Take Your Foot Off The Brakes

By: Bishop Vashti McKenzie

Published: August 01, 2010

How much of what you do everyday is by your own inclination, or by the power of the Holy Spirit? Everyday we make direction and destination decisions. We make them based on our own knowledge, learning and understanding, or we make them based upon the truth of God’s Word.

E. Stanley Jones writes that most people plot and plan themselves into mediocrity. The Holy Spirit will tell the believer, however, when to speak up, when to be quiet, what to say, where to go, when to leave, and will give direction to our daily movements.

It’s like the bitter cold winter race, the Iditarod. Dogsled teams race between Anchorage and Nome, Alaska. It is a brutal test of the skill and endurance of both humans and dogs.

There is an often-told story about a novice in the race excited to be apart of a race that could cost you your life. Excitement didn’t last long against the elements and he came in last. He asked an experienced racer to critique his efforts. The experienced racer responded that the dogs know where to go. You kept trying to tell the dogs where to go and you kept your foot on the break.

We are limiting our direction and destination efforts of this Christian race when we are led by our own inclination instead of being led by the Holy Spirit.

In the epistle to the Roman Christians, Paul, the attributed author, makes a masterful argument that three walls surround all of humanity. All of us have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. This is the wall of universal guilt. The good we try to do, we don’t; and the sin we don’t want to do, we do. This is the wall of sinful nature. Whosoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved represents the wall of sovereign election.
Paul references the Holy Spirit many times in this chapter. The Holy Spirit breaks through the walls of sin, guilt and shame because there is now no condemnation. The Holy Spirit elevates our view off of earthly things and onto the things of God, spiritual things that are eternal. The Holy Spirit assures us of this new relationship as inheritors or heirs with Christ to both his suffering and glory.

The text states those who are led by the Spirit (NIV) and the English translation Bible states we are moved by the Spirit; James Peterson’s interpretation states with His Spirit living in you, your body will be alive as Christ’s! So don’t you see that we do not owe this old do it yourself life, one red cent. There is nothing in it for us. The best thing to do is give it a decent burial and get on with your new life. God’s Spirit beckons; there are things to do and places to go!

Being led by the Spirit is taking your foot off of the brakes. It is allowing yourself to be led because the Holy Spirit knows the way just like the Huskies know the way to Nome.

Jesus promised us another comforter and the day of Pentecost has fully come. The Holy Spirit was given to us. He is fruit to conform us to the character of Christ and gifts that transform and empower to edify the body of Christ.

Scripture Of The Day: "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God." - Romans 8:14

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Bishop Vashti Murphy McKenzie is the presiding bishop of the 13th Episcopal District of the AME, and serves as a guiding example for women and church leaders throughout the country. For more on Bishop McKenzie, visit http://www.13thame.com or hear her messages daily at http://www.thisisyourwakeupcallonline.com.…

It’s Not the Title, It’s the Testimony

By: Pastor Marvin Moss

Published: July 22, 2010

The time has come for the church, church folk, the children of God, Christians to realize that it’s not the title, it’s the testimony. It’s the story that we tell with the way we live our lives. It’s the story that we tell by the way we execute the word of God. It’s in the execution that one recognizes another as a child of God or a child of the devil.

It’s what people see you do that makes all of the difference in the world. When you’re trying to get a job, it’s good to have the degree relative to the position you’re applying for, but you still have to undergo a battery of tests. Then there are interviews, more tests, and more interviews. That degree, diploma, and certificate are good but you still have to prove that what you’re saying is true.

They may call you Doctor, but are you board certified?
They may call you Attorney, but have you passed the bar?
They may call you Reverend, but is there anything about your life that would testify to the fact that you’re anything other than a Reverend?

It’s not the title, it’s the testimony.

How are you living? What kind of report would your family give about you? Is there a good report on you outside of the church as well as in the church?
It’s not the title, it’s the testimony.

Peter. Bold, big mouthed, boisterous Peter, has just allowed himself to be used by God to perform a miracle. You know the story, Peter and john were heading to the temple one afternoon to take part in the afternoon prayer. As they approached the temple, a man lame from birth was being carried in. Each day he was put beside the temple gate so he could beg from the people going into the temple. When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for some money.

Peter looked at the man intently and said, “Look at us! I don’t have any money for you. But I’ll give you what I do have, in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk!” Up until this point, Peter and John were just like everybody else. They were two people who could meet the beggar’s need or what the beggar thought his need was. All too often, we think that it’s us meeting the needs of those whom God has trusted us with. This is where the ego comes into play; where we begin to wear our feelings on our sleeves. This is where we want to take credit for everything that only God can do.

God uses us as instruments to fulfill His purpose. We are called and the call has more to do with God’s divine purpose. It’s not about you! We’ve all been called to be leaders. We’re to lead the lost to the lamb. We’re to lead the left out to the One who can let them in.

God calls us to lead not by title but by testimony. How can you tell somebody else about the goodness of God if you’ve never experienced it for yourself? You might be able to tell them what you’ve seen happen to somebody else. You might be to tell them what somebody else has told you. But oh, there’s nothing like a firsthand account. Isaiah said in the year king Uzziah died, “I saw the lord.”

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, walked through the fiery furnace with an angel of the Lord. Somebody has been walking with Him all week. Somebody called on Him the midnight hour. And when they called on the name of Jesus, He answered them.

He turned their midnight into morning.
He turned their sorrow into a shout,
He turned their problem into praise.
He turned their worry into worship.
He gave them a testimony.

It’s not your title, but it’s your testimony.

Scripture Of The Day: " ...And why look at us as though we had made this man walk by our own power and godliness? For it is the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob, the God of all our ancestors who has brought glory to his servant Jesus by doing this..." - Acts 3:12-13v (NLT)

Pastor Marvin Moss is senior pastor of Cascade United Methodist Church, located in Atlanta, Georgia. Pastor Moss is extremely active within the Atlanta community, and serves on the Board of Trustees at Gammon Theological Seminary.

For more information about Pastor Moss, log onto http://www.cascadeumc.org.

The Power of Your Testimony

In our justice system, one of the most powerful pieces of evidence is eyewitness testimony. In the days before DNA and other scientific and forensic advances, the testimony of an eyewitness could make or break a case. An eyewitness could identify the guilty party or solidify an alibi and free an innocent person. The assignment for an eyewitness is to tell the truth about what they saw, heard, and experienced.

When Jesus ended his earthly ministry and gave us the Great Commission, he declared, "You will be my witnesses." We are called - commanded, even - to be eyewitnesses to the saving, healing grace of Jesus. In the Bible, there is a wonderful story of someone who did just that. The story in found in the 9th chapter of John. The story begins with a theological discussion, continues with a miracle, and ends with a powerful testimony.

As Jesus and His disciples were traveling, they saw a man who had been blind since birth. The Disciples (sadly like many of us sometimes) were more interested in the theological ramifications of the man's situation than they were in the man himself. "why was this man born blind? Was it because of his own sins or his parents' sins?" they asked Jesus. Jesus replied, "It was not because of his sins or his parents' sins. This happened so the power of God could be seen in him."

Jesus then told His disciples, "We need to be energetically at work for the One who sent me here, working while the sun shines. When night falls, the workday is over." For many years, I didn't understand why He said this - it didn't seem to fit with the rest of the story. But I believe what Jesus was saying to the disciples was you are wasting precious time trying to find someone to blame for this man's blindness when you should be ministering to him. (There's a sermon unto itself there, but that is a devotional for another day...)

Immediately after saying this, Jesus made mud, put it on the man's eyes and told him to go wash in the Pool of Siloam, which ironically means "sent." As soon as the man obeyed, he was able to see for the first time in his life! The town, which had known him all his life as a blind beggar, was buzzing with the news that he could now see. There was such a change in him that people who had known him all his life didn't think it was the same person.

There was a problem, though. The man had been healed on the Sabbath, and that was, according to Pharisaic Law, not legal. So they marched this man to the Pharisees to see what they thought. When they heard the story, there was a deep division among the Pharisees. Some of them were still spiritually minded enough to realize this was of God. Others, sadly were so mired in their self-imposed legalism that they refused to believe this was of God or that Jesus might be a prophet, much less the messiah.

They called the formerly blind man to appear before them to hear his story.

Some of the Pharisees thought they were being tricked, so they hauled the man's parents in front of them to identify him. The parents, who were deathly afraid of the Jewish leaders, acknowledged this man was their son and that he used to be blind, but said they had no idea what had happened to him. "He is of age, ask him yourself" they said.

The Pharisees would love to have discredited this man and thereby discredited Jesus. One thing stood in their way: his simple yet powerful personal eyewitness testimony.

"All I know is this: Once I was blind, and now I can see!"

You and I are often given the opportunity to use the power of our eyewitness testimony to persuade others of God's grace, love and mercy and to encourage our brothers and sisters. Let's be alert for opportunities that the Holy Spirit will give us today to tell our story of His working in our lives!

Scripture Of The Day: "Then I heard a strong voice out of Heaven saying, "Salvation and power are established! Kingdom of our God, authority of his Messiah! The Accuser of our brothers and sisters is thrown out, who accused them day and night before God. They defeated him through the blood of the Lamb and the bold word of their witness." - Revelation 12:10-11 (The Message)

Training Up a Child

By: Pastor Andre Butler


Let’s say that you are training your body to run in a marathon, or maybe you’re training yourself to play well on the basketball court. Well first, you have a goal that you’re trying to accomplish. There’s some result that you want, whether it’s being able to make a jump shot every time or being able to run a mile in five minutes.

Second, you have some type of training curriculum. In other words, you have a plan that you’re following to reach that goal. This of course then involves repetition. You have to do it over and over again so that you’re trained to do it. So now let’s apply this to what the scripture is saying. Well, there’s obviously a goal you’re trying to reach with your children. There’s a result that you want, which is for them to be Godly, mighty, and blessed seed in the earth. And the curriculum that you need to use in training them is the Word of God.

This of course involves the need for repetition.

I’ve learned with my own daughters that what this scripture is really talking about is similar to programming a computer. What you’re doing is programming their spirits. You’re teaching them the Word of God so that this becomes a part of their own spiritual programming. As a parent you need to keep giving the Word of God to your children so that the Word abides on the inside of them, becomes a part of their programming, and eventually they can automatically make the right decisions.

You have to keep teaching them the Word of God and making sure that they understand the boundaries that the Word has given them. If you don’t give your children boundaries, they will absolutely ruin their lives. They have to learn about boundaries in the home before they’ll really be able to stay within the boundaries outside of the home. You have to teach them about things that they can and cannot do, and then you have to repeat it over and over.

Training requires constant attention. Sometimes we can get so caught up in regular life—and in many cases just surviving--that we forget about training. And before you know it, your child’s all grown up and you never really trained them, and then you wonder about the result that you see. One of the most important things that you will ever do on this planet is train up your own children.

Doing that should be a high priority in your life. So ask yourself: what kind of job am I doing in training my children so that they can be the type of person that God wants them to be and therefore a person that will be blessed?

Scripture Of The Day: "Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it." - Proverbs 22:6 (NKJV)

Pastor Andre Butler is a young man anointed and commissioned by God to spread the Good News of Christ. A 1996 graduate of Rhema Bible Training Center, Pastor Butler serves as Co-Pastor of Word of Faith International Christian Center in Southfield, MI.s. For more information about Pastor Andre Butler, log onto http://www.andrebutler.tv.…

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I Am The Good Shepherd

By: Bishop Keith Butler

Published: June 04, 2010

The day is coming when you're going to either follow the Shepherd or go your own way. But I'm here to tell you, your way will lead you to trouble. As sheep, our goal should be to follow the shepherd.

There is only one Shepherd, and his name is Jesus. The Bible says He is the good Shepherd. The word 'good' is a descriptive word. That tells us then that there can be bad shepherds, right? Well the good Shepherd has certain attributes: He gives His life for the sheep, He knows His sheep, and His sheep know Him.

The word 'shepherd' means one who tends to or one who looks after. Now the word 'pastor' is translated the same word 'shepherd' throughout the Scripture; however, Jesus is the Chief Pastor.

In Jeremiah 3:15, God said, "And I will give you pas tors according to my heart which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding and it shall come to pass when you be multiplied and increased in the land..." In other words, you will multiply and increased because of knowledge and understanding coming from your Chief Shepherd/Pastor.

A good Shepherd also provides knowledge and understanding. He provides the sheep with information. That is what's available to us when we spend time with Him.

Now, in order for the sheep to have the protection and receive the knowledge and understanding of a Shepherd, he must follow the Shepherd---that is the key ingredient.

Jesus is the door of the sheep; the sheepfold is the population of the earth. Well, He breaks down the sheepfold into those who follow him. The Shepherd is coming back to take over all things and to set up His kingdom. There is only going to be one sheepfold and one Shepherd.

And I'm telling you today that there is only one Shepherd who is comi ng back for His sheepfold; it's not going to be Buddha, Rev. Sun Young Moon, Hare Hare Krishna or anyone else. It is going to be Jesus. So make a choice to follow Him.

For He is the Shepherd of your soul (mind, will, and emotions). He does the rewarding, and He will lead and guide you to still waters and green pastures. For he declares of Himself, " I am the good Shepherd."

Scripture Of The Day: "I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd gives his life for the sheep." - John 10:11 (NKJV)

Bishop Keith A. Butler is the founder and pastor of Word of Faith International Christian Center in Southfield, MI, and Word of Faith Christian Center in San Antonio, TX. For more information about Bishop Butler, visit http://www.woficc.com.

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Do You Lack Wisdom?

By: Alan Riley


Of all the things that we might desire, the Bible clearly recommends one thing highly: wisdom.

An attempt to gain wisdom through a "short cut" was part of the reason for the original sin in the Garden of Eden. Genesis 3:6 says, "When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it."

The book of Proverbs was written by King Solomon, a man who God blessed with such wisdom that the whole world sought an audience with him to hear the wisdom that God put in his heart. (1 Kings 10:24). Virtually the entire book of Proverbs is a plea for us to embrace, to seek, and to ask God for wisdom.

Near the beginning of His earthly ministry, Jesus went to his hometown, and the people there were amazed at his miracles, yes, but also by the wisdom that God had given to Him. "Coming to his hometown, he began teaching the people in their synagogue, and they were amazed. "Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?" (Matthew 13:54, NIV)

It's not that Jesus didn't have this wisdom as He was growing up - we know that even as a young boy, His wisdom and insight confounded the learned scholars in the Temple. I suspect that prior to the beginning of His ministry, Jesus quietly went about His work as a carpenter with His father, waiting for the time when all would know Who He was.

What is it about wisdom that makes it more desirable than silver or gold, more precious than any earthly possession? It is because with wisdom is the key to properly leveraging knowledge and experiences. During our lifetimes, we all have many experiences and we all learn things. Whether or not you apply those academic and life lessons to your present circumstances shows whether or not you possess wisdom.

Ever had someone about whom you said, "He's got a lot of book learning, but no common sense whatsoever"? That person lacked wisdom. They may have boundless amounts of knowledge stored in their brains, but without wisdom, they don't know how to apply that knowledge in a practical way to their daily lives.

A nutritionist who has a degree in knowing what they should eat, but who pigs out on junk food and weighs 400 pounds lacks wisdom. An oncologist who daily sees cancer ravage his patients yet smokes two packs of cigarettes a day lacks wisdom. A counselor who has versed in the principles of relationships, understands the importance of the family, and can give advice to others about their marriage, yet leaves his wife and kids for another woman lacks wisdom.

A person who is aware of their sinful condition, and understands the message of the Gospel, yet fails to give his or her life to Jesus Christ clearly lacks wisdom. Wisdom is that precious gift of insight and understanding from God that leads us to make wise choices in our lives. Samuel Taylor Coleridge said, "Common sense in an uncommon degree is what the world calls wisdom."

Has your life been marked by poor choices?
Have you demonstrated time and time again that you do not have wisdom?

I have really good news for you. God is a God of second chances. Not to mention third and fourth and fifth...

If the Bible is true - and it is - and the words contained within it are reliable - and they are - then the beginning of wisdom for you is just a prayer away. James 1:5 says, "If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him." It is never too late to begin walking in wisdom.

Scripture Of The Day: "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him." - James 1:5 (NKJV)

Eliminate the Noise

Milan Ford

Does anyone remember the days when T.V. just went off? Although I'm not exactly sure when, I believe it used to happen right after midnight. You begged your parents to let you stay up just five more minutes to watch the end of that late-night movie, but then all of a sudden, there it was:

The waving American flag.
The Star-Spangled Banner.
That annoying mono-tone sound.
And then yes of course, those infamous color bars.

Ah, those were the days. For those you (like me) who tried staying up a little longer than you were supposed to, you may have discovered that nothing else came on till the morning. Throughout the night, all you would see were those color bars, accompanied with a dead silence.

My how things have changed.

With the emergence of cable television, XM radio stations, iPods, social media networks, and cellular phones that are admired more for their video and music playing ability, than their ability to effectively make or receive a call, it is nearly impossible for you and I to even imagine a world that silence can be effectively pursued. If even slightly appreciated.

Whether we may believe it or not, noise is now very much a part of our daily lives. Whether we are entering our homes, our cars, or even our churches, it is often the first thing we seek: Noise.

What is it about silence that we no longer appreciate? Why has it become so difficult for us to take just a few minutes out of our day...and pursue silence?

In 1 Kings 19:11-12v., God provides us with a great reason why silence may be something you and I (as believers) may no longer want to overlook:

Then He said, "Go out, and stand on the mountain before the Lord." And behold the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire...

...and after the fire a still small voice."

This passage of scripture is just amazing to me. Here we find God, who through an angel, provided a prophet by the name of Elijah, with some instructions as to where to meet Him. For those of you who may not be familiar with him, Elijah had had some pretty good on-the-job work experience on knowing how and where to find God in the past (see 1 Kings 17:2-4; 1 Kings 17:8-9; 1 Kings 18:36-38v).

Yet this time, God revealed himself to Elijah in a way he may have never expected. While standing on the mountain, God allowed a strong wind to pass by Elijah. But God, surprisingly, wasn't there.

Then God allowed Elijah to experience an earthquake. But God still wasn't there. God even allowed Elijah to witness a raging fire, and although God had used fire before with Elijah, God could not be found in the fire this time. And then it happened.

After the wind passed.
After the earthquake ceased.
And after the fire disappeared...there it was.
A still small voice.

It is amazing how many of us have difficulties spending time with God, yet fail to recognize one important element that remains absent throughout our pursuit of Him: Silence.

As believers, the noise we have surrounded our daily lives with is very much a distraction to achieving the type of intimacy and quality time with God that He so desires for us to have.

Time alone with God is imperative to our spiritual growth. And while I realize many of us already know this to be true, I wonder if you and I can consider something together on today:

Aside for the need of more silence and quality time with Him, are there any noises around you now that you simply can NO LONGER hear God speaking through?

Remember, fire was something Elijah had once found God in. But this time, He wasn't there.

Be sure to spend enough time alone with God to know when He has changed His methods of communication with you. This day, hunger after His voice.

Eliminate the noise.

Out with the Old, In with the New

Brent Barnett

Luke 5:36-39 says, "And He was also telling them a parable: 'No one tears a piece of cloth from a new garment and puts it on an old garment; otherwise he will both tear the new, and the piece from the new will not match the old. And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the new wine will burst the skins and it will be spilled out, and the skins will be ruined. But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins. And no one, after drinking old wine wishes for new; for he says, "The old is good enough."'"

Jesus' ministry came at a time when Judaism had been severely perverted into an outrageous system of rule keeping with self-righteous teachers presiding as rulers over the people of Israel. Rather than look at how the Old Testament foretold of Christ's coming and sacrifice, they ignored what had come in the person of Christ in exchange for what had been.

The Pharisees and many of the Jews had become enslaved to a thinking process that loved the old ways. Now, there is nothing wrong with being nostalgic or reflecting upon the past, but it becomes wrong when it controls us to the extent that we are unable to put it out of our minds. The Jews were so consumed with Moses and the Law that they could not recognize God Himself in their midst. Though they wanted a Messiah, they wanted it their way.

They wanted a Messiah Who would bring back the glory days of an earthly kingdom as it had been under David and Solomon. They wanted the past, and because they thought that the old was good enough, they missed the future which was right before their very eyes. They were satisfied with the old wine, and their clouded view of the past led them to miss the new wine in Jesus which was far better.

In order for them to receive the new wine, they needed to realize that they would have to lay aside their system of self-righteous Law-keeping. Jesus preached a message of forgiveness, healing, grace, and life. He didn't come to set up an earthly empire, but He came to demonstrate His eternal power and overcome the world. He didn't come to show that Law-keeping was the way to eternal life, but He Himself fulfilled the Law because no man could do it (Romans 3:23, 8:4). The Law brought condemnation and showed man his inability to keep it (Galatians 3:24). Jesus came to bring life, and life to the full (John 10:10).

Old wineskins were fitting for the old wine. The Law did its job, and it did it well (Romans 7:12). But its job was to point people to the cross and to Christ, Who had come in the flesh. If new wine was available in Jesus, then it made no sense to put it into old wineskins which would break as soon as the wine was poured in. The Law had done its job, and the new wine needed new wineskins.

The new wine of forgiveness in Christ needs to go in the new wineskin of grace. We were under law, but now we are under grace (Romans 6:14). The old covenant is over, and the new covenant has been established. Christ is the centerpiece and the focus. We must drink of Him (John 7:37).

If we find ourselves still trying to earn our way into God's favor, we need to lay aside the old and receive the grace and forgiveness of Christ. If we are attempting to manipulate God into giving us what we want in life, we need to stop drinking of the old wine and simply receive the blessings which He graciously gives as He knows best.

Trying to do things on our own strength apart from Christ is like pouring wine into a leaky wineskin. It will never work. Do we want to be full in Christ? Do we want to experience the promised abundant life? Life to the full is found in abandoning the old wine, taking hold of the new wineskin by faith in Christ, and allowing Him to fill us and empower us as He pours the new wine of His grace into our hearts.

All Things New

by Dr. David C. Cooper

One of the greatest needs in our lives is the need for restoration. To restore means, "to bring something back into existence or effect again; to bring back to a former or original condition; to put back in a former place or position; to reinstate; to return." We talk about restoring relationships, renovating antique furniture, reinstating a political leader and returning something that was stolen or lost. These all demonstrate the idea of restoration. The essential meaning of salvation is restoration. To be saved means that we have experienced the miraculous restoring power of God to make all things new in our lives spiritually, psychologically, emotionally, and relationally.

From Genesis to Revelation, we see the God of restoration. We hear God's message to the nation of Judah: "I will restore your judges as in days of old, your counselors as at the beginning. Afterward you will be called the City of Righteousness, the Faithful City" (Isa 1:26).

The Psalmist prayed, "Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit to sustain me" (Ps 51:12). God promises, "I will restore you to health and heal your wounds" (Jer 30:17a). Paul the Apostle declares, "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are new" (2 Cor 5:17).

When the Apostle John received the Revelation on the Isle of Patmos concerning the restoration of all things and the beauty of the new heaven and the new earth, he says, "And he that sat upon the throne said, 'Behold, I make all things new'" (Rev 21:5). As you surrender your failures, problems and challenges to your Heavenly Father in faithful prayer, He will make all things new for you.

Dr. David C. Cooper serves as Senior Pastor of Mount Paran Church of God in Atlanta, GA. He received his bachelor's degree from Lee College, his Master of Education from the University of Georgia, and his Doctor of Ministry from Erskine Theological Seminary. Currently, Dr. Cooper serves as chairman of the Board of Directors and as an instructor in Counseling at the Psychological Studies Institute in Atlanta, Georgia.

© Dr. David C. Cooper all rights reserved.

The New Edition

Aqualyn Toi Jones

When was the last time you purchased or received something new? Maybe it was a cell phone, a car, or an outfit. It could've been a new pair of shoes, a job, or even a relationship.

There's just something about the newness of things. You value it more. You take better care of it. You can't wait to tell others about it. However, that eagerness doesn't last.

Simply think of all the old things you have acquired over the years. Soon, just like all the old "new things", the newer "new things" becomes a little boring. We settle down into the humdrum of business as usual. Now, it's just a cell phone, a car, or a pair of shoes. Our affection for it fades as we start to focus on the next new thing.

We can upgrade our phones, trade-in our relationships and change jobs when we're bored. We can just get the new edition. Unfortunately, this same mentality spills over into our lives with Christ.

Have you ever heard someone say?

"Before I was saved." or
"When I was still in sin."

If you're like me, you've said it yourself.
As Christians, we like to think of our lives in two categories: Before-Christ and After-Christ.

If you and I were to finish the sentences above, I'm sure we could fill a book. One of the best things about being a Christian is the new life we have in Christ. It trumps the old life every time.

Sometimes and somewhere along the way, we are tempted to exchange the new life in Christ for the old way of living. Life starts to happen again. It rains on your parade more than once. Things that you thought you wouldn't experience as a Christian seem to resurface after Christ!

How do you handle it when the old life threatens to choke the newness out of life in Christ? And what does this new life really mean anyway?

I love Merriam-Webster's definition of the word new. It means having recently come into existence. Is it possible that we never truly existed before coming to Christ? When you accept Christ in your life, you come into an existence that you never knew about.

You never really understood the measure of His sacrifice. You never had a Father like God. You didn't think it was possible for someone to know everything about you, and still love you. And yet, He does. You thought you were free, but liberation has taken on a totally different meaning. Life is not the same.

I want to challenge you (and myself) to remember that there is no new edition of the new life in Christ. There is nothing better. 2 Corinthians 5:17 reminds us that "If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold all things have become new."

This scripture doesn't simply say that anyone in Christ could or will be a new creation. It guarantees that he is. You and I are new in Him. The life we now live has greater understanding and subsequently, greater responsibility. We should never settle for anything routine in our relationship with God.

Every single day is new. Every single old thing is just that old. It's useless and ineffective. After all, it's called the old life for a reason and this edition is just fine.

Toi Jones is a writer and an advocate for youth, underdogs, and all things (and people) that are broken and overlooked. Compassionate at her core, Toi is also an educator, a mentor, and a supporter of multiple initiatives for South Africa. For more information about Toi, log onto www.bewrite-livewrite.typepad.com.

God Is Doing A New Thing

Image via Wikipedia

Dr. Creflo A. Dollar

It is a new day and God wants to do something new in your life! If you are a Believer, you have a right to receive the manifestation of every word God has spoken over your life. As you lay hold of it by faith, it will come to pass. It is easy to become discouraged when you don’t see things happening quickly enough, but as you seek His face through praise, prayer and worship, He will begin to reveal more of who He is to you. The more you know about Him, the more confident you will become in His ability to do exactly what He said He would do.

You may have been going through some troubling circumstance or struggling with a certain situation for some time now. But the good news is that your days of strugg ling are over! If you want to experience the power of God in your life, it is critical that you find out what God promises in His Word. He doesn’t want you to stay in your current situation; He wants to take you to new levels of glory every day! All it takes is your unwavering belief in what He says in His Word.

Isaiah 43:19 (AMP) says, “Behold, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs forth; do you not perceive and know it and will you not give heed to it?” God is a God of new beginnings. That’s right! He is multifaceted and always wants to show you an aspect of Himself that you have never seen before. In addition, He wants to do some new things in your life. He wants you to see and experience abundance like you’ve never before experienced it.

Expectation is key to receiving the new things God desires to do in your life. Whether it is healing, deliverance, financial breakthrough or restoration of a relationship, God will come through for you if you expect Him to. He is a loving Father Who wants to bless you.

As you expect to see the goodness of God manifest in your life, you must lay hold of it by faith. Nothing in the Kingdom of God works without it. Habakkuk 2:4 says, “…but the just shall live by his faith.” In addition, you must be sure that you are walking in love—first toward God, and second toward others. These two commandments are the keys to activating your faith and confidence in God.

Finally, your words—specifically the Word of God that you confess—will connect you to a new reality of living, one that is characterized by God’s glory overtaking you. If you’re not saying anything, you’re not creating anything! You have to use your God-given authority in order to begin experiencing something new.

Your “new thing” may be debt freedom or buying a new home. Whatever it is, find scriptures on those areas and begin meditating on them. Get them in your heart until they become so real to you that you can’t see things any other way than through God’s eyes. Having the blueprint of a new reality and way of life in your heart and mind through consistent meditation will fuel your faith. Then when you speak the Word with boldness, it will come to pass. But first, your heart must be established in the truths that are contained in it.

I want you to begin thinking differently about your life. It’s time to get rid of the old attitudes, habits and lifestyle that you have been living and holding onto and usher in the new! By standing on God’s Word, walking in faith and love and using your authority, you can literally change your reality. God is ready to reveal His glory to you in a new way; the question is, are you ready to receive it?

New Beginnings

Tanya James

Every year around the beginning of December, people around the world implement a list of new action items in their lives effective January 1st. We decide to start working out or eating better. We vow to finally launch that business or go back to school. We promise to give up smoking or drinking or some other addiction that we have.

We re-dedicate to a lifestyle of prayer and worship or to be nicer to everyone around you; the list can be endless.

However, many times before the month of January is over, we’ve already forgotten about or given up on many of the action items on our list. And for some of the items, we wont even reconsider them again until the end of the year when its time to start thinking about the new year.

We also tend to put God on our schedule – declaring what He will do (or wont do) in the new year. And doesn't it seem like these declarations tend to come in the form of a statement 'rhyming' with the current year?

For example: "We will win in 2010!"
I'm sure you can name a few others you've heard lately as well.

This cycle has always been perplexing to me, Why do we tend to only equate new beginnings with a new year? Who decided that January 1st was the date to renew goals and to dream bigger? And if these things are important beginning January, why aren’t they important enough to start immediately?

And why do we place a timetable or time limit on when God can move in our lives? Using the above example, do we only want to WIN in 2010? How awesome would it be if instead of having this time of “reflection” and “renewal” only once a year...we did it daily?

What if we claimed the promises of God on a regular basis and not just for our new year’s declarations?
“Behold I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth; shall you not know it?” Isaiah 43:19

Will we miss that new thing because it’s not the first of the year when we expect new things? Or will we be open to receive and embrace what God has for us AND what God is calling us to do right now, regardless of what the date is?

I challenge you to let go of the “new year’s” resolutions and instead make “lifestyle” resolutions. Daily, make it a priority to strive to be more Christ-like. Daily, implement Psalm 34 into your schedule (I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth). Daily, move forward in those things God has called you to do and be!

And let’s stop putting God in our yearly boxes. He has things in store that we can’t even begin to think of, and those things may not “rhyme” with entrance of every new year.

“Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness” Lamentations 3:22-23

New mercies daily...
...now that sounds like the type of new beginning that I want to grab hold of!

A New Beginning

Image via Wikipedia

David Turner

During the course of the past year, many of us have faced some sort of trial, test, setback, or disappointment. Some of us have even experienced failure. But in spite of all of that, God has prepared this year, this moment in time for you to have a new beginning.

The enemy’s objective is to keep you locked in yesterday, the place where the pain originates from. God has a different plan for your life. He knows all about the things that have gone wrong. He’s not surprised at some of the questionable decisions that you have made. He’s knows that you have let Him down. He is not shocked at all.

The good news is that He also knows your future. “If any man be in Christ he is a new creature, old things are passed away and all things have become new” (2 Cor. 5:17)

When you have life in Christ you have the ability to experience new possibilities in life. There is a season of new opportunities that await you and you must be willing to pursue it. Victory in this new year takes some understanding.

You were not created by accident. You were made by God himself. God is the creator of the heavens and the earth. He designed you to live for a unique reason. When He made you, He pulled out all the stops. You are His prized creation.

You were made to overcome obstacles. You were made for victory. He didn’t create you to blend in with the scenery. Out of over 6 billion people in the world, there is only 1 like you. So, don’t be shut off or boxed in by traditions or customs. Don’t be held back by someone else’s expectations. You were created for brilliance and excellence. You were made for success.

Before planting seeds, the ground must first be prepared. The ground must first be dug up and turned over in order to receive seeds. In the same way, we must cultivate our lives so that we will be able to yield a successful harvest. We must do some work in order for our lives to be ready for a new beginning. We have to make choices and not yield to the power of sin. As we choose God’s way the Holy Spirit will strengthen us even more.

There are some spiritual disciplines that we must develop to cultivate our lives:

1. Prayer – Not just asking God for things but communing with Him.
2. Giving – We must change our perspective on our possessions.
3. Studying the Word – We must take in His promises daily.
4. Serving – We should always look for ways to improve someone else’s life.

There is a lot of noise in this world. There are people shouting from every angle, trying to get your attention. To be able to distinguish between the voices you need to be able to listen very closely. God is always speaking; we just have to listen for Him. The time is come to get your hearing in order. The alarm has sounded.

What is the sign that you are waiting for? The light has already turned green and you are clear to begin your journey. Step away from the crowd. Separate yourself from the average people who don’t want anything other than what they have always had. You have been called out to make a difference. You have been called out reclaim territory for God and live out your destiny.

It’s time for your New Beginning.

Time To Meet Your Maker!

Ben Komanapalli Jr.


Another year has come to an end, and here we are starting a new one. For almost everyone reading this, we have been at this place at least a dozen times. Looking back at our lives, some of those moments were great but some were pretty bad. In fact they were so bad that we wanted to forget all about it when we entered the New Year.

As this new year begins, most of us close certain chapters of our lives and open new ones; we also plan on changing things. All of us have want to become better than we were in the past year.

As we come to that time of the year again, I have a simple question to ask: Who is making you?

Let me explain. In Acts 26:13-18, we see Paul recounting his conversion story to King Agrippa. In verse 16, it is important to see what Jesus says to Paul during the encounter. Jesus says, "I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness...."I want you to focus on the words 'to make you.'
My question to you as a leader is more specifically this: Are you letting Jesus make you?

All of us live in a very fast paced world. There are many responsibilities that we as leaders have in the world today. There are things that need to be accomplished, vision to be cast, money to be raised, conflicts that need to be resolved etc. We need to do all of these things as good leaders.

However, the most important thing is to let Jesus make you the man or women He has called you to be. We can only lead other people as well as we can lead ourselves; the most important thing in leading ourselves is to let Jesus make us the people He has called us to be.

There is always the temptation for us to do the work of God more than we let God work in us. Bill Hybels once said, "The way I was doing the work of God was destroying the work of God in me." I heard that statement about two years ago and it has stuck with me. I believe it is a dangerous place for us to be when we are more excited about a book, album, project, program or an event than about spending time with Jesus and letting Him work on us.

As we plan, strategize, evaluate, set goals and recharge our batteries to make ourselves better leaders for next year, make it a priority to make this year the year where you let Jesus make you the person He has called you to be. Planning and setting goals are very good things but letting Jesus make you is the God thing. He desires to make each one of us. He sees much more in us than we can see for ourselves. We must stop resisting the things God wants to do in our lives. No matter where you live or what kind of organization or ministry you might be leading, if there is one thing we are to do as Christian leaders it is to let Jesus make us.

We might not have had an encounter with Jesus in the way Paul did on his journey to Damascus, but we can all remember the time when we received Jesus as the Lord and Savior of our lives or the time when the call of God became very real. This is a good time to go back and remember the purpose for which Jesus saved you and to let Him make you.

Here are a few suggestions:

1. Take some time to think about the moment when the purpose of God became clear to you. What is it that He has purposed for you?

2. Become very intentional to let Jesus make you into the person He has called you to be during the next year. Write down some of the areas that He really needs to work on.

3. Thank God for the opportunity He has given you to serve people for His kingdom and Glory.

School of Hard Knocks

by
Aqualyn Toi Jones

I have a list of pet peeves that seems to grow as I grow older. Number seven on that list is speaking to a customer service rep who cannot answer my question. It’s kind of like an oxymoron. The whole point of asking a question is to receive a response. It’s impolite to not answer. And when a request seems unheard, it’s easy to feel ignored or insignificant.

When we go to God in prayer, we go expecting an answer. We desperately want to know that He hears us and that He cares. When we inquire about the deepest issues of our hearts, we need to know that there is an answer and that we will receive it.

Jesus promises that if you ask, you will receive. If you seek, you will find and if you knock, the door will be opened for you (Matthew 7:7). We have a promise that our prayers will be heard AND answered.

But what happens when the answers aren’t so clear? What do you do when what you’ve been fervently praying for doesn’t happen? This is what I call the “School of the Hard Knocks.” Typically that phrase refers to the knowledge you gain from life’s negative experiences. Here, it is the lessons we learn as we persistently ask, seek, and knock. It is the growth we experience as we wait for our prayers to be answered.

Waiting. There’s another item on my list of pet peeves. Possibly, number one. But it goes hand-in-hand with prayer.

We live in an “instant” society. I can send a message in an instant. I can prepare a meal in an instant (thanks to the handy dandy microwave). I can download music in an instant. No wonder we’re so accustomed to instant gratification. So accustomed, in fact, that we expect instant answers from God.

Let’s be clear. He can answer in an instant. He can answer before you even ask the question. But often there will be a delay between the time you ask and the time you receive. This is the time when our faith is tested and strengthened.

Sometimes before prayer can be answered, we have to be changed. Perhaps when we are our changed the nature of our prayer request will also change.

God is working while we wait. Don’t stop asking or seeking. Keep knocking.

Remember, patience is made perfect in the School of the Hard Knocks.

Toi Jones is a writer and an advocate for youth, underdogs, and all things (and people) that are broken and overlooked. Compassionate at her core, Toi is also an educator, a mentor, and a supporter of multiple initiatives for South Africa.

For more information about Toi, log onto

www.bewrite-livewrite.typepad.com.

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Jesus, Our Friend

Jack Zavada

"A rule I have had for years is: to treat the Lord Jesus Christ as a personal friend. His is not a creed, a mere doctrine, but it is He Himself we have." -Dwight L. Moody

When Jesus came into the world in human form, he changed our relationship with God forever. He made it possible for us to become adopted sons and daughters in God's family, co-heirs with him to the gift of eternal life with the Father.

But he gave us another Christmas gift few of us ever open: his friendship. He experienced firsthand the loneliness of being human, and he saw that as much as we need a savior, we also need a friend.

"I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you." John 15:15 (NIV)

What better friend could you have? Jesus is steadfastly loyal. He forgives your every fault. He supports and encourages you when you need it most, and he listens whenever you want to talk. He is a tireless listener. Jesus loves you as a friend who wants to see you grow to your full potential. There is no jealousy in him. He wants only the best for you.

Enter more deeply into friendship with Jesus this Christmas season. You can trust him. If you reach out and accept the friendship he offers, your life will never be the same.

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Christ In You

Bishop E. Earl Jenkins

"Christ in you, the Hope of Glory." Colossians 1:27 NIV

The Virgin Birth is more than just another Christmas story; it illustrates just how close God wants to get to you. In fact, He's asking you the same question He asked Mary, "Are you willing to let Me move in?" Throughout scripture it's always been His desire to get close to His people. Jesus told the disciples, "I am in you" (Jn 14:20 NCV).

Paul prayed, "That Christ may dwell in your hearts" (Eph. 3:17 NIV). John says, "Those who obey...live in him, and he in them" (1 Jn 3:24 NIV). Paul wrote, "Christ in you, the hope of glory" (Col 1:27 NIV), then he added: "It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me" (Gal 2:20 NAS). And Jesus said, "If anyone...opens the door, I will come in" (Rev. 3:20 NIV).

In the Old Testament God was with Adam and Eve in the Garden...He was with Abraham, and even called him His friend...He was with Moses and the Israelites. But as a believer He's in you - and He'll keep growing in you until He comes out in what you say, how you act and the decisions you make. Do you struggle with bitterness, worry, habits and fear?

Not Jesus! And because He lives in you, you have access 24/7 to His unlimited power! That's why Paul writes about "striving according to His power, which mightily works within [us]" (Col 1:29 NAS). What's in you? "His power!" What more do you need? Remember when the Lord appeared to Mary and she said, "Let it be...according to your word." (Lk 1:38 NKJV)

Make that your prayer this Christmas!

Win the Entire Race

Shaun King

I realize it's been over a year now, but do any of you remember watching Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt demolish three Olympic records last summer?

The guy was so doggone fast that he started celebrating before he crossed the finish line and still left everyone else in the dust! He was widely criticized for being so boisterous, but something was lost amidst all of the criticism of his swagger.

Usain Bolt trained like a madman to lead the pack in the start of the race, the middle of the race, and in the end as he crossed the finish line.

He knew that if he was going to break "unbreakable" records and win gold medals, being a great starter was not enough. Getting a quick start and pushing hard through the middle wouldn't be enough either.

Usain knew that he was going to have to use all that God gave him from the starting block to the yellow ribbon, if victory was really going to be his!

Hear my heart - in this season the Lord wants you to get a fast wind behind you so that you'll get a quick start, but far too many of our dreams, our ministries, our business, and even our marriages, launch with the loud, flashy boom of July fireworks, but fizzle out at the first sign of bad weather.

This isn't good enough. God did not just call you to get married; He called you to stay married. The Lord didn't just plant a vision in your heart to start a ministry or business in your community; He called you to start a ministry of business that would endure the challenges of our time and still be alive and kicking to tell the story on the other side!

While staring into the face of his young son Solomon, David said in 1 Chronicles 28:20: "Be strong and of good courage, and act. Do not be afraid or dismayed; for the LORD God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you, until all the work or the service of the house of the LORD is finished."

In his prayer for the Philippians, the Apostle Paul said it this way, "I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ." (Phil. 1:6)

Overnight wonders and fast starters are a dime a dozen. The true test that you and I must pass is whether or not we have prepared to win the entire race. My prayer for you today is that you will allow the Spirit of God to give you the endurance that you'll need.

The Attitude of Gratitude

Cover of Attitude of Gratitude

Alan Riley
There were ten of them in all. They were friends who were bound together by a shared tragedy: they all had leprosy--a horrible, disfiguring disease. There's really no way to explain the horror of watching your body slowly rot away. But that was only half of the heartache. Because it was thought that leprosy was contagious, those who suffered from it had to not only endure the ravages of disease, but also to face scorn, disgrace and loss of all dignity. They were made to live apart from the rest of society, apart from their family and friends with only fellow lepers to lean on for support and encouragement.

Lepers in Jesus' day were not only forced to live in colonies, they also had to yell out "Unclean!" whenever they approached anyone. Sometimes they were made to wear bells on their clothing to warn others of their approach.

At the leper colony, they heard stories of this man named Jesus who not only spoke of God's love for everyone, but He healed all those who came to Him. I can imagine the stories of miraculous healings came in one after the other... Jesus opened the eyes of a man blind since birth; He told a lame man to rise up and walk; He even stopped a funeral procession and gave a woman her child back. I can imagine them hearing the story of the centurion's servant who was healed. They must have thought if Jesus healed a Roman centurion's servant, certainly He would heal us, after all, we are children of Abraham!

At some point the ten came up with a plan. They would travel in a group to find Jesus. Together they would ask Him to heal them.

Finally, the moment came when they stood before Jesus. They asked Him to make them whole. "Go and show yourselves to the priests," Jesus told them. As they turned to go, they realized for the first time that their dream had just come true. They stared at their hands in disbelief. Where a moment ago there was decay and stubs, there now were fingers and hands free from leprosy. They walked their first couple of steps, then they began leaping in the air, shouting praises to God! They ran off quickly to establish their healing with the priests so they could return to their homes and families.

But one of the ten stopped in his tracks and realized he'd forgotten something very important. While his nine friends ran down the road, he turned and ran back to Jesus, falling on his face in front of the Lord. Sobbing and laughing at the same time, he kept saying it again and again... Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

"Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine?" Jesus asked. The man didn't know what to say. He couldn't answer for them. He just knew the immense sense of gratitude that was swelling up inside him. This man has just given him his life back.

Then Jesus told him, "Go your way, your faith has made you whole."

Far too often, you and I are like the nine who ran down the road leaping and praising. We receive God's grace and mercy, we experience His healing touch on our lives. He restores what the devil has caused to decay. And off we run, leaping, shouting and praising, but forgetting to simply say "Thank you."

I want to be like the one who turned and ran back to Jesus, falling on his face and saying thanks. Lord, give me the attitude of gratitude!