A Message to the Singles/0 Comments/in /by
Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life. Proverbs 4:23 NLT
 
The season is changing and everyone desires to have that special someone to spend quality time with for vacations and everything in the air signatures family and relationships.  This can be very challenging to your emotions.  I want to create some dialogue in your thoughts that will provoke you to look inward, so you will understand and identify what your triggers are before you enter another relationship.  Many of you reading this have not realized that being single is an option. You must learn to be content and look at what is right in your life as opposed to always focusing on the negative.  Contentment doesn’t eliminate your desires. You can be content today as a single and still want to get married someday. Christ was content going to the cross, but He didn’t really want to go. He wanted to do the Father’s will, and that desire overshadowed everything else. Contentment is a decision, not a feeling. It’s a determination to be satisfied with what God has given you today. Because of this, it’s possible to be content in your single state. If you practice contentment today, you’ll be better prepared for whatever life brings your way.  God’s plan for your life is to have a healthy, strong, happy, thriving, successful and lasting marriage; it will be challenged and there will be imperfections, but when you know God has joined it together, NOTHING that comes against it breaks its bond.  Single’s I want to make you think.

1.   Are you waiting for Love?  Never sit around and wait on a person to discover your worth, always give yourself a space of grace.  What you see in yourself, others will eventually see.  Do not compromise your worth for anything or anyone.  You are a gem of great price!

2.   Are you emotionally healthy? – Facing the truth about your partner, yourself, or your life can be painful and scary. How are you deceiving yourself? Sometimes we pretend our relationships are healthy, but deep down we know that they’re toxic and unhealthy. Don’t ignore the truth; it won’t change if you don’t confront it.

3.   Are you chasing a Ring or a Reality?  Society convinces us that we’re old by the time we’re 25. And instead of enjoying the fact that we’re getting wiser and more inspired and sure of ourselves, we’re being forced to stress over our “fading youth.” Instead of turning to marriage once we feel like we have a good grip on who we are as an individual and who we are in a partnership, we’re expected to turn to marriage before our youth and beauty and attractiveness waste away.

4.   Are you Building a Closer Relationship with God? Make daily prayer a must, and don’t be afraid to be honest with God. God already knows our thoughts, fears, imperfections, and mess-ups, so when we open our prayers with honesty, repentance and seeking forgiveness, our minds are cleared to praise God and begin hearing from Him.

5.   Are you Financially Secure? Build yourself a solid budget and stick to it, save your money, buy a home, travel and see the world.  You will never be happy with anyone in any relationship if you are not happy and secure in yourself.

Singles, God has given you this opportunity to get your life in order and live out your maximum potential. I encourage you to walk this journey of Singleness in wholeness and discover your path in discovering the Will of God for your life.  Find your identity and when the time is right, when you are healthy and in the right place with God, then the right one will come!  Confess every morning that number 1 is the new whole number!!!

Be blessed.
Pastor House

Water Does a Body Good

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Over 70% of our body is made up of water; therefore, it is important to replenish your body with water daily! There are several important reasons why water is vital to the body. 1. If you don’t drink water, you will die. The body cannot live without it. 2. Prevent cancer. Research has noted that staying hydrated can reduce […]

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‘How to Dispute a Credit Report’/0 Comments/in /by
Your credit report contains pertinent information about where you live, how you pay your bills, and whether you’ve been sued or arrested, or have filed for bankruptcy. Credit reporting companies sell the information in your report to creditors, insurers, employers, and other businesses that use it to evaluate your applications for credit, insurance, employment, or renting/buying a home. The federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) promotes the accuracy and privacy of information in the files of the nation’s credit reporting companies.
Should you periodically review your credit report? ABSOLUTELY… BUT WHY YOU MAY ASK?
  • Because the information it contains affects whether you can get a loan – and how much you should pay to borrow money.
  • To make sure the information is accurate, complete, and up-to-date before you apply for a loan for a major purchase like a house or car, buy insurance, or apply for a job.
  • To help guard against identity theft. That’s when someone uses your personal information – like your name, your Social Security number, or your credit card number – to commit fraud. Identity thieves may use your information to open a new credit card account in your name. Then, when they don’t pay the bills, the delinquent account is reported on your credit report. Inaccurate information like that could affect your ability to get credit, insurance, or even a job.
How to Order Your Free Report
The FCRA requires each of the nationwide credit reporting companies – Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion – to provide you with a free copy of your credit report, at your request, once every 12 months.
The three nationwide credit reporting companies have set up one website, toll-free telephone number, and mailing address through which you can order your free annual report. To order, visit annualcreditreport.com, call 1-877-322-8228, or complete the Annual Credit Report Request Form and mail it to:
Annual Credit Report Request Service
P.O. Box 105281
Atlanta, GA 30348-5281

Do not contact the three nationwide credit reporting companies individually. You may order your reports from each of the three nationwide credit reporting companies at the same time, or you can order from only one or two. The FCRA allows you to order one free copy from each of the nationwide credit reporting companies every 12 months.
To maintain the security of your file, each nationwide credit reporting company may ask you for some information that only you would know, like the amount of your monthly mortgage payment. Each company may ask you for different information because the information each has in your file may come from different sources.
Other situations where you might be eligible for a free report
You’re also entitled to a free report if a company takes adverse action against you, such as denying your application for credit, insurance, or employment, based on information in your report. You must ask for your report within 60 days of receiving notice of the action. The notice will give you the name, address, and phone number of the credit reporting company.
You’re also entitled to one free report a year if you’re unemployed and plan to look for a job within 60 days; if you’re on welfare; or if your report is inaccurate because of fraud, including identity theft.
Otherwise, a credit reporting company may charge you a reasonable amount for another copy of your report within a 12-month period. To buy a copy of your report, contact the three credit report companies individually.

Stay tuned next month for how to ‘Correct Errors on your Credit Report.’

Tanika M. Capers, Esq.
Let Him Be Your Guiding Light/0 Comments/in /by
During dark and gloomy days, sometimes it can feel as if it is impossible to feel God, or even to see Him. Because we are human, pain and emotions feel all so real when the stresses and woes of life surround us like a depressive cloud. However, I am reminded that dark clouds don’t last always. Let us learn from the season we are in, so that we can believe God even when we may not see Him, hear Him, or feel Him. The story in Matthew 14:24-31 reminds us that boisterous storms will come to rock our ship, but we have a God we can go to, and even in the midst of the sea, he allows us to come. He is a God who will walk through the waters with us and even when we are afraid, we can cry out, and He hears us. He will stretch forth his hand and catch us.
Let Him Be Your Guide
-Elder Robert Allen
Now, Then, Us, Them/0 Comments/in /by
I love the Olympics!  Every 4 years the world stops and focuses on the pinnacle of athletic ability.  In particular, I enjoy the track and field sprints with my favorite race being the 100m dash.  I find it interesting that all the runners have pretty much the same form when it comes to racing.  They all have the form of a winner.  And although winning with money is NOT a sprint (it is actually a marathon that biblically comes over years of making wise decisions), there is a lesson that can be learned from sprinters.

Have you ever noticed that at the sound of the gun, when each runner comes out of their starting block, their head is down?  Each runner is focused on their initial steps, driving as hard as they can to build up as much momentum as possible.  In short, they are focusing on the immediacy of the race; focused on the now!  If you are going to win with money, you have to focus on your current situation first!  I know so many people that have big hearts and want to help others financially, but you have to take care of you first.  You have to get yourself in position.  This is the same reason why the flight attendant says, “If you are traveling with a child or someone who requires assistance, secure your mask first, and then assist the other person.”  It’s not selfish, it’s prudent.  You want to be in a position of strength to help someone financially; otherwise, you run the risk of being in the same place as the person or people you are helping.

As the 100m runners are running, they begin to lift their head slowly as they tend to look at the ground they are about to conquer.  They look at their next few steps, in other words, their short-term goals.  What are your short term financial goals?  Do you want to pay off some of those credit cards?  Or do you have a savings goal?  What do you want to do within the next 5 years?  A good financial plan has small milestones that need to be celebrated and are used to measure progress toward the bigger goal.  Short term monetary goals allow you to fine tune your financial strategy as you enter full stride, but can only be addressed after your present situation is secured.

About 40-50 meters into the race, the runners have lifted their heads as they are now looking at the finish line.  They are at full stride and running with all their intensity.  Their form has held perfectly and their breathing is controlled, as they sprint toward their goal.  At this stage, financially, although you may have done everything right, you are the most efficient, effective, and are covering as much ground as possible.  Your short-term goals are flying by you as you gain full speed and the excitement of financial progress creates an intangible, but very real, momentum which allows you to press harder toward your goal even faster.  People are starting to notice there is something different about you.  And although they might not know the details of your finances, they realize that your financial mentality, spending habits, and money language is different.  You are a hitting on all cylinders!  But be careful, this is the worst time to get distracted and lose focus.

As the runners cross the finish line, they begin to coast and enjoy the fruits of their labor, training, and discipline.  They here the roar of the crowd and now their attention shifts from themselves to those around them; especially their family and friends that were cheering them on.  During the race, if you want to win, you must be focused to win.  But when you obtain financial peace, this is the time to be even more generous and you are strong enough to help others.

To win with money, you must have a plan for your finances and your plan should prioritize the immediate needs of your family first.  Then you can begin to look at your future, and as you prosper your capacity to help others will grow also.  But until that moment, you must say “no” to some things and some people.  Quoting Dave Ramsey, “Your financial focus should be Now, Then, Us, and [then] Them.”  The bible tells us that one who does not provide for his family has denied the faith and is worse than an infidel (1 Tim 5:8).  God takes the family first approach seriously.   So, don’t try to do too much too soon!  Remember building a legacy is not an overnight affair and it will require sacrifices.  The only question is, ‘are you willing to make the sacrifice long enough to win?’
“Living Intentional”/0 Comments/in /by
It is a time of New Beginnings and things are beginning to change. We have the powerful ability to choose. We can even choose how we make choices – or not. Sometimes we choose things automatically, either by our emotions or by our perception of truth.  In this season the Holy Spirit shall guide you into all truth. These tools are vital to you living intentional.
  • Forget about what happened to you in your last season. Isaiah 43:18
  • Release yourself from moments you aborted from misunderstanding the season.  1 Chronicles 12:32
  • Accept that God agrees with you being successful. Proverbs 16:3
  • Stop allowing mistakes from old seasons to be present strongholds.  Isaiah 54:4
Mature in your perception about your life and start preparing for promotion.  God is up to something great and it includes you.  Spiritual growth requires effort on our part, but spiritual stagnation, procrastination and decline requires nothing at all…Ephesians 5:15
Consider the power of intentional living.  What would your day be like if you could get through it with fewer distractions and efforts aligned with your personal strengths and priorities with crystal-clear focus.
Remember there are 3 types of people:
  • Those who make things happen
  • Those who watch things happen
  • Those who wonder what happened.
Living Intentional yields benefits beyond simple achievement -less stress, fulfillment, and a sense of accomplishment. Being intentional is essential to creating your personal future. Understanding the three keys to making good choices is also important.

1.    You must realize there are options from which to choose.

2.    You must realize your choices impact others.

3.    You must understand that you are responsible for the choices you make and their consequences.

“Remember, you want to be direct and aim towards specific goals, not just react throughout life.” Even though being intentional and congruent is quite simple, it does take concentrated effort at least from the standpoint of awareness and commitment. Once you have become aware, conquer the process and commit to your future. The journey to your future is a process and is filled with uncertainties, but in this season, you will walk with endurance and finish strong.  Ecclesiastes 9:11 “Greatness is springing forth.”
Pastor Clinton House
Think Smart, Take Care of Your Heart/0 Comments/in /by

The heart is smart. It regulates our emotions, desires, thoughts and intents. The Bible says, “… for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7).

This is a spiritual saying; however, it can also be applied physically

Physically, the heart is the engine that keeps the body alive. When not taken care of properly, the heart can develop several types of heart conditions called “heart disease.” The most common type of heart disease in the United States is coronary artery disease (CAD), which affects the blood flow to the heart.

Decreased blood flow can cause a heart attack, which is often the first sign of heart disease. What causes CAD is plaque buildup (deposits of cholesterol and other substances) on the walls of the arteries. The arteries supply blood to the heart and other parts of the body. Plaque buildup causes the inside of the arteries to narrow over time, which could partially or totally block the blood flow. This process is called atherosclerosis.

When your heart muscle doesn’t get enough blood, you may have chest pain or discomfort, called angina. Over time, CAD can weaken the heart muscle. This may lead to heart failure, causing the heart to not be able to pump blood the way it should.  An irregular heartbeat, or arrhythmia, also can develop CAD.

To find out your risk of CAD, your health professional may measure your blood pressure, cholesterol, and sugar levels. Several other medical conditions and lifestyle choices can also put people at a higher risk for heart disease, including:

  • Diabetes
  • Overweight and obesity
  • Unhealthy eating
  • Physical inactivity
  • Excessive alcohol use
  • Smoking tobacco
  • Family history

If God looks at the heart, we should too. Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women.  The staggering statistics show that about half of Americans (49%) have at least one of the three key heart disease risk factors: high blood pressure, high LDL cholesterol, and smoking. About 610,000 Americans die from heart disease each year – that’s 1 in every 4 deaths. In the United States, someone has a heart attack every 42 seconds; and each minute, someone in the U.S. dies from a heart-related event.[1]

In order to take away the risk of CAD, we must make better lifestyle choices: live stress-free, control weight – fight obesity, eat healthy, put fitness into the schedule, stop smoking, reduce/no alcohol intake, and break the family curse!  It’s time to think smart about how we take care of our heart…“for out of it are the issues of LIFE.” (Proverbs 4:23)

Tracy Byrd, Certified Fitness Instructor

[1] Information taken from www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/facts
DON’T TOUCH THAT PHONE!/0 Comments/in /by
Numerous times a day I see it…People driving and texting or driving and talking on their phone (while holding their phone).  If you are not aware, the Nevada Legislature passed a law that prohibits and/or limits a person from using a cell phone while driving. 
 
The law applies to a person operating a motor vehicle on a highway in the State of Nevada.  The term highway means any road, street, freeway, etc. that the public has access to.  Arguably, this could apply to driving in parking lots.  To be clear, the law prohibits the use of texting, searching the internet, reading email, instant messaging, etc. while operating a vehicle.  So technically even if you are stopped at a light you would be breaking the law if you were reading your emails or texting.  As such, there is no reading or typing while operating a vehicle.
The law does allow for a person to use a cellphone while operating a vehicle if they are using an accessory that allows the use of the phone to be hands-free.  Therefore, any Bluetooth device or earpiece will allow you to follow the law and talk.   The law specifically states that a person is allowed to use the phone “to activate, deactivate or initiate a feature or function on the device.”  You may ask what about holding the cell phone and using the speaker function while driving?   This would not meet the definition of hands-free and therefore would be illegal.  
Drivers who use their phones as a GPS are advised to program the location prior to taking the wheel and then never to touch the phone during the trip. Picking up the device or programming information into the device while driving is a crime in Nevada. Last, if playing music on a cell phone requires the phone to be in the driver’s hand at any time, then it is technically illegal. Nevada police have been advised to assume that any driver who is holding or touching a cell phone is violating NRS 484B.
The Statute requires the following fine schedule:
a.    First offense within 7 years is $50, and is not considered a moving violation.
b.    Second offense within 7 years is $100, moving violation
c.    Third offense within 7 years is $250, moving violation
 
Tanika M. Capers, Esq.
When Was the Last Time/0 Comments/in /by
When was the last time you spent intimate time with God and requested your true heart’s desires, and included His will?
 
Mark 11:24 says, “Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.”
 
God is exceedingly able to grant us the desires of our hearts, according to His will. When we ask, we must also remember to ask Him, what He desires of us. The blessings of God are transactional. What we bring to Him in Jesus name, according to His will, He blesses; including our prayers.
 
As you ask Him for what you desire, be sure to ask Him, what He desires of you. 
You want the blessings of His will over your life.
 
Everything goes better with Jesus!
Minister Rashieda Shabazz
Sweet Dreams/0 Comments/in /by
When it comes to retirement, we all have dreams. We all have thoughts about the days of when we no longer have to get up to go to our place of employment.  What do your retirement plans look like?  Whether our retirement dreams look like us continuing to work at a job we enjoy (but at our own pace), or if they consist of just lying on a beach in Tahiti, they all have one thing in common; the future.  But how do we get that dream future? How do we retire with dignity?  When should we start thinking about retirement?
Besides Social Security, there are other federal approved retirement plans that allow you to prepare for retirement and it would be wise to take advantage of them; some of the most commonly known plans are 401ks, 403bs, and IRAs.  401k and 403b plans are investment vehicles sponsored by your employer but are administered by investment firms such as Fidelity, Merrill Lynch, Prudential, etc.  Not all employers offer such plans, but when available, they should be used because they are excellent plans for building wealth and the preparing for retirement.
401ks, 403bs, and IRAs are savings and investment accounts, but they come with restrictions on withdrawing the money.  Why would the government put limitations on the access to YOUR money?  That’s easy, because YOU get tax benefits for taking advantage of these great plans. And if there are two certainties in your life, they are death and taxes.  These retirement accounts are NOT to be treated as “piggy banks’ for you to withdraw money whenever you feel like you need it.  The money is supposed to be for retirement; for example, below are three main reasons as to why taking money out of your 401k is a bad idea.
1.    First, it is extremely expensive in the short term. Typically, the administrator of your 401k is required to withhold 20% for the money you want to withdraw and send it to directly to the IRS for any taxes (federal and state) that are due on the money.  And to compound the issue, there is a 10% penalty for early withdrawals! That is money just lost. But it gets worse!!!
2.    Secondly, it is extremely expensive in the long term.  Money taken out of a person’s 401k misses out on the greatest passive wealth building phenomenon known to man; compound interest.
3.    Thirdly, taking money out of a retirement plan may actually create debt. Some retirement plans allow you to withdraw your funds but require you (by garnishing your paycheck) to pay the money back with interest. But we are trying to live debt free (remember the affirmation we say before offering time at every service!). And even though you are “paying yourself interest” you still end up losing the opportunity to do something more important with that money.
So, for example, if you are under 591/2 yrs old and pulled $5,000 from your retirement savings to give, after taxes and fees, your $5,000 is only $3,500!  And that $5,000 you removed from your account cannot gain compound interest which over 30 years, using a conservative interest rate of 7%, could have cost you over $57,500 at retirement when you need to money the most!  Is the $3,500 gift now worth more than your $57,500 sacrifice? Probably not! There usually is a better answer.
Will you have enough money to achieve your retirement dreams? When we reach retirement, we all want our lives to be good testimonies for God as we look back over our lives and say, “Look at how God has prospered me!”  But we hinder the work of God by being impetuous, impulsive, and impatient.  Putting away money to retire with dignity is not only a good idea, it’s a biblical idea.  So, let’s exercise some patience and only use the retirement savings if it is absolutely necessary.  And as we show discipline, God will reward our faithfulness in the fullness of time. God bless!
Please join us, starting April 1, for our next sessions of Financial Peace University (FPU).  Registration is now open in the MFM Bookstore.  The investment is only $100 total for your entire household.  See the entire schedule below.  If you are unable to attend a particular class, no worries, you will not miss out on any information. Ask us how.
Alfred King, Financial Consultant