Devotions - Prayer
The best defense against the devil is to be so God-centered that you give no place to Satan.
Sometimes is seems people who are very sensitive to the devil’s presence usually are so at the expense of being sensitive to the Lord’s presence.
David said, “If I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there” (Ps. 139:8).
*Anytime Satan’s oppression is present, God’s presence is there too (Heb. 13:5).
It’s just a matter of where our focus is.
***Focusing on the devil is a trick of the devil. Choose to focus on God.
The serpent didn’t come to Eve in the garden threatening to bite her if she didn’t eat of the forbidden fruit. Instead, he came with deception, presenting himself as being concerned for her welfare. Satan’s greatest weapon is deceit.
We were all guilty (Rom. 3:23) and condemned to death (Rom. 6:23), yet Jesus suffered our punishment so that we may go free (2 Cor. 5:21). Just as Barabbas didn’t ask for this substitution, so “God commended his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8).
In the same way that Jesus died unto sin once, and death no longer has dominion over Him, the person who recognizes their death with Christ unto sin, will not allow sin to rule over him anymore.
Any Christian who is struggling with sin has not recognized that they are dead unto sin.
God paid a great price for it. Jesus paid with His blood.
2 Corinthians 4:17-18 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. for the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
**We must preach the Word, not experiences.
*Experiences are only useful to illustrate that God’s Word is true.
Thank You Lord for Your Word, which is 100% absolute truth. Help me to live out Your Truths and Promises in Your Holy Spirit Written Word in Scriptures. “FREEDOM” Amen
Read MoreMatthew 28:19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Bless the Lord by blessing someone less fortunate today through Your……Time, Talent & Treasures
“And if you give yourself to the hungry, and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then your light will rise in darkness…and you will be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water whose waters do not fail.” Isaiah 58:10-11
*God wants to do mighty things through us.
*God wants to express His love to the world through us.
*So if we are clinging to one thing that gets in the way of His accomplishing that—some willfulness, some refusal to trust Him for everything—He points it out to us.
Sometimes God wants us to add something to our lives before He brings His best.
This may involve something we have not done, so He wants us to ask, “Have I been slow to respond to something God has asked me to do?”
“You will do even greater works, once I send you My Spirit. He will empower you. Greater things are yet to come!” (see Acts 1:1-8).
Indeed, greater things came–at that time the disciples would go beyond Israel and the Middle East, into Europe and India and Africa, “preaching the good news of Christ” to the nations, all within their generation.
*The Lord has things to teach and to show us that we could not have received until now. These will be times to remember and to cherish even though they seem to be beyond our ability to fully deal with presently. It’s not our power that will bring Us through; it is Jesus’ Power!
Zechariah 4:6b “Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,” Says the LORD of hosts.
May we go, empowered by Your Spirit, to make disciples of all nations. Use us to bring many to You Jesus! Thank you for Your word to keep fear and discouragement out. Thank You Jesus for the Victory Amen
*Isaiah 41:10 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.
Read More
God’s Word is the only way to access what’s happening in your spirit. You can’t go by how you feel or even your experiences. Experiences can grab your attention or touch you, but only the Word of God can truly reveal what’s going on in your spirit. There is a spiritual you, and in the spirit, you are perfect.
1 Thessalonians 5:23, Paul prayed, “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly;and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” There are many verses that say this, but this one puts it all in one. It’s really clear that you have a spirit, soul, and body-not just a body and a soul, but three parts to you.
On the inside of every Christian, there is a completely brand-new person that most don’t have a revelation of. Even if they’ve heard of their inner man, functionally they don’t live according to it.
They live and face their problems based on their physical ability and what they feel. If you control your thinking with what is true in the spirit, it’ll control your feelings. All you’ll experience is life and peace. Romans 8:6 says,
For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
God began speaking these truths to me through His Word, and I started relating to Him based on faith in what the Bible says. It has changed my life. I’m telling you, there are so many Christians looking for some type of experience or some external thing that’s going to change their lives! But it’s the Word that’s the foundation for everything.
The Word of God is what will change your life. The reason you may be living under the thumb of the devil is because you don’t know who you are or what you have.
The Bible has more than 7,000 promises from God to you—promises of success, confidence, health, prosperity, strength, wisdom and more. Why does God make these promises? Because he wants you to learn to trust Him. Find a promise in God’s Word for you this day. Amen
Read Hosea 4:6, John 1:12, Col. 1;14 , 1 John 4:4 &5;18, Ephesians 2:10, Phil 4:13 and Psalms 139
Read MoreGod’s Love gives us eyes to see Christ’s victory shining far above the earthly clouds of heartbreak and suffering.
“But being full of the Holy Spirit, he [Stephen] gazed intently into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God…”Acts 7:55
Luke 12:48 ” But someone who does not know, and then does something wrong, will be punished only lightly. When someone has been given much, much will be required in return; and when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required.”
This verse is one of the clearest references in scripture about varying degrees of God’s judgment according to the knowledge of the person who committed the sin.
The whole chapter of Leviticus 4 is written to deal with sins committed in ignorance.
Jesus said in John 9:41, “If you were blind, you wouldn’t be guilty,” Jesus replied. “But you remain guilty because you claim you can see.”
Also, Romans 5:13 says, “sin is not imputed when there is no law.”
Paul said, in 1 Timothy 1:13, that he obtained mercy because he had sinned “ignorantly in unbelief.”
The sin he was speaking of was blasphemy, which Jesus taught was unforgivable if done against the Holy Ghost.
Therefore, we see that ignorance in Paul’s case entitled him to a second chance.
If he would have continued to blaspheme after he saw the truth, he would surely have paid the price. see Hebrews 10:26
This is not to say that a person who doesn’t have a complete revelation of God’s will is innocent regardless of his actions.
Leviticus 5:17 makes it clear that an individual is still guilty even if he sins through ignorance.
Romans 1:18-20 reveals that there is an intuitive knowledge of God within every person to the degree that they even understand the Godhead. This same chapter goes on to explain that people have rejected and changed this truth, but that God did give it and they are without excuse.
No one will be able to stand before God on judgment day and say, “God is not fair.”
He has given every person who has ever lived, regardless of how remote or isolated they may have been, the opportunity to know Him.
Your response to your circumstances will determine whether you will be victorious or victimized. Be strong and courageous. Let Jesus lead you to victory. see 1 John 4:4
2 Corinthians 2:14 Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place.
1John 4:4 But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world.
Thank You Jesus for paying the price at the cross for us all. Help us give thanks daily for our Victory we have through You! Amen
Read More
All our Father wants, is that we trust Him with all aspects of our life. Put Him at the centre, not the sidelines or the reserve bench.
According to the Bible, unless we are pursuing our happiness we cannot even come to God:
* “for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him” (Hebrews 11:6).
God blatantly entices us to seek happiness, joy, pleasure (whatever you want to call it) in Him with verses like this:
* “Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” (Psalm 37:4),
* “in his presence is fullness of joy, and at his right hand are pleasures forevermore” (Psalm 16:11).
We’re supposed to want pleasure!!
*Why does God want us to want pleasure?
* Because it is a crucial indicator.
***Pleasure is the meter in your heart that measures how valuable, how precious someone or something is to you.
** Pleasure is the measure of your treasure.
*Your treasure is what you love.
“For where your treasure is, there your heart [what you love] will be also” (Matthew 6:21).
Pleasure is the whistleblower of your heart.
More than anything else it exposes what you really love.
*If something sinful gives you pleasure, it’s not a pleasure problem. It’s a treasure problem!!!!!
Your pleasure mechanism is likely functioning just fine. It’s what you love that’s out of whack.
That’s what SIN is at the root— treasuring evil.
Which makes the fight of faith in the Christian life a fight for delight.
* It’s a fight to believe God’s promises of happiness over the false promises of happiness we hear from the world, our fallen flesh, and the devil.
And yes, it often involves denying ourselves pleasure, but only denying ourselves a lesser, viler pleasure in order to have a much higher pleasure (Luke 9:23-25).
(Matthew 22:37). “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21)
Jesus Christ knew all about the human tendency to feel inadequate. That is why He assured His followers they would receive a Helper – the Holy Spirit – who would come to abide in them forever.
The Spirit enables, energizes, and equips believers to serve the Lord.
* One of the ways He aids us is by providing spiritual gifts, which are special capabilities given to believers.
The Lord has a plan for every believer. To ensure that we can meet the Lord’s expectations:
* He first builds natural talents into us.
At salvation, He adds a spiritual gift.
*Then God opens doors of opportunity and the Holy Spirit manifests His power so that we can carry out the work set before us.
I love you Lord and I just want my life to bring you glory. In Jesus name I pray. Amen
Read MoreWill you allow God to use your failures to bind you even closer to Him?
“…for everyone who exalts himself shall be humbled, but he who humbles himself shall be exalted.” Luke 18:14
When we truly see ourselves as God sees us, we can not help but to act in love to others.
God doesn’t see us for who we are by what we do or have done.
Instead, he sees us for what Jesus has done for us.
Therefore, my friends, Gods sees us as perfection.
*He still is our Father and does what he needs to do to rid the sin from our flesh, but our spirit is perfect.
I guess it may be looked at as God looking at an old rusty truck. We may think of our selves as ready for the scrap heap, but God sees a completely restored work of art!
The problem is that we allow the evil one to lie to us, and we believe that lie.
*It comes in many different forms and in many different ways, but the end result is that the thief wants to put us down, to destroy us.
However, when we listen to God, we hear a completely different message.
*How do we hear that message?
- By turning to God and rejecting the devil and all his schemes.
- We read our Bible and pray.
- We hang around people who proclaim and live the gospel.
- When we do all this, when we are really listening to God’s message, we will be consumed with love.
- And, when we are consumed with love, we can’t help but love others.
- God’s love will overwhelm us and drive us to loving, and helping, others.
- We will share the love of God and eagerly share the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
- It’s a beautiful thing, living out God’s love. I am reminded by Ephesians 2:10, that we are God’s Masterpiece! Thank you Jesus! Amen
My only comment is: Does Halloween bring glory to God? No! It glorifies the devil! Nuff said.
Read the verse below and ask yourself what and where are your treasures?
Matthew 6:21, “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”
Is your heart after–Earthly wealth, flesh, or is your heart after spiritual wealth?
If after spiritual wealth, then your heart and desire will follow.
If isolated from the rest of God’s Word, there are some scriptures that could be interpreted to mean that having money or wealth is wrong.
*However there are other scriptures that speak of riches as a blessing.
**The harmony between these two apparently opposite positions is that money is neither good nor bad.
*It is the love of money that is the root of all evil, and many have committed the sin of loving money who don’t even have a dime.
1 Tim. 6: 10. For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.
The “Love of Things” (covetousness) is idolatry, and this is what Jesus is addressing.
Because it is so easy to lust after money and the things it can provide, the Lord established a system whereby prosperity is a by-product of putting God first.
As Matthew 6:33 states, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you.”
We should no more reject the blessing of prosperity than we should covet it, which is idolatry.
The reason for not laying up treasures on this earth is so that we will not have our hearts drawn away from the things of God.
A key to success in the Kingdom of God is singleness of purpose. (Eternal Perspective).
We don’t have the capacity to do our best in two areas at the same time.
If we will simply put God and His Kingdom first in every area of our lives, He will add to us all the wealth that we NEED.
What is more valuable or important than knowing Him? (see John 17:3)
Father, I look to you for direction. You are the only one who has the way that will not fail. Teach me those ways so that your kingdom will grow and you will get the glory. Help me see too that: Every spending decision is a spiritual decision.
YES—KNOWING YOU IS OUR GREATEST TREASURE!!! Amen
Read More
By John Piper
Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. (James 4:7)
The more real Satan appears in our day, the more precious the victory of Christ will become to those who believe him.
The New Testament teaches that when Christ died and rose again Satan was defeated. A time of limited freedom is granted to him, but his power against God’s people is broken and his destruction is sure.
“The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.” (1 John 3:8)
“[Christ] himself likewise partook of the same things [flesh and blood], that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil.” (Hebrews 2:14)
“[God] disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.” (Colossians 2:15)
In other words the decisive blow was struck at Calvary. And one day, when Satan’s time of limited freedom is over, Revelation 20:10 says, “The devil . . . [will be] thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur . . . and will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.”
What does this mean for those of us who follow Jesus Christ?
“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 8:1)
“Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies!” (Romans 8:33)
“[Neither] angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38–39)
“He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” (1 John 4:4)
“They [the saints] have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony.” (Revelation 12:11)
Therefore, “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you!” He has been defeated, and we have been given victory.
Our task now is to live in that victory and make Satan know his defeat.
Thank You Jesus! Help me live in that Victory each and every day. Amen
Read More
We are God’s fellow workers: God gives us the amazing opportunity to work with Him. We cannot work without Him, and He will not work without us (generally speaking). God wants you as His working partner.
When you consider all the ways God could have done His work, it is even more amazing to know He wants our participation.
I have laid the foundation: When Paul founded the church in Corinth (Acts 18), he set the only foundation that can be laid – the person and work of Jesus Christ. Yet he knew that others would come after him and build on the foundation he set.
Each Christian will one day come before the judgment seat of Christ and will be evaluated for their Christian walk. This is when God will look at our stewardship, at our use of time, talents, and treasures. He will evaluate us not to determine our entrance to heaven—that has already been given through Christ’s finished work on the cross—but to determine our reward in heaven.
As we reconsider the parable of the three stewards in Matthew 25, let us first remember the issue of responsibility in stewardship. The three servants did not own the possessions they took care of; those things belonged to the master. None of the slaves could claim ownership of anything they had. In the same way, everything we have, are, or ever will be belongs to God.
We must also remember the issue of accountability. After time had passed, the master came back to see what the slaves had done with his money. We will all one day answer for the use of our resources. To the servants who invested wisely, the master gave public praise and more treasures (vv. 21, 23), but to the servant who buried his talent in the ground, he gave a tongue-lashing (v. 26). Each one got the reward he was due.
How can we prepare for the day when we will answer for the use of our time, talents, and treasures? Start rewriting our obituaries now! We can’t change the past, but we can change tomorrow.
Begin reorganizing your life to reflect your changed priorities.
Live so that at His judgment seat, God will say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
Read More
God’s to-do lists in the Bible aren’t about what we are supposed to do; they’re guidelines that show who we are in Him. And who we are is a much bigger picture than a list of priorities.
The Christian’s master list is simple: love God and love others (Matthew 22:37-40). This is our greatest priority in life. How these two things are accomplished looks differently in different situations.
In relation to family, we are to love our wives and respect our husbands (Ephesians 5:33), become one in marriage (Genesis 2:21-24), train our kids to follow God (Deuteronomy 6:7), support our parents (Mark 7:9-13), and live in unity with other believers (John 17:22).
But these relationships are not one time tasks. We are not told to love and respect our spouses until we are done and then we can pay attention to our kids.
Instead, God created the Christian life to encompass every relationship at the same time. Our focus may shift depending on circumstances, but Jesus never said, “Love your neighbors one at a time.”
Our family priorities should fit within the context of our relationship with God and our role in His kingdom.
The purpose of marriage is to become a unit that is internally supportive and works together to serve God. Part of that support and work relates to raising children and taking care of older parents.
- We raise children to love and serve God.
- We take care of our own parents out of appreciation for how God provided us with them and to preserve church resources for the needy.
These relationships continue to build on each other. Keeping our parents close enough that we can care for them gives our kids an example of responsibility as well as a sense of extended family. Loving and disciplining our kids helps create peace in our families today and prepares them for godly work in the future.
Ideally, all these individuals and relationships work together so the family can support God’s kingdom, but sometimes that doesn’t work.
First Timothy 3:4-5 says that if our children are in a place where they need more time and attention, it is absolutely biblical to take a hiatus from church ministry to see to their needs. Similarly, Mark 7:9-13says that older parents have a priority on our resources over ministry. A healthy family life is important to our work in the church body.
Seen from this perspective, “priorities in the family” becomes less about a list that drains our energy and more about our place in God’s kingdom.
Ultimately, everything in the Christian life comes down to how our actions demonstrate our commitment to Christ. If we accept the community of family and church that He’s provided for us, we need to value it as much as He does.
Priorities simply become those things we need to do now to best glorify God.
Lord, please give me the wisdom, discernment and knowledge to have my actions give You more and more glory in the advancement of Your Kingdom. Please help my parents through this aging process and help each one of our children Know You More! Amen
Read MoreWe cannot show forth God’s Life and self-life at the same time.
“Does a fountain send out from the same opening both fresh and bitter water?” James 3:11
How do you walk in the Spirit?
The way you do this is through living by, conducting your actions according to, and following the leading of the Word of God as quickened to you by the Holy Spirit.
**The Holy Spirit and the Word of God agree perfectly because the Holy Spirit is the one who inspired the written Word of God.
Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1 Thessalonians 5:18)
More specifically, how is it possible to obey 1 Thessalonians 5:18 and “give thanks in all circumstances,” especially if our circumstances are horrible?
What fuels thanksgiving when life seems to be one discouragement, disappointment, disease, disaster, and death after another?
There is only one way. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6).
Future Joy Fuels Your Thankful Endurance
Jesus was fueled by his belief in future grace. That’s what the author of Hebrews meant when he wrote that, Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith…for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:2)
That’s where God wants your and my eyes: on the future joy he has promised us. ETERNITY
*You will have the free gift of complete forgiveness of all your sins extending into forever (Romans 6:23).
*You will have all your real needs provided while on earth (Philippians 4:19).
*God will complete the good work he began in you (Philippians 1:6).
*You will be raised from the dead and never, ever die again (1 Corinthians 15:52–53).
****That means someday soon you will see Jesus, be with him (2 Corinthians 5:8), and be like him (1 John 3:2).
*In that day you will know for the first time full, unpolluted joy (Psalm 16:11).
*You will be completely free from all corruption (Romans 8:21).
*You will have God forever (1 Peter 3:18) as your exceeding joy (Psalm 43:4).
And that’s just a small sampling!
The joy set before you is the same joy Jesus had set before him, because you are an heir of the kingdom with him (Romans 8:17).
So how can you give thanks in all circumstances?
There’s only one way: Jesus’ way.
*If the future joy Jesus promises (ETERNAL LIFE) is real and you believe him, there is no circumstance that can steal your thanksgiving.
May all your Holiday celebrations be soaked in Grace, Joy, Freedom and Love!
Thank You God for the ONE—JESUS! Amen
Read More“So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD and afflicted Job with painful sores from the soles of his feet to the top of his head. Then Job took a piece of broken pottery and scraped himself with it as he sat among the ashes. His wife said to him, ‘Are you still holding on to your integrity? Curse God and die!'” (Job 2:7-9).
One message I get from the book of Job is: Do not give up on God because of suffering or bad experiences.”
Our age of “INSTANT” everything has caused us to lose the ability to wait. We expect to learn patience instantly, and in our hurry, we miss out on the real blessing of it. What do we want now?- relief from pain is at the top of our list. We want an instant cure for everything from toothaches to heartbreaks.
When God finally spoke to Job, he didn’t offer Job an answer. Instead, he drove home the point that it is better to KNOW GOD than to know answers(see also John 17:3).
Sometimes suffering is an attack by Satan on our lives. Sometimes we do not know why the suffering but need to know, that the suffering may be shaping us for special service to others.
When hope is deferred, the psalmist says, the heart becomes sick. During these seasons, we can only do one thing. We must hang onto whatever faith we have to get through each day and entrust our lives to Him. (Hab 3:17-18).
When faith doesn’t see results it challenges what we believe. We must pray as Job prayed: “Teach me what I cannot see” (Job 34:32). God says there is a purpose in everything we go through(Ro. 8:28). God is always bigger than Satan’s afflictions. See 1 John 4:4-We fight FROM Victory if we have Jesus!
Our greatest tests come when we cannot see positive results from our faith and obedience. In such cases we must die to our expectations and entrust them to our Lord.
But Job is an example for us of how we must break through our natural view of life so that we begin to see things in a different light. This book is here to teach us that God sometimes has to translate theology into painful experience before we really begin to grasp what He is trying to say to us.
Father, thank You that You have sent Your Son, who has endured more suffering than I. Grant me the strength to endure whatever You allow into my life, that I may bring Glory to You. Amen
“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” Philippians 4:8 (NIV)
Instead of hanging out in an imaginary place where I could avoid conflict and hurt, I embraced real life, with real people and real struggles.
Although it took much time and work to process hard situations, with each one I grew.
* It involved loving the people around me, enjoying each new day, and releasing hurtful events and people from the past.
Our Heavenly Father knows when we struggle with our thoughts and emotions and feelings. They can be a place where we work through issues with wisdom and care, or a playground where bitterness sprouts and anger is fed.
Is He taking you by the hand, like He did me the last few months? If so, I celebrate with you. For He’s leading you into growth. It is still a personal daily commitment I need to make and ask the Holy Spirit to lead! It is not EASY!
My prayer is that you’ll swing high in day-to-day joys of real life as a strong person of faith.
Hebrews 10:19 And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. 20 By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place.
Don’t let the truth slip away from you! Stay awake and alert. You have an open door into God’s holy presence, so go into Him with full assurance of faith, making your petitions known.
Christ’s blood has already made the way for you and nothing stands between you and the Father. You have every right to enter into the holy of holies, to receive all the help you need!
Make a special effort to stay present with the Lord. Resist the temptation to dwell on the past, and deliberately let go of all failures and regrets. Walk with Jesus here and now even though your tendency will also be to race ahead and try to see what the future holds. There are things that you need to see and deal with right here where you are now. Let Jesus show you and give you wisdom.
Psalms 84:5 Blessed is the man whose strength is in You, whose heart is set on pilgrimage.
Dear Jesus,Today I shut the gate to the playground of unhealthy thoughts, with Your help. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Read MoreThe Bible never says we won’t have negative thoughts, emotions or desires, but it does says we can have victory over “the flesh” if we choose to continually walk by faith.
“Blessed is a man who perseveres under the trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.” James 1:12
The sin that makes God cry is being committed daily, not by pagan workers of iniquity but by multitudes of Christians—
**the sin of doubting God’s love for His children.
Jesus Christ was God in the flesh, and according to the book of John He wept when those closest to Him doubted His love and concern. (John 11:35)
*That was God incarnate at the tomb of Lazarus, crying over friends who failed to recognize who He was.
Jesus spoke to God in the presence of those around him. He wanted them to see that God is in the midst of their pain and hurt.
**God is present in our pain and suffering. He mourns with us when we are sad; he limits himself to feel these losses with us. He does listen to our cries when we are hurt.
Jesus says: “Here I Am.”
“He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away .” Revelation 21:4
Time and time again Christ’s dearest associates on this earth doubted His love for them.
*Think of the disciples in a storm-tossed boat that was taking on water.
*Jesus was in the stern of the boat, sound asleep. Fearing for their
lives, His followers shook Him awake and then accused Him of outrightunconcern. “Master, carest thou not that we perish?” (Mark 4:38).
*How their accusation must have grieved the Lord! That was God Almighty in their boat!
How could He not care?
***But whenever men take their eyes off the Lord and concentrate
instead on their circumstances, doubt always takes over.
*Jesus was astounded! He said:
“How can you be afraid when I am with you? How can you question My love and care?”
Christians today grieve the Lord in this matter even more.
Let us look for His exceeding mercy and love, admit the sinfulness of our unbelief, and recognize who He is!
In John 11:25 Jesus makes what may be His most COMFORTING claim of all:
“I AM THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE“.
Lord, Help my faith to sit solidly on Biblical Truth. Thank You Jesus! Amen
Read MoreFrom a Christian perspective, spiritual warfare is the cosmic war of good versus evil:
- its battles are fought daily between God and Satan;
- between the Christian Church and the world system ruled by our spiritual enemy;
- within every child of God, between the Holy Spirit and the lusts of the carnal flesh.
The clear meanings of good and evil, as defined by God rather than man, are revealed within the verses of the Holy Bible and the life of Jesus Christ.
Spiritual, is dealing with three key things the enemy sends at us: temptations, deception and accusations.
Accusations:
*The devil is known as the accuser of the brethren (Rev 12:10).
He is known to take a believer who has done an embarrassing or gross sin in their past, and continue to rub it in their faces and beat them down with guilt and condemnation over their past.
The fiery darts of the enemy in Ephesians 6:16 are accusations sent our way.
For example, when the devil tries to accuse us of our past sins, we are to have faith in the work of the cross and know that they are forgiven and not to look back. Faith is what we use to put out the fiery darts of the enemy (Ephesians 6:16).
Therefore when the enemy tries to remind you of your past, tell him it’s been washed away (2 Corinthians 5:17), your sins have been forgotten (Hebrews 10:17) and you have the righteousness of God (Romans 3:22)!
The tearing down of strongholds:
♦ A stronghold is deception that’s taken hold in a person’s mind.
♦ It’s an incorrect thinking pattern based on a believed lie.
*People can get incorrect perceptions of God by listening to Satan as he tells them how God doesn’t love them, etc.
*People can feel like dirty old sinners when they believe Satan’s accusations as he continually reminds them of their past (which has been washed away!).
*Strongholds are based on lies from the devil.
*They can come in the form of deception or accusations.
*Accusations always lead to guilt and the feeling of unworthiness, which weighs you down and tears you apart spiritually.
Since strongholds are built upon lies that we have been fed, the way we tear down strongholds is by feeding on the TRUTH (in God’s Word), which is the opposite of what the enemy has been feeding us.
If the enemy has been feeding us a lie, we need to stop eating the lie and start feeding ourselves the truth.
The weapon we use to tear down strongholds is found in Ephesians 6:17, “…the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”
A sword is an offensive weapon and is meant to tear down and kill the enemy’s troops.
*Strongholds are the devil’s assets in war, and he uses them against us.
*Take up the sword of the Spirit (God’s Word) today, and start slaughtering the enemy’s assets that he’s been using against you!
Thank You Jesus for the Cross: saving a sinner like me. Thank You for the Armor (Ephesians 6)to protect me here on Earth. Amen
Read More