As a minister, when I walk up to the pulpit I think and believe that I am going to change the world. I know that what is real to me will be real to you.  The reality is that what stimulates you will stimulate others. What awakens your creative impulse will awaken and enlighten the spirit of mankind.

Who wants another dead preacher?  The truth is that pulpits are putting people to sleep. What excites you? What makes you happy? What puts a spark under you and a briskness in your step? This is what the world is hungering for.  They want a purpose greater than themselves that they can throw themselves into, and come alive in the pursuit of something greater than themselves. Jesus is offering it!

People are designed by God to be happy. Even those who carry the burden of leadership are called to do it with joy. Anybody can see the problems of life, it takes people of faith to see and rejoice in the answers!

The apostle Paul took on the mantle of leading the early church with all of its weaknesses and miscalculations, yet he said he planned to keep everything in a perspective that would cause him to finish his course with joy.

Acts 20:24
“But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.”

 Don’t let life make you bitter, but better!

This question can be one of the most informative or one of the most destructive questions we can ask. When it comes to discovery, this question has opened the door to fabulous inventions and modern technologies; however, when it comes to life and death the question “WHY” causes many a soul to sink to levels of depression never before experienced. Some aspects of the question “WHY” which pertain to death, dying and destruction will never be resolved until one day when we stand before the creator of humanity.

How do we come to grasp with these issues of “Why?”?  First, understand that God is not the creator of evil, but it issues forth from the heart of humanity that is separated from God by sin. Second, recognize that from the very beginning of time there has been a force of evil (Satan) determined to destroy the very creation that God holds as the apple of his eye. Third, realize that it was only the deepest love that created humans different from all creation giving us the faculties of reason, will, humor, imagination, words and decision-making capabilities—and with these abilities come great responsibilities for life, family, country and even our earth.

So today let’s turn our Whys in life into a Why Not?—turning the negativity of depression into the positivity of expression! If you’re down and don’t understand, choose to release this situation to the Lord and find the good that remains in the life or lives around you!

The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit (Prov 18:21 NIV).

The devil is not able to come into your room in the middle of the night and destroy you or your family. He is limited because he is a loser. So why do we read on the internet and on the front pages of newspapers about foolish, destructive behavior from successful businessmen, politicians, and ministers? The devil didn’t make them do it; they entertained and yielded to devilish thoughts.

Solomon penned that above all we should guard our hearts, for out of them flow the issues of life (Proverbs 4:23). Life comes from the inside. Nothing changes on the outside until we change on the inside!

People spend their lives offended at what other people did to them, instead of concentrating on the real wealth inside them that could change the world.  Paul told us, “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect his will really is” (Romans 12:2 NLT 1996).

Why does God tell you to do this? Because eventually, whatever goes into your inside will affect your outside. Physically, you may have the desire to look like someone on the front page of a glamour magazine, but you also might have the desire to eat 10 hamburgers and a pound of french fries a day! What you put inside of you will eventually show up on the outside and override any higher goal you might have had.

Scientific research over the last 30 years has found that the brain is the largest gland in the body. It releases at least a thousand chemicals into the body at different times, and the depth of its effect on the body is still not completely known.

Even in the natural process of healing our thought life plays a direct role in the chemicals released into the rest of the body. Certain thoughts can be toxic killers if allowed to make deep ruts in our thinking. Lust, anger, hatred, envy, and jealousy are all strong thought patterns.

Thoughts can be deadly. The Scriptures warn that in the last days men’s hearts will fail them for fear. The increase in heart attacks in this generation is probably due to the stress, worry, anxiety, fears, and negative information we allow ourselves to dwell on all day long. We have a choice to replace thoughts of doubt in our hearts with positive ideas, dreams, and good, pleasant, and lovely reports (Philippians 4:8).

“We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy, always thanking the Father.” Colossians 1:11-12 NLT

Strength from God for the journey will see you through life’s most difficult challenges. Having lived in Russia for approximately 10 years I learned how God can provide even our simplest request in the most difficult economic situations. I remember one winter in the early 90’s I wanted a pair of gloves to match my coat. No one was selling anything but Soviet-style grey and black gloves, and there weren’t a lot of those available. My coat was multi-colored and I wanted a pair of matching red gloves. To my missionary friend it seemed like a fantasy to desire a pair of bright red gloves in the, at that time, dull, dirty city of Moscow, but one morning as we emerged from the Moscow Metro (subway), there on the corner stood a grandmother selling an assortment of brightly colored gloves! My friend gasped and said “Look! Leslie, there are your gloves!” This was a tremendous testimony to this young missionary who did not have much income and who had no experience living by faith.

 “Have faith in God,” Whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours… Mark 11:23, 24 NIV

Remember today that God provides strength for the journey! Have faith! He is with you even in the small things!

Laws are designed for good. They are intended to protect us. When an offender breaks the law, we want him in jail. There are laws in every area of creation, both seen and unseen. For example, there are laws that govern nature, such as the law of gravity. We build our science on laws that work. In physics, for instance, there are laws that dictate how electricity works. These laws have always existed. When men understood them, they could harness the power of electricity for good to bless mankind. But if these laws are broken, then what was meant for good can do evil to you. The same heat generated by electricity to cook eggs on your stove, will also cook you if you sit on it—even though you own the stove. The laws that govern electricity are not respecters of persons.

In the same way, the law of faith is a dynamic given for the good of mankind to bring the blessings of heaven to earth. It is the currency of heaven. It is the evidence of things not seen. It is the victory that overcomes the world. It is the answer to all things desired. It is what makes possible the things that look impossible. We can value it for our benefit, or it can easily be used for our destruction. Let us operate in the light of the faith revelation.

What is our future? If we really believed that what we plant today is what we will see tomorrow, then we would start planting what we want to see. What are the seeds that we have to plant? The law of sowing and reaping shows us that good and bad are the result of what we sow.

If we want good in our life, Jesus told us very clearly what the seeds are when He revealed the law of faith. Faith is designed to bring to pass good desires, or what you want. If you are not admiring your life right now, then change the seeds you are sowing!

I remember a young man named Ildus that we met at one of our meetings in Bashkortostan. Ildus could not speak and had severe difficulties. Our ministry workers found him outside our tent meeting begging in the trashcans, and someone decided to invite him to our meeting. They brought him in and I was preaching that day. He came up to give his testimony after I finished speaking. He was so excited as he came up onto the platform and walked over to the microphone. Everybody was expecting this wonderful healing testimony, but when he picked up the microphone he said, “ooh, ooh, ooh” and pointed at his heart.

Right at that moment my husband walked into the meeting, and I could see him looking at me thinking, Leslie, what are you doing? Obviously this young man has not been healed. I remember I just said to the audience and to my husband, “Everyone look! It’s obvious that Jesus has touched his heart and brought peace into his life.” So we all celebrated the smile he had on his face and the fact that something had happened in his heart.

Well, the next day when we were conducting a similar meeting and my husband was speaking, here came Ildus into the meeting again with that big smile on his face. He came up to the edge of the platform and wanted to testify. I could see my husband looking at him thinking, Hmm, I don’t think I’m going to let this young man up here; it doesn’t appear that he is actually healed. But one of our directors, Akop, was on the edge of the platform waving at us saying “No, it’s okay! It’s okay—he’s okay!” My husband still had the same reaction, as if to say, sure he’s okay…you’re going to let him up tonight like you did yesterday? But Akop kept saying “No, it’s real! It’s real!”

So this young man marched out to the center of the platform in front of all the people, took up the microphone, and began to tell a story. He said, “Last night when I went home after the meeting and I was alone in my room, Jesus walked into my bedroom and put His finger on my forehead. And when He did, all of a sudden the fog left my mind, and for the first time in my life I began to think clearly!”

Satan’s tools have never changed. He has no greater power than to fog, distort, and cause confusion in the minds of people—to cause them not to understand who this God is that we serve, and to deny the One who was sent to deliver us and bring us into fellowship with God.

But this young man, who the day before could only speak in grunts (he showed us the papers—he was in one of the more serious classifications of mental retardation), was healed when Jesus walked into his room, extended His hand, and touched his forehead. And when He did that fog left his brain and he could think clearly!

There is a difference between a person who has pride, and a person who is arrogant. We all know arrogant people who are brutish and loud, always having to put people down in order to feel lifted up. That’s arrogance. But self-pride is different.

If you have a mechanic you want a good mechanic. What makes a good mechanic? Someone who has pride in their work, right? You don’t want a mechanic who says, “I might fix it or it might break on you, I never know.” You don’t want to give your car to that person, you could get killed doing that! You don’t want to give your money to a stock broker who says, “Well, you know, I haven’t made any money yet, but give me your money because who knows? Maybe I can help you.” You don’t want to give your money to a broker with no confidence, you want a broker who believes in his decisions.  You wouldn’t want to go to a doctor for help and hear him say, “Well, most people die when I operate on them, but come on, I’ll give it a try.” No! You want a doctor who says, “Yes I can help you, you’ll be fine.”

We need people who believe in themselves. Sometimes the church creates unbelievers by leading you to believe that God is important, but you’re not. God is smart, but you aren’t.  God is holy, but you’re just a sinner. You walk out of that church thinking, I’m in trouble!

When Adam sinned he was filled with shame and hid from God, but Jesus came and filled us with dignity. Now you can believe in yourself because He lives in you and your sins are removed—you’re  a new person! You have a new spirit, you have a new relationship, you have a new revelation, you have a new authority. That’s the gospel! I’m not talking to a bunch of losers; I’m talking to the most successful people in the world.

If you can’t leave church confident and happy, then you’d better find a church that is telling you all the Good News!

The most important opinion you will ever have is the opinion that you have of yourself.  You might say, “I wish I would have known that when I was younger.”  It’s not too late! If you’re 20 or 40 right now, it’s wonderful to know this and to practice it. It will take you to amazing places! Even if you’re old, you still can really benefit from this knowledge.

There was a man named Alfred whom the newspaper mistakenly published an obituary of.  Alfred read this obituary that told all about his life, and decided that he didn’t like what it said.

Alfred was the man who invented dynamite, and he didn’t like what the obituary said about him and his invention, citing all the people that had been killed because of it. So he made the decision that he would change his obituary. He decided that when he died, this would not be what people said about him.

Do you know what he is known for now? Alfred’s last name was Nobel, and he became the creator of the Nobel peace prize.

Alfred was the inventor of dynamite, yet most are unaware of this and instead know him as a man of peace. He decided to change his obituary when he was old, so you can change too! Begin to see yourself differently. This may require some time, but it’s very significant.  We’re not talking about becoming prideful. Self-pride is not wrong, self-arrogance is.

The most important picture that you can ever see is the picture is that you have of yourself. It’s not one that you see in the mirror, but it’s the one that you see inside yourself that’s important. The most important prophet is not a prophet you see on TV, not a prophet that will visit your city, but a prophet in your own house. You are the best prophet in your life. You are the most important prophet in your life because what you say about yourself is what people will believe. This is the truth: What you say about yourself is what people will believe! 

If you say nobody believes in you, you’re just telling me you don’t believe in yourself!