Knowing your True Identity!

...his father called him Benjamin. Genesis 35:18

When people label you, those labels can cause you to shrink instead of to stretch to your full potential. But the God who gave Jacob a new identity can give you one too. Are you struggling with the old names people called you and the old images you have of yourself? Nothing will change in your life until it first changes in your mind. Jacob's wife Rachel died in the desert in childbirth. Just before she died she named her son Ben-Oni, which means 'son of my sorrow'. When the midwife handed him to his father Jacob, he said, 'He shall not be called Ben-Oni, the son of my sorrow; he shall be called Benjamin, the son of the right hand' (the son of power). Guess which name prevailed? Benjamin! Hear this: you are who God says you are, not who others say you are! If God didn't give you the name, it's not yours. Only believe what God says about you. Nobody understood better than Jacob the power of a name change. It was in God's presence that Jacob the trickster was renamed Israel, '...a prince... with God...' (Genesis 32:28). Christ breaks the power of every negative thing that attaches itself to you. 'You're a saint, not a sinner; not a loser but a winner.' When people try to label you, tell them you don't answer to that name any more. Tell them the person they're talking about died, was buried, and rose brand new in Christ. God sees you as a new creation, so start thinking, talking and acting like one!

Getting Out of a Spiritual Slump - Part Two

'Jacob set up a pillar in the place where He talked with [God]...' Genesis 35:14
When you recall God's faithfulness to you it causes hope to rise in your soul. It enables you to face the future with confidence and say, '...He is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who... keep his commands' (Deuteronomy 7:9 NIV). Looking back and remembering is a scriptural principle that works. 'Jacob set up a pillar in the place where He talked with [God]'; 'Joshua set up twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan...' (Joshua 4:9 NAS); 'Samuel took a stone... set it up... and called [it]...Ebenezer, saying, '..."Thus far the Lord has helped us"' (1 Samuel 7:12 NKJV). The Bible says, 'No test... that comes your way is beyond... what others have had to face. All you need to remember is that God... [will] always be there...' (1 Corinthians 10:13 TM). Going back through Scripture and remembering the ups and downs of God's people and how He consistently came through for them, lends fresh perspective to your own situation and enables you to see a bigger picture. In Psalm 22 David starts out saying, 'God... I call to you... but you do not answer' (v. 2 NCV). But as soon as he starts remembering God's faithfulness he does a 180-degree turn around and says, 'Our ancestors trusted you... and you saved them. They called to you for help and... were not disappointed' (vv. 4-5 NCV). When you're in a spiritual free fall, stop dwelling on yourself and your disappointment and begin to focus on God. '...Not one word has failed of all the good promises he gave...' (1 Kings 8:56 NIV). He's still the same; He hasn't changed

Getting Out of a Spiritual Slump

'As soon as they began singing...' 2 Chronicles 20:22
Here's a simple but effective formula for handling a spiritual slump. Praise your way out! David starts Psalm 22 by asking, 'God, why have You forsaken me?' and ends it saying, '...You... dwell... [where]... praises... [are offered]' (Psalm 22:3 AMP). You won't always feel like praising God - that's why it's called '...the sacrifice of praise...' (Hebrews 13:15). But when you're in a slump you need the discipline of praise more than ever. It brings a sense of God's power and presence like nothing else does. That's why the Psalmist wrote, 'I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth' (Psalm 34:1). By praising God in advance for the victory, you open a channel for Him to intervene in your circumstances, hope rises in your soul, and it's impossible to stay down and defeated. And praise fits every personality, so you've no excuse! You can clap and shout (Psalm 47:1), use music and dance (Psalm 150:4), sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs (Ephesians 5:19-20), make a joyful noise (Psalm 98:4), lift your hands (Psalm 134:2), be still before God (Psalm 4:3-5), and you can even be loud! (Psalm 33:3, 95:1-6). Your praises thwart the enemy's best-laid plan! When the Israelites were outnumbered, they prayed and God told them the battle was His and that He would do the fighting. Judah (which means 'praise') went out ahead of the army, and 'As soon as they began singing, the Lord confused the enemy... and... they turned against each other'. The minute you start praising God He releases His power to start working on your behalf.

Learning to focus on Jesus!

'I have set the Lord always before me...' Psalm 16:8

Frank Laubach's life began to fall apart when his plans for the Maranao people of the Philippines were rejected. Then, after losing three children to malaria, his wife and remaining child moved away. In despair, Laubach climbed a mountain to seek God. He writes, 'My lips began to move and it seemed God was speaking: "You failed because you don't really love these people. You feel superior... because you're white. Forget your skin-tone; think only about how much I love them and they'll respond." I answered, "God, I don't know whether you spoke through my lips, but I know it was the truth. My plans have all gone to pieces. Drive me out of myself, take possession, think your thoughts through my mind."' That day Laubach decided to live - focused on God's presence! He writes about two things: double vision - 'See others not as they are, but as God sees them'; and problem solving - 'You'll think more clearly by including God. At mealtime put an extra chair at the table to remind you He's always present. Set a picture of Jesus or a scripture where you'll see it as you're falling asleep and waking up. Count on it - this will set the tone for your day.' The New Living Bible paraphrases the Psalmist's words, 'I know the Lord is always with me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me' (Psalm 16:8 NLT). What you focus on becomes the dominant influence in your life. Frank Laubach went on to write books, lead world literacy crusades and become an adviser to kings and presidents. But his biggest accomplishment was learning to focus on Jesus.

USE your GIFT - 1

Having...gifts...let us use them... Romans 12:6
The Bible says, 'Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them...' (Romans 12:6 NKJV) God has 'graced' you to do certain things well. Now, that doesn't mean doors will automatically open, and, like cream, you'll just rise to the top. Indeed, what you get overnight you can lose overnight. You must first discern your gifts, use every opportunity to sharpen them, learn from your mistakes, and be tenacious about what God's called you to do. In high school 'Sparky' flunked Latin, algebra, English and physics. He made the golf team but promptly lost the only match of the season, then he lost the consolation match. He was awkward socially-more shy than disliked. He never once asked a girl out on a date in high school. One thing, however, was important to Sparky-drawing. He was proud of his artwork even though nobody else appreciated it. He submitted cartoons to the editors of his high school yearbook but they were rejected. Even so, he aspired to be an artist. After high school he sent samples of his work to The Walt Disney Studios. Again he was rejected. But Sparky didn't quit. He decided to write his autobiography in cartoons. The popularity of his cartoon strip eventually led to countless books and television shows. You see, Sparky was Charles Schulz, creator of the Peanuts comic strip, the most famous cartoonist of all time. Like his main character, Charlie Brown, Schulz seemed unable to succeed at many things. But he made the most of his God-given talent, refused to quit, and ended up winning. So, use your gift.

Running the Race!

...let us run with endurance the race that is set before us. Hebrews 12:1
In Greece there's a place tourists seldom visit. The writer of Hebrews may have had it in mind when he wrote, '...lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and...run with endurance...'(Hebrews 12:1 NJKV) It's where the Isthmian Games, a forerunner to the Olympics, were held: a place where athletes were hailed as heroes. To develop muscle they trained with weights strapped to their legs, but on the day of the race they stripped off anything that wasn't essential. There's a lesson here. We think what we're clinging to is important. If we didn't, letting go wouldn't be a struggle; we'd simply set it down. The Christian life is a race that starts the day you accept Christ and ends when you meet Him face-to-face. In order to cross the finish line as a winner you must eliminate: 1) Anything that slows you down. In other words, anything that hinders your spiritual progress. In and of itself, it may not be wrong, but it becomes a 'weight' when it stops you from living for God to the fullest. 2) Anything that causes you to stumble short of the finish line. You must constantly monitor the level of your commitment to Christ, the growth of your faith, your home life, your relationships, your integrity, your work ethic, your thought life and your habits. Make up your mind to stay focused on the prize. Greek athletes who won received a garland that eventually withered, but '...you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade' (1Peter 5:4 NIV). Isn't that worth running the race for?

Seeking God, not THINGS!

We live in a day and age where MATERIAL and FANCIAL gain is at the top of most people lists. The problem with the statement above is that the things own us and not us the things. At the end of the day is just a worldly item and of no eternal value. Is it wrong to have nice stuff in our homes. No. It only becomes a problem when we become obsessed with gain and our lives are turning into a carnal who's who of society.

Get back to basics. If you feel something is owning you rather than you it, ask God for wisdom on what to do with it. Sell it, bless someone with it and break the Power it has over you!!

Blessings to all!

The following article inspired me the write this blog.

Seeking God, Not Things!
The Lord... closed her womb. 1 Samuel 1:5
Sometimes the door will open only when you understand why it was shut in the first place. Consider the story of Hannah. She wanted a son but God wanted a prophet. When she prayed, 'If you...give me a son, I will give him back to you all his life...' (1 Samuel 1:11 NCV), God not only gave her Samuel, but also six more children (1 Samuel 2:5). When you pray for a harvest God will ask you to sow a seed. That seed may be something you love and want to cling to, but don't - rather, surrender it to God. Hannah discovered she couldn't be satisfied with less than God's will. Elkanah had two wives, but he loved Hannah the most and granted her 'a double portion' of his possessions (1 Samuel 1:5). But when you're not doing what you know God has truly called you to do, the love of people and material things won't satisfy you. 'Ordained' people are not just those in pulpits! Hannah was ordained to be a mother. You may be ordained to be a secretary, a landscape gardener or a teacher. Find whatever God's called you to do, and do it! Finally, Hannah's desperation led her to her destiny: 'The Lord... closed her womb.' Why? To get Hannah's attention, to draw her closer to Himself. Hard times cause us to re-examine our lives and seek God as never before. Our emphasis changes from 'Lord, here's what I want' to 'Lord, what do You