God’s Guide to a Fruitful Life!

Jesus told His disciples, “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit” (John 15:5). As we carry out the Lord’s plans through the power of His Spirit, our lives will have significance, and two characteristics will become increasingly evident.

1. Treasuring God’s Word in our hearts. When we value something, we think about it often, study it regularly, and learn all we can about it. By studying the Bible, we learn many important things about our God, including His character, plan, and promises. Regular Scripture meditation develops our ability to think biblically and deepens our relationship with the Lord. One of the indications that we treasure His Word is a change in behavior— decisions will increasingly be guided by His principles, and actions will reflect the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23).

2. Adorning ourselves with kindness and truth. These two virtues are to be our constant companions on the Christian walk. God’s truth has the power to expose ungodly attitudes and behaviors. When this happens, the presence of kindness helps to protect relationships from damage; it can also prevent discord and division in churches. The Lord wants us to speak the truth to one another—but to temper it with loving compassion.

The Christian life is a journey filled with temptations, obstacles, and difficulties that are common to man (1 Peter 4:12). At the same time, it is to be characterized by the fruitfulness that comes from following our Guide.

Joshua Out~

Cause of Christmas Day, Man will live forever!

Finally I m decided to blog again. I was off from months. I was kinda lazy and not wanted to blog anymore.

Well we all are waiting for Christmas and Christmas is the time which brings joy in our life. When i think deeper in my mind that what is Christmas all about, i realized that what cause of this Christmas day we have real joy if on this day our Lord and savior were never born we will be leaving the darkness and we could of not had the joy, salvation that we have now.

On this day our Lord and Savior born so we could have the everlasting life, peace, joy, freedom and victory.

So As we get ready to celebrate this Christmas lets give thanks to our Lord for the life that we have and lets share that joy with our friends, family and neighbor's.

I believe that you all will enjoy this Christmas.

Marry Christmas!

Over and Out!
Joshua

The "Inner-Stances"

Why is it that while the same things can happen to us all, they may not have the same effect upon us all? The same thing happening to two different people may have entirely different effects. Why should this be so? It depends not so much on the circumstances, but on the ""inner-stances"" - or, in other words, our inner attitudes. As someone has said, ""What life does to us in the long run depends on what life finds in us."" Life's blows can make some people querulous and bitter, others they sweeten and refine; the same events, but with opposite effects. The Gospels tell us that there were three crosses set up on Calvary on the first Good Friday. The same event happened to three different people, but look at the different results. One thief complained and blamed Jesus for not saving Himself and them; the other thief recognized his own unworthiness, repented of it and found an open door to Paradise. Jesus, of course, saw it as the climax of His earthly achievements and made it the fulcrum on which He moved the world. What counts, therefore, is not so much what happens to us, but what we do with it. The same sunshine falling on two different plants can cause one to wither and die, while the other will blossom and flourish. And why? It all depends on the response the plants make. Although, of course, they both need water, one plant is more suited to hot sunshine than the other, and therefore responds with more life and growth, while the other shrivels up and dies.

----Sarvesh Out~

To-Do List!

Throughout the Bible, there are a variety of “to-dos” for Christians concerning how we are called to treat each other. They are referred to as the “one anothers.” Here are a few of them:

Romans 12:16 Live in harmony with one another.

Romans 15:7 Accept one another.

1 Corinthians 12:25 Care for one another.

Galatians 5:13 Serve one another in love.

Galatians 5:15 Don’t spitefully hurt one another.

Galatians 5:26 Don’t provoke or envy one another.

Galatians 6:2 Carry one another’s burdens.

Ephesians 4:32 Be kind to one another.

Ephesians 4:32 Forgive one another.

Colossians 3:9 Don’t lie to one another.

1 Thessalonians 4:18 Comfort one another.

Titus 3:3 Don’t hate one another.

Hebrews 3:13 Encourage one another.

James 5:9 Don’t bear grudges against one another.

James 5:16 Pray for one another.

When the day gets busy and time gets short, I must admit, these things tend to get put on the very bottom of my priorities. I tend to focus on myself and how others should be treating me, not on how I am treating and reaching out to others. However, as Christians, the “one anothers” list is one of the most important “to-do” lists to have on hand. All of these are ways we show each other love and respect. It is how God has called us to treat one another.

-----Joshua Out~

Worldly Planning!

Planning from God's view is a process. It isn't merely an exercise in reason and analysis. It requires entering into the mind of Christ together with our minds to determine which course to take. In the Old Testament, the priests wore breastplates with the urim and thummim in a pouch on their breasts. It was like a roll of dice that the priests were required to perform to know which direction they were to take on a matter. It was the ultimate release of all decisions into God's hand. God did not want the priests to rely on their own intellects for final decisions.

We have an uncanny ability to make decisions based on our own needs and wants. However, God desires that we seek Him to know His plans for us. David was a skilled warrior who never lost a battle. He consulted God on every decision. He knew the results of the battle rested in God's hand. So, if he was to gain victory, he had to know God's mind on the matter. Sometimes this requires more time given to the process in order to hear His voice. Sometimes it may even require fasting and prayer. Sometimes it may require input from other godly friends.

Are you a man or woman who makes decisions based on God's purposes for your life? Do you take every major decision and put it before the throne to determine God's mind on the matter? If so, you will avoid making decisions in a worldly manner.

-----Joshua Out~

You Are Not Alone!

Do you sometimes find it difficult to manage your thoughts, attitudes, behaviors or emotions? Are you continuing in a destructive habit even though you know you are hurting yourself and those you love?

If you answered "yes" to either of these questions, you are among many. Many of us have operated in a self-destruct mode at some time in our lives.

Perhaps you have determined to do right, to change. For a while things might be better and then you find yourself right back where you started.

Consider this…Remember two things: First, you can't make this kind of change by yourself. Second, that's ok because you don't have to do it by yourself. God is standing by to help you. He is inviting you to turn your problem over to him. He wants you to know this is not a person-size problem — it's a God-size problem. He loves you and he wants to help you.

The beginning steps to overcoming any destructive pattern in your life are to admit you have the problem, admit you cannot correct the problem by yourself, tell God you are sorry for what you've been doing and that you truly want to change. And then trust him to help you.

Things won't change overnight, but you will be moving in the right direction. And God will be with you throughout the process. With him, all things are possible (Philippians 4:13).

------Joshua out~

The Passion

Selfishness vs. Servanthood...

When the war is waged in our lives, we side with selfishness. We major in "me." We have this me, my, mine attitude in our lives and forget about others. We want someone else to serve us, to give us the massage, the pedicure, or the shoulder rub. We don't want to serve anyone else because we think of servants as weaker than, less than, or below us.

But Jesus Christ, God's only son, came to this earth to blow the doors off of our pre-determined ideas of servanthood. He taught us that serving is the way to freedom, the way to God's heart. And he modeled true servanthood by performing the ultimate act of service.

When we accept what he did for us, when we bow the knee to Christ, we become armed in the battle against selfishness. God instills in us the character quality that Jesus showed every day of his life - servanthood.

When Jesus walks into the doors of your life, he places the person of the Holy Spirit inside of your heart. And the Holy Spirit is the one who helps you battle against selfishness - he gives you the strategy, the way to win, the way to serve with an honest heart.

This week, when you feel the pull of selfish thinking in your life, remember the act of service that Christ performed on the cross. Remember that Jesus himself came, not to be served, but to serve. Then, reflect that teaching in what you do; reflect the servanthood that God has so passionately shown you.

----Joshua Out~

Still Counting - Subtraction!

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away (subtracts) the sin of the world! John 1:29

To most people, math is no fun. We tend to think of it as the subject in school that was just there to bring our GPA down. But math is important-especially in God's equation for our lives. He uses math in our lives to work out his supernatural equation.

When it comes to applying God's math to our lives, most of us don't mind adding. We love to add new things because it can make life exciting and new. Too often, though, we forget that addition is not the only part of God's equation. He also tells us that we need to occasionally take things away from our lives. But we tend to balk at applying subtraction to life.

What we need to understand is that subtraction is just as important in God's math as addition is. God does not always ask us, "What are you doing?" Many times he asks us, "What are you not doing that you were doing before?" He wants us to subtract those things from our lives that are hurtful or unproductive. God tells us that subtraction is vital for our growth.

What is God telling you to subtract from your life? Is it a harmful habit or a draining relationship? Whatever it is, God wants you to subtract it from your life so that you can grow. This week, listen to God's instruction and apply his mathematical equation. Don't just focus addition-remember that subtraction is just as important.

------Joshua Out~

Choices!

Jesus is interested in helping us make choices. Perhaps one of the biggest choices for us to make is whether or not we are going to trust him to guide us.

The Bible promises us that if we follow Jesus, all things will work together for our good. I have found this to be so true. As I trust Jesus to help me make the right choices, I know without a doubt that no matter how things may look right now, in the end they will work out for the best. His way is always the best way ... and his time the best time.

----Joshua Out~

WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH WHAT YOU HAVE?

We all have a tendency to compare our gifts, talents and blessings with others. When we fall into that trap, we can start to become ungrateful and wonder why we did not get as much as someone else. Perhaps you are a one talent person, resentfully wondering why others received five times more than you did. Listen, the question is not why did you not get more, the question is what are you doing with what you got?

Pastor’s can be the worst at comparing themselves. They can easily start resenting bigger churches, bigger ministries and better preachers/leaders. They can secretly whine, “Why did God not entrust me with that church, that gift, that ministry?!!” God’s answer… “What are you doing with the ministry I did entrust you with?!”

The time is now for all of us to quit whining and griping about what we do not have… and start using what we do have. Jesus told us that if we are “faithful with a few things,” He will put us “in charge of many things.” Are you being faithful with what you have… even if it is only a little?

-----Joshua Out~