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Need A Blessing? Then Ask

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Now it was so, when she came to him, that she persuaded him to ask her father for a field. So she dismounted from her donkey, and Caleb said to her, “What do you wish?” ¹⁹She answered, “Give me a blessing; since you have given me land in the South, give me also springs of water.” So he gave her the upper springs and the lower springs. —Joshua 15:18-19

This account of Caleb’s daughter requesting a blessing is recorded twice in the Word. (Joshua 15:18-19, Judges 1:14-15). At first glance this appears to be a seemingly simple request of a daughter to her father but when you consider this more closely, we can learn a few things from Achsah.

1. Identify Your Need

Achsah had already received land in the South from her father. Now she wanted more. She wanted springs of water. My first thoughts, “Lord, she already has, what more could she want?” But really she was asking for what would sustain and complement the previous one – springs of water would help water the land.

What blessing do you need? What extra in life do you need to help you live a healthier, happier, longer life? What do you need to help you succeed?

2. Go To the Source

Ask of the one who is able to give it. Achsah knew her dad had what she needed. She knew her dad was able to give it. And she knew if she wanted it, she would have to ask him for it. So she went boldly asking and expecting to receive it and she did.

Who do you need to ask for your blessing? Is your need something that no one else but God would be able to fill? God your Father is able to give and He is willing to give but you need to ask. Just as Caleb was willing to give to his daughter, God is will to give to you.

3. Expect the Blessing

As children we often asked our parents for many things never thinking that we would not receive them. I don’t believe that Achsah went to her father thinking that she wouldn’t receive the springs of water. She went expecting to receive the blessing. Faith says that you believe that God is and that He will bless you when you ask Him.

When you pray do you believe that God will give you what you need? Or do you ask but deep within you don’t think that God will honour your request? Ask and believe in the ability, availability and willingness of your heavenly Father God to bless you.

The word of God has examples of many who asked God for a blessing and they received it. To name just two:

Jacob (Genesis 32:22-32) – You would think that Jacob was satisfied. Going to Laban he had nothing but leaving him he had for more than imaginable – a family and great wealth. Yet he wrestled with God to bless him. Why? There was a deeper need – no more to be considered by others as a schemer. He wanted a change in identity and only God could do that. As big as that request was, God blessed him and changed his life forever.

Jabez (1 Chron. 4:9-10) – A more honorable man than his brothers, yet Jabez asked God to bless him. He too desired change; he did not want to be known by his name. He did not want to live in pain or to cause pain to others. Jabez asked and God granted his request.

Now back to us. Jesus tells us to ask because He wants us to be joyful (John 16:24), ask even though God already knows your need (Matthew 6:8), ask for our daily needs (Matthew 6:11), ask for wisdom (James 1:5), ask until you receive (Luke 18:1-8). The point is you need to ask. The need you have – good health, financial success, stronger or restore relationships, wisdom, knowledge, understanding, favor with people, additional income streams, career change – is the blessing you need to ask for.

What do you need in your life that would improve or make a significant difference to the way you live now? Today, ask for your blessing and expect to receive it.

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A Life of Gratitude: Free Kindle Book & Giveaway

Spiritual Success, Success Habits

By Shelley Hitz

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FREE on 2/27/13 & 2/28/13

From the Author:

During a season of transition in my life, I found myself overwhelmed with negative emotions like self-pity and a complaining spirit. It was as if a dark cloud had descended over me. I prayed and asked God for wisdom on how to overcome these negative emotions. As I did, I sensed Him leading me to do a 21 day gratitude challenge.

Over the course of the 21 days, God began to change me as I spent intentional time being grateful for all I had been given. I did this through writing in my journal each day and also sending a hand-written thank you note to someone different each day. This also led me to writing out 21 prayers of gratitude and compiling 21 stories of gratitude.

I want to share what I learned with you in the pages of this book which includes:

21 Days of Gratitude Challenge
21 Prayers of Gratitude
21 Stories of Gratitude

What to Expect On Each Day:

Read my personal stories, struggles and reflections.
Read one scripture and one quote about gratitude.
Apply one personal application step from the challenge.
Read one prayer of gratitude
Read one story of gratitude

Get Accountability and Encouragement

Along with the 21 day challenge, I also started a private Facebook group to provide accountability and encouragement for myself but also for others who decide to join me in the challenge. You will get access to this group as well. It has been amazing to see God at work in each of our lives.

Will you join me on this journey to gratitude?

Download on Kindle

FREE on 2/27/13 & 2/28/13

Paperback | Large Print | Audiobook

Shelley Hitz

Shelley Hitz is an award-winning and international best-selling author. Her openness and vulnerability as she shares her own story of hope and healing through her books will inspire and encourage you.

Shelley has been ministering alongside her husband, CJ, since 1998. They currently travel and speak to teens and adults around the country. Shelley’s main passion is to share God’s truth and the freedom in Christ she has found with others. She does this through her books, websites and speaking engagements.

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Five Reasons to Give Thanks

Spiritual Success

Bless the Lord, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits:Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. —Psalm 103:1-5

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Seasons of celebration and reflection are good for the soul. They take daily grind out of life as we look forward to these times with anticipation and excitement. They bring together friends and families that distance and responsibilities often keep apart. But Thanksgiving is not just a special holiday, it is a heart attitude. As Christians, thankfulness should be a constant way of living. Regardless of our present state in life – whether all is well or not – we should have grateful hearts.

The Psalmist David is well-known for his praise to the Lord and he reminds us in Psalm 103 of the need to attribute praise to God. Many times David’s life was in an upheaval – constantly on the run to stay alive – yet he purposed in his heart to always bless the Lord (Psalm 34:1-3).

Probably David was facing a period of frustration and he wanted to call it quits but in this psalm David commands himself to praise God with all that is in him. He reminded himself that he ought to give God praise for all He had done and because God is good.

Life’s challenges can sometimes make us forget to praise God. We can become burdened with many issues, details or concerns that we overlook the need to honor God for the good we are experiencing in life. When we don’t develop hearts of praise we can find ourselves in a world of negativity and complaining.

It is a good practice to remind yourself like David did to bless God with all that your spirit, soul, and strength. You can always give thanks to this wonderful God, who:

1. Forgives Your Sins

What a great love Jesus has for us! He did it just for you and me so that we can come to the Father through Him and be forgiven.

2. Heals Your Sicknesses and Diseases

We may not always be healthy but we have a covenant of healing with God. When we or our loved ones are ill we can call on Jehovah Rophe to heal. Furthermore, we can be thankful for every day we awake with strength.

3. Protects You from Harm

We have not idea how much God preserves us from accident or sudden death. Sometimes we take it for granted that we are safe. Thank God for blessing your daily activity and setting His angels over you to protect you from harm.

4. Extends His Mercies to You

This God is not hard in His judgment toward us. He deals with us according to our nature and willing extends mercy to receive us even when we don’t deserve it. We mess up in life quite a bit and we should be grateful to have such a merciful God.

5. Fills Your Life with Good Things

We can’t complain – we have food, shelter and clothing. Yet at times we are grumpy because we didn’t get something we wanted. But God fills our lives with pleasant riches. Our lips should be filled with praise for the good and perfect gifts our Father showers on us.

As you look at your life, you will see that there are far more reasons to give thanks to God. Often, it is the ‘small’ stuff we fail to give honor to the Lord for. Give thanks for your family – even if they don’t fit into your ideal. Thank God for strength and wisdom He gives to accomplish the things you do. Honor Him for making you unique – appreciate God for the special gifts you have that others really appreciate about you.

With a thankful heart, make it your daily delight to praise God for all His goodness toward you.

How do you avoid being unthankful?

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10 Essentials of Effective Prayer

3 Comments / Spiritual Success

And Jesus, replying, said to them, Have faith in God [constantly].Truly I tell you, whoever says to this mountain, Be lifted up and thrown into the sea! and does not doubt at all in his heart but believes that what he says will take place, it will be done for him. For this reason I am telling you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe (trust and be confident) that it is granted to you, and you will [get it].

—Mark 11: 21-24 (AMP)

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Prayer is simple. It’s a conversation between us and our heavenly Father. Although prayer takes discipline, God wants us to enjoy the moments we spend with Him and to receive His blessings.

Sometimes when we pray and we don’t receive God’s response we often get frustrated and give up. However if we want to see success in our spiritual walk and receive answers to our long-desired requests we need to keep some basics in mind.

Praise God —Matthew 6:9

I once heard someone said that when you don’t know where to start, begin by praising God. Attributing praise to God draws us closer to Him and He comes near to us because of our worship. Acknowledge Him as your God and your Father who is the most High God – great, mighty, gracious, loving and a lot more wonderful.

Ask the Father in Jesus’ Name —John 16:23-24

Direct you prayer to the Father through the Son. Jesus said that the Father will do whatever we ask in His name. It’s so simple, “Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.”

Be Persistent —Luke 18:1-8

Keep asking until you receive an answer from God concerning your matter. I understand, I’ve experienced for myself, some requests seem to take long but at the right time the answer comes. Please, don’t give up. Keep praying and don’t let go until God blesses you.

Don’t be Selfish — James 4:3

This may sound strange but check the motive behind your asking. Yes, you have needs and desires but is your asking only beneficial to you all the time? Do you consider others when you are praying? Sometimes our prayers can be selfish, “Lord I want this and that and that.” We look out our own and not for others. Jesus expects us to pray for others too. Consider the needs of others.

Have a Pure Heart —Mark 11:25-26

Hidden sin such as unforgiveness, bitterness, unresolved conflicts, hate, hurt, etc. can keep us from receiving answers to our prayers. As Psalm 66:18 says, the Lord will not hear us. If the Lord does not respond to our prayers then no blessing will come. Jesus said if we have issues with someone, while we are praying forgive them. Forgiving others benefits us because we receive forgiveness from God. Therefore, set your heart to forgive and receive God’s best.

Don’t Worry —Phil. 4:6-7

This scripture deeply resonate in me. It is a constant reminder that nothing in my life should cause me to be anxious. True prayer brings inner peace. It does not mean that we see immediate results but we have God’s peace protecting our thoughts and our hearts from constant worry. When we pray the effect on us should be an inner confidence in God’s ability to help us.

Don’t Doubt God —James 1:6-8

Doubt – regular instances of negative thinking – contradicts your prayer. Doubt will result in unanswered prayer. If you are uncertain about what you want God to do, how can you expect a definitive response to your prayers? Like the father who had some doubts that Jesus could heal his child, ask God to remove any doubt from your heart.

Have Faith in God —Mark 11: 21-24

Believe you have what you asked for. Believe that God exist and that He is willing to bless you (Heb. 11:6). As Almighty as God is, God will only do through us and for us what we believe. The success of our prayers is dependent on what we believe God can do. Faith in God leads to salvation, victory, success, provision, healing, and so much more.

Think & Ask the Same Things —Ephesians 3:20

This may seem like a repetition of the above but we need to align our thoughts with our prayers. If there is any contradiction between the two then we are hindering the answers we need. What we think works with what we say. Therefore we must be careful about what we say not only in prayer but in our day-to-day conversation. We must also what keep renewing our minds in Christ so what we are thinking is brought in line with His will.

Seek God First —Matt. 6:33

The best solution to answered prayer is to seek after God first. Make Jesus, His kingdom and His will your priority. It’s not like God doesn’t know what His children need or want. He certainly does but He desires a relationship with you too. Let your first priority of prayer be fellowship with the Father through His Son Jesus Christ.

I hope that as you reflect on these points, you will ask your Father God to help you draw closer to Him. Prayer is not only about asking for what you need or want but it’s about building a relationship with your Creator, the Most High God. What a blessing we have to be able to connect to this great and awesome God!

What do you do to help you prayer more effectively?

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How to Keep Focused on God’s Goodness

3 Comments / Spiritual Success, Thinking Success

Have you had one of those days or weeks lately when nothing seems to go right? Have you felt like your life hasn’t been going as you’d hoped, dreamed, prayed for and worked hard at for a long time? Sometimes for months or even years, have you felt like your life has been off-based and God has forgotten you? Maybe you have blamed God for all the problems you’ve been experiencing? Probably you have wondered what else could go wrong.

There was a time in my life when nothing seemed to be working for me. I had financial challenges, relationship issues and work pressures. I felt weighted and burdened down by life. As a result, I wasn’t expecting anything good and I did think anything good was about to happen. Regardless of how I felt, I kept pushing through each day – work, family, church and whatever else I had to do.

During this low season in my life, it was Bible Reading Month at my church and I made the effort to take part. I looked forward to this every year as a refreshing time in God’s word. As I read through the Word, one major theme came home to me that year – God is good, no matter what.

The Lord brought two scriptures to my attention as I read through the Bible:

Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day. — Genesis 1:31
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. — James 1:17

That Word did a great deal for me. Why? Sometimes the enemy will try to convince you that nothing good is coming your way and that all the trouble you are facing is God’s fault. That is so not true. The Word demonstrates from Genesis through to Revelation God’s love for you and me along with His willingness, ability and availability to express His loving kindness to us. Therefore any difficulties you experience in life do not come from God but from the enemy of our souls.

No matter who we are or where we live on this earth, difficulties with come. However, there are few things I would like to encourage you with:

Remember that God has your best interest to heart. He has a great future planned for you (Jer. 29:11).
Whatever you are facing it is only temporary. There is an expiration date on your problem.
God is actively working for you. God will turn every evil plan of the enemy around for your benefit.
The Lord is willing to give you the desires of your heart (Psalm 37:4) so don’t hesitate to ask.

Feed yourself on the word of God and remind yourself of God’s goodness. Here are a few scriptures to meditate on:

But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive. — Genesis 50:20
And the Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth. — Exodus 34:6
Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. — Psalm 118:1 & Psalm 136:1
And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. — Romans 8:28

As you meditate on the word of God, purposely spend time to identify the good in your life – your family, your work, your church – and give thanks to God for the small and big things. Thank God for all He has done, all He is doing and all He promises to do. Take a moment to look around you and gaze into the heavens. Isn’t it beautiful? Now consider this – the God who created this beauty could only be good. Then think again – the Lord our God, the Painter the sky, the Designer of the Universe, the Creator of all things beautiful is good. So, worship Him.

Focus on how good and great God is no matter how low life looks or how long problems seem to prevail. God is good no matter what and He’s working it out for you.

What do you do to keep God’s goodness in perspective in the midst of life challenges?

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How to Keep Your Dreams Alive

2 Comments / Spiritual Success, Success Keys

Then the Angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time out of heaven, and said: “By Myself I have sworn, says the Lord, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son— blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies. In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.” (Genesis 22:15-18, NKJV)

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We all have dreams. We have the desire to either accomplish different goals for ourselves or we carry within us promises that God has given to us. Sometimes we are able to keep carrying those dreams until their fruition. At other times, these dreams or promises we have may seem so long in coming that we give up before they become reality. On the journey we tend to lose sight of our vision, get weary, and stop moving forward.

Our Heavenly Father, knowing our human nature so well, understood the importance of giving us visions. He knew that to keep our faith alive and keep us forging ahead towards His promises and the God-assignments we have, He would need to create pictures for us. God used picturing (visualization) to help His children believe in His word and receive His promises.

God promised Abraham, when he was childless and too old to father a child, that he would be the father of many nations. God used pictures like the dust of the earth, the sand of the seashore and the stars in the heavens show to him how many descendants he would have. God also had Abraham confess His word. How? Every time he said, “My name is Abraham”, he was speaking God’s truth about himself – that he is a father of many nations. Along with his confession, the people in Abraham’s life participated in keeping this vision alive when they called Abraham by his new God-given name. They were not just calling his name but they were agreeing with God: “Abraham you are the father of many nations.”

Picture this. You are walking in the seashore in the early morning and you feel the grains of the sand under your feet. You pick up a handful and attempt to count each of them only to lose many through the cracks of your hands. You quickly realize that it’s impossible to count them. Imagine a promise from God like that to Abraham. You can’t help be in awe of God. To keep this promise alive, I believe Abraham took time out to feel that sand under his feet and in his hands. What promises of God do you need to keep visually before you so that your faith would stay alive?

Consider this too. At night you go out to your patio or you look through you window at the stars. It’s such a clear night so you decide to go for a walk. As you gaze into the sky you pause to see how many stars you can count but it’s just not possible to count them all. You remember God’s promise and in awe you worship and praise Him for the wonderful works of His hands and the blessings He has given. Abraham had a visual of his promise both day and night. Do you have a picture of your vision before you?

Apart from Abraham there are many others who received the promises of God and God used imagining to help them keep the dream alive (Hebrews 11). Joseph had dreams of being great one day; those dreams were so real he had to share them with others. Through the years of hardship, I believe that those dreams kept Joseph from giving up on the promise of God.

We too have been given a visual. We have a word picture of what heaven and hell would be like. As Christians, we made a choice for heaven and we know that’s where we belong and we are going to when we pass from this earth. We just know it. That visual of heaven propels us each day towards God and His will.

Here are some benefits to visualization:

The more you see your vision the more you believe it will happen. You believe the more you see.
You become more focused or driven to reach your goal and to see God work on your behalf.
Your expectation grows and your excitement increases. This makes the journey more pleasant one.
When you imagine what your dream looks like, you make it real. A picture is worth a thousand words.
Having a visual will cause you to have a more defined and clearer path (baby steps) towards your goal.
Helps you to make better choices and act in harmony with your vision.

Keep a visual of your dream ever-present before you. Here are some suggestions for keeping the vision alive:

Post pictures, scriptures or inspirational quotes around your home or wherever you frequent the most (e.g. fridge door, dresser or bathroom mirror, doors, poster board in your home office space).
Add wallpaper to your computer or mobile screen. This year my laptop wallpaper constantly reminds me that this is my Year of New Beginnings.
Create a photo gallery of what your vision looks like and review regularly.
Keep pictures in your journal or Bible, and believe God’s promises to you.
Take time to dream – take a 15-minute to rest and reflect.
Review your goals daily and take at least one step toward a goal.
Write the vision out – in present tense – like it’s actually happening now. Make a short story of what your future life is like.
Use goal setting software that includes a visualization feature to help you keep the vision alive.
Frequently and persistently seek God about your dreams and His promises.
Always give thanks to God for His promises even before you actually receive them.

Every goal starts with a vision – a picture we have in our mind of what we want to accomplish. Often when we go off track or don’t reach our aim it’s because we have lost sight of the dream we originally had. As such like Abraham we need to get a picture and a word and daily see it until it becomes real in our lives.

With God’s help we can make it happen. Keep the faith.

Share with us: What do you do to keep your dreams and God’s promises alive in you until they become reality?

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Don’t Overlook This: Pray for Success

Spiritual Success

Save now, we beseech You, O Lord; send now prosperity, O Lord, we beseech You, and give to us success!

—Psalm 118:25 (AMP)

I have read this scripture many times but recently it really ministered to me. I realize that we often strive hard to achieve success in our personal and business lives. We try different ways to reach the mark we have set for ourselves but there is one important thing we overlook – to pray for prosperity and success. That’s what hit me when I read this scripture – David asked God for success.

In other words he was saying to God: “Lord, I need success now. I have struggling through life, I have been working really hard, and I can make it without you. Give me favor, Father. And let there be continued and uninterrupted prosperity in my life.” David had his fair share of trouble. He knew what it was like to be hated because God had anointed him. He longed for success.

When we read his life story, we see a man who actively pursued his calling. He occupied himself as a man of war while moving towards his destiny – to be what God wanted him to be, the king of Israel. Yet there is one thing we can all learn from David. He constantly ran to God in prayer at critical times to find out what He should do (1 Samuel 23:1-5; 1 Samuel 30:8; 2 Samuel 21:1-3). He knew how to acknowledge God in all he did and what it was like to receive direction from God. Furthermore, he understood what it meant to obey God’s instructions and in every circumstance to reap success.

David provides the classical example for us – if we want success – we must prayer before we act especially when making critical decisions. Other people of God throughout the Scriptures also confirm this truth, that seeking God is necessary in achieving success:

Moses acted on God’s instructions to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt (Exodus 3-14).
Joshua led a successful victory over Jericho because he followed God’s not-so-orthodox instructions (Joshua 6).
Jehoshaphat and the people of Israel or Judah fasted and prayed before going to battle. Again a hands-down victory was won without the people of God fighting the battle (2 Chronicles 20).
Ananias obeyed God’s instructions to pray for Saul after receiving a vision from the Lord. Obedience (despite his initial concerns about Saul) not only brought healing to Saul but also cause him to receive the Holy Spirit and become a great apostle (Acts 9: 10-19).

I have seen how praying and acting on God’s instructions have led to personal victories for me. Admittedly there were times I was hesitant to obey because I wondered if I was hearing from God or didn’t think what I was guided to do seem logical. However, I soon realized that God doesn’t do things the way we do, He sees way ahead of us and as such we should just trust and obey.

If we want to be successful, we need to include these two important godly principles in every area of our lives:

Follow the instructions for success and prosperity as given in Joshua 1:7-9. Read the word, meditate on it day and night and obey it.
Like the Psalmist did pray for success (Psalm 118:25) and the way to do this is the acknowledge God in all you do and He will certainly directly you along life’s journey (Proverbs 3:5-6).

My challenge to you is to pray for success everyday as you work towards to your goals and your God-given assignments. Don’t be shy to ask it: “Lord, give me success now.” When you live to honor the Lord; He will not reject your plea for success.

May success come to you as you seek and do His will. God bless you!

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6 Ways Reading Can Improve Your Life

Spiritual Success

Study and be eager and do your utmost to present yourself to God approved (tested by trial), a workman who has no cause to be ashamed, correctly analyzing and accurately dividing [rightly handling and skillfully teaching] the Word of Truth.

—2 Timothy 2:15 (AMP)

Reading the Bible

I love reading the Bible. If there is one book I can read over and over and constantly learn from it, it is the Bible. It’s the compass of my life. I can always look to the Word to help me make sound decisions. It’s always a comfort to me. The Bible is total true about our humanness – it doesn’t hide anything. It expresses the human heart and as well as God’s heart. Reading the Bible as well as other good books has helped me grow in my Christian walk.

I would certainly encourage you to develop the habit of reading every day. It would help you progress through life as well as bring other benefits. Reading good books can:

1. Ignite your imagination.

A novel or a book that includes storytelling helps you to create a vivid picture in your mind. This makes the process of reading more real to you. The material becomes more enjoyable and easier to remember when you put your imagination into action.

2. Help you develop ideas.

Whether you are reading a fiction or non-fiction book ideas can quickly surface to your mind. Ideas related to personal improvement, career or business development, building your family life, growing in your Christian walk or other area of your life. Reading can help you develop ideas that effect positive change in your life or other people lives.

3. Increase your knowledge base.

The beauty of a book is that it is a quick study on a specific subject area. You can learn from the experiences of others and from the hours of research the author invested into his/her work of writing. What may have taken you hours, days or months of effort to research is compiled for you. With a book in hand you it will take you less time to gain the knowledge and understanding on any topic of importance to you.

4. Develop your communication skills.

One thing is sure, the more you read, the better a command of the language you gain. Reading makes you a better communicator. If you’re not confident in writing or speaking, regular reading will sharpen these skills.

5. Be a form of relaxation or therapy.

That may seem weird to some because we often associate reading with studying. But personally, reading is a pleasure for me and most of (if not all) my free time is reading time. I don’t read the comics or the novels that would be considered light material but once I read within my scope of interests I enjoy it. That’s why I often end my days with a cup of tea and a good book or the Bible before going to sleep.

6. Bring success and God’s approval.

When you read and make careful and discipline study of God’s word, you are approved by God (2 Timothy 2:15). God is pleased when we make a strong effort to learn of Him and draw close to Him. Not only that, one of the essentials to a successful and prosperous life is to read the Word of God day and night, to meditate on it and to do what God says in His Word (Joshua 1:7-8). Every successful person reads. Reading is an important element of personal growth and success.

It is often said that when you stop reading, you stop learning and growing. Since you and I don’t want to live a stagnated life, we must develop or keep up the habit of reading.

Here are some of the ways you can keep the reading habit alive:

Set aside time every day to read – early in the morning, at lunch, or before bedtime.
Maximize your time while you are on the go – read on the train or bus, on the airplane, or wherever you know you’ll have at least half hour of reading time. Plan ahead for these opportunities to read.
Consider other alternatives to reading – listen to an audio book, view an infographic or watch the video of a book (I liked The Ultimate Gift).
Take advantage of technology. Apart from the printed books you can now read books on e-readers, mobile phone, tablets. Take your pick.
Have a copy of a book wherever you go. Again it’s easy to carry books around thanks to technology but I often have a hard copy book with me if technology fails me or I just prefer to have the feel of a book in my hands.
Challenge yourself. Set a goal to read at least one book a month or two books a month if you like. Even if you fall behind in keeping up, a few hours of dedicated reading time can bring you back in line.

My challenge to you this week:

Choose a book that you’ve wanted to read for a long time and assign a time to read it every day. Share what you’re reading along the way with family or friends.

I am sure there are other ways reading can improve your life that I haven’t mentioned. Please share how the habit of reading has benefited you. I’d love to hear from you.

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Simplify Your Life: Focus on God

3 Comments / Simplify Your Life, Spiritual Success

In July, I started an 8-part series called Simplify Your Life, if you miss any part of the series you can catch up here. Last week I offered a general introduction of the areas we will cover in this series. At the end of it, I hope that we can all make headway in leading uncomplicated, uncluttered, productive and successful lives.

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This Book of the Law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, that you may observe and do according to all that is written in it. For then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall deal wisely and have good success. (Joshua 1:8, AMP)

Sometimes if we take a close look at ourselves, we’d realize that our schedules become so overloaded that we don’t spend time with the Lord as we should. For example, I generally read the Bible at least twice a day – in the morning and at night before bed. Recently, I realized I was dropping that night habit and furthermore I was not meditating on the Word as much. I have recommitted myself to do that night reading however little. It keeps me focused on the God’s plan for my life. I am refreshed as I meditate on the promises and commands in the Word and apply them to my life daily.

To keep focused on God you have to be intentional. You will need to develop simple habits that will keep your thoughts and heart toward God continually.

Simple Life Habits	For Everyday Success
Prayer at all times. Although this sometimes seems like a daunting task it is possible. The key to having an open and continual conversation with God (prayer) lies in recognizing that God is with you at all times.	You will have a blooming relationship with your heavenly Father and be attuned to His will.
Read the Word at least twice a day. Technology has made it possible to have the word of God at our finger tips. To get the Word in use every possible format available – audio, video, e-readers, laptops, mobile phone applications. This will keep your spirit well-fed.	The Bible is our manual for successful living. When you learn God’s word you will know how to lead your life well.
Meditate on specific scriptures. Take a few scriptures that speak specifically to your life, your family, your dreams and on a daily basis mutter and repeated speak God’s word over your life.	Appropriating the promises of God will help you to become more like Christ and build your faith in Him. As you meditate on scripture you will also see God work in your life above and beyond what you speak and think.
Think about good things. Purposely banish negative thoughts from your mind. For example, the moment you begin to think that you’ll fail reflect on God’s word: “As a blessed child of God, whatever I do shall prosper”.	You will develop the ability to flush out negative self-talk. You will be able to handle life’s challenges with more confidence as you view from God’s perspective and not the world’s.
Praise continually. Remember that God is worthy of praise no matter what situation you are facing. God is always good and He is always doing good to you. Praise Him.	You will develop a heart of gratitude toward God and to the people around you. A more positive attitude will develop in you

Any one of these suggestions above will lead to a strong spiritual walk. Having a great relationship with the Father will give you more confidence and calmness. In this hurried and complicated world, life will be less complex and you’d be able to make sound decisions without doubt or fear.

What are some of the life habits you have developed to help you stay focused on God?

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7 Strategies to Overcome Your Problems

1 Comment / Spiritual Success, Success Keys

Image credit: iqoncept / 123RF Stock Photo

Recently a friend encouraged me to read and pray based on the story of King Jehoshaphat. As I did, the Lord pointed out clearly how we can overcome our problems if we use this example to guide us through the battles of life.

1. Run to God in Prayer

Oftentimes when confronted with a problem our human response is to feel overwhelmed and fearful. This is what the enemy wants to do – strike fear in the hearts of the unbeliever. But we should take Jehoshaphat’s example to heart – although he was afraid he quickly sought God in prayer.

2. Fast in the midst of Prayer

Fasting tells God that He is more necessary than the necessary food you eat. Fasting isn’t a show to the world but a cry for help to God. Fasting gets God’s attention more readily – He sees your sincerity and that your need is urgent.

3. Gather Support

Don’t fight alone. Involve others in the battle you are fighting. You may call your family to fast with you or have family prayer until you see the victory. You can join with a close friend to pray over the situation. Remember, one can chase a thousand and two put ten thousand to flight (Deuteronomy 32:30; Joshua 23:10). There is power in united prayer and fasting.

4. Receive the Word of God

God will speak to you and to your problem; you need to have listening ears and a receptive heart. His word can come at any time – through a sermon, a song, a friend or personal Bible study. When you get that Word from God, you just accept it.

5. Worship God

One beautiful aspect of this story is the people’s immediate response to God’s word in worship even though the battle wasn’t yet won. Please hold on to God’s promise of victory and do not question it at all. Just worship and praise God in the midst of the challenge and when you’ve triumphant over the enemy.

6. Obey God

There is a part for all of us to play in any problem or challenge we face. God will give us the breakthrough and He will use our obedience to His word to do it. Just as these people followed the instructions God gave them – though not the typical warring instructions – they did it and won a fight they didn’t fight! So you to, “Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, who is with you.”

7. Expect to Win

Be like the people of Judah and go out to battle singing praises to God. They knew they would win because God was fighting for them. When God fights for you, you are destined to win and you will receive abundant blessings.

Conclusion

Even if fear comes, we can overcome it and win the battle if we follow this and other numerous examples given to us in God’s word.

Don’t be afraid when trouble comes. Ask God to fight on your behalf. With Him you will win!

Encourage yourself and others: What has been your response when faced with a problem? How did God work for you?

Special Note: I know that I haven’t exhausted this topic. Take the time to read 2 Chronicles 20:1-29 and pay close attention to Jehoshaphat’s pray, the word the Lord gave to him and how he encouraged the people to trust God. Then take time to pray according to this Word.

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