Spiritual Prosperity

Spiritual Growth – Striving To Love With The God Kind Of Love

Spiritual Growth – Striving To Love With The God Kind Of Love

Develop Great Spiritual Growth With
the God Kind of Love Flowing In Your Life!

Spiritual Growth with the God Kind of LoveThe God kind of love is a love

that goes beyond words.

There are of course, many kinds of love,

but living a life that strives to love with

the God kind of love,

develops great spiritual growth within us.

Many Kinds of Love

From the time we are born, we begin to experience the love between parents and children. Then there is the love shared between family members, friends, and neighbors. There is also love shared between sweethearts and lovers.

These are just a handful of the many kinds of love, but the most important to mention, is the love shared between God and each one of us as human beings.

Putting the God Kind of Love in Action

Jesus teaches us to model the love between people, based on the way God loves us; God loves the righteous and the unrighteous alike. The entire essence of the law can be wrapped up in the commandments to love our neighbors and love our God.

“You have heard that it was said, You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous.”
— Matthew 5:43-45

Loving our spouse, family, friends, and others who love us is a no brainer. But it’s an altogether thing to love an enemy that hates us and who may have it as a goal to destroy us.

When Christ tells us to love, do good, bless, and pray for our enemies, He is telling us to take action. In fact, the God kind of love isn’t about warm, fuzzy feelings; it is about taking action.

How Do We Take Actions of Love?

Well what we don’t do, is wait for emotions of love, because they may never come. Rather we start with actions of love, and the emotions of love may follow later.

How do we do it? Start with the things Jesus taught us (Luke 6:27-28):

Do Good –

Search for a way to do something good for your worst enemy. Maybe send a card with a gift certificate to a restaurant and wish him or her a great day. Keep in mind: We are not trying to cause shame, we are striving to love with the God kind of love that loved us even in our evil condition.

Bless –

Our goal is to speak and think blessings about our enemies even when they speak untrue, mean, and nasty things about us. When around others, try to actively speak well about your enemies instead of complaining about unjust treatment received from them.

Pray –

Actively pray and intercede for your enemies. Why not ask God to help heal their hearts and turn them toward His light and truth? Pray that God show them mercy and bless them. Again, keep in mind the abundant mercy and blessings God had shown to us while we were yet sinners.

Self-love seeks something in return and the sooner the better. Not so with the God kind of love; it seeks no repayment.

The truth is: Jesus is out to change you and me into an army of servants that love and care for people (even our enemies) just as He does. He wants to see spiritual growth in our lives.

Make no mistake about it: Once we start to take actions of love, spiritual growth begins to develop. Selfless love is not easy to do, but powerful when put into action. And it allows God to continue to transform us more and more into His image, so our actions will reflect His work and His presence in our hearts.

May the God kind of love abound in your heart and your life be continually blessed with growing prosperity!

Be blessed to be a blessing!

God bless you always,
Brenda

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Abundance of Joy – 7 Things You Must Know to Overcome a Depressive Spirit!

Abundance of Joy – 7 Things You Must Know to Overcome a Depressive Spirit!

How to Keep the Abundant Joy of the Lord Flowing in Your Life

Abundance of JoyAbundance of joy is available for all.

Unfortunately many people struggle

day-to-day with a depressive spirit.

Yes, there are those who naturally find it

easy to go about their days light-hearted and joyful.

However, for most of us, we have to learn through the Word

how to keep the abundant joy of the Lord flowing in our lives.

Living in joy is the only way to live. If you agree, and you’re ready to say good-bye to a depressive spirit, then continue reading to get yourself started today.

7 Things You Must Know to Replace a Depressive Spirit with an Abundance of Joy:

1. In Times of Tribulation, Joy Does Not Have to Leave You

You have a choice to either trust God or worry; choose joy or anxiety. Either way you’ll be confronted with trouble. Jesus said it is possible to be in peace and of good cheer, even in the midst of tribulation, because He has overcome the world.

“In the world you shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” 
— John 16:33

Really it’s totally up to you. Just because you have trouble doesn’t mean you have to lose your joy. You can choose to be full of cheer, because you know that Jesus has already overcome.

2. You Can Laugh at Trouble, Rather Than Align Yourself With It

Your reactions to the storms of life are what will determine your success. If you give in to trouble and begin rehearsing the problems, the joy of the Lord in your life will suddenly be replaced with worry and anxiety. To keep your joy, you must major on the promises of God and not the problems of this world.

3. Every Human on Earth is Searching for Joy

Joy is one thing everyone wants out of life. If you choose to live in joy, others will be literally drawn to you. You will become like a magnet for the depressed and brokenhearted who are looking for hope. Joy is contagious.

Living in the joy of the Lord is one of the most effective ways to reach others, share the love of Christ, and be blessed to be a blessing.

4. God Forgives and Wants You to Start Living in Joy Again

God is waiting to forgive those who repent and ask for forgiveness. He wants you to get back up and start living in joy again. It is the devil that condemns and shames you with your past.

Resist thoughts of failure and refill yourself with joy by getting in the Word and dwelling in the secret place of the Most High.

5. Joy Can Keep You Living Well

The healing power of joy works like medicine in your body.

“A merry heart doeth good like a medicine; but a broken spirit drieth the bones.” 
— Proverbs 17:22

Your body wasn’t created to live worrying about every little thing. You were created to walk in the joy of the Lord every day of your life. His joy can keep you living well.

6. Joy Gives Strength

Joy is enthusiastic and empowering. The joy of the Lord is your strength. (Nehemiah 8:10) Lose your joy and you’ll lose your strength and enthusiasm.

7. In God’s Presence is Fullness of Joy

The joy of the Lord springs out of a solid relationship with the living God. Much is manifested from a solid enthusiastic relationship with Him. God has blessed us abundantly and we have no place to complain, but only to give thanks.

“You will show me the path of life: in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand there are pleasures for evermore.” 
— Psalm 16:11

So there you have it: When we begin to release the power of the Word in our life, we begin to overcome a depressive spirit with the abundant joy of the Lord flowing in our lives.

May you live a life flowing with abundant joy and growing prosperity!

God bless you –

Cheers,
Brenda

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New Year, Fresh Start – 7 Exit Tips to Move You into the New Year with a Clean Slate!

New Year, Fresh Start – 7 Exit Tips to Move You into the New Year with a Clean Slate!

Out With the Old and In With the New

New Year Fresh StartA new year means a new start.

But first we need to look at the ‘out with the old’

before we look at the ‘in with the new.’

Why not start the New Year with a clean slate?

We all have skeletons in our closets;

those unpleasant things we are ashamed of

and hope nobody discovers about us.

But God can clean up our closets and wipe the slate clean.

He can give us a fresh new start and a clean slate in life so that we no longer care if others find out about our past, because God has cleaned it up and made all things new.

“Old things are passed away; behold all things are become new.” 
— 2 Corinthians 5:17

7 Exit Tips for the Year:

1. Take an Account of the Past Year

Make note of the people that have done you wrong and FORGIVE everyone of them. Release them, loose them, let them go, and let it drop.

Don’t let your anger cause you to sin, or let the sun go down on your wrath. (Eph 4:26) Remember, forgiveness does not condone behavior, but a lack of forgiveness hurts you. And if you don’t forgive others you hold yourself in unforgiveness. (Matt 6:14-15)

2. Forgive Yourself

Confess your sin and God will forgive you. (1 John 1:9) We are not to sin, but if we do, we have an advocate with the Father; because Jesus is righteous we are righteous in Him.

If God will forgive us, but we won’t, that is extreme arrogance and pride.

3. Examine Yourself

Ask yourself, “Where am I at in my faith?”

“Examine yourselves, whether you be in the faith; prove your own selves.” 
— 2 Corinthians 13:5

4. Repent

Repent means to turn from our ways and change for the better. Repentance is a basic principle of the doctrine of Christ. Repent and face the New Year renewed.

5. Commit to Forget the Past

“Forget those things which are behind and reach for those things which are ahead.” 
— Philippians 3:13

Let God wash away your sins and any heavy burden of guilt that you have been carrying with it. Leave them in the past and press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. (Phil 3:14)

6. Commit to Not Live on Past Successes

Don’t live on yesterday’s successes. Today is a new day and a new year is upon us; keep pressing forward. God does not want us to live on yesterday’s manna.

Don’t take record of the past. (Phil 3:8) Be busy about your Father’s business today. Commit to hunger after God’s Word daily.

7. Bury Past Events that Need to be Buried

Sometimes we need to bury past events.

“Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which does so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the author and finisher of our faith.” 
— Hebrews 12:1-2

Before we start the race we have to first drop the weights holding us down. Strife, gossip, worry, fear, pride, arrogance, racism are just some of the many weights.

Now what? Take some time to let God help you exit the year with a clean slate. Let Him fill your New Year with love, joy, hope, peace, power, prosperity, and victory.

May you have a blessed and Happy New Year filled with growing prosperity!

Cheers,
Brenda

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Inspirational Living: 3 Keys for Living in the Joy of the Lord and Laughing Your Troubles Away!

Inspirational Living: 3 Keys for Living in the Joy of the Lord and Laughing Your Troubles Away!

Keeping the Joy of the Lord Flowing in Your Life!

Laugh at Trouble and Keep the Joy of the Lord Flowing!Living in the joy of the Lord is the only way to live.

And do you know that even in times of trouble,

joy does not have to leave you?

Yes, it is possible to be peaceful and cheerful…

in the midst of trouble. Why? Because Jesus said so!

“These things I have spoken unto you, that in Me you might have peace. In the world you shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” 
— John 16:33

3 Keys for Keeping the Joy of the Lord Flowing in Your Life:

1. Do Not Let Trouble Shock You

Just because the storms of life blow through, doesn’t mean you have to lose your joy. It is often said that the key to success in life does not depend on the hand you’ve been dealt, but how you deal with what you’ve been dealt.

That means that how we choose to react to trouble is what will determine our success. Problems and tribulations are a part of life, but they don’t have to steal our joy.

2. Laugh at Trouble

Learn to laugh at your trouble and choose joy over worry and anxiety. We can trust God or worry. Either way we’ll still be confronted with trouble in life. Why go through it in misery if you can instead overcome it with joy?

“Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again – rejoice!” — Philippians 4:4

Christ has already overcome the world and in Him we have power and authority to overcome. Realizing and believing that is a key to not losing any precious joy. Choose to focus on the promise and not the problem.

3. Confess Promises to the Problem

Replace the moaning, groaning, whining, and complaining with rejoicing. Rejoicing about what? Rejoicing about the promises God has given us in His Word. Dig deep into every promise so you can and dwell in that secret place of the Most High.

God is for you so quit fretting about who is against you. On a daily basis, refill yourself with joy by getting into the Word and confronting troubles with promises.

For example, if sickness tries to attack your body, then confront it by confessing:  ‘By His stripes I am healed.’ (1 Peter 2:24)

We were created to walk in the joy of the Lord, not to worry about every little thing. His joy can keep us living well. The healing power of joy works like medicine to our bodies.

“A merry heart doeth good like a medicine; but a broken spirit drieth the bones.” 
— Proverbs 17:22

If you feel yourself growing weary, then confess: ‘I am steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord and knowing my work is not in vain.’ (1 Corinthians 15:58)

If you are facing financial troubles then confess the promise: ‘My God shall supply all my need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.’ (Philippians 4:19)

Bottom line: The Word of God is filled with promises that are bigger than any type of trouble that comes our way. We can live with joy because Jesus has overcome the world and in Him we are more than conquerors. Resist any negative thoughts of failure or defeat and continually refill yourself with joy.

May your life abundantly flow with the joy of the Lord and growing prosperity!

God bless you always,
Brenda

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Encouragement of Hope! Why All the Sad Faces if this is the Happiest Time of the Year?

Encouragement of Hope! Why All the Sad Faces if this is the Happiest Time of the Year?

Discover Encouragement Affirmations to Live with Hope for Tomorrow!

Holiday Blues Discouragement and DepressionEncouragement to face the light and…

live with hope for tomorrow is –

much needed during the holiday season.

The music, movies, commercials, etc…

all shout that the holidays are the happiest time of the year.

If this is the case, why are there so many sad,

discouraged, and depressed people walking around?

In the USA alone, the suicide rate back in 2007 was stated at Suicidology.org to be 34,598, or about 95 suicides per day. That is about one fatal outcome every 15 minutes. What a terrible tragedy to have so much self-destruction when life is so precious.

The Discouragement Factor

Why do so many people take their own lives? The primary reason is overwhelming discouragement. Discouragement is a destructive force that changes a person’s mindset and outlook to become dark, negative, and hopeless. They lose their courage and find it replaced with fear.

Holiday seasons come with the expectation that happiness is required. However, the fact is, holidays tend to have added stressors on top of the rest of life’s challenges, including financial trouble, illness, loss of loved ones, and more. And unfortunately, many people find themselves discouraged and depressed during this season.

Victims of discouragement can quickly end up with hindered decision making skills and in no condition to do things effectively. Their whole mentality is placed at a disadvantage as their mind becomes depressed. Discouragement darkens the mind and can cause a person to make fatally wrong decisions.

The Encouragement Treatment

Discouragement stems from a feeling of separateness from God and this causes a consciousness of weakness and a feeling of standing alone. Treat this disease by conquering those mental enemies with positive affirmations. Drive out fear, anxiety, worry, and the “blues” by affirming your connection with God.

“We are all ‘under fire’ all our lives, and the real hero is the one who keeps straight on in spite of discouragements and disappointments, never losing one jot of heart or courage, never giving way to despair, trusting always in the Divine Power that will lead him to his goal.” 
— Orison Swett Marden

Begin to eliminate those negative things that stand between you and your Maker and allow free access to the flow of God’s Divine Power by regularly affirming His truths.

Encouragement Affirmations:

Holiday Encouragement Affirmations of HopeSay to yourself:

‘I am a child of the King of kings and there is something inside of me that is bigger than my circumstances. I am a co-heir with Christ and all that He has.’

‘I am strong, courageous, confident, and hopeful for the future. My mind is serene and I sleep peacefully knowing my destiny is in the hands of Him who controls everything and who does all things well.’

‘I declare my power to conquer difficulty and overcome. I trust in God and forge ahead. I dwell in the secret place of the Most High and abide under the shadow of the Almighty. His truth is my shield and protector.’

The truth is: We can allow ourselves to be overwhelmed by discouragement, OR we can rise above it. Overcome by speaking positive, encouraging, success affirmations. Strengthen your mind by using positive thoughts to drive out negative thoughts.

Choose to encourage yourself and others regularly, so that you keep a heart of courage, thoughts of hope, and trust always in the Divine Power of God in your life.

May you be encouraged, keep your face toward God’s light, and live a life of growing prosperity!

 God bless you always,
Brenda

P.S. This article is inspired by Marden’s book “How to Get What You Want” and specifically the chapter “Discouragement – How to Cure It”

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Spiritual Power – Tap Into Help from God and let His Spiritual Light Guide You Thru the Storms of Life!

Spiritual Power – Tap Into Help from God and let His Spiritual Light Guide You Thru the Storms of Life!

Why Have You Failed to Turn to God for Help?

Spiritual Power and Help from GodSpiritual power and help from God are…

available to all of us.

Have you lost trust in people?

Have you been let down by them in the past over and over again?

Are you unable to trust those that you used to reply on for help?

Great! That is actually a good thing. Why? Because now you are able to turn to God for help; the one who has the power to rescue any person who is ready to be rescued.

Do You Turn to God for Help?

Far above any human weakness is God, and the truth of His Word. All problems can be solved with help from God, regardless of how long they have been troubling you. There are no exceptions. The following issues and more can be eliminated: stress, anxiety, shame, depression, sickness, loneliness, confusion, lack, pain, loss, anger, and fear.

Tapping into God’s help shines a powerful, spiritual light on all the dark and difficult problems and makes them disappear.

It is strange, but true, that people often fail to get help from God. Why? Simply because they refuse to see that their condition is far worse than it appears on the surface. People fear facing their situation and admitting they don’t have a solution. So they go ahead and deceive themselves into believing the problem is really no big deal.

Where does this leave God? Completely left out!

Do You Leave God Out of the Equation?

Have the courage to face the storms of life that surround you and admit that you don’t have the answers. Don’t be ashamed or fear that fact. Humble yourself before God, and reach out to Him for help to attract the answer to you. Let God be your personal guide through the storm and take you safely to the other side.

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”
— Psalm 46:1

Spiritual information from the truth of God’s Word is spiritual power that also helps us in the natural. To be a sincere seeker of God’s help requires eliminating resistance to His spiritual information and wisdom.  God gives us His Word to help only, and not hurt.

Spiritual Power, Help from God

There is God, and there is you. Your help is over there with God right now, just waiting for your arrival.

  • Reach out by faith and tap into God’s spiritual power.
  • Dig into His Word and find guidance.
  • Cry out to Him in prayer and wait patiently for His answer.
  • Meditate on His Word and allow His revelation knowledge to manifest in your life.

Are you feeling helpless and hopeless today? Then put your trust in God. He is the helper to the helpless and ruler over all. You don’t have to solve your problems, you just have to acknowledge them and turn them over to the Lord. The Almighty God is your ever present help in time of need.

May you tap into the help of God and His spiritual power and live a life of growing prosperity!

God bless you always-

Soar higher in Him,
Brenda

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Intimacy with God – Do You Make This Your Key Priority in Life?

Intimacy with God – Do You Make This Your Key Priority in Life?

Tap into the Great Power Source and Change Your Outlook!

intimacy with GodIntimacy with God is a great power source in life.

Unfortunately, the natural thing for most of us to do…

is become absorbed in our day-to-day problems and demands.

On any given day, many people face stressful situations,

extreme trials, and even heartbreaks with marriages,

family members, or friends. 

All this tends to keep the focus on self.

Learning to Look Beyond

When we learn to look beyond the trials and obstacles and fix our eyes on Jesus, and believe God is Sovereign, we will begin to have a different perspective and response to everything we face. The Bible teaches us that God uses all things, even the painful things, for the good of believers. One of the positive results of trials is the intimacy that can develop when we turn to the Lord for help.

“We know all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to His purpose.” 
— Romans 8:28

Intimacy with God – A Key Priority

God desires an intimate, loving relationship with us, and we should make this relationship our TOP priority. Intimacy with God begins with turning to Him and humbling ourselves before Him. It involves regular time in His Word, time in prayer, and patiently waiting for Him to speak to our hearts.

As we develop a deeper relationship with the Lord, we will understand that every hardship has a purpose. We have lessons to be learned and maturity to be gained. And remember, God has promised to meet the needs of His children, if they come to Him, seek Him diligently, and obey Him.

We can’t live above our circumstances in our own strength, but we certainly can by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Steps for a Closer Walk with the Lord

One – Give God the daily worship He deserves because of who He is and His finished work on the cross. Let Him know you love Him.

Two – Take time to confess all known sin; knowing that if you do, God is faithful and just to forgive and cleanse you from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)

Three – Give thanks regularly to God for all He has done in your life and in your world.

Fourth – Take time to pray daily and ask God to supply your needs.

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” 
— Philippians 4:6

What’s stopping you? Why not tap into the great power source in life? For each of us, our priority in life should be intimacy with God.

May you continually walk closer to the Lord and live a life of growing prosperity!

God bless you always –

Cheers,
Brenda

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Help Me! How on Earth Do I Know What God’s Purpose and Will is for My Life?

Help Me! How on Earth Do I Know What God’s Purpose and Will is for My Life?

Knowing God’s Will and God’s Purpose for Your Life

Who, at some point, hasn’t asked:

“What is God’s plan and purpose for my life?”

We sooner or later reach a time in life when we find our self questioning why we are here. We come to a point of knowing, deep inside, that there must be something more God would have for us to do with our lives.

Well, how can you know the will of God and what you should do with your life? Good question. And it all starts with the Word of God, since God’s Word is God’s will.

Knowing God’s General Will

The Bible teaches us how to live our lives. It is filled with instructions and directions and it reveals God’s general will for all of us. So, first and foremost, we need to get into God’s Word so that we can know what He wants from us. His Word is very powerful and will guide us.

Here are just a couple examples:

“Present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” — Romans 12:1-2

“Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” — 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

God’s will for man is not a hidden mystery. Anyone can open the Book and quickly see many things that God wants them to do (and not do). The chief aim and purpose of our lives should be to live according to His revealed will.

Knowing God’s Specific Will

Now you might be asking, “How do I know God’s specific plan for my life?” People often want God to tell them specifically what to do; like where to live, where to work, where to go to school, who to marry, etcetera.

Well, God can show us in many different ways. A loud, audible voice from heaven is not required, but listening to that still, small voice is. God has given us the Holy Spirit for guidance. The Spirit of truth is here to guide us into all truth. (John 16:13)

God can also direct us, through the events happening around us.  And if we are already living daily according to God’s revealed will, decisions will be much clearer and easier to make. There is a peace that comes when we are pleasing God with our lives.

To get answers, we also need to pray and ask for God’s help and direction. When deciding between two options, the one that brings a greater peace is usually God’s will. Emotions sometimes create a false peace, but true peace will remain even after emotions fall.

Keep in mind: God allows us to make choices, but He is ultimately in control. We should trust Him always in faith that He will accomplish His will in our lives.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart; and lean not unto your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” — Proverbs 3:5-6

Plus, questions we should be asking are, “Am I doing this for me or for God?  Is this what I want or what God wants?”  The key is to desire to make choices that agree with God’s will. If a decision does not go against the Word of God, then we can follow our heart.

“It was the Lord who put it into my mind… I could feel His hand upon me… There is no question the inspiration was from the Holy Spirit because He comforted me with rays of marvelous illumination from the Holy Scriptures… No one should fear to undertake any task in the name of our Savior if it is just and if the intention is purely for His holy service.” 
— Christopher Columbus (from his diary, in reference to his discovery of ‘the New World’)

Created with a Purpose

God does have great plans for your life! You were created by God, in His image, for a purpose. (Jeremiah 29:11) We have all been given unique gifts and talents. And just like our physical body is made up of many different parts, all unique, and all important to having a fully functioning body; so it is with the body of Christ.

Your gifts and talents have been given to you so you can be a blessing to the kingdom of God and make a positive contribution in life. So step out and act on the revealed knowledge you have already been given and use the talents you already have.

Then trust God to reveal more to you after you are faithful first in the little. Be confident that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion. (Philippians 1:6) God’s purpose for all is that He is glorified and the gospel and kingdom of God be advanced.

In Conclusion: The wise king Solomon tells us the conclusion of the whole matter and duty of man is to fear God and keep His commandments. (Ecclesiastes 12:13) He also encourages us to enjoy life and be happy with our work. Keep the Word of God your foundation and watch His great plan revealed before your very eyes. God is for you and He will help you.

May you seek first the kingdom of God and live a life full of growing prosperity!

God bless you,
Brenda

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