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In God's economy success is not defined by material possessions, but by having everything we need to do His will. This includes wisdom, strength, creativity and other intangibles beyond material resources. Our two-fold purpose on Earth is to help others, and to grow personally. When we understand this we can then ask God to prosper us, and success is the fulfillment that comes when we accomplish His will.

Scripture proclaims that believers should have the ability to prevail in life, no matter what the circumstances. God wants to supply us with a spiritual strength that enables us to overcome the "walls" in our lives, and impact the world around us. By being intimately connected to God's commands and promises we will have the courage to obey Him, and be fearless in whatever fights we are called to face.

Character is more caught then taught. This message discusses seven beautiful expressions of the nature of our Heavenly Father that He wants us to emulate. He's given to us a nature that has the potential to be like Him. Therefore He wants us to pattern our lives after Him so that we will become a Godly influence -- espcially to our offspring.

While on his way to Rome to stand before Ceasar the Apostle Paul was bitten by a deadly snake. But Paul knew that nothing could stop a journey that was ordained by God, so he simply shook off the serpent and continued on. He knew that God was in control of his life. There are probably things in our lives that we need to shake off in order to continue on with God's purpose for us. The good news is that God has already given us the means to shake off whatever is hindering us.

Desires are important, and we have to be very careful with the desires we harbor in our hearts. Desires determine the motivation and direction of our lives, and if we're not careful desires can become lusts that will destroy us. The key to refining our desires is to maintain a full focus on the Lord. One of the best ways to develop this discipline is through prayer and meditation on His Word. When God has our full attention He can change us, and our desires, by writing His principles on our minds and hearts.

The "heart" is where we formulate desires, deliberate, and make decisions. Our hearts must be pure if we are to do the right things with the right motives. Scripture admonishes us to, "keep our hearts with all diligence, because from the heart flows life's issues." Whatever we may think is hidden in our hearts will eventually become visible on the outside. God knows the condition of our hearts, which is why from time to time we need to ask Him to cleanse us -- on the inside.

The bible teaches that whatever we give, that's what we'll also receive. This is particularly important when we want to be treated a certain way. To be merciful means to "cover" a situation so as not to bring shame to another, but to promote healing. That's exactly what Christ does for us, and what God wants us to do in every relationship we have. Why? So that we'll be "blessed," and not hampered or hindered from fulfilling our full potential.

Modern culture has debased women today, placing value only upon appearance, money making ability, or directing angry rhetoric towards men. But God's purpose for women is much greater and it is best depicted by the womb. Only a woman has the ability to accept life, protect life and mulitply whatever is placed within the "womb," or sphere, of her life. She's uniquely designed by God to bring life into everything she does.

There's no sense in trying to deny it - everyone of us is susceptible to sin at any time. Sin is destructive and God will not overlook it. So what should we do when sin arises in our lives? If we learn how to receive God's forgiveness we will become empowered to truly repent and not walk in sin anymore.

There's a big difference between looking and seeing. God told Abraham to look up into the heavens. But then He told him to "see" the stars. Looking results in a superficial assement. But seeing implies a piercing and penetrating that yields true discernment and understanding. How can we see, and not merely look? Only God can give us eyes that see.

Has there ever been a job or task that you've been entrusted with that you didn't finish? All of us have been in that situation at some point in our lives. There's an important biblical perspective on how to finish, because God knows that if we don't master the art of "finishing" with small things, it will extend to the broader areas of our lives as well. And God has some very important things that He'd like for each of us to complete.

We all have to deal with circumstances in life that do not make sense, and that don't appear to line up with what we know about God's character and His promises for us. In those times it is very important to remember that God is sovereign and all things are under His control. When things make the least sense that's when it's the most important to trust in His providence.

Everything that is written in the New Testament hinges on Jesus' resurrection. If Christ did not rise from the dead then our faith is meaningless. Therefore we must all "run" to the empty tomb to evaluate what the Lord has done. The conclusion that we derive after examining the evidence will change our lives becaue if Jesus is indeed risen, then both our faith and the teachings of the Bible are fully validated.

When we lift our voice in praise to the Lord it is an expression of our faith, to God. When we praise God, He also hears our prayers and pleas towards Him. And in praise, our spiritual eyes and ears are open and we can hear the revelation of His provision and answers for our situation.

Part of growing in Christ is understanding the "season" of growth that we're in, so that we can put on the appropriate garment for that season. If we have a clear grasp of where we are while we're growing we'll embrace the work that God is doing in our lives to enlarge us and better reflect Him.

Holiness is a product of God reaching into our lives to re-make us in His image. No matter where we are on the scale of spiritual growth, all of us have the opportunity to continue to develop as instruments of God. However, holiness is not a mere list of "do's and dont's" that are applied on the outside. It is rather a process of "being made whole," or put back together, in a way that makes us strong and stable and a true reflection of who God is.

In this message Pastor Zarlengo presents seven simple steps that, if put into practice, will help develop our faith. The key concept is, we determine the amount of faith we walk in because faith is contingent upon building our relationship with God. To develop sizable faith takes determination, but these seven steps provide a reliable roadmap to follow in that process.

Faith is something that gives us the ability to overcome. Developing faith in God, however, is a process. That's because faith is a product of our relationship with Him. The more time we spend with God the more we get to know and understand His character and faithfulness. Eventually we reach a point, from being so intimate with Him, that we simply trust Him and take Him at His word innately.

If there's one characteristic that causes us to most resemble God, it's when we are a peacemaker. It is God's desire that we have the ability to build bridges where there are conflicts around us. This is not easy and requires a great deal of skill and wisdom from the Holy Spirit, which He is more than willing to provide.

God wants each of us to be a powerful influence in the various spheres in which we live. But to do this we have to have an identity that is rooted solely and completely in Him. This is important because our identity -- our sense of who we are -- is most often shaped by the ones we choose to listen to. We want to make sure we're listening to God when it comes to questions of who we are, why we're here and where we are going.

God has promised something to all of us that will energize and enable us to do His will. It is His grace that empowers us, and it is tremendously important that we learn how to tap into it. We need God's grace for every situation we face: to say "no" to temptation, to make right choices, to conduct ourselves honorably, and so much more, all require a constant flow of enablement and empowering from God. This is His grace.

God wants His people to call upon Him, but not with a voice that is passive, tame or timid. Rather, God wants our prayers to be whole-hearted and full of fire. There must be intensity and focus if we are going to connect with God. But if we come to Him this way God promises that He will answer and deliver us.

When inspiration comes it is a source of vitality, energy and courage. It is not flattery, pumping up, or giving a pep talk. Biblically speaking, to inspire is to impart right thinking, good judgement and right direction to others. The key is to first draw inspiration and strength from God. Then we can inspire others and make a difference in their lives the way He wants us to.

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