Devotions - Prayer
NEED A FACE LIFT?
*What to do about the blues?
*The POWER OF GOD is available Today!
” He gives power to the weak, And to those who have no might He increases strength”. Isaiah 40:29
*The very presence of Christ in your heart has a direct impact on your face!
David boldly declared, “For I shall yet praise Him, the help [health] of my
countenance” (Psalm 42:11).
*And he repeats the same statement in Psalm 43:5.
In the original Hebrew, the proper rendering of both these verses is, “God is the salvation of my face!”
I believe David is saying something important here. You see, your Face is a
billboard that advertises what’s going on in your heart.
*All the joy or turmoil that’s inside you is reflected in your countenance.
****When I speak of countenance, I am talking about facial expression, body language, tone of voice.
*Where do we go when we are depressed or discouraged, we come to God because we have nowhere else to go.
People do not quench the inner thirst of the Heart. Only God can do this.
God allows circumstances to come that create a longing in our Hearts for HIM!
God has great confidence in you to place you where you are this season in life. We get God’s Best when we leave the choices in life with Jesus—He does know the Future.
*This psalm(42:11) reminds us to put our faith in God, even when we aren’t “feeling it.” Regardless of where we are at in our walk, God is the same yesterday as he is today.
Let our Faith not be dictated by mood or merely emotion, but a consistent high level of inspired faith that goes beyond bad days.
*May we let God give us a NEW SONG of PRAISE today whatever our circumstances may be! (PS. 40:3)
I thank God for His great salvation—for redeeming our soul, our spirit, even
our body. But many of us need to get our faces saved! We need a Holy Ghost
face-lift—because our faces are giving the wrong message to the world!
Why such a change of countenance? “A man’s wisdom makes his face shine, and
the sternness of his face is changed”. (Ecclesiastes 8:1).
I take “wisdom” in this verse to mean Jesus Christ. Indeed, the very
presence of Christ in your heart has a direct impact on your face! It affects
your walk, your talk, the very tone of your voice.
God often causes delays in our lives that we cannot understand. Sometimes it seems our obedience is not getting rewarded. Jesus said He learned obedience through the things He suffered (see Heb. 5:8). Imagine that – Jesus having to learn obedience. What does that say for you and me?
Sometimes God’s delays are simply because He wants more glory in the situation, more recognition, more Christ-likeness in you and me through greater patience and obedience. Faint not, for the promise may yet come.
Encourage yourself. Rise up and establish yourself in faith that the Lord will bring you through every situation that has the potential of bringing you down in discouragement. Ask, and He will give you wisdom and show you what must be done. Jesus will strengthen you in your weakest moment. Jesus is with you, and Jesus will not forsake you. Put your entire trust in Jesus to rescue you from even the most dire of situations and lift you up to new heights. Do not be afraid!
2 Corinthians 12:9 And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Lord, I want to want you more than anyone and anything else. Draw me to you and show me that you are all I need. Today Lord, I look to You and keep my focus off the storms and the distractions so that You may receive the praise and the glory and that I may walk in confidence and faith believing and knowing that today will be a great one, because it is in Your hands for Your Glory! Help me Lord not to stop at the blessings and experiences, so I don’t miss You Jesus the BLESSER. Lord, with You at the wheel, I know I can finish YOUR course for me with joy. “There is NONE upon earth that I desire but THEE”.
Isaiah 40:31 But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint. Amen
God’s Love is faithful to the absolute. He will never leave you or forsake you.
* “Do not fear, for I am with you; do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10
NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE:
Luke 1:37, “For with God nothing shall be impossible.”
God’s Love is one-sided. God doesn’t say, “I’ll love you if you’ll love Me”. Instead He promises, “I’ll love you no matter what”!
* “…neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38-39
What a statement! If we just believed this, how different our lives would be!
From birth we are trained to know our limitations. You can’t have this. Don’t touch that. Don’t put things in your mouth. You can’t touch the fire. On and on the list goes.
As we grow up, it’s actually a sign of maturity to recognize our limitations and learn to live within them. There are limits to everything. It’s a fact of life.
**BUT God has no limits. When we enter into the realm of the supernatural, we have to take off all the limits. We have to Renew our minds(Ro. 12:1-3) with the Truth that God is not like us. God can do anything!!!
Ephesians 6:10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
*The power that God is using to work in and through us is the same power that was used to raise Christ from the dead! It’s not that we need more of Gods power to accomplish His will, we simply need to be surrendered and yielded to the power that’s already there.
We have an awesome God whose power is so great that we can’t even comprehend it. He created the universe and it didn’t even tax His ability. Yet many times we find ourselves wondering if our situation is too hard for the Lord. We can’t see how even God can pull us through.
*Philippians 1 :29 For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake.
*When we go through hardship, we always feel that it’s been inflicted on us. We won’t think it’s been granted to us.
*Think of it as—We are building bridges from earth to heaven. There will be difficulties and challenges. Are we going to face it or run away from it?
1 Peter 4:1 Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin,
*We have to arm ourselves to suffer. So that we can sail through the difficult times.
The Lord said to Jeremiah, “Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?” (Jer. 32:27) The answer is a resounding NO! The only thing that limits God is our unbelief.
Deuteronomy 7:1-26:
*Very powerful! This scripture shows us how powerful God is, shows that he brought victory to our lives.. God chose you and I cause we were literally nothing..God made us something, something victorious, a child of the mighty God that is from ever lasting to ever lasting! Praise God!
Today, let’s honor God by believing that nothing is too difficult for Him.
Romans 8:37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
*Jesus faced the greatest Goliath of all, our sin and failure.
*The Cross tells us that God is Faithful even in our failure.
*God has made us to be conquers. More then that He has made us to love and worship Him. God wants us to trust in Him and love others like He loves us.
God chose You—–His Masterpiece!
Nothing in this world or under the world can separate us from the love of God.
*Faith gives us the assurance we can’t see.
*He never stops loving you. He is absolutely committed to you.
God I praise you for the love…your perfect love you have for us….it truly casts out all fear….I will accept God’s unconditional love for me even though I have done stupid things in the past in which I think that I shouldn’t deserve His love. Yes Lord-Thank You for loving me unconditionally. Nothing can separate me from You. I have tripped up many times and yet You still love me. That is amazing and I thank You for Your Grace. Lord, may I not always take the path of least resistance, may I take the path that brings you the most glory. If suffering comes because of my obedience, may I count it a privilege. Father, thank You that You are for me and not against me, that in You I have a future and a hope! I long to bring glory and honor to Your name, Jesus, and You said that when I bear much fruit then I would do so. Lord, teach me and help me enter in to all that You have for me, and let my life be an encouragement to those who need Hope for a brighter day. I recognize that it is only by faith in Your great name that I can ever fulfill Your destiny for my life. I will trust in You Lord! Amen.
Read MoreHalf-hearted commitments can end in disaster.
2 Corinthians 11:2 For I am jealous for you with the jealousy of God himself. I promised you as a pure bride to one husband—Christ. 3 But I fear that somehow your pure and undivided devotion to Christ will be corrupted, just as Eve was deceived by the cunning ways of the serpent.
Half-hearted commitments can end in disaster. I’ve seen it happen over the years, in areas of life ranging from sports to marriage, from friendships to business.
* All of us, at one time or another, have probably been hurt by others who have made half-hearted commitments.
Why is it important to walk in wholehearted, simple commitment to Jesus?
*Because the things we DO as Christians can easily become the focus of our faith.
*It is all too easy to end up committed to a Christian program or denomination rather than being committed to Christ. *Programs and churches can let people down.
**Jesus never does!!!!!
It’s all too easy to commit to following the Rules of Christianity rather than being committed to Christ.
* Following rules can become sterile and confining.
**Following Jesus is about Relationship not rules.
**Following Jesus brings freedom and life!!!
I’m not saying that you should neglect your commitments to your church, but what I am saying is that your commitment to Christ should be the drive for your life-long commitment to God!
*** When you become wholeheartedly committed to Christ, all other commitments you’ve made, become Enhanced and Noticeable.
*Revelation 3:16 But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth!
*** BE COMMITTED!
“it is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect. he makes my feet like the feet of a deer; he enables me to stand on the heights. he trains my hands for battle; my arms can bend a bow of bronze. you give me your shield of victory, and your right hand sustains me; you stoop down to make me great.” psalm 18:32-35
What is your current status?
*HOT – you are growing— your faith is growing your love for one another increases.
*COLD – you do not know God, no personal relationship.
*LUKEWARM – you are drifting-backsliding.
“So we must listen very carefully to the truth we have heard, or we may drift away from it.” Hebrews 2:1
***What barrier is keeping you and me from experiencing everything God has for Us? Yes it is the Sin in our life!
*We need to change our tolerant attitude towards sin and stop making excuses for our sin and stop comparing our sin to others sin.
*We need to find out what disciplines best help us experience God?
1. Accept the BIBLE as your manual for living.
2. Make prayer a part of our everyday life.
“then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the head, that is, Christ” Ephesians 4:14-15
3. We need to go to the root, not the top:
*Put spiritual discipline in our life.
*Make prayer a part, talk to God -saying God I want to do this and failing does not make you a hypocrite, quit using that as an excuse, a barrier
*God is perfect, not me.
*Eliminate barriers in your life that prevent you from having a relationship with GOD.
BE 100 Percent SATISFIED WITH JESUS!
*It is not enough for Jesus to win your heart.
*Jesus has to be the satisfaction of
your heart!
**Yet, there are many believers who have never been satisfied with Jesus.
They’re always up or down according to their circumstances.
That is not a suitable bride for this bridegroom. No, a certain beauty must
adorn His bride in order to attract Him: “So the King will greatly desire your
beauty” (Psalm 45:11). But what is this beauty?
*This beauty is beheld in God’s eyes; it is what Jesus sees in us that attracts Him.
The Holy Spirit says to the bride of Christ, “If you will lay aside everything,
forget all others and adorn yourself for Him alone, then He will desire your
beauty!”
This means no job, no person, no relationship can come between you!
I heard a godly wife say, “The more godly my husband becomes, the more
attractive he is to me.” Indeed, that is what a godly marriage is all about.
***And, likewise, the more you give yourself in entire devotion to the Lord, the more attractive and beautiful you become to Him.
“So the King will greatly desire your beauty . . .” (Psalm 45:11). What an
incredible thought:
Jesus will not be able to stay away from you! In fact, the Hebrew meaning of beauty here signifies a strong yearning and desire.
* In other words, Jesus will draw close to you—overflowing with desire for you!
I have been to many weddings in my lifetime. And there was never a groom who didn’t smile with delight at his bride, thinking, “She’s all mine!” Now that is the beauty I’m talking about. Our Bridegroom rejoices, saying of His
bride, “I’m the apple of her eye. She’d rather spend time with Me than with
anyone else. And that makes her beautiful to Me!”
Indeed, the bride of Christ has an inner beauty that makes her outwardly
beautiful. She is “. . . all glorious within. . .” (Psalm 45:13) because she is
devoted to her Bridegroom. He knows beyond any shadow of a doubt, “She is all Mine—devoted only to Me! She worships Me and is submissive(help in building a person up to be all God intended that person to be) to Me. I am the only One in her life, the sole focus of her attention. She makes time for Me, is overjoyed in My presence, and desires to be with Me continually.” What
beautiful devotion.
The Holy Spirit is the part of the Godhead that empowers us for service.
God is not asking us to live for Him. He is asking us to let Him live through us (Gal. 2:20).
The Christian life is not a changed life but an exchanged life. (Eph. 2:1-10).
This can only be accomplished when the Holy Spirit is leading and empowering us.
Lord help me daily to get on the alter as a sacrifice to You.
Lord true surrender is hard and at the times I don’t want to surrender– please give me strength to give it ALL to YOU.
I want to be “ALL IN” and committed daily. In Jesus Name, Amen.
Our Identity in Christ!
Who am I? If someone were to come up to me and ask me this, I would probably answer by giving the person my name. Pressed further, I would probably tell the person my occupation, or where I’m from, or that I’m a husband and father. Much of our identity is built on such factors.
But when John the Baptist is asked who he is, he responds by speaking of his PURPOSE.
*John says that he is the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, make straight the path of the Lord.
* John’s identity is based on his calling from God, to be a missionary and evangelist and to lead people to Christ.
We are all called to that same purpose; there are no passive Christians, we are ALL called to be His disciples and followers, to proclaim the good news of Jesus and to declare His holiness to all we meet. THAT is our true identity!!!
Philippians 2:4 Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.
John 1:23, “He said, I [am] the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.”
*John knew who he was and what he was called to do. This was one of the keys to his success.
*John knew God’s plan and purpose for his life from the beginning and he spent his entire life preparing for it.
God has a plan for your life just as surely as he did for John the Baptist.
*It is not enough to simply “do your own thing” and then ask God’s blessing upon it. Once you know you are doing God’s will, you never have to ask for God’s blessing.
The Lord created you with a purpose in mind. Your talents and abilities were given you to fulfill His purpose. Although you may find limited success using these talents for your own uses, you will never find your true potential until they are directed by and for the Lord.
The good news is that God wants to reveal His perfect plan for your life to you more than you want to know it. You can rest assured that if you ask for knowledge of His plan for your life, you will receive.
Mt. 7:7“Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you..
When we understand Gods love for us & His plan for us then we can begin to realize the doors that He wants open for us. But we will only realize these things when we are constantly communicating & listening to Him.
Don’t stress out trying to make things happen on your own (as I try so many times, & fail). Give it all to God as you pray. Let’s pray & seek Him with all out hearts.
God will show you His good, acceptable and perfect will. Don’t be afraid-let nothing hold you Back. Let God have you live as He has planned for you. Let GO and LET God! “FAITH”
Rom. 12:1 And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. 2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you THINK. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
*We can make a difference in our own lives and others by allowing Jesus to give us a renewed mind, so that we act in His will and not ours.
The lesson here is to learn daily and complete dependence on God. Use your gifts and abilities through the power of the Holy Spirit. Ask Him daily for direction and wisdom. His ways won’t always line up with conventional wisdom.
When we open our minds to God’s will and make a Choice to stop going along in our Routines and Habits of the world, thinking WE know what’s Best and get out of our earthly thinking and comfort Zone- we open up the pathway for real transformation of our mind and our life and start to engage in others and get off of SELF.
Putting on the word of God and being renewed by the spirit are what makes a person beautiful, not simply the outer beauty as the world focus on. True outer beauty comes from being beautiful on the Inside first, knowing who you are IN Christ.
This new life in Christ will be good! He wants us to have his absolute best in our life. We will be content when we are living out our purpose– God’s plan for our life!
*God has equipped us with the Holy Spirit.
*We have been equipped with the abundant life..we can have life to the fullest…we have been equipped to be a part of something that is alive…the Body of Christ.
*We have been equipped to go do what we have been called to do.
*To build up the Body of Christ…he has given each of us something that when used in harmony with each other, great things happen within the Body of Christ.
I can be very gifted or spiritually minded, but if I don’t have love, I am nothing. We have been gifted for God’s glory. These gifts are not for us alone –But for others in the Body. WE ALL HAVE A GIFT to be used to Build UP and encourage the Body. (Eph. 4:11-13).
*Be kind and serve each other in love. *Be open and serve with an open heart.
Let us all search and find our Identity as John did: John’s identity, which is based on his calling from God, to be a missionary and evangelist and to lead people to Christ. “Great Commission”.(Matt. 28:19-20).
Lord, I pray that when next someone asks me who I am, that I would have the boldness and honesty to declare that I am a follower of Jesus Christ, who was saved by grace. Lord, be with me and not let negative thoughts come inside me- so help me God. Lord, thank you that you have a plan and a purpose for each one of us. Thank you for revealing your plan when we open our mind, accept you in our hearts, and turn from the superficial customs of this world and the lifestyle people live while in it. Lord, Let me choose my thoughts wisely and focus them on you today. As I focus on you and your amazing love for me and blessings in my life, transform me and renew my mind, knowing that a renewed mind includes helping others. Show me your plan for my life. Keep me in your will and purpose because I know it is divine! Thank you Lord Amen
Read More“So if you are presenting a sacrifice at the altar in the Temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, 24 leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God”.(Matthew 5:23-24).
*”Christians are to be reconciled, whatever it takes…
Proverbs 15:1 A gentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words make tempers flare.
*Wise speech needs to be careful, humble, gentle, timely and truthful (get rid of half truths)
* A pure heart overflows into pure truthful speech.
Avoiding Conflict!!!
Then Joab went to Geshur and brought Absalom back to Jerusalem. But the king said, “He must go to his own house; he must not see my face.” So Absalom went to his own house and did not see the face of the king (2 Sam 14:23-24).
Wow. This is a sad time. David’s own son, Absalom, rises up in conspiracy against him.
Many people hate conflict to the point they will Never confront a wrong.
*Taking this path will only lead to later hardship. Such was the case for Absalom and his father King David.
Amnon, also a son of David, raped his sister Tamar. When this happened, David was furious but he did not punish Amnon for his actions.
Absalom saw this as a terrible injustice for his sister. So, Absalom plotted to kill Amnon at the right time. He patiently waited for two years before he set up a situation to have him killed.
David was heartbroken over the death of Amnon and held Absalom responsible. At the same time, David still desired to have a relationship with Absalom, but because he failed to address the situation with Amnon when it happened, it led to more serious consequences in the family(Absalom was NOT repremanded for his actions, nor his choices.)
* Absalom was banished for three years because of David’s anger towards him which allowed seeds of resentment to grown in his heart.
*Absalom then conspired to overthrow David’s kingdom.
It is imperative to confront problems WHEN they arise no matter how uncomfortable it might be.
* David didn’t go all the way in reconciliation and it hurt him. We need to Learn from history and go the extra mile in reconciliation attempts.
We are called to speak the truth in love.
“Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ” (Eph 4:15-16).
*Failure to confront in love allows the enemy to sow greater seeds of conflict.
****BUT Hard Truth can forsake truth. Love without God’s leading can betray truth. What a delicate Balance between truth and love.
It’s clear from this story and others that David had a problem with forgiveness. It was easier for him to kill someone who brought him bad news than forgive them of their wrong. He didn’t want to see Absalom face to face because he couldn’t bring himself to forgive him for three years. That lack of forgiveness planted the seeds that later led to disaster. It’s a lesson for all of us as we can easily fall into temptation to the same pride that ignores our own sinfulness and pushes us to pass judgment on those who sin against us. As James so eloquently reminds us, we have no business passing judgment on others when we ourselves can barely get through a day without sinning.
Is there someone in your life that you need to confront in love? Make plans now to get with this person and work through the issues that divide you and have True forgiveness in your heart.
* Let’s let the Holy Spirit search our heart over situations in our life where there is unfinished conflict and seek to go the extra — to finish it up.
Biblical Ways to Love in Truth:
*Listen without interrupting.Proverbs 18
*Speak without accusing. James 1:19
*Give without sparing. Proverbs 21:26
*Pray without ceasing. Colossians 1:9
*Answer without arguing. Proverbs 17:1
*Share without pretending. Eph. 4:15
*Enjoy without complaint. Philip. 2:14
*Trust without wavering. Corin. 13:7
*Forgive without punishing. Col. 3:13
*Promise without forgetting. Prov. 13:13
Refuse to allow presumption to cloud your discernment. You should never act, react, respond, or take your next step based on what YOU assume is truth. If you are uncertain about an issue or circumstance, take the time to investigate and discover the facts. Just because your conclusion seems reasonable does not make it true. And, presumption will plunge you into the darkness of deception. Stay in the Light and Truth, and maintain confidence in the word as you follow Jesus precepts.
Psalms 19:13 Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous/deliberate sins; let them not have dominion over me. Then I shall be blameless, and I shall be innocent of great transgression.
*Most people: Remember the things that ought to be forgotten and forget the things that ought to be remembered.
*Empty the trash. Stop thinking about it.
*Jesus died to set you free. Accept it.
“All of us must die eventually. Our lives are like water spilled out on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again. But God does not just sweep life away; instead, he devises ways to bring us back when we have been separated from him”. 2 Samuel 14:14
*You only need one funeral in your life, *NOTHING deserves a daily funeral.
*Look at your past as spilt water on the ground. Just a damp spot.
*Remind yourself the BEST is yet to come!
*You’ve been moved out and have stepped into the biggest blessing of your life! Just wave good bye, because you are who God says you are-HIS MASTERPIECE! (Eph. 2:10).
**Isn’t it wonderful experiencing Gods love!!!!
*Let us pray for a pure heart, let us be Spirit directed toward Holiness as He is Holy.
Father help me to always be mindful of the difference between trusting in Your love and Your promises and presuming I have some special insight or preferred standing. God, put those relationships I have with some conflict in my mind and please don’t let them go. Help me to push through and finish my part. Don’t let me let things go unfinished. Thank You for Your Truth, Your Love Your Hope and Your Freedom. Jesus You are the Way, The Truth and the Life, help me to Love as You Love have loved me for Your Glory. Amen
*You know you are healed, when you can Thank God for the pains of the Past!
…”Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” (Luke 7:50).
“But I will restore you to health and heal your wounds,” declares the Lord. (Jeremiah 30:17)
God’s Love is dependent only upon God, who is eternally faithful, trustworthy and reliable.
* “For I, the Lord, do not change…”
Malachi 3:6
May we strive for excellence in all that we do for the Master of the universe.
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving (Colossians 3:23-24).
When was the last time you sat and wrote out a plan and revisited your vision? (Read Habakkuk 2:1-3).
The Enemy focuses us on what we can’t do instead of focusing us on what we CAN do.
Time heals nothing.
** It is what YOU DO with the TIME that matters.
*****You know you are healed, when you can Thank God for the pains of the Past! God is so patient with us and keeps His promises. (2 Peter 3:9).
Proverbs 1:33 But all who listen to me will live in peace, untroubled by fear of harm.”
John 14:27 “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.
Don’t wait until the time is just right to take the first step toward achieving your goals.
**The time will never be just right. Make the resolution to start where you are now and go for what matters most in your life as you stive to move forward. Where you end up one year from now IS up to YOU!
We have explosive power inside of us. It’s time to revert back to the power inside of you for excitement in your life. (John 15:9-15 Joy is available).
Act like who you are. YOU are the child of a king. You are His Masterpiece! It’s a matter of time to come out of the pits, bushes, or wherever you are and fight. Fight the good fight of faith. We are God’s workmanship. We are his pottery.
Allow Jesus to mold us. We were created for good works so its time to dream big. Be excited about your future. God has plans for you for His Glory! (Jer. 29:11).
2 Peter 1:4 And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.
Matthew 11:28-29 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
The meaning of life lies in relationship!!
*First and foremost is our relationship with God,
* and then our relationship with each other.
*We each have these relationships, most likely one more than the other, But let’s get a Balance of the Two for God’s Glory!
* “We love, because He first loved us.”
1 John 4:19
When we come to KNOW the Lord we will begin to see that He wants us to truly love our neighbor just as we love ourselves.
Mark 12:29 Jesus answered, “The most important is: ‘Listen, Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
Here is how the Bible describes God’s Love:
* “God’s Love is very patient and kind, never jealous or envious, never boastful or proud, never haughty or selfish or rude. God’s love does not demand its own way. It is not irritable or touchy. It does not hold grudges and will hardly even notice when others do it wrong. It is never glad about injustice, but rejoices whenever truth wins out.”
1 Corinthians 13:4-6 (Living Bible)
The 4 Love’s we have!
The natural human loves inspired by friendship (phileo), family (storge), or romance (eros), are awesome blessings from our Creator, BUT Agape is the only love essential to human survival. Only God’s Divine Love can give us the Identity and Purpose we need to live life to the fullest.
* “If I have not (God’s) Love, I am nothing.” 1 Corinthians 13:2
Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all” (Mark 9:35).
* What Jesus did do was to tell them the true way to greatness.
**“It is NOT by seeking to be first,” He said.
**It is by a willingness to be last.
** It is not by getting people to serve you; it is by becoming a servant of all.
There are two kinds of ambition. There is the ambition to be approved and applauded by people, and the ambition to be approved and applauded by God.
There are those who want to gain fame and attention and influence and power. The measurement of the ambition to be great before people is always “How many serve me? How much power do I exercise over others? How wide is the extent of my influence?”
* Who of us has not suffered many times from this desire to be known, to be admired, to be considered great?
But Jesus points out that true greatness is never found there. The measure of true greatness is:
***How many do I serve? How many can I help?” This is the mark of greatness in the eyes of God.
Christianity is a radical faith! It is exactly the opposite of the natural instincts of the heart.
Our natural inclinations will get us deeper and deeper into trouble. Though we may achieve a form of greatness in the eyes of people, it will turn into cobwebs and ashes in our hands.
Lord, Teach me the meaning of Your words in the depths of my heart. Help me to strive for that greatness that will shine throughout eternity. Help us Lord this day to see ones in need, be it loneliness, depression, fear, cancer, unforgiveness, guilt or shame and come along side them and show them Your Love. Help us be examples to show that, Christianity does not produce a changed life but an exchanged life. Like Jesus, grow in your wisdom and understanding of who we now are in Christ.
We know we are healed, when we can Thank God for the pains of the Past! Lord, help us share Our Testimony of what You, Jesus have done for US.
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new Creation; the old is gone, the New has come!
Psalms 119:105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.
Romans 12:13 Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.
Come Holy Spirit Come!!! Amen
***Jan. 24 at Christ Church at 7PM will be an informational meeting to kick off our NEW Moving Forward Group. Come for a great night of testimonials of “what God is doing in and through individuals.
**Revelation Bible study starting Jan 26. Go to web address below and go to calendar-scroll down to Thurs. And open “Community Wide Bible Study”.
Do You Know What You Want??
Do you Know What God Wants??
Life is meaningless only if we allow it to be.
Each of us has the power to give life meaning, to make our time and our bodies and Gods words into instruments of love and hope.
The Word of God only profits us if we believe it (Heb. 4:2). The message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard did not combine it with faith.
*God’s promises + faith = personal benefits.
*#1—Life without GOD is nothing.
*God must be Central in EVERYTHING we do! Otherwise Life is Meaningless. Read Ecclesiastes 1.
Learn this one secret in life and success will find you … keep moving forward.
If you keep doing what you’re doing now, where do you see yourself in one year?
You’ll make progress in some areas of your life but are they the areas that you Care most about?
Are they the areas that Mean the most to you?
Most of us would love to move forward in certain areas of our life but let’s face it, sometimes it’s Very hard.
Sometimes we are so used to thinking a certain way that we can’t seem to make a first definite step, even though we know deep down in our hearts that it’s the right thing to do.
Truly, …God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty… (1 Cor. 1:27-28).
**If you feel foolish or weak, then you qualify. Let the Lord use you today.
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.
*The promises of God are powerful and awesome to grasp. Receiving Jesus guarantees eternal life in Heaven:
1) God provides your relationship by grace.
2) God provides your growth by grace.
*Focus on what you can do –not what you can’t do.
* Learn how to dream big and cut out distractions.
Proverbs 13:12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a dream fulfilled is a tree of life.
*Do not stop dreaming your dreams!
*Do not underestimate your ability!
*Do not let the devil detour your destiny!
*There is a time for everything!
*Realize your power, potential, and promise.
***Potential is untapped ability that hasn’t been activated or used yet.
Ecclesiastes 3:1 For everything there is an appointed time, and an appropriate time for every activity on earth:
Know What You Want
This isn’t about the how, only the
what.
In order to move forward in life,
you need a firm foundation to step from.
Hebrews 11:10 For he(Abraham) was looking forward to the city with firm foundations, whose architect and builder is God.
* Understanding what and where God wants you to go in life will provide your vision and spirit – your foundation.
*We’ve got to get our eyes on Jesus again! (Heb 11:6, 10, 13-16)
**Faith IS the Foundation of our life!
Romans 10:17 So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ.
*Faith is being, living, speaking, acting the word of GOD.
The how will figure itself out when you know you want to keep moving forward.
TRUST: There are no accidents without value.
* When you get hit hard and land on your back, look for the reasons and for the value in this.
Psalms 33:21 In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. 22 Let your unfailing love surround us, LORD, for our hope is in you alone.
*** Open your heart and trust this happened for a reason.
* Perhaps it was to test your determination or to alert you to the fact you were on the wrong path.
* Either way, Trust the Experience is happening for a reason and be open to making adjustments in order to keep moving forward.
Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose,
Want it More:
How badly do you want it? How badly do you really want to achieve what YOU are working so hard to accomplish?
When you get hit hard, you have an opportunity to answer this question.
*It’s one thing to say you want to do something, or to be something.
*BUT to walk through the pain; to get up and keep moving forward knowing there may be more pain ahead, is a test of your determination and resolve.
* When you find yourself getting Back on your feet, you HAVE indeed answered this question and there’s no doubt you will keep moving forward.
Man’s knowledge is based on observation. It cannot give perfect instruction about the future. God’s knowledge can.(Hosea 4: 6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.).
**Knowledge and Understanding or Meaningless information…..
*Through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit we can know things to come (Jn. 16:13).
*Through Christ, and the power of the Holy Spirit, God wants to speak to you on a One-to-one basis every day.
*God wants to lead you step-by-step to the good things He has in store for you.
When dealing with God, revelation knowledge is essential. The Lord’s ways are not always our ways (Isa. 55:8).
*A fear of trusting the intuitive knowledge that God gives us will cause us to miss many blessings of God.
*An unteachable spirit is an unwillingness to change.
We need to ask for and expect to receive revelation knowledge from the Lord. God desires to impart it more than we desire to receive it.
“Great blessings await those who will NOT depend solely on their own understanding (Prov. 3:5).
We are God’s workmanship. We are his pottery. Allow Him to mold us. We were created for good works so its time to dream big. Be excited about your future—You are God’s Masterpiece!
*Why do you think God chose you?
*Don’t ever try to be somebody else, you are different, special and nobody can do You better than You.
1Corinthians 12:4 Now there are different gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 There are different ministries, but the same Lord. 6 And there are different activities, but the same God activates each gift in each person.
*If you want to understand God, treasure His Word.
*If you want to understand Jesus, treasure His Word.
*If you want to understand Holy Spirit, treasure His Word.
*If you want to understand Kingdom and Kingdom principles, treasure His Word.
*If you want to understand christianity, treasure His Word.
I will put my trust in you, oh Lord! You are Lord, you are love. We are absolutely loved and accepted. Would you continue to remind me of this? Would you give me a bigger picture of your love? Please help me to Trust You in EVERY Circumstance. Lord, I will trust in You and not try to fix things on my own– Knowing that You have a Plan and a Reason for all things for Your Glory.
God, I recognize the need for Balance and boundaries in my life. As I read Your Word, show me how to apply Your healthy boundaries and move forward in my life giftings today. Amen
***MOVING FORWARD IN YOUR LIFE:
Jan. 24 at Christ Church at 7PM will be an informational meeting to kick off our NEW Moving Forward Group. Come for a great night of testimonials of “what God is doing in and through individuals.
**Revelation Bible study starting Jan 26. Go to web address below and go to calendar-scroll down to Thurs. And open “Community Wide Bible Study”.
*If you want to understand God, treasure His Word.
Keep the Faith
If you keep doing what you’re doing now, where do you see yourself in one year?
Philippians 4:19 And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.
Learn this one secret in life and success will find you … keep moving forward.
Eph. 3:20 Now to him who by the power that is working within us is able to do far beyond all that we ask or think,
Keep the Faith
Faith: A strong belief in something without proof or evidence.
Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is being sure of what we hope for, being convinced of what we do not see.
*Suffering teaches obedient faith.
Hebrews 5:8 Even though Jesus was God’s Son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered.
At the end of the day when you are weary from all of the effort and energy you have expended and you are sore and tired from being hit hard so many times, but the dream is not realized, the one thing that tells you to keep going; to get up tomorrow and to keep moving forward, is your Faith.
**Honor this and cherish it. Faith is what makes you human. It gives you energy and hope. And if you let it, your faith will deliver you to wherever you want to go in life.
Philippians 4:13 For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.
Help people with the same problems you have – Solving our problems in life isn’t always easy.
Our toughest problems often require the most creative solutions—solutions that are outside our scope of thinking. **But when you help people solve problems that are similar to your own, you’ll find it easier to solve your own problems and Heal.
By solving the same problem from different perspectives, you’ll find the all-inclusive answer that seems to work repeatedly.
Solving these types of problems will become second-nature to you and eventually you’ll be able to solve your own problems, even the toughest ones.
James 5:16 Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.
There is no standing still. You are either moving forward in your life or you are falling behind.
You only have one opportunity to live your life, don’t live it regretting what was, or what is no more.
You have to start seeing the wonderful things that life still has to offer you. Now is the time to allow yourself to expect the best from life.
Psalms 32:8 The LORD says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.
Talk expectantly and positively about yourself and the future. Know that better things are right around the corner for you. Be excited!
Once you implement a positive attitude to your way of thinking you’ll be amazed at the results!
I implore you to let go of the things that are holding you back. Release yourself from your self inflicted bondage, set yourself free. YOU are responsible for your life’s journey.
*Forgive people who have hurt you; let go of the things that have been done to you. Get resentment out of your life! Let it go.
Only then can you bring to yourself fresh hope and move yourself forward to the life you want.
* Don’t keep yourself prisoner to anything or anyone. You have the key to your cell, use it to open the door, step through it, and get back on your journey.
**You do not have the power to change the past.
**** Forgiveness will cut you loose and free you to move forward and create a new future.
Matthew 6:14 “For if you forgive others their sins, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
To bring about a change in your life, you need to make inner change –changing your thoughts, transferring your focus, concentrating on what you want to bring into your life, rather than what you don’t want, or what you’ve lost.
Romans 12:2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
When was the last time you sat out wrote out a plan and revisited your vision.
*Enemy focuses us on what we can’t do instead of focusing us on what we CAN do.
*Need to dream big and cut out distractions.
***Don’t let all of your distractions cut out time with God. Choose Him to be First and things Will fall into place.
Walk by faith not by sight. It’s not what it looks like…Moses as the example crossing the Red Sea.
*It’s in the dry places of life when you are elevated.
**Let God in on your plans. When God brings you out he’s looking to bring you into another experience.
Galatians 5:1 So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law.
When God anoints us, it often is accompanied by some severe tests. These tests are designed to prepare us for the calling God has on our life. Should we fail these tests God cannot elevate us to the next level. For a believer, these tests often involve money, relationships, and other issues of the heart.
What if God has chosen you for a specific purpose in His Kingdom? Are you passing the tests He is bringing about in your life?
These tests are designed to bring about greater obedience.
In most instances, it will involve great adversity. The Bible tells us that the King of kings, Jesus- learned obedience through the things that He suffered (see Heb. 5:8).
If this is true, why would it be any different for His children? Be aware of the tests God may be bringing before you in order to prepare YOU for His service.
The Lord has made a way for you to come higher by way of spiritual progression. In order to take advantage of this opportunity, you must let go of everything that has become an anchor and a hindrance.
You must release all things that have become a source of agitation, irritation, or conflict in your soul.
Listen to the Lord’s voice as HE calls to you. Allow His nature to be developed in you that will bear the fruit of His Spirit. Let your light shine in the darkness of difficult and disturbing circumstances, for I am with you, says the Lord.
*Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
Heavenly Father, thank you so much for your perfect plans and your wonderful mercy and grace. Jesus, thank you for your mighty sacrifice and your love to do God’s will. Lord I ask that you help us learn to pray to grow nearer to you. To hear your voice and follow your will. Lord I ask that as we pray, we enter into your throne room and we gather a taste that keeps us yearning for more of you. Lord I ask too that you show us your good and perfect plans. Lord, help us be obedient to you and your will. Father thank you for your love and your unending promises and grace. You are wonderful and mighty. Give me more FAITH this day. I pray these things in Jesus’ mighty name, Amen.
***Jan. 24 at Christ Church at 7PM will be an informational meeting to kick off our NEW Moving Forward Group. Come for a great night of testimonials of “what God is doing in and through individuals.
**Revelation Bible study starting Jan 26. Go to web address below and go to calendar-scroll down to Thurs. And open “Community Wide Bible Study”.
The meaning of life lies in relationship.
Hosea 6:6 “For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.”
*No amount of activity for God will ever take the place of a heart that is right with Him.
I share Hosea 6:6 in a few translations, only because I wanted to see what they
said (besides the KJV above),
* the Contemporary English version: “I’d rather for you to be faithful and to know me than to offer sacrifices” and
* The Message version: “I’m after love that lasts, not more religion. I want you to know God, not go to more prayer meetings.”
What does the Lord want? Relationship!
*God wants our love and our devotion.
*God wants us to be pure and true to Him.
*God wants us to want Him like He wants us.
*God is seeking those that will worship Him in spirit and in truth.
**God wants a lasting relationship, not actions pretending to love. I feel like this kinda goes with 1 Corinthians 13 that with out love, all we have and all we do is nothing.
Hosea 4:6 You have destroyed my people by failing to acknowledge me!
Because you refuse to acknowledge me, I will reject you as my priests.
*Luke 4:4 We cannot live without Gods word.
*Psalms 119:105 the word of God shows us the right path. A light in a dark place. *John 17:17 Gods word is truth.
We by nature are self-seeking, we want what we want for ourselves, for our families those in our immediate circle.
(I am not saying that there is anything wrong with wanting the best for yourself and your family), but we have
to look outside the box we live in sometime and see the hurt and the pain of others and be willing to reach out and touch them with the love of the Father, believe it or not this is the will of God.
*Psalms 119:165 the Word of God brings peace.
Faith, Hope and Love. The greatest of these is God’s Agape Love!
* “Let love be your highest goal.”
1 Corinthians 14:1
* Draw near to God and He will Draw near to you.
The meaning of life lies in relationship!!
*First and foremost is our relationship with God,
* and then our relationship with each other.
*We may each have these relationships or one more than the other, But let’s get a Balance of the Two for God’s Glory!
* “We love, because He first loved us.”
1 John 4:19
When we come to KNOW the Lord we will begin to see that He wants us to truly love our neighbor just as we love ourselves.
Mark 12:29 Jesus answered, “The most important is: ‘Listen, Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
* We are to cry when they cry, laugh when they laugh, rejoice when they rejoice.
* When we really settle in our hearts that we are going to do everything in our power to get to know the Lord things really begin to happen in our lives, great things wonderful, miraculous things.
*Don’t let yourself think that everything has to be just right.
*Don’t allow your mind to tell you that as soon as I get this or that right then
I can really dig in and start praying like I should or start reading my bible like
I should or set aside time to really be in the presence of the Lord like I should.
If you wait for “the right time” or if you wait for “when I get things right” you
never will. Why do I say that?
* I say that because our enemy will see to it that you will always have something to be trying to “get right”.
It truly is time to seek the Lord while He may be found and really get
to know Him and know Him well.
“Lord, I despise myself.”(Job 42:4-6)
It looks as though God has humiliated Job and brought this poor, broken-hearted man down into the dust almost cruelly.
Yet it is not cruelty, it is love—because, at this point, when Job has finally given up trying to defend and justify himself, God begins to heal and pour into this man’s life blessings he never dreamed of.
This is the story of the whole of Scripture, isn’t it? Everywhere the Scriptures seek to tell us this.
Jesus said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit,(Matthew 5) the men and women who are bankrupt in themselves, who stop counting on what they have to make it.
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
God will begin to heal a life that repents before Him, and He will fill it with blessing and honor and glory and power.
None of the prideful things to which we cling will be worth the smallest portion of the glory and joy we have discovered in coming into a Relationship with God Himself. (To Know Him is Eternal Life…. JN. 17:3)
The Lord doesn’t choose the way man chooses. Man looks on the outward appearance but God looks on the heart (1 Sam. 16:7).
The whole Bible is summed up by the word “love”.
*”But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.”
(1 Timothy 1:5)
Refuse to allow presumption to cloud your discernment. You should never act, react, respond, or take your next step based on what you assume is truth. If you are uncertain about an issue or circumstance, take the time to investigate and discover the facts. Just because your conclusion seems reasonable does not make it true. And, presumption will plunge you into the darkness of deception. Stay in the light and truth, and maintain confidence in the word as you follow the Lord’s precepts.
* Psalms 19:13 Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me. Then I shall be blameless, and I shall be innocent of great transgression.
*David understood that we have faults that we don’t even know about. This section of this Psalm shows that when asking for forgiveness, we should pray for those things that are hidden in our hearts.
Thank You, Father, for this penetrating look at my own heart. How proud I have been, how filled with self-justification with complaints before You. Teach me to put my hand upon my mouth and admit to You that the problem lies so often with me so that You will heal and restore me. Father help me to put You first, again. Even ahead of the things I do for You….especially ahead of that. Help me to make time for those moments where You and I can connect. I need that more than I know. I need You more than I know. Thank You LORD for this reminder/warning. For Your Glory and my Joy. Amen
***Jan. 24 at Christ Church at 7PM will be an informational meeting to kick off our NEW Moving Forward Group. Come for a great night of testimonials of “what God is doing in and through individuals.
**Revelation Bible study starting Jan 26. Go to web address below and go to calendar-scroll down to Thurs. And open “Community Wide Bible Study”.
Moving Forward In 2012!
Why Moving Forward- (Habakkuk 2:2,3)
*Vision releases people to run. You are made to run under the purpose of God.
*Where there is no vision, there is no hope.
“Once you had no identity as a people; now you are God’s people. Once you received no mercy; now you have received God’s mercy.” 1 Peter 2:10
* I will not waste chances to share about my Savior. I will not waste chances to share of my faith. I will step out and allow myself to be God’s vessel.
DON’T BE AFRAID, THE LORD IS WITH YOU AND FIGHTS FOR YOU!
Move Forward by Faith in the Face of Impossible Odds!
Exodus 14:15 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on.
*Sometimes when the enemy is at your back and great resistance is at the front, God will command you to move forward!
By doing that you will see His hand move what blocks you out of the way.
So 2012 is a year of renewal of faith in the Lord!
*2012 is YOUR YEAR OF THE WORD OF. GOD! The Word of God on your lips is God talking! The whole year is for you! As you make the Word of God grow in you, you will prevail in every situation through the Word! Though you may face valleys and feel afraid, just know God will hear your calls through prayer and all He may tell you is to keep moving forward!
Watch and be amazed and the power of faith, word and trust in Jehovah. There is No God like Jehovah!!!!
” The Lord will fight for you, and you can be still.” …”Why are you crying out to Me? Tell the Israelites to move on.” – Exodus 14:14-15
Moses had brought the whole nation of Israel, approximately 600,000, to a dead end in the desert.
The only thing between Israel and Pharaoh’s pursuing army was the Red Sea.
*This was after ten plagues God had inflicted on Pharaoh to motivate him to free the Israelites. Finally, Pharaoh had freed Moses and the people, and they left Egypt. They thought they were home free. “Freedom at last,” they said. *But God did a strange thing. He directed Moses to take a route that led to the Red Sea, instead of the northern route around the Red Sea.
* God explained that He didn’t want them fighting the enemies they would have encountered on this route. But still, there was the issue of the Red Sea.
They finally arrived at the Red Sea, and the people were wondering where they would go from there.
News hit the camp: Pharaoh had changed his mind. He was coming after them with his army.
Panic set in. The defenseless Israelites cried out,
“Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die?…It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!” (Ex. 14:11b-12)
***God sometimes brings each of us to a “Red Sea” in our life.
* It may be a work problem that can’t be solved.
*It may be no job.
*It may be a marriage that seems to be failing.
*It may be an addiction.
*It may be a debilitating disease. **Whatever your Red Sea, God tells us one thing: “Keep moving.”
The Red Sea was before them, yet God was angered at Moses and told him to “Keep moving.”
“But Lord, the Red Sea is before me.” “Keep moving.”
**When we live by sight, we act on what we see. God sets this stage in dramatic fashion. God is into the dramatic. There is no way out without God here.
That is just the way He wants it. No one will get glory except God.
A friend once admonished me when I was in the midst of an extremely difficult time in my life, “You must not withdraw from being proactive in your faith just because of this trial that you are in.
God’s hand is on your life!!
There are too many who are depending on YOU to fulfill the purposes God has in your life.
* Keep Moving Forward! Keep investing yourself in others.
I didn’t feel like it. I was in too much pain. But I did it anyway. God met me at the point of my greatest need once I decided simply to be obedient.
Getting past myself by investing myself in others helped heal the pain.
**There is great healing when we look past our own problems and seek to invest ourselves in others for the sake of Christ.
***This is when our own Red Seas become parted.
** We begin to walk to freedom. But we will never experience the miracle of the Red Sea in our lives if we don’t first “Keep moving.”
What is that area of your life you have been crying for a change. For something new. For something better.
The place the enemy has made you cry God is about to make you laugh.
We cannot MOVE Forward by going backward.
No matter what challenges we face in our walk with God—- going back in sin can NEVER be better.
Backsliding should never be an option on the cards of the believer! KEEP MOVING FORWARD!
*The way of the cross always leads to a resurrection, to a new beginning, on different terms.
*The way of the cross leads to freedom, to being set free from natural catastrophe and disaster, to having your spirit peaceful and at rest, despite what is happening to your body or your person.
**** This is what people really want. How we long for and dream of being free, whole, adequate, able to handle life, able to cope with whatever comes, undisturbed at heart.
***To be fully free, we must have the desire, the ability, and the opportunity to do what will make us happy forever.
*With No regrets.
*And only Jesus, the Son of God who died and rose for us, can make that possible.
Father, I ask that You will help me understand that Jesus is in the hurts, in the disappointments, in the disasters, that He is leading me on, setting me free from that which I’m in bondage too–all my “self-sufficiency” and “self-reliance,” all my desire to be exalted, to be made much of. Father, I am sorry for the opportunities that You have placed in front of me that I have wasted. I plead for more chances and for the strength and courage to not let them pass me by. Help me Move Forward in all areas of my life, becoming more like You daily, till the day You, Jesus Return. I love You! Amen
***Jan. 24 at Christ Church at 7PM will be an informational meeting to kick off our NEW Moving Forward Group. Come for a great night of testimonials of “what God is doing in and through individuals.
**Revelation Bible study starting Jan 26. Go to web address below and go to calendar-scroll down to Thurs. And open “Community Wide Bible Study”.
No matter what happens in our life God is right there with us. Faithful as he always will be, no matter where life takes you he is there holding on to you, to see you through His plan.
Never be afraid but rejoice in the fact that you have a Father in Heaven that cares for you that much to make things ok.
Not only this, but we also rejoice in sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance, character, and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. (Romans 5:3-5).
I have observed people who have endured suffering and proven God to be faithful are strong, mellow and patient. *They have the gentleness of Christ.
*I love to be around such people! They encourage my spirit!
You will come through your trial and be of great help to others if you will
trust God through it! You will see it happen on your job, in your family, in
your church.
People will be attracted to you because they know what you have gone through and they have seen you Gain the Victory through the power of God alone!
Suffering Can Break Hold of Sin and Temptation!!!!!
1 Peter 4:1 So, since Christ suffered in the flesh, you also arm yourselves with the same attitude, because the one who has suffered in the flesh has finished with sin,
* Jesus’ attitude delivered him through his suffering. He endured it as he submitted to the will of his Father in heaven. He gave us the model to be “done with sin.”
It doesn’t mean I’ll never sin again, but if I adopt His attitude I won’t live for my flesh, but for the will of God like Jesus did.
James 1:2 My brothers and sisters, consider it nothing but joy when you fall into all sorts of trials,
*At first sight suffering may appear to have the opposite effect, bringing impatience and fretful mess. But God thereby brings unsuspected evil to the surface in order gently to skim it away…It is one of the means of keeping him (the Christian) dissatisfied with this world and sustaining his hearing for his true home in Heaven…the true value of suffering can be grasped only by suffering.
* A spectator can be widely astray in his assesment of the situation. He may sometimes be tempted to apologize for the pain God allows, only to find himself shamed by the suffferer’s inner peace and deep thankfulness.”
* What this means is that if we want the contentment and spirituality of someone like the apostle Paul [Philippains 4:10-13] then we need to be willing to lay it all on the line like he did [2 Corinithians 12:15].
There are few rewards that are offered to the halfhearted.
** Solomon recognized that there is a danger in life becoming too easy (Proverbs 30:8)
*** The writer of Psalm 119 said, “Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep Thy word.” [Pslam 119:67].
It looks as if the suffering had been very helpful for this man to break the hold sin had on him.
Peter notes, “He who has suffed in the flesh has ceased from sin.” (1 Peter 4:1)
**** Many passages emphasize the same point that suffering for the cause of Christ can have an incredibly purifying affect on the believer: (Romans 5:3-5; 1 Peter 1:6-8; James 1:2-4).
A sad note is that many believers who suffer never learn anything from it. As a result, they never know God as their comforter or counselor.
To hear them talk, you would think God
was hard, spiteful, uncaring. They ask, “Why me?” Then they doubt God’s
love and begin to turn away from Him.
They moan, groan and murmur, and all
their joy fades. Soon they grow bitter and hard.
The apostle Paul, even in the worst hour of his sufferings, Blessed the name of
the Lord. He knew the Father was full of mercy and the Source of all his
comfort. He did not question God or become bitter; in fact, he praised Him in
the midst of it all!
The best teachers in any church are not the ones in the pulpit. Rather, they
are sitting in the pews right next to you
—people who have suffered and yet
still worship the Lord. The language of those who learn through suffering is
praise!
Power to Move Forward!!
(Hebrews 12:1-17)
Hebrews 12:7 Endure your suffering as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is there that a father does not discipline?
* Surrounded by Witnesses We all need encouragement. God is cheering us on by the stories in the Bible. If they made it through, we can too. Heb. 12:3 – consider what HE went through lest you get discouraged *keep moving forward.
* We Get Whippings (Heb. 12:5-11) Do not despise chastening of the Lord HE disciplines you because HE loves you.
*If God doesn’t whip you, you cannot move forward. Otherwise, you will never learn from your errors in judgment & actions.
*If you endure chastening, God deals with you as HIS son.
God is trying to turn you around and get you on the right path. V10 – chastened for our profit to you bring you to Holiness.
* God wants us to live Holy– HE is calling us to Holiness V11 – It is painful, but leads to righteousness Discipline trains us… God Disciplines us because HE loves us.
(verse 12-14) God empowers us to live a worship filled lifestyle. Which helps us move forward.
1John 4:10 In this is love: not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins.
1 Peter 5: 6 And God will exalt you in due time, if you humble yourselves under his mighty hand 7 by casting all your cares on him because he cares for you.
Thank You God that You love us and want the best for us. You will chastise or correct us, from time to time. It’s not always pleasant, but I know there’s a need for it. You treat us the way parents treat their children. Correcting them so that they know the way to go. You may use different methods, but the object is the same: to make sure we don’t continue to go in a direction that is harmful to us. Thank You Jesus!
Lord today please arm me with Jesus’ attitude to fill my heart and mind. I want to be done with sin and done with satisfying my flesh. Whatever time left I have on this earth, please fill it with tough minded obedience to you. Let the attitude of the God-Man fill me today! Amen
“Do not be angry and frustrated!
Do not fret! That only leads to trouble!”
(Psalms 37:8).
James 4:1-10 James addresses the “Root Issue” of all frustration here.
*” Where do the conflicts and where do the quarrels among you come from? Is it not from this, from your passions that battle inside you”? (James 4:1).
“What do you think the Scriptures mean when they say that the spirit God has placed within us is filled with envy?”. (James 4:5).
*When reading James this AM-it hit me that– The same Spirit at work in me is the same Spirit at work in you.
*“For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.” (Ephesians 2:18 NIV)
*Did you catch that? The same Spirit at work in me is the same Spirit at work in you. There is only One Spirit. Jesus gave us the Holy Spirit throughout the body of believers to accomplish HIS purpose for HIS glory.
“There is one body and one Spirit, just as you too were called to the one hope of your calling,”(Eph. 4:4).
*Is there another believer with whom you have trouble getting along? Remember, the same Spirit at work in you is the same Spirit at work in him or her.
The Holy Spirit has been sent to be our teacher, but we have to show up at class and expect to receive (Jn. 14:26). He’ll even show us things to come (Jn. 16:13).
“When the disciples saw Him(Jesus) walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.” Matthew 14:26
Have you ever had some unexpected event happen in your life that caused great fear?
*Sudden calamities can result in great fear unless we know WHO is behind the event.
*Such was the case for the disciples when they were out in their boat at night. Suddenly, they saw a figure walking on the water and assumed it was a ghost. They feared for their very lives. But as the figure got closer and closer, they could see that it was Jesus. **Their Fear turned to joy because now they knew whom they were confronting.
This seemingly life-threatening event turned into one of the great miracles of the Bible.
*Peter was invited to walk on the water — and he did just that.
Many times we have events in our lives that appear to be ghosts. For me, it was a period in my life when I experienced family loss, loss of my finances, and my business’s — all in a matter of a few months.
These were the ghosts that instilled fear and great turmoil in my life. Feelings of unworthiness, shame and guilt. But after 10 years in a desert experience, God revealed His true purposes for these events.
*God turned them from being a place of fear, to a place of miracles.
*He led me to a totally new calling in my life, and He demonstrated to me that He was behind the storm that led to these new discoveries. God never left me—He was Leading me into a deeper Relationship with Him.
* The events were real. The emotions I went through were real. I had to hold fast to the reality that Nothing can touch us without passing through God’s sifter.
***Through all this I now have the Faith and Trust that what God allows, is only that which is necessary to touch us. And if it does, it has a Purpose. But we may not know it for a while.
Are there some “ghosts” in your midst? Look beyond the appearance and let God turn your ghosts into a miracle!!!
God said to Moses, “I have hardened his heart and the hearts of his officials so that I may perform these miraculous signs of Mine among them that you may tell your children and grandchildren how I dealt harshly with the Egyptians and how I performed My signs among them, and that you may know that I am the Lord” (Exodus 10:1b-2).
God has a reason for everything He does.
These delays were designed to bring greater Glory( a display of God’s perfection–Jesus IS the Glory of God) and were to be a lasting legacy of God’s miracle-working power for generations to come.
When the people were freed, God again hardened Pharaoh’s heart to go after them. This action of God to harden Pharaoh’s heart was to set the stage for an even greater miracle — the parting of the Red Sea.
*The people were angry with Moses for bringing them to the desert “to die.” But God said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to Me? Tell the Israelites to move on” (Ex. 14:15b).
There was only one place to go by this time — the Red Sea.
As we know, God parted the Red Sea, and another greater miracle took place.
Moses learned several lessons that each of us must learn.
* God’s Promises are True, but His timing is not the same as ours.
* God always wants Greater Glory than what we might be willing to give Him. * * God puts obstacles and adversity into our lives in order to build perseverance and faith.
Why has God put the mountain in your life at this time?
***To demonstrate His power through your life. To show His glory!!!! Jesus!
When we become Christians, our identity changes forever as we become identified as “Children of God”.
*Our value no longer depends on things like athletic skill, beauty, brains, or the opinions of others, because it is rooted in Christ.
*When we understand His work on the cross and accept His love, we can weather challenges to our identity on earth.
* Our “True identity” is as a perfectly loved and accepted child of the living God!
*Allow God to direct your mind, your life, your heart, your all.
*God wants to move US from wanting for my pleasure to wanting for His glory.
* God is committed to your development.
*Don’t be ashamed of the hole God dug you out of. Talk about where you came from and save a soul. “Your Testimony”
” Therefore, since we have been declared righteous by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ”. (Romans 5:1).
Verse that explains our Antidote to frustration:
“You are from God, little children, and have conquered them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world”.(1JN 4:4).
Psalms 34:18 The Lord is near the brokenhearted; he delivers those who are discouraged.
Isaiah 41:10 Don’t be afraid, for I am with you! Don’t be frightened, for I am your God! I strengthen you – yes, I help you – yes, I uphold you with my saving right hand!
Your Love for each of us is SO amazing God and I thank You for showing me it in Your word trough the Holy Spirit. Thank you for choosing to give us knowledge but also for giving us free will to fully accept and love You as our Heavenly Father giving us that Peace.
Lord, today I claim the victory I have in you. I have faith that I am victorious because You live in me. Amen
***Jan. 24 at Christ Church at 7PM will be an informational meeting to kick off our NEW Moving Forward Group. Come for a great night of testimonials of “what God is doing in and through individuals.
**Revelation Bible study starting Jan 26. Go to web address below and go to calendar-scroll down to Thurs. And open “Community Wide Bible Study”.
Wisdom is the knowledge of the nature of things, the reasons behind what happens.
How many of us can honestly say we are living the life of “spiritual abundance” God promises in His word?
* “I came that they might have life, and might have it abundantly.”John 10:10
God created man with the need to be loved and to love. But these needs can only be fully satisfied through Divine Love (Agape) received and expressed.
* “For He has satisfied the thirsty soul, and the hungry soul He has filled with what is good.” Psalm 107:9
Agape is the only unconditional love that exists.
* “Can a woman forget her nursing child, and have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, but I will not forget you. Behold, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands…”Isaiah 49:15-16
But where can wisdom be found? Where does understanding dwell? Man does not comprehend its worth; it cannot be found in the land of the living (Job 28:12-13).
What is this wisdom Job is talking about?
“Why does God treat Job this way?” But we have information that Job does not have. He has no knowledge of Satan’s challenge to God regarding him, and so his questioning is even deeper than ours. But we often feel this way ourselves.
Luke 7:35 But wisdom is shown to be right by the lives of those who follow it.”
In the past year some of my friends have learned that they had a cancer that was threatening their lives. One has also had a child go to be with the Lord to cancer. Some have lost their business, homes, work during these times of sickness. My heart goes out to these friends and I know their Spirit is strong. But my heart cries out, “Why? Why do these kinds of things happen?” Sounds like Job.
***Life presents these riddles to us. And when we wonder why these things happen, WISDOM is the answer.
*** Wisdom is the knowledge of the nature of things, the reasons behind what happens.
Someone has described wisdom as the right use of knowledge.
*It is how to use situations in such a way that things work out right.
That is what we lack. We can do all kinds of things with knowledge, but we do not do the right things with it.
**Col. 2:3 In him lie hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
Example: That is why knowledge of nuclear physics ends up with atom bombs that destroy and become malicious instruments of warfare.
**Humans lack wisdom. They have lots of knowledge, but they have no wisdom on how to use it.
This is what Job in his long hours of torment is searching for: What is the reason behind these things?
Job says humans do not know the way to wisdom. It is not found in the land of the living. (Job 28:12-13).
Romans 8:37 No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.
I say unto you, truly, truly, that this is the day of recovery, so rise up with hope renewed. Gain access into the Lord’s goodness. For, surely He will restore that which has been stolen. The process of restoration has come as a part of Jesus ministry.
John 14:1 “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me.
Jesus has come to set HIS people free, and Jesus continues in the process by restoring them from time to time when it is necessary. Receive today the power of restoration and let the spirit of the living God now invade your spiritual space; let it over take you; let it embrace you. Let the Spirit of God draw you close to the heart of Jesus. Regain this moment, the power of your first love; the power of His presence and your position in God’s kingdom. Regain your position of victory for surely it is yours.
*1 John 5:4 For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith.
*Rev. 21:7 All who are victorious will inherit all these blessings, and I will be their God, and they will be my children.
*Proverbs 21:31 The horse is prepared for the day of battle, but the victory belongs to the LORD.
*Psalms 62:1. I wait quietly before God, for my victory comes from him.
You are in a time of recovering that which has been taken by the enemy. If you will be alert and be willing to follow the Lord’s leading, He will restore all that is necessary for your spiritual well-being. However, there are still things that are better left alone, and He will give you the proper discernment to know the difference. Come to Me in faith with your request, says the Lord, and I will open what no man can shut, and I will shut what no man can open.
*Revelation 3:8 I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name.
Lord, I am humbled because I lack wisdom. Thank You for Your Word and All the Wisdom there for us to be able to come to You Jesus, with any sickness, circumstance and lay it down at the foot of the Cross and Trust You knowing You have our best interest at hand for Your Glory.
“If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God… and it will be given to him” (James 1:5).
” But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ.
So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.” (1 Corinthians 15:57-58).
Amen
Psalms 118:15 Songs of joy and victory are sung in the camp of the godly. The strong right arm of the LORD has done glorious things!
Revelation Bible study starting Jan 26. Go to web address below and go to calendar-scroll down to Thurs. And open “Community Wide Bible Study”.
Read MoreTo be fully free! To be fully free we must have the desire, the ability, and the opportunity to do what will make us happy forever.
*No regrets.
**And only Jesus, the Son of God who died and rose for us, can make that possible.
1 Thessalonians 3: 2 and we sent Timothy to visit you. He is our brother and God’s co-worker in proclaiming the Good News of Christ. We sent him to strengthen you, to encourage you in your faith,
*Paul and Timothy want to see the Thessalonians so badly that Paul sends Timothy to check on them and encourage them.
*The thing I see still lacking in my own life is still a deeper daily passion for those lost souls around me and the total obedience to fulfill my purpose in “the Great Commission” from God.(Matthew 28:19-20).
Paul prays so fervently for the sanctification of the church! He wants them to overflow with love—like he does — I want to overflow with more of that love so I am able then, to give love away to others! It’s the overflow we can give.
After sanctification(to be set apart from Sin and made holy), it is difficult to state what our purpose in life is, because:
*God has moved us into His purpose through the Holy Spirit.
*God is using YOU now for His purposes throughout the world as He used His Son for the purpose of OUR salvation.
I have found out the hard way–If you seek great things for yourself, thinking, “God has called me for this and for that,” you barricade God from using you.
Found that: As long as you maintain your own personal interests and ambitions, you cannot be completely aligned or identified with God’s interests. We need to Be emptied of our self and then allowing God to fill us up in His special way!
This can only be accomplished by giving up ALL of your personal plans once and for all, and by allowing God to take you directly into His purpose for the world not for yourself.
Psalms 57: 2. I cry out to God Most High, to God who will fulfill his purpose for me.
*God does not expect us to do it all on our own but to trust that it is Him that fulfills His purpose for us.
*Our understanding of our ways must also be surrendered, because they are now the ways of the Lord.
*I must learn that the purpose of my life belongs to God, not me.
*God is using me from His great personal perspective, and all He asks of me is that I trust Him.
*I should never say, “Lord, this causes me such heartache.” To talk that way makes me a stumbling block.
** When I stop telling God what I want, He can freely work His will in me without any hindrance.
*God can crush me, exalt me, or do anything else He chooses.
*God simply asks me to have Absolute Faith in Him and His Goodness.
***”Self-pity is of the devil, and if I wallow in it I cannot be used by God for His purpose in the world. Doing this creates for me my own cozy “world within the world,” and God will not be allowed to move me from it because of my fear of being “frost-bitten.”(Oswald)
Being a Christ follower means preserving the decaying culture.
*God has called us to be the Salt of the Earth!(Matthew 5:13). We are the salt of the earth! We should be filled with the flavor of Christ. If we become flavorless or our light goes out, what good are we? What is our purpose?
The Lord has given every believer Faith. (Rom. 12:3).
*Faith was given to us at salvation through hearing the Word of God:
Eph. 2: 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.;
Rom. 10:17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
**Faith is a fruit of the Holy Spirit:
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.
*** However, WE must Choose to exercise it.
*Our faith is linked to our knowledge (2 Pet. 1:1-4).
Hosea 4: 6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me;
The problem occurs when we don’t allow our faith to work because we don’t keep our minds stayed on God’s Word. Mark 4:19 but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life, the lure of wealth, and the desire for other things, so no fruit is produced.
Keeping our minds stayed on God’s Word Will release our Faith and thereby release the “Power of God” in our lives.
1 Corinthians 13:13 Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.
2 Corinthians 3:18 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.
Lord help me to have absolute faith in You and Your goodness. Lord keep revealing to me–that the purpose of my life belongs to You, not me. Forgive me for all my Self-pity. Help me Lord to make it my aim, to strengthen and encourage others in their faith. Make my love increase and overflow for others. Lord strengthen my heart so that I will be blameless and holy in the presence of God and Father when my Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones.
Thank You for the Secrets to happiness:
Empty of my selfish desire and be Filled with Your holiness! Father…thank You for loving me enough to give me guidelines…Your word! Help me to understand it and for the Word to grow in me a love for Jesus and dependence on Jesus. Father, Help me come to the place of realising my Need for You each day and to live dependent on You and not trying to live this life with my own power and effort. In Jesus Name, Amen
God’s plan IS perfect and best for His glory!
Genesis 22:21 Some time later, God tested Abraham’s faith. “Abraham!” God called. “Yes,” he replied. “Here I am.”
2 “Take your son, your only son—yes, Isaac, whom you love so much—and go to the land of Moriah. Go and sacrifice him as a burnt offering on one of the mountains, which I will show you.”
Take now thy son . — Genesis 22:2
*God’s command is – Take now, not presently.
* I need to fully and faithfully move forward and follow the Lord right through the afflictions to come, knowing God’s plan IS Perfect and Best for His glory.
Romans 8:18 Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later.
*It is extraordinary how we debate! We know a thing is right, but we try to find excuses for not doing it at once.
*If we are to climb to the height God reveals, it can never be done later, it must be done now.
And the sacrifice must be worked through our will before we actually perform it.
“And Abraham rose up early in the morning and went unto the place of which God had told him” (v. 3). The wonderful simplicity of Abraham!
* When God spoke, he did not confer with flesh and blood.
*Beware when you want to “confer with flesh and blood”,(Gal. 1:16) i.e., your own sympathies, your own insight, anything that is not based on your personal relationship to God.
These are the things that compete with and hinder obedience to God.
Abraham did not choose what the sacrifice would be.
*Always guard against Self-Chosen Service for God; self-sacrifice may be a disease that impairs your service.
**If God has made your cup sweet, drink it with grace;
** if He has made it bitter, drink it in communion with Him.
*** If the providential order of God for you is a hard time of difficulty, go through with it, but never choose the scene of your martyrdom, as to say “I will only go to there, But no farther”.
God chose the test for Abraham, and Abraham neither delayed or protested, But he went steadily went through with obedience and faith.
If you are not living in touch with God, it is easy to Blame God or pass Judgment on God.
You must go through the trial before you have any right to pronounce a verdict, because by going through the trial you learn to know God better.
*1 Peter 1:6 So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many trials for a little while.
*Dear friends, don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. Instead, be very glad—for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world. (1 Peter 4:12-13).
*** God is working in each of us to reach His highest goals until His purpose and man’s purpose become one!
Make sure this year, especially, this day, give the right response.
Some of us will never receive the blessing God has in store for us until we are WILLING to give THE RIGHT RESPONSE!
Some of us wonder why do I keep going through the same thing over and over again!? Perhaps it may be the response we always give to the Lord???
Now, most often the request is very very difficult!!! now we may not like it, but that response is YES LORD! Practice it!!! YES LORD!!!
**God sometimes doesn’t open the other door until we walk through the first door.
*Unless we are willing to respond to God properly….we may never witness the change God has for our life!!!
God needs you and me in 2012 to be willing to properly respond to Him. The proper response is YES LORD!
He wants us to take the things that mean the most to us, our lives, our time, our treasure and offer it to HIM!!! For some of us, our money or hobbies or work is our Isaac!
* God wants to know if we are willing to sacrifice it for him!?
*When we are willing to sacrifice ALL that is precious to us, God will be at His best!
*To let go of our most prized possession; God clearly makes that easier for us when we bring it to him rather than letting it go on own before we worship him.
*Sometimes I struggle to approach God due to my Sin and idolatry, and I feel shameful trying to worship Him with all these guilty conscience.
Once again, God will reveal that I need to come to Him as who I am and allow God to direct the actions I must take. **That’s worship. Faith does not come from my beliefs or actions but true faith, which is the source from God’s grace, works within us when we “Completely Empty Ourselves” to receive God’s authority.
I pray that our faith will be determined by God’s faithfulness alone.
Romans 1:17 This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.”
*God sets it up so that His Son is the center of the process of knowing and doing what is right, making Himself the centerpiece of righteousness, Not us. **Wondering what is the right thing to do in your situation?
** Go to the creator for the Right thing to do! Read His Word the answer is there. (Try Read All of Proverbs with your question in mind and Listen).
***What we don’t realize, just as we are making our way up one side of the mountain, there’s a lamb climbing on the other side of the mountain!
We won’t run short if we would simply give God the right answer!!
Walk in faith! God WILL take good care of YOU!
1 Peter 4:19 So if you are suffering in a manner that pleases God, keep on doing what is right, and trust your lives to the God who created you, for he will never fail you.
Lord, help me to first of all trust you with the faith of Abraham then help me to be a husband, dad and grandpa who can be trusted as much as Abraham was by Isaac! What trust he had Lord! Thank You Jesus for your word of Truth. Help me in my trials to have faith and obedience to You, knowing there’s a lamb climbing on the other side of the mountain for me as I surrender to your will- for your Glory and my Joy. Continue to peel away the addictions of sin from me. Thank You God, that You are working in each of us to reach Your highest goals until Your purpose and man’s purpose become one! “…To Know YOU, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth”. Jn 17:3. In Jesus Name, Amen