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The genie joke

Brad Stanton —  June 26, 2014 — 12 Comments

424461_412914045450456_627438586_nA man and his wife were walking along the beach for their 30th wedding anniversary. They were both 50 years old. There on the beach was a lamp, so they picked it up and rubbed it. Out came a genie and gave them each one wish.

The wife asked for air tickets to a dozen different beautiful cities around the world. Poof! After the smoke cleared she stood there with a dozen air tickets in her hands. She was so delighted she jumped for joy.

Now it was the man’s turn to ask for a wish. He hung his head and sheepishly said to the genie “I want a wife 30 years younger than me.” Poof, when the smoke cleared he was 80 years old.

Well, the moral of this little joke is that it is important to be careful what we ask God for. It might be that what we are asking God for is not a big enough request, or a request that would somehow hurt us. Sometimes we get upset because it takes a long time for God to answer our prayer. But maybe there is a reason that God is taking his time. Maybe if we shortcut the amount of time it takes to get our prayer answered, it will short circuit our life in some way that we can’t see.

Are you praying for things that you haven’t gotten yet? Keep the faith, keep thanking God that the answer is coming. Be grateful for all the things God has already given you. Your gratitude strengthens your faith, and faith is important for answered prayer.

“Don’t stop believing, hold on to that feeling…” That is a line from a song by Journey. When you keep believing and you hold on to that feeling that you have already received what you pray for in God’s will, it will make it more likely to happen.

God loves you more than you love yourself, and he wants good things for you even more than you do. Don’t be afraid to pray for things you want, God is your father in heaven (if you are a Christian) and he wants to give you good things, just like an earthly father enjoys giving good things to his children. If you have a dream or desire in your heart, maybe it came from God.

Motivating and encouraging ideas on my facebook.

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A visit from an angel

Brad Stanton —  March 19, 2014 — 3 Comments

418697_Normally I don’t use a whole blog post to quote a book, but this was so good, I just had to. It is from the book Count Your Blessings.

John F. Demartini. Count Your Blessings: The Healing Power of Gratitude and Love (Kindle Locations 110-121). Kindle Edition.

…a lovely woman named Josephine who shared her inspirational story with me a few years ago. She was 77 when I met her and is still one of the most vital people I know. She exudes energy and has such love and spark that her eyes twinkle, and she almost seems to glow. Her story began when she was in her late 50s. Doctors determined that she had a malignant brain tumor and scheduled surgery for a few days later. She was instructed to go home and rest in the meantime.

“Those three days were the worst, and the best, days of my life,” Josephine said. I sat out on the back-porch swing and listened to the birds sing and reviewed my life. I knew that somehow my frequent anger and frustration, and all the times I behaved in an unloving manner, had added up to that moment. I laughed and I cried, and I realized that the events in my life that seemed so awful when they were happening often led to something beneficial down the road. And it occurred to me that perhaps-somehow-that was true for my tumor as well.

Josephine contacted her family members and asked them to please come see her. While she waited for their arrival, she wrote each of them a letter thanking them for all the love they had shown her, for all the thoughtful favors they had done, and for the many gifts they had given her throughout the years. They all arrived the day before her scheduled operation, accompanied her to the hospital the following day, and shared stories and laughed until visiting hours were over.

When everyone had gone, as Josephine looked out her window at the stars, she began to be thankful for all her blessings. She was so filled with love that tears of gratitude streamed down her face. She recalls: I felt completely immersed in love, and I felt a complete sense of inner peace.

Then I thought I saw a light go on behind me, and I turned around to see what looked like a beautiful young woman with long, flowing hair smiling at me and radiating with light. She said she was an angel who felt my love, and she had come to reassure me that everything would be okay; that I would have plenty of time to fulfill my life’s purpose. And then she said, “Always remember that it was your love and your appreciation that brought healing to you, Josephine. You are blessed.” I closed my eyes when she hugged me, and when I opened them, she was gone.

Josephine spent the rest of the night wide awake, thinking about what had happened, and wondering what her life’s purpose was. As she thought about what she’d really love to do, she realized that she wanted to be a counselor or therapist, and she decided that she’d begin applying to colleges in order to fulfill this dream.

When morning came and Josephine’s children arrived, she told them that she no longer needed to have the operation and asked them to take her home. Her doctor strongly advised her against leaving, but she insisted. She promised that she’d return in a few months for a checkup and would call him if she had any problems. By the time Josephine returned for her exam, her energy and vitality had returned, and her doctor and her family celebrated when they learned that the tumor, which had been slightly smaller than a golf ball, had miraculously disappeared.

Hebrews 1:14 Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?

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Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.

Brad Stanton —  March 11, 2014 — 7 Comments

2497_582185215124808_544483830_nYoung people, listen to me as you would to your father. Listen, and grow wise, for I speak the truth—don’t turn away.  For I, too, was once a son, tenderly loved by my mother as an only child, and the companion of my father. He told me never to forget his words. “If you follow them,” he said, “you will have a long and happy life. Learn to be wise,” he said, “and develop good judgment and common sense! I cannot overemphasize this point.” Cling to wisdom—she will protect you. Love her—she will guard you.
Getting wisdom is the most important thing you can do! And with your wisdom, develop common sense and good judgment. If you exalt wisdom, she will exalt you. Hold her fast, and she will lead you to great honor; she will place a beautiful crown upon your head.* ~King Solomon. Many consider him the wisest man that ever lived.

Be careful what you think, because your thoughts run your life.** ~King Solomon

Be careful to check your feelings, because your feelings indicate what you are thinking. If you are thinking loving thoughts, your feelings will be happy. If you are thinking negative thoughts, your emotions will be sad, angry, ashamed or worried (fearful).

Negative thoughts make you weak minded and can destroy you. Positive, love filled thoughts make you strong minded and successful. Negative thoughts cause toxins to flow into your bloodstream, positive thoughts bring health to your mind and body. Therefore, think about things you like or love. Think about people, places and things you like. Think about music you like, books and movies you like, people and cafes you like. Think about pets, children and neighbors you like. But don’t think about things that make you sad or angry. That will make you weak and may eventually destroy you.

Two people I know were destroyed by negative thoughts. One was a father of two. He always complained and got angry. People didn’t like talking to him because he was so negative. He eventually had a nervous breakdown and became so depressed he couldn’t go to work. The other is a young lady who was injured in a motorcycle accident. Her foot was injured and a sore on it would not heal. The sore made her angry at her husband who was driving the motorcycle. The angrier she got, the worse the sore got, and the worse the sore got, the more angry she got. Finally the doctors had to amputate her leg just below the knee.

Every action starts with thoughts. All success starts with the mind. Transform your life by changing the way you think. It will give you success in career, relationships, losing weight, sports and just about all aspects of life.

Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Proverbs 4:23 NIV Bible

* Proverbs 4:1-9 Living Bible

** Proverbs 4:23 Living Bible

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Are you in it for the long haul?

Brad Stanton —  February 25, 2014 — 1 Comment

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神 爱 你，并 且 为 你 的 生 命 有 一 奇 妙 的 计 划。

“He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” ~Jim Elliot

“No matter where you are, no matter how difficult things might appear to be, you are always being moved toward magnificence. Always.” Rhonda Byrne

God adores you and is guiding you and communicating with you every hour of every day. In fact, his Spirit, the Holy Spirit is helping you every second of every day. Of course he speaks to you through the Bible, but he also guides you with your conscience. It is through something that we feel, or that we know is true or right that he guides us.

Contrary to what some people think, God is not judging you. We know from the Bible that God is bragging on us in heaven. That’s what he did for Job in the Old Testament. Sure, God does discipline us sometimes, but just because it is for our good. He is a heavenly father who loves us more then we love ourselves.

Love, joy and peace are some of the fruits of the spirit. When you don’t feel joyful it means you are thinking about things you don’t love. When you think of things you don’t love it ruins your peace and causes negative emotions.

Tune in to communication with God as much as you can. The more you do it, the easier it gets and the more often you can do it. God is always there, loving you and guiding you, but you have to listen.

It has been said that God cares more about your character than your comfort. But he cares more about your happiness than you do. Just as an earthly father makes a child get up a go to school even when it is cold outside, God disciplines us to do what is best for us.

Does this sound selfish? Well, if all we care about is ourselves, then yes, it is. The only way to truly be happy in life is to love God because that is the purpose for which we were created. A man usually doesn’t like wearing women’s clothes in public because he was not created that way. A greyhound doesn’t like being in the house all day, he likes to be outside where he can run. Fish don’t like being out of water because they were created to be in water. If you don’t love God, you are not doing what you were created to do and it leaves an empty hole in the soul. It leaves discomfort or loneliness, dissatisfaction of some kind.

Loving God puts you on a higher plane. It not only pleases God, but it also makes your spirit stronger. Your spirit lasts forever, your body only lasts for a short time. Jesus told us to store up treasure in heaven because it lasts forever and we don’t have to worry about losing it.

When I was a kid I would spend all my money on fireworks on the 4th of July. All the money I saved would be blown up in a matter of days. It was fun, and it seemed worth it, but now I want to save treasure that will last forever. It would be foolish to work only for money or fame or anything that lasts this lifetime only. This life is over as quickly as the blink of an eye in the grand scheme of things.

Every penny I make from my book “Keys To Powerful Prayer” goes to spread faith, hope and love to people around the world through this blog and charity. https://www.createspace.com/4540174 Doing the research for this book really changed my life for the better. CreateSpace is an Amazon company. Or read sample pages of the same book as an ebook on Amazon entitled “Amazing Power of Prayer.” http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008EOCODK

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6 steps to success

Brad Stanton —  January 27, 2014 — 3 Comments

Jentezen Franklin

Jentezen Franklin

Have you had difficulty achieving your dreams in life? Dreams of great relationships, getting out of debt, career advancement, achievement in sports, etc. Maybe you have an addiction to food, cigarettes, drugs, alcohol, laziness, sexual problems or anything else. Here are five steps to get out of the pit. The six steps are from Believe That You Can by Jentezen Franklin, but I have written it in my own words.

Thought

It all starts as a thought in your mind. You see the need to quit doing something or to start doing something else. You realize your life could be better than it is now.

Caught

Not only do we see something we want, we have to take hold of the idea that we really can get it. Many people would love to get out of debt, but they don’t believe it will ever happen, so they don’t even try to find a way to become more financially secure. Some would love to be a high level manager in their company, but they just don’t think it will ever happen, so they plug away at their boring job week after week, not doing the level of work they are capable of.

Bought

You have to pay the price for your dream. Decide to take a risk, try your best to do something you didn’t think you could do in the past. Maybe your old life is too boring. Step out on your idea. You have to believe that with God all things are possible. Matthew 19:26 “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Phil 4:13 “I can do everything through Christ who gives me strength.”

Sought

After you buy into dream you really get committed. You focus on it no matter what others say. You get in the habit of seeking it with all your heart. Ask yourself: “How bad do I want it?” That is a key. If you really want it, you will be willing to do what it takes to make it happen.

“How does one become a butterfly” she asked pensively
“You must want to fly so much you are willing to give up being a caterpillar.”
“You mean die?”
“Yes and no,” he answered. “What looks like you will die, but what’s really you will still  live”
—–From Hope For The Flowers by Trina Paulus

Got

Now you are there, you got the prize, or are starting to get the prize. Now you don’t have to suffer regret for not trying to accomplish your goals and dreams. Maybe you have gone a week without overeating. Even if you pig out one day, don’t worry about it. Don’t let it get you down, because sadness and regret will make it all the more difficult. Tell yourself that you are a winner and will not fail next time. The more you say it to yourself, the more it will become true. If you are a Christian, the Bible promises you that you are a winner, a conqueror (which means you can conquer problems). Romans 8:37 “In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.”

Taught

No success without a successor. Whom are you mentoring? When you teach something, it helps you really get it firmly in mind, to get it deep into your subconscious. This is a very important part of any goal, to teach others how to do it. Alcoholics Anonymous stresses that to overcome an addition it is very important to mentor others to overcome. When you teach it, you learn it much better and are much more likely to continue your success over the addiction or difficulty.

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