Happy New Year from Pastors Steve and Pattie Reeves

Source: SimplifiedSuccess.com

Don't Let Unforgiveness Ruin Your Holiday Spirit

By Pastor Patricia Reeves

The holidays are here and you do not want to be in turmoil due to unforgiveness of a family member or friend. Let your Thanksgiving and Christmas be full of JOY and HAPPINESS. Don't have a cloud over your home or spirit because you're holding on to grudges or past hurts. 

Unforgiveness has been a leading cause of illness and death, more than attacks from a gun or knife. Unforgiveness can cause illness in your body without warning or an explanation.  In the medical world, tumors are said to be a cause of stress and worry and in the spiritual realm, we call it unforgiveness.

Preparing for the Unexpected

Editor's Note: Excerpt from the e-book, Preparing for the Unexpected: How to Develop Unshakeable Faith in God in Uncertain Times  by United in Christ Ministries of Canton, MI

We are living in perilous times, the likes of which we have never seen in recent history. Our society is so unstable that we do not know what will happen from one minute to the next. For example, who would have ever imagined that The Great Recession of 2007-2009, would drastically alter the work life of thousands of American workers. This disaster also took a toll on their personal lives since many were laid off from their jobs, lost their homes and experienced other setbacks.

The vast majority of people did not expect our country to experience the type of financial issues we have witnessed within the past decade. However, there were economists and others who predicted that these events would happen and advised people to prepare for the impending disaster.

 At the same time, we who were spiritually discerning noticed that a shift was taking place in our spiritual lives. We may have not known what was going on at the time, but God did, just like the economists knew about the economy trouble in which the country was heading. Through these difficulties, God was showing us how to face challenges by relying on Him.  

Preparing for the unexpected is developing an unshakeable faith in God so that when the unexpected comes, we place our trust in Him to see us through it. We did not expect our lifestyles to change as the country turned topsy-turvy, but through this, we became more dependent upon God.

God's AMBER ALERT: Finding and Caring For His "Missing" Children

God has issued an "AMBER Alert" in the spiritual realm. Many of His children have gone "missing" due to pressures in their life that have discouraged them from actively seeking God, being a Christian witness and testifying of God's goodness to them.

AMBER Alerts are issued by police and broadcasted on radio and television when a child goes missing. AMBER stands for "America's Missing: Broadcast Emergency Response." AMBER Alerts have the name, description and photo of the child, where the child was last seen and, if available, a description of the last person seen with the child. In some instances, communities organize a "search" party to help police find the missing child.

In the same way, when we find out that someone is struggling emotionally, financially, physically or spiritually, we must rally to help, as the Lord leads. We may not be able to pay that person's bills or take care of their physical needs, but we can provide emotional support by listening to them, offering an encouraging word and reassuring them in the fact that God cares for them and knows what they are going through.  

"To Live You Must Forgive"

By Pastor Patricia Reeves

Today is International Forgiveness Day, the first Sunday of August. 

Global Forgiveness Day began in 1994 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The holiday was created and sponsored by Christian Embassy of Christ's Ambassadors.

Unforgiveness has been a leading cause of illness and death, more than attacks from a gun or knife. Unforgiveness can cause illness in your body without warning or an explanation.  In the medical world, tumors are said to be a cause of stress and worry and in the spiritual realm, we call it unforgiveness.

When you don't forgive you develop a stressful life and you create a lifestyle of worries about someone or something that offended you and it occupies your time and mind 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can’t pray and you can’t get into good praise and worship because you are thinking about how someone offended you and it overtakes you in thought and deed. This is not a healthy lifestyle for anyone, especially Christians and God does not honor it.  His Word says to forgive “70 x 70” and then He asks the question: “If you don’t forgive your brethren, how can your Father which is in heaven forgive you?” Still people don’t get it, complete healing comes with forgiveness.

God is Here to Calm Our Fears!

With all that is going on around us in the world, we have much to fear. Yet, one announcement that appears many times in the Bible is "fear not"! The words were spoken to someone who was afraid of the Divine Presence of God or an angel. God also encouraged His people with these words as they were about to go into battle or carry out His directive. 

Second Timothy 1:6-7 (The New Living Bible), says that "…God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love and self-discipline." What is a spirit of fear? It is a something within us that causes us to lack confidence. It changes our behavior so that we are not willing to carry out God's directions. 

If God did not give us a spirit of fear, then where does it come from? A spirit of fear comes from our lack of faith and trust in God and in His ability to help us. When we do not place our confidence in God, fear takes hold of us and we  become vulnerable to, Satan, who wants to make us useless and ineffective in doing God's work (1 Peter 5:8).

We must be on guard and not allow a spirit of fear to take hold of our lives. But, it's not as easy as it sounds. Every time you turn on the television and hear the news, or pick up your phone and talk to someone who is hurting, it's hard not to become afraid. Nevertheless, we must remember what Nehemiah said when Israel's enemies threatened to stop them from rebuilding the wall in Jerusalem: 

"… Don't be afraid of them. Remember the Lord who is great and awesome…"

God is still telling us today: "Fear not! No matter what you are going through, I AM with you."  Whether you're facing an illness, a financial crisis, or a divorce, God is helping you through the difficulty. During these times, we must take advice from Nehemiah and "remember the Lord."

In Psalms 56:3 (NIV), David confessed to God: "When I am afraid, I will trust in You." David was hurt and betrayed by people who were close to him. He faced near-death experiences, as well as suffering for the wrongs he committed. Nevertheless, no matter what David went through, he turned to the Lord for help. And, the Lord helped him in every situation.

God is still the Solid Rock of support for His people. He will give us the strength that we need to face any adversity, if we ask Him for help and turn our worries over to Him.

The antidote to fear is placing your faith in God. In doing so, you will "have no fear of bad news: (for your) heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord " (Psalm 112:7, NIV).

While you may be going through a difficult time, do not panic or else you will miss the voice of God who is saying: "Trust me, no matter what is happening around you. I am with you" (Isaiah 41:10). 

Pastors Steve and Pattie Reeves Wish You A