Keys to Blessing

Having a good life!!
1Peter 3:8-12 - We need to have a life glorifying God.  To seek peace with God and people.  Show wisdom in your conduct. Life needs to show wise living. Live life in a proper way.  Be commited in growing as a Christian.  Many people choose happiness over holiness. Many lives are destroyed this way. We need to please God no matter what. Turn away from evil and seek peace.  Pursue Godly things.  One of the biggest barriers is "self."  We need to deny our selves. Being of one mind and wanting to help. We are a family. We need to do what we can. Having happiness from living the good life in God!!!!

Getting Even - Don't fool with fools!!

ISam. 25:7-13. Abigail is a wise woman.    David plans to wipe out Nabal. Abigail intervened.  She brings food and sees David and pleads with him. She represents the Church. She steps in and sets them free from the insanity of their lives. She was full of understanding. Standing, not falling apart. A Godly woman who steps in as who she is, to bring encouragement to David. She believes in him. Nabal is experiencing blessing because of his Christian heritage.  Nabal disses David putting him down to lift himself up.  He does because he can, because he has money.
Don't rejoice when someone is struggling.  We let the enemy get under our skin when he is the fool.
Nabal worked at getting David mad. David could lose his testimony.  Can you listen to the voice of reason when you are angry?  Don't fool with fools!

Your Shadow - Your Influence

Acts 5:15-16.      Peter's shadow had influence.  His shadow inspired, encouraged, and heals.
What kind of shadow do you cast?  What kind of influence do you have?
 Are you a breath of fresh air or full of gloom. The power of God and being a blessing is attractive!!!
Key: Peters life was in Christ!!!!  His relationship- God's power - You take the atmosphere of Christ with you!!!!  Be filled with the love of God.

How to Survive Parenthood

1Sam. 25:2-3 Abigail and Nabal. (Beauty and the Beast).  How did they ever get together? It was a pre-arranged marriage.  Nabal was a rich man. Abigail would be fixed for life.
They thought all that mattered was money.  The world worships money. Money is the root of all evil.
We want our children to marry a Christian.  Marry only in the Lord. Not easy to pass Christianity to our children.
  Prov. 22:6 Train up your child In the Lord.  What you need to know is...
1. It's not about you
2. Your not alone
3. It's a process. One step at a time. We need to aim at sowing love. Teaching our children they are unique. And having the confidence in who they are. God has a purpose for their lives. Learning to be independent but dependent on God.
Christian heritage is no guarantee.

The God Factor

We need to keep a spiritual connection with God!! It makes a difference in how we live.  Like a triangle with God at the top narrow part and husband and wife at each corner at the bottom.  If we are on the same page and growing  in God, faithful to church, tithing, and involved in ministry the divorce rate is 1/1005.  You develope more of God.
Ecc. 4:12   A three-ply cord is not quickly broken.  Learn to kill selfishness. We need to be accountable to each other. Look to the other ones interests.  We need to have God breathe into us as he did Adam. We need to trust in his promises. Sometimes by crisis after crisis, if we are in pieces and broken we will let God in. Men have a harder time with this.  You can't disobey and expect God to bless you!!  Women just need to allow God to mold them. They already are pretty sensitive.
Husband and wife need to be on the same page spiritually!!! It keeps your marriage strong.  You are a ministry team with a purpose from God.

Taking a Trip to the Ant Hill #2

We can learn something's from the ant!!!
1. They partner together in love.   2. They carry burdens and try and help each other.
Gal. 6:2-3.  Bear one another's burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ.  For if anyone thinks he something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.
3. They can pull 10-50 lbs more than their own weight. Do you pull your own weight?
4. They operate in harmony. They each have a separate job to do.
1Cor. 10:31 So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God!!
Ants work all day and all night. Does what it needs to do. Self motivated. We need to be self motivated. Take the initiative. We need to rule our emotions and master our moods.
We need to do it now and do it until it's done.
Doing all we can today and not waiting until tomorrow. Do not Procrastinate!!!!

Taking a trip to the Ant hill

A Lesson from the Ant!   Nobody has to tell them what to do. All summer it stores up food;  at harvest it stockpiles provisions. If we are not working as the ant does we look forward to a dirt-poor life, poverty your permanent houseguest!!
Procrastination - to defer action; delay: to put off till another day or time; defer; delay.
Look at your life, you can change it.  Some people are too comfortable to change it.  You are not miserable enough!  It can hurt your life!!!  "Never substitute today's certain opportunity for tomorrow's  uncertain possibility. Overcoming the problem of procrastination!! What is stopping you from taking action? It takes honesty. And asking God to help you!!!!