Gary and his wife, Rosey, prayed against multiple medical reports so bleak they were told to plan Gary’s funeral. But God called it off!

“We serve a God who heals,” said Brausen, a writer, inspirational speaker and intercessor who has been in healing ministry for 14 years. “We were told to stand on Jeremiah 30:17, and that’s what we did. God is in charge of our first day and our last, not cancer.”

With God all things are possible. Learn how the Brausen family handled the battle on this episode of Sid Roth’s It’s Supernatural! {eoa}

The other night I was working at a Panera Bread. Sitting at the table next to me was a group of teenagers studying for a test.

When they finished they were all exiting, leaving their trash on the table. The same thing happened several weeks before at an airport. Two teen girls sitting next to me got up to board their plane leaving their empty Starbuck cups for someone else to clean up. My outspoken friend pointed to the trash and announced to everyone at the gate, “If anyone wants to know what’s wrong with our country it’s this right here!”

In both circumstances and the many other examples I could have cited, it wasn’t absent-mindedness. It was an expectation that it was someone else’s duty to clean up after them. I think kids today, teens, in particular, get a bad rap on a number of fronts. However, one criticism that does have merit is their sense of entitlement.

Perhaps we were just as bad at that age, but our kids are growing up in a world of instant gratification. If they want information, they go online and get it easily. They receive trophies just for showing up, rather than for performance. In the process, they miss the powerful lessons of humility and hard work that come from the experience of losing.

If you don’t want entitled kids, be sure to do these five things.

1. Teach them to say “thank you.” The words we speak have a profound effect on our attitude. When we speak positive words we tend to have a positive outlook. Training your kids to say, “Thank you” will help nurture their gratitude. Reinforce this every time they receive something. For example, if someone gives them a cookie and they don’t say it, remind them. Send them back to the person to express gratitude. Role play with your children on how to say thank you and why it is so important.

2. Make them earn their money. Kids need to understand the value of money and what it takes to earn it. If they have an allowance make them do chores to earn it. If they don’t do their jobs they don’t get paid. On the other hand, give them bonuses when they go above and beyond. We were recently at the Disney Store and my daughter asked me to buy her a $20 stuffed animal. I told her she could buy it with her money and then I broke down for her how many days of daily chores equaled the cost of the animal. Then I asked her if it was worth all of the work. She quickly put it back on the shelf and walked away.

3. Do service projects together. Another way to cultivate thankfulness is to show them how to serve others. Doing service projects together or going on a mission trip will open their eyes to the less fortunate. One way to do this is by participating in Operation Christmas Child.  All Pro Dad has partnered with Operation Christmas Child for several years because it’s an amazing service project dads and kids can do together that teaches the power of giving. Take your child to a dollar store and buy small toys, socks, crayons, etc. and pack them into shoe boxes for children in developing countries. If your child uses their own money, it’s even better. This video shows a great example. Make sure to order your free materials and get the information regarding how to pack the shoeboxes prior to National Collection Week (November 14-21).

4. Teach them to clean up after themselves. A friend of mine had a rule with his kids. If their room wasn’t clean by the end of the night they forfeited their right to sleep in it. He would literally make his kids sleep in the hallway until their room was clean. His point was simple, be faithful in the little things. Maybe that is too extreme for you, but kids need to learn there is a responsibility that comes with things we are given. They need to learn to be a good caretaker. Let them know if they can’t handle the responsibility it will be taken away, whether it is a toy, a privilege, or perhaps even a room.

5. Let them lose. Kids can’t expect to win without putting in the work it takes. Achievement doesn’t just happen. It takes learning, effort, risk, personal growth and character. Many of those traits come from trial, failure and difficulty. Allowing your kids to win to boost their self-esteem and enjoyment of games is fine occasionally, but also should be balanced with loss. Make sure they know that every loss is an opportunity to learn. {eoa}

BJ Foster is the Director of Content Creation for All Pro Dad and a married father of two.

For the original article, visit allprodad.com.

When I stepped into the United Kingdom in September for the New Breed Revival Network conference, I clearly heard the Lord say, “London is the landing page.”

The “landing page” verbiage is essentially an allegory that speaks to me because of my media background. A landing page is a term used in conjunction with websites and has many purposes or functions. I believe London is the landing page of the European church. The Lord continued to give me downloads about the deeper meaning and even strategy for the prophetic voices and intercessors in the land.

1. A landing page is an entry point—it’s a gateway. The Lord showed me the church in London must stand at the gates and decide what is allowed in and what is shut out of Europe’s spiritual atmosphere. Church in London, God has given you authority as gatekeepers in the spirit to bind on Earth what is bound in heaven and loose on earth what is loosed in heaven, according to Matthew 16:19.

As a prophetic act, stand at the gates of your cities and declare that the King of Glory reigns. Welcome Jesus to take His rightful place in your city and your nation. You are to lock the gates to demonic forces invading Europe.

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The Lord is calling you to expel the forces of darkness, lock the gates with the Isaiah 22:22 key and re-establish His kingdom order. Isaiah 22:22 says, “And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder; so he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open.”

God is re-establishing His spiritual government in the U.K. Just as you saw a shake-up in the natural government here this summer, there will be a spiritual realignment in God’s government in the U.K.

God is giving apostles and prophets—the true ones—keys of governing authority. If you use these keys in prayer—if you decree and declare what the Lord is saying to your nation, if you rise up in this hour—you will loose Father’s will and push back darkness in the spirit. 

I heard the Lord say, “As goes London, so goes Europe. So stand in your authority and rule and reign as kings and priests in the name of Jesus.” First Peter 2:9 reveals we are a royal priesthood. In other words, we are kings and priests unto our God.

2. Landing pages are used to drive conversions from a sales perspective. In a spiritual sense, this relates to evangelism. The Lord shows me He is raising up evangelists and believers with an evangelistic grace who operate in miracle ministry to demonstrate the power of God according to Mark 16:15-18.

Conversion rates will rise in England and missionaries will go out from London into Europe with a signs-and-wonders gospel that sees souls converted if you will embrace the power gifts mantle. Seek the Lord, seek impartations, seek activations for the power gifts. Remember, Paul said in 1 Corinthians 2:4-5, “My speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.”

3. A landing page publishes key information to influence people. The Lord showed me prophetic voices are going to begin to trumpet God’s true word. Prophets and prophetic voices are going to prophesy with greater accuracy and a remnant from the larger church—some who have turned a deaf ear—are going to begin to listen.

Not all will listen. But more will heed the true prophetic voices and rally the troops. The Lord is calling prophetic believers to prophesy into the government and into the education system and into the media, arts and entertainment and business realms. He is calling you to prophesy into the seven mountains of societal influence

The Lord will watch over His word to perform it, and the angels will hearken to the voice of the prophecy that truly comes from the heart of God. You will not just prophesy something once and expect it to happen. Persistence and waging war with the prophetic word is key to the strategy in this hour.

The Lord wants His church at large to get a right paradigm of angelic ministry and avoid the excesses, extremes and errors some taught. Bill Johnson teaches we don’t worship angels but it would be foolish to ignore them. Hebrews 1:14 says angels are ministering spirits sent forth to serve the heirs of salvation. Psalm 103:20 tells us angels hearken to the voice of God’s word to execute His plans.

4. A landing page offers relevant messages. Not relevant as in compromising the gospel. Merriam-Webster defines relevant as, “having significant and demonstrable bearing on the matter at hand and affording evidence tending to prove or disprove the matter at issue or under discussion.”

If you maintain Bible integrity in the prophetic voice, even when it is not popular, you will gain more and more relevance and influence. God is going to give the persevering prophetic voices relevant dreams and visions. Consider this Scripture: “There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard. Their line has gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world” (Ps. 19:3-5).

5. Landing pages have social sharing icons. The Lord showed me the true messages from true prophetic voices are going to spread organically. You won’t have to make the people who are supposed to listen hear you. There will be those who hear and don’t understand, but those who have a heart to hear what the Lord is saying will search it out and find the truth.

Some of the prophetic words coming out of the nation will go viral. Sometimes that’s because people will hear the truth in it, and sometimes it’s mockers scoffing. Stand strong. When the scoffers spread your message, it will still prick the hearts of some and they will repent and believe. God will use the scoffers’ ill intentions for His good. Don’t give heed to the lies of the scoffers. Set your face like flint and don’t read what they say about you. God is using you.

6.  Landing pages make a clear and concise call to action. The true prophetic voices in the land are going to be led by the Spirit to make clear calls to action. In some cases, that will sound like repentance. In other cases, that will sound like altar calls for healing and deliverance. God is going to give the prophetic voices clear and concise messages that cut through the spirit of religion’s influence.

What Now?

So where do you go from here? This is God’s will for you. Will it be easy, no. Will there be spiritual warfare, yes. But will there be results if you obey the Lord. Yes.

God is looking for prophets and prophetic voices who carry an Isaiah spirit in this region. Isaiah goes down in Bible history as a prophet of hope. Despite everything going on, despite the hard words he offered, he was known as a prophet of hope. When the Lord encountered Isaiah in chapter 6, we read from verse 5:

“Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, The Lord of hosts.”

Isaiah was overwhelmed by the calling. Don’t be overwhelmed. God is with you!

Verses 6-7 continue, “Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a live coal which he had taken with the tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth with it, and said: ‘Behold, this has touched your lips; Your iniquity is taken away, and your sin purged.'”

Live a lifestyle of repentance and you will walk more closely with the Lord and hear Him accurately.

Verse 8 reads, “Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: ‘Whom shall I send, And who will go for Us?’ Then I said, ‘Here am I! Send me.'”

The Lord is looking for prophetic warriors in London and the surrounding region to answer the call. London is the landing page. {eoa}

My life verse is Acts 1:8 (MEV) which says, “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you shall be My witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Every time I read this verse, the word “power” jumps out at me. As I’ve studied this, I’ve developed a sense of awe.

The Koine Greek word for “power” is dunamis, which the Analytical Lexicon of the Greek New Testament defines with reference to Acts 1:8 as: able to produce a strong effect power, might, strength” and “as supernatural manifestations of power miracle, wonder, powerful deed.” This word is used 10 times in the Acts of the Apostles and is always in reference to God’s power, miracles and signs and wonders.

When the Bible uses the word dunamis, it never refers to our strength or ability but rather to His power through us. It is His power alone that keeps us, while it forms our character as we walk in His power and glorify Him.

After the apostles were baptized with the Spirit on the Day of Pentecost, Peter and John were on their way to the Temple to pray and came across a man crippled from birth, begging. In Acts 3:6, Peter said, “I have no silver or gold, but I give you what I have. In the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!”

The man was healed and Peter attributed the power displayed in Acts 3:11-16 not to himself, but to Jesus! The authorities arrested Peter and John. When they questioned the apostles, the two Christ followers said the man was healed “by the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, and whom God raised from the dead. … There is no salvation in any other, for there is no other name under Heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:8-22).

As Christians, we have the power of the Spirit and should always point to Jesus when signs, wonders and healings take place. It is the incredible power of the Spirit that sets us free in Jesus to walk with Him and to continually pursue His grace and love, being empowered to witness to others about Him.

You can be part of glorifying Jesus by the power of His Holy Spirit. After reading this, go to your secret place of prayer and ask Him to fill you and use you for His glory. Ask for the dunamis of the Holy Spirit to saturate you and for the Spirit of God to be your tutor as you grow in friendship with Jesus and walk in His power all the while giving Him the glory.

Please let me know by emailing me what God does in you after you apply this to your life. {eoa}

Jared Laskey is a former Marine with service in Iraq (2007-08) and Afghanistan (2009). He is the lead pastor of Destiny Open Bible Church in Virginia Beach, Virginia and is a Master of Divinity student at Regent University with an MACM from Shepherds Theological Seminary (2015) and a BS from Eugene Bible College (2003). He planted his first church/outreach center in 2000. He lives to see Jesus awaken this generation to the power of His Holy Spirit. You can follow him on twitter @jaredalaskey, or contact him through his website, firebornministries.org. He also co-authored Veronica’s Hero, which you can find on Amazon.

To follow Jesus is the beginning of the great adventure of life. Here are four words that help us come to grips with Him, sketching out why His story is so compelling and transforming:

1. Unique – There has never been another person like Jesus in history. He burst all known categories at the time, as everyone was struggling to come to terms with Him. Sympathetic followers thought of Him as a prophet, a rabbi or perhaps the conquering Messiah that would throw out the Romans. Others thought of Him in darker terms as demonically possessed or even mentally insane.

No one got who Jesus was because Jesus was writing His own story. Only after the resurrection did the scales fall off and the disciples begin to understand who He was and what He came to do—to rewrite human history, to undo the effects of the fall, and to restore all of creation back to its original intent and luster. And the more His followers understood that, the more they understood who they were and what part they were to play in His story.

2. Beautiful – The story of Jesus is compelling for another reason. It’s just so beautiful. To read about how He loved people fiercely and compassionately, how He spoke the truth even when it got Him killed, how He resisted the temptation to use His power for His own good, how He offered everything and asked for nothing for Himself, and how He gave His life in the end—all of this and more casts an aura of wonder over the whole account.

It’s the same wonder we feel in all the great stories we love as men, where the hero fights to overcome incredible odds in order to do something good and noble, sacrificing so much to accomplish his task. When we read stories like this, we find our hearts properly enchanted, taking us out of the mundane and awakening us to wonder. All that we love about these stories is an echo of Jesus, but His story tells us of even grander things: the love of God, the wretchedness of man, and the passion of a King who would die to set His people free.

In fact, the reason we love all the heroes in our favorite stories is because they were a little like Jesus. This idea is so pervasive in literature that we even have a term for it—the Christ figure.

3. Heart – There is something about the way Jesus lived and the words He spoke that connects to our core longings and fears. He spoke into the heart because He knows the heart. Here are just a few examples from the gospels:

The story of the feeding of the 5,000 showed Jesus to be the Good Shepherd even in the wilderness of life. It speaks to the ongoing anxiety and worry that plague us.

The story of Jesus calming the storm showed Him as the one who had power over everything, inviting us now to quit living out of fear and trust Him in all things.

The story of Jesus’ encounter with the rich young ruler surfaces our seemingly intractable addiction to idols. Yet He comes to set our hearts free from the chains in which have put ourselves.

In all of these stories, Jesus is not just inviting us into a different way of behaving or thinking; He is inviting us into a new way of being.

4. Opposite – But despite all of this, we have a problem with Jesus. There is a rigidity about Him: He will not be compromised, diluted or marginalized. He is the stone on which many have stumbled and still do today. His story has an angularity—with jagged, sharpened edges that don’t fit into our self-absorbed lives. All of His offensiveness and all of our corresponding defensiveness is explained by the fact that His story and ours are on completely opposite trajectories.

We are consumed with our reputations; Jesus was willing to forfeit His. We are about our daily agendas; Jesus was about His Father’s. We may try to do good, but are swamped with evil motives; Jesus always did the good for His Father’s glory. We are about building our own kingdoms of security, power and control. Jesus was about building His Father’s kingdom of justice, glory and love.

To enter His story is not just shifting a few priorities or getting rid of a few bad habits. It’s not even seeking to be moral or good. It’s a total wash, a complete transformation. He is asking each of us to become something that we know not now—something that we know not how.

This is beyond us.

It’s supposed to be.

So how do we enter such a story, such a great adventure? That’s for the next blog post. {eoa}

Bill Delvaux is a graduate of Duke University and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and has served as a pastor and a high school Bible teacher. Presently, he leads Landmark Journey Ministries as a speaker, small group coach, and author of Divided: When the Head and Heart Don’t Agree and Landmarks: Turning Points on Your Journey Toward God. Bill also serves as content editor for Stand Firm, LifeWay’s devotional magazine for men. He and his wife have two grown daughters and reside in Franklin, Tennessee. Follow Bill on Twitter @BillDelvaux.

For the original article, visit authenticmanhood.com.

What if a manager was in charge of a company—but never followed the company owner’s instructions?

Consider this question in light of 1 Corinthians 6:19-20:

“What? Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God, and that you are not your own? You were bought with a price. Therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.”

This Scripture tells us our bodies belong to God, not to ourselves. After all, Jesus used His precious blood to pay for us!

As Christians, our correct perspective is that we are managers of our bodies, not owners.

A manager perspective should make a difference in how we treat ourselves. After all, managers must give account to the owner about how they manage their responsibilities, right?

Let’s look at this scenario in the natural again. What would you do if you were a company owner, but had a manager who worked against your goals?

That manager would be acting in opposition to Amos 3:3:

“Do two people walk together, if they have not agreed?”

In the natural, a company owner would likely fire a manager who acted this way.

However, the Lord in His mercy does not fire us! He gives us time to align ourselves with His Word so we can grow in our walk with Him—and His kingdom can grow!

The Lord knows our hearts. He knows when disobedience occurs because of ignorance. But He also knows when disobedience occurs from a heart hardened by rebellion.

Let’s pretend that our manager acted in ignorance because she did not know about the company’s purpose. Suppose the owner had provided the manager with instructions that outlined the company’s aims, but the manager never read it.

The Lord has provided us with instructions too—the Bible. Do we take time to read it so that we can learn about our the Lord’s purpose for our lives—and become better managers of our God-given resources?

In fact, some say Bible stands for:

• Basic
• Instructions
• Before
• Leaving
• Earth

To ensure that we are on the same page with God, we need to read His Word, ask the Holy Spirit for understanding and apply what we learn.

Because recognizing God’s ownership of our body is so important, I plan to write the next few messages about what that means. Once we understand these truths, we can better align ourselves with the Lord.

Now, let’s take a look at the first purpose for our bodies. In Isaiah 56:7, the Lord says of the ancient temple:

“Even them I will bring to My holy mountain and make them joyful in My house of prayer … ” 

Since our bodies are now temples of the Holy Spirit, the Lord desires that they too be used as a house of prayer.

Is your body a house of prayer? If not, then start establishing daily communication between you and the Lord through prayer. Your communication does not have to be formal—just talk to Him as you go about your day as a child would talk to her beloved Father:

• If you feel anxious, seek Him.
• If you need wisdom, seek Him.
• If you need strength to do the right thing, seek Him.

That is what prayer is—you speak to God and listen as He speaks to you. Scripture says that in His presence is fullness of joy and at His right hand are pleasures forevermore (Ps. 16:11).

Are you missing that fullness of joy? Could it be you are overeating partially out of emotional emptiness? That can happen when you body isn’t used as a house of prayer. 

Today, resolve in your heart to start honoring God through recognizing His ownership of your body. That means taking time to talk with Him so that you can learn to discern His heart. In that way, you can take actions that please Him.

I also recommend writing down how your life would change if you saw your body as a house of prayer. To take your prayers to the next level, listen to our free prayer classes online.

In the next message, I’ll cover another way to align yourself with God’s purpose for your body in recognition of His ownership. {eoa}

Once 240 pounds and a size 22, Kimberly Taylor can testify of God’s healing power to end binge eating. She is an author and the creator of the Christian weight loss website takebackyourtemple.com. Visit today for inspirational health and weight-loss tips.

For the original article, visit takebackyourtemple.com.

What would you say is the most apt description of the church today? Would you say it is “on fire”? Thriving? Never more relevant than now? Growing? Turning the world upside down?

Really?

People ask me all over the world, “What is the church doing today?” I usually reply: “Not a lot, in my humble opinion.” There are exceptions—yes, in some happier spots of the world, although more so in Third World countries and usually in remote places. I could name a few. But, generally speaking, I think we are living “between the times,” to use Richard Bewes’ phrase.

Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones would say that the most apt description of today’s church is its “superficiality.” Dr. J.I. Packer has said that the Bible Belt in America is “a thousand miles wide and one inch deep.” Dr. A.W. Tozer said that if the Holy Spirit were completely taken from the church today it would continue on as if nothing happened and “nobody would know the difference.”

If the Parable of the Ten Virgins (Matt. 25:1-13) is eschatological (referring to the last days), as many Bible students suggest, we can easily see what our Lord Jesus Christ would say about today’s church: It is asleep. “While the bridegroom delayed, they all rested and slept” (Matt. 25:5).

The Parable of the Ten Virgins is introduced by Jesus’ words in Matthew 25:1, “At that time” (NIV) or “Then” (MEV). That would refer back to what He said in Matthew 24, surely a chapter that partly describes the last days. If that is true, the Parable of the Ten Virgins is not only eschatological but prophetic: Jesus was telling us in advance what the church would be like in the very last days. Most Bible interpreters would agree that the Parable of the Ten Virgins in some sense refers to the church. Five of them were wise, five of them were foolish. But all were asleep.

Characteristics of Sleep

You don’t know you were asleep until you wake up. We’ve all done this—lie down for a moment not to sleep but to relax—only to find out we slept for a while!

You do things in your sleep you would not do if you were awake. Our dreams prove this. Whether such dreams are unexpressed fears or wishes, as Sigmund Freud might say, we do things when asleep we would not do if awake.

We hate the sound of an alarm. How would you like to be awakened at 2 a.m., when you did not ask for this? We would resent being awakened. We want to sleep on.

I happen to believe that the next thing to happen on God’s calendar is the Midnight Cry: “But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Look, the bridegroom is coming! Come out to meet him'” (Matt. 25:6). This does not necessarily mean 12 midnight; the Greek literally means “in the middle of the night”—like 2 a.m., when the church would be in a deep sleep, metaphorically speaking.

The Parable of the Ten Virgins is very relevant at the present time. It depicts the church today—nearly everywhere. We are asleep, and we don’t know it. We may sincerely believe we are wide awake. But we are asleep. I would even say we are in a deep sleep—like at 2 a.m.—and we don’t want to be disturbed.

What is evidence we are asleep? Simply put: the lack of outrage over what is going on in the world. We not only tolerate what is happening before our eyes, we have become so used to it that we are virtually impervious to it.

There are the Supreme Court verdicts. The biblical view of marriage is on the way out. Terrorism is at our doors. Church attendance is declining. We are losing our young people. If someone calls things like this to our attention we say, “Oh yes. It’s pretty awful.” Then we roll over, zzzzzzzz, and essentially say, “Let me sleep on.”

What should sadden us is that the world does not respect the church. There is virtually no fear of God in the land. Mary Queen of Scots (1542-1587) said she feared the prayers of John Knox (c.1514-1572) more than an army of 10,000 men. But that was a long time ago.

When Jonathan Edwards preached “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” on July 8, 1741, men held on to church pews and trees to keep from slipping into hell. Word of that sermon spread all over New England in days and all over England in weeks.

In 1802, in an area called Cane Ridge in Bourbon County, Kentucky, a Methodist lay preacher stood on a fallen tree on a Sunday morning, taking his text from 2 Corinthians 5:10: ” For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive his recompense in the body, according to what he has done, whether it was good or bad.”

As he spoke, hundreds fell to the ground by the power of the Holy Spirit. The Cane Ridge Revival lasted some four days. The Great Awakening lasted for more than 20 years. Both brought about a fear of God in our nation. They gave us our Bible Belt.

But who fears God today? Not many, I suspect. An awakened church will help restore a fear of the Lord in our nation. No election will do it. But God can do it. For this we pray. Or will it take the Midnight Cry? (©2016 R.T. Kendall) {eoa}

R.T. Kendall served as minister at Westminster Chapel in London from 1977 to 2002. His forthcoming book, Is Your Heart Prepared for the Midnight Cry? is scheduled for release next month.

For the original article, visit billygraham.org.

I was around 5 years old and over at a friend’s house. My friend’s mom was about to take us some place fun so we got into the car.

This was back in the day where people didn’t think about car safety and kids could sit anywhere. So, even though we were only 5, he was in the front and I was in the back. His mom started driving out of the driveway, which sloped uphill. When she got out of the car to check the mailbox, my friend had the bright idea to move the gear stick from ‘P’ to ‘N’. The next thing I knew we were moving backward with his mom running after us. Fortunately, his mom was able to jump in and push the brake, which was the only thing that kept us from toppling over into a small ravine.

Children, to put it mildly, can do the dumbest things and, even a 30-second lack in judgment can haunt our children for a lifetime. Here are a few helpful ideas to keep your kids from doing dumb things and, hopefully, ease your pain.

1. Online dangers. The whole world is on the internet—the good, bad and the dangerous. A child can get in serious trouble in a hurry. By all means, be aware of your child’s online activity. Some filters can be helpful, but they can’t block everything. There is no room for you to bury your head in the sand on this one. Talk to your kids openly about the dangers they could encounter. Then follow that up with eyes like a hawk at all times. Start with making them do their online surfing in the living room, not their bedroom.

2. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. We inherit much from our parents. This includes tendencies. Plenty of bad ideas you once came up with as a kid will be attempted by your child as well. The best way to catch a criminal is to think like one, right? Same thing applies here. Try to remember the world through the eyes of a 12-year-old. It will be very beneficial in preventing things before they ever occur.

3. The famous money tree. We all wish it existed. Of course, it does not. Children, especially teenagers, tend to treat money like it can never run out. Sadly, many adults do as well. Teach your children the importance of money management. Give them an allowance that is earned by designated chores. Money falling from trees is never going to happen.

4. Loose lips sink ships. Everyone has said things in their life they would like to take back. Mom was right. If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all. Being honest and straightforward is great. However, tactfulness and politeness are equally important. Teach your children to control their tongues. This one trait can take a person far in life. It’s called “not burning bridges.”

5. The cell phone blues. The mobile phone has become a permanent part of our being. It’s like an extra limb. Yes, they are helpful and awesome in many ways. They are also a great way to get into a lot of trouble for your children. “Sexting” has become a major problem among teens. It is very important you discuss and monitor the cell phone use of your kids.

6. Thinking a couple moves ahead. Teach your children how to think through the consequences of their actions. Walk them through progressions in their minds by asking questions, such as, “What will happen if you do ‘X’? How will people react? What will you do then?” Play strategy games together that train their brains to think a couple moves ahead.

7. The importance of choosing friends. The people your kids spend their time with have a great deal of influence on them. Have the discussion about friend selection with your children. It’s best to have that talk before you are rushing them to the hospital or receiving a call from the school.

8. Teach them manners. “Don’t talk with your mouth full.” “Inside voices!” “The proper term is yes, sir!” Manners are somewhat of a lost art in our society. It seems there are so many battles to fight this one gets shoved aside. Then it rears its ugly head at a neighborhood dinner party. You are mortified at the behavior of your kids—a horrible feeling for a parent. Enforce the most basic of manners in your household at all times. Teach them the meaning of respect.

9. Safeguard your home. We can’t shelter our kids from all dangers, but we can prevent a lot of unnecessary accidents. If you own guns, make sure they are locked up. Keep medicine, household cleaning products and pointy things out of their reach. They all have their place and it’s not in the hands of an unknowing child. Safeguard your home.

10. Lying in the bed you made. The surefire way to prevent your kids from doing dumb things is by allowing them to experience the consequences of their actions. “You made your bed, now lie in it.” It is imperative that you discipline your children, however difficult and sometimes heartbreaking it is to do. Disciplining a child is a great act of love by a parent. {eoa}

For the original article, visit allprodad.com.

If you are worrying about your weight or your health right now, then I’ve got a short prayer that can change everything for you.

Many years ago, God told me the true meaning of the name “Take Back Your Temple.” The very name is a prayer.

This prayer asks God to take control of your body and your life so He can use them for His purpose and agenda. You recognize that you are trying to live in your own strength and it just isn’t working.

Because you recognize that your body is God’s temple, you invite Him in to guide you in caring for it. You rely on His strength, not your own.

If you are struggling with your weight right now, then simply ask God to: “Take Back Your Temple.”

If you are struggling with destructive habits, simply pray to the Lord in the midst of it: “Take Back Your Temple.”

If you are struggling with fear, doubt, depression, stress, worry or anxiety then invite God into the situation: “Take Back Your Temple.”

If you pray that simple, powerful four-word prayer with a sincere heart each day to start your day, then it will be answered because it is based on God’s own word that our bodies are His temples, and we therefore are to glorify Him in our bodies and in our spirits (1 Cor. 6:19-20).

Once you pray that prayer with faith, knowing that it has been answered, say “Thank you Lord, I believe that I receive [say whatever you believe is your level of optimal health] according to Mark 11:24.” Actually repeat this until you feel the joy of receiving the gift bubbling up inside of you.

Now, here is the next step. Many people miss this and so do not obtain what they ask for in prayer. Listen as the Holy Spirit speaks to you and guides you, giving you wisdom regarding how to obtain what you asked for in prayer.

Whatever He tells you to do, do it. Walk out His strategy step-by-step, day-by-day. Write it down and review it every day. Don’t delay. God wants you blessed in health even more than you do.

Once 240 pounds and a size 22, Kimberly Taylor can testify of God’s healing power to end binge eating. She is an author and the creator of the Christian weight loss website takebackyourtemple.com. Visit today for inspirational health and weight-loss tips.

For the original article, visit takebackyourtemple.com.

John 10:10 has been one of my favorite scriptures for many years. It says: “The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows)” (AMPC).

This verse clearly shows us that God wants us to enjoy our lives—in abundance, to the full, until we’re overflowing with joy!

I remember when God gave me the revelation that it’s His will for me to enjoy my life. It was life-changing because I used to be a miserable person who was emotionally unstable and couldn’t be happy unless I got my way in most circumstances in my life. Because of the abuse I had experienced throughout childhood, I was insecure, angry and didn’t trust anyone. But once I started seriously studying the Word of God, I came to realize that He didn’t want me to live this way. I could be healed and whole in my mind and emotions, and I could learn how to really enjoy my everyday life.

Now, when I say God wanted me to enjoy my everyday life, I’m talking about doing ordinary life with calm delight and a smile on my face (see John 15:11). It’s about not dreading the daily responsibilities you have to do whether you like it or not, things like cleaning the house, mowing the grass, going to work, and the list goes on and on. And it’s not a “working for the weekend” mentality or an attitude that says “I’ll be happy when … I get to go on vacation” or “the kids are back in school” or “I get that promotion” and so on.

It seems today that most people believe they have to wait for their circumstances to change before they can enjoy life. But the truth is you can make the decision to enjoy your ordinary life and make it extraordinary, regardless of your circumstances.

Doing Life With God

One of the ways you can take ordinary life and make it extraordinary is to learn to do every single thing you do with and for God. We make a mistake when we separate our sacred life from our secular life. We can be just as close to God in the grocery store as we are at church. And He wants us to do everything we need to do with Him.

It actually adds an edge of excitement when we let God be involved in everything we do. He’s everywhere, all the time, and He’s just as interested in the routine, mundane tasks of our lives as He is in the more “spiritual” things we do.

It’s amazing to realize that God wants to have fellowship with us—He wants to spend each day with us. Don’t just settle for seeking Him once a week at church or when you’re in a desperate situation. Decide that you are going to enjoy your everyday relationship with God!

The Truth About Real Joy

The abundant life Christ offers goes deeper in our hearts than the way we feel about things. It’s an amazing thing when we learn how to have the peace and joy only God can give in every area of our lives, instead of the type of enjoyment that’s just based on emotional excitement.

The joy of the Lord is much greater than simply feeling happy. It brings peace and contentment to your soul, even when your circumstances are difficult and don’t make any sense. Nehemiah 8:10 says, “The joy of the Lord is your strength.”

This kind of joy makes the Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday routine enjoyable. And since most of life is Monday through Friday, we need to enjoy it!

The World Can’t Give It to You

In John 15:11, Jesus says, “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.” The Amplified translation says “that your joy and gladness may be of full measure and complete and overflowing.” In the ten verses leading up to this one, Jesus is talking about abiding in Him, because that’s the key to living with His joy.

Abiding means “to live, dwell and remain in”; it’s not just visiting once a week at church. It’s having a personal relationship with Christ, being one with Him and doing life together. The truth is apart from Jesus, we can do nothing of real value, but with Him, we can bear much good fruit (John 15:5).

God wants to abide with you every day, all throughout the day. He doesn’t just want you to seek Him when you go to church or when you’re desperate. His desire is to have a personal relationship with you, so you can experience His presence in everything you do. That’s when your everyday life is really enjoyable! {eoa}