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When Pressure Comes!

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  We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. Romans 5:3–4, NLT When Pressure Comes The apostle Paul says that if you see pressure, difficulties, and setbacks the right way, if you stay full of joy and don’t get bitter, then that pressure is making you stronger. It’s doing something inside, getting you prepared for what God has in store. God knows how to put on just the right amount of pressure so we don’t get complacent, we don’t put our faith on autopilot, but we keep stretching and growing. Here’s the key: Pressure is going to produce either faith, hope, and endurance, or it’s going to produce discouragement, weakness, and “can’t do it.” The question is, What is the pressure producing in your life? Are you seeing it as negative, not fair, letting it defeat you? Have a new perspective. See it as healthy pressure. ...
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Gratitude: The Missing Ingredient!

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  Gratitude: The Missing Ingredient Scripture: Luke 17:15–18, NCV “ When one of them saw that he was healed, he went back to Jesus, praising God in a loud voice. Then he bowed down at Jesus’ feet and thanked him. (And this man was a Samaritan.) Jesus said, ‘Weren’t ten men healed? Where are the other nine? Is this Samaritan the only one who came back to thank God?’  ” (Luke 17:15–18, NCV) It appears that man is not grateful for all of the provision God has provided for living in this world. We often tend to be self-centered, focusing more on the negative rather than being thankful for what we do have. It is counter-cultural to express gratitude and to have a thankful spirit. Most of the world is interested in asserting rights and demanding, “what is rightfully mine.” Many people want things to be freely given to them or to obtain them with a minimum amount of work. Our political system is built on who will give me more for free, taking from some in order to give to others. The...
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Preplanned!

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  Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth; all the stages of my life were spread out before you, the days of my life all prepared before I’d even lived one day. Psalm 139:16 Preplanned The psalmist David says that before you got here, God already decided your purpose. He already planned out your days, already put in you everything you need to fulfill His plan. You have gifts and abilities inside that you may not even see right now. Your part is to honor God, to keep Him first place, and you’ll walk into His prearranged plan for your life. This doesn’t mean you won’t have difficulties and face situations that are unfair. It means that God has already taken that into account. When He preplanned your life, He arranged the comeback for every setback, a solution to every problem, mercy for every mistake, and a new beginning for every loss. You don’t have to struggle and try to force what you’re concerned about to work out. It will happen as the Most High God orde...
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Focus!

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  Focus Scripture: Matthew 2:12, ESV “ And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way. ” (Matthew 2:12, ESV) Notice the wise men were told not to go back to Herod. In many ways, Herod symbolizes the world system. Nothing in the world system encourages us to be engaged in a relationship with Jesus Christ. The value system of the kingdom is in opposition to that of the world. The world system says to serve self and place your own personal needs above everything else. The value system of the kingdom is described in the Sermon on the Mount in the beatitudes. For the Christ follower, his focus in life becomes Christ-centered, not self-centered. “He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them.”  (2 Corinthians 5:15, NLT) Notice that the wise men departed to their country “by another way.” When we trust in Jesus C...
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Not the Slightest Doubt!

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  There has never been the slightest doubt in my mind that the God who started this great work in you would keep at it and bring it to a flourishing finish on the very day Christ Jesus appears. Philippians 1:6 Not the Slightest Doubt Oluwafemi, no matter what some people do, it’s never enough. There’s always a nagging voice telling them they should have done better. They live with this inner critic constantly putting them down, pointing out their faults, magnifying their weaknesses and failings. They also listen to critics and naysayers who tell them what they can’t do, limit their potential, and lessen their value. If that’s you, do yourself a favor and tune out both the inner and outer negative chatter. The truth is that God didn’t make you subpar, deficient, or less-than. He calls you a masterpiece. But none of us are finished products. God is still working on us. Even though we have things we need to improve on, you shouldn’t feel unworthy and go around being down on yours...
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Avoiding Mission Drift!

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  Avoiding Mission Drift Scripture: Matthew 25:13, NIV “ Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour. ” (Matthew 25:13) We are counseled in Scripture to watch for many things. We are particularly told to be on the look out for the return of the Lord, which can happen at anytime. Our time bubble can pop at anytime, thrusting us into the eternal paradigm. We need to guard against mission drift.  Converterlators  are on mission and need to keep on mission. The following acrostic,  W-A-T-C-H , can help us keep on mission. W —WORD “ Because of that experience, we have even greater confidence in the message proclaimed by the prophets. You must pay close attention to what they wrote, for their words are like a lamp shining in a dark place—until the Day dawns, and Christ the Morning Star shines in your hearts. ” (2 Peter 1:19, NLT) A —AIM “ So prepare your minds for action and exercise self-control. Put all your hope in the gracious salvation that will ...
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Fight the Good Fight!

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  I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day. 2 Timothy 4:7–8 Fight the Good Fight Nobody faced more hardships for sharing his faith than the apostle Paul. Second Corinthians 11 lists some of them: beaten with rods three times, given thirty-nine lashes five times, stoned by an angry mob and left for dead, falsely accused and put in prison several times, shipwrecked, deserted by colleagues when he stood trial. Paul had all these opportunities to be angry and bitter. But near the end of his life, he gives us the secret to living in victory. He said, “I have fought the good fight, finished the course, and kept the faith.” He was saying, “Through all the difficulties, betrayals, and things I didn’t understand, God was in control and leading me to new levels of my destiny.” Maybe today you need to dig down a little deeper. You’re ...
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