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Discouragement

Psalm 16:7-11

Discouragement is a powerful, destructive force. Before we can understand how to rid our lives of this deadly landmine, we must recognize its harmful nature.

Understand that discouragement...

1. Is something we choose. Nobody else can make us discouraged; it is a choice that we alone make when facing disappointments.

2. Is universal. Everybody will face periods of disappointment and discouragement from time to time. This simply cannot be avoided, because we live in a seriously flawed world that is filled with equally flawed people.

3. Can recur. Sometimes we think we've settled an issue, which later resurfaces when we least expect it. Or, we may have old emotional wounds that are torn open by something a person says or does.

4. Can be temporary--or it can destroy our life. The choice is ours. If we refuse to deal with discouragement head-on, we are opening the door for it to completely dominate our life.

5. Is conquerable. With the Lord's help, we can choose not to be discouraged. If we don't believe discouragement can be conquered, then we're actually saying that God doesn't want His children to have a rich and fulfilled life.

Are you stuck in the throes of discouragement? If so, it will simply be impossible to experience the peace and inner joy that God wants for His children. Let Him help you out of that lowly state: start by believing that the Father wants to lift you up and get your life back on track with Him.

For more biblical teaching and resources from Dr. Charles Stanley, please visit www.intouch.org
and
click here to listen to Dr. Stanley at OnePlace.com.

A Man Fell in a Hole

Ask Yourself This Question: Who is Stopping You From Building Your Life?

Sit down in a quite place and ask yourself this simple question; "why am I where I am right now in my life?"

Now if you come up with an answer that has ANYTHING to do with you being where you are because of; a person, an institution or a group of people, then you are in bondage to that particular person, institution or group of people. There is NO hope for you if they are the ones to blame for being where you are right now.

You may say, well God is my vengeance and he is faithful and he will provide; you are ABSOLUTELY correct in saying that, however you have to know God and his way’s in order for him to Bless you.

There is a very popular story in the Bible that everyone is familiar with both believers and non believers; the story of Noah, the building of the ark and the Great flood. God said he will Bless Noah and his whole family and save them from destruction because Noah was a man of God, a man of integrity.

This is the account of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked with God. - Genesis 6:9 (NIV)

God told Noah to build an ark and gave detailed instructions on how to do it and by nature supplied him with all the resources he needed to build it.

Very interesting story; why did God instruct Noah to build the ark; couldn’t God have just built it for him? Noah was NOT a carpenter, I am sure he had a lot of real good excuses to not build the ark and he was surrounded by a world of Godless Evil people who most likely did everything they could to make fun and discourage him, you can only imagine.

God will give you EVERYTHING in life that you need in order for his Blessings to “rain” down on you; however you must build the ark yourself despite your circumstances. God Bless. – Chris Stevenson. 

Feel free to leave a comment below.



Reference: The Holy Bible ; Genesis Chapter 6

The Work Begins!

June 2

Read Ezra 3 -- 5

Highlights In Today's Reading:

The work begins! Check their priorities -- the altar is rebuilt and then burnt offerings (3:2-3). The foundation is finished (3:10-13) and enemies slander and complain to Darius the king (5:8).

Zerubbabel and the returning Jews left the luxuries of Persia for the hardships of Jerusalem. What once had been the glorious promised land was now a heap of rubble. Houses needed to be rebuilt and the fields had not been plowed for over half a century. But spiritual needs must come first.

It may have seemed "reasonable," humanly speaking, to first build their own houses. Instead, they chose to build the Altar of the God of Israel, to offer burnt offerings thereon, as it is written in the Law of Moses (3:2). This act of faith took place about four months after the Israelites had left Babylon. The Feast of Trumpets was celebrated as required (Lev. 23:24; Ezra 3:6), and 14 days later the Feast of Tabernacles (Lev. 23:34; Ezra 3:4).

This was followed by the difficult task of laying the foundation of the Temple. After the builders laid the foundation (3:10) they sang together by course in praising and giving thanks unto the Lord (3:11). After the foundation of the Temple was laid, the priests, the trumpeters, and the Levites began praising the Lord and giving thanks.

At first the Israelites set aside self-interests until they had restored true worship; but then, as weeks became months the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building. . . . and made them to cease by force and power (4:4,23).
As the people began building their own homes, the construction of the Temple ceased for about 14 years. But, once the Word and authority of God were recognized, the people again began to build the House of God (5:2). Fourteen years before, the hostile crowd made them to cease (4:23). But this time they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah (6:14). Listening to the Word of God by Haggai and Zechariah, they builded, and finished it (the Temple), according to the Commandment of the God of Israel (6:14).

Deciding to "serve the Lord" by no means guarantees a life free from problems. To the contrary! Satan will use his power to convince us that we cannot -- at least now -- finish the task we have set out to accomplish.
However, the Word of God is the source of strength by which His children cannot by force be defeated. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds (II Cor. 10:4).
Thought for Today:

Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. . . . Above all. . . . take . . . the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God: Praying always . . . with all perseverance and supplication (Eph. 6:11,16-18).

Christ Revealed:

Through the great (huge) stones used in building the Temple of God (Ezra 5:8). Jesus Christ is the Stone which the builders refused (rejected) and He has become the Head Stone of the Corner (Cornerstone) of our faith (Ps. 118:22; Matt. 21:42).

Word Studies:

3:3 his bases = its original foundation; 3:8 set forward oversee; 3:11 by course = by the assigned divisions of priests; 4:4 weakened the hands of = discouraged and frightened; 5:10 certify = inform.

Prayer Needs:

Pray for English International Shortwave Broadcasts sponsored by Franklin Lancaster and Nancy Golpe • Radio Sri Lanka Broadcasts sponsored by Nancy Golpe • Bible Pathway Media Producer: Rick Hash • Government Official: Rep. Michael Rogers (MI) • Country: Niger (10 million) in west-central Africa • Major languages: French and Hausa • Christian evangelism is limited • 89% Muslim; 10% animist; .4% Christian • Prayer Suggestion: Give thanks for the privilege of assembling with other Christians each week (Heb. 10:25).

Optional Reading: II Corinthians 4
Memory Verse for the Week: Matthew 6:31

Why Did Jesus Come? By Greg Laurie

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind. . . ."

— Luke 4:18

No doctor can heal a broken heart. He or she may be able to treat other ailments you might have. But no physician can get to the source of a broken heart—and a broken heart is a very real thing when you have experienced one.

Your heart may be broken right now. Maybe it is from the loss of a loved one or from a lost romance. Perhaps it is broken because of constant failure. Maybe your children have let you down. Maybe your parents have let you down. Maybe your husband or wife has let you down.

Jesus came to heal the brokenhearted, and only He can heal a broken heart. So if you have a broken heart today, let Him heal it.

Jesus also came to bring deliverance to the captives. The Bible teaches that before we became believers, we were spiritual prisoners-of-war who were held captive by the devil, the god of this world (see 2 Timothy 2:26).

Jesus came to free us. He can unlock the door, but we must walk through it. Let Him set you free.

He came to bring recovery of sight to the blind. Before we were Christians, we were spiritually blind (see 2 Corinthians 4:3–4). Jesus wants to open your eyes to what is true. Let Him.

Are you brokenhearted? Are you under the power of some sin? The same Jesus who walked this earth, died on a cross, and rose from the dead loves you. And He came to set you free.

Copyright © 2009 by Harvest Ministries. All rights reserved.

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Bible text from the New King James Version is not to be reproduced in copies or otherwise by any means except as permitted in writing by Thomas Nelson, Inc., Attn: Bible Rights and Permissions, P.O. Box 141000, Nashville, TN 37214-1000

Original Blog Post: http://www.harvest.org/devotional/archive/devotion.html?date=2009-06-02

THE TRUE MEANING OF TURN THE OTHER CHEEK

THE TRUE MEANING OF TURN THE OTHER CHEEK

Both the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Mahatma Gandhi said Jesus' Sermon on the Mount provided the foundation for their political protests. Yet the Sermon on the Mount seems to recommend passive acceptance of injustice and oppression. According to Matthew 5:39-41, Jesus says:

If any one strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also.

If anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give him your cloak as well.

If any one forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile.

For much of Christian history, people have heard these verses as affirming political acquiescence, not active resistance. Yet King and Gandhi interpreted Jesus as justifying political action. Which interpretation was right? Recent Jesus scholarship suggests these verses are creative non-violent strategies of protesting oppression. Such is the persuasive argument of New Testament scholar Walter Wink.

In his books "Engaging the Powers" and "The Powers That Be," Wink argues that Jesus rejected two common ways of responding to injustice: violent resistance and passive acceptance. Instead, Jesus advocated a "third way," an assertive but non-violent form of protest.

The key to understanding Wink's argument is rigorous attention to the social customs of the Jewish homeland in the first century and what these sayings would have meant in that context.

To illustrate with the saying about turning the other cheek: it specifies that the person has been struck on the right cheek. How can you be struck on the right cheek? As Wink emphasizes, you have to act this out in order to get the point: you can be struck on the right cheek only by an overhand blow with the left hand, or with a backhand blow from the right hand. (Try it).

But in that world, people did not use the left hand to strike people. It was reserved for "unseemly" uses. Thus, being struck on the right cheek meant that one had been backhanded with the right hand. Given the social customs of the day, a backhand blow was the way a superior hit an inferior, whereas one fought social equals with fists.

This means the saying presupposes a setting in which a superior is beating a peasant. What should the peasant do? "Turn the other cheek." What would be the effect? The only way the superior could continue the beating would be with an overhand blow with the fist--which would have meant treating the peasant as an equal.

Perhaps the beating would not have been stopped by this. But for the superior, it would at the very least have been disconcerting: he could continue the beating only by treating the peasant as a social peer. As Wink puts it, the peasant was in effect saying, "I am your equal. I refuse to be humiliated anymore." That is not all. The sayings about "going the second mile" and "giving your cloak to one who sues you for your coat" make a similar point: they suggest creative non-violent ways of protesting oppression.

Roman law permitted soldiers to force civilians to carry their gear for one mile, but because of abuses stringently prohibited more than one mile. If they ask you to do that, Jesus says, go ahead; but then carry their gear a second mile. Put them in a disconcerting situation: either they risk getting in trouble, or they will have to wrestle their gear back from you.

Under civil law, a coat could be confiscated for non-payment of debt. For the poor, the coat often also served as a blanket at night. In that world, the only other garment typically worn by a peasant was an inner garment, a cloak. So if they take your coat, Jesus says, give them your cloak as well. "Strip naked," as Wink puts it. Show them what the system is doing to you. Moreover, in that world, nakedness shamed the person who observed it. Thus, these sayings from the Sermon on the Mount, these seemingly mild sayings, are actually potent ways of confounding and exposing injustice.

King and Gandhi may not have been aware of the finer points of modern Biblical scholarship, but they were no doubt clear that Jesus was counseling a radical new way of empowering the underclass.

And so, those little verses from the Gospel of Matthew are the foundation upon which King and Gandhi built their world-moving campaigns for social justice.

Great Advice

Here's some great advice I received from a dear friend:
1. Take a 10-30 minute walk every day. And while you walk, smile. It is
the ultimate anti-depressant.
2. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day. Talk to God about
what is going on in your life.
3. When you wake up in the morning complete the following statement, 'My
purpose is to __________ today. I am thankful for______________'
4. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that
is manufactured IN plants.
5. Drink green tea and plenty of water. Eat blueberries, wild Alaskan
salmon, broccoli, almonds & walnuts.
6. Try to make at least three people smile each day.
7. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip, energy vampires, issues
of the past, negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead
invest your energy in the positive present moment.
8. Eat breakfast like a king or queen, lunch like a prince or princess
and dinner like a college kid with a maxed out charge card.
9. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
10. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
11. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
12. You are not so important that you have to win every argument. Agree
to disagree.
13. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.
14. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their
journey is all about.
15. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
16. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: 'In five years,
will this matter?'
17. Forgive everyone for everything.
18. What other people think of you is none of your business.
19. GOD heals everything - but you have to ask and believe and be open
to receive .
20. However good or bad a situation is, it will change. Change is the
only constant.
21. Your job won't take care of you when you are in need. Your friends
will. Stay in touch!!!
22. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
23. Each night before you go to bed complete the following statements: I
am thankful for __________. Today I accomplished _________.
24. Remember that you are too blessed to be stressed.
25. When you are feeling down, start listing your many blessings.
You'll be smiling before you know it.

Your Reputation

What is your reputation among your family and friends; is it good or not so good? What do people say about you; perhaps you do not care, you are sure of yourself and what people think does not matter… or does it?

The answer to this question will have a great impact in your personal and business life. Your reputation is governed by your reactions to situations in your life and by the words that come out of your mouth. Be aware of your actions at all times because they will influence your reputation for good or bad weather you know it or not.

It is true that your reputation may be completely different from your character; this is why you have to look deep into yourself and get the true answer, good or bad your reputation will always perceive you. Accept it or not you already have a reputation and people talk about it at home, at the office and in your business, they may not always tell you, and when they do, you may or may not like what you hear; regardless you should pay attention and take note.


Likewise, you can have a "good" reputation but unfortunately, one bad move can ruin your reputation regardless of all the good actions you have done previously. So what can you do? Start creating a pattern of good actions that result in a good reputation. A pattern of Godly behavior will manifest itself in your life so even when people misunderstand you in your actions or words you will always have integrity with your people; they will "know better" that such actions are not in your character. Begin to adopt the characters of Jesus Christ in your daily actions and words; study Jesus reputation and his actions and words by reading and studying the Bible. At the same time, don't worry about what people think of you when you know your actions and words are pure; there will always be those who do not appreciate you.


If you are not aware of your reputation then start taking an honest assessment of yourself. A good reputation starts from the heart and starts with you, nobody else can influence your reputation even if they try. Let the word of God influence you and do not grieve the Holy Spirit. Stay consistent and really look at yourself and make a deep change from the inside out.

If you do not re-evaluate yourself from the inside and try only to work from the outside, you will fool no one; speak the truth without exaggeration and manipulation. If you do not change within yourself first then your actions will not be genuine and people will notice.

Why change you may ask yourself, you feel you already have a good reputation. Change is good, there is always room for improvement and if you want to see improvement in your life and business, you must change first. The way you are now has gotten you where you are now, that may be fine with you, however if you want major changes in your life you must work on yourself and as a result your reputation will be a great attribute for your success in both your personal and business life. - Chris Stevenson