Inspirational Video Monday: Gospel Comes to Britain's Got Talent

Gospel Choir Comes to Britain's Got Talent

Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zs_bHztUuMk

Sermon Sunday: Why I am Thankful, Pastor Teron Gaddis, Greater Bethel Church

What I'm Thankful For

Pastor Teron V. Gaddis

Greater Bethel Church, Oklahoma City, OK

Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQS7QiXfSX4

He Increases Your Strength

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE:
He gives power to the faint and weary, and to him who has no might He increases strength [causing it to multiply and making it to abound]. Isaiah 40:29, AMP.

TODAY'S WORD:
In the Bible, Joseph went through seasons of difficulty. He was rejected by his family, sold into slavery, lied about, mistreated, abandoned, falsely accused and thrown in jail. But through it all, Joseph never gave up. He kept pressing through and doing the right thing even though the wrong thing kept happening. The Bible says in Psalm 105 verse 18 that as Joseph lay in prison in those chains of iron, his soul entered into that iron. In other words, as Joseph just kept on fighting life through, his soul became as strong as that steel. God developed a supernatural strength in him that no one could take away.

If you are going through difficulty today, God wants to increase your strength. He wants to increase your power to overcome. He wants to make your inner man as strong as steel. When you keep standing, keep believing, keep doing the right thing, you are opening yourself to God’s supernatural strength. That’s when you know you are growing in Him. Be strong today. Keep pressing forward because God is at work increasing strength in you so that you can live in victory in every area of your life!

PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Father in heaven, today I surrender every difficulty to You. I release the questions, hurts and frustrations. I choose to trust You and do the right thing. Increase Your strength in me so that I can live in the victory You have in store for me in Jesus’ name. Amen.

I Will Rise by Chris Tomlin - Inspirational Video Monday

I Will Rise by Chris Tomlin

Sermon Sunday: Praying Your Way Out!

Every Sunday, NewLifeTodayBlog.com publishes  a short, inspirational sermon.  If you are a Christian religious leader who would like to have your 10 minute or less published on this site, please send the video or the Youtube link to info@newlifetodayblog.com.

Marvin E. Wiley, Pastor 

Rock of Ages Baptist Church, Maywood, IL

"Praying Your Way Out!" 

God Can Use You, Too - Inspirational Video Monday

Tested and Tried by Shannon Hutchison -Testimonials Tuesday

Dreams – we all have dreams. My dream has always been to be free from my three-headed giant of abuse, bipolar disorder, and OCD. During this struggle, I had desperately hoped to be loved and considered good in spite of my frailties; to truly experience joy and contentment amidst my sufferings; to be in control of life rather than adversity tyrannizing me. For years, experiencing freedom in spite of my giant had been a hard road to follow. However, today, thanks to God, I am free as my stronghold no longer controls me. 

As far as I can remember, I have always been afraid. Growing up until age two with a violent father who did and sold cocaine, mom and I were often in constant danger. One day he tried to kill her by putting a gun to her head. Things later got so bad that my mother secretly moved me and her to another state to hide us from him. Although my parents would eventually separate, experiences like those became the starting point of me being terrified of men and of life. Early as a child, I would often panic when I saw a man in church. Even though I spent many years living with loving grandparents, I lived scared as I endured countless days of being abused by my stepfathers. 

Different encounters of abuse included eating lye soap, putting ice on my testicles, locked in closet, and eating cereal with dumped pepper. Tired of being trapped, joyless, condemned, and feeling ashamed, OCD obsessions developed in me as I learned to focus heavily upon and tried to be perfect in all I did. I obsessed the way I went to bathroom, took showers, watched TV, how I walked, how much and the manner I ate and drank, how I thought, etc. I did all this because I feared making a mistake and getting hurt. However, through all this, I did not succumb to the temptation of giving up.

Manic depression and fear of abuse made March 15, 1990 devastating to me. While being escorted to the principal office by my female teacher for misbehaving, terror of my stepdad being told produced in me panic, mania, and an extreme urgency to plead to the instructor “Don’t tell my stepdad!” Walking behind her, I meant no harm as I placed my arms around her shoulders to turn her body to face me so I could talk to her. Unfortunately, the principal saw this; the next thing I knew I was expelled from school and forced to spend a month in a psychiatric hospital for “trying to choke a teacher”, a punishment for something I had no intention to do. Even though I experienced much misery over the situation, God still loved me as He kept my heart strong. 

Two years later I joined the United States Navy, to get away from my stepdad and to prove to the world “I am competent” and “worthy of love.” I thought if I became a nuclear technician, my shame of “being a failure” would go away. Unfortunately, my back then unknown illness, the pressures of nuclear school and the military, my frailness from being abused, and the intense rejection I constantly experienced from officers and shipmates, led me to defeat again. I barely made it through boot camp and only lasted four weeks in nuclear school. Perceptions of me being more of a failure crushed my spirit immensely. However, the Navy gave me a second chance in another school – machinist’s mate school. 

Amidst an enormous struggle, I initially did well. However, when the academics became the most difficult, I couldn’t handle the pressure. One day, as my body was getting weak from the stress of the curriculum, I sought my instructor, Petty Officer first class Davis, for counsel. As I started talking to him in the school hallway, my weary shoulders leaned against the wall. After being reprimanded for doing so, I unintentionally did it again. Petty Officer first class Konkol immediately charged me for insubordination. He later sent me to a senior chief for questioning. After telling the senior chief “I didn’t insubordinate”, the senior officer accused me of “lying to an officer” and soon after, threatened to send me to captain’s mast, a serious punishment for a sailor. After talking to this officer, Konkol then intensely berated me, which invoked in my mind numerous experiences with my past abusers. Somehow throughout all this I was able to hold inside all the pain and anger that was building up. Feeling the anguish for being condemned and rejected again for something I didn’t mean to do, I desperately needed somewhere alone to emotionally break down and cry.

Once Konkol left me, I went to the bathroom to release my emotions. Pain led me to say the words “I’m going to kill that person”, words of frustrations meant toward no one. Unluckily, an officer walked by the bathroom and heard me say those words. Consequently, I was charged by the military for “threatening to kill an officer”. Although I left the military with an honorable discharge, these experiences afterwards immensely hurt me emotionally. My obsessions of “don’t make a mistake” intensified as I struggled to live with the overburdening shame of being viewed both “unlovable” and “worthless”. However, even though often rejected by myself and others, God still loved and accepted me. 

After the military, I went to the workforce but got fired repeatedly. When a boss gave me an assignment, I would revert to the emotions and obsessions that I learned from my previous abusers. Fear of making a mistake led to inefficiencies in my work as I often got bogged down in details in trying to be perfect. Unsuccessful in the workforce, I later went to college. Again my depression, mania, frailness, and obsessions took control of me. Getting good grades was a struggle. What made it worse was that my often bipolar disorder / OCD-stimulated bizarre behaviors would lead to more experienced rejection and thus, a greater hole to climb. However, through all this, I still didn’t give up.

Fighting for a diploma, I encountered much rejection and discouragement from many teachers and students. One teacher didn’t want me to “take any more classes with him”, another went to the school chair to have me removed from the university, and one student asked the instructor to have me be no longer a member of the class. Constant rejection like this, my manic depression, my poor self-esteem, my obsessions, school studies, and overall life became so overwhelming to handle that one day, while driving home from school, I was contemplating killing myself. Thankfully, during this crisis of belief, God played a song that gave me hope. I felt God was telling me: “Don’t be afraid. Just trust me”. I did and today I am truly grateful that I did. 

In December 1998, I graduated from Tri-State University with a Bachelor’s of Science in Business Administration. I had a 3.48 GPA and was named National’s Dean’s List two years in a row. College was the turning point in my life – not because of the certificate but because of who I met. During my senior year, two teachers (Duane Dobbert and Dr. Wooden) saw my struggles and realized I needed help. With compassion, they saw the good in me and directed me to the school counselor who led me to a psychiatrist for counsel. Soon after, I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Few years later, another doctor found out I had obsessive-compulsive disorder. Meeting those two teachers saved my life.

Today, thanks to God, I am very happy and stable. I still experience “don’t make a mistake” obsessions, but am normally able to ignore them with some resistance. I now easily make friends with almost everyone I meet. Although currently on Social Security Disability, I had been a community program coordinator for over three years and had done some clerical jobs. Right now I do retail work. 

I feel content today because I finally realized “I am good” – not based on performance but because “I am a special creation of God”. Once I realized that “nothing can separate me from God’s love (Romans 8:35-39) and that “God is not my stepdad, etc.”, I truly have felt love in spite of my frailties. As I surrender with trust and knowledge in Christ, I experience God’s joy instead of the pains of my past. 

God used my past struggles to build inside me the desire to show compassion, acceptance, love, and inspiration to all I encounter. That is why I write at Faithwriters.com and why I created my inspirational, Christ-based web site inpursuitoffreedomministries.com. I hope to create a better world for people just like how Duane Dobbert, etc. did for me. 

In life, we all have dreams of freedom. However, personal giants often get into our paths, creating the temptation to give up the fight. When you feel like giving up, read 1 Corinthians 10:13: “But remember that the temptations that come into your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will keep the temptation from becoming so strong that you can’t stand up against it. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you will not give in to it.” Freedom happens when you listen to this truth.

Source: http://www.faithwriters.com/article-details.php?id=118853

Suffering from Manic Depression, OCD, or another Mental Illness?

You are not alone.  

Check out our Resources page for links to articles and websites that can help you.

I Will Make It - Inspirational Video Monday

I Will Make It by Kamal and Niva

Patience is a Virtue

This is an excerpt from a sermonette that I recently preached at Abundant Life Community Church, in Pflugerville, Texas. Pastor DeChard Freeman is the Lead Pastor, and I am a part of the ministry staff.  I pray that it blesses someone.

It has been said that patience is a virtue.  Well what does that mean?  The dictionary uses words like   “moral excellence”     to describe virtue.  So, basically, it is a good thing.  But aren’t we the most impatient people?  Thanks to the internet and modern technology, our patience, has gotten shorter.  It seems like the entire world has Attention Deficit Disorder.  If we have to wait for more than a few seconds for a website to download, we say we have a slow connection.  Or how about if someone takes more than 5 minutes to respond to a text.  Well we act the same way with the Lord.  When we pray, we expect an immediate response.  In Matthew 7:7, the Word says Ask and you shall receive.  But it doesn’t say when.

In verse 10 of Chapter 29, Jeremiah said “This is what the Lord says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place.”   Well how about if the Lord came to you today and said, Sister so and so I promise to heal your body 70 years from now, or Brother So and so, I promise to get you a job 70 years from now.  Well we would not be too happy about that.  But church, the truth is we cannot rush the Lord.  As the saying goes, He may not come when we want Him to, but He is always on time.

But why be patient?  Because you trust in the Lord.  You know that despite your current situation, it is going to be alright.  Why do you know this?  Because He’s done it before.

In Loving Memory of Joyce E. Adejumo

Publisher's Note: On May 27, 2013, Joyce E. Adejumo passed away.  This post is in memory of this amazing woman.

In January 2012, I had the pleasure of meeting businesswoman and community leader Joyce E. Adejumo. We met at her store, Mitchie’s Gallery, when I brought my dad, who had been visiting to New York.  Always a supporter of black businesses, I knew my dad would enjoy shopping at Mitchie’s. During our shopping excursion, I conversed with Ms. Adejumo for close to an hour. It was sure a pleasure speaking with her.  We talked about politics, the community, God, and of course, her son, Mitchie.

One of the items I purchased was a book of prayers that Ms. Adejumo had authored. It felt only fitting that Ms. Adejumo was a Christian woman with great faith.  Knowing a little bit about her son’s life story, and how she  had fought so hard to spread the word against drunk driving and had built her business so that she take care of her paraplegic child, it only made sense that she believed in God.  

I could tell by that brief encounter that she was a special woman.  In February 2012 I looked forward to attending the fundraiser to keep Mitchie’s Gallery open.  The night of the fundraiser was amazing.  It was obvious from all the attendees there that Ms. Adejumo held a special place in the hearts of the African American community of Austin.   

Shortly afterward I asked Ms. Adejumo for permission to publish prayers from her book.  And she graciously agreed. February 7, 2012 was the day I started publishing her prayers at New Life Today Blog.  It has been such an honor to share 5 of her prayers on this blog since that time. 

Ms. Adejumo, you may have gone on to glory, but you will never be forgotten.  Your voice will continue to speak to all who listen and read your prayers. 

Below is the first prayer of Ms. Adejumo’s that I posted. Ironically, it is entitled The Day and Hour Unknown.

Father in Heaven, thank You for waking me up this morning and

giving me another day to praise Your Name.

I do not know the day You will take me home, Father,

but I do know I want to go home with You on that day.

Teach me humility,

so that I walk with You and live a life that is pleasing in Your eyes.

I want to have an unbroken relationship with You, Father.

Thank You, for everlasting life.

In Jesus' Name.

Amen.

My Daily Prayers: Spiritual Words of Wisdom, Volume I, Page 13

Driven To Make A Difference by Dr. Sinclair Grey III

Editor's Note: This article is written by Dr. Sinclair Grey III, Senior Pastor, The Liberation Temple, a non-denominational Christian Church in Mt. Rainier, Maryland.    

An inspirational speaker, motivator, author, organizer and “liberator of persons from all intellectual, social and cultural walks of life”, Dr. Sinclair Grey III is a committed advocate for communal change.  NewLifeTodayBlog.com publishes Dr. Sinclair Grey III's writings every Thursday.

In this spiritual journey, you need to know that God has equipped you to do mighty things. Let me say it this way. God has placed His Spirit in you for you to change the lives of people you meet professionally and personally. Anytime you open your mouth, you have the potential of building up or tearing down, to encourage or discourage, and to minister or hinder. The choice is yours. Everyday is an opportunity to make a difference. As you make a difference, you're getting closer to reaching your dream. As one of my mentors told me years ago, 'the more people you help along your journey, the easier it'll become to reach your dream. The more doors you open up for others, the more doors will be opened up for you.' Dreams go away when you stop working towards them. In writing to his son in the ministry, the apostle Paul told Timothy to "Stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind." Please don't miss this. God has freely given you a gift and expects you to use it. Because you're part of God's family, you have a mission to accomplish. Don't worry about how difficult it may seem, just know that God is with you every step of the way. You're here to make a difference because you're a child of Almighty God. In a real sense, you're His representative. As I close this message, I leave you with the words, 'on your mark, get ready, get set, and go.' Make this the day you're driven to make a difference.

Scripture of the Day: 
 "To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice." (Proverbs 21:3- NIV)

Cut Out Excuses by Dr. Sinclair Grey III

Editor's Note: This article is written by Dr. Sinclair Grey III, Senior Pastor, The Liberation Temple, a non-denominational Christian Church in Mt. Rainier, Maryland.    

An inspirational speaker, motivator, author, organizer and “liberator of persons from all intellectual, social and cultural walks of life”, Dr. Sinclair Grey III is a committed advocate for communal change.  NewLifeTodayBlog.com publishes Dr. Sinclair Grey III's writings every Thursday.

In this spiritual journey, you need to put away excuses and get on with what God has called you to do. The time to step out on faith is now. If you're busy wrapped up in making excuses, I want you to stop what you're doing and pray to God. That's right; pray for strength. Pray for courage. And pray for boldness. Remember, God will never leave you nor forsake you. From this day forward, I'm challenging you to tell yourself everyday, 'No More Excuses.' In fact, remove the word excuse from your vocabulary and replace it with two words, I can.

Graphic Source:
http://www.cccathens.org/No_More_Excuses_Cover_01B.jpg

The Bible tells us when God called Moses to lead the Israelites, Moses provided many excuses as to why he was incapable and incompetent. How many of you have done the same thing? However, God had to comfort Moses with these words, "I will certainly be with you." Anytime God calls you, He'll equip you for the task. It's time to stop making excuses as to why you're not in church, in Bible study, studying the Word of God, and doing ministry. Let me say this this way. Stop making excuses for not chasing your dreams. If you keep making excusing, you'll miss everything that God has for you. Stop looking to people and look to God. Let this be the day you stop making excuses.

Scripture of the Day: 
"Do not withhold correction from a child, For if you beat him with a rod, he will not die." (Proverbs 23:13- NKJV)

Stronger Than Your Enemy by Dr. Sinclair Grey III

Editor's Note: This article is written by Dr. Sinclair Grey III, Senior Pastor, The Liberation Temple, a non-denominational Christian Church in Mt. Rainier, Maryland.    

An inspirational speaker, motivator, author, organizer and “liberator of persons from all intellectual, social and cultural walks of life”, Dr. Sinclair Grey III is a committed advocate for communal change.  NewLifeTodayBlog.com publishes Dr. Sinclair Grey III's writings every Thursday.

In this spiritual journey, I want to share with you a few lessons to help you understand why you're stronger than the enemy. The first lesson you need to know is that the enemy has no power over your thoughts and your actions. Let me say that again. The enemy can only provide you with illusions and distractions. God has given you power on the inside to handle any temptation on the outside. If you say, 'the devil made me do it' to cover up your actions, you're not being true to the you that God created you to be. The second thing you need to know is giving the enemy credit for your mistakes only gives him more fuel for future attacks. Here's a hint - don't pump up the enemy when you should be destroying the enemy. Remember, we're in spiritual warfare and because of this warfare, we must never ever give the enemy credit.

Graphic Source: http://larryslines.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/armor_of_god.jpg

 In writing to the people of Ephesus, the apostle Paul said, "Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." Please don't miss this last lesson. When you allow God to order your steps, you'll know where to go, what to do, what to say, and how to think. Whenever you submit to God, you're developing a dynamic relationship to help you rise above the status quo. Say yes to God and no to the enemy. That's it. You're stronger than the enemy.

Scripture of the Day: 
"Do not withhold correction from a child, For if you beat him with a rod, he will not die." (Proverbs 23:13- NKJV)

Motivated By Your Haters by Dr. Sinclair Grey III

Editor's Note: This article is written by Dr. Sinclair Grey III, Senior Pastor, The Liberation Temple, a non-denominational Christian Church in Mt. Rainier, Maryland.    

An inspirational speaker, motivator, author, organizer and “liberator of persons from all intellectual, social and cultural walks of life”, Dr. Sinclair Grey III is a committed advocate for communal change.  NewLifeTodayBlog.com publishes Dr. Sinclair Grey III's writings every Thursday.

In this spiritual journey, you need to know God has placed His Spirit in you to rise above haters and distractors. Life is full of distractions but understand God is bigger than any hater you'll encounter. I want you to get into your spirit the enemy doesn't want you to succeed in anything and that's why he wants you to submit to your haters. As we say in the church. 'the devil is a liar.' The fact that God has anointed and appointed you for greatness means there's something wonderful in store for you. When the enemy tries to put a roadblock in front of you, the good news is that you can knock it down through praise and prayer. That's right; look beyond what you see in the natural and get hooked up with God in the spiritual. Because of God's omnipotence, you can make it.

Graphic Source:  http://www.divineverses.com/blog/boldness/be-bold-know-that-no-weapon-formed-against-you-will-prosper/

The Bible says, "No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgment You shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is from Me," says the Lord." Please don't miss this. No racism, sexism, or elitism can penetrate the plans of God. I can't stop there because you need to understand that mistakes you've made in the past can't stop what God has planned for you. Whenever someone tries to block you through hating on you, begin shouting these words 'greater is He who is in me than he who is in the world.' That's my word for you. Don't get down because of your haters; use them as motivation. Stay strong in your commitment to God and watch Him handle the rest.

Scripture of the Day: 
"Do not withhold correction from a child, For if you beat him with a rod, he will not die." (Proverbs 23:13, NKJV)

No Fear - Only Success by Dr. Sinclair Grey III

Editor's Note: This article is written by Dr. Sinclair Grey III, Senior Pastor, The Liberation Temple, a non-denominational Christian Church in Mt. Rainier, Maryland.    

An inspirational speaker, motivator, author, organizer and “liberator of persons from all intellectual, social and cultural walks of life”, Dr. Sinclair Grey III is a committed advocate for communal change.  NewLifeTodayBlog.com publishes Dr. Sinclair Grey III's writings every Thursday.

In this spiritual journey, you need to know that God hasn't called you to fail, but to succeed. God wants you to be successful in all areas of your life. However, I need to warn you that success means you must break free of the shackles holding you back. Are you ready to receive all that God has for you? Are you willing to put forth the effort to become successful? Are you willing to say no to what's not good for you and yes to what's going to get you to where you want to go? Life is full of choices and the decision you make today can get you one-step closer to your goal.

The writer of Proverbs deposited these powerful words of wisdom, "Go to the ant, you sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise, which, having no captain, overseer or ruler, provides her supplies in the summer, and gathers her food in the harvest." While the ant may seem insignificant to most people, the writer sees the ant as successful because it looks pass its size and obstacles, and see its potential. That's my word for you. You can be successful in all things, but you need to be proactive. Don't be scared because God is with you. Don't allow fear to rule over you because the Bible tells us, "God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind."

Scripture of the Day:
"To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice." (Proverbs 21:3, NIV)

Maurice Griffin, Depending On You - Inspirational Video Monday

Maurice Griffin - Depending On You

New Artist of The Year Nominee for the 2013 Gospel Stellar Awards, 

Maurice Griffin was a Finalist on the Season 2 of B.E.T.’s 

Sunday Best gospel competition. 

God Isn't Through With You by Dr. Sinclair Grey III

Editor's Note: This article is written by Dr. Sinclair Grey III, Senior Pastor, The Liberation Temple, a non-denominational Christian Church in Mt. Rainier, Maryland.

An inspirational speaker, motivator, author, organizer and “liberator of persons from all intellectual, social and cultural walks of life”, Dr. Sinclair Grey III is a committed advocate for communal change.  NewLifeTodayBlog.com publishes Dr. Sinclair Grey III's writings every Thursday.

In this spiritual journey, you need to understand that God has everything under control. What you may think is out of control, God is setting the stage for you to blow up from the floor up. It's going through the process that gives true meaning and appreciation for what God has for you on the other side. As our elders say, 'no pain - no gain.' Unless you're willing to go through something, how will you know what God's able to do in your life in the midst of all the drama around you? While God may not be speaking to you in the manner you wish, believe that He's up to something awesome. What God plans for you, no demon in hell can thwart. (Oops, I said something). The enemy may try to frustrate you, but he can't stop what God is doing in you and through you.

The Bible says, "Count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing." Please don't miss this. The trials of this life don't come to kill you, but to strengthen you in your faith, commitment, and service to Almighty God. Always remember, what's on the inside provides you with strength to withstand all that's happening on the outside. Even though things may appear shaky, never think God has given up on you. That's my word for you. God's getting you in position to receive what He has for you.

Scripture for the Day: 
"Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands!" (Psalm 100:1 -NKJV)

Chris Spivey and NuDestiny - 

The Struggle Is Over

Hey God! Why Me? by Dr. Sinclair Grey III

Editor's Note: This article is written by Dr. Sinclair Grey III, Senior Pastor, The Liberation Temple, a non-denominational Christian Church in Mt. Rainier, Maryland.

An inspirational speaker, motivator, author, organizer and “liberator of persons from all intellectual, social and cultural walks of life”, Dr. Sinclair Grey III is a committed advocate for communal change.  NewLifeTodayBlog.com publishes Dr. Sinclair Grey III's writings every Thursday.

In this spiritual journey, you need to know you've been called by God to do something great. I want you to get into your spirit with every great feat; you'll face some adversity along the way. Always remember, God's in charge. You may think the enemy has control, but in reality, the enemy has no power over you. That's right; the enemy provides you with an illusion so that he appears to be in control. In the church, we shout, 'the devil is a liar.' The real power, the real authority, and the real lover of your soul is Almighty God. I don't know what your calling may be, but you can rest assure, it's worth whatever you're going through. As one of my mentors told me a few years ago, 'when God's putting you through something, you can be certain, He has something good for you on the other side. All you have to do is hang on.'

Throughout his ministry in the Bible, the apostle Paul was beaten, arrested, imprisoned, ridiculed, and tortured. On one occasion, he complained to God three times about a particular thorn in his side. Can you imagine Paul saying, Hey God! Why me? Why do I have this pain? Why this discomfort? But God, in His own loving way, gave Paul four powerful words to hold on to. These four words were "My grace is sufficient." Check this out. The thorn never left Paul and he was still able to press on knowing that God was able to carry him through anything and everything. That's my word for you. God's grace is sufficient for you. You're in it because you can handle it. You're stronger than you think. Keep your head up and know that you're not forgotten by God. 

Scripture for the Day: 
"When the righteous prosper, the city rejoices; when the wicked perish, there are shouts of joy." (Proverbs 11:10 -NIV)

Anita Wilson, All About You - Inspirational Video

Anita Wilson -All About You

A worship leader and featured vocalist in the award-winning ensemble Donald Lawrence & Company, Anita Wilson released her debut solo album Worship Soul in 2012.

If Only by Michael Luckman

If only, if only, if only - the whine of the powerless! ~Michael Luckman in Luckman's Laws

Have you ever caught yourself saying "if only?" Was it to justify why something did not turn out for you as you wanted? As in, "the meal would have turned out better if only I had a new stove." Or, "I wouldn't be late with the report if only the other departments would get me their numbers on time." And how about, "I could be a lot more successful if only I had gone to a better college."

"If only" and its cousin "I could be" are excuses. Nothing more. When I hear them being spoken they sound like a whine. Oh, poor me, poor me, poor me, life would be so much better if only, if only, if only.  

If you're a movie fan you may remember this famous line by Marlin Brando, "I coulda been a contender!" in On the Waterfront. Yes, you could have if life worked out differently for you. But you threw the fight (cause) and now you're a bum (effects).  

People who consistently use these terms are proclaiming to anyone who will listen that they are powerless. Nothing more than a leaf blowing in the wind with no control over their life or their fate.

But is that really true? No, it isn't. In fact, you are powerful beyond measure. You are only powerless as long as you believe you are powerless. The moment you decide to change. The moment you decide to take control over your life. That is when all the power of the Universe is at your command.

Learn to ask your higher power, God or the Universe for exactly what you want. Be patient, and never lose faith that what you have asked for will indeed be coming to you. And the Universe will bring you what you have asked for, and shower you with more gifts than you could ever imagine.

With Love, 

Michael 

Purchase Michael's best selling book, Overpowering Fear - Defeating the #1 Challenge in Sales and Life:

To contact Michael:

Michael@OverpoweringFear.com or call 408.404.6764

Read More of Michael's Blogs at:  www.OverpoweringFear.com/blog.html

Seize The Moment by Dr. Sinclair Grey III

Editor's Note: This article is written by Dr. Sinclair Grey III, Senior Pastor, The Liberation Temple, a non-denominational Christian Church in Mt. Rainier, Maryland.

An inspirational speaker, motivator, author, organizer and “liberator of persons from all intellectual, social and cultural walks of life”, Dr. Sinclair Grey III is a committed advocate for communal change.  NewLifeTodayBlog.com publishes Dr. Sinclair Grey III's writings every Thursday.

In this spiritual journey, you need to know that God's in the blessing business. Not only is God in the blessing business, but He's so in-love with you that He provides you with opportunity after opportunity to reach your goals and aspirations. Anytime you're outside the will of God, you don't hear His voice. Let me help you out with this - you can't know what God is doing for you unless you spend time with Him in prayer, study, and meditation. When others are getting blessed and you feel stuck, take a good look in the mirror and see the problem. It's not that they're super-spiritual; it's because they've seize the moment. When you seize your moment, you'll get answers to your questions. Also, when you seize the moment, you'll walk into your blessing(s) knowing that it was God who did it for you.
  
When God called Abram to get out of his country and from his family, Abram didn't wait, hesitate or procrastinate. As soon as God spoke to Abram, the Bible tells us, "Abram departed as the Lord had spoken to him." Please don't miss this. Abram didn't ask for permission, seek advice, or ask a whole lot of questions; he simply seized the moment. Because of Abram's faithfulness, God changed his name to Abraham and caused him to be a blessing. Abraham seized the moment and was credited as being the father of those who believe. When you seize the moment that God gives you, He takes you from where you are and transports you to where you should go. That's it. Seize your moment and get ready for what's ahead of you.

Scripture for the Day: 
"Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands!" (Psalm 100:1 -NKJV)

Natori Blue, I Don't Believe - Inspirational Video Monday

Natori Blue - I Don't Believe He's Brought Me This Far

Natori recently performed at the SXSW Gospel + Soul event in Austin, Texas.

A Short Good Friday Prayer of Thanksgiving by Min. Michelle Goodwine

Thank You, Jesus, for paying the ultimate price for me, a wretched sinner. On this day, Good Friday, you experienced tremendous, undeserving pain and suffering.  Lord, thank you for caring enough about me to come down from heaven, be born to a virgin, live on this earth, and  then die a horrible death for me.  I can only imagine how brutal the beatings you endured that day were.  How humiliating it must have been for you to have been mocked and  heckled. It is so extremely difficult to comprehend how excruciatingly painful it must have been for you to  hang on the cross with nails  in your hands and feet. And even though, at any point and time you you could have decided to end your suffering, you didn't.  Thank You.  Words cannot even express the degree of gratitude that I have for you and the sacrifice that you made on the very first Good Friday for me.  If it were not for the price you paid for me with your blameless, sin-free, innocent blood, that has washed my sinful, guilty soul white as snow, I would not be able to have a New Life Today!!!  And for this, I say, "Thank You".

Source: http://www.sumcct.org/

Controlling Your Emotions by Dr. Sinclair Grey III

Editor's Note: This article is written by Dr. Sinclair Grey III, Senior Pastor, The Liberation Temple, a non-denominational Christian Church in Mt. Rainier, Maryland.

Dr. Sinclair Grey III
Senior Pastor
The Liberation Temple
Mt. Ranier, MD

An inspirational speaker, motivator, author, organizer and “liberator of persons from all intellectual, social and cultural walks of life”, Dr. Sinclair Grey III is a committed advocate for communal change.  NewLifeTodayBlog.com publishes Dr. Sinclair Grey III's writings every Thursday.

In this spiritual journey, you need to know God has everything under control. That's right; when you feel out of control, always know God's in control. One of the reasons why people lose control is because they're trying to do things by themselves instead of having their steps ordered by God. Here's a hint - when your steps are ordered by God, you'll rise above the natural and focus on the spiritual. Yes, it may seem hard at first, but when you make up your mind to not have people and things cause you to trip out, then you're making the first step to staying in control.    

The writer of Proverbs tells us, "Whoever has no rule over his own spirit is like a city broken down, without walls." Please don't miss this. Failure to control your emotions will cause you to be messed up from the floor up. In a real sense, when you start tripping on people and things, you're inviting chaos, disaster, and foolishness into your life. As any parent would say, 'you don't want that to happen.' Your life is too important to give people and things control. Simply put - when people and things make you trip, they play on you and will do you great harm. As the youth say, 'don't fall for the okie doke.' That's my word for you. Tripping ain't cool nor is allowing people and things affect who you are, whose you, and where you're going. Stay connected with God and allow Him to direct your path.

Scripture for the Day: 
"The beginning of strife is like releasing water; Therefore stop contention before a quarrel starts." (Proverbs 17:14 -NKJV)