Four Things That Produce Strife and Drama in Our Homes.

James4:1From where come wars and fightings among you? come they not from here, even of your lusts that war in your members?

2You lust, and have not: you kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: you fight and war, yet you have not, because you ask not.

3You ask, and receive not, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it upon your lusts.

4You adulterers and adulteresses, know you not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

5Do you think that the scripture says in vain, The spirit that dwells in us lusts to envy?

6But he gives more grace. Therefore he says, God resists the proud, but gives grace unto the humble.

James list four things that lead to strife:

1 Strife comes from the lust that wars in your members.  Strife arises because we want what we want

2. Strife comes because you have not because you ask not.  Prayerlessness leads to STRIFE.   

3.  Strife comes because we ask amiss because all we want is things that benefit ourselves instead of the Kingdom of God. 

4.   Strife arises when we do not put God first.  

God gives grace to the humble, we are in strife because we are too proud to accept anything else

You must find the grace of God in order to have peace!  But you cannot force reconciliation on anyone.  You are wasting your time trying to PROVE someone WRONG.    When the prodigal left home, the Father did not leave home to find him.  He stayed home and watched for him from a distance.  He didnt make sure he had food, clothes and bills paid in that land that he ran away to.  He didn't call him every other day to see if he was all right.  He let him do his own thing and reap the disaster that it brings.   It was the only way the boy was going to appreciate what he had at home.   Sometimes we have to let people go, and trust God to bring them back home to Jesus.  When Jacob ran from home, Esau didn't hunt him down and look for revenge.   When we hunt people down and confront and 'deal with the issues' we are stepping out of bounds.  If they RAN from the situation that means they are not yet READY to deal with it.  Don't chase your family down when they run from you, wait patiently for them to come back home.  That will be the time they are ready to 'deal with the issues' and find restoration.  

Your life may be full of strife today, but look at the life of Jacob, he finally found peace and reconciliation.  Don't lose heart.  NO matter what situation you are in God will make a way.   You can have peace, no matter how many mistakes you have made.  No matter how stressful your life is right now you can have an experience with God just as Jacob.    Realize that God may wound you.  He may show you things about yourself that hurts.  He may send someone else to tell you things you don't want to hear.   But yield  yourself to God and do not run from the truth.  The truth is the only thing that will set you free.   

What Will Protect Us From Evil?

Fear is often a tool of the enemy.   Fear of the past, fear of the future, fear of failing today effects many people of all nations and races.  If you are ever going to overcome in this life  you will have to learn how to deal with fear.

The first key to overcoming fear is to realize that you don't need to eliminate fear out of your life all together.  Fear can be an asset to your life.   We have to learn how to direct fear because fear can be a powerful tool.  Fear is a lot like an electric current.  If you handle an electric current properly it is a powerful tool and resource.   However if you handle an electric current improperly it can do a lot of damage to you.  How do we handle fear properly?  The secret is in knowing what we should fear and what we should not fear.  Fear helps us stay away from what is dangerous, but when fear gets out of control it is destructive and dangerous.  What does the Bible say about fear?  Over and over the Bible says to 'fear not.'  Yet there is one type of fear that the Bible endorses, that is the fear of the Lord.

Psalms 111:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endures forever.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.    Fear in itself is bad and discouraged by God, but the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.   Notice the second part of this verse.  A good understanding have all that do his commandments...Fear of the Lord leads to obedience.    When I was growing up I knew better than to talk back to my dad.  Why?  Because I knew he did not allow that and I would get into trouble.  It was that fear of disobeying him that kept my mouth shut.    God wants us to obey him because we love him, but often it is the fear of wrong doing and reaping the trouble it brings that keeps us in line.  

When we fear God we will obey His Word.   We know that disobedience brings destruction and devastation.  

Job 28:28 And he said to the human race, "The fear of the Lord--that is wisdom, and to shun evil is understanding."

Once again we see that the fear of the Lord brings wisdom, and to obey God, or shun evil is to gain understanding.  I have heard people say, "I don't understand the fear of the Lord, what does that mean?"  When you learn to obey God,  and obey his commands we understand the fear of the Lord.   When you understand that the fear of the Lord is learning to obey the Lord you will understand what the fear of the Lord means. 

Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Once again we see that when we do not follow instruction or listen to the wisdom of others we oppose the fear of the LORD.  

Ecclesiastes 12:13  Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind.

Nearly every time the fear of the Lord is mentioned in the Bible it is followed up with the clue of how to do it, obey His commands.  If we do not obey the Lord it is because we do not fear the Lord as we should.

Now this is how it backfires on us.   We fail to fear the Lord so we disobey his commands.  With disobedience we soon learn that we reap what we sow.  The worst thing about reaping what you sow is that when you have had enough, it hits you a few more times.  It seems that it keeps coming back to haunt us and the more it does, the more we FEAR every day of our lives.  And this is the unhealthy kind of fear.   We wonder around every corner and every turn  what new tragedy is going to over take us because we failed to fear the Lord and obey His Word.

If you will focus on the FEAR of the LORD and  obedience to His Word you will not fear evil.  You will not be afraid of your mistakes coming back to kick you in the rear as much when you walk in obedience to God.

Job had an fear that is common to most of us.  We see our children and we are concerned they are not obeying God.  Fear grips us that evil will over take them and bring destruction into their lives.  This is a crippling fear.  The worst fears are the things we fear will happen to those we love.  Is there anything we can do?   Yes.  We can trust God and fear his Word.   He may take your loved ones through the fire but all things are going to work together for good.   For God has promised that you and your house will be saved.  Have faith towards God and be obedient to him, He will not fail.    What do I do when I fear for my children?  If I worry then I also have disobeyed God and how is that going to help my kids at all.  Many times I have fasted for my children and watched God turn their situations around.   Humble yourself, fast and pray and leave the worry behind.  Fear God and obey Him and He will show himself strong on your behalf.   People often ask me how long should I fast and pray?   I usually do so until I see it turn around.  I had one child that was going astray.  When I began my fast I thought to myself, this fast might last forever, because it seemed unlikely he would turn around.   And yet six months later he did just that, he turned around 180 degrees and God restored his life.     Fast until you no longer need to fast, get serious with God and the enemy will have no choice but to flee.  

At the end of the day fear loses it hold on you when you focus on the fear of the Lord.  When I concentrate all my effort on obedience to God's Word it takes my focus off of those fears of the enemy that comes in the night.  Why do we fear the enemy?  Does the Bible say to fear evil?  No.  The Bible says to fear God.  As much as you fear what terrors could come at you through the night realize that disobedience to God will bring far greater destruction than anything the enemy could do to you.   

If we would Fear God and obey the Word of God we wouldn't be so afraid of everything else coming our way.  God is a shelter around those who fear him.  

A Word From Jesus That Is For Today

When Jesus spoke to the church of Laodicea in the book of Revelation, he was speaking to our generation.  If you need a Word from Jesus this is a Word that is a now word for this generation.   If we can line our lives up with what Jesus said to the Laodiceans in this generation truly nothing would be impossible for us.   The means by which to spread the Gospel around the World is amazing in this age, and more people are being a witness for Christ than ever before yet we are losing ground for Christianity everyday?  Why is this?  It is because a majority of Christian witness and preaching has no power, no passion, and very little truth in it.    What did Jesus say to the church of Laodicea?

Revelation 3:14 ‘These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God:

The first thing we must acknowledge is the Jesus is both faithful and a true witness and that creation is from God.   There are churches, theologians, whole denominations that are challenging this witness.  They will tell you that parts of the Bible is not true.  They will tell you that parts of the Bible are no longer for today.  They will tell you that the  biblical account of creation is not accurate.  Their witness is nothing more than doubt, unbelief and full of error.   A church that does not believe is a church that has fallen into apostasy.

Revelation 3: 15 “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot.16 So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot,[b] I will vomit you out of My mouth.

Many in the body of Christ today are lukewarm.   How are they going to get into Heaven if God is spewing them out of His mouth?  They aren't.   We see this today in our Pastors and evangelist.  They preach a message that helps you feel better, try harder, become MORE for you own life.  This is not the gospel of Christ that requires that we lay down our life and follow Jesus.   These false Apostles are everywhere.  Living in perversion, luxury, robbing widows to fund their latest luxury item all in the name of 'winning souls'  How can you win a soul to Jesus if you never preach Christ and him crucified?  You can't.   I walk in the blessings of God, but I have found that Christians today have been seduced by these false preachers.   They want to hear blessings, peace, easy life, more money.  AS soon as  we mention anything about sacrifice, sharing in the sufferings of Christ or laying down our lives for Jesus they are ready to turn away.    These false teachers aren't cold towards God.  They are not preaching against him, but they do not have a passion for God.  They are motivational speakers that will lead you into a passion for greater levels of success.   Many of them can preach a whole hour about money, possessions, wealth, blessings, but the name of Jesus won't be mentioned once    They are lukewarm.  When we spew or vomit it is because something made us feel sick.   Luke warm Christianity makes God feel sick enough to spew them out of his mouth.

Revelation 3:17 Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked—

I have actually heard these false preachers use words very similar to these words from the pulpit while they are claiming to be bringing the message of Christ.   They will say, "I am blessed, and wealthy and have need of nothing because God has given me the keys"   Yet Jesus said this would be the very thing that the lukewarm church would be saying!   Jesus spoke these Words to the church of Laodicea knowing that the end time church would have a fixation of money, wealth and possessions.    I have even heard some of these false teachers rebuke the Apostles claiming that their doctrine is a better doctrine than how the Apostles lived and taught.    I have heard others say that Jesus was rich too.  If he was, he didn't spend it on himself.   If Jesus had lived the way the false teachers lived he would have had a horse for every disciple and himself, after all they need them to spread the gospel faster.  He would have had a boat in every harbor, after all they can spread the gospel more readily if they owned a few boats.   He would have had a house in every city.  After all where would they sleep when they went there to preach.  He would have spent 30 minutes taking up an offering at every engagement.  He would have had the best clothes, best jewelry, the best of everything.   Jesus didn't have any of those things He kept his focus on God and on the conversion of the souls.  He spent all day healing the sick, and ministering to folks.  There were no lines outside the building waiting to get in, Jesus walked among the crowds.  They pressed him often on all sides.   He didn't pick four hours in a nice air conditioned arena to speak to his followers who had to sit on bleachers and were not allowed to get close.   He ministered all day and all who came were healed.  Jesus didn't spend money to pay body guards to walk around with him, He trusted God.   Their are false teachers today that think they are all that because they have a house in every city, the best cars, the best planes, the best clothing, the best body guards that money can buy.   They don't realize that they are wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked.   They are so far in left field to what a heart is that is truly sold out to God that they have even deceived themselves.

Revelation 3:18 I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. 19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. 20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. 21 To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.

Gold refined in fire is symbolic of sharing in the suffering of Christ.   If we suffer with Him we will also reign with Him.    White garments refer to living a pure life.  Unadulterated.   Many of the false teachers of today are like Gehazi the man who walked with the Prophet Elisha.  Gehazi wanted the wealth that Namaan had to offer, and he ended up with Namaan's leprosy.   We are either clothed with God or we are clothed with our own righteousness and good works.  You may work your confession, but it is only filthy rags.  We have people today that are confessing the Word but they are not being obedient to the Word.   Obedience is better than sacrifice.   And the eye salve is the real anointing that makes a difference in the lives of people.  Preachers are spitting out cliches and rhetoric, but a Word given in season by the anointing will truly make a difference in your heart.   Instead of being zealous for more wealth and blessings, we should be zealous to repent, so that we can be truly on fire for God.   God loves this generation, that is why his chastening and disciplines are going to come against us if we do not repent.  

Jesus concludes by saying, "I stand at the door an knock"    Remember that Jesus is talking to the church here.  In most churches today you will not find the presence of Jesus.  He is standing outside knocking on the church door asking us to open up and allow him to come in.   We make provision for everything in our churches except provision for God.   We are so careful not to offend anyone, but we care nothing about offending God.    I know these words were hard to bare today, but they are the Words of Jesus.  He is asking us to go from a lukewarm state to a place of on fire for Him.  Are you about half passionate for Jesus?   Do you love him with a passion, are you on fire with your service and devotion.   When we are passionate about something it takes priority.  We can't wait to get into it.  We can't wait to learn more, get more, or be more involved.   Worrying about bills is a trap of the devil.  If he can keep your mind on money all the time he can steal your joy, peace and health in the process!    It is time to lay aside the chasing after the things of this world,  and to chase after Jesus.    

How Can I Overcome Set Back, Heart Aches, and Failures?

David was BORN to be KING. Joseph was BORN to be an ADMINISTRATOR of great power. Moses was born to be a DELIVERER. ABRAHAM was born to the be the FATHER of many nations. You also were born with a purpose. None of the people mentioned above stepped into their divine calling until they were much OLDER.  And none of them found their divine purpose without going through many trials, test and failures.  

Can you name me one outstanding accomplishment that Moses had before he delivered them out of bondage in Egypt?   Can you name one accomplishment that would have gotten Joseph the NOBEL peace prize before he became second in command in all of Egypt?   The only accomplishments David could claim before killing the giant was killing a lion and a bear.   None of them  were notable people with great accomplishments before God used them to change the whole world.  

Moses was known for his mistakes and failures, yet God used him anyway.  Joseph was known as a slave and a prisoner, yet God used him to save the world anyway.  David was known as a show-off and a trouble maker by his brothers, yet God used him to slay the giant anyway.  

Have you made a lot of mistakes?  Have you had a lot of set backs?  Have you tried and failed many times.  Do you think of yourself as ordinary, or nothing special?  Don't count your self out just yet.  All those great people of God mentioned above were right were you are at one point in their life.  

Thomas Edison tried and failed over 1000 times to produce a light bulb that would work.   He only got it right one time, and failed over  a thousand times, yet we herald him as one of the greatest scientific minds that ever lived.   Abraham Lincoln failed to win any elections he  ran for accept for one.  He finally won the presidency of the United States after decades of trying to win political office and failing.  He lost many elections, and only won one, yet we herald him as one of the greatest presidents that ever lived.  Joseph did not have one accomplishment that was by his own efforts or his own means.   He didn't work his way up the corporate ladder.  He spent most of his life in the lowest status of society, a slave and a prisoner.  And yet when Pharaoh promoted him, God used him mightily to save the entire world.  

Maybe your life has been full of heart aches, tragedies, and failure after failure.  Don't count yourself out or sell your self short.  God has a way of taking us from failure to failure, heart ache to heart ache and using it all to accomplish something great if we do not give up.  

All the people I mentioned above had more than heart aches and failures in common.  They also refused to give up, refused to quit, refused to settle for less than the best, refused to roll over and die, they persevered in the face of adversity and in spite of failure after failure they continued to hold on to their dreams and they kept moving forward.

What is it going to take to fulfill God's call on your life?  A willingness to stay in stride in spite of failures and hardships because no matter how many times you fail to make something good happen with your efforts, it only takes one time of break through to turn it all around.  

How Can We Reach Our Kids For Jesus?

Everyday I talk to people that are concerned about their kids.  It seems like this generation is lost in drugs, lost in perversions, lost in panics and the deceptions of this world.  The hardest thing to do is to watch your kids make bad decisions and suffer for it.  Most of us would rather suffer ourselves than to see our kids suffer.  How can we get through to this generation?  How can we help our kids come to know the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ?  

The Bible says that darkness has covered the people.  What darkness has covered this generation?   The darkness of depression, the darkness of famine, the darkness of loneliness, anxiety, and panic, the fear of being alone. The darkness of addiction and calamity. The darkness of poverty and debt, the darkness of anger and violence. Darkness has covered the face of the earth.

Isaiah 60:1Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon you.

2For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon you, and his glory shall be seen upon you.

3And the Gentiles shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.

The answer to the darkness is for YOU to RISE and SHINE!   How do you do this?  It happens when you allow the glory of the Lord to rise upon you!   God wants to cloth you with His glory, by clothing you with His Spirit!   Jesus is the light and in him there is no darkness. John said the light shines in the darkness and the darkness cannot overcome it. That depression cannot overcome the light of Jesus shining in your life. That addiction cannot overcome the light of Jesus that breaks every chain. That panic and fear cannot overcome the light, for the glory of the LORD has risen. 

Isaiah 60:4Lift up your eyes round about, and see: all they gather themselves together, they come to you: your sons shall come from afar, and your daughters shall be nursed at your side.

When God's glory rises in your life that depression is going to flee, that darkness is going to flee, the Bible says people will come to the brightness of your rising!    Look at verse four, even your sons and your daughters will come from afar.   When you kids see you rise up, it will draw them to Jesus.  When your kids see the glory of the Lord risen in your life, it will draw them to you, and to the Lord.  People don't like to be preached at, but they cannot help but to be drawn to the person who has risen above the darkness of this world and is shining with the glory of the Lord.  

We cannot rise and shine on our own.  This only happens when the glory of the Lord is risen upon us.  Are you ready to rise and shine?   It says that gross darkness has covered the people.  Alot of the sin we are are seeing in people today is just that, completely gross, and when the light rises in you it exposes that which is gross.  It illuminates and helps people to see the truth.   Ask God today for the glory of the Lord to rise upon your life.  

The Keys to Your Miracle

Choices play a big part in our lives.    Good choices lead to a better life, bad choices can bring much sorrow and pain.    The Scriptures say that we reap what you sow.  People often say it this way, 'what goes around comes around.'    Bad choices can sometimes get us into such a mess that no matter what direction we go there just is no way out.    Jonah made some bad choices and ended up in the belly of a great fish.  The Bible says that God prepared a great fish to swallow him up.   Bad choices have a way of sending destruction our way and swallowing us up.  We get swallowed up by depression, by anger, by anxiety, by poverty and it is difficult to find our way back out.   There are times just like Jonah that when we are so far gone the wrong direction that no amount of human effort or planning could get us back on track.  When Jonah was swallowed by that big fish there was no plan, no human effort, no trying to work it out that was going to get him out of that situation.   What he needed was a miracle because this was a mess he couldn't get out of by himself.  

Jonah abandoned all inside that great fish and cried out to God but he went beyond prayer.  I have talked to many people that were in a mess.  And most of them are praying.  Jonah didn't just pray, get me out of this mess, Jonah repented and promised to obey God.    This is the first key to a miracle.  Repentance always precedes miracles.   After he repented God brought him out of his circumstances.
He had heard God to go preach in Nineveh  and that is the second key to a miracle.  You have to know what God is saying.  When God speaks and man responds, miracles happen.  God spoke and the world came into existence.  All of creation is straining, to hear God speak, because at his Words everything changes.  Joshua heard God and obeyed and the walls came down.

And that leads to the third key to a miracle and that is trusting God.  Even when you are waiting to hear from God you must trust that He is going to bring you out of where you are and taking you to a better place.

Jonah wasn't just looking for a way out of that big fish.  He made up his mind to obey God and to do what God commands.  He couldn't make God get him out of the fish, he knew he deserved to be there, it was his own rebellion and mistakes that had gotten him in that mess.  God did not owe anything to Jonah.  This leads us to the fourth key to your miracle.  Realize that God doesn't owe us anything.  Who are we that we get ourselves in a mess and then get angry if God doesn't come right away and get us out.    What should our response be?  Our response should be humility.   When we humble ourselves and come before God thankful that he cares for us in spite of the way that we turned out back on Him and went our OWN way we position ourselves for a miracle.   God is merciful and when we come to him in repentance, obedience, trust and humility he will always respond to us with kindness and faithfulness.   God works a plan for our deliverance and we must wait upon Him to come through in His time.

Five Things That Will Cause Relationships To Fail

Everyday I talk to people that are trying to manage a failed relationship.  Trying to make a relationship work that just isn't working will be one of the most exhausting heart wrenching things you will ever do.    Broken homes, broken hearts and broken plans can leave you searching for something more.   The example we have from the Bible is the woman at the well.  When Jesus found her she was searching for something MORE on the inside.  She hoped that having someone to love would bring her fulfillment, but it just made her going from relationship to relationship looking for more.

John 4:16Jesus said unto her, Go, call your husband, and come here.

17The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, You have well said, I have no husband:

18For you have had five husbands; and he whom you now have is not your husband: that said you truly.

When you heart has issues it longs to be loved, nurtured, protected cherished.  Often a woman can get caught going from relationship to relationship looking for the place of love.  But just like the woman at the well this doesn't help your life, it just rips it apart and makes you more needy and full of pain.   Does God tell us how to have good relationships?  Yes he does.  His ways are not our ways, but, if you have had a similar experience as the woman at the well, why not try it God's way, His ways will build your life upon a rock, and that rock will be your shelter through every storm in life.  Here are 5 things that God tells us about relationships that can save us from a world of hurt and pain.  If the person you are interested in doesn't qualify, then LEAVE IT ALONE, there is nothing but pain there for you.  

1.  We should not be unequally yoked with non believers.   

2 Corinthians 6:14 Be you not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship has righteousness with unrighteousness? and what partnership has light with darkness?

If the person you are interested in does not believe in God RUN from them.  It doesn't matter how nice they are or what wonderful things they say.  This person will be pulling left eventually while you are pulling right and it will end up an explosive and unfulfilled union.  

2.  Do not have sex with anyone outside of marriage.   The Bible calls this fornication.  Once sexual relations take place everything gets COMPLICATED.  The Bible says that the two become one flesh, so sex is more than physical it is also relational bonding of the soul and spirit.    To leave someone that you have already had sexual relations with is an extremely hard thing to do.   That is why you should not be EASY and sleep with  people right off.  You can become bonded with someone who is an absolute nut and not realize it if you are quick to jump in bed.  

1 Corinthians 6:18 Flee fornication. Every sin that a man does is outside the body; but he that commits fornication sins against his own body.

When you have sex outside of marriage you are sinning against your own body, you are just hurting yourself.  Most people that I talk to have major regrets of having sex with someone who did not love them enough to make a commitment of marriage. 

3.  If the other person is MARRIED, this is not the person for you!   Do you know that most every person that cheats on their spouse tells their lover that they are going to get a divorce soon, or separate soon.  It doesn't matter if they say this, most of the time it is a LIE.  Nearly every time I counsel someone who is involved with someone who is married they think it is OK because all though they are living with their current spouse now, they have been told that they are going to break up soon.   None of that matters.  If you enter into relationship with a married person the Bible calls this adultery.  There is nothing but pain here. 

1 Corinthians 6:9   Know you not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,

We must listen to God because He wants to keep us from going from one painful relationship to another.  After pain sets up in your heart it becomes hard to be a good spouse because pain will cause you to walk in hurt and mistrust and without peace and trust there is no such thing as a working relationship.

4.  Anyone that is involved in things that are illegal, breaking the law, or expensive habits will make a night mare of a relationship for you!   When you see someone that has not regard for the law, do drugs, or steal from others in someway it should be obvious this is not a good person to enter into relationship with.

Galatians 6:7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap.

Are you a good person?  A good Christian?  The Bible says that bad company corrupts good morals.   And a tree is known by their fruit.  If you enter into a relationship with someone who has an 'addiction' problem it is just a matter of time before they bring destruction to your life.  Can you help them?  Yes, but do so at a distance.  You don't have to date someone and move in with them to help them overcome their issues in life.  Bringing someone like this into your life is not only destructive for you, but for the rest of your family.  They will spend all of their money, and yours too.  And you children may learn their ways and become just like them.  

5.  It is not wise to enter into a relationship with someone who is broke all the time.  If you have a home, are raising your kids, and have food on your table do not make the mistake of bringing someone into your home that hasn't held down a job in their life.  

2 thessalonians 3:10 For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.

IF you bring someone into  your home, give them sex, give them money, put your effort into whatever they want for  your home and take time, energy, food and resources away from your own family get ready for a lot of heart aches pains and hurts. This person won't work, they are a drifter, and that is what they 'do for a living'  They play the 'I want to do better if I only had someone like you' routine very well.   The thing about drifters is they are also players.  They are always "in between jobs" and cannot hold down real work for more than a few weeks.   Often they use sickness or pain for a reason for their drug abuse and lack of work ethic.   If you don't give them just what they want they will drift off and find another.   They are not tied down or committed to anything or anyone this is how they live.   This kind of relationship will be nothing but sorrows, pain and heart ache. 

When we enter into relationships that violate the Word of God we will suffer because God knows all about life and how to live it with success and satisfaction.  When God issues a warning in the Bible, it should be heeded.  Are you going to put a relationship, or another person above the warnings of God?  If so, then get ready for the heart aches, pain and tragedy that comes from living with those kinds of people.  

If  you are already in a relationship that violates the Word of God get out now.  Don't wait for a good time, the longer you wait, the more destruction you are bringing to your own life.  Walk in obedience to God's Word and protect your heart by doing relationships GODS WAY!  

3 Steps To Moving Forward in Life

The Lord has been dealing with me to help people in overcoming their issues in life.   One thing to realize when dealing with issues is the only person you can change is yourself, and that only with the help and leading of the Holy Spirit.   We can pray for the people around us but we cannot change them.   Years ago I prayed everyday with an elderly person who was my prayer partner.   Everyday in prayer I noticed that she would complain and carry on about her relatives.  It just didn't sound right, but I was very young and didn't know what to say.   Everyday she would go on and on to the Lord about how bad they were, and their sins, and the terrible  way they were living.  And she pretty much said it the same way everyday.   One day this elderly person told me that the Lord had revealed to her that in the parable of the Pharisee and the Publican (sinner)  that God had revealed to her that she was the the Pharisee.  Instantly my mind began to think of how everyday she had complained about how bad a sinner her family was and how much God needed to change them.    I looked up the parable in the Bible and that is exactly how the pharisee prayed.  He called the publican a sinner, and declared himself righteous with no need to change.    He listed all his 'good works' as the reason for his righteousness and he told the God all about the sin of the publican.  How many times do we ask God to change people around us and we forget that we also need to continue to grow in God.

You can move forward in life, here are three things that will help you accomplish that:
1.  Realize that the only person you can change is yourself.   If I spend 30 minute asking God to change someone else, shouldn't I spend at least an equal amount of time asking God to change me?  Do each of us not have a need to change, to grow, to move forward?  Are any of us perfect?  None of us are perfect.   The biggest lie of the enemy to slow down your forward movement in life is getting you focused on trying to change someone else.  Your grown adult child knows every single imperfection in your life.   Are they going to listen to you tell them their need for change when they know you haven't changed in the past 30 years yourself?  The truth is when people around you see you change, it gives them hope, it makes an impression.  Why?  Because if you can change, then maybe their is hope that they can change.   If you don't want God changing you, what makes you think any of your relatives want God to change them.  Change is hard, so be the one willing to yield to change and you will create a hunger for change in the people around you.   Many of you have no idea how much your spouse or your children really DO want to change, they have tried to change and failed.   Show them by example how to yield to God and have a real change that is empowered by the Holy Spirit.  You lead the way and others will follow!

2.  Don't under estimate the power of your testimony!  

Revelation 12:11  And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto death.

Have you ever looked at one of your kids and said, "What did you say?"  "What just came out of your mouth?"  It is no different once we become adults.  We have got to watch what comes out of our mouth because every word that we speak is our testimony.   It takes more than the blood of the lamb to overcome the adversary, it also takes the word of our testimony and also that we do not love our lives unto death, so that we will obey God.  Your testimony is powerful.   But your testimony is more than just words.  WE testify about what we know in our hearts.  We must make sure that our hearts are right.  When we have confessed the Lord Jesus as our Savior, but we still think God is holding something against us, we have to get to the root of the problem and gain the confidence inside that we are right with God.  If we don't do this, our testimony is never going to give us the power to overcome the adversary.   This is a big problem with many people that I counsel.  They have lost confidence in their heart that God is for them, and they can't seem to regain it.   We will talk about regaining this confidence in a later devotion.

3.  If we want to move forward in life instead of being stuck in the same old rut the third thing we must do is value the Word of God.  At whatever point you disobey the Word of God, you have disobeyed God.   Whatever you neglect in the Word of God you have neglected from God. 

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

You can not separate God and the Bible.   The WORD was GOD.  At whatever point you reject the Word of God you reject God.  At whatever point you excuse yourself from obeying the Word of God you have excused yourself from obeying God.   God speaks to our hearts, but the primary way He speaks into our lives is through the Bible.  We must be obedient to the Word of God.  If we are not obedient to the Word of God than we are not obedient to God.  

You can move forward in life.  You don't have to be stuck in the same place, the same rut, the same situations forever.   God has been dealing with me to walk along side of believers and help them move forward.  Sometimes all you need is someone to walk through the valley with you that can help you find the path to greater heights.   Feel free to call me at 270-250-4195.  I would love to talk and pray with you about moving forward in life.  Helping other people overcome the challenges they face has been my passion.    If you live outside the United States, I don't have an international number, but contact me via email and maybe we can set up skype.  God Bless.  Patty McCann. 

Panic Comes Like A Thief In The Night, but It Can Be Broken!

The best day of my life was when I discovered that fear did NOT have to rule my life!  Nor does sickness have to rule me, but what about panic.   Take whatever fear and sickness are combined and add some gasoline to it and light a match and see the explosion and you still have not begun to experience the power of panic when it tries to take over someone's life.

The thing about fear is that it touches your heart with emotion and then sits back and watches the show.   Are you going to freak?  Or will you choose to trust God?  Fear touches your heart and grips your emotions and then likes to wrestle with you for a while.  But because of the power of the name of Jesus and the blood of the Lamb, there is no fear that can stop you when you are determined to obey God.  But panic is a whole new ball game.  Panic doesn't just touch your emotional center and then lay back and wrestle with you.  Panic is like a thief that comes in the night.  Panic will do everything in it's power of OVER TAKE your will.  And not only OVER TAKE your will, but to over take your body functions.   Increase your heart rate, break you out in a sweat, smother you with feelings of panic and distress.   Take over you nervous system and make you shake on the inside, where nobody but you and panic knows that this shaking is going on.  Take over your breathing and smother you until you are gasping for every breath.  Panic doesn't lay back and try to wrestle with you, panic invades your life and takes control of the wheel and takes you on a journey that you don't want to go on.  But how do I stop this invasion?  I have helped several people break free.

1.  Realize that if you wait until panic comes before you get in the battle to stop panic from taking over YOU HAVE waited too late.   Don't ever forget, you cannot wait until the enemy brings the battle to you, you have to take the battle to the enemy.  You must make the first move, if you don't, you won't be prepared when panic strikes.  It's like this.  If you make the first move and LOCK you car door, you are being proactive and when the thief makes HIS move to steal, He is more likely to overlook YOUR car because it is locked.  IT IS NO LONGER AN EASY TARGET.   Oh Please.  Somebody has got to hear this today.  Somebody has got to understand what is happening when panic takes you against your will over and over again.  First and foremost the enemy looks for an EASY TARGET!   You can't just live your life any old way as if you are not in a battle, as if you have no adversary.  If you do this you leave the door open for the enemy to make the first strike in the war for your peace, and that first strike in the case of panic is lethal to your peace completely!   You must take it to the enemy by being proactive, and challenging the battle lines before the enemy even has a chance to draw them.  When you are NO LONGER AN EASY MARK, the devil will skip by you and move on!   In every battle I encounter with the enemy I am the one in control of the battle,  Why?  I was the one that made the first strike!     What happens when you get proactive?  The enemy starts backing off of you after a while.  why?  Cause you are wearing him OUT.

How do you get proactive and run to the battle and overcome panic then?  

2.  You must build yourself up in the faith!  Jude explains this very well.

Jude 1:20But you, beloved, building up yourselves in your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit,

21Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

22And on some have compassion, making a difference:

23And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.

First if you do not pray in the Holy Spirit you are going to seldom defeat the enemy in this life.  When we pray in the Spirit we are building ourselves up.  I heard an arrogant person say one time, "Why would I want to do that?  Why would I want to build MYSELF up?"  First of all the apostles thought it was IMPORTANT to do so, and we are told to be strong in the Lord and in the POWER of HIS MIGHT.  How do we do this by putting on the armor of God.  Why put on an armor if you are not going to be in a fight?   And how do we fight?

Ephesians 6:18Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thus with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

Praying how?  IN THE SPIRIT!   Seek for the gift of the Holy Spirit so that you can pray in the Spirit at all times.  

And  not only praying in the Spirit; Jude says to keep yourself in the Love of God. 

And that brings us to point three.

3.  To be proactive against the attack of the enemy I keep my mind on loving and blessing others and NOT on myself and my problems.  When  you begin to use your problems and hurts as a reason not to reach out and love others the enemy has you right where he wants you.  If your adversary hears you say, "I got so many problems, I just can't help others til I get rid of some of this mess," then he says, "Aha.  just keep throwing problem after problem at them, that will keep them from obeying the will of God"   OH PLEASE, YOU MUST HEAR THIS.  I know you got problems, I know it is hard.  I know you are just barely getting by, but if you use your problems as a excuse not to obey the Word of God the enemy is going to dump problem after problem after problem on you.  And disobedience will cause the Spirit of God to lift off your life, so things NEVER get better.  Please. Please hear this today.  I am begging  you to hear this.  

There are many more things we can do to be proactive in the fight, but this is what I have told  you for today.   Panic will have a harder time catching  hold on you when you stay in the SPIRIT praying, and when You stay in the Love of God.   You see if I am out doing good and blessing my NEIGHBOR, I don't have time to sit in a heap and allow the devil to terrorize my thoughts, minds and emotions.    If I am in my closet praying in the Spirit for my family and friends the same Spirit that raised Christ FROM THE DEAD will quicken my mortal body, and with that quickening I am empowered to break the power of panic off my body and  mind.  Praise God!  

The Keys to Overcoming Fears, Panic and Insecurities!

Fear can paralyze you and stop any forward momentum that you have in life.   Panic can overwhelm you and smother your very existence.  Over and over in the Bible we are told to 'fear not'  I believe this is repeated so many times because human nature is prone to fear and fear is an enemy.    Since God tells us so many times to 'fear not' it is expected that we over come our fear.  Since God tells us to 'fear not' we know that we can overcome fear.  So why are so many people in bondage to panic and fear.  It is not necessary that we be in bondage to fear.  So how can we overcome it.

When I was young I was very much full of fear.  I was so full of fear it was hard for me to introduce myself to someone and tell them my name.  No matter what God asked me to do, I had a problem with it because of insecurity and fears.   There were things I was good at, but speaking to people and socializing was not part of those skills.  No matter where you insecurities or your fears I want to help you go through the steps that God took me through to rise above my insecurities and my fears.

1. Realize that it is OK to say YES even if you are afraid or insecure.   It was a surprise to me to find out that fear did not have to rule my life.   I had always lived in such a way that if I felt afraid or insecure I just backed away.  I explained to God one day that I could not obey what He was asking me to do because I was not capable of doing what He asked.  I was so sure someone else would do this task so much better than I could.   My pastor was praying for me at the altar.  He said to me, "Just say YES!"     Say YES!?!?   How could I just say, YES.  I had never thought of just saying YES to God.  What about my fears?  What about my insecurities?  What about my inadequacies?  Wow.  Even though I felt incapable God still expected me to say YES.   What has God put on your heart?  To start a business?  To start a class?  To minister to your neighbor?  To heal the sick?  To care for others?  You may feel afraid, you may feel insecure, let none of these things move you.  Go ahead and do those things afraid and insecure.  In time those feelings will leave you just like they left me.  What a joy that fear and insecurity does not have to rule my life.  Someone needs to hear this, you DON'T have to be obedient to your fears and you insecurities!  Glory to God.

Now let me break this down one step further and you can get to the root of the issue and even learn to overcome your panic.   What does the Bible say about WORRY?   It says to not do it!  It was impossible for me to say YES to this.  I thought that this went wrong and that wasn't working, and that issue was a mess, and that other person is killing me...How could I NOT Worry?   My fears and insecurities told me that I had to worry, or something worse would happen.   My view point at the time was that it was bad for bad things to happen, and it was even worse if you didn't care enough to worry about it.  LOL.  What a view  point.  It's human reasoning for sure, but it goes against the Word of God.  I would hear God say, "Do not worry"  But, how could I say, YES! to that command.  I had this thing and that thing and the other thing going on.    But, the day I realized that I could say YES to God's command in spite of everything that was going on was the day that I was set free.  You see fear and insecurity tells you that you have a REASON not to say YES to God.   Fear and insecurity will tell you that it is impossible for you to say YES to God.   But, when I realized that my fear and insecurities do not have to control me, that I can say YES to God in spite of what is going on, I WAS SET FREE!  Glory to God.  You can be set free to.  Remember the key is to realize that you can say YES to God!

Isaiah 41:10 Fear not; for I am with you: be not dismayed; for I am your God: I will strengthen you; yea, I will help you; yea, I will uphold you with the right hand of my righteousness.

2.  Once you say, YES in SPITE of your fears it is time to realize who you are in the ARMY of God.  Yes.  I did say army.  The bible says we are soldiers, but our fight is not of this world but it is a Spiritual warfare.   I began to step forward as God called me to move forward and I found that I went from one battle to another, to another, to another, to another.   I was very young in age, and in the LORD at this time in my life and here came all these battles.  Well, I began to learn how to put on all the armor of God an fight.  Our adversary the devil is looking for those he can devour.  There is nothing more scary that battles!  You fight for your health.  You fight for your kids.  You fight for your friends and family.  Wow.  I know I am talking to someone right now and you are right where I was then.  You are fighting for your life and this world is taking all that it can from you.    One day I was fighting for my health and I prayed to God with this complaint.  "Lord, I am so tired of all of these battles, when will they end?"   You see, I just wanted an end to the battles,  I wanted easy sailing.  I wanted a life that just fell into place without having to fight for it.   The Lord spoke to me and said, "One day you will take the fight to the enemy, instead of him always bringing it to you."   What?!?  One day I would choose to be a soldier?  One day I would chose to bring the fight?   Well, since that time someone has written a song about this, "I went to the enemies camp and I took back what he stole from me."   It was then that I realized my life was going to be a fight one way or another.  It was time for me to quit laying back and allowing the enemy to take my health, take my children, take my joy, take my peace, take my sound mind, take my over my will.   And it was time for me to rise up and take from the enemy not only all he had stolen from me, but to help others get back what was stolen from them too!   Instead of always being AFRAID of what battles were going to come to me, I began to move forward in God and BRING THE battle to the enemy!  You can pick that battles this way and the power of God manifest in you as you move forward.  You become cloaked with his POWER and the enemy has to flee.  And my life changed from that point on.  I took back my health, I took back my peace,  I took back my life!   And I didn't stop there!  Everyday I am fighting along side someone else to help them take back their life too!   I figured if I am going to be in a battle anyway, I was going to bring it to the enemy instead of him bringing it to me all the time!

Ephesians 6:11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

There is so much more to learn about overcoming fear, panic and insecurities, but this is what I have shared with you for now.     Feel free to leave a comment below... I would love to hear from you!

What Really Matters?

When my heart knows that obedience to God is the only thing that matters I will be willing to lay down my life, take up my cross and follow Jesus.  Wow.  When was the last time you heard a Spiritual leader talking about taking up our cross and following Jesus?    I have spent a life time over 30 years doing this very thing and I have not regretted one minute of my life!  Matthew and Luke both recorded Jesus saying, "Take up your cross and follow me!"   What would cause Jesus to say such a thing?

In the book of Matthew we see Jesus talking about his death, and Peter rebuked him and indicated that Jesus would never die on the cross.   Matthew 16:23But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get you behind me, Satan: you are an offense unto me: for you consider not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.  24Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.  25For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.  26For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?  27For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.

So we see that when Jesus was talking about his own death on the cross he informed them that hey would also have to take up their cross and follow him.

Then in Luke once again we see Jesus talking about his death, and informing them that they too will have to take up their cross and deny themselves for his sake. 

Luke 9:22Saying, The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain, and be raised the third day.  23And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.  24For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.  25For what is a man profited, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or suffer loss?  26For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father's, and of the holy angels.

Was Jesus talking about only his disciples here?  No.  He said if any man come after me, let him do what?  DENY HIMSELF.  What?!?  Does God expect us to deny ourselves?  Yes.  You see sometimes the will of God goes against what we desire.  Sometimes we have to lay down our lives, and be obedient to God.   You are not required to be a miracle worker, but obedience to God is required.  

There are times when we are like Jonah and we have a hard time with what God wants us to do.  Jonah decided to forget God's will and do his own thing.  He was not going to suffer to do the will of God, he was going to skip out and just quit.  There are those who try to skip out and God and just quit every time things don't go their way.   What happened to Jonah.  He was swallowed by a great fish!  And this is what happens to our lives when we refuse to suffer for the Lord.  We get swallowed up by circumstances.  Depression comes and swallows us up.   Anger comes and swallows up our lives.   Panic and fears come and swallow us up.  Impossible circumstances come and swallow us whole, and we cannot escape it.    What does this verse say?  It says very clearly 25For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: 

There are those that are convinced that they aren't going to deny themselves of what they want for nobody.  We are the most selfish generation that has ever lived.  When God speaks to me things that are telling me that I am WRONG and that I need to change I have a choice.  I can pray and ask God to change me, or I can ball up and walk away and find someone that will tell me what I want to hear.  But, just because you can find a false prophet that will tell you exactly what you want to hear does not mean you are going to SAVE YOUR LIFE.  The only way to save your life is very clear.  but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.

As long as you hold on to your life, your ways, your opinions, your selfishness, your desires, your plans, YEAH it's all about YOU isn't it...You are going to find that you keep losing YOUR life to circumstances that swallow YOU up.  But I don't believe that anyone can lay down their life and follow Jesus unless their heart is made right.   When the love you have for God is greater than any other love.  When you want to please God more than you want to please  yourself.  When you live, and move, and your being  wrapped up in Him You will gladly lay down your life for Him.  You won't want anything to come between you and Him.  You will want to be as close to him as you can get.   You will desire him more than you desire gold, or silver.  With every breath you take you will praise him and want him to be with you.  

When I lay down my life and take up  my cross and follow Jesus, I don't do this so that I can have something back, or to gain anything in this life.  I do so because I love Him, and I desire His presence in my life.   I hunger for Him and thirst for Him like a deer thirst for water.  It is time to lay aside a selfish Christianity that says, "What is in it for me"  And to have a heart change where it is all about HIM, because it was all about HIM anyways.