't share this, nothing will happen to you. If you do, you just might save a marriage.

Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.

11 ways to age gracefully

The following list provides 11 ways to age well:
 

1. Honour the need to reflect on your life and experience, since it can be therapeutic.

2. Participate in some form of aerobic exercise like brisk walking which improves heart and lung functioning.

3. Learn an activity like Tai chi since it improves balance and have been shown to reduce the risk of injuries as a person ages.

4. Weight train to maintain muscle and bone strength.

5. Participate in fulfilling sexual activity to stimulate the sexual-reproduction system.

6. Eat more fruits and vegetables to maintain or improve digestion and to obtain critical nutrients to maintain health.

7. Eat a diet high in nutrient-dense foods and possible supplementation of B vitamins, particularly B12 and folic acid, to lessen the risk of undernourishment.

8. Use medications responsibly.

9. Get involved in your community through continuing education, volunteer work, religious involvement, political activism, and staying in touch with supportive friends and family.

10. Keep the mind active through engaging in regular learning, educational games, reading, or continuing education.

11. Drink plenty of water throughout the day to keep your tissues hydrated.

Positive power of happiness

It is simple and easy to be happy. The hard part is convincing yourself, and getting past your own resistance to happiness.

You might assume that just because things are one way or another, there is no possibility of happiness. Yet that assumption is entirely mistaken.


You know precisely how to be happy, how to create the feeling of happiness within yourself and how to express it within any context. You've done it many times in a whole lot of different situations.

Your happiness does not come from the moment, or the surroundings, or even from the people around you. It comes from you, and from your decision to feel its positive power.

Go ahead and skip right over all those reasons why you can't be happy. Instead, think of the times when you have been happy and recall the strategy you've always used to bring that happiness to life.


Activate that very same strategy right now. And bring the positive power of your own happiness to this very moment