A Voice of One...

Fifty Quotes on Forgiveness, healing from Abuse and 'THINK' FOR YOURSELF

2008-08-30T18:38:00.000-07:00

Hi,
I trust you are all doing GREAT and living one day at a time while enjoy life in the process. I found a couple of very long but also very helpful, heart-rendering and mind-renewing quotes on forgiveness. If you have ever dealt with unforgiveness in your life at any time (or you are presently going through that phase) and you take the time to look at these quotes and honestly assess your life and life choices, you will realize that the person you'll be setting free when you make a conscious decision to forgive is...YOU!!! I particularly love the quotes below

"To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you." (my personal favorite)

"Forgiveness is God's invention for coming to terms with a world in which, despite their best intentions, people are unfair to each other and hurt each other deeply. He began by forgiving us. And he invites us all to forgive each other."

"Gandhi was right: if we all live by 'an eye for an eye' the whole world will be blind. The only way out is forgiveness." (The same goes for 'a tooth for a tooth'. That means the whole world will go TOOTHLESS)

"He that cannot forgive others, breaks the bridge over which he himself must pass if he would reach heaven; for everyone has need to be forgiven."

"God is the original, master forgiver. Each time we grope our reluctant way through the minor miracle of forgiving, we are imitating his style. I am not at all sure that any of us would have had imagination enough to see the possibilities in this way to heal the wrongs of this life had he not done it first."

There is nobody or nothing that is worth you having to spend the rest of your life in misery or bondage to the evil forces of unforgiveness and revenge and all the other forces of evil and remember that THE TRUTH always has a way of LIBERATING YOU and SETTING YOU FREE. Two wrongs can never make things right. That sense of power you usually feel (it is that false sense of power is actually 'the root of bitterness' and is no power at all) when you make a choice not to forgive someone is actually a lie from the the pits of hell and if you are honest with yourself you will realize that it only keeps you in bondage, leaves you with a victim mentality or superiority mentality for as long as you hold on that hurt, offense or unforgiveness and steals your spiritual power/authority while the person you either hate or choose not to forgive or are vengeful towards may have forgiven you, moved on with his or her life and even be living a FREE and LIBERATED LIFE. If God forgave us for all the terrible things we have done in our lives and keeps giving us another chance even when we mess up over and over again and run back to his loving arms, who are we then to choose not to forgive someone for something the person may not even know that he or she did? Just a little food for thought.

Even for those that have been abused, raped or molested in anyway by people you thought and expected should have known better (without pretending that there is spiritual perspective regarding abuse, it is glaring that most ABUSERS have been abused themselves, are broken and messed up people and these people NEED HELP. Or does it make any logical sense for a man or woman to abuse or sexually molest his/her own child or for a man to wake up one morning and decide that his life's goals is to become a RAPIST and a SERIAL KILLER or for a priest to become a pedophile? It doesn't make any logical sense yet it happens.), though it is usually difficult because of what the person has stolen from you (especially your virginity and innocence) and from your life and you can't even start to imagine forgiving that person (especially if the person is a family member, in the place of any form of authority in your life, or someone you still get to see all the time), you still have to make a choice to forgive that person so that 'YOU' can be set free and God's healing and restoration power can flow into your life.

Matthew 6:14-15 (The Message)

14-15"In prayer there is a connection between what God does and what you do. You can't get forgiveness from God, for instance, without also forgiving others. If you refuse to do your part, you cut yourself off from God's part.

Joyce Meyer (click on the links for Joyce Meyer's Testimony http://www.joycemeyer.org/AboutUs/AboutJoyce/ and http://www.cbn.com/700club/guests/bios/Joyce_Meyer060707.aspx, Paula White (click on the link for Paula White's Testimony http://www.cbn.com/700club/Guests/Interviews/Paula_White063005.aspx)and Donnie McClurkins (decided to add a guy to this list. Click on this link if you will like to read about his testimony and healing from sexual abuse that led to a life of homosexuality http://www.exodus.to/content/view/570/149/) to mention a few (who were all molested by family members at young ages) are living proof of people who made a choice to forgive those who molested them (and even ended up leading their abusers to Christ) and today God is using them and their testimonies to reach out to people that have gone through something similar and to be a blessing to millions all around the world (I've personally been particularly BLESSED by Joyce Meyer's Ministry which has helped in my own emotional and spiritual health/growth). I used this example because though I am not a lady (I've found healing from sexual abuse and molestation are usually harder for ladies), I have seen and heard especially from my personal research/testimony and even testimonies from a couple of people I know; both men and ladies that were sexually molested in their childhood, how it affected their whole childhood, sexual orientation and even their marriage for those that eventually got married without dealing with the hurt/offense and how God was able to help heal them when they made a choice to LET GO and LET GOD take control. You'd be shocked that this is still very prevalent in the world at large (its even gotten worse because of the worldwide moral decadence yet things like this are hardly talked about in most churches) and especially in Nigeria and other African countries where issues like sex are not usually discussed in public or within families and are seen as a TABOO or a 'NO GO' zone. You'll be shocked about how many men and ladies (it is not restricted to ladies alone because I know of men that were abused by older ladies or older men when they were younger/naive or men that were physically/verbally assaulted by their spouses. Men don't generally talk about this because of their egos but it doesn't mean it doesn't happen. It is more prevalent in ladies though because they are usually seen and portrayed as 'SEX' objects and the weaker vessels) have been abused at a time in their lives and have kept it secret for fear of letting anyone know yet allowing it to inwardly destroy them and the devil using it to keep them in continual bondage) and can tell that being molested can leaves a permanent scar for life (which can be healed though by embracing the truth allowing it to set you free), and is one of the strongest reasons some ladies choose to walk in unforgiveness.

Your pain and disappointment can end up becoming a testimony and if you believe in the God that can turn any situation around, the God of RESTORATION and the God that can make every impossibility possible, He will definitely turn your situation around and it will end up becoming a blessing in disguise. Though the enemy may have meant it for evil and was looking for ways to mess you up and trap you from childhood, EVERYTHING always end up working together for GOOD for them who LOVE GOD and are THE CALLED according to God's purpose (Romans 8:28). The God that we serve is a God of another chance, HE LOVES YOU and He forgives EVERYONE (even people that by human standards are UNFORGIVABLE) who repents of their sins and run to his loving arms. Though the principle that 'we will definitely reap what we sow' and that 'GOD IS ALSO A JUST JUDGE' is VERY TRUE that should never be the conclusion of the matter and also not my emphasis at this time either. The conclusion is that GOD IS LOVE; there is a WAY OF ESCAPE that comes from genuinely repenting, confessing your sins and allowing him to change you FROM THE INSIDE OUT and God will give you a REGENERATED SPIRIT and also give you THE HOLY SPIRIT to lead you and guide you in ALL THINGS when you come to him just as you are, Give you life to Christ and receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit(food for thought). Let me point out here that forgiving someone doesn't necessarily mean continually tolerating the person's evil or negative actions towards you or any form of abuse (be it physical, sexual, verbal or emotional) and BALANCE is always the key to LIFE. If you are in any form of 'life threatening' abusive relationship, PLEASE break out of that relationship or seek some form of help/protection until your abuser gets help. Don't put your life in danger because you love someone that is abusive. The best way to show him/her that you actually love them is for you to help them recognize their abusive nature and what it is doing to your relationship. If they also really love you in return, they will be willing to do anything to save the relationship including seeking for help. I heard the points below preached in church recently and it was so profound that I will love to share it with you too.

Satan has access and enters into our lives through three major access points (there are other ways though)
(i) Unforgiveness
(ii) Wrong ways of thinking
(iii) Stealing from God

This was very helpful and I just thought I should share it with you as a food for thought. Remember that you always have and will always be the Architect of your own destiny, your life will always be ruled by the choices you make and you have to learn to always be responsible for your actions (as opposed to blame-shifting or faultfinding). There is a wrong picture that has been painted of God for centuries as a magician or Santa Claus and that everything good or bad that happens to us is always God's will. What I have seen in my own young and short life that I have lived (I'm still very young, continually learning and allowing the holy Spirit to lead and guide me and also learning to 'THINK' for myself) is that this pictures stops us from taking responsibility for our own actions and always either looking for someone or something to blame or to be responsible for our actions (God, the devil or anyone else except myself) or just look at everything that happens in my life as God's will. What a load of foolish ideologies and faulty paradigm. Human beings naturally resist change (we love our comfort zone); We find ourselves strongly criticizing anything we don't understand, are afraid of, or that does not conform to our present belief system (hence why Christianity is the most widely and strongly criticized 'lifestyle' you can think of to the extent that some people even go to the extra length of studying the bible only with the motive of discrediting Christianity and looking for every loopholes they can find in Christianity so they can justify why their own belief system is right. How sad. Apart from the forces of evil in action in blinding people's eyes, I guess its because people don't want to accept the truth or just want to continue justifying living a sinful lifestyle, trying to redefine right from wrong and doing the things which they already know and have been convicted in their heart is wrong thereby deadening their conscience. Even some Christian 'Religious' beliefs are guilty of this not to talk of outside the walls of Christianity. Remember you have a choice though when it comes to what you choose to believe and the choice is yours alone to make. I don't believe in any religion or belief system that tries to force you into their way of thinking or belief system and like I keep saying, on the long run and on our death bed, we will be responsible for our life choices or actions whether we choose to believe it or not).

Our flesh always want to take the path of least resistance (hence why it takes strong discipline to exercise and be physically, emotionally and spiritually fit); we unconsciously always want to look for someone or something to blame for whatever happens to us and we are very quick to be judgmental, point fingers or find faults in others (the principle of seeing the speck of dust in our neighbor's eyes forgetting about the log of wood in our own eyes). The worse of it all is when we place our 'total' trust on another man/woman or someone we constantly look up to for all the answers to our questions (Unfortunately, most of the times, we elevate our religious leaders or other form of leadership/authorities in our lives to this position of being our God and savior and also rather unfortunate is the fact that some of these leaders unconsciously take up that role and expect you to take every word they say without reason for yourself. This is proof that POWER INTOXICATES and ABSOLUTE POWER CORRUPTS. A REAL LEADER is truly a SERVANT AT HEART) forgetting that the person is also human too and every human being on this earth has a strong potential to guess...MAKE MISTAKES, disappoint or fail. One thing people tend to forget is that people operating in the five-fold ministry are also human beings like us. They just carry a unique God-ordained anointing and every miracle they perform is an operation of God's anointing and not by their own physical power or abilities. I strongly believe and choose to respect every form of Authority I am under (especially Godly Authority), I believe in wise counsel and in the FIVE-FOLD ministry but I've seen it abused in so many ways and instances that in this time and season you can't afford not to have the Holy Spirit lead you and guide you in all truth. Is it now a surprise when several people wake up one morning to announce their claim to the whole world that they are GOD and you still see so many people who believe them and are staunch followers? How do you think Lucifer became the Devil? The anointing and responsibility he was given got to his head - A little food for thought.

Isaiah 14:12-17 (New Living Translation)

12 “How you are fallen from heaven, O shining star, son of the morning! You have been thrown down to the earth, you who destroyed the nations of the world.
13 For you said to yourself, ‘I will ascend to heaven and set my throne above God’s stars.
I will preside on the mountain of the gods far away in the north.
14 I will climb to the highest heavens and be like the Most High.’
15 Instead, you will be brought down to the place of the dead, down to its lowest depths.
16 Everyone there will stare at you and ask, ‘Can this be the one who shook the earth
and made the kingdoms of the world tremble?
17 Is this the one who destroyed the world and made it into a wasteland? Is this the king who demolished the world’s greatest cities and had no mercy on his prisoners?’

The Late Kenneth E. Hagin (one of the greatest Bible Scholars, Man of God and of faith, and one of the greatest teachers of all times) stated in a couple of his books that "A Major shortcoming among many believers is that they don't do much thinking or studying for themselves. Instead, they just follow what somebody else said". This, based on my own past experiences and what we tend to see on a daily basis is very true. To think there was a time I took everything I heard on the pulpit or in church hook, line and sinker, forgetting the place of the Holy Spirit in my life as a witness to the every truth from God's word and to also 'THINK' for myself and search the word for myself too. Thank God for wisdom and for recognizing that I should be like the Berean Christians who always went back to the word to confirm if what they heard in church was in line with the word. I'm not saying you should now start arguing with your pastor or those in Godly authority over you about everything you don't agree with (that on the long run doesn't edify the body of Christ; leaves room for strife and division; creates the impression that you think you know better and only amount to being rebellious/prideful and not respecting God's call and covenant upon their lives) but allow the Holy spirit to be a witness in your heart to the truth that is being taught and you should also have the responsibility of going back to the scriptures for yourself to see if what he or she said is true or not like the Berean Christians were known for. You can't afford to be deceived by every wind of doctrine that is flying in the air if you want to live a fulfilled, complete and purpose-oriented life.

"You have heard me say it before. I've said it for fifty years, and I am going to keep on saying it. Don't accept something just because I said it or someone else said it. Study the Word of God for yourself and see if that's what the Word of God actually says. Then you're not following what Brother Hagin said or someone else said. You are following what God said." -Quoted by the Late Kenneth E. Hagin in his book 'Marriage, Divorce and Remarriage' (little wonder he was recognized as one of the wisest men that ever lived in our generation, impacted and left a landmark for this generation and generations to come; his numerous books are found in almost every region of the world and you can tell that he lived a FULFILLED life in Christ).

Titus 3:8-11 (The Message)

8-11I want you to put your foot down. Take a firm stand on these matters so that those who have put their trust in God will concentrate on the essentials that are good for everyone. Stay away from mindless, pointless quarreling over genealogies and fine print in the law code. That gets you nowhere. Warn a quarrelsome person once or twice, but then be done with him. It's obvious that such a person is out of line, rebellious against God. By persisting in divisiveness he cuts himself off.

I've also heard a pastor once state that: "Man is MAN and no more, but God is GOD and no less. Man will fail but GOD NEVER FAILS". God has assured us in his word that HE WILL NEVER LEAVE US NOR FORSAKE US (Deu 31:6, Deu 31:8, Josh 1:5, Heb 13:5 to mention a few scriptures). It is easier to forgive a person that offends you when you don't put that person in a position that is meant for God and God alone or create unnecessary and unrealistic expectations on that person (nobody on this earth can fill God's place in your heart and even God does not set unrealistic expectations on you. How much another human being) and also walk in love towards every person when God's love flows strongly in our hearts and you abide by his word and principle. SELAH

Also remember that your CREATOR sees and knows it all (He sees the motives of our hearts) yet his unfailing loving kindness towards you is better than life itself (Psalm 63:3). The more you seek him and seek to live your life based on his LOVE, WORD, WISDOM and PRINCIPLES, the more He will reveal himself to you and give you a better understanding/revelation of who you are, what you were created for and why it is very important to place your total trust and confidence on him and him alone. His word strongly assures us that if we seek him with all our heart, strength and might, we will find him and as we draw nearer to him, he draws closer to us too. This shows us how everything is dependent on the choices that WE make since he gave us a FREE WILL to choose between RIGHT and WRONG (Have you ever asked God why He didn't make you like a robot so you can obey him completely without having a choice or a free will? I know I have). His grace is always more than sufficient enough for you and a word is enough for the wise.

Revelation 3:20-21 (The Message)

20-21"Look at me. I stand at the door. I knock. If you hear me call and open the door, I'll come right in and sit down to supper with you. Conquerors will sit alongside me at the head table, just as I, having conquered, took the place of honor at the side of my Father. That's my gift to the conquerors!

Love you, KEEP THE FIRE OF LOVE BURNING and ENJOY LIFE since it is your Godly heritage (John 10:10). As long as there is LIFE, THERE IS HOPE but once you stop believing, learning and hoping, you start decaying which eventually leads to death. Imagine how this this world will be if everyone made a choice to THINK FOR THEMSELVES, CHANGE FROM THE INSIDE OUT, WALK IN LOVE AND FORGIVENESS and live a LOVE LIFE!!! Also imagine how Liberating life will be if you make a conscious decision to THINK the right thoughts, get rid of wrong and faulty thinking/mindsets/paradigm and ENJOY LIFE in the process too. WOW!!!. It is a fact that we can't do this based on our own strength, physical abilities and technical know-how but his Grace and mercy is more than sufficient enough for us, and he is has given us ALL THINGS that pertains to LIFE and GODLINESS. Again as long as there is life, THERE IS HOPE and It is not too late until it is too late. Please don't wait until it is too late.

Romans 12:1-3 (New Living Translation)

A Living Sacrifice to God

1 And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. 2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

3 Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us.

Philippians 4:8-9 (The Message)

8-9Summing it all up, friends, I'd say you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.

Galatians 5:22-27 (New Living Translation)

22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: LOVE, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. 25 Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives. 26 Let us not become conceited, or provoke one another, or be jealous of one another.

Love Always,
Eskor

Ps
If this ministered to you, please share this with your friends and loved ones too. It might just help save a life. What you free receive, FREELY GIVE!!!

Fifty Quotes on Forgiveness

If you'll like to check out the fifty Quotes on Forgiveness, click on the link below.
http://www.iloveulove.com/wisdom/50quotes.htm

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Let my heart be the vessel of God's Love. Let my thoughts be the blossom of God's Love. Let my words be the expression of God's Love. Let my actions be the fulfillment of God's Love. - David Ridge

RELATIONSHIPS, not achievements or acquisition of things, are what matters most in life...BUSYNESS is a great enemy of RELATIONSHIPS - Rick Warren

http://fromtheinsideout.us/ (Breaking free from A Wrong and Self-Defeating paradigm)
http://eskoredem.blogspot.com/

FAITH BOOSTER: Garment of Praise

2008-08-12T03:58:00.000-07:00

Hi,
Below is a FAITH BOOSTER to help start our week right and make us HIGH. Trust me, this HIGH beats any and every other kind of HIGH you have ever experienced.

It is in recognizing that GOD IS LOVE; LOVE IS GOD; GOD LOVES YOU UNCONDITIONALLY without any form of reservation; and created you to have a relationship with him and out of his desire to lavish his love on you that praise and adoration will flow easily out of your mouth even when you don't 'feel' like it or even when you feel that the whole world has let you down. God's Unconditional Love is the only CONSTANT in our lives. Every other areas in our lives are variables that are put in place and determined based on the choices we made and are still making in life(food for thought). When you learn to praise and worship God at ALL TIMES and in EVERY SEASON (in good times and in bad times, through trials and tribulation), you have learnt 'one' of the keys to living a JOYFUL and a WORRY-FREE LIFE!

The Book of Psalms is filled with the heart-felt songs of praise written by a man who knew how to praise and worship God at all times and in every season. Even in situations where it was glaring that he was terribly depressed, heavy and his soul was cast-down and even in times when his life was in danger, he may start out some of his writings feeling condemned and in self-pity (that shows you he is also human right?) but he always eventually choses to praise God in the midst of his storms of life and encourage himself in the Lord. Little wonder the GREAT King David was recognized as a 'MAN AFTER GOD'S OWN HEART and why he was always able to 'BREAKTHROUGH' every stormy occasions in his life and still be faithful and obedient to the voice of his God.

Acts 13:20-24 (The Message)

16-20Paul stood up, paused and took a deep breath, then said, "Fellow Israelites and friends of God, listen. God took a special interest in our ancestors, pulled our people who were beaten down in Egyptian exile to their feet, and led them out of there in grand style. He took good care of them for nearly forty years in that godforsaken wilderness and then, having wiped out seven enemies who stood in the way, gave them the land of Canaan for their very own—a span in all of about 450 years.

20-22"Up to the time of Samuel the prophet, God provided judges to lead them. But then they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul, son of Kish, out of the tribe of Benjamin. After Saul had ruled forty years, God removed him from office and put King David in his place, with this commendation: 'I've searched the land and found this David, son of Jesse. He's a man whose heart beats to my heart, a man who will do what I tell him.'

23-25"From out of David's descendants God produced a Savior for Israel, Jesus, exactly as he promised—but only after John had thoroughly alerted the people to his arrival by preparing them for a total life-change. As John was finishing up his work, he said, 'Did you think I was the One? No, I'm not the One. But the One you've been waiting for all these years is just around the corner, about to appear. And I'm about to disappear.'

Does it them come as a surprise that our savior chose to come into this world under the lineage of King David? In studying the lifestyle of David and most especially the lifestyle of Jesus (who like all of us was born with the sinful nature and was tempted like us all, yet knew no sin), you will learn and see for yourself why it pays to be a TRUE WORSHIPER who will worship God in spirit and in truth; at all times and in every season of your life (John 4:23) and allow God's word be your ONLY standard and guiding principle. Below is a beautiful good example of this great Worshiper (Check out 1 Samuel 30 too).

Psalm 119:9-11 (New American Standard Bible)

9How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to Your
word.
10With all my heart I have sought You; Do not let me wander from Your
commandments.
11Your word I have treasured in my heart, That I may not sin against You.

Psalm 146 (The Message)

1-2 Hallelujah! O my soul, praise God! All my life long I'll praise God, singing songs to my God as long as I live.

3-9 Don't put your life in the hands of experts who know nothing of life, of salvation life.
Mere humans don't have what it takes; when they die, their projects die with them.
Instead, get help from the God of Jacob, put your hope in God and know real
blessing! God made sky and soil, sea and all the fish in it.
He always does what he says— he defends the wronged, he feeds the hungry.
God frees prisoners— he gives sight to the blind, he lifts up the fallen.
God loves good people, protects strangers, takes the side of orphans and widows,
but makes short work of the wicked.

10 God's in charge—always.
Zion's God is God for good!
Hallelujah!

Some New Testament examples that are also really cool, revealing and promising scriptures.

Philippians 4:4-7 (The Message)

4-5Celebrate God all day, every day. I mean, revel in him! Make it as clear as you can to all you meet that you're on their side, working with them and not against them. Help them see that the Master is about to arrive. He could show up any minute!

6-7Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.

Acts 16:24-26 (The Message)

22-24The judges went along with the mob, had Paul and Silas's clothes ripped off and ordered a public beating. After beating them black-and-blue, they threw them into jail, telling the jailkeeper to put them under heavy guard so there would be no chance of escape. He did just that—threw them into the maximum security cell in the jail and clamped leg irons on them.

25-26Along about midnight, Paul and Silas were at prayer and singing a robust hymn to God. The other prisoners couldn't believe their ears. Then, without warning, a huge earthquake! The jailhouse tottered, every door flew open, all the prisoners were loose.

WOW!!! Isn't the power of Praise and worship really AWESOME?!!!. That is one of the greatest gifts God has given us and it beats the attitude of grumbling and complaining anytime, any day. The scripture rightly states that God inhabits the PRAISES of his people. Also attached is a wonderful cartoon I received that blessed me. Just thought I should share this blessing with you too. Love you and have a wonderful, fruitful, blessed, PRAISE FULL and a WORRY-FREE week.

Love Always,
Eskor
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Let my heart be the vessel of God's Love. Let my thoughts be the blossom of God's Love. Let my words be the expression of God's Love. Let my actions be the fulfillment of God's Love. - David Ridge

Man's chief and highest end/purpose is to glorify God (Rom 11:36, 1 Cor 10:31)and fully enjoy Him forever(Psalm 73-24-28, John 17:21-23) - Wesminster Larger Catechism

http://fromtheinsideout.us/ (Breaking free from A Wrong and Self-Defeating paradigm)
http://eskoredem.blogspot.com/

--- On Sun, 8/10/08, Joyful 'toons <mike@joyfultoons.com> wrote:
From: Joyful 'toons
Subject: Joyful 'toon for August 10, 2008
To:
Date: Sunday, August 10, 2008, 2:54 PM

All around us in this world is the spirit of heaviness, despair and depression. The garment of praise can protect us from these, even though it may look silly to some.

Sincerely,

Mike Waters

mike@joyfultoons.com

www.joyfultoons.com

www.cafepress/joyfultoonsshop.com

'HEALER' -Mike Guglielmucci incredible testimony of God's Saving Grace

2008-08-04T11:03:00.000-07:00

Hi,
I was inspired to research more on Mike Gugliemucci' s testimony on an awesome and profound song he wrote and sang titled 'Healer' after a friend sent me a youtube link of him being interviewed regarding the song. I came across the article below and just thought I should share it with you.

Healer is a song we sing often in the church I attend and every time the song is taken, you can literally feel and experience God's miraculous healing power flow in the congregation and the Holy Spirit move in such a unique way. The first time, I heard the song in church, I was so overwhelmed with God's unconditional and never-ending Love that I was moved to tears (Yep, REAL MEN WEAR PINK and THEY CRY TOO). I guess part of the reasons I was moved to tears was because I have also experienced God's miraculous healing power (been miraculously healed from Clinical depression; Bell's Palsy without using Medication though it was prescribed; an almost torn out pinky toe that should have been operated on but wasn't; and a very painful wisdom tooth growing under another tooth that miraculously disappeared without operation to mention a few) in different areas of my life and within different time frames just by placing my trust in God but there are times we get so carried away with the pressures of life that we tend to forget that God has given us everything we need that pertains to life and Godliness, He LOVES US and is ALWAYS with us (even when or after we've messed up) and that he is ALL WE NEED!!!

Matthew 6:33 (New Living Translation)

33 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.

Hebrews 13:5-6 (The Message)

5-6Don't be obsessed with getting more material things. Be relaxed with what you have. Since God assured us, "I'll never let you down, never walk off and leave you," we can boldly quote,

God is there, ready to help;
I'm fearless no matter what.
Who or what can get to me?

GOD IS LOVE, LOVE IS GOD AND GOD LOVES YOU. This is the only CONSTANT in our lives and it is in recognizing this that you will learn to live a TRULY JOYFUL and LIBERATED life (even in the midst of problems, trials and tribulations) , Like I have come to recognize, that VOID in our heart that we have looked for everything and everyone to fill can only be filled by God's LIFE, God's LOVE and God's PRESENCE. Every other end is a DEAD END and will only lead to a frustrated and unfulfilled life.

It is ONLY in God that we discover our origin, our identity, our meaning, our purpose, our significance, and our destiny. Ever other path leads to a dead end. -Rick Warren (Author of Purpose-Driven Life)

Just thought I should share Mike's awesome testimony with you. If you have heard the song before, I am pretty sure reading the story behind this song will take your worship to another level. Please Check out Romans 8 and Isaiah 53 too. Have a wonderful, fruitful and a BLESSED week and ENJOY LIFE because it is your GODLY HERITAGE (John 10:10). As long as there is life, THERE IS HOPE!!!

Love Always,
Eskor

http://weebears. blogspot. com/2008/ 07/mike-guglielm ucci-is-anointed -pastor.html

Mike Guglielmucci - incredible testimony of God's Saving Grace!

Mike Guglielmucci is an anointed pastor and worship leader from Planet Shakers.

In Oct 2006 Mike was diagnosed with a blood disease. He was told he had 9 mths to live. Later the diagnosis was changed to cancer - Multiple Myelomas (cancer in his bones - a disease mostly reserved for really old men.).

Someone posted this on a forum on 16/10/2006-

"when i heard he was sick, i laughed... not because i am happy he is sick, but because while he was at our church he was healed of:

Glandular Fever
Blood Clot in his brain
Brain tumour
Burst Ear Drum

God is so going to get the glory for this one... just like the other ones. But keep praying!"

Then another testimony caught my eye -

"While at our church (while I was there) he was also healed of a broken leg in front of my eyes."

Amazing!

A 6th June 2007 posting said -

"He currently has 33 broken bones including bothi his arms, and 8 places in his back. Mike is also in a wheelchair but his attitude is just amazing, he said that it hurts to lay down and he if he breaks a rib going to the toilet he may as well break a bone doing something good."

2 months later on the 14th August 2007, someone in the forum pasted up something Mike G had put on his Myspace website -

HEY GUYS!!!! INCREDIBLE NEWS!!!! THE HEALING PROCESS HAS BEGUN!!!! TODAY I WENT TO JOHN WESLEYS CHAPEL IN BRISTOL. AS I STOOD IN WESLEYS PULPIT GODS POWER TOUCHED MY BODY!!!! TO CUT A LONG STORY SHORT. I LEFT MY WHEELCHAIR THERE!!!! MY BACK IS HEALED, MY HIPS ARE HEALED, MY LEGS ARE HEALED!!!! I STILL HAVE PAIN IN MY UPPER BODY BUT IT HAS STARTED!!!! PRAISE AND GLORY TO THE KING OF ALL KINGS!!!! MY SAVIOUR, MY PORTION, MY FREEDOM, MY HEALER!!!!!

Hallelujah Jesus! =D

And then, he was invited to sing at the LIVE Worship recording for Hillsong's latest album "This Is Our God" ... this year in 2008. (Haha to the doctor's diagnosis... we believe in TRUTH not wordly facts. Praise God!)

A testimony from someone at the recording -

"At the end of this song, Mike Guglielmucci walks onto stage, carrying an oxygen tank and with tubes in his nose. He walks centre stage and begins to read from Isaiah 53. The passage finishes with the line “and by His stripes I am healed” and the whole crowd goes crazy cheering him on. Then someone hands him a guitar and he leads us in his song Healer. This totally goes off, his faith is so inspiring, I think everyone in the room felt the atmosphere change as he began to sing. This is more than a song to him, its a prayer and declaration of faith. It was so powerful."

This is Mike's interview on the Hillsong DVD...
http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=9SzMqjzHYfE&feature=related

Mike and his family has such amazing faith and I love how he says he got all his good traits from Jesus in an interview.

People like to say "its in the genes"... well we have good genes. We have our Heavenly Daddy's genes!

We are in this world but not of this world. =D AMEN! HALLELUJAH!

This is the song "HEALER" by Mike Guglielmucci. I first heard it in New Creation Church when Darlene Zschech led us in worship before a service. Brother Malcolm posted this video up on his blog earlier in the week and it ministered to me so much again.

How not to share with you guys? Esp after Mike's incredible testimony of FAITH!!!

Daddy God, when we have problems believing that You can make the impossible possible, give us the faith we need!! We receive it because You so love us! Thank you Abba! Thank you Jesus! AMEN!

PS (Eskor)
The above article is a really AWESOME story right? To God be the glory and indeed GOD IS OUR HEALER, OUR EVERYTHING and HE IS MORE THAN ENOUGH FOR US. Below are links to different versions of the the same song 'Healer' that I found on Youtube. Please check them out when you have the chance and please forward this too friends, loved ones and especially to people that you know that are in need of God's healing power in their lives.

(click on the links below for the different versions of HEALER)

Mike's Original version of 'Healer' sang during Hillsong Live's recording of their 'This Is Our God' Album
http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=x4xsWldmqAo

A different Version of 'Healer' sang by Darlene Zschech and Planet Shakers
http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=rsnC6gPG3YU&feature=related

Two other versions of the same sang song with Lyrics
Version one
http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=zr7Onb8QEPs&NR=1
Version two
http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=GaB53_AS7Ug&feature=related

Lastly, please recognize and understand that it is NOT God's will that any soul on this earth falls sick. Contrary to popular belief, God DOES NOT place sickness on anyone for any reason (Sickness and diseases is as a result of SIN and the SINFUL NATURE in this earth). Yet in the midst of it all and even when we fall sick, God is able to heal ANY and EVERY DISEASE because Jesus already paid the price for our sins. All he ask of you is confess your sins, recognize Jesus paid the price for those sins and receive him as your Lord and savior; trust and have faith that He Loves you; He is your healer; He is MORE THAN ENOUGH for you; and that by Jesus Stripes, YOU 'WERE' HEALED!!!

3 John 1:2 (New American Standard Bible)

2Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers.

What you FREELY RECEIVE, FREELY GIVE!!!
------------ --------- --------- ------

Let my heart be the vessel of God's Love. Let my thoughts be the blossom of God's Love. Let my words be the expression of God's Love. Let my actions be the fulfillment of God's Love. - David Ridge

Man's chief and highest end/purpose is to glorify God (Rom 11:36, 1 Cor 10:31)and fully enjoy Him forever(Psalm 73-24-28, John 17:21-23) - Wesminster Larger Catechism

http://fromtheinsideout.us/ (Breaking free from A Wrong and Self-Defeating paradigm)
http://eskoredem.blogspot.com/

WE HAVE TWO CHOICES...My Testimony

2008-07-29T08:03:00.000-07:00

Attached is a Beautiful PowerPoint presentation titled 'WE HAVE TWO CHOICES' . It was sent to me by a beloved uncle, I found out it was a true story after researching on its origin and all I can say is WOW!!! Was truly inspired by it. If for one reason or the other, you can't download the attachment, You can also find the story by clicking on the link below

http://www.angelfir e.com/hi/ EvasPlace/ thought3. html

The story enforced an important food for thought I've come to learn and abide by over time that 'Our lives are and will always be ruled by the choices that we make' since we have and have been given that 'POWER TO CHOOSE'.

Deuteronomy 30:19-20 (New Living Translation)

19 “Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live! 20 You can make this choice by loving the Lord your God, obeying him, and committing yourself firmly to him. This is the key to your life. And if you love and obey the Lord, you will live long in the land the Lord swore to give your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”

Proverbs 18:20-21 (The Message)

20 Words satisfy the mind as much as fruit does the stomach;

good talk is as gratifying as a good harvest.
21 Words kill, words give life;
they're either poison or fruit—you choose.

Proverbs 11:19 (Amplified Bible)

19He who is steadfast in righteousness (uprightness and right standing with God) attains to life, but he who pursues evil does it to his own death (Two choices).

Jeremiah 21:8-9 (New Living Translation)

8 “Tell all the people, ‘This is what the Lord says: Take your choice of life or death! 9

Everyone who stays in Jerusalem will die from war, famine, or disease, but those who go out and surrender to the Babylonians will live. Their reward will be life! (They had two choices. yet history written by those who chose to surrender to the Babylonians eg Daniel tells us that some people still chose to stay maybe either out of fear or unbelief or for reasons best known to them and the consequences were inevitable.. .whose fault? God's?)

Romans 6:22-23 (The Message)

22-23But now that you've found you don't have to listen to sin tell you what to do, and have discovered the delight of listening to God telling you, what a surprise! A whole, healed, put-together life right now, with more and more of life on the way! Work hard for sin your whole life and your pension is death. But God's gift is real life, eternal life, delivered by Jesus, our Master (hmm...More two personal life altering choices in action).

1 John 3:12-15 (The Message)

12-13We must not be like Cain, who joined the Evil One and then killed his brother. And why did he kill him? Because he was deep in the practice of evil, while the acts of his brother were righteous (They both chose their path and Cain was even still warned by a loving God about the choice he was about to make before he still made the choice to kill his brother- Was that God's fault or should we blame the devil as usual for a choice Cain made himself? Check out Genesis 4:1-16 for the whole story). So don't be surprised, friends, when the world hates you. This has been going on a long time.

14-15The way we know we've been transferred from death to life is that we love our brothers and sisters. Anyone who doesn't love is as good as dead. Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know very well that eternal life and murder don't go together. (Love vs hate...Two choices)

The comments in the parenthesis are mine and more of my 'personal' interpretation of what I got from the scriptures above and not another doctrine. Below are strong and liberating principles I've learnt over time in my young life on this earth (I am still VERY YOUNG and bubbling with so much life and energy) and I'm leaving it as a FOOD FOR THOUGHT for you or as a friend will say...PONDERABLE. Like the saying goes "A wise man will always learn from anything, everything and everyone (even from seemingly foolish talk) and wisdom is profitable to direct.

1. I am God's Child, I was created in his image and likeness and he placed me on this earth to fulfill a unique purpose. Like I've always stated about purpose, our purpose is never centered around us and us alone (that will mean that we serve a selfish, self-centered and self-conscious God which is not true) but is usually centered around others and meeting a unique need on this earth.

2. I am the Architect of my own destiny and my destiny's path is based on the choices I make in Life (either to choose the path my creator designed for me before I was born by seeking him with all my heart or to try and create my own path based on trial and error and face the music of either choices).

It is only in GOD that we discover out origin, our identity, our meaning, our purpose, our significance, and our destiny. Every other path leads to a dead end - Rick Warren

3. My life will ALWAYS be ruled by the choices I make (even if I made a choice based on parental advice, wise counsel, peer pressure, fear of being rejected/ostracized if I want to make a choice that does not appeal to the norm/status quo or other people's opinion, the final choice was still made by me whether I like to admit that or not). It was only when I was too young to make my own decisions or think for myself that I can make such excuses that is why God's Ideal for kids was to make us grow under the love and support of our parents until we are old enough to think for ourselves. This doesn't always happen especially with the fact that lots of kids are now being born out of wedlock or kids that grew up with a Single parent/orphanage, yet no soul on this earth is a Mistake and God love every soul on this earth. He hates sin but he loves us (Isa 59:1-2).

4. I have to learn to always TAKE OWNERSHIP or RESPONSIBILITY for the choices I make and the corresponding actions that follow these choices (as opposed to blaming someone or something else for MY CHOICE or fault finding). Our natural tendencies is to look for who/what to blame for our mistakes/problem/ mishaps.

James 1:13-15 (The Message)

13-15Don't let anyone under pressure to give in to evil say, "God is trying to trip me up." God is impervious to evil, and puts evil in no one's way. The temptation to give in to evil comes from us and only us. We have no one to blame but the leering, seducing flare-up of our own lust. Lust gets pregnant, and has a baby: sin! Sin grows up to adulthood, and becomes a real killer.

5. Other people (including my parents, spouse, family, loves ones, friends etc) may want and desire the best for me but ONLY GOD knows what is best for me. This speaks for itself and shows us why it is VERY IMPORTANT to stay connected to your source of Life and be sensitive to the voice of your CREATOR (he can always speak through somebody though) and not to always do things or take a path sorely on the fact that somebody else think that is best for us. I STRONGLY BELIEVE in seeking wise counsel, obeying your parents and respecting authority (Where there is no counsel, the people fall; But in the multitude of counselors there is safety - Prov 11:14(NKJV)) yet it is not ever counsel that is wise or God breathed and we should learn to discern that.

6. LOVE (like forgiveness and every other thing in this life) is a CHOICE not a feeling or an emotion. When I make the choice to love irrespective of how I feel or how much my emotions are raging, my feelings/emotions end up aligning to that choice I make. Very similar to how you don't feel like getting up from bed to go to work but once you make that choice, your feelings follow (Unless you want to be fired).

7. GOD IS LOVE and LOVE IS GOD. The more I soak in God's Word, God's Love, God's principle and God's wisdom, the better and more equipped I become to life a LOVE-FILLED LIFE and take down the forces of Evil (Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins. -1 Peter 4:8(NLT), God's unfailing love is better than life itself; how I praise you! Psalm 63:3(NLT))

8. Everything I do in life IS A SEED and will ultimately affect my path, Lineage and generations to come. Just like the force of gravity is a Law that will always be in operation on this earth whether we choose to abide by it or not and these laws of nature are here to stay, the principle of reaping the harvest of the seeds of life I sow is inevitable (Genesis 8:22). Generational curses are REAL but can be broken too by God's power. So I have to make the choice to sow my seeds wisely if I desire to reap good harvest in my life's journey and leave a good name/inheritance for my family lineage. It is never too late for God to turn things around until it is too late (when you die, it is too late)

“What you leave behind is not what is engraved in stone monuments, but what is woven into the lives of others.” -Pericles

Check out this book BREAKING GENERATIONAL CURSES by Marilyn Hickey
(http://www.amazon. com/Breaking- Generational- Curses-Marilyn- Hickey/dp/ 1577944232)

9. Because I am not perfect, making mistakes in life is inevitable but can be reduced to the barest minimum. I now have a choice either to learn from every mistake I make and allow it bring out the very best in me as I trust God in the midst of it or to wallow in self-pity and depression. When you've lived most of your life as a perfectionist and with people-pleasing and inferiority mindset and you come to learn the truth, it LIBERATES YOU (James 1:1-4, John 16:33). The more you allow God to work on you through mistakes made and the more you learn to TRUST GOD TOTALLY, the less mistakes you'll make in life.

I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work. -Thomas A. Edison

James 1:2-4 (The Message)

2-4Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don't try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.

check out this book: FAILING FORWARD: Turning mistakes into Stepping Stones for Success by John G. Maxwell . Its a very helpful material in this area. (http://www.amazon. com/Failing- Forward-Turning- Mistakes- Stepping/ dp/0785274308)

10. CHANGE IS INEVITABLE and I should never be afraid of change . It is what I do with the changes within me and around me that will determine the height to which I will rise; how far I will go in life; and how much of my life's purpose I will accomplish. Naturally, we human beings tend to avoid or resist change at all cost and to take the path of least resistance. Conquerors, overcomers and Victors are known to ride on the WAVES of CHANGE (I heard this in a class I attend).

"The greatest revolution in our generation is that of human beings, who by changing the inner attitudes of their minds, can change the outer aspects of their lives". - Marilyn Ferguson

11. The only power the devil and every force of evil/darkness has over my life is the power I released to him. The Devil has ABSOLUTELY NO power or authority over any of God's children. His power is only over those who don't believe in God or are living in SIN. Most of the time I give the enemy that power when I choose to be ignorant of my spiritual Authority or forget that I have all the help I need from the Holy Spirit that already resides within me) or when I allow myself to wallow in self-pity or self-consciousness or self-awareness( the 'WHY ME' syndrome). The worse of it all is when I believe his lies. We learn from our mistakes and it makes us BETTER (Luke 10:19).

12. Ignorance is not an excuse, IT IS A DISEASE!!! Contrary to popular beliefs, What you don't know will eventually hurt or kill you. Wisdom on the other hand always opens the door to learning, knowing the truth and leading you in the right direction and life will always be a learning experience. Don't be closed minded about your belief system (Even as a Christian that is learning to strictly abide by God's word, wisdom and principles since I've tested and tried that IT WORKED, I still read non-Christian materials (I don't think school books and books you read for work are Christian materials), listen to non-Christian viewpoints (eg why some people can't stand Christianity and Christians because of most of the hypocritical lifestyles they have seen -Don't forget though that you should not be living your life based on other people's standards or lifestyle but based on what you've been convinced is the right lifestyle) and learn to find God in anything and everything. That only ends up strengthening my belief system and the fact that I am on the right path. If what you believe is not yielding positive results in your life, it is high time you go back to the drawing boards and check to see if what you believe is right or your belief system is because your fathers/ancestral line believed the same thing. The fact that something is the norm or is acceptable by status quo doesn't necessarily make it right. Look around me and tell me I am not saying the truth.

13. The reason God gave me a brain was for me to use it to THINK!!! Don't just believe everything you see or hear and always remember that you have the Holy Spirit within you to ask for help when you are not sure of what path you need to take or what to believe.

2 Timothy 2:15 (Amplified Bible)

15Study and be eager and do your utmost to present yourself to God approved (tested by trial), a workman who has no cause to be ashamed, correctly analyzing and accurately dividing [rightly handling and skillfully teaching] the Word of Truth.

"A Major shortcoming among many believers is that they don't do much thinking or studying for themselves. Instead, they just follow what somebody else said" -Late Kenneth E. Hagin (One of the GREATEST and HUMBLEST TEACHER/LEADER I've ever known with a heart of a servant)

14. My YES is YES and my NO is NO and healthy boundaries in relationships has to be maintained. God instructed us to live a LOVE-FILLED life and also live at peace with everyone. But that is not the same thing as living your life to please people, becoming a people pleaser or allowing yourself to become everybody's doormat (hurting and broken people unconsciously hurt other people. I know because I've been there when I was hurting and unconsciously hurt those around me). Whether we like it or not, there will always be people that will not like us and even when you have a desire to help people, YOU CAN'T PLEASE EVERYONE and you shouldn't force yourself or your help on someone that doesn't want to be helped (respect every person's jurisdiction and boundaries). All you need is to sow a seed and allow the Holy Spirit do the rest. Setting and maintaining healthy boundaries help in these areas and when you are assured that God loves you, it will be easier to love even those that hate you or can't stand you and not be offended easily or let other people's perception of you get to you. Whose report should you believe about yourself? God's report or another human being's report?

Check out the book BOUNDARIES: When to say yes, How to say NO to take control of your life by Henry Cloud (http://www.amazon. com/Boundaries- When-Take- Control-Your/ dp/0310247454/ ref=pd_bbs_ sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1216001786&sr=1-1)

15. My emotions (both positive and negative) are indicators, motivators, facilitators, internal signals and social signals and should never be disregarded. Most of the time, we have been brought up to pretend that our emotions don't exist (Have you ever heard the saying that REAL MEN don't cry or REAL MEN don't show that they have emotions? Then why did God give men tear ducts and emotions?). Then why were they created and placed in you in the first place? What you pretend does not exist will not go away (have you ever heard of term 'bottled-up' emotions?) and anytime you run away from a problem, the problems only end up accumulating until it explodes beyond your control. But at the same time, I should always see my emotions as indicators and should not be RULED by them or by how I feel since by the help of the Holy Spirit, I have control over my emotions and life choices.

16. The greatest battles of life starts and end within my mind. I have to make a choice to constantly RENEW MY MIND (especially with all the garbage and junk I allowed into my system and constantly fed on before I became born-again or I finally got to know better. If I 'choose' to I can still dig out from my memory bank and remember detail by detail the first pornographic movie I watched when I was still a kid, yet I found and watched that movie by mistake and it almost messed me up. GARBAGE IN, GARBAGE OUT) guard my heart and CONSCIOUSLY THINK ABOUT WHAT I AM THINKING ABOUT (Romans 12:1-2). You will agree with me evil thoughts flow easily in our minds (thanks to the devil and the sinful nature) like a water tap that can't be turned off but good and pure thought don't so it is VERY IMPORTANT that we CHOOSE to THINK GOOD THOUGHTS all the time and actively disregard thought pattern that are neither helpful nor beneficial. I like what someone said about thoughts (Not exactly sure where I heard this):

"Thoughts are like birds that fly in your head. You should decide on what bird should be allowed to perch in your heart (i.e what thoughts to dwell on) and what birds should be made to keep on flying (my addition: some of these birds should also be SHOT with a SHOT GUN or double-barrel gun so you leave no traces of their existence)" (check out Philippians 4:4-8 and 2 Corinthians 10:3-5).

Philippians 4:8-9 (The Message)

Trust me, coming from someone that was clinically diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder (also known as Clinical depression) at a phase of my life; was paranoid (almost like the valve of negative and wrong thinking was broken in my mind and flowing freely. Could go for nights without sleeping and almost lost control of my mind, will and emotions -Its called a Stronghold); mentally unstable; suicidal; and was even on depression medication, then being miraculously healed and transformed by just changing the way I think; my perception to my environment; my view to life; realizing that God's love for me is unconditional and without reservations (was that ALL?) and ONLY believing what God's word says about me as opposed to what the enemy was infiltrating my mind with (eg I am a failure, I will never amount to anything in life, God is punishing me for all my crimes and wrong doing from birth, I have to work or serve in church to earn God's love, salvation and his forgiveness, God is MAD at me, Everyone hates me, have nothing good to say about me and they all think that I am a menace to society to mention a few. ALL LIES), IT WORKS. I'm still work in progress though but it gets better and better as the days go by (been off medication, for over a year and all the symptoms of clinical depression are GONE and they ain't COMING BACK especially since I now know and recognized how I got to that stage in the first place - Wisdom HELPED) and I've seen so much transformation in my life by just learning to trust God and allow what his word says I am be my ONLY STANDARD, FORGIVE EASILY and GROW IN LOVE!!! It also strengthened my Faith in God and willingness to enjoy life and made me realize that as long as there is life, THERE IS HOPE!!! I'm not not where I desire to be but I am not where I use to be either. The scriptures below have grown to become my favorite scriptures.

John 10:10 (Amplified Bible)

10The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows).

Philippians 3:12-14 (New Living Translation)

Pressing toward the Goal

12 I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. 13 No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.

If you have a problem in this area or you've been battling depression/negative thinking all your life, please pick up Joyce Meyer's book on 'Battlefield of the Mind' (check out the over 130 reviews on the book on amazon: http://www.amazon. com/Battlefield- Mind-Winning- Battle-Your/ dp/0446691097) and/or her 'Battlefield of the Mind-Winning the Battle of the mind' Audio CD series. It is one of the best materials I've read or listened to so far in this area (I have read, watched and listened to so many materials in this area and Joyce Meyer's book/CD series still tops the chart for me) and it beats the amount of money you'll have to spend on a psychiatrist or on medication. One good thing I love about her books (I've read a couple and listened to many liberating messages from her website. Check out http://joycemeyer. org/ for more information) is that she speaks from her personal experiences and also experiences of others that have been there and how they were able to BREAKTHROUGH and shows you the scriptures in the bible that can help you overcome depression, strongholds or the battles in your mind. You can also check out the website below and join the fast from wrong thinking by Pastor Gregory Dickow of Life Changers International Church (http://changingliv es.org/). That fast from wrong thinking REVOLUTIONIZED my life and took me to a whole NEW level with God and all I can say is WOW!!! IGNORANCE is definitely a disease and wisdom is indeed profitable to direct. NOTHING beats God's word, prayer and fellowshipping though. it is imperative you locate yourself in a SOUND church that teaches you the word, gives you room to grow and also teach you to know God for yourself (as opposed to being solely dependent on your spiritual leader for everything in life) and also surround yourself with friends that are of like minds, will rub off on you positively and push you on the path of your destiny (GREAT MINDS THINK ALIKE). Fasting from wrong thinking website: http://fromtheinsid eout.us/.

Most of the time depression is just anger, bitterness, hurt/offense or self-pity turned inwards instead of expressed (eg ruminating on all the negative things that may have been done to you or hurt/offense or just allowing yourself to believe all the lies the enemy tells you about yourself). But PLEASE Don't hesitate to see a doctor if you are experiencing physical symptoms (will send out an article on clinical depression later so you can identify the symptoms because clinical depression and the regular depression/sadness are not the same) or you've been having strong suicidal thoughts or tendencies because your continual ruminating and meditating on wrong thinking may have already led to a chemical imbalance in your brain and may have also led to aand your faith may not be strong enough to believe God for your total healing/deliverance when you've already gotten to that stage. I once heard (not 100% sure of the facts) that it has been medically proven that root of majority of the Mental illnesses are usually as a result of anger, hurt/offense, unforgiveness and WRONG THINKING!!! In fact, almost every disease you can think of has its roots in WRONG THINKING (Check out Anger is a Choice by Tim Lahaye: http://www.amazon. com/Anger- Choice-Dr- Tim-LaHaye/ dp/0310242835/ ref=pd_bbs_ sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1215952059&sr=1-1

Have you ever heard about cases of people that were wrongly diagnosed to have a particular disease (Heard several about AIDS cases) and after the wrong diagnoses, these people actually started exhibiting the symptoms of the disease only to be told later that it was a mistake? That is just a good example and that is how POWERFUL our thoughts and words are and why it is so important to THINK ABOUT WHAT WE ARE THINKING ABOUT and to CHOOSE OUR WORDS WISELY. The power of LIFE and DEATH lies in our tongue (eg Prov 10:19, 15:4, 18:21, James 3:1-18)

Proverbs 15:4 (Amplified Bible)

4A gentle tongue [with its healing power] is a tree of life, but willful contrariness in it (a Deceitful or uncontrolled tongue) breaks down the spirit.

Proverbs 18:21 (Amplified Bible)

21Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and they who indulge in it shall eat the fruit of it [for death or life]. (Two Choices)

James 1:26 (Amplified Bible)

26If anyone thinks himself to be religious (piously observant of the external duties of his faith) and does not bridle his tongue but deludes his own heart, this person's religious service is worthless (futile, barren).

Remember though that there is nothing that is impossible with God and that if you learn to place your total trust and confidence in him and him alone (You can 'choose' to trust people but don't place your total trust confidence in any person because MAN is MAN and no more, but GOD is GOD and no less), he can turn around any situation in your life and every disappointment can only end up becoming a BLESSING in disguise. Check out the quote below that I found. I'll send something out on forgiveness later.

"Forgiveness is God's invention for coming to terms with a world in which, despite their best intentions, people are unfair to each other and hurt each other deeply. He began by forgiving us. And he invites us all to forgive each other."

Hmm...Where was I before I digressed and got really carried away? Now I remember. Was also really blessed by the attached Powerpoint presentation and just thought I should share the blessing with you too. LOVE YOU (my choice), KEEP THE FIRE OF LOVE BURNING (Your choice) and have a pleasant, fruitful and a BLESSED week (Our choice).

Love Always,
Eskor

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Let my heart be the vessel of God's Love. Let my thoughts be the blossom of God's Love. Let my words be the expression of God's Love. Let my actions be the fulfillment of God's Love. - David Ridge

God, Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. - The Serenity Prayer

http://fromtheinsid eout.us/ (Breaking free from A Wrong and Self-Defeating paradigm)
http://eskoredem. blogspot. com/

THE SCARS OF SIN

2008-07-01T09:00:00.000-07:00

It is hard to believe that the article below was written in 1967 because it speaks to our generation and it is meant for these times and season. From the beginning of time (when Eve ate the forbidden fruit or when Cain killed his brother Abel out of jealousy) till date, MAN (me inclusive in this case) has tried to redefine SIN as well as RIGHT & WRONG to appease our sinful nature as well as to dull our conscience and the voice of God so we can do what our flesh and sinful nature has always craved to do even when deep within our hearts we know it is wrong. I have come to realize in my own personal search for the truth and love walk that no matter how much I try to redefine sin, SIN IS SIN (No matter how GREAT or small the sin is, the foundation still remains the same - SIN) and James 4:17 rightfully states that any person who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, it is accounted to him as sin. If we compare our generation to generations before we will realize that the more we try to redefine right from wrong, the worse the generation becomes and the more the moral decadence.

A very good example is the allowance of gay marriages in churches today when you don't need a rocket scientist to tell you that God created a man for a Woman and a woman for a man. Even our physical and sexual anatomy (i.e a man and a woman were wonderfully created and designed to be joined as ONE in marriage and our sex organs are living proof of that) is more than enough to prove this case not to even talk about what the word of God states in this case. But the truth is that nowadays people (I used to do that a lot before too but I have repented of that religious mindset or also known to people as a religious spirit and constantly have guard my mind and my heart and it doesn't mean I still don't make mistakes) prefer to go to the word of God to look for scriptures that will justify their actions (Don't forget that the devil knows the scripture very well too) as opposed to reading God's word with a hungry, willing and humble heart to learn and know the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth about our lives, purpose and destiny with the help of the Holy spirit who resides in you and has been sent to be your guide, your guard, your counsellor and your bestest friend. I am not coming from a judgmental point of view (HEY!!! If it wasn't for God's grace, mercy and his forgiveness, I would have done much worse and still be living a sinful life) because only God sees our hearts and our motives and only God has the right to judge (though I have a right to judge myself though especially when my heart convicts me of going in the wrong direction) but I am just trying to show you how easy it is for us to try and justify our sinful nature or dull our conscience when we try to redefine sin or to redefine right from wrong. The fact that we want to believe something is right doesn't necessarily make it right. A Little food for thought.

Proverbs 14:34 (Amplified Bible)

34Uprightness and right standing with God (moral and spiritual rectitude in every area and relation) elevate a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.

Isaiah 59:1-2 (New Living Translation)

Warnings against Sin

1 Listen! The Lord’s arm is not too weak to save you, nor is his ear too deaf to hear you call.
2 It’s your sins that have cut you off from God. because of your sins, he has turned away and will not listen anymore.

The article below is one of the best article I have read (trust me, I have read many because I have been trying to find out why I have this many sinful cravings. The book of Romans is very helpful too in this light) on sin, the sinful nature and its effects on our lives, our families, our societies and GENERATIONS TO COME (especially our Children and Children's children. Generational curses are REAL). If you make time to read this article and you are DEAD honest with yourself and you are ready to take full responsibility for your life and actions (as opposed to always looking for someone or something else to blame: especially God, your family or your environment - 1 Chronicles 4:9-10) it will open your eyes to the effects and consequences of sin in our lives and why our societies have degraded to what it is today. There is a constant battle in the spiritual realm between the forces of Good and Evil and we can't afford to be IGNORANT of the devices of the enemy in this time and season (especially in our generation which has boasted to be the INFORMATION AGE). This article (along with the constant revelations I've received in reading God's word and searching for more truth in his Word) opened my eyes and in an honest search for the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, it gets easier and easier to see things clearly and understand a lot about my life, my purpose and my destiny and also understand why the forces of darkness will stop at nothing to destroy our destiny anytime we have come to the knowledge of the truth since THE TRUTH (no matter how bitter it is) is usually very contagious and THE TRUTH always set people that have lived a life of bondage FREE (John 8:32, 1 John 3:18-21). No matter how much we cry out for CHANGE around us, I have come to the realization that CHANGE will never come to me until CHANGE starts from my INSIDE OUT and what will it profit me if I gain the WHOLE WORLD and LOSE MY SOUL? Just a little food for thought and a word is enough for the wise.

Love you and have a wonderful, fruitful and a BLESSED week. Don't forget that you are and have always been the Architect of your destiny and your life will always be ruled by the choices YOU and YOU ALONE make and not the choices that any other person, peer group, cliques, religion or society makes for you (not even your parents, spouse or pastor can make that choice for you) and when you exit this earth (I believe it is called DEATH), you are going to be individually accountable for what you did with the gifts, skills, talents and vision that God has given you (i.e. only if you make it to heaven). God has given you the power of LIFE and DEATH in your tongue (Proverbs 18:21) and has also given you the free will to choose between LIFE and DEATH (Deuteronomy 30:19). His utmost desire though is that you choose LIFE and contrary to all the popular beliefs you have heard over time, GOD LOVES EVERY SINGLE SOUL ON THIS EARTH (even if you are living a sinful life, GOD STILL LOVES YOU and whether you believe in him or not, that doesn't stop him from LOVING YOU. If you don't believe me, check out Romans 8 in God's word with emphasis on verses 31-39) and his utmost desire is that none will perish and that ALL will come into his loving arms (that void we all have in our hearts and we are looking for anything and everything to fill can only be filled by God's love, God's word, God's wisdom and GOD'S PRESENCE). On the contrary, the Devil knowing that his ultimate destination is HELL is looking for more and more people He can take with him and will stop at nothing to try and win everyone to his fold especially through lies, deceit and cunning craftiness (John 10:10). Today, one of the greatest and deadliest tools the devil is using today is guess...RELIGION!!!

The question now is that do you believe that God loves you unconditionally and without reservations and are you willing to confess your sins and run back to his loving arms (you can even do this in your room without anybody knowing but you are going to have to be DEAD honest with yourself and with God and have a repentant heart/contrite spirit because he sees your heart and you can't deceive him) or would you prefer to continue to live a life of sin and fall for the deceit of the enemy till its too late? Do you want it his way or will you prefer to do it YOUR WAY? There is no amount of religious activities you can do that can make you earn your salvation because it is meant to be a FREE GIFT (Ephesians 2:8-9). Do you personally know the God that you serve or is all you know about God only based on what your religious leader told you and your religious experience? Do you have a personal and intimate relationship with the God you say you serve and believe in or do you prefer to believe there is a GOD just for the sake of believing but still want to live a life of sin as well as do you own thing? Can you honestly die for what you believe in or would you prefer to kill another human being for what you chose to believe in (I don't understand a God that will ask you to kill another of his creation because they don't believe in him. It doesn't even make any logical sense)? Do you honestly believe that if you die today, you have a one-way ticket to heaven or are you waiting for the right time which may never come? Do you want to live a FULFILLED LIFE and a PURPOSE-ORIENTED LIFE based on strongly knowing why you were created and what you were created for even in the midst of trials and tribulations (Challenges always brings out the VERY BEST in you especially when your total trust and confidence is on God and God alone) or would you prefer to coast through life trying to find your purpose on the basis of continuous trial and error till its too late? Just a little food for thought.

Please read when you have the chance and I promise you that you wouldn't regret it especially if you are ready and hungry for CHANGE like I am. THE CHOICE IS YOURS and YOURS ALONE TO MAKE and it is never too late until it is TOO LATE!!! Though I really love and will never forsake the fellowship of the brethren and the power of fellowship and going to church (the concept of the power of UNITY. i.e. one shall chase a thousand and two, ten thousand; how much more one hundred? Most of what I've learn't and know about God has its foundation on being connected to the right church that God wants me to be in and that preaches THE TRUTH without reservation) I am a STRONG BELIEVER of people knowing the God they say they serve for themselves like the Berean Christians so that they will not be tossed to and fro by every wind of man-man doctrines or by the cunning craftiness of deceit of the enemy. SELAH!!!

John 10:10 (Amplified Bible)

10The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows).

John 16:33 (Amplified Bible)

33I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.]

Romans 6:22-23 (Amplified Bible)

22But now since you have been set free from sin and have become the slaves of God, you have your present reward in holiness and its end is eternal life.

23For the wages which sin pays is death, but the [bountiful] free gift of God is eternal life through (in union with) Jesus Christ our Lord.

Hebrews 12:1-2 (New Living Translation)

God’s Discipline Proves His Love

1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. 2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.

1 Corinthians 12:31 (Amplified Bible)

31But earnestly desire and zealously cultivate the greatest and best gifts and graces (the higher gifts and the choicest graces). And yet I will show you a still more excellent way [one that is better by far and the highest of them all--love].

Click on the Link below if you are interested in reading the article. Love you and keep the fire of love burning.

Love Always,
Eskor

THE SCARS OF SIN

by Ray C. Stedman

http://ldolphin.org/scars.html

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Let my heart be the vessel of God's Love. Let my thoughts be the blossom of God's Love. Let my words be the expression of God's Love. Let my actions be the fulfillment of God's Love. - David Ridge

Yesterday is HISTORY, Tomorrow is a MYSTERY, but today is a GIFT. That is why it is called 'PRESENT' -Wise quote taken from Kungfu Panda

http://fromtheinsideout.us/ (Breaking free from A Wrong and Self-Defeating paradigm)
http://eskoredem.blogspot.com/

BELIEVING IN YOURSELF!!!

2008-06-16T00:45:00.000-07:00

This is a TRULY INSPIRING poem. What makes it more inspiring and more heart rendering is the story behind the poem.

We all have unique gifts, talents and skills that God has given us to fulfill our unique destiny and purpose in this earth. It is our duty and life's purpose to harness these gifts, skills and talents and RUN with it no matter the obstacles we will face in life. The strongest and best way to find out who you are and why you were created is running back to your creator and manufacturer to see his blueprints/master plan for you and when you know WHO YOU ARE and you have found YOUR IDENTITY (no identity crisis), NOBODY or NOTHING can take that away from you and you will live a FULFILLED LIFE. When we don't know why we were created and what purpose we were created for, life will always be like 'shooting blanks' and the worse thing that can happen to any person is to get to the end of his life and realize that you can't account for what you did with your life when you were on this earth and that you ended up wasting your whole life in the process. Like Myles Munroe always states in most of his books: The greatest gifts, skills and talents can be found in the grave where it ends up being of no use. I pray that we will not be part of this statistics and as long as there is life, THERE IS HOPE!!! It is better late than never.

Life is indeed a journey and in this journey of life, it will continue to be a learning experience for us all. Mistakes will be made in our journey of life but I've found out that trials, tribulations and challenges has a way of bringing out the VERY BEST in you when your trust and confidence is on God and God alone and when you make a choice to look beyond the obstacles of life (Obstacles actually makes life FUN. Can you actually imagine a life without any challenges?). TRUE WISDOM is definitely profitable to direct and true wisdom has a SOURCE (that source is not any man or thing). Every stumbling blocks in our lives may only end up being stepping stones to the next level for us. It is our perception, mindsets , paradigm, view of life and belief system that will make that difference (Do you view life as a glass that is half-full, half-empty or OVERFLOWING?). What do you want to be remembered for? Just a little food for thought.

Was greatly motivated and inspired by this poem and decided to share it with you. So, Never stop believing in yourself and if you have the vision and God-ordained dreams of why you were created (I've found out in my own journey that our true purpose is not selfish and self-centered but always centered around helping others, meeting a unique need and making a positive difference in this earth), RUN WITH THE VISION with all boldness and don't allow yourself to be limited in anyway. God will always bring the right people and the right resources your way to push you in the right direction and when you are honest with yourself, you will be able to tell right influences in your life from wrong influences. A word is enough for the wise.

Love you and have a wonderful, fruitful and a BLESSED WEEK.

Love Always,
Eskor

http://www.wow4u.com/daretobe/index.html

A Motivational Poem
Believing in You
By Catherine Pulsifer, © 1997

Never stop believing in yourself.
When others doubt, don't you.
Do what you love to do,
No one knows better than you.

Life is too short to live others' dreams
Follow your own dream
Push yourself to reach your goals
And live the life you once dreamed.

Trust your instincts.
Be true to yourself.
You know what is right for you.
Never give up or give in.

Forget the words "I don't know how".
You can learn,
You can research,
You can do.

Your mind is powerful.
When you believe you can.
You will find a way
You won't waste a day.

Persist and persevere
Do not fear
Because if you believe in you
You will find dreams can come true.

May all your dreams turn into goals,
Believe in yourself.
And remember, all of life is a choice.
The decision is up to you.

I wrote this poem many years ago for a friend that was facing challenging times. She wanted to pursue a goal of setting up her own business. But others in her life felt her goal was too risky.

Many of her family members were "risk adverse"; they stayed in one job, they lived in one city, they never went outside of their comfort zone, and they never took a risk.

They tried to convince her that she should wait, go back to school, or work for someone else in the field she was pursuing. While her family's concerns were out of their love for her, they were also out of their own beliefs and their risk adverse thinking. Her family's fears were causing her to have doubts, but she was determined.

She had done all her planning, she knew there would be risk, but she had a strong belief that she could succeed.

Setting up this business required a lot of work. It challenged her skills, but she was always learning. She faced challenges along the way, setbacks and roadblocks. But she persevered; she found a way around, and sometimes over and under these roadblocks.

To make a long story short, now 10 years later, my friend's business is very successful. And, some of her family that once tried to persuade her not to pursue her goal, her dream, now work for her.

When talking with her the other day, she said, "Many times over the years, especially when I was faced with challenges, I would re-read your poem, and it would remind me not to give up, to believe in myself."

Believe in Yourself, Dare To Be Whatever You Want To Be!

A Blind Man Gives Vision (A Must-See Video)

2008-06-10T08:12:00.000-07:00

This is a very inspirational story and shows us that no matter what ALL THINGS has no choice but to work together for good for them that LOVE GOD and for them that are THE CALLED according to God's purpose. Though God was not the author of his blindness or of him being born crippled (contrary to popular beliefs God is not the author of anything evil including the so-called 'Acts of God' -Prov. 14:34) and it would have been easy for Peter and his family to blame God (as usual) for this, it only ended up working together for his good and today He is an inspiration to others. If God could do it for Peter, how much more us? He is the same, yesterday, today and FOREVER MORE and his thoughts and plans towards us are those of PEACE and not of EVIL and to bring us to a desired and expected end (i.e. fulfill our purpose on this earth).

Proverbs 14:34 (Amplified Bible)

34Uprightness and right standing with God (moral and spiritual rectitude in every area and relation) elevate a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.

Jeremiah 29:11 (Amplified Bible)

11For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome.

Romans 8:28 (Amplified Bible)

28We are assured and know that God being a partner in their labor] all things work together and are [fitting into a plan] for good to and for those who love God and are called according to [His] design and purpose.

Please check this out when you have the chance and have a GREAT DAY!!!

Love Always,
Eskor

http://www.sellinga mongwolves. com/blog/ 2008/06/09/ a-blind-man- gives-vision- a-must-see- video/#video

A Blind Man Gives Vision (A Must-See Video)

June 9th, 2008 | Michael Q. Pink

Yesterday I caught Joel Osteen on television telling a story about Patrick Henry Hughes. He was born with crippled limbs and without eyes. Naturally his parents were devastated and wondered what they had done to deserve that. When Patrick was old enough to sit up, they put him on a piano stool and he began to learn the notes. At age two, he was taking requests. By grade school he was playing old standards and by high school he was playing the blues. When he got to college he was an accomplished pianist and trumpet player.

Recognizing his tremendous gift, the college band director asked Patrick to play in the marching band which entertained thousands at the University of Louisville football games, etc. In order for this happen, his father gave up his day job and worked the graveyard shift at UPS so he could be at every practice and wheel his son in formation, spinning and turning with the rest of the band while his son blew the trumpet with gusto.

What happened with Patrick is truly amazing, how he developed a gift God gave him that could easily have been missed. What also happened, was that a blind boy inspired vision in his parents. His mother “saw” the potential in him as she taught him piano. His father, instead of mourning the fact they could never play ball together, got a vision to play music together. The band director received vision when he “saw” the gift inside this young man. The gift by the way, was far more than a music ability. As much as anything, it was how Patrick interpreted life. When asked to describe his disabilities, he said, “Not disabilities at all, more abilities.” I believe we tend not to see things the way they are but rather we see things the way we are. That should tell you a lot about Patrick and about yourself.

Click on the link Below to see the video of Patrick's incredible and truly inspirational Story.

http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=-qTiYA1WiY8&eurl=http:// www.sellingamong wolves.com/ blog/2008/ 06/09/a-blind- man-gives- vision-a- must-see- video/
(if the link doesn't work, you can check out the video at the selling Among Wolves website. The link is at the beginning of this article)

Patrick’s example is removing the scales of self-imposed limitations that are blinding countless sighted people from “seeing” and fulfilling their vision. What’s inside you? What’s holding you back? What’s your excuse? Gain some vision from this courageous young man, Patrick Henry, and from his family and begin stepping into the vision God has equipped you best to fulfill. As Helen Keller once said, “The only thing worse than being blind is having sight but no vision.” By the way, now when his parents ask God what they did to deserve Patrick Henry, they say it with tears of joy!

If this story and video helped you at all today, please share it with your friends, family and business associates. Who knows who you might help in the process?

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“Watch your thoughts, for they become words. Watch your words, for they become actions. Watch your actions, for they become habits. Watch your habits, for they become character. Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.” -Author Unknown

Only when we give joyfully, without hesitation or thought of gain, can we truly know what love means - Leo Buscaglia.

http://fromtheinsid eout.us/ (Breaking free from A Wrong and Self-Defeating paradigm)
http://eskoredem. blogspot. com/

2008-06-09T06:12:00.000-07:00

Hi,
Though I am not 100% subscribed to writer's school of thought in the article below, I still find it very thought provoking with a high element of truth in it that is why I thought I should share it with you. It is almost as if the writer read all the myriads of thoughts and questions in my minds and heart and decided to answer them based on his own experiences. The fact that a school of thought we strongly believe in or follow is a traditional, cultural or religious belief system that has been in our families for generations doesn't necessarily make that school of thought right. This is why it is important we don't blindly adhere to any belief system especially since deep down in our heart and from the day we were born till now we have always known what is RIGHT from what is WRONG. No matter how we try to redefine right and wrong so we don't feel bad when we are doing the wrong thing, RIGHT IS RIGHT and WRONG IS WRONG and our conscience knows that too. My flesh wants to do WRONG at all times but my Spirit is only interested in the RIGHT thing. It is only in the constant renewing of my mind with God's word, love and wisdom that I will be able to tell the difference and not allow my flesh (which is really like the clothes I wear and my ticket on this earth) rule over my spirit (which is the REAL ME!!!)This is something I am learning more and more and it gets better as the days go by.

Also, the article below is very much in line with a question that has been raging in my heart for ages: 'If I had absolutely nothing to gain from loving my loved ones, family and friends (Let us not even start talking about those that hate me - my enemies, can't stand me or those I just get to meet for the first time), WILL I STILL LOVE THEM?!!! This I believe is a very good question and if honestly answered will show us the state of our hearts.

The Saying is true that 'who you are and what you do when nobody is looking is the REAL YOU and let us not forget that no-one (not even our spouse) can see or tell 100% the motives in your heart (even if the person claims to have psychic powers). We can only interprete people's motive by their actions or our perception of them but yet, it doesn't mean that our interpretation is right. This is why it is not good to Judge people since you can't see their heart. It is only GOD that SEES and KNOWS all. We may deceive people by our personality, even deceive ourselves, but we can't deceive the ONE who sees our hearts, motives and Character (The REAL YOU!!!). I have learn't this about me the hard way (I've learnt to be REAL and HONEST with myself about EVERYTHING) and to tell you the truth, I have found out that it is a very liberating experience when you stop trying to assume what someone else is thinking (especially about you) or trying to interprete other people's actions or motives. It is better I first of all take out the log of wood in my own eyes before I see the speck in my brothers. The only person I can CHANGE or CONTROL is guess.... ME!!! and I have been instructed in God's word to love others as I love myself. I guess the problem has always been what we define LOVE to be. Because of the LIES and the perversion of the TRUTH I tend to see all around me on a daily basis and how close I have been to being deceived, I have made it my life's purpose not only to seek the TRUTH, THE WHOLE TRUTH and NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH but to allow the TRUTH find its roots in my heart and LIVE IT so that I will not be tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine or be easily deceived by the deception and the cunning craftiness of the enemy or of man-made laws and tradition that usually elevates one man or race over another (We are all EQUAL in God's eyes and God loves EVERYONE: even the ones that don't believe in God or are seeking for LOVE in all the wrong places. It is only 'MAN' that sees 'Color of skin').

I find the article below challenging and very thought provoking and just thought I should share it with you as a FOOD FOR THOUGHT. If you'll like to leave a comment regarding the article maybe sharing based on your own life experience and how God is helping you in your own love walk, click on the link below and drop your comment after the article.
http://eskoredem.blogspot.com/

We can learn from each other and we learn something new everyday. WISDOM is indeed profitable to direct and in our journey of life, we will never stop learning unless we choose not to. The day we stop learning it the day we stopped existing in this earth (I believe that phenomenon is called DEATH)

LOVE YOU and KEEP THE FIRE OF LOVE BURNING!!!
(hmm... I have nothing to gain from sending this article to you so I must love you right?). What you FREELY RECEIVE, FREELY GIVE!!!

Love Always,
Eskor

PS
I have always known that the word 'LOVE' is a relative word and has so many different definition (Some of these definitions are outright scary especially where love is define to be a feeling or an emotion). But I really love the quote below that describes true love.

Only when we give joyfully, without hesitation or thought of gain, can we truly know what love means - Leo Buscaglia.

I STRONGLY believe that this is possible but not something we can do based on our own human intelligence, physical strength or technical know how. It is only as a direct consequence of downloading and installing the never-ending/unconditional love your heavenly father has towards you (John 3:16) and reflecting that same love, life and LIGHT without any form of reservation and also take out the notion or belief that we can CHANGE other people (That is not our job and if someone doesn't want to change, there is nothing you can do to make him or her change unless you resolve to using controlling and manipulative techniques and these are things we do unconsciously especially within religious context). In Psalm 63:3(NLT) David stated that God's UNFAILING LOVE is better than LIFE ITSELF. That could have only come based on his personal experience and revelation of the Love of the FATHER and I know without reservations that this is true. Please read when you have the chance and I'm pretty sure the article below will make you think too.

http://dyske.com/index.php?view_id=827

Love, Friendship, and Dependency

The people who claim that they love you, are often the same people who take it out on you when they are in a bad mood. And, you think, “Out of billions of people in the world, why do they have to choose someone they love?” I suppose in some ways it makes sense, because it can be argued that they love you because they can take it out on you. If someone gave me $1,000 dollars every month for no reason, I suppose I would “love” him. If someone picked up every piece of trash I threw up in the air, I would “love” that person too. Why not? The problem is the use of the word “love” in these situations. What we immediately think of when we hear that word is the kind of love that is selfless, i.e., disinterested love. The use of the word “love” in such situations as the above has nothing to do with this. I would use the word, “dependency”. It just so happens that in English the same word is used for both. The confusion stems from the fact that outward appearances of both are hardly distinguishable.

For instance, parents are often scared of the pain of losing their children, which drives them to be over-protective. Consequently, they make parental decisions that are not necessarily good for their children. This fear can easily reach a point of paranoia where children are not allowed to do anything on their own. They would rather ease their own paranoia than do what is right for their children. They see this to be love, because outwardly there is not much difference between this and truly caring about their children.

When we are young, we tend to see friendship as a form of support system, because we are still insecure and fearful of life. And, we are not satisfied with just having a support system; we also want to secure it. We want some sort of assurance that it will be there forever. We are thus very much interested in verifying the degrees of commitment, sincerity, and trust by testing the limits of our friendships, which in turn puts undue stress on them. For this reason, friendships of our youth tend to be emotionally tumultuous.

If you love or care about someone, you naturally would want to offer help when he is in need. Offering help, in this sense, is a consequence of your psychological state. Someone who has a naive notion of friendship reverses this process and sees this as the cause of friendship. He thus believes that friends are made by offering help, and that friendship is defined by the means of helping each other.

What may not be immediately obvious is that this support system is rewarding in both directions: when we help others and when others help us. Naturally, having someone who is willing and capable of helping you makes you feel secure, but having someone who needs you can also make you feel secure existentially. If he needs you, it is less likely that he would leave you. And, if he needs you, it means that your existence has a meaning. In order to feel better about your own existence, you need other people who need you. In this sense, what often appears to be a selfless, unconditional deed has hidden selfish motives. In order to feel good about ourselves, we often help others who should not be helped, thereby perpetuating the very problem that causes them to suffer: the sense of helplessness.

Thus, a naive friendship of this nature is a system of codependence. For this reason, needy people tend to attract each other, like drug addicts. It is no coincidence that heroin junkies insist on sharing needles even if clean needles are available to them. Testing their loyalty to each other is just as rewarding to them as the artificial sense of security the drug can offer. Codependent people become preoccupied with defining the word “friend”. It cannot just be someone whose presence they enjoy; he must be defined as a “friend”. How many people they can call “friends” becomes a piece of knowledge that gives them a sense of security and confidence, like collecting trophies.

Among a codependent group of people, the members become very vocal about how they would do anything for each other. “He is my best friend, and I would do anything for him.” Be that as it may; some people are capable of doing “anything” for total strangers too, as witnessed by certain heroic incidents like the crash of Air Florida Flight 90 in 1982 in which Arland D. Williams, Jr., on the verge of drowning into the icy water, repeatedly offered the rescue line from the helicopter to others, which resulted in his own death. Such unconditional deed of love has nothing to do with defining someone to be one’s own “friend”.

If you are only capable of having codependent relationships, you become scared of others who do not need anything from you, because you have no way of feeling any confidence in that relationship. If they don’t need you, you can’t feel good about yourself. You feel like you don’t exist in their eyes, like you are a disposable camera. You desperately try to find something you can help them with. You deliberately look for problems in them. Naturally everyone has problems, but whether they want to share them with you is a separate issue. Everyone has his or her own ways of dealing with their problems. But you insist that they share them with you in order for you to feel secure about that relationship. Thus, you measure the value of a friend based on how helpful you can be to him as well as how helpful he can be to you. A “friend”, in this sense, becomes a mere drug for your own ego; something to make you feel good about yourself with. You cannot fathom how someone could be a friend if he doesn’t need you and if you don’t need him.

This invites all sorts of misunderstandings in friendships because every friendship, in this case, is an unspoken contract of codependency. I agree to help you with this, so you agree to help me with that. This contract allows both of them to feel better about themselves, but naturally, no such contract could be clearly communicated. Thus, discrepancies in expectations are unavoidable, which often jeopardizes the contract. And, if you cannot afford to lose that contract of support, you try to salvage it desperately. You get hurt in the process, which makes you want to never speak to him again, and vice versa.

People who build friendships without any dependencies do not have these problems. There are no commitments, contracts, or expectations. To a codependent person, such a friendship seems shallow, because there is no drug-value in it, because it does not make his ego feel better or secure. He might ask: “What’s the point?”

All of the arguments above apply to the concept of family as well. Family functions are rarely organized for the sheer desire of the members to see each other. It is more likely to be motivated by the sense of obligation as a member of the support system. The limits of your commitment to your family are constantly tested by the various members of your family in the form of family functions. Some people go as far as to force you to accept help from them, to be indebted against your will. They do things you did not ask for, and claim that you owe them one.

In a friendship or a family relationship based on dependency, you become blind to the true nature of who your friend or family member is, because needs come before everything else. It is analogous to the way alcoholics are incapable of truly enjoying a glass of fine wine. In order to truly enjoy anything in life, you cannot be attached to it. If you cannot understand a relationship without mutual need for help, you have not experienced the true beauty of human relationship. And, I know how sad and lonely that feels, because I have been there myself.

2008-05-26T11:21:00.001-07:00

Hi,
I trust you are doing great, had a wonderful weekend and that everything is aligning themselves in pleasant places for you.

We started 'Phase II' of the fasting from wrong thinking a couple of days ago and I just thought I should share this information with you. The first 40-day fast from wrong thinking, wrong mindsets, wrong methodologies and wrong paradigm (Phase I) was so profound, outstanding and mind renewing/transforming and these daily emails revealed the kind of wrong mindsets that we may have had and that some religious, cultural, and traditional beliefs has taught us which unfortunately has kept a couple of us in bondage. I've learnt not to follow any religious, traditional or cultural belief system without personally understand why that belief system is in place and the root of the belief (i.e not following any belief system blindly just because it looks palatable but allowing the Holy Spirit and my spirit lead me in the right direction). In my opinion, any belief system that is not centered around loving God and loving your neighbors (even those who hate you) or that tries to promote/elevate one man or race over another is not worth believing in because whether we like it or not, what you believe in or worship determines WHO you are (But HEY!!! This is my personal opinion).

Also on a constant basis, testimonies have been flowing from all over the world (from people that subscribed to the fast) on how this fast has created tremendous transformation in people's life all over the world (including mine). Though fasting from food is very good and helps our spiritual state, if you are REALLY honest with yourself, try and imagine how many times you have fasted from food and after the fast, you were fine (i.e. your spirit man was more in control) for a couple of days or weeks then later you still find yourself doing the exact same things and wondering why its been hard to change or to see better results in your lives. I guess the saying is true that 'it is only a fool that keeps doing the same thing and expects different results'. I can relate with the saying because I've seen that happen in my life too (i.e. kept doing the same things and expecting a miracle). Thank God for his mercy and grace and also for another chance. Check out the scripture below as a little food for thought

Romans 12:1-3 (New Living Translation)

A Living Sacrifice to God

1 And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice, the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. 2 Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

3 Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don't think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us.

Below is today's fast from wrong mindsets. If you are interested in joining us in this fast, please click on the link below and you can subscribe to receive the emails on a daily basis.

http://fromtheinsideout.us/

You will also find the first 40 days in phase I on the above website as well as the days you've missed in phase II in the archives and testimonies from people all over the world that have seen significant change in their lives, health, relationship with others and most importantly their relationship with their heavenly father. There have also been many testimonies of people getting healed in their homes (without anybody praying for them) and people actually losing weight (without even changing their diet or eating habits) all because they were able to recognize some faulty mindsets and deceptions from the enemy that actually caused the sickness/weight gain and the realizing the TRUTH and implementing it using God's word made them free. If you don't believe me, check out the testimonials on the website for yourself (they keep pouring in) and I have also seen lots of transformation in my own life, my love walk and a more strengthened relationship and intimacy with my heavenly father, God and bestest friend too (my mini-testimony).

Trust me, there are no gimmicks attached to this and it is FREE so I have nothing to gain or lose from letting you know. But I'm pretty sure you wouldn't regret it. Also imagine the money that you will save from taking those continuous trip to the doctors and therapist when the problem has always been as a result of our faulty thinking/mindsets. You'll be shocked how many diseases and mental illnesses are attached to anger, bitterness, unforgiveness, hurts and offense (the person that seriously gets affected when you refuse to forgive someone that hurt or offended you is guess... YOU. The person may not even be aware) and how the cure can miraculously come from learning to LET GO and being in control of the negative thoughts and emotions that flood your mind and find their way into your heart. Like Toyota's motto rightly states 'GOOD THINKING, GOOD PRODUCT.' This definitely means that the reverse is the same too 'WRONG THINKING, WRONG PRODUCTS and as a man thinks in his heart, that will he become (Prov 23:7). The TRUTH always has a way of setting you FREE!!!

I just thought it would be rather selfish of me to keep these mind transforming, heart rendering and PRICELESS information to myself. Remember that Wisdom is profitable to direct and a truly wise man will learn from everything and everyone (even from things you don't personally belief in or you have been taught not to believe and from also from seemingly foolish talk).

In the mean time, have a wonderful, fruitful and Blessed week and ENJOY LIFE because it is your Godly Heritage.

John 10:10 (Amplified Bible)

10The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows).

Love Always,

Eskor

Today's Message | Archives | Testimonials | Resources

Thought 12

Today we are fasting from the thought:I must be out of Gods will. And the thoughts that go with it: What if I miss God's will? What if I make the wrong decision?

These are some of the thoughts that punish many people; that produce doubt, uncertainty and fear in us--almost becoming self-fulfilling prophecies leading us to make bad decisions.

Let's fast from the thought that we are out of the will of God or that we will probably miss God's will.

1. Put first things first. God's "will" is His Word. ("Testament" means "will") It's not a mystery. If you left a "will" for your loved ones, it would focus on what you are doing for them, rather than what they need to do for you (Of course, you would be dead!). FOCUS ON WHAT GOD HAS DONE. Read the will or the testament, as if it were listing what NOW belongs to you since Jesus died and rose again. (Hebrews 9:14-20)

2. The will of God begins with a state of being not a state of doing. What I mean by this is: since our foundational scripture is As a man thinks, so is he (Proverbs 23:7), our focus should be on what God said we ARE, and what God said we HAVE. Then, that will produce what God wants us to DO. When you know you ARE what God says you are, and you HAVE what God says you have, then you will DO the will of God. The right decisions will be the byproduct of the right thinking.

3. As you fill your heart up with the Word of God, He will lead you safely into His will! Psalm 119:9-11 says, I have hidden your Word in my heart that I might not SIN against Thee. Sin = missing the mark. You won't MISS the will or the mark when you hide the Word in your heart!

4. The will of God is activated in our life through the giving of thanks. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 says, In everything give thanks, for this is the WILL OF GOD for you, in Christ Jesus. Notice, He doesn't say give thanks FOR everything, but rather: give thanks IN everything. No matter what you are facing right now the will of God is to give thanks, IN the midst of it. By thanks and praise CONTINUALLY, we are infesting our situation with the presence and possibilities of God's power!

5. The will of God is bigger and broader than most people think. At a large airport, there are several runways that a plane can land on, safely, arriving at its destination. Get rid of the mindset that there's only one runway and you might miss it and crash! There are several runways in the will of God, and therefore many options that are equally acceptable and approved by God.

6. MORE TO COME ON THIS TOMORROW!

THINK IT & SAY IT:

I am not going to miss God's will for my life! His Word is His Will, and I accept and embrace His Word as the cornerstone of my life.

I AM what God's Word says I am. And I HAVE what God's Word says I have. I have a covenant with God, and knowing that will lead me into the right decisions for my life. He will keep me in His Will, as I keep His Word in my heart.

I choose a life of thanks and praise which puts me in the middle of God's will, AND brings God's will into the middle of my situation, infesting my surroundings with God's presence and God's power! In Jesus Name!

Happy Day!

Gregory Dickow

The Fast from wrong thinking is a revolutionary approach to identify and conquer thought patterns, mindsets and mentalities at work to defeat you. Over 50,000 people have joined. You can find archives and videos at http://fromtheinsideout.us that will further help change you from the inside out built on the foundation of God's Word.

------------ --------- --------- ------
The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly; it is dearness only that gives everything its value. I love the man that can smile in trouble, that can gather strength from distress and grow brave by reflection. 'Tis the business of little minds to shrink; but he whose heart is firm, and whose conscience approves his conduct, will pursue his principles unto death. - Thomas Paine

Only when we give joyfully, without hesitation or thought of gain, can we truly know what love means - Leo Buscaglia.

http://eskoredem.blogspot.com/

The Fast from wrong thinking is a revolutionary approach to identify and conquer thought patterns, mindsets and mentalities at work to defeat you. Over 50,000 people have joined. You can find archives and videos at fromtheinsideout.us that will further help change you from the inside out built on the foundation of Godâ€™s Word.

Be a Day Starter™

2008-05-21T07:11:00.000-07:00

Hi,
I read and was ruminating on the article I found below and these thoughts came strongly to my heart. I just thought I should share them with you.

The GREATEST gift you can ever give anyone is the gift of love and the wisest/happiest man or woman on the earth is one that knows his life's purpose and centers his/her life and purpose around serving and loving others as well as he loves himself. Whether we believe this or not, our lives' purpose was never meant to be about us and us alone (else God would have created separate islands or worlds and place each of us in them. No man is an island right?) but will always be centered around others too.

I've also seen that learning to GIVE and FORGIVE helps in taking out the roots of selfishness, self-centeredness and the 'its all about ME' syndrome in us and also has a way of teaching us to be content/grateful/thankful even it looks like there is absolutely no reason to be thankful. As long as there is life, THERE IS HOPE . Just try and Imagine for 5mins how it would be and all that will be left unaccomplished about your life and purpose if you died today and I'm pretty sure you'll be thankful you are ALIVE!!! A Merry and joyful heart knows no worries and depression is the least of their problems. Just a little food for thought.

Learn to start your day right, have a wonderful day and spread the LOVE. Trust me, IT WORKS else you can ask for your money-back guarantee. freely GIVE and you will freely RECEIVE.

Love Always,
Eskor

http://davidjpollay.typepad.com/david_j_pollay/

Monday Morning Momentum™ - Be a Day Starter™

Monday, May 12, 2008
Click here for an introduction to Monday Morning Momentum.

Be a Day Starter™
This week’s focus: At home

My wife, Dawn, usually wakes up before I do. Sometimes she wakes up by alarm, and other times by the gentle tugging of one of our two little girls, Eliana (5) and Ariela (4). Then around 6:30a.m., it’s my turn. This is how I wake up: Dawn hugs me and whispers good morning until I wake up. It’s a beautiful way to begin a day; I am loved awake. Dawn starts my day.

And then I continue the cycle. I step out of bed and head upstairs to my little girls’ rooms. I quietly walk into their bedrooms and wake them up with a big hug. It is one of my favorite parts of the day. I start their day.

How do you wake up in the morning? What is your first interaction of the day? What do you do and say when you first see someone in the morning?

Be A Day Starter in Your Family

If you’re not already beginning your day as warmly and positively as you can, be a Day Starter for one week: When you wake up in the morning express your love with your words and your actions.

If you normally complain right after you get up, express your love first. If you have to begin your day with a cup of coffee in the morning, do it after you have hugged and kissed everyone (And if you don’t normally hug and kiss your family, let me know what impact it has on your life when you do.). Suspend your normal wake-up habits for one week. Be a Day Starter at home.

Be A Day Starter with Your Roommates

If you live with roommates, be the first to greet everyone. Be the first to smile. Make the coffee. Offer to make their breakfast when you make yours. Demonstrate your interest in them. Start their day.

Be A Day Starter if You Live Alone

And if you live alone, call someone you care about. Email a kind note to a friend. Exercise with friends, or grab a cup of coffee with them. Start someone’s day.

Invite Your Family and Friends to Join You

And if you want your family or friends to join you on your journey, send this post along to them.

Have a great week, and let me know how it goes.

-----------------------
The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly; it is dearness only that gives everything its value. I love the man that can smile in trouble, that can gather strength from distress and grow brave by reflection. 'Tis the business of little minds to shrink; but he whose heart is firm, and whose conscience approves his conduct, will pursue his principles unto death. - Thomas Paine

The purpose of life is to live a life of purpose - Leider, Richard

You set the Limits - Part two

2008-05-05T11:17:00.000-07:00

You set the Limits - Part two

Hi Again,
This devotional was suppose to be attached to the first email (I got inspired to write after I read it and it was very much in line with issues that have been flowing in my heart) but I guess I found myself writing so much that I mistakenly truncated it. Just thought I should still resend it. Always remember that you can never go beyond your limitations and that every limitations starts from what is in your mind and your mindsets. That is why RENEWING YOUR MIND and a PARADIGM SHIFT (Using God's word through the help of the Holy Spirit) is very important as well as taking every limits off God while setting healthy boundaries so you don't get trampled upon by lies, deceit, intimidation, emotional blackmail, hurts, offenses, controlling people and religious spirits (to mention a few) or get tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine.

Every battle where your life and future is concerned has already been fought and won (when Jesus died on the cross for your sins) and VICTORY is already yours in Jesus name. BUT you have to work out YOUR OWN salvation with fear and trembling (Phil 2:12) and BUILD up YOURSELF in YOUR most holy Faith(Jude 1:20).

There is POWER in Fellowship and Unity ('one shall chase a thousand and two, ten thousand' and 'behold how Good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in UNITY') but in the midst of it all, we are still running our individual race and will be accountable for our individual actions at the end of the race. The beautiful thing about this race is that it is not a competitive race (this is the world system and a result of the curse -i.e the desire to domineer and out-compete other people instead of having dominion over life -Gen 1:28 vs Gen 2:16b. Before Man sinned in the beginning, we were created to have dominion over life and not over other people. We were all created uniquely and for a unique purpose) but a race to actually get to the end and FINISH STRONG. God's desire is that everyone (with no exception) will get to the end and claim the prize that has been set for him/her that is why he sent his son to die on behalf of your sins and prepare the way for you and to make you realize that you can never do it on your own but that is grace is more than sufficient enough for you (if you are willing to accept it).

Remember, LET YOUR YES BE YES and YOUR NO BE NO and LEARN to ENJOY LIFE (God's way -The Joy of the Lord is YOUR STRENGTH!!!) cos as long as you have life, there is HOPE!!!

Take care of you and KEEP THE FIRE BURNING!!!

Love always,
Eskor

You Set the Limits

Today's Scripture

“What if they don’t believe? Will their lack of faith make the faith of God no effect?” (Romans 3:3)

Today's Word from Joel and Victoria

There will always be critics and naysayers in life. It’s not what’s said about you that affects your life, but what you say and believe about yourself. Has the opinions of other people caused you to water down your dreams? One of the most important things you can learn is that other people don’t have to believe in you in order for your dreams to come to pass. Other people don’t set the limits for your life—you do. In Romans 3:3, the Apostle Paul is saying, “It doesn’t matter if other people don’t believe. Their unbelief is not going to keep me from believing in my dreams.” When God puts a promise in your heart, it’s not up to other people to bring it to pass, it’s up to you! You don’t need everyone to validate you. You have to follow the voice of God for yourself and allow Him to order your steps. God sees the hidden treasures that you’ve had buried on the inside of you. He wants to bring those treasures out and make your dreams reality! As you get rid of old, defeated thoughts and replace them with what God says about you, you will remove the limits and live the abundant life God has in store for you!

A Prayer for Today

Heavenly Father, thank You for another day to see Your goodness in my life. Help me to see myself the way You see me. Help me to see the plans You have for me so that I can be empowered by You to fulfill my destiny. I love You and bless Your name today. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

You set the Limits -Take other limits off

2008-05-05T11:09:00.000-07:00

First Written: Tue, 6 Nov 2007

You set the Limits -Take other limits off

I once heard a pastor say that 'You will never amount to anything in life until you learn to become totally independent of everybody but Jesus' and it really hit me hard. Independent in this sense does not mean that you can't seek or listen to advice from friends and family/loved ones or that you can't seek wise counsel from a mentor or someone you look up to (A wise man can learn something from even a fool). But independent in this sense simply means that the choice is totally yours where your life and future is concerned and how much more will we miss it if we don't know our creator and see our purpose, destiny and future through Heaven's eyes? The closer you get to God and understanding why you were created and what you were created for, the easier it is for you to walk in the fullness of your calling without any form of limitations. In order for you to fully utilized a product you just bought, you need to go through the manual. The case is the same in the Kingdom. In order to know that which you were created for, you need to inquire from your manufacturer.

I realized one of our greatest fears we human beings have is the fear of being rejected or alienated so because of this we find ourselves always aligning to the status quo or just doing what our friends/colleagues/family wants us to do though everything within us hates what we are doing. Like the saying goes 'If you can't beat them, join them'. Also, one of the greatest lies we've used to deceive ourselves is that 'as far as everyone around me is happy and I am not stepping on toes, than I am happy' or ' I don't have release in my heart to do what X or Y advised me or wants me to do because everything within me is leading me in a different direction or I have other commitments, but if I say no, he/she will be offended and may alienate himself/herself from me or may even end up telling people bad things about me'. I know this because this was the kind of person I used to be but now I see things and life from a whole different point of view and I've learnt to set healthy boundaries and it is very liberating. One thing I have learnt about life is don't live your life solely to please people because our emotions are very fickle and unstable and the people that love you today when you are doing things their way may hate you tomorrow when you stop doing things their way and there is no way you can walk in the fullness of that which God has called you to walk without stepping on toes. The forces of darkness don't like it when you you aligning yourself to God's will so stumbling blocks will always be placed in your path. But every stumbling block can become a stepping stone to the next level for you. Its all depends on your perception to life and where your trust and confidence lies. Instead live your life to please God and as much as possible learn to live in peace with your brother (but never at the expense of yourself that is why the Rom 12:8 places emphasis on 'As much as possible').

Romans 12:18 (Amp)
18If possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.

Matthew 5:33-37 (Message translation)
33-37"And don't say anything you don't mean. This counsel is embedded deep in our traditions. You only make things worse when you lay down a smoke screen of pious talk, saying, 'I'll pray for you,' and never doing it, or saying, 'God be with you,' and not meaning it. You don't make your words true by embellishing them with religious lace. In making your speech sound more religious, it becomes less true. Just say 'yes' and 'no.' When you manipulate words to get your own way, you go wrong.

James 5:12 (Amp)
12But above all [things], my brethren, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath; but let your yes be [a simple] yes, and your no be [a simple] no, so that you may not sin and fall under condemnation.

If you study the lifestyle of all the greatest Achievers on this earth (Both from God's word and in the world today), you will notice a common similarity: They stood for what they believed in irrespective of what people had to say about them and even when they made mistakes, they got up and moved on (despite the criticisms) and that they always stood out of the status Quo. The people that criticized and booed them when they were still in the early stages of their achievements were the the same people that changed and started praising them when they became great achievers. So why waste your life always trying to live by how people want you to live your life or always seeking people's approval to do that which you believe in your heart is the direction God is leading you towards (note though that there are times we can really convince ourself that what we are doing is right and may be wrong. That is why God's word should be your only standard and why you need to rely totally on the help of the holy Spirit. Seeking wise counsel is also very good as well as having a mentor but the the final choice is still yours)? Take the limits off and you will see the difference. What is more important is that you live your life to please God and that you learn to walk in love at all times. But there is no way you can love somebody else if you don't love yourself (this has always been the root of inferiority/superiority complex and low self-esteem). Let God's love saturate your heart and you will never find it hard to love others even when they hurt you or offend you.

Lastly, I've grown to love a song I once heard by Vicky Yohe: Increase me (I believe Israel Houghton sang a similar version of the same song with the same powerful message). The Chorus goes like this:

No Limits, No Boundaries,
I see increase, all around me,
Stretch forth, break forth,
Release Me, Enlarge my territory

Its time for us to take the limits off and stop limiting ourselves by what people think or say about us or even the terrible experiences that we've had in life that makes it pretty difficult for us to want to move on. Its time to break free of terrible mind sets and see beyond the horizon. It is time to enlarge our territories and mode of thinking. One thing for sure is that people will always talk whether you like it or not so why bother about what people are saying about you? What should always be more important is 'What is God saying about you?' There are visions, dreams, treasures, talents, skills and gifts that God has deposited within each and everyone of us (no exceptions) to create a change around us and if you've noticed, those dreams are not always to only your benefit, but it benefits everyone around you. Don't see yourself as a grasshopper like the spies did when they were told to spy the land of Canaan. Instead, see yourself as VICTORIOUS and MORE THAN A CONQUEROR!!! even when it doesn't feel that way. Always remember that it is about taking life, one step at a time while trusting God in every step that you take (This is now my favorite saying). Even when you make mistakes, these mistakes can always work together for your good and make you a better person and that there is a time and a season for everything in life so TIMING is very important. Lets go all out to make a change in our environment and the society at large but always remember that the change must first start from within you. Just a little food for thought. Let me leave this last scripture with you.

HEBREW 12:1-3 (Amplified Version)
1THEREFORE THEN, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses [who have borne testimony to the Truth], let us strip off and throw aside every encumbrance (unnecessary weight) and that sin which so readily (deftly and cleverly) clings to and entangles us, and let us run with patient endurance and steady and active persistence the appointed course of the race that is set before us,

2Looking away [from all that will distract] to Jesus, Who is the Leader and the Source of our faith [giving the first incentive for our belief] and is also its Finisher [bringing it to maturity and perfection]. He, for the joy [of obtaining the prize] that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising and ignoring the shame, and is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God.^(A)

3Just think of Him Who endured from sinners such grievous opposition and bitter hostility against Himself [reckon up and consider it all in comparison with your trials], so that you may not grow weary or exhausted, losing heart and relaxing and fainting in your minds.

I love you but my love cannot be compared to God never-ending/never-changing love towards you. Don't ever forget that God's love towards you is not dependent on your performance or works and its totally unconditional. Draw near to him (He longs for you everyday) and he will draw near to you. The CHOICE is YOURS!!!

Love always,
Eskor

What God is doing through ONE MAN in the UKRAINE

2008-04-29T15:11:00.000-07:00

Date: Fri, 25 Apr 2008 11:05:10 -0700 (PDT)

Hi,
I know a couple of you may have already heard about Pastor Sunday Adelaja and the ministry God has placed in his heart in the Ukraine (Embassy of the Blessed Kingdom of God for all Nations) but for those of you that haven't heard, I just thought I should share a little of his testimony with you. I have actually had the opportunity to interact with Pastor Sunday (have also read a couple of his books and biography) and to tell you the truth, I have never met a pastor as humble as him and yet still carry an outstanding anointing of God upon his life (similar to the kind of anointing you read about in the book of Acts) and allowing God to use him to tear down the walls of religion and at the same time and at the same time STAND OUT as God's authority in the land that God has called him to serve. Part of his ministry is also raising LEADERS in the body of Christ that will stand out and take territories for God's kingdom and he also partnered with the Christian Men's Network (ministry was founded by the Late Edwin Louis Cole -author of maximized manhood. Please check out their website: http://www.cmnworld.com/
when you have the chance) with a vision to teach men how to be the MEN that God has called them to be and not what the wordly system (through the cunning craftiness of the devil and the forces of darkness) has dictated for men to be to the extent that most men have lost their identity and it has lead to the identity crisis we see world wide today (little wonder we have so many men in prison today and many others that don't even know who they or what they have been called to be. It is well and we can only get better). Based on a statement Edwin Louis Cole once made (and it is even stated in the bible ) 'Manhood' and 'Christ-likeness' are one and the same.

And lastly, God is using him to raise men and women in the kingdom with a MILLIONAIRE'S MINDSET and WEALTH mentality but with a basic understand that God has called us to be wealthy for the propagation of the kingdom and the gospel and that we are FINANCIAL STEWARDS of God upon this earth. Like Faith is the legal tender of the kingdom, money is the legal tender in the earth and is definitely needed for the propagation of the kingdom. Remember that it is those in this world that have the most money that are practically dictating the laws of the land (A very good example is what we see happening the United State where some people are trying to remove anything that has to do with God from the US constitution and are yet wondering why the level of moral decadence has sky rocketed. God help us all). Unfortunately POWER has a way of corrupting (I guess that is why we are told that it is the 'love of money' that is the root of all evil) and God expects us to learn to be faithful in the little he has given us before he gives us more (just a little food for thought).

I just thought I should share this with you just as an example that though the world may be getting darker and darker, this is when our lights should shine brighter and brighter for the world to see the true source of light through us and in us. This is also an encouragement that God is not looking for 'perfect' vessels but 'willing' and 'obedient' vessels (if you read his biography and his testimony, you will understand what I am talking about) that will stand up and DARE TO BE DIFFERENT. I get really excited when I hear how God is doing great and marvelous through Men and Women of God so please bare with me. It is really amazing and outstanding what God is doing with and through Pastor Sunday Adelaja in the Ukraine and world wide and a lot of ministries (even here in the United States) are really getting connected to him to learn what made him STAND OUT even in this time and season.

If you will like to read more about his ministry and connect with this ministry to learn from them, please check out the link below. I promised you will be really encouraged especially for those who have a leading in your heart that God is calling you to the Five-Fold Ministry. We have all been called to one form of ministry or the other and we all have a unique call of God upon our lives. It is in getting closer to God, downloading his unconditional love for you into your heart (that void in your heart can only be filled by God's love and presence), and allowing his word to be your only standard with the help of the holy spirit that you tend to know what your true purpose is (or at least get closer and closer to your calling and reason for your existence) and not be shooting blindly or trying to create your own purpose or destiny. Life is a journey and it gets better and better as the days go by and though we may make mistakes in our journey of life, it is easier for you to get up, shake the dust from your garment and PRESS FORWARD when you are connected to the heart of the father and his love flows in your heart (John Maxwell calls it FAILING FORWARD). Just a little food for thought.

http://www.pastorsunday.com/index_eng.htm

http://www.godembassy.org/en/index.php

http://www.churchshift.org/

LOVE YOU AND KEEP THE FIRE BURNING!!!

Love Always,
Eskor

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37-40Jesus said, "'Love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence.' This is the most important, the first on any list. But there is a second to set alongside it: 'Love others as well as you love yourself.' These two commands are pegs; everything in God's Law and the Prophets hangs from them." -Matt 22:37-40 (The Message)

LOVE is the answer to every question and LOVE is what makes this world spin around its axis. Without LOVE(GOD is LOVE and LOVE is GOD) this world would have destroyed itself with its own hands a long time ago. SELAH

A CHILD-LIKE FAITH - Part four

2008-04-29T15:04:00.000-07:00

Please read part one, two and three before reading this.

One last thing I just thought I should add is that when Jesus became the ULTIMATE SACRIFICE on our behalf, we ceased to be subject to the LAWS which we all know leads to SIN and DEATH (We are still subject to the Authorities of the Land though). Just like in the days of the Pharacees and Saducees (whom Jesus heavily criticized and even called them names in several instances . YOU BROOD OF VIPERS ) some people still try to use the laws of Moses or old Testament laws to manipulate people to do their bidding or their ways of thinking. For example you hear parents tell their children that God said children should honor their parents but they seem to forget that just after that verse is a verse that states that parents should not provoke their children to anger. Or you hear husbands tell their wife that God has instructed the wives to be SUBMISSIVE to their husbands with the bid of trying to CONTROL their wives forgetting that the verse before states that husband should love their wives as Christ loved the church; so much that He even gave up his life for the church or that we are meant to be SUBMISSIVE one to the other. Scary right? but if we look deep within, we will find we have been doing this) and even for most Christians, we find ourselves trying to twist God's word to our benefit or to justify any action we want to make even when it is wrong (I was also very guilty of this but now I know better). Don't forget that the devil knows God's word even more than most of and also does the same thing of trying to twist God's word to confuse us (eg the story of the temptation of Eve and The temptations of Jesus).

The only commandment that Jesus instructed us to obey is the COMMANDMENT TO LOVE. This is the underlying foundation behind every other commandment (If you love God and you are assured in your heart that God loves you in return, you wouldn't want to steal or kill or do anything that is contrary to God's will for your life or that will come between you and your heavenly father). GOD IS LOVE AND LOVE IS GOD. Since we are made in God's image and after his likeness WE ARE LOVE BEINGS. CHRISTIANITY is a way of life and not a religion or a set of RULES AND REGULATIONS (DOS AND DON'T) and the only way we can lead people to Christ is if and only if ONLY IF our lifestyle is a replica of the Life of THE CHRIST (who we remember is the epitome of LOVE). We have been commanded not just to LOVE OUR NEIGHBORS and CHURCH FOLKS but to ALSO LOVE OUR ENEMIES (Romans 12:9-21). Please meditate on every scripture Jesus spoke about Love and you will have a better understanding of what I am talking about. But let me leave these two scriptures with you.

Matthew 22:34-40 (The Message)
The Most Important Command
34-36When the Pharisees heard how he had bested the Sadducees, they gathered their forces for an assault. One of their religion scholars spoke for them, posing a question they hoped would show him up: "Teacher, which command in God's Law is the most important?"
37-40Jesus said, "'Love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence.' This is the most important, the first on any list. But there is a second to set alongside it: 'Love others as well as you love yourself.' (Eskor: FOOD FOR THOUGHT - if you don't love yourself, how can you love others?). These two commands are pegs; everything in God's Law and the Prophets hangs from them."

Matthew 18:1-6 (Amplified Bible)

1AT THAT time the disciples came up and asked Jesus, Who then is [really] the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?

2And He called a little child to Himself and put him in the midst of them,

3And said, Truly I say to you, unless you repent (change, turn about) and become like little children [trusting, lowly, loving, forgiving], you can never enter the kingdom of heaven [at all].

4Whoever will humble himself therefore and become like this little child [trusting, lowly, loving, forgiving] is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

5And whoever receives and accepts and welcomes one little child like this for My sake and in My name receives and accepts and welcomes Me.

6But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in and [a]acknowledge and cleave to Me to stumble and sin [that is, who entices him or hinders him in right conduct or thought], it would be better ([b]more expedient and profitable or advantageous) for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be sunk in the depth of the sea.

(PLEASE READ THE WHOLE OF MATTHEW 18 WHEN YOU HAVE THE CHANCE)

Good Stuff right? It is well and WE CAN ONLY GET BETTER!!! I will always emphasize that LIFE is a Journey and as long as we are on this journey, it will continue to be a LEARNING EXPERIENCE for us all.

LOVE YOU ALL AND KEEP THE FIRE OF LOVE BURNING!!! Remember, No one is left behind and it is not how we start that matters but how we finish. the whole idea is about FINISHING STRONG!!!

Love Always,
Eskor

A CHILD-LIKE FAITH - Part three

2008-04-29T14:52:00.000-07:00

Please read part one and two before reading this.

And for us guys we were constantly told and reminded as kids that 'REAL MEN don't cry' and that REAL MEN should never show that they have any form of emotions (I've found out that this is the exact opposite. REAL MEN CRY!!! Jesus WEPT several times RIGHT? and we know of several patriarchs in the bible that were described as being 'filled with compassion' at several instances ) and if you pretend you don't have emotions or you suppress it, it will come out one day and I can promise you, IT WILL BE DISASTROUS). MACHORISM is a myth and all these traditional/cultural belief about manhood and trying to be a MACHO MAN is part of what has degraded us to where we are today. If you look at America alone, the greatest percentages of people in jail are... let me guess... MEN!!! A lot of men have totally lost their identity and don't even know what or why they were created. A lot of unnecessary pressure had been placed on MANHOOD and a lot of us have struggled to meet up to the demands of the society (just as women are motivated by relationships, men are motivated by WORK) that we have been emotionally broken by the pressures and has led to lots of resentment, lack of vision and depression that we see in most men today. Now we see situations where woman are now indirectly forced to take over and lead in the home and since that was not in their initial design when God created them (I'm talking about leading in the home), it has only led to more frustrations, endless depression, lots of sickness (isn't it strange that Cancer is now becoming more prevalent in women than in men especially in this time and season?) and broken homes and strong Godly family values are now being destroyed. The men are blaming it on their wives and the wives are blaming their husbands too (it is easier to blame others than to take responsibilities for our actions or to even realize that there is a constant spiritual war going on around us) and the enemy is having a fun time laughing at both of them because he knew that his plan from the beginning was to cause division in the home since society is built from a man and woman coming together as one (marriage). Destroy the home and family values, destroy the society at large (look around us. I know I am speaking the truth). Or can two work together except they agree? I guess we have forgotten that man trying to have dominion over his wife and vice versa was a result of the curse? Go and read Genesis 3 again but let me blow out the verse that makes emphasis on this curse.

Genesis 3:16 (Amplified Bible)

 16To the woman He said, I will greatly multiply your grief and your suffering in pregnancy and the pangs of childbearing; with spasms of distress you will bring forth children. Yet your desire and craving will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.

THIS IS AS A RESULT OF THE CURSE. It was never in God's original intention for Man to have dominion over another man not to talk of his own wife. We were meant to have dominion over the earth and not PEOPLE!!! Another food for thought.

Here in the United States and most of the countries in Europe, almost every child believes that SANTA CLAUS really exist and drops gifts for them under the Christmas tree or the myth that when you lose you teeth and you drop it under your pillow, the tooth fairy will come when you are sleeping at night, and replace the teeth with a gold coin). There have been times I observed some kids playing and enjoying themselves with NO CARES in this world (Since they know that mummy and daddy will take care of EVERYTHING) and in those times, I almost wish wish I could be a child again. Now I understand why Our HEAVENLY DADDY wants us to have a Child-like heart of FAITH ( Since we should know that DADDY will take care of EVERYTHING!!!).

It was when we grew up and we knew how to think for ourselves (or also in the process of making mistakes too) that we found out that most of these stories were not true. But I guess we also became so intelligent that we always want to analyze or become logical about every area of our lives (including the things that are spiritual). Little wonder God wants us to have a Child-Like Heart. A Child-like Heart that will fully believe (by FAITH and not by trusting our physical senses) everything our HEAVENLY DADDY says and allow his words of wisdom be a Lamp unto our feet and a Lamp unto our path. This has to be STRICTLY by FAITH. When we start trying to find out logical explanations to spiritual events, we move from the level of FAITH to the level of INTELLIGENCE (our soul is the center of our mind, our will and our emotions and even when our spirit was regenerated when we gave our lives to Christ, our Soul still remained the same way it was even after we became born again. Do you now see why our minds need renewing? Imagine all those terrible things we exposed our minds before we gave our lives to Christ) and this is what has led the world to where it is today (eg different theories are brought out all the time about how the world was created with endless debates and confusion flying in the air and a lot of people still don't believe in God because they can't see, feel, smell, hear or Touch him. Some of us have learn't though that we can't afford to trust our physical senses all the time right? especially when we are dealing with spiritual issues. Our emotions were given to us as both good and bad warning signs but we should be in control of our emotions and not vice versa). I hope you see my point. Let us not forget that these were some of the tricks the enemy used on Eve from the very beginning and it is still the same tricks he is using on us. i.e The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life.

1 John 2:15-17 (Amplified Bible)
15Do not love or cherish the world or the things that are in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in him.

16For all that is in the world--the lust of the flesh [craving for sensual gratification] and the lust of the eyes [greedy longings of the mind] and the pride of life [assurance in one's own resources or in the stability of earthly things]--these do not come from the Father but are from the world [itself].

17And the world passes away and disappears, and with it the forbidden cravings (the passionate desires, the lust) of it; but he who does the will of God and carries out His purposes in his life abides (remains) forever.

My heart went back to a beautiful song that ministered to me the first time I heard it. Please listen to it when you have the chance. I pretty sure most of you will remember it because the GREAT Redemption Choir at my fellowship in college (Student Christian Movement) ministered this song more often than I can remember. The song is 'TAKE ME BACK' by Andrae Crouch (Let's go OLD SCHOOL )

http://youtube.com/watch?v=Tz63HSyS6EY

TO BE CONTINUED...
      

A CHILD-LIKE FAITH - Part two

2008-04-29T14:50:00.000-07:00

Please read part one before reading this.

The enemy (with the help of the MEDIA and ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY) has so degraded that which is BEAUTIFUL in God's eyes to something so cheap and dirty and some men even tend to only see the opposite sex as sex tools to consume their lust (forgetting that WOMEN are FEARFULLY AND WONDERFULLY MADE and taken out of us -go read genesis again). SEX sells like water and if a movie does not have a sex scene, that movie is not complete. This is SCARY!!! I'm being led to write about MASTURBATION/PORNOGRAPHY and the battles MEN face but that will be in due season. There is also an article God put in my heart titled THE MIND OF A MAN (contrary to the title, this is directed towards women. Hint, the way you treat yourself is the way any man will treat you. If you sell yourself cheap, you will always be cheap in a man's eyes. If you lure men to you by dressing scantly and exposing parts of your body that should be hidden, the only men you will attract are men that will lust after you and once they have sex with you, THAT IS THE END OF THE RELATIONSHIP. Haven't you noticed that most guys that play around, when they are ready to GET MARRIED always go to look for their partners in church or for ladies that they can respect? Just a little food for thought) but that will also come in due season. It is time for us CHRISTIANS to become REAL and stop pretending that these things are not happening around us and even in our midst while the enemy uses it to keep us in BONDAGE. Sincerely speaking, how many of us can actually say that they have experienced the TRUE LIBERTY that comes from seeking God with all our heart knowing that we are new creations and have been totally forgiven for PAST, PRESENT AND EVEN FUTURE SINS (Jesus already died on the cross for ALL our sins and his grace has already been made sufficient enough for us but like the book of Romans stated, shall we continue to sin so that grace should abound)? Just a little food for thought. Oops, I guess I digressed a little bit again . Now where were we?

Most women have been sexually abused, molested or harassed at one time in their lives (some worse than others and the most painful ones are the men and women that were sexually abused when they were still kids and didn't even know their left from their right not to talk about understanding what sex is. It opened a door they were not ready for and the enemy always takes advantage of that) that it has so affected their view of sex and even life in general. FORNICATION, ADULTERY, RAPE, INCEST(sex within a nuclear or extended family), BESTIALITY (having sex with animals), PORNOGRAPHY AND MASTURBATION, to mention a few sexual sins has become the order of the day to the extent that people don't see anything wrong with this(HEY! it called liberal thinking remember? How sad for us all). It is rather painful that CHILD PORNOGRAPHY sells more than than any form of pornography (to think about all the innocent children that have been forced into this industry for the sake of money or even trying to make a living. There is a demonic force attached to this and if you talk to people that are or were bound by pornography, they will tell you that its almost as if they don't have any form of control over their action and they always LUST more for that which is suppose to be impossible to get hence the increase in Children molesters and rapist). Are we blind to see the trap of the enemy or isn't there something wrong with this picture? Has LUST become LOVE? True love GIVES without expecting anything in return (Go and read 1 Corinthians 13 again and meditate on every scripture that talks about LOVE in God's word). LUST is the exact opposite. It takes, takes and TAKES and can never be satisfied (it is fleshly and lust is a product of our sinful nature). It is high time we learn to tell the difference and stop pretending that both of them are the same. It is high time we start looking inward and the motives of our hearts to see if we are walking in LOVE or we are walking in LUST. It is high time we stop pretending we don't know what is destroying us and keeping us from truly appreciating and enjoying the love of God (Don't forget that we are a product of what we think and what is in abundance in your heart -Matthew 12:34 and Luke 6:45). It is high time we stop trying to give physical explanations to spiritual issues and put on our SPIRITUAL ARMOUR. There is a constant SPIRITUAL BATTLE going on around us and with the help of the holy spirit we need to FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT OF FAITH!!! It is HIGH TIME OUR VOICES ARE HEARD and WE ARE IN CONTROL of what is shown on the media (the media industry in general) so that the minds of our children and the generation ahead of us will not be destroyed before they even have the chance to grow up. I personally think that the devil has blinded the church from seeing his battle strategy and instead of us putting the enemy in his rightful place (under our feet), we are constantly pursuing after things that God said will come to us when we seek him first (Matthew 6:33) and pretending that we are not seeing these battles around us (IGNORANCE is not an excuse but a DISEASE) and instead of the churches to unite and allow the holy spirit lead the way, churches are fighting against churches (especially about Doctrinal differences) and everyone is trying to prove who knows better than the other. The worse of it all is that we (this includes ME too) constantly find ourselves trying to remove the speck of dust in our brothers eyes forgetting that we have LOGS in ours(negative criticisms, faultfinding, blame shifting, gossiping, backbiting, backstabbing and condemning people has become the order of the day and a times we even do it with the pretense of trying to help the brother or sister). This is rather painful but true and my heart bleeds for the truth, the whole truth and NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH. I am personally TIRED of living this pretentious and hypocritical lifestyle and I want to be REAL (even if I may end up being heavily criticized and condemned in the process). Oops. I forgot that we are in the END TIMES and these are the things that were predicted would happen in this time and season. Let us no forget that THE CHURCH is not the building or structure we worship in, but WE ARE THE CHURCH and the BODY OF CHRIST. I don't know about you but I am tired of playing CHURCH while the world around me is getting destroyed (with me in it) and people are dying everyday without even knowing THE LOVE OF GOD. I crave more and more for the REAL STUFF and I CRAVE to fulfill my mandate and calling as a CHRISTIAN (CHRIST-LIKE). Sorry, I digressed a little bit again but let this be a little food for thought for us all. Remember that SELAH means to pause and ruminate about it. JAMES 4 gives us a very good reason of why this LUST is raging on our inside.

TO BE CONTINUED...

A CHILD-LIKE FAITH

2008-04-29T14:34:00.000-07:00

Mark 10:13-16 (The Message)
13-16The people brought children to Jesus, hoping he might touch them. The disciples shooed them off. But Jesus was irate (Eskor: hmm... so Jesus had emotions too right? I guess this is something we should think about) and let them know it: "Don't push these children away. Don't ever get between them and me. These children are at the very center of life in the kingdom. Mark this: Unless you accept God's kingdom in the simplicity of a child, you'll never get in." Then, gathering the children up in his arms, he laid his hands of blessing on them.

God's word and the things of God is indeed very simple but because our complex minds can't believe how simple God's word is, We end up making it more complex than it really is. That is why we need the constant help of the Holy Spirit at all times when studying God's word, a constant renewing of our minds (to purge old mindsets, old mentalities, old ways of thinking and traditional/cultural beliefs that do not line up with God's word -Hebrews 12 and Romans 12) and most importantly, a Child-like heart of FAITH. Do you remember how easily it was to be quick to believe when we were still very young? Though some of the myths and stories our parents told us when we were kids were not true, we still believed them.

Examples of such stories we believed are: for most ladies, your sex education as a child was that 'If you as much as touch a man or you allow a man touch you will become pregnant '. This is really painful but true and only ended up creating fear in ladies when they were kids. Since men are not the ones that become pregnant, most of us men were not even given any for of sex education. I don’t blame our parents though because I realized that topics like this were hard for them to discuss about (especially because of our STRONG traditional/cultural beliefs and the fact that they too didn’t get any form of sex education. It is even harder for the generation before us to tell their kids that they loved them and this is really painful since kids need to be assured about their parents Love to enable them to be secure in themselves). I hope now that we are more informed (though some of us still found out the truth the HARD WAY. Reminds me of this movie: The HARD WAY- THE ONLY WAY) especially in this INFORMATION AGE we wouldn't do the same thing to our kids cos if we are afraid to tell them the truth, they will learn from the world's system and the world's view of sex as we know is already perverted. As opposed to what the enemy wants us to believe and the constant mind programming we see from movies/pornographic materials and even religion, SEX is not a shameful thing or as downgraded, dirty and perverted as the enemy is trying to make it look. It was (and still is) part of God's design to build INTIMACY between a man and a woman in marriage; it is a BLOOD covenant (similar to the blood covenants we see in the old testaments) which is meant to be BINDING between the couple after tying the knot(I Guess this is why the HONEYMOON after the wedding was designed), it is wonderful both in God's eyes(and meant to be wonderful in our eyes too since it is the greatest form of intimacy between a Husband and a Wife) and can be ONLY truly enjoyed within the walls of MARRIAGE. BUT if we already had a perverted view or wrong mindset of sex before we got married, it will definitely affect us even after we are married. and The same principle stands true to everything else in life (GOOD THINKING, GOOD PRODUCT. BUT WRONG THINKING, WRONG PRODUCT. This is Toyota's motto right? Just modified it to make a point). Like john Maxwell always states in most of his books "YOUR ATTITUDE DETERMINES YOUR ALTITUDE"

Today, a lot of US men are still burning with with an uncontrolled LUST for sex or things that have no lasting value (temporal pleasures that never satisfies) because of the FILTH (Pornography, filthy music that promotes degraded sex and quickies as opposed to building INTIMACY, billboards and advertisements we see on a constant basis that is ALL ABOUT SEX and filthy movies especially from Hollywood) we have exposed ourselves to from when we were kids till date (this is more spiritual than physical though and is actually a spiritual attack. I've found out that part of the enemy's strategy and target is towards kids because he believes that if he can mess us up as kids, we will remain MESSED UP and feeling so condemn and never come to the point of appreciating GOD's love for us. LIAR, LIAR BORN IN FIRE). Women are not excluded in this picture I am trying to paint but it is more prevalent and conspicuous in MEN because unlike women men are easily moved and sexually stimulated BY SIGHT and though this is suppose to be a blessing (the power of VISION), the enemy has been able to THWART it to his advantage and we've allowed him (The devil has power over the world but he has no power over God's Children and the only power the devil has is the power we give him. Very similar to how the moon has no light of his own but reflects the light from the sun). I used the word US because I was in the same boat (even after I became born again) before I finally got to know the TRUTH and I still have to constantly RENEW MY MIND using God's word with the help of the Holy Spirit and also going through a PURGING PROCESS to allow God's word PURGE my mind from all the filth I allowed in (it is very easy to get this filth in but it takes the grace of God to get them out. Our mind is like a computer that stores everything we process with it and the enemy will always try to use these stored processes to condemn us) and also constantly GUARD MY HEART WITH ALL DILIGENCE (remember this computer terminology? GARBAGE IN, GARBAGE OUT) and it is still a learning process.

TO BE CONTINUED...
     