Things You Should Know Before You Choose a Live Streaming and Video of Demand Service Provider
It goes without saying that live streaming and video has dramatically changed the way people communicate online and how top businesses reach their customers today. Literally, millions of people get their promotional, inspirational, personal and educational messages online via live streaming and/or video from their favorite businesses, ministries, family members and friends.
Choosing the right live streaming and video on demand service provider is an important and sometimes costly decision you will have to make if you choose to make the leap into video and live streaming. There are many factors to consider that may affect the overall quality, budget and success of your video marketing goals.
Here are my top 10 things you should ask yourself before choosing a live streaming and/or video on demand service provider:
Know your audience. How many people will be watching your live stream or video on demand? This is an important question to ask before you begin because not all live streaming providers have the capability of reaching a worldwide audience. And, some companies actually restrict the number of viewers you have watching your stream or video online at the same time. Your goal should be to accommodate all of the viewers watching without fear of the connection being lost or being out of reach.
Grow your business. Are your goals to expand your audience? That answer should be an obvious yes which means you should select a hosting company that only charges you for the bandwidth you use and allows you the flexibility to change your plan at anytime without paying hefty fees.
To share or not to share?Sharing is good unless it comes at that price of your audience and marketing budget. There are essentially two ways to post live streaming content: you can live stream your content on a shared platform OR you can live stream on your own individually branded web channel or site. The benefits of being on a shared platform is that it allows you to share an audience, domain and church directory with thousands of other churches so if your marketing budget is small you can benefit from larger churches that promote their live streaming page. The cons of being on a shared platform are truly the same as the benefits depending on your marketing philosophy. The benefits of having your own web channel (or embed-able player) are numerous: you own your own domain (yourchurch.com), control all of the content on your page including any advertisements, video, audio, photos, design elements, statistics, etc… and your audience and marketing is yours and yours alone.
No experience needed. How much experience do you or your staff have live streaming or making changes to your web channel? Make sure you select a provider that has easy to use equipment, trains you how to use the equipment and have a customer support department to help you 24/7 as needed. Live streaming can be effortless with content management systems designed by technology professionals.
A picture is worth a thousand words. Anyone that has ever watched a video online knows that there are vast differences in the picture quality of some videos online. Is it important to you that your video or live stream is in high definition? Is standard good enough? What about your audience? Talk to your hosting company about the differences in the picture quality of their stream and ask that you view their live stream and video on demand before you commit.
Keep your files to yourself.Security is an important matter when it comes to video and audio content online. Make sure your content is safe. Traditionally web- hosted media is downloaded by users and is out of the hands of the ministry or business that posted the original content. Confirm with your streaming provider that the live stream and/or video on demand are not actually downloaded and that your content never leaves your channel or site. Let your live stream perform double duty. Once your live streaming event is over, what are you doing with your video content? Let your live stream perform double duty by archiving the footage and making it available to viewers to watch after the event. Ask your live streaming service providers if they also provide web channels or sites where users can post video on demand, podcasts, audio, down- loadable mp3’s and other rich media content for their audience to access 24/7.
Expand your horizons. What are your business goals over the next 6 months? 12 months? 5 years? Does your web channel or live stream provider give you options to monetize your live stream or video on demand? Many ministries offer products and services during their live stream or on their web channels such as podcasts, mp3 downloads, books, videos on demand, ringtones and more. Consider your goals before you lock into a system that does not allow that type of business growth.
Spend wisely. With all good things the driving factor is often costs and live streaming is no different. Do not be wooed by low start up costs. Be aware of the hidden costs such as hardware or equipment. Know in advance what equipment is required, how much your hosting package will cost each month, how much bandwidth your package includes and what the fees are if you exceed that limit, how much it is to change bandwidth plans when you do grow, how much customer support costs if you require it, how much it costs to change your web page and lastly how long the contract requirement is. Hosting can range from $200 – $3500 per month depending on usage so choose wisely and do your research online to see who your favorite ministries are using.
Live streaming can be the greatest contribution you make this year to your ministry and business. Make sure it is with a company you trust and, above all, one that helps you grow your business.
How to Take Risks & Abandon Your Fears
I have a little secret.
You may know me as a recording artist, speaker, world traveler and songwriter. I appear on television. People think that people like me walk on water. We must have connections and courage that most people just don’t have. Of course, that’s all pretty ridiculous and couldn’t be further from the truth! You see my little secret is that years ago, even while singing around the world, I lived so much of my life in fear.
Afraid of what people thought of me. How could they not like my chubby little face? LOL!
Afraid of failure. Hey, nobody wants to be a loser.
Afraid of success. You see, I didn’t want anybody to think that I thought I was better than they were.
So for many years, I had some success, but never lived up to my God-given potential. I used to pray, “God, if You will please just take away all my fears, I can do great things for You.” But God never removed the fear. You know why? Because God does not remove your fears. He gives you the words, courage and boldness to walk through your fears! You can overcome them!
I no longer fear people’s opinions. Sure, I want to be liked, but that will never, ever hinder me from God’s plan for me. Failure? It happens. But if I fail, and we all do, I’ll just get back up, seek God’s way and keep moving ahead. Success? It’s a good thing. Put wealth and influence in the hands of the righteous and they’ll build God’s Kingdom.
Abandon Your Fears
Without risk, there are few rewards. You already know that taking risks is risky. To build up the courage, you need to master your fears. I know, it’s not as easy as it sounds. If you’ve spent the better part of your life with fear, it could be deeply engrained in your subconscious, but it’s not impossible to change. All you need now is the willingness to overcome them. If you really want to abandon your fears, there’s nothing that can stop you!
How do you keep fear at bay?
1. Recognize Your Fears for what they really are. You’ll soon discover how they are limiting you by your reaction to them. Accept that the fear is real, but challenge yourself to approach the situation with courage and strength.
2. Overcome Your Fears. Many times we’re afraid of something because it remains unknown. We might label it as risky because we do not yet know or understand what’s going on. Get somewhat familiar with the thing you fear, and you will develop confidence and feel a sense of relief.
3. Change Your Thinking. If you can alter the way you think about a certain situation, you’ll then act differently. Your fears may overwhelm your thoughts at times, but your job is to put a stop to this.
Take Risks
Once you overcome your fears mentally, it’s time to take risks. Whether you realize it or not, you take risks everyday. Most are quite minor, but risk accompanies nearly every decision you make.
How do you develop a risk-taking mindset?
A “risk” may sound negative; instead, think of it as more of an “adventure” or “journey.” Visualize a positive outcome. Consider the reasons why you’re hesitant to take it. Set a plan in place. When you have a plan, taking a risk is a whole lot less threatening. Take the leap! And when you have, evaluate your experience so you can improve in the future. Self-confidence is the most important ingredient to success.
Put It All Together
If you’re feeling tentative about the whole thing, get your feet wet with small steps. You can’t expect yourself to change drastically overnight, but at the same time you have to believe in yourself and believe that change is possible. Overcoming fears and taking risks go hand in hand. Start small and dream big. You only have one journey on this earth, so you might as well make the most of it!
The Making of a Warrior
The church in the midst of a mighty spiritual war, and the world has had enough of wimpy saints. The devil knows his reign of terror is almost over, so he’s doing all he can to discourage God’s people from doing their jobs. He is more aware than some so-called Christians of the nearness of Christ’s return. Millions of souls are at stake. We no longer need mere foot soldiers; it’s time for true warriors to emerge. A warrior isn’t made in boot camp— basic training is the minimum requirement for any good soldier. But the warrior’s heart is revealed in the trenches— or the front lines— in the heat of battle.
We live in perilous times. Our nation cries for men and women of stature, with moral backbone. Modern day Christendom craves true heroes and heroines who will persevere until the Last Victory— warriors in the glorious army of the Risen King. The story of Samson is a powerful study of the making of a warrior (Judges 13-16). Samson had some great strengths, but he also had some disappointing weaknesses. His earning of “warrior” status eventually took him to his death; yet, his life and perseverance continue to hold great lessons for anyone desiring to be a mighty warrior in God’s army.
A Warrior Knows His Strengths And Weaknesses
Now Samson was a man of normal stature. He wasn’t built like Goliath, nine and a half feet tall. Samson was born a normal man from typical parents of the day. And Samson honored his mother and father, as was common in that time. Typically, he demonstrates needs, desires, and passions Samson became hungry and thirsty like ordinary men— and he loved women too. By all outward appearances, Samson was destined to be ordinary, going through life trying to get his needs met.
But God never relies on outward appearances. He made plans to use Samson as a mighty warrior. The message of his birth was hand-delivered to Samson’s mother, who had been barren, by an angel. The angel also told Samson’s mother he would have a special oath to God. “And no razor shall come upon his head, for the child shall be a
Nazirite to God from the womb: and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines” (Judges 13:5).
As he grew older, Samson realized his strength lay in keeping the Nazirite vow and in the Spirit of the Lord. He was not to drink wine, take unclean food or cut his hair. Samson also admitted he was able to defeat wild animals with “nothing in his hands.”
When facing an enemy, we come to battle with nothing in our hands that we can bring. As ordinary men and women, our only hope, our strength lies in the power of God. Thankfully, it’s “Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the Lord of hosts” (Zechariah 3:9) God can make warriors out of very ordinary people who know the source of their strength. Samson’s power was on a direct hookup to God: “And the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him” (Judges 14:6).
We may not have taken the Nazirite vow for special, divine empowerment, but as Christians, we have been blessed with the baptism of the Holy Ghost. He has sent His anointing to yank us out of the ordinary realm and drop us into the extraordinary; yet, Christians must keep their vows to God and rely on His power.
A Warrior Is Always Ready To Fight
I love one thing about Samson, he was always ready to fight. And a good warrior is always ready for a scrape with the enemy. Our enemy, in case you didn’t know already, is the devil— not your husband, your wife, your pastor, or the guy next door. The Bible tells us: “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (I Peter 5:14).
Samson was not afraid to take on wild beasts. He slew the lion with his bare hands as the spirit of the Lord came upon him (Judges 14:5-6). The Spirit of God gave this ordinary man supernatural strength, and he tore the lion apart. Samson also took on men. Again, the Spirit of the Lord came upon him mightily, and he took out 30 men, 1000 men, and the entire Philistine army. No enemy intimidated this man, because he had confidence in his God.
WhenIwasjustaladinmyfirstyearof high school, I was confronted with the school bully. He was one year older and much taller than I was. Every time he saw me coming, he’d knock my books out of my hand and send them flying all over the hallway. He was so big, I was afraid to fight him. Next time he passed me, the same thing happened. Just like a coward, I said, “Pardon me for running into your hand!”
The bully would laugh and shake his head. I would walk away defeated. If I saw him coming, I’d walk on the opposite side of the hall. It was a sad and frustrating situation. Well, I took that abuse until my junior year— two long years.
One day, I was looking in the mirror, talking to myself. “Schambach, you sure are a good-looking dude. Look at your muscles! You could take that bully.”
“Yeah!” I agreed.
“Next time that bully knocks your books out of your hand, tell him you’ve had enough!”
“Yeah!” I was getting pumped up.
Well, the next day came and on my way to my first class, guess what student I saw coming down the hallway— Mr. Bully. My heart started beating faster and faster. He slowly walked past me. Nothing. Just when I was letting out a long “Wheeeew,” he slapped me from behind alongside my face.
“That’s it. I’ve had it,” I yelled. (Everything within me was saying, “Schambach, shut up.”)
“Well, I’ve been wondering when you’d get the guts to face me, Schambach. It’s about time,” he said.
My heart was pounding, but I didn’t take much time to think. I closed my eyes and swung with all my might. There were two hits— my hitting him and his hitting the floor. What? I couldn’t believe it! All this time, the guy had a glass jaw, and I didn’t know it. I took all that harassment for two long years, and I could have whipped him all along. I had been the victim of intimidation.
Now listen. I am telling you a story about before I was saved. I don’t advocate fleshly violence as a Christian. But, this incident taught me a lesson. I refuse to let the devil intimidate me. He has no power over me. He’s already defeated. My elder brother, Jesus Christ, destroyed him 2000 years ago.
A Warrior Shares His Spoils
Now, what good would a warrior be to his family and friends if he didn’t share the spoils of battle? Winning is not only about the fight— it’s about the victory. After Samson killed the lion, he returned to find a swarm of bees and honey in the carcass of the lion. Samson took some to his mother and father. When Jesus destroyed the enemy, He started distributing honey— the honey of the Gospel— to every one of us. We are children of God. We accepted that honey; we’ve tasted that honey. No wonder the Bible says taste and see that the Lord is good (Psalm 34:8).
As warriors, we must continue to distribute the sweet Gospel. Take it to your family. God said He would save the household. Don’t let the devil have one member of the family. Don’t’ let the drug culture have the children. Christian warriors have the best trophies to display— people whom they have helped find deliverance from bondage to drugs and alcohol, healing for the body, salvation from sin, and freedom and peace in exchange for oppression. Every time the church doors are open, a true warrior should walk through the doors with a new trophy.
A Warrior Is Disciplined
But herein lies the weakness of Samson. He was strong in his exploits, but weak in his daily lifestyle and service. The first order of boot camp is learning the importance of total submission to authority. Young warriors-in-training must eat, sleep, run, sit, walk, work, and rest at the command of their superior. Following orders to the letter can mean life or death for a soldier and his troop.
Samson had a problem with this. He followed rules half-heartedly. He kept the long hair as part of the Nazirite vow to God, but married a pagan woman and slept with prostitutes. Samson tried to mix the flesh with the anointing.
This sounds familiar. Many churches try to do the same juggling act. “Christians” will go to church and maybe pay their tithes, half-heartedly. But they are still married to the world— one foot in the world and one in the church. They still go places with their worldly friends. They still talk like the world and still have worldly desires. Where is the discipline?
God has laid out the rules in His letter — the Bible. Men of God tell the church members from behind the pulpit what is expected from a warrior of God. A warrior must come out from the world and be separated— “..do not be conformed to this world” (Romans 12:2). “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (I John 2:15). It is not an easy path to follow. A warrior in the kingdom must be submissive to authority and must exercise self-control.
Let’s face it. Samson’s problem was his flesh. He loved women— the wrong kind of women. Once the devil finds your weakness, he’ll come at you with both barrels. The Philistines enlisted help from the most beautiful woman they could find— Delilah. What’s your Delilah. The devil knows. Samson did not want a woman from his own people. His father and mother tried to counsel him against it, but those in the flesh do not listen to anyone in the Spirit. Young people think they have to go out to the dance hall or the bar to find a mate. Then they wonder why they have marital problems. Find a spouse in your church— one that is saved, sanctified, and filled with the Holy Ghost.
But Samson gave in to the flesh. He loved the Philistine women. And, Delilah’s goal was to discover the secret to Samson’s strength. His enemies wanted to reduce him back to an ordinary man, and because of a lack of self control, Samson allowed them to do just that. To be a warrior, the flesh must die. Some have to die daily, like Paul. There are many temptations pulling at our flesh — lust, anger, adultery, greed, hatred, and homosexuality. A warrior is self- controlled— or should I say God- controlled— for the sake of victory, but there are too many flesh-dominated Christians. Satan cannot touch Christians strong in the Spirit. If he is able to reduce you to the ordinary man of flesh you once were, he has gained control. All the strength may not be lost at once. The power of God may leave gradually.
The Philistines followed Samson to a harlot’s house. When he left at midnight, he picked up the gates of the city— 3800 pounds— and went 26 miles toting them on his shoulders. The enemy bided their time. All his strength was not yet gone. You don’t lose it all at once. And many Christians have mastered the art of appearing to be on fire for God. But the heart will be discovered eventually.
Samson had been playing around with temptation so long, that he forgot the danger. He finally let his last guard down and told the secret to his strength — for fleshly desires. He woke up one day and shook himself, only to find his strength gone, his eyes gouged out, and his body bound.
When the Church loses its eyesight and can’t see sin, everything goes. Become blinded to the truth, and the devil will not be happy until he can tie you up onto a wheel grinding corn, just like Samson. Many church folks are going around in circles— going around that wheel with Sunday School, morning worship, evening service, women’s missionary meetings, servitude, frying chicken for the bishop. There’s no anointing, no Spirit; just routine. The devil’s got Christians so tied up they can’t do what God has called them to do. Going to church is important; servitude is important— but God has so much more for His warriors to accomplish.
The devil stripped Samson of his strength, his joy, his power, his liberty — he lost it all. Samson had to learn an important lesson the hard way. Warriors must always prepare for the worst. They must not only know themselves; they must know their enemies. Samson relied too heavily on brute force. He underestimated the power of the flesh and the cunning of his enemy. Remember, the enemy doesn’t always come crashing through the front door. Sometimes he sneaks in the back door. Your enemy will never give up. Delilah just kept on working on Samson until she wore him down. She kept asking, enticing, pleading— any trick she could use. The devil’s got a bag of tricks. And he will try every one of them on you. You don’t have to carry it. You are a child of God.
The Holy Ghost is your Security. Through the power of the Spirit, you have wisdom, discernment, and overcoming power. Listen, Christians must prepare for the temptations. Practice seeking God’s wisdom. Keep prayer in your daily life. Read the Word. These tools give the warrior ultimate power over temptation.
A Warrior Gets Back Up After Defeat
Samson was a warrior downed because of his own foolishness. But the story wasn’t over. The last chapter in Samson’s life speaks of the comeback. This is a good lesson for the Church. No matter how far we’ve fallen, there’s always a way back. God knows how to reclaim what is His.
Samson finally became more concerned about the defeat of the enemy and the glory of God than the desires of his own flesh. His flesh was ready to die at last. Physically, Samson was a mere shell of his former self. He was blinded and broken. Emotionally, he was broken as well. But to God, this was only a temporary condition. Samson’s hair was growing back. He was renewing his oath to God and getting ready for a revisitation of God’s Spirit. When the Church is ready to crucify the flesh, we will see a revisitation of the Spirit like never before.
The enemy gave Samson his opportunity. The devil will always slip up and play right into God’s hand. Three thousand Philistines gathered to worship the false God, Dagon. They decided they would make sport of their defeated foe, Samson. (The world points fingers at Christians who have fallen. They count us out. But it’s not over.)
When they brought Samson out, he was strategically placed between two pillars — the pillars that supported the entire temple. Samson was in tune with God when he positioned himself with his hands on the pillars. He cried out one last time for God’s strength. God rewarded Samson. As the Spirit again came on Samson mightily, he pushed down the pillars and the entire temple, killing all the people in it, including himself. “So the dead that he killed at his death were more than he had killed in his life” (Judges 16:30).
The devil might have knocked some Christians down, but the Church is not out of the fight. Take the mandatory eight-count and get back into the fight. The last chapter has not been read. The Church is coming back. As a warrior, Christians can challenge the power of Satan. The demons will cower when a warrior uses Christ’s name. When a soldier has received the power to put the devil where he belongs.
I spent five years with a man of God by the name of A.A. Allen. When he cast out devils, I watched and learned. Then one day, he told me it was my turn. A woman came into the tent that had had a demon cast out before. But if a soul is not filled with the Holy Ghost, the Bible says the demon will go back into the same spiritual house and take with him seven more spirits more wicked than himself. When this woman returned, she had company.
I prepared for battle— took her into the prayer tent with 12 preachers and 10 singers. I laid hands on that woman and prayed like Brother Allen did. I stood like Brother Allen did. The devil spoke through the woman: “We are not coming out!” (Don’t play Sunday School when you meet the devil.)
I beat the chair, stomped my foot. The devil said, “I’ve found a home here and we are staying.” I laid hands on her, screamed, hollered until 3 a.m. All the preachers left and most of the singers. Finally, I felt a resurgence of my spirit; it felt like someone put a cloak of anointing on me. Suddenly, I began to talk to that devil in a different way. I told him how Jesus Christ had defeated him 2000 years ago, stripped him, and rendered him powerless. The demons did not like that. I kept on talking louder.
The devil has no business in the Christian’s life. Put him where he belongs. “In My name they will cast out demons” (Mark 7:16). Know what happened? The devils came out. She started talking in tongues and was filled with the Holy Ghost. Do not let the devil bluff you out of your position in the army of the Almighty.
You may be going through a trial, going through the fire. Be encouraged. God is just getting ready to use you. Some must go through the water, some through the flood, some through the fire, but all through the blood. When a Christian goes into the fire, he is never alone. Christ is already there. Don’t give in to the flesh. Exercise self- control. Endure hardness as a good soldier.
By: R.W. Schambach
It’s intriguing to look at the references in the Scriptures that speak of those that “rose up early in the morning.” Moses, Joshua, Samuel, David and the like all have a track record of seeking the Lord in the early hours of the day. Each morning as I rise to face a new day, I quickly move to the sliding glass doors of our waterfront home. As the curtain is pulled, the beauty of each morning and the activity of God’s creation already in motion at first light is revealed. I enjoy the chirping of birds and the splash of an occasional fish that let me know another day is well underway.
Recently I placed gourds on a pole to attract purple martins that make their way to the South this time of year. Watching them in the morning with a cup of coffee, a devotion and conversation with the Father makes for the perfect start before racing off to my day of ministry demands. I have discovered the value of these “sabbatical moments.” It’s a precedent set by Jesus in Scripture and important for us to follow. Luke 5:12-16 records that the Master, in high demand as His public ministry throughout Galilee attracted the masses, regularly separated Himself to renew. After cleansing the leper from his disease, Jesus was bombarded with the needs of those He ministered to. Verse 16 shows us, “But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.”
Have you ever noticed the response of the Master to ministry demands? Leprosy topped the list in physical needs. Jesus’ healing of this and all other disease prompts the response of people to gather, hear and be healed. However, Jesus teaches us that there is something more important than another person’s healing, something more important than another miracle for the moment. Verse 16 states, “But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” Time alone with the Father is the precedent set by Jesus that we should all follow.
My wife and I have learned the value of “sabbatical moments.” I trust that you will do so as well. We have even enjoyed a sabbatical of thirty days in the middle of the summer where time was taken away from ministry demands completely. Knowing what that produced in us, our goal today is to assist pastors, evangelists and missionaries in the fulfillment of their sabbatical moments: times of withdrawal – be it an official season away from their ministry posts or sabbatical.
Horizontal Forgiveness
As a minister, I see a lot of people in the church proclaiming love to their God. There are even people out of church that love God but hate the church, forgetting that the church is people. Truly deception has crept into the body of Christ. If we say that we love God, but hate our brothers or sisters, we remain in darkness. We lie.
Matt 22:37-39
Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
The problem we run into here is everyone has a different definition of “neighbor”. In the Jewish culture they didn’t have anything to do with the other cultures or races. They were very prejudice. As it is with many today, they were willing to love and request forgiveness vertically, meaning from them to God and back. In the Jewish nation they understood that once a year a priest went into the Holy of Holies and offered blood to cover the sins of Israel . This was all vertical forgiveness from God to man. Man had the understanding at that time that only God could forgive.
Jesus came with a different message from heaven. His message spoke that as an individual they was responsible to forgive everyone and then seek forgiveness from God. He understood that the answer to earth’s problems was to be found in forgiveness. There wasn’t any revelation to forgive horizontally, man to man.
Matthew 5:43-44
Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you,
Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully
Because of this old tradition they had a choice to love or hate. There was no accountability about walking in love and forgiveness. Jesus turned the religious world upside down. He came to destroy religion as it was known to them. He came to teach love and forgiveness. The Jews were looking for a warrior Messiah. They thought that a natural kingdom would come through much bloodshed. Jesus came to set up an eternal spiritual kingdom which would cost him His life. His kingdom came through obedience even unto death. It came through submission, love and forgiving.
Let’s look at Peter. He was a Jew and followed traditions and the Jewish culture. He asked this question which shows us he was ignorant about forgiving horizontally.
Matt 18:21-22
Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.
Jesus began to teach in His gospel that forgiving which was only before seen as from God to man now was from one to another.
Another example can be found in Mark 2:5-7, Jesus healed a paralytic man lowered through a roof. When He stated thy sins be forgiven you, everyone panicked because they only knew that God could forgive. Jesus taught that forgiving shouldn’t be an occasional action but a lifestyle, seventy times seven equals four hundred ninety times a day. Isn’t it amazing how we would want to receive grace and forgiveness at that high a level if needed, but we don’t want to give it. Even in the Lords’ prayer, Jesus teaches us to forgive others.
Matthew 6:12
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
At the birth of our Savior, the heavens opened to the shepherds and the communicated not just “Peace on earth” but also “good will towards men”. They knew the message He would bring forth on earth which would ultimately bring peace. It wasn’t a gospel of perfection, but a gospel of forgiveness.
Since the fall of Adam, there were rules and regulations people had to follow to approach God. Actually over and above God’s rule. The only way there can be peace in the earth and good will towards men is when men and women and children learn to forgive and then receive forgiveness from God. Our natural minds sometimes go on tilt trying to figure God out.
One night as I was getting ready to preach, I was talking to God about a certain door to television that had opened supernaturally for me. In my mind I asked why it was happening, because I knew I had done nothing to deserve it. As I walked up to the stage to take the microphone the Lord spoke to me and said, “It’s not about you son.”
I knew at that time it was the message He had given me that was the reason the door opened. It was for the people who needed to hear it. I was just a vessel called to be a distributor of forgiveness. We are commanded by God to forgive, to love and preach this gospel of forgiveness and heal the sick.
Faith moves God, but forgiveness releases His power. Let me say it like this. Forgiveness releases God’s power.
Unforgiveness releases the devils power. Forgiveness is the fruit of love. Unforgiveness is the fruit of hate. Satan knows
Matthew 6:12
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
At the birth of our Savior, the heavens opened to the shepherds and the communicated not just “Peace on earth” but also “good will towards men”. They knew the message He would bring forth on earth which would ultimately bring peace. It wasn’t a gospel of perfection, but a gospel of forgiveness.
Since the fall of Adam, there were rules and regulations people had to follow to approach God. Actually over and above God’s rule. The only way there can be peace in the earth and good will towards men is when men and women and children learn to forgive and then receive forgiveness from God. Our natural minds sometimes go on tilt trying to figure God out.
One night as I was getting ready to preach, I was talking to God about a certain door to television that had opened supernaturally for me. In my mind I asked why it was happening, because I knew I had done nothing to deserve it. As I walked up to the stage to take the microphone the Lord spoke to me and said, “It’s not about you son.”
I knew at that time it was the message He had given me that was the reason the door opened. It was for the people who needed to hear it. I was just a vessel called to be a distributor of forgiveness. We are commanded by God to forgive, to love and preach this gospel of forgiveness and heal the sick.
Faith moves God, but forgiveness releases His power. Let me say it like this. Forgiveness releases God’s power.
Unforgiveness releases the devils power. Forgiveness is the fruit of love. Unforgiveness is the fruit of hate. Satan knows that the scripture states that love never fails. Therefore if he causes division, strife, hate, and the like, then love has been nullified.
If there is no love, then faith doesn’t work and we will receive nothing from the Lord. Without faith, it is impossible to please God. Many generals of past wars usually want to cut off communication and then all incoming supplies. A Christian with no communication with heaven and no incoming strength, power, and provision is a weak person. Now when we get offended the first thing we want to do is withdraw from church and people. We are weaker by ourselves and easily defeated. The more people that withdraw from the body the weaker the body becomes, that is, less resources, money, manpower, workers, volunteers, etc.
Let’s make a conscience decision to forgive, forget, and love one another. Begin to reach out horizontally to one another and forgive, forget, and love. I’m talking about relationships from fathers to children, husbands to wives, brothers to sisters, aunts to uncles, cousins, neighbors and even strangers to strangers.
Look around you. Are there people in your life that the relationship has been affected by offense, bitterness, rejection and other like sins? Are there people who are not saved that need the saving grace of God’s forgiveness. Hurry, tell them. Tell everyone before it is too late. Salvation and forgiveness is for right now – in this lifetime. Lets network with heaven and become distributors of heavens strongest power, “The Power of Forgiveness.”
By: Dr. Brian Adams
SMG is an armor-bearing association to proactive ministries worldwide. Our goal is to deliver top rate service to those we support while maintaining the ministry focus that makes us unique.
