Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Are you a fish out of Water?


Just want to share an article written by Jef Menguin.

A person out of place is like a fish out of water. Its fins mean nothing, they are only a hindrance. The fish can do nothing but flounder out of its element.

Ed is a top executive of a multinational company. He told me that when he was young he wanted to be a pastor. But he has a family to feed, a lifestyle to maintain. He observed that he lost the enthusiasm, energy, and joy of work which he had when he was teaching high school students 15 years ago. He added that he was then creative, caring, and confident.

He said his head works for the company, but his heart is not into it. Sometimes, he felt like a robot. Because his position requires him to travel often, his time at home is for sleeping. He is no longer happy. He is losing his respect for himself. Ed is a fish out of water.

You will grow when you are working in an environment that make use of your talents and supports your values. When there is no more joy in what you do, you are now a fish out of water.

>Very simple article but lots of substance.

Jeremiah 17:7-8 says

"But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD,
whose confidence is in him.

He will be like a tree planted by the water
that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes;
its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought
and never fails to bear fruit."


We are all fish living in an ocean. That ocean is His presence. Surely I will die when I get out of that water.

God called us to swim in His presence.

He called us to live in His presence.

INV

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Speak To Your Mountains


Just wanna share an article written by Joel Osteen. Be blessed!



Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, “Be taken up and cast into the sea,” and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it shall be granted him. Therefore, I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they shall be granted you.
Mark 11:23-23 NASB

If you’re in a tough situation today, now more than ever, you need to guard what you say and not allow any negative, destructive words to come out of your mouth. Scripture says, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue; and you will eat the fruit thereof” (See Proverbs 18:21).

In other words, you create an environment for either good or evil with your words, and you’re going to have to live in that world you’ve created.

If you’re always murmuring, complaining, and talking about how bad life is trreating you, you’re going to live in a pretty miserable, depressing world.

You will always be tempted to use your words to describe negative situations, but God wants us to use our words to change our negative situations.

Don’t talk about the problem, talk about the solution.

The Bible instructs us to speak to our mountains (see Mark 11:23-24). Maybe your mountain is a sickness; perhaps it is a troubled relationship; maybe your mountain is a floundering business.

Whatever your mountain is, you must do more than think about it, more than pray about it; you must speak to that obstacle.

The Bible says, “Let the weak say I’m strong Let the oppressed say I’m free. Let the sick say I’m healed. Let the poor say I’m well off.” (see Joel 3:10)

Start calling yourself healed, happy, whole, blessed and prosperous. Stop talking to God about how big your mountains are, and start talking to your mountains about how big your God is!

When David faced the giant Goliath, he didn’t murmur and complain and say, “God, why do I always have these huge problems?” He didn’t dwell on the fact that Goliath was three times his size. Nor did he dwell on the fact that Goliath was a skilled warrior and he was just a shepherd boy. He didn’t focus on the magnitude of the obstacle before him. He chose instead to focus on the greatness of his God. He changed his whole atmosphere through the words that came out of his mouth. David looked Goliath right in the eyes, and with great determination, he said, “Listen, Goliath, you come against me with a sword and a shield, but I come against you in the name of the Lord God of Israel” (see 1 Samuel 17:45).

Now, these are the words of faith! Notice, too, that he spoke the words aloud. He didn’t merely think them; he didn’t simply pray them. He spoke directly to the mountain of a man in front of him, and said, “I will defeat you and feed your flesh to the birds of the air this very day.” And with God’s help, he did exactly that!

When you are facing obstacles in your path, you must boldly say, “Greater is He who is in me than he who is in the world [see 1 John 4:4]. No weapon formed against me is going to prosper [see Isaiah 54:17]. God always causes me to triumph.”

Quit complaining about poverty and lack and start declaring, “God supplies all of my needs in abundance.”

Quit nagging that friend or family member who is not serving God and start declaring, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15 NASB).

Quit complaining that nothing good ever happens to you and start declaring, “Everything I touch prospers and succeeds.”

We must stop cursing the darkness. Let’s start commanding the light to come.

Friend, there is a miracle in your mouth.

If you want to change your world, start today by changing your words.

TODAY’S PRAYER FOR YOUR BEST LIFE NOW Father, I want to speak words that are consistent with Your Word; may my words be filled continually with faith and hope, and may they create an environment in which You can do great and mighty things in and through my life!