*Also available for other countries via the corresponding Amazon retail site*
Friday, May 2, 2014
5 STARS from Readers' Favorite!! Check out the review.
God continues to bless "Discovering The Shepherd: A Study of Psalm 23"! In addition to becoming an international best seller, Readers' Favorite has given it 5 STARS! Read the wonderful review below.
Thursday, May 1, 2014
Christian Common Sense: 21 Knowledge Keys To Start Improving Your Life Today (Final, Part 3)
"My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge..." -Hosea 4:6
In the past few weeks when speaking to me, God has placed extra emphasis on obtaining wisdom, not just for myself and my own life, but to share with those who have an ear to listen and a heart to come closer to Him. The Holy Spirit began to talk to me about some common things that we as believers can work on immediately to bring us into greater communion with the Lord & into greater cooperation with our sisters and brothers in Christ. He gave me a total of 21 all together and the part 1 post covered the first 5. Post 2 covered the next 8. These are the final 8.
In the past few weeks when speaking to me, God has placed extra emphasis on obtaining wisdom, not just for myself and my own life, but to share with those who have an ear to listen and a heart to come closer to Him. The Holy Spirit began to talk to me about some common things that we as believers can work on immediately to bring us into greater communion with the Lord & into greater cooperation with our sisters and brothers in Christ. He gave me a total of 21 all together and the part 1 post covered the first 5. Post 2 covered the next 8. These are the final 8.
Key 14
The blessings of the Lord will chase you down and overtake you, but that does not mean that you do nothing and wait to be overtaken. If blessings have to chase you down, that means you are already in motion toward the faith objective. At the same time, do not think your momentum will be increased by doing many things in the natural. With God, most of your work is done in the spirit realm. (Scripture Reference - Psalm 23:6)
Key 15
Do not allow worldly voices to convince you to conform to worldly systems when God has called you to be set apart and operate according to Heavenly systems. Worldly people will not understand the instructions of God. When they are busy hustling and bustling, He may call you to rest and spend your time in worship. When they are at rest and at play, He may awaken you to diligently work. Stand strong in what God has instructed you to do and watch your promises manifest. (Scripture Reference - Romans 12:2)
Key 16
If you ask God for a miracle, be prepared to become a public spectacle. God wants His Glory in the public light for the sinful world to behold. (Scripture Reference - Matthew 5:14-16)
Key 17
The power of God works in the natural as well as the supernatural. Sometimes the answer to the question burning in your heart is not hidden in the mysteries of the deep. You may find the answer attached to something or someone that you can literally reach out and touch. (Scripture Reference - Genesis 1:1)
Key 18
Do not spend time arguing the Word of God with sinners. Without faith, they will not possess the spiritual ability to understand it. Offer them the love of Jesus followed by the way to salvation and by all means answer sincere questions. Just be sure to avoid contentious conversation and attempts to bait you into argument. (Scripture Reference - Matthew 7:6)
Key 19
If someone offends you in their actions, consider the intent of their heart before giving way to anger. Oftentimes an offense is more about the perception of the one who is offended than the actual intent of the offender. However, if you find the offense to be intentional, guard your heart from future interactions. (Scripture Reference - Proverbs 19:11)
Key 20
Guard your spirit from "second place" syndrome. This happens when the enemy tries to convince you that every one around you is always blessed before you. It can be frustrating to continue waiting while blessings are flowing all around you to other people, but there is no extra prize in being the first to receive. Your blessing will still be as bountiful as God promised when you receive it! If it helps, remember that some of the greats of the Bible were in "second place" - Isaac. Esther. Boaz. (Scripture Reference - Leviticus 26:4)
Key 21
The enemy rarely ever shows up looking like an enemy. Don't think He will always show up with guns blazing, ready to take you out in that moment. A lot of times He will hide among friends or loved ones, waiting for your weak moments to strike. Listen carefully to the people around you. Are they in agreement with what God has spoken over your life or are they speaking against it? Remember, Peter was rebuked several times by Jesus for speaking against the will of God and Jesus considered him a good friend! (Scripture Reference - Matthew 12:30)
Key 19
If someone offends you in their actions, consider the intent of their heart before giving way to anger. Oftentimes an offense is more about the perception of the one who is offended than the actual intent of the offender. However, if you find the offense to be intentional, guard your heart from future interactions. (Scripture Reference - Proverbs 19:11)
Key 20
Guard your spirit from "second place" syndrome. This happens when the enemy tries to convince you that every one around you is always blessed before you. It can be frustrating to continue waiting while blessings are flowing all around you to other people, but there is no extra prize in being the first to receive. Your blessing will still be as bountiful as God promised when you receive it! If it helps, remember that some of the greats of the Bible were in "second place" - Isaac. Esther. Boaz. (Scripture Reference - Leviticus 26:4)
Key 21
The enemy rarely ever shows up looking like an enemy. Don't think He will always show up with guns blazing, ready to take you out in that moment. A lot of times He will hide among friends or loved ones, waiting for your weak moments to strike. Listen carefully to the people around you. Are they in agreement with what God has spoken over your life or are they speaking against it? Remember, Peter was rebuked several times by Jesus for speaking against the will of God and Jesus considered him a good friend! (Scripture Reference - Matthew 12:30)
Did any of these resonate with you? Leave a comment below and tell me your thoughts. Feel free to share the post if you feel like it could help someone. God bless you in your Christian journey!
Tuesday, April 22, 2014
Christian Common Sense: 21 Knowledge Keys To Start Improving Your Life Today (Part 2)
"My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge..." -Hosea 4:6
In the past few weeks when speaking to me, God has placed extra emphasis on obtaining wisdom, not just for myself and my own life, but to share with those who have an ear to listen and a heart to come closer to Him. The Holy Spirit began to talk to me about some common things that we as believers can work on immediately to bring us into greater communion with the Lord & into greater cooperation with our sisters and brothers in Christ. He gave me a total of 21 all together and the part 1 post covered the first 5. Below are the next 8 keys.
In the past few weeks when speaking to me, God has placed extra emphasis on obtaining wisdom, not just for myself and my own life, but to share with those who have an ear to listen and a heart to come closer to Him. The Holy Spirit began to talk to me about some common things that we as believers can work on immediately to bring us into greater communion with the Lord & into greater cooperation with our sisters and brothers in Christ. He gave me a total of 21 all together and the part 1 post covered the first 5. Below are the next 8 keys.
Key 6
Receiving the promises of God will require that your faith be tested first, usually through God calling for a spiritual sacrifice. A great example of this is found in the story of Abraham and Isaac. Note that the sacrifice God called for in that situation was not something that was harmful or hurtful to Abraham's person. Nor did God require something that Abraham would have been eager to give up. He asked for a good thing that He himself had blessed Abraham with and that Abraham was entitled to have. (Scripture Reference - Genesis 22)
Key 7
Don't fear going into personal spiritual battles alone in the natural realm. (without other people on your side) Sometimes God will ordain the fight against your enemies to be just you and Him, along with the heavenly host of war angels assigned to your life. In most cases, this is to avoid having human beings take any credit for your victory. God wants 100% of the Glory as your deliverer! (Scripture Reference - 1 Samuel 17:40-47)
Key 8
There is no big mystery in finding your Godly purpose. As believers in Jesus Christ, we all have the same one: to be a reflection of Him in the earth. How He uses you to accomplish that purpose is based on your unique spiritual and natural gifts & life experiences. (Scripture Reference - 1 Peter 2:9)
Key 9
Jesus is less concerned with your denomination and is more concerned with your demonstration. As a believer, are you sharing the love of Christ with the world through your life? (Scripture Reference - 1 Corinthians 12:12-13)
Key 10
Do not let anyone discourage you from pursuing abundance through God! God's will is that all His children would live a life of abundance - fully supplied with the things that we need and with the desires of our hearts when we delight in Him. Learn to be content in transitioning times, but always hope and exercise your faith for what God has promised in His Word. (Scripture Reference - John 10:10; Psalm 37:4)
Key 11
When sharing or teaching Bible wisdom, do so with gentleness and love. Teaching through accusation or condemnation will turn away the ears of the people who need to hear what you have to say the most. It is good to pray that you decrease and God increase in every situation where you are delivering His Word or wisdom. (Scripture Reference - Galatians 6:1 *the Amplified version of this verse explains it perfectly)
Key 12
You do not have to participate in every debate or get involved in every conflict that comes your way. Don't take the bait! Beware of contentious spirits that seek to disturb your peace and save your energy for warfare that matters. Sometimes silence is the most forceful thing that you can "say!" (Scripture Reference - Proverbs 15:18)
Key 13
It becomes easier to forgive spiteful people when you remember that your battle is not against them, but the spirit at work through them. They are being used to hurt you by the evil at work in their lives and when you move beyond the initial emotional reaction to the offense, you will realize that they are victims in the situation. You are free to move forward while they are bound by bitterness and anger. (Scripture Reference - Ephesians 6:12)
Key 11
When sharing or teaching Bible wisdom, do so with gentleness and love. Teaching through accusation or condemnation will turn away the ears of the people who need to hear what you have to say the most. It is good to pray that you decrease and God increase in every situation where you are delivering His Word or wisdom. (Scripture Reference - Galatians 6:1 *the Amplified version of this verse explains it perfectly)
Key 12
You do not have to participate in every debate or get involved in every conflict that comes your way. Don't take the bait! Beware of contentious spirits that seek to disturb your peace and save your energy for warfare that matters. Sometimes silence is the most forceful thing that you can "say!" (Scripture Reference - Proverbs 15:18)
Key 13
It becomes easier to forgive spiteful people when you remember that your battle is not against them, but the spirit at work through them. They are being used to hurt you by the evil at work in their lives and when you move beyond the initial emotional reaction to the offense, you will realize that they are victims in the situation. You are free to move forward while they are bound by bitterness and anger. (Scripture Reference - Ephesians 6:12)
Did any of these resonate with you? Leave a comment below and tell me your thoughts. Feel free to share the post if you feel like it could help someone. The final 8 are posted HERE.
Saturday, April 19, 2014
Christian Common Sense: 21 Knowledge Keys To Start Improving Your Life Today (Part 1)
"My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge..." -Hosea 4:6
In the past few weeks when speaking to me, God has placed extra emphasis on obtaining wisdom, not just for myself and my own life, but to share with those who have an ear to listen and a heart to come closer to Him. The Holy Spirit began to talk to me about some common things that we as believers can work on immediately to bring us into greater communion with the Lord & into greater cooperation with our sisters and brothers in Christ. He gave me a total of 21 all together, but I will be splitting them up to make it easier for discussion. Below are the first 5.
In the past few weeks when speaking to me, God has placed extra emphasis on obtaining wisdom, not just for myself and my own life, but to share with those who have an ear to listen and a heart to come closer to Him. The Holy Spirit began to talk to me about some common things that we as believers can work on immediately to bring us into greater communion with the Lord & into greater cooperation with our sisters and brothers in Christ. He gave me a total of 21 all together, but I will be splitting them up to make it easier for discussion. Below are the first 5.
Key 1
Practicing a spirit of excellence where you are right
now will help qualify you for your next level. Don’t wait until you have better
to do better. (Scripture Reference -
Colossians 3: 23-24)
Key 2
Your height (or depth) in God is most accurately
measured by the sweetness of your spirit in service. This is not to be confused
with the sweetness of your actions. Acts of kindness can come from a
self-serving place, but sweetness of spirit is seen in how you treat people
when there’s nothing for you to gain from them.
(Scripture Reference – Matthew 25: 34–45)
Key 3
Having God in your life does not stop the world from
trying to corrupt your spirit with lies about who you are and what you're worth.
Having God gives you the source of divine truth about who you really are –
beloved, worthy, and beautiful.
(Scripture Reference – Psalm 139: 13–15)
Key 4
Get familiar with the “slingshot method” of
acceleration in God. Sometimes you must be “pulled back” in order to have the
speed and momentum you need to slay the giant blocking your way forward. If you
are praying for deliverance and obeying God’s instructions, do not be
discouraged with what appears to be setbacks. That could be God pulling you back to be
launched forward! (Scripture Reference –
Hosea 2: 14–15)
Key 5
There is a difference between judgment and correction.
The biblical act of judgment is to pass down a permanent sentence on a person’s
sins, condemning them to always suffer from whatever is plaguing their spirit.
(e.g. “You’ll never change!”) Only God has the right to condemn a person for
eternity. However, those who are spiritual (i.e. knowledgeable about and equipped to rebuke evil spirits) are allowed, and actually instructed, to correct each
other with LOVE if we witness each other engaging in sinful behavior.
(Scripture Reference – Matthew 7: 1–3; Galatians 6: 1)
Did any of these resonate with you? Leave a comment below and tell me your thoughts. Feel free to share the post if you feel like it could help someone. The next 8 keys are available HERE.
Sunday, February 23, 2014
Paperback Copies Are Ready To Travel The Globe!
This past week I received my first shipment of paperbacks for supporters of "Discovering The Shepherd." There is no feeling like opening up the box and seeing your work in print. The joy and excitement never gets old! The most precious part of this entire project, though, is knowing that every book sold or given is a ministry work. My readers will experience God in these pages and hopefully they will feel HIS love on every page. Check out this cool map showing where my paperback readers are located so far!
I thank God for every area, state, and country represented here. To God be the glory!
GET YOUR COPY TODAY!
Saturday, January 25, 2014
WOW! God Blessed The Release Date With FIVE Best Seller Lists On Amazon
Wow! I was completely blown away by the opening statistics for the Kindle version of "Discovering The Shepherd." Here's where the book ranked on its release date (01/23):
#4 Kindle Hot New Release Old Testament Commentaries
#9 Book Hot New Release Old Testament Commentaries
#61 Hot New Release Kindle Christian Bible Texts
#66 Hot New Release Christian Spiritual Growth
#63 DEBUT BEST SELLER Old Testament Commentary
I could barely believe my eyes! I know that this was the work of the Lord and I am so grateful to Him for His favor on this project. If you haven't gotten a copy of the book yet, it's available for Kindle, Nook, and in paperback worldwide. All the links are below. God bless you and thank you for your support!
#4 Kindle Hot New Release Old Testament Commentaries
#9 Book Hot New Release Old Testament Commentaries
#61 Hot New Release Kindle Christian Bible Texts
#66 Hot New Release Christian Spiritual Growth
#63 DEBUT BEST SELLER Old Testament Commentary
I could barely believe my eyes! I know that this was the work of the Lord and I am so grateful to Him for His favor on this project. If you haven't gotten a copy of the book yet, it's available for Kindle, Nook, and in paperback worldwide. All the links are below. God bless you and thank you for your support!
*Also available for other countries via the corresponding Amazon retail site*
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