What Are Your Spiritual Gifts?



Take the Spiritual Gifts Discovery Tool Questionnaire
http://www.cforc.com/sgifts.html

An excerpt from a
“Joel Osteen”sermon
Author of “Your Best Live Now”

“The Bible says in Philippians 4:8; God’s very clear about what we should think about. God said, "Think on things that are pure, things that are lovely, things that are wholesome, things that are true, things that are honest, things that are of good report;"

Think on things that build you up not things that tear you down. But it’s a choice you have to make. Because society in general--we talked about this--society in general is very negative. It’s just the opposite of what I just told you. Society will tell you what’s wrong, not what’s right. What’s ugly, not what’s beautiful. What you don’t have, not what you do have. You know, it just tells you just the opposite of these things. If you doubt that, pick up the newspaper today and see if the focus isn’t on the negative.”


Watch Joel Osteen and other services LIVE from Lakewood Church!:
http://www.joelosteen.com/site/PageServer?pagename=OnlineStreaming

Sometimes the key to survival is simply "setting our jaw" and going on faithfully trusting that God is there helping us, despite the outward circumstances. Choosing joy through hope rather than despair, choosing patient endurance in times of affliction, and choosing faithfulness in prayer are all decisions of the will. We trust that God, who raised Jesus from the dead, can also change our circumstances because he hears our voice.

MY PRAYER...
Create in me, O Mighty God, a resolute and steadfast heart so that I might persevere with joy no matter what the difficulty. This I ask through your faithful Son. Amen.

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.
--Romans 12:12

By Phil Ware
HEARTLIGHT Magazine

Devotionals by “Owen DeWitt”

Proverbs 3:5-6



Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.

Have you ever hiked from one place to another?  If you had you would probably remember the path was not straight.  The terrain was too rough, too steep, or maybe a body of water was in the way.  The Lord directs our path and many times because we are not mature enough in our walk to handle the straight path, so we take the easy route.  Very similar to snow skiing.  You stand at the top of the mountain knowing the quickest way is straight down, but even the best skiers do small curves to maintain control and speed.  So it is with the Lord leading us.  He will take us at a pace on a path we can handle.  Pray for a straighter path in following the Lord.

Proverbs 5:18
Let your fountain be blessed, and rejoice with wife of your youth.
When God gives you a mate, that mate is “perfect” for you.  But you and I know that we are not perfect.  So how can our mate be perfect?  Be careful, I did not say a perfect mate but the perfect mate for you.  God has that mate already picked for you and together you can have a life of happiness and fulfillment.  But many times we choose our mate by outward appearances (lust) rather than prayerfully seeking the mate God has chosen for us.  I thank God for my wife and have no doubt He brought us together.  We have had rough times like everyone does but we have hung together and have been blessed.  Pray with me today that you will hear God in the selected mate He has chosen and thus receive His blessing.

God has the power to open any closed door-no circumstance is too difficult for Him to overcome. Yet He may choose to let things that seem important to us remain blocked. Why does the Lord allow doors to shut?

Protection. Perhaps He is trying to keep us from making a mistake. On our own, we may not have sufficient knowledge to make right choices.

Redirection. God could be sending us down a new path. His plan might include bigger opportunities for us, a wider area of service, more fruitfulness, deeper satisfaction, a season of suffering, or an opportunity to glorify His name. God closed doors in Asia so that the apostle Paul would minister on the continent of Europe. His obedience led to greater fruitfulness-the churches at Philippi, Thessalonica, and Corinth-and more knowledge for us through his letters to them. Though Paul experienced much suffering, he also knew the joy of participating in God's work.

Testing. When God says "No," our faith is tested, and we discover what we really believe about Him and His plans.

Perseverance. In these roadblocks, we have an opportunity to develop steadfastness, an vital quality for believers. (Romans 5:3-5)

Timing. Our Father places stop signs along our path in order to work out the correct timing for His will.

Disobedience. Past waywardness can affect future experiences and blessings.

When our way is stopped, we must look to God and seek His purpose for the interruption.

By Dr. Stanley
" In Touch Early Light Devotional"