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its a new day

Today's a new day. And there is some sunshine. Waiting to find out my close date. Ready to move.

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Friends Indeed

Friends Indeed
John Ch15, vs. 12-17, Ephes. Ch 5 v.11
• In prosperity, our friends know us, in adversity, we know our friends.
• Never cut, what you can untie. (No reason to burn a bridge if you don’t have to)
• Friendship is more important in a marriage than romanticism.
• Fellowship should be a by-product of purpose.
• Everything in life works by relationship
• If people don’t increase you, they’ll eventually decrease you.
• Make it a goal to be a friend of your family.
• Find friendship with someone who will be a mentor.
• Find friendship with a peer.
• Find friendship with someone you can give back to.

Models – People who do what you do.
Mentors - People who coach you.
Heroes – People you look up to.
Peer – People on the same level as you.
Inner Circle – People closest to you.
Followers – People you lead.

What to look for in a “Friend Indeed” –

1. A genuine commitment to Christ.
2. Find people who know their purpose (keenly aware of their purpose)
3. Find people with self-acceptance (focus on self-development, not self-fulfillment)
4. They should have a forgiving spirit.
5. They must be faithful.
6. They should have purity (not perfect, purity is the effect of right motives in your heart.)
7. They should have respect for authority.

Be aware of what evil really is, evil is that that pulls you away from your purpose. The devil sends things into your life to dilute you or pollute you. Remember, faithfulness is a choice, not a gift, and stop blaming somebody else for your attitude.
Faithfulness – 1. Constancy 2. Loyalty 3. Submission

If the character of a man/woman is not clear to you, look at his/her friends. You are not just known by the company you keep, you’re known by the company you shun. If a man wants to move the world, he must first move himself.

Write out a faithful declaration.
Enlist an accountability partner.
Spend time with faithful people.
Select a model to follow.

Four Words

1. Attention - Exodus 3 verse 2
God will get your attention. He got Moses' attention with the burning bush, and he will get your attention. Your burning bush may be a loss of finances, lost relationships, sickness, etc.

2. Potential - God will only require seed that is in your hand. He will not require of you, what you do not already possess. Potential is always based on what you have not done. Staff your weaknesses. To define means to limit....he who defines you, controls you.

3. Intention - You have to live your life on purpose, for purpose, and with purpose. You must live with intentionality. What do you intentionally desire? Success is never an accident. Until you get a burden, you shall never have a vision.

4. Retention - The definition of retention is the ability to retain things in the mind.
Deuteronomy 8 verse 18
You're not blessed by what you get, you're blessed by what you keep. Always remember the Law of God, Honor of the Lord, and remember the Sabbath. If you do not retain the lesson, others will lose the blessing.

Let it marinate,
MD

The Doctrine of Serving

The Doctrine of Serving
Reference Scriptures-
Philippians Chapter 2, 1 Corinthians Chapter 2 vs. 12, Romans Chapter 12 vs.10-13, Isaiah 55 vs. 7-8, Ephesians Chapter 6 vs. 5-6

“YOU are HERE to ENRICH the WORLD, and YOU IMPOVERISH YOURSELF, if YOU FORGET THE ERRAND.” Woodrow Wilson

Good deeds lead to goodwill, and goodwill leads to openness to hear the good news. By doing good to and for others, you invite goodwill on yourself and your family. The more you serve others, the more fulfilling your life will be. See, we are given gifts to GIVE. They are ours; yet do not belong to us. We are only a conduit for the blessings of God; we are blessed to bless others. Some have the gift of song, the gift of writing, the gift of speaking, etc., but those gifts are only good if they are given. By giving your gifts to others, you are not only serving that person or persons, but also serving YOUR PURPOSE (we often time discover our purpose by doing a task).
We serve 3 types of people- those who are above us (managers, supervisors, etc.), those who are beside us (peers), and those who are below us (children, subordinates, etc.). When you serve, it brings you into maturity; selfishness is a sign of an immature spirit. Serving is not something that we do to get ahead, or to be recognized. You can’t buy blessings with serving, and you can’t buy your way into heaven by serving. Love must be our motivation for serving, to know God is to love him, to love God is to serve him. Don’t wait for an opportune time to serve, serve while you wait. Serving is the doorway to everything God wants to do in your life.

Four ways you can serve:
1. Find a need
2. Find someone or a vision to serve
3. Do something, use what you have where you are and do it now
4. Discover your gift

Five levels of serving:
1. By command
2. By invitation
3. To do good because you see a need
4. Willingly
5. Serving out of a spirit of generosity

God never called anybody that wasn’t already serving.

Humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less.

Can you stand to be blessed?

Can you stand to be blessed?

1 Kings chapter 18 v.20-40, chapter 19, Hebrews chapter 10 v.32, 2 Corinthians chapter 12 v.5-10

Can you stand to be blessed? This was a question posed to the congregation at church tonight. Really think about the question; “Can you stand to be blessed?” Blessings don’t come free of charge, they come with a great responsibility. God blesses us, so that we may be a blessing to someone else. That our testimony, our struggle can be a blessing to someone else. Can you stand to be blessed? After God uses you, there is always going to be a test. Always. You will be tested in that which you teach, or you will teach that which you were tested. I have experienced both.
Elijah was a blessed man, so blessed that he never died, but was caught up in a chariot and carried off to heaven. But Elijah was tested. After showing the people of Israel that there is only one God, and turning them from Baal, therefore being a blessing unto them, Elijah was tested. From this blessing, there was a bounty put on his head by Jezebel, who wanted him dead. Elijah was so afraid that he journeyed into the wilderness to escape Jezebel, and it was there in the wilderness, under a broom tree, that he asked to die. At that moment, Elijah was weak. See, life is full of moments. And at times, we all get weak, weary, tired, and heavy laden. It is in those moments that show the true measure of a person, it is those moments that become your testimony. You will be tested in that which you teach, or you will teach that which you were tested. Can you stand to be blessed?
There is a great struggle after you have been illuminated, revelation comes at a great price. Are you willing to pay it? There will be a trial of your faith, attacks on your family, attacks on your finances, attacks on your former life, and your future life. See, those who are blessed, have somewhere greater to go, greater things to do and become. But you will always face temptation, to do the things you used to do, go the places you used to go. Temptation is when you are lured back to something that God has already delivered you from. Remember, temptation is temporary. The next time you have a conversation with yourself, ask “Can I stand to be blessed?” I pray that you can.

Let it marinate,

Mike D.

Making the Shift

Life is about maintaining a balance, and understanding that this too shall pass. Whether you're up or down, no situation is going to remain the same.

1. You have to see the big picture of a better future.
2. Re-adjust your goals to the things that bring you fulfillment.
3. Think about legacy and succession, not just success. (Thinking about the what, and not the who.
4. You have to have someplace better to go.
5. Have someone to go with.
6. Have something else meaningful to do.
7. Work on how you want to be remembered.
8. Separate who you are, from what you do.

If you want to see increase in something in your life, here are a few pointers.

1. Focus on it. (Whatever you focus on becomes stronger and expands.)
2. Action(Increase comes by action)
3. Consistency(Practice makes bigger and better)
4. Faithfulness(Be faithful with small things, money, and stewardship)
5. Patience(Growth takes time)
6. Prayer(Prayer brings us into favor with God and man)

He who knows, does. He who understands, teaches.

Let it marinate.

M.D.