Unforgiveness and Hate (By Charles Stanley, In Touch Ministries)

One of the most destructive attitudes for a Christian is hate. Think about it. How well can the saving light of Jesus Christ shine in a life that is totally covered in hatred, anger, or rage? And what picture of Christ does this type of person show to the unbelieving world? 

Hate is a total breakdown in the Christlike attitude we're called to exhibit. But even in churches, it's not hard to find individuals boiling over with hostility. Where does it come from? One of the key reasons believers can be prone to hatred is the inability to forgive those who caused them an undeserved hurt. 

Let's take a "hate test." Think about someone who hurt you in the past, and consider these three "heart checks." 

First, if you hate someone, you cannot shake the memory. Does the scene play out in your mind over and over? 

Second, if you hate someone, you cannot wish him or her well. Can you still wish the best for a person who's hurt you? 

Third, if you hate someone, you want that person to hurt just as you hurt. Do you secretly desire this individual to experience the same pain you felt? 

If these questions revealed any hidden animosity in your heart, don't leave your chair until you prayerfully meditate on Ephesians 4:31-32. Read the passage aloud. Personalize it into your prayer. And let God's Holy Spirit cleanse your heart of hatred by empowering you to forgive an old hurt. 

Take Me to the Cross (By David Langerfeld)

There's an old story (which has been made into a song) about a little boy who was sitting on the steps of a busy street corner crying. A policeman walked up to him and asked what was the problem. The little boy was lost and didn't know where he was. He didn't know his address, only his name. 
 He and the policeman walked up and down several streets looking for some landmark the little boy might recognize - but with no success. Finally, as they rounded a corner, the boy shouted out loud with excitement. In the middle of the block was a church with a cross on top of its steeple. 
 The little boy exclaimed, "I know where I am. I know the cross. Take me to the cross - I can find my way home from there." 
 There are many people in your life who need you to take them to the cross. They live next to you. They serve your table at the restaurant. They play Golf and Bridge and Tennis with you. They watch the soccer and baseball games with you. You see them behind the cash register when you're shopping. You see them behind the counter when you're buying gas. You see them in the park, at school, at work, waiting in line. They may be smiling on the outside, but they're unhappy on the inside. 
 They need God. They need His Love, They need His Salvation. They need someone to take them to the cross. Who will you take to the cross today? 
 To be a missionary, you don't have to cross the sea, you just have to see the cross.

God bless Facing Mt Kenya.

Meanwhile, as the selfies continue, as the matatu rides continue and as the press briefings gather momentum, as somebody is forgotten somewhere in the Hague, as buses get diverted into mud tracks, tenacious Wanjiku remembers a certain document that promised her milk and honey, yet she continues to cheer on. Above all she continues to pray for she knows where her only help can come from. God bless Facing Mt Kenya.

Inspiring Email from a Brother in Christ

Dear Brother Sammy, In every email I send, it's always my desire to bring out the best in you with prayer and encouraging truth of His Word. That you don't get infected by the garbage satan likes to put in our minds that we end up speaking. When we think of how the power of the tongue that utters words either brings forth life or death (Prov 18:21), may I encourage you to rebuke every toxic thoughts and words that only comes from satan that only speaks death (robs you of Gods Joy and Peace) and replace it by speaking the wonderful healthy Words of Life that comes from Gods Word reserved for you. May you only believe what God says about you by keeping your thoughts on His unmatched love for you. He says that He delights Himself in you (Deut 10:15) and you are valuable because you are worth Him shedding His Blood for you (1 Pet 1:19) which no amount of money in this entire world could have afforded. So when we see how He values you, may you make it a declaration/decree that He will rule your heart and have the riches of His very being (His unmatched Love, His awesome knowledge, His rich wisdom, His mighty power, His Peace that is beyond understanding, His unspeakable Joy) work mightily through you so that you will be able to live for His glory. By His Grace, may you allow Him to only bring out the very best in you that will never bring regret. May all the blessings of God be your portion forever in the wonderful name of Jesus, Amen. The Life and Light of speaking His Word casts away the dark lies of the enemy. In the Matchless Name of Jesus Richard Associate Director Answers2Prayer http://sites.google.com/site/greatestbuilderforourlife http://www.answers2prayer.org/ www.helpingcopewithhope.blogspot.com Who is like You, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like You, glorious in holiness, awesome in splendor, doing wonders? (Exod 15:11)

Traits of a False Prophet

"If a prophet, or one who foretells by dreams, appears among you and announces to you a miraculous sign or wonder, and if the sign or wonder of which he has spoken takes place, and he says, 'Let us follow other gods' (gods you have not known) 'and let us worship them,' you must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer. The Lord your God is testing you to find out whether you love him with all your heart and with all your soul. It is the Lord your God you must follow, and him you must revere. Keep his commands and obey him; serve him and hold fast to him. That prophet or dreamer must be put to death, because he preached rebellion against the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt and redeemed you from the land of slavery; he has tried to turn you from the way the Lord your God commanded you to follow. You must purge the evil from among you" (Deuteronomy 13:1–5 NIV).

Often, someone who is considered a "true prophet" by some people is simultaneously considered a "false prophet" by others, even within the same ‘religion’ as the "prophet" in question.
False Authority: False prophets always claim to have access to information you can't otherwise access without them. If God had a message for you, don't you think it could be conveyed by a mean other than through a guy with perfect hair, capped teeth and a $5,000 suit or robe WHOM YOU CANT REACH DIRECTLY?

False Hope. Along with this authority, there is some sort of reassurance or certainty offered. But it's always transactional or conditional in nature. Buy tickets to my show, purchase my book, come see me on tour or put your check in the offering plate and I'm make sure you get the hope you're looking for. But that's another thing about this brand of hope: it's always hope for something. But God isn't a vending machine. God doesn't sit back and wait for us to pray hard enough or earnestly enough before giving up the goods. True hope is independent of conditions or circumstances, just like real love doesn't require anything in return. Both simply exist for the sake of themselves. Conditional, contingent hope is really just a wish.

False Perfection: All of the folks who take on these personas (yes, they're playing characters) put on an air of flawlessness that seems kind of grotesque and cartoonish from arms-length. But this is a very necessary part of the formula, because they represent the absence of every problem that you or I seek to escape. They have unique or weird clothing and they are never, ever sad not prone to much smiling. If they just seemed like a regular person, why would we want to emulate their lives?


False Gospel: Your life could be so much better, more meaningful, more complete, if only (fill in the blank). This kind of good news hucksterism, which is hardly the sole purview of Christian preachers, always suggests that all of the imperfections, problems, senses of lack, want, etc, can all go away if you get the formula right. Ultimately all of these schemes are about chasing a fleeting feeling or some nonexistent sense of total fulfillment which simply isn't real. And to suggest that Jesus' primary message was that it's all about you, and that your happiness is what matters most, is a gross distortion of the Gospel.

False Healing: Along these lines, there's a temporary sense of fulfillment that comes from throwing yourself completely into the illusion that this person can give you everything you want or need. There's a rush, not unlike doing drugs, or skydiving or having sex. But just like those things, the good feelings fade and you're still you in the end, with all the same longings, scars and imperfections. Only now, you still have the lingering realization that the thing you tried to heal yourself from all of these woes didn't work. So you're left with trying to chase after the next thing that promises the same kind of healing, or with the knowledge that you've been suckered. And by then, the false prophet has already moved on to the next mark.

A true prophet is a truth-teller, one who sees and names things for what they really are, not for what we want them to be. They're often unpopular for their claims, because they challenge the false constructs of a culture that it tries to use to distract itself from dealing with its real issues. But even if the truths such prophets claim aren't necessary pleasant, they do present an opportunity for liberation: from the illusion that suffering or pain is your fault; from the misconception that the goal of life is personal satisfaction; from the wasted time, energy and money expended on trying to achieve such nonexistent aspirations.

1 John 4:1-6
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already. Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to them.

1 John 4:1
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.

2 Peter 2:1
But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction.

Matthew 7:15
“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.

Matthew 24:24
For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.

Diary Of The Bible (Author Unknown)

Note: This would be funny if it weren't so sadly true.

January 
A busy time for me. Most of the family decided to read me through this year. They kept me busy for the first two weeks. They have forgotten me now.

February
Clean up time. I was dusted yesterday and put in my place. My owner did use me for a few minutes last week. He had been in an argument and was looking up some references.

March
I had a busy day the first of the month. My owner was appointed leader of something and used me. I got to go to church services for the first time this year, Easter Sunday.

April
Grandpa visited us. He kept me on his lap for an hour reading 1 Cor 13. He seems to think more of me than he once did.

May
I have a few green stains on my pages. Had some early spring flowers pressed in me.

June
I look like a scrap book. They have stuffed me full of clippings from the newspaper. One of the girls got married.

July
They put me in a suitcase today. I guess we are off on vacation. I wish I could stay at home, as I will have to stay in this thing for a month.

August
Still in the suitcase.

September
Back home again and in my old place. Have a lot of company. Two "True Stories" and four "Funny Books" are on top of me. I wish I could be read as much as they are.

October
They used me a little today. One of them is very sick. Right now I am shined up and in the center of the table. I think the preacher is coming.

November
Back in my old place. Was asked today if I was a scrap book.

December
They are getting ready for Christmas, so I'll be covered under wrapping paper and packages.

Proverbs 8:10-11 (NIV)

"Choose my instruction instead of silver, knowledge rather than choice gold, for wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her."

Do we see knowledge and instruction in this light? We are dazzled by the sparkle of fame and wealth, and as a result we can’t see the wisdom that stands at the crossroads of our soul. Yet godly wisdom is greater than any earthly wealth, for this kind of knowledge will heal and restore the damage of bad decisions that warp our perceptions. So choose and pursue this kind of instruction, because there is nothing that compares to it…nothing.

~ Dave Whitehead, Senior Pastor

Adanma Carol Okoro

If A Woman Knows How To Talk To Her Man...He Will Require Her Presence For A Lifetime. (Mike Murdock)

If A Man knows how to talk to his woman, she will require His presence for a life time too.

Proverbs 15: A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.

How to Make Your Pastor Happy: An Inside Scoop from 3 John (By Rev. Kerry S. Doyal) [Edited]

Okay, I am going to indulge myself. With October being "Pastor Appreciation Month," I am going to share some ways you can make your pastor happy. To make this a legit as possible, I will use 3 John as my guide.

Lest you think this is a sneaky way to drop hints to the church I am blessed to pastor, let me tell you what they did. These dear souls sent the wife & I away for a restful get away, and took care of our kids while we were gone. Better still, they are generous and kind to us all year, not just in October.

The Beloved Disciple, the Apostle John, one of Jesus' closest Three, takes on a different role in 3 John. Writing as an Elder (Pastor), he tells his dear friend Gaius several things that bring him great joy and sadness as a spiritual leader. Any spiritual leader in your life would be thrilled if these things were true of you.

First, continue in the truth. John wrote Gaius: It gave me great joy to have some brothers come and tell about your faithfulness to the truth and how you continue to walk in the truth. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth (vs. 3, 4 - NIV).

Talk about a happy pastor! John shared his desire that Gaius would have physical and financial well being (vs. 2), but his joy came from [knowing] that Gaius was staying true to the faith (orthodoxy) and putting shoe leather to it (orthopraxy).

God-honoring beliefs and behavior are two wings of an airplane. Pick which one is optional? Too many act like holding the right doctrines is enough. Forget that they live like moral pigs or never show love for others. They "got saved, baptized and joined the church," what more do you want? See Matthew 7:20-27; James 1:21-2; 2:14-26; 1 John 3:16-20.

John was also joyful that Gaius showed consistent love in his practical acts of kindness towards others (hospitality). "You are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers, even though they are strangers to you. They have told the church about your love" (vs. 5, 6).

Traveling teachers needed safe lodging to assist in their ministry. Believers were to open their homes and hearts to them, even if their home was not spotless, fancy or in perfect order. Southern Hospitality is overrated when it is hampered by insecurities that lead to closed doors.

Gaius also made John's day by doing what he could to help spread the gospel. "We ought therefore to show hospitality to such men so that we may work together for the truth" (vs. 8). Gaius many not have been a gifted evangelist or teacher, but by sharing his home, he shared in the work of the Gospel. He became a team member.

No one does gospel work alone. Behind every Billy Graham, or pastor are dozens - no - hundreds of silent, faithful workers. By giving, praying, serving each are indispensable co-laborers for the truth. When we give of our time, skills, homes, lives, we are sharing in the work of the gospel.

Here is a backwards way to make your pastor smile: by NOT following the example of your local Diotrepehes. Bluntly stated, do not be an arrogant and rude Church Boss.

"Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will have nothing to do with us. gossiping maliciously about us. he refuses to welcome the brothers. He also stops those who want to do so and puts them out of the church" (vs. 9, 10). Talk about Chutzpah!

Families that run churches ruin churches. Strong leaders who dominate eventually desecrate God's holy work. If everything has to meet your approval, I wonder if you meet God's? How many good men are no longer in the ministry because of a distrusting, power hungry control freak?

Conversely, people who are pleasant coworkers with their pastors imitate good and godly examples. "Do not imitate what is evil but what is good" (vs. 11). Since monkeys see and monkeys do, make sure you pick good monkeys to see. People like Demetrius.

"Demetrius is well spoken of by everyone - and even by the truth itself" (vs. 12). He had a great reputation - one that was deserved. Even Truth found lips and words to speak well of this man. Gaius was shown a stark contrast of models. Picking the right one pleased his Pastor.

In closing this shortest letter (postcard) in the New Testament, John writes: "I hope to see you soon, and we will talk face to face (vs.14). Is the thought of a reunion with you by a previous pastor a pleasurable point for him to ponder? Or is it something to avoid if he wants a good night's sleep?

Do you need to thank a spiritual parent in your life: a Pastor (current or previous), a Sunday School teacher, a parent, a Camp or Youth leader? Go for it! Let them reap some of what they have sown. [Perhaps a letter or call of thanks might be in order?]

Pastors - Spiritual Parents of all stripes - do you need to express joy in a spiritual child? How encouraging these words from John must have been to Gaius. Let's remember to share with others the joy they bring us.

ARE YOU EXPECTING TOO MUCH? (Russ Lawson)

I've come to the conclusion over the years that some people drop out of religion because they expect the wrong things. Some people come to a church because they are looking for something they haven't been able to find or something missing in their lives. They become a Christian or become involved with a local church and expect their lives to suddenly be perfect, no more problems to face. No more attacks by Satan, suddenly their whole life should become easier with no more hassles. When that doesn't happen they just quit and give up on God.

People like this are kind of like a lady who was picking through the frozen turkeys at the grocery store, but couldn't find one big enough for her family and was trying to get to the ones in the bottom of the freezer. A stock boy happened by and she asked, "Do these turkeys get any bigger?" The stock boy replied, "No ma'am, they're dead."

The stock boy thought she was asking for something unrealistic and far too often we do too. One of the things people fail to realize is that the peace we find in Christ is of a spiritual nature, which allows us to eventually find peace in our physical world. There are some people who can make that transition in understanding, growth if you will very quickly. Probably most people like this have already been striving to have a relationship with God. They can find a new peace that passes the understanding of most of the world, but most of us are not that way. We need time to mature in Christ from a new beginning and grow into what God intends. Peter writes in 1 Peter 2:2, "Be full of desire for the true milk of the word, as babies at their mothers’ breasts, so that you may go on to salvation."

When we do that then we will find that peace in God for which we are looking. But the key is that God does expect us to grow, not just set in a church pew like a new born child laying in its mothers arms, never growing, never maturing. Paul writes about this in Hebrews 5:11-14 where he says, "We have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain because you are slow to learn. In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil."

The bottom line is this; if you want to find peace in this world don't expect to find it quickly or easily. It comes to us when we give the Word of God time to grow and mature in our lives by putting to practice the things we find in it. We become as Paul said, "the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil."

(Messages From The Heart)