Devotions - Prayer
1 Thess. 4: 7 God has called us to live holy lives, not impure lives.
*One must understand that sex is good under the covenant of marriage.
Live holy lives not impure lives. To Reject living holy– means rejecting God.
*God gave us his Holy Spirit and the power through His Spirit so believers can live holy lives.
I need to remember always to allow the Holy Spirit to have control over my life and reject the impurity of sin especially impure thoughts.
For the root of impure thoughts comes from the heart and influence my actions.
2 Timothy 2:22 Run from anything that stimulates youthful lusts. Instead, pursue righteous living, faithfulness, love, and peace. Enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts.
*You once lived a life you don’t want to go back too. You accepted Jesus, the Lord almighty, as your Savior. Don’t go back too your old ways.
Our purity will determine the extent to which God will use us and demonstrate His power in us.
Those who truly love God will seek to obey him, which is really what purity is.
Holiness is not the absence of sin, but the presence of God in your life.
Impurity has both long term and short term effects, especially if we continue to let it linger in our lives, and God isn’t happy with that.
2 Timothy 2:22 Run from anything that stimulates youthful lusts. Instead, pursue righteous living, faithfulness, love, and peace. Enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts.
*If we are slaves to sin, we will never be free. Jesus’ standard is the one to live up to.
We must proclaim God’s holiness on earth, just as it is proclaimed in heaven.
*Holiness Is A Choice, Your Choice
We live in an environment that is driven by sex, money and power!! That’s a problem
Ephesians 5:3 Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God’s people.
* Lust produces bad sex, because it denies Relationship.
*Lust turns the other person into an object, a thing, a non-person.
***Jesus condemned lust because it cheapened sex; it made sex less that it was created to be.
God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him.
Father, Grant me power to reject impurity and not just in actions, but thoughts too. I choose right now to reject an impure life and ask by faith that the Holy Spirit would take control of my life so I would honor you as holy before all men. Thank You for all your gifts. In Jesus name – Amen
Read More“I will live in the house of the Lord forever” (Psalm 23:6b).
Someday your body is going to die, but you aren’t!
Your body is going to end, but that’s not going to be the end of you. You’re going to live forever in one of two places: Heaven or Hell. They’re both real places. Your body is going to die, but you’re not going to die, because you were made to last forever.
How long is forever going to last? Forever!
Why should Christians be the most confident about the future?
“Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord”(2 Corinthians 5:6, 8).
You’re not ready to live until you’re ready to die. You don’t know how to live until you’re ready to die. Only a fool would go through life totally unprepared for something that everybody knows is inevitable. Read Romans 1:18-22
You’re going to die someday. If you’ve accepted Christ, then you’re going to go to Heaven. You’ll be released from pain, from sorrow, from suffering, from depression, from fear. “He’ll wipe every tear from their eyes. Death is gone for good — tears gone, crying gone, pain gone — all the first order of things gone” (Revelation 21:4).
For Christians, death is a transfer, a promotion. It’s on to better things and no more problems. Amen
Death: Luke 16:19-31 Choices. All of us have.
The same choices to make. Lazarus(Luke 23:43). The Rich Man. We can Choice Christ or we can live for ourselves with no hope for the future. Jude 24-25 too.
Read MoreSelf-centered pride latches to our hearts as we might refuse the forgiveness of God and others.
This can cause us to live in self-pity. Saying to ourselves …”I deserve it”.. “God’s trying to punish me”.. “I shouldn’t have done this or that”
The Bible says, “Watch out for such bitterness!”
“See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.” Hebrews 12:15
In life the opportunity to harbor bitterness for a wrong suffered is great. We are given plenty of opportunities to grow bitter from relationships that bring hurt and pain.
Nothing hardens the heart more than love which has turned to bitterness. God specifically commands that we not become bitter.
The writer of the Hebrews passage above admonishes us not to miss the grace of God so that we won’t take up bitterness as a response to life’s pain.
* God cautions us against this because he knows that a bitter root grows and grows until it eventually defiles many others through a wake of bitterness.
If bitterness is allowed to take root, we become imprisoned to it.
*God’s grace will no longer have as great an effect in our lives.
*We become ineffective, insensitive, and spiritually dead.
*We can even become physically ill from it.
**God does not live in bitterness. God lives in grace. He has provided grace for every person to walk in.
The grace of God is God blessing, healing, delivering and prospering you because of Jesus.
*The grace of God is His unearned, unmerited and undeserved favor toward you simply because of Jesus’ finished work at the cross.
*Because God’s grace is based on Jesus’ work and not yours, the only way you fall from this grace is by believing that you can earn, merit and deserve it through your obedience and good works.
*Grace is the absolutely free gift!
* Law says this “I must do it.”
*Grace is this “God will help me.”
1 John 1:9 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.
You have to have a forgiving heart before you can be at peace with yourself.
Lord, Thank You for the Freedom From Bitterness! In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
1 John 4:20 If someone says, “I love God,” but hates a Christian brother or sister, that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see?
Read MoreEXPERIENCE VICTORY THIS DAY!
Faith and Blessing go hand in hand, partnering in God’s plan for you.
*Faith always leads and blessing always follows.
We must be willing to obey God’s Will and do exactly what He asks us to do, no matter what we think or how we feel.
“Master,” Simon replied, “we worked hard all last night and didn’t catch a thing. But if you say so, I’ll let the nets down again.” Luke 5:5
The Lord is telling us that we cannot experience victory unless we go out further than we have never gone before.
*If we continually stay at the shallow side, we will continue to experience mediocrity, which is not God’s will for us.
We must take the first step and continue to walk on water, during this walking we will experience adversity and trials of many kinds, but we still must push until we reach our deep, where we will receive the Lord’s blessing.
*Have you ever felt tempted to look at your accomplishments with pride as if you were the reason for your success?
*Have you ever thought your prosperity was due to your ingenuity?
*Has your material success been a testimony to others that God is the ruler of all aspects of your life, even the material side?
Joseph’s greatest test was not his temptation to be bitter against his brothers.
*It wasn’t the sexual temptation that came inside Potiphar’s house.
*It wasn’t even the discouragement of years of imprisonment for being wrongfully accused.
**It was the temptation of prosperity and ownership. Once he was elevated, he was given choices that he never had before. It was totally up to him as to which choice he would make.
Stewardship reveals what we believe about God and ourselves.
Not every man can carry a full cup. Sudden elevation frequently leads to pride and a fall.
Keep pressing even though your efforts are met with opposition. The end result will be worth all of your energy to break through. Refuse to get discouraged or decide to just give up. The Lord is with you to bring you through to victory. Be strong and courageous.
Deuteronomy 31:6 “Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.”
Heavenly Father teach me that I must go out into the deep with you, where I will experience you than like never before. .Amen
Christianity is not a religion it’s a relationship with Christ.
John 17:3 And this is the way to have eternal life—to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth.
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THE TRUTH WILL SET YOU FREE!
John 8:31-32: Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
Distinguishing Healthy and Unhealthy Boundaries
Without a healthy role model, it can be difficult to know what healthy boundaries look like.
1. First, let’s cover what healthy boundaries are not.
- They are not threats or attempts to control or manipulate others into doing what you want.
- They are not rigid rules or “walls” designed to keep people out or shield you from expressing your emotions.
2.Healthy boundaries are simply a personal clarification of:
- what type of treatment is acceptable to you,
- and what consequences will result from violating a boundary.
*People with healthy boundaries share their thoughts and feelings, take care of their own needs, and are able to say no when necessary.
By contrast, people with weak boundaries:
• Sacrifice their personal values, plans or goals to please others
• Allow others to define who they are and make decisions for them
• Expect others to fulfill all their needs
• Feel guilty when they say no
• Hesitate to share their opinions or assert themselves if they are being treated unfairly
• Frequently feel used, threatened, victimized or mistreated by others
• Frequently offer unsolicited advice, or feel pressured to follow someone else advice
• Take responsibility for other people’s feelings
• Tell others how to think, feel or act
Before you can start setting boundaries, you have to recognize your right to have your own feelings, values and beliefs and to express to others how you want to be treated.
For some, this requires a BIG leap in self-worth. Knowing who you belong to.
You are God’s Masterpiece and He does not make mistakes. We need to choose whom we will serve and listen to.
Deuteronomy 19:14 “Do not move your neighbor’s boundary stone set up by your predecessors in the inheritance you receive in the land the Lord your God is giving you to possess.”
*When ever you cross another’s boundary line, any one has set, be it land or physical..look out–they have God behind them on this…you have no right.
Only you can know your own limits; only you can set boundaries that make sense for you. In the process, you’ll find your voice – not the one that bids you to use drugs and alcohol,(or any other sin) but the one that protects you from harm.
Lord, help me define my personal boundaries and help me not go beyond any other person’s boundaries out of respect of my fellow brothers and sisters. Amen
Read MoreGod is our friend, and He always will tell us the truth. Not only that, but He wants to reveal His secrets to us.
In Psalms 25:14 we read, “The secret of the Lord is with those who fear Him. . . .” God wants to speak to us.
In fact, Jesus said, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me” (John 10:27).
Here Jesus compares us to sheep is not a compliment, by the way. Sheep are among the dumbest of all creatures.
Most animals, in many cases, will survive if released into the wild. They will learn to fend for themselves and make it. But a sheep released into the wild cannot survive.
Sheep have no survival skills whatsoever. They are totally dependent upon the shepherd – just like we are.
The sheep come to know that when the shepherd speaks they should follow because his plan for them is better than their plan for themselves.
It may be that one of the reasons we don’t know the will of God in certain areas is because we have not applied what is clearly the will of God for all areas.
Obedience to revealed truth guarantees guidance in matters unrevealed.
Establish yourself in strong faith by believing in Jesus and believing that He will reward those who seek Him. Every difficult situation that you encounter has the potential to strengthen your faith and provide a firm foundation for victory. Know that the Lord is with you to give you wisdom and bring you through. Only believe!
When you walk in My ways, says the LORD, you will set an example that others can follow if they want to live in peace and blessing. Those that live and walk in the Spirit are able to access everything that is available to them through faith. It is worth it to make the changes necessary to live in righteousness and always do good.
Psalms 37:3 Trust in the LORD, and do good; dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.Amen
Read MoreSearch me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life” Psalm 139:23-24.
The first step on the path to a clear conscience is to take a personal moral inventory or a personal spiritual assessment.
You need to sit down with God in a quiet space by yourself when you’re unhurried and say, “God, I’m going to do business with you. I’m going to make a list of anything that’s between you and me that’s wrong in my life. Help me to see the things that I know are wrong and the things that I don’t know are wrong.” Ask God to clear your mind and reveal your sins.
You can pray Psalm 139:23-24:“Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life”. You’re saying, “God, turn your spotlight on my inner self. Find the stuff in me that’s entangled me and that’s holding me back.”
Write it all down. If you haven’t written it down, you haven’t really thought about it.
Let me ask you a very important question. How serious are you about wanting God’s blessing on your life?
- Enough that you’re willing to be gut-level honest?
- Are you willing to be honest with God? Are you willing to be honest with yourself?
- Are you willing to be honest with other people?
- Or are you just going to live in denial?
- Denial and God’s blessing do not go hand-in-hand.
If you’re serious, then you’re just a step away from liberation! You are one step away from a feeling of joy and purity that you’ve never experienced. You are so close to freedom from the habits and hurts and hang-ups that are messing up your life.
Don’t procrastinate. There is nothing more important in your life than to have the blessing of God. Take time today, get alone by yourself, and do a personal spiritual assessment. It will change your life!
Lord, Help me not to procrastinate any longer. I want the joy only You can give. Amen
Read MoreTwo wonderful absolutes.
1. The first absolute: GOD REALLY LOVES ME.
*God is not in the business of condemning His children, failures or not. He is a loving Father, wanting only to lift us out of our weaknesses.
*Sometimes we recognize His great love only when we hit bottom. You will have won a great victory if you can be convinced God loves you even in your wounded, crippled condition.
*Our strength is renewed by His everlasting love.
*Just rest in that wonderful love. Don’t panic. Deliverance will come.
2. The second absolute: IT IS MY FAITH THAT PLEASES HIM THE MOST!
“Without faith, it is impossible to please him” (Hebrews 11:6).
*God counts our trust as righteousness. “Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness”. (Romans 4:3).
**God sends us to conquer nations but the first battle we have to win is the one against ourselves.
*That’s when we get to know him and we build the foundations of our relationship with him! (JN 17:3)
Men often use God to achieve fortune, fame, honor and respect.
*Talent, personality and cleverness are used to advance God’s kingdom, but He is not impressed.
*His strength is perfected in our weakness, our inability to obey His
commandments in our own strength.
*God calls us to a life of holiness and separation.
*God tells us we can be free from the bondage of sin.
*God’s Word comes to us with some impossible challenges:
-“Resist the devil.
-Walk in the Spirit.
-Come out from among them.
-Love your enemies.
-Leave behind all your fears.
-Put down your lustful desires.
-Let no sin have dominion over you.”
God comes with such a comforting message:
-“Lay down your weapons.
-Quit trying to be so self–sufficient and strong.
-I am your weapon and your strength.
-Let Me do what you never can do.
-I will give you My righteousness,
-I will give you My holiness, My rest, My strength.
-You cannot save yourself or please Me in any way other than by receiving the blessings of the cross by faith.
–Let Me be in charge of your growth in holiness.”
Prayers
* Father take over the battle of my life and let your enemies be scattered in Jesus name Isaiah 41:14-16
* Father as we are gathered here, let your healing power flow to us in Jesus name. Luke 5:17
* I command every gate standing before me to be lifted up that the king of glory may come into my life. Psalm 24:7
* I have the Key of David… Father open to us doors of promotion, favour, opportunity, breakthroughs, healing, Fruitfulness, prosperity And close the doors of sickness, accidents, death, shame, failure, poverty, diseases, sorrow
*God, Your Word speaks hope and life to me. So I give You the praise, the honor, and the glory, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Psalm 142:3–4 When my spirit grows faint within me, it is you who know my way. In the path where I walk men have hidden a snare for me. Look to my right and see; no one is concerned for me. I have no refuge; no one cares for my life.
I wonder whether you’ve ever felt like that: “No one cares about me. They don’t mind whether I live or whether I die. All I have is problems. I’m walking in a path and there are hidden snares on it. There are problems I don’t really understand and I don’t know how to solve. I can’t see any source of help. I look to the right, I look to the left. No one bothers about me. I’m just a speck of dust in the universe. I’m just a name on a list somewhere. There’s a birth certificate in some dusty office that relates that I was born, but no one cares.”
That’s not altogether true. There is someone who cares. There is someone who knows your way. That’s what the psalmist said, “When my spirit grows faint within me it is you who know my way.”
You may feel lonely, neglected, uncared for. You may not understand your own way, you may not know the problems that lie ahead, you may not have an answer to them all, but there is one who knows: it’s the Lord. He knows your way.
- He is with you;
- He will see you through if you will turn to Him in prayer.
- You are not forgotten, you are not neglected, you are not unwanted.
- He made you, He cares for you, He’s with you.
HOW DO YOU THINK JESUS SEES YOU?
- Ephesians 2:10: You are His Masterpiece.
- Psalms 139: He knit you together in your mothers womb.
- Ephesians 1:4: He knew you before the world was formed.
Jesus said that the greatest commandments are to love God wholeheartedly and to love others (Matt. 22:37-39). Ironically, it is only when we humbly serve others that we experience God’s fullness in our own lives.
Many try to achieve happiness by striving after their own desires. The result? Tired, unsatisfied people.
True contentment happens only when we walk closely with Jesus. He shows where we can humble ourselves and take care of others. These actions, done through His strength, will be blessed.
AMEN
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“Blessed is a man who perseveres under the trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.” James 1:12
The sin that makes God cry is being committed daily, not by pagan workers of iniquity but by multitudes of Christians—
**the sin of doubting God’s love for His children.
Jesus Christ was God in the flesh, and according to the book of John He wept when those closest to Him doubted His love and concern. (John 11:35)
*That was God incarnate at the tomb of Lazarus, crying over friends who failed to recognize who He was.
Jesus spoke to God in the presence of those around him. He wanted them to see that God is in the midst of their pain and hurt.
**God is present in our pain and suffering. He mourns with us when we are sad; he limits himself to feel these losses with us. He does listen to our cries when we are hurt.
Jesus says: “Here I Am.”
“He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away .” Revelation 21:4
Time and time again Christ’s dearest associates on this earth doubted His love for them.
*Think of the disciples in a storm-tossed boat that was taking on water.
*Jesus was in the stern of the boat, sound asleep. Fearing for their
lives, His followers shook Him awake and then accused Him of out right unconcern. “Master, carest thou not that we perish?” (Mark 4:38).
*How their accusation must have grieved the Lord! That was God Almighty in their boat!
How could He not care?
***But whenever men take their eyes off the Lord and concentrate
instead on their circumstances, doubt always takes over.
*Jesus was astounded! He said:
“How can you be afraid when I am with you? How can you question My love and care?”
Christians today grieve the Lord in this matter even more.
Let us look for His exceeding mercy and love, admit the sinfulness of our unbelief, and recognize who He is!
In John 11:25 Jesus makes what may be His most COMFORTING claim of all:
“I AM THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE“.
Lord, Help my faith to sit solidly on Biblical Truth. Thank You Jesus! Amen
Read MoreIf we are to become more and more like Christ each day—then we should know and teach daily “Jesus Character” found in His Sermon and Teaching on the Mount-for US to find Purpose, Meaning, and comfort in life.
The 8 Beatitudes–Matthew 5:3-10
1. Vs 3 “God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him,
for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
*Moral Bankruptcy to self—result-we are Accepted–Is. 55:1
2. Vs 4 God blesses those who mourn,for they will be comforted.
*Admit and regret our failure–result-we are Forgiven and have peace—2 Cor. 7:10.
3. Vs 5 God blesses those who are meek(humble),for they will inherit the whole earth.
*Ask Holy Spirit the need and follow through in obedience–result-give up control to control everything. Result- Freedom—Jer. 9:23-24
4. Vs 6 God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they will be satisfied.
*Actively Pursue God and His will–Result-I am filled with God’s Love-I am Satisfied. Eph. 3:17-19.
5. Vs 7 God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
*Jesus forgives me of my sins when I sincerely confess them and extend loving forgiving accepting spirit toward others. Result involved in others lives-I am Kind hearted. Matthew 25:37-40.
6. Vs 8 God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God.
*Be totally honest and do not suppress the truth(Ro. 1:18). Be vulnerable to the Holy Spirit and be transformed by the renewing of your mind (Ro. 12:2). Result-transformed into the likeness of Jesus Christ my Lord. I am now Honest. 1 John 3:1-3.
7. Vs 9 God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God.
*I bring a message of reconciliation, healing and hope to all who will listen. Result-I am an Ambassador. 2 Cor. 5:20.
8. Vs 10 God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
*We now are fully devoted to Jesus. Result- I will joyfully accept whatever comes my way because of my Loyalty to Jesus Christ. I am Courageous. Colossians 3:1-4
While the Beatitudes of Jesus provide a way of life that promises salvation, they also provide peace in the midst of our trials and tribulations on this earth.
Thank You Jesus for Your Wisdom. I Pray the world will take Your perfect Teachings and put them into practice for Your Glory and our joy knowing You are our one and only Savior. Amen
Let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most” Hebrews 4:16.
You don’t have to be hesitant or shy about coming to God for forgiveness. The Bible says, “Let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most”.
At the throne of grace, you will not find scolding, punishment, or rejection. When we come to God with our sin, we receive his mercy, and we find his grace.
What’s the difference between mercy and grace?
- Mercy is forgiveness for all the things you’ve done in the past.
- Grace is the power to change in the future.
You need both.
- You need mercy for all the things you’ve done wrong in the past (forgiveness).
- And you need grace, the power to change, in the future. God says that when you come to him with honesty and humility, you will receive his forgiveness.
Let me tell you how not to get God’s forgiveness.
You don’t beg God. He wants to forgive you more than you want to be forgiven. You don’t have to beg.
You don’t bargain or bribe. “God, I’ll never do it again! I’ll live this kind of life. I’ll tithe 20 percent.” You don’t bargain. You don’t bribe. You don’t beg.
You just believe.
What do you believe? You believe God’s promise in Hebrews 4:16.
How do you do it? You just confess. Confession is not saying, “God, I’ll never do it again.” It’s saying, “You’re right, God. It was wrong. I was wrong.”
The Bible says in Romans 5:1,“Since we have been justified (that is, acquitted of sin, declared blameless before God) by faith, let us grasp the fact that we have peace with God … through our Lord Jesus Christ” .
What does it mean to be justified? It means “just as if you’d never sinned.”
Wouldn’t you like to have a heart that’s washed clean? No matter how deep the stain of your sin, God can take it out.
Lord, I confess and repent for not coming to You with all things. You are the way, the truth and the way. Help me daily to be in continuous prayer with you . Amen (see 1 Thes. 5:16-19)
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To walk with Christ is to walk in love.
“Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you…”Ephesians 5:1-2
Obedience To The “Heavenly Vision”
Acts 26:19 “So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the vision from heaven.
What is heaven’s mission “It is to spread the Gospel”
John 15:8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
Today people are non-stop in their daily lives, but are we really LIVING or EXISTING?
Life with each generation seems to become busier than ever, even with technology where we thought it would accomplish more with less, well, we all know where that has taken us!
If we lose “the heavenly vision” God has given us, we alone are responsible—not God.
We lose the vision because of our own lack of spiritual growth. We put down the Word of God and that is our start of backsliding.
If we do not apply our beliefs about God to the issues of everyday life, the vision God has given us will never be fulfilled.
The only way to be obedient to “the heavenly vision” is to give our best for His glory.
Jesus was never to busy.
It is essential that we live and “walk in the light” of God’s vision for us (1 John 1:7).
Personal Ambition and Pride must die.
We learn that we do not live to build up ourselves any longer.
***We live only to be an instrument of the working of Jesus Christ. And we must learn the truth which Jesus taught his own disciples when he was here in the flesh, “Without me you can do nothing…” (John 15:5b).
You can do what? “Nothing!” You may do a lot in the eyes of the world. What you do might be esteemed there.
**But in the eyes of God, without him it is nothing.
Lord, I pray that I will learn the lesson, and that I will be willing to be a person no longer holding onto control of the program myself but quite willing to follow where you lead, and to trust in your life in me to be all that it takes to do all that needs to be done. Yes and may I only boast of you and Your work through it all. Amen
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Men’s hearts are failing them for fear over the things happening on this earth (see Luke 21:26).
Even devout Christians are getting caught up in this wave of fear and anxiety about the future.
*People are afraid the ship is sinking.
*Mankind is yearning for security.
Does it all sound scary? Certainly everything appears to be falling apart, as far as the natural eye can discern.
In his honest moments, even the skeptic must admit that something apocalyptic is taking place in the world.
* How can Christians keep fear out of their hearts?
*How can they face all the news reports and anticipate all the calamities and disasters without being afraid for their homes and children?
*Do they pay off all their bills, salt away some reserves in the bank, then just try to ride it out while hoping that a better day will come?
*Do they buy a farm or a piece of land and flee to the country, hoping they can escape the coming tragedies?
*Do they let their motivation die andsurrender to fear?
*Do they abandon all their dreams and ambitions and become as hermits?
**** God has everything under control.
That is right, everything is under control! You and I, and everything that touches us, are under His control.
No matter how things look in this drunken world, all things are still working together for good to everyone who loves God and are the called according to His purpose (see Romans 8:28).
The future looks evil and foreboding, but David said, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me” Psalms 23:4).
The message for believers today is that the future is under His control, so we need not fear.
The best defense against the devil is to be so “God-centered” that we give no place to Satan.
David said, “If I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there” (Ps. 139:8). Any time Satan’s oppression is there, God’s presence is present too (Heb. 13:5)!
It’s just a matter of which one we focus on. Focusing on the devil is a trick of the devil.
Our total ability in the Christian life is found in Christ. It is not our ability that makes us strong, but our availability to Christ that enables us.
Paul said, “For when I am weak, then am I strong” (2 Cor. 12:10). He was saying that when he recognized his inability and, therefore, relied on the Lord, then the Lord’s strength flowed through him. We can do all things THROUGH CHRIST.
Colossians 2: 2 My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
Father, I know You want me to share the love I have found in You. Forgive me for the many times I have been too busy to see the needs around me. Break my heart for those who are in pain and feel hopeless. Encourage them through me, Lord. Fill my heart with Your love so that I can give it away. In Jesus Name, Amen.
Read MoreWhen our lives get so busy that we are not listening or responding to His gentle touch, He must take more aggressive measures to get our attention.
The soul is a “neutral” territory that can either be governed by our own thoughts, emotions, and desires, or else given over to the Lordship of Christ.
“For the one who sows to his own flesh shall form the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit shall from the Spirit reap eternal life.”Galatians 6:8
How and Where God Speaks
“The hand of the Lord was upon me there, and He said to me, ‘Get up and go out to the plain, and there I will speak to you.'” Ezekiel 3:22
When God wants to speak a very important word directly to us without interruption from the noise of our busy lives, he will take us “into the plain.”
The plain is a place of no distractions and no other persons. It is a place of silence. It can be a place of great need as it often fails to have the normal provisions we are accustomed to.
In modern times, it often means a separation from our normal activities such as jobs or families.
The plain can also be a place where we discover afresh that God’s hand has been on us all the time.
When we are so busy with life, we sometimes forget that God’s hand is still there, gently leading our path.
When our lives get so busy that we are not listening or responding to His gentle touch, He must take more aggressive measures to get our attention.
Thus, the plain is one of those appointed times of one-on-one communication with our heavenly Father.
Each day God calls us to our own mini-plain in order to speak to us through His Word and for us to hear.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me (Psalm 51:12).
David is also asking for help.
“Lord, give me this willing spirit,” he says, and God immediately gives it. Then it must be acted on.
That is the point. Do not wait for a feeling to come that you are forgiven. God has said you are forgiven. Do not wait for a feeling of power to possess you.
God has declared He has already given you the power. As you believe Him (and that is what faith is), you can do what you need to do and what God wants you to do.
A VISION WITHOUT ACTION IS ONLY A DELUSION!
Lord, thank You for giving me all that I need for both forgiveness and power through the Lord Jesus. Thank you for Your Voice and speaking to me. Amen.
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