AT MIDLIFE, IS THIS AS GOOD AS IT GETS?

AT MIDLIFE, IS THIS AS GOOD AS IT GETS?

God wants to equip you to meet these new challenges.

(A FRIEND STORY)

Question: I thought that after my children were grown and gone I would finally have time to do some things I’ve always wanted to do, but now I find that I’m worn out by the end of the day and tired when the weekend comes around. Is it all downhill from here?

Answer: Midlife requires some adjustments, but no, it’s not all downhill. The decline in physical stamina is natural and part of God’s plan. He uses these and other challenges of midlife to slow us down and get us to take stock of our lives and our priorities. He’s hoping, of course, that we will turn to Him in the process so He can be the ever-present help He wants to be.

As at every other stage, God wants to equip you to meet these new challenges. He promises, “As your days, so shall your strength be.” The strength He provides at midlife is the maturity that you have gained through experience. He wants you to further develop that strength of spirit and character, and you do that by involving Him more in your thoughts and daily activities. As for goals and priorities, He will help you sort those out too. If you will look to Him for guidance, He will give it to you. He may even help you find ways to do some of those things you’ve always wanted to do, and strengthen you accordingly.

If you aren’t in the habit of taking your problems to Him in prayer and receiving His solutions and strength in return, you may feel like you don’t know where to start, but it’s really quite simple: Tell God you’re making room for Him, and He will meet you there. Talk with Him, as you would with a friend. Then, like a muscle, your relationship with Him will grow stronger through daily use.

Midlife done that way can be the happiest and most fulfilling stage of life that you have yet experienced!

—

Psalm 46:1 (ESV) God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

Proverbs 3:5-6 (ESV) Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

James 1:5 (ESV) If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.

Onyedikachi Kingsley Ogbonna (Surv.

"Is there life after death?

Question: "Is there life after death?"

Answer: The existence of life after death is a universal question. Job speaks for all of us by stating, “Man born of woman is of few days and full of trouble. He springs up like a flower and withers away; like a fleeting shadow, he does not endure....If a man dies, will he live again?” (Job 14:1-2, 14). Like Job, all of us have been challenged by this question. Exactly what happens to us after we die? Do we simply cease to exist? Is life a revolving door of departing and returning to earth in order to eventually achieve personal greatness? Does everyone go to the same place, or do we go to different places? Is there really a heaven and hell?

The Bible tells us that there is not only life after death, but eternal life so glorious that “no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him” (1 Corinthians 2:9). Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, came to the earth to give us this gift of eternal life. “But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5). Jesus took on the punishment that all of us deserve and sacrificed His life to pay the penalty for our sin. Three days later, He proved Himself victorious over death by rising from the grave. He remained on the earth for forty days and was witnessed by hundreds before ascending to heaven. Romans 4:25 says, “He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.”

The resurrection of the Christ is a well-documented event. The apostle Paul challenged people to question eyewitnesses for its validity, and no one was able to contest its truth. The resurrection is the cornerstone of the Christian faith. Because Christ was raised from the dead, we can have faith that we, too, will be resurrected. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the ultimate proof of life after death. Christ was only the first of a great harvest of those who will be raised to life again. Physical death came through one man, Adam, to whom we are all related. But all who have been adopted into God's family through faith in Jesus Christ will be given new life (1 Corinthians 15:20-22). Just as God raised up Jesus' body, so will our bodies be resurrected upon Jesus' return (1 Corinthians 6:14).

Although we will all be eventually resurrected, not everyone will go to heaven. A choice must be made by each person in this life, and this choice will determine one’s eternal destination. The Bible says that it is appointed for us to die only once, and after that will come judgment (Hebrews 9:27). Those who have been made righteous by faith in Christ will go into eternal life in heaven, but those who reject Christ as Savior will be sent to eternal punishment in hell (Matthew 25:46). Hell, like heaven, is not simply a state of existence, but a literal place. It is a place where the unrighteous will experience never-ending, eternal wrath from God. Hell is described as a bottomless pit (Luke 8:31; Revelation 9:1) and a lake of fire, burning with sulfur, where the inhabitants will be tormented day and night forever and ever (Revelation 20:10). In hell, there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, indicating intense grief and anger (Matthew 13:42).

God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but desires them to turn from their wicked ways so that they can live (Ezekiel 33:11). But He will not force us into submission; if we choose to reject Him, He accepts our decision to live eternally apart from Him. Life on earth is a test, a preparation for what is to come. For believers, life after death is eternal life in heaven with God. For unbelievers, life after death is eternity in the lake of fire. How can we receive eternal life after death and avoid an eternity in the lake of fire? There is only one way—through faith and trust in Jesus Christ. Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die...” (John 11:25-26).

The free gift of eternal life is available to all. “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him” (John 3:36). We will not be given the opportunity to accept God’s gift of salvation after death. Our eternal destination is determined in our earthly lifetimes by our reception or rejection of Jesus Christ. “I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2). If we trust the death of Jesus Christ as the full payment for our sin against God, we are guaranteed not only a meaningful life on earth, but also eternal life after death, in the glorious presence of Christ.

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10 Statements That Will Change Your Marriage

10 Statements That Will Change Your Marriage

Sue Schlesman

When you get married, you’re looking for the “magic words” that will propel you and your spouse into marital bliss. You’ve watched a lot of romantic comedies, and you’re waiting to hear “You had me at...” or “I’d die for you.” Instead, you hear “Why can’t you--“ and “You should have--.” Arguments spin out of control from what seem to be simple conversations, like who forgot to put gas in the car or who left milk on the counter.

The reality of married life is that we all settle into negative and positive communication. Both kinds of communication change a marriage, for either bad or good. Both can set you on a high-speed chase toward either disappointment or satisfaction.

Proverbs 12:18 warns, “The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.”Let’s look at some common negative and positive statements that have the power to bring healing to your marriage, instead of strife.

Negative Statements to Avoid:

“A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”(Proverbs 15:1) 

1. “You always... /You never...”

While it may seem like your husband never puts down the toilet seat or your wife never gets ready on time, making “always” and “never” accusations puts your spouse in a defensive posture. It’s an attack, which means the person being attacked will go into fight/flight/or freeze mode because he/she feels threatened. And because the threats are emanating from a spousal relationship, hurt and distrust will be sown into the marriage. Be careful not to pigeonhole, over-exaggerate, or misinterpret your spouse’s actions. Nobody does the same thing all the time. Pointing out an annoyance with “always” or “never” creates a combative environment and will certainly not encourage changed behavior. An alternative action toward annoyances is to have honest conversation.

2. “If you _____________, I’ll divorce you.”

This statement is a threat and a signal that your commitment to the marriage is conditional. Your intention might be to draw boundaries or give a warning, but you’re really saying, “Measure up to my standards, or you will prove yourself unworthy of me.” That’s not a “til-death-do-us-part” promise or a covenant with God. When catastrophes happen in your marriage, seek wise counsel until the issues can be worked out. Divorce is a solution that could make your life more complicated, and not necessarily happier.

3. “We never should have gotten married.”

Many people, during rough patches of married life, wonder if they married the wrong person. Perhaps that’s why you take vows on your wedding day--to make sure you don’t jump ship in high waters. When you start to worry, focus instead on learning to become a better person and better partners to each other. Marriage is work for everyone. But believing that your spouse isn’t good enough for you or that you could do better sets you up to make the same mistake again with your next choice. 

4. “I told you that you shouldn’t _________.”

Any version of “I told you so” passes blame and responsibility to the other person and claims superiority for oneself. It means you’re too proud to consider your contribution to the misunderstanding. That’s not exactly a friendly atmosphere for communication or problem-solving. If you retaliate or blame your spouse, you are showing disrespect, thus driving a bigger wedge between you. 

5. “My mother was right about you.”

Similar to “I never should have married you,” this one adds another punch--shame--(i.e. my mother hates you, and we’ve talked about it a lot). Using relatives as ammunition against your spouse communicates a collective idea that your spouse will never amount to anything, and everybody knows it. Even if you resolve things between you, you’ve planted the seed that he/she will never please your family. You have taken a hack-saw to his/her self-image and a possible good relationship with your family.

Positive:

Proverbs 16:24 promises, “Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.” 

1. “I will love you forever.”

Ephesians 6:23 explains how a husband and wife should love/respect each other: their relationship should mirror Jesus Christ and the church. Eternal, sacrificial love is not a feeling--it’s a decision. It requires sacrifice. That’s what loving forever is all about.

2. “I’m not leaving. You can’t push me away.”

Sometimes, when a person is in crisis, he/she begins using language like “You’d be better off without me,” “I’m no good for you,” “Why don’t you leave me?” These are cries for help; they are indications of emotional stress and insecurity. Rather than jumping down the rabbit hole with flattery, affirm your commitment to your spouse (the real fear) and take your spouse to see a counselor who can help peel away the layers of fear that can ruin your marriage.

3. “You’re my hero. You’re amazing.”

Stating your admiration for your spouse in reference to character is key to building a strong marital relationship. Beauty will fade, but integrity will gain strength and influence with encouragement. Look for ways to appreciate and admire your spouse for internal, not external, beauty. Praise will also make it harder to find fault and will create an environment of grace.

4. “How can I help?”

When our spouse is struggling through something, instead of solving the problem or telling him/her how to solve it, try asking how your spouse would like you to be involved. This will eliminate disappointment and confusion on both sides and give you a chance to problem-solve together. Your spouse may want to handle it alone; if so, have a conversation about why. (It might be due to insecurity or a fear of pleasing you.) Affirming your love and admiration can be the best help of all.

5. “I’m sorry for ____________; please forgive me.”

Admitting your faults, asking forgiveness, and asking your spouse how you can make it right covers the basics of a good apology. Unless you are willing to go through the complete forgiveness process with your spouse every time you have a disagreement, you might not completely resolve the offense. Then, the next time something similar happens, your spouse will seemingly over-react, and you will have a full-blown war on your hands, simply because a previous issue never really got settled. Learn to own your part of every disagreement. Be willing to apologize first.

Communication is not a mystery. But it is an important part of being happily married. 

“Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” (Colossians 4:6)

How to Cultivate Your Very Particular Set of Skills.

How to Cultivate Your Very Particular Set of Skills..

Knowledge is not skill.
Knowledge plus ten thousand
times is skill. — 
Shinichi Suzuki
I’ll admit it — I’m a sucker for the
movie, Taken. Growing up in the
golden age of vigilante films, I can
spot a good one when I see one.
Taken was a fine exhibition of this
genre. One-man wrecking crews like
Steven Seagal, Arnold
Schwarzenegger and Sylvester
Stallone were once all the rage,
seemingly armed with a never-
ending arsenal of skills that enabled
them to take down entire villages
and cities.
These warriors always had a crime to
avenge and often very personal ones,
at that. This post is not meant to laud
action films but rather to help you
tap into that indescribable greatness
that’s inside of you. Or as Liam
Neeson’s character, Bryan Mills
would say, “Your very particular set
of skills.”
We’ve all acquired our own,
“particular set of skills”, from a
variety of personal, educational and
professional experiences. Bryan
Mills’ skills were acquired through — 
we can only imagine — what was a
long, brutal career working for the
Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).
Chances are, like me, you’re not a
spy. We’re fighting less strenuous
battles, but hardly less consequential.
In our pursuits, we’re developing
skills. We’re thinking deeply about
who we want to be and what values
that will give to our life and to those
we love. We should concentrate
maximum energy and effort toward
building these skills so they become
strengths.
Life Tests Us
There is no innovation and
creativity without failure.
Period. — Brene Brown
Life isn’t easy, in fact, life often
presents us with significant physical,
mental, spiritual and emotional
challenges. On the spiritual side,
we’re tempted in a multitude of ways
to live a life that wars with the inner
core — the true self —  of who we
really are.
On the mental, emotional and even
physical side, all of us will lose loved
ones, and deal with the awful pain
that accompanies those losses. We
endure painful break-ups with
boyfriends or girlfriends, fights that
test our mental resolve and we meet
temporary failure pursuing our
dreams.
As we keep progressing through life,
it only becomes easier to let these
difficult experiences define who we
are. The path of least resistance
emerges as a simple choice for many
people. We find ourselves unhappy
with our circumstances, and we’re
beaten down from setbacks that
weaken our willpower and lead to
complacency. It becomes easy to give
in.
But we must never give in to that
which we know is not right for us.
We need to rise above mediocrity
and disappointment, and come
through the fire, knocking adversity
to the ground. This takes resolve,
courage and self-awareness. We have
to live with self-awareness in order
to avoid repeating previous mistakes.
Once we have gained the value from
our mistakes, triumphs and all
experiences, we’re better equipped
for anything the future will throw at
us.
Complacency is the enemy of
achievement. Adversity will stare all
of us down, time and time again
throughout our lives. The question we
continually face will be: “How do we
respond?” A wise person once said,
“Your desire to change must
be greater than your desire to
stay the same.”
Examine Yourself
“Don’t waste life in doubts
and fears; spend yourself on
the work before you, well
assured that the right
performance of this hour’s
duties will be the best
preparation for the hours and
ages that will follow it.” — 
Ralph Waldo Emerson
The way to continue evolving and
developing your unique, particular
set of skills is to strive for
improvement every day. You have to
have goals in mind for what you
want to accomplish. It’s best to view
your picture in a holistic manner,
taking into account your professional
ambitions and skills, as well as the
interpersonal and life skills you use
each day.
Do you have an idea of what that
picture looks like for your life?
Our personal and professional skills
can always use a boost. Difficult
times test us and shape who we are.
Make sure that you let them shape
you for the better. I encourage you to
write out your current state in the
following four areas of your life:
1) Mental
2) Spiritual
3) Emotional
4) Physical
You’ll be amazed at what you put
down on paper when you’re honest
with yourself. Once you have written
your current state, your mission is to
bridge the gap between where you
and where you desire to be in the
future state.
When I haven’t been happy with my
spiritual life, I’ve made it a plan to
turn to search my soul and ask
myself the difficult questions to
understand why there is a lack of
peace and harmony in my life. I have
turned to my faith, relied on the help
of others, but I have also sought time
alone in solitude for reflection and
contemplation.
When I felt like I was in a rut in my
career, I reached out to trusted
friends and mentors for advice. I
improved my resume, networked
‘like a boss’ and determined what I
needed in order to improve my
skills. When I was having
relationship difficulties or hurting
emotionally, I turned to my family
and friends for comfort and refuge.
Fortunately, they have always had
my back.
The Hunger For More
“Hope is like the sun, which,
as we journey toward it,
casts the shadow of our
burden behind us.” — 
Samuel Smiles
I’ve watched too many successful
people become content with their
own arsenal of skills — regardless of
comparative depth — and then trudge
on, for better or worse, finding
whatever satisfaction and success
they can. This is no way to live. We
should always strive for greater
things and empower ourselves
through inspiration and the desire to
seek greater meaning.
I’ve increasingly developed a
burning desire to challenge my
experiential status quo and hunger
for more. Something more soothing
to the soul — more in line with what
moves me inside and feels like home.
This desire is visualized in my mind 
— imagined and obsessed over and
then put into plan so it will become
my reality.
Connecting this bridge between what
is imagined and what is actionable
will lead to a flourish of excitement
and a horizon of new opportunities.
It’s a matter of you taking your
current state, reconciling it with
where you want to be, and
determining how to do the work to
help you get there in the most
efficient way possible.
Along the way, fears and the voice
inside our heads will occasionally
remind us that we can’t do it. Just
remember that you have your
current and future state analysis to
serve as your guide. When you put in
writing what you need to do to find
self-fulfillment and happiness, you’ll
have a road map that guides and
plots your path, when doubts arise.
We were all born with a particular
set of skills that we are meant to
share with the world. What are
yours?
Live Boldly!
Thank you for reading! Please
recommend my story if you enjoyed
reading. And kindly follow me here on
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to my newsletter via my website and
Like my Facebook writer’s page! My
book on Values will be out in Spring
2017. Feel free to contact me for more
details. Keep Going on your journey!

13 Things You Should Give Up If You Want To Be Successful

13 Things You Should Give Up If You Want To Be Successful

”Somebody once told me the
definition of hell:
“On your last day on earth, the
person you became will meet the
person you could have become.” — 
Anonymous
Sometimes, to become successful and
get closer to the person we can
become, we don’t need to add more
things — we need to give up on some
of them.
There are certain things that are
universal, which will make you
successful if you give up on them,
even though each one of us could
have a different definition of success.
You can give up on some of them
today, while it might take a bit longer
to give up on others.
1. Give Up On The
Unhealthy Lifestyle
“Take care of your body. It’s the only
place you have to live.”  — Jim Rohn
If you want to achieve anything in
life, everything starts here. First you
have to take care of your health, and
there are only two things you need to
keep in mind:
1. Healthy Diet
2. Physical Activity
Small steps, but you will thank
yourself one day.
2. Give Up The Short-
term Mindset
“You only live once, but if you do it
right, once is enough.”  —  Mae West
Successful people set long-term goals,
and they know these aims are merely
the result of short-term habits that
they need to do every day.
These healthy habits shouldn’t be
something you do; they should be
something you embody.
There is a difference between:
“Working out to get a summer body”
and “Working out because that’s who
you are.”
3. Give Up On
Playing Small
“Your playing small does not serve
the world. There is nothing
enlightened about shrinking so that
other people will not feel insecure
around you. We are all meant to
shine, as children do. It is not just in
some of us; it is in everyone, and as
we let our light shine, we
unconsciously give others permission
to do the same. As we are liberated
from our fear, our presence
automatically liberates others.” -
Marianne Williamson
If you never try and take great
opportunities, or allow your dreams
to become realities, you will never
unleash your true potential.
And the world will never benefit
from what you could have achieved.
So voice your ideas, don’t be afraid
to fail, and certainly don’t be afraid
to succeed.
4. Give Up Your Excuses
“It’s not about the cards you’re dealt,
but how you play the hand.”
― Randy Pausch, The Last Lecture
Successful people know that they are
responsible for their life, no matter
their starting point, weaknesses, and
past failures.
Realising that you are responsible for
what happens next in your life is
both frightening and exciting.
And when you do, that becomes the
only way you can become successful,
because excuses limit and prevent us
from growing personally and
professionally.
Own your life; no one else will.
5. Give Up The
Fixed Mindset
“The future belongs to those who
learn more skills and combine them in
creative ways.” ― Robert Greene,
Mastery
People with a fixed mindset think
their intelligence or talents are
simply fixed traits, and that talent
alone creates success — without
effort. They’re wrong.
Successful people know this. They
invest an immense amount of time
on a daily basis to develop a growth
mindset, acquire new knowledge,
learn new skills and change their
perception so that it can benefit their
lives.
Remember, who you are today, it’s
not who you have to be tomorrow.
6. Give Up Believing In
The “Magic Bullet.”
“Every day, in every way, I’m getting
better and better”  — Émile Coué
Overnight success is a myth.
Successful people know that making
small continual improvement every
day will be compounded over time,
and give them desirable results.
That is why you should plan for the
future, but focus on the day that’s
ahead of you, and improve just 1%
every day.
7. Give Up Your
Perfectionism
“Shipping beats perfection.”  — Khan
Academy’s Development Mantra
Nothing will ever be perfect, no
matter how much we try.
Fear of failure (or even fear of
success) often prevents us from
taking an action and putting our
creation out there in the world. But a
lot of opportunities will be lost if we
wait for the things to be right.
So “ship,” and then improve (that
1%).
8. Give Up Multi-tasking
“You will never reach your
destination if you stop and throw
stones at every dog that barks.” ―
Winston S. Churchill
Successful people know this. That’s
why they choose one thing and then
beat it into submission. No matter
what it is — a business idea, a
conversation, or a workout.
Being fully present and committed to
one task, is indispensable.
9. Give Up Your Need to
Control Everything
“Some things are up to us, and some
things are not up to us.”  — Epictetus,
Stoic philosopher
Differentiating these two is
important.
Detach from the things you cannot
control, and focus on the ones you
can, and know that sometimes, the
only thing you will be able to control
is your attitude towards something.
Remember, nobody can be frustrated
while saying “Bubbles” in an angry
voice.
10. Give Up On Saying
YES To Things That
Don’t Support
Your Goals
“He who would accomplish little must
sacrifice little; he who would achieve
much must sacrifice much; he who
would attain highly must sacrifice
greatly.”  — James Allen
Successful people know that in order
to accomplish their goals, they will
have to say NO to certain tasks,
activities, and demands from their
friends, family, and colleagues.
In the short-term, you might sacrifice
a bit of instant gratification, but
when your goals come to fruition, it
will all be worth it.
11. Give Up The
Toxic People
“You are the average of the five people
you spend the most time with.”
― Jim Rohn
People we spend the most time with,
add up to who we become.
There are people who are less
accomplished in their personal and
professional life, and there are
people who are more accomplished
than us. If you spend time with those
who are behind you, your average
will go down, and with it, your
success.
But if you spend time with people
who are more accomplished than
you, no matter how challenging that
might be, you will become more
successful.
Take a look at around you, and see if
you need to make any changes.
12. Give Up Your Need
To Be Liked
“The only way to avoid pissing people
off is to do nothing important.”  — 
Oliver Emberton
Think of yourself as a market niche.
There will be a lot of people who like
that niche, and there will be
individuals who don’t. And no matter
what you do, you won’t be able to
make the entire market like you.
This is entirely natural, and there’s
no need to justify yourself.
The only thing you can do is to
remain authentic, improve and
provide value every day, and know
that the growing number of “haters”
means that you are doing important
things.
13. Give Up Your
Dependency on Social
Media & Television
“The trouble is, you think you have
time”  — Jack Kornfield
Impulsive web browsing and
television watching are diseases of
today’s society.
These two should never be an escape
from your life or your goals.
Unless your goals depend on either,
you should minimise (or even
eliminate) your dependency on them,
and direct that time towards things
that can enrich your life.

Why Most People Will Never Be Successful

Why Most People Will
Never Be Successful

“Success” isn’t just having lots of
money. Many people with lots of
money have horribly unhappy and
radically imbalanced lives.
Success is continuously improving
who you are, how you live, how you
serve, and how you relate.
So why won’t most people be
successful?
Why don’t most people evolve?
The more evolved you become, the
more focused you must be on those
few things which matter most. Yet, as
Jim Rohn has said, “A lot of people
don’t do well simply because they
major in minor things.”
To be successful, you can’t continue
being with low frequency people for
long periods of time.
You can’t continue eating crappy
food, regardless of your spouse’s or
colleague’s food choices.
Your days must consistency be spent
on high quality activities.
The more successful you become — 
which is balancing the few essential
things (spiritual, relational, financial,
physical) in your life and removing
everything else — the less you can
justify low quality.
Before you evolve, you can
reasonably spend time with just
about anyone.
You can reasonably eat anything
placed in front of you.
You can reasonably justify activities
and behaviors that are, frankly,
mediocre.
As your vision for yourself expands,
you realize you have to make certain
adjustments. You need to cut-back on
spending all of your money and time
on crap and entertainment. You have
to save more, and invest more in
your education and your future.
The more successful you become, the
less you can justify low quality. The
more focused you must become. The
more consistently your daily
behaviors must be high quality — and
increasingly higher quality.
This isn’t about perfection. It’s
definitely not about being busy all
the time. Actually, the balance of true
success involves what Tim Ferriss
calls “mini-retirements” or regular
sabbaticals.
Yet, if your daily behaviors are
consistently low quality, what do you
expect your life’s output to be?
Your choices must become higher
quality.
Your relationships must become
higher quality.
Every area of your life affects every
other area of your life. Hence the
saying, How you do something is how
you do everything. This is very high
level thinking. It only makes sense
for people who have removed
everything from their lives they hate.
To actually live this principle: your
daily and normal life can only be
filled with those things you highly
value.
When your days are filled with only
those core essentials that mean the
world to you — and you’re succeeding
in those few areas — you absolutely
will dominate in “all” areas of your
life. Because the only things in your
life are the things you highly value.
Everything else has slowly been
weeded-out. You are living
intentionally and congruently. You
have momentum and balance.You’re
being who you truly want to be,
every single day.
To actually do this not only takes
time, but is extremely hard to live in
practice.
Saying “No” to great but irrelevant
opportunities is hard.
Giving up bad habits is hard.
Changing your belief system and
expanding your vision takes courage.
It’s so easy to revert back to small
and mediocre thinking.
However, as you come closer to living
on a daily basis with your values and
ideals, amazing things start to
happen. You’ll feel happier. You’ll be
more present with those you love.
You’ll spend your time better. You’ll
pursue bigger dreams and ambitions.
You’ll be more resilient during
challenges. You’ll live at a higher
frequency. And everything around
you will reflect that.
But to repeat Jim Rohn, “A lot of
people don’t do well simply because
they major in minor things.” Said
another way, most people are caught
in the thick of thin things.
Hence, most people won’t be
successful. Most people won’t evolve
and progress.
But you will. You know it, and you
can feel it. You’ve already begun.
And everyday, you’re taking one step
closer.
Soon enough, you’ll fully commit to
being who you know you can be.
Once you pass that point of no
return, nothing will stop you.

Question: "What does it mean that 'by His stripes we are healed'?"

Question: "What does it mean that 'by His
stripes we are healed'?"

Answer: “Stripes,” (Isaiah 53:5; 1 Peter 2:24) in
the language of the King James Version of the
Bible, and in some others, means “wounds,” as
seen in more modern translations such as the
New International Version. These stripes were
administered by whipping the bare backs of
prisoners whose hands and feet were bound,
rendering them helpless. The phrase “by His
stripes we are healed” refers to the punishment
Jesus Christ suffered—floggings and beatings
with fists that were followed by His agonizing
death on a cross—to take upon Himself all of
the sins of all people who believe Jesus Christ
is Lord and Savior. “I am the way and the truth
and the life. No one comes to the Father except
through me” (John 14:6).
The whips used were made of braided leather,
with pottery shards and sharp stones affixed to
the ends, which tore open the flesh of the
prisoner with each cruel swing of the whip.
When we picture this terrible, inhumane form of
physical punishment we recoil in horror. Yet the
physical pain and agony were not all Jesus
suffered. He also had to undergo the mental
anguish brought on by the wrath of His Father,
who punished Him for the sinfulness of mankind
—sin carried out in spite of God’s repeated
warnings, sin that Jesus willingly took upon
Himself. He paid the total price for all of our
transgressions.
Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the
apostle Peter wrote, “He Himself bore our sins
in His body on the tree, so that we might die to
sins and live for righteousness; by His wounds
you have been healed.” In Isaiah 53, Jesus’
future life on earth was foretold in the clearest
of terms, to include his eventual torture and
death: “But He was pierced for our
transgressions, he was crushed for our
iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace
was upon Him, and by His wounds (stripes) we
are healed” (Isaiah 53:5; 1 Peter 2:24).
Although these two verses are central to the
topic of healing, they are often misunderstood
and misapplied. The word “healed” as translated
from both Hebrew and Greek, can mean either
spiritual or physical healing. However, the
contexts of Isaiah 53 and 1 Peter 2 make it
clear that they are referring to spiritual healing,
not physical. “He himself bore our sins in his
body on the tree, so that we might die to sins
and live for righteousness; by his wounds you
have been healed” (1 Peter 2:24). The verse is
referring to sin and righteousness, not sickness
and disease. Therefore, being “healed” in both
these verses is speaking of being forgiven and
saved, not being physically healed.