Insecurity in a believer?!

Yes, it happens. No matter how much Word (the Bible) you know or quote, you (or someone you know) might have insecure tendencies.

No one wants to admit to being insecure or sometimes feeling insecure. I think insecurity comes about in two major ways: 1) natural inclination; 2) life events. Some common ways it shows up are through jealousy, perfection syndrome, diva syndrome, obsessions, and pessimism.

Scriptures for emotional healing include:

• Psalms 138:3
• Jeremiah 29:11
• Philippians 1:6
• Mark 9:23

Watch my video. Share your thoughts on this subject.

Listen to Beth Moore speak candidly and scripturally about insecurity:
http://www.oneplace.com/ministries/living-proof-with-beth-moore/listen/

Marsha's popcorn sermon- video recorded

I'm working from home these days. It isn't necessarily by choice. Out of necessity. Honestly, my dream job is a job where I set my own hours, have ideal places to work (home and remote offices), and attract paying clients. Currently, my faith is being stretched - tried and tested. I would have NEVER quit my paying job to do what I'm doing. That's another story...

Until today, I've been putting off purchasing a webcam and microphone. Now that I'm consulting more and running my online beauty store, I felt it was time. I want to create videos and sound bites. With my working remotely, it is necessary to do video chats and web conference calls (Skype, Google Talk, etc).

Tonight, I made several cheesy videos which I will not show you.

But I will share a recording that I did. It's an amateur video, but the lesson is biblically sound.

In this recording, I'm teaching on spiritual gifts. (My dominant spiritual gift is teaching. See my spiritual gifts profile.) It's a popcorn sermon. What's a popcorn sermon? That's what my instructors - seasoned pastors and ministry leaders, in ministry school called a short sermon, preaching or teaching.

Listen to me talk about spiritual gifts

(I had a mix-up with one scripture. You'll hear it. I meant to say 1Corinthians 12:6-11.)

Repost: Waiting on God

I must admit that I am impatient when it comes to answered prayer or the transfer from the invisible to the visible.

I like this blog  post by Today God is First (TGIF).

Key Verse: Isaiah 30:18 (AMP)

And therefore the Lord [earnestly] waits [expecting, looking, and longing] to be gracious to you; and therefore He lifts Himself up, that He may have mercy on you and show loving-kindness to you. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) are all those who [earnestly] wait for Him, who expect and look and long for Him [for His victory, His favor, His love, His peace, His joy, and His matchless, unbroken companionship]!

Key Point:  "We must wait for God’s timing and embrace wherever we are in the process. When we find contentment in that place, we begin to experience God in ways we never thought possible.? TGIF blog. August 10, 2010

Read the entire blog Waiting on God :    TGIF « Marketplace Leaders

The discernment thing, part 1

You hear this sentence often, "The Church lacks true discernment."

 Troubling. Yet, true. Not anything new.

I have a lot more to say about this, but it is hard to get it across to you since you've picked up this bad habit of not listening. By this time you ought to be teachers yourselves, yet here I find you need someone to sit down with you and go over the basics on God again, starting from square one—baby's milk, when you should have been on solid food long ago! Milk is for beginners, inexperienced in God's ways; solid food is for the mature, who have some practice in telling right from wrong. Hebrews 5:11-14 (The Message)

Charismatics and Pentecostals used to boast of their perceived ability to discern better than their Baptists, Methodists, or any denominational brothers and sisters in Christ.

I admit that when I rededicated my life to the Lord  and received the baptism with the Holy Spirit, I thought that I, too was "all that." 

I was an engineering student attending a major university away from home and begin attending a very small church where healing, deliverance, and the gifts of the Spirit were highly celebrated. During this time, I realized that I was gifted with the ability to "see" beyond what was present or in plain sight. I wouldn't call it the gift of prophecy, but during intercessory prayer, my prayers were developing into what is known as prophetic intercession. Many years later, I recognized that I flowed more in the revelation gifts  - word of wisdom. word of knowledge, and discerning of spirits.(1 Corinthians 12:8-11)

Because I have always been a practical and logical thinker, I didn't want to get off balanced. So, I  read scriptures often. Through reading and the preached word, I got the revelation that discernment is connected to studying, reading and applying the Word of God. Reading with an understanding. Not just reading the Bible as a history book with fascinating stories.. Applying what you read to your life.

Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15 (NIV)

But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. James 1:22-24 (NLT)

And they shall teach my people the difference between the holy and profane, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean. Ezekial 44:23 (KJV)

For the Word that God speaks is alive and full of power [making it active, operative, energizing, and effective]; it is sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating to the dividing line of the breath of life (soul) and [the immortal] spirit, and of joints and marrow [of the deepest parts of our nature], exposing and sifting and analyzing and judging the very thoughts and purposes of the heart. Hebrews 4:12 (AMP)

After several church and personal experiences that shook me up during 1985-1992, I treasured my relationship with God like He really is my best friend and confidant. I prayed to discern more accurately. To not be judgmental. To listen to His voice. To follow the Holy Spirit's nudges. To judge myself daily or regularly. To not get entangled in deception. To rid myself of modern day idols.

Looking back, I can identify why I wavered between true and fasle discernment. I noticed some key hindrances.

Here are 8 hindrances to discernment

1. Pride (also spiritual pride or self-righteousness)
2. Deception
3. Unforgiveness
4. Habitual sin
5. Little or no understanding of the Bible
6. Lust (any)
7. Little or no true worship and prayer
8. Idolatry (any)

Of course, you can think of more than eight things. I know that these eight things interfered with my discerning right from wrong, God's will and timing, or when God was speaking directly about a matter and when He was not speaking at all, but the human spirit, an evil spirit or a controlling spirit was speaking.

Have I "arrived ?" Always discerning correctly. No. I do not always get it right, but I am quicker to check my heart and listen patiently in order to discern.

Of course, properly reading and studying the Word grows you up spiritually.  Praying often and praying various types of prayers increases and sharpens your spiritual ears.

What do I mean by various types of prayers?  How can you grow in fellowship with God and hear Him speak if you only ask Him to meet your needs and desires (aka petition prayer)?

A balanced prayer life must include what I called the most neglected prayers.

Neglected Prayers

• Praise
• Thanksgiving
• Intercession
• Forgiveness/Repentance
• Declaring His Will (Word)

I have more to say about discernment. I will save my thoughts for another blog post.

How to define your calling

A calling is your service to the Body of Christ and others, as an ambassador of Christ.

Everyone is called. A calling is not reserved for pastors and evangelists.

According to Matthew 22:14 (KJV), "Many are called, but few are chosen." Of course, this scripture is not necessarily talking about your mission in life, but the scripture makes a sound point.

Many people are not fulfilling their calling - not using their gifts and talents. And so we have many unfulfilled people. Unfulfilled people are unhappy. They are tempted to seek ungodly or destructive ways to become fulfilled. Sometimes, they get distracted and side-tracked doing good things, but not the best  things that compliment their gifts.

How do you know your calling?

I have been taught that you identify your calling in these following ways:

1. Notice what God is doing in your family.
2. Listen to what the Lord has spoken to you directly.
3. Observe where there is a need and how compelled you are to fulfill it.
4. Consider your vocation.

Your career and calling could be the same. The latest buzz word in the Church is "marketplace ministry."  The concept is not new. In fact, you can think of it as the fufillment of the Great Commission:

He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Mark 16:15 NIV

A fantastic wave of creativity is happening in the Body of Christ. We are shedding religious thinking about ministry and embracing various, 21st century venues for ministry.

Whether you called to five-fold ministry (pastor, teacher, apostle, evangelist, or prophet), ministry of helps, marketplace ministry, or something else, you are required to perfect it and be a good steward of it.

Do you need some help identifying your calling and gifts? Maybe you need a little assurance.

Take the Motivational Gifts Survey,  http://www.gifttest.org/

It's a simple assessment to discover your gifts according to Romans 12 and how to best use them.

Click here   http://www.gifttest.org/

Share your results.

PS . Your score card will show percentages in each of the 7 gifts. It is possible to have 100% for each gift.

Here are my scores:

Teacher 100%
Server 85%
Showing Mercy 68%
Giver 65%
Perceiver 55%
Ruler 55%
Encourager 50%

21st Century Church Etiquette

Photo Source: http://garrisonphoto.org/sxc/

Suggestions for a pleasant worship experience

1. Smile and speak to your neighbors (seated to your left and right). Please don't let the first time you speak, be to demand that s/he move down a seat for your friend who is 45 minutes late. Also, don't let it be your motioning with your hands and making eye contact with your neighbor's pencil while avoiding contact with your neighbor's eyes. Translation: Let me borrow your pen, now! This action is becoming quite common. What happened to asking politely? "May I borrow your pen to jot down that scripture, please?"
2. Please refrain from smoking before service. Look, I'm not judging. Smoking is your business. However, cigarette smoke really does a number on people suffering with allergies. Last Sunday, I had to change seats within 15 minutes of being seated because the residue was overwhelming. Too late. I suffered a near migraine-sized headache for the entire 90 minutes of the service.
3. Please brush your teeth and gargle after eating breakfast. Some people act like morning breath isn't an issue. The best mouth washes are those that kill the bacteria and tackle the volatile sulfur compounds that cause bad breath- CloSYS or BreathRx
4. Pay attention to the sermon and stop checking your email, Facebook or Twitter.
5. Be engaged. Flow with the service. When prayer is happening, you should be praying. As an intercessor, this is my pet peeve! If you have trouble focusing during intercessory prayer, read/pray the Psalms. Or go old school - fall on your knees, clasp your hands and close your eyes. Recite the Lord's prayer. Any of these options is better than staring into space, fidgeting (as if you wish this part of the service would end), playing with your iPhone, noting the fashions and comparing yourself to the fashionistas, or catching up on latest news and gossip. When worship is happening with songs, you should be singing (lip singing is allowed) and/or clapping. When reading the Bible is happening, you should be following along in your Bible, your neighbor's Bible or the projector screen.
6. Smile often and genuinely Where did we get this idea that being spiritual means looking so serious and deep? It's OK to smile or look pleasant when you're praying or praising.
   
7. Respect your elders. Give them first choice. Be patient.
   
8. Respect the ushers. Respond politely. Say thank you often.
   
9. Show genuine compassion to everyone. If you see a need, be the first to fill it. Pray, too. If someone shares a need and you don't have the means to fill it, pray with them immediately and encourage them. Avoid unsolicited advice. Listen before you speak.
   
10. Take advantage of children's church and the nursery. If Little Raquim refuses to use his inside voice, then take the initiative to sit with him on the back rows. Or head for the lobby where you can watch the service on TV monitors. In the lobby, Little Raquim can cut up in utter freedom without those nasty looks from your neighbors.

Stepping down from my spiritual soapbox.

Do you have any suggestions to add?

You really do have what you say

I strive very hard to not engage in gossip, backbiting, or negative talk. It's not easy. And when you don't participate, others who feed off negativity (hate this word, but it fits here) may reject you, turn on you, or (we hope) avoid certain conversations with you.

Recently, I completed a personal branding quiz that required feedback from friends, coworkers, and associates. One of my top attributes was "positive."

On two separate occasions, I received compliments like, "positive energy" and "refreshing."

What's my point? I'm not bragging on me. I'm sharing the the results of biblical meditation (aka faith confessions, speaking the Word, affirmations).

Several years ago, I developed a Christian mantra based on Philippians 4: 8 & 9. I wanted to transform myself. To set myself apart from complainers, whiners, and messy folks. What better way to make the shift than by meditating on God's Word.

Check out The Message version of one of my favorite scriptures:

Summing it all up, friends, I'd say you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.

What's your Christian mantra?

Rewards...I want them all

In my book club and local prayer group , we read the most revealing book about the rewards that God has for us, A Life God Rewards: Why everything you do today matters forever by Bruce Wilkinson. It was nothing like I thought or had heard. In fact, I can't remember ever hearing a sermon on it. Oh sure, you know the sermon about many mansions and abundant life here and now...soteria. But check this out.

1. Did you know that God rewards you for seeking Him through prayer and fasting? (Matthew 6:6; Hebrews 11:6)
   
2. He rewards you for respecting your employer and being a faithful and good steward? (Matthew 24:45-47; Ephesians 6:8; Colossians 3:22-24)
3. Self-denial for the kingdom's sake is also rewarded. How about that! (Matthew 16:24-27)
4. Your ministering to the needy won't go unnoticed either. (Mark 9:41)
5. If you've suffered for Him, you will get a reward. (Luke 6:22-23)
6. Sacrifices for God reap good things, too. (Luke 6:35 & Matthew 19:29)
7. Whether or not anyone gives you a personal prophecy, announces your name publicly or features you as "tither of the year", God takes notice when you share your time, talent, and treasure to promote God's kingdom. (Matthew 6:3-4; 1 Timothy 6:18-19)

You gotta get this book . It will expand your thinking beyond the offering bucket rewards. Oh, yes I do believe in giving these monies! But knowing that it's more than just your financial offering that gets God's attention is very encouraging.