Devotions - Prayer
“You will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is
light” (Matthew 11:29-30).
I know of only one way to enter into this rest that Jesus is talking about. If
understood and appropriated, this truth will usher you into the most glorious
Peace possible on this side of heaven and end ALL feelings of insecurity.
This foundational truth upon which all others are built is the doctrine of
“Justification by Faith”.
*It is the one doctrine you must understand if you hope to enter into the rest that Jesus offers.
I can only touch on the highlights of the magnificent truth of being justified
by faith. Yet I believe God desires to lead His church further into this divine
truth—to give us a foundational strength that will hold us in the days to
come.
Sadly, when you mention the subject of doctrine, many Christians turn up their
noses. They say, “I don’t want to hear all that deep, heavy stuff. Just
give me Jesus!”
**Yet what they really mean is, “I don’t want to discipline myself or spend the Time to Learn what Jesus did at the cross.”
Too many Christians become emotionally involved with the cross but never really study it.
I have heard many preachers deliver emotional appeals about Jesus and
the cross—about His beatings, the crown of thorns on His head, the spikes
driven into His hands.
The preaching of the cross is about much more than that,however.
It is about the “Victory of the Cross” and what Jesus did for ALL of humankind.
For those who desire to “learn of Him,” who want to understand Jesus’
wonderful work at Calvary, let’ look at this concept of justification by faith a little.
Two things are involved in our justification by the cross of Jesus Christ:
1. First, we have Pardon for ALL our sins. **When Jesus went to the cross, His blood pardoned us from all guilt.
2. Second, we are Accepted by God as righteous in Christ, through faith.
* This means God accepts us on the merits of what Jesus DID on the cross and not because of our works or any good deeds.
*Because of the Cross, God considered everything about Our old flesh-man done away with!!
Paul asked, “Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?”(Romans 6:1) and he continued quickly, “Certainly not!”
I believe Paul was saying,
*Why would any Christian, having been set free from such death, go back and resurrect the corpse?
*Why go back to a life of sin when God wants to take away all guilt and condemnation and give you security and peace?
Now, because of the Cross, you can serve the Lord with joy and gladness and obey Him in a new obligation called LOVE.
*“Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies”
(Romans 8:33).
Obedience in the Christian life is being in the Zone(like you hear about sports figures when doing well). When we live a life of Obedience, we begin to experience the Reality of God like never before.
* Wisdom grows in our life.
* Meaning and purpose are accelerated.
*In the early Church, the Hebrews gained wisdom through Obedience. *Later, the Greeks were characterized as gaining wisdom through Reason and Analysis.
**Today, we live in a very Greek-influenced Church. Many Christians determine if they will obey based on whether the Outcome will be beneficial to Them.
Imagine if the early Church had adopted this philosophy!
* No walls would have fallen down at Jericho.
*No Red Sea would have parted.
*No one would have been healed.
*No coins would have been found in the mouth of a fish.
*Reason and analysis would not have led to making the obedient decision.
Trust and obey. Leave the outcome to God.
“So,” you ask, “are we simply to take by faith the righteousness of Jesus?”
Yes, absolutely! That is what the Christian walk is all about—Resting by
Faith in What Jesus accomplished!
Our old man is dead, and the new Man is Jesus. (Eph. 2:1-10).
When we put our faith in Him,
God fully accepts us. He considers us righteous, hidden in the bosom of His
dear Son. So whenever you sin or fail, run quickly to your Lawyer, your
Advocate. Confess your failures to Him, and rest in His righteousness.
You may ask, “Don’t good works have any place in this doctrine?” Of course they do, but on this condition:
** Good works cannot save you, justify you or make you righteous or acceptable to God.
***The ONLY thing that saves you is your faith in what Jesus did!
**What did Jesus do? He saved you, pardoned you and accepted you in the
beloved—sins, failures and all.
God sees YOU now only in Jesus Christ and that is why we must come to our Savior every time we fall. The blood that forgave and cleansed us the first time we came to Jesus is the same blood continues to keep us until He returns.
Along with this security comes a higher obligation of doing all our works in
His strength and power rather than trying to do them on our own. “If by the
Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live” (Romans 8:13).
The only way to get into God’s good grace is to admit the truth: “There is
no good thing in my flesh, nothing in my good works to merit my salvation. I
cannot become righteous through anything I do in my own strength. My
righteousness is in Christ alone.” Paul says of the gift of righteousness:
“Those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will
reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.” (Romans 5:17).
The Lord gave His Word to the Jews but they didn’t believe it. Hebrews 4:2 says, “…the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard [it].”
We have been given God’s words too, in the Bible. If we will speak God’s Word in Faith, we will get the same results that Jesus did here.
Today, don’t limit God to barely meeting your needs. If you have enough, then believe for extra so that you can bless someone else. “Let God be magnified, who has pleasure in the prosperity of His servants” (Ps. 35:27).
Yield to the Lord’s work in you to bring you into order. When you walk in the Spirit and live in the Spirit, you will come under the rule of divine order, which will produce a great spiritual harvest in your life. Be aware, however, that worldly distractions and other interests will compete with life in the Spirit. You will need to put your priorities in order and maintain kingdom perspective, or you will be drawn away from what is eternally important. Stay connected!
Galatians 5:25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit
Lord, I believe! Thank You for the good news that Jesus Christ is not dead but alive and that He lives within my heart and has the power to break the chains of sin and the bondage of evil in my life.
Help me to be filled with your love this day and give it away to others in building up others with truthful encouraging words from You Jesus. Thank You Jesus for what You have done in my life. Let me now tell others of what You have done for me (my testimony-Romans 12:11).
Thank You Jesus for the Gift of Rest and Peace I have IN YOU this day!!! Lord, with Easter Coming, help us see Your work on the Cross this year in a Deeper Discerning way and then share with others the True Meaning for Your Glory. Amen
Grateful heart…may I ever be thankful for my deepening relationship with Him!
God, I want to live with an attitude of gratitude, starting right now! I thank you so much for loving me and for blessing me. Help me see the Positive things in life and to thank You for them.
“Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations”. (Psalm 100:4-5)
Sad? Depressed? Tired? Frustrated.
The LORD JESUS refreshes us in His presence.
The psalmist describes ENTERING INTO HIS PRESENCE with gladness. It takes a deliberate ACTION on our part. We must therefore MOVE FORWARD rather than sit and sulk in the midst of our circumstances.
How important it is for each of us to know the way into God’s presence. How do we enter in His gates? How do we come into His courts?
There’s only one accepted way:
* We enter His gates with thanksgiving; * We enter His courts with praise.
It’s as we come to God with thanksgiving and with praise that we have access.
Sometimes we are tempted to say, “But what do I have to thank God for, what do I have to praise Him for?”
The psalmist gives us three reasons.
1. The Lord is good.
2. His love endures forever.
3. His faithfulness continues through all generations.
These are three reasons why we should always praise and thank God. And notice that none of those reasons ever changes with our situation or our circumstance.
No matter what the circumstance, those three reasons for praising and thanking God always hold good.
Giving thanks begins with understanding the very basic idea that the Lord is good!
*In that goodness he has made us and he guides and directs our steps – He is our shepherd.
So many people today have a wrong picture of God. They see him as judge who is eager to punish anyone for the slightest infraction. God is good – he will punish, but he does not punish now.
God poured out all of his wrath on his Son Jesus who takes our punishment.
That’s why the angels announced at Jesus’ birth there would be peace – not between people but between people and God.
God is good because he has provided a way for us to escape punishment for sin and as a result spend eternity in heaven with Him.
**Jesus declared this task finished as he died on the Cross.
Even in the most difficult circumstances of this life we can praise God for his goodness.
When things are bad we can praise God they are not worse than they are! We can do this knowing of his good and final plan to restore us and creation at the end of time.
Let our worship be focused on God’s goodness and his perfect plan for us.
Psalms 107:1 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. 2 Has the LORD redeemed you? Then speak out! Tell others he has redeemed you from your enemies.
God made us—-not the universe, not pixie dust, nothing but God has created what and who each of us are.
*We are redeemed by the death of His son, made worthy in the eyes of our Lord God, through the blood shed on the Cross, made princes and princesses by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ!
*We must be joyful in all we do, knowing that we are free from bondage, darkness and misery!
*We are free to do more then survive, we are empowered to Live!!!
So Cheer it up, enjoy this life, enjoy your freedom!
Exhault in the fact that He loves you unconditionally and requires nothing but acknowledgment of being your Lord and Savior!
Remember that He knew you before you were even born, and that He has a plan to prosper you and NOT to harm you (Jeremiah 29:11)!!!
** Give thanks and praise to the Lord your God in this season and don’t let your failings get the best of you. God has already forgotten about them, so why don’t WE?!
****Now that Cheers me up this Day!
Psalms 105:1 Give thanks to the LORD and proclaim his greatness. Let the whole world know what he has done.
Revelation 12: 11 And they have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb and by their TESTIMONY. And they did not love their lives so much that they were afraid to die.
Lord, I get so caught up in daily life, work, and my own problems that I forget to thank You for the great things You have done for me and the wonderful promises You have given me. I forget to reflect on Your goodness and perfection and love. Lord, help me to take time to be thankful. Help me to set aside the trials and distractions around me and instead fill my mind and heart with Your goodness. Thank You, Lord!
God you are so good Lord. This is an area that I want to do more of. Positive thinking, gracious living,, and just being thankful for every opportunity that you have given me. My prayer Lord is that you continue to work on me that I may be a better example to others. Lord I give you all of the honor and all of the praise in Jesus name, Amen.
God is very picky about motives behind our actions.
*Your greatest moment begins with the greatest decision.
Though God loves us while we’re yet sinners, His Love relentlessly guides us toward wholeness in HIM.
” I will make you my wife forever, showing you righteousness and justice, unfailing love and compassion. 20 I will be faithful to you and make you mine, and you will finally know me as the LORD.” Hosea 2:19-20
***We see in these verses a compassionate and merciful God lovingly restoring His relationship with His people. This relationship is in the Image of a loving marriage full of righteousness, justice, love, compassion, and faithfulness. He restores His covenant with Israel and they respond, “You are my God.”
**This is a great illustration of how God pursues us.
*Instead of allowing us to face the consequence of our sin, death, God took Action and sent us a Savior!!!
* All we have to do is acknowledge Him and say, “You are my God.”(Verse 23)
***The Proper Foundation***
1 Corinthians 3:11 For no one can lay any foundation other than what is being laid, which is Jesus Christ.
“If the Lord does not build a house,
then those who build it work in vain.
If the Lord does not guard a city,
then the watchman stands guard in vain.”. Psalm 127:1
*We might work hard in this life, but that’s not what’s going to determine success!
** The important thing is that God must be “With US” in our projects.
***If God is not a part of your life, all your work is in vain.
Seek God, recognize him in everything you do; give Him ALL Glory and Praise; then you’ll see His Blessing.
Imagine spending years building an expensive home with the finest materials and craftsmanship. It is a work of art, and the project is almost complete. As the day arrives to move in, a building inspector arrives and hands you a notice that condemns your beautiful home because it doesn’t meet code.
Many Christian believers who invest years in their occupation will one day stand before the Lord and realize THEY were building the house, NOT the Lord.
God is very picky about motives behind the actions.
* Before we act, we must ask why?
*Why are we doing what we are doing? *Has God called us to this task?
* Or is the real motive purely financial? Or control? Or prestige? Or power?
* We must build with calculation!
*We must build with an end in view. *What we build with will be revealed on the Day of the Lord.
“If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work” (1 Corinthians 3:12-13).
“See Christ clearly and love Christ deeply.”
*The substructure doesn’t change, the substructure is Christ.
* The Superstructure, that is built on top of the Substructure, has room to change as long as it keeps to its Foundation.
**Build carefully today and reap bountifully tomorrow.
David learned this principle by the end of his life. Throughout his life he had learned that God always tested him to find out what was in his Heart, and what his Motive was in his Actions.
David instructed his son to “…acknowledge the God of your father, and serve Him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts” (1 Chron. 28:9a)
*When YOU possess something, you are held accountable for it. If you let go of it–relinquish it to God–then HE is responsible for it!
* This applies to everything–your life, your kids, your family, your house, your work, your business etc.
The dryness in a Christian’s life comes when we substitute other things for the living water that only Jesus can give. Anytime a Christian begins to “Thirst Again”, it is not a reflection on the living water that Jesus gives, but rather an indication that we have been drinking from some other source.
“Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation” (Isaiah 12:3).
…”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)
*You know you are healed, when you can Thank God for the pains of the Past!
*When we are tested with life’s trials and “going through the fire” our foundation is laid bare. Will we forget Jesus or cling to Him as our foundation?
Time to lay out a decision to be made?
*How can I glorify God in my goals and resolutions?
*What kind of “return” will you get with your investments.
*For everything we build, Christ must be the foundation.
*We will be rewarded according to the works that we have done on earth. (Matthew 10:40).
Friends, we have choices. We can choose to be of the world or of Christ. If we choose to be of Christ we must be fully His, for God wants all or nothing.
Thank You God for sending us Your Son.
Jesus Christ is the only sure foundation that will last for eternity. Help me daily to build on the SURE foundation. JESUS!
Help us also to build upon the work of those who have gone before us.
Jesus is the best foundation. He will never give way or let us down.
It is not the messenger (church) that’s most important; it’s the Message (The Bible). Let my faith grow with the Truths of the Bible and the Message of Jesus as foundation, my Lord. Amen.
Revelation 3:20 “Look at me. I stand at the door. I knock. If you hear me call and open the door, I’ll come right in and sit down to supper with you.
*I want to hear His voice. I want to understand His plan for me. Let me be still and hear His voice!
Standing in the Gap… we can pray for the people who are affected by the every day occurrences in life. For example: situations you HEAR about on the radio (floods, tornadoes, etc.), things you SEE on the street (people in need, people in fights, lonely people, children who are lacking proper care and instruction, homeless, etc), car accidents you pass on the freeway, ambulances that blare own the street, things you TALK about with family and friends. . . the things that disturb you and the people who challenge your patience . . . you get the idea. Pray right then . . . at the very moment you realize the need.
*God is looking for people to see a hole in society & step into the gap on His behalf.
*God is looking for people to stand up for Him.
*God is looking for partnerships in reaching out for His people on earth.
*May we strive for excellence in all that we do for the Master of the universe.
***Oh God give us Your heart for people so we can see their need and intercede!
1 Corinthians 3:7 It’s not the one who plants or the one who waters who is at the center of this process but God, who makes things grow.
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).
I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before Me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found none. – Ezekiel 22:30
The people of Israel fell into sin when they worshiped the golden calf. It would not be the last time God’s people would fall into idol worship.
** They had forgotten the great things God had done for them.
** This angered God so much that He was going to destroy the whole nation.
*Only one thing changed God’s mind in the matter — Moses. Psalm 106:23 says, “…had not Moses, His chosen one, stood in the breach before Him to keep His wrath from destroying them.”
Moses was a man willing to stand in the gap, sacrificially, for those who were not deserving of such sacrifice. This sacrificial love by Moses is called for among His people today.
*Jude 23 Go after those who take the wrong way. Be tender with sinners, but not soft on sin. The sin itself stinks to high heaven.
The prophet Ezekiel described another situation in which God’s people fell into sin. God was ready to destroy the nation when He spoke to Ezekiel, asking him if there is a man willing to stand in the gap so that God would not have to destroy His people.
*Judah was a man who stood in the gap on behalf of his younger brother Benjamin.
* Joseph held his brother Simeon hostage as insurance that the other brothers would bring Benjamin to Egypt. Judah had a long history of a me-focused life, but in this instance he came forward to stand in the gap for his younger brother. He responded to the anguish of his father, Jacob, by personally guaranteeing the safe return of both Simeon and Benjamin. Judah’s sacrifice was rewarded (see Gen. 42-43).
Just as Christ did, we are to be those who will stand in the gap on behalf of others who are not aware of their own vulnerable condition.
It is a proactive sacrificial position.
Who is God calling you to stand in the gap for? Perhaps it is a mate, family member; perhaps it is a coworker who has not come to know the Savior; perhaps it is a wayward child!!
Are you willing to become the sacrificial offering to God to change His plans of judgment because of your willingness to stand in their place? Pray-talk to Jesus!
*This is a hard teaching. This is what Jesus did for each of us. When we stand in the place of another, God moves because of our willingness to stand on their behalf.
** If we don’t, His plans will go forward because He is a righteous and holy God who will honor His own word, even if it means destruction.
Are you willing to stand in the breach of the wall for someone today? Perhaps you are the only person who will stand on someone’s behalf
We all long to hear Jesus say “Well done, good and faithful servant!”
When we hear those words, it’s because of our intimate relationship and time spent with Him…. more so than what we DID for Him!
* “And I will give them a heart to know Me, for I am the Lord; and they will be My people, and I will be their God, for they will return to Me with their whole heart.”Jeremiah 24:7
Be reminded that the Lord has given you authority and power over all the works of darkness. The Lord has called you to rise up and defend your kingdom position against every attack of the enemy. Do not hesitate to do all that is necessary to bring destruction to the destroyer. The Lord has opened the way for you to move to a more productive level of spiritual warfare and victory. Go forth by the Holy Spirit to do battle.
*Luke 10:19 “Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.”
*One desire – to see the Devil defeated not people.
*Minimize your losses, draw the line against the Devil. Don’t complain about past things move forward!
*The Devil knows the power of God’s word spoken to you and comes to test that Word.
*Don’t meditate on ungodly words spoken over you and circumstances surrounding you.
*You do not battle against circumstances, sickness, and people, but FOR faith in God’s Word spoken to you.
The Devil does not question God speaking a Word to you, but he tries to convince you it’s not true.
*Do not provide an opportunity or door for the enemy to gain a foothold.
Though the apostles had been given much authority and power to partner with Jesus in accomplishing the supernatural, they were not to lose sight of what truly mattered.
And who can win this battle against the world? Only those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God. (1 John 5:5)
What is truly important is that people experience Salvation!!!!
We cannot be so distracted with the ‘work’ of our ministry that we lose sight of this. All the knowledge, spiritual authority, experiences and power do not mean anything if people miss the opportunity to spend eternity with Jesus.
Of all the things I can accomplish– being a part of someone’s ‘day of salvation’ is by far the most important!
God requires our obedience, we are forever in his presence when we obey.
(See Colossians 3:22).
Jesus, may I always remember what You value most. Help me to always remember that Salvation and someone gaining Eternity with You is by far the most important thing! Thank You Jesus for Your Perfect Love for Us. Thank you Jesus for standing in the Gap between humanity and God. Thank you Jesus for loving me even though I put you in second place at times. Thank you Jesus for embracing me with your arms of redeeming grace. Amen
Read MoreThe moment we invite God to take control of our lives, God comes into our hearts. And God Himself is Love.
* “God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.”1 John 4:16
*Worth is defined by value.
*Value is defined by the price someone will pay for something.
YOU Are so so worthy to God!(PS 139).
God gave it ALL for YOU! (JN 3:16).
God so valued YOU that he gave everything. You are worth the blood of Jesus. Believe in who you are in Christ.
But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love. 1 John 4:8.
God’s supernatural Love is not affected by the other person’s response, nor is it dependent upon circumstances.
*He makes everything beautiful in His time….and set Eternity in our hearts~
Ecclesiastes 3:11
“…and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls.” 1 Peter 1:8-9
People call you blessed not because of something you do, but because of something God chooses to do in you. When HE regards your humble state, you are blessed.
Luke 1:46 Mary responded, “Oh, how my soul praises the Lord. 47 How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior! 48 For he took notice of his lowly servant girl, and from now on all generations will call me blessed. 49 For the Mighty One is holy, and he has done great things for me. 50 He shows mercy from generation to generation to all who fear him.
Here, Mary makes a very clear distinction between her soul magnifying the Lord and her spirit rejoicing.
**Our soul is the part of us that is considered to be our personality. It is our intellect, emotions and will.
** Our spirit is the part that gets changed at salvation and it is always operating in “love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance” ( Gal. 5:22-23).
Moving forward requires change!!!
*We all have something about us that needs to be shifted.
God is committed to transforming and changing us. You cannot move forward until you change what needs to be changed.
It requires self examination and making changes.
If God is not challenging you to change then something is missing.
1. Change your thinking – pro 23:7. Your thinking drives the person that you are. 2. Change your attitude. Psalm 51:10 nasty means uncooperative… attitude. Create in me a clean heart. Ezk 36:26 – make me a person of compassion.
3. Change in your behaviour. 2 Cor 5:17 – God transforms you… He is so powerful He makes you a new creation. *There’s NO sin that is beyond the power of Christ to change. You who live in Christ He will make YOU a new creation. God has changed my behaviour.
God desires for you to move forward. But you are going to have to find out what you need to change to move forward. Don’t know what? Ask God, your spouse, parents or best friend.
*If you want to go where you want to go, you have to go where you have never been.
*In order for us to move forward, we have to do things we have never done.
The decision is yours !
Dt. 30:19 “Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live! 20 You can make this choice by loving the LORD your God, obeying him, and committing yourself firmly to him. This is the key to your life. And if you love and obey the LORD, you will live long in the land the LORD swore to give your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”
Today, choose to walk in the joy of the Lord
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
Today treat every one in a way that they know you see past their sin and allow God to reach into peoples hearts.
God help me not to be so quick to judge and to see people the way you see them. God, You have shown me what love is like, by loving me first. Help me to follow the example of Jesus and live out all the facets of love in my day-to-day life. Thank You for Loving me. Amen
Read MoreThe Bible clearly states that God has given us everything we need to succeed in our Christian lives. In order to be forgiven from a life of sin we need to believe and have faith in, Jesus Christ.
*It takes Faith to move forward and overcome the challenges.”He who is in you is greater than the he who is in the world”. (1JN 4:4).
Jesus sacrificed his life on a cross for us, so we could be cleansed of all our sins and have a relationship with him and God, his Father for ALL Eternity.
“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).
So, if God has given us everything, what do WE need to do?
2 Peter 1:5-11 gives us clear, step-by-step instructions.
First, we must have FAITH.
The definition of faith is found in Hebrews 11:1, “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”
It is impossible to “believe” if you don’t have faith. “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek him” (Hebrews 11:6).
The entire chapter of Hebrews 11 is full of examples of “Faith in Action”.
If we stop at faith we will have no success.
The very next book in the bible, James, tells us exactly that; faith without deeds is dead. So, if you continue reading
2 Peter 1:5-7, you will see there is a list of attributes we need to add to our faith.
*Verse 8 is very important. First, it tells us these aren’t added just once and we’re set for life. We must “posses these qualities in increasing measure.” *Second, it lets us know if we “Follow these Instructions”, it will keep us from being ineffective and unproductive in our knowledge of the Lord.
The next verse( 2 Peter 1:9) warns about what happens if we don’t have these qualities increasing in our lives… “we become nearsighted and blind, and “Forget” that we were saved, or cleansed from our sins”.
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).
Not wanting to end on a negative note, Peter goes on to say there is a way to make sure verse 9 never happens(don’t get nearsighted and blind, and forget that we were saved).
“Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 1:10, 11 )
When I was new and immature in my faith – my Christian walk was full of failure. I felt like all I did was try, fall, repent… over and over again.
** The truth is, I wasn’t trying to change. I wanted to stay the way I was, and God wanted me to become more like Christ every day.
*I don’t know why I fought it for so long. I used the excuse “Jesus loves me just the way I am.”
*That is a true statement, but Jesus also loves me too much to leave me there! *Don’t be afraid to surrender everything to God’s will because His way is so much better than our way! “So, no more excuses”– I would tell myself.
I am amazed when I think about the lengths God has gone for us to have a personal relationship with Him!
*God is so perfect, and we are so imperfect; He is love, and we are self-centered. We want Results this second and God is patient and has Our Best interest in mind because He sees and knows the Future—not Us!
** God knew He had to give us everything in order for us to succeed. He even put a measure of faith within every heart. The only thing He left up to us was our Free Will.
*We have the right to pursue Him with all our heart, or to pursue Him half-heartedly and lose sight along the way. **We even have the right to reject His loving offer, choosing a path that leads to eternal pain and self-destruction, which breaks the heart of our Creator.
So, when I say God has given us everything to succeed, I am not saying we have no choice in the matter. On the contrary. To live a healthy, productive Christian life it takes commitment and determination.
** Once we make our choice to pursue Him(All In), God is right there with us, to help along the way!
“But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:15)
Praise be to God who has given us the victory in Jesus Christ to overcome temptation and serve the Lord…Whom will you serve if you refuse to serve the Lord???
May God give you victory over sin and power to celebrate your freedom in Him…Jesus loves you!!!
1 John 4:4 But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world.
*It takes Faith to move forward and overcome the challenges.”He who is in you is greater than the he who is in the world”.
Father, again today, I declare that as for me and my family, we will serve the LORD. Father I ask you to remind me to consciously make this choice every day.
I pray for my heart and soul. I pray that I will focus only on You. You are my God. You are the Most High God. You are the only True God. I love You Lord! Amen
If we continue to strive for excellence and integrity in our own lives, then we can only be setting a positive example for those around us.
*God wants our heart–not vain, empty ritual. He wants us to have an authentic Relationship with Him.
*The Primary purpose of Jesus’ coming to this earth was not forgiveness of sins, BUT to Give US Eternal Life which is a quality of Life, the life of God imparted to those who believe on Jesus Christ.
*Sin separated us from God so Jesus dealt with sin. However, His payment for sin was just a step toward His ultimate purpose of reconciling man to God. (See John 3:16).
*Eternal Life is not imparted knowledge, but the reality of God in our lives through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
*We may know all about Him with our minds, and yet miss the personal knowledge of His presence in our LIVES.
* God wants us to place HIM at the
centre of all we do and all we are!
***”The gift of God is Eternal Life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Rom. 6:23).
Acts 19:32 Inside, the people were all shouting, some one thing and some another. Everything was in confusion. In fact, most of them didn’t even know why they were there.
*Here is a great example of human nature. A small disturbance breaks out and quickly becomes a riot. Much of the city is in an uproar and this verse tells us they don’t even know what’s going on.
How often do people jump on a political band wagon or even take sides in the church without even knowing what the issue is?
They simply follow the crowd, mindlessly doing whatever seems easy, cool, popular, profitable.
* How many innocent lives have suffered?
*How many wrong decisions have been made?
“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.
Listen to Amos. 5: 21 from the Message Bible—- “I can’t stand your religious meetings. I’m fed up with your conferences and conventions. 22 I want nothing to do with your religion projects, your pretentious slogans and goals. I’m sick of your fund-raising schemes, your public relations and image making. 23 I’ve had all I can take of your noisy ego-music.
*Programs and churches can let people down.
**Jesus never does!!!!!
Waiting on JESUS gives me the quiet confidence of His Presence upholding me moment by moment.
” 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”. (Isaiah 40:31)
*When an Eagle watches a storm approaching, he waits until it strikes. Then he faces it, spreads his wings, and rises upward through it.
* As storms hit your and my life, our wing power takes us through the storm and lifts us above it.
*This strength comes from waiting upon the Lord. The word “wait” means here “habitually Trusting”.
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 Truth, Love, Freedom and life!!!
It doesn’t matter how many people you’ve led to the Lord, how many Scriptures you’ve memorized or how many Bible studies you’ve taught; if you’re not fully convinced God loves you…there’s something missing.
* “Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church.” Ephesians 4:14-15
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.
Hebrews 12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. 2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus,…..
The number one thing that sets Christianity apart from religion is We have Jesus Himself living in our hearts. Christianity is a relationship, not a religion.
Knowing God loves us is the only thing that will give us true identity and security in this life.
** “Whom have I in heaven but Thee? And besides Thee, I desire nothing on earth. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever…”Psalm 73:25
Father God, thank you so much for Your faithfulness. You never disown me, I am yours always. Father you know my heart and I pray that my heart will desire You more than anything. Thank you for being my shelter and my strength because I am so very weak. You use me when I am at my most useless. Thank You, Jesus for being the One Who understands and sympathizes with us in every Circumstance we experience. Thank you for allowing me to be Yours. Thank You for Your Full Commitment to each one of us. “To Know You IS ETERNAL LIFE”. (JN 17:3). Amen.
Read MoreReceiving Only From God
Sometimes we think it’s all about us. It has to be all about God in order for us to fulfill what is in His heart and mind for His overall plan for His Kingdom. God doesn’t need us, but He has chosen to use us.
God has an agenda for planet earth. He has chosen you and me as the primary instrument for accomplishing His plan. Are you willing to be his faithful priest and king to do what is in His heart and mind? Why not say “yes” to His agenda.
Regardless of circumstances or appearances, God is in control. John the Baptist explains that whatever someone has they have it because it is given to them from heaven. If we all understood and accepted this, life would be more peaceful.
If we stop and ponder on each area of our life, we will see far more blessings than challenges.
* So,what do you dwell on?
*What do you think and talk about? *What has God given you?
*Do you believe that all that you have – God has given?
To this John replied, “A man can receive only what is given him from heaven.” – John 3:27″
When John’s disciples came to him and asked if he was the Messiah, he responded that he was not and that one could only be what God had given him to be. He was a forerunner to the Messiah, and he was fulfilling a call God had given him.
*We cannot acquire and become anything that God has Not given us.
* God gave John that anointing.
We must ask whether we are trying to be or trying to acquire anything God has NOT given us.
When we seek to acquire anything that God has NOT given us, we can expect God to respond to us like any good father would to a child.
*He will remove that which the child is not supposed to have.
David understood this principle. When he was preparing to furnish the temple, he told God in his prayer, “Everything comes from You, and we have given You only what comes from Your hand”.
(1 Chron. 29:14b)
Yet when He(Jesus) heard that Lazarus was sick, He stayed where He was two more days. (John 11:6).
*Delays in our life are not always easy to handle or to reconcile in our minds. *Often, when God does not answer our prayers in the time that we feel He should, we appoint all sorts of characteristics to God’s nature that imply He does not care.
Such was the case with Lazarus’ sisters when Lazarus became ill and died. Jesus was a close friend to Lazarus and his two sisters, Mary and Martha. (Mary, you may recall, was the woman who came and poured perfume on Jesus’ feet.)
When Jesus arrived two days later, Martha shamed Him by saying, “If You had come he would not have died.”
*She implied that He didn’t care enough to come when sent for. It was a matter of priorities for Jesus, not lack of love.
God often has to delay His work in us in order to accomplish something for His Purposes that can be achieved only in the delay.
Jesus had to let Lazarus die in order for the miracle that was about to take place to have its full effect. If Jesus had simply healed a sick man, the impact of the miracle would not have been as newsworthy as resurrecting a man who had been dead for four days.
This is Jesus’ greatest “public relations act” of His whole ministry. What many do not realize is that the KEY to the whole story is in the next chapter.
Many people, because they had heard that He had given this miraculous sign, went out to meet Him. So the Pharisees said to one another, “See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after Him!” (John 12:18-19)
If Jesus had not raised Lazarus from the dead, there would have been no crowds to cheer the Lord when He came into Jerusalem riding on a donkey.
God often sets the stage so that His glory is revealed through the events that HE orchestrates.
*God did this with Moses and Pharaoh, allowing delay after delay for release of the Israelites from Egypt.
*God did this with Abraham and Sarah for the promised child, Isaac. God granted Sarah a baby past the age of childbearing in order to demonstrate His power.
God did this in my own life. He delayed the fulfillment of what I believed He called me to do for several years. But the delays provided the necessary preparation and greater glory that God was to receive.
Friends in Christ, don’t take the delays lightly. Do not faint as God places you in what seems to be a holding pattern. ***God is at work. God knows the purposes for His delays. Don’t give up, for they are for His greater glory; so we need to remain faithful.
Jesus said that we can speak to Our mountains and tell them to “be removed and cast into the sea”, and if we have faith in God, it will be done. *Entering and remaining in God’s promises for my life requires that I place my faith and trust in God, recognizing and remembering His power in my past and embracing His grace for my future.
By worshiping Him, my heart will be established in faith and His power will be unleashed to confuse the powers of darkness, opening the way for me to inherit, or gain, new ground in and for the Lord.
So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. 1 Cor 3:7
*We are to study the Word of God with diligence, meditating on the Word both day and night. This is how we become successful in God’s sight. (Joshua 1:8). The Bible says that my people perish from lack of knowledge. ( Hosea 4:6 ). So, we need to eat this word and let it be fruitful. And that fruit should result in application and service(ACTION).
This is how we can rightly divide the Word of truth because it will show in our Actions, in our Growth, in our Sanctification process.
*Jesus was not just a giver–Jesus was THE GIFT! May the “gift nature” of Jesus overwhelm us all today!
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
John 4:10 Jesus answered and said to her, If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, Give Me a drink, you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.
*Jesus calls Himself “the gift of God.” The spiritual world has given the natural world a gift. Jesus has already been called the Son of man, Son of God, King of Israel, Teacher sent from God, Lamb of God, Light, Christ, Messiah, Logos and Truth.
*God showed us His love by giving us His one and only son that we might live through Him.
LORD – help us count our blessings, especially during the hardest of times. Please let us see what you Jesus, have given us -” Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning”. James 1:17. Amen
Read More*God can and will Reverse, Restore, Revive and Renew.
Don’t give up on the God who’s never given up on you! Life is hard– God is still God— Don’t give up!
*Out of struggle comes strength; out of strength comes discipline; out of discipline comes integrity; out of integrity comes inheritance.
*Know that your heavenly Father is looking down the road for you.
Job 42:1 “Then Job replied to the LORD: ‘I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted.’
verse 5 …My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you.”
Job 42:12 So the LORD blessed Job in the second half of his life even more than in the beginning…
*As convinced as Job was, we must realize that God spoke and it came into being. God is the creator and we, the created.
*Therefore God has the final say in all things especially those things which we have no understanding of.
Romans 10:17 Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.
Sometimes I don’t fully trust God has prepared good things. For me, for family, for friends, for others.
*I’m not sure He can redeem the pain, recover what’s lost, heal all that’s broken. Can He truly fit the pieces of this past year into a hopeful future?
Right now, circumstances suggest otherwise. And if I rely on what circumstances currently imply, I’m apt to believe the answer is no, the Lord is not able.
*BUT circumstances tell Tales that are prone to change in a moment.
And the truth of the matter is: God never changes. His power to give a future and hope never change. His Word never changes. So when life weaves stories of doubt and hopelessness in God’s authority over circumstances, I reread accounts of His faithfulness and redemption. I refer back to the Truth…
Proverbs 19:21 Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the lord’s purpose that prevails.
All the while Job’s family, home, crops and health demolished…God was preparing to give him double of what was killed, stolen, lost and damaged.
The time Joseph was a slave and prisoner…God was planning for him to be second in command over Egypt.
When Ruth was a homeless, barren widow…God was creating a home in Boaz’s heart for her to be a wife, and mother, and great, great, great-grandmother to His Son.
As Lazarus was bound in grave clothes…God was forming the breath that’d give him new life.
The moment David laid down in adultery…God was laying the groundwork for him to rise up in repentance.
Every time Saul crucified Christians…God saw Paul preaching the crucified Christ.
With each strike that Sarai beat Hagar with…God saw Sarah beating her jealousy, pride and doubt with the birth of Isaac.
When Esther was an orphaned girl shaking in fear for her life…God made a way for His daughter to shake a kingdom and save His people.
As Rahab welcomed men into the shelter of her bed…God saw her sheltering the spies on her roof.
When Peter lost faith and denied Christ…God saw him bringing many to faith as he proclaimed Christ.
As Moses killed an Egyptian with his hands…God saw him chiseling the Ten Commandments with those same hands.
At the time Mary saw Jesus die…God saw Jesus resurrected and seated on His heavenly throne!
No matter what the dire, dreary circumstances, God turned each into a hopeful future.
Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
Our key verses in Job 42 assures us, none of His plans can be thwarted. Despite what is happening in life, these stories of redemption and hope speak the truth.
And Job 42:12 reminds us that the blessings Job lists in Chapter 29 are just table scraps compared to the riches and blessings God lays on Job in his latter years.
*You know you are healed, when you can Thank God for the pains of the Past!
I submit, not for blessings sake alone, but for the sake of the knowledge of God, when God walks with you through trials and struggles so that you might KNOW Jesus better than you ever could have imagined. Repent for what you thought you knew of God and were wrong about, and then rejoice in what you now know about God.
Can’t wait for Heaven when no veil remains, and I can finally say with Job, “I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you! And the blessings of eternity will far surpass anything I call riches here in this life.
*God can and will Reverse, Restore, Revive and Renew.
*God sees beyond the present troubles and is sparking a fire to light up the future with Hope.
As we begin this New Year, let’s be on the lookout for His plans to come to pass. And trust Him that He can take any circumstance and use it for our good and His glory.
*Romans 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
What was Jobs final destiny?
* Job was walking out his destiny– Job didn’t stop at the roadblocks.
Dear Lord, I’m so grateful You not only see my future, but You’ve planned it. Thank You for Your faithfulness last year. And for recording these stories of lives You turned dreary pasts into hopeful futures. I ask that You do the same for all our circumstances this New Year please-for Your Glory and our joy . In Jesus’ Name, 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 MoreControl is at the core of that which is opposite the cross—-Self-Rule.
The Lord desires to increase our faith if we will continue to ask, trust and believe.
* “If we are faithless, He remains faithful; for He cannot deny Himself.”
2 Timothy 2:13
“Jacob named the place Peniel (which means “face of God”), for he said, “I have seen God face to face, yet my life has been spared.” The sun was rising as Jacob left Peniel, and he was limping because of the injury to his hip” Genesis 32:30-31
*Jacob was broken to be Blessed; crippled to be Crowned!!!!
*God is the Potter and we are the clay. He will shape us according to His design for us.
When God puts us on the wheel, He begins to apply the pressure of circumstances–sometimes gently caressing the clay and often more firmly. The Potter may even have to break us and start over.
Jacob was a man who was a controller. He connived and manipulated his way to get what he wanted.
It was a generational stronghold passed down through his mother, who encouraged her son to play a trick on his father, Isaac, by pretending to be Esau.
This trick led Isaac to give the family blessing to Jacob, which meant Jacob would eventually inherit the land God had promised to Abraham’s seed.
Jacob also learned control from his uncle Laban who caused Jacob to work for 14 years to take Rachel as his lifelong mate.
One must ask which was more ugly in God’s sight, the self-centered nature and worldliness of Esau, or the control and manipulation of Jacob?
Control is a problem for men and women. As an example some women use sex to control their husbands. Many men use power and force to control their wives.
** Control is at the core of that which is opposite the cross—-self-rule. “The ME”
What delivers us from this fleshly nature of control?
*************A crisis!!!!!
* Jacob’s crisis came when he was faced with the prospect of meeting a brother who said he would kill him the next time he saw him.
* Esau had built his own clan and was about to meet Jacob and his clan in the middle of the desert. Jacob was fearful, so he retreated. There he met a messenger from God who wrestled with him.
*Jacob clung to God and refused to let go of this angel.
* It is the place where Jacob was given a painful but necessary spiritual heart transplant.
**From that point on, Jacob would walk with a limp, because God had to dislocate his hip in order to overcome Jacob’s strong will.
For believers, God often has to “dislocate our hip” through failure and disappointment.
Sometimes it is the only way He can get our attention. Our nature to control and manipulate is so strong that it takes a catastrophic event to wake us up.
Yet God did not reject Jacob for these character traits. In fact, God blessed him greatly because He saw something in Jacob that pleased Him. He saw a humble and contrite heart beneath the cold and manipulative exterior of Jacob’s life, and it was that trait that God needed to develop.
*God did this by bringing about the crisis in Jacob’s life that led to total consecration.
This event was marked by Jacob getting a new name, Israel.
* For the first time, Jacob had a nature change, not just a habit change.
* What will God have to do in our lives to gain our complete consecration to His will and purposes?
*As we cry out to the Lord repeatedly concerning our situations, we shall see Him move on our behalf.
A new day dawns! Jacob–Israel–walks on the rest of life’s journey with a limp. *Every step was a painful reminder of the transformation in his life.
* Each step was to be a step of faith and not self-reliance.
**He was broken to be blessed; crippled to be crowned.
That painful circumstance in your life, the frustrated plans, the family strife, the financial struggle, the physical sickness–it could be a host of things–pressures you have prayed and asked God to remove. You think your prayer is unanswered and the blessing has been withdrawn. Well Maybe– It might be that your prayer is being answered in a better way and the blessing you desire is coming disguised as a burden.
**The darkest night in your life may yield to the dawn of your brightest day! It did for Jacob.
Watch for the temptations that suck you back into an old spiritual condition, particularly that of fear or obsession. You will recognize it when it comes because you will feel restricted by it. Refuse to allow anything to cause you to retreat emotionally, mentally, or spiritually. Maintain your liberty. The price has been paid for your freedom at the Cross.
* Galatians 5:1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.
The Christian faith operates through love; and the measure of one’s love is demonstrated by the extent to which one keeps Christ’s commandments. “Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him” (Jn. 14:23). The Father’s love is conditional; it is based upon our obedience to His Word.
A similar hope is given to us in the sixth beatitude: “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God” (Mt. 5:8). Let us therefore cry out as David did in Psalm 51:10, “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.”
After this experience with God, Jacob became lame because the Lord had touched him in his thigh.
Jacob was originally very strong-willed and independent, but from this time onwards he had to “depend on the Lord”.
This dependency upon the Lord is also seen in the Song of Solomon 8:5, “Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved?” Certainly, the purpose of the wilderness is to bring us to that place of holy dependence upon our Beloved.
Also, Isaiah 33:23 is a wonderful promise to those who are so afflicted. It declares: “the lame take the prey.” This verse implies that those who have been weakened by God can win the battle and obtain the spoils.
Isaiah 33: 22 For the LORD is our judge, our lawgiver, and our king. He will care for us and save us.
If you feel that your far from God, pray to God and ask him to give you a new heart.
Guard your heart with; Prayer, hearing the truth and reading the Bible.
I need to learn how to repent like David but not just repent but do my very best not to repeat the same sin over and over. I need GOD to take control and for Him to help me take control of my flesh and learn not to let my flesh defeat me, but I must learn how to defeat my flesh.
Prayer Today: Read and meditate on Psalms 51….Amen
This is a Big subject. But here is a small bit to get us going.
What is the Kingdom of God?
*God’s way of doing things!
*The Kingdom of God is about Righteous living and supernatural ability to maintain a mind set which realizes the mind of Christ is the resource that supersedes circumstances.
*The Kingdom of God is about LIVING a life of goodness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.
*(Matthew 28:19-20 The Great Commission).
Romans 14:17 For the kingdom of God does not consist of food and drink, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18 For the one who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by people.
Less of talk more of action. That is the kingdom we have received from God.
*The world is tired of religion. The world is tired of vain, powerless human ideas and gimmicks or schemes which are not able to change lives. Only God can change lives. Only God can bring a lasting or enduring change. It’s time for us to use what God has put inside us to affect and effect a change in our environment.
The NIV Study Bible calls the Kingdom of God, “His present reign in the lives of his people. That dynamic new life in Christ, the power of the new birth showing itself in a humble life, dedicated to Christ and his mission. Empty talk is contrasted with the genuine power of the Holy Spirit.”
So my life today will reflect the Kingdom of God as I live an empowered life, full of the Holy Spirit and submitted to the King’s rule and reign in my life. When this life is over, will my life be a legacy of words or a closer relationship with Jesus?
Genesis 4:20 MSG. God’s Way is not a matter of mere talk; it’s an empowered life.
****1 Cor. 4: 20 For the kingdom of God is demonstrated not in idle talk but with power.
*God equips us with spiritual gifts to accomplish his agenda.
*God’s Way is not a matter of mere talk; it’s an empowered life.
*Christ’s power is revealed by love and gentleness and humility in each of us.
*Lord’s Prayer(Matthew 6:9-14). What did Jesus teach about the resources of the Kingdom in that prayer?
*God’s kingdom is not about physical pleasures or earthly things.
*God’s kingdom is not about the pursuit of the things that will end when your physical life ends – to pursue such things is to conform to the world.
*We are the transformed! If we truly belong to God’s kingdom in heart, soul, mind and strength then we pursue those things that don’t end in this life, but the very things that pull us through to our eternal union with Christ:
* Believers are to experience the Kingdom of God NOW!
“Thy Kingdom come. Your will be done ON EARTH as it IS in Heaven.”
Everything that exists in the Kingdom of God He wants us to experience now!
*Many people will talk about the kingdom of God.
It is nothing but air unless there is spiritual power in our life. The proof is in the fruit of our life – not riches – spirit.
Gal. 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. There is no law against these things!
***The kingdom of God is the reason human history is marching forward.
The entire history of the world is tied to what God is doing in and for His kingdom.
***The kingdom of God is also the most powerful entity on the planet.
**** The kingdom of God has at its disposal the omnipotent power of God. That power can be used to change lives, relationships, communities and countries.
I know it seems at times that we belong to a weak and powerless entity. Satan would want us to believe that, but it is just not true.
I know that at times it seems like the kingdom of this world is winning.
But read the book of Revelation(see Bible Study option below) and it’s clear that we are on the victorious side. What you and I need to do Is believe!
****We need to believe what the word of God says about the kingdom of God. *We need to believe that despite our smallness we have great significance. ****We need to look at ourselves with eyes of faith (the way God sees us) instead of eyes of sight.
**We are members of the most significant and powerful entity on the planet. We are members of the kingdom of God.
*You have to believe the kingdom of God is within you and everyone who believes. God said I put a deposit of my kingdom inside you.
Your righteousness is a powerful force against darkness. It is in faith and righteousness that the kingdom of God is established in you, around you, and through you. Don’t underestimate the victory that comes when you maintain right relationship with Jesus and those who belong to Him. Stay close and continue to seek His face, listen for His voice, and obey His leading. Jesus is establishing purity and peace in those who truly belong to Him and in return we will experience His Kingdom here and now.
* Matthew 6:33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
Lord I want to live a life identified by Your power working in and through me. What an empty conclusion to this life if the only thing left over is a bunch of Christian conversations. Take my words and replace them with your power in my life. Please make me effective for your Kingdom today by using your Spirit to manifest your power in my life. I want to yeild to your power in my life today. Here I am Lord, fill me with your power! Let Your Word and Holy Spirit fill me daily to Have Action for the lost. Amen
Read MoreWhen we feel the weight of the world resting on our shoulders, we can just go to the Lord. In Him, we will find all the rest and peace we need.
*Jesus promises His peace to all those who come to Him in trusting faith.
Jesus said, “Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will
give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30).
I have the tendency to cling to my problems searching for a solution. If I give them to God I will be free of the stress, find peace, and I know that God had the perfect solution.
A true yoke is designed to divide the load between two animals. One of those animals is the leader and the other follows the lead. God might be saying here ” you have been carrying your burdens by your self for a long time, put on my yoke and share your burdens with me.” And indeed God’s way and God’s perspective are always best and ease our lonely burden.(“learn of Me”)
Another part of the Goodness of God as we see here is His REST. He wants us to take the things that weigh us down, bring them to Him, give them to Him, and in return give us the peace to know that He’s in control of those things… thus allowing us to rest. (“learn of Me”)
Christ tells us very plainly: “Do not attempt to take on a walk with Me
until you are at rest in your soul!”
If you do not have this wonderful confidence in what the Word of God says Jesus did for you, His yoke will not be easy or light. On the contrary, you will spend your time striving in the flesh to please God. You will go from hot to cold, living with unnecessary guilt and shame.
*I find myself saying fairly often that God’s not moved by our sense of urgency He’s moved by our Faith in Him & His Word.
God’s not impressed when we strive for things He’s already blessed us with…and finally He’s also insulted by us trying to work so hard for something that’s free. (“learn of Me”)
The body of Christ is exhausted because we are so convinced that getting God to move on our behalf is like a dentist trying to pull a stubborn tooth.
None of us are resting in the Goodness of God because we are trying so hard to earn it.
I believe the key to this verse lies in the words “learn of me.” Jesus is
speaking here of the discipline of learning who He is and what He accomplished on the CROSS.
Jesus is saying, “You must have a knowledge of what I have done for you.
* When we’re striving for His Goodness.. we are working for something that’s available for free.
Then, once your soul is at rest, you can take on My yoke. So, learn of
Me!”
We do not want this kind of discipline. We want to take the easy way! We are
like school children on the playground at recess who do not want to go back into the classroom.
Perhaps today you say, “I’m reading my Bible now and praying a little each day.
I’m trying hard to do better!” This is all good, but I assure you that these
things will not keep you through the coming storm.
*It is not enough to try hard, to make promises to God, to strive to be better. *Nor is it enough to say, “I’m more diligent than before.”
**No, it is all about going after a revelation of what Jesus did for you at the cross!
God’s yoke is that we follow his purpose for our lives, and when we do that, things work out a whole lot better. *When we go our own way in life, we hit one brick wall after another. In a sense, God says, “Put on my purpose, my plan for your life.”
* Jesus did not come to give you a burden but a blessing.
Enter the realm of the Spirit and ask what you will in faith. Do not hesitate or come with doubt or double-mindedness. Come expecting an answer, for Jesus will surely hear and answer your requests according to His purposes. Come to the Lord with purity of heart and exercise your childlike faith.
* James 1:2-8 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
Give yourself a break today, and stop working so hard. Instead read Matthew 11:28-30 again.
I’m going to issue a challenge today…take just one thing that’s weighing you down, give it to God (and leave it in His hands by faith trusting Him to take care of that thing that’s weighing you down), and see if you don’t feel a little lighter. (“learn of Me”)
*There’s an old saying that if you don’t enjoy the peace & rest of God…you can return to your misery.
***Matt. 11:29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me….We have all had teachers, from elementary school thru college, and even mentors later in life. But here, we read that the God of this universe, the God who gives us breath to live this day, wants to be our teacher! That’s astounding! That is profound! The question is, will we listen? Are we willing to be taught by Him? Are we in his word on a daily basis so as to learn from Him?
You know you are healed when you can thank God for the pain and suffering of the Past. Then we can Move Forward in Life for God’s purposes not ours!
Something should cry out in all of us: Jesus, Your Word says I can live in
total rest, peace and security. I don’t have to strive in my flesh or be tossed
about by guilt or fear. You have set before me the promise of a life at rest,
but I don’t have that rest. Oh, Lord, I want Your rest with everything that’s
in me. Teach me by Your Spirit—I want to learn of You. Lord teach me to cast all my burdens on You. Let me take up Your cross and find true fulfillment and peace as I continue to Move Forward Trusting in YOU! In Jesus Name, 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”.