RCCG Victory Temple Chantilly's Podcast

"Speak the truth in love, growing. more like

Christ." Eph 4:15 NLT

Jon Walker says: "It's hard to. confront...it's easier to stay superficial...to demonize one another when we don't agree...and to cut and run at the first sign of trouble... But the Bible says, 'An honest answer is like a kiss of friendship' (Pr 24:26 NLT); it deepens relationships...and keeps our fellowship open and authentic, freeing us to speak the truth in love"... No more lies or pretense. Tell your brother the truth.

Remember, 'In Christ's body we're all connected...

When you lie to others, you end up lying to yourself.'" (Eph 4:25 MSG). Author Annette Smith observes: "Touchy topics are difficult for even close friends. Yet relationships involve flawed people who make mistakes and get into messes. Friends need to be able to count on each other, not just for fun and affirmation, but for instruction and correction.

Committing ourselves to a friendship means because we care on a deep intimate level, we have the courage to speak up when a friend needs to hear tough words...True friendship comes with joy and responsibility...To avoid talking truthfully about a situation that's hurtful, dangerous, or out of God's will, is to dishonor the friendship and the friend.

When we've been trusted with the blessing of friends, we must love them enough to be willing to experience hurt, rejection, even anger. In the end, truth heals. Before addressing a difficult situation, if there's any self-righteousness or the tiniest desire to get even, we should keep silent. Honesty...when it comes to touchy subjects must be accompanied by pure, loving motives." The Bible says, "Speak the truth in love…growing...more like Christ." 

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"Give all your worries... to God." 1Pe 5:7 NLT

Doug Coldiron writes: "I'm a trucker, and my Jack Russell Terrier, Dee Dee, rides shotgun on my road trips. We were playing fetch outside Atlanta when something caught her eye and she shot into the woods. I paced the perimeter calling her name. I alerted other truckers and searched until it was pitch black. Nothing. Eventually the others left; some said, 'I'll pray for you.' I wasn't so sure God was listening. I'd already been praying for hours.

Next morning, I had to get on the road, and when I opened my laptop and pulled up my Facebook page, it was filled with postings: 'We're praying for you.'

'Hang in there.' 'Trust God. I felt comforted; someone besides me was worried about my dog. If only I could get back to Atlanta soon! I thought about praying, 'Lord, get me an assignment in Atlanta…..NOW!' I knew that could take weeks, but when I clicked on my company website to check the destination for my next job...it was Atlanta! Could prayer be working? Next morning my cell phone woke me. It was Russ, the maintenance supervisor.

'I saw your dog on my way to work.' I couldn't believe my ears. I had to get to Atlanta! From the truck center, Russ drove me to where he had seen Dee Dee. After searching for hours, I glanced over my shoulder...and there she sat on the doorstep of a house. She bolted over, and as I picked her up, I prayed, 'Thank you, God." The Bible says, "Give all your worries…..to God, for he cares about you" (v. 7 NLT). Coldiron adds, "Who knows what goes on in a dog's mind! One thing I know is we're never alone.

God always answers prayer."

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"Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much." Lk 16:10 NIV

Pastor James Merritt said, "The other day I asked my beautiful wife if she married me for my looks." She replied, "No, I married you for your brains-it's the little things that count!" Merritt was joking of course. What really counts in life is faithfulness in little things; it's how dependability begins, grows, and matures. Longfellow wrote, "Most people would succeed in small things if they weren't troubled with great ambition." Sometimes we think we're too big for small things; we would rather get on with what we perceive as bigger, more important matters. But here is how Jesus sees it: "Anyone who can be trusted in little matters can also be trusted in important matters. But anyone who is dishonest in little matters will be dishonest in important matters.

If you cannot be trusted with this wicked wealth, who will trust vou with true wealth? And if you cannot be trusted with what belongs to someone else, who will give you something that will be your own?" (vv. 10-12 CEV). If you want to succeed on the job, come to work on time; stick with the job until it's finished; when you see something that needs to be done, do it -even if it's not in your job description. Give an honest day's work for an honest day's pay; take your designated lunch break, not a three-hour paid vacation; report your expenses truthfully; support the team; and uphold the company's reputation. In other words, be faithful on the job: "Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might" (Ecc 9:10 NIV). That's the kind of

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"God causes everything to work together." Ro

8:28 NLT

When Joseph was thrown in prison, it was hard for him to see how this road would lead to the fulfillment of his dream, but it did. That's because God had a plan for his life. And He has one for yours too! Your current job may just be preparation for the job God really has in mind for you. Perhaps not today or tomorrow, but, if you stay faithful, there will come a time when you look back and realize how God directed your steps (See Ps 37:23). Refuse to embrace any concept of victimhood that would steal your contentment. Your job, in spite of its difficulties, would have been the dream of some of your forefathers. Didn't you pray for this job you're now complaining about? As difficult as this may be to accept, you're where you are for a reason-and for a season. So study, do the coursework, take the tests, graduate, and move on to what God has for you next. There are certain qualities you need to take with you from your present position into vour next one. Things like skill building and character development. You may need to learn computer and social media skills-plus patience and gratitude. You may need to learn how to manage an office-plus how to manage your moods. When you're led by God, no experience is ever wasted because "God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them" (Ro 8:28 NLT). God knows what He is doing, so trust Him; He uses every experience to bring about His will and fulfill our joy.

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"To everything there is a season." Eccl. 3:1 NKJV

When change happens in the workplace, we often feel threatened. We get used to the personalities of our co-workers and bosses, and we want them to remain in place, stay the same, and require nothing more from us than what we have given in the past.
Out of our desire for stability, security, and predictability, we fail to prepare for instability, uncertainty, and surprises. How ironic! If we were willing to adjust our expectations and be more realistic, we wouldn't be so traumatized when change comes. Things can change overnight. It may be the loss of a parent, or a job, or your health.
Change is the only constant in life. And it has the potential to move you on to better things or flatten you like a steamroller. The choice is yours. "To everything there is a season." The truth is, God is your only secure anchor in life, so if you're wise, you will build a strong relationship with Him. Ultimately, He will never allow you to depend on anything but Him. Here is Elijah's story: "The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning, ...and he drank from the brook. And it happened after a while that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land" (1Ki 17:6-7 NKJV). Elijah may have panicked, but God didn't. "The word of the Lord came to him, saying, 'Arise, go to Zarephath...and dwell there. See, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you'" (vv. 8-9 NKJV). Notice what God used to provide for Elijah: ravens, a brook, and a penniless widow. So enjoy your job, excel in it, but depend only on God!
I Instability, uncertainty, and surprises

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"The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart." Ps 19:8 NKJV

"The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; the statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes...More to be desired are they than gold...sweeter also than honey...by them Your servant is warned, and in keeping them there is great reward. Who can understand his errors?

Cleanse me from secret faults. Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me. Then I shall be blameless, and I shall be innocent of great transgression. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer" 

This prayer shows that the psalmist regarded meditation as an utter necessity to his spiritual life.

And if that was true for him in his day, how much more vital is it for you today! You need to bathe your mind each day in the waters of God's Word so that your words and your thoughts are pleasing in His sight. Use your time-the start of the day, at coffee break, during your lunchtime, riding home from work, before falling asleep at night-to reflect upon the truth of God's Word. The greatest changes in your life will come through the process of meditating on the Scriptures-just letting the Word of God filter and percolate through your mind and into your life. First-class Bible reading calls not for snapshots but for timed exposures.

You need to bathe vour mind each dav in the

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"You shall meditate on it day and night." Jos 1:8

Bible meditation has fallen out of favor. Why?

Because we live in an instantaneous society, and a preoccupied society. We have so much stuff coming at us from TV, cell phones, email, texts, snail mail, satellite links, cable news feeds, and podcasts that we hardly have a moment to react--much less reflect. Get real! You can't "download" spiritual maturity by hitting a few keys on a computer. That's why the Scriptures speak so often about meditation.

God, the author of the Bible, gave Joshua the formula for succeeding in your career and prospering in whatever you put your hand to: "This Book of the law shall not depart from your mouth [speak the Scriptures every chance you get], but you shall meditate on it [when?] day and night, so that you may be careful to do [not just know, but do!] according to all [you can't pick and choose] that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success" (v. 8

NAS). Note the words "you will make." To succeed in life, you must do something. Do what? Meditate in God's Word! How often? "Day and night." So what portion of Scripture were you thinking about this morning as you started your day? Or while driving to and from work? For that matter, when was the last time you conscious v reflected on any Bible truth or principle? If you can't remember, start making some changes right away. Paul told Timothy: "Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that vour progress mav be evident to all" (1Ti 4:15

NKJV). And that's still the rule!

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"A time to gain, and a time to lose, Ecc 3:6 NKJV

How can we help our children navigate life's losses? 
(1) Don't underestimate their capacity for grief. Children are often the "forgotten" grievers. Their pain is real and intense; recognize and validate it. 
(2) Don't avoid talking about the loss when they're present. Excluding them from adults in mourning denies them the
opportunity for support, and increased understanding about their loss. Include them in the family's collective grief
experience. 
(3) Encourage them to share their feelings about the loss.
Teach them that being "real" is more important than being "strong," and confirm that their feelings matter. Very young
children have limited understanding about the meaning, permanence, and irreversibility of death. They can only talk
about it briefly and concretely. Older children understand its meaning and should be encouraged to talk about it. 
(4) Make allowance for each child's personality.
Our personality determines our grieving style. Introverted children may need their own space; extroverted ones may need to be verbal and sociable. Dependent children need strong adults around them; independent ones can handle a lot on their own. 
(5) Communicate realistically with them. Adults often use language that confuses children. "Your dad has gone home...fallen asleep..passed away…gone to his rest" etc. Speaking of death as the end of this physical life is biblical, clarifies the significance of the loss, and allows children to ask questions that matter to them. Your children can handle loss, and they can understand that everlasting life is God's great solution and one day we will join our loved ones in heaven (See Jn 14:2-3).

Don't avoid talking about the loss.

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"We are wrestling with.the powers who
govern this world of darkness, and spiritual
forces that control evil." Eph 6:12 GWT
In his classic book, War on the Saints, Jessie Penn-
Lewis writes, "The chief condition…for the working
of evil spirits in human beings, apart from sin, is
passivity." That's why the apostle Peter urges us
"Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the
devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking
for someone to devour" (1Pe 5:8 NLT). Have you
ever seen a hungry lion devour its prey? That's a
picture of what Satan is out to do to you. And he will
use things like pleasure, power, pressures,
possessions, passions, and people to do it. Paul
tells us to be on guard "so that Satan will not
outsmart us. For we are familiar with his evil
schemes" (2Co 2:11 NLT). How can you defend
yourself? Neil Anderson says, "Our defense against
direct attacks by the evil one is to speak aloud
God's truth." Why speak aloud to Satan? Because
God knows the thoughts and intents of your heart
Satan doesn't (See Jer 17:9-10 and Ps 139:1. 23-
24). When you're in Satan's crosshairs, remember
James 4:7: "Submit yourselves therefore to God.
Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." Take
these two powerful steps: First, talk to God before
engaging the Enemy. "Call upon me in the day of
trouble: I will deliver thee" (Ps 50:15). Second, talk
to the Enemy. And keep it short and authoritative!
"Satan, in the irresistible name of Jesus, cease all
activity against me now. Leave and don't return!"
Will he obey? You have submitted and resisted-he
has no option.

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"Dear friends, don't try to get even. Let God
take revenge." Ro 12:19 CEV
When someone has hurt or betrayed you, it goes
against your grain to resist the instinct for revenge-
especially when there is an opportunity to settle the
old score and your friends urge you to capitalize on
it. They tell you, "It's only right and fair." Before you
decide, consider the story in 1 Samuel 24. King Saul,
consumed by jealousy, took every opportunity to try
and destroy his God-ordained successor, David.
Driven by a desire to eliminate him, Saul took three
thousand soldiers to find him and kill him. By divine
appointment, Saul stopped to rest in a large cave
where David and his men were hiding. David's men
said, "Now is a perfect opportunity to kill him and
take the throne." Instead. David iust cut off a corner
of Saul's robe and showed it to Saul later as
evidence he had spared the king's life. David's men
probably considered his strategy ludicrous, but
David lived by a different code-God's Word! He told
his men, "Don't kill him. For who can remain
innocent after attacking the Lord's anointed one?"
(1Sa 26:9 NLT). And God hasn't changed His mind.
The Bible says don't take revenge. That's God's
territory-stay out of it! (See Ro 12:17-21.) So what
should you do? Be prepared to act contrary to your
instincts! The Bible says, "If your enemy is hungry,
feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to
drink……overcome evil with good" (Ro 12:20-21 NIV)
Will that change your enemy? Maybe, and maybe
not. But it will change your attitude, and God will
bless you for it.

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