Prejudice

And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their pre-appointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings. Acts 17:26.


Prejudice is a serious problem in our world today. Prejudice can be based on race, on the color of one’s skin, one’s culture, on one’s social standing, on one’s financial status, talent or treasures of others, on education, on religious belief and any of a number of other things that sets one person apart from another. God’s Word has made it clear that prejudice of any kind is not acceptable. Prejudice grows out of pride and causes people to look down on others they consider inferior to themselves.

In the verse above we are reminded that all men and women today are created equal in God’s sight since all came from one man --- Adam.


Jesus came to make all believers one in Christ, because we are all joint heirs in Christ. No one is more privileged than anyone else nor is anyone better than anyone else.

We live a life of faith when we are a child of God. Prejudice and faith cannot coexist in the life of a believer. Prejudice destroys faith and faith destroys prejudice. In James 2:1-6 he writes that there must be no partiality, no prejudice in a believer’s life. If a person is prejudiced against another person for any reason he or she is not a true follower of Jesus. As believers we are to love one another.

We cause real sorrow to others when we dishonor and debase others through prejudice or bigotry. Every human being is created in the image of God and worthy of honor. When by our own prejudice we demean someone we will wound another human being at the deepest level. We are all of the same family, the family of God. God expects us, as His children, to be treasured and cherished by one another. He desires us to show respect to all people because everyone was created by God in His very image.

The sad fact about prejudice is that it is usually passed from parent to child. Children learn from their parents. As believers, parents have the responsibility to make sure they do not have prejudice against others. If they do they can be sure their children will pick up on it.

Lord, Continue to remind me daily that all of Your creations are rare treasures but none compares to one man’s worth to You. Thank You for creating me in Your image and help me to always show respect and honor to all of my fellow man.

Avoid Negativity

Avoid people who are negative.

If you want a simpler and happier life, choose your friends with care. Avoid whinners and complainers. Sometimes this goes for family too. Spend your time with friends and family that encourage you. Invest your time with people who maintain a good attitude and have a positive outlook on life.

Sometimes you have to let go of friends and family who bring you down. They may not be bad people, just bad for you.

Just because you are a believer, doesn't mean you have to accept abuse. Scripture says, "Look, I'm sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as serpents and as harmless as doves." (Matthew 10:16) I am confident God means we should know how our enemy operates and be alert to his attacks (like verbal abuse). Then stand your ground and speak up. The trick is to remain as calm and as gentle as a dove even if the enemy starts screaming in your face. Keep standing your ground without fear and steadfast in faith that God keeps His promises. Only speak what comes from Him and don't let the enemy win the floor. Make him flee. Scripture says, "So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." (James 4:7)

Look for the good (and God) in every situation...

Spiritual-Wellness

Spiritual-wellness is the result of being at peace with God. To be at peace with God and experience spiritual-wellness, you must first believe that He exists, “--- without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6 NASB).

Why is faith necessary to please God? Because we cannot serve Him unless we are convinced that He exists and that His plans for us are “good and acceptable and perfect” (Rom: 12:2). It is necessary if we are to trust in Him with all our heart (Prov. 3:5)

God has a plan for our lives whether we believe He exists or not. He gives us the freedom and power to make choices. During our lifetime we have the opportunity to make literally thousands of choices. Some are significant, some are not but all have consequences. The single most important choice that we have to make is what our relationship with God will be. The consequences of that decision are eternal.

God is omniscient. He knows every thought that we have or will have. He knows every deed that we have ever done. He knows our sinful nature. Yet He loves us deeply and stands ready to accept us as we are. All we have to do is believe his word and accept His grace to have spiritual-wellness. He paid a heavy price for you and me as individuals, which is the ultimate testimony of His love for us.

We cannot approach the Father God except through the Son, Jesus Christ. “For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Tim. 2:5).

When the apostle Paul writes there is one God, he is referring back to Israel’s statement of faith (Deut. 6: 4-9). This foundational belief is not replaced – it is deepened. Jesus is not another deity, but God Himself, who has also become our Mediator. A mediator is like a priest who brings two parties together in peace. As our High Priest, we can “draw near with confidence to the throne of grace” (Heb. 4:16) because we know He will faithfully represent and lead us in His way (Heb. 2:1-18).

In Jesus we are set free from the bondage of the law and the penalty of death required by the law. Therefore, when we die we will be in the presence of the Lord and will enter into his kingdom. Think on this and give praise and thanks to God for His love for each of us.

In the natural world, the more that you know someone the easier it is to believe their words. It is the same with God. When you read and meditate on His Word, you will begin to realize how deeply He loves you and you will begin to trust Him in every area of your life. You will be at peace with God and have spiritual-wellness. In the words of the hymn “all is well with my soul.”

Maybe it'sTime

“ maybe it's time to take care of yourself.

maybe it's time to scream out loud

that you don't have the answers

and you just plain can't figure out what

it's all about...

but you're in this for the full ride.

maybe it's time to stop doin' the half ride.

maybe it's time to step into it all.

to weep your guts out.

to hurt all the way to your core.

to allow that hurt to be there.

maybe it's time to embrace the love

and believe in it even tho it's not always perfect...

but it is always right.

maybe it's time to shout out to your depths

that you do matter

and you will do all in your power to live healthy.

maybe it's time to stop just getting thru,

just surviving.

maybe it's time to grab the gift you've been given

and celebrate every single piece of it -

including the pain that brought you here.

maybe it's time.

forget the maybe....and know it...

it is time. ”

Spiritual Gifts

Every believer should go to the Lord in prayer and ask Him to release these 9 gifts through them anytime that He will want to do so. Let God know that you will be a willing vessel for the manifestations of these gifts, and that you will give Him a full and solid green light to manifest these gifts though you at anytime that He will want to do so.

Wisdom Seeing life from God's perspective.

The gift of wisdom is the wisdom of God. It is the supernatural impartation of facts; it is not natural. You can't earn it. It is received from God through prayer (Ephesians 1:17).


Knowledge The supernatural comprehension of Christ and His Word.

The gift of the word of knowledge is the transcendental revelation of the divine will and plan of God. It involves moral wisdom for right living and relationships, requires objective understanding concerning divine things in human duties, and refers to knowledge of God or of the things that belong to God, as related in the Gospel.

The gifts of the word of wisdom and the word of knowledge function together; knowledge is raw material and wisdom builds on it.


Discernment Recognizing what is of God verses the world, the flesh, and the devil.

Discerning of spirits is the supernatural ability given by the Holy Spirit to perceive the source of a spiritual manifestation and determine whether it is of God (Acts 10:30-35), of the devil (Acts 16:16-18), of man (Acts 8:18-23), or of the world. It is not mind reading, psychic phenomena, or the ability to criticize and find fault.

Discerning of spirits must be done by the power of the Holy Spirit; He bears witness with our spirit when something is or is not of God.



Faith  Function on the behalf of the believer to perform something impossible by ordinary human efforts. God intervenes with His sovereignity and glory to work this miracle for us.

The gift of faith is the supernatural ability to believe God without doubt, combat unbelief, and visualize what God wants to accomplish. It is not only an inner conviction impelled by an urgent and higher calling, but also a supernatural ability to meet adverse circumstances with trust in God's words and messages.

This gift not only operates in healings and in miracles, but in the realm of the impossible as well. Saving faith produces the active faith of the fruit of the Spirit which, in turn, produces the gift of faith. When the gift of faith is empowered, the results are miraculous!



Healings Removing diseases from the spirit, soul, and body.

The gift of healings refers to supernatural healing without human aid; it is a special gift to pray for specific diseases.

Healing can come through the touch of faith (James 5:14-15); by speaking the word of faith (Luke 7:1-10); or by the presence of God being manifested (Mark 6:56; Acts 19:11-12).
The Bible speaks of "gifts" of healing because there are three types of healings: physical (diabetes, blindness, cancer, deafness, etc.), emotional (jealousy, worry, discouragement, and other destructive attitudes), and spiritual (bitterness, greed, and guilt, etc.).


Miracles Natural or supernatural events with precise timing to bring glory to God.

A miracle is the performance of something which is against the laws of nature; it is a supernatural power to intervene and counteract earthly and evil forces.

The gift of miracles operates closely with the power gifts of faith and healings to bring authority over Satan, sickness, sin, and the binding forces of this age.
Miracles can also be defined as supernatural intercessions of God. God exhorts us with energy to do something that is not natural or normal to us. Just as the ministry gift of miracles is the expression of prayer, so is the function of the Holy Spirit to direct our prayers (Romans 8:26).



Prophecy Bringing to light secret motives of the heart.

Prophecy is divinely inspired and anointed utterance; a supernatural proclamation in a known language. It is the manifestation of the Spirit of God - not of intellect (I Corinthians 12:7), and it may be possessed and operated by all who have the infilling of the Holy Spirit (I Corinthians 14:31)

Intellect, faith, and will are operative in this gift, but its exercise is not intellectually based. It is calling forth words from the Spirit of God. The gift of prophecy operates when there is high worship (I Samuel 10:5-6), when others prophets are present (I Samuel 10:9-10), and when hands are laid on you by ministers (Acts 19:1-6).



Diverse Tongues Glorifying God through language and music.

Supernatural utterance through the power of the Holy Spirit in a person that manifests as spiritual language. The Holy Spirit energizes the tongue to edify believers through language and music.

Diverse tongues is the most misunderstood and dynamic gift. It is not your prayer language, but it can surface through intercession, conference, or through the individual.


Interpretation of Tongues A supernatural verbalization and subsequent interpretation of the diverse tongue.


Interpretation of tongues is a supernatural verbalization and subsequent interpretation to reveal the meaning of a diverse tongue. This gift operates out of the mind of the Spirit rather than out of the mind of man.

The Word of God says that if you pray in tongues, you should pray that you will also interpret - not only for the benefit of others - but for your own benefit as well.


These 9 gifts are a tremendous help and aid to not only you in your own personal walk with the Lord, but many of them can be also used to help other people out as special needs and circumstances arise in their lives.