"Surviving Today's Economy" - An Evening of CONVICTION and HOPE!

WOW! - If you missed last evening's Weigh Down LIVE Webcast, "Surviving Today's Economy," you missed an evening of CONVICTION, REALITY...and ultimately, HOPE. You might ask, "What hope is there in a REALLY DOWN economy...not just here in the United States but on a global scale?" What Gwen explained in such a CLEAR, CONCISE, and POWERFUL way was that OUR hope rests in ADHERING to GOD'S commands and staying within His boundaries in our spending and investments and our FOCUS on putting Him FIRST in EVERYTHING. She charged us to "have FAITH" in GOD'S system of laws and principles. His boundaries SURELY DO fall in "pleasant places," as the great King David wrote in the 16th Psalm.

Gwen's Message was backed up by Testimonies of several participants who have saved LOTS of money and been blessed in so many other ways by putting all of this into practice. AGAIN, it was an evening of CONVICTION to go FURTHER in our relationships with GOD...and an evening with PRACTICAL advice as to HOW we can accomplish this. It was, indeed, "MUST-SEE TV"...via your internet connection of course. You can see it again...or for the first time...by clicking HERE. It has been amazing as a STAFF for us to witness the countless ways that GOD has used Gwen and this Ministry to change lives for the better. It truly is about SO much more than weight. It has something for EVERYBODY!

Remember that today on WDWB LIVE, at 3:30pm CST, we'll be talking about feeling GOD'S pain...HIS grief...HIS sense of loss...what HE goes through on a daily basis. And given last night's eye-opening Webcast about the state of today's economy, it is OBVIOUS that GOD has MANY lessons to teach us. May we see it as a humbling HONOR to learn ANYTHING more about His personality...His joy and His pain...His likes and His dislikes...His Truth and Righteousness!

Grieving...for GOD and HIS pain

GRIEVING - Every one of us has experienced LOSS. You've lost dearly loved family members and/or friends as they've passed away. You've had a favorite pet that's passed away. You've witnessed tragic events in news coverage - horrible crashes, crimes, and substance-related passings. On a life-still-goes-on scale, you may have experienced grief in losing a job or perhaps you've moved away from your closest family and friends. Perhaps you've had the pain from broken relationships stay with you for a long time. All of this, of course, is very REAL. GOD desires SO VERY MUCH for us to cry out to HIM in this...RATHER than run to ANYTHING ELSE for comfort or to feel better. It's what JESUS did in His painful grief...knowing what He was about to suffer before His crucifixion. But let's look at GRIEF from a perspective that we really OUGHT to...NO, we MUST...look at it like from this day forward (if you haven't already considered this...)

GOD...the LORD and FATHER of all things we see and do not see...the CREATOR of every star, plant, animal, blade of grass, leaf on a tree, drop of water and every MAN, WOMAN, and CHILD...US...experiences LOSS and GRIEF on a cataclysmic scale - ALL day, EVERY day. Every single day, billions of people (remember that WE are the ONLY beings in His Creation who are "made in His image") make CONSCIOUS DECISIONS to ignore His commands, complain to Him, deny Him, curse Him, and gripe about their OWN lives...being mad about what they DON'T have or DON'T like...rather than counting the BILLIONS of BLESSINGS that they DO have...the COUNTLESS JOYS that we GET to share in as human beings who have a CHANCE to be guided by HIS HOLY SPIRIT!!! THAT, dear friends, for our GREAT GOD ALMIGHTY, has GOT to be GRIEVING for HIM! How does He keep it up? How does He not give up on the whole thing? We read about the "fruits of the Spirit" (HIS Spirit) - love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. My GOODNESS, does He EVER exemplify those in INFINITE measures! We of course will feel a pain and a loss if ONE thing goes wrong in our lives. CONSIDER though for just one moment...even right now as you're reading this...what HIS day, every day, is like.

• People full of greed...for TOO MUCH food, alcohol, money, sexual feelings...and this happens worldwide all day.
• People NOT giving Him credit when things are "going great" and people BLAMING Him when things happen that they don't understand.
• People conveniently asking for his "help" when they get into a "jam" and then totally forgetting about Him on a daily basis...never asking for His HOUR-by-HOUR leading.
• People treating everything else BUT Him as a "god"...from football to jobs to money to food to alcohol to sex to TV to THEMSELVES...when HE is the ONLY TRUE GOD.

The list of HIS justifiable "grievances" could go on and on for pages and pages and pages. YET, here we are...the world is spinning and we have a CHANCE to CHANGE PERSPECTIVES...starting RIGHT NOW as it needs to for any of us. TODAY is the day to CHOOSE to FEEL for HIM. Let's start every day with PRAISE for even LIFE ITSELF...before even ASKING for anything. Let's tell Him every day how SORRY we are that He DOES experience and endure SO MUCH GRIEF and PAIN every day.

Here's a quote from Gwen - "Grieve FOR GOD...Do not ADD to GOD'S grief."

The next time something happens that feels like a "loss" in any of our lives, let's fall to our knees and worship GOD for the patience He has had with all of us. In the middle of His grief, He has given us the eyes and ears to see and hear what His will is...even to this very day. We'll be discussing this concept...GRIEVING for GOD...on WDWB LIVE today at 3:30pm CST. And DON'T FORGET to set your alarm, double-check your computer and internet connection, block off the time, and do EVERYTHING you CAN do be available to watch TONIGHT'S FREE Weigh Down LIVE Webcast at 7:00pm CST. Gwen and several people testifying will share how to have a GODLY perspective on "Surviving Today's Economy." This perspective will provide HELP and ENCOURAGEMENT for EVERYONE! Please join us on the Web Radio this afternoon and on the Webcast this evening. Until then, let's PRAY to feel more of our GREAT and BEAUTIFUL GOD'S grief...and resolve ourselves to RELIEVE some of it with our own lives...never ADD to it.

TEACHABILITY from GOD - A Golden Virtue, A Key to Salvation

DON'T FORGET! - We have Weigh Down LIVE, our free online webcast, scheduled for TOMORROW (Wednesday) evening at 7:00pm CST! The THEME is "Surviving Today's Economy." We'll have tips, testimonies, and encouragement. CLICK HERE for more info!

Now, on with the Blog...

"TEACHABILITY" - From www.dictionary.com - A couple of strong definitions to get the Blog going this morning - "Able and willing to learn"...also..."Capable of being taught, as a subject."

That's a great launching pad for some thoughts for today...and in fact, that PLAQUE you see at the top of today's Blog is a quote from michelangelo, renowned Italian renaissance artist. He was in his 80s (age-wise) when this quote was recorded.

Have you noticed, whether it's in business, sports, TV, movies, music, medicine, etc......how the "hungry pupil" often times starts in very low, humble, wanting to SOAK UP every bit of learning he or she can absorb circumstances...then rises through the ranks into positions of fame, management, recognition, etc...then because of PRIDE and a love of the PRAISE of MAN, CEASES to become "teachable." Here are some examples from a variety of perspectives...LOSING teachability versus REMAINING teachable...

• LOSING TEACHABILITY - In the most recently released "Star Wars" movie - Episode Three: Revenge of the Sith - Anakin Skywalker goes from humble protege, thankful for Obi Wan Kenobi's teaching, wanting to learn from the "Jedi Council"...to becoming GREEDY for more position and power. He even ADMITS to his wife that the way he's beginning to feel is WRONG. "Something's wrong. I'm not the Jedi I should be. I want more. But I know I shouldn't..." He LOST his humility and turned to the dark side. The SUBJECT LOST his ability to be TAUGHT in the RIGHT way.
• LOSING TEACHABILITY - You see and hear the sports stories about hungry-to-learn football players, overcoming odds and difficult upbringings...only to get to the NFL (National Football League), get the big contract, become stars, then HOLD OUT while still UNDER contract because they "want more." Greed...pride...wanting more..."I know better..."
• REMAINING TEACHABLE - King David. We bring his name up FREQUENTLY in these Blogs because he truly was a "man after GOD'S own heart." From a quick rise to fame with the slinging of a stone and the slaying of the giant Goliath, the Israelites were singing SONGS about him! He could have gotten the "big head" and followed a path of pride to his own destruction. But NO, the jealous King Saul pursued David out of JEALOUSY and David SPARED Saul out of fear of the LORD and RESPECT for Saul's position as "GOD'S anointed" King. He wouldn't DARE lay a hand on Saul...even though Saul was in the wrong by pursuing David and trying to kill him. READ the PSALMS! They are FILLED with humility and teachability. He NEVER stops crying out to GOD for MORE wisdom and love and mercy and he gives GOD this never-ending, beautiful PRAISE...to his final days on the earth. And King David did this in even INCREASING measure! TEACHABILITY to the CORE!

Gwen has always led this Ministry...from its very beginning foundations to this very day and even MORESO every day...with a humble spirit of hungering and thirsting for MORE teaching from GOD. With the unparalleled success of Weigh Down, she has SURELY sought GOD MORE and MORE...in INCREASING measure. And He continues to bless all of the teachings, testimonies, and music coming from this Ministry. The example set for us as a Staff is to love and need and want and desire GOD MORE with every passing day. We truly do "need Thee every hour" (as the old hymn goes..."I Need Thee Every Hour.")

Those are just some examples and thoughts to think about as we ALL examine our OWN hearts. "Am I MORE teachable...MORE hungry for wisdom and godly counsel...MORE humble and wanting DIRECTION as I'm getting older?" Or is it, "I'm at a pretty good place...feeling good...moved up the ladder in life...I'm set." That's a very DANGEROUS place to be. Amos 6:1 - "Woe to you who are complacent in Zion..." May we NEVER fall into this UNteachable, horrible COMPLACENCY. TEACHABILITY...examples of the BLESSINGS of EMBRACING it versus the CONSEQUENCES of SHUNNING it...that's what we'll be talking about TODAY on WDWB LIVE at 3:30pm CST. We hope you'll join us!