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pay the price on the cross
Faith

Reconciled To Wholeness By His Brokenness

by Dudley Anderson
written by Dudley Anderson

We’ve all seen the sign, “You break it, you take it!” on the wall in fine china shops or pottery stores, implying that if you bump over an item of merchandise, you pay the price. Well, there was this shop in town that stocked beautiful vases and glass finery.

One day a man entered the shop to browse its shelves. He wasn’t a rich man. In fact, he was a pauper, a man of low means. He had no way of paying for any of the items in that shop. Yet he gazed upon the splendour of a mink vase in the hope that one day he might be able to acquire it. With that, he turned to leave. As he did, his elbow caught the rim of the vase. Crash! It was in pieces.

“Hey!” yelled the storekeeper, “you there, that vase was priceless. You will have to cover its loss!”

“But… I’m so sorry,” said the man, “I… I could never pay for my transgression.”

I Will Pay the Price

A wealthy, elegant man in the next aisle heard the commotion and came over. He looked with compassion at the pauper as he trembled before the storekeeper. He could see that he was unable to redeem himself; that he did not have the means to reconcile his fault. “Here, said the rich man gathering up the pieces of the priceless vase. I will pay the price.”

1 Corinthians 11:24 – “and when He had given thanks, He broke [the bread] and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you”

God showed his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. I am that pauper who broke the vase. I had no means to reconcile my transgressions. My life was in pieces.  But God loved me so much that he sent his only son – his righteous graceful son – into the world to pay the price for my sin. He was wounded for my transgressions and crushed for my iniquities. Upon him was the chastisement that brought me peace. His broken body paid the price for my broken pieces.

How about you?

_________________
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the battle of choice
Faith

Love Is A Choice

by Dudley Anderson
written by Dudley Anderson

John was confronted by the greatest decision of his life. He had recently changed the focus of his career but, unfortunately, his new business was failing. His income had all but dried up. He was depressed and despaired. John was married with 2 young children and though his wife was doing what she could to keep the family afloat, their finances were thread bear. John and Pam drifted apart and they fought almost every day. John thought that if he could only walk away and start over, he would be happy. He used to love his wife when things were good but now… John faced a choice: to love or leave.

Jesus had just eaten a hearty meal for Passover and taken a walk up the Mount of Olives with his friends to pray. It was late. The eastern horizon was shifting to gentle mauve hew. Jesus knew that in a short while, he would be arrested, convicted and sentenced to death by crucifixion. His friends had fallen asleep against the trees. He loved these guys and Jesus knew that Father loved the whole world. After all, he had said these words in his teaching: “God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son,” and this love would be demonstrated by the event which was about to take place. He could have woken his disciples and led them back to town to go to bed. Jesus faced a choice: to love or leave.

John 15:13
Greater love has no one than this than to lay down one’s life for his friends.

Love is a choice. The butterflies and sparkles may have faded. The one you chose to say, “I do,” to, may not boast the same physique they had when you walked down the aisle. He or she may irritate you more than a thorn in the flesh. Your life circumstances may have changed and, as you face difficulties and trials at every turn, you may desire to simply walk away. You face a choice today: to love or leave. Only by the grace of the One who loved you and gave his life for your life can you make that choice. So, above the lure to take the easy way out, I say you today, choose love.

_________

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plan
ArticlesFaith

It’s Time To Execute The Plan: Go To The Other Side

by Vance K Jackson
written by Vance K Jackson

It’s time to do what God has called you to do. Whatever vision, dream, witty idea or invention that God has placed into your heart — it’s time to execute. The vision that God has placed within the walls of your heart is meant to bless the world. What gifts, talents, treasures, and abilities are you hiding? What skills are you not utilizing? What skills are you under utilizing? It’s time to pour out what God has poured into you. It’s time to execute. Now is the time. Now is the season. You were born for such a time as this.

The Ship Was Tossed With Waves

“But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary.” ‭‭(Matthew‬ ‭14:24‬ ‭KJV)‬‬

Matthew 14:22 KJV declares, “And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away.” Jesus commanded the disciples to get into a ship and go before him, unto the other side. Matthew‬ ‭14:22‬ ‭AMPC‬‬ puts it this way, “Then He directed the disciples to get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent away the crowds.” Jesus gave the disciples a couple of orders: 1. Get into the ship. 2. Go to the other side.

Has God given you a command? Has He given you some instructions to follow? The disciples were to obey Jesus’ instructions: First, get into the ship and then go to the other side. There was purpose waiting on the other side. Someone’s breakthrough was waiting on the other side. Someone’s deliverance was waiting on the other side. Someone’s healing was waiting on the other side. It’s time to go. It’s time to execute. Your obedience is critical.

As the disciples were crossing over, Matthew 14:24 KJV declares, that a storm arose and the ship was tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary. Notice, the Bible declares that after the disciples obeyed the Voice of Christ — the wind and waves didn’t appeared until they were in the middle of the sea. It wasn’t until the middle of the disciples’ journey when trouble arose.

Maybe you’re in the midst of your journey and you’ve obeyed God’s Instruction — and while you’re in the middle of the sea, all of a sudden the waves of life toss your ship. You’re in the middle of the journey and you can’t turn back. You’re in the middle of the sea and you can’t see the shoreline ahead of you. The waves of life seem to crash into your boat — wave after wave. Circumstance after circumstance. Situation after situation. What do you do? Where do you go? Who do you turn to?

The disciples were in a dire situation. Their boat was being tossed to and fro. It seemed as if they had no way of escape. Water filled their vessel. Matthew‬ ‭14:24‬ ‭AMPC‬‬ declares, “But the boat was by this time out on the sea, many furlongs [a furlong is one-eighth of a mile] distant from the land, beaten and tossed by the waves, for the wind was against them.” They were beaten and tossed by the waves, they were gripped with fear — until something happened in the middle of the night — during the Fourth Watch.

The Fourth Watch

“And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.” ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭14:25‬ ‭KJV‬‬

According to Matthew 14:25 AMPC, the Fourth Watch is between, 3:00am – 6:00am. Remember, a few verses back, in Matthew 14:23 AMPC, when Jesus had sent the multitudes away, and commanded the disciples to go to the other side — it was evening time. “And after He had dismissed the multitudes, He went up into the hills by Himself to pray. When it was evening, He was still there alone.” Matthew‬ ‭14:23‬ ‭AMPC‬‬. Now here are the disciples in the midst of the sea — in the middle of the night, during the fourth watch.

The disciples obeyed Jesus’ Instructions. They obeyed His Voice. They obeyed His Command to go over to the other side — and now the winds were against them. The waves were crashing against their ship. Just a few hours ago, they were positive that they heard God’s Instruction to get into the ship and to go over to the other side. So what went wrong? Why were the winds and waves against them? Why was it so hard?

It was in the fourth watch where the disciples’ fear and faith collided. ‭‭James‬ ‭1:8‬ ‭KJV‬‬ declares, “A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.” There are times when fear and faith collide and it’s up to you to choose who you will serve. Will you choose to move forward in faith? Or will you bow to fear? Will choose to trust in the Word of God? Or will you succumb to the wind and waves of life? You choose. Joshua‬ ‭24:15‬ ‭KJV‬‬ declares, “And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

Maybe, you’re in the middle of the sea, and the waves are crashing against your boat. Maybe, you’ve started well and you’ve obeyed God’s Command to start that business, start that ministry, launch that initiative or to write that book and now it seems as if the winds are contrary to your progress. It seems like the waves of life want to drown your progress. Maybe, like the disciples you’re in the Fourth Watch, your in the middle of the night, and the waves are trying to sink your ship. Be of good cheer — although it was dark and dire during the Fourth Watch it was in the fourth watch where Christ met the disciples out on the water.

In the midst of their turmoil, in the midst of their distress, in the midst of their chaos — Jesus met them. Matthew‬ ‭14:25‬ ‭KJV‬‬ declares, “And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.” God will meet you in the middle of your circumstance — even when it seems like all hope is lost — He will meet you in the Fourth Watch.

The wind did not distract Christ. The height of the waves didn’t matter to God. The storm didn’t move Christ. Matthew‬ ‭14:27‬ ‭KJV‬‬ declares, “But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.” Fear will sink your ship. Fear will cause you to forget what God’s Word has declared over your life. Be of good cheer and focus on Christ. When fear tries to grip your heart — focus on His Word. When the waves seem insurmountable — focus on Christ. If God told you to get into the boat and go to the other side — trust in His Word. Trust that He will not let you sink.

Be Of Good Cheer… It Is I

“But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.” ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭14:27‬ ‭KJV‬‬

As the disciples were frightened. They were full of fear. They were in the middle of turmoil and chaos. The wind and the waves seemed like it was too much to bear. While they were in the midst of the sea — in the middle of their circumstance — Christ came to meet them out on the water. The Great I Am is out on the water. Be of good cheer — Christ wants to comfort you. Be of good cheer — Christ wants to bring you peace. Be of good cheer — God wants to still your storm.

Notice, I stated that Jesus wants to still “your” storm. The storm did not bother Christ. In fact, Christ had dominion and authority over the wind and waves. The wind and waves were no competition for Christ. As they vehemently crashed upon the disciples’ boat — Jesus was walking on water. Notice that in the same environment that the disciples were struggling in — Jesus was thriving. Christ wants you to thrive in the midst of the storm. Don’t let the wind and waves of the world serve as distraction.

It’s time to go to the other side. The winds and waves may be vehemently crashing against your ship — choose to trust that Christ will not let you sink. Be of Good Cheer — Christ wants to meet you on the water. He’s waiting on you.

Maybe, you’re in the midst of a storm and the wind and waves of life seem like they’re more than you can bear — my brother or sister, choose to trust in God’s Word. Choose to trust that the waves and winds of life are not bigger than God. Don’t exalt the storm — choose to exalt Christ. Focus on His Word. Trust in His Promise. Our God will not let you sink.

Prayer:

Father God, in the Name of Jesus, I choose to trust You. Father, I choose to place my hope in Your Word. Lord, Your Word is greater than the problems that I face. Father, Your Word conquers all of my fears.

Father, Your Word crushes every storm and there is nothing that can compete against You. Father, You are greater. Father, You are more powerful. Father, You are Sovereign and I declare that You are Lord over my life. Father, I completely surrender to You now and forever.

In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

This article was written by Vance Jackson who serves on the leadership team of Word of Life Christian Ministries in Detroit, MI. For more resources, books, blogs and articles from Vance Jackson visit: www.VanceKJackson.com

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Articles

Achieving the Impossible Through Finding Daily Inspiration

by Jeff S. Bray
written by Jeff S. Bray

What is the one thing that gets you out of bed in the morning? Is it the first cup of coffee? The sound of your children getting ready for school? Maybe it’s your quiet time you spend before the hustle and bustle of the day. Or could it be the challenge of another day to be the example for which Christ has placed you on earth? What is your inspiration?

There are a variety of things that can motivate us. With each of us having a unique personality, the list of differences can be quite extensive. The things that get my blood pumping could very well be the things that make you cringe. And vice versa. For instance, I am not a coffee drinker. Yes, I will have an occasional cup, but I don’t live for coffee. Carolyn, she cannot function without her morning cup of joe. Heaven help her coworkers should I forget to brew the coffee in the morning.

With our daughter Audrey, every morning, we experience the same ritual. She lays comatose in bed until voices are raised for her to get up. She mopes around, not saying a word, from the bed to the closet then to brush her teeth. Somewhere in the middle of all of that, something clicks. Maybe it’s the thought of seeing a friend, or something exciting at school, but all of the sudden she perks up. She goes from the undead to bright and shining. She once again becomes the chatterbox we all know and love.

What Inspires You?

Just as Carolyn enjoys her coffee and Audrey somewhere finds her joy in the morning, each of us has that one reason for pushing aside the covers. Perhaps it’s a job we love. Even though unlikely, it could be true of you. A recent Gallup poll showed that only 15% of people enjoy their jobs. Are you among them? If so, wonderful! But if you are among the 85%, then you need that external source of inspiration to get through the redundancy of your day.

A source of inspiration can come from a wide variety of sources. Some being; an obligation to provide for your family, a commitment to your employer, or a belief that what you are doing actually makes a difference. Any of these can act as motivation to do your job, but are they genuinely inspirational? Is what you are doing spurring others into being inspired themselves?

Two Stories of Inspiration

I have several people to thank for the success I am experiencing. God, of course, is top of the list. Without His grace and love for me, I could not do what I do. All of this would be pointless without His hand upon my efforts. Without the people he has put in my path that have inspired me, then I would be the person I was just a few years ago; a man with an unfulfilled dream of becoming a writer.

Jeremy

It was not too long ago that I made a fresh commitment to writing. I have felt God’s call on my life for years… for decades. But I never seriously committed to putting pen to paper and making anything of it. That was until my good friend, Jeremy and I decided to do something about our procrastination. We both read a book called, Success is Not an Accident by Tommy Newberry. Then we sat down and put in writing our goals for the current year (2016).

It began with writing 100 goals we desired to accomplish within 25 years. In this task, nothing was off-limits. It is eventually broken down into sections, then to your top five. Then writing success statements about each goal. I can honestly say that the book changed my life. The person who introduced the book to me assisted in changing my life. We both took oaths from that day forward that we were going to do whatever it took to accomplish our goals in life.

June

Another event that pushed me forward was witnessing a friend’s success. She had an idea for a product called Chair Suits®. It was a fabric cover that she designs for most types of chairs. They are awesome. She had her product featured on a local television program. Her success convinced me that even if one lives in obscurity, you can still be discovered. She now has her own design company, and she has a been successful with her line of Chair Suits®.

The inspiration both Jeremy and June have given me urged me to follow my dream. You probably have similar stories of those in your life who have influenced you. Those who have enabled you to become the person you are today. Don’t discount those people and their impact. The choice is yours.

You can allow yourself to listen to the encouragement and rise to the next level, or you can choose to give in to self-doubt and fear and put your talent back on the shelf. That is what I did for twenty years. I can only imagine where I would be now if I had listened to my teachers, encouraging me to write.

Find Your Source of Inspiration

Another good friend in High School also encouraged my writing. In fact, that person is still in my life today. We have been writing accountability partners for the last year or so. We are consistently making sure we are both living up to our dreams and potential. Today, Bonniejean is succeeding with her own business, and this month she began her own podcast. Both of our dreams are coming to fruition.

Your dreams will be realized when you answer the call that the Lord places in your heart. Every one of you has a calling. Something specific that the Lord desires for your life, that only you can do. It may not be to write like Max Lucado, design like Louis Vuitton, or speak like Tony Robbins, but we all have that one thing that we do well. Go with it! You would not have a passion for it if you were not meant to do something about it. Stop saying you will do it tomorrow. Tomorrow never comes. I know, I said ‘tomorrow’ for twenty years.

The Three Questions

Inspiration can come from anyone; from a note from a teacher or seeing the success of a colleague. And inspiration can come from anywhere; a list of goals for 2018, a book on being successful, or sometimes even a brick to the head. Each of these can initiate that first step. Leave the what-ifs behind. Stop saying, ‘what if I fail’ and start thinking, ‘what if I succeed!!”

The sun will set tonight, and, Lord willing, it will most definitely rise in the morning. How will your life be changed tomorrow by what you do today?

I close with this. One of the exercises that Tommy Newberry gives in his book Success is not an Accident is to end your day by asking yourself three questions:

    • 1. What went well today?
    • 2. What could I have done differently?
    • 3. What will I do differently tomorrow?

Notice it does not say, what did I do wrong today? It’s all about growing. Always be positive. Look at what accomplishments you made — even the small ones. If you desire to write and you only wrote two sentences that day, that is a success. You have two more sentences than you did yesterday.

Now, that doesn’t mean that you can stay there. Remember the second question, what could you have done differently? Perhaps managing time better can give you extra opportunities to write or using downtime, like your lunch at work, to jostle down a few thoughts — every word matters.

The Final Word

Remember, praise every little success. Even small steps are getting you to where you desire to be. The most important thing is not to give up. You can and will accomplish your dreams. It may take some blood, sweat, and tears and a few years, but you will get there.

Find friends with goals of their own. Join with them in their journey. Build each other up through encouraging words and stern admonition. Because a friend is not only going to praise you when you do well, they will get after you when you begin to fall behind. They will remind you why you are doing this in the first place. And with that as your focus, you can accomplish anything.

 

 

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identity-godtv
Articles

Identity: Know Who You Are In Christ

by Matthew Bell
written by Matthew Bell

Identity is the key to unlocking your full potential. It is impossible to know what God has called you to do, in business or life in general, without first knowing who you are and who God has created you to be. You are not what you do, how you look, where you come from, where you’ve been, your accomplishments, your failures, the job title in front of your name, the PHD after your name, or anything other than this one simple thing: you are a child of God; a son or daughter of the most high King!

“The Life-Light was the real thing: Every person entering Life he brings into Light. He was in the world, the world was there through him, and yet the world didn’t even notice. He came to his own people, but they didn’t want him. But whoever did want him, who believed he was who he claimed and would do what he said, He made to be their true selves, their child-of-God selves. These are the God-begotten, not blood-begotten, not flesh-begotten, not sex-begotten.” – John 1:9-13 MSG

Follow Matthew Bell on Instagram for Daily Inspiration and Book Giveaways!

Identity: You Are Created In God’s Image

God created you in His own image. He calls you son. He calls you daughter. Your value and your worth are intrinsically deposited into your life through God’s infinite love for you. Jesus’ work on the cross gave your life the value that it has at the very moment you were created. God loved you and knew you before you were even created inside your mother’s womb.

God’s love for you is so big and so vast that He was willing to send His son to die in your place. Your life was purchased through the sacrifice of another’s life: Jesus, God in the flesh. Because of this very fact, your life has a value beyond measure. Your life was purchased with the blood of Christ. Through His son, God essentially gave His own life for you. That means that the value that God places on your life is on par with Jesus. Why would God sacrifice His only son to save you, unless the value of your life is truly worth saving?

“If it is true that the value of something is measured by what someone will pay for it, then we need to rethink our worth.” – Bill Johnson, Sr. Pastor Bethel Church, Redding CA

As Christian entrepreneurs, it is important to separate our career identity from our true identity in Christ. We are first a son or daughter of God. Our identity as a child of God is a revelation we need to have before we can operate effectively in any other aspect of our lives, especially business.

Pray this prayer with me:

Father God, give me revelation of the value of my life. Show me what it means to be your son (or daughter), loved unconditionally and without judgment and without shame. Help me to receive Your love and the revelation of who I am, as your child, in whom you are well pleased. Amen

This is an excerpt from Matthew Bell’s book The Kingdom-Empowered Entrepreneur. It is now available at Amazon. This post was written by Matthew Bell, a Christian entrepreneur, business leader, speaker, and founder of Bell Interactive.

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Articles

Simple And Pure What?

by Mark Kretschmar
written by Mark Kretschmar

As Christian believers, we are called to many things. We are called to live differently than “the world” and there are so many ways in which we can do that. It’s easy to struggle with all the things we should do and believe differently; we are tempted to pick and choose because there’s only so much we can change at once.

What if there were just one thing that would guide us into a complete Christian walk without some elaborate behavior-cataloging system running in our brains? There is…

Led astray

The Apostle Paul mentions it in a scripture not particularly well known, 2 Corinthians 11:3: “…I fear you have been led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.”

The Corinthians had things all messed up. They were dealing with sectarianism, pride, sexual sin, problems with communion, inappropriate use of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, internal disputes, and more. In his first letter, Paul addresses all of these things pointing them to Jesus in each of them. Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians is primarily devoted to Jesus as the motivation for everything that matters.

As he begins to close that second letter, he sums up the solution to all of their struggles with this: “I betrothed you to one husband, so that to Christ I might present you as a pure virgin. But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.” (2 Corinthians 11:2-3)

Relationship

While we born-again types love to talk about “relationship, not religion,” who or what is our relationship with? Upon examination, we may find that our devotion is to a church, a doctrine, or some set of Biblical ethics. All very righteous and godly, but is it devotion to Jesus, the person?

Paul puts his statement about devotion in the context of being the Bride. Are we devoted to Him as a husband? Do we make our choices and live our Christian lives only because it is right? Or are we consciously aware of doing it from devotion to Him,  the Man, the God, our Beloved? Do we do it because we know one day we will stand before Him and can offer our lives lived righteously as an offering of love and sacrifice for Him who loved us?

The 24 elders in Revelation have been given crowns as a reward for their righteous lives. They then cast those crowns at Jesus’ feet declaring that they lived as they did because they loved Him. Because they were devoted to Him. This was the motivation for their choices, not fear of judgment or devotion to doctrine, creed, or church.

Our gracious Father is working in us to will and to do of His good pleasure (see Philippians 2:13). His good pleasure is to draw us to Jesus (see John 6:44) and impart His love for Jesus into us (see John 17:26). Then we can live our lives inspired by His love and cast our lives at His feet.

This article was written by Mark Kretschmar.

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God's Time Is Now
Video

Your time is limited, make it count!

by Startup Revival
written by Startup Revival

What if I told you your time on earth is limited? What if I told you that you are going to die? I’m not trying to provoke you to fear. And I am definitely not prophesying your early death! I’m illustrating a simple fact. The time we have on this earth is limited and finite. At some point in the future our lives will end. In James 4:14, the Bible describes the ephemerality life in this way, “Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.” This passage is not intended to cause fear, but it illustrates a simple set of facts: 1) our time is limited, 2) we must use our time wisely in order to have the most impact.

Click here to sign up for the Startup Revival daily newsletter. Get daily motivation to help you enter into success!

If you only have 24 hours in a day, your success depends upon how you use the 24. 

The difference between billionaires like Oprah Winfrey, Warren Buffet, and Bill Gates is and the rest of us, is that Oprah, Warren and Bill use their 24 hours wisely. They don’t waste time. They don’t procrastinate. They take action, they work hard, they utilize productive habits, and they do it every single day.

God desires you to be successful. In John 10:10 Jesus very clearly states, “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” Jesus came so we may live life abundantly and to the full! 

In order to be successful, you don’t need more time, you don’t need more resources, you don’t need more stuff. God has equipped you with everything you need. You have Holy Spirit, God the creator of the universe, living inside of you. And you have 24 hours every single day, just like the rest of us. If you use your time wisely, commit your work to the Lord and invite God to be a part of everything that you do, you will be successful. I promise that.

Commit your actions to the Lord, and your plans will succeed. – Proverbs 16:3

Gary Vaynerchuk, an Internet personality, motivational speaker and successful serial entrepreneur,  when asked by a fan for three words of inspiration, famously responded with, “you’re gonna die.” It seems morbid and fear-inducing, but his heart behind it is quite the opposite. When we realize that our time on earth is limited, and in order to fulfill our dreams we need to productively use our time wisely, it changes how we think. I, for one, am less inclined to spend time sitting on the couch scrolling through Netflix trying to find something to watch. I would prefer to be reading a book, planning out my visions and dreams, or taking an online course, or doing something that can get me closer to fulfilling my life’s goals.

I want to encourage you today to go out and do something you haven’t done before. Take action where you haven’t taken action before. Turn an idea into reality. Plan out your goals for this year and make an attainable list of action items that can help you walk closer and closer to achieving your goals each day. Do something outside of your comfort zone. The God of the universe has created you in His image. Go show the world what that looks like and do something powerful today.

Click here to sign up for the Startup Revival daily newsletter. Get daily motivation to help you enter into success!

This post was written by Matthew Bell, founder of Startup Revival, an organization with a mission to launch and disciple Christian entrepreneurs all over the world. Matthew’s guiding principle is that we are created to create. The world needs more entrepreneurs. Build something.

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Motivational
Articles

The Top 10 Motivational Bible Verses For Work

by GOD TV
written by GOD TV

Motivational Bible Verses for Work

Need some motivation for work? Check out my top 10 motivational bible verses. Print all or some of these out and put them around your office or work area for encouragement throughout the day.

1. Give generously to them and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to. – Deuteronomy 15:10

Are you a generous person? Be excited! The Lord will bless you in everything you put your hand to. That’s a great promise! You get to give and the Lord gives more. Maybe that’s why it’s more blessed to give than receive?

2. May the favor of the Lord our God rest upon us; establish the work of our hands for us; yes, establish the work of our hands. – Psalm 90:17

The favor of the Lord rests upon the work of His people’s hands. He will establish your work, as you remain faithful.

3. You will eat the fruit of your labor; blessings and prosperity will be yours. – Psalm 128:2

As you work, blessings and prosperity will be yours!

4. Those who work their land will have abundant food, but those who chase fantasies have no sense. – Proverbs 12:11

Remaining faithful to work diligently will cause an abundance of food to be yours. What are you working towards right now? Stay faithful and steadfast, not getting distracted and the Lord will provide abundantly.

5. All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty. – Proverbs 14:23

If you’re working hard right now, don’t quit! You will see the fruit of your hard work. You will be profitable! Keep it up!

6. So I saw that there is nothing better for a person than to enjoy their work because that is their lot. For who can bring them to see what will happen after them? – Ecclesiastes 3:22

Do you enjoy your work? That’s perhaps one of the greatest gifts the Lord can bestow upon His people. May your workday be filled with joy.

7. Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the realm of the dead, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom. – Ecclesiastes 9:10

Are you working with all your might? May the Lord fill you with strength and might for the task set before you.

8. Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval. – John 6:27

Jesus is redirecting our attention towards Heaven and the reality of eternity. He wants us to show up with food to eat in the age to come. Work for food that endures.

9. Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters. – Colossians 3:23

Work as unto the Lord! You might have a boss. Regardless of your feelings about him or her, Jesus is whom you’re really serving. Work for Him with all your heart.

10. And to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands. –  1 Thessalonians 4:11

Paul highlights the importance of minding our own business and working with our hands. The Lord exalts the humble. In due time the Lord will promote you and reward you as you remain diligent to the task.

May the Lord encourage you through His word while working. There are some great promises found in the word of God that are good reminders throughout the day. Remain faithful and steadfast, watching for the hand of the Lord in your midst.

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Heart Motivation
Faith

The Heart Motivation to Prophesy

by Jared Laskey
written by Jared Laskey

The Heart Motivation

There are a number of questions we should ask ourselves before we minister or approach people, whether we are counseling them, encouraging or even prophesying over them. They include:

Do you value and love Jesus? Is your love for Him growing every day? Do you cherish His wonderful Holy Spirit? Are you loving God’s children? Do you love those who do not know Him? Are you genuinely caring for the person you are ministering to? These questions are pivotal, ensuring we have the right motivations for ministry.

Old Testament prophets and leaders were the few chosen spokesmen on God’s behalf. When the Spirit of God was limited to a select few. But now, under the New Covenant, all of us in Christ have the wonderful Holy Spirit and we are all part of the royal priesthood.

The Apostle Peter discusses this, saying, “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may declare the goodness of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light,” (1 Peter 2:9). In our present day and age, our ministry pattern and type is to be motivated by love, grace and mercy. Before we prophesy or minister, we must remain grounded in Scripture, declaring His goodness to all the world.

1. Our motivation needs to be love—love for God and love for others. Jesus summed up the law and the prophets when He was asked which Old Covenant command is the greatest. In Matthew 22:37-40 Jesus said “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

These verses do not state we are to love ourselves, but in saying “love your neighbor as yourself” it implies loving your neighbor as you know God loves you. When I was in India on a mission trip, I remember receiving a revelation of God’s love for the children ministered to each week at an AIDS hospital. I saw His love for them and learned to love them as He loves them. The love and mercy of God on these precious people was life-changing for me as they were responding to the gospel. And that is God’s love in action!

2. Our attitude is to reveal His love. 1 John 4:9-11 says, “In this way the love of God was revealed to us, that God sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. And in this is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we must also love one another.”

Ministry is not about the one ministering; it is about the one who enables and empowers the minister by His Spirit. Revealing His love is an amazing privilege. The signs and wonders that take place are all to point to His love. For a season in my previous youth ministry we saw God manifest gold dust and diamonds. This overflowed to our larger church meetings for all ages. When asked what these things meant, the answer was that He was revealing His love. And we are to do the same, first and foremost, by sharing the Gospel message.

3. Our character must apply His virtue and love in our lives. 2 Peter 1:5-7 says, “For this reason make every effort to add virtue to your faith; and to your virtue, knowledge; to your knowledge, self-control; and to your self-control, patient endurance; to your patient endurance, godliness; to your godliness, brotherly kindness; and to your brotherly kindness, love.” We need to continually grow in Him and it should be evident to others that we are making these efforts. This is to lead us to maturity, growing in His likeness and image. This is in fulfilling Jesus’ prayer in John 17 for us to be one as He is one with the Father.

God’s love is the key to all ministry.

This article was written by Jared Laskey of Fireborn Ministries. Jarred leads Destiny Church in Virginia Beach, Virginia and lives to see Jesus awaken this generation to the power of the Holy Spirit. He is also the co-author of Veronica’s Hero.

 

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baseball
Articles

The Heart Of A Champion: Boy Born With No Legs Pursues Baseball Dreams

by GOD TV
written by GOD TV

Boy Born With No Legs Pursues Baseball Dreams

Nine-year-old Gabe Davis of Berea, Ohio, was born in Ghana with a severe leg deformity that has forced him to endure 14 surgeries in his young life. But he’s not complaining. In fact, he’s probably out playing baseball!

God’s Call – Adoption

Over a decade ago, the Davises were told that they couldn’t have children. But several years and three precious children later, their family is thriving. Their youngest child, Gabe, was born an ocean away, but when Summer Davis saw his picture, she knew he was her child. She explains that it was a call from God.

The family functions as a team, pushing one another to pursue their dreams. Most of all, they remain undaunted and undeterred by others’ opinions of what Gabe should and shouldn’t do. If Gabe wants to play baseball like his older brothers, he will play baseball. His brothers will even serve as his legs.

Unmatched Determination

With the stated goal of playing in the Paralympics representing either Ghana or America, Gabe knows he has his work cut out for him. And he’s more than willing to put in the time and effort it takes. After working for three years to learn how to throw, he has got it down. According to his father, “That’s a big thing for him, when you learn how to throw and catch, you can play on a typical team.”

And that’s exactly what Gabe is doing. Playing on a baseball team with others his age – the Berea Tigers – Gabe holds his own. He can bat, run – propelled by all of his limbs – , throw, and catch. One of his older brothers carries him behind home plate, putting him in position to catch. Whenever Gabe feels defeated, his father reminds him, “Dude, you’ve gotta have confidence.”

Gabe’s coach recognizes his outstanding courage and work ethic, commenting: “Gabe’s fantastic. He’s all about effort, 100 percent effort. And he’s a pleasure to be around. Couldn’t ask for a better player or teammate.”

In a recent video, you can see him hitting a single and running to first base – SAFE and with an infectious grin.

The Bold Young Athlete

Gabe’s courage and boldness surpasses that of many his age. In a recent vacation with his family to Myrtle Beach, Gabe reached for his glove and asked the Myrtle Beach Pelicans – a minor league team that feeds into the Chicago Cubs – if he could play catch. The first baseman, Matt Rose, obliged.

Soon, Gabe was on the mound, throwing the first pitch – a strike! As the crowd gave him a standing ovation, Gabe cheered on the Pelicans: “Gooooo Pelicans! Let’s get this win!”

Although he wasn’t born with every advantage, Gabe is determined to make the most out of life; he’s not going to let it pass him by. He seeks out opportunities and then pours his heart and soul into them. Without a doubt, this is his approach to all of life – not just baseball.

If you need a pick-me-up today, watch this incredible video of a boy who, against all odds, is triumphing despite a seemingly debilitating deformity. He truly has the heart of a champion.

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