Tag: Personal Worth and Value

A Date With Destiny

The Power of Discernment in Building Trust

lastwordrecovery 
  John 2:24  
 But Jesus did not trust Himself to them, because He knew what was in their hearts.

You do not trust others easily or quickly.  You believe that trust must be earned, and it can only happen over time.  It took you a long time to trust Christ, and you often struggle to believe.

Fortunately, He understands trust issues better than you do. Therefore, He patiently continues, time after time, to alleviate your doubts and prove Himself to be true.

Your gift of discernment and your trust-hesitancy serve you well as a protective force- field in your faith based service.

You are able to reach out and serve those who are untrustworthy, in ministries where a more trusting person might fall victim to their dishonest schemes.

You do not reject those who can’t be trusted, but rather, you accept and love them anyway. 

Jesus ministered to the outcasts and the undesirables, yet He did not trust them all. He was still able to minister to them, because He had the spiritual gift of discernment. You too have this gift. You may have thought it was a flaw in your personality. But, based on your birthday verse, this attribute is actually a Christ-like trait which may be a valuable clue in discovering your destiny.

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A Date With Destiny

Hidden in Darkness

lastwordrecovery 
Daniel 2:22  
  He makes known the secrets that are deep and hidden. 
He knows what is hidden in darkness and light lives within him.

Many of the good things you do are done in secret. You are not boastful or arrogant about your charitable contributions or personal sacrifices.

You help others in ways they may never realize. You attend to the needs of your family and community without recognition or fanfare.

Sometimes you feel as if your efforts are unappreciated or even unwanted.  There are times you believe you may be wasting your time and energy because you can’t see the fruits of your labor.

Thankfully, you have the Word of God and His wonderful creation to remind you that a seed hidden in the darkness is a harvest waiting to happen.

Seeds planted in soil remain unseen during the germination phase. In the dark, a seed breaks open and new life is formed. There is a waiting time before the shoot appears. There is another waiting time before the harvest comes.

In the same way, your good works and loving efforts may be often hidden in the dark for a time, but this doesn’t mean they remain unfruitful.

When the time is right, God brings your results into the light, much like the tiny plant which emerges from the dark soil. Your random acts of kindness and quiet loving gestures are no longer hidden in the darkness. The results become visible and each tiny sprout holds the promise of a bountiful harvest.

You may not always receive human recognition or praise for the contributions you make. Sometimes your good intentions may even be misunderstood. But God knows what is in your heart and He promises that someday you will enjoy a harvest which far exceeds your expectations.

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Recognizing God’s Voice in Everyday Life

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Knowing that God speaks to His children in all sorts of unique ways, we suddenly recognized His voice speaking to us from the creativity of writers and actors on a movie screen. We identified with the heroes. We saw ourselves playing the role assigned to us by the God of the Galaxies. We became aware in a way unlike ever before that we were on a mission that would influence millions, change the course of history, and generate spiritual wavelengths to echo into caverns of the future.

We looked back over our life and realized that our destiny had been there all along and every step of the journey was preparation for the main event.

But still we questioned whether we could actually fulfill our mission. We knew our impulsive nature had caused us to make some terribly bad choices in the past, so we wondered if it was God’s call or just a delusion of grandeur. The thought of God calling us to something of eternal magnitude seemed a little ridiculous and really, really crazy.

We had to question whether our passionate reaction to the prospect of hearing this divine call was our love for Him or our own search for significance?

Maybe it was both. And maybe that was okay.

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Finding True Purpose Beyond Sobriety

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It was not enough for us to simply stop using mind or mood-altering substances. We needed something more significant. We began to suspect that our primary purpose in life was not simply to stay clean and sober. While sobriety was an honorable ambition, and one we had desired deeply for many years, we found that mere sobriety fell woefully short of the abundant life promised by Jesus. We began to believe that our true purpose was to discover the reason for our existence.

We came to realize that sobriety was not the end goal. As it turned out, sobriety was simply a way of life we had grown to prefer, since clarity of mind was beneficial in our quest for true purpose...

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Sometimes Anger is Appropriate

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We felt certain that we could justify anger when it came to certain evils in the world. When we checked the Sacred Text, we found proof that anger can sometimes be appropriate; perhaps even righteous.

Jesus went into the Temple. He threw out all the people who were buying and selling there. He turned over the tables that belonged to the men who were exchanging different kinds of money. And he upset the benches of those who were selling doves.
Jesus said to all the people there, “It is written in the Scriptures, ‘My Temple will be a house where people will pray.’ But you are changing God’s house into a ‘den of thieves.’  
Matthew 21:12-17

So, after reviewing some of Jesus’ moments of fury, we concluded that there may, in fact, be times when anger would be an entirely appropriate reaction.

His reaction was more than simply a display of righteous indignation. It was a display of self-restraint. The Son of God, with an army of angels at His disposal, simply flipped over a few tables and ran people out of the temple. He could have whistled for an asteroid to hit the coordinates where they stood. He could have summoned a flesh-eating bacterium to consume them or an earthquake that would bury them beneath tons of rubble. He could have destroyed them in a million different ways, but he chose rather to use words, with a controlled show of force for emphasis.

We came to understand that when Jesus was angry, His methods were measured and restrained.

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A Date With Destiny

The Spiritual Bond Between Humans and Animals

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Happy Birthday 1/28 

  Genesis 1:28  
  God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth. I am putting you in charge of the fish, the birds, and all the wild animals.”

You care deeply about animals, and you understand their fundamental value to the ecosystem of this planet.

You sometimes prefer the company of animals to humans because you appreciate their non-judgmental acceptance.

You realize that the human connection to animals is a deeply spiritual bond.

Medical breakthroughs and scientific discoveries are dependent upon the animal kingdom to guide the way.

Animals play a vital role in the development of life-saving medical procedures.

Throughout the centuries, animals, both domestic and wild, have been the inspiration for  countless human inventions and technological advancements. By studying and mimicking the unique traits of other species, humanity was able to survive.

You are intrigued by the interconnectedness of the ecosystem. You hold a deep sense of honor and respect for conservationists. You admire people who preserve the natural habitats of untamed creatures who reside on this planet.

You live in harmony with creation and the Creator, because you hold deep reverence for the wild world.

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A Date With Destiny

Sharing Divine Light: A Guide to Spiritual Influence

lastwordrecovery 

Genesis 1:27  

So God created human beings in His image.

The relationship you enjoy with God as your Father creates an aura of warmth and light in the atmosphere surrounding you.

This glow of God’s reflection in you, illuminates spaces which were once dark and gloomy. People are drawn to your light and seek to experience it for themselves.

The wonderful thing about the radiance of this light, is that it can be shared freely without losing its intensity. The glow of God’s likeness radiating from you is like sunshine.  There is no limit to the number of recipients who can receive the warmth and comfort it brings.

 And as the sunshine persuades spring flowers to emerge, you too carry the ability to encourage the colorful expressions of God’s creative design to blossom in the lives of those you influence.

You carry a big responsibility, for without the image of The Father shining through you, some of His wandering children who are searching for the light might never find their way home.

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Choose Healthy Thoughts: Level Up Your Mindset

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When we catch ourselves feeling discouraged or ashamed, we simply ask, “Is this thought excellent and praiseworthy?” If it is not, we need to drop it.

As hard as it is for us to believe, we have more power over our thoughts than we ever imagined. We find it is perfectly fine to set a negative thought down. We don’t need to lug it around with us until we make sense of it. We aren’t required to analyze and over-think, searching for some secret solution hiding inside our rapid-fire scatter thoughts. We can just let go and let God.

Unhealthy thoughts are just that. Unhealthy. They can never help us level up. If a thought is not healthy, we can set it down and choose a healthier topic.

As it turns out, our thoughts are a lot like books in a library. If we happen to pick one out that isn’t good, we can just put it back and choose a better one.

Using the criteria listed in Philippians 4, while paying particular attention to the instructions following the word finally, we can select our thoughts with intention and precision. We don’t need to be saddled with thoughts that hold us down and hold us back. We are leveling up and need to clear our minds of the unproductive clutter.

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This is a Test. This is Only a Test.

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My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.   James 1:2-4

As it turns out, these times when we feel spiritually depleted or disinterested are not red flags for us to fret over. They are simply tests. These temporary times when we lack inspiration or get caught up in life’s drama have no bearing on our position in Christ or our commitment to His work.

We have come to understand that the testing of our faith can never happen during good times when inspiration flows freely, we are highly motivated, and praise songs play on a loop in our heads. Times of high spiritual energy and passion are thrilling, but they can’t do the work of generating patience. Only the testing of our faith can do that.

What is the Testing of Our Faith?

  • When our feelings betray us and tell us we don’t love God like we should.
  • When our behavior slips into an old pattern and makes us believe we have not changed.
  • When the excitement and enthusiasm we once had for God seems dull and muted.
  • When we just don’t care about trying so hard, because it’s too much work.

Previously, these difficult times had been dark and made us doubt our relationship with God. We were frustrated to find Him so distant when we needed Him the most.

However, when we begin to view these events as a process which increases our patience and equips us for the next level, we start to see their value. We no longer need to feel frustrated when God goes silent. A good teacher is always silent during a test.

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A Date With Destiny

The Promise of a New Day in Christ

lastwordrecovery 
  Genesis 1:13  
  Evening passed, and morning came.

The Lord cares deeply about you. He surrounds you with compassion when you are going through times of discouragement and exhaustion.

Although these experiences may feel like endless nights of the soul, you rest assured that morning will come. You know that  when the light breaks through the darkness, and you have had some rest, you will see things clearly once again.

God sees that some of the things you go through are difficult.  He is there to help you endure the darkness. He keeps you safe when the shadows fall and brings you through the lonely nights. As the darkness passes, your soul is refreshed by the dawn of a new day.

Knowing that God has designed nature with the assurance of a sunrise, you rest assured that after the darkness  passes, the light of a new day will drive it away.

Assured that the Creator of the universe is interested in your emotional well-being and is willing to listen as your pour out your heart, you are able to move through the stages of melancholy with calm acceptance. You know that God keeps you protected in the darkness and it will always pass.

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