WEDNESDAY'S WORD - NO - Sadell Bradley 02/24/16 - New Life Covenant Cincinnati

The question in the meme is loaded! NO packs a lot of punch for a two letter word! It can mean none or hardly any; or the opposite of what is being specified, "It was no easy task." It can forbid a behavior, "No Smoking." NO is powerfully used in exclamation. It is a one word sentence that conveys a negative response or decision. Jesus taught us, "All you need to say is simply Yes, or No: anything beyond this comes from the evil one." (Matthew 5:37) No can be used to express agreement or disagreement, shock or disappointment.  "No can do, no longer, no more, no place, no sooner than, no two ways about it, no way!" Do you have trouble taking NO for answer? Is it hard for you to say NO without explaining or feeling guilty?  No is sometimes a difficult word to say, and to hear. Life would be simpler if it were used more. Try saying NO when needed this week!

Does God say NO?  We were discussing praying the will of God yesterday. 1 John 5:14-15 says, "This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him." (NASB)  If...then  clauses are a favorite because they bring clarity.  This one says there is a possibility that we may be out of God's will when we pray. If that is the case, the answer will be a straight out NO! not a yes, or a wait.  Doors will close shut and favor will not be granted, despite your many requests and attempts to swing things open. James 4:3 reiterates, "And even when you ask, you don't get it because your motives are all wrong--you want only what gives you pleasure." (NLT) Because it's not often preached, many Christians are unaware that NO is a potential answer to prayer. Sometimes we stubbornly hold on too long to desires/dreams/plans/people and things that God has refused.

Like any good parent, the Father loves us, and even His NO is always working together for our good...though it doesn't feel that way sometimes. (Rom. 8:28) Maturity means being able to receive NO from others, say NO when necessary, and hear NO from the LORD when His thoughts and ways differ from our own.

New Life Covenant's Annual 30 for $30 Campaign is starting!  For the next 30 days up to our 3rd Anniversary, we are asking friends and family to support our local missions projects for 2016 with a donation of $30 or more. CLICK HERE TO DONATE  Our first event was Monday at CAIN Ministry, we served 117 people! Glory to God!!

New Life Covenant Cincinnati Sundays at   11:00 AM         Urban Artifact 1660 Blue Rock Street Cincinnati OH 45223 Visit Our Website

WEDNESDAY'S WORD - PONDER - 02/16/16 - Sadell Bradley - New Life Covenant Cincinnati

Ponder means to think about something carefully, especially before making a decision or reaching a conclusion; to consider, weigh, reflect on.  In Hebrew, palas - to roll flat (i.e. to prepare a road). In Proverbs, the book of wisdom, King Solomon wrote that rashness should be avoided, and that focus, wisdom and careful consideration should guide our affairs: "Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee. Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established. Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil." (Proverbs 4:25-27)

At times we are at a crossroads, having to choose between two or more life altering alternatives.  A path is the course, conduct or action that a person will take. Life is frail and short. Too often we leap and act without 'counting the cost' before we build, or making sure we're prepared for the fight. Jesus said that even the price of following Him in discipleship must be carefully weighed. (Luke 14:25-28) We are to give vigilant consideration to ALL of our ways: not just the path itself, but ponder our methods, character, and habitual behavioral patterns. "Is the way I'm going where God is leading?" "Is the way I AM helping or hurting my getting there?"

Signage in companies says, "EST." and a date - when the company was ESTABLISHED.  It's no
longer just an idea in the founder's mind: the paperwork has been filed with the State, a building has been secured, employees have been hired, the shelves have been stocked, a grand opening has taken place and it's been around for a while. The entity has been brought into an incontrovertible existence: one that cannot be denied or disputed.  The Bible is speaking to us about our lives, families, plans and visions. This establishment process is in 5 Phases according to the Lexicon:

1. Formation - initial planning or Vision.
2. Actionable Preparation for a future event. It is not enough to have an idea, if it is never acted upon.
3. Establishing or Fixing - having it under control. The goal is accomplished. The entity is created and functioning well.
4. Establishment of a Dynasty - future perpetuation, inheritance or legacy.
5. Satisfaction - a sense of well being that we can go on to the next thing because this one will be taken care of.

For some of you, this may be one of the most important life-guiding things you'll ever read, and I hope follow! Here are three closing thoughts: 

• "Every minute you spend planning saves 10 minutes in execution; this gives you a 1000 percent return on energy."- Brian Tracy 
• "Plans are only good intentions unless they immediately degenerate into hard work."Peter Drucker
• "A good plan violently executed NOW is better than a perfect plan executed next week." - General George S. Patton

Take some time out today to look at your life and ponder the path of your feet...

 

New Life Covenant's Annual 30 for $30 Campaign is starting!  For the next 30 days up to our 3rd Anniversary, we are asking friends and family to support our local missions projects for 2016 with a donation of $30 or more. CLICK HERE TO DONATE  Our first event is this Monday, February the 22nd serving dinner for 100 people at Phil's Community Meal at CAIN (Churches Active In Northside) Ministry.

 

 

New Life Covenant Cincinnati Sundays at    11:00 AM                   Urban Artifact 1660 Blue Rock Street Cincinnati OH 45223 Visit Our Website

WEDNESDAY'S WORD - QUARREL - Sadell Bradley- 02/09/16 - New Life Covenant Cincinnati

The photo above is exactly how I felt on social media yesterday. It happens every once in a while, not just to me but to many of my friends.  We'll be sharing a different opinion/perspective on an issue and be met with serious hostility, usually from a Christian brother or sister. Because of a view I shared on disparities and double standards in perceptions of African-Americans vs. Caucasians.  I was shamed and told that I was an affront to the Gospel and not a Christian leader. 

This really shocked me. 1) I was just posing a question/alternative thought for discussion, 2) I welcomed all opinions (we are not a monolith) and 3) this issue definitely had nothing to do
with my love for Jesus or leadership in the Church.  To the contrary, these types of discussions are meant to expose the subtleties of the SIN of racism and classism; to bring light to a very dark area in our underbelly and move us to a greater sensitivity and one day hopefully unity. I stated that despite our differing opinions, I would never suggest that disagreement would be tantamount to another person not being saved or a leader. It was not my intent to start or be involved in a quarrel. A QUARREL is an angry argument or disagreement, typically between people who are usually on good terms. So I took the post down.

Paul said that quarreling was something that Believers should avoid. God's servants had to learn to disagree agreeably, and have patience with the process of change in people's lives. I'm wondering how some of their disagreements about Gentiles being engrafted into salvation with the Jews might have gone...  
 

Again I say,don’t get involved in foolish, ignorant arguments that only start fights. A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone, be able to teach, and be patient with difficult people. Gently instruct those who oppose the truth. Perhaps God will change those people’s hearts, and they will learn the truth. Then they will come to their senses and escape from the devil’s trap. For they have been held captive by him to do whatever he wants. (2 Timothy 2:23-26)

I pray that the Lord will bring us to a maturity that enables us to have hard discussions without judgment and shaming that will not engender strife, but bring about UNITY in the Body of Christ, and that we won't quit along the way...

WEDNESDAY'S WORD - EDIFY - Sadell Bradley 02/02/16 - New Life Covenant Cincinnati

 

 

 

 

 

EDIFY or EDIFICATION mean to instruct or improve someone morally or intellectually.  From the Old French edifier, "to build" like the word edifice.  The word originally meant "to construct a building" or to "strengthen." 

God is in the building business! He wants families, His Church, and individuals built up into wholeness, strength and maturity. "By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established." (Prov. 23:4) "The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands a foolish one tears hers down." (Prov. 14:1) Jesus said "upon this Rock (the revelation that He was the Christ, the Son of God) I will build My church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it. " (Matthew 16:18) He taught His disciples that the wise man builds His house upon the Rock and when storms winds and floods descend upon his life, he does not collapse because his life is founded upon the Rock.  (Matt. 7:24-25)

It's no coincidence that the Lord desires our relationships be about building and not tearing down.  He wants us to focus on strengthening one another spiritually, morally and intellectually.  The way we do that is with our WORDS!  Words have power!  The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit. (Proverbs 18:21) Every time we put our mouths on some person or issue, we are either speaking LIFE or DEATH - building them up or tearing them down. We are called to EDIFY others.

Paul's admonition was very clear: Let no corrupt communication proceed from your mouth.  Other translations say  Don't let any unwholesome, foul launguage, abusive, hateful or filthy words that would hurt someone come out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. (Ephesians 4:29) We are to say words that are fit for the occasion that dispel GRACE- favor that they sometimes don't deserve, and words that embolden them with Divine strength and power where they're weak. 

Oh boy! How? We are so used to judging others, joking, criticizing, "playing the dozens", and propping ourselves and our insecurities up on the backs of people we deem lesser than us... but NONE of this reflects God's kind of life. Let's change our hearts and use our mouths for edification in 2016!

21 Day Fast Encouragements - DAY 21- FINANCIAL MIRACLES - Victoria Sumner 01/30/16

FINANCIAL MIRACLES

“4 Now the wife of one of the sons of the prophets cried to Elisha, “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that your servant feared the Lord, but the creditor has come to take my two children to be his slaves.”2 And Elisha said to her, “What shall I do for you? Tell me; what have you in the house?” And she said, “Your servant has nothing in the house except a jar of oil.” 3 Then he said, “Go outside, borrow vessels from all your neighbors, empty vessels and not too few. 4 Then go in and shut the door behind yourself and your sons and pour into all these vessels. And when one is full, set it aside.” 5 So she went from him and shut the door behind herself and her sons. And as she poured they brought the vessels to her. 6 When the vessels were full, she said to her son, “Bring me another vessel.” And he said to her, “There is not another.” Then the oil stopped flowing. 7 She came and told the man of God, and he said, “Go, sell the oil and pay your debts, and you and your sons can live on the rest.” (1 Kings 4:1-7, ESV)

A miracle is an unusual or wonderful event that is believed to be caused by the power of God. The word for miracle in Greek is dynamic or dunamis. Its meaning is the inherent power, power residing in a thing by virtue of its nature, or which a person or thing exerts and puts forth. Dynamic means always active or changing, marked by usually continuous and productive activity.

As we come to the close of our Daniel Fast, there are a few more things that we need to take hold of in this season. Pastor Jackie Jackson has taught and preached counter-cultural, truth-filled, and liberating messages to help our body as a church break the mindset and heart disposition of poverty individually and collectively. To aid us in this process, it is key to understand the heart of God when it comes to financial miracles. Miracles are a Divine work, supernatural, and unexpected events, and are required in emergency situations. But God not only is our provider when we lack, He is continuously moving to bless us!

In this passage, we see the prophet Elisha performing a miracle for the widow who was about to lose her sons to slavery because of debt. Two things were required for God to perform this miracle through Elisha: faith and whatever she had in her possession. God doesn’t need you to bring to Him things that you don’t have for Him to come through for you! Just bring what you have to Him, trust and have faith that He’ll come through on His promises, then watch Him do it no matter how long it takes!

Take a look at 2 Kings 4:42-44, Matthew 15:32-38, Mark 8:1-10, Matthew 14:13-21, they all share one thing in common: God using people's leftovers to do miracles! Rarely did Jesus just meet a need. When He performed these miracles, He blessed plentifully so there would be way more food, money, etc. than was actually needed! John 10:10 says, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” Miracles don’t just happen by chance. God wants to bless us abundantly! because He is a good Father and loves His children.

Luke 5:5-6 says, “And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.” And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking.” The disciples were toiling all day and couldn’t catch any fish (fishing was their occupation, they should’ve been good at it). Jesus saw their need and saw how hard they had been striving and worked a miracle, giving them more than they could even imagine based upon their belief and ACTING on His word.

I’d like to reiterate a few things from Pastor Sam Oye’s sermon. If you still haven’t had a chance to check out this prophetic message, please do so! Click the link here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlNtCkAT25I

1. If your faith will receive it, your hands will handle it. If you don’t think that you’ll ever get out of poverty or have enough for your family, then you won’t. Let you faith go before you and cast your net over what God has promised you.
2. There is a change in your season.
3. New Life, God has seen us toiling. We will toil no longer.
4. Blessings will happen so fast and all at once. So much that we won’t know what to do with them, we’ll be swimming in them! 

When God said “Let there be..” he was making things with His words. Since we were made in His image, if we want to see things in the earth and in the Spirit, we have to say it to see it. Keep saying it until you see it.

Over the past 5 years, I’ve seen God perform so many financial miracles for me that it doesn’t make sense! Since I started school at UC, scholarships left and right came out of nowhere to help my parents pay for college. Three of my siblings were in school. My parents didn’t know where the money was going to come from, but they prayed and had faith that God would make a way. My first year of college, the week before school started, I got 3 unknown scholarships and my schooling was paid for. Each year after that, between losing scholarships due to grades and earning them back, God had always provided a way for me to stay in school. To this day, I have no college loans and no student debt. I’ve seen God honor me and my parents in helping me to not have to worry about debt and I haven’t had a full-time job other than the co-op opportunities through my major. At the beginning of each Semester, I’m reminded of how His plans never fail…even though I do!  I’ve never had a reason to worry about money. Ever since I started giving on top of tithing and recognizing that ALL of my money and possessions are truly the Lord’s, I’ve started to experience the flow. Financial miracles are a part of that flow. It’s a part of His heart’s desire to continuously and dynamically bless you beyond comprehension and yes, that means financially too!

I’ll leave you with this last thing that God spoke to me. Trusting in the mystery of His plans will only increase our faith in His ability to come through on His promises.

-Victoria Sumner

21 Day Fast Encouragements - The Wealth of the Sinner is Laid Up for the Just - Allie Daniel - 01/29/16 - New Life Covenant Cincinnati

THE WEALTH OF THE SINNER IS LAID UP FOR THE JUST

A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children's children: and the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just. Proverbs 13:22

Whoever increases wealth by taking interest or profit from the poor amasses it for another, who will be kind to the poor. Proverbs 28:8

For to a person who is good in His sight He has given wisdom and knowledge and joy, while to the sinner He has given the task of gathering and collecting so that he may give to one who is good in God's sight. This too is vanity and striving after wind. Ecclesiastes 2:26

I’m not an economist or an expert in finance, but I do know that there are enough resources available on this earth for every person: every child to have a roof over his or her head, a bed to sleep on at night, and enough food to eat without nutritional deficiencies.  Although there are still people in our Nation living in poverty at $11,720 per year for an individual, $14,937 for a couple or $23,492 for a family of four, those people are still considered in the top 15% percent of people who have wealth worldwide.  Half of the world’s population lives on less than $2.50 a day or $912.50 a year! (globalissues.org; globalrichlist.com)

It doesn’t take an economist to see that there are many celebrities, CEO’s, politicians and public figures who have mansions, expensive cars, boats, planes and other assets, half of which are hardly used - often to live out a self-indulgent and destructive life-style.  It seems to me that often people with good intentions are the ones who can’t get ahead financially. According to these Scriptures, that is not God’s desire or method of operation.

As followers of Christ, we are to care for the orphans and widows (James 1:27), be generous to the poor (Matthew 6:1-4), share with one another (Acts 2:42-47), and so many other things that we’ve studied this month to be good stewards.   How can we do so in a significant way if we are struggling to get by financially ourselves? The Bible says and I trust, that God is able to do immeasurably more than I could ask, think, or imagine! (Ephesians 3:20)  Perhaps we’ve been a little limited in our thinking.

God is ABLE and WILLING to take the misused and unused wealth of those who lead sinful lifestyles and distribute it to his saints for doing good works, and contributing to building his kingdom.  Scripture decrees that this will be done. Is this something you’ve considered or prayed for?  My goal is to obey the Lord’s stewardship instructions, to give to him the first fruits of all the wealth I attain, and intercede and pray at least weekly, even daily that God would create opportunities, and cause the wealth of sinner’s to be stored up for the righteous as I do so, and I want to encourage my sisters and brothers in Christ, to get creative and petition to the Lord for the same thing.

-Allie 

21 Day Fast Encouragements - DIVINE INTERVENTION TO BREAK THE POVERTY SPIRIT - Tiffany Smalls -01/28/16 New Life Covenant Cincinnati

DIVINE INTERVENTION TO BREAK THE POVERTY SPIRIT

7 Some time later the brook dried up because there had been no rain in the land. 8 Then the word of the Lord came to him: 9 “Go at once to Zarephath in the region of Sidon and stay there. I have directed a widow there to supply you with food.” 10 So he went to Zarephath. When he came to the town gate, a widow was there gathering sticks. He called to her and asked, “Would you bring me a little water in a jar so I may have a drink?” 11 As she was going to get it, he called, “And bring me, please, a piece of bread.”
 
12 “As surely as the Lord your God lives,” she replied, “I don’t have any bread—only a handful of flour in a jar and a little olive oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it—and die.”

13 Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small loaf of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son. 14 For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord sends rain on the land.’

”15 She went away and did as Elijah had told her. So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family. 16 For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the Lord spoken by Elijah. (1 Kings 17:6-17, NIV)

David Hino says, “The spirit of poverty is more than a lack of money. People with wealth can have the spirit of poverty. There are poor people who have a wealthy mindset and wealthy people who have a poverty spirit. People who are never satisfied and hoard demonstrate a poverty spirit. A poverty spirit says, “I can’t” and a wealthy spirit says, “God can.”

The poverty spirit is a mindset and learned behavior. The spirit of poverty is actually a spirit of fear, which comes from a lack of trusting God. In 1 Kings 17, the widow was preparing for her and her son’s last meal as she had nothing more than the physically limited flour and oil left to eat. In verse 13 Elijah told her, “Don’t be afraid.”
She had to activate her faith and trust the Lord when he instructed her in verse 14 to give up her last to feed Elijah.  The prophet knew God had provision in the unseen realm that she knew not of. The widow gave up all to gain more than enough by trusting God, through His prophet’s word. One of the names of God is Jehovah Jireh - the Lord our Provider. Philippians 4:19 says, “And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.”

Breaking the spirit of poverty is breaking the mindset of only trusting ourselves and not God. God’s ways are not our ways. We are limited and God is limitless. God operates in the supernatural, when we can only see the natural. It takes aligning ourselves with God and trusting Him, especially in the area of our finances. God challenges us to stop robbing Him, to “test or prove Him” in His system of firstfruits, tithing and offerings. His promise is that He will “open the floodgates of Heaven and pour out such a blessing that there will not be room enough to store it! “(Malachi 3:6-10) As Elijah said to the widow, “first make me a cake”
Rebuke the spirit of poverty, not just with your mouth, but with your ACTIONS! God says in Luke 6, verse 38, “Give and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” There are times when giving when we don’t see it breaks the back of the fear the enemy is attempting to strangle us with, and says, “I trust GOD to provide!”

FORMULA: Study God’s Word + Believe God’s Word + Meditate on God’s Word + Act on God’s Word + Speak/Confess God’s Word = Blessings in every area of your life including finances. 

Prayer: “Today I will trust you God! I know you will supply all my needs as your Word has promised, if I would just trust you and let go of control and make you Lord of my life, including my finances. Lord, break the chains of poverty over my life and my family’s life. You are Jehovah Jireh, my provider and I will worship you with tithing and offerings going forward. I want to be a blessing to your people. I want to leave an inheritance to my children’s children. I want to live abundantly in this life with financial freedom and give glory to you Heavenly Father. Please forgive my unbelief and lack of trust in you Lord. You said to test you in this area, so I will take you up on your word and trust you. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.”

Tiffany Smalls

WEDNESDAY'S WORD - TOILING - 01/27/16 - Sadell Bradley - New Life Covenant Cincinnati

And Simon answered saying unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at Thy Word I will let down the net. Luke 5:5   

Toiling - means to work extremely hard or incessantly; exhausting physical labor. In its Middle English origin, it means to contend verbally, to strive or dispute.  Toil also has a connotation of confusion, from the Latin, 'a stirring around' or 'crushing' work, like what it takes to crush olives.

Fishing on boats by net is back-breaking work, especially if you've done it for hours!  Simon and the disciples had been engaged in that work all night long but their toiling was fruitless. Have you ever been in that situation?  You've been toiling, fighting and working, yet still no successful result... and you're an experienced expert at this!  It's frustrating. It's demoralizing. Is God even there and does He care?  In the time of his physical, mental and emotional exhaustion, Jesus steps into Simon's boat and commands him to "Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a draught (a haul of fish)." (vs. 4)

There are times when the Lord asks us to do something crazy and counter-intuitive.  We're at the point of giving up, which may be just the place that He wants us to be, when He commands us to try again.  Some of us will explain what has been going on and why it doesn't make any sense for us to launch out into the deep one more time - especially as exhausted as we are, and then we'll quit. Others of us, like Simon, will say, "I know this doesn't make a bit of sense...but because YOU say so...I will make one more attempt!" 
  
This next venture is different because Christ is now on your boat and HE has commanded it. You will no longer be operating out of your own ingenuity, work ethic or experience.
You won't be reliant on the things you've studied or read, or the coaches you've collected along the way...it's just shear obedience to Jesus' instruction: "At Thy Word, I will let down the net." It's a good thing that Christ has already told you the purpose and outcome in advance. You're letting down the net, you're pursing this endeavor...for a HAUL! The blessing has been assured by Jesus' Word, and whatever HE says is so! Christ is bringing your toiling to an end! If you can believe and step out on His Word one more time...

HERE'S AN ENCOURAGING MESSAGE from Pastor Sam Oye on this topic!

This Sunday, January 31st Pastor Jackie Jackson will be our guest speaker at New Life Covenant for both our Bible Study at 10:00 AM and our Service at 11:00 AM at Urban Artifact 1660 Blue Rock Street, 45223. The topic is Breaking the Spirit of Poverty: Financial Prosperity. If you are struggling in this area, please come! The LORD wants to deliver, instruct with Biblical wisdom, and set you free.

21 Day Fast Encouragements - LEAVE AN INHERITANCE - Lou Ann Luken - 01/27/16 - New Life Covenant Cincinnati

LEAVE AN INHERITANCE
This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live. Deuteronomy 30:19

“A good person leaves an inheritance for their children’s children…”  (Proverbs 13:22a)

Inheritance means:

1. Property or money passing at the owner’s death to the heir
2. Legacy; something handed down from the past
3. Something, as a quality, characteristic, or other immaterial possession received from predecessors as if by succession (example: an inheritance of family pride)
4. Portion, birthright, heritage

There are two kinds of inheritances. One is the material inheritance that we leave our children and our grandchildren. The other is the non-material inheritance we leave them.

Some people have leaving a material inheritance as their main goal. They strive to accumulate as many possessions and money as they possibly can to leave to their children and grandchildren. Some get so caught up in this goal that they don’t live life fully and they may become less giving. Others choose to spend all their money now and/or give all of it away and have nothing left for an inheritance for their family.

There is a balance to these two extremes. We are not to hoard money and possessions. We are to be generous to others, but we also are to save some for our children and grandchildren. A component of stewardship and getting serious about finances, is managing money wisely so that we can invest in the future of our children.

Have you ever thought about how your actions today could change your family history?  Your money management can positively or negatively impact your child’s future financial life .

Benefits of leaving a material inheritance include:

• Providing for your family’s needs when you are gone
• Helping to break a generational cycle of poverty
• Providing an opportunity for your children to live more financially stable lives
• Providing money to help seed your family members’ dreams
• Providing an opportunity to further the Kingdom and impact the world through your children’s gifts and ministries even after you are gone

Leave your children an inheritance by teaching them about money. They will know how to live financially their whole lives, and steward any money you might leave them.   Raise money smart, Biblically wise kids: teach them that God owns it all. Teach them to have a good work ethic, then to give, pay taxes, save, invest and lastly spend. Teach them humility and not to set their hearts on riches if they increase. Teach them to live with open hands for giving and receiving. Teach them that contentment is the antidote to greed and the love of money.

Leaving your children an inheritance includes teaching them about God and His Word. Help them to know how much they are loved and valued by God and by you.  Teach them that they can make a difference in the world.  Teach them not to be selfish, but holy and godly, etc.

We should work on providing a material inheritance for our children, but more importantly, we should guide them to the inheritance of the non-material things; the things that will enrich their lives here and lead them to an eternal inheritance. It is an old cliché, but it rings true: The best things in life cannot be bought with money. The best inheritance you can leave your children is eternal life in Christ and qualities that will help them live joyfully, peacefully, and generously.

As I think about leaving an inheritance for my kids, I realize that I have not done much in this area in the material sense. I know that I need to develop this area. My family over the generations have not modeled this by leaving much of a material inheritance, but I can see value it in. Leaving an inheritance would help Erin so much in her ministry when I am gone. My son is such a good steward of money. I know that he would continue to grow it, use it well, and be generous to others. My inheritance to them would not only benefit them, but those they help. It is a way for me to continue to impact the world even after I am gone.
I have concentrated more on leaving a spiritual legacy for my children. That will hopefully help them long after I am gone and that will lead them to their eternal inheritance. These scriptures and many more like them, remind of us that eternal inheritance:  

“By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.” (Hebrews 11:8)

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you.” (1 Peter 1:4b)

You have a chance to do something that outlasts you because of grace. We are not perfect in all we do, but we can be intentional. Our children are watching us, and more is caught than taught. Strive to leave BOTH a material inheritance and a spiritual and eternal inheritance.

Lou Ann & Her Family

21 Day Fast Encouragements -DON'T LIE ABOUT YOUR GIVING - Wanda Baker -01/26/16- New Life Covenant Cincinnati

DON'T LIE ABOUT YOUR GIVING

5 Now a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property, 2 and with his wife’s full knowledge [and complicity] he kept back some of the proceeds, bringing only a portion of it, and set it at the apostles’ feet. 3 But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and [secretly] keep back for yourself some of the proceeds [from the sale] of the land? 4 As long as it remained [unsold], did it not remain your own [to do with as you pleased]? And after it was sold, was the money not under your control? Why is it that you have conceived this act [of hypocrisy and deceit] in your heart? You have not [simply] lied to people, but to God.” 5 And hearing these words, Ananias fell down suddenly and died; and great fear and awe gripped those who heard of it. 6 And the young men [in the congregation] got up and wrapped up the body, and carried it out and buried it. 7 Now after an interval of about three hours his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8 Peter asked her, “Tell me whether you sold your land for so much?” And she said, “Yes, for so much.” 9 Then Peter said to her, “How could you two have agreed together to put the Spirit of the Lord to the test? Look! The feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also.” 10 And at once she fell down at his feet and died; and the young men came in and found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 11 And great fear and awe gripped the whole church, and all who heard about these things.  (Acts 5:1-11, Amplified Bible)

Ananias and Sapphira were part of the Church described in Acts 4. They were among those who were of one heart and one soul (Acts 4:32 KJV). As the believers grew so close to each other that they had all things common, those with much gave to those with little so that there was no lack. Many owners of houses and land sold their property and brought the proceeds to the disciples for distribution to those in need.  In the midst of this environment, Ananias and his wife decided to sell one of their properties.  They conspired to hold back some of the profit and tell the church that they were giving all of the money.  Whether it was pride, fear, greed or a combination of these, they decided to lie to the disciples and let it appear that they had given more than they had. 

No one in the early Church was coerced into giving anything and there was no reason at all for them to feel the need to lie about the amount they were giving. All of the believers were sharing with each other out of genuine love and concern, not to be noticed or exalted.  Our giving is to be done cheerfully, with love and gladness.  Ananias and Sapphira could have simply sold their property, given a portion to the Church and that would have been the end of it. Unfortunately for them, they agreed to pretend that they were something that they were not.  Pride goeth before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall.  (Proverbs 16:18)

Ananias and his wife were believers; they knew God’s Law. They allowed sin to enter in and as a result they put God to the test (Acts 5:9).  God is Righteous and Holy; He abhors sin. The consequences of their actions were swift and final. Both of them died right after their lies were exposed. In the Old Testament, the book of Number 30:2 says, “If a man vows a vow to the Lord or swears an oath to bind himself by a pledge, he shall not break and profane his word; he shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth."

When love is your motivation, you don’t care about credit or recognition.  Your focus is on honoring the Lord and giving your best to the Master.  Give all that is in your heart, don’t hold back what the Spirit prompts you to do and suffer consequences.  It probably won’t be death…but it might be a lesser harvest, delay or denial of what your desiring. The example of Ananias and Sapphira is a very vivid reminder of what can happen when we lose our focus.

Wanda Baker

21 Day Fast Encouragements - SHARE WITH THE FAMILY OF GOD - Wanda Baker 01/25/16 - New Life Covenant Cincinnati

SHARE WITH THE FAMILY OF GOD 

They were continually and faithfully devoting themselves to the instruction of the apostles, and to fellowship, to eating meals together and to prayers.  A sense of awe was felt by everyone, and many wonders and signs (attesting miracles) were taking place through the apostles. 
And all those who had believed [in Jesus as Savior] were together and had all things in common [considering their possessions to belong to the group as a whole].  And they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing the proceeds with all [the other believers], as anyone had need.  Day after day they met in the temple [area] continuing with one mind, and breaking bread in various private homes.  They were eating their meals together with joy and generous hearts, praising God continually, and having favor with all the people.  And the Lord kept adding to their number daily those who were being saved.  (Acts 2:42-47 Amplified Bible)

Now the company of believers was of one heart and soul, and not one [of them] claimed that anything belonging to him was [exclusively] his own, but everything was common property and for the use of all.  And with great ability and power the apostles were continuously testifying to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace [God’s remarkable lovingkindness and favor and goodwill] rested richly upon them all.  There was not a needy person among them, because those who were owners of land or houses were selling them, and bringing the proceeds of the sales and placing the money down at the apostles’ feet.  Then it was distributed to each as anyone had need.  Now Joseph, a Levite and native of Cyprus, who was surnamed Barnabas by the apostles (which translated means Son of Encouragement), sold a field belonging to him and brought the money and set it at the apostles’ feet.  (Acts 4:32-37 Amplified Bible)

Why can’t we be like the Church in the Book of Acts?  This has been on my mind for some time, but I never really studied these verses closely until now.  It seemed like something that should just happen, without any effort on my part, but now I see that is not the case.  As I was reading the scriptures above, a few things stood out to me.  In Acts, chapter 2, there are several practices that marked the early believers: continuous and faithful devotion to the teachings they received, fellowship with each other, eating meals together and prayer.  In short, they were doing life together.  One person couldn’t be discouraged or in need without everyone else becoming aware of it. As they continued in this way, they were knit so closely together that barriers like “It’s mine” or “Get your own”, were broken down.  If someone was in need, family members willingly shared, or sold their own possessions to meet the need.  This was their lifestyle and God blessed it.  They had favor with all the people.  The love that they showed to each other was a witness to unbelievers.  (John 13:34-35). 

We need to begin to emulate the believers in Acts.  If we apply this approach to our lives today, God, who never changes, will be glorified and pleased with our obedience.  We must be studying the Word and reviewing the messages that our Pastors prepare for us.  We honor the gift that God has given us when we do this.  Fellowship cannot be taken lightly.  It is how relationship is developed.  You can only be so close to someone when you spend only a few hours together on Sunday morning.  Sharing meals and praying with each other are vital to growth as a family.  How close would you be to your natural family if you never spent any time together and ate every meal separately?  If we are a family, we need to BE a family.

Once we embrace the way God designed for us to function, our hearts knit together and we can feel safe sharing needs and resources with each other.  We will show the Love of God to each other and it will be a witness to the world.  Our local body will be blessed and increase.  Our impact on the world will be greater and we will have favor with all the people.  As Sadell reminded us on Day One, It All Belongs to God; we are merely stewards while we are on this earth. 

Wanda Baker