Nuggets of Wisdom for Successful Living

Written by Dave Meyer

God wants you to know that if you will do what you can do, He will do what you can't do.

The Lord God is my Strength, my personal bravery, and my invincible army: He makes my feet like hinds' feet and will make me to walk [not to stand still in terror, but to walk] and make [spiritual] progress upon my high places [of trouble, suffering, or responsibility]!(Hab. 3:19) 

• A position of power can be obtained in a Christian's life when he has learned to be encouraged in a discouraging situation.
• Are you living on the ragged edge or the cutting edge?
• Visions never start with completion; they do start with commitment.
• Extended inactivity is disguised procrastination.
• Obedience delayed is disobedience!

Your mouth is the doorway to the expression of your soul.

For the Word that God speaks is alive and full of power [making it active, operative, energizing, and effective]; it is sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating to the dividing line of the breath of life (soul) and [the immortal] spirit, and of joints and marrow [of the deepest parts of our nature, exposing and sifting and analyzing and judging the very thoughts and purposes of the heart.
(Heb. 4:12)

WIFEY WEDNESDAY: CAN CHRISTIANS USE SEX TOYS?

By Sheila

It’s Wednesday, the day when we talk marriage! I introduce a topic, and then you follow up either by commenting or by writing your own post and then linking up!

Today I want to tackle a rather controversial subject. Except “want” is really not the right word. I’d love to run as far away from this one as possible. But I keep being asked about sex toys, and so I thought it was necessary.

I want to make it clear from the outset, though, that I am giving my opinion. I do not claim to speak for God. When I was researching The Good Girl’s Guide to Great Sex, I had to think about this and give my opinion, and I did. So what I have to say has been the conclusion that I have come to after speaking at marriage conferences, reading, and praying. So here goes.

Baptism and Children: Is it Time to Get Wet?

by Caroline Bergeron

Family ministry specialist Caroline Bergeron 

gives her take on how, why, and 

when a child should be baptized.

What is baptism? 

The practice of baptism didn’t start with the prophet John. It was a common practice in the first century for religious teachers to baptize their followers. By agreeing to be baptized, the follower expressed his commitment to learn, practice and pass on the teachings of his master. The act of immersion in water was a public declaration that one was taking his relationship to the next level: from simply being a follower to becoming a dedicated student, or disciple, of a religious master. 

The Five Romantic Needs of a Woman

A great lover must be committed to satisfying his wife’s unique needs.

by Dennis Rainey

I’m sure it comes as no shock, but men and women think of romance differently.

When asked to describe the purpose of romance, a woman will use words such as friendship, relationship, endearment, and tenderness. Given the same question, a man will answer with one of the shortest words in the English language—sex. For him, physical oneness and affirmation of his manhood equal romance.

Our entire relationship consists of text messages. Is this normal?

by Rosie Einhorn, L.C.S.W. and Sherry Zimmerman, J.D., M.Sc

Dear Rosie & Sherry,

I live in New York and have been tele-dating a guy from the Midwest. We met once for three days. He's very much into texts and does not call that often. He told me he would be ready to discuss “moving forward” for my birthday this past July, but now he says he’s not ready to talk.

Healing Testimony : Aquilla Nash

Aquilla Nash was dying when she met God in 1961. Complications following the birth of her second son resulted in acute hemorrhaging. In spite of the efforts of several physicians to revive her, she began to feel her life ebbing away. In those moments, she turned to God and committed her life to him. That dramatic and decisive confrontation with God also led to her healing.

The Case for Letting Your Partner’s Eye Wander

By MEREDITH MELNICK |

Just ask Eve. There’s nothing so desirable as the one thing you’re not allowed to have. Which is why a new study suggests that if your partner’s got a wandering eye, you might be better off letting him (or her) enjoy it. 

Research on romance has consistently shown that men and women who don’t notice attractive strangers tend to be more satisfied in their own relationships and are more likely to stay with their partners long term. Of course, that blindness has to come naturally. When a person is forced to divert his attention from that cute bartender — by, say, a jealous partner’s opprobrium — it could result in a sort of “backlash” effect, which may end up reducing his level of relationship commitment.

That’s the finding of a new study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, which tests the “forbidden fruit” hypothesis in a series of experiments on college students who were involved in romantic relationships. Write the researchers:

Giving God Everything

Jennie Allen discusses the story of a young Christ-follower leading a risky, uncomfortable life, which led her to question her own faith. 

Watch as Allen shares how she and her husband were led to give God everything and pledge to do anything He leads them to do. 

This article was featured in our free email publication, SpiritLed Woman e-Magazine, sign up here.

Spiritled Woman

http://www.charismamag.com/life/women/15583-giving-god-everything

God Wants To Do A New Thing In Your Life

Wayne Searls

Isaiah 43:18,19

TEXT: Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.

PROPOSITION: To motivate the hearer to seek a new vision and a new in-terest in the things of God.

INTRODUCTION: Isaiah’s writings to the children of Israel came at a bleak period of their history. They are in captivity, they have lost everything they thought they would keep forever, and they were home sick for the land and the blessing God had promised them.

The 1st step to embracing the new thing what God wants to do in your life is to
I. CHANGE YOUR FOCUS -- QUIT LOOKING BEHIND START LOOKING HEAD v.18
Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.

LIVE EACH DAY AS YOUR LAST

[God] comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. 2 Corinthians 1:4

On that fateful Sunday morning in January 1996, Joy Dimerin’s beloved fiancé, Severino Bagtasos, was killed when a lone gunman stormed into the church that he pastored and shot him twice. Severino was killed on the first day of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, in the predominantly Muslim town of Alat on Jolo Island, in southern Philippines. He had a zeal in reaching Muslims for Christ. Joy and Severino were supposed to get married in May 1997.

“By the grace of God, I am doing well and still enjoying the ministry,” testifies Joy. She admits that feelings of loneliness and emptiness were the most difficult things she faced after her beloved Severino died. “I was afraid that I wouldn’t find a godly man like him again,” confides Joy. “I learned to see God’s purpose in my life,” Joy added. “I learned to accept whatever circumstances come my way and look at them as God’s instruments in molding me and in making me a better person. Through [Severino’s] life I learned commitment to the ministry and to prayer. Through his death, I learned to always be prepared to face the Author and Finisher of my faith. Through this tragedy, I learned to live each day as though it were my last.”

Are you looking around for an unused basin?

Word from Scotland: 

In John Chapter 13, where Jesus has stooped so low to wash the disciple’s feet we have that profound conversation between Jesus and Peter, where Jesus explains to Peter that what he wants is not necessary. Peter does not need to be washed from head to toe, but that desire and longing too has its significance. Peter wanted to be totally committed to Jesus Christ.

Jesus explains further. As I wash you in this way, you will be clean, but Peter, there is somebody else here who is not clean and he is so dirty that washing his feet will not do much good. Not only are his feet dirty Peter, but unlike you, his hands are dirty and his head is dirty. Judas had already agreed to sell Christ.

Jesus wants to come and wash us – clean our hearts and thoughts and minds – so that what we say and do will be worthy in His presence and sight. We need to know that deep within our hearts and minds and we also need to be reminded of it frequently.