Chris Buscher's Blog

How to have Amazing Relationships

[image error]In our humanity, God wired us with this insatiable need for relationships.

When Adam and Eve were in the garden, God said it was not good for Adam to be alone. So God gave him Eve to be in a relationship.

Adam & Eve being removed from the garden caused their Vertical relationship with God to be broken.

When Adam & Eve’s vertical relationship was broken with God, their horizontal relationships were also broken in the process, as a result, mankind’s relationships have been challenged.

There are two things we know for sure:

We need relationships.

We can drive the people we love crazy at times.

So how do we play well with others?  Can we have amazing relationships?

How To Have Amazing Relationships

Most of our problems in relationships starts with “Not” being good listeners.

The keys to amazing relationships are:

Be Quick to Listen

We believe we are listening to the other person when they are talking.  But in reality, we listen with an answer ready at the first pause.

Some have called this type of listening “Response Ready Listening”.

To have amazing relationships we must:

Listen actively and attentively to the other person.  This requires giving the other person our full attention, if we don’t listen attentively we risk misunderstanding what is being communicated.

Misunderstandings occur when we hear something the other person never said.  This is often the root cause for most misunderstandings; something is heard that was never communicated.  This is the leading cause of being “Offended”.  Ineffective listening leads to a greater risk of being offended.

As we are listening to the other person, we must listen to the heart of the person.

What’s behind what’s being said?

Here is why this is important.  You have heard this before, “Hurt people-Hurt people”. Most of us respond out of our “Hurts”.

To have amazing relationships we should “Be Quick to Listen”; therefore, being a good listener is a good start.

To have amazing relationships we should:

Be Slow to Speak

What does this mean?  Being slow to speak means slowing down to process what has been said before we say anything.  Slow down to think about your motives and think about the heart of the person. Before you speak ask yourself, “Am I speaking from just emotions; Is this the best time to say this”? When we are slow to speak it gives us time to think about what’s at stake.

Colossians 4:6 New Living Translation (NLT)

Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone.

When we are “Slow to Speak” we give ourselves a better chance to respond correctly.  We won’t always get it right, but we have a better chance if we take our time before responding.

This key is essential when responding in social media outlets. Before hitting send/publish we should slow down and re-read what we’re about to post.

When someone we love or have any kind of relationship with, posts something we don’t agree with wholeheartedly, we have to slow down and ask ourselves, “Is it best to pick up the phone to discuss this”?  I know this is a novel idea, but yes it’s ok to pick up the phone and call someone to get clarity.

To have amazing relationships we should Be Quick to Listen, Slow to Speak; however, this next key is monumental to building amazing relationships.

The next key to Amazing Relationships:

Be Slow to Anger

When we are Quick to Listen and Slow to Speak, being Slow to Anger becomes possible.

One of the most impactful lessons I have learned is “Never make permanent decisions in an emotional state”.  Anger is an emotion that must be harnessed and redirected.

When we respond from our hurts we “Return Hurt for Hurt”.  Speaking to quickly leads to quick anger. The angrier we get, the faster we speak, and the less we hear.

The Marriage Graveyard, the Relationship Graveyard, The Sibling Relationship Graveyard are full because when we respond out of personal hurts, we then “Return Hurt for Hurt.

We can have amazing relationships – It’s a choice.

Prayer:

Pray that God gives you the eyes that see the best in people; a heart that forgives the worst in people; a mind that forgets the bad that has happened; and a soul that never loses faith in God.

Visit us at: http://igotvictory.com

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Aalim has faithfully served in leadership roles with local churches in Arlington, Mansfield, Ft. Worth, and Desoto for over 20 years. Aalim has a strong entrepreneurial and corporate background that lends to his leadership skill and expertise. His passion to see people live in victory daily through the understanding and application of God’s Word is the driving force behind his desire to Pastor Victory Church.

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I Love You, LORD, My Strength
I love you, LORD, my strength, Psalms 18:1

[image error]What is the most important thing that is required to live a good life on planet earth? What is that one thing that we seek all our lives? The majority of the population would promptly answer ‘money’ or ‘material wealth’ as the one thing that is desired by all. The subconscious mind, however, knows that we, as the beloved creatures of the LORD, desire and seek love!

Our minds may be corrupt but our souls are clean. It is our soul that seeks love; love of our Lord, love of our fellow men, and love for the creation of the Lord. All through our lives, we struggle to find the strength to overcome the hold that our prodigal ways have on us. We ultimately find the strength and the resolve to fight such battles, continuously, through the blessings of the Lord. He has a constant eye on all his children, whom He loves equally!

There is no greater love than our love of the Lord. He is the one who looks after us, provides us with clothes on our backs, feeds us, and ensures a roof over our heads. Despite the very errant nature of man who is prone to violence, war, and other sinful activities, our Lord is the one who ensures our security and keeps us safe from harassment, torture, illnesses, and untimely death.

Our strength resides in our love for the Lord. Our love for Him is visible in a variety of different ways; the time that we spend praising the God; our acts of charity; our empathy and kindness towards our lesser fortunate brothers; and our fight to maintain, preach, and spread the message about omnipotence of the Lord, are all acts of love for our Lord. Such acts of courage help us absolve our earthly sins and provide us with the strength that we need to continue our pursuit of love for the Lord.

The Lord may not be visible to us in a physical shape. But he is with us, within us, and all around us. He is perennial with us, giving us the strength that we need to keep fighting the iniquitous ways of the world. You can feel His presence in everyday routine, each and every day of our lives. His presence can be felt in our acts of humility, in our acts of love, in our acts of brotherhood, in our acts of kindness, and in all our acts that work towards the honor of the Lord.

The Lord’s presence can be felt in our ability to overcome tasks and difficulties in life that seem insurmountable. For He is the strength that flows within us and allows us to overcome the overwhelming odds; for He is the one who fights for us when we seem to lose the faith in our abilities, and He is the one who comes in between us and our obstacles and protects us.

DID YOU ENJOY THIS SECTION OF AUTHOR Belinda Crichlow‘S BOOK: “For The Love Of God”?
DON’T STOP NOW! GET IT TODAY ON AMAZON! CLICK HERE!

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Rapid Improvement
Self-Esteem

About twelve years ago, I was having a conversation with a woman of a certain age. She was nearly eighty, but still pretty, well dressed, had elegant manners revealing quality education. She was talking about her husband, explaining how much he was kind, generous, patient, and respectful; a lovable person who brought her each and every day – and that for the past forty years – breakfast to bed together with a rose flower. Then, she said something that I could just not believe: “Each time I look into the mirror, I feel I have missed my life!”

Here is a sensible woman, in good health, nice looking, rather wealthy, well- traveled, cherished, put on a pedestal by her husband, and appreciated by a great deal of friends. Yet, despite all of this, she hardly thought proudly of herself. Instead, she would diminish and annihilate her self-esteem.

Neither could she tell the reasons of her feelings, nor explicate why she felt unhappy, or why she was rarely smiling. With time, we became good friends, which allowed me to verify this impression. I also used to spend time with her husband and discuss many matters. He did everything he could to make his dearest wife happy, but he couldn’t understand why he was unsuccessful.

Personally, I was wondering: “if this woman could be prone to low self-esteem, then anybody could!”

I thus came to the conclusion that something needed to be done to defeat low self-esteem and to put an end to the related damages. I actually promised myself to discover a method that could be simple to learn, easy to apply and yet deliver efficient results.

WHY?
I want you – when you have reached eighty – NOT to ask yourself if you have “missed your life”.
My intention is to create a service that can make you free and happy from now on.
A service that will create the greatest good for the greatest number of people.

I was always interested by the subject of Self-Esteem and started my personal research in 1987. My work included reading most books on Self-Esteem, studying the research conducted by American and French1 social psychologists, studying the works of Herbert Benson (Mind/Body relation)2, learning Ericksonian Hypnosis3 (related to medical purposes) studying the works of Harvard professor Howard Gardner (Multiple Intelligences)4, learning and qualifying in Emotional Intelligence5 and in the MBTI6 (levels I and II), coaching hundreds of students and adult people, learning from observations in my practice, to finally creating the RISE® method.

The RISE® method crowns 25 years of personal research and experience. During the past two years, I have been testing the RISE® method on more than one hundred people7 of different ages whose feedback was an astonishing success. While conducting my research and observations, I also discovered a strong correlation between Self-Esteem and Self-Confidence8.

Xavier LACROIX: “Les Mirages de l’Amour” – Pascal IDE :”Mieux se connaître pour mieux s’aimer” et “Connaître ses blessures” – Jeannine GUINDON:”Vers l’autonomie Psychique” – Catherine DOLTO: “Paroles pour adolescents” – Louis MILLET :”Caractérologie” – Marie-Odile PEAUCELLE: “Pour conduire sa vie” – Professeur Robert TOCQUET : « Les Pouvoirs de la volonté » – Paul JAGOT : « L’effort réalisateur » ; « L’éducation de la parole » et “Méthode pratique d’autosuggestion” – Philippe MORANDO : « Conditionnement positif » et

« Vos pouvoirs secrets et la maîtrise de votre destin » –

Herbert Benson, M.D. “The relaxation response” – “Beyond the relaxation response” – “Your Maximum Mind” – “Timeless Healing” – “The Wellness book” – “The mind-body effect” – “The break-out Principle”. et

 

“Mastering Medical Hypnotherapy ” by D. Varma – Discovering the power of self-hypnosis” by Stanley Fisher, Ph.D. – “Self-Hypnosis” by Valerie Austin – “L’hypnotérapie” by Dr Jeannot Hoareau – “Théorie et pratique de l’hypnotisme” by Paul Jagot, “ Hypnosis for Change ” by Josie Hadley & Carol Staudacher, “Se libérer du tabac par l’hypnorelaxation” by D. Varma, et

 

Howard Gardner, Ph.D. “Frames of mind: the theory of multiple intelligences” – “Five minds for the future” – “Changing Minds: The Art and Science of Changing Our Own and Other People’s Minds” – “The Development and Education of Mind” – etc.

 

“The handbook of Emotional Intelligence: The theory and Practice of Development, Evaluation, Education, and Application – at Home, School, and in the Workplace” by Reuven Bar-On, JamesD. Parker and Daniel Goleman. EQ-i 2.0 Emotional Intelligence certification. http://ei.mhs.com/

 

http://www.myersbriggorg/

 

Namely in the U.S.A, France and Monaco. It may not be a big number, but is valuable to learn that all of these persons, 100 % of them, have succeeded in improving their self-esteem.

 

Self-esteem and self-confidence are strongly interrelated. Self-esteem could be interpreted as the inner characteristic which triggers the external part than can be seen in the behavior of an individual. Both are highly needed to achieve great things in life. The fields that are impacted are: school grades, work, risk-taking, decision-making, taking initiative, self-control, personal development, growth, parenting, education, relationships, positive feelings, sense of well-being, success and happiness.

“The time that is given to you from birth to death, is your free choice on how to use it.”– S. Nassif
I have helped these persons. I can also help you.

Are you the person you always wanted to be?

W hat are the most critical choices you have made to put yourself in your current situation?

How did you achieve to not trust yourself?

W hich thoughts lead you to have a low opinion of yourself? How can you become (more) self-confident and successful? What are the best confidence building tools?

The above are questions you will need to answer if you want to stop sabotaging your life and start freeing yourself!

Before going into the deeper aspects of the psychology of self-esteem, we need to understand its functioning and its major influence on our lives.

How difficult – yet passionate – it might be to give a direction to our life and climb the top of the mountain rather than looking at it from afar. If this difficulty already exists for a person in solid physical and psychological shape, then how much more arduous it could be for someone who suffers from some lack of self- esteem! They may actually believe they have no power or strengths when, in reality, they do not know how to use them. Those with low self-esteem can be paralyzed and exert confused efforts while instinctively looking for a posture that can fit their aptitudes. In fine, they are probably looking for a method to help them improve and develop themselves in order to become a better person.

The RISE® method is one that will serve these purposes:

With RISE® you shall reach deeper understanding and encounter strong emotions.
You will build a high level of Self-Esteem that will change your life.

RISE is based on acts of generosity and kindness. It is by giving that we receive. Doing good deeds and giving to others generate good feelings. Getting into action and putting into practice as often as possible improves rapidly the Self-Esteem.

To find out more please get the book without regret.
CLICK HERE!

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The Scandalous Life of Jesus & New Spoken Word Album “Goodbye Religion”

clayton jennings jesus til i die scandal of jesus

Because of the historical impact of the life and ministry of Jesus’, his life’s work was from a number of perspectives on scandal after another.

Case in point, the lowly birth.  His mother Mary a teenage mom and a virgin…seriously?  The |narrative of the immaculate conception redefines “crisis pregnancy.”

Then let’s get into his public ministry. He was “dormant” as far as being outside of the public eye for the first thirty years of his life. Scripture does not have many references to his childhood or teenage years, save for the fact we know he impressed many religious leaders in the temple at a young age (Luke 2:46-50).

Jesus performed many miracles. From turning water into wine to healing a man born blind. The immediate curing of ten people who were plagued by leprosy. The raising of Lazarus from the dead, the feeding of thousands with a few fish and a few loaves of bread provided by a young boy. Not to mention that fact that  Peter walked on water.  The religious leaders of the day could not explain these miracles. And because they could not understand it, they could not let it stand. They had to make an example of this man who dines with sinners and performs works of wonder.

They asked themselves-  “Who Exactly who is this man?  And where does he derive such mysterious and yet irrefutable powers?”

However the biggest scandal of Jesus’ life isn’t what he did.  It’s is what he said…about himself.  

“Very truly, I tell you, anyone who hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life, and does not come under judgment, but has passed from death to life.”  John 5:24

The truth about clayton jennings scandal

“Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day; for my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink. ”  John 6:54-55

“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.”  John 8:12

“I am the way, the truth and the life.  NO ONE comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6

Scandalous-blasphemous statements like this would get any man or woman nailed to a tree in a painful death sentence.  And a criminal’s death is what Jesus received.  Jesus was brutally beaten, tortured and humiliated in full view of the leaders of the Jewish religion.  Those same people in power thought that the scandal died with Jesus. But they did not know the whole story.

Then, three days later, never mind the fact that  armed guards were positioned right outside the tomb of Jesus (and the fact that the rock in front of the tomb was more bouldered size than anything else)  Jesus’ tomb was found empty.  And so for 40 days after his resurrection the scandal of Jesus continued. He instructed his disciples to continue the scandal by taking the good news of the greatest scandal ever told to all nations.

The good news is a story of the scandalous, wreckless love of God, for people who rebel, take him for granted and treat each other poorly. The good news is that we don’t get what we deserve. We get grace.  

If you want to learn more about Clayton Jennings, his ministry or upcoming dates for his revival please visit him at ClaytonJennings.com

You can support his ministry by watching for his upcoming spoken word album at shopclaytonjennings.com. His new Spoken Word album is entitled “Goodbye Religion”is due out Mid February 2018.

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The post Clayton Jennings:The Scandalous Life of Jesus appeared first on Lay Me Down Ministries.

Walking Daily with the Lord
Learning to be God’s Friend

Why I wrote this series

The series Walking Daily with the Lord, is a result of one of my worst fears. I am in the United States Air Force Reserves and I feared getting deployed.  After about four years in the Air Force orders were made for me to deploy to Ali Al Salem Air Force Base in Kuwait.

I dreaded being deployed but God made it a great experience that strengthened me spiritually.  When you are in a wilderness experience you can either have a bad attitude about it or look to the Lord and see what he wants you to learn.  I chose to seek God and use the time where I was on the other side of the earth to have the best relationship that I could have with the Lord.

While I was deployed I read the Bible and prayed so much more than I did in the states. I felt like he put me in the desert to intensify the relationship that I had with him.  My extensive reading, studying, praying, and mediating activated the Holy Spirit to issue me an elevated level of spiritual wisdom. I used the wisdom given to me by the Holy Spirit to write encouraging and inspirational devotionals to help people. Individuals in the Bible were directed by God to write and their writings blessed others.  I know the Lord directed me to write this series to bless people.

I really do I hope that you are blessed by this series.  I would encourage you to read one topic per day and mediate on the Lord’s Word.

DID YOU ENJOY AUTHOR Chaz Douglas‘S NEW BOOK?
DON’T STOP NOW! GET IT TODAY ON AMAZON FOR FREE! CLICK HERE!
***You don’t need a Kindle to read it! Just download the Kindle App (for FREE) or read from your computer! ***

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Before You Jump
PROLOGUE

“The heights of great men reached and kept were not attained by sudden flight, but they while their companions slept, were toiling upward in the night” — Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. With hearts pounding in our chests and sweat pouring down our faces, we board the massive C-130’s for our mission of a night jump at 2000 feet. A half-hour later comes the rapid-fire commands, “Get Ready! Stand Up! Hook up! Stand in the Door!” And we all prepare for the most terrifying words you can hear in the open doorway of an airplane racing through the pitch black darkness. Each of my team members is loaded down with 70 to 100 pounds of equipment and we are pressed like sardines in a line down the sides of the aircraft walls. The lights overhead turn from red to yellow, to green. “GO”! “GO!” “GO!” We shuffle out the door one soldier every two to three seconds, and into the clouds and the dark of night. And everyone goes out that door, one way or another.

vi

INTRODUCTION

We all have dreams and goals that inspire us, things that trigger a sense of eagerness and hope in our hearts and minds and give us a reason to jump out of bed in the morning. What inspires you to jump into your day? Is it simply love of family and the willingness to provide for yourself and those that rely on you? Or, is there something greater you want out of life? If so, are you willing to do what needs to be done in order to make the jump into a more rewarding future? Are you willing to fight for the success that follows this jump? I believe that if you weren’t, you wouldn’t have taken the time to pick up this book. The purpose of this book is to offer an easy to follow success plan for life and for business. It’s a simple plan, but it requires daily commitment, focus, and a real desire to learn. Now that you’ve started the groundwork for success, don’t put it down until you’ve successfully made your first big jump. Right now your biggest obstacle is gravity. The gravity of doubt. The gravity of criticism and fear. The gravity of following through with a plan and completing the mission. But there are ways of defying gravity, and if you follow your plan and execute it properly, you will achieve heights far greater than you might have thought possible.

My personal story and the success of many of my students is proof that you really can make a big jump and do so consistently. Trust me, if I can leave home at 18 with nothing but a high school diploma and $20 in my pocket, manage to rise to the rank of Army Captain, coach elite track and field athletes and become a world champion professional auctioneer, then you can make any dream a reality. If you can believe it, you can achieve it!

DID YOU ENJOY AUTHOR Wayne Wheat‘s NEW BOOK: “Before You Jump”?
DON’T STOP NOW! GET IT TODAY ON AMAZON! CLICK HERE!

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Runaway
A Story of Hagar

The young boy ran into the tent. Breathlessly, he managed to say, “F-f-father!” He swallowed hard and continued. “Two riders…from the northwest…coming…” he managed to say as he waved his hands towards his face.

“Slow down, son,” the old man said as he sat on large cushions with his supper plate on the tent floor. He calmly reached for his wine cup has the boy worked to gather his breath. “If there are only two of them, then they are either travelers or messengers,” the old man said between sips of wine. “Either way, shouldn’t we make them welcome?” the old man asked with a smile.

The boy nodded and grinned. His breathing regulated, and he collected himself. “Now, tell me again,” he said to the boy.

“I was going to get the water for donkeys,” the boy said, “and I saw the shimmer of movement on the horizon to the northwest.” He paused and waited for the old man’s approval to continue.

“Good! Then what?”

“I shielded my eyes like you taught me, and saw that there were two riders coming this way. Then I ran to tell you.”

The old man was silent for a moment, seeming intent on his meal. “And what of our donkeys?” he said, stirring the gravy in the plate with the flat bread without looking up.

The boy gulped. “I…I left them. I will go get them the water now.”

“Wait,” the old man said, holding up his free hand. “There is time for the water later. First, go out and take care of our guests. Greet them warmly, Kedemah, when they arrive; give them water, then show them into the tent. And then be sure to take care of their animals, my son, and ours,” the old man looked up and added with a smile.

“Greetings in the name of El. Are you Ishmael, the son of Abraham?” the older-looking of the two men asked when at last the boy brought the strangers inside the tent.

A frown wrinkled the old man’s brow. “May El bless you. Yes, my name is Ishmael, but my father’s name used to be Abram.”

The two messengers looked at each other and nodded in agreement. “Yes,” the younger one agreed, “Abram.”

The older one continued. “I am Bethuel this is my brother, Nahor We bring you word that your father is dead, sir.”

Their words seemed to barely register in Ishmael’s face. He reached out to the plate and grabbed a hunk of goat meat and brought it to his lips. He smacked the savory meat and licked his brown, wrinkled fingers clean. The long pause as he ate caused the visitors to shift uncomfortably as they stood before him. Perhaps the news did not register in the older man’s mind, they thought.

He reached for his drink before he spoke.

Are you the sons of Bethuel, the son of Millcah? I knew of one such, once.”

The two men looked at each other with confusion. The younger one spoke. “Yes…we are…but did you understand that we bring news that your father is dead?”

“You must forgive me if I have no reaction to this information,” Ishmael said, looking down as he swirled the liquid in his wine cup. “I have had no contact with my father for over 70 years; why would it matter now to me if he were dead or alive? But won’t you join me for supper?” he asked, looking up at them.

The messengers again glanced at each other but this time they searched the other as if each did not know how to react to this. “We have our instructions from your brother and our relative, Isaac,” the older of the two men said.

“Isaac?” Ishmael repeated. “My brother? He sent you?” Ishmael asked, his eyes narrowing in suspicion as he really looked at the messengers’ faces closely for the first time. “For what purpose?”

Finally, the older messenger felt he was on firmer ground. “Your brother desires that you come to home, to the land of your birth, and help him bury your father.”

Ishmael’s voice rose and his eyes grew wide, his gray, bushy eyebrows arching towards his brow. “My brother…my younger brother…desires? Who is he to desire anything of me?” the old man demanded loudly. “And I know what is my land and what is not!” he added with emphasis. A servant stuck his head inside the tent to see what caused Ishmael to speak like this. Ishmael waved him away with the back of his hand, and the young man ducked his head back outside.

The younger visitor cleared his throat and tried to calm Ishmael. “My brother misspoke,” he said, putting his hands up in supplication. “Actually, your brother humbly requests, with great respect, that you honor him by coming to Hebron as his guest and helping him bury your father.”

“And look!” the older one said, placing a wooden cask of jewelry and fine items down on the tent floor, “Your brother has sent you these gifts as well!”

“Ah!” Ishmael said smiling broadly, looking with laughing eyes over the little chest and its valuables. He wiped his mouth and beard with the back of his hand and stiffly rose to his feet. “If my little brother ‘humbly requests’, then who am I to refuse?” And with that, he held out his arms in a sign of welcome to the two visitors.

As Ishmael and his group approached the large collection of tents, he saw, among the throng of people milling around outside of them, a tall gray-bearded man with a long, pointed nose. It had to be Isaac, he thought. The man looked too much like the memories of the father he had not seen in such a long time.

When Ishmael and his company came closer, the milling crowd stopped moving and grew hushed. They parted as waves before him as Ismael was helped down from his animal, and they allowed a path directly to the tall bearded man.

Ishmael saw that the old man was crying. He hadn’t expected this. He thought he might meet suspicion, or hatred, or treachery, or resentment, possibly. Tears, he did not foresee.

The man started moving towards him with his arms outstretched. Overcome by his own emotion, Ishmael was surprised to find his own cheeks wet with tears as well. The two old men met in the middle and embraced. The group shouted appreciation for the gesture.

“My brother!” Isaac said into Ismael’s ear, closing his eyes in the hug.

“Yes,” Ishmael answered. “My brother,” he repeated, resting his head on his taller brother’s shoulder.

The crowd murmured appreciatively. Some younger men started moving towards the pair, joining them in the embrace. Soon it was as if the entire crowd, both men and women, were crying and hugging in a circle around the two brothers.

Finally, Isaac pulled away and wiped his face with his hands. “Who is this you have brought?” he said, pointing over the heads of the crowd to the small group behind Ishmael.

“Ah! These are my children!” Ishmael said, his face brightening through his tears. He introduced his two older sons and the three grandchildren who had accompanied him. “There are ten more back at home,” Ishmael explained, “but they had to stay to look after the animals.”

Isaac bowed slightly in respectful deference to the sons and grandsons as Ishmael introduced each of them. “You say you have more children besides these? Twelve sons?” Isaac asked. “Praise be to El! For He has blessed you, then.”

“And He you,” Ishmael said, motioning with his arm to the assembled crowd.

Isaac smiled broadly, revealing that even in his old age he had kept most of his teeth. “Yes and no, brother. These children are not all mine. Some of these are cousins and relatives from other families. But,” and he paused, searching the group behind him, “These, here,” he said, motioning for two of the young men to come forward. “These two are my twins!”

A muscular, heavy set and hairy young man strode through the edge of the group and stiffly bowed low before Ishmael. “This is my oldest, Esau,” Isaac explained.

“A fine man!” Ishmael exclaimed as Esau rose and smiled at his uncle. Indeed, the young man’s muscles shone through the thick layer of hair on his arms and about his neck. Clearly, this son of Isaac’s was not one to cross, Ishmael thought.

“Jacob,” Isaac said, motioning for the another one to come forward, “he is my youngest.” A slight, almost delicate young man came and bent gracefully at Ishmael’s feet and rose.

“Twins?!” Ishmael repeated, his eyes smiling at the differences between the two young men “May El’s blessings be on your sons,” Ishmael said to his brother. He placed a hand on each of the boys’ heads. “May you each know and find El as your father and grandfather have known and found him.”

As the boys stood, Ishmael look questioningly at the rest of the group. Isaac saw his brother’s puzzled look and explained. “Our father—he has other sons.”

Ishmael furrowed his brow in thought, but Isaac scanned the heads of the crowd and continued. “After my mother died, our father took another wife—there she is, Keturah.” Isaac pointed in the crowd to a small, middle aged woman with eyes that sat widely on her head but who seemed unremarkable to Ishmael otherwise. He bent his head slightly towards the woman who returned his bow with one of her own. Isaac continued. “By her, he had sons and even had children by other women as well. So, you have other brothers besides me,” Isaac smiled at Ishmael.

Ishmael said nothing for a moment, and he bit his lip in thought. Finally, nodding, he said, “This is good. They can help us bury our father.”

 

The cool of the cave at Machpelah was in sharp contrast to the shimmering heat outside. Abraham’s body, wrapped in white linen and filled with spices, was stiff but not heavy at all. The old man had lived to be over 170 years old, but Isaac reported that when he died he was still sinewy with musculature. It seemed he was active up until the end.

When the sons of Abraham carried their father into the cave, they spoke very little. Isaac nodded to the place that had been prepared in the cave for her to receive Abrahams body. Kneeling in unison, the sons gently laid the old man’s remains in the shallow depression. As was the custom, each son placed a stone around their dead father’s body. It was Isaac who said, after the last stone was placed, “He was a prince of El.”

When they were finished with the ritual and standing around the pile of stones, Ishmael noticed that Isaac had moved to the back of the cave by himself and now stood looking over another mound of stones. He realized that this other body must be that of Isaac’s mother, Sarah. Wanting to allow his brother some time alone, Ishmael motioned for the other sons to go outside, and they all moved out into the warm daylight. Isaac joined them after a few minutes alone inside the cave. He ordered some of his servants to secure the entrance with large stones.

“Let us go back to the tents,” Isaac announced. “We will offer sacrifice to El to thank Him for our father. Then, let us sit, eat, drink, and speak of our father.” The group murmured agreement.

As they made their way back to the tents, Isaac and Ishmael walked at the rear of the mourners. “Thank you, my brother,” Isaac said to Ishmael, grabbing his older brother affectionately by the arm.

Ishmael turned to Isaac in surprise. “Thank me? For what?”

“For coming.”

Ishmael turned back towards the group, leaned on his stick, and nodded. The event stirred emotions in Ishmael he didn’t know he carried. Touching Isaac’s shoulder in affectionate response, he said, “Thank you for asking.”

That evening, the fire burned lower, but its flames still licked skyward towards the star-filled heavens. By this time, most made their ways to their beds after the feast.

And Ishmael and Isaac remained reclined out in the open air on cushions that lay on an expensive carpet at the opening of the tent, each one with a cup of wine before him. Servants in the tent behind them moved around almost wordlessly, picking up the remains of the feast. Talk between a few other relatives who had only met each punctuated the night as pleasantries such as, “May you rest well,” and “See you in the morning,” could be heard in front of tents around them as the camp settled down for the night.

That left the brothers alone for the moment. Both old men, their stomachs full and their hearts heavy, stared out at the fire and the stars and beyond and talked of the father they lost.

“You know that I have no clear memory of you,” Isaac said after a moment of silence, propping himself up on one elbow and turning to face Ishmael. “Most of what I remember I cannot separate from what I have dreamed about you in the past years.”

“You dream…of me?”

“Yes…of course I do. For years I have done so. Perhaps I remember more the idea of having an older brother that I missed rather than having you in my heart as a true memory,” Isaac explained.

“I understand. I was much the same in a way,” Ishmael nodded, looking at the fire intently. He chose his words haltingly. “We…we never completely understood why…why our father made us leave.”

“‘We’?” Isaac repeated. Then, he understood. “Ah, you and your mother. Of you and your mother we never spoke,” Isaac said, tossing back the last of the wine in his cup. “And I never asked.” He reached for the ewer and filled his cup again.

“Hagar,” Isaac said, and he left the name hanging in the air, and his voice trailed off as if the name itself was the fabric of legend “What I know of that I learned from my father’s…our father’s…servants in bits and pieces. And you know how unreliable servants’ tales can be.” Isaac chuckled softly.

Ishmael’s face, by contrast, remained serious, and followed a shooting star as it fell to earth on the horizon. “Her name was Ramla,” he said after a moment, gently correcting Isaac. “Hagar is only what your mother called her.” He stopped himself there, because he had promised himself on the journey that he would try to avoid uncomfortable talk.

“Yes, of course; ‘Runaway’…” Isaac said, nodding and understanding suddenly. Isaac, too, wanted to avoid any controversial subjects.

The brothers remained quiet for some time, looking at the countless stars above them. Isaac took the silent moment to point up and say, “Your descendants will be more numerous than the stars in the sky.” He took his eyes off the stars and looked at his brother to see if he understood the reference.

Ishmael nodded and said, “Yes, that’s what I’ve been told El has promised. To our father. To both of us. Sons of the promise we are.” Yet, he continued to look upward. He started to speak, but he so wanted to make sure that he did not insult this brother that he had found after so many years.

Isaac tried to come to his rescue. “You were going to say something?”

“No,” Ishmael said. He quickly corrected himself. “Yes.”

“You say your family never spoke of us. That was not true for us. Of you and your mother, Sarai, and our father we always spoke,” he said quietly. His eyes began to moisten, and he lowered them from the whiteness of the stars above to the fire’s yellow flames below.

“Here, brother, here,” Isaac said, holding the wine ewer, “fill your cup and tell me the story. Please.”

Ishmael, turned on his side and faced his brother, propping his head with one bent arm. Isaac could see him thinking as he poured the wine into Ishmael’s cup.

“Please?” Isaac repeated.

“Yes,” Ishmael said, finally, drying his glistening eyes with the back of an old, weathered hand. “Why not?”

And with that, Ishmael sat up, stiffly crossed his aging legs, and took a long drink of his wine before the fire.

When he had drained it, he set the cup beside him on the carpet and said, “My mother, Ramla, was born in Egypt…”

 

Did you enjoy the first chapter of author Charles Millson‘s new book “Runaway: A Story of Hagar“?
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How & Why We Connect With The Living God

The Full Course Meal – (The ‘HOW’ & ‘WHY’)

Y/ O/ U/   A/ R/ E/   W/ O/ R/ T/ H/   I/ T/

 

Y/oke…we live and learn from the yoke of God

O/

U/

How & Why We Connect With The Living God

Jesus Christ

 

Y = Yoke—Chapter 1

Take my ‘Yoke’ upon you and learn. Matthew 11:29 (NIV)

It’s our choice… the ‘Yoke’ of good or of evil. (TM)

 

 

From Webster’s 1828 dictionary, we discover the meaning for ‘Yoke’, is described as follows:

 

A piece of timber, hollowed or made curving near each end, and fitted with bows for receiving the necks of oxen; by which means two are connected for drawing. From a ring or hook in the bow, a chain extends to the thing to be drawn, or to the ‘Yoke’ of another pair of oxen behind.

 

A mark of servitude; slavery; bondage.

 

A chain; a link; a bond of connection; as the yoke of marriage.

 

A couple; a pair; as a ‘Yoke’ of oxen.

 

Service.

 

God is saying to you and I, “Take my ‘Yoke’ upon you? Learn from me. Marry into my wisdom…Partner with me. I am everything and all you will ever need. You can do all things through me who gives you your strength. I give you freedom of choice to believe in me or not to believe in me. I am jealous but I am forgiving also. Come to me and I will give you rest. Give me your burdens and I will make them light. I created you on purpose with a hope and a future plan in mind. I love you.

 

When I think of God using the word ‘Yoke’, I cannot help but think of the word ‘vindicate’ while sharing, ‘Laugh where we must, be candid where we can, but vindicate the ways of God to man.’

 

VIN’DICATE means:

To defend; to justify; to support or maintain as true or correct, against denial, censure or objections.

 

To assert; to defend with success; to maintain; to prove to be just or valid; as, to vindicate a claim or title.

 

God will vindicate His claim to us as Lord of Lords and King of Kings, the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end.

 

Paul says in Philippians 2:10-11: “so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

God is looking for our humbleness…then He will bless us. Proverbs 3:9, 10, says, “Honor the Lord (me) with your wealth and with the best part of everything your land produces. Then he (I) will fill your barns with grain, and your vats will overflow with the finest wine.”

 

In Malachi 3:10, God says, “Test me in this and see that I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.”

 

Are you familiar with the expression, “Dumb as an Ox”? A farmer must ‘Yoke’ his Oxen before they will do what they are told to do.

 

With us, God is using ‘Yoke’, metaphorically. He is not speaking of us as animals or to literally ‘Yoke’ us like an ox. He is attempting to encourage us to take His ‘Yoke’ as in allowing Him to lead our lives.

 

Many will fail to accept God’s grace, claiming we cannot prove that He is real. But let us ask ourselves? When was the last time the sun lost its heat? When was the last time the birds forgot their tune? When was the last time you came across the same fingerprint as your own? When was the last time the Pacific Ocean dried up? When was the last time, daylight never returned? When was the last time gravity left us hanging?

 

I think of the story about a mother who was praying daily for her son’s salvation, in hopes that he would see the way of Jesus Christ before heading off to war. He never did make the decision before leaving and it wasn’t until a life or death incident from the trenches that caused him to reconsider what his mother had always preached to him over the years…

“Son, if you invite Jesus into your heart as your personal Lord and Savior, only to find out on your death bed it was all a hoax, then you have lost nothing. If you don’t invite Christ into your heart and die, finding out it was not a hoax, you’ve lost everything.” Hmmm???

This mother, nor I, is able to convince you of anything, no matter our efforts. Our job is to share the good news, plant the seed, in the unique and specific means provided each of us by the grace of God. As distinct as our fingerprint is from all others on planet earth, so is our means to deliver the message of hope—same message, different personality, different delivery with a different result; all according to His perfect timing and plan.

 

In John 6:44 & John 6:65, Jesus says, “For people can’t come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them to me.” Then He said, “That is what I meant when I said that people can’t come to me unless the Father brings them to me.”

 

I believe today is that day for you, and Jesus is knocking on your door with this book. There’s a time for the Creator, and for the created. Jesus says, “Take my ‘Yoke’ upon you and learn.” Matthew 11:29

 

If you wanted to be in the computer business and Bill Gates offered to personally teach you for free, would you accept?

 

If Sydney Crosby offered to personally and privately teach your children the skills of hockey, for free, would you accept?

Well today, right now, God, the creator of the above two individuals, all their gifts and talents, every other human being and all in existence

 

today, is offering you His wisdom, knowledge and understanding for free; will you accept?

 

The question to ask is, “Does wisdom chase after those yoked with the created or the Creator? Will we be bound to darkness or to light? This shouldn’t be a tough decision! Jesus Christ is King!

 

In 2 Corinthians 6:14, 15 we read, “How can goodness be a partner (yoked) with wickedness? How can light live (be yoked) with darkness? What harmony can there be between Christ and the Devil?

How can a believer be a partner (yoked) with an unbeliever?”

 

Godly wisdom and worldly wisdom are not in sync.

 

The Living God carries with His promises, eternal value, and the world carries with it, temporal value, only; what good is the latter? There has to be a huge difference in being able to rest in contentment, knowing that life as we know it today, is just the beginning, compared to, not knowing anything about tomorrow (Heaven or not), and wondering if Hades (Hell), is anything at all to what the Holy Bible describes it to be—and if it is, what comfort can there be in such hopelessness?

If Jesus is promising to provide all our needs, food, clothing, and contentment, is it not foolishness and illogical not to take Him up on it? I’d say so! [We do not have for we do not ask God…James 4:2]

 

Look at it this way—the world discourages; God encourages!  The world takes away; God provides! The world secures false hope and dreams; Heaven secures our eternity.

 

I cannot encourage you enough, that when God says, “Take my ‘yoke’ upon you and learn, then,” just do it. Trust Him! We human beings will let you down (created), right, but God (Creator/Divine), will not.

 

When we invite God into our lives, Debts are rescued; relationships restored, decisions made wiser, anger destroyed, addictions defeated, friendships rekindled, disciplines re-focused, studies directed, families re-united, paths made clear, marriages reconciled, and peace becomes priority.

 

I spent twenty plus years chasing what I thought I always wanted in life, only to get there, wondering, why I ever wanted it in the first place.

 

Proverbs 2:6 “For the Lord grants wisdom! From his mouth come knowledge and understanding.”

 

Proverbs 3:5 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.”

 

Proverbs 8:18 “Unending riches, honor, wealth, and justice are mine to distribute.”

 

DID YOU ENJOY THE FIRST CHAPTER OF AUTHOR Truth Mogul ‘s NEW BOOK?
DON’T STOP NOW! GET IT ON AMAZON! CLICK HERE!

 

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All This and Heaven Too
Tough Jewel Exceptionally Beautiful Better Lifestyle

This book is written with the perspective that you are the Lord’s precious jewel and is “hungry” to adopt a ‘God be all in all’ perspective in your life that will ensure that you partake in His doubly preciousness of ‘All this and Heaven too!’ The book will ensure that you partake the better inheritance, in the form of His fullness of joy, His perfect peace, His abundant wealth, His boundless love among others fruits.

This book is prepared as a daily practical companion for creating an exceptionally beautiful Better Lifestyle that models ‘Heaven upon earth’ in different areas of your life, namely, emotionally, mentally, physically, socially and spiritually. The book shares sound Biblical principles applicable for daily living.

The book is meant to provide guidance not only on how to bear fruits but also on how to bring forth exceptionally beautiful fruits. There are vast differences between just making ends meet and living abundantly and living super-abundantly in all areas of your life. Thus as you read this book, you will recognize how much more God can and will transform every area of your life, as you begin to take the steps towards partnering with Him in designing that beautiful super-abundant life that you have always desired and dreamt about.

This book is geared in helping you emerge as an incredibly beautiful tough jewel through the application of various principles contained therein. The book will demonstrate how God will work in and through you by His mighty operation as you lovingly allow Him to refine and polish you by His Holy hands. Aided by this book, your exceptionally beautiful Better Lifestyle will become a daily natural occurrence as you learn to live moment-by-moment under His radiant love and glorious joy.

The book will help those who wish to turn their past tragedies into a powerful testimony. In my case, I have used my own personal testimonies to share with you how I turned my ordinary circumstances having been born in the slums into extraordinary fulfilled lifestyle by the transformation of my entire being in all areas of my life.

I have also included insights from individuals who agreed to participate in informal interviews as well as from those who read the manuscript and provided important insights and their own personal testimonies.

The interactive nature of this book will guide you using action-based steps, reflective questions and narratives that will serve as powerful tools for making that ultimate transformation. The book shares how you can learn to be still and wait on God to perform His perfect and pleasing will in and through you.

The book shares proclamations and prayers that are expected to guide you in abiding in Christ, the True Vine and the source of sap for your everyday strength and power.

Equipping yourself with the knowledge of God is the key that will unlock the different areas of your life so that you can experience ‘All this and Heaven too!

The metaphors and parables used in this book will equip you with principles that will enable you to walk the high road that will lead to turning your Better Lifestyle dreams into a reality.

This book will serve as your guide if you are ready to become a remarkable individual who is capable of creating and designing an exceptionally Better Lifestyle, because if you plan to be anything less than what you are capable of, then you will probably be unhappy for all the days of your life.

Did you enjoy the introduction to author Wanjiru Gachie ‘s new book: “All This and Heaven Too”?
Don’t stop now! Get it today on Amazon! Click here!!!

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The Armor of God
Strengthened by the Almighty God

“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might” (Ephesians 6:10)

The Apostle Paul, through the inspiration or direction of the Holy Spirit, gives us these commands – not suggestions, but commands so we can defeat and overcome the Devil’s tactics. In Ephesians 6 verse 10, Paul said, “Brethren be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might.”

Kenneth Wuest’s Greek translation says, “Be constantly strengthened in the Lord – so it’s not a one-time thing.” We have to continually be strong in the Lord, not weaklings falling into temptation and giving in to Satan’s tricks claiming that “The Devil made me do it” or saying “I couldn’t help it.” Without proper nutrition, a physically weak person who doesn’t eat properly and get the necessary nutrition will never win a battle, a race or a fight that requires physical strength and stamina.

We need strength to do every physical activity. Consequently, Paul is telling us that strength is required in this spiritual battle. However, it’s not our strength we rely on – it’s God’s strength. It is inevitable that we will lose before we get started if we are depending on our strength. Not only do we have to depend on the Lord’s strength, but we also have to be strong in the Lord. Spiritually weak Christians will lose this battle because they have no stamina or endurance.

They are not standing on the firm foundation in Christ. Meaning, they are not growing in the Lord through His Word. The end result is that they suffer from spiritual malnutrition because they are not feasting on the Word of God. They may be intelligent, but they’re not strong in the Lord. They may be prosperous with worldly possessions, but they’re not strong in the Lord. They may go to church every Sunday, but they’re not strong in the Lord. They may be involved in a number of ministries, but they’re not strong in the Lord. A spiritually weak Christian is one who fails to surrender and commit his or her life entirely to God and fails to grow closer to Him. There are believers who live each day doing just enough to get by – they think. To them, the Word they hear on Sunday is enough to sustain them. But their thinking is fallible because when the Devil comes after them like a ferocious lion, they cave in. They become fearful, frustrated, despondent, and even depressed because they are not strong in the Lord.

They don’t recognize a satanic attack and so they blame other people or even themselves for their problems. I know because this was once me. I was a spiritually weak Christian attending church on Sundays and then living for myself the rest of the week – depending on myself, my own attributes, my own reasoning, and my own abilities. When the enemy came after me, I was not prepared. I had to endure a spiritual attack I wasn’t prepared for. But thanks be to God, He drew me closer to Him.

That was His purpose, but He used the Devil as a tool to draw me closer to Him through a right relationship with Jesus Christ. Yes, God will use the Devil to draw us closer to Him and to conform us to the image of His Son. That’s the will of God. That’s God’s overall purpose for our lives. Remember, He used Satan to test Job’s faith. But it’s so much better to hear His voice and draw closer to Him without God having to use the Enemy to do it – it’s not a nice experience at all. “Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which has no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee” (Psalm 32:9).

Sometimes as Christians, we find ourselves defeated by the enemy and may not even know it. We may think we are winning, but in reality, we’re losing because we are leaning on our own strength and understanding. Our strength comes from the Lord alone, not from anything we can muster up within ourselves. In order to even begin to defeat the enemy, we must be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might, not with catchy slogans or phrases that sound good but mean nothing. And not because we have a title or are in a ministry. As a matter of fact, the enemy will attack us even more when we are involved in ministry work for the Lord.

To be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might, our relationship with Him has to be strong. Remember the words of our Lord to Paul and us in 2 Corinthians 12:9. He said: “My grace is sufficient for thee: for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” The Lord’s strength is made perfect in our weakness.

That lets us know that when we try to fight the Devil in our own strength, we will lose the battle. The part that says “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might” is crucial. Many people want to stop at the part that says “be strong,” but this only works if it’s done in the Lord and in His might. We have to make sure we strengthen our relationship with the Lord by getting into the Word of God, feeding on it, obeying it, and praying Holy Spirit-filled prayers that are consistent with the Word of God, based on God’s will and purpose and not what we want. When we depend on the Lord completely, we can be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might.

Did you enjoy author Erika Cox‘s new book: The Armor of God: Our Weapons of Warfare?
Don’t stop now, Get it today on Amazon! Click Here!!

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