Devotions - Prayer
Isaiah 2:11 Human pride will be brought down, and human arrogance will be humbled. Only the LORD will be exalted on that day of judgment.
*Everything that is lifted up shall be brought low. Nothing can compare to the glory of God.
How are we to get ready for the Return of our Lord Jesus Christ?
*God calls us to keep on worshiping Him.
*We are to encourage one another to keep on walking with God. ‘Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another – and all the more as you see the Day approaching’. (Hebrews 10:25).
Let our pride be humbled and let the Lord be exalted as we await Christ’s Return in ‘faith’, looking to Him alone for our ‘salvation’ (1 Peter 1:7-9).
2 Samuel 24:1-25. “The spirit of pride”
David wanted to ‘know the number of the people’ (verse2). Why? He wanted to feel important – ‘the big man’.
*David was not giving the glory to the Lord. He was taking it for himself.
* Did God give up on David – ‘a hopeless case, too full of himself and his own importance’?
Of course not! The Lord, whose ‘mercy is great’, drew David back to Himself. David confessed his sin – ‘I have sinned greatly… I have done very foolishly… I have sinned and I have done wickedly’ (2 Samuel 24:10, 17).
David was accepted by the Lord – ‘The Lord your God accepts you’. He was brought from pride to praise (2 Samuel 24:23, 25).
This is what God has done for us. We are ‘accepted in the Beloved’- ‘to the praise of His glorious grace’ (Ephesians 1:6).
“But after he had taken the census, David’s conscience began to bother him. And he said to the LORD, “I have sinned greatly by taking this census. Please forgive my guilt, LORD, for doing this foolish thing.”” – 2 Samuel 24:10
*We are to boast only in the Lord not in ourselves. He is jealous for His glory. So should we.
It just seems to be human nature. As we grow in wealth and ability, our confidence moves from complete trust in the Lord to trust in our resources.
Ask God today to keep you from trusting in your own resources. Ask Him how to balance trust and blessing from Him this day.
MATTHEW 6:24, “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.”
Jesus is speaking of spiritual vision. If we keep our attention (eye) single upon Jesus, the Word, then all that we will be filled with is the light of His Word (Jn. 1:1-14; Ps. 119:105).
* The key to victory is this singleness of purpose (Phil. 3:13). The strength of the laser lies in the fact that all of the light is concentrated on one single point.
*Likewise, the strength of the Christian lies in how single his or her vision is upon Jesus, “the author and finisher of our faith.” (Heb. 12:1-3)
You may have God and riches, but you can only serve one of them.
In Matthew 6:24, the Lord amplifies this by saying that we cannot serve two masters. Why is this so? Because we do not have the capability of faithfully serving both of them.
*You will cleave to one more than the other.
*You cannot serve both with all of your heart.
*We just don’t have the capacity to do our best in two areas at the same time.
*God wants singleness of vision, singleness of purpose. He wants us to serve Him with all of our heart.
Put God to the test today. Put Him first in every area of your life and see if He won’t provide all the other things for you.
The Lord speaks to those places where you have been scattered to bring them into alignment.
You have done your best to make all of the pieces fit, but you haven’t had all
of the pieces you need. The things that have been missing will come to you and be put in order. What you need now is patience, wisdom, and direction.
Keep your hope and faith alive.
*Hebrews 10:23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.
1 John 2:16 For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world.
*We need to remember that the things of this world are temporary... So what’s the point in focusing all our efforts & desires into being temporarily defined by our possessions when our identity in Christ is eternal?
Lord help us to be Content and Humble in every situation. Guide us by your Grace and Holy Spirit, to live our lives to the fullest of what is required in your name Lord Jesus Christ.
Let us not be hearers only but doers as well. Lord let us be a great example on how to be Merciful, Grateful and Thankful in everything that we do.
Soften our hearts and guide us in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to be better than what we ought to be.
Lord let us be more content, (1John 2:15-17) And not love the world or the things in the world. For all that is in the world- the lust of the flesh, eyes, and the pride of life- is not of the father but is of the world.
The world is passing away, and the lust of it, but he who does the will of GOD abides forever. Amen and Amen
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Adjusting our lives to God is the first thing that has to happen in order to begin experiencing Him in our daily lives.
*Many times we ask the Lord to speak to us, but He can’t get a word in “edge-wise.” We’re doing all the talking.
Prayer is not just for our benefit, but for the delight of our God!
*We are not just to intercede for things we need, but to ask for the things God desires.
*Unless these two elements go together, we do not have a foundation upon which to build a prayer life.
Whereas we seek relief and help from the Lord, He desires fellowship with us—intimacy and communion.
*”Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor
yet for your body, what ye shall put on” (Matthew 6:25).
*”But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these
things shall be added unto you. Take no thought for the morrow. . . .”
(6:33-34).
*”For your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him” (6:8).
God is saying to us: “When you come into My presence, focus your attention on fellowship with Me, on getting to know Me. Don’t let your focus be on material things. I know what your needs are so you don’t even have to ask. I willl take care of them all. Just seek Me. Let us enjoy sweet communion!”
Ephesians 1:18. I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance.
19 I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power 20 that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms.
*Paul’s prayer list continues… that Christians will be able to see clearly with our hearts what God’s plan for us is (salvation in Christ Jesus,) that we will see how richly he has blessed us and appreciate how vast his power and strength is to work his will in our live.. through his strength (not ours).
*I should also pray this for my family and for my fellow believers.. that we would all see more clearly what God is really like, how richly He blesses us and how immensely completely powerful He is to accomplish His plan.
…that the eyes or your heart may be enlightened… (Ephesians 1:18a).
“The eyes of the heart” is a strange expression, isn’t it?
* Eyes are the instrument by which we perceive things.
*The mind also has eyes. If you listen to truth in any area, the eyes of your mind are grasping ideas. But the apostle tells us here that not only does the mind have eyes, but the heart as well.
*The heart needs to see things, needs to grasp truth and understand it. And the heart is always used in Scripture as the seat of our emotions.
Remember the episode in Luke 24—that walk to Emmaus when the risen Lord appears to the two disciples? The Lord joins them, but they don’t know who He is. He walks along with them and unfolds to them all the Scriptures concerning the promised Messiah. Afterward, they said to one another,
“Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?” (v. 32).
That “burning of the heart” represents the heart’s eyes being opened.
* It is the inflaming of the heart, so that it comes alive and is deeply moved.
* It is this burning of the heart that the apostle desires for these Christians.
When the heart begins to burn with truth, when it takes root in you and you simply must respond to it, that is when you Know with certainty that God is Real, that the Hope of Your Calling is genuine, that the Power of His Presence is available, and that the Riches of His ministry through you is manifest to others as well.
*Some of the most effective prayers are the shortest prayers. Jesus said, “Peace, be still,” and the wind and the waves ceased (Mk. 4:39). He said, “Lazarus, come forth,” and Lazarus came back from the dead (Jn. 11:43-44).
Today, there is a new emphasis on the quantity of prayer instead of the quality of prayer. Jesus never advocated long prayers, and there are only a few instances where Jesus prayed long prayers.
This is not to say that communion with God is not important. It certainly is, but formal prayer is only one part of our communion with the Lord.
It isn’t enough simply to teach truth. You never affect the whole person until the eyes of the heart are enlightened.
**When truth is moved from the head down to the heart, it has gripped the emotions.
*Then the will is properly motivated.
*Then the person begins to grow tremendously.
Father, open the eyes of my heart. I see that for that to happen there must be the bending of the knee, the imploring of the Spirit in prayer, so that truth becomes vital and compelling. I know your Word has ALL the answers, all the wonders, all the secrets, all the keys, all the wisdom I need for my life. You got it in your Word, Father. So I simply pray: Show me, God, your wonderful ways in Your Word. Open my eyes so that I can see the beautiful things hidden, the treasures that can not be numbered.
Amen
***Matthew 6:7 “When you pray, don’t babble on and on as people of other religions do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again”.
*It’s not empty words but words from the heart!
*****Read The Lord’s Prayer: Matthew 6:5-13
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Will you lay down your life so that God’s Love can be released through you to others?
* “I urge you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God…” Romans 12:1
Don’t forget about the things that happened in the light when your in the dark..
We Are Over comers through Christ!
2 Timothy 2:1 Timothy, my dear son, be strong through the grace that God gives you in Christ Jesus.
*We are to be strong in the grace of God because being strong is simply resting, learning how to trust in the work of Jesus Christ. When we try, we fail. When we trust, Jesus succeeds.
Verse 2 You have heard me teach things that have been confirmed by many reliable witnesses. Now teach these truths to other trustworthy people who will be able to pass them on to others.
**We are called to disciple others. We are called to pass on that which was imparted to us. We must seek out those who are coming behind us and Teach them how to live and how to Teach others.
Verse 3 Endure suffering along with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.
*Christ never promised roses on the battlefields. We are involved in an intense spiritual warfare, and we ALL at times get weary. When it seems Satan has hit us with every weapon, we need to draw strength from Paul’s words: If we endure, we shall also reign with Him (2 Timothy 2:12).
Verse 4 Soldiers don’t get tied up in the affairs of civilian life, for then they cannot please the officer who enlisted them.
*You Will endure hardships, not might BUT WILL! *In the rocking boat the disciples asked, “Lord, do you care?” He cares more than we will ever know in this life.
***Be steadfast and immovable! But God is our strength!
What would you want God to change in your life right now?
Hosea 10:12 I said, ‘Plant the good seeds of righteousness, and you will harvest a crop of love. Plow up the hard ground of your hearts, for now is the time to seek the LORD, that he may come and shower righteousness upon you.’ 13 “But you have cultivated wickedness and harvested a thriving crop of sins. You have eaten the fruit of lies— …
*The bigger our want the greater our desire; the hotter our passion, the deeper our discontent, the harder we will work; the longer we pray the more we will accomplish.
*Hebrews 11:5 It was by faith that Enoch was taken up to heaven without dying—“he disappeared, because God took him.” For before he was taken up, he was known as a person who pleased God.
***God will bless us where otherwise we do not see ourselves as blessable.
“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me.” – Psalm 23:4a
Healthy family functions (the Body) come from this place of being One!
Yes, they can both work on their personal careers and stuff– but as long as it is coming from a “Unified Goal”.
*Everyone needs to be focused on their own task remembering the “Big Picture” of the organization’s Vision-Mission-Goals.
*On the other side when members are ONLY focused on “Their Own” development/task and not seeing the Big Picture they are pulling things into their own side tearing things apart and Unity goes out!
Remember when Jesus explains what kind of kingdom has no future?
Luke 11:17 He knew their thoughts, so he said, “Any kingdom divided by civil war is doomed. A family splintered by feuding will fall apart.
First step toward having spiritual authority over the adversary is having peace in spite of our circumstances.
When Jesus confronted the devil, he did not confront satan with His emotions or in fear. Knowing that the devil was a liar, He simply refused to be influenced by any voice other than God’s.
His peace overwhelmed satan; His authority then shattered the lie, which sent demons fleeing.
David’s trust was in the Lord. He said, “…for Thou art with me.” Because God is with you, every adversity you face will unfold in Victory as you maintain your faith in God!
David continued, “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies” (Ps. 23:5a).
**The battle you are in will soon become a meal for you, an experience that will nourish and build you up spiritually.
*** Only God’s peace will quell your fleshly reactions in battle. The source of God’s peace is God Himself!!
If fear has been knocking at your door, begin to face that fear with God’s peace. It is God’s secret weapon to destroy fear.
Luke 6:7, “And the scribes and the Pharisees watched him, whether he would heal on the sabbath day, that they might find an accusation against him.”
The scribes became an independent company of interpreters of the law and leaders of the people. Even they, themselves, sought to evade certain of their own precepts (Mt. 23:2-4). They clashed with Christ for He taught with authority and condemned the external formalism that they fostered (Mt. 7:28-29). They persecuted Peter and John (Acts 4:3-7) and had a part in Stephen’s martyrdom (Acts 6:12). However, although the majority opposed Christ, some did believe (Mt. 21:15).
Jesus exposed the hypocrisy of the scribes by dealing with “issues of the heart”.
They appeared to be holy outwardly, but their hearts were far from God. It is important for us to keep our hearts tender and receptive to His Word, and give ourselves to Him in worship.
Think about the good things he has done for you today and be thankful.
Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ (Ephesians 5:21).
* In saying this, the apostle is dealing with the basic remedy for all the conflicts in our day.
*If we have any desire at all to be part of a solution to the issues surrounding us today, we must do so out of an understanding of what God has revealed about the heart of the problem.
*We must go back to the cause of all human strife. Root ISSUES!
*** I insist on my rights, and others insist on their rights, and so we become obstacles to each other.
*But Paul changes the whole pattern for Christians by introducing two radical factors that alter the whole situation.
First, the Christian must never forget that in every relationship of life, another person is present:
*It is not merely a problem of what I want versus what you want. In every relationship, the apostle reminds us, a third Person is present—the Lord Jesus Christ.
*That brings us to the second matter. When I am at odds with another person, to see that Christ is there too is to make me aware immediately of what He has taught me.
*It is only when I forget myself and devote myself to another’s fulfillment that I will find my own heart running over with grace and satisfaction.
This is one of the fundamental mysteries of life, and it is confirmed to us every day.
*Those who try desperately to satisfy themselves are the ones who end up hollow inside!!!
Our Lord put it this way:
“For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it” (Matthew 16:25).
It becomes, then, a question of priority. You cannot have your rights by insisting upon them.
You can have them only when you seek to give others their rights.
Even as our troubles increase the Lord will always help us. Even if there is a thousand people against He will still stand on our side and lift us up. Psalms 3.
Thank you Heavenly Father for looking after me. I am always going to remember that you are bigger then any person or problem. Father; I thank You for Your Word that searches me and cuts deep and lays bare and hides nothing. I know that in this sweet surgery of the Holy Spirit there is healing, forgiveness, cleansing, and restoration.
Amen
We all long to hear……”Well done good and faithful servant!”
*”But when you give a reception, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, since they do not have the means to repay you; for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”
Luke 14:13-14
Deuteronomy 10: 16 Therefore, change your hearts and stop being stubborn.
4 Reasons People Resist Change
*Change is hard. As you struggle with people it’s good to have a reminder of the reasons people work so hard to resist change.
Figure out which of these applies to you, and how to overcome it, and you’ll be well on your way to seeing the birth of a transformed person or group.
Romans 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
1. Self-Interest.
*On a scale of 1-10, how well do you adapt to change?
Change is an unfair imposition on their territory. Silos and walls happen, and people want to control their turf. They need to exert control over their immediate surroundings, and want to feel like they have a say in their own future.
* Like it or not, we human beings are territorial and want some sense of our own power.
*How selfishness perverts your strengths.
*Ephesians 4:25 So stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body. 26 And “don’t sin by letting anger control you.” Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 for anger gives a foothold to the devil.
2. Misunderstanding or a Lack of Trust.
*What people don’t understand, they will resist.
*Just because you see why people need to change doesn’t mean they will.
*Realize that you have knowledge they don’t have, so make sure you’re helping them understand ALL the issues and options.
Psalms 37: 5 Commit everything you do to the LORD. Trust him, and he will help you. Verse 7 Be still in the presence of the LORD, and wait patiently for him to act.
3. Differing Ways of Assessing Things.
*People have opinions, and may see the cost as greater than the benefits.
*Luke 14:28 “But don’t begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first calculating the cost to see if there is enough money to finish it?
The Cost of Following Jesus
*Galatians 5:24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there.
4. People Lack Confidence in the Decision-Making Process.
*Sometimes they don’t believe all the relevant info has been included in the process, or they don’t trust the person in charge of implementing the change. *If they’re not confident that the cost is worth it, they’ll fight against it.
*The key here is to be sure they’re aware or involved in process.
How to Overcome Resistance to Change—–Knowing WHY we are fighting change is half the battle.
*Most people struggle with change, so you need to figure out where they’re uncomfortable.
* When that happens, you can focus on what really matters – becoming the ministry, Business, etc. you were meant to be.
*This is a time when you have to continue to press through stubborn difficulties.
* This is an opportunity to persevere and still stay strong in your faith. It may
seem like breakthrough will never come, but I’m telling you that it will. Don’t give up. Continue to trust the Lord for the answer to your prayers. The Lord sees what you’re going through, and He hears you. Be strong and courageous.
*Isaiah 59:1 Behold, the LORD’S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; nor
His ear heavy, that it cannot hear.
*Deuteronomy 30:6 “The LORD your God will change your heart and the hearts of all your descendants, so that you will love him with all your heart and soul and so you may live!
*Whatever we do in life, we should plan out our course and “count the cost.” as we Move Forward. This is great advice for the vital things that we do; where we invest our time, thoughts and talents.
*In all things, I will first count the cost before launching off.
2 Corinthians 3:16 But whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17 For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.
Dear God, please help me in all things of importance to count the cost. To evaluate my life’s goals so that I have the confidence that I will be able to finish what I have started.
LORD – help us to genuinely trust and accept what Christ has done. May we live like we are free and not under the bondage of perfection. Yet help us strive for such -knowing we will never hit the mark on this side of heaven … Help us CHANGE to be imitators of You Jesus. Amen
Ephesians 5:1 Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. 2 Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.
All Christians have God’s Love within them, but not all Christians are willing to set themselves aside and become a free-flowing stream of Divine Love.
* “And he also said, “It is finished! I am the Alpha and the Omega—the Beginning and the End. To all who are thirsty I will give freely from the springs of the water of life.” Revelation 21:6
*God tells us indefinitely that he is in control over everything.
*As I reach the end of my time here on earth I Pray I will also be able to say “Everything is finished.” And I will be able to proclaim that, because with the Holy Spirit and Jesus living in me the Will of God for my life will be completely accomplished!
* Things are not as they always will be. There is a bright future and hope because God is in the process of renewing all things.
** Everything begins and ends with God. He is the beginning and the end. That is the hope that I have. No matter what the world may look like now, no matter the political, social or moral climate, this is not it.
*God is making all things new. All things will begin and end with Him. He will wipe away and do away with every destructive and selfish thought, desire, intention and act.
At times that I find myself frustrated at how things are, I must remember and renew my hope in God’s full, right and Holy plan.
“Some sat in darkness and deepest gloom, imprisoned in iron chains of misery. They rebelled against the words of God, scorning the counsel of the Most High. That is why he broke them with hard labor; they fell, and no one was there to help them.” (Psalm 107:10-12).
They were bound in affliction because they rebelled against God and rejected His counsel (see verse 11).
*Believers, could this be US? We have sat under godly preaching and the Holy Spirit has convicted us, but still we are miserable and continue to sin.
When a person willfully disobey’s the Word of God, his tendency is to hide and cower in fear.
*He may feel that it is all over, thinking, “God can’t use me.”
*When you are in that condition, the devil will whisper to you, “There is no
deliverance for you. You’re one of those people who never change. God has had
it with you—your sin has caused Him to hide His face.”
Satan will pound you with Scriptures, misquoting them all. When you sit in
church, you will hear only judgment, not God’s mercy—because you are under
such guilt, condemnation and fear.
I am not referring to people who hide from God because they love their sin.
Rather, I am talking about Christians who have taken a fall but still have a
sorrow and a hatred for their sin. Something inside them cries, “I have hurt God.”
To this Christian, God’s Word promises: ” “LORD, help!” they cried in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress. He led them from the darkness and deepest gloom; he snapped their chains. Let them praise the LORD for his great love and for the wonderful things he has done for them. For he broke down their prison gates of bronze; he cut apart their bars of iron. Some were fools; they rebelled and suffered for their sins. ” (Psalm 107:13-17).
God never has—and never will—hide His face from a crying child of His.
*No matter how far you have fallen or how many promises you have made to God—and broken—God will always hear your cry for help and bring you back into close fellowship with Him.
*Each time, they (I) cried out, He (the Lord) saved them. We take one step toward God the Father, Abba, and He runs to us (Prodigal Son). How loved am I!
*God’s love is there before any response is given. there is something overwhelming about unconditional love.
*We are powerless in the face of unconditional love. No bargaining chips.
*We can run but does not change the fact that God loves us.
*When we have made a mess of things with our lives, God already loves you. Jesus already died for me.
*No matter where you are in your life, Gods love is real, its unchanging.
You can’t do something to make God not love you.
God’s Way of Agape is the only way that leads to life, but are you wiling to walk it?
* “For the gate is small, and the way is narrow that leads to life, and few are those who find it.” Matthew 7:14
*God can take the darkness and mess I’ve made and use it, but not until I cry out and let it go. I must take the first step.
*I love that even when we rebel and resist everything the Lord has– He allows us to live with the consequences then saves us in hopes of bringing us back. He is so merciful.
I thank you Lord for your mercy that endures forever. I thank you for I am redeemed by the precious blood of Jesus Christ. I am bought with a price and I am buried with Christ and I know that if I am buried, that same power that raised Jesus Christ will also raise me up when he returns and that is something to shout about! Lord I praise your Holy and Righteous name. You are worthy to receive glory and honor, dominion and power. Praise your Holy Name. I thank you for being God-Your word says from everlasting to everlasting thou art God. Lord, I ask that you help me to always remember you in good times and in bad. Continue to draw me close so that I can proclaim your love in song, word, and deed. I praise you my God and my King. Amen
Read MoreDarkness is the absence of light like apathy is the absence of action.
Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them (Ephesians 5:11).
* Paul exhorts us to walk in the light of the Lord, to avoid works of darkness.
* We should let the light of Christ shine in our lives, transforming us to produce fruit that is good and right and true.
* Ephesians 5 Refers to how we should be set apart, to live differently than the rest of the world.
You cannot expose something and indulge in it at the same time. It is utterly inconsistent.
The church of Jesus Christ is directed by the Holy Spirit to be a source of correct information on all matters.
Paul says the church is “the pillar and foundation of the truth” (1 Timothy 3:15).
I do not hesitate to say today that it is only the church (body of believers by example) that can teach the world the true nature of sex.
*Therefore, we cannot accept statements from the world in these matters without checking them against the Truth of Scripture.
*But the job of Christians is to speak up in these areas. They should challenge these false ideas. They are to tear away the mask from these wrong concepts and reveal the truth. If we needed any justification at all for a message like this, here it is: The apostle says,
“Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them” to the light, make them visible.
*He does not mean to denounce them. The world is utterly unimpressed by people who go around denouncing.
*What the church ought to do is to show the truth helpfully about these things, tear away the lies, and let the world see that what God has intended for sex is wholesome, beautiful, wonderful, and properly protected by the bonds of marriage.
*Marriage is good and should be a decision if you decide to be sexually active.
*To be Married or to be single is a choice we must make on our own, no one should make the decision for us but whatever is our decision we must follow it fully.
*We can’t be married and act single or vice versa. (Read 1 Corinthians 7 -This Scripture teaches us a lot about marriage.).
Ephesians 5:1 Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. 2 Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.
Young people, in common with much of our society, they want to rebel against something. May I suggest something? Rebel against the rebellion! Tear away the veils from these delusions that grip people today, making them hope that they will find something beautiful and healthy and wonderful in the exploitation of sex.
*They will not find it at all. Help them to see that. Tear away these veils.
* But wake yourself up first!
* Alert your minds and hearts!
* Realize that in the Word of God you have the TRUTH as it really is.
*Christ will give you light. Then tell somebody about it.
*Help people to see that this is part of God’s great yearning heart of redemptive love that is ever seeking to draw people away from that which destroys and ruins and creates unhappiness and misery, back into wholeness and fullness and joyfulness and the living of life as God intended people to live. Expose these things.
“…Everything exposed by the light becomes visible” (Eph. 5: 13). Anything that tears away the masquerade and exposes the facts is light.
*Darkness can appear for a season like light. Be careful, and discerning of the times and situations. Do not be fooled or deceived!
2 Corinthians 2:14 But thank God! He has made us his captives and continues to lead us along in Christ’s triumphal procession. Now he uses us to spread the knowledge of Christ everywhere, like a sweet perfume.
We need to walk in the light and away from darkness.
Ephesians 5:3 Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God’s people.
* Behaviour– reflect upon ourselves why we are doing something. If we don’t abstain ourselves from darkness, it will corrupt our mind.
* Focus – one way to abstain from sin and darkness is to obey God and His word.
* Relationship – belong to light. if we don’t follow the light and belong to it, then we are not Christians.
* The mind – Always thinking of the Truth.
*Obedience is the main key to remain in God and away from darkness.
*1 Thessalonians 4:3 God’s will is for you to be holy, so stay away from all sexual sin. 4 Then each of you will control his own body and live in holiness and honor.
*”But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness”.(Romans 1:18)
*Don’t conform to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind (through salvation). Then, you will be able to discover what God’s good, pleasing, and perfect will is. (Romans 12:2).
* God’s will is to unite all of us in heaven and earth under Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 1:7-10)
-God’s will is for us to be joyful always, in constant contact with Him in prayer, and thankful in all circumstances. (1 Thessalonians 5:18)
* It is God’s will that we stay sanctified, avoid sexual immorality, and control our bodies in a holy and honorable way.(Eph. 5)
* God’s will is for us to silence those against us by doing what is good.
**Don’t throw away your confidence, because you need to persevere and, after doing God’s will, be rewarded.(Hebrews 10:35)
* Those who suffer in accordance with God’s will should remain faithful and continue to do good.(1 Peter 4:19)
**Don’t love anything of this world and it’s desires, because it will all pass away. But, those who do the will of God (believing in His Son, Jesus Christ) will live forever!!! (1 John 2:15).
Father, may I walk as a shining light in a dark place. Thank you for the privilege of it in this day of darkness. Dear Father, help us to walk as children of light, to understand what is pleasing to you and to do it because your light is shining on us. Amen.
” This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all. So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth. But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.
If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts”. (1 John 1:5-10)
Christians are called to unity because we have one God and one faith. Should we not be one people?
Have we allowed our prideful thoughts, wounded emotions and self-centered desires to quench God’s Love in our hearts and separate us from each other?
* “If anyone claims, “I am living in the light,” but hates a Christian brother or sister, that person is still living in darkness.” 1 John 2:9
What did Jesus do to you when He cleansed you?
*He wiped away all your guilt and made you clean and whole.
* He put joy in your soul and filled you with such love for Him that you would follow Him anywhere and do anything for Him.
***That is the secret of unity– When you take up the towel of mercy for a
hurting, fallen brother, you encourage him by embracing him in his hurt. By
washing that person’s feet, you construct a firm foundation for true unity and glorious fellowship.
*You are made one by your common experience.
This message is for me as much as for anyone else. I have just recently come
into this convicting knowledge of what foot washing is truly about. And by
God’s grace, I will take up the towel of mercy along with others and seek out
those hurting ones whose feet need cleansing.
Jesus said, “If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also
ought to wash one another’s feet. . . . If ye know these things, happy are ye
if ye do them” (John 13:14, 17).
Now that we “know these things,” as Jesus said, we can do them. I ask you: Are you willing and ready to take up your towel in love?
There is one body and one Spirit just as you were called to one hope when you were called… (Ephesians 4:4).
**Therefore, the way to create unity is simply to bring people to Christ, and the unity of the Spirit will be produced in them by the Spirit.
As we apply this great truth there are certain things that are evident:
First, we cannot classify Christians by organizations.
*We cannot say that all those who belong to this Denomination, for instance, are Christians, but all those who are THIS Denomination, are not.
*God’s Spirit forever over-leaps human boundaries. The unity of the Spirit will be found in people in many different groups.
*We will find Christians everywhere, and it becomes our responsibility to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace with Christians wherever we find them.
A second conclusion suggests that those who have entered into this unity of the Spirit cannot possibly join in an evangelistic endeavor with those who deny this fundamental unity. Why not?
*Because our actions are determined by our beliefs.
*These are such fundamental beliefs that they set the direction of our life.
*Where one person accepts these and has experienced them and someone else does not, you have two fundamentally separate directions.
*It is impossible for one person to ride two horses going in opposite directions.
There comes a third practical application of this.
The efforts of Christians are not to be directed toward creating unity BUT toward maintaining peace in the body. That is the way Paul puts it:
**“Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace” (Eph. 4: 3).
* It is important that Christians not be quarreling, bickering, and struggling against one another.
* A church that is like that is a totally ineffective body in its community.
* It is important that when Christians meet together they recognize that they are called to understand one another, to forbear one another, to pray for one another, to forgive one another, to be kind, tenderhearted, not holding grudges, not being unforgiving, bitter, resentful, and hateful toward each other.
*This is where the Spirit aims when He comes into our midst, at the healing of long-standing grudges, deep-seated resentments, and bitter hostilities that are harbored against one another.
*We must fulfill what the apostle tells us to do, to maintain the unity of the Spirit.
Ephesians 5:1. Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. 2 Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.
*Being a Christian isn’t about making a weekly trip to church. We need to move forward and develop the character of God so others can actually see Jesus working in a practical way.
Ephesians is all about unity in diversity. At the core of this short letter is a simple statement of God’s intent —to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ. (Ephesians 1:10).
But unity doesn’t come easily. It requires reconciliation to achieve it, and submission to sustain it. The first is God’s work, the second, ours.
*First, Paul revels in the glorious mystery of reconciliation of God with His creation – making us His children.
*He goes on to joyously describes the reconciliation of ‘insiders’ and ‘outsiders’ – the people of Israel, and the rest – making us all His people.
*He then describes the importance of right relationships in the church- making us His family.
*And finally, Paul shows how all this is sustained – through the spiritual armour with which God so marvellously clothes us, and the mighty power of prayer!
Wonderful! We’re all One!
Your plans, ideas, and religious ideals are about to be challenged. There are things you thought you knew or understood, but you will find out that some of your concepts were rough constructions. Now, you will get to see those thoughts come under the scrutiny of experience. When this process is complete, you will see and know
the point of error and come to truth. In so doing, our spiritual and experiential
foundation will be more solid.
*1 Corinthians 3:11 For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
Father, may Your Spirit search my heart about my attitude toward others. Thank You that it is not my calling to produce a union of Christians but rather to discover that unity produced only by the Holy Spirit. Amen
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www.movingforwardinitiativesllc.com
Fear of the LORD teaches wisdom; humility precedes honor (Proverbs 15:33).
*Everything is from God!
Let the whole world fear the LORD, and let everyone stand in awe of him (Psalm 33:8).
* Those who look to the Lord are radiant! Psalm 34:5
* Let God’s Agape Love and Light radiate from within you today!
* “..for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness…But since we are of the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love…”
1 Thessalonians 5:5-8
Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty man (Ecclesiastes 12:13b).
This verse reveals the secret of wholeness. To “fear God and keep his commandments” is to learn to be and to discover the secret of being a whole person. Who does not want that?
*We all want to be whole persons—not broken, fragmented, easily upset, erratic, going off in all directions at once, but stable, controlled, balanced, whole people.
Here is the secret of it.
Everything hangs upon that word FEAR.
FEAR is a difficult word for us to comprehend.
Most of us think of it in terms of abject terror, of running from God, of seeing Him as a threat, but that is Never the Biblical meaning of the word.
I have put it in the form of an acrostic to make it easier for us to remember what the elements of fearing God include.
First,
F stands for faith in His existence.
* You cannot come to God unless you know He is there.
Hebrews 11:6 says, “Anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”
*There is where fear begins: faith that God exists. The whole of the created universe is shouting that at us. All the inner responses of our heart are confirming it.
The Word of God declares it. History confirms it. There is a world of evidence that God is there.
Then
E: experience of His grace.
*You never can properly fear God until you have learned what kind of a God He is.
*He is a God of mercy, of grace, of forgiveness. Until you have stood before Him and felt your guilt, acknowledged it, known you were wrong and corrupt, and heard Him say in your inner heart,
**“Neither do I condemn you… Go now and leave your life of sin” (John 8:11), *You will never be able to properly fear God. One element of fear is the experience of the wonder of forgiveness, that God forgives and sends you out with a whole new purpose and a new resource available.
That leads to the third element.
A: awe at the majesty, the wisdom, and the wonder of God.
* What a Being He is! What a marvelous mind that can comprehend all the billions of pieces of information in this universe and hold them continually before Him, that can hear every voice and relate to every person who has ever lived! What a marvelous God! Awe at the sense of His majesty, His comprehensiveness, His unfailing wisdom and power, is part of fearing God.
The last letter,
R, stands for resolve. Resolve to do what He says, to “keep His commandments,” as the Searcher puts it here. There are only two commandments; Jesus Himself said that. All the law and the writings can be reduced to two simple things:
1. “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:37). That is in response to His love already shown to you; love Him because He first loved you.
2. “Love your neighbor as yourself.” That’s it. As Micah put it,
*“What does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8).
Thank You, Lord for this great book, which has taught me many things, foremost of which is to Fear You and keep Your commandments. Thank You for helping me understand FEAR:
* Faith in Your existence,
* Experience of Your grace,
* Awe at the majesty of God.
* Resolve to “keep Your commands,” Amen
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Moving Forward, www.movingforwardinitiativesllc.com
Read MoreBless 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
Hebrews 5:12 You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God’s word. You are like babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food.
4 assumptions of discipleship that many Believers make:
Life change happens at salvation. It continues to occur over time. It is achieved largely by an act of will. It is accomplished alone. -If these assumptions were true, then we would all act in a mature, Christian manner. If not- we need to RETHINK.
#1. Life change BEGINS at salvation.
*When a person has become a Christian, they are not automatically a spiritual giant. There is a process that leads up to discipleship that starts with salvation.
*Salvation is just the start of our journey; it’s the beginning of the race.
*Do you win races at the starting line? No, of course not. It’s ridiculous to think that, so why do we think salvation is the completed step if being a Christian?
#2. Life change takes MORE than time.
*We are in the mindset that if you’ve been a Christian for 10 years, you should be more changed and mature than a Christian of 9 years.
* Hebrews 5:12 states that we should be teachers if God’s word. Yet we are still “being fed milk.”
#3. Life change is about TRAINING, not trying.
*You can have the will to do anything in the world, but that will alone won’t accomplish it.
* If you had never worked out before and wanted to bench press 300 pounds, just having the will to do it won’t help you lift out at all.
#4. Life change is a TEAM effort.
* You cannot survive without the fellowship of other striving Christians.
*Jesus compares us to sheep multiple times in the Bible. One of the reasons is because sheep are herd animals. They cannot survive on their own. There is strength in numbers, even with us as Christians.
These 4 ideas are great to meditate on and grasp as Bodies of Believers. If we understand these, we understand the process of discipleship.
WE MUST SPRING INTO ACTION
*The knowledge of God and Christ is active in our hearts to produce grace and peace.
*We must study to receive the knowledge He has placed here for us, so we can walk in His perfect will.
*No matter where you go you must go to make a difference.
*Kingdom Mindset will allow you to persevere.
*The King in you will give you peace.
*Make the Word of God a part of you because without the word; one is lifeless.
*There is No prayer without the word.
2 Peter 1:2 May God give you more and more grace and peace as you grow in your knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord. (All of 2 Peter 1 is great read here)
*Growing in Christ does not mean just knowing more of His word. That is part of it. But we have to be growing in love. If we’re not, we need to examine our lives (or better yet have someone who knows you do an evaluation) to see if we are truly growing in love and grace towards others.
God’s Character of a New Man.
“The fruit of the Spirit is the spontaneous work of the Holy Spirit in us.
*The Spirit produces these character traits that are found in the nature of Christ.
*They are the by-products of Christ’s control-we can’t obtain them by trying to get them without his help.
*If we want the fruit of the Spirit to grow in us, we must join our lives to His.
**We must know Him, love Him, remember Him, and imitate Him.
** As a result, we will fulfill the intended purpose of the law-to love God and our neighbors.
Which of these qualities do you want the Spirit to produce in you?”
Galatians 5:22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control.
*When God’s Holy Spirit is active in our lives He produces fresh fruit that tastes good to those around us. When we try to do things on our own, without His Holy Spirit, it can begin to taste gross.
*Let us rely upon, seek, and walk in His Holy Spirit today! May your fruit always be fresh!!!!
Proverbs 24:12 Don’t excuse yourself by saying, “Look, we didn’t know.” For God understands all hearts, and he sees you. He who guards your soul knows you knew. He will repay all people as their actions deserve.
*We must LIVE the word of God and act on it.
*Don’t let Pride stop you from asking for advice.
It is easy to use the I didn’t know excuse and fool yourself.
*Move Forward and take some ACTION and always take responsibility for your actions and understand that God knows your heart and soul and the real intentions behind your actions.
Heavenly Father thank you for all of the guidance and your Word to keep me on the path to life. God, please give me boldness to take action when You ask me to. Forgive me for my selfishness. Help me to be more giving with my time and money. Give me direction so that I know where to invest those for Your Kingdom work. Amen
“Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 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.” Matthew 28:18-20.
Read More We are God’s arms of Love in this world, but only if we choose to be.
* “Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth.” 1 John 3:18
If so many people are Spirit-filled, then why don’t our churches, marriages, and families reflect God’s Way of Agape? Where is His Love?”
*…let all be…brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit; not returning evil for evil, or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead…”1 Peter 3:8-9
*There are no perfect men, no perfect women. But a relationship based on the Lord’s principles of marriage found in Ephesians 5 is “perfect” by design.
*Choose to bless and not curse or retaliate. Speak words of blessing, and be a blessing everywhere you go.
If you pretend your not a Christian than in Gods eyes your not!
*The true purpose of our Christian walk is to freely lay down our lives so God’s Love can pour through us to others.
* “Greater love has no one than this; that one lay down His Life for his friends.” John 15:13
“I came not to send peace, but a sword.” — Matthew 10:34
*If you become a necessity to a soul, you are out of God’s order.
* As a worker, your great responsibility is to be a friend of the Bridegroom.
When once you see a soul in sight of the conditions of Jesus Christ, you know that your influence has been in the right direction, and instead of putting out a hand to prevent the problems, pray that they grow ten times stronger until there is no power on earth or in hell that can hold that soul away from Jesus Christ.
John 3:30 He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less. 31 “He has come from above and is greater than anyone else. We are of the earth, and we speak of earthly things, but he has come from heaven and is greater than anyone else.
You may often see Jesus Christ wreck a life before He saves it. Matt. 10:34 “Don’t imagine that I came to bring peace to the earth! I came not to bring peace, but a sword. 38 If you refuse to take up your cross and follow me, you are not worthy of being mine. 39 If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it.
*Never be sympathetic with the soul whose case makes you come to the conclusion that God is hard.
**God is more tender than we can conceive, and every now and again He gives us the chance of being the rugged one that He may be the tender One.
If a man cannot get through to God it is because there is a secret thing he does not intend to give up—He might say: “I will admit I have done wrong, but I no more intend to give up that thing than fly”.
It is impossible to deal sympathetically with a case like that: we have to get right deep down to the ROOT.
*Ones that are struggling may have unresolved hurts.
*People want the blessing of God, but they will not stand the thing that goes straight to the Root.
There must be a sense of need before your message is of any use. Thousands of people are happy without God in this world. If the world was happy and moral till Jesus came, why did He come? ***Because that kind of happiness and peace is on a wrong level;
Jesus Christ came to send a sword through every peace that is NOT based on a Personal Relationship to Himself.
Matthew 10:31 So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.
32 “Everyone who acknowledges me publicly here on earth, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. 33 But everyone who denies me here on earth, I will also deny before my Father in heaven.
*God wants us to be humble, sensitive and yielded enough to hear His still small voice prompting us to show His Love to the stranger, the outcast, the wounded and the forgotten.
* “…Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.” Matthew 25:40
*God’s Love doesn’t just fall out of heaven, It comes through us! We are the Body of Christ on earth, and His hand outstretched to heal.
* “Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were entreating through us…”2 Corinthians 5:20
Lord I pray that I will learn to put you first in all things; all decisions, actions, everything. Help me to understand what this truly means and how to change my life to match your good and perfect will. Lord, please forgive me for being so weak. Please give me the strength to fully embrace you in private and in public. Continue to guide me on this journey so that I may walk closer in your footsteps, live by your teachings, and spread your word. Amen
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*Moving Forward, www.movingforwardinitiativesllc.com
Read More Talking to God is considered Prayer.
* So take time out of everyday AND all through out the day to talk toYour Father in Heaven.
“Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18.
4 ways that prayer will help you:
1. It will help you not fall into temptation.
2. It will keep you humble.
3. It will help you have Determination, Strength, Willpower, and Character.
4. It will help you discover Gods Will/Purpose for your life.
If I asked you the purpose for which God made you, what might you say?
*You might give a lot of answers that required some action on your part.
**However, the simplest answer to that question relates to one primary thing: FELLOWSHIP!
The most important thing God desires from us today is to have a deep and intimate fellowship with each of us.
The apostle Paul said he wanted to know Christ, and by knowing Christ he could experience the power of His resurrection.
*”I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection….” – Philippians 3:10
**So often it is much easier to be busy with the urgent (or even Christian) activity than spending quiet moments before the Lord. Think about it–Jesus is with us 24/7. What would it take to give Him a few minutes of Every awaken hour we have?
Now to me, that would be a True Healthy Relationship rather than taking Only a 15 minute time in AM or PM(which is great)—BUT –to Know and Acknowledge Him and Communicate in and about ALLthings–ALLDAY! This would be FELLOWSHIP! Amen
Sometimes, before we realize it, days have passed since our last quiet time with Jesus. This is the First step to backsliding!
Ephesians 6:18 Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.
Jesus understood how important quiet moments were with the Father. “After He had dismissed them, He went up on a mountainside by Himself to pray. When evening came, He was there alone” (Mt. 14:23).
The more mature I become in my relationship with the Lord, the more precious this time becomes to me.
* It is a time I look forward to almost daily.
* It offers me a time to reflect, to share my concerns with my Lord, and to hear Him speak.
** In the last few years I have begun to communicate in prayer during my work, during activities, mowing the lawn, driving etc. which accomplish two things: Fellowship and Prayer. It has changed my prayer life. It has taken loneliness out. It has taken temptations and worldly thinking out, it has……It has….. because Jesus Lives IN me 24/7!
*I have come to understand that Jesus views us as His friend and He wants to spend time with us- 24/7.
*We are depriving Him of His time when we put Him aside for the urgent or just wait till our quit time at home.
*An interesting thing happens when we make prayer a priority: Urgent things seem to wane as we focus on Him. He makes all these other things fall into place.
* ” This I declare about the LORD: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him. For he will rescue you from every trap and protect you from deadly disease. The LORD says, “I will rescue those who love me. I will protect those who trust in my name. 15 When they call on me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue and honor them. ” (Psalm 91:2-3, 14-15).
*Are you taking the time to get to know Him today?
Psalms 34: 6 In my desperation I prayed, and the LORD listened; he saved me from all my troubles.
We need a Vision as Joel:
*The Ability to see beyond the natural realm. This Produces Passion.
* If you want to see your Visions come true put a PLAN to it.
Four Components of Vision 1. Think Big—Jeremiah
*Our Vision is limited by our thinking. We have to see God Big.
*Knowing God through the Word> (Book of John).
*Once you know God through His Word, you’ll know how Big He is.
* Knowing God through Prayer. (Ephesians)- Having Conversations with God. *Knowing God through Praise and Worship, Tithing and Giving– (Psalm)
*Knowing Him through Troubles. (Philippians) God can solve your troubles.
2. Ask Big
You would not intimidate God by asking big. All for His Glory!.
3. Risk Big
If you’re not careful in life you’ll get so complacent.
*Aim for Perfection and you’ll always do great.
* Need to learn how to step out in faith and dream Big.
4. Speak to your vision (Proverbs).
*”Your Vision is only as Big as you think It”
*Speak to the dry bones in your life. “Dry Bones Live Again”
*If you speak faith to your vision it will come to life.
**Vision needs to outlive you, let your vision go from generation to generation it’s one of the most powerful things in your life.
* John 14:13 You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father.
*James 4:3 3 And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure.
*Ask with the right motive. *God wants us to spend time with Him.
Prayer is essential for life! This Relationship with Jesus, gives us purpose, provision, joy and peace.
Lord Jesus I invite You in and pray You will be in my thoughts hourly and that You show me Your will every hour so that I may fulfill things according to Your word for Your Glory and my Joy of continuous Fellowship with You. Amen
“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
*God’s Love doesn’t just fall out of heaven, It comes through us! We are the Body of Christ on earth, and His hand outstretched to heal.
* “So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!” 2 Corinthians 5:20
A LIFESTYLE CHECK
Luke 5:31 Jesus answered them, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. 32 I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners and need to repent.”
*The Pharisees wrapped their sin in respectability. They made themselves appear good by publicly doing good deeds and Pointing to the Sins of Others.
**Jesus chose to spend time, not with these proud, self-righteous religious leaders, but with people who sensed their Own Sin and knew that they were not good enough for God.
Matthew 7:20, “Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions.”
The way that you can tell whether a person is genuine or not is by the fruit they produce.
*This fruit is speaking of LIFESTYLE.
**Jesus made the point that you don’t get bad fruit from a good tree, and you don’t get good fruit from a bad tree.
*Many people say one thing, BUT their actions speak so loudly that you really can’t hear what they are saying.
If you are in doubt about whether a person is genuine or not, or whether you should receive from them and follow their teaching, “look at the fruit they are producing”.
In evaluating ministries, more attention should be given to the fruit that is being produced.
*Failure to do this could lead someone to reject and even discredit a ministry who simply makes a mistake or is wrong in one area.
*Every ministry has shortcomings, just as every other member of the Body of Christ does. But that doesn’t mean that ministry is bad. Look at the fruit. Are the lifting up Jesus Christ and Him alone??
Fruit is the true test of people and ministries. If people are being saved, if lives are being changed, there is good fruit. Even though the leader may say something bad and make mistakes, the fruit is good.
Therefore, you can say that the tree is good. When a person says all of the right things and may seem sincere, BUT you see the lives of people around them shattered and torn, and in confusion and distress, then the fruit is bad.
Today, make sure that the fruit that comes from your life is positive.
*Make sure that you are making a Positive impact on people’s lives, that you are turning people to the Lord and not leaving them hurt and confused.
** People are looking at you to see what type of fruit you are bearing. Is your fruit full of: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control to your spouse, kids, family, co-workers, friends and in your witnessing for Christ??
*Galatians 5:22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control.
*We aren’t called to be Christians just so we can be happy and content, We are called to be living channels of God’s Love upon this earth.
* “…constantly bearing in mind your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Thessalonians 1:3
Do all that is necessary to maintain peace in your environment. Subdue the flesh and bind the enemy. For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. (James 3:16).
* Only you, can maintain spiritual equilibrium in the midst of chaos.
I give you My peace, says the Lord.
*John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”
Father grant me Peace! Peace to let go of what troubles me. Peace in releasing the desires of world and those things that separate me from You. Let the Holy Spirit fill me with the Peace that comes from trusting You. Let Your Divine Peace always be the resolution when you speak to my storm, like You spoke to the storm that troubled Your disciples on a boat. Let whatever or whoever opposes the Peace You have for me hear the same words that You spoke to that storm Lord Jesus. Let Your voice say, “Peace! Be still!”
Lord open my eyes to see those in my life that are not producing Your fruit that I might close my eats to their counsel. Teach me the areas in my own life that need tending to produce. Show me how to grow those areas that they would be blessed to overflowing by You. And may there Be much Fruit for Your Glory and my Joy! Amen
We aren’t called to be Christians just so we can be happy and content. We are called to be living channels of God’s Love upon this earth.
* “…constantly bearing in mind your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Thessalonians 1:3
How do you get out of the trap of Temptation and Sin? To whom do you cry out, “I want my freedom back”?
Whenever we move from playing Christianity to having a genuine encounter with the living Christ, we are confronted with our Own Humanity and Sin compared to the unmerited Love and Power of Jesus Christ that is personally directed to us.
*It should bring us to our knees. It is an awesome experience to transition from Religion to Relationship.
*Life is never the same when you have a personal encounter with our Savior.
Picture yourself as a bird in the fowler’s trap. Stand still. Don’t flap your
wings; don’t struggle. There is a secret of deliverance for you, and it is not
complicated:
“Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth”
Psalm 124: 7 We escaped like a bird from a hunter’s trap. The trap is broken, and we are free! 8 Our help is from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.
What a wonderful promise! Your escape to Freedom is in the name of Jesus, in
His incredible, glorious, all-powerful name!!!!
All you have to know is that Jesus is on your side. He is not mad at you for
falling into the trap. Jesus is not against you. No, never!
JESUS hears your cry because not even a sparrow falls to the ground without His knowing about it!
There have been many times in my life when I feel as if the enemy is gleefully enjoying an open season on me and God isn’t blocking anything.
*I have talked to many others that have felt this same way at times and have asked me questions like ‘where was God when my son was killed’; ‘where was God when my daughter was violated by someone who should have been protecting her’; ‘where was God when my spouse decided I was not worth loving anymore’; ‘where was God when the Twin Towers were attacked’; ‘where was God when…’
We see events from our own limited perspective of only the here and now, focusing on what did happen and getting Lost in the magnitude of Despair.
*God sees the whole picture, what did happen and what could have happened.
*It’s not about the glass being half empty or half full, BUT being able to look past the overwhelming emotions and find God– Knowing He is in Control!
When trials and tragedy come it often feels like God has forgotten us or is being cruel by putting us through more than we can handle. This Psalm 124 is a reminder that if God hadn’t been watching over us the trial or tragedy would have destroyed us.
*Instead, we come through to the other side Stronger and More Equipped to face the next step.
Here is what the bird of freedom sings to himself: ” This I declare about the LORD: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him. For he will rescue you from every trap and protect you from deadly disease. The LORD says, “I will rescue those who love me. I will protect those who trust in my name. 15 When they call on me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue and honor them. ” (Psalm 91:2-3, 14-15).
*Rest assured, that God will deliver you. No matter what your failure, your hardship, your trap, He is on your side.
*Stand still and see His salvation. Even if you are weak, you can cry out to Him because He promises to come and tear the net away!
He has come to bring you out of your despair, to break the snare that binds you and set you FREE. “Our soul has escaped as a bird from the snare of the
fowlers” (Psalm 124:7).
God is the Author of all our deliverances, and he must have the glory.
*The enemies lay snares for God’s people, to bring them into sin and trouble, and to hold them there. *Sometimes they seem to prevail; but in the Lord let us put our trust, and we shall not be put to confusion.
*The believer will ascribe all the honor of his salvation, to the power, mercy, and truth of God, and look back with wonder and thanksgiving on the way in which the Lord has led him.
*Let us rejoice that our help for the time to come is in Him who made heaven and earth!
The strength of your life and health is not only found in joy but in dealing
with things as they come.
* Diligence is the operative word here. Quiet and steady perseverance will benefit you greatly and keep you moving forward.
**This is no time to get stuck in circumstances that seem to be overwhelming. When something seems to be beyond your ability to deal with, trust the Lord for the help that you need.
*The Lord will give you direction, wisdom and strength in all things.
*Psalm 120:1-2 I will lift up my eyes to the hills-From whence comes my help? My help comes from the LORD, Who made heaven and earth.
We can call on His name in our times of need. He created everything and is the only One who can meet our needs.
** When I am in trouble, frustrated, or discouraged, I need to turn to Him first. He is the only one who can meet all my needs.
* I am often tempted to put my hope in a pile of different things and people other then God. I will remember why my hope is in God today. “I’m FREE!”
Father, you know where my heart is right now. Help me deal with these feelings, and help me to be patient and wait on You for the answers, not man. Your Word and Truth is Perfect for the soul and I put my Trust in You. God, thank You for creating me. Thank You for loving me enough to listen to me and help me through my troubles. Protect me today, use me today. Thank You for Victory in YOU and YOU ALONE! Amen
Read More “Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away”.
* Doubtful thoughts DO come, BUT we do not sin until we Entertain Them.
*God does not tempt us; He is holy and beyond any sin. We commit sin when we are enticed by our own desires and GIVE IN to temptation– Instead of remembering our Victory in Christ.
*God does not tempt us nor can God be tempted!
WE FIGHT FROM VICTORY! (John 4:4)
*Don’t Be Afraid—Christ in you is bigger than the Satan of this world- “if God is for us, who can be against us?”
*Always Remember– The Lord–What HE Has done for you!!
*When your burden is too heavy to carry, when you feel like you cannot take it anymore just remember Psalm 68:19 Blessed be the Lord, Who daily loads us with benefits, The God of our salvation!
*The Lord has loaded ME with BENEFITS!
***BENEFITS INCLUDE FORGIVENESS, HEALING, REDEEMING ME FROM THE PIT OF DESTRUCTION AND RESTORING ME LIKE BRAND NEW, HE CROWNS US WITH LOVING KINDNESS AND TENDER MERCIES.
*That is when you will know the joy of walking in repentance.
*Fight For Your Cause–Let your cause ignite a passion in you!
Matthew 6:13, “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory for ever. Amen.”
*A temptation can be a difficult situation or a pressure.
*Contrary to popular belief, God is not the source of our temptation.
* James 1:13 And remember, when you are being tempted, do not say, “God is tempting me.” God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else. 14 Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. 15 These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death.
OUR HOPE!
Luke 5:31 Jesus answered them, (Pharisees) “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. 32 I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners and need to repent.”
*The Pharisees wrapped their sin in respectability. They made themselves appear good by publicly doing good deeds and pointing to the sins of others. **Jesus chose to spend time, not with these proud, self-righteous religious leaders, but with people who sensed their own sin and knew that they were not good enough for God.
* When we are under pressure, it is important to realize that God is not trying to entrap us. Satan is called the tempter (Mt. 4:3; 1 Thess. 3:5).
Then why did Jesus instruct us to pray that the Father would not lead us into temptation?
*This was simply a request for guidance so that we could be delivered from evil.
Jesus himself was tempted by Satan (Mt. 4, Lk. 4). He trusted God fully for Provision, Protection, and Purpose. The Father would no more lead us into temptation than He would withhold our daily bread.
*But as stated in James 4:2, “Ye have not because ye ask not.” Both “give us our daily bread” and “lead us not into temptation” are simply requests for what has “Already been Provided” for us.
This part of prayer serves as a reminder to us of God’s promised protection (Ps. 91) and gives us an opportunity to release our faith and appropriate what has already been provided.
“No temptation has seized you but such as is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it” (1 Cor. 10:13 ).
** The victory demonstrated by Jesus is available to us. “But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 15:57). He has given it to you.
*Believe and receive it.
**REPLACE Temptation and Sin with Kingdom Values. (See Matthew 5:1-10)
“Remember your Creator in the days of your youth.” ((Ecclesiastes 12:1) Remembering God does not mean merely thinking about Him once in awhile. It means to relate to Him, walk with Him, discover Him, learn to know Him while you are young.
Temptation is all around us; it is subtle, it is powerful.
*The appeal of the world and the flesh is constantly with us, turning thousands of people away from the truth of God.
*But it gets worse the older you grow. The pressures to conform are greater as you Move Out into Life and business.
How good it is to know the living God, to know that He controls what comes into your life.
* He expects you to make choices; Scripture always encourages that.
* But rejoice in the wisdom of a Father’s heart and richly enjoy what is handed you day-by-day; that is the secret of life.
Such a one “seldom reflects on the days of his life” because God will keep him occupied “with gladness of heart.”
*Yes, Lord. It is so good to know You and be given the freedom to enjoy all that You provide for me day by day.
Come to the Truth of The Word in all things. Only in Truth can your faith be established and exercised to overcome adversity.
The Lord has given you precious promises of victory and the authority to succeed.
** It is of vital importance that you control your thoughts and emotions as you put your Trust in Jesus.
**Refuse to allow Temptation and Fear to gain any ground in you.
2 Timothy 1:7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love
and of a sound mind.
We that are struggling may have unresolved hurts. I encourage you to find healing. Seek counseling; find a local Recovery group; equip yourself with resources on healing and share your secrets with safe people. Remember you’re only as sick as your secrets!
Matthew 5:7 “When you pray, don’t babble on and on as people of other religions do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again. 8 Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him! 9 Pray like this:
Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. 10 May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. 11 Give us today the food we need, 12 and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. 13 And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one. AMEN AMEN
What is Salvation? Deliverance from sin and its consequences.
“To give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins.” Luke 1:77
** Salvation means that you and I must change to become a new creation.
God by His Holy Spirit will change our nature to make it holy. Our heart will be changed so that we will love all people — even our enemies. We will hate sin and walk in the light.
** Salvation means that we are no longer under Satan’s authority.
The Bible says, “For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” (Colossians 1: 13-14).
In Acts 4:12 the Bible says, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” Jesus Christ came to save us by shedding his blood on the cross. (Watch “The Passion of the Christ” movie by Mel Gibson for a passionate vision).
Hebrews 9:22 states, “…without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.”.
How Can I Receive Salvation?
Step 1: Believe in Jesus Christ as your Savior.
Step 2: Come to Him and repent of your sins. Ask him to forgive you and change your heart. Pray a simple prayer with ALL your heart.
Step 3: Read the Bible daily and connect with a church in your community.
(For More– go to movingforwardwithhope.com and read the “Steps to Peace” by Billy Graham).
If a Person cannot get through to God it may be there is a secret thing he does not intend to give up – I will admit I have done wrong, but I no more intend to give up that thing than fly.
*Ones that are struggling– may have unresolved hurts. I encourage you to find healing. Seek counseling; find a local Recovery group; equip yourself with resources on healing and share your secrets with safe people.
***Remember you’re only as sick as your secrets! Let’s get rid of Pride and be “All IN” for Christ!
What does it mean to be a follower of Jesus Christ?
*The real Christian person is the one who has a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
*In John 8:31 Jesus said, “If you obey my teaching …you are really my disciples.”
* In John 17:3 says: To know Jesus is to have Eternal Life!
Followers of Jesus walk with him every moment of their life, obeying his commands and loving him.
*When there is forgiveness of sin, there is life and all blessedness. We do not obtain forgiveness of sin by good work but through Jesus finish work on the cross.
Psalm 62:7 In God is my salvation and my glory; The rock of my strength, And my refuge, is in God.
**What is my purpose/destiny?” – this is it. I’m created for the distinct purpose of being sanctified toward Christ that I might be zealous for good works in righteousness and intimacy with Him.
(Read Titus 2:11-14).
Luke 3:9 we must pursue the things of the Gospel. To be ACTIVE in the pursuit of holiness. to seek the Lord while He can be found!
SALVATION BEGINS NOW
MATTHEW 6:10, “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.”
*His Kingdom comes in us when we allow Him to reign!
*His will is done on earth when we offer our lives to His control, to use us as He wishes in His redemptive work in this world!
We do not have to live a beggarly existence here on this earth and just wait till we all get to heaven to begin to experience the benefits of our salvation. Jesus told us to pray “thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.” In heaven, He will “wipe away all tears from our eyes” (Rev. 21:4), so here on earth we can pray and believe to receive “joy unspeakable and full of glory” (1 Pet. 1:8).
Our salvation is not just “pie in the sky,” but it IS Victory in this present life. Today believe God to start receiving every benefit of your salvation here in this life, and help others to receive what has been Purchased for them also. We don’t have to wait until we get to Heaven.
It is important as you continue to come to maturity that you maintain a healthy
spiritual atmosphere. I am referring to your own personal environment because you must establish the divine kingdom personally before it can extend beyond you to your family, church and work. The Lord’s work through you will always be an overflow of your Relationship with Jesus and your Obedience to His word.
* It all begins with the first and great commandment and seeking the kingdom first.
Matthew 22:37-38 Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and
great commandment.”
*Salvation is God’s thought, not man’s.
*Salvation is the great thought of God, not an experience.
*Experience is only a gateway by which salvation comes into our conscious life. Never preach the experience; preach the great thought of God behind the experience.
*When we preach we are not proclaiming how man can be saved from hell and be made moral and pure; we are conveying “Good News About God”!
Lord, Thank You for my salvation. Thank You that I have found my freedom in Christ. Thank You Jesus, for Your death on the Cross and saving a sinner like me. Lord I want to have a deeper passion for you all the time. I want to put You first in all my life. Lord help me to have a burning passion for You. Lord as I partner with You in reaching out to people, I ask for the help and guidance to accomplish what You came to do, and that is to reach the lost. “I LOVE YOU LORD. AMEN!”
Matthew 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.”
Check out the new web pages,
1. The Hope Connection: www.movingforwardwithhope.com
2. Moving Forward Initiatives LLC_sign up and receive the 8 Truths To Master Life! www.movingforwardinitiativesllc.com
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