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First, ask God for wisdom on how to respond to the individual. Sometimes, control is based on insecurity and fear. Maybe this person had something happen to him or her in the past and believes the only way to have a successful relationship is to be controlling. Or, the person may not even realize he or she is coming across as controlling.
You may never know why this person acts the way he or she does, but you can control how you respond. The Lord was very specific about how you should love people.
You should let the Spirit guide you when you begin a friendship as well as when you end it.
The basis for a close friendship should always be common faith and beliefs. A friendship will thrive when both parties are on the same life path.
When the path begins to go in different directions regarding things of faith, it may be time to seek close friendship with others. Again, this is a matter between you and the Spirit inside you. Seek His guidance.
In spite of financial and marital struggles, Natalie Hawkins encouraged her children to pursue their dreams. That commitment took an unprecedented level of determination and sacrifice when her youngest daughter aspired to compete in the 2012 Olympics. But it was worth it all, when Gabby Douglas made history as the first African American to win multiple gold medals in gymnastics.
When you allow the Holy Spirit within you to be your guide, you can say “no” without explanation.
You would be wise to discuss this with your friends to whom you may have to say “no.” Let them know you trust the Lord to help you make decisions about certain (or all) areas of your life.
Help them to understand that He knows what lies ahead in every decision and you can’t just strike out doing your own thing without getting His OK!
Friendship is a precious thing. When you venture into friendship you may want to set some boundaries that will keep the relationship healthy.
When you know a friendship is developing, sit down with the new friend and honestly and openly discuss what each of you should expect for the friendship to grow.
When we have decisions to make about business relationships that will affect our future and our families, we would be better off to enter into relationships with people who share like faith and values and who have maintained reputations of high integrity and service.
Certainly none of us can go through a day without interacting with non-Christians.
However, when we have decisions to make about contractual work or other types of business where our quality of life will be affected, we will be better off entering into relationships with people and companies with good reputations and high integrity.
Let God guide you. In everything we do in life, if we will simply seek Him for direction and allow Him to unfold His plan for us, we can be happily surprised when we see the outcome.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. (Proverbs 3:5). That’s the key to parenting your children—regardless of their stage in life!
In other words, all your parenting should be led by the Spirit.
You will do well to recognize and respect their differences. They are not you! They will do things differently than you did. Give them the opportunity to find their own way as you trust God to guide them.
Your business decisions should always be made after you have heard clearly from the Lord that you are walking in His will for your life. Then you’ll know that each decision that lines up with that vision will be a step in the right direction.
Hear from Him according to His Word. Get involved in those ventures that will glorify Him and bring Him honor. As you consider your business decisions, keep in mind Philippians 4:8—always make sure your decisions are based on honesty, justness, truth, purity, loveliness, virtue, praiseworthiness and a good report.
“Lord, help my finances!”
If you are like 40 percent of American families who spend more than they earn, you have probably spoken those words. And Americans aren’t alone. Consider this:
You made it! As a new college graduate, now is the time to put a strong financial plan together. Here are some smart financial steps to ensure you have the success you’ve worked so hard to achieve.
The purpose of dating for a Christian should be to find a life partner to marry. It should by no means be taken lightly or casually.
As such, it is important to approach dating prayerfully and with wisdom. With such an important life decision before you, seeking counsel from strong Christians—including parents, friends and pastors—will enable you to make that decision with confidence.
Many churches and ministries honor God by tithing from the money they receive. And there is scriptural precedent for this. In Numbers 18:26-32, the Levites were instructed to take a tenth of the offerings given to them and return it as an offering to the Lord. In addition to that, they were to give freewill offerings from the tithes given to them.
There is an exciting benefit from tithing as a ministry. The church or ministry that tithes reaps the same blessings as do individual tithers!
Parents often feel a great deal of pressure to ensure their children achieve good grades in school. It is understandable to want to see your children succeed in life! God wants that, too. His desire is that they be the head, and not the tail, in all things. The opportunity to achieve an education is a great one, but as you pray for your children, do so in faith, not out of a pressure to achieve a certain GPA. Encourage your children to do their very best, but understand it may not always translate into all A’s.
It’s common to want to know the future. Is something bad coming my way? When is the best time to make an important decision? Should I be extra cautious today? For 3,000 years astrology has claimed to answer those questions by observing stars, the sun, the moon and planets. You might see astrological charts or horoscopes online, in newspapers and in books.
Sometimes it can appear that ministry would be more successful if it could receive the full-time attention a job does not allow. But the decision to quit your job and live by faith should be preceded by much prayer. And the factor often missing in this consideration is this: You can live by faith while holding your job, too!
Borrowing money is not a sin.
But it isn’t God’s best either.
Everything in God’s Word is designed to keep you at the top in every area of life—including financially. You are called to be the head, not the tail; above, not beneath; and the lender, not the borrower (Deuteronomy 28:12-13). In other words, borrowing money is not the goal!
If you want to move to the top as God intended, make debt freedom your aim. Build your faith to receive cars, houses and anything else debt free. And make a decision to stop using credit cards!