Showing posts with label bitterness. Show all posts

Tuesday, August 2, 2016

Let Not Your Heart Grow Cold - Now Think On This by Steve Martin

Let Not Your Heart Grow Cold

Now Think On This

Steve Martin

“Above everything else, guard your heart; for it is the source of life’s consequences.” Proverbs 4:23, Complete Jewish Bible)

I had woken up trying to fight off bitterness and resentment in my mind. I didn’t want it to overtake my heart.

In the dream I just had, my wife Laurie and I were ushers for a large gathering. I don’t recall if it was on a ship, at a conference, or a special church event. It seemed as if we had been part of the “invited guests” list, being a part of the group, but chose to be servants for the others by ushering. We had been doing this for a number of years.

As the dream continued, around 10 pm, when the meeting was over and all had left for the banquet, we too went to get our food, expecting to receive what the others would have gotten earlier. Along the way I passed several tables which had key lime pie available on small plates, as the desert. Thinking I might want a piece before they were gone, I picked up one plate and began eating the slice of pie. (I must have been hungry!)

When I got to the food line, where the food had been set up in cafeteria style for large crowds, all I could see left were turkey wings – basically bones with a little meat on them – and some mashed potatoes. I asked the servers if there was anything else left, and they said no. They were preparing for the next meal, but I couldn’t have that.

I then woke up (the red digital lights read 2:22 am on the clock) and I laid there for at least 20 minutes, trying to guard both my mind and my heart from the thoughts of bitterness, anger and resentment that threatened to overtake me. Here we had just served all these people, and yet nothing good was left for us to partake too.

It was a real struggle, as my mind thought back over the years when my service in ministry could at times have been taken for granted. Would I allow this attitude to get the best of me now at this point in my life?

There are three things I felt the Lord was trying to tell me. He may also do the same with you through this dream.

1. We are in a spiritual battle. In these last days, our hearts can grow cold due to the atmosphere around us, with darkness trying to constantly overtake everything. We are in a real battle for our souls and those we are in contact with.

2. As we grow older in the faith, and in our bodies, we can become cynical, seeing things happen over and over again, with no change happening. It can wear us down and cause us to pull back from engaging with others, and giving in service to them out of love.

3. If we allow weeds to fall in our spiritual soil and grow roots, they will consume the good wheat that has also been planted. A root of bitterness can destroy your spiritual walk and testimony. “See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled;” (Hebrews 12:15, NASU)

Looking back in our faith walk, in order to keep moving forward, if we do not give thanks and continue to see with the Lord’s vision, we will give in to that which will steal our joy, our purpose, and our direction in this life. We must keep fighting the good fight, guard our hearts, and pray that they do not grow cold.

Remember, we serve a good God, and He is the Rewarder of those who seek Him. May He find faith when He returns. “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” (Hebrews 11:6, NKJV)

Lord, help us stay close to you.

(By the way, I did get another hour of sleep before I got up for Bible reading and prayer.)

Now think on this,

Steve Martin

Founder

Love For His People, Inc.

P.S. I would be most grateful if you'd share this encouraging word with your family and friends. They might need it. You can easily use the social media icons below. Thanks! Steve

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Now Think On This - In the New Year of our Lord 08.02.16 - #263 –“Let Not Your Heart Grow Cold” – Tuesday at 6:00 pm

All previous editions of Now Think On This can be found on this Blog, and on the website: Now Think On This

Again, I would be most grateful if you'd share this encouraging word with your family and friends. You can easily use the social media icons below. Thanks! Steve

Friday, February 19, 2016

How to Guard Your Heart From Bitterness by Lee Grady - IDENTITY NETWORK

How to Guard Your Heart From Bitterness by Lee Grady

IDENTITY NETWORK

Recently a friend of mine hurt me deeply. I felt betrayed and disrespected. I tried to pretend the insult was no big deal, but inside I was seething. I can always tell when resentment has invaded my life because I start obsessing about the pain. When I went to bed that evening, I literally felt sore. All I could think about was retaliation.

But just before falling asleep I mouthed a prayer. I meant what I said, even though my feelings begged me to retract the words. I prayed: "Lord, help me to forgive _____." Then, during the night I dreamed that I was enjoying a friendly conversation with this person. When I woke up, it felt as if we had really been talking!

It was a miracle. I realized the dream was God's way of softening my heart and taking out the offense. The Lord gave me the grace to forgive.

Ending Offenses

Perhaps you've been insulted, overlooked, stabbed in the back or mistreated - and now bitterness is poisoning your soul. Don't let it spread any further. You can nip your offense in the bud by following these guidelines:

Don't nurse your grudge. It feels good to our flesh when we replay an offense in our minds and then fantasize about hurting the other person. But if you star in and direct this dramatic movie in your head, you are going to be making sequels for months and years until bitterness makes you sick. Pull the plug on the whole production now.

Let go of all revenge. C.S. Lewis said: "To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable, because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you." No matter how a person offends you, be humble enough to recognize that you've probably done the same thing to someone else before. Quit sharpening your knives. You will be tempted to think about hurting the person, but remember that those knives are hurting you worse than anyone else.

Don't spread your bitterness. Sometimes you may need to vent to a close friend about what happened, but this isn't so you can ruin the reputation of the person who hurt you. If you share your pain with someone because you need advice, don't seek sympathy or go to those who have animosity toward the person who hurt you. That's like mixing toxic chemicals! Instead, go to mentors or friends who are mature enough to tell you the truth. You may feel mistreated, but the speck in your brother's eye may actually be a log in yours. A true friend will tell you that you are overreacting or being unreasonable.

Pray for good things to happen to the person who hurt you. Jesus urged His disciples to love and pray for their persecutors (Matt. 5:44). That's a foreign concept in this age when we unfriend people on Facebook just because they forgot to invite us to a party. Calm down, let go of your petty outrage and ask God to bless the person who offended you. Forgiving prayer will feel like a warm salve applied to your wound.

Reach out and expect to repair the relationship. Jesus places a high priority on reconciliation. He wants us to get along. If you are praying and you remember that someone has something against you, Jesus said, "First be reconciled to your brother" (Matt. 5:24). On the flip side, He said if someone has sinned against you, "go and reprove him" (Matt. 18:15).

In both cases Jesus commanded us to confront. And confrontation is never easy. We'd rather just avoid each other. We'd rather "bury our hatchets," pretending that our nasty attitude is gone just because it's well-hidden under our Sunday morning smiles. But true forgiveness is not burying a hatchet while we still hate a person inwardly; forgiveness requires us to surrender the hatchet to Jesus.

Ask for God's forgiving love to fill your heart. One of my favorite preachers, Corrie ten Boom, struggled to forgive the Nazis who beat her in the Ravensbrück prison camp. After the Germans surrendered, she met a former Nazi guard in the street, and he told her he had become a Christian. He reached out his hand and asked her for forgiveness. She couldn't look at him.

But then Corrie remembered Romans 5:5, which says, "The love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit." She realized that when we don't have the capacity to forgive, God gives us the love. Jesus changed Corrie's heart.

Corrie added: "God's love is stronger than my hatred and unforgiveness. That same moment I was free. I could say, 'Brother, give me your hand,' and I shook hands with him, and it was as if I could feel God's love streaming through my arms."

Jesus didn't promise a life without offenses. Hurt happens. But He provided the way to keep resentment from ruining our lives. As we enter this new year, make a conscious decision that you will embrace a life of miraculous forgiveness.

Lee Grady

www.themordecaiproject.org

Go here to read more articles by Lee Grady.

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How to Overcome Unforgiveness and Bitterness

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Monday, October 19, 2015

Prophetic Destiny: 3 More Tests of an Overcomer - Che Ahn

Here are more tests to pass before you will see your prophetic dreams come to light. (iStock photo )

Prophetic Destiny: 3 More Tests of an Overcomer

Get ready to step into a new season.

September 13-15 marked the beginning of a new year on the Jewish calendar (5776). While nowadays we use the Greco-Roman calendar system, I feel the Jewish calendar has prophetic significance, and I always sense something stirring in the spirit around this time of year.

Usually coinciding with Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement), September is also a significant month for me personally: It's when I got married to the love of my life, when I was ordained and when I received a prophetic dream to move to Los Angeles.

This Jewish New Year is extra special because it is the Year of Jubilee. On the Jewish calendar, years are observed in seven-year cycles, with a sabbatical year on the seventh year. Then at the culmination of every seven cycles (a total of 49 years) comes the 50th year: the Year of Jubilee, when all agricultural work ceased, all land was returned to its original owner and all slaves were released into freedom! (See Leviticus 25:8-24.)

God wants to unload His immeasurable blessings on you in this New Year!

If you want to walk in the fullness of what God is doing, you must partner with His prophetic plan both for the church as a whole and for your own journey of faith.

On Tuesday, I shared the first two tests you must overcome to see your prophetic dream come to pass as you pursue your God-given destiny. Today let's take a look at the next three:

3. The Purity Test. In Genesis 39 the story of Joseph continues as he faced a test that every person has to go through: the purity test.

"Now Joseph was well-built and handsome, and after a while his master's wife took notice of Joseph and said, 'Come to bed with me!' But he refused" (Gen. 39:6-8).

Joseph passed the purity test with flying colors. What was his secret? He had the right perspective that was aligned with the fear of the Lord: "How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?" (Gen. 39:9).

If you want God's blessing and favor, you must flee from immorality—and run straight to the Lord!

4. The Prison Test. The next phase of Joseph's journey was another test of character. After being falsely accused of rape, Joseph was sent to the king's prison (Gen. 39:17-20). There he was sustained by the Lord as he kept his heart from bitterness due to injustice.

To overcome the prison test, you must persevere and hold onto hope that is anchored in God. Perseverance means fighting the battle while you are waiting.

Perseverance produces character (Rom. 5:3-5), and character is the key to supporting your destiny. Deep character comes through deep trials.

5. The Prosperity Test. Finally, through a series of God-orchestrated events—including extraordinary prophetic insight that came through the interpretation of dreams (Gen. 40-41)—Joseph came into a place of power and influence as his prophetic destiny unraveled (Gen. 40:38-44).

The final test boils down to how you handle prosperity and favor when it's given to you. It's not just about reaching your destiny but what you do with your destiny.

When God prospers you, it's your responsibility to intentionally give Him all the glory.

Joseph's story is a tale of trials and testing, but it's also a testimony of God's faithfulness to complete the work He started.

God has a dream for you! His thoughts for you are higher than yours, and you are called to greatness in His Kingdom!

Ché Ahn and his wife, Sue, are the Founding Pastors of HRock Church in Pasadena, California. Ché serves as the Founder and President of Harvest International Ministry (HIM) and the International Chancellor of Wagner Leadership Institute (WLI). With a Master of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry from Fuller Theological Seminary, he has played a key role in many strategic outreaches on local, national and international levels. He has written more than a dozen books and travels extensively throughout the world, bringing apostolic insight with an impartation of renewal, healing and evangelism.

For the original article, visit hrockchurch.com.

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Monday, October 12, 2015

Did You Learn to Love? by Kari Browning

Did You Learn to Love?

Kari Browning

The Identity Network

"So this is my prayer: that your love will flourish and that you will not only love much but well." (Philippians 1:9, The Message)

Did you learn to love?

This was the question that Bob Jones was asked when he died and went to heaven on August 8, 1975.

If we want to learn to love, we must become emotionally mature. We must put away, or render inoperative, childish ways. (1 Corinthians 13:11)

Many of us find ourselves "stuck" in behaviors that are rooted in fear, not love. Like the apostle Paul, we find ourselves behaving in ways that we do not want to. (Romans 7:22-25)

Many believers, including leaders, are bound by rejection, jealousy, anger, insecurity, bitterness, pride, fear, and other toxic emotions. Many have become addicted to drugs, alcohol, sex, gambling, food, etc.

Oftentimes, these toxic emotions and addictions are rooted in emotional hurts or unmet love needs.

How Do We Become "Unstuck?"

How do we release toxic emotions and come into a place of mature love? How do we get our love needs met in legitimate ways?

I believe we find the answers to these questions in both counseling and community. We need to get our love needs met in healthy community, and we also may need the help of someone skilled in healing the brokenhearted to help us identify and release toxic emotions and negative core beliefs and expectations.

When we experience an emotional hurt, we oftentimes form negative core beliefs and expectations. These beliefs and expectations usually are not conscious, but they are very powerful. They can even cause us to be drawn to people and situations that will reinforce these beliefs and expectations.

For instance, a woman who is raised by an abusive father may develop an expectation that "all men will abuse me" and may form a belief that she has no value. She finds herself drawn to one abusive relationship after another, and that expectation becomes her reality. If she feels that she has no value, she will continue to allow people to abuse her.

Emotional Overreactions

When someone experiences emotional hurts and does not release the pain associated with them, they may find themselves in situations that "trigger" the painful repressed memories. When this happens, an emotional overreaction usually occurs.

When we find ourselves overreacting in situations, we need to discover the root issue causing this. We will need to release the pain that has been repressed in a healthy and productive way. If we don't, we often lash out at others, isolate, medicate ourselves, or go to food, drugs, sex, etc. for comfort.

When we've been hurt, we often put up a wall of self-protection around our heart. This wall keeps us from giving or receiving love fully.

The early Church leaders understood the connection between the body and the soul. (3 John 1:2) They understood that toxic emotions are at the root of many physical illnesses. (Proverbs 17:22)

Healing in Spirit, Soul and Body

They used the "laying on of hands" and natural remedies to bring healing to both soul and body. When someone was sick, they called for the leaders of the Church to anoint them with oils. Anoint means "to rub" or "massage." (James 5:14-15)

I believe the early Church leaders were trained in what oils to use for particular emotions and sicknesses. There are over 1,000 references in the Bible to oils or the plants that they are derived from.

Those coming for prayer also confessed their sins and released guilt and shame. (James 5:16) Guilt can sometimes cause physical pain as people unconsciously seek to punish themselves for the wrongs they have done. I have seen physical pain instantly leave a body when guilt was released and forgiveness was received.

Jesus came to heal us spirit, soul, and body. (1 Thessalonians 5:23)

The ancient paths are being restored (Jeremiah 6:16) and we are learning how to love.

Kari Browning

New Renaissance Healing & Creativity Center

www.newrenaissance.us

kari@newrenaissance.us

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Sunday, October 11, 2015

7 Weapons the Enemy Uses to Defeat You - CHARISMA NEWS

The powers of darkness will use a variety of methods to oppress man's basic nature seeking to gain a foothold of intimidation, domination and control. (Charisma archives)

7 Weapons the Enemy Uses to Defeat You

There are seven mighty weapons the enemy primarily uses from his arsenal.

1. Pride

The kingdom of darkness was birthed in the pride that filled Satan's heart (Is. 14:12-18). Satan's arrogance had its roots in his physical beauty (Ezek. 28:12-18). The original sin took place in the Garden of Eden, as a result of the serpent's appeal to the pride of Adam and Eve (Gen. 3:1-7). Pride is one of the three root sins of mankind.

"For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father, but is of the world" (1 John 2:16). Satan will use pride to keep people from seeking God (Ps. 10:4). Jesus said pride comes out of the heart of a person and defiles them (Mark 7:22). Pride is the root of all contention and strife (Prov. 13:10). The Apostle John wrote of the dangers pride and how Satan will use it to fight against the church.

"I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to put himself first among them, did not accept us. Because of this, if I come, I will bring up what kinds of works he does: ranting against us with malicious words. Not content with that, he does not accept the brothers, and stops those who want to, and throws them out of the church. Beloved, do not imitate that which is evil, but that which is good. Whoever does good is from God, but whoever does evil has not seen God" (3 John 9-11).

"Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall" (Prov. 16:18).

2. Greed

Satan's heart is not only filled with pride but with greed.

"You were the anointed cherub that covers, and I set you there; you were upon the holy mountain of God; you walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. You were perfect in your ways from the day that you were created, until iniquity was found in you. By the multitude of your merchandise, you were filled with violence in your midst, and you sinned; therefore I have cast you as profane out of the mountain of God; and I have destroyed you, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire" (Ezek. 28:14-16).

Satan tempted Balaam to prophesy against the people of God for great wealth (Num. 22-23). The apostle Peter warned the church in 2 Peter 2:1-16 of the demonic strategies used against Balaam. Jude warned of these same strategies in Jude 1-11.

Jesus also warned the church at Pergamos of these satanic strategies (Rev. 2:14). The apostle Paul wrote to Timothy that the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. He gave five dangers of greed in 1 Timothy 6:9-10. It makes a person more vulnerable to temptation, it sets a spiritual snare, it creates foolish and hurtful lusts which will drown a person in destruction and perdition, it causes a person to err from the faith, and it pierces a person through with many sorrows.

Jericho was the tithe city of the promise land, set apart by God. No one was to take spoil for themselves, it was all to go into the treasury of the Lord (Josh. 6:17-19). One greedy man took some of the spoil bringing judgment upon himself, his family and the nation of Israel (Josh. 7:1-21).

Ananias and Sapphira lied to the Holy Spirit when they told the Apostle Peter in Acts 5:1-10 that they were bringing the whole price of their land as an offering to God. They kept part of the money for themselves, lying to the Holy Spirit and the apostles. Judgment was both swift and deadly.

3. Appetites of the Flesh

Demonic forces corrupted the early generations of mankind through sexual sins (Gen. 6:1-5). Satan trapped the Israelites by tempting them with sexual sins in Numbers 25:1-8 and 31:16. Satan took down Samson in Judges 16:5-20 by enticing him through the appetites of the flesh.

The apostle Paul warned the church at Thessalonica of this powerful weapon of the enemy (1 Thess. 4:1-8), and also warned his spiritual son, Timothy, of the strong snare these appetites are to men of God who want to be vessels of honor in the house of the Lord in 2 Timothy 2:19-26.

4. and 5. Rebellion and Stubbornness

Satan is the author of rebellion. He planned an attempted overthrow of heaven as described in Isaiah 14:13-15. He prompted a rebellion against Moses and Aaron by Korah and Dathan in Numbers 16:1-50. Saul was a self-willed and rebellious king over Israel, animated by powers of darkness (1 Sam. 13:1-14, 15:1-11).

We read in 1 Samuel 15:23 that rebellion is like witchcraft and stubbornness is like iniquity and idolatry. The apostle Paul warned the church in 2 Timothy 2:23-3:9 of the dangers of rebellion and stubbornness.

6. Bitterness

Unforgiveness gives the enemy a foothold (Eph. 4:26-27). "Give place to the devil" in Ephesians 4:27 means to give him an area of jurisdiction.

Jesus declared in Matthew 18:21-25 that unforgiveness in a person's heart causes God to have to turn you over to tormentors. Bitterness will bring defiling into every area of a person's life, relationships and endeavor (Heb. 12:14-16).

7. Condemnation

Satan was the accuser against Job (Job 1:1-12, 2:1-7). He is called "the accuser of the brethren" in Revelation 12:10 and accuses the believer to God day and night. The tactics he uses are domination, intimidation and control. The Midianites used these tactics to keep Israel in bondage to their tyrannical rule in Judges 6:1-5.

In 1 Samuel 17:1-24 we read that the Philistines used this same tactic against Israel with Goliath. The enemy has used this mighty weapon to control people, groups and nations for centuries. The following are some examples of the means used by the enemy in history.

In his book Western Civilizations, Edward McNall Burns says that the Assyrians "depended upon frightfulness as a means of overcoming their enemies. Upon soldiers captured in battle, and some upon noncombatants as well, they inflicted unspeakable cruelties such as, skinning them alive, impaling them on stakes, cutting off ears, noses and sex organs, and then exhibiting the mutilated victims in cages for the benefit of cities that had not yet surrendered. The accounts of these cruelties come from the records of the Assyrians themselves. Their chronicles boasted of them as evidence of their valor."

The Roman Empire used crucifixion and other means of cruelty to intimidate their subjects. John Foxe, in his book Foxe's Book of Martyrs, says: "'In so much that (as Eusebius recordeth) one might then see cities full of men's bodies, the old there lying together with the young, and the dead bodies of women cast out naked, without all reverence of that sex in the open streets.'"

The Nazi's used open cruelty to bring intimidation, domination and control. Kazimierz Smolen, in his book Auschwitz 1940-1945: Guide-Book Through the Museum, says: "The prisoners then recalled scraps of information so nightmarish that it could hardly be believed. They went back to the period just after the end of World War I, when the name of Corporal Adolph Hitler had begun to appear ... his storm troops (SA), the main purpose of which was to spread terror ... demonstrations occurred in Berlin in 1932. ... Reich Stag was set on fire. ... Unused factories were changed into the first concentration camps. The Nazis had put thousands of Germans behind wires and bars. 250,000 anti-fascists were sent to concentration camps up till 1939, and 32,000 among them were executed with the ax."

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Tuesday, October 6, 2015

NOW Is The Time - Now Think On This by Steve Martin

NOW Is The Time

- Now Think On This

by Steve Martin

“There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven.” Ecclesiates 3:1 NAS

When the Word of the Lord comes to you and speaks softly in your inner spirit, saying, “NOW is the time,” you know that you know it is time. Something in your spirit then responds “Yes!” He doesn’t have to spell it out for you. That “it” – that something you have been waiting for, is now going to happen. You just know that it is the time. He has spoken.

Each of us are waiting on something. Some of you for a decent job, to replace the one or two part-time ones that you have had for awhile. Or the current job that you now have causes you to drag yourself out of bed each weekday morning, hoping that soon another will soon come along.

Others are anticipating the day when they will meet “the one”, trying not to lose hope in the process.

One of you reading this just wants the Lord to heal that nagging, hurting nerve. It has been painful for over a year now, causing loss of sleep and all that comes with a chronic issue. Enough already with the Aleve twice a day.

And yet several of you have been waiting for that release into your God-given dream; to touch the nations, to help the helpless, to have your life count for something, for all eternity. After all, the prophetic word came when you were 24. Now you are almost 40. What is up with that?

Waiting on the Lord and His timing can do one of two things. One, it can make you resentful that it hasn’t happened already, eventually turning your heart into bitterness for the Lord and His people, which then ultimately has you believing nothing that the Lord has spoken to you will ever come to pass.

Or two, you are maintaining that trust in His faithfulness, knowing deep down that though you can’t see the promise fulfilled, which may yet be far off, you keep pressing on. Because He has proven Himself to you in your past, you know that somehow, someway, someday He will be there to do it again. You are believing the Scripture for what it exactly says, and which has been speaking directly to you.

You really believe the Scripture, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1. NASB)

I especially like these following verses that talk about Abraham’s and Sarah’s faith. Being in my “latter” years, or better yet, my “fine wine prime time golden ways of gray hair days” years, they are especially meaningful to me.

“By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow heirs of the same promise; for he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God.

By faith even Sarah herself received ability to conceive, even beyond the proper time of life, since she considered Him faithful who had promised. Therefore there was born even of one man, and him as good as dead at that, as many descendants as the stars of heaven in number, and innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore. (Hebrews 11:8-12 NASB)

The Lord understands our weaknesses. He knows where we are at. After all, He created us.

Today I heard the Lord say, “NOW is the time.” I have been waiting. Let it now be done according to your word, my Lord.

He is speaking to you too. The waiting is over. NOW is the time.