The Truth About Pain, Suffering, and Illness

Think on what’s true. (Philippians 4:8-9, NIV) True; (John 17:17; John 8:32, NIV) Freedom from sin and deception. Free to live a full life. Noble; Choosing thoughts and actions that uplift rather than degrade. Our acts will follow our thoughts. Right; Basing our...

Fruitful. (Psalm 92:12-15, NIV; 2 Corinthians 4:16, NKJV) Fruit of other Christians. (John 14:6, NKJV; John 10:10, NKJV; Matthew 6:33) The real key to happiness is found in intimate relationships, not intentions. Saved + Intimate relationship = Joy When we are...

Remember the start position and focus on your growth. (Philippians 3:12-14, NCV) Having the right goals and dreams brings passion, purpose, and privilege. Start a gratitude notebook and write down the opportunities you have. Practice an attitude of gratitude....

What does the Bible say brings happiness? Wisdom and knowledge bring joy. (Ecclesiastes 2:24-26, NKJV) The right relationship with God brings joy. (Psalm 16:11, NKJV) Trusting in God brings happiness. (Proverbs 16:20, NKJV) Learn to be content with what you have. (1...

There is no perfect marriage. (Romans 3:23, NIV) No marriage is happy all the time. (Ecclesiastes 3:1,4, NIV) Stop being historical. (Philippians 3:13-14, NIV) 3 positives for every negative. (Ephesians 4:29-32, NCV; Proverbs 16:24, NIV) Separation for reconciliation....

Your spouse and your happiness. (Proverbs 18:22, NKJV) Your mate is God’s second greatest gift next to Jesus Christ as your Savior. Don’t focus on trying to change your mate, focus on you becoming the right person. The extreme feeling of Joy will fade. Falling in love...

Regret: Sorrow over something that happened to you or something you did. (2 Corinthians 7:10, NKJV, NIV) Wrong regrets or worldly sorrow bring death. Material and worldly-focus vs. spiritual focus will lead to emotional and spiritual death. (Philippians 3:13-14, NIV)...

Prioritize your health. If you’re not healthy, those you lead won’t be healthy. Unhealthy people hurt people. Don’t just get healthy, stay healthy. If you’re not growing, you can’t grow people. You are either the lid, or lid lifter. Growing people earn, learn...

Happiness is a byproduct of seeking Jesus. Most people seek things, but the byproduct is emptiness. The world seeks happiness by looking to people, places, power, fame, looks, etc. only to find emptiness. The #1 reason people go from job to job, church to church, and...

Consistently and intentionally connect with God on a regular basis. You can’t have Godly discernment or wisdom without consistently and intentionally connecting with God. Admit you don’t know what you don’t know. The more we learn, the more we know we need to learn...

Royalty is humble and patient. (Ephesians 4:1-32, NIV) Live worthy of what you have been given. Humility is putting Christ first, others second, and yourself last. (Mark 12:30-31, NKJV) This means knowing, accepting, and being ourselves to the glory of God. When we...

The responsibility of pastors and staff. (Ephesians 4:11-16, NKJV; Hebrews 13:17, NKJV) Train them for a task. Develop them to be better people. Disciple them in being a better follower of Christ. The danger of not doing your part. You will miss out. You will not be...

Consistently and intentionally connect with God on a regular basis. You can’t have Godly discernment or wisdom without consistently and intentionally connecting with God. Admit you don’t know what you don’t know. The more we learn, the more we know we need to learn...

Ephesians 1:2-20, CEV, TPT, Passion, NKJV Christ will be kind to you and will bless with peace. He will bless you with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realm. The same love God has for the Beloved, Jesus God has for us! Total cancellation of our sins. We get...

What and who would you go to prison for? (Ephesians 3:1-2, NKJV, ESV) Paul was so passionate about his calling that nothing, including prison, was going to stop him. (1 Peter 4:12-13, NKJV) The inner man gets his peace, power, and fullness through love. Love, not...

Passion will give the vision energy. Passion gives not only starting power, but staying power. If your passion is right you actively support what you’re passionate about. Passion during stress. We don’t need to reduce stress, we need to increase our passion about the...

  You must connect with Jesus. It’s not about proximity with God, it’s simply being available to God. We can’t get much closer than having Him living in us and promising never to leave us. (Hebrews 13:5-6, NKJV; Revelation 3:20, NKJV) If you’re a Christian, even when...

The main cause of conflict. (Ephesians 4:26-27, CEV; James 4:1-2, NCV) The main cause of fights and arguments come from selfish desires that war within us all. The flesh is natural and the spirit is supernatural. The real cure is when you come to the point that you...

The motivation factor in your marriage can’t be your mate, but the Lord! (Matthew 6:33, NKJV; Matthew 22:36-40, NKJV) Men are superior to women. (1 Peter 3:7, NKJV) You need a mission mindset. (Psalm 127:1, NKJV) Calendar guarantee – you get older; Growth guarantee –...

Relationship Truths. Independent: Living as one, but both living separate lives. (1 Peter 3:7, NKJV) Co-dependent: Dependent on one another, if one crashes they both crash. Excessive caretaking. Difficulty setting boundaries. Low self-esteem. Fear of abandonment....

The condition of your heart greatly determines your actions, reactions, behavior, and joy in spite of your circumstances and situations. (Proverbs 4:23, NKJV) If you have any issues in life, it’s really a heart issue. Hard hearts hurt others, humble hearts help...

Learn how to communicate better. Release what you think you know. Intentionally release what you think God is going to tell you and listen for His voice. Receive - open your heart. Receive with an open heart before you respond in the conversation. Receive God’s Word...

Your expectations need to come from God. (Psalm 62:5, KJV) If your expectations come from anyone other than God, you will live a roller coaster of a life. God is going to take care of you. Love your wife, kids, and friend but your expectations need to come from God...

Be careful when answering your children. Children’s first impression of God will be their parents, apart from transformation. God’s Word spoken to them with the wrong attitude will breed rebellion, not rewards. (Ephesians 6:4, TLB; James 1:26, ESV) Questions for you:...

Jesus understands how we feel in any situation. (Matthew 27:45-46, NLT) Jesus might not deliver us from the problem and pain, but He will never leave us or abandon us. (Hebrews 4:15-16, NKJV; Lamentations 3:22-23, NKJV) He will remove the pain or the problem. Give us...

Step 1: Unfollow negativity Social media us the #1 source of negativity and negative contagious emotions. Unfollow any accounts that bring negativity, spur bad feelings or don’t inspire you. (1 Corinthians 15:33, CEV) Step 2: Cancel plans. Open your calendar and look...

Love louder. (1 Corinthians 13:13, NKJV; 1 Corinthians 13:1-2, CEV) It doesn’t matter how good you teach, preach, sing, or how much faith you have, if you don’t have love, it’s worthless. Love louder, more than anyone else in the room. Be wiser. (Ephesians 5:17, NKJV;...

God speaks to us. (Luke 1:26-35, NKJV) How to Know God’s Will: God’s Word. God’s Principles. God’s authorities. God’s sovereignty. How to make a Godly Decision: Will this choice bring glory to God? Is this a decision Jesus would make? Will I be proud of this decision...

  God is the hero, not Jonah. (Jonah 3:5-6, NKJV; Jonah 3:9-10, NKJV, NLT2; 2 Chronicles 7:14, NKJV) It’s God who does the miracles, not us. What God wills and wants, it will happen. What God really wanted was not to punish and destroy, but to love and forgive. (Jonah...

The Lord was with Joseph from the pit to the palace. (Genesis 39:2, NKJV) The Lord was with Joseph in his job, but he still had problems. The Lord was with Joseph in prison and showed him favor. (Genesis 39:21-23, NKJV) The Lord was not only with Joseph, but He also...

God’s Word tells us to allow God to love us. (1 John 3:1, AMP, CEV, NCV) The reason that the world does not know us is because it does not know Him. On the good days and bad days God still loves you and you need to allow God to love you. Consequences of not allowing...

We are called to fight spiritually more than physically. (2 Corinthians 10:3-5, NIV) We may not do it more because we feel that’s just the way it is and we will have to live with it. Salvation is free, but peace has a price and most people don’t want to pay the price....

Pray that God will give patience in the process. (Psalm 40:1-2, GW, NLT2) You can know what the process is, even if you don’t fully understand it. (Jeremiah 29:11, NKJV, NLT2, CEV) Because you know the purpose of the process, it helps you have patience. Be still and...

The goodness of God is beyond description. (Psalm 106:1-5, TLB; Psalm 106:5, TLB) Thank Him for loving us continuously and forever. Thank Him for His mercies that are new every morning. Thank Him for sending His Son to die for our sins. Thank Him for giving us the...

Your purpose is what you live out, not what you just talk about. Even though we have purpose and favor, it does not mean we will not have problems. Jesus had a purpose with favor. (Luke 2:52, NKJV; Hebrews 12:2, NKJV) When our pain has purpose, it makes it easier to...

God’s favor is still with us even in the bad times. (Psalm 30:5, NKJV, ESV) Make sure you activate the favor of God. The Holy Spirit never leaves us, but there are things we can do that grieve the Holy Spirit: (Ephesians 4:25-32, NKJV) Bitterness. Rage. Anger. Harsh...

A true wife brings strength and joy. (Proverbs 18:22, NKJV, AMP; Proverbs 14:1, NCV) A wise woman applies God’s Word and principles to the marriage which strengthens it. A true and wise woman knows that marriage will need repairs and will help do her part to keep it...

  Grow from the inside out, be bigger on the inside than the outside. (Psalm 119:11, NKJV) Allow God’s Word to transform you. (Romans 12:2, NKJV; Luke 6:45, NKJV; Matthew 23:25, NKJV) Qualities of leaders who grow from the inside out. They value people more than...

Abraham’s response to God’s representatives help us understand why he finally received the favor he had been waiting on. (Genesis 18:1-15, NCV) When God comes into your presence, do you want to beg Him to stay? Do you see yourself as God’s servant rather than God...

Continue to ask God for His favor. (Psalm 90:16-17, NRSV) Can we grow in God’s favor? Yes How do we grow in God’s favor? Salvation and Wisdom. (Proverbs 8:35, NKJV, AMP) Wisdom is knowing the mind of God in a matter and then knowing how to apply it on a day-to-day...

Stop being goal-oriented and be more growth-oriented. Getting promoted past your personal growth is a land mine waiting to happen. Happiness is a by-product of oneness. Trying to be special because of achievement won’t bring happiness, it brings separation, fear, and...

Consistency is most important at home. First with your mate: Trust is built by the right actions and reactions repeated over a long period of time. (Luke 16:10, NCV) Second with your children: If you tell them you’re going to do something, do it! (Ephesians 6:4, TEV)...

It’s not desire that causes us to win, grow, or be successful. It’s the design. You have to have both desire and design. Desire starts the fire, but design takes you to the finish line. Desire is about passion, but design is about the pattern. Areas to grow in:...

Every leader needs and wants loyalty. You can’t get loyalty and longevity mixed up with productivity. Business does not equal productivity. You can’t get trust mixed up with truth. You want to trust them or you really don’t need them. You can’t allow the truth about...

God is large and in charge. (Isaiah 46:9-11, NIV; Psalm 115:3, NIV; Daniel 4:35, NIV) He is large enough and in charge enough to take care of whatever we are facing. (Colossians 1:17, NKJV, CEV) God’s permissive will still gives us freedom of choice. (Romans 12:2,...

You have to have an impossible situation or problem. (Mark 4:36-41, NKJV, CEV) If we can solve it on our own it would not be a miracle and we wouldn’t have peace. We need God’s peace when the problem is beyond our control. Impossible situations are nothing more than...

Guard your heart with the words we speak. (Proverbs 4:23-27, Proverbs 18:21) My mouth portrays what’s inside of me. (Matthew 15:18, NIV) SOMEONE WITH                                                  IS REVEALING A                    Harsh Tongue                       ...

Satan tried to command Jesus what to do. (Matthew 4:1-11, NKJV) The truth is Satan can only try to control you and deceive you. Satan can confuse you but he can’t command or control you unless you allow him. If we focused as much on spiritual food as we do physical...

____ Are you reading the Word of God intentionally on a regular basis that reflect in your schedule? It’s all about the heart and what God wants for us. (Proverbs 4:23, NKJV; Joshua 1:8, NKJV) God’s Word leads us to salvation. (1 Peter 1:23, NKJV) God’s Word guides...

The first way to make Godly decisions is wisdom. (Proverbs 4:7, NKJV; Proverbs 14:12, NKJV) Wisdom is knowing God’s mind in the matter. Wisdom comes from God’s Word, God’s people, and God’s circumstances. Wisdom does not come from how you feel. The flesh is always...

There’s nothing stressless about long term relationships; you only learn how to better deal with it which will greatly reduce stress. (Ephesians 4:25-32, NCV; John 8:32, NKJV; Proverbs 15:1, NKJV; Proverbs 18:21, NKJV; James 3:10, NKJV) Learn to forgive quickly and...

Why did Jesus speak so much about money? (Matthew 6:24, NIV; Matthew 6:21, NKJV; Proverbs 4:23, NKJV, TLB) Money problems really start with heart problems. Guard the conversations: What you allow in your heart. What you allow in your mind. What you allow done with...

4 Main Causes of Stressors: Lack of contentment. Love of money. Not managing money by God’s design. You’re in the middle of something beyond your control. Lack of contentment. (Colossians 3:17, ESV, Colossians 3:18-25, ESV) If you’re not content with what you have...

Is your schedule dictated by what’s urgent or is it designed to accomplish what’s most important? (Matthew 6:33-34, NKJV; Luke 10:40-42, NKJV) Mary chose what was important over what was urgent. If you want to reduce the number of stressors in life and want more of...

Time with Jesus has to be intentional and continuous. (Luke 10:38-42, NKJV) Listen with the intention of hearing what Jesus has to say to you, not what you have to say to Him. Some questions to ask yourself: How are you living your day to day level of life, peace or...

Fellowship relationship. (Philippians 4:11-13, NKJV) To talk with Him (Jesus) and hear His voice. Means being aware of His presence every moment of your life. When you are not aware of His presence you are not in living fellowship. Peace has to become a lifestyle you...

How is your peace in God? (Philippians 4:6-7, NKJV) Everything, everything, rises and falls on your fellowship with Christ. The better and stronger the fellowship, the better and stronger you can handle the stressors that come into your life. Do you have God’s peace...

God does not want you stressed. (Matthew 6:25, NKJV; Philippians 4:6, NKJV) You need to learn to remove worry. When you continue to worry, we are stepping outside the boundaries of God. When you continue to live in stress, worry, and anxiety it not only displeases God...

Learn the difference between stressors and stress. Stress is what you feel. Stress is fearful concern experienced when life’s demands seem greater than your ability to meet them. Stressors are what you face while stress is what you feel. Avoid stressors: Do the right...