Have you ever asked someone to pray for you and at the same time you were hoping they would’nt forget?  Just as we sometimes either forget or wait too late to call home we forget to pray.   Jesus said in Luke that men should always pray and not give up.  You will find in the bible examples of Jesus spending extended quality time in prayer.  Why because he not only wanted to commune with His father but He knew the benefits of acknowledging God as his source of strength.  Jesus knows that we to need to take time to check in with our source of strenght.  He said without me you can do nothing.   I want to share this nugget of truth with you written by author, John Mason. 

Is the time you only do deep praying, when you find yourself in a hole? If God is your father, please call home.

Corrie Ten Boom said, “The devil smiles when we make plans. He laughs when we get too busy. He trembles when we pray.”

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything; tell God your needs and don’t forget to thank Him for His answers. If you do this you will experience God’s peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand” (Philippians 4:6-7, TLB). When you feel swept off your feet, it’s time to get back on your knees.

“Time spent in communion with God is never lost” says Gordon Lindsay. The highest purpose of faith or prayer is not to change your circumstances, but to change you. Pray to do the will of God in every situation; nothing else is worth praying for. James Hudson Taylor put it this way: “Do not have your concert and tune your instruments afterwards. Begin the day with God.” Martin Luther once said, “I have so much to do today that I shall spend the first three hours in prayer.”

Prayer may not change all things for you, but it sure changes you for all things. He’s waiting to hear from you.

John Mason has written several great books that are featured with our partner site amazing grace superstore;

Knowledge is made up of thoughts. And God thoughts are always higher than our thoughts. God’s ultimate goal for His thoughts is for the entire earth to be filled with the knowledge of the Lord. “And the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord.” Isaiah 1:9b.

What an awesome promise when we all are able to fulfill God’s original plan of living in harmony with God and all that He has created. Pursuing the knowledge of God is about lining our thoughts up with the knowledge that God supplies. 

It is about meditating Upon the Word of God so that you will make wise decisions and have good success in life.  Old Testament prophet’s Joshua and King David delighted in meditating upon God’s Word (Psalms 1:1) “This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate upon it day and night and then you shall make you way prosperous and you shall have good success” ( Joshua 1:8).

God Is the Originator of True Success

Living By the Word of God
All of the knowledge that we will ever need to live by is found in the Word of God. “Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4.) “It takes more than bread to stay alive. It takes a steady stream of God’s words from God’s mouth” (Matthew 4:4 (Message Version).

Reading and meditating upon the knowledge of God also allows us to be fed spiritually so that our minds will be protected from the vanity of the world’s knowledge. “For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth comes knowledge and understanding. When wisdom comes and knowledge is pleasant to your soul, understanding will preserve you” (Proverbs 2:6, 10-11)

Growing In the Knowledge of God
Just as long as you are alive you will grow, but we are to consider what and how we grow. We are admonished to grow in the grace and the knowledge of Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:3). To grow in the grace and the knowledge of the Lord means to grow in your personal relationship with Jesus. In doing so you will grow in your understanding of who God is and your understanding of your purpose in life.

“As newborn babes desire the sincere milk of the Word that you may grow thereby” (I Peter 2:2).  Like a mother’s milk to her newborn gives proper nourishment for growth, the nourishment of God’s word helps us to mature spiritually.

Kingdom Information
Just as the world transmits its knowledge through the media, internet, digital television, ipods and education, God delights in transmitting His knowledge to the children of God through the Word of God so that we can grow up in Him. But we must and seek after His knowledge. “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added unto you”(Matthew 6:33).

When you ask Jesus Christ to forgive you of your sins and receive Him as your personal Lord and Savior you will have access to enter the kingdom of God. In this kingdom there is all the information that you to live a successful and peaceful life.

Your Personal Trainer, the Holy Spirit
If you have ever gone on the internet to research a topic and the site would only allow you limited access because you have not become a member your knowledge is limited on that topic. Once again when you ask Jesus to forgive you of your sins and receive Him as Lord and Savior you have unlimited access to the full knowledge of God by way of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is given to you as a personal trainer in accessing all that God has planned for you. The Holy Spirit will help you to download and understand information from God’s vast sea of knowledge that will help you live successfully on earth. “When He, the Spirit of Truth has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on his own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak and He will tell you things to come”(John 16:13).

The Word of God Lives and Abides Forever
“Having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible through the word of God which lives and abides forever” (I Peter 1:23)

As you know computers and cell phones are forever changing. It seems they are outdated within weeks of a new model coming out. Wouldn’t it be awful if God Word was like that forever changing? Hebrews 13:8 says. “Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and today, and forever. The word of God is the only book on planet earth that has never changed. “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my word shall never pass away” (Matthew 24:25).

The Knowledge of God Brings Him Glory
God’s knowledge brings enlightenment and empowers us to live a meaniful life. Not only does the Word of God gives spiritual knowledge but through your personal relationship with Jesus He will provide guidelines and principles by which you can make wise choices. The wisdom of God can give you knowledge on becoming better parents, spouses, better bosses or employees. As you acknowledge the Lord in all of your ways He will direct your paths in life (proverbs 3:6)
The ultimate purpose for growing in grace and the knowledge of the Lord is to bring glory to God in all areas of your life. We bring glory to God by letting our lights shine so that men may see our good works and glorify our Father in heaven (Matthew 5:16) “Jesus came that you might have life and that you might live the abundant life “(John 10:10b).

Conclusion
I pray that this article has brought awareness to you that God wants to impart His knowledge to you. He desires for your thoughts to be in alignment with His thoughts as found in His Word so that you can have the mind of Christ. “Do not conform any longer to the patterns of the world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – His good, pleasing and perfect Will.

Prayer of Salvation
God loves you so much-no matter who you are, no matter what your past. The reason God gave His Son to die on the cross is because He loves you. If you would like to receive Jesus into your life, say the following prayer out loud and mean it from your heart.

Heavenly Father, I come to you admitting that I am a sinner. Right now, I choose to turn away from sin, and I ask you to cleanse me from all unrighteousness. I believe that Your Son, Jesus, died on the cross to take away my sins. I also believe that He rose again from the dead so that I might be forgiven of my sins and made righteous through faith in Him. I call up the name of Jesus Christ to be the Savior and Lord of my life. Jesus I choose to follow you and ask that you would fill me with your Holy Spirit. I declare right now that I am a child of God. I am saved in Jesus name. Amen

Peace & Love As You Pursue the Knowledge of God

Have you ever given serious thought as to where your thoughts are coming from, or how to decide which thoughts you should act upon?

Living in the information or data age has invaded our thought life at such an alarming rate with information that has proven to be twisted and inaccurate with the knowledge that God wants you to live by.  God is love and He wants you to have lots of peace through the knowledge that He gives. “Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord” (I Peter 1:2).

 Human knowledge, which is based on the media, technology, culture, education and science, has caused us to be infected with information overload.  This overload has led to stress lives, being overconfident, impaired judgment, confusion and the likes.  It is reported that  in 1994 ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) was nominated by Wired Magazine as the official brain syndrome of the Information Age?

There is nothing new under the sun regarding information overload.  King Solomon, the wisest man that ever lived during his time wrote about the sorrow and vanity of seeking knowledge.  He said, “for in much wisdom is grief, and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow” (Ecclesiastes 1:18 ). 

Like me,  perhaps you know someone who has made a career out of seeking knowledge by becoming a professional student yet they have not applied their knowledge in any field.  There is nothing new to this either, the bible records in the last days people will always be learning but never able to come to the knowledge of truth
(2 Timothy 3:7).

A brief definition of knowledge: an accumulation of facts, ideas, opinions, investigation, observation and experience. It is apprehending the truth through reasoning.

I am certainly not knocking acquiring knowledge because God has always shown that He places a high value on knowledge and He alone has allowed us to make the great scientific breakthroughs and advancements in the many fields that we have. 

King David gave praise to God by saying, “Everything in the heavens and earth is yours, O Lord, and this is your kingdom.  We adore you as being in control over everything.  Riches and honor come from you alone and you are the ruler of all mankind; your hand controls power and might, and it is at your discretion that men are made great and given strength” ( I Chronicles 29: 11-12, TLB)

 King Solomon’s pursuit of knowledge and wisdom ended in vanity. He closes the book of Ecclesiastes by saying, “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: fear God and keep His commandments,  for that is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing whether good or evil” (Ecclesiastes. 12 13-14).

Peace & Love as you pursue the Knowledge of God

You are what you continually think about. Proverbs 23:7 says, “As a man thinks in his heart, so is he”. Our thoughts precede our behavior.  You can control your thoughts by deliberately meditating upon what you want to happen in your life. If you want peace, prosperity, happiness and to live the abundant life that Jesus promised in John 10:10 you must begin to purposely meditate upon these things.

When a thought comes to your mind that is not in line with God’s Word you don’t have to accept it into your belief system.  Corinthians 10:5 tells us to take captive every thought and make it obedient to Christ.   Think thoughts that are in line with God’s Word.  Joshua 1:8 tells us to meditate in God’s Word and observe all that it says and then we will make our own way prosperous and we will have good success.  Why not put into practice the things that will help you achieve godly success.  Tell yourself everyday that, “I am what God says I am, I am strong in the Lord”.

Make time to meditate upon God’s Word everyday. Rick Warren, in The Purpose Driven Life(Zondervan), describes meditation this way: “Meditation is focused thinking.  It takes serious effort. You select a verse and reflect on it over and over in your mind….if you know how to worry, you already know how to meditate” (190). Warren goes on to say, “No other habit can do more to transform your life and make you more like Jesus tan daily reflection on Scripture…If you look up all the times God speaks about meditation in the Bible, you will be amazed at the benefits He has promised to those who take the time to reflect on His Word throughout the day”(190).

Above all,  remember that Biblical meditation  is all about God, focusing your thoughts upon Him.

Prayer of Salvation

God loves you so much-no matter who you are, no matter what your past.  The reason God gave His Son to die on the cross is because He loves you.  If you would like to receive Jesus into your life, say the following prayer out loud and mean it from your heart.  Heavenly Father, I come to you admitting that I am a sinner.  Right now, I choose to turn away from sin, and I ask you to cleanse me from all unrighteousness. I believe that Your Son, Jesus, died on the cross to take away my sins.  I also believe that He rose again from the dead so that I might be forgiven of my sins and made righteous through faith in Him.  I call up the name of Jesus Christ to be the Savior and Lord of my life.  Jesus I choose to follow you and ask that you would fill me with your Holy Spirit.  I declare right now that I am a child of God.  I am saved in Jesus name.  Amen. 

Peace & Love

Christian Growth: Perseverance

Diamonds the most precious gem known to mankind was once a piece of coal that stuck to its job by enduring pressure and heat. What are you willing to stick with to achieve your dreams? This article is about perseverance, a necessary ingredient to your worthy pursuits. Talents, skills and gifts alone will not land you to your desired haven. Perseverance is the key to accomplish your dreams. Your success is largely dependent upon the following three characteristics:

• Persistence. The act of holding firmly and steadfastly to a purpose, state, goal, or undertaking despite obstacles, warnings, or setbacks.

• Determination. The quality of mind which reaches definite conclusions; decisions of character; resoluteness.

• Perseverance. Persistent determination like the caterpillar that builds a cocoon before becoming a butterfly each stage of the process was a necessary struggle to become what it was destined to be. Likewise, perseverance is a building block to your character and is necessary for personal Christian growth.

When you are persevering through your difficulties you are demonstrating the true essence of success. Why? Because it takes time to discover the true nature of anything. It was through many trials and errors Thomas Edison, the father of electricity persevered until he discovered the way to make the light bulb work. He was quoted as saying, “I have not failed I have just found 10,000 ways that it won’t work.”  Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up. History has proven that success and victory were the results of apparent defeat and failure. It was preserving through the challenges of life that Mother Theresa, Mahatma Gandhi, Dr. Martin Luther King and many other notable people fulfilled their God given purpose and destiny. Remember the story of the race between the Hare and the Turtle. The rabbit is known for swiftness and the turtle for being slow. The turtle won the race by persevering and keeping a steady pace.

Your desire to achieve your dreams is somewhat like a race in life. You must be willing to persevere and keep a steady pace. Always Acknowledge God in all your ways and He will direct your paths. (Proverbs 3: 6)

Wouldn’t it be nice if life was a bed of roses, without the thorns of course but in this life you are guaranteed to face difficulties? John 16:33b says, in this life you will have tribulations (difficulties); but be of good cheer (encouraged), I have overcome (prevailed in life) the world. If you want to be a winner in life you must be willing to do what winners do. They run the race to win the race. Remember the race is not given to the swift, but he that endures (perseveres) to the end wins. (Ecclesiastes 9:11 paraphrase cod) DON’T QUIT “ Famous Poem, When things go wrong, as they sometimes will, when the road you’re trudging seems all uphill, when the funds are low and the debts are high, and you want to smile but you have to sigh, when care is pressing you down a bit - rest if you must, but don’t you quit. Life is queer with its twists and turns, as every one of us sometimes learns.

And many a fellow turns about when he might have won had he stuck it out.
Don’t give up though the pace seems slow - you may succeed with another blow. Often the goal is nearer than it seems to a faint and faltering man; often the struggler has given up when he might have captured the victor’s cup; and he learned too late when the night came down,
how close he was to the golden crown. Success is failure turned inside out - the silver tint of the clouds of doubt, and when you never can tell how close you are, it may be near when it seems afar; so stick to the fight when you’re hardest hit - it’s when things seem worst,
you must not quit. Author Unknown Remember the supreme example of perseverance was when Jesus died on the cross and rose again the third day so that you and I could experience the abundant life. Jesus came that you might have life more abundantly John 10:10b Why not let 2007 be your year of perfection, your year of maturity in which you’re long awaited desires and dreams become a reality. You can accomplish this by having a plan and then persevering until you arrive at your destination. Again, “Acknowledge God in all of your ways and He will direct your paths”. Proverbs 3:6

Great works are performed not by strength, but by perseverance. Samuel Johnson (1709-1784) British author. When you come to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on. Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882-1945) Thirty-second President of the USA. Christian Supplies publishes articles based on the principals of biblical success. Carolyn Dickens is a teacher of biblical success principals. All rights reserved.

Hello Everyone,
In this article I will share with you the mindset of a man that God called a fool. What comes to your mind when you hear the word wealth?  Abundance of material possessions, lots of money, investments, cars, fine clothing, exotic vacations, etc.?  Undeniably wealth is associated with these things, however material possessions alone does not guarantee happiness and fulfillment in life.Think over your life span and remember some of the rich and famous whose lives ended tragically.  Wealth is a matter of the mind first.  “As a man thinks in his heart (innermost part) so is he” (Proverbs 23:7).  To put it plainly, your thoughts precede your actions and you become what you think about continuously. Having the correct thoughts regarding  wealth is the first step to obtaining wealth.  Right thinking skills can be acquired as you meditate and believe in your heart that the spiritual principles in the bible are correct.  For your convenience I listed some scriptures in my blog titled “Prosperity Scriptures” for you to use as you develop and establish your mind towards achieving success in this area.

As a Correctional Educator I enterface and interact with individuals whose mindset is geared towards anti-social behavior.  Please believe me when I say it is so rewarding both for me and my students to experience the joys of developing a new mindset that produces a positive and productive lifestyle.  There is a  story in the bible about a man whose life describes a person whose life was entirely centered around the many barns he had built (Luke 12: 15-21).  Like so many people who think that wealth guarantees success in life, he portrayed a person whose main priority was to acquire material possessions and live the so called “good life”.  I believe it is safe to say this story represents the mindset of many in today’s society. This wave in today’s headlines of business executives making stupid choices is similar to the story of the man who had built many barns (material goods).It may be hard for you to imagine God calling someone a fool but the story records that he was called a fool by God.  The definition of a fool is described in the bible as someone who lives as if there is no God.  “The fool had said in his heart there is no God” (Psalms 14:1a).   Having great wealth is not a sign of great intelligence according to online encyclopedia Wikepedia.   The story of this man tragically ends when God said to him, “You Fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you, then who will get what you have prepared for your self?”  Yes, it is possible to obtain material possessions without a relationship with God, but the price is very high and eventually it will crash with many disappointments.Friends the bottom line is this,  God wants you to enjoy a successful life, but not without a relationship with Him FIRST. God desires and can teach you how to profit.  “I am the Lord your God, Who teaches you to profit, Who leads you by the way you should go” (Isaiah 48:17).  Remember this, “Jesus came to give you life more abundantly” (John 10:10)  Christian Supplies Online publishes articles for obtaining wealth God’s way beginning with a wealthy mindset.  It is the blessing of the Lord that makes one rich and He will add no sorrow with it (Proverbs 10:22).

As you daily meditate and say these scriptures as affirmations you are participating in helping to change your mindset towards receiving what God has already allocated for you.  This is not a magical formula but a path leading to achieving Christian prosperity.

Deut 8:18  I shall remember the Lord my God for it is He that gives me power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore unto our fathers.

Phil 4:19  My God shall supply all of my needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

Isa 38:17  The Lord my God teaches me to profit, and leads me by the way that I should go.

Isa 1:19  I am willing and obedient, so I shall eat the good of the land.

Job 36:11  I obey and serve God, so I shall spend my days in prosperity, and my years in pleasures.

Prov. 10:22  The blessing of the Lord makes me rich, and He adds no sorrow with it.

2Cor 8:9  I know that the grace of my Lord Jesus Christ, that He was rich, yet for my sake He became poor, that I through His poverty might be rich.

3 John 2  The Lord desires above all things that I may prosper and be in health, even as my soul prospers.

Ps 35:27  The Lord has pleasure in the prosperity of His servants

Isa 45:2,3  God will go before me, and make the crooked places straight: He will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut the bars of iron and He will give me the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places.

Eph 3:20  God is doing exceedingly abundantly above all that I can ask or think, according to the power that works in me.

John 10:10b Jesus came that I might have life, and that I might have it more abundantly.

Matt 5:33 I seek first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto me.

Gal 6:9  I do not grow weary in well doing, therefore in due season I will reap.

Heb 6:12  I am not slothful, but a follower of those who through faith and patience inherit the promise

We must understand that what we ponder and think about sets the
course for our lives, because what we ponder and think about gets
magnified and becomes attracted to us. It’s “cause and effect.”
Many people will curse the effect, but continue to nourish the
cause. The problem isn’t that they’re a victim, but the culprit.
Most of our current circumstances were birthed from our thoughts,
and at any time we choose, we can change it all. We have both the
ability and the responsibility to make better choices beginning
today.

If the idea of having to change yourself makes you uncomfortable,
you can remain as you are, but then you would have no right to
complain.

Make a decision right now. Change that area of your life you want
to change. How? Start by making a list of the things you
habitually say about your undesirable circumstance. Get help from
someone who knows you well. Ask him or her what negative things
you say regularly. And be open minded! Don’t get mad at them for
telling you the truth. I will promise you that you are saying
things you don’t realize you’re saying!

Once you have your list of verbal garbage, make another list that
contains positive, faith filled sentences that are directly
opposite. Don’t worry about whether these new sentences are true
or not. It makes no difference. Your subconscious mind does not
distinguish true from false. It only accepts the information you
give it.

Now what you want to do is burn this new programming into your
mind. Read and confess it everyday. Remember, what we ponder and
think about sets the course for our lives, because what we ponder
and think about gets magnified and becomes attracted to us.
Cause and effect says, “Think repetitive thoughts, reap their
physical manifestations.”

Again, if you’re frustrated with a certain area of your life and
you want to make a change, you can change it as soon as you
decide to change it. You must start by changing your thoughts
and what you say about it.

Daniel N. Brown is an entrepreneur and teacher of biblical
success principles. Get his FREE report, “Christian Prosperity
Secrets” when you sign up for his FREE weekly newsletter…
http://www.SecretPlaceOnline.com

Free

This article is about perseverance, a necessary ingredient to your worthy pursuits. Talents, skills and gifts alone will not land you to your desired haven. Perseverance is the key to accomplish your dreams.

Your success is largely dependent upon the following three characteristics:

· Persistence. The act of holding firmly and steadfastly to a purpose, state, goal, or undertaking despite obstacles, warnings, or setbacks.

· Determination. The quality of mind which reaches definite conclusions; decisions of character; resoluteness.

· Perseverance. Persistent determination

Like the caterpillar that builds a cocoon before becoming a butterfly each stage of the process was a necessary struggle to become what it was destined to be. Likewise, perseverance is a building block to your character and is necessary for personal growth. (more…)