We can’t live successfully without the right priorities in our lives.  Yet, some of us try to do that every day. Being led by the Spirit includes a clear knowledge of God’s word.

Exodus 20:3 (NIV) makes this clear:      

“You shall have no other gods before me.”

Having a submitted heart means that you are willing to submit yourself and come into the proper alignment in accordance with God’t wordIf you submit to God (James 4:7: Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.), you are in line for a blessing, otherwise you are in store for nothing but trouble!

Ephesians 5:21(NIV):  Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.  1 Peter 5:5-7(NIV):  In the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.”  Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.  Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

Are you diligently studying, praying, and  listening to the Lord?

Mark 1:14b-20 (NIV)   “The Calling of the First Disciples”

Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!” As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.”  At once they left their nets and followed him.  When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.

What does it mean to follow Jesus today?

Are you following Jesus? How?

Colossians 3:12-17 (NIV)

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Taking into consideration the previous quote by John Wesley, is being a follower of Christ an obligation or an opportunity?

Dr. Suzan Johnson Cook explains our followship of Christ in this way, in her book,  Live Like You’re  Blessed,

“God wants us to love and trust Him despite our lack of understanding.  This is the definition of true devotion.  (Our) devotion to God requires steadfast love and loyalty to Him.”

God, my shepherd! I don’t need a thing.

You have bedded me down in lush meadows,

you find me quiet pools to drink from.

True to your word,

you let me catch my breath

and send me in the right direction.

Even when the way goes through

Death Valley,

I’m not afraid

when you walk at my side.

Your trusty shepherd’s crook

makes me feel secure.

You serve me a six-course dinner

right in front of my enemies.

You revive my drooping head;

my cup brims with blessing.

Your beauty and love chase after me

every day of my life.

I’m back home in the house of God

for the rest of my life.

What does it take to stand firm on the word of God?

Refuse to decompress or deflate. When someone punches the breath out of you, inhale. Let God’s spirit breathe new hope and life into you. Believe who He says you are, not what others say to defame and degrade you. You are a child of the King, bow to no negative circumstance or critical diatribe, stand up!”

Steps to Stand Up

• Believe who God says you are, not what detractors label you.
• Stand up with stand up people; stop sitting down with negative, “ain’t it awful” folks.
• Leave the sitting chair of your past behind; decide your future…
• When you get “sick and tired of being sick and tired,” don’t give up…stand up!

Click for  more information about Dr Suzan Johnson Cook

This is advice given by Dr. Suzan Johnson Cook, in her book,  Moving Up! Dr. Sujay’s Ten Steps to Turning Your Life Around and Getting to the Top!

Now let’s see what the bible says on the same subject:

Colossians 2:5-7 (niv)

For though I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit and delight to see how orderly you are and how firm your faith in Christ is. So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.

Paul tells the Colossians to be firmly rooted, built up, and established in their faith, just as they were instructed. When we have a firm foundation in our faith, we can withstand any attacks. Jesus said, Matt. 7:24-25 “…Everyone who hears these words of Mine, and acts upon them, may be compared to a wise man, who built his house upon the rock. And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and burst against that house; and {yet} it did not fall, for it had been founded upon the rock.”

The danger that Jesus warned us against when we don’t have firm roots is that we will burn out. He said that the person who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy… Matt. 13:21 yet he has no {firm} root in himself, but is {only} temporary, and when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he falls away.  Without firm roots, the heat of difficulty will cause us to fall away.

Paul knew the importance of believers getting built up, firmly rooted, and established in their faith. This would equip them to withstand the heat and storms of life.  It would also protect them from something that the Colossians were battling at that very time: those who were trying to delude them with persuasive arguments.

Bible study notes taken from rondaniel.com (click the link for more information)

2 thessalonians 2:14-17

He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter. May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.

What is believing to you?

In the Christian faith we have a statement of belief called the…Apostle’s Creed:

I believe in God the Father, Almighty.  Maker of heaven and earth.  And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.  Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mar,: suffered under Pontius Pilate; was crucified, dead and buried.  The third day he rose again from the dead.  He ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Church Universal, : the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen

My Hope is Built

words by Edward Mote, 1834; music by William B. Bradbury, 1863

My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly trust in Jesus’ Name.

Refrain

On Christ the solid Rock I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand;
All other ground is sinking sand.

When darkness seems to hide His face,
I rest on His unchanging grace.
In every high and stormy gale,
My anchor holds within the veil.

Refrain

His oath, His covenant, His blood,
Support me in the whelming flood.
When all around my soul gives way,
He then is all my Hope and Stay.

Refrain

When He shall come with trumpet sound,
Oh may I then in Him be found.
Dressed in His righteousness alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne.

Refrain

The gospel song “Stand” as sung by Donnie McClurking also admonishes us that when all of our other struggles and trials get to us, we can always turtn to the Lord and just STAND!

“Stand” sung by Donnie McClurkin

Have you ever stood up for what you believed in, even when it was very hard?

The easiest thing for us to do as Christians should be to stand on the promises of God, as demonstrated in this wonderful hymn of the church.

Standing on the Promises of God

Words & Music by R. Kel­so Car­ter

1
Standing on the promises
of Christ my King,
Thru eternal ages
let His praises ring;
Glory in the highest
I will shout and sing,
Standing on the promises of God.

Refrain
Standing, standing,
Standing on the promises
of God my Savior;
Standing,standing,
I’m standing on the promises of God.

2
Standing on the promises
that cannot fail,
When the howling storms
of doubt and fear assail,
By the living word of
God I shall prevail,
Standing on the promises of God.

Refrain

3
Standing on the promises
of Christ the Lord,
Bound to Him eternally
by love’s strong cord,
Overcoming daily with
the Spirit’s sword,
Standing on the promises of God.

Refrain

4
Standing on the promises I cannot fall,
Listening every moment to the Spirit’s call
Resting in my Savior as my all in all,
Standing on the promises of God.

Refrain

“Should I have despaired, sunk into depression, or become hysterical over our plight?  That would have made matters worse.  People need hope to survive.”

– a passage from Left to Tell by Immaculee Ilibagiza

Ms Ilibagiza is a survivor of the war and genocide in Rwanda.  She is the author of  Left to Tell : discovering God amidst the Rwandan holocaust, which she wrote with the help of Steve Erwin and was published in 2006.

The book chronicles her astonishing life story. A story of survival during the civil unrest in Rwanda during the late 1990′s.

Immaculee Ilibagiza grew up in a country she loved, surrounded by a family she cherished. In 1994, she was a student at the National University of Rwanda, visiting her Tutsi family, when the slaughter began. . But in 1994 her idyllic world was ripped apart as Rwanda descended into a bloody genocide. Immaculee’s family was brutally murdered during a killing spree that lasted three months and claimed the lives of nearly a million Rwandans. Incredibly, Immaculee survived the slaughter. For 91 days, she and seven other women huddled silently together in the cramped bathroom of a local pastor while hundreds of machete-wielding killers hunted for them. It was during those endless hours of unspeakable terror that Immaculee discovered the power of prayer, eventually shedding her fear of death and forging a profound and lasting relationship with God. She emerged from her bathroom hideout having discovered the meaning of truly unconditional love–a love so strong she was able seek out and forgive her family’s killers.

The triumphant story of this remarkable young woman’s journey through the darkness of genocide will inspire anyone whose life has been touched by fear, suffering, and loss. This is Immaculee’s first book. Her second book, Led by faith : rising from the ashes of the Rwandan genocide, also written with the help of Steve Erwin, was published in 2008. In Led By Faith, Immaculee takes us with her as her remarkable journey continues. Through her simple and eloquent voice, we experience her hardships and heartache as she struggles to survive and to find meaning and purpose in the aftermath of the holocaust.  It is the story of a naive and vulnerable young woman, orphaned and alone, navigating through a bleak and dangerously hostile world with only an abiding faith in God to guide and protect her.  Immaculee fends off sinister new predators, seeks out and comforts scores of children orphaned by the genocide, and searches for love and companionship in a land where hatred still flourishes. Then, fearing again for her safety as Rwanda’s war-crime trials begin, Immaculee flees to America to begin a new chapter of her life as a refugee and immigrant-a stranger in a strange land.  With the same courage and faith in God that led her through the darkness of genocide, Immaculeacutee discovers a new life that was beyond her wildest dreams as a small girl in a tiny village in one of Africa’s poorest countries. It is in the United States, her adopted country, where Immaculeacutee can finally look back at all that has happened to her and truly understand why God spared her life . . . so that she would be left to tell her story to the world.

Ms. Ilibagiza writes personally and vividly about how her deep religious faith sustained her in the years following the massacre. Although most of her family were murdered, and threats to her life would eventually force her to flee for the U.S. (with husband and while pregnant),  Ilibagiza’s belief in reconciliation never falters: “we will never heal as individuals, or as a nation, until we can forgive each other and start forgiving ourselves.”  Whether or not readers share her faith, this hard-to-put-down memoir is an inspiring tale of courage and humanity under the most calamitous of circumstances.

Immaculee immigrated to the United States in 1998. She secured a position and began working at the United Nations in New York City.  She is currently a full-time public speaker and writer. In 2007 she was awarded The Mahatma Gandhi International Award for Reconciliation and Peace.  Also in that same year,  she established the Left to Tell Charitable Fund to help support Rwandan orphans and others who suffered from the long-term effects of genocide and war.   She has received numerous humanitarian awards including the Christopher Award, for “affirming the highest values of human spirit.”

Successful People Learn How to Overcome Adversity

“Sometimes the worst things that come at you are opportunities to grow. If you can interpret the pain as dues you are paying to get to the other side —  be it happiness, a promotion, a greater sense of compassion, or whatever it is that we desire or require — that will help you have the guts to hang on.”

– Bill Boggs in his book, Got What it Takes? : Successful People Reveal How They Made it to the Top

Are there areas of your life that seem difficult or do you have a problem that you don’t know how to solve?  When have you been caught between a rock and a hard place? Read the Scripture below. How did Paul deal with the rocks that came along during his journey through life?

2 Corinthians 12:7, 9-10 (The Message)

Because of the extravagance of those revelations, and so I wouldn’t get a big head, I was given the gift of a handicap to keep me in constant touch with my limitations. At first I didn’t think of it as a gift, and begged God to remove it. Three times I did that, and then he told me,

My grace is enough; it’s all you need.

My strength comes into its own in your weakness.

Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen. I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift. It was a case of Christ’s strength moving in on my weakness. Now I take limitations in stride, and with good cheer, these limitations that cut me down to size—abuse, accidents, opposition, bad breaks. I just let Christ take over! And so the weaker I get, the stronger I become.

Can you learn to take your limitations in stride? Are you willing to let Christ take over when you are at your weakest?

The Lord answered his (Paul’s) prayer, not by removing the thorn, but by giving grace to bear it, and by the assurance that Paul’s sense of weakness, caused by it, fitted him to receive the divine strength —  his infirmities fit him to enjoy the power that Christ bestows. What was true of Paul is true of every saint. It is when we feel our weakness that God strengthens us.

the above is from Barton W. Johnson’s Bible Commentaries

The apostle gives an account of the method God took to keep him humble, and to prevent his being lifted up above measure, on account of the visions and revelations he had. We are not told what this thorn in the flesh was, whether some great trouble, or some great temptation. But God often brings this good out of evil, that the reproaches of our enemies help to hide pride from us. If God loves us, he will keep us from being exalted above measure; and spiritual burdens are ordered to cure spiritual pride. Prayer is a salve for every sore, a remedy for every malady; and when we are afflicted with thorns in the flesh, we should give ourselves to prayer.

If an answer be not given to the first prayer, nor to the second, we are to continue praying. Troubles are sent to teach us to pray; and are continued, to teach us to continue instant in prayer. When God does not take away our troubles and temptations, yet, if he gives grace enough for us, we have no reason to complain. Grace signifies the good-will of God towards us, and that is enough to enlighten and enliven us, sufficient to strengthen and comfort in all afflictions and distresses. His strength is made perfect in our weakness. Thus his grace is manifested and magnified. When we are weak in ourselves, then we are strong in the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ; when we feel that we are weak in ourselves, then we go to Christ, receive strength from him, and enjoy most the supplies of Divine strength and grace.

the above is from Matthew Henry Concise Commentaries

Many Christians are dealing with abuse, accidents, opposition, bad breaks, family dischord, financial problems, death of a loved one, or other personal hardships.  Quit focusing on your problems and let Christ’s strength move in on your weakness.

Isaiah 43:1-4 (The Message)

But now, God’s Message, the God who

made you in the first place, Jacob,

the One who got you started, Israel:

“Don’t be afraid, I’ve redeemed you.

I’ve called your name. You’re mine.

When you’re in over your head, I’ll be there with you.

When you’re in rough waters, you will not go down.

When you’re between a rock and a hard place,

it won’t be a dead end—

Because I am God, your personal God,

The Holy of Israel, your Savior.

I paid a huge price for you:

all of Egypt, with rich Cush and Seba thrown in!

That’s how much you mean to me!

That’s how much I love you!

I’d sell off the whole world to get you back,

trade the creation just for you.”

Get wisdom, get understanding;

do not forget my words or swerve from them.

Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you;

love her, and she will watch over you.

Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom.

Whatever else you get, get understanding.

Proverbs 4:5-7 NIV

finding wisdom

“If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.”  (James 1:5 NIV)

God is the source of all wisdom through Jesus Christ and Jesus is the central force in all of our relationships “It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.” (1 Corinthians 1:30)

James 3:13-18 explains that there are 2 kinds of wisdom. “Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.  But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.”

As we seek and find wisdom, however, we should remember that divine wisdom is to be sought after above all other sources of wisdom.

In Ephesians 1:17-21 we learn more about the Spirit of Wisdom: “I keep asking that the God of our Lor d Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.”

There is a bold difference between the wisdom of man and the wisdom of God.  ”My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power.”   (1 Corinthians 2:4=5 )

Many times God reveals to us things that can only be understood through the Spirit.  In other words, we can only understand the things of God through the Spirit of God. “However, as it is written: No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him— but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. (1 Corinthians 2:9-10)

So what if I am confused about what God is trying to tell me? I’m so glad you asked that question! If you do not understand the things of God, you shoud ask God to grant His wisdom so that you will be able to discern between the 2 wisdoms and use the correct one for the situation.

“We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words.” (1 Cor 2:12-13)

When we receive the wisdom of God and we utilize it as we go about doing God’s will, in the church as well as in the world, we are furthering the Kingdom of God! Words not taught by human wisdom

As we serve Jesus with the wisdom that comes from God, we will not be like those who are tyrants, but rather we will glady serve others with Jesus as our example.

In our church, we love to sing the hymn:

“How Great the Wisdom“

Words: Benjamin Beddome, 1817.    Music: John Chetham, 1718

How great the wisdom, power and grace,

Which in redemption shine!

The heavenly host with joy confess

The work is all divine.

The work is all divine.

The work is all divine.

Before His feet they cast their crowns,

Those crowns which Jesus gave,

And, with ten thousand tongues,

Proclaim His power to save.

Proclaim His power to save.

Proclaim His power to save.

They tell the triumphs of His cross,

The sufferings which He bore;

How low He stooped, how high He rose,

And rose to stoop no more.

And rose to stoop no more.

And rose to stoop no more.

With them let us our voices raise,

And still the song renew;

Salvation well deserves the praise

Of men, and angels, too.

Of men, and angels, too.

Of men, and angels, too.

Key #3 to Happiness – Forgive Yourself!

“If you have made mistakes, even serious ones, there is always another chance for you. You may have a fresh start any moment you choose. For this thing we call “failure” is not the falling down, but the staying down.”

 –Mary Pickford, Canadian actress

As Christians, we are taught at an early age to forgive others.  We even recite in the Lord’s Prayer, “… we forgive those who trespass against us.”  And I am sure that must of us can recall the line from a poem written by English writer Alexander Pope, “To err is human, to forgive is divine.”

We learn that we must also ask God for His forgiveness when we sin or otherwise go against God’s word.  1 John 1:9 (NIV) admonishes us, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” But how do we learn to forgive ourselves?

If you are anything like me, you may be your own worst critic. You may spend countless hours beating yourself up tor making a few mistakes in your life.  You may obsess over such things as “Why did I make that stupid comment in the business meeting this morning?” or “Why did I take the expressway this morning instead of the local streets? Now I am stuck in all this traffic!”  Or you may be agonizing over a misdirected life decision, “Why did i major in Computer Science in college instead of English? I always did enjoy writing. Why didn’t I follow my passion?” Or you may be struggling with other issues like a car accident that turned out to be your fault or a failed marriage that ended in divorce. Looking back on these incidents now, they may seem  so trivial, but at the time, the thoughts or decisions may have seemed like the most important issues in the world!

Just remember that God has a plan for your life. Jeremiah 29:11 tells us, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”  Whatever road your life takes or whatever decisions that you are making, it will all work out for the good in the long run.  Romans 8:28, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, who have been called according to his purpose.” As long as you continue to trust God and put him first in your life you will succeed. Romans 8:37, “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will will direct your paths.”

Don’t forget to continue thanking God for all that He has done for you.  Ha is still working through you, even in the most difficult of times. And yes, even when God seems silent, He is still there with you!

So if you are currently working toward a specific goal on life’s journey and what you thought was going to work out several months ago is no longer working out for you, don’t give up! Take some time to regroup. Revise your plans, reshape your goals, and get back in there!

“… a lot of times the world doesn’t put rocks in our way. Instead we put them there ourselves.  When we hold on to our mistakes, we’re throwing rocks in our own path…  when we detach ourselves from worry and let go of our mistakes, the road always opens up.  That’s why if you want to make a commitment to never quitting,  one of the first steps is to simply get out of your own way.”

 – Russell Simmons, hip hop mogul (with Chris Morrow), in his book, Do You! 12 Laws to Access the Power in You to Achieve Happiness and Success

Don’t waste any more time continuing to be angry with yourself and by all means, forgive yourself for not getting it right this time.  Whatever the issue was.  Move forward with your life, starting with right now!

What is Self-Forgiveness?

To forgive oneself is not to make excuses for oneself. To forgive ourselves is:

–to pledge to learn from our mistakes;

–to gain a degree of self-control and not repeat them;

–to grow in our capacity for love and peace.

 This article may be a helpful resource for you as well, How To Forgive Yourself & Stop Feeling Guilty

The next time you start beating yourself up for doing something wrong, ask yourself the following questions:   from personal success coach Lisa Phillips: visit her website here

1. At the time of the event, was it realistic for you to expect yourself to do something different / behave in a different way?

2. Did you have the right people around you at the time that could have helped you?

3. At the time of the event, did you have the information or knowledge you needed to make a better choice?

Forgiving yourself for your limitations is a crucial first step in healing your life.  In an unprecedented time of turmoil and stress, most human beings are doing the best they can with the resources, wisdom, and knowledge they have available to them. Yes, it’s important to learn from your mistakes, but eventually you need to get the lesson and move on.

Learn From Your Mistakes

Trying to learn from your mistakes is a very healthy way of dealing with them. A reflection of what you have learned from your mistakes would be a perceptible change in your behavior. Remember that committing a mistake is not a crime, but repeating it, surely is! We learn from our mistakes, as we have to pay a price for them. To err is human and to learn how to avoid the same mistake in the future is also within human capacity.

Encourage Yourself To Move On

Realize that your life is not going to end or stagnate just because of a mistake of yours. Probably, the biggest lesson life teaches us is to move on. Forgive yourself completely and look forward to the future, which is always brighter and full of hope. Languishing in past will not give you an opportunity to time-travel to the bygone times and change things. Disembark yourself from past mistakes and march ahead!

Share your mistakes

Holding things to yourself will make it increasingly difficult to forgive yourself and stop feeling guilty. You can’t afford to keep wallowing in guilt over your wrongdoings. Remember that your mistakes always add to your experience, as life is a continuous learning process. You can always share your mistakes with others and warn them of the consequence that you suffered from. You will also get a chance to vent out your frustration in a more constructive way.

Unburden Your Heart

If you believe that your mistake is too big to be forgiven and keeping it to yourself is killing you, speak up and lift that burden off your heart. Confess your mistake in front of a close friend, whose guidance you trust and value. A guilt-free existence is only possible when your mistakes are not perpetually weighing on your conscience. Pardon yourself by pouring your heart out before someone you know will make you feel better.

Journaling: Recording your thoughts in a journal is a valuable way of releasing your feelings.  Each time you feel guilt during the day, write it down in your journal. You will be able to track when you feel this, and why, which will help you begin to understand your guilt. The same goes for the good feelings you experience. Write down the moments when you feel joy and richness in your life, and you will begin to recognize the things that release that joy.

Atonement: Learn how to consciously make a sacrifice in light of your desire for forgiveness. You can create your own sacrifice by asking yourself, “What will be my offering?” It could be philanthropy, political activism — something that requires a sacrifice of your time, money or effort. The key is to consciously make that sacrifice in light of your desire for forgiveness.

Success And Failure – Keys to happiness exercise:

Successful People Know How to Forgive

In Genesis 50 we learn that Joseph was able to forgive his brothers, even after all of the terrible things they had done to him.

Genesis 50:15b-17

“What if Joseph holds a grudge against us and pays us back for all the wrongs we did to him?” So they sent word to Joseph, saying, “Your father left these instructions before he died: ‘This is what you are to say to Joseph: I ask you to forgive your brothers the sins and the wrongs they committed in treating you so badly.’ Now please forgive the sins of the servants of the God of your father.” When their message came to him, Joseph wept.

Genesis 50:20-21 goes on to explain Joseph’s reasons for forgiving:

You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.” And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them.

If you recall, Joseph’s brothers were very jealous of him because he was the favored son of the family and  had thrown him in a well and left him there, then they sold him into slavery for 8 ounces of silver. After this, Joseph was jailed in Egypt,  for something that he didn’t do and spent several years in prison. Even after all that Joseph had gone through because of his brothers, he was still able to forgive them and hold no ill will against them.

(for more background see Genesis 37, 39-41)

What else does the bible say about being able to forgive?

2 Chronicles 7:14
if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

Forgive, we have to realize that we are all sinners, we still have sin and we still do sin. Thus, we always need to not only be aware of it, but also repent from it and seek forgiveness. This is a must, daily act, not just when we think about it, or wait until we are convicted. We must be willing to seek forgiveness daily from God and others!   **

Matthew 6:13-15 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

We are to forgive others in response to the fact that we have been forgiven. However, the forgiveness we may give to others will never compare to the forgiveness Christ has given us!  **

So, what blocks your seeking forgiveness from Christ and others?

Mark 11:25
And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”

Luke 6:37
“Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive , and you will be forgiven.

Colossians 3:13
Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

To learn how you feel about forgiveness and forgiving others ask yourself the following questions:     **

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1. How do I exhibit forgiveness in my daily life?
2. What can I do to develop a better attitude of forgiveness?
3. What blocks forgiveness from working and being exhibited in me?
4. How can I make forgiveness function better, stronger and faster even in times of uncertainly and stress?

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** Selected commentary and questions taken from Into Thy Word

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Step out on faith and let God

do a “New Thing” in your life!

“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?”         Isaiah 43:18-19a (NIV)

Kairos Moments

As it says in Ecclesiastes 3:1,

“to everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven.”

“The hour is the God-given moment of destiny not to be shrunk from but seized with decisiveness, the floodtide of opportunity and demand in which the unseen waters of the future surge down to the present.” (Os Guinness, Character Counts **)  Nothing is more critical than to recognize and respond to such a moment.

What Matters is Being Ready

A moment is all the time it takes for God to change things.  Philippians 2:13 (NIV) reminds us: “for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.”

When God presents you with an exciting opportunity do you eagerly step out of your comfort zone and proceed with enthusiasm? Or like many people do you cower in fear and say to God, “Not me Lord, send someone else!” ?  How can God do a new thing today, if we are still hanging on to yesterday’s hurt, pain and disappointment?  We must declare as David did, “This is the day that the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it!” (Psalm 118:24)

But I trust in you, O LORD; I say, “You are my God.” My times are in your hands;                                                   Psalm 31:14-15a (NIV)

Are you positioning yourself for a Kairos moment?

** click here for more information on writer and speaker, Os Guiness

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.

For more about Jack Canfield’s Success Principles click this link to go to his site.

Those of us who grew up in the 60′s and 70′s may remember the  ”What, Me Worry?” catch phrase from Alfred E. Newman, the poster-boy for Mad Magazine, with his ragedy smile and his boyish-looking face.  However, Alfred E. Newman did make a  valid point.

Anxiety and worry distracts us from worshipping and serving God.  Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? (Matthew 6:27)   Since the faithful disciple should commit himself to representing God on earth and bringing glory to Jesus, he should also be able to trust God to provide for him as he lives one day at a time.  ”This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.  O LORD, save us; O LORD, grant us success.”  (Psalm 118:24-25 NIV)

…Successful People Build Relationships

with the Right People

As Christians, we have the power to touch the lives of others every single day. It is essential to be a champion of success in the lives of others to help inspire them to their own successes in life.

Charles C. Manz explains one of his theories in his book, The Power of Failure: 27 Ways to Turn Life’s Setbacks into Success: “It can be satisfying to help someone else win, even when it means we have less time for our own immediate success. If we help others get what they want, we usually get much of value ourselves.”

Proverbs 11:25 (NIV) A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.

As we do the work of Christ, God does not expect us to “go it alone.” The Holy Spirit will sometimes lead us into partnerships to insure the success of our mission.

Jeffrey J. Mayer agrees with this premise in Success is a Journey: 7 Steps to Achieving Success in the Business of Life, he writes, “Spend your time and energy with the right people. People who offer you help, support, and encouragement… people who want to see you succeed. People who will help you achieve your goals and help you make your dreams come true…look for ways in which you can help each other.”

Try this exercise:

Make a list of 5 people who will support you as you strive to make your dreamks come true. Make it a point to speak with these people on a regualar basis. Keep them abreast of everything that is going on in your life.

“An irony, by focusing on helping others get what they want, and not on our own personal gain, we stand to gain a great deal.”

– from The Power of Failure by Charles C. Manz

Don’t you want your legacy to be that you made the world a better place?

“Be the change you want to see in the world.”

– Mahatma Gandhi, Indian political and spiritual leader

** Click here to see more about Samuel Rodriguez on pbs’ Bill Moyers Journal

…   Successful People Get Results

If you ask me, many people are successful in their lives today because they know how to get things done. Not only do tasks get completed, they get done efficiently and on time.  To be successful in any endeavor, you must accomplish your assigned task, do it well, and get it done by the deadline that was given.  If you make the most of the talents that God has given you,  you will be greatly rewarded.

Successful people are also the ones who know how to solve problems, not create new ones. You should always strive to be the person that solves problems.  According to Jeffrey J. Mayer, in his book, Success is a Journey:  7 Steps to Achieving Success in the Business of Life, “It is your ability to overcome and find solutions to problems that will make you a huge success.”  Mayer goes on to explain two points you should keep in mind concerning problem solving:

a)  People who don’t  solve problems,  never get anything done.  Instead of spending time solving the problem, they waste time complaining about them.

b)   When a problem isn’t getting solved, that means something is not getting done, someone isn’t happy, and that leads to complaining and someone leaving to go somewhere else where it can be solved.

Follow these Three Steps whenever  Solving a Problem:

1) take the time to analyze and identify the problem

2) create a plan of action to solve the problem

3) execute your plan

Keep this in mind:  unsolved problems are a drain on your mental, intellectual, and physical strength;  problems don’t just go away by themselves. They must be dealt with, worked through and brought to a final resolution or else they remain a problem forever.

Perseverance is a great element of success. If you only knock long enough and loud enough at the gate, you are sure to wake up somebody.               — Henry Wadsworth Longfellow