Tuesday, March 31, 2009

The Bridge (Part One)

Milan Ford

Over the next two days, StreamingFaith.com has carved out this space for me to share with you something that is very personal to me. Something that many would not dare to share.It is my sincere prayer that this two-part devotional will provide us all with an extraordinary moment of solace and worship with God. For indeed it is in Him......where our lives are made perfect. (Colossians 1:28)

Nearly two years ago, during the Spring of 2007, my entire world was turned upside down. An incredible, yet unfortunate chain of events helped set me on a course from simply living life as a leader of ministry, into one day becoming an authentic ministry leader.

I was working for a very large and influential church; one whose vision and passion for young people transformed my heart in an immeasurable way when I was still in college.

Although a believer in Christ at an early age, like most college students, I decided to place my faith in God on a shelf, and indulge in many of the temptations that the college life has been known to offer. Had it not been for this church and the desire and commitment of its pastor to begin reaching out to the local college campus community, I'm not sure where my life would have ended up.

It was through this church that my faith in God was renewed. And it was at this church, that I found a real love for ministry, especially for young people and college students within the campus community I once was apart of. After nearly six years of becoming apart of the ministry that had given so much to me as a college student, I was blessed with the opportunity to become the College & Student Ministry Director for that church.

A tremendous honor to say the least.

Things at first were moving along quite well. My passion to see college students impacted and encouraged to follow after Christ consumed me completely. From visiting and creating ministry programs for students while on campus, to opening up my home and spending time with them while off campus, I had never been more on fire for God in my life.

Every day I woke up, to know that I actually was being paid to do something I loved to do, that I perhaps would have even done for free, was a blessing too wonderful to comprehend. After getting married, and being blessed with two lovely children, I thought that nothing could derail me or distract me from the path that I was on in ministry.

But then...it happened.

SUCCESS

It is amazing how a period of success or the roaring sound of praise can cloud the judgment of the most dedicated of leaders. Our hearts of flesh can so easily be turned into hearts of stone when we no longer align our hearts with the heart of a holy God.

It was not long before my drive in ministry had more to do with receiving the accolades of man, than bringing glory and honor to God. My desire to please God was exchanged with a desire to please myself. Ministry no longer was viewed as a privilege. It had become an idol.

An idol that in the Spring of 2007, was completely exposed, creating an unfortunate situation for not only my pastor and fellow ministry leaders, but for several of the students I had been given the responsibility to lead. A decision had to be made. And it was.

TERMINATED

Ashamed.

Devastated.

Depressed.

Shocked.

I can probably write an entire thesaurus full of words that described the kind of pain I felt on that day after being fired by my church. And it still wouldn't do it any justice. As I drove home from the church that day, a drive that seemed like an eternity, I will never forget pulling up in our driveway, and noticing a small package left at our front door.

The contents of this package radically changed my life. And brought a brand new perspective of God, and the importance of worship, that I hope we all can embrace as believers today.

(Stay tuned for part two of THE BRIDGE tomorrow right here on StreamingFaith.com!)

Milan Ford has been a leader (and survivor) of ministry within the local church for most of his life. A lover of Red Vines Licorice and all things pointing north, Milan is scheduled to release his first book, 83 Things I Wish The Black Church Would Stop Doing, the fall of 2009. You can find Milan blogging at ThePewView.com.

ANSWERED PRAYER GUARANTEED!

Sunday, March 15, 2009
Dr. Frederick K.C. Price

There has been a traditional idea that praying is praying, prayer is prayer, and if you pray, you pray and that is it. However, there are different kinds of prayers, just like there are different kinds of sports, and each kind of prayer, like each sport, has specific and definite rules that govern and control their success. If you misapply the prayer rules your prayer will not work.

Too many Christians do not understand this prayer concept and think they have to end every prayer with "...if it be thy will". But I'm frank to tell you that not every prayer should be ended with "if it be thy will" despite what you have heard in the past. When you're praying individually what's called the prayer of faith, you should never end it with 'if it be thy will' because if you do, it won't work, it won't compute.

The only time Jesus used "if it be thy will" was when He was praying the prayer of consecration and dedication. In this type of prayer you could legitimately use "if it be thy will." The reason being is that you might not know what is the will of God for your ministry life.

The prayer of consecration and dedication is a prayer that has to do with fulfilling God's purpose and desire for your life. You wouldn't use "if it be thy will" in reference to a job or where you are going to live or anything like that. God doesn't care where you live. God can use you anywhere you live or work. There are probably folk at AT&T, General Motors, Chrysler Corporation, Sony Corporation who need to be saved. So God can use you anywhere you choose to work or live.

In regards to the prayer of faith let us read I John 5:14-15: "Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him."

As I have said time and time again, our words are so very important and even more so when it comes to praying and the confession that follows our prayers. A person once asked me, "Pastor Price, it says in verse 15 that 'if we know' then why can't we pray I know that I have received." Well, because the Word of God says I have to "believe" the Word. The reason our confession is stated in this manner is to claim in faith what God has already fulfilled by His Word. Verse 14-15 again, "Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will He hears us. And if we know that He hears us...." How do we know that He hears us? Well, God said He did. But you may say, "I never heard the Father say He heard me." Since we never heard God talk to us personally, we have to believe that He heard us, don't we? Therefore, it is a matter of our faith in His Word.

Well on my end I know He heard me because He said He did. I know it but I only know it by faith because I read it in His Word. But I don't have it in manifestation, so I have to believe what I see in the Word and claim it.

Therefore, my confession has to be "I believe it." The reason I believe I have whatever I prayed for is because His Word told me to "know it." As you can see that knowing is still based on a faith proposition at this point; because I don't have whatever I prayed for yet. I don't have it tangible in my hands so I still have to believe it, in accordance with Mark 11:24: "Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them."

You must keep in mind that believing is not a matter of feelings or emotions; it's a matter of your will. It's an act of your will. You can believe anything you will to believe and you can disbelieve anything you will to disbelieve. Your feelings, your emotions have nothing to do with it. It's an act of the will. You must will to believe God's Word and confess His Word over the circumstances of life. This is what will bring to pass the promises of God in your life.

This article was excerpted from Dr. Price's teaching, "Answered Prayer Guaranteed!" now available in book, DVD and CD products. Please call us at (800) 927-3436 or visit our website at

www.faithdome.org for a complete list of his products.

Dr. Frederick K.C. Price is the founder and pastor of Crenshaw Christian Center West in Los Angeles and CCC East in Manhattan. To obtain more information about his ministry, please call (800) 927-3436 or visit www.faithdome.org. Click here to browse and purchase MP3 sermons by Dr. Frederick K.C. Price!

Here's Hoping

Paul Harvey Writes:

We tried so hard to make things better for our kids that we made them worse. For my grandchildren, I'd like better.I'd really like for them to know about hand me down clothes and homemade ice cream and leftover meat loaf sandwiches. I really would.

I hope you learn humility by being humiliated, and that you learn honesty by being cheated.I hope you learn to make your own bed and mow the lawn and wash the car.And I really hope nobody gives you a brand new car when you are sixteen.

It will be good if at least one time you can see puppies born and your old dog put to sleep.

I hope you get a black eye fighting for something you believe in.

I hope you have to share a bedroom with your younger brother/sister. And it's all right if you have to draw a line down the middle of the room,but when he wants to crawl under the covers with you because he's scared, I hope you let him.

When you want to see a movie and your little brother/sister wants to tag along, I hope you'll let him/her.I hope you have to walk uphill to school with your friends and that you live in a town where you can do it safely.

On rainy days when you have to catch a ride, I hope you don't ask your driver to drop you two blocks away so you won't be seen riding with someone as uncool as your Mom.

If you want a slingshot, I hope your Dad teaches you how to make one instead of buying one.I hope you learn to dig in the dirt and read books.

When you learn to use computers, I hope you also learn to add and subtract in your head.

I hope you get teased by your friends when you have your first crush on a boy\girl, and when you talk back to your mother that you learn what ivory soap tastes like.

May you skin your knee climbing a mountain, burn your hand on a stove and stick your tongue on a frozen flagpole.

I don't care if you try a beer once, but I hope you don't like it.. And if a friend offers you dope or a joint, I hope you realize he is not your friend.

I sure hope you make time to sit on a porch with your Grandma/Grandpa and go fishing with your Uncle.

May you feel sorrow at a funeral and joy during the holidays.

I hope your mother punishes you when you throw a baseball through your neighbor's window and that she hugs you and kisses you at Hannukah/Christmas time when you give her a plaster mold of your hand.
These things I wish for you - tough times and disappointment, hard work and happiness. To me, it's the only way to appreciate life.
Written with a pen. Sealed with a kiss. I'm here for you. And if I die before you do, I'll go to heaven and wait for you.

We secure our friends, not by accepting favors, but by doing them.

Dear children,

My child, I love you.
I love you good or bad with no strings attached.
I love you like this because I know all about you,
I have known you ever since you were a child.
I know what I can do for you and
I know what I want to do for you.

My Child, I accept you.
I accept you just as you are.
You don't need to change yourself,
I'll do the changing when you are ready.
I love you just as you are.
Believe this, for I assure you it is true.

My child, I care about you.
I care about every big and little thing which happens to you.
I care enough to do something about it.
Remember this,
I will help you when you need me
ASK ME!
I love you, I accept you, I care about you.

My child, I forgive you.
I forgive you and my forgiveness is complete.
It is not like that of humans who forgive but cannnot forget.
I love you and my arms are open with love that asks
Please come here! Come here to me!
I forgive you.
Do not carry your guilt another moment,
I carried it all for you on the Cross.
Believe this. It is true!

Love,
God

IT'S ALL IN YOUR MIND

Dr. Creflo A. Dollar

Your mind holds tremendous creative ability. That's why God gave you an imagination--so that you could create mental pictures, add faith to them and see those pictures manifest in your life.
Once you have an image in your mind of something you want to do or become, nothing can stop that image from coming to pass. Whatever you meditate on will become the blueprint for your reality. Too often, though, Christians suffer from "stinking thinking." They give the devil control of their minds by meditating on thoughts that do not line up with the Word of God. Then they reap the results of the curse because their carnal mindset produces the fruit of the flesh described in Galatians 5:19-21.

To keep the devil from gaining a foothold in your life, you must develop a sound mind that is completely controlled and directed by the Holy Spirit. In other words, you must renew your mind with the Word of God. Romans 12:2 says, "And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." When you become born again, your spirit instantly changes; you are recreated in Christ Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:17). Yet your mind is not recreated. You must conform your thinking continually and on purpose; it is not an overnight, one-time event. Renewing your mind to God's Word every day is vital. By reading the Scriptures and meditating on them thoroughly, your thinking will be transformed to line up with the mind of Christ. And when you have the mind of Christ, you can do anything!

When you set your mind on the Word of God, you'll also experience soul prosperity and peace (3 John 2). The Bible says that the issues of life flow out of the heart (Proverbs 4:23). The word heart in this scripture actually refers to your soul--your mind, your will and your emotions. If you can control your mind, you can control your destiny. But it will take a quality decision on your part to dedicate your life to changing the way you think.
First Thessalonians 5:23 says, "And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." It is God's will that your mind, will and emotions be whole, with nothing missing or broken. As a Believer, you can receive a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7). It is then up to you to enforce and maintain soundness of mind by keeping your thoughts and imaginations in line with God and His Word (Isaiah 26:3).

When your mind is focused and directed by the Word, you will position yourself for success. You'll have wisdom, discernment, insight and the ability to accomplish anything. A renewed, Word-controlled mind guarantees abundance and prosperity in every area of your life. Don't let another day go by without a daily dose of meditation. Set your mind on the Word of God and let it become the focal point of your life and purpose!

Dr. Creflo A. Dollar is the senior pastor of World Changers Church International, 25,000 member church in College Park, Georgia. He is committed to changing the world one person at a time, and his award-winning "Changing Your World" television broadcast reaches nearly one billion homes worldwide. Visit www.CrefloDollarMinistries.org to learn more. Click here to browse and purchase Books, CDs, and DVDs by Dr. Creflo A. Dollar!

WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY?

Monday, January 12, 2008

By Linda S. Mintle, Ph.D.

I had to laugh once when I read this newspaper headline in USA Today: "Psychologists now know what makes people happy." I didn't know happiness was a secret to be discovered by my noble profession! Curious, I kept reading. What were these exciting new findings?If you are a student of the Bible, you won't be surprised. Research only validates God's way of doing things.

1. The happiest people are those who spend the least time alone and pursue intimacy and personal growth. When I read this, I immediately thought of Jesus. He was proactive when it came to community. He poured His life into a faithful band of followers and developed an intimate circle of 12 men. And through those men, He established the church. The early church was all about community, intimacy and personal growth.

2. Happy people don't judge themselves by what others do or have. That is, they don't compare themselves with others. The Bible is clear that we are not to measure ourselves by the yardstick of others, only by the Word of God. As we obey God's Word and choose to please Him, blessing and contentment follow.

3. Materialism is toxic for happiness. The parable of the rich young ruler in Matthew bears this out. Despite this man's riches, he wanted something more -- eternal life. Jesus stressed the importance of keeping the commandments but told him something more was required. He must sell his possessions and follow Him. Sadly, the young man chose material possessions over Christ and walked away feeling "sorrowful."

4. Optimism is important, even in dark times. Because of Christ, hope abounds. Jeremiah 32:17 proclaims, "'Ah, Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for You'" (NKJV). In the last chapter of Job, after Job suffers much and has been tested, he cries out, "'I know that You can do everything, and that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You'" (Job 42:2). Over and over, we are given biblical examples of people who refused to be downtrodden because of circumstances or events. Their hope was in the Lord. The end result is rest and peace.

5. Actions matter. It's not just what you believe or your outlook on life that contributes to happiness. People who give to others and aren't self-absorbed are more satisfied with life. No surprise here. God gave His only begotten Son, the ultimate sacrificial gift. Giving is a biblical principle whether it involves finances, service, food, shelter, time or talent. The result of giving is blessing.

6. Happy people know their strengths and use them. We are stewards of God's gifts and are to use them for His glory. When you move in those gifts and do what God has equipped you to do, you are happy. Psychologists call this moving in the "flow." People of faith "flow" in the Spirit.

7. People who feel gratitude are happy. We are eternally grateful for Jesus and His sacrifice and for all God has done in our lives. Out of that genuine gratitude flows happiness.

8. The strongest link to happiness is a willingness to forgive others. The benefits of forgiveness are well documented psychologically. And for the believer, forgiveness is not an option; it is a command from Jesus. We forgive others because He forgave us.

The search for happiness will fall short if it doesn't lead to the One in whom contentment can be found. Authentic happiness is unrelated to events, money, power, fame or anything else our culture associates it with. Happiness is a choice, as the Scriptures declare: "Happy are the people who are in such a state. Happy are the people whose God is the Lord" (Ps. 144:15).

This new year, make it a goal to choose happiness by following the guidelines above. Look to God for your satisfaction and learn to trust in His sovereignty and omniscience. Obey Him and believe that He works all things for your good. Remember, His joy is available to you, and it is that which gives you strength.

HIGH HOPES

Sunday, January 04, 2009 High Hopes
Dr. Frederick K.C. Price

Hebrews 10:23 says: "Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful."

There are two words in that verse which I want to examine-confession and hope. Before I learned how to walk by faith, all my wife and I lived on was hope. But hope will not change your circumstances. It takes faith to release the power of God to change your circumstances. Hope will only keep you alive until things change. If you never bring faith to bear upon your circumstances, all you will do is live in hope. Your circumstances will never change.

However, in order to really walk by faith, you have to have hope. Hope is a goal setter. What's your goal? My goal or objective is to reach the top of the mountain in all areas of life. Everybody should have a goal. If you do not set a goal you will never reach one. This is one reason why many people, and even many Christians, never achieve anything. They never set goals. They have nothing for their faith to obtain. Hope sets the goal and faith achieves it.

Hebrews 11:1 says: "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."

Hope by itself has no substance. Faith adds substance to your hope. If you do not have hope then you have nothing for your faith to obtain. On the other hand, if you have hope and do not have faith then you have nothing by which to obtain that which you hope for.

I want to challenge each of you to high hopes this New Year. I have high hopes and I obtain the goals I set. Though there still are some that have yet to manifest. I know that some things take more time than others.

I want to challenge you to have high hopes, to set some goals for 2009. If you do not set any goals you will never reach any. Now be careful and use wisdom when you set your goals. Do not set them so high that you become frustrated and lose hope. If you do, it will cause you to give up and do nothing.

Have you set goals concerning your financial and spiritual needs? Do you have any goals with regard to your desires, your family, your husband, your wife, your children, your job, your career, your education, your ministry or your physical health?

You need to have high hopes and there are steps you can take to obtain any goal. The first one is to remain steadfast, as it says in Hebrews 10:23. You have to be tenacious and hold on to your goals. Do not let go until your goal manifests. It takes that kind of attitude. Stay with it even if it takes forever. It may take a while for your goal to come to pass, but if you remain steadfast sooner or later it will manifest.

First Corinthians 15:58 says: "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord."

If you want to reach your high hopes you have to be steadfast. Even if hell rises up against you, if the water rises, you stick with the goal. This is what steadfast means. It takes discipline and commitment to be constant.

Jesus said in John 15:18-19: "If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. "If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you."

The enemy will put pressure on you when you attempt to reach your goal. But you can handle it. Jesus did. You are in good company. In fact, you are running with the best. He has already warned you. If they persecuted Him they will persecute you.

Situations may arise in which you are unable to figure out what to do. We all have encountered this at one time or another in our lives. When you are walking in the Word and by the Holy Spirit you have divine, inside information to meet your goal.

Second Corinthians 4:8-9 says: "We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;"

If you are steadfast, standing through the persecution, deliverance is at hand. You can obtain your High Hopes.


This devotional was excerpted from Dr. Price's audio teaching, "High Hopes." Please call us at (800) 927-3436 or visit our website: www.faithdome.org for a complete list of his products.



Dr. Frederick K.C. Price is the founder and pastor of Crenshaw Christian Center West in Los Angeles and CCC East in Manhattan. To obtain more information about his ministry, please call (800) 927-3436 or visit http://www.faithdome.org/.