Inspirationals
Feeling frustrated? Bored? Stressed 0ut? Insignificant? Overworked? Disillusioned? Humiliated? Or condemned? Articles below can help to turn your failures and trials into successes, improve relationships, encourage growth, lead to greater mental health, and give hope, purpose, enthusiasm, faith, and a bigger vision. Try a few and see if they don't put you back into God's picture.
Boredom
Lost your zest for life? Read this and discover how to keep life full of excitement and adventure.
(See also faithfulness, Hearing from God, and Aim for the Sky.)
The Revolution
A Bible study on the dangers (and potential) of both blessings and trials. Ups and downs are the stuff from which progress evolves... or revolves, as illustrated here.
(See also Burnout? and Oh, for a Really Good Day!)
Stressing Out!
Not all stress is bad. What makes it bad is the feeling that we cannot escape it. Worry about what others think is one of the worst forms of stress. Learn to recognise and overcome it.(See also Leaders who Serve, and Burnout?)
Why Did My Father Die?
A brief answer to the question so many ask when they experience pain or suffering. It may shock some of you.
(See also No Pain, No Gain, Hard Decisions, and God's No Fool.)
The Ultimate Source
Every spiritually backward step that we take comes from one source... lack of faith in God's existence. Many of us who claim to believe in God live like he does not exist, and like he does not love us. Turn back to God, and everything else will fall back into place.
(See also Pictures that Bring Perspective, and Smile, God Loves You!.)
Pictures that Bring Perspective
This article describes three simple mental images which can help us to get our religious disagreements, personal trials, and need for obedience to God into perspective.
(See also Divine Love, Let Go and Let God Do It!, and The Cross.)
Imagination
Imagination is essential to follow the Golden Rule, show compassion to the poor, plan your day, or get right with God.
(See also eternity, A Sense of His Story, Learning to See, and Pictures that Bring Perspective.)
Faithfulness
When the glamour fades, only the faithful remain. If we keep our eyes on an eternal goal, the routine takes on new meaning. We'll see our place in God's bigger plan.
(See also boredom, and Those Other Apostles.)
Faithfulness: Some Thoughts
Robin reflects on the role of faithfulness in the lives of all great people.(See also True Greatness.)
Willing To Be Made Willing?
Willpower is important; but it lets us down at the worst times. God wants our will, but we need his mercy too, because willpower is not enough to keep us going when things get tough.
(See also Lest You Fall.)
Fear Not!
Our fear of doing the wrong thing may strangle the voice of God's Spirit, and make us useless to God. Trying too hard to stay "on the rails" may be what bumps so many of us off. We may need to drop our rules and start all over... like little children.
(See also know-it-alls, Lest You Fall, Fear of the Devil, and Honest Doubt.)
Know-It-Alls
Are you ready to sacrifice your own opinions and traditions for the teachings of Jesus? Even your ideals must take second place to those that Jesus felt were the important ones. If not, you are headed for a fall.(See also Lest You Fall, and Losing Your Identity.)
Aim for the Sky
You can turn today into an historic milestone just by listening! Don't settle for second best, when you can have so much more!
(See also Positions Vacant, resolutions, change, Fear of the Devil, True Greatness, and eternity.)
True Greatness
Dave indulges himself in a rave about his children in this reminder that greatness is not outside the reach of the average person. We can get there if we will let God change us. (See also Positions Vacant, and Aim for the Sky.)Positions Vacant
A comparison between Sister Teresa and Sister Diane. Few could follow in the footsteps of one, while almost all of us could imitate the other. We could spend our lives wishing we were a prince or princess, or we could spend our lives being servants, and find with it immortality. Time to wake up from our fairy tales and start learning the lessons of true love.(See also faithfulness, and True Greatness.)
Forsaken
Are the righteous ever forsaken? Suffering is not the same as rejection. We can survive, if we know that there is a purpose in what God has allowed to come our way. (See also Oh, for a Really Good Day!, and Burnout?)
The Fates
Giving in to "fate" can be "fatal". We can change our fate, but only if we are willing to give it our utmost effort. A New Year's Eve 1997 message.
(See also Positions Vacant, Eternal Salvation, and resolutions.)
Disillusionment
Disillusionment is everywhere today. We need a way to turn it into something positive. Can the "illusions" be replaced with the truth? We need a bigger vision than just another organisation with the potential for all the same problems.(See also Convenient Doctrines, and Without Guile.)
Simon the Sorceror
Do you feel overlooked, while others get all the glory? Are you frustrated by others' indifference to your spiritual gifts? Be careful that you do not judge others by your own suppressed vices. Don't let bitterness destroy your relationship with other believers.
(See also bitterness, and From Bitter to Better.)
Tips to End Repression
We need to control our emotions; but burying them can be psychologically and spiritually damaging. Here are five tips for dealing with frustrations in constructive ways.(See also Repression vs Control, disagreements, Sex Sense, Heavy Burdens and Difficult Yokes, and Wanking, The Last Taboo.)
Repression vs Control
Emotional maturity comes when we learn to control emotions in accordance with principles and values, rather than just repressing them to avoid embarrassment or punishment. Cherry lists four distinctly human traits that need to be developed if we are to become emotionally mature. (See also imagination, The True Conscience, and Constant Prayer
Pride Smashing
Deliverance from pride is not evolutionary. It is revolutionary... and spiritually "violent", or it is a farce. If we are not consciously dealing with our pride (i.e. smashing it), we are defending it.
(See also pride, self-righteousness, and Advice for Counsellors.)
The Cross
The cross of Christ is a reminder of death and martyrdom, symbol of truth and confidence, and dividing line between religion and reconciliation. All of this on top of it offering us salvation!(See also Prophets, Martyrs and Saints, The Blood of the Lamb, Jesus the Revolutionary, and eternity.)
Lest You Fall
If you think we are teaching salvation by works, or that we don't understand the doctrine of the grace of God, then read this one. Being right with God requires a constant awareness of our own unworthiness.(See also self-righteousness, and Amazing Grace.)
Heavy Burdens and Difficult Yokes
(In Easy English) We miss the blessings that God has for us when we add our rules to his rules. We must drop our rules in order to have the strength left to obey God's rules.(See also Smile, God Loves You!, Amazing Grace, and Having a Great Time: Wish you were Here!)
The Martha Syndrome
This one by Cherry is aimed at the women, but there is something in it for everyone who has ever lost sight of the bigger picture in an obsession with a particular plan or project. It deals with perfectionism, fear of what others will think, the need for rest, and more.
(See also Fear of Public Opinion, and The Social Conscience Part 1)
Let Your Light Shine
Cherry offers tips for people who suffer from low self-esteem, to build up confidence without becoming proud. Recognising God's Spirit in ourselves and in others need not blind us to faults and the need to grow. But denying God's presence in ourselves and others can be both destructive and dishonest.
(See also Positive Thinking, The Revolution, and In Spirit and in Truth.)
Let Go and Let God Do It!
The hardest thing God asks anyone to do is just to "Let Go!" Living by faith is that easy.
(See also Fear of Poverty, The Forsake All Principle, and Smile, God Loves You!)
Cockroaches for Christ
Cherry compares our lack of popularity, and our small size and simplicity with that of the cockroaches, and she suggests that it could be these same qualities which will enable us to survive the dark days which lie ahead.
(See also Keep on Planting, faithfulness, Cannibals for Christ, Thirty is a Dangerous Age, and Fear of Public Opinion.)
Wisdom: Key Verses
These are some of the most helpful and inspirational verses that we have found in the Bible.Fathers
Do you have trouble understanding or getting along with your father? It could be a reflection of your relationship with your heavenly Father. Good "Father's Day" reading!
(See also Adam's Sin, The Spirit of Eve, and The Cuddlies.)
Christmas Communication
A short Christmas message about demonstrating our love by giving our selves, as God has done for us. Draws a comparison between the words communication, communion, having things in common, and living in community.(See also The Xmas Spirit.)
Resolutions
Most New Year resolutions are eventually broken. But nothing ventured, nothing gained. This is a plea for people to keep trying. Comments on our experience with monthly resolutions.(See also empowerment, and Aim for the Sky.)
The Great Escape
An account of one of our most miraculous experiences, as God intervened to save several of us from being stoned to death while working in India. We don't generally believe in publicising miracles, but this one, like the walk across the Nullarbor needed to be recorded for posterity.
(See also Walk Of Faith, and Eight Ways to Know God's Will.)
Conviction vs Condemnation
Conviction includes a constructive plan for change; and condemnation does not. We are neither as bad nor as good as the devil tries to tell us we are. And almost no one ever tries to be bad; it just happens. These are a few of the words of wisdom in this little article.(See also resolutions, and change.)
When Relations Break Down
(Formerly Anger vs Sin) What should be our attitude when people hit back and reject our offers of peace?(See also Divine Love, and Reject Us, Reject God.)
A Sense of His Story
Which events happening in our lifetime will distinguish the present from the rest of history? We need to look for God's perspective on human history.
(See also Thy Kingdom Come, Endtime Prophecy and the Revelation of Jesus Christ, and charismaniacs.)
Spiritual Giants
Your chance to be part of something big!(See also Positions Vacant, and Conquering Delusion.)
Forgiveness
This article by Cherry explains how it is in our own best interests to forgive others and even to forgive circumstances.
(See also bitterness, and From Bitter to Better.)
As We Forgive Others
One line in the Lord's Prayer puts an end to claims that God is obligated to forgive us regardless of how we behave. Bitterness is going to send many of us to hell.(See also bitterness, and As We Forgive Others.)
From Bitter to Better
Bitterness is a poison that sours the life of all who harbour it. Stop blaming others. Look for constructive solutions, if you want to live life to the full.
(See also bitterness.)
From Death to Life
In this personal testimony, Paul chronicles how his obsession with death has been transformed from one of depression to one of meaning and purpose.(See also Positive Thinking, and boredom.)
Why You're Special
An expression of appreciation by Dave to those who have remained faithful, while others have fallen away. The key has been that they accepted criticism, and tried to be honest about their weaknesses.(See also criticism.)
The Benefits of Not Backsliding
The prodigal son learned a lot through his mistakes; but it does not mean that we should all become prodigals. More can be accomplished through faithfulness; and a lot of pain and suffering can be avoided as well.(See also The Fall, deception and backsliding.)
Burnout?
Robin writes from deep personal experience, in questioning whether what we call burnout may actually be a spiritual test, leading to greater victories. The same "fire" that burns us out may also purify us.(See also Stressing Out!, faithfulness, Faithfulness: Some Thoughts, and Oh, for a Really Good Day!)
God's Best
Why settle for minimal obedience to Jesus if we can have something better? There are some disciplines that are not required of us, but which can be used if we want the best that God has to offer.(See also Fasting Without Ceasing, and Two Witnesses, part 2.)
Your First Love
This article has relevance for married couples, and for your personal relationship with God; but it primarily relates to our loss of appreciation for fellow Christians, when too much familiarity can lead to contempt.(See also Liking and Loving, Divine Love, Space Without Spice, and Divisions - Part of God's Plan?)
Liking and Loving
People who live together can easily start to "dislike" one another, just by focusing on faults. But we Jesus Christians have so much in common that, it should be easy for us to re-discover our first love for one another, and to spiritually fall in love again.
(See also Why You're Special and Your First Love.)
How Big Are We?
Are we a tiny handful of misfits, as we claim to be? Are we as big as our enemies say we are? Or could we be even bigger? It's all a matter of how you look at it.
(See also A Sense of His Story, The Kingdom of Heaven or Religion?, and The Virgin Army part 1.)
Buying Time
Time is life; so 'killing time' is just slow suicide. Learn to invest every moment in things that count for eternity. This study, originally called Redeeming the Time, is written in Easy English.
(See also time, Measure it, and Lombardi Finds a Job.)