Category Archives: Help From Above
Un-Boxed!
“The hard path where some seed fell represents the hard hearts of those who hear the words of God, but then the devil comes and steals the words away and prevents people from believing and being saved” Lu.8:12 [LB, emphasis added].
The hardened path equals a closed mind. So what causes people to be so closed to spiritual growth? There are three things.
#1. Fear. What if God tells me to do what I do not want to do? What if God says go to the village and become a missionary. And because you do not know God, you put Him in a box, and you limit Him in your life. I have been there Read the rest of this entry
Hardened
A farmer went out to plant some seed. As he scattered it across his field, some seed fell on a footpath, where it was stepped on, and the birds came and ate it” Lu.8:5 [emphasis added]
Jesus explained our Scripture reference today to mean, “The hard path where some seed fell represents the hard hearts of those who hear the words of God, but then the devil comes and steals the words away and prevents people from believing and being saved” Lu.8:12 [LB, emphasis added]. To understand the footpath, you have to look at it from a farmer’s perspective. The footpath is the trail the farmer takes when he is sowing seed or irrigating his farm. So it is Read the rest of this entry
Are You Interested?
A farmer went out to plant some seed. As he scattered it across his field, some seed fell on a footpath, where it was stepped on, and the birds came and ate it” Lu.8:5 [emphasis added]
Over the next few days, our focus is going to be on thinking clearly about spiritual growth. Our discuss will be centered on the parable of the soils in Luke 8:4-15 [please study]. Your life is not an accident. You are not here by chance. You were designed for a purpose. You need to understand that. But in other to become all that God has designed you to be, you must grow spiritually. Meaning, you cannot be all that God has called you to be if you do not grow spiritually. The Read the rest of this entry
Thoughtful Speaking
“You will have to live with the consequences of everything you say.” Pr. 18:20 [GN, emphasis added].
The first thing you do in situations of conflict is change your focus and the second thing is Watch Your Words. Do not attack the person you are in conflict with, attack the situation. The damage caused by some words is irreparable. In many cases, even though forgiveness happens but the scars remain. Some verbal weapons should never ever be used. Even in a war situation, there are ground rules. There are things you can do even in a war that can be considered a Read the rest of this entry
Yours vs. His
“Don’t be selfish… Be humble…. Don’t think only about your own affairs, be interested in others too, and what they are doing. Your attitude should be the same that Christ Jesus had. Though He was God, He did not demand and cling to His rights.” Phil. 2:3-6[ emphasis added]
When you are really in Christ Jesus, you have given your rights to God. That is what being a Christian is. If people really understand this, all the stress in marriages will go. The problem with us is that we confuse our wants with our rights. Read the rest of this entry
Dealing With Conflict
Don’t be selfish… Be humble…. Don’t think only about your own affairs, be interested in others too, and what they are doing. Your attitude should be the same that Christ Jesus had. Though He was God, He did not demand and cling to His rights.” Phil. 2:3-6
Three things jump out at us from this passage of Scripture. The first of which is Selfishness. It is my way or the high way. Folks that do not get their way by bullying, try to get their way by manipulations. It is still selfishness. The second thing we see there is Pride. God says be humble because when we act in pride, we tend to be demanding and unsympathetic.
Your Focus
“You should keep a clear mind in every situation.” 2 Tim. 4:5 [emphasis added]
The second type of stress is the Stress of Conflict. We are all different and because of this, conflict is an inevitable part of life. Conflict is never fun; it can be stressful. I do not enjoy conflict. The difference is that I have just accepted that it is a part of life and that is why it appears that I respond appropriately with conflict. So how does one eradicate conflict?
#1. In conflicting situations, the first thing you do is Change Your Focus. Change your focus from your needs to the Read the rest of this entry
Unshakable
“I leave it all in the Lord’s hand; I will trust God for my reward.” Isa 49:4 [emphasis added].
You need to develop a thick skin and a soft heart. Unfortunately, many of us develop a soft skin and a thick heart. And as a result, you are irritated at any small thing because our skins are so sensitive and our hearts are hardened [unforgiveness]. God wants you to reverse it. He wants you to have a thick skin and a soft heart, quick to forgive. So what if someone says something about you? My grandmother would usually say, the person said it with his or her Read the rest of this entry
Firm Footing
“People with integrity have a firm footing, but those who follow crooked paths will slip and fall.” Pr. 10:9
The first thing you do in dealing with the stress of compromise is, Do the right thing. Doing the easy thing may seem simpler in the short run but on the long run doing the right thing is less stressful. People with integrity have a firm footing, but those who follow crooked paths will slip and fall” [emphasis added]. You have to choose between a firm footing or slipping and falling, what will it be?
But God…
“But Joseph replied, “Don’t be afraid of me. Am I God, that I can punish you? You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people” Gen.50:19-20
When the situation around you looks depressing, you think about the goodness of your God. Think about the goodness of your God, not a god but your own God. Many times, we exaggerate and amplify the problems, and end up minimizing the goodness of God. Joseph’s dream was not fulfilled because of who he is but because of the goodness of God. And the same brothers who meant to kill him and that dream, came and bowed to him. Joseph had become so powerful and they were afraid because of how mean they had been to him. But Joseph said something that you and I should never ever forget. Never forget what Joseph said because that is how you should always respond. You meant it for evil, but God meant it for good. The goodness of God prevailed over their evil plans. The goodness of God will prevail in your life, over every evil plan and device of the enemy. So do not worry about revenging or getting your pound of flesh, if God is lifting you up. And He will lift you up. They are hungry; God has set you over them, feed them! Show them God’s goodness.
I want us to prayerfully sing a song to God. As you sing, I pray God will truly be magnified in your heart and life. “I have made you too small in my eyes. O Lord, forgive me. I have believed in a lie, that you were unable to help me. But now, O Lord, I see my wrong. Heal my heart and show yourself strong. And in my heart and with my song, O Lord, be magnified! O Lord, be magnified! Be magnified O Lord, You are highly exalted. There is nothing You can’t do, O Lord, my eyes are on You. Be magnified, O Lord, be magnified!” Amen!
#3: When Your Situation Looks DARK Think About The Closeness of God. Problems attempt to hunt us down into a dark place. Dark days are lonely days, worry filled days, and fearful days. They are days when we cannot see ahead and the future appears bleak. And this is precisely the time when we should think about how close our God is to us. You may be going through a lot right now, a dark place. I am here to tell you that God is with you.
Prayer: Father, thank You for the game changer in the story of my life and days to come, in Jesus Name.
