Are You Throwing A Temper Tantrum?

I have been without a car for several months and have had to rely on others to take me places. It has been a very humbling experience to say the least, especially since I have had a car for 15 years of my life prior to being without one. Not being able to hang out with friends any time I want, go get a bite to eat or go to the movies on the spur of the moment has been challenging for my flesh to get used to. Just this morning, I got ready for work and my younger brother, who graciously lets me ride to work with him, was not ready at the usual time we leave. In fact, he was sipping coffee at the kitchen table in shorts and a t-shirt – not even close to being ready. My flesh started crawling because I had a lot of work to do today and not getting into the office on time was not a good option. I probed further and I asked him, “Are you ready for work?” At this point, I couldn’t tell if he was or not, but when he sipped his coffee and said, "I haven’t even begun to get ready"...the look on my face said it all…I am not happy with you right now. I knew saying something would not have been good…there would have been nothing good to say, so I glared at him and then looked away. I tried to make him feel bad and manipulate the situation in my favor. I did not need to say anything; my body language said it all! My brother went to get ready and God began to deal with me. He brought to remembrance all the times my brother went out of his way to get me, let me borrow his car, including earlier that morning he let me use it to go play basketball, and on and on it went. Then this scripture came to my mind, “It (LOVE) is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God's love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong]” (1 Corinthians 13:5 AMP). I was thinking about myself and looking out only for my own interests. I certainly did not care about my younger brother’s plans for the day or even why he slept in. Maybe he stayed out really late for some reason and needed a little extra sleep. His schedule interfered with my plans and I tried to manipulate him by throwing a fit. Of course I did not verbalize it, but I let him know I was not happy with him by my actions and demeanor. How many times do we not get what we want so we throw a fit, get upset or say controlling statements like – “If you don’t do what I want you to do, then I won’t do this for you.” We threaten people just so we can get our way. Can I simply say, that is not LOVE toward our neighbor. I immediately went and apologized and told my brother that I was in the wrong. I went on to explain to him that he is so gracious toward me with his car and I really appreciated all the times he let me borrow it and for the times I inconvenienced him by using it. I needed to relax and trust God because He has a good plan for my day even if I am a few minutes behind…ok… an hour behind my planned schedule! I could have used my energy toward something productive, but instead I wasted it being upset. How different would our relationships be if every time something did not go our way, we gave people some space just to be themselves or make some mistakes? What if we did not try and control them with a temper tantrum, or with verbal threatening remarks? Let’s love people the way we would want to be treated. I know I want to change and continue to go deeper in my love walk toward others. Will you join me? Are you willing to be inconvenienced in order to show grace toward a loved one or neighbor? If you have blown it recently like me, ask God to forgive you, dust yourself off, get back up and allow God to change you. God is full of mercy and He has given us His Holy Spirit to help us along this journey. The next time you feel the urge to get your own way, ask God for wisdom and the strength to respond in a manner that is pleasing to Him.

Nick Stanton | Love Has Overcome

Nick Stanton from an early age fell in love with music. He found playing guitar and singing was very natural and something on the inside of his heart told him he was born to play and make music. Because of challenging circumstances at home, Nick had no choice but to move in with his Aunt and Uncle during his high school years.  Through this season, he became a Christian which helped him deal with all the difficult circumstances surrounding his family life. Yet amidst all these trials, God gave him purpose beyond his wildest dreams and Nick knew God would use all the painful things in his past to bring hope to people through his music. On his journey as a Believer, Nick stepped out in faith to write songs about tough times, God and His grace. He produced his first album called Rest and over the course of the next year, God put on his heart to write more songs. Nick just released his latest album Love Has Overcome, which he performed at FanDana, a large Christian music festival near Fort Wayne. Many opportunities are opening for him as he continues to take steps of faith toward the dream God put in his heart.

Nick has a way of connecting with his audience because of his vulnerability and his complete reliance on God. His music is touching people’s lives with a message of hope – no matter what you have done in your past, God can forgive you and give you a fresh start. His mercies are new every morning and anyone can experience his unconditional love in a relationship with Jesus Christ.

His music has been influenced by country, pop, rock and urban styles. If you like the music styles of John Mayer, Maroon Five, Cold Play and Jeremy Camp, then you will want to get his music. You can listen to both albums at www.nickstantonmusic.com and purchase them.

I have gotten to know Nick personally over the last couple of months. He has a passion for God, reaching hurting people and is willing to go anywhere God tells him to go. I am excited to see the journey God has for him unfold.

Nick Stanton Website

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Don't Say A Word

This morning I went to play basketball like most Saturday mornings. I am a pretty competitive basketball player, to say the least, and I love to work hard when out on the court. In the heat of one of the games, a call was made that I did not agree with. My flesh started crawling because I heard some players muffling under their breath comments that just did not need to be said. I really really wanted to let them have it, but in my heart I felt the Holy Spirit nudging, “Cory, restrain yourself. Love them! Do not be quick to speak back to them but LET IT GO.” It took all the strength within me to keep from saying something I knew I would regret later. I am grateful to admit, I listened to the prompting of the Holy Spirit and kept a nasty situation from developing. The Bible says, “Understand [this], my beloved brethren. Let every man be quick to hear [a ready listener], slow to speak, slow to take offense and to get angry” (James 1:19 AMP).  Pride says I have to have the last word. I have been learning that most of the time I spout back words quickly in the heat of the moment, I say things that are damaging. The words that I say might even be true, but the way that they are communicated makes them wrong all together.

When I arrived home from basketball, I had another chance to display restraint or lash out. I was doing laundry at my parent’s house and I made a comment that I saw a certain type of detergent at the grocery store for $1.98. The person I was speaking with said, “You cannot buy this type of detergent for that price. I have been grocery shopping for years and trust me, it is not that price.” The way this was communicated to me rubbed me the wrong way and I had a choice to drop it or say something that would cause an argument. Once again, I felt the conviction of the Holy Spirit to say nothing and walk way. A soft word turns away wrath and if I cannot come up with something good to say, then I need to just be quite and cool down. At the end of the day, are these trivial situations worth getting all worked up over? The Bible says, “But refuse (shut your mind against, have nothing to do with) trifling (ill-informed, unedifying, stupid) controversies over ignorant questionings, for you know that they foster strife and breed quarrels” (2 Timothy 2:23). A person led by God does not get involved with such foolish arguments because they are unprofitable. Many times in the past, I have said words that were damaging and it led to broken relationships, wounded people, and a big mess. God is growing me day by day on how to let things go and not be so quick to fight back. With that said, I still make mistakes and need God’s grace to forgive me when I do wrong. Just admit it when you blow it and ask God to forgive you. He is standing there with arms wide open to embrace you and help you become victorious in every area of your life. The next time you sense the urge to say something because you “feel right”, listen to what God would have you do or say in the situation. Maybe, He might not want you to say anything? Will you LET GO and be a strife eliminator? 

Need A Preacher to speak at your Conference or Church?

Do you need a preacher to speak at your next conference or church service? Cory Nickols shares from his own personal journey as a Christian through failure, successes and everything inbetween. He has gained a worldwide following on his blog and has become a regular speaker at Envision Life Center and on college campuses in the Fort Wayne area. He also writes regularly for The Good News, a newspaper in south Florida with a reading audience of 250,000 people. He just returned from Les Cayes, Haiti where he preached a powerful message on overcoming difficult circumstances through the power of Jesus Christ. His messages are practical, challenging and hope filled. Whether you are young or old, God will speak to your heart and bring a refreshing sense of His Presence.

For speaking engagements or more information on Cory Nickols, please contact him at cory_nickols@yahoo.com

Know Your Enemy

Satan has been around a long time...in fact, from the beginning of creation. He has been deceiving people since his fall and wants nothing more than to destroy your life. Read Cory Nickols latest Cover Story: Know Your Enemy from The Good News. It will encourage and challenge you to live a life for Jesus with everything that you are!

Know Your Enemy

God Wants To Bless YOU

I recently arrived back from Haiti on a missions trip. It required many months of planning, painstaking labor, fundraising and team work to pull it off. Needless to say, by the time everything was done and over with, I needed a vacation. Unfortunately, my personal funds were running low and a nice getaway was not looking very promising to say the least. I remember specifically talking with God about it and asking Him to provide something so that I could get refreshed. Not even a week had past and I received an email from a friend of mine saying she could not go on an all-expense paid 10 day vacation to the Holy Lands. Everything, from the flight, hotels, transportation and all meals were covered and the trip is scheduled in one month.  I almost could not believe the email I received when I read it for the first time. She specifically said, “no you did not misread that” in the email, so I knew it was for real. I began praising God for His goodness and generosity!

A couple of days after I received this amazing blessing, I found myself walking in the flesh. I had a little argument with my step-mom in front of several people from church regarding some things that took place on my missions trip. I was not proud of how I handled the altercation and condemning thoughts filled my mind: “How could you do such a thing? You are the leader of the whole trip and you lost your cool. You do not deserve that vacation. You treated your step-mom with such disrespect. What type of spiritual leader are you?”  On and on these condemning thoughts went. Eventually, I went away to a quiet place to spend time with God. In prayer I felt like God was impressing this in my heart, “Cory, you are filled with My Presence and have a heart to please Me. Shake off the condemning voices and believe that I am pleased with you.” The Bible says,

“He saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we had done, but because of His own pity and mercy, by [the] cleansing [bath] of the new birth (regeneration) and renewing of the Holy Spirit, which He poured out [so] richly upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. [And He did it in order] that we might be justified by His grace (by His favor, wholly undeserved), [that we might be acknowledged and counted as conformed to the divine will in purpose, thought, and action], and that we might become heirs of eternal life according to [our] hope” (Titus 3:5-7 AMP).

We are saved and made right with God, not based off our performance or good deeds, but solely on the finished work of Jesus Christ. When we accept Christ into our lives, we are made right with God once and for all, but that does not mean that we have Christ’s character operating in our lives. I have learned that God takes us through a process of change. It happens over time and definitely not all at once, and to be honest, it is a work that will not stop until we are in Heaven with Him. Along this journey, you and I will make mistakes, but we can get back up and ask God to forgive us and move forward with the good plan He has for each of us. The Bible says, “For a righteous man falls seven times and rises again...” (Proverbs 24:16 AMP). A man or woman of God will make mistakes. The key is to get back up and learn from them. Just because you slipped up does not mean that God disqualifies you from receiving the good things He wants to give you. If that were the case, no one would ever receive anything good from God. And certainly, my moment in the flesh would have disqualified me from receiving the vacation that God desired to give me. God knows the end from the beginning and he sees all our pitfalls before they happen and He still chooses to do extraordinary things for us and through us. Remember, it is His unmerited favor…not something you or I deserve. The key is to admit when we are wrong and repent from our wrong choices and ask God to forgive us. He can work all things for our good when we turn our circumstances over to Him. The Bible teaches us that God disciplines those He loves (Hebrews 12:6), but He also is a rewarder of those who faithfully seek after Him (Hebrews 11:6). And this certainly does not mean a perfect lifestyle.

Just relax and trust that God loves you and wants to bless you! He wants to give you good things in life. Will you let Him? Do NOT believe the condemning lies of the Enemy any longer. He is the Accuser of the brethren and wants nothing more than to keep you pinned down in defeat. You were meant to live an extraordinary life. Will you let God forgive you? Will you forgive yourself? Will you receive the goodness of God in your world? The choice is yours!

Find A Need And Fill It

I just returned from a two week trip to Les Cayes, Haiti. Haiti is the poorest country in the western hemisphere and rightly so. It has so many problems: economical collapse, governmental corruption, poor health conditions, very bad roads, little electricity, no real sewers, huge trash dilemma, contaminated drinking water and very high unemployment. Where do you start? At first, the problems seem so overwhelming that one might get discouraged trying to help. About two years ago, my church, Envision Life Center came across a Haitian family in our town that moved to America 12 years prior. Marie, the mother of this family has a brother still living in Les Cayes and he pastors a church there. Pastor Enoch, Marie’s brother, had a dream from God that he would receive help to build a church for his congregation and it would be a house of hope for the community! Two years ago, God began to stir in our hearts to help meet his need. Last year we took a team of 11 people to complete phase 1 of the building project and two weeks ago, we took a team of 25 people to start phase 2 of the building campaign! So much work has been done on the new church building that it has brought great hope to this congregation and Pastor Enoch not to mention the entire community. Our church saw a need that came across our path and we met it! The Good Samaritan story in the Bible is a great example of this principle!

Luke 10:30-37 (NASB)

“Jesus replied and said, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among robbers, and they stripped him and beat him, and went away leaving him half dead. And by chance a priest was going down on that road, and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. Likewise a Levite also, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, who was on a journey, came upon him; and when he saw him, he felt compassion, and came to him and bandaged up his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them; and he put him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn and took care of him. On the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper and said, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I return I will repay you.’ Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell into the robbers’ hands?” And he said, “The one who showed mercy toward him.” Then Jesus said to him, ‘Go and do the same.’”

The first two religious people past by the man that had been robbed and beaten and left for dead and did not stop to even help! Maybe they were in a hurry to get somewhere or it was too big of an inconvenience to lend a hand? I can see it now; they made some religious excuse not to help so that their consciences were callused from feeling guilty. But the Good Samaritan stopped, bandaged the man’s wounds and put him up in an inn until he was well, even though he was on his way somewhere. The Good Samaritan also paid for all the wounded man’s expenses! The Samaritan saw a need, had compassion on the individual that was hurt and met it! Jesus said that we are to go do the same as this man!

Are there people in your world that God is asking you to help meet their needs? Are you trying to make excuses why you cannot help them out? My prayer is that you ask God to open your eyes to see the people in your life that He wants you to help. Many times these opportunities come at an inconvenient time.

God put on my heart to help Pastor Enoch build a church and I had just lost my job and everything I owned. Instead of making excuses, I asked God to help me trust Him to make provision for the things He was asking me to do. Not only did I raise the amount of money needed to go on the trip, but I was able to lead 25 others as well. My whole world has changed because I decided to step out and trust God in an inconvenient time of my life. Could God be asking the same of you? Don’t make excuses…trust God and watch Him do a miracle in your life. Just think of all the people God wants to help through your very hands? I believe we pass up so many opportunities because we just don’t see things from God’s perspective. Don’t get discouraged over past opportunities you walked by. Ask God to forgive you and help you recognize His plan even in difficult times. Jesus was selfless and He wants us to be the same way. When you see a need, fill it…give your life away! It truly is the most rewarding way to live…a life serving others!