Working On Your Testimony!

That pain,or uncomfortable situation is pushing you toward your God's  provision for your life. Provision has already been made through Christ on the cross, but you must get to a place where you can walk in it.

Don't suffer in vain, rather embrace whatever it is your going through by seeking God in through prayer, scripture & worship! No matter the severity or entirety of your pain, God can ultimately cause it to work to your good!

It is in God's nature to turned things around! 2 Corinth 5:17 & Rev 21:5 says, He makes all things NEW!!  God can take an old problem, an old hurt, an old divorce, an old mindset, an old addiction, an old arrest record, an old disease, etc adding His SUPER to our natural, and we walk away with; a healing, deliverance, restoration, reconciliation, expungement, rejuvenation! 

Then when you get through that particular trial, you will come out with a testimony of what God can do for your wife, husband, children, co - workers, employers, clients, & all who you come in contact with!! #LivingTestimony

GROWTH

Whatever you are experiencing today, whether boring, or exciting, seemingly insignificant or vital, wether tragic or joyous, ask God to help you grow as a result of it. When you have Christ, even tragedies and failures produce growth opportunities. 2 Corinthians 12:10 says, "When we are weak, He is strong!" These growth opportunities may not always come in a neatly wrapped as we would prefer, and are often intrinsic, therefore harder to recognize. My main point is that you don't discount your present situation and hinder potential dividends. Psalm 126:5 says, "They that sow in tears, shall reap in songs of joy!" You may be crying right now--consider those tears as an investment!
Don't walk away empty-handed! There is not one thing under the sun that we can't grow from, especially pain! If you keep the faith, God will not only bring you through, but you will come out stronger than ever!
He has done it for me, many times--God bless.

Want to know?

Want to know who someone is called to be, or the direction of their life? Look at who they run with. You run pigs, you might get fried!
1 Corinthians 15:33 says, "Bad company corrupts good character." 

Want to know the heart? Listen to the mouth.
Luke 6:45 says, "Out of the abundance of the mouth, the heart speaks." 

Want to know if those words from that mouth are true? Observe the actions. Matthew 7:16 says, You will know them by their fruit (actions), whether good, or bad.

The meditation of the heart will generates words and ultimately a course of action.

Psalm 19:14 says, "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in Your sight, Oh Lord, my strength, and my redeemer." We all either are, or have been like David was when he cried out these words to God. He was at a place in his life where he desired a change, of company (friends), words, thoughts, and actions. He was not satisfied with being the same as he'd always been, perhaps making the same mistakes, time after time as we all do. David was a man of battle, so he decided to get viligant with his situation and seek the Almighty, his protector and redeemer, the only one who could help him change.

Are you searching for fulfillment in your life? Are you tired of being the same old you, making the same mistakes, time after time, trying to change all on your own? Then cry out to God and He will help you and empower you with His Spirit to change!

A True Testimony

A testimony will provide these things:

1.    Impart the wisdom from above to it's hearers (1 Corinthians 2) practically all of the 2nd chapter

2.    Lift up Jesus, not us! (Revelation 10:19)

3.    Edify (1 Corinthians 14:4)

4.    Draw those who hear & see, closer to Jesus (John 12:32)

5.    Freedom (2 Corinthians 3:17)

A true testimony will not just be heard, but seen in the fruit of life of the one testifying. (Matt 7:16)  There will be evidence of the fruit of the Spirit lived out in that life. (Galatians 5:22-23)

Just as Christ Himself bore witness of the Father, so we seek to everyday, through our lives (words, actions, attitudes & choices), to bear witness of Christ.  For we are the Body of Christ!  Just as the men of God of old foreshadowed and bore witness of Christ the Savior who was to be revealed, so we ought to as the body of Christ to bear witness of Christ who is one day coming again, so others may be reconciled to Him.

Men, how to treat your wife. Written by: Stu Gray

I found this cool article online written by a man named Stu Gray for men on how to treat their wives. I found it interesting & full of wisdom.
1. Encourage your wife. Do you know what your wife's dreams are? Do you care? You should. She needs you to support her in her life. She doesn't want to be thought of as a second-class citizen. When you find out what she cares about, encourage her to go do it. If she feels like you won't let her, she'll end up resenting you down the road, and no one likes resentful people.

2. Become the spiritual leader of your home. Your wife needs you to be the spiritual leader. The old "if you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything" saying is true. If you don't lead your wife in spiritual situations, she might try to lead you, and this can cause pressure in your marriage.
3. Stop looking at porn. Porn introduces someone else into your relationship. Now, you may argue, "It's not a real person," but when you're trying to be intimate with your wife, that picture is all you think about. And guess what? Your wife also thinks that picture is all you're thinking about, which makes her feel used. Pornography distorts your mind when it comes to real intimacy—that real human being you share your bed with. So, ditch the porn. Become intimately involved with your wife instead.

4. Have healthy, encouraging male friendships. No more hanging out with guys who badmouth their wives. No more guys who check out porn and send it via email. You don't need that. Find guys who love their wives, and can encourage you to keep getting better as a husband, and as a man.

More from YourTango: One Person Doesn't Really "Complete You" Or Your Marriage

5. Speak kindly of your wife to her. Find something your wife does well and point it out. Then, make a big deal of it! Even if it's just vacuuming the house. Tell her you appreciate it. You know, there is a traditional Jewish custom that every Friday night for Sabbath, the husband and family honor the mother by singing her a song to tell her how wonderful she is. Now, I'm not saying you need to break out the vocals, but an outward display of appreciation is important. 5 Compliments Every Woman Loves To Hear

6. Speak kindly of your wife to others. No more badmouthing your spouse to your friends. The old adage works: "If you don't have something nice to say, don't say anything at all." First, your casual friends may not really care about your marriage. They could be either jealous of you or selfish. They could want you to hang out more often, so they may play up the "problems" that you tell them about. Second, there is no honor in airing your dirty laundry outside your marriage. Don't do it.
7. Help out around the house without complaining. I've written about this here on Traditional Love—there are some things that are simply part of life (i.e. taking out the trash, cleaning up the shower when it gets that black-and-pink mold in it, etc.) These are chores we just have to do. It's not even about showing love. It's taking responsibility.

8. Invite her to join in doing something you like. Maybe she never joins you watching the game because she doesn't understand it, or even more likely, she doesn't know why it's so important to you. Take time to explain why you like to do the things you do, why you want to share them with her, and then invite her to be part of them.

9. Make sure to take time for yourself. While you should invite your wife to take part in some things you do, you should also have activities you are able to enjoy for yourself. If you are constantly hanging around one another, you two might become weird drones that have no thoughts or feelings of your own! Make sure you find a hobby that is just yours to enjoy as a guy.

10. Be present. I think there is a real manhood crisis in our country, and it comes back to the family. I'll take it a step further: It's a problem brought on by husbands. Sometimes the man leaves, and the mother has to raise a family by herself. Sometimes, the husband just isn't present, even if he is physically there. Are you so exhausted by your life and work that you can't take a moment to be in the present with your wife and family? Turn off the electronics. Block out time that is for family only. Be present and fully engage with your wife. And remember: they say the best way to love your kids is to love their mother well. Want To Be A Happy Parent? Stop Trying So Hard

Success is useless without a successor!

Success is useless without a successor! 
What the business world calls "succession planning" the church calls "discipleship".
Think of those who've gone before you. Who trained you, poured in to you and discipled you? Now think of those who are to come. Who will train them, pour in to them and disciple them?

It's time for us to start giving back! There are 3 generations in the today's workforce and serving in the church simultaneously.
"Boomers (born 1946 to 1964)
GenXers (born 1965 to 1985)
Millennials (born 1982 to 2000)"

There are a total of five living generations including 
"Builders (born prior to 1946)
and a fifth, yet unnamed generation (born 2000 to present)

Pushing past the generational barriers and moldy methods, we all have the ability to receive much worth one from another, both young and old.  This is our duty and obligation, not only as a Christian, but as a human being. I think of Billy Graham who just preached his final message at 95 years old. Who was his target? Not any certain age group, but mankind as a whole.

I think of Jesus, who came to save us all. Although, He placed strong emphasis on little children, possibly because they are the future. Jesus was a progressive leader who has His mind on all generations! He was the greatest disciplemaker and succession planner of all!

Psalm 145:4 One generation shall praise Your works to another, And shall declare Your mighty acts.

What's On My Heart

That desire to seek God comes from Him and it starts from within you, by the Holy Ghost!  Not everybody after receiving Christ is instantly set free!  Even if they were, they would still have struggles that pop up later and continue to until Jesus comes back or they die.
     Romans 10:9 says, If you declare with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  You've done this! Right?  God knows your beginning from your end.  He loves you and is your
FATHER He is even when your earthly father forsakes you!
COMFORTER He comforts even when your friends, family, wife, husband, leaves you high and dry! HEALER He heals you from the inside out, even those scars no one else has seen!
PROVIDER He provides your every need & is forever on time in doing so! Even when money fails to support your every need!
PROTECTOR The government can ban all the guns in the world, but still couldn't steal my true source of protection!
     Philippians 1:6 6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. 
Hold on! The darkness will soon pass. God is not done with you!
Psalm 30:5 Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning! 
Hold to this Word and trust that God is all of these things and much more!! God bless :)