DEALING TOXIC PEOPLE

"What you believe is very powerful. If you have toxic emotions of fear, guilt and depression, it is because you have wrong thinking, and you have wrong thinking because of wrong believing." - Joseph Prince

Show me your friends, I'll tell you who you are. You're as successful as the company you keep. It's important to stay with a circle of individuals who boost your morale and encourage you to advance, succeed or get better. However, sometimes as a result of situations we can't change, sometimes people get distraught, moody and hence become toxic, to themselves and those around them. Therefore it is important to know how to deal with such people when it becomes a habit.

Toxic behaviours are not okay, so don't pretend it is. If you’re not careful, toxic people can use their moody behaviour to get preferential treatment, and have their way. Don’t be deceived, constant drama and negativity isn't worth it. If someone can’t be a reasonable, reliable adult on a regular basis, it’s time to…move.

If someone around you insists on destructively dictating the emotional atmosphere, please steer clear: they are toxic. If you keep suffering because of their attitude, and your compassion, patience, advice, and general attentiveness doesn’t seem to help them, and they don’t seem to care one bit, then ask yourself, “Do I need this person in my life?”

THE POWER OF DIRECTION (8)

“Self-Empowerment is free to anyone who chooses to use it. It comes from within and nowhere else. You cannot buy it, borrow it, steal it or sell it. It is always available to you and never wears out. The only choice you have to make is whether or not you will use it.” - Gary Hopkins

Our text on this point say “The spirit of man is the candle of the Lord…” If that scripture were written today it might have read, "The spirit of man is the light bulb of the Lord." The implication is that God will enlighten us and guide us through our spirits. Many times, however, we seek guidance by means other than the way God said. When we do, we get into trouble.

In his classic book titled How To Be Led By The Spirit Of God, Kenneth Hagin of blessed memory told a story to illustrate on this point. He said he knew a man down in Texas. He had never worn a pair of shoes until he was 12 years old. He only had a fifth grade education. But way back when money was money, he was a millionaire. In a conversation, the man said "In all these years and in all these investments [that's how he made his money], I have never lost a dime. Everything I have ever invested in, my heart says, 'Go ahead and invest in it.' So I do. And in all these years,

NEED FOR REPENTANCE

“True repentance has a double aspect; it looks upon things past with a weeping eye, and upon the future with a watchful eye.” – Robert Smith

Many understand the term repentance to mean “turning from sin.” In the Bible, the word ‘repent’ means “to change one’s mind.” The Bible also tells us that true repentance will result in a change of actions.

Annette Yancey knew from the time her son Albert was a child that he had a special anointing on his life. "There was always a calling on him," Annette said. "But if a mother doesn't know how to protect that spiritual calling, it can really hurt." Albert started to drift as an eleven year old and by the time he was 17 years old he was a gang leader. Then on the night of September 7, 1991, Albert committed a murder. He was sentenced to life in prison. The long days in prison brought him to repentance. "On April 6, 1994, I gave my life to Christ," said Albert. "At first I was afraid to embrace it. I was afraid to walk away from the life I had succumbed to." Today, Yancey serves as a praise and worship leader at the Jester Unit where he occasionally preaches sermons. He also shares his testimony about his path to destruction with others through his organization, Prisoners Making Changes, a faith-based program designed by inmates to prevent youth from engaging in violence, drug abuse, gang involvement and other actions that could lead to prison. "I can't even identify with the person I used to be," he said. "I was on the path to

YOUR SMOKE SIGNAL

"We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope." - Martin Luther King, Jr.

 

He was the only survivor of a shipwreck; washed up a small, uninhabited island. He prayed feverishly for God to rescue him, and every day he scanned the horizon for help, but none seemed forthcoming. Exhausted, he eventually managed to build a little hut out of driftwood to protect Him from the elements, and to store his few possessions. Then one day, after scavenging for food, he arrived home to find his little hut in flames, the smoke rolling up to the sky. The worst had happened; everything was lost. He was stunned with grief and anger. "God, how could you do this to me!" he cried. Early the next day, however, he was awakened by the sound of a ship that was approaching the island. It had come to rescue him. "How did you know I was here?" asked the weary man of his rescuers. "We saw your smoke signal," they replied.

When everything seems to be going bad, and every event negative, it's easy to give up hope. The next logical option is, throwing in the towel. You must have heard the saying; when the going gets tough, the tough gets going. The bible admonished us that, "if you faint in the day, of your adversity your strength is small". Tough times never, last but tough people do. Getting discouraged is the easiest thing to do when things are bad. We shouldn't lose hope, God is at work in our lives - who knows God might have bragged to the devil about you - even in the midst of pain and suffering.

Remember, next time your little hut is burning to the ground-it just may be a smoke signal that summons the grace of God.

JUST 2 FEET OFF THE GROUND

"Fear is the glue that keeps you stuck. Faith is the solvent that sets you free." - Shannon L. Alder

How do you handle the issues of life, when you're down to nothing, but God? When your faith is shaken. That time when all hell seem to have broken loose over you. When, just months to your wedding, or a major event in your life you get kicked out of your job. It doesn't bother you much; you have faith in God. You're sure something good is in the offing. Then you get home and receive a letter from your apartment owner asking you to vacate your apartment--with an ultimatum--with no money anywhere, what do you do?

Listen;

A mountain climber, desperate to conquer the Aconcagua, initiated his climb after years of preparation. He wanted the glory to himself, so much that he went up alone. He started his climb and it got darker, as he did...becoming darker still as he climbed. It was late. He didn't prepare for camping, so he decided to keep climbing. Sooner than he expected, it got very dark. Night fell with heaviness at a very high altitude. Visibility was zero; everything had become a mass of blackness. There was no moonlight, and the stars covered by the clouds. He was climbing a ridge at about 100 meters from the top, when he slipped and fell. Falling rapidly he could only catch a glimpse of darkness as it passed. He felt a terrible sensation of being sucked in by gravity. He kept falling...and in those agonizing moments good and bad memories passed through his mind. This was death; he thought.

But then he felt a jolt that almost tore him in half. Yes! Any good mountain climber would stake himself with a long rope around his waist. In those moments of stillness, suspended in the air he had no other choice but to shout: "HELP ME GOD. HELP ME!" Just then, almost immediately, he heard a soothing and calm voice from heaven;
"What do you want me to do?"

"Save me!"

"Do you really believe I can save you?"

A DAY OF FAVOUR?

“A favour is a friendly, gracious, kind, generous or obliging act that is freely granted. It is offered and not solicited.” - Angelica Hopes

I know you have heard it over and over again that if you want to succeed in life you must “work hard”, others say it's “smart work” not “hard work” that puts it all together. Another school of thought say, you must be “ambitious”, yet some declare that the key to success is “confidence”, while others will put their money, on “Wisdom”, “intelligence” etc.

I certainly do believe that all the above mentioned qualities are undeniable pre-requisites to success and are very important, but I do believe that despite how hard you work, how smart you may be, how ambitious, wise, intelligent, confident and so on. Success requires grace; an unmerited favour. Something your personal effort can’t do for you.

When Billy Graham was driving through a small southern town, he was stopped by a policeman and charged with speeding. Graham admitted his guilt, but was told by the officer that he would have to appear in court. The judge asked, "Guilty, or not guilty?" When Graham pleaded guilty, the judge replied, "That'll be ten dollars - a dollar for every mile you went over the limit." Suddenly the judge recognized the famous minister. "You have violated the law," he said.

THE FINGERS

"I do believe we're all connected. I do believe in positive energy. I do believe in the power of prayer. I do believe in putting good out into the world. And I believe in taking care of each other." - Harvey Fierstein

Here's a way to pray; using the fingers of your hand.

1. The thumb represents people who are very close to you; just like your thumb is. Learn to begin your prayers by praying for those closest to you. They are the easiest to remember. To pray for our loved ones is a "sweet duty", according to C.S Lewis.

2. First finger, is the pointing finger. It represents people who point the way. This includes pastors, teachers, doctors, etc. Keep them in your prayers; they need support and wisdom in pointing others in the right direction.

3. The next finger is the tallest finger; represents those in authority. It reminds us of our leaders - the president, leaders in business and industry, and administrators etc. These people need God's guidance.

4. The fourth finger is our ring finger. It is said that this is our weakest finger; as any piano teacher will testify. Remember to pray for those who are weak, in trouble or in pain.

THE POWER OF SPECIFICITY

"I always wanted to be somebody, but now I realize I should have been more specific." - Lily Tomlin

A young man was telling a story in a book about how for months he prayed to God asking for a bicycle and a desk. Discouraged and in tears one night, this kid sought his God to question Him "Why are you forgetting me? I've been praying ever so diligently" God responded; "You've asked for nothing, I have no idea what bicycle you want, there are thousands of varieties...and the desk? How big? What colour? Do you want a chair too?" The boy stirred up his faith and his Design Cap and captured his dream bike and desk on paper. He wanted an American bike (was from Asia) and a desk made of Philippine mahogany. After some time in thought, he went back to sleep. A few months later he had the exact bicycle and the desk he longed for.

Have you ever entered any shop but you didn't have an exact idea of what you wanted. how long did it take before you were attended to? You get what you want quicker, when you have specifics. What do you want? Looking for a spouse? Have you clearly written down exactly what qualities he/she should posses? What they look like, sound like, do for a living? Whatever.

DROP YOUR PUTT, AND PRAY!

"To be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than to be alive without breathing." -
Martin Luther 

This is a missionary's story to his home church in Michigan. "While serving at a small field hospital in Africa, every two weeks I traveled by bicycle through the jungle to a nearby city for supplies. This was a journey of two days and required camping overnight at the halfway point. On one of these journeys, I arrived in the city where I planned to collect money from a bank, purchase medicine and supplies, and then begin my two-day journey back to the field hospital. Upon arrival in the city, I observed two men fighting, one of whom had been seriously injured. I treated him for his injuries and at the same time talked to him about the Lord. I then traveled two days, camping overnight, and arrived home without incident. Two weeks later I repeated my journey. Upon arriving in the city, I was approached by the young man I had treated. He told me that he had known I carried money and medicines. He said, "Some friends and I followed you into the jungle, knowing you would camp overnight. We planned to kill you and take your money and drugs. But just as we were about to move into your camp, we saw that you were surrounded by 26 armed guards. At this I laughed and said that I was certainly all alone in that jungle. The young man pressed the point, however, and said, "No sir, I was not the only person to see the guards. My five friends also saw them, and we all counted them. It was because of those guards that we were afraid and left you alone."

While he was talking, at this point in the sermon, one of the men in the congregation jumped to his feet and interrupted the missionary and asked if he could tell him the exact day this happened. The missionary told the congregation the date, and the man who interrupted told him this story: "On the night of your incident in Africa, it was morning here and I was preparing to go play golf. I was about to putt when I felt the urge to pray for you. In fact, the urging of the Lord was so strong, I called men in this church to meet with me here in the sanctuary to pray for you. Would all of those men who met with me on that day stand up?" The men who had met together to pray that day stood up. The missionary wasn't concerned with who they were, he was too busy counting how many men he saw. There were 26.