spiritual principles
Spirituality – Should You Be Doing Some Clean Up In Your Spiritual Life?
Spirituality – Should You Be Doing Some Clean Up In Your Spiritual Life?
The Power of Making Your Spiritual Life Sparkle
Spiritual areas of life are often the
ones that get tended to last.
We get up every morning and look in
the mirror and begin our routine of showering,
brushing, and getting all prettied up.
Our homes, yards, cars, etcetera all get our attention
and cleaned up as needed; but, what about our spiritual home?
Too Busy To Clean?
Life gets busy. That’s no surprise. Soon our housecleaning gets moved to the bottom of the “to do” list until one day we can’t see through the dust on the TV screen. As we look around everything is dull and dirty and no longer beautiful to look at.
Amazingly, after a little time and effort scrubbing, things are sparkling clean and enjoyable once again.
How Did My Spiritual Life Get So Dirty?
Have you noticed how easily the dust and cobwebs seem to have a way of building up without really seeing it happen? Well in fact, our spiritual life gets dirty much the same way.
There are times we commit an obvious sin and it is like falling in a mud puddle; we are clearly dirty and need of some major clean-up. However, the sin in our daily lives is more often like the dust and cobwebs that slowly dirty our spiritual home, almost unnoticed.
In our busy lives we too easily get used to irritable thoughts, selfishness, jealousy, disrespect, lazy attitudes, lack of commitments, and more. Failure to spend daily time in God’s Word and fellowship with Him leads to doing things that displease Him, and at the same time we do not even realize the dirty film they are leaving on us.
Have you gotten too busy with other things in life that you’ve neglected to clean the dust and cobwebs from your spiritual home.
Time to Clean Up The Mess and Make Your Spiritual Life Sparkle!
The solution for the dust, dirt, and grime that comes into our lives, is to clean it up quickly and regularly. The longer we allow it to remain the greater the mess and the more difficult to remove. If neglected too long it results in unsightly stains.
Once the cleaning process has begun, it usually leads to a closer examination, which then tends to require more cleaning. So it is with a close examination of our spiritual life.
The sinful dirt that we have allowed to slowly accumulate in our lives, and have become accustomed to, is not okay with God. He is not accustomed to dirty sinful behaviors. God desires that our lives be pure and clean so that He can see the beautiful reflection of His Son in us.
“Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD? Or who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart…”
— Psalm 24:3-4“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.”
— Psalm 51:10
How can I improve my spiritual life? Be willing to ask yourself this question daily as you do a self-examination of your spiritual home. Ask God to help you see areas that need cleaned up. He not only wants to open your eyes, He wants to help you clean in order to see your natural and spiritual life shine and sparkle!
May your spiritual life be clean, pure and overflowing with growing prosperity!
God bless you always,
Brenda
Live to Give – Do You Understand this Secret for Abundant Living and Growing Prosperity?
Live to Give – Do You Understand this Secret for Abundant Living and Growing Prosperity?
The Art of Giving is a Secret for Abundant Living!
Abundant living comes when we live to give.
One of the main ‘secrets’ of abundant living is:
The art of giving.
Don’t let a spirit of fear prevent you…
from giving and keep you in lack.
But if I Give I’ll Have Less
Unfortunately, a common belief many people have is that giving a portion of what they have will result in having less. Bear in mind, this belief causes many folks to live in fear of giving, and a lack of giving in turn prevents the flow of abundance in a person’s life.
Okay, okay. I hear you saying, “But, wait a minute. If I have 20 dollars and I give away 10, now I only have 10.”
Yes, this is true. In the natural 20 minus 10 equals 10, so in the short-term we may seem to have less. This is the same as a farmer who after planting his seed may seem to have less.
But bear with me a little longer; because, giving is a spiritual principle and it has the ability to change our spiritual and natural situation. When we give we are like the farmer who plants and tends his seed; then after some time receives his harvest.
“Give, and it shall be given to you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that you give it shall be measured back to you.”
— Luke 6:38
The More You Give, The More You Have
The paradox of life is that the more you give, the more you have. We see this explained in the previously quoted verse. This verse gives an image of super-abundance. We can open a floodgate of blessings into our lives by giving to others freely.
The thing is, when we give money, forgiveness, love, etc., it opens spiritual channels that set in motion a movement of abundance that circulates around and comes back to us in profound and indirect ways.
Giving is like planting seeds. We have to actually plant the seeds if we expect to receive a harvest. And if we plant a small amount, we receive a small harvest; plant a large amount and we receive a large harvest.
Give Abundantly and Live Abundantly
We can give abundantly and live abundantly. Remember also, that you are rich in the respect that you have a spirit that is inexhaustible. So let no mean attitude or selfish thought keep you from sharing this spirit. Be a generous giver at heart and in all you do.
“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.”
— Winston Churchill
Mark my words: Life will take on a whole new meaning for you as you live to give. Give and keep giving. Give from the heart; of your time, money, comfort, and resources. Then don’t be surprised as you begin to live abundantly.
May you live to give and learn this secret for abundant living and growing prosperity!
Be blessed to be a blessing –
Cheers,
Brenda
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
A 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
Growing Prosperity – How Can the Power of Patience Help You Prosper?
Growing Prosperity – How Can the Power of Patience Help You Prosper?
The Power of Patience in an “I Want It Now” World!
Growing prosperity and a look at the power of patience…
for a society that wants to pick-up their prosperity –
like a drive thru meal.
Can anybody argue with the fact that:
we are now living in a microwave culture?
We now have all sorts of things from…
fast food, spray on tans, instant text messaging around the world…
to drive-thru marriage ceremonies.
The “I Want It Now” Prosperity
Most people are in a hurry to receive whatever it is they desire to have, and almost everyone wants it right now!
Unfortunately, the microwave attitude continues to play a part in much more significant issues in our life. We often approach God and ask him to get involved in a situation only because we want to do everything within our ability to get the answer we want, and that we want right now!
We expect to have God answer each of our prayers by the speed of a microwave dinner, otherwise we start taking matters into our own hands.
The thing is, those that have genuine faith will not be hindered by circumstances or even the passing of time. They will be steadfast, immoveable, unshakeable, habitual, and in addition, just won’t give up until they receive the manifestation of their God breathed prayer.
“Wait patiently for the Lord, be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.”
— Psalm 27:14
Patience to Prosper is Not the Norm
Patiently waiting is a principle to live by. Society will attempt to persuade people that to become a mover and a shaker these days they must win at any cost and also neglect others in their effort to be successful. On the contrary God does not intend we do any harm to others on our individual journey down the path towards prosperity.
God desires our heart to be dedicated to His way, His will, His instruction, His right timing. Many times that may require patiently waiting.
Of course, the things we do when we are patiently waiting are going to make a huge difference. The truth is: a lot of believers regard patiently waiting as wasted time. These people may truly want to see the Lord’s will be accomplished in their life; however they already have been trained to believe that God needs them to physically assist Him out, all of the time.
Patience that Places You in Position to Prosper
Bear in mind, people who wait patiently on the Lord place themselves in position to prosper. Take a look at these verses, and then be aware, the word ‘wait’ means to be available, to be ready, to expect, look, or wait patiently for:
- “Those who wait on the Lord, they shall inherit the earth.” (Psalm 37:9)
- “Blessed are those who wait for His help.” (Isaiah 30:18)
- “The Lord is good to those who wait for Him.” (Lamentations 3:25)
You will discover seasons in your life when God desires that you seek His presence and not seek Him just for his provision. In this fast paced world it is easy to get our priorities out of order.
Start patiently waiting on the Lord. Seek Him in prayer. Expect to see His promises fulfilled. Wait patiently for Him to set you up for future blessings. Worship Him. Many Christians will say this is time just wasted sitting around. But no!
Truth is: Patiently waiting on God requires faith, prayer, courage, and bravery. It takes a completely surrendered heart that trusts God, and believes His perfect timing is better than ours and will put us in the position to prosper.
May your patience increase as you wait on the Lord and position yourself for growing prosperity!
Be blessed to be a blessing –
Cheers,
Brenda
Financial Prosperity – Want 2 Keys to Help You Excel?
Financial Prosperity – Want 2 Keys to Help You Excel?
Get 2 Keys that Equal a BIG Step of Faith to Excel Your Financial Prosperity!
Financial prosperity is available to everyone.
The source of all financial abundance is God and with Him there are no limits. Trouble is, too many people are slow to learn the principles that will cause them to excel financially.
Are you tired of going in circles where your finances are concerned? In days of economic uncertainty, it is important for everyone to get a working knowledge of truth to prosper.
Sadly enough, too many people believe poverty is the will of God. This kind of thinking will prevent you from prospering. You can prosper by using God’s spiritual principles in your finances.
Get your thinking clear on how to work them and you’ll no longer use words like recession, poverty, and lack.
In order to receive financial abundance from God, we must do our part. If we do our part, He’ll do His part and meet our needs according to His riches in glory.
2 Keys to Excel Your Financial Abundance:
1.) Be a Tither
What is tithing? Tithing is giving the first 10 percent of your income to God’s house. Most people don’t like to hear about tithing and it puts them in fear. But you’ll have no problem tithing if you see God as your source of supply.
The tithe is seed money of wealth and is compared to sowing. The more a person gives, the more that person receives. Financial prosperity is one benefit of tithing. It puts you in partnership with God. We are told to bring the tithes into God’s house and then test Him and see if He does not open the windows of heaven and pour out such a blessing on us that we don’t have room enough to contain it! (Malachi 3:10)
Tithing is a step of trust and obedience that God will take care of your finances. God promises to pour out a blessing to the tither.
I personally started tithing about seven years ago, after being taught on the subject. I’ll admit that I had doubts and started out as “going to give tithing a try”.
I wanted to do the right thing and obey God, but I really couldn’t see how I could tithe if I already wasn’t making all my bills. I think at the time I was making about $8 p/h and raising two kids with no child support or assistance.
All I can say is that this has been one of the most life-changing steps I have taken! No I don’t have millions in the bank (yet 🙂 ) but I have seen the favor of God move in my life like never before. I started getting raises and promotions, supernatural deals and savings when I shop, wisdom in making smart financial decisions, creative ideas started coming to me, and even money in the most unexpected times.
One time things were hitting a bottom and I wondered how I would be able to continue tithing and I then got an unexpected huge child support payment in the mail from some sort of intercept from a settlement.
I really could go on and on with personal examples, and that of my children. I just want to encourage you to study on the subject of tithing and learn what God has to say about it. My personal financial situation has not been too pretty this last year, after stepping into full-time self-employment, but I am still committed to giving to God what belongs to Him. I need His hand on my life now more than ever before!
2.) Give Offerings
What is an offering? An offering is something given above and beyond the tithe. Or what you give after you tithe.
When you give, it will be given back to you in good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over. Also note, that whatever measure you give, (small, medium, or large), is the same measure that will be used to give back to you. (Luke 6:38)
No doubt about it; it is impossible to out give God and He is the source of unlimited abundance. God has promised to meet our needs spiritually, physically, and financially. If we do our part in tithes and offerings, God says He will do His part.
May you continue to take steps of obedience to His Word and continue to have growing prosperity in your finances!
Be blessed to be a blessing –
Cheers,
Brenda
P.S. Any thoughts on the subject? … feel free to share…