Bearing Spiritual Fruit

The quality of a good tree is the fruit it bears. God compares His people with fruit trees that should bear much fruit. The truth is that all of us are producing fruit but not all of our fruits are wholesome.

Just like a healthy tree produces healthy fruits, a mature Christian is supposed to produce spiritual fruits. In Luke 6:43-45 Jesus said, “A tree is identified by its fruit.” As believers, we may be breathing but we’re not really living if we’re not producing spiritual fruits.

In America, too many of us are closest Christians. When everybody is coming out of their closet with something immoral, we’re hiding! What’s up with that? We’ve become so politically correct, and “tolerant” of others, that we’ve surrendered and neglected to defend our own faith. Today, let’s talk about bearing spiritual fruits.

First, let’s bear fruits at home. Our home is the most fertile ground for bearing good fruit. Not only are we surrounded by loving people who are cheering us on, but home is also an environment where fruit is produced organically. When we allow the Holy Spirit to work in our lives, we’re nurturing an environment to produce good fruit. Galatians 5:33-23 lists nine fruits of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. One way we can judge our spiritual maturity is to evaluate ourselves against the Word of God. Are we operating in love? Do we have joy in our hearts and on our faces?  Are we patient and kind with our spouse and children? If we’re not producing fruit in the loving environment at home, it will be difficult to produce fruit elsewhere.

Next, we need to bear fruits at work. We spend almost half of our waking hours in the marketplace. We get up early and work late to bring home a paycheck and it is very commendable. However, if we are not producing spiritual fruit at work, we’re suppressing our saltiness. When was the last time you shared Christ at work? We’ve bought into the lie that we cannot bring our faith to work. We also believed the lie that in order to share Christ, we have to hit people on the head with the Bible or shoot scriptures out like a machine gun. We’ve created prayer rooms for others but abandoned prayer ourselves. We don’t have to be hostile or obnoxious to share our faith at work. However, if we don’t stand for our faith, we’re going to fall for anything.

Third, we must bear fruits in our community. Jesus said, “Occupy until I come.” I heard of a church in California where they’re sharing Christ with the dancers in the night club. They have eradicated cancer within a certain radius of their church. They’re influencing their community. However, the Church at large has no initiative in the community. We’ve believed a lie that we can only bear fruits within the walls of the church. Every week, we’re summoned to exalt the pastor and we’re beautifying the building instead of glorifying Jesus and helping the hurting, sighing, and dying. Let’s be involved in the chamber of commerce, mother’s clubs, little leagues, major leagues, arts, entertainment, network groups etc. If you’re a pastor, don’t just preach from the pulpit, go and serve in your neighborhood through the week and they’ll follow you to your church on weekends.  

Lastly, bear fruits in world missions. Jesus always had the world in mind. Every believer should impact the world. If we don’t have world perspective, we’re thinking too small. One reason we’re seeing such a drastic surge in terrorism is because we’ve stopped proclaiming the Gospel to the world. In the absence of the Good News, bad news prevails. Build International Ministries (www.buildinternational.org) and many others are taking Jesus to the world. There are people like you who are impacting the world by partnering with us. Pray, go, give, and bear fruit in world missions. 

Friend, let us be intentional about bearing spiritual fruits. Our lives are like vapor. We’re here for a very short time but we can outlive ourselves by bearing spiritual fruits. When we bear fruits, our descendants will continue the legacy of our faith. Are we going to exercise our faith on which this country was founded on? Or are we going to be overrun by others because we’re too timid to live out our faith at home, work, in our communities, and the world? What kind of fruit we produce will determine what kind of world our children will live in. Let us bear spiritual fruit!

Jesus said, "I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5 NIV).

Let’s Change the World: www.buildinternational.org

Invite Sandy Anderson to Speak: Email: buildinternational@sbcglobal.net 

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I Love Traffic

We live in such stressful times that we automatically react negatively to traffic. In the rat race of life, we are easily irritated by driving around, even when we’re not in any particular hurry. A change of mindset can change the way we behave in traffic.

Years ago, I lived in Hong Kong. It is a bustling international city; people from all over the world are there for business opportunities. This city is always on the run. During the time I was there, I ministered a lot in Europe and Asia. Whenever I stepped off of the plane, even though I was not in any hurry, I’d fall into the rat-race. I’d rush to catch the subway or the bus or the taxi. Often, even a leisurely walk would turn into a brisk one. One day it dawned on me that I was sucked into the hurried lifestyle.

In America, we drive everywhere. We complain about traffic routinely. It is almost a conversation piece in the morning. On the surface it may look innocent but if we’re not careful, stress in traffic can take a toll on our lives. Today, let’s look at a few positive ways to turn traffic into a productive time.

Pray in traffic. I pray more in traffic than any other time. Prayer is talking to God just as we do with another person. It accomplishes two things. One, I can pray for my friends – that’s you. Two, when I pray, it’s hard to complain or have a bad attitude. Talking to God also makes me feel safer. Of course, I pray with my eyes open and I recommend you do the same. Praying helps me keep the focus off me and on God and others. When I’m not praying, I listen to worship music. Instantly I feel the peaceful presence of God. It is a great substitute from getting agitated over traffic.

Traffic helps build character. I lived in Los Angeles for five years. You may not believe me, but I had road rage. Yep, miracles still happen! When people cut me off, I’d speed up to get alongside the stranger and give them my death stare. I was oblivious to the fact that gun owners in Los Angeles practice their target shooting in traffic! When I realized that I had an issue while driving, I made it my personal growth plan (PGP) to not allow strangers to affect me. It took me six months to get rid of anger. Today, traffic doesn’t bother me. I can honestly say, “I love traffic!”

Traffic makes great evangelist. It is a great place to influence others for good. In the past, I’d not allow another vehicle to slide in but now it’s easy. I often keep a two or three car gap in front of me. I slow down to let other cars squeeze in front of me. Have you noticed; when we’re courteous, others follow? It is a great way to spread joy and kindness and make a positive deposit in others.

Traffic time can be educational. I heard that if we spend one hour listening to CDs or podcasts every day for three years, you can become an expert on the subject. This is really powerful because it has happened to me. I used to listen to music or talk shows on the radio but then I got more intentional about using my time more effectively. I downloaded free teachings and sermons on subjects onto my iPod. Now I learn while I drive. Occasionally, I still rock with U2!

Our roads are treacherous. No matter what motivates you, you must find a way to keep your cool in traffic. When we’re not at peace, we’re more prone to make mistakes. When you’re at peace, you’re powerful. Change your confession about traffic. Stop saying, “I hate traffic.” Here’s the key. What we say has powerful impact on what we experience. Let’s say it with a smile, “I love traffic!” See, it wasn’t too hard was it? The more you say it, the more you’ll believe it. The more you believe, the less traffic will negatively impact you.

Friend, let’s change our attitude! You have a great life. You’re sitting in a comfortable car with your personal space. Be thankful that you have a job to go to or return to your loved ones at home. Be kind and considerate. You can brighten someone’s day by simply allowing them to squeeze in front of you. Smile instead of getting sour and you can change the atmosphere in traffic. When you spend your time praying and learning in traffic, you’ll be the number one rat, in the rat-race of life! Sow kindness and you’ll reap the same. I pray and declare that you’ll never complain about traffic again. Drive safe. Drive happy. Spread a little cheer in your journey!

“When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child. But when I grew up, I put away childish things” (I Corinthians 13:11 NLT).

 

Let’s Change the World: www.buildinternational.org

 

Invite Sandy Anderson to Speak: Email: buildinternational@sbcglobal.net 

 

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5 Lessons from the Church in China

 

As many of you know, I just returned from another mission trip to China. Every time I go there, I’m amazed at the believers. In spite of severe persecution, opposition, and difficulty, they continue to follow Jesus with their whole heart.

 

While it is not fair to compare the Church in China and the Church in the West, we can learn valuable lessons to improve our own spiritual journey. We don’t have to invite persecution or hardship into our lives, however, we all should be New Testament believers. Here are some of the trademarks of Christianity in China.

 

1. Christians in China are joyful. In spite of severe persecution and limited freedom to worship, believers in China exude this fruit of the Spirit. They travel long distances, sometimes up to three hours one way, to get to a meeting where their civil liberties taken away and even thrown in jail. However, instead of complaining about the tiring journey, the inconvenience of walking, or taking multiple modes of public transportation, they jump right into the praise and worship wholeheartedly.

 

2. They love and care for each other. Unlike our churches in the West, the believers in China are connected with each other. If one doesn’t show up, they all go to that person’s home to make sure they’re ok. When believers come with concerns in their hearts, they’re not hastily sent away by the leaders. They take the time to pray and minister to their needs, both spiritually and physically. We had one sister crying bitterly for the healing of her four-year-old son. I was so touched by the way the whole church responded. They cried with her, hugged her, and made her feel like it was their own child who was sick. Wow, what empathy and compassion! People really don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.

 

3. They are a giving church. While China continues to prosper, most people in China are poor. The Christians have even less because of discrimination in the workplace. We went to many homes where they fed us their best, even when it cost them half a month of their salary or more. One lady, with a little cell phone shop, came to us twice and put a substantial amount of cash in our hands. It wasn’t much in American money but to her it was a huge sacrifice. We found that churches often eat together after the service even though it was just rice and wild vegetables and mushrooms from the village. They don’t get hammered every Sunday to bring their tithes and offerings but they give far more than 10% of their income to the church.

 

4. They are grateful. The church in China is quick to give thanks to God for everything. When we gave them your Bibles, they acted like we gave them a brick of gold. Of course, the Word of God is that precious to a believer but they were so thankful that many were kissing the Bibles. One of our teams was intercepted and thankfully everyone was released by the authorities without much hassle. Now the family/church has to relocate because it is not safe anymore. They’re grateful that they’re not in jail! We heard no complaints, only praise.

 

5. They pray. The Church in China doesn’t just talk about prayer but they actually pray. You cannot fall asleep during prayer because after every sentence the whole congregation agrees in unison saying, “Amen.” Often for security, we’d ask the believers to keep their voice down. We’d start off softly but within minutes they were praying at the top of their lungs. It’s wonderful to see their fearless petitions to God and He hears them.

 

While it is not wise to compare cultures and congregations, it is good for us to learn from each other. All these qualities in the Church of China are actually from the Book of Acts. When we love and serve God with our whole heart, our lives and church should reflect the New Testament Church. Today, instead of saying, “Oh that’s good for China,” I want to encourage you to have a closer relationship with our Lord. Let us not just seek His Hand but also His Face. Jesus said, “You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.” When we do, like the Church in China, His blessings will overtake our lives.

 

“When you come looking for me, you’ll find me. Yes, when you get serious about finding me and want it more than anything else, I’ll make sure you won’t be disappointed” (Jeremiah 29:13 MSG).

 

Let’s Change the World: www.buildinternational.org

 

Invite Sandy Anderson to Speak: Email: buildinternational@sbcglobal.net 

 

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Speak Life into Your Marriage

 

Marriage can be bliss or it can be a curse. God instituted marriage therefore; it is supposed to be a blessing. God is always for a good marriage but it’s up to two people to decide what the quality of the relationship will be.

 

We all know people who are enduring marriage. Life is short and a marriage is to safeguard a life of peace, pleasure, and prosperity in the safety of a mate. Unfortunately, many marriages today are suffering because one or both partners have given up on their marriage. They’re enduring instead of enjoying each other. Today I want to give you five keys that will breathe fresh life into your marriage.

 

1. Have a vision for your marriage. Without a goal, anyone can be lost in transit. Unless we have clear goals, we’ll be confused at best. A goal can be spiritual, financial, physical, or emotional. Unless both spouses know what they want from each other, it is hard to please the other person. Talk about your expectations, write them down, and then revisit them periodically to make sure you’re making progress. Life comes in seasons. Stay current with your needs and the season you’re in. 

 

2. Speak life. Our lives are as good as the words we speak. This may sound absurd but there’s tremendous power in our words. Think about it! God spoke the world into existence. When we speak positive, uplifting words over ourselves and each other, we’ll eat the fruit of it. Words are like an echo; whatever we send out will come back to us. It is easy to make sarcastic, hurtful, and cutting remarks but like a burn, those words sting our souls for months to come. On the contrary, when we make a positive deposit of building our mate up with words, it’s like putting money in a savings account. You can draw all you want, limited only by what you put in. If we’re drawing more than we deposit, one day we may have to face a bankruptcy. When you’re upset and you feel like speaking out the most is the time for you to say the least. Make a habit of saying something good about your spouse every single day. A person can live on a kind, appreciative word for a month! Speak life.

 

3. Focus on what’s working. Forgive and forget what your partner did in 1957! Bury the past and forgive quickly. Fight for peace and not for winning arguments. Most people make the mistake of focusing on what’s not working. Remember, nobody is perfect — not even you! If we’re using all our energy looking for faults then we’ll not have any energy left to find the gold in the other. Remind yourself why you fell in love. Find ways to unite. Invest in each other. A marriage left alone is like a beautiful garden only to someday be taken over by weeds. If you stay focused on planting good seeds, your garden will continue to produce beautiful flowers.

 

4. Communicate. People are not mind-readers. Find a way to express your feelings without the drama. You have to be precise but you also have to be diplomatic. Don’t tell it the way it is. When, and how, you share your feelings is as important as what you share. Ninety percent of our communication is non-verbal. Hold hands, look each other in the eye. When we say a hard thing in a kind way, it’s a lot more palatable. When you make a mistake don’t make excuses. Be the bigger person and say, “I made a mistake. I’m sorry. It won’t happen again.” Become a lifelong learner of communication.

 

5. Enjoy each other. Nobody likes to be around a stick in the mud. Yes, we need to save for the future but don’t be stingy. Details are important and the house doesn’t get cleaned by itself but why don’t you do it without complaining about it. We live in a stressful world. Take a leisurely walk in the park, go to a movie, and take a vacation without the kids. Have plenty of sex. You have the license; use it before it expires! Even the doctors are now saying that it’s good for your body, emotions, spirit, and soul! Never let the magic die in your marriage. Remember, fun doesn’t have to cost a lot of money. It’s time, effort, and creative thinking that keeps your marriage fresh. Have fun with each other.

 

Finally, honor God with your marriage. Say and do only things you would say and do if God was present with you. In case you’re wondering, He’s always with you and He is always for your marriage. I’m praying for you.

 

“Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed” (Ecclesiastes 4:9 NLT).

 

Let’s Change the World: www.buildinternational.org

 

Invite Sandy Anderson to Speak: Email: buildinternational@sbcglobal.net 

 

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A Flood is Coming

As we begin the last quarter of this year, I can’t help but begin to wonder how a flood is coming for all of God’s people who believe. Just like in the days of Noah, God is sending a flood but this flood is not to destroy us; it is to overwhelm us with His goodness.

I know many people who have had a tough year so far. You have lived an honorable life and yet, you’re still waiting. You have been faithful in helping others and spreading God’s Word around the world and yet your prosperity has been limited at best. If this is you, I have good news for you. A flood is coming and you need to prepare yourself to store your blessings and become a conduit to bless others.

As you know, I travel to Asia frequently spreading God’s Word among people who have never heard His name. Earlier this year, I was ministering in Thailand where I heard a fascinating story. In the mid-fifties the government of Thailand was to build a highway cutting through a village where a huge mud statue of Buddha was standing. The religious symbol was revered and worshipped by people so the government decided to relocate the statue to a nearby monastery. While trying to move the statue, pieces of dry clay began to fall off the object. The more carefully they tried to move the idol, the more it began to crumble. Finally, huge chunk of clay came off of it and revealed an amazing secret that had been hidden for centuries. The workers were astonished to find that what was believed to be a clay statue was actually made of solid gold. What was worth only $50,000 was estimated to be valued at millions of dollars!

All through this year, you’ve labored hard, believed with your heart, and stayed steadfast to please God. It may feel like your work and faith have produced nothing more than “clay” at best. Your promise may not have manifested yet but a flood of God’s goodness is about to overtake your life. All the days of your honest living, integrity, and hard labor is going to be paid off. What looked like only clay will suddenly turn into precious gold!

In the Bible, God told Noah to prepare a boat as He was going to destroy the world. He told Noah that a flood was coming and it was going eliminate all the people except Noah and his family and specimens of birds and animals. Like you today, Noah lived a God-pleasing life. What is interesting is that until then there had been no rain from the sky. The earth was moisturized from water that sprang up from the ground. Noah had never seen rain but He believed that a flood was coming.

Today, you may not see how your situation will turn around. In fact, your profit and loss statements look more red than black. The sickness has gone from bad to worse. You may feel like you’ll never meet the person of your dream and enjoy life together. Your children may look far from God and your legal battle may seem leaning in their favor. No matter how depressing it looks, I have good news for you. A flood is coming! This flood is not to destroy you but it will elevate you to a new level. It will break every barrier, every opposition, every lack, and every setback. When God’s goodness is unleashed upon you, like a flood, it will wash away sickness, worry, lack, loneliness, disappointments, and depression. The wind that was once blowing against you will now propel you to your next level of peace, pleasure, and prosperity.

Friend, today is a new day! We’re entering into a new month. Where we set our expectancy will determine what we’ll get out of life. If you want God’s blessings to flood your life, lift up your hands and begin to thank God for it. Your praise that goes up to the heavens will gather up as clouds. One day when you expect the least, it will be so thick that it will begin to pour down upon your life. Remember, under the clay gold is waiting for you. You may not see how but a flood is coming. Get your praise ready. When the flood comes, it will wipe away your tears and turn your mourning into rejoicing. I pray and declare September will be spectacular for you!

“But those who want the best for me, Let them have the last word—a glad shout! —and say, over and over and over, “God is great—everything works together for good for his servant” (Psalm 35:27 MSG).

Let’s Change the World: www.buildinternational.org

Invite Sandy Anderson to Speak: Email: buildinternational@sbcglobal.net 

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Let Your Light Shine

Light has a tremendous effect on people. When we encounter darkness, our instinct is to turn on the light. The tiny flicker of a flame is mightier than centuries of darkness in a cave. Light doesn’t just illuminate, it also brings life.

As a Christian, we’re called to be the salt and light of the world. Therefore, we’re at our best when we’re sharing our light in the dark. In a brightly lit room, a flashlight has little to no impact. However, the same flashlight used in the dark brings illumination and much needed guidance. Like the moon, we don’t have any light of our own but when we reflect the Light of Jesus, we cast a long shadow of hope in the lives of people surrounded by darkness.

Recently, I was on a mission trip to China. The people there have lived under oppressive communist rules for decades. We went to China to bring the Light of the Gospel to China’s 1.3 billion people. Our team had daily activities like visiting underground churches to encourage the persecuted believers. We delivered Bibles to those who didn’t have any. We touched, held, and played with disabled orphan children who have no hope of a bright future. It was great to shine our light in dark situations.

When we were getting ready to leave our hotel for the airport, I told our driver to give me a couple of minutes. Everyone thought I had forgotten something in the hotel. Instead, I ran to one of the restaurants where we ate quite regularly. It was earlier than lunch time so the restaurant workers were quite surprised to see me. I called for the owner of the restaurant, the cook, and the waitresses. They were getting nervous. I told them that we were Christians. I was there to tell them how grateful our team was for their hospitality and kindness. I thanked each and every person, shook their hands, and hugged the young people. They almost had tears in their eyes. Romans 2:4 says that the “Goodness of God leads people to repentance.” We were able to shine our light for Jesus and that illuminated their lives a little brighter.

St. Francis of Assisi said, “Preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary use words.” This is where many Christians are not bearing much fruit in producing new converts. We think only the pastor or the clergy has the right or the authority to preach Christ to others. Yes, we may have a pulpit to share the Good News with the audience. However, Christians in marketplace have much more power, authority, and influence on people than any minister on the church pulpit.

So how can we shine our light effectively? Most of the time, people pay closer attention to our actions than our words. When we are at work and everybody is bad-mouthing the company, we can shine our light by being grateful for the job we have. When a fellow employee is spreading false rumors about us, we can be the light by not retaliating. When the commissions check that you worked so hard for goes to another sales person, we can shine our light by taking the high road and ask God to pay us back. At home, when things are stressed and everybody is on the edge, we can shine our light by going with the flow and overlooking an offense. We can certainly go to the nations of the world and preach Jesus with our words but our actions, wherever we are, will most likely produce more of a result than our words.

Jesus was the ultimate preacher of the Gospel. He spoke to thousands. People came from all over the place to hear Him teach. However, the most effective sermon He ever preached was not with His words but by laying down His life. We too have the same capacity to shine our light when we reach out to the people God placed in our lives. When we’re living a Godly life at home, we’re shining our light for Jesus. When you have integrity and honesty in your business, you’re being a bright light. When you empower Build International Ministries to take the Gospel to the nations, you’re being the light of the world. When we love our enemies and forgive them, we’re shining our light. Friend, let us be effective, powerful, and influential Christians by shining our light in dark. When we reflect Jesus with our lives, multitudes will come to know Him. Shine your light and remember it works best in the dark!

"Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16 NAS).

Let’s Change the World: www.buildinternational.org

Invite Sandy Anderson to Speak: Email: buildinternational@sbcglobal.net 

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Take Time to Think

Our lives are so automated that we barely have time to think. For the most part, we’re like robots going through the motions of life. Routine is good but if we get too bogged down to living without thinking, we will never live up to our full potential.

One of the enemy’s tactics is to keep us so preoccupied in the present that we don’t have any time to reflect on the future. This is one of the reasons why many people miss heaven. Don’t misunderstand me. Human beings are creatures of habit and if we have good habits, it can work to our advantage. But it will do us all good if we take time to quieten our minds and think on a regular basis, or even daily.

NASA claims that one supernova blasts out more energy in less than the sun is expected to emit over its entire life span. A single explosion can outshine an entire galaxy. Imagine that! God flung the sun and galaxies into place. When we think, we align ourselves with God’s explosive energy. We also allow God’s surpassing creativity to work within us. When we yield to the Holy Spirit, we activate the ultimate supernova of God’s creative power working in, and through, us to change the world.

Back in 1903, women only wore long dresses and they weren’t even allowed to vote. On trips to New York City, Mary Anderson often traveled by streetcar. On one of these trips, Mary noticed that drivers would often get out of their seats to wipe the windshield so they could see better. This put her mind to thinking and searching for a better way.

After making many attempts, Mary designed a manually operated lever inside the streetcar that, when pulled, would swing an arm over the windshield and – swoosh – allow the driver to see again! Her windshield wipers had rubber blades attached to a spring-loaded arm. It solved the problem of a clear windshield in rain and snow. At first, people made fun of her device but when Mary Anderson patented her device in 1905, they stopped laughing. Now computerized, we can adjust windshield wipers to suit our needs. Mary Anderson gave us a great invention because she took the time to think.

One of the global assets America has is innovation. We love to come up with new and better ideas of solving an old problem in a new or more efficient way or to simply create something new. How about you? Are you taking time out to think of creative ways to energize your relationships and give your children a brighter future? What about your business? Are you just manufacturing, selling, installing, and servicing? Or are you taking time to think? If we take time to meet a client’s need in a creative way, we’ll get more out of our business. Remember, the devil drives but God leads. Are you paying attention to His guidance?

Jesus was a creative thinker. He wasn’t trying to be different but He was always in tune with the Holy Spirit. Once, a blind man was brought in front of him. The Bible says, “He spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes” (John 9). It was a good thing that the man was blind or else Jesus may not have had a chance to perform this miracle. Seriously, Jesus said He only did things that His Father told Him to do! Truth is, the Father is still trying to tell us things but maybe we’re too busy to listen? When we hear God’s out of the box solutions, we write it off thinking, “Nobody will buy that.” However, just the opposite is true.

Friend, today I want to challenge you to take time to think. Establish a regular habit to hear from God. Not just early in the morning or at a quiet place by the lake during vacation, but stay open to hearing His voice throughout the day. There’s a better way and God wants to give it to you to propel you to your next level. Stop long enough to think and expect God to give you innovation like Mary Anderson so that you too can transform your marriage, business, and future. I love you and I’m praying for you!

“Be careful what you think, because your thoughts run your life” (Proverbs 4:23 New Century Version).

Let’s Change the World: www.buildinternational.org

Invite Sandy Anderson to Speak: Email: buildinternational@sbcglobal.net 

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Confront Your Fear with Faith

Fear is a universal disease. It has crippled millions from reaching their full potential. When we entertain fear more than our faith, we make ourselves “grasshoppers” in our own sight. Faith pleases God. Faith is rewarded. Faith inspires!

Every one of us is afraid of something. Fear and faith work in exactly the same way. Faith produces life while fear brings death. If we don’t face our fears and overcome them, then we’ll live our lives like a bird with her wings clipped off. Fear is driving a Nascar with brakes on. Fear robs us of our future. Faith on the other hand liberates people. Faith inspires others to believe God for more. Faith changes circumstances around.

When we choose faith instead of fear, like a magnet we attract the blessings of God to overtake us. Faith glorifies God while fear activates the work of the enemy.

Nick was a strong, hard-working young man who worked on a train crew. One summer evening, he was left behind by his co-workers when they were let off work an hour early to celebrate a foreman’s birthday. Nick was locked in a refrigerator boxcar. Nick panicked and began to shout for help and bang on the walls until his fists were bloody. He was a chronic worrier.

Fear gripped Nick’s heart. He thought to himself, “If I can’t get out, I’ll freeze to death here.” With every passing hour, every ounce of hope began to drain from Nick. Certain of his impending death, he began to carve on the wooden floor with a pocket knife. He wrote, “It’s so cold here. Body is getting numb. I can’t sleep. These may be my last words.”

The next morning Nick’s co-workers found him dead in the boxcar. They read Nick’s last words on the floor. The autopsy results revealed that Nick had died of hypothermia. A little investigation proved that the refrigeration unit wasn’t even operative. The temperature in the boxcar never dropped below fifty degrees. Nick had allowed fear to rob his life. This may be an extreme case of fear but people lose their families, jobs, businesses, and health based on fear.

I know people who are afraid of dying of some sickness. They know so much about their sickness that they can write an encyclopedia about it. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all about getting information and being educated on the subject. However, if we research more about our sickness than the promises of God to heal us, then we’re allowing the sickness to linger. Fear is a real thing but faith can move mountains! You can chose fear or you can chose faith. Faith is going to get you out of jail.

In the Bible, there’s a story of a widow (1 Kings 17:1-16). There was a great famine in the land and God commanded Prophet Elijah to move to Zarephath where the widow was supposed to take care of him. The only problem was the widow didn’t get the memo. When Elijah asked the widow for some water and bread to eat, the woman panicked. Elijah said to her, “Do not fear.” The widow obeyed God’s command and fed His servant. True to His Word, God provided not only for Elijah, but also the widow’s bin of flour never exhausted and the jar of oil never ran dry. What happened? Like all of us, this widow started off with fear but she put more faith in God’s Word than her fears. We too must do the same thing.

Here’s how I overcome fear. After flying around the world for decades, I still get a little fearful every time I step into an airplane. I have thoughts running in my mind of how there have been planes crashed in collision or some sort of other midair disaster. The images of burning planes begin to take over my mind, just then I realize what’s going on. I change the channel on what I’m thinking about. Our mind is like a TV and our will is like the remote control. You can chose what’s playing on your mind by simply changing the channel. Instead of fear, I change it to a victory channel. Every time you’re confronted with fears, replace them with faith. Fear says, “You’ll never have enough.” Faith says, “You’ll have more than enough.” Fear knocks, “You’ll die of your sickness.” Answer with faith saying, “I’ll live and not die and proclaim the works of the Lord.” Fear will tell you that your business is going under but choose faith and say, “Thanks be unto God, who always causes me to triumph in Christ.” A Nepalese proverb says, “The tiger in our mind is bigger than the tiger in the jungle.” Don’t let your imaginary tiger rob your treasures. F E A R is False Education About Reality. Friend, you can have fear or faith. I’m praying that you will choose faith!

“Don't be afraid, for I am with you. Don't be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand” (Isaiah 41:10 NLT).

Let’s Change the World: www.buildinternational.org

Invite Sandy Anderson to Speak: Email: buildinternational@sbcglobal.net 

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Stay Focused and Achieve More

Much of our productivity and purpose is lost when we get sidetracked by the small things that don’t produce big results. When we learn to stay focused on the task in front of us, then we’ll finish our job early, listen better, and solve problems faster.

Many believe that by multi-tasking they can get more done in less time. However, just the opposite is true. When we try to do too many things at once, it usually takes longer and there’s often a higher chance of error in what we try to accomplish.

Generally speaking, women tend to be better at multi-tasking then men. God wired our brains differently. I’m not trying to stereotype but women tend to handle more details at once better than men. Of course, if we can do more without sacrificing quality then it is commendable. However in most cases, it is better to stay focused on one job at a time. When we engage in multiple functions at once such as texting and driving, we may even risk our lives!

One of the best ways to stay focused is to make daily, weekly, monthly, even yearly goals. When we create a schedule, we’re essentially telling our time where to go. When we have a clear roadmap of what we need to do, and stay focused on chipping away at it throughout the day, we’ll see better results in accomplishing our goals. In today’s society, we’re busier than ever but not necessarily producing more. If we don’t have a “to do list” we can easily be carried away by checking our Facebook status, posting Instagram pictures, and phone calls from time-wasters.

Taking on one task at a time is effective. For example, if you have a pile of dishes, laundry, and carpet to vacuum, it is better to first tackle the job you like the least. When we start a project, we have the maximum energy and our body, and mind, is not as tired as it would be later in the day. Finishing a task gives you a sense of accomplishment and that motivates you to take on the next task with a better attitude. At work, we should try to attack the job that brings the most reward. If you’re in sales, you should be most focused on making new sales instead of getting bogged down in policies, procedures, and keeping your desk organized. If we’re in administration, we should be focused on managing our top producers, accounts, legalities, production, and customer relationships. Staying focused on most rewarding task will pay off in the long run.

In the Scriptures, even Jesus stayed focused on the task at hand. He didn’t panic at the urgent. He stayed faithful in doing one thing at a time. This is exemplified John 11:5-6. Jesus “delayed” two days longer in the village where He was when He got news that Lazarus was sick unto death. However, He understood the principle of staying focused. When Jesus got done in the village and arrived at Lazarus’ house, his sister Martha lamented, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” Lazarus had been in the tomb for four days! Jesus didn’t panic. He called Lazarus out of the grave! In the case of Jesus, staying focused brought greater glory to God by raising the dead.

Could it be we’re wasting valuable time, effort, and energy by trying to do too many things at once? I know people whose schedules are so packed that they don’t even have time for their families or time to relax and rejuvenate. They are busy like a bee and one day they wake up to find out that their honey is gone. May I recommend that a better way is to stay focused on your work but also stay focused guarding your time with God and your family and friends? When we guard our time with God, we’re infusing power, innovation, and efficiency in our day. Friend, let us not shoot in the dark and do whatever comes on our way. If we’re to be excellent and efficient in what we do, then we have to be intentional about staying focused. You can’t do everything at once. Staying focused and doing one thing at a time will make us more productive, satisfied, and deliver greater rewards. I pray and declare that you’ll be more focused on God, family, relationships, and your health. Let’s stay focused and achieve more.

“Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might” (Ecclesiastes 9:10 NIV).

Let’s Change the World: www.buildinternational.org

Invite Sandy Anderson to Speak: Email: buildinternational@sbcglobal.net 

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Speaking Your Way to Victory

 

Everyone loves a miracle! We marvel when we hear about God’s supernatural deeds turning an impossible situation around. Our attention is in high gear if the miracle has something to do with us. Truth is, we all have the capacity to create miracles.

 

This may sound arrogant but you have the same miracle working power as God did when He created our world and brought it into existence. He said, “Let there be light” and light came rushing in at 186,000 miles per second! When we align our words with God’s Word, we unleash a force at the speed of light to turn our negative circumstances around.

 

Our words have the capacity to prophesy doom or predict victory. Years ago, I lived and ministered in the tiny country of Nepal. Everywhere you go; it has breathtaking views of the tall Himalayan range. When I lived there, it was against the law to share Christ with the people from Hindu and Buddhist backgrounds. At the time, many were serving up to a six year prison term for witnessing. I was with a friend in a remote region sharing the Gospel in a high school when I felt a tap on my back. It was a civilian police man. He said, “You’re under arrest. Come with me.” I was young and inexperienced. Nobody taught me what to do when you’re being hauled off to prison for preaching the Gospel. I was trembling with fear. Along with me was a teenager who had already spent two years in a district prison where we were being taken for our crime. I didn’t feel very adequate but trying to be of encouragement to my younger partner in crime, I began to speak faith-filled words of being set free. At that time, I was just learning to confess God’s Word over negative circumstances. With fear and trembling, I began to say, “Your Word says that you set the captives free. Thank you Lord for setting us free. You got Peter and Silas out of jail now it’s our turn.” I can’t emphatically say if I really believed in those words but as I spoke, faith came. Five hours later, when we got to the prison, the police chief let us go free without spending one night in jail. We should have been rotting in that prison for six years but our faith-filled words brought about a miracle and set us free. Once we stepped out of the prison gate, we ran like the Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt!

 

Are you facing an impossible situation in your finances? Are you battling a sickness or an addiction? Do you need a job or a spouse? Do you believe that God will save a loved one? Do you have a legal battle hanging over your head? There’s hope! If you’re honoring God with your life, you have the power to release God’s creative force over your circumstances. Speak words in the direction you want your life to go. Our words can bless our future or they can curse it. Too many people are speaking defeat over their lives. Don’t let that be you. When you’re feeling weak, say, “I’m strong and full of health.” When you’re feeling uncertain, say, “I have the mind of Christ. I’m confident and complete in Him.” When you’re feeling alone, say, “Jesus has promised never to leave me nor forsake me.” When you’re struggling to pay your bills or go on a vacation with your family, say, “My God shall supply all my needs.” When we utter faith-filled words, we create a world we desire to live in. Positive confession of God’s Word releases unseen forces to work on our behalf. Unfortunately, negative words are also self-filling prophecy. Let’s choose life with the words we speak!

 

The Scripture says, “Let the redeemed of the Lord say so.” Notice it doesn’t say “Let the redeemed of the Lord think so or wish so.” He will not do what we can do for ourselves. If we want God to turn the situation around, we’ve got to do the talking. Words are like seeds. Whatever you plant, you’ll harvest in plenty. Don’t use words to describe your situation. Use your words to change your situation. You ask, “Sandy, can my words really have that much power over my life?” Think about it! How did you get saved? Did you not believe in your heart and say a bunch of words (sinner’s prayer) that you probably didn’t even understand at that time? If your words can keep you out of eternal jail, don’t you think it can also bring heaven down on earth? I challenge you today to speak only faith-filled words. If you can’t say anything positive, it’s better not to say anything at all. You ask, “How long do I have to speak faith-filled words?” Until you get what you want! Yes, it’s that’s crucial! Friend, you can move God to act on your behalf. You can speak your way to victory. Say so!

 

“A word out of your mouth may seem of no account, but it can accomplish nearly anything—or destroy it! It only takes a spark, remember, to set off a forest fire” (James 3:5 The Message).

 

Let’s Change the World: www.buildinternational.org

 

Invite Sandy Anderson to Speak: Email: buildinternational@sbcglobal.net 

 

Stay Inspired: http://www.facebook.com/pages/BUILD-International-Ministries/113937368637778?ref=hl