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When I renewed the ChristianBloggers.Spruz.com I did it because I knew there were a group of bloggers out there that I would like to connect with!  We have now reached the cap for the number of members for our group that Spruz.com will allow us to have for free. 

What does this mean for us?

It means that those of us already on the site can continue to use it. 

However, it means that the individuals who are trying to join now can't because it is not a paid group.

What do I need from you?

I need to know if you want to continue to grow this site.  If you do, please reply to this message and let me know the answers to these questions:

1.  Are you willing to donate money to help continue the site?

2.  Are you willing to pay a small fee (e.g. $1) to start a community on another site?

Please pray for this community, that we go with God's will for it.

Thanks!

Liz Barnett of WomanlyWoman.com

Administrator, ChristianBloggers.Spruz.com

This is the last post of September and I wanted to use it to introduce you to some of what I am going to be doing in the next month. October is what I called “Survivor Month”. Why? Because it’s the month chosen for the awareness of two causes dear to my heart: Domestic Violence and Breast Cancer.

This year I would like for you to hear about different things regarding these causes. But this blog is not just for me, if you are a domestic violence or a breast cancer survivor and you want to share your story, please send it to me at therisingmuse @ gmail.com We would love to hear your story of going from victim to victory and encourage those who are still in the middle of the struggle. If your story is chosen to be featured here on The Rising Muse, you will get a copy of my new e-book, The Road Home as my token of gratitude for sharing your story.

And not forgetting that today is Worship Friday, I felt that there was no more appropriate song to worship the Lord with a song that actually talks about us putting our faith in Him through our struggles.

Have a blessed weekend!

“Aimee is a constant positive influence in Desiree's life, gently demonstrating God's love and mercy. ”Mary Anne Benedetto

“Very well written. ”Emme

“I would recommend The Road Home to any romantic, any lover of books, anyone struggling with forgiveness, a

I believe in the power of standing on the Word of God. What scriptures can I use to strengthen my faith and stand on the word when feelings of hatred come into my heart?

First of all acknowledge that the feeling is there. Hiding it will only deepen its roots. Then figure out what the reason is for the feeling.

Is it due to fear? If So: Then read the following

· Deuteronomy 11:25
No man will be able to stand against you. The LORD your God, as he promised you, will put the terror and fear of you on the whole land, wherever you go.

· Job 5:21
You will be protected from the lash of the tongue, and need not fear when destruction comes.

· Job 5:22
You will laugh at destruction and famine, and need not fear the beasts of the earth.

· Psalm 3:6
I will not fear the tens of thousands drawn up against me on every side.

· Psalm 23:4
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

· Psalm 27:3
Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then will I be confident

· Psalm 46:2
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea.

· Psalm 139:14
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

· Proverbs 3:25
Have no fear of sudden disaster or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked,

· Proverbs 29:25
Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is kept safe.

· Isaiah 41:10
So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

· Isaiah 41:13
For I am the LORD, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.

· Isaiah 51:7
“Hear me, you who know what is right, you people who have my law in your hearts: Do not fear the reproach of men or be terrified by their insults.

· Isaiah 54:4
“Do not be afraid; you will not suffer shame. Do not fear disgrace; you will not be humiliated. You will forget the shame of your youth and remember no more the reproach of your widowhood.

· Isaiah 54:14
In righteousness you will be established: Tyranny will be far from you; you will have nothing to fear. Terror will be far removed; it will not come near you.

· Jeremiah 39:17
But I will rescue you on that day, declares the LORD; you will not be handed over to those you fear.

· Jeremiah 42:11
Do not be afraid of the king of Babylon, whom you now fear. Do not be afraid of him, declares the LORD, for I am with you and will save you and deliver you from his hands.

 

“Aimee is a constant positive influence in Desiree's life, gently demonstrating God's love and mercy. ”Mary Anne Benedetto

“Very well written. ”Emme

“I would recommend The Road Home to any romantic, any lover of books, anyone struggling with forgiveness, anyone. ”Cynthia

PURPOSE:  Why are you calling the meeting?  If you don't have a goal in mind, cancel the meeting.  Your attendees will thank you for it.

AGENDA:  Create an agenda and if possible, get it attendees ahead of time.  This will help them know what will be discussed, come prepared with information and ideas and allow for focused discussions.  Keep your agenda concise so that you stay within your allotted time.

COME PREPARED:  What supplies will you need?  Computer? Projector? Wi-fi access?Dry erase markers?  Make sure that any audio/visual equipment is working properly.  Have extra copies of your agenda, writing paper and pens on hand.

APPOINT A RECORDER:  You can jot down notes here and there, but appoint someone else to record the notes.  This will allow you to focus on what is being said and keep the group on track.

BRING A CREATIVE ELEMENT TO YOUR MEETING:  Are you holding a brainstorming meeting?  Cover the table with paper and provide markers or crayons for attendees to doodle or jot down ideas.  Do you want your attendees to "think outside of the box"?  Provide a tactile object such as play dough or an Etch-A-Sketch(C) to channel creativity.

HONOR THEIR TIME:  Nothing turns a meeting attendee into a meeting skipper more than starting late or holding them longer than they expected.  Honor people by beginning and ending on time.  Ending five or ten minutes earlier than expected is even better.

SUMMARIZE WHAT'S BEEN DISCUSSED:  Review action points and what you need to follow-up on.  Make sure that everyone leaves knowing what has been accomplished and what they are responsible for.  If you plan a follow-up meeting, this information should be first on the agenda before tackling new tasks.

What would you add to the list?

I’m going to make this simple for you. Every feeling we have is natural. God gave us the ability to feel. The fact that makes a difference is our choice to act upon our feeling. The Word is very clear about what will happen depending on the choice we make. Let’s take a look.

If we choose to hate, act on our anger and sin

· He will keep us away from his presence and destroy those who tell lie and do evil. (Psalm 5:4-6)

· Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in the darkness.(1 John 2:9)

· Lose eternal life and be considered murderers. (1 John 3:15)

· Be considered a liar who doesn’t love God. (1 John 4:20)

If we choose to remain in God’s will and forgiveness, what are God’s promises for those who hate us.

· That he will keep our health and give sickness to those who hate us. (Deuteronomy 7:15)

· They will be shamed (Isaiah 66:5)

· He will save us from them. (Mark 13:13)

· If they hate us, they are hating God as well (John 15:23)

But the Bible says that there’s a time to hate. What we are allowed to hate?

· Sin

· Wickedness

· Falsehood (lies)

· Injustice

· Pride

· Arrogance

· Gossip

So now that we know how to identify our feelings and what are the options to our choices, let’s explore how to manage those feelings?

“Aimee is a constant positive influence in Desiree's life, gently demonstrating God's love and mercy. ”Mary Anne Benedetto

“Very well written. ”Emme

“I would recommend The Road Home to any romantic, any lover of books, anyone struggling with forgiveness, anyone. ”cynthia

Just letting all my readers know that I will be interviewed on the television show "Friends and Neighbors" on WATC, a local Christian television station in Atlanta Ga. This show is a Christian version of the program "The View" and my book The Road Home will be featured on it.

The show is live tomorrow September 13th, 2012 at 4:30pm EST. I am very humbled and grateful for this great opportunity and it would be great if you guys had the opportunity to tune in. You may think how can I tune in if I'm outside of the Atlanta area? The TV station has a live stream at www.watc.tv

I don't only look forward to this opportunity for to hear from all of you who are able to tune in.

Many blessings

Naty

 

“Aimee is a constant positive influence in Desiree's life, gently demonstrating God's love and mercy. ”Mary Anne Benedetto

“Very well written. ”Emme

“I would recommend The Road Home to any romantic, any lover of books, anyone struggling with forgiveness, anyone. ”cynthia

 

As we honor and keep in prayer those who’s lives were most greatly affected by this horrific tragedy, that ultimately pulled our country together as one UNITED nation…..

Lamentations 3:20-23
I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me. Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.(NIV)

Growth Lessons  http://ow.ly/deZC1

In Growth Lessons, I was reminded of this beautiful truth: Our walk with the Lord is a process of growing up into the image of Christ. P. Yates

I would recommend this book for anyone who would like some common sense and light added to their life. C. Cunningham

Great for meditations and daily devotions. N. Thames

Our church recently launched a 120-day prayer initiative, designed to help us commit to a more focused, fervent prayer life.  While we have launched other initiatives this past year, this is one that has really pulled at my heartstrings.  Allow me to tell you why.

I'm sure you're familiar with the phrase, "What's in the well comes up in the bucket."  As church leaders, we pour our lives into our the busyness of our ministries and the many, many details that come along with the job.  Sometimes, in our efforts to serve the Lord, we can lose sight of our own walk with the Lord.  We can push our own time with the Lord to the side to check our messages, search for that perfect craft, shop for supplies, attend countless meetings, etc.  But that is extremely dangerous.  Over time, without intentional care and nurturing, our spiritual wells end up empty.

Have you ever felt empty while serving?  I sure have.  Thankfully, I am now able to recognize when I need to take steps to get things back on track.  This 120-day prayer couldn't have come at a better time for me.

Our church provided ideas and resources for this campaign but God gave me a personal assignment.  For the next 120 days, I will pray one word back to God each day.  I will find a scripture that corresponds with that word and pray that back to God, too.  Then I will identify ways that I need to trust God in that area.  I am keeping these notes on index cards secured by a ring binder clip so that it is portable and easily accessible.

Let me share a synopsis of Day 1.  Day 1's word was "PEACE".  I meditated on Philippians 4:6-7, NLT:  "Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything.  Tell God what you need and thank him for all that he has done.  Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand.  His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus."  I jotted down specific ways that I needed God's peace in my life.

I am excited about what lies ahead in the next 120 days and how God will transform my life as a result.  I'll keep you posted!

What about you?  Tell me how you keep your well from drying out!

 

                        

     Am I the only one who thinks Martha gets somewhat of a bad rap whenever the story of “Mary and Martha” is the topic of discussion? If you’ve ever read your Bible, then more than likely you’ve read the story of Mary and Martha, right? If not, here’s the story in a nutshell … it’s about two sisters who welcomed Jesus into their home, Mary sat at Jesus’ feet, while Martha was busy cooking, cleaning and preparing their home….there DONE!;-)  The first thing everyone says when referring to this story is that Martha was just plain wrong! In my opinion, I really don’t think Martha's intentions were wrong at all. Now before you go jumping down my throat…hear me out…lol! Let’s be honest…it was something that probably needed to be done - I mean come on…she was only trying to be a good hostess for Jesus…right? Don’t lie; you would have probably done the same thing. Who wants to have the most important person in the world visit your home and it not be prepared? Martha may not have been wrong in her intentions, BUT, (and yes, I meant to write caps), Martha’s problem was the fact that she felt no one acknowledged her. She got her feelings hurt because she was busying herself doing the “behind the scenes” work and getting frustrated because she felt as if no one cared…poor Martha. Look, I’m not trying to be sarcastic, but I chuckle to myself, because I have found myself in this very same predicament…doing the “right thing” at the “wrong time”. Martha was so annoyed by the fact that what SHE was doing was not being recognized; she lashed out and tried to belittle what her sister was doing. We should NEVER put someone else down in order to make what we’re doing bigger and more important than it really is. Don’t get me wrong, if Martha had done this at any other time, she probably would have gotten commended. But because something MORE important (Kingdom work) was at hand, what she was doing became secondary. We must be careful when we’re doing “something good”; we don’t look for others to pat us on our backs. Everything we do, we should do it as unto the Lord! When we put it in that perspective, we take ourselves out of the picture, thus taking away the opportunity of getting our feelings hurt. It takes EVERYONE doing their part to make things go. If we get offended because no one is acknowledging OUR part, and get hung up on that, then we’ve defeated the whole purpose. This is exactly what the enemy wants us to do. Guard your hearts ladies! We should thank God that He even gave us a part - no matter how big or small. Remember, it’s His acknowledgement, not man’s that REALLY matters. Martha had mastered “SERVING’ Jesus, but opposite of her sister Mary, she still had a lot to learn about “ENJOYING” Him. Stop getting worked up about the “small stuff” - not getting every little thing perfect, lest you look up one day and life has passed you by and you haven’t even enjoyed it. Be careful and save yourself from your very own “woe is me” pity party, by not always thinking that what is important to us is as important to everyone else. So, with that being said…go get yourself a tall glass of ice tea - sweet that is,(sorry, I’m a southern girl), sit on the front porch…and enjoy…and let that glass of tea be the only thing in your life that’s sweatin’!!! Luke 10:38-42

For some, recruiting comes naturally.  (Just for the record, that is not me!)  They love interacting with people and sharing about their ministry just rolls off their tongues.  They are able to clearly communicate and cast vision for their ministry.  Some recruit to tasks, although this is a no-no in my opinion.  (You can read about that in a previous post.)

But for others, recruiting is down-right dreadful.  Why?  For some, it's fear.  Fear of the ask.  Here are some reasons why:

• Insecurity and inadequacy:  Some people have a hard time asking for help because it makes them look weak or inadequate.  God does not want us to lead as a team of one.   There are many parts that make up the body and each part is beneficial (1 Corinthians 12:12-31).  Celebrate the ways God has gifted our fellow brothers and sisters and kick that silo to the curb!
• Fear of rejection:  No one likes to be told "no", especially when we think that what we have to offer is the best thing happening.  Despite our best efforts, we need to remember that it is God who puts a stirring in the hearts of people and a "no" might leave a "yes" available for someone who God will use to deeply impact our ministry.
• Need for control:  Yep, I said it.  Some people have a hard time letting go of this because they don't want to hear the opinions of others and may feel that they might be upstaged.  Enough said.
• Not knowing what you need:  You know you need help.  You're just not sure what you need.  Take an honest look at your ministry.  What are your pressing needs?  Write job descriptions for those needs and use those to help communicate what exactly you're looking for.
• Waiting for your ministry to be "perfect":  I think it would be safe to say that we all want a ministry that we can be proud of.  But if we're working towards having all of our ducks in a row before we invite others into the process, we'll be missing out on some our greatest blessings.

Don't let fear stop you from inviting people into the ministry trenches with you!  Allow God to unleash the potential that He has for your ministry!

What's stopping you?  What would you add to this list?

Casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:5 KJV

Did you know that you can control your thoughts? 2 Corinthians 10:5 says we can. Thoughts form our reality. Our thoughts make us who we are. Proverbs 23:7 says, "As a man thinks in his heart, so is he".

It’s our responsibility to guard our minds against negative thoughts because what we think about the most, we will eventually become. So how to we practically apply "casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ?"

We bring into captivity every thought by the words of our mouth. It's impossible to think a negative thought and speak a positive word at the same time. The negative thought will have to leave while the positive words are coming out of your mouth.

One of the problem areas for me when it comes to negative thoughts attacking my mind has to do with my car breaking down on the highway. When I began driving as a teen, I called for towing service so much that I knew all of the tow truck drivers on a first name basis. My car was constantly breaking down on me. I suppose those early experiences helped shape the "fear" I have today about breaking down in some desolate area of town. Now fast forward to 2009.....

In 2009 I made a cross country move from Indiana to California in my 1992 Chevy Tahoe. My truck has been one of the most comfortable and reliable vehicles I have ever owned. This particular vehicle had never broken down on me before, but even thought I had no basis for “break down” thoughts, my mind was bombarded with thoughts about breaking down and having no phone reception to call for help during this road trip.

Even now I can recall driving through certain areas of Oklahoma at 3AM with not one single car in site. For me, those aren’t pleasant thoughts. My mind was plagued with negative thoughts and I continually had to bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ by speaking the Word of God out loud.

The scripture I used to get me to California safely on this trip was Psalm 34:7.....The angel of the Lord encamps around those who reverence Him and delivers them. I made the trip in 36 hours.  Other than fuel stops, I stopped to rest only once for 45 minutes. During this trip I probably spoke Psalm 34:7 out of my mouth over 100 times. Every time I found myself meditating on breaking down, I let Psalm 34:7 flow out of my mouth and each time I did, the thoughts of breaking down would leave. Speaking words is how we cast down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.

So what negative thoughts are you dealing with? What thoughts are you having that you know are detrimental to where you want to be in life? I urge you to bring into captivity every thought with the Word of God. Don't allow any thought that contradicts Gods Word to take root in your mind. Take the time to find a scripture to do battle with your mind and let that scripture flow from your mouth continually and you will stop your negative thoughts from having an opportunity to manifest in your life.

************

About the Author - ​Greg Winfield​ is the blog writer at FaithsMessenger.Com. To read more inspiring and uplifting messages go to: http://faithsmessenger.com/

The death of a loved one is tragic. None of us look forward to hearing the news of the death of a loved one, but experience with me for a moment, the story of Susan and the Last Will and Testament of her Uncle Ted.

Everything was going fine for Susan until she heard of the death of her distant Uncle Ted. Susan wasn't aware that she had an Uncle Ted, until word reached her of his death through relatives. Susan went to the funeral and dealt with her sorrow over the death. Sometime after the funeral, Susan found out that Uncle Ted had a Will that she was included in. Later that week, she and several other relatives met at the attorney’s office to go over the Last Will and Testament of her Uncle Ted. In the Will, Susan found out that Ted left her $1,000,000. Great! Now it appears that she will be financially set for life. Susan left the attorneys office, and went home with a smile on her face and an optimistic attitude about the future.

6 months after Susan's meeting with the attorney, she found out that she was being laid off from work. The news was devastating, but with a positive attitude, she made up her mind that she was going to get through it. 4 months after her last day on the job, Susan begins to find that money is very tight. She's spent all of her savings and she's down to her last $20.00. She has looked all over for a job, but in this recession, no one is hiring.

2 more weeks go by and regrettably, Susan finds herself in line downtown at the County office applying for government assistance. This is something that she hates doing, but her financial situation dictates that this is her only option. The process of being approved takes another 2 weeks and Susan has no idea how she and her family are going to make it until they are approved. Refusing to lose hope, Susan prays to God and asks Him to provide a way for her to care for her family financially.

But wait a minute, the reader might ask. What about the $1,000,000 dollars that Uncle Ted left Susan in his Last Will and Testament? Why won't Susan simply use what Ted left her in his Will?

That's my point exactly.

A lot of times we as Christians look at things from the stand point of God providing the thing that we need as opposed to God having already provided for our need. The things God has provided for us are already there...in a trust for us. And when we are ready for them, we are to call for them. In the scenario above, Susan already had money in the bank; all she had to do was to begin making withdrawals from what was already set aside for her.

Jesus Christ came to earth then willingly died, putting into effect His Last Will and Testament. The bible is "the Will of God" in written form. Then He sent His representative, the Holy Spirit to act as the executor of the Will to make sure that those who were beneficiaries of the Will would have access to everything that was set aside for them in the Will.

So as in Susan's scenario, why are we willing to go without kingdom benefits that belong to us? Do a word search on the word "Salvation" and you'll find that it's Greek meaning is to heal, preserve, save, to do well, to make whole, deliverance and health.

God, through the death of His Son, Jesus has already provided everything that we could possibly need, want or desire that is consistent with a Godly life and placed them in a "trust" per se. Exactly what was provided for us is listed in His Last Will and Testament, the Bible. So when we need an item that has been promised to us in the Will, we pray for it from the stand point of us asking our Father for something that has already been set aside for us and not from the stand point of asking for something we're not sure we have a right to.

If we are indeed "saved" people, we should be living off the inheritance that our Father left us through the death of His Son Jesus. I think it's time we review our copy of the Will and find out what our Father has left us. Then we need to reclaim everything on the list that we currently don't have or have been cheated out of. If my Father left me something in the Will, then it's obvious that He wanted me to gain the benefit of having it.

Let's take a look at the Will again then hold it up against our lives to make sure we are receiving all the benefits that the Father send His only Son to die to provide for us.

 

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​About the Author - ​Greg Winfield​ is the blog writer at FaithsMessenger.Com. To read more inspiring and uplifting messages go to: http://faithsmessenger.com/

For the Christian, when we run into problems in our lives, we pray to God for deliverance from our situations. For some issues we seek counseling from a Pastor or leader in the church. Sometimes we request prayer from others in the Body of Christ to help us get past our challenges. Utilizing all of these resources is great but I'd like to deal with the mentality we have as we seek relief from our problems through prayer.

Think for a moment about the attitude of a farmer. Farmer's plant crops expecting a harvest. After preparing the soil, planting the seed at the appropriate time, and watering the seed, the farmer sits back and waits for his harvest. And after many days, he begins to see his crops coming in, which is no surprise to him. Obtaining a harvest is the reason why he planted. In fact it would be a little strange for a farmer to be shocked that his crops are coming in. That’s extreme faith.

Extreme faith is praying knowing that you will see results, just as the farmer knows that he will receive a harvest from the crops he planted. Extreme faith settles the issue before the seed is ever planted. Extreme faith thinks it’s abnormal NOT to get results.

How many times after praying with someone have you heard them say, "I sure hope that [prayer] works? But again going back to my farmer illustration, if the farmer planted his crops, then returned home saying "I sure hope that [planting] works" most would think there is something wrong with that picture. It's one thing to pray and seek God, hoping for the answer to your prayer. It's an entirely different thing to pray knowing that you will see results from your prayer.

What I find most is that deep down inside we still think that we can protect ourselves. Our mentality seems to be that if we hold back a little, we can protect ourselves "just in case it doesn’t work". It's the old "don't get your hopes up" mentality. Because, if your hopes aren't raised too high, you won't be too disappointed if things don't work out.

But yet we sing the praises of how mighty and powerful our God is. Come on folks! At what point are we actually going to begin believing that our God is all powerful and hand the reins of our lives completely over to Him?

What if you raised your hopes so high over an issue that they reached the sky. And then, the unthinkable happened....your prayer didn't get answered. Is not the "all powerful" God that we sing about every Sunday not powerful enough to see us through heartache, disappointment, or any other side effect of having a prayer go unanswered? Of course He is! So why do we hold back then?

So we find ourselves in a vicious cycle, going through the motions of prayer. It takes faith to get the answers we want, but we don't want to step out completely and get our hopes up too high, because if it doesn’t work, we don't want to suffer through disappointment, but is takes faith to get the answers we want, but we don’t want to get our hopes up too high because.....

I encourage you to live out what you believe. Do you believe God is all powerful in your life? Then live in such a way that speaks to what you believe. Stop trying to protect yourself. Stop trying to protect your heart. Give all that you have and all that you are to God and let Him be the protector of your heart. You will find that you've never experienced peace like the peace you'll find by placing yourself behind the cleft of the Rock.

 

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​About the Author - ​Greg Winfield​ is the blog writer at FaithsMessenger.Com. To read more inspiring and uplifting messages go to: http://faithsmessenger.com/

We were born to trust and we do it all day every day without giving it a second thought. We eat at restaurants without seeing our food being prepared trusting that the food will nourish our bodies and not harm them. We take the advice of our doctors trusting that their recommendations will help and not harm us. We obligate ourselves to long term financial commitments trusting we will have the finances to complete the purchase at a later date. We step off the curb in front of 2 ton moving vehicles trusting that they will stop for us.

These are just a few examples of how we use trust in situations with people whom we don’t even know on a daily basis to motivate successfully through life. No matter who you are or what your background is, you cannot exist without trusting in something or someone.

There is something within children that compels them to trust their parents. As a parent who raised a child from birth, there probably has never been a time when you had to gain your child's trust. Your child was born trusting you as their protector, their provider and as their comforter.

In fact, we would call a relationship where a child didn't trust his parent "abnormal". The same would be true of a situation where a child had to work themselves into a place where they could fully trust their parents.

Trust is given completely and entirely, then diminished as those whom we place our trust in show us that they are unworthy of it.

So with that being said, why do we have such a hard time trusting God as our parent? He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also, along with Him graciously give us all things? Romans 8:32 NIV.

How would YOU feel as the parent if your child whom you loved with all of your heart...a child whom you've taken care of, nurtured and provided for didn't believe a word you said? If you knew that your child was fearful that you wouldn’t provide for him or protect him, you might find yourself having a heart to heart with him and saying something like....I will not in any way fail you, nor give you up, nor leave you without support. I will not, I will not, I will not in any degree leave you helpless, nor forsake you, nor let you down (taken from Hebrews 13:5 AMP).

And to further comfort your child, you might find yourself saying to him or her, "Don’t be afraid or discouraged. I will personally go ahead of you. I will be with you. I will neither fail nor abandon you". (taken from Deuteronomy 31:8 NIV)

How reassuring is that! Personally, my confidence level would go through the roof if my parent spoke to me using the verbiage illustrated in Hebrews 13:5 and Deuteronomy 31:8, but having the creator of the universe speak to me in this way should settle all doubts and fears.

The key to living a fearless life is keeping these words in front of our eyes and in the midst of our heart continuously. Your car can only run so far on one tank of fuel without you having to refuel it. Your spirit functions the same way. Keep the fuel tank of your heart topped off with the comforting, reassuring Word of God and you'll find that there won't be any room for mis-trusting your Heavenly Father, no matter what situation you find yourself in.

1 Peter 3:15 - 16 But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. NIV

We Christians are narrow minded. We believe our way is the only right way. We have a Father who absolutely left no doubt that Jesus is the only way to eternal life. 

For many years this scripture scared me. Although I loved studying the bible and felt confident that I could explain the fundamentals of what I believe, I feared being attacked by members of religions who's life's calling seemed to be proving traditional Christianity wrong. My interpretation of 1 Peter 3:15 was that I should be the "Bible Answer Man", always ready and willing to verbally spar and participate in "Bible Wars" with people. I was absolutely wrong in my interpretation. Somehow I missed the words "gentleness, respect, and good behavior" in 1 Peter 3:15.

Our hope is in our Savior and soon coming King Jesus Christ and the salvation He provided for us on the cross. I have no trouble explaining that. But how do you handle someone who wants to spar or prove what you believe wrong?

Small is the gate and narrow is the road that leads to life and only a few find it....Matthew 7:14 NIV

I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me....John 14:6 NIV

OK, let's face it. We Christians are narrow minded. We believe our way is the only right way. We have a Father who absolutely left no doubt that Jesus is the only way to eternal life. But we, as fishers of men, must be led by the Holy Spirit in how we convey our beliefs or we run the risk of chasing off the fish. So when we encounter someone who wants to debunk our beliefs we must allow gentleness, respect and good behavior to speak on Christ's behalf.....the same gentleness, respect and good behavior that was spoken about in 1 Peter 3:15.

Heated bible debates have a way of getting out of hand quickly. Particularly with people who really aren’t seeking answers. Be careful to avoid those whose goal is to discredit our God and in the process cause us to behave in a way that doesn’t honor Christ.

Sometimes a calm response or even no response at all can speak louder than yelling at the top of our lungs. Allow your consistent good character to be your defense against your attackers. Live your life in such a way that when someone tries to slander you, as the scripture says, even they will be ashamed at what they had to say about you.

And after many days of watching your lifestyle of commitment to your belief, when they come to you in private seeking honest answers to the hope that lies within you, you will be able to share into the fertile ground of their heart the undeniable power of the Spirit of God.

While we listen not to the things that are heard, but at the things which are not heard. For the things which are heard are temporal, but the things which are not heard are eternal. Book of Greg, Chapter 10 verses 10-12...

Seeking Relief...

Imagine a piercing car alarm going off right outside your office window. The alarm has been going off for about 15 minutes and as the minutes of endless beeping increases; your headache grows in intensity. Seeking some relief, you pick up the Book of Greg and open it to the above scripture. As you read the scripture, you wonder how you'll be able to listen to something that can't be heard. Furthermore, how would you even know sounds existed if you can't hear them? As you continue to ponder this scripture, it occurs to you that you need some sort of listening device to help you hear what you don't have the ability in and of yourself to hear.

The Search for a Listening Device...

You go to the office next door and retrieve a radio from a supply closet. The radio is old and hasn't been used in years. As you walk back over to your office, you dust off the old box and wonder how anyone could have neglected such a fine radio. You take it over to your cubicle and plug it in, not knowing if it will work or not. As soon as you plug in the radio, you begin to hear the sweetest sounds of Andrea Bocelli bringing immediate relief to your soul. As you are taken to another place by the melodious sounds coming from the box, your mind is taken to a place where car alarms don't exist and you feel your headache slowly disappearing.

The Discovery of Sounds that Cannot Be Heard...

Sitting there behind your desk, you begin to drift in and out of a sweet consciousness, mentally imagining the sounds travelling over radio waves that could only be revealed by this most amazing radio. The harmonious blend of strings, woodwinds and the voice of a classical master soothe your soul and you thank God for the escape He has provided you.

The Parallel...

While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:18 KJV.

Seeking Relief...

For months you've been worried about your son. You thought that forcing him to move out would cause him to leave the life of drugs and alcohol he has chosen. But it seems that nothing could be farther from the truth. The fact that he called you from jail last night confirms that fact. As you try to compose yourself to give a presentation to a new client, your mind keeps reflecting back to his childhood and feelings of failure as a father keep creeping into your head. Seeking some relief from your anxiety, you close your eyes and mentally revisit the church service from last Sunday, particularly the part where the Pastor mentioned that we look not at the things which are seen.

Seeking a Visual Aid...

2 Corinthians 4:18 flashes across your mind as you cry out to God for the salvation of your son. Not knowing how to look at something that can't be seen, the Holy Spirit brings Acts 16:31-34 to mind. You read the passage about Paul and Silas being locked in prison. And as a result of God's miraculous power they were freed. The guard invited Paul to his house and after dinner, Paul preached the Word to the prison guard and his whole family and as a result they were all saved. As you continue to look at the later part of verse 31, you pray a short prayer based on that verse for the salvation of your son and begin to realize that looking at things which can't be seen means looking at things through God's Word.

Looking at Things Which Cannot Be Seen Through the Window of God's Word

After many days and continued focus on what could not be seen, your son comes to you and apologizes for his wayward ways. This visit has been the most pleasant you've had in years. Dressed in a white shirt and tie, he looks like he belongs on a magazine cover. You shake hands with him and hug him as he turns toward the door to leave. Just as he steps off the front porch he turns quickly toward you as if he's forgotten something and says, "Oh yeah dad, I forgot to tell you that I accepted the Lord last week and I started going to church again".

As your son drives off, a tear slowly finds its way down your cheek. Who would have ever thought that an invisible God who commands us to look at invisible promises could produce such visible results.

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About the Author - ​Greg Winfield​ is the blog writer at FaithsMessenger.Com. To read more inspiring and uplifting messages go to: http://faithsmessenger.com/

"I am not a role model".....

I few years ago a famous basketball player went on national television to make that claim. Personally, I disagree with that statement. Simply by existing, we become role models to those around us. Anyone with small children knows this to be true. We may not think we're being observed but when we least expect it our children will do or say something patterned after us. Hopefully the behavior that is displayed is a positive one as opposed to a negative one.

As Christians, our role model is Jesus Christ. 1 John 2:6 says, "Whoever claims to live in Him must walk as Jesus did" NIV. So as we live out our daily lives the saying "What would Jesus do" becomes a valid guideline. I find it such a privilege and honor to have the opportunity to be a representative of the King of Kings here in the earth.

It's one thing for a new Christian to be told to read the Gospels and model their lives after Christ. But it's an entirely different proposition to be able to see Christians in the workplace, at school, in the market and in every other area of life actually showing me, the new believer, how to live the life. Somehow seeing an example of the life Jesus lived in plain view lowered the bar for me and let me know that embarking on my "Christ like Journey" was indeed worth attempting.

As a new Christian, when I was encouraged to live my life as Christ lived His, I agreed and accepted this proposition but deep down inside I reasoned within myself and came to the conclusion that it's foolish to embark on a journey that can never be completed. I looked at how I was living at the time on such a low level and closed the door on the possibility of ever becoming more Christ like. I thank God for my early Christian mentors.

By no means were my Christian role models perfect. On the contrary, they made mistakes and were not ashamed to share those mistakes with me, which endeared me to them all the more. They showed me that while perfection is indeed unattainable, it’s possible to exhibit the Fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) which would plant the seed of desire in me to be more like Him. When the desire for anything is planted, striving toward obtaining the goal becomes easy.

I'd like to encourage the new believer to see your walk with Jesus and your effort to live as Christ lived not as pressure to perform an unobtainable task, but as an opportunity to lift up Christ to a world looking for answers. And as you conform more and more daily into the image of Christ, you will encourage those around you to follow you as you follow Him.

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About the Author - ​Greg Winfield​ is the blog writer at FaithsMessenger.Com. To read more inspiring and uplifting messages go to: http://faithsmessenger.com/