6 Reasons Why We Can Believe in God to Keep His Promises - BECKY DVORAK CHARISMA MAGAZINE

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6 Reasons Why We Can Believe in God to Keep His Promises

12/28/2015 BECKY DVORAK  charisma magazine

On the news, whether the source is secular or Christian, you read or hear about how sickness, disease, plagues, pain and suffering are on the rise. (Charisma archives)

On the news, whether the source is secular or Christian, you read or hear about how sickness, disease, plagues, pain and suffering are on the rise. Have you ever wondered why these devilish things are increasing?

When we preach from human reasoning, instead of the truth found in Scripture, people suffer. When we put all our faith in what the doctor says, in place of the Bible, miracles cease. When we trust secular psychology, rather than heed biblical counsel, healing is hindered.

We suffer from unanswered prayers when we give in to the world's system of doubt and unbelief, but we can change the situation around and learn to believe again. In order to do so, we need a reason to believe. Let's look to the Word, find our reason and believe.

• He is truthful. "God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He spoken, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?" (Num. 23:19).
• He is just. "He is the Rock; His work is perfect; for all His ways are just. He is a God of faithfulness and without injustice; righteous and upright is He" (Deut. 32:4).
• He is able. "And being fully persuaded that what God had promised, He was able to perform" (Rom. 4:21).
• He is willing. "Jesus reached out His hand and touched him, saying, 'I will. Be clean.' And immediately his leprosy was cleansed" (Matt. 8:3).
• He is faithful. "Faithful is He who calls you, who also will do it" (1 Thess. 5:24).
• His faithfulness is unconditional. "If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself" (2 Tim. 2:13).

Why You Can Trust God's Word:

• It's alive and powerful. "For the word of God is alive, and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intents of the heart" (Heb. 4:12).
• It is inspired of God. "All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work" (2 Tim. 3:16-17).

Benefits of Trusting God's Word:

• God's blessing. "Indeed, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it" (Luke 11:28).
• Freedom. "Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, 'If you remain in My word, then you are truly My disciples. You shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free'" (John 8:31-32).
• Protection. "As for God, His way has integrity; the word of the Lord is proven; He is a shield to all those who take refuge in Him" (Ps. 18:30).
• Knowledge and understanding. "For the Lord gives wisdom; out of His mouth come knowledge and understanding" (Prov. 2:6).
• Life and healing. "My son, attend to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes; keep them in the midst of your heart; for they are life to those who find them, and health to all their body" (Prov. 4:20-22).

If you will spend time and meditate on these Scriptures, you will find your reason to believe in God and His Word again.

Becky Dvorak is a prophetic healing evangelist and the Destiny Image author of DARE to Believe and Greater Than Magic. Visit her at authorbeckydvorak.com.

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Throughout our lives, God keeps His hand on our shoulders and nudges us on to more than what we could ever realize. I am excited to share how He did it this with me, and am confident mine will be a story you’ll be able to relate to. 

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6 Reasons Why You May Be Waking Up Tired - CHRIS PRITCHARD/NEWSMAX HEALTH CHARISMA MAGAZINE

There are many reasons why you may be waking up tired. (iStock photo )

6 Reasons Why You May Be Waking Up Tired

12/15/2015 CHRIS PRITCHARD/NEWSMAX HEALTH  charisma magazine

Do you find yourself waking up tired because you're not sleeping well? You're not alone. Almost 70 million others—slightly more women than men—are sleepless in America for a variety of reasons.

But the good news is that for most sufferers it's a problem that can be easily solved without resorting to expensive sleeping pills or other costly treatments. A half-dozen simple lifestyle changes can improve your sleep quality, experts say.

The first thing to do: Don't allow yourself to be overly concerned about sleeplessness, which can exacerbate the problem, says one of the world's leading sleep experts.  

"Tossing and turning while being anxious makes things worse," notes Christopher Magee, an internationally known sleep specialist and psychologist.  "It's a good idea to take a break from trying to sleep. Get up and read or to have a drink of water." 

Magee's own research—which has been published in major scientific publications including the Journal of Sleep Research, Preventive Medicine, and Sleep Medicine—has found that most people experience sleep problems from time to time. 

"Occasional poor sleep is quite normal and not a cause for concern," notes Magee, deputy director of the Center for Health Initiatives at Australia's Wollongong University.

But if sleep problems persist for more than a few weeks and adversely affect daily functioning, he says "it's a good idea to seek advice from a health professional."

It's not just the quantity of sleep that matters, but the quality, he adds. 

Low-grade sleep, from which you wake tired and exhausted, isn't good for you. Your body and mind need deep sleep for it to be restorative. Poor sleep has been linked to a range of health problems, including heart disease, high blood pressure, depression, stroke, and diabetes.

"We should wake feeling rested—not necessarily energetic and full of vigor immediately after waking, but feeling we've had a good sleep," Magee explains.

"Even if people think they've had 'enough' sleep, quality may be poor. If sleep is fragmented, with waking through the night, it reduces time spent in deep, restful sleep. This can contribute to daytime lethargy and fatigue."

What's more, "one size fits all" sleep recommendations don't apply to everyone. Experts divide sleeping patterns into two types: "short" and "long." A tiny minority of people function well on "short" sleeps, defined by doctors as less than six hours nightly, while the vast majority need "long" periods of slumber—seven to nine hours (with eight generally cited as typical). 

Magee has identified the following six most common causes of sleeplessness and simple no-cost methods to beat it, based on his own research and the findings of many sleep studies:

● Stress:  "It's a major cause of problems falling asleep and getting good-quality sleep," Magee notes. "Maintaining healthy lifestyles with stress reduction techniques—even just winding down after work—can be beneficial."

● Alcohol: "Though alcohol initially has sleep-inducing effects, research shows it adversely impacts sleep quality, particularly in the latter half of sleep," he explains. "Avoiding excessive consumption of alcohol within a few hours of bedtime is important in promoting good sleep."

● Caffeine: People who drink large amounts of the stimulant caffeine in coffee, energy drinks, or soda are more likely to have problems getting to sleep. "Avoiding caffeine after the early afternoon helps promote good sleep," Magee says.

● Exercise: It's generally good for sleep and overall health but "vigorous bouts just prior to bed increase physiological arousal, making it harder to fall asleep." Magee notes.

● TV and mobile devices: "Cellular devices and electronic media in the bedroom are linked by researchers to poorer sleep. Furthermore, watching excessive TV or prolonged computer use prior to bed can make it harder to fall asleep," he says.

● Poor sleep habits: Studies confirm individuals with irregular bedtimes and wake-up times are likely to have poorer sleep. "Maintaining regular sleep and wake-up times ... benefits physiological regulation of sleep," Magee points out.

He adds that some sleep problems can be caused by more serious health disorders that may require the attention of a medical professional, including chronic insomnia, obstructive sleep apnea, and restless legs syndrome. 

"There are often measures [available] to minimize the adverse influence of these disorders," Magee notes.

But for most people, occasional insomnia is nothing to lose sleep over, and can be resolved with simple lifestyle adjustments. 

For the original article, visit newsmaxhealth.com.

For a limited time, we are extending our celebration of the 40th anniversary of Charisma. As a special offer, you can get 40 issues of Charisma magazine for only $40!

NEW from CHARISMA: Do you want to encounter the Holy Spirit and hear God speak to you? Increase your faith, discover freedom, and draw near to God! Click Here

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