Shop Category: Spiritual Growth

A Word For You!, Spiritual Growth December 16, 2009

Spiritual Work

     Many go about doing works, even “good” works, but where is the man who will take up the spiritual work of the Lord?
     A spiritual work is that which is initiated by and fulfilled through the Holy Spirit. As the body of Christ, we must realize that any effort to fulfill or accomplish something apart from the Spirit (in the flesh) is really a lost effort. It does not lead to kingdom results though it may outwardly appear to be successful.  This is a huge problem in the body of Christ today since most measure success by standards other than those established by the Lord.  God does not have an issue with success, wealth, or material possessions; nevertheless, the truly successful life is the one governed and led by the Holy Spirit. 
     The man or woman governed by the Holy Spirit will accomplish spiritual work. The spiritual man or woman obeys the guidance of the Holy Spirit. He is sensitive to when he is leading and when he has stopped.  This sensitivity and spirit of obedience are not so much reflected in what is done, but in the ability of the work (God working through you) to touch the spirit of another.  When the spiritual work you do touches the spirit of another it will cause an increased consciousness of the reality of God. This raised awareness brings people to the dynamic power of salvation and the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
     Many in the world today are in need of the power, presence, and ministry of the Holy Spirit. The church is now being prepared (purified and restored), called upon (taken out of obscurity), and sent (not by man or organization but by divine commission) to respond to that need: the need for reconciliation with God as well as restoration of the joy of salvation among believers.
     I hear him ask, who will go?  Who will be crucified with Christ to that extent that only the life of the Spirit is released?  Beloved of God, commit to living a life surrendered to the Holy Spirit so that you can truly be a co-laborer with the Lord.   Let all your work be spiritual.
Blessings to you!
MC

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Spiritual Growth December 4, 2009

Conversations on Spiritual Living: Humility

Humility is the truest evidence of divine revelation. 

In a world where there is no shortage of information or revelations, let us always remember that God’s revelation has greater purpose than to simply excite. 

Revelation from the Lord actually incites you to live a holy life, inspires you to trust Him completely, and ignites a greater passion in you to obey His word and depend on Him completely.

What did your latest “revelation” produce in you?

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A Word For You!, Spiritual Growth November 24, 2009

Do You Really Respect God? 3 Questions to Help You Know For Sure

  Although most would answer the question with a resounding yes, the real proof is evidenced in the tone and tenor of your life. Your true level of respect for the Lord is revealed through your attitude, your words, and your actions.  Respecting God is a critical step in living a powerful, faith-filled life.  
  Respect for the Lord is more than sentiment or philosophical concept; it is a deep regard and reverence that leads to trust and obedience. The Bible uses the phrase, “the fear of the Lord,” to convey the deep meaning of the respect that is required for successful spiritual living.  
   Job 28:28 declares that the fear of the Lord is wisdom. So then, in this case fear should be considered synonymous with respect. Respect or reverence for the Lord produces biblical wisdom. This wisdom serves as the catalyst for you to live a successful spiritual life as well as reproduce it in others. So, I ask again, “Do you really respect God?”

  Respecting the Lord produces true wisdom which, in turn, creates the momentum for living a life that continually glorifies God. You will live an authentic life consistently and purposefully using your gifts, talents, and abilities to positively impact the kingdom. Ultimately, you live the life God designed for you, full of fellowship with him and accomplishing purpose. Your respect for God should be more than mere verbal sentiment but should be clearly and consistently revealed in your life. Take a moment and consider your answers the following questions:

1.  Does your attitude reveal respect and faith? Respect for God is a heart issue and the issues of your heart are revealed in your attitude.  Your attitude is the position of your mind on a situation based on fact or circumstance. It is the decision you make on how you will think, act, or feel about something and the actions that result from that decision. As Christians, we are to base our attitudes on the facts of faith and not temporary nature of circumstances.  When your mind truly agrees with the facts of faith and the word of God, you will maintain a proper attitude.  You will not live as someone who has no hope, feel defeated or alone even when the circumstances of life seem to reflect that.  Your attitudes must be based on the sovereignty of God. You have confidence that God is aware of your situation. You are certain that the good work He started in you He is faithful to complete. You have confidence in the fulfillment of the promise or vision even if it is delayed. Poor attitudes reflect a lack of respect for God and typically result in diminished faith, confidence, and overall victory. You can see this best when things aren’t going according to your plan or there is delay or in the face of dwindling resources. Again, I remind you that God is not surprised by any circumstance or situation you face. He wants you to learn to keep a faith-filled attitude no matter what.  Remember that your attitude in any situation should be based on the truth of what God has declared, not in your circumstances. When you do this, your attitude will always reflect that your hope is in God.
2.  Are your words consistently full of reverence and respect for him? How and what you speak as important as life and death.  Consider, Proverbs 18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.  God has given you the power and ability to speak. Your words shape your life because your words reveal what you really think and believe. Your words even have the power to block the move of God in your life.   For example, consider the person who will not say that they are in some type of pain because they think it might be a negative confession. This is faulty thinking. Having pain is not problematic for God.  He is our healer. Denying pain is equivalent to lying which opens up a multitude of problems.  One of the problems of lying is that you can not see, let alone experience, the kingdom of God. Acknowledging a situation or having a challenge is not the problem. God knows this will occur in your life. Refusing to submit the situation to the authority of God is a problem. Let’s continue with the same example.  You go to a doctor’s office in pain but say nothing about this pain when asked what’s wrong. The doctor then finds no abnormalities and sends you home. You can not complain that the doctor did not treat you for pain. You didn’t tell him specifically what you needed. In the same manner, failing to declare truth in the presence of God does not open you up to the magnificent power available to you. To deny the truth locks out the power of God to move. Your words are the evidence of the persuasion of your mind. They reveal the faith that lies within you. They show that you believe and respect God. As you increase in this area of respect, be sure your words are full of faith and reverence for him as you walk according to his will.

3.  How much respect for God is revealed through your actions?  Actions are the final frontier because those things that are revealed through the body are really only a demonstration of what we have already believed and spoken.  Action does not occur independent of belief. When you respect God your actions are not contrary to the word or the will of God.  When you respect God your actions are in line with what He has commanded. You should consider the fact that actions that are not motivated by the Holy Spirit, however good or well-intentioned do not please God. God always examined the heart and motives that precede the action. A lack of respect for God can be shown in actions as simple as looking for a job when He has told you to stay home and focus on your children or as complex as failing to maintain a prayerful life while making every possible excuse for your prayerlessness.  Your actions truly reveal how much you respect God. If there is incongruity between what you say you believe and what you actually do, you should check the source of your unbelief, repent and allow the Holy Spirit to refocus you. Make a commitment to keep your actions in line with the motivation and agenda that comes from the Father.
  Finally, remember respect or reverence for the Lord is found in how you honor and give proper place to his authority in your life. It is revealed in your attitudes, words, and actions. Increase your respect for God and you will have good success.
Spiritual Development Plan:   Set aside 5 days to really contemplate the concept of respect. 

Day 1 Read Job 28, Psalm 111:10, Proverbs 4:5-7.
Day 2 Review point 1; journal your answer to the following questions: Describe your attitude in these situations: work, home, church, relationships.  How can my attitude reflect my reverence for God more consistently in these areas?
Day 3 Review point 2; journal your answer to the following question: What can I do to ensure my words demonstrate faith and not frustration? Write down 3 promises from God that might help tame your tongue. 
Day 4 Review point 3; Imagine your life being secretly recorded for 24 hours then journal your answer to the following question:  What would a Jesus say about your level of respect upon viewing the tape? 
Day 5 Spend an additional 15 minutes in prayer. Focus on your attitude, words, and actions truly and consistently demonstrating the level of respect you have for God in your daily life.

“And unto man he said, Behold the fear of the Lord is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.” Job 28:28

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A Word For You!, Spiritual Growth October 29, 2009

Conversations on Spiritual Living: An Introduction

I hear a clear call for the church to “be” more spiritual. The call is not to be spooky or increasingly strange but more spiritual. This is not spirituality from the world’s perspective but a call to experiencing life led by the Holy Spirit.  A more spiritual church is a powerful, power-filled, excellent, effective, joyous church. And you, beloved of God, are the church.  So then as a believer the call is for you to be consistently led by the Holy Spirit. You are to surrender to the work of the Holy Spirit in your life which enables you to freely release the life of God on Earth.  To be led by the Holy Spirit is to stop heeding your own guidance and the world’s way of thinking and acting. It means to accept the Lord’s way and follow it.  Being led by the Holy Spirit is not a matter of emotion, feelings, or even supernatural manifestations.  It is a complete surrender to the will of God. It is recognizing that God’s way is perfect. It involves embracing it, loving it, and following it. Galatians 2:20, “I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”  This is one the greatest principles for your spiritual living. Each day you must remember and completely identify with the fact that the old man is dead (2 Cor 5:17).  He has met the cross. The cross is the instrument of death. Yet, the amazing life of God survived the cross.  It is in you.  In order to experience God’s plan for spiritual living you must be willing to die to carnality and walk according the Spirit of God. God gives you power for a purpose—fulfilling His purpose.  Today, commit to ensuring that all He gives you is not wasted but completely used to expand the Kingdom.  This topic is rich and I’ll share on it over the next few posts. I invite you to walk with me as I do and even share your thoughts, comments, and questions.  I look forward to great conversations on spiritual living.

Blessings to you!
MC

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A Word For You!, Spiritual Growth October 2, 2009

When Life Happens…

You’ve probably heard it said before, “Life happens.” Perhaps you’ve expressed the same sentiment.  I know I have.  Now, don’t misunderstand I am not a fatalistic thinker, nor do I pass the buck when it comes to accepting responsibility for decisions; yet it remains a truth of life, things happen.  Some good, some bad, and many times things seem to happen one right after another often before you’ve had a chance to completely recover from the first thing.

Since it is a universal truth, it’s important to understand that when life gets a little haywire there is a principle that comes in handy; a principle that when applied to the situation will earn you some heavenly credit.  And in times like these, divine credit seems to be the only thing that hasn’t lost its power. The principle is worship. 

When the stresses of life seem to be hitting you from every angle—you must worship.  By worship I do not mean putting on your favorite slow tempo CD–worship is more than that.  I don’t even mean throwing your hands up in the middle of a worship service or allowing tears to stream down your face– worship is still so much more than that. Worship in this instance is a life of complete obedience fueled by uncompromising faith.  When life happens, it’s time to steady your emotions and obey the word of the Lord.

A few years ago Fred Hammond released a song; “I Will Find A Way,” which comes to mind as I consider this topic. In all honesty, when I first heard the song, it wasn’t one of my immediate favorites of the CD but that all changed one morning as I was working out. As I listened to the song again, it hit me—no matter what is going on around you there is an opportunity to worship the Lord.  You just have to find it.  If chaos is present there is an opportunity to bring order.  If sadness is present there is an opportunity to release praise.  When there is confusion there is an opportunity to receive and follow directions. When offense occurs there is an opportunity to offer forgiveness.  There are also endless opportunities to demonstrate love and faith.  No matter what life seems to present there are opportunities to actively and positively demonstrate the authenticity of your faith through your worship of God.  Perhaps when it all seems just a bit overwhelming you should simply stop and ask the question, “What opportunity to worship God is present in all this?”

On this beautiful day the Lord has made, I encourage you to honor God with your whole life, commit to finding opportunities to completely obey (worship) Him even when life is chaotic, difficult, or challenging and even more so when it’s better than you could have ever imagined. 

Blessings to you!
MC
This article was adapted from the message, “When Life Happens,” click here to order the complete message.

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Spiritual Growth June 2, 2009

Are You Resting?

Over the past few weeks, I‘ve been preaching and teaching about the essential elements of worship.  Today, I feel particularly compelled to share a little bit from part 3 of the series. I pray that you are encouraged to seek a more complete worship experience as you read.

 

  Rest is an essential element of worship. Rest is also a promise from God. It is something that everyone needs.  We need physical rest when our bodies are tired.  We need mental rest when our minds have been busy.  We even need emotional rest when life’s circumstances leave us empty or drained.  Yet there is a rest that God ordained for us that is far superior to those.  It is spiritual rest.

  Essentially, you enter spiritual rest when you surrender to God; and, allow His plan, agenda, and method to become your own. Rest, in this context, does not mean work is not happening. It simply means you have stopped trying to make it happen. Hebrews chapter 4 reminds us, “For he that has entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.”  Again, entering into God’s rest means you stop trying to make things happen on your own and allow the Holy Spirit to direct your path. Spiritual rest makes life easier. It gives you perspective and cuts down on uncertainty.  Spiritual rest is designed to put you in the place where your goals, objectives, and daily actions are in line with God’s plan for your life. Your actions and activities are lead by Him which makes your load lighter.  Entering into spiritual rest is an essential part of worshipping God.

  Worship can be defined as,“the act of paying homage to another,” or “to surrender your will and take on the will of another.” You may even have your own working definition of worship.  Practically speaking though, worship is evidenced through your acts of obedience to God. If rest is a promise and we are told to diligently seek to enter into it, we must obey. When you obey God you identify yourself as a worshipper of Him. When you do not obey then you are identified as a worshipper of something or someone else. In order to worship in spirit and truth, your obedience must be in accordance with His word. Entering into the rest God established for you becomes the ultimate in worship because it is your act of obedient surrender. Your ability to surrender your will acknowledges your total acceptance of God’s sovereignty in your life.

   Spiritual rest is achieved through belief and the application of the word.  Properly experienced, spiritual rest will give you the power to prioritize the other demands of your life. Physical rest yields a stronger, more powerful body. Mental rest allows the release of creative juices and fresh perspective.  Spiritual rest encompasses those things and produces a stronger more powerful relationship with the Father. The benefits of a more powerful relationship with God are immeasurable.

  Today, I invite you to answer the question, “Are you resting?”  Take a moment and share your thoughts on this topic. I’d love to hear from you.

Blessings to you,

MC

Adapted from the message “Essentials of Worship PT III – You Need to Rest.” 

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Parenting, Spiritual Growth April 3, 2009

Facing Your Fears

As many of you know, we have four children; three daughters and one son.   Two of our girls have been singing with our Praise and Worship Team for years.  But in the beginning they were both afraid to lead songs.  For quite a while, I listened to their reasoning and justifications about why they felt they could not sing lead parts (that was the Mom part of me).

During our conversations, I would gently guide and encourage them.  Reassuring them that we had confidence in them and if the praise team leader gave it to them, she too had confidence in them.   They obeyed, but the fear never completely went away.

One day, we were talking about it, for what seemed like the millionth time, and I looked at both of them and said, “Okay, really you’ve been doing this long enough to overcome the fear.  God has given you power.  You chose to be a part of the team and you both sing quite well.  You have chosen to serve. Now stand in the power that moved you to sing.   Remember that God and all who love Him, love you.  You don’t have to fear singing in front of God.  He loves to hear the sound of your voice.  Your church family loves you, stand in the love that surrounds you and present your gifts to the Lord.  You don’t have to fear what others think because God loves you, created you, and loves to hear the sound of your voice.  Focus on pleasing God and everybody else will be pleased as well. Finally, practice your songs. You must be prepared.  God has given you a sound mind.”

A sound mind means the ability to think, speak, and act righteously.  “For the two of you exercising your sound mind translates to practice, practice, and more practice.”  They both looked at me and realized they weren’t going to get out of it.  They realized they had the power to face their fears.  I wish I could tell you that from that moment on they never had another fear when it came to singing but a few weeks later, my youngest daughter came to me and said,” okay mommy I understand what God says, and I understand what I have to do but I still get scared when I have to sing by myself.”

I looked at her and said, “Now you have to break the fear habit.”  I explained the fear habit to her.  She smiled, gave me one of her famous hugs and left the room.  Today, each of them continues to sing and is finding their leadership roles in that area of ministry. They faced and conquered their fears.

Beloved of God, just as I encouraged my daughters I encourage you to step beyond your fears.  Recognize the person God desires you to be in the earth and dare to be it. You have a purpose and the world needs you.  Today, decide to move from fearful to fearless.

Be Blessed.

MC

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Christian Leadership, Spiritual Growth February 26, 2009

Prayer and Passion

Prayer is one of my passions.  I know the power of prayer and it is by far the most important thing I do in a day.  It is my life line.  Having said all that let me share some thoughts with you about prayer that I hope will inspire you to become more passionate about your prayer time.

Just the other day, when out of the blue the thought came to me that Tiger Woods would return to the golf course soon.  At that time, I thought okay, I’ll say a little prayer for Mr. Woods, his family, his golf game, etc.  I didn’t think it strange at all that someone would come to my mind out of blue, I knew it was a prayer assignment, and quickly obeyed.  What I didn’t expect was the revelation of the Holy Spirit of the power of passions and prayer.

You have passions; and those passions are great areas for prayer assignments in your life.  You must recognize that God created EVERYTHING.  John tells us that in first chapter of his gospel and Paul magnificently reminds us of this fact in the 3rd chapter of Colossians.  God created everything, visible and invisible for himself and by himself.  He should be glorified in all things. He wants to be glorified in all things.  Believers who are committed to prayer can truly have a remarkable impact in the world—the entire world.   The diversity of our passions is a strategic move on the part of our all- knowing God to expand the kingdom.

Blessings to you,

MC

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Spiritual Growth February 26, 2009

He can stop the rain!!

As our family prepares for our yearly spring break trip, I thought about our awesome  trip from last year and how God showed his miraculous power.  Today, I ‘ll share the story in hopes that it will remind you that God can do anything.

Last year, my family and I took our traditional spring break trip and it was great.  In addition to all the fun, food, and laughter, God demonstrated his incredible power and faithfulness in answering prayer. You see, just before we left for the airport, I decided to investigate the weather forecast at our destination.  To my dismay, the forecast was projected to be cold, rainy, and extremely windy.  The forecast was so bad that they were even warning travelers of possible flight delays.  With all that information, I breathed a very simple prayer (yes, for no rain), got in the car, and headed to the airport.

When we arrived it was cloudy but as we headed to the resort it got clearer and clearer.  In fact, each day of our vacation got better and better.  The forecasters begin to report that the warmth and sunshine was  unseasonable.  Everyday, we were extremely grateful and every day praised God for his provision.  We had a great week and enjoyed all the blessings of God.  It didn’t rain and our God ordained vacation went well; but, there was  something more.  As we got in the airport shuttle to head home it started to rain.  Honestly, I didn’t really notice, but my husband brought it to my attention.

Now, you might be thinking what’s so significant about that? God is in control.  He provides and he is faithful.  Whenever  our lives are  set to do his will and glorify him he makes abundant provision for us.  God’s will for our lives last week, was that we rest, recuperate, and connect as a family and nothing would be allowed to keep us from that— not even the rain.

Today, I pray that you will notice the provision of God in your life even in the small  things. Take a moment and acknowledge answered prayer.  Praise him for prayer answered above your request.  Becoming more aware of his presence and faithfulness in your life will only seek to give you greater confidence in his love for you.  Remember he can stop the rain!

Now unto him who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all you ask or think according to the power that worketh in us, unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.  Ephesians 3: 20-21

Blessings to you!

MC

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Spiritual Growth February 26, 2009

Destroy Every Yoke!!

It is the will of God that those who believe in him, rid themselves of anything that keeps them from a  life of liberty.  Anything that  hinders  complete demonstration of his power and glory.   Jesus came that we might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.  Yet, there are times when we are not experiencing or demonstrating the abundant life that has been given.  The issue is not God’s desire for you.  It’s not in his power.  It’s not even in his provision.  But it lies at the heart of what we believe.  Belief shapes your action-What we believe truly effects our choices.  Ironically, sometimes we may not believe that there is spiritual dimension to what we are experience.  The fact is there is a spiritual dimension to everything and we must attack the things that hinder us not only in the natural realm but in the spiritual realm as well.

Naturally, a yoke is an instrument of bondage that brings animals under control to do work.  It is an instrument of servitude. Spiritually, a yoke has the same meaning; yet they are revealed through attitudes, ideas, beliefs, or behaviors.  Yokes limit the full realization of God power and presence in your life.  They weigh you down.  They are burdensome. Yokes can cause you to become frustrated.  In fact a yoke that is too grievous might cause you to give up.   But giving up is not the answer. God has positioned and given you the anointing to destroy every yoke in your life.  You must simply release it. How do you get free of attitudes, ideas, beliefs and behaviors that hinder you?

1.  Recognize that there is an issue that is keeping you stuck. Identify it honestly.  Don’t beat around the bush here or even blame others.  If it is procrastination.  It is fear of success or failure recognize.  If you are stuck because of a faulty belief system.  Recognize it.

2.  Acknowledge that this issue has caused you to miss the mark and must be conquered both spiritually and naturally.  This is tantamount to confession. Confession opens the door for strengthening and cleansing from God.

3.  Repent of the issue.  Repentance is an inward change of mind that produces an outward change in action.  Here is a key step.  To repent is not simply to be sorry but to come to a realization that your thoughts, ideas, and motivations surrounding an issue were not in line with God’s.  Then a deliberate choice is made to align your thinking, speaking, and actions with his.

4.  Pray. Communicate with God.  He knows your weaknesses and is ready to give you his strength.

5. Praise.  Continually give praises unto God.  This keeps you mind focused on his awesome ability, his faithfulness, and his power.

Today, rejoice in knowing that God desires greater liberty and effectivenss for your life.  Be willing to let go of idea, beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors that don’t contribute to your experience of abundant living and watch God plan unfold in your life.

Blessings to you,

MC

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