Dear friend,

It is common to make “New Year’s “resolutions with the excitement surrounding the changing of the year. We have the best intentions, but if we don’t commit to them, they are destined to fail. So why

not make “Every Year” resolutions instead? The basics are essential for your spiritual well being; read your Bible, attend church and take time to pray. In addition to that something as simple as keeping a close eye on how you look, feel and act each day. To improve daily habits takes mindfulness-that is, being aware of whether the choices you’re making are helping or hurting your well-being. You’ll soon find that healthy choices usually make you feel better instantly, whether it’s going to bed a little earlier or choosing a piece of fruit for dessert, rather than pie.

There are plenty of ways to do this…here are a few suggestions:
1. Get a better sleep pillow.
2. Designate someone in your cell phone as your ICE (In Case of Emergency) contact.
3. Know your cholesterol and blood pressure numbers.
4. Purge your medicine cabinet of expired medications.
5. Set appointments for health screenings.
6. Wear sunscreen.
7. Change batteries in smoke detectors when you reset the clocks for time changes.
8. Laugh out loud – a lot!
9. Walk whenever possible (i.e.: use stairs instead of elevators).

After all scripture reminds us “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own, you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.” 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

1. I wish you enough
2. I wish you enough sun to keep our attitude bright no matter how grey the day may appear.
3. I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun even more.
4. I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive and everlasting.
5. I wish you enough pain so that even the smallest of joys in life may appear bigger.
6. I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting.
7. I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess.
8. I wish you enough hellos to get you through the final good-bye.

How common is this story, the one where the men on top of the roof lower their friend down to Jesus so that he can heal them. How many times have we heard it? What is amazing is that I believe Jesus put a seed in what he said that can be used far beyond what we have come to accept as the teaching here. I believe what we have understood of this story is only the “tip of the iceberg” as it were.

There are so many spiritual things in the Bible that are seen as equal, from the gifts of the Spirit, to the fruit of the Spirit and even the law of Moses as was said, if we break one, then we have broken them all. Very rare is it that one thing is seen as superior over the others, but not in this case. Jesus in asking the Pharisees which was more difficult, he clearly though in true parable form, shows that forgiving of sins is more difficult to do then it was to perform a physical healing. If you fast forward, then we can see this clearly in that the apostles and other followers would heal people constantly and even cast out demons in the book of Acts and more, though there isn’t a single scripture of anyone getting their sins forgiven by an apostle or similar (we even are very clear on this today as we would never tell anyone we could forgive their sins. The Pharisees were right, only God can forgive sins).

As an Apostolic Pentecostal, I don’t think there is any other group of people more committed to the faith of forgiveness of sins. We have our sins washed away when we are baptized in Jesus name because if we have the name that is called over us in baptism we have life (John 20:31) and if we have life we have blood (Lev 17:11) and if we have blood we have remission (Heb 9:22). We also believe that beyond the grave of baptism that if we were to sin again and have a true heart of repentance that he would be faithful to forgive us as the scriptures say (how many hundreds of times we have done this!).

Why is it then, that we believe God can heal a headache, but if our back or neck is killing us and the doctors have said that there is nothing that they can do we figure that we have to deal with it. Can that person really get out of the wheelchair? But they are blind, how can someone physically see again? Cancer? That can’t be cured. Why, oh why is it Pentecostals, that we can believe so strongly in forgiveness of sins and doubt Gods ability to perform miraculous works in ours and others physical bodies? Let us merely turn the table of our faith around and take the belief that we have had for generations about forgiveness of sins and apply it to the realm of physical healing. And why not!? Didn’t Jesus Christ, the AUTHOR and finisher of our faith say to us Pharisees that healing a physical body is nothing compared to what it takes to forgive sins.

The hidden seed is this: if you need to strengthen your faith in the ability of God to work a miracle of physical healing in yourself or someone else, read scriptures pertaining to forgiveness of sins, realize that physical healing is an easier thing and apply your faith!

• Isaiah 1:18
• 1 John 1:9
• Psalm 65:3
• Psalm 32:5
• 1 John 2:12
• … And many, many more…

Practice this level of faith in God for yours and others healing and see if we don’t have revival in our cities that could only possibly be matched with what took place so long ago in the First Church.

Filed under: Encouraging Word, Inspirational, Interesting Tagged: First Church Sterling Heights ]]> http://placeofdirection.wordpress.com/2011/11/13/which-is-harder/feed/ 0 placeofdirection 20111113-070135.jpg http://placeofdirection.wordpress.com/2011/09/24/freedom/ http://placeofdirection.wordpress.com/2011/09/24/freedom/#comments Sat, 24 Sep 2011 12:59:22 +0000 First Church Sterling Heights http://placeofdirection.wordpress.com/?p=111 ]]>

As a nation and as a church we certainly have much to celebrate. We’ve been born into a country which offers many physical freedoms – enjoy them while we still have them. We also have the privilege of being reborn in Christ, thereby giving us spiritual freedom.

“…to Him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by His blood…” -Revelation 1:5

The Christian faith is revolutionary, but not the way most people think. The world is deceived. They think Christians are so “heavenly minded they’re of no earthly good”, or that they’re trying to bring about revolution by teaching that freedom in Christ is the same as political, social and economic freedom. The Christian faith is revolutionary in a much deeper way. The One who can make all things new is God!

“He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry, the Lord sets prisoners free.” -Psalm 146:7

How can He make things new? With guns or the ballot box? If so, we wouldn’t have needed Jesus. He gives new birth, creating a brand-new person in you and me.

“If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” -John 8:31-32

By submitting to Jesus, we become free. This is confusing until you’ve experienced it, but once you have repented of your sins, been baptized by immersion in water and have received the Holy Spirit it becomes clear that you’ve been set free! With this freedom we can make real changes in this world, for we work with the One who designed it all. We have hope beyond this world, and as a result, we can offer hope to this world!

“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” -2 Corinthians 3:17

Deep in the Costa Rican jungle lives the small tomato frog. Red in color like a tomato, he has a unique defense against predators. Once attacked, he emits a deadly, milky poison all over his skin. As the attacking animal bites into the tomato frog, it tastes the poison and spits the frog out of its mouth. Unfortunately, by the time the predator spits the frog out, the traumatized amphibian dies anyway.

Without question the tomato frog’s poison is effective. However, it’s too late because the damage has already been done.

Believers in Jesus often suffer from “Tomato Frog Syndrome”. We wait to pray and employ our spiritual defenses or offenses until after Satan has already attacked and caused damage in our lives. Only after making a bad decision or committing a sin do we call on the Lord for help. Of course God can help us in times of trouble. He has- countless times. But doesn’t it makes more sense to keep your God-given defenses in place at all times so you’re prepared for trials and tests?

What am I talking about? I’m talking about the protection God gives us through a healthy, constant prayer life. I’m talking about breaking through spiritual warfare by fasting. I’m talking about making Sunday morning the time you never miss spending time with God and your church family to receive His grace, power and healing. I’m talking about developing strong relationships with your church family so there can be mutual support and encouragement. I’m talking about walking in obedience to God’s Word. These are the wonderful protections our loving heavenly Father has given us so we, unlike the tomato frog, never have to fear any attack.

“The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you. He will quiet you with His love. He will rejoice over you with singing.” -Zephaniah 3:20

I pray you will be encouraged in your faith this week. Grace and peace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love…

How will God show Himself to those who know nothing of Him or who have been captured by secularism, materialism, atheism, humanism, agnosticism and every other “ism” out there?

God will use you.

Christ is our hope. Christ in you is the hope of glory. When Christ is in you, you exemplify that hope.  You are an ambassador of hope. You are the one to show the better side of life. You are the bringer of hope to those in and around your life.  God created the church so that we would have each other to love and care for. Someone to be there for you in your time of need, whether it’s to listen, pray with you or give you a hug. When you’re feeling the weight of the cares of this life it’s essential to have someone to remind us that there is hope.

I pray that this week we, as disciples of our Lord Jesus, will strive to open ourselves more fully to Christ so He can rule in us and make us hope bringers to this world that desperately needs hope…

“Be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded.” 2 Chronicles 15:7

Deep in the Costa Rican jungle lives the small tomato frog. Red in color like a tomato, he has a unique defense against predators. Once attacked, he emits a deadly, milky poison all over his skin. As the attacking animal bites into the tomato frog, it tastes the poison and spits the frog out of its mouth. Unfortunately, by the time the predator spits the frog out, the traumatized amphibian dies anyway.

Without question the tomato frog’s poison is effective. However, it’s too late because the damage has already been done.

Believers in Jesus often suffer from “Tomato Frog Syndrome”. We wait to pray and employ our spiritual defenses or offenses until after Satan has already attacked and caused damage in our lives. Only after making a bad decision or committing a sin do we call on the Lord for help. Of course God can help us in times of trouble. He has- countless times. But doesn’t it makes more sense to keep your God-given defenses in place at all times so you’re prepared for trials and tests?

What am I talking about? I’m talking about the protection God gives us through a healthy, constant prayer life. I’m talking about breaking through spiritual warfare by fasting. I’m talking about making Sunday morning the time you never miss spending time with God and your church family to receive His grace, power and healing. I’m talking about developing strong relationships with your church family so there can be mutual support and encouragement. I’m talking about walking in obedience to God’s Word. These are the wonderful protections our loving heavenly Father has given us so we, unlike the tomato frog, never have to fear any attack.

“The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you. He will quiet you with His love. He will rejoice over you with singing.” – Zephaniah 3:20

I pray you will be encouraged in your faith this week. Grace and peace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love…

Happiness is the result of circumstances, but joy endures in spite of circumstances.

“…in Thy presence is fullness of joy at Thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.”- Psalm 16:11

Blessed are the cracked, for they let in the light…

The Bible contains about 800,000 words, depending on the translation. This is about four times as many words as are found in a book of average length.

Although the Bible is so long and deals with the greatest themes that can engage the human mind, its vocabulary is singularly limited. It uses only 6,000 different words, a very small number compared to the 20,000 words that Shakespeare employed while writing his plays.

Not only is the Bible’s vocabulary limited, but the average word in it contains only five letters. However, many of these short words are full of the deepest meanings and are worthy of earnest study. For example, consider these five-letter words: grace, peace, faith, saved, serve, glory and Jesus. Simple, yet powerful.

God invites us to make His Word the object of our heart’s affection. Saving faith can come in no other way except through the Word of God penetrating our sin-thickened souls and softening our hard-hearted spirits. Like the sharpest of swords, it cuts through our neglect of God’s Word and will. This sharp Word is forged in the sacrifice of Jesus on our behalf and His endurance of hell’s fiery onslaught. Life can be grand, but only when God’s Word is followed and our faith rests on it alone.

“I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.” Romans 1:16 (NIV)
So I encourage you to read your Bible. Establish your life and faith on God’s Word alone. May you be blessed in the Lord this week…

B.I.B.L.E. ( Basic Instruction Before Leaving Earth)

Definitions You May Not Find In ‘Websters’
1. Arachnoleptic Fit: The frantic dance performed just after you’ve accidentally walked through a spider web.

2. Decafalon: The grueling event of getting through the day consuming only things that are good for you.

3. Inoculatte: To take coffee intravenously when you are running late.

4. Karmageddon: It’s like, when everybody is sending off all these really serious bad vibes, right? And then, like, the Earth explodes and it’s like, a serious bummer!

5. Sarchasm: The gulf between the author of sarcastic wit and the person who doesn’t get it.

The Awesomeness of God

In chemistry, He turned water into wine…
In biology, He was born without the normal conception…
In physics, He disproved the ‘Law of Gravity’ when He ascended into Heaven…
In economics, He disproved the ‘Law of Diminishing Return’ by feeding 5000 men with 2 fishes and 5 loaves of bread…
In medicine, He cured the sick and the blind without administering a single dose of drugs…
In history, He is the beginning and the end…
In government, He said that He shall be called wonderful, counselor, prince of peace…
In religion, He said no one comes to the Father except through Him…

Who is He? Jesus!

God is more concerned about our character than our comfort. His goal is not to pamper us physically, but to perfect us spiritually. -Powell

The Positive Side of Life

Don’t cry because it’s over; smile because it happened.

A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour.

You may be only one person in the world, but you may also be the world to one person.

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” – Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

As I was looking for graduation cards this week I noticed this scripture on several of them.
Graduating from high school is a milestone. The future is a mix of the excitement of possibilities with the anxieties of the unknown. It is reassuring to our young adults who find themselves in this position to be reminded that they are children of an omniscient God who knows their future and will be there with them with each step they take. However, there is a greater depth to this verse.

These words were not spoken in celebration, but rather after Israel had been captured and exiled by Babylon. False prophets promised that God would soon punish Babylon, but Jeremiah prophesied that Israel would be in captivity for 70 years. God had a plan and a future for Israel, but this particular plan wasn’t what Israel wanted. They wanted God to deliver them, regardless of the circumstances that had put them here, now! True to God’s word, after 70 years, Israel began to return home, just as the prophets had foretold. God brought Israel out of bondage so His greatest plan of all could be fulfilled: the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus, who brings ultimate hope and a future to all who believe.

Our society today wants an easy life full of prosperity, joy and happiness, while God’s plan is much greater. He has laid the plan for us to have hope and a future with Him, both now and for eternity. We are only to believe and be obedient to His Word.

May you be encouraged this week to give your undivided attention to trust in the plans God has for your life…

Decisions can take you out of God’s Will but never out of his reach. Seven things you’ll never regret…
1. Feeling reverence for your Maker.
2. Showing kindness to an aged person.
3. Destroying a letter – or not sending an e-mail – written in anger.
4. Offering an apology that saves a friendship.
5. Stopping gossip that could wreck a reputation.
6. Taking time to show loved ones consideration.
7. Accepting the judgment of God on any question.