20 posts tagged “dr. charles stanley”
Forgiven!>>>more
devotion from rbc ministries
This one word is so hard to do at time and so hard to believe at times and I guess it's according which side of the word you are on. Sometimes we hold people hostage with this word, sometimes we have so much guilt that we can't believe we are set free when someone says, "I forgive you." I have been on both sides of that word and to be honest neither side feels good. I have hurt, I have been hurt, I have carried the guilt of the hurt I have afflicted on someone and sometimes it's hard to let go of it.
But then I always remember what Dr. David Jeremiah says whenever I know I have went to God and asked for forgiveness but I still carry the "weight" of it. Whenever I get into one of those, "I know God is forgiven me but I just can't forgive myself" David Jeremiah's comment, "If your Heavenly Father has forgiven you and forgot it what gives you the right not to let it go...are you God?" and that shuts me down and makes me let it go. One thing my queen always says, "It's okay to be convicted but not condemned" because Christ Jesus has already paid that huge price for me. Knowing this in my heart I have no right and no reason to carry that burden with me because His blood has insured me that I can never be taken out of the loving arms of God.
Now, as I have always made it clear...does this mean I do not pay a consequence for my decision? Yes I have to because God is not a genie in a bottle, whenever I get myself in a mess I can just "wish" myself out of that situation. Adam and Eve paid for their decision, Abraham, Sarah, Moses, King David, King Solomon, Peter, Paul...I can go on and on because in the end God forgave them for their sins but God could not violate his own laws and principles. For me, the more I realize this the more I try and not make decisions that I know will hurt not only myself but my family in the end.
The wonderful love of God lets me know that when I come to him with a open heart, pride set aside, and ask for true forgiveness, He gives it to me and will forget it. I may have to still deal with the consequences but I would rather receive his chastisement than His wrath. In the end I try and be a wise man instead of a clever man because the older I become, I don't have time to keep coming up with ways to get out of situations and you realize day in and day out, time is too precious to waste.
Be Blessed, Be Safe,
& Have a Wonderful Friday/Weekend
~William Blake(1757-1827), America: A Prophecy
great audio message for Friday...
The Struggle With Unforgiveness
Dr. Charles Stanley-In Touch Ministries
Right Place>>>more
devotion from rbc ministries
Have you ever read a Biblical passage and every verse that you are acquired to read speaks to you? I mean ever verse is like it REALLy spoke to you? Reading the acquired reading for this morning (Proverbs 16:1 thru 9) did that for me. We are supposed to make plans, we are suppose to prepare for our future but sometimes things do not map out the way they that they should and we sometimes get bent out of shape...okay I get bent out of shape at times but in the end isn't it funny how they work themselves out many times. Now I not talking about just going through life and having a "what will be, will be" attitude, that's not good. I'm talking about sometimes how we may have planned something one day and got their a day early but you end up meeting someone you haven't seen in years and have a chance to catch up on old times. Or you may have left out of the house 5 minutes late thinking you are going to be miss out on the best opportunity of a lifetime only to find out if you may have left out on time you could have been in accident once you past a section of a road you normally travel.
For me today is a time to begin getting out of my own way. It's really cool how you can come across so many messages that tell you that it's time to take a different approach to situations. Last night before going to bed I finally had a chance to listen to brother in podcasting show (Clarence of "DoYouKnowClarence?") and he hit the nail on the head or as my queen says it, "You hit the nail on the head with the hammer."(I love it how she says the whole thing out like that, it's so cute). From what I took from Clarence's show is that we have to real with ourselves, we have to see ourselves for what we truly are and where we are at that moment so we can finally realize how our Heavenly Father sees us and for me when you do that you can begin focusing on how to improve yourself. I too have had those conversations with myself that I'm being interviewed by Tavis Smiley or Terry Gross, having my face on CNN chatting it up with Anderson Cooper or talking to Keith Olbermann but sometimes we live in that world and not take care of what we need to do in the present.
These 9 verses from Proverbs speaks volumes to my heart today. It tells me yes map out what you need to do for that day but don't get upset if it doesn't work out the way that you planned. We may say with our mouths and may be sincere when it comes to doing some things but God knows what in our heart what we are really seeking. The verses says to me, before my feet hit the floor thank God that he has given me another day to see to bring glory to him. Don't envy boastful people because in the end God knows what is best for them so keep living the way you need to live.
I have to really begin reading a chapter a day from Proverbs because just think if I truly read a chapter a day and followed out what the almighty says how far ahead I would be in this game called life? If just 9 verses from just one chapter woke me up spiritually like this just think what the rest of the book can do for me?
Be Blessed, Be Safe,
& Have a Wonderful Thursday
two great messages to get you started today...
Finding Jesus>>>more
devotion from rbc ministries
It's amazing when I finally settled down and allow Jesus into my life. I know what the title of the devotion means but to honest Christ Jesus was never lost from me. It was one of those things where I finally stopped being a knucklehead and began allow true joy in my life. Once I stopped doing what DarrenKeith wanted to do and realized God has always wanted the best for me the for living became smoother. Noticed I did not say "easier" because it doesn't and there non believers ask, "why follow him[Jesus Christ]
I follow him because when I did not, I worried about what would happen to me when I died, worried about what people thought about me, wondered if I was good enough, did not love myself so my mood would swing from one end of the spectrum to the other. When I tried to go life alone I did not know if I was coming or going many days. Again some people will say, "there are other religions that can make you feel whole." For me I beg to differ...I tried other ways and in the end I realized that for me that of all of the religions Jesus Christ told me the truth about myself, what he gave up for me, how the road would be tough at times but in the end he would be with me no matter what I encounter.
One thing I truly love about God is that he tells you why we are fallen and how to reconnect with him. There is no mystery on why his Son is the only way. I am learning that when I get out of bed first thing in the morning that by giving thanks to Him and asking Him to direct my footsteps, to give me wisdom, discernment, and insight on his word it's a step in the right direction for me. For myself knowing that I am sinner and that nothing I do: my good deeds, how I treat people will not get me into heaven and to be honest by doing it God's way is the best way.
When allowing Christ into your life your restriction on some things in life is not to keep you from the good life, it enhanced it 100 fold because when you really think about it, life is more full when you have a road map to tackle your journey than going along blindly in life.
a wonderful message I heard from Dr. Charles Stanley yesterday was right on point for me and I have to share it with you in reference to getting back on track when it comes to Christ.
Intouch Ministries w/Dr. Charles Stanley
When Your Fire Goes Out
When Your Fire Goes Out(Pt. o1) Audio
{right click to download audio}
Be Blessed, Be Safe,
and have a Wonderful Day. 
This
morning I did something that I have to admit I have not done in 2
months...get into God's word the way I should. This morning after Z
went to work I made our bed, washed our dishes, grabbed the bag of
dirty laundry Z separated last night, headed downstairs to our laundry
facility and washed. Afterwards I came upstairs and opened the Our
Daily Bread devotional book and read something that spoke to my heart, Honest Doubts.
We all have them from time to time when it comes to Christ Jesus. As I
was reading this it struck me that how come at times people can believe
in life in another galaxy but can't believe Jesus Christ did not rise
from his grave in 3 days? How come when it comes to worldly things we
can believe whole heartily but when it comes to Christ "that's
impossible" many will say?
Even before I truly gave my life to Christ, just looking out at nature, seeing images and pictures of our solar system for me it had to be a creator the did this? How our body is created, from the tiniest of insects to different birds, animals, reptiles, how can't believe this all just happened just by chance. For me it's amazing how we think we are so in control of our own lives and in an instant it can change. I mean at this moment while writing this I can just "drop dead". But one thing I am sure of is that if I do just "drop dead" I know where I will be...with my heavenly father.
Honest Doubts from rbc ministries
It amazing how many people believe that once you die that it. Many people may not admit it but I know it creeps in their mind at times what really happens to you when you die. And once you are gone just think, you're going for eternity and for me that is something I am not willing to take a chance and that my friends is for a very, very, very long time. And I will say this to my atheist and agnostic friends...what if there is a God and once you are gone and you have not giving your life to Christ, what then? Do you honest think there are "do overs"? He gives us that chance every day while we are six feet above ground.
We all have doubts from time to time, God knows this...he created us. We have doubts, fears, we feel anger, sadness but what I have grown to love about him that I can come to Him with anything and I do mean ANYTHING. People may crack jokes about most Christians but for me that's okay be being a follower of Christ gives me so much freedom to know that by honoring him, loving him, coming to him in time of sorrow and happiness he guides my footsteps on what to watch out for, who to let into my life, who to deal with a "long handle spoon" so to speak and who not to allow in my life period.
Maybe people think that when you accept Christ as your Lord and Savior that all fun is zapped out of your life? I beg to differ. My queen and I recognized that one of the first thing you received is "unnecessary drama" in our life. Now noticed what I said, I say "unnecessary drama", I did not say that our lives are drama or pain free. My way of thinking is that we all are going to have troubles in our lives from time to time but what is better, having troubles that you did not cause on yourself and having a wonderful God to help you through those times or having those troubles plus situations that we put ourselves in...for me that's double the work and I hate to work for no reason at all.
Another cool thing today was reading Proverbs Chapter 26. I have to admit, I need to really begin reading a chapter a day. There is no excuse for me not to because the book of Proverbs alone is a wonderful guide for one's life. Chapter 26 is a really good read because it teaches you how to deal with foolish people. While reading that chapter I realized that racism has been the world problem since the beginning of time. It has been here and it will continue to be here. That does not mean I roll over and just accept it but at the same time I will not allow to be a victim of this act of hatred. We live in a fallen world. When Eve and Adam took of the forbidden fruit every known sin crept into our world. Proverbs 26 teaches you to pick and choose your debates, your battles.
One other thing I have not done in a while was to sit still and allow God to speak to me, rather just in silence, or through the wonderful podcasts I download from Dr. Charles Stanley. I would get on my beautiful wife's case about turning on the television and began watching the news and for the past two months that is what I have down when it has come to the primaries. Today was the first time I can honestly say in a while that I started my day on a positive note. No news from the television...just listening to God speak to me, washing the dishes, emptying the trash, washing, drying our clothes, listening to 2 wonderful podcast from Dr. Charles Stanley, "A Fresh Encounter With God". It's amazing how one can let God's goodness slip from you little by little and before you know you begin to think that you have drifted from him so far that you can not come back to him. That my friend is a lie straight from hell. This 2 podcasts has let me know that when I slip from Christ I should be convicted and not condemned. While the clothes were washing I went outside and just sat on a bench by the pond and just let Dr. Stanley's words refresh my spirit to get me back on the right track to what is really important...listening and obeying God. I have to be truly honest, when I have completely turned everything over to him I have allows come out on top. Listening to his sermon let me know I have allowed the wrong thing to run my life.
We all get into a funk every now and then but one thing I can say, it's wonderful to be able to come back into God's fold so he can let you see that when He runs your life he's not keeping fun from me but allowing me to have the best fun ever without having regrets down the road.
Be Blessed, Be Safe
and Have a Wonderful Day.
Messages from Dr. Charles Stanley
Join The Choir>>>more
devotion from rbc ministries
This
is a very "on point" devotion because it makes you realize that if you
came to the Lord at a very young age you are truly blessed. Now
allowing Jesus Christ into your heart at any age is a wonderful thing
because you realize that what you thought you were missing out in the
world you were not, who you thought were your friends really was not.
Sometimes coming to the Lord at a later age has benefits because sometime when you look "seasoned" people tend to respect what you say quicker than someone that is young; but let me tell you the reason for coming to the Lord at a young age.
First, you realize that what you to yourself and to others have consequences...you learn to respect authority at a very young age. It's amazing what I see when it comes to some young people. Last month I was taking pictures outside our apartment when three young children spotted me. They ran me down and ask me if took a picture of their sign they made on the frozen pond behind our apartment. When I went back and saw what it said, {F*** U}, I turned to them and said, "I can't take a picture of that". Young boy just shrugged his shoulders and went back to what he was doing like "oh well, your loss." As I told my beautiful wife about this she said some key points,
- He should have be ashamed to do participated in that activity in the first place.
- He should have been ashamed to even approach a grown person to begin with
- You should have said to him, "where do you live?"
Everything
she said was on the money. I wasn't a saint growing up but there was
some things you just did not do in front of adults whether if you were
saved or not. You did not use profanity in front of grown-ups, you
addressed them by "Mister, Misses, Ms." and "Ma'am" and "Sir"
Another plus of coming to the Lord at a very young age is you love yourself, you see that life is not fair, you develop patience, you always strive to do your best in everything you do and most important when you get older you will not have many, "Shoulda, Woulda, Coulda" moments. What are those?
Those are past regrets. This is something that Satan uses on people, Christians and non-Christians alike. God has forgiving us of our sins when you accept Christ Jesus as your Lord and Savior...no doubt about it. But every so often we allow our past to hold us prisoner every now and then in some area in our lives. I am guilty of this as well. I think about if I had listened about not having sex before marriage because I have had to many "close calls" worrying if I was going to become a parent (especially since I never wanted children, is that dumb or what...that is how children come about...through sex); if I had listened about not "shackin' up"...for me, I wasted so much time, money because living together is not the best of both worlds, it's the worst of both worlds. On one hand you are not married to that person but on the other hand you do not want to walk away and to be honest what's the ol' saying..."Why buy milk when you got the cow at home."
When coming to God early in life many times you save yourself a lot of headaches and most important you learn that God is not trying you stop from "having fun" he's trying to save you from "unnecessary heartache". We already live in a fallen world so why add unnecessary hurt to it in the process?
Be Blessed, Be Safe,
& Have a Wonderful Sunday
Spiritual Message for today
What Does It Look Like?[part 2]
{click to listen...right click to download}
In Touch Ministries
My Tech Picks for Sunday:
audio pick:
MacBreak Weekly 77: Fries Done
Hosts: Leo Laporte, Scott Bourne, Alex Lindsay, and Merlin Mann.
tech story:
Yahoo's Jerry Yang is no Bill Gates
Want iPhone Apps? Get Ready to Shop in iTunes
MacBook Pros running dry in the channel ahead of refreshes
My download pick:
Firefox 3 beta 3
Suffering Alone>>>>from In Touch website
It's
amazing how sometimes I can read God's word and I'm going to be honest,
I can't see how that passage when reading my devotions applies to me
for that day or my understanding of the reading I have to scratch my
head and say, "huh?" But you keep reading God's word, keep obeying the
teachings of Christ Jesus and early morning morning it hits me like a
ton of bricks and I say, "ahh...okay, so that what that means."
This is the only book that sometimes you get the meaning of the passages and sometimes you do not but by asking God for wisdom, insight, directions He will bring understanding of His word your way.
Yesterday was really that time because all day my wife and I ran around because of issues that was going on in reference to my pharmacy license and one by one we say how God was stepping in when we could not do anything more about the situation. We both witnessed that when being persistant, standing on God's word, working as a team, not taking "no" for an answer most times(my wife is great with that...it irks me sometimes but she is who she and I love her for that), not losing your cool and staying joyful and thanking Christ Jesus in the good and bad results came our way.
So this morning, these two devotions from Our Daily Bread and In Touch were those two for me where by going through my valley I can say, "ahh...okay,I get it". This is also what makes our testimony stronger as well, and again let me stress, the results did come from us just sitting on our behinds and just praying because with God's word prayer should always be followed by the action He tells us to perform and many times we as Christians pray to Him and will not act. I learned a deeper meaning of the would "wait". It does not mean I sit around and "wait" for God to come through. I do what I need to do, still in motion while God puts everything in place so when about time I come to a certain place of action in a situation it has already been done.
We as Christians have to keep in mind we are in covenant with God, He's not our "Genie in a bottle". The work is still not over with my license but it will be soon and no matter how it's going on the surface as long as I am keeping to God's word, He will not forsake me, that is His promise and when I have truly given it over to Him 100% every time and just do what I need to do, He has never let me down.
My God is an awesome God.
Be Blessed, Be Safe &
Have a Wonderful Day.
Kathy Griffin, guess what, I agree with you...
Ms.
Kathy Griffin, guess what? You hit the nail on the head with your
comment. One thing I can say about most comedians they are truth
tellers. Here is the comment she said at the Emmys...
"A lot of people come up here and thank Jesus for this award. I want you to know that no one had less to do with this award than Jesus," an exultant Griffin said, holding up her statuette. "Suck it, Jesus. This award is my god now."
She told the truth about herself, to Hollywood actors and actresses, the Emmy, the Grammy statuettes is their God, their Jesus.
Many Hollywood actors and actresses will do anything to achieve this award.
Many actresses that were attractive BEFORE arriving in Hollywood, have plastic surgery they do not need, take Botox to keep winkles from appearing. (Meg Ryan, Kathy Griffin, Marlo Thomas, Farrah Fawcett, Jennifer Grey all have went under the knife), the list is endless.
whats more offensive is the fact that rock stars, rap artists who demean women, use profanity to no end, live a reckless life get up on stages and say, "I want to thank God for this award." Which God? that little statue in their hand?
Should she have said what she said? In my opinion no. Does this surprise me? No.
Many of my fellow Christians fell to realize that Kathy and many other people are worldly and they worship worldly things. They want to be accepted by the masses, in their eyes when you which a certain age, when the camera begins to see wrinkles on their faces, in many entertainers' mind their life is coming to an end.
Many movies that were on the big screen that comes to television, they can damn God's name but they will bleep out other words of profanity. Even in prime time shows now they can damn God's name and nothing is said.
As with Kathy am I learning to voice my opinion when someone uses God name in vain but many of my Christian brothers and sisters do far worse with their actions. In the devotion from In Touch Paul chastises the older Christians for not watching their actions in front of "baby" Christians. I love my brothers and sisters in Christ but if we focus on our homes more and be an strong example for our children and our children friends, to love and treat one another the way God love us, to speak up when we see something wrong and not just turn the other way many times our voice would be much stronger in the world.
It's a shame that worldly entertainers that cohabit with one another can take on the cause of genocide in other parts of the world or come to the aid of the homeless here in our own country before we "Christians" pick up the cause. We're still segregated in many churches but we say we are "one". We rally against gay marriages and not really address the issue of teenage pregnancy, sex outside of marriage, living together before marriage. Over 50% of "Christian" marriages end in divorce... Is it a wonder why people in Hollywood or in the music industry do not take us (Christians) seriously?
I do not condone what Ms. Griffin said because I know what Christ Jesus has done for me, how my life far better than before, how He gives me strength to get through some hectic days and not lash out at the world but why does this come as surprise, she is not a Follower of Jesus Christ and for the most part look at where she lives, the business she is in...Hollywood. A place that will kick you to the curb at drop of a hat.
I'm learning to do what my Lord and savior tells me to do, pray for the lost because we have seen this time and time again in Hollywood where we think an entertainer, a Hollywood star has the world in their hands only to take their own life and leave this precious world.
Kathy you are right, that is your Jesus, that is your God.
Be Blessed, Be Safe, and have a Wonderful day.
from Christian Embassy Church
Peace Loving
"Father God, help my children make every effort to do what leads to peace."
Romans 14:19
leave a comment here or my theologyntechnology blog...
These
two devotions may speak to someone heart today. One is on forgiving
yourself and the other when we know the people we love and cherish have
giving their lives to Christ Jesus and you have as well, you will see
them again. It's really weird for me now. Coming up as a child I loved
novels that dealt with traveling to the future and wanted to space
travel to other galaxies and planets but in the back of my mind I
wondered if it there was life after death. As a child I did not fully
understand the book of Revelation but some things always stuck out to
me when I would hear about the "streets paved with Gold" and all of the
rubies and emeralds that lined the walls. Knowing that God will create
a new heaven and new earth sounded pretty cool.
One one on forgiveness from In Touch Ministries
hits on three true points because Satan makes many believers feel that
we can not live up to God's standards, that we are not perfect...and he
(Satan) is right. We can not do this on our own because we are fallen
nature because of Adam and Eve be we are washed clean day in and day
out by the blood of Jesus Christ. I know I am going to screw up from
time to time...on purpose and by trial and error but I know that when I
go to my heavenly father with heart wide open and true repentance in my
heart and confess from my mouth God forgives me time and time again.
This is not to say I can live my life anyway I choose because my mind
is not my own, my body is not my body anymore because I have given
myself over to Christ Jesus and it's a WONDERFUL thing because I can
not compete with Satan by myself...but as Christ as my leader and I
obey what Jesus Christ tells me to do, I'm a winner each and every time.
The second devotion that comes from rbc ministries
let's us know that when we say goodbye to loves one and we are both
true Followers of Jesus Christ it's not really "Goodbye", it's "Goodbye
for now." ^_^ Knowing that we do see one another again will be so
wonderful, so much joy. To know that we will not have to suffer no more
pain, no more diseases, no more decent, just pure happiness and being
in the presence of God is truly a wonderful thing. This is the
wonderful beauty of living a Christian life, not only does God want you
and I as Christians not to worry where we go when we die but to have a
wonderful life here on earth as well. I have said time and time again
that many non believers think that being a Follower of Christ Jesus is
a "restrictive" life but that is a lie from Satan himself...it's one of
the most liberating life to live.
