Let’s all be farmers and plant some seed and watch this new facility grow the harvest.

Now is one of the best times to grow a church.  With all of the challenging economic situations that we are experiencing, this makes it one of the best times to start and grow an upcoming church.  Unchurched people think they don’t need a church when times are good, in fact most unchurched people are most likely to come to a church when they are either in trouble, under tension or in transition.  There are many people who have lost their jobs, had vehicles repossessed, homes foreclosed and lost their life savings in the stock market during that last year due to the economic struggles we are facing here in the United States.  Many have nowhere else to turn, except to a church that will teach them about Christ and how He can help them through their storms.  From our surveys of the unchurched we have found that a good percentage of them want to attend a local church.  However, they feel that when they do, they are not treated as if they belong and feel unwelcome.  One of the biggest things we here is “I didn’t fit in with their Click”.

We want our church to be different.  We want everyone to feel welcome and at home when attending our services.  We want everyone to be in our “Click”.  When they receive the handshake and smile at the front door, it will be real.

Come join with us – be a farmer and plant some seed – then watch God bring the harvest through our new upcoming church.

I Want To Be a Farmer

We have three locations to host these birthday parties at so perhaps you maybe someone who can do the entire $1200 for one party?? If not, then even $1 will be greatly appreciated and help tremendously in being able to provide for these less fortunate children. You can send your participation gift through our website at http://www.freshstartfellowship.com/ and in the comment section, state that your gift is for the Birthday Party.

Help us Help give them at least ONE day a year where we can put a smile on their face and make them feel like all the other children.

Thank You,
FreshStart Fellowship

Providing Hope and Encouragement

http://www.FreshStartFellowship.com

FreshStart Fellowship launches weekly online church services available to those who are unable to attend a local church.

May 19, 2010 – FreshStart Fellowship, a non-profit prison ministry, now offers internet church services on Sundays. The purpose of these services are not to keep a person from going to a local church, but to provide a weekly service in the comfort of one’s home for those that may feel uncomfortable in a formal church environment or are otherwise not able to attend their local church home. FreshStart Fellowship focuses specifically on helping prison wives of the incarcerated and was inspired to launch these services when learning how many prison wives have felt unwelcome or embarrassed when attending their traditional church service.

The goal of these services is to ease their listeners back into the habit of attending a weekly church service (???) and inspire them to continually grow their faith.  Pastor Bill Martin, founder of FreshStart Fellowship, explains why these services exist:  “Our Internet Church Services are designed for those who may not have a local church home, those who are not able to make it to their regular church and for those who may not feel comfortable attending a regular church service at this time.”  The format of these services is not unlike a regular church service. You can expect approximately twenty-five minutes of Praise and Worship Music, a brief introduction and time of offering, a fifteen to twenty minute short, inspirational message from Pastor Bill and a closing salvation invitation. The total length of the services lasts about one hour. Pastor Bill Martin speaks candidly about their services: “At our Internet Church Service, you don’t have to sneak in and sit on the back row hoping nobody will notice you.”

Listeners may access their Internet Church Services on their website at www.FreshStartFellowship.com on Sundays at 9am & 5pm (PST), 11am & 7pm (CST) or 12pm & 8pm (EST). FreshStart Fellowship’s focus is not only to provide hope and encouragement to the families of prisoners, but to help anyone who is struggling and in need or is passing through a difficult situation in their life. FreshStart also offers free correspondence Bible study programs through one of their partners for prisoners. They also provide a  children-specific program to children of the incarcerated featuring free Bible lessons to kids in a comic book format.

Additionally, FreshStart Fellowship plans to open several Helps Centers across the United States that will provide many programs to those who need encouragement and assistance. With the help of supporters and volunteers, FreshStart will be able to continue to move forward with the launch of their Helps Center Outreaches.

For further information e-mail info@freshstartfellowship.com or visit http://www.FreshStartFellowship.com

Christian Ministry Introduces New Internet Church Services to the Public.

FreshStart Fellowship launches weekly online church services available to those who are unable to attend a local church.

May 19, 2010 – FreshStart Fellowship, a non-profit prison ministry, now offers internet church services on Sundays. The purpose of these services are not to keep a person from going to a local church, but to provide a weekly service in the comfort of one’s home for those that may feel uncomfortable in a formal church environment or are otherwise not able to attend their local church home. FreshStart Fellowship focuses specifically on helping prison wives of the incarcerated and was inspired to launch these services when learning how many prison wives have felt unwelcome or embarrassed when attending their traditional church service.

The goal of these services is to ease their listeners back into the habit of attending a weekly church service (???) and inspire them to continually grow their faith.  Pastor Bill Martin, founder of FreshStart Fellowship, explains why these services exist:  “Our Internet Church Services are designed for those who may not have a local church home, those who are not able to make it to their regular church and for those who may not feel comfortable attending a regular church service at this time.”  The format of these services is not unlike a regular church service. You can expect approximately twenty-five minutes of Praise and Worship Music, a brief introduction and time of offering, a fifteen to twenty minute short, inspirational message from Pastor Bill and a closing salvation invitation. The total length of the services lasts about one hour. Pastor Bill Martin speaks candidly about their services: “At our Internet Church Service, you don’t have to sneak in and sit on the back row hoping nobody will notice you.”

Listeners may access their Internet Church Services on their website at www.FreshStartFellowship.com on Sundays at 9am & 5pm (PST), 11am & 7pm (CST) or 12pm & 8pm (EST). FreshStart Fellowship’s focus is not only to provide hope and encouragement to the families of prisoners, but to help anyone who is struggling and in need or is passing through a difficult situation in their life. FreshStart also offers free correspondence Bible study programs through one of their partners for prisoners. They also provide a  children-specific program to children of the incarcerated featuring free Bible lessons to kids in a comic book format.

Additionally, FreshStart Fellowship plans to open several Helps Centers across the United States that will provide many programs to those who need encouragement and assistance. With the help of supporters and volunteers, FreshStart will be able to continue to move forward with the launch of their Helps Center Outreaches.

For further information e-mail info@freshstartfellowship.com or visit http://www.FreshStartFellowship.com

Media contact:

Media Relations, FreshStart Fellowship

media@freshstartfellowship.com

http://www.FreshStartFellowship.com

If you are going to Rise Up and do anything for God, you have to take charge and control of your life.  God has already given us everything that He is going to give.  He has given us His best to help us Rise Up.  He has given us Jesus.  God has done His part.  Now we need to do our part.  One way for us to do our part, is by going to a Church that teaches His word and having fellowship with believers.  I give thanks to God that I am given the opportunity to attend Church to fellowship and worship Him, while getting my spirit fed.

God has given us all we need to Rise Up and the world around us is growing more evil every day to keep us down.  You can see evil at work every day just by turning on the television and watching the news.  You will see all the bad things that people do to other people.  Sometimes you will even see where they have done things to their own family members.

Even that God has given us all we need to Rise Up and be fruitful, it seems that most people today try to seek and applaud evil, to keep them down.  If you flip through the TV channels you are going to come across a lot of soap operas and talk shows that cover all kinds of corrupted topics.  The more corrupted they get; the more excited the people get watching them.  They feed their mind and spirit with all that evil garbage.  They are keeping themselves down and not Rising Up.

Whatever form or kind of evil it may be God instructs us very clearly in 1^st Thessalonians 5:22 to “avoid every kind of evil”.  Avoid every kind of evil means do not participate in it, do not watch it, and do not feed on it.  Stay away from it and have nothing to do with it.   Colossians 1:13 says God has rescued us from the darkness and brought us into the light, into the Kingdom of the Son He loves.

So we have no business participating in any evil because 1^st Thessalonians 5:23 goes on to say “may God Himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through.  May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

We are to be devoted to the Lord.  He is calling us to Himself.  He is calling us to Rise Up.  He is telling us to be separated from evil and profane things.  He is telling us to be devoted to Him.  God wants us to be Holy. 1^st Corinthians 3:16-17 says, “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?  If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him.  For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.”

To be Holy means to be set apart for God’s use.  If you study through the Bible, you will also find that god calls the tithe Holy.  The Bible teaches us that the tithe is devoted to God.  It is to be set apart for God’s use.  So every time you increase in something, 10% of that increase is Holy.  It is to be set apart for God’s use.  That 10% belongs to God and if you do not tithe, the Bible says you are robbing God of what is His.  So a persons tithe can be devoted to God or it can be devoted to destruction.  If you give it to God it becomes devoted to Him.  If you do not give it to God, you rob Him of it and it becomes devoted to destruction.

Now that we understand that the tithe is Holy and it can be devoted to God or destruction, let’s read 1^st Corinthians 3:16-17 again.  “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?  If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him.  For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.”

Just as the tithe is Holy, we, our body, the temple of God is Holy.  If you do not set apart your tithe to God, then the 10% of your increase is devoted to destruction, just as if you do not set apart your body for God.  It will also start being devoted to destruction.

It says in Galatians 6:7 that “a man reaps what he sows.”

The more a person takes drugs, drinks alcohol, partakes in pornography, partakes in adultery, gets involved in gossip or any other kind of sin, the faster that person will die.  God has called us as His sons, to live apart, to be sanctified and to be Holy.  He has called us to Rise Up.

We are to obey God in everything He tells us to do.  We are to live for Him and stop participating in the world’s ways.  We might be in the world, but we do not have to be of the world.  God wants us to learn to separate in our lives for the good things that are His and from the evil things of the world that are keeping us down.  He wants us to Rise Up.

God wants you to Rise Up and to do what He says, and walk in His word.  If you do, it will produce freedom in your life.  You can not walk in the ways of the world and be free.  No matter what we do in life, or where we go, God is on top of all the situations in our life.  He is committed to helping us change our life so we can Rise Up like He wants us to.  He is also preparing vessels like the tithe and our body that can be devoted to destruction, or devoted to Him.  (1) The vessels devoted for destruction are the people who think they have been getting away with all the sins that they have done.  Instead of getting away with it, God has been putting up with our sins with long suffering, giving us the opportunity to come to Him and repent.  (2) The vessels devoted to God are us believers who have been prepared to receive God’s end-time manifestations of the glory.  We are being set apart.  We are the ones who are to keep our bodies separated unto God and away from profane and unholy things.  We are to Rise Up.

Every Christian believer that truly loves God in their heart wants to be Holy.  But not all believers are living that way.  A lot of times we have old habits or addictions that we have never overcome.  Sometimes we live with them for years and never think anything about them.  We think they are no big deal, when actually they are some type of bondage on our life that is keeping us from being totally holy.  God does not want us to have any kind of bondage in our life to hold us down.  He wants us to be free.  If we continue walking in the word of God, it will make us free and we can live a Holy life.

If you have a habit or addiction and no matter how strong it is or how long you have had it, God can still set you free.  All He needs is your choice, your decision to say no matter what it is, you are ready to stop and leave that bondage behind you, because you are ready to Rise Up.  God is faithful and He is waiting for the opportunity to help you. Jeremiah 15:19-21 says, Therefore this is what the Lord says: “If you repent, I will restore you that you may serve me; if you utter worthy, not worthless, words, you will be my spokesman.  Let this people turn to you, but you must not turn to them.  I will make you a wall to this people, a fortified wall of bronze; they will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you to rescue and save you,” declares the Lord.  “I will save you from the hands of the wicked and redeem you from the grasp of the cruel.”

So if you repent as a believer, God is asking you to draw near to Him and He will draw near to you with every deliverance, every blessing and every prosperity that you need.  If you are a person who has fallen or strayed away from God, He is asking you to repent and return back to Him, so He can help you Rise again.  If you have never been saved, He is asking you to repent and come to Him and make Jesus Christ your Lord and Savior so He can show you what it is like to Rise Up and not be down.

If you choose to be devoted to God and not destruction, begin doing what God’s word says.  When you do, it will be harder for the evil of the world to stick to you and keep you down.  Do not focus on what you can not do.  Focus on what you can do.  Whether you are a believer or not, one thing that we all can do is spend time in God’s word.

As you spend more time in the word, it will separate you from the things of the world.  It will separate you from those habits and addictions that you have been living with and it will separate you from the sin that has been keeping you down.

If you stay with the word and Rise Up, sooner or later those habits and addictions will disappear.  You will start following righteousness; you will start walking in faith, love and following peace.  Before you know it those old habits and addictions will be nowhere in sight.  They will not be in your spirit; they will not be in your body or your mind.  You will not want to partake anymore in pornography or adultery; you will not want to get involved in anymore gossip or any other kind of sin that is holding you down.  You will only want to Rise Up and keep your temple Holy to God.

Let us Rise and possess what God has for us.  Let us Rise and obey God’s commands.  We are able, God is with us, Let us Rise Up!

http://www.FreshStartFellowship.com

I am now raising three children on my own.  I have a part-time job but my husband was our main bread winner.  I am looking for a job and trying to learn how to do things like mow the lawn and change the oil – things my husband has always done.  The children and I still love him and miss him terribly.  I am dealing with feelings of shock, betrayal, lonliness and uncertainty.  Now we are losing our home because we are unable to make the mortgage with the pay from my part-time job.

I was wondering if you knew of a support group in my area. I have a desperate need to talk to other women in the same situation, yet there doesn’t seem to be anyone out there….Left Behind in NC

Here at FreshStart Fellowship we get contacted by these left behind women and children from all over the United States.  Women and Children who are the innocent victims for something their husband or father did while keeping them in the dark.  They become part of the Prison Wives and Children that most people do not even think about.  However they will take the time to shun them and make unkind remarks about them having a husband or father incarcerated in prison.  There are times they loose their homes (as you can see in this case), their vehicles, jobs and personal belongings since the main income from their home is no longer there.  A lot of people just say why don’t they just get a better paying job.  Well, that is easier said than done.  A lot of these left behind loved ones are stay at home moms trying to raise their children.  Some have been out of the work force for many years and do not have the current skills and or experiences to get a job, even in a good economy.

Never say never as this tragedy can happen to anyone or any family at any time.  We pray that it will never happen to you and that you would consider Helping us Help those that it has.  Our goal here at FreshStart Fellowship is to eventually open Helps Centers in locations throughout the US that has the most need for these types of services and support.  With the number of incarcerated people these days, that makes left behind families in just about every town, city and state in the US.

Will you help us help these left behind family members?  $1-$5 per day ($30-$150 Monthly) will go a lot further than you may think.  Or a one time pledge amount of your choice is also greatly needed.  Simply go to our website at http://www.FreshStartFellowship.com and make your gift with a debit or credit card on our online giving page.

Thank You for Helping Us Help Those Who Have Been Left Behind.

The funds we are raising is to purchase small church type buildings in residential areas.  These facilities are ranging in the $300,000 – $400,000 price brackets.  Once we raise enough funds to purchase the first facility, we will continue to move on until we can purchase other facilities in different locations.

We need your Help to Help us Help those in need.  We are asking for a donation in the amount of $100 or more.  However you can donate any amount of your choice.  If you would like to become a monthly partner to help with the operating costs of the facility, you can donate anywhere from $0.50 – $10 per day ($15 – $300 Monthly) or more.

If you have any questions you can contact FreshStart Fellowship directly at info@freshstartfellowship.com

If you would like to help in securing a facility, you can make your gift by clicking on this Link.

Help with a Facility

A receipt for your giving will be provided within 24hrs of receipt.  Thank you for Helping us Help those in need by becoming one of FreshStart Fellowship’s partners.

Western Oklahoma sheriff was accused of forcing and bribing female inmates using them as sex slaves in his jail.

State prosecutors filed 35 felony charges against Sheriff Mike Burgess, including 14 counts of second-degree rape, 7 counts of forcible oral sodomy, 5 counts of bribery, as well as sexual battery, rape by instrumentation and subornation of perjury,engaging in indecent exposure and kidnapping.

Burgess quit the position of Sheriff Wednesday just before his arrest and his appearance in court. He was released after posting $50,000 bail.

His attorney Steve Huddleston explained that he hasn’t yet examined all the allegations against Burgess. Supposedly, the crimes occurred between October 2005 and April 2007.

The lawsuit was brought by 12 former inmates, who claimed that he arranged wet T-shirt contests where his inmates had to demonstrate their breasts to be rewarded with cigarettes.

Besides, Sheriff also faces charges of having sex with a female drug court participant who was in his custody. One of the drug court participants said that he threatened her with prison if didn’t agree with his sexual demands.

One of the inmates claimed that she was promoted as a jail trusty after engaging in sexual act with Burgess, but was disgraced after she later refused.

Burgess faces 467 years sentence, a prosecutor James Boring said, but most probably the lesser sentence is expected.

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We have a lot happening this year and need more volunteers and partners to help bring victory to our Fathers’ Kingdom.  We have declared the year 2010 as a time to fight back.  We are making some changes and have added some additions to FreshStart Fellowship.  To name a few, we made a few slight changes to the FreshStart Fellowship Website so it is easier to access and launch our Internet Radio Station and new Internet Church Services.  There will be a new Bill Martin Ministries website and FreshStart Broadcasting website coming soon!  Our ministry has three areas of functionality and we are separating them, but not taking away from the main focus.  FreshStart Fellowship will be the main site for the Ministry, Bill Martin Ministries will be the main site for Speaking Engagements and FreshStart Broadcasting will be the main site of our Internet Radio and Church Service Broadcasting.

We have also come into agreement with a young man who is a very gifted Christian hip-hop songwriter and performer. He will be able to help us reach today’s youth through the messages of his music, while we help him launch his new music career in Christian Hip-Hop.  Below you can find out more details our our different Outreach Programs that we are working on.

“Look Out Devil, Here I Come!” Outreach

The devil has had God’s people in bondage way too long and it is time to fight back! Bill has made a commitment this year to pull as many people out of the darkness and into a relationship with Jesus Christ that he can. Bill is doing this by the inspirational messages of hope and encouragement that are heard by many every Sunday at 11am & 7pm (CST) through FreshStart Fellowship’s Internet Church Services. Our Internet Church Services are not designed to keep people from going to their regular church service, but for those that may not be able to attend their local church service or those that are not currently attending a church or feel uncomfortable attending one in person.

Bill is also available for speaking engagements at other churches, conferences, corporate events and men’s groups. God has given Bill a separate message to bring to these functions that will show people that no matter what it is that they may be facing or passing through, there is hope and encouragement available to them through Jesus Christ. NO MATTER WHAT! You can schedule Bill to speak at your church or group by clicking on he link below.  Bill brings the “Knock out Punch” and your audiences will be blessed by the message that he brings.  Schedule Bill Now.

Youth & Teen Outreach

An incarcerated parent has a huge impact on their children. Here at FreshStart Fellowship, our main focus is providing support for the woman and their children who have been left behind by a husband or father that has been sent to prison. Most people do not realize that the majority of these left behind family members are left behind in a prison of their own; not one behind bars, but one of the world. Statistics show that there are nearly 2 million children in the United States that have a parent in prison. Also, about 50% of these children are over the age of 10. 70% of the children who have a parent incarcerated end up in the criminal justice system themselves. Many times, the ones in their teenage years end up on the streets in gang activities looking for acceptance and love, but instead find themselves in the grasps of Satan’s bondage, pulling their lives into darkness and on their way to death and/or criminal activities that end them up also being sent to prison.

Until now we have not been able to reach out to or communicate with these youth. Through FreshStart Broadcasting, we have met a young man who is very gifted in Hip-Hop songwriting and performing. His name is Dean and he calls himself “Truth Reigns”. Dean has realized the calling that God has placed on his life and switched his music to 100% Christian Hip-Hop. He left the old and darkness behind and now is living for what God has called him to do. We feel Dean and Truth Reigns is going to reach out to today’s youth that is lost in darkness and through his music that God has given him, will be able to bring many out of the life style Satan has them in and into a life style and relationship with Jesus Christ. There is no telling how many young people that Dean will keep out of going to prison through the messages in his music.

We feel Dean is very gifted and he is at a time in his life where he has realized that it is a gift from God and only wants to use his gifting to glorify the Fathers’ Kingdom. We have come into agreement in becoming his manager to help him with a “FreshStart” in his music career. We will be booking him for speaking (or as he calls it “spittin’”) engagements and performances. If you have a youth group, youth conference, Christian TV or radio show or know of other Christian avenues that would be blessed by his music, please let us know. There will be a 13-song CD available for purchase within a couple of weeks. For a gift of $20 or more to FreshStart Fellowship, we will purchase one of his CD’s and send it to you. They will be available for a lesser price at a later date. Your gift will go to purchase the CD and support FreshStart Fellowship. His first CD is called “A Beautiful Day”. Just click on the link below to make your gift and a copy of the CD will be mailed out to you in about 2 weeks. Truth Reigns

Message From Our Founder

FreshStart Fellowship is all about helping people who are passing through some difficult storms in their lives; especially to the family members of the incarcerated. There is a new TV documentary out by Investigation Discovery that is called “Prison Wives”. This is a weekly TV program that shows and highlights the stories of 12 women and 1 man who have a spouse incarcerated in prison. The program shows what the women and children go through on the outside while fighting for justice for their loved ones on the inside. They all are not saying their husband is not guilty, rather wanting true justice to be served. These women have been called “Pathetic” and many other names that I do not wish to list from viewers of the TV show. My prayers go out to these Prison Wives as they are already rejected by society since they have a husband in prison. Now, they have to see these attacks that the people on the outside are throwing at them when they do not even have a clue what these women are already going through. I could write a whole documentary myself on this subject, but I won’t. However, I will touch on one of the statements that have been big in the media: “People in prison do not deserve justice”. I guess that means nobody does, including the ones that are bashing these people. We are all in prison in some sort. It may not be behind bars, but if you are alive on this earth, you are in a prison of some sort and don’t even know it unless you are living a perfect life (which does not exist). In could be to sickness, other heath issues, financial problems, loss of employment or perhaps you have a problem or addiction to alcohol, cigarettes, drugs, lack or pornography. In some sort of a way, we are all in a bondage to the evil one. That is why we need to stay in God’s Word daily to confess it, learn it, and speak it so we can pull ourselves out of the bondage’s that we are in.

Who are we to judge anyone no matter what they may have done? Only the Father has that authority. I have been ministering to many over the last few weeks that have been making all kinds of negative comments on blogs, news press articles, etc regarding the women on the Prison Wives TV Show. One lady said if someone commits murder there is no hope for them and that no matter what, they should never get out of prison regardless of the situation or the cause of the murder. She said “murder is murder” and the one that committed it should be killed themselves. She was a married woman with three small children. She had been replying to all my comments and bashing me too at times for as she called it “standing up” for these pathetic people. However, she did not reply to the last question I asked regarding her “murder is murder and the one who committed it should be killed themselves” comment. My response to her was, “So, if someone broke into your home in the middle of the night and was getting ready to rape or kill your 3 young children, then your husband apprehends the attacker and killed the attacker whether it be by a gun, knife or knocking him to the ground where he hits his head resulting in killing him, then does that mean your husband should be killed too, since he killed someone else? Murder is Murder right?”.

These questions and comments are all coming up because the prison wives on the TV show “Prison Wives” are trying to get their husbands out of prison that have life sentences. They are not saying they should not be punished, but they only want justice to be served. Some are being charged for things they did not do. That is also another lengthy story. The majority of people in our prisons today need to be there; however, there are many that are sent to prison daily for charges that they are not guilty of. We have the best justice system in the world, but it is nowhere near perfect and needs a major overhaul.

We have a new public relations person here at FreshStart Fellowship: Amy McCollam. Amy is promoting FreshStart Fellowship and Bill Martin in what they are trying to accomplish for the left-behind family members of the incarcerated. Through the recent press releases that Amy has done, we have gotten picked up by newspapers in California, Arizona and Ohio (so far). We have been #1 for several days and in the top 5 search engine results on Google. Now is the time for us to act in bringing the awareness to the public regarding the support the left-behind family members need, the major overhaul the justice system needs and the training that local churches and organizations need to help the incarcerated once they are back into society. The majority of them are getting out and could end up living next door to you. Wouldn’t you want programs in place to help them with their FreshStart? Partner with us and help us help those left-behind and those coming out of prison. Your financial gift of any amount will allow us to be able provide the support these left-behind family members and those coming out need for their FreshStart. Become A Partner.

God Bless You All,
Pastor Bill

“Be Successful in Everything You Do”

There are many men and women who are exceptional motivation speakers that travels all over the world teaching people how to be successful.  All who will charge you a great deal of money to come and listen to their teachings in person or by allowing you to purchase their books, tapes or CD’s.  They all have different tactics and strategies that they teach on how you can become successful.  The message I have is different from most of them and it is far less expensive.  It only cost the time to read this message and then about 30 minutes each day to put it into action.  The message that I have to give you is also far more powerful than any message or teaching that you have heard from tapes of motivational speakers.  First, let’s start with a small little prayer that if applied on a daily basis, will make change and success come into your life.  Take your Bible and lift it into the air and say…………………..

“This is my Bible, Words from God.  If I let my Eyes See it, if I let my Ears hear it and if I let my Mouth speak it, and truly believe in my heart that what I See, Ear and Speak is true, then my life will change and I will never be the same, in Jesus Name”.  Amen!!

Basically all you have to do to have success is to get God’s Word in you and accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.  That’s it.   Really, the Bible has everything in it that you need to be successful.  So the question is up to you.  Do you want to be successful in everything you do?

Being successful can relate to many areas of your life.  One of the things for me that I relate to success is business.  God has given me business and administration as one of my spiritual gifts.  I am like a magnet to business opportunities and start-ups.  They seem to come to me without even looking for them.  Some have been true opportunities and others have been distractions to keep me from what I have been called to do.  You have to learn how to tell them apart.

Being successful does not always pertain to business.  It also pertains to being successful in your personal life and your walk with God.  It can pertain to being successful with the gifts God has given you and it can pertain to being successful in wealth and riches.  If I was to ask everyone reading this, if they think they are successful, then everyone should reply with, yes.  We are all successful, whether we realize it or not.  At times Satan may try to make you think you are not, but we all are.  When Jesus went to the cross and then rose again, He defeated Satan and gave us all success.  All we have to do to claim this success is to accept Him as our Lord and Savior, then take God’s word and the gifts that He has given you and put them into action.  Let Him use you for others.

Some people might say, I want success in my life, but I do not know what gifts God has given me, and with all the sin in my life, I do not see how God can use me.  First let’s look at some of the people in the Bible that God has used and given some type of success in their life. It says in Genesis 9:21 that Noah was drunk, and then…………..

1. Abraham was to old
2. Isaac was a day dreamer
3. Jacob was a liar
4. Gideon was afraid
5. Samson was a womanizer
6. Rahab was a prostitute
7. David had an affair and was a murderer
8. Jonah ran from God
9. Peter denied Christ
10. The Disciples fell asleep while praying
11. Martha worried about everything
12. And Lazarus was Dead!

If God could use all these people with the problems and sin they had in their life, and give them success, He can do the same for you to.  You do not have to be perfect or have your life cleaned up, to come to God.  He will meet you right where you are and help you to get rid of the sin in your life and make you successful.

If you are like I was, you are probably saying I do not know what gifts God has given me and He has not told me what to do.  First of all, He wants you to do what His word says to do.  He wants you to enjoy what you do, and in Matthew 18 He tells us that we need to become like little children.  You might say what does that have to do with it?  Well, what is it that little children like to do?  They like to have fun at everything they do.  Since we are to become like little children, then God wants us to have fun at everything we do.  God could be waiting to show you what gifts He has given you and tell you what He wants you to do, to see how bad you really what to know.  What have you done to find out?  What are you doing to take action?

Everything starts with a dream or a plan.  You have to set goals and right them down.  Weather it is a business, vacation, or a situation you may be in.  You have to have some type of plan for it to begin to work.  When you have decided what it is that you enjoy doing and what you have fun at, put your dream or plan on paper and start taking action with what God’s word says to do.  All through the Bible He tells us how to use our gifts and how to be successful.  No matter what our gifts are, we are to use them to honor and glorify God.  Don’t get caught being idle.  Use what God has blessed you with, to bless others so He can give you the success He has for you.

Luke 6:38 says, “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.”

You can give many things;  Wisdom, knowledge, help, wealth, etc, etc.  Like it said in Luke 6:38, the more you give the more will be given to you and the success you will receive.  It also says in Proverbs 11:24-28, “One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty.  A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.  People curse the man who hoards grain, but blessings crowns him who is willing to sell.  He who seeks good finds goodwill, but evil comes to him who searches for it.  Whoever trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will thrive like a green leaf.” Luke 16:9 says, “I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.” Worldly wealth could not just be money; it could also be stuff you have lying around the house that you are no longer using.  If you are not using it, then get rid of it.  Someone else may need it.  Then if the time comes and you need it again, just trust in God to give you another one.  Most of the time He will and it is even better than the one you gave away.

In Closing

I have made my own list of what I call secrets of how to be successful.  Some I have come up with and some I have heard from others.  Here is the top 25.

1. Keep things simple
2. Do not be over occupied or to busy.  Be fruitful and make time for God.  It is good to stay occupied and busy, but everything has its priorities.  God is always to be #1, Family #2, Job #3.
3. Do not sit idle and wait for something to happen.
4. Listen and obey to what God is telling you to do.  Then act on it regardless what the flesh is saying.  If God is telling you to do it, you will have a peace about it.
5. Do not draw attention to yourself.  Do things for others and give the honor and glory to God.
6. Have love as it is defined in 1^st Corinthians 13:4-7.  “Love is patient, love is kind.  It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, and it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres.”
7. Do not take your eyes off Jesus.  If you do you will start to sink, like Peter did in Matthew 14:30.
8. Be honest
9. When you go to bed at night, meditate on a scripture until you understand the real meaning of it.
10. Spend time in Gods word daily.
11. Do not compare your future with your past failures.  You have to fail to succeed and all men fall, but the successful ones get back up.
12. Stay focused on God’s word.  The main reason people fail is broken focus.
13. When you increase your wisdom you will increase your wealth.
14. Never complain about what you permit or allow.
15. The secret of your future is hidden in your daily routine.
16. Your rewards in life are determined by the problems you solve for others.
17. When you want something you have never had, you have to do something you have never done.
18. Plant SEED!  It is the only influence you have over your future.
19. Anything that does not change you for good is unnecessary in your life.
20. Favor begins to flow in your life, the moment you solve a problem for someone.
21. The quality of your preparation determines the quality of your performance.
22. Every relationship in your life is moving you towards your dreams or away from them.
23. A successful man will have a good wife.  A successful woman will have a good husband.
24. Money is merely a reward for solving problems.
25. What you make happen for others, God will make happen for you.

1^st Thessalonians 5:13-15 says, “Live in peace with each other.  And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, and be patient with everyone.  Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else.” If you live this way and put these things into practice, you will be successful in life.  God has given us everything we have and everything we need.  He has given us wisdom, wealth, knowledge, faith and love, so we can give it to the ones who need it.  If you stop and think about it, God gave whatever it is we have to one or more people who gave it to us.  It did not just fall from the sky.

So if you want to be successful, it is all right there in the Bible.  If Satan still keeps trying to tell you that you do not have success, just tell him to read the end of the book, because you DO!

Be Successful in Everything you Do!

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