We desire many things in life. Many of these desires are out of our unfulfilled needs and envy-rooted wants. When we are so into these desires there grows our obsession and addiction. When we cannot have these desires, we begin to be irrational, angry and mad. The more we become such the more we destroy our life. There are things that we desire that we thought are good for us, but God the Father who is omniscient, all knowing will always give the best for his child, and that is you.

God took away my shallow happiness,

and substitute it with heavenly joy.

God took away my egotistic ambitions,

and transform it with other-centered mission.

God took away my short-sighted dreams,

and exchange it with far reaching visions.

God took away my earthly wealth,

and supersede it with heavenly treasures.

God took away my limited intelligence,

and upgrade it with divine wisdom.

God took away my worldly wants,

and convert it with His godly will.

God took away my hostile aggressiveness,

and change it with enduring patience.

God took away my insisting selfishness,

and succeed it with selfless love.

God took away my stubborn pride,

and replace it with utmost humility.

God took away my foolish failings,

and restore it with second opportunities.

God took away my hideous sins,

and barter it with free salvation.

God took away my unpleasant fears,

and replace it with cheerful hope.

God took away my chilly hopelessness,

and swap it with fire-tested faith.

God took away my frightful death,

and trade it with eternal life.

When God takes away, from Him the best is come.

Copyright 2007 Marvin Marcelino        Prepared for Life Ministries

Money often sparks conflicts, stirring tensions within families, between neighbors, among communities, in businesses, within governments, and even on the global stage. On its own, money isn’t inherently bad; it’s the way people interact with it that makes all the difference. The real issue lies with us humans: when greed creeps in and contentment fades away, trouble brews. This trouble takes the shape of envy and jealousy, feeding into more conflict and strife among us. Remember, money itself isn’t the problem; it’s the love and greed for money that lead to trouble.

Now, let’s talk about money itself. It’s a tangible thing, something you can hold and spend. Some folks have a little or none at all, while others seem to have more than they know what to do with. Take a moment to think about where you stand: if you’re on the lower end, lean left; if you’re craving more, lean right. Below, you’ll see a chart illustrating material wealth. Let’s follow the advice from the Holy Writ and aim to find contentment with what we have.

The issue of money seems to keep popping up time and again among us. You know what they say about repeating problems, right? It’s like that old saying about insanity: doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. It’s like intelligence takes a back seat or something.

And you know what? It’s kinda like addiction, too. The addict just can’t get enough, always craving more, while the dealer is right there, ready to profit off someone else’s struggles. It’s like a vicious cycle.

But you know what really gets me? A lot of times, poverty and tough times are blamed on laziness. Sure, there are some folks who might not put in the effort, but there are also those who take advantage of someone else’s tough luck for their own gain. And that’s where greed comes into play. It’s like a never-ending cycle of taking advantage of others’ misfortune.

I hoped you find yourself in the matrix and change if you need to be and live contented and have peace of mindful.

WHERE ART THOU? Genesis 3:9

Where are you now in your spiritual life?

WHERE IS THY BROTHER? Genesis 4:9

What have you done to the people you’ve met in your life?

WHAT DOEST THOU HERE? 1King 19:9

What is your purpose and mission in the place you’re in?

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE?  James 4:14

Have you been living the life according to the will of God?

WHAT IS THAT IN THINE HAND? Exodus 4:12

Have you used anything by all means to do God’s will?

WHAT HAVE THEY SEEN IN THINE HOUSE? 2 Kings 20:15

Do you know what people say about you?

WHERE IS THY FLOCK? Jeremiah 13:26

Do you have followers in the faith you believed in?

WHAT YE THINK OF CHRIST? Matthew 22:42

Do you tell others about Christ and your relationship with Him?

WHY DISOBEY THE LAW? Matthew 15:3

Are you ignoring the law of God or trying to be above it?

WHAT MORE COULD I DO? Isaiah 5:4

What lacks God  for you to really believe and obey Him?

HOW WILL YOU ESCAPE? Hebrews 2:3

What and where will you be without God’s salvation?

WHAT IF YOU GAIN THE WORLD BUT LOSE YOUR SOUL? Matthew16:26

What is really important to you?

Marvin Marcelino  2007 All rights reserved

(What Christ have accomplished in my life for me to be empowered)

I am a child of God. Rom. 8:16.

I am a child of light and not of darkness. 1Thess. 5:5

I am delivered from the power of darkness. Col. 1:13

I am born of the incorruptible seed of God’s word. 1Pet. 1:23

I am born of God and the evil cannot touch me. 1Jn. 5:18

I am blest with all the spiritual blessings.  Eph. 1:3

I am an heir of God since I am His child. Gal. 4:6,7

I am a joint–heir with Christ with His inheritance. Rom 8:17

I am a passer by to this world. John. 17:16

I am a member of the chosen generation. 1Pet. 2:9,10

I am Christ’s friend. Jn.15: 5

I am an ambassador of Jesus Christ. 2Cor. 5:20

I am God’s minister. 1Pet. 2:9

I am a servant of Righteousness. Rom. 6:18

I am a new creation. 2Cor. 5:17

I am the salt of this earth.  Matt. 5: 13

I am the light of this world.  Matt. 5:14

I am God’s handiwork, His masterpiece. Eph. 2:10

I am indwelt by the Holy Spirit. 1Cor 3:16

I am never left nor forsaken by God.  Isa.  41:10

I am dead to sin and alive in Christ. Rom. 6:6,11

I am the enemy of the devil. 1Pet. 5:8

I am strong in Christ 1Jn. 2:4

I am more than a conqueror. Rom. 8:37

I have been redeemed from the curse of the law. Gal. 3:13

I have been delivered from the power of darkness. Col. 1:13

I have the authority to cast out evil spirits. Matt. 10:1

I have all power over all the power of the enemy.  Lk. 10:19

I have been granted all that pertains to life and godliness. 2Pet 1:3

I have immeasurable power of God within me. Eph. 1:9

I can do all things through Christ that strengthen me. Phil. 4:13

I am created to be the temple of God, His dwelling place. 1Cor. 6:16

WHAT ELSE DOES GOD HAVE NOT GIVEN YOU?

SESSION FOUR

HOW TO REMAIN EMPOWERED?

As Jesus lived like a man, He grew like a man, by learning slowly as Luke 2:52 says  “And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.”  

Galatians 5:16–25  But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit (ESV).

Romans 6:4 Just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious [power] of the Father, so we too might [habitually] live and behave (walk) in newness of life.

SESSION THREE

WHAT IS THE SOURCE OF YOUR EMPOWERMENT?

 WHERE DOES YOUR POWERS COME FROM?
Self

John 15:5 … “for without Me(Christ) you can do nothing”. How often we live our lives in our own strength. We run around doing what ‘seems good unto us’ and in the process we get exhausted, tired, stressed, pressurized, weak, depressed and worn out. I heard someone make the following statement: ‘Everything we do in our own strengthen wears us down, everything we do through God’s strength enables (encourages, strengthens, builds us up) us!

God

Romans 8:11 And if the Spirit of Him Who raised up Jesus from the dead dwells in you, [then] He Who raised up Christ Jesus from the dead will also restore to life your mortal (short-lived, perishable) bodies through His Spirit Who dwells in you.

With God, we have the capacity, ability, endurance and perseverance to be able to really have an effect.

1 Corinthians 6:14 And God both raised the Lord to life and will also raise us up by His power.

Ephesians 3:20 Now to Him Who, by (in consequence of) the [action of His] power that is at work within us, is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams].

God’s power is at work within us.  He often uses what we are going through, to bring about His purposes.  We must not resist His working in our lives, but we must embrace it.  God’s power wants to bring us through any current difficulties and challenges to a place where He wants us to be.  God has great things in store, things that are super-abundant, far above what we could ask or think.

2 Peter 1:3 His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue.

We can only go so far in our own strength.  Sooner or later we will need HIS POWER.  Life can be like quicksand.  It can swallow us up and the devil wants this to happen. We can struggle and fight this in our own strength and end up sinking even further. But when HIS POWER comes into play we can overcome anything.

Ephesians 1:19 –20 And [so that you can know and understand] what is the immeasurable and unlimited and surpassing greatness of His power in and for us who believe, as demonstrated in the working of His mighty strength, which He exerted in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His [own] right hand in the heavenly [places].

In a sense we have to come to the end of ourselves, to the point where we realize that we need God totally.  At this point we get to a place of ‘desperate dependence’ as opposed to ‘partial dependence’.

Christ

There is a song: ‘I HAVE NO POWER OF MY OWN’.
John 15:5 I am the Vine; you are the branches. Whoever lives in Me and I in him bears much (abundant) fruit. However, apart from Me [cut off from vital union with Me] you can do nothing.
We have to stay vitally connected to God.  Our strength flows from God as we remain connected to Him.  If we cut ourselves off we will last for a while, but ultimately we will run out of strength.  Often when people face difficulty they get disappointed with God and become disillusioned and turn to their own ways.  We must learn to hold onto God and realize we need Him and His power in our lives to bring us out on top.

Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit’s job is to empower us Christians to progress in our spiritual lives. Far too many Christians find themselves on a spiritual treadmill. They’re working up a sweat with religious activities but remain in the same place spiritually.

The song goes on: ‘I have no power of my own – Holy Spirit come and help to realize that I have no power of my own!’

Acts 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.

Romans 8:11 And if the Spirit of Him Who raised up Jesus from the dead dwells in you, [then] He Who raised up Christ Jesus from the dead will also restore to life your mortal (short-lived, perishable) bodies through His Spirit Who dwells in you.

• The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience … (Gal 5:22)
• If by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. (Rom 8:14)
• Walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. (Gal 5:16)
• If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.  (Gal 54:25)
• Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? (Gal 3:3)

The Holy Spirit makes this all possible.  It is for this reason that we so desperately need the Holy Spirit.  Before the Holy Spirit fell on the disciples they were scared, timid and cowards (so much for their own strength) but after the Holy Spirit came upon them they were bold, fearless and courageous even in the face of opposition and threat!  We need the Holy Spirit in every aspect of our lives.  We must invite Him and give Him right of way in our lives.  Some years back Phil Driscoll wrote a song and the words went: “Welcome Holy Spirit. I am in Your presence; fill me with Your power. Move inside of me.”  This needs to be our cry as well!

We are to walk by the Holy Spirit.  We are to be led by the Holy Spirit.  We are to live by the Holy Spirit.  We are put to death the deeds of the body by the Holy Spirit.  We are to bear the fruit of the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit is the means, the agent, and the power by which spiritual progress happens.

HOW AM I EMPOWERED?

God’s Grace

2 Corinthians 12:9 – And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Justification  

John 8:11. “Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more?

Repentance:

 1Jn 1:9 But if we confess our sins to God, he can always be trusted to forgive us and take our sins away.

Sanctification

Hosea14:9  The ways of the Lord is right, wise is he who can discern.  The righteous will walk with them, but the rebellious will stumble in them.

Romans 6:12 Therefore, let us not allow this sin to remain in this body.

1Peter2:21 To this you are called because Christ suffered for you leaving you an example that you should follow His steps

 Colossians 3:23, 24 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, and not for men since you know you will receive inheritance from the Lord as reward. It is therefore, the Lord Christ you are serving.

Titus 2:12 ESV Training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age,

Salvation

Philippians 2:12–13 – “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling for it is God who works in you both to will and to work for his good pleasure.”

SESSION TWO

WHAT IS POWERLESSNESS?

2 Timothy 3:5, NLT: “They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!”

Depleted – run out of power

Naked – out of power

Worn out – burn out of power

Bankrupt – run out of power

Undecided – have power but doesn’t know when or where to use them

Confused – do not know which power to use

Spirituality plummets – not using the power

Crashed – never knew having power

SIGNS WHEN OVERPOWERED BY EVIL

1. Lack of spiritual passion

2. Extreme frustration

3. Confusion about purpose

4. Lack of peace

5. Unusually sluggish or tired

6. Strong urge to quit mission

7. Drawn back to old ways

8. Questions calling

What is the opposite of empowered? Powerless?

When I think I am WEAK

When I  FEAR (Undefeated: More than A conqueror Series study)

When I  AM DOUBTING (You are Faith)

When I  AM HOPELESS (You Are Special Child of God)

Do I really need empowerment?

[  ]Yes or [  ]No

2 Corinthians 3:18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

When do I need empowerment?

When I feel left alone – Isaiah 41:10–13 ESV

When I are confuse about who I am – 1Thess. 5:5

When I am at my weakest point Isaiah 41:10

When I think am beaten Ephesians 6:16

When I feel downed Psalms 147:3

When I think am Lost – Luke 19:10

When I am discouraged – Ephesians 6:10–13

When I lose faith Hebrews 10:35–39

When I feel hopeless – Proverbs 3:5–6

When I am about to giving up – Galatians 6:9 

When I do not know what to do – 2 Peter 1:5 ESV

Things are going to happen that you don’t like. Life and success are built around the unfair. There is much that you will encounter that is not right, unjust and incorrect.