Prayer

Prayer shared by Derrick Rosborough

Lord, when bad things happen in my life, help me have courage to shake them off and move on. People may not understand, and may even make critical judgments as to why those things happened. But all that really matters is that You know why, and that I’m all right with You. You can enable me to survive anything. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Acts 28:3-5 (New Living Translation)
As Paul gathered an armful of sticks and was laying them on the fire, a poisonous snake, driven out by the heat, bit him on the hand. The people of the island saw it hanging from his hand and said to each other, “A murderer, no doubt! Though he escaped the sea, justice will not permit him to live.” But Paul shook off the snake into the fire and was unharmed.

Domestic Violence….

Why is it so hard for a man to call the police on a woman who puts her hands on him?

Do you feel it’s okay for a man to hit a woman back if she hits him first?

Do you feel that their are certain circumstances when a person should be hit by the opposite sex?

Do you think there is enough understanding on how Domestic Violence hurts the whole family?

What are some ideas on stopping Domestic Violence?

Domestic Violence Hotlines:

(816)461-4673(HOPE), Hope House or (816) HOTLINE, Kansas City Metro; The hotline provides 24-hour crisis intervention and support. Also, the hotline is the appropriate way to make a referral to Hope House or to request a HAP (Healthcare Advocacy Program) advocate meet with a victim at an area hospital.

National Domestic Violence Hotline 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or TTY 1-800-787-3224
Computer use can be monitored and is impossible to completely clear. If you are afraid your internet and/or computer usage might be monitored, please use a safer computer, call your local hotline, and/or call the National Domestic Violence Hotline.

Women Cheating…

Will a man stand by his woman if she cheats?

We always hear about the men that cheat in relationships and how women have to deal with it and we talk about how bad men are and try to figure out why they cheat and why the women choose to stay with them. What about the women that go out and cheat? How do men deal with and feel about that because there are women out there who are no better than the men we talk about who do these things.

Prayer

My God, please remove all of the habits that cause me to turn from you. Help me to fast and pray; to listen and do whatever you tell me to do and follow Your Word. Make me forget about what I want and focus on what others need. Father, you can destroy relationships that cause me to sin against you. God I am willing to suffer; to be alone; to hurt; to give up some stuff…. I just want to be the person you created me to be. Help me love the unlovable and forgive those who hurt me. Show me how to give to my enemies and help me to serve you the way you want me to serve you. I don’t want to do what’s easy; I want to do what’s pleasing to You. I don’t want to be lazy, putting you after my desires….but I want to put you first so that my desires are the same as Your desires. Father God, I am turning away from anything and everything that is unproductive, useless, unsuccessful and unfruitful. God I surrender everything to You today, so that You can use me for Your purposes and Your glory. I surrender my mind; my heart; my will; my gifts; my talents; my resources; my finances; my time; my life; my body; my will and my desires to You. Guide me, lead me, strengthen me and use me today Lord. You are the potter and I am the clay…Mold me into a selfless, loving, giving and forgiving child of God. In Jesus’ Heavenly Name, Amen.

The party has been canceled!

Rev. Toni-Brooke Brown

Wipe your eyes; get up and move on. Sometimes we make bad decisions, backslide or fail at something that we’ve tried. We may become distraught, unhappy, troubled, agitated and upset. What can we do? We can wallow in self-pity; dive into despair and hangout in hopelessness. We can have a pity party and invite those who will help us feel sorry for ourselves; whining and complaining ; crying and weeping. At our pity party we can celebrate our faults and keep remembering the bad times and the bad things. We can convince ourselves that everything is destroyed and there is no way out. And whatever negative feedback we need, we are sure to receive it from those that we have invited to celebrate our failures and pain. Sound like fun? Cancel the party!

A pity party is set up for us to feel sorry for ourselves. When we feel sorry for ourselves, we don’t have to take responsibility and we can’t move forward. A pity party allows us to stay in the doom and gloom of what we’ve done and what has happened. The party can last as long as we want it to. It can last for hours; days; weeks; months and yes, even years. And we can always find people to participate in our pity parties, because misery loves company. Some pity parties make you drink and use drugs; some make you cry and complain; some make you hurt others so that everyone can be miserable together…. Whatever the case, pity parties are destructive and non-productive. Pity parties are progress stoppers and destroyers of the future. Cancel the party!

So what can be done when failure occurs; bad decisions are made; backsliding takes place or things aren’t going our way? Pop the balloons that have been blown up for the pity party; cancel the party and un-invite the guests. Decide, instead, to get up, wipe your tears and move on. Decide to invite some faith-filled; life-seeking; God-fearing; over-comers, to come and celebrate your victory that is on the way. Decide to cancel your pity-party and replace it with a praise party. Celebrate by believing God to turn things around; to take the failure and make it a victory; to take your backsliding and turn it into a testimony; to take your bad decisions and make them a growing opportunity. Celebrate God’s ability to turn your trouble into triumph.
Cancel the pity party so you can move on.

As a result of David’s sin of adultery and murder, his son died. David had been fasting and weeping while his son was sick, but when he died, David got off the ground; washed; changed his clothes; went to God’s house; worshipped and ate. He could have wallowed in self-pity. He could have focused on his sins and complained about the outcome. But instead of having a pity party, David got up; got himself together and moved on.

“Then David arose from the earth, and washed, and anointed himself, and changed his apparel, and came into the house of the Lord, and worshipped: then he came to his own house; and when he required, they sat bread before him, and he did eat.” 2 Samuel 12:20

The party is over!!

Love somebody today who doesn’t love you; doesn’t care about you; won’t repay you, can’t repay you and doesn’t want to repay you…then you will be treating them the way God treated you…

DARKEST BEFORE DAWN…

Just when I thought the blessing was coming; just when I thought the breakthrough was here, trouble came in like a flood. What’s the problem? I prayed and waited; expecting and hoping for my blessing and my breakthrough. Just when it appeared to be on the way, trouble came. Why? Sometimes it’s darkest before the dawn.

Remember the children of Israel crying out for God to deliver them from bondage and from slavery? When Moses and Aaron came on the scene to deliver them, their work load was made harder. Their situation appeared to get worse. They began to get discouraged. When we are on the brink of our deliverance; on the edge of our breakthrough; on the verge of receiving our blessing, trouble may come to try to distract you… But keep you’re your eyes on the prize; your mind on Jesus and your focus on the promises. Don’t miss out on your blessing just because the enemy is trying to weigh you down with burdens and trouble…. Sometimes it’s darkest before the dawn.

So when you see that you are drawing closer to your dream and nearer to your vision; when you see that you are moving into your purpose; and the plan for your life is unfolding; don’t be fooled by the storms; don’t be distracted by the trouble. Keep pressing forward; keep grabbing hold of your blessing. Don’t turn to the left, and don’t turn to the right. Just pray and keep on moving. Just praise and keep on moving. Just seek God and keep on moving. Don’t stop till you get it. Don’t give up till you see it. Don’t turn back, because it coming! Sometimes it’s darkest before the dawn.

“The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: He shall preserve thy soul. The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.” Psalm 121:7-8

Love somebody today who doesn’t love you; doesn’t care about you; won’t repay you, can’t repay you and doesn’t want to repay you…then you will be treating them the way God treated you…

A Bondservant of Christ
Rev Toni-Brooke Brown, Pastor
God’s Storehouse
18301 John R
Detroit MI 48203
313 867-1234

www.Gods-Storehouse.org

God’s Way

By Pastor Paula White

I believe a life of success is built on those things that are of great value in the eyes of God. A life of success will exhibit signs of inner spiritual maturity – not outward signs of material acquisition.

The Bible repeatedly describes the behavior, beliefs, and actions that will lead to a successful life. Some of the most notable marks of spiritual maturity and a level of true success in life include:

An Ability to Love. Love is giving. Love flows from having received love and value from the Lord. Spiritually mature people are givers. They are motivated to help others succeed, even more than they want to benefit themselves.

A Joyful Outlook on Life. True joy is not rooted in the material trappings money can buy. Spiritually mature and successful people realize that, often, the “things” we think will make us happy don’t. True joy is rooted in an awareness of the greatness of God and the many blessings He showers on us on a daily basis. Joy flows from the inside out, and is not based on external things, people, or situations.

A Peaceful Spirit. Striving for “outward success” can keep us restless, always on the hunt for something to satiate our anxiety, fears, or unsatisfied yearnings of the heart. Genuine peace is a feeling of wholeness and calm that stems from knowing one is in right relationship with God. Spiritual mature people have a genuine peace that stays with them even when the world outside is falling apart.

Patience. Spiritually mature people realize that true success in anything is very rarely gained overnight. Success comes from being able to persevere, and when necessary, wait for the desired result. Spiritually mature people have learned that long-lasting fixes and cures take time, slow-cooked meals are generally far better than fast food. Rewarding relationships require patience and take time to build. Often, success is sweeter and more sustainable when it comes slowly!
Attitude of Kindness and a Humble Stance. True success carries an attitude of humility, courtesy, and respect for others. A spiritually mature person allows others to express their opinions and make their own choices — while still being strong enough to express and make best decisions for their own good. Before God, the successful person meekly carries the attitude, “Not my will, but Your will, be done.”

Faith in God. The spiritually mature person leads a life of success by putting their trust solely in God. They realize that to trust oneself is folly, and to trust others without question is naïve. They recognize the sovereignty, wisdom, and divine direction of God, and apply His Holy Word to their life on a daily basis.

Self Control. The successful, spiritually mature person has developed willpower and restraint, seeking what is best for all involved, in the ways and times that are most beneficial and appropriate.

When we seek to develop these godly characteristics, we are well on our way to creating a life of success – God’s way!

For more information about Paula, log onto www.paulawhite.org.

Prayer Life

This prayer was shared by Derrick Rosborough.

LORD, help me make prayer a greater priority in my life. I often do not pray enough even for myself, much less for others who need the cover of my prayers. Teach me how to pray more effectively, more in agreement with You, and more in the power of Your Spirit. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Ephesians 6:18-20, New Living Translation
Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.

And pray for me, too. Ask God to give me the right words so I can boldly explain God’s mysterious plan that the Good News is for Jews and Gentiles alike.I am in chains now, still preaching this message as God’s ambassador. So pray that I will keep on speaking boldly for him, as I should.

The #1 Way to Start Your Day

Written by Joyce Meyer

God wants us to have joy in the midst of our ordinary, everyday life—even on the worst days of our life.

It took me a lot of years to figure this out, but I now know that the very best way to start my day is by giving thanks to God for what He’s done for me, and asking Him how I can be a blessing to other people.

There were times in my life when I dreaded facing each day. All I could think about was my circumstances—wondering how Dave and I were going to pay the bills or get everything done that we needed to do. Sometimes I wanted to pull the covers over my head and just stay in bed.

I was so wrapped up in worry that I was missing the point: God had created a new day, and He wanted me to enjoy it.

Achieving an A+ Attitude
Every single day is filled with all kinds of situations that could upset you—things like losing your car keys or getting caught in a traffic jam. But you can choose to be at peace and in control.

God doesn’t necessarily create difficult situations for us, but He will use them to develop our character.

When you and I take our minds off ourselves and our circumstances, and put our focus on God and loving others, we are embracing an attitude that will bring honor to Him.

No matter what happens during our lifetime, we can be sure that God is working everything out for our good.

Setting Realistic Expectations
Another thing I’ve learned is that you cannot count on someone else to make you happy. You must take responsibility for your own happiness.

There was a time when I would feel sorry for myself if Dave went to play golf the day after one of our big conferences. I wanted him to go shopping or watch a movie with me. But God showed me that we have different ways of relaxing and unwinding.

By keeping our expectations of each other “real,” we can be free to do what we really enjoy.

Putting God and Others First
When you feel discouraged about yourself or your circumstances, remember that God made you and loves you just the way you are. He is leading you to where you’re supposed to be. And He is going to be with you every step of the way.

I encourage you to spend time each morning focusing on the good things God has done in your life. Think about the dangers and difficulties He’s brought you through, the ways He’s healed you and changed you, and how good it is to know He cares for you and hears your prayers.

When you learn to set your mind on God each morning, He’ll give you all the peace and joy you need to love others every single day of your life.