1 faith unlimited january, 2018 2

HELP SPREAD MOTIVATION

BY SPREADING JUST HOW MUCH FATHER GOD LOVES OTHERS! January 2018 – Published by World Bible School International Training Center

Happy New Year to all of our Readers, Writers, and those of you that just like to look at pictures! đ&#x;˜Š I hope this will be the best year ever for you! May you have blessings more than ever, prosperity, health, and all of the other things that Jesus already paid for just for you!

I apologize, but there will not be any international ads, book ads, or many of the USA ads this month. Don’t get me wrong, I love my work, but publishing a monthly magazine takes a lot of time. I now have my book publishing company, and it is also taking up my time. So, I am working on organization for this New Year! I am sure we all have areas that we could improve. Why not take this time and scribble down some of those things you would like to improve, and start the New Year by doing what it takes to improve in those areas?

Make it your aim to do something to make someone happy. This little guy, Merferd, came by my computer to wish me a Happy New Year, and sure put a smile on my face! So, I’m putting him here just so you can see a little more of Wendell Phillip’s work. You can see these treetoons if you go to: https://www.treetoons.com/

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE! And a great big thank you for reading and sharing Faith Unlimited magazine! Don’t forget, you can now go to Amazon.com and find these magazines in print! You can see Merferd on the cover of the October, 2017 issue by going here: http://amzn.to/2CDYEE9

Publisher & Editor Faye Hanshew

Co-Publisher & Co-editor Dr. Bill Hanshew

Articles Having an Attitude of Gratitude!

Dr. Bill Hanshew

Goals for 2018: Find a Mentor, Be a Mentor

Dave Kachele

Simplicity

Genice Fulton

Things to Consider Hanging on to our Past Competes with God Tackling of Issue of Christians Embracing Poverty Get Moving Spiritual Correctness God’s Rhema for your Life in 2018 Resolution: To Instill in Our Children a Christian Worldview

Dr. Jimmie Lewis Dr. Richard Rundell Tom Tompkins Ernest Kweku Nanor Author/Speaker Larry Thompson Krissy Webb Dr. Dan L. Corse

Dawn of a New Year

Stuart E. Smith

Redeeming the Time

Pastor Jo Bruns

Holding Yourself Accountable No Texting the Dead Man in 2018 God’s Landscaping

Mikea Fulton Matthew Deves Rev. Kathy Weddle

HAVING AN ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE! by: Dr. Bill Hanshew 1 Thessalonians 5:18 says, “in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

Some say that to know where you are going, it is important to know where you have come from. In other words, it seems like they are saying that knowing your past will help you move toward your future. But what about the here and now?

Many people seem to be grateful if their past or upbringing was good. Others seem to be grateful when it looks the outcome of their future is going to be great, based on the type of financial plans they have made.

Some seem to draw from that great past, and the potentially great future to come, to determine whether life is happy for them now.

These elements seem to contribute to whether some people are grateful for their present life.

However, as Christians, we are instructed to “give thanks” in everything or with every step we take. There is nothing in this verse which gives us the idea of the past or the future, but in the now. While the will of God applied to your past, you may not have been

very grateful.

And while the will of God certainly applies to your future, you cannot determine what the future holds.

The only thing about the future that is certain, you know who holds your future.

So, that would lead us to believe that we are to be thankful, to give thanks, or to just have an attitude of gratitude in each moment. But why is being grateful so important in the here and now? And how can people be grateful in this moment IF THINGS IN THIS MOMENT are just not going according to plans?

David said in Psalms 9:1, “I will praise You, O LORD, with my whole heart; I will tell of all Your marvelous works.” What has the Lord done in your life? He has saved you, He keeps you, and He provides for you.

Now, maybe not in all of the ways you have

dreamed about or wished for, but certainly He causes you to awake each morning with another opportunity to believe what His word says.

David also said in Psalm 107:1, “Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.” Here are some other reasons to have an attitude of gratitude today. The Lord is good, and His mercy endures, NOT for a season, but forever. We do not give thanks to the Lord based on feelings or having a good day or a bad day. We give thanks because He is God, and He is good, and He is merciful to us.

Finally, the Apostle Paul said this in Philippians 1:7 (NLT). “So it is right that I should feel as I do about all of you, for you have a special place in my heart. You share with me the special favor of God, both in my imprisonment and in defending and confirming the truth of the Good News.”

When Paul could not convey the gospel in times of imprisonment, others continued to preach about Jesus. And Paul says how grateful he is for others who have the same MOTIVATION in his heart.

The essence I see here is that Paul was grateful for other people who carried the message of Jesus in their heart also. The point is being grateful for other, fellow believers in the faith. Now, I am not saying that we should not be grateful for all mankind, but simply pointing out this parallel of what Paul was grateful for.

On social media, I see brother against brother, seemingly wars, and rumors of wars. Of course, this is not what Jesus was speaking about in Matthew 24.

However, it is a war that is becoming a great

war on the world wide web. Think about it; God’s family divided. One believer in Jesus refusing to embrace the opinion of another believer, so they plaster it on social media site instead of praying for one another and believing in the process of a loving God within each life.

Paul also says in Ephesians 1:16, “{I} do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers:” It is crystal clear that we are not to war against each other, but we are to pray for one another.

In everything give thanks or have gratitude for others because being grateful is the will of God for you, in Christ Jesus. You are not in and of yourself.

You are in Christ Jesus.

Therefore, “give thanks” or “have an attitude of gratitude” about the God who lives big in you at this moment. In other words, be thankful for the relationship you have with Jesus in the here and now. Now is your moment to be grateful.

Tomorrow is not here yet and your past is completely gone. Today is the “this is the day” the Lord has made for you to rejoice and be glad IN HIM. So, as you are beginning this new year, make a decision to start it off right. BE GRATEFUL. Be grateful for this moment you are sharing with your spouse, family or even a friend. Be grateful for this moment as air flows through your lungs and blood pumps through your heart. Be grateful that the Lord will never leave you and will never forsake you. Choose to be grateful in every situation you face. Not necessarily grateful for bad situations, but having an attitude of gratitude will certainly influence the outcome of the next moment of your life. …Think about it!

GOALS FOR 2018: Find a Mentor Be a Mentor by: Dave Kachele

“Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.”

1 Corinthians 11:1 (NIV) Who can say this to you? To whom can you say it? What is a mentor? Let’s take this last question first: A mentor is simply a trusted friend. A mentor is not a Bible scholar. He or she may not have been a Christian for 100 years. It doesn’t need to take a lot of time. It takes a willingness and a commitment to be a growing disciple (as a mentee) and to grow a disciple (as a mentor).

Find a Mentor: Ever since I was saved in the spring of 1974, God has provided me with a mentor. Still today, I meet every week with another man. We can say anything to each other. We listen to each other. Listening is perhaps the mentor’s most important activity. We can confess temptation and sin. We can ask each other questions, some hard. We read the Bible together. We pray for one another. We imitate one another. We grow together.

Do you have someone in your life that can ask you hard questions? Is there someone to whom you are accountable before the Lord?

I also meet with a small group of men. We listen to each other, talk about things that concern men, advise each other, and pray for one another. I can call any of these men day or night! They can call on me any time they need someone.

Is this you? “I don’t need a human mentor; Jesus is my Mentor!” Of course He is!

Each of us has the ever present, all knowing, all powerful, and all loving Holy Spirit within. But we also need what my wife calls “Jesus with skin on.” There are no lone rangers in the Bible. We grow rubbing elbows with each other! “… Go and make disciples …”

The Great Commission: Matthew 28:18-20 Be a Mentor: Are you mentoring another believer? If not, why not?

Three Excuses: 1. “I don’t know enough Bible.” As I said above, the main requirements of a mentor is to be a trusted friend and a good listener. Learn the Bible WITH your mentee. Who wants to be with a “know it all” anyway!?

2. “I don’t have the time.” I spend an hour a week with my mentor and an hour a week with each person that I’m mentoring. I spend more time watching TV! Look at Jesus. Was He busy!? Yet, He found time to take His apostles aside. Paul was busy, but he found time to mentor Timothy, Titus, and many others. Very few investments will be more valuable, especially in light of eternity. Find the time! You will grow too.

My mentees mentor me! Yours will mentor you!

3. “What am supposed to do, just walk up to someone and ask, ‘Hey, want a mentor?’”

(Asking someone to mentor you is easier than offering to be one.)

Now, this is a legitimate issue.

If you are a pastor, and you don’t have people mentoring one another - not just by chance - you need a vehicle for hooking up mentors and mentees. Both the church where I serve and the Christian university in our community have a system set up. It isn’t hard. I Google searched “Christian Mentoring” and got 6,360,000 hits! Develop a little training module. (You can start with this article.) Have two sign-up sheets in your foyer, one for those who’d like a mentor and one for those willing to be a mentor.

People can sign-up on both lists. Gals with gals and men with men is best. Promote it. Set up a kick-off meeting time, and you’re up and running!

I Google searched “Testimonies of Christian Mentees” and got 7,680 hits! Here’s a short one:

“A great mentor is worth more than gold. They intangibly gift you their confidence to accomplish more than you could without them. For me my greatest advancements came when I had great mentors close to me.”

Guy Richards, CEO, Abiah Let someone invest in you!

Invest in someone else!

May your 2018 be your best year ever for the glory of our Head Mentor, Jesus Christ!

Win and Grow Ministries Website: http://www.winandgrow.com Email: winngrow@gmail.com

by: Genice Fulton Listen closely, I have set before you today life and prosperity (good), and death and adversity (evil); in that I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk [that is, to live each and every day] in His ways and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His judgments (precepts), so that you will live and multiply, and that the Lord your God will bless you in the land which you are entering to possess.

(Deuteronomy 30:15-16, AMP)

The last several months I have been meditating on simplicity. Oftentimes I have managed to complicate the uncomplicated by making perfection my ultimate goal.

Wisdom is teaching me to replace perfection with progression.

My husband has always said, “Watch your pennies and your dollars which take care of themselves.” Recently I have learned this is not only about money, but this phrase also applies to every aspect of life. For example, managing the seemingly small things in our lives often prevents many potential large issues from manifesting. (Matthew 6:33, Deuteronomy 30:15-16)

I have learned a very simple way of living each day by doing everything God requires of me, and not one thing more. The most simplistic way for me to make every decision is to ponder this one simple question, “How do I choose life for this exact moment?” Since we are to imitate God, we can simply remind ourselves, God would set Himself aside and He would choose love. (Philippians 2:3) My heart’s desire and prayer for my 2018 is, “Everything You want for me LORD and not one thing that You don’t.” As I am faithful to choose life in every situation, He is faithful to open and close doors. (Revelations 3:7-8) In our current culture there resides a glorification of busyness. The noise level of the demands around us from the time we

wake up until we fall into bed is completely exhausting. Thank God for giving us wisdom to choose.

Listen closely, I have set before you today life and prosperity (good), and death and adversity (evil); in that I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk [that is, to live each and every day] in His ways and to keep His commandments and

His statutes and His judgments (precepts), so that you will live and multiply, and that the Lord your God will bless you in the land which you are entering to possess.

(Deuteronomy 30:15-16, AMP)

My heart’s desire and prayer for every reader is, “Everything You want for them LORD and not one thing that You don’t.”

by: Dr. Jimmie D. Lewis The text I would like to start with today is Isaiah 52:15. “So shall he “sprinkle” many nations; the kings shall ‘shut their mouths’ for which had been told them shall they see, and that which they had ‘not heard' shall they consider.”

This is telling me, that the Lord is ready to do something so great. And our Bible tells us also that He will do nothing, but He reveals His (secret) unto His servants the Prophets. (Amos 3:7) Where is this secret? And in who shall this secret be revealed? This secret which HATH (pass tense) been hidden is with them that fear Him, and He will show them His covenant. (Psalm 25:14).

God so much wants to share His heart with us, like He did with John the disciple that Jesus loved, who was him that laid his head on Jesus’ bosom. Why? To hear the Heart of God. We might “consider” what we hear, and do we want to become what we hear? Do we want to tell others what we hear?

Remember, what Jesus said, I do what I see the Father do, I speak what I hear the Father speak, and He, Jesus, said I always do the things that please the Father. (St. John 8:29; 12:49; what he speaks; and 15:15; what I hear. And in Mark 4:24; take heed what you hear.)

Maybe we should “consider” all these things, because there are many voices in the land today. Exodus 21:5-6 says, “And if the servant shall plainly say, (Or the Hebrew says, “saying shall say”), I love my Master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free.” Jesus said we cannot have two masters, we will love one and hate the other. A servant does not know what his Lord does. So here is what happens in verse six. “Then his master shall bring him unto the judges; he shall also bring him to the “DOOR,” or unto the doorpost; and his master shall bore his ear

through with an awl; and he shall serve him forever.”

have need of milk (or it is time to be weaned, and not strong meat.”

What this is a type and shadow of is that Jesus is the Door, and the Master has nailed our ear to His voice. May our ear or ears which are married to His voice.

We may consider this more and more, as we think upon it. There should be only one sound in our ears, which is His voice, and our ears should be married to that voice, which is His. Psalm 89:15 says, “Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound.” This word “know” in the Old Testament has a threefold meaning.

Let’s “consider” where we are and what we have need of. Let’s “consider” 1 Corinthians 2:10 which says, “But (or look here) God HATH revealed (or uncovered) them) unto us by (or though) his Spirit: for (the reason the Spirit searches something, NOT SOME THINGS; ALL things) yea, the deep things of God.” We should hear this deep in us; and calling for the depth of God. Deep calls unto deep at the noise of thy “waterspouts”: all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me (Psalm 42:7). Put up your water pot; and be a water pot.

Would we “consider” these things more closely, seeing a bigger picture, like overflowing rivers that No man can cross, or overflowing rivers that have no ends?

The Strong’s #8085 means; to hear “intelligently, attentively and obediently."

Jesus said in St. John 16:12, I “have” meaning, (I hold) yet many things to say unto (or into) you, but ye cannot “bear” (or hold them in possession).” Now, why is it so easy for the enemy to uproot what God has given us?

It sounds like God, still has things to say for us that we can enter into. So, we might “consider” them right now. Called of God, a high priest after the order of Melchizedek, of whom we have many things (or many words) to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull (slow, or sluggish) of hearing (Hebrews 5:10-11).

2 Peter 3:16 says, “As also in all things his epistles, speaking in them of things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as their own destruction.”

Hebrews 5:12 says, “For when the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you “again” (which is) the first principles (or the A. B. C’s) of the oracles of God; and are become such as

Let’s look at Isaiah 43:18, “Remember (or this word means to stop rehearsing the same old things over and over again) the former thing, neither “consider” of old.”

“BEHOLD,” I will do a new (fresh) thing NOW it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? Here is one of them, I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.” Habakkuk, which means, to “embrace” and there is a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing. The Lord from heaven has apprehended us which reveals the love of God “embracing” humanity. Habakkuk 1:5 says, “BEHOLD ye among the heathen, and regard, and wonder marvelously (He is about to do something so beautiful, that it will shut the mouth of kings of the earth), For I will work a work in your days (and He did in Habakkuk) which ye will not believe, though it be told you.”

In Moses’ day, he told them what was going to happen, but they knew it not until it took them all away. Some people will tell you that God is not doing a new thing, and that the old was better. Luke 5:38-39 says, “But new wine must be put into new bottles; and both are preserved. No man also, having drunk old wine straightway desireth new: for he says the old is better.”

it with the carnal mind, no, not ever, it is impossible.

I am sorry, but God is moving in a new and living way, so come boldly before His throne of grace, and you will find grace help in the time of need. I even found new things in the old, after I searched it out, then I found things in the book of Lamentations, of all place to find it.

Lamentations 3:22-23 “It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, (Why?) Because his compassions fail not.

They are NEW every morning: great is thy faithfulness.”

You know even the things that are yet to be revealed belong unto us. Proverbs 25:2 says, “It is the glory of God to conceal a “thing:” (The Hebrew word, dabar means, “word”) but it is the honor of kings to search out a matter.” He is the King of kings, and we are kings and priests of the most high God, and it is our honor to search out the matter” which again, in the Hebrew, means, word.

Then I checked it out and found it again, in Noah's time. He found Grace in the “eyes” (or in the Spirit) of the Lord. Noah’s name, meaning “Rest” and true rest did not come until Jesus came, and He (Jesus) brought Rest! The fifth time Noah’s name is mentioned, he finds grace. The number five in scripture means grace all through the Word of God. Jeremiah 33:3 says Call unto me (that's always a good thing to do) He will always answer (or respond) to us, and show us great and mighty things, which we know not, and the only way we can know them, is by the revelation of the Spirit of the living God. Apart from that, they are unacceptable. We know the whole Bible is a spiritual book. We can never understand

Deuteronomy 29:29 says, “The “secret” (the intimate shadings of Him) of the Spirit belong unto the Lord our God; but the things which are revealed (or disclosed) belong unto us and our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.”

Jesus said, “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think you have eternal life: and they (the scriptures) testify of me (or concerning me)” (St. John 5:39).

What we do not know, will hurt us. That is why Hosea 4:6 says, “My people” are destroyed (or silent) for the lack of knowledge, because they reject it.” Please quit rejecting what you do not understand.

Search it out before you make a judgment against it. You could be wrong, you know.

Isaiah 42:16 says, “And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and the hidden riches of secret places, “that” (this is the reason) that thou may know I, the Lord, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel.”

Isaiah 48:3 says, “I have declared the “former” things from the beginning; and they went forth out of my mouth, and I showed them; I did them suddenly, and

they came to pass.”

He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit is saying. Because I knew that thou art obstinate (or hard headed), and thy neck is an iron sinew, and they came to pass. I have even from the beginning declared it to thee; lest thou should say, mine idol hath done them, and my graven image, and my molten image, hath commanded them. Thou hast heard, “SEE” (gaze at, take heed contemplate, experience, have a vision) look close at all this, and will not to declare it? I have shown thee New things, from this time, even hidden things, and thou did not know them. They are created now, and from the beginning; even before the day when thou heard them. They are “created now,” and not from the beginning; even before the day when thou heard them not least thou should say, Behold, I knew them. Jesus said, who hath ears to hear, let him hear, He also said, But blessed are your eyes, for they see; and your ears, for they hear.

Isaiah 43:18 18 “Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old.”

And again He (Jesus) said, because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of (or are belonging to) the kingdom of heaven, but to them it's not been given.

That does not mean, they are lost, or they had not been taught like these that had teaching. Behold He makes all things New, He is not patching up an old one, but what He is doing now, is making all thing new; new in quality and fresh. Behold, and consider the all new things that God himself is making new (2 Corinthians 5:17; Revelation 4:11; Revelation 21:5).

I trust that we have been blessed by the Word of the Lord. This is my prayer. That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you/me the spirit of wisdom and revelation in (or by) the knowledge of HIM. The eyes of our understanding being enlightened; that (or this is the reason) that ye may know fully what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of HIS, inheritance IN the saints.

HANGING ON TO OUR PAST COMPETES WITH GOD By: Dr. Richard W. Rundell Why did I spend so much time looking back over previous events of my life? You might say it’s natural for someone 90 years old to reminisce about the “good old days.”

But my wife, Irene, kept telling me, “You live too much in the past.”

usually lasted only a fraction of second but triggered related memories.

To me, it seemed natural to reflect upon the pleasant memories of yesteryear, like being proud of my upbringing and the family in which I was raised. I had enjoyed close relationships with my parents, sisters, and the relatives on both sides of my family.

Earning a PhD at 43, I used to proudly ponder many thoughts about my experiences in college. Many times, I also thought about the various jobs I held, the houses and cities in which our family lived.

However, I always had a soft spot in my heart for the home farm in Wisconsin where I was raised, worked for my Dad several years and operated for seven years when we were first married. Even though I worked long, hard hours on the farm, memory of various incidents often flashed in my mind which would give me a sense of joy or fond memory. The initial flash

Frequently I talked to Irene about events that happened previously in our two years of courtship and over 60 years of marriage and she would say, “That is in the past, why bring it up now?” For example, I often thought and talked about the job I had as an Agricultural Commodity Market Analyst,

the most rewarding job of my life. Yet the Lord told me my education and technical jobs were rubbish in contrast to my walk with Him.

important, I must guard my mind from dwelling too much on the blessings of the past, the good jobs, for example, along with many everyday events.

The Apostle Paul also had things to brag about and according to scripture; he considered it rubbish that he may gain Christ (Phil. 3:5-8 NIV).

Even my “mundane” thoughts at times crowd out the voice of God that I should listen to. I needed to get rid of all the influences of the secular world that would take up space in my mind.

Two important points the Lord revealed to Irene. She said to me, “When you are living in the past while I live in the present, then we do not live and think as one. “ She continued, “Second, when you live too much in the past, you live in a world that exists only in your mind.”

When we live in our past we need to cleanse our spiritual house. Consider the account of Tabiah in the book of Nehemiah. Nehemiah told them to get Tobiah’s furniture and all his things out of the room in the temple. You may ask, “What is wrong with a few pieces of furniture?” The problem was that none of Tibia’s stuff was of God. Just like the case of Tobiah, the Lord wanted us to get all the extra “stuff,” natural and spiritual, out of our house (mind). What did I have to do to clean out my “house”? I needed to drive the things not of God out of my heart, the living temple of God. I needed to take away all the things that may have temporally distracted me from God. The Lord has definitely dealt with me to clean up the thoughts of my past that clutter up my mind. I have had to get rid of the hurts, disappointments, negative thoughts, and things not of God. Most

In my defense, I reminisced, not about who I was (before Christ) but rather the various events surrounding my life. Yes, many of those events had to do with our activity in the Lay Witness Mission program we engaged in and the evangelistic trips Irene and I took.

Why did I hang on to so much of my past?

Because I failed to give my thoughts fully over to the Lord. Some of that problem may have come from a habit of reminiscing. I may have picked up some from my Dad who often reminisced with interesting stories and from my uncle Homer, my dad’s brother, a master story teller of unique, often humorous, events of his past. Subconsciously, I possibly thought that pleasant memories would bring life to me, but I now realize they can’t; they are only in my mind.

I didn’t understand I wasn’t to dwell on my past, whether good or bad. Yet I had to realize that every event in my life had spiritual significance.

In order to hear God’s voice and heed His direction for our life, we have to get rid of the clutter and “stuff” in our minds. Let us try it for this new year.

by: Tom Tompkins Before I move into the subject matter of this article, please allow me to be clear about something: I realize not all Christians embrace poverty. However, I believe more Christians than not embrace poverty and do not realize what they are doing while others are open about their beliefs, proclaiming financial prosperity as something that is not Godly.

were sold. This painted a clear picture for me concerning the reality of most Christians and their lacking view of financial prosperity.

I once heard an interesting statement from a Jew that more than grabbed my attention. It is no secret that many Jews are at odds with Christianity. What this particular Jew said painted the true picture of this reality. He said, “We do not have a

To be honest, I am not sure why many Christians embrace poverty. It is not something instructed in the Bible. It was not something modeled in the life of Jesus, and not something God commanded of any person at any time.

problem with Christians based on how they view our Messiah. The problem we have with Christians is their willingness to embrace poverty.”

After writing a book titled, “You TOO Can Prosper”, which was published during May of 2017, I saw a new light shed on the way Christians view the subject of financial prosperity. During the remaining months of 2017, after an aggressive marketing program and giving away nearly 100 copies of You TOO Can Prosper, a total of twenty-two paperback copies of the book

Deuteronomy 8:18 clearly states, “God has given us power to get wealth.” Yes, this is for revealing the Covenant He has given us. Based on this point alone, I want you to consider something.

The New Covenant, which we live under today as opposed to the Old Covenant, reveals God’s true character, heart and nature of love, mercy and grace. God is a giver. In fact, His desire is for each of us to have far more than anything we could concoct in our own thinking.

“Now glory be to God, who by his mighty power at work within us is able to do far more than we would ever dare to ask or even dream of—infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, or hopes.”

Ephesians 3:20 (Living Bible) Stop to meditate on the words of Ephesians 3:20. These words alone reveal the heart of God concerning prosperity, not only in the area of finances, but all areas of life. Yes, I realize that prosperity encompasses more than money, but when all is said and done, money is a part of everything we do.

Some may say, “Money is the root of all evil”, but the Bible says, “The love of money is the root of all evil” per the words of 1 Timothy 6:10. However, there is a way to love money that is not evil.

Personally, I have a passionate love for money. Why? I love money because of what it allows me to do for others.

I hate to see someone with a financial need only to hear the words, “Well, I’ll be praying for you.” As Christians, we are to help those in need. This includes finances.

Honestly, the issue of Christians embracing poverty is nothing less than a doctrine of demons.

I love to give! I love to give big and give often. However, to be able to give the way God desires me to give, I must first be able to see my own needs taken care of. Out of the excess, I am able to bless others. If you want to know if you are walking in the blessings of God, look at what you are able to do for others.

I will never forget sitting in on a Bible study at a local church. During the course of the meeting, the subject of being content came up. I mentioned the fact that being content is not about being satisfied but rather about remaining calm at all times. Someone spoke up and said, “Shouldn’t we just believe God for just enough to meet our own needs?” I responded to the man’s question by saying, “No! If that is the way we live, we will see a need in the life of another and not be able to meet it.”

There is nothing wrong with having nice things. God is all for that and it is part of being blessed. What is taking place in the life of a Christian is much of what draws in those who are non-believers, but many say, “You are poor or living in lack. Why do I need your God if He cannot provide for you any better than that?” The level of prosperity we walk in is a shining light for those who do not know God. Have you ever been at church or in a ministry meeting and felt as if God was speaking to you about giving an amount of money that you did not have? There is an eye-opening reason as to why this takes place. The reason for this experience is due to the fact that God sees each of us as who we are in Him. As far as He sees it, we are fully capable of living with great financial prosperity just as He sees us as sinless, spotless, and without blame in His sight.

To God, financial prosperity is simply a part of life.

Financial prosperity is not only about what it allows us to do for others, but also for ourselves and our family.

For example, let’s say there was a lightning strike that took out your refrigerator. If this event or any additional number of unexpected events took place right now, do you have the cash to go out and buy a new refrigerator without batting an eyelash or would you have to put it on credit, becoming a slave to the lender?

(Proverbs 22:7) Financial prosperity frees you up to not only pursue God’s best, but also reduce stress in your life. Can you imagine not having to worry about money? Satan, the thief, who comes to steal, kill, and destroy wants you to live in lack which he knows will produce stress. Therefore, it is dangerous to embrace poverty.

There is a lot more I could touch on to properly cover this subject, but I will end

with this: If you are not doing well financially, living with just enough, or know in your heart that there must be more, I encourage you to ask God to show you ways to overcome the financial challenges you are facing. All you have to do is ask, waiting for His answer. It may come instantly, or it may take a few hours, days, or more. One way or another, God will answer you. The next step is solely on you.

You must act on what God shows you. This is what separates the haves from the have nots.

Are you unsure if you have a poverty mindset? Stay tuned! Next month I will write an article titled, “How to Know If You

Are Poverty Minded”.

GET by: Ernest Kweku Nanor

Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?"

(Matthew 14:31, ESV) Many people easily read through this passage of scripture and criticize Peter for being doubtful in the middle of those deep waters. Only a few would congratulate him for his effort of faith.

But the biggest question we see here is that anytime we read through these scriptures, would we have done it better than him, or how would we react if we were in a similar situation like Peter?

Not even one of Peter’s co-disciples had the courage or boldness to “Get Moving” by simply hearing the words of Jesus saying, “Come.” Talk about his walk on the water, which was an activity that was totally strange to him.

Regardless of the fact that Peter had heard so much about God’s miracles from Jesus, and

regardless of the fact that he had seen Him heal the sick and perform numerous miracles before their eyesight; this time it was Peter himself walking on the water, only by the hearing of faith.

Consider how you might have panicked when you were given the microphone the first time in your life, being asked to preach to a great number of people. These people might have those you

have lived around your entire life. Remember the joy you experience when it is the first time.

Somewhere along the way, you will make a statement expecting everyone to smile, or to laugh; but when it becomes silent, then the tension begins.

You are not sure whether they have understood you or whether they are moving along with you.

You may not realize if they are ahead of what the Holy Spirit is giving based on what you have heard the Holy Spirit speak to you. It can become terrifying when you look out from the pulpit and see someone dozing off. And regardless of how interesting your message was designed to be, you wonder if it is quickened their spirits.

Here is where most preachers would easily be shifted from the spirit; to the natural by expecting a natural response. Instead of breaking into a fleshly observation in that deepest moment, you can easily call on the Lord within your spirit, even as you preach; and the Lord could wake them out of slumber. He could give them an awakening within, a vision, or a song and at that moment, that vision or song could stir up the entire meeting.

Many people emerge and shine when something glorious takes place. But what about when there are storms and those storms throw them completely from their preconceived agenda.

Jesus had ended His forty days fast in the wilderness gloriously. But right at that moment, a big storm immerged saying, if you are the Son of Man, then turn these stones into bread.

One main mission of the storms in our lives is to shift our attention from our Maker and His preconceived agenda on our lives. The effects of the storms have no impact on us if we put our utmost trust and confidence in Jesus Christ and His Word alone. The storms that emerged at that time would not have done anything thing to

Peter, if his trust and confidence was in the Lord, instead of having any doubt.

“A little leaven leavens the whole lamp.” I do not know the nature of the storms that have risen to speak to you, that comes to divert your attention from the Lord’s calling on your life. But, what I want to say is, “Get Moving” and never give up because the Lord Jesus is there to uphold you with His hand, even in your darkest storm.

John was put into a hot oil and it boiled for six hours. But guess what; not even the flames of the heat of the oil touched his skin, nor did it hurt him. Peter, regardless of that fact, he had fallen and sunk into the water, the Lord was right there to uphold him and to restore him back on top of the water. It is no wonder that Jesus told him that He has prayed for him so that his faith would not fail. It is no wonder that Peter was the one who had to strengthen his co-disciples because even all of us need to be strengthening in the faith.

Jesus needed strengthening at Gethsemane; yet all His disciples at that time were not there to strengthen Him. All His disciples were sleeping, yet the Holy Spirit and the Host of Heaven were not asleep. Jesus was strengthened at that deepest moment of a storm. Jesus was crucified on the cross and put to death, yet the grave could not hold Him, neither did His flesh see corruption.

The eternal life we received, is the result of our ultimate faith in the Son of God; has made you and I, sons of God forever. And God will see to it that every provision that belongs to us in Christ, will be provided as long as we continue to move on with His faith because His faith is our light. In Him was life, and His life was the light of men.

God richly bless you in Jesus name, Amen.

Written by Ernest Kweku Nanor Author - Revealing Jesus (on Amazon)

Spiritual Correctness by: Author/Speaker Larry Thompson I had travelled together with other friends to Korea, back before they hosted the ’88 Summer Olympics. The contrasts, and differences in cultures stood out immediately. Most of the time we live in such a small confined box, and assume the rest of the world lives like we do, even though it may be voiced differently.

Nothing is so eye-opening as experience.

Once you taste and see, then your senses start comparing to anything else that you have ever experienced. Habits that are formed, and patterns of thinking over our lifetime, do not change suddenly.

The morning after we arrived, while it was still quiet in the city, a couple of us went out hoping to get a cup of coffee some place in a café. We entered several dimly lit cafés, with a handful of workers standing in the dark atmosphere. They spoke to us in Korean, but it was the gesture accompanied by the surroundings that I just understood that they had not opened yet. After trying many more

places, we just gave up and decided it was too early to get a cup of coffee.

It was not until almost a week later, while in another part of the country, that I discovered something rather fun and amusing to the mistaken ideas, and assumptions I had made. We were all sitting around in a café in the evening after hiking all day. I had ordered coffee; the waitresses asked if I wanted tea too. I said, "Sure." They spoke English fluently, so it was easy to converse, and ask about many things. When the tea was brought back to our table I noticed it was in a glass, but I did not mind. I am “cultured” now. I took one sip, and immediately tasted alcohol. Whiskey! The

word for whiskey, sounds similar to tea. I laughed at my misunderstanding. I decided I would ask about some other things I thought I knew, and again discovered how much I did not know.

When we had gone out early that first day to get a cup of coffee, those that we heard in each café spoke words which we thought meant they had not opened, sounding like, “No sale!” However, what they did say was, “Welcome, come in!”, in their native tongue. They must have thought we were strange, because when they spoke, we politely left immediately in search of some open café.

I hope I have raised enough questions, to draw out that desire to be hungry for the word of God. Like newborn babes, we should always have that craving for the milk of the word, but it should be developed that it doesn’t stay only on the milk (2 Peter 2:2). We should be growing, having our hunger satisfied with the meat.

We should not stay as babes in Christ either (Hebrews 5:13, 14). I think it is time to grow in the spirit, taking spiritual food, building up those faith muscles, exercising just this one exercise, speaking the word of God. We are an apprentice to the Master. The very skills He expects we would learn and act on, putting His words in our mouths. Why? We do because we are apprentices. This proves we are both willing and obedient when we do take Him seriously and do what He asks and declares.

Here is a mystery, a secret, being revealed to us, but will be missed if not acted on.

Can you say these words, “The words I speak, they are spirit and they are life”?

Jesus said those words, but now what happens when you say the same words?

Doesn’t that sound strange to your ears?

Of course, it does when you first speak those words. Isn’t that what Jesus said to do, ...My words abiding in you. We know that first part of instruction He gives His disciples, abide in Me, but somehow there seems a difficulty in acting on that second part of instructions.

I already mentioned before about memorizing, and that is not what Jesus is talking about. He is the Master teaching His apprentices. Here are the tools of the trade He used, the word of God. You use the same tools. The word works, but we have to use it to be able to understand what the Father is thinking, and to gain any understanding in how He does things.

His thoughts being higher, and His ways being higher. What is higher is in a different realm than we normally think.

Jesus knows the Bible; would that be a fair statement? He knows how to work with the Father, speaking only what He hears the Father saying. Now it is your turn, to work with Jesus. By faith just take His words, and put them in your mouth. Ask and declare anything that you will, and it will be done (John 15:7).

That is the test, that is the way you prove that it is the Word working in you. Jesus tells the apprentices what they speak proves first, that they were willing and obedient just to act on what He said.

Second, it will also prove what they speak will bear fruit, not just words sown as seeds, but there will be fruit from what they speak. They will see results. It may be like the sower sowing seeds, but they will see fruit. Third, what they speak and declare will be glory going back to the Father (John 15:7, 8). They speak, and glory is manifested. Jesus spoke at the

wedding of Cana, and they saw His glory, from what was spoken. He did not mix up those jars of water with His hands. He spoke the words, “Fill the jars with water,” and then “Draw some out and take it to the master of the feast.” Glory was manifested by His spoken words. That water had turned to wine, but it did so by the spoken word.

His words have glory in them. The words He speaks are spirit and they are life. That is what He wants to be in your mouth too.

The word of His power in your mouth. The way you use the tools as an apprentice is the same way they work with the Master Carpenter. We are building up the body of Christ with what tools? Now I am sure someone will say we are building up one another in love. I agree! Speaking the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15). Faith works by love (Galatians 5:6 KJV). The ability of these power tools is not you, but the tools are His words in us. I think it is easy enough to understand if you have training in using the Father’s tools, then you can operate and work with them effectively too.

You and I, together shall fulfill the call that God has on our lives, but to do so we will need to be thoroughly equipped. We need these truths, these mysteries unlocked, revealed to our spirit man and acted upon.

What we have received from the Holy Spirit, is life for us and to give to others.

For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (Romans 14:17). What joy did Jesus have? He tells His apprentices this precept of “His words abiding in us” so that His joy may be in them and would be full (John 15:11). How joyful are you when the things you pray

and declare take place? Beyond our own understanding or all that we ask or imagine, that’s the glory realm, and that power is working in us. Before this was true, all have sinned and fallen short of the glory (Romans 3:23). Jesus has dealt with the sin problem nailing it to the cross and He has restored the glory. He was crowned with glory. Stretching your imagination is something that the Holy Spirit is doing now to bring you into that understanding of the glory. We do not have to fall short of the glory any more. Since you have believed have you received the Holy Spirit (Acts 19:2)?

One time I had this conversation with a woman, who believed similar to what I have been describing. However, in speaking more directly to her I discovered that most of the things she believed did not have that certain ring of truth in them.

I took time to listen and even agree in places where I could.

She said things like this, "I talk to the trees and flowers all the time." So she believed in speaking words. She called it positive thinking and positive confessions.

I just let her say the things she did, then I interjected with this thought, “That's great you believe in being positive! Let me ask you this, are the words you speak more powerful that the words that the Father speaks? Is that true?

She replied, “No.” "The Father’s power is greater than the power in your words. When He speaks His glory is being manifested. You are never going to manifest His power in your words, unless Christ is in you. You have no hope

of His glory being manifested in your words, for Christ in you is the hope of glory. Until that is true, there is no hope,” I declared.

Her response to me, “Well then I need to ask Jesus into my life!” Amen!

by: Krissy Webb As we enter the New Year, most of us are starting our New Year’s resolutions or at least thinking about them. We start strong with great intentions to stick with them throughout the year. Maybe you are trying to eat better or maybe exercise is on your list. For some, it might be to take more time for yourself. Others may be wanting to quit a bad habit. Whatever is on your list you are really going to try hard this year to keep it. I get it, for years I was just like this. I wanted to have a list just like everyone else. Knowing good and well that I would probably not even get through January without giving up and saying forget it. No one is perfect, and we all have lots of great ideas for ourselves. Then life gets in the way. It's just easier to forget it and move on with the fast pace demands of life. That is why for the last couple of years I have stopped being like everyone else. I no longer make a list of disappointments. That is what I call it because I am so disappointed in myself when I don't even get through 30 days before I am calling it all quits. We don't need to put more negative thoughts and feelings into us. Life does enough of that already.

We are to go to the Lord for all our guidance (Matthew 4:4 "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that

comes out of the mouth of God."). God's Rhema - His spoken word is a word, verse, or scripture that the Holy Spirit brings to our attention with application to a current situation or need for direction. For the last couple years that is just what I have done. I ask the Lord to reveal to me what scripture or word He wants me to have for the year.

He is so faithful. The Lord lays them on my heart and He will confirm it (II Corinthians 13:1 "at the mouth of two witnesses or three shall every word [Rhema] be established"). Hang with me here. Last year I was so excited to get the word Inspire. Which means to influence, move, or guide by divine inspiration. exalting influence upon. In Latin it means to breathe; inhale, to draw forth or bring out.

Wow, what a beautiful word that brings life not a disappointment (John 6:63 The

words [Rhema] that I have spoken to you, are spirit, and life"). Yes please, I'll have an order of that.

You are probably wondering where I am going with this. Instead of making my list each year I now start in December asking God what word or scripture he wants for me in the new year. Then I use His answer to apply to my daily life. If I am really wanting to set goals to better my life I will do it by way of the Rhema I am given. By doing this I have given God my permission to be my accountability partner. He guides and walks right beside me daily. I don't want to disappoint God, but I also know that if a stumble He won't be there pointing fingers at me. God will not drop me like a hot potato as so many others do when you fall. He will be there to catch me and pick me up so I can continue on my journey.

The simplicity of this helps to unclutter our souls; inner life. We want to strive for a centered peace-filled life. By applying God's Rhema to every situation or goal you are doing just that. You only have to focus on one goal the goal of living by the Rhema given to you.

This year the Lord gave me a word "Boldness" which has been confirmed by several friends and mentors. Then I was so blessed to receive a scripture to go along with my word. That scripture is Joshua 1:9 "Be strong (bold) and courageous Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." As promised this too has been confirmed. I am excited for the coming year. Ask God what your Rhema is for 2018. God is so good!

Resolution: To Instill in Our Children a Christian Worldview With new beginnings, resolutions are common: To lose weight! To eat more healthily! To exercise more! Resolutions are generally based on an awareness of things that we need to change about ourselves and determining the proper course of action to do so. However, this year, if we have not already, let us try something new. Let us not merely look at ourselves and determine what we can modify about us. As Christians, let us look at our world and resolve what we can do to reform it. Focusing upon the declining moral and spiritual condition of our culture, we may be tempted to conclude, “There is not much we can do.� If we are thinking of change only in terms of trying to force adults, hardened in their worldviews, to ameliorate those perspectives, the possibilities for success are, in many cases, minimal. Yet, too often, when we think about shaping our world for the better, we neglect to consider a potentially potent force for such transformation, our children. Even when doing so, we often forget to focus on something that is essential to empowering our children to bring about such change, which is to impart to them a Christian worldview. This year, if we have not already, let us resolve to inculcate in our children a biblical worldview.

What is a Christian or biblical worldview?

Worldviews are the ideological platforms and belief systems from which we interpret and interact with the world about us; to do so from a Christian perspective is to look at things from a biblical point of view. Why is it important to instill in our children a Christian worldview? Children instilled with a biblical worldview know that their primary existence is to love and serve God. As they are continually and consistently bombarded with unscriptural and ungodly influences from the media, popular culture, and a secularized view of reality from revisionist historians, law, and science, our children need a platform from which to effectively analyze the input they are receiving. A Christian worldview is that foundation. From it, they

are empowered to recognize those influences in our culture that are contrary to scripture and, based on that realization, avoid conforming to, embracing, or espousing them. Armed with a biblical worldview, our children can and will bring about godly, societal change.

What are the fundamental beliefs comprising a Christian worldview that we should instill in children? Some of the notable ones are: God is the omnipotent and omniscient Creator of the universe (Gen. 1:1). God’s morality is absolute and is defined by Him, not men (Ex. 20:1-17; Pro. 16:25). All of mankind has sinned (missed the mark related to God’s will) and fallen short of God’s glory (Rom. 3:23). Sin is a destructive force in our world that brought about spiritual death, resulting in our separation from God and physical death, sickness, etc. (Gen. 3:3; Rom. 5:12; Gal. 6:6-8). Jesus, though He was tempted as we are to sin, was sinless (Heb. 4:15), qualifying only Him from among men to be the lamb which takes away the sin of the world (Jn. 1:29). Repentance, a change of mind followed by a change of direction or actions, leads to salvation (2 Cor. 7:10).

Salvation is a gift from God that cannot be earned (Eph. 2:8-9) and is possible only through faith in Jesus Christ and His redemptive work (Jn. 14:6; Acts 4:12; Rom. 1:16). Saving faith is accompanied by spiritual regeneration, being born again or, literally, born from above (Jn. 3:3; 2 Cor. 5:17; Eph. 4:24). Those who have experienced spiritual regeneration are justified or made righteous, in right standing or relationship with God (2 Cor. 5:21). When we sin, it is to God that we confess our sins that we might be forgiven (1 John 1:9). It is Christ’s blood that remits or removes our sins (Mt. 26:28). An understanding of the

rudimentary teachings identified in Hebrews 6:1-2 is necessary. Satan, the devil, is a real adversary who we have authority over as we submit to God (1 Pet. 5:8; Jas. 4:7, Lk.10:19). As Christians, we are to be salt and light to the world about us (Mt. 5:13-16) and have a responsibility to share our faith with the lost (Mt. 28:19-20). We are to be identified by our love for God, our fellow man, and our fellow believers (Mk. 12:3031; Jn. 13:35). God’s word is truth (Jn. 17:17) and is the foundation upon which we are to build our lives (Mt. 7:24-27). The Bible, though written by men, was inspired

by God and is profitable for teaching, reproof, correction, and instruction in righteousness that we may be thoroughly equipped for every good work (2 Tim. 3:1617; 2 Pet. 1:20-21). The Holy Spirit, our Advocate, Comforter, Intercessor, and Helper, empowers us for Christian service and gives us gifts or abilities (Acts 1:8).

As Christians, an understanding of the fundamentals of a biblical worldview is essential to effectively navigating and impacting our culture in a godly manner.

Recognizing that fact, it is imperative that we resolve, if we have not already, to instill in our children a Christian worldview. Let us never succumb to the view that there is nothing that we can do to change our world.

Jesus was surely not fatalistic when admonishing us to be salt and light (Mt. 5:13-17) or to “make disciples of all nations…teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you” (Mt. 28:19-20, NKJ). He viewed us and sent us forth as agents of change. Doing so, He also understood that our embracing a biblical worldview was fundamental to our effectiveness. Knowing these things, may ever resolve to impart to our children a Christian worldview.

by: Stuart E Smith JANUARY ONE. Just the very date on the calendar causes men to seek shelter, whether from the cold or possibly the tax man that draws ever so near.

As a believer what should that date mean to us? We have just celebrated the birthday of Jesus Christ and now, we are in ready position to begin this New Year. I like to think it is a do-over. All the mishaps of this previous year are but a crumpled heap to be shoveled away like the waste left on the road from the horses in the Christmas parade.

It may sound hard but some of us have done things we wish we could take back. You may have entertained unclean thoughts or said words that were not of a very Christian nature. It is a trick of the enemy to cause us to lower the standard of holiness God

desires from us. Indeed, the shovel that we must use is prayer and repentance.

The dawn of any day usually reveals what the night has left us. The sun peaks over the horizon and the land and seas are known. The stars of the night that twinkle with distant light are now drowned in the light and glory of the dawning sun.

This event reveals both the beauty and following destruction, the horrible devastation. It is then we are made fully aware of what areas of our lives require attention from the master.

In the dawn of a new year there is a seed of hope, more so, when we have left the past

behind us. There are certain steps we must take to capture the thoughts that may hold us back from our destiny in hope. The first one will always be with a bent knee and bowed head, humbling ourselves before the almighty God. We recognize our lives as a gift. We turn our hearts toward the giver of this precious gift.

How do we take this moment in time and launch out into the deep of what God has in store for us? My wife Isabelle reminded me that Peter was looking at the water when he began to slide down beneath its choppy waves. She told me, “Stuart we need to keep our eyes on Jesus.” She went on to remind me that “this is the only way to have the confidence to move on ahead.”

Will Jesus come this year? The answer to this age old question is, “He surely could.”

All the prophetical events that prelude the coming of Christ have played out. Jerusalem is acknowledged as the capital of Israel and the world falls on one side or the other of that knowledge. The only thing holding back the catching away of the Christian body is the grace of God. If you are one of the many believers who wonder, “What is my purpose?” Well, wonder no more. You are here to advertise the beauty of God’s love toward mankind.

Your purpose is wrapped up in being called of God to share His gospel in love to a world that needs it like a thirsty man in a desert place. Some of you are even chosen of God to a more engaged journey, as you live the anointed life.

Just like Kings who were once anointed, some believers have been placed in a position of authority over God’s people.

These are those who may be looked upon as fanatics by this world. In reality they are

truth- bearers. With the position they hold, there is a great responsibility to both the faithful and the unbeliever. God has no favorites among us in respect to His plans for our future. He does give each of us our unique place in the body of Christ. It takes all of us, working toward the common goal of seeking out those who need Jesus. Then, we must present the simple gospel message as the Lord allows.

January One is a marker on the calendar of men to mark the beginning of a new year. I truly believe it is the dawn of a promise, a new opportunity to deliver the message of Jesus Christ. Our enemy is vigilant and he uses our weaknesses against us. Let us be of courage this New Year. Christ in us will prevail. We are more than conquerors in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Our mission is clear. As we turn the page on our calendars let us turn the page in our hearts. Let us not be faint in this battle, for the very souls of men are at stake. May we be strengthened and mount up with wings as eagles, run and not grow weary and walk without fainting. THIS IS OUR YEAR CHRISTIAN! Awaken the Champion in you and let us fight the darkness with the light of Jesus Christ. I pray you and your family have a glorious new year.

Repentence: The Greek word for repent in the New Testament is “metanoeo” which means “to change one’s mind” and this involves a turning from sin with contrition to God. It’s like you headed out for a drive down the freeway but you went down the wrong way and were now headed in the wrong lane and the traffic was now coming straight at you. You need to turn around and go the other way. It never means that Father God no longer loves you. Father God’s love is unconditional.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

by: Pastor Jo Bruns “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way…” Isaiah 43:18-19 (NIV)

Once a year Jews throughout the world come together to celebrate, in a sense, a new year, the closing of one door and the opening of a new one. They do this by confessing or atoning (making sacrifices) for their sins in a holiday called Yom Kippur. The name "Yom Kippur" means "Day of Atonement." It is a day set aside to "afflict the soul" or to atone for the sins of the past year. Before the temple was destroyed, the high priests would offer blood sacrifices to atone for these sins. For the Christian, Jesus became the perfect and acceptable sacrifice once for all and our sins were completely forgiven. The Bible states in Hebrews 10:18: “And where these (sins) have been forgiven, there is no longer any sacrifice for sin.”

While Yom Kippur doesn’t fall on the same day as our New Year’s Day (January 1) falls on the calendar, both days have come to symbolize a day to review the prior year and make new resolutions for the new one. It becomes, for many, a time of starting over with a fresh, new and clean slate.

If worldly events and natural disasters could speak to us, one thing could be said, “Redeem the time that you have.” Make the most of each day. And, more importantly, make sure your heart is right with Jesus, the Savior who desires to be Your Savior. If you have never taken the time to

invite Jesus into your heart and daily life, start the New Year on a positive, eternal one. Realize that we all fall short of God’s ideal, but that through His Son, Jesus, God has made a way for us.

By the time many of you are reading this, resolutions made have already been broken. But each new day is a gift and another opportunity to start fresh. Repent, or have a change of heart, over your “shortcomings,” and ask for forgiveness. 1 John 1:9 tells us that “if we confess our sins, He is just and will forgive them.”

One of the tools, in addition to repentance, to help us grow as a believer, is to “renounce” or cut ties with people, places or things, which entices us to sin. For the addicted, it may mean staying away from places where drugs and alcohol are present. For the gambler, it may mean staying out of casinos. For the gossiper, it may mean staying away from people who love to gossip. And for the one addicted to pornography, it may mean cancelling your satellite TV system or internet access. Another tool available to the believer that is similar to renouncing is called “rebuking” the agent(s) of the evil one who come along and plant thoughts in your mind.

In Romans 12 we are reminded, too, to “renew” our mind through the reading of the Word of God on a regular basis. We, as humans, have had years to acquire unhealthy thoughts or ways of doing things. Success in overcoming our obstacles is storing up the Word of God in our hearts so that we can be made strong in our relationship with Jesus and through the Word of God. So, as this New Year has officially begun, remember you have new opportunities in which to start fresh. Examine your life and the things you value and review them in the light of the Bible. Sseek God’s guidance as to what changes you need to be making in the coming year to “redeem your time.”

Happy New Year!

HELP SPREAD MOTIVATION IN 2018!

HAPPY NEW YEAR! IF YOUR MIND CAN CONCEIVE IT, AND YOUR HEART CAN BELIEVE IT, THEN YOU CAN ACHIEVE IT!

Holding Yourself Accountable by: Mikea Fulton The New Year is finally here! I hope that you have made many great memories from last year and are ready to make new ones. As we gradually get farther in 2018, some of you may realize that you want to make a change! Along with making a change comes discipline.

I have been in Martial Arts since I was three years old. I have trained in the arts of Jujitsu, self-defense, Tae Kwon Do, and Karate. In addition, I also boxed a little. While learning all of these skills and techniques I had to maintain discipline. All of my teachers held me accountable to a standard. But in order for me to actually excel and succeed I had to hold myself accountable as well. It wasn’t just my instructors’ job; it was mine too.

In this new year, holding yourself accountable will get you far in accomplishing your new year’s resolutions! But holding yourself accountable to GOD is extremely important! What I mean by this is setting yourself a standard to follow. As in reading His Word, talking to Him and applying what you have read in action. When we set a standard and hold ourselves accountable to that standard we achieve discipline. Then that’s when we accomplish our goals and succeed.

By: Matthew Deves Shoulda. Coulda. Woulda.

This is the feedback you are going to get when you text the dead man. He will say things like, “You shoulda done what God said.”

"If that person hadn’t done you wrong you coulda got that job.”

“You wouldn’t be in this jam if you woulda just said the right thing."

Stop the texting. You are communicating in the language of the dead man. Why are you asking the option of someone who is six feet under water? The dead man is

your old nature, your former self. He speaks in archaic terms.

He reminds you of your failures, shortcomings, and missteps.

Spending time dwelling on your failures is like texting a dead man.

Therefore if any person is [ingrafted] in Christ (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old [previous moral and spiritual condition] has passed away. Behold, the fresh and new has come! 2 Corinthians 5:17 Amplified.

The fresh and new words of life come from the inside. There is no need to communicate with the outside person. "I have died, but Christ lives in me. And I now live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave his life for me." Galatians 2:20 CEV Dead men tell lies. They speak death words. When you allow your thoughts to drift towards the past failures, it is like texting someone and venting. After a few texts in, your confidant is now trying to fix things with “helpful” tips except every message is a lie!

From now on, think of it this way: Sin speaks a dead language that means nothing to you; God speaks your mother tongue, and you hang on every word. You are dead to sin and alive to God. That's what Jesus did. That means you must not give sin a vote in the way you conduct your lives. Don’t give it the time of day. Romans 6:11-12 Message Don’t give that old mindset the time of day, the week, or any part of your 2018.

Quit lying to yourself.

Only a con artist will try to be a law-person and a grace-person at the same time! My co-crucifixion with Christ is valid! I am not making this up. In his death, I died to the old system of trying to please God with my own good behavior! God made me alive

together with Christ. How can any human effort improve on this! The terms, cocrucified and co-alive define me now.

Christ in me and I in him! His sacrificial love is evidence of his persuasion of my righteousness! (The life that I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God. He believes in my innocence!) Galatians 2:18-20 Mirror Bible.

Do the terms, co-crucified and co-alive define you now? You have been made right by Jesus. The real you is the new creation in Christ. No need to get advice from your former self. That will only cause a downward spiral into sin-consciousness.

We were buried therefore with Him by the baptism into death, so that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious [power] of the Father, so we too might [habitually] live and behave in newness of life.For if we have become one with Him by sharing a death like His, we shall also be [one with Him in sharing] His resurrection [by a new life lived for God]. Rom 6:4-5 Amp Becoming one with him has nullified the dead language. Speech recognition takes on a whole new meaning when you realize that The Word of Life is in you. His Resurrected Life has become your new reality. New Life, new talk.

Now if all were included in his death they were equally included in his resurrection.

This unveiling of his love redefines human life! Whatever reference we could have of ourselves outside of our association with Christ is no longer relevant. 2 Cor. 5:15 Mirror Bible.

So that if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature: the old state of things has passed away; a new state of things has come into existence. 2 Cor. 5:17 Weymouth How do you break the habit of texting the dead man? It takes a change of mind. Start a new pattern of focusing on the original language of Life. Decide not to give sin a vote in the process. Romans 6:4 in the Amplified says, “We were buried therefore with Him by the baptism into death, so that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious [power] of the Father, so we too might [habitually] live and behave in newness of life.” It is

entirely acceptable to ask for help and advice while developing your new mindset.

Ask the Holy Spirit. Remind yourself that you have the mind of Christ. “There is no other basis to teach from but to echo the mind of Christ; he is the Master mind personified within us!” 1 Cor 2:16 Mirror Even so consider yourselves also dead to sin and your relation to it broken, but alive to God [living in unbroken fellowship with Him] in Christ Jesus. Romans 6:11 Amplified Make a commitment in 2018 to longer text the dead man.

by: Rev. Kathy Weddle Our Father God is a Master Gardener; no, He’s THE Master Gardener. Throughout His Word, we see metaphors designed to give us deeper understanding in an area where we are to grow. He speaks of planting seed, watering, giving increase.

He compares the magnificence of the beauty and perfection of flowers to assure us how He will take care of our needs. He speaks of trees standing strong in the storm and bearing fruit for food, shade for comfort.

He speaks of hedges. Hedges have very specific functions. Job 1:10, NKJV 10

“Have You not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land.”

Because of some of the wording in this verse, you could call it a “hedge of

prosperity.” God was blessing “the work of his hands” AND increase of possessions.

But it’s more than that, isn’t it? The Scripture says, “around his household,” meaning, wife, children, servants. A Hedge of Protection. And we can claim that for our families, and that is pretty awesome!

Ps 106: 21-23 NASB 21 “They

forgot God their Savior, who had done great things in Egypt, 22 Wonders in the land of Ham And Awesome things by the Red Sea. 23 Therefore, He said He would destroy them, Had not Moses His chosen one

stood in the breach before him, To turn away His wrath from destroying them.

Moses stood in the gap between God and the people by interceding in prayer to God. That kind of courage and commitment is what it takes. We, too, can stand in the gap for our families and loved ones. Verse 23 of the NLT says it like this; 23

“So he declared he would destroy them.

But Moses, his chosen one, stepped between the Lord and the people. He begged him to turn from his anger and not destroy them.”

We see Moses stand in the gap (breach) to turn back God’s anger. This is intercession.

But, in Ez 13:3-5 KJV, we see that breach, or gap, is not filled. The people are not protected, and God’s anger is apparent.

False prophets, those who are not interested in doing God’s will, have NOT protected the people.

3 “Thus

saith the Lord GOD; Woe to the foolish prophets, that follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing!

4 O Israel, thy prophets are like the foxes in the deserts.

5 Ye have not gone up into the gaps, neither made up the hedge for the house of Israel to stand in the battle in the day of the LORD. No hedge; no protection.

Which brings us to the next hedge.”

There is a Hedge of Thorns; Hosea 2:6-7 NASB 6

“Therefore, behold, I will hedge up her way with thorns, And I will build a wall

against her so that she cannot find her paths.

7 “She will pursue her lovers, but she will not overtake them, And she will seek them, but will not find them. Then she will say, ‘I will go back to my first husband, For it was better for me then than now!’

It is a heartbreak for a child we have loved from conception, raised with all the care and nurturing God blessed us with, given them a secure home, teach them to love God, education, opportunity, love, and support, then see them walk away. I have had this happen first, with a son, and now, with a few grandchildren. In the beginning, with my son, I was devastated.

He’d walked away from everything, moved across the country, broken all communication. What little I heard of him was pretty bad; he was into everything contrary to God you can think of. That’s when the Lord showed me to not only declare the Word over him but declare a hedge of thorns around him, so no matter what he tried to do contrary to the Word would fall flat. No success. No enjoyment.

It took several years. In the process of learning to do that, the Father blessed me with peace. All I had to do was “stand in the gap.” Father God handled it from there.

When he did restore communications (to a degree), he was, frankly, insufferable, from having become so extremely liberal. I almost wished he’d disappear again, at least for that phase.

Then slowly, over a period of a few years, I began to notice a turning back to the God of his childhood. All the while, I’d prayed that hedge of thorns over him and declare the Word and some words of knowledge that had been spoken over him in

childhood. Today, he and his wife are raising her three children, homeschooling, having turned back to the Lord.

To understand the purpose of the next hedge, we need to understand the purpose of hedges. They are placed to separate, keep in, or keep out. When the Word speaks of a breach, it is a gap and is meant to be filled in some way. As we see in the earlier verses, the LACK of hedge left the people unprotected. If there is a hedge, any breach must be filled. As ministers of the Gospel, we have that right and responsibility. Standing in the gap is interceding on behalf of the person or persons needing the protection.

This hedge is different; it had been placed to keep Jew and Gentile apart; to keep the Gentiles from the promised Messiah.

Throughout Luke 14: 16-24, we see the Father inviting the promised ones in; in the parable, the master invited those who were meant to come to the feast, but time and again, they made excuses not to

come. When the master had had enough, he instructed the servant to root out everyone he could find; basically, to tear down the hedge, or wall of separation, and bring everyone in willing to come. Verse 23 (KJV) 23 “Then

the master said to the servant, ‘Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.�

Hedges serve a purpose. We see now there are specific situations and directives in dealing with hedges.

Hedges are amazing tools of God to protect, to free, and to bring into subjection. I challenge you, this new year, to utilize the use of hedges, to speak over your families, friends, all those God has laid on your heart. In the end, the choice is always theirs; hedges can help shape the circumstances to lead them to Jesus, and that is what is most important.