Agree With the Word

By Cindy Trimm

When you read one of God's promises to you in the Bible, what is your first thought? Do you think, Oh, it will be wonderful to have that someday in heaven, or What a wonderful promise! Of course, that is not for someone as miserable as me. Or do you think: Praise God! If He says that I should have that, then nothing can stop His blessing from manifesting in my life!
Unfortunately, too many of us pick the first two. Just like the Israelites standing on the bank of the Jordan looking at what was promised them, we too often choose to give up before the battle even begins. But I say, not so! God will perform every promise He has spoken in His Word concerning you.
Did you know that some of the greatest Christians of all times were lawyers? I know we tend to make fun of lawyers and politicians in our culture today, but throughout history, lawyers have revealed some of the greatest things about God we have ever known. Moses was "the lawgiver," and the apostle Paul was a Pharisee. The Pharisees were a group who studied the Word of God as the law book on which to govern society.
Martin Luther of the Reformation began his career by entering law school, as did the great revivalist Charles Finney. What made them so powerful? They prepare a case, and they put more faith in God keeping His Word than they did in any earthly laws or political promises. Then they took those words and charged the atmosphere around them with biblical truth. They changed their worlds through what they spoke.
Woman of God, when you read the Bible, you need to take God's Word personally. His promises are for His people, and if you have given your life to Him as your Lord and Savior, then that means you.
Come into agreement with what God has already said in His Word about you and your situation. Hebrews 10:23 says "Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful" (NKJV).
Speak life into your dead areas—you'll be amazed at what God's Words in your mouth will do for you. In doing so, you will fill your atmosphere with His promises on the matter. If God has said it, then He will perform it, and that should settle it for you.

Cindy Trimm is a motivational speaker and preacher and a multifaceted executive, life coach and success mentor. She has self-published several books. Her previous books include The Rules of Engagement Series.

This Moment in Time

by Brenda J. Davis


Right here and now God intends for us to live the truth of His Word. Whether we're lauded for who we are or praised for what we accomplish is of no eternal consequence, really. It' faithful, trusting obedience that matters to God more than anything. I know this, yet I've often spun my wheels, wondering what God is up to in my life when things seem, well, contrary to what I planned.

Recently, a phone call from an old friend really got me thinking (again) about the unresolved issues of walking with God. Apparently, she had prayed and believed God that relocating to a new city for a new job would open doors for greater happiness and fulfillment. Instead, she told me she felt as though she’d taken a leap backward, and is now frantically looking for the exit.

She wondered why God would lead her into what she was coming to believe was a bad situation. After all, He knew what the outcome of this transition would be, and surely He knows her makeup, so why did He allow her to move ahead with the plans she felt He had orchestrated? Wow!

Before you begin thinking I had an answer for you, let me tell you, I did not. I feel sometimes as though I’ve lived my life with that question lurking in the shadows just about every day. We do our best to seek God’s will, His purposes, and yet we can end up taking steps that seem to make things a whole lot worse than before.

It has occurred to me that if you are the sort of person who cannot abide perplexities and unanswered questions, you will probably be frustrated in your Christian walk. We know that God’s character is consistent. He has promised that He will never change in His love for us. However, He never promised us that His faithful, righteous, just and loving ways would always make sense to us.

As humans who feel pain and who long for life’s joys and blessings, what do we do with the knowledge of His higher ways? How do we interpret them? How are we to be comforted when we can’t understand?

Here is where faith makes its entrance, comes to center stage, and we yield our position, quieting our demand to know all the answers and understand. We take what we know of God’s character, we study His interactions with others in His Word, and we choose to trust Him. Oh dear. Often that’s a whole lot easier to say than do.

However, as we mature, the yielding does get easier, and the periods of anger, frustration and despair begin to more readily give way to God’s peace. This process still isn’t as brief for me as I wish it were. I still wrestle way too long. I guess I keep thinking that there must be a different solution this time—perhaps there is something easier (less painful) than yielding my right to know.

My friend’s call found me in the midst of studying the book of Job, and one verse leaped off the page: “‘I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth….I myself will see him with my own eyes—I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!’” (Job 19:25,27, NIV).

I had to tell my friend I really did not understand God’s dealings with her life any more than I can comprehend the way He’s often led me. I don’t avoid asking Him to give me understanding; sometimes He does. But most of the time, I’ve found life can be so puzzling.

Maybe it is extremely perplexing for you right now. Nevertheless, God knew this moment would come for you, and He wants to come alongside you in a way that perhaps you never needed Him to before. In the process, He is giving you the opportunity to be everything He says you can be in His Word. This is your time (and mine) to be faithful, trusting and obedient to the best of our knowledge.

If we are going to live in peace, it cannot be based on the satisfaction of knowing it all. Our peace must come in knowing Him, and fixing our minds on the things we’ve settled in our hearts, the things we believe about God that we do not question.

Now, tell me, what do you know? What do you do with your questions? How do you stand when you don’t understand?

Brenda J. Davis is an acquisitions editor for the Strang Book Group and the former editor of SpiritLed Woman magazine.

Trick or Treat?

There was a time in my life when I would allow the enemy to trick me into believing God would never use me to carry out His will in the earth. He would constantly tell me I wasn't worthy of the Father's love and would throw up my past in my face. Before long, he had me doing his dirty work for him.

Who are you to stand before people and tell them about Jesus? I'd ask myself. God didn't call you to speak for Him. You have a lot of nerve telling women God will use them in ministry when He won't even use you!

When I wasn't beating myself up, the enemy would really rub it in: "Never tell another person to have character and integrity; you have a child and you’re not married."

His words would drive me to my knees in prayer. I would tell God everything the enemy told me. Without fail, the Father would respond with one simple question: "What did I say?" I would get up from the floor, dry my tears and delve into the Word with a vengeance.

It didn't take long for the Father to transform my thinking. I soon realized He wanted to use all my gifts and abilities--even my mistakes--to do His bidding in the area of influence He had called me to. I learned many simple truths during that season of my life, and His Words to me are my encouragement to you.

• God loves you (John 3:16)
• He will forgive you (1 John 1:9)
• The Father can transform you (Rom. 12:2)
• God has plans for your life (Jer. 29:11)
• You can live a life of integrity (Ps. 25:21)
• The devil is a liar (John 8:44)

God wants to wake up the passion He has placed in you for the area of ministry He has assigned you to. He has some wonderful plans for your life, but you'll have to get into His presence to discover your destiny.

When the enemy comes to remind you of your past, rebuke him and remind him of his future. And when he tries to trick you into believing his lies, treat yourself to the truth of God's Word.

Please Say Yes!

If you're anything like I am, you can hardly wait to get to the polls and cast your vote for the next president of the United States. In fact, I'm so anxious to have a voice in this election, I'm going to take advantage of early voting this year.

But before I cast my vote for the next president, I'm going to skip down to the section on my ballot where the amendments are located and vote "yes" for the marriage amendment that is up for a vote here in Florida. This piece of legislation is critical because it will provide another layer of protection for traditional marriage.

Florida is one of three states that have marriage amendments included in their ballots this year. Unlike the amendments in Arizona and California, our amendment must receive 60 percent of the vote to become law.

I realize many of you may not know much about this amendment, so I went to www.yes2marriage.org and got some information so you can better understand why this issue is critically important.

According to the Web site, Amendment 2 is "a proposed amendment to the Florida Constitution that will protect the definition of marriage in Florida between one man and one woman. The amendment will prohibit polygamy, group marriage and same-sex marriage from becoming legal in Florida."

It is important to preserve marriage because it was instituted by God as the foundation of the family.

I know this has been a contentious election season. Christians and unbelievers alike are worried about everything from the economy to the war in Iraq to the housing crisis. But those issues must not distract us from taking a stand to defend marriage whenever we can. The institution of marriage will remain threatened if we do nothing to protect it.

If your state has not already voted on the definition of marriage, it is only a matter of time before you will be confronted with the issue. So tell every Floridian you know to say yes to traditional marriage, and cast his or her vote for Amendment 2.

Valerie G. Lowe is the editor of spiritledwoman.com and associate editor of Charisma magazine.

The Litmus Test

Now that my daughter is away at college, getting an education and hopefully living a life that's pleasing to God—despite pressure from the culture to live in defiance of Him—I'll let you in on a secret: I wonder if I got it right.

Only the Father knows how much time I have spent teaching her about the things of God—His ways, His statutes, His voice. In my efforts to be a godly parent, I tried relentlessly to instill character in her and mold her into a viable and responsible member of society.

I spent a lot of money too. She took ballet lessons; competed in numerous oratorical contests; worked as a Senate page for the Florida Legislature; and was a cheerleader from the sixth grade through the 12th (if I see another round-off, backhand spring, back flip, I'll faint!). She has received numerous awards and commendations for her efforts, and no doubt the praise of her peers.

But at the end of one of my very exhausting days several years ago, I realized a spiritual truth that keeps me grounded today: Only what you do for Christ will last.

Once I was reminded of that revelation, I started directing my daughter down a different path. She had always been active in church life, but I took her from the pew to the street. She got involved with ministry to homeless and hungry people and helped our church feed some 28,000 families. She turned off the television and started reading to children at the local middle school who were at risk of being retained. And instead of spending all her time on Facebook, she now looks into the faces of young girls she mentors and tells them, "You are somebody."

I know it's tough being a parent and extremely discouraging at times. You have to contend with a culture that's beckoning to your children to go down a wrong path. That's why I sometimes deviate from the usual topics I blog about to encourage women like you.

Don't give in and don't give up. Raise your children to be the best they can be and to leave their mark on the world, but don't forget to train them to make a difference for eternity. You want your kids to pass God's litmus test. You want to hear Him tell them, "Well done."

Valerie G. Lowe is the editor of spiritledwoman.com and associate editor of Charisma magazine.

Unlock Your Future

Have you ever had the gnawing feeling on the inside that you were not getting everything you were supposed to get out of life—a feeling that life was full of possibilities, but somehow you could never figure out how to tap into them?

Have you ever looked at another woman's life, marriage, financial status, or career and wondered, What's wrong with me?

What you need is a set of keys to unlock all that God is holding for you in your life.

If you want your life to change, watch what you think and say. This is precisely why Proverbs 23:7 tells us, "For as he [a man or a woman] thinks in his heart, so is he" (NKJV).

You must realize that the Word of God has the power to realign anything that is misaligned, especially faulty mind-sets, belief systems, traditions and doctrines of deception that lie and exalt you above the will of God for your life.

Life does not have to be a mystery for you. You do not have to continue mindlessly groping in the dark for the right path through life. God already has your success, prosperity and fulfillment all planned out; you just have to follow His directions to find it.

Woman of God, take control of your life and experience divine success and prosperity by following God's directions outlined in His Word. He has a wonderful plan for you—and His plan depends on you first taking control of your mind and your mouth. Learn to fill your thoughts and words with light and truth.

Every new day with God brings the dawn of new and better possibilities. Today could turn out to be the best day of your life—but how it ends largely depends on how you begin it. You are in charge of taking control of your day from its very beginning—something I call "commanding your morning" and as you do, know that whatever begins with God has to end right.

Cindy Trimm is a motivational speaker and preacher and a multifaceted executive, life coach, and success mentor. She is the author of The Rules of Engagement Series, volumes 1, 2 and 3.

Mentoring Makes the Difference

When I was growing up, I had no mentors to help get me ready for what I'm doing today. I was already aware that I had a call on my life, but I didn't see any women preachers out there. Or if they were out there, I didn't hear about them. I just didn't see very many strong women of God except my own mother and sisters, and naturally their example was limited. Can you relate to my situation?

I've learned that you can get wisdom in two ways: through a mentor or through mistakes. I’ve been the mistake route, and I have all the T-shirts to prove it. It’s not fun to learn everything the hard way.

It’s also not a very good use of your time to learn everything the hard way when you can learn the same things more quickly and with less pain through someone else’s experiences. That’s why you either need a mentor or need to become one.

But mentoring doesn’t just happen. It is a process of seeking. You have to seek until you find the right person. After you find someone to mentor you, your seeking is not finished. Now the mentoring relationship itself requires you to seek more impartation. You have to stick with the relationship as you seek to learn everything your mentor can teach you.

A mentor is important because she can love new life into you. She will fill you up with God’s love with her own life as an example to you. She gives God’s love away and keeps the flow going long enough for you to begin to do the same thing.

A good mentor passes on the keys of the kingdom of God. The keys of the kingdom unlock the riches of heaven. She will be able to show you how to live your life in agreement with God, as well as how to eliminate the things from your life that are not from God.

And one more thing: you are never too old to keep on being mentored. No matter what your age is, keep seeking out mentoring, even if sometimes you have to resort to old books and distant female preachers to fill in as your mentors.

Needless to say, you’re never too old to mentor others either. Even if you have to do it a little here and a little there because it’s not a major “mentoring season” for you, keep yourself in that giving mode. Mentoring is all about receiving and giving--and receiving some more. That’s the way it works.

God is looking for a few good mentors. Will you answer the call?

Judy Jacobs is known for her dynamic, inspiring and anointed ministry. She is the host of the television program Judy Jacobs Now! She is also the author of Take It by Force! and Stand Strong.