THE RESUME OF JESUS CHRIST

The Resume of Jesus Christ
Address:  Ephesians 1:20
Phone:  Romans 10:13
Website:  The Bible.
Keywords: Christ, Lord, Savior and Jesus
Hello. My name is Jesus -The Christ.. Many call me Lord!  I've sent you my resume because I'm seeking the top management position in your heart. Please consider my accomplishments as set forth in my resume.
Qualifications: 
         I founded the earth and established the heavens, (See Proverbs 3:19)  
         I formed man from the dust of the ground, (See Genesis 2:7)  
         I breathed into man the breath of life, (See Genesis 2:7)  
         I redeemed man from the curse of the law, (See Galatians 3:13) 
         The blessings of the Abrahamic Covenant comes upon your life through me, (See Galatians 3:14)  
Occupational Background:  
         I've only had one employer, (See Luke 2:49).  
         I've never been tardy, absent, disobedient, slothful or disrespectful
         My employer has nothing but rave reviews for me, (See Matthew 3:15-17)  
Skills Work Experiences:  
         Some of my skills and work experiences include: empowering the poor to be poor no more, healing the brokenhearted, setting the captives free, healing the sick, restoring sight to the blind and setting at liberty them that are bruised, (See Luke 4:18).  
         I am a Wonderful Counselor, (See Isaiah 9:6).
         People who listen to me shall dwell safely and shall not fear evil, (See Proverbs 1:33).  
         Most importantly, I have the authority, ability and power to cleanse you of your sins, (See I John 1:7-9)  
!
Educational Background:  
         I encompass the entire breadth and length of knowledge, wisdom and understanding, (See Proverbs 2:6).  
         In me are hid all of the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, (See Colossians 2:3).  
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         My Word is so powerful; it has been described as being a lamp unto your feet and a lamp unto your path, (See Psalms 119:105).  
         I can even tell you all of the secrets of your heart, (See Psalms 44:21).  
Major Accomplishments:
         I was an active participant in the greatest Summit Meeting of all times, (See Genesis 1:26).  
         I laid down my life so that you may live, (See II Corinthians 5:15).  
         I defeated the archenemy of God and mankind and made a show of them openly, (See Colossians 2:15).  
         I've miraculously fed the poor, healed the sick and raised the dead!  
There are many more major accomplishments, too many to mention here. You can read them on my website, which is located at: www dot - the BIBLE. You don't need an Internet connection or computer to access my website.  
References:
Believers and followers worldwide will testify to my divine healings, salvation, deliverance, miracles, restoration and supernatural guidance.
In Summation:
Now that you've read my resume, I'm confident that I'm the only candidate uniquely qualified to fill this vital position in your heart.  I will properly direct your paths, (See Proverbs 3:5-6), and lead you into everlasting life, (See John 6:47).
When can I start? Time is of the essence, ! (See Hebrews 3:15).
 
Send this resume to everyone you know,
You never know who may have an opening!

MESSENGERS WITHOUT MESSAGE

Messengers without Message

Reading: Matthew 7:21-29
"We are not, as so many, adulterate the Word of God, but as of sincerity, but as from God, we speak in the sight of God" ( 2 Cor 2:17 )

"The Word of the Lord was rare in those days!" ( 1 Sam 3:1 ). This was one of the darkest periods in the history of the people of Israel . I am afraid those days are upon us again. We have more preachers and hear more sermons now than any time in the history of the Church. But where is the "message" of the Lord?
The rarety of the message of the Lord in our modern pulpits can be first attributed to money. The message of God in general is clearer and more definite from the mouths of preachers who are materially poorer than those who are affluent. Three snares which have fatally trapped many servants of God are gold, girls and glory. Riches top the list of these three. Manipulating people to milk money from them has become commonplace. A young boy swallowed a coin. A little girl standing nearby shouted, "Send him to that preacher. He can get money out of anybody!" Matthew Henry (1662-1714) that great Bible Commentator warned, "Preachers must not be afraid of the rich!"
Excessive desire for miracles is another reason which hinders the message of God. For many centuries the traditional Christian ministry literally excluded miracles of healing. The renewed interest in the gifts of healing has taken us to the other extreme. This overemphasis of the healing ministry has corrupted the content of the pure gospel. The loss is dual. We neither have miracles (as expected) nor the message. Both in His own ministry and while commissioning His disciples the Lord Jesus stressed healing the sick. But we shall do well to notice that it was FIRST preaching the gospel and only then healing the sick. A leper saved but not healed can go to heaven; but a sinner healed but not saved cannot!
Billy Graham (1918- ) does not pray for the sick in his Crusades. But there's little doubt that more people have made decisions for Christ in his meetings than collectively from scores of healing crusades. The secret? He has a message. Of the greatest prophet who had the spirit and power of Elijah it was said that, "John performed no SIGN—and many believed him there" ( Jn 10:41 , 42 ). He had a message! Thomas Walker who laboured in Tirunelveli, Amy Carmichael in Dohnavur, Thomas Ragland in Sivakasi and Mother Teresa in Calcutta were not outstandingly miracle workers. But their message stays resounding to generations.

ACCEPTING OUR JUDAS

Accepting our Judas’
By Eddie Smith
 
Do you have a Judas in your life? Have you had a Judas, a friend who betrayed you? Almost all of us have been betrayed at one time or another by someone we trusted. Jesus had his, and we can rest assured that we will have ours. (See Hebrews 2:18.)
 
Jesus was tempted as we are. He suffered and we should expect to suffer with him. “If we suffer, we shall also reign with him” (2 Timothy 2:12). Why are we betrayed from time to time?
 
We suffer betrayal in order to prove that our faith is genuine.
 
What is faith? Faith is not trusting in people, who we can see. Faith is “the evidence of things not seen” . . . God! Faith is trust in God alone. Read what Peter says. He understood betrayal.
 
“In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Christ Jesus is revealed” (1 Peter 1:6-7).
 
So Peter teaches us in this passage that fiery trials refine and purify our faith. To learn more about how God uses trials to purify our lives, read our book The Advocates: How to Plead the Case of Others in Prayer. (Available online at: www.prayerbookstore.com)
 
Our suffering is to result in praise, glory and honor to God.
 
It is, after all, the broken vessel that releases the precious perfume. If we have no trials, then we have no triumphs. The trials of life provide us with the opportunity to be overcomers. The outside world is unimpressed when we react like they would to suffering. But when we sincerely glorify God in the midst of adversity and pain, then the unredeemed take notice.
 
We are tested in order that we might develop perseverance and spiritual maturity.
 
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may become mature and complete, not lacking anything” (James 1:2-4).
 
So how should we respond when we are betrayed? Peter and James tell us to rejoice. In order to rejoice, we must have the long-term view and not the short-term view of life. Let’s consider how Jesus dealt with his Judas.
 
1. When Jesus was betrayed, he didn't let his immediate pain distract him from his ultimate purpose.
 
His first concern was for the purposes of God. He took no thought of himself. In one sense, Jesus had effectively died in the Garden of Gethsemane when he surrendered his will to the will of the Father.
 
His death to self, through total commitment to the purposes of the Father, no doubt lessened the pain of his betrayal. And so will ours. Dying to self is a powerful weapon against Satan. (See Revelation 12:11.)
 
2. Jesus’ second concern was for his betrayer, Judas.
 
Even as Judas betrayed him, amazingly Jesus called Judas his friend (Matthew 26:50). Even when we betray Jesus, he still calls us his friends.
 
In some cases of wounded or broken relationships reconciliation is possible. In other cases, as it was with Jesus and Judas, reconciliation isn’t possible. But God’s grace to cope is still available to prevent our harboring unforgiveness, resentment and bitterness.
 
The test: Can a person who has betrayed me, and neither sought nor been willing to accept reconciliation, continue to be my friend? The answer should be yes. Is it easy to do this? No, but the most noble victories are achieved by behaving as Christ would behave.
 
3. Jesus’ third concern was for the High Priest’s servant.
 
Following his betrayal, unlike so many, Jesus didn't drop out of the ministry. He was still Jesus, the healer. At a time when he could have been bitter with his betrayer and angry at the prospects of his pending brutal death, Jesus compassionately stopped and restored the ear that an enraged Simon Peter had severed with a sword. (Luke 22:50-51; John 18:10) Unfortunately, in contrast, we have seen countless ministers who after being betrayed by those they loved, drop completely out of the ministry because of their pain.
 
It may be extremely difficult, but even while experiencing betrayal by someone we love, we can exercise genuine forgiveness and compassion. This is possible only when we are filled with the Holy Spirit.
 
How could Jesus act with such selflessness? He was able to do so because he wasn’t trusting Judas. Jesus’ trust was in his Father. In death, many of his closest friends abandoned him. Yet, he even loved his executioners while trusting God alone.
 
Right now, pause and thank God for your Judas.
 
You may be thinking, “Are you crazy?” The truth is this: Like Jesus, each of us needs a Judas to help us get to our cross—the cross on which we die to self. (See Matthew 16:24; Romans 6:11; Galatians 2:20.)
 
For as we die to self, then the resurrected Christ can reign in us. When Christ reigns in us, our relationships with others will be built with the tempered mortar of love.
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IS GREED GOOD ?

Is Greed Good?
by Gerald Chester http://www.strategieswork.com/
Email - info@StrategiesWork.com

In the movie Wall Street, Michael Douglas played corporate raider Gordon Gekko, who made the famous statement: “Greed is good.” The backdrop for this statement was the annual shareholder meeting of the fictitious company, Teldar Paper. Gekko was very unhappy with the performance of the company and used this venue to vent his frustration with the management and board.
Many agree with and even admire Gekko’s philosophy of business, because his definition of success was very simple. Success was denominated in terms of money.
According to Dictionary.com, the definition of greed is “excessive or rapacious desire, especially for wealth or possessions.” This suggests that a person who is passionately consumed with making money is greedy, which aptly describes Gekko.
Though the movie Wall Street was made twenty years ago, the reality of greed is still with us. One testimony of this is the recent meltdown of the corporate bond market.
To stimulate the financial markets after the shock of the terrorist attack on the United States in September 2001, the Federal Reserve began a series of interest rate reductions. This stimulated the bond market as the cost to borrow money dropped. At the same time, the mortgage industry sold adjustable rate mortgages (ARMs), which were packaged into bonds to sell to eager investors.
ARMs are mortgages that begin with below market rates for the first few years, after which the rates are adjusted to the market. When this adjustment occurs, the mortgage payment can increase dramatically.
The presupposition behind the ARMs was that by the time the interest rate adjustment occurred, the mortgages would be either refinanced or the homeowners would be able to make the increased payments. In many cases, neither of these became a reality. As a result, many homeowners were burdened with higher mortgage payments than they could afford, which caused the default rate to dramatically increase.
Compounding this problem was the credit worthiness of many of the homeowners. A person’s credit worthiness is a measure of that person’s ability and willingness to pay his or her obligations. Lenders were lenient in their lending criteria and therefore made loans to many people whose credit worthiness was suspect. Hence, there were many borrowers who lacked the trustworthiness to maintain a mortgage in good standing.
Because of the escalating default rate by borrowers in recent months, bond investors have been hit with losses, which caused them to lose interest in investing in the bond market in general. Since the bond market provides credit for companies as well as a secondary market for mortgages, the cost of corporate borrowing increased. The increased cost of borrowed capital is now serving as a brake to slow down the economy.
So what is the root issue of this current predicament? May I suggest that the root issue is greed? There was greed on the part of borrowers who sought to use the ARMs as an opportunity to buy more house than they could afford. There was greed on the part of the loan originators who possessed an insatiable appetite for more business. And the bond investors were so greedy to buy bonds that they overlooked the lax lending criteria of the loan originators and failed to consider the presuppositions behind the ARMs.
Greed is the worship of money, which we explicitly are told is inconsistent with the worship of God. Note the words of Jesus in Matthew 6:24:
"No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.” (NIV)
If God is the source of provision, then a person’s provision is an indicator of the standard of living that God has ordained for that person. When a person stretches financially to buy a home that he or she cannot really afford, that person is denying God as his or her Provider and is bending the knee to the worship of money.
The worship of money is idolatry, which will be judged. Note what the psalmist said in Psalms 97:7:
All who worship images are put to shame. (NIV)
One version of an image is a house that you cannot afford. If God has not called you to live in the home that you are in as evidenced by His provision and leading hand, then to try to make it happen by using financial gimmicks, such as ARMs, is idolatry—the worship of money.
The judgment of God for the worship of money is clear. Many of those greedy for homes beyond their means will lose their homes. Many of those greedy for profit in the mortgage industry will go out of business. Many of those investors who were greedy for profits will suffer loss. And the bond market as a whole will suffer a loss of credibility making the cost of borrowing more expensive, which will slow the economy and cause many people to lose their jobs. Greed extracts a high price.
So in the end Gordon Gekko’s philosophy that greed is good is shown to be in error. Greed is a cruel taskmaster. It may look like the way to riches, but in the end it is the way to judgment.
And one last point, the adjective 'good' is a divine attribute (see Mark 10:18). We humans use the term 'good' rather loosely to describe virtuely anything that we like. If we like our lunch we say it is good. If we like a book, we say it is good. If we like the weather, we say it is good. But the true meaning of good is that which is aligned with the nature of God. So the most important reason why greed is not good is that it is not aligned with the nature of God.

10 KEYS INTIMACY IN MARRIAGE

Ten Keys to Intimacy in Marriage
by Joseph Mattera www.josephgmattera.com

Introduction
People often wed while they are in the honeymoon stage of their relationship, thus they have never worked through the grid of their relationship when all those euphoric feelings are missing.
Also, most men are clueless in regards to the state of their relationship with their spouse. A few years after I was married, someone once asked me how my marriage was and I said great, not knowing that my marriage was in trouble because my wife was feeling alienated from me emotionally.
If leaders would just learn to properly prioritize their marriage and family, focusing properly on what matters most, then all the other things they desire for significance will manifest in their proper time!
I once heard Harold Bredesen say something to the effect of: “If I just focus on pleasing the Lord, then everyone He wants me to please will be pleased anyway.”
Someone else once said: “If you put first things first, then what you put second won’t be hurt anyway.”
The following are keys to maintaining intimacy with your spouse:
1. Intimacy Means Different Things to Each Sex.
a. Men: It means physical intimacy.
b. Women: It means emotional intimacy.
c. Both men and women need emotional intimacy, but the men seem to be able to press forward oblivious to the fact that there is a lack in the area of emotional connection.
d. Women in general have very little sex drive; their real desire is to feel vulnerable, transparent, and intimate with their husbands. (Desire for sex is determined by a person’s testosterone level. Women have a very low level of testosterone.) Their desire to share their physical body is commensurate to their willingness to share their heart with that special someone.
2. The Key to Intimacy: Create a Safe Haven
a. Create a safe haven in the relationship. Allow your spouse the liberty to make mistakes or say things without rendering an immediate judgment (she needs to know she can vent or make mistakes or even sin without you instantly coming down on her).
3. Make Her Part of Your Whole Life and Vocation
a. My wife would constantly tell me that I am not spending time with her and it would confuse me because at that time we usually had dinner together one night per week, and I was frequently home five nights per week, etc. But I didn’t realize that my wife felt my focus was not with her fully when I was with her. Thus, just being together in body didn’t necessarily make her feel like she had the attention and focus of my heart.
b. Don’t compartmentalize in regards to her. Scheduling time in my blackberry to be at home or take out my wife for dinner once per week didn’t matter to her when she called me during the workday and I answered the phone less than happy. It was obvious to her that she was annoying me because she was intruding and distracting me from my work. She was not a part of my world, or part of my work schedule.
4. Answer Her Feelings, Not Her Words
a. Men usually are more logical and technical, and will dissect their wives’ words which frustrates them and make things worse.
b. The core issue is usually never on the surface. You need to understand the underlying reason for the frustrating tone of her voice and speak to that, not just going “tit for tat” based on her words. Jesus rarely answered people’s questions directly; He always dealt with their motives and/or true feelings.
5. Follow the E.V.E. Acronym
a. Echo
i. Repeat what your spouse says to let them know you are listening to them.
b. Validate
i. Show your spouse that what they said to you was important to you and not trivial.
c. Empathize
i. Show them that you understand why they feel the way they do. When someone is very upset then empathy should be the first thing you show in order to calm them down and get them to a good place for a less heated discussion.
ii. Many men see life’s issues only in black and white and have as their major goal to win an argument and be “right,” whereas a wife’s main concern is to feel secure in the fact that her husband understands her.
6. Understand Your Dysfunction/Fear
a. Deal with the real issues causing friction between you and your spouse.
b. There is usually a latent fear you have that is touched when you react negatively to your spouse (insecurity, control, fear of failure, abandonment, inferiority, disrespect, isolated, fear of pain).
c. Get to the root issues of your fears and deal with them so that they are not on the table when you are dealing with your spouse.
7. A Man Sets the Trend for His Spouse’s Emotional State
a. The wife is the receiver in the relationship; the husband is the initiator.
b. When a woman is depressed it can be a sign that her relationship with her husband is not what she needs. Often a woman can’t help how she feels emotionally because of the way her husband is treating her!
c. She is more fulfilled in her relationship with her husband, while the husband is more fulfilled in what he accomplishes and the tasks he is involved with. A man gets his feeling of satisfaction more from doing a significant task, while a woman generally receives most of her satisfaction from her relationships, especially with her husband and children.
8. You Need to be Responsible for Yourself First
a. Don’t play the blame game.
b. Don’t wait for your spouse to change before you reach out to her and love her.
c. We can’t change our spouse; leave that up to God (trying to change your spouse will frustrate you and your spouse).
9. Live a Life of Continual Self-Renewal
a. Spend time with the Lord so you are always filled with the love of God (Romans 5:5).
b. You cannot love your spouse the correct way without God’s agape power (1 John 4:7-8).
10. Live a Life of Forgiveness
a. You cannot forgive your spouse if you don’t forgive yourself. Matthew 22 teaches us to love our neighbor as we love ourselves.
b. Do not hold onto unforgiveness–it leads to a formula of resentment and bitterness/torment.
c. Statistics tell us that those who get divorced and remarry have a high percentage of getting divorced a second time. The main reason for this is because folks generally rebound and run into another relationship before they deal with past hurts/pains, thus bringing baggage into the new relationship. For example, Brittney Spears is only 25 and already working on her second divorce. Just a few days after her divorce was announced she was spotted with another “young hunk”!
Suggested Reading:
Discovering the Mind of a Woman by Ken Nair
The DNA of Relationships by Gary Smalley
Safe Haven Marriage by Archibald D. Hart and Sharon Hart Morris