VoyForums
[ Show ]
Support VoyForums
[ Shrink ]
VoyForums Announcement: Programming and providing support for this service has been a labor of love since 1997. We are one of the few services online who values our users' privacy, and have never sold your information. We have even fought hard to defend your privacy in legal cases; however, we've done it with almost no financial support -- paying out of pocket to continue providing the service. Due to the issues imposed on us by advertisers, we also stopped hosting most ads on the forums many years ago. We hope you appreciate our efforts.

Show your support by donating any amount. (Note: We are still technically a for-profit company, so your contribution is not tax-deductible.) PayPal Acct: Feedback:

Donate to VoyForums (PayPal):

[ Login ] [ Contact Forum Admin ] [ Main index ] [ Post a new message ] [ Search | Check update time | Archives: 1, 2, 3, 4 ]

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

Date Posted: 08:19:03 02/10/17 Fri
Author: c
Subject: Teachings 8

Teachings 8


How to Turn Your Crisis into an Opportunity

By Dr. Charles Stanley

(also explored on intouch.org radio 6/10/15)


1. Trust that God is working everything in your life for your good.

“We know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose” (Rom. 8:28).

2. Believe that our Heavenly Father is in control of everything.

“The LORD has established His throne in the heavens, and His sovereignty rules over all” (Ps. 103:19).

3. Accept that the Lord’s ways are higher than ours.

“‘My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,’ declares the LORD. ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts’” (Isa. 55:8-9).

4. Refuse to make quick judgments in the midst of a crisis.

“Thus the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel, has said, ‘In repentance and rest you will be saved, in quietness and trust is your strength’” (Isa. 30:15)

5. Focus on the Father instead of the crisis.

“O our God . . . we are powerless before this great multitude who are coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are on You” (2 Chron. 20:12).

6. Avoid dwelling on the pain.

“Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why have you become disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him for the help of His presence” (Ps. 42:5).

7. Recall past crises and the opportunities that followed.

“They confronted me in the day of my calamity, but the LORD was my support. He also brought me forth into a broad place; He rescued me, because He delighted in me” (2 Sam. 22:19-20).

8. Let go of your anger immediately.

“Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not give the devil an opportunity” (Eph. 4:26-27).

9. Submit yourself to God’s will.

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight” (Pr. 3:5-6).

10. Demonstrate a spirit of gratitude.

“In everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thess. 5:18).

11. Determine to view the trial as a chance to see God at work.

“The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, to the person who seeks Him. It is good that he waits silently for the salvation of the LORD” (Lam. 3:25-26).

12. Refuse to listen to unscriptural interpretations of your situation.

“Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. . . . The wicked have laid a snare for me, yet I have not gone astray from Your precepts” (Ps. 119:105, 110).

13. Remain in constant prayer, listening for the Father’s instructions.

“Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving” (Col. 4:2).

14. Do not give in to fluctuating emotions.

“My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever” (Ps. 73:26).

15. Obey God and leave all the consequences to Him.

“Commit your way to the LORD, trust also in Him, and He will do it. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light and your judgment as the noonday. Rest in the LORD and wait patiently for Him” (Ps. 37:5-7).


------------------


intouch.org radio 2/18/15

17:37

When your trust in Him is full – it’s a full trust - He gives you in that moment a glimpse of the finished product and you know it’s a done deal because God has made it so. Then what are we to do? We are to walk in the light of the finished product. But your heart’s got to be clean - your motives got to be right. You got to be surrendered to Him. You got to be willing to wait for His timing: “God however You want to do it – this is what I believe is Your will – I’m trusting You.” Now listen, when your trust is full, you’ll have this awesome sense of peace and contentment that the battle is over. Will He do that for you? Yes, yes He will. Listen, if you know that you’re asking God about something that you know is His will, then “God, give me the capacity, Lord, to trust You fully.” Will He? Yes. It will transform your praying. It will transform your whole faith. In other words, once you see it as a done deal, listen, not done by you, done by God.


--------------------------------=


intouch.org radio 2/20/15

2:48


Hindrances to knowing God's will:


1. Self-will - you know what you want to do so you can't hear from God because you've already made up your mind.

2. The influence of others

3. Being ignorant of God's Word

4. Doubt

5. Feelings of unworthiness

"Somebody says: 'well, God plays favorites.' No He doesn't. Intimates, but not favorites. The closer you get to Him. the more intimate you are with Him, the more you're going to receive, and the more your heart's going to be assured and blessed in so many ways."

6. Busyness - "it's a matter of how we choose to invest our time which is determined by the value we place on it. And when you think about the value of our intimate relationship with God, there's nothing anymore valuable than that."

7. Fear - "when you obey God, you have not failed it doesn't make any difference what happens." Romans 8:28

8. Willful known sin - "He may give you a glimpse possibly of what you could do, but unless you settle the sin issue in your life, then it's not going to happen."


7 ways God can go about showing us His will


1. Is this consistent with the Word of God?

2. Is this a wise decision? Is it profitable? What are the consequences?

3. Can I honestly ask God to help me achieve that?

4. Do I have genuine peace about this? God keeps us restless until He gets us in the right direction to do the right thing. "You can't afford to move when there's no peace."

5. Does this decision fit who I am as a follower of Jesus?

6. Does this decision fit God's plan overall for my life?

7. Will my decision honor God?


21:04


God has a will and a plan for all of our lives. So what does it take for us to be able to listen to God's will and His plan?


1. Restless spirit - gets our attention - stirs us up on the inside.

2. Spoken word. - a word or phrase heard can get our attention can start to unveil God's will in our lives.

3. An unusual blessing

4. Unanswered prayer - drives us to pray more, to turn to Him and seek God's face. We get real honest with Him about our relationship with Him. "God, what are You trying to say to me?"

5. Disappointment - disappointment will drive us to God or drive us away from God. "If God has allowed you to suffer defeat, God wants to get your attention. There's something God wants to say to you."


"It's a whole lot simpler to listen to Him - to get in the Word of God and say: 'Lord, what are You trying to say to me?' And surrender your stubborn will to Him and let Him show you the best way for your life."


----------------------------------=


Why is it wise to wait on God?

By Dr. Charles Stanley

It is always wise to wait on God. Why?

First, it is wise to wait because God gives clear direction only when we are willing to wait. Remember, we don’t operate like the world operates. Instant gratification of need defines society. But we, as believers, live differently. We don’t take our cues from the world. We take them from God. He will give us clear direction, whether it is guidance for making a move or changing a career or choosing a mate. However, much to the distress of many, He seldom does it quickly. We must wait until He is ready to give direction.

God says, “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye” (Ps. 32:8). We must wait until He is ready to give counsel to us. I know it’s hard. No one ever said it would be easy. However, it is absolutely worth it.

Second, it is wise to wait because God uses that waiting time to get us in step with His timing. Being in step with the Father’s timing gives us a sense of peace. However, when we run ahead of Him, we will constantly be trying to figure out how to make our decisions work. Instead of peace, we will feel the chaos of our choices.

Third, it is always wise to wait because God uses the time of waiting to prepare us for the answer. As earthly parents, we don’t give our children everything they ask for. Sometimes we know that the timing isn’t right. How much more our Heavenly Father knows this for His children. He waits until we are able to handle the blessing with grace and trust.

Fourth, it is always wise to wait because waiting strengthens our faith. We might want to say, “Okay, God. I’ve learned as much faith as I care to. You can act now.” But when we realize that God is more interested in our character than in our comfort, waiting is a lot more palatable.

Fifth, it is always wise to wait because God gets our attention and sifts our motives. While waiting and praying for the promotion at work, we have time to think through our motives. Why do we really want that promotion? Do we want it to get more money or so others will think we are powerful? Could it be we want the promotion so we have a greater platform to serve the Lord? If we allow God to sift through our motives, the truth will surface—good or bad. It is amazing what we learn about ourselves through this waiting period.

So it is wise to wait because:

1. He gives clear direction.
2. He gets us in step with Himself.
3. He prepares us for what He has in store for us.
4. He strengthens our faith.
5. He gets our attention and sifts our motives.

Waiting is one of the more difficult things in the Christian life. However, it is never wasted time. God teaches us His path, changes our circumstances, keeps us in step with Himself, prepares us for His answers, and uses times of waiting to sift our motives and strengthen our faith.

The question comes: With all the advantages of waiting, why do we rush ahead as if we don’t have a trustworthy Father? We need to hit the pause button in our lives and take our lives out of the fast forward mode. God will amaze us with what He is doing while we wait on Him and watch Him work.


-------------------------


How should I wait upon the Lord?

By Dr. Charles Stanley

Be strong and let your heart take courage.

Psalm 27:14

It is wise to wait upon the Lord in order to receive His clear direction for our lives, to keep in step with His timing, to prepare us for what He wants to give us in life, and to sift our motives.

But how are we to wait? What should be the attitude with which we wait? How can we position ourselves to receive His help?

God expects us to wait:

Patiently. Making quick decisions often means making wrong decisions and forcing action when God is planning a different approach and outcome. As difficult as it may seem, we must wait until we are certain God has spoken to us.

Quietly. We cannot hear God’s still small voice when we drown Him out with our clamorous anxiety.

Full of trust. Doubting God stymies what He wants to do in your life and for you. His Word and His promises are unfailingly true, and it honors Him when you live out your faith in trust and confidence in Him.

Steadfastly. It can be so tempting to act on impulse or to follow the advice of others. While God may use other people or circumstances to lead you, what you are hearing or experiencing must always square with God’s Word.

Courageously. Sometimes waiting requires the courage to suffer through difficult or harsh circumstances. God often strengthens us through trials, increasing our faith even as His hand undergirds us.


(also explored on intouch.org radio 3/11/15 and 3/12/15 and 8/3/15, 8/4/15, 8/5/15 "When it's wise to wait on God" parts 1A,1B,2)


--------------------------=


intouch.org radio 7/23/13 14:25 (verbatim portion of message)

When you reach for something before God’s timing and you’re gonna have it anyway, one day you’re going to open your hand and it’s going to be all ashes: pain, suffering, disappointment, defeat and sometimes even death. You had to have it your way. That’s not God’s way. When God says wait, He’s got our best interests at heart.


-------


intouch.org radio 7/26/10 17:01 minutes in (verbatim portion of a message)

And I will say this: if you want something God doesn’t want you to have, you have somebody who’ll help you, and that’s the devil. But you better ask yourself the question: “I know this is not the right way to go about this but I got it. So God must be in it?” Oh wait a minute. There are a lot of things you can manipulate – if you use certain principles of persistence and determination and positive thinking and all the rest, you can get it. But once you get it, you’re going to be disappointed, it’s going to be empty, it could ruin you and it could destroy you.


-----


intouch.org radio 11/2/10 16:54 (verbatim portion of a message)

When you’re committed to Him as much as you know how to be committed to Him, and the desire of your heart happens not to be His desire for your life, you know what He will do? He’s not going to scold you. You really and truly are committed – you just believe for certain this is what the Lord wants but it’s not what He wants for your life. He will protect you by giving you the desire of your heart that He knows is the genuine desire of your heart which may not be anything like what you thought it was. That’s the love of God. I give you this warning: be careful what you desire.


---------


intouch.org radio 11/3/10 15:33 (verbatim portion of a message)

And when you and I push ahead of God – must have it now – we always make a mess of things. It never, never works out to get ahead of God. Because He knows the perfect timing: when you’re ready, when the circumstance is ready for you to have the desire of your heart. That’s why He says you and I are to concentrate on delighting ourselves in Him, committing it to Him, trusting Him with it, resting in that and then waiting for His timing. His timing is always perfect. And I think this is probably one of the best tests of our spiritual maturity: can I present a strong desire of my heart to God and commit it to Him, trust Him with it, rest in it and then go about the business of whatever God has called me to do in life and know that in His timing it’s going to come to pass? – I don’t have to worry about it, I don’t have to fret about it and I don’t have to be trying in some way manipulate my circumstance – I can’t be manipulating and resting at the same time.


-------


In the situation where Charles Stanley was unsure whether or not to buy a new car (described in his book "Waiting on God: Strength for today and hope for tomorrow"), Charles Stanley heard the Heavenly Father asking Charles whether Charles wanted the car Charles thought would be good enough or whether Charles should wait for the Heavenly Father’s best for Charles. When Charles didn’t buy that particular car and was later blessed to be able to get the right car for him, Charles learned that it is always best to wait for the best the Heavenly Father has for a christian. Charles Stanley also learned this lesson (detailed on intouch.org radio 3/12/15 at 14:40 minutes in) when Charles bought the right house for his family after almost being stuck with the wrong house for his family.


-----------------------------=


intouch.org Radio 1/6/14 (summary - not direct quotes)

If a christian feels he or she has missed the plan of the Heavenly Father for his or her life, that christian should trust that the Heavenly Father has a secondary plan for him or her. So get back into the will of the Heavenly Father. The Heavenly Father is willing to pick us up right where we are and give us a whole new beginning. That is what grace is all about: 2nd, 3rd, 4th chances – the Heavenly Father doesn’t cut us off because we’ve missed it. The Heavenly Father has a plan.


---------


intouch.org Daily Devotion

Seeking the Lord

Read | Hosea 10:12


We all spend some time seeking the Lord, but to be truly successful at it, we must learn to adjust our focus. The reason focus is important is that what we behold, we become. If we fix our attention on the sensual and materialistic, it won’t be long before we ourselves start leaning in that direction. I challenge you not to sit in front of the television, or partake of other forms of entertainment that allow unhealthy ideas into your mind night after night. While you might think it has no influence, it actually has a subtle but terrible gripping effect on you.

If, on the other hand, you focus your love and attention on Jesus, you will become like Him. As believers, we can focus on Him when we pray, when we study the Scriptures, and when we meditate on God’s truths. But we must go deeper, to the point that we are listening and sharing our hearts with Him. If we are open and transparent before Him, He will speak and pour Himself into us, like a spiritual version of osmosis.

When we learn to do this, we will find that our hunger and thirst for everything else begins to diminish. It’s not that our desires will disappear; they instead become redirected. You will discover you have a growing hunger for God and a longing to know Him in a deep, personal way. And you will notice your joy bubbling up and overflowing so that it cannot be stopped or stifled. Why? Because once you have begun to seek the Lord, you will recognize Him as your all in all.


-------------------


intouch.org Daily Devotion

Spiritual Discouragement

Psalm 34:1-8

Discouragement can result from different scenarios, but satan is the instigator. he will do anything he can to dishearten us and keep our focus on negative things instead of on God.

A subtle form of spiritual discouragement is the idea that we cannot please God. This is a trap of the devil, and too many Christians are ensnared by it. If we were to write down everything we thought we must do to please God, how long would that list be before it was complete? We would assume we should read the Bible more, pray more, give more, and witness more. We could probably fill up both sides of the paper. Then we would look at our list and realize it’s impossible to accomplish all of it.

That’s the trap. What pleases the Lord is our obedience, not our adherence to a long checklist of duties.

Unanswered prayer is another source of discouragement. When we present a request to the Lord, He does not necessarily answer in the manner or timing that would be our preference. When that is the case, we will far too often allow discouragement to creep in, and from there, we might decide to give up on prayer.

Yesterday we saw that focusing on the Lord is essential for breaking the chains of discouragement. When you turn to God, it is also helpful to pray three things aloud:

First, thank Him for being with you while you feel disheartened.

Second, admit He is in control of your life.

And third, acknowledge that He is good and will ultimately work the circumstances for your benefit.


-------


intouch.org daily devotion 1/27/14

We all periodically face difficulties that make us feel weak. Discouragement, however, like a drive through a dark tunnel, should be temporary: after a short while, we should come out on the other side. I have experienced situations in which I was very discouraged for a season. On occasion, I have had to get on my knees during the night to cry out to God for encouragement. After asking Him for a change in attitude and help in laying down my burden, I have been able to get back to sleep.

In order to gain victory, we must first look within ourselves. We need to admit our specific discouragement as well as the unresolved conflicts in our heart. Identifying the root cause of our disheartened feelings allows us to work through them. Most importantly, we must turn to God. As long as we are talking about our hurt, suffering, embarrassment, or shattered dreams, we will wallow in despair. But the moment we lift our heads and say “Father,” we take our first step out of discouragement.


-----------


intouch.org Daily devotion, May 16, 2014

The Faith to Hold Out

Read | Hebrews 12:3-11


Sometimes our life can seem like a long, dark tunnel. Perhaps we are unable to discover a solution for a problem, or we cannot find relief from pain. Regardless of the direction we turn, we can’t find hope for anything better than our present circumstances.

Thankfully, we serve a God Who feels our pain and knows our limitations firsthand. Jesus Christ walked through the valley of the shadow of death and cried out, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Mark 15:34). This means that when our faith is stretched to the breaking point, our strength is exhausted, and our dreams are shattered like glass, Jesus understands. And He asks us to hold on, even when everything in us screams to give up.

Giving up means abandoning God’s help for our own strength. We try to manipulate a situation or simply avoid pain. In essence, we are choosing to believe that satan in his worldly power is stronger than Christ within us—which is the exact opposite of what the Bible says is true (1 John 4:4). Of course, the devil is not more powerful, but we let him win a battle if we give up on the assurance that God will see us through difficulty. When we have that attitude, we miss the Father’s blessing and limit our usefulness in His Kingdom.

Even when we cannot detect His presence, God is working every moment on our problem. But we must trust His perfect timing for revealing the answer. Your Father knows your hurt, and He will bring you through that dark tunnel. Do not give up before receiving His blessing.


--------------------


intouch.org radio 10/31/13, 7/10/15, 7/13/15 summarized - not direct quotes.

The Holy Spirit corrects a saint with clear messages of error that should be understood and dealt with through prayer and repentance. The evil one, conversely, attacks a saint with harsh condemning thoughts to cause weariness and misery. Learn to recognize the Holy Spirit's messages and reject the evil one’s attacks.


--------------------=


intouch.org radio 7/10/15, 7/13/15 summarized - not direct quotes

There are numerous feelings that cause false guilt.

- legalistic religious teaching that has the wrong emphasis.

- abuse from the past

- emotional criticism received when in childhood that caused emotional/attitude problems

- unrealistic expectations

- inferiority complexes

- the evil one keeps bringing up sins that a saint has already confessed and repented of

- other types of harassment from the evil one


Guilt causes doubt

- doubting God's love

- doubting God's presence

- doubting God's provision

- doubting God's promises

- doubting God will answer prayers


Guilt causes fear

- fear of the judgment of God

- fear of loss and rejection

- fear that a saint will be found out for past wrongs


Guilt causes insecurity/inadequacy

- never enough money or reassurance or support, etc.


Guilt causes compulsive behavior

- trying to compensate in busy/unwise behavior for vague reasons


Guilt causes lack of joy in life


A proper relationship with Jesus Christ helps a saint combat false guilt.

- saints are loved and special to the Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ - affirm who you are

- our forgiveness helps us saints reject false feelings of guilt. We stumble at times, but we have a present help suitable for any stumbles. 1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.


Simply say: "in the Name of the Lord Jesus, I reject these feelings of guilt. They have no Biblical basis; therefore it's false - it's a lie and I refuse to acknowledge it."

If we can, we should make amends for wrongs that we have done. Sometimes attempting to make amends will make the situation worse.

1 Peter 1:16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy

- this doesn’t mean a life of sinless perfection but it means that a saint is bent towards God due to the indwelling Holy Spirit and when a saint stumbles, confession and repentance is the response.

Not being a christian is an appropriate reason for a feeling of guilt. So heed the call to salvation without delay.


-----------------=


intouch.org Daily Devotion, Aug 13, 2014

In the Midst of Trials

Read | Genesis 39:6-20


Joseph’s enslavement lasted for 13 years and went from bad to worse. He lost his favored position in Potiphar’s household and went to prison when the master’s wife told lies about him. His hope for release from jail died when the king’s servant forgot his promise (Gen. 40:14, 23). The future looked bleak.

Despite the evidence of circumstances, God was carrying out His plan to bless Joseph and benefit his family. Joseph was His appointed person to rescue them from the coming famine. To accomplish this, he had to learn the Egyptian language and culture, develop leadership abilities, and mature spiritually. The Lord’s plan accomplished all of this.

Joseph learned two helpful lessons. First, the Lord is a faithful companion who uses our troubles to prepare us for His work. When the time came, Joseph was fully trained to become second-in-command to Pharaoh—the Egyptian king even testified that God’s presence was with Joseph (41:38).

Second, when the Lord accomplishes His purposes, the difficulty will end. At God’s chosen moment, Joseph was freed from jail, rewarded with a high-ranking appointment, and reconciled with his family. Though his boyhood was gone, he was greatly blessed by living in the center of the Father’s will.

Adversity can be painful, but the Lord uses it to further His purposes and equip us for His plan. What is He trying to teach you in the midst of your trials? Are you cooperating with Him? Remember, even Jesus suffered in order to fulfill God’s redemptive purpose (Matt. 16:21).

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]
[ Contact Forum Admin ]

Forum timezone: GMT-8
VF Version: 3.00b, ConfDB:
Before posting please read our privacy policy.
VoyForums(tm) is a Free Service from Voyager Info-Systems.
Copyright © 1998-2019 Voyager Info-Systems. All Rights Reserved.