His Purpose Revealed

His Purpose Revealed

May 29th

Matthew 16:21, 'From that time forth began Jesus to show unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.'

MATTHEW 16:20-28

Despite the abundant and clear prophecies about His death and resurrection, Jesus' disciples didn't understand or remember Jesus' words until after His resurrection (Lk. 24:5-9). Luke records twice that Jesus' sayings about His resurrection were hidden from the disciples. It is interesting to note, however, that the chief priests and Pharisees remembered Jesus' prophecies about His resurrection (Mt. 27:63) when His disciples didn't.

One of the great truths of the Bible is that Jesus died for our sins, not for His own.
 Jesus was totally sinless.

This is one of the major differences between Christianity and the religions of the world. No other religious leader has ever claimed to be sinless, therefore no other religious leader is even in the same class with Jesus. Also, no other religious leader has ever given his life in sacrifice to atone for the sins of others. It wouldn't have done any good if one had. Since the religious leaders were sinners themselves, their lives weren't worth any more than any other sinner.
 But, since Jesus was the sinless Son of God, His life was worth more than all of humanity throughout the ages.

Every detail of Christ's death, burial, and resurrection was already prophesied in scripture before it happened. All the events of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection had fulfilled scripture. God's Word is the ultimate authority and only through His Word can we receive faith to be born again. We must preach the Word, not experiences. Experiences are only useful to illustrate that God's Word is true. Jesus is alive from the dead. His tomb is empty. Jesus provided us with the ultimate verification of His authority.
He arose from the dead.

What a wonderful name!

One Year with

Jesus

in the Gospels

Your Daily Devotional With

Andrew Wommack

Recognize The Real Enemy

May 28th

Mark 8:33, 'But when he had turned about and looked on his disciples, he rebuked Peter, saying, Get thee behind me, Satan: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men.'

MARK 8:30-33

Jesus was not implying that Peter and Satan were one-and-the-same, but was referring to the fact that Satan had inspired Peter's statement. This type of metaphor was used elsewhere in scripture such as when God spoke to the serpent in the garden of Eden (Gen. 3:15) as though addressing Satan. The serpent was merely the vehicle of communication Satan used to tempt Adam and Eve, while Peter was the vehicle Satan used to tempt Jesus. Ephesians 6:12 reveals that our warfare isn't with people, but against the spiritual powers who inspire and use people. Jesus recognized that Peter's reaction to His prophecy about His death was motivated by His enemy, Satan, so He went right to the source.

Every Christian is at war. There is a perpetual struggle against Satan and his kingdom from which there are no 'leaves' or 'discharges.' Our enemy goes about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour (1 Pet. 5:8). Those who resist the devil will see him flee (Jas. 4:7).

Some of us believe that anger will put others in their place. But 'the wrath of man does not work the righteousness of God' (Jas. 1:20). Anger against people makes us play right into the hand of the devil. The way to overcome the spiritual powers that come against us through people is to turn the other cheek (Mt. 5:39). This makes the demons flee in terror. We cannot win a spiritual battle with carnal weapons. We must realize who the real enemy is and fight with the spiritual weapons the Lord has given us. It is supposed by many that the higher echelons of the devil's spiritual authority take more power to rebuke or remove. That's not true. There is no demonic power, including the devil himself, that will not flee at the name of Jesus when faith is put in that name. What a wonderful name!

Faith is where the unknown is Answered!

  Faith is where the unknown is Answered! 

Without faith, your way is limited and doubtful! Faith has been the fuel of all real positive progress in the world leading to success and eternal satisfaction! Without Faith you would not cross a long bridge, or a very busy street, or get into a boat in fast moving water, or climb a steep trail - it is your confidance and source of trust in the world!  Faith is your can do moment!

 Without faith, you might as well be dead!

How blue light effects eyes

There’s a Lot to Learn About How Blue Light Affects Our Eyes

The “blue screen of death” is taking on a whole new meaning.

Popular Science |

• Eleanor Cummins

 

Put the phone down—or turn on an ambient light! Deposit Photos

Blue light’s rap sheet is growing ever longer. Researchers have connected the high-energy visible light, which emanates from both the sun and your cell phone (and just about every other digital device in our hands and on our bedside tables), to disruptions in the body’s circadian rhythms. And physicians have drawn attention to the relationship between our favorite devices and eye problems.

Humans can see a thin spectrum of light, ranging from red to violet. Shorter wavelengths appear blue, while the longer ones appear red. What appears as white light, whether it's from sunlight or screen time, actually includes almost every color in the spectrum. In a recent paper published in the journal Scientific Reports, researchers at the University of Toledo have begun to parse the process by which close or prolonged exposure to the 445 nanometer shortwave called "blue light" can trigger irreversible damage in cells. But experts say there’s no reason to panic.

Visible light runs from red to violet. On the far ends are infrared and ultraviolet, which both range outside human vision. Wikipedia

“Photoreceptors are like the vehicle. Retinal is the gas,” says study author and chemistry professor Ajith Karunarathne. In the lab, when cells were exposed to blue light directly—in theory, mimicking what happens when we stare at our phone or computer screens—the high-intensity waves trigger a chemical reaction in retinal molecules. The blue light causes the retinal to oxidize, creating “toxic chemical species,” according to Karunarathne. The retinal, energized by this particular band of light, kills cells, which do not grow back once they are damaged. If retinal is the gas, Karunarathne says, then blue light is a dangerous spark.

Catastrophic damage to your vision is hardly guaranteed. Karunarathne says the changes in retinal seen in the study could be linked to macular degeneration, an incurable disease that blurs or even eliminates vision, but manipulating a few cells in the petri dish is very different from actually studying what happens in the human eye.

Blue light occurs naturally in sunlight, which also contains other forms of visible light and ultraviolet and infrared rays. But, Karunarathne points out, we don’t spend that much time staring at the sun. We do, however, spend a lot of time looking at our digital devices. The average American spends almost 11 hours a day in front of some type of screen, according to a 2016 Nielsen poll. Right now, reading this, you’re probably mainlining blue light.

But ophthalmologists aren’t worried. The blue light emanating from the sun drastically overpowers any rays coming from your screen. And so far, all of the research on how real human eyes react to blue light has failed to link screens to permanent damage of any kind. Blue light’s most concerning effects still seems limited to sleeplessness.

Some user experience designers have been criticizing our reliance on blue light, including Amber Case, author of the book Calm Technology. On her Medium blog she documented the way blue light has become “the color of the future,” thanks in part to films like 1982’s Blade Runner. The environmentally-motivated switch from incandescent light bulbs to high-efficiency (and high-wattage) LED bulbs further pushed us into blue light’s path. But, Case writes, “[i]f pop culture has helped lead us into a blue-lit reality that’s hurting us so much, it can help lead us toward a new design aesthetic bathed in orange.”

The military, she notes, still uses red or orange light for many of its interfaces, including those in control rooms and cockpits. “They’re low-impact colors that are great for nighttime shifts,” she writes. They also eliminate blue light-induced “visual artifacts”—the sensation of being blinded by a bright screen in the dark—that often accompany blue light and can be hazardous in some scenarios.

Apple offers a “night shift” setting on its phones, which allow users to blot out the blue and filter their screens through a sunset hue. Aftermarket products designed to control the influx of blue light into our irises are also available, including desktop screen protectors. There are even blue light-filtering sunglasses marketed specifically to gamers. But as the damage done by blue light becomes clearer—just as our vision is getting blurrier—consumers may demand bigger changes.

Going forward, Karunarathne plans to stay in data-collection mode. “This is a new trend of looking at our devices,” he says. “It will take some time to see if and how much damage these devices can cause over time. When this new generation gets older, the question is, by that time, is the damage done?” But now that he appears to have identified a potential biochemical pathway for blue light damage, he’s also looking for new interventions. “Who knows. One day we might be able to develop eye drops, that if you know you are going to be exposed to intense light, you could use some of those … to reduce damage.”

This post originally appeared on Popular Science and was published August 10, 2018.
This article is republished here with permission.

Our physical mind is an infirmity!

Jesus
in the Gospels

Your Daily Devotional With

Andrew Wommack

The Ministry Of The Holy Spirit

May 22nd

Mark 8:12, 'And he sighed deeply in his spirit, and saith, Why doth this generation seek after a sign? verily I say unto you, There shall no sign be given unto this generation.'

MARK 8:11-13

The Greek word used here for 'sighed deeply' means an intense grieving, inaudible prayer, or groan. This is intercession of the Holy Spirit, with groanings that cannot be uttered. Some Spirit-filled Christians believe this means groanings that cannot be uttered in normal speech and that this refers to speaking in tongues. However, this actually refers to a type of intercession different than speaking in tongues.

In John 11:33 and 38, Jesus groaned in the Spirit twice, and in those cases, there were no words uttered. It was exactly as the Scripture states, a groaning in the Spirit. Everyone who has the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit has or will have this happen to them. Paul was referring to this in Galatians 4:19 when he spoke of travailing in birth for the Galatians. This groaning of the Holy Spirit is not just a grief but a groan of anger and resistance against Satan's devices in our lives. Many times, Christians don't discern this because they think it is just their own grief over the situation. But, this is the Holy Spirit desiring to intercede with us against our problems.

Jesus drew on this ministry of the Holy Spirit. John 11:33 and 38 say, that Jesus groaned in the Spirit twice when He raised Lazarus from the dead. What infirmity did Jesus have that He needed this ministry of the Holy Spirit?
Jesus had no sin, but He did have an infirmity. It was His physical mind.

Even a sinless human mind could not comprehend raising a man from the grave after four days. If Jesus needed the Holy Spirit to help Him when He didn't know how to pray, then this should certainly be an important ministry of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

How can we really know the truth?

Why do we fight putting our Faith in the Lord God?

1 Corinthians 13:12 New Living Translation (NLT)

¹² Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. ^[a]  13:12 Greek to see face to face.
     All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me thoroughly.

What do we really know? 
The Holy Bible has been the standard of truth for centuries, standing as the sole source of God's the True Kingdom and Righteousness!  Thus we can embrace the miracles, the majesty and mystery of the Bible! 

 " The eye has not seen, nor the ear heard, nor has entered into the heart of any person the things which God has prepared for those who love Him. "  1 Corinthians 2:9 (NKJV)
 Rest assured that " All things work to good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His Purpose " Romans 8:28 (NKJV)

The Lord God Almighty already knows and loves you anyway, and will forgive your shortcomings, mistakes, plus your often misguided good intentions. He has done so every day of your life - yet most people have been deceived by Satan as to the true worth of God's loving nature! 

Oh,  what a significant sin burden has been relieved thru the Atonement of Christ! I do not believe that our earthly existence is an accident. Because God has a plan in place for all His creation, who pass thru this lifetime of learning while coming to sense His Many Blessing which are laid upon us!  
God knows your heart and Forgives your inequities! Jesus came as the substitute sacrifice for our human sins and uses our flawed efforts to help bring His shalom (peace) to the troubled and chaos of this world!

He will know down all the walls and show you how to free yourself from the grip of sin and desperation! The Bible refers to the Desert more than any other place - mainly because for most people we seem to live in such complicated area! If you seek first the Kingdom of God in your life, and His righteousness {Jesus Christ} all the other things in your life will be made straight!  

A Hardened Heart

Blog: My Unusual Road of Life....
by kerminator

A hardened heart

** A hardened heart blinds us to any spiritual perception and keeps us thinking only in the natural realm.**

Date:   5/24/2019

Symptoms Of A Hard Heart
May 24th


** Mark 8:17-19 New King James Version (NKJV)

17 But Jesus, being aware of it, said to them, “Why do you reason because you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive nor understand? Is your heart [a]still hardened? 
18 Having eyes, do you not see? And having ears, do you not hear? And do you not remember?
 19 When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of fragments did you take up?”

They said to Him, “Twelve.”
MATTHEW 16:1-12; MARK 8:11-21

Just a few days before this instance, hardened hearts caused Jesus' disciples to be amazed when they saw Jesus walk on the water to them. Here, Jesus' statements reveal some of the characteristics of someone with a hardened heart.


First, a hard heart keeps us from perceiving spiritual truths. This is why everyone in a church service hears exactly the same message yet, some will receive while others won't. It's not the Word that is the variable, but rather the condition of the hearts. A hard heart stops spiritual perception.


Second, a hardened heart stops us from understanding spiritual truth. When a person doesn't understand God's Word, Satan finds no resistance when he comes to steal it away.


Third, a hard heart keeps us from remembering. This isn't to say that we can't recall facts or scriptures. As related in Mark 8:19-20, the disciples remembered the facts of the two miraculous feedings, but they had forgotten any spiritual lessons they might have learned. Likewise, some people can quote scripture or remember what the sermon was about, but they can't perceive the spiritual life in the message or retain what they did perceive.

A hardned heart blinds us to any spiritual perception and keeps us thinking only in the natural realm. Small faith and a hardened heart are the same. Hebrews 3:12-13 parallels an evil heart of unbelief to a hardened heart. It takes great faith to keep our heart sensitive to God. Seek Him with your whole heart today.

Having another mind - learning the real answers!

Godly Sorrow Leads To Repentance

April 26th

Mark 6:12, 'And they went out, and preached that men should repent.'

MARK 6:7-12

'Repent' comes from the Greek word, 'metanoeo,' and literally means to have another mind. Repentance is a necessary part of salvation. Repentance may include Godly sorrow, but sorrow does not always include repentance.

Repentance is simply a change of mind accompanied by corresponding actions. There is a Godly type of sorrow and an ungodly type of sorrow. Godly sorrow leads to repentance. Ungodly sorrow, or the sorrow of this world, can only kill the soul.

Our culture has rejected all 'negative' emotions. But God gave us the capacity for these negative emotions, and there is a proper use of them. Ecclesiastes 7:3 says, 'Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.' People should feel bad about sin. There should be sorrow over our failures. However, this sorrow should lead to repentance. Then, when forgiveness is received, our sorrow should be cast upon the Lord (Isa. 53:4).

The Lord's statements to His disciples, the night before His crucifixion, caused them sorrow
(Mt. 26:21-22; Jn. 16:6). If they would have let that sorrow lead them to repentance, then they wouldn't have denied the Lord. Peter's sorrow after his denial of Jesus changed him and, certainly, he never regretted the tears he cried.

From: AWMI.net

**  An example of Godly sorrow in action:
 

The prodigal son – Luke 15

Verses 11-16 –   The son wasted his father’s inheritance in sin and riotous actions  (as with harlots – verse 30). When the money was gone, he ended up feeding hogs and hade eaten the hog slop.

Note verse 16 – shows that no one gave him anything. The account shows that his father knew what was happening but did not attempt to bail his son out. He allowed him eat from hog slop and wallow in the consequence of his actions or sins. We should learn to be responsible for our actions in life! Each of us are going to be judged on our actions  - not what others have done!

** Far too often parents or friends bail out a sinner to help him avoid the consequences of his sins. This happened to my own father when my Grandmother continually bailed him out! I never really got to know my father as he was always in some scheme or plan to get rich quick. 

I have had people send me information on his actions {as I am a Jr}  like when stolen a car, or went to the Fla State prison Penitentiary or when the police come to our house after I married; looking for my father.

   If people would having allowed him to suffer the consequences of his actions or sins, {hit rock bottom} he could have been led to repent like the prodigal did. But that is not what happened! My mother divorced him when I was 10.

 (2 Thessalonians 3:10) 
¹⁰ For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat.

Verses 17-19 – As a result, the son came to himself. He decided to return home and admit that he had sinned against both heaven and against his father. And he offered to accept whatever consequences followed: he no longer deserved to be a son, but was willing to be demoted to a servant.
 ** noticed sinned against both Heaven and his Father!

A person who has true godly sorrow just wants to make his life right with God and with people whom he has wronged. This requires admitting his sins, pleading for forgiveness, then changing their life, and accepting whatever consequences follow. 
The main concern is being forgiven of their guilt.

(Peter – Matthew 26:75;  Paul – 1 Timothy 1:12-16)

Why not to base all your wants on A.I.

Blog: My Unusual Road of Life....
by kerminator

Things A.I. will not be able to do!

** A.I. is limited not the perfect answer being pushed today!

Date:   5/24/2019
According to Dr. Kai-Fu Lee, the nature of artificial intelligence is such that it will not be able to do the following:

Accomplish complex work that requires precise hand-eye coordination.

Create, conceptualize, or manage complex strategic planning.

Deal with unknown and unstructured spaces, especially ones that it hasn't observed - a good example would be a living area that constantly has different objects in different places, making it near impossible for a cleaning robot to proficiently and completely overtake a human cleaner.

Feel or interact with empathy and compassion - humans are unlikely to choose to interact with an apathetic robot for certain services like counseling.

** Having worked for many years with electronic computer systems, with the last few decades as a Technical Support Manage - I see many problems with any total A.I.period! 
This does not mean that with proper design, layout and application - it can be useful in special integration!  What we need to do is not go off thinking that the computer is magic and infallible!  
It is more like most every tool or device mankind has learned to use - with the proper application and excellent human supervision many things are possible!


 

God is always speaking - do you listen?

Hey Everyone,



God is always speaking. If you aren’t hearing Him, it’s not a matter of Him not speaking; it’s a matter of you not understanding.

Most Christians don’t hear the voice of God because they are looking for a spectacular, dramatic demonstration in which God makes known His will, but that is not the way God speaks to His children. God speaks to you through intuition—through your feelings, your impressions, your thoughts. He doesn’t come in the third person and tell you “Go do this.” Instead, you have the sudden thought, “I would like to do this.”

Psalm 37:4 says “Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart.” You can seek Him to the degree that He will put His desires into your heart, and they will become the things you want to do. You can use what you want in the depths of your heart to discern what God’s will is.

Many have been called to come to Charis Bible College, but they worry that it's the enemy trying to trick them and lead them off-course. We want to encourage you that no one who has ever attended Charis has come away believing the devil lead them here. If you're feeling the desire to attend Charis, know that God is the only one inspiring those desires in your heart. He wants you to know Him more, and Charis is the place to grow in relationship with Him.

There’s a Charis Bible College near you – and now is your chance to experience it first-hand! Charis Day 2019 is a free, special event set up for those who want the in-person fellowship that Charis Bible College offers but can’t make it to our main campus in Woodland Park, Colorado. This is a multicampus event that will give you the opportunity to explore the Charis experience, all on a Saturday morning.

Visit a Charis campus near you on July 27, 2019 and hear Andrew Wommack speak in a live stream from the main campus. You’ll listen to excellent Spirit-inspired messages without going far away from home,

family, or work. You’ll also be able to meet and talk with the directors of your local campus as well as get your questions answered during a special Q & A session with Andrew and other Charis Woodland Park Staff.

If you’ve been looking for something more in your life,

this could be the new beginning you desire. With over sixty locations worldwide, there’s a good chance there’s a Charis campus near you. There’s no place like home to spend time in God’s Word and find out how Charis can help you on the road to God’s calling.

Every journey begins with a single step.

Find A Campus Near You

There’s a Charis Bible College near you – and now is your chance to experience it first-hand! Charis Day 2019 is a free, special event set up for those who want the in-person fellowship that Charis Bible College offers but can’t make it to our main campus in Woodland Park, Colorado. This is a multicampus event that will give you the opportunity to explore the Charis experience, all on a Saturday morning.

Visit a Charis campus near you on July 27, 2019 and hear Andrew Wommack speak in a live stream from the main campus. You’ll listen to excellent Spirit-inspired messages without going far away from home,

family, or work. You’ll also be able to meet and talk with the directors of your local campus as well as get your questions answered during a special Q & A session with Andrew and other Charis Woodland Park Staff.

If you’ve been looking for something more in your life,

this could be the new beginning you desire. With over sixty locations worldwide, there’s a good chance there’s a Charis campus near you. There’s no place like home to spend time in God’s Word and find out how Charis can help you on the road to God’s calling.

Every journey begins with a single step. 

Have a Question?

For more information about Charis Bible College, please call

844-360-9577.  

Find A Campus Near You

How to Hear God's Voice

Jesus Tried Her Faith

Jesus
in the Gospels

Your Daily Devotional With  Andrew Wommack

Jesus Tried Her Faith

Matthew 15:27, 'But Jesus said unto her, Let the children first be filled: for it is not ment to take the children's bread and cast it unto the dogs.'

MATTHEW 15:21-39; MARK 7:24-37; 8:1-10

It is very clear in scripture that Jesus was sent to fulfill God's covenant to the Jews. However, it was equally clear that Jesus would open up faith unto the Gentiles. Jesus certainly knew this, and had already ministered to numerous Gentiles without the apparent disdain that we see here with the Syro-Phoenician woman. Jesus could not have been forced into ministering to this woman's daughter if it was not His will to do so. Therefore, His silence and rough answer to this woman must have been designed to accomplish a positive result.

Humility is an important ingredient of faith. This woman was a stranger to the covenants of promise and had no right to demand anything. Jesus' silence and then the comparison of her to a dog would certainly have offended an arrogant person, and it is possible that for this very reason, Jesus tried her faith. Jesus didn't need to do this with the centurion in Luke 7:6-7 because the centurion had already humbled himself.  Humility comes before destruction!

An integral part of faith is seeking God alone with your whole heart. If we are concerned about what people think and gaining their approval (or honor), we will never take a stand in faith for anything. After all we might be criticized for it. This one thing has probably stopped as many people from receiving from God as anything else. You cannot be a 'man-pleaser' and please God at the same time. 
Satan uses persecutions to steal away God's Word and, thereby, stop our faith. To see faith work, we must say with Paul, 'let God be true, but every man a liar' (Rom. 3:4).

Learn how to pick up!

Blog: My Unusual Road of Life....
by kerminator

Learn how to pick up!

** Learn responsibility and how to live a better simpler life! **

Date:   5/21/2019
The younger generations have it easier today than their parents had when they were growing up, at least in some ways. With more disposable income than ever, kids sometimes lack an appreciation for the possessions they own, especially at a younger age.

Parents can combat this by allowing kids to learn the importance of working hard and earning what they want to buy. This starts with having a healthy respect for what they own by picking up after themselves and cleaning up their own messes. But why should we prioritize teaching them this important life skill in today’s age?

Here are seven reasons kids should learn to pick up after themselves:
It teaches them responsibility.

The most important concept picking up after themselves teaches children is that their stuff is just that: their stuff. Kids need to take responsibility for what is theirs in life. If they make a mistake, they must take responsibility, apologize and seek to rectify the situation. Taking ownership of their items can help teach them this responsibility. When kids learn to take care of their stuff, the more readily they will be able to take care of their thoughts and actions, shaping them into well adjusted, mature adults.
It teaches them to honor authority.

The idea to pick up after themselves is not innate, it’s a learned behavior. Children become well-adjusted adults by having parents who help them get there. In this world though, it is easier for a parent to just do it themselves instead of having to remind a child time and time again. However, doing the hard work of enforcing rules and establishing structure helps a child understand that there is someone above them who makes—and keeps—the rules.

Romans says, “All of you must obey those who rule over you. There are no authorities except the ones God has chosen. Those who now rule have been chosen by God. So, whoever opposes the authorities opposes leaders whom God has appointed.” In this world where the common sentiment is to question or rebel against authority, Romans provides a different perspective on authority. God has appointed those above you, whether it is in government, the church or your home. When kids can learn to respect you, they can easily respect their boss at work, the government and their pastor.
It helps them grow into adults.

Kids who pick up after themselves now will grow into adults who will naturally teach their children to do the same. It might be easier to do it yourself, but you are doing the hard work of teaching them life skills that will bode well for them once they leave the nest.

While it’s true that kids need to enjoy being kids, part of their job is to explore their world and interact with it in such a way that they will make a positive impact on it in the future. A simple act of picking up after themselves helps children realize life is not all about them. The world needs them to respect the world, so it can still be around for them when they are raising their own children.

It instills a strong work ethic.

Colossians 3:23-24 says, "Whatever you do, work at it with your whole being, for the Lord and not for men, because you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as your reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.…”

It is tough to teach kids the importance of working hard and earning what you want in life, rather than waiting with outstretched hand waiting for someone to hand it to you. Yet, with every act of picking up and caring for their own belongings, you are instilling how to work hard and respect the value of a dollar. The old adage that money doesn’t grow on trees applies here. Teaching a child to make good choices in money will eventually translate to making good choices in life, which is every parent’s desire for their children.
It levels the playing field.

My kids have had a bad case of sibling rivalry since they were babies. Each of my children constantly tried to direct my husband’s and my attention to them, especially if we were paying attention to their sibling. As teens, they now try to tear each other down by proving how smart one is over the other, assuming a superior attitude towards others. When kids pick up after themselves, it strips away the perception that they are above menial tasks like chores. Any type of chores helps kids see themselves with sober judgment, understanding that in order for a family to function well, they must learn to clean up their own mess.
It reduces pride.

When my house is a mess, I often feel like the maid, picking up other people’s messes and putting their possessions in their proper places. When kids do it, however, they don’t feel like they have a built-in maid in the house. They are responsible for the messes they make. Much like life, they are responsible for everything (including their possessions) they own. Not only does it reduce pride for them, it helps not to contribute to my feelings of worth as their mother. When they take care of their things without having to be asked, I feel like they value me as more than just their mother—they value me as a person.
It teaches them to value money.

Money is tight in our home. Living on one income is not easy to live on in this dual income society. Therefore, my kids have to earn the money they want for extra activities and events. We have taught our kids the importance of having an allowance and working for money through chores.

Jesus spoke a lot about money to people. This means Jesus valued money as well. It is my responsibility to teach my kids about the how to treat money as a necessary tool in life, but not something to obsess over. I want my kids to know money will not just be doled out on a whim. Sometimes my kids have to make choices if they have two or more items they want to buy. By earning money rather than being given it freely, they learn that money is important to their lives, and shouldn’t be treated lightly.

Parenting is hard. But one of the hardest parts of parenting is to teach kids life skills that will help influence them into becoming adults that can, in turn, take care of their children. One of the best things you can do is stop doing things for your kids and instead teach them to do things for themselves. The rewards may not be immediate, but in a few years, you will look back and see you impacted your kids’ lives in ways you never expected.


Michelle S. Lazurek is a multi-genre award winning author, speaker, writing coach, pastor's wife and mother. As a literary agent for Wordwise Media services, she is a sought after workshop presenter at popular writers' conferences like She Speaks and Greater Philly Christian Writers conference. Please visit her website at michellelazurek.com.

4 ways to start being happier

Featured Article by Martin Reilly:

4 Things You Can Do Today To Start Being Happier

Hi, it’s Martin Reilly again…

All that any of us really wants at the end of the day is to have a happy and fulfilling life. For each of us, happiness comes from a slightly different place. What makes you happy may not be entirely what makes someone else happy, but at the root of it, all the reasons are quite similar.

People are most happy when worry is removed and they are left to be free from stress. Fortunately, there are a few different things you can do that will up your happiness factor.

Curious on how to make this happen in your life? 
Try these five steps and see if they don’t just make a big difference in your day-to-day living.

1) Doing Good For Others

The first way to start feeling happier? Make others happier. That’s right. The more you do for other people, the more it’ll shine back on you. Ever notice how after you do a good deed you are feeling a lot better? Your mood improves and you may even notice that better things come your way as well.

Ever notice how you when you are having a bad day, everything seems to be bad? Nothing goes your way? Remember this. If you feel like you are having a string of bad luck and nothing is going well for you, change it yourself. Don’t wait for it to change on its own. Do something good for someone else and you may just reverse your outlook.

2) Practicing Gratitude

Another way that will help you instantly feel happier is to practice gratitude as often as you can. Each day before you rush off to work, think about three things that you are thankful for that day. Write them down if you want, and try to come up with three new things each and every day – if you can.

When you do this, you will reshape how you think about things. Instead of focusing on all the negativity in your life or whatever is bothering you or stressing you out, you will be thinking about the good. This has a powerful effect on your overall outlook.

3) Slowing Down

One of the biggest reasons many of us are not feeling as happy as we could be is because we are all about the go-go-go. We rush off from one place to another and before we know it, the day is over and we hardly recall any special moments from it.

Start slowing down and taking the time to smell the roses, so to speak. This will go a long way towards helping you lead a more fulfilling life.

4) Reminiscing To Combat Stress

If you want to truly achieve a state of happiness, it’s important that you aren’t living too much in the future, but instead, staying in the present as best you can.

Stress is one of the biggest sabotages of that. When you think about what stress really is – worrying about some future event – you are never living in the moment when you are stressed.

Therefore, a good way to achieve greater happiness is to find ways to reduce your stress level. One method of doing this is to actually go back to the past, in a sense, by reminiscing about positive events that have occurred in your life. Now, obviously, you don’t want to spend all your time thinking about this and failing to live in the present, but on days where stress is getting the best of you, think of a relaxed, happy time. Daydream about it for a while and see if it doesn’t take your mind off what’s stressing you.

So, there you have a few simple yet highly effective techniques that you can use to start feeling better about yourself. Remember that happiness is not a switch that you can turn on and off but something that you may have to work towards, in a sense. If you aren’t feeling it right now, make a few changes so that you will in the future.

To your healthy mind and body,
Martin Reilly

P.S. Do you have any happiness tricks you’d like to share? What helps you feel better on days you’re down?

Today’s Affirmation: I am choosing to overcome any negative thoughts that may cross my mind today. Just because I think them does not mean they have to affect my mood or how I feel.

Our heart controls our body!

Our Hearts Control Our Bodies

May 19th

Mark 7:15, 'There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man.'

MATTHEW 15:1-20; MARK 7:1-23

All of the Old Testament dietary laws were shadows (or pictures) of spiritual truths which would become realities in the New Covenant. These Pharisees (as well as many Christians today) missed all of the spiritual significance of these laws and saw only the physical act.
The real spiritual meaning that these Old Testament dietary laws symbolized was that we were supposed to be holy (separated) unto God in everything - even what we eat. 

Under the Old Testament law, it was forbidden to eat or to touch certain animals, not because there was anything wrong with the animals, but to illustrate the point of being separated unto God and to serve as a constant reminder of this separation. Under the New Testament, we see that no animal is, or ever was, unclean of itself. The Old Testament designation of certain animals as unclean was purely symbolic, and this is why Jesus could make this statement.

Jesus' statements here refer to more than just the clean and unclean beasts of the Old Testament. He said nothing which enters into a man through his mouth can defile him. This statement cannot be interpreted, however, as condoning any type of abuse we would like to give our body such as gluttony, drug abuse, etc. Rather, Jesus is simply explaining that the condition of the heart of man should be given preeminence over the physical body. 

The heart of man controls the body of man, not the other way around. Sin doesn't make our heart corrupt, but a corrupt heart makes us sin. God looks on our hearts, and our cleanliness or defilement in His sight is dependent solely on whether or not we have been made clean in our spirits by the blood of the Lamb. 

Only the blood of Jesus cleanses us from all unrighteousness.

AWMI.net

Either help or get out of the way!

May 2019

Marines based in Washington, DC ran from their barracks into a burning building to save elderly residents, risking their own lives to aid first responders.

Just what I expect from these young dedicated people! {USMC}.
This is what makes the nation great - people who are active in doing something to help others. Not the Nanny Panny group of {Give Me, give me - Gov't money because I am lazy) - types who just protest for more free stuff.

The USA was built on people working to help others and not expecting a hand out! Let's Make America Great Again! 
This is not only President Trumps message - is the under laying theme that built America! 

MAGA is not just a Republican or Conservative thing - it is about pride and national purpose. Learn to be productive! 
Either get busy helping out or else getting out of the way!

 Serious concerned people do not run from danger if they can they will run to it with little regard for personal injury or liable! Know of several such incidences either personally or have been told of such! Life is about sharing or really caring - not the opposite!! 

Do you get the message? 

Amen!

Without Faith God's Grace does not work

Tradition Neutralizes God's Grace

Mark 7:13, 'Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which you have delivered: and many such like things do ye.'

MARK 7:1-13

Deuteronomy 4:2 clearly states: 

 'Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it . . . .' 

      This same thought is repeated in the New Testament in Revelation 22:18-19 with very stiff penalties. The religious man is very swift to observe the part about not diminishing any of God's commandments, yet there seems to be an unwritten law that adding to them is okay or accepted. Today every denomination seems to have its own set of '(do's and don't's) which aren't found in scripture, and like those of the hypocritical Pharisees, their unwritten laws usually have to do with outward personal appearance.

We need to remember that adding to God's commandments is just as bad as taking away from them. We need to speak when the Bible speaks, and be silent when the Bible is silent. Do not either do nor undo! 

The commandments of God and the traditions of men are not the same thing and must always be clearly distinguished. Any attempt to place them on the same level will always result in making the Word of God of none effect. You have to either 'lay aside' the commandment of God to keep the traditions of men or you have to 'lay aside' the traditions of men to keep the commandments of God (Ex. 20:3). Church liturgy is tradition, as well as many of the 'do's and doesn't's' taught by churches today. 

We can neutralize the positive power of God's Word toward us, and nothing will do that quicker than elevating man's traditions above God's Word. God's Word is still true (Rom. 3:3-4) and will not return to Him void (Isa. 55:11).

The Word will not profit anyone who doesn't believe it, but God's Word itself doesn't lose any power. If some do not believe God's Word, does that make God's Word of no effect? 

The answer to this question is a resounding 'no!' God's Word still has its power to save, and it will profit you when you mix it with faith. Do you understand that without Faith you can not please God nor get God's Grace to function! 

Both confession and action from the heart are consistent with God's Word,

Taking Off The Masks

Mark 7:6, 'He answered and said unto them, Well has Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honour me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.'

MARK 7:6-9

This is the biblical definition of a hypocrite, 'someone whose words and heart (actions) don't agree.' A hypocrite may act the part of a Christian or he may even talk like Christ, but he won't do both. When both confession and action from the heart are consistent with God's Word, there is salvation (Rom. 10:9-10).

The word 'hypocrite' comes from the Greek word 'hupokrites,' meaning 'the playing of a part on the stage; an actor.'

 It was a custom for Greek and Roman actors to use large masks, when acting, to disguise their true identity. Hence, hypocrisy became 'the feigning of beliefs, feelings, or virtues that one does not hold or possess; insecurity' (American Heritage Dictionary).

The dictionary defines 'dissimulate' as 'to disguise under a feigned  ** 

adjective ** feigned

pretended; sham; counterfeit:feigned enthusiasm.

assumed; fictitious:a feigned name.

disguised:a feigned voice.

appearance.' The Greek word means 'without hypocrisy, unfeigned.' It has become customary in our society to conceal our real feelings behind a hypocritical mask. Although we should be tactful and not purposely say things to offend people, there is a time and a place for speaking the truth, even if it isn't popular.

In Leviticus 19:17, the Lord said, 'Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him.' This verse is saying that if we fail to rebuke our brother when we see sin approaching, then we hate him.

Many people have concealed their true feelings about evil under the pretense of, 'I just love them too much to hurt their feelings.'
 {Which is a phoney excuse!}  Because we can not control other people's feelings or attitudes! Therefore do not be self-centred!
The truth is, many people just love themselves too much to run the risk of being rejected. 

That's hypocrisy.
Motives - not actions - are usually what makes a person a hypocrite. Let God's love be your motivation today and every day.

AWMI.net

God's Word is spirit

The Spirit And The Word Are One

 

John 6:63, 'It is the spirit that quickened the flesh profits nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.'

JOHN 6:40-71; 7:1

Jesus is stating that our spirit, not our flesh, is where our life comes from. These people were so dominated by their physical lives that they were missing all the spiritual significance of His words. Although God's Word does benefit our physical man, the Word of God is spiritual and must be understood through the spirit. God's Word is spirit and it takes our spirit to illuminate its truths to our minds.

The Word of God is not paper and ink. Jesus is the Word, and He existed in spiritual form long before any words were inspired to be written down by the Holy Spirit. The Bible is simply a physical representation of Jesus mission and spiritual truth. It is inspired by God and therefore, totally accurate and reliable, yet until we receive the Spirit expressed in these words,  the Bible will not profit us. This is why many people have read the Word, maybe even memorized it, and yet aren't reaping its benefits.

Just as our physical man receives life from the food he eats, so our spiritual man receives life as we partake of Jesus, the 'bread of life. 

Jesus plainly stated that the words He spoke were spiritual - not physical.

If we want to know what spiritual truth is, we must believe the Bible, for it is spirit and life. If we want to be led by the Spirit, then we must follow God's Word. If we want to hear from the Spirit of God, then we must listen to what God says in His Word. 

The Spirit (Holy Spirit) and the Word (Jesus - Jn. 1:1) are one.