Multimedia course on blogging

I'm evaluating a multi-media course on blogging from the folks at Simpleology. For a while, they're letting you snag it for free if you post about it on your blog.

It covers:

• The best blogging techniques.
• How to get traffic to your blog.
• How to turn your blog into money.

I'll let you know what I think once I've had a chance to check it out. Meanwhile, go grab yours while it's still free.

Be Accountable: Watch the Company You Keep

"And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:" --Hebrews 10:24

Believers are called to think about how to help other believers live right. This not only applies to attending church, but also to being involved in a small group. Believers gather so that they can help one another and be accountable to one another.

I lift weights from time to time, and I've found that it is best to do it when I have a partner. A good partner will not let me skip certain things or slack off, but will force me to go ahead and take an extra set. When I get stuck, a good partner helps me finish what I am doing. In short, a good partner holds me accountable.

James 5:16 says, "Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed." The word "faults" mean "side slips, transgressions, or sins." Notice that it does not say to confess your faults to your pastor. Your pastor is not the only one you are accountable to. There should be other believers in your life that you are accountable to.

If you're married then your accountability partner should be your spouse. If you are not married, there should be someone of the same gender who can come to you and ask, "How are you doing on this issue?" It should be someone that you will tell the truth to. You don't need to tell everyone your business, but you do need to be accountable to someone who can help you and provoke you to love and good works.

Unbelievers cannot be your hanging buddies. If they are, it will not be long before you are living in sin as they are. You also cannot keep company with those struggling with a sinful area, whether they are an unbeliever or a believer. You might say, "I can't cut that person off. He's family. She's an old college buddy." But you cannot minister to that person while you are slipping into the very same sin in which he or she is entrapped.

I used to have friends who gossiped about other people. I would be talking with them, and it was not long before they started talking about someone, and I would join in. I soon realized I could not spend my time sinning like that. I had to cut them off for their own good and mine.

You can't say that you can never be around unbelievers, because if that were the case, you would have to leave the planet. Unbelievers are not living right, but you cannot reach them with that attitude. You must operate in love. But keep in mind that you must maintain boundaries. God sets these boundaries because He wants His best for your life, and does not want you to go through things that you do not have to go through.

So, be accountable and watch the company you keep!

---Pastor Andre Butler

Empower Your Tongue With The Word Of God

There are literally hundreds of Bible verses dealing with "the tongue" ...about what we should or shouldn't say or speak...and the power of words over our lives.

One of the bluntest statements on this topic is found in Proverbs 18:21: Death and life are in the power of the tongue...

God's Word encourages us to give expression to our noblest and highest thoughts. Thoughts give rise to spoken words. When we "speak life" we are thinking and expressing out of our faith in God's Word, in obedience to His will, and in appreciation of His blessing over our lives.

Proverbs 21:23: Whosoever keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles.

To empower our tongue to speak blessing over our lives and the lives of others, one of the best things we can do is learn to speak God's Word spontaneously in response to life situations. Speaking God's Word is also how we encourage and motivate ourselves. It's how we activate our faith.

Philippians 4:13: I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.

Sponsor AdAt some point in our past, perhaps words were spoken to us, at us, or over us that didn't match up with what God intends for our lives. Rather than replaying "old tapes" in your head -- of the "negative talk" that's been said to you or about you -- it's important to start making new tapes. Fill your mind -- and your mouth! -- with positive statements that you can speak and affirm over your life...that match up with what God has decreed for you.

Psalm 40:3: And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God...

Remind yourself of God's desire to bless you. Speak words of truth to yourself about His plans for you! Just as you speak and write affirmations to yourself, admonish yourself, too. To admonish is to advise - and sometimes, insist! Think of admonition as "preaching to yourself." When you admonish yourself, you are preaching what you know you need to hear! Speak to yourself what you know to be the truth of God's Word, and His commandments given to bless your life.

Here are some possible suggestions:

"God wants me to have good health - physically, emotionally, and spiritually."

"God wants me to have good relationships - with family and friends who will love and value me."

"God wants me to have peace in my heart - calm assurance that He will always protect me and provide for me in personal and eternal ways."

Speaking words like these, and repeating Bible verses that inspire you throughout the day, will strengthen your faith, draw you closer to God in intimate and abiding relationship, and empower you to lead a life of victory through Christ.

So watch your mouth, and empower your tongue -- with the Word of God!

----Pastor Paula White

The Sideshow

As a 33-year old, some may find it strange that I happen to be a big fan of 70's music. Not exactly sure how I actually became one.

I used to think it was because of all those crazy space outfits the bands back then would wear. Or maybe it was because many could argue that the 70's were the last decade real instruments were used or played by artists on stage. You can blame my generation for that.

One thing is for certain: the artists back then were great at telling stories through their music.

A great example of that talent was the 1974 classic hit, Sideshow. By far, one of my favorites. Who can ever forget that famous circus melody and barker announcement, followed by the legendary falsetto voice of Ted Mills, who sung these words ever so softly:

Step right up, hurry, hurry before the show begins, my friends
Stand in line, get your tickets, I hope you will attend
It'll only cost you fifty cents to see
What life has done to those like you and me

Then I first heard those words as a child, I (in ignorance) got excited. An avid fan of the circus, I just knew the singer would begin to talk about some of the trademark attractions I had come to expect and enjoy every time I went to "the big top."
But then came these words:

See the man who's been cryin' for a million years, so many tears (So many tears)
See the girl who's collected broken hearts for souvenirs
It's more exciting than a one man band
The saddest little show in all the land

What? Did I miss something here?

What happened to the human cannonball?
The tightrope walkers?
And of course, those incredible tiger-tamers?

What kind of circus act could have possibly caused all this pain? It took me a while, but I think I found one.

"For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind. But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God.

Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening?" (James 3:7-10v)

God has given us all a unique commission to bring forth fresh water to a world dying of thirst.
But more often than not, the water our tongues produce has a tendency to become bitter at times.

As believers, we all have been guilty of using our tongues to lift up prayers and songs of worship to a loving God, while at the same time, using them to attack out friends, family members, co-workers, and yes, even our church leaders.

Let's just be honest for a second; Our tongues can create quite a sideshow.

Like never before, our nation is looking for men and women of wisdom. They're looking for people whose tongues are so fixated on the love and kindness of our God that no matter the circus act, we are always able to give the world a better show.

Remember This: The power our tongues have can change the very course of someone's life.

I challenge us all today to examine the words we speak. The jokes we share. The emails we receive. And the ones we decide to forward. The world is taking notes on the kind of acts we are producing.

Don't miss an opportunity to show the world what life in Christ had done for you and me.

Step right up. Hurry, hurry!

--collected

The Hard Fight Against Lust

The American Heritage Dictionary defines lust as "a sexual craving, especially excessive or unrestrained; any overwhelming desire or craving." While there are many types of lust, sexual lust is probably one of the most dangerous because it is a seed that, when planted, can produce a harvest of fornication and even death.

James 1:14-15 (AMP) says, "But every person is tempted when he is drawn away, enticed and baited by his own evil desire (lust, passions). Then the evil desire, when it has conceived, gives birth to sin, and sin, when it is fully matured, brings forth death."

Anytime you have an overwhelming sexual desire for someone who is not your spouse, it has the potential to kill you and pull you away from the will of God for your life.

Why do people give in to sexual lust? Because it "feels good" or because they don't really believe that there are consequences. The truth of the matter is that lust can be difficult to control because it is a desire that cannot be quenched. Lust will never be satisfied; it must always have more.

To combat lust, you must create boundaries in your life that help keep you out of potentially compromising situations. If you're single, for example, avoid late-night visits and phone conversations with members of the opposite sex.

Or, if you know you are challenged in this area, confide in a friend who can keep you accountable and help you maintain your purity. But the best way to quench the fire of lust is through the Word of God. It is always the best source of power when it comes to defeating any type of sin, including lust. If you are struggling with lust, follow these steps to help you overcome this sin in your life:

1) Focus on the will of God. When you choose to give your attention to anything that opposes God's Word, you leave yourself vulnerable for lust to enter your mind, body and spirit. It then conceives and brings forth sin, and eventually leads to death. Stay focused on God's will and plan for your life. Stay on track!

2) Guard your eyes and ears. If you conceive a child, nine months later a child will be born. It is the same way with lust. If you sit up all night watching pornography, for example, that seed will be planted into your spirit and you'll eventually see the results of it in your life. Make it a point to monitor the material you allow into your spirit through your eyes and ears. It really does have an ability to alter your behavior.

3) Think about the Word. Satan's most powerful weapon is the power of suggestion. His job is to try to inject a pattern of thinking into your mind that goes against the Word of God. But if you continue to read and study God's Word, your mind will be better equipped to discern the truth from Satan's lies.

4) Speak the Word. Try this exercise. Count to yourself from 1 to 10, keeping your mouth closed. Now say out loud, "Glory Hallelujah!" What happened to your counting? It stopped. Why? Because it was captured by what was coming out of your mouth. You can combat lustful thoughts and desires by shifting your focus to the Word of God and making daily verbal confessions over your life about your purity and wholeness in Christ.

Make this confession over your life: Father, I thank You that today I am free from the spirit of lust. I will no longer think lustful thoughts, but instead I will think on things that are true, things that are noble, just and pure (Philippians 4:8).

I walk in complete victory and self-control over my mind and my body in Jesus' name, amen!

Watch Your Mouth

James 3:2-11 (NIV) "We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check. When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring?"

Today the text shows us that the tongue is small but POWERFUL. The author of James begins chapter 3 by speaking on the power of the tongue. He says that if you could find someone whose speech was perfectly true; if you could find someone who knew how to control his or her tongue at all times; who never said anything wrong; then you'd have a perfect person who's in perfect control of their life.

The havoc that the tongue can wreak is monumental! It is the tongue as we'll learn today that can either build people up or tear them down. It is a beast that is frequently out of control. As Christians, we are warned to tame that beast rather than inflicting wounds, and use it to build the Kingdom of God.

A group of frogs were traveling through the woods, and two of them fell into a deep pit. All the other frogs gathered around the pit. When they saw how deep the pit was, they told the two fallen frogs that they were as good as dead.

The two fallen frogs ignored their comments and tried to jump up out of the pit with all of their might. The other frogs kept telling them to stop, that they were not getting out. Finally, one of the fallen frogs took heed to what they were saying and gave up. The other fallen frog continued to jump as hard as he could. Once again, the crowd of frogs yelled at him to stop the pain and just die. He jumped harder and harder and finally made it out. - Author Unknown

When he got out, the other frogs said, "Did you not hear us?" The frog explained to them that he was deaf. He thought they were encouraging him the entire time.

In this season, of your life let every word that is spoken to you, encourage you even if it's bad. The tongue has so much authority that many of us have to learn how to be mindful of what we say; how we say it; and who we say it to in this season of our life. I don't think any of us would deny that we have problems with our tongues.

Some of us struggle more than others, but each of us has to find a way to tame that beast. Let me give you a few steps to consider:

RETHINK YOUR FREEDOM OF SPEECH - just because you can say it does not mean it has to be said.
REFUSE TO TEAR OTHERS DOWN - instead use that same tongue to build them up.

Ask yourself, "ARE MY WORDS FRESH WATER OR SALT WATER" - will the words you speak burn a person or refresh them?

The second most deadly instrument is a loaded gun. The first is the human tongue. The gun merely kills bodies. The tongue kills reputations and often times ruins character. So today as the body of Christ, speak life.

Holy and Whole

Ireaneus, second century church leader, said, "The glory of God is a human being who is fully alive." Jesus said, "I have come that they might have life and have it more abundantly" (John 10:10). There is a big misunderstanding about the Christian life. Many think only of it in terms of eternal life in heaven.

But eternal life starts the moment we know Christ as Lord. "As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins...God made us alive with Christ" (Eph 2:1, 4-5).

Paul prays that we will experience the fullness of God's blessings in every area of life: May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it (1 Thess 5:23-24).

Three words are important here: Peace, which means wholeness, completeness, harmony, soundness. Sanctify, meaning to make holy; to set apart for God's sacred purpose. Wholeness, which means connected to through and through.

God's work of grace in us is the word of wholeness. The Holy Spirit works in us to bring all of life under Christ's Lordship and blessing. The word salvation (sozo, Greek, Rom 1:16) means more than having ours sins forgiven and being promised heaven, as wonderful as those promises are.

It also means to set free and to make whole. Salvation is more than forgiveness for sins, escape from judgment and the promise of heaven. Jesus did not simply come into the world to save us from hell; He came to make us whole and to save us for an abundant life -- spirit, mind and body.

Christ came to restore humanity to the image of God.

Answering the Call to Holiness

Many Christians do not take holiness seriously. They do not realize that to be holy is a commandment from God. Since God has called us to holiness, we have to will ourselves to live the holy life. In 1 Peter 1:13 -16, we see God's call to holiness: "Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, 'Be holy, for I am holy.'"

We also find in II Timothy 1:8-9, "...share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God, who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began."

Everything that refers to God is holy. Holiness is the very essence of who He is. Our lives should always exemplify what Jesus' life was like when He lived on earth, because He exemplified what God's life is-a life of holiness. This was evident when Satan tempted Him in the wilderness. No matter what Satan tempted Jesus with, or how often Satan tempted Him, Jesus never yielded to him.

Holiness is the quality of life. It should not be confused with two similar terms such as sanctification, which means to be set apart, and righteousness, which means right standing with God. When you were born again, you were made the righteousness of God through Jesus Christ.

Paul tells us this in II Corinthians 5:21, "For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." He also writes in 1 Corinthians 1:2, "... to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints..."

Sponsor AdGod makes us righteous and sanctifies us through Jesus Christ; those are things that He does. But it is up to us to be obedient to His call to holiness. We do not have to do anything to be sanctified, other than to live a sanctified life. Living the sanctified life is called holiness. This is how our character gets established. So Christians can't do anything to be righteous or sanctified, but everything to be holy.

It may seem difficult, but you can be holy, just as God the Father and Jesus are holy. It will take effort because it does not come overnight. You have to train yourself and remove yourself from unholy people, places, things and actions. You have to will yourself to do it. You have to go in the opposite direction of where your flesh or your mind may want to take you. You must remember that God cannot be involved in any kind of sin or immorality. When you get into sin or immorality, you park His power at the door and enter at your own risk.

Christians should desire to be pleasing to God instead of compromising their standards to please others. They must tell themselves, "I can abstain from fornication; I will not commit adultery; I will not worry; I will not overeat; I will not be jealous; I will not be envious; I will not be full of strife; I will not lie; I will not do anything that Jesus wouldn't do because I am holy."

To be victorious in living a life of holiness, you need to be filled with the Holy Spirit. You need the Holy Spirit, the power of God, to help you because Satan will oppose you when you commit to obeying the Word of God. You need the supernatural power of God because Satan is a supernatural enemy. It is a supernatural life that God has called you to. It is a life of joy, peace and fulfillment.

The act of holiness is not an impossible task. God would never tell us to do something or be something that is impossible to accomplish. You can be holy; you can count yourself as dead to sin; you can overcome those temptations just as Jesus did because God has already made a way of escape.

Paul tells us this in 1 Corinthians 10:13, "No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it."

So, whatever challenge you're faced with, don't give up. It's a fight all your life. It doesn't matter how many times you fall; get up because one of these times, you're going to get the victory over that temptation so you can be right for God and live the life of holiness as you were called to do.

Never Lose our Faith

No matter in which position we are in...no matter what the circumstances we are facing...no matter how much burdens and sufferings we are crossing....we should never lose faith from the Leader and Guide our body & soul, Christ Jesus. He is everything for us. HE only can rescue us and save us from any kind of circumstances. But that all this is in His time only. Pray and Wait for His guidance and deliverance. The Lord definitely answer our prayer. Our prayers everything is counting in His book. So never lose our faith and be cheer up in the Lord Always. Amen !