Forgive – it’s a simple instruction!

by Andrew Cartwright

      

“Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them”. -Romans 12:14 (New Living Translation)

Offenses are guaranteed to happen – in this fallen world, there’s no avoiding them. But it’s our reaction to them that’s the deciding factor as to whether or not we’ll end up with anger and bitterness stuck in our hearts like a barbed arrow, or… we can be free of the consequences of taking offense by forgiving the offender.

Why should we forgive? Because we were heading for an eternity without God, but while we were still lost in sin, God forgave us – we didn’t ask for it or even know we needed it. Forgiveness paves the way for God to wipe our slates clean of our own failings. Yes, it’s not just others that cause offense, let’s be honest with ourselves before God.

Take Action:  Have you been hurt or offended by someone? God gave us a simple instruction as to what to do about it – forgive them! But don’t just stop there… PRAY that God will bless them! INSIST that He show you three ways in which He’ll bless them. Keep praying until you know that it’s done. The offense will become a tiny distant memory and you’ll experience a joy and peace that’s out of this world. Forgive – it’s a simple instruction with great rewards.

[Scripture references:  Luke 17:1 NKJV; Romans 5:8; Mark 11:25; Matthew 5:44.]

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What are you worth?

by Andrew Cartwright

      

“…From now on we estimate and regard no one from a [purely] human point of view [in terms of natural standards of value]”. -2 Corinthians 5:16 AMPLIFIED BIBLE

In a survey published in Wired magazine, the parts of the human body, if they could all be sold, added up to a value of more than $45 million. But is that your true worth? No. We don’t regard anyone from the point of view of natural standards of value. Wny? Because God established your worth as being infinite and inestimable when He exchanged the life of Jesus, His perfect. sinless Son – for yours. How valuable are you that God would exchange His only Son’s life for yours? It seems reasonable to say that your worth and value must be far beyond what you ever imagined or could even be measured in earthly terms.

John Mueller, a political scientist at Ohio State University, who’s work focuses on national security and risk analysis, says, “you can’t simply say every life is infinitely valuable – that’s just not the way the world operates!” So who’s report will you believe – the world, the flesh, the devil, the scientists? Or God, who emphatically proved your value by giving His priceless Son in exchange for you?

Take Action:  The next time someone or something tries to make you feel worthless, you’ll see it for what it is…a lie. You’ll not let it affect you in any way, because you know the truth – that your worth has been forever settled as “infinitely valuable!”

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True worship?

by Andrew Cartwright

      

“Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress…” –James 1:27 NLT

What is true worship? Is it a song? Is it spending hours on your knees, praying? The original meaning of the word translated as “religion” in this verse from the book of James is actually “worship”. God says genuine worship is when we help others in need.

Let’s consider the example of Matthew Barnett, co-founder of the Dream Center in Los Angeles, as a case of true worship. In his bestselling book, The Church That Never Sleeps, Matthew relates the story of how the Dream Center was founded. Matthew was ambitious – he wanted to be successful and even had motivational posters on the walls of his room. But when he began pastoring a small church in a rough neighbourhood of downtown Los Angeles, the church just wasn’t growing. He preached his heart out every week to the tiny congregation, but attendance began declining. Then one day, the Lord spoke to him about giving up his dreams of “success”.

So Matthew took down the posters and began preaching in an entirely different way. He placed his office desk outside on the pavement and worked there every day where he could meet people as they walked by. He knocked on the doors of the nearby apartments to enquire if anyone needed any help with anything – even taking out the trash. Matthew began learning Spanish so he could speak to the people in their language and understand them better. He began handing out food to families in need. He visited and prayed for families who had lost family members due to gang-related violence.

And it wasn’t long before his small church had grown so full they had to move to a larger premises. They also acquired the Dream Center and began filling it with families, recovering drug addicts and prostitutes and whoever desperately needed to experience a touch of “true religion.” The ministry continues to grow in size, influence and effectiveness in changing lives. It is clearly blessed by God. Why? Because the ministry is based on true worship – helping those in need.

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Attitude determines altitude

by Andrew Cartwright

      

“Look up and see what’s coming”. –Zechariah 5:5

In aviation, the attitude of an aircraft is the degree to which the aircraft’s nose is above or below the horizon, and that determines whether the aircraft will climb or descend. For a given power setting, if the nose is high, you’ll climb. If the nose is low, you’ll descend.

It’s the same with our lives. If we want to “climb,” we need to lift our vision above the horizon. But if we’re always looking down, we’ll never gain height. God has great plans to prosper us and give us a hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11). He is doing a “new thing” in the earth and He’s asking us – can you not see it? (Isa 43:19). Let’s keep looking up so we can maintain an “upward attitude”.

Take action: Fix your eyes on Jesus. Keep His promises to you before your eyes at all times. Write verses down on small cards and place them everywhere. Every time you see a verse written in your Bible or on a card, say it out loud until it takes root in your heart. Your victory will soon manifest!

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Knocked Down?

by Lesley Cartwright

      

“Why are you discouraged, my soul? Why are you so restless? Put your hope in God, because I will still praise him. He is my savior and my God”. –Psalm 42:11

Everyone encounters setbacks at some time or other. What makes the difference is how we respond to it. We can turn it into an opportunity or let it become a crisis, sapping our energy. Proverbs 13:12 says that “hope deferred makes the Heart sick but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.” When we are continually knocked down, our focus can shift and cause us to become depressed. Severe discouragement essentially gives us a misdirected focus.

Pressure Testing
A hydrostatic test is used to test pressure vessels such as pipelines, plumbing, gas cylinders, boilers and fuel tanks for strength and leaks. The test involves filling the vessel or pipe system with a liquid, usually water, which may be dyed to aid in visual leak detection, and pressurization of the vessel to the specified test pressure. Using this test helps maintain safety standards and durability of a vessel over time and it is important because such containers can explode if they fail under pressure.

Pressure never creates the cracks, it merely reveals them. It’s an opportunity to work on your character so that you too can become leak free. We too are “hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.” 2 Cor 4:8-9. There are many accounts in the bible where men and women of God endured stress tests, yet they were never overcome by them. Even King David became discouraged, but he encouraged himself in the Lord. He would talk himself back into hope.  Return to the stronghold of hope, turn your thinking back to Jesus your hope of Glory (Zech 9:12, Col 1:27).

Take action: Find refuge in God today, draw from His wisdom and strength, when you do, you will know how to respond in trying times (Prov 27:12). The outcome of a crisis will always reveal who you trust in. It will work out in the end, if it hasn’t worked out yet, it isn’t the end!

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You’re in Charge

by Andrew Cartwright

      

“God created human beings; He created them godlike, reflecting God’s nature… God blessed them: Prosper! Reproduce! Fill earth! Take charge!”. –Genesis 1:26-28 (The Message Bible)

This world is not worthy of you. You’e a child of the most High God and therefore a member of the greatest Royal family in existence. You’re the head and not the tail. You’re eternally above and not beneath.You’re seated with Christ in heaven and a co-heir with Him of all the blessings and promises of God. Bottom line: You’ve been sent from heaven to earth with a divine instruction to take charge of this world!

So…are you going through adverse circumstances? Keep going. Are you standing on the promises of God?  Keep standing. Circumstances cannot outlast the Word of God, because His Word is forever settled in heaven. Circumstances are beneath you. When you speak God’s word, the authority and power of that word in your mouth is released. It can calm the worst storms and heal seemingly impossible diseases or situations.

Take action: You’re in charge. God said so. Exercise your authority over circumstances daily. In fact, with this divine power in you, you only need speak a word, and the “servant will be healed”. So stand tall, speak and act like the king that you are. Things are about to change in a big way in your life.

[Scripture references: Heb 11:38; Deuteronomy 28:13; Ephesians 2:6; Galatians 3:26, 4:7; 1 Peter 1:23; Romans 5:17]

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The Source of All Power

by Andrew Cartwright

      

“All authority (all power of rule) has been given to Me”. –Matthew 28:18 (AMPLIFIED)

In ancient times, the prophet Isaiah foresaw a time when the “gods” that the Babylonians worshipped would be hauled away on ox carts, but the carts would turn over, the idols of their gods would fall out and be unable to save themselves from the fall. And if they couldn’t save themselves, how could they ever save their worshippers? (Isaiah 46:1-2 TLB).

The prophet Elijah challenged the prophets of Baal to prove their god ‘s power by presenting a sacrifice. Their so-called god failed to respond, but the Lord consumed Elijah’s sacrifice with fire. The false prophets were executed! (see 1 Kings 18:20-40). What are you trusting in? In a materialistic world, it’s easy for our hearts to be ensnared by money, things, people… King David said that some nations boast of their horses and chariots, but his boast was solely in God (Psalm 20:7). He had a revelation of who God is – the Creator of everything Who sustains it all by the word of His power (Hebrews 1:3, Colossians 1:17). All authority and power of rule has been given to Jesus. And we have that power in us if we have invited the Holy Spirit to abide in us (Acts 1:8, Acts 2:38-39).

Take action: All other “gods” that we trusted in will be shown for what they are – false. Let us place our focus and trust completely and solely on Jesus – the only true source of all power.

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Taking off the Limits

by Lesley Cartwright

      

And Jesus said to him, “‘If You can?’ All things are possible to him who believes.”. –Mark 9:23 (NASB)

Within everyone of us is a dream and a purpose for being here! I know this because I believe that God put that dream in there. Ephesians 2:10 says “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God has before ordained that we should walk in them”

God dreams a dream for each one of us, and He desires for us to reach our full potential, and use our gifting and talents to their full extent. He wants to give us the desires of our heart but He requires our full attention(Ps 37:4). The Lord loves to see the work begin. We shouldn’t allow procrastination or stagnation to hinder us because of our self-imposed limitations. Nothing is impossible to him who believes! So, don’t rely on your 5 senses, instead put your faith to work.

Take action: Choose to take your eyes off what you can or can’t do, and look at what God can do. He’ll use what you have in your hand. Moses had a staff and the Lord used it. The widow had a jar of oil and the Lord used it. The little boy only had loaves and fishes but the Lord used it. There is something in your hand right now, give it God, no matter how unimportant it looks. It’s not the measure of the gift but the measure of your obedience to do what He says to do. Take the limits off your breakthrough and watch God turn it into something beautiful (Matt 19:26).

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Hang in There

by Andrew Cartwright

      

“For you, O God, tested us; You refined us like silver”. “He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver”. –Psalm 66:10 (NIV); Malachi 3:3 (NIV)

A woman once went to a silversmith to find out more about the process of refining silver as it related to the well-known bible verses on the topic. As she watched the silversmith work, she noticed he never took his eyes off the metal as he held it in the centre of the fire where the flames were the hottest. When asked about why he sat watching over the process so intently, the man explained that if he left the metal in the flames for too long, it would be ruined, so he needed to constantly watch over the process. “And how do you know when the silver is refined?” she asked. “That’s easy – when I can see my own image reflected in it!”

God’s refining process can seem unendingly unpleasant – and hot! But we cannot jump out the flames before the process is complete, otherwise the impurities will remain and we will not reach its desired effect – Christ’s image in us. When God brought the Israelites out of slavery with great miracles and wonders and the promise of leading them to a land of overflowing abundance, he first needed to take them on a purifying journey through the desert. Yet, that entire generation died there, never reaching the beautiful place God intended.

Take action: Let us yield to God’s loving discipline and embrace His calling on our lives. Wait on Him. Nurture an intimate relationship with Him daily. And very soon, His image in you will be completed and He’ll bring you into that promised place of abundance!

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Preferring One Another

by Lesley Cartwright

      

“Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honour” –Romans 12:2 (NASB)

When I read the scriptures, one thing that stands out to me the most is the love that God has for people. Everything He does or did is motivated by love. A new commandment, Jesus said is that you love the Lord your God, and to love one another as we love ourselves (See Luke 10:27).

If there is something that needs to be said about human nature, it’s this – “everyone is looking for love and appreciation!” In the movie “Moulin Rouge” they coined it nicely saying “The greatest thing you’ll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return.”

Love does makes the world go round, Jesus gave His life because of it, and faith can’t even work without it (John 3:16, Gal 5:6). You see we all get our characteristics and true nature from God (Gen 1:26), and He is love (1 John 4:8). So it stands to reason that we should be walking in love at all times, preferring one another (put others first, giving them honour).

When we choose to put someone else’s needs above our own, God sees it and He rewards it. Loving others is a top priority! Often when people get in our faces or stab us in the back, we want to grab them and give them a piece of our mind but that is not the way things are done in God’s Kingdom. It’s best to step away from the situation and cool off. Let God show you the good and what the best reaction should be.

Take action: Look for ways to show love to each other today. Don’t let the cares of your day transfer negatively onto others. Put aside your own battles and focus on showing love to someone else instead of getting even. If there is a “sorry”, or “thank you” that needs to be said – become vocal about it.

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