How to make the right decision

October 17, 2020 Gaspar Anastasi

Making positive change, Success & victory

Everything we do begins with a decision and, every day, we make a multitude of them. Each decision brings with it good or bad consequences—consequences that will be compounded daily. It’s time to stop blaming everyone around us for where we are today and recognize that it’s because of our own decisions!

Although we can’t do anything about our yesterdays, we can still influence our today and tomorrow. The God of all creation has planned a great life with a great ending for us. However, bad choices can hinder those plans.

Know the consequences

In Deuteronomy 30:19-20, God reveals the incredible power and privilege of choice. And He encourages us to choose rightly. But, He also warns us of the serious consequences of choosing badly.

The responsibility of fulfilling God’s awesome plans and purposes for your life is squarely placed on your shoulders and no one else’s. Here are some obstacles to avoid in the decision-making process.

Know the obstacles to good choices

People’s opinions probably influence our decision-making more than anything else. We make decisions (consciously or subconsciously) to please people. You can avoid this obstacle by realizing how special and valuable you are in God’s sight. When God made you, He threw away the mold. If He wanted you to be somebody else, He would have made you somebody else. A poor self-image directly influences your decision making, so spend time with God and allow Him to reveal your true identity.
Faulty motives such as attention-seeking, personal approval, self-gain, ego and pride also influence our decisions. We need to ask God to search our hearts for the reasons behind our decisions. Galatians 6:8 says, “For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.” We should use our God-given freedom to make decisions that will advance His kingdom not our own.

Before you decide, ask yourself :

Will this decision promote God and His agenda or me and mine?
Will God receive all the glory from this decision?
Will this decision focus the attention on God or me?

The power and lust of money can blind and control us if we’re not careful. Mark 6:24b says “You cannot serve God and mammon.” Money can be a huge factor in deciding who we hang out with or not; who we serve and who we don’t; who we will go out of our way for and who we won’t. We evaluate people based on their benefit to us.

Know what’s behind your choices

Many other factors affect our decision-making. Racial and ethnic prejudice, religion, tradition and faulty beliefs can influence us more than we realize. Making right decisions is more than simply saying “yes” or “no” to something. There is a lot behind every choice we make.

This issue is so critical to your destiny! Wouldn’t it be a good idea to take your time and not jump into any decision? Think through your choices and invite God into the process. He can reveal what’s really influencing you and help you discern whether it’s a “God decision” or just a good decision! Your destiny depends on it.

We love hearing from you! If this article has been a blessing to you, please leave a comment below.…

Go and get it back!

October 10, 2020 Gaspar Anastasi

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Making positive change, Overcoming depression, Success & victory

Too many of us have settled for what we have instead of what God has promised us. The seeds of discouragement and hopelessness through the many disappointments of this past year have clouded our hearts and minds. Many of us have given up on expecting more than what we already have from God.

If this describes you, here are a few simple things you can do this New Year to jump-start your faith again.

Jump-start your faith

1. Remind yourself that God’s delay is not His denial. He has set an appointed time for every promise that you believe Him for to be fulfilled. Notice I said believe Him for. All of God’s promises are yes and so be it. But the only way to receive them is to believe that His promises are yours, even though you can’t see them at this moment. Keep on believing and expecting, for the best is yet to come!

2. Guard your spirit from hopelessness and discouragement. As your born again spirit goes, so goes your destiny. God starts and finishes all of His works in your life inside your spirit. Unfortunately, most of us pay very little attention to what goes on in our spirit. Proverbs 4:23 says (I am paraphrasing): “if you don’t guard with all diligence what enters your spirit, it will hinder how much God is able to work His miracle power in your life.”

Jesus said the gates of hell will not prevail against you. God has your blessing in storage, waiting for you to receive it. God’s promise this New Year is: “You’re going to get it back!”

Allowing seeds of hopelessness and discouragement to enter your spirit-man (or spirit-woman) will weaken you and hinder what God wants to do in you. As your spirit goes, so goes your life. The enemy is always looking to sow fear, hopelessness and discouragement into your spirit. In this New Year, make it your priority to guard your spirit by being aware of what you and other people are sowing into it. Remember, as your spirit goes so goes your life.

3. Refuse to write off your losses. When David was watching his father’s sheep, a lion attacked the flock and carried off one of the lambs in his mouth. David went after the lion (1 Samuel 17:35). He didn’t just say, “Oh well, that lion probably has torn the lamb to shreds. It’s too late.”

God is for you!

Yes, it’s Satan’s intention to steal, kill and destroy, but God held the lion’s mouth closed so David was able to kill him and rescue the lamb. Just because it’s out of your sight and in the lion’s mouth doesn’t mean it’s lost!

Jesus said the gates of hell will not prevail against you. That means God has your blessing in storage, waiting for you to receive it. God’s promise is: “You’re going to get it back!”

Some of you will get a job restored or a marriage renewed. Some will get a chance to go back to school. For others, your children will be set free from the enemy’s grip.

Two things to remember

First, one chapter of your life doesn’t write your whole story. The best is still yet to come!

Second, THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT THE BAD NEWS IS WRONG!

Keep pursuing God’s promises for your life. You won’t be disappointed, and you will recover all.…

Discover the Cure for Loneliness

September 26, 2020 Gaspar Anastasi

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Making positive change, Overcoming depression, Success & victory

You don’t have to be single to be lonely. I know quite a few married folk who are extremely lonely. God created each of us for an intimate, personal relationship with Himself first and then with one another. When that doesn’t occur, it brings emptiness inside our spirit, producing feelings of loneliness.

When we spiritually and emotionally connect to our Creator and other humans, we feel fulfilled and whole and are strengthened to handle our problems with greater success. By and large, lonely people don’t handle stress well and are more prone to break down emotionally. They are also more susceptible to depression, suicidal thoughts and sickness. But, married or single, loneliness doesn’t have to be your plight.

Here are some things to help cure loneliness:

Stop looking for another person make you happy and fulfilled. That’s too much pressure for any one person to bear. Look to God. He alone gives true fulfillment, joy and happiness. He will use other people, but He is the source of life and the antidote for loneliness. Many married couples suffer severe loneliness because they look to each other for what only God can supply!
Recognize that you are valuable all by yourself. Too many singles look for affirmation through anyone who’s available. In their quest for acceptance and personal value, they make poor choices in friends and soul mates. Two wounded, unfulfilled individuals don’t make a whole relationship. Quite the contrary!

God wants you to connect with other people. However, you will never conquer feelings of loneliness until you first connect with your creator God and recognize how valuable you are as an individual in Him.

Instead, find your identity in Jesus Christ. Know that when He made you He didn’t make junk. Connect with His plans for you by giving Him access to your heart. That connection comes from reading His word daily and believing what He says about you. For instance, Ephesians 3:20 says: “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.” The power that works in us is faith in God’s word. I recommend you search for scriptures that tell you who you are in Christ and all you can accomplish in Him. Philippians 4:19 says: “I can do all things through Jesus Christ who strengthens me”.

Take the pressure off those you’re relying on to fill your void. Release them right now and place your eyes, trust and hope in God.
Take inventory and count your blessings. Too often, we focus on what we don’t have, instead of what we do have. Taking inventory of all God has given you will make you realize how much He loves you.
Finally, take dominion over your thought life. Loneliness is produced by a series of thoughts about your past, present and future. Don’t let the devil play with your mind. As a man thinks in his heart, so is he (Proverbs 23:7). Decide today to make Jesus Lord over your thoughts.

Every time feelings of loneliness overtake you, stop and realize that the problem is in your mind. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you the thoughts that are plaguing you. Then, with His help, tear them down and replace them with God’s thoughts (His word).

God wants you to connect with other people. However, you will never conquer feelings of loneliness until you first connect with your creator God and recognize how valuable you are as an individual in Him.…

Live above your own means.

September 19, 2020 Gaspar Anastasi

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Making positive change, Success & victory

Many of us put limits on what God can — and is willing — to do for us. We severely limit our prosperity when we base it on our own ability and circumstances. Not having a good education or being born “on the wrong side of the tracks” or into a broken family—in God’s plan and purpose, none of these things disqualify you from His greatest resources.

Truth #1: God has an unlimited supply of resources for you! And His greatest desire is that we receive them and live far beyond our own means (Matthew 6:33).

Truth #2: God isn’t holding back on you. The wrong impression we have about God (and give to others) is twofold:

1. We are waiting for God to bless us. That it’s all up to Him, so we must continually beg Him in our prayers. No! He’s waiting for us.

2. We have to earn God’s blessings. No again! All of God’s blessings are freely given because of His unconditional love (John 3:16 & Eph. 2:8,9).

Truth #3: Your heart must be pure. Your desire to prosper shouldn’t be motivated by selfishness. God isn’t opposed to us having material blessings. He is looking for people who want to live larger for Him. He wants people who will use His resources to expand His influence and His kingdom in every way possible. Selfishness can greatly hinder our level of prosperity.

Truth #4: We must be willing to make room for increase. Many of us have the right heart, believe God has all the resources we need and that He is not holding anything back, but our thinking — and faith — is too small. (As a man thinks in his heart; so shall he be).

Maybe we’re believing God for a hundred-dollar blessing when He wants to give us a thousand! We stop at believing for our marriage not to cause us problems, when God wants us to experience marital bliss! Or we just trust Him for a raise, when He has in mind a new job, a higher position and a tripled income!

God first releases His resources in our hearts and minds before they ever become a reality in our lives (Eph. 3:20). In other words, you must see it in your imagination before you can receive it in reality. Make room by stretching your imagination to believe what God says He wants to give you (Hebrews 11:6).

You and I determine our level of prosperity — not God. We can raise our level of prosperity by walking in agreement with these truths. Start today to apply them. Let the Holy Spirit paint on the canvas of your heart the increase God desires to give you!…

Make your troubles work for you

September 12, 2020 Gaspar Anastasi

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Success & victory

No matter who you are, troubles will arise from time to time. One day as I was complaining to God about the horrible problems I was facing, the Lord spoke to me through 2 Corinthians 4:17. It changed the way I look at any trouble I face forever! As I read, “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory,” three things immediately jumped out at me.

1. Every problem you face is temporary.

Compared to what Jesus went through and the tragedies that many others face, our troubles really are light. Of course, our troubles never seem light while we are going through them. But one thing we all must admit: Every trouble is not forever. The good news is that any trouble I face will not last the rest of my life! THIS TOO SHALL PASS.

Of course we’re never going to pray for God to give us more trouble so we can get all these benefits. But it sure does help us to navigate through today’s problems if we recognize that God’s hand is on us.

2. Your troubles will benefit you.

Your problems are temporary AND they will turn out for your benefit. To tell the truth, I couldn’t see how the trouble I was facing could ever work for good. But can’t you look back and see that, although some past troubles were rough, it all worked out for the better? These are just a few ways that my troubles have worked out for me, but I’m sure you could add to the list:

Change of direction. You may have been heading in a direction you didn’t know was destructive, but you’re headed in a successful direction today. Problems can give us a clearer understanding of our God-given destiny.

Confirmation. You get to know which values are important and which ones aren’t. Then you commit to live those values out in your relationships, your God-given time on earth, your ability to influence people for Jesus, etc.

Greater trust. Through trouble, you learn to recognize God’s involvement in your life and trust Him more than ever before.

A thankful heart. You learn to thank God for what you do have rather than complaining about what you don’t have. You realize how good life really was before the trouble came. You wake up to recognize how selfish you were.

3. The best is still yet to come.

God’s Word says that my light trouble (as compared to what JESUS went through) would work for me a destiny that would release His Glory in and through me and would also increase His favor in my life. I would be a greater influence to others for Jesus.

Of course we’re never going to pray for God to give us more trouble so we can get all these benefits. But it sure does help us to navigate through today’s problems if we recognize that God’s hand is on us and our circumstances. We can confess Romans 8:28 with confidence “ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER for good to them that love the Lord and are the called according to His purpose.”

We love hearing from you! If this post has been a blessing to you, please let us know by commenting below.…

What’s following you?

September 5, 2020 Gaspar Anastasi

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Finding significance in life, Making positive change, Success & victory

No one lives this life without affecting others, whether for good or evil. Our influence makes lasting impact for generations. Our legacy lays a path for our children and grandchildren to follow. It will either lead them to do greater things or cause them to stumble.

Deuteronomy 30:19 says that the choices we make today will bless or curse those who follow us. Every one of us has an account in heaven where we make daily deposits for our future—either blessings of mercy or curses of iniquity.

What are you depositing?

We store up blessings of mercy by making God-honoring choices that put Him before ourselves. When we make time to go to church, give tithes and offerings, forgive others and overlook their wrongs, resist temptations—all these things bless God.

Conversely, taking the easy way out, compromising, giving in to temptation, refusing to forgive, following our feelings and intellect, inconsistently attending corporate gatherings, holding back tithes and offerings—these actions store up curses for our future and that of our children and grandchildren (Exodus 20:5).

Look back in your own family tree, and you may realize that a legacy of mercy, favor and blessing was stored up for you by your parents and grandparents who paid the price in sacrifices and right choices. You may also see how some of your present struggles are inherited from them.

The buck stops here!

Those curses of iniquity need not go any further. We’ve all sown bad seeds in our lives, but its time to reverse the curse. You can be the “bloodline-changer” in your family and end its negative effect on your children and your children’s children. Ask “What is in my heavenly bank account? Blessings of mercy? Or curses of iniquity?” The buck can stop with you!

The legacy we leave is more valuable, enduring and life-changing than silver and gold that perish.

The Apostle Paul pointed out to Timothy that his strong faith first lived in the hearts of his grandmother Lois and mother Eunice (2 Tim. 1:5). Their deposits of faithful prayer and worship into their heavenly bank account benefited their child.

Wouldn’t it be great if God could tell your descendants the same about you when they see divine favor and special blessings in their lives? The legacy we leave is more valuable, enduring and life-changing than silver and gold that perish.

Every family needs a David.

That’s why Solomon asked the Lord to remember the mercies of His servant David (2 Chron. 6:42). David wasn’t a perfect man, but he knew how to honor God, which deposited blessings of mercy in his heavenly account for his sons to withdraw.

God honored David’s sacrifices and his right choices. For all that, God promised David that, instead of giving them what they deserved, He would correct his sons with mercy if they turned away from Him (which they did).

God’s covenant of mercy also extends to you and me. Be the David of your family! The next time you put down your flesh and make a right decision, remember that, like David, you are depositing mercy in your heavenly account. Leaving a lasting legacy for future generations.…