Organo Gold Now Delivers Healthy Coffee to Your Door

An avid coffee drinker, I recently joined Organo Gold as a rep, and I am loving the product. Two reasons: Great taste and I get paid to drink it! When was the last time Starbucks paid you to drink their coffee? Me either. Well there is a company that will pay you to drink coffee… Organo Gold.

Organo Gold is able to fuse the great taste of premium coffee with the high potency of the ganoderma herb, making it no longer an oxymoron to say “healthy coffee.” Since coffee is the second most consumed beverage on the planet, after water, it seemed only right to make it healthy. With that said, Organo Gold now brings coffee lovers a healthy addition to their favorite beverage with the overwhelming power of ganoderma – an ancient Chinese herb that has been used for more than 4,000 years to enhance wellness.

By infusing organic coffee beans and an ever expanding product line with the ganoderma Lucidum herb, coffee drinkers experience improved health without feeling the guilt of over indulgence. Organo Gold coffee crushes the stigma that too much coffee is harmful, as the 150 antioxidants in ganoderma will not only help to cleanse the body of toxins, but gives you the energy you get from regular coffee, without the crash. Other benefits include its natural ability to regulate the body’s acidity level (PH balance), clears any blood circulation blockage and strengthen immunity.

In Cantonese, “Lingzhi” or “Reishi”, is the name for one form of the mushroom Ganoderma Lucidum. It enjoys an honorable place in Asia, where it has been used as a medicinal mushroom in traditional Chinese medicine and is known as the “Miraculous King of Herbs”. The processing plant for the Organo Gold coffee products, located in China, are manufactured with GMP Standards which are the highest worldwide.

Coffee lovers can now get the best of both worlds by enjoying the great taste of premium coffee with the added benefit of improved health; just one click away. Organo Gold retails through the Venti Coffee Store and boasts various flavors and products. Organo Gold also offers green tea & hot chocolate with the same health benefits as the coffee varieties.

If you would like to get in on the business side, now is the time to get on board at the very early stages of this amazing company and generate a very real income in a very lucrative business. For more information, visit Venti Organo Gold or email venti.OGgold@gmail.com

Spiritual Warfare: The Battle You Don’t See

Over the course of the last few weeks, I have encountered people from my circle of influence that have been going through very intense situations at home in their professional life. The intensity has been constant and the fruit that it has produced is anger, frustration, fear, defeat and confusion. In my home as well, we have seen this intensity and fruit manifest. Why? Here are my thoughts.

We are dealing with unseen forces, bent on our demise. The battle isn’t with your spouse, your children or even your boss at work, it is against a spiritual being that seeks to steal, kill and destroy you (cue dramatic music). The truth is, we have an enemy and it isn’t the one that you see in the mirror, or the one that lies next to you and night, or the one that you work for, although it may seem that way. The intense situations that you and I are dealing with or will encounter in the future are being manipulated by various demonic spirits that want you defeated and imprisoned.

Scripture tells us that, “For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.” (ESV 2 Corinthians 10:3-4)

We live each day engaged in a battle, whether you believe that or not. Each day, we live in the flesh: get up, get dressed, go to work, etc. Each day we wage war. However, the war that we are engaged in, whether we believe it or not, is not waged in the things that we do in the flesh, it is waged in the spiritual realm, a realm that we cannot visibly see. The realm of the spirit that manifests in the realm of the flesh.

Years ago, I counseled with a person who was deeply depressed and having various marital problems; they were in bondage to pornography and addictive behaviors and wanted to be set free. This person stated that there seemed to be a battle they were involved in and they were getting their “tail kicked in”! The also stated that, “Sometimes things were good, however those “sometimes” often gave way to the bad and the ugly.”

We set a time to meet and counsel and the battle this person was experiencing really ramped up, the intensity and arguments got so bad in their home that their spouse was about to leave with the kids and go and stay with family. We get to the counseling session and this person begins to describe what is happening. They truly loved their spouse and children, but sensed they were losing them both each and every day. Over the next few hours, through prayer and discussion, we began to see a pattern of how the war was being lost. It was then that we began to apply the truth of God’s Word to their life and to discern that the bondage that they were in where do to unhealed hurts, un-forgiveness, disobedience, etc.

These areas opened a door for unseen demonic forces to invade this persons life and wreak havoc in their family. Yet, once we addressed those areas with the truth of God’s Word (“divine power”), we were able “to destroy strongholds.” The resulting experience was true freedom and release. I gained a greater revelation of the spiritual battle that we are all engaged in. I got to witness a family on the brink of total destruction, healed, restored and set free! I eventually got to counsel with the spouse and then both together and they are doing incredible to this day.

They still, from time to time, encounter warfare that comes against their marriage and family, however, they know the battle is won and by faith appropriate that victory and wage a good warfare.

What battle are you currently engaged in? What is the center of your frustration, anger, etc.? Please know and understand that the battle is won in the spiritual realm. You have a God in Heaven that has supplied you with ultimate weapon, His Word, and the Ultimate Champion, Jesus, to destroy every enemy that has come and is coming against you, your marriage, your family, your work place… and on and on. When you allow God’s Word to penetrate the areas of your life where you are struggling and allow your mind to be renewed, you will begin to experience victory in the battle.

Most importantly, when you surrender your life to Jesus Christ, you learn to appropriate by faith that the war has already been won in the spirit, through His death and resurrection, and that what you are experiencing is a defeated enemy hoping to deceive you into giving up that victory.

Spiritual Warfare is the battle that you don’t see, however it is also the battle that has already been won! Let’s obtain that victory!

Searching for the Barbarian

I love the picture of John the Baptist.  He wore a garment of camel’s hair (itchy) and a leather belt around his waist (itchier) and his food was locusts and wild honey.

These particular locusts species which especially infests oriental countries, went out stripping fields and trees.  Every spring numberless swarms were carried by the wind from Arabia into Palestine, and once they had devastated that country, they would migrate to regions farther north, until they finally perished by falling into the sea. The Orientals were accustomed to feeding upon locusts, either raw or roasted and seasoned with salt (or prepared in other ways), and the Israelis also were permitted to eat them.

So John, dressed in camels hair with nothing but a leather belt to hold it together; eating the most voracious type of locust and for dessert wild honey!  What a picture.  Everything about it screams to me barbarian.  This is the one who prepared the way of the Lord; this was the voice of one crying in the wilderness.  On top of all of that John came with a fiery message, a message not for the faint of heart.

Luke 3:7-8 “He said therefore to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? [8] Bear fruits in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham.”

Yet, somewhere along the way as Jesus began to increase and John began to fade back, the barbarian began to soften.  The once wild man began to lose spiritual site of his calling (mission) and began to see only with his natural eyes.

He heard of the ministry of Jesus expanding, as it was supposed to, and now imprisoned had to be wondering, “When will my cousin, the Lamb of God, come and free me.”  When that time didn’t come, John began questioning whether or not Jesus was the Lamb.  The once barbarian evangelist was now an imprisoned, weak, offended and confused man.

Matthew 11:2 Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples [3] and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?”

John in a weak moment went from barbarian to civilized.  Jesus, instead of consoling John and his messengers, confronts the “civilized nature”.

Matthew 11:4-6 And Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: [5] the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. [6] And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.”

Jesus seems to affirming to John that the road that he paved for Jesus was the right road and furthermore, don’t let what you were called to do, now having been completed, be the stumbling stone of offense because things do not look like you thought they would.

Here is my attempt at a point.  What are you called to?  Do you remember when you first surrendered your life to Jesus?  The moment you repented and confessed Jesus as Lord and Savior?  You went at your new birth like a barbarian, bold, daring and without fear.  At a moments notice you would witness to the guy next to you in the elevator, or at the restaurant.  You are excited and you don’t even have to know why.  You don’t know the rules of “religion” and you don’t care, you’re a barbarian!

Then after some time, your thoughts and plans and dreams of what was supposed to happen, now that you are a Christian, didn’t happen like you thought they would.   Instead of listening to God, and being aggressive as you did when you first surrendered, now you begin to isolate and become timid (civilized).

My testimony looked a lot like that.  I was a wild man and wanted everyone to know about this new life that I had found.  I was a barbarian!  I didn’t know the rules and didn’t want to; all I knew what that I was sold-out to God and was going to do everything I could to make His name famous, no matter the costs.

Then something happened….

(to be continued)

A Time To Be Still

Psalm 46:10 “Be still, and know that I am God.”

That verse has incredible meaning in my life. Those were the first words that I felt the Lord ever speak to me over thirteen years ago. I was a baby in the faith and stressed out about how I was going to serve God, be a better husband, father and business owner, etc.

As I stressed and then finally prayed, I sensed two words speak to my heart, “Be still”. I had no idea God spoke and even less what those words meant. I went to Beth and she told me, after I shared what I had heard/felt, that “Be still” was found in Psalms.

It was here that I discovered that God’s people are “commanded” to “be still” in this verse.  What does it mean when God’s people are commanded to “be still”? It doesn’t mean that we are restricted and unable to move as God’s people. Rather, it is a spiritual disposition that should characterize us as believer’s, that God’s promises will be fulfilled, in us and through us.

The words “be still” comes from the Hebrew term “raphah”.   It is defined as: that which is slack, or to let drop, or in some instances, to be disheartened or weak. Using that definition we are commanded to relax or “be weak”.  That doesn’t mean that we ignore our responsibilities and live our lives randomly, it means that in our responsibilities, we place our trust in God and not in ourselves. We live on purpose and that purpose is fulfilled through God’s Spirit by faith and His grace.

It is the dependence that we place on God, when we “be still” that allows us to not only see His works, but know His ways!   Psalm 46:10 encourages us to stop and reflect on what God has done and will do in the face of what we are unable to do.

In the midst of the shaking, we want to hold tight to “The Shaker” and His Word!  Romans 15:4 For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.

This passage tells us that we need to be reminded of the ways God has intervened and moved throughout history on behalf of His people. If He moved then, He will move again. It may feel as though “hectic” is the rule of the day, or that busyness or turmoil is a lifestyle, yet, in that face of distress, don’t move, instead, “be still” and have in faith in God. Be still because of what you have seen God do, you know that He will do it again.

Know that He is God! Don’t just know it mentally, know it practically, spiritually, and emotionally. He is your God. He is with you and He is your fortress. He is the immovable “Rock” on which we stand (Repeat).

Things around me are hectic and busy, still lots of decisions to be made and deadlines to meet! However, I have determined that it is “A Time To Be Still”.  I am going to relax, be weak and know that in my weakness, His strength will be perfected. God has moved before, I’ve seen it, and I know that He will move again!

Be Still.

Time to work – A time to rest

Tired? Exhausted? Worn out? It’s time to rest, chillax, and be still.

Ecclesiastes 2:20 “So my heart began to despair over all my toilsome labor under the sun.”

We should be laboring to enter into the Lord’s rest and enjoying His Presence, not laboring for labor’s sake. Listen, no one on their death bed ever says “Man, I wish I would have spent more time at the office and less time with God and my wife/husband/kids.”

We need to keep our hard work in its proper perspective, and concentrate on eternal things that really matter.

Is there work to be done? Absolutely, just not at the expense of our relationship with God, our family and health.

Take time, SOON, to rest, chillax, and be still. Enjoy your family and the Presence of God, recharge and refresh and when you are back at work, you will better enjoy the fruit of your labor!

Blessings,

Eddie

Accept No Other Imitations

Imitation is everywhere, it’s everywhere! As soon as the next television commercial comes out, touting the latest fashion in clothing, or the latest trend in movies and music, imitation follows. As a culture we have to be seen wearing the latest thing, seeing the hottest release or listening to top hits in order to feel as though we are a part of what’s going on.

Well if the latest trend in clothing is “Husky” jeans instead of “skinny” jeans, I might give it a try, otherwise, count me out! In relation to movies, provocative and vulgar seem to be the standard and those are just the G-rated ones. Music has completely done away with any morality whatsoever. Between the promotion of teenage sex; domestic violence, and various songs on lust, drinking and adultery, it’s amazing the earth hasn’t swallowed us up whole!

I know… I know… I’m out of touch and behind the times and I’m a prude. I think having kids does that to you. I get a little stressed when my preteen daughter begins to sing a song about wearing, “skin tight jeans and being someone’s teenage dream tonight”. Excuse me?!?!?!

It’s easy to change the channel on the station, say “no” to the MP3 purchase and to preview the movie before handing out the tickets and popcorn. However, we can’t just take things away and not replace them with something or Someone. We can’t just say “no” and “because I said so”. We have to instill into our lives and the lives of our children reason behind the “no” and the “because I said so”.

Ephesians 5:1-10 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. [2] And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. [3] But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. [4] Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving. [5] For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. [6] Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. [7] Therefore do not become partners with them; [8] for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light [9] (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), [10] and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. (ESV)

“We need to instill in our young people that above all else, whatever the world throws our way, we are to imitate our Creator.” Style, trends and sounds come and go, however God remains the same. He does not change!

The life that we see being lived out in clothing, music, movies, etc. is a life of excess and pain. Some would say, “That’s keeping it Real;” my response is that the “real” that we are imitating is actually not “real;” it is a deception sent out to ultimately cause our destruction.

The “real” is defined as living a life of love, the love that is willing to literally die for you, as Jesus did. The “real” pursues purity, is a giver not a taker, and speaks in words that build up not tear down. The “real” is thankful and pursues walking in the light bearing fruit such as goodness, righteousness and truth, continually searching out what is pleasing to the Lord.

Imitation is everywhere; He’s everywhere! Once we get past the latest fashion in clothing, or the latest trend in movies and music, and we quiet the world around us; Jesus is there. He is encouraging us to follow Him, to walk like Him, to talk like Him, to imitate Him. In order to do that we have to acknowledge Him, present Him and then represent Him.

Here in our house, I am so thankful for that stance. The thought of trying to get into “skinny” jeans is a painful thought! You can thank me later.

Something Terrible to Powerful Prayer.

This morning I woke up from what I call a “terrible” dream. These dreams really frustrate me and it is at times like this that the Word of God is like a cleansing agent to remove the “terrible”.

I was reading Thessalonians this morning and was greatly encouraged when, I began to reflect on people that are dear to me and the thought that at times they too may encounter a “terrible” dream from time to time. It was then that I was led to this passage.

2 Thessalonians 1:11-12 “[11]To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power, [12] so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.”

At times like this morning when a “terrible dream” can start a day off on the wrong foot, I had my wife, right there to pray for me. For that matter, she is always praying for me and praying that God would lead me and guide me as a man of God, a husband, father and pastor. In a nutshell, this passage is probably a great example of how she would pray, albeit, using different wording.

So, I took this prayer and prayed for YOU today! Aren’t I nice? Let me break it down for you.

1. I pray that our God may make you worthy of His calling. I pray this from the perspective that God has decided through Jesus Christ, you are and will, walk worthy in what God has called you to. Then, I pray that you will align yourself to God’s call.

2. I pray that God fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power… That is definitely a comforting thought! Think about it, the good and the work that God has called you to, of which, He has made you worthy, is accomplished by faith in Jesus and by God’s power. The pressure is off! Faith in Jesus and the power of God, along with our agreement, fulfill God’s work in our life. Which lead us to…

3. The name of our Lord Jesus being glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. Whenever I read Jesus being glorified in a person, I visualize a radiant glow on a person that becomes an attractant to those who do not know Jesus. Once again, you simply walk in agreement with God and by His grace, He is glorified in you and get this, “You are glorified in Him”. WOW!

Have you ever given much thought to that statement? Hopefully, we all seek to have Jesus glorified in our lives, yet, we many of us may shy away from seeing ourselves, glorified in Jesus. However, that’s God’s desire…deal!

Let me summarize and finish here. This morning began with a “terrible” dream and led to me being encouraged by God’s word, which led to my prayer for YOU! Know that through this prayer, I have come into agreement with God and Jesus, so in my book, it’s a done deal.

You have been and are being made worthy of God’s calling; You will fulfill the good that God has planned and every work of faith you move in will be by His power. The name of our Lord Jesus will be glorified in you, and yes, you in Him! This prayer is prayed in agreement with the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.