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The Journey of Faith

Can you see how God keeps His promises? Let’s dare to believe in God, knowing he is faithful, even when we are not! Picture Abraham with Sara, his wife, his nephew, his servants, and his herd of livestock travelling with a tent to pitch anywhere they needed to. 

Abraham believed in God with childlike faith. At seventy-five, Abraham would have loved to enjoy the wealth and lifestyle he was accustomed to in Haran. Yet, he left and went where God led him. As a foreigner in a new country, Abraham had to develop his faith to cope with new situations. 

Scripture says Abraham moved to Egypt because of famine. Pharaoh, the King took his very beautiful wife to his palace. Abraham didn’t reveal that Sara was his wife. Then, a plague was sent to Pharaoh’s house causing him to release Sarah and send Abraham out of the country. While waiting for God to give them a family, he and Sarah tried to accomplish the promise themselves and a child was born, not of Sarah, but their Egyptian servant. Sarah, his wife, became angry at that servant’s scoffing and asked Abraham to act. So, God asked Abraham to listen to his wife. Abraham asked the servant and mother of the child to move out with her son. They did. 

Today like Abraham you may have failed at times, but God hasn’t failed you. Abraham received everything that was promised, Canaan the land his descendants would one day possess, and Sara had the child Isaac, although they were both past the age of childbearing. Let’s dare to believe in God, knowing he is faithful, even when we are not! Thank God that nothing is impossible to him. 

“The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed by you.” Genesis 12:1 NLT 

Let’s Pray 

Yahweh, thank you for showing how mighty and faithful you are through Abraham’s and Sara’s life. God, please help me to keep my eyes on you with eternity in my heart so I can finish strong. I hold on to Your promises knowing they are sure in Christ’s name. Amen 

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When Someone Hurts You

Your Hurt For His Healing

When we harbour unforgiveness or negative feelings towards other people, it can overwhelm us. Picture someone you’re not too fond of. What did you think of them doing to you? Did you think of something bad about them/their actions? Did you immediately want to start telling everyone a story about how awful they are? If you were in a good mood before, you’re probably annoyed or agitated now. If you are still bothered by that person or situation, you probably haven’t quite reached the end of your process of forgiveness yet.  

If you want to live a life free from those overwhelming, not-so-positive unforgiving emotions, you must keep that process of intentional forgiveness going, with a heart open to God, until you can move forward with no negative feelings. One way to make sure that process reaches its conclusion is to take that person to God, in a good way, even while you’re still hurting.  

Today, when we pray for those who do us wrong, even while it’s happening, it’s the only way we’ll ever truly let go. Come to God without pretending that you’ve let the problem go, but even while you’re honest about your hurt, pray for that person, and the situation you need to forgive. Let God give you strength beyond your hurt to love the unlovable. If you’re in the process of forgiving someone, ask God to guide the steps that you take next. 

If you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you.’ Mark 11:25 NIV 

Let’s Pray 

Yahweh, I desire to obey Your Word. Your word tells me to get rid of bitterness and anger and to forgive others as you forgave me in Christ. Lord, I lay all my pain into your hands. I give you my heavy burden of unforgiveness and pain of the past, in exchange for your yoke, which is easy, and your burden, which is light. Your word says – Come all who are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Lord, I come to you that you may give me rest from all the hurt, pain, and unforgiveness. In Christ’s name Amen! 

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Believe

What are you believing for God to do in your life today? Can you see it in your mind’s eye? Can you see yourself healed? Can you see yourself paying off that last payment? Can you see yourself at your ideal weight? Can you see yourself sharing the gospel with a family member or friends?  

Recently, has God spoken things to your heart that haven’t come to pass yet? Sometimes when we are believing for things, it’s easy to let circumstances and the pressures of life drag us down. But when you make the choice to receive your promise by picturing it in your mind’s eye, and declaring it with the words of your mouth, your faith becomes stronger. You begin to feel more confident. You begin to feel more settled. You begin to have joy and peace because you know God is working things out for you. 

Today, ask the Lord to give you the picture of what He sees when He looks at you. As you open your heart and allow God’s thoughts to become your thoughts, and you receive His promises by faith, just like it says in Scripture, whatever you ask for in prayer will be yours! Hallelujah! 

“Therefore, I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” (Mark 11:24, NIV) 

Let’s Pray 

Yahweh, thank You for another day to bless You. Thank You for the gift of faith. Father, I ask that You search my heart and mind and remove anything that does not please You. God, give me Your thoughts of peace and joy, so that I can learn to receive all You have for me today. In Christ’s Name! Amen.

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God Knows Your Secret Cries

God knows those things that you haven’t told anybody about. He knows the secret cries and petitions of your heart. He is aware of hidden dreams placed in you. Maybe you thought they would never come to pass, or maybe you buried them because they didn’t happen on your timetable. Maybe, in the natural, you have every right to give up on your goals and dreams.  

Don’t give up, be encouraged, God is still working behind the scenes! He still has a plan to bring those dreams to pass. All you have to do today is what Psalm 37:4 says, “delight yourself in the Lord” That word delight actually means to make yourself soft and pliable. It paints the picture of God as the potter and you as the clay.  

Today, allow God to mould and shape your character like the potter does the clay. Allow Him to direct your plans and ideas. Keep an attitude of faith and expectancy, Get excited about your future as you submit your ways to the Lord and open your heart to His leading, He will fulfil those secret desires and petitions of your heart! 

“Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He will give you the desires and secret petitions of your heart.”  (Psalm 37:4, AMP) 

Let’s Pray 

Yahweh, You said the path of the righteous gets brighter and brighter each day. Father, You said no good thing will You withhold from me if I walk uprightly before You. You also said because I delight myself in You, You will give me the secret desires of my heart. God, I thank You today for these promises, and for being in control of my life and knowing what I need for my future, in Christ’s Name! Amen.

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Set Yourself Up To Prosper

Shocking Report reveals 1 in 12 Christians are persecuted around the world: Six women were raped every DAY and 3,000 were killed in 2017

What is prosperity? Prosperity simply means thriving, vibrant and alive. It’s a picture of vitality. When you are prosperous, you have more than enough to give to others. That means more peace, more grace, more hope, more love.

When we “observe to do” what God has commanded, like it says in our text, we are setting ourselves up for success. We are engaging in His system of doing things; and when we do things God’s way, we get God’s results!

Today, decided to do what God has commanded. Invite Him to search your heart and mind, and remove anything that is displeasing to Him. Put Him first, because when you make Him your number one priority, you are setting yourself up to prosper wherever you go!

“Be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:7, NKJV)

Let’s Pray

Yahweh, thank You for Your Word which is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. Father, I choose to put You first place in every area of my life. God, I submit myself to You, so that I may follow You and prosper in everything I do, in Christ’ name! Amen.

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5 Ways To Stay Faithful In Your Faith

Nowadays, it’s easy to forget about our faith, since our busy lives and the negativity have taken over, with people dying, many wrongdoings, and sin being evident everywhere we look. Plus, it’s hard to tell who are friends are, especially when someone whom we’re supposed to trust doesn’t really feel accountable for anything”¦ or anyone. Even when people make promises, they either don’t keep them, or they forget about them.

As you can tell by now, sin is detrimental to one’s life; and, it stops us from being that God has created us to be. Just because we don’t have faith-based friends or careers, doesn’t mean that we, ourselves, can’t be faith-based. So, here are five basic tips on how to stay faithful in your faith:

1. Remember That God Is Your Friend

“There’s no denying that God is a friend to those who believe in Him,” says Thomas Gettysburg, a lifestyle writer at Next Coursework. “As Christians, it’s important to spend time with God as often as possible, just as you would with your regular friends.”

You can welcome God as your friend by doing the following:

· Attend church each weekend. (This is just one of the things that Jesus has asked of all his disciples.)

· Speak to God, and listen for Him every morning and every night. Offering yourself to God each day and night allows you to be closer to Him.

· Volunteer to help others (e.g. helping out in soup kitchens, offering your services to homeless shelters, etc.). In this way, you’ll not only help others, but also help yourself know and love God more.

· Go to confession at least once a month. Sacramental reconciliation allows you to “begin again,” to restore and strengthen your friendship with God.

· Seek counsel from someone trustworthy (e.g. a good priest or well-informed lay person) that you can talk you whenever needed.

2. Call Up A Friend

In today’s world, most people can’t live without their cell phones for more than .003 seconds away at any given moment of the day. So, why not make some good use with your phone by calling up a friend, and checking in with them.

You may want to have someone you trust on speed dial, so you could have them on the phone within seconds. Just keep in mind: don’t vent to them if you don’t want to; you can always start a conversation about something else, in order to take your mind off the negative. And

ultimately, God knows about your personal woes; so, give up all the negativity for Him to take care of.

3. Keep Your Rosary Handy

There’s nothing wrong with carrying a rosary with your in your pocket (or in your bag or purse). Or, you can wrap your rosary around your wrist; though, don’t make it seem like a fashion accessory, rather than a scared tool. Wear it (or carry it) as a constant reminder of Mary saying “yes” to God even when times are tough. Let your rosary encourage you to say “yes” to God, even when it seems impossible. And finally, don’t be afraid to pray with it, either.

4. Remember Your “Alternatives”

Let’s face it: temptation is where. So, if you’re not with accountable people, have an alternative activity that is your “go to.” Train yourself to avoid sin.

The best way to avoid sin is to use your gifts and talents the right way. For example, if you’re an athlete, you must make it your job to keep training and exercising to stay active. Another example is that if you have an interest or hobby, find an alternative way to do these things, so that you can use your gifts to glorify God, not sin against Him with.

5. Surround Yourself With Inspiration

Looking for inspiration from your faith? Why not have visuals inspire you?

One way to do this is to change the background on your cell phone and computer to show an inspiring Scripture verse, or even a picture of Jesus. Basic? Yes. However, this will remind you of your commitment to Christ each time you might be tempted to use your devices to sin.

Conclusion

Ultimately, the key to staying faithful in your faith is to commit to being faithful, and not straying from the path. As you stay on the path with these 5 simple tips, not only will you grow in holiness, but you’ll also grow with God.

Michael Dehoyos writes for Dissertation writing service and Write my assignment. He also contributes to numerous publications, such as Origin Writings. As a content marketer, he helps companies improve their marketing strategies.

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Let’s Pray Differently

7 Heroes of Faith and the Power of Prayer in Their Lives

Lately, I’ve found myself constantly praying for God to change my situations.

As if he doesn’t realize how messed up the world is. How broken we are. How chaotic 2020 has felt. I ask Him to change the circumstances surrounding me as if He’s just sitting up in heaven watching Netflix completely unaware of what’s happening in this world He created. As if He’s forgotten about us down here. But He hasn’t. He knows what’s happening. Nothing that happens in this world happens without his consent. He’s allowing it to continue to happen because He’s not done doing what He’s planning to do with it. Are you following?

Now let’s turn to the Old Testament superstar of struggle… Job. His story is unique in that we get a little glimpse at the dialogue between God and Satan. Satan and his angels come to God and get this… he had to ask God’s permission to mess with Job’s life. God literally gave His consent for the enemy to do whatever he wanted with everything Job had, but with an important condition: “…but on the man himself do not lay a finger.” (Job 1:12b)

For those of you that aren’t familiar with the story, Satan proceeded to take away everything Job had including all of his livestock and fields, his wife and children, and even his health. He left Job broke and alone, but through all of Job’s struggles and heartache, God was never worried because He still held Job’s life. God’s protection was on him the whole time.

So now that we’ve seen God’s side of it, let’s look at Job’s perspective. How did he respond? Well Satan’s plan here was to get Job to curse the name of God, but Job wouldn’t do it. Even after everything was taken from him and his three friends blamed him for his misfortune and gave him a bunch of bad advice, Job still praised God. His faith was not shaken. He prayed things like this:

“But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold.” – Job 23:10

and this…

“I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.” – Job 42:2

Even when he had nothing, Job still held on to the faith that God would use all of those awful circumstances to refine him like gold. He still acknowledged God’s power and honored Him. I want to pray like Job.

Instead of praying for God to change my circumstances, I want to pray that God will never stop using my circumstances to change me. I challenge you to do the same. Instead of praying for God to “fix” things so they can go back to our broken version of “normal,” let’s ask Him to keep shaking things up until they’re better, new, and more reflective of His kingdom.

“This, then, is how you should pray:
‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven…'” – Matthew 6:9-10 (emphasis mine)

Let’s ask Him to change our hearts in the face of uncertainty rather than asking Him to make COVID-19 go away. Let’s ask Him to cover our family with peace in the face of loss rather than blaming him for taking our loved one away. Let’s ask Him to change the hearts of those corrupted by power and authority instead of acting in violence in response to offense. Let’s ask for the coming of His glorious kingdom rather than asking for a perfect life in our own little bubble.

Because here’s the thing: circumstances will always change and more often than not, they will be inconvenient, uncomfortable, and difficult. So let’s stop complaining and wishing for an easier life.

Sooner or later, you’ll have to respond, and it’s how we respond that matters. It’s how God is using it to make us look more like Him that matters. It’s how it fits in to the bigger picture of the redemption of God’s creation that matters.

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” – Thessalonians 5:16-18

So, let’s not get swept up in trying to pray away our problems. Let’s take up a different stance, and pray through them, because that allows God to change us, grow us, and mold us to better reflect His glory.

Remember, nothing in this world happens without God’s consent. Your bad day didn’t sneak past His radar while He was enjoying His morning coffee. He allows our circumstances to be difficult because He wants us to be a little uncomfortable, because that’s when we turn to Him and lean on Him so He can remind us of His power and glory. So let’s embrace whatever circumstance we find ourselves in and commit to seeking out the Lord and His goodness. Because no matter how broken we are, He is always good.

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Avoid Strife And Live Honourably

The Purpose of Life is Intimacy with God: What Is It & How to Pursue It

Someone once said challenges are merely distractions meant to keep us from pursuing our destiny. Maybe someone at work isn’t as friendly to you as you’d like. Maybe you have a neighbour who always parks in front of your house and blocks your driveway. Those things may be frustrating, but they have little significance when you look at the big picture. You can’t allow the little things to open the door to strife in your life. 

Scripture tells us, just before David fought Goliath, his brother Iliab tried to confront him. David knew that arguing with Iliab wasn’t even worth his time and strength. He knew his real battle was with Goliath, and he didn’t want to be distracted. So he “turned away” from Iliab and kept his focus on what he was called to do. In our own lives today, most frustrations aren’t worth our energy. When we avoid strife, it is a mark of honour. 

Today, turn away from strife and other distractions that the enemy will send your way. Keep your focus on what God has called you to do. As you do, you will live in honour before God and man. With integrity you’ll move forward into the destiny God has for you! 

“It is an honour for a man to cease from strife…” (Proverbs 20:3, AMP) 

Let’s Pray

Oh Jehovah, thank You for shielding me from evil and for Your hand of victory in my life. Father, give me the wisdom and courage I need to walk away from people who just want to cause conflict and strife, and cause me to lose sight of my focus and destiny You have prepared for me. God, I want to be a person of integrity at all times, I love You and bless You, in Christ’s Name! Amen.

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Have You Ever Seen A Photo Of God?

During this time of lockdown, many of us spend time looking at old photos of treasured times with family or with friends. You probably enjoy showing those photos to others and sharing those special moments. But have you ever thought about having a picture of God in your house? It may not be in a frame on the shelf. 

Today’s scripture tells us that when we love others we are creating a picture of God. We are showing others what He looks like because God is love. God wants us to know Him. He wants to reveal Himself in and through us. He wants us to display His love and share it with others like we do with photos. 1 Corinthians 13 tells us what love looks like it’s patient, kind, gentle, and so much more.

Today, know that you are never more like God than when you are loving others. Love never fails. Always remember, the greatest thing you could ever have or do is love — that is a true picture of God. Everything else will fade away, but His love is a picture that will last forever!

“No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and His love is brought to full expression in us.” 

(1 John 4:12, NLT)

Pray With Me
ahweh, I thank You today for showing me Your love which lasts forever. Father, help me to love others the way You love them, so that my life can be a picture of You to all those I come into contact with, in Jesus’ Name! Amen. 

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Which of These 5 Types of Project Managers Are You?

The outcome of a project largely depends on the behaviour of the manager as their actions will directly influence the behaviour of the team. Even with all the efforts, employees may put forth to salvage a once positive work environment, at the core of every toxic working environment is the bad manager. There are different types of managers, and each one has their own characteristics that determine how employees will react, the working environment and overall production.  Five common types include:

1. Laissez-Faire

‘Laissez-Faire’, is French for leaving things to take their own course without interference. These types of managers tend to leave subordinates to get on with the work on their own and have little to no communication with them. They fail to provide regular feedback when supervising. Though this form of management may seem irresponsible, it requires a lot of trust. Highly experienced and capable employees need very little interference, as they are trusted to do the task to the best of their abilities. However, when it comes to employees with limited experience, this form of management means there will be low production value as these employees feel they do not have to do any work due to the lack of authority they have over them. It can also make these employees a lot harder to control and since work is not being done, resources, money and time are wasted, which in turn increases the costs of the project.

2. Autocratic

This form of management is most suitable for places such as the Army as it gives the manager complete power. These types of managers make all the decisions with very little or no input from the subordinates, and since they have total authority over them, employees find it hard to challenge the manager. This can create an atmosphere of fear and because of this quality of work and production may increase, however, retention rates might increase along with it, as employees may feel threatened and begin to resent their job. Nonetheless, this form of management might be suitable for employees who need close supervision as they need to be told what to do and when, but creative employees will find it hard to work in an autocratic environment.

3. Participative

This type of manager values every member of the team and listens to whatever input employees may have. However, the manager ultimately makes the final decision. This form of management will increase morale as employees make contributions towards the decision-making process and they feel that their opinions matter. With this management style, the employees easily accept changes in the company as they played a role in the process. As morale increases, production will increase along with it, making this a very effective management style.

4. Transactional

This management style is used to give out either rewards or punishments to employees depending on their performance. The manager along with the employees set goals together and agree on rewards or punishments depending on whether or not they reach their goal. The employees then follow direction and instructions set by the managers in order to achieve the goal. The manager has the power to analyze the results of the project and either give out rewards and praise the employees or train the employees depending on the outcome.

5. Transformational

This type of management is used to increase the morale of the employees and is normally used in situations where employees feel discouraged. There are high levels of communication between the manager and the subordinates to reach their goals. These leaders motivate the employees and enhance efficiency and production using communication. These types of managers delegate smaller tasks to smaller teams and focus on the big picture to achieve their overall goals.

Conclusion

There are many different types of managers, and some are used specifically to adapt to certain situations. Some management styles are more effective than others however it depends on the type of employees they are supervising, the task at hand, and the goals that are set.

 

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