Inquiring minds

Sunday, December 14, 2008

A MATURE PERSON

Developing a Faith That Works

God's will for every person is personal growth and maturity. The book of James defines what maturity
means.

"Consider it pure joy, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know the testing of
your faith develops perseverance and perseverance must finish its work so that you may be
mature and complete not lacking anything." James 1:2-4

"Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will
receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him." James 1:12

"We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man,
able to keep his whole body in check." James 3:2

"Do not let any negative talk come out of your mouth but only what is helpful for building up
others according to their needs ..." Eph. 4:29

"If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he
deceives himself and his religion is worthless." James 1:26

"What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle
within you?" James 4:1

"Be patient then, brothers, until the Lord's coming ... As you know, we consider blessed those
who persevere." James 5:7, 11
"
The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective." James 5:16b

How do you rate your maturity?

Without a doubt, probably the number one cause of problems in the world is immaturity. The number one marriage problem is
people just need to grow up. They are acting immature. We get ourselves into all kinds of problems by saying
immature things, making immature decisions, acting in immature ways. We just need to grow up.
God's will for every person is that they grow.

In Hebrews 6:1, "Let us go on to maturity." God says grow up. That's why one of the purposes of our church is to help
everybody grow spiritually,emotionally, mentally, in every way and have balanced Christian living.

Maturity is not age. It has nothing to do with how long you've lived or how long you've been a
Christian. You can be a Christian for fifty years and not be mature.Maturity is not appearance. Some people just look mature. Some people just look more spiritual
than the rest of us. They look kind of dignified, they look like they're holy. For the rest of us it's just
tough luck. The fact is, you can look real spiritual and not be spiritual at all. It has nothing to do with
your appearance.

Maturity has nothing to do with achievement, what you accomplish. You can accomplish a lot and
still be very immature. You don't have to be mature to make millions.
Maturity has nothing to do with academics, how many degrees you've gotten, how much education
you've gotten.

God says maturity is attitude. Attitude is what makes the difference. It's your character."Character is what you are in the
dark." Recognition is what people say about you, character is
what God says about you. God says it's your attitude that determines whether you're mature or not.
God wants you to grow up and have Christlike attitudes.
How do you measure spiritual maturity? Not by comparing yourself to other people but by comparing
yourself to the word of God. In the book of James we have a manual on maturity. The word "mature"
in Greek is the word "teleaos" -- it's translated mature, complete, perfect. James uses this word five
times in five chapters. James is a manual on how to be mature. James gives us five marks of maturity.

A MATURE PERSON IS POSITIVE UNDER PRESSURE
James 1:2-4 "Consider it pure joy, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know the
testing of your faith develops perseverance and perseverance must finish its work so that you
may be mature and complete not lacking anything."
How do you handle trials? The first test of maturity is how do you react to problems? Do they blow
you away? Do you get nervous, uptight, negative? Do you grumble and gripe? How do you handle
problems?
Christianity is a life. It's not a religion, it's a life. Jesus said, "I've come that you might have life."
Life means problems, and part of life means solving problems and facing them with the right attitude.
What is your natural attitude, your natural bent when things don't go right and you're irritated? Are you
negative or are you positive? Are you basically a supportive person or are you a skeptical person? Is
your life filled with gratitude or grumbling? Are you affirmative or are you angry most of the time?
James says, "Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test,
he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him." You can be great
in the knowledge of the Bible and be cantankerous as all get out! Are you positive under pressure?

A MATURE PERSON IS SENSITIVE TO PEOPLE
"If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, `Love your neighbor as yourself' you are
doing right." James 2:8
A mature person is sensitive to people. He doesn't just see his own needs, he sees other people's
needs. He understands their hurts. He's not just interested in himself. My children, when they're
immature, only see themselves, "I want that, I want this, I don't care about anybody else." God says
that love, being interested in others, is a mark of maturity.
James gets very specific. James 2:1-6: Don't show favoritism, don't be a snob, don't look down on
people, don't judge by appearance, don't insult people, don't exploit people. The second test of
maturity is love: how do you treat other people?
Paul said, “I may win all kinds of people to the Lord, I may build great church buildings, I may be on
television, I may give my money to the poor, but if I have not love, I'm as sounding brass and a tinkling
cymbal; it just doesn't amount to much”.
Matthew 25, Jesus says, "At that judgment they will stand before the Lord and they'll say, `I was hungry
and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was naked and you clothed me, I was
sick and in prison and you visited me.' We'll say, `When, Lord, when did we do that? When were you
sick and we visited you? When were you in prison and when were you thirsty and we gave you drink?'

Jesus said, `Inasmuch as you have done it unto the least of these, my brethren, you have done it unto
Me.'" It's interesting to me that in the Matthew 25 judgment the one thing we'll be judged for is how
we treated other people. Not how many Bible verses we knew, how many times we were in church, not
how great a reputation we had as Christian leaders, but how we treated other people.
3. A MATURE PERSON HAS MASTERED HIS MOUTH
James 3:2 "We all stumble in many ways. (This is an understatement! Nobody's perfect.) If anyone
is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check."
The first thing a doctor will say when you go for a check up is "Stick out your tongue." He uses your
tongue to check your health. God does that spiritually, too.

Definition of gossip: hearing something you like about somebody you don't. It is mouth-to- mouth
recitation.
Self-control comes from tongue control. We get ourselves into so much trouble at what we say and
what we think and what we speak. James 3 gives several illustrations. He says our tongue is like a
rudder, a bit in a horse's mouth, a spark, a snake, a spring. He says that you put a little bit in a horse's
mouth and that little bit can control the direction of the horse. A little rudder on a boat can control the
direction of the boat. Your tongue, which, by size is very insignificant, controls your life. What you say
directs your life, what you say can destroy your life. It can delight people's lives, it can discourage
people's lives. Your tongue is a powerful force for good or for evil.
Have you ever heard anyone say, "I just say what's on my mind." They're kind of proud of it. Being
frank, up front, they say what's on their mind. Maybe there's not a whole lot on their mind. Maybe
what's on their mind shouldn't be said. The Bible says, that that's not frankness, that's immaturity. A lot
of people just need a large dose of tactfulness.
Ephesians 4:29 "Do not let any negative talk come out of your mouth but only what is helpful for
building up others according to their needs..." Circle the word "any". Watch what you say. When
you talk you don't just say things to build yourself up. You say things to build other people up. If it
doesn't build somebody else up, don't say it. Even if it's the truth. If it doesn't build up, don't say it.
That's a mark of maturity. A mature person manages his mouth. It doesn't matter how long you've
been a Christian, if you can't master your mouth, you've missed the point.

James 1:26 "If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his
tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless." If I've memorized a hundred thousand
verses and been through every Bible study in the book and go to church and never miss a service, but if
I'm a gossip, my religion is worthless. If I spread rumors, it's worthless. If I'm always saying things that
are not always accurate or exaggerate or speak impulsively, it's worthless. The test of maturity is to
manage your mouth so that no corrupt communication, no negative talk comes out of your mouth.

"Speak the truth in love" means the right attitude, the right timing, the right place, the right location, the
right motive. The Bible is very practical. It doesn't matter how much you know about the Bible, if your
attitude isn't like Christ's you're missing the point.

James 4:1 "What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that
battle within you?" He's talking about conflict. He says there are inner quarrels and fights and they
come from our own inner desires. You want something and you don't get it. You kill and covet but you
cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight and you do not have because you do not ask God.
Am I a peacemaker? Am I a troublemaker? Do I like to argue? Am I a contentious person? Do I get
my feelings hurt? Do I get defensive easily? Do I hurt other people's feelings? Am I a peacemaker?
Or am I a troublemaker?
The mark of a mature person is the lack of conflict in his own life. Paul told the Corinthian church, “You
guys are a bunch of babies”. They argued about everything. They argued about the Lord's Supper,
gifts, leadership, everything. That's a mark of immaturity.
Why is there so much conflict in the world? Why is there conflict in my marriage? Why is there conflict
where I work? Why is there conflict between me and a former friend? Why is there conflict between
me and another Christian? Why is there conflict between me and God? Why is there conflict?

James says there are two reasons for conflict. James 4:3 "When you ask you do not receive. But
you ask with the wrong motives that you may spend what you get on your pleasures." The first
cause of conflict is selfishness. When I want what I want then I'm going to have conflict with somebody.
The issue is pride. How do you know if a person is immature? Look at their prayers. If their prayers
are always self-centered -- bless me, prosper me, protect me, use me, help me... if this is the only kind
of prayer you pray, that's immature. Do you pray for other people? Bless me -- all I see is me. An "I"
problem. Selfishness.

Proverbs 13:10 "Only by
pride comes contention." All conflict is ego, pride.Pride guarantees conflict at work,
church, home, school, wherever. Selfishness -- we want things for ourselves."Brothers, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges
him speaks against the law and judges it... There is only one lawgiver and judge, one who is able to save and destroy. But you, who are you to judge your neighbor?" The other source of conflict
is judging others -- judge. All of us are guilty of judging. God says, “Don't judge
people”. If you do this you're asking for a fight. You're always finding fault, always stirring up strife,
always spreading rumors. Don't judge!
Why? Why should I not judge?
1. I'm not God. When you judge somebody it's playing God. There is only one judge, only one
lawgiver -- God.
2. Only God has all the facts, you don't and neither do I. When I judge you, I don't have all the
facts.
3. I don't know the motives, and you don't either. You can't tell what's in somebody's heart. You
don't know. Only God does.
So only God has the right to judge. He has all the facts, He knows everything, He knows all the
motives, He sees into our heart. He's got the truth so He can judge. But we are limited in our insight.
We don't have any right to judge.
God says selfishness and judging causes conflict. The fourth characteristic of a mature person is
whether that person is a peacemaker or a troublemaker. God says judgmental people are immature.

"Be patient then, brothers, until the Lord's coming... As you know, we consider blessed
those who persevere." v. 16 "The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective." Circle
"patient" and "prayer". God says the mark of a mature person is, he is patient and prayerful. Those are
the two keywords in chapter five. "Patient" is used four times. "Prayer" is used seven times. The mark
of a mature person is they are patient and they are prayerful. Those two go together. They express an
attitude of dependence upon God.
5:7 "Be patient then, brothers, until the Lord's coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to
yield its valuable crop, how patient he is for the fall and spring rain. You too be patient. Stand
firm because the Lord's coming is near. Don't grumble against each other, brothers, or you will
be judged." He's saying, “Be patient.” He gives the illustration of the farmer. If anybody has to have
patience it's a farmer. He does a lot of waiting. He plants a seed, waits, prays, hopes, expects ... he
waits. There are no overnight crops. Just like a farmer has to wait, sometimes we have to wait. We
have to wait on God in answer to prayer. We have to wait on God for a miracle. We have to wait on
God to work in our lives. We have to wait. Patience is a mark of maturity. The only way you learn
patience is by waiting.
My children had to learn the difference between "No" and "Not yet". For a long time they thought that
"not yet" meant "we're not going to get to do it". They thought it meant “No”-- it just meant “Not yet”.

Many times God will say to you, "Not yet." He doesn't mean "No". He doesn't mean He's not going to
answer your prayer. He just saying, “You've got to wait, I want you to develop, to grow”.
5:16 "Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other that you may be healed.
The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. Elijah was a man just like us. He
prayed earnestly that it wouldn't rain and it didn't rain on the land for three and a half years.
Again he prayed and the heavens gave rain and the earth produced its crop." If anybody was
patient it was Elijah. Elijah was patient and prayerful. That's a mark of maturity.
What are the tests?
1. How do you handle problems? Do you get uptight, negative, grumble, gripe, complain or are
you positive under pressure?
2. Are you sensitive to other people? Are you concerned about their needs, desires, cares, hurts,
or do you only see yourself? Do you only pray for yourself or do you pray for others?
3. Can you manage your mouth? Have you learned to put a muzzle on it sometimes and just not
speak? When you have a juicy tidbit of gossip and it's tempting because knowledge is power, do you
share it -- "... so you can pray about it." You can damage people just by innuendo. Managing your
mouth is a mark of maturity. (“Have you learned, like Ephesians says, "Let no corrupt communication,
no corrupt talk come out of your mouth, but only that which builds up for the edification of others
according to their needs.")

4. Are you a troublemaker or are you a peacemaker? Do you have a tendency to stir things up?
Do you have a hair trigger temper where someone can tick you off quickly? Do you carry a grudge?
Do you find yourself nursing a bitterness? Or are you a peacemaker?
5. How long can you wait for an answer to prayer without giving up? Maybe God has every
intention of giving it but He's waiting to teach you maturity.
How do you rate? This hasn't been an easy message but it's one we need.
Prayer:
In this moment of quietness before we close with a word of prayer, let's do a little personal
evaluation. It doesn't matter what anybody else thinks. It matters what God thinks about you. I
can fool you and I can fool others. You can fool me and you can fool others. But none of us can
fool God. He knows exactly what's in our heart. God says to you, "How do you rate your
maturity? Are you positive under pressure?" Some of you need to pray, "God, will You change
my attitude? Will You change me from an attitude of griping to an attitude of gratefulness?" Some
of you need to pray "God, will You help me handle the problems in life and not be negative about
them, not let them get me down? Teach me to be positive under pressure." Are you sensitive to others?
Some of you need to say, "Lord, please forgive me.I've been insensitive to my wife. She
talks, I tune her out. I read the paper, watch TV. I don't even listen because I don't think she has
anything to say. I'm too caught up in my own world to care about her world." Some of you need
to say, "Lord, please forgive me for being insensitive to my kids. Help me to realize that they are
just kids. Help me to quit expecting them to act mature when I don't even act mature all the time.
Help me to be sensitive to their hurts and needs and problems." Some of you wives need to say,
"Lord help me to be sensitive to my husband and the pressures that he's undergoing right now at
work, the difficulties he's handling. I don't experience them so I take it for granted. Help me not to
load more on him when he comes home, but to find the right time and right way to share." Have
you learned to master your mouth? Some of you need to say, "God, I'm sorry. I've been a gossip.
I've spread rumors. I've talked behind backs. I've shared things that were not positive, were not
for the building up but for the tearing down. God, help me to not be so impulsive with my mouth.
Lord, I know You said if I can't control my mouth, my religion is worthless. Help me to watch my
speech and only speak that which builds up." Are you a peacemaker instead of a troublemaker?
"God, you know I've got a temper and I ask You to help me with it. You know I've got pride in
my life, help me with it. Lord, you know how easy it is for me to judge other people. Help me to
realize that all that's going to do is to cause conflict and stir up strife. Help me to realize that You
are God and I'm not to play God. I don't have all the facts and know all the motives. Help me to
leave that judgment to You." Are you patient and prayerful about life? Some of you have been
waiting a long time for an answer, for a change, for a healing. Say, "God, help me to grow in
patience. Help me to develop my prayer life, to talk to You more, to show my dependence on
You by talking to You about every area of my life. Make me a patient and prayerful person."

Heavenly Father, thank You for Your word, for this book of James that is such a practical manual
on Christian living. Thank You that it deals not with theory, but with areas that all of us need to
work on -- our attitudes, our actions, our words, our thoughts, our relationships. Help us to
mature, to grow up, to be more like You. In Jesus' name. Amen

posted by Destiny @ 2:05 AM 0 comments

Saturday, November 8, 2008

Born a leader

Sometimes it cross my mind growing up from a young girl to a full pledge woman. I always had the mindset to treat others the way you want to be treated with respect. I know most say you must first learn to follow in order to lead. I had my share of following those that are an inspiration to the community,then you have those that you chose not to follow cause may be lacking wisdom. I see the good in everyone it doesn't matter what color you are we are here for a purpose, and that purpose is to love our neighbors the way God intended.

Our nation have come a long way to get the President we deserve. A great leader is someone that paves the way towards a better economy. It's not about a black and white thing when it comes to our President, it's about helping God's people.

My mission is to inspire others of knowing and bringing out wonderful talents that is so hidden deep within our souls. The enemy don't want none of us to find our true selves, cause once we discover it the passion that arises is so deep and heart warming you tend to be on higher ground, now I know that a lot of you are saying, what is she actually saying.

In terminology higher ground is knowing that you are prayed up and have repented of our sins.We sin daily, so we must touch bases with God daily. If we don't the enemy of our souls already is touching bases with the Creator and that's how the enemy will falsely accuse you to the Creator. This happens, some call it karma when bad things just start happening to you all of a sudden then stress tend to arise in your life. We'll the point is if you don't pray and release your burden to the lord it will just get worst and then suicide and depression tend to arise in one lifestyle.

If you are someone that always thinking about money, money is the source to evil and is the root of all evil. So it's not good to use money in a negative behavior. Being greedy with money isn't good, cause God give and will truly take. So the best possible way is to live humbled and in harmony with others. This brings about peace on earth where one can not be envious, sometimes don't you wonder. Why is this world so disturbing and cruel. Well, first we must take a look at ourselves. What is it that we are not doing, we should always want to give and help the community. Not by a greedy nature to always want to take, what I mean by take is when you charge or overprice someone for your service just so you can get rich quick.

Let me tell you people. I rather have a million friends than be a millionaire. I rather gain the respect and credibility than to be a billionaire, and if I was a millionaire or billionaire. Guess what I would want to share my wealth with those less fortunate than I was. I don't believe in I worked hard for mine, you have to get yours. That's what's wrong with the world system, we have adopted a corrupt thinking. This kind of thinking is immoral. I would just pray for people that think that way.

As a Charismatic leader, we need to face the fact people and make huge sacrifices, as well as take losses. We must pull up our boots and move on with it. Becoming the best One nation under God. Transforming our thinking to the mind of Christ, by reading God's Word daily.

Labels: billionaire, charismatic, friends, Leader, million, millionaire, people, wealth, word

posted by Destiny @ 7:18 PM 0 comments

About Me

Name: Destiny
Home: Henderson, NV, United States
About Me: My passion lies within motivating, inspiring, and developing empowering minds of transforming thoughts to a action plan in building a successful team for future growth contributing healthy lifestyles.
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