Looking Past Appearances

We   live  in  a  country  where  we initially accept or reject others based on their outward appearance. Physical appearances seem to take precedence over many things these days, including competence and skills. Much pressure is placed on beauty and weight that peer pressure among teenagers   and young adults to look like Barbie Dolls and Calvin Klein models is very prevalent. Many people are unhappy with some part of their physical appearance, and as a result of their dissatisfaction, they modify areas of their body in an effort to look better, feel better, and be accepted. Ideally,    we   should   be   content with   our appearance because God, in His wisdom, purpose, and creativity has made us each unique. Our life and all it entails should not be about physical appearance, because our spirit is so much deeper than mere looks.

Your physical body is only a shell that holds your spirit and the spirit of a person is what makes him or her who they are. There are beautiful spirits in this world, and if we took the time to look past the physical appearance, we would discover the most precious and powerful people in the world. When God looks at you, He looks beyond the appearance and directly into the heart. When Isaiah prophesized about the coming of Jesus, he said in Isaiah 53:2  "…and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him." Jesus was rejected because He looked like an ordinary man. There was no majestic or powerful supremacy emanating from His person. He   was   not wearing the   finest of garments,    nor   did   He   come wearing a crown of gold. Jesus Christ suffered the ultimate rejection. He was jeered, spat on, threatened, and finally put to death. Everywhere He went, He faced rejection. But man's view of Him never altered His focus. If the people knew God, they would have recognized Jesus by the spirit of God that was in Him. We judge the outer appearance way too much and often make critical, life-changing mistakes because of our superficial judgments.  

I am not saying that appearance does not matter. Your appearance does matter, and we should strive to look our best at all times because the appearance is the first basis for evaluation that other people have. People look at you, make a quick and often subconscious judgment,  and then treat you accordingly.  But most importantly, we should strive to display those precious attributes that have nothing to do with outer appearance. These   qualities can never be purchased. Love, humility, wisdom, integrity, compassion, understanding, and purity are but a few.

Coincidentally, when we display that kind of fruit, our outer appearance is reflected and the glory of God makes us beautiful and handsome. Do you want to be attractive? Put on the garments of praise, humility, grace, excellence, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. As you begin to walk with God, you begin to walk in His nature. That image will project outward from the inward and people will begin to look past all outward appearance and love  you for who you have accepted yourself to be.

Gratitude

We don’t have to try hard to find things to complain about, but depending on how we choose to see life, we can see the good in every situation and if the truth be told, there is more to be grateful for than not. The many blessings that God has bestowed upon each of us are innumerable and to count them, would be to limit them, but our blessings are unlimited! The fact that you are reading this e-mail is testimony that you are blessed. Some people were here last year this very time of year, but have made their departure from this earth. YOU are still here. Therefore, this week’s topic is on GRATITUDE.

I am asking that you simply name one thing that you are grateful for. Certainly you can name more, but at least one. There is power in the written word. When written, your words continue to speak to the universe 24 hours a day 7 days a week, so put your gratitude to words.

The Power of Your Tongue

Why do we fail to realize that we have the power in our tongue to change our circumstances? God called forth the world into existence when He said, “Let there be…” We are made from the same essence of God and have the same power. We must learn to call things forth into our lives. Nothing leaves heaven until the command for it comes from earth. Therefore you must call forth peace, joy, health, wealth, power and blessings into your life. Fill your mental atmosphere with the heavenly spirits. The power is all in your tongue! Do you believe the report of the Lord? Leave your comment below.

The Art of Being Patient

We live in a microwave, fast-paced world. Everybody wants instant results and immediate solutions to concerns, but nature teaches that things take time. There are some things that just can not be rushed. Even when you know that you have been called to do a specific task, there is a season for when you are to step into the position. We must learn the art of patience. Many grow weary when their prayers are not answered fast enough and end up compromising and/or making the wrong choices.

While waiting for the manifestation of your desires, you must be patient, prayerful, and persistent in moving forward. Can you think of a time when you did not wait on God and moved out into the wrong decision? Please share by posting in the comment section and have a blessed day!  

It is amazing how the creative ingenuity within us will spring forth into action causing us to develop ideas for making money when we are desperate. When things tend to be going along too well, we really don’t put our creative forces to work. What do you think would happen if you begin using your natural gifts and talents every day in a creative way? The bible says that your gifts will make room for you, but you must first use your gifts. What gifts do you have that you are not using?

Childhood Memories

We must never underestimate the impact we have on children. My 2^nd grade teacher, Mrs. Ladd once told me that I was a special little girl. Those words remained with me all my life. On the flip side, there are adults who verbally abuse children, making them feel unworthy and less of a person. We must remember that children grow up and they do remember you and how you made them feel, so before you fix your mouth to curse out, belittle, or criticize a child, just remember that your worlds could sink so deep that they go into the subconsciousness and cause the child to believe what you say, and thus bring it about.

The same is true of positive words. So knowing this, let’s continue to uplift our children, calling them great, wonderful, smart, delightful and pleasant girls and boys of God. Trust me, they remember your words.

Please share your own childhood experiences or experiences that you have had with children.

Forgiveness Does Not Mean Reconciling

I am reading a book called Beauty for Ashes by Joyce Meyer. In the book, the author talks about how she was sexually molested by her biological father from the age of seven up until she was 17. When she told her mother about it at eight years old, her mother chose to believe the father when he denied it, but when the mother came home early one day and walked in on her husband having sex with the daughter at the age of 14, she simply shut the door and walked out.

She turned her back on her daughter and allowed the incest to continue.

I also heard a lady on the Dr. Empowerment Blog Talk Radio Show talk about how she had been gang raped by three men. Both of these victims of horrific crimes chose to forgive their perpetuators. It made me realize that forgiveness is a choice that has nothing at all to do with the one who hurt you, but everything to do with you. When we forgive, we bless ourselves, our physical health and mental well-being. Forgiveness does not mean reconciliation. It does not mean acting as though nothing happened, but it does mean that we choose to give the situation to God without taking it back. We choose to not allow that bad situation to control us, dominate our minds, and/or cause guilt, shame, anger or bitterness. We choose to move on and release.

It is often difficult to forgive people when they have hurt us. It seems easier to just be angry with them. But we must realize that we are not hurting them because eventually, they forgive themselves whether you choose to forgive them or not. They go on and live their lives while we are still angry, causing our unforgiveness to turn to disease in our bodies.

Share your thoughts on forgiveness with our readers.

Causing Your Own Warfare

I once heard the following expression: “Every time I’ve been stabbed in the back, I find my own fingerprints on the knife!” In life we will experience good and bad, happiness and anger, sadness and joy, and failures and successes. It is all a part of life; but sometimes we cause our own problems with our mouth and our actions. Wisdom teaches how to act, what to say, and the right time to say it. So if you experience warfare as a result of something that YOU did or something that YOU said, don’t blame God and don’t blame the devil. Blame it on yourself. To be ill-mannered is to be unlearned and unwise. Ill manners are the outward expression of inward defects. Explain your thoughts to this.

Seasons

There is a season and a purpose to everything under the sun. We all have different seasons at different times. Some of you may be in your planting season and others may be in their reaping season. It is not difficult to discern your season. Tests, trials, tribulations and hardships come to us all, but they do pass always leave a lesson behind. Joy, victory, triumph and prosperity also comes into your life, but to pass away and leave room for something else as well. How you respond, react, speak, and behave in your season determines the degree to which you learn. Watch your thoughts, words and actions while in your season, because they determine the outcome. As you look over your life, what season are you in? Seasons of testing? Reaping? Planting? harvesting,? or blessings? How are you handling yourself during this season?

The Power of the Tongue

There is great power in the words we speak. When the spoken word is released from your mouth, they go out and manifest what you say with astounding accuracy. You must begin to expand your speech, and  when you expand your speech, you expand your world and all that is in it. Remember that death and life is in your tongue, so use your words to speak blessings, health, prosperity, and peace into your life.

The Bible says the we shall be accountable for every “idle” word we speak. How have you been using the power of your words lately?

Share your thoughts and feelings on the above question. Do you believe that with strong emotion, your conditions can change by the power of your words? Please share.

Emotional Baggage

Both men and women have endured negative experiences from past relationships that have caused pain, hurt and scars. Horrible things from childhood can also cause pain in adulthood. This history from the past is called Emotional Baggage and can sabotage future relationships, causing a person not to love, trust, or be loved. We must start recognizing patterns of behavior in us that causes our relationships to deteriorate. The way in which the situation is dealt with and the things that are said and done while dealing with an issue determines if it’s the baggage dictating the situation or not.

What suggestions can you give to help someone (or yourself) get through the pain and hurt of their past so they can move forward towards developing healthy relationships?

Are You Achieving Your Goals?

So many of us have these great goals and aspirations that we want to achieve. We can even see ourselves accomplishing great things, but month after month and year after year goes by and we have done nothing towards the manifestation of our goals. Have you written your goals down? Do you have an action plan for bringing them into fruition? Do you have the room in your consciousness to receive them when they arrive? The Word says write the vision and make it plain. EXPLAIN TO OUR READERS HOW YOU WILL ACCOMPLISH YOUR GOALS IN THE NEAR FUTURE.


Your gift shall make room for you, but you must express your gifts in the earth while you still have time!

Identifying Your God-given Gifts

Before you came to this earth, you were given a specific assignment by God to be accomplished on earth through the use of your God-given gifts. Your gifts will make you prosperous and bring success to you in a massive way! However, many are frustrated, claiming they don’t know what their gift/talent/ability is. It is often the thing that you can do all day and night and love it. It comes natural and easy for you.

If you know your gift, please explain how you discovered it. If you have not yet found your gift, share what you love to do and help us to help you through feedback in love.

What is Prosperity to You?

Many people think that being financially wealthy is being prosperous, but prosperity encompasses so much more than that. What is the purpose of being wealthy if you have no peace of mind? There is no joy, no happiness, and no-one to share your money with. Poor people can have prosperity in their soul and rich people can be poor in spirit. What is prosperity to you? Please share your thoughts.