Feasting On the Bread of Life

December 12, 2012 by 2 Comments
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Feasting On the Bread of Life

 

Food is a big part of Christmas celebrations with different cultures and families having their own traditions centered around the holiday meals and gatherings. I grew up in The Netherlands, where my Dad owned a bakery. I remember Christmas day brunches featuring delicious pastries such as stollen, kerstol (similar to fruit cake) and other fancy breads.

Later Christmas day, we gathered for a wonderful type of communal meal called gourmetten. It was a rich family time with everyone sitting around the table laughing and talking while each person cooked bite-size pieces of meats and vegetables. And of course, there was always fresh bread from my dad’s bakery on the table. I remember that bread as being so tasty, but I have since come to know and appreciate the greatest bread in the world: The Bread of Life, Jesus. Have you ever wondered why Jesus referred to Himself as the Bread of Life?

What Is The Bread?

In John, Chapter 6, Jesus refers to Himself three times as bread (verses 35, 48, and 51). Early in the chapter, He had turned five loaves into enough bread to feed more than 5,000 people – with leftovers! So as word spread about the miracle of the feeding of the multitude, it’s almost comical how the people chased Jesus from place to place in order to get free food.

It’s evident that those chasing after Jesus did not perceive Him with spiritual eyes, because they addressed him as Rabbi, meaning Teacher, instead of Lord. His pursuers wanted to know what miraculous signs this Rabbi could give them. They knew about the miracle of manna that was daily provided to the children of Israel in the desert (v. 31) and were ready for some miracle bread. And it was miracle bread he provided, just not the type they were chasing after. Jesus said “This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world” (John 6:51c).

They were in the presence of Jesus, giver of life, but because they could not spiritually perceive and believe who Jesus was, they pestered the Bread (Jesus) for merely flour and water baked into a loaf. Jesus description of Himself as Bread speaks of His origin, His purpose and His sufficiency. First let’s explore Jesus’ origin.

The Origin of Jesus

In John, chapter 6, the Jews grumbled that the Jesus, whom they knew to be from Nazareth, claimed to be from heaven; “I am the bread that came down from heaven” (John 6:51a). John 1:14 refers to Jesus as “the One and Only, who came from the Father.” By saying that He was from heaven, he was both asserting that He had come from God and was also building on the miracle of the manna. The book of John opens with the statement: In the beginning was the Word (Jesus), and the Word (Jesus) was with God, and the Word (Jesus) was God. He (Jesus) was with God in the beginning. The significance of Jesus being in heaven with God is summarized in Colossians 2:9: “For the entire fullness of God’s nature dwells bodily in Christ” (HCSB).

By saying he was the Bread of Heaven, Jesus was also building on the knowledge of the original bread of heaven, manna. Jesus is our practical, yet miraculous sustenance, daily present to meet our needs. In Matthew 6:11, Jesus taught his disciples to daily request and rely on God’s provision: “Give us this day our daily” bread (Matthew 6:11).

In Jesus, the Bread of Heaven, we have provision for our spiritual and physical needs. But Jesus’ purpose was more fundamental than meeting needs. His purpose was to do the will of the Father.

The Purpose of Jesus

And the Father’s will was incomprehensible from a human standpoint. Jesus said, “For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me.” Jesus speaks throughout the gospels of the purpose of his coming to earth. It’s a study in itself, including saving, serving, testifying, destroying the devil’s works, fulfilling the law, giving life, proclaiming favor, and bringing judgment.

And how did Jesus doing the Father’s will play out in His day-to-day life? “Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people” (Matthew 4:23). And from Acts, ” How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.” (Acts 10:38). The will of the Father set Jesus apart as sufficient for every need.

The Sufficiency of Jesus

Bread was the primary source of nourishment in Jesus’ time, but Jesus is the complete and all-sufficient source for all of our needs, both spiritual and physical. First and foremost, the breaking of the bread of Jesus’ body provided forgiveness of our sins and reconciliation with the Father. His willing act of sacrifice and obedience fulfilled God’s law and provided us with the supernatural empowerment to do the will of the Father.

But the breaking of the bread of Jesus’ body also provided for our physical well-being: “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed” (I Peter 2:24). And “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed “(Isaiah 53:5).

Whatever your need, Jesus is sufficient! If you haven’t done so, begin by accepting the Bread of Life as your Lord and Savior. To receive Jesus’ free gift of salvation, pray this simple prayer with all your heart: “Dear God – I know Jesus is Your Son and that He died for me and rose from the dead. Forgive me for all my sins. I receive Jesus into my life right now. Help me to follow You always. Amen.” If you prayed this prayer, please let me know, so I can direct you to more resources.

To Sum It Up

In the coming days, as you sit down to enjoy your Christmas meal, pay attention to the bread. Let it remind you of the bread of Jesus’ broken body. But don’t stop there. It is truly something to celebrate that Jesus, left heaven and its perfection, to carry out a purpose that only He could. And that He also finished what He set out to do, among other things, bringing us salvation, empowering us to live for Him, and healing our bodies. Hallelujah, what a Savior!

 

 

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Discover the Good Life You Were Born to Live

September 30, 2012 by 21 Comments
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Discover the Good Life You Were Born to Live

 

 

This past summer, our family took a road trip from our home in Vancouver, through the Rocky Mountains to Alberta, and back to BC. It was so much fun – especially to see the ways we are each so different in how we prepare for a journey. My husband studies the maps, planning out every detail – including the exact distance, the travel time from place to place and where we will be sleeping. Similar to his father, our son likes to research our destinations and plan things to do.

On the other hand, I have the motto: “Let’s do it.” I love the excitement of starting out and seeing where the road leads. For me, if we follow a rabbit trail here and there, it only adds to the adventure of the trip. Our trip reminded me that life is similar to a road trip.

Life Is Similar To A Road Trip

There are many roads that can take us from where we are to where we want to be. It is the choices and decisions that we make along the way which determine how quickly we progress to our desired destination or maybe arriving there at all!

We all know that God has a plan for our life. He has our “road trip” mapped out. It began at our birth and He is there to help us discover the life we were born to live. If you have read this blog for any time at all, you know that is why I write. My purpose is to help you discover the life you were born to live and then ignite your passion to do it.

Unfortunately, many people never find purpose in their life. They become confused, sidetracked and bewildered about their own destiny in God. Some even choose routes that lead them away from God.

Are You In A Season Of Questioning?

Perhaps you are in a season of questioning your purpose in life. You are asking yourself where you fit in and where you belong. I am here to encourage you to know, without a doubt, that you were born with a great purpose in mind. There is no one in the entire world who can fulfill the destiny God has planned for you. But you’ll never know that destiny until you make a conscious decision to discover His will for your life.

Make a choice to believe that God has a wonderful, pre-planned journey for you. And the fulfilment of that plan will equip you with everything you need: the anointing, prosperity, healing and wisdom to get the job done. You need only take the first step to get back on the road to your purpose.

Why Not Get Back On That Road Right Now?

Begin by renewing your mind (Romans 12:2). Our mind is a battlefield and what we allow to happen there determines our destiny. In practical terms, this means to turn your thoughts towards the things of God. If you want to keep your thoughts in line with God’s good things, you need to be prepared. When your thoughts take a negative turn, purposely bring them back to God’s good things by thinking on things that are “true, noble, right, pure, lovely and of good report” (Philippians 4:8).

When you understand that your thoughts control your life, you can begin to shape your destiny. It is of highest importance to choose thoughts that enhance your purpose. It is a fact that you will take action on whatever you habitually think about. Directing and controlling your thoughts will keep you on track with God’s will for your life.

Although I can’t tell you your purpose in life, there are many Bible promises that tell you it will lead to greater joy, peace, success and blessings. The word “bless” means “to empower to prosper.” And the word “prosper” means “to excel in every area of life.” Everybody likes that, right? But knowing that you need to get on with your purpose and knowing how to do it are two different things.

Two Things You Need To Know

Maybe you’re still not sure what to do to pursue your purpose. You may feel that you have been off track for so long, you’ll never be able to get back on the road to your destiny. Stick with me. I want to show you that in God there is hope. It is not easy to follow a plan that you don’t quite understand and is not fully revealed. That is where we need to rely on our faith and trust God.

1. Allow this truth to occupy your thoughts for a while: God has your best interest at the forefront of His mind. Remember, God loves you more than you can comprehend. You are not an afterthought or an accident. He created you as His workmanship, His handiwork.

And why did God recreate you in Christ Jesus? So you can do the good things He planned for you long ago. He predestined you to take paths which He prepared ahead of time in order for you to live the good life which He made ready for you to live (Ephesians 2:10).

Please don’t just skim through these words. Meditate on God’s love and purpose for you and your life will be transformed!

2. Purpose in your heart to stand strong in Him and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit (Joshua 1:6-7; John 14:26-27). How? Get in the Word and allow it to transform your way of thinking. Ask God to help you align your inner image with how He sees you – destined for the good life.

There is absolutely no reason for you to fear what God has planned for you. He is the master coordinator between the things to be done here on earth and your unique personal profile. He will cause your path to intersect with those things that both serve His purposes and give you fulfilment  You will experience that sense of purpose that you have been looking for. When we are living out God’s purpose for us, we are living a full and abundant life.

You And I Were Created To Live Full And Abundant Lives

Our lives are designed to be filled with righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost on a daily basis (Romans 14:17). I love that scripture because it is the foundation of our purpose.

It is exciting to see that God has a plan for our lives (Ephesians 2:10). And He has planned a good and full life for us. A good life means that we live under His full protection. He has provided all things for us including health, wealth and wholeness in every area of our life. Abundance in all things so we can be a blessing to those around us.

Fullness and abundance are the fulfilment of God’s covenant with Abraham (Genesis 12:3). So when you see the goodness of God manifest itself on the job, at home or in other areas of your life, and people tell you that your promotion, prosperity, good health and peace of mind are just a coincidence, don’t accept it!

Be firm in your conviction, look them straight in the eye and say, “This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvellous in our eyes!” (Psalm 118:23).

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Four Ways to Embrace Your Purpose

September 12, 2012 by 14 Comments
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Four Ways to Embrace Your Purpose

 

 What is purpose?

Purpose is why God placed each of us here on earth. Our purpose is always related to serving others. If we are in service, we must be in faith that we are in the right place at the right time. In other words, we must be aware that we are strategically placed. And that’s why we should see our circumstances, no matter where we find ourselves today, as an opportunity for God’s purposes to be revealed. Here are four ways to build your faith about your God-given purpose.

1. See yourself as strategically placed

Strategy is a plan or a method to accomplish a desired end. As Believers, we have the privilege of taking part in God’s strategic plan. The Book of Esther is a perfect illustration of how one woman’s individual purpose was woven into God’s eternal strategy. Esther was strategically placed. And her cousin Mordecai reminded Esther of this truth when he said, “And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this “(Esther 4:14).

Others may have thought she became the king’s wife because of her beauty. They may have thought she came to be queen because of her cousin’s connections with the king’s chamberlain. But Esther realized that God placed her in her circumstances for a greater purpose than attaining high status, living in beautiful surroundings, and wearing pretty clothes. She understood that she was strategically positioned to do something others couldn’t.

And you? Are there things that others can’t do for God, because they’re not in your place? Others may look at you and think you are where you are because of your education, intelligence or connections. But that’s not how our God works. You are able to do what others can’t, because they are not in your place. And that leads us to the second point: Purpose can’t wait for you to get where you think you should be. Purpose is now.

2. Connect your purpose to where you are today

You’ll never be a person of purpose if you’re just passing through. God has specifically positioned you to take part in His strategy. Whatever you’re doing right now, that’s success waiting to happen. In the story of Esther, we read that at the hour of her purpose, the king had not summoned Esther for 30 days.

Although Esther had a position in the court, for whatever reason, she was not in day-to-day contact with the king. From her perspective, her position was not perfect. It could have been better if she had been in more recent contact with the king. But she had a position – she was still queen. Esther didn’t try to wriggle out of her mission and wait for a better time. Because she was connected to God’s purpose of saving the Jewish people, risking her life, she approached the king at just the right time. Let’s now consider our third point: Purpose will sometimes require us to take risks.

3. Be willing to risk everything

Today most Christians don’t live in cultures, as Esther did, that call for them to put their lives on the line. But we do face the loss of our reputations, rejection, and failure.

Esther could have lost her life by approaching the king without an invitation. Short of losing her life, she could have been banished from the king’s presence for her misconduct of approaching him uninvited. That would have meant a loss of reputation. Although not comparable to the loss of life, the loss of our good name can be particularly distressing when it’s unjust and beyond our control. For example, your purpose may be to home school your children and your friends don’t approve. You have lost your standing with them. Of course, loss of reputation is often inter-twined with rejection by others.

The king could have rejected Esther. Being rejected because of our purpose may be the most unnerving of all the risks. Have you ever talked yourself out of sharing the Gospel, applying for a job, or undertaking an educational program because you feared being rejected? You may have even experienced a physical sensation of extreme discomfort. We must overcome the risk of rejection to experience our purpose. The looming possibility of failure is another risk we must be willing to take.

From Esther’s limited perspective, failure was a possibility. The king could have sided with his advisors and had the Jews put to death. Whether we fail publicly or privately it’s unsettling. If we have been open and visible in our purpose, failure may even feel like the death of our purpose. But God is bigger than our failures. Our purposes are central to His will. He causes all things to work together for good. Sometimes it’s only a matter of timing.

4. Be willing to wait for the appointed time

Be aware that some aspects of purpose are not revealed until God’s appointed time. Esther was not in the limelight at her appointed time. She had been sequestered with the rest of the king’s wives, going about her daily routine. Have you ever been in the wilderness of the day-to-day grind wondering what in the world God has in store for you? Don’t give up and think you have it all wrong! Stay steady and confident that as God’s strategy unfolds, your purpose will be further revealed. And now to summarize:

The Book of Esther contains mystery, intrigue, and romance, but most importantly it demonstrates what we must do to embrace our God-given purpose:

• See yourself as strategically placed
• Connect your purpose to where you are today
• Be willing to risk everything
• Be willing to wait for the appointed time

What step will you take today to embrace your purpose? Esther saved a nation. Rouse yourself to embrace your position and purpose in God’s eternal strategy.

You can subscribe to The Daily Choice which is a SPIRITUAL Devotion that helps you to make the right choices in your life by clicking here

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3 Things You Need, to Discover The Life You Were Born to Live

August 5, 2012 by 37 Comments
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3 Things You Need
to Discover The Life You Were Born to Live

by Olga Hermans

#1. A Plan

The purpose of life is to discover your gift, which means that you need to discover the things that you like to do. If you are inspired and motivated to “Discover The Life You Were Born to Live” and make a difference with your life, then you must have a plan. Nothing will just happen automatically. The primary reason why most people do not succeed is because they do not plan. Planning is one of those lifestyle choices.

This morning my husband and I were talking about some things that we want to do with our life. He said a few things that just hit home to me. “Yeah, yeah, that’s where we’re going” was my quick reaction to it. And I saw it so very clearly what we are going to do in the next few months, the next year and the next five years.

I’ve discovered that most people do a better job at planning a trip that will only last for a week than they do planning their life which is a lifetime. A lot of people do not succeed simply because they do not plan. God didn’t just wake up one morning and said, “You know, I think I will make a universe.” That is not how God operates. Nothing that God does is by coincidence. God is the master-planner.

If you are one of our valuable readers, you have read a few times that we have talked about the fact that God has a plan for your life even before you were formed in your mother’s womb.

You know as well as I do that if you want to be a doctor, then you have to make plans to be a doctor. If you want to own a business, then you have to make plans to own your own business, and if you want a better life, then you have to make plans for a better life. All of that is a choice.

So many people live for the moment. Whatever happens, happens. What will be, will be. You are not going to experience God’s best with that attitude. It takes planning. Success in any endeavour requires planning and planning is a choice. If you never succeed at anything, it is simply because you didn’t plan to succeed. Success doesn’t come easy, if it did, everybody on the planet would be successful.

Just a few weeks ago I was at a party where some of my friends shared that they had gone through very stormy conditions in their life. Life can be full of stormy conditions and that is why you need a plan. With a plan you can maneuver through life’s storms much easier.

A person who never sets goals is like a ship without a rudder; a ship without a rudder is like a person who just wanders aimlessly through life. Aimlessly wandering is like depending upon which way the wind blows. There are a lot of people like that today.

#2. Positive thoughts, words and actions

This universe is governed by certain laws, which were put into motion by God Himself. One of them is called the law of gravity. This works for everybody the same way because it is a law. If you let go of a book in your hands, it will drop on the floor. If a baby rolls over to the edge of a table too far, it will fall on the floor. This law of gravity cannot decide that because the baby is a baby, it will not go into affect.

If you don’t want to be a failure, then you have to learn certain laws that produce success. One of these laws is also the law of seedtime and harvest; or the law of cause and effect. The way you live today is the result of the seeds sown in the past. If you don’t like the way you live, then you have no one to blame but yourself. So, if you don’t like the harvest, stop planting it.

I want to encourage you to take the time to sit down and carefully look at what you have been doing that is preventing you from having success. Most importantly, take time to listen to yourself. Whether you realize it or not, you are applying the law of cause and effect or as the bible calls it, the law of sowing and reaping every time you speak.

In my new book “Pursue your Destiny with Passion and Purpose” I cover this subject in great depth. It is a very important subject and we need to learn to apply this law and put it to work for the contentment and happiness of our life.

# 3. Perception

In order to discover the life you were born to live, you have to learn how to become perceptive. Every problem has a solution. Many times people fail, because of wrong perception. By changing how you perceive your problems, you can literally change your life from failure and defeat to victory and success.

You know the story of David and Goliath. When David saw Goliath, his perception of that challenge was totally different from that of his brothers and the entire armies of Israel; they perceived Goliath as too big to kill. When David looked at him, he thought he was too big to miss. Same giant, same problem, a different perception.

You and I are created by God to succeed and not to fail. Success does not come without adversity; there is no such thing as success without adversity. Most people run from it though.

Learn to look at every situation, every problem, and every challenge with a different perception that your problems are subject to change. That is how you can endure anything.

If you don’t like the way you are presently living, then it’s time to make some choices. If you don’t like where you are, then you have got some decisions to make. One thing you have to do for sure is to Pursue Your Destiny with everything that is within you. Stir up your passion to make a plan, to think on good things and let those thoughts come out of your mouth. Use your words as the rudder on that boat and decide to take some action. You will see your life from a totally different perspective.

You can subscribe to The Daily Choice which brings an encouraging message 5 days a week to your inbox by clicking here 

 

 

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Your Season Can Shift With One CHOICE

July 29, 2012 by 54 Comments
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Your Season Can Shift With One CHOICE

by Olga Hermans

Sometimes it feels like we need a shift in our life, we are in the middle of the wilderness, that there are no roads or even signs that lead anywhere. Even if you would have a choice, you are not expecting anything good; nothing exciting at all. I’d like to share a few things with you that might change your way of thinking; a powerful insight about understanding your own times and seasons.

We all know that God loves us and that He wants the very best for us no matter what. His desire for us is that we prosper in every area of our life. We want His will to come into our life because that is the very best for us. He created us and placed our gifts and talents on the inside of us and in a way that makes us dependable upon God. By the way, God likes that and it helps us if we like that.

God is all-powerful and unstoppable and holds our times and seasons in His hands. But the thing is that many people relegate the season they are in to God’s sovereignty. Oops! Big mistake! They give everything into God’s hands as if He made us a robot. They leave the breakthrough in their life, or getting their life to a better place up to God. It’s all up to God to heal them whenever He wants it to happen and then they wait for it. They think God wants to teach them a lesson.

Others have said concerning the call that’s on their lives, “When God wants to open a door for me or use me in a certain way, it will just happen.” And they sit and wait and wait and wait.

We are more involved in our destiny and the season and times that we are living in than we realize. You remember when Jesus came to the well and met the Samaritan woman “by accident”? Her life was all messed up and bound in immorality; she knew no way out any more. Here she was, just going about doing her daily tasks like any other day. Here she is at the well and meets this man who knew everything about her life and still wants to talk to her. That was very rare for her. From that day forward her whole life was changed around.

You see, this woman was open to a change in her life and seized the moment so to speak. Her messed-up circumstances made her desperate and longing for a change. Her eyes were opened to who Jesus was and went and told it to everyone in her town. Her season was shifted in one single moment.

There are so many stories and situations in the Bible that show us that when Jesus shows up, things drastically change. I remember in my own life when my husband and I went through a very difficult time in our marriage and we thought that the only way out was a divorce. We were meant for each other, but circumstances and family situations had brought too many hardships, and we just wanted to give up.

But Jesus showed up at a moment we didn’t even know Him yet, but He turned the whole situation around in 1 moment on 1 day. After that, the word “divorce” went out the window which was the best decision we ever made.

Your season can shift with one CHOICE! You see, sometimes we need another person to speak into our life for our life will move forward. But WE have to be willing and we have to be open!

In order to make the right decision that can change your entire life and launch you into your new season, you have to have faith that is produced by clarity of vision. Every fear, every doubt and every distraction must be thrown out of your heart. You must learn to trust yourself and gain confidence and the way you do that is by living out of your spirit, not your soul.

Our emotions, our will and our mind make up our soul; our emotions can drive us away from the path that we need to go. Our thoughts can keep us captive in fear and doubt. Our will can be so passive that we don’t even want to make a choice. That is a bad situation waiting for a disaster to happen. You need to be able to take your will and change gears and tell yourself to get up and create a change in your life.

Engage your will in what YOU want to do and bring all your feelings and stinky thoughts under submission to your will and if you have your will submitted to the will of God; good things are going to happen. God WANTS you to prosper, so whatever you are confident in doing, start doing it! Our will is a powerful thing. If we don’t want to yield to the will of God, nothing is going to happen.

So many people are soul-driven, while God is calling us to be Spirit-led. God speaks into our spirit; He gives us ideas and witty inventions to create wealth. He has empowered us to create wealth. So, let’s engage our will and step up to the plate and do it! Will you do that?

You can subscribe to The Daily Choice which brings an encouraging message 5 days a week to your inbox by clicking here

 

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7 Vital Choices You Have To Make In Life

July 17, 2012 by 46 Comments
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7 Vital Choices You Have To Make In Life

by Olga Hermans

#1: Make a choice to take a stand in your own life
It is one of the most frustrating things when we have the idea that our own life is just rolling down the road. Sometimes there are seasons in our life that we don’t even realize what is going on and why things are the way they are.

Do you realize that you are a unique individual? Do you know that there is not one other person in the whole world like you? God made you special, just the way He wants you. He has a unique purpose for your life. Realize that, and you are on your way to being a winner.

#2: Make a choice to be responsible for your own life
You cannot dodge responsibility for how and why your life is the way it is. Take ownership of your own life. If there are things in your life that you don’t like; you probably made a wrong choice somewhere. If you are in debt, you are the one that is responsible. Your job, your weight, your marriage; you are responsible.
There is absolutely no reason to blame others or look at the past. There is no victory and no progress in doing that.

When you choose to think and speak negatively, filled with anger and bitterness, you will experience isolation and hostility around you. That is something that you don’t want, right? Start making right choices from now on. When you choose the right behavior and thoughts, you will see the right results in your life.

#3: Make a choice to do what works
Somehow you have to discover the payoff that drives your behavior. This is a biggie. If we would realize what consequences our behavior would have in the long run, we wouldn’t be so tolerant of ourselves. Who wants to be lonely and bitter and hostile? No-one in their right mind would want that.

I know people who have a self-destructive behavior. My sister died of anorexia nervosa last year because she rejected herself, she punished herself by always asking for negative attention. Remember, you are EXTRA-ordinary because you are one-of-a-kind. When you have even a little self-love and self-worth because of your awareness of God in you; you will start developing Christ-motivated habits that will make you a winner for sure.

#4: Make a choice to acknowledge the issues you want to change
You only can do that by getting real and getting brutally honest with yourself. Look at the areas that aren’t working for you and stop making excuses.

You cannot afford to lie to yourself! You have to know where you are in life and where you want to go. Your life is like a GPS system in your vehicle that must have two pieces of information to function. First, it must know your destination, and second, it must know your current location.

#5: Make a choice to take action
Once you’ve made some decisions, you have to act. Nobody cares about what you think unless they see you do something. Talk is cheap; being a doer determines the course of your life. Take all your revelations, insights and awareness and convert them into purposeful and constructive actions. That is when your life will gain value and meaning.

Realizing you have to change might be painful, but staying where you are and not doing a thing is more painful. So, take the pain that burdens you have now and turn the situation to your advantage.

#6: Make a choice to take charge of your life and hold on.
Our life needs a manager and you are the one! God has given us authority to rule our own life. You really should make it your objective to be very active in doing that. Do it in a way that generates high quality results. You are the only one who can make your life work.

The key to managing your life is to have a strategy. You need courage and energy to execute that strategy. If you do have a strategy, the future looks bright for you. You know, if you don’t require much of yourself, your life will be of poor quality. If your standards are too high, you will give up and you will have more difficulties.

#7: Make a choice to get clear about what you want.
When you know what you want you can take your turn. You need to be awakened to things God has for your life; He has an awesome plan and a purpose for you here in the earth.

By being specific in defining your goal, the choices you make along the way will be more goal-directed. You will recognize which behaviors and choices support your goals — and which do not. You will know when you are heading toward your goal, and when you are off track.

What choice is your most favourite choice and which one do you struggle with the most? 

 

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When Life Throws You A Curveball

July 15, 2012 by 50 Comments
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When Life Throws You A Curve Ball

by Olga Hermans

You know a curve ball starts one way and then goes another. A well-thrown fast ball is predictable – you know where it is going – and because of that, it is fairly easy to hit. But a curve ball is different. The pitcher makes the ball curve by pulling down on it with his fingers as he releases it. The ball spins diagonally and then curves.

When I say a curve ball, I am referring to an unexpected problem, a surprise obstacle or a twist in the way you thought things were going to happen. For example, you thought your marriage was going to be everything you hoped for and you thought you were going to live happily ever after. Then you found out that it wasn’t the way you thought it would be.

Maybe you were hired for a new job and you thought it was going to be a certain way, but you found out you had a boss or an employee that was a real pain in the neck. That was a curve ball. You did not see it coming. It started out the way you thought it would, but suddenly there was a change.

Sometimes you get those balls that are thrown at you that are just crazy and you don’t know what to do with it. You’re thinking: “how in the world am I going to hit that one?”
I think about what happened to the disciples; they weren’t counting on Jesus dying. Jesus was their savior; He was their King and all of a sudden He is hanging on the cross and they are hoping that He will have a comeback and then he gets buried.

That was curve ball for them, they weren’t ready for that and they didn’t know how to hit that kind of a ball.

Have you ever had a curve ball in your life? Something happened unexpectedly, something you didn’t plan on. Maybe somebody in your family died or maybe your parents got a divorce.
Maybe something happened that you didn’t see coming and you had no clue whatsoever to do with the situation?  The disciples had to make a choice; was their faith going to be based on the circumstances around them or continue to carry on what Jesus told them to do?

When I was 18, my father died unexpectedly. I remember the day that my mom and dad were going to a birthday party of a friend. They were dressed up and I remember my father making really nice compliments to my mom, how good looking she was and all that. All 5 of us always enjoyed it so much when he was “dating” my mom.

Anyway, off they went. At the party while he was dancing, he fell on the floor and had a heart attack; he never stood up again. It was devastating to my mom and all of us; she was speechless, she just couldn’t get her mind around the fact that he was gone. It was a very, very tragic moment for all of us; our life was never the same thereafter.

There are many times that people are not correctly handling problems and obstacles in their lives because they have failed to make an adjustment in their timing. The point is this: Most of us are accustomed to handling things straight on, so it can be very difficult when we get a curve ball thrown at us.

There are situations in our life where we feel we are totally undone because of something unexpected and unwanted came into our life. You have to make choice. You can be destroyed and fall apart or you can bounce back and hit that ball!

You can look at it this way: in the ocean there are sharks, but in the boat there is safety. You can stay in the boat (Jesus) and cross the ocean (go through life in this world) and the sharks will not get to you. In Christ there is victory, joy and peace. In the world, there is tribulation, but in Christ, you can go through the world overcoming every circumstance and situation. It doesn’t change the things that are in the world; it just changes your ability to overcome the world.

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Iron Sharpens Iron

July 10, 2012 by 66 Comments
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Iron Sharpens Iron

by Olga Hermans

Have you ever thought about who you want to hang out with? I want to be around people who are hungry for God. They have a sense of direction in life, but they also have this hunger for God and in this hunger for God they want to please God with their lives. I love it when people know where they are going and know what they want to do.

I love to be with them and let it rub off on me. I listen to them and ask them how they got where they are now from where they were. What was the most important choice that they made in their life and what was the worst. How do they make tough choices? What motivates them and so forth.

It is very important to know to whom people listen to. I think that, that is very important to know because you want to have the same source of influence in your life. Sometimes people are in church with great issues in their lives, they try to fight great temptations, but they are scared to go to somebody and be open about their life. So, they keep it to themselves and keep it as a secret. We need accountability in our life.

You know, when iron sharpens iron, sparks are going to fly! One person is chasing after God and the other person is not chasing after God, so when you confront a person on issues that are ungodly, sparks are going to fly.When there are no sparks flying then it is probably not a relationship where iron sharpens iron. But we need someone who is going to confront us on pride, selfishness and lust.

What about personal greed and jealousy? You want to be with people who are going to challenge you to take you forward in your walk with God and in your walk in life.You know, friends that you are able to bounce things off on and when they are able to put you in check; you are going to put them in check as well.

You actually need three types of people in your life:

1. Somebody who pours into you, somebody that you gain knowledge from; the ins and outs of life. Someone who helps you to stay focused on your vision that you so desperately like to accomplish.

2. Somebody that you can bounce things off on; somebody that can challenge you and build you up if necessary.

3. Somebody that you can pour into, all the knowledge that you gained can now flow into the life of somebody else.

Col 1:3-5 says: The Father of all mercy! God of all healing counsel! He comes alongside us when we go through hard times, and before you know it, he brings us alongside someone else who is going through hard times so that we can be there for that person just as God was there for us.

We need that, don’t we? We need comfort, but then there are times that there are other people that God calls us to bless in a relationship. They need what we have to speak into their lives. Most importantly we can have relationships where we can confess our faults one to another so that we can be healed.

And at the same time, we can affirm each other; “I believe in you, I know that God has great things in store for your future, this is not the end; things like that seem to encourage us in a great way. Prov 27:17 “As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.” Ecc 4:9-10 “Two people are better than one because together they have a good reward for their hard work. If one falls, the other can help his friend get up. But how tragic it is for the one who is all alone when he falls. There is no one to help him get up.”

Two heads are better than one.
~John Heywood

Walking with a friend in the dark is
better than walking alone in the light.
~Helen Keller

A true friend never gets in your way
unless you happen to be going down.
~Arnold H. Glasow

You weren’t meant to go through life alone. God created you for a relationship. Relationships that will encourage you and strengthen you and challenge you. But more than anything, God wants a relationship with you Himself. God wanted a family from the very start; He wants you as a part of His family.

You can make a choice today to surrender your life to Him. He is a very good iron sharpener 🙂 Most important is that He loves you no matter what.

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Learn How Important Growing Up Is For You!

July 7, 2012 by 34 Comments
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Learn How Important Growing Up Is For You!

by Olga Hermans

 

Most Christians desire to fulfill the will of God. They know that they are redeemed from the curse and they want everything that Jesus purchased for them by shedding His blood on the cross. But things like the news and people around them on the job try to talk them out of that; they diminish their belief in their covenant with God, especially when it comes down to their financial provision.

There is a wonderful inheritance waiting for those who are mature, responsible and faithful.

Galatians 4:1-2 says, “Now I say, that the heir, as long as he is a child, differs nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all; But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father.”

So this means that when we want to qualify to receive our inheritance, childlike tendencies will hinder us. Wow, that hurts and it may sound totally unfair, but let’s have a look at it! You might be reading this and know you have children that you cannot give a car to because they are not mature enough to handle it.

It’s the same with our heavenly Father; He loves us so much that he knows that when He would give us everything that we desire, it might destroy us. For that reason it is important for us that we understand what we need to do to walk in a life filled with blessings!

Growing up is a process and in order to grow up, you need to locate yourself, you need to know where you are in life. All of us begin at the New Birth as spiritual babies in Christ, but God doesn’t intend that we stay that way. His desire is for us to grow in all areas of our lives-spiritually, mentally, emotionally, physically and financially.

Although we all may grow in different areas in our own way, we are supposed to grow up. He is right there on our side to make it all happen. Psalm 115:14 says, “The Lord shall increase you more and more, you and your children.”

One way we can make our growth process a little easier is by waking up unto God and that happens when we desire to read the Word of God more than ever before. We grow when we desire the sincere milk of the word. 1Peter 2:2 When you do that, you place a demand on the Holy Spirit who causes you to grow. 2 Peter 3:18

One thing is for sure, God expects us to grow spiritually. When you grow up, you are able to handle trials and temptations; you have God’s wisdom flowing in your life. Plus you will be able to grow strong relationships with others.

When we keep on walking with the Lord through all our trials and struggles, we will have grace in every situation that we face. His grace is always sufficient and He always causes us to triumph. He anoints us with His power and His ability. It will require that we make a quality decision to allow God’s Word to mature us.

There are things that we do as children; we speak differently, we understand things differently and we think differently. It is time to put them away. 1Cor.13:11 There is no need for us to sweat the small things, because in the eyes of God everything is a small thing. It doesn’t matter, what matters is that you and I are going to finish the race strong.

Why would we be jealous and not be glad when a friend gets promoted; God has a way better promotion for you. Why would you concern yourself with what other people think of you? Breaking free from worrying about what people think of you might be your biggest breakthrough.

In order to discover the life you were born to live, you need to grow up from your old ways of doing things. If what people think about you is more important than what God thinks about you, then God cannot be the source of your life. John 12:42-43

It is important to stay focused and to get all our priorities right in 2012. It’s very simple: God is our loving Father. He is the all-powerful and all-knowing creator and possessor of heaven and earth. We should live to please Him. What Anna, Ken and John think doesn’t matter.

We should give our full attention and stay focused on God. If we keep listening to criticism and sarcastic remarks and the opinions of others, it will cost you your blessings, your healing, your provision and even the salvation of your family members. It is not all about you; it is all about what Jesus did for you and me on that cross. Our full inheritance is waiting for us, especially in 2012. God wants to bless you so that you can bless others (Gen. 12:2-3).

Watch out for people who satan will use to discourage you in everything that you are believing for. Satan is the father of lies, and lieing is all he can do. John 8:44 He will try to get you in trouble and put shame on you. Don’t believe his lies; don’t let him succeed in deceiving you in any way. Be bold enough to apply the Word of God to your life and receive His blessings with a grateful heart.

I remember the time when my husband and I decided to leave The Netherlands when our children were still quite young. Most people around us discouraged us, but there was that peace on the inside of us that kept us moving forward with the decision and you know what? Because they saw how steadfast we were in our decision, they came alongside of us. It was a great experience and because we had been obedient to what God had called us to do, we were tremendously blessed.

Sometimes it takes determination to not listen to other people’s opinions in the small things of life and in the big things of life. When you believe for healing for your child, that is not a small thing! Stay with the people who are in agreement with you and leave the opinions of those that bring doubt at the door.

It doesn’t matter who disagrees with your acts of obedience. Walk in complete liberty from people and their opinions so you can possess all the Father has for you.

If you are born again, Jesus Christ has made you free from the bondage of opinions so you can glorify God, free from poverty so you can be rich and free from sickness and disease so you can be healed. He made you free to walk in liberty.

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How To Pray To Stop The Devil

July 4, 2012 by 24 Comments
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How To Pray To Stop The Devil?

by Olga Hermans

What do you think about when you hear that question? Do you think “it is too difficult” or “I don’t want to fight with the devil”; what do think about when you need to fight the devil?

You know, you have been given the victory through the death of Jesus and His burial and resurrection over anything you will ever face. Maybe you are wondering how to see this happen in your own life and have no clue where to start. Maybe you started once and you gave up.

First things first; you must resist the devil in your daily walk, or James would not have mentioned it. The enemy has been conquered, but he still must be resisted.

The way to start resisting the devil is with submitting to the word. To submit to God means to surrender to Him, to yield yourself fully to Him, to come under His authority. To submit means to be a doer of the Word and not just a hearer. It means to believe, speak, and obey God’s Word. Submission could be stated another way: Trust God in every way possible

Prayer that stops the devil is based upon believing, speaking and acting upon what God says. Submission is not only to the written Word Of God, but also to the spoken Word spoken under the submission of the Holy Spirit.

There are people who will not submit to God because they want to be under His authority. They have failed to realize that if you aren’t under God’s authority, you are under the devil’s authority. There is no middle ground. People who are selfishly-ruled are satan-ruled.

To resist the enemy means to have an active, willful decision to say “no” to the devil with your heart, mind, words and attitude. Every time you invite the will of God to be done in your life, you are saying “no” to the devil. Every time you praise God, you are saying “no” to the devil. Every time you obey the Word of God, you are saying “no” to the devil. In other words, you are making positive choices that literally evict the enemy!

You are choosing the will, purpose and desires of God. When you resist the devil, he will flee from you. To pray to stop the devil, you must believe in the power of the blood of Jesus. Hebrews 10:16-19

We have boldness, confidence and liberty to enter into the holiest place through the blood of Jesus Christ. I have heard a former Satanic witch say once ad I think it was on the 700 club, “Whenever the blood of Jesus was mentioned, it stopped the power of Satanists.”

It was the blood of Jesus that destroyed Satan’s hold over you and me. It was His blood that ransomed us from Satan’s authority. It was His blood on the cross that bought and paid for our total salvation, so when we come to God, we are coming through the blood of His Son. Every time we quote Romans 8:1, we are declaring the power of the blood of Jesus: There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

If you do not believe in the power of the blood of Jesus, you will not pray with authority. You will be reminded of what you’ve done in the past, of your failures and shortcomings, and as a result your prayers will be like a wet noodle. The devil knows when you don’t know your authority.

It takes the blood of Jesus to free you of guilt and condemnation. It takes an understanding of the blood of Jesus to know your sins have been remitted. When you call on the blood of Jesus, you have immediate access to the heavenly Father.

To have prayer that stops the devil, you must approach the Father in the name of Jesus. John 16:23-24

God wants you to have fullness of joy. He doesn’t want the enemy to overrun your life in any area. The Bible says that the shield of faith quenches every fiery dart of the wicked (Ephesians 6:16). David the psalmist declared, The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. Psalm 23:1

Jesus already won the victory that is sufficient to give us complete liberty from the devil’s work in our lives, but we have to enter into the type of prayer that will stop him. That’s believing prayer in the name of Jesus.

When we use the name of Jesus, we have used the highest name in heaven, on earth and under the earth. There is no other authority greater than the name of Jesus.

You and I have been given the power of attorney to use that name! Jesus was saying to His disciples and to you and me, “I am going away. I will send the Comforter [My Spirit] to you. Carry on business as usual, because I am giving you My name. I will never leave you. I will never abandon you. I will be with you always to the end of the world.

To pray to stop the devil, you must declare the Word of the Lord. Hebrews 4:12

Because the Word of God is a living entity, you can take it into your prayer closet. This is an aspect of prayer that many people have not entered into because they have not recognized the value of it. They pray, beg and plead, but they never come with the Word. If you will start your prayers with God’s will, which is His Word, you will never pray amiss.

If you are approaching God for healing, come into agreement with His promises of healing in Isaiah 43:4-5; Matthew 8:17 and 1Peter 2:24. You can pray, “Father, I am coming to You through the blood of Jesus, in the name of Jesus and with Your Word. You put sickness and diseases upon Your Son, Jesus Christ, so I wouldn’t have to bear it. By His stripes I am healed. Thank You for my healing now, in Jesus’ name.”

What are some experiences that you have had with resisting the devil? Give us one of your great testimonies in the comment section; thank you! Check out my book on prayer, that teaches you even so much more on how to be effective in prayer.

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