"Giving God the Helm" Reviewed by Richard R. Blake for Reader Views

Giving God the Helm: Overcoming Storms of Adversity 

Mark Kuhne 

Overcoming For Life, LLC (2011) 

ISBN 9780615429038 

Reviewed by Richard R. Blake for Reader Views (5/11)

Kuhne likens life’s trials and tribulations to facing the turbulence of the open sea in a row boat. In his book “Giving God the Helm: Overcoming Storms of Adversity” Mark shares from his own life experiences to encourage the reader to make Jesus the Captain of their lives. He goes on to show the reader how; by turning over the helm of their life to Jesus, He will lead you into safer waters, in the midst of tumultuous life difficulties and adversities. 

Throughout his story Mark refers to “The Parable of the Pontoon Boat.” He candidly tells how blinded by circumstances and enticed by visions of ownership and pleasure, against his better judgment, he became the owner of a pontoon boat. What started out as a “free gift” became a costly lesson, revealing Mark’s vulnerability, his weakness, and his stubborn heart. 

Later, in a similar instance, with much more at stake, Mark discovers the hard way that he has not learned his lesson and once again finds himself accepting what he thought was a favor (or free gift) which turned out to be a nightmare, the worst storm of his life. 

Mark Kuhne’s writing is founded on proven Biblical principles, examples, and faith building lessons leading to spiritual growth and living victorious Christian lives. He uses the Old Testament story of the spirit of Jezebel to help the reader understand the forces of spiritual battles and the armor to fight these battles. He has a unique way of clearly articulating how to use the energy from your adversities to transform your life by applying your faith to help you proactively avoid the worst of storms to overcome anxiety, fear and depression. 

Throughout the book are bold highlighted tips, advice and inspiration, for example: “No matter how difficult the circumstances, the experience will prepare you for something greater if you determine to learn and accept the lessons from God, your Captain.” 

The selected scripture passages that offer promise and possibility are another source of inspiration. Other important features are the comprehensive selection of Bible affirmations and suggestion resources. 

Mark relates how, on occasion, he has found direction from the interpretations of dreams in the midst of a particular trial. This may raise a flag from some readers. However, I found Mark’s foundational theology to be solid.

After 25 years in banking, Mark Kuhne left his position as Community Bank President to pursue painting and writing full-time. He has included black and white replicas of many of his original paintings. These dramatically reinforce and impact a number of the Biblical examples included in the narrative. 

“Giving God the Helm: Overcoming Storms of Adversity” is a strong reminder of the power and possibilities available to the person willing to turn their life over to God as their Captain 

Do you know the purpose behind your storms of adversities?

Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character, and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

Romans 5:1–5

In these verses in Romans, John MacArthur, editor of The MacArthur Study Bible, writes that “[having been justified] underscores that justification is a one-time legal declaration with continuing results, not an ongoing process” (p. 1700). Justification has been done by faith. MacArthur further clarifies that hope in the New Testament “contains no uncertainty; it speaks of something that is certain, but not yet realized.”

To overcome our tribulations, we must be willing to let God press and shape us. We must submit to our Father and let Him steer.  Giving God the helm is a must! 

  

Mark Kuhne’s book sets hungry believers—those willing to give God the helm—sailing on a sea alive with abundant possibilities that will transform your life.  You will learn to use the energy from your storms of adversity to overcome and approach your life and business in an entirely new way.  As he shares his story, your heart will change.  You too will pierce the veil of your sunglasses, find the keys to transformation, and break through resistance.  This book build’s your faith and gives you power to spiritually grow. Not only will you will discover the purpose behind your storms, with God as your Captain, you will learn to navigate the roughest of seas.

—Brian Klemmer , Klemmer & Associates, international consultant, speaker, and bestselling author, The Compassionate Samurai, If How To's were Enough, We'd all be Skinny, Rich and Happy and many others.

http://www.overcomingforlife.com/

God must control you for Him to give you His help...

You must give God the helm of your heart.  God must control you for Him to give you His help.

Practice these 8 things and God will help you:

1.     Get right with God: confess and repent of leaning towards sin and darkness. Pray in the spirit often.  Cover everything with the blood of Jesus. Meditate in the Word. Worship, sing, and praise.  Invite the Holy Spirit to show you tangible ways to demonstrate your faith.

2.     Set your mind on the Word.  Read, study and meditate on the Word!  Read other books that help you improve your walk and help you grow spiritually!  Try the Tree of Life, A Contemplative Prayer meditation DVD.  At $8.95 it provides great rewards with little risk: order at www.OvercomingForLife.com.

3.     Add action to your faith: pray to help and heal others.  Set your vision higher than the natural.

4.     Pursue spiritual gifts: lay your hands on your belly and pray, "Lord I ask that You stir up and manifest the gifts of the Spirit within me."

5.     Practice your faith.

6.     See and hear God’s voice: if you can’t, get help from your pastor.  Look for signs and wonders in daily life.

7.     Associate with the anointing. Go to where you know God is moving.  Receive impartation of power through association.  Get into the right church.  How do you know it is the right church? Are people growing spiritually?  Examine the fruit of the church and those who attend.  If it is not much more than a Sunday social club, prayfully consider checking out other churches. 

8.     Be motivated in love.  If all you care about is you, your family and no more, you are missing the point.  As Christians we are called to edify the body of Christ, His Kingdom!

The book Giving God the Helm, Overcoming Storms of Adversity now available in paperback at Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=giving+god+the+helm

We Need God's Help

We Need God’s Help!

Faith + Works = Results (fruit) because it is the Lord who does the watering!

You sow, He waters, you reap a harvest.

Between seed time and harvest time is prayer, fasting, and worship time.

It’s OK to sow multiple fields if that is what the Lord tells you to do.

Lack of faith +/- intentions = no fruit or worse evil fruit

Prayer time also includes seeking the Lord in all we do, every day.  How do you improve your inner-communion with Christ?  Get to know him better by reading your Bible daily, spending time with Him, meditate on His Word, and more.

Kristin and I have created a DVD to help Christians learn and improve their godly meditation or inner-communion with Christ:

Tree of Life, A Contemplative Prayer (available at http://www.overcomingforlife.com/product-detail and also at Amazon.com).

I go into at least 12 specific things you can do to not only improve your spiritual growth in Christ, but also to overcome adversities in my newly released book Giving God the Helm, Overcoming Storms of Adversity (available in paperback at B&N, and ebook (Kindle, Nook and others) as well at http://www.overcomingforlife.com/product-detail.

Let's learn to grow up in Christ!

Be blessed,

Mark

Others May Not See or Understand Your Vision

Others may not see or understand your vision.

1 Kings 18:42-43 (NKJV): So Ahab went up to eat and drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; then he bowed down on the ground, and put his face between his knees, and said to his servant, "Go up now, look toward the sea." So he went up and looked, and said, "There is nothing." And seven times he said, "Go again."

It was Elijah’s vision. The servant couldn’t see it and had to go look 7 times!

Your vision can change and get bigger.

1 Kings 18:44 (NKJV): Then it came to pass the seventh time, that he said, "There is a cloud, as small as a man's hand, rising out of the sea!"

The vision started off as a small cloud and got bigger!

God’s vision for you is moving forward with or without you (God plans are so big that if you do not do your part to build the kingdom, He will find someone else).

Don’t turn back, keep your faith, be patient.

In Matthew 25:14-23, when called to do the work of the Lord, the Lord rewards faithfulness:

Matthew 25:21 (NKJV): ^…'Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.'

Stay the course and don't quit!

God bless you, Mark

Giving God the Helm soon to also be an ebook!

Converting my book Giving God the Helm, Overcoming Storms of Adversity into an ebook format was harder than I thought it would be, but worth the effort.

Bookbaby.com changed a few things that also required that the images all be reformatted and submitted.  Hopefully my part of this process is finished and Giving God the Helm epub version for Barnes & Noble Nook, iPad, Amazon Kindle and others will also be released also on or about 2/25!

The printed proof of Giving God the Helm, Overcoming Storms of Adversity should be in my hands Monday or Tuesday for approval-finalization before going to print.

Tonight, Kristin and I are going on a date…out to dinner to celebrate!

http://www.overcomingforlife.com/product-detail

Others May Not See or Understand Your Vision

Others may not see or understand your vision...

1 Kings 18:42-43 (NKJV): So Ahab went up to eat and drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; then he bowed down on the ground, and put his face between his knees, and said to his servant, "Go up now, look toward the sea." So he went up and looked, and said, "There is nothing." And seven times he said, "Go again."

It was Elijah’s vision. The servant couldn’t see it and had to go look 7 times!

Your vision can change and get bigger.

1 Kings 18:44 (NKJV): Then it came to pass the seventh time, that he said, "There is a cloud, as small as a man's hand, rising out of the sea!"

The vision started off as a small cloud and got bigger!

God’s vision for you is moving forward with or without you (God plans are so big that if you do not do your part to build the kingdom, He will find someone else).

Don’t turn back, keep your faith, be patient.

In Matthew 25:14-23, when called to do the work of the Lord, the Lord rewards faithfulness.

Matthew 25:21 (NKJV): ^…'Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.'

It isn't just a compliment, but a place to enter...His place, His presence!

Is Your Vision from God or Did You Make it Out of Wood?

Is your vision from God or did you make it out of wood and dress it up to look good?

Habakkuk 2:18-19: "What profit is the image, that its maker should carve it, The molded image, a teacher of lies, That the maker of its mold should trust in it, To make mute idols?  Woe to him who says to wood, 'Awake!' To silent stone, 'Arise! It shall teach!' Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver, Yet in it there is no breath at all.

God’s vision is true. It never lies, it never fails, it never disappoints.

If it is not God’s vision for you, it is in vain.

Stay the Course

There is pretty much a straight line between where you are and the destination God designed for you.  Unfortunately, life happens and we need to make adjustments or changes to our bearings to stay the course.

Don’t let wounds or rough seas knock you off course.  It is OK to seek temporary shelter for a storm to pass, but stay the course.

Keep moving forward.  Labor with purpose and faithfully even when you cannot see through the clouds or storm.

Ask God to show you the truth as to why you were knocked off course.

Others may not see or understand your vision.  They may even dislike and challenge your vision…be prepared for resistance.

Many thought Noah was crazy!

God bless you,

Mark

Like a Seed, Wait for the Appointed Time

Every vision from God has an appointed time for fulfillment.

As you recall Abraham and Sarah didn't wait, got ahead of God, and took matters into their own hands.

How do we get ahead of God? We lose heart, lack patience, and begin to cut corners.  Cutting corners can ruin the greatest plans!  Like a seed, wait for the appointed time knowing that it will sprout, grow and bear fruit at just the right time.

Faith is like reeling in a fish: you know you have a fish on the end of your line, but there may be moments when you can't actually feel that fish.  If you give up reeling, you may never see that fish...with the line slack, it is easier for the fish to come off the hook.

How do we fall back and drop out?  We let rebellion, distractions, bad attitudes, and non-essential activities knock us off our course…we begin to drift away and lose sight of our goal. Our fishing line goes slack.

The Jews wandered for 40 years in the wilderness of rebellion and Jonah ended up in the stomach of a whale.  The wilderness of rebellion is not where I want to be...ever!

God’s vision is true and surely comes.

Saul said (see Acts 26:19, 22, NKJV):  "Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision…Therefore, having obtained help from God, to this day I stand, witnessing both to small and great…"

Being obedient to your heavenly vision gets you God’s help (or provision).

With the right vision, you are on a journey that God himself designed just for you. Best of all, with the right vision, God will help you.  Is that great or what!?

God bless you,

Mark 

Don’t Get Ahead of God

John 3:3 (NKJV): Jesus answered and said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."

We must die to the old to be able to see or have vision as a new person in Christ.

See 2 Timothy 1:8-9 (abbreviated): Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord…for the gospel according to the power of God,  who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus…

We are clearly called to God’s purpose.  There is a Holy calling that we must follow or we miss the mark and sin.

Every vision from God has an appointed time for fulfillment.

Using Abraham and Sarah, as an example, don’t get ahead of God and take matters into your own hands. It will cause BIG problems.

We Must See Well, and then God performs His Word!

When creating or following your vision (your goals) it can’t be just any vision.

Just because you can conceive and believe in something BIG doesn’t mean it is from God.  God is BIG, but not everything BIG is from God.

The Tower of Babel is an example in the Bible of man building something BIG without God.

The right vision (goals) must include God's calling or assignment for you at this time.

Jeremiah 1:11-12 (NKJV)
Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying, "Jeremiah, what do you see?" And I said, "I see a branch of an almond tree."   Then the LORD said to me, "You have seen well, for I am ready to perform My word."

We must see well.  Once we have correct vision (the right goals) the Lord is ready to perform His word!  Is that great or what!?

Look closely at my painting "Door of Hope" based on Hosea 2:14-23.  The mountains 2 olive trees, and vineyards are glorious, but the real glory is through Christ (the rising Son) who strengthens us. When our vision (goals) are in harmony with Christ, His glory shines through us for all to see.

It is time to see well and follow the right vision.

God bless you,

Mark

Know Where You Are Going Or Perish

It is very important for us to know where we are going.

Did you know that the enemy hates vision?  Satan knows that Christians with visions are powerful people.  He also knows that the people cast off restraint and perish without a purpose or vision.

See Proverbs 29:18: Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint...

No revelation = no vision.  Casting off restraint = perish.

See 1 Samuel 3:1: Then the boy Samuel ministered to the LORD before Eli. And the word of the LORD was rare in those days; there was no widespread revelation.

No vision: the Word was rare!

See 1 Samuel 4:10-11: So the Philistines fought, and Israel was defeated, and every man fled to his tent. There was a very great slaughter, and there fell of Israel thirty thousand foot soldiers. Also the ark of God was captured...

No victory.  Israel was defeated and the ark was taken from them!

See John 9: A man was born blind: he had no vision.  When Jesus healed his eyes he had new vision.  The Pharisees (the enemy) were upset!  The enemy doesn't want you to have vision.

It is important that you see where you are going, for you to have a vision for your life.  Stop now and draw close to God to know His vision for you: know your purpose.

Faith is Taking the First Step

With God’s Word as our engine and the Holy Spirit as our thrust, we are wise people, we have places to be, and things to do!  We are anointed!

Our "mantel" is anointed to do a job!

Martin Luther King, Jr. said,  “Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase.”

It is time to step out in faith and do your job for the Kingdom of God.

How?  You “position” your heart based on the “end” result desired, the “what” that is to come.  In other words, you do not dwell on each transaction, trial or tribulation along the way as you walk out your journey towards your destination.

Your attitude must go before you!  Choose to rejoice in all things.  Not because it feels good at the time, but because in faith, you know God will work it out for His good, and yours too!

Luke 10:20 (The Message Bible) 
All the same, the great triumph is not in your authority over evil, but in God's authority over you and presence with you. Not what you do for God but what God does for you—that's the agenda for rejoicing."

You make a difference.  Even if all you help is just one starfish, at least that one starfish was blessed by you!

                                         painting by Mark Kuhne (Starfish on the Reef, 18 x 24" acrylics)

You Can and Do Make a Difference!

From Bible Illustrations - Bible Illustrations – A Treasury of Bible Illustrations:

"Your witness makes a big difference as you walk with Christ in this world. It is important to guard yourself from the "young man" who wants to represent you. Don't be discouraged! Your Christian life lived out makes an impact on those who are watching you. Look closely at this story and apply it to your walk:

Practical Illustrations - Practical Illustrations – Volume 9: Galatians-Colossians.203. One by One

A young man, walking along the beach at dawn, noticed an old man ahead of him picking up starfish and flinging them into the sea. Catching up with the man, the youth asked what he was doing. The answer was that the stranded starfish would die if left until the morning sun.

"But the beach goes on for miles, and there are millions of starfish," countered the young man. "How can your effort make any difference?"

The old man looked at the starfish in his hand, and then threw it to safety in the waves. "It makes a big difference to this one," he said.

The attitude of many, in today's churches, is, "since we cannot completely deal with the problem, we will not do anything."

James 2:26

“Faith without works is dead.”

James 1:22

“But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.”

We need to be doers of the Word.

If we only are hearers we are “deceiving” ourselves, we have made a “serious spiritual miscalculation.”

How is your faith?  Increasing?  Worse, decreasing?  Is your faith with or without works?  Is your faith dead or alive?

Sometimes we lack faith in what the Bible tells us.  We allow doubt to creep in.  We must dig deep, move up and build up our faith!  Now!

Why?  Because an increase in faith is not just about you, it is also about those you are called to serve.

Philippians 2:3-4
³ Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.
⁴ Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.

God fashioned you – He knew what He was doing.

Faith with works requires that we use our unique talents—the giftedness He gave to each of us—are for others.  Develop your gifts to the fullest.

In Christ,

Mark

Tree of Life DVD about to be released!

"Tree of Life, A Contemplative Prayer" the DVD proof has been approved and will begin production.  Shown above is the cover; below is the image on the disc.

Finished product will be available in February!  Christ Family Church International, Eden Prairie, MN, has placed the first order.

New Blog for Overcoming For Life LLC

More to come...www.OvercomingForLife.com is about to go live!