God does Different Things with Different People

John the Baptist came neither eating or drinking and you say, 'He has a demon.' 

Jesus came eating and drinking and you say 'Look a glutton and winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners' . (Luke 7:33-34)  

These Bible verses teach us the following lessons:
1. God does things differently using different people 
For example John's ministry was characterized fasting while that of Jesus involved eating.

Therefore, fulfill your purpose and do the things God has called you to do the way He has called you to do. Do not look at how others are doing it because you may have been sent to a different demographic. 

If you do not know how God wants you to fulfill your purpose, pray and ask Him.

2. Just do it because you will be criticized anyway
Focus on doing what God has called you to do and do not waste your energy trying to avoid criticism because you will be criticized anyway for we can see that John was vilified for fasting and Jesus for feasting.

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How to Walk with God

Noah walked with God. (Genesis 6:9)

His walking with God enabled him to save his family because when God decided to destroy the people on earth with a flood because of their wickedness, He told Noah to make an ark and take his family with him into the ark to save them. (Genesis 6:13-21)  

Therefore if you want to save your family from disasters, ensure that you walk with God.

So how do you walk with God?

To answer this question I will ask you another question, Can two walk together unless they agree? (Amos 3:3) 

The answer to this is no. If they disagree, they will part ways physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.

So to walk with God you have to agree with God. You have to agree to do things His way. 

Therefore read your Bible and try your best to do as it says so that you can walk in agreement with God like Noah who was A just man and perfect in his generation. (Genesis 6:9)  

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Who Are You Listening To?

God told Moses to send spies to the land of Canaan. In obedience, Moses sent the following 12 spies: Shammua, Shaphat, Caleb, Igal, Hoshea, Palti, Gaddiel, Gaddi, Ammiel, Sethur, Nahbi and Geuel. (Numbers 13:1-15)

When they returned after their mission, they gave the following different reports:

The Shammua, Shaphat, Igal, Hoshea, Palti, Gaddiel, Gaddi, Ammiel, Sethur, Nahbi and Geuel Report

The land flows with milk and honey and we brought fruit from it. However the people who live there are strong, their cities are fortified and very large and we even saw the descendants of Anak there. The Amakelites live to the south, the Hittites, the Jebusites and the Amorites in the mountains, the Canaanites by the sea and the banks of the River Jordan. (Numbers 13:27-29) 

We are not able to fight those people because they are stronger than us. (Numbers 13:31)

That land devours its inhabitants and the people  we saw there are very big. We even saw giants and we were like grasshoppers in our own eyes and in their eyes. (Numbers 13:32-33)  

The Caleb Report

Let us go at once and possess it for we are well able to conquer it. (Numbers 13:30)

The land we spied is an exceedingly good land. If God delights in us, He will bring us into the land and give it to us, this land which flows with milk and honey. Only do not rebel against the Lord or fear the people because they are our bread and their protection has departed from them and the Lord is with us. Do not fear them. (Numbers 14:7-9)

Who Should You Listen To?

Are you in a situation where you have to make an important decision and you are receiving two different reports?

Are the reports from people who are equally qualified the way all the 12 spies were all leaders on their tribes in Israel? (Numbers 13:2) 

Have the reports been prepared by people who have done adequate research the way all the 12 spies spent time in the land of Canaan?

If you are wondering whose report you should believe, chose the report that is agreement with what God has told you.

Therefore first pray and know God's will for you and then chose the report that is in agreement with His Word and ignore the report that contradicts what He has told you.

Listening to the right people, the right advisers and the right preachers is very important because the words you hear sink into your heart. 

Once they enter your heart they make you feel, think and act in certain ways.  

Listening to the right people and allowing the right words to sink into our hearts, will therefore make you think and act in a way that helps you fulfill the purposes of God for your life.

Listening to the wrong people and allowing their words to sink into your hearts, will make you think and act in a manner that will keep you from fulfilling your life's purpose. 

We can see this from the Israelites who chose to listen to the wrong people - the 10 spies - because their bad report make them:
a. feel bad and they cried loudly that night. (Numbers 14:1)
b. talk badly for they complained about Moses and Aaron and spoke negatively about God saying, 'Why has God brought us here to die by the sword?' and said 'Let us chose a leader and return to Egypt.' (Numbers 14:2-4)

Their bad reaction made God say, "They shall certainly not see the land which I swore to their forefathers that I would give them." (Numbers 14:23)

If these Israelites had chosen to believe what God had told their forefathers and also told them when He was freeing them from slavery in Egypt they would have chosen to listen to Caleb's report since it was in alignment with what God had already told them. 

Choosing Caleb's report would have enabled them to be established in their land of Canaan since they would have received the same reward God gave him for He said, I will bring Caleb into the land where he went and his descendants shall inherit it. (Numbers 14:23)  

Therefore always listen to people and preachers whose words are in alignment with what God has already told you about your situation. 

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Refuse To Be A Victim: Woman with Issue of Blood

Refuse to be a Victim: Woman with Issues is part of our Refuse to be a Victim Series. 

The woman with the issue of blood Suffered many things (Mark 5:26) in her life but she refused to accept a victim mentality. 

For starters she had a bleeding problem for 12 years. 

This disease made her Suffer many things from many doctors (Mark 5:26) presumably as they tried to treat her.

Then this disease made her broke as she spent all she had and yet it continued to worsen instead of getting better. 

The financial situation could by itself have depressed her and made her accept a victim mentality since it potentially meant she could not consult any more doctors for her worsening condition but she did not let it bring her down. 

In addition to the financial issues arising from her bleeding issue, this woman also had social issues arising from the same bleeding issue. Once, again she did not let them make her accept a sick role or victim mentality. 

We know this because in spite of all her issues, when she heard about Jesus, she decided to come to Him and she was able to change herself from a victim of her circumstances (broke woman with an incurable disease) to a victor over her circumstances (woman miraculously healed by Jesus). 

This woman can therefore teach us how to move from being victims of our circumstances to victors regardless of whether our issues are physical, mental, spiritual, social or financial by doing the following:

1. Have Faith in Jesus

We know that this woman had faith in Jesus because He told her Your faith has made you well. (Mark 5:34) 

Therefore have faith ins Jesus especially if you are dealing with issues that do not have an earthly solution because it will give you hope that your issues can be solved.

To have faith in Jesus simply believe that With God all things are possible. (Matthew 19:26)

2. Take Action

This woman with issues took action by going to Jesus and and touching the hem of His garment. 

Therefore since Faith without works is dead (James 2:26) do something to show that you have believe your issues can be solved even if they have persisted for decades. 

3. Speak Life

This woman spoke positively over her situation for said to herself, "If only I touch His garments, I shall be made well." (Mark 5:28) 

Therefore speak positively over your issues even if specialists speak negatively over them since The tongue has the power of death and life (Proverbs 18:21). 

Click here to read Refuse to be a Victim: Joseph
Click here to read Refuse to be a Victim: Tamar

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Refuse To Be A Victim: Tamar

Refuse To Be A Victim: Tamar is part of our Refuse To Be A Victim Series

Tamar experienced many bad things in her life (Genesis 38) but she refused to accept a victim mentality. 

For example, her first husband Er was wicked and God killed him. 

According to the custom of that time, if a man died without a child, his brother was to marry his wife and bear children to perpetuate his name. 

Er's brother Onan therefore became her second husband but instead of helping her get children, he emitted to the ground. God did not like this act and killed him.  

Her father-in-law Judah then sent her back to her father's house to remain a widow until his third son Shelah had matured enough to marry her though he had no intention of fulfilling his promise because he did not want him to die like his brothers. 

Tamar inspite of being sent back to her fathers house as a childless widow of two husbands, refused to a victim mentality.

We know this from the fact that when she saw that Shelah had grown up and she had not been given to him as wife, she took matters in her own hands and ended up being the mother of twins called Perez and Zerah (Genesis 38:29-30) and being mentioned in the genealogy of Jesus (Matthew 1).

Tamar was therefore able to change herself from a victim of her circumstances (two time widow with no children sent back to her father's house) to a victor over her circumstances (mother of twins mentioned in the genealogy of Jesus).

Therefore regardless of the terrible blows that life has given you, refuse to accept a victim mentality and a victim's fate.  

Take time to rest if you are hurting and then take the following steps:
1. Be transformed by the renewing of your mind (Romans 12:2)
Transform or change yourself from a victim to a victor by renewing your mind with the Word of God.

To do this go through your Bible and find Victor Scriptures that you can meditate on. Perfect examples include:
With God all things are possible. (Matthew 19:26)

God is perfecting that which concerns me. (Psalm 138:8)

I am confident that He who has begun a good work in me will complete it. (Philippians 1:6)

Therefore every time a "Victim Thought" enters your mind, cancel it by reminding yourself of a "Victor Scripture" like In all these things I am more than a conqueror through Jesus Christ who loves me. (Romans 8:37) 

2. Discern what is the good, acceptable and perfect will of God (Romans 12:2)

After changing your mind from a victim's mind to a victor's mind, you now have to discern the good and perfect will of God for your situation.

Therefore pray and ask God to direct your steps so that you can do the things that will now change you physically from a victim of your circumstances to a victor of your circumstances.

Click  here to read Refuse to be a Victim: Joseph

Click here to read Refuse to be a Victim: Woman with Issues

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Refuse Victim Mentality: Joseph

Joseph experienced terrible things in his life but he refused to accept a victim mentality. 

For example his brothers sold him into slavery and then his slave master's wife falsely accused him of attempted rape and he was thrown into prison. 

However even when he was in prison, we know that he did not have a victim mentality because when he found Pharaoh's butler and baker sad, he asked them the cause of their distress and interpreted their dreams for them. (Genesis 40:6-8)

A person with a victim mentality would have had a defeated attitude and would not have bothered to help anyone. 

Therefore regardless of what life and people have thrown at you, refuse to accept a victim  mentality. 

Take on a victor mentality and talk like a winner by saying, In all these things I am more than a conqueror through Jesus Christ who loves me. (Romans 8:37) 

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Change your Garments: Family

When Jacob's daughter Dinah was defiled by Prince Shechem, her brothers tricked all the men of that city to get circumcised. 

As the men were wallowing in pain, Dinah's two brothers Simeon and Levi, went and killed all the men. They also took their sheep, oxen, donkeys and all their wealth. They even captured their wives and children. 

Jacob became concerned that the other inhabitants of the land would join forces and destroy him and his family. (Genesis 34) God then told him to go and live in Bethel and make an altar there for God." (Genesis 35:1) 

In preparation for this journey to Bethel which would involve travelling through places populated by people who hated him and his sons, Jacob told his household to, "Put away the foreign gods, purify yourselves and change your garments." (Genesis 35:2) 

Jacob realized that in order to save his family, they had to purify themselves by not worshiping other gods and changing their garments.

This change of garments would symbolize parting with their old evil ways and making a new beginning.    

The members of his household then gave him all the foreign gods they had in their hands and they removed the earrings in their ears and he buried them in Shechem before they left. (Genesis 35:4)

God blessed their changes for the terror of God came upon the cities that were around them and they did not pursue them as they journeyed. Jacob and all his family therefore arrived safely at Luz (Bethel).

So, if your life is in danger and you need God's protection the way Jacob needed it, you have to change your spiritual and physical garments.  

To change your spiritual garments, stop doing what God forbids in the Bible. For example you can start with the first commandment You shall not have other gods (Exodus 20:3) and spiritually remove all false gods from your life by not praying to them or worshiping them or serving them. 

After your have changed your spiritual garments, change your physical ones to symbolize your spiritual changes the way Jacob's family removed their earrings. So, remove all the amulets, earrings, chains, T-shirts and anything else you wear to symbolize your allegiance to false gods.  

After changing the spiritual and physical garments that pertain to the first commandment, work your way down to ensure you obey all the other commandments.

Click on the link to read Change your Garments: Joseph
Click on the link to read Change your Garments:Bartimaeus
Click on the link to read Change your Garments: Ruth
Click on the link to read Change your Garments: Prodigal Son
Click on the link to read Change your Garments: Esther
Click on the link to read Change your Garments: Family

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Change your Garments: Esther

When the Jews were threatened with annihilation, Queen Esther was challenged by her mentor and uncle Mordecai to do something about it. 

Esther decided to fast for 3 days  because she did not have an appointment to see the king as he had not sent for her for 30 days and anyone who went to see him uninvited faced instant death if he did not hold out his golden scepter. 

After her fast, Esther wore her royal robes (Esther 5:1) and went to stand in the inner court of the king's palace.  

By removing the garments she wore in her quarters, wearing her royal robes and going to the palace Esther symbolically reinstated herself as Queen. She removed the victim mentality and put on a victor mentality.

Therefore if you have been denied your rightful position in life the way the king had not sent for Esther for 30 days, understand that you have to change your garments from those that you wore in your "state of denial" and wear those that are fitting for the position you want to regain. 

For example if you were a bank manager and you lost your job unfairly, if you want to take back you position as a bank manager you have to remove the clothes you wore at home moping and wear "bank manager suits". 

Then, position yourself strategically the way Esther positioned herself in the inner courts of the palace regardless of whether your strategic position is a court of law or another bank.

Understand also that this changing your outer garments or clothing has to be combined with changing your inner garments or attitude.

Therefore emulate Esther for she also had to change her thinking from "Going to see the king uninvited is too dangerous because of the law of the golden scepter" (Esther 4:11) to "I will go to see the king uninvited and if I perish, I perish." (Esther 4:16)

To replace the fearful thoughts that may try to hold you back, go through your Bible and find scriptures that fill you with courage like I can do all things through Jesus Christ who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13)  

Click on the link to read Change your Garments: Joseph
Click on the link to read Change your Garments:Bartimaeus
Click on the link to read Change your Garments: Ruth
Click on the link to read Change your Garments: Prodigal Son
Click on the link to read Change your Garments: Esther
Click on the link to read Change your Garments: Family

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Change your Garments: Prodigal Son

The Prodigal Son is another person who changed his garments when he moved from one chapter of his life to the next.

The Bible tells us that this man asked his father for his inheritance and relocated to another country where he wasted all his money on extravagant living. The country experienced a severe famine which forced him to begin feeding the pigs of one of its citizens in order to survive. 

However, one day he came to himself. He realized that his father's servants had enough food to eat and yet he would have gladly eaten pig's food since no one gave him anything. 

He therefore decided to go back home and ask his father to forgive him and make one of the servants. 

As the Prodigal Son approached their home, his father saw him, felt compassion for him, ran towards and kissed him. When he tried to tell his father that he was no longer worthy to be called his son, his dad would hear none of it and he asked the servants to Bring the best robe and dress him with it, put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. (Luke 15:22) 

Since the prodigal son had been a pig-feeding servant, he was probably dressed in clothes worn by servants. By dressing him with the best robe in the home, his father signified that he had changed his status from servant to son.

Therefore if you want to move from one chapter in your life to another understand that you have to change your outer and inner garments.

For example if you are living a debased life that is below the rights that your Heavenly Father has given you physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually and financially, to move yourself into the chapter in your life where you are living the abundant life that Jesus came to give you, you have to change your inner and outer garments by doing the following:

1. Come to Yourself

Coming to yourself means recognizing who you are. 

If you do not know who you really are, read your Bible. For example it says that: 
I am the head and not the tail. (Deuteronomy 28)
I am above and not beneath. (Deuteronomy 28)
I am blessed when I come in and blessed when I go out. (Deuteronomy 28)

After realizing who you are according to the Word of God, refuse to live below your God given privileges.

2. Shift Spiritually

To begin living within your God given rights know that you must shift spiritually, move mentally and reposition yourself physically.

To shift spiritually you have to return to your heavenly Father's house and begin going to a Bible preaching Church on Sundays.

Combine going to Church with getting saved. 
To get saved, say with your mouth that "Jesus is Lord" and believe that when He died for our sins God raised Him from the dead and you will be saved. (Romans 10:9)

In addition, ensure that you pray and read your Bible everyday so that you can continue moving towards God spiritually.

3. Move Mentally

Moving mentally means replacing the thoughts that enabled you to eat pig's food as you lived below your God given privileges with those that will enable you to eat fattened calves as you enjoy your God granted privileges.   

For example, if you told yourself that the diseases is too advanced to be healed and you must therefore bear with it, change your mind and begin thinking that By His stripes I am healed. (Isaiah 53:5)

If you told yourself that you are too ugly to be loved and married and you must therefore suffer from loneliness until you die, change your mind and begin thinking that I am fearfully and wonderfully made. (Psalm 139:14)  

If you told yourself that you are too uneducated to prosper and you must therefore suffer in poverty, change your mind and begin telling yourself that I am beginning to prosper and I will continue prospering until I become very prosperous (Genesis 26:13) because The cattle on a thousand hills belong to my heavenly Father. (Psalm 50:10)

If you told yourself that you cannot clean your language because it is your second nature, begin telling yourself that Only good words which are necessary for edification come out of my mouth. (Ephesians 4:29)

4. Reposition Yourself Physically

Repositioning yourself physically means moving from the place where you were living below your privileges to a place where you can enjoy them. 

For example this might mean shifting from an apartment you share with friends where you live a life of debauchery that does not satisfy you, the way this Prodigal Son was still hungry when he was living with the pigs, and moving to place where you are not living with pigs, pimps, prostitutes and peddlers of drugs.

Click on the link to read Change your Garments: Joseph
Click on the link to read Change your Garments:Bartimaeus
Click on the link to read Change your Garments: Ruth
Click on the link to read Change your Garments: Prodigal Son
Click on the link to read Change your Garments: Esther
Click on the link to read Change your Garments: Family

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How to Fight a Foul Mouth with Bible Verses 2nd Edition

How to Fight a Foul Mouth with Bible Verses 

Regardless of whether you are always cursing and using the Lord’s name in vain or you are prone to lying and using profanities, understand that you have to combine spiritual, mental, verbal and physical interventions so that you can deliver yourself from vulgarity.

The first spiritual intervention for fighting a foul mouth is prayer. Therefore pray and ask God to help you clean your dirty mouth. As you pray, use Scriptures since The Word of God is the Sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:17) that God has given us to fight spiritual battles.

Bible Prayers to Clean a Dirty Mouth

Scriptures that you can use as spiritual warfare prayers to fight a foul mouth include:

Father God I ask You in the name of Jesus to help me so that no corrupt word will come out of my mouth. (Adapted Ephesians 4:29)

Father God I ask You in the name of Jesus to help me so that my speech will always be graceful and that I may know how I ought to answer everyone. (Adapted Colossians 4:6)

Father God I ask You in the name of Jesus to help me so that the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable to You. (Adapted Psalm 19:14)

This is an excerpt of the book How to Fight a Foul Mouth with Bible Verses.

Christian Affirmations to Clean a Foul Mouth

My mouth is a well of life. (Adapted Proverbs 10:11)

My tongue promotes health. (Adapted Proverbs 12:18)

My stomach shall be satisfied from the fruit of my mouth and from the produce of my lips I shall be filled. (Adapted Proverbs 18:20) 

These Christian affirmations to fight a dirty mouth have been adapted from the book How to Fight a Foul Mouth with Bible Verses 2^nd Edition which teaches you the awesome Bible verses you can pray as spiritual warfare prayers, say as Christian affirmations and reflect on as Christian meditations to help you sanitize your speech.

This Christian spiritual warfare ebook also teaches you the physical activities you can combine with these spiritual interventions so that you can wage effective spiritual warfare against a mouth that spews foul language.